#and by having to cooperate with just a piece of work of his own age

[daisyachain]

Sorrow’s End probably my fav arc since Burza Nyth, unfortunately containing the clunkiest plot point since Weekend at Orimar’s. The Ralé town makes sense to include, it makes sense for Jonnit to check out whatever new experiences a location has to offer, it makes sense for Jonnit to interact with the magical history of Sorrow’s End as the resident caster. The way it all plays out a trope that was tired in the 17th century with a newcomer carrying the colonial cultural package representing a supernaturally significant presence in an indigenous culture. Bro. It’s never too late to just pause and re-edit. Are you Gene Wolfe-ing kidding me. Did we really just reinvent the Apu Punchau

[sopiloveshobi]

Kim Fucking Namjoon

Please proceed with caution. This is a 18+ nsfw piece. I won’t spoil anything here. Had this in my head since I saw those pics from Hoseoks party. Haven’t spelled checked and haven’t written like this in ages so I hope it makes sense and is good enough!

‘You are out of your mind! You know exactly who will be at that party. I am not going!’ You answered your best friend sitting on your bed whilst she was going through your wardrobe.

‘Please please I am begging you! You know Hoseok invited me? He called me and made sure I will be there! What if tonight is the night?!’ Yu-jin pouted at you, with a begging hands.

‘What do you even mean THE night?’ You rolled your eyes at her and threw yourself back at the bed.

‘What if he kisses me tonight? What if he finally makes a move and I won’t be there because you won’t go!’ Her voice was really desperate and she was trying to hide all of the excitement she was holding inside.

‘You can still go! Just without me. I wasn’t invited, I was supposed to be your plus one anyway’ you answered sighing loudly. You wanted to go, but you also knew who you could bump into at this party. The guy who you worked with few times and who also happens to be a best friend of your best friends crush. Its not that you hated the man. But you definitely weren’t fond of him and wanted to avoid him. The man was trouble. Every time you had to work together he would come up with excuses or would refuse to cooperate. He was always late and he just simply annoyed the fuck out of you. Luckily the feeling was mutual. Because Hoseok told Yu-jin that he wasn’t keen on you either.

Kim Namjoon. Tall, incredibly wide shoulders and dark hair. Smoky, sleepy dark eyes and the perfect jaw line. Perfect looks, yet so fucking annoying.

‘Please, please. I promise I will keep you away from him and I won’t leave you on your own for too long’ she was about to say she won’t leave you at all but you both knew that won’t be the case. Because the second Hoseok will wave at her she will drop you and run to that man. And you couldn’t blame her. He was really good looking, he was successful and he did treat her really well. There was never a game that he would play with her. His intentions were pretty clear to everyone.

You rolled your eyes and sat back up on the bed.

‘Fine…’ you decided. Why would you avoid a great party, a little boogie and a drink because this jerk might be there? And even if he will, its not like he will come to harass you. It will be fine. If you will have to converse you will be civil. You bet he will be late anyway, like he always was.

‘I love love looooooove you’ Yu-jin jumped on you and tackled you down onto the bed ‘You are the best’ she giggled right into your face. You and Yu-jin have been friends for years, pretty much since school. You never left each others sides, even with careers going on and moving out of your family houses you were always there for each other. Even when her dad passed, you took care of their family and helped cook for them for few months. You were inseparable so it was natural for Yu-jin wanting to be on a very important party of her probably future boyfriend. Maybe even husband.

‘Pick my outfit though’ you moaned and pushed her off yourself. She sprang up to your wardrobe and she already had eyed out black dress with long sleeves and pair of sneakers paired with it. It was the cool kind of outfit you could never pick yourself but she was a master in this. She was the cool stylish one who would buy and gift you tons of stuff that she knew you could pull off but were too scared to experiment yourself.

You both arrived in front of the building and got out of the car. You have straightened your dress and fixed your hair. Both you check your make up and were ready to go in.

You have showed your invitation at the door and went on the top floor of the building in the lift. You were nervous. Yu-jin was excited. As always the absolute opposites. You took a deep breath as the lift reached the top floor, the door dinged and you could heard loud music already blasting. Yu-jin left first and you followed her, another person asked for the invitations which you both showed and received a bracelet to be let in. It was long until you heard the man squeak and run towards the two of you. His hair done wet like style, denim outfit, chunky chose and shades. He did look like a king of this party.

‘Its so good to see you both! So glad you made it! Yu-jin, you look so good baby’ he commented on her. He always showered her in compliments and it was great to see her being treasured. ‘You both do. Thank you so much for coming. Cocktails are on this side, snacks on the other. Yu-jin I will grab you in a bit okay? I need to welcome all the guests. Get yourself a drink and I will be right with you okay?’ He was so reassuring, made sure she felt special and taken care if. She nodded and smiled widely at him. He always took her words away, she was so stunned around him, so shy. Not the Yu-jin you know. You both swiftly moved away to the cocktail bar. You scanned the room to see if there was anyone who you known and there few people that you knew of. No sight of him. Thank fuck. You ordered your cocktail, you were just chatting to the bartender and then Yu-jin patted your shoulder.

‘Im so sorry..’ she whispered and you knew what was coming. But just as you promised yourself at home, you wouldn’t let this spoil your night. You were here for Hoseok and your friend and a little bit of good time. You turned around and then he was, at the entrance that you and Yu-jin just were few minutes ago. Top to bottom dark jeans, oversized t-shirt, long hair dark hair. Slightly overgrown. He was talking to Hoseok and scanned the room himself. And then it was. He stopped at you. Your eyes locked for just a second. Fuck. You were hoping to go by unnoticed.

There she is. He thought already annoyed at your sight. Fuck, she will be as annoying as always he thought to himself.

He moved away from Hoseok and moved towards a group of men standing on the side. He didn’t break the eye contact though. He was still staring at you. And you couldn’t let him win. He made you so competitive. Fuck he is so annoying even from so far away. You rolled your eyes and turned around back to the bar. You took a big sip of your cocktail.

‘Its fine Yu-jin, we both knew this is going to happen’ you said to your friend and continued on sipping on your drink. You definitely needed liquid courage to be able to walk about and dance on this party, in the outfit you were in, in front of a guy you really disliked. You moved along with the drink and your friend and she spotted few people she knew and wanted to say hello to. And all you could feel was his eyes on you. Even when you weren’t facing him, you could just feel him staring. It was uncomfortable but at the same time it has given you this weird confidence.

Eventually Hoseok came and grabbed Yu-jin as he promised and he basically didn’t leave her side the entire night. They would go up together to different people and he would introduce her. They did disappear at some point completely, you lost them and you panicked a little. She promised not to leave you for good and as you were turning around to look for her, you were stopped by him. Kim Namjoon. Fuck. He appeared right in front of you. Out of no where.

‘Nice to see you’ he hissed through his clenched jaw. You could hear his teeth grind. Why is he here and talking to you. You weren’t buying his bullshit.

‘Im afraid im not able to say the same’ you looked down on him. You took another sip of your drink for extra courage. No way he is going to spoil your night.

‘As polite as always I see’ he hissed back and moved away. He went around you and ordered a drink from the bartender. Of course, he couldn’t avoid you because you were stuck like a leech to the bar. You grabbed your drink and moved away. It didn’t take long and someone approached you. Also quite tall. Piercing in his lip, tattoos on his arm. Dark clothes, thick chain around his neck, drink in his hand.

‘I was told to take care of you’ he whispered to your ear. You froze. What the hell?

‘Who are you and who told you that?’ You were surprised, it wasn’t him so you weren’t completely closed off to talk to anyone else. Anyone but him.

‘Yu-jin told me to hang around for a bit. Her and Hoseok went.. to his studio. I think he will finally make things official’ you were stunned. Who is this guy. He was nice and sweet and he knew details about your friend. Wait Yu-jin told him what? ‘Jungkook’ he added at the end. Jungkook. Jungkook. You tried to remember if she ever mentioned anyone with that name. He put his hand on your waist. You froze again. ‘i was supposed to keep Namjoon away’ he added. Yu-jin im going to kill you, you thought to yourself but you were happy to take any hell at this stage. You turned around to him, keeping his hand on your waist and smiled politely.

‘I see. I also see you have been let in on all my secrets’ you chuckled and continued on your cocktail.

At that very second, when you were chuckling whilst Jungkook hand was resting on your waist Kim Namjoon has turned around from the bar to look around. Scanned the room and saw exactly that picture. He clenched his jaw and squeezed his drink a little bit too hard, he broke the glass and spilled the whiskey that was in it. It didn’t look like he hurt himself. He apologised to the bartender and ordered another drink. You noticed in the corner of your eye that he was still stating. It didn’t take long for him to approach. Of course, he couldn’t stay the fuck away could he?

‘Jungkookie, i didnt know you had a date’ he chuckled at the sight of the two of you.

‘I don’t have to tell you everything do I?’ He answered and grabbed you a little closer. You were staring at Namjoon, and he was staring staring at you. The surroundings became unbearable and steamy.

‘I didn’t know you knew each other’ you gasped and wrapped yourself around Jungkook. He wasn’t expecting that so he smirked a little when he felt your body getting closer to his. Namjoons jaw clenched again.

‘For years now’ he answered and scanned you and Jungkook up and down. He knew. He smelled it. He found out this was only a play. If Jungkook didnt smirk with a triumph like that maybe he would have been fooled. ‘Enjoy you two’ he raised his glass slightly and moved away. You could have breathing again, so you exhaled loudly.

‘What the fuck is wrong with the two of you? You really do hate each other’ Jungkook commented, partially amused at the situation and sipped on his drink. The music stopped and Hoseok appeared around the main area of the party. All lights on him.

‘Thank you for coming everyone. We will play few songs from the new album now. I hope you enjoy’ he bowed down and he went away. The music started, the lights went off again. And you felt really warm. Incredibly warm. You needed a breath of fresh air or water at your neck. You looked around and spotted a corridor leading to the bathrooms. You started walking towards it. As you started moving, you felt a pair of eyes on you. And after that movement in the corner of your eye. You rushed towards the bathrooms, closed the first door behind you and you could hear the steps behind you. You entered the bathroom and instantly opened the tap to spray some water on yourself. The door opened right behind you. And there he was. Kim fucking Namjoon.

‘What the fuck is your problem?!’ He hissed at you, half shouting and walking towards you.

‘What the fuck is YOUR problem?! This is ladys room by the way’ you answered with the same anger as he brought in.

‘Why the fuck would you act like this?’ He kept walking and nearly shouting at you. The temperature raising in the room. The tension growing like crazy because this fucking idiot was right there shouting at you. You hated his guts but at this right moment, he was insanely hot. The angrier he was getting the more you felt yourself getting wet. What the fuck. Its the most annoying guy you know, why would he make you feel like this?! ‘Why would wear something like this?’ He hissed again when he didn’t get an answer ‘and the Jungkook theatre?! Are you out of your mind?’ He continued and pointed outside when he mentioned Jungkook. What the hell was I wearing? How dares he even mention something like this.

‘Why are you even here? Why do you care?!’ You answered completely confused and out of breath as you were still really warm and dizzy.

But it was about to continue because he was now right in front of you. Nearly leaning over your, staring directly into your eyes. You were furious and so was he. And something in that tension broke because he smashed his lips on yours and sat you up on the sink.

‘What the fuck?!’ You hissed and you pushed him away. He was so annoying. So annoyingly hot. So annoying. No no. You cant be this weak. And then he came back, smashed his lips against yours and you didn’t refuse this time. Fast breathing, his hands on your legs going up. His tongue down your throat, your hand on his neck and the other in his long hair. Steamy. Steamy was the feeling, the room, the way he kissed. He picked you up holding your ass and he walked with you to a cubicle and he shut the door behind him. He sat on the closed toilet and he sat you on top of him facing him. You bit his lip and moved to his neck, slowly licking and kissing up towards the back of his ear and he whined. This single act made him whine out loud. His hands explored your ass and when he got bored he moved under your dress and moved your underwear to the side. His tongue again back deep down you throat, and the second he touched you, you whimpered into his mouth. He really wanted to play the long game but the anticipation and tension between the two of you for weeks has made it impossible. He slid his two fingers inside you and as he did so, you moaned into his mouth and he stopped kissing you.

‘You slut’ he hissed and you completely ignored what he just said to you. You slid his trousers slightly, just enough to gain access and pulled his rock hard dick that was ready for you there and there. He didn’t expect it, he opened his mouth and stared at you for a second as you started going with your hand up and down the length of it. He moved his fingers again and felt how wet you turned. You threw your head back when he started moving again. Fuck. Fuck you. You gained a little bit of clarity in your head.

‘I hate you’ you said irritated straight into his face.

‘I know’ he responded and he took his fingers out of you. He moved your hand away from his cock and lifted you slightly, his trousers fell lower down to his knees and he placed you on top of him. You poked your hand under yourself to aim him right and he just let go of you and you fell right onto him, his dick sliding into you at a fast paste and your body jerked trying to adjust to him. He gasped quietly and looked deep into your eyes. You locked your eyes with his as he slowly started moving inside you. The more pace he picked up, the more you couldn’t hold your facial expression. You leaned into him, attacking his lips and moaning in between his movements. He finally came to his senses and places one hand on your hip and the other on your ass and as he started ramming into you, you bouncing on top of him he kept kissing you back, he kept kissing you chin and your cheek, whatever was closer at the moment. His grip tightened on you and he picked up the pace even more, the both of your breath loud and shallow. He squeezed your ass and he felt you squeeze around him inside you, you closed your eyes and whispered ‘so close’ as he picked up the pace to an insane speed and you were on the edge for a minute and then he switched one of his hands and squeezed your breast. That did it, you jerked your head to the back and closed your eyes moaning insanely loud and him kissing your neck helping you ride your high. And when you did and did see the stars, you looked down on him but the pace didn’t stop. You felt him slowly twitching and then you remembered, there wasn’t a condom break. There was nothing. You stopped him and got yourself off him, your juices slowly going town your leg. He looked at you with the biggest disgust at the same time with insane admiration. And then he pulled your hair and brought you all the way down to your knees and he opened your mouth with his finger and stuck himself in your mouth. No warning, no word. He was so close he needed to finish, and you were so hot, so slutty for him. He started fucking your throat and you let him, you put your tongue on top of him and sucked him off. It didn’t take long for him to come. You heard him grunt and moan and he finally came all the way down your throat. You swallowed everything you received. Your cheeks red, pink nose, hair messed up. You looked fucked. You were fucked. And you remained on your knees as he pulled himself together and then he helped you up, he tried putting your hair back to its best but that was a fail. And when you were about to unlock the door of the cubicle without a word he put a hand on yours and stopped you. He leaned you on the door and kissed you. But not harsh and aggressively like he did before. He kissed you like he really meant it, with care and he cupped your face and stroked it. He looked into your eyes, moved you to the side and left. He left you there. Without a word. Kim fucking Namjoon. What the fuck was that? You thought to yourself when you came to your senses and walked out. Checked yourself in the mirror and you did look fucked. You tried putting yourself together with the bits you had in your bag, but who were you fooling.

As Namjoon left the bathroom fixing himself and trying to look put together, Jungkook spotted him and approached him

‘Where have you been?’ He asked staring him down.

‘Just needed to fix some things’ he answered cryptically and moved on. Went towards the bar and ordered another drink.

Not long after you came out of the bathroom and Jungkook clocked what needed fixing. Based on the state of you he put 2 and 2 together and couldn’t stop giggling.

Yu-jin couldn’t find you. She really needed to tell you the good news and you were no where to be found. And then finally she found Jungkook giggling to himself.

‘Where is she?’ She asked.

‘Oh, uhm, just there’ he pointed at you leaving the bathroom trying to brush your dress down. He giggled again. ‘What the fuck happened to her?’ Yu-jin asked.

‘Namjoon’ Jungkook responded and moved away to find Hoseok.

‘We have a lot to talk about’ she said the second she approached.

‘I have no idea what youre talking about’ you were playing along, not about to tell your best friend you just fucked with the very man you were trying to avoid.

‘Me and Hoseok! Official!’ She jumped in place and you felt relieved because it was long time coming and also gave you the time to hopefully have her forget what she just saw.

‘Im so happy for you!’ You answered and hugged her. ‘Celebratory drink?’ You asked. You desperately needed to drink.

‘Lets get itttt’ Yu-jin was in the best of moods and decided not to ask about anything for now. For now.

The party went along, most of the guests disappeared and because Yi-jin wanted to close with Hoseok, you were tagging along.

‘We will just check if we took everything from the studio and will be right here okay?’ Your best friend announced and you nodded.

‘I will wait downstairs’ you added and went into the lift.

Of course. Your luck. Who was in the vert same lift?! Kim fucking Namjoon. The door closed, nobody else inside and he just approached you. Pushed you to the wall and kissed like there was no tomorrow.

‘Jagiya…’ he whined into your mouth. You were in shock. I mean the kissing was great but the name calling?

‘Namjoon are you drunk?’ You asked and he moved him slightly to the side, breaking the kiss.

‘No, i am really not. I just cant stop thinking about you’ he admitted, scratching the back of his head.

You didn’t know what to think about it. He was annoying and always late. But the chemistry the two of you had wasn’t normal. And you couldn’t just skip it, forget it, move on from it.

‘Fine, lets go home’ you said and you put your hand out so he would hold it, but he didn’t.

‘Let me ask you out properly first. Hoseok will rip me open if he will find out… i will call you tomorrow?’ He asked. He turned… sweet? Kim fucking Namjoon, annoying and always late. The man who infuriated you for the past few months and also the very same man who grunted few hours ago as you sucked him off, was now sweet and charming and… you loved it? What the fuck was wrong with you.

‘If you won’t, the ship will sail. There is only one chance with me’ you teased him and you left the lift and he followed. And you have met Hoseok and Yu-Jin staring at the two of you holding hands, with their mouths wide open. No fucking way.

[thesummerestsolstice]

Headcanon Crafts for Everyone I Missed Last Time:

Idril: a sculptor. She worked with every kind of stone imaginable, and often went looking for new material in Gondolin’s mines with Maeglin. (Look my Maeglin head canons are complicated but they should get to be friends the narrative has hurt them too much already) She actually preferred not to make elvish figures, instead focusing on strangely beautiful stone landscapes and various animal-like figures. She was actually responsible for Middle-Earth’s version of the gargoyle, having carved several to stand guard over Gondolin. Several elves swore that the statues moved, but she never addressed those rumors. She also liked to paint her work with bright colors, which would’ve been seen as odd back in Valinor, but fit right in in First Age Middle-Earth.

Maeglin: a smith, but his craft was more in-line with Avarin practice than Noldor practice; with much less focus on the idea of making gems and heavier focus on understanding natural geology and the properties of various gems and metals. He knew the mines of Gondolin better than anyone, and wrote plenty about the the earth under the earth. His work also had fairly significant Dwarfish influences. He liked to make mechanically complex pieces, with moving parts or even some internal gear work.

Finduilas: a hunter. Her and her father were both nature people, just in very different ways. She was silent, with all the grace of a dancer, and quick enough to outrun most of what she hunted. She preferred to go after more aggressive animals– wild boar, wolves, bears, even wargs– and leave the deer and rabbits be. She was born in Beleriand, and had never met the Valar, but sometimes, privately, offered up prayers to Orome. She liked to imagine she could’ve been in his hunt, if things had turned out a bit differently.

Celebrimbor: a smith, in the very traditional Noldor sense. Gemworker, specialized in jewelry, made various famously beautiful pieces, etc. Was never quite happy sticking to hairpins and necklaces. Longed to try his hand at imbuing his work with real power, but always talked himself out of it. A whole binder of concepts for works of power sat locked away in a chest in his workshop for centuries. He never talked to anyone about it. He was as ashamed of his feelings for his craft as he was of his feelings for his family. By the end of his life, he’d made peace with only one of those things.

Earendil: a mariner? Alright, he was definitely a mariner, and he loved the ship life– he even built a few boats of his own, in a similar fantastic style to Turgon’s architecture– but he also had a longstanding fascination with the natural world, and filled volumes and volumes of journals with information on various plants, animals, and minerals. But natural lore isn’t a recognized Noldor craft, since it involves learning but doesn’t really produce tangible results. Still, it was a passion he got from afternoons spent learning about geology with “Uncle Mole,” and one he shared with Elrond. Researching the beauty and wonder of nature gave Earendil something to do with his immortal life, and was a big part of the reason Elrond chose to be immortal at all.

Gil-Galad: a king. No, really, he’d been the high-king of the Noldor since he was a child, and hadn’t really had time for trivialities like “finding a life purpose” or “having fun.” He was too busy learning how to stay alive in late stage Beleriand (read: hell) and learning to rule the least cooperative group of elves imaginable. He wanted to be a painter, and while he found enough practice time to get good at his chosen craft; because of how long detailed paintings can take, he almost never had time to actually make anything. He tried not to let it bother him too much. He didn’t always succeed at that.

Elrond: in a bit of a weird spot. Elrond is most associated with lore and healing; but, as discussed, “lore” isn’t considered a craft. And, well. Healing had to be Elrond’s craft, right? He’d been doing it since he was seven, and just about the only person in Amon Ereb who could still use healing powers. And it was good work, and it was rewarding, even if it often left him feeling so burned out and worried that he forgot to eat or sleep. It took him a long time to admit to himself that healing for him was what fighting was to many other elves: a necessity. Truth be told, he’d rather be gardener, working with the earth to create a place of peace and beauty. Also, Elrond is basically a nature spirit. So. It was something he began to explore in the peace of the early Second Age. He found that his Ainuric powers had all sorts of interesting effects on plant life. He also learned how to breed new varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Still, he never really considered that it could be a proper craft for him. At least, not until he first saw the valley that would one day become Rivendell.

Headcanon Crafts for Finwe and his Children, the House of Feanor, the House of Fingolfin, and the House of Finarfin.

[flowerandblood]

The Crime and Punishment (2)

[ modern! lawyer • Aemond x female ]

[ warnings: sex content, age gap, smut, angst, domination kink, sexual tension ]

[ description: Aemond becomes a co-owner of one of the largest law firms in the area. He is invited to cooperate by one of the best lawyers he knows. While working in the evenings on further matters at his house, he meets his daughter, much younger than him, whose behavior gives him sleepless nights. Anon Request: Age gap, domination, lots of sexual tension and guilt. ]

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Previous and next parts: Masterlist

______

A few days had passed since he touched her for the first time. They both tried to pretend that nothing had happened. They did not look at each other and did not speak to each other. There was tension between them as they were left alone in the room. It felt like some kind of competition.

Her father often asked her for help in the law firm. Mostly when it comes to documentation. Of course, they had everything electronically stored, but they also had to have copies of the files in separate folders and binders in case something happened.

Aemond hated messy paperwork. She'd seen him scolding his assistant many times for not being able to arrange them properly and for putting them all over the place.

As far as she knew, the girl also studied law and did an apprenticeship with him. But she didn't seem to be able to handle the pressure and demands he placed on her.

"Leave it. Go home now. I'll take care of it." She said to her once, putting her backpack on a chair.

It was hot despite the air conditioning. For this reason she decided to wear a dress with small flowers, pretty and girly, with a triangle neckline. The girl looked at her gratefully.

"Thank you. I owe you lunch." She sputtered tiredly, putting down the pages she had been sorting. She packed her things from her desk and left.

She went to work, standing at the table where all the documentation from the previous month was spread out. From a drawer she took a piece of divider and a marker.

She knew what he liked.

Each client was to have their own binder. Inside, each case was to be separated by a red sheet with its number, date and table of contents - so you could see where one began and the other ended.

They had to be accurately described. The case was to be divided into parts: the evidences, the opinions of the experts, their discussions recorded by ear, the testimonies of the witnesses, the testimony of the client himself, the evidences of the prosecutor's office.

This order had to be followed, no other. Each part should be arranged logically, fragments of the statements of the same witnesses were to be arranged one after the other, so as not to look for them further. If there were any small notes or footnotes among the papers, they had to be stapled to the relevant document they concerned with a stapler.

She arranged everything with care. She put the sheets of paper into piles, and then put everything as one part into a binder. She flinched when she heard his voice behind her.

"What are you doing?" He asked coldly, standing in the doorway. She wondered how long he had been watching her silently.

She went back to her work, pretending she wasn't impressed by the sight of him in a tight, thin black turtleneck hugging his chest. She wondered how it was possible that he wasn't too hot inside.

"I'm putting together your documentation." She said softly as she stapled the two sheets together.

"Where is Hannah?" He asked indifferently, walking over to the table where she stood, roughly leafing through one of the binders that she had just set aside.

"I sent her home because she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Should I call her?" She asked as she tucked pieces of paper into a plastic sleeve. A momentary silence answered her.

"No." He said finally, without commenting further, sitting down at his desk. She knew it was a sign that she was doing her job well and he couldn't find anything to complain about.

She decided that she would work standing up since she led such a sedentary lifestyle. She allowed him to look at her long, shapely legs without restriction. She wondered if he was just thinking about how soft her skin felt when he touched her.

She heard him start typing on his laptop. He was probably replying to a client. She glanced at her watch - it was seven o'clock in the evening. She wondered when he rested.

She had heard that he had dumped his long-time partner, Alys, precisely because she wanted him to give up his career and start a family with her. In six years of relationship he hadn't even proposed to her, and her biological clock was ticking.

Turns out they have other priorities in life.

She guessed he wasn't a sexual ascetic, but she knew he hadn't had a long-term relationship with anyone since then. She wasn't going to be his adventure. One of the smiling journalists or clerks that he could fuck once in the back room. She wanted him to die of despair because of her.

A knock on the open door snapped her out of her thoughts. Daemon, a close friend of her father's for many years, stood there. He was a well-known forensic pathologist, helping them with their cases and determining the possible course of events. He often came to visit them and helped her father when her mother left them and he struggled with depression, unable to get out of bed.

"Would you like a quick snack before the restaurant downstairs closes?" He asked lightly, smiling out of the corner of his mouth.

She thought that he always looked very good. His slicked-back hair, gallant smile, unbuttoned jacket, casually buttoned shirt. He was a very handsome man, and she thought it was great that he'd asked her that in front of Aemond. She smiled broadly.

"Of course." She said lightly and glanced at Aemond who was glaring at her from his laptop. "Do you mind? I promise I'll finish it today. I have the keys to the office." She said calmly.

He looked away, starting typing again on his laptop. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

"No."

***

She and Daemon sat at one of the tables. It was practically empty around them because all the offices, except theirs, were already closed. Daemon ordered a drink, she took tea and a piece of chocolate cake. He stared at her for a moment in concentration.

"How are you?" He asked finally, taking a sip of his drink. She looked at him from under her long lashes and smiled slightly.

"All right." She answered briefly, taking a piece of cake on a small fork into her mouth. Daemon looked at her expectantly.

"You still don't speak to her?" He asked finally. She looked at him with furrowed brows.

"No, Dad." She said maliciously, giving him a warning look. He laughed at her words and shook his head.

"You're going to have to do it eventually." He grunted as he took a sip from his glass. She sighed heavily, looking away.

"My dad told you to talk to me?" She asked tired. She hated bringing it up again. It was a closed chapter for her. Daemon stared at her silently.

"He worries about you." He finally said, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

There was something rakish and youthful about him, a certain arrogance and energy that always impressed her. She couldn't be mad at him. She smiled pityingly.

"I know. But I don't think I have to explain anything. Not even to you." She said, as she popped a piece of cake into her mouth and ate deliberately, keeping her eyes on him. He looked at her thoughtfully. He didn't speak for a moment.

"You know that if you need to talk, you can always count on me." He said finally. She smiled warmly at him.

"I know."

***

After a few minutes they got up and said goodbye. He was already on his way home and she was climbing the stairs up to their office. On the way she met her father, who was running downstairs in a hurry.

"There's a new witness in the case. I need to question him. Can you get yourself an Uber home?" He asked, grabbing her by the shoulders. She shivered with excitement at the thought of being alone with Aemond in the office.

"Yes, don't worry." She said lightly. He nodded and ran downstairs.

She walked slowly down the corridor thinking hard about what she should do. She decided that the best option was to let him look at her. She knew that just being alone with each other would make the tension unbearable for them. She decided that there was no reason to exaggerate and to show him anything more than she herself wanted.

She entered the code and heard a confirmation beep that the password was correct. She went inside and walked through the glass walls to the only room with a light on.

She saw with surprise that he got hot after all, and he was left in just a tight black T-shirt, a nice little watch with a black strap on his wrist. He was leaning over the papers on the table she had been dealing with.

He gave her a quick glance, eyeing her up and down, as if to see if she really had eaten something or if she was doing something else with Daemon. Deciding to pretend not to see it, she stood next to him, getting to work without saying a word.

He sorted the sheets and documents as he saw fit, handing them to her and telling her the client's name and case number. She wrote it down, working with complete concentration, her small hands slipping the pages into plastic sleeves and placing them in the correct order into binders.

She smelled the intense scent of his cologne water and felt with amusement that her nipples hardened slightly, her insides clenched, hot and moist. She thought it was ridiculous how much he affected her.

She glanced thoughtfully at his large hands, lines of veins showing through their skin. He had slender fingers. She remembered how nice their touch felt on her skin, and a pleasant shiver ran through her. She turned her head as she went back to work. She closed several ready-made binders and walked over to the regiment, clearing space and putting them in their proper place.

She heard him move and stand behind her. Her movements slowed in tension, wondering what he would do. She felt him place one of the files on the shelf above her head, placing it on top of the others. She could feel his breath and the warmth of his body. Her heart was pounding like crazy.

Slowly she slid the last of the binders into place, her hand trembling slightly. She felt that he hadn't moved away, his hand still searching for something just above her. She knew he was pretending.

She placed her hands on the shelf in front of her, not moving. She felt that he wanted her to turn to face him, to show with her eyes how much she wanted him. She decided she wouldn't give him the satisfaction and waited for him to pull away.

A strong, aggressive shudder went through her, as she felt his fingertips brushing against the side of her thigh. He guided them as he had done then, up and down, lifting her dress slightly, so that once in a while he could see the fabric of her panties. She swallowed hard, feeling her own wetness between her thighs.

Her fingers tightened on the shelf in front of her and she leaned forward slightly, her buttocks landing on his pants right behind her. They both sucked in a sharp breath as her butt pressed against the bulge hidden under his fly. His hand tightened around her buttock as she began to rub innocently up and down against him, feeling the pleasure of him throbbing under her.

"Stop." He whispered softly. She wondered if he was trying to convince himself or her.

"Just do it." She said softly, squeezing her eyes shut. She felt him freeze, his breath caught in his throat.

They were panting softly, rubbing against each other slowly and intensely, she could feel him completely hard now. His thumb pushed the material of her panties aside, exposing her wet, fleshy structure to him, all hot and throbbing. He ran his thumb over her entry, lapping it in her fluids, his breath quivering slightly.

"Are you sure?" He asked quietly, unsure of himself. She had never heard him talk to anyone like that before. It turned her on even more. All she wanted was for him to fuck her.

"Yes." She whispered softly, her lips quivering slightly, her face pressing against the bookcase in front of her.

She began to breathe faster when she heard the sudden sound of the belt from his pants being unfastened and his fly being unzipped. She felt him pull her panties down to her knees.

She couldn't suppress a soft moan of delight as she felt his huge, throbbing manhood begin to rub against her, sticky with her wetness. He held her buttocks, parting her in front of him, his cock literally slithering over her dripping entrance.

"Are you so wet for Daemon too?" He asked low and mean, his voice quivering slightly, his fingers tightening on her skin. She smiled to herself, breathing deeply through her mouth, unable to bear the tension between her thighs. His jealousy was like a honey to her ears.

"Are you trying to accuse me of something, Your Honor?" She asked lightly, wetting her lips with her saliva, her fingers tightening on the shelf in front of her.

She gasped as she felt him grab her by the throat and pull her higher, until his mouth was at her ear. She was surprised that she liked it. He wasn't violent, but he was determined. He didn't want to give her control.

"Yes. I think you like an older man to fuck you well." He hissed softly into her ear, her lips parting slightly.

"So what are you waiting for?" She asked quietly. Silence answered her, his body froze for a moment.

She moaned loudly, suddenly feeling him deep inside her. Her lips parted in shock as he filled her so much that he barely fit. He must have been just as surprised, because a helpless, short moan escaped his lips. She wondered if she would be able to get more of such wonderful sounds out of him.

His cock began to move inside her, and they both gasped loudly, unable to contain themselves or pretend they weren't enjoying it. He slid in and out of her in an intense, hard rhythm, his throbbing cock rubbing against the soft, moist, sensitive skin inside her.

His balls hit her ass with a wet slap each time he thrust into her again. She couldn't help but moan loudly every time he rubbed against the spot inside her that her fingers always sought when she touched herself. Hearing this, he began to fuck her there on purpose, making her pant in pleasure.

"So close already?" He asked ironically, speeding up, his thighs wet with her juices hitting her with a loud, sticky slap, her fleshy, hot walls pressing desperately around him.

They both breathed heavily, feeling they wouldn't last long. She swallowed hard in humiliation at hearing his words. She couldn't help it, no one had ever fucked her so wonderfully before. Her nipples were painfully hard, her insides swollen and bloodshot with excitement.

"Yes." She mumbled softly, her hips responding greedily to his every thrust as he pumped his cock deep into her, pushing her tight walls to breaking point.

"Do you take pills?" He whispered quickly, panting harder and harder, accelerating, as they both fucked greedily, the shameless, wet sound of their bodies hitting each other reverberating across the room.

"Yes, please, come inside me, please, please, please!" She moaned loudly and sobbed as she felt his fingers on her clit, massaging it in intense, circular motions. Her lips parted in a soundless moan, her body arched in pleasure as she felt a powerful, wonderful orgasm surge through her body, knocking her unconscious for a moment.

She heard him groan loudly as he felt her walls pressing down on him greedily. He couldn't take it any longer, he thrusted in her one last time and just came inside her, semen flowing out of him in waves.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" He was panting low, furious with himself, and at the same time delighted with the pleasure that he was experiencing right now. His nose and forehead brushed her hair, inhaling her scent. They both moved for a moment, unable to stop. Silence fell between them, broken only by their heavy, labored breathing.

"I'm sorry." He finally whispered, his voice trembling slightly as if he was terrified of what he had just done. She slid her hand off the shelf and placed it on his hand, still holding her hip. She stroked him gently and reassuringly, his face still buried in her hair.

"Don't be. Let's get back to work."

______

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @avgdusterfan @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @random-ocity @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost

Others: @fan-goddess @itsabby15 @fangirlninja67 @the-common-cowgirl

If you want to be tagged, leave a comment below. ♥

[bisexualiteaa]

Burning Love

Benny x Fem Courier Six (Smut!! Also fluff and slight angst)

CW: NSFW MDNI! Mutual pining, slight OOC Benny, slight deviation from the game, black widow dialogue, established friendship, enemies to friends then friends to lovers, flirting, dirty talk, perverted thoughts, P in V, p0rn with some plot, unprotected seggs, 0ral (male and female receiving) praise, cursing, mentions of alcohol, briefly proofread, possible grammar/spelling errors

AN: Hey everyone! I’m back with some more content! It’s a little different than the usual Cooper Content ™️ I usually put out but it’s still Fallout themed. I wanted to try my hand at writing for Benny from New Vegas and allow some of my other character hyperfixations to have a moment in the spotlight to shine! I’m still rather new to Fallout in general, and especially to New Vegas so please be kind and patient with me if I have some things wrong, I’m still learning! 🥺 I know this wasn’t an ask from anyone, and I will be getting to those as I can! Writers block has been absolutely dreadful lately so I hope y’all can understand, I’ve only just started to come out from the hole and try to write when the days are good 😭 But I hope y’all dig this piece! Enjoy, and happy reading! 🥰

Taglist: @expirednukacola

This was bad. This was really, really bad. At least that’s what he proceeded to tell himself over and over internally as he paced around his room. Just what was it that was so bad? So bad that it left Benny Gecko, the head chairman, in a bind? You. You; the courier that he executed once upon a time for simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time. You; who just so happened to somehow actually be alive despite a bullet being discharged into your skull. You; who had come to the strip months ago on your journey through the Mojave, siding up with him and becoming his business partner. You; who not only managed to become his best friend, but now held a place in his heart as something more. How could he let all this messiness happen? There was a rule in business where you never allow yourself to get involved with the people you work with, especially when you were someone who was as powerful as Benny. Yet you were all he could ever think about. You were his inspiration and guidance in trying and gain power over all the factions, you were the reason why the Legion no longer stood in his way. You were his right hand through everything, there for his every plan, there to help in the execution of them no matter what it could cost. You were loyal, beyond that, you were a confidant and a friend.

It took him ages to finally put the pieces together leading up to this moment. To finally understand why he would feel so disgusted watching Swank flirt with you, or so angry when someone would threaten you. He knew you could handle yourself, you were your own person, independent and deserving to live how you wished. Hell there had been many occasions where, had it not been for you, he likely wouldn’t have made it out alive. When you saved him from the Legion, that’s when he finally saw it. Seeing him down on his knees before you, giving you the perfect opportunity to take your revenge if you wanted to for him killing you back then. You could have murdered him in cold blood, leaving him to the radroaches and feral ghouls like he did to you once. But you didn’t, instead you showed him mercy. You *saved* him. Something he wasn’t sure anyone else aside from his body guards, would have done for him had they been in your shoes. Since that day, it’s been all he could do to pry the thoughts of you from his brain. By day, you were always by his side, and at night you were always on his mind. How was he supposed to be able to work like this? Fuck, how was he supposed to tell you? Should he tell you? He wasn’t sure. But he supposed it was too late to back out now seeing as you were on your way up to his suite.

His heart jumped in his chest upon hearing the knock on his door, a signal that let him know it was his people coming by. “Come in” he said, finally pulling himself from his thoughts to see who was at his door. Of course, to no surprise, it was you. He let out a breath of relief upon seeing you. You had grown to become his comfort, even in a moment such as this, he took solace in your presence. “You came” he said softly, just above a whisper but his tone held something akin to disbelief in it that you were here. You spotted a rocks glass in his hand filled with a drink that was likely just freshly made, wondering what it was that was bothering him so much that it had him drinking before bed. He watched as you stepped inside his suite, closing and locking the door behind you to ensure privacy. “You called” you answered genuinely, wondering why he seemed so shocked to find you here when he had asked for you to come. “What’s wrong, Benny? You doin’ okay? I’ve never seen you so many glasses deep in one day” You asked, noting that he had been drinking earlier too, growing concerned for him and the way he seemed to be so caught up in thought. “You’ll have to forgive me, my mind is a bit mixed up at the moment” Benny said before taking a swig of his drink, watching as you sat down on his bed. He wished you hadn’t, because despite being the well-mannered gentleman he was, he was still a man with needs. Even he couldn’t help the thoughts that started to race through his mind as you sat on his bed. Thinking of what you would look like splayed out on it, free of your clothes and him on top of you. Normally he would be able to keep such thoughts under control, but with the buzz of the alcohol running through his system, he was finding it hard to keep them from running rampant. “What’s on your mind? If somethin’s buggin’ you, you know my hands can make light work of it. All you gotta do is say the word” you offered, making him chuckle. Your hands could make light work of him. What in the god damn? “stop that” he told himself, cursing himself for feeling this way towards his close friend of all people. “Afraid what’s on my mind can’t be helped that way, baby. What’s got me in a twist is all my doing” he replied, and it left you rather confused, he could see it in the way your brows furrowed in confusion as you looked at him. Your head tilted sideways a tad like a dog who couldn’t seem to understand what their owner was saying. You were so fucking cute. “Well then what’s got you all in a twist? You called me here for a reason, Benny. I just wanna help” you replied, pleading with him to give you something to work with. He could groan at the way his name fell off of your tongue so melodically. You just had to show up in uniform too, with your dress slacks hugging your thighs, your blazer really showing off your curves, and your blouse that dipped low enough for him to get a peak of your cleavage. He was eating you alive with his eyes, he knew it. He couldn’t help it, you were a sight to behold. You could tell he was lost in thought at the way he was staring, leaving you chuckling before you waved your hand to grab his attention. “Earth to Benny, you still in there?” You asked jokingly with a grin as he snapped out of it. “Maybe it’s time to lay off the booze for the night” you added with a chuckle as his eyes met yours. Everything was screaming within him to tell you, but at the same time, everything screamed at him not to. He was at war within himself on what to say. Does he tell you and risk losing you? Or does he keep it and risk hurting himself when there comes a time you fancy another man? Neither sounded great to the conman, but between the alcohol in his system and the respect he had for you to always be honest with you, he knew he had to tell you.

“Fuck it, I’m just gonna bite the bullet and hope we can still keep this in the groove, dig?” He asked, and his words weren’t slurred and he didn’t feel drunk. So why was his head spinning? His heart racing? He was a certified mess, and it was your doing. “Oh c’mon Benny, we been runnin’ this show for how long now? You know you can always talk to me! Ya got girl trouble?” You asked with a devious grin, knowing he had a new flavor just about every month if not more than that. He was almost amazed at the way you figured out what was wrong, but thankfully not down to the specifics. It was reasons like this he called you not only his business partner but his best friend. But god how he craved for you to be more than that. “I wonder sometimes if you’re a damn psychic with that prime intuition of yours, babe. Girl trouble ain’t even half the start of it” he replied, sitting across from you in a plush chair as he placed his glass down on the small table next to it. You gave a chuckle. “Ya never did have good luck in choosin’ broads, Benny. Kinda funny to see that hasn’t changed since Vegas became ours” you quipped playfully, making him chuckle. “Very funny. I think I remember calling you here for help, not to take jabs at me, pussycat” he replied, making you laugh. “Aww c’mon you know I’m just yankin’ your chain. What’s got you all in a twist then? You didn’t get one of ‘em pregnant, did ya? Because I can’t help you there with that one” You asked, an eyebrow raised at him in suspicion. “Fuck no, the Ben-man ain’t nothin’ if not responsible. Have a little faith” he said, making you playfully wipe your forehead as if you were super worried. “Whew, that’s a relief. I ain’t ready to be an aunt just yet” you joked, making you both laugh. You always were great at helping him calm down. “Well then what is it? She do something wrong? Steal from you?” You asked, killing yourself internally with each question knowing that it was another woman he was speaking of. “My heart maybe” he said boldly as he took another sip of his drink, and it was true, you had his heart in your hands at all times. But you didn’t know that. You gave a smile that hid the pain inside from his statement, believing he was speaking of another woman. You wanted him to be happy, he deserved it, and you knew when you started working with him that it could never be you that would make him feel this way. But damn if he didn’t have a way of charming himself into your own heart, making you hope that it could work. “Awww, well ain’t that sweet” you replied, trying your best to coat the poisoned words with saccharine falsity, to disguise the ache resting in your chest at the thought of another woman stealing his heart. “I said smooth, baby doll” he said, making you both chuckle. “What? A girl can’t be happy for her friend who’s in love? Sheesh. She sounds like a lucky gal” you joked, making him chuckle once more. friend. God how that word killed you. A constant reminder of what will never be, especially now. Or so you thought.

“Well, c’mon, don’t spare me the details. Who is it?” You asked, not really wanting to know the details but you could put your feelings aside for the happiness of Benny if that’s what it took. However that’s when his face turned red. He should’ve known you’d ask that question. His heart slammed against his sternum as he tried to think of what to say. He couldn’t just straight up tell you, not when he didn’t know if you felt the same way, and he’d be royally pissed at himself if he managed to scare you off. He couldn’t just not tell you either, you deserved to know. “Is it one of the broads over at Gomorrah?” You asked when he didn’t pipe up with an answer right away, making him scrunch up his nose in distaste at even the inquiry. You laughed at his response. “The Ben-man’s got taste. Didn’t know you thought so little of me, babe” he replied, making you giggle at him. “Alright I admit, bad guess there” you responded. He wondered if you would ever guess it, if you would either seriously or jokingly say yourself and then maybe it could be laid to rest easily. “Some of the frequent fliers here are a little questionable Benny…I’m starting to second guess on if I wanna know” you said with a joking grin, wishing you’d figure it out already and save your heart the pain. He shook his head no at all the ones you knew off the top of your head that frequent the casino, leaving you nearly out of options already. “Quit pokin’ around Benny and just tell me already! You got me hangin’ on the edge of my seat here” you said, making him take another swig of his drink to work up the proper courage to tell you the truth. It was now or never. “I ain’t got no other way of sayin’ this sweetheart, but the Ben-man has gone and caught a fever for the fine looker layin’ on his bed” he said, making you blink a few times as you registered just what he said. He was caught up on you? Was he drunk? Surely this was a joke, he couldn’t actually be serious…could he?

“Me?” You asked, sounding taken back by his answer. “You sound shocked, baby. Weren’t expecting to be the broad to catch my eye?” He asked, making you blush. Now this was suddenly going to be difficult on you. How do you tell a man who shot you in the head once that you’re in love with him? “Honestly no, I didn’t think I would. I figured out of all the women out there, the last one to catch your eye would be me” you replied, and how it broke him to hear you talk so little of yourself. To share in a vulnerable moment that wasn’t hidden behind false confidence and bravado. He always respected the way that you were a different woman outside of work, that you could detach yourself from the persona you had to carry with you in the casino and around the other chairmen. He wished he could be more like you, more in touch with his humanity, but he was a conman, and a good one. His work is all he’s really known until you came around. “You’re the prime article baby, ol’ Benny here ain’t ever met a broad like you” he replied, making you blush as your stomach started doing flips with excitement. It was everything you’d been dying to hear from him for so long now. It felt as if fate herself was shining down on you in this moment. “I certainly ain’t met a man quite like you either, Benny” you said with a growing grin, making him chuckle. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s a real good thing I got a case of Benny fever then, huh?” You asked with a far more confident grin as you looked at him, sat across from you with his legs spread to help ease the growing tightness of his dress slacks. “Benny fever, is that so?” He asked with a mirrored grin of excitement, making you bite your bottom lip as you shook your head yes in response. “That bullet scramble your egg? Or have you always been a naughty broad?” He asked, finding himself more and more intrigued. Not to mention hot. The laugh you gave in response was breathy, and he wasn’t sure if it was just because it came from you, or the alcohol toying with his mind but he found it sexy. “What can I say? Girls like bad boys, and you have been downright awful” you replied, sensuality dripping from your tone as you flirted with him. “You’re one sick pussycat, baby. There’s quins and then there’s…I don’t even know what to call you” he commented, making you giggle playfully as you crossed your legs in front of him. “I’m saying I dig you too Benny, have for a while now” you said, making him grin even wider at your admission. Thank god, now he could no longer worry. “If I heard “dig” from you back then, I’d have told you all I can think of is a shovel. But you got a real twisted up way of showin’ the Ben-man your forgiveness” he replied, making you giggle once more. “I can think of another way to show you my forgiveness” you suggested, making him raise a brow at you and let out a sound of intrigue and excitement. “Oh yeah?” He asked, watching you bite your lip in excitement as your body language screamed for him to get closer. “And what idea is on that wild mind of yours, baby?” He said, making you hum. “How ‘bout i put my past profession to good use and I show you how well I can…handle your package? If you let me?” you responded. Oh, he definitely wanted you to.

You weren’t sure when it all began, but the next thing you knew, you both were down to your underwear. You made a show of stripping yourself of your uniform, being sure to be slow and teasing as you slipped out of your blazer, blouse and dress slacks for him. You made a show of bending over when you took off your slacks, then moving to your bra that soon found its way to the floor to be forgotten about until the next day. “You are the prime article baby. Nice Charlie’s too! Give ‘em a shake for the Ben-man, would ya?” He asked, making you giggle as you shook them and made a show of fondling them and feeling them up in front of him to tease him. “Hellooo!” He responded as you straddled his lap, taking a seat and pulling him into a heated kiss. He relished in the way your lips tasted like the sweet bourbon cherries that rested in your drink from earlier that you shared with him while you were both still downstairs. He tasted of vodka and cigarette smoke, a mixture you’d have never found appealing had it not been upon the lips of the addicting man you were tasting it from. You hummed into it in delight as his hands rested on your hips, softly moving your hips to grind against his. You moaned softly as you felt your clit bump and rub against his clothed length through your panties, effectively working you up even more than you already were. As you opened your mouth to moan, he took the chance to slip his tongue in to dance upon yours, needing more of that sweet taste of you. Your hands rested on his shoulders, using it at leverage as you continued to grind your hips into his before trailing their way up to tangle in his hair. He moaned at the blissful feeling of your nails scraping his scalp and the occasional tug of his hair. “Fuck baby, got me all kinds of worked up and you haven’t even taken those cute panties off yet” he said, making you giggle as your lips started to migrate down his neck in search for a sensitive spot to suck on and nip at. “Gotta make you as crazy for me as I’ve been for you, baby” you replied with a grin, leaving small but dark hickies in your pleasurable wake. He groaned in response, making you giggle as you felt it rumble from his chest and in his throat as your lips were pressed to his pulse point. “Oh trust me, I’ve been just as crazy for you, pussycat. No doubt about that” he responded, making you grin as you worked your way down his chest and stomach before you were on your knees in front of him.

Your fingers hooked into the waistband of his boxers before pulling them down, watching as his dick slapped his stomach just below his naval as it was freed from its confines. You bit your lip at the wonderful sight, and it was like a dream come true in his eyes. Seeing you here, on your knees in front of him, looking up at him the way you were right now was the fuel to so many of his fantasies he had nightly of you. “Like what you see, baby? I saw those pretty little eyes light up just now” he teased, making you chuckle while your lips littered kisses along his inner thighs before working your way to where he needed you most. “Sure do sugar, wondering if you taste as good as you look” you said before licking a fat stripe from base to tip of the underside of his cock. He groaned, his fingers digging in and clenching tightly the sheets beneath him in his fists from your hot, wet tongue. You made direct eye contact as you did it, one of your hands coming up to cup and fondle his balls as you brought him into your mouth. “Shit…can’t believe this is what I’ve been missin’ out on this whole time” he said, tipping his head back some as you worked his balls with one hand and what you couldn’t fit in your mouth with the other as you started to bob your head up and down on him in a pleasant rhythm. “Can’t tell you how many nights I’ve pictured this baby. Mmm and I gotta say- fuck! You’re a dream come true, honey- oh fucckk…” he moaned, tilting his head to look down at you between his legs on occasion. If he wasn’t careful, he’d find his release too soon and he couldn’t have that. Not when the fun’s just getting started between you two. It was when he felt his tip hit the back of your throat, making your watery eyes look up at home through your lashes that he had to call it quits. “Oh baby, stop, stop, stop. Shit, you keep going like that and I’m not gonna make it to the fun stuff” he said, unashamed of admitting just how much you turned him on. You let off of him with a pop before standing back up.

“Treated me so good baby, least I can do is return the favor. Sit up here and give the Ben-man a taste” he said, lying on his back and motioning you to sit on his face. “Shit Benny, I haven’t done that before. Are you sure? I don’t wanna hurt you…” you said bashfully, making him chuckle and slip you a grin. “If it’s between these pretty legs? I would die a happy man, baby. Don’t be shy c’mon, promise I’ll take good care of you” he insisted, and you had to admit, you rather liked the idea of having such control and trying something new. He watched as you removed your panties, tossing them to the side where they too would be forgotten until the next day, then as you crawled your way up his body. Your legs straddled his head as your core hovered just over his lips, his hands soon resting upon your hips and ass to pull you down and onto his face. You threw your head back with a pornographic moan as his tongue explored your cunt. “Fuck, oh Benny, baby…” you moaned almost breathlessly as his tongue trailed your slit before coming to dance along your clit. “When were you gonna tell me you’re such a tasty treat, doll?” He asked, and it was a whole different sensation receiving pleasure this way, one that left you bucking your hips in rhythm with his tongue to feel more of that wonderful friction against your sensitive bundle of nerves. “Benny! Oh my god, just like that!” You moaned, getting lost in the feeling of his tongue swirling and fluttering against your sensitive bud. Your hand came down to rake your fingers through his hair once more in appreciation of the way he made you feel. “Keep moaning my name like that baby, tell this whole joint how good I make you feel” he egged on before wrapping his lips around your clit and sucking gently, making your body jolt in response before letting out a pleased yet surprised moan. “God yes! Oh I’m so close, please don’t stop…” you begged, looking down at the sight of him between your legs as you fucked yourself on his tongue. He gave a chuckle and a moan into you at the way you were riding his face, using him for your pleasure. It made his dick throb almost painfully. “Keep using me babe, fuck your pretty self on my face. Wanna feel you cum on my tongue baby, give it to me” he begged, drilling his tongue in and out of your entrance and then back up to your clit. “Oh fuck I’m gonna cum…oh god, yes! Benny!!” Was all you could get out before his head was squeezed between your thighs, your body spasming and shaking as your eyes rolled to the back of your head from the sheer force of pleasure your orgasm sent sky rocketing through you. If he had no restraint, he’d have cum just from the sight of you, paired with the way your pussy fluttered on his tongue and the way you moaned his name like a sinful mantra.

“Holy fuck…oh my god. Oh shit!” You said breathlessly, realizing you needed to release him from the tight grip your thighs had on him as you made your way off from his face to straddle his lap instead. “Are you okay?” You asked, trying your best to catch your breath and climb back down from cloud nine. He made a show of licking your slick from his lips as he sat up before wiping his mouth. “Better than okay baby, you’re fucking delicious. How do you feel? You look like you high-fived the heavens there, baby doll. I make you feel that good?” he responded with a confident grin, pulling you into a heated kiss once again, loving the way he made you feel so damn good. “Better than good, you’re fucking dangerous with that tongue of yours” you replied into it, making you both chuckle before seating yourself on his hips once more, gliding your soaking cunt along his throbbing cock as you kissed. “Insatiable little thing, you’re right up my alley baby” he said, making you giggle and moan into your shared kiss as he fondled your tits, lavishing them with kisses and hickies. “And so gorgeous, I’m a damn lucky man” he said, making you bite your lip as your fingers laced in his hair once again, your eyes fluttering shut in bliss as he brought your nipple into his mouth and sucked. “Damn right you are- fuck…god I need you so bad Benny, please” you pleaded, making him chuckle as he flipped you both over, your back against his mattress as your hair fell around you like a halo.

“You ready, baby? Benny’s gonna show you the Tops! Hope you’re built sturdy you crazy broad” he said, lining himself up to your entrance. You hissed at the painful stretch of his length sliding into you, as wet as you were, it still burned with the way he spread you open. He felt like he had the wind knocked out of him when he slipped in even just half way, you were a tighter fit than any of the girls he fooled around with. “Almost there baby, doing so good for me. Feel so good wrapped around me like this” he complimented, leaning down to kiss you softly and sweetly to distract you from the pain as he tried to fully slip the rest of himself inside you. You both moaned in unison as the last of him slipped inside you, his hips stilled, waiting for your signal that told him he could move. “Doin’ okay, baby doll?” He asked, checking on you to make sure you were okay and not in too much pain. It had certainly been a long while since the last time you had sex. You’d go as far to say that the last time might have been before you were shot in the head. You shook your head yes in reply, scared that your voice might betray you if you tried to speak. “I won’t move until you tell me it’s alright. Wanna make sure I’m making my girl feel just as good, if not better, than she gets me feelin’, dig?” He responded, making you bite your lip as you tested a roll of your hips to feel if it was okay for him to move. He took that as his sign, but just to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt you, he slowly slipped nearly out of you completely before slowly working his way back in. He watched as you laid your head back against his pillows, your eyes fluttering shut in bliss as you covered your mouth to keep you from moaning too loud. He wasn’t having that. “None of that baby, I wanna hear you. Wanna hear how good I make you feel” he replied, pulling your hand from your mouth and testing another thrust, making you moan in response. “That’s it baby, you moan so pretty for me. Love hearing you” he said, starting to set a slow but nice pace, enjoying being able to watch your expressions and the way your breasts bounced with his movements. His hand grabbed one of yours from beside you, pulling it up by your head and intertwining his fingers with yours as a sweet show of compassion. You smiled up at him, feeling him lean forward to close the gap between you before his lips connected with yours once more. It was gentle yet passionate, just like before. Your free hand traversed the expanse of his back, needing to feel every inch of him you could against your own skin. It was intimate, intimate in a way he hadn’t been in quite a long time. One could even say there was love put into it with the way he cared for you. You weren’t just any run-of-the-mill broad, and this certainly wasn’t just any night in the sack for him, no. He wanted to show you how much he meant it when he said all the things he did, how much he cared for you and wanted you. He wanted to make it apparent that he wasn’t fucking you, he was making love to you. And that wasn’t something he did with just anybody.

He felt your legs wrap around his hips, keeping him close to you. He groaned at the feeling, how your legs pulling him into you made him hit deeper inside, pulling a delighted moan from you. “You play a dangerous game there baby doll” he said playfully, making you giggle and bite your lip as you looked up at him. “Maybe it’s a gamble I’m willing to take, sugar” you said, and it was mighty tempting for sure, a thought that grew more and more enticing the closer he was to reaching his end. “Benny…” you moaned breathlessly as you felt him nudge your sweet spot inside, making you keen and dig your nails into his back each time he hit it. “That the spot baby?” He asked, making sure to angle his hips where he would be able to hit it repeatedly, even with his slower pace. “Yes…fuck, just like that honey. Feels so good” you replied, looking up at him with your brows furrowed and lips parted as your moans filled the room like a sinful symphony. His lips trailed down to your neck, littering your neck and chest with kisses and playful nips at your soft skin. “Fuck baby…feels like this pretty cunt was made just for me with the way you’re huggin’ me all nice” he said through a groan. “Just for you baby” you replied, feeling the coil in your stomach growing tight. The mixed melody of your shared moans and the sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the suite. With the way the bed seemed to creak and squeal beneath you in time with the movements of your bodies, you wondered if anyone in passing could hear what was going on behind closed doors. “So close Benny…please, don’t stop” you pleaded, looking up at him, watching the way his eyes drank you in beneath him like this. “Cum for me baby, wanna see that pretty face all twisted up in pleasure” he encouraged, using his free hand to slip between your bodies, rubbing gentle circles against your clit.

It wasn’t long before stars filled your vision, sending your back arching from the mattress as you tipped over the edge into sweet bliss. Your nails of your one hand dug into his back, your other gripping his hand, that still lay entwined in yours, tightly as you cried out his name. You couldn’t care less about those who may have heard you in passing, all that mattered to you right now was this moment, spent with Benny. He wasn’t far behind you, pulling himself from you to spill all over your stomach with a groan. You giggled as he collapsed next to you, but not before grabbing something to help clean you both up. You turned and looked to him with a dreamy smile plastered to your face. “That was a nice bit of hey-hey girly. You’re a real ring-a-ding broad” he said, making you laugh at his compliment. “Not so bad yourself, handsome” you replied through your grin, feeling his hand come to rest along your hip as you both settled in beneath the covers. “Did ya really mean it when you say you dig me, baby?” He asked, wanting to make sure it wasn’t just something said in the heat of the moment, and that if it was he could properly detach his heart and move on. He wasn’t usually the type of man to show his hand, but now all his cards were out on the table for you to see. He wanted to be sure he hadn’t mistaken your words. “Of course I meant it, Benny. I ain’t a fink” you replied, your hand coming to rest against his cheek softly, your thumb rubbing his skin gently. His hand came up to rest against yours, smiling back at you. “I know you aren’t. I can always rely on you to be real with me, just makin’ sure I’m not betting a losing hand” he said, making you scoot closer to him. “Far from it. So long as you’re the cuddling type, and that this ain’t a one time thing, I’m here to stay” you replied, making him chuckle. “I’d be a dunce to quit you, baby. You’re as addicting as a gambler chasing the high of a winning streak” he complimented, making you giggle as your faces rested rather close to each other now. You smiled as you looked into his chocolate brown eyes. “What’dya say we give this a shot, you and me? Be my dame” He asked, and you couldn’t have been more delighted by the idea. “I’d like that” you answered softly with a smile, your eyes flickering between his and his lips, making him smile happily at your answer. “Yeah? You’d be mine, honey baby?” He asked. “About time you asked me, we’ve been dancin’ around each other for long enough. Don’t you think?” You asked, making him chuckle as he leaned in to kiss you. “See that right there? That’s what I like about you. I knew I made the right call” he said into your kiss, making you giggle once more. “Good. Now hush up and kiss me, would you?” You said playfully, making him hum in amusement as he kissed you like it was his last day he’d ever have by your side.

As you both pulled away for air, he couldn’t help but get lost in your eyes as he looked at you, feeling his chest grow warm with joy. Finally, he no longer had to worry about the way he felt, or wonder if you felt the same. He had you, and you had him, and to Benny that was the way he felt it should be. Like this, all felt right in the world. When he laid here in your arms, head resting against your chest, he felt at peace. He only hoped he could do the same for you. “Hold me, will ya? I swear you wore me out” he said, breaking the peaceful silence and making you giggle as your arms wrapped around him, your fingers carding through his dark hair. He let out a sound of contentment as you did, making you smile happily as you continued until you too fell blissfully asleep.

It was earlier that next morning, about the normal time the chairmen would meet up to discuss plans and all things business for the day. Swank, who normally stopped by your room to have someone by his side to talk to for the trip up to the thirteenth floor to Benny’s suite, was left rather confused when you hadn’t answered his knocks at your door. Normally you were either already out the door and waiting on him, or you’d be out the door the moment he knocked. He’d tried for a good ten minutes to get to you. He stood outside your door knocking at least five or six times, not knowing that you weren’t inside your room before finally giving up. He assumed you were either dead asleep and going to be chewed out by Benny later for being late, or up and there already and for some reason decided not to wait for him. Needless to say, it came as a bit of a shock when Swank knocked on Benny’s door, came inside, and didn’t already see you sitting there. Where were you? Had Benny sent you out for a personal errand maybe? Something didn’t feel right. “What can I pour you to drink, baby?” Benny asked as you were still in the bathroom, leaving Swank confused. He must have invited another girl up to his room, something he hadn’t done in a few months now that he came to think about it. You gave a chuckle, and soon his question about where you were was answered. “Interesting way to start off the morning, sugar. I can think of a far better way to start it than liquor could” you said suggestively, completely unaware of the added person in the room and only earning a chuckle from Benny in return. Swank watched as you walked out from the connected bathroom in nothing more than Benny’s dress shirt that looked as if it nearly swallowed you whole, clearly just fresh out of the shower. It was as you were drying your hair with a towel when you padded into the room to see Swank sitting in the chair across from Benny, leaving you wide eyed in surprise and red in the face. “Shit, Benny! You didn’t tell me you were having the meeting now!” You said, and both Benny and Swank gave a laugh from seeing you so flustered. “Busted. Now I know why I didn’t get an answer when I knocked on your door earlier” Swank said with a grin, eyeing the hickies adorning your neck that gave away what you were up to last night. His eyes soon dragged to the exposed skin of your legs, before coming back up and delighting in the slight peek of cleavage from the dress shirt you were wearing. His eyes soon came to the few hickies that seemed to peek from Benny’s collar, further answering his suspicions. “Warn a girl next time, would ya?” You asked, tossing your towel at the back of Benny’s chair before going back into the bathroom to change into your uniform and hopefully hide your embarrassment. “Have to say, rather jealous of you Ben-man. Been chasing her for a while. She seems like the real deal” Swank said after blowing his cigarette smoke out after a drag of it. “I take it you two had an…eventful night last night from the looks of it” he added, Benny chuckled with a grin that told Swank all he needed to know. “You sly dog you” he replied with a grin of his own and a laugh as he poured himself a drink. Once you stepped back out, this time in uniform, you made yourself a drink before sitting next to Benny, a dusting of red still lingering on your cheeks from embarrassment. “Been wondering why you’ve been holding off on your monthly flavors the past few months there Benny, guess I know why” Swank spoke, wiggling his eyebrows in your direction before taking a sip of his drink. “Don’t sound so jealous Swank, the girls over at Gomorrah got you wrapped around their pretty little pinky” you bit back playfully. “He’s just mad I stole a prime article from right under him” Benny teased back, making Swank laugh. “Well unless you’re just here to cock-block me from having a good morning, I suggest we get this meeting started” you spoke, making Swank grin at your sass being thrown his way as business ensued. But not to worry, you and Benny had your share of fun once you were alone again.

[cherry-holmes]

MIRACLE - Javier Peña x F!reader

Glimpse of a life with Javier Peña

Chapter —

MASTERLIST

Summary: After been married for a while, you and Javier have struggles to conceiving a baby. Would it affect your relationship?

SERIES MASTERLIST

Pairing: Javier Peña x Female Reader

Word count: +5k

Warnings: Angst and comfort. No smut. Lots of crying. Mentions of infertility, pregnancy talk and health issues. Mentions of sex. Brief mention of pregnancy sex but nothing explicit. Brief mention of premature birth but nothing explicit. Let me know if I miss anything.

A/N: ok here we go again! Thank you so much for your love to my previous work, I hope you like this too!

I’m open for requests!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

You wrapped the test in a piece of toilet paper and threw it in the bathroom trash can. You told yourself that it didn't matter, that you would try again next month, but as you sat on the toilet, you realized that you had been saying that for nearly a year now. And what's worse, Javier had been telling you the same.

Then, you were crying again. You couldn't help but feel useless and a complete failure. You were supposed to be able to carry a child in your womb, to be a mother, but your body just wasn't cooperating. It felt like it was all your fault, and that burden weighed heavily on you.

After four months of trying to get pregnant without success, you had a sinking feeling that something might be wrong. You insisted to your husband that you both needed to see a doctor to find out what was happening. After undergoing tests, Javier's results came back favorable, but yours didn't. So, you were the problem. Your doctor recommended a treatment to help your body do its job, and you followed her instructions to the letter, taking your medication and eating healthily. It has been a year now.

Javi tried to reassure you, telling you to be patient and that there was no need to rush. But you wanted a baby so much that it hurt. You saw his cousin's babies and children, your coworkers' families, and you couldn't help but wonder when it would be your turn. Also you knew just how much Javier wanted to be a father and how he thought about his own father's age, wishing he would live long enough to see his grandchildren grow and play with them.

The baby's room was already built, it just needed the baby.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

You were getting ready for Javi's cousin's wedding, Samantha. You didn't really want to go, but you were one of her bridesmaids.

Finishing your makeup at your vanity, you were lost in your own thoughts and didn't hear Javi calling you until he came close and squeezed your shoulder.

"Hey, baby, are you okay?" he asked with concern, finding your gaze through the mirror.

You hadn't actually heard what he said, but you recognized that familiar look in his expression – he was worried about you.

You nodded and tried to force a smile. "Yeah, I was just thinking about what Samantha said about the problem with the florist," you lied.

He made a noncommittal sound, clearly not convinced. Kneeling beside you, he took your hand and caressed your freshly painted red nails.

"You know I was a DEA agent, don't you?" he asked, and you avoided his gaze, knowing exactly what he meant. "And, most importantly, I'm your husband."

His unspoken message was clear: he knew you were lying, and he knew you better than anyone.

"What's the matter, honey? What's tormenting that wonderful mind of yours?" he insisted.

You didn't want to lie to him, but you also didn't want to burden him with your worries or make him feel more concerned for you. "I... It's nothing, Javi. Don't worry about it."

"Please, baby, you know you can tell me anything..." he tried again.

He just was being supportive and caring, and you had been feeling so down and sensitive. It started to feel like mixing water with oil for you– the emotions were overwhelming. You had spent a long time feeling terrible, and you couldn't handle Javi's condescending behavior any longer.

"I already told you it was nothing," you exclaimed, removing your hand from his abruptly and raising your voice a notch.

Javi was taken aback for a moment, unaccustomed to such a reaction from you. He could see the anger on your face, but he also noticed that you were holding back tears. Without saying anything else, he stood up, picked up his suit jacket from the bed, and left your shared room.

You watched him leave through the reflection in the mirror. A single tear trickled down your cheek, but you quickly wiped it away, determined not to ruin your makeup.

Now, you didn't even feel like going to the wedding anymore, but you caught sight of your bridesmaid's bouquet, and you continued getting ready. She was not just part of your political family; she was also your friend, and you couldn't let her down.

When you went downstairs, Javi was seated on the couch, watching a soccer game with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

"I'm ready," you announced.

He looked you up and down, thinking you looked stunning, but he felt a bit hurt by your earlier reaction, so he didn't say it. Instead, he turned off the TV and grabbed his keys. He opened the passenger door for you as he always did, but didn't say anything more as he started the engine.

As Javier drove in silence, only the pop song of the moment playing on the radio, you couldn't help but feel guilty for being rude to him. He didn't deserve it, especially when he had supported you through the most challenging moments of your life. He had been there for you when you cried, and you knew he wanted to become a father just as much as you did. Even when you felt like a burden, he never complained.

"I took a pregnancy test this morning," you finally confessed. You didn't look at him directly, but you noticed from the corner of your eye how his fingers clenched the steering wheel, a sign of his nervousness. "It was negative again."

He remained silent, his eyes focused on the road. You could feel the weight of his silence, and it made the car ride feel longer than it was.

"I'm gonna give up, Javi. I just... I can't do this anymore," you admitted, your voice quivering with a mix of frustration and despair.

Javier glanced at you, his brow furrowing with concern. "Baby, don't say that. We knew this wouldn't be easy."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you turned to look at him. "But it's been a year, Javi. A whole year of trying and nothing. I feel like such a failure."

Javi pull over, turning off his truck. He reached out and gently wiped away a tear that had rolled down your cheek. "You're not a failure, bonita. This is something we're facing together, as a couple."

You shook your head, the weight of your emotions bearing down on you. "I see all our friends having babies, and I can't help but feel jealous and broken."

Javier sighed, his fingers still caressing your cheek. "I know it's hard, mi vida, but we can't compare our journey to anyone else's. We're unique, and so is our path to parenthood."

You let out a shaky breath, feeling vulnerable and exposed. "I just want to give you a family, Javi."

His eyes softened as he looked at you with unwavering love. "And you will, my love. I have no doubt about that. We'll keep trying, and if we need to, we'll seek more help from the doctors. But no matter what, we're in this together, okay?"

Your heart ached with gratitude for having him by your side. "Thank you, Javi. I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on your forehead. "No need to apologize, mi vida hermosa. We all have our moments. We'll get through this, one step at a time."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Three months later

You couldn't believe it. You almost threw the test to the trash without double check, used to the one single line painted on it. But as you wrapped it on the toilet paper, you saw it: the second line.

You felt your blood draining at your feet, face turning completely pale. Your hands trembled as you stared at the test, disbelief washing over you. You had seen countless negative results in the past months, and each one had chipped away at your hope. But now, here it was, a positive result staring back at you.

Tears welled up in your eyes as a mix of emotions flooded your senses—joy, disbelief, fear, and relief all at once. You hastily wiped your tears, afraid to believe it too soon. You had always told yourself that if a test showed a positive result, you would have blood tests to confirm it before telling Javi, not wanting to get his hopes up for nothing.

But now that it is actually happening, you just couldn't contain yourself. You rushed out of the bathroom, clutching the test in your trembling hand, and found Javi in the living room. He looked up at you, concern in his eyes.

You couldn't hold back the tears any longer as you held out the test for him to see, your voice quivering, "Javi, it's positive."

He didn't say anything; he just wrapped his strong arms around you, pulling you close and hiding his face between your hair and neck. You hugged him back, tears staining his shirt. You heard him sniff, and when he let you go, you could see his eyes had become teary.

"Let me see," he said, and you showed him the test. His eyes softened as he saw the two vibrant pink lines on it, and you could tell he was holding back tears. At the end of the day, he was still being that tough DEA agent you met.

"I-I'm gonna call doctor Badía and make an appointment for first thing tomorrow morning," you said quickly, sounding as anxious as excited, "I need an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy and blood tests to make sure everything's fine and..."

You were interrupted by Javi, who wasn't actually listening, so eclipsed by the test in his hands. And when he finally reacted, he sought your lips, kissing you with passion and tenderness as his hands rested on your back, softly pulling you closer to him. His heart was racing, his eyes were full of tears, and he had butterflies in his stomach.

When he broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against yours, his arms still holding you with the most protective and gentle touch.

"I love you so, so much," he promised. "You're gonna be the most wonderful and beautiful mother our son could ask for. And I feel so honored and proud that you chose me to be on this journey with you."

Next morning, you and Javi were on your doctor's office. You told her about the tests and she said that you needed an ultrasound to confirm.

You felt so nervous about what if it was just a false positive. You hadn't had morning sickness, but you had a week of delay on your period, which it was usual on you to be honest.

At this point, you had taken so many pregnancy tests that it had become kind of a habit. You took them even if you had a single day of delay. Sometimes even if you don't have cramps or feel sensitivity the morning the day your period usually starts and ended up menstruating that same day later.

The doctor applied gel to your lower belly and began the procedure. You were shaking, but it wasn't due to the temperature of the gel. Javi held your hand firmly, and neither of you could take your eyes off the monitor.

After minutes of silence during which your doctor examined the image, she turned the monitor toward you for a better view. Then, she pointed at a tiny, little bean at the center.

"There it is," she said softly, almost as if the tiny bean would wake up, "Congratulations, mommy and daddy."

"Oh, my God," you cried as you smiled. You felt Javi tighten his hand around yours. He placed his forehead on your hand, then planted a kiss on it. Tears of happiness fell on his cheeks.

"Ho-How many weeks?," he asked, his voice full of emotion.

"I'd say probably between three and four weeks," she answered.

"Oh, my God," you repeated, not quite believing it yet. Javi leaned in to kiss your temple. "Look, Javi, it's our baby," you laughed, pointing at the monitor.

"It's so beautiful, amor," he praised.

"Everything looks fine so far, but we'll need to do blood tests to check on mommy's health and rule out any problems with the fetus," she explained as she gave you a paper to clean yourself, "A nurse will be here in a moment to take your blood, and I'll also leave an ultrasound photo with the receptionist for you to take home."

"Thank you so much, doctor," Javi said.

"You're welcome, and congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Peña," she said as she left the room.

"I'll do it, baby," he said as he took the paper from you and gently started cleaning you. Then, he leaned in on your belly to kiss it and talk to his baby for the first time. He whispered sweet words and promises to your growing bump, "Hello, corazón, I'm your daddy," he said. Your cheeks burned cherry red, and you giggled shyly. He looked up at you, also blushing but with eyes full of tenderness, "It took you so long to come to us, ain't you, baby?" he joked. His expression changed afterward, becoming more serious, mature, and determined – the Javi you knew was about to make a promise. "We're so glad you came, baby; we have been waiting for you for so long. We love you, mi amor chiquito."

Your hand reached for his face, cupping his cheek and caressing his features. He kissed your wrist, absorbing your touch, his happiness and peace evident.

Javier's heart ached every time he witnessed the pain you endured due to your inability to conceive a child. The weight of your shared desire for a baby was a heavy burden, but what pained him most was seeing your tears and knowing he couldn't immediately make things right. It was a time filled with helplessness, and only the two of you truly understood the depth of those emotional struggles.

Now he saw you as happy as he hadn't seen you in so long, and he felt peace once more. He would never forget the look on your beautiful face and the sparkle in your eyes from the moment you told him you were carrying his baby. He wanted nothing more than your happiness, and if that meant giving you beautiful sons and daughters, he would gladly have hundreds of children with you.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"So, Dad, we have a surprise for you," Javi said as he stood up from the table and went for the box you had prepared and hidden from sight.

"Really?" your father-in-law asked immediately, forgetting about the delicious flan you had made for tonight's dessert. "Is it what I think it is?" he asked as he looked at you with eyes full of joy and tenderness. You had seen those brown eyes so many times in your own husband, and you were hoping that your baby would inherit them too.

You couldn't answer him because Javi quickly returned with the box in his hands and placed it in front of his father. Don Chucho had spent the last twelve weeks eagerly anticipating the news of his grandchild's gender, just as much as you and Javi had.

"Ábralo, papá," you encouraged him as he wiped his hands with a napkin to avoid staining the beautiful white wrapping paper you had used to decorate the box. The old man was so excited, and Javi was almost teary-eyed from seeing his father like that.

Don Chucho opened the box quickly and started to look inside when he saw the color of the tiny pair of shoes and the baby's bodysuit.

"¡Lo sabía, lo sabía!" he laughed as he took the clothes out of the box, tears in his eyes like his son's. Then he looked at you, directly in the eyes. You felt your heart swell with warmth and tenderness. "I knew it from the look in your eyes," he said. "It's the same look my Ceci had when she was pregnant with Javier. I was sure it was a boy, and I didn't fail!" His voice cracked, but he was so, so happy. "Thank you, mija, for giving this family such a blessing."

You tried to say something, to thank him and your husband for becoming a family for you, for taking care of you and accepting you into their lives. But you couldn't, overwhelmed by the surge of hormones that made you cry all the time. Javi took your hand and placed a kiss on its back.

"I couldn't ask for anything better than this," you finally managed to say between tears. "I know my baby boy will have the best role models in life. Bringing another Peña boy into this world is a pleasure for me."

"I'm the luckiest man in the world, I truly am," said Javi after kissing your temple and wiping a tear with his thumb from your beautiful face.

He had always seen you as the most gorgeous woman he had ever met in his entire life, but during your pregnancy, you became even more stunning. It suited you perfectly. He was infatuated with your pregnant body—your swollen breasts, your curvier hips, and your growing belly. He just couldn't keep his hands off you. He loved how sensitive and needy the hormones had made you.

Javi treated you like a queen during your pregnancy. He let you sleep as long as you wanted, cooked for you, and gave you feet massages. He would even drive around Laredo at midnight just to satisfy your pregnancy cravings, whether it was hamburgers, nachos, donuts, ice cream, pizza, or even things you didn't used to like, like pickles. He also took care of you on your worst days, when you had morning sickness and headache in the afternoons.

You were indeed surrounded by so much love, from Javi and Don Chucho taking care of you and your baby, to the rest of the Peña family. Javi's female cousins and aunts offered you advice and gifts, listened to your concerns, and made you feel like you weren't alone on this sometimes scary journey of becoming a mother. It was comforting, especially since your own family lived far away, although they stayed in contact, especially your two sweet older sisters.

Of course, you had Javi, who never left your side. He protected you and did everything to ensure you felt comfortable and supported. However, the truth was that he would never truly understand what it felt like to have a baby growing inside you—experiencing the symptoms, the hormones coursing through your body, the physical changes, and the fears about giving birth. You were grateful for the empathetic and caring female circle around you, including your friends at work and even Connie Murphy, who despite the distance, remained attentive to your pregnancy and provided valuable recommendations.

Your pregnancy was a beautiful stage that you enjoyed immensely with Javier, who was as in love with his son as he was with you.

No one around Laredo could believe that the infamous Javier Francisco Peña, the one who left a woman at the altar years ago, had now actually married a beautiful young woman and that he was about to become a loving father. The rumors about the two of you were always terrible and cruel, saying that he would cheat on you in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately for them, none of them were true.

The baby's room was finally ready at the beginning of your eighth month. You and Javi had put your hearts into making and decorating the room, giving it a farm theme. As you stepped through the doorway, the warm and inviting color palette enveloped you, painting a picture of the countryside itself. Whimsical wallpaper had come to life, featuring farm animals in their finest moments. Cows grazed peacefully, sheep frolicked, pigs played in the mud, and chickens strutted.

The most endearing thing in the room was the crib, fashioned from weathered wood. It was a gift from Don Chucho, who revealed that it was actually Javier's crib. You obviously couldn't help but gasp, bringing a hand to your lips while your eyes filled with tender tears. The man had kept the crib guarded and protected in the basement of the house, hoping to one day take it out again to cradle his grandchildren. The crib was beautiful and had been built by Javi's own grandfather, his mother's father.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It was the end of your thirty-third week, and you were well aware that you had at least seven more weeks until the baby arrived... but that wasn't your own baby's plan.

You were peacefully sleeping until you started feeling uncomfortable. Your back ached, and you had a weird sensation in your lower belly. The clock on your side of the bed marked 3:15 am when you stood up to go to the bathroom. But halfway to the bathroom, you felt something pop inside you and then a warm liquid running down your legs. You froze, your heart beating so fast as you tried to turn back to the bed, but you felt so scared.

No... no, no, no– That couldn't be happening now. It wasn't time yet.

''Javi...,'' you cried, your voice filled with fear and despair. ''Javier! Wake up!''

Your husband woke up bewildered, instinctively reaching a hand to your side of the bed to look for you. Javi used to have nightmares stemming from everything he saw during his time in Colombia, and some of them involved you in danger. That's why when he heard you call him with that desperation, he thought he was dreaming. When he didn't feel you next to him, he immediately sat up in bed.

He saw you standing in the middle of the dark room, looking down at your feet and crying. He followed your gaze and saw what looked like a puddle of water, but he couldn't be sure without light.

''Javier, come here!'' you called him, and he jumped out of bed, his bare feet making contact with the cold floor.

''What happened?'' he asked, putting a hand on your lower back and reaching for your hand.

''I broke my water,'' you explained. When you lifted your face, and he saw your worried expression, he felt his heart break. ''It's not time yet, there are still weeks left, Javi. My baby... this isn't normal, I'm scared...'' The first thing you thought was that you could lose him. You couldn't live if you lost your boy.

''It's okay, mi vida,'' Javi said, putting himself together, ''I'm gonna take you to the hospital.'' He helped you out of the puddle and started cleaning your legs to help you change into a pair of sweat pants and a comfy sweater. It was the middle of December, just a few days before Christmas, so the weather was windy and freezing. You didn't have your baby bag ready, and Javi was so nervous that he only packed the first newborn clothes he saw, the warmest blanket he could find, and a full pack of diapers.

He helped you climb into his Dodge truck and secured your body with the seatbelt. He felt your body shaking, heard you sniffle, and noticed you mumbling a silent prayer. His heart ached to see you so scared and nervous, an image he promised himself that he would do anything to prevent. But again, he felt helpless for not being able to do anything else for you.

But he did all you needed from him: he took your cold and shaking hands between his warmer and firmer ones, making you feel safe and protected even though you were terrified. He placed a kiss on your forehead and then a peck on your lips. ''Everything's gonna be just fine,'' he promised, even though he himself wasn't quite sure.

Javier took you to the ER, where a nurse checked on you and confirmed that you were dilated. Apparently, your body was ready to give birth to your son, but you were concerned about whether your baby was ready.

''Everything looks fine with your baby,'' she explained after doing an ultrasound to check on him, ''We're going to give you a room and wait until you have more frequent contractions to start the delivery. Don't worry, Mrs. Peña, we're going to keep monitoring your baby's health very closely. Premature birth isn't ideal, but we're going to do our best to receive your son as well as possible.''

You and Javier spent the next few hours waiting in your hospital room. His father, Samantha, and his aunt arrived at the hospital early in the morning, bringing you all the things you needed for your baby's hospital bag and the car seat Javi had bought. They also brought flowers and balloons.

As time passed, the contractions became stronger and more frequent. Doctor Badía assured you that even though your baby would be considered premature, all the tests and ultrasounds were positive, and she hoped the delivery would be without any complications.

Javi never left your side, comforting you through the contractions, holding your hand, massaging your lower back, making sure you were hydrated and comfortable.

When the moment finally arrived, the birth turned out to be quick and without problems, but it was painful. You cried as you pushed, squeezing Javi's hand as he praised you and gave you words of encouragement.

''You can do it, baby,'' he told you as he kissed your hand. You were too focused on yourself, doing your best to keep pushing and breathe between contractions.

''It hurts so much,'' you cried, feeling overwhelmed by the effort.

''Keep pushing, Mrs. Peña,'' your doctor said as she called the nurses to be ready to hold your baby, ''I can see the head, just one more push.''

''I'm so proud of you, mi amor,'' Javi's voice was the only one you heard. It made you feel stronger, like you could do anything for him. ''You heard that? Just one more push, and you'll have our boy in your arms.''

You gathered all the love you felt for your baby boy, for your husband, for everything you had been through to be here and found the strength to push as hard as you could. And before you knew it, you heard your baby's cry filling the room.

With one last gasp, your body fell exhausted onto the bed, but your eyes searched for your baby. You didn't care about anything you were feeling physically; you just wanted to hold your son in your arms and never let him go. However, they didn't give him to you. Instead, you saw as they took him away from you, and you couldn't even see a single finger. But you could hear him crying so loud that it broke your heart in a way you didn't know before.

''Wh-what are they doing?,'' you mumbled, so weak that you couldn't even keep your head lifted. But you tried to stand up, and if it weren't for Javier, you would have achieved it. He pushed you back gently.

''It's alright, honey,'' he promised, ''They are checking on him, but he's fine. God, he's gorgeous.''

You looked at him, your eyes full of tenderness and trust, ''You saw him?''

''I did,'' he confirmed, ''Now, please, lie down.''

''Mr. Peña,'' a nurse called him as she approached him with a bundle in her arms, ''Do you want to hold your son?''

Javi's eyes lit up in that moment. He nodded almost desperately as he extended his strong arms to his boy. When he finally held his boy in his arms, he felt a wave of pure love running through his veins. He saw his boy's crying features, his little nose, and his little lips, head full of dark hairs. He was so tiny, so beautiful.

He waited as the nurses helped you to sit up on the bed, while Doctor Badía kept working to deliver your placenta and made sure everything was well with you.

When the nurses made sure you were comfortable, you extended your weak arms to Javi, and he immediately helped you hold your baby between your arms as you cried tears of happiness and excitement, meeting your son for the first time.

''He looks so much like you, Javi,'' you exclaimed as he sat beside you, kissing your temple and resting his head on top of yours. ''Hello, handsome boy. I'm your mommy, and he's your daddy.'' You leaned in to him and kissed his forehead, making him stop crying, feeling finally safe with your warmth.

''Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Peña,'' your doctor said as she confirmed that you were fine down there. ''Your baby will be in the NICU area for a few days just to monitor everything is fine with him as days pass, but he's breathing just fine. It's a miracle for a baby to be born prematurely. He will be just fine. Does he has a name yet?,'' she wanted to know.

You nodded, ''Javier Emilio Peña.''

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Emilio stayed in the hospital for just one week. His health was perfectly fine, and he ate and breath without any issues. Your family couldn't have been happier. Both you and Javier were completely enchanted by everything he did, and he filled you both with immense pride.

Emilio took to the farm life with great enthusiasm. He laughed joyfully while watching the dogs play in the fields, enjoyed petting the cows and sheep, and loved it when Javier would take him for horse rides around the fence.

Your son inherited his father's bright, big, puppy brown eyes, a head full of dark hair, and the most beautiful smile that Javier insisted was all yours.

Shortly after Emilio's first birthday, you confessed to Javier that you wanted to try for a second baby.

"Are you sure, honey?" he asked, helping you clean up after Emilio's birthday party. "Don't you think it might be a bit early?"

"We struggled so much to have our first one, Javi, so I want to start as soon as possible in case we have difficulties again," you explained.

He agreed, and the following week, you visited your doctor to begin the process once more. What neither of you expected was for it to happen so quickly, conceiving on the third attempt, much faster than it took for Emilio. It was a delightful surprise for both of you, even though you had mentally prepared for a longer journey.

You welcomed another boy into your family, naming him Eduardo Peña. He also bore a striking resemblance to Javier, although he insisted that Lalo had your features.

Then, two years later, when you both thought your family was complete, you found out you were pregnant during a trip to visit your family. Javier's father humorously called it a "se les chispoteó," which made you both laugh. You attributed the "accident" to a passionate moment you had shared two months earlier when you had left your children with one of Javier's cousins while you went to buy a gown for your best friend's wedding. It was a rare occasion when the two of you had been alone in a while, so your desires had taken over, leading to a spontaneous encounter in the back of his truck because of the excitement and novelty of the situation.

This time, you welcomed a beautiful baby girl into your family, naming her Cecilia Peña, after Javier's mother. You affectionately called her Lia for short.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

As the years passed, your family grew closer and more full of love. Emilio, Eduardo, and Lia grew up with the love and support of their parents, grandfather, and the entire Peña family. Your journey from struggling to conceive your first child to the surprise blessings of two more had taught you and Javier the value of patience, love, and family.

The farm remained a cherished place, where your children laughed, played, and learned about life and love. The farm animals, once just wallpaper in Emilio's nursery, became real friends for your children.

Every milestone, from Emilio's first steps to Eduardo's first words to Lia's first day of school, was celebrated with joy and tears of pride.

Javier was the most wonderful father you could ever had ask for your children. He was loving and caring, always attentive and supportive. He was also strict when he have to, with the purpose of raising respectful children and guiding them on the right path. Your three beautiful children grew up loving their parents and seeing how much mom and dad love each other.

Your journey had been challenging, but it had also been rewarding beyond measure. The struggles and heartaches had only made your bond stronger, and even more grateful for the precious moments of happiness. You and Javier had grown together, and the love you shared had created a beautiful and loving family that filled your lives with meaning and purpose.

[bones-of-a-rabbit]

u can never have too many au ideas (aka the cursed-sun/moon au)

(im copy n pasting this from discord bc im lazy sorry y'all fsjhf)

other au idea: Sun is a ruler or lord in a fantasy world or smthn and Moon is the form he's been Cursed into turning into each night. Reader is a low-tier magic-weilder (who has a secret past that involves smthn rlly Bad and they used to have a reasonable amount of respectability in th community but now theyre shunned and cant get a job anywhere and also has a big scar and/or only one eye lol) who's one remaining ability is the ability to lift minor curses or plagues. Sun has been searching for someone who can 'bless' the curse of Moon (or whatever is making Moon be nasty murderous bloodthirsty man) for ages but mages r rare and most of them spend maybe one night trying to cure Moon before either getting got or being scared into getting tf outta there

so eventually word reaches Sun of a mage who's been looking for work, with the only catch being that they arent very powerful and no one has much to say abt them, and Sun, who has burnt every single thread he has trying to find a mage, is like GOOD ENOUGH CALL THEM HERE

and reader is like 'oh shit this is potentially a rlly good job, the only catch is that i have to deal w a demon possessed guy thats like twice my height and three times as strong,,' and like. bc they have Zero Options and also feel like their life has run itself into th ground and there is little left for them/no way to get themselves out of their Issues, they r like 'yeah sure its gonna take a while bc i can only perform minor magic but i'll do whatever i can to see that this curse is delt with'

and instead of trying to face Moon head on, they start with just kinda,, getting to know him. he's kept chained/locked away in a chamber every night to keep ppl safe, but every night reader goes into the chambers, sits at a tea table just out of his reach, and just. talks with him

they dont entertain his trying to mess w them, taunting, cruelty, etc, but they talk when there's the chance for standard conversation. at first it's hell bc Moon is a little shit and he never cooperates. he never answers questions, he spends the entire night threatening to tear them apart and savor their insides, etc. they bring him a cup of tea every night, and every time he smashes the cup and throws the pieces at them

ok well point is eventually Moon starts to mellow out around them, will actually sit and have conversation with them, one day is like 'you think i dont know what youre doing?? youre just trying to bore me into falling for ur trap so u can kill me. i like ur style but its not gonna work >:3'

and reader is like 'i literally do not have enough magic to kill a toad let alone a whole entire possessed person' and moon is like ',, huh. so what IS ur goal here??' and reader is like 'i want to lift ur curse for both u and Sun's sakes. i gave u my word, and i will follow through, at the very least to clear my own conscience of a past sin'

and so eventually Moon, out of curiosity, and later bc he likes spending time with reader, starts letting them cast the healing magic on him, breaking the curse little by little every night

and at the same time all this is happening, reader is spending mornings and evenings with Sun and keeping him up to date on how the process is going and, eventually, becoming the person he turns to when he's stressed or tired or rlly just wants company

and idk smthn smthn eventually both of them rlly want Reader and they dont know how to act so they just b making fools of themselves but reader is a dumbass so theyre just confused

(Moon absolutely tells Reader abt every 'oh man i rlly wanna kiss kiss snuggle smooch the mage rn' thought Sun has during the day but Reader is so used to Moon being a little shit n making shit up to mess with them that they r just like ._. )

the plot twist part,,

(the secret dark past that reader is hiding is that they used to be a local mage for a nearby town who was known and respected for giving 'blessings' to ppl for small fees but one day for Reasons, they cast a curse upon someone and one of the biggest no-no's a mage can do is Curse someone so the town practically rioted, tore them down from their pedestal, called upon another mage to strip reader of their magic, and then cast them out)

(rn im considering the idea that the person reader Cursed is Vanny, who, because of her own curse, eventually went on to be the one who cursed Sun and Moon)

[phantasmiac]

in which you unexpectedly reunite with high school sweetheart!touya

cw/tw: pro hero!touya who is messy, touya’s pro hero name is blueflame, drug use mention, alcohol use and mention, reader is a detective/cop, bar fight woo, use of guns, mentions of blood, mention of a grandparents death, angst and a little fluff

wc: 4.9k

a/n: this is a follow up to my ua student!touya piece. you can read this without reading that but it’s more fun if you dooooo wink wink.

the number five hero is slightly beefier than he was three years ago; still lean in comparison to the likes of his hulk of a father or his broad shouldered little brother, but the biceps outlined by his tight fitting hero suit are not the same ones you once habitually wrapped your arms around. his old snake bites have been exchanged for a single hoop on the right side of his lip. long gone is the eyebrow piercing you used to hold between your fingers as a threat when his teasing would become a little too obnoxious, and in place are two additional studs on his nose that join the original to form a triangle shape. his snow white hair has been tainted by the tips, now dyed black. you think it looks like he’s been sweeping the soot out of a chimney; you wonder if the same idea has ever crossed his mind. he always did have a tendency to beat you to your own joke.

standing next to him is the wing hero, hawks; though you remember him best as “bird brain”, or the underclassman from ua that touya loved to complain about. you wonder if he remembers you from the few times you’d ran into him while glued to touya’s side. those interactions always left you scolding him about “being nicer” (“if you like him so much go date him then,” he’d grumble). they look like they make a good team. you know they make a good team; news channels made sure you did, with all those replays of battle clips. you never thought your touya would be capable of being civil with a rival, let alone working with them. if it hadn’t been just last week that you saw him caught up in another scandal, you might have believed he’d actually grown since you last had him.

“i hope that we’re all able to cooperate,” you hear your sergeant say, muffled by the intensity of your own thoughts and the blood pounding in your ears.

you’ve been looking at the heroes from a distance, merely peeking past the shoulders of your fellow deputies, all crowded together to greet them at the door of the small office. it’s easy to go unnoticed when touya looks so painfully uninterested, leaving hawks to do most of the formalities. it’s funny, seeing these flashy figures in a place as dull as the police department (the yellow fluorescent lighting isn’t a good look on anyone, really). the number five hero has his arms crossed across his chest, eyes lazy and directed towards the beige vinyl floor tiles. you think there’s a chance he might actually be listening to the discussion despite his expression. it’s hard to tell. you don’t know him that well anymore, after all.

“how much you wanna bet he’s on one right now?” the close up whisper and sudden hand on your shoulder nearly has you jumping out of your skin. kawabata is one of the two only other detectives your age in the division. you’ve moved up the ranks with him and frequently worked alongside him for cases, but your closeness hasn’t surpassed friendship — you’ve made sure of that. kawabata is kind, considerate, and a good looking guy. you think if you hadn’t met him so early on, while you were still trying to get over touya, you wouldn’t have worked so furiously to build the wall protecting you from his advances.

“what do you mean?” you ask. you know exactly what he means. and you know you have no right to feel angry. you’re equally as guilty of subscribing to touya hero related gossip and making bitter judgements. but hey, touya didn’t break his heart.

“and how exactly would you know whether or not he’s on something? you gonna go up and ask him yourself, tough guy? think you could take him?” a voice chirps in from your left. like a smug angel sent from heaven — as if she needed another reason to be your favorite coworker — saeki intercepts your conversation. kawabata’s face flushes a noticeable shade of red at her teasing. it has you digging your mouth in the palm of your hand to cover an escaping set of giggles, an action that only irks him on even more.

“i totally could!” he exclaims in a volume that both makes your heart stop and leaves the room uncharacteristically quiet.

sheepishly, you look up to see the crowd in front of you parting like the red sea, sets of eyes turning their gazes to where the three of you stand in the back of the room — you can feel his burning into you among them all. when you fully lift your head towards the front of the room, your breath hitches. pro hero blueflame is no longer standing there. it’s touya, sleepy eyes gone wide and mouth ever so slightly agape with his crossed arms threatening to falling to his sides. defenseless and vulnerable, caught by surprise. it’s a familiar image, one you used to want branded into your brain, captured every time you would suddenly pull him into a kiss. contrarily, the blush on his cheeks is missing. so is all the color in his face. he looks like he’s seen a ghost. maybe he believes he has, too.

it all feels too real now that you’re looking at one another, and the urge to run up and wrap your arms around his neck is suffocating. you want to embrace him as someone you lost. someone who was ripped apart from you, and has spent every waking moment looking to find you again, driven by the dream of your fateful reunion — but that’s just a fantasy. the reality is that todoroki touya walked out of your life with his heart in your hands and decided to never look back. now he unexpectedly finds himself standing in front of you, stunned, with nothing to return. the reminder is like oxygen to your lungs.

hawks recognizes you, that much is clear. he’s probably the only person in the room aware that a silent soap opera is playing out in front of him, and judging by the way he’s grinning while his eyes cartoonishly dart back and forth between you and his partner, he’s enjoying the show.

“ha!” your sergeant is looking at you in a way that’s scarily reminiscent of the look your grandmother used to give you in public whenever you would act out as a child. the one that said you’re in for it when we get home. he maintains his best people pleasing grin and turns his attention back to the heroes. “saving me the introductions! those three are our youngest detectives….. clearly.” he mutters. “they’ll be the ones working most closely with you on this case. i believe you’re all close in age. we’re hoping that makes for an easier dynamic.”

and there goes that oxygen. you want to smack the look of subtle elation off each person standing before you. you know they’re not happy for you. they’re happy for themselves (perhaps with the exception of hawks and his shit eating, ear to ear grin). and then touya. you’re not really sure what to make of the twinkle that appears at the center of the storm that's been brewing behind his eyes.

you feel kawabata’s hand finds its place back on your shoulder, giving it a few pats of acknowledgement. the twinkle visibly disappears; the storm clouds grow darker.

the small claps, the rounds of congratulations and the confused calls of your name from your two colleagues all become distant as you trail after your sergeant out the door and down the hall. you deliberately avoid looking up at touya during your exit, but you’re still able to pinpoint the exact moment you brush past him. it’s not his particular smell or the warmth that he radiates that alerts you; it’s just a feeling in your gut.

your attempts at getting removed from the case were futile. maybe you were a little naive to think there was even a chance to begin with, but for the sake of your sanity, you had to try. the reality is that no detective is itching to work with heroes; much less heroes with as shitty of a public image as the dynamic duo currently in question. throwing scraps to the youngins, that’s all it really is.

you learn that you’ll be working together on a mob bust during your one and only meeting together, where you let kawabata take the lead (who was more than happy attempting to assert some sort of dominance). you spent the entire time silently begging touya to quit staring at you from across the conference table. you knew if he was anything like you remembered, he was more than likely going to attempt to catch you outside to talk. your solution was to come up with some bullshit excuse about having to share “confidential information” in order to get them to leave the room first, a request that earned you an audible scoff from an obvious perpetrator. by the time your impromptu briefing was over, the pair had left the building for their other duties, and a single word had yet to be shared between you.

the next evening, you and your teammates find yourself standing at the discussed location. it’s a dingy, seemingly abandoned warehouse that sits next to a river, saturated by the hues of the sunset. you’ve been standing at a safe distance for nearly half an hour, since the plan has essentially reduced you to backup.

“more like chauffeurs,” a voice yawns out. it’s a surprise to no one that kawabata is unhappy with the strategy.

it was touya himself who had declared that he and hawks would be the ones to enter the warehouse and restrain the suspects. if there was some sort of escape attempt, you’d be the ones to handle it. otherwise, you were really just there to collect them and take them to the station. sure, it was a bit patronizing to hear it from him of all people, but you agreed that it was the safest route to take. touya had his blazing flames and hawks had his wings of steel. if kawabata’s hands fidgeting at his holster indicated anything, it was that the three of you were restricted to using your guns. there was no telling exactly what you’d be up against, and you weren’t exactly eager to come back to the station in a body bag.

“it’s like they’re in there having tea or something. so quiet,” saeki mumbles as she paces around back and forth. her steps suddenly come to a halt as a thought visibly develops, and she’s turned to look at you with mischievous eyes. “speaking of quiet. what’s been up with you recently?”

the question has you flinching. “running off to the sergeant about the case? not taking charge during the meeting yesterday? what’s going on with the golden rookie?”

saeki’s tone isn’t malicious. she’s teasing you, like always, but you can’t help but feel like an animal backed into a corner at her sudden questioning. you’ve never told a soul that the current number five hero happens to be your high school sweetheart. it’s something you’ve wanted to erase from your own memory for years, and you’d believed you were making progress up until a few days ago. it’s humiliating, even more so now that your coworkers have noticed his presence interfere with your work ethic.

by the time you come out of your dissociated state, the stares of your comrades have become concerned. the silence is heavy, and you try to muster up something to make the atmosphere less uncomfortable. instead, you’re choking on your words.

“can you blame her?” kawabata butts in in an attempt to save you. “they’re making us work with a borderline felon. the narcotics unit probably has a whole file on blueflame,” he chuckles.

saeki seems to find it funny enough that the silence is replaced with laughter. but you’re still quiet, and it’s not because you’re at a loss for words. you’re biting your tongue. touya isn’t yours to defend anymore. if anything you should be joining in, adding some more quips into the mix. but you can’t help the anger that consumes you at kawabata’s badmouthing. you want to yell out “you don’t know him like i do!” like some silly lovesick schoolgirl. what a joke.

the sound of shattering glass has all your heads turning and your hands reaching towards your guns. you see shards raining down from a window on the other side of the warehouse, along with a silhouette that’s seemed to land on its feet. the three of you quickly approach the corner as silently as you can in a triangle formation. you’re now able to see the men the silhouettes belonged to as they attempt to make a run for it, completely unaware of your presence. they’re alerted by the “freeze!” that kawabata bellows.

it manages to get them to turn around. there’s a brief panic in their eyes that’s quickly replaced by a mixture of relief and malignancy at the sight of your guns and badges. it makes them bold enough to ignore your warnings and start walking towards you. their proximity forces shots to be fired; one of the men lifts his hand, and the bullets start flying wildly. one of them flies back towards you and narrowly misses, grazing your cheek. a metal quirk.

the culprit’s partner makes a pushing motion with his arms towards you, and you feel a force throwing you back. it’s all too quick to process. you’re suddenly meters away from you were just standing and away from your coworkers, back against the pavement. from where you’re laying you can see the men closing in on them. though your body is in shambles from the impact, your concern for your friends gives you the willpower to stand up and run back for them. a large wall of blue fire stops you in your tracks and blocks your line of vision. the adrenaline doesn’t allow you to make the connection between the fire and it’s potential user; all you can think about is the safety of your friends, and it has your hands gripping at your hair in distress.

it’s only a few seconds later that the fire dwindles, and your arms fall at your sides. in front of you, taking the fires place, is him, unscathed and looking down at you with an expression that screams high and mighty. “didn’t realize you were fucking quirkless now.”

it’s his first set of words to you in years, and yet your focus is over his broad shoulders. he follows your eyes towards both of your coworkers; but all he can see is that fucking dork from the meeting. the same one that put his hand on your shoulder all chummy the day he first saw you. the one who clearly has a thing for you.

you shove him aside and march away. you see hawks towering over the culprits who are now being held to the pavement by his feathers. you feel touya towering over you as he stalks you from behind. it irks you; it’s probably best to ignore him, but three years of rancor and your current aggravation compel you to respond.

“well what would you know about me anymore,” you don’t look back to see his reaction. “law enforcement aren’t permitted to use their quirks. you should know that, number five.”

touya watches blood gush down your cheek as you berate him. he’d be huffing smoke if he could. of course he knows that. what he doesn’t know, doesn’t understand, is why you’re working this shitty job in the first place. three years ago, you held a golden ticket in your hands in the form of a secured, successful future. how the hell did you get here?

he brings his hand to your cheek to wipe the blood off. “stupid fucking job, then.”

the sudden grip on his wrist could leave a bruise on a common civilian. you rip his hand away like he’s burnt you, and he looks back at you like you’ve done the same. touya has never seen you seething. annoyed, mostly, at all his teasing when you were together. you were always so patient with him, something no one else was ever able to do. something no one else has been since the day he left you. but angry with him? never. it’s something he expected all those times he would fantasize about a day where he’d run into you again. he certainly deserves it. but seeing it now — it makes him want to throw himself in the river and let the current swallow him whole.

touya doesn’t know how much of your self worth depended on him back then. it’s not something you ever brought up out of embarrassment. he doesn’t know how hard you worked to build yourself back up while having to hear about him thriving and hooking up with someone new every weekend. so maybe you’re wrong for wanting to rip his head off because of three silly words. he doesn’t know. and he’ll never know, because he abandoned without so much as a lousy text.

“well then it's a good thing it's my job and not yours. so you’re welcome to fuck off and disappear somewhere right after this.”

you think the universe really has it out for you when you see touya again the very next night. you’re at your usual bar, on your usual stool, with your usual drinking buddies. the bar is located in a small, quiet town; the same one you live in. seeing two top ten pro heroes around the area? very unusual.

you figure he must be staying around until his next duty calls and happened to find this place. his bird friend is missing at his side. three women take his place, tracing the tattoos littering his arms and giggling at his every word. it’s a sight you’ve seen in images countless times already, but none of those times prepared you for the ache in your chest when seeing it in real life. he’s wearing a black polo shirt that squeezes at his form; you really are no better than those women.

saeki and kawabata are chatting away about yesterday's events. how lucky you all were that “metal man” didn’t have great control of his quirk, how humiliating being saved was. both of them are about two shots in when they start blubbering a bunch of nonsense about starting a protest and how they would beat everyone’s asses if they could use their quirks.

“are you with us or are you against us?” you nearly fall off the stool when kawabata slams his fist and shakes the whole counter. “hey you’re not even listening!”

a dramatic shriek from saeki has you nearly breaking your neck in concern, only to find her looking where you’d just been. “this is so humiliating. we have to leave, immediately. or kill him. or both. for my own mental health, i just can’t ever look at that guy again.”

agreed, you think to yourself.

you realize her voice has traveled greater distances than your own ears when touya’s blue orbs shoot towards your group. it’s all too reminiscent of that day in the office and you silently curse your friends for repeatedly doing this to you. maybe you’re tipsier than you thought you were, because you think you see a tiny blue wisp ignite on touya’s shoulder for a mere nanosecond. the way he proceeds to flirtatiously whisper something to the women and moves one of them to the side by the waist makes you doubtful.

you feel the need to brace yourself for his arrival, hands gripping the edge of the counter until your knuckles turn white. it doesn’t take long for arms to cage you in from behind. what you don’t expect are his hands placing themselves on top of yours; it’s infuriating how the action makes your heart flutter, but it quickly steadies itself when your nose catches the smell of alcohol. he reeks of it. he must not be in his right mind.

“you following me?” he whispers directly into your ear, breath running down your neck. you’re not strong enough for this.

“absolutely not,” you hiss through gritted teeth. “the hell is wrong with you?”

he only chuckles and rubs circles on your knuckles. the tension makes you forget about the presence of your friends, though you’re quickly reminded when the chuckling suddenly stops and touya’s shoved off of you.

“dude, who the hell do you think you are?” kawabata is a few inches taller than touya, but you know he’s no match. you’d never forgive yourself if he got beat to a pulp because of your carelessness. it’s a pity that touya has always been so quick witted.

“if i remember correctly, i’m the guy that saved your sorry ass,” touya mocks like he’s been waiting for the opportunity; it warrants the first punch. it’s strong enough to send touya’s head whipping to the side. kawabata wastes no time in tackling him to the ground while he has the chance. the women touya flirted with previously are screaming like they’re about to witness a murder, and the bartender is demanding that they knock it off but making no move to actually stop the fight; probably afraid of ending up on the news or something. you hear a laugh before touya manages to turn the fight around and get on top to throw his own punches. it’s then that you realize you really need to do something.

you’re slightly embarrassed having to play the role of idiot trying to calm their “boyfriend” down using the power of love, but you see no other way. you know better than to try to yank him off, so you resort to the second dumbest option, crouching down in front of the scene and reaching out to hold his face in your hands. if he’s as drunk as he smells, this might just work.

“hey! touya. touya! let’s go home.”

the punches come to a halt. the collective confusion is comical. kawabata looks up at you like you’ve grown five heads from the ground below, nose all bloody. it’s impossible to miss saeki’s drunken “huh?” from above. and touya. his face has completely softened, and those tiny little wisps of fire are now undeniable. for a moment, you’re both sixteen again, sitting on your living room floor after having your second kiss.

“okay,” he whispers.

the first thing touya notices upon getting through your door is that your apartment is small. way smaller than his luxury loft. the second thing he notices is that he immediately feels more at home there than he ever has at his own place. and finally: he thinks about how he should have been the one to live here with you in the first place. there’s no evidence of him ever existing in your life as far as he can see. it should come as no surprise, but it still hurts a little, considering all the old photos of you currently being held up by a magnet on his fridge. the ones he’s had to regularly avoid explaining to all the hookups who’ve been nosy enough to ask.

on your wall there’s a framed photo of you at your graduation, from a school he doesn’t know about and has never heard of; very much not the one you were going to before he’d ghosted you. there’s a photo of you at the police academy, receiving work related awards and diplomas, and jesus fucking christ even that dickface has spots on your wall (saeki is very much in those photos, too. he just really enjoys torturing himself). finally, he sees the pictures of you and your grandmother. it cheers him up a bit, remembering how much he adored that sweet lady. probably hates his guts now, but he still feels compelled to ask about her while you’re scavenging through your cabinets for something like a wild animal.

he hates how your movements freeze and all the ruckus dies down at his question. instantly, he knows.

“she, uh. she passed away, after….” he knows.

“i’m sorry.”

“don’t be. you didn’t kill her,” you laugh humorlessly. you stand up from below your sink, first aid kit in hand. touya is looking at you like a wounded puppy, and it makes you really laugh. “she was sick, touya. you’re not a murderer, at least as far as i know. now sit,” you point to the couch.

there’s a teddy bear sat on the other side, mocking him. it reminds him of your first date — the day after your first kiss — at an arcade. he’d emptied out his pockets to win you a stuffed white cat with blue glass eyes, all because you said it reminded you of him. he was persistent even after you insisted it was okay, after his umpteenth attempt at that stupid crane machine. he was convinced you started to love that stupid thing more than him after awhile, even if it’s name was “touya jr”. the door to your bedroom is slightly cracked open. he wonders if touya jr. might be in there, on the same spot on your bed.

you first get to work on touya’s nose piercings, wiping them down with a cotton swab and hydrogen peroxide. you think to yourself that aftercare for three nose studs must have been a bitch, and touya was always shit at remembering to clean them. the bathroom in your house used to be stocked on wound wash, and you’d made it a point to tell fuyumi to make sure he was cleaning them at home. you wonder how all his siblings are doing now. natsuo should be in the beginnings of high school, and shouto in middle school.

“if you wanna know so bad maybe you should just come home with me,” he says, head shot towards the ceiling per your instructions.

“don’t be stupid,” you shoot him down. you’re hard at work trying to stop the blood that suddenly won’t stop dripping.

“why not? dickface won’t like it?”

“who?”

touya makes punching motions with his hands, and an honest giggle leaves your lips. the sound makes touya lower his head to get a good look at you, that expression he’s missed so much.

“kawabata,” you correct him, and touya wants to grumble that if you like his last name that much maybe you should just take it. he doesn’t (what if it actually gives you ideas?). “nah. not my type. but i might have to use my charms to get him back in my good graces now".

“well i think i hit him hard enough so that he'll have to fix his face. you’re welcome.”

it earns him a flick on the forehead. you instantly worry that you’re acting too comfortable around him, and it has you drawing your hands back and squirming in your seat. touya can tell you’re flustered. just yesterday you were speaking to him like you hated his guts — it’s the very reason he found himself in that bar tonight — and now you’re tending to his wounds the way you did when you had loved him. he knows he’s done nothing to deserve a second chance, nothing to prove that he never once stopped loving you. but he’s prayed to a god he doesn’t even believe in for a chance at meeting you again for so long; so he’ll be damned if he doesn’t take this opportunity.

“hey. do you think we could ever try again?”

the cotton swab falls from your fingers. he watches your eyebrows furrow and a lump form in your throat. you let your head fall, and he fights the urge to pick it back up. you probably don’t want him to see what you’re thinking, and he knows he’s not entitled to that privilege. with baited breath he waits, and continues to beg whatever higher power there is to give him one more chance. he silently promises he’ll get his act together, make up for everything he’s done, if he can just have you back.

after what feels like an eternity, you look back up at him with tears in your eyes. touya feels your weight being lifted off the couch when you stand, and he immediately knows. he’s not above getting on his knees and begging, but you’d always given him more than he deserved. so he sits still.

“‘m running out of cotton swabs,” you mutter.

a silent sob racks through your body when you close the bathroom door behind you. you will never not be madly in love with touya; but you think you’ll always be afraid to trust him with your heart again. and you know it’s pitiful and fucked up to wish you were the person you used to be, especially after you spent so much time trying to be better; but that person was weak enough to have taken touya back in a heartbeat. so in a moment of weakness, you allow to yourself regress back to that version, heading back to the living room with your answer.

you come back only to find that touya is already gone again.

★ a/n pt ii: if you were one of the people who read part one very early on and have been waiting for a part two for over two months I am so sorry AHHHHHHH I thought about writing part two literally every single day but could never find the inspiration to actually do it and then during my winter break I wrote like HALF and I literally finished this bad boy up in a day.

☆ tag list for those who wanted a part ii: @touwuya @ijustrepost @goblinhobo @yelloeukulele @nadyyl @im-nowhere-but-also-somewhere @abeokutea

[veryace-ficrecs]

Tim Drake & Jason Todd Angst Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

in the planter outside my front door by CosmoKid - Rated G

When Tim’s six years old, his third-grade class takes a field trip to the old firehouse in The Narrows.

By the age of seven years old, he’s learned that there’s a difference between pain and Pain, and that while adults are generally happy to deal with pain, they do not enjoy you talking about Pain.

These two things may be related.

This Dark Ceiling Without a Star by Miss_Lazy_Tuesday - Rated M

“For fuck’s sake, your chatter is going to drive me crazy faster than this stupid spell.” “Then you talk!” “There’s no point!” Jason snaps. “I can feel it, okay. It’s—there’s no emotion behind it, it’s not using my thoughts. It’s just a bunch of weird Greek echoing in my brain and a compulsion to act. And it’s getting stronger. Talking isn’t going to slow it down.” “Then what will slow it down?” After five long seconds of silence, Tim gives into the urge and viciously jabs his fist into Jason’s leg for the second time. “Goddammit, why?” Jason snaps, green briefly sparking in his eyes before disappearing just as quickly. “You are not seriously going to just sit there and wait to die.” “The hell do you care anyway?” “Because I don’t want you to die! Obviously!” “You fucking should.” 

unaware i'm tearing you asunder by hendecagrisms - Rated T

The pieces were starting to click into place, aligning to create a deeply disturbing picture. “Are you seriously saying you’ll become a missing person and fake your death for this stupid homecoming plan?” Jason interrupted, his voice full of as much judgmental incredulity as possible. The kid’s eyes skated back over to him, his face twitching into a brief frown. “What? No.” A pause. “I mean, we could do that instead, if you wanted. But to fool Batman I’d need facial reconstruction surgery and new papers and it would all have to be untraceable—,” he broke off with a scoff, shaking his head slightly. “No, it’s just smarter and more cost-efficient to do it for real.” - Tim learns about Jason Todd's return, does some research on the Lazarus Pit, and realizes that there might be a way to solve multiple problems all at once: removing himself from the picture. For some strange reason, the Red Hood doesn't seem keen on cooperating.

Grin and Bear It (I got blood on your carpet) by Alia_JuneBug - Not Rated

When Jack Drake’s business trip gets canceled, he is forced to stay at home while the legal kinks get worked out. He’s not used to having a teenager underfoot, so it’s only rational that he’s a little snappish around Tim. At least, that’s what Tim tells himself each time his dad’s idea of discipline gets harsher. Bruce had told him to take a break from Robin in order to spend some time at home with his dad, and Tim can’t say no to that. He knows Bruce is probably glad to be rid of him for a short while. And he can handle discipline. This is a Tim Drake problem, not a Robin problem anyway. There’s no need for Bruce to know anything. Things get a little muddled when an injured Jason Todd crawls through his bedroom window.

Thrown into the Storm by ThePokeOne - Rated T

"It figured, Tim thought as he trekked through Gotham's streets in one of the worst storms he'd ever seen. He'd been careless. So stupidly careless."

Or:

Tim gets kicked out, and Jason has a change of plans.

am i the only one pretending (i did it to myself) by rutaceae - Rated T

Tim doesn’t expect his latest civilian kidnapping to be any different from the rest, but when he remembers things best left buried in the past, things take a turn for the worse. Luckily, his family is here to help.

sallow skin (and they can’t look away) by Ghxst_Bird - Rated T

Bruce is off planet when Robin’s distress beacon is lit. He tries not to worry, but then Nightwing contacts him: Robin’s tracker leads straight into Gotham Bay.

1-800-ROBIN by spqr - Rated T

“Gotham Youth Mental Health Hotline, this is Jason speaking. Can I ask who I’m talking to?” There’s a long silence on the other end of the line, and then a small voice says, “I, um. Sorry, I don’t know why I called. This was a mistake. I’ll just hang up now.” “Hey, wait.” Jason drops his feet to the floor, sitting forward in his shitty cubicle. Suddenly his heart is racing and he’s not sure why, but he can’t let this kid hang up. “You don’t have to tell me your name. That’s okay. Just – why don’t you tell me why you’re calling?”

buy the ticket, take the ride by Anonymous - Rated M

Tim had always figured that if he ever woke up in Vegas sans-memory, it would be when he was older than fourteen. But there were some things he couldn’t control, and apparently whatever had happened last night that he didn’t remember was one of them.

hungry for strays by Ghxst_Bird - Rated T

Tim knows something is wrong with Batman and Nightwing, and somehow it all has to do with the new crime lord on the rise in crime alley. So of course he’s not going to stay at the manor while they’re out risking their lives. Tim leaves a note and sets out for intel on the Red Hood. Aka. Everyone is straight up not having a good time

Safe and Warm by sardonic_sprite - Rated G

Batman.

Batman lived right next door. Batman surely had a generator, or at least a fireplace and wood, or some way to get warm.

Batman took care of kids, and Mr. Wayne was really nice. He would at least let Tim warm himself back up. Maybe he could even stay just until the power came back on.

It was worth a shot.

Nervous Breakdown by AhsokaJackson - Rated T

Jay closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose to push back the encroaching headache. And possibly the admittedly ironic desire to strangle this kid for his lack of self-care instincts. "Tim. Timmy. Answer me this. Where exactly is the old man? Actually, better question: Why in the ever-living hell is the answer to that anything other than 'right here'?" Tim gave a huff that sounded more tired than defiant. "Because, like I said, it's a mild case and I don't need to be under observation. I already told Bruce the same thing I told you: I'm fine." "And he believed that."

Don't You Know? by sardonic_sprite - Rated T

“How the hell did you think taking everything the real Robin had was going to make him proud of you?” Jason snapped. “I didn’t want to take anything,” Replacement cried. “I wanted to save it. It… Batman… they were… everything was just… It was awful, and, and Gotham needed… but Robin…” The kid looked up at Jason, desperation in his eyes, like he was trying to find justification from his accuser. “I-I know he wouldn’t have wanted Batman to die.”

Living Dead Boy by Terranpheum - Rated T

Tim was having a normal night photographing Batman and mourning the dead when Jason Todd suddenly breaks out of his own grave. He's unresponsive and catatonic, and Tim knows there's no way he can leave the boy on his own. So, he brings him back to Drake Manor to try and help him recover. It goes… well?

Instead of All the Colors That I Saw by SilverSkiesAtMidnight - Rated T

Dick comes around to stand fully in front of him, keeping a steadying hand on Tim’s arm. “Just because you know you’re safe intellectually doesn’t mean you always feel safe,” he says softly. “It’s okay if you don’t feel safe.” “But it’s not okay!” Tim bursts out. “Because if I don’t feel safe, then how is Jason supposed to feel safe? He shouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable just because my brain is screwed up!” There’s a faint sound by the door, barely more than an intake of breath, and his eyes snap to the no-longer empty doorway.

The Worst Kind of Crush by TimDrakeIsMyPatronus - Rated T

Civilians came first.  It was one of the foundational truths of being a superhero. Their job was to save civilians regardless of the personal cost. Each of them knew and understood the risks associated with the cape when they put it on.  Still, rules got fuzzy when one woke up underneath a building.  Or the one where a building explodes and Tim is trapped under the rubble

Last Request by destiny919 - Rated T

"Any last words, Replacement?" Red Hood casually crouches down in front of him. "Or how about a last request? I'm feeling generous. I'll do you one last favor before I clip those little wings. Whatever you want. Sky's the limit." There's only one thing he's ever really wanted from Jason Todd.

Echoes of You by SilverSkiesAtMidnight - Rated T

Graveyard mud, heavy and dark, clinging to a stained and torn suit. One shoe missing, a leg bent awkwardly and blood staining a bare foot.

Milk white skin beneath the mud, black hair hanging in muddy clumps around his ears. Blue eyes staring back at him, animal-bright and dilated in the brief moment before he flinches back from the light with a cry of pain that stabs through Jason to the soul.

His shaking hand closes around the flashlight before he can even think about it, cutting off the piercing beam and letting it spill out in shards between his fingers. For a petrifying moment as his eyes readjust, he’s sure that when he looks again, there will be nothing there.

“Tim?” he whispers.

The lean and ragged figure, tiny, god he’s so small, lowers his hands away from his face, away from his eyes wide and glittering almost silver in the moonlight.

Hands, mud-covered and torn. The red of his shredded fingernails is sickeningly dark in the broken light.

He’s vomiting before he even feels the bile making its way up his throat.

Petals for Armor by SilverSkiesAtMidnight - Rated T

There’s a small half-moon of blood under the white of Tim’s nail where he bent it. He studies the red of it, feeling foggy and dreamlike. “Can I ask you a question?” His brother’s eyes flick to him and away again, surprised and wary. “What?” His nail doesn’t hurt much, just the dullest of aches when he presses down against it. “When you were homeless, you slept with people for money, didn’t you?” Jason jerks like he’s been slapped. His knuckles are so pale where they grip the steering wheel they suddenly look more bone than flesh. “Did I -” “Was it worth it?” Tim asks, drifting like a cloud over whatever furious reaction Jason was about to give him. “The money, I mean.” His sternum slams into the seatbelt with bruising force. Unbraced for it, his head whips forward and back against his seat as they swerve off the road again and skid to a halt with a screech of rubber.

farthest you’ve ever flown by rutaceae - Rated T

When Jack Drake kicks Tim out in a rage, Tim, not wanting to be a bother, tries to make it work without getting the Bats involved. But he can only go so long without being found out, and it’s not Batman that ends up discovering his secret; it’s the Red Hood.

Familial Ties by AnonymousWhump - Rated T

What he wasn't expecting was to walk into the kitchen to find Tim,  yes Tim because he wasn't in the Robin outfit he was dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, was that blood on his feet?  Staring at him in shock, eyes flicking from him to the phone in his hand, before mumbling a quiet,

“Jason?”  

Or, Jason breaks into the Titan's Tower to hurt Robin but his plan is quickly derailed when he sees signs of abuse.

Drop In by iselsis - Rated T

Tim's injured, alone in Crime Alley, and the worst possible person finds him. And yet it doesn't turn out as badly as Tim expected.

Watch Your Step Dear by Redaliveviolation - Rated T

Tim was having a great time watching the Dynamic Duo race across Gotham. He was getting so many good photos and he never wanted these nights to end. Too bad the heroes aren’t around when he takes a trip off of the side of a building.

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

I’ve spent the past few days eating up all the Yves content I could find on your blog he’s just so perfect oh my god??? I don’t know how to put it but he sounds like the type who’d always have the best posture and the way he walks would feel feathery.

I did not see this question from the gazillion asks I read but if something similar has been asked before you can ignore this.

How would Yves be with an artist reader who mostly has time for him but completely becomes detached for hours or sometimes days while working on a drawing? Sorry if it’s too specific you can go with different scenarios too.

Also sorry if I randomly drop a fanart of him one of these days

oh man i would be honoured to receive a fanart of yves and hell yea i love yves thanks for reading thru the madness, yea hed like walk so fluidly n shit its like unreal

but anyways getting to da meat:

He would be happy if you have a lot of time to spare for him. Yves would never take a single second for granted and he will cherish every moment with you.

Through his observation and your own assurance, he is secure in the relationship. So he wouldn't mind you disappearing into your room for days on end to complete an art piece. He will let himself in to provide you your meals or do parallel work; he will bring his laptop over and do his own thing while you do yours.

There is an invisible timer that dictates when you should go to the bathroom, eat, rest, or sleep. If you're cooperative when he greets you with a kiss and reminds you to come to bed, eat dinner or to relieve yourself after an entire day of not visiting the toilet once, he will continue to use that method. He doesn't mind having to babysit you for ages, Yves actually likes it.

He would take pictures of your progress. When you start to think that your work looks horrendous, Yves will show you the photos of your earlier stages. Praising you for how far you've come, telling you that he personally thinks it's beautiful. But he is in no way a pure 'yes man', it depends on your goals. If you want to create photorealistic paintings or drawings, he will provide the best constructive criticism on how to improve your proportions. You can simply describe what you want to create, Yves could be your muse if you want him to. He is willing to stay in a singular, muscle-straining pose for hours if you ask him to. Or, he could gather reference materials for you. Yves does have a strong background in photography too. No concept is too absurd for him to capture or even sketch.

However, if you react negatively to his reminders, such as harshly shoving him away or screaming at him to leave you alone, Yves will be resorting to reality bending. Depending on how much you hurt him, he will either make you cry 'on your own' by manipulating you into thinking that your work is terrible no matter what you do. You can't accuse him of saying derogatory remarks, because he wasn't even in the room. You shooed him out earlier.

He messes with the lighting to make your artwork 'ugly' in your eyes. Yves toggles with the humidifier or dehumidifier to make it harder to work with your art medium. The temperature in Yves's studio either seems to be sweltering or freezing. But the thermostat says otherwise. Either way, you can't create in these atrocious conditions. So you give up and retire for the day.

Everything will be back to normal tomorrow, but if you pay closer attention, you will start to feel upset over your artwork every three hours. Specifically, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and inevitably give up by 10pm. You would only have the urge to continue after enjoying breakfast with him past 7am. Strange, don't you think?

During your breaks, you would automatically seek Yves out for lunch, tea time, and dinner. He will not visit if you express your extreme displeasure with his presence while you work, Yves gives you the 'freedom' to choose to meet him in his office. He is always there if you need him.

Regardless, in the end, you will never fail to appreciate your own work no matter how tough the journey was. Yves ensures that you know your creation is valuable. He is supportive of your passion and is willing to finance any and all of your essential (and nonessential) materials. You could even ask him for advice, unlocking a previous chapter of his life where he used to paint under a pseudonym, for the wealthy, the enthusiastic, and the eccentric. Best to keep your mind open and not undermine him in anything, or else you might miss out on fascinating Yves lore. He wouldn't bring these up on his own if you never asked. It's always a good thing to learn from someone much older than you are.

Your jaw would be on the floor if you knew that his old canvases were now retailing for billions of dollars at auctions. But he deems it unnecessary for you to learn of that, all you need to know is Yves can draw human hands wonderfully and accurately in any pose, in under five minutes with no reference.

[666writingcafe]

Meanwhile...

Mammon

I know I'm being stupid. I shouldn't be following Simeon to his room after he blew up at us in the dining car. If he's anything like Satan, I might as well start digging my grave.

But I can't leave him alone. I don't know why; it's just a gut feeling that I have. Still, my gut has never led me astray. And I'm not talking about when its judgment is clouded by greed, but during situations like this one. You know, life and death sorta things.

I take a deep breath before opening the sliding door. Simeon's back is turned to me, appearing to look out the train window.

"Hello, Mammon." His voice sounds eerily calm, like how Lucifer gets sometimes right before he begins torturing people.

I can't flee. I have to see this through.

"Dude, what happened back there? I've never seen you react like that, not even during the war."

"That is none of your concern." Simeon slightly turns his head to the right. "Tell me, why did you feel the need to bully Luke?"

"That wasn't my original intention--"

"Answer the question."

"I will, if you'll let me finish!" Silence. "Look, I believe he needs to be taught how to relax. He's way too uptight. I mean, he can't even take a little joke! The kid's a real piece of work."

"It's only a joke when everyone involved finds it amusing."

"Well, I can't help wantin' to tease him sometimes! In some ways, he kinda reminds me of myself when I was that age."

"Oh, really?" Simeon doesn't believe me.

"Seriously?! Don't you remember what I was like once upon a time?"

"A nuisance?"

"Naive, Simeon. I was that lost puppy. Cute, friendly, energetic, but incredibly oblivious to what the real world was like. I mean, isn't that why you guys are sendin' him to the Devildom and human world in the first place?" He sighs.

"Yes."

"It's almost been three years, and yet from this side of things he hasn't learned jackshit. He's still convinced that the way angels do things is the right way. He doesn't wanna even consider that he could be wrong."

"Oh, like you're doing much better," Simeon snaps.

"At least I'm doing something! You're just standing around and waiting for Luke to discover the world on his own. He needs guidance! And sometimes that means forcing him to experience new things whether he likes it or not!"

"And who are they going to blame when shit hits the fan, Mammon?" Simeon's facing me now, staring daggers into my face. "You were in charge of MC during the exchange program; what would have happened if a demon decided to have them for lunch during their first ever week in the Devildom?"

"The demon would get in trouble, obviously. But I'm not sure what this has to do with Luke--"

"Do you wanna know what else would have happened?" I'm not going to get another word in until he's done ranting, am I?

"People would have begun asking questions," Simeon quickly continues. "'Where was Mammon at the time?' 'Why didn't he stop the demon from eating MC?' And if you weren't able to come up with acceptable answers to those questions, your ass would have been on the line, because you failed to do your job.

"Oh, maybe you'd escape with a light punishment. After all, you have friends in high places that can bail you out of trouble. But what if you used up all your chances? What if protecting MC and ensuring they survived the exchange program was the one thing that would save you from a fate worse than death? What would you do then, Mammon?"

Oh my God...I knew he'd gotten demoted due to his lack of cooperation during the early stages of the war, but I didn't realize he was that close to being sent there. It's the one place in the Devildom that the Celestial Realm has control over, and it's usually reserved for the worst of the worst. The truly irredeemable.

And he's right. Being sentenced there is a fate worse than death.

"Simeon, I'm sorry. I...I didn't know." I walk over to him and tentatively hover my hand over his shoulder. He remains still, allowing me to rest my hand on there.

"Only Michael and Raphael do," he whispers. "They were the ones that offered me the guardianship over Luke. If anything happens to him, they won't show me mercy again, especially in light of them discovering that fucking notebook."

"You know Lord Diavolo would take you in." Simeon shakes his head.

"I don't want to spend the rest of my existence serving him." He pauses. "I'm sure he's a kind master, but he still rules over you guys. I want to be under my own power."

"What about MC?" The question slips out of my mouth, causing a corner of Simeon's to curve up slightly.

"That is an arrangement I'd prefer to keep between me and them."

[absurdist-void]

I got a new piece of dialogue with The Emperor that I didn't get in previous playthroughs.

In the cutscene with the guardian after you enter the shadow cursed lands, you can hold them in your arms.

The guardian will admit that it was a long time since someone hugged them. If you ask who that person was, the guardian will tell you that it was Belynne (Stelmane).

In Act 3, Empy will tell you that they weren't romantic, but it's odd that they held each other and he kept a portrait of her in his old hideout under the Elfsong.

This could mean that:

He felt a romantic connection with her, but tries to forget it/hide it because he feels guilty that he caused her to have a stroke from the mind control.

He felt a romantic connection with her, but denies it because a mind flayer and a human shouldn't be together.

He felt the same connection and closeness any mind flayer feels with their pets thralls, but doesn't consider it romantic.

For 1 and 2, I think Balduran's personality and ideals sort of express themselves. Balduran and the Emperor value freedom above all else. By enthralling Stelmane, he is being hypocritical. His mind flayer nature leads him to believe that mind flayers are inherently superior to other races, making everyone else a pawn. In taking that freedom from Stelmane, he caused her to die, which is in conflict with his personality as Balduran. I don't know if he wanted to hide her death because it was another way to manipulate the PC into working with him, or if he hides it because he feels some sort of cognitive dissonance from his actions.

I wonder if that's why he tries to convince the PC to become illithid as well. He doesn't want to make the same mistake twice and have the PC die from mind control like Stelmane. If Empy wanted to enthrall the PC, it would be easier for him to enthrall them if they remained humanoid. Instead, he wants the PC to become the same as him as an equal. In his mind, an equal would be illithid.

I don't think the Emperor likes to enthrall people at all and Stelmane was a lesson learned. If he wanted to enthrall the PC, he would have done it already, but he never does. Even if the PC fights with him and he threatens to enthrall the PC to cooperate, it never happens. It was just an empty threat.

For 3, the Forgotten Realms wiki says this about mind flayers and their thralls:

The illithids had to dominate not only to achieve their goals, but to fulfill certain basic needs of their own. Without a mind to control, a mind flayer would feel incomplete. They actually had an intimate relationship with their own thralls, suffering when they died (whether by sickness, age, or physical harm) and sometimes going mad from loneliness without their constant companionship. Illithids were known to postpone their other goals just to renew an emptied retinue of thralls[23] and every illithid had at least one personal thrall. When they found one they favored, illithids would go out of their way not to eat personal thralls in bouts of hunger or anger, and might even grant them toys and trinkets to occupy themselves with when not working.

This reminds me a lot the relationship people have with their pets. I wonder if he just saw Stelmane as his pet who died.

It's my headcanon that the Emperor is just super lonely and wants another illithid companion that has the same ideals as him. He doesn't want a thrall, but a real companion. He can have a pet-like relationship with a thrall, but it's still lesser than a relationship where someone chooses to be with him and works on the same level as him.

[bunchofdoodlesinspace]

Usually I just go on reblogging sprees after episodes but I just can't stop thinking.

About how in the original mythos, Ouranos, the primordial sky god, was rebelled against and killed after the mistreatment of his other children, who he threw into Tartarus. How Kronos cut him to pieces, urged to do so by his own mother, Gaia.

And then how, during Kronos's ruling, "The Golden Age", when he has his own children, he fears them doing the same to him. He eats them, but misses one, who is saved by his mother Rhea. She then prepares him to save his siblings, and so he, Zeus, urged by his mother, kills his father and cuts him to pieces.

And now, in the show, we see Zeus, the current ruler, dismissive of Percy's warnings. Ruling with an iron fist and insisting on total obedience from his siblings and children, lest they make an enemy they will regret. His own solution to maintaining control, one that does not seem to be holding up super well.

And Percy calls him out on it.

Because he knows the myths, and by now, he's seen it for himself with his own eyes. This isn't working. This is just perpetuating the mess, continuing the cycle of violence against each other. It punishes cooperation in favour of total obedience, which just does not work for some. It's not just the Olympians that are a mess, it's their whole family tree. This shit is generational, and had Percy not been there to say something about it, to try and confront the God of the fucking Sky himself, Kronos probably would have risen and taken over before Zeus would have been ready to admit he needed help with the problem. The fact that Poseidon stepped in to back Percy up just proves that.

As much as Zeus would hate to ever admit it, he's lucky this impertinent child has a chronic inability to keep his mouth shut.

[mncxbe]

hellooo! i’ve been lurking in this account recently, and i must say, your writing style is amazing! if you could do me the large favor of writing a small enemies to “frenemies with hidden feelings” troupe with chuuya? in which reader attends a formal gathering alongside chuuya and reader has to seduce another person in order to receive information needed by the port mafia. once again, amazing work!

Tysm♡ that really means a lot to me I'm gonna tear up. and omg yes👀 the tension. the vibes. love it. hope you like it anon♡♡

°☆○

10:44♡

𝑪𝒉𝒖𝒚𝒂 𝒙 𝒇𝒆𝒎!𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: "I hate you"; "No you don't♡"

Chuya loved undercover missions. The sense of pride he got from fooling people, making them play right into his hands with only a few words was beyond comparison; something he truly relished and indulged in.

That was at least until you were paired with him. Now, all the fun has been replaced by pure frustration and seething anger.

Maybe it was the fact that you were taking the spotlight while he quietly sat behind, drowning his boredom in tasteless wine, or the fact that Mori sent him with you on such missions because, as he said, "you two don't get along so well and working together would benefit the Mafia" so he had to force himself to cooperate with you.

Or maybe he simply hated how his heart would sink whenever he caught a glimpse of you in your perfectly tailored dresses, swaying your hips for some worn out official you had to extract information from; how everyone adored you, swarming around your figure like bees on a flower. He despised seeing you so cheerful and careless, as if you didn't make every day of his life a living hell.

Sitting in a corner of the room with his hands crossed over his chest, Chuya watched you from a safe distance: silky hair pulled back in a loose bun with a few stray strands framing your face, dressed in your fabulous Miss Circle velvet dress; a dress that he himself got you for this event because you couldn't afford it.

'How pathetic' he thought to himself as you leaned in towards your current target. Twirling your coffee coloured hair around a perfectly manicured finger, you tilted your head to the side to listen to whatever the man had to say.

Still, Chuya couldn't deny it: you were good at seducing people. You had the innate gift of making others feel better about themselves around you, of charming them with sweet words. "Men's egos are volatile, easy to crumble. But if you feed them just the right amount you'll have them wrapped around your finger in no time" you once told him over a glass of wine.

And you were right. Not even ten minutes passed when the official got off the chair and extended a hand for you; Chuya could see the darker spots on the man's skin, a clear sign of his age and his stomach twisted. How could you bear all this?

He silently followed the two of you as you walked out of the glamorous ballroom and into the elevator, waiting until the red lights above the sliding doors showed the number of the floor you stopped at: 19

Chuya got into the second lift and pressed the 19th button. The ascension was painfully slow and all he could do was watch his own tired expression in the mirrors on the sides of the metal box. A slow melody played in the back and he quickly caught the rhythm, tapping the metal railing with his slender digits.

When he eventually reached the 19th floor the doors opened to reveal your figure: disheveled hair and dress slightly torn on your arm. At your feet laid the knocked out body of the official.

"What on earth are you doing? Are you insane?" asked Chuya in an annoyed voice as he hastly checked the walls for camers. Fortunately there were none.

"Shut up and give me a hand will you?" you said back, procuring a folded piece of paper from the man's pocket: the code to his room.

Four mechanical beeps sounded in the silent hall and the door unlocked. Chuya helped you move the target's body on the perfectly made bed.

"So did you manage to get the information you were-"

"Shut it shortie. I'm still working" you cut him off. Your words caused a wave of heat to wash over his body and he dug his nails in the palm of his hands.

"You little..."

But you didn't care for what he had to say. You simply unlocked the man's phone using his face ID and scanned through his e mails. When you found what you were looking for you took out your own phone from your purse and took a picture of the screen.

"Ok done" you said with a smile on your face, making your way towards the door.

Chuya followed close behind.

"Care to explain why you were so reckless? You were supposed to simply talk the information out of him not knock him over the head." he started ranting.

"Well no shit I know that but the bastard got handsy with me in the hallway. Gripped my arm so bad it ripped my dress." you spoke back, pointing at your torn sleeve.

"Don't worry" he mocked "It's not like you spent a dime on it anyway"

"Don't get me started you ginger. I got really scared back there."

Chuya huffed "If you're too scared to handle these missions why don't you tell Mori to assign you something else? But are you truly scared? You seemed to enjoy the attention you got tonight."

Your eyes shot open upon hearing his remark and you marched towards him, shoving a finger in his face "Do you really think I like these missions? Do you think I enjoy being treated like a common whore by these disgusting men only for a useless piece of information? I'm scared, Chuya. Always. Every time I attend one of these events I'm aware of the risks and I hate it, but I have to put up with you because it's the boss's wish."

You took a deep breath and before he could say anything you went on.

"And you? Where were you when I needed you? You're here to protect me Chuya."

"It's not my damn fault that bastard got a room on the 19th floor" he said in his defence. "And why do you even follow them to their rooms if you know the risks. Are you really that idiotic?"

"Chuya... If you were them, would you tell me anything without sleeping with me first?"

He was taken aback by your question but soon realized that you were right. He shook his head, earning a gentle smile from you.

"I may act tough all the time but truth is, I'm really scared. I cannot afford to fail these missions and I barely manage to accomplish them without... you know" you grimaced as you pointed at the man's body.

"And I know we're not on best terms but I need you here with me when I do these things. My ability is of no use during combat and I cannot outpower these guys so please, be there for me next time. That's why Mori sent you with me in the first place."

And thinking about it you were right; maybe Mori didn't just make him work with you to improve your relationship but also to watch over you.

With your worn out expression and messy hair you were like another person. The bratty, sassy and stuck up woman he knew was suddenly replaced by a vulnerable young girl. Chuya's heart skipped a beat when your gazes met; your eyes like pools of darkness seemed to be searching for something inside him, staring right into his soul.

"Okay. I got it. Promise I'll back you up next time. Hell I'll run up the stairs if needed" he joked and you giggled lightly before sliding your arms around his neck.

"Thank you Chuya. I'm counting on you" you whispered softly.

The redhead was too stunned by your actions to react and by the time he wanted to return the hug you had already pulled away from him; a wide smile stretching your wine coloured lips.

"Come on then. Let's get back to the headquarters. It's getting late."

With that you walked away. Chuya followed a few steps behind, attempting to push down the new feelings that surged inside his chest. 'She's my enemy, my rival' he reminded himself as the doors of the elevator opened. 'But maybe she's not that bad after all...'

[tumblingghosts]

How about a time traveling Livia where she stops Facet from running to the exit before the peacekeepers shot him , maybe velvreene is still shot and that breaks Facet and he yells at Livia for being insensitive to velvreene 's death and it starts an argument between them that he refuses to cooperate with her even when the interviews come and when he's in the games she is shocked that he can't fight or bring himself to kill someone and can't use weapons and if he sees another tribute he avoid them or leave them alone until the pack corners him and kill him. I personally feel like velvreene and facet didn't really stand much of a chance the only advantage they might have is that they aren't as malnourished as some of the other tributes but they are experiencing malnourishment for what could possibly be the first time in their lives and district 1 isn't involved in physically demanding labour the way other districts are so I feel like before the carrers became a thing they were harmless due to not having any skills with weapons and experiencing malnourishment for the first time

oooo i have a couple different ideas for this depending on how far in the future livia is coming from-

one scenario...

if she’s from way far in the future (e.g. married and probably poisoned by snow), i could see her being a bit more empathetic to facet just because after living so much, seeing facet again makes him look so young. too young. and she doesn’t quite believe this is real at first since time travel isn’t a thing.

and because she’s pretty sure she just died, and she’s lived long enough to not care as much about her social image as she did before, she’s a bit more willing to take some risks, bend some rules. facet is still mad at her because she hasn’t exactly been treating him well before this, and he’s not going to suddenly warm up to her just because she’s a bit nicer. it’s too little, too late, and velvereen is dead. they weren’t really friends, but she was the only piece of home he had. he’s not hopeful enough to believe he’s going to win by fighting. 

livia might be a bit nicer having grown with age, but she’s still lived with a lot of privilege. she can’t quite conceptualize the hardships that facet has had to live with, and even her attempts to help come off as condescending. facet probably refuses to do the interview, even if it hurts his chances at sponsors, just because he doesn’t want to work with livia. maybe livia sponsors some of her own money. 

facet survives for a while just on the things he’s sent, even through his reluctance to accept anything from her, especially since he’s a bit better fed than the others. but i do agree that his chances aren’t good going up in an actual fight, and he likely gets taken out by the snakes with no way to climb quickly enough.

this livia might do some work to undermine coriolanus, given that she’s lived through his ascension and just generally doesn’t like him. even if she can’t save facet or the classmates she lost in the bombing, she is far more willing to throw her money and influence around, especially now knowing that the snows don’t have anything.

alternatively…

if she’s from just after the hunger games end, that’s a whole different story. she’s mostly bitter that facet had the “audacity” to die in the arena bombing, “ruining her chances of winning the plinth prize”. she’s incredibly spoiled, but without any of the age or time to temper that, and when she stops facet from running away, she’s very upset by his reaction.

facet properly loses it at her when she yells at him that he “should be grateful to her” because “she saved his life”, and starts going on a rant about how if he’d tried to run, he would have gotten shot just like his district partner. facet does not take to livia talking about velvereen that way, and definitely isn’t taking well to livia speaking to him that way either. 

he starts shouting back, and doesn’t stop when the peacekeepers are raising their guns. he’s behind the bars of the cage and can’t physically attack her if he wanted to (and he does), but he can shout, and he can make her listen. he goes off on how spoiled she is, how entitled, how she’s been treating him terribly, yet expects him to perform for her. she hasn’t brought any food, yet expects him to still roll over to her like an obedient dog.

at that point, livia starts shouting back about how uncivilized he and the rest of the tributes are, about how they’ll be killing each other in a few days anyway, so why can’t he just do this for her? how she saved him, how arachne’s tribute murdered her, and blah blah blah. facet is not having this, and points out that her ‘rescue’ landed him back in a cage, and set to be slaughtered anyway, so what does she mean “saved”? and then points out that she only cares when her classmates die, but velvereen is dead, and why did she not matter?

livia is starting to repeat the same arguments over and over now in frustration, and facet just stonewalls her. he just entirely refuses to talk to her anymore- not for the interviews, not for strategy, not for anything. livia is getting progressively angrier because this is her second change, and her tribute won’t cooperate. why is he being so stubborn? she doesn’t get it.

then, they’re all being sent into the arena.

facet doesn’t bother for a weapon. he knows he won’t be able to use one. instead, he finds a place to hide in the tunnels. when he eventually comes out later, livia debates heavily on using the limited funds she has to send him something or not. she doesn’t think he’s done anything to ‘deserve’ being sent anything. but she also wants to win, so she does.

facet sticks to the sidelines, and livia starts to see that he isn’t the winning force she’d hoped him to be. he’s just a boy that she hasn’t been giving nearly enough food to. he’s starving and he’s not going to be fighting for her. more than that, it doesn’t seem like he can fight. and she slowly, barely, starts to shift in her views.

he can’t fight- and she remembers the little he told her about how they needed to work to produce jewelry for the capitol. there was no time to ‘train for the hunger games.’ this wasn’t some competition they were raring to go. it was just bad luck, and most likely a death sentence. livia resigns herself to not winning the plinth prize. 

i want to say that livia has this ✨big realization✨ and changes her ways, but i honestly doubt it. she probably feels bad, but for all the wrong reasons. like “i should have visited facet more for food” but because she thinks prepping him better would have given him a better shot at winning, not because he’s a person deserving of basic necessities. 

i feel like it would take more than just a single chance sent back - maybe a time loop where she keeps having to do it over until she learns a lesson. at first, her goal is to get facet to win. why else would she be given another chance? clearly, she’s special and even the universe itself wants her to win, right? (🙄🙄)

so that's what she does- it takes a bunch of loops of trial and error, but eventually, facet wins! she did it!

hooray for her!

except…facet isn’t happy to see her when he wins, even when she tells him that the win is all thanks to her and her strategy to keep him alive. he snaps at her that she wasn’t the one in the arena, he was. that his survival wasn’t because of her at all. livia tries to argue back (because he’s did in so many loops, how could this win be anything but hers?) but facet cuts her off, curses her out, and is promptly taken away by the peacekeepers to be sent home.

the loop still restarts.

livia is bitter after getting chewed out like that and decides the next loop that she’s not going to focus on facet at all. wouldn’t it hurt him if his mentor ignored him entirely? she tries to get close to velvereen instead (who isn’t too keen on her either, but that’s not stopping livia). the bombing happens and this time she makes sure both facet and velvereen are alive. she can’t get closer to velvereen if she’s dead, and livia can’t rub it in facet’s face if he’s dead. 

(yeah…character development is a slow process :/)

what this spiteful loop teaches her is that velvereen is a person too. facet has never gotten along with livia, but after so many loops, livia knows he’s not an uneducated barbarian, even if she still thinks he’s lacking in manners. but the rest of the tributes? they’re just background presences, as ‘savage’ as the rest of the districts. but velvereen- well, she’s alright too, livia decides. 

neither facet or velvereen make it to the end, but they do stick together in the arena. they split supplies, they even go grab some weapons. but when they’re cornered by the pack, it quickly becomes evident that neither of them know how to use them. livia decides that must be the problem - clearly the pair from four and ten are the problem. after all, the tributes from four are brutal, and she knows the girl from ten is perfectly capable of killing an innocent capitol citizen (blatantly ignoring that arachne was provoking her).

if livia wants them to make it further, she has to get them to ally with that pack. it takes several more loops with facet and velvereen extremely reluctant. if they join, it’s going to be obvious real fast that they don’t have fighting skills, and if/when the pack turns on them, it’s going to be bad. livia isn’t giving up on that though, and decides if she can’t convince the d1 tributes to ally with the pack, then she has to convince the pack to ally with them.

so, she starts to interact. she offers food, and the promise of sending more in the arena as long as they ally with velvereen and facet. she talks with them over this loop and the next and the next until she finally figures out a series of events that gets them to agree. except- now she’s talked to them, with them, plenty. and she finds that coral and mizzen and tanner and even brandy - they’re all normal. they’re not very cooperative (especially at the start), but they can talk with her just fine, and she thought that the districts were all uneducated.

this is when doubts properly start setting in. facet is a person, not just her tribute. velvereen is a person, not just facet’s district partner who died. every tribute in the pack is a person, not just a means to get facet and velevereen to last longer. she’s spoken with them, she’s had to get to know them to figure out the right ways to convince them, most importantly, she’s had to sympathize with them. and sympathy is just a hop away from empathy.

livia watches facet and velvereen and coral and mizzen and tanner and brandy die in the arena, and it’s getting more difficult to do. she has another chance, she always does, but she doesn’t know who she wants the victor to be anymore. it can only be one of them. but if facet wins, then velvereen and coral and (etc.) don’t. if velvereen wins, then facet doesn’t. if coral wins, then mizzen doesn’t.

...and so on.

she’s starting to see that more than one of them “deserve” to go home, and she doesn’t know who the “right” person is supposed to be. it can’t be lucy gray, she decides, because lucy gray has won plenty, and the loop still restarts. but facet didn’t end it either. so who?

livia spends even more loops trying to figure that out, fixing scenarios so different tributes win, talking with other mentors, other tributes- she speaks with them, she learns from them, she gains new perspectives without really realizing it. not until many, many, many loops later when she has her epiphany. 

she doesn’t want any of them to die.

no, not just that. none of them deserve to die.

but the hunger games only has one victor. livia decides that’s no longer good enough. everyone is going home. she has decided it, and she’s going to make it happen. she’s the heiress to the capitol banks, and everyone will be going home.

boom! character arc + a new goal :D

of course, change doesn’t happen easily, but she’s got as many chances as she needs. so she can do this over and over and over until something gives, and it won’t be her. it takes a lot- getting the rest of her classmates to connect with their tributes, to get them to see what took her dozens upon hundreds of loops to get, in just a week before the games. 

but eventually, it works! 

one voice of protest might not do much, especially coming from someone already marginalized. but sejanus’s arguments hold more weight when livia - born and raised in the capitol - is backing him. and from there, with the rest of their classmates, this isn’t something that can be silenced. they’re the children to the most important families in the capitol, and banded together, they cannot be ignored. not all of them.

the hunger games end.

livia understands now, why that was so important.

the loop ends.

---

anyway, thanks for the ask!

i love rambling about time travel, as i’m sure you could tell, considering how long this got - 2k+ words! that’s basically oneshot length. i might just clean this up and post it on ao3 later...

feel free to send more time travel thoughts! :D

[mycenalucentipes]

A very short excerpt from a very long piece - Draco Malfoy x Reader (sample)

a/n: So I'm planning to write a much longer story, I have the beginning sorts drafted. Now I need to write it. I know this project will take me a very long time and that is okay. I am going to move at my own pace and probably won't post much more about it until I'm much further along. I'm documenting this here for my sake :)

It is going to be a Draco Malfoy x Reader piece. I'm so indecisive, but I think I finally went with Y/n coming from a well known wizard/witch family, just not one from London area. She's from Ireland!

I kept debating back and forth whether or not to make another Potter twin one, because I do very much like how those tend to play out.

But I've decided in the end, to go with my first idea haha.

I'm still working on other shorter oneshots and series in the mean time! Those will be uploaded here as I finish/edit them. Tbh I only have two others in the works. 'Ghosts' and some other little DM x Reader fic :) my writing schedule is sporadic, sorry lol. Inspiration will come and go

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Today was the day that Y/n Réaltín would make her journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As she stood just outside the grand entrance of the Réaltín manor, she gazed at the beautiful coastline to her left. Dawn’s sunrise kissed the water, offering it a soft hue of pinks, oranges, and golds. Wisps of scattered clouds brushed the horizon with gentle shades of blush and apricot. To her right, there lie the tranquil rolling hills and the verdant valleys. The rays of sunlight gave the emerald green vegetation a soft, golden glow. The luscious grass swayed gently with the ocean breeze, glistening as the dew clung to the blades. 

Though she was born and raised in Loch Garman, Ireland, her parents insisted that she attend Hogwarts. For that was their alma mater. Her father was a cold and stern man of mystery and distance. However he wasn’t always this way. 

He used to be a vibrant, kind young wizard. Mr. Atlas Réaltín started his journey by attending the Erehnholl School of Witchcraft and Wizardry before his time at Hogwarts. He was a proud Spaniel of Erehnholl, but Slytherin claimed his allegiance at Hogwarts. Shortly after graduation, Atlas rose through the ranks of the Irish Ministry of magic quite quickly. He now works for the British Ministry of Magic as the head of the International magical Cooperation. A respected and powerful figure.

Y/n’s mother, Estelle Réaltín, was a proud Ravenclaw through all seven years of her education at Hogwarts. Although a muggle-born witch, Atlas, a pure-blood did not care in the slightest. She was the most wonderful person in Atlas’ and Y/n’s eyes. Every year during the crisp winter evenings, the entire Réaltín family would go stargazing in their family’s observatory. Mrs. Réaltín always said that winter evenings were the best time to see the Pleiades, which in Greek mythology were the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione. Her mother owned a little bookshop that was located near the Erehnoll school. Apart from managing a book shop, she was always deep into astrological studies. 

At the age of 11, Y/n’s world as she knew it shattered when her mother passed away. Her father, deeply depressed, buried himself deep into the responsibilities of his position. He was no longer the warm and loving man she once knew. Y/n never did find out why her mother died. Only that she never came back from work one day. Upon her mother’s passing, her father decided that she would transfer into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The original plan was to have her in Erenholl from first through fourth year, then in Hogwarts from fifth through seventh year.

Y/n often sought solace in the tranquil landscape that surrounded the cold and lonely manor. She would wander the coast and gaze out at the ocean with a somber expression. Or she would walk barefoot across the lush grass that blanketed the rolling hills. Y/n became lost in her thoughts. However, her trance was abruptly interrupted when her father harshly called her name, “Y/n! Quickly now, I don’t have all day to spend on sending you off to school now.” He stood at the middle of the steps, sighing impatiently as he waited. 

Sighing, Y/n picked up her briefcase and owl cage, then headed towards her father who was huffing something about how much work he’ll have waiting for him at the office. Mr. Réaltín held out his hand for his daughter to take it. Before she could even prepare herself, he apparated the both of them to Kings Cross Station located just at the edge of Central London. 

She looked around awestruck, just watching the various people rush by in a hurry to get to their next destination. “Come dear, I cannot take you through, as something urgent came up at work. Just head to Platform 9 ¾ and walk through the pillar, alright? Now I must hurry along, don’t be late to the train, love. You’ll have a great time at Hogwarts.” Before Y/n even got a chance to say a “goodbye” or an “I love you” her father had disappeared into the air. She let out a defeated sigh and wandered towards the platforms. 

“So…Platform 9 ¾. Now where the bloody hell is that?” She muttered to herself while walking up and down the platform. She approached platform 9 and then slowly approached platform 10. Her eyes scanned back and forth between the numbers, having not a clue what she was supposed to do. Where was she supposed to go? The time was nearing 10:50 am by now, so she had 10 minutes to figure out where to go, but there were no hints on how to get there. She knew that asking the guards would be absolutely useless. Time was beginning to run out as another five minutes passed. 

Y/n heaved a heavy sigh and began pacing around her luggage and owl. It wasn’t until she heard the hurried footsteps from what sounded like a large family approaching the area that she gained a spec of hope. 

“Percy first!” You saw a kind-faced woman with fiery red hair call out to what seemed to be six children. Whoa. Y/n shook her head from amusement and sprinted towards the lady. “Excuse me, madame, sorry for the intrusion, but I am a transfer student to Hogwarts this year, do I just-” Y/n spoke, sounding unsure of herself, but gestured towards the brick barrier, “walk through the wall?” 

“Oh hello deary, yes indeed. Just hurry through and don’t be scared! You can follow Fred and George here, they’ll show you the way from there.” She explained with a motherly tone, while looking back to the rest of the children. Y/n nodded her head in thanks and looked at the set of twins. She assumed that these two were Fred and George. 

“Hi there! I’m Fred Weasley!” Said the one on the left. “And I’m George Weasley! We’re in year four!” Chimed the one on the right. “Follow us!” They both happily exclaimed while running through the barrier

“I’m Y/n Réaltín! A second year!” Y/n yelled while following them through the bricks. She closed her eyes in anticipation of approaching the wall. In the blink of an eye, the three of them were standing in front of the Hogwarts Express in all of its beauty. 

“Oh! You’re the Réaltín girl?” Inquire one of the twins as the other looked at you for a brief second. “-Interesting, you don’t look much like a girl.” The other one shrugged and chuckled. Suddenly a loud THWACK was heard as their mother came up from behind them, smacking them in the back of the head. 

“You two! That wasn’t very polite of you!” Mrs. Weasley scolded them while pointing her finger back and forth at them, “now board the train! It leaves in a- wait where are Ron and Harry?” And with that she was onto worrying about her other child. Fred and George looked at each other and then to you, sighed, then shrugged. “Well, let’s get on board. Ready Réaltín girl?” 

Y/n had such a bewildered look on her face, not quite sure what just happened. “Y-yes, I suppose so.” She quietly followed after Fred and George, still not really sure who they were, but they seemed to have heard of her before. It was most likely due to her father being the head of one of the departments in the Ministry of Magic. Y/n silently followed the two of them, not really sure of where to go again. She felt like a lost puppy just hoping for some guidance. So she opted to continue following the twins, as they hadn’t shooed her away. 

“You can sit with us if you’d like to. We’re just looking for our friend Lee!” One of the twins said quite loudly without turning around. Y/n still had no idea who was who, but she decided that was a problem for later. As they walked down the train, Y/n peeked in on various compartments full of students of all ages. However, one student in particular caught her attention when he shoved past the three of them. “Damn Weasleys, out of my way,” scoffed a platinum blonde haired boy as he briskly walked by, making sure to bump his shoulder into both of the twins on his way by. 

“Oh well, excuse us, daddy’s boy,” Fred said with sarcastic amusement. George burst out laughing as the blonde gave a sneer back at them, mocking what Fred said. “That’s Draco Malfoy,” one of them leaned over to Y/n’s ear to loudly whisper. 

Not too long after, they found the compartment their friend was sitting in. “Lee! Look who we brought. A Réaltín!” The twin to the left of Y/n announced with excitement. She still had no idea why it was such a big deal. 

tbc...