#and his face was so perplexed/distressed

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

men be like: not full-glam makeup and not no makeup but a secret third thing Hallmark protagonist makeup

[affableramen]

when they finish earlier than you

mature content including sexual themes; established relationships

Wriothesley, Tartaglia, Neuvillette, Pantalone, Ayato, Capitano, Dottore, Alhaitham, Dainsleif, Baizhu

Wriothesley

He groans with emotion but it’s only a few seconds after he realises that you’re still beneath him, still haven't come. Wriothesley looks at your widened, surprised eyes and agape mouth. 

“Bloody hell—”, he spits with a shaky voice. “I’m so sorry, we haven't seen each other for a while and I—”

Wriothesley gently caresses your hip, while chuckling and looking at you half-blushing. “Shit, I must have missed you too much.”

It’s not a problem for him to bring you to the peak with his mouth or hands. 

Tartaglia

He squirts his release with a loud moan, pressing you close to his chest, his face buried into your neck. Those little bites shall leave radiant marks.

“Oh my god…” Ajax moans into your neck. “Oh f-fuck—I—”, he pats your back, “Fuck, I have never come so fast before. It’s not my fault, peanut, you’re too gorgeous for your own good.” He jokingly says, hiding his blush into your neck so you have no idea of it. Ajax is incredibly embarrassed and frustrated with his manhood that got too sensitive too soon.

Neuvillette

Neuvillette feels embarrassed and upset over losing his composure so quickly. He usually lasts long, and finding himself in such predicament gives way to the feeling of guilt and frustration.

“Darling, we can go one more round to get you satisfied. Please forgive me, my love.”

“No need to, Neuvillette, the both of us are tired. We can do it anytime during the week.”

“But I feel so guilty for coming first and not giving you the release you deserved. Let me at least satisfy you with my hands.”

“I don’t mind that, but please don't stress yourself out too much. It’s just sex, we can do many times better later. Nothing changes between us if you simply came early.”

Neuvillette caresses your face softly and speaks with emotion.

“You know that I usually last. I feel so defeated right now.”

To comfort your husband you place a kiss on the centre of his palm.

“Cumming early doesn't make my love to you fade, Neuvillette. In all honesty, I’m glad if I make you so excited that you can barely hold it together.” You give one other awkward but loving smiles. 

Pantalone

“I—I apologise. I did not foresee that, darling”, with a perplexed, disoriented look Pantalone pulls away. He gets purchase on the clean towel and covers his body in shame. A terrific sight, so rare for the Ninth Harbinger who is usually unabashed, especially in intimacy. 

“Oh my—how pathetic!”

You try to comfort him, saying that he must have been both too excited and tired after work, which ended up in premature peak, but Pantalone seems too distressed and angry at his inability to control himself as he quickly vanishes from the bedroom. 

Ayato

With a stiffled moan Ayato finishes, but somehow it feels so wrong - releasing much earlier than you, when his significant other’s orgasm is in question. 

Ayato grabs the towel and wipes himself clean, while looking down at you, your legs still thrown on his shoulders. 

“Oh my goodness”, he laughs at himself, but the laugh is nervous, not cocky or proud as it usually is. The man’s ego seems to die out ridiculously soon, as quickly as he finishes this time.

“We’ll have to go one more round after that…” he hisses, his member still very sensitive. “Once I get ready again.”

Capitano

“Hngghh—” 

Capitano pulls out with a well-heard grunt and pulls you closer to his chest. You are lying on top of him, your bodies are slightly wet when he makes a remark:

“I apologise, wife. It seems my stamina betrayed me tonight”, he gives a smooch to your cheek, brief but filled with devoted emotion. “Maybe if you stay a while like this, I can satisfy you longer. What do you think?” He delivers yet another kiss, this time to your neck. His voice sounds much quieter and he gently runs his hand through your hair.

“We should really stay together tonight. I feel like I need you more than ever. And not a word about this to anyone.”

Dottore

“Dottore, get out of the bathroom, immediately.”

“No!” A grunt and a curse escape from the inside of the bathroom. “I must learn what caused the fail in performance.”

“Dottore, I’m happy either way. Besides you looked quite funny.”

“FUNNY—she thinks I’m funny”, he utters to himself under his breath. “I’m going to check this little idiot for ruining our bedtime.”

Your amused laugh can be heard from the bedroom, as Dottore’s anger at his own manhood looks funny.

Alhaitham

“Oh, Y/N—f-fuck!” Alhaitham certainly does not expect himself to cum prematurely. His face looks red and his expression radiates emotion. You swear you have never seen a face sexier than this. You didn't know that he could ever be able to cum so hard (and so soon). 

Alhaitham scowls, looking at you. “What? You think this is funny? It’s just a one time occurrence.” Another moan escapes his mouth and he covers his face with his hand. “You shouldn't see me like this—”

Dainsleif

Dainsleif falls onto the bed, utterly defeated and pulls you with him. You notice how heavily he is breathing and judging by the perplexed look on his face, never he did expect rushing his own release. He was shocked, to say in the least.

“Don’t look at me like that. You think you’ve defeated me?” Dainsleif groans when you move to his chest. “I will make you finish twice next time, and believe me—much earlier than me.”

Baizhu

Baizhu lets out a moan he did not expect coming and immediately covers his mouth. His face is red and silly when he looks down at you. He is blushing extraordinarily, and the buds of sweat roll over his chest as he towers over you. 

“Let’s pretend this did not happen, my dear”, he runs his hand down your lips and onto your neck. “Oh my goodness, how embarrassing.”

Yet you just give him a sincere laugh. “Baizhu, it’s alright. I enjoyed it immensely.”

[lemonlover1110]

can we get Toji reacting to reader's pregnancy

Pairing: Toji Fushiguro x f!Reader

Warnings: Pure Fluff

Discord +18 - Twitter - Ko-Fi

Ever since finding out that you’re eating for two, you’ve found yourself distressed. Not because this isn’t something that you were planning– Well partially because of that, but mainly because you don’t know what your boyfriend thinks of having more kids. You don’t have the heart to tell him that you’re expecting.

You don’t know how you’ve never had this conversation before, especially since you’ve started to talk about getting married. You know that he has a teenager, and probably he’s done with that part of his life. You also know that you’d be delighted to have kids, but if Toji wouldn’t want to have a child, you’re okay with that too. Your pregnancy changes everything though.

“Aren’t you two here early?” You ask, staring at the front door as Megumi and Toji walk in. Toji has a frown in his face while Megumi walks ahead, not a care in the world. You notice a stain on his school uniform and you tell him, “Put it in the washer, I’ll take care of it, Megs.”

“No, he can deal with the consequences of his actions in his little vacation.” Toji quickly speaks up, making you cock an eyebrow. You look back and forth between Toji and Megumi, hoping someone is going to fill you in. “Go to your room, Megumi. I can’t stand to look at your face anymore.”

“What happened?” You direct your attention to your husband since Megumi listens to his father and goes to his room. Toji sighs, walking over to you and pressing a kiss on your forehead. “Don’t tell me he–”

“Got into a fight. Got called in the middle of work to deal with his ass– Hey, at least he won.” Toji can’t help but chuckle because even though he’s mad, part of him still feels oddly proud. His kid is somewhat of a troublemaker, but hey, at least the kid can fight. He says something that makes the thoughts of worry that you pushed to the back of your mind, come back and even stronger. “Just glad I don’t have to deal with this much longer.”

“Right.” You awkwardly laugh. You follow Toji to your living room, and take a seat beside him on your couch. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, you do this all the time, but Toji immediately knows that something is off. Your face wastes no time in telling on you.

“You okay? You look a little off.” Toji comments, throwing his arm over you and bringing you closer to him. You’re a little far today when you’re usually all over him. The man loves his personal space, but not when it comes to you. 

“Weird day… Weird week.” You mutter the last part, but Toji hears it loud and clear. He kisses the top of your head before asking,

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” He proceeds to kiss the top of your head, and you bite down your lip. You have to tell him eventually, and you know that maybe this isn’t the right time to tell him, but he senses something is up.

“What do you think about having kids with me?” You speak a little fast, and if he wasn’t listening closely, he would have to ask you to repeat yourself. Toji takes a moment to think about it, acting perplexed. His silence is killing you and just when you’re about to repeat the question, he speaks up.

“Is this about the pregnancy test I found in the bathroom?” Toji mentions, and your eyes go wide. He’s known? He’s known all this time? He ends up kissing the tip of your nose before pecking your lips, “I’m happy with anything as long as I get to do it with you.”

“What about the comment that you made–” You begin and he interrupts you. 

“Was about Megumi, I’m making sure this one isn’t a troublemaker.” Toji clarifies as his hand goes to your lower abdomen. “I’m excited about this. I was wondering how long it’d take you to share.”

“Next time, speak up, I was scaring myself to death.” You lightly slap his chest, and he chuckles. You’re glaring at him, while he smirks at you. “You’re in so much trouble right now. Why didn’t you tell me immediately?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

[cinnamorollcrybaby]

hii i love ur work and was wondering if u can write where reader has a panic attack and sukuna is there to comfort them!! if not that’s okay 💜💜

Panicky

Tags: Sukuna x fem!Reader, tw panic attack, description of separation anxiety, soft!sukuna, fluff, comfort

An: you guys know how much i love writing soft!sukuna.

The sick sinking feeling arrives as an intrusive thought at first. When Sukuna has been gone, away handling “curse affairs” for too long, your brain will play tricks on you. What if he’s not coming back? What if he’s in trouble?

The realistic side of you knows that Sukuna has lived for thousands of years, and it’d take an army of the strongest sorcerers to take him down, but those thoughts still slither into your mind when he isn’t there to talk some sense into you.

He had been gone for too long. He said he wasn’t going far, so why has he been gone for four days? You paced the parlor back and forth, trying to come up with some reason that your king hasn’t returned.

His servants watch you in confusion, but not one of them dares to ask you what’s wrong. Humans were such strange creatures. They didn’t bother trying to deduce what had you in such a panic.

Your footsteps are growing heavy, and your heart is thudding so loudly in your chest that you can feel it in your throat. He’s dead. He’s gone. He’s not coming back.

The negative thoughts just won’t stop — swirling around in your head to where you feel woozy almost. Nothing makes sense. You can’t even form a rational thought before your body crashes against a piece of furniture.

Your eyes are bleary with tears as you take the opportunity to sit. Though, you’re still just as restless: tapping your foot against the floor, rubbing your shaky hands against your thighs while you try to rock yourself back and forth. He’s never coming back! Did you even tell him you loved him before he left? He’s dying somewhere, and you’re too pathetic to save him!

Your body is trembling, and your soft weeping alarms the curses that are now hiding from you because they have no idea what to do.

You’re so worked up, anxiety filling your ears to where you don’t even hear him teleport into the room.

Sukuna’s eyes rest upon your fragile figure, and his face contorts in a perplexed expression. “Leave us.” His gruff voice tells Uraume.

“What ails you?” He asks as he crouches down to see you at eye-level. His first thoughts are how he’s going to torture the pest who made you feel this way.

You look up as your breath is escaping you faster than you can try to gulp it down. Sukuna’s there. He’s alive, but your body is still set in fight or flight mode. You can’t recognize that there is no danger in front of you.

Sukuna doesn’t know what to do. You can’t even speak a word without heaving for breath. He can’t get to the bottom of your sorrow without you telling him. So, he wraps his strong arms around you, and he pulls you to his chest, smushing you against his muscles.

“Breathe, woman. There is plenty of time.” He adjusts his body, so he’s sitting on the couch, and you’re tucked into his chest on his lap.

The crushing feeling of Sukuna’s weighted arms actually works wonders. You try to ground yourself and listen to the rhythm of his beating heart.

“There you go.” His gravely voice is softer when he speaks to you. You’re as delicate as a flower in his hands. He has to make a conscious effort to be gentle with you. His calloused war-plagued palm carefully rubs your back in soothing circles. “Match your breath to mine.”

“I-I thought.. thought you weren’t coming… weren’t coning back.” You stumble your way through your words. The panic is still coming, but it’s in much more manageable - smaller waves.

“Who falsely informed you of such?” Sukuna asks, the need for retribution for your stress evident in his tone. Someone will have to pay for his flower’s distress.

“Well, no one in particular…” You mutter quietly. Now that the panic is subsiding, the embarrassment starts to kick in. “I just got worried..”

“Worried for my safety, huh?” Sukuna muses. It’s a laughable thought. One, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Two, no one worries for his safety. He’s sure that even his court and his people would celebrate if he were to die. Yet, here you were in shambles from the thought.

“Such a peculiar human.” His arms tighten around you, embracing him in his oversized form. “There is no need to worry. I have no intentions of leaving you.”

“But what if there’s an army of sorcerers trying to kill you?” You ask a hypothetical like a child who’s trying to rationalize the world around them.

“Then, I will kill them and come home to you.” He speaks so matter-of-fact, like there’s not a doubt in his mind that he’d win.

“What if there’s too many of them?”

“I will still kill them and come home to you. Do you doubt your king?” He raises an eyebrow as he looks down at you.

“No, never.” You assure him, burying your face into his shoulder.

“I will limit my duties to three days maximum, since my human cannot handle being away from me for so long.” He gives you an amusing smile, and he presses a tender kiss to your forehead. It’s truly fascinating how a delicate flower like you fell in love with a monster like him.

[fairytaleendingss]

hiiii!! i lurved your writing in the roommates fic so much and wanted to request a little something if you're keennnn. . .

i was thinking of this poly!marauders thing, where a reader who has previously been in a bad relationship (the extent of the bad up to you) gets into a relationship with the marauders and keeps trying to "test" their limits only to be met with patience and love. maybe leading to jumpiness from the reader as they feel it's all going to go south but it just never does? mayyyybe hurt/comfort and reassurance?👀👀

thankyouururu ofc no pressure 💕💕💕💕 love your work again

Thanks so much for the request hun! Sorry I've been a bit slow in responding but hopefully you enjoy!

Testing The Waters

Summary: Your ex boyfriend used to get mad at you for the littlest of things and you begin to wonder whether your new relationship will be the same.

Pairing: Poly!Marauder x fem!reader

CW: Talk of toxic relationships, reader being extremely insecure in her relationship, allusions to sex (only mentioned), brief mention of Sirius' abusive childhood, a disgusting amount of cheesy pet-names.

—

It started in a Tuesday night. You'd come home from a long shift at work that afternoon and had been so exhausted from the day that you decided to take a nap. You knew your boyfriends would all be home a little later and you figured you'd shut your eyes briefly and then get up in time to make them dinner before they arrived.

You had all moved in together only a month ago but you'd quickly slotted into routine when it came to chores. Despite all working weird hours at your respective jobs, it seemed that you were all able to fall into a steady rhythm, naturally configuring to each other's schedules in a way that just seemed to work.

So when you woke up a few hours later to the sound of the front door unlocking, you were sent into a full blown panic. You jumped out of bed frantically and rushed to the front door to see Sirius and James enter, chatting animatedly amongst themselves. Your heart was racing as a jolt of guilt pierced your stomach.

In the back of your mind, you could hear the voice of your ex boyfriend.

"You're so worthless, y/n! You always mess everything up."

Tears sprung to your eyes as you hurried into the kitchen, quickly filling a pot with hot water and throwing it haphazardly onto the stove.

Hearing the clanging of pots and pans, Sirius and James were allerted to your presence. However, they grew concerned when they walked into the kitchen to see you wiping tears from your eyes as you frantically gathered the ingredients to make pasta.

"Hey darling, what's going on?" James asked, reaching an arm out to grasp your wrist gently.

He cupped your face in his walm palms, using the pads of his thumbs to wipe the tears from your cheeks while Sirius peered over his shoulder, looking like a kicked puppy at the sight of your distress. '

"Please don't be mad," you choked out. The concern in their eyes did nothing to loosen the vice of guilt that was clasping itself around your heart.

"Why would we be mad, lovely?" Sirius stepped forward, resting a hand ever so gently on your shoulder, like he was scared you'd crumble under his touch.

"I wanted to make you dinner before you got home but I fell asleep and now your here and I haven't done it."

There was a moment of silence before James barked out a laugh. You furrowed your brows in confusion.

"Is that all this is about? Geez, love, you scared the shit out of me. I thought something was wrong."

You blinked up at him, perplexed by his response. "But I wanted to do something nice for you and I ruined it!"

"You didn't ruin anything, angel," Sirius cooed. "How about I give Remus a call and he can pick up some Chinese on the way home?"

"Sound's good to me," James responded keenly. Then he turned back to you.

"In the meantime, why don't we go and cuddle on the sofa for a bit. I could use it after the day I've had."

He guided you towards the couch but you couldn't help but glance back towards the mess you'd now made in the kitchen.

"But-"

"No buts," Sirius stated firmly. "I'm calling Remus right now. You go and relax."

Eventually you relented, however, you couldn't stop replaying the interaction in your mind. Even laying in bed that night, curled up with your boyfriends, stomachs full of takeaway, your mind went over the scene.

You couldn't fully comprehend what had happened. You just didn't understand it. Your previous boyfriend would never have let you get away with something like that.

He would've yelled at you, called you stupid and lazy and stood over your shoulder while you made his meal to make sure you didn't burn anything in your haste. That's just how things went. You looked after your boyfriends and when your failed, you got in trouble for it.

Only, Sirius and James had seemed so... understanding? Something about it made your heart stutter with unease. Maybe they were mad, you thought, and they were just too tired from work to tell you off. Maybe they were saving it up for the next time you had an argument.

Whatever it was, it twisted unpleasantly into your gut. Remus was also quiet tonight, he was probably mad at you for making him pick up food on the way from work and wasting his time. Maybe he was giving you the silent treatment, putting a distance in between you as a form of punishment.

Subconciously, you rolled over towards him, where he was nestled beside you and you felt him throw an arm over your waste, still it didn't serve to bring much comfort in that moment.

--

The next morning, you expected them all to confront you. To sit you down and reprimand you for your failure the night before. However, the blow never came.

Instead, they got dressed as usual, ready for work and one by one planted a kiss on your lips as they walked out the door. You supposed you should've been relieved but something in the back of your mind wouldn't let you. You couldn't shake the feeling there was something else at play here, some resentment building inside of them just waiting to burst out.

You couldn't help but wonder what it would take for them to snap.

--

The next time it happened was on Friday. Sirius wanted to take you out to a trendy new restaurant that had opened down the road and you'd all been very excited.

You wanted to make sure you looked amazing for your boys tonight which meant spending over an hour sifting through your wardrobe to find the perfect outfit.

At one point you pulled out a red dress you'd bought to wear to your friend's bachelorette party. It was short and tight and hugged all your curves perfectly. You pulled it from the wardrobe and tossed it aside instantly. You'd never worn in in front of the boys, but your ex always said it was inappropriate for you to wear in public while you were in a relationship and that it made you look like a hooker.

You paused then, for a moment, turning to glance at the piece of fabric where it lay on the bed. You bit your lip as you examined it and a silly idea crossed through your mind.

You knew in an instant it was a dumb thing to do, to test your boyfriend's limits like that, but a nawing curiosity plagued at you. In a moment of confidence, you slipped the dress on.

Walking, down the stairs, you braced yourself for impact. You were well prepared to be told you looked slutty, and that you'd have to change before leaving the house. You had a second, more conservative outfit layed out on the bed, ready for a quick change. But you just had to know for sure.

The boys were waiting for you as you walked down, all dressed up nicely. Their eyes widened when they fell on your form.

"Wow!" Sirius blurted, looking like his eyes were about to burst forth from his skull. "You look..."

You cringed. You knew they wouldn't like it. "Is it too revealing?"

James shook his head. "No baby, not at all. You look amazing."

You were taken aback by the comment, even moreso when Remus agreed with him.

"You look beautiful, dove," he complimented softly. "Besides, it's not up to us what you wear. You could go out in a paper bag for all I care and you'd still be the prettiest girl in the room."

Heat rose in your cheeks at his statement. "Really?"

"Absolutely!"

You're gaze then fell back to Sirius, who was standing in front of you, mouth agape, still at a loss for words as he stared at you.

You felt embarassed then. You shouldn't have gotten your hopes up with the other boys. You should've known it'd be Sirius who objected. He tended to be the most protective of the three of them.

"You don't like it?" You questioned unsteadily, already turning on your heel, ready to go back upstairs and change, when Sirius suddenly grabbed you by the waist.

"No, no, baby. I love it."

He pulled you towards him, eyes ablaze as he looked you up and down.

"You look so sexy. I think you should dress like this all the time."

A small smile formed on your face as you looked up at him. He licked his lips deviously.

"Alright, down boy," James teased, claping a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder. "We've still got to make it through dinner yet. You can rip her clothes off when we get back."

Sirius rolled is eyes dramatically.

"Oh alright then," he turned back to you briefly. "But get ready baby, because tonight I'm going to rock your world."

"Keep it in your pants would you? We're about to go out in public," Remus huffed, shaking his head exasperatedly and James all but dragged Sirius away from you. Remus then held an arm out for you to grasp.

"Shall we?" He asked, looking down at you fondly.

You nodded shyly, as the two of you headed towards the door.

Well, this definitely wasn't the response you'd expected.

__

You're next opportunity came just under a week later. Friday night had been very very fun but you still couldn't get the thought out of your mind that something was wrong.

You couldn't wrap your head around why the boys had been so nice to you. You're ex boyfriend would never let you get away with as much as you had. Surely there was something that would drive them over the edge. Anxiety niggled at the back of your mind. You felt on guard all the time over the last few days, like you were just waiting to find the thing that would trigger the walls to come crashing down around you.

You were laying on the couch, scrolling through TikTok when James came into the room, holding a bag of his dirty gym clothes.

"Hey, darling," he placed a kiss to your forehead. You responded with small smile.

"Shall I put this in the laundry basket for you to take care of later?"

You froze, a thought flashing through your mind. You knew he didn't mean anything by it. You always did the laundry, the boys just expected it. The same way that James always washed the dishes, Sirius vacuumed the floors and Remus took care of the dusting.

However, you couldn't help but wonder what he'd do if you didn't do it. Would he yell at you? Threaten to leave you?

The thoughts swirled in your mind. James rarely ever got properly angry. He was a good communicator and able to laugh things off for the most part. But what if you did something to really piss him off?

You had to know. You had to be able to prepare yourself in case it happened again.

"Why don't you do it yourself?"

You were surprised by the sound of the words as they came out of your mouth and you were immediately filled with guilt. You never spoke to your boyfriend's like that. Especially not sweet, loving James.

He raised his brows, startled by your response. He stood there for a moment, processing what you'd said.

Now I've done it, you thought. You bit your lip anxiously as you braced yourself for the fallout.

Then, James' features softened. He dropped the bag down on the floor and came to crouch by your head. With a gentle hand, he reached up to brush some hair from your forehead, eyes swimming with concern.

"Is everything okay, my love?" His tone was so affectionate that it made you want to cry. "Are you feeling unwell?"

You shook your head, continuing on with your ploy but confused about his response.

"N-no. I just don't feel like doing it today."

You shuffled away from his touch slightly, unsure of what his reaction would be.

James just smiled sympathetically. "That's okay."

"It is?"

He nodded sweetly. "Of course! We all need a break sometimes. You do the laundry every day, it makes perfect sense you'd be growing tired of it."

Your eyes widened.

"Don't worry about it, lovely. I'll take care of it today."

He plopped a sloppy kiss on your cheek and then stood up, whistling to himself as he scooped his bag off the floor and ventured into the laundry room.

You lay there in silence for a few moments, not 100% sure of what just happened.

--

It was two in the morning and you were laying awake in bed thinking. You had been laying there for a while, a plan formulating in your head. You slowly lifted Sirius' arm off you where it was splayed across your stomach and wiggled your way out of bed.

You were lucky that James had requested to take the middle position this evening, otherwise your mission would have been a lot more challenging.

You crept towards the kitchen, your feet light on the floor as to not alert any of the boys (Sirius was a notoriously light sleeper).

You took a deep breath as you made your way over to the pantry, moving towards the shelf you were looking for. The shelf that contained Remus' chocolate stash.

You hesitated. Was this a dumb idea? You'd seen Remus get mad at Sirius just a week ago when he'd stolen some of his chocolate. You knew that this was going to set him off.

But you just had to see. You had to know what would happen when they got mad at you. You couldn't stand the anticipation anymore.

Determinedly you grabbed a couple of mars bars off the shelf and quickly ate scoffed them down. Then you returned quietly to bed, knowing Remus would definitely notice in the morning.

--

"Okay, who ate my chocolates?"

You shrunk down on the couch, quickly becoming nervous at the irritation in his tone.

"Sirius, was it you again? Because I swear to god I told you last time-"

"It wasn't Sirius," you piped up, saving your boyfriend from an unwarranted scolding. "It was me."

The boys all turned to look at you, and slowly you met Remus' wide eyes. You braced yourself once more.

"Oh," he said. "Okay."

You looked up at him like he had two heads. "Okay? Aren't you mad? I stole your chocolate Remus."

He chuckled. "Dove, you bought me that chocolate. You can have some any time you like. We can get some more in the next grocery run."

"B-but you were so mad at Sirius..."

He flopped himself down on the couch beside you, running a hand affectionately through your hair. "Yes, because Sirius does it all the time just to spite me."

"It's true," Sirius called from his spot on the love seat.

"He hides it as well sometimes."

"What can I say?" the boy teased. "You're cute when you're mad."

Remus just rolled his eyes. "Anyway, darling, if your hungry, you're welcome to have some. I'm happy to share. You don't have to sneak it in the middle of the night."

You sat there in shock for a moment, not quite sure what to say.

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

You gave him a tight lipped smile but inside, the anxiety still bubbled on.

--

Over the next few days, you'd done many things to try and get a reaction from them. You came home late from work without telling them, you "forgot" to lock the front door after leaving the house, you even left all the lights on when you went to bed, something you knew Remus couldn't stand.

However, the worst you ever received was a gentle reminder. Instead of reassuring you, it made your stomach churn. Why were they being so nice all the time? Surely they had some kind of ulterior motive.

When the weekend came around, you decided you finally had enough. It was time to pull out the big guns.

"Hey love, do you mind making us a cup of tea?" Sirius had questioned innocently as you all sat huddled together, watching a movie.

"Of course," you'd responded, jumping up from the couch.

You'd put the kettle on and were removing the teacups from the cupboard when a horrible thought crossed your mind. These were Remus' mother's teacups. The ones he'd kept after she'd passed away. The other boys were so protective of Remus, you knew this was going to illicit some kind of reaction.

You took a deep breath.

CRASH

The teacup clattered to the floor, smashing into hundreds of pieces that scattered across the white kitchen tiles.

Regret consumed you the moment that you did it. Oh God, you thought. What had you done?

You immediately crouched down in an attempt to collect all the pieces and tears began to flood your eyes. The voice of your ex played in your mind once more.

"You're so pathetic. Look at yourself right now. How is anyone supposed to love someone as stupid as you?"

You choked on a sob as you heard the sounds of your boyfriend's footsteps rushing towards you. James got to you first.

"Sweetheart, is everything okay? We heard something break."

You looked up at him, the concern on his face and more tears came to your eyes. You choked on a sob when you realised that this was it. They'd probably break up with you when they saw what you'd done.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry," You choked out. "I know how much you loved these teacups Remus."

You spared yourself a glance towards his face. You expected him to look angry or upset or hurt but instead he just looked... worried?

"Dove it's okay," he walked towards you. "But you need to get off the floor, lovely. I don't want you to get cut by the glass."

You looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "What?"

"I can help, I've got slippers on," Sirius stated and in a swift movement, he was lifting you up off the floor and setting you down on the counter, away from the dangerous shards.

This only caused you to sob more. Why were they being so kind?

"Why are you crying doll? Did you cut yourself?" Sirius asked gently, assessing your face with a hand cupped around your cheek.

You shook your head and sniffled pathetically.

"Then tell us what's got you so upset," James pleaded, looking like he wanted to cry himself. He was always the most sensitive of your boys.

You took a shaky breath. "Why won't you get mad at me?"

Remus looked taken aback. "Why would we be mad at you, dove? It was just an accident."

You sniffled and shook your head. You were on the verge of hysterics now.

"No it wasn't! I did it on purpose. You were supposed to be angry."

"What are you talking about?" James questioned, running a gentle hand along your back. You shrugged away from the contact.

"You're all too nice to me!" you exclaimed. "No matter what I do or how much I stuff up, you're always so kind about it! You're supposed to be angry sometimes!"

"Sweetheart," James murmured. "It's because we love you. Nothing you do will ever change that."

"Really?" you questioned unsurely.

"Of course, dove," Remus confirmed.

You looked up to Sirius to see that he was now looking down at you with a glisten of anguish in his eyes.

"So this is what's been going on? You've been testing us?"

You bit the inside of your cheek. You supposed he was right and suddenly you felt stupid for putting them through all you had for the last few weeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm a terrible girlfriend."

All of a sudden, you were smushed against Sirius' chest.

"No your not. You're wonderful," he muttered into your hair. "I understand, you know? I did the same thing when I ran away to James'. I just wished I picked up on it sooner."

"It's okay," you murmured, your tears finally beginning to slow. "It was silly."

"It wasn't silly, if it made you upset," Remus chimed in.

"Yeah darling, and you know you can come to us with anything? If you're feeling upset about something we want you to tell us," James added.

"I know," you sighed, pulling back from Sirius so you could look at all three of the boys. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, doll. What about this? We promise we will be honest with you if we're ever upset about something so you don't have to worry."

You nodded.

They smiled at you. And for the first time in a while, you're ex's voice vanished from your mind. You didn't need to worry about him anymore. You had your boys, and that's all you needed.

[imamotherfuckingstar-lord]

imagine bucky breaking up with you

The room fell silent as the words spilled out of Bucky's mouth. Jumbled up breaths of excuses of how things were just getting a little too serious for him. How he thought things were casual and suddenly he was feeling pressured. His voice ringed in your ears, heat burning on your skin as you stared at him.

Bewildered.

Casual?

This was never casual. Sure it might have started that way, friends seeing where things could go but never was it just casual.

You allowed him to continue, listening to apologetically enthused words that meant nothing to you.

Let him finish...

Let him finish...

"....I really just need some time. I don't want anything serious right now."

Bucky studied your face, looking for signs of distress. Your face was so stone cold, Austin could have been your first name. He held onto the chair he was standing in front of, waiting and waiting until you nodded.

"Fine. I really have nothing to say. I have work in an hour, but I can come by and if you could have all my things ready..."

He looked perplexed as you listed off all your possessions around his apartment. The whole two bottom drawers needed to be cleaned out, books on the shelf, coats in the closet. There was at least two pair of shoes under his bed, he could keep the pots and pans.

"Except, I really would like my stainless pan. I'm very attached to it but other than the clothes, books, whatever else you can keep."

Bucky Barnes was dumbfounded and plain dumb. He was self sabotaging as he always did and you weren't going to play this game - he needed to figure it out all his own and if he never did, well...a person could only wait around for so long.

but, fuck, he might be worth the wait if he could get his shit together.

can't wait too long...

"Also, you have a doctor's appointment next Tuesday. Don't forget they moved buildings, you won't have to take the extra train ride. So yay..."

The half hearted 'yay' made Bucky grimace and he wanted to take it all back but you were already at the front door. He moved toward you and you met him half way, staring lovingly in his eyes. A hand brushed strands of hair from his handsome face and you smiled.

"Get your shit together, Barnes. A catch like me isn't going to wait for too long. Especially when her casual boyfriend has a really hot best friend...."

There was a hint of deviousness in your eyes, the mere thought of Steve and you nearly sent Bucky into a rage but then you gave him a peck on the cheek and walked out of his apartment.

He stood there, like a perfect idiot.

[illuminiscentboba]

studying with a sleepy akaashi and him pulling moves on you (they're working)

it was another simple cold day, november settling in and bringing with it a chill that was quick to freeze your fingertips and tickle your nostrils. deadlines never seemed to stop piling but at least you had someone to motivate you, also a victim of the same craft.

there he was already settled into the booth, his muscular arms folded, his shoulder sagging as his head bobbed, his glasses settled low on his nose.

you were a little too quick to snap a photo, hurrying in to surprise him.

"keiji? hey wake up." you lightly shook his shoulders. he squinted at you, quick to shift upright and readjust himself, a long yawn erupting his mouth, his stretching flexing the shirt around his chest.

"did you get any sleep last night?" he paused, another yawn escaping before he could get out a word. "No, my roomates were up late playing this new game that came out. I couldn't sleep with all the yelling."

You hovered around in concern. "Should we study later so you can take a nap or next time?"

"Nono, this is the best time for us because we're both free today. We should try to power through" he mustered a sleepy smile and you settled in across from him. It was true, with how much classes, random labs and tutorials this was unfortunately the best day for you guys to coordinate.

Sleepy akaashi was charming to say the least. The errors he made where he normally would be perfect followed by a perplexed "hmm...that isn't quite right?" or disappointed, "hm? this one is wrong too? i'm sorry (name)."

seeing him fight the fatigue, taking small sips of his coffee, a distressed palm raking through his hair. "Let me sit beside you so I can show you the right way." "would you please?" the apologetic pull of his lips downward. what a cutie.

and so you worked through the problems, filling in each others blanks, hearing your voice beside him helped him reorient himself.

with his chin settled into his palm he watched as you explained the concept, gaining more confidence in how much you thought you knew about it. before he knew it he was reachign out, catching wisps that were going to get into your eye behind your ear. you pause, staring incredulously. "you were saying?" his tone, a little too smug for your liking.

"nothing." you say indignantly, your eyes following the hands still perched around the area of your face, leafing through the hair by your ears. "what are you doing."

he brings his face closer, pretending to inspect the side of your face, his face dangerously your own. "making sure I do a good job." he whispers into your ear.

something isn't right about him. the huskiness of his voice. the teasing grin, how'd he go from adorable to something that would eat you up. was it because he was tired that he was less careful and nervous than usual?

in fact... something hasn't been quite right for a while now. the prolonged staring he'd do when you guys were studying, the reaching across from you, and sitting very close to you. all the details he remembered. he always responds why wouldn't he but never brings up that he does it to anyone else. you thought back to the previous conversations and how akaashi tried to seem not as interested as he actually was when you guys would have group discussions about love.

your more than familiar now with his shy smile, the fidgeting with his fingers, and unyielding stare whenever he wanted to know or talk about something dear to his heart in a way everyone would not misunderstand.

maybe the teasing from your friends weren't for nothing. maybe he was trying to tell you this whole time.

"oh right, I have something to show you." he turns away, reaching into his bag and your filled with anticipation he slips something into his hands.

"your hand please." he extends his palm to which you nervously press against his. he intertines his fingers through yours, the glow of his smile and face radiating warmth as he pulls something from his wrist onto yours.

you gasp. you had lost your staple bracelet that matched your rings and earrings a week ago and you didn't realize how atattched you were to it until you trashed your room searching for it.

"oh my god, keiji!!! you remembered!! oh my god stop, this is so sweet thank you!" he seems quite proud of himself as you continued to pour with thank yous, and your the best. he assures you as always that he'll always remember the words of those dear to him.

he squeezes your hand in his and you squeeze back so excited to have it back in your collection. "that was super neat, the way you got it from your wrist to mine. that was a little too smooth to not be practiced." did he have another girl or guy you didn't know about?

"you think so?" he raises a brow. "my roomate was bragging about it the other day so i thought I'd give it a go?" the confidence and teasing tone to his voice was so attractive.

"and you thought of me?" "I don't know anyone better." his other hand grazes your face again, sweeping away what you know is no more than a singular strand of hair. "you couldv'e just handed me it."

"well if I'm being fully honest..." he tilts his head, in the silly way he's seen his teamates do when begging him to do something for them. "I also really wanted to hold your hand." he smiled shyly and then he did that thing he always did, where he stared at you really hard and it finally clicked in your mind. he was checking your reaction to see if you were okay with the touch.

for permission.

oh my god, he was enforcing the boundaries you didn't set because he wanted to make sure you were okay with his approaches. all the moments between you guys that made your heart race were intentional.

you place the hand lingering by your face to cup your cheek as you lean in. theres no faster way for you to get out all of your emotions and thoughts then a kiss. his chair tilts back and his hands wrap around your waist to steady you guys. its a quick smooch, given you guys are in a public setting but more than enough.

"I think we're due another discussion about our feelings...somewhere quiet?" "yeah." you mumble, twin grins on your faces as you pack up your stuff, almost rushing out of the cafe having paid your bill earlier.

if there was anyone safe enough for you to entrust your heart to it would always be him.

(this is part of a longer fic, also posted today)

[hoshigray]

If u don’t wanna it’s fine but imagine

Y/N tryna take dom from toji but ain’t working 🛐

Are you kidding me!? This is a lovely idea to write out :O Kinda was flipping through different scenarios, but I felt this was what popped up the most: the reader takes Toji by surprise and tries to ride him, but he doesn't let that happen. Hope it's what you envisioned, and ty for the imagine! Cw: dom! Toji x fem!reader - Daddy kink - starts with doggy style, ends with missionary - attempted cowgirl position; the reader feels discomfort - reader tries to be dom but has no experience - pet names (angel, baby, good girl, mama, sweetie, sweetheart) - praise - cervix fucking - spanking (2x) - clitoral play (pinch 1x) - breeding if you squint haha. Wc: 832

"Mmmm! Jesus, Y/n. Can never get enough of this pussy, baby."

You reply in muffled mewls, mouth covered by the pillow under your chin.

Toji has you face down and ass up for him, towering over your bent physique as he drills his cock deep inside your soaping vulva. His hands are on your hips to properly guide your rear to his pelvis, and thrusts propel him further for his length to scrape your walls.

Gripping the sheets beneath, you try to call out to him. But choked sobs solely exit your lips when you feel a smack on your butt. The harsh impact has you clenching around him, which causes him to hiss and lean downwards. Toji quickly uses his hands to support himself from putting his entire weight on you, placing his palms beside your writhing figure.

"Ooooh shit, shit." Toji moans into your ear, his breath and husky voice tickling the nerves of your eardrums, "Can't do that to me, sweetie. Clenchin' 'round me all of a sudden."

"Ahhh! D-Daddy, please, I'm 'bout to cummm!" His baritone laugh has you shudder. "I'm cumming, gonna cum—"

"Go on, mama," Toji nips on your earlobe, and your adorable whines feed his ego. "Cum on Daddy like the good girl you are." His hips snap severely onto the surface of your ass, his tempo going absurdly fast with his girthy member brushing your cervix with every rut, and you shut your eyes as your climax builds up. It hits you hard when another slap to your rear comes down, the stinging sensation prompting your orgasm to finally come through.

Your cunt flutters on his cock beautifully, coating it full of your personal essence while your body experiences the aftershocks. Toji praises you on your release. "Did so good," he kisses your shoulder and the back of your neck while your high subsides. "Keep bein' good, and let me finish here."

He hears you chuckle silently; unbeknownst to him, you mentally prep yourself before he starts moving again.

At the count of three, Toji is pushed to the side onto his back, completely perplexed by the action. With a cheeky smile, you crawl onto him and kiss the scar on his lips. "How about you be good and let me help you finish up?"

His brows furrow, but he can't fight the excitement in the grin that creeps up. "Oh, that's what we're doin'?" Toji makes himself comfortable and rests his hands on your waist. "Give me a show, angel."

You flash a smile as you arrange yourself, your ruined pussy aligning with Toji's shaft, ready for a peak of his own. Toji enjoys your confidence, but his eyes peer down at your legs, observing them still trembling from a few moments ago.

Before he can point it out, the lips of your sex are already touching the head of his cock. He groans in pleasure, shamrock green eyes taking in the connection between you two. Yet he knows something's wrong when he hears a distressing sound leave your lips, peering up to your face to see you wince in pain as you push yourself onto him.

He frowns. "Yeah, no. Stop."

You freeze and share a look of confusion. "Huh, what? Am I doing it—Woah!!"

It takes Toji a few seconds to reverse the position with relative ease. Now you're the one with your back to the sheets with your head on the pillow facing the built man. "Sorry, sweetheart, but I'll be in control."

"Did I do something wrong?" You questioned. Then a whimper takes over you when Toji positions the tip of his dick to your cunt.

"No, baby," He coaxes you while pushing his length into you, your wet slit making it easier for him to enter again. "Just don't like seeing you in pain. Don't have to do things that'll hurt you, mama."

Your brows scrunch together. Although It's a light lecture, you know he's right. "I know...I just wanted to—Hmmm...wanted to make—Hnngh!" The tip is inside, your pussy readjusting to his girth as he slowly moves inward. "Wanted to make you feel good..."

The cockhead reaches your cervix, causing you two to moan in unison. "Hmmm, fuck." He plants kisses on your chest to your cheek while his hand rubs gentle circles on your clit. "Long as I got this pussy of yours around, I'll always go crazy, sweetie."

You turn away from him, the older man finding your display of modesty adorable. "Now," a sudden plunge of his hips and a pinch to your clitoris leads a sharp gasp out from your system, his cock hurriedly brushing your smooth walls with ease. "You're gonna lay here and look pretty while I fuck the shit out of ya, yeah?"

You reach out for him, to which he obliges. Arms are secured around his neck to bring him close to you. "Please, Daddy. Fill me up." Toji sneers in satisfaction and kisses you before continuing on.

"Atta girl."

[msmk11]

My T**s Ruin the Outfit

Poly!Marauders x non-binary!reader (short fic)

CW: Gender dysphoria; angst: fluff; hurt/comfort

Summary: Your boyfriends find you having a melt down about clothes. But really, it’s not about clothes at all.

Author’s Note: I’m not sure how this idea came to mind, but once I thought it, I had to write it. Since I go by she/they the struggle to find gender affirming clothes is really hard sometimes 😭 especially with tits. So ig this is really self-insert heavy, but I also hopes it brings comfort to those who feel similarly.

Remus was less than pleased to find you sprawled out on the bed, face down in the pillows.

“Dove, what are you doing?” he sighed, “You know we need to leave in ten minutes.”

“I’m not going,” you mumbled.

Remus assumed today of all days was when you decided to be a brat, and he was not going to have it. Tonight was supposed to be the first time in months that your entire friend group was going to be able to get together. Between Mary and Lily, Marlene and Dorcas, Regulus and Barty, and you four, it was nearly impossible to make plans. But, by some miracle, tonight was the night, and Remus was not about to miss out because of your attitude.

“Dove,” Remus said with a low, warning tone, “I’m not gonna say it again.”

You only grumbled out another no, and Remus felt his patience wearing thin. Just as he was about to force you up and moving, James wondered into the room, looking particularly delectable in one of his faded rugby shirts that hugged his biceps, and blue jeans.

Though James was occasionally oblivious, he immediately noticed Remus’ tense jaw and your distressed body language.

“What’s going on here?” James asked carefully.

“Dovey here insists that they’re no longer going with us,” Remus said gruffly.

James looked at Remus confused. Out of everyone, you had been the most excited for this night. While you loved your boys, you also dearly missed your best friends- Lily, Mary, Marlene, and Dorcas. You had been chattering excitedly for days about all that you four needed to catch up on- old gossip, haircut advice, and some of your shared favorite musicians.

Though Remus’ temper sometimes prevented him from seeing it, James’ cool demeanor allowed him to quickly realize that something was obviously wrong. James gently sat down on the bed beside you and started to rub small, soothing circles on your back.

“Angel,” he asked quietly, “why don’t you want to go anymore? You’ve been looking forward to it for days.”

You didn’t respond verbally, but James noticed a slight shaking in your shoulders. Ever so carefully, James grabbed your hips and shifted you onto your side to face him. Before you could hide away again, James noticed your red, teary eyes.

“Angel,” he cooed sadly.

Remus looked to James with a perplexed expression and mouthed, “what is it?”

“They’re crying,” James mouthed quietly.

All of the tension left Remus quickly and was replaced by worry. He immediately felt guilty for assuming the worst and shuffled over to the bed, assuming a seat on your other side. While rubbing small circles on your hip Remus asked, “Can you sit up for us dove and tell us what’s wrong?”

You begrudgingly obliged, though you remained attached to James as you did so.

“Guys? Are you ready? We need to be leaving no-“

Sirius stood in the doorway, slack-jawed, “DOLLY? What’s wrong?” He immediately rushed to crouch at your feet beside the bed.

All three pairs of eyes looked at you with so much care, each of them comforting you with gentle pets and rubs.

“I- I” you blubbered, “I have nothing to wear.”

That was the last thing any of them expected you to say because 1) you didn’t usually put so much care into your outfits 2) even if you did you didn’t usually get emotional over it and 3) you had more than plenty of clothes to wear- not just of your own but of your three boyfriends’.

“Angel, you have tons of clothes in the closet to choose from. And ours too,” James said gently.

“And if you’re having trouble picking something, doll, you know I can help you pick something out,” Sirius added

This only made you start to cry harder and your three boyfriends shared looks of mixed concern and confusion.

“You just- you don’t understand,” you said through hiccups.

“Then help us to, dove,” Remus told you, “we can’t help if you don’t talk to us.”

You tried to take a few deep breaths, so that you could actually express what you were feeling, “It’s just. None of my clothes fit right on me. At least, not the way I want them too. My tits just, ruin the outfit.”

Realization passed through all of them then. This wasn’t about clothes at all- not really, at least. Almost a year ago, you had come out to your boyfriends as nonbinary. They, of course, were so loving and supportive and tried to help you feel comfortable in your body in any way possible. You’d gotten a binder, bought some new clothes, and changed your hair, but when gender dysphoria hit, there was not much they could do to comfort you.

“Oh sweetheart,” Sirius said with a sigh, “I’m sorry. Did you try your binder?”

You shook your head with a frown, “no. But I don’t wanna wear it. It hurts after awhile.”

James pulled you more tightly into his side and kissesdyour head, “what can we do, angel?”

You only shrugged your shoulders and sighed.

“Why don’t you let Sirius and I choose something for you dove, while Jamie cuddles you. That sound good?” Remus asked you kindly.

“Okay.”

Sirius and Remus got up and disappeared into your shared closet. James, in the mean time, pulled you onto his lap and wrapped his arms around you tightly. He peppered kisses across your face and whispered sweet nothings into your ear, which made you giggle in spite of yourself. After a few minutes, Remus and Sirius emerged, clothes in hand.

“Alright doll, why don’t you try this on?”

Sirius handed you one of your favorite sports bras and the biggest of Remus’ sweaters- in your favorite color too. You weren’t sure why you hadn’t thought to try a sports bra earlier- the next best thing to a binder- but you supposed your emotions prevented you from clear thinking. You stayed in James’ lap while you quickly peeled off the t-shirt you were wearing and wrestled on the sports bra. While it didn’t entirely hide your tits, it certainly flattened your chest a little. Paired with Remus’ sweater, that was much baggier on you, your tits almost disappeared. As you looked down at your fairly flat chest you felt much more at ease. You shuffled over to the mirror and look at your appearance. Though the gender dysphoria was not entirely gone, you felt a lot better than before. And with your supportive, loving boyfriends by your side all night, you knew everything would be alright.

[heich0e]

Liv! I have been thinking about single! dad osamu and little miya today. What was going through little miya’s head when samu and babe told him they were getting married?

i picture it playing out so vividly. you're all at home one night—you've practically moved in at this point, but you still have another month or two on your lease officially, so you've been bringing things to the house slowly. samu's been a nervous wreck about how to tell his son the big news for weeks now—keeps reading articles online about how these kinds of announcements can really affect kids, especially around little miya's age where the world is still a bit confusing and change is scary.

you eat dinner together at the table and little miya tells you all about his day at school. osamu does the dishes while you serve up ice cream into three bowls for dessert. and then the three of you sit down, the taste of ice cream still on your lips (and smudged on little miya's cheeks) and take a deep breath in preparation.

osamu's wringing his hands as he stumbles through his words,even though he practiced them so much in his head (and in the mirror) leading up to this moment. he asks if his son has noticed how more of your stuff has been coming into the house lately. how babe's been having more sleepovers with them. little miya just nods happily, saying it's great! and osamu's next breath is shaky when he exhales.

"bud, how would ya feel... what if babe was... would ya be happy if me, you, 'n babe were a family together?"

and his son just looks at him, kind of taken aback. perplexed even. he looks his dad right in the face and says.

"we aren't a family?"

and osamu is both relieved and distressed all at once, having said the wrong thing to the most right little boy in the world. his hands shake as he balls them into fists, and you gently slip one of your own hands over his in comfort, your other reaching out to touch little miya's sticky cheek. you rub your thumb over an ice cream stain to clean it away.

"of course we are," you assure him, and then glance at osamu. "papa's just being silly. right, papa?"

and you look away so you don't see the tears welling up at the corner of osamu's eyes. pretend you don't notice as he scrubs his hands over his face to clear them away with a laugh.

"yeah, silly me."

"silly papa," little miya laughs too, crawling up onto the sofa between you both and clinging to his father's neck. osamu wraps one arm around his little boy's waist to hug him close, and the other reaches out in search of your hand—the left one. the one he put that ring on. and he squeezes it so tight it almost feels like he won't ever let it go.

(it's later explained to little miya that there's gonna be a party to celebrate babe joining the family. a big one with all your friends and family there. little miya remarks that it sounds nice, but it's kinda late to have a party since you've been family forever. osamu just laughs and agrees.)

[sheisjoeschateau]

"Oh, so we DO love Steve..." | PART II

ALRIGHT, SECOND PART IS OUT. NOT WAITING. hope u like :)

⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ SERIES MASTERLIST ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Steve Harrington x Bauman!fem!reader || enemies to lovers trope.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR MY WORK TO BE COPIED AND/OR REPOSTED ON HERE OR ANY OTHER PLATFORM, OR PUT INTO ANY AI PROGRAMS. THIS IS AN 18+ BLOG, MDNI.

An original fanfiction series, written by Misha St. James.

This isn't your first time meeting Steve Harrington.

You know him. And he knows you. Well, maybe. Who knows. You both run in completely different circles in high school.

While there's some very obvious tension amongst the love triangle (Nancy-Steve-Jonathan) you take a second to look over at the group of kids behind King Steve. There's a curly-haired kid wearing a cap, another kid sporting a bandana, and a redheaded girl. They give you sort of awkward waves, which you return with a tight-lipped grin.

"Sorry," Jonathan's suddenly saying. "Uh, you guys, this is umm -"

"Bauman," you interject. "Just...call me Bauman."

Steve is now looking at you, realizing. Recognizing. "Hey," he says. "Wait, aren't you in Click's class?"

You press your lips into a thin line, trying not to be totally off-put by him. And in truth, you weren't really. Steve had seemed less... douchey, since he started dating Nancy. You were grateful for that. No matter how doomed their relationship was, it seemed to help him get rid of his trash friends. God, Tommy H. and Carol and that Nicole girl were just toxic.

"Yeah," you said, reaching out a hand. "Nice to officially meet you."

Steve shook your hand, a bit sheepish. And still distracted with the fact that his girlfriend had shown up with Byers. Why was she with Byers? You felt yourself internally cringing, seeing how oblivious yet aware he was. It actually made you feel bad.

"I'm Dustin!"

You suddenly looked in the direction of a toothy-grinned kid smiling at you, and you couldn't help but grin back. "Hey, Dustin."

Lucas and Max introduced themselves, too. But then, you all heard sound coming from off in the distance. The lab.

So yeah, things took a pretty sharp turn from there. It's all kind of a blur, if you're being honest. Everyone began talking over each other, eventually gathering info as to exactly who you are and why you were here (at least the general just of it). They learned about Murray Bauman, and Steve's face just became more perplexed, the more that Nancy and Jonathan revealed what they had learned...together.

...yikes.

But the kids were also asking you a million questions, very curious about you. Max found you funny, finding you to have more cool-girl energy than Nancy, who just seemed too polished for her to know how to communicate with her.

Eventually, Nancy noticed the power back on at the lab and you all took off in that direction. Steve was arguing a lot with the kid named Dustin. Very brotherly. Low-key motherly. The toll gate wouldn't open, then suddenly it did open, and then next thing you know a car is racing towards you from the lab and it's got Jim Hopper at the steering wheel? He's throwing the door open, demanding all of you to get in.

As you all drive, you end up near the front of the car, squished between Steve and Dustin.

"Bauman."

You look over at Jim, surprised. But he's looking at you in the rearview with all-knowing eyes. "You're Murray's niece."

You nod. "Yeah. Jim Hopper, right?"

Jim reaches back to pat your knee, eyes on the road and still shaken up from whatever the hell they just escaped. "M'sorry, kid. Your uncle's been getting shit from me. I know he sent you. M'really sorry. I'll make it right with him after all this, alright? Promise."

You just nod, knowing there's really no time for any of that right now. Since you got in the car, you haven't even had time to notice how there is a woman (clearly Joyce Byers) in pure distress, along with another kid in tow and the limp body of another child that she's holding. Jonathan is reaching for him, riddled with worry. Is that Will?

Once you all make it back to the Byers residence, it's tense. Really fucking tense. Jonathan is knelt in front of the couch, voicing his regrets out loud as he stares at his brother's limp form. Nancy stands behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. You're on the opposite side of the room, leaned against the wall.

Which is why you notice that behind Hopper, who's yelling into the wall phone, Steve. He looks...devastated. Hurt. Heartbroken.

...fuck, he looks heartbroken.

He walks past you, pinching his nose and sniffing once. He looks like he's really fighting off some emotion, escaping to another room. It makes you think about everything that went down at your uncle's bunker, and how maybe it was funny there...but it isn't here. Not now, seeing that this guy actually has some intense feeling for Nancy Wheeler. Intense love for her. Real love.

...but Nancy doesn't feel that same intense love for him.

...oh god, that's messy.

But all hell is breaking loose before you can linger on that for much longer. Suddenly, you're all devising a plan. It has something to do with dungeons and dragons, and Will being possessed, and getting him in a room that whatever monster is inside of him won't recognize. The you're all deciphering Morse Code, and it's a whirlwind from there.

And then you're all holding weapons, bracing fore an attack...when some young girl walks in. Who you come to learn is the infamous Eleven. Her hair grew back, and she looks ready to join a punk band.

Pretty bitchin' look, you gotta admit.

The kids introduce her to you, and she gives you a shy smile. Then you're all splitting up into groups, and you catch a brief exchange between Nancy and Steve. He's saying something to her about going with Jonathan, and it makes you tense for Nancy. You can't even imagine how she must feel, knowing that he sees it.

And honestly, the way that Steve talks is...so not King Steve. It's uncharacteristically mature. Secure, and assuring. Not that of the teen heartthrob and bad boy you've been going to school with. And when Nancy does go off with Jonathan, you see Harrington's heart shatter into a million pieces with just the look in his eyes.

You feel bad. You suddenly feel really bad.

But also, he had to have seen this coming. Right? Jonathan Byers was a good, decent guy, who'd been there for Nancy all throughout the hell of last year. Steve had come around, finally. But by then, the trauma bond between Byers and Wheeler was irreversible. There's no changing that.

But damn, unrequited love sucks.

You knew was rejection felt like, and you wouldn't wish it on anyone. Not even your worst enemy.

Out of guilt, you make some conversation with Steve. Given it's just the two of you with the kids left at the house, needing to wait things out, you both easily make conversation. It's a bit awkward at first, but oddly it finds flow pretty easily. Steve's still got his charm, although it's a little more grounded than before. It isn't forced, or laced with popular-kid attitude. That's refreshing.

As you both end up listening to the kids like the only two parental figures around, then end up having to fight off that psycho new kid at school named Billy Hargrove (who's actually Max's stepbrother?!) and patch up Steve's very beaten and battered face which somehow still looks pretty, annnnd wind up in a tunnel full of creatures (demo dogs? is that what Dustin called them?), then somehow survive all of that shit... you and Steve become pretty bonded, pretty quickly.

And when the worst of it is seemingly over, you end up helping Eleven get ready for the Snowball -- dropping her off with Hopper. He's grateful for your help, and after making amends with your uncle you two have gotten to know each other well, too. He likes you, appreciating your mature sense of self.

Joyce adores you already, being the kind-natured and loving mama-bear that she is.

And El? Well, she loves you. You're like a cool older sister figure of sorts.

You and Steve run into each other when dropping off the kiddos at the Snowball, making conversation about how crazy everything was. You talk about other things, too. Just mundane things, bouncing off each other well. But when Steve notices Nancy inside, he gets that sad puppy-dog look in his eyes again. Then, Jonathan's coming out of the dance with a camera. He clearly was the designated photographer for the night.

And he clearly has captured Nancy Wheeler's heart.

One night, after Jonathan and Nancy have started going steady and you're all on summer break, you're all over at the Henderson's house watching the kids. The adults are there, too, since Mrs. Henderson is out working overnight. Murray is pouring up drinks for the adults and teens, much to Joyce's disapproval. But he just goes about his business, clinking glasses. Hopper honestly looks like he could really use a fucking drink. Or 5.

You, Steve, Nancy and Jonathan all toast, happily. Chatting. Laughing. Making light of things.

...but that ends up being pretty short-lived.

Before you know it, you're in the kitchen helping clean up while Joyce gets the kids in bed and Hopper is on the couch slurring with your uncle. Steve had offered to help you, but Dustin insisted that he come see something in his room before they all went to bed. Nancy has left with Mike and Max, while Lucas is staying the night.

Welp. Jonathan walks in, drunk, telling you thank you.

It's sloppy, and it would be funny except for the fact that he is talking so fucking loud. He's just thanking you, and then Murray, over and over -- "...for meddling with'm love life because now, I'm dating th'most beautifurrrl girl in Hawkins. N'if'it weren't for y'two...I'd still'b pining o'r h-her."

...annnnd then he’s blabbering on about how you let him and Nancy take the bed. “Well’lmost… ha, w-we ended urp…takin’th…couch. Whischhh…you tol’us you’w’d…toHaLLy tAkE’stead.” Then he’s snickering, drunkenly. “Cuz’you toooootally wanted us to doooo itttt. Schhhhhhayin that — m’not the safe one. That’m — I’m the one’th Nannnncy l-loves. Not…S-Steve…”

You just chuckle nervously, giving him a pat on the shoulder. And you just keep washing the dishes when he gives you a tight hug from behind, stumbling a bit and making you almost drop and break one of Mrs. Henderson's very cute plates.

Right on cue, Steve rounds the corner, having heard it.

All of it.

And now that Steve has gotten wind of the fact you played a huge role — along with Murray — on why Nancy left him, he is totally pissed.

In fact, he’s livid. 

"Steve," you try, but he just holds up a hand, staring daggers at you.

"Save it, Bauman," he grits. "Save. It."

It causes him to have the utmost disdain towards you, border lining hate. It just festers over time, getting worse.

Something about that makes your stomach flip inside out with a horrible, upset feeling. Your guts feel knotted up, and if the reality of things weren't so bleak, you would laugh at the fact that losing Steve Harrington's friendship (let alone trust) would upset you one day, let alone even happen. You feel bad. You really do. But God, as time goes on... his entire attitude about it is insufferable. He isn't letting up any time soon. Not when you both meet up with the kids (because regardless of the strain between you two, you're both the parents now). It feels like two divorced parents, meeting up to share custody of the chitlins.

The only relationship to which Steve is committed, is the one that he shares with Miss Hatred. And you're her bitch.

...guess there's still some King Steve in him after all.

You knew King Steve. He was an ass. So you know what? Suck it, Harrington. Karma’s a bitch.

As time passes, you begin firing back at him - tired of trying to explain yourself, apologize or play nice. Steve wants to fucking play? Alright then. Game on, Harrington.

There's a whole upside down universe threatening to take over still? All good. Let's still brawl, Harrington.

The kids keep bringing you both around each other, and you're also working at a place inside of the same damn mall as Steve is for the summer? AWESOME.

LET'S GET READY TO FUCKIN RUMBLE.

So yeah, you’re totally involved in the whole mall ordeal with the Russians, bonding you to Steve and Robin, along with Dustin and Erica.

But despite that, Steve still resents you. So there is still rivalry between the two of you.  Hot and bothered. 

That said, despite his pure disdain towards you...it doesn't change the fact that you actually do begin to see him for the much better human that he is becoming. King Steve has fallen. No doubt. You see that. The way that he loves and cares the kids, especially Dustin. And the way that Steve reacts whenever Robin comes out to you both? He's an angel. Hell, he even fought the soldiers off of you whenever they decided to make you their torture-chamber play-thing. He definitely got mad at them for that one, but he also got mad at you for not going with Dustin and Erica before all of that went down. You both nearly strangled each other when attempting to hold the door shut, yelling at each other to run. Robin had finally joined you both, but still - neither of you budged.

Steve was a good guy. A nice guy, even. Just not to you, unless the moment called for him to be. Which was fine.

…but he’s still annoying. And apparently, he can hold a fucking grudge like no other. He’s a world class champ at that, come to find out. Gold star.

You're onboarded to help Hopper, Murray and Joyce with shutting the gate. It's a no-brainer. Steve looks a little miffed, seeing how the adults trust you like one of them rather than him. Even the way that Jonathan is so cool around you, and Nancy seems shy around you, it just...irks him.

When you manage to help Joyce close the gate, you witness the death of Hopper. And it kills you, along with your uncle. You ache for Joyce, unable to fathom how you'll have to bring it up to El.

But hey, you all manage to destroy the Mind Flayer. And when Billy is killed in the process, you tend to Max like a true older sister. She and Eleven have both come to look up to you as such, and Steve won't deny the fact that you're a saint with these kids. A real fucking saint. And if he's being honest...he's relieved to have a co-parenting partner.

But that is the extent of his gratitude towards you, which is strictly circumstantial. You make things convenient sometimes.

Hopper dying hits all of you hard. And you do everything that you can to help your uncle not drink himself to death. It's the only reason that you don't regularly visit the Wheelers in California. Your uncle is a wreck. Hopper was the only man who truly felt like a friend to your very lonely (by choice) Uncle Murray.

Steve does single you out to ask how you're doing, knowing that witnessing Hopper's death was tragic. But you just tell him that the real concern is your uncle and Joyce, insisting that you will get by. Steve seems hesitant at first, knowing that you're not fine. He might hate you, but he still cares about a party member who got put through hell.

"I'm alive, Steve. So I need to carry on. For everyone's sakes. I'll be alright."

As time goes on...

You and Steve give Robin very conflicting love advice, when it comes to her crush on Vikki.

"VIKKI LIKES BOOBIES."

"Christ, Steve," you're groaning in the backseat. "Stop being such a damn teenage boy."

"I'm almost 20, Bauman," he scowls at you in the rearview mirror.

You make a face, exaggerating feigned apology. "'Scuuuuuse me."

Man, he could not hate you more. Steve is sure of that. You are the worst. Why are you here. You are just the worst. Every time he looks at you, all he sees is Murray Bauman but as a much hotter 19-year-old girl with way more better comebacks and select timing.

AND NO, THAT IS NOT A COMPLIMENT.

!!!!!!!!

Next thing you know, Chrissy Cunningham has been found dead in a trailer that belongs to Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson. Who, according to Dustin, is not only still in high school — he’s also friends with them? Yikes. But Dustin swears that he’s not a murderer.

You choose to believe Dustin. Much to Steve’s chagrin. In his mind, any chance that you get to disagree with him, you will gladly fucking take it. He is really committed to you being his enemy.

And you know what? Fine. You can play. You've been playing.

Eventually, Nancy comes back into the picture.

And honestly? Watching her be all into Steve again? As if she isn't in a relationship with Jonathan still? That pisses you off.

Not because you’re jealous. No, no. Not that.

…yeah no, it’s not that.

Nah, it’s the way this girl just cannot for the life of her figure out what she is feeling. Dear lord, woman. Pick.

Eventually, you comment on this. But not until Eddie Munson is suddenly roped into y’all’s crew and you both strangely hit it off. You share the same taste in music. You both compare concert history, listing off you're favorites and randomly bursting into song. Very scream-o, metal music. Eddie thinks you're the shit, and you make him laugh a lot. He also makes you laugh a lot.

Steve hates that.  He really, really hates that.

But not because he is jealous. No, no. It’s not that.

…yeah, it’s definitely not that.

Nah, it’s the way you make friends with someone he isn't a fan of just to spite him. You know he doesn’t like Eddie. You know he feels replaced by Dustin for him. You’re doing this shit on purpose. He knows it. He just knows it.

Regardless, you both stand by each other throughout the whole Vecna ordeal. And Max?  She loves you. Trusts you. A lot. You also tell her not to give Steve so much shit. So he’ll give you that.

But that’s all he’s gonna give you. And even that has its limits.

Whenever you all find out that Max is cursed, the first person that Steve finds himself looking at is you. Because you're the co-parent. You've gotta help him know what to do. You feel the exact same way.

You both witness her possession in he graveyard. You both help calm the kids down, and each other. Whenever Max writes letters to each of you, she looks at both you and Steve for a long time. A really long time. It's very uncomfortable.

...then she's finally handing you both a letter, and the look she shoots you both afterwards in really unsettling. Like she knows something.

But what the hell is there to know? That you both can't stand each other? NEWSFLASH: EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. So joke's on them.

...not Max though. She's in trouble. So she's allowed to know whatever the hell...that she...knows...?

You and Steve both profusely disagree with everyone about the idea of Max becoming the bait. In fact, it's the first time that you both are defending each other to everyone else. Whenever Max argues Steve, you tell her to listen.

"Steve has every right to be worried right now. We all do, Max."

She sighs, knowing that you're right.

And whenever Dustin tries to get quippy with you about stuff, Steve shuts him down real fast.

"Hey. Not cool. Bauman's in the right, check yourself."

Dustin also sighs, knowing that he's right.

Because you both know these kids better than anyone. You helped Mike ease up on Hopper, becoming that one older-sister figure he can actually go to and be normal around. Hell, he even hugs you. Mike never hugs anyone, except El. And Lucas? You and Steve are at every single one of his games, like proud parents. Will calls you whenever he wants to paint, knowing that you enjoy art. You've spent many nights painting with him, and even Steve will join with the other kids. They mostly just finger paint and bicker, but it's still lovely in its own sort of way. And then there's Dustin. The golden child, who both of you wanna hug and strangle at the same time. He is forever putting the two of you in close proximity, secretly loving the tension between the two of you. He figures that it's just because you both wanna be the favorite parent, and Dustin is too fixated on why Steve hasn't started dating Robin to even remotely suspect that you two could be an item.

There's a plan in motion now. It's in full swing, all groups peeling off. There's a new species added to the fucked up realm (the newly coined named for them is demo-bats) and you've somehow saved Steve's ass for the 3rd time. This guy seriously cannot catch a break.

But now, Eddie’s suddenly encouraging Steve to go after Nancy again. And damn, that bugs you.  It really motherfuckin’ gets under your skin. Because Eddie doesn’t know the full story about what went down between them. Not even close.

You can't help yourself. You tell Steve this, once Eddie walks up ahead. But of course, Steve is rebuking everything that you are saying.

And then he's telling you that Nancy is different, and -- “actually, things are better.” 

But you scoff at that, incredulously. And you're telling him to "wake up and realize that 1) she’s still with lover-boy Byers, and 2) you shouldn’t pine after someone who chose someone else over you."

You mean to say it kindly. Honestly, you try to.

But Steve doesn’t think so.  And he’s faster. He’s also cruel.

“Maybe that’s why you broke us up, huh?" Steve is firing back at you with all that he's got now. "Because you’re used to that. Being the second choice. Weren’t you Clark’s best friend? Didn’t he drag you along until he ended up picking Becky? Yeah. Thought I didn’t know that, right? Or how you hung out with some of the basketball guys and never once got asked out by any of them? God, it’s so obvious. Also, it’s pathetic. You clearly hate seeing anyone happy. So hey, guess what? You got your wish: successfully ruining someone else’s happiness. Bingo! Congratulations, you won.”

It hurts. It really does. It fucking hurts.

Still, you do try to reason with him. It’s a little harsh, you’ll admit it. You’re not exactly speaking to him sweetly. But you try.

“All my personal love life issues aside —" you start, bringing your voice down and speaking as level as possible. "...which honestly, I’ve never even had something worth labeling as love — Steve, YOU still deserve to —”

“To suffer,” he cuts you off. “Yeah. I know. And the fact you’ve not had love? That just further proves my point. You admit it and yet you’re still out to get me. Because you’re fucking miserable.”

Alright, you’ve had it.

“I’m miserable?” you ask, ready to fire back. “Steve. You’re the one letting your ex-girlfriend — who didn’t even properly dump you — toy with your brain again into actually thinking she’s gonna pick you this time. She doesn’t deserve that. And you certainly don’t deserve —”

“You deserve nothing.” Steve is seething. Then hissing at you, “You’re bullshit, Bauman. You and your whack job Uncle. You’re both bullshit.”

So you stop. You let it go.

You let Steve Harrington hate you and suffer his own misfortunes. And you pretend that what he said didn’t just shatter your soul into a million tiny pieces.  You nod at him, swallowing hard.

“My uncle is twice the man you’ll ever be. King Steve.”  

It’s a pathetic last attempt. And your voice feels small, tight. But standing up for your uncle is better than yourself at this point. You walk off, away from him.

And Steve doesn’t tell you to stop. He doesn’t tell you not to walk away. He lets you.

So he doesn’t see you cry alone inside of the upside down version of the Wheelers’ bathroom.  He doesn’t see your heart break in two, and he doesn’t see you bite back the sobs sinking your teeth into your palms.

[acewithapaintbrush]

"My dad has the hots for your dad!"

Amity can only stare as Hunter slams his hands down on the table she is working at. He glares at her with narrow eyes and a mouth pressed firmly into a thin line. The perfect picture of determination and confidence. 

"What. Did you just say?" 

He immediately deflates at her pointed and icy tone. His hands leave her table and fidget with his overalls and hair instead while he squirms from side to side, eyes averted and cheeks blushing. 

"I-uhm. I read that in one of Mama Camila's books. It- well, I mean, it means-" 

Amity cuts him off. "I know what it means. Didn't Camila forbid you from reading them?" 

Them being the small paperbacks with the half naked humans on the front. Usually a woman in distress with a very well built male, rescuing her from certain doom with wet hair and big abs. The first time Camila had caught Hunter reading one of them she'd almost burst a blood vessel and ripped it right out of his hands. 

"Nonononono," she had chanted and hugged a perplexed Hunter to her chest, carding a hand through his hair. "Those books are way too spicy for an innocent, cute boy like you!" 

Hunter huffs and puffs. "I'm an adult. She can't tell me what to read." At Amity's raised eyebrow he mutters "And she didn't find the one hidden under my mattress." 

He shakes his head and takes her shoulders to shake her a little. She allows it, 'cause she can see how agitated he is. "But that's not the point! Darius has… he likes your dad. As in like-like! And we gotta figure out how we feel about that." 

Amity thinks about Darius. The dashing rebel, who had been pulling the strings of an uprising in the shadows from the start. A headstrong abomination user. He would definitely be a big step up from Odalia, that's for sure. 

She imagines Darius as her father's new partner and discovers that she is more than okay with that. 

Amity is not naive. She knows her father needs a headstrong partner at his side, someone who is not afraid to take the reins in a relationship. Not like Odalia, who's taken that to mean that she should micromanage every facet of his life and turn him into someone he is not, but someone who reminds her father to eat and to leave work alone every once in a while. 

"I approve." Amity says and seeing Hunter's desolate expression narrows her eyes. "You got a problem with my dad?" 

"What?" Hunter lets her shoulders go as if they have burned him. "No, of course not! He's super cool! I just… Arrrrrg!" He rapidly runs his hands through his hair. "I just don't know if I can handle a second parental figure!"

"Uhhh."

He starts walking up and down in front of her, Waffles flying after him with happy little trills. "Things with Darius are good right now. He told me to call him Dad and it's… It's yeah, you know? But it's also a bit awkward sometimes, you know? The only father figure I ever had before… Well. And we are still trying to find our rhythm, you know? How am I supposed to deal with another parent right now?"

"Hunter!" Amity has to shout to get him to stop. She can't believe she is having this conversation right now. "Hunter. You do know that you have like, four parental adults in your life. Don't you?" 

He blinks at her and his blank face tells her everything she needs to know. She wants to face-palm so bad right now. "What?" 

Amity starts counting on her hand. "You call Camila Mama Camila." 

"Wha- But that's just-", he splutters. Amity talks right over him. 

"Eda calls you her Fledgling at least once a week and she and Raine are kinda a packaged deal. Grandma and Grandpa Clawthorne call you son so often, I don't even know if they know your real name. Every time Lilith fusses over your scars she mutters 'my poor boy' under her breath. And let's not forget Willow's parents who took one look at you and had the adoption papers ready." Amity looks at her hands, which have barely been enough to count on. "Oh look at that. Not four but eight, actually."

Hunter looks gobsmacked and not a little teary eyed. Amity pats his shoulders, just a little relieved that he has apparently forgotten about their parents budding romance over this new revelation. She'd rather not get involved in that for as long as possible. 

"Face it, Hunter. You are pretty much public son number one at this point." 

🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

There is no reason for this except that I had the image of hunter saying "my dad has the hots for your dad" and me running with it

[pixieswashere]

GLORIOUS - Prologue

VIKTOR X F!READER

SUMMARY: In a city thriving for progress each day, it's only natural to aim towards greater heights for the sake of progress, but leaps can be taken too high when an explosion and disarray occurs

𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐒 shone over Piltover, I swiftly exited a small tool shop down across from the apartments and workshops near the Academy uphill. The tool shop was one that I frequented on certain occasions for better materials, new gadgets, or for a discount that offered a fair bargain even though it technically didn't have the most wide variety or was the rarest quality in products. Regardless, it had its unique perks just as any other shop in the market and one that an inventor could ever need as their saving grace in the centre of abundance to work their way above. Passing by some people on the busy streets, I scanned the tools inside the chest cradled in my arms before coming to a halt. Retrieving the note from my Academy uniform's pocket with one hand, my eyes skimmed through it before they fell onto the familiar closing signature at the end.

Whatever he is up to...it better be worth the risk and journey.

I rolled my eyes inwardly at my well-acquainted peer's ambitious yet concerning delusions...whilst my feet began moving at the same rate, before my eyes narrowed in confusion at the crowd of people in front of the apartment. As I kept marching up north, I noticed a crowd of people circling in front of my destination. With Furrowed brows, I parted through the masses gently as I stood before the building. Many murmurs and gasps of shock exclaimed like a haunting chorus as my perplexed eyes widened at the sight.

From a distance, there was a young girl being escorted away from the building, officers behind her as she hesitated moving forward away from the building. Seeing her turn her head to look at the crowd with a distressed look on her features, I finally recognized her. 'The Kiramman's Daughter...?', I thought in recognition yet with silent surprise as the enforcers both pulled her away from the scene.

"Did you see anything out of the ordinary, ma'am?", I heard an officer ask a shaken woman as he held a notebook in his hand, interviewing anyone who was willing to give away details as to what had transpired. Another one asked an older man, "Three suspects....from the Undercity...?Are you sure?", the older man only had a long pensive look, scratching his beard not too sure if that's what he saw or not. Regardless of the exact event, It's clear that what happened was all out of the blue....

A robbery? How could that have happened? I pondered to myself knowing that the Northern parts of Piltover around the Academy was one of the most secure places to let thieves let alone anyone through the Kiramman's or any patrons luxurious apartments without so much as a notice......and from the Undercity after so long ago.....

"Calm down everyone." A warden came out calling out to all of the people who were outside circling as they looked towards the building in confusion. "We need everyone to evacuate the building as quickly as possible. This is a closed area..."

As the warden's words blurred with each second, my mind drifted away and my heart thrummed in my ears....with heavy, struggling breaths as my eyes flickered to the dark, blue smoke, the broken debris..... Then to the injured enforcers being carried away....When the sudden realization hit me, I quickly regained my focus a bit before, my fleeting eyes searched around the crowd for any familiar faces or hint of....Jayce. The looming thought began to bite at me before I then started to approach the building with cautiousness yet hurriedly.

Before I could enter, a young officer not too far from my age stepped before me as he instructed with a harsh tone, "This is a restricted area." As he said this, I stared at the officer a bit appalled before then saying,

"There is someone I know in there, that I need to see...."

The officer stared at me sizing me up with calm, cold eyes and tense shoulders. "Do you have a warrant", The officer questioned standing his ground in front of the entrance with a cold glance at me. I narrowed my brows at him about to speak in response to his interrogating, not planning on leaving the area before a familiar voice of relief interrupted us.

"(Y/N)?"

My head quickly landed on the person who spoke, my shoulders slumping before approaching him. "Jayce!", I called out after him as I saw the two armed guards at each of his side and Sheriff Grayson, while Jayce looked down at his cuffed hands, the guards then urged him to walk as they both led him out of the apartment building. (E/Y) irises flickered over his saddened face and figure with self-reassurance before they fell onto his cuffed hands while two guards appeared by his side, my shoulders tensing at the sight. "I can explain-", Jayce started to say before he was cut off by a woman with an authoritative tone...her uniform and familiar presence made me perk up, at the Sheriff's words.

"...Your friend here is under arrest for possession of illegal equipment, and unauthorized research.", Sheriff Grayson explained, while I observed Jayce glancing at me before his face fell silently to the ground away from me with an angered yet conflicted look.

"But it was a break-in, was it not? his patrons are well aware of his endeavors... I'm sure," I responded a bit confused yet frustrated at this statement, glancing at Jayce knowing he must've had some plausible explanation for this whole thing going awry,"...Surely, this is all a misunderstanding."

"Listen Miss, I understand your concern, but mistakes like this cannot be left unchecked...", She replied her voice while stern with a tired rasp held a bit of a sincerity as she added, "Whether he is to be released or pay for his crimes is not my place."

A scoff left my lips in disbelief, Jayce despite his venturing ideas and bruteness at times would never think of harming anyone...and he made sure of making that clear on many circumstances not only as a tolerable, yet hard-working pupil praised by the Academy's Professor and Dean himself but with what he strived to achieve in goodwill.... "Under whose order?," I inquired still irked that Jayce hadn't explained himself and wondering who could've ordered his imprisonment despite his innocence in the matter. My arms crossed in defiance and eyes flickering to the Sheriff as well as Jayce, unwilling to leave until a just explanation was given in favor of this unexpected decision.

"The Dean and the Council."

My eyes followed towards the blunt response and I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at him.....He had a very sharp complexion, striking brown; amber eyes that stared into mine with nonchalance but in sternness. In his left hand was a metal cane, his slender fingers grasping the handle with care as it hit the floor with each step. Among other things, He wore a uniform strikingly similar to mine and Jayce making me ponder aloud in a blunt retort....

"And you are?"

"I'm the Dean's assistant....," the young man replied his voice and accent laced with preciseness yet elegance, "...And rest assured on your beliefs, excuses are not wholly justification for a grave matter such as this. His dangerous actions will be left for the Council to decide."

My skin turned a bit paler at the revelation, whilst my eyes stared appalled and in irritation. The Dean's....Assistant?....I stood in denial before the Sheriff instructed with a nod towards an officer who had begun to approach me and lead me to the side by shoulders gently.

She then nodded at the two wardens and walked alongside them as they led Jayce away from me. Before they were, I noticed Jayce turn his head back to look at me one last time before they led him away. "Marcus!", Another male warden called out to him, the young man from earlier being called in question giving me one last piercing glance before walking towards the group.

"Right this way, Ma'am", The kind yet elder officer with a southern accent told me, standing close beside before guiding me out the door as I then looked towards the same man with the cane, seeing him holding Jayce's journal. With a furious stare and huff, I rid myself from the enforcer's hold dusting my uniform's vest from any grime or even so a mark left on it.

"I can walk...myself out.", I commented, storming off and leaving the apartment's entrance in fury, feeling a pair of eyes on me as I strode out of the restricted area.

Despite my irritated state, I peered behind me, at the group as they marched onward farther and farther away before they fell to the metal box on the ground that I had dropped unbeknownst to me, standing there silently unsure of what to make of everything in disappointment and worry...

Jayce, What have you done....?

[hisui-dreamer]

eyes on the sun

Pairing: Malleus Draconia x gn!reader

Synopsis: Malleus has been gifted beautiful flowers as a present, but it seems he's extremely upset by them. What could have happened?

Tags: miscommunication, flower languages, malleus is sad for a bit, fluff, crack, bot proofread

Word count: 1k+

Notes: im extremely obsessed with flower languages and so here's one of the fic ideas I have that involve different interpretations for flower languages haha

Masterlist

Malleus surveyed the bouquet of tall sunflowers in his hand, a mix of bewilderment and disappointment washing over him. Their large, golden petals stretched outward like rays of the sun, exuding a warm and vibrant energy that seemed to fill the room. The dark brown centre of the sunflowers contrasted sharply with the bright petals, creating a captivating focal point that drew Malleus's gaze.

You had gifted him these flowers, but instead of feeling joy, he felt a pang of sadness.

The flower language associated with sunflowers was "false riches." Did you really think of him as someone who sought material wealth? Did you truly think so lowly of him?

He looked at the sunflowers again, their vibrant yellow petals almost taunting him. Despite his attempts to brush it off, he couldn't help but feel hurt. He clutched the bouquet tightly, his mind racing with thoughts. Malleus let out a sigh and turned the bouquet in his hands with a pensive look.

"False riches," Malleus muttered to himself, his frustration evident in his voice. "Why would they give me sunflowers? Is this how they see me?" 

He paced back and forth in his room, consumed by agitation. What had he done to make you think of him in such a way? Surely, he must have done something wrong, he couldn't fathom why you would choose sunflowers, of all flowers.

As he continued to brood, Malleus didn't notice your knock at the door before you entered the room, concern written on your face.  "Tsunotarou," you called softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "What's wrong?" you asked, your heart aching at the sight of him in distress.

Startled by your touch, Malleus turned to you, his expression a tumultuous mix of surprise and sorrow. Emotions played across his features like a storm, his usually shimmering eyes lacking their usual ulster, and his lips slightly downturned, uncovering his inner turmoil. His furrowed eyebrows accentuated the lines of worry on his forehead, as if he carried a heavy burden.

He hesitated for a brief moment, his usually proud posture faltering as he let out a deep, heavy sigh. His voice was laced with confusion and sorrow as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "My dear Child of Man… I…I couldn't understand why you would choose to send me sunflowers," he admitted, his words coming out in a slow, hesitant manner. His usual eloquence seemed to falter, revealing the vulnerability that lay beneath his confident facade.

"With their negative connotation, I thought I must have done something wrong for you to see me in such a light," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he couldn't bear to fully voice his insecurities. Hurt tinged his tone, and his eyes searched for answers that eluded him.

"Negative connotation?" you replied, your brow furrowing in perplexity as you looked at Malleus. Weren’t sunflowers generally known to be cheery and bright? "What do you mean?" You asked, trying to decipher the reason behind his distress.

"Well... sunflowers represent false riches," he paused, crestfallen as he continued. "A long time ago, explorers had mistaken the flowers for real gold. Since then, it’s been used to mock delusions of grandeur."

Oh.

"Oh, Tsunotarou," you sighed, your voice brimming with tenderness, as you reached out to touch his hand. "I'm so sorry for the confusion. You see... back where I'm from, sunflowers mean something entirely different."

His eyes searched yours, curiosity flickering in their depths. "What? What do they mean then?" he asked eagerly.

"In the myths of my world," you began, "there was a story of a maiden who fell passionately in love with the sun god. She would gaze at him with unwavering adoration as he flew across the sky, and her heart belonged to him alone. In the end, she transformed into a sunflower, a symbol of her unyielding devotion. That's why sunflowers mean 'I only have eyes for you'."

Your words lingered in the air, laden with the weight of your emotions. You could discern the shock and wonder in Malleus' eyes as he absorbed your story. The parallel between the mythical girl and your own sentiments for him was not lost on him, and warmth suffused his chest at the thought of how deeply he meant to you. It was as though a veil had been lifted, and he now grasped the true significance behind the sunflowers you had bestowed upon him. His expression softened, and a loving smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"I... I didn't know," he mumbled as he looked at you with renewed appreciation. "Thank you for sharing that with me. It appears I misunderstood the flower."

You shook your head, reaching up to caress his cheek gently. "It's okay," you reassured him, your touch conveying your sentiment. " Flower languages can differ in various regions, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings earlier."

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions," he murmured, his voice laced with sincerity. "Thank you for clarifying, my love."

Your lips curved into a tender smile, and your heart swelled with happiness, a warm glow spreading through your chest. "You're welcome," you replied, your voice steeped with endearment as you stare into Malleus's eyes, captivated by their emerald brilliance. "Malleus, I only have eyes for you, and my love for you is unwavering."

A flicker of emotion passed across his features as his usually stoic demeanour seemed to melt away, showing the vulnerable side you cherished. "You are the only one for me, my dearest child of man," he whispered, his voice imbued with sincerity. The endearment he used for you was so uniquely Malleus, you could feel your heart skip a beat and your cheeks warm.

In that moment, surrounded by the gentle glow of affection and the unspoken words that hung in the air, you felt an unbreakable connection with the fae prince. It was as if your souls were intertwined, bound by a love that transcended words and language. The sunflowers that had initially caused confusion now symbolized the priceless bond between you, a testament to the unique language of love that transcends worlds.

Suffice it to say, sunflowers became Malleus’ favourite flowers.

Masterlist

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[yujeong]

Alright, that's enough. I need everyone to be normal about Tonkla right the fuck now.

The takes I've seen about that man have made me lose my mind, to the point where I'm wondering if I've been watching the same show as everyone else. From him spreading diseases to his partners to him faking his grief and doing everything he does for attention, I've been quite perplexed while exploring the show's tags on here and on Twitter to say the least.

Guys. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Tonkla is NOT a difficult character to understand. Korn is arguably more of an inscrutable character than him.

Tonkla has been grieving since we first met him; at first his relationship with Korn that's changed to the point of no return and later his brother who got murdered.

That's it. I don't know why we're demonizing a man who 1) likes having sex and 2) is using sex to get the affection - affection, not attention - he seeks from the man whom he loves and from the man who loves him but Tonkla doesn't.

(I know why and I'll rant in the tags about it 🙂)

And while we're on the subject, I need everyone to be normal about Fuaiz, too, because the takes about his taking this role are even worse. People calling what BOC did by casting him grooming, calling the fans groomers and pedophiles, and so on and so forth.

Are you serious? Are you for real?

Fuaiz played White in DFF who was crying and being in distress 90% of the time, a show which included a scene where he pretended to get stabbed and where he got shaken by Jjay who was screaming to his face. I watched the BTS clip of that - the kid needed a moment to calm down from that experience.

Do you care about that in the same way or is it only a problem when he's pretending to get fucked on screen in a secluded, safe environment with a fucking Intimacy Director involved?

I can totally understand feeling uncomfortable about his age or about the age gap between him and Bas. I'm not judging anyone for that. But there's a difference between feeling discomfort and turning that discomfort into a morality issue. Please stop doing that.

[dustysalmon]

Eye of the Storm - Chapter 4

Pairing: Silco x Reader Rating: Explicit Warnings/Tags: graphic depiction of violence; slow burn; enemies to lovers, enforcer!reader Word count: 3.5k

Summary: After a chain of unexpected events, Jinx is arrested, and you find yourself in possession of the gemstone. On top of it all, you are forced into a reluctant alliance with Silco. What else could possibly go wrong?

Read on ao3 ⎜ Previous chapter ⎜Next chapter

The ride to the factory was unusually quiet, not that Silco has ever been the talkative kind. But not even a word, even for him, that’s not a good sign.

He has little doubt about the identity of the people responsible for the raid, and while he is happy to spare himself the investigative work, the fact that Piltover may be fully involved leaves him perplexed. Sevika is right: it’s been years since topside made such a bold move against the undercity. He is accustomed to the Council interfering with his operations through insidious means—voting in policies designed to stifle his trade or quietly destabilising the political landscape. But this is different, it’s an open aggression, on his territory. While Silco has never shied away from the idea of an open war between the two cities, he hadn’t thought it would happen so suddenly. That is the second time that he finds himself surprised this evening, and that is a problem. Things are moving too fast for his liking, his associates grow more incompetent and unreliable every day, and topside decides this is a good time to strike at the heart of his empire. His days are numbered, he knows it, and it doesn’t help to be surrounded by greedy snakes. 

Glass debris crack under his shoes as he walks amongst the rubble alongside Sevika. Carcasses of chem-guards are lying around, smashed to bits. From the look of it, the enforcers called to the scene went out of their way to render them permanently inoperable in the future, which makes Silco wonder. Those war machines were specifically designed to fight topside, they should not have been taken down so easily. And that’s the kicker, they hadn’t just been defeated, they’d been utterly crushed. Whatever was deployed against his prototypes tonight it was not standard weaponry, but something far more advanced, powered by a powerful technology. A technology like Hextech. The issue is, Piltover—and Jayce Talis specifically—had been clear on the fact that Hextech was not to be used for warfare. While Silco is always cautious about trusting Piltover’s assurances, this would constitute a direct violation of the current standing laws. The city is certainly not above committing state-sanctioned crimes, but it would have required an announcement—or at the very least an emergency Council vote— both of which Silco would undoubtedly have caught wind of. Something is off about this, and he has to find out what. Sooner rather than later. 

"That lady enforcer wasn’t kidding. They’re planning something up there." Sevika says as she follows him closely. She can see the unrest in his posture, how tense he is under that big coat of his.

"Find out everything you can about her. Her background, where she lives, who she talks to. And make sure she knows we’re watching."

"Do you think she knew about this?" Silco doesn’t respond for a time. Lying to his face would be a dangerous mistake on your part, and a death sentence. Part of him has long since learnt not to trust anyone, but there was something about the way you pleaded your case—your desperation, your distress—that felt genuine. Like someone backed into a corner, clinging to their last, fragile hope. Then again, his instincts are not reliable these days. 

Silco traces a gloved hand along the jagged edges of the Shimmer containers. The glass , which his engineers swore was practically indestructible, is also shattered to pieces. Drops of the purple liquid still leak from the wreckage, pooling at his feet. This mess is going to cost him. A lot. He counted about eight chem-guards on the ground, on his way in, and there’s probably more on the top floors, not to mention that all the workers of the factory were taken into custody, even the children. The more he thinks about it, the more he is convinced that this was no random attack. No, this is personal. 

"I don’t know yet." He says, and that fact visibly frustrates him. That was the convenient part of having Marcus at his service. At this time, Silco would have had him dragged to his office for a solid explanation— along with an apology, just for the fun of it— and the problem would have been sorted before tomorrow. Actually, Marcus probably would have prevented this from happening in the first place. Under his jurisdiction, enforcers stayed out of Silco’s business. That’s what he was paid for. And up until his death, he’d done a fairly good job of it. The few times he brought the cavalry, it was at Silco’s request, like after an attack from the Firelights. But now, Silco doesn’t have a trustworthy mole in the enforcer ranks anymore. And it’s not like you qualify as a replacement. Not yet anyway. Everyone has a price, but truthfully, money isn’t the issue. There can always be a highest bidder, and that’s not a risk Silco is willing to take. The reason the late Sheriff was reliable was because he had too much to lose by betraying him. The amount of dirt he had accumulated on Marcus was astronomical. He kept paying him purely out of business courtesy, but he really didn’t have to. Unfortunately, digging that dirt is a long and meticulous process, one that he doesn’t have time for at the moment. Nevertheless, the more he knows about you, the better, and whatever Sevika manages to find will benefit him one way or the other.

At the centre of the large room, Renni kneels at her son’s side, holding his bloodied face between trembling palms. Lost in her grief and fury, she whispers into his ear the promise of vengeance against those who murdered him. Finn stands nearby, flicking his lighter open and shut in a way that’s really starting to grate on Sevika’s nerves. His greenish, reptilian eyes track the scene, following the pair as they observe the damage. He looks positively unbothered and serene with his flashy coat over his shoulders, and the Slickjaws’ signature mask adorning the lower part of his face, all polished and golden. But in truth, the man’s confidence has taken a few blows recently. 

First there was this humiliation at the last assembly, where he managed to make a complete fool of himself in front of the other chem-barons. The image of Silco hovering above him, taunting him with a gas mask as he choked on the Grey is not going away any time soon. It makes him sick to his stomach. And now, there’s this embarrassing security breach, for which he is responsible for. Finn and his crew are the appointed attack dogs of the undercity—scare tactics, blackmail, extortion, ensuring safety and control in strategic places. You name it, that’s his area of expertise. And this mishap won’t go unnoticed. 

Renni calls out Silco, blames what occurred here on his carelessness, and demands answers regarding his plans to fix the situation. And then proceeds to throw a jab at Jinx. Silco takes a breather, he knows it’s the grief talking, but nonetheless he answers her reprimands with barely disguised contempt, and he doesn’t particularly care how insensitive it is. As he looks down towards the little boy, for briefest moment, he sees a vision of Jinx, her frail body laying on that damned bridge after the explosion, burnt and bruised. He thinks about how much he wanted to hold her then, cradle her in his arms like he has done so many times before. He should have ran to her then, never mind the pack of enforcers standing between them. It’s out of his hands now, and he loathes it. He throws one last look at the boy and takes his leave.

Your hands are trembling, too heavy, you can’t bring yourself to move them. The sound comes next, so loud it leaves nothing behind but silence. And then the fall. A body crumples, limp and lifeless, hitting the ground with a dull, sickening thud. The noise sinks into your bones, repeating over and over like it will never stop.

The first thing you notice as you wake up is that you’re having trouble breathing. But it’s not the dream, and the air doesn’t feel worse than usual. You place your palm against the front of your neck and curse. Dammit. Your chem-surge. You were supposed to get new Shimmer doses yesterday. Well, to be fair, your schedule has been slightly disrupted due to recent events, and it’s not like the market is ever closed. Might as well do it now, and then you can directly drop by your mom’s to give her her injection. You equip yourself with a solid pair of boots, essential when heading down to the sump levels, and tuck a decent amount of cash into a paper bag. 

Shimmer is not cheap, at least not in the way you buy it. Most of what’s sold in the lower levels is raw, unrefined, if you will, and incredibly potent. One injection is all it takes to turn a user into an addict. That’s why it’s the most popular product here, and also, it’s the cheapest kind of Shimmer available on the market. People down here don’t have the luxury of choice—it’s either that, or low-grade chemtech. Both options wreak irreparable damage on the body over time. 

The wealthier people of the Undercity—and there aren’t many of them—can afford balanced versions of those products. Much safer to consume, it’s basically what was promised to fissure folks from the beginning: a proper medicine. Not a drug, but something to help the undercity’s denizens against most respiratory diseases. Unfortunately, this variant was never widely commercialised, which made you realise that safe consumption of the product had never been the priority, it was always about the money. As a result, balanced Shimmer is available only for a select few. For a price. A price you can barely afford. Almost the entirety of your pay is spent on Shimmer, whatever is left goes to food. It’s not a great life, but the alternative was out of the question. You’d seen too many of your friends die because of that poison, saw them turn into beings closer to animals than humans. Not a path you would have chosen for yourself or your mother. 

Your throat burns as you get deeper down the lower levels, you haven’t been this careless in a while. In Piltover, you reckon you could manage without your chem-surge for a few hours. But here, well, you hope you won’t have to find out the hard way. Better get this done quickly. And there’s your seller, tall frame leaning against the wall, slim as a wisp. It’s a good thing the wind doesn’t reach these streets because the poor bastard would be toppled over. Alastair is not the type to sit idly behind a counter, waiting for a sale. He roams the alleys, striding on his long legs, always looking for his next client. Because that’s the issue down here: they die quickly, or simply disappear. His hollow eyes widen at the sight of you.

"Oh, if it isn’t my favourite customer," he drawls, straightening himself. “Come for your usual, love?” You roll your eyes but keep stepping closer.

"No, I’m just here to see you, handsome." You say as you lean in next to him and offer him an exaggerated smile. Suddenly very interested, he starts slicking his greasy hair back and licking his cracked lips. Oh, Janna…

"My vials, Alastair." You say in a much drier tone, crushing all his hopes. 

"Right." He mumbles, disappearing behind the fumes and into a building. 

Around you, empty vials of Shimmer lay on the ground. As far as you know, you’re the only client who buys the tampered variant from him. Typically, people would get it on the upper levels, in the Lanes and perhaps even the Alcove district. But it’s even more pricey there. What you have going on with Alastair is a good deal for both of you. He gets to make more than ten times his usual turnover whenever you buy from him, and you get the best product for the lowest price on the market. Admittedly it’s still outrageously high, but you don’t have a choice.

Further up the street, a man with rags for clothes is crawling on all fours, picking up every vial he can find. He inspects them thoroughly, searching for any residue. Occasionally, he sniffs and licks the inside to catch a forgotten drop, or anything remaining, really. Most of the skin around his mouth is eaten away, leaving what is left of his teeth permanently visible. His skin is so pale and thin it looks as though the bones could pierce through at any moment. Funny, how something can either save you, or kill you in the most horrific way—slowly, corrupting your nerves, your blood, substituting itself for your very life, and sucking it all out. That’s Shimmer for you. 

Alastair emerges with your goods in hand, with the face of someone who knows they’re gonna make a pretty buck today. He hands you the vials one by one.

"Much obliged." You thank him as you shove your new purchase into a bag that you close securely. Walking around with Shimmer in the lower Fissures is a dangerous thing to do, and you’re not about to let your savings go to waste out of carelessness. You give him the paper bag and wait patiently as he counts. It’s taking longer than usual, and when you look up at him you can tell that he isn’t satisfied. You wait for him to explain himself. He scratches his head.

"I’m afraid you’re short 500 cogs." About a quarter of what you just paid. You stare at him with a frown, anger and disbelief rising inside.

"Excuse me?" Alastair shrugs in a way that makes you want to slap the insolence out of him. 

"Well, I’m sure you’ve noticed that the blockade has been hard on all of us. It’s just business, darling, I’m sure you understa—" In a flash, your hand shoots out and grips the collar of his shirt, yanking him forward until your faces are inches apart. Alastair yelps, his bony fingers clutching at yours.

“Tell me something, Alastair,” you say, your voice disturbingly calm but razor-sharp. "You wouldn’t want a bunch of enforcers poking around your business now, would you?" Alastair blinks rapidly, his earlier bravado crumbling as he shakes his head vigorously. 

“Of course not. Now, I paid what I owe, and I will be leaving with what I came for. Is that clear?” He nods rapidly, the fear in his eyes evident. You’re gonna need a bit more than that. You raise your voice just slightly to make sure the point gets across.

"Words, Alistair." He swallows with difficulty, and the confirmation comes out dry and painful.

"Y-yes." You hold him there a while longer for good measure before letting him go with a shove.

"Good man." You say, and he stumbles back against the wall, smoothing his shirt with trembling hands. “Pleasure doing business with you.” Without so much as a glance, you stride back the way you came from. In the back of your mind, you know this was probably not the right move. The last thing you want to be in the undercity is indebted, and you’ve made yourself just that. Alastair may not care, but his boss undoubtedly will. It’s too late now. Whatever problems arise from this, you will deal with it later. But for now, you need that Shimmer in your system. 

By the time you finally reach your mom’s house, you’re practically coughing your lungs out. You barge inside, bracing one hand against the wall as you kick off your boots unceremoniously, rushing straight to the bathroom. You take off your top and try to calm your breathing as much as possible. Better to have steady hands when manipulating the chem-surge.

Watching your reflection in the mirror to guide your movements, you unscrew the bolts on the glass panel covering your chest. You lift it up slightly to unplug the empty vial inside, throw it away before quickly replacing it with a fresh one.

"You alright in there?" Your mom asks from behind the door, an unusual hint of concern in her voice.

"I’ll just be a minute."

The vial clicks into place with a soft pop, and instantly, the purple liquid begins flowing through the tubes beneath the glass, like liquid amethyst—rich and luminous. You’ve always found it quite beautiful, the way it snakes its way through, almost hypnotic, rippling and twisting as if it were alive. Such a double-edged gift, Shimmer. Lethal if mishandled, but for you, it’s salvation. For all the bad the it’s done in the undercity the engineer behind this invention must have had life in mind when they concocted it. They must have—there’s no other way. What a waste. 

The effects are immediate, like a shot of adrenaline right through your heart. A long sigh escapes your lips as proper air finally fills your lungs. That was a much closer call than you intended, and you vow not to let it happen again. Now that you can think clearly, priorities shift in your brain—you need a drink. But first things first, you help your mom with her injection, grab something to eat from the kitchen counter, and you’re on your way again.

There’s a message waiting for you at your preferred scrap workshop. You retrieve it from the pneumatic tube and head towards Laurelle’s. You and her go way back. When her folks owned the place, your family used to visit frequently after working the mines. When Laurelle’s parents retired, they handed her the keys to the bar, and so she is now the proud owner of the Nook. It’s a very small and low key establishment, nothing like the Last Drop, which is why you like it so much. The moment you walk in, she spots you from behind the counter. 

"My my, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes." She exclaims, pulling out a glass for you. "What can I get you?" 

"Pitfire Punch." You say proudly, and Laurels’ eyebrows shoot up in surprise. You usually go for soft drinks. 

"What are we celebrating?" She asks enthusiastically. You check the seal on the letter you just retrieved just to be sure. Yep, Council sigil. No doubt now.

"My promotion, I recon." You say, dangling the paper above your head.

"Ah! I know your mom must be delighted." Laurelle scoffs, sliding your drink across the table.

"Haven’t told her yet. Thanks."

"How about this, just leave the letter on the hall counter and say nothing. Just wait and see."

"I’ve done her enough harm as it is, I think." You say ironically, but as always, Laurelle comes out to slap you on the wrist.

"Hey, you’re doing the best you can, just like the rest of us. Working the mines wasn’t going to pay for your treatment, or hers. Or any other job down here, for that matter. People can say what they want, but I know where your heart is, girl, despite that uniform. You don’t have to apologise for shit."

You lift your glass in thanks and drink it swiftly. Laurelle has always been gracious about your life choices. She supported you when you started your training, offered you a home while you were shopping for your own, and she never fails to cheer you up when you’re in doubt. A true friend without whom you would certainly have given up long ago. You owe her your life, in more ways than one. 

"Who’s your date?" You tilt your head questioningly, and Laurelle discreetly points somewhere behind you. "That absolute unit of a woman hasn’t taken her eyes off you ever since she walked in." You shift on your stool slowly and curse under your breath. Sevika sits at a lonely table, taking a long drag off her cigarette, her eyes fixed on you. She doesn’t seem alarmed that you have spotted her; quite the contrary, in fact.  

"Want me to send her away?" Laurelle asks, looking about ready to literally kick her ass out through the front door. You quickly put a hand over hers.

"No I—she’s good." Laurelle gawks at you, shrugs, and goes back to drying her glasses and bottles. 

You wonder how long Sevika’s been tailing you, if she already knows where you live, if she followed you all the way down to the Fissures. Not that she wouldn’t have figured it all out eventually, but damn, Silco sure doesn’t waste any time. The fact that Laurelle was able to clock her so easily is no coincidence. Sevika’s not in plain sight, but she’s not exactly hiding either—a gentle reminder that you still have to honour your end of the bargain. 

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know if you would like to be added to the taglist!

Taglist: @nerds4life246 @policedeer @burgerwolf74

Chapter 1 ⎜ Chapter 2 ⎜ Chapter 3 ⎜ Chapter 4 ⎜ Chapter 5