#after spending multiple minutes being completely silent

[wintfleur]

thinking about Daryl Dixon dating a book worm girly . . . they would meet on the Greene farm. She was a good friend of Hershel’s son Shawn, and stayed and lived with the family when the outbreak started. She would spend most of her time with Hershel and Beth or with her face in a book . . . she would like to be alone a lot, having her own spot on the farm away from the house where she could peacefully read and not have to worry about interacting with anyone, a spot that used to be her and Shawn’s . . . also a spot where Daryl decides to set up his own small camp away from everyone . . . well everyone but her. He would be hesitant at first to approach her when he gets back from another search for Sofia, seeing her leaning up against a tree with a thick book in her lap. He’d seen her around a few times in the short amount of time he’s been at the farm, only with Beth or Hershel. He’d ask her what she wants, assuming that she was waiting for him. She’d apologize, saying that she just wanted to be away from everyone, and surprising the both of them he said with a grunt she could stay as long as she didn’t touch his shit or start reading aloud. And for the first time he sees a small smile on her lips . . . but it was quickly covered when she lifted her book up from her lap.

Time-skip to after the farm falls and before they find the prison. They would become closer . . . well as close as two antisocial and closed off people could get. It was more like they found comfort in each other’s silent presence. She was so good at being quiet and finding her way around in the woods that she would often join daryl tracking/hunting. The first time daryl sees her smile since the farm is when he gives her a book he found in the trunk of an abandoned car. Since she couldn’t carry a bunch of books since they were traveling, every time she was done with a book he’d try and search for another to switch it with . . . would let her quietly mumble about the book she was reading when she couldn’t sleep and he was on watch. Would walk next to her as she walks n reads, making sure she wouldn’t trip.

When they make it to the prison, he’d bring her back multiple books whenever he goes out looking for supplies, and over time the small desk she had in her cell was cluttered with books . . . all from daryl. He would let her ramble about her books whenever they were on watch in the watch tower, him standing up and looking out while she comfortably sat on the floor with her book. He’d realize his feelings for her at the strange and unfamiliar feeling he felt in his chest as he watched her read a book to Carl and Beth who was holding Judith.

Time-skip to when they are now together, he would come back late from his shift at the look out tower in the prison and would check on her in there cell, expecting to see her sleeping since it was late . . . Instead she was curled up in her bed, technically now there bed, reading with a lit candle next to her. Not wanting to sleep without him by her side . . . and wanting to also finish another chapter. Whenever daryl would wake up from a nightmare she would quietly read to him, taking him out of his tortured mind and into the lovely world of her book. Whenever she was too focused on a book he’d surprise her with a kiss on her cheek or lips . . . completely stealing her attention. All she would have to do is bat her eyelashes and say please and daryl would fold . . . reading to her when she’s to tired to read herself, she feels so safe and warm when she’s in his arms as she listens to him read to her . . . he always kisses her forehead when he notices she fell asleep, tucking her bookmark a few pages back, knowing that she probably wouldn’t remember the last few pages he read to her.

˖ ་ 💭 roro’s notes ( take this as my application to write for twd !!! I wrote this in 20 minutes at 1am, soo it’s probably not the best I just couldn’t sleep without getting this written down. Please let me know if I should continue writing for twd . . . I’m currently rewatching the show and my love for daryl just grows stronger !!! Again please let me know what you guys think, don’t be a silent reader <333 )

main masterlist twd masterlist

[drluvsick]

𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐘 — 𝐠𝐢𝐲𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐤𝐚

giyu and water lilies have much in common; ft. self conscious giyu! 📝 gn! reader. little hurt to comfort, mostly fluff. didn’t proofread, umm didn’t like the execution for this… for the vitamin u event!

word count : 800+

𝙉𝙊𝙒 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔𝙄𝙉𝙂 . . . 𝘚𝘗𝘈𝘊𝘌 𝘚𝘖𝘕𝘎 (𝘚𝘗𝘌𝘋 𝘜𝘗) — 𝘉𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘏 𝘏𝘖𝘜𝘚𝘌

water lilies are known to symbolize many things. they can also be associated with the person you love most in so many aspects.

resurrection. water lilies shut themselves at night only to open up again in the morning, and some people believe in the symbolism of resurrection because of the flowers emerging from the murky waters of their home into the light of the rays of the sun.

it reminds you of your closest friend, giyu, in the way that he had happiness before—the innocence of being a child, so distant from any bad thing that could affect his reality only to be crushed completely at the death of his best friend. that happiness, though never in its old form, came back when he met you, resurrected from within after so many years of denying it. his happiness, in a way, had resurrected. different, but the same warm feeling nonetheless.

“…you spend so much time with me.”

you pick at another weak flower, putting its petals precariously in his hair. you save the stronger flowers as a whole to put securely on top of his head. giyu holds his own water lily, red in color. he doesn’t do anything with it, though. he just holds it in his hands, resting them on his thighs.

“is that a bad thing?” you question.

“not necessarily,” he responds, “i just think you could spend your days doing something more… productive…than spending time with me of all people.”

“what brought this on?” you glance at him, seeing his eyes staring at the water, the flower, anywhere but you. he was beautiful.

beauty. there’s something about the way those flowers rest in the places they live; simply floating on pond surfaces with their petals stuck together like a living community living near other groups of communities, with their multiple colors characterized as different symbolisms and the calmness they seem to exude.

giyu’s pretty, handsome—any praiseworthy words complimenting his looks. but it’s not all about that, is it? his personality’s certainly unique than that of his fellow comrades. albeit rather stuck in the past, he’s quite the worrywart for people he cares about, even if at first he can be a bit mean and forlorn (although, before you’d met him, the “forlorn” part could’ve been pretty accurate…). he’s kind, gentle, and calm—beauty rarely found outside and inside a person, even if he can rarely notice it himself.

“someone told me to stop wasting your time. i’m beginning to think they’re right,” giyu places the flower in his hands into the water, watching as the wind carries it away from him as petals fly from his hair to the surface in tow.

“who told you that?” you ask, surprised at the disinterested look on his face. you expected much, but after all this time… maybe you’d hoped that he’d be a little more interested in wanting your interactions to not end.

“it doesn’t mat—”

“giyu.”

he stays silent for a hot few seconds before admitting, his eyes semi-closing as he opens his mouth a few times before managing to speak. “it…it was just a feeling. mixed with some comments i’ve heard from the other hashiras.”

you don’t push on the matter of who said what further, instead opting to be nearer on the matter of keeping his hopes alive that you want to be with him.

“do you want our meetings to stop?”

he sighs. “…no. of course not.” you both watch as the red water lily from before bumps into him, his hands reluctantly reaching to lift it up again.

“that’s good,” you exhale in relief, “then i’m free to continue spending time with you—not wasting it, there’s a difference—without anyone stopping me.”

your conclusion made him think that what he’d just proposed was silly. you both sat for a few minutes in silence, you looking for something as giyu sat staring at the water lily in his palms.

he snapped out of his trance when he felt you put a flower on his head, hearing you softly laugh as you tucked and moved his hair this way and that to hold it in place.

“…i love you.” he murmured.

enlightenment.

you froze once you processed those words, giyu wincing and his eyes widening once he registered what he’d uttered.

it can mean understanding. whether that be understanding the many meanings and symbolisms from one of july’s flowers to understanding the people around you.

you slowly smiled, moving your hands from the delicate flower to his shoulders, kneeling in order to hug him and whisper, “i love you too,” to him.

it reminds you of giyu in the way that you spent awhile to recognize his pains of what had happened to him and how those horrors had trailed and haunted him to his adulthood. how you deciphered his emotions through his stoic shield of protection. how you took the time to really understand him, to get to this point.

he carefully guided your head to face him, his lips ineptly finding yours as you helped him through the process, the red water lily set next to him as he embraced you fully.

red water lilies symbolize pure love. it’s just another reason why these particular flowers remind you so much of the person you loved most.

overluvsick | please do not repost, translate, and/or claim my works as yours !!

[baby--charchar]

Baby Vaggie and Autism!

Cw: description of a meltdown, based on my own experiences having them. Absolutely okay if anyone needs to skip this.

So it goes without saying that Vaggie is straight up autistic, not just autistic when she's regressed. However, Big Vaggie had been trained to SEVERELY mask as an exorcist, where there was no tolerance for burnout, sensory issues, or social fatigue. It probably crossed the lines into straight up abuse multiple times.

In Hell, she still tries to keep up that mask. Her urge to protect Charlie and her team leads her to giving herself no leeway to accommodate herself. I think that while she overall thrives with her newfound family, her constant masking is still tearing her apart. She likely had many shut-downs that others misinterpreted as her just being moody.

Learning to unmask probably began as it's own process apart from regression. But I feel that they likely converged after one major meltdown. Vaggie felt like a pressure cooker about to explode with everything going on, then something relatively small happened to break the camel's back so to speak. One minute she's silent on the couch in the lobby, filling out legal paperwork, then the next she's screaming her lungs out and flipping the table.

I imagine her meltdowns as rare but SEVERE. Lots of screaming, hyperventilating, pacing around the room, banging her head, and biting herself. Months and months of that pressure releasing in one instantaneous explosion.

Charlie would be so scared and wouldn't know what to do. She just wants to hold Vaggie, but every time she tries, Vaggie just panics more.

Lucifer doesn't REALLY have experience with this, but he has strong "papa bear" instincts for both of his girls. He lets Vaggie ride it out just until she's no longer being unsafe. After which he places his hands on her shoulders and gently guides her towards the elevator. He keeps repeating, "You're safe, you're okay. We're going to your room. We're gonna rest." She's still sobbing, but she starts to untense the more he assures her.

Once they're home, Vaggie is still overwhelmed but is doing better. She wants Charlie's touch and is squeezing her HARD, mustering up as much deep pressure as she can. Lucifer gets her some water in a sippy cup (sensing where Vaggie is headed) and it helps.

By the time she's recovered, she is VERY deep into baby space. Enough to where she's struggling to sit up and walk on her own. Lucifer gets her changed and into her favorite pajamas. It's not long before she slips into sleep.

Moving forward, Charlie and Lucifer try encouraging Vaggie to unmask: find stims she likes, rest more, whatever that means for her to make herself more comfortable. Big Vaggie is naturally resistant, always pushing herself to do more, to BE more for the hotel. But Baby Vaggie? You don't have to tell her twice.

Baby Vaggie feels safe with Charlie and Lucifer. She's finally relaxed enough to follow her own instincts, whether that be how she moves her body, how she gets her point across, or just how she entertains herself.

Vaggie is completely nonverbal, but finds other ways to communicate. She knows that if she screams long enough, someone will come pay attention to her. She really likes that system, so there is LOTS of screaming. They get good at recognizing what different screams mean, like "I want food," "I need to be changed," or just, "I want to spend time with someone."

Charlie makes her a small communication card and keeps it clipped to a lanyard that Vaggie can wear. It has all her favorite foods, toys, and people, for when she really needs to be specific.

She also keeps a large chewie on that lanyard. Without it, Vaggie's prone to putting nearly anything in her mouth, be it her clothes, blankets, crayons, whatever. All her shirts have tiny little holes from her gnawing.

Vaggie has lots of sensory needs. Some of them, like food and smells, she's very restrictive about. She has very few foods she'll eat in her headspace, and abhors any lotions or powders on her skin.

For other senses, she just can't get enough of them. As a former soldier who was VERY active, her body's used to heavy input to her muscular and balance systems (proprioception and vestibular). This honestly scared Lucifer at first because she would do some very unsafe things to soothe her body, like running into walls at full speed or climbing up on the kitchen counters. It took him a long time to realize what the hell she was doing, let alone how he could help her.

But once he got it, he got it. He set up so many "sensory stations" for her in both his room as well as Vaggie's. She's got trampolines, a crash pad, a swing attached to the ceiling, and a baby bouncer custom built for her. She can have SO much energy and often ends up running between all four of these when she's regressed.

It's important to note that she's on trampoline #4. Numbers 1-3 were just no match for her boundless energy.

Side note: that boundless energy may also come at night, as Vaggie has a hard time regulating her sleep. Lucifer is such a Bewildered Dad over her, but their late nights have made way for good bonding time. Vaggie honestly feels just as safe with Lucifer as she does Charlie. Her little family.

Vaggie can be very repetitive with what she enjoys, especially TV or music. She can play the same 3-second clip over and over again and bust out laughing every time.

Vaggie also loves COLORS. Her blocks are her favorite toy because of just how many beautiful colors they come in. Pastels, primaries, jewel tones, you name it. She loves sorting them by color, shade, tones, etc.

Baby Vaggie is a huge fan of messy play. Charlie loves playing in the sandbox or pool with her, and splashing is so mesmerizing to her. She also loves just getting into things, like makeup, slime, food, shower gels, whatever. She can absolutely DEMOLISH a room.

But that comes with the stipulation that she gets to be clean after! The jetted tub in their room is her favorite place to be after a long day being big or little! She just has to be watched very closely by someone so she can stay safe (and of course, NOT destroy the bathroom).

Because being little is the only time Vaggie seems to not want to suppress herself, Charlie encourages her to regress often. She loves Baby Vaggie! And Vaggie always seems so much more content after a couple of hours in babyspace. It's just a good balance, and it's a system that works for them!

[saichisugimoto99]

Halloween Holiday

Pairing/s: Ethan Landry x OC!Miyuki

Summary: When Chad said he had won an all-inclusive trip to Japan for 8 people, most people thought this "little vacation" was a good opportunity to clear their heads. The place was beautiful, although that was exactly the problem. How could Chad win a luxury trip in a raffle of dubious origin? Shortly after, they discovered that, despite being a charming place, it had a very dark secret.

Warnings: Language, shoddy comedy, gore? (just a description, I think), bad writing, sorry, non-ghostface. I think that's all, if I'm missing something, don't hesitate to tell me.

W/C (Word Count): 5,631

A/N (Author's Note): For the story of this special (which comes a little late, sorry), I based it on two movies and a video game: The Grudge (its American version), and the game that was created by Chilla's Art: The Bathhouse. English is not my first language, so if there are mistakes, don't crucify me. (Only Nexorath dialogues will be purple)

Everything was completely fine. Miyuki just wanted to spend the next few days making Halloween-themed cookies together with her spoon cleaner, Ethan. If only Chad hadn't won that damn trip to Japan, they wouldn't be in this situation. But for more context, let's go back in time.

Two weeks before…

Miyuki was preparing the cookie dough while Ethan hugged her from behind, his face hidden in the crook of her neck. “Love, I need space to handle the dough” he said to the curly-haired boy. “I'm sorry... I barely saw you all week because of exams, I can't help but want to be close to you” Ethan responded with a sad expression. Miyuki just smiled and rolled her eyes. “Okay, stop making that puppy dog ​​expression and help me make the cookies” Ethan smiled and started helping his girlfriend with the preparation, just like she had taught him a while ago.

After a few minutes, Miyuki put the tray with the cookie dough in the oven and took out the sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on them within 10 minutes. At that, the head of his symbiote, Nexorath, emerged from behind his back. "I can't wait to eat cookies" the symbiote said with a smile, Ethan just rolled his eyes, “Are you leaving the rest with nothing again, glutton?” after saying that, the symbiote quickly turned to look at Ethan.

“Who do you think you're calling a glutton, you broccoli hair idiot?!”

“What did you call me a parasite?!”

"Parasite?! I’ll headbutt you!!”

“Enough!!” Miyuki exclaimed irritably. “My God, you look like an old couple. They won't eat cookies if they keep fighting like that. Nexorath, you know you are forbidden from headbutting others, and Ethan, stop calling him a parasite” after the girl scolded them, they both bowed their heads and remained silent until the cookies were ready and sprinkled.

They were about to start eating cookies when the door to the apartment Miyuki shared with her best friend, Anika, was heard. Multiple voices could be heard and, seconds later, the aforementioned girl stuck her head out of the kitchen door with a smile. “Sorry to interrupt your quality time together, guys, but Chad needs you in the room.”

“What for?” Miyuki asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No idea, he said it was incredible news.”

Anika leaves in the direction of the living room, “The cookies will have to wait guys” Miyuki said as she took Ethan's hand and headed to the living room, “I hope it's quick, I've already waited a long time to eat cookies” Nexorath and his infinitely short patience.

Entering the room, Miyuki saw everyone: Sam, Tara, Mindy, Anika, Chad, the perpetrator of the incredible news, and even one of her brothers, Kenji. “Kenji? "What are you doing here?" the girl asked, looking at her brother while Ethan sat on the only space left on the couch and she settled into his legs. “I don't have the slightest idea, I was just coming to leave you the book you lent me. I ran into them and Chad dragged me here” Kenji said with his usual serious expression.

“So… Why the sudden reunion?” Ethan asked, looking at his best friend and roommate as he wrapped his arm around Miyuki's waist. “I'm glad you asked my dear Ethan. The news that I will give next will only demonstrate my good luck.”

“Do you have any idea what the hell he's talking about?” Miyuki asked in a whisper to Tara, who was next to her, but she just shrugged, “He didn't want to tell me.”

“Well, I hope it's really too good news to interrupt my time eating cookies” the symbiote spoke in his head, making only Miyuki hear him.

“A few weeks ago I went to Brooklyn with some kids from one of my classes and entered a raffle place. I signed up for one of them and I won. Can anyone guess what the prize was?” Chad asked, looking around at everyone.

“Speak up!” Miyuki and Mindy exclaimed at the same time.

Chad was startled, “Shit! Well, well, how impatient” he rolled his eyes and spoke again, “Well, friends, I am pleased to announce that... I won a trip to Japan!” everyone was silent for a few seconds, before they jumped and They began to congratulate Chad, except Kenji, Mindy and Miyuki. “Chad, that's incredible!” Anika exclaimed as she stood up to hug her friend. “It's true, you really have good luck” Sam told him with a smile and then Tara stood up to congratulate her boyfriend. , “I wasn't expecting that news, congratulations babe” “Congratulations, bro!” Ethan moved his girlfriend to hug Chad.

“And you guys aren't going to congratulate me?” i ask, looking at Kenji, his sister, and Miyuki.

“I still don't know what I'm doing here” Kenji said.

“Chad, dear brother, your award gives me a bad feeling.”

“I share Mindy's opinion.”

“I haven't eaten cookies for coming to hear your news, and it's rubbish!” Nexorath came out, he was very irritated.

“Oh come on! I haven't even told you the best part. The trip is for 8 people! That's why I brought Miyuki's brother.”

Miyuki and Kenji look at him for a few seconds, “You know we go there with the same frequency as we visit a supermarket, right?” Kenji said making Chad a little frustrated, “Please, guys, so that the trip is valid. There needs to be 8 people, plus it's a good opportunity for the rest of us to see a place outside of the United States, so what do you say?” Miyuki shares a look with her brother and they both nod at the same time, “Okay, we'll go.”

“I still think this is very suspicious and a bad idea, but anyway, I'm in too” Mindy said, standing up with her arms crossed. And oh, she was definitely right; This trip was a very bad idea.

Miyuki was at the door of the apartment, giving instructions to her sister, Natsuki, on how to take care of her pets while she went on a trip, “Koda and Nimbus have to go out every morning to walk for at least an hour, since They have a lot of energy. What Horus eats most are crickets and lettuce, and Jade already has enough frozen mice in the small refrigerator under her terrarium. About Zinnia, the only thing you have to keep an eye on is its litter box and its diet, technically it would be the easiest to care for. Okay?” her sister just looked at her for a few seconds, processing everything.

“Yeah… I think I should thank you for the written instructions” he said to Miyuki with a smile, the girl imitated his action, “It's necessary, you know I worry about my babies.”

“Don't worry, if you visit 'aunt Namika, give my regards.”

“Of course, see you.”

Miyuki said goodbye to her sister and her pets, and headed downstairs, where Anika was already putting both of their suitcases in the trunk of the taxi. The girl approached to help her, and when they finished placing the suitcases, they got into the vehicle heading to the airport.

When they arrived, the rest of the group was waiting for them at the entrance. They got out of the taxi and went to get their suitcases. Ethan ran to Miyuki to help her put them down.

"I missed you."

“We saw each other last night, babe” the girl responded with a teasing smile.

“Exactly” Ethan leaned in to give his girlfriend a kiss which she reciprocated.

“AGH, you guys disgust me!” the symbiote spoke telepathically, causing Miyuki to roll her eyes as she finished unloading her suitcases to walk towards the others along with Anika.

As they made their way through the airport, the bustle of people and the sound of advertisements echoed around them. Miyuki looked around, feeling a mix of irritation and nervousness because she didn't like crowded places. “I can't believe I finally got to visit where your family comes from” Ethan murmured, the girl just smiled and squeezed his hand tenderly.

“Shit!” Miyuki exclaimed, stopping short.

“What's going on? Did you forget something?” the curly-haired boy asked, causing the entire group to look at them.

“Ahh no, I hope you didn't forget anything, we don't have time for you to go back and forth” Chad said, with a worrying tone.

“No, it's not that. I just forgot to mention something to you” before he could continue speaking, you heard a voice calling out to you from behind, when you turned around, you saw Quinn and another of Miyuki's brothers, Masashi, approaching you.

“I forgot to mention them.”

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked.

“Damn, we barely missed you guys. 'I ran into Miyuki's brother on the way and we thought they had already left, I'm glad we arrived on time" Quinn said as she gasped for air, the only one who didn't even look tired was Masashi, who only had a backpack on him. shoulder and a travel bag in the other hand.

“Well yes, we were already on our way to the inspection area” Miyuki said with a smile as she hugged her friend and then her brother, “Hello, Masa”

“Hello, flea” Masashi said with a half smile as he the hug corresponded to his dear sister.

“I'll repeat Sam's question: what are you doing here?” Chad asked, raising an eyebrow. “Well, despite my negativity about this trip, I didn't want to leave Quinn alone in New York, so I called my dad to pull some strings and talk to the owner of the accommodation, and he set aside two more places: one for Quinn and another for Masashi. Because, lacking a brother, he decided to send two to take care of me. You don’t have to worry, your tickets are paid for too.”

“Tell us the truth, Miyuki, how much influence does your dad have?” Mindy asked with her arms crossed and a smile, causing Miyuki to just roll her eyes, “Let's go, before we miss the flight” with that, Everyone continued walking, and this time with two more companions.

The group arrived at the screening area and began to line up. Chad remained cheerful, making jokes about Japanese food and what they planned to do as soon as they got to Tokyo. “I have to try real ramen and see if it's really as good as they say!” he said, as Tara laughed and nodded.

“And I want to walk around Sensō-ji temple. I saw some pictures and the place is beautiful” Quinn said as she linked her arm with Sam’s.

Finally, they passed the security check and collected their suitcases. “We're almost ready to board!” Anika exclaimed, as she checked her watch.

While they were waiting in the departure lounge, Mindy approached Miyuki and said quietly, “Hey, do you think this is all a good idea? I can't stop thinking about what the news said about that place…”

“What do you mean?” Miyuki responded, a little confused.

“You know, the stories about haunted places and stuff like that. 'I don't know, I have a bad feeling."

“I don't believe much in ghosts, but my aunt Namika is an itako, which is the equivalent of shamans in Japan. For that reason, I always keep an open mind. But you're right, I don't have a good feeling either." (Says the one who has an alien up her ass and also knows Doctor Strange)

Before Mindy could respond, an advertisement caught her attention. “Attention, passengers of flight 452 to Tokyo, the last calls to board are being made. Please go to boarding gate number 7.”

“It's time!” Chad said, excited. The group got moving, with renewed energy.

Once on board the plane, they settled into their seats and, as the plane began to take off, Miyuki looked out the window.

“Japan, here we come!” Chad shouted, raising his arms in triumph. Everyone applauded and laughed, infected by his enthusiasm. However, deep down, Miyuki couldn't help a small worry from settling in her mind. What awaited you on this trip?

Throughout the trip, Miyuki was watching movies with Ethan, listening to music and occasionally talking to her brothers, or answering some of Quinn's questions about Japan. When they finally landed, the group felt refreshed. Excitement filled the air as they picked up their suitcases. As they left the airport, the fresh air and bustle of the city surrounded them.

“Look at that!” Anika exclaimed, pointing towards the illuminated signs and the hustle and bustle of the streets. “This is incredible.”

“Don't react as if it's your first time coming to Japan,” Kenji said, with an almost imperceptible smile, “She looks like an old woman seeing a modern phone for the first time,” Masashi said next, looking at his brother with a mocking smile, “ I hate you guys,” Anika punched them both, but still smiled.

“Guys, do you know what time the minibus that dad rented for us will arrive?” Miyuki asked, looking at her brothers. Masashi looked at the time on a nearby screen at the airport, “He will arrive in approximately 10 minutes.”

“Did they rent a minibus?” Chad asked, confused, “Don't look at me, Dad would never take 'no' for an answer” Miyuki says, as her siblings nodded at the same time.

The minibus arrived shortly after, they stored the suitcases in a compartment with the help of the driver and got into the vehicle that would take them to the accommodation. Upon arriving at the place, they were surprised by how luxurious it looked from the outside.

Immediately, everyone turned their heads to look at Chad, who had a huge smile. “Well? What do you think?” “Chad, this looks too good to be true” Mindy said with a serious and somewhat nervous expression. “Come on, little sister, don't be a party pooper. “Stop being so negative and just enjoy this vacation.”

“For the first time, I agree with her. I feel something strange about this place” Nexorath said, stepping out from behind Miyuki as he looked around the accommodation, making sure no one else saw it.

“Do you see it? Even the alien agrees with me,” Mindy said. “Come on, you too, Nex? “This place is amazing.”

“An incredible place to die” Miyuki commented. As beautiful as it was, it definitely had a very strange vibe.

“That's enough, let's get in at once, shall we?” Quinn took the key from Chad and quickly began walking towards the entrance of the small house they had shared.

“I don't want to go into that place” the symbiote said, looking at its host. “I'm afraid we have no choice, Nex” the girl sighed as she dragged her suitcase. “Awww, is the almighty Nexorath afraid?” Ethan asked sarcastically as he put his arm around Miyuki's shoulders. “You're lucky Miyuki doesn't let me eat your damn head!”

The place was also nice inside, with all the amenities. The house had three rooms; In one pair there were two double futons, and the last one was the main room. They quickly began to choose who would stay in each room: Miyuki, Ethan, Anika and Mindy would share one; Sam, Quinn, Kenji and Masashi would share the other; and Chad and Tara would get the master bedroom.

After settling into their accommodation, the group decided to head straight to the temple. As they walked, Miyuki noticed the atmosphere change; The bright lights of the city were transformed into the calm of the temple.

Upon arriving at Sensō-ji, they felt small before its majesty. Paper lanterns illuminated the path, and the scent of incense filled the air. Miyuki closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the peace that emanated from the place. The girl and her brothers had visited Japan some time ago.

“Let's explore” Ethan said excitedly. “I want to take photos of everything.”

As they walked, they passed a handful of food vendors selling local delicacies. Chad stopped at one of them. “We must try the dorayaki!” he said, pointing excitedly. Everyone joined the line, laughing and enjoying the moment. “Shit, I don't remember the last time I ate one, they are delicious” Masashi said as he finished eating a dorayaki and ordered another one. “I want one too!” Nexorath said telepathically, "Don't worry, I'll buy some for you, if we buy more candy or food, I'll save some rations for you" Miyuki whispered with a smile, so that only the symbiote could hear her.

However, while they were enjoying the food, Miyuki felt someone watching her. He turned around, but only saw a group of tourists. She shook her head, convinced it was just her imagination.

"All good?" Ethan asked her, noticing her expression.

“Yeah, I just thought I saw something” she replied, but decided not to tell him more.

At the end of the day, the group gathered in front of the main gate of the temple. The atmosphere was magical, and everyone except Miyuki, Kenji, and Masashi took out their phones to capture the moment.

“This is just the beginning of our adventures in Japan!” Chad exclaimed, raising his camera.

But as they prepared for the photo, Miyuki felt a chill run down her spine again. This was going to end badly...

When they returned it was almost 12. Everyone went to their respective rooms, wishing each other good night. Miyuki walked into the room she would share with Ethan, Anika, and Mindy. The walls were decorated in light colors and there was a large window on the side where Mindy and Anika would sleep.

“This place isn't so bad after all” Anika commented, dropping her suitcase on the floor.

Miyuki smiled, although Nexorath was still alert, peeking out from behind her. “Sometimes I wonder if we're really safe here” he murmured.

“Stop worrying so much” Ethan told her, as he unpacked his clothes. “Let's enjoy our vacation. What we need is a good rest and then explore.”

Meanwhile, in the main room, Chad and Tara were getting comfortable. “Can you imagine what we could do here?” Chad said excitedly, looking around. “We can have a party at this house and explore the city during the day.”

“That sounds fun, but don't forget that we're also here to enjoy the culture” Tara responded, with a smile.

Returning to Miyuki's room, Mindy took out her phone and began searching for interesting places to visit. “Look at this! There is a lantern festival happening this week near here. “We should go!”

“Sounds great” Anika said, excitedly. “And then we could go to the temple again, especially at night. I think it would be magical.”

“It must be because of the fall, there are usually more festivals in Japan this time of year” Miyuki said as she got up from the futon, “I'll go get some water, I'll be right back.”

The girl was heading to the kitchen when she began to hear a very strange and terrifying noise. It was like a guttural and broken whisper, similar to a muffled lament, accompanied by a raspy tone that sent a shiver down Miyuki's back and caused her symbiote to poke its head out from its host's back at the imminent sensation of danger. “You didn't listen too, did you?”

“Yes, this place is definitely very strange. Something is hiding in the shadows.” Nexorath continued to remain alert as Miyuki continued on her way to the kitchen.

“I should talk to my aunt or investigate more about this place” the girl poured herself a glass of water while the symbiote tilted its head.

“You mentioned her before. What are you doing?" Nex asked as he searched through the kitchen shelves for the sweets that Miyuki had saved for him.

“She is an Itako. She lost her sight when she was a child because of an enemy family. He had to find a way to regain his sight, so he focused on spiritualism. "He always had a talent for the supernatural, and thanks to that, the spirits showed him a way of 'seeing', if it weren't for the milky tone of his eyes that indicate his blindness, anyone would think he had excellent eyesight."

“I spent decades locked in that laboratory and never heard that word.”

“I'm not surprised, after all, it is a word that is linked to the supernatural. Someone in science would never explore that field. When I said that I did not believe in ghosts, I was speaking from ignorance because nothing paranormal has ever happened to me; and look we know Doctor Strange.”

“HAHAHAHA, The magician? That guy is very funny” Nex spoke while stuffing his mouth with dorayakis.

Miyuki was about to respond, but something she saw through the window caught her attention. In the distance, on the golf course that could be seen from the kitchen window, there was someone standing, looking in her direction, although she couldn't be entirely sure...

“Nex… Can you see that person over there?” Miyuki asked as the symbiote turned its head in the direction where she was looking.

“…” “…” None of them said anything and they stood with a blank expression as they stared at the woman standing there. When they both turned their heads to look at each other and then turned their heads again toward the window, that woman was gone. A minute passed while Miyuki and her partner stood frozen, until they heard that terrifying moan again... right behind them. Very slowly, they both turned and saw her there, peeking out from the small food cellar.

Another few seconds passed that seemed like an eternity, until Miyuki whispered: “Por las sagradas chanclas de Jesucristo” (By the sacred flip flops of Jesus Christ). Right after, both the girl and the symbiote screamed at the top of their lungs at the same time. “AAAAHHHHHHHH” “AAAAHHHHHH.”

His screams caused everyone in the house to become alert. The group ran towards the kitchen; encountering a somewhat particular scene. Nexorath was holding a frying pan with an extra arm he had generated, Miyuki was holding a knife in each hand, and a few others were nailed to the kitchen pantry door.

“What the hell happened here?!” Mindy asked, seeing how upset Miyuki and Nexorath were. “There was a-a…” The girl tried to explain, but she could hardly articulate words, so it was the symbiote that finished the sentence for her. “There was a ghost! A damn abomination!! That damn thing was terrifying!!!”

"Ghost?" Tara spoke, somewhat skeptical, while Ethan approached his girlfriend to take the knives from her, followed by the girl's brothers to make sure she was okay.

Kenji looked at his sister to check that she wasn't hurt. Masashi came up next to hug his sister.

“Are you sure you saw a ghost? Wasn't it something else?" questioned Chad, who looked just as skeptical as Tara. Miyuki didn't respond. “My sister doesn't get upset about anything, look how she is. That means he really saw something.”

“I… I think I'll go to bed” the girl said as she left without looking at anyone.

Soon, Ethan, Mindy, and Anika entered the room. They found Miyuki lying on the futon she shared with Ethan. “Precious… Are you okay?” her boyfriend expressed concern. When there was no response, Anika approached her to hug her. “I believe you Miyu. You react to very few things, if you're this upset it's because something is happening." Miyuki looked at her and smiled a little, "Don't worry, Ani. I'm fine." After calming down his friends and insisting that he was fine. Everyone got ready to sleep, however, Miyuki and Nex slept with one eye open. Knowing that whatever that thing was, it was still stalking them.

The next day, the group had decided to visit the festival at night, to relieve the tension of the previous day. Miyuki seemed fine. The reality was that she was only pretending so as not to worry her friends and boyfriend.

During the day, before going to the festival, some had decided to go to the game room there, including Miyuki. The only ones who had decided not to go were his brothers, Sam and Quinn; SERIOUS MISTAKE. The four of them were talking in the living room of the house, when everything fell apart.

“Seriously, I was surprised when he wouldn't stop talking about her. When my brother fell in love with a girl, he barely mentioned anything about her; but then he met Miyuki and couldn't stop talking about her. Your sister has Ethan around her little finger and she hasn't realized it” I speak looking at Masashi and Kenji.

“We were just as surprised,” the taller boy spoke. Then Masashi mentioned what his sister's love life was like.

“Miyu dated a few guys before Ethan, she didn't seem really interested in any of them; until your brother arrived. She seemed happier, she didn't talk much about him, but her heartfelt eyes gave her away.”

“When we had meetings at our apartment, Ethan always asked if Miyuki would be there and vice versa. It was so much fun watching them give each other glances” Sam said, laughing at the memory.

Kenji was going to say something, but stopped when he heard a noise coming from the second floor. He wasn't the only one; The atmosphere in the house had become tense and oppressive.

"What was that?" Quinn asked, visibly scared.

“I have no idea” Sam replied, looking toward the stairs with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

The sound was strange, as if something or someone was crawling on the ground. A shiver ran down Kenji's spine as he realized that the noise seemed to be getting closer. With a protective instinct, he pulled Sam behind him, while Masashi did the same with Quinn.

“Where is that going?” Sam asked, his voice shaking.

Suddenly, the figure appeared at the threshold of the stairs. His eyes widened as he saw what it was: a spectral figure, with a disheveled appearance and a face that seemed to be in eternal agony.

“Fucking hell! Run!” Kenji ordered, and without hesitation, the four of them rushed towards the front door, their hearts pounding.

“What the fuck was that shit?!” Masashi exclaimed, running a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself.

“It must have been what Nexorath and Miyuki saw” Sam suggested, trying to remain calm, though the tremor in his voice betrayed his fear…

“We-we should tell the others” Quinn managed to articulate, who was so scared she could barely hold back her tears.

“Let's go” Kenji said, taking the lead. “We can’t stay out here.”

As they ran to reach the game room of the lodging place, the panic in the girls' hearts intensified. The image of the figure crawling on the ground remained etched in their minds.

“Guys, you have to listen to us!” Kenji shouted, attracting the group's attention.

“What's wrong?” Anika asked, worried by her friends' expressions.

“We saw… we saw something on the second floor. It was…” Sam couldn’t continue.

“Probably the same ghost that Miyu and Nex saw. He was crawling on the ground” Kenji finished, his voice steady.

The group's faces changed, the fun and excitement they had previously had fading. “Are you sure what you saw?” Tara asked, her voice strained.

“Completely” Masashi stated. “We are not joking. We need to do something.”

Miyuki, who had been in a corner, approached the group. “This place feels. Something is not right. Maybe we should leave, or at least investigate what's happening.”

"Investigate?" Chad repeated, his eyes narrowed. “No, we have to get out of here. This doesn’t sound good.”

But the thought of leaving the place filled them with a feeling of defeat. They couldn't let fear dominate them. Kenji looked at his friends and said, “If we're going to stay, we need to be together. None of us should separate ourselves from the group.”

They all nodded, knowing that facing the unknown was their only option.

After that conversation and everyone returned to the house, this time in discomfort, Miyuki stayed outside talking on the phone with her aunt, informing her of the situation so she could help them. When the call ended, Miyu went directly to the living room, where everyone was waiting for her, and sat down next to Ethan.

“Well? “What did Aunt Namika tell you?” Masashi asked.

“He will come first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Having to wait until tomorrow makes me nervous” Quinn said, crossing her arms.

“He said he had to prepare for the ritual, depending on which one he had to do. Each type of ghost has its own ritual.”

“While you were away, I took the time to research this place. “It's really scary what I discovered” Mindy mentioned as she sat on the floor with her phone in her hand.

“20 years ago, a woman was brutally murdered in this place. An older man had become obsessed with her, kidnapped her and brought her here. When she tried to contact the police, he murdered her in a horrible way; Months later, they found him dead, with every bone in his body broken.” Quickly everyone's expressions changed to one of horror at what Mindy said.

“Shit, I don't want to know more, what I heard was enough. Next time we take a trip, we will investigate the background of the accommodation places.” Quinn said with a displeased expression.

“I'll go to the hot springs. I don't care if they're also haunted or whatever; I just want to relax for at least one fucking minute without a ghost chasing my fucking ass.” Miyuki spoke, standing up to go pick up her bath products and take a well-deserved shower before entering the hot springs.

Only the girls followed her. The boys decided to stay inside and wait for them. After bathing, the girls entered the hot springs and started talking to lighten the mood.

“I think the only good thing about this trip has been the temple and these hot springs.” Mindy said with her eyes closed.

Only the girls followed her. The boys decided to stay inside and wait for them. After bathing, the girls entered the hot springs and started talking to lighten the mood.

“I think the only good thing about this trip has been the temple and these hot springs.” Mindy said with her eyes closed.

"Unfortunately. I don't like that they take this image from Japan. If we go back, I'll be sure to thoroughly research the accommodations so you don't have to worry about ghosts or demons.” Miyu smiled at her friends.

“I hope so, we've already dealt with murderers, we don't want to add ghosts to the list.” They all laughed at Sam's comment.

At that moment, Nexorath emerged from Miyuki's back.

“Is something wrong Nex?” The girl asked curiously.

“There is something on top of the wall…” The symbiote spoke and immediately the girls turned around, and sure enough, there was something; It was a… Wig?

Seconds later the hair jumped as if it had life, causing the girls to jump. When that… wig fell into the water; The ghost that had been stalking them all along began to emerge from beneath the water. Before it came out completely, they all screamed and immediately ran out of the hot spring with only their towels on. They didn't think about anything and just walked out of there and closed the door.

"What happened?!" Ethan asked. The rest of the boys were right behind him as he hugged Miyuki, but before anyone could say anything else, the door slowly opened…

Everyone began to walk slowly backwards with terror plastered on their faces, as the entity began to approach.

At that precise moment, Mrs. Namika pushed the group aside and stood right in front of Miyuki. “Watashinokazoku ni fureru koto wa yurusanai, kono jaakuna sonzai.” (I will not allow you to touch my family, you evil entity) The woman spoke in Japanese and made some signs with her hand, causing the entity to emit a very terrifying noise; Seconds later the ghostly woman vanished.

“Aunt Namika!” Miyuki exclaimed hugging her.

“I thought you wouldn't come until tomorrow.”

“Yes, but I had a very bad feeling. “I’m glad I arrived on time.”

“That thing disappeared. Is it over?” Chad asked, still quite scared.

“I'm afraid not. If it were that easy, someone would have broken this curse by now. But they have nothing to worry about. Pick up your things and return to New York. Buy your return tickets; My driver is waiting outside to give them to you and take you to the airport. I will take care of everything here.”

They didn't even think twice; The girls changed, everyone took their belongings and left the place to let the brothers' aunt work. The driver took them directly to the airport and handed them the tickets, wishing them a safe trip.

Quinn, still shaking, spoke. “Did that really happen? A curse?” His voice was full of disbelief.

“It seems so,” Kenji replied. “Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.”

“I hope that means we're safe now,” Anika said, sounding hopeful.

Upon arriving at the airport, the bustle of the place gave them a sense of normality. They rushed to check in and go through security, but each carried with them the heavy burden of what they had experienced.

Finally, they called their flight and headed to the gate. Once on the plane, the group settled into their seats. “Love,” Miyuki spoke and Ethan looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Next time Chad wins a raffle, remind me to hit him.” The boy laughed heartily. “I will remind you, precious. Don't worry." Ethan kissed his girlfriend on the lips and they both settled down to sleep. Yes, it was a shitty vacation.

Extra Notes: I was two days late posting this, but better late than never. This is my first fic, and I'm really sorry if there are many mistakes or problems with the narration; I hope to improve over time. I send you all a hug <3

[sisterspooky1013]

Gaslight, Chapter 47/48

Rated X | Read it here on AO3

The bottom floor of Tom and Lea’s house is set up as entirely separate living quarters, complete with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a full kitchen. Abby and Peter, given the opportunity to sleep in their own rooms for the first time in over a week, choose to share a room with bunk beds, and Abby agrees to let Peter have the top bunk if Frenchie can sleep with her on the bottom. Scully isn’t initially a fan of this idea, but Mulder is clearly so delighted that Abby has taken to his dog that she goes along with it, ideally only for tonight. The children take proper baths in the enormous soaking tub, Mulder reads them multiple books from Lea’s extensive collection, and it’s only when they are both tucked into bed that Scully realizes she and Mulder will have a room to themselves for the first time since leaving the safehouse. 

Mulder pulls the bedroom door closed and turns to give Scully a long look before approaching her and taking her face in his hands. 

“Alone at last,” he says with a small smile, then kisses her several times on the lips, one soft peck after another. 

Scully hums, running her hands over his waist. 

“I need to brush my teeth,” she tells him. 

“I need to take a shower,” he replies, but he doesn’t stop kissing her. 

His hands find their way under her shirt, the tips of his fingers brushing along the curve of her breasts. She hasn’t bothered wearing a bra as of late, support for her modest chest being the least of her worries. She feels the stiffness of his erection pressing into her belly, and her clit throbs. 

Mulder walks her slowly backwards towards the bed, stripping her shirt off along the way. When the backs of her legs hit the mattress, he gently pushes her down into a sitting position and then kneels at her feet before taking one of her nipples between his lips. Scully whimpers softly, working to keep her voice down as he spends several minutes showing her how complete his memory recall is when it comes to this. She rakes her fingers through his hair, kneads the tensed muscles in his neck, and flexes her hips against the mattress as her body begs for more. Finally, he stands and encourages her to lay down, then tugs her jeans and panties off her hips, leaving her nude. She almost makes a joke about the fact that he is still fully dressed, but the hungry look on his face as he pushes her thighs open quickly distracts her. 

He takes his time, just like he used to before all this. Before they lost each other. Before they found their way back. He grazes his lips over her inner thighs, kisses a trail along the seams of her legs, and nuzzles his nose against her clit before she feels the wet heat of his tongue on her lips. He knows as well as she does that the stress and tension of the last several days have her wound up so tight she’s bound to snap at the slightest provocation, so he licks her in long, languid strokes. Not too much pressure, not too much speed, just a constant soft slip like a gently lapping tide, urging her closer and closer in increments. 

She pushes her hips against his face, tugging on his ears for want of release, but he keeps her held at the edge until he’s ready. Until she’s quivering against his tongue and pulling on his hair, until her mouth is dried out from her silent cries. He takes her clit between his soft lips and sucks gently, and her orgasm overtakes her slow but steady, building and building and then shattering violently into his mouth. Her thighs clamp against his ears, pinning him in place, and he cups her ass cheeks in his hands, squeezing in time to each new wave. Her mind goes completely blank, the fear and worry that have plagued her every second of every day for weeks finally quiet, if only for a few minutes. 

When she goes lax, he crawls over her body, dropping wet kisses along the way to each of her hip bones, the scar on her belly, her breasts, her collar bone. She keeps her eyes closed, basking in feel-good hormones and the pleasure of his gentle touch. She feels the heat of his breath on her ear and she hums. 

“Is it a T.K.O.? Are you done for the night?” he asks light-heartedly, and she cracks a smile. 

“Not a chance,” she tells him, running her hand over the still present bulge in his jeans. “Get naked, G-Man.”

He does as instructed, standing and pulling his shirt off while Scully sits up so she can unbutton his jeans. The lights are still on and she isn’t inclined to turn them off, especially when she pushes his boxers off his hips and his erection swings free, thick and stiff and mere inches from her chin. She takes him in her hand and pumps slowly as she looks up at his face. His eyes are dark, his mouth hanging open in awe and anticipation. She leans forward and brushes the head of him across her wetted bottom lip, and his eyebrows shoot to his hairline. 

She wonders if he remembers this. If he already knows how much she loves it, or if she’ll get to surprise him all over again. She slips him into her mouth and moves her hands to his hips, pulling him in deep, and he makes a strangled little groaning sound just before she feels his fingers thread through her hair. She flashes her eyes up to his face as she pushes his hips away, drawing him out and then back in, and he closes his eyes, overwhelmed by the visual. Maybe this time, this second phase of learning each other, she’ll feel brave enough to tell him that she didn’t always love it. That it’s him—it’s the way he adores her, it’s how good he makes her feel, it’s how desperately she loves him that turned this into one of her favorite things. She sucks him firmly, cradles his balls in the palm of her hand, tastes the salt of his precum. She would happily take him all the way, until she feels him run hot down the back of her throat, but he stops her with urgent hands pushing on her shoulders. He has other plans. 

The bed creaks under the weight of both of them as she scoots to the middle of the mattress and he kneels between her open legs. He strokes himself absently as he looks at her body, and she squeezes her own breast just to watch his nostrils flare and his fist pump faster. 

“Come,” she says, reaching towards him with one arm, and he drops heavily down to his elbows, nuzzling his nose against her neck while he flexes his hips and slides his cock through the slickness between her legs again and again. 

He’s always loved the anticipation of it. Edging himself over and over until he can’t take it anymore. Delaying his own gratification until she begs him for it. Maybe he just never wants it to end, always afraid that this will be the last good thing he gets to experience. Always afraid she’ll disappear from his life as quickly as she appeared. And then she did, along with his memories of her. It’s a wound they may never fully recover from, but they have to try. 

She shifts her hips up and he routes inside, and she forgets to suppress the throaty moan that flies past her lips and directly into his ear. 

“Jesus, Scully,” he says reverently, hitching one of her legs up against his side. “You feel—”

She flutters around him and the rest of his words drift away. 

“Make me come,” she commands him, because they don’t need to make the most of this. They don’t need to treat it like it might be the last. She wants to believe that this is only the beginning, that there will be so much more of every good thing. Of sex, and love, and peace, and happiness. She has to believe it. 

He stays close, his breath hot on her cheek and his hips pressed tight between hers, the length of him stroking past her clit over, and over, and over. 

“I love you,” he says on a groan, brushing his lips over hers because he’s too worked up to kiss her properly. 

“I love you too,” she tells him, her hands on his jaw and her second orgasm on the tip of her tongue. “So much, Mulder.”

He comes suddenly with a surprised gasp, then stuffs his face into the crook of her neck to muffle his overwhelmed sputtering. She feels him throbbing inside her, feels the heat of him leaking out as he continues to thrust, and she, too, falls apart. She presses her lips to his ear so he can hear her quiet whimpering, then wraps her legs around his hips to keep him captive until she’s had her fill. 

Mulder sighs and she drags her fingernails over his back, blissed-out and sated. 

“I need to take a shower,” he says, muffled against the sheets. 

“I need to brush my teeth,” she mumbles, a smile on her mouth. 

They shower, brush their teeth, and crawl into bed feeling happy, and hopeful, but still afraid. One more day. They just need to make it one more day. 

-

“There it is, number four!” Peter screeches, his index finger shooting between the front seats of the Camry urgently. 

“Good eye, Bear,” Mulder says as he joins the line for lane four at the Peace Arch Border Crossing.

It’s not the shortest line, which he hopes doesn’t look strange. His foot bounces nervously against the floorboards and Scully reaches across the console to lay her hand on top of his thigh. He looks over at her and she gives him a nervous smile. They aren’t much comfort to one another, as on-edge as they both are, but they’re trying to stay calm for the sake of the kids. 

The sun is hot and high in the sky, and now that they aren’t moving the car quickly becomes uncomfortably warm and stuffy. Mulder rolls up the windows and turns on the A/C, straining to make out the agent he can see leaning out of the booth to hand documents to the driver of a pickup truck. Frenchie rests her front paws on the console and pants loudly in his ear, and he pushes her into the back seat for at least the tenth time. This is going to be a long drive. 

As they inch closer, the agent in the booth exits and walks to the rear of a vehicle to inspect the trunk, and Mulder recognizes Tom’s bald head glistening in the sun. 

“Positive ID,” he says quietly, and he hears Scully sigh with relief. 

They’re eight cars away from their turn to cross. Mulder flips on the radio and scans through local stations until one comes through clearly. 

You’re waiting for someone to put you together, you’re waiting for someone to push you away. There’s always another wound to discover, there’s always something more you wish he’d say. 

Mulder pulls in a deep breath and blows it out in a huff. The cars inch forward and they are sixth in line. 

He is everything you want, he is everything you need. He is everything inside of you that you wish you could be.

He watches the booth diligently while trying not to look like he’s watching the booth diligently, concurrently trying not to move his face so close to the window that the cameras will get a news-worthy shot of him. 

“Do they have cereal in Canada?” Abby asks, and Mulder lets Scully answer. 

Frenchie pops up onto the console again, her hot dog breath turning his stomach, and he pushes his elbow into her chest until she moves back. Fifth in line. 

He watches another border agent approach and speak to Tom. The other agent points toward the hub at the center of the crossing and Tom shakes his head. The other agent lifts and drops his arms in an exasperation, and Tom looks down the line of cars, squinting. Mulder’s heart begins to race as the men exchange a few more words, and then Tom steps out of the booth and walks quickly towards the hub as the other agent takes his place in booth four.

He doesn’t tell Scully right away. He just stares at the booth, willing Tom to come back. Fourth in line. 

The song changes to something more upbeat and electronic, and it makes him feel even more chaotic and on edge. 

What would you do to get to me? What would you say to have your way? Would you give up or try again if I hesitate to let you in? 

His lower back is damp with sweat, though the A/C is on full blast. Frenchie jumps up again and he shoves her back. 

If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again. You can dust it off and try again, try again. 

He jabs the button on the radio to switch it off and begins to chew on this thumbnail. Third in line. He can feel Scully looking at him out of his periphery, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the booth. 

“Everything okay?” she asks. 

“Stay calm,” he prefaces, still looking ahead, and she sucks in a breath.

“What is it?”

“Tom left the booth,” he says evenly. 

There’s a heavy pause. 

“What do you mean?” she asks fearfully. 

“I mean that he left the booth,” Mulder answers, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. “Another agent replaced him.”

“Why?” she asks. Realizing he won’t have the answer, she quickly adds, “What do we do?”

Mulder shakes his head. 

“Nothing. Just stay calm and do what Tom told us to.”

He hears her breath quickening and resists the urge to admonish her for not staying calm. Second in line. 

“We’ve been visiting friends in Seattle,” she says under her breath.

“Family,” he corrects her. 

“Oh god,” she says quietly. 

The vehicle in front of them hands their documents to the agent, who pores over them and asks several questions. Mulder can’t hear what he’s saying, but he’s fairly certain it’s more thorough than their country of citizenship and what brought them to the US. He’ll just have to make something up. It’ll be fine. 

“Hey kids, no talking when it’s our turn, okay?” he reminds them. “No asking questions or answering them. Don’t talk at all, got it?”

“We already know that,” Abby says in a sassy tone, and he clenches his jaw. Yelling at them won’t help. 

The border agent is passing documents back to the car ahead of them, and Mulder forces himself to take slow, measured breaths. From the corner of his eye he sees movement, and as the car in front of them begins to pull away Tom reappears beside the booth, breathing heavily. 

“He’s back,” Mulder says evenly, though his heart is in his throat. 

He slowly pulls forward and rolls the window down, catching only the tail end of Tom’s conversation with the other agent. 

“...told him I’d take care of it, and I will. Doesn’t need to be right this goddamn minute,” Tom is saying. Mulder keeps his eyes straight ahead. 

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” the other agent says, sounding angry. “Take your damn booth back, doesn’t make any difference to me.”

Mulder hears a door close. He swallows and slowly turns toward the booth. 

“Passports, please,” Tom says, holding out his hand. Mulder looks at the older man, who has streams of sweat pouring down the sides of his face and wetting his shirt collar, and hands him a neat stack of four passports. “Country of citizenship?”

“Canada,” he says hoarsely. 

“And what was the reason for your visit?” Tom asks as he leafs through each of their Canadian passports with not so much as a hint of recognition. 

“Visiting family in Seattle,” he recites. 

“Can you open the trunk please, sir?” Tom says, stepping through the door of the booth. 

Mulder uses the lever near the door to pop the trunk open, and waits as Tom does a visual inspection of its contents. When the trunk slams closed Scully jumps, and he reaches over the console to squeeze her knee. 

Tom reappears in the window and hands Mulder their passports, making eye contact for the first time. 

“Welcome home,” he says, and they pull forward, crossing into the Great White North. 

-

It’s dusk when they pull into a long gravel driveway, and Scully is jostled out of a light sleep. 

“Is this it?” she asks, looking around to see other nearby houses at the end of long driveways interspersed with trees and sweeping green lawns. It’s clearly an older community, based on the size of the lots. 

“I think so,” Mulder says wearily. 

They park beside a one-story lemon yellow house with white shutters and Mulder cuts the engine. Scully looks into the back seat to see that both children are sleeping, as well as Frenchie who is taking up every inch of space on the floor at their feet. 

They sit there for a few minutes, taking in their surroundings. There is no sound but the tick of the cooling engine and the huff of Frenchie’s breathing. 

“There’s the lake,” Mulder says, pointing beyond the back yard of the house to a patch of blue shimmering in the last bits of sunlight. 

“It’s so close,” she says in pleasant surprise. 

Again they are quiet. Instead of feeling relieved to have made it, Scully suddenly feels overwhelmed by what will come next. They have just a few day’s worth of Numerol left, and they’ll have to register the kids for school, and find them therapists, and she needs to somehow let her mother know that she’s okay, and check on Langly, and—

“Are we home?” Abby asks groggily, and Scully turns to look at her. At her dirty blonde hair that doesn’t suit her at all, and the lines in her cheek from where it rested against the seatbelt while she slept. So many things could have gone wrong, and they did, but somehow they still made it. She has the kids, and she has Mulder, and they made it out alive. 

“Yes, we are,” she says, her throat tightening. “We’re home.”

Mulder grabs her hand and she looks over to see his eyes shining and a pained smile on his mouth. 

“We’re home,” she repeats. 

“Bear, wake up, we’re home!” Abby shrieks. 

Peter wakes with a start, and Frenchie stands up and woofs. The children scramble out of the car and run through the fully furnished house, claiming bedrooms and chairs at the dining table, until Abby lays eyes on the lake. 

“Can we go swimming?” she asks excitedly, and Scully opens her mouth to say not tonight. 

“Sure!” Mulder tells them, and they tear off through the back yard, stripping down to their underwear along the way with Frenchie hot on their heels.

The adults follow after them, arriving by the shore just as the two children and their faithful dog run into the shallow water, kicking up clouds of mud. Mulder slings an arm around Scully’s waist, pulling her close, and they watch with matching smiles. 

“It’s good to be home,” he says.

She smiles up at him, her heart breaking and healing all at once. 

Tagging @today-in-fic

[allebooklover]

For the prompt counting clocks by @flashfictionfridayofficial.

I sort of went with the alternate meaning of clocks - clocking someone in the head, and regular clocks.

Content warnings: violence and child abuse. Character repeatedly remembers violence committed on kids, and daydreams of people getting hit in the head in multiple ways.

Edited to include the words ‘counting clocks’ (hadn’t realised I left it out).

“-the clock in the house is an antique from the Fujiwara’s grandfather’s generation. It symbolises—”

The teacher droned on, a continuous monotone that blurred the words together, until Enn could barely made sense of what he was saying. He could understand Japanese just fine, despite spending the previous few years in Italy, but he couldn’t say the same for Japanese literature. Metaphors, similes, symbolism— none of it made sense to Enn, even with Minase’s efforts. Even after a month, he couldn’t make head or tails of it, and if he was being honest with himself, he never would.

He glanced up at the clock. It was a perfect circle, painted white with crisp black numbers circling the rim. 10.15am, it read. Enn’s shoulders slumped before he could stop them—he forced them back up with a flinch, gaze flickering frantically to the teacher. Thankfully, the teacher was too busy reading the textbook to notice his slip.

It could be wrong, he thought hopefully. The clock could have been wounded wrongly, just like the old square clock they’d had back in the hellhole that ran anywhere between 3 and 8 minutes early. He didn’t have anything to compare it to, but that didn’t matter. Having allies was a wonderful thing, especially in an unknown environment. Carefully, his eyes slid to the side of the classroom. Kazumi was seated three seats aside and down, scribbling into her notebook like her life depended on it, dark shadows under her eyes. Her wrists were bare, and just like the classmates surrounding them, she looked completely focused on what the teacher was saying. A far cry from the silent, wary girl he remembered, who needed to keep everybody in sight at all times and panicked when they weren’t.

He wasn’t sure if he liked that.

Focused as Kazumi was, it was all too easy for her to die. Enn could already see it in his mind’s eye—the classmate seated beside her whirling around and punching once to the face before stabbing a pen into the side of her neck, a tactic they’d learned back when they were in the Nero famiglia’s care. Clutching at her throat, wheezing for air as warm blood slid down her fingers, staining her blouse red—

Kazumi’s eyes shifted towards his. Her brows furrowed into a scowl, eyes flickering back to the whiteboard and back to him. Pay attention, her look said, and Enn slid his gaze back to the front with a sigh.

He glanced up at the clock—10.20am. Enn resisted the urge to smack his head on the table. He peeked to the side instead, gaze shifting to the third seat beside the window.

Minase was looking down at his textbook, bangs falling into his eyes, pen held loosely in hand. There was a watch on his wrist, but the head was facing away from Enn. He gritted his teeth, thinking his options through.

He could ask the other students to pass on the message, but he didn’t trust those students not to narc to the teacher. He could approach or call out himself—Minase rolled with the circumstances like a well oiled ball bearing. He’d give Enn a questioning look but also a honest answer, but that would be against the rules. Obeying the rules was what helped them survive back then, and although the rules were less clearcut, it was helping them survive now.

Adults didn’t like rule breakers. The adults in charge of him back then had made it vehemently clear how much they hated them by kicking rule breakers in the head until their face caved in, pleading be damned. He’d counted forty two kicks, once, for an eight year old who’d stolen a ring. Could still hear the crunch of bone, the horrible hacking coughs as the kid struggled to breath through a swollen tongue and broken teeth. Kazumi was too smart to be caught, but Minase wasn’t, and Enn refused to see them go through the same thing.

He’d kill the teacher before that happened.

He’d seen some squads do it to their handlers. Enn had dreamt of joining in, when things got too much. It had never ended well, but when you were deemed failures by the lab and sent into an underground war between criminals as meat shields and fodder, striking back was worth death. It wouldn’t even be hard—it was clear that the teacher had never killed anyone in his life, unlike the mafiosi. Attention split between twenty kids and the whiteboard, the teacher wouldn’t see Enn coming until it was too late.

He wouldn’t even need a pen—the textbook they were using would do. Enn tightened his grip on his textbook. All he’d would have to do was throw it at the back of the teacher’s head with enough force to break a skull, and if that failed, he’d have his fists. He’d seen kids die of brain damage after getting clocked in the face, and the teacher would die just like they would - crying in pain, vomiting down their fronts, clutching at their heads until they fell limp and still. One strike, two, three; counting clocks to the head just like he had for the rest of the dead.

It’d get him executed by the adults in front of the others to teach them what happened to failures who fought back, but at least that meant no more Japanese literature class. No more struggle to adapt to this weirdly peaceful place, where violence was the exception instead of the rule.

(Kazumi had told him that things had changed. That the people who’d took them in didn’t want to kill them, or for them to kill anyone, or do anything that wasn’t what a regular high school kid would do, whatever that meant. It was clear that they were trying to believe it, but Enn wasn’t sure he was ready to join them just yet.)

Kazumi was looking at him, brows furrowed. Shoving away the memories of blood and violence, Enn shifted his gaze to his notes. Above them, the clock ticked on, slowly and inevitably marching towards the end of the lesson, and the beginning of a new one.

[siriannatan]

“There’s only one thing we need to overcome this...” - fWhimmy fantasy AU

I wanted to write fWhip being excited over explosives. I recently started catching up on the 3rd CR campaign. So I joined both. Fun fact, a pact of tome warlock can learn Tiny Hut. Did I need to keep it aligned with the rules? No, but I still did :}

Jimmy was beginning to regret ever agreeing when Lizzie said he should go out adventuring. It was the first long journey in the young triton's life and possibly the first friends he made outside his sizeable family. He wasn't just set out to see the world totally on his own. Being considerably powerful Lizzie lend him some of her magic. Together with his skill with a sword, it managed to keep him safe. No, staying relatively safe was not a problem.

His problem took the breathing form of a certain reckless tiefling who happened to like tinkering and worse of all loud explosions far too much. And who he happened to be stuck in a cave. Alone. Just the two of them. And who also happened to be rather handsome what Lizzie often teased Jimmy about over their magical connection. Currently, she was suspiciously silent. 

Jimmy had many gripes about his new tiefling friend. And as much as he disliked how dangerous his primary hobby was, the corny adventure novels he liked to read. Out loud. As they were travelling. Were possibly even worse. There was no way someone could defeat a dragon on their own just because their friends believe in them. And he spend the last hour just saying they need to believe in their friends until he fell silent and started digging through his bag.

“There’s only one thing we need to overcome this,” fWhip the tiefling suddenly said as Jimmy once again tried to reach out to his sister.

“I swear to god if you say friendship—” Jimmy started but fWhip shook his head, even in the limited light of Jimmy's cantrip he could see how his coppery hair jumped up and down. And how happy he was with his idea. Jimmy'd call it cute if he wasn't worried about what he had in his hands. One of his small kegs of explosive powder.

"Explosives," fWhip announced Jimmy's worst worry. fWhip always carried one of those small kegs on him 'just in case of an emergency'... Jimmy was very worried since he saw multiple times how much damage fWhip's weapons powered by that stuff made. "It's perfectly safe, I made all the calculations, I'm just lacking the ability to ignite it from a safe distance. Is fire something you can make?" he explained, not calming Jimmy's worries in the slightest.

"No. All I do is water," Jimmy shook his head. As scared as he was of fWhip's explosive keg he didn't feel like waiting who knows how long for the rest of the party. "But I can keep us safe from the explosion," he offered and pulled out the tome Lizzie gave him as he was departing. It was his connection to her.

fWhip nodded and as Jimmy prepared to cast the Tiny Hut spell, prepared the explosive. Even if fWhip was confident the explosion would not make their situation worse Jimmy was relieved his spell would keep them safe if his 'friend' was wrong. Once they were both ready, fWhip peeked out of the Hut, lit the fuse and quickly returned inside, mostly pulled in by Jimmy. Mostly because he panicked.

Shortly the explosion shook the cave. There wasn't much of other noise but they still waited for a short moment before even thinking of checking. With every second Jimmy was more and more aware he was holding Jimmy tightly. The tiefling said nothing, clearly listening in for any additional aftereffects of the explosive.

"I think we're safe," fWhip let out a heavy, relieved sigh after a couple of minutes passed. And once Jimmy's face was redder than his hair. "Should I check?" fWhip asked. "Jimmy?"

"Umm, yeah," Jimmy nodded really not sure what else to do or say. 

fWhip, even if he noticed how close they were despite having plenty of space was completely unbothered. And poked outside the dome before peeking outside. "It's safe, as I said," fWhip announced after a short look around aided by Jimmy's light. He looked so proud of himself Jimmy just nodded and followed him out of the hut and then the cave. 

Some of their party were right outside the cave, making sure it was safe and waiting for others to come back with help. Everyone was so happy Jimmy and fWhip were okay they missed how awkward Jimmy was around the tiefling. 

*He's got a pretty smile, bring him home sometime,* Jimmy heard Lizzie's voice in his head as they waited for others. They still had a cave to clear of monsters.

[kunikidas-lost-glasses]

BSD college!AU - Bramcraft drabble - Aquarium date

TWs: None. This is genuinely only tooth-rotting fluff

Soukoku is there too for a short time

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

While Bram isn't super interested into the world underwater, Lovecraft is absolutely fascinated by it

He's majoring in marine biology too so yeah. He adores everything related to life underwater

Due to this, he also loves going to the large aquarium in the city

Normally he despises going anywhere but this is the only exception besides going to the library and most of the time, Bram will let himself get convinced to go to the aquarium with the other

Both find the aquarium extremely calming and soothing in some way and could watch thier favorite tanks forever

Usually they both enjoy thier stay there a whole damn lot, aside from getting annyoyed by screaming kids which run around without watching where they go and aside from the fact that Bram can't get close to some of the tanks since there is a little step in front of some tanks on which he can't get with his wheelchair

It always pisses him off

While he can walk or stand for extremely short periods of time with crutches, without being in unbearable pain and without his legs giving in, he genuinely doesn't accept that he needs to go through the whole process of getting out his crutches,slowly getting out of the wheelchair and having to get up on that step (which is pretty difficult), only to see the tanks clearly for a very short while before he has to sit back down anyways.

It makes him wanna strangle people

But luckily the most tanks are accessible and on top of that, he can fit perfectly in the kids tunnel which he thinks is quite nice

Bram's favorite tanks there are the jellyfish tanks, the tank with the axolotls, and the tanks with the rays while Lovecraft's favorite tanks are the ones with the squits and the octopuses aswell as the the large and deep ones with multiple species in it

But since he knows that Bram finds the latter a bit unnerving, they never stay too long in front of this tank

They also both love the shark tunnel

They could spend hours in that tunnel, watching the sharks

They often sit together in front of the jellyfish tank and hold hands while watching the jellyfish for nearly an hour

Often, Bram lies his head against Lovecraft's shoulder and both start to doze off

Lovecraft also likes the interactive tanks were visitors can touch starfish, tiny crabs, sponges, non poisonous sea anemones and shells

Bram isn't that fond of those interactive tanks and refused to touch anything in them at first but eventually Lovecraft convinced him to touch at least one of the shells

If he was completely honest, he kind of liked the feeling of the shells and the pleasant cold of the water

He also dared to touch one of the star fish after carefully but also cautiously caressing some of the shells but he quickly pulled his hand out of the water, the moment he touched one of the star fish

He complained for plenty of minutes about the horrible squishy feeling and then he complained for a while about how Lovecraft could touch those things so fondly

Lovecraft just stifled a laugh and shrugged at that question

They don't talk a lot when they are there. They watch the fish, the sharks, the jellyfish and all the other species quietly. They don't need any words then. They are both quiet people and being in each other's presence while watching the fish seemingly floating gracefully through the water is more than enough for them

They also don't just hurry through the aquarium but rather spend a long while watching all the tanks, observing every detail, basking in the graceful yet silent beauty of the underwater life and showing each other things they find beautiful, cute, funny, fascinating or endearing

Lovecraft randomly infodumping in a calm, storytelling kinda way while they stand in front of a tank is a thing.

Bram loves it. He will always listen to him and he also always asks a bunch of questions about whatever topic his partner is talking about, genuinely wanting to learn more about it

If they are in a exam phase during thier visit, they both are able to forget thier exam stress for at least a little while and can finally relax

They also saw Dazai and Chuuya strolling through the aquarium once or twice already and once was during an exam phase which is why Bram guessed that they also wanted to escape from all the exam stress for a little while (judging by Chuuya's workaholic tendinces, it was probably Dazai's idea to go to the aquarium during that time)

Chuuya was quietly admiring the fish, rays and all the other animals while Dazai was running from tank to tank in sheer excitement like a little child, calling Chuuya to show him things and being extremely giddy the whole time

The redhead watched his boyfriend with amusement and with a soft smile on his lips

Chuuya also often called Dazai to a tank or tugged at his shirt or hand, showing him things and cracking jokes here and there

When Dazai wasn't running around, they were mostly holding hands, both silently admiring all the different animals on the different tanks, occasionally showing the other something while Dazai was still super excited nearly the whole time

One time, the two couples walked past each other, greeting each other in a friendly way, Dazai waving happily as soon as he spotted Bram and Lovecraft

While Bram and Lovecraft show affection usually through conversations, hugs, holding hands or sitting together in a comfortable silence, either doing nothing or doing something like reading and while they don't kiss often, they would be lying if they would say that they didn't share a couple of kisses in the shark tunnel

Another thing which makes them love being at the aquarium aside from the obvious reasons (the sea life and spending time together in mostly peaceful surroundings) are the low lights

Both are pretty sensitive to light, Bram more than Lovecraft, and due to that the low lights in most of the areas are truly a blessing, even though it makes both a bit sleepy after a while

They also always visit the shop before they leave

Bram making Lovecraft wear silly hats with cartoon fish on it and not being able to hold back a genuine laugh when his old friend really puts on the hat in question is a thing

Bram's absolute favorite find is a shaker Keychain with little, nearly transparent but colorful miniature jellyfish in it

He always keeps it on his Bunch of keys/key ring

They both also often buy plushies there. Lovecraft once bought a huge octopus plush while Bram bought a shark plush

Lovecraft also once brought him a blanket set, one with jellyfish and one with sharks on it when they visited during winter. Bram had forgotten his blanket at home and he was genuinely freezing so Lovecraft bought him the blankets. Besides this, he knew that Bram had been wanting them.

The also both once bought those shark sleeping bags which look like a shark is eating you for shits and giggles

They had a "I only buy one if you buy one too" discussion about it and ended up buying two of those shark sleeping bags

They love them unironically since they are super comfortable to sleep in and surprisingly keep them warm despite looking like bring made out of thin fabric

They never eat in the restaurant of the aquarium though since they both think it's kind of macabre to eat fish sticks, sea fruit, fish in general or crab while sitting next to a tank with colorful fish in it

Besides this, they are mostly both pretty worn out when they arrive at the restaurant so they probably wouldn't even want to eat something there if they would serve different food since they are simply both too tired and since they absolutely can't put up with the screaming children in the children corner then

Due to all of this, they usually drive back to the college dorms and order some take out which they can eat while cuddling on one of the beds in thier dorm, listening to music, showing each other videos they made while they were at the aquarium and chatting a bit about thier day as well as about the aquarium/the different species which they were able to see today

[kirklandsheartsecrets]

scotland x reader II heartseeker

Alistair bought this heart inked stamp pen, he tried it quickly at home alone.

The stamp was baby pink colored, whenever he pushed it down it would ink the paper with a small pink heart.

He doesn't really understand why but he spends at least half an hour a day stamping a piece of paper with hearts all over. Dylan did came once unexpectedly in his room, but he hid the paper and the stamp quickly enough. It was rather easy, random files were spread around his desk and he just had to throw the stamp in his pocket for the time being.

Yet, he looks panicked and Dylan didn't miss that detail. He just ignored alistair's expression and announced that diner was ready whilst leaving the room silently.

Walking down the wooden stairs Dylan wondered what his brother was up to, he looked suspicious. It was only when he heard the door of alistair's room opening and his steps rushing down the stairs after him that he dropped the thought, focusing on the warm food laid on the table.

Alistair's took the stamp from his pants pocket to his jacket one. He didn't even touched the white piece of paper covered in baby pink stamped hearts from his work files. He left it untouched.

During diner, surprisingly Dylan didn't brought up what just happened a few moments earlier, and Alistair assumed the welsh man already forgot.

The next day, at the office, the scottish brunette completely forgot about the piece of paper.

You asked him for his notes, however, even if Arthur is the one handling meeting notes most of the time he did took some when the brit was absent.

Furthermore, knowing he's been sitting next to you this past month during meetings he was waiting for this moment. He took the best written notes ever.

« May i take a look at your notes ? » you asked,

« Sure lass » Alistair nonchalantly handed you the lavender file.

He acted casually but if he was being honest to himself, he was a mess, yet he could act cool for now.

Eventually, he glanced at you checking out the file. Rapidly as you were checking the pages Alistair recognized a similar piece of paper. The multiple pink hearts all over the white page caught your attention.

« What's that ? » You whispered, as someone's boss started their speech.

Alistair couldn't hide the blush adorning his face, it was too late. In the meantime he turned back his eyes to the speech in front of him, whilst still replying to you.

« It's nothing, keep it- » The brunette muttered, keeping his arms closed over his chest.

You giggled quietly, your head turning back to the stamped paper.

« It's cute » you simply stated, still whispering. You hid the paper in your set of files, turning your attention back to the speech currently happening. However, to be fair, you were more flustered by the piece of paper you just found. You smiled to yourself thinking of how obvious he was.

You folded a white piece of paper to make a heart, whilst doing so you made sure the alistair wasn't looking. The man was too embarrassed to even look down to you now,

perfect.

On the folded piece, you drew a tiny heart right in the middle.

When you were done, slid it inside the file.

When Alistair came back home, first thing he did was looking at whatever he caught you sliding inside the file. He couldn't do it before because of his boss or his own brothers being around constantly. Alone in his room, he looks inside the lavender file, seeing the little folded heart.

Another smaller piece of paper was next to the heart with just three written words on it :

Loverboy or heartseeker ?

Alistair hid his face in his hands blushing for a good 10 minutes.

♡ loverboy, heartseeker alistair because i want it

[getmemymicroscope]

This one has been on my 'watch list' for a while, though I was getting foiled by the simple fact that it just wasn't on any streaming service. I kept waiting and waiting - and eventually I got sick of waiting and went and found it at the library. As can happen with DVDs, it did have issues and skip a bit (the scene right before intermission, where they're talking about how his time as a driver is coming to an end; the scene right after intermission, where he's getting 'locked up' - and in the next scene I see, he shows up again, so no idea what, if anything, happened there), but otherwise, no issues in that regard.

Me & Tigmanshu Dhulia have sort of differing opinions when it comes to the movies he's directed - while I have wanted to watch this on and the sequels (mostly simply because, well, there are sequels so I'd like to see where the story goes; also, Jimmy Shergill), I really did not like Raat Akeli Hai at all, and I've tried to get into Bullet Raja multiple times but keep failing (mostly because I know eventually we're going to see the deaths of both Shergill and Chunky Pandey). I do still want to see Charas at some point, maybe.

But, anyhow, this movie. Well, it is exactly as slow-paced as I expected it would be, and yet, it never really drags too much. I mean, it takes a minute to get going after introducing our 3 titular characters, but things do take up after that - and especially after the double cross eliminates a major rival.

Mahie Gill, whom I loved in Aagey Se Right (love that movie!), takes her turn as ... well, what essentially turns into her go as a woman who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Which, in this case, is the attentions of her husband on her (and not on his mistress) - there's some backstory referenced where it is implied that his lack of time with her is the direct result of her cheating on him after marriage, but beyond that all we really learn is that apparently he's responsible for that lover's death (and what appears to be repeated psychotic breaks she has after the fact?).

But as things go on, she finds another lover - ironically, apparently, with the same name - and whilst she yearns for the attention of said husband, she's also not beyond spending time with this other guy (the 'gangster' in the film title). And, when he's madly in love with her, she makes her move. It isn't clear if this was her plan from the start, or if it just arises from the given circumstances, but she's able to twist things as necessary.

Of course, he's equally adept at things and throws in a few wrinkles of his own - wrinkles that see the demise of the silent-ish (and yet, cool) right arm man (in front of his daughter, no less!), an ambush that leads to a key character getting paralyzed at the end, and, when all is said and done, the death of this gangster - who has not only over-estimated his own importance in the story, but also has missed the multiple clues about how 'Biwi' has no desire in giving up what she has.

Deepal Shaw's character talks A LOT when you are first introduced to her, but she eventually becomes a ... well, I don't want to say fun, because no character in this movie is really 'fun' ... calming presence, if you will. She seems clearly taken by the newcomer at the beginning, but as things fall not in her way, she seems to return to her life before him. The death of her father, though, seems to stunt her at the end - I wonder if we'll see more of her in the sequel.

The ending does make me wonder if, while it was not planned this way (I don't think, at least), 'Biwi' will end up taking this opportunity and running with it, Dasvi style, and if their relationship will completely invert from him being in charge to her being in charge, or if maybe there is still hope for things to be fixed between them.

I don't think any of our characters are inherently likable - though sitting here now, 13 years later, I think in general people have pretty favorable views of Jimmy Shergill and Randeep Hooda (and I've already stated that I do like Mahie Gill), so it's a bit harder right now to just think "what horrible people" - but the story also does a good job of making it clear that while these folks are our protagonists (and, simultaneously, antagonists), we're more just along for the journey and not really here to be their friends. Not necessarily outright, but even just by their actions that we are privy to - you tolerate them for the story, for the tension, for the tragic ending that you know will be coming in this type of story. An ending that, while tragic, is less of the "oh no, I can't believe you killed of this character!" tragic and more of the "greed is a tragedy, and death is a tragedy" tragic.

I enjoyed this. Part 2, tomorrow, maybe.

[possthrowaway4q]

I've learned/realized a lot about my health issues recently, and I... really need some opinions. Particularly from people with traumatic brain injuries. So I'm gonna share my story.

Major Trigger Warning: birth complications, asphyxiation, seizures, child endangerment, medical neglect

(Sorry this isn't under a readmore I have literally never been able to use them on mobile without breaking the post)

I was lied to about my birth story. I was told by my mother that I came into the world a beautiful and perfectly healthy baby (and in her defense she very well could've convinced herself of this). This is, according to what my dad told me now that I'm an adult, completely false. My mother and I both almost died. The doctors didn't believe she was in labor yet. Called it Braxton Hicks for multiple days. Wasn't until one of them actually checked and saw my head that they believed her. Came out completely blue with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and was totally silent when they unwrapped me. Had to spend multiple days in the NICU in one of those oxygen tents. Don't know a lot of the details because apparently it wasn't discussed much. No idea if the doctors said anything about potential long-term issues and even if they did, there's no guarantee my parents kept an eye out properly. Didn't find out until a few years ago that I had hallucinations and frequent vivid nightmares as a young kid and the person mentioning it clearly didn't think much of it, despite me vaguely remembering seeing two separate child therapists around that age. Like, early elementary, I think.

That's not the only event though. Summer between 5th and 6th grade I had a drug-induced seizure. I was being watched by a family member who was kind of notorious for hoarding all sorts of medications. Including ones she was no longer prescribed. She didn't keep everything in their proper bottles either, moving pills between and re-labeling them. Including putting prescriptions in OTC containers. I asked for something for a headache. She gave me a pill saying it was Tylenol - didn't even see the bottle it came out of - and left me be again. Wasn't long before I knew something was wrong. Thankfully, I had my phone in my hand and was able to text her before I lost complete control of my muscles. Dunno how long exactly the seizure lasted, but it must've been at least ten minutes because that's how far away my parents lived and they were there with me when it ended. Remember my dad picking me up and holding me until I could talk and move again. We never did go to the hospital. Idk if it's because we all assumed I was fine once it was over or if it was because no one wanted to get the family member in trouble. Would explain why she called my parents instead of an ambulance, I suppose.

Been thinking about that tonight. Realized I was never really the same after that. I went from all As in school to completely unable to keep up with most subjects. I couldn't think or focus, I was in a fog most of the time, was losing large gaps of time and couldn't remember both short and long term things, and shortly after that was the beginning of my three year long psychotic break. Everyone remembers how the start of middle school is when all my mental health symptoms went into overdrive and I was just. Notably worse. And to top it all off, I always have said that my memory of my past seems to only go back to a few substantial memories in 5th grade and everything prior basically doesn't exist most of the time.

So I guess my question is just... could I have brain damage? Birth asphyxia is bad enough, but a 10+ minute long seizure as a child? I'm pretty sure that's way past the threshold of a medical emergency/when permanent brain damage can start. But every time I mention the idea to anyone, it gets brushed off. Either because I "don't need another thing wrong with me" or "does it really matter?" or because neither thing are your typical ideas of a TBI.

Sure, I've got a bunch of other reasons I could have these symptoms. Even just on the mental health side, ADHD, autism, psychosis, dissociative disorder stuff, and it's been too long for any doctor to say definitively one way or the other if they even take me seriously. But... I don't know, could those have contributed? Hell, could that be the root source of some of it that no one connected to because we never talked about it after the fact? (I even completely forgot for a long time. Didn't think it was a big deal. Didn't really understand seizures at the time.) I can't emphasize enough how drastically my health changed after that seizure. But maybe it was just puberty or the increase in difficulty/stress from going from elementary to middle school.

Surely it's possible though that those things at least exacerbated underlying issues or something? I guess the root of my question is whether the traumatic brain injury community would have me. I don't think I'll ever be able to fully, publicly identify that way, but I still desperately want to know if I'd be welcomed if I tried. Could I really have brain damage or am I just being dramatic or a hypochondriac or something? I just wanna know why I'm so fucked up in the head.

[redslumbers]

Tempestuous vs temptress🐦

Synopsis: you spend far too much time with baxter, and your lovely husband attempts to talk to you about it. code word; attempts.

Warnings: angry sex, pet names, cursing, dom!reader, sub!cove, face-riding, anal sex, breast-fondling, multiple orgasms, oral (reader receiving). slight pervy!Cove. Reader is a bit sadistic ngl. Fluffy ending.

Pairings: sub!cove holden x dom!fem!reader

OG: Our life: beginnings & always.

"I'm glad you decided to come and visit us, baxter." you proclaimed, Sitting down a cup of hot chocolate in front of the man. it had been 2 hours since he'd stepped through the front door, and you were happy to welcome him with open arms. Cove, your beloved husband however, wasn't so lively about baxter being here. Don't get him wrong! he doesn't dislike baxter, in fact, him and baxter are two peas in pod. He was the wedding planner after all! but...ever since he'd walked in through the door, baxter had been acting a bit too―..Close with you.

Cove isn't the type to try and Gatekeep his wife, but the way baxter came onto you made him frustrated. the way he'd wrap an arm around your shoulder and pull you close or the way he'd grab both your hands and rub them invitingly, ignoring the rough texture of your wedding ring while Proclaiming how much he cares for you, and adding cove in at the last minute, even though it's clear he didn't want to.

And most importantly, how naive you were to all of it! assuming everything baxter did had no ill-intentions. everything he did was just what friends would do! that's why you went along with it happily. you were so air-headed and naive to the way he was acting towards you. a smile stretching across cove's face as that realization kicked in, of course you wouldn't purposely flirt with another man! He knew you inside out, since you were both 8 years old.

So why? why does his mind tell him your completely innocent to all this, but his heart doubts that. He tries to endure and suffer silently, but when baxter raises your hand and presses a kiss to your knuckles, the dam breaks.

Cove stood from his chair, in such a fast motion it slid back a little. Both you and baxter's attention turning towards him. "honey? are you alright?" you ask, separating yourself from the man, to walk up to your husband. He looked down at you, eyebrows furrowing a bit as he ignores you, walking up to baxter instead. "well, it's been great and my wife has enjoyed your stay, a little too much." The cyan expressed, muttering the end of his sentence in a uncharacteristically bitter tone.

"but me and my wife here have other things to do. so it's best you leave, Baxter." cove said, picking up the man's coat and Holding it out to him, scrunching his nose up at baxter's sly grin, he knew exactly what he was doing. "well, i see my company has been a bit of a nuisance to you, huh?" The man laughed while grabbing his coat from your husband. "i know when to leave, so I'll see you guys a little later." baxter stated, heading towards the door while you and cove trailed behind him.

"it was fun, s/o!" Bax smiled opening the door. "and hey, cove..." He called, making eye contact with your husband who was visibly holding himself back from closing the door in his friend's face. "take it easy on her, okay?" baxter turned to walk down the porch stairs, your view of him doing so blinded when cove closed the door.

"what happened?" you asked, standing in the living room. you could've sworn just 15 minutes ago everything was fine. you were all happily discussing how well the wedding was and how thankful the both of you were. But now cove was acting strange all of a sudden, it wasn't like him to kick someone out, much less baxter of all people. Had you done something wrong? Had baxter done something wrong? Was Cove tired? You stood there fidgeting with your ring as you waited for him to respond.

"i don't like how you and him got along.." Your husband responded softly which caused your eyebrows to furrow in confusion what did he mean? "Excuse me?" You asked, taking a step back when cove turned and look at you. his eyes narrowed a bit. "i..." He hesitated for just a moment. "i want to know if you were flirting.. ." He stated, somehow still keeping his voice soft. "What?" you gasp. "Cove― it's― I'd― i would never!" you sputtered much to shocked to form any genuine sentence. quickly, you came over to him to grab his arm.

"i want to believe that, but i find it hard after witnessing the two of you together for 2 hours." he frowned down at you sadly. he knew you'd never cheat. You loved cove so much, and you showed it through any way you could. you stared up at him silently. a sudden thought processing― Churning and Mixing itself in your mind, you felt a negative emotion bubbling in your chest and you couldn't quite process it, you've never felt any bad feelings towards cove.

Was it jealousy? For what reason? Maybe frustration? No, it was stronger. you scrunched your nose and furrowed your eyebrows as you came to recognize this ugly feeling.

you were angry!

not only were you angry, but you were angry at cove! So angry! The feeling building like bricks as your mind gives you awareness to your situation. Your angry at him for accusing you of liking his best friend. you grabbed his wrist, causing his sad expression to morph into shock at how tightly you grabbed him. "Honey?" "your sad cause i cheated on you huh?" "i never said―" "well allow me make it up to you!" you scowled, turning and pushing your husband onto the couch.

he sat up, looking at you. alarmed by your sudden roughness. "s/o..?" "strip, boy."

it'd been about a good 30 minutes since you'd initiated your way of 'making up' to your dear husband. although with how overstimulated he already was, it was more like a punishment, especially with the way you rode his face.

Your fingers tangling themselves into cove's pretty pale jade colored locks, pulling them every few seconds as you rubbed your wet cunt against his mouth, panting at the quick circular motion you'd set yourself. if anyone had asked; you'd shamelessly admit that you were taking your anger out on him, and you believed you had every right!

His hands gripping your thighs tightly as he tried to keep up with the way you moved your hips against his mouth, pathetically lapping at your soaked inner labia while letting out whiny gasps and whimpers. Honestly, he wasn't even sure if he was doing a good job but he ended up immediately getting his answer.

"c'mon, I'm trying so hard to atone for cheating on you, and your not even trying." you scoffed mockingly, slowing down your movements to a stop. "Maybe we should try something else, huh honey?" you fiercely recommended, while removing yourself from your current position over his face.

Cove wasn't stupid, he knew he'd made a mistake. the way you said that usually endearing nickname with such venom caused shivers up his spine.

"s/o, please listen. i didn't― Ngh!" he let out a sudden shocked cry when you came crashing down on his cock. your warm velvety walls tightly enveloping him in a way that he clearly couldn't handle. you smiled down almost mischievously as you watched your sensitive husband's composure break, Crystalline tears building on cove's bottom lashes while letting out huffy whiny breathes. "Aww poor baby, you gonna cry?" you mocked, brushing his hair from his face while watching his face's pretty contortions from how agonizingly good he felt. "no!― i―i.." he Whined, Cock Twitching from the Tightened pressure it was being surrounded with.

Usually during intimate moments like this you were kinder, gentler, you'd wait for him to get accustomed to your cunts warmth. But this time you didn't hesitate to start moving again. you Placed your hands on his chest holding him down as you begun to ride your lover almost brutally, bouncing onto his cock furiously, the way it sent sparks of pleasure through your body, the way it was sliding so deeply into your messy hole gave you the motivation to keep going with your plan. you let out a few noises, perhaps a moan here or a whimper there, but your husbands noises was really where it was at. (in your opinion atleast.)

you were focused and determined on Breaking Cove. While his blue teary eyes were Focusing on your the way your breast bounced, his eyes watching the way your pretty tits moved everytime you made any sort of movement among him. you, being so focused on his face didn't let this attention towards your breast go unnoticed and you didn't hesitate to do something about it either.

you grabbed cove's Hand and brought it to your chest, satisfied when he was at least smart enough to grope one of your Breast. "do you think I'd―..fuck!.. ever let baxter do this?" you asked clearly trying to prove a point, which was hard because of how hazy your mind was getting. "no! You woul―wouldn't!" he answered correctly, tears finally overflowing from his pretty lashes.

You could hear his voice shaking which meant he was near an orgasm which only caused you to speed up, evicting loud cries and pleas of your name from your husband while he grabbed your Waist, he was so close! So fucking close! it was the way you leaned down and bit at his bottom lip feverishly that drove him over the edgy, pretty pale dick barely having any room to Twitch inside your enclosed fleshy walls as he came for the 2nd time that night.

But you weren't done just yet, you didn't plan to stop untill you'd manage to cum at least once. You would've had at least one orgasm if it wasn't for you being so Enthralled on inflicting your anger onto Holden. he spilt his hot semen into your fluttering hole causing a sort of sticky feeling that you didn't pay attention too.

"wait― ngh! S―S/o! Stop!" cove gasped, Squirming underneath you from the feeling that took over his body when the intense pleasure that he'd felt from his previous Orgasm faded away. you payed no attention to his begs for you to stop, you were so absorbed in the feeling of his dick pushing in and out of your warm and messy hole, Hitting the sensitive spongy parts deep inside you that you Guaranteed, no PROMISED baxter couldn't reach, that any cries of overstimulation that came from Cove were given to deaf ears. "Mmh! S/o please slow down!" he begged. "S'too much! I― I can't!" he cried, tears dropping over the baseline of his eyelashes.

"Cove― wait, please baby, i just― I'm so close!" you Hazily explained, throwing your head back in feverishly Intense pleasure! he tried to use another method of getting your attention. he attached his fingers to your pretty nipple, Squeezing the bud in hopes of getting your attention which only caused you to let out a moan. While that wasn't the result he wanted, he wasn't exactly complaining― wait, yes he was.

Actually no, he wasn't. The overstimulation dying down when he felt it being replaced with a familiar feeling. fuck! He was gonna cum again! "s/o―..i―ngh! S/o!" he called your name, Rolling your pretty nipple roughly as he neared his 3rd time cumming tonight, you were gonna be the death of the poor boy if you didn't finally have a orgasm within the next 5 minutes. Your sweet husband would be lying if he denied the fact he was getting addicted to the way your soaked cunt swallowed his entire length so easily! covering his cock in your juices― or, was it his cum from earlier? Neither of you could tell to be honest.

his eyes looking down, attentively watching the way he disappeared inside you repeatedly, which was just enough to send him off his rocker. his back arching slightly when he came once again! Painting your gooey insides with his hot white semen for the 2nd time that night, you felt yourself finally on the verge of cumming for the first or second time that night, and you decided to end it off with a kiss, leaning down to catch his pretty lips with yours giving cove the chance to wrap his arms around your torso, Holding you close to him as you grinded desperately against him while he kissed you back, a subtle but helpful way to get you through the agonizingly good climax you were experiencing. After what seemed like an eternity, the feeling melted away yet either of you refused to move.

"....i'm sorry." a raspy voice whispered, making you sit up. "Huh?" you asked weakly. your husband looked up at you almost sadly. "i apologize for accusing you of flirting with baxter. i should've know you wouldn't hurt me like that." He rasped, sitting up against the couch arm. "I'm sorry as well." You replied getting off the exhausted man. "i should've sat you down and talked with you instead of exploding with anger and―..well y'know.." your voice trailed off while realizing how embarrassing it was too react the way you did to cove simply broaching his feelings to you. "...well, I'm not complaining." cove replied in a type of flushed and flustered way that made you laugh. "Stop that." you smiled. "well would you like to shower?? i feel gross." you asked, humming appreciatively when your husband agreed and kissed you on the forehead. "i love you, wife." cove reminded. "and i love you too, cove." you replied sweetly.

this was definitely one way to solve your problem.

all rights go to ©DuckyDatingSims. Please don't repost or reblog my posts without permission first.

[maximotts]

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 || 𝐰. 𝐦𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐟𝐟 & 𝐧. 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐟𝐟

a/n: yes this was supposed to be short, yes it turned into a long actual part of this AU. This is my brand by now tbh. Based on an ask a dope anon sent me with the gun thing!

warnings: This is an 18+ AU, minors DNI; gun mention, but it's a brief threat and no gun is ever seen; manipulation; domestic spats; fingers in mouth (r receiving); Wanda being calculating af; remember when I said this is technically a dark!wandanat AU? here ya go

summary: Private Hire AU; When Wanda and Natasha have to go away, they need to figure out what to do with you and when you get fed up, you act out aka how reader finds herself in a truly permanent arrangement

words: 3.3K

masterlist. || navi. || private hire AU masterpost.

“How many times do I have to say it? You can’t take her there!”

“We can’t just leave her. She’s a target!”

“So you want to take her with us and watch her get killed in front of us then?”

“Don’t you dare say that!”

The argument had grown tenfold as the night drew on, louder and louder as each one lost patience with the other. Natasha you could expect this type of hotheadedness from, but Wanda wasn’t one to back down when she was adamant on something. Apparently that included taking her dominating wife head on.

They were arguing about you; something had happened where both of them needed to leave for a short period and apparently the idea of just leaving you alone to go about your job as normal wasn’t an option. You had no problem with going back to your typical daily routine for a while really, not as if they’d asked. Occasionally you’d try to get a word in, but they ignored you completely. Again, from Natasha? Expected. But from Wanda? You’d never seen her so mad and unwilling to listen.

As the back and forth continued into the kitchen where you’d been sitting trying to avoid them, you let out a sigh and slumped at the kitchen stool. Neither one acknowledged you, not even a quick nod in your direction, and at this point you wondered if they even remembered you were still there. They were the ones who invited you over, sending their driver to your building before you could even set foot out of your bedroom door and even think about going to work, but as each minute passed you couldn’t think of why they’d wanted you. When you showed up, they were already arguing, Wanda grabbing you by the arm and tugging you inside like a stuffed toy. You’d been forced to stay like that for a while, glued to her side as you attempted to ask what she needed you for tonight, but the only response you got was a clipped, “Do you not want to be here?”

And what could you say to that; there was no question how badly you wanted to be by Wanda’s side always. But now it had been hours or either being ignored or manhandled by Wanda and for the first time, you found your patience wearing thin. Another first, a terrible one for your rising ire, was Wanda mad. Clearly there was no way in hell she was losing this argument, having cited multiple times to her wife that she’s tired of always going with what the redhead said. This time, she would win out. The sight was shamefully attractive, you had to admit, but most of the appeal had worn off shortly after the sun went down. Perhaps if she’d cared enough to spend time with you this afternoon, she could’ve done something better with her anger.

Instead she’d been shouting so long you were surprised her voice wasn’t gone; Wanda was known for being a silent angry type, so this, whatever the importance, was a rare form of rage. “Can I just—” Interjecting was fruitless, but you’d try anyways, hoping to possibly be a mediator and experience something other than a domestic spat. Each time you attempted it was shut down, only skyrocketing your annoyance until finally it escalated, Natasha pushing you back into your chair so hard your ass hurt.

“Okay, no!”

Both women’s heads whipped to you, frozen at your outburst. “You can’t just talk about me like I’m not here. I’ll be fine, not like either of you care, because if you did, you wouldn’t have ripped me away from work to make me watch your fucking nonsense!” Never before had you talked to them this way; maybe if you weren’t so tired or upset your brain wouldn’t have given you the courage to speak. “I’m an adult and maybe you’ve forgotten, but I can do whatever I fucking want!”

“Don’t you dare swear at us. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Wanda’s voice was eerily calm addressing you, a stark contrast to how loudly she’d been yelling at Natasha just a few seconds ago. Alarm bells rang in your head to stop, to cut your losses and sit down and shut up.

But you didn’t. “Don’t you tell me what I can and can’t do! I could’ve gone to work today. I could have actually done my job today, one that I think we’ve all agreed I’m damn good at. But here I am watching you yell at each other about me, without ever consulting me. If I wanted to watch a couple fight, I would go visit my parents!” The small rational part of you that was left pleaded with your mouth to shut up, but the wretched thing wouldn’t until it hit the final nail in your coffin. ”You don’t own me.”

Wanda steeled herself, straightening up to her full height. In truth she wasn’t that much taller than you, but as she took the next few steps towards your defensive stance, the brunette might as well have been seven feet tall. Ring clad fingers entwined themselves in your hair, attaching to the locks and tugging down until you had no choice but to yelp as you made eye contact with her. “You’d talk less with a glock in your mouth.” Wanda’s accent was thick as she spoke, slow and heavy words forcing themselves into your very core. Up until now, Wanda had been gracious in her treatment, rewarding your good behavior with nothing but sweet affection, but if you felt bold enough to act out as you were now… clearly she needed to remind you of your place.

“In case you forgot. I do own you. You’re mine whether you like it or not, whatever else you might have thought, you do what I say.” Her grip grew impossibly tighter, your hand clamoring on the counter beside you for any leverage against the arch she had forced your spine into, “And I’m saying, I wanted you here tonight, so you’re here. I want you at our house when Natasha and I are gone, so that’s what’s going to happen. Understood?”

Nodding was impossible, her grip too firm to wiggle out of. “Yes..”

“Yes what?” Wanda bared her teeth in warning and your body screamed to flee, to escape the scary monster you’d unintentionally pissed off. Words were hard; you knew what she wanted to hear, but fear kept you frozen.

Anxiety boiled through your veins, worried that if you didn’t say something soon she’d break your neck, “Yes mommy.”

If Wanda intended to say something else, she didn’t get it out, Natasha pulling her away. It was only a few feet, no real safety given, but you sucked in a deep breath accompanied a moment after with a shuddering exhale. All of your weight fell heavy against the counter as you watched Natasha murmur some intelligible Russian to her wife. Your heart was still racing when the redhead made her way to you, ushering you out of the room— Wanda noticeably not joining you two.

The walk back to your room felt longer than ever, your consciousness focusing on every detail of the walls and floors it could to keep yourself under control. That Wanda, whatever she was, you never wanted to see or experience again. Finally you understood the fear her colleagues felt when they walked into her office knowing they’d displeased her. She was a true force to be reckoned with and you’d never again fight that force.

Natasha let you sit on the bed by her side and, ever observant, rubbed your back in small circles while you still struggled to regain your senses. “She’s just stressed. We’re only fighting because we both want to keep you safe, but apparently we don’t see eye to eye on how.” It was beyond you how Natasha could be so calm, but she’d known Wanda for many years and seen every side of her. Rarely did any part of her wife faze her and there was nothing she couldn’t tame down.

All you managed was a slow nod, gulping loud enough that Natasha heard, but thankfully didn’t acknowledge. “She loves you very much, we both do.” That was the first time you’d heard either of them say such a thing. You knew of your raging crushes on both women, but they seemed content to keep you as an emotionally detached plaything. Having trouble contenting yourself with this as of late as your feelings grew, it was no surprise you’d reached your breaking point tonight as they ignored any input you might have had. “Don’t do that again though.” Natasha’s hold on your arm turned painful, a hard squeeze you fought the urge to fight your way out of, “I’m disappointed in your behavior as well and if you ever yell at me or my wife again, I’ll be the one who has something to say about it.” If someone told you that you were shaking, you wouldn’t have challenged them. Tonight uncovered Wanda’s true ruthlessness and even with the brute force you’d seen Natasha operate with on others in these past few months, something told you it was nothing compared to when she spoke in defense of her wife.

“I’m sorry, Natasha..” Your head hung low, biting your lip as Natasha pressed a careful kiss where your scalp still stung. As much as you wanted to be scared, you craved comfort in this moment and you missed Wanda. You wanted to be disgusted with yourself for even thinking it, but you felt ever so lonely without her, knowing she was somewhere in the house, but not with you. “Is Wanda mad at me?”

“That’s a stupid question.” She was right; it hurt, but she was correct. At your silence, Natasha sighed and patted your shoulder, offering what affection she could with how upset she still was. “She’s mad at both of us,” You must’ve shrunk further into the mattress because Natasha forced you closer to her. “She’ll forgive you before she forgives me. Wanda couldn’t avoid you for long if she tried. I, on the other hand, will most likely be a victim of the silent treatment until she gets tired of sleeping alone.”

To your surprise, Natasha didn’t leave. She dressed you for bed in almost complete silence, only breaking to mumble to herself occasionally before stealing one of your leftover sleep shirts and pulling down the covers for you both. As many times as the two had you stay over, this was the first time either of them slept with you. When Natasha pulled you to her side, her soft breath falling over your cheek, tired as you were, you were tense. It was too early to fall asleep, but Natasha had taken up residence in your bed so you at least tried to close your eyes. Under different circumstances, if your sudden outrage tantrum hadn’t been the thing to land you your first night shared with your bosses, you’d certainly have fallen off to sleep peacefully. But your heart yearned for forgiveness from a certain brunette and if Natasha’s tired mumblings of her name were any indication, she did too.

Somewhere between when Natasha let go of you, rolling to face the other wall, and the time it took you to make some peace with the lack of Wanda, the other woman appeared. Silent as ever, her weight dipped into the bed, close enough for your curled up knees to touch her thigh as she shuffled to the center where you lay. Her fingers were so soft on your cheek now, as if they’d never held you with such anger only hours before. The faintest of touches had you releasing a breath you hadn’t known you were holding in; even though one of them slept, both of them near made you feel truly whole again. “You went to sleep without saying goodnight to me, detka.”

Sleepy eyes fluttered open to Wanda’s night ready form, silk nightgown reflecting the small bit of moonlight from the window. She was tired, you could tell. Many a night you’d found her wandering with the same forlorn look in her eye, but every time you dared ask she cracked a small smile and changed the subject. Now you knew what this look was for; she was worried, self-conscious, maybe even fearful— but Wanda didn’t know how to deal with those emotions. Not properly, at least.

Wanda was frowning now; apparently she wanted a response. “I didn’t know if you wanted to see me.” You also didn’t know if seeing her so soon after your fight would push her further. If Natasha hadn’t kept you in your room, the urge to run and plead with Wanda to forgive you, desperate and weak, would’ve won out. Guilt crept above your anxiety, the sight of her making you feel small yet again. Still, you were upset and for tonight at the very minute, you weren’t ready to forgive her. She wanted it to assuage her own guilt, verbal reassurance that she’d done the best she could, but for as long as she waited, you hadn’t given it to her.

“You know I didn’t mean it,” Of course she meant it. Wanda meant every word and action she dealt out; she wouldn’t apologize for putting you back in place. “I need you to understand that we never make decisions that would get you hurt and sometimes, you have no idea what Natasha and I are dealing with. There are a lot of people out there who’d love to hurt you.. just to hurt us.” The way she spoke to you was like she would explain something to a child; it was condescending, almost demeaning, but still you nodded and soaked in every word. “All I ever want is to keep you safe, but you have to let me do that.” The fingers that had been innocently stroking your bottom lip now pushed forwards, not painfully, but enough to signal your mouth to part for her. Wanda shifted once you let her in, sitting forwards on her knees just enough to show off the outlines of her breasts under her nightgown.

You knew what she was doing, how she planned on exploiting your need for her to force some sort of ‘I forgive you.’ And you let yourself fall straight into it. The brunette’s hand moved steadily, fingers setting a slow and languid in and out motion until you wanted to beg her to move elsewhere. She wouldn’t, neither of you truly entertained that as reality for tonight, but you wanted her to so painfully badly. Times like these made you wonder yet again if Wanda and Natasha held off just to keep you pliable for instances like these. It was hard not to do anything they asked when you always felt just one more right move away from what you’d imagined in your brain to be the best fuck of your life. “You understand, don’t you?” Her pointer finger curved, running over the sharp lines of your teeth as those cruel digits pulled back again, “My precious dove knows I’d never hurt her… She’s smarter than that.”

She did hurt you. She’d proven that she could and would manhandle you into your place and Natasha, at the drop of a hat, would turn on you the second you stepped out of line with either of them again. You were smart; you knew the truth. And you were smart enough to know now that disobeying would only bring more pain while good behavior got you the Wanda and Natasha you loved, the ones who you laughed with and who took care of everything for you before you could even ask. So you nodded, speaking muffled around her fingers, “I know, mommy.”

And Wanda smiled at that, your admission paired with the title she hadn’t prompted you to use not only brushed away any lingering worries, but also made her heart soar. “Does that mean you forgive me for being a little rough earlier? I never want to do that again.” Not that sort of roughness preferably, but the depth at which she was fucking into your mouth was slowly brutal enough to threaten your gag reflex as she pushed just the tiniest bit deeper every once in a while. Again you agreed, your tongue daring a lick at the pad of her fingers to request more, “Good girl. What a sweet thing I have.” Finally Wanda gave your mouth a reprieve, chuckling at the stuttered breaths you took; the effect she had on her girl would never get old. She picked at your stray hairs silently for only a moment before enacting the rest of her plan. The little rift she’d had with you today couldn’t happen again; you were stubborn, but she knew best and if you complied it would be so much easier to keep you safe no matter what.

“W-Wanda?” The brunette was straddling your blanketed form, hopelessly trapping you under her. The thick layers kept her bare legs from your own and you’d never been more willing to sacrifice bed warmth for just the possibility of skin to skin contact. Thankfully, there wasn’t time to truly mourn the loss because Wanda was on you, surrounding you in a kiss. Your head was swimming, drowning more like, her pouted lips your only anchor.

Wanda made a note to herself never to go as long as she had without kissing you again, she wouldn’t be able to bear it. “You need to move in. Permanently,” Another order. It didn’t matter that you were bound by a lease or how much you’d miss the friends you’d made in your building, much less the longer commute times to work— Wanda and Natasha would take care of it all. “So much of your stuff is already here… We’ll have everything else moved in, this room is practically yours already…” She wasn’t wrong. Each time you stayed over, either Wanda or Natasha bought you something new. It started with new sheets, overly plush and fluffy just like you’d mentioned to them once you’d dreamed about. Then it was a dresser, new clothes for when you had to get up and open at the bar; you never had an excuse to leave when they wanted you to spend the night, but you’d long since given up making excuses. “Stay with us. With me?”

Reservations melted away as she nipped at your lips, kissing away the pain any time your whines told you she’d bit too hard. The only reason you hadn’t yet agreed was how you distrusted your voice, but if you gave her an answer she’d know, maybe reward you further. “I’ll move in.” It was so cracked, your throat taut as it strained to hold together while Wanda laid her entire body weight atop you.

“Oh?” She sounded a tad shocked she didn’t have to convince you of it more, but she wouldn’t complain. It was easier this way and Wanda was too tired to question. “Thank you, darling. You won’t regret it, I promise.” Wanda maneuvered herself under the comforter, her body wiggling against yours making your thighs tense. Clearly she wasn’t leaving and now, while Wanda covered you from the top, Natasha rolled over to your side. If this was to be a recurring thing, your room would rarely feel like just yours, but you couldn’t find it in you to care.

“Does this mean I’m forgiven too?” Natasha’s voice was sleepy and when you turned your head, her eyes were still closed. Of course she’d been listening, alert even when resting. Your gaze flit up to Wanda who was pouting terribly, letting out an indignant ‘hmph’ before planting her face in the crook of your neck. “What’d I tell you? Silent treatment.”

[teyvatdreams]

when they cry / show emotion in front of you

includes: childe, diluc, zhongli x gn!reader

childe

childe wasn’t exactly the type to hide his feelings

however, it’s different when it comes to fear or worry

especially when it comes to you

one night, you decided to wait outside for his arrival; he had been gone all day adventuring but promised to return before it got too late

but night had fallen, and of course you were starting to worry and craving to see him

of course, the universe had different plans. after some waiting, a group of hilichurls managed to find their way to you — you cursed under your breath for straying too far from the harbor’s entrance

you knew how to defend yourself, and you would, but it was still a nuisance

you defeated them easily, but failed to notice the pyro abyss mage that accompanied them until it was shooting fire towards you. it completely caught you off guard

you struggled to catch your footing for only a moment, but that was all it took to get a bit burnt

right as you go to fight back, you see the familiar sight of two hydro blades slashing at the mage, and it’s not long until he’s no longer a threat

and it’s not long until you feel childe’s arms around you

since you knew the weight of the situation, you weren’t worried, but thankful for childe’s swift appearance

you giggle in his arms until pulling away from his embrace and seeing his eyes brimmed with tears

“wait… why are you crying?”

you knew childe well enough to know that these tears were not coming from a place of sadness, it was coming from a place of anger or frustration — you couldn’t exact figure out which one.

“i’m not mad,” he says, wiping his eyes quickly. “not at you, atleast.”

you took a hold of his hand to calm him down as he explained the situation

he thought it was safe enough for him to stop and pick some flowers for you, except he had to go out of his way to find them. he felt as if you getting attacked was his fault — if he had stayed on track he would’ve arrived back sooner.

he doesn’t let the tears fall, but from the way he keeps wiping his eyes, you know he’s emotional

you have to spend a few minutes convincing him that it wasn’t his fault you got a bit hurt, and he finally calms down and cuts himself some slack

before returning back to the harbor, he picks up the flowers he managed to find and tucks one behind your ear.

“i know they aren’t your favorite, but i found a sweet flower. i decided to bring them back here because they’re just as sweet as you.” he says softly.

diluc

you were in the tavern with diluc as usual when you noticed he was acting a bit off

he seemed spaced out; whenever anyone tried it took them multiple attempts to get his attention

so when you got a chance to be alone with him you asked him if he was feeling okay

and of course, diluc being diluc said he was fine. but you weren’t dumb.

“let me close the tavern tonight,” you say softly. “go home, get some rest. you deserve it.”

diluc looks back at you and opens his mouth to protest but he immediately closes it. he closes his eyes and nods.

“…alright.”

you lead him to the door and watched as he walked away, feeling uneasy.

after awhile, the drunkards found their way out of the tavern and you cleaned up before heading home.

the house you shared with diluc was quiet, a soft light across the room being the only indication that diluc was here as well.

you assumed by how quiet and dark it was that he had decided to go to bed

it’s not until you hear him sniffling that you realize he hadn’t

you find him sitting on the end of the bed you shared with him, shoulders slumped, head hanging

“diluc?” you say softly.

he lifts his head and looks at you, not bothering to move the hair hiding his tear-stained face out of the way.

you make your way to him and move his hair away, tucking it behind his ears. you gently wiped the tears off his face and gave him a moment to collect himself.

“do you want to talk about it?”

he takes a deep breath. “there’s not much to talk about. i’m just… in my own head. it’s almost the anniversary of…”

you nod, understanding his feelings. it was, in fact, almost his birthday, but you knew how he felt about that day.

“it’s alright. you’re still healing. it’s okay to feel this way.” you assure him.

you get him into bed and curl up next to him, making sure he knows his feelings are valid and that he doesn’t need to hide them from you, or anyone.

and as you look at him one last time before falling asleep, you swear you see a small smile creep onto his face.

zhongli

you had spent a nice day with zhongli spending time together and walking around the harbor

after awhile, though, you both decided to go further out, making your way up to guili plains and wangshu inn

you both checked on xiao before deciding to make qingce village your final stop of the day.

it killed two birds with one stone — you got to spend time with zhongli and also collect the jueyun chilli’s you promised to get for xiangling

you both parted ways for a moment; zhongli offered to find a nice place to sit as you collected the chilli’s

however, something caught your eye as you did.

a blue flower — unmistakably a glaze lily.

you lean down to examine it. you weren’t a stranger to them despite them being much less common to come by.

the petals were closed, but you knew how to open them. at least, you knew how to try and open them.

you sang a tune to it. nothing crazy, just a song your mother had sang to you as a child that remained one of your favorites.

and to your surprise, the petals opened.

you stared at the flower. you didn’t expect it to open, but now it was. and it was beautiful.

you hear footsteps behind you and see zhongli staring at you, hand covering his mouth.

you silently look at him and then back at the flower to show him.

“i… found an area abundant with the chili’s you need.” he says. his voice trembles slightly.

“zhongli?” you stand up, concerned.

he must know that you’ve noticed. he clears his throat. “i apologize. i was just moved by your interest in the glaze lily’s, i suppose.”

“oh,” you say, standing up and making your way to him. his eyes were watery. “well… they are beautiful. of course i’m enamored by them…”

he smiles softly, sadly.

“there was someone who once loved these lilies more than anyone. i think i see them in you. it is truly a beautiful sight indeed.”

[lady-literature]

Found Family

holy shit did this one get way out of hand. Don’t expect them all to be this long because hot damn this is a monster compared to literally everything else but it just wouldn’t stop

(should I have expected this? probably. we all know how I am about found family.)

anyway enjoy 4.5k words ig

based on this post | @maribatmarch-2k21 | find more here

***

When Marinette had been chosen to intern with Monsieur Wayne’s PA, she hadn’t been expecting anything special. Sure, the Waynes were an odd breed and generally considered strange, but Marinette hadn’t actually expected to have much contact with them—if any at all.

She was here to earn credit for her business degree.

Instead, she has… well. She thinks she’s been somehow inducted into the Wayne family, mostly on accident and kind of as a joke.

That is, until it very much wasn’t.

***

Her first mistake, she supposes, was being too good at her job.

Marinette is an old hand at keeping track of multiple moving parts and riding herd on stubborn people who’d otherwise be too distracted or goofing off. (She was the Court’s leader for more than just being the latest in a long line of Ladybugs, after all.)

After the first two days shadowing Selina—“please, darling. Ms Kyle is so formal”—and learning the broad strokes of the job, Marinette felt confident enough to dig her nails in and get to work. Selina spent most of her time dedicated to international tasks and arranging Monsieur Waynes’ private affairs—all of which was highly classified and not discussed with Marinette—so she turned her attention to inter-company affairs.

Her first order of business was personally meeting with as many people in managerial positions as she could get. Not a requirement for the job per se, but these were people she’d have to interact with often and Maman had always stressed the importance of building connections in the workplace.

“People,” she would say, “are far more willing to do what you want them to when you’ve endeared yourself to them.”

So Marinette takes that advice and spends her breaks and lunches charming employees and giving baked goods to security guards and learning the names of the cleaning crew. She doesn’t speak to the department heads, because Selina handles their correspondences, but everyone else is free game as far as she’s concerned.

She becomes a well-recognized face astoundingly quickly.

***

Marinette probably should’ve seen the rumors coming.

It’s common practice in not only the Wayne family, but in most business conglomerates, for the children to quickly rise through the ranks of their company—if not just handed a high position right off the bat.

It took barely a month before the eldest was all but running Human Resources, and the second was placed as Head of Security practically out of nowhere. Monsieur Drake is the youngest (and most terrifyingly calculated) CEO to ever hold Wayne Enterprises, even if he does share the title with his father.

The other three are still too young or have yet to express an interest in the company, but people say it’s only a matter of time.

The track record speaks for itself, even if Marinette wishes it didn’t.

As a girl who’d come mostly out of nowhere and found herself with far more divisive sway in the company than she had any right to, it’s no wonder everyone thinks she’s some sort of secret Wayne finally coming out of hiding.

Marinette had nearly choked on her coffee when Selina dropped the bomb of that particular tidbit of company gossip.

“Most think you’ve been unofficially adopted,” Selina tells her, looking far too amused for Marinette’s liking. “Seeing as you’re too old for official avenues now.”

Marinette looks up warily from the schedule she’s rearranging. Selina had all but shoved the thing at her a month ago when she started suggesting more efficient ways of managing the CEOs’ valuable time.

“Only most? Does that mean the rest have common sense?”

Selina’s grin widens even further, if that’s possible, and Marinette regrets her question even before the older woman starts speaking.

“Oh, of course not!” she laughs delightedly. “The rest are hoping to hear news of wedding bells. It’s high time someone swept a Wayne off the market, don’t you think?”

***

“So you’re the new little sister I keep hearing about.”

Marinette stares up through narrowed eyes at the brightly smiling Dick Grayson. In her stomach, there are already the beginnings of resignation starting to form. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you!”

This man is going to bring her nothing but trouble. She can tell.

***

Dick takes a liking to her. And she, against her better judgment, finds herself doing the same to him.

It’s a little hard not to, if she’s being honest. He’s bright and bubbly and brings her bagels during his morning break without her ever having asked.

It takes practically no time at all before Marinette considers him a friend, relaxing when he’s near and laughing openly at his ridiculous jokes. Despite being the head of HR, he’s not great at the whole ‘professional’ thing and often employees will walk by to find him draped across a chair or balancing precariously on the edge of her desk while she tries and fails to get some work done while he’s around.

It really doesn't help all of the ‘Marinette is a Wayne’ rumors running around. Especially when Dick starts pointedly calling her every variation of ‘little sister’ that he can think of just to annoy her (and, she knows, because he thinks the entire situation hilarious).

***

Three weeks after befriending Dick, Selina all but shoves her into Monsieur Drake’s office and, in no uncertain words, says, “He’s your problem now.”

Marinette blinks at what she can describe as nothing other than a disaster area and just… sighs.

Tim blinks back at her.

The motion is somehow both completely blank and filled with an uncomfortable amount of knowing at the same time. There is also, she notices, a frankly ludicrous amount of concealer caked beneath his eyes and more coffee cups scattered on every flat surface than Marinette has ever seen in her life.

She knows his schedule like the back of her hand seeing as she spends hours of her day pouring over it to make sure everything runs smoothly. He has no prior engagements for the next three hours.

“You’re not going to take a nap just because I ask, are you?”

He snorts. “Absolutely not.”

She nods, having expected the answer; her phone was already at her ear before he even finished speaking. “Hey, Dick!” she greets, sounding brighter than she feels at the moment, and watches as Tim stiffens in front of her. “Yeah, no. I was just wondering if you’re busy right now.” She pauses. “Oh, good! Can you come up to Tim’s office for me? Yeah, I need you to knock him out so I can fix his dumpster fire of an office.”

Tim has since started waving his hands frantically at her, panic setting in behind his eyes.

Marinette stares at him, unmoved. “Thanks, Dick! You’re the best!”

The silence after she hangs up is deafening.

“I don’t know if I should be impressed by the ease you’re manipulating me or pissed off that you’re doing it in the first place.”

She hums thoughtfully. “Does your decision have any bearing on my future employment?”

His eyes squint. “…No.”

Marinette shrugs, mind already whirling with what she’ll need to get done first and calculating how long she’ll likely have to get it done. “Then I think you should skip right over both of those and land on resignation as quickly as possible, Monsieur, because you’re going to have to get used to it regardless.”

It’s silent for a long moment, and she worries for just a second that she’s severely crossed some sort of line. Then Tim bursts out laughing instead of, you know, firing her like he probably should have.

“Oh, yeah. You’re going to fit right in here.”

Marinette doesn’t ask where the ‘here’ is. She’s pretty sure she already knows.

***

It takes ten days for Marinette to wrangle Tim’s life into something resembling order. His office is clean and organized to his liking. She’s developed a system of filing so that all paperwork goes through her and is quickly sorted into ‘can be handled by Marinette’, ‘forge his signature and tell him about it later’, and ‘actually important enough to have Tim read through’.

His schedule is the most efficient it’s ever been and Marinette is quickly honing the skill of getting him properly dressed and out of his office in under thirty minutes. (Dick is, thankfully, a great teacher and has little to no qualms about giving her the key to all his little brother’s weaknesses.)

Selina stares at her when Marinette all but drags Tim from his office, a folder tucked neatly under his arm and the sugary monstrosity of a caffeinated beverage she’s bribed him with in her own, with a whole ten minutes to spare before his meeting with the Board.

“My dear,” she says solemnly, “you are positively magic.”

She doesn’t even look up from where she’s simultaneously wrangling Tim’s hair into submission and laying his tie down flat. “You have no idea.”

***

She knows Tim is capable of professionality. She’s seen the cool facade he pulls up in front of the Board members and the kind but impersonal smile he uses on the employees of Wayne Enterprises. (He is not the Ice Prince of the Wayne family, but Marinette believes he should have some equally ruthless sounding title.) He is aloof and sharp and every inch the businessman people praise him to be.

She’s seen it. And yet… 

“Monsieur. Why are all the Lexcorp contracts I gave you done in crayon?”

Tim doesn’t stop messing with his Rubix cube or even look up at her when he says, “Cause deadbeat fathers don’t deserve the respect of a pen.”

Marinette is very tired. She does not have time for this. “What are you talking about?”

“Lex is a bitchass absentee dad and I live to inconvenience him.”

“What about inconveniencing me?” she all but whines. “I can’t hand him these!”

That does make Tim look up at her, eyes wide with false innocence and mouth pouting up at her. “But sister dearest, I’m your little brother. It’s my job to inconvenience you.”

Growling in frustration is probably an inappropriate reaction to the situation.

But, Marinette thinks, so is the fact that both of the Waynes she associates with regularly seem hellbent on convincing the world that she too, is a Wayne, so.

(Is this how Alya felt dealing with the twins? Cause if so, Marinette takes back every joke she ever made—little siblings are a bitch.)

***

She meets Damian without warning.

Honestly, she never really expected to meet him at all but, well.

She finds him in Monsieur Wayne’s office, sitting at his father’s desk and doing something that she thinks is vaguely illegal, but she’s not about to tell her Boss a dozen times over how to parent his children.

Damian is a near-perfect copy of his father with darker skin and calculating green eyes. There’s also a more potent aura of danger around the child than there is around his father, like Damian hasn’t yet learned how to hide behind his public persona as his father had.

Or, Marinette looks at the teen thoughtfully, perhaps he just chooses not to.

“Monsieur Wayne,” she greets. Children like to be treated like adults, she knows, and Marinette doesn’t think this one is any different. “Selina hadn’t told me you’d be in the office today.”

“I don’t run my schedule by her,” he says flatly. A response she expected considering Dick’s stories.

“Of course not,” she agrees.

He finally deigns to look up at her and something flits across his expression, too fast for her to pick up on it. “Are those for Father? Bring them here, I’ll deal with them in his absence.”

Marinette raises her eyebrow. “I’m not sure that’s wise Monsieur.”

Damian scowls and sticks his hand out. “I’m perfectly capable of forging Father’s signature. Give them here.”

She does not move and, instead, lets her lips quirk up into the smile she’s been fighting since she stepped in here.

“I don’t doubt it,” she tells him, and she doesn't. Forgery seems exactly like the kind of skill a child who broke into the CEO’s office of a multi-billion dollar company would have. “But you’ll find that all forging of signatures has been finished for the day and that these,” she shakes the sheaf of papers lightly, “actually require your father’s attention.”

He snorts disbelievingly and it says a lot about Marinette’s life up until now that the blatant display of disrespect doesn’t piss her off but instead reminds her of Chloé and of the fact that she still needs to reschedule their spa day. It's been too long since they spent time together in person.

“Well,” she pauses and eyes the papers thoughtfully. “‘Requires’ in the sense that its information needed to trounce the Board when they start spouting off greedy bullshit about cutting corners on our humanitarian efforts. I’m not sure how much of it is actually useful for anything besides that.” She shrugs. “But homework is homework, yes?”

That gets her a thoughtful once-over. His hand lowers and he then turns back to whatever he’s messing with on his father’s computers.

“Very well,” he concedes. “Father will be back in approximately thirteen minutes. You can leave the papers and I’ll inform him of their… importance.” He smirks, but it’s more like he’s letting her in on a joke than anything else.

Marinette smiles back as she sets the folder on the desk, feeling, oddly, like she’s passed some sort of test.

***

The day after, both Dick and Tim are waiting for her with what looks like an entire bakery laid out in her workspace.

“Uh,” she says eloquently, setting her purse down on her chair because there’s not a single open space on her desk not filled with some kind of pastry. “What’s all this?”

She looks up to find neither Dick nor Tim has stopped staring at her since she walked in. “We heard you met Damian yesterday,” Dick starts warily, like he’s scared of her reaction.

The response does not abate her confusion. 

“Yes, I did,” she says slowly. “That does not explain all… this.” She waves a hand, trying to encompass them as well as the state her desk is in.

The two brothers share a look.

“It’s a bribe,” Tim tells her simply and Marinette is taken aback for all of a second before her eyes suddenly narrow.

Dick cuts in hastily before she can say anything. “It’s more of an apology, really. For Damian’s behavior.”

But Marinette is confused and frustrated and just a bit offended by the apparent not-bribe at this point. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, but it only does so much.

“Damain’s behavior was fine,” she tells them with measured neutrality. “You two, on the other hand, are being weird and it’s freaking me out.” She crosses her arms expectantly. “Seriously, what’s going on?”

Appearing from out of nowhere, Selina drapes herself along Marinette’s shoulders and snags a raspberry scone. “I do believe,” she says as if sharing a secret, “That they are trying to keep you from quitting, kitten.”

Marinette wrinkles her nose. “Why would I quit? I like this job.”

She also likes the Waynes (in general, if not right then) and she likes Selina. The woman was a good mentor who didn’t shy away from the dirtier parts of the job and taught Marinette all she knew. (Even the bits, she noticed, that had little to nothing to do with being a personal assistant and were more likely to be found in the repertoire of a thief.

But, Marinette is in possession of her own sticky fingers and knows how to not ask questions, so. You know—curiosity killed the cat and all.)

She doesn’t voice any of that, but Selina, at least, knows it anyway. Marinette isn’t quiet about her gratitude after all.

“First meetings with the youngest Wayne don’t often go well,” Selina tells her. “In fact, I think he has a habit of making the interns cry.”

Dick makes some kind of offended noise. “Hey! He hasn’t done that since he was twelve!”

Tim elbows him in the ribs and Marinette makes a vaguely skeptical face at all three of them before deciding it wasn’t worth it. She has actual work to get done today and pastries to get rid of before she can even start.

She pats affectionately at Selina’s hand before grabbing as many boxes as she can hold. “Come on you two,” she says to the brothers. “You’re going to help me hand these out to the rest of the company.”

Dick immediately starts doing as told but Tim hesitates, humming thoughtfully. “You know that’s not going to help your whole ‘I’m not actually a Wayne’ thing, right?”

She glares at him. It doesn’t stop Tim from grinning like the utterly unrepentant little shit he is.

***

Things are quiet after the Damian Incident for a whole two weeks. It’s the longest lull Marinette has had since she first started and became somehow involved with the Waynes.

It ends because Dick finds out about the crush Marinette has been nursing on the Head of Security for three months now.

The Head of Security who is Jason Todd: second eldest Wayne sibling and Dick’s brother.

He takes it better than expected.

(Almost, she thinks later, a little too well.)

***

Despite her friendship with Dick and Tim—or perhaps because of it?—Jason had never seemed very interested in her. At first, Marinette had shrugged and counted it as a win; there was one Wayne, at least, who neither found her situation funny nor used it to poke fun at her.

They were on friendly terms, she supposed. Security has always been one of her more regular stops in the building, so she’d spoken to him often enough. He liked complaining that she spoiled his team rotten with all her treats.

But she also noticed that he likes her cherry danishes, so.

And then she noticed how crooked his grin was when he smiled. And how he seemed to have an arsenal of nicknames for everyone he knew. And the small collection of classic romance novels filled with sticky notes he tries and fails to hide in his desk. And, and, and.

It was around the time she began unconsciously memorizing his schedule based on when he was and was not there for her pastry deliveries, that she realized she may have made a misstep somewhere.

Jason was stubborn and passionate and flipped between overly proper and crass light a damn light switch. He was also, as stated, very much not interested in her.

Not that she would’ve pursued him anyway. He was a coworker as well as her friends’ brother.

Now if only one of said brothers could understand that.

“You should ask him out,” Dick suggests not for the first time and Marinette sighs, also not for the first time.

She loves Dick—she truly does—but he has been an aggravating level of unhelpful since he found out about Marinette’s latest romantic disaster.

“I’m definitely not doing that.”

Dick groans, like she’s being the unreasonable one. “Why are you being so stubborn about this?”

“Because I don’t like embarrassing myself?” she asks rhetorically. “Not everyone can have a fairy tale romance like you and Wally.”

He throws his coffee stirrer at her. “We are not a fairy tale.”

She shoots him a flat look. She’s heard Dick talk about Wally and Tim’s told her all the stories and she was there when he and Wally finally got their shit together. Dick was unbearable for an entire week with his gooey, lovestruck new lease on life.

“You two are the definition of fairy tale. You two make fairy tales look like trashy romance novels.”

He opens his mouth to argue the point before forcibly cutting himself off. “No. Stop distracting me. We’re not talking about that; we’re talking about you and Jason.”

“There is no ‘me and Jason’,” she reminds him through her clenched teeth.

“Not yet,” he says optimistically. Like it’s a fact, like he knows something she doesn’t.

He makes her want to slam her face into a wall. Truly, he does.

***

Dick stops running his HR papers up to her office. Instead, he’s somehow convinced Jason to play errand boy for him even though he literally never looks happy about it. What used to be a flimsy excuse for Dick to slack off for a few minutes and gossip with her has now turned into awkward silence as Jason drops off the papers and leaves without even a ‘hello’.

During their shared breaks, Dick takes to orchestrating ‘chance encounters’ between her and Jason, all but shoving them into each other (and even actually shoving that one time).  She catches Jason shooting dark looks at Dick every time he does it, and if she’d been holding any iota of hope at this point, it’s been smashed to dust. Jason obviously knows of his brother’s meddling and isn’t happy about it.

But Dick just can’t take the hint.

Every failed plan of his makes him steadily worse about it all—more frantic and frustrated and like he wants to strangle her for her stubbornness. (The last feeling being more than mutual.)

Dick’s meddling starts to make her and Jason’s previously friendly, if distant, relationship awkward and embarrassing. With every pointed comment, she gets closer to just punching Dick in the face. Or, maybe, she’ll just tell Wally who really ate all the chocolate strawberry macaroons she made; it’d certainly be more devastating.

***

It all comes to head on a Thursday, after most employees have left for the day. 

They run into each other in a breakroom, and she watches as Jason suddenly goes stiff, eyes flicking over her shoulder to no doubt scan for Dick. That single action makes her expression sour and she slams her empty mug down with more force than was necessary.

For Kwamis sake, he looks like a cornered animal. An image not helped by the way he jumps a foot in the air and stares at her like he’s worried she’ll suddenly lunge at him.

“Can we agree this is ridiculous?” she says abruptly. “I don’t know what Dick is trying to accomplish with his wingman schtick, but we both know it’s not going to work. Can we just… agree that he’s an idiot?”

A complicated look crosses Jason’s face before he snorts wryly. “Yeah, we can agree on that. Dickie-boy has always been a few sandwiches short a picnic.”

“I know things have been awkward between us lately, and I’m sorry about that, but I hope we can keep being friends?” she says hopefully.

“What in the world do you have to be sorry about?” he asks before she can start catastrophizing about the bewildered expression he makes at her words. “It’s not your fault.”

The smile she shoots him is rueful and she shakes her hand in an ‘ehh’ type gesture. “Kinda is. And I understand if the-” she makes a vague gesture between them that she hopes properly conveys ‘my giant, stupid crush on you’, “you know, is too much for you. Just say the word I’ll try and keep out of your way.”

She’s trying to be comforting or understanding or something like that, but all her words seem to do is make him upset. “Absolutely not,” he insists. “Sunshine, you are not going to change your routine just to make me feel better.”

Marinette crosses her arms, frowning up at him. “Why shouldn’t I? If I’m making you uncomfortable-”

He makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat. “Uncomfort- Marinette. ” She jolts a bit at the use of her name. She doesn’t think he’s used it since her second week at W.E. “I’m not sure who made you think otherwise—and if it was Dick just tell me cause I’ll kick his ass —but barring the fact that I still enjoy your friendship regardless of any… feelings-” Marinette concentrates very hard on not showing emotion when he says that, “-it’s not your responsibility to deal with it.”

Okay, but… that makes no sense. Of course her feelings were her responsibility, that’s the whole point of them being hers.

“If it’s not mine, then whose responsibility is it then?” she asks, wondering where the hell his train of thought is running.

“Mine, obviously.”

She gives him a look, complete with narrowed eyes and thinly veiled judgment. “What? Is this some kind of gentleman’s martyr complex? Is that what’s happening right now?”

Jason huffs a laugh, but there’s no humor in the sound. “If me taking responsibility for my own damn feelings is a martyr complex then sure,” he snarks, not unkindly. More like he’s trying to protect himself by retreating behind a sour attitude.

Her mouth is halfway around a retort when his words catch up to her brain and she freezes.

“Your feelings?” she repeats. “Your feelings for… me?”

His voice is carefully neutral when he says, “Those would be the ones.”

Her mouth opens and closes and opens again. “You like me? Seriously?”

His face spasms at the question, starting at anger before he properly looks at her and the surprised expression on her face. He pales.

“You didn’t know?”

“No!” she squeaks, something she hasn’t done since she was fifteen. “Well Dick said but I didn’t believe him!”

And fuck, she thinks. This means Dick knew the whole damn time, didn’t he? Oh, she is so going to kill him the second she gets the chance.

Jason runs a hand down his face, covering his mouth as he gathers his bearings. Suddenly, his eyes shoot back open and land on her. “Wait. If you didn't know, then what the hell were you talking about just now?”

She blushes to the tips of her ears and buries her face in her hands so she doesn’t have to look at him. It was easy when she thought he’d figured it out himself. It’s harder now that she has to tell him. “I- I was talking about my crush on you.”

He’s quiet for so long that she gets antsy and peeks out from behind her fingers to see his expression. He’s still looking at her, but now there’s a wide, crooked smile on his face. The expression softens something in her chest and she lowers her hands.

“Really?” he asks, leaning closer.

Marinette nods, feeling a small smile spread across her lips.

He jolts forward, hands reaching for her before suddenly stopping just shy of touching. She startles a bit at the motion but doesn’t move away.

Jason licks his lips, smile smaller but no less bright. “I- can I?”

She blinks. “Can you what?”

“Kiss you.”

The blush returns full force, but with it also comes a smile, giddy and bright. She nods and no sooner than she does, is he swooping down to pull her into a toe-curling kiss. His hands cup her face with a tenderness that makes her smile, makes her giddy, and it’s not long before they’re both smiling too wide to actually kiss and are forced to break apart.

His hands fall to her back, practically engulfing her, and his chin drops onto her head. It’s warm and cozy and she thinks she could so very easily get used to this.

Later, they’re going to have to deal with Dick and Tim and Selina and the teasing they’ll no doubt have to endure—not to mention how much worse the rumors are going to get—but right now? Right now Marinette pulls Jason back down for another kiss and very pointedly doesn’t think about it.

[arvinsescape]

Subspace.

A/N: This has been in my drafts for aaaaaggggeees, I actually forgot I’d written it 🤣, another different sort of writing and I hope you all enjoy (Please remember this is a work of fiction)! 💕💕

Summary: The first time Tom realises his girlfriend is stuck in subspace.

Warnings: Mentions of sex (Minors do not engage), talks of a dom! x sub! relationship, swearing, mentions of an injury.

Something is wrong with you and Tom can’t put his finger on it. You’re not yourself and haven’t been since last night. You seem almost out of it, as if you’re here but at the same time not.

“Shit.” You muttered out as you caught your foot on the edge of the couch and fell onto your knees. This is what Tom is talking about, you’re not usually this clumsy but this morning? You’ve had his heart hammering in his chest more times this morning than you have in the last year of dating.

“Darling, are you okay?” Tom asked as he helped you to your feet, a complete look of concern in his eyes.

“Yeah, just lost my footing.” You smiled as you flopped onto the couch. “Think my legs are still recovering.” You huffed out through a laugh.

“Are you sure? You’re a lot clumsier than normal.” Tom was concerned now, it was growing inside his stomach and he couldn’t shift it, he just couldn’t put his finger on what was going on with you.

“Like I say, I think my legs are still a bit shaky from last night.” You shrugged as you trained your eyes onto the TV.

You’d had an intense session last night, you’d had multiple orgasms and both of you had had earth shattering ones to finish off, the kind that knocked him out almost completely, how tired he was washing over him in an instant. It had been one of your more intense sessions in fourteen month relationship, although you had a dom, sub relationship it was never too out there. Orgasm denials, multiple orgasms, light choking, him tying you up were as far as you’d ventured so far.

**

Tom only grew more concerned as the day went on, especially when he walked through to the living room at 1pm and found you still on the couch. You were in the same position he’d left you in almost two hours ago.

“Darling,” Tom asked and you mindlessly hummed in response. “You’re meeting your friend in twenty minutes.” He pointed out and he watched as you picked your phone up and checked the time, panicking as you saw it.

“Shit, shit, shit. Lost track of time.” You said as you shot past him and upstairs. Of course Tom understood that anyone could lose track of time, it just happened. But you? No, you were the most organised and punctual person he knew, if you said you would be somewhere, you’d turn up ten minutes early, you didn’t do late.

You quickly rushed out a ‘love you’ with a quick kiss to his cheek as you practically ran out of the door. Tom found himself thanking the Gods that you weren’t driving with how you’d been this morning.

**

You came back a few hours later, rushing into the living room and practically throwing yourself at him. You were cold from the winter air and it made Tom shiver slightly at the sudden temperature change he was experiencing.

“You okay?” He asked as his hand came to the back of your head, your face stuffed into his chest.

“I missed you.” You sniffled and Tom was taken aback, this was normal when he’d spent weeks away from you, but hours? You were a pretty independent person, although you and Tom were extremely close, you were by no means completely attached at the hip.

“I missed you too.” Tom comforted as he squeezed you, you pulled yourself closer, making him shift so you could straddle him. Clinging to him as if he’d disappear, although you were a cuddly person by nature you were usually happy just cuddled into his side as you watched TV. 

“You did?” You asked as you pulled back to look at him, excitement in your eyes, almost like a child. Tom furrowed his brows, this was unusual, like he says, you’re an independent person, you were acting like you needed him to say it, needed him to reassure you.

Of course, there had been times where you had needed that from him, when the media or the fans had been pretty hard on you but as far as he was aware that wasn’t the case right now.

“Of course I did.” Tom reassured as he ran his thumb over your cheek and you leant into the minor touch, making Tom take your face in his hand. You seemed to be craving his touch, it seemed to be something you needed he observed over the next hour.

You stayed in his lap, whining when he stopped running his hand over your back or through your hair. Nuzzling so far into him that he was sure you were trying to get inside him, when he got up to go into the kitchen you’d trail behind him like a lost puppy. All of your behaviours making Tom grow more and more concerned over you.

In the last few hours you’d seemingly lost coordination of your body, lost track of time and now you were almost emotionally and physically needy. Not that Tom would ever call you needy, or mean it in a bad way, he just didn’t know how else to describe how you were being.

**

The last straw came when you were making a brew for the two of you, after spending all day seemingly trying to make him happy, needing confirmation from him that your actions were indeed making him so.

“Did I put enough milk in your tea?”

“Yeah,” Tom furrowed his brows, “why?”

“I can make you another if not.” You panicked.

*

“Did I get the right one?” You asked as you brought a blanket down from the bedroom.

“I never specified which one I wanted.” Tom laughed and watched a panicked look escape you.

“Well when you said a blanket you must have had one in mind, I can go and get it.”

“Darling, calm down.” Tom said with furrowed brows as he forced you to sit with him and trying to stop your panic.

“I just want to make sure you’re happy. That I’m not misbehaving.” You said through a panicked voice and Tom’s concern hit a level he wasn’t sure was possible. Misbehaving? You weren’t a child, you weren’t his pet.

“Baby, you do make me happy.” Tom said. “What’s going on with you? What do you mean misbehaving?” Tom asked and he watched as you shrugged.

“I just want to make sure I’m being good.” You shrugged as you settled back down.

*

Tom watched as you filled the cup in your hand, the water rising and before Tom could stop it happening, it happened. The water overflowed and poured out onto your hand, you hissed in pain as you pulled it from the cup, putting the kettle down as you did.

“Fuck darling.” Tom panicked as he instantly grasped your arm and shoved your hand under the cold tap.

“That hurt a bit.” You said and Tom’s eyebrows shot up.

“A bit? Y/N/N, you’ve just practically scolded yourself.” Tom panicked as he continued to keep your hand under the cold tap. “Where were you?” He couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“I don’t know, I feel a bit,” you paused as you thought of the word. “Floaty,” you settled on.

“Floaty?” 

“Yeah, I feel like I keep drifting off today. I’m sorry, have I upset you?” You suddenly asked, eyes finding his.

“Upset? What? Darling, what is going on?” Tom asked as he placed both his hands on your face. You’d just burnt yourself and you seemed more concerned about whether he was upset than your burnt hand.

“I don’t know.” You admitted as tears sprung to your eyes.

“Oh sweetheart.” Tom said as he pulled you into his chest, making sure your hand stayed under the tap. He held for a few minutes, placing kisses into your hairline as your silent tears wet his t shirt. He pulled back after a while, pulling your hand from under the tap to examine it, he was relieved to see no blisters, that you were extremely fucking lucky and had avoided a trip to A & E.

Your hand was still red raw and had a heat to it so Tom grabbed a tea towel and drenched it in cold water, wrapping it around your hand.

“Tommy, I’m tired.” You said almost childlike, almost as you do when you’re in a drunken state. “I’m really tired.” You said again.

“Okay, I’m gonna go and grab some burn cream and then I’ll put you to bed, okay?” He reassured as he led you upstairs and into the bathroom. Once in there he quickly applied the cream to your hand, he was thankful Sam had talked him into buying some, the chef in him reminding the family how bad burns could be. Once he’d dressed you, he helped you get into bed, pulling the covers over you.

“Wait, where are you going?” You asked as Tom was about to leave the room. “You’re not staying?” You asked in a small voice. Your behaviour had certainly taken a turn over the day.

“I can if you want me to?” He said and he watched you frantically nod your head. He cuddled you until you fell asleep and then carefully removed himself from the bed, careful in his every move not to wake you.

It wasn’t long before he was dialling his best friends number and asking him to come over.

“What’s up?” Harrison asked he plopped down on the couch next to Tom.

“Y/N/N.” Tom sighed and Harrisons brows shot up in concern.

“Has something happened? Is she okay?” 

“I don’t know.” Tom huffed out as he ran a hand through his hair. “She’s not been herself today and I don’t know what to do.” Tom admitted.

“How’d you mean?”

“Well for starters she spent most of this morning tripping over things. She lost track of time earlier on today, you know her, she doesn’t do that.” Tom sighed and Harrison shrugged.

“Maybe she genuinely did, we can’t all be perfect.” Haz laughed and Tom looked at him seriously.

“Haz, she’s been, needy. Like I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just out of character. She told me she didn’t want to ‘misbehave.’” Tom said and Haz furrowed his brows in thought.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” Tom shrugged.

“Are you guys like, you know.” Harrison started nervously before collecting himself with a deep breath. “Do you have a dom, sub dynamic?” He asked and Tom furrowed his brows for what felt that the millionth time that day.

“Yeah.” Tom answered carefully.

“And is she the sub?” He asked.

“Harrison.” Tom warned, he wasn’t one to discuss the ins and outs of his sex life with other people, he saw it as a private thing between two people.

“Just,” Haz sighed. “Hear me out, please. Is she?”

“Yeah.” Tom answered again, carefully.

“Have you had a session recently?” He asked again and Tom nodded in response, he was lost, what the fuck did this have to do with anything? “When you engage in your dom side, do you, you know, like ‘punish’ her for misbehaving?”

“Harrison, what the fuck has this got to do with-” Tom cut himself off as realisation dawned on him. You’d been a brat yesterday and he’d acted accordingly.

“It’s called subspace mate.” Harrison said.

“But this has never happened before? Why would it happen now?”

“It doesn’t always happen, sometimes it just takes her hormones being out of balance. Maybe she slipped into it and you never fully coaxed her back, would explain why she’s stuck in a sub mentality.” Haz shrugged.

“But I’ve done everything we normally do in aftercare, I’ve looked after her, reassured her.” Tom reeled off.

“Maybe she’s looking for her dominating partner to bring her back?” Haz suggested. “Try being more forceful.”

“I don’t wanna push her Haz, she fucking burnt herself earlier, completely on another planet when she made a brew.” 

“Maybe you have been doing without realising it.”

“What?”

“Kept her in subspace, you’ve coddled her. Made her feel safe, taken care of. Look, I don’t know Tom, every woman is different but it sounds like based on her behaviour, that you have pulled her further under without meaning to.” 

“Okay, thanks Haz.” Tom said. They enjoyed a good hour or so together, catching up before Tom’s phone pinged with a message from you asking where he was. Tom sighed as he read it.

“Try being a little firmer with her.” Harrison suggested and Tom nodded as he said goodbye to his friend. “Don’t beat yourself up, these things take trial and error and as long as you are both safe, happy and learning it’ll be okay.” Harrison reassured as he placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder before heading out.

Tom collected himself as he made his way back into your shared bedroom. Your eyes instantly finding his as you flew out of the bed and into his arms, he took a deep breath before his next move. Clearly he needed to change tactic, he just wasn’t sure which one you needed.

“Y/N,” he said as he pulled you back, holding you at arms length as he looked you deeply in the eye. “I need you to come back.” He said and he watched as you furrowed your brows.

“What do you mean? I’m here?”

“You’re not, not properly.” Tom said a little firmly. “You’re still in that floaty place, as you called it.”

“No, Tom.” You laughed. “I feel floaty, I didn’t go anywhere.” You giggled.

“You did and now I need you to come back.” He tried again.

“Tom, you’re being silly.” You laughed again, “I’m right in front of you.” You said, “see you’re touching me.” You continued as you gestured to his hands on your shoulders. Tom didn’t miss your tone, your bratty tone, he changed tactic, eyebrow raising in challenge.

“What did you just call me?” Tom asked, voice demanding, the same tone he used when he was ‘punishing’ you in bed. He watched as you smirked.

“I called you silly.” You challenged and Tom hummed as he backed you into the wall.

“Are you being a brat princess? Are you sure that’s what you want to go with right now? You’re making it sound like you want me to punish you.” He said, lips close to yours as his breath fanned your face, your breath hitching as you shook your head.

“No, I’m sorry, I don’t want to misbehave anymore.” You said and Tom looked you directly in the eyes.

“Then I want you to come back.” He spoke, voice laced in a tone that had told you to ‘get on the bed’, ‘cum for me.’ He watched as an understanding flashed across your eyes and Tom continued. “Come on princess, I need you to come back. I need my Y/N.” He whispered as he captured your lips in his own. “It would make me happy if you did.” He finished.

He watched as your eyes became less vacant, slowly coming back as he coaxed you out with well placed kisses and demands. It wasn’t long before your hand wound into his hair and Tom sighed in relief as his head found your neck.

“That was fucking weird.” You snorted, voice completely your own. 

“That’s never happened before.” Tom said as he pulled back to look at you.

“It was so strange, it’s like I needed you to be the opposite of how you are during aftercare. I just kind of stayed in subspace last night.” You rambled.

“You knew you were in subspace?”

“Well yeah, you’ve done it before but you always coaxed me out of it.” You admitted and Tom looked confused.

“What happened last night? Why didn’t it work?” Tom panicked, had he missed something? 

“Don’t know.” You shrugged. “I suppose you fell asleep quicker than usual and I had one of the best orgasms I think I’ve ever had.” You said and you took in the look on Tom’s face. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up, it happens.”

“But I missed it.”

“Yeah but you still kept me safe. That’s what this is about right? Having fun and being safe. Tom you make me feel so safe, how do you think I end up in subspace sometimes, it’s a different kind of pleasure. As a sub I make myself completely vulnerable to you and you make me feel so safe and wanted and the level of trust I have in you is off the charts and sometimes it just happens, sometimes I drift off.”

“Maybe we pushed it too far.” Tom said as he took your hand in his, placed a kiss to the back of your injured hand. “I couldn’t protect you from this.”

“Tom,” you sighed. “The burn was a mistake, you can’t protect me from everything. If you’re worried I regret what we did last night because of this then don’t be. I don’t regret anything we’ve tried and I trust you, okay? Remember that one time I used the safe word and you stopped immediately and took care of me?” You asked and Tom nodded.

“This is something that does take an element of trial and error, getting fully used to everything that can happen. You took care of me, you brought me back, Tom I trust you completely with me.” You continued. “I’ve never given myself over to someone the way I have you and I’m glad, I’m glad I get to experience these things with you and I wouldn’t change it or you for the world.”

“I promise I won’t miss it next time.” Tom reassured and you smiled as you kissed him.

“I don’t doubt that for a second.”