#also sorry in advance for any spelling/grammar mistakes

[marvel-spidey]

We’ve Still Got Time

Summary: After receiving some life-altering news, you try to make Bucky understand that it's time to let the past go. Inspired by the song “Falling Slowly” (in my mind it was written just for Bucky ok 🥺) Pairing: Bucky x reader Word count: 3.1k Warnings: pregnancy, pregnancy symptoms, lots of tears, extreme fluff. A/n: English is not my first language, so sorry in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Enjoy! also, happy 2025 for us bucky girlies!!! our man is coming back soon! ✨

Bucky woke up to the sound of running water and a toothbrush being used. The white light from the bathroom spilled into the bedroom you both shared. The clock on his nightstand read 4:07 a.m. He slowly opened his eyes and turned to the side, realizing your side of the bed was empty. Furrowing his eyebrows, he wondered why you were up at this hour brushing your teeth. Unable to think of a reason fast enough, he decided to get up and check on you.

“What are you doing, sweetheart?” he asked in a confused tone, his hoarse voice carrying the weight of sleep. His hair was a little messy, and his metal arm reflected the soft light from the bathroom. He was shirtless, and his gray sweatpants hung just above his hips.

“I’m sorry I woke you, Buck,” you replied, drying your face with a small towel. “I don’t know. I think I must have eaten something that didn’t sit well with my stomach. I just woke up feeling really nauseous. I threw up, but at least I feel a little better now.”

Bucky closed the distance between you, moving toward you slowly and giving you a quick kiss on the forehead. His expression was serious, his lips almost forming a pout.

“Why didn’t you wake me up? I feel bad knowing you were sick all by yourself.”

He held your face softly, and you looked up at him, scanning his features and silently admiring how concerned he always was for you. You couldn’t understand how someone so caring could think such terrible things about himself and carry so much guilt when this was the man he really was: calm, reliable, attentive. You prayed he could see it someday, too.

“I wouldn’t wake you,” you replied, caressing his cheek gently. “I know those nightmares have been coming back these past few weeks, haven’t they?”

He looked down, ashamed he hadn’t been able to hide them from you. You always knew.

He sighed and nodded, reluctantly admitting the unpleasant truth. His nightmares came in phases. Sometimes, they haunted him almost every night with terrible flashes from his past – people he had killed, accidents he had caused, futures he had destroyed. Or worse, scenarios in which you would get hurt. Sometimes, by him. Those were the worst ones. Other times they would come less frequently, almost letting him believe that he was making progress in his “healing journey”, as you liked to call it. But they eventually came back. To him, they were proof he would never truly be at peace, never able to leave the past behind.

“Yes, as usual,” he admitted. “But it’s okay. You don’t need to worry.”

“That’s impossible,” you replied, already recognizing his habit of downplaying things and subtly pushing you away, retreating into his world of self-loathing. “I’ll always worry. I just wish you would have talked to me about it.”

“I’m sorry,” he said while engulfing you in a warm hug. He had a defeated expression in his features that made you even more worried. God knows what kind of thoughts he was having about himself. You wish you could take them away.

“Let’s just go back to sleep, so you’re rested and feeling better in the morning. Deal?” You smiled weakly and decided to let the matter go, for now. “Deal,” you agreed, letting him take your hand and guide you back to bed. For the next few weeks, you continued to have moments where you felt unwell.

You couldn’t quite put your finger on it, but your body started to feel different. Your stomach was more sensitive than usual, leaving you with the now-familiar waves of nausea. You felt sleepier at random moments during the day, and your stamina during training sessions at the compound suddenly diminished. You felt more out of breath during workouts and sparring. And food began to smell and taste different. One morning, the pancakes Bucky made you almost daily for breakfast smelled “eggier” than usual—you could smell the eggs in the batter from what felt like miles away.

After weeks of feeling like this, you thought it was probably due to low vitamin levels and decided you should schedule a routine doctor’s appointment soon.

But in one of your weekly sparring sessions with Natasha, you started to feel a slight dizziness, so you asked her for a time-out.

“Are you okay?” she asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

“Yeah, I just—I don’t know. I’ve been feeling kind of weak for a while now,” you admitted, closing your eyes and resting a hand on your forehead in an attempt to steady yourself. “I think I just need to get some blood work done. It’s been a while since my last check-up.” “Weak how, exactly?”

“I feel like I’m always tired lately. More worn out. And my appetite is all over the place.”

Natasha looked at you with a suspicious expression before asking an unexpected question.

“Hmm, feeling weak, huh? Have you taken a pregnancy test?”

Your eyes shot open, and you stared at her, trying to process what she had just said. “What?”

“Yes, have you?” Nat repeated, crossing her arms and leaning into one hip with a slight smirk as if she knew something you didn’t.

“I- No, I- I didn’t… My period is only two days late, which is sort of normal for me. Do you think I should?” you questioned her, not knowing if you were talking more to yourself or to her.

“(Y/n) yes, you should! Have you talked to Barnes about it?”

“Not really. I didn’t pay much attention to this. I didn’t have time to.”

The truth was, you and the whole team had been preparing for an important mission in a few months, one that had been weighing heavily on Bucky’s mind especially, since it involved Hydra. The team was set to infiltrate a secret Hydra base in Hungary in order to retrieve intel on potential undercover Hydra agents within S.H.I.E.L.D.

You were almost sure this was the reason Bucky’s nightmares had gotten worse. He tensed up every time you or someone else mentioned the mission, or during training, probably dreading the feeling of going back to a place so connected to everything that he wanted to forget. He tried so hard to hide it but for you, it was so easy to sense his anxiety. The way his blue eyes grew distant, drifting to the floor as if trying to escape his own thoughts. Or how his fists clenched, fingers pressing into his palms almost to the point of pain, while he tried to take deep breaths every time Steve went over the mission details with the group.

“Then take the test,” Natasha urged, stepping closer and putting a reassuring hand on yours when she noticed the frightened look on your face. “If you’re pregnant, you need to know before the mission. And you need to tell Barnes. You both need to decide if going on this mission is still an option.”

“But Nat” you began, squeezing her hand, feeling so scared and unprepared for the scenario she just mentioned.  “I- I don’t know if Bucky is in a good headspace for this now. He’s been so off lately. The Hydra stuff has been really getting to him.”

Natasha offered you a comforting smile, her confidence and support unwavering.

“You’ll both be fine. I’m here if you need me. And Steve is, too.” Later that same day, you found yourself in a situation you never imagined you’d be in right now.

Trembling hands, tears streaming down your face, and your heartbeat drumming loudly in your ears. A white and blue pregnancy test sat on the marble counter of your bathroom. You stared at the word that appeared on the small screen.

+ Pregnant

You froze. You looked at yourself in the mirror and blinked a few times to make sure you weren’t dreaming. You weren’t. A wave of happiness washed over you. So much happiness. It was unexpected, yes, but you had always told Bucky he would be a wonderful dad. Yet every time you brought up the subject, he’d say he would like to be a father someday, but that it probably wasn’t a good idea. According to him, he could never be a good role model for a child.

Your first thought was running to Nat or Steve. You wanted to tell one of them and hear that everything would be alright, that Bucky would be alright with all of this. But it was already kind of late. They’re probably asleep by now, you thought to yourself. At the same time, you knew the person who really needed to know about this was in the living room, watching a random reality TV show with Sam.

You couldn’t bear to be alone another minute. The anxiety was overwhelming.

You decided to text Bucky and ask him to come to your room. If you went to the living room, there was no way Sam wouldn’t notice something was up, and you didn’t need another situation right now.

“Can you please come to our room, it’s urgent.” You texted and hoped he would check his phone as soon as possible.

Not even five minutes later you heard the door of your room open, followed by anxious footsteps entering the room.

“Sweetheart? Are you okay? I just got your text.” Bucky asked, his voice filled with concern.

“Hi, love” you said, stepping out of the bathroom and faking a half smile, searching for his hand and guiding him to the bed. You were terrified but at the same time you didn’t wanna scare him. “Come with me, I need to talk to you.”

“What happened?” Bucky questioned, his eyes quickly searching your face for any clues of what might have happened. You could see the worry creeping into his expression.

You sat next to him on the bed and held his hands tightly. The cold touch of his metal hand on yours offered a brief distraction from what you were about to tell him. You took a deep breath, still unsure how to begin. You decided that starting with some context might be easier.

“So, basically, for the past few weeks, I’ve started to feel a little… off. Do you remember the night you woke up because I felt sick in the middle of the night?”

“Yes, I do” Bucky answered calmly, trying to figure out where you were going with this.

“Well, besides that, I’ve been feeling different. My stomach has been constantly upset, my appetite has been strange, I’ve been feeling more tired than usual, and I–”

“(Y/n), are you sick?” Bucky interrupted, already imagining all the worst scenarios in his head.

“Buck, no” you replied quickly, closing your eyes and trying to breathe to calm yourself down. “Listen. As I was saying, I talked about these symptoms with Nat today and she… she asked... if I had already taken a pregnancy test.”

You paused, watching his face closely for a reaction. He seemed to freeze, taking a few seconds to process your words. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath – a breath that felt heavy with sadness. It broke your heart.

He opened his eyes again and they were glistening with tears. His eyes looked even more blue than they already were.

For a moment, you considered not saying anything more, but you knew he needed to hear it – all of it.

“So, I… I took a test just now,” you continued, your voice trembling as tears began to run down your face. “And it’s… it’s positive.” You wiped your nose with the sleeve of your sweater, struggling to keep your composure.

“I’m sorry” you said crying, heartbroken because this was the reaction you had been dreading. You felt like you had ruined his life.

Now, he was the one silently crying. He still held your hands, his thumb softly tracing circles over your palm, his gaze fixed on your intertwined fingers.

“Please, say something, Bucky,” you pleaded, the silence only giving your mind space to imagine horrible possibilities.

“No, I’m the one who should be saying sorry, (Y/n),” he finally said, his voice breaking as tears slowly streamed down his face. “This baby deserves someone better. You deserve someone better.”

“What are you talking about?” you asked, reaching out to hold his cheek, your heart breaking at the words that he had just spoken. “What do you mean, ‘we deserve someone better’?”

“Yes! Yes, you do!” he exclaimed, his voice rising as he finally let the storm inside him surface. “How is this baby going to grow up knowing all the awful things I’ve done?”

He got up from the bed, putting some distance between the two of you. He was still crying quietly, and it felt like he had been keeping this inside for so long. His body was facing the window. He couldn’t even look at you.

“You didn’t do those things, Buck. The Winter Soldier did,” you spoke clearly, hoping that he would somehow believe it.

“It doesn’t matter, does it? I still did it.”

“Of course it matters! You didn’t have a choice!” you raised your voice, frustrated at how he could still blame himself so much.

“Everyone tells me that, but it doesn’t help, you know?” he replied, turning his body back toward you. His voice was low. “When I lie down to sleep, I keep seeing their faces. I can still hear their cries, begging for help, for mercy.”

“Buck, I—I’m so sorry,” you told him, holding your tears back again. You’d give anything to take his sadness away.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be free from what they did to me,” he stated, his face showing a defeated expression. “I know Ayo got the Hydra programming out of my mind in Wakanda, but still… it’s all here,” he said, pressing his index finger to his temple. “I remember all of them, and I always will.”

You got up and decided to close the distance between you. You raised both of your hands to his cheeks and held his face gently, making him look at you. You needed him to hear every word you were about to say.

“Honey, look at me,” you began, your voice serious but soft. “I can’t even begin to imagine how you must feel. And I want you to know I’d do anything – anything – if I could to make this suffering go away. It breaks my heart to see you in so much pain and not be able to do anything-”

“No, sweetheart, but you do,” he interrupted you, wiping the tears from your face. “You have no idea how many ways you’ve saved me.”

He closed his eyes and kissed your forehead. Both of you were crying again, and you could feel all his gratitude in that one kiss.

“You save me every day. It would be impossible for me to survive those nightmares if I didn’t have your face to look at every time I wake from one of them.” He gave you a sad smile while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, his hand resting on your cheek afterward.

You leaned into his metal hand and kissed his palm. Your eyes were once again glistening with tears.

“Do you see this, James?” you asked, hoping that he would understand what you were trying to show him.

“This is you,” you continued, placing one hand on his heart. “This is Bucky Barnes. The man who has a metal arm and touches me like I’m the most fragile thing in the world. The man who makes pancakes for me every morning. The man who’s afraid of punching me too hard in our sparring sessions, even though he knows I’m a kick-ass agent.”

“That you are,” he agreed, both of you crying and laughing at the same time. You quickly wiped his tears away.

“The man who watches trashy reality TV shows with his friend on a Thursday night. This is you. And this is the man who is going to be the father of my child,” you finished, placing his flesh hand on your belly.

He continued to cry. You just prayed that your words would finally make their way into his heart.

“So tell me, how could you say I deserve better? That this baby deserves better?”

He was still looking at his hand on your belly, trying to understand how he could still be worthy of having a family after he had destroyed so many others.

“Look at me, Buck,” you called, guiding his gaze back to you. “You suffered enough. More than enough. You’ve warred with yourself for so long. It’s time that you won.”

He closed his eyes and tried to absorb the words he had just heard. It was so hard for him to accept that he deserved happiness, but he was so grateful that you have never stopped trying.

“You made it. We’re here, and you made it. Now we’ve still got time. We’ve still got all the time in the world for you to finally live. Your life, how you want it,” you continued, kissing the palm of his metal hand again. It was your way of showing him that you loved all of him, even the part that brought him the most pain.

“This baby is so lucky to have you as a dad. And to be honest, this kid is going to brag so much to the other children about how his dad’s got a metal arm.” For the first time, you heard an honest laugh escape from his lips. The sound was wonderful.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but it must have been something really good,” he replied, finally pulling you close and giving you a warm kiss.

“I love you- we love you.”

“I’m so scared. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to… be a role model for someone.” You could see the worry in his eyes. He was genuinely scared.

“Bucky, yes, you do. You just have to be you. I don’t need you to be perfect,  I just need you to be here. Can you do that for us, Sergeant?”

He gave you a warm smile, filled with gratitude and hope - the hope you had just given him. He looked at your lips and kissed you once more, holding your belly delicately.

“Yes, I can, ma’am. Yes, I can.” he agreed easily “but.. speaking of sergeant, now there’s no way you’re going on that mission.”

“Excuse me? I’m still in the first few weeks of this pregnancy. And how about you? This baby will need both parents.”

“Okay okay, so we’ll let Uncle Steve decide who's going and who’s not. Deal?”

“Okay, sir. Deal.”

Well, you have suffered enough And warred with yourself It's time that you won Take this sinking boat and point it home We've still got time Raise your hopeful voice, you had a choice You've made it now ~~ Falling Slowly (from the musical Once)

Feedback is always welcome, feel free to comment, like and reblog! Hope you enjoyed 🤍

[hooneeyydroops]

Don’t you worry about your curly hair <3

Fred G. Weasley x reader

My first post ever here on Tumblr! Sorry in advance for any spelling/grammar mistakes, english is only my second language :’)

Paring: Bsf!Fred Weasley x natural curly/wavy haired!Reader

Notes: Just Fluff. Reader is in gryffindor but you can choose the year! Also, reader and Fred are best friends who have huge crushes on each other lol. Oh and reader is insecure about her hair but Fred makes her feel better.

Summary: Hermione helped you style your natural hair. It was the first time you showed off your natural hair in Hogwarts, especially to Fred.

Word count: 1.5k

Enjoy!

“My hair is so poofy again!” you complained, as you were walking to class with your friend Hermione.

It was the month of November so it was only natural that your hair was becoming this poofy; humidity levels were extremely high in winter at Hogwarts.

“I just don’t know what to do, I can’t straighten them everyday, I don’t want to burn it!” you say, pushing your thick, coarse hair behind your ears. The only good thing was that they kept you very warm during the colder weather (but it was hell during the summer).

“Maybe you should try to stop straightening them” Hermione replied. “I know curly hair is a lot of work but it’s so worth it. Plus you can’t always keep on tying them up like you do during summer”.

You knew her hair was curly just like yours, although she was too lazy to always keep them in place, sometimes leaving them air drying or diffusing without any kind of styling done. Yet it still suited her perfectly in one way or another.

“Maybe you’re right” you say, smiling at her “Why don’t you come with me to the dorm this afternoon? I could use some help from you to do my hair” you continued, as you girls had almost reached the classroom. “Sure thing!” she replied, smiling and excited about your proposal as you two entered the classroom for your charms lesson.

You and Hermione were now in your dorm’s bathroom as you were thoroughly and vigorously washing your hair. She was sitting on the toilet as you guys chatted and laughed together.

“Okay so now that I’m done with the clarifying shampoo I have to put this hair mask on my lenghts?” you asked her as you were kneeled down near the bathtub.

“Yes, just put a generous amount on it and leave it on for five minutes” she replied, looking at you as you put a generous amount of that divine-smelling hair mask she lent you on your hair. You then put them up with a claw clip standing up from that uncomfortable position that you had kept through the whole shampoo step.

“Ow, my back!” You said in pain.

Hermione laughed. “I bet the one that will absolutely adore the most your new look is definitely going to be Fred!” She said with a teasing tone as a faint blush crept on your cheeks.

“S-sure…I’m quite nervous to be honest; He’s never seen me with my natural hair, not even once. I only wear them back at home” you replied, worrying about what he’ll say. “Aw c’mon y/n, he’s definitely going to love it. He literally loves everything about you!” she says, trying to uplift your mood a bit.

You rinsed the mask off, as you girls went on with the styling. You brushed your hair then you made sure they were soaking wet as you put on your curl cream, gel and mousse, scrunching your hair with your hands and a towel.

“Looks amazing already” Hermione said in awe, watching your hair “I’ll help you diffuse them”.

Hermione was finally done diffusing your hair. “Now here, give me your hand” she says.

You do as she told and found yourself with some drops of hair oil on your hand.

“Massage it through your hands and slide them through your hair. You can also scrunch a bit”.

You do so.

Then you lifted your head up.

You couldn’t belive your eyes.

Your hair came out so good. Your locks were almost all frizz-free and they framed your face perfectly.

“No way, you look so good with your natural hair! They suit you way more if I have to say!” Hermione said excited as she was looking at you two through the mirror where you were staring at your reflection.

Yet you couldn’t help but think about what Fred’s reaction would be. Sure you looked great, but will he like your new look? What if he thought curly hair were hideous or messy?

Hermione noticed your worried expression. “He’ll love them, I’m sure” she says, a small smile forming on your lips.

“Thanks Hermione”.

“Now come one, put your robe back on, it’s almost dinner time!” she said, helping you out. You watched yourself through the mirror one last time before exiting the dorm, heading towards the great hall were dinner was waiting you two.

You guys entered the great hall taking place near Ron and Harry who had already started eating. You two greeted them but you soon noticed Harry and Ron staring at you. You give them a puzzled look which earned a quick answer from them.

“We’ve just never seen you with your hair like that” Ron started “yeah, they look great” Harry continued. You thanked them as the conversation topic switched to that dreaded potion’s essay you guys had to hand in in three days.

But you just couldn’t focus on the conversation, eyes searching for that tall, ginger prankster who had stolen your heart and that for some reason hasn’t arrived yet.

“You okay y/n?” Harry asked.

“Y-yeah sure” you replied, trying to keep your focus on the conversation.

“Yeah she’s just thinking about her red haired prince charming” Hermione chimed in with a small smirk on her lips. You felt your blood rush to your cheeks as you stayed silent, rolling your eyes.

The ginger twins entered the great hall, sitting down next to you so quickly that you hadn’t even realised they arrived.

Hi guys-“ George said, lips slightly parted and eyes widened as you turned around. “WOAH Y/N, YOUR HAIR” he said, catching Fred’s attention who looked at you with wide eyes and a small blush on his cheeks “I-is there something wrong with it?” You muttered worryingly. “No no no, it’s actually amazing, we just never saw you like this, right Fred?” He said, eyeing his twin with a smirk as the guy was still staring, lost in his thoughts. “Uhh yeah yeah, he’s right” he said quickly, shaking his head “you look beautiful like this, you know?” he said with a smirk as you felt your cheeks redden. Everybody looked at you two, eyes rolling jokingly as they were all thinking about when you’ll both confess your feelings to each other.

The conversation topic switched again from your hair to this mad prank the twins were pulling on Snape before coming to dinner.

You were now focused, lively as always, although you felt Fred’s eyes glued on you the whole time as you ate dinner and talked with your friends.

Dinner ended and, as you guys were all walking to the gryffindor common room, you felt an arm wrapping around your neck. You looked up, seeing Fred’s face smirking at you again as you looked away.

“So, new look uh?” He said. You guys were now walking behind the others.

“Yeah. It is too humid to use a straightener, my hair becomes poofy five minutes after straightening them” you started “so today Hermione helped me with styling them following their natural pattern” you say as you looked up again just to see that Fred’s eyes had widened “so these are your natural hair?” he asked.

You felt worry wash over you.

“Y-yeah…these are my natural hair.” you say, looking forward.

“Woah” he muttered “but why have I never seen them? I mean, you look bloody gorgeous with your hair like this, why won’t you wear them natural more often?” He asked, his cheeks slightly red as he looked at you with his signature smirk, although his eyes were softer now.

“It’s easier to wear it straightened sometimes” you replied, looking at him “plus, I think curly hair makes me look so messy. They just don’t suit me like they suit Hermione.” You said as your expression saddened. You felt Fred’s arm squeezing you making the butterflies in your stomach swarm like crazy. Since your crush started you couldn’t help but feel your cheeks getting warmer or butterflies in your stomach at every little touch. Even if it was accidental.

“I don’t think they make you look messy. They suit you so much” he said, twirling a curl around one of his fingers, focusing on his own motions “you know, I’ve always loved curly hair” he said, his gaze back on your face “I’ve always found them beautiful, especially on gorgeous girls like you~” he said, winking, his smirk back on his face. “Oh shut up!” You said in between giggles as you felt your cheeks redden as he squeezed you more.

“Never, sunshine~” he says with a playful tone, giving a small peck to your already warm cheek.

You thought he had definitely noticed that your whole face was now on fire, as he started laughing hard while his arm was still around your neck, his hand touching your soft, beautiful curls.

You now knew you had noting to worry about them.

[garden-of-writing]

Hello, since I saw that your requests were open, I would like to ask you about a Forced Agere Sniper x Merc Baby Regressor Reader, thank you very much. ( ´∀`)

RED Sniper x MERC! GN! Reader - Platonic Forced Babyre

A/N: HIHIHI THIS IS MY FIRST REQUEST EVER EEEEEEE, also supes sorry if this is too long + spelling or grammar mistakes, i got an eeensie weensie bit carried away if you couldn't tell LOL

Can't exactly call em headcanons so bullet story thingy under cut!!!! HOPE YOU ENJOY HEHEHEH >:3c 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵

Character: Sniper (RED) Fandom: Team Fortress 2 TW: Use of sedatives, kidnapping, minor violence, non graphic character death, forced agere, Yandere character (but it's like mostly just implied) Summary: A kid like you shouldn't be on a battle field like this, so your enemy Sniper takes matters into his own hands.

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵

Sniper knew that BLU team was training a new spy, but he definitely wasn't expecting you.

When he saw you for the first time you were backstabbing his team's Engineer. He had a clear shot of you- but he just couldn't pull the trigger.

You were just a kid! A baby even- the gravel war's no place for someone so... little, so fragile! You were going to get seriously hurt out here.

Sure, death is basically meaningless with the Mann CO. Respawner machine, but his point still stands!

He was so lost in thought, his scope swaying that he didn't even hear the rockets coming his way.

One startled awakening in resupply later and the battle was called- RED for the win and BLU for the loss. A wins a win- but he still feels this gnawing at his gut.

Sniper bites his fingernails in thought as everyone begins celebrating early. He packs his weapons up, silently planning his next moves in his head.

Back at base, everyone was to take shifts watching the intelligence. Engineer’s security systems and turrets could only do so much after all.

He volunteered for third watch, should give him enough time to prepare everything in advance if he acts fast.

Your mentor, BLU Spy, congratulates you on doing well for your first battle, he passes a glass of expensive looking wine your way.

“Chevreau, you did exemplary today- you took out their turrets with ease and without injury, no less.”

You light up at the praise and fiddle with the glass in your hands shyly, opening up your mouth to respond when he cuts you off sternly.

“You’re job isn’t finished yet, however.” He lights a cigarette up, taking a drag before continuing, “You must reclaim our intelligence from the hands of those buffoons.”

“It will not be easy, but I have my faith that you will do well.” He flicks his ashes into a nearby tray, before turning to look out the blinded windows.

“You will leave tonight, the folder on the desk has a map of their entrances and exits- as well as the probable area where they may be keeping it.”

A heavy quiet hangs over the room as you take the manila file from it’s resting place and thumb through the contents with one hand.

Circled in red on the floor plans is a lone room center of the lowest floor in the enemy base. You swallow thickly, mouth suddenly dry.

“Sir, this a lot to handle so early- I mean- uh, what if I get captured or... killed?” Your nervous thoughts leak into your voice.

Spy is silent, only turning to look at you over his shoulder.

“You will not let that happen.” He turns back to the window.

“Besides- if you’re captured, you’re already considered dead. Remember that.”

You tuck the folder into the inside of your jacket, before downing the rest of your wine.

“I’ll see to it that it’s done, sir.” With a front of determination, you set the glass on his desk, put on your mask and leave.

Night couldn’t have come any sooner, the shadows are where you belonged and that is where you will stay.

A drunken RED Demoman sings and sways as liquor spills from his bottle, the lone guardian to your golden entry ticket.

You watch with baited breath as the Demoman finally gives way and passes out, snoring peacefully in the dirt.

You quickly flip open your disguise kit and change your appearance to that of the Scotsman. You whisper to yourself to check and see if your voice has been properly changed- only to have your normal octave reach your ears. Dread twists your insides when you realize your modulator still isn’t working.

The damned thing almost cost you your life earlier today with that Engineer! Spy mentioned getting it replaced after the battle, but appears he had either forgotten or you got another dud.

You use your sapper to take out the security camera watching the door before dragging the sleeping guard into the bushes, making sure to pick up the bottle just in case you need to improv.

The door opens with ease, the light creak sounding like nails on a chalkboard. You push deeper into what’s supposed to be the medical wing, passing by supply closets and rooms filled with nothing but crates.

Your heart drops to your stomach as you hear the squeal of linoleum doors being opened and the chatter of voices.

Their Medic’s up late it seems, and he’s not alone.

You duck behind an abandoned medicine cart with bloody surgery tools on it. The whole thing reeks to high heavens, and you have to suppress a gag.

“I knew ya’d set me right doc! Dunno what happened to my shoulda’ but ya damn well fixed it!” Their Scout, brazen- loud, not much of a fighter but not to be underestimated. With his speed the whole base could be alerted in mere moments.

Panicking as you hear footsteps approaching behind, you shakily grab your wrist and click your watch. The quiet noise of your cloak thankfully masked by the two themselves.

“Nein, it was no problem at all, dear Scout. Archimedes and I always appreciate surprise visits, who knows you may walk away a kidney more!”

You press yourself against the wall as you move up and past the two standing in front of the med-bay. You manage to stop yourself just before you run into a waiting chair.

Slinking around it and down the hall, their voices fade and you finally come across the staircase you needed to take.

You let out a sigh of relief as your cloak drops. Iron grip on the bottle in your palm and the knife in your pocket as you descend the steps silently.

Slowly you make your way to the bottom floor, taking your time to knock out any cameras you come across. It feels like you’ve been here for days, when in reality it’s only been about 30 minutes or so.

Spy really should’ve mapped out an elevator for you to take, you’re going to be sore after this.

After ages of walking, you finally hit the last step. Silently cheering yourself on you cautiously make headway down the long hall.

According to what you know, the room should be-

BEEP... kurchuk…BEEP...kurchuk

The sound of sentries reaches your ears, they must be up on the right, the exact way you need to go. You pinch the bridge of your nose in annoyance.

“Of course they would have turrets, what would you expect?” You whisper bitterly to no one but yourself.

Creeping up to your destination you try and prick up your ears, listening for signs of others around, breathing, clanking, etc…

...but it’s much too hard to do with all the noise that sentry is making. You grit your teeth and take the risk, disguising yourself as an Engineer. You turn down the hall and approach the turret.

It takes very little work before the machine crumples to the floor, a little too loud for your tastes, but what’s done is done. You leave the bottle with the scrap and slink further in, fiddling with your butterfly knife as you go.

No more cameras it seems, no sentries either… this is oddly very little security for something so important.

Spy has mentioned that they’ve been dumb and careless before, maybe this is one of those instances and you’re just lucky?

The soft noises of servos and mega computers hits you as you push open the door to the debriefing room.

The room itself is huge, two stories at least, a long table sits in the middle with many chairs around it. A giant screen takes up almost the entire opposite wall, images and data (you wish you had the time to decipher) flash across it.

The air is still, your eyes finally land on your target- the cerulean briefcase sat with it’s red match perfectly in the middle of the table. You glance around, the upper floors are dark and quiet with no visible cameras, it seems you are truly alone.

Maybe Spy was right to put his faith in you, after all it seems you’re fortunate when it comes to this type of stuff.

You step closer to the table, eyes scanning for any hidden security systems, finding none your hand reaches for the cases…

C r e a k….

Your ears pick up on a soft sound from above and you lock eyes with the barrel of a rifle before you feel a sharp pain in your neck, and everything fades to black.

When you awake your eyelids are heavy lead shutters against your blurry vision, it takes so much to keep them open. Groggily you go to move your hands, half-expecting them to be tied or chained but find them...free?

You clench and un-clench your fists, only to notice that there’s some sort of glove around your hands and it’s surprisingly soft.

Confusion helps the fog ebb from your brain as you look down to find pastel mittens strapped to your hands by small belts. You also discover you’re no longer wearing your suit, either, instead sporting a loose baggy t-shirt and soft pajama shorts with fuzzy socks on.

Panic sets in when you realize a chain is cuffed around your ankle, you immediately go to pull on it recklessly. The iron doesn’t budge from it’s place in the wall and instead rattles loudly.

Only when you go to grind your teeth do you realize there’s something in your mouth. A… pacifier?!

You spit it out and drool dribbles down your chin. The offending plastic hangs off your shirt by a handmade clip of some-kind.

“I gotta get outta here, but where is here?!” You whisper to yourself as you wipe your mouth on your shoulder.

Looking around you get a sense that this isn’t apart of RED’s base, it’s way too “lived in.” A camper van perhaps?

The only person on RED you knew to own a van would be-

Squeak…thumpthumpthump…

The squeal of couch springs and heavy footsteps meet your ears as the door on the other side of the small room opens.

RED Sniper stands there, grinning like a devil as he looks at you.

“Figured you’d wake up soon, Roo.”

You glare up at him, hoping to burn a hole through his skull with your eyes alone.

“If you’re going to torture me- just get it over with. Humiliating me is a waste of your time.”

His smile drops at that, “Torture? Nah kiddo, no one’s gettin’ tortured, you’re too little to even be knowin’ about that.”

You stare incredulous, “How old do you think I am?!”

Sniper puts a hand on his chin for just a moment, “1 maybe 2 at the most?”

Enraged you try to stand to lunge for this guy, but your legs wobble and fold underneath you. You collapse forward and he swoops in to catch you.

“Easy there, Roo. Your legs ain’t meant to be walkin’ just yet.”

You pale as nausea sweeps over you, potentially a side effect from the sedative he used.

“There, there- Papa’s got ya.” He holds you in his arms for a minute or two before gently laying you back down onto the pillows on the floor.

“You must be peckish, s’why you’re chuckin’ a wobbly eh?” He grabs a soft blanket out of the dresser in the room and places it over you.

“You stay cozy, lil Roo and I’ll be back with some brekky.” He places the pacifier back into your mouth before he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him.

You hear the rattling, then clinking of glass and what sounds like a jar being opened. You slowly shift your head, trying to properly take in your surroundings.

You appear to be in a bedroom, and judging by the state of it and who’s with you, it’s safe to say it’s his. With the shackle on your leg you can’t exactly go very far. Besides if you move too much right now you’ll probably faint or worse.

Maybe if you try hard enough he’ll see reason and just let you go?

What exactly do you have to lose? Your team probably already thinks you’re-

The door creaks open once more, Sniper strolls in, a bowl of something white in one hand and a baby bottle in the other.

“I’m ‘fraid yogurt and orange juice s’all I got at the moment.” He goes to sit down in front of you, momentarily setting the food down to help you sit up.

“Once we get ya’ settled, we’ll find out what foods ya’ like. Chokkie maybe?”

He plucks the pacifier from your lips before taking a spoonful of white yogurt and holding it out in front of your face.

“C’mon, Roo, say ‘ah’!”

You eye the food wearily, pushing the nausea and hunger down, keeping your mouth firmly shut.

“Hm.” His previous grin turns into a thin line, as he stares at you silently.

His left hand moves to your face before you can even flinch, his grip his white knuckled on your jaw.

“Say ‘ah’.”

The pain from his fingers forcing your jaw apart makes you yelp in pain, taking advantage of the moment he shoves the spoon of yogurt into your mouth. Using the same hand he keeps your lips shut, your mittens beat at his chest weakly, but he only lets go when you finally swallow.

The yogurt tastes sharp, tangy even- wrong.

“There, was that so hard?” He chuckles, but you sense a darkness to it. He lifts another spoonful up and waits a few seconds.

He’s gauging you.

You shakily open your mouth and allow him to feed you, he gives you a smile in return showing off his pearly whites.

“That’s a good rug rat.”

Sniper praises and coos at you after every bite until all of the food is gone. After the bowl is empty he puts the bottle of orange juice up to your lips.

You go to hold it, not wanting his hands near your face anymore, but he tuts you and pushes your mits back down.

“Ah ah- don’t worry I’ve got ya’ Roo.”

A veiled warning.

You swallow your pride and the juice as quickly as you can without getting sick. Once gone, he pats you on the back a couple times so you don’t “get a tummy ache.”

With your stomach full, the nausea slowly leaves your system but your head feels… light? Like your brain’s full of clouds and sheep.

“Feelin’ better now, ankle biter?”

Your eyes feel heavy again, yet you watch as he pulls a small kangaroo plushie out of his vest and places it in your arms.

“This is for bein’ a good kiddo and eatin’ everthin’.” The kangaroo is soft, and smells like lavender, you think. You feel the pacifier attached to your shirt being pushed gently back into your mouth without a struggle.

Instinctively you snuggle the toy as he cradles you against his chest, slowly rocking you. Sleep claws at the edges of your consciousness as he begins to gravelly hum a lullaby.

He’s good to you if you listen. Maybe if you play along, earn his trust, he’ll let you go...

...or maybe this isn’t so bad? Do you really wanna go back to the stress with the guns and grenades, the bloodshed?

“No more playin’ spook for ya anymore, lil Roo. You just have a nice nap, we’ll leave the fightin’ to the adults, hm?”

And with that you fall asleep.

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵

[moonlightkb]

Owned by the Night 🐇

chapitre 2𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

AJ x Fem! Reader

Summary:  After that tense night, Berry tells her friends everything. then a fight with her sister throws her day into chaos, then AJ arrives and, having uncovered her secrets, forces her to accept their mission.

Warning: Manipulation, blackmail, coercion, threats, emotional exploitation, control, abusive behavior, and mature themes.

 Words Count: ~8.3k 

Author's notes: Hey! English isn’t my first language, so sorry in advance for any grammar or spelling mistakes. This is my first time writing something with heavy themes like manipulation, blackmail, and psychological tension. I know the timeline might feel a bit off at times, I’m aware of it and working on improving! so please be kind. I really appreciate you taking the time to read this. Any feedback, thoughts, or suggestions are more than welcome. Thank you so much 🤍

divider by @enchanthings

She was exhausted, bones aching, throat dry, and heart still pounding. She finally made it home just as the sky began to blush with morning light.

Inside, the apartment was quiet but not asleep. Alma, her best friend and roommate, was already up, curled on the couch with a heating pad and a mug of cinnamon tea. Her period always made sleep impossible. When she heard the door creak open, her eyes snapped up.

She didn’t need to ask. One look was enough.

Her friend’s entire body was shaking. Clothes ripped at the edges. Hair tangled. Knees red from falling. Eyes wild and glossy with unshed tears.

Alma stood, already moving toward her. “Berry?”

Berry didn’t speak. She just stepped forward like a ghost and collapsed into Alma’s arms.

And Alma held her tight and steady. 

She hated Berry’s job. Hated what it did to her.

Being that type of girl was never Berry’s dream. But dreams didn’t pay rent, and the world was cruel, especially to girls like her. Girls who ran. Girls with mouths too smart and bodies too soft. Girls who survived instead of living.

Alma had seen it all.

She knew the way Berry would come home and head straight to the shower, scrubbing her skin raw like she could erase the hands of those drunk men. How she'd cry silently under the water, like she didn’t want to burden anyone with the weight of her shame.

Alma also knew better than to call it shame.

It wasn’t Berry’s shame.

It was the world’s.

But that didn’t make it any easier. Or cleaner.

So Alma just held her tighter, gently stroking her hair, whispering soft things in Spanish like her mother used to do, back when the world hadn’t swallowed them whole yet.

Once her breathing slowed, once the shaking started to ease out of her bones, Berry finally spoke.

Her voice was small, raw. “He followed me.”

Alma froze, her hand still stroking Berry’s back.

“He grabbed me. His grip…” Berry looked down at her arm, the faint red marks already blooming like bruised petals. “Too tight. My heart just… stopped.”

Alma’s jaw tightened. She gently took Berry’s arm, inspecting the skin like she could erase the imprint of his fingers.

“But I got away” Berry added quickly, her voice trembling. “I…I used pepper spray. The one you gave me. Sprayed him right in the eyes.”

Alma let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Good” she whispered, pulling Berry closer, cradling her head to her chest. “Good girl. You did what you had to do.”

Berry nodded into Alma’s chest, tears soaking through her shirt.

“It’s over.” Alma whispered, firm but warm. “You’re safe now. Right here. With me.”

She gently wiped the tears from Berry’s cheek, then gave it a loving squeeze. “Look at this fat little cara preciosa” she teased, pinching it just enough to make Berry squirm.

Alma grinned. “Next time, aim lower. Blind him, then kick him in the bolas. God gave you thick thighs for a reason, Chula.”

Berry snorted, a half-laugh, half-sob. “You’re so dumb.”

“Dumb but right” Alma said proudly. “And always on your side.”

Berry blinked through her tears, the edge of a smile beginning to show. “You’re such an idiot.”

“And yet”, Alma said, smug, “I’m the idiot who gave you the spray that saved your thick ass.”

Berry rolled her eyes, giggling as Alma pulled her into a full-body hug.

“Come on” Alma said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You sit, I’ll bring some ice cream. And then maybe we’ll Google ‘how to disappear a creep without catching a charge.’”

.

.

Twenty minutes later, they were all cosy in their pyjamas, ice cream half melted in bowls, and mugs of tea hot on the table. Alma was mid-rant about her latest argument with her boyfriend.

“I swear, he said I was being dramatic just because I threw his Xbox out the window.”

“You were dramatic” Berry cut in from the couch. “That Xbox didn’t cheat on you. He did. threw him out the window next time.”

They were being a bit too loud, because suddenly a groggy voice came from the hallway.

“Can you all please stop yelling about that clown? Just block him already,” their third roommate, Lola, messy hair and sleepy eyes, groaned as she grabbed Alma's phone off the coffee table.

“Nooooo, don’t you dare!” Alma shouted, hopping over a blanket mountain to snatch the phone back like it was the last slice of pizza.

Lola flopped back down, sighing like someone who had seen one too many red flags ignored. “Your taste in men is a hate crime.”

Just then, she noticed Berry’s work bag, half-zipped and practically bursting with stacks of cash.

“Damn, girl” Lola muttered, picking it up. “Did you rob a bank or just finally start charging Alma every time she trauma dumps on you?”

Berry turned even redder, memories of the night with AJ flashing behind her eyes: his hands, his voice, the way he looked at her like she was the only thing in the world worth touching. Her thighs pressed together involuntarily at the memory.

Alma didn’t miss a thing.

“What’s that, love?” she asked, nodding toward it.

Berry hesitated, cheeks already flushing. “...Money” she whispered, voice low, almost embarrassed.

Lola blinked. “Quoi? Nooo. That much?” She reached over and tugged the bag closer, ignoring Berry’s weak protest.

When she opened it and saw stacks of bills, fifties, hundreds, all crumpled like they’d been shoved in without a second thought, her jaw dropped.

“¡Cabrón! I bet he just got divorced” Alma gasped, fingers flipping through the bills. “Who… who gave you… HUNDREDS?!”

She snatched the bag off the couch, marched over, and gave Berry’s thick thigh a playful slap, making her yelp and hide her face in her hands.

“Oh-ho! Mira cómo se pone roja” Alma laughed, grinning wide. “You better start talking, Chula. I want every juicy detail. From the first kiss to the last moan.”

Berry groaned into her tea. “You’re the worst.”

Alma only wiggled her brows and took another bite of ice cream. “And yet… I’m still your therapist, bestie, and criminal accomplice. So spill.”

She scooted closer on the couch, folding one leg beneath her, eyes locked with Berry’s like a detective on a mission.

“Listen to me carefully” she said, her voice low but intent.

“I have never, and I mean never, seen you react like that to a man. So you’re going to move your thick little ass and show us. We want details. Everything. This is for science.”

Berry groaned and buried her face in her hands. “You are so annoying.”

“You love us” Lola chimed smugly, already making herself comfortable with a blanket over her lap and Alma’s ice cream in hand.

Berry whined dramatically and grabbed a throw pillow, pressing it over her face. “I hate you both.”

Lola made herself right at home, already scooping a bite of ice cream. “Girl, you love us. Now spill. Who the hell got you looking like you saw heaven and hell in one night?”

Alma leaned back on her elbows, smirking. “Some rich divorcee with a heavy wallet and magic hands, apparently.”

Berry hurled the pillow at her, but there was no real heat behind it; her eyes were bright now, her nervous smile curling wider, full of something soft and breathless.

“Okay” she said at last, her voice still small but gaining strength. “But you better not interrupt me once I start.”

Alma and Lola leaned in, already captivated.

“Promise” they said in unison.

Berry was blushing again, the pink blooming over her cheeks like the heat of a fire that hadn’t fully cooled. She giggled into her tea. “It’s not even that serious.”

“Girl, he throws hundreds at you like it was one dollar” Lola said, scoffing between bites. “That’s VERY serious.”

Berry raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, but you need to let me finish without passing out.”

“No promises” Alma said with a lazy grin, fanning herself with a few of the bills from Berry’s bag like they were vintage postcards.

She wrapped a blanket tighter around her shoulders like she was preparing for a dramatic reading. “Start from the beginning. Who? Where? Was he ugly-hot or hot-hot? And why do you smell like expensive liquor and… orgasm?”

Berry exhaled slowly, eyes fluttering closed for a beat. “He walked into the club, paid for an hour up front like it was nothing… And he was hot-hot. Not just regular sexy. I mean angelic—like, ‘Did God forget one of his favourites on Earth?’ kind of fine.”

Lola leaned in like a cat about to pounce. “Okay, but name. We need a name.”

Berry’s lips twitched into a smile. “AJ”.

Lola raised an eyebrow. “Full name or mysterious, possibly criminal alias?”

Berry bit her lip, like saying it aloud might conjure him again. “Full name’s Alexander Junior… but honestly? It feels like criminal energy.”

Alma tilted her head, murmuring under her breath. “I would’ve risked it all for anthony junior, honestly.”

Lola’s voice dropped into a whisper, more reverent than amused. “Oh my God. Was he tall?”

“Six-foot-something of Italian danger, babe.”

There was a small beat before Berry continued, her voice quiet but clear. “Then he goes, ‘Get on the table, Bunny.’”

Alma blinked. “Who’s Bunny?”

Berry didn’t hesitate; she just pointed solemnly at herself. “Me.”

Lola’s gasp was so loud it nearly tipped her spoon. “Oh my God. I’m going to throw hands at the next man who calls me ‘shawty’ instead of a rodent-themed nickname with love and trauma healing behind it.”

She started kicking her feet under the blanket like a kid at a sleepover. “What did he do?”

Berry’s voice softened again, a secret tucked in the folds of memory. “Well… he asked for consent, like, full stop. No touching unless I say yes.”

The room went still.

“Who is this man?” Alma asked, her voice hushed, brows drawn together in disbelief. “A unicorn? A feminist mafia king?”

Lola buried her face in the throw pillow and let out a muffled sound of distress.

Berry leaned her head back against the couch, her eyes glassy with recollection. “Maybe both. … He saw my scar, and instead of being gross, he asked me who hurt me. And then he got mad... like, sexy mad.”

Lola covered her mouth, her eyes wide. “Was he rich mad or ‘I’ll commit crimes for you’ mad?”

“Why not both?” Alma grinned, practically bouncing in place.

“Honestly, I think both are kind of hot.”

Berry gave a little shrug. “Girl, he stuffed my bra with enough money to pay rent for months AND finally fix that broken-ass blender in the kitchen.”

Alma stood up and started pacing like a woman on the verge of quitting her job and moving to a new country. “Wait, wait… So you’re telling me this man, this mysterious dangerous man… showed up, called you Bunny, and stuffed your clothes with enough money for three months' rent?”

Berry nodded slowly.

Alma collapsed back into the couch with a soft thump. “I’m going to throw my whole boyfriend away.”

Berry’s eyes turned shy again, her voice dipping even lower. “It gets worse. He iced my nipples. And clit. Like… with an actual cube of ice. From his whisky glass.”

Alma’s jaw dropped. Her phone slid from her hand and landed on the floor with a soft thunk.

“You let a man ice your tits, and you’re just now telling us?”

Berry’s voice was dreamy. “Girl, I didn’t let him. I ascended. My soul left my body. I saw the future. I saw myself retired in Italy with this man feeding me peaches.”

Lola looked up, deadpan. “And did you—”

Berry gave a small, smug nod. “Oh, I came.”

The only sound in the room was a sharp inhale.

“With no touching” Berry continued, letting it sink in. “Just… ice cube. money in my panties. Words. And a stare that could melt carbon steel.”

Lola had to clutch the edge of the couch for balance. “I can’t even come when a man touches me with his whole body.”

Berry chuckled softly. “And then – and then – he stuffed my bra, panties, and socks with money like I was a stripper-themed piñata.”

Lola leaned in, dead serious. “If I open you right now, will the coins fall out?”

Berry just shrugged. “Maybe.”

Her expression turned softer, more vulnerable. “He wiped my tears with a hundred-dollar bill, girl. He said, ‘Be a good girl, Berry.’ And then told me to go buy clothes that treat my skin better.”

Lola blinked slowly. “Did he moisturise your trauma with cash?”

Alma nodded like she was witnessing a holy ritual. “He exfoliated her past with money.”

She tilted her head. “What’s the aftercare situation? Did he ghost?”

Berry smiled faintly. “Girl, he gave me water, put his jacket on me, called me beautiful, and said, ‘Go eat something real. Fill that fat ass.’”

Lola let herself slide off the couch and onto the floor like her knees gave out. “He’s the chosen one.”

Alma looked like she’d seen a vision. “That man gave you titty money, trauma healing, and nutritional advice. I’m calling my ex and blocking him again just out of respect.”

Lola gasped, halfway into a new spoonful. “Did he kiss you?”

Berry sighed, her hands cradling the warm mug of tea. “No, he didn't; he isn't allowed. He just… stayed near me. Like his presence was the kiss.”

They sat in silence for a moment, all three of them stunned and blinking like they were still processing the story.

Lola whispered, the quiet somehow more intense than a scream. “That’s worse than a kiss.”

Berry tucked herself deeper under the baby blue blanket, her cheeks flushed, a soft, secret smile blooming.

Lola, mouth still full of ice cream, shook her head. “This man sounds dangerous.”

 Alma nods as she puts on Criminal by Britney Spears as she starts to count the money. 

Berry groaned, hiding her face in a throw pillow. “I cannot fall for a man who made me climax with ice.”

Lola’s voice came out around her next bite of ice cream, perfectly calm. “I can.”

.

.

.

It was 8 a.m.

The apartment, once echoing with laughter and gossip just hours ago, now felt like it had forgotten how to breathe. Alma and Lola had already left for work, leaving only the quiet hum of the fridge and the faint hiss of simmering broth on the stove.

Berry stood barefoot in the kitchen, her loose T-shirt slipping off one shoulder, hair tied in a lazy bun.

She looked like someone who hadn’t slept much but still moved with a quiet rhythm, cutting fruit, scooping warm rice into containers, drizzling it with curry sauce and layering tender pieces of chicken on top.

 She folded a napkin with care, tucking it beside the food as if it mattered. Lunch for Pearl, even if Pearl never touched it. She was also prepping a warm meal for her friends, just in case they came home tired and hungry.

Her hands moved on autopilot. Her mind, though, was elsewhere. Pearl had been skipping again. Seventeen and already building walls. Berry remembered laying brick by brick at that age.

The scholarship was slipping. GPA dropping. Berry worried, too much sometimes. But she knew how the world treated girls who fell behind.

Berry sighed as she reached for the juice box, placing it gently in the lunch bag.

She heard the hallway creak.

Pearl entered without a word. No greeting. Just a glance at the table, at the thick wad of cash beside Berry’s purse.

Her lips twisted in disgust.

She made a soft, venomous noise in her throat and muttered, “Whore.”

Berry’s breath caught. But she didn’t turn. Didn’t flinch. She just closed the zipper on the lunchbox and set it aside. Fighting wouldn’t fix anything before school.

Pearl grabbed her bag, already pulling open the front door.

“Pearl, you didn’t take your lunch” Berry said quietly, trying to offer a soft smile.

Pearl didn’t even look at her. “I’m not eating your shit,” she snapped. “I don’t know how many dicks you touched at your disgusting job. I don’t want someone’s sperm in my sandwich.”

Berry froze, one hand still on the counter. She inhaled slowly through her nose, trying to stay calm.

“For the hundredth time, Pearl, I’m not a prostitute. I’m a dancer. That’s not the same.”

“It is the same,” Pearl hissed, voice rising. “You ruined my life. You stole me from my parents. Do you know what people say to me at school? Do you know what they call me?”

Berry finally turned to face her. Her eyes were tired. Her voice was soft but steady.

“I didn’t steal you” she said. “I saved you.”

Pearl laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. “Saved me?” she spat. “You ruined me, you whore.”

The front door hung open, letting the morning light and her rage spill into the hallway.

Outside, someone shifted.

AJ stood at the threshold.

Same suit. Same fedora. Still smelling faintly of whisky and smoke. He looked like a ghost from the night before, except now, his eyes were raw and bloodshot. Red and swollen, like they’d been burnt. Like someone had sprayed him.

He’d heard everything.

Pearl’s eyes rolled. “Oh great,” she sneered. “Another one of your fucking boyfriends How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t bring them here.”

Berry’s body locked in place. Her gaze met AJ’s across the threshold. Her heart beat too fast.

Without a word, she picked up the lunchbox, walked it over, and placed it gently into Pearl’s arms. She kissed her on the cheek, even as Pearl pulled away, recoiling like her touch was poison.

“Don’t skip school” Berry whispered. “Be careful. I love you.”

Pearl muttered under her breath as she stepped outside. “Slut.”

Then the door slammed shut.

The quiet was suffocating.

Berry stood still. Her eyes remained on the door. Her chest rose and fell once, twice, then she turned toward the sink. Her hands trembled as she reached for the drying rack, discreetly wrapping her fingers around the handle of a kitchen knife.

She thought she’d done it subtly.

But AJ had already seen.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click. The sound felt louder than it should’ve.

He didn’t say a word.

Berry’s fingers tightened around the knife. She was standing at the kitchen counter, body half-turned, using the table as a barrier between them.

Her voice shook. “It was you? Last night?”

AJ didn’t respond.

“Your eyes are still burning” she whispered. “So all that kindness, for what? One hour of tenderness before you hurt me?”

Her fingers clenched tighter. Her voice cracked, but she stood her ground.

AJ moved closer.

The scent of his cologne, whisky, and stale cigar smoke filled the room, curling around her like fog. He didn’t stop until he was behind her, his breath warm against the nape of her neck.

“Not totally” he said slowly, voice like gravel. “I had a mission.”

Berry felt her pulse thunder in her ears.

“A mission?” She repeated, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “To ruin women?”

He didn’t answer that. Just placed one warm hand gently over her shoulder, then down her trembling arm, until he closed his fingers around the knife in her hand and slowly slid it away.

Her breath caught. Her eyes welled.

She bit her lip to stop the tears, but they threatened to spill.

Then his hand moved to her chin, tilting it up, not to face him, but to look into the mirror in the living room.

Her reflection stared back. Red-rimmed eyes. Fear trembled across her skin.

He leaned in close, his head beside hers. His voice was low, intimate, and sharp.

“To find a smart woman”, he whispered, “who can help us.”

Her brows drew in.

“Us?” she said, voice strained.

He nodded. “Mhm. We need your help.”

“Who are we?”

He smiled faintly against her skin. “Me and my craw.”

Her body went stiff. “Your craw?”

“Mhm” he whispered again. “We’re going to rob a jewelry shop.”

Berry turned, trying to shove him off, panic rising in her chest. “Rob a... what the fuck? Are you crazy?”

He caught her easily. Pinned her against the edge of the table. One arm gripping her hip, the other holding her chin with more force now.

“You don’t have a choice, Bunny.”

She fought, her hands pushing, struggling, trying to bite him, anything, but he was stronger. He twisted her arms behind her back with calculated ease.

Then he pulled out a tablet from the inside of his coat and held it in front of her face.

Three live video feeds.

Alma. Lola. Pearl.

Each one followed. Watched.

Berry’s breath stopped. Her knees buckled.

“No” she gasped. “Please don’t…”

AJ didn’t blink.

“It’s your choice” he said calmly. “You help us. Or they bleed.”

Berry’s voice cracked as she broke, tears streaking down her cheeks.

“Please” she whispered. “Please don’t hurt them…”

And when she said it, her voice wrecked, begging; something in her shattered.

So did something in him.

.

.

Berry’s thoughts raced like thunder through her skull, each one louder and more brutal than the last. What if he hurts them? What if I lose them? The question repeated like a siren, over and over, pounding inside of her.

Her heart beat so violently it felt like it might crack her ribs open. Her chest rose and fell in short, torn breaths. Her breath caught in her throat, too heavy to swallow, too sharp to let go.

And still, she didn’t move.

Her thick body was locked in place, pinned between the table and the weight of her own terror. She felt the sweat clinging to her skin, the way her shirt, too tight, still covered by Lola’s smell, since the few clothes she had were all dirty, dug into her sides.

She hated how small she felt in that moment, even with a body that had always made others shrink under her presence.

But fear? Fear was bigger than her hips. Bigger than her debt. Bigger than her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks in burning streaks, but she didn’t wipe them away. She didn’t have the strength. Her hands trembled where they braced against the wood, fingers digging into the edge of the table like she was clinging to the last piece of herself.

Her mind wouldn’t stop.

Pearl’s school skirt still lay draped on the back of the couch. Her math notebook left open, unfinished homework scrawled in shaky handwriting.

That one night, when Berry had found her curled up in bed, shaking and crying from a panic attack, Berry had held her then, whispered to her, and stroked her hair until her breathing came back.

And now what? Would someone grab her off the street? Throw her in a van because I said no?

She thought of Alma’s voice, big and bossy, shouting jokes from the bathroom while curling her hair. Alma, with her acrylic nails, tapping Berry’s phone screen to play songs they’d dance to together, laughing like they weren’t tired from work.

And Lola, who always made the apartment feel like home. Lola, who made cinnamon tea when Berry’s knees ached, who still cried at sad commercials. Lola, who didn’t talk much but always noticed when Berry skipped dinner.

What if they scream and no one comes? What if they bleed and it’s my fault?

Her stomach rolled. Her full, round belly aches, not from hunger, but from grief and fear, from the tight, burning knot of emotion buried so deep inside her she could barely breathe, let alone speak.

It was where she carried all her love for everyone who had ever leaned on her. She’d danced for them. Lied for them. Lived for them. She would die for them without hesitation.

Those three girls, her best friends and her little sister, she had fought for each of them. Fought to pull them out of the darkness their parents left behind, from the hands of abusive exes, from the grip of depression, and from the weight of their own minds.

She stood between them and everything that could break them, even when she was breaking herself.

And now, she was ready to fight again. For them. So they would never have to feel that kind of fear again. Never have to cry from the terror of death or from the memory of being touched without permission. Never have to bleed.

And now she might have to bleed for them.

Or worse, watch them bleed.

AJ’s presence pressed into her back like a weight. His voice was low and calm but coated with menace.

“You really think I wanted it to come to this?” He whispered into her ear, his breath warm and sharp. “Scaring you wasn’t the plan, Bunny. But we both knew there is no other choices.”

Berry’s body stiffened, the familiar knot of dread tightening in her chest. Her curves, the softness of her stomach, the roundness of her hips – everything about her felt exposed under his gaze.

He slid a hand over her thick waist, rough and possessive. “I showed you kindness. A moment of mercy. You think I’d throw that away without a reason?”

Her voice trembled. “Then why? Why are you doing this to me?”

He pulled the tablet closer, flicking to three live cameras. Pearl trudged toward school, shoulders hunched and defiant. Alma locked up her office, tired but unaware. Lola slipping into a car, face distant behind the window.

Her breath hitched. The images blurred as tears pricked her eyes and spilt down warm cheeks.

“No… please” she whispered, voice cracking. “Don’t hurt them. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt them.”

“Exactly” he said, voice like silk sliding over steel. His hand tightened on her hip, the warmth of her flesh beneath his palm both comforting and suffocating. “Anything.”

Her body shook, thick thighs pressed tight, arms hugging her round belly. She felt every pound of her weight, every curve she’d learnt to hide and resent. Her heart hammered against ribs that felt too heavy, too soft for this world.

“They don’t deserve this” she breathed.

“They won’t get hurt” AJ promised, voice low and dark. “Not if you do what I ask.”

Her mind raced, Pearl’s sharp tongue, the way she spat “whore” like a curse. Yet Pearl still let her pack her lunch, still let her kiss her cheek goodbye. Alma’s gentle smile, Lola’s loud laugh, and all the reasons Berry kept fighting, even when she felt broken.

AJ’s hand slid slowly over her stomach again, tracing the curve she hated, the softness she wished away.

A sob caught in her throat. She wanted to scream, to rage. But she was trapped.

“I could hurt you” he said softly, “but I won’t. Not my Bunny. The one who made me forget how to breathe with just one look.”

Her breath hitched. Tears spilt freely now as she stared at the tablet, the faces of those she loved, hanging by a thread.

She tried to pull away, shaking, but he caught her wrist, firm but not cruel. His other hand tilted her chin up, forcing her to face the mirror.

“Look at her” he said. “That woman? She’s stronger than she knows.”

Her reflection showed a woman worn thin, soft eyes shadowed with exhaustion, lips trembling, arms thick and strong, holding everything together even when she wanted to fall apart. Her body: full, round, real.

A body that should have been her armour but instead felt like chains.

“Do you want to protect them?” he asked softly.

Tears blurred her vision as she nodded, voice barely a whisper.

“Then you’ll help us” AJ said, voice cold steel wrapped in velvet. “Say yes. Play your part. Keep them safe. And none of this will ever touch them.”

Her voice broke, heavy with fear and resignation.

“…Yes.”

AJ smiled, a slow, satisfied curve of his lips like a predator closing a trap.

“Good girl.”

He stepped back, but before leaving, he glanced over his shoulder.

“And Bunny? If you even think about running or telling anyone…”

He flicked the tablet one last time, eyes gleaming darkly. Alma, Lola, Pearl.

“You won’t get the chance to regret it.”

His voice was low, cold, and final. The live feeds of her sister and friends disappeared as he ended the surveillance and barked orders to his crew to back off. Mission accomplished.

The room fell into a heavy silence, thick enough to suffocate.

Tears streamed down Berry’s cheeks, hot and relentless. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, fingers curling and uncurling as the weight of everything crushed her spirit.

AJ’s hand hovered just above the soft curves of her body, skimming over the swell of her hips and tracing the outline of her arms without actually touching her skin.

His fingers trembled slightly, almost reverent, as if he was memorising every curve without daring to possess it yet.

Berry’s body jerked instinctively away, but he held his ground.

Before she could gather her strength, she lashed out, kicking and scratching, desperate to break free. Her thick arms flailed, trying to push him off, but he was too strong.

He dragged her down the hall.

Her heart pounded so loudly she feared it would give her away; no one would hear if she screamed.

The bedroom door swung open, and with a rough shove, he threw her onto the bed.

Her thick body hit the mattress with a soft, jiggling impact, like warm jelly settling after a sudden drop. AJ’s eyes flickered for a moment, a strange appreciation glinting behind his cold exterior as he watched the way her curves shifted with the motion.

The impact stole her breath, and sobs spilt uncontrollably, raw and desperate. She curled up, trying to make herself small against the cold sheets.

AJ shut the door behind him with a soft click that sounded like a final verdict.

He loomed over her, voice low and merciless.

“It’s 8:30 a.m. You have until 3 p.m. to rest. To prepare.”

She met his gaze, voice barely audible. “Prepare for what?”

He smirked, the cruel edge in his eyes sharpening.

“A date.”

Her breath hitched, dread twisting in her stomach.

“To meet my crew. To get your orders.”

He leaned in, breath warm on her skin, fingers trailing just above the swell of her belly, soft, full, trembling beneath his gaze but untouched.

“And listen carefully… no cops. No 911. If you even think about calling, they’ll bleed.”

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

“Understood?”

Her voice broke as she nodded, every part of her aching with fear and exhaustion.

“Good girl” he murmured, the words dripping with twisted affection.

“Rest up, Bunny. I need you to be sharp. Smart. Pretty.”

He pulled back, eyes glinting as he turned toward the door.

“Be ready. At 3 p.m.”

And with that, he left her alone in the room, trembling, broken, and painfully aware that nothing would ever be the same again.

.

.

She could barely sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Her mind was a storm of swirling thoughts, her mission, the consequences, and the impossible choices ahead. 

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, nails digging into her skin, an old habit that drew faint lines of blood beneath her fingertips. The pain was the only thing that momentarily grounded her.

Tears had soaked her pillow as she had fallen asleep crying, craving the feeling of safety she so desperately needed. In her restless dreams, she saw her friends and sister, alive, safe, protected, smiling without fear.

For a brief moment, that fragile hope wrapped around her like a warm blanket, shielding her from the cold reality.

.

At exactly 3:15 p.m., a sharp knock shattered the fragile quiet.

“I’m awake, Lola!” She shouted, voice thick with sleep, the fog of dreams still pulling her back from the nightmare she’d been living.

But it wasn’t Lola.

“You're late, Bunny.”

AJ’s voice cut through the room like ice, freezing her blood in place. Her eyes snapped open, instantly aware of the time.

3:16 p.m.

Panic exploded in her chest.

She scrambled off the bed, only to trip and fall hard onto the floor, a sharp cry escaping her lips. Pain blossomed, but her terror burnt brighter.

“Are you okay, Bunny? Can I come in?”

She didn’t have time to answer.

With tears streaming down her flushed cheeks, she crawled toward the door, heart hammering so loud it seemed the whole building would hear. Her skin prickled with fear, her body trembling as she reached out, hands shaking.

“Please... please don’t hurt them. I beg you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Her voice cracked on the desperate plea as she sank to her knees.

She knew that one small mistake could cost her family everything.

AJ’s gaze was steady, cold yet flickering with something unreadable as he watched her crumble.

Slowly, he reached out, lifting her chin with a firm but gentle hand. Her lips trembled uncontrollably, eyes wide and watery.

“Calm down, Bunny. They’re still alive.”

His thumb brushed softly over her lips, an unexpected tenderness that made her shiver.

“Now get up. You have to be ready, quickly.”

She nodded wordlessly and scrambled to her feet, pacing her room, trying to gather herself and prepare. Her thoughts were a mess, dispersed and agitated, her brain refusing to cooperate.

AJ stood silently in the doorway, watching.

A pang of guilt twisted inside him. She didn’t deserve this, none of it. But he had a job to do and no room for mistakes.

He stepped forward, and she flinched, the fear etched deep in her eyes. He stopped immediately, guilt swelling even heavier in his chest.

This wasn’t how it should be.

Carefully, he approached again, this time gentler. Taking her trembling hand, he guided her to sit on the bed.

“Breathe, Bunny.”

But she was too overwhelmed by everything, the fear, the confusion, the touch, to even hear him properly.

His grip on her chin tightened just enough to lock their eyes together, unblinking. The sharp scent of whisky on his breath filled the space between them.

“I said, breathe, Bunny. Come on. I know you’re a good girl. Follow my breathing.”

Slowly, she began to mimic him, her chest rising and falling to match the slow rhythm he set.

Their eyes met, and everything around them seemed to stop for a moment.

His deep blue eyes looked soft, even gentle, as he stared into her brown ones. It was like he was remembering something, something important.

That night.

That one hour they had spent together. When they were close, when the world felt quiet and safe, just for a little while.

She remembered how his hands had been a little shaky when they first touched her skin, even while using some stupid money, and how he stayed next to her like she was the only thing that mattered. The soft way he said her name.

Now, here they were again, two people stuck in a hard situation, connected in a way that scared them both.

Her heart felt tight, her feelings mixed up inside her. She was scared and angry, but also something softer, like a small hope.

His thumb moved slowly over her shaking lips. She swallowed hard, feeling the warmth of that night inside her.

He didn’t say anything back, but his eyes stayed soft, showing a side of him she didn’t often see, the side that had cared that night.

In the quiet, their shared memories hung between them, impossible to ignore.

Their eyes remained locked, his deep, stormy blue swimming inside her warm brown, searching her thoughts, tracing her past, catching her fears.

As she focused, her panic began to ease, the edges of her anxiety softening.

AJ’s lips curled into a rare, soft smirk. “Good girl.”

His voice was quieter now, almost tender, unlike the cold menace he had worn that morning.

For a moment, she glimpsed a different man behind those guarded eyes, a man capable of something like care.

And in that moment, something fragile passed between them, fragile but real.

He pulled back, the faint ghost of his whisky and cigar scent lingering in the air, rich, heavy, and impossible to ignore. “Come with me. I have something for you” he said coldly. Without hesitation, her shaky hand followed his lead.

As they stepped into the living room, she saw the dress laid out, a breathtaking vision that seemed to capture the sunset itself. Soft pink melted into warm orange and pale yellow, flowing like the sky at golden hour. At the centre of the chest bloomed a delicate flower, catching the light just right.

Next to it, a pair of sandals with thick heels sat waiting, the kind she loved. A small blue flower rested on top of the heels, a detail that made her think of his eyes.

He was sitting on the sofa, legs spread wide, the low light casting sharp shadows across his face. His eyes locked onto her with an intensity that made her stomach twist.

The scent of whisky and cigar smoke clung to him like a dark cloud, filling the room with something heavy and dangerous.

“Wear that dress to meet the crew” he commanded, voice cold but dripping with something deeper, ownership, hunger, control.

“Why?” she asked.

“Why what?” he smirked. “I want my woman to look beautiful.”

Bunny’s throat tightened. “I’m not your woman” she whispered, voice barely steady.

He laughed, low and cruel, making her flinch. “Not yet. But you will be. And when you are, you’ll look like that for me.”

She swallowed hard, heart pounding. “I don’t want to be. I don’t want this.”

He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, eyes burning with fierce hunger. “I don’t ask, Bunny. I tell. You’ll wear that dress with a belt. I want to see your curves. Not tight; I want to feel your skin under my fingers.”

Bunny’s hands clenched at her sides, trembling. She wanted to argue, to run, to scream, but his stare held her like chains.

“Now, get moving” he said, voice low, almost a growl. “I’m not asking twice.”

Her breath hitched, fear and something raw stirring inside her. “Please… I don’t know if I can—”

He cut her off, voice sharp as a knife. “Hop to it, Bunny. Or you’ll regret it.”

Bunny swallowed again, biting her lip, tears threatening behind her eyes. Her body shook, not just from fear, but from the heat that slammed into her with every word he spoke.

She forced herself to move, every step heavy with dread, every heartbeat shouting, This isn’t safe. This isn’t right. But deep down, she knew she didn’t have a choice.

“You have till six to get ready” he yelled from the living room, half-distracted as he flipped between some loud tennis match and F1 news blaring on their cheap TV. The sound bled through the thin walls like a headache.

She went quietly to her room, holding that soft dress in her hands, soft as a kiss. It felt like a small comfort, a fragile piece of peace in the chaos surrounding her.

As soon as he was distracted enough, she moved fast. Showered quickly, locking the door behind her. She made sure to clean everything. Everything. She didn’t want to give him another reason to yell.

She washed as thoroughly as time allowed, her skin red from scrubbing, her fingers trembling as she tried to do it all right. 

Her hair was left natural, coiled up loosely, letting only her bangs fall along her face. Her makeup had shimmer now, subtle glitter catching the light just enough to echo the spark in her dress. 

She added accessories: colourful bangles, layers of gold chains, and rings on almost every finger. Around her waist, she cinched the belt he had asked for, even though it made her stomach feel like it bulged more. Still, she said nothing. Better not to start anything.

All this while, he was still out there, ranting about some tennis player’s mistake and something about an F1 race being cancelled. She tuned it out.

After almost two hours, she stepped out of her room, hesitant and stiff. He looked up and down; instantly, his face twisted with disappointment.

“The bra’s wrong. And I can see your shorts” he snapped flatly. “No bra. Just panties.”

“But… my thighs-” she began, her voice cracking.

“No ‘but’” he cut her off before she could finish.

She turned and ran back to her room.

Her hands shook as she took off the bra, leaving only her underwear. She stared at herself in the mirror, biting her lip to keep from crying. She felt like a fat whore. That was the word her brain used. Harsh, violent, heavy.

After all those years of dancing, she had never felt this alien in her body. Her breasts were sitting weirdly, and her stomach was bloated despite barely eating over the past two weeks.

Her skin still showed the little red dots from shaving, and the stretch marks, faint but undeniable, ran like whispers down her thighs and hips, like thunder on her shoulders and arms, echoing the storm in her head.

She tried whispering affirmations to herself. Tried to find something beautiful in the mirror. But she couldn’t.

The weight and risk of her mission and that man in her living room weighed down all the progress she had made over the years to feel better about her body and the idea of dancing for men.

And there he was, sitting on the couch where she once told her friends about him in good faith, where she praised his kindness… only for him to put a target over their heads.

She didn’t hear the TV go quiet. She didn’t hear him walk in.

“God” he said quietly from behind, voice transformed.

She flinched but then saw him in the mirror. His eyes were wide, shimmering, like he was looking at art he didn’t think could exist in real life.

“I swear, the moon must envy the way your skin holds light” he said, soft, almost breathless.

He stepped closer. Slowly, he reached out and tucked a loose strand of her bangs behind her ear, still watching her reflection.

“You look like a painting that got kissed by Aphrodite and never washed off” he murmured, voice rough with awe.

She didn’t know what to say.

He gently picked up a small jar of iridescent eyeshadow and dabbed a touch more onto the corners of her eyes. “Just here”, he said, “like the stars fell and stayed.”

She stood frozen as he helped her add a little more glitter to her collarbones and temples. He adjusted one of the necklaces, letting it sit lower on her chest. She could feel his breath near her neck but not his hands; he was giving, not demanding. 

A spray of vanilla and red fruit perfume lingered in the air as she gave herself one last look. Somehow, through all that noise and war in her mind, she was still here. Still soft. Still beautiful. 

He opened his hand for her to take.

She hesitated.

He didn’t push. Just stood there, still, patient, offering her those eyes. The kind that looked like they belonged to an innocent man. Waiting for permission.

She looked up at him.

She didn’t want to be touched. Didn’t want to touch him either. But she was afraid. Afraid of the heat in his stare, of the sharpness behind his softness. His eyes were knives at her throat. His scent, dangerous and magnetic, wrapped around her like an invisible prison.

Like invisible chains, cold around her wrists, tight around her ankles. Yet his soft smile… that patience in his posture… It felt like a warm blanket pulled over a body hiding from the storm.

She was caught between the safety in his touch and the memory of his cruelty. Between the kindness in his gaze and the threat that lived just under his skin.

Between what she feared he was capable of and what she remembered from that night, the softness, the care, the silence between their bodies that had spoken too loud.

And still, he waited.

He knew she didn’t want to be touched. He didn’t try to pull her in. He would wait. He would wait forever if that’s what she needed. Wait until his last breath.

Neither of them understood where this came from. This thread between them was tangled, burning, inescapable. Neither of them could say why they cared.

Why did love have rooted itself inside all this pain? But they knew, undeniably, deep down, that they couldn’t run from each other. They were locked. Bound. A red string between their fingers, barely visible, but tight as fate.

With trembling resolve, she forced her hand forward, toward his.

But just before their skin could meet, he pulled his hand back.

Leaning in, voice low and reverent, he whispered,

“I’m not that kind of monster. Not the kind who touches the forbidden.”

He looked at her with something deeper than lust.

"I’d rather stand beside a storm than touch a rose that isn’t open yet.”

She couldn’t look away from his blue eyes.

A war raged inside her, between the danger he represented and the comfort he gave her. His presence was soft, grounding in a way no one had ever offered her. But this wasn’t some Wattpad fantasy or dark romance cliché. Her world wasn’t built for love like this.

Her friends were in danger. Her sister was being followed. She couldn’t afford to let him charm his way into her already broken heart.

She had to be strong.

She couldn’t let her issues – abandonment, attachment, and daddy wounds she didn’t ask for – take the wheel.

Not this time.

Not with lives on the line.

Her hand trembled. Tears welled in her eyes.

Then, a loud click.

The front door opened. Her sister’s footsteps, fast, uneven. A shadow passed by her room.

Berry turned just in time to see Pearl, soaked, dirt-covered, nose bleeding, lip cracked, and cheek swollen. Her shoulder hung low, like it was bruised or worse.

And just like that, Berry couldn’t breathe.

Her heart stopped.

She didn’t just see her sister; she saw herself.

That insecure, fat, awkward girl who used to get shoved in hallways just for existing.

She turned toward AJ, her expression hardening into something dangerous. Her voice cut the air like a knife against his throat:

“I said yes. You promised not to hurt her.”

AJ stepped back, startled. His voice barely a breath, as if he wasn’t sure he deserved to speak:

“I swear, it’s not me.”

But she didn’t have time for his words.

Not now.

She rushed to her sister, gently cupping her face.

“Pearl, what happened?!”

Pearl flinched and pulled back.

“Don’t touch me! This is all your fault!” She screamed, her voice cracked with pain.

Berry froze but didn’t let go. She held Pearl’s face with trembling hands, her own eyes blurring with tears.

“Who did this? Pearl, please, look at me. Who hurt you? I’ll destroy them, I swear I will.”

Pearl shoved her hands away.

“It’s your fault anyway.”

Berry’s voice broke.

“Pearl, please…”

Her sister’s voice dropped to a whisper.

“Just stupid stuff at school.”

Berry grabbed a tissue from her desk and gently dabbed the blood from Pearl’s face. Her hands were shaking. Every inch of her wanted to scream, cry, and collapse.

Behind her, AJ stepped away and quietly called Gordon.

“We might be late” he said, voice low but sharp.

There was tension. A quick, hushed exchange. Then he hung up.

Berry was still kneeling in front of Pearl, wiping her little sister’s bruised skin like it might fall apart if she pressed too hard.

“They were insulting you, okay?” Pearl finally muttered.

“I hit them. We started to fight.”

Berry froze, then leaned in and kissed her sister’s scraped cheek.

“Pearl… baby…”

She couldn’t even finish the sentence. Her chest was full of too many things: shame, rage, love, guilt, grief, and protection.

And something else she didn’t have words for yet.

After gently cleaning Pearl’s wounds and brushing off the dirt from her soaked clothes, Berry helped her settle onto the bed, tucking a soft throw around her like she used to when they were younger.

Pearl stayed quiet for a long time, her eyes unfocused, then whispered,

“Is he your boyfriend? He’s hot.”

Berry gave a half-laugh, barely there.

“It’s… complicated.”

She paused, brushing a strand of wet hair off Pearl’s forehead.

“Thank you for defending me. That was brave of you.”

She leaned in and kissed her cheek again.

Pearl didn’t smile. She just looked away and muttered,

“You’re still a whore in my eyes… But your dress is pretty.”

Berry laughed softly this time, almost a sigh.

“Thank you, baby….. I just want you safe. And alive.”

She kissed Pearl’s cheek once more, then stood. Her hands dug into her small wallet and pulled out some cash.

“Order something good. Be careful. And tell Lola and Alma I’m out for the night.”

Pearl nodded faintly, still avoiding her eyes.

Berry gave her one last glance, then turned to AJ, who had been waiting silently in the doorway, the storm in his eyes held back only by restraint.

Without another word, she walked out with him. Into the night. Into whatever came next.

tag list : @prettiestmini @speaknow-sw @alealuvshayden @scariffs @loliskywalker @glitterfartz08

Feel free to tell me if you want to be added or taken off the taglist! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Hope you enjoyed it! ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐

[kyyypo]

/// short comic (?) - Sealand & UK bros. (left -> right)

i totally forgot yesterday was also sealand's birthday (even though he's one of my favourite character) so i had to rush this today 🥲 i just want to see my favs interacting himaruya pls

‼️ i think everybody knows by now that my english SUCKS but i'm sorry in advance for any grammar and/or spelling mistakes.

himaruya pls sealand is a kirkland too pls let him interact with the fam

[reagan10108]

Athena soulmate, headcannon from Blood of Zeus

Warning Minors Dark content beware

Additionally sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes English is not my first language

Hi, do you still accept requests? Make one of Athena discovering she has a female soulmate in the animation Blood of Zeus. Please, her design is amazing. The other gods are surprised by her.

Athena as a Yandere finding her soulmate would shock her and it would lead her to try to ignore the reader temporarily because eventually she will snap and she will try to distance herself, but that doesn’t mean she’ll be cruel and take it out on the reader for having such feelings. She will distract herself with her usual hobbies like training, giving advice to others and embroidering tapestries. But no matter how much she tries her mind always thinks about the reader when fighting or training others she would either envision her opponent as reader or daydream and get distracted. 

I would give Athena three months max till she snaps and either kidnaps her soulmate if she is defiant or give signals to want her and want to have a relationship with her. She may also give you gifts signaling she likes you at first before she confesses like jewelry that fits your dark skin color and complexion tapestries that she made for the reader or maybe a weapon beautifully decorated with gems and is effective in a fight.

Once she has kidnapped your chances of escape is very very low because Athena is smart and wise and strategical I do not know if she’s capable of of physical punishment if you try to escape or reject her, however, if reader does try to attack her, she will defend herself, but I feel like she is more in the emotional punishing spectrum. Expect imprisonment, silent treatment withholding affection and cutting all contact to the outside world to other people and she is also a master manipulator. She will go tripping and gaslight you but not as much as guilt trip.

However, if you do not run away, she will be very affectionate, and she will treat you as if you are the apple of her eye and love bomb the hell out of you and I’m afraid I do not think it will stop. She’ll treat you as if you are her world. She might also teach you how to defend yourself out of love and make sure that you know how to protect yourself if she is ever busy and she might actually find a place maybe on Olympus or maybe somewhere else that you two can only spend your time in and it will be filled with everything you could ever desire and it will be very well protected expect monsters, magical words and owls that spy on you to keep an eye on you when she’s gone.

She will also find a way to make you immortal and have a magical bond with you to seal the reader and her being soulmates wheather that be a public magical ceremony or private one and respond will make you intertwined mentally like you can talk to each other from miles away in your head. So even if you ever do escape, you’ll never get rid of her

[dinas-a-bird]

For the Love of the Game

Pairing: soccer!Ellie Williams x soccer!fem!reader

Warnings: SFW, angst with a happy/hopeful ending, mean ellie and reader, Arsenal woso au, rivalry, hostility, first kiss, cursing, use of y/n

Summary: As a new sign on the Arsenal squad you seem to click with everyone, except the defender Ellie Williams. or i couldnt find what I wanted to read so I wrote it instead

Word Count: 4,005

A/N: this is my longest piece of writing yet and also probably my favorite. I kept the soccer terms to a minimum because I know they are difficult to understand if you've never played the sport. I've been meaning to write a woso au fic for quite some time mainly because i'm a huge fan of soccer and have played it my entire life, so i'm supper happy I finally got around to this. Sorry in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Hope you enjoy!

quick sidebar: I am so upset about Australia not making it to the WWC finals.

Pt 2: here

You sat in the locker room, lacing up your cleats, your mind racing with anticipation for the upcoming training session. Soccer was your passion, your lifeblood, and being a new sign on the Arsenal team was both a dream come true and a challenge you welcomed with open arms. The energy in the room was a mix of excitement and seriousness, as your new teammates chatted and laughed, sharing stories and trading banter.

Katie, a fellow teammate, leaned over with a playful grin. "You ready to kick some ass on the field today, y/n?"

You grinned back, your eyes shining with determination. "You know it, McCabe. Ready to show 'em what I'm made of."

As the training session began, you threw yourself into the drills, your love for the game evident in every sprint, every pass, every shot on goal. It was a fierce battle, each player giving her all, striving for excellence. Amid the sweat and shouts, there was a particular presence that caught your attention—Ellie Williams. The enigmatic American player was a force to be reckoned with, known for her skill and her no-nonsense attitude. Your interactions had always been colored with a hint of hostility and rivalry, Williams sharp wit and biting remarks keeping you on your toes.

"Nice touch, y/n!" Leah Williamson’s encouragement broke through your concentration, and she sent a quick nod and smile in your direction.

After the grueling training session, you followed the team into the locker room. The energy had shifted, the air filled with exhaustion and accomplishment. You were quick to shed your gear, peeling off your sweaty kit, replacing it with a band tee and ripped jeans. As you looked around, you caught Williams' gaze—surprisingly not one of antagonism, but something different, harder to define.

"Like what you see, Williams?" Your playful remark caught Ellie off guard, and a smirk tugged at the corner of your lips as you moved toward your locker. You could practically feel Ellie's eyes on you as you changed, a mixture of curiosity and something else you couldn't quite place apparent on her face.

The banter continued as you and your teammates made plans for drinks later that evening. The idea of spending time together outside of the pitch was new, a tentative step toward forming friendships beyond the pitch. The mention of Williams' not wanting to go to yet another team bonding session didn't escape your notice, a reminder of your ongoing rivalry and tension.

As the evening approached, you found yourself in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The exchange with Ellie in the locker room had been different, a crack in the armor she had always presented. But you were cautious, unsure of what it all meant. Your heart raced as you stood in front of the mirror, getting ready for the night ahead. You chose an outfit that felt comfortable yet confident—black trousers and a light pink button-up, French-tucked for a touch of casual elegance.

Your phone chimed, and you picked it up to see a text from Leah. "I'm outside ready to bring you to team drinks dummy." You chuckled, sending a quick response that you were on your way. Soon enough, you found yourself in Leah's car, driving towards the nearby pub where the team was gathering for drinks and bonding.

The pub was alive with the chatter and laughter of your teammates as you entered. You greeted the girls and grabbed a drink before sitting down next to Leah, who gave you a knowing look. "You think Ellie’s actually going to come?" Leah whispered, her eyes glancing over to the entrance.

"Dunno, don't really care to be honest," You replied with a shrug. "She's been a right twat for as long as she's known me."

Leah hummed in acknowledgment, and the two of you settled into the lively atmosphere. Your eyes wandered over the group, spotting Ellie’s absence. You couldn't help but wonder if the tension between you had kept her away.

After a while, your impatience grew, and you checked your watch. "Damn, she really didn't want to come," you muttered under your breath, feeling a mix of annoyance and disappointment. You leaned back in your seat, your mind lost in your thoughts.

Leah noticed your mood shift and rubbed your shoulder gently. "What's wrong, y/n/n?"

You sighed, a hint of frustration in your voice. "Nothing, just thought maybe she'd actually show up for once."

As the minutes ticked by, your frustration turned into resignation. You finished your drink and decided to get another one. "I'm going to get another drink," you announced to the group, receiving nods of acknowledgment before making your way to the bar.

"One whiskey, on the rocks, please," you ordered, your tone weary. You leaned against the bar, waiting for your drink and watching the team engage in playful conversations. Your mind drifted, thinking about the complicated relationship you had with Ellie Williamson.

The bartender quickly served your drink, and you took a slow sip, the cool liquid offering a momentary distraction from your thoughts. You couldn't help but wonder why Ellie’s presence or in this case lack thereof, affected you so much.

As you continued to observe the team, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You pulled it out to see a text from Leah, asking if you were okay. You smiled faintly and texted back, "Yeah, just needed a breather. Don't worry, I'm good."

With your drink in hand, you found an empty stool at the bar and settled in. You watched as the team's laughter filled the pub. You took another sip of your drink, feeling a mix of emotions bubbling within you.

Lost in your thoughts, you didn't notice when someone sat down next to you until you heard a familiar voice. "Whatcha doing over here, mate?" Caitlin Foord's voice broke through your reverie.

You looked up, a surprised smile forming on your lips. "Hey, just needed another drink, that's all."

Caitlin chuckled, giving you a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Well, the teams missing you, might wanna head back over soon."

You couldn't help but appreciate Caitlin's attempt at lightening the mood. You finished your drink and thanked the bartender, making your way back to the group. As you approached, Katie McCabe greeted you with a big smile. "Look who finally decided to rejoin us!"

Your lips twitched into a smile as you took a seat among your teammates. The atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed, and you found yourself easing into the conversation. You exchanged playful banter with the girls, your guard slowly lowering as the evening progressed.

Ellie’s absence was no longer a looming presence in your mind. Instead, you found yourself immersed in laughter and conversation with the team. It was as if, for a brief moment, the rivalry and tension between you and Williams never existed.

As the night wore on, you glanced at your watch, realizing it was getting late. You excused yourself from the group, giving everyone hugs and promising to see them soon. 

Outside the pub, you hailed a taxi with more success than the previous nights. You settled into the back seat, feeling contentment wash over you. The evening had been unexpectedly enjoyable, a welcome break from the usual tension.

When you arrived home, you thanked the driver and made your way to your apartment. You kicked off your shoes and flopped onto the couch, a small smile playing on your lips.

The events of the evening continued to replay in your mind as you lay on the couch. The unexpected sense of belonging with your teammates had provided a refreshing change from the usual tension with Ellie Williams. 

As the days passed, your thoughts kept drifting back to that night at the pub. You found yourself analyzing every interaction, every word spoken between you and your teammates, including the moments when Ellie’s absence was conspicuous.

Training sessions were business as usual, the banter and drills had become familiar over time. You couldn't deny that a part of you was secretly hoping for another chance to interact one-on-one with Ellie, even if it meant more of your usual back-and-forth.

One evening, after a rigorous training session, you were walking to your car when you noticed Ellie leaning against it. You tensed involuntarily, your heart rate increasing as your palms grew slightly clammy. "What do you want, Williams?" You asked, your voice laced with a mixture of defiance and caution.

Ellie straightened up and crossed her arms, her expression guarded. "Just making sure you're not slacking off on your game, y/l/n," she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

You raised an eyebrow, annoyance and amusement flickering in your eyes. "Trust me, you're not the one I need to prove anything to."

Ellie’s gaze held yours for a moment before she seemed to relent, her posture relaxing slightly. "Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable. I'm not here to make friends."

You let out a rueful chuckle. "Trust me, the feeling's mutual."

As the weeks went by, you and Ellie continued your dance of hostility, your interactions marked by barbed remarks and wary glances.

One afternoon, after a particularly grueling practice, You found yourself sitting alone in the locker room, lost in thought. You were startled when the door opened, and Ellie walked in, looking uncharacteristically solemn.

"What do you want, Williams?" You said, your tone a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.

Ellie hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice lacking its usual bite. "Look, I may not like you, but I respect your dedication to the game. You're a damn good player, and you've earned your place on this team."

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. It wasn't the response you had expected. "Thanks, I guess."

Ellie’s gaze held yours, her usually confident demeanor replaced by a vulnerability that caught you off guard. "I've had to fight tooth and nail to get where I am, and I won't let anyone make me doubt myself. Not even you."

You nod your head slowly. "I get it. We all have our battles."

There was a pause before Ellie spoke again, her voice softer this time. "Look, y/l/n, I'm not saying we're suddenly going to be best buddies or anything. But maybe... maybe we can find a way to coexist without tearing each other apart. For the team sakes if anything."

You studied Ellie’s face, seeing a sincerity that was unexpected. For the first time, you allowed yourself to truly consider the possibility of a truce between the two of you. "Yeah, maybe we can." The tension in the room seemed to ease slightly, replaced by a tentative understanding. 

However, the fragile truce you had established was put to the test during an Arsenal v Arsenal scrimmage. The game was intense, with both sides fighting tooth and nail for victory. As the clock ticked down and the score remained tied, the pressure mounted.

You found yourself being subbed onto the pitch after halftime, your heart pounding as you chased after the ball. You maneuvered past defenders with finesse, your focus on the goal. Just as you were about to take the shot, Ellie’s foot came out of nowhere, intercepting the ball and sending it in a different direction.

"Fancy move, y/l/n, but you'll have to do better than that," Ellie’s voice taunted from behind you.

Your frustration flared, and you couldn't hold back your retort. "Maybe I would if someone didn't think they were the queen of the fucking pitch."

The game continued with both sides giving it their all. The tension on the pitch was thick, mirroring the tension that still lingered between you and Ellie. As the match entered the final minutes, you found yourself facing off against Ellie near the goal. The ball was within reach, victory hanging in the balance.

You dribbled past Ellie, your determination fueling your every move. You took the shot, the ball sailing towards the goal. But Ellie was there, deflecting the shot with a well-timed block. The whistle blew, signaling the end of the scrimmage with a draw.

As the team regrouped in the locker room, your frustration lingered. You couldn't shake the feeling that the rivalry with Ellie had affected your performance. You sat alone in front of your cubby, your thoughts a jumble of emotions.

Ellie approached, her expression unreadable. "You played well out there. But you've got to learn not to let your emotions get the best of you."

Your temper flared, the familiar resentment bubbling up. "Oh, I'm sorry if I don't have years of experience in keeping my cool like you."

Ellie’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, it seemed as though you were on the brink of another confrontation. But then, unexpectedly, Ellie sighed. "Look, I'm not saying this to be nice, but I know you're a damn good player, anybody with a decent set of eyes can see it. You just need to channel that fire in the right direction."

You looked at Ellie, surprised by the genuine advice. It was a side of her that you rarely saw—the vulnerability beneath the layers of hostility. "Thanks," you muttered, your pride making it difficult to fully acknowledge the concession.

Ellie nodded, her eyes briefly meeting yours before she turned and walked away. The encounter left you with a mix of conflicting emotions. Maybe, there was more to your rivalry than you had initially thought.

Weeks turned into months, and you and Ellie continued to navigate the delicate balance between rivalry and mutual respect. Your interactions became less charged, your exchanges more civil. Training sessions saw fewer verbal jabs and more focused drills.

And then, one day, it happened. It was a routine practice, but something was different. You found yourself looking at Ellie in a new light, noticing the subtle nuances in her expressions and the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled, even if it was rare.

During a break, as you were catching your breath, Ellie approached you. "Not bad out there today."

Your heart raced, your nerves betraying you. "Thanks, Williams."

Ellie hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her voice softer than usual. "You know, sometimes it's okay to acknowledge your strengths. It doesn't make you any less of a competitor."

You met Ellie’s gaze, seeing a glimmer of something more in her eyes. You felt a connection, a shared understanding that ran deeper than your rivalry. In that moment, you realized that you were more alike than you had ever wanted to admit.

As you both stood there, the tension between you had shifted. It was as if a new chapter had begun, one that held the promise of something beyond the animosity you had known. And in that small shift, you saw a glimpse of the possibility for a different kind of connection—one that went beyond the field, beyond the rivalry, and into uncharted territory.

The weeks that followed saw a gradual evolution in you and Ellie’s relationship. You both continued to challenge each other on the pitch, but there were moments of unexpected friendliness that seemed to catch you both off guard.

During a particularly intense training session, you found yourself locked in a one-on-one with Ellie. Her movements were precise and calculated. As you managed to get past Ellie and score a goal, you couldn't help but feel a surge of triumph.

Ellie’s expression was a mix of frustration and begrudging admiration. "Not bad. Looks like you've been working on your footwork."

You caught your breath, your heart racing from the exertion. "Well, someone has to score goals for the team."

Ellie rolled her eyes, but there was a trace of a smile tugging at her lips. "Don't get too cocky. This was just practice."

As the days turned into weeks, you found yourself increasingly drawn to Ellies presence. You couldn't ignore the way your heart raced whenever Ellie was near or the moments when your gazes lingered just a fraction longer than necessary.

One evening, after another successful game, the team decided to go out for a celebratory dinner. You found yourself sitting across from Ellie at the restaurant, your interactions surprisingly easy. You traded stories and laughs, and you couldn't help but marvel at the way Ellie’s sharp wit and dry humor had you smiling genuinely.

As the night wore on, the group began to disperse, leaving you and Ellie alone at the table. The atmosphere had shifted from hostility to something more complex, and you found yourself wanting to explore it further.

"You know, we've come a long way from where we started," You said, your voice tinged with both curiosity and vulnerability.

Ellie nodded, her expression more thoughtful than usual. "Yeah, I guess we have."

You hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like if we weren't rivals. If we could actually get along."

Ellie’s gaze held yours, her eyes searching for something. "It's not that simple, y/n. We've got history."

You nodded, understanding the truth in Ellie’s words. "I know. But maybe we could start over. Put the rivalry behind us."

Ellie’s guard seemed to momentarily waver, revealing a glimpse of uncertainty. "And why would we do that?"

You took a deep breath, your heart pounding as you voiced what had been lingering in your mind. "Because I think there's more to you than the tough exterior you show the world, Ellie. And I think we could actually be friends."

Ellie’s expression was that of surprise. For a moment, you held your breath, unsure of how Ellie would respond.

"You've got a lot of nerve, y/l/n," Ellie finally said, her tone defensive.

You met Ellie’s gaze. "Yeah, well, maybe that's what it takes to break down walls."

Ellie seemed to study you for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "You're relentless, you know that?"

You grinned. "It's one of my best qualities."

The evening ended on a surprisingly positive note, with you and Ellie parting ways with a newfound understanding.

In the days that followed, you and Ellie’s interactions continued to evolve. You found yourselves sharing occasional moments of friendship, whether it was a congratulatory pat on the back after a tough training session or a shared joke that left you both laughing. However, the underlying tension remained, occasionally resurfacing in a sharp remark or a competitive challenge on the field.

One sunny afternoon, the team gathered for another friendly scrimmage. You and Ellie were on opposing sides, your rivalry intensifying as you fought for control of the ball. 

During a break, you approached the sidelines to catch your breath. You glanced over to where Ellie was standing, her chest heaving from the exertion. Your eyes met, and you couldn't help but offer a nod of acknowledgment. Ellie responded with a curt nod of her own, a silent acknowledgment of the mutual respect that had slowly begun to form between you.

As the scrimmage continued, your mind drifted back to your conversation at the restaurant. You wondered if Ellie had taken your words to heart, if there was a chance for you to truly move beyond the rivalry that had defined your relationship for so long.

The opportunity to explore this newfound connection presented itself one evening after practice. You found yourself alone, yet again, in the locker room, lost in thought. You were startled when the door opened, and Ellie walked in, her expression that of annoyance.

"Can't believe you managed to score that goal," Ellie muttered, her arms crossed.

You raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in your voice. "Jealous, Williams?"

Ellie rolled her eyes, but there was a playful glint in her gaze. "As if."

Your lips twitched into a smile. "You know, we could make a pretty good team if we put our differences aside."

Ellie’s response was a mixture of surprise and skepticism. "You're actually suggesting we team up?"

You shrugged. "Why not? We both know how to play to our strengths. And imagine the look on everyone's faces if we actually worked together."

Ellie seemed to consider the proposition for a moment before relenting. "Fine. But this doesn't mean we're suddenly best friends or anything."

You grinned. "Of course not. Just allies on the field."

Over the following weeks, you and Ellie’s partnership began to take shape. You pushed each other to excel, your competitive spirit driving you both to new heights. The tension between you had transformed into a unique synergy, a blend of rivalry and friendship that was as unexpected as it was effective.

Off the field, your interactions continued to be marked by moments of both warmth and hostility. You found yourself enjoying Ellie’s company more than you would have thought possible, relishing the glimpses of vulnerability that occasionally surfaced beneath her tough exterior.

One evening, as the sun set over the horizon, you found yourself sitting on the bleachers of the empty stadium. You gazed out at the field, lost in thought. You were startled when Ellie appeared beside you, her gaze fixed on the same view.

"Enjoying the peace and quiet?" Ellie’s voice was unusually soft.

You smiled, a hint of nostalgia in your eyes. "Yeah, it's a nice change from the chaos of the game."

Ellie nodded in agreement. "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but... you've made training a little less unbearable."

You chuckled. "High praise coming from you, Williams."

The stadium was bathed in the soft hues of the setting sun, casting a warm and golden glow over the field. The atmosphere was tranquil, a stark contrast to the intensity of your usual rivalry. You turned your attention to Ellie, your gaze lingering on her profile. There was a vulnerability in Ellie’s expression, a crack in the armor that had always shielded her from the world.

"Who would've thought that we'd end up here?" You mused, your voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

Ellie let out a wry chuckle, her eyes never leaving the horizon. "Yeah, it's a strange twist of fate."

The air was thick with unspoken emotions, a charged silence that seemed to envelop you both. Your heart raced as you found yourself inching closer to Ellie, your body moving almost of its own accord. Your shoulders brushed against each other, sending a jolt of electricity through your veins.

"You know, I never really knew you before all of this," you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

Ellie turned to face you, her gaze intense and searching. Your breath caught in your throat as your eyes locked. In that moment, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in a bubble of suspended time. The months of rivalry, the animosity, it all seemed to melt away, leaving behind an undeniable connection that neither of you could ignore.

Without another word, you closed the distance between the both of you, your heart pounding in your chest. You pressed your lips to Ellie’s in a hesitant, gentle kiss.

As you pulled away, a mixture of surprise and uncertainty played across Ellie’s features. Your heart raced as you searched Ellie’s eyes for any sign of regret, but what you found was a flicker of something else—something that mirrored your own feelings.

"I... I don't know what this means," You admitted, your voice tinged with a touch of insecurity.

Ellie’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "I don't either. But I guess we'll figure it out together."

Your lips twitched into a smile of their own, a sense of hope blossoming within you. "Yeah, I guess we will."

You sat there in the fading light, side by side on the bleachers, the weight of your shared history and newfound connection hanging in the air. The stadium that had witnessed countless fierce battles between you both now bore witness to a different kind of victory—one that transcended rivalry and embraced the possibility of something more.

[mask-of-sanity]

Wicked Games

Will 'Ironhead' Miller x Female OC

Summary: Sabine is turning thirty this year. She's not thrilled. She works in IT, her central heating is broken and she hates how her life is turning out. That is, until she meets Will Miller and finds her life slowly, finally falling into the place she always wanted it to. As her birthday rolls around, she finds herself in a situation she never thought would happen. She's stuck in the middle of nowhere with a killer on the loose who's hell bent on hunting down her and her friends. Can turning thirty get any worse?

Warnings: Explicit 18+ only. Swearing, alcohol, sexual activities, violence, gore, emotional trauma. Warnings will be updated as the series goes on, these are just general warnings for now, they may not be present in this chapter. Please read at your own discretion.

Word count: 3.2k

A/N: This is my first foray into fanfic in my adult years, so needless to say this is nerve-wracking lmao, I really hope someone enjoys this! I've been wanting to write a murder/slasher fic for many years now, so whilst this will contain elements of romance/smut, it will also take a violent turn. I will be adding new chapters sporadically, and I welcome any comments and/or criticism anyone wants to give. As an aside, this fic takes place in England, both female OC & Will are English (sorry I can't write Americanisms and I wouldn't want to put anyone through reading my attempts lmao). P.s this hasn't been beta read by anybody apart from me, so please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes!

December 31st 2023

If Sabine had known in advance how her 30th year of living would pan out and how far she would spiral, she probably would have partied a little harder on New Years Eve. As it happened, she had done very little partying and a lot more wishing she had never gone out in the first place.

She’d stood in the garden of her best friend Teddy’s house, with a cigarette between her teeth, trying desperately to get her lighter to spark a flame. It gave one pathetic attempt before the tiny wheel refused to move under her thumb any further, Sabine quickly gave up and stuffed the lighter into her coat pocket, before tucking the cigarette behind her ear. She leant against the wall of the house and closed her eyes; she wished she’d never agreed to come out, Teddy was too good at convincing her to join plans she'd never have thought twice about otherwise.

As she tried to think of an excuse to leave early that Teddy would buy, the back door opened, and someone stepped out onto the patio beside her. She didn’t open her eyes or acknowledge whoever it was, instead she silently willed them to go away, and hoped they wouldn’t make any attempt to talk to her. Her wish was soon cut short when there was a gentle tap on her shoulder.

“You okay?” came a man's voice, gentle in his questioning.

Sabine opened her left eye a fraction at the sound of the voice next to her and saw a tall, broad man glancing at her as he lit his own cigarette. He inhaled as the end of it burned dimly between them, the wafts of smoke trailing up and over his short crop of dark blonde hair. Sabine opened her eyes fully as she realised he wouldn’t be leaving and folded her arms.

“I’m fine, thanks”

She flashed the man a small smile to indicate the conversation was over, but he either didn’t see it or ignored it as he settled against the wall next to her. “Did you want a light for that?” he asked nodding at the cigarette behind her ear. Sabine had to admit she was slightly desperate to have a hit of nicotine, and she plucked it from its place and smiled at him again.

“Do you mind? Mine just died and I didn’t bring a spare”

“Not at all, here”

He held out the lighter and flicked his thumb across it, Sabine leaned forward and waited for the flame to burn the end of the cigarette, gladly inhaling once it did.

“Thank you”

“You’re welcome, I’m Will by the way”

Will smiled softly at her as he stowed the lighter in the back pocket of his jeans, taking another drag of his cigarette as he did so. “Sabine” she replied, flicking the ash from hers absentmindedly. “So, how do you know Teddy?”.

“I don't really, I work with her brother Benny; I’ve been on a job abroad for a year though so I’m trying to remember how to socialise these days”

“Oh yeah? Was it for anything interesting or are you not allowed to tell me?” Sabine lifted her eyebrow slightly as she glanced back at him. Will chuckled and shook his head at her in response.

“It was nothing worth hearing about I promise, readjusting to home life is harder than the job sometimes”

“I bet”

A comfortable silence fell between the two of them as the echoes of the party sounded inside. “So, how do you know Teddy?” Will asked, and Sabine let out an involuntary sigh. “Was that the wrong question to ask?” he laughed.

“No, God no, I’ve known her since we were 14 and she’s my best friend but sometimes she can be a bit... full on y’know?”. Sabine blushed slightly and she looked at her feet in embarrassment, God, she thought, if Teddy ever heard her say that she’d lose her shit.

“Well tonight was my first impression of her, and I’d agree with you, she’s definitely full on” he murmured, Sabine looked at him and he winked in response. A smile crept onto Sabine’s face and Will couldn’t help but grin as well.

“As a disclaimer, I love her immensely and she’s the only person who knows me inside and out... Which could be a bad thing, but I choose to see it as a good thing” Sabine said, tapping more ash from her cigarette. “I won’t judge you for your choice of best friend, don’t worry” he replied.

“That implies you’re going to judge me for something else though” Sabine retorted, and Will laughed again, “That only depends on whether you want to talk to me again after this encounter”. She eyed him coolly, and pondered for a moment.

There was no denying Will was handsome, anyone would be stupid to say otherwise. The more she looked at him the more she took in, the way his blonde hair was cropped neatly and his beard was impeccably trimmed made her think he was either exceptional at grooming, or he had a girlfriend who knew just how to present him to the world. He was incredible to look at, even just standing on the patio he commanded such presence in his stature and Sabine felt a tiny pang of jealousy for his girlfriend.

Well, a girlfriend who maybe didn't even exist, she reminded herself. Was it too forward to ask after knowing someone for all of 5 minutes? Probably, she thought, and she was more than likely right in thinking he was way out of her league. Teddy would tell her that in an instant if it were true. She realised slightly too late that she hadn't answered him yet and ran her free hand through her hair quickly, "I'll talk to you again, if you can keep the judgement to a minimum".

"I can't promise anything"

Will was first to finish his cigarette and dropped it into the empty flowerpot that had been designated as the makeshift bin. He turned to Sabine and smiled, “Well, maybe I’ll see you inside?”  Sabine gave him a genuine smile in return “Yeah, thanks again for the light”.

Peals of laughter and the thumping bassline of a song floated out of the door as Will made his way inside, and Sabine closed her eyes again as the door clicked shut. Christ, she thought, 5 minutes with a random stranger and she was almost ready to pounce on him. She felt a familiar sense of shame rising as she realised how lonely she really felt these days, and she swallowed thickly, willing herself not to get emotional.

Sabine inhaled sharply and exhaled through her nose, the 'no fucking crying' pep talk she'd given herself before arriving flashed in her head, nobody likes the crying girl at the party and she wasn't going to be that girl tonight. No fucking way.

She took one last drag of the cigarette before flinging it in with Will's. She turned to the door and reminded herself several times to be sociable, before pushing the handle down and swinging the door inward.

----

A few hours had passed, and Sabine could feel her fake enthusiasm waning rapidly as Teddy hurried towards the kitchen, pulling Sabine along behind her. Teddy slammed the kitchen door and turned to face Sabine, “Okay so, what do you think?” Her green eyes shone intensely under the fluorescent light, and she stared at Sabine waiting on an answer.

Sabine laughed. “About…? Your dress? It’s gorgeous Teddy but c’mon, you know that already”. She turned and opened the fridge, pulling out the bottle of wine they’d both been sharing over the last hour, a dismal serving left sloshing in the bottom.

Teddy rolled her eyes and held her glass out to Sabine as she rested against the counter. “Not the dress darling, although yes I do know it looks great, I’m talking about Will!”. Sabine dumped the wine in her outstretched glass and eyed her cautiously, “What about him?”.

“Don’t you think he’s gorgeous?! I guarantee I can get with him before the end of the night” Teddy took a sip of her wine and grinned. She pulled absentmindedly at a loose thread on the sleeve of her dress, and Sabine stared at her for a moment. There was that jealous feeling again. She squashed it down as hard as she could, pleading for it not to return.

“Well... Yeah, I agree he’s attractive, but is he your type? Doesn't he have a girlfriend?” she asked, turning back and rifling through the fridge for a new bottle to open. “My type? You know I don’t have a type Sab, I just like whoever I like. And where did you get the idea he has a girlfriend from?”. Sabine poured herself a glass out of the new bottle she’d found and took a large gulp as she looked at Teddy and forced a smile on her face. "I guess I just assumed he did, y'know a good looking guy like that, they usually have girlfriends". Sabine knew better than to piss Teddy off, especially at her own house party, and she wasn't going to do it over a guy either.

Teddy narrowed her eyes slightly at Sabine, she folded her arms and sighed loudly, "Nope, no girlfriend. I already asked Benny when they all arrived. Anyway, you're supposed to be agreeing with me and remembering that I'm beautiful". They both giggled at that and Sabine crossed over to stand next to her, wrapping her arm round her waist as they watched the party through the glass panes in the kitchen door.

“Fair enough then, how well do you know him?” Sabine asked.

“I don’t, Benny said he never brought him over before because he didn’t want me pouncing on him. His words, not mine” Teddy tutted. Teddy had almost made it a habit in her younger years to go through most of Benny's friends, and he hadn’t been exactly happy when he’d found out just how many. Nowadays Benny didn't introduce anyone to Teddy if he could help it.

"Do you have a plan or are you going to be your usual charming self?"

"My usual charming self is all I need darling"

Teddy winked at her and raised her glass, Sabine raised her own and clinked it against hers, "Here's to you then, the woman with no plan".

----

Teddy had finally ditched her to find Will and left Sabine to her own devices. She'd found herself in the midst of too many people for her liking, clutching her wine like it was a life vest. Teddy’s house was packed with people, each room was practically filled, and it was so loud Sabine couldn’t hear herself think. She looked at her watch and found it was only around ten minutes to midnight, and a wave of relief washed over her. Soon enough she could slip away unnoticed and go home, all she really wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep.

She made her way from the living room to the kitchen, slowly shuffling past people, her attempts to ask for room to move drowned out by the music. She plucked her coat from a peg on the wall and headed out the back door, shrugging it on as she did so. There were a handful of people chatting on the patio as Sabine shut the door behind her, and she made her way down the garden path to the old chairs that had been set out on the grass. They surrounded a small firepit that had almost burned out, some of the embers still faintly glowing orange. Good enough, she thought, and the best part was nobody else was around.

The temperature outside had dropped a few degrees and was now close to freezing, Sabine pulled one of the woollen blankets that had been draped over the chairs onto her lap. She pulled her cigarettes and lighter from her coat pocket and stuck one in her mouth, as she raised the lighter and went to flick her thumb across it, she remembered how it had refused to work hours before and let out a quiet growl of frustration.

She debated heading back inside but she couldn't stomach the mere idea of it, she'd rather sit in the cold and watch the party goers illuminated by the floodlights that Teddy had originally thought wouldn't be bright enough. How wrong she'd been, as the entire garden was now lit up for everyone to see.

We've got to stop meeting like this” came a voice echoing through the dark from the patio. Sabine looked up to find Will grinning at her as he made his way over. She smiled as he finally came to a stop in front of her, he held up his own lighter and shook it slightly. “Are you in need of my assistance again?” he quipped.

Sabine patted the chair next to her, “As it happens, yes, I am. Please, sit”. He sat as instructed and passed her the lighter as he dug through his coat pockets for his own cigarettes. “How’s your night been so far?” she queried, lighting the cigarette between her lips. He placed one of his own in his mouth as Sabine offered the lighter back, lighting it quickly and taking a drag as he looked back at her. “It’s been alright I guess, I’m not a huge party guy but it’s pretty nice out here”. They stared at one another for a moment and a small smile made its way onto Sabine’s face before she took another drag of her cigarette. How can one persons eyes be so blue she thought, surely it had to be the ridiculous floodlights.

"Anyway, I’m being rude. I haven’t asked how your nights been. Are you hiding out here or just having a breather?” he asked. Sabine sighed lightly and sank back into her chair, “I think this could probably be classed as hiding, I didn’t want to come tonight and I’ve been trying to not make that seem obvious” she answered, taking a sip from her glass. “Ahh so you’re a New Years hater” Will laughed gently.

“Yeah I am, I’ve never had a good New Years and it’s made me loathe the whole thing”

“I’m sure that can be changed”. Will gazed at her, settling back into his chair.

Sabine eyed him again in silence, the distant laughter of the other party goers filling the air around them. She took one last inhale and tossed the butt of her cigarette into the firepit, rubbing her hands together for a hint of warmth. Will pulled the sleeve of his jacket up a notch and looked at his watch, his cigarette hanging from his slightly parted lips.

“Come on” he held out a hand to her and waited.

“What?”

He wiggled his fingers slightly, “Come on, there’ll be fireworks any minute and the view from here is crap”. Sabine laughed at him, “Did you forget the part where I told you I hated New Years?”.

“And did you forget I told you that could be changed?”

Will raised his eyebrow slightly and waited for her response. Sabine tentatively placed her hand in his and nodded at him, “I won’t promise to enjoy myself though, just so you know”. Will chuckled and squeezed her hand, “At least I can say I tried”.

They stood and abandoned the blankets on their chairs, and Will began to lead the way. The far end of the garden sloped upwards, and a set of stone stairs had been laid to the top many years ago. At the top of the hill there was an old metal bench, rusting and mostly forgotten, surrounded by viburnum shrubs which had just begun their winter bloom.

They walked along hand in hand, up the garden path and stone steps until they reached the bench atop the hill, there was the faint sound of premature fireworks in the distance as they sat on the bench.

Will looked at his watch again, “Okay, you have exactly one minute to prepare to enjoy yourself”. Sabine crossed her arms and leant back against the bench, “Whatever you say” she replied, and they grinned at each other. Others were also making their way to the hill for a better viewing point, but Sabine hardly noticed as they slowly flooded the area, instead she kept stealing glances at Will as he sat watching the night sky.

Someone in the crowd started a countdown and a chorus of voices joined in, as they finally reached one several loud bangs suddenly rang out, and the sky was plastered with colourful glittering showers. Sabine raised her face to watch as further explosions were launched from the neighbouring gardens, the hilltop crowd murmuring in appreciation.

Sabine was so engrossed in the display she’d momentarily forgotten Will was with her, she turned to say something to find he wasn’t watching the display but instead watching her with a lopsided grin on his face. “You can admit you’re enjoying yourself y’know”.

She grinned at him and glanced back at the ever-changing lights above them, “I can’t admit that just yet, it hasn’t even finished”. Will laughed and ran his hand across the stubble on his neck, “Okay okay, you’ve got me on a technicality there”.

They sat in contented silence for a few minutes, the people around them gradually filtering off as the fireworks began to slow. Sabine turned to Will again, “Thank you for this, I’ve had a marginally better night than I expected to”. He took her hand from her lap and kissed it gently, Sabine’s eyes widened slightly as she was scoured her brain for a response. Will suddenly looked embarrassed and hurriedly dropped her hand, he turned away and stared at the ground.

 “I’m sorry, I.. I don’t know why I did that. Sorry, we barely know each other” said Will, he fidgeted with the sleeve of his coat and his jaw clenched as Sabine watched him. Sabine sat staring at him for what felt like far too long, before she reached out and turned him back towards her. There was silence between them as they locked eyes. Sabine couldn’t contain herself any longer and the crushing urge to kiss him overwhelmed her, she leant in and pressed her lips to his. Will hesitated for only a second before he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled Sabine closer, his other hand found it’s place at the nape of her neck, like it had always belonged there. Sabine felt almost drunk from lust as their lips crashed together, Will’s scent was intoxicating, and spiced amber mixed with tobacco filled her head. His beard gently scratched her lips but she didn't care, he was already fulfilling the insane hunger she felt for him in that moment and she couldn't get enough.

A small moan escaped her when Will tugged gently on her bottom lip with his teeth, he gave her a final gentle kiss before pulling back to look at her.

Sabine had to remind herself to breathe as she found she'd momentarily forgotten.

"Happy New Year" Will whispered, brushing his thumb along her jaw, his eyes locked on her lips.

"I should fucking think so" she whispered back.

[emptywwwriting]

Morning Patrol

Paring: Jackson!Joel Miller x Fem! reader

Summary: It's your first patrol shift since you joined Jackson. When your friend, Jesse, calls out sick you have to go on the patrol alone with Joel Miller.

Warnings: Horrible Writing, HUGE age gap (33 years LOL), reader smokes cigs,  reader is also lowkey a horse girl (shut up), smut will be added, edited this @ 3am sry for mistakes lol, no use of y/n

A03 Link: Morning Patrol

Word Count: 3.8k omg...

First writing ever. I'm sorry if it sucks LOL. I wrote this because I’ve been replaying TLOU2 and it re-awoken my love for these characters.

Idk if I will make this a story or not, it depends on the feedback I get. Correct my grammar/spelling if you see anything wrong, feedback is much appreciated. Also, this is a no-Ellie AU not for any reason, in particular, I just didn’t know how to combine her storyline into this. Please read the warnings!!

It's freezing this time of year, cold frosted winds that are carried by the slopes of the mountains swirl the small town of Jackson, freezing everything over. Even the small wooden stove that usually warms your bones isn't cutting it. Yet you have to stop your eyes from fluttering close while you sit next to the open flame. With only your undergarments to cover you, you're balled up as small as possible sitting on the floor next to the heat. Your alarm had gone off 15 minutes ago, but you’d been procrastinating since. It’s your first patrol shift ever since Jackson took you in nearly 4 months ago. This idea was suggested, rather drunkenly, by Tommy at a bonfire just last week.

…

“It’s about time you start pulling your weight here,” Tommy mumbled with a beer resting on his lips, tilting his head towards you.

Your head snapped up to meet his gaze angrily.

Jesse had arranged a get-together by a bonfire following a town event, inviting Tommy, Joel, Dina, and a few other lookout guards. The hangout was calm, warm, and cozy, with everyone sitting around enjoying their drinks, sharing funny stories, and discussing unusual experiences. As a fairly new member of the town, you were unfamiliar with most of the people there. Jesse, who had played a key role in bringing you into Jackson, made sure to introduce you to Dina, with whom you had formed a close bond. She introduced you to the wonderful team of people who manage all of the horses that Jackson uses. Having grown up around animals, and having extensive knowledge of them, you felt right at home. 

However, not everyone was as friendly. Tommy, in particular, seemed to have a strong dislike for you. Ever since the night shift had found you, he had been suspicious of your presence in the town. Tommy constantly questioned you about your past, making you feel like a criminal rather than a newcomer just trying to fit in. While you understood the need for caution in a town as advanced as Jackson, Tommy's suspicions seemed to linger longer than necessary, this pissed you off. Despite your efforts to become a part of the community and form relationships with Jackson’s people, his distrust towards you made it difficult. You couldn't help but feel like an outsider, even when you are trying to enjoy a casual gathering. 

Jesse let out a cough next to you in an attempt to break the tension. Tommy’s brother, sitting next to him, didn't look away from his bottle, staring awkwardly into the brown glass. Jesse adjusted himself upright in his chair and began.

“I mean you can always come with us on a morning patrol shift… if you feel like it of course,” he added quickly, before staring into his own beer bottle.

You hummed in response. 

Still mad at Tommy, you shoot him another hidden glare before finishing your drink quickly.

“I think it would be a good start for you, hell of an early shift but usually a quiet one.” He looks over at you. “Just me and Joel now, another person couldn't hurt.” Jesse finishes.

Tommy's brother, Joel, grunts from across the fire agreeing.

You stare into the open flame thinking about his words.

“You up for it?” Jesse prods.

“Yeah, I'll do it.” You reply.

Tommy lets out a huff but you choose to ignore it. 

Still basking in the awkwardness from Tommy's comment, Dina and Jesse yawn and start collecting their stuff murmuring their goodbyes to the rest of the group surrounding the fire. Tommy and Joel stomp out the flames before falling into quiet conversation, as you follow Dina and Jesse towards the housing strip.

…

You finally force yourself to get up, the cold air wraps around your body as the stove's heat leaves your skin, you quickly get dressed. Sliding your thickest sweatshirt over your head and thick pants onto your legs. Stepping into your boots, you grab a beanie, gloves, and your backpack, making sure that your revolver is with you. After extinguishing the stove's flame, you exit your house and start down the quiet road.

You thought that things were quiet at night, they are even more quiet at four in the morning. Not a soul is awake at this hour, you've never seen the streets of Jackson so still. None of the town's Edison bulbs were on, only the occasional lamp that came from a house's window illuminated your path. Your mind wanders to the patrol, and you recall how just yesterday Jesse called out sick. A horrible stomach flu had torn its way through Jackson, particularly the school kids and teachers. Jesse got it after participating in a snowball fight with the school children, and Dina was now stuck taking care of him.  You had been sick with it nearly a week ago, the aftereffects still haunting your body. Your stomach gurgled with hunger, feeling as if it had sunk in. Chills racked your body at night, but you had no fever and could keep food down, sometimes. You didn't want to leave Joel to do the patrol alone, even though you know he could.

You have never talked with Joel before, just knew of him. His gruffness made itself apparent when he entered a room. He is a very respected man in the small town and it makes you feel like you know him to an extent. You have to admit that his large size and powerful aura make you slightly scared of him, yet it intrigues you even more. You often catch yourself staring at his aged and calloused hands gripping a beer bottle, or while cleaning his gun, and would have to force yourself to look away; But for such a strong and large man he was so quiet. It made you nervous to go on patrol with him. It's not that you dread the patrol itself, nor does it mean you don't want to be alone with him, but you dread the awkwardness of it.

You are both very quiet people, it's bound to get awkward. With someone chatty like Dina, you could rely on her for conversation for hours, and there would never be a dull moment. But with Joel? Who knows.

Finally, you arrive at the greenhouses which are next to the exit of Jackson. In the moonlit shadows, you see Joel, hand near his mouth, a lit cigarette between his fingers. The tip of the cigarette glowing red illuminating his face in an auburn glow. The sight makes your stomach flip, or maybe it's the virus. He catches your eye as you approach, now a few feet from him.

“Mornin.” He mumbles, voice groggy with sleep.

“Morning” You offer back sounding weak.

His peppered beard nearly sparkles in the dim light, his nose sculpting his face beautifully. Towering over you even at a distance.

Fuck he’s hot.

“We should head out a little early today so I have time to show you all our check-in spots,” He says after another puff.

“Sounds good to me!” You say eagerly, slightly embarrassed at your peppiness. 

He tosses the cigarette into the snow, before stepping on it with his boot, turning away from you and towards the gate. You're suddenly very thankful for Jesse's illness, given now you get to be alone with possibly the hottest man you have ever seen. 

Fumbling for the key he unlocks the gate, before having to open a set of precautionary doors, that you remember entering just a few months ago after night patrol found you nearly dead.

“Watch your step.” Joel throws back at you as you exit the final gate and start up a path of icy rocks.

“Got it.” You retort.

Looking up you can see the moonlit glow of the frozen rocks, a long path up into the cover of the forest. It's eerie, too quiet, and too steep. You would not know what to do without Joel here. Even though his presence puts your mind at ease, it's still terrifying while dark. You had almost forgotten what it's like to not be in Jackson. A whole year of struggling to survive on your own forgotten in a handful of months.

I’m spoiled. You think.

You know Jackson has spoiled you but it's not like you don't deserve it.

 The thoughts of your life before, outside the walls of Jackson, creep into your mind and you become nauseous.

“How long will we be out here?” You ask, trying to get your mind back to Joel.

“Well-” He sighs. “Depends on how many stragglers we have to get through. If the weather holds up and there's nothing out of the blue, the whole watch will be about 8 hours.” 

“Eight hours?” You repeat shocked.

“Yep, a whopping eight hours.” He says sarcastically. “Forget how you outbreak, kids never worked a normal job.” He chuckles to himself.

“I was born as soon as the outbreak started, I think that's hard enough.” You say smiling. He huffs.

“I’d take eight-hour shifts over an infection any day.” You smile.

“Yeah me too.” He replies.

It's quiet again and the awkward tension seeps back in making you more uneasy. The sound of his boots crunching the snow under him fills the air, and you're now closer to the woods. You follow Joel a few feet back, studying his frame while he can't see you. 

Why can’t you think of anything to say and why is he so quiet? You pray for Joel to say something, anything, and when he doesn't, you force yourself to talk.

“Do you like your shifts with Jesse?” 

“Jesse's good, a little woman crazy but he's fine. At least he's a good shot.” He lets out a huff.

“Yep, that sounds like Jesse.” you smile to yourself.

The conversation goes silent again and you begin to wonder if it's just this awkward in your head. The path evens out as you enter the brush, and Joel turns his flashlight on, illuminating the now even darker path. As the forest thickens the moon becomes less and less of a help, your eyes strain, trying to make out the terrain. 

Crunch Crunch Crunch

Focusing on the sounds of snow and wind you space out, now trying to ignore the awkwardness between you.

“How old did you say you were?” 

you didn't 

Joel asks awkwardly.

“Twenty-five.” You reply, 

“Jesus.” He says under his breath.

“How old did you say you were?” You ask playfully.

He laughs, seemingly embarrassed.

“Too old.” He says shortly.

You laugh and begin walking closer behind him. When finally in the complete cover of the woods Joel climbs up onto a large rock, one nearly bigger than you. After getting himself up right, he reaches a hand down to you. He looks majestic like this, so tall above you looking down with a rough and large hand extended. Even his thick wool coat can't fully conceal how large his biceps and chest are. You want to take a picture of him. 

Him saying your name, snaps you back into reality, grabbing his hand quickly, he hoists you up onto the rock. His powerful tug launches you faster than you expected. Your foot lands on a chunk of ice and you slip slightly before he holds you up with the hand he was holding. Dangling from his strong  grip you quickly try to find some kind of footing grunting in pain.

His other hand comes down to the collar of your clothing grabbing it and pulling you up. You reach for his arms for stability and take a breath before opening your eyes to look up at him. You're a mess, knees weak, one arm on his bicep the other on his flexed forearm staring up at him like a hurt puppy. You snap your head back down and release him, brushing yourself off. He slowly lets go of your jacket collar and hand before huffing out a chuckle

“Told you to be careful.” He beams down at you.

Your face is so red it's warming you in contrast to the freezing night air.

“Not my fault you flung me over the rock.” You laugh lightly looking down to hide your face. Not only were you red but you are trying to hide the grimaces you are making from the shooting pain in your ankle.

“Whatever you say darlin'.” He laughs.

And, oh that made your stomach do actual flips. You freeze as he starts down the path again, you're trying to comprehend the nickname, and why it sounded so good coming from his lips.

Darlin’....

 Shaking your head you follow after him promptly. The wind picks up and your hair starts whipping onto your already red cheeks. It is cold, and the wind makes you feel even more miserable. Joel's hair, which had only grown since you joined Jackson, moved in the crisp breeze, he seemed to notice the wind picking up, and he started walking faster.

“I think we are getting caught in a storm.” He says defeatedly, pushing forward into the dark night. 

Your heart drops as you push to keep up with the older man who is somehow faster than you, your ankle screaming at you to stop.

“Let's turn back.” You suggest sighing, you pause for a moment to take the weight off of your foot. 

This earns a quick,

“No, too far back, we are closer to the first check-in.” His voice becomes more strained as the terrain gets more steep and the wind picks up. You quickly start following after him again, in a limp.

“How much further?” 

“Half a mile.” Joel quips.

“Focus on the trail. The wind is getting stronger, we have supplies at the check-in and can camp out there until day shift comes.” 

His strong legs take large strides up the mountain. You continue to follow, the wind nearly knocking you over at some points. The gusts of icy air start picking up fallen snow, blurring everything in a cloud of white dust. Your ankle only seems to be feeling worse as each twist and turn gets harder and harder to trek. In a panic, you grab Joel's backpack so as not to lose him. He yells something at you about the path you think, but you can't hear, the wind is screaming in your ears too loudly. Your ankle feels warm. Twigs and branches snap, each making you jump, you slip only slightly, catching yourself before continuing hot on Joel's trail. Your knuckles are white from the grip you have on his bag. Frozen in place. 

Finally, you see the outline of a shed, Snow, and ice slinging into the side of it from the wind. You see the back of Joel's head raise as he spots the structure before his pace picks up even more and you're practically being dragged. Noticing this he blindly reaches back, taking hold of your forearm and dragging you to the front of him, his warm chest pressed against your back. The wind slams into him, blocking it from you. He pushes you slowly, now noticing your limp. Step by step you make your way to the wooden shed. You hear him breathing ruggedly in your ear, your gasp and breaths fill the air along with his. Finally at the door moving you to the side yet not taking his hands off you he opens the door and shoves you inside. The sound of whirling wind, snow, and branches snapping disappears outside of the dark room, muffling the chaos nearly completely. 

Joel puts a large wood plank in the shed's lock and takes a deep breath before turning to you. He looks you up and down.

“You okay? You slipped a few times pretty good back there.” He sighs trying to catch his breath.

“Yeah, I think I'm good.” You breathe deeply and try to think. “I twisted my ankle a little though.” You sigh.

Throwing down your heavy bag you plop down on the dirt floor next to it. You definitely did something more than twist it because the pain is radiating up into your knee, making it hard to hide your discomfort. 

Inside the shed is small, there's enough room for you, Joel, and a small stove with a plastic crate filled with what looked like ammo and food and first aid, underneath it. Joel looks down at you and you meet his gaze. The feeling of his chest against your back lingers on your skin and in your thoughts. You push your thighs together and look away, hoping he can't read your mind. He kneels in front of you grabbing your ankle suddenly.

“Shit!” You hiss trying to pull your leg back up to your body.

He takes hold of your leg again, this time underneath your knee. You move around trying to find a comfortable position.

“Stop squirming, I need to look at your ankle.”

As he wishes you hold as still as possible as he pulls your pant leg up and begins to untie your boot. Gently he slides off the shoe and pulls your sock off halfway. Unveiling your ankle beat red and swollen. Joel cringes at the sight of it and gently puts your leg back on the ground. Reaching behind himself he grabs the plastic tote and opens it looking for what you assume to be painkillers.

“It's really not that bad, I'll be okay, just need to lay off it for a bit.” You sound defeated.

“We have pain killers in here, you can-” 

You cut him off “I'm okay, and I'm not wasting Jacksons supplies.”

He looks at you, at your ankle, and then slowly up your body. 

“You're not going to be able to walk back down with that.” He says.

You go to disagree with him but you stop yourself because you know he's right, there's no way in hell.

“Im sorry, I-” 

“Not your fault.” He cuts you off and places the small crate at your legs for you to prop your foot on.

“I know I just- I feel like the town already doesn't like me, hell I know Tommy doesn't. And I just don't want to be a problem.”

“Tommy’s a paranoid old man,” He begins. “I love my brother but his suspicions get the best of him sometimes, he loves Jackson, and wants to keep it safe, don't take it personal kid.” His eyes show you his sincerity, and you look down, still ashamed.

He looks up at you saying nothing sympathy written across his face. He groans as he gets up from his knees now looking down at you, examining.

“I hope day shift brings up a horse. We gon’ have to carry you if not.” 

You cringe at the thought of the issues you're causing but know he's right.

“As for this storm,” He walks around the room and cracks the door open slightly before having to slam his body on it to get the wind to stop pouring through. 

“Yeah-” He breathes heavily, locking the door back. “That's gonna hold up for a while.” He puts his fingers on the bridge of his knows like he's trying to figure out what to do.

Joel then spends the next twenty minutes doing something you may call nesting. As you watch, you can sense the anxiety pouring off him. He paces back and forth, seemingly unable to calm down. While he doesn't say anything, the worried look on his face speaks for him. It's as if he's trying to distract himself from the nervousness that looks to be consuming him. He checks and double-checks the locked door, and starts a fire in the small stove, he meticulously tends to it. The pacing continues, with Joel occasionally glancing at the door, as if expecting the weather to magically change.

At this point you're lying on the ground head on a Joel’s pack, just staring into the fire.

“Jesus sit down Joel.” You finally tell him, getting tired just from watching him.

He pauses his pacing and looks at you as if he didn’t know he was even doing it. Mumbling an apology, he walks over to you and sits against the wall a foot or two from your head. You two sit in silence for a while, listening to the fire crackle what sticks were left in there, while the wind whistles through the small shed.

“You got any more of those cigarettes you had earlier?” You ask shyly, like you are doing something bad. You meet his gaze craning your neck up while he looks down confused and surprised.

“Didn't know you smoke” He huffs, reaching into the backpack under your head, he grabs a small white beat-up box and pulls from it, a neatly home-rolled cigarette.

You hum, admiring his strong hands digging through the box.

“Don't tell on me.” You smile looking at him sheepishly. He rolls his eyes before sticking the cigarette in his mouth and bringing a match to the end of it, lighting it and inhaling deeply. Taking it from his mouth he brings the cigarette to your lips until you open them, sticking it between them. Your stomach does cartwheels as he focuses on your lips wrapped around the smoke. Inhaling deeply you lock eyes, staring back into his. He takes the cigarette in front you and lets it rest in his hand as you both exhale.

“How long until they come for us?” You sigh after gently taking the cigarette from Joel’s hand and sticking it in your mouth again.

“Day shift starts at 1:30, and it’s still dark out,” He takes the smoke from you and takes a drag before exhaling.

“So we still have a while sweetie.”

You hide the smile that forces its way to your face by adjusting your body so that your head is now closer to his thigh.

You both take turns puffing on the cigarette until it gets too short to hold, Joel tosses it into the stove, and wipes his hands on his pants. You however are plotting on how to get closer to him. Too shy to say anything, but too desperate to not be closer you casually scoot up more and place your head on his thigh before turning away from him, pretending to get comfy. He gets stiff at this and you get nervous.

shit was that too much?

Frozen in fear you listen and wait. Slowly he relaxes and you hear his head thump against the wall. You let a breath out you didn’t know you were holding, and begin to relax. It was nearly 15 minutes later when you started to hear a small grumble coming from the man under you, he was snoring. You smiled to yourself, proud that you had managed to lay on him and not weird him out, maybe he likes it as much as you do. When he wakes up you'll think about testing your luck again, for now though, you need to rest. Closing your eyes you drift to sleep on his thigh, thinking about his hands all over you.

Edit: Chapter 2 will be coming out soon, be on the look out!

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 1. 04 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

My head was bobbing to the music that was playing through my headset while I was finishing doing the dishes. The rest of the day went by normally. Nobody was weird and everything was just normal.

Normal is all I needed right now in my life with not too much stress.

I turned around to grab something from the counter when my ears began to ring. Grabbing my headset I took it off thinking it was that, but it was still there.

"What the hell," I mutter when it got louder before completely disappearing.

Great, put that on the list with the other things I have.

My phone went off that was on my couch making me snap out of whatever that just was. When I grabbed it I saw that it was Ji-su. She asked if I could come to her apartment because she wanted to let me hear something that she made for a song we were working on. I typed yes, but also said I needed to change first because I was still in the clothes I wore to work.

I took a grey long-sleeved shirt from the chair that I had in my room slipping it on before taking the black dress with spaghetti straps from the door where it was hanging. Taking my phone from the counter I walked to the door and put on my black covers.

The moment I walked out the door something felt wrong. The air was so thick that it almost was hard to breathe. I could feel my stomach turn telling me that something was off. I had had this feeling before. Every time I walked into the orphanage and it was so quiet I could feel that something was wrong or something bad would happen.

Most of the time I would be right because quickly afterward there would be a fight in the orphanage where someone would be in danger and whatnot. I'm pretty sure I developed it because I have had to be in survival mode my whole life there. I always had to look over my shoulder making sure I was safe.

Quickly I just shrug it off telling myself that it's all in my head and that I'm safe here. I came around the corner where the elevators were and saw Eun-hyuk standing there.

"Hey, going to work?" I asked grabbing his attention.

"Yeah. You?" He asked pressing the button for the elevator.

"I'm going to hang out with a friend that lives upstairs." He nodded looking away before talking again.

"Do you know how Eun-yu paid for her lessons?" I gave him a confused look.

"Why would I know that?" I asked with a laugh at the end.

"You two hang out a lot and I'm pretty sure you're the only one she talked to for the last couple of months." A frown came to my face at first, but then it hit me.

She told me she quit her lessons, but I guess she doesn't want him to know that. I didn't want to lie to him because he was also my friend.

"Eun-hyuk you are putting me in a tough spot here. If I tell you I would betray Eun-yu's trust, but I also don't want to lie to you. It's like asking to choose between you guys," I said scratching the back of my head.

A chuckle left his lips while he looked down before looking back up at me.

"I admire your loyalty to my sister and my friendship. It makes you a good friend, which she needs because she hasn't had one in a while. Maybe you could keep her out of trouble as well." I was happy that he understood what I meant.

"Do you also need a good friend right now? Seeing how you're always working and stuff. I haven't really seen you do other stuff than that," I admitted looking down while playing with my hands.

"You already are a good friend to me." He answers after a few seconds of silence.

I look back up at him seeing him smile at me.

"You're a lot over at our place and you don't ignore me like Eun-yu wanted you to do. We have fun conversations about old video games we used to play or really serious once when you have to wait on Eun-yu because she disappeared again." I let out a chuckle nodding my head.

I can't count on my hands how many times Eun-yu had disappeared in the evening. It always results in a worrying Eun-hyuk standing at my door asking if I know where she is. Most of the time I help him go look for her or try to call her because she would answer more likely to me than him.

"I'm happy you think about it that way," I answer truthfully.

"Can you just do two things for me?" He asked and in response, I nodded my head.

"Can you take care of her when I'm not around? She has the habit of getting in trouble and she needs someone to pull her back when she's going to do something, well stupid." I laugh knowing he was right.

After knowing her for a few months I know her ways to do it.

"The second one?"

"Can you tell me when she did something dangerous even if she asks you not to?" A frown came to my face while I bit on my lip.

If it were my sister I would be worried too and I would be happy if someone could tell me if everything is already with her.

"Yeah, I can do that."

He smiled at me before looking at the elevator.

"That's weird."

With a confused look, I looked at him.

"What?"

He looks up and down the elevator door before answering.

"The elevator isn't here yet. It should have been here a few minutes ago." Because of the talking, we hadn't noticed that any sound or movement was coming from behind the elevator door.

Looking to my right I saw what was wrong.

"Look, it's under maintenance. It's the stairs for us today." I look back at him and see him letting out a deep sigh putting his hands on his neck before looking back up.

"I guess you're right." I let out a laugh while we began to make our way to the stairs.

"So how are you doing lately? Are you still having those nosebleeds?" I didn't intend to tell anyone about it, but a few days ago I was over at their apartment in the evening because Eun-yu wanted my help with something.

When suddenly my nose began to bleed.

A lot.

I was used to it by then, but they weren't. I tried to stop it at first with the tissues she had in her room, but when she saw that it didn't stop she yelled for her brother who came rushing into the room because she never yelled for him. She yelled at him to do something pointing at me which he did. Having a brother who got into medical school is always handy. The bleeding stopped, but I fainted quickly afterward.

I woke up the next day in Eun-yu's bed with her looking down at me. The first thing she said was that I scared the shit out of her before asking me if I was okay. Of course, after that, I had to tell them about how it has been happening for a few days now, but that I have no idea why and that I'm okay.

Eun-hyuk wanted me to go to the hospital and let them check if everything was alright, which I quickly said no to. I don't really like people touching me. It brings back bad memories.

"I'm actually fine. I haven't had a nosebleed or fainted in a day or so now." Which was a miracle because I had them a lot.

"That's great. If it would have lasted any longer I would have taken you myself to the hospital. It could have been something really dangerous." It could be, but it's over now. It was probably related to stress. Seeing how the last couple of months have been before and right after moving here.

"Ooooh, does Lee Eun-hyuk care for someone else than his sister? Eun-yu was wrong and you are a human with feelings and not some super smart robot someone had created to annoy her." I laugh teasing him.

He tried to hide his smile, but I could see the corner of his mouth move.

"Honestly, that is probably one of the more friendliest things she has called me." I laugh nodding at him.

We said goodbye to each other when we finally reached the stairs, both going different ways. Before I took my first step up I turned around yelling his name.

"Eun-hyuk, she isn't in any danger."

A frown came on his face not knowing what I meant.

"Her lessons. She didn't do anything stupid so don't worry about it."

I began to walk up the stairs hearing him chuckle before walking down.

I know that Eun-yu is adopted. She had told me that a few months ago. It was one of the first times she opened up to me. She had shown me a picture of them when they were little with their parents. I knew their parents had died in a car accident, but she hadn't told me that it was because they were on their way to her ballet performance that she begged she could go to.

She talked about how she was an orphan and that now she had made Eun-hyuk an orphan too. I had tried to comfort her, telling her that it wasn't her fault and stupid shit like that happens. I tried, but she didn't believe me. Maybe that was the right time to say that I was one too, but I didn't want to talk about my problems when she had just opened up to me.

My feet stopped walking when I came to the fourteenth floor. The door was open, but the thing that made me stop was the smear of blood that was on it. With slow steps, I began to make my way to it. Did someone get hurt here? I haven't heard anything unusual when I was home.

Carefully poking my head out the doorway I try to see if someone was there.

There was only silence which made things worse. The bad feeling in my stomach returned the moment I stepped a foot into the hallway. Everything seemed normal until I almost slipped on something. Lifting my foot from the ground I saw more blood. I looked up and saw that it was a trail.

Someone who was hurt must have come through here. I bite my lip debating whether to just turn around and get the guard, but then the thought of him being exhausted came back. Taking just a look never hurts someone. If someone is hurt I just call someone for help. Walking beside the blood trail I began to follow it.

The smell of metallic became stronger the more blood I found on the floor. I halted in my tracks when my ears began to ring again. It wasn't like the last time. This time it hurts my ears making me cover them with my hands thinking that they will begin to bleed. It lasted a few seconds before it died down.

Slowly I moved my hands from my hands afraid I would see blood, but there was nothing on them.

"What the hell?" I mutter out taking deep breaths.

My body spun around when I heard a sound from behind me. It sounded like someone was in pain, letting out a low groan.

"Hello? Do you need help?" I was about to make my way back from where the sound came from when someone stepped from behind the corner I just come from.

It was a girl, that was for sure, but the rest of her body was kinda hiding in the shadows because the light above her was broken.

"Hey, are you okay?"

A loud squeal came from her before I heard her voice.

"I'm so hungry." To my surprise, it sounded like the girl I bumped into today.

"Uhm, I don't have anything with me?" I said confused.

I didn't know if the blood was coming from her because she was so hidden in the dark, but when my eyes traveled down her hands I saw something dripping from her hands.

"So hungry."

She took a step forward, making me take a step back not trusting the situation at all.

My eyes widened when I saw her completely now. Her face was covered in blood around her mouth and nose. The blood was definitely coming from her. My body completely tensed up when I saw her hands. They were completely covered in a grey tint that was underneath the blood together with some black vines going up her arm.

I even think that her nails seemed longer than normal humans.

"I'm hungry."

I took a few steps back when her croaky voice came out.

"J...just stay there." I managed to get out my lips.

The girl let out a groan taking more steps forward. How can this be real? She doesn't look human at all. Is she pranking me because of earlier?

"I....I'm sorry I called you a bitch!" I yelled out taking faster steps backward.

My words didn't seem to go through her. My feet stepped on something crunchy, making me stop walking scared I stepped on something she had killed. My body froze completely when she began to charge at me with a loud chilling yell.

I braced myself for what she would do to me when there was the sound of a door opening beside me, a second later someone grabbed my arm pulling me away just seconds before the girl could get to me.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

——————————————-

Hey guys! I hope you guys are liking the story so far! A lot more chapters are coming! I’m going to update this every other day! So it’s going to be a long ride on this one!

[penissekai]

Uh. I'm sorry if this is a weird question (or just a hard one to answer) but how do you make your layouts/graphics/whatnot? Like I understand it's done in some editing program of ur choice but like. Idk.

I guess what I mean is how did you develop ur editing style? I've tried to make cute layouts and such myself before, but it's never rlly worked out. Just wondering if you have any advice for starters lol. no pressure ofc, you don't gotta give away trade secrets or nothin

HAI OKAY HAIII I LOVE THIS QUESTION !!! Can’t promise banger answers or explanations theough :3

I’ll put everything past here under a cut cuz it gets lengthy and I may decide to add onto it in the future :333

Apologies in advance for any grammar/spelling mistakes n sentences that may not make complete sense !! :3

Collect inspiration/references !!!

Cool mutuals and oomfs that allow inspo are probably the best for this,, but that does NAWT mean steal their work or copy it entirely (obviously..) !!! If you like the colours,, save it for later. If you like the style, save it for later. Save ANYTHING that stands out to you in a positive way!!!!!!! Just collecting references and mushing them together to see what works helps a lot with finding a style and being happy with your work :3

Work with things you know !!!

I am incredibly guilty of not doing this,, but working with media/characters you know and like comes a lot easier than working with media or characters you’ve never even seen before :3 From my experience,, you usually get better results because you understand what you’re working with :3

Use colours to your advantage !!!

Not to say yu need to understand every little thing about colour theory and how it all works (cuz even I don’t) but just seeing what shades and hues work together can help a lot with the visual appeal of your graphics !!! And definitely don’t be afraid of black :3 Though I do suggest experimenting with coloured alternatives before going straight to using black as your darkest colour :3 What colours work best together is a HIGHLY subjective topic heowever !!

(poorly crafted comparison :3)

Textures/patterns are your friends !!!

This is also very subjective,, but nine times out of ten textures and patterns help to improve graphics :3 They vary shades and tones across the graphic if its looking too flat or there’s too much of one shade/colour in some places !!! It can also just make them more interesting to look at because it has more going on :333

(another visual because I said so :3)

Don’t compare yourself to others !!!

Obviously its good to compare your work and your refs/inspo for similarities if you’re trying to achieve a certain style !!! But comparing online attention or the amount of time spent can be draining and demotivating, as well as having the potential to affect the other person by indirectly pressuring them into feeling the need to perform at the same standard every time they post :3

You won’t like everything you make !!!

Like everything else,,, not everything will be something you’re proud of n that’s oki !!! Look at it and determine what it is you don’t like about it, and keep that in mind for future work :3 Editing style is something that has somewhat of a constant development,, so not everything will look the same or as nice as some other graphics !!! :3

Extra !!!

I’ll eventually add links to tutorials and other posts with advice here… trust…….

[kitty-swap]

Introduction!

Please call me Kitty! I’m currently getting an associates degree. I also am a swim teacher!

I use any pronouns. Taken by my lovely girlfriend!

I’m dyslexic therefore there will be spelling and grammar mistakes in posts, sorry in advance. Please feel free to ask for clarification!

Right now I’m really into these fandoms:

Your Turn To Die.

The Apothicaire Diary

Alien Stage

Genshin Impact

Chikawa

The Hunger games (all books)

Other fandoms I’m in but not as much:

Ena (both dream BBQ and the YouTube vids)

Dangronpa

Vocaloid

Project Saki

I also am a cosplayer, I am planning on making a Rio Ranger cosplay over the summer. I plan on posting updates about it if I do.

Right now I’ve fallen head first back into my Your Turn to Die hype fixation. Therefore this is what I’ll post a lot about. Please feel free to give feedback on my posts! I love hearing what other people think!

[galaxiadreams]

Summer Love <3 (Alhaitham x reader Modern AU)

❦ Warnings: mentions of lack of self confidence(only like once)

❥ Genre: Fluff, romance <3

❥ Word Count: 2,831

❦ Synopsis: Your bestie Yoimiya begged you to go to a summer camp down in Sumeru with her. You were hesitant, at first. But who would've thought a summer camp changed your love life forever...

a/n: Hellooooo!!! This little fic is inspired by my own experience during summer camp. I had a couple "summer camp crushes" and this is kinda of what I fantasied of doing ehehehe. I apologize in advance about the possible grammar/spelling mistakes. Sorry if any sentences doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to learn more about writing! I am also trying out a new format. Please give me any suggestions!

Your best friend begged you to go to a summer camp down in Sumeru with her. You were hesitant, you wanted this summer to be relaxing for once. Go wherever you pleased, and do whatever you wanted. But her sparkling puppy eyes are working far better than you expected and you relented. 

“Pleaseeeee, y/n!!! I know you’re not that interested in ancient runes or whatever. Who knows, you might find a cute guy there! I heard Sumeru boys are a different breed! Plus, it’s at the Akademiya, THE top university in all of Teyvat. You know, your dream school. Maybe this trip there will send a message into the universe to make you get into your dream school!” Dammit Yoimiya, no wonder she’s your best friend, she sure knows the way to your heart. 

....................

After a long boat ride from Inazuma to Port Ormos, you were greeted by lush green grass, warm humid air, and the pungent smell of Padisarahs. A little melody sung by a bird attracted your attention. A Sumeru Dusk Bird. Its vibrant blue feathers gleaming in the sunlight due to the natural oil produced by the animal.The song is both simple and complex, and it stays with you long after you have heard it. Many, like your mother, may find the sound produced by the bird as a nuisance, overly screeching and loud. But you think otherwise, to you, nature is art in its most natural form. Both held complexity and simplicity in its form. Both evoke deep emotions within you.

The trip from Port Ormos to Sumer City wasn’t too long. But upon arriving, you couldn’t hold the gasp of admiration upon seeing the city before you. Sumeru, the city of wonder. Where nature and cityscapes blend seamlessly. Skyscrapers that reach the sky are embellished with green, lush plants. Trees stood tall and proud, shading the bustling citizens beneath.

You took a deep breath and smiled, this unexpected trip to Sumeru might be a good one.

....................

That’s where you meet him. The grey haired quiet dude from your Ancient runes summer camp council group. 

The first day you arrived at summer camp, you were enchanted. Sure, boys from back home were nice, but ohhhhhhh boy. Yoimiya was right, Sumeru boys are something else. You couldn’t help but feel all giddy when it was announced that he would be in your little council group with Yoymiya. Gosh, it felt embarrassing almost. You just learned the guy’s name, Alhaitham, after a little icebreaker and introduction. Hell, the two of you only have been breathing in the same room for merely 10 minutes. He was a total stranger, and you were totally crushing on him. You can’t help but feel shallow. 

Kudos to Yoimiya, she read you like an open book. The moment Alhaitham walked into the room she gave you a sultry glance. She knew your type well. When lunch time came, she made it her life mission to find a way to make you sit with Alhaitham. That “life mission” was extremely easy to accomplish. All she had to do was befriend Kaveh, who was introduced as Alhaitham’s childhood best friend, another hottie in Yoymiya’s opinion. 

♡ The Akademiya cafeteria is a large, open space with high ceilings and coloured lights shining through ancient stained glass windows. The noise level is deafening, with the sound of hundreds of students talking, laughing, and eating. The combination of strangers and loudness was making you lose your appetite.You watched Yoimiya, Kaveh, and a couple of new acquaintances chatting animatedly, and you felt a pang of jealousy. Not of Yoimiya but of the conversation they’re having; your introverted ass can’t hold a proper conversation with a stranger for 2 minutes, and here is your best buddy beaming at something stupid Kaveh said. Sometimes it makes you think you bore Yoimiya. Sighing, you sneak a glance at Alhaitham sitting across from you, he has a handsome face with a strong jawline, and high cheekbones. His porcelain skin made his turquoise eyes shimmer in the light. The deep glow of red-orange hue near his pupil creates a contrast that reminded you of the unison of the forest and desert in Sumeru. You watched his eyes move to absorb every single word in the book he was holding…you were getting butterflies, but the butterflies plummeted when those eyes flicker to yours. You quickly averted your gaze towards Yoyimya and Kaveh, the heat of embarrassment painted your cheeks a cheery red. You promised yourself that you were not shallow, and you vowed that you’re not a hopeless romantic.

The next few days were filled with teasing from Yoimiya and Kaveh (that freaking girl couldn’t keep her mouth shut). The two of them made sure you and Alhaitham sat together at all times. Yoimiya went as far as refusing to partner with you during activities in order for you and Alhaitham to work together. As you become acquainted with Alhaitham more, he becomes more comfortable with you. He’s not stupid, he notices all the shy glances and blushing cheeks when the two of you are together. Especially the obnoxious, oh-so not obvious suggestions made by Kaveh.To be honest, he’s not new to this behavior from women. The guy knows he’s attractive and he has been on various blind dates orchestrated by Kaveh himself (Alhaitham only relented on the condition Kaveh would stop pestering him about it). At first, Alhaitham wasn’t quite interested. He found your seemingly “secretive” glances rather uncomfortable, annoying even. But what piqued his interest is your love for physics and Astrophysics. Alhaitham is quite well-versed in this field, and this is the first time he has heard anyone claiming the want to pursue physics. 

♡ “Y/n. It’s your turn now, two truths and one lie.”  “Well, I had thought about this for a while now. Ahem— I choked on a peach pit as a baby and nearly died. I want to have a career in Astrophysics or a major in physics. I have a pet tarantula named Benny boy,” Yoimiya let out a loud laugh upon hearing your statement about the spider, “and Yoimiya is not allowed to answer.” The girl gave you a teasing grin and pursed her lips. After your group failed to answer correctly, you gave them the lie: You had a pet tarantula named Benny Boy. You were deathly afraid of spiders, if you had a personal hell, it would be filled with those nasty creatures.  As your council group walked towards the courtyard for recreation time, Alhaitham surprisingly struck up a conversation with you.  “You said you’re interested in studying physics?” “Oh yes, it’s rather a new interest that I’ve decided to pursue only recently. After the whole being an actress thing fell apart”  “Hmmm, and you said you want a career in Astrophysics?” You were surprised he even paid attention to what you said. You nodded in response.  “Well, I have a family member that teaches Astrophysics at the Akademiya, if you’re really interested, I could introduce you to them.” Alhaitham offered, while opening the courtyard gate for you.  “Oh heavens really? That would be great!” You smiled at him. Goddamn, that smile of yours caught him off guard. Your smile was like the sun, warm and inviting. It lit up your face and made the excitement in your eyes sparkle. After finding a seat by a marble bench under a giant Adhigama tree, the two of you converse all there is about physics and your interests, from string-theory to philosophy to art, Alhaitham never met someone so knowledgeable and opinionated about some of his favorite subjects.

After that late afternoon little discussion under the Adhigama tree, you and Alhaitham opened up to each other. Hell, you even started to make some physics jokes with him. Celestia must’ve placed a curse on him, because he started to look forward to talking to somebody, he wanted to talk to you, he wanted to be with you. Yeah shocker, the seemingly antisocial genius wanted to talk to a girl. What’s even worse for Alhaitham, is that he started to feel nervous being around you. He was never nervous around anybody, whether it’s strangers or the freaking Grand Sage, he never felt this strange fluttering in his stomach. What’s even more uncanny for him is that he found himself staring at you on multiple occasions. When a conversation ends, he would usually return to his books, but since he met you, he started to leave his books in his dorm. This way, he could listen to your voice, and see you smile. This has to be some curse, Alhaitham thought, he even tried to convince himself that you’re not all that great. But those are just futile attempts, there was something enigmatic about you. It’s hard to notice for the common eyes, some might even describe you as plain and average. But with Alhaitham’s sagacious eyes, he could see right to your soul. Alhaitham was bewitched, you’re the one that placed this curse of infatuation (perhaps even love) upon him. Through all the secret glances and “accidental” hand-touching enacted by both you and Alhaitham, the final bouquet has arrived. 

♡ You took a deep breath and tried to focus on the positive. You were feeling rather melancholic considering this will be last night you’ll be spending in Sumeru, the city of Wonder, where you met new besties for lifes and became an official ambivert (according to both Yoyiyma and Kaveh, two renowned extroverts). You couldn't help but smile as you stared at the reflection staring at you in the mirror. You wore a flattering green dress, it was made of a soft, flowing silk fabric that swayed with your movements. The colour of the dress brought out the e/c in your eyes and made your skin look even more radiant. You wore your hair down in loose waves, and your makeup was simple but elegant. White pearl earrings and necklaces completed your looks. As long as Yoimiya is here, you’ll always manage to look like a princess. Soft Sumeru music played as you and Yoimiya walked into the cafeteria. The usual loud, squalor of a cafeteria was transformed into a beautiful forest with soft fairy lights hanging from the tall stone ceiling. Plants, flowers and the soft light from candles placed upon the tables gave the most peaceful atmosphere possible. “Good evening.” Alhaitham's voice was deep and smooth. You whipped around to face the tall man behind you. He is wearing a well-tailored suit that fits him perfectly. His broad shoulders were enhanced in the black material. His hair was also styled, the usual strand of hair covering his left eye was slicked back.  As per usual, he had a confident and clamming demeanor, and he made you feel flustered immediately. You can’t deny the literal rizz radiating off of him.  “Good evening, you look really good by the way.” you complimented, why is it so hot in here?  Alhaitham smiled a little at the compliment. The reserved scholar felt his cheeks warming up a little. In return, he pulled a chair out for you, gesturing for you to sit. Shocked, you quickly sat down and thanked him. You were screaming inside, a man with manners and chivalry is making the butterflies swarmmmmmm. Alhaitam took a seat right next to you and filled up the fancy wine glasses for the both of you.

“How was your day?” He inquired, while taking a sip out of his drink. He initiated the conversation first, you noticed gleefully.  “It was alright, except for the tower building exercise. Can’t believe that Haypasia girl tripped and fell on our group’s tower! We would’ve been first place if she watched where she was walking!” You complained jokingly, Alhaitham chuckled at the disaster that occurred earlier today.  The two of you conversed throughout dinner, but you couldn’t help but notice how your elbow and his were touching the entire time. You wanted to assert dominance and didn’t move away, it seems he had the same thought. He didn’t move either, Alhaitham only leaned closer to you while talking. His eyes barely left yours while the both of you talked about life and dreams. One of the most attractive traits about him, besides literally everything, is his voice. He spoke with clarity, it's the kind of voice that makes you want to listen to him talk for hours. When he speaks, his words are carefully chosen and delivered with conviction. He has a way of making you feel like you're the only person in the room.  When the banquet ended, there was a surprise slow dance outside in the courtyard. When the organizers of the summer camp announced for everyone to find a partner, your e/c eyes immediately found his turquoise ones looking at you just the same. Alhaitham cleared his throat and held out his right hand.  “Would you like to have this dance with me?”  “Of course. I would never reject you.” You laughed and held his hands in yours. His warm calloused hands sent electric shots through your body and his. His eyes widen at the softness of your hands. Your already smiling face beamed when you saw his sudden red cheeks and bashfulness. The waltz music started, and the two of you swirled to the beat, Alhaitham taking the lead. The two of you weren’t afraid to stare into each other’s eyes. This is the first time you experienced what time stops truly meant. Alhaitham couldn’t help but sigh, it wasn’t a sigh of annoyance, but a sigh of endearment. The blue light of the full moon lit your perfect face, the gleaming of your pearl earrings made you an angel from heaven. A gift from Celestia just for him. Alhaitham was lost in a whole different dimension with you, to the young scholar, only the music, you, him, and the moon existed at the moment. Was this love? The both of you couldn’t describe this feeling that suddenly blossomed in your guy’s chest; it was this faint struggle of breath combined with a weird sense of yearning. It was truly indescribable. This continued throughout the whole waltz, the music only brought the two of you closer, closer, and closer. Both of you fell from heaven when the dance came to an end. Your heart skipped a beat when you realized how close you and Alhaitham were, both your noises were touching, you could feel his breath on your lips. “Eeeeeek! Just kiss already!” an excited screech made you pull away from Alhaitham. Yoimiya was with Kaveh and a few other campers with her phone on record in her hand.  “Oh by the way Alhaitham, me and Yoyimya recorded the whole entire dance! Ehe!” Kaveh grinned, pointing towards his own phone in his hand. The whole crowd all erupted in loud cheers and laughter. 

When it was time to say goodbye, Alhaitham didn't want to leave. Both of you guys didn’t want to leave this secret paradise. He asked for your contacts and if he could see you again, and who are you to say no. Plus, the two of you would be attending the Akademiya in a couple of months, imagine the excitement and glee in Yoimiya’s eyes and cheers when you told her you got into the number one University in Teyvat. You received the acceptance email right after the dance that night. Alhaitham walked away with a smile on his face (which is unnerving for Kaveh) knowing that he had met someone truly special. 

....................

You leaned your elbow against the window frame as you stared out at the sun setting beneath the endless ocean. The sky was ablaze with different shades of orange, pink, and purple. It was a breathtaking sight, and you felt lucky to be able to witness such beauty and art. The colours in the sky grew more and more vibrant as the sun disappeared, it was the perfect way to end a day. You turned your head to a sleeping Yoimiya hugging your arm. The sunlight brightening her features, you chuckled at your best girl and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Your head rests against the cool glass as you look up at the very first star that has appeared that night. A single white spot on a tapestry of orange and pink, you kept your focus on the sky as more stars appeared to embellish the darkening sky. The hum of the engine on the boat rocked you to sleep as you sailed home to Inazuma. The last thought you had before leaping off to dreamland was of a certain grey haired male and his luscious voice. At that moment you decided to embrace the fact that you’re a hopeless romantic, because as crazy as it may sound, you knew you just found your soulmate.

[idkyourleastfavoriteartist]

HAPPY (late) NEW YEAR🎉

Okk sooo I know it's not tdp related but we don't need to mention it 🤫🤫🤫

Also if you don't like reading just skip this because it's alot..... (sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes these are not planned)

Also idk how to draw anymore (jk) like my art style has been changing too muchhh (also not all of the art pieces are done illustrations some are just sketches) if you prefer a certain art style then tell me if you want.

Anywaysss these are characters (most of the drawings are the main characters but two of them side characters but the thing is that the dream idea is for it to be a game so you choose more on who you would talk to. (PLEASE DON'T TAKE THAT LITERALLY I'M NOT MAKING A GAME IT'S A FUN IDEA BUT I'LL JUST GONNA LEAVE IT AS A TUMBLR THINGY I RARELY POST ABOUT). The og name was cringe so it's changed to forgotten chamber. I don't post about my own stuff because I'm lazy + I'm not a writer so I don't believe it's good enough to post about 😭😭😭 but it's funnn so maybe I will post about more idkkk.

Main plot and some world buliding, extra info(this can change and there are some smaller side plots that are not gonna get mentioned because that's way to long).

Basically the key info before knowing the the main plot is that humans have taken over everything even other planets and universe where different species (humans call them monsters) happily used to live and they took their resources to make earth more powerful and advanced. They killed old generations and enslaved younger ones for military or hard labour. That was until the great rebellion where some monsters tried to fight back but failed so all monsters were sent to a very small pocket dimension as punishment. Our main character is the human girl with space buns (her name's Anita). Her father is in charge of the keys to said pocket dimension (it's a one way portal where the portal is split into two one to go in and one to go out he made it like that so if there was even a chance of one escaping which due to the old magic used on it being near impossible to learn how to break since it's the same portal it's uses the same key) it also give him and his crew (which are just guards he has power over) would in theory have more time to kill them if escaped. Anita she from royalty despite that she's very playful and acts like a normal annoying (jk she's lovely just a bit sassy and stupid) kid. Her father and mother is gone for a meeting and he never let's her go under the castle but curiousty gets the better of her and steals the keys and Anita finds out unless she wants to stay there forever she needs to go to the other side of pocket dimension (it's called the lock up in general but the dimension has very different areas with different names) to the second portal and with that go on a adventure and learn about the lost history of the monsters and much more.

Wow that was alot and I haven't even talked about the interactions the characters have and skipped alot of key events😭😂 (I doubt anyone will read this far but if so thanks alot)

This storys themes are based on community, oppression, social injustice, connection/disconnection we feel within our own communities, the negative impacts conformity (like having to change yourself for a higher authority or just to be socially accepted).

The main two inspirations are undertale and xmen 97 (the 2024 remake)

If you guys want I can talk about it more (doubt but surprise me I guess) just ask stuff you want to know in the ask box or comment idk if I will reply to all but definitely most (I feel like). It can be like character dynamics or more world building or just more art idk have fun if you care as long as it not crazy asks (like inappropriate or unreasonable) and you're not rude then 9/10 I will reply :)

Edit: It's sounds darks but it's not I promise 😭😭

[recklesslycaffeinated]

hey i was wanting to write a fan fic but i haven't done one in years (it was BAD) i was wondering if you could give me a tip or two (I've also never posted anything on ao3 before just a heads up)

Confession time - this question is more than year old now.

I hang my head in shame.

The problem is, even after over 180,000 words written across three fanfics, I still feel like I'm not... qualified? To give any good advice. At least, nothing you wouldn't pick up from reading a metric ton of fanfic on A03 like I did before starting.

That being said, I'm feeling really, really guilty for not answering @arsonunderthedisco's question for so long, so here we go.

First of all, no fanfic is BAD.

I'm not sure what you thought was bad about it - but I've written more than a dozen fanfics which are just for me and they're delightful messy insert fanfics which I adore.

That being said, you'll be amazed at the readership of A03. So long as you tag your story correctly, you'll find your people. I did!

Writing

If you're talking about spelling/grammar/structure, welcome to the club. As any of my readers will tell you, my Dyslexic ass lets more than a few horrendous typos go out. I've started using Speechify to catch some of these mistakes and I 10/10 recommend it.

Conflict

Figure out the overarching, key conflict of your story you want to resolve by the end. That can be for all the characters or some of the characters. E.g. Nurse isn't brave enough to admit she loves the boys and truly commit to what that means. She has to either admit she loves them and dive in, accepting her life will never be normal, or walk away.

Each chapter set up a smaller goal or a desire of the character and by the end of the chapter, resolve or advance it. Bonus points if you can leave every chapter on a minor cliffhanger. E.g. Nurse wants to go to the funeral to pay respects to Sig and deal with her guilt. She does that (yay!), but gets into a row with Sans and now she has new guilt (boo).

Structure

Always have an outline. Even if you're a gardener who likes to let their characters dictate the story, HAVE AN OUTLINE. Or else you'll never know when the story you're trying to tell is finished.

That's why I broke up the boney brigade saga into different stories - I knew where I wanted the Nurse to be by the end of each section and it made more sense to turn them into two stories so it 'feels' complete.

Have fun!

If you're having fun writing it, your readers will know and be along for the write. Don't write drunk. Don't publish chapters when stressed. Don't write sad. Write sad things, but don't write sad. At least, don't send it out while sad before doing a re-edit.

Hope any of that helps and sorry it's taken me so damn long!

[averagemizukikinnie]

"I'm sorry I deceived you, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you."

TW: HUGE warning for SH (it’s what the fic evolves about pretty much) , ED implication, cursing

a/n: it’s my first time in writing for a pair, i apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes in advance since english isn’t my first language!! there are also more notes at the end. this fanfic can also be interpreted as platonic

“23, 24, 25…”

. . .

The bigger the number got, the more aggressive Mizuki became, and the deeper the slashes cut. They don’t remember how their abdomen looked when it was clear, all they can see now is red and brown lines over it, some are even white.

“Ahahaha… I’m really filthy and disgusting, aren’t I? I ate more than I’m supposed to when I was at the diner with Ena, Mafuyu, and Kanade. I made a promise to tell Ena the truth of what I’ve been keeping inside long ago, yet I still avoid the topic whenever it’s brought up being the coward I am. I’m surprised they didn’t leave just like everyone did…” . While they were indulging themself in their self-deprecating self-talk, they went in deeper than intended. It wasn’t really a problem anyways, their parents were out of the city for work, their sister lives overseas, no one could stop them from getting so engrossed in their own mind.

. . .

1 hour later

*doorbell rings*

“Mom and Dad aren’t supposed to be back until next Tuesday, who could it be?”. They panicked for a split second when they remembered they were supposed to have a sleepover with Ena tonight. “Good thing I finished cleaning up just a moment ago” they mumbled to themselves right before they put up their usual grin, when had they gotten so good at switching their expression? That is a question that they’re unsure of what a right answer for it could be. They felt the burning sensation of the clothes brushing against their stomach —but thankfully for them—, they were already used to it, so hiding it was a piece of cake, they already hide so much anyways.

“Yaho!~ Woah you arrived just 3 minutes late, that’s a new record!! Did poor lil’ bro have to shake the entire room to wake you up?”

“I knew this would happen.”

Ena muttered under her breath. “Can’t you just say a normal greeting for once whenever we both meet up alone?”

“Waaaaaahhh!! You’re so mean!~”

Mizuki fake-cried as they dramatically had the back of their hand on their forehead.

“Yeah yeah whatever. Anyways, can we just actually get inside?”

They finally settled in Mizuki’s room. Ena felt so fascinated by the aesthetic of the room, it felt so… Mizuki. She could tell they poured their heart in making it to their liking. It might not be obvious from first glance for others, but for Ena it is.

As Ena’s eyes were hovering around, she noticed the torso near the mirror with an unfinished project on it that seemed like it collected some dust, she found it a little strange since she had this idea Mizuki is the type of person to get absorbed into whatever project they’re working on if it’s related to their passions. Ena recalled some of Mizuki’s rambles about clothes making on Nightcord, she secretly adored these rambles even if she knew nothing about that side of fashion herself; because she can hear Mizuki being so passionate and full of joy. If she ever admits it out loud she will never hear the end of it thanks to Mizuki’s teasing.

“Oi~ Earth to Ena— Does the princess need to sleep already?~”

“Huh?! First of all, why the hell are you calling me that?? Second of all, is zoning out for just a single moment a sign of sleep deprivation now?? Ugh this is going to be a really long night.” Mizuki couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Ena’s reaction, her reactions are one of the reasons they tease her more than other people.

. . .

Later on, they both decided they will play on Mizuki’s gaming console. It was kept up in Mizuki’s closet, they haven’t used it for some while. They bought it back in those times as a way to distract themselves even further from reality. It was so up high, Mizuki was wondering how on Earth they got it there before.

“Ah! I’m finally getting a grasp of it!” , just when they said that, they lost balance and fell on their back.

Ena immediately rushed to Mizuki to check if they’re fine, and help them get up if needed.

“Are you alright?? Did you get hurt? Do you need help getting up?”

“It’s ok I didn’t get hurt! I’m totally fi-“

Right when they started to get up, one of the console’s controllers fell on their abdomen, right where the fresh, deep, red scars are.

“Again?? Seriously what’s up with its location? Anyways are you ok? Again did you get hu-“

As Ena was saying that, she saw a dark red spot forming on Mizuki’s white shirt. Her face turned white when she realized what it was, it was blood.

“Mizuki, can you let me open the shirt to see the wound and clean it? Please? It would be terrible if it gets infected…”

“… No.”

“Why?… It would be difficult for you to get up and clean it up all by yourself.”

“The reason is not important… I can handle th— SHIT—“

“Mizuki please let me see it. It’s clearly hurting badly-“

“As I said, I can handle this.”

“You’re obviously lying. Whether you allow it or not, I have to check the wound and how bad it is.”

Mizuki grabbed Ena’s wrists with all the force they could gather, Ena struggled for a bit as she was letting herself go from their grasp, thankfully, she eventually managed to do so thanks to Mizuki’s state.

Ena finally lifted up their shirt, and what she saw was horrifying to say the least. Her face got devoid of any traces of curiosity just now just for it all to be replaced with horror, as if she saw a ghost. She saw all the variations of red, brown, and white contrasting against Mizuki’s light skin color, how there was some skin peeling around some scars, and most importantly, how fresh some of them were.

On the other hand, Mizuki wanted to escape from Ena’s gaze on their body as fast as possible, she saw what they thought was the most disgusting, filthy, and deformed part of themselves they ever showed to her. They thought she was going to abandon them for good, just like many people did. Everything Mizuki did in order to preserve their bond with Ena, it all seemed useless and futile now, just like they feared.

What snapped Mizuki out of their thoughts was Ena’s shaky breathing, they thought that this is it, that there’s now another person on the mental list of people they lost because of something about Mizuki.

“What the FUCK is wrong with you?!”

“You’re so fucking disgusting.”

“I never imagined someone this filthy exists, but here you are.”

Mizuki can already feel the words coming, they embraced themselves for it, it’s a matter of few seconds before they actually hear them… Or so they thought.

“… For how long have you been doing this?… I might not be the best at comforting, but why didn’t you tell me sooner? I- I just- I wish I realized this sooner. I’m so sorry for not being the person you needed. You were going through such a hard time without me knowing about it… I just-“

Mizuki didn’t expect this would be her reaction, they thought it will be the last time they ever talk, they thought this was going to be the end.

“I *sob* I’m so sorry… I can’t believe *sob* I didn’t know about this sooner…”

Ena grabbed both of Mizuki’s hands and gently kissed them, she then proceeded to wrap her arms around them and pull them into a tight hug. Mizuki froze in their place because of how astonished they were, they never thought of such outcome, not just did Ena not give the type of reaction they thought they were going to get, not just did she sound genuinely concerned, but she was also apologizing for not knowing better?? They never even dared to try dreaming of this yet here it is being actual reality.

Slowly, Mizuki started to wrap their arms around Ena, and they could feel tears forming in their eyes as well, they kept it inside for so long yet they couldn’t bring themselves to say a word out of fear of their past repeating itself again, they didn’t want to lose yet another person they want to stay with.

“No… please don’t say that to yourself it isn’t your fault in the slightest… Please don’t cry…”

“How the hell am I supposed to NOT cry?? Seeing you in pain hurts me and this time and this time it affected you physically and *sob* and to make matters even worse I couldn’t help you because of how oblivious I am…”

“Ena please… It’s my fault for being such a coward and not saying anything… I don’t want to see you cry because of me…”

Ena’s expression turned to a determined one, with tears still in her eyes, her nose still red, and her cheeks still puffy. She cupped Mizuki’s cheeks with both her hands and wiped the tears with her thumbs and said

“Mizuki, don’t say this about yourself. You are not a coward for not telling me about your struggles, l know it can be hard to open up to someone, no matter who that someone is. But whenever you feel like you’re struggling again and are close to doing this to yourself, come to me instead okay? You don’t have to force yourself to tell me you’re so close to doing it, just come to me and start the conversation like you normally do. Please.”

This was Mizuki’s last straw. Before they knew it they started sobbing uncontrollably with Ena having a firm, right grip on them. They were feeling so many emotions, they were keeping it inside for so long, they were so scared of Ena leaving them because of this secret of theirs they deemed “ugly and filthy” , they were in so much pain, they had so much on their mind, and most importantly, they were happy the what-it’s in their mind didn’t come true.

They were happy Ena didn’t reject this part of them. They want to stay with her as long as they can, even if their time together isn’t meant to last much longer, they hope it is.

Note: i am not implying that sh scars are something scary in ena’s reaction, the reason i wrote her reaction that way is because i wanted to interpret that she’s horrified because it’s happening to Mizuki. I hope you understand i meant no harm in the way i wrote her reaction, i struggle with sh myself.