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mrsaltieri-real · 1 year ago

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Alright! Request time! Lemme get a request with Mickey, natch, but hear me out. You and he, catching a mid-afternoon movie for a date, starts off sweet, and the theater is empty except for you both. He cannot keep his hands off you when twenty minutes after the trailers happen he realizes no one else is showing up. He teases and touches till you give in and let him fuck you in the theater. Some risky, public, try to keep it down, don't get caught sex in the theater. Passionate, needy, messy, some begging, make it so, so good just like I know you will.

When Boredom Strikes (Mickey Altieri x Fem!AFAB!Reader)

You and Mickey have an afternoon date at the movies, but boredom quickly consumes him, forcing him to find alternate ways to entertain himself.

Word Count: 3k

Warning/s: language, smut, p in v, slight degradation, fingering, public/semi public sex, praise, begging, almost caught fucking, teasing, thirsty Mickey, riding, ect.

Bex Bex BEX. You know damn well what this request has done to me these last couple of days. I’m happy to oblige. Here we go!

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Mickey stood with his arm casually slung around your shoulder as he eyed the movie options up on the board, pulling a face at every single one of them. “Fuck, there’s really no halfway decent movies.”

You rolled your eyes at your boyfriend, looking up at his dramatically disgusted face. “Well, whose bright idea was it to ditch class to come watch a movie in the middle of the afternoon, Mick?”

He glanced down at you, his pretty brown eyes playfully amused and a smile lit up his face as he lifted your chin with his finger, ducking his head down to peck you lightly on the lips, in which you eagerly reciprocated. “We missed our last date because I had to edit my short film and you’ve got a packed schedule for the rest of this week so I didn’t really have much of a choice now, did I?” He pointed out, reluctantly moving his face away from yours.

You nodded your head a little as you looked up at the board yourself, eyes scanning the cheesy rom com movies, every single one of them containing the exact same main plot point of a girl who didn’t realise love was right there all along. You knew Mickey hated these sort of movies with a passion, claiming they had no depth and no entertainment value whatsoever.

Being with a film geek like Mickey meant you were subjected to listen to his intensely angry ramblings about how cinema was quote “going down fucking hill,” and how there’s “nothing like the classics anymore.” You’d listen to him with a cocked eyebrow and watch him as he would rifle through his seemingly never ending cases of illegally pirated films that varied from action to mystery then to his personal favourite, horror.

As much as you loved him, you never quite understood his affliction with horror movies. Sure, you enjoyed them, but you’d see the intense excitement in his eyes as he watched some blonde girl with big tits get brutally butchered and ripped apart and you’d listen to him rant about the “authenticity” of the production value with blank but affectionate eyes. Nobody could say that he wasn’t passionate.

The theatre attendant sighed, her nails drumming impatiently on the counter as she stared unseeingly past the two of you with a bored expression. Mickey glanced at her, unable to stop the small roll of his eyes at her attitude.

“Just pick one and we’ll watch it. And choose fast because this one’s about to fall asleep.” Mickey said to you under his breath, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. You knew better than to offer to pay, knowing you’d be met with a disgusted look of horror at the very idea of you wanting to pay for absolutely anything.

You loosely gestured to the least sappy looking movie for his benefit, secretly relieved you didn’t have to sit through yet another bloody mess of a film and Mickey paid the attendant and took the tickets as she mumbled, “enjoy your movie,” He nodded his head at her politely and picked up the popcorn and drinks, begrudgingly making his way into the theatre with a grimace on his face at the thought of having to sit in the freezing theatre for two hours and watch this god awful movie. But as he walked toward the theatre doors, popcorn under one arm and you under the other, he noticed how deserted the place was. Just you, himself and 3 attendants in the entire place. He smiled a little to himself, knowing full well he could have a lot of fun with this little benefit when the boredom would truly take over.

As you both settled down in your assigned seats beside each other Mickey placed the popcorn by next to his feet, leaning back on the chair with his eyes scanning the room. Just as he’d hoped, it was completely deserted apart from the two of you. He glanced at your face, the smile still on his lips as you looked back at him, asking him in a suspicious tone, “what?”

“Nothing, nothing.” He said, diverting his eyes from you and to the large screen as the trailers began to play.

“Give me my popcorn.” You said, holding out your hand expectantly.

“No, no, absolutely not.” Mickey shook his head as he spoke, pushing your hand away gently.

“What? Why?”

“Baby, you always finish your popcorn before the movie even starts and what happens? Oh, Mickey.” He mocked your voice in an absolutely terrible impression, twirling imaginary hair around his finger as he spoke. “I finished all my popcorn, give me yours.” He looked at you with knowing eyes and a playful smile on his lips as he dropped his hand back down onto the arm rest. “Just wait for the opening titles at least.” He said in his normal voice.

“You think you know me so well. I don’t fucking sound like that. Ass.” You grumbled under your breath, slumping back in your seat with a pout. He laughed at you affectionately, reaching for your hand and bringing it up to his lips, kissing it gently.

“Huh, guess it’s just us.” You mused as you watched one of the attendants close the theatre doors, leaving just you and Mickey in the large dark room with nothing but the glowing light of the screen shining down on the two of you.

“Guess it is.” Mickey said lightly, shifting in his seat and dropping your hand in favour of resting his palm on the smooth bare skin of your thigh, his fingers lightly tracing shapes and leaving goosebumps in their wake.

This wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Mickey was big on casual physical contact, especially whilst watching movies. The cheerful opening of the movie caught your attention and your eyes set on the screen, deciding to make the most of your date together by actually enjoying the movie, even if he didn’t.

Twenty minutes into the film and Mickey was bored out of his mind. You seemed engrossed with the movie, shushing Mickey every couple of minutes when he tried to talk to you or complain about the “god awful” film.

“This is so fucking sh-“

You swatted at his arm lightly, shushing him once again and he groaned, slumping back in his seat and letting his head fall backward against the soft material of the chair. The two dimensional characters seemed to mock him through the screen as the actors paraded around with an awful performance. He physically recoiled as he heard the cheesy lines being spoken.

Nobody fucking talks like that. He thought to himself with a grimace.

He began to think of what he could do to make this date a little more interesting. He quickly scanned the theatre double checking the room once again to make sure it was empty before his fingers slowly danced across your thigh, casually moving in between your legs.

He chuckled a little as you slapped his hand, pinning your legs together as you sent him a small glare. “No, Mickey.” You said as sternly as you could muster. He looked at you completely unphased and raised an eyebrow, but said absolutely nothing.

One of Mickey’s favourite pastimes is fooling around with you in semi-public places. Semi-public was okay, semi-public was fun and exciting. It was even encouraged. There was only a risk of being caught. You knew exactly what he was thinking at the moment, what he wanted to do. But doing it here, in the middle of a movie theatre? That was a little too risky for your liking. You felt his hand move back to your thigh after a couple of seconds, still tracing small shapes onto your skin with a feather light touch. You clenched your teeth, staring at the screen to try and focus on the movie again, but now that felt almost impossible.

How the fuck did he always manage to do this to you? Completely divert your attention and make you focus explicitly on him and what you wanted him to do to you? The fact he didn’t even need to speak in order for you to waver on your insistence not to fuck him in a movie theatre was almost making you angry with yourself and your lack of ability to stand by your decisions.

He waited until you relaxed your rigid stance and your legs unstiffened, his fingers still grazing your skin gently before he made another much slower move. His fingers hardly even touched you as he lightly brushed your inner thigh. He smiled to himself a little when he heard your breath hitch a little and felt you look up at him with imploring eyes. He made sure his eyes were still set on the screen as if he was completely sucked into the crappy movie. You looked down at his hand, tugging at your bottom lip with your teeth as it moved upward underneath your skirt, feeling his fingertips glide up your inner thigh, your legs opening for him as though they had a mind of their own before feeling him very lightly grazing your clit through the soft cotton material of your already damp panties.

You shifted a little, fingers digging into the dark red upholstery of the arm of the chair, your legs instinctively inching even wider for him and you heard him let out a small, satisfied laugh as he felt the damp patch.

Fuck.

“Look who's changed her mind.” He murmured softly under his breath. You ignored him, eyes fluttering closed as you felt him move your panties to the side, his index finger slowly sliding up the length of your slit to collect moisture before torturously circling your clit with a pace that was so slow, so light, that it was almost painful. He let out another chuckle as he felt the heat on his fingers and heard the small whimper fall out from between your lips, his eyes still not moving from the screen.

Your head fell back against your seat as his fingers gradually increased speed, circling over your clit in the way he knew drove you crazy, but not quite applying enough pleasure for you to genuinely enjoy it. Mickey shifted a little in his seat so he was leaning toward you, eyes finally dragging away from the screen and to your face, watching you with dark and almost amused eyes as your chest heaved and your grip on the armrest tightened so hard your knuckles turned white. His fingers suddenly abandoned your clit in favour of plunging two of them knuckle deep into your pussy and causing you to let out a loud, unfiltered moan.

“Shh.” He whispered to you, his free hand covering your mouth as he continued to move his long fingers inside of you, hooking and curling them to graze the spot inside of you that was bound to make you cum sooner rather than later if he carried on.

Your eyes nervously flickered around the room again, terrified you’d missed a spectator in one of the chairs that would turn around and find some girl getting fingered by her boyfriend in the middle of a movie theatre. Of course there was no one, but his free hand remained on your mouth as he leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek and before resting his forehead on your temple.

“You gotta be quiet, okay?“ he said in your ear, another twist of his fingers inside of you causing you to moan against his hand in response. His fingers abruptly stopped moving, frozen inside of you and you looked at him in desperate confusion as his other hand moved from your mouth to slide down behind your head, gripping your hair firmly by the roots and forcing you to look into his eyes. “Do you promise you’ll be quiet?” He whispered, hand dropping from your mouth so you could respond.

“Mmm- mm yes.” You gasped out, your voice pleading and almost whiny as you bucked your hips against his hand, desperate to feel friction again. “Please, Mickey.”

“Look at you.” He said tauntingly. “Twenty minutes ago you were slapping my hand away and now here you are, dripping down my arm and begging for me to get you off in the middle of a movie theatre.”

He suddenly pulled his fingers out of you, bringing them up and pressing them against your lips. You eagerly took his fingers into your mouth, sucking your own arousal off of them eagerly. He let out somewhat of a growl as he felt your tongue swirl around his fingers as you greedily tasted yourself and he quickly glanced behind him at the door before he slid his fingers out of your mouth slowly to unbuckle his belt. As he did, you were almost too eager to drop to your knees so you could blow him but he stopped you with his hand, shaking his head once whilst saying, “No, no,” and pulling his jeans and briefs down so his cock was just about out, already hard and pressed against his toned stomach. “Panties off, leave the skirt on.”

Your eyes widened a little as you hesitated, glancing up at the theatre doors. Mickey followed your gaze and rolled his eyes a little at you. “What, so you’re fine letting me finger your pussy here but you don’t want to fuck? Come on now, baby.”

You could hear the sarcasm in his voice and you scowled at him, but obediently removed your panties, discarding them on the floor by your feet.

“Good girl.” Mickey grinned at you, looking victorious as he grabbed your arm as soon as they were off, practically yanking you onto his lap. You straddled him with your knees either side of him, just about hovering over him as you felt the flushed head of his cock lightly graze your swollen clit, the sensation so slight yet so intense it sent a small shiver throughout your entire body. Mickey felt it too, sighing a little as he felt you just barely touching him.

The light of the huge screen dully illuminated the two of you as Mickey hitched your skirt around your waist before sliding his hands around to grip your ass, spreading you open for him as he angled his hips up, groaning quietly as he slowly began filling you. You let out a gasp that was a little too loud at the satisfying stretch, causing Mickey to stop abruptly, gripping your hips so you couldn’t move.

“What did I say?”

“I- I’m sorry, please don’t stop.” You begged him as quietly as you could. He could feel your body trembling with need and he couldn’t help but oblige you.

His eyes remained on your face, though you were hardly visible in the dim light of the screen and he smiled at your desperate expression before continuing to push up into you, sighing in satisfaction at the familiar feeling of your pussy clenching around him as he did. You angled your hips downward, impatient at his slow pace so you could envelop him completely and almost too eagerly. The thrill of fucking him in a public place where a stranger could walk in at any given moment and see the two of you was more exciting than you had anticipated, your earlier anxiety and concerns becoming nothing more than a distant and irrelevant memory. It made you more eager and hungry for him, more than you could have even begun to imagine. It took Mickey by surprise as he let out a small, breathless laugh as your hips rolled against him, thoroughly enjoying the reluctantly quiet moans you were panting in his ear.

“Such a whore.” He whispered into your hair, sliding one of his hands up your back and gripping the back of your neck under your hair. The sound of his voice in your ear as you rode him sent tingles through your body, spurring you on. “Look at you, riding me like a slut in the middle of a movie theatre, fucking acting like you didn’t want this the whole time. Bad fucking girl.” You groaned at his words, throwing your head back and moving your hands to rest behind you on his thighs, feeling the familiar need for him to take control. He obliged you once again, his hands resting your waist and holding you still as he began to grind his hips upwards and fuck deep into you, treating you as if you were his very own sex doll.

You almost cried out, turning your head and biting into the soft skin of your shoulder as you felt him thrust up into you, feeling his cock hitting all of the right places. You felt the slight stubble of his trimmed hair prick and grind over your clit, stimulating you perfectly as your nails dug into his thighs, making him let out a small hiss and grind up into you even faster, watching intently as your tits bounced from behind your thin tank top.

Your body was held still in his firm grip with your only movements being a reaction from him as he fucked you to his own accord as you tried hard not to make too loud of a sound. One of his hands moved from your waist to slide between the two of you, his thumb applying pressure to your clit and moving in small, calculated circles. His head fell forward to watch himself sliding in and out of your convulsing pussy, groaning as he felt you clench and tighten around him. He knew you were close to cumming when he felt your legs start to shake beside him and he knew he was close too. Just watching you with your mouth biting into your own shoulder to stop yourself from screaming as he fucked up into you in the middle of the day in a movie theatre was driving him insane, and he didn’t feel the need to prevent your impending orgasm or his own, the need to tease you disappeared in favour of feeling you cum on his dick.

Your head lifted from your shoulder and you looked at him, panting desperately with wide eyes. “I- I’m gonna- p- please can I-“

Mickey suddenly let out a sharp gasp and quickly grabbed you by your arms that were still propping you up by your hands on his thighs and hastily pulled you toward him, gently but quickly turning you around so you were sitting on his lap and he tugged at the end of your skirt so it covered the sight of his dick still stuffed inside of you. You frowned a little in surprise at the sudden unwelcome change, his heart hammering against your back and his panting breath on the back of your neck. You went to glance back at him in confusion only to see the theatre doors wide open and an attendant stroll in.

You looked at Mickey’s face in alarm but his eyes were set on the screen, refusing to meet you. You turned your head back around and looked at the screen, seeing nothing. You weren’t even sure what the movie was about anymore but you stared at the characters desperately. Mickey’s hand rested on your hip as the theatre clerk stood by the door, eyes scanning the room. It was just dark enough that the man wouldn’t be able to spot your panties bunched up on the floor, let alone you sat with your boyfriends still rigid cock up inside of you. To him, it probably looked as though you were sat on his lap cuddling him.

You shifted anxiously, feeling Mickey’s breathing change as you did so and you realised that at this angle, he could really feel you. Your eyes flickered to the utterly bored looking attendant who seemed to have his attention grabbed by the movie as an idea started ringing in your head. You slightly adjusted yourself, rising up a little and angling your hips back down. You heard him take in a sharp breath, his fingers bruising your hips as you moved very calculated and slow, unable to wipe the satisfied smile off your face as you felt his cock twitch almost pathetically inside of you.

“Filthy bitch wants to get caught.” You heard him mutter between his teeth.

You shrugged every so slightly, responding to him in a hushed whisper, “you started it. I’m finishing it.”

#eeeeek #i loved writing this #ty for the request Bex #I love writing mickey so much dude #hope you all enjoy #mickey altieri #scream #scream 2 #mickey altieri x reader #mickey altieri x you #mickey altieri smut

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psychedelic-ink · 2 years ago

Text

𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞

pairing: joel miller x tess servopoulos

genre: smut, romance, angst, hurt comfort, minors dni

word count: 9.4k

summary: To put it simply, Tess did not want to exist but did so anyway. She stared blankly at everyone and everything. Her mind and heart urged her to make the smart choices. She was quick to eliminate the possibilities that might cause her death. She assessed the weak links of the group. Stayed clear away from them.

Smart choices. She blamed that part of herself for wanting to approach the Millers.

Or alternatively, the story of how Joel and Tess met and how they came to be.

warnings: canon typical violence, suicidal thoughts, mention of past suicide attempt, grief, loneliness, mild spoilers for the HBO show/podcast, timeskips, joel has a bit of a pain kink, piv, marking, biting, hair pulling, dirty talking, oral sex (female receiving), blood, wound cleaning, mention of body hair, dissociating for both

a/n: yes I changed the title from "the seed" to "spitfire" due to a specific scene that wasn't yet written (or even an idea in my brain) when I posted the sneak peek. I've been in love with these two ever since I watched the gameplay and my love only grew with the show. writing this was definitely out of my comfort zone but I enjoyed it and hope you guys will enjoy reading it 💜

Tess was alone. Her loneliness burned through her skin, hallowed out her eyes, and drew deep lines across her face. She was so very tired. Every muscle ached. Even her heart. She didn’t want to cry about it. Early on she figured that the wetness of her eyes meant nothing to this new world. It didn’t gather sympathy. Only made her into a mark. Once she saw her reflection in the water. Before she was made a part of the group. It made her feel sick to her core. Everything was just so meaningless. It didn’t suit her to show that weakness. It wasn’t worth the strain on the muscles of her face or the ache in her heart.

The group found her. There was an issue if she was worth it or not, but thank god for her wits and unyielding tongue, she was made part of it quite quickly. They were heading to Boston.

She didn’t bother with learning their names. They all did despicable things in the name of survival. Horrid things. Things that gave her nightmares and forced her eyes to open at night. She would wake up drenched in sweat, her heart racing as she looked up at the stars. The stars she remembered gazing upon with her family. A husband. A son. All gone. She closed her eyes in a weak attempt to shut down her mind. But of course that didn’t work. It never did. In fact, she was quite sure it did the opposite. Memories would come rushing back. The moment she held him for the first time in her shaking arms. The moment she left him locked inside his room. Condemning him to live out the infection alone.

She could still hear the banging of the door sometimes.

A month later a pair of brothers joined them. Joel and Tommy Miller. Tommy did most of the talking, convincing them that they would be a helpful addition. The other one—the older one, Tess guessed, was not as keen. Clearly joining just to be near his brother. They were quick on the trigger which was enough for them to be included. Tess had no intention of befriending them. Or anyone else for that matter. But Joel. . . she could see some use that could come out of him. She could see a pain similar to hers. Something that ate him from the inside out. His gaze only softened when he thought no one could see, and only when he was staring at his brother. It would usually be something mundane. Either Tommy would be cleaning out his rifle or putting on his shoes. In those times Joel’s eyes became soft, dark grief blurring the lines of the color.

The group dwindled. Most of them died, one by one. Leaving only a handful of them. Tess didn’t know why but she had this insufferable instinct to stay alive. She didn’t understand it. Before the outbreak she never fancied herself being a person who contemplated the meaning of life. She just lived. She had a job, a husband, a cute son. That was meant to be her meaning, wasn’t it? During the night when darkness stretched out and drowned out the shine of the stars, she found herself thinking about it a lot. Tess knew she didn’t want to live. It was suffering. Hell on earth. It was meaningless. Why was she here when so many others weren’t? Tess scoffed when people mentioned divine punishment. It was stupid. She might be a shit person now, and hell, maybe she did deserve to be punished for the things she did and was going to do. But during the brief period when she was wandering alone, she met some good people. Not a lot. However, she would spit in the face of a god who had decided those handful of people should be punished with the rest of them.

To put it simply, Tess did not want to exist but did so anyway. She stared blankly at everyone and everything. Her mind and heart urged her to make the smart choices. She was quick to eliminate the possibilities that might cause her death. She assessed the weak links of the group. Stayed clear away from them.

Smart choices. She blamed that part of herself for wanting to approach the Millers. A simple exchange for her smarts for their muscle. Tess never had this need to group up with anyone specific in their little crew before. No one had really spiked her interest. Neither Tommy nor Joel seemed like the brightest bulbs in the box but, she had to admit, they had a hell of a way to survive. Tess wasn’t strong. Sure, she aimed right and could stab someone in the neck, but those talents didn’t necessarily mean that she was strong where it counted. Granted, her biggest weapon was manipulation. She hardly found regret when she tricked someone. Why should she? Nothing mattered.

She observed the brothers. Joel was a lost cause and Tess was pretty sure the older brother hadn’t uttered a word to any of them since he joined. His hardened gaze was enough to make anyone cower in fear and stay away. Tommy on the other hand. . . he was approachable. Tess could see that whatever had broken Joel hadn’t had the same effect on his brother. Tommy talked to her sometimes. Asked her where she was from, how did she end up with the rest of this messy bunch—his words not her’s. Tess did answer, some part of her hoping that the titbits of her life would reach Joel. In return for the information she gave, she learned about them as well. Not a lot, but little was still something.

One day she gave the brothers her last can of fruit. She had been hiding it for a while and was planning on eating the sweet, albeit out of date, peaches when her period came. She always ached for something sweet during those times. But she had a plan in motion and in the long run, Tess knew that this small, purposeful, act of kindness would do well for her.

She was right. A week later cold had started to settle into the earth, Tommy brought her a jacket. She didn’t ask where it came from. Nor did she comment on why it was still warm. With a thanks touching her lips, she put it on, ignoring the uncomfortable churn of her stomach.

Joel still didn’t talk to her. Tess noticed him staring a lot. During moments when the fire was crackling, heating up their sore bodies, she was allowed to sit closer to them. She didn’t remember the last time she strived to be closer to someone. She was doing it for her own benefit, of course, but still, Tess had forgotten how to approach people without frowning at how ridiculous it felt to talk about the blossoming flowers. Or the weather.

Every day she felt worse without knowing how to make herself feel better. Every day opening her eyes proved to be more of a struggle. She was in purgatory. Destined to repeat the same sad cycle.

Tommy made her feel a little bit better. He talked endlessly, even when words didn’t need to be said. Tess knew the signs men made in order to distract themselves. Tommy was in pain. At least his own version of it. He lived it differently compared to his brother. Joel sulked, kept to himself, locked himself up tight like a stubborn walnut. In this aspect, Tess felt closer to Joel. She was very much the same. Her desire to talk about her feelings was close to none, and in moments she succumbed to that desire, she felt embarrassed the next day. Almost shy. She recognizes it’s a stupid emotion to have in a world on fire, but something she couldn’t help. Her body had a mind of its own, disobeying her in the most crucial moments. An example of this would be her breathing. She was sick and tired of it.

If there was a god, and she was doubtful of the fact, Tess would want the deity to convince her why she should keep going. What was she fighting for? Why was she here? It was foolish to think there was a higher purpose, she knew there wasn’t one. So why was her body keep fighting on her behalf?

She had too many questions, she realized.

No wonder nobody bothered to show up and spill the cosmic beans to her.

Joel wasn’t expecting Tess to join him during his watch. Or maybe he was, he had no idea what the hell his brain was thinkin’ anymore. He’d noticed the looks. Something was stirring and he could sniff trouble comin’ from a mile away, unlike Tommy, who seemed to be too eager in making friends instead of watching his own goddamn back. Joel had met Tess’s gaze approximately once. Her eyes were green and he thought about how much brighter they must’ve been before all hell broke loose. Now it was a muddled color, a shade of green you would find at the bottom of a polluted lake. Joel didn’t remember why he had looked into her eyes. He thought it was because she said something, or maybe it was Tommy that had said something first. He couldn’t tell the days apart. Every moment bled into one another, turning time into one nonsensical blob.

Tess sat across from him, the fading embers made her skin glow a warm orange. The night had begun to grow longer, the day shorter. Luckily, they were getting close to Boston. Joel couldn’t wait to get rid of the nonessentials that surrounded them. Tommy was fast asleep along with the other two people who remained in their crew. Without realizing it, Joel hugged his rifle tighter. Tess’s eyes followed the moment. Her gaze lingered on the rifle for a moment before meeting Joel’s gaze. She didn’t say anything and it made Joel feel awkward. He cleared his throat and spread his legs wider.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, understanding instantly that this exact question was what she was hoping for. She doesn’t smile, but her lips mimic the shape of it.

She answered. “Nope.”

Silence.

Since when was Joel disturbed by silence? Never. Not even when it was absolute strangers he was with. He never felt the awkward nature of it. Silence had become his friend, his confidant. He spoke to it without making a sound. In the dead of night, he would move his lips, talking to it endlessly. He had to. He had to or he would go insane—or maybe he’d already passed the line separating the two. Joel wasn’t sure. The line was a blur.

Now, the silence felt menacing. His skin grew taut, his bones stiff. His mouth dry like sandpaper, he swallows, then again and again. Filling his mouth with saliva only for it to go dry a moment later.

“I’d rather be alone,” he grunted, internally flinching at how loud he sounded. Joel was hoping this would be the end of it. The sentence paired with his glare was an excellent people repellent.

She only shrugged, garnering his greatest weapon useless, “And I’d rather stay.”

Joel didn’t know what to say to that. He found her statement to be utter bullshit. No one wanted to stay with him. He wasn’t blind, he could see that over the months his brother grew uncomfortable around him. Hell, not even himself. Instinctively, he touched the scar on his temple, still fresh, pulsing under the pads of his fingers. If she noticed, she didn’t ask.

It wouldn’t have mattered if she’d did. Joel wouldn’t have answered her.

“I know you’ve been sniffin’ around for information,” he said in a firm tone, leveling her with a stern gaze. He felt his cheeks burning but couldn’t quite understand why. It was a cold night. “I ain’t gonna give you anythin’. This ain’t a get-together. We’ll travel to Boston with our skin still in place, if lucky, and that’ll be it.”

“I agree.”

Joel raised an eyebrow, his fingers tightening around the long muzzle of the rifle. “See you say you understand,” he grunted. “But you’re still sittin’ there, eager for a conversation.”

“I never said I wanted a conversation,” Tess answers, her brows inching closer as she assessed him with a humorful smile. It made him feel stupid. Like she was in on some kind of joke that he wasn’t aware of. “I don’t care about you, Joel.”

He blinked, confusion etching into the growing lines of his face. His lips parted, the air between them tense for multiple reasons. Tess sighed and leaned back as she arched her back, her spine craving from the pressure. She looked like a cat in a sunbeam.

“I don’t care about your brother either,” she confirmed something that Joel already knew. “And if I’m being honest, I don’t really care about myself either but here I am, trying to survive. Get to Boston, hope that FEDRA is better there.”

“It won’t be.”

“Well,” she answered, her voice growing soft along with the green of her eyes, slightly brighter compared to that swamp color. “A girl can always dream.”

Unlike her, Joel did not soften. In fact, he hardened. He moved his jaw, locking it tight. His shoulders stayed firm, and his gaze, devoid of any color, looked directly into her own.

“Was there a reason for you you tellin’ me you don’t give to shit about my brother and I or did I miss it?”

“I’m just keeping everything out in the open,” the light faded in her eyes and Joel relaxed upon seeing it return. “I don’t care about you two, you don’t care about me. So how about we make this trip a useful one for the three of us.”

Joel barked a silent laugh, “Are you suggestin’ we team up?” his smirk stretched from one side to another, it felt like his lips cracked with the unpracticed expression. He bared his teeth to her. Leaned forward, the dying embers warming his neck and reddening his cheeks. “There’s no reason for that. We’re already in a group.”

“They’ll be dead soon. And so will we, if we don’t have each other’s backs.”

“I ain’t trustin’ you,” he answered and Tess seemed to understand. He could see it in her eyes. He shook his head. “Look, you seem smart, but you’re barkin’ up the wrong tree. What do you suggest? That we run away the three of us? If that was somethin’ I wanted I would just run along with Tommy.”

“But he doesn’t want to,” Tess cut in, looking at him between dainty eyelashes. Joel sucked in a breath, his chest expanding uncomfortably. “Isn’t that the whole reason you joined us? Tommy wanted in. Though I’m sure he’s regretting it now. After seeing what we’re capable of as people.”

“He knows what needs to be done,” Joel hissed through clenched teeth. “Don’t pretend you know him. You don’t.”

His anger simmered pleasantly under his skin. He greeted this emotion with open arms, he enjoyed feeling the rage. It made him sharp, made him briefly forget about the world he was a part of. The hot anger made him see nothing but red. After years of building and building, it felt good to be allowed to destroy. He would stare at his hands a lot when no one was looking. He would get scarred either way. Building and destroying. It didn’t matter. With the latter, he’d not often felt regret.

“Is he scared of you, Joel?”

“Excuse me?”

The words struck a cord within him. He couldn’t understand at first. And when he did his simmering anger came to a boiling point. In that moment, he wanted to shoot her. He wouldn’t. Tess was defenseless and it would cause more trouble than his trigger-happy fingers were worth. Besides, he still had somewhat of a conscience, at least when it came to the people who he was semi-in close relations with.

Tess, knowing well that she managed to crawl under Joel’s skin, smiled.

“He’s scared of you,” she repeated, making Joel’s ears burn. “That’s why he doesn’t want to be alone with you. I saw how you two operate, you’re still trying to protect him from it, aren’t you?”

“He’s a veteran,” he croaked. “He doesn’t need my protection.”

“I’m not saying he’s not dangerous, or less violent than you. But when push comes to shove, you gladly take that responsibility away from him.”

“So what if I do?” Joel spat. He had forgotten that he was trying to make this woman go away. Blood rushed to his ears and he heard little when it came to their surroundings. All he could see was Tess. She was looking at him with curiosity and a hint of something else. A familiarity. “He’s the only thing I have left. Hell will freeze over before I lose him too.”

“Too?”

Shit. Joel was in deep. He wanted to shut up but couldn’t, he felt like she could understand him. Even parts of him he couldn’t quite understand yet. But despite that sudden need to share the thought he hadn’t even shared with Tommy, Joel kept his silence. He pressed his lips tightly together.

“I guess that was stupid of me to say. Of course, you lost someone else. We all have,” she met Joel’s glare and slowly got up. She fixed the crumpled part of the jacket Tommy gave her, which Joel felt ridiculous— who cared about being neat? Must’ve been a force of habit—and she turned on her heel.

“I’ll leave you to it. I think I’m going to try and catch a couple of hours before it’s my turn.” she stopped before she disappeared completely. Joel expected her to turn around but she didn’t. “Thanks for the conversation.”

And with that, she left.

“Dammit,” Joel grumbled from underneath his breath. He hadn’t expected the conversation to go as long as it did. He settled back into position, relaxing his muscles and legs. She had asked to team up but left without pressing on the matter. Joel found that to be weird. He also couldn’t deny the fact that he enjoyed the back and forth. Some sick part of him liked the challenge, it almost felt like dancing, which he wasn’t half bad at before the outbreak.

He let out a sigh and touched his scar again. He didn’t trust himself or his thought process anymore. He especially didn’t trust his hands. They had betrayed him once, who was to say that they wouldn’t betray him again? Joel didn’t want to be here. He went on for family, something he often said to Tommy, his only family late. But if he was going to be honest, he would rather make the shot than be here. Surviving. Alone. His only purpose in life taken from him.

Joel would never see Sarah. He would never hear her laughter or watch her grow old.

He would never get to see her graduate.

He would never get to walk her down the aisle.

She was gone, forever. And that notion was still unfamiliar to him. He couldn’t believe it, he doubted he ever could believe it. His guilt really came streaming in when he found himself glad that Sarah couldn’t see all of this. She didn’t see the runners, the clickers. She didn’t witness humanity turning on itself. She didn’t see what Joel had become. And god knows he would’ve been so much worse if she were alive. He would’ve done everything to keep her alive and well, not a soul he would topple over for the sake of her.

So, he didn’t want Sarah to be here with him. No. Even if it was painful to admit, he didn’t want her to see all this. He didn’t want her to live through this hell.

Joel wished he had the strength to join her instead.

“One day,” he promises her, whispering into the silence as he often did. “We’ll be together, baby girl. I’m sorry, your dad is a coward.”

Tess burrowed into her jacket. Her neck felt cold, and her fingers numb. She stared at Joel’s back from where she was crouching at. Finally, they had managed to drag their asses to a city and after waiting around for an hour or so they spotted a group heading their way. They had a decent-looking car and were too cheerful to not have the supplies that they needed to make the last walk to Boston. She watched as Tommy stumbled forward, clenching his stomach and heading to the middle of the road. She hated this part. No matter what anyone thought of her, she did not enjoy taking advantage of the naivety of people. Just because she used weaknesses to her advantage often, didn’t mean she enjoyed it.

However, she did notice a growing blood lust in her. She didn’t like the tricking, but she sure as hell enjoyed the fighting. Tess never dubbed herself a violent person. At least not before, but somehow, after months, she found it as a decent enough release. There were no drinks on the road, only the sweet satisfaction when her bullet met its mark.

The car screeched to a halt. A man came out, looking with worry but also suspicion. Tess’s gaze moved from Tommy to Joel. He was tense, thick fingers ready to take aim if anything would happen to his brother. The man leaned forward, asking if Tommy was alright. He was. Before the man could react, Tommy’s fist collided with his chin. The stranger stumbled forward, two other men came stumbling out of the car. Joel shot one in the left without hesitation. He came out of hiding and so did Tess. She always had Joel’s back. At first, she thought she did this because she needed Joel. After a while, she noticed this wasn’t quite the case. It was a month to a flame kind of situation. She wanted to be near him. She wanted to be the one to take down anyone who thought they could harm them.

Them being her, Joel, and Tommy.

Joel didn’t like wasting bullets. He took out his knife and plunged it into someone’s neck. The sound should’ve horrified her, but she just felt a sick thrill rushing up her spine. This was the world they lived in now. One born out of violence.

The three men fell and immediately their crew started raiding the vehicle. Just like Tess suspected, the car was in good shape, they could’ve used it. Tess felt Joel’s presence right next to her, his broad shoulder brushing against hers. Joel and Tommy made a habit of checking in with Tess to ask what they needed most. Even if Joel had said no to the team-up, they had become one, without knowing. While the other two looked in the trunk, Joel leaned into Tess’s ear, his hot breath fanning her dirt-ridden skin. It felt oddly nice.

“This car won’t hold the five of us,” he said in a hushed tone. “Let’s ditch’em.”

“Look at you finally warming up to me,” she teased, the corners of her lips twitching. Joel frowned but still, she could see a tenderness in his charcoal eyes. “Do you have a plan?”

“I mean, isn’t it obvious?” he shifted uncomfortably, pulling the rifle to his front. Tess’s gaze dropped to the weapon briefly, her eyes immediately shooting back up to meet his. She didn’t need him to spill it out. Tess knew exactly what he meant, and honestly, he didn’t mind the straightforward plan. They would’ve done the same—this was something Tess repeated herself constantly, she believed it.

“What about Tommy?” Tess asked, unlike Joel and her, Tommy knew their names. She didn’t think he cared about them but still, despite all they’d done, the younger Miller still had a weird code that he tended to follow.

“He’ll understand.”

Everyone had their mantras they tended to repeat. Even if they didn’t quite believe it. Saying they would’ve done the same, was Tess’s, and saying he’ll understand was Joel’s. Maybe Tommy did understand, Tess never bothered to ask or check-in.

Her sole focus was getting the three of them to Boston alive. Honestly, she didn’t know a bigger thing in this world to show that she cared. They’d grown close in odd ways. Tess would throw over them a blanket or jacket when their teeth clattered at night. She found this to be peaceful, her soul easing just a bit at the familiarity of the action. And when they were on the road, the brother began to cage her in, having her in the middle. Tess hated hiking. She always fucking tripped. They caught her, every time. Their conversation skills lacked, someone would eventually strike a nerve but Tess knew over time, that would grow strong as well.

Funnily enough, they didn’t kill them. When Tommy got a sense of what was happening, he guarded Joel’s back. Family came first after all. Joel beat them, knocked them out, and left them bloody and whimpering. Tess watched with fascination. He had so much rage. She should’ve been used to it but she wasn’t. Every time he heard a bone crack, her breath hitched. Joel had something else driving him, that was her only explanation. His gaze would become dazed and he would bare his teeth like a wild animal. She often saw that Joel wouldn’t hear no one in this state, only on rare occasions he would hear Tommy.

The man was consumed by violence. He drowned in it. Yet she knew he longed for something else. Something similar that Tess longed for as well. Neither of the brothers told her but she knew. No one could hide the pain of losing a child. And he knew she showed it as well. Hiding that kind of pain was unbearable, unthinkable. In some sense, she was happy that she showed it. It meant that he was with her, always. Be it good or bad.

When the beating stopped, one still remained conscious. His faze was swollen, crimson blood pouring from his mouth. Joel took a fistful of his hair and pulled his head back so their former crew member could look into his eyes. She wondered what they saw. Would she ever be the end of that gaze? She figured that wouldn’t be the worst way to go.

“You’re goin’ to forget about us?” Joel growled. “Understand?”

The man whimpered something similar to a fuck you but Tess couldn’t quite tell. Joel snarled and his fist whirred through the air, landing the finishing blow.

When the three entered the car, Tess could see the small movements of their chests. Barely there. The concrete they were laying on stained with red.

They weren’t good people.

And she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

Boston QZ was most certainly better than Detroit. At least for the time being. It was still shit, but Tess felt that she could breathe better here. Fedra was easier to persuade with goods. Goods that she had no trouble getting her hands on, thanks to the Millers. They worked subtly at first, learning the routes and making “friends” among the smugglers that already had their respective spots and partners.

Tommy and Joel stayed together while Tess stayed alone in the apartment opposite from them. Sometimes she would look through the dusty windows, stealing brief glances at Joel and Tommy. They sat on the couch a lot. Talked a lot. During nights when Tess woke up drenched in sweat and her heart ramming in her chest, she found solace in seeing a dim light pouring through their window. It made her feel less alone.

After a week, she noticed a blue butterfly on their window. One time she felt brave enough to ask about it. She was already in their apartment so it felt like the perfect moment.

“What’s with the butterfly?”

Joel’s eyes slowly moved to the delicate decoration, his gaze lingered. “Apparently Tommy took it from Sarah’s room. He kept it all this time and thought it would be good to finally hand it.” he sounded almost wistful.

That was the first time Joel mentioned Sarah to Tess. She found herself speechless and didn’t say a word. A warmth she had forgotten blossomed in her chest and spread through her body like wildfire. Her ears started to ring, her heart started beating too fast. The warmth she felt turned into something sickly hot, so hot that she had trouble breathing. She thought herself to be spiraling. Her eyes couldn’t focus and her breath came out in harsh pants. Joel’s presence loomed near her. Just his presence without any physical touch. He slightly leaned forward, ready to place his large hands on the span of her back if she needed it. She swallowed, refusing to ask for the comfort.

It wasn’t the fact that she was touched by Joel’s non-existent confession that he had lost his daughter. It was the fact that she was right and this man shared the same pain as she did. Her mind went back in time, images blurring into a sickly dark color until it stopped on a certain September night. She’d skipped dinner, running late that night. When she arrived home she saw the empty plates and a portion left out for her, pasta with a pre-made marinara sauce. Without touching it, she looked around, finding their home to be uncharacteristically silent. Tess didn’t know what possessed her to do it, but she took a knife with her as she entered the living room—

“Tess,” Joel called, his voice dropping an octave. Still not touching her. “Tess, are you alright?”

“I,” she shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Tess knew how to influence Joel. It wasn’t the same with Tommy, the younger Miller was more eager to believe in everything and anything. Joel was easier. He didn’t want to think, he didn’t want to plan, which made it easier for Tess because she always had a plan. Responsibility weighed heavily on Joel’s shoulders and he wanted nothing more than to give that away.

But sometimes Tess forgot that Joel read her just as easily.

She felt his palm resting between her shoulder blades. She let out a breath then. His hand eased the tension of her back, moving up and down and back up again. Her shoulders dropped and so did her head. Joel continued to do this until her breathing returned to normal and she found her voice again. Never would she thought that the same hands that destroyed so easily could be her sense of comfort.

“Thanks,” she croaked out, her voice shaky.

“You’re good,” he answered. His hand had stopped moving but still laid heavily over her back. “I had the same—if not worse— reaction when Tommy showed me the butterfly. I was furious. . . this thing that we feel, it ain’t ever gonna get easy.”

Her resolve started to crack. She imagined her blood pouring through the gaps like thick tar. That’s how it felt and it hurt as much. Still, it fucking hurt. She would never heal from this, she would never have that hope again. At least that was what she believe back then, before a girl showed up saying that she was immune.

Tess sucked in a sharp breath through the gaps of her teeth. Her eyes were wet. She struggled to keep it all in, a knot big as her fist clogging her throat.

The curve of Joel’s nose pressed against the side of her cheek. His eyes were closed. Two hands came to her sides and skimmed down her forearms. His hot breath fanned her cheek and she felt his lips. They were chapped and rough against her tender flesh. He didn’t kiss her, but he might as well have.

“His name was Jason,” she choked and her nostrils flared. It was unbearable. The way she felt. She just wanted all of it to stop; her shivering, her tears, her thoughts, her flood of memories. But it didn’t.

Tess didn’t remember much after that. She didn’t fall or collapse, she didn’t sob loudly with parted lips. She cried silently, exhaling sharp pants. The streaks burned her face. Her bottom lips quivered. Sometimes during that, Joel had pulled her towards the couch she so often saw through her own window. His arm never left her shoulder and occasionally he brushed his knuckles over the shimmering wetness that glided down her face.

It was nice and unexpected. Somewhere along the journey, Tess managed to gain more than she had hoped for. She was looking for a soldier. Someone who would be use of her physically. Fighting the battles she could not when her wits weren’t enough. Joel proved to be more than what she thought of him. She gained so much more.

She gained a friend. Someone who understood her. And honestly, what more could you ask during the end of times?

You keep going for family. This was another thing Joel said in moments of vulnerability. A reminder of sorts.

It was raining when Tommy left him, it was raining still. Tess’s boots smacked heavily against the wet pavement. She had heard the rumors before confirming it from Joel himself. Tommy had joined those nutcases called the fireflies. The younger Miller had left them both. Some part of her didn’t want to believe it. She had seen the signs of it but it was still hard to believe Tommy would actually leave Joel. Despite their differences, they were strong together, and in a world like this, that was something you wouldn’t want to give up.

The fireflies must’ve brainwashed him. Tess could see no other way.

The door was already open when she got there and it creaked after she entered and closed it. Joel was sitting on the couch, his legs parted and hands cradling his face. He didn’t make a noise as Tess approached him. She knelt in front of him, curling her fingers around his wrists. They barely closed around the bone.

“He left,” he said. “He fuckin’ left to save the goddamn world. Again.”

Tess clicked her tongue, a soft smile gracing her countenance. She slowly shook her head, “They never learn.”

Joel sighed and pulled his hands away from his face. His arms dropped to his knees along with Tess’s hands. He just stared at her. His gaze unfocused like he wasn’t there.

“He’s gonna get himself killed,” Joel bristled. Only then Tess noticed his hoarse voice, as if he’d been shouting for a good ten hours. Her fingers twitched above his forearms, she did a brief scan. She took in the sight of a broken chair, the shattered glass on the floor. It must’ve been one hell of a fight. “He promised to let me know what he’s up to thanks to the radio. Every Sunday he said. Like that makes this situation any goddamn better.”

Her gaze moved back to Joel. In the dark of the living room, she had failed to notice the dark circle slowly forming around his eyes. Lighting struck and she saw it more clearly. The sudden burst of light gave him a menacing look. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, a soft gasp parting her lips. Goosebumps pebbled over her skin so fast that it stung.

“He’ll be fine,” Tess said, her words empty to her own ears.

“You don’t know that.”

“I don’t,” she agreed. “But I know that Tommy is capable, he’ll find his way. Eventually.”

“I did this,” Joel said suddenly, ignoring her words that was meant to comfort him. “I keep saying he understands what needs to be done. I can’t help it. I still see him as that hopeful kid before that moron shipped himself off to war. Somethin’ died in him Tess. I don’t know what’ll happen to him if the last bit of his goodness also dies. He’s not like us. Hope feeds him.”

Not like us.

So Joel had noticed it too. That there was more to them than common losses and the way that they dealt with it. Joel saw her as bit of destructive as he was, only in different ways. Tess was surprised to see that this notion didn’t bother her. It was more like a relief. A brush of soft waves burying her feet into the sand. She didn’t want to act or pretend to be something that she wasn’t. She wasn’t kind, she wasn’t good. Joel saw that. He saw parts of him in her that allowed him to confess things he probably didn’t even confess to his brother. Joel always saw Tommy as light and himself as darkness. Tess could argue that Tommy’s “light” wasn’t exactly something good or useful. She found it more to be a defense mechanism for tricking himself that this world had more to offer—but she’s rather cut her tongue off than say that to Joel. He had enough going on in that thick skull of his.

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” Tess answered, watching as Joel furrowed his brows. “Fireflies are nothing but hopeful idiots believing that things might change.”

“I don’t want him to live in a delusion.”

“Then let him see what the world is for himself. You’ve done enough. You can’t shield him forever.”

His pupils ate away the color of his eyes that was already dark to begin with. Tess held his breath while his gaze searched for something, flitting over every surface of her face. Something shifted in the air. Tess could feel it needling into her skin, her heart heavy with a desire she had completely forgotten about. Her skin prickled and her fingers twitched.

Joel breathed heavily, not moving an inch. His eyes dropped to her lips and she could see the hints of confusion burrowing into his rugged features. Tess wasn’t known for her patience. Especially not now. She closed the distance, crashing their lips together, devouring the mourning man hungrily. Joel leaned closer and his legs spread futher, allowing Tess to inch closer to the gaps of his body.

She slipped her tongue between his lips and he threaded his fingers into her hair. He tasted like moonshine and the artificial, bitter taste of pills. She felt blunt nails against her scalp, burying themselves into the dry skin. Joel pulled and she went, baring her neck. He tugged on her locks harder, pressed his lips against her neck. She felt teeth and tongue. Joel bit into her, again and again, marking her, pouring his need to possess and keep those he cared for close to him.

Tess returned the gesture in kind. Her hands went up the flannel of his shirt and she dragged her nails down his back. She heard him hissing into her skin. She keened at the sound, demanded more of it. When she did it again, Joel groaned. He dragged his lips up her neck and all the way up to her temple where he breathed heavily.

“Harder,” he rasped, his own fingers making their presence known by pulling at the roots of her hair. “Make me feel it, Tess.”

His Texan drawl had become deeper with pleasure and pain. Tess bit his bottom lip and pulled as she slowly got up. She shrugged off her jacket and plaid, kicked away his jeans and boots. She wanted to feel him as well. She wanted to feel the rough drag of the worn fabric of his jeans, wanted to feel his hands on her bare skin. Joel’s gaze was all-consuming, devouring. Tess straddled his lap, the ache in her thighs growing as she accommodate the width of his hips. Joel wanted no time spreading his fingers over the expanse of her back, feeling the small scars that lingered there.

She was braless and Tess knew he liked the fact that she was. Her nipples pebbled with the cold of the room, the dampness of rain seeping through the walls easily. Joel wasted no time taking the peaked flesh between his lips. His hands cupped her waist and her head fell back at how harshly he sucked. Her back arched, pushing more of herself between those sinful lips. He swirled his tongue, nipped the aching flesh. Arousal pooled between her legs and Tess felt the fabric sticking to her folds, making her shift over his lap.

Tess could feel how hard Joel was through his jeans. She rolled her hips, both of them moaning at the sudden jolt of pleasure rolling over their heated skin.

She gripped his hair and yanked his head back, a groan vibrating through his chest. Tess kissed him hard, he sucked her tongue and in return, Tess grinned and bit him. He hissed into her open mouth. “Do you feel it now, Joel?”

“Shit—I do,” he guided the sloppy roll of her hips, his hand dropped between her legs, thumb grazing over her throbbing clit. “Can’t wait to bury myself deep in this sweet pussy, spitfire. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Me fuckin’ you hard so you can’t think anythin’ else.”

He’d called her spitfire, she hadn’t expected herself to enjoy that as much as she did. That nickname would be reserved for when it was just the two of them.

“That would be ideal, yes,” she purred, cradling Joel’s face, she pulled up his gaze. “Hopefully you’re not just all talk and no bite.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. I’m plenty of bite.”

Much to her surprise, Joel smirked, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip. She couldn’t help herself and pressed her thumb against the shiny swell of it. He kissed her thumb then cupped her ass, urging her to lift herself on her knees. Tess did exactly that, hovering in the air as Joel unzipped and pulled himself out of the confinements of his jeans. Some part of her wanted to strip him, see him bare, and connect every scar with the drag of her tongue. However, at this given moment, she felt dazed, as if everything that was happening around her was buried under a sheer patch of smoke. There was a tremor to her thighs. Joel’s hands slowly gripped her thighs, kneading the muscle.

“You sure ‘bout this?” he groaned, the slick sound of him fucking his fist deafening. She clenched around nothing, arousal dripping down the inside of her thighs.

“Yeah,” Tess gasped.“I want this.”

She took him inch by inch, a hint of plain blossoming between her legs as Joel stretched her wide. Tess didn’t remember the last time she had sex. She forgot about the importance of preparation. The thoughts of want and need were too consuming. Besides, it wasn’t important. Tess knew that the pain would soon turn into something pleasurable. Her walls fluttered and squeezes around him, trying to adjust to his size. Her nostrils flared and Joel pressed his lips into her chest, peppering the delicate skin.

When she was fully seated, he dragged his palms across her back and then slid his hands to the front of her body. He squeezed her breasts and brushed his thumbs over her nipples. Every part of it felt incredibly good. Having him buried so deep made her feel alive in a way that she had forgotten.

“How does it feel?” he asked in a hushed tone, the tip of his nose cold as it brushed against her clavicle. His thumb dug into her hip bone.

“Shit, Joel. You’re seriously packing, I never would’ve thought,” a puff of laughter parted her lips. “But to answer your question—yeah, it feels fucking good.”

Joel groaned, flexing his cock. Tess shuddered, a gush of arousal wetting them both. One hand slid up to rest between her shoulder blades while the other followed the curve of her behind. “Tell me if. . .” he swallowed. “Tell me if anythin’ feels not-good, a’right?”

His voice was soft, the way he spoke slow. And he was so incredibly awkward. It was endearing. Her nails bit into his broad shoulders, her body relaxing in a way it hadn’t ever since the infection spread.

“Alright.”

The rain grew louder, drowning out their moans.

Pleasure rolled over her again and again. Like everything, they connected in this aspect of their lives as well. Their bodies were in complete harmony and in constant movement. Tess would push herself up with the guidance of his arms and Joel would snap into her. The pacing of his hips was hard and fast, with every stroke Tess could feel her lungs emptying and burning. The fabric of his jeans scraped against the delicate skin of the back of her thighs.

Joel’s rage seeped into her with every thrust, she could feel it. The grief, the pain, the betrayal. She allowed him to use her. The relief wouldn’t last but it was better than nothing—and it also allowed her a moment of a blank slate that made her see stars. His movement became rough, his feet planted against the hardwood floors, he fucked her nice and deep. Just like she wanted. Tess could think of nothing else. Only the way his big cock split her into two and how she wanted this to be the only thing she felt until she died.

Her orgasm shattered through her, black dots hovering across her vision, she pulled Joel close. He happily buried his face into her, facial hair tickling her skin, his velvet tongue poking out between his lips to taste the salt. She shivered, her entire body contorting with the strangle of pleasure. Briefly, she couldn’t breathe. Everything felt too much, too sudden. Joel pushed her down, burying himself deeper as he slightly raised his hips off the couch to fill her more, if possible. He groaned at the way her walls fluttered, how it threatened to squeeze him dry. His hand slid back to the back of her neck and harshly forced her to lean in for a searing kiss.

When the tremors of her body subsided, Joel pulled out. His cock jutted dark between his legs and leaked for her. She felt him against her stomach, wet and warm, as he jerked himself with sloppy, urgent strokes. He inhaled a sharp breath. Hissed between clenched teeth when he came, hot ropes of come splashing over the soft swell of her stomach. A shudder crawled down her spine, a whimper parting her lips.

Joel took deep breaths of her scent, groaned into her. His cock continued to throb against his palm, the tremors of his orgasm still raking across his body. Every muscle clenched and taut by the force of it.

“Fuck,” Tess huffed, loudly. Her lips moved over Joel’s forehead, the tension that drew lines into his face momentarily gone. “You were right, you definitely have a bite, Miller.”

“Fuckin’ told you.”

Tess couldn’t see his face but she knew he was smiling.

Joel saw red.

His fists ached, his breathing was uneven, shudders rolling throughout his body over and over again. Blood dripped to the floors of their shared apartment. His knuckles were split and when his gaze dropped to his hands, he moved them, hissing at the blossoming pain. Tess wearily sat on the dusty couch, her body looking like a ragdoll. The jacket Tommy had gifted her all those months ago was tattered and she had a swollen lip.

Joel saw read when he saw Tess laying on the cold concrete, a group of men huddled around her, kicking her to the curb.

He didn’t even remember pulling out his knife. Didn’t remember pulling out his gun. It was late. He’s gone out to look after her when she didn’t return when she said she would. It was supposed to be as simple drop-off, which is why Tess had insisted Joel stay behind. Looking over her, Joel promised himself to never stay behind again. He fucking knew something would go wrong and he was right.

He was so tired of always being fuckin’ right.

Joel wasn’t sure how much of it Tess saw or heard. He killed them all and didn’t stop when they dropped down one by one, rage blinded him, consumed him. The wretched feeling only disappeared when he heard Tess groan, a faint whisper of his name following. He dropped the man he held by the collar—maybe calling him corpse would be more fitting than man? Joel was fairly certain he was already dead— he scooped Tess up from the ground and carried her to their shared apartment, carefully so that FEDRA wouldn’t spot them.

Somewhere between the months, Tess moved in—though could it really be called moving in when you owned nothing?

“Well, I feel like shit,” Tess groaned, her voice hoarse and scratchy. She could barely open her eyes. She held her head, wincing at the pain. “Those little shits didn’t want to pay up. Fuckin’ new meat is always the worse.”

“Forget about that now,” Joel answered. He moved closer, the chair scraping along the floors. He had a bit of antiseptic left, the last of their batch, and poured some over a dirty cloth. “This is gonna sting.”

“Just get it over with.”

She didn’t say much after that but Joel could tell that it did, in fact, sting. He wiped away the blood from her face, gently cupping her bruised jaw. When he was satisfied he’s clean every wound, he threw the cloth stained with red to the floor and brushed a strand of dirty hair behind her ear. Tess leaned into the touch. It was subtle, but when Joel felt it he allowed his hand to linger.

“We should get you washed up,” he muttered.

Tess snorted and shook her head, “Are you kidding me? The water is freezing cold. There’s no way in hell I’m gonna take a shower at this hour.” when Joel raised both brows she added. “I slept dirtier.”

“I’ll join you,” he said, running his hand up her thigh. He swallowed, it was true Tess slept dirtier, but he didn’t think he could handle seeing her like that any more than he had to. And the scent of blood was making his stomach churn. “Please.”

Tess observed him for a moment. She often did this whenever Joel uttered the word ‘please’. It wasn’t something that he often said, which he did on purpose so the word could carry some weight. It became like a code among them, making the other realize that the other was serious about what they needed.

She sighed, “Fine. Be grateful you’re basically a radiator with legs.”

Joel didn’t have it in himself to smile at the playful quip.

He carefully led Tess to the bathroom, supporting her as they entered the small, dimly lit space. They stripped each other slowly. She unbuttoned his plaid shirt as he pushed her ripped jacket off of her shoulders. Between every article of clothing that was removed, they pressed their lips over every newly exposed skin.

Tess stood under the water, her bruised and battered body tense with pain. The water cascaded down her, mixing with the dirt and blood that stained her skin. Joel watched her silently with his brows furrowed. That rage was swirling in his stomach once more, and he regretted that he finished them off so quickly. His protectiveness a poison both to him and to those around them. If they lived in the world before, this would have became a problem, but not now. Now people ached to be protected, they ached to be taken care of. No matter how much they refused.

Joel stepped into the shower behind her, allowing the water to drench them both. His arms encircled her, pulling her close, their bodies pressed together. The shock of the cold water against their skin was momentary as Joel’s body heat was enough to warm her chilled skin. Tess leaned into him, her curves brushing his semi-hard cock. He ignored it.

Joel’s hands moved with deliberate care, tracing the outline of her body, avoiding the tender spots that were still sore. He focused on each wound, gently cleansing them and removing any debris. Tess winced occasionally but remained silent. The water rinsed away the remnants of their harrowing experience, carrying them down the drain as if washing away the past. Joel knew he would be doing this many times after this, and she would be doing the same for him.

Against the numbing cold, Joel’s fingers carried warmth. She let out a sigh and allowed her head to fall back over his shoulder. They only had water to clean her. No soap. They’d used up their last bar a week before and forgot about replacing it. He cupped her breasts, gently lifting them to allow the water to cleanse everywhere. Tess hissed at the cold, her nipples pebbling.

Satisfied that she was cleansed of the caked blood, Joel’s hand slid between her legs, middled finger sliding between her tender folds. The digit was suddenly enveloped in a searing heat that made him groan. He dragged his teeth up her neck and tugged her earlobe.

“My spitfire,” he said, the nickname bleeding over his tongue. Saying it made him feel uneasy, but it was too late now. Tess didn’t answer her other than let out a soft gasp.

He wanted to say more. And he knew Tess wanted to say more as well. But neither said anything. Unsaid confessions running along their bodies and being drained into the sink just like the water that made them short of breath. He’d hoped what he said was enough to convey. He couldn’t do more than that. Even that was too much to say in a cruel world such as this one.

He turned off the faucet, and the rush of cold water ceased. He reached for a threadbare towel, enfolding her in its embrace, absorbing the moisture clinging to her skin.

Their eyes met, speaking volumes without the need for words.

Joel lead her to their bed and sprawled her over the sheets, the cold drops seeping into the fabric. He rarely stood naked in the apartment, both of them were careful to keep clothed nearby. But in this situation, when both of them were wet and cold, it seemed dumb to stop and put their clothes back on. Tess spread her legs for him. His cock stood dark between his legs, hunger twisting in his stomach. She had a pretty cunt. The soft curls a shade lighter compared to her hair, he sat on his knees, spread his hand over her sex, felt them underneath his fingers.

“I don’t want you goin’ on your own anymore,” he stated. “I don’t care how ‘easy’ the job seems. You ain’t goin’ alone, understood?”

He knew she understood but waited for the nod of her head anyway. And when she did, Joel gripped her thighs and lifted them, allowing her legs to rest upon his shoulders. He dipped in, hungry for a taste. Slowly, he kissed her folds, diving his tongue in between, groaning as she coated his tongue.

“Shit—Fuck—Joel, that feels so good, god.”

Feeling her pulse around him oddly enough, made him feel relieved. Joel sucked her clit between his lips and swirled his tongue over the sensitive nub. Tess arched into him, her hands laced in his dripping hair, she pulled him closer. With a groan, he traced the rip of his tongue around her entrance and pushed the soft muscle in. He fucked her with his tongue, licking into her with rapid strokes. His own need ached between his legs, it was easy to ignore when he felt her fluttering around him. Joel parted her with both thumbs and buried himself deeper. Tess cried out his name, the neediness of it making him smile.

He hummed loudly, the reverberations from the sound made her thighs tighten around the frame of his face. It didn’t take her long to come undone with his mouth. Her back arched, and Joel moaned as her nails bit into his scalp. Her body convulsed and with a moan, she gushed around his tongue, whispering his name over and over as if it was a prayer.

Joel continued to work his jaw, sloppily dragging his tongue down her soaked folds. He loved these moments. Her body would become loose and pliant, seeing her like that made him feel almost glad. Tess tugged on his hair, prompting him to look up. She smiled down at him and dragged her thumb across his shiny lips.

“Your turn, Miller.”

I still can't believe this reached 9k words, it my head it was supposed to be 5k lmaodvf if you reached this far, thank you so much for reading! writing in third person isn't really my strong suit but I hope this was okay!

sending everyone all the love and hugs xx

#joel miller x tess servopoulos #joel x tess #hbo the last of us fanfiction #the last of us fanfic #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us hbo #pedro pascal character fanfiction #pedro pascal character fanfic #pedro pascal characters

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mischiefmanaged71 · 2 years ago

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Let’s Fall In Love For The Night - (10/10)

Summary: Being the eldest daughter of a Duke and Duchess means that Lady Y/N has been prepared for society; to fulfil her duties as the next heir to her family name and estate. However, she dreams of so much more than that, particularly, finding someone she truly loves rather than a political match. Intrigue sparks an idea with the introduction of Tom Bennett, a soldier she meets on a Press tour - forming a new relationship that could either make or break her apart should things turn against her favour.

Pairing: Tom Bennett x fem! reader

After all that time, it was finally their turn to rest. Without a moment of questioning the hour. Returning to an empty room, alone. Nor a lengthy journey across cities. It wasn’t a question of time spent apart causing their feelings to depart. Or a matter of wondering whether they were okay. If they were alive. Now, they could exist in each other’s arms with the knowledge they were together.

That they were alive and here with one another. More than simply existing, but holding onto a promise. Despite the work of fate and time, Tom was able to come back home to her, even if for a short time.

They sat there against the bedrest in the shared bedroom. Lois had left that morning to allow them some semblance of privacy so they could talk. She rest against her head on him, a hand on his chest to feel the thump of his heart. He broke the silence with a soft whisper.

“Were you worried about me?”

She peered up at him. “Since the moment you left.”

Tom blinked, hoping to reassure her. “I’m alright, love.”

Tears glistened in her eyes as she spoke, “I always think about you--worrying if you’re okay.”

“I worry about you too.” he murmured, caressing her arm. “It hurt. Having to leave.”

It was after weeks of no news and hearing his ship was attacked that almost sent her into a down-spiral. The only comfort was in being in his arms where he could remind her of the steadiness of his heart. She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. “I spoke with my parents.”

Tom fell silent, listening to her. She explained how her father apologised for his actions and how he was eager to rectify it. Y/N hoped that meant they were moving to accept them; their relationship. She saw they were willing to become better. To see how their daughter felt for him and accept him.

“It’s you.” she confessed. “Its always been you.” Not that they hadn’t spoken similar words to each other before. This was a necessary step to branch the gap. The hurt that had come from the space between them.

Tom softened at her words, blinking at her. He had waited a long time to hear those words. To satisfy that part that they were meant for each other. He wanted to reassure her, but they promised to be honest with each other--even if the truth would hurt. Nonetheless, he couldn’t look in her eyes when the hurt followed.

“Dad says I have to go back.” his lips formed a tight line, restraining from trembling. “They won’t take me.” speaking of the pacifists.

He didn’t want to return to the bloodshed and death on those ships. It could very well be one of the last things he did if he returned. Tom didn’t have much of a choice in it all, otherwise the repercussions of deserting were the alternate. His eyes glossed over with tears but a hand caressed his cheek, ebbing the strain from his temples away.

“Then I’ll wait for you.” she said. Tom peered down at her from his perched arm with surprise lighting his eyes.

“I don’t know how long I’ll gone this time.” his eyes searched her face.

She shook her head, despite the pain in her chest. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I-I...” he breathed, a hint of something else in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. Fear, as he hesitated. “I’m afraid this time. What if-”

“-Don’t.” her voice strained. “Don’t say that.”

He sighed, tilting his head. “Nothing is certain.”

She gripped his hand. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Even after this?” he whispered. “Even knowing how much it hurts.

“For you, I would.” she blinked away at the tears in her eyes. “There’s no one else for me, except you. I don’t care how long I have to wait, as long as you come back to me, Tom.”

The tender moment filtered into a silence that was only filled by the singing of their hearts. The calm serenity of the rain pattering the background, the warmth of his body against her’s.

Tom unclenched his jaw, nodding. “I will. I’ll come back to you.”

“You promise?” she asked, holding onto his words as he leaned closer, tugging her at the waist.

“Promise.” he replied, melding his lips against her’s.

***

The reel winds, the shuttering sound flickering off before it settles and the pictures begin to move. The clusters of white, black and grey settle and melded into the frame. The camera shook slightly before settling on a far off image. Its was a vast landscape revealing the ocean and the beach.

The camera turned and focused on a figure in the distance, standing in the water along the shoreline. The woman’s hair fluttered in the wind, her skirt billowing around her as she holds the ends above her shins to save from the water. She glanced around before settling on the camera, a great smile growing on her lips. A knowing look in her eyes as she leaves it behind, walking over to the person holding the camera.

“Hello gorgeous.” Tom voiced. His words cause her face to flush. “No! Don’t run away.”

A smile lit her face as she batted away his hands, reaching for the camera to flip it around. “Here we are today. We decided on a walk about. What time is it?”

“Around half past four.” Tom replied, the slightest upturn of his lips as he glanced to look at his surroundings. “Not anyone in sight. Just us.”

“Just how I like it.” Y/N said, a giggle bubbling from her chest. “This is my favourite place.”

“I thought you’re favourite place was with the horses.” he retorted.

“No. My favourite place is where you are.” she replied, catching the way his eyes lit up in realisation, the slightest flush to his cheeks. That great smile she loved arrived and she chuckled. “Now who’s blushing?”

Tom’s hand darted out to grab the camera, the sound of her laughter bubbling through the sound feed. He pulled it, resting it down to lean against something on the sand a far bit from them. Y/N settled on a blanket, Tom’s feet carrying him to sit next to her.

He pulled her into his chest, the woman resting there comfortably. The wind gently blew her hair around, Tom’s brushing against his forehead. It was a silent moment, save for the words that couldn’t be picked up between the lovers. The words they murmured to each other in the quiet especially meant for them and no one else. As they made promises to each other and held onto them, pledging to keep them even when the odds seemed stacked high.

He had brushed the hair from her face, cupping her jaw as he looked down at her. She looked up as he leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead. And she rested against his chest, allowing herself to rest in the safety of his arms. To memorise these soft parts of him meant entirely for her, until the next moment they join hands.

TAGS

@pearlstiare @chainsawsangel @aemonds-sapphire @xcharlottemikaelsonx @padfooteyes @batsyforyou @yentroucnagol @cl-0-vr @viviartsy @h3k3t @arcana-greenleaf @yummycastiel @lauraneedstochill @rntrsna @schniiipsel @caribbeangal @ccosmic-illusion @aemonds-wifey @sahanna

#tom bennett x reader #tom bennett #world on fire #aemond #aemond x reader #ewan mitchell #tom bennett x you #crown au

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ropebunnykant · 1 year ago

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thank you for validating my choices (would love to see yours if you're up for it btw). i was also thinking about MilkTu as TopMew, i think that would work

and btw you need to watch P.S. i hate you at some point for the stellar female cast if nothing else (Mond and Papang are there too if that helps hfjk), @antania convince liz to watch it <3

i doubt i could top your choices because honestly your casting is perfect. i do love the idea of milktu as topmew too tho! and also i think love would make a great mew alternative too - not for branded pair reasons but because love plays "sweet and innocent but secretly manipulative" SO WELL as we saw in home school, so i loooove the idea of her doing it again. but i can't top (haha get it) milk as top!! she's perfect for the role, i can't imagine anyone else fitting more perfectly.

if i were recasting and couldn't use your other options, though, i would loooove to see pringkhing as nick. she does sweet but psycho so well! i could also see piploy as a great nick as well. and for boston, while i love the choice of jamie being her, i think janhae would also fucking kick ass in a boston-style role. i would support all of her gay wrongs. neither of those are for pairing reasons but seeing as neomark was an experiment, i see no reason not to experiment with them here shdfskjf

sandray is a bit harder because i think aside from you casting them perfectly, ray in particular is suuuuch a hard role to cast because he's an incredibly difficult character to play (bless khaotung holy shit). that being said... i think jane would do a FANTASTIC job as ray. and for my janefilm ghost ship heart i need film to be sand, but i do also think she would make a fantastic sand. but fah is to sand as milk is to top so i feel bad recasting her from your fancast KJFHDKJF

and while i'm at it. i think view should be boeing. i just think she'd bring the perfect level of chaos to the whole thing. also i am going to watch ps i hate you, it's next on my list i just have literally not had time lately sjdfhsf

#fancasts are my favorite passtime thanks for asking KFJDKFJh #only friends #ofts #asks #jovana 🦋

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blackacre13 · 2 years ago

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Hiii, can you do one where Lou's overwhelmed with work and Deb tries to talk to her abt it but then she snapped, leaves her for several hours making the other one worried and kinda hurt. Then she comes back home with flowers and gifts feeling guilty with her attitude, soft smut afterwards(?) thankss

There was a light tapping on the door and Lou looked up through messy fringe with an exasperated sigh. If April had the audacity to bring her the wrong numbers again she swore…

“Baby?” A soft voice murmured instead, an undeniable Debbie Ocean choice of heels making their way into the room, toe first after nudging the door open. The brunette’s head peeking around the door.

Lou’s sigh stilled in her throat. She would always rather see Debbie than anyone else. But at the same time, it only reminded her of her growing pile of responsibilities, a lack of follow through from everyone she had asked for assistance or delegated a task to, and if Debbie was showing up then that meant…

“You missed dinner,” Debbie smiled sadly, closing the door behind her.

A large takeout bag landed on top of the blonde’s current stack of paperwork with a thud. She couldn’t help the grimace that ghosted across her face. The last thing she needed was the grease from spicy egg rolls on tax forms and liquor licenses.

“I thought I’d bring dinner to you,” the brunette grinned, dragging a chair up to the other side of Lou’s desk before she moved to shimmy off her coat. Her hands were already on the paper bag, undoing the staples. “And pending how much work is left to be done, maybe a little bit of dessert. Here? Or at home?”

“Debs,” Lou sighed, frustrating dripping out of her mouth before she could stop it. It was sweet. Really. It was. Romantic, even. And she bet she could guess every last item in that bag down to the extra pair of chopsticks in there because she always managed to pick them apart into the world’s weakest kindle when she was stressed. And Debbie knew that.

She could have said thank you. Or said exactly what she was thinking. But her jaw was unhinging without her say and she was spitting venom at her partner, her own words unclear to herself. Just the occasional bites of “damnit” and “out of time” and “in the way”. And all she could see was the hurt in Debbie’s eyes and her clenched jaw to keep from letting her from lip quivering as she nodded, backing up slowly.

“Yeah..you’re right…I’ll just—“ but Debbie didn’t finish the sentence before she back treaded out of the office. And even though Lou didn’t actually catch it, she knew her fiancée was shedding a rare Debbie Ocean tear.

She had fucked up. Majorly.

She growled at the bag of Chinese food and cursed at herself. “This is your fault, Miller.”

The door burst open and April stumbled in, shoving several file folders at her, looking like she was about to vomit.

“I’m sorry. They all look the same and I didn’t want to bring you the wrong ones again and I—“

“Don’t.”

“Please don’t fire me,” April squeaked.

“Fire you?” Lou raise a brow, chuckling dryly. “You look how I feel, kid. Breathe. Help yourself to a drink. And then go the hell home. We’ve done enough tonight. It’s nothing that can’t be done tomorrow. There are more important things.”

“But I thought you said we had to—“

“April,” Lou smiled. “Go. It’s fine. Promise. Send everyone else too. I’m headed out in a bit.”

“You okay, boss?”

“I will be,” Lou sucked in a breath. “Just have some crow to eat.”

“Is that what’s in the bag?” The younger woman smirked.

“That’s your dinner,” Lou grinned, chucking it at her. “Go home. Eat. Go the fuck to sleep. Your boss is an asshole. Now that’s an order.”

“You got it,” April grinned with a laugh. “Make sure you actually get home tonight.”

“I will,” Lou promised. “I just have a list of I’m an asshole but I love you errands to run before I beg for the love of my life’s forgiveness for simply being an amazing woman.”

“Isn’t that usually more a Debbie task?”

“We alternate,” Lou winked.

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carbo-ships · 2 years ago

Text

Post Hoc AU: Chapter I

Ok. So. This is an alternate route that starts after Chapter X of The Experiment. Terzo shows up to throw a wrench in things. Um. Yeah.

There was a mutual understanding that no matter how Ardis and Aether felt about one another, it would never work. Her time there was limited. They could be friends, and nothing more. However, that didn't make the feelings go away. He still teased her at rehearsals, took her hand during walks through the garden, and held her snugly against his chest at night. She didn't have the heart to stop him, and quite enjoyed his affections.

Likewise, there was a silent agreement between Papa and the ghouls that the experiment was over. While forfeiting was the last thing they wanted to do, they didn't feel they had any other choice. They couldn't bear to see her get hurt and they were willing to take the fall. The following week was a peaceful one, but that abruptly came to an end.

Ardis and the ghouls were eating breakfast one morning when an uncharacteristically-fidgety Papa Emeritus IV appeared in the doorway. He wrung his hands in front of him and didn’t seem to know where to look. “Well, folks, I, uh… I have news,” he said. His tone indicated that it wasn’t good news, which made everyone in the group look up at him with apprehension. His eyes settled on Aether. “We have a guest.” Instead of elaborating further, he stepped aside to reveal another man. The individual was a bit shorter than Papa and seemed to be human, rather than a ghoul. He wore a white vest and black tailcoat that hugged his slim waist. His black hair was slicked back, but a few strands hung down to frame his face. Most strikingly, he wore facepaint that was similar to Papa’s and had that same white eye.

A gasp spread through the group of ghouls, all of them standing from the table. Startled, Ardis followed suit. A tense silence hung over the group. Ardis looked to Aether, confused, but found his eyes locked intensely on the new visitor. He was a stranger to Ardis, but it was clear that Papa and the ghouls knew who he was.

"Hello, everyone. It’s been a while!” the man said with a grin, his accent similar to Papa’s. He glanced at Swiss. “No hard feelings, eh?”

Papa cleared his throat. “The ministry has deemed it necessary for him to return for some time.”

“I’m just checking in on things,” the man said with a chuckle, giving all the ghouls a once-over. “I don’t intend to step on any toes, non preoccupatevi. You’ll hardly notice I’m here.” His gaze then landed on the angel. “Ah, this must be the young woman I've heard so much about. Ardis, yes?" He made his way into the room to approach her.

"Yes, sir," she said with a nod, extending her hand for him to shake. She was very confused, but decided that being polite was the safest bet.

“Papa Emeritus Terzo," he introduced himself, taking Ardis's hand in his and pressing a slow kiss to it. She felt her cheeks flush slightly as his intense, mismatched eyes never left hers.

"Oh!" Ardis said, recognizing the name. "Papa's predecessor?"

"That's correct.”

She paused, realizing something. Wasn't he supposed to be... “Pardon me for saying so,” she started awkwardly, “I must have misunderstood, but… I believe I was told–”

“That I was dead?” he asked, clearly amused. "Look closely, cara.”

This close to him, she could scarcely see a subtle blue glow encasing his entire body. Her hand was barely visible through his. She let out a small gasp, staring at him with wide eyes. “Are… you a ghost?”

“Yes,” he confirmed simply. She had no idea how to respond, but he thankfully continued. “We’re much more eager to use dark magic than your superiors are, my dear. Now, I hate to dash so soon, but Copia and I have much to discuss! Would you do me the honor of accompanying me for a walk through the gardens this evening? It isn’t every day I get to meet an angel, you know.”

“Of course, Papa,” she agreed politely.

“Please, just Terzo is fine. Anything else might get confusing, sì? I shall see you after dinner.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it and turning on his heel to return to the doorway. Throwing his arm around Papa’s shoulders, he led the man back down the hallway. “Copia, you never mentioned how beautiful your guest was,” she heard him say as they walked away.

Next: Chapter II

#post hoc #carbo writes

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my-head-is-an-animal · 1 year ago

Text

The Secrets That Bind Us

Bobby Waterhouse x Original Female Character

Chapter 4

Bobby was nervous, he’d not really gone over to anyone’s flat so late before, sure he’d had the odd rendezvous with Michael, but nothing like this. He arrived quite late to Esther’s flat, surprised at how close it was to Jackson’s, and saw that the light was on in her room. He pressed the button on the buzzer and was let up immediately.

The hallway was quiet, aside from music humming from the floor above. He moved quickly up the stairs, not wanting to be seen, Esther opened the door the second he was about to knock. She grinned at him, looking quite casual in her silk shorts and what appeared to be a man’s shirt. Bobby swallowed nervously.

‘Come in Bobby.’ She half rolled her eyes and as he stepped in, it was to find her flat was not exactly what he pictured it to be.

It was cluttered, but not messy, books filled the shelves but also stacked up on the floor where she’d run out of room. A single table sat with a worn chess set, ready to be played and a double bed sat behind it, the wardrobe was open and clothes were hanging over the doors as well as inside, and Bobby recognised some of the outfits from the office. The kitchen was on the opposite side of the room, partially sectioned off, but small and much the same as everywhere else, dim, cluttered but somehow tidy. The last thing to catch Bobby’s eye was a record player, it looked expensive and he wondered how she might have acquired it.

‘I won it in a bet.’ She answered his question. ‘Men think women don’t know how to hustle or play chess or poker, I prove them wrong; frequently.’ She grinned up at his uncomfortable expression. ‘I’m afraid I drank pretty much all the beer and wine, all I’ve got left is whiskey, I assume that’s more to your taste anyway.’

Esther went into the kitchen and Bobby could hear the clinking of glass.

‘Make yourself comfortable.’ She called. ‘Sorry it’s a mess.’

‘Quite alright, no need to apologise.’ Bobby called back, awkwardly.

Esther returned with two small glasses filled only a quarter of the way with golden liquid. Bobby sat down on one of the wooden chairs either side of the chess table, removing his gloves and feeling very uncomfortable indeed.

She handed him one of the glasses and sat opposite him.

The way Esther observed him with her deep brown eyes, she just seemed to see him for who he was and accept that for what it was, no judgments. He let a breath go and felt himself finally releasing some of the discomfort he felt.

‘So.’ Esther said, sipping her whiskey, making him do the same. ‘Where would you like to start?’

Bobby thought for a moment, he honestly had no idea. He knew so little about their situation that he couldn’t even begin to know what to ask.

Esther took pity on him and smiled that sweet smile that had other men swooning. ‘Bobby, I have already stated my interest in maintaining the illusion of a long term relationship between the two of us, now we can discuss what that means, the details of which we can revise and adjust accordingly. Or if you’d rather come up with an alternative, I’d be happy to listen and come to an arrangement with you. The choice really is yours.’

Bobby thought for a moment, long term would certainly solve a lot of issues he had, but he wondered if he could commit himself to it as easily as Esther could.

‘I think I may need some clarification on… long term.’ Bobby quickly sipped his whiskey, trying not to be nervous, he knew deep down there was no reason to be.

Esther smiled once again and took a breath. ‘Well, the ideal would be to give the impression that we’re together for the long term, that would require a small amount of commitment on both sides. I think the occasional dinner date would be a good start, eventually an escalation would include regular nightly visits to each other and beyond that is open for discussion. In terms of making it look convincing… physical contact would eventually be required, but for the near future there are other ways to give the illusion that would not make you as uncomfortable. Again, if you think you can follow through, then we can discuss details, set limits and boundaries and make sure we’re both okay with what we’re asking of each other.’

Bobby sat back in his chair. It was quite a lot to take in, he imagined inviting Esther to stay the night at his home may have presented a slight problem where his mother was concerned, but then again, she was very likeable.

Esther was patient and allowed him the room to think for a while. This was a big decision to make.

‘What, erm...’ Bobby cleared his throat. ‘The alternatives?’

He could have sworn he caught a glimpse of disappointment in her eyes, before she smiled softly.

‘The alternatives…’ she paused for a moment. ‘Well, if you’d like we can create the illusion of a purely physical relationship, I think simple nightly visits would suffice for that.’

Bobby nodded, thinking for a moment. ‘That doesn’t seem particularly stable as an alternative for the truth?’

‘I agree.’ Esther nodded briefly, still smiling softly. ‘But the decision is yours Bobby, whatever you decide, but I will warn you that I am looking for someone to go long term with, if you choose the second option and I find someone else, I will pull out of our agreement.’

‘Seems fair.’ Bobby hummed a brief chuckle, before taking another swig of whiskey. ‘Though should that day come, it does leave me rather exposed.’

‘I agree.’ Esther repeated.

Bobby once again remained quiet, the thought on what kind of life he wanted to lead and how this would afford him the opportunity to perhaps do just that. Esther just waited patiently, watching his every thought floating through his mind and not for a second did he feel exposed under her gaze.

‘I think we should discuss more depth on long term.’ He finally said and Esther’s brown eyes lit up. ‘I feel I may need more detailed guidance though.’

‘Of course, Bobby.’ She smiled widely and drank the rest of her whiskey. ‘We can cover as much or as little as you’d like tonight and anything else can be covered another time.’

Esther went to the kitchen to grab the whiskey bottle and refill her glass. She placed the bottle on the chess table within reach for the both of them.

‘Where shall we start?’ She asked. Bobby’s instinct was to throw the question back, but he did have a question that was coming to mind.

‘Erm… dinner?’ He wasn’t sure how to phrase the question. Esther sipped her whiskey smiling.

‘Have you ever been on a dinner date with a woman before?’ She asked, zero judgement in her tone.

‘No, unfortunately not. Well, none that have ever been particularly successful anyway. Will that be a prob-‘

‘Nothing is a problem, Bobby.’ She interrupted him. ‘I promise, there is no judgment for lack of experience, all that means is we will need to practice a little.’

‘Practice?’ He repeated, nervously.

‘Remember I told you the art of seduction lies in subtlety?’ She asked. Bobby nodded. ‘Next time you’re at dinner with a group of people, take a look around the restaurant, find a couple and observe how little they do to convince the people around them that they are in love. Sometimes the smallest graze of hands can appear forward.’

Bobby listened carefully, it ignited hope in him that if simply grazing her hand could be seen as an obvious sign that they’re together, then maybe this wouldn’t be so hard after all.

‘And you think that will be enough?’

‘If we do it right, it may even appear too much.’ She spoke with a playful glint in her dark eyes.

‘How?’

‘The more attention you give to me during conversation and the less you give to other people, creates the image that you’re entirely invested in what’s in front of you. People notice the things that people pay attention to. People recognise love for hobbies because it’s all that person can talk about, a relationship is no different.’

Esther continued to speak about the illusion she wanted to create and what Bobby’s part in that would be, he thought it incredibly simple, to the point he was convinced it may not work, but he promised he would do his homework and observe the next couple he saw at his upcoming business dinner. If she was right, he would concede and continue down her planned route.

They continued to discuss limits and boundaries and it became obvious that he was no where near ready to engage physically, not even a peck on the cheek or even hand holding, it all just seemed very uncomfortable to him, but he mentally noted that he may become comfortable with pushing that boundary in time. Esther’s focus seemed to be on mutual comfort more than it was on simply demanding what she wanted. He was grateful.

Bobby eventually left her apartment with a renewed confidence in their plan. Esther had even discussed the possibility of freeing up a few nights a month for them both to find what they were really looking for in other people. It wouldn’t be easy and she assured him that there would be an extended period of time where they would not be able to visit Jackson’s for any reason. It would be a difficult and delicate period, but as long as he followed in her lead, then she promised everything would be fine.

If you liked this, please consider supporting me ☕ thanks for reading!

#bobby waterhouse #bobby waterhouse x ofc #bobby waterhouse x original character #bobby waterhouse x reader #paul ritter #paul ritter fic

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captainarchmage · 19 days ago

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Why CaptainArchmage thinks you should vote Kamala Harris for President and Democrats Everywhere

GIF by kinstuck

So tomorrow is the US Election, and while it’s clear that CaptainArchmage (despite trying to avoid posting political stuff, given the situation I have no choice left) would be for Kamala Harris I’m going to make the obvious statement out here. Vote for Kamala.

GIF by lesbianneopolitan

The alternatives don’t bear thinking about and that's what I'm going to be writing about here. No, this is serious. The general reaction below.

GIF by sillyandcoolhomestuckpanels

For Starters, no, both sides are not the yiffing same. This is prima facie false. The current administration is Biden/Harris, and what you’re voting for is Harris/Walz. The Former Guy, when he became president, inherited Obama’s economy and rode on the coat-tails of it until COVID happened and everything hit the buffers. Everything. All of it. He also passed a bunch of tariffs which made life harder for ordinary Americans, did nothing to build infrastructure, and presided over scandal after scandal doing nothing to rectify the concerns of transparency. He put Assange in jail, destroyed alliances, and put in three judges to push forward an extreme agenda through the courts, which given the way the American civic system works, ensured his actions would lead to the end of Roe vs. Wade, and could well lead to the loss of interracial marriage, same-sex marriage, and even rights of certain people to own a bank account, business, or birth control (and fellas your video games and condoms are next).

GIF by insufferable-homestuck

You had enuf yet? When's enuf, enuf?

It wasn’t hyperbole then, and it isn’t hyperbole now. The way out of this mess, and this is really the only way out of the mess except in a few specific and limited cases which are all downballot ones, is to vote Kamala Harris and Democrats.

Biden/Harris rebuilt the economy, managed to reshore industries to America, rebuilt alliances, built infrastructure, and oversaw massive expansion of renewables in America. They also didn’t throw a coup. Which is to say I can't even go over all the issues with the prior admin in one post. And no, "inflation" was a worldwide phenomenon which Biden/Harris managed to get a lid on, to a point. And by "a lid on" I mean the prices stopped rising as fast.

Biden was "forced" to step down due to the media hysteria (where the media seems to have been actively promoting The Former Guy for years now, including providing several billion dollars of free coverage from 2016) and spineless Democrat leaders. Which is to say I don't have *that* high a view of the Democratic party, and many of these supporters, and I know from listening a lot of folks are angry about them letting Biden down. Anyways you got Harris and Walz.

Walz being that football coach guy who had a great time in high school and college and also saved a few folks from addiction apparently. Also he backed free school meals and got them in his state. Which is to say there's not much of a case for going against this guy, is there. Just what are you guys angry about?

Look here, there’s only two arguments against Biden and Harris, and these are shakey: Gaza and “the economy isn’t good for ME”. I’ll address these as follows.

Israel has Congressional law on their side. That’s a Congress-side problem. America agreed to supply Israel a bunch of lethal aid, and that law continues to apply despite the war. They should probably condition aid, and redirect it to Ukraine, but that’s not a reason to enable The Former Guy given everything else. And cutting aid to Israel means Israel will just look to other countries to fill in the vacuum. The notion that Israel doesn’t have supporters and cheerleaders in other countries is based on a totally bizarre worldview where only America has sovereign capabilities. India has Modi, who backs Israel. India also has plenty of manufacturing capacity. This is to say some of the biggest players in the BRICS economically are pro-Israel. Ending American involvement won’t end the conflict in Gaza, but it may well cause it to blow up out of all proportion. I'm not saying it's right, but the issue with Israel isn't just who is president of the US. This is a multipolar world and the new "poles" aren't going to be fulfilling your idea necessarily of what they should be doing. Quite the contrary in this case.

As to the economy not being good for you: I’m sorry, but in the end that’s also like saying the planet isn’t heating up because it’s cold outside. There’s local areas left out from the benefit of the growing economy... they DO have to be helped, and we have to understand what's going on... the causes though need to be assessed. It's also something that ain't happening under a Republican government.

And if you think flipping the table is going to help... think of the amount of organization and materiel that is required for what YOU want to happen. It's a lot. It's also very difficult. It's also something your current trajectory is completely opposed to achieving, because constantly sabotaging any kind of support or trying to turn over the US to fascism isn't the way to build the logistical supply chain you want to achieve your goals. In fact it's quite the contrary.

Like seriously, Biden/Harris went ahead with pulling out of Afghanistan and ending the drone war, tried to clear up student debt... come on, man. What are you angry about?

GIF by muvana

OK, so what happens in the "exception cases"? Well that's a VERY good question. This is the one case where you may be able to vote for a third party candidate in specific and limited circumstances without risking republican fascism, but it won't be for president. Reaction below.

GIF by homestuck-archive

Here's the scenario: You live in an area where Republicans have a VERY low voter count, and the realistic electoral struggle is between a Democrat and an Independent or 3rd party candidate who isn't a "Libertarian" (economic). Is it a good idea? Possibly.

GIF by macromothmicroplastic

Except 3rd parties are also not so great on civil liberties compared to Democrats. Right now, Jill Stein, who seems to have been the A1 choice of many Dem-exit proponents now has a transphobic vice presidential ticket, among other things. Really, commander? This isn't progress. Not just in terms of risking The Former Guy... this is a platform I'd be voting against.

GIF by prettyhomestuckpanels

Like I said before, when's enuf enuf? Anyways if you're an American you need to get out and vote. This doesn't JUST include the president that means everyone else right down to the lowest levels. Fact is that the Republican Party seem to have taken a stance to actively smash up everything, so what you're doing now is damage control. And you WILL need Democrats in House and Senate positions too. Split ticket voting ain't the way either, here. See this issue is that at some point in time, Republicans or the "GQP" as it is now decided the best way forward was to smash up the administrative state and everything else really.

If you split ticket, that fascist element is going to bubble up in a nasty way you don't like and won't like.

And that really needs to come to an end, not just for America but for the rest of the world too.

#election #democrats #democratic party

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the-thieves-gambit · 1 month ago

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"Lobster? Why lobsters? Why not a wolf or penguin? Those chose a mate for life." She couldn't help but laugh as he made a gagging sound. "Noted, you do not like having a good time." As she finished getting comfortable, she fluffed the throw pillows as she curled up on the couch. Honestly couches were her favorite, there was never a risk that she could fall asleep and wake someone next to her. They were so small she would for sure stir if anyone came near. "What good is playing them when they obliviously have to know each other. There is no way you have more than two and they not know about each other. So they had to have chosen to be in that situation." Thinking it over, she didn't want to give her real answer, a choice she had made once herself long ago. It wasn't that she thought he would think less of her, which she could care about at that moment. It was because that moment in her life was nothing but survival. With a sigh, she simply said, "When you have nothing else....some chose it, it's better than the alternative."

The thought of her being a queen made her smile, it was a funny thought. "You make me sound like a tyrant. I would be benevolent, they could have pillows for their kneeling." A small giggle as she added. "That's not for me though. I have worn a tiara before, it is pretty but not my thing. People are telling you what to do, what you can't do, and what to wear, and every waking moment being planned for you. No, thanks."

As she told her story, she smiled to herself each time she heard a sound coming from his direction. Happy that she was able to recall so much of it and that it was doing what she hoped it would do. Calm his brain down enough to finally sleep. When he didn't reply to her soft question, she found herself feeling oddly alone. Something that she had not felt in a long time, as she lay there staring at the ceiling, she kept expecting him to chime in out of nowhere, the way he usually did, but was glad that he didn't. He needed the rest.

Focusing on the sound of his breathing in the dark, she slowly began to fall asleep, mind running through various scenarios on how this would all play out. What could go wrong, what could go right, but always ended with the same plan, how she would get him back home safe to his family.

A strange dream ran through her mind that night. She could just recall a dark ocean, a lighthouse in the distance shining a green light and her just floating in a small row boat. She didn't know who had posed the question, seeing as she there alone, but she knew what it was, did she row towards the lighthouse or further out to sea. How was that even a question? Every sailor knew to head towards the lighthouse but still, she found her hands frozen on the oars, unsure of which way to row. Then a foghorn rang out in the silence.

Sitting up, she found herself on a couch. Taking a second to recall everything that had led to her being on this couch, she took a deep breath in. Glancing at her phone, she had only slept four hours. That was as good as it was going to get. Properly sitting up, and putting her feet on the floor, she made sure to move silently. Looking over to see if he was still asleep, not wanting to disturb Wally's much-needed rest. Padding towards where her luggage sat, she grabbed some clothes before heading over to the bathroom and shutting the door softly.

Sleep would not come now that she was awake, so she might as well get ready. She'd wake him once she was done to see if he needed anything.

There was a tiny amused sound that came out of him as he adjusted and finally landed on his side, the one where his injuries wouldn't make cry out in pain. Settling his head on the pillow he sighed and blinked softly as he looked at her. He chuckled and shook his head. "Not jealous. I wouldn't want to be that guy. It's not in my nature. Annie is right. One lobster kind of man." Wally shrugged not knowing which one it was. "I have no clue. But given the time. Probably at the same time. They all shared each other which," he made a gagging sound. "To each their own I suppose."

"Mmm, you'd be surprised. Don't need to be a good juggler to handle multiple women just have to know how to play them." This wasn't from his own experience but his father's. Everything he knew of devious motives came from that guy's own experiences. "Don't take this the wrong way but would you really think being one of eight or ten wives a sweet deal to you?" The words were slightly slurred given sleep was heading for him. "Though if you were a queen I'd see you as the badass who'd have all these people on their knees for you." The smile was small because if she knew he'd be one of those fools.

Wally's face scrunched up like he didn't believe her but didn't interrupt her. He just stared at her ready to hear her voice recount the story. He'd really didn't care, she could have read him the menu to the local eateries and he'd still he captivated. His brain wouldn't stop until her voice filtered through. "Voice like honey." Was the last thing he murmured before he let her voice be the only thing that pulled him from his thoughts.

He'd closed his eyes in the middle of her story, shortly after she introduced the merman. Her laugh made him slightly open his eyes, that sound was one of his favorites. Though he couldn't say he heard it often, it seemed it didn't happen as much when she was aware that he was listening. But, her laugh had a melodic sound to it. Something so pure and innocent like a child's mind. He felt his eyebrows frown at the merman being trapped though he did choke out a soft laugh at the part of merman telling the fisherman that he had been a fool. As she continued he drifted off into a quiet slumber. His body fully relaxed and his mind shutting down. His fingers had tapped the edges of the pillow the more comfortable he got but still had a listening ear up.

When he was up he had to remember to tell her if she ever considered doing audiobooks. She had the voice and talent for it. He had to inwardly laugh at the mere fact she started this by saying she wasn't as good a storyteller as her dad. Nonsense he thought. Somewhere between the middle and the end which he had heard he had fallen asleep. Chest rising in a gentle manner. Eyelids stopped fluttering as they were closed and by all means was peacefully asleep.

It could have been the fact that Liz had been talking or the fact that she had squeezed herself into his dreams but something about this one, made him want to stay there. With her. Something his subconscious wanted but thought could never have. A soft are you awake he heard but didn't really say anything. The only thing that moved were his hands but was still asleep. The sea breeze making her locks blow in the wind like she had been an Angel on Earth. Her smile and laugh played over in his head as the words fool for love were like neon signs.

#clubsmarties | wally & elizabeth #v. main | elizabeth #his dream!?:!?! like what!!!!#yes yes next day

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milchig-de · 3 years ago

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Venting

Alternative title: Tangled up

Pairing: Gunther B. Gunnerson x Reader

Warnings: Guns, Cursing

Summary: You vent, but end up finding yourself in quite a tangled mess. (Takes place before the events of In Space With Markiplier, you're not the captain)

Notes: They didn't wanna give me a gif of Gunther alone so take this. Also I'm down bad and there's no fics so i made it myself

You grumbled to yourself as you crawled through the maintenance vents. Just because you were Burt's assistant didn't mean you had to take every task Burt was too busy to do. Also, this wasn't exactly a mechanics problem and more of a Mark-made-a-mess-problem. At least, that's the conclusion you reached upon looking at the source of all your problems: some weird, entangled mess of wires.

Like seriously, why didn't he just clean this up? It would've even been cheaper to cut parts of the wires off and maybe reuse them than to leave them miles long. Additionally, this was the worst place to have the wires go through. Okay, maybe not the worst possible place, but certainly not a great one. After all, you only had space to kneel and couldn't even lift your head properly. But there's no use complaining about it.

You clenched your teeth, hoping to dispell a bit of your anger. It's no use trying to solve a mess without being able to properly percieve it. So you looked at the mess of wires once again, pushing away any plans of mischief to inflict upon Mark.

Slowly, you started to see places where the wires could be lead through to get it out of the entanglement piece by piece. Rubbing your hands, you got to work. It was quite toublesome, having to maneuver your way around and through the wires, even having to slip through them yourself. Like you didn't have enough trouble with it.

You were making slow but steady progress when you suddenly heard loud footsteps beneath you. You listened closely, expecting it to be Burt, needing something you maybe accidentally took out with you. The steps stopped. You couldn't quite hear what happened next, until the person slammed their hands against something and shouted. 'Goddammit, no asteroids hitting the ship at all! Stupid space, all rocks yet nothing to shoot! Guess I'll have to find something else to shoot...' Silence followed.

This clearly wasn't Burt, and considering the situation, there really wasn't a lot you could to alleviate the person's problems - and it's not like you didn't have bigger problems yourself. For example the mess of wires still staring at you angrily. A soft sigh escaped you and you quickly got back to work.

While leaning forward, a loud squeaking noise erupted from the bottom of the vents. It was presumably only because you shifted your weight around, but you couldn't help but wonder whether the vent was actually going to hold your weight. After all, the wire-y mess alone told you all you needed to know. The ship wasn't exactly made with the best design choices in mind, not even touching on the fact there were glass windows installed. On a ship going to space.

Regardless of the reason for the squeaking, it seemed like you weren't the only one who had heard the noise.

'Aha! Seems like there's someone pitter-pattering around in the vents... Or perhaps it's not someone but rather something...'

Before you could yell a reply through the vent floor, a loud shot was heard before a loud clinging of metal on metal and intense vibrations reverberated through the vent. Then it happened twice more. You seriously thought you might go deaf with all the noise.

What you failed to hear is one of the vital screws that was holding the vent together being catapulted out of its position and hitting the vent roof with another clinging sound. Though you certainly did notice the dooming screeching of the vent falling apart.

You made a move to shuffle backwards, but instead you accidentally pushed your foot further into the mess of wires. The vent certainly didn't feel like holding out long enough to let you figure out a way to entangle yourself from the wires and collapsed instead, the wires, including you, falling out of it.

Luckily, the precarious entanglement you had found yourself in had saved you from hitting your head on any sharp corners and having too hard of a fall. Unluckily, it also meant being suspended in the air - face to face with the person, the only person who would cause a mess in such a stupid way: Gunther. Famous for his gun obsession (embedded in his name), he managed to cause your demise with his unrelenting desire to shoot anything that makes a noise.

Still, it could've been worse.

A smirk covered Gunther's face and he took his cigarette out of his mouth in a dramatic manner. Inwardly, you couldn't help but swoon; as much as you hated him in the moment, he was still handsome as fuck.

'My, my, what have I shot myself here? That's quite a mess you're in, Darling. But don'tcha worry, I'll get you outta there.'

You suppressed the urge to roll your eyes and instead wiggled in the wires in an attempt to break free. As promised, Gunther helped by pulling on the wires to make the loops wider and helping you adjust your position so you wouldn't actually fall down. To be perfectly honest, you were blushing a bit at the proximity with him. He was being so careful with helping you, his hands gripping you firmly, yet ever so softly. It always made you wonder how someone so obsessed with violence could still handle things so delicately as if they were to break at any moment.

Finally, it was only your leg left hanging. You were holding onto some wires, so you wouldn't dangle on the ground. However, if you were to let go now to untangle your leg, you would surely fall, swing around and hit the walls or screens. Once again, Gunther came to the rescue, noticing your struggle. He couldn't reach his hands around you, with you being too far up, but he put them on your back, pushing you up.

'Don't worry darlin' I'll catch ya when ya fall for me.'

Even though you couldn't actually see him, you were sure he tilted his head a bit to simulate a wink.

Ignoring that, while of course still being thankful for the support, you leaned forward and swiftly pulled the loops of your leg, Gunther's hands steadying you.

As suspected, you fell. The wires didn't support you anymore so there was nothing stopping the meeting between you and the floor. At least until Gunther subjected. He was quick to adjust his hands to wrap around you and to pull you close to his body, so you ended up in a bridal style position.

The smell of gunpowder surrounded you. Looking up to his face, you recognized the smug look. It was telling you that he would make another dumb flirtatious remark, but you interjected before he could.

'Thanks for the help, but I wouldn't have needed it if you hadn't shot the fucking vent.'

His expression turned a little sour and he let you down. He sighed and took the cigarette out of his mouth once more.

'Listen, ya gotta do what you gotta do when you need to shoot something. And besides,' he gestured to the vent, 'there's no way i could've known you were in there. Could've been anything if ya ask me.'

Taking on a defeated stance, you gave in. You were weak for him and admittedly also at fault for snapping at him even though he had helped you get out of this mess.

'It's whatever. I still have to somehow fix this mess though, so I'll be in the vents again. Please, in the future just. Don't shoot anything on the ship that doesn't require shooting.'

'Whatever you say, darlin' '

Turning around, you left the room. Yet you couldn't fully will yourself to go back to the vents yet. Frankly, you wanted to spend some more time with him, alone. So far, whenever you had tried anything to talk to him, maybe ask him out on a date, there had always been people around, making you too uncomfortable to make a move. And as stupid as his flirting was, you had to admit you enjoyed it quite a lot, though because of the people you were afraid to reciprocate it. So you opted to acting annoyed. But with the new captain arriving soon, you assume that the journey will only get busier and most certainly not date-appropriate.

But now he was alone in the ADS room, with clearly nothing to do. Then again you do have to fix the wires quickly, as Burt requested your help after you were done with them. Still, you were determined to at least do something.

So you turned around, opening the door and walking back in. Gunther turned his head to glance at you.

'Ya missed me that much, darlin'?'

Instead of simply ignoring his remarks, like you usually did, you went in fully this time.

'Yes, I did miss you that much. In fact, I missed you so much, that I think we should go out when we arrive at the colony, or when we've got some time to spare.'

At this point he had fully turned around, supporting himself with his hands on the table behing him. He stared at you for a bit before he caught himself. He cleared his throat and removed his goggles from his eyes, trying to respond in his usual smoothness.

'Of course darlin', for you I'm free anytime, for any activity.'

He winked at you.

'Very well. Then I'm sure you won't mind if I do this'

You walked up to him, gently grabbing his face. His eyes went wide. Turning his head, you pressed a kiss to his cheek. Letting go, you confidently strided to the door, letting out a last 'See you soon!' before you left. After the door closed behind you, you basically crumbled, all the confidence abruptly leaving your body. On shaky legs, you made your way back to the entrance of the vents.

Gunther wasn't in a much better condition: He was still standing where you had left him, mouth slightly agape and a hand slowly rising to feel the place where you had kissed him. Your lips felt so incredibly soft, he couldn't wait to feel it with his own lips.

A blush rose to his cheeks, embarrassed to be thinking such cheesy things. Shaking himself to collect his thoughts, he started heading to the cafeteria to get some much needed coffee. He popped his goggles back on. Maybe they even had something to celebrate that you had finally asked him out - he'd been flirting with you for a while now, though he had been unsure of your feelings towards him. A newly gained confidence accompanied his steps.

#iswm x reader #gunter b gunnerson x reader #gunther b gunnersson x reader #iswm imagine #iswm gunther #scared to put this in any main tag tbh #guns #curse words

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moonbaby26 · 3 years ago

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Title: Missing Halves

Pairings: Variant!Lokis x FemAvenger!Reader

Summary: You were the one he couldn’t forget. The god of mischief’s former love before everything fell apart and he was condemned to a life of solitude. Now labeled a variant as well, you soon find yourself trapped in the void at the end of time. Confused and alone, you connect with the other versions of the man you last loved.

Notes: Kind of a quick one shot as I had nothing else ready to post at the moment. I hadn’t done anything for the Loki TV series yet either, so this is just a little something. The reader’s race isn’t really specified in this. They could be a human, Asgardian, or whatever you like.

Warnings: Angst, mention of character death, mention of past sex, a non consensual kiss at one point. But no smut in this.

Taglist: @calumance

My Masterlist

——————————

You looked up towards the sky, eyes wide as yet another of those Chitauri abominations undulated overhead. An otherworldly scream left the behemoth as it scraped across the buildings as it passed.

But you could only keep running, glass and metal raining down as you did your best to dodge the larger pieces.

In your comm. link, you could hear the stress in your teammates’ voices as they alternated from relaying their own locations to asking for help if anyone was still free. The battle was not shifting in your favor. And there would be no hope at all if that portal could not be closed.

“I’ve reached Stark Tower! Can anyone give me a lift!?” You called out.

“Loki is too far gone, (Y/N)! I already tried! Get out of there!” You heard Thor’s voice in return.

But you had no time to argue with the thunder god. You knew Loki would still be too resentful of his brother to fully listen to him right now. The wounds still too fresh of finding out the life of lies that Odin had created.

Loki had had his identity torn asunder, but frost giant or Asgardian, you still knew the man you’d fallen in love with. And you would not give up on him now when he needed someone more than ever.

“Tony!” You called out instead. “Please, we have no other choice! If anything, let me distract him. Someone else get to the portal, you have to trust me!” You now had stopped in front the building.

The Chitauri soldiers on the ground had taken notice of you as you readied a fighting stance. “Tony, any time now. A little outnumbered here…”

“Got my own problems! Trying to get to-,” there were sounds of violent metal crashing and static over the radio. “Goddammit! Jarvis, reroute power from that stabilizer. Gonna be a minute here, (Y/N)! Cap, you still on?”

“Incoming for backup! On your six, (Y/N)!” You heard Steve next, even the super soldier sounding winded as you looked behind you just in time to see that flying shield connect with several Chitauri at once. They fell like wounded dominoes, even as you took out several more.

You’d run out of bullets several blocks ago. But you’d taken one of their weapons next, a staff that shot out some kind of energy pulses. It didn’t really matter what kind of energy to you though as you immobilized one enemy soldier after another, burning and blasting holes through them.

For a moment, you and Captain Rogers were back to back then, as he spoke just to you. “Look, I doubt anyone else is coming. Not before these things overrun us here. If you think you can make it to the top of that building the old fashioned way, I think it’s worth a shot.” He paused long enough to throw and then catch his returning shield yet again, the blood of the creatures starting to congeal on its edges. “Can’t say I’m a fan of that guy up there even one bit, but I do trust you.”

“Thank you,” Was all you could manage. There was no time for anything more heartfelt as the two of you exchanged last glances before you forced your way back towards the already broken glass doors of Stark Tower.

“Good luck!” You heard Steve call back, himself then running on down the street and drawing the Chitauri’s attention away from you as he did.

Once inside, you saw the power was still on for now, but it flickered several times as you’d run across the glass strewn lobby. You couldn’t risk getting stuck in one of the elevators right now as you still felt the building tremble every time another explosion echoed from outside.

Your heart was pounding in your chest as you’d started up one of the stairwells chosen at random. But you felt like a machine now, running up those countless stairs faster than you’d probably ever run towards anything in your life. Adrenaline, fear, and heartache were maybe the most powerful motivators there could ever be. It didn’t matter how many floors, or how much your calf and thigh muscles started to burn, you ran and ran.

But somewhere, maybe two thirds of the way up, there had been a much closer explosion. Your ears rang as you felt yourself falling backwards. You could taste blood in your mouth as you felt pain radiate all through you. You even blacked out for a moment before you’d opened your eyes again to find yourself bloodied and covered in concrete dust.

You could see daylight now through a massive hole where the building’s outer wall should have been. And a missing section of stairs that you’d just been about to cross before the injured Chitauri monster had crashed through it before flying on.

You could hear all the sounds of battle and death still outside, but you couldn’t let your thoughts linger on how close that may have been for you as you now just ran again and jumped the missing stair gap to continue upward once more.

You’d been here before, you knew where Tony’s executive suite was as you’d finally exited the stairwell.

“Loki!” You called out as you’d shoved open those doors. Everything almost looked just as it should. The bar, the furniture, only the panoramic glass windows were broken. Where Tony had been forced out against his will just a short time earlier you knew.

You paused only just long enough to see Loki’s back through the glass doors that led out onto the balcony and roof. The black leather, green cape, and golden horns, he was watching the battle from above, no doubt unable to hear you through all the noise from the ongoing war outside.

And you’d started towards him, only so many feet away from your goal now before a translucent rectangular shape emerged from nothing into your path. It made a sound as it did, several people emerging through it immediately, yet themselves wholly human looking. Not Chitauri, even as in the milliseconds that passed then, you’d already noted their black armor and the possible weapons gripped in their hands.

You’d lost the staff you’d been wielding when the stairwell had partially collapsed. All you could do was raise your arms reflexively, somehow even then feeling in danger before they’d spoken.

“Variant identified.” One said, albeit looking almost nonchalantly at some kind of device in their hand. Themselves upsettingly calm as if literal monsters weren’t darkening the sky all around.

You saw the others activate whatever weapons you assumed they were holding. You glanced back outside though to see Loki now walking away. He was moving back to go stand closer guard over the portal opening, farther from you.

“No! Loki!” You called again, as loud as you could as you abruptly made a run for it, trying to skirt around whoever these new soldiers now were.

“Not even a chance, sorry,” You heard one of them say, quicker than you could expect as they extended out that staff of their own. It barely even grazed you though as you’d tried to dodge just as quickly.

But it didn’t matter. Whatever their weapon did, you felt something almost akin to paralysis take hold. Yet, with one of your feet still frozen far off the floor as you’d been in mid run when it touched you.

How you didn’t fall forward, didn’t make sense. None of it made sense as they just kept talking before slipping some kind of collar around your throat.

“On behalf of the Time Variance Authority, I hereby arrest you for crimes against the sacred timeline. You’re coming with us.” The one speaking then motioned to the others as the paralysis abruptly ended.

You did fall to the ground then, unabashedly single minded though as you immediately tried to run towards the outside again, to try and reach Loki.

He was completely out of sight now. But just as your hands reached the doors, you were abruptly back to where you’d been, back across the room in the spot where they’d first confronted you.

Fighting, you fell, but then ran again.

And then again you were in that same spot where you’d been before. You should have been afraid, but somehow you were only angry. Somehow the strangers were doing this to you. All of New York City and honestly the world were now in the balance, and they just wanted to mess around? Who the hell were they even!?

It only took two times for them to reset you that way before you lunged for the soldiers themselves instead. You knew how to fight bare handed. And you had no qualms about doing whatever you had to to finish the mission. Of course your individual love was partly selfish, you didn’t want to lose Loki for good. But you were here to save the others as well, and you wouldn’t let the Chitauri overtake this world either.

You’d die rather than give up now.

“Do we really have to deal with this?” One of them asked, almost bored sounding still as you found yourself falling to that same spot on the floor yet again before your fist could connect with their face.

“Violent one isn’t she?” Another commented as you almost landed a kick the next time.

“Yeah, maybe that’s why they get along? You know what though, no, we don’t have time for this. Literally. We’re getting close to redline here. Just prune her and reset the timeline.”

It was getting harder and harder to get up every time. You stood again one last time though, glowering at them. “I’m trying to save us all you idiots!” You spoke, voice breaking in frustration. The adrenaline was finally failing you, all your body starting to hurt again as you now felt the beginnings of panic.

“Nah. That’s our job, variant.”

And that condescending tone was the last thing you heard.

They’d encircled you. You couldn’t block them all as one had struck you with their staff again. But this time it was wholly different.

A searing pain and confusion went through you as you could see your body dissipating before your very eyes. Just horror, and then….nothing.

You had failed. You had failed everyone.

———————————

There was no perception of time when you’d next awoken. You could only remember those last moments so clearly, that torture of seeing Loki walking away from you. Him not even knowing you were there at all before those soldiers had attacked you.

As you started to sit up, you found everything still where it had been. Even though you’d watched your own body disappear as if you’d somehow been vaporized, you still had your arms, your legs, your hands.

You flexed your fingers within the torn leather gloves. You were still a bloody mess, your body suit cut and ripped. The concrete dust was still all over as you tried to stand.

You may have some smaller bone fractures considering the resulting pain, but nothing that would keep you down as you tried your comm. link on instinct, touching the tiny device still in your ear.

“Hey. This is (Y/N). Does anybody copy?” Static was all that returned to you. “Thor? Nat? …Anybody?”

You took a deep breath, not yet ready to turn the radio off even if it seemed like such a longshot now. “If you can hear me…I’m still alive. I just…I don’t know where.” Was it some kind of side effect of the Tesseract? Maybe more portals had been created than Loki had ever intended?

“Leaving comm’s on for now. Hope to hear you guys again soon…”

It was all you could do as you looked out into the distance. You didn’t feel like you were even on Earth any longer. A cold wind blowing across a wide plain of grass and debris that seemed to have no rhyme or reason.

There wasn’t another soul to be seen. So you just started walking, taking off that damned collar they’d put on you as you did so.

——————————

“I’m just saying, we look for a better chair for me. The one I have now, it’s a bit small.” The largest of the people now milling through the new arrivals in a debris pile spoke up.

“Maybe if you didn’t eat so many Twinkies.” The child with them answered with an eye roll, picking up a torn and dirtied magazine as he considered it.

“Hello, it takes calories to support all this muscle!” The larger man retorted, flexing one of his arms in an exaggerated gesture. “I can’t help it that the rest of you always look like someone could push you over with a feather! And besides, he got a pool!” The man scoffed lastly, motioning to the alligator now clawing into some cans beside them.

The creature opened its mouth with a deep hiss in return.

“Which he says he found on his own, thank you.” The oldest looking of them spoke up then, translating haughtily, before he walked away a bit from the others. He heard them continue to make a few more snide replies to one another afterward, but he was only watching the ground for anything of use to place in his satchel. Of course one ear still always listening for that distant rumble of Alioth as well though as he meandered on.

It wasn’t until he heard that distinct change of tone in the child’s voice, that air of warning which caused him to also look up again.

“Hey! Someone’s coming!” The child called out lowly to the others.

“Not one of that fool’s gang again? I’ll bash their skulls in this time.” The largest man threatened, readying his hammer.

“You say that every time…” The child growled back, “And no, no I think it’s…a woman?”

“A what?” The large one replied incredulously.

That would have been a rarity indeed. At least a woman on her own anyway. Most typically were snatched up by the roaming gangs fairly quickly.

As the older man looked towards where the child had been pointing, he did quickly agree that the individual walking towards them had more the gait of a female. Though naturally there was always a spectrum of such things. There was really no telling, without actually knowing.

“Should we stand our ground?” The older man asked, specifically more to the child, even without taking his eyes off the figure growing ever closer.

“We outnumber whoever it is, so I don’t see why we shouldn’t stay,” The boy answered. “I’m not going to let them steal our supplies…”

But the older looking man just kept staring at the stranger. Something starting to nag in his instincts from deeper within as the figure became more than just a silhouette in the distance.

It was something so foreign, yet so familiar. An ominous swell rising within him as his heart rate began to quicken. That walk…no, it was more than just a woman’s. He knew that stride, that confidence.

Even the uniform, though so damaged, he had seen it before. On one of the very worst days of his life he had had to kneel before that exact bloodied uniform and the lifeless woman then within it.

“Oh my god,” He breathed abruptly, in a tone that surely none of the others had ever heard from him before as he then hurried back down the debris pile, far quicker than he looked as he tried to close the distance to her.

——————————

You’d been walking for so very long. This was truly a wasteland you’d decided. But some things were familiar and others were not. You’d finally seen the shape of damaged buildings in the distance though, and had headed towards them in the hopes of finding any other living soul.

Any living being, and hopefully some sort of answers along with them. You’d been right at least too, as you’d seen the distinctive shapes of people then.

Just three of them, and there was no way to know if they’d be hostile or not. But you had to take the chance, and once you were sure they’d seen you as well there was no point in turning back.

But you had tensed a little when you saw one break away from the others, now almost running towards you. But whatever combat training would have reminded you to be at the ready seemed to pause as your brain hitched at the very distinctive horns on the helmet of the man now bounding towards you.

“(Y/N)!?” He called out in disbelief, yourself only further hesitating at the surprise of hearing your name from the stranger.

As the man reached you, the look on your face must have only been of caution and equal parts confusion as you stared back into his amazed expression.

His excitement seemed to teeter on the verge of pain however as he stared into your eyes and the lack of recognition then within them. “Of course…of course you would not recognize me this way. Even for gods, age does eventually make its mark.” He remarked somberly, albeit also blinking to fight off that wet shine starting to form in his eyes.

“My dear…my goddess, it is I. Look past this weathered face, these clothes that you never would have seen in your time.” He begged. “The eyes, love. Look at my eyes and tell me you do not know me…”

The voice, it was different of course. But something you could not deny was familiar to you. The cadence, the terms…only Loki ever called you his goddess. At least he had before he’d fallen under the influence of the scepter and the Tesseract.

You did stare deeper into those blue eyes though as your mind continued to churn. “You…want me to believe that you are Loki?” You eventually asked aloud as if just trying to buy your own self time as you felt that unease growing which you could not explain. Something about this man made you unable to deny the insanity of his claim outright.

But so many other things had already happened to you today that you never would have believed before either.

“It’s alright,” He assured you regardless of your hesitation. “I just…I’ve never seen a variant of you here, not once. What happened?” But he seemed to regret the question just as quickly. “No…no, that’s too much to ask you right now. Please, please let’s go somewhere safer. I’ll tell you everything. I can explain everything that’s gone wrong. You…you don’t know how I’ve missed you.”

“I…” Regardless of everything else right now, you did feel that he was sincere, that he would not harm you. And you wanted answers. But you hesitated, looking to the child and a larger man still staring at you both in what looked like shock themselves. Was that also some large reptile near their legs? “Who are they?” You asked aloud. Could you trust them either?

“They’ll understand once I explain. Please,” He offered you his hand. “Come with us.”

Even in that simple gesture, it sent a chill through you. The elegant way his fingers curved just slightly, a movement you’d seen so many times before. Loki pulling you into his grasp to dance, wanting you to take his hand as you walked the royal paths and gardens of Asgard…how could this man know to mimic even those smallest traits?

And why did you not resist? Your hand grasped warmly into his own as you let yourself be led away.

———————————

You sat oddly inside what had evidently once been a bowling alley. A glass of wine that’d been poured from a box now in your hand as an alligator lingered at your feet still looking at you quite curiously.

But you needed far stronger alcohol than this as you effectively tried to summarize the lengthy explanations you’d already been subjected to. “So you’re saying…there is no such thing as freewill. That any time we deviate from our previously destined fate, we’re immediately erased to this purgatory to die?”

The others just nodded, before you only continued. “And that my…my deviation, or my nexus event as you called it was that I was supposed to be killed at Stark Tower that day?” It still felt disturbing to even say something so morbid out loud, but the moment the TVA had tried to take you was just before you would have reached Loki.

If you were never supposed to reach him, only death could have stopped you. You knew that deep down.

The older Loki only answered you softly. “In my timeline, dear, it hadn’t been just an empty hole in the stairwell for you to cross. The Chitauri swarmed in through it like locusts. Even you couldn’t fight them all off then.” He looked down again, thoughts seeming to drift off again to tragic memories only he knew.

“I was the one that found you…” He continued despite himself. “But for you to be here now means that I had to be defeated by the Avengers…I had to stay on that dark path to serve my purpose to the ‘sacred timeline’. And mourning you, knowing my actions led to you losing your life while you’d only been trying to save me…there was no real coming back for me after that. Though Thor did try…”

You glanced to the other Lokis. They had already said that they did not know you. You thought perhaps they had been pruned too soon before you or a version of you at least could come into their own lives. Or maybe you hadn’t existed in those timelines at all? But regardless, they all seemed to be experiencing some sort of vicarious emotion from the older Loki now as no one looked anything but somber.

Yet really, for now only one more question lingered painfully in your mind as you finally had to ask. “But if I had reached you…if I’d gotten to that rooftop in New York, and begged you…would you have given up your conquest even for me, Loki? Would my sacrifice have even mattered?”

You felt you had a right to know. You had thrown your life away for that intention either way. Clearly, if you survived the battle of New York, you were only then thrown to the void by the TVA to die. And if you didn’t survive New York, then you were just more immediately dead.

But the cruelty in your question may have been too much at last as you saw his hurt blue eyes meet your gaze again.

Yet he had nothing left to hide it seemed, answering anyway even through the clear struggle of emotion.

“I…I think I would have listened to you at least. I mean, you would have had to change something by facing me on that rooftop. They wouldn’t have deemed you a variant otherwise, my dear. But…I must shamefully admit, knowing who I was then, I may have only tried to force you to join me. Rather than give up my perceived kingdom…I would have wanted you to rule it at my side.”

“What?” The more boastful Loki you had deemed him, interjected. “Like get married? Take a queen? Lokis don’t get married my friend. And Lokis do not share power.”

“Spoken like a man never in love.” The older Loki just countered with a sad smirk. “Lokis can lie as long as they want. We do not want to die alone either. We’ve all always wished for a true companion. I just got closer than most of us.”

You tried to wipe at your own eyes without the others noticing. So very rarely had you ever heard Loki use that word love directly to you. But if this really was just the man your own Loki would one day be, if this is how your Loki had felt, you could only continue to wish that it had been true. That he had sincerely loved you somewhere deep down, even after everything he’d done.

But regardless, you’d never see him again now. If there was really no way out of here, if time stood still in this place, it was hell in the almost literal sense of the word. An eternity of suffering, special made for all of you.

As you tried to force those terrible thoughts back away though, the tears begging to escape, you felt a rough nudge to your ankle.

Looking down, the alligator Loki just rested his snout on the top of your foot, looking up at you with if you weren’t already at the edge of sanity you might have tried to convince yourself was not a look of sympathy now coming from a reptile.

You mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to him regardless though, hearing only a satisfied type of growl as he closed his eyes, seemingly content to enjoy a nap against your boots.

——————————

As could be expected there was no sense of time in the void. No real days or nights. But the boys had accommodated you as best they could you thought. Making a separate area for you to have a little privacy even within their Loki den.

It was the older, or as he jokingly preferred, the classic Loki that you were closest to of course. He was the most like the Loki you remembered. The one you still had silent hopes to one day see again.

You acted as a comfort for one another, with long conversations and sharing old memories none of the others could understand. You knew to him you were family he’d never thought he’d get to see again. And you were happy to help him relieve some of that ancient guilt as you assured him time and again that you did not blame him for your death in his timeline. You had made your own choices. The consequences were just what they were at this point.

But there was one odd thing you had picked up on after a while. He didn’t like you to leave the den at all. It was almost a fatherly kind of protection by now really. But you still had to push back on that. As Alioth or not, you had to have some fresh air here and there.

And you wanted to be useful, to help find resources with the others as well as do your part to protect them.

Eventually though, you did finally realize what it was he was really so concerned about. Not Alioth, or the gangs really. Or at least not a gang on its own, but rather its leader.

Even classic Loki could withhold truths from you it seemed, as you’d eventually been out looking for food or more drinks one ‘day’ you’d still call it at least even if time never truly passed here. Kid Loki and his Hi-C’s were something else as fast as the boy could go through those things whenever you could find them.

But boastful Loki had been your only partner on that particular hunting trip. And you’d been far enough out of each other’s sight when you’d heard a distinct whistle.

You froze immediately, those few special memories springing to mind at the long lost sound. That was the ‘hey, I don’t want to call for you all the way across the palace courtyard, but come meet me in my bedroom now’ whistle as your heart leapt into your throat.

Classic Loki wouldn’t do that even if he remembered it, you also knew that instantaneously. He’d never been anything but a gentleman to you since your arrival. So you didn’t know what else to expect as you’d somewhat fearfully turned around.

“Hello, love.” Loki almost purred, in that deeper voice you’d usually only heard when he was either very aroused or very angry.

But of all the Lokis you’d seen to this point, this was the first one that had the same face as your own Loki that you’d been stolen away from. Though the clothing was very different. A suit and smaller horns as he walked closer with his hands in his pockets, and an odd political button on his chest.

“I’d heard the lesser Lokis had adopted a woman into their group. But imagine my disbelief, trying to reason it must only be yet another boring version of ourselves. And then, a little spy tells me it’s not a female Loki at all. But a woman at least one of us had once wanted to call their queen….color me quite interested then.”

You straightened, cautious, yet unable to stop listening, to stop looking into his eyes as you’d wanted to see him again for so very long. But was he really like your Loki? All the Lokis were different, even classic Loki had lived so many centuries without you that he’d grown and changed from the exact one you remembered.

The way this Loki leered at you though, it invoked more the Loki who had obsessed most over the Tesseract. The one that had killed Agent Coulson right in front of the rest of you.

“Loki….” You answered, partly surprised still, but partly in warning as he neared ever closer to you.

But he wore your lover’s face. It was wholly unfair as he only smiled in pleasure as his name left your mouth.

“You know, in my timeline we did become lovers as well. But I didn’t let you join the Avengers…not until you promised to betray them for me at least.”

You stared, clearly disbelieving. “And how did that work out for us?”

He just chuckled, a dark sound. “Oh, just with you dead in Stark Tower yet again. You tried to double cross me.” He was now standing directly in front of you. “Love, I can only imagine how many times you’ve died on Tony Stark’s property by now.”

“Did you kill me?” You breathed, really starting to consider calling out for boastful Loki, not that he could possibly get to you to help in time.

This new Loki’s eyebrows raised, but he only looked your body over, not even trying to hide his want. “You really think I would ever plunge a dagger between those lovely breasts? Now, maybe something of mine between your legs of course…but only when you begged me for it, as you did quite often.”

“Oh? So it was just sex in your timeline?” You asked bluntly, the question legitimate, even if you might still be talking just for the sake of it, trying not to fall prey to him as you took a quick step back. But deep down that implication could still hurt if you let it, even though classic Loki had assured you you’d truly been loved in his universe. Maybe every timeline really was so different, that for other Lokis you’d just been someone else to bed.

What were you then to your own Loki? But you only glared then as this Loki laughed at you abruptly.

“And what would that matter if I only wanted physical pleasure? I don’t remember you being so sensitive. In your timeline, dear, did we only whisper sweet nothings and coddle one another late into the night then? Sounds awful…tell me, why in Hel would I want a kitten when I could have a lioness?”

That was it. His mocking tone was only growing and you weren’t going to be tormented like that, no matter whose face he had. You turned your back to him to decidedly walk away.

He was not your Loki.

But you can’t say you were surprised either when he immediately resisted your attempt to leave. All Lokis had to have the last word after all.

What did surprise you though was that instead of him spitting any additional venomous or insulting words to you in response, you just felt his hand grab your wrist roughly before he spun you back around and slammed his lips against yours.

You tried to push him back in reflex, but he only caught you around the waist, holding you almost painfully tight as his tongue then forced its way into your mouth.

It was somewhat frightening, yourself not used to the force. But albeit him tasting just the same as you always remembered him. It was so confusing, both knowing that this was but wasn’t right. He was a Loki, but not the one you’d let explore your body so many times before. In reality, you were being kissed by a total stranger.

There was a true cruelty to that as well that no one should ever have to experience, the familiarity enough to make you want to believe your loved one had been returned to you. Yet the heart knowing it was just wrong enough, and not your loved one at all.

To your further shock though, it was him that actually broke the kiss first. And as you stared at him, trying to understand, that is when you finally saw something more than arrogance or coldness in his eyes. You saw that trace of sadness all the Lokis had before he was able to conceal it again behind his own glare.

“You aren’t her.” He said so plainly, but with the air of someone who had just lost something very important all over again.

“No,” You said quietly, regret starting to tinge your own voice as you finally understood. He was looking for the same thing you were. He wanted someone he could no longer have.

You heard an annoyed sigh escape him, even as he didn’t let go of you. He sneered a little afterward, irritation evident as he just began talking again. “You know, in my timeline you did actually make it to that rooftop. But I’d gone after the other Avengers already. And I’d stopped Romanoff from getting the scepter, so there was nothing the idiots could close the portal with. I was on the verge of winning!”

He had your wrist still, his cold hand squeezing it harshly as he looked into your eyes while the anger of the memory grew. “But the humans were going to vaporize the entire city with one of their bombs rather than lose to me. So you decided you had to save us all.”

There was clear accusation in his tone, but you just kept silent as he confessed this to you.

“I hated you for it too. I couldn’t understand why you would sacrifice yourself for those insects. If I’d known your plan for even an instant, I’d have taken you and fled that place. I’d have done anything, not to have just been left with that scene that day. You took the Tesseract with your own hands. You pulled it from the machine and broke the doorway. But it was active then, an infinity stone at near full power. No one there could have handled it bare handed as you did and not have paid the price!”

You stared at him. This was not the anger of a man that had lost just another toy from out of his bed. You did have meaning to him after all if your departure had torn this big of a hole through him.

But could he really not understand your motivations then? Why were they all so stubborn!?

“You really think I would have killed myself if it wasn’t to save you too, Loki!?” You shot back, even the fear of Alioth not enough to quiet your rising voice now. “I wanted you back! Everything I did, you were my goal! Everyone else was only second. Everything else was always second. I wasn’t any less selfish!”

It was the truth. It was all only the truth. Maybe you’d only gotten what you’d deserved after all. Maybe you did deserve to be here, a punishment fit for two.

But he was just staring at you now. And you couldn’t handle that either before you were the one to kiss him this time.

It was still wrong, but he didn’t fight it as he closed his eyes. This time letting you lead just enough to give the action more than just that sense of forcefulness and lust. You tried to kiss him how you would have kissed your own Loki had he been standing before you right now. Desire yes, but affection as well, that special emotion reserved for the most important person that had ever filled your heart.

And when you finally did pull away again, it was clear he hadn’t wanted you to stop as he opened his eyes once more. Regretfully he frowned, his voice the quietest it had been yet. “And is that how you and he used to do it?”

“Yes,” You answered. Only surprised again when he suddenly let you go.

“I may not be your Loki, and you not my…well, you.” He spoke, albeit backing away now. He hid it well, but something still seemed shaken in his confidence that he’d come here with. “But come find me again, love, whenever you tire of being treated like a ‘lady’ by that old man and his vagabonds. Come to me whenever you’re ready for some real physical comfort from a true Loki. That’s the best I can offer you.”

Your eyebrows lowered, the deja vu so strong somehow as he walked away. In the beginning of your relationship years ago, Loki had wasted so much time trying to prove to himself that he didn’t really need you. Just because he was so afraid of the implications and the potential consequences deep down. And it was like going back to the very beginning in that moment.

But you couldn’t say what would happen now. You could only try to keep surviving. Maybe he deserved to be alone, but maybe he didn’t. What was really right or wrong when time no longer even existed for any of you? “If Alioth doesn’t kill me first…eternity sure is a long time. So never say never I guess. Right, Mr. President?” You taunted a little back in reference to his attire, just loud enough that you were sure he’d still hear you.

To his credit, he didn’t even pause in his stride either. Himself not looking back, refusing to give you that. But you heard that sardonic tone drift back none the less. “Now that does sound a bit more like her…I’ll be waiting to see if there’s any more in there somewhere. Maybe you’ll surprise me one day.”

Once he was finally gone though, you stood there in a little residual frustration for just a few more moments before you finally began walking in the opposite direction yourself.

By the time you’d rounded a few more hills of debris, back to where you’d last seen boastful Loki, you were actually a little surprised to see him still standing there.

He hadn’t collected a single piece of anything you saw, and the momentary bit of shock on his own face to see you already back told you all the rest of the story that you needed to know.

So here was President Loki’s ‘little spy’.

“Please tell me you were at least going to trade me to him for more than just a bigger chair.” You grumbled, not quite sure yet how much of a scene you wanted to make about this.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He tried, just straightening up into reflexive lies.

“Don’t.” You waved a hand. “I know all of you too well. I just want to know I’m worth more than a damn chair in this place. Can you at least answer the question?”

You saw him hesitate, no doubt that endless fountain of creative deceptions spinning full tilt as he tried to decide on which route to take.

“Loki,” You just sighed at him at last though, too many emotions in the last few moments to stay angry for very long. “He didn’t hurt me. You didn’t hurt me. So it’s not worth telling all the others. Whatever plot you have going on, they wouldn’t be surprised anyway. And if you just want to pretend that I’m an idiot, then go ahead. But let’s at least get some things to bring back to look like we did something out here.”

While he stared at you, you just grumpily followed through on your word, starting to collect anything that looked useful and placing it in your bag as if he wasn’t even there.

“I know you aren’t an idiot.” His voice finally spoke after a few more moments though making you glance back over.

He looked as annoyed as you however, just continuing. “He acts so tough doesn’t he? Like all of us I guess. But I really didn’t think he’d let you go after all his talk. What a pretender.”

You raised an eyebrow, yet answering all the while going back to sifting through the trash. “Well, I think he just realized I wasn’t actually the same person as who he lost.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t be.” Boastful Loki admitted, yet with a little weight to his tone that was a bit unusual for him.

When you felt his eyes still on you, you spoke again. “What? Look, the sooner we can get some supplies, the sooner we can go back. Are you going to help or not?”

His chuckle surprised you a little before he did finally start looking through the debris as well. “You know, if you can keep this failed trade to yourself, I think I’m safe to tell you one more thing.”

“I’m listening.” You responded, albeit only thinking he was going to tell you about some other predictable betrayal he’d been thinking of.

“I lied when I said I did not know you.” He admitted.

That was a little more interesting, but you chose not to show it, just saying, “Oh?” If he wanted to talk about it much further, he would. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t. You weren’t much in the mood to hear about yet another tragic way you’d died at Stark Tower today.

“Well, sort of. I mean, your name was (male version of Y/N) there.”

Okay, that was a new one. You were a man in his timeline? You couldn’t help but make eye contact with him again then. “Then how do you know it was actually me?”

“I was skeptical at first. Obvious differences in appearance of course,” He agreed. “But…the more you talk, the more you remind me of him. The things you say, the way you say them.” He smiled a wistful kind of smile then that instantly reminded you of classic Loki, as if he were reliving some old pleasant memories.

It was odd, as boastful Loki had never yet offered such a personal confession to you. But you couldn’t help but smile too, sensing the evident fondness he must have had for that person. “Was he handsome?” You questioned almost a little playfully.

“Oh, what, you fishing for compliments now?” He retorted tauntingly, but answered quite decidedly. “Of course he was! I mean, to me he was obviously. A warrior too.”

“Of course.” You answered.

“But it was more.” Loki continued sincerely, “He didn’t mind my bragging you know? He listened. He even enjoyed it I think. He didn’t judge me…”

You smirked a little, knowing that particular role all too well. Maybe some things never really did change. A few constants through all the timelines that even the TVA couldn’t stop. “It’s called love. You guys just take too long to label it.”

He hesitated, that sad look coming over him for just another moment. “I do miss him.”

You didn’t have to respond then for him to know how much you understood. You all missed your other halves…deeply.

But perhaps a real hero would emerge one day and do away with the TVA at last. Someone who could free the timelines and the multiverse for every single one of you to exist together again in your own branches just as you always should have.

Maybe one day.

——————————-

(End. Thank you for reading!)

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rare-yanderes · 3 years ago

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So I see you doing yandere Arishem like a story (if I right) I just want to see Arishem headcanons so you know just want to see what happened to S/O. (Sorry I don’t good at tell or explain things) if that fine for you.

•Honestly, it’s up to you on whatever happened to Arishem’s S/O. If you like good endings or bad endings. Whether they somehow manage to escape or stay imprisoned. (The reader is human in the story soo…If I’m being honest, their chances of ever escaping Arishem are so slim it is laughable. He’s billions of years old, creates solar systems and immortal robots, destroys planets, and uses black holes as ubers.)

•Eros might be trustable, maybe not. (He seems to be on the eternals’ side at the end in the movie.) He might just be sent by Arishem to watch over reader while they try to escape all willy nilly and be a safe way for them to do so before he goes to fetch them.

•I honestly like the idea of Arishem being indifferent about his S/O’s escape attempts. He kinda just does a cosmic disappointment sigh. He sees the escape attempts as entirely minuscule because all he has to do is whip out that black hole and warp to the reader and it’s all over. A little space bending and they’re wrapped in metal circles begging to be set free. Honestly, if he wanted, Arishem could effortlessly immobilize the reader or something before they even left the forge. He just chooses not to.

•Arishem bends reality to keep the reader alive, hence why they can be in space without a suit on or not have to breath air. It’s not improbable that Arishem is powerful enough to also immortalize the reader.

•Reader is unreliable. They go to Earth pretty much on every escape attempt even though Arishem is likely to look there first thing. Earth Is implied to be destroyed through readers’ memories, so this takes place in an alternate universe. (Or maybeee Arishem just allows them to think that. Maybe Eros does, too.) Readers’ memories are so jangled that sometimes they just can’t think things through anymore and thus end up making poor choices.

•For all we know, Earth is still alive and the whole damn thing is one giant illusion or a different planet altogether. Reader will forget soon enough because Arishem will erase their memories. He keeps it that way because it forces them to depend on him to get around the World Forge and he becomes their world. It instills complete dependency. Arishem becomes their sole companion and go to. There is no one else but Arishem that the reader will love, will trust until they remember again. It’s much like one big case of Mahd wy’ry. Reader cannot tell what memory belongs where, only that they have them. Some memories might just be of illusions and they’re not aware they are.

•Arishem likes this small purpose he’s chosen. He leads the other celestials and doesn’t speak to them for leisure. The same goes with all his Eternals. Arishem demands order and obedience but eventually that can become extremely repetitive over billions of years, especially when you do literally nothing else.

•Arishem may be ancient and all powerful but no one can escape being lonely. Teeny teensy and ditzy reader was the perfect satiation. (Although your ditzy nature miiiight be a byproduct of memory wipes.) There’s a certain unpredictability to it and Arishem likes seeing what reader will do or say next. He likes talking with them over small, unimportant things. He likes receiving their love and affection and returning it. He also enjoys seeing reader recoil in horror when they realize the truth. He loves the fruitless attempts at deception. Each time his S/O does things is different. There’s a variation. They are a duality. He loves all of them.

•This purpose of keeping the reader all to himself might be his own way of taking a reward from the universe. He tirelessly works to maintain its equilibrium. He serves the universe to make sure it never falls into darkness. All he wants in return is for his S/O’s little light to be surrendered to him. Forever.

•Its likely Arishem snatches the reader out of curiosity at first. Taking his S/O doesn’t come with any major consequences. They are one among billions. Celestials are a very experiments oriented race. They have been known in the comics to play around with life to see what happens. Arishem could have been reviewing readers’ memories or actions and reader just happened to unfortunately have piqued his interest long enough for him to decide “eh, imma keep this person” and then he just got..Attached. (He ain’t gonna admit it to Ajak any time soon if she ever found out.)

•Arishem will just blast any threats to reader out of existence. There is no warning, no loud boom. The threat is incinerated where they stand and no more. Past lovers of his S/O have their memories erased and his S/O certainly won’t be recalling them either. Not for a while, anyways.

•Despite how many times reader appears to escape, the attempts are actually far in between. Sometimes reader might go one hundred years before remembering. Maybe even a thousand. It varies, but Arishem patiently awaits the day he can watch reader run only to capture them yet again.

#yandere #obsession #writing #Marvel #eternals #arishem the judge #yandere marvel #yandere mcu #arishem #celestials

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xaviermattthews · 3 months ago

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With headlights visible in the distance, X looks like a deer caught in them for a split second. It could have been any car, but what if it wasn't -- what if it was the exact one he was waiting to pull up.

Right on time, right when he needed her to.

( Vanessa Gable had a real knack for that, it made for an easy decision when it came to what he was intending to do. )

It's a flash of red and a sprint in what he knows was heels from watching her get ready for her dinner hours earlier that confirms what he would have known blindfolded and with no hints.

There she was, the best choice he's ever made in a life stacked with plenty of good and bad ones, shoes in hand and not a single care about it.

Running to him is a good sign rather than the alternative and he would take bare feet in the sand over cold feet at what she had to know this was all for any day. Dayne starts plucking guitar strings as Van tugs on X's heartstrings, the melody no stranger to any of them and sounding all too right as it's heard again on the same beach where she had first showed him that very same song she had written for him.

The demo version would always be his favorite, nothing but her vocals and a confirmation of truths he had waited years to hear, but Dayne's take was gunning for a close second as Van rewrites her own lyrics right before him with a statement that has him grinning despite his own nerves.

"You always wanna kiss me, that ain't nothing new."

The threat of a premature answer hushes the small but present part of himself that had him concerned that maybe this sure thing of his might not be quite so sure, that the things he had put her through over the years and all the ways he had broken both their hearts might have crept to the forefront, a nasty past ready and waiting to usurp what he knows will be a good future.

There's none of that as he looks at her and reaches into the pocket of his jacket for the ring box, there's just that face of hers and how the mere sight of it made everything else fall away.

"Ah-ah, you have to let me do it, won't count if you don't and I'm only doing this once, baby."

He means that wholeheartedly, no matter what was in store for them, he would never drop to one knee like he did then in the sand under the setting sun and look up at another person with the same kind of adoration in his eyes as he did then.

Her or nothing -- that's all there was to it.

"Vanessa Gable, for the longest time, as long as I can remember really I've had this idea of myself and who I am and what I am. That I was put here for some higher purpose and that must make me above it all, including falling in love. Then along you came with that Louisiana accent in that ridiculous blonde wig and you knocked me on my ass. Right back to earth with all the rest of them pesky mere mortals, like the first dose of reality I'd had in who knows how long and God, do I love living in reality with you."

They both knew from experience how easy it was to be swept up in the lifestyle they lived, with every detriment that fame brought along with it. He had fallen to both knees for some of those vices more times than he could count, but the only reason he was there on one knee with breath in his lungs still was down to the woman in front of him.

"I knew the first time I saw you that you were going to change my life. I knew after the first time we spoke that if I kept speaking to you, I was going to fall in love with you. I knew that would hurt and I didn't care because it would hurt more to know of you and not know you. And I know you, darlin'. Everything there is to know, and I love all of you. Everything you are, everything you have been and everything I know you will be."

His hands feel as unsteady as they had at his father's funeral as he opens the ring box and reveals the ring he had deliberated on for over a year in his search for perfection. It's a similar shake that had caused her to take the eulogy he had written from them and deliver it for him, but he wouldn't let that happen there.

She had them then, he had them now.

"I'm so fucking in love with you and I tried real hard not to curse in this and I just failed at it but I won't fail at making you happy every day for as long as you'll have me. Because you're the only one who could have me and the way you love me is the way I want to be loved for the rest of my life."

He can just about hear Dayne's playing over the sound of his own heart beat as he finally makes her lyric about getting married in their heads something more than a shared ache.

"Will you do me the kind of honor I'll spend every second of the rest of forever making sure I'm worthy of and marry me?"

@vanessagable

As much as Van had been trying to enjoy her night out for dinner and drinks with her former sister-in-law (and she had been really trying, and making a good effort at seeming carefree), she'd been itching to check her phone every five minutes like some toddler that was being deprived of their iPad time.

She knew she shouldn't worry about him -- she knew that he could survive a night on his own without her, especially if Gideon was coming over to hang out -- it was just that she hadn't fully gotten over her guilt that she hadn't been home when he'd found out about his dad.

And now her worst fear was coming back home and seeing that broken look on his face ever again.

Not to mention that Lorelai was being more -- what was a kind word for it? -- micro-managy than usual as they had sat through dinner and drinks. (Getting their check had also seemed extremely urgent?)

Van hadn't dwelled on it much until Lor had driven past the driveway to her and X's house -- leading them further down the beach and parking alongside of the road without any explanation. She's about to question out loud if they're having car trouble or if she's being kidnapped -- and then she looks out the window.

The sun is hanging low over the beach -- perfectly lighting a floral heart, flickering candles, and the familiar shape of the love of her life standing in the middle.

"Oh, fuck."

For the first time in the evening, her phone is completely forgotten along with her purse as she scrambles to open the passenger door and jumps out without closing it behind her.

She's only a couple of feet into the sand before she's cursing the heels she'd worn -- bending down enough to urgently free herself from the straps and the shoes altogether so she can make better time as she sprints down the beach towards him with the hem of her dress in one hand to keep it from getting tangled between her legs.

Van only slows just short of the tableau -- out of breath and taking the moment in before locking eyes with Xavier.

"God, I wanna kiss you so fucking bad right now," she tells him through a ragged breath before she points a half-accusing finger at him.

"But I've never known you to not have anything to say so you'd better get to talking, cowboy, because I'm ready with my answer."

@xaviermattthews

#thread.#ft. vanessa gable.#van 016.#vanessagable #long post cw #parental death tw #addiction tw

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bjornswoman · 3 years ago

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Worth it

Requested by none.

Author's note: Hey guys! I know that I am being inactive a lot, but I have some matters to solve and they are taking me back. Anyways, I want you to know that I have seen your requests and I am working on them. Also, know that the 500 followers event is still open and you can still request stuff from there or whatever you want. About this specific one, it was about to have an alternative ending, but this came into my mind in the last minute. I hope you like it and it's possible to have a part two. Till next time have fun and take care.

Pairing: Modern!Hvitserk x Reader.

Genre: Modern!au, sad, drama, romance, fluff.

Summary: Hvitserk and you are about to get away together.

Warnings: Drama, it may break your heart (mine's broken after it).

You placed your body for once more closer to the your bedroom's door, trying to listen a single whisper or even the sound of footsteps in the hallway, but, again, there was nothing. You sighed a heavy breath again and let your body step away from the door and closer to the window. You looked the full moon and then again the door.

You felt about what you were going to go, but there was no other choice. Your family had given you no other choice.

You were about to sneak out of your family's house and run away with the man you loved and your family didn't approve. Only the name of his and his family made your parents furious and you couldn't bear this anymore. They were forcing you to stay away when you didn't want to. You didn't choose to love him, but you did and it was the kind of love which didn't fade away just like that. It was the kind of love which people even died for.

You decided to leave just like that in secret and in the middle of the night, because they even had found the right man to give you away. Julian was rich and he had a good family name. They called him the best fate for a lady that comes from a good family. But you didn't want that. You wanted Hvitserk Lothbrok. He was from a rich and with an even more famous family name. The name Lothbrok was the most famous name in all Scandinavia, but your parents just didn't like the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok. They were infamous and known for their turbulent love life, especially your man.

Your sweet boy wasn't like his brothers. He didn't pay much attention to the family business. Hvitserk loved parties, alcohol, drugs and women. The last two belonged to the past. He had promised that he had stopped since he met and had been a changed man, a better one and he hadn't been lying. Indeed he had changed. Hvitserk was more attentive to the business and stopped doing drugs and one-night stands with women he met in some bars. Hvitserk had even reduced the amount of alcohol he consumed and of the partied he attended.

But the society had already labelled him and that label wasn't going to get off him that easily. People only knew how to judge the other, not to understand the reason behind every movement of the other.

Your parents hated the Lothbroks and most of all they hated Hvitserk. They would never let you be with him, whatever the cost it was. They just didn't care whether you were happy or not. So you decided to run away. At first, you were just going to leave your house, but when you told Hvitserk he came out with the idea of you leaving together.

His family never had any problem with Hvitserk and you being together. That wasn't the reason he wanted to run away. Hvitserk had mentioned that he had some problems with his family. His parents had abandoned him as a child and he and, his older brother Ubbe, were growing up with, their oldest brother, Bjorn and his wife and children. This was for him a getaway. A way to prove to everyone that he could make it on his own, that he was someone else, a more mature Hvitserk.

According to your plan, Hvitserk was going to come to take you from the park close to your house. You were about to drop your stuff out of the window and, then, you were going to jump from there to go find the love your life.

You looked once more your room. You were expecting someone from your family to stop you, even if they didn't know about it, and then accept Hvitserk, but you knew that they wouldn't do that. Also, you knew that if you left now, you would never be welcomed back to this house, but that was the last thing you cared about. Hvitserk was worth it. He had proved it all the time you knew him.

Without any hesitation, you left the suitcase to fall from the window and then you did the same thing. Luckily for you, the distance between the ground and the window wasn't long enough to break any bone. You tried to be as silent as you could, when you took the bag and started running to the park you were going to meet Hvitserk.

You felt more alive than ever. You were going to leave with the only man you ever grew so strong feelings for. A huge grin had stuck on your face and it grew wider you saw your man waiting for you next to his bike.

Hvitserk had leant on his huge black motorcycle, inhaling the smoke of the cigarette between his fingers. He was wearing black jeans, along with black hoodie and a leather jacket which was black too and his long hair was braided. His stuff was only one backpack.

When he saw you approaching, he crushed out his cigarette and stood at his feet, some inches away from his motorbike. You run to him and wrapped your hands around his strong and muscular torso, after you dropped you bag on the ground. His stronger hands wrapped around your waist and he left a kiss on your neck.

"All these fucking days felt like freaking torture." He whispered when you stopped hugging each other tightly and your foreheads touched. You couldn't keep a huge smile from growing on your face. One identical smile had covered his face as well.

"I've missed you so much." You said, as your hands cupped his face and caressed both of his bearded cheeks. Hvitserk's hands which were laying on your waist, pulled you closer and your body touched every inch of his own body.

You couldn't wait any longer. You two hadn't seen each other for almost week due to your plan which required not seeing each other for a week, because you were going to tell your parents that you broke up and you didn't want them to notice that you were lying. You only texted each other and that was way too painful. You couldn't even hear his voice that was always so playful.

Without losing any more time, you pressed your lips on his, in a passionate kiss, better that any other that you shared. It was like that within this kiss you were confessing all the feelings you felt. At first, when you had the control of it, the kiss was slow and loving, but that was for a little amount of time, because Hvitserk took the control over it. When that happened, the kiss transformed into a hungry and tough kiss. It was all about claiming and his mouth was claiming yours.

His teeth bit your bottom lip stronger than you expected them to and you moaned out of pain. When you moaned, his tongue found its way inside your mouth and started dancing with yours. Also, you could feel the taste of your own blood because of the wound on your lip due to bite.

As you were kissing, his hand was moving lower on your body and you stopped him when he was about to touch places he shouldn't in this place. You stopped kissing him and got frowned, as you moved his hand away of your butt. A playful smirk was forming on his face, as you were moving away his hand and a smile on your own face.

"Hvitserk not here!" You tried to sound really serious, but a laughter along with the smile you had on your face didn't let you do as you wanted to. "After all we have to dash out of here." You continued and he laughed, making your heart lose a beat. People said that some stuff is worth to do die and this laughter was. This laughter was worth it all. This man was worth it all.

When he heard your last words, Hvitserk connected your foreheads once more and looked deep inside your eyes. This didn't really feel right. You were supposed to to meet here and, then, leave together to somewhere you had no clue, but he did. Instead of grabbing your hand and leading you to his motorcycle and leaving away from this suffocating world, like you had imagined and believed that he was going to, Hvitserk closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again all that playfulness of his face wasn't there anymore. Your face changed as well when you noticed. You were confused. Something had changed for good and you had a feeling that you weren't going to like this, whatever it was.

"I love you more than you will ever imagine. You have to know that." This prologue was something good, but when people started with something like that, something bad was coming after it. Hvitserk's hands cupped your cheeks. You could see tears forming in his green eyes and you could understand that they were forming in yours too. "When you love someone you let him go for his own good and that's what I have to do." He said and some tears dropped from his eyes, as waterfalls of tears started to dropping from yours. You shook your head trying to forget what you heard. It was all a bad joke. That what it was.

"No. No." You started saying between your sobbing and tried to move away from the man, but he kept you there. Hvitserk kept your face captured between his tattooed hands. He was crying too. One of his hands wiped away your tears, but his effort was pointless because you were still crying.

"Listen to me (Y/N)." His voice was louder now. "There's no future with me. Your family is right. I'm a bleeder nothing more than that. I'm not worth of all this you are doing for me. I can't give you what that Julian can. That's why I am leaving alone, because I love you and I want you away of a broken man like me. I don't want you to turn your back at the people you love for me."

You couldn't believe the words you were listening coming out of his mouth. You loved Hvitserk more than anyone else and he was leaving you behind. Your family had never understood you the way Hvitserk had done. None ever treated you better than he did. All the time you were together he was treating you like you were a princess or something like that.

"I love you and only you! All that matters its you! Hvitserk please..... don't leave me." Your voice was pretty loud at the beginning of your speech, but at then it broke. You broke and his heard grieved. Hvitserk couldn't bear seeing you hurting because of him. He wanted you. He loved you more than his own life. But he couldn't stay. He was just poisoning you, the best thing ever happened in his whole life. Hvitserk was forced to leave the only thing that ever mattered in his whole life.

"I don't have a choice, (Y/N)" These were his last words, before he took his hands off your face and started walking away from you, crying as you were crying as well. "I love you." Was all he muttered before he vanished in the dark of the night riding his black motorcycle.

You left there, standing and watching at the man you love living. Before you know it, your knees abandoned you and you fell on the cold ground still crying your guts out for the man you loved and loved you back, but left because the world made him feel unworthy of your love.

It felt like your heart was ripped off your body. You felt like you were already dead.

"I love you." You whisper, looking at the stars above of your head.

#vikings hvitserk #modern hvitserk #hvitserk imagine #hvitserk lothbrok #hvitserk ragnarsson #hvitserk #hvitserk fanfiction #hvitserk fic #modern hvitserk x reader #hvitserk x reader #vikings imagine #modern vikings #vikings modern au #vikings au #vikings fic #modern vikings x reader #vikings x reader #modern au

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