#and decided I could do a little more with this piece
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
sonrium · 2 days ago
Text
After seeing the boy shoot what look like star bolts and green beams from his eyes, Starfire is convinced he is a lost Tameranian.
Thankfully, he doesn't seem to be hostile once he finishes with a strange piece of technology that sucked in a glowing creature while speaking a language Starfire had never heard before. Starfire flies over to him, excited at the prospect of meeting another from her planet, but as she approaches, he backs off, eyeing her wearily in the air. She tries speaking in her native tongue, but his weariness transforms into confusion.
She understands the problem immediately. He must be from one of the distant regions of Tameran. "Kiss. Kiss. For language, you must kiss." Starfire points at her lips, tapping them.
There was no comprehension on his face, but he moved closer, clearly curious at what she was trying to say. He must have been from the truly isolated tribes to not know such a basic skill. Even if he didn't do it right, it would allow her to speak his language.
Deciding a demonstration would work best, she takes his hand and leads him back to the top of Titans where the rest of the Titans are waiting.
Hearing Starfire speaking in Tamerainian, they keep silent and wait. This is when Starfire pulls Robin forward, kisses him the way she had when she first arrived on earth to learn his language. She points for the floating boy to do the same.
The boy is taken aback even backing up a little in shock, but Starfire repeats everything while gesturing more emphatically with each repetition.
Until the boy approaches Robin and Starfire, clearly absolutely lost and bewildered with the situation, but willing to go along with it. Before anybody can react, he grabs Robin by his shirt and kisses him. Everyone is momentarily stunned by the action.
Pulling back, he asks in perfect English, "So... why did I need to do that?"
"Why is it always him?" Beastboy crosses his arms, "Why can’t I be the one to get a little smooch action from a cute alien? Save some for the rest of us Boy Wonder." He grumbled.
Robin, cleared his throat, "It was for you to learn English... or a language we could understand for communication."
"Huh? Why didn't you just ask? My English is fine despite what my grades say. I just didn't have a clue what she was saying.” The mysterious boy pointed at Starfire. “I still don’t get what the ‘kissing’ was about."
Raven facepalms without a word. Honestly, she should have expected that.
"You are a Tameranian, are you not?"
"What's a Tameranian?"
Huge shit-eating grins spread across Beastboy's and Cyborg's faces. They look at each other and nod in sync. Arm in arm they start singing. "Boy Wonder and Wonder Boy, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G~"
Starfire clasps both of her hands over her mouth with a gasp. "I give you many sorrows, dear Robin. I believed him a Tameranian and intended to be the participant of the language transfer."
"No. It's okay." Robin tries to salvage what was left of his dignity, but it was somewhat undermined the red spreading on his cheaks and the laughter behind him. Turning to the newly dubbed Wonder Boy, he inclined his head. "I'm sorry for the confusion. We should have checked before subjecting you to such embarrassment."
A wide grin spreads across Wonder Boy's face, "I wouldn't call that kiss an embarrassment, but it definitely needs work. Try using more tongue next time."
Cyborg and Beastboy collapse to the floor in howls of laughter at Robin's expense. It was rare for them to find anything to tease Mr. Perfect with. Now, they had the best ammunition they could have ever imagined.
The Wonder Boy, who they learned was named Danny, turned out to be a pretty cool dude. He had a truly insane number of powers, but he never joined in their battles. He mostly came by to hang out occasionally.
But his impact was always felt even when he wasn't around. Every time any of the titans spotted something flying, be it hero, villain, meta, alien, flock of birds, chunk of miscellaneous debris, one of them had to ask Robin if he planned on kissing this one, too.
Raven was the only one to spare him from this torture. That was until two months after the incident. They all lay in the debris field of one of their most difficult battles yet. It had been an incomprehensible mass of tendrils and colors their brains couldn’t understand from beyond reality that drifted across the city. They were all too exhausted to do much more than breathe and stare up at the reddening sky as the sun set.
The silence was eventually broken by Raven, "You should have tried using tongue this time."
"Not you too!" Robin buried his face in his hands, letting out a sobbing groan. 'They have to get tired of this eventually.' He told himself. It was his only comfort and salvation.
They never get tired of it.
(the above is based on mine and a few other people's comments on the original post. I just fleshed it out a little :)
Starfire can learn any language via kissing someone. This is great news as the glowing specter teenager in the Titans Tower is speaking in a language no one can understands (ghost speak). Bad news: The team does their best to explain to the ghost this so they can communicate with him easier and Danny is VERY confused.
2K notes · View notes
tan1shere · 24 hours ago
Note
Hi could you do a fic where Billie announces that reader is pregnant?? Like you don’t understand how BAD I want a fic like this. Btw I love you’re fic
Pregnancy Announcement
A/n: yes ofc my love ! Hope this is good <3
Warnings - nothing just fluff ! || masterlist
"Hey you guys." Billie says softly. It was yet another stationhead live. The comments rolled in, people saying all sorts. It was early in the morning, you were snuggled into bed and frankly neither of you could sleep, you had already gotten up once to go puke, and it was only a matter of time before you go and do so again. Every day at around this time you'd spew 3 times. It was horrible, but it was all for something so amazing in the long run. "Just wanted to come on here. Answer some questions."
They fly by as she tries to read them. "Where's Y/n? She's asleep, something I should probably be doing. But I couldn't." She laughs a bit. "It's fine, just couldn't sleep." She says as the comments ask what's wrong. But her attention moves towards you as you toss in the bed. She knew exactly what that meant as you begin to sit up, rushing into the bathroom. The door was heard being closed hastily. Causing Billie to get up and follow. "Be right back you guys." She opens the door right as you were hurling. Coughing in the process.
Since the room was so quiet aside from that, it picked up on her phone quite clearly. You groan in pain as Billie sighs. "I wish I could take this agony away from you." She says softly, crouching and moving some hair from your face. "One more to go this morning." You sigh defeated. "You never know it could just be two this morning?" She says trying to keep you from worrying. You hated puking so this was definitely something you had to get use to for awhile. "I find that unlikely." You say closing your eyes and leaning into her touch, as her hand moves to rest against your cheek. "I'll be ok, go talk to your fans baby." She shakes her head. "I'm here for you, and that's a promise I'm keeping."
You faintly smile at her. Standing and looking in the mirror. "Hey, I'm actually kinda showing now!" You beam, distracting yourself from the horrible events earlier. She smiles wide, going to put her hand on the little bump. "God I'm so excited." She says. You kiss her. "Me too." You both go back out. You get into bed while Billie goes back to her phone seeing the comments blowing up.
"Oh my god, Y/n is pregnant?"
"Is Y/n pregnant???"
That was practically all that was zooming past. Billie freezes for a moment, mouthing something to you. "They know." You giggle at her petrified face. "That's ok, we were going to tell them eventually." You whisper. "Right... Well yes, she is pregnant. Surprise!" Billie chuckles. Not much of a surprise seeing as they all overheard you two. "Everyone's congratulating you, well us but yeah." You smile. "Thank you everyone!" You say.
Not at all how you guys planned to tell the fans, but the previous plan was still in motion just in case no one else knew. Which would be fairly impossible considering her update fan pages. They were always one step ahead. But you decide to do the post you originally were going to do. Billie adds the two positive pregnancy tests on the bed when she's done with that live. Getting the few pieces of clothing already bought and popping that into frame. She snaps the photo adding a few baby emojis.
"🍼👶"
She tags you near the top, posting it for the world to see.
Tags - @trulyy-yourzz @eilishslut @chrissv4mp @n0vabug @dollyvuu @dollarbils @sweetcherriexs @bilsdillldough @mystiquemm
158 notes · View notes
justauthoring · 3 days ago
Text
This is the Beginning [4/?]
Summary: You never thought you'd be able to escape Buggy, and yet, a boy with a straw hat, a man with three swords and a girl with orange hair somehow manage to free you. The journey that follows afterwards is your chance at freedom and maybe something more.
A One Piece Live Action Rewrite
Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four
Pairing: Live Action!Zoro Roronoa x F!Reader
TW for this chapter: canon typical violence, bits of jealous!zoro, that's really all!
Word Count: 9,323
A/N: Well, we made it! We caught up to seaon one of OPLA! Unfortunately, that means this series will be taking a hiatus until the new season comes out since it is a rewrite. But! I might do little bonus chapters and bonding moments!!
I have started watching the anime, so I know the general direction the live action will probably follow. If you guys would like bonus chapters, let me know!
Tag List: @emmaiscool22 - @bethleeham - @veryunoriginal - @sun-rae04 - @medievalfangirl - @sylum - @academiq
Tumblr media
Chapter Four - This is It
“Y/N! My old friend!”
Before you can even register the fact that Buggy is talking to you, a body steps in front of you, fully blocking you from view. The expanse of Zoro’s broad shoulders is the only thing you can see as he glares down at Buggy; “don’t talk to her.”
Buggy just laughs, loud and mocking. “Yeah?” He taunts, “and what are you going to do about it? Bleed on me?”
You can see the tension build in Zoro, muscles tensing and his shoulders raising with every word Buggy throws at him.
You don’t blame him. You still remember when Luffy had all but dropped the fact that during their fight with Arlong and Nami’s betrayal, they’d reunited with Buggy, or rather the head of Buggy. It was made ten times worse when Luffy also elected to inform you that Buggy was coming with you all and helping you to Arlong’s island, as part of a deal he’d made with the pirate. He told you the two of them had made it in return for his navigation to the island, he’d get his body back.
And even though Luffy had assured you he wouldn’t let Buggy try and pull anything on you, you still felt uneasy about him being onboard.
You had no doubt that Buggy’s intentions were not as pure as he was making them out to be. He had something up his sleeve, or at the very least, he would betray you all. At one point or another.
Still, it didn’t matter because you were stuck for him for now. It wasn’t up to just you and you did need him, at least to find where Arlong and Nami had gone. And after spending the first day refusing to go up onto deck in fear of having to face Buggy, your once captain and long-time tormentor, you were sick of hiding away. You’d decided to go up on deck, especially after Zoro had shown concern with you hiding away. Buggy only had his head, after all, so despite saying whatever he wanted, he couldn’t do much.
You try to remind yourself of that.
Your attempt at not being seen, however, had failed the second you’d made your way up to the deck as Buggy had clocked your arrival instantly.
Ignoring the racing of your heart, you reach forward, setting your hand on Zoro’s arm. He pauses at the touch, looking as if he was ready to just kill Buggy and be done with it. He turns his head around to glance down at you, and you send him a reassuring smile.
You remind yourself that you were with a crew of people who cared about you deeply and no one was going to let Buggy hurt you in any way. Not to mention, you’d grown yourself. You weren’t the same girl Buggy had spent years tormenting; you could stand up for yourself now, especially if you had your friends by your side.
He looks like he wants to argue, but still, Zoro doesn’t fight you when you step out from behind him, turning your eye on Buggy.
“I’m not your friend, Buggy. And I never was,” you say, voice firm in your defiance. “And don’t think that I don’t know all your tricks. If you even try to betray us, I’ll—”
“You’ll do nothing!” Buggy laughs, loud and piercing. “Just like you never did back on my crew! You always were too helpless for your own good. All it took was that cage and—”
It doesn’t take you much to figure out what he was implying with his words and it leaves an unpleasant taste in your mouth, thinking back to that horrible cage. However, he doesn’t get the chance to finish.
Zoro is crossing the distance over to Buggy in seconds. Usopp, who’d been standing at the helm, steering with Buggy’s degrading instructions, looks all too pleased as Zoro grabs Buggy by the top of his head, lifting him off the barrel he’d been set on. You, however, look concerned, wanting nothing more than Zoro to actually just get rid of Buggy but you knew you needed him to get to Nami.
“Woah! Woah! Woah! Wait!” Buggy pleads almost instantly, words coming out in a rushed panic. “I was just joking!” He tries to excuse himself, and your eyes widen as Zoro moves him so he’s hanging over the edge of the ship. Buggy’s voice rises in terror. “I was joking! Y/N knows I was joking! Don’t you, Y/N—”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Zoro cuts in, voice sharp. “You don’t talk to Y/N.”
Biting your lip, you stare at Zoro’s back. You knew, obviously after the conversation the two of you had had, that Zoro cared about you but seeing him so openly defend you made your heart flutter in ways you didn’t know it could.
“You don’t look at her. Or bother her in any way. Is that clear?”
“Yes, yes,” Buggy rushes, voice a blur of desperation. “I won’t bother Y/N!”
“And if this is just another one of your tricks… or you leading us into a trap. Then…”
“Zoro, buddy!” Buggy laughs, “honour amongst pirates. Right? Come on. How about I sing a nice sea shanty to pass the time.”
Sighing, you press your hand to your forehead.
“Oh, there once was a girl with tangerine hair…”
Buggy continues, but a shared look back at you and Usopp makes Zoro’s decision for him easy. Turning around, he makes his way back up to the helm, where Usopp waits with the lid of a barrel topped off.
Zoro doesn’t hesitate to drop Buggy right inside.
“Ow! God, right on my nose!” 
Whatever else he’d been about to say is muffled as Usopp quickly places the top of the barrel back on.
Usopp turns back to you. “I hate clowns.”
Huffing a laugh, you nod your head, instantly eased at his silence. “Me too.”
Making his way back over to you, Zoro dusts off his hands, as if disgusted that Buggy had even been anywhere near him. You glance past him, making sure Usopp wasn’t paying attention anymore, before you reach for Zoro, smiling up at him.
“Thank you for defending me,” you mumble, wrapping your arms around his waist.
Zoro smirks, confident by your praise, but you see the soft flush to his cheeks. “It was a long time coming,” he shrugs, “I hate that clown.” He pauses, briefly, as if unsure of his own words. “Especially for how he treated you.”
The words, despite what they mean, pull a smile to your lips. Your grip on him tightens, and you lean into his embrace. Slowly, Zoro’s arm comes to rest around your shoulders, and you’re reminded of how new all of this still is. The two of you had only confessed your feelings a little bit ago and the two of you were still trying to maneuver those changes; especially since everything else was also still new. 
It was hard to believe it had only been a few short weeks since Luffy, Zoro and Nami saved you from Buggy and you joined them on their adventure. Finding Usopp, fighting Kuro and the Black Cat crew, then arriving at the Baratie, Nami’s betrayal and Sanji joining you… so much had happened in such a short amount of time. A part of you wondered if Zoro and you had moved too quickly into something beyond just a friendship, but then you feel the bandages across his chest on the skin of your cheek and you remember how close he’d been to dying.
Even if most would consider it quick, you didn’t want to waste a moment when you could lose him or he could lose you at any time.
Besides, he and the rest of the crew were stuck with you now. There would be plenty of time to work out the kinks.
“It’s okay,” you reassure Zoro. “I won’t lie and say what Buggy had done to me still doesn’t… haunt me. But, I’m not as scared as I thought I’d be when Luffy said he made a deal with him. Especially because now I have you guys. Because I have you.”
Zoro shifts and you pull back, giving him the room to lean back so he can meet your eye properly. A man of action as always, he raises his left hand, brushing back your hair to cup your cheek and presses a gentle kiss against your lips. It’s quick, the touch of his lips hovering for what feels like far too short, before he’s pulling back, smiling at you.
“I should talk to Luffy.” He says a moment later, “figure out our plan for when we find Nami and Arlong.”
You nod, finally letting your hands fall to your sides as you watch him walk away, sending one last warm look back at you. Your heart is still fluttering, even as he gets further and further away, feeling hot and weak at the same time.
“Someone’s down bad.”
Blinking, you turn around, finding Usopp staring down at you with the widest shit-eating grin on his lips.
Cheeks warming, you shake yourself out of your stupor, making your way up the stairs over to him. “Ha-ha,” you huff, but the smile on your lips is fond. 
Usopp just giggles. “Seriously,” he teases, “the two of you barely notice the people around you when you’re together.”
Coming to a stop next to him, you lightly nudge him with your shoulder. “Haven’t you teased me enough?” You whine, pouting, as your eyes glimmer with mischief at him. “The second Luffy told you what he saw, you haven’t let me off the hook.”
“It’s too fun,” Usopp shrugs, turning his gaze ahead to continue steering the ship. “You always get so embarrassed.”
Crossing your arms over your chest, you raise a brow. “I wouldn’t be so confident if I were you, Usopp.”
“Oh?” He challenges, “and why’s that?”
“Because you forget I saw you and Kaya,” you smirk, watching as the smile on his lips falls and is replaced by a bright red across his cheeks. “If you want to talk about two people smitten…—”
“Okay, okay! I won’t tease you anymore!”
You turn to Usopp, his face turning bright red as he wildly shakes his hands in front of him. It pulls a laugh from your lips, loud and warm, enough to pull Usopp from his own reverie as he blinks back at you.
Turning your gaze back ahead, you soften your smile; “I’m happy for you, Usopp. And I know you’ll see her one day again.”
Shoulders easing, Usopp grabs hold of the helm again and grins to himself. “Thanks,” he says earnestly, “and I’m happy for you too. You and Zoro.”
You squeeze his arm in return, smile infectious, and the two of you fall into a comfortable silence with one another for a few minutes.
Then, you catch sight of something ahead. 
“Usopp,” you call, shaking his own arm before pointing ahead of yourself. “Look!”
He leans forward, eyes squinting. “I don’t see anything,” he mumbles, confused.
You frown; “you don’t see the island up ahead?”
“How do you…” Usopp frowns, but his voice trails, squinting even more before he pulls back in realization. “Wait. I see it!” 
Instantly, he cups his hands around his mouth, breathing in sharply so yell out to the three at the front of the ship; “land ho!”
-
Walking behind Zoro, you frown at the sight of the village in front of you. In a lot of ways, it uncomfortably reminds you of the village Buggy had destroyed; the one Luffy had saved.
It’s desolate. Any sign of happiness that probably flooded these homes is gone, without a trace of it ever exiting. It makes your chest tight and your heart sinks.
You slow to a stop when you notice the rest of your crew doing the same, turning to the left and your lips part when you see what’s caught their attention.
“This is terrible,” you breathe, pressing a hand to your lips as you stare back at the flipped upside down house.
Zoro eyes you, before turning to the house; “never seen that before.”
“What could have done this?” Sanji asks, brows furrowed in bafflement.
Usopp hovers next to you, shuffling on his feet. “Maybe I should head back… make sure the Merry’s secure.”
Without hesitation, you reach for Usopp, squeezing his arm. He turns to you, the fear in his gaze apparent.
But before you can say anything to reassure him, Luffy speaks up;
“Arlong did this.”
His voice is unusually low, tinged with rage. You stare back at him with surprise.
“Hey, shit-hat!” Buggy calls, voice muffled through the bag Sanji is currently carrying him in. “I think we can all agree that Arlong’s a bad fish. But why don’t we quit lollygagging and get my body back?”
You scoff, “as if we should hurry for your sake.” Letting your gaze drag across the village once more, you frown. “This is no different than anything you’ve done before. Same innocent people being hurt, just different pirates.”
Sanji’s eyes fall on you, and you figure it’s because he’s the only one on the crew that doesn’t know how Luffy had found you. Sure, Usopp hadn’t been there, but he’d heard bits and pieces of it and probably was able to piece it all together. Sanji, who’d just joined, wouldn’t know. All he knew was you’d once been on Buggy’s crew.
You avoid his gaze. 
“Come on, Y/N! I certainly wasn’t as bad as—”
“Pipe down in there!” Sanji cuts him off, for your sake more than anyone else's. 
“Or what?” Buggy huffs. “You gonna whip me up a souffle?”
Dropping the bag, Sanji sighs, gesturing to Usopp. “How about you take him for a while?”
“Ooh,” Usopp breathes, shaking his head. “New guy carries the clown head.”
Feeling bad for the guy, you step forward, reaching for the bag. “Here, Sanji, I can—”
“Absolutely not—”
“It’s okay, Y/N, I’ve got it—”
Both Zoro and Sanji speak at the same time, and almost instantly, the two turn to each other with glares.
“Y/N is not carrying that clown head,” Zoro growls, shifting beside you.
“I agree,” Sanji bites out, shouldering the bag again before turning to you with a smile. “Don’t worry, Y/N. I got it under control.”
You hesitate, frowning, but seeing the smile on his lips and the way Zoro continues to glare at the cook, you decide to let it go. “Okay,” you shrug, “if you’re sure.”
The five of you continue to make your way, picking up the pace in your step when you see a group of people up ahead.
“Everyone! Please!”
The man speaking stands at the front of the crowd, holding a box. His expression is grim.
“We don’t have much time,” he continues. “And we’re short again this month.”
You frown when you watch a man step up, dumping a handful of Berry into the box.
That sinking feeling floods your stomach again.
“Is it enough?”
With a frown, the man at the front shakes his head slowly.
“Do we have time to get some more?”
“No.”
Your back straightens, recognizing that voice.
Sure enough, the crowd splits instantly, and you see Nami step through.
“You don’t,” she says, slowly making her way through the crowd.
Luffy steps forward, as if to go to her. Zoro stops him.
A woman with blue hairs steps right up to Nami, face twisted with rage. “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face here.” Nami doesn’t say anything in return, even when the woman spits right at her feet.
She walks off a second later, your eyes follow her. 
A moment of silence passes, then, Nami turns her attention back to the man with the donation box. “Got something for me?”
Slowly, he hands over the box.
It takes Nami one look; “you’re short.”
“Nami, please,” the man begs. “This is all we have. Arlong has bled us dry.”
“Then find more blood.”
Swallowing thickly, the sight breaks your heart. There was no way Nami could actually be this… heartless, right?
The man walks off as does the rest of the crowd. Nami, with the donation box still in hand, lets her gaze wander, freezing the second she catches sight of the five of you.
She makes her way over in seconds flat.
“Luffy?” She calls, voice sharp. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same thing.”
“This is where I belong.”
Luffy shakes his head, “I don’t believe that. This is not you.”
“No,” she argues. “This isn’t the me you want me to be.”
“Nami…” Luffy calls, voice soft. He steps towards her. “If you need our help—”
“No, I don’t need any of you.”
You flinch at that, watching as her eyes dance across the five of you. When her eyes meet yours, she’s quick to look away.
“Arlong wanted the map,” she explains, “and I conned you into getting it for me. And you bought it. I was never part of your stupid crew.”
“You don’t mean that.”
For the splittest of seconds, Nami’s face wavers. You see it, watch it happen, but it’s gone before you can do anything about it. It feels like you’re the only one who does see it.
“Take the rest of these clowns and sail away from here,” she spits. “I never want to see you again.”
She spins around, moving to walk off. You instinctively move to walk after her, knowing what you saw and not ready to give up, but Zoro grabs your hand, tightening his grip. Turning to him, his expression is sympathetic for you but firm; she won’t listen.
Usopp huffs behind you; “okay, that went about as bad as it could. So back to the boat before the fishmen find us? Sail the hell out of here? Okay.” 
Sanji shakes his head; “there’s something else going on here.”
“I think she was very clear she wants us to leave,” Zoro argues.
“You don’t know women,” Sanji instantly rebuts, “they never say what they mean.”
You blink, “well, I—”
“Tell me again why the cook gets a say.” Zoro huffs, turning to face Sanji.
“Don’t you guys get it,” Usopp cuts in, and you watch as the three of them circle around each other, bickering. All while Luffy remains standing where Nami left him. “She’s one of them. She’s a bad guy. The villagers are terrified of her.”
Raising your voice, you step forward and interrupt them before any of them can speak. “The look on her face was off,” you explain, remembering exactly what you’d seen. Turning to Zoro, you look back at him determined. “I know what she said, Zoro, but she looked like she was this close to breaking down. Sanji is right, there is something more going on here. I’m sure of it.”
Zoro, who looks put out that you’re siding with Sanji, steps towards you. “Y/N, I know that you don’t want it to be true but Nami…” He hesitates, seeing the look on your face. “Usopp is right. The villagers were scared. Of her.”
Face falling, you can’t deny that.
“Not all of them,” Luffy says, speaking up for the first time. You turn around to face him, but he steps forward before you can ask what he meant. “Hey! Scar guy.”
Only chancing one more glance back at Zoro, you quickly follow after Luffy.
“Who was that girl?” Luffy asks the man who’d been collecting the donations. “You know, the one with the cool hair?”
The man eyes you five. “Who wants to know?”
“I’m Monkey D. Luffy,” Luffy introduces, voice serious. “I’m a pirate—”
“—Hunter,” Zoro cuts in quickly. Hands shoved into his pockets, he steps up beside Luffy. “Pirate hunter. We’re here to collect Arlong’s bounty.”
Sensing the apprehension on the man’s face, you think that was definitely a smart save on Zoro’s part.
The man just raises a brow. “You? I’ve seen men twice your size and with twice your number go into Arlong Park. None of them ever came back.”
Luffy smiles. “We just want to talk to her.”
“Trust me,” the man argues, “you don’t. But if it’ll get you out of my town, try the house down that road, on the edge of the tangerine grove.”
-
“I don’t know how you do it.”
Jumping at the voice, you turn around, easing when you see it’s just Nojiko.
Turns out that girl with the cool hair, as Luffy had dubbed her, was Nami’s sister. After managing to convince her into talking to you with the promise of a home-cooked meal, Sanji had whipped her and the rest of you up a meal. It was only then Nojiko had agreed to tell you the story of how her and Nami’s mother had died because of Arlong, who’d taken control of this island eight years ago. And how Nami was now working for him.
The story had left the five of you all upset in your own ways. When Usopp had solidified the fact that Nami really was working for her mother’s killer, the air in the house had thickened with tension.
You’d stay for a while, but after Buggy had insisted on being let out of the bag to the point Sanji had been forced to do so, you’d taken your leave. Luffy, and then Zoro who had gone after him, had left the second Nojiko finished telling you everything and you hadn’t heard from them since. You figured it was best to give them space, so you’d chosen to wander through the tangerine grove right by Nojiko’s house.
When Nojiko had found you.
Meeting Nojiko’s eyes, you glance at her inquisitively.
“Deal with being stuck with four men,” she laughs lightly. “Especially on a ship. I’d go crazy.”
You smile back at her, snorting. “You get used to it.” Then, smile wavering just faintly, you can’t help but add; “it was easier, too. With… you know, Nami.” Hugging yourself, you glance at your feet. “It was nice having her onboard with us. Nice being her friend, if she ever thought of me as one.”
Nojiko doesn’t respond, probably not sure how to. Still, she offers a gentle and sympathetic smile in return. It’s clear she understands in her own way.
“Are you okay?” You ask, gesturing back to the house. “Sanji didn’t say anything, right? He’s a flirt and never means anything by it, but I’ll kick him for you if he makes you uncomfortable.”
Letting out a sharp laugh, Nojiko shakes her head. “He didn’t say anything,” she reassures with a wave of her hand. “I just needed some air. I was… I was actually planning on visiting her grave.”
Your lips part; “your mother’s?”
She nods.
You hesitate, glancing back at the far stretch of the tangerine grove and then back at Nojiko. You decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “Could I come with you?”
She seems shocked by our question, eyes widening and brows furrowing. 
“Only if you don’t mind,” you assure, shaking your hands at her. “I just… Just thought maybe you’d like a friend. And, well… I know what it’s like to lose a mother.”
Face easing, Nojiko frowns; “I’m sorry.”
You shake your head. “It was a long time ago.”
Nodding slowly, Nojiko shrugs; “you can come then. And we can send a prayer to both of our mothers.”
Your smile brightens at that, worrying easing from your body as you nod at her. She returns the smile with ease and the two of you begin walking, Nojiko leading the way. The grave isn't that far away, so it doesn’t take you long before Nojiko is informing you you’re close.
“Just around this…—”
But her voice trails as you both hear… grunting? She glances back at you, worried, and you mimic her expression, rushing forward. You worry it’s someone from Arlong’s crew, heart sinking at what they could possibly be doing.
Only, it’s Nami you find.
You hesitate, feet freezing, but blind with anger at the realization of what Nami was doing, Nojiko rushes forward. “How dare you,” she hisses out, barely able to contain the anger in her voice. “It’s not enough that you’re working for our mother’s killer, but now you’re desecrating her grave too?”
You notice at the same time Nami does, her calling out for Nojiko, as the latter grabs the shovel next to the digged hole, swinging it back behind her to hit Nami.
Racing forward, you grab the handle of the shovel before Nojiko can swing it down just as Nami flinches back with a scream.
Nami’s eyes zone in on you; “Y/N? What the hell are you doing here?”
Meeting her gaze, your lips part; “I…—”
“Never mind that,” Nojiko spits, and she lowers her hands when you step back, but doesn’t let go of the shovel, looking ready to try and hit Nami again. “I can’t believe you would do this!”
Nami only glances at you once more, hesitating, before turning back to Nojiko; “it’s not what you think.”
Nojiko goes to swing the shovel again, and you move to grab her, but don’t reach in time. 
“You have no idea what I think!”
Nami’s name leaves your lips in a shrill cry and she just narrowly misses the edge of the shovel smacking her across the face, falling back. Instead of Nami, Nojiko hits the chest right next to the hole.
Bills and coins of Berry come pouring out of it.
Panting, Nojiko shakes her head; “what’s this?” She slowly turns to Nami. “Is this the money that you stole? And you’re hiding it next to our mother’s body?”
Confused and bewildered and definitely feeling like you’re encroaching on a moment between sisters you shouldn’t be, you remain silent, taking a step back.
“Nami,” Nojiko whispers, “what kind of monster are you?”
“You don’t understand,” Nami cries.
“Then make me understand.”
Her eyes flicker between you and Nojiko, unsure, before she focuses all of her attention on Nojiko. 
“I’ve been stealing this money because of a deal with Arlong I made,” she starts, moving to crawl out of the hole and grab her bag. “I told Arlong I’d work for him on one condition. That he let me buy back Coco Village. And he said he would for a hundred million Berry.”
“A hundred million?” You echo, unable to stop yourself. “That would take a lifetime.”
Nami shakes her head, reaching for Nojiko. “I have the money,” she explains. “All of it. And now I can buy the freedom of the village and everyone in it.”
Seeing the look on Nojiko’s face, you inhale sharply, turning. It occurs to you should give them a moment alone. This news was shocking enough to you, you couldn’t imagine how Nojiko, who’s obviously hated Nami for the past eight years, would feel. Sending the two of them a gentle smile, you walk off, moving to the edge of the woods.
Crossing your arms over your chest, you think about what Nami had said.
That look you’d seen her eyes, the one only you had seemed to be able to notice, made so much more sense now. None of this had been of Nami’s own volition or choice. And for the past eight years she’d been forced to work for and do the bidding of a man who’d killed her mother and threatened her family and friends.
The thought made you sick. You couldn’t imagine what Nami’s been forced to endure.
Minutes pass of you stuck in your thoughts, until you catch something through the foliage of the forest. It gives you pause, head turning in the direction as you squint, trying to figure out what you’d seen.
When you catch sight of a familiar white and blue uniform, your heart drops.
“Nami, Nojiko!” You call, rushing over to them as you reach for Nami’s chest of Berry. Nami stands at the sight, the conversation between her and Nojiko cut short as she assumes the worst of what you’re doing.
“What are you—”
“We don’t have time,” you cut her off, staring at her with panic in your eye. “The Marines, they’re—”
“Already here.”
Lips left parted, you, Nami and Nojiko’s heads snap round, back in the direction you’d come from, bodies freezing at the sight of a line up of Marines stopping in front of you.
“A shame to interrupt such a touching moment,” the lieutenant Marine offers, voice not at all sympathetic. “I’ve heard that pirates are stashing their plunder in this area. You three wouldn’t happen to know anything about that?”
Feet frozen in place, you eye the back of Nami and Nojiko, before shifting your attention back to the lieutenant. This was bad. Very bad. There was no way to hide Nami’s stash, especially not when it was clear it was exactly what the Marines were already looking for.
“That’s obviously been stolen,” the Marine lieutenant comments, eyeing Nami’s money. “By the authority of the Marines and the World Government, I'm going to have to confiscate it.”
“No,” Nami gasps. “No, you can’t do that. It’s mine!”
“A hundred million Berry?” The lieutenant raises a brow, “and where would you get that much money?”
“Nami got that money fair and square,” you hiss, stepping forward as you glare at the man. “You have no right to take it from her.”
“No right?” The lieutenant laughs, loud and mocking. “I have the right as a Marine lieutenant, silly girl.”
“Wait,” Nami cuts in, breathless, before you can speak, as if having realized something. “How did you know it was a hundred…” But her voice trails, and a glance back at her tells you she’s figured it out.
“Arlong put you up to this, didn’t he?”
Your lips part, gasping. 
“I… I don’t know what you mean,” the lieutenant shrugs. Then, he shifts, nodding at the men behind him. They listen instantly. 
Nami and you both start. She reaches for her bag, trying to grab her weapon, but the Marines are too quick. Two of them flank her, grabbing her by the arm. You growl at the sight, stepping forward to help, but then the men that had been standing to the left of the lieutenant step towards you. 
“Watch yourself. Or we will take you into custody as well.”
Past their shoulders you can see the Marine officers holding Nami shove her to the ground. Rage floods you, and you move towards her, but you’re blocked by more officers. Instantly, they go to grab you, but you dodge their grasps, trying to slither past them. You make it past one, reaching for Nami and then a sharp sting radiates across your cheek.
You trip over your feet at the impact, stunned, falling to your knees as your hand hovers across your cheek in shock, staring up at the officer who’d punched you. He stares down at you, unbothered. His hand rests on his baton, as if baiting you to try again.
Nami, who’d watched the whole display, continues to thrash and fight the hands that hold her down.
“No!” She screams when she sees them grabbing her Berry. “You can’t do this. You can’t do this!”
Cheek stinging and eyes watering in despair, you watch the Marines grab her money all while Nami screams, helpless to do anything. They take it all, not leaving a single Berry behind, and not offering even a glance at Nami who cries out for them to stop.
When the officers let her go and walk off, Nami instantly moves to get back up. Nojiko, who’d seemed frozen in the spot until then, grabs her. “Wait, Nami,” she pleads. “Stop! Wait. Wait!”
“Let me go!” Nami cries, fighting her sister's grip. “Let me go! They can’t do this!”
“Nami,” you breathe, staring at her in shock.
“There’s nothing you can do!” Nojiko tries.
But Nami doesn’t listen to her.
“Arlong will kill the entire village!” She bellows, voice pitching in distress, finally breaking free from Nojiko’s grip and running off in the opposite direction of the Marine’s and instead towards the village.
“Nami, wait!” Nojiko begs, screaming after her.
Pushing yourself to your feet, you wipe your tears, grabbing Nojiko’s hand and pulling her eyes on you.
There’s only one thing that can help her now. Or rather, people.
“Nojiko. Nojiko, listen to me,” you pant, tugging on her hand. Her eyes fall on you, wild and terrified. “We need to get Luffy and the rest. They can help! I promise!”
Chest rising and falling and breathless, Nojiko inhales sharply, trying to calm herself.
“Okay.”
Never letting go of her hand, you pull her along, the two of you take off in the direction you’d first come from. Nojiko’s house is closer than the rest of the village, separated off, so it doesn’t take either of you very long to get back to their house and your friends. The two of you break through the tangerine grove, breathless and panicked, and Zoro and Luffy who had been up on the roof see you instantly.
“Y/N?” Zoro calls, concerned. Him and Luffy glance at each other briefly before quickly climbing down the roof. “Y/N, what’s wrong?”
Zoro’s voice must’ve caught the attention of Usopp and Sanji because they come running out of the house too,
“What’s going on?” Usopp asks.
“Y/N?” Sanji’s gaze instantly zones in on you, taking in your distressed state. “And Nojiko? Are you—”
Luffy and Zoro come to a stop in front of the both of you.
Nojiko, unable to catch her voice, shakes her head. “Nami, she’s…” But a cough wracks through her body, exhausted after everything from the Marine’s, trying to stop Nami and then running.
Zoro zones in on you then, catching sight of your face. “Y/N, your cheek,” he breathes, voice low as he reaches for you, cupping your jaw to pull your gaze up on him. His eyes flood with anger when he gets a better look at your red and stinging cheek. “Who did—”
Resting your hand over his, you shake your head. “It doesn’t matter,” you dismiss, and cut him off quickly before he can argue. “We have to help Nami. Arlong… Arlong is going to destroy the village!”
“What?” Usopp squeaks, “he’s coming here?”
“Is it because the village was short on money?” Sanji frowns.
Meeting Nojiko’s eyes, you both frown. “Nami had a deal with Arlong,” you explain, shifting from Zoro to Luffy. His face is serious, and he listens to you carefully. “He betrayed her. The Marine’s stole her money and now Arlong is going to destroy the village. We have to help them. We have to help Nami!”
“Please,” Nojiko pleads beside you. “Please.”
Zoro steps towards you, and you turn to him, barely noticing the way your eyes are watering. He frowns down at you, before turning to Luffy.
“Nojiko, stay here. Y/N.” You turn back to him, breathing in. “Lead the way,” Luffy says, voice sharp. 
Meeting his eyes, you nod.
-
Walking past Luffy, you fall to your knees next to Nami.
She starts at the sight of you, teary-eyed and gasping, but you just smile gently at her. Shifting your bag, you pull out the bandages in there. You’d originally grabbed them for Zoro, but staring at her bleeding arm, you figure it was best her wounds were cleaned and wrapped.
“Here,” you say softly, slowly grabbing her arm. You hesitate, not wanting to startle her, but she doesn’t flinch away when you reach for her. Comforted at the action, you grab the cloth you’d also pulled out, wiping at the blood.
“I can clean it better later,” you explain, ���but for now.”
She doesn’t respond, and you let her remain silent, incapable of understanding what she could possibly be going through in that moment.
The two of you sit in silence, away from the boys as they figure out how they’re going to go up against Arlong. Nami watches as you bandage her, and you do so without saying anything. Truthfully, you don’t know what you could say. Your heart broke for her and the villagers and every sting of betrayal you’d felt before is gone. 
Now, you only feel guilt for having ever doubted her.
“There,” you whisper, doing the last loop of the bandage. 
Nami glances down at her arm and she ponders it for a while, before;
“Thank you.”
Lips parting, your head snaps up, blinking. 
“Back there, with the Marines,” she points at your cheek. “You tried to stop them.”
“Oh,” you frown, “you don’t have to thank me. I’m… I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them then.”
Blinking back her tears, Nami’s face falls.
“Luffy will be able to stop Arlong, Nami,” you smile at her, taking a leap and squeezing her arm. She straightens at the touch, but her gaze is warm as she looks back at you. “We’ll help you. You don’t have to do it alone anymore.”
Her eyes fall shut, a single tear escaping her defences as she leans towards you.
“Thank you.”
-
“I can fight.”
“We’ve hardly done any training—”
“Zoro,” you huff, balling your hands into fists at your side. “I want to help.”
He eyes you, frowning. “I know you do, but Arlong’s men are strong.”
Mildly insulted, despite knowing he was right, and frustrated, you glare up at him. “I’m helping. You can’t stop me.”
Clearly frustrated himself, Zoro presses a hand to his face. “You don’t even have a weapon.”
“Nojiko gave me a gun,” you counter, grabbing the rifle from the wall you’d set it against, and holding it up to him to see. “She taught me the basics of how to use it. I probably won’t be as good of a shot as Usopp, but I can still try.”
Breathing in sharply, Zoro glances back at the crew, noticing the way they’re getting ready to go. Turning back to you, he steps towards you, cupping your cheeks. “I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
Wrapping your hands around him in return, you smile, “I know. Because I don’t want you to get hurt too.” Squeezing his hands, you look up at him reassuringly. “I’ll stay back and not put myself in danger. But I want to help Nami. Don’t ask me to stay behind when she’s my friend too. That’s not what we promised each other.”
Sighing, Zoro knows you’re right. “You stay away from the thick of it,” he orders, voice serious. “And if you need my help, call for me. I’ll come to you right away.”
Biting your lip, you smile. “I promise,” you assure, nodding. “The second I’m in danger, I’ll call for you. Only you.”
Cheeks flushing, Zoro rolls his eyes. “As long as you promise.”
-
Despite losing sight of Usopp in the mess, you think you’re doing a fairly good job.
Obviously, Sanji and Zoro were taking down most of the men, but you can proudly say you’ve at least gotten a few really good shots. There was even the time you’d shot down a guy that had been gunning straight for Zoro, to which he’d smirked back at you in response.
The pride you’d felt was imminent. 
Just like how you’d been able to see the island before anyone else back on the boat, or how you’d seen the Marines coming through the thick forest foliage, your left eye was able to catch sight of Arlong’s man easily. And even though you were still rocky with the gun itself, your eye  helped you see things you’d never been able to before.
You’ve never seen things so clearly.
Taking one last shot at one of Arlong’s men and watching him crash to the ground, you straighten up from behind the rock you’d perched yourself behind. You couldn’t see Zoro and Sanji from where you were and a quick glance across the park told you you’d all (mainly them) managed to take out most of Arlong’s men.
Standing to your feet, you climb down the rocks and head in the direction you thought you’d last seen Sanji and Zoro go in. Despite being further back, you’d watched them argue the entire time they’d been fighting, so you figured checking on them was probably the best idea.
Sure enough, eventually you can hear their muffled voices arguing. You follow the sound, coming around a broken down stand, only to come crashing into someone.
You stumble back, blinking, until your eye lands on the familiar sight of Buggy. With his body.
Your grip instantly tightens on your gun, while his lips stretch into a wide grin.
“Sorry, my Angel Eye,” he laughs and you hiss at the sound of that nickname, stepping towards him. He holds his hands up as he wiggles his fingers at you in a mocking goodbye. “I’d love to catch up but I gotta go!”
He runs past you in the next second before you even have a second to blink, and your hand twitches, wanting to stop him. But honestly, the thought occurs to you it might just be best to let him go; if he was gone, then at least you didn’t have to see him and listen to his grating voice any longer.
You also don’t know at that moment if you were strong enough to kill him. Not in the physical sense, but… mental.
Shaking your head, you let the thought leave you, focusing back on finding Zoro and Sanji.
Figures he’d betray you guys anyways.
Scoffing, you continue making your way forward, face easing when you see Zoro and Sanji.
“I see Buggy betrayed us,” you comment, gesturing behind you.
Sanji and Zoro turn to you.
“He didn’t do anything did—”
“What did that fucking clown say—”
Blinking at the both of them, you watch as they turn to each other, before promptly turning the other way.
You bite your lip, laughing. “You guys are—”
Whatever you’d been about to say gets cut off the second you let out a scream. A sharp, aching pain radiates from your left eye, making you fall to your knees as you clutch at your face, curling in on yourself.
Your name leaves Zoro’s lips as he and Sanji run towards you, Zoro kneeling in front of you.
“Y/N,” he calls, voice pitched in panic. “Y/N, what happened? What’s going on?”
“I—” Hissing, you cry out as the sting continues to radiate across your face.
Hands fall on you, careful and slow, pulling your own away from your face.
Leaning forward, Zoro pauses at the sight and Sanji behind him gasps;
“Y/N, your eye…”
You stare up at them, hand hovering by your face, trying to bear through the pain.
“What… What’s happening?”
“Your eye is glowing, Y/N,” Zoro mumbles, shaking his head. “It’s like… shining.”
Frowning at him, you ease when the pain lessens somewhat. Still, your heart is racing with terror of what’s happening.
“Does it still—”
Footsteps cut Zoro off, all three of your guys’ attention snapping to the right where you see one of Arlong’s main lackeys coming over. He grins wide at the sight of you three, and instantly, Sanji is shifting into a fighting stance as Zoro stands, stepping in front of you.
“Stay back, Y/N,” Zoro calls, stretching his arm in front of you.
You nod up at him, pushing yourself back as you try and bite back another cry of pain.
It doesn’t take them long to fight him. Even though Sanji gets kicked around a bit, the second the bad guy says something about Nami, Sanji is zoned in on him. With a series of powerful kicks, you watch as Sanji takes down the guy in seconds.
Zoro turns to you, sure that it was safe to, crouching. His touch is gentle as he tries to get a closer look at your eye.
As their fight had progressed, the pain had lessened. And now, it’s nearly gone, just a faint, residual itchy feeling.
“Does it still hurt?” Zoro frowns.
You shake your head, “it’s just… uncomfortable. Is it still glowing?”
“Not anymore,” he shakes his head, shifting his hands to your hips as he helps you back to your feet.
“Has that ever happened before, love?” Sanji asks, staring back at you in concern.
You ignore Zoro’s huff at the nickname, shaking your head at Sanji. “No,” you frown. “I have no idea what that was.”
Turning back to Zoro, it’s hard to hide your fear.
Brushing his fingers across your cheek, Zoro shakes his head. “It’s okay, just tell me if it happens again, alright? We’ll figure it out.”
Eased at his reassurance, you lean into his touch.
“Also,” Zoro smiles down at you, “you did great.”
His words bring an instant beam to your lips, appreciating his ability to shift your mind away from your worries and praise you at the same time. You grin, clapping your hands in front of you in joy. “Really?” Then, turning to Sanji, your eyes sparkle. “You think so too, Sanji?”
Any discomfort he’d shown at Zoro’s words to you eases as he grins at you. “Of course, love, you did amazing.”
Your face is practically sparkling.
“Would you stop calling her that?” Zoro huffs, “and what was with those stupid names with your kicks?”
“All great heroes have names for their attacks,” Sanji shrugs, unbothered.
Zoro hesitates before sighing. “Yeah, you’ll fit in great.”
You grin, happy they were (sorta) getting along.
Just then, a familiar screaming catches your attention. Turning your gaze to the entrance of Arlong park, you watch as Usopp comes running in, slingshot at the ready.
“Never fear, the Great Captain Usopp is…” But his words trail when he realizes everyone is already down. “Is… oh. You guys did pretty good in here.” Sighing, he grins at you all, sending you a thumbs up. You send him one back. “Good job guys!”
He nods to himself, and the four of you shift, falling silent.
Putting a hand to your right eye, so you see nothing, you frown to yourself, unable to ignore the unsettled feeling still in your stomach.
“Nami!”
Blinking at Sanji’s call, you look up, face brightening when you see Nami running over to the four of you.
Sanji’s arms stretch wide for a hug, but she runs past him, gunning straight for you, Usopp and Zoro. You stumble as you’re brought into an embrace, squished between Zoro and Usopp as Nami’s face falls into the crook of your neck.
“You’re all okay!”
Smiling at her, you nod as she pulls back, taking one last long look at the three of you before turning back to Arlong’s base.
“Where’s Luffy?” Zoro asks.
Glancing at Sanji, who’d been rejected seconds before, you offer a small wink when he meets your gaze.
“Still inside,” Nami answers, “fighting Arlong.”
Turning back to Arlong Park, you frown, however, at the sight of the building crumbling apart.
-
“That was crazy, huh?”
Smiling down at Zoro, you take a seat next to him, letting your arm brush against his before turning to meet his gaze.
Zoro snorts next to you, returning your smile with a softer one of his own. He leans back as you sit next to him, and you don’t fail to notice the way he leans back, his right hand falling to a spot behind you, silently giving you the room to lean into him.
Biting back your smile, you don’t hesitate to do just that.
“Thought we were going to be fighting off the entirety of that Marine force,” Zoro comments dryly, letting his gaze drift in front of the both of you. You think back to what had just happened moments prior and the realization that the Vice Admiral, Luffy’s grandfather, had been chasing after all of you as some sort of test for his grandson.
Letting out a laugh, you glance up at Zoro, an adoring look in your eye. “I bet you would’ve too,” you comment. With a teasing grin, you poke at his side, careful of his wound. “After all, you like being Luffy’s first mate more than you’ll admit.”
Rolling his eyes, he smirks down at you; “maybe.”
You giggle, letting your head fall onto his shoulder and drift your gaze across the crowd of bustling and happy villagers. It’s a stark contrast from when you’d all first arrived on Cocoyashi Village, but it was one that made your heart swell with pride and warmth. Arlong and his goons were gone and now Nami’s village could live in peace like they always should’ve been able to.
Speaking of, you pause in your thoughts when you notice Nami and Nojiko walking past you. Both of their eyes are on you and Zoro and while Nojiko offers a simple wave and a warm smile, the look in Nami’s eyes is telling as she wiggles her brows at you, gesturing loosely to Zoro. You flush, but the grin on your lips is undeniable.
You watch them walk off, happy the two sisters could have these final moments together.
“How’s your eye?”
Looking up at the sound of Zoro’s question, you find him staring down at you, chin dipped towards you and eyes dancing with concern.
“Better,” you say honestly, letting your hand fall over your left eye, covering your vision completely for a brief second before turning back to Zoro. “I don’t know what that was but I… have been noticing things recently.”
Zoro’s brows furrow; “what things?”
“I just… see things,” you shrug, unsure how to explain it. “See things before others can. Like when I saw the island… Usopp didn’t see it for a minute and we all know that the one thing he does have is good vision. Or when the Marine’s stole Nami’s money, I could see them far before I should’ve been able to.”
Zoro takes in your words, slowly nodding. “You think it could have to do with Mihawk?”
“Maybe,” you nod, the thought having already crossed your mind. “I’ve never understood why my eye looks like this or why my right one is blind… My mother had normal eyes. Maybe something went wrong when I was born?”
Still leant against him, Zoro shifts, moving to slip your hand in his own as he squeezes. “Well, whatever it is, we’ll figure it out, yeah? There’s gotta be an answer somewhere out there.’
His voice is sincere, serious with the promise of helping you. Warmth floods you, heart fluttering, and you think back to the first time you ever met Zoro. When he’d stumbled in that tent that day, you never would’ve thought this is where you’d be now.
Nodding up at him, you say; “it’s a promise.”
He smiles, and with that, you let your head fall against his shoulder again, hand still in his.
The two of you spend the rest of the celebration like that.
-
“So…”
Glancing over at Nami, you huff; “so?”
“You and Zoro?” She grins, wide and from ear to ear. “Can’t believe I missed that.”
Letting out a chuckle, you shake your head. “Don’t tease me,” you whine faintly, pressing a hand to your forehead as the two of you make your way to the kitchen. “I already got enough of it from Usopp.”
Nami barks out a laugh just as the two of you slip inside.
“Get enough of what from me?” Usopp asks, looking up for one of his new ammo experiments he’d been working on.
Meeting Nami’s eyes, the both of you giggle.
“Nothing!”
“Ah,” Sanji comments from the counter, “it’s so nice to be rewarded with such lovely laughter from two lovely ladies.”
You let out a chuckle, moving to sit next to Zoro as Nami grins over at Sanji.
“Oi,” Zoro calls, looking up for his swords. “What have I said about flirting with Y/N, you damned cook?”
Sanji just shrugs, not at all bothered; “I can’t help it. Y/N’s elegance merely demands it.”
Nami and Usopp cackle but you notice the way Zoro moves to get up, quickly grabbing ahold of his arm to stop him.
“You—!”
“Guys!”
Thankful for the distraction, your face lights up as Luffy comes bounding into the kitchen, a slip of paper in his hands. Moving towards the table, he slams it down.
“Look.” 
“Oh, shit,” you breathe, staring down at the wanted poster.
“Hey, look,” Usopp cheers, “I’m famous!”
Sanji shakes his head; “what are you on about? That’s Luffy’s wanted poster.”
“Not just Luffy,” Usopp smirks, reaching forward and pointing at the paper. You follow his gesture, huffing a laugh when you realize, sure enough, there Usopp is in the left corner of the poster.
Or, at least, the back of him.
“Sorry, guy,” Usopp chuckles, glancing at you all. “Maybe if you work a little harder, you’ll get a bounty too.”
“That doesn’t count.” Sanji rolls his eyes.
“It’s okay to be jealous. Feel what you need to feel.”
“I… mm…” Cutting himself off, Sanji submits; “this is stupid.”
“This is gonna make things much harder,” Zoro comments from next to you. “With that price on your head, every bounty hunter in the East Blue will be gunning for you.”
“Not just Luffy,” Nami adds. “They’re gonna be gunning for all of us.”
Everyone falters, faced with reality, but you just smile over at Luffy.
“Still,” you speak up, pulling Luffy’s attention on you. “Good for you, Luffy! That’s the first step to being the King of the Pirates!”
He sends you a thumbs up, as the rest groan.
“What have we talked about,” Nami frowns at you. “You don’t need to encourage him anymore than he already encourages himself.”
You just shrug, grinning.
“Besides,” Luffy shrugs, “it doesn't matter. Because we are not staying in the East Blue.”
Staring up at all of you, he grins; 
“We’re going to the Grand Line.”
-
“Straw Hats! All hands on deck for a cast-off ceremony.”
Listening to Luffy’s order, you step out onto deck behind Zoro, raising a brow when you see Luffy, Nami and Sanji already gathered around a barrel.
Usopp’s the last to arrive, and the second he comes to a stop, Sanji raises his leg, placing it on the edge of the barrel.
“I’m gonna find the All Blue,” he promises, and your heart starts with realization of what’s happening.
Luffy follows his lead with ease, slamming his leg on the barrel with a bit more force. “I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
Zoro shifts next to you, smiling wide, and then, he does the same. “I’m gonna be the world’s greatest swordsman.”
“I’m gonna draw a map of the world,” Nami promises, raising her leg as she smiles at you all.
“I…” Usopp hesitates, shifting, before raising his leg. “Am gonna be a brave warrior of the sea!”
Laughter echoes, and then, everyone’s eyes shift to you. Hesitating similarly to Usopp, you glance at the barrel and then each of your friends.
Feeling your heart flutter with excitement, you raise your leg, taking up the last bit of space left on the barrel.
“I’m gonna discover the truth about my eye!” You promise, biting your lip.
You glance at everyone, grinning, until your eyes fall on Zoro who smiles back at you with pride.
“This is it, crew,” Luffy calls, “The Grand Line.”
He pauses, meeting each and every one of your eyes, before, his raises his hand to the sky and screams;
“Nothing’s gonna stand in our way! Yeah!”
Without hesitation, you lean back, inhaling sharply before letting out a bellow of; “Woohoo!”
161 notes · View notes
syluss-karaoke-teacher · 3 days ago
Text
Love and Deepspace - Nightly Rendezvous - Part IV, Sylus
And finally we complete the series with Sylus' card!! I admit, I kinda dreaded him bc alongside Raf he is my main and his card was so breathtakingly emotional, not to mention pretty much canonically their first time. Hope I was able to do it justice!
Word count: 2539 words
MDNI! Main text under the cut. You have been warned.
NOTE: This fic is only posted on tumblr and on AO3 under the pseud Yuli_Hunter. All other uploads on any other websites are non-authorized. I do not own any part of Love and Deepspace as an IP, but I do own this piece of fanfiction, and you are not allowed to repost it, copy it or otherwise claim it as your own.
That's it, enjoy! ❤️
Tags: reader!MC, fem!reader, PWP, fingering and oral (f!receiving), PIV, mentions of overstimulation, Sylus is king of consent, emotional sex, first time together, yes I make all of them eat MC out what are you going to do about it?
Not beta-read we die like Grandma
You point the gun at his chest with a victorious smirk.
“I won. Now for my prize, Mr. Crow.”
Sylus chuckles, the sound rumbling deep from his chest as he raises his hands in mock surrender. His crimson eyes reflect the crackling fire that illuminates the living room.
“Fair and square kitten. Ask away.”
The tension between you two is so thick you could almost grasp it with your hands. In many ways it is not unlike your first ever meeting. Back then you hated him, hated everything he represented. Then you thought you hated him, and then wished you hated him.
And now… Now you hate that you ever hated him.
You still don’t know why Sylus decided to meet you the way he did, but you aren’t naïve enough anymore to believe it’s solely because he is the boss of Onychinus. The discoveries you have made along your journey have made you painfully aware of just how incomplete your worldview was.
The man before you is a killer and a criminal, yes. But a monster he is not. After all he has shown that he is capable of changing and learning from his mistakes; if not for anything or anyone else, then at least for you.
That is why the famously impatient and easily bored man waits for you, his silver eyebrow arched in a silent question, not pushing or prompting. As he has done from the minute he heard you despised him.
Sylus has no problem embarrassing you: he enjoys seeing you squirm and blush, whether due to walking around in little more than a towel hanging precariously from his sinful hips, or due to the sudden tenderness that he slips into your everyday moments together. He doesn’t hide his gaze raking over your body as you try on a new designer dress he bought for you, and if you ask him directly he will tell you in no uncertain terms just how beautiful you are to him. Yet despite the intensity that oozed from his very being, he always stopped at just the right distance. If you so wanted, this night would end like your nights so far had always ended: in separate bedrooms, with you getting more frustrated each time.
Well, not anymore. If you wanted to play the part of a big, fearless hunter, you should be able to manage this much of an offensive.
“I’m getting tired, Sylus.” To emphasize your words, you fake a yawn and stretch.
Sylus lowers his hands and cocks his head to the side. “That doesn’t sound like a question, sweetie.”
You pointedly ignore his jab, place the gun on the table and lay your hands on his shoulders instead.
“Can you take me to bed?”
There’s a sharp flash in his eyes, and you watch as his whole being refocuses on you. His muscles tense ever so slightly, and you see his Adam’s apple bob before he answers you.
“I thought you wanted to know my destination for tomorrow.”
For an outsider that would be a perfectly normal question. But to you, the only one that Sylus has let this close, the quiet raspiness in his voice tells you everything you need to know; the great leader of Onychinus is in the palm of your hand.
You slide your fingers up the sides of his neck to cradle his face. The crackling of the fireplace isn’t quite enough to drown out the quickening of his breath as you lean in closer.
“I’d rather live in the present, so I won’t dwell on a situation beyond my control. So… will you?”
Sylus’ answer is an unsteady exhale before he tightens one broad arm around your waist. You loop your arms around his shoulders as he lifts you off the couch and starts walking towards the master bedroom. His hand on your thigh almost burns through the flimsy fabric of your loungewear set, and his other hand gently turns your head towards him as he passes through the dimly lit corridors. He doesn’t break your gaze for a second, not even as he settles you on the ground between the loveseat and the bed.
“If you want to go to sleep, you need to release me,” he murmurs, making no move to pull apart. You look up at him coyly and press your body against him. Your head barely comes up to his chin, and you can feel his heart thundering in his chest.
“What if I don’t want to let go of you?”
Sylus smirks, but you see that the corner of his mouth quivering. His hold on you tightens again and he turns you both around before nodding towards the loveseat.
“Then I can keep holding you until dawn,” he says and runs his hand up and down your spine. The heat in his gaze is unmistakable now, and yet he doesn’t act on it. The man who forced you to fire a bullet into his heart the first time you met would now rather rip that same heart out with his own bare hands rather than make you uncomfortable.
The sweet tenderness makes you ache, but right at this moment a feeling far more intense demands to be let loose.
You bring your hands to Sylus’ chest and push him onto the loveseat. He lets out a small, surprised huff as you climb onto his lap and cradle his head once more in your hands.
“Then hold me,” you whisper, only inches away from his lips, “until dawn and beyond.”
The small kiss is all it takes for the dam to break. Sylus moans into your mouth and winds his arm tightly behind your hips and his other hand behind your head, locking you in place as he takes the lead. Sylus’ kisses are all-consuming and feverish, with no room for hesitation. You had been confident that he would return your feelings, but the sheer intensity of his actions leaves you breathless.
When your lips are red and swollen he finally pulls away, only to press a line of kisses along your jaw and neck. His hands run along your hips and ass and pull you flush against him. You whine as you feel the outline of his hard cock against your clothed core. He rocks his hips experimentally against yours.
“Is this okay?” he asks as he kisses your earlobe, “you’ll tell me if you want me to stop, right kitten?”
You answer by kissing him deeply. For a moment he lets you grind against him, but then pulls you back and looks at you with seriousness you didn’t expect.
“I need you to say it: ‘I will tell Sylus to stop whenever I want to.’”
You study his face for a moment, and that tender aching in your chest simmers to life again.
“I will tell you to stop whenever I want to,” you echo back to him. “Now take me to bed.”
You gasp as strong hands grab your ass and lift you up as effortlessly as picking up a kitten by its scruff. Sylus’ lips latch onto your neck and the twinge of pain as he sucks on your skin sends a jolt of electricity down to your core.
Sylus sets you down on the bed. His massive frame blocks the ceiling light almost completely from view. It makes his eyes shine even brighter, and you feel your breath catching in your throat. You lift your fingers to gently trace the corner of the eye wherein his Aether core resides.
“Am I greedy if I say I want you to only look at me?”. Sylus isn’t using his power on you, but you can hear your innermost thoughts raging in your head, nonetheless. They form only one name, one target.
Sylus smiles. It isn’t teasing or arrogant as his usual smirks; your question seems to delight him.
“You have always had the right to demand it, kitten. Which means you can be even greedier now.”
He lifts up your hips and grinds your core against his. You whine as he rocks himself against your silk shorts, the thin fabric doing nothing to hide the wetness that soils your panties underneath. The friction of the fabric against your clit makes your toes curl and you squeeze Sylus’ arm in response.
“Sylus…” you groan between kisses. The world around you grows hazy as your brain struggles to give orders to your body. You want everything from him, all at once, but the words die on your tongue and morph into moans and gasps instead.
Luckily there is an end to Sylus’ self-control after all. Just as you think you can’t take it anymore, he leans his forehead against yours and looks at you so reverently it forces your addled mind into focus once more.
“Do you want this?” he asks. This, meaning him, on you, inside you, tonight or for all eternity?
“Yes. All of it. All of you.”
A twinge of energy skitters along your skin as Sylus’ Evol surges from his fingertips. In seconds both of your clothes fall apart, covering the bed in black tatters. Before you can so much as squeak Sylus flips you over and settles you onto his chest. You gasp at the feeling of your bare pussy pressing against his firm chest. He spreads you wide open and strokes the skin of your thighs with his thumbs.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop once I get to taste you,” he says as his fingers slide closer to your center. “So I’m hoping your answer won’t change.”
You shake your head and let your eyes fall close as Sylus strokes your glistening folds with the calloused pads of his fingers. He stays away from your clit, making you whine from frustration. He chuckles and you slap his chest in retaliation.
“I need to hear what you need, sweetie,” he replies as he catches your hand and brings it his lips to kiss it. “Your pleasure is my pleasure. Whatever you want me to do, I will.”
He pushes your hand backwards past your hips. You blindly reach behind you and shudder as you feel his heavy cock resting against his abdomen. The slight touch makes him sigh and you watch as a beautiful flush rises on his cheeks as you gingerly stroke him.
“See how little it takes? Just the mere opportunity to be able to please you has made me this way. So believe me when I say this, kitten… You are allowed to ask anything of me.”
Your breathing struggles to flow as you take in his words. Your thighs tremble at his sides as you finally swallow your hesitation.
“Your mouth, Sylus… I want you to use your mou—”
The rest of the sentence is drowned in a pitiful wail as Sylus pulls you forward onto his face. You hastily brace yourself on the headboard as he pushes his tongue inside you. You can feel his nose bumping against your clit as he eats you out like a man starved. Instinctively you rock your hips against the divine, soft heat of his mouth. You feel him groan against you, his hands gripping you even tighter to block out any notion of pulling back from your position.
“Sylus, Sylus, oh god…” you whimper as you try to stay upright. You feel so incredibly wet it’s almost humiliating, but the relentless pressure makes you forget any rational thought as you fast approach a high you have never experienced before. You feel Sylus take his other hand from your hip and maneuver it under you, and before you can ask him if he needs a break you feel him slide his middle finger inside your pussy. He changes his position to focus more on your clit as he rubs you from the inside. The change in pace makes you howl.
“Please, please, oh god, feels so good Sylus, please, I’m—” you babble and grip the headboard with white knuckles. Stars swim into your vision as your body tenses to a breaking point. When Sylus pushes another finger in your mouth falls agape in a silent scream and you crash over the peak. The orgasm rolls over you like a tidal wave, and if it wasn’t for the strength of Sylus’ hands you would collapse entirely.
You feel like floating when Sylus lifts you up and flips you over onto your back. He wipes his glistening jaw with the back of his hand as he stares into your eyes with a hunger that hasn’t been satiated in the slightest. You let him manhandle you into spreading your legs for him, hands pressing your things apart and down, his cock dragging itself against your glistening pussy.
“More,” he whispers as he squeezes your thighs almost painfully. “Please, let me hear it. Tell me you want it too.”
You watch as his cockhead catches onto your entrance before sliding forward once more. You feel yourself clenching around nothing as you image him inside you, claiming you, filling you to the brim. You are still quivering from your high as you plead him to take you, all of you.
The moment you give him permission he takes it to heart again. He pushes inside you slowly, lets you adjust to his size, his broad chest heaving with the effort of holding back. His eyes are glazed over with both want and something soft, something you don’t dare yet name. His figure becomes unfocused as tears well up in your eyes from the almost painful fullness.
“Sylus, it’s too much,” you gasp, and he kisses the corner of your mouth.
“Just breathe, almost there.”
By the time he has pressed himself in to the hilt of his cock your head is trashing against the pillows and your pussy is leaking around him in a desperate effort to ease the intrusion. Your mind grows hazy once more as he starts to rock into you, and you could swear you feel his cock nudging your goddamn throat at this point. Just as you think you can’t take much more you feel Sylus’ fingers rub tight circles on your clit.
“Let go sweetie. You can cum as many times as you want. We have the whole night after all.”
And with that he pulls out almost completely before slamming back in, his cock pushing straight against the sweet spot inside you. Your world goes white as you shatter around him.
This time he doesn’t stop. He fucks you like a man possessed, pulling orgasm after orgasm from you as you fight to stay coherent. Only your fourth one proves too much for him and he finally spills inside you with a long, shaking groan. Even then it’s merely a moment’s distraction. His cock doesn’t even soften inside you: instead, he fucks his seed deeper into you while shaking from overstimulation. You tell him with a failing voice that he too can stop if he wants to, but your only answer are blunt nails pressing crescent moon shapes into your hips as he carries you both deep into the night.
Tell me you want it.
I do, Sylus. I want it all.
114 notes · View notes
writingsbychlo · 1 day ago
Text
Tumblr media
SPOILT AND CHERISHED | DRACO MALFOY
SUMMARY: draco malfoy has a tendency to buy his way into people's hearts, and you want him to know that it's not necessary. WORD COUNT: 1582 NOTES: specially to match up with my girl @prythiansprincess because we both know just how much draco loves to use his money as foreplay.
Tumblr media
Draco was stressed, you could tell from the persistent tapping of his fingers against his thigh, and the twisting of his signet ring around his middle finger, and it amused you to no end. Slipping your hand into his own, he redirected his attention to you, a smile forming on his lips to hide the frown he’d been wearing, and he leaned closer to press a kiss into your hair. 
Perhaps you should put him out of his misery, but this was a lesson, and one that he had to learn. It was a mentality you’d been chipping away at with him since the day you’d met, long before you’d even started dating, and that was one simple thing: Draco Malfoy did not need to buy love, he was worthy of it without any money at all.
He’d already more than spoiled you this Valentine’s Day, between the surprise weekend trip to London he’d paid for, and the beautiful customised luggage bags he’d presented you with to pack for the trip, it was enough. Yesterday morning, you’d woken up surrounded by enough presents to almost conceal the silk sheets, and his promises about the day ahead. On your joint hands, the promise ring he’d bought you to replace last year’s bumped against his. 
And now, seemingly out of presents to push into your hands, Draco had decided that it wasn’t enough and he needed to treat you to a shopping trip along the London high streets. The problem was that you refused to indulge this behaviour, to let him think this was how he needed to maintain your affection. 
Bringing up your clasped hands, you pressed a kiss to each of his knuckles. “Isn’t this nice, Dray?”
“Yeah, nice…” He mumbled, wrapping your joined hands around you tighter and pulling you into his body. “Do you want to go in here?”
Glancing up at the jewellery shop before you, your eyes skimmed across the displays of glittering diamonds in the window, making sure not to linger on anything in particular, knowing his gaze was on you. Finally, you hummed, shaking your head. “No, I think I’m good. You already got me a lovely necklace this morning.”
He sighed roughly, dragging his free hand through his hair. “Yes, but that was just a piece I pulled from the Vault, I didn’t buy it. I should’ve bought you something new, something more special!”
His voice hit a new high, and you took pity on him somewhat, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “I tell you what, though, I am getting a bit peckish with all this walking. How about we find a little coffee shop somewhere?”
He brightened at that, even just marginally, and nodded his head. Stealing a kiss from your lips, he once again began to guide you along the bustling streets, until you came across a quaint-looking café and stepped inside. The smell of roasted coffee beans and sugary pastries filled your nose, and you spotted a table in the far corner. “Do you want to go and sit down? I can order, and—”
“No, love. I’ll order, go and get comfy.”
“Just a coffee and a muffin, okay?” You watched his gaze flicker over the display cabinets, and he hummed noncommittally as he sent you on your way. Making your way through the crowded room, you secured your seat in the back corner by the window, sunlight filtering through across the wood of the table. Tucking your bag into your side, and shucking off your coat, you were just getting settled when Draco made his reappearance. 
He placed down a steaming mug in front of you, and one in the spare seat designed for him, alongside a paper bag holding what was definitely more than just the one muffin. Taking it from him and opening the top, you raised a brow at him, and he fixed you with an innocent look as he blew the steam off of his latte. “What? You didn’t say which one you wanted, and I didn’t want to guess.”
“You know what my favourite is.”
“At Puddifoots, sure. Not here, I thought maybe you’d want something new.” He smirked, like he’d won a Quidditch match, and you plucked out his favourite and offered it to him. A lemon muffin, one he accepted happily, peeling back the wrapper as you selected a chocolate one. “Are you having a good day?”
“Yes, of course I am.” You smiled, “And I’m having a lovely weekend too.”
“Are you sure? Because if there’s something else you’d rather—”
“Draco.” You quieted him, taking his hand across the table and encouraging him to put down his drink so you could hold the other too. Squeezing his hands in yours, you hoped he could read the earnestness on your face and trust in it. “I am happy, wherever we are, just because I’m with you. I need you to understand that. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on an activity, or whether we spend all weekend sitting in your dorm back at Hogwarts, I’m happy just because we’re together.”
His throat bobbed, and he shifted in his chair, clearly uncomfortable as his hands twitched in your own. “I know, love, but I still want to treat you.”
“But I don’t think you do know, Draco. Listen to me, I don’t want you to buy me lavish presents like this, or feel like you have to spend your fortune on emeralds and diamonds for me.”
“So you don’t like your gifts?” He pressed, and your shoulders slumped. “I loved my presents, Draco. They’re gorgeous, and I love being here in London, you know how much I love it here. You did everything right, baby. But I just need you to understand that it isn’t the gifts or the trips or the money that make me want to be with you, and I want you to stop worrying and just enjoy the day. Enjoy being with me, like I enjoy being with you. I love you because you’re Draco, not because you’re Draco Malfoy.”
He blinked at you, several times in confusion as he processed, before a shaky breath left his lips. “I know. I get it, and I understand. But it’s just…” His words trickled out, frustration lacing his tone, and he took a deep swig of his coffee, wincing as he swallowed the hot liquid. “I want to look after you. I rely on you to even function. I love you so much it hurts, and I know if you left me I’d fall apart. I need you to need me like that too. I need you to rely on me, to want me, and you don’t, because you’re so strong and wonderful. But if I can’t… if I can’t even spoil you on special days, what else do I have to give?”
“Yourself.” Your words rushed out, “Draco, I need you like that too. You’re the only person I want to see when I’ve had a hard day, you’re the only person who can comfort me when I’m upset, and you’re the only person who I want to be with all day every day because you make me feel calm and safe, and happy.” 
“But I like to buy things for you, too.”
“And you still can, Godric knows you’ve got the money for it, Dray.” At that, at least a small smirk took over the sad frown on his face. “If it makes you feel any better, you can buy me more of my essentials. I’ve been needing a new lipstick. I’m not saying stop buying things for me, Draco. You like gift giving and I like getting gifts.”
Leaning in a little closer, Draco followed suit, his nose bumping yours across the table. Dropping your voice down to speak again, you made sure it was just a whisper between the two of you;
“And, you know what, Dray?” 
“What?” He murmured, eyes slipping closed as he pressed a kiss to the tip of your nose. 
“I’m pretty sure spoiling me turns you on.”
“Oh, it does.” He breathed out, sealing the words with a kiss to your lips this time. He tasted like coffee and the sour sugary lemon of his cupcake. “Getting to spend my money on you, seeing you wearing the clothes and diamonds and pretty things I buy you, I love it.”
He sinks back into his seat as you watch, a matching blush on both of your cheeks and a warmth in your eyes that would carry the two of you through the rest of your day and back to your hotel room later tonight. “Good. But stop stressing over whether it’s enough. Spoil me for the sake of it, don’t spoil me to buy my affections, because you already have them. When you buy me something, just let it be a gift, okay?”
Somewhat reluctantly, he nodded, his fingers tapping an irritated rhythm on the top of the table before his palm at last fell flat. “Okay.”
“I love you, Draco.”
He smiled at that, the pink on his cheeks deepening. “I love you too, mon amour. Now, will you please let me spoil you some more when we leave here?”
“Sure, as long as you know they’re just empty gifts.”
He rolled his eyes, but grinned. “I saw a shop a few streets back that would really be a gift to both of us if you’d wear it later…”
“Now you’re talking.”
116 notes · View notes
hypnonerd1095 · 2 days ago
Text
Contract
"Wake up Amanda"
Amanda blinked, confusion and drowsiness washing over her as she stumbled a bit, thankfully the man who had spoken to her was quick to catch her and steady her back on her feet.
"Easy there Amanda, I know it's disorienting, just take it slow. Good girl" the man said reassuringly
She shook her head a bit, trying to regain her bearings. She hadn't responded to the name Amanda for over a month now, it took a moment to even recognize the man was speaking to her, but being called a good girl sent a wave of calm and contentment through her that helped slow her thoughts enough to focus. That was right, she was Amanda, and this man had been her employer for the past month... what was his name again? The memory of that was fuzzy, the only name she could come up with was Master...
"Ngh... is it always this bothersome when we wake up?" Amanda grumbled, letting Master guide her to a chair as she rubbed her temples "no offense Master, but you should really work on this... also why can't I remember your name?"
Master chuckled "it gets easier the more used to it you become. This was your first time so it makes sense your thoughts are jumbled. As for my name, that's a bit of a safety precaution. Can't have you spreading word about this position around after your employment ends, everything is technically above board, but you never know what kind of protesters might show up on principle" he explained
"Right... the position... " Amanda mumbled "so I've seriously been your slave for a month? I can only remember bits and pieces. Guess that's part of it huh?"
"Yes, we can negotiate how much you do or don't want to remember. Some of my girls enjoy knowing exactly what is being done to them in their waking lives, some wish to leave their work lives separate. For trial runs like this we default to partial remembrance, in case you decide not to renew" Master said with a nod, providing her a laptop "feel free to confirm your payment was received and anything else you like. I'll have a servant bring you something to drink that should help. We can talk more when your head is fully clear"
Amanda nodded, logging into her bank account, wow, that was a lot more zeroes at the end of her balance than she was used to. Checking the transaction history, it was legit. Exactly the amount he'd promised, and a little more to boot for "extraordinary performance." She didn't know what that referred to but she blushed at the words, she had a decent idea.
A woman "dressed" in what one might classify as "underwear" if they were feeling generous came in with a plate of food and a fizzy drink. Amanda couldn't help but steal glances at the woman as she stood at attention, smiling down at Amanda blissfully.
"T-thanks" Amanda murmured, focusing on her meal. Is that what she'd looked like? The woman seemed so happy and content, didn't even seem cold from the lack of clothing.
It was hard to believe this job was real. Voluntarily be turned into a hypnotized slave for a predetermined length of time, all living expenses covered, and get paid a generous wage to use as she saw fit during her time off. She could even set limits on what tasks she'd be used for... though the less restrictions she placed on her service the more she was paid.
When Master had approached her with his offer she'd almost called the cops on him to have him carted away to an asylum. Only a sizable up front deposit had convinced her to humor him... but there was no denying it was real now.
When Master returned, he carried with him several different contracts. "Now that you've had time to clear your head, I've brought you options to review going forward. You can, of course, decide this job isn't for you. But you did quite well here, I'm prepared to offer you quite a generous starting wage." he said, putting the various contracts down in front of her.
Amanda looked over the contracts, various lengths, with varying amounts of time on and off duty. With what she'd made already she could easily walk away, this nest egg would carry her a long time. She could go back to her old boring job, serving customers with a fake smile, following inane orders from bosses who either didn't know or didn't care how impossible their expectations were. All for a pitiful wage that wasn't remotely worth it. It'd be better now, with these savings she had... but...
Amanda glanced at the slave next to her, that blissful expression mixed with arousal now that Master was here. Was being a hypnotized slave really worse than being a wage slave? She could feel like THAT all day, and live in luxury on her weeks off. Work this job for a few years and she could even retire!
She barely needed to think about it as she took the longest-term contract on offer, filled out her choice of restrictions, and signed her name. Probably the last time she'd be using her name for quite a while. Her Master smiled.
"Glad to have you with us, my Good Girl. Now then, slave A-42 activate"
Amanda smiled as the trigger took hold, she was going to enjoy this new job.
97 notes · View notes
impish-baby · 1 day ago
Note
which of your familial yandere’s do you think would best handle a moody teenager? I’m definitely a fan of the fics where the reader is cute and obedient but I never see much for the older agere’s 😭
This ask is so cute- apologies if I made teen regressor! reader too stereotypical, I just found it funny
Tumblr media
Valerian: wants to be a cool parent so bad but they're old-
They do not care for most modern technology but they're sitting there with their reading glasses trying to google all the current lingo and what's hot with the kids these days, will definitely come up to you asking why your generation is into certain things (boomer but times 10,000, they've been alive centuries)
It's a good thing for you if you're into certain alternative fashions because Valerian's wardrobe is stocked full of choices for more goth or lolita looks! They never mind sharing, they're more than happy to have you giving their pieces another life (maybe will be a little miffed if you decide to use something for a DIY without asking first, but they get over it fairly quickly and immediately turn to fawning over your work)
Tentatively let's you go out to concerts and different things, with a chaperone of course! They will not hear any moaning over you being old enough to go by yourself, you're still their baby and need someone to make sure you're safe! (Don't think you'll make any friends though, for some reason everyone avoids you like the plague..)
Rowen: does not stop talking about when he was in a band in high school, you could like a totally different genre of music and he still chats about it because he's (admittedly poorly) trying to connect with you
He's dealt with two other kids before, so attitude problems are no stranger to him! He never takes anything personally, but will threaten to take your door if you keep slamming it (never actually does, he just finds it to be the most annoying part) I think he'd get you lots of journals and self help books just because he knows how difficult and large emotions can be at that age
Unfortunately, you're still not allowed to go anywhere unless you're willing to make it a family trip! None of his kids are allowed in town without him, and sneaking out isn't really an option when he (not to mention your siblings) can out pace you easily. You'll get locked up in the den for the effort though :p
Sylvia: She... does not do well with teen regressors (._.) She tries her best of course, but is very used to babies/toddlers
Her first thought when you're in a mood is that you're throwing a tantrum and she'll start to treat it as such, which does the opposite of helping because it just feels like she's making fun of you-
She messages her coven apologizing for her own teen years..
Eventually, figures out that things go smoother if she takes on more of a big sister role instead of a motherly one. Is very much into gossiping and watching TV together (still doesn't let you watch anything too 'inappropriate', she frowns anytime there's even a mild curse)
Thoren and Rune: *sniffles* they grow up so fast.. they're both sad about their fledgling deciding they're oh so mature and broody
Rune has a habit of mimicking you, annoyingly enough. The deep sighs, eye rolls, he finds it funny how much it bothers you (and despite your efforts, he can tell you also find it humorous sometimes, no feeling escapes the bond)
They mandate cuddling, not that they didn't before, it's just worse now that you act like you're too good for some snuggles from your sires! It doesn't matter how much you fuss about it, you're being dragged into the nest one way or another
My personal ranking for this group best to worst is: Rowen, Thoren and Rune, Valerian, and lastly Sylvia
Tumblr media
85 notes · View notes
hyperfocusthusly · 2 days ago
Text
Falling right into you
@bucktommyfluffebruary - Day 16 prompt: AU: Didn’t know they were dating
Notes: pre-relationship, getting to know each other, accidentally dating they’re just too oblivious to see it, minor injury | rated: G | words: 3.5k
All of my love to @leashybebes for listening to me yap about it and giving me the motivation to get on with it! Also shout out to @livelaughlou and @bybobbysbeard for saving me with their Die Hard knowledge when I made the frankly insane choice to include in this fic a film I’ve never seen 🫶🏻
[Read on Ao3]
———
It had been a long day. None of their calls had been anything too serious but it had been relentless. Every time Tommy had laid his head down on a bunk pillow he had been interrupted by the alarm. He felt heavy, right down to his bones. He had made it home, but between the sleep deprived grittiness of his vision and the way his hands felt like they were made of lead, manoeuvring his key into the lock was proving difficult. He stepped back and cursed, squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear some of the fog building up in his brain.
As he opened them again the door clicked open, it took him a moment to register that someone was stood in the doorway. Someone was inside his house.
“Hey, long shift?”
Evan, Evan Buckley, his brain supplied. 118, Howie’s friend, he’s staying here because frat houses are not conducive to sleeping well enough to be an effective first responder. Tommy lets out a sigh, he could have used being alone tonight.
“Something like that.”
Evan steps back from the doorway and Tommy comes into the house, it smells great, Evan is always cooking something and, as Tommy has discovered, he’s pretty good at it. His stomach rumbles. He looks over at the pot on the stove, bubbling with a rich red sauce, thinks about the reheated leftovers he had set aside for dinner, if he even gets that far. A shower was the first priority. The ones at Harbour were fine for a quick rinse, but he longed for the quiet solitude of his own bathroom to truly wash away the day’s grime.
When Tommy re-emerges he feels a bit more human and a bit less grumpy about his decision to share his home with a practical stranger. He goes to the kitchen, it appears empty until Evan pops up from behind the kitchen island, making Tommy jump.
“Oh, sorry!” He is holding two plates, uses one to gesture towards the pot on the side. “Do you want some? I’ve made way too much for just me.” Tommy can’t deny that it looks and smells incredible, he thinks about declining but cooking is not his forte and he could do with some good food right now.
“Yeah, if you’re sure that’s okay?”
Buck grins, it lights up his whole face, makes his bright blue eyes sparkle.
“Of course, I’ll bring it over.”
They sit down at the table together, while they’re eating Evan tells him about the last shift he had, getting used to the routine and workings of the firehouse. Tommy nods along, it’s all familiar to him. He offers little pieces of advice as they go.
Once they’ve finished eating Tommy clears away the plates, he’s loading the dishwasher as Evan comes alongside him and starts running the tap into the sink to wash up. They clean up in companionable quiet. With all the jobs done Tommy heads towards the stairs, he turns to Evan and gives him a quick half wave.
“Goodnight, thanks for dinner.”
“No problem, glad you liked it.”
He gives Evan a parting smile and goes up to his room, settling quickly under the covers. He can hear the light sounds of Evan padding around the living room. He doesn’t mind it, the house feels more comfortable somehow, less empty. Maybe having a housemate isn’t such a bad thing after all.
——
Spring has started to show itself and Tommy has decided that today was the day to throw himself into a full house clean. With Evan’s help it had taken half the time it usually did. Finishing up in the kitchen, Tommy is on his knees bent around inside the corner cupboard wiping out the last of the dust.
“You doing okay in there?”
“Yeah.” His voice comes out muffled. He shuffles out, his hair is sticking up everywhere. Buck offers his hand and helps Tommy up. He leans over and drops the cloth he had been using in the sink. He wipes the back of his hand across his forehead. “Now I know how a TV dinner feels.”
The reference goes straight over Buck’s head, confusion spreading over his face.
“Oh come on, it’s Die Hard.”
“I’ve never seen it. It’s a Christmas film right?”
“A- a Christmas film?” The incredulous tone of Tommy’s voice makes Buck feel immediately like he’s got something fairly wrong.
“Does it not happen on Christmas Day?”
“Well yeah.” Tommy is gathering up the cleaning supplies from the counters, putting them back in their respective cupboards.
“But it’s not a Christmas film. It’s just a film that happens to occur at Christmas.”
Buck scrunches his brow.
“Riiight.”
“Okay, okay, come here.” Tommy takes Buck by the elbow and leads him into the living room. He goes to the DVD lined bookshelf and starts skimming through the titles.
“Sit down” he calls over his shoulder. “We’re watching it right now.”
Buck smiles to himself, it’s been a few weeks, but he finally feels like he’s starting to crack into Tommy’s shell.
“Yes sir.” He makes a mock salute and flops down onto the small couch.
Tommy rolls his eyes good naturedly, sits down next to him and starts the movie.
He can tell it’s coming, but the shot that kills the first hostage still makes Buck flinch. His leg bumps against Tommy’s but he is too involved in the movie to really notice. Tommy notices though, the soft press of Evan’s sweatpants and the warmth radiating from him is hard to ignore. He takes a deep breath and tries to concentrate on the TV.
It isn’t until the scene moves on that Buck realises his thigh is still touching Tommy’s. His gaze flickers down to where they’re pressed together, is it weird to stay like this? Should he move? The couch is small, not really designed to hold to grown men with any additional room and Tommy hasn’t made any indication that he wants Buck to move. He decides that it’s probably been too long anyway, doing it now would be more awkward than not, right?
——-
By the time Hans Gruber is falling backwards out of a shattered glass window Buck feels like he’s been on a rollercoaster.
The credits start up and he looks over at Tommy,
“Definitely not a Christmas film.”
Tommy stares at him for a second before bursting out laughing.
——-
The next day Tommy gets home from his shift and dumps his bag down by the island, comes into the kitchen to see what Evan was making for dinner. It had become a routine of theirs, not that Tommy minded. Evan was far better in the kitchen department than he was. He was starting to find that he enjoyed having someone to come home to.
He goes to the fridge, it had been hot that day and he was in desperate need of a cold drink.
“I’m sure that cooking without a shirt on is probably a hazard of some kind.”
Evan is fiddling with the scale settings, carefully measuring out ingredients before mixing them together in a saucepan.
“Oh yeah,” he looks down at himself quickly, as if he had forgotten about his bare torso. “I-I can go and get one if it bothers you?”
Tommy waves a hand around the open fridge door.
“No it’s fine, as long as you don’t burn yourself.”
“I have no intention of doing so.”
Tommy chuckles,
“You of all people should know that nobody intends to burn anything.”
Buck laughs,
“That’s true.” He wavers for a moment, stirring the contents of the saucepan, like he can’t decide if he wants to say something.
Tommy watches him carefully.
“Hey did you know that Bruce Willis wasn’t the first choice to play John McClane?”
“No, I didn’t.” Buck face lights up with the knowledge that he’s giving Tommy something new.
“Yeah, he was like sixth in line, they offered it to bunch of people like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Harrison Ford before they gave it to him. Apparently because he was in a show called Moonlighting at the time which was more like a drama comedy thing? They weren’t super sure he’d be a good fit for all the action.”
“Hard to imagine anyone else doing it now.”
Tommy watches Evan, he’s bouncing on the balls of his feet, radiating energy. “Wait, how did you know? I thought you said you’d never watched it before?”
“I hadn’t.” Evan grins and slips past him to get to the fridge. He tries not to think about the bare heat of Evan’s bicep as it brushes past his own. “I was listening to this podcast at work today.” He comes back past, waving the stick of celery he had retrieved as he talks. “While we were restocking the engine, it was really interesting - apparently McClane wasn’t meant to fall so far in the elevator scene, he was supposed to stop at the first vent but when they short the stunt man slipped and fell further than he was meant to.”
Tommy isn’t paying as much attention to Evan’s words as he should be. He is watching the muscles in Evan’s back move as he chops the vegetables on the counter in front of him. The up and down of his shoulder, the flex across his shoulder blade when he has to press down through something harder. Selfishly imagining what it would feel like to feel those muscles shift under his hands, to press a kiss to the juncture of Evan’s neck while he’s cooking, rambling about a film he had no interest in before yesterday. A film that he went and researched because he thought Tommy would like the extra information. He squeezes his eyes shut, scrubs a hand over his cheek. He needs to get a hold of himself. Evan is straight. He’s has never talked about anything other than women as far as Tommy can remember and even if he wasn’t, it’s not like he would be interested in Tommy anyway.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed Evan turn to face him, the stream of consciousness coming to an abrupt halt. He realises that he hasn’t listened to a word Evan had said in the last few minutes.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to zone out I just-“ he not sure how to finish the sentence. ‘Sorry I wasn’t listening, I was too busy thinking about biting your traps’ didn’t feel at all appropriate.
“It’s okay.” Evan’s voice is smaller now, his shoulders have dropped, something unreadable on his face. “I talk to much, I don’t blame you for not-”
Tommy takes a step forward, he see the hurt in Evan’s eyes, cast down to the floor.
“It’s not that.” Before he knows what he’s doing he’s reached forward and wrapped his hand around Evan’s wrist. “I was just somewhere else, which is on me, not you. I want to hear about it.”
Evan chews on his lip, fingers curling up in his palm, up towards Tommy’s hand.
“Really?”
“I promise.”
Evan looks up and meets Tommy’s reassuring gaze. He swallows, can feel something in the air like crackling static. He can feel Tommy’s hand curled around his arm, drawing him in. He feels himself being pulled into to Tommy’s space, he just wants to be closer and closer -
He’s so lost in the moment that the alarm going off on his phone makes him jump clean out of his skin. He fumbles with it on the side, the noise finally stopping. He looks back but the moment is gone, Tommy quickly lets go of his arm and mumbles something about going to set the table. Buck watches him leave the room. He looks down at his arm, the residual heat still clinging there. Tommy is a good looking guy, sure. Buck can appreciate an objectively attractive man, but he’s never considered it any further than that. He furrows his brow and runs his fingers along the inside of his arm. That hadn’t felt very objective.
——-
Buck is stood in the grocery store staring at the vegetables section. He glances down at the list. ‘potatoes’ is scrawled there in Tommy’s slanted handwriting. Buck sighs, Tommy had done the meal planning this week because Buck’s shifts had been long and exhausting, which was sweet of him. Normally it’s Buck’s job, one of the things they had agreed on when he moved in. Recently things had become a little looser, Tommy had started picking up the jobs than Buck was too exhausted to get to and in return Buck had done the cleaning allotted to Tommy this week. They were beginning to cross over more, it is starting to feel like living with a friend rather than emergency bunking with Chimney’s old colleague.
He fidgets, can still feel the ghost of Tommy’s fingers curling around his wrist, can still feel the desire to hold his in return. He remembers the charge in the air, the sudden, overwhelming desire to close the space between them to lean in and-
He is jarred out of his thoughts by someone clearing their throat next to him. He looks across and realises that he has been holding up everyone else who needs to get theirs.
“Sorry.” He mumbles and shuffles out of the way. He’s probably overthinking it, considers that he might be the only person who thinks this much about type and variety of potatoes. He pulls out his phone anyway, flicks open Tommy’s contact. He’s hitting the call button before he can talk himself out of it. It rings and rings.
He closes his eyes and considers what kind of insane voice mail he is about to leave for the poor unsuspecting guy who kindly lets Buck live in his house when Tommy picks up.
“Hey Evan, everything okay?” He sounds out of breath.
“Oh uhm, yeah everything’s fine I was just-” Buck pauses, Tommy is still breathing heavily on the other side of the phone.
“Are you okay? I’m not interrupting anything?” He hears Tommy shift around.
“No, I was just working out, trying to squeeze something in before we get called out again.”
“Oh, okay.” Buck’s mind is suddenly so far away, images of Tommy working out, muscles pumping, sweat running down the thick column of his neck, damping his collarbones, rivulets making their way between his pecs and-
Not for the first time that day, Buck is pulled out of his thoughts by someone clearing their throat.
“Evan? You still there?”
“Oh! Yeah, sorry. I was just calling because-” He swallows nervously, suddenly afraid that Tommy can somehow read his thoughts. He glances back at the potatoes, wonders how he ended up here.
“I am just at the grocery store,”
“You’re doing the shopping?”
“Yeah, I had some time and nobody really wants to go shopping on their way home from work so I just thought it would be easier if I did it.”
“Oh, uhm, thanks.” There is something unreadable in his voice, panic flutters through Buck’s chest, but before he can spiral out too far Tommy’s voice comes back into his ear.
“I appreciate it, you’re right, nobody does want to go shopping on their way home.”
Buck can’t help but smile.
“And as for the potatoes, I can’t say that I know specifically, usually I just grab whatever is closest.”
“What do you need them for?”
“I was just going to make wedges.”
“Okay, so probably like a Russet then?”
“If that’s what you think is best.”
“Yeah it’s got a good skin and it’s more starchy so the inside will be fluffier and-” He stops himself, hears Tommy chuckle.
“I’ve never known anyone to know so much about everything.”
“Well it’s important Thomas.” He hears the pout in his own voice. Tommy laughs again.
“It sounds like it is, I’m sure I’ll hear all about it when I get home.”
“You sure will.” The sound of the station alarm cuts through the call.
“Oh shoot, gotta go.”
“Yeah of course, be safe.” It slips out of Buck’s mouth so easily.
“I will, see you later.”
——-
A few day later Buck is lounging on the couch in a pair of boxers and slightly too long jumper, the only things he could be bothered to put on after his post shift shower, when he hears the handle of the front door.
He tenses. Tommy is on shift until 7pm so it shouldn’t be him and he isn’t expecting anyone else. The door rattles slightly, like the person on the other side is having trouble getting in. He can hear two different voices outside. His heart starts to pound in his chest. He glances around for his phone, curses when he realises that it’s upstairs on charge. Instead grabs the nearest thing to hand and raises it in front of him. He takes a deep breath and plants his feet ready for whatever is coming through the door.
Finally the handle swoops down and the door opens.
There’s a moment of silence.
“You planning to hit me with that?”
Buck lets out a huge breath and drops his arms.
“Tommy! What the hell, you are definitely not meant to be home yet!”
There’s a laugh from beside the front door,
“Wow Kinard, Hell of a home security system you have here.”
Buck looks at his chosen defensive object, a stainless steel water bottle as it turns out, maybe not his best choice.
“Hey now Luce, be nice to him, he was ready to defend my home.” He looks at Buck with a sparkle in his eye, he tilts his head as he takes in Buck’s chosen outfit. Lips quirked up in a smile. Buck suddenly feels self conscious, he tugs on the hem of the jumper.
“I wasn’t expecting you home yet.”
“It’s fine, I should have called. I wasn’t really expecting to be home yet either but-” He gestures up towards his head and Buck registers the thick white bandage covering a large portion of Tommy’s forehead, curving down around his temple. Buck all but drops the water bottle and rushes over. How could he not have seen that immediately?
“God, are you okay?” Without thinking he takes Tommy’s face in his hands, looks more closely at the bandages, counts the tiny cuts that are scattered across his cheek.
Tommy protests the attention a little, but makes no move to get out of Buck’s grip.
“I’m fine, Evan.” Buck furrows his brow and keeps cataloging Tommy’s injuries. A cut above his eyebrow catches Buck attention and he gently swipes back a loose curl to get a closer look at it.
“Evan.” Tommy’s voice is soft now, gentle. Buck realises that they’re only inches apart, he can feel Tommy’s warm breath ghosting across his cheek.
“Okay so I only have one question.” They both startle as if they’ve forgotten they aren’t alone.
“Why did I have to bring you back when you apparently have a perfectly good boyfriend at home? Does he not drive?”
Buck takes half a step back, his hand slips a little, but doesn’t break contact with Tommy.
“I- I can drive.” Tommy holds his breath, waits for the denial. It shouldn’t hurt so much he thinks, to hear it out loud. He squeezes his eyes shut.
He had let himself hope, ever since Evan had spent a whole 2 hour movie squashed into his side. Since they had started having dinner together, spending the time they weren’t on shifts closer and closer. He shouldn’t have let himself believe there might be a chance, waits for Evan to deny Lucy’s assumption of their relationship.
But he doesn’t.
“Right well, whatever is going on here-” he can hear the teasing in her tone, “I have to get back to work.” There’s a clatter of keys and the door clicks shut behind her. Tommy feels frozen in place, Evan’s hand is still cupped around his jaw. Tommy opens his eyes and Evan is just as close as he was when he closed them. There’s something in his eyes, bright and hopeful.
“You didn’t tell her you aren’t my boyfriend.”
“Well,” Evan’s tongue darts out nervously, “what if I wanted to be?”
“You want to be my boyfriend?”
Evan’s eyes soften impossibly at the hint of disbelief in Tommy’s voice.
“I do.”
“I want to be yours too.”
“Glad we’re on the same page.”
Buck inches closer, tilts his head up. It seems so obvious now, as their lips meet. Tommy’s hand is brushing up his arm, coming to rest at the juncture of his neck. The kiss is soft and gentle, makes Buck feel like he’s unraveling in the best way. So clear what the feeling was when he was obsessing over the places where their bodies touched on the couch. When he was working to make Tommy laugh, going after new information just to be able to give him something. Calling in the middle of Tommy’s shift just to make sure he was getting the right potatoes. Buck smiles against Tommy’s lips, they part minutely.
“Something funny?” Tommy’s voice is barely a whisper.
“We really have just been accidentally dating haven’t we?”
Tommy huffs out a laugh, Buck feels it where his hands have found themselves against Tommy’s back.
“Mmm, I do think that’s what has happened.”
Buck drops his head, slides into the crook of Tommy’s shoulder.
“I’ve never accidentally dated anyone before.”
“Well I’m more than happy to be your first.”
Tagging some beloveds (as always let me know if you want to be added or removed);
@loulou-land @loucifersbitch @dark-alice-lilith @mmso-notlikethat @laundryandtaxesworld @hippolotamus @bucksaiga @sad-girl-hours23 @evansbuck-ley @typicalopposite
@moonydanny @teenmaximoff @bucksboobs @ohithankyou @bi-bi-buckleys @rubydaiquiri @hellion-child @aringofsalt @sweaters-and-silly @theotherbuckley @comfortingevanbuckley @epiphainie @wikiangela @bidisasterevankinard
@sunnywithachanceofbi @blitzynatural @big-urchin-energy @fyrehose @buckleyskinards @owlgirl495 @honeyloulou @setmeatopthepyre @salty-autistic-writer @thecarrott
113 notes · View notes
americas-ass-writing · 14 hours ago
Text
Bouquet
Steve Rogers x reader
Summary: Steve unveils a bouquet of secrets.
Words: 2.3k
Warnings: mentions of injuries, mentions of a hospital/ medbay, being soaked, I'm probably switching between tenses, probably more mistakes
A/M: this is a little birthday gift for the lovely @anika-ann 🩷 idk if you remember but we did have a little conversation about Steve using flower codes like this 🥰 I hope you enjoy!
Divider by @saradika-graphics
Tumblr media
Dating Steve Rogers had it's perks. Like falling asleep in a warm embrace, endless treats because he felt like it, fresh flowers every Monday, surprise visits for lunch, the list goes on. But it certainly also had it's downsides. Waking up to an empty bed because he went on his morning run, waking up at 3am to an emergency callout, being alone and worrying while he's on a mission. Overall it was great though. You've never felt as loved before.
With Steve came his little disfunctionsl family that never failed to show up for you when Steve was out of town. May it be Tony bringing you a treat or Natasha inviting you for movie night or just going on a walk with Clint and Lucky. It was like you were part of their family and you're pretty sure you are.
Tumblr media
The day started off like any other when Steve was out on a mission. You woke up to an empty bed, missing the heat Steve usually brought along throughout the night. By the time you finally convinced yourself to get up and ready for the day you usually already have a morning text from him. Every single one no matter how small or articulate brought a smile to your face. It meant he was safe and that was the most important thing. It also made you miss him more and often led to worry that it might have been the last morning text you'd ever receive from him.
Deciding you need to get ready to head to work you made your way to the bathroom and from there your day just turns south. The toothpaste you could swear was full last night was suddenly empty, the new fancy hair tool blowed out a fuse and your makeup just doesn't wanted to turn out the way you need it to. Cutting your losses you grabbed your lunch, shoved it in your work bag and headed out.
The way to work was not better. It was raining cats and dogs and on top of that storming so bad your umbrella didn't held a chance. You arrived at the office wet, cold and with a deep regret of not listening to Steve who told you to keep a change of clothes at work. Settled in at your desk you just had to vent about the morning you had. Steve always encouraged you to text him about everything, even if he couldn't answer right away. So you did just that before starting up your computer and trying to find the best position to stay out of the ac blasting air your way. You managed to get some tasks done despite your manager scrambling all the plans once again and soon found yourself taking out your lunch. The red container lid made you stop. Red was pre cut onions and garlic... Purple was your lunch. Your shoulders sacked as you opened the container and did indeed find onions and garlic chopped into cubes. Well this wouldn't suffice as lunch and it was still storming outside. What were you supposed to do? Maybe the break room had some leftovers you could grab if no one claimed them before you. Just as you were about to head there you spotted a familiar brunette at the reception. Her green eyes met yours as the receptionist points your way and her face lit up with a smile. Oh you were never happier to see Wanda strolling in for a lunch date than today!
The bag from your favourite sandwich place made your mouth water as you meet her halfway only to usher her back to your cubicle.
"You're wet!" Her concern made you remember that you where still in your now only a bit dryer clothes from this morning. As you explain the situation to her she frowns. "Well I've been shopping before this. You can change into the clothes I got so you won't get sick." Wanda's eyes are full of concern as she pulls some pieces out of a brown paper back. A pair of dark blue jeans, white sneakers and a nice blue sweater land in your hands before she ushers you off to the bathroom to change. You're so glad you share the same shoe size, the wet shoes bothered you the most. As you return she already has the sandwich, a softdrink and your favourite side set out for you, alongside her sandwich and a soup. The soup is quickly shared between you and your break is filled with laughter, reassurance that Steve will return in one piece and a warm hug goodbye. Wanda takes along your wet clothes, promising to dry them and leaves you with a new rain jacket she bought today because she thought it was pretty. As you go back to work, refueled and with your mind refreshed you never even think about the fact that you and Wanda don't share the same size.
Tumblr media
During the second half of your shift you get a text informing you that the sent out team, alongside your beloved captain, is on their way back but that Steve is injured and probably needs surgery. They asked you to come in after you're done for the day so you're there when he wakes up. You spent the time left from your shift worrying about him and as soon as the clock strikes 4pm you're on your way out.
The rainjacket Wanda suplied you with comes in handy with the awful weather. Luckily you make it to the subway before the 5pm rush and board the line that stops closest to the tower. It takes you half an hour till you finally step into the lobby of the tower and rush to the elevator where your second favourite blonde is already waiting for you. Clint gives you a wave and an encouraging smile before he ushers you into the elevator. "He's fine. Already awake from surgery but still a bit loopy from whatever they pumped into him to make him sleep. Loverboy got shot when he went back in for hostages, you know how he is." Clint explains and hands you the cup he was holding. You know it's your favourite tea without even trying and thank you with a small smile. "He's stupid sometimes..." You attempt to joke and Clint gives you a smile and a nod.
"That he is. But he'll be fine. So throw those worries out and please enjoy him drugged up on anesthetic while it lasts. It's a rare opportunity." That is true. Normally his system burns through anything in minutes if not even seconds. The medbay team had been struggling for years till they finally figured something out that worked. And even that didn't stay long in Steve's body. You follow Clint to the room that your boyfriend is in and already hear the laughter of his best friends. Clint throws you an I-told-you-so smile before he leads you inside. Your eyes immediately fall on your boyfriend, bandaged up, with his hips awkwardly lifted as Bucky seemingly helps him get his underwear on, with the blanket hiding his modesty. Both Sam and Bucky are laughing but stop as soon as they see you. Bucky finishes what he's been doing and keeps his hand on Steve's chest to keep him from sitting up.
Your boyfriend immediately perks up when he sees you. "Sweetheart!" His goofy smile immediately falls into a deep frown when he takes you in. You step closer and cup his face softly. "Hey..." You say quietly but his frown is still in place. "You're sad..." He says it with such disappointment that you almost think he's gonna fight the entire world for you. "A bit yeah... I'm worried." You say and try to smooth out the frown on his forehead. He throws the arm that's not in a sling out to Bucky. "Buck! Give me my phone!" The order is barked a bit too loud. Everyone is confused for a moment. At the silence and lack of phone his eyes snap to Bucky with a venom you have never seen on your boyfriends face before. "Phone. Now." He barks so serious you almost ask yourself if the anesthetic already wore off. "Why?" Bucky asks, the confusion still on his face.
"She's sad! I need to send a code to Clint so he asks her to join him on a walk with Lucky!" He explains as if it's super obvious. You're confused... a code? To Clint? Your eyes wander from Steve, to Bucky over Sam and then to Clint. Bucky looks like he's mentally facepalming himself, Sam stands there as if his mother caught him doing something that's definitely forbidden and Clint hides his amusement behind his cup of coffee. "Steve. Clint is in the room with us." Bucky deadpans and Steve looks to Clint. He lights up a bit. "Oh good! Clint! Code hyacint!"
Clint chuckles and shakes his head, looking at you. He's enjoying the free show way too much after an exhausting mission. Steve's face grows angry but before he can snap at Clint you pull his attention to you. "Code hyacint? Steve what's that supposed to mean?" You ask and he just blinks at you.
"It means... That... I text that to Clint when you're sad. You like dogs and nature so I ask him to take you for a walk with Lucky." Your confusion melts away to adoration. That's so cute and considerate. You smile at him and press a kiss to his forehead.
"That's very kind of you Stevie. But I'd rather stay here and be with you at the moment. Is that okay?" You asks sweetly and he beams at you. "Yes! Do you need anything? I can text a code to someone else!" He offers with childlike excitement.
"There's... more than one?" You ask, your unsure gaze snaps at Bucky's stifled chuckle. "There's an entire bouquet." Sam grins, seemingly more comfortable with the situation now. You're confused once again. An entire bouquet? How many exactly where there?
"Don't be mad. I just don't want to lose you." Steve pouts at you. "Lose me? Steve that's insane you wouldn't lose me..." You're interrupted by a sob from your boyfriend.
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me! You're my one shot at love! I'm sorry for going behind your back but when I'm not home I need all the help I can get!" Tears stream down his face as he grabs your hand a bit tighter as if you'd run away if he didn't.
"S...so I asked them to help me! I thought of scenarios and what could help you. And then I made up a flower code for it. Like when you told me about your morning and how your clothes were wet I texted Wanda code rain lily so she would bring you new clothes. Or last week when you were sad about that friend canceling your dinner I sent Nat code sunflower for a movie night and Tony code dandelion so he'd bring your favourite snacks." You try to wipe away the tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry! Will you forgive me?" His sobs break your heart.
"Stevie... There's nothing to forgive... Am I a bit disappointed your friends played along without telling me? Yeah. But you just did it out of the goodness of your heart." You coo and his tears slowly stop.
"We were forced!" Sam exclaims while Bucky chuckles. You look at them with an eyebrow raised before Clint gets your attention with his confession that he just did it so he could spend more time with you. Your heart melts a little at that.
Tumblr media
After explaining everything a bit more, Sam and Bucky being banned from the room by Clint and Steve falling asleep again you sit nest to his bed and hold his hand. Clint sits on the opposite side of the bed and reads a report on his phone while sipping coffee. Steve's act of love and service still tumbles around your mind and you can't hold yourself back any longer.
"How many codes are there?" You ask. Clint looks over his phone to you. He seems to think if he should reveal even more about their system. "Several." He answers and lowers the phone. "It started with a few but as your relationship grew so did the codes. Some were brought up by Steve and others... we're brought up by us." You lift your eyebrows in surprise at that. You don't even need to ask before Clint continues. "Yes by us. We all really like you and when he's home Steve really hogs all of your time. So it became a little competition who would get to spend time with you when he wasn't around. Wanda started it. She came up with the code to bring you new clothes... Which she did today. Tony quickly caught on what she was doing and showed Steve ten more scenarios that could happen." You chuckle at that.
"How did you keep up with all that? A list?" Your eyes wander to Steve's sleeping form. He truly is the perfect partner. How could anyone be as considerate as him? Get all his friends to go along with it so he wouldn't lose you? He would never have even without them. And his friends loving you so much they'd want to spend time with you? Your heart fills with warmth and happiness at the thought alone. And to think you'd been nervous that they wouldn't like you.
"Yeah. We have a list and we had a whole briefing." You laugh at that and Clint smiles. "He was all captain mode. He's very serious about you... Even our reassurance that you wouldn't leave him didn't calm him down." You softly start to brush your thumb over the back of Steve's hand that you're holding. "Well don't tell him or anyone else that you were right... I would never leave him. Especially not when he has such a big heart." Clint laughs and shakes his head. He pulls out his phone again and smirks at you. You know there's no promise that he'll keep that a secret but at least he won't tease Steve with it.
85 notes · View notes
diushek · 2 days ago
Note
omg I love your snake demon shen yuan au! if shen yuan is currently at the prize hunting/gift giving stage of courting luo binghe, does that mean he skipped over fighting him out of respect/fear? or can we expect a tussle in the future (with luo binghe allowing himself to lose ofc)?
MEOW THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!
Honestly, and thinking about it very carefully, I think it can be applied as each demonic species has its predetermined courtships. I mean, yes, demons are inherently violent towards others within the cortege, but I think this species particularly of snake demons would rather go for brute force than for "I can show you how powerful and strong I am by bringing you beasts that no one else could hunt", something like - they demonstrate their power that should be feared or respected in a more strategically subtle way. I also feel that they would go more for a hard strategy than to rush headlong into a fight unless it is a direct provocation
That is to say, I think the message of being feared and respected would be clear if some rare beast appeared at Luo Binghe's door, still dying, with not a wound other than the clean mark of the poisoning of the demon fangs. Like, "look how powerful my venom is, look what it can do, look how I can provide with this for you!!!". I mean, of course it's something Luo Binghe could have hunted with a sword or his hands, but for SOMEONE to have done just to prove a point in their courtship that is unexpectedly funny for him
Thinking about it because I'm a bit of a bitch when it comes to inventing demonic things, maybe some things are particularly hard to get-hunt unless you're a stealthy snake demon with powerful venom. So there's Shen Yuan sighing and having to get his hands dirty because well, his Emperor HAS to see his worth as a suitor- I think that would be the only thing that would make him wrinkle his nose, poor boy, he wants to inspect more beasts and learn from them that he wants to kill
Although I guess it would be funny if, err, at some point the demon court was like "nooo the courtship isn't complete because he hasn't proven he can fight with Junshang!! He doesn't deserve Junshang's attentions!!", idk, they are just irritating and perhaps against this marriage because, after all, it doesn't even make political sense? A waste of resources? they are little bit to be a pain in the ass more than anything, as if they could influence Luo Binghe's opinion lol
But of course Shen Yuan just has to accept that, oh well he'll have this impending tussle with Luo Binghe, exactly THIS is how he wanted to end his week!!! (sarcasm, of course) Anyway, he's willing because, aha, if that's the way he should go...
Luo Binghe would definitely allow himself to lose because he WANTS this pretty suitor as his handsome husband (accepting his destiny of being a wife, please, he has already decided what his path will be), but I think he would fall dramatically to his knees when some other random suitor wants to take advantage from the whole situation and attack Luo Binghe too in the middle of the fight and Shen Yuan is just like "bitch I've been courting the Emperor for weeks to get here fuck you" and he ripped it out a piece of his jugular or something
It's not that Luo Binghe is surrendering, but, eh, there's a lot of blood, chaos and confusion and I guess the court accepts it as valid heheheh
I'M SORRY YOU GAVE ME SPACE TO RAMBLE AND YUM YUM YUM NOW I HAVE SNACKS TO GO WITH MY TEA HAHAHA THANKS FOR ASKING (⁠灬⁠º⁠‿⁠º⁠灬⁠)⁠♡
86 notes · View notes
cigsaftersuh · 3 days ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
ㅡ with you, always.
🦌 a lee heesung fic
୨ matching charms & rings ୧
Tumblr media
the soft clinking of your bracelet filled the quiet as you rested against heeseung, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the charms on your wrist. it was something he did often, a little habit of his whenever your hands were close enough to reach.
“you like them, right?” he asked suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.
his fingers never stopped moving, tracing over the charms, rolling one between his fingertips before letting it fall back against the others with a soft clink. he wasn’t looking at you, his gaze fixed on the bracelet as if your answer was tucked somewhere between the tiny silver pieces dangling from your wrist.
you blinked up at him, surprised by the question. “the charms?”
he nodded, now rolling another charm between his ring-clad fingers, turning it over slowly, almost absentmindedly. the cool metal of his rings clicked softly against as he toyed with it, his touch delicate and thoughtful.
“mmhm,” he hummed, his voice quieter now, still deciding whether or not to say the next part out loud. he hesitated, his fingers stilling for just a second before moving again, slower this time. “i just want to make sure you love them as much as i do.”
your heart softened at his words, warmth blooming in your chest as you watched the way he handled the charm; so careful, so deliberate, like each metal dangling from your wrist meant more to him than just jewelry.
without thinking, you shifted closer, letting your fingers lace through his, stopping his nervous movements. “of course i do,” you murmured, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “they’re all from you.”
heeseung exhaled, a quiet breath that you barely heard but felt in the way his shoulders relaxed just slightly. his fingers tightened around yours, warm and steady, before his thumb brushed over the inside of your wrist, right where the charms rested against your skin.
you smiled, tilting your head to look at him properly. “how could i not love them?”
heeseung didn’t respond right away. he just held your hand, his thumb still tracing slow circles against your wrist. his gaze flickered down to the charms again, eyes lingering on the way they swayed gently between you.
he swallowed, lips parting slightly before closing again, like he was trying to find the right words. “i don’t know,” he admitted finally, his voice quieter now. “i think about it a lot.”
your heart squeezed at that. “about what?”
he hesitated, rolling one of the charms between his fingers again, slower this time. “how they match my rings,” he said, almost like he was confessing something.
your eyes dropped to his hands, to the familiar silver bands wrapped around his fingers. you had never really thought much about it before, but now that he said it, it was obvious — the charms, each one carefully picked, mirrored the rings he always wore.
little pieces of him, given to you without words.
your fingers ghosted over one of the charms, then trailed up to his rings, tracing the metal softly. it felt different now, knowing they were connected, that every time he looked at his hands, he saw something that existed on you too. the thought made your heart squeeze in the sweetest way.
heeseung’s gaze softened as he noticed your fingers, his eyes lingering on your hand with a tenderness that made the quiet feel even more intimate. there was something tender in the way he always looked at you, something that made your heart flutter but right now, under the warmth of intimacy, you were sure he could hear your heart pounding out.
he leaned closer, his breath brushing against your skin, fingers continuing to trace the charms slowly, the action so gentle, almost as if he was trying to memorize each curve and edge. the warmth of his touch sent a ripple of warmth through you, and your chest tightened with a sweet, overwhelming feeling.
his fingers lingered for a moment longer than usual, an unusual hesitation in his movements, searching for the right words to say.
“i don’t think i’ll ever get used to this,” he murmured, his voice low, almost too soft to hear. “the way everything seems to feel so connected. it feels like it’s all meant to be.”
you tilted your head slightly, fingers still tangled with his, and you felt a small shiver run through you at the depth of his words. “it is meant to be.” you echoed, voice barely above a whisper.
he nodded, his gaze never leaving your hand. “yeah. every charm, every ring. it’s like pieces of us are always together, even when we’re apart.” his voice faltered for a moment, almost as if he was trying to understand the feeling himself.
“it’s like you’re carrying me with you, even when i’m not there,” he continued, his voice low and full of emotion, the sincerity thick in the air.
the tenderness in his words made your heart swell, and you couldn’t help but bring your other hand to rest against his chest, just above his heart. the connection between you both felt even more real now, almost tangible.
“you’re always with me too, you know,” you whispered, your voice barely audible, not wanting to break the intimate silence of the moment.
heeseung’s eyes met yours then, and there was a softness in his expression that made you feel like time had slowed down just for the two of you. his thumb stopped moving over the charm, and he brought his other hand up to gently cup your face, his touch warm and grounding.
“i know,” he whispered back, his voice thick with affection. “but knowing you feel it too, it makes everything feel like it matters even more.”
for a long moment, he just stared at you, the silence between you two no longer filled with hesitation, but understanding. and as his fingers traced the rings on his hand again, you knew whatever was between the two of you, was something deeper than any charm or ring. it was the quiet, constant understanding that no matter the distance, you were both always carrying a part of the other with you.
with love,
© cigsaftersuh
66 notes · View notes
florathewriter · 2 days ago
Text
cowgirl tease || choi seunghyun (TOP) x reader
Ok, I'm having the worst time writing (and being creative) lately, so instead I keep reading and editing my drafts. Here is a scene I'm not sure I like, so I transformed it into a short TOP x reader piece or whatever. I had to change some details, since I don't want it to spoil the main thing I write, so forgive me for any nonsense. Enjoy.
Warning: Things I publish here may be out of context, since often they are little pieces of a bigger thing.
Summary: The colleague!reader watched too many videos of TOP performing Bang Bang Bang.
Tumblr media
The familiar beat echoed through the club, making people shout with excitement and make their way to the dance floor. The song, which I had played one too many times lately — and whose live performance videos I had been watching almost obsessively on YouTube — came to my mind. The last two shots must have been pure confidence boosters, because I didn't think twice before getting to the center of the dance floor, holding Alex and Sae-ho, and jumping to the beat.
BANG BANG BANG was known, sung, and danced to by everyone here. The quiet voices of embarrassment — also known as sober elements — that had been holding me back until now were silenced by TOP's voice when his verse came in. Some of the words I sang were made up on the spot, most of them nonsense, but who cared? My mind kept replaying his lasso movements, which — oh Lord — I copied, feeling extra freaky in that cowboy hat. Images of TOP I had studied lately retraced themselves in my mind as I moved my hips to the beat.
You know that feeling when you're having all the fun in the world, dancing and singing with your friends, and then you… come down from that high, your head pounding, feeling dizzy? Yeah, usually that happens in the morning and is called a hangover. For me, it was locking eyes with Seunghyun, who was sitting at our booth with an excellent view of the dance floor. He was smiling at me, clearly amused by the performance I had just given him.
If I had one wish at that moment, it would be for the Earth to part and swallow me whole. What a disaster. How am I ever going to look him in the face and not think about this moment?
Without thinking much, I turned around and pushed through the crowd, heading straight for the ladies' room. I sighed in relief as I closed the door behind me, as if I could escape my fate. Leaning on the sink, I analyzed my reflection in the mirror.
I decided to talk myself through the situation, to get things straight and at least try to save my dignity before facing what was about to happen when I left this room.
What's the big deal? I just enjoyed myself on the dance floor to my colleague's ten-year-old song, wearing a cowboy hat and doing cowboy moves — probably thinking I looked sexy but actually being ridiculous, imitating his moves. Which clearly indicates I’ve watched all those videos recently… after admitting to him that I didn’t know him or his career history only two months ago. Well, that was two months ago. Maybe I had to dig deeper since I'm set to work with him. It was for research purposes, right?
The key is to keep my cool. Running to the bathroom isn’t exactly keeping my cool.
I splashed some water on my neck, hoping to look more composed. Shooting myself one last disappointed glance in the mirror, I stepped out of the bathroom.
The first thing I saw was Seunghyun’s figure leaning against the wall.
“Oh,” I gasped. Not exactly how I planned to play it cool. I’d preferred to meet him back at the booth — or, better yet, on Monday morning. Or even better, never at all. Instead, here he was, having followed me and waited outside the ladies' room.
"I’d be thirsty after a performance like this." he teased, handing me a bottle of water.
This fucker.
I felt my cheeks burn but couldn’t help smiling back at his smirk.
39 notes · View notes
stardustrebels · 12 hours ago
Text
More of You- Chapter 9
Tumblr media
Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader WC: 6.6k Rating: E / 18+ MDNI Series Masterlist | Blog Masterlist Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Tags: No outbreak!AU, fluff, romance, Joel-typical pet names (darlin’, sugar, sweetheart, baby), soft!Joel, fingering, protected PIV, no use of Y/N, minimal descriptions of reader. She has hair long enough to tie back, wears dresses and heels, blushes and wears makeup.
A/N: Who has two thumbs, was going to post this on Valentine’s day and then decided to re-write the entire thing at the last second? This guy! So apologies if you’ve been waiting for it, but it’s finally here and I so hope it was worth the wait! The slow part of the burn is officially over by the end of this chapter.  Also, I’ll be honest with you, I’m a little blown away by the response to the Joel Miller one shot fics I posted pre- V day, and I’m so, so happy that people are enjoying them. It’s giving me the motivation to write more, challenge myself and take little steps outside my comfort zone. I’ve only been publishing my fanfic since December 2024, and I’m just so grateful to have been welcomed by such an amazing community of people who love these characters as much as I do. You’re all so wonderful and deserve all the love <3 Now, without further ado, I hope you enjoy!
Tumblr media
The weather that morning earned an involuntary noise of disgust when you pulled back the curtains; big grey clouds and heavy rain. You dressed and shuffled through to the kitchen before the temptation to climb back in to bed won you over. 
Your laptop was on the table, still open after a late night of playing catch-up on projects with deadlines looming, the backlog since your trip almost cleared. The only thing left in your diary for the week was a momentous client meeting scheduled for Friday morning. Seeing the calendar entry staring back at you from the screen made your stomach swoop. 
It was the kind of opportunity you would have given your left arm for six months ago, when you had thrown all caution to the wind in a moment of madness and quit your job to become a freelancer, armed only with a handful of loyal clients and sheer, grief-ridden determination. The kind of opportunity that had stayed present in your mind’s eye when the late nights had started to become all too much but you still took on new work to add to your portfolio, desperate to scratch out a place for yourself amidst a horrendously competitive industry. If you were being honest, you knew that it was a better opportunity than you would have ever had with the firm you left in New York, and it felt like everything that you’d poured in to your career over the last ten or so years had led to this. 
You exhaled, closing the laptop with a quiet click. No pressure. 
The remaining few pieces of work could wait until the afternoon. Spending the last couple of mornings with Joel had thrown off your self-imposed work routine, forcing you to work later than you usually did, but you didn’t mind.  
The buzz of your phone ringing knocked you out of any daydream you were about to have about Joel. Your stomach lurched at the thought of a call at such an unsocial hour, but you huffed a laugh when you checked the screen, panic dissipating as soon as you answered.  
“Please tell me this is not you phoning before you go to bed,” you said, balancing the phone between your chin and shoulder while you reached up to pull a cereal box out of the cupboard. 
Summer groaned down the phone at you. “I wish!”
Her usual bright voice was dulled with tiredness as she told you she was on her way to a job interview and had forgotten her coffee, and that it was now your job to keep her awake while she drove there. You couldn’t help but giggle at her uncharacteristic malaise as you pulled a bowl from the cabinet.
“You’re a different person this early in the morning, Summer,” you said, sniffing the milk before you poured it over your cereal. You switched your phone to speaker to save her the noise of up-close crunching. 
“And you’re somehow happier this early in the morning than you are the rest of the time,” She retorted. You were glad she couldn’t see the burning blush on your face when you admitted that you were meeting Joel that morning, and that it might have been adding to your good mood. After she’d let out a squeal, Summer seemed a lot more awake, demanding all of the details. You told her between mouthfuls of cereal vague details about New York, about how you finally got his number, about your walk with him in the park, finding out about his kid, holding hands and then finally, that he’d kissed you. 
“Oh, this is all so cute, I can’t handle it!” Summer squeaked. 
“It is kinda cute,” you admitted, swiping through your phone to look at the picture of the invitation Joel had sent over the day before, accompanied by a message telling you he’d made a dinner reservation, signed off with a couple of x’s, which had made your stomach squiggly. “We’re going on a date tomorrow night. He’s taking me to dinner and then an art gallery opening.” 
“Oh my god,” Summer said with a laugh, “And to think you needed a push to actually talk to this guy. You’re welcome, by the way.”  “Yes, alright, thank you,” you said dryly, shaking your head as you scrolled back up through Joel’s messages, smiling fondly down at your screen. “He is pretty great, Summer. I’m just not-”
“You’re just not nothin’!” She said, cutting through a yawn, “You’re having a good time and that’s all that matters.” 
“I think you just want to live vicariously through me,” you said with a grin.
“Obviously,” she said, “I need to know every detail about this date. I’m talking everything- what you wear, what he wears, what you order, how you stare at each other over a candlelit dinner, how he won’t be able to keep his hands off you, how you’re totally going to invite him back to your place afterwards and-”
“Jesus, Sum,” you muttered, pulling on your shoes, hoping she didn’t hear the excitement laced through your half-hearted rebuke.
“Oh come on,” she whined. “He’s taking you to see art. You can’t tell me that man doesn’t have you weak in the knees already.”
She wasn’t wrong. 
As you’d fallen asleep last night it had struck you that no one had ever looked at you like Joel did- the deep admiration present in those beautiful brown eyes was so intense that it stole your breath and sent tingles down to your fingertips. Spending time with him filled you with a funny feeling- like someone had shaken a bee hive and shoved it right in your chest cavity- the relentless buzz only increased the closer you were to seeing him again. It wasn’t just your knees that were weak, but you weren’t going to admit that to anyone. 
“You still there?” 
You cleared your throat, “Yeah, I’m here. Listen, are you sure you should be focussing on my love life instead of your interview?”
“Rude,” Summer said, and you could practically feel the playful swat to the arm she’d have dished out had she been there in person. “But fine. I’ll have you know I’m here anyway, so you’re off the hook.” 
“Good luck,” you said, glancing at the the clock on your stove. You needed to get moving if you wanted to get to Harrison’s on time. “Let me know how it goes.” 
“Thanks, I will. And hey- have fun with your man today!” 
“He’s not my man,” you said, knowing you’d lost that argument before you even spoke. 
“Mhm. Keep telling yourself that.” 
With a final knowing giggle, Summer hung up.  
Tumblr media
The lingering heat and morning rain had left everything damp and heavy, including you. By the time you made it to Harrison’s, Joel was already at your usual table, looking just as soaked- but unfairly good - his shirt clinging to his broad shoulders and damp curls sticking out at odd angles. He stood to greet you with a kiss to your cheek, murmuring his usual “hey, darlin’” before you settled across from him, still catching your breath. 
You mentioned you wouldn’t be able to meet the next morning, and Joel’s concern sent a pang of guilt through you. You explained it was for an exciting work opportunity and his worry softened in to relief and then in to a proud grin as he listened, squeezing your hand in reassurance. 
“Ain’t no way you won’t do great, sugar,” he said, thumb grazing over your knuckles. “Then we’ll have another reason to celebrate tomorrow night.” 
You tried prying for details about your dinner plans, but he only smirked.“You’ve got enough goin’ on tomorrow. All you gotta do is give me your address and be ready for six, everythin’ else is taken care of.”
Tumblr media
You woke up two hours before your alarm on Friday morning, powerless to do anything other than stare at the ceiling as you tried to breath through the churning in your stomach. By the time you could have easily drifted off again it was time to get up. Typical. 
Joel had sent messages for you to wake up to, wishing you good luck and reiterating that he couldn’t wait to take you out that night. You glanced at them periodically as you got ready for your meeting, and each time you did a pleasant fuzziness washed over you, sending a warmth rolling through your limbs, a calming sensation that you wished you could bottle.  
Before you parted ways the day before, it had seemed that Joel had been unable to take his hands off of you for more than a minute, like if he let you go you’d float off in to the ether and never be seen again. And you had welcomed it every time. Each touch from him left you needing more, like a craving you would never quite be able to satisfy. When he’d kissed you on that corner again he’d seemed more reluctant than ever to leave you behind, pressing gentle lingering kisses to your lips, one hand grasping your hip and the fingers of the other cupping the nape of your neck, his calloused fingertips bushing over your skin with a tenderness that sent a slow, searing heat pulsing through you- twisting at the base of your spine and down your legs. Every time you’d thought about it since, the memory of it morphed in to a sensation within you that was utterly sinful. 
You wanted him to know the effect he had on you, what his touch and kisses did to you and what they made you want to do to him. Instead you settled for  texting back ‘Thank you, handsome. Can’t wait to see you later xx’. You wondered if he could sense that it was the understatement of the century. You just had to make it through the next couple of hours, and then Joel would have your undivided attention for the rest of the day. 
The client meeting turned out to be a different beast than you’d expected. Of course you had joined the call prepared to discuss your work, processes and newly developed ideas for their branding, but almost immediately after introductions had been made it started to feel much more like a job interview and less like the semi-informal chat that you had anticipated. Their questions were pointed and detailed and you scrambled internally for what felt like an age to meet the tone whilst trying to keep a light and friendly attitude. It took a hot minute, but you adjusted and adapted, slipping in to a corporate headspace easier than you thought you could, as if the ability had been lying dormant all these months.
As the meeting went on and you began to share your portfolio with them, explaining past briefs and projects, some of the tension in your shoulders dissipated and you realised that you were more than holding your own. By the time the call ended, the knot in your stomach had loosened and been replaced with something unfamiliar but not unpleasant. You would hear at some point that afternoon whether the client had chosen to work with you, and you closed your laptop with an air of finality, knowing that whatever the outcome, you had done your best. 
You could finally let yourself get excited about your date with Joel. 
You had picked out what to wear for that evening on the same day as he had asked you out, and it had hung on the back of your bedroom door ever since; a simple black dress with thin spaghetti straps and a tiny embroidered detail around the hem that came to sit mid-thigh. You’d had to fish a pair of heels out of one of the unpacked boxes in your closet, and it took you longer to find your jewellery than it did for you to do your hair and makeup. When you were finally ready and looked at yourself in the mirror, there was a curious difference to you that you couldn’t name. 
Your phone pinged, pulling you from your thoughts and you checked it with hands that were only trembling a little. You had to read the email three or four times before the words sank in: you’d landed the client.  
Tumblr media
By the time your buzzer sounded that evening, you had practically paced a hole in the floor. Joel arrived just before six, and you threw open the door to him as soon as he knocked. 
The sight in front of you made your brain short-circuit for a beat before you remembered to smile. Joel didn’t seem to notice because it looked like he was having the same experience. He’d traded his usual worn flannel and faded denim for a smart tailored jacket atop a button down, dark wash jeans and shiny leather boots. His curls were pushed back, tamed and slick. You knew he cleaned up well, but you hadn’t expected this. He was clutching a bouquet of white roses and you saw the way his fingers gripped them tighter as his eyes fell over you. 
You broke the silence first. “Looking sharp, Miller!”
He found his composure just long enough to chuckle and hold out a hand to gesture toward you. “And you-” he struggled for a moment to complete the sentence, shaking his head with wide eyes. “You look so beautiful, sweetheart.” 
You stepped closer, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, but even the briefest touch caused the cascade of a molten desire from your chest to the pit of your stomach. His breath hitched-just barely- but you felt it. The scent of his cologne, sweet and woodsy, hit you and made it difficult not to linger against him even longer in the hope that it might transfer on to your skin so you could smell him even when he wasn’t near you. When you pulled back, his fingers brushed over yours as he handed you the bouquet. You thanked him, voice softer now, invited him in and turned toward the kitchen to find a vase, acutely aware of the weight of his gaze following you. 
As you arranged the roses you were struck with the realisation that Joel was the only person who’d stepped foot in your apartment that wasn’t you. You bit your lip as you watched him look around from your spot in the kitchen, a lopsided grin on his face as he took in your space with quiet consideration. You’d cleaned before he’d arrived so that it looked its best, but having someone else there, examining the artwork on the walls and the trinkets on your shelves pried open a sliver of vulnerability you hadn’t expected. 
“I like your place.” Joel said, stepping toward you again, having done a reasonably thorough tour of the living space in a couple of strides. 
You grinned up at him, placing the filled vase in the center of your kitchen table. “Thanks. It’s cozy, but it’s home.” 
He tapped his knuckle against a small photo booth strip pinned near the corner of your fridge. “That your friend from the coffee shop?” 
You glanced over at it- you and Summer from her birthday party- her grinning wide, you mid-laugh, heads tipped toward each other. “Yeah, that’s Summer.” 
Joel hummed, mouth twitching in to a grin as he leaned against the counter. “You know the day she was there I’d finally worked up the nerve to talk to you,” he said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Had it all planned out: was gonna come over and ask you somethin’ corny and lame. Right as I was about to…” he gestured toward the photo with a coy smile.
You laughed, shaking your head. “If it makes you feel any better, she spent the next ten minutes before you left that day trying to get me to go over and talk to you. She’s very invested in the development of the time we’ve been spending together.” 
Joel’s eyebrows lifted at that. “Oh yeah?”
You caught yourself and a heat crept up the back of your neck. “Don’t we have a dinner reservation to make?” You said, plucking your bag from the back of a chair and heading for the door. 
Tumblr media
Joel stepped ahead of you to open the door to his truck for you to climb in. Being in a space that was so uniquely his felt more intimate than it should have. The truck suited him- an older model Chevy, immaculately kept. The interior was spotless save for a pack of gum and a couple of coins in the center console and it smelled like fresh linen. You absently wondered if he cleaned it especially for you or if it always looked like this.
When Joel climbed in a moment later and you asked him where you were headed to, he only winked at you. Laughter bubbled up in your chest before you could help it, and he set off looking rather pleased with himself. 
The restaurant wasn’t far, and as soon as Joel pulled up outside, you realised you knew about it through a recommendation from Summer. It was nice. You grinned at him as he rounded the front of the truck to open the door for you again. His hand came to rest at the small of your back and the weight of it sent a lick of fire curling up your spine. You resisted the urge to fidget as you were shown to your table, loathe to lose the warmth seeping through the fabric of your dress from Joel’s palm. 
As you waited for your food, you considered that you didn’t think you’d ever met someone as outwardly comforting as Joel- his presence was like a warm hug, even from across the table and he didn’t even seem aware of it. You were enjoying the opportunity to openly admire him. His resting facial expression leaned toward a frown, you’d learned. It accounted for the deep lines that appeared, etched in to his brow easily as he talked, an expression that was clearly familiar to his face. It was his eyes that really spoke to his true personality- warm and open when he looked at you, young and boyish when they glinted mischievously as they were now. You were drawn to it- the paradox of this man. You came to the conclusion that he’d probably spent years curating a stand-offish reputation, but had failed to realise that his aura couldn’t be altered. 
The candlelight added hazy flickers of light across you both. It glimmered in Joel’s eyes as he listened to you tell him about the outcome of the client meeting that morning, your own joy reflected back at you by him- the beauty of it made the world slow and allowed you to really take in the sight of him, like a memory you were aware was being stored, a saved snippet of time that you already knew would be something fond to look back on. When he raised his glass to toast your success, it broke the magic of the moment, but you didn’t have a second to mourn it. The clink of the glasses was soft, but the look Joel gave you after, over his glass, held an intensity that made it hard to keep your eyes on his, the low light now accentuating a hunger within them that made your pulse spike. 
For a second, you wondered if you could end the night right there, drag him back to your apartment and lose yourself in the heat curling against your insides when he looked at you like that. You pressed your thighs together and shifted in your seat, eyes unable to hold his gaze any longer. He cleared his throat and when you looked back at him, any hint of the hunger had been masked by sweetness again. 
Dinner was over in the blink of an eye. The food was tasty, although you barely noticed what you were even eating- too focussed on Joel, searching his face for any sign of the hint of lust you’d seen from him before, but it didn’t show again. He insisted on settling the bill after a short not-quite-argument with you about splitting it. “My treat, sugar,” he’d said in a tone that made it obvious you were never going to change his mind. 
The gallery wasn’t far, but Joel insisted on driving there to save you walking in your heels, and his consideration for you made the heat building inside you whip around like a wild thing, impossible to ignore. 
The sun was beginning to set, and it bathed everything in a lovely orange glow that was doing nothing to dispel the dreamlike haze that had settled over your evening. You turned your face toward it and basked in its warmth while Joel drove the few blocks to the gallery.
The entrance was marked by red velvet ropes and a matching carpet that stretched up to tall glass doors, and Joel’s hand tensed in yours as you approached them.
“You alright?” You asked, stopping him with a gentle tug when he didn’t reply, eyes searching his for an answer.
His gaze flicked past you and over the well-dressed guests milling around the entrance. “I’m just- this ain’t exactly my scene.” 
You squeezed his hand and offered him a lopsided grin. “Just look serious and nod, remember?” 
He gave you a sidelong glance and a smirk. “That’s… what I usually do anyway.” 
“Then you’re already a natural,” you teased, brushing your thumb over his knuckles and leading him toward the door. 
The hum of conversation inside overlapped and bounced off the modern concrete interior in a way that was mildly overwhelming. You were greeted by a well-dressed man at a makeshift reception desk, who exchanged Joel’s invitation for a gallery guide, which was immediately passed over to you. You let go of his hand to flick through it, happily soaking up the atmosphere as you suggested what to look at first. 
You led Joel through the crowd at the entrance to find a quieter spot. The art you passed to get there was stunning, and you made a note to come back and look at those later. You ambled around a smaller gallery and Joel’s eyes flicked over each piece as you read mumbled excerpts from the guide aloud and added your own thoughts. You weren’t quite sure if the furrow of his brow was deliberate or not. 
“You okay if I get us a drink?” He murmured, resting a hand against your back as he leaned in. 
You gave him a reassuring smile and a nod, “Yeah, go ahead. I’ll be here.” 
You watched as he disappeared toward the bar, briefly admiring the fit of his jeans before you turned back to the artwork, allowing yourself the opportunity now to fully take it in. The contemporary pieces that lined the walls were bold and chaotic, all by the same artist. One particular piece caught your attention: a canvas streaked with jagged lines of charcoal against an expanse of pale grey. In the corner there was one tiny circle of orange, painted to look as if it was burning white hot, its rings of light radiating and mixing with the drab background. You took a step closer and tilted your head to examine it. The sensation that it pulled from you was not unlike a sense of hope. 
You startled, breath catching when a hand clutching a champagne flute appeared in front of you and let out a breathy laugh when you realised it was Joel standing behind you. You took the glass from him and he leaned in close over your shoulder. 
“Fascinating use of negative space.” He said, agonisingly close to your ear. You exhaled loudly what you hoped sounded like a laugh and not a barely contained moan.
Your eyelids fluttered shut briefly as you leaned in to him. His hand gripped your waist in response and held you steady, body pressing against yours in a way that stole the air from your lungs. Certain that he was about to pepper experimentally bold kisses against your neck, you shifted under his touch in a silent invitation. 
The titter of polite laughter echoing from across the gallery interrupted the moment and brought you both back to your senses. Joel moved to stand by your side, but his hand stayed firmly on your waist as you continued your tour of the artwork. You glanced up at him and caught the tick of his jaw before he managed to hide it with a smile. 
You made it to the third room before Joel was intercepted by someone he knew. You were introduced to the project management team that oversaw the work undertaken by Joel’s firm, and didn’t miss the way his fingers flexed by his side when one of the team paid you a compliment and leaned in to peck a kiss against your cheek, totally ignoring the hand you’d offered him to shake and leaving you with nothing left to do but meet him in an awkward half-hug. As soon as he’d stepped away, you inched closer to Joel as the conversation moved on, leaning against him gratefully when his hand found the small of your back again. 
The team introduced you both to some of the artists and soon enough you were separated, pulled in to different conversations until you were at opposite ends of the room, sparing glances through the crowd until you lost sight of each other completely. 
Taking advantage of a lull in conversation with a very enthusiastic art collector, you managed to pull away and head back to the first gallery you’d entered. You’d long-since lost your guidebook and your glass of wine, placed down on a cocktail table and left behind at some point over the course of your conversations, but you knew you wanted to look at one piece again before you started your search for Joel. 
You crossed your arms this time as you viewed it, standing closer and then further away, eyes fixed on the tiny orange glow in the bottom corner. It’d be easy to miss if you weren’t examining the piece, lost in the void of grey and black jagged lines. You only realised when you changed your viewing angle, that they were formed with paint into raised craggy bumps. You bent down to inspect the glowing orange dot and realised that the burning white centre of it was actually a hole in the canvas, made deliberately and then worked around.  You stood and walked back to the middle to view it in its entirety one last time before you moved on, but you were interrupted by the sound of soft footsteps walking toward you. You glanced round to see Joel, watching you with a tilt to his head and a grin on his face. 
“Hey, darlin’. You alright?” 
You nodded and reached for his hand when he was close enough. 
“I think this one is my favourite,” you murmured. You leaned your head against his shoulder as you both viewed it. Joel stood quietly beside you, frowning at the painting as if he was really looking this time. He let out a low hum as he traced circles against the back of your hand. 
“I think it suits you,” he said, voice rumbling through the top of your head. 
You turned to glance up at him. “Oh yeah? How come?” 
Joel fixed you with a look that was so warm you almost melted. “‘Cause you’re a little ray of sunshine, darlin’. You’re as bright as that dot there, and you don’t even seem to realise it.” 
There wasn’t even time to take a breath before your lips were on his. He froze for a second before he exhaled sharply through his nose and kissed you back, smiling against your mouth. It drove you wild. You had never wanted anyone as much as you wanted him right now. 
Cradling his face with both hands, you pulled back just enough to mumble, “You wanna get out of here, handsome?” 
You don’t remember if Joel even said anything before you were walking out the door and back toward his truck. 
Tumblr media
By the time you made it back to your apartment, nothing could have stopped what was in motion. Joel had hardly taken his hands off of you since you left the gallery, apparently intent on driving you absolutely feral. He was starting to learn what types of touches affected you the most and was using his newfound knowledge to be an absolute menace. You’d barely made it in the door before his mouth was on yours again. His hands were everywhere, pressing you against him like he was starved and you were the only thing that would sate him. You pushed his jacket from his shoulders and started to fumble with the buttons on his shirt as his fingers mapped out your curves, like he was hell-bent on memorising every inch of you. 
You pushed against him, gently guiding him backwards to your bedroom door and he let you take the lead. You kicked off your shoes, discarding them as your fingers twisted in the fabric of his shirt, unwilling to let go of him for even a second. Your breathing quickened as the heat between you grew unbearable. 
Joel backed up step by step until the back of his knees hit the edge of your bed. He paused, your face between his hands, his breathing matching pace with yours. When he spoke his voice was low, thick with restraint.
“You sure, darlin’?” 
“Fuck yeah,” you breathed. “I’m sure.” 
He lowered himself back on to the mattress with a grunt and his palms slid up your thighs instinctively as you climbed on to his lap. He began to press his kisses along the curve of your collarbone and up the column of your neck, dragging breathy gasps from you with each one. 
His breath was hot, ghosting your neck as he murmured against your skin. “Wanted to do this all goddamn night.” 
You barely managed to whine in response before his mouth was back on you, kissing over your jaw toward your lips. A shudder rolled through you and you rocked your hips, desperate for friction. He groaned against you and the sound poured gasoline on the fire that he had stoked since you left the gallery. 
You wanted more. You needed more. 
Your fingers rose to the zipper at the side of your dress and tugged it down. Joel’s hands stilled and his chest rose and fell with measured breaths, jaw tensing as you lifted the dress off over your head and unclasped your bra before throwing both pieces of clothing haphazardly across the room.
“Jesus,” he muttered, fingers twitching against your thighs as he drank you in. 
You smiled, emboldened by his reaction and shifted your hips just enough to pull a groan from him when he didn’t move. 
“You gonna just stare, Miller?” 
Joel blinked twice before his lips parted with a groan. Your goading snapped him in to action and he flipped your positions in a blur of limbs, pressing you down in to the mattress with a kiss. 
He stood and pulled his wallet from the pocket of his jeans, throwing it on to the edge of the bed. You watched him, biting your lip as he shrugged off his shirt, unbuckled his belt and pulled off his jeans and boxers, his hard length springing back up to hit the skin of his stomach. He knelt at the edge of the bed and traced his hands up your legs, ghosted past your thighs and curled his fingers round the waistband of your underwear, sliding them down with a reverence that made you whine. 
He positioned himself back on top of you, retracing the movement with his fingers, inching toward your centre with maddening, teasing touches. 
Your hands flailed around you for purchase in the sheets and your hips bucked up toward his hand. You whimpered- a plea for him to move his fingers where you wanted them most. 
“It’s alright, darlin’,” he drawled, “You’ll get what you need.” 
A moan broke from your throat with a jolt when he finally brushed his fingers gently through your folds.
He caught your lips in a kiss as he stroked up again and again, pressing featherlight touches to your clit with every one. A familiar tightness began to coil within you and your breaths quickened. Joel hummed in approval and brushed against your clit one last time before his fingers parted your folds and slid in to you. He curled them experimentally, pulling back to watch your face as he did. 
“So fuckin’ beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes blown with lust as he took in your changing expressions at the pleasure building inside you. You clenched down and he pressed steadily against the same point with his fingers curled inside you. You were so close, and Joel knew it. 
“Come on, baby,” he said, voice absolutely wrecked, “I’ve got you, come f’me.”
It was all it took to push you over the edge. Your release surged through you so fiercely that your entire body tensed before the flame curling against your spine sparked and sent molten hot tingles through your core and in to your limbs. A sharp gasp tore from your lips, followed by loud, unrestrained moans as you came undone for him. Your back arched as Joel continued, his fingers unrelenting as he guided you through every pulsing aftershock. You realised that he was speaking as your breaths returned to normal, murmuring praise against your temple, the sound his voice mingling with the thrum of your heartbeat. 
You let out a soft groan as he traced slow circles over your clit with his thumb, stretching out the rolling pleasure of your orgasm until every last shuddering, breathless moan had been drawn from you. He finally slipped his fingers from you with one last pulse from your oversensitive nerves, and you whined in protest at the loss. 
“You alright, darlin’?,” he asked, brushing his fingertips along your thigh. You offered him a hum in response, too dazed to string words together. 
He smiled down at you, fingers tracing up your arm and along your collarbone before dancing light touches toward your nipple and you arched up in to his strokes with a breathy moan. 
He shifted to kiss you, pressing his body against yours. His cock sat hard and heavy against your thigh and when you shifted against him he let out a sound so raw it made your stomach flip. You reached down, wrapping your fingers gently around his length.
“Fuck,” he gritted out, hips bucking in to your hand. 
You stroked him slowly, and he tensed under your touch, flexing his hands against your hips with trembling fingers.
Joel reached for your wrist with a breathy chuckle, stilling your movements. “You keep that up, darlin’, and this’ll be over before we even get started.”
He pulled back to reach for his wallet and slid a condom from it. Mirroring your knowing smile with one of his own, he rolled it on with ease, and positioned himself at your entrance, waiting for a signal from you before going any further. You arched your body toward his in anticipation and after letting out a long, shaky breath. he slid in to you. Your moans mingled together as he filled you completely. Your nails dug in to his shoulders as the overwhelming fulness sparked a fresh flicker of heat low in your stomach. 
“Christ, baby,” he murmured, shuddering above you. “You feel so fuckin’ good.” 
You couldn’t muster the breath to respond, lost in the way he fit against you. Instead, you rolled your hips, coaxing a strangled moan from him. 
That was all it took. 
With a deep, throaty sound, Joel pulled back and thrust in to you again, dragging gasped moans from you with every grind of his hips. Slow and deep, he managed to hit a point within you with every thrust that sent white hot sparks flying through you. His breath came in uneven pants against your skin as he pressed closer, forearms braced on either side of your head. 
“God, you’re so perfect. So fuckin’ perfect,” he growled, sliding a hand to the back of your head, threading his fingers through your hair and pressing his forehead to yours with care that would have made you sob had you been able to focus on anything. Each slow roll of his hips made you quiver, nudging you to the edge with every measured stroke. Joel hissed through gritted teeth at the sensation, his fingers tightening their grip in your hair. 
“That’s my girl. That’s it, c’mon- let me feel it.” 
His girl. 
The words caused aching pleasure to crest over you like a tide, warm and all-consuming. You clung to him as it crashed against your core, almost taking everything inside you with it. The cry that broke from your throat was muffled by a high pitched ringing in your ears and for a second all you could see were bright white flashes, strobing over your vision so intensely you had to close your eyes against them. 
You heard Joel’s groan, giving way to a string of hissed curses as he felt you tighten around him, his movements stuttering. He let out a choked cry as he dropped his head to your shoulder, the last of his control unravelling. His thrusts grew erratic and with a final shuddering breath, he followed you over the edge, his grip on you tightening as he let himself fall. 
For a moment, neither of you moved. You didn’t know which way was up- you might as well have been catapulted off in to the stratosphere with how weightless your limbs felt. Joel’s lips brushed against your temple as he moved his hand to touch your cheek with slow, lazy movements. You opened your eyes to find his staring back at you and you let out a huff of disbelief before your face broke in to a wide smile.  
“Holy shit,” you said as Joel let out a soft chuckle of his own in agreement. 
Tumblr media
You only moved when your limbs started to tingle with the threat of pins and needles. Joel disappeared momentarily to the bathroom before padding through and sliding back in to bed beside you. You curled in to him, peppering kisses over the freckles on his shoulder as he brushed lazy strokes up and down the curve of your waist. 
“Will you stay the night?” You half-whispered against his skin. The words came out before you could really think about them, needier than you intended.
“���Course I will, darlin’,” he breathed back. Even as he fought off sleep, his tone made you realise he hadn’t even considered the alternative.
The residual desire pulsing through you parted to make way for a curious sensation that swirled its way in to your chest. It dripped through the edge of your consciousness, building to a trickle, settling like a balm over the lingering pain there. Pain caused by the shards of your broken heart left to scrape away at your insides for months. 
Joel pressed the gentlest of kisses to the top of your head and pulled you in to his chest. You sank in to him, listening as his breaths turned to tiny snores, and wondered as you drifted off alongside him whether he would ever know that he was the one who put the first tiny piece of your heart back together.
Tumblr media
Next Chapter
33 notes · View notes
witchingwithscissors · 2 days ago
Text
The faint beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the quiet hospital room, a soft rhythm that matched the steady rise and fall of Agatha’s chest. Early morning light filtered through the blinds, painting pale streaks across the tile floor. In the chair beside the bed sat Rio, her elbows on her knees, her head bowed slightly as she stared at Agatha’s hand in hers.
Her dark teal sweater hung loosely on her frame, a comfort piece she’d thrown on in a rush after the long hours of waiting. Her hair, usually wild and free, was tied back into a ponytail, though stray curls had escaped to frame her tired face. Her eyes, rimmed red from exhaustion, stayed fixed on Agatha as if willing her to wake.
Fourteen hours. Fourteen hours of pacing, pleading, and silently praying to whoever might be listening. The nurses had tried to coax her out more times than she could count, but Rio had refused. She needed to be here, to see Agatha’s eyes open, to remind herself that everything was okay.
And then, finally, Agatha stirred.
Rio sat up immediately, her breath catching as she saw the faintest flicker of movement. She leaned forward, her hands tightening around Agatha’s, her heart pounding as those familiar eyes began to flutter open.
“Agatha?” Rio said softly, her voice cracking just slightly.
Agatha blinked against the harsh hospital light, her gaze blurry but searching. When her eyes finally focused, they landed on Rio—and even through the fog of anesthesia, she smiled.
“Rio,” Agatha murmured, her voice barely audible. The corners of her lips lifted in a soft, loopy grin. “You’re here.”
Rio let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She smiled, but it was shaky, like she was holding back tears. “Of course, I’m here,” she said, brushing her thumb over the back of Agatha’s hand. “You scared the hell out of me, you know.
Agatha’s brows furrowed slightly, her mind still struggling to catch up. “What… happened?”
“You had emergency surgery,” Rio explained, her voice soft and soothing. “Your appendix. It was about to burst, and they had to take it out.”
Agatha blinked again, her smile faltering for a moment as her foggy mind tried to process. “Appendix… that’s the thing you don’t need, right?”
Rio laughed softly, the sound a mix of relief and disbelief. “Yeah, that’s the one. And yours decided to throw a tantrum.”
Agatha’s loopy smile returned, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Dramatic little thing.”
“Dramatic little you,” Rio teased, though her voice wavered slightly. She reached up, gently brushing a strand of hair away from Agatha’s forehead. “You scared me, baby. You really scared me.”
Agatha’s expression softened, her fingers weakly curling around Rio’s hand. “You waited for me?”
Rio’s throat tightened, and she nodded. “Fourteen hours, give or take. They told me to leave, but… how could I? I wasn’t going anywhere until I knew you were okay.”
Agatha’s smile widened just a fraction, her gaze full of warmth even as her eyelids drooped. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet,” Rio whispered, leaning closer, “you love me for it.”
Agatha’s voice was barely above a whisper now, her strength fleeting but her words steady. “I do.”
Rio exhaled shakily, her forehead dropping gently against Agatha’s hand. “God, you don’t know how good it is to hear you say that.”
Agatha blinked lazily at her, her voice slurring slightly. “You’re all dressed up,” she murmured, her gaze drifting over Rio’s sweater and neatly pulled-back hair. “You look beautiful.”
Rio’s laugh was quiet, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I’m not dressed up.”
“It’s perfect,” Agatha murmured, her smile faint but genuine. “You’re perfect.”
Rio leaned back, brushing at her damp lashes with the sleeve of her sweater. She shook her head, still smiling. “You’re so loopy right now. You’re not even going to remember saying any of this.”
“Maybe,” Agatha admitted, her words slow and sleepy. Her gaze softened even further as she looked at Rio, her heart full despite the haze. “But I’d still mean it.”
Rio’s lips pressed together as her throat tightened again, her emotions too raw to speak for a moment. She leaned forward, brushing a kiss against Agatha’s temple, her lips lingering there like a silent promise.
“I love you,” Rio whispered, the words quiet but fierce.
Agatha didn’t respond, her eyes fluttering closed as sleep pulled her under again. But her fingers stayed curled around Rio’s, and Rio stayed right there, holding on to her like she’d never let go.
In that moment, Rio knew she’d be at Agatha’s side through every step of this, through every recovery, every late night, every uncertainty. She wasn’t just staying because she loved her—she was staying because she couldn’t imagine a world where she didn’t.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Agathario AU | Rio visits Agatha after her surgery. Sequel to this edit.
184 notes · View notes
slowlyoats · 2 days ago
Text
The Lost Boys: What they do in their free time
Marko
- Beach-combing
- Since low and hide tide happen often at night or early in the morning when it’s still dark he gets to comb the beach for new TriNkEts
- David always yells at him when he returns from his treasure hunting with “more crap”
- There is a TON of sea glass in his corner of the cave. It’s all kept in glass jars, but he keeps the red pieces in a separate little jar because that color is super hard to find
- He also likes to look for washed up toys, bottle necks, and shiny rocks
- HE DESPERATELY WANTS A ROCK TUMBLER
- Unfortunately they are expensive, and Dwayne says that there isn’t enough electricity flowing through the cave to power one
Paul
- Ease dropping
- This man LIVES for the DRAMA
- He doesn’t even know the people he is ease dropping on or who they are talking about, but you bet your bottom dollar he doesn’t mind his tea unfamiliar and piping hot!
- Because he is with the boys 24/7 they really don’t have any secrets between them (that Paul knows of )
- So he has to get his tea fix elsewhere
- He likes to listen in on conversations while he’s in line for rides
- at the record store
- around the food vendors
- he gets lots of tea from just hanging out on the beach and at the local drive in
- You would be surprised the amount of people who talk during movies….
- His ease dropping skills have come in handy on occasion
- Every once in awhile a vampire hunter will wander into town, and start asking the locals questions they have no business asking
- Paul usually hears of their arrival through the grapevine and is able to warn the boys
Dwayne
- Helping out Laddie’s family
- It’s kind of sick that he does this, but he honestly can’t help himself
- After Max brought Laddie to the boys, Dwayne couldn’t help checking out Laddies kin and seeing for himself what this kid’s background was like
- It wasn’t great
- They lived in a run down apartment complex, that was missing half its ruff and probably hadn’t passed an inspection in 20 years
- After some snooping around, and stalking the place a few nights Dwayne was able to determine that Laddie had an aunt (who was his guardian it seemed ) a sister a few years older then him, and a 5 year old cousin
- At first Dwayne HELLA judged the aunt, because clearly if Laddie was able to find his way to the board walk and into the arms of Max, she was not keeping an eye on him in the first place
- He witnessed her grief, her tears, her confusion, when she realized Laddie was missing
- he gave her no sympathy for what he thought were the consequences of her incompetence
- but then
- He witnessed a family dinner in their small apartment that changed his opinion
- They were all sitting down to eat dinner, when there was a knock on the door. One of the children who lived in the apartment complex stopped by to play with Laddie’s sister. The aunt was just about to tell the boy to come back later, when the boy’s stomach growled. And it wasn’t a “ I’m a little peckish” or “ gee I forgot to eat lunch” type of growl. It was an“ I haven’t eaten in a few days” growl
- Without hesitation, she gave her meal to the boy and told him to come back whenever he had no food to eat at home
- Dwayne found himself to be in a little bit of a dilemma after this
- He felt guilty, but sending Laddie back wasn’t an option anymore
- The kid was half vampire now and he belonged with his brothers
- But then he noticed the lock on the door was broken, and the least he could do would be to fix it. So he snuck in once everyone was asleep and took care of it
- And then he fixed the leaky faucet
- And the loose cabinet
- And the floor board that was coming up would only take two nails to get back into place, so he might as well fix it, right?
- Dwayne soon found himself paying the apartment a weekly visit to repair stuff here and their
- Laddies aunt just assumed that the landlord decided to do his job for once and so doesn’t suspect anything
David
- breaking into Max’s house
- He LOVES to screw with Max and he would do it on a nightly basis if he could
- But
- The boys *cough cough* Paul and Marko, would probably be a tad too destructive if they came along
- Together the boys like to find vampire related objects and leave them outside Max’s house as a joke
- They’ve left costume vampire teeth
- Cloves of garlic
- Fake blood packets
- Vampire comic books
- The bat kite we see in the movie
- Max secretly finds it endearing though!
- He’s sons are playing little pranks on him and he find’s it adorable
- But what Max doesn’t know is that David takes it a step farther
- Max doesn’t lock his door, because, you know, he’s a vampire and he has Thorn to guard the place when he’s gone
- Max some how has not figured out yet that David likes to spend time in his home when he’s not there
- I think it’s because Max spends a decent amount of time around the boys, so that their scents feels normal to have around and be on his clothes. So when it’s been a long night at the video store, and he strolls into his house and can smell David it doesn’t feel out of the ordinary
- David has slowly become cordial with Thorn. I would say friend, but Thorn would rip David to shreds if Max gave him the command. But! if David brings Thorn a nice, juicy bone, then he will let him pass
- Kind of like Cerberus
- David likes to sit on Max’s back porch, and in his recliner
- He likes to snoop around his books and in his desk drawers
- He will swipe cash here and there when he finds it
- He just really likes the idea of being in Max’s space with out Max’s permission
80 notes · View notes
bobthetacocat · 1 day ago
Text
There's a note on the ground...
This is something I wrote for google-drive-submit, the final capstone in the Susie ARG project, posted on my Tumblr by request. It's a collection of a few thoughts that had crossed my mind since the project ended that I wanted to share. This is something I could talk about for a lot longer, so I promise to not take up much of your time.
Tumblr media
I think this is obvious, but the vast majority of things discussed in the Susie ARG do not relate to CCC 12 at all. Susie says as much herself.
This naturally brings up the follow-up question: why do this at all? If none of this matters to the canon, why put so much time and effort into it? And I guess that's a question you can realistically ask of all of SiIvaGunner. Rips take time to become as high quality as they are, right? Why do it at all?
The artistic process is kinda mean like that. It's a lot of hard work for something that feels so… ephemeral. Dust that falls through your hands when moved wrong.
Tumblr media
Susie had a few things to say about the channel, the overarching canon, and its people. She said almost everything she desired to say… except she left one straggler she didn't wrap up in time. Kind of a shame really, I think it's one of the more important ones. It's hard to say what that piece would've looked like if it was finished, but after consulting with Susie, I'm sure it would've looked something like this:
"My father said to me that that things tend to repeat themselves, given enough time. Sentience creates understanding, and understanding creates symbols, repetition, abstraction into things we can understand. How fitting, I suppose, that there are plenty of quotes like this…
Have you ever thought about where that lighthouse shows up? It's different every time. To SiIvaGunner it's a landmark of his home, to the AI universe it's a connection to the AI mainframe, to all those other little universes it's one thing or another; and of course, to you it's iconography, a picture to be adapted. Endlessly exploitable, as the deftest symbols tend to be.
I can't help but notice these types of things everywhere… somebody says a random phrase here - "intriguing", "nice", "reverb", there's a million examples - and it manages to travel across the universe and back again. A character talks over here, and their idea shows up somewhere else. Mr. Rental exists in one world, and a place is named after him a universe and half a planet away. Ideas conglomerate, and reform, and repeat; and one domino can add onto what anything means if it's the right time. This isn't a unintended side effect of the system, that's just how these things are here, a world of repeating and combining ideas together.
Then again, in the real world - your world - SiIvaGunner himself is a repetition of symbol, no? His better half. And he, in turn, is a repetition of someone else, who probably was inspired by someone else… so I suppose this was inevitable, in a way."
Tumblr media
Out of a morbid curiosity, I decided to go back and look at my first reaction to the release of Prologue and Episode 1 of the CCC in 2016, since I'm lucky enough to still be in that Discord server. It was the kind of reaction you would expect from a 13 year old: making jokes, making unrelated jokes, bad jokes, jokes, so on. But don't misunderstand me - I was excited, and I was glued to the screen.
Fast forward, now - it's 2024. I just turned 21. Episode 11 has finally released, and it's a stellar job, genuinely. I'm in the middle of conceptualizing the Susie ARG, a project dedicated to the nuances of this thing that's been a part of my life for so long... and here I am, making the worst joke ever about how Haltmann couldn't just get Susie with a piano from Super Star Symphony. And putting it onto my pitch document! What am I doing?! Am I stutipd??? I feel like the "what would you tell your past self" thought is pretty cliche, but I'm not sure how I would tell my past self that I'm just doing a higher caliber of the same stupid shitposting he was. I think he'd find it funny, though.
Tumblr media
SiIvaGunner's lore has never been the most popular thing on the channel. It feels almost condescending to explain the main reason why in detail - SiIvaGunner's main export is high quality rips. People aren't really coming for the story. But I think there is a second reason worth addressing: SiIvaGunner lore is hard to follow. This is also obvious, but I think the reason it started getting hard to follow is more nebulous and interesting. My current reasoning is that the characters stopped having predetermined story arcs and started living lives, if that makes sense.
Wood Man is patient zero of this. His defection from his predetermined box was relatively simple - an offscreen penchant for movie making. This turned Wood Man, an otherwise dumb side character completely fabricated for the sake of his master's bidding, into, like, a guy. Wood Man & Robbie Rotten turned him into a more complex person, with something from him that we hadn't seen before and he hadn't told anybody. He discussed the time dilation, and everything that implies, and how the world's time moves along. Then he got teleported to The Lost Rip, and the whole predetermined box fell apart completely. He escaped being a dumb side character, and got to do his own thing. He started knowing people offscreen, he started filming more movies, having the chance to hang out and be somebody and mature. He started living. Until… well, you know.
Wood Man's whole deal is emblematic of the tricky thing with the wielding of the passage of time in correlation to real life - the longer time has gone on, the more opportunity our side characters in the SiIvaGunner world have had to live their lives outside of the script and break their boxes. Dr. Andonuts spent so much of his time working, being a character behind the scenes, until he was compelled to come into the light. Joke-Explainer probably spent years wandering Grandiose, doing her own thing, living her life, interacting with people; checking in once a couple of years until we caught up with her for channel host. Haltmann had way more time than he would've to become committed to finding his daughter, and Susie had pretty much her entire existence as a Figment to watch from behind the scenes, until… well, you know.
And it's like, how do you condense that? If your 6 year old nephew turned 15 when you weren't looking, how do you compartmentalize the hundreds of off-screen stories in your brain? You don't, right? These type of things reward being around from the beginning, in a story that has broken its predefined end, and with characters that have had the chance to live autonomously. And that's probably bad for some of the newer viewers, but maybe that's better for some of the characters.
Tumblr media
By the tail end of the project, I realized I was a lot like Susie. Not in the literal sense, duh, but in the metaphorical, as a watcher of the story with a lot of opinions, who suddenly got to have those opinions known on the grand stage.
Susie started to sound more and more like me as time went on - or maybe I started to sound more and more like Susie? I'm not sure - as the character got situated in her place. I hope that hasn't been too obvious as you've been reading this document, but it probably has.
Susie and I don't agree on everything. We probably disagree on most things, realistically. But here we had one shared goal - to walk forward with this thing we've been watching for so many years.
All we had to do was try and find the right words.
32 notes · View notes