#and one can only last so long closing their eyes and avoiding looking forward Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[starry-nocturne]

i keep thinking of ryo staying unnecessarily late in the school's music room just to play the piano with no one around. i've always thought she had a thing for chopin (see what i did with the blog name now?) but,, let me introduce you to debussy

debussy's rêverie being so soft and dreamy and serving as metaphor for her inner hopes and dreams, those she doesn't want to think about. something about stripping from her own carefully crafted armor that has kept her safe all these years for just a few moments to share all of her emotions with someone, something else

like there's this certain gap between the person she's trying so hard to become and the one she really is and emotions get both the best and the worst part of her

[azrielslittleslut]

I have a lil angst/fluff request if your still taking them. Its a single dad azriel x reader. Where he had a baby with Elain but she took off with Lucien and she left Az with the baby (lets say baby is 6 months old and has no wings). Az is kinda freakin out cuz babies and him hes a lil scared on what to do. While on a mission in day court Az then meets reader who has the most beautiful white feathered wings and hes instantly mesmerized. Hes there for such a short amount of time so he decides to shoot his shot and lands himself a few dates (not once mentioning hes a father). He notices once or twice that reader will not engage or awknowledge babies when or if they smile and coo at her, but he thinks nothing of it. On his last night in the Day Court the bond snaps for him ( but not for her) and hes so so freakin happy, he invites her to Velaris to visit his family and meet his son. Hes a lil nervous about it and when he finally introduces them shes so cold and distant, wont even hold the baby or look at him. She flys back home that same night and tells Az some lame excuse that hes nice but he should have started out saying he had a son. Anyway long story short turns out that she had struggled to have a baby with her husband, and when it finally happend she had a rough birth but holding her baby in her arms was worth the wait.

*Trigger warning*

In the end she felt she failed as a mother and couldnt protect her baby from an enemy she had made from being her husband had also died trying to protect their child, so seeing children was just too painful for her and so she tried to avoid at all costs. I see it going both ways Az waiting yrs for her to heal and coming back for her, Or Az and them working and healing together, You can end however you see fit, or not at all of its too triggering. I just hardley ever see single dad Az freaking out over a lil baby. And scared af reader.

"Wounds"

Azriel x Fem!Reader

Warnings: talk of child loss/difficult pregnancy, angst, language, fluff, Az being a worried dad, slight Elain slander, happy ending:)

Word Count: 7.8k

a/n: anon, i know this took ages, but i wanted to get it right. i personally have never experienced this, but i hope i did it justice. my thoughts go out to everyone on here who has experienced child loss or hard pregnancies! <3

Enjoy!

"Please stop crying. Please," Azriel begged, his eyes looking worriedly down at the bundle in his arms. No amount of coddling or singing or rocking seemed to soothe the baby, and he was at his wit's end with exhaustion. He held his son close, savoring the warmth radiating from him. "Come on, Ky. What do you need?"

Kyrell, or Ky for short, looked up at Az, his eyes full of tears. His eyes were dark brown, just like his mother's, and Azriel felt a sharp pang in his chest every time he looked at his son. Those eyes brought back memories full of joy, but mostly pain. Azriel couldn't stop his mind from going back to a little over a year ago, back to that day that had changed everything.

"Are you sure, Elain?" Azriel asked, his voice full of anxiety. His shadows swirled around him, sensing the stress of their master. "Have you talked to Madja?"

Elain squared her shoulders, her face like stone. "Madja was the one who confirmed it. I am sure." She rested a hand over her flat belly. "She said I'm only a few weeks along, but she doesn't think the babe has wings."

Az felt a rush of relief wash through his body. He didn't want to remember what had happened with Feyre, and he would rather die than watch Elain suffer the same way. "Are you... happy? I mean, this was unplanned. We were so careful... I don't know how this happened."

They had both been taking the contraceptive tonic, not willing to take any risks since they were so secretive about their relationship. How had this happened?

Elain took a step forward and took his hands in hers. "I am happy, Az. I've always wanted to be a mother," she said, her voice soft. "Yes, this is unexpected, but this baby is a sign of our love. The outcome of a wonderful and beautiful joining that even the cauldron itself couldn't stop."

Azriel's heart swelled in his chest. He pulled his hand from hers, lowering it to rest on her belly. He could already imagine the life growing inside of her, the future they would have together. He pulled her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her hair. "I don't know how to be a father," he admitted. "But we can figure it out together."

Elain wrapped her arms around his waist, careful of his wings. "Together," she agreed.

Those had been fake words and empty promises. Only a few days after Ky's birth, Elain had disappeared quite literally into the night, leaving everything she owned in the townhouse. Az had returned from a short mission in Winter Court to his son crying in his crib and a note on the nightstand saying that Elain had left to be with Lucien. That she had decided to accept the bond and live with him. That she wanted to leave Azriel and their son to live a happy and carefree life.

Unfortunately, being the single father of a newborn didn't give Azriel much time to grieve, or even be angry, about what happened. So he had done what he always did and buried his feelings deep down into his soul. He had a baby to take care of, and he was afraid of what could happen if he let himself feel.

Ky's wail tore through the room, bringing Azriel back to the present. He had cried like this almost every night for the last few weeks, and Azriel couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't cut out to be a father. He couldn't do this. He should have been more careful with Elain. He should have-

"He's teething," Feyre said from the doorway. She made her way into the room, her footsteps light. "They cry like that when they're teething."

Azriel looked down at Ky as he said, "Does that... hurt them?" He ignored how stupid the question sounded as he asked it.

Feyre smiled softly as she held her hands out. "It's uncomfortable for them, and crying is the only way they can tell you. May I?" she asked, her brows raised in expectation. "I do have some experience with this, you know."

Azriel gently handed Ky to Feyre, his wings drooping to the floor. He had moved into the River House after Elain had left. He had tried to do things on his own, not wanting to inconvenience his family. But after a few weeks of not sleeping, or eating for that matter, Rhys and Feyre had all but dragged him into their home, stating that if he didn't move in with them, they would order it as his High Lord and High Lady.

It had been difficult at first, but now he was so thankful for their help. They knew how to raise a baby because of Nyx, and he gladly accepted any advice they offered. They kept their distance, though, allowing Az to figure out fatherhood on his own.

"I'm sorry if he woke you," Az said quietly. "How long does this last?"

Feyre smiled down at Ky, her hand running over his tuft of black hair. "Until their teeth come in." She looked up at Az, and her face hardened as she saw his expression. "This is normal, Az. Healthy, even. It means he's growing, which is a good thing. But for tonight, Rhys is whipping together a salve we used on Nyx to help with the pain. He should have it ready in the next few minutes."

Azriel released a breath, his shadows moving to swirl around Ky. His shadows loved his son, loved swirling around him to make him giggle. "Thank you," Az murmured to Feyre. "For... for all of this. I don't think I would be standing if it weren't for you and Rhys."

Feyre smiled, her eyes bright with emotion. "You're welcome, Az. I would never let one of my closest friends and nephew suffer." She winked at him. "Besides, who else would babysit while you go on a mission?"

Right, his missions. Since Ky had been born, Azriel had gone on a few missions, but he had reluctantly learned how to delegate the harder ones to his spies. He couldn't risk something happening to him now that he had a son to raise, so he only took the easier ones, and he was never gone for more than two days.

"Ky does love to play with Nyx," Azriel murmured quietly as if that was a good enough reason for his son to be left here while he was gone. What would Az do when Ky got older? How would he explain to him the details of his job to his son? What if Ky didn't-

Az was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realize Feyre had moved closer to him. "Speaking of missions," she said quietly, her voice low. "Rhys needs you to go to Day Court. Nothing serious, of course. Just routine surveillance."

Azriel nodded distantly, his mind going numb. "Of course. I can leave in the morning." His mind was already racing, preparing to become the shadowsinger and spymaster of the Night Court and not a scared single father.

Feyre smiled softly, her hand cradling Ky's tiny head. "Don't worry about Ky. We will watch him."

For a few moments, the world narrowed down to his sleeping son in his High Lady's arms. He looked so vulnerable and frail, and Az was overcome with a wave of anger and rage.

How could Elain do this to him? Azriel didn't care if she felt nothing for him, but how could she look at this perfect child and decide to leave?

Azriel locked those feelings away as fast as they came, choosing to ignore them rather than face them head-on. "I'll get the details from Rhys in the morning," he said finally. "A routine trip to Day Court can't be that difficult."

---

It turned out that a routine trip to Day Court could be that difficult. Immediately upon arrival, Azriel quickly realized how much training his spies here lacked. He had spent hours rehashing the basics—how to blend into a crowd, how to remain silent in the shadows. These spies were supposed to be his eyes and ears, yet they couldn’t even follow the simplest of protocols.

Most infuriating of all, they hadn’t been sharing information with each other. One claimed to know about the political shifts happening within the Day Court, but when pressed, they admitted it was only rumors. Another had no idea about the movements of the court’s key players. It was as if they were all operating independently, blind to the larger picture.

Prythian was shifting, changing, and these people had failed to notice. Azriel’s temples pulsed with a dull ache, the constant incompetence chipping away at his already thinning patience. How had it gotten this bad? How had they let things slip so far?

By the time the sun dipped low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the streets of the Day Court, he was no longer hiding in the shadows. There was no point. His headache had grown unbearable, a sharp reminder of how much he longed to be somewhere else—anywhere else. He thought of his son. He missed him fiercely, the boy’s infant giggle, the way his tiny hands would reach up for him when he returned home.

But now, he was trapped in this beautiful, sunlit prison, surrounded by spies who couldn’t even spy. The thought made him grit his teeth.

He had just turned the corner onto another street when he was stopped in his tracks. Before him stood the most beautiful female he had ever seen, but what caught his attention was her feathery white wings. They shimmered faintly in the sunlight, as if they had been dipped in iridescent powder.

"Hey, watch it asshole!" The yell came from a disgruntled bystander who didn't appear to be happy with Azriel's sudden stop in the middle of the busy street. With another curse, the bystander made their way around Azriel's hulking form, so obviously out of place here in Day.

Azriel shrugged it off, taking a step forward to keep walking down the street, but he was stopped by the sound of a lovely female voice.

"It's not every day we get someone from the Night Court around here," the female said with a smile.

Azriel blinked. It seemed that the commotion on the street had been loud enough to catch the beautiful female's attention. She now stood before him, her white wings tucked in tight.

"Am I that obvious?" Azriel asked finally. He had years of practice at blending in, and this female had called him out immediately.

She chuckled, the sound soft like wind chimes. "Well, black isn't really a Day Court color. And," she said, gesturing to his wings, "I don't know of another court that has winged males."

Azriel shrugged nonchalantly. "You never know. Maybe I'm from a court nobody has ever heard of. I could be an undiscovered creature, here to make a home in Day Court."

Azriel had always been good with females, never struggling to use his charms and looks to woo them. Hell, he usually didn't have to even say anything.

But right now, he honestly didn't know what the fuck he was saying. An undiscovered creature? If Cassian ever heard about this...

The female laughed again, this time tipping her head back. Azriel was mesmerized by the sound, his chest tingling. "You're not a creature," she said matter-of-factly. "You're Azriel. The shadowsinger."

Az crossed his arms, his eyes looking at the female warily. "You've heard of me?" He knew he had a reputation in Prythian, and it wasn't a good one. Normally, it wouldn't bother him if others knew what he did, but something about this female made him want to fall to his knees and repent for all of the wrongs he had done.

"Of course I have. You fought in the War." She was smiling at him, her cheeks dimpling slightly. "Besides, I've always been curious about shadowsingers, so it's only right that I would know about the only one alive."

His shadows were swarming him now, despite the bright sun. We like her, they whispered to him. She is different than the others.

Az cleared his throat, his eyes on her wings "Your wings... I've never seen any like that before."

She looked over her shoulder at her wings. "I got them from my mother, or so my father says. I wouldn't know. She died when I was young, and I don't remember her very well." Despite the dark turn of the conversation, her tone was light, her smile still plastered on her beautiful face.

Azriel found himself smiling slightly. "Well, they are very beautiful." He felt a blush creep onto his cheeks as the compliment left his lips, but her bright smile washed it away.

"Thank you, Azriel," she responded, her eyes bright. She tilted her head as one of his shadows wrapped itself around her wrists. "I like your shadows," she said with a giggle.

His shadows never acted like this with anyone, not even Elain. With Ky, they were protective mother hens, but now, they almost seemed... enamored.

Azriel was not usually the type of male to ask a female out who he had quite literally just met. But he knew he would hate himself if he didn't at least offer her dinner, so after a few moments of watching his shadows swirl around her, he asked, "Would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"

She looked up from his shadows, her brows raised. She sheepishly bit her lip as her wings twitched. "I would," she said. She offered him her hand, rings glinting on her fingers. "I'm Y/N, by the way. I figured you would ask my name before asking me out on a date, but I have always heard of the strange Night Court customs."

Azriel took her hand, fighting the urge to look at his scarred skin against her perfect flesh. "My apologies. I, uh, I-" He struggled to come up with an excuse for his lack of manners, but he came up short.

She patted him on the shoulder gently. "I can forgive you. As long as you pay." She clicked her tongue, looking past him to the shops lining the streets. "Day Court is amazing, but I swear it has the most expensive food..."

Azriel smiled as he listened to her ramble on, following her as she made her way through the crowd. His shadows still swarmed her, but she didn't seem to mind.

After all, it was only one date, and then he would go back to the Night Court... and to his beloved son.

---

One date turned into three, and Azriel couldn't help but admit to himself how much fun he was having. He had not laughed this hard in ages, and even though he had only known her for two days, he felt more open and seen than ever.

He had told her all about his training in the camps, the wars, the Inner Circle. She had listened intently, even diving into her own life. It turns out that she worked at a small bookshop in the city, and she had two roommates in a small townhouse.

She seemed to have such a simple, perfect life, and Azriel found himself full of envy. He tried to fight it, but as he listened to her talk about her daily routines, he wondered what it would be like to live such a life.

"Why were you up at three in the morning, anyway?" she said with a laugh. They were walking down the streets, enjoying the quietness that came with nighttime in the Day Court. "Most people are asleep then."

Azriel paused for a moment. He had been telling her of the time he had found Cassian eating an entire chocolate cake with his bare hands in the kitchen. He had been up because Ky had been crying, and he had wandered into the kitchen for a bottle, only to find a chocolate-covered Cassian and a pissed of Nesta.

Azriel had told her many things, more than he had ever told anyone, but he left out the fact he had a son. He didn't know how to bring that up, afraid she would judge him, or worse... take pity on him for his unfortunate situation. The thought of someone feeling sorry for him twisted his stomach, and he wasn't ready to see that look in her eyes.

"I couldn't sleep," he said at last. "What? They don't have midnight snacks here in the Day Court?"

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Midnight snacks, yes. Three-in-the-morning snacks, absolutely not."

"Well, you're missing out. You should really try-"

Azriel was cut off as a young fae female walked up. She was pretty, with pointed ears and bright red hair. In her arms, she held a small child, no older than two or three. The child was wrapped in a pink blanket, sleeping soundly against the female's chest.

Azriel's heart clenched as a wave of homesickness swept over him. He missed Ky terribly. He knew he was doing alright, thanks to his earlier check-in with Rhys and Feyre, but he longed to be the one holding his baby. He could almost feel the weight of his son in his arms, the scent of him, the way his little hands would reach for Azriel in the middle of the night.

"Y/N!" the female greeted, her tone warm. "I haven't seen you around in ages! How have you been?"

Azriel's companion smiled, but he could see something dark in her eyes. "I've been... good." Her voice was tighter than usual, all signs of her earlier laughter gone. "And you?"

"Oh, you know. Tired all the time, thanks to the little one crying at all hours of the night." The female smiled softly, bouncing the child gently in her arms.

Azriel could understand that, at least. He would never forget the time he almost put his boots in the fridge instead of the milk because of his exhaustion.

"Yes, well. I've always heard motherhood can be difficult, but you look amazing- if that counts for anything." As Y/N spoke, Az noticed how she made it a point not to look at the sleeping child, keeping her eyes on her friend's face.

Perhaps, she didn't like children? Or maybe she wasn't really friends with this woman, and she was trying to appear uncomfortable to get out of the situation?

The other female's gaze lowered for a moment. "I am sorry. I.. I-" she stammered for a few moments before shaking her head, seeming to right her thoughts. "Right. Well, I'll leave you two alone." She smiled kindly at Az. "Enjoy your evening."

She quickly hurried off, leaving Azriel to stare at Y/N. "Are you alright?" he asked lowly, daring to place a gentle hand on her arm. Her gaze had gone nearly vacant, and he decided he would do anything to bring back the warmth from earlier.

She blinked whatever emotion she was fighting away. "I'm fine. That woman is always driving me up the walls. Always coming into my store, asking if I can spare any free books."

Azriel nodded, but something told him there was more to the story. He decided not to press it. "Shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm.

The two of them made their way down the street, once again laughing and carrying on as if nothing had happened. But there was still a shadow there, a voice telling him that there were still pieces of her that he didn't understand.

---

The mating bond snapping into place took Azriel completely by surprise. It was Azriel's last night in the Day Court, and she had been showing him her bookstore.

She had handed him a new arrival, her eyes alight with passion, when he had felt that snap inside of his chest. He had stumbled back into a shelf, his wings pushed against the wood, his hand on his chest. He was still struggling to breathe as she leaned over him, her voice soft.

"Azriel?" she asked, her tone full of worry. "Are you alright? Let me go get you some water-"

Mate. You are my mate. His thoughts were drowned out by a deafening ringing in his ears, and it took all of his self-control to not blurt them out in a fit of happiness.

After he regulated his breathing, Az forced himself to stand upright. "I'm fine," he murmured, his eyes on her face. She was looking at him with worry and shock, her arms out to catch him in case he stumbled again. "Are you- do you feel anything?"

Her brows furrowed as she shook her head. "No. Other than worrying about you tearing down my new bookshelf," she said, but there was a teasing smile on her lips.

I guess the bond only snapped for me, Azriel thought to himself. It made sense, of course, but it would make things a lot less complicated if she felt it, too.

It was in that moment that Azriel decided that she needs to see all of him. Where he comes from, his family... his son. If she wanted to be his mate, it would be on her terms, not his.

He ignored the voices plaguing his mind, telling him that this wonderful female would never choose him, especially once she realized the baggage he carried. No, he let himself feel this happiness, the first true happiness he had felt in a long time.

His mate. He had found his mate.

"You know tonight is my last night here," he said, taking a step toward her. "But, maybe we can have more nights together?"

She had been in the process of placing the book on a table, but her hand stopped as she heard his words. "What do you mean?"

Azriel bit his lip as nervousness filled his chest. "I mean I would like to take you to the Night Court. Just for a visit, of course." He smiled at her, feeling awkward for the first time in centuries. "So you can see all of the strange rituals we have there."

For a moment, Az thought she would decline. Her face paled slightly, and her lips tightened. But eventually, a beautiful smile bloomed across her face, like the sun rising at dawn.

"I would like that," she said cheerfully. "I haven't left Day in a while. Are you wanting to leave tonight?"

He thought his heart would beat out of his chest with happiness, but he forced his voice to remain steady. "We could, as long as you have everything in order here with the store."

She placed the book on the table and took his hands in hers. "I can talk to my roommates. They can keep eyes on the place while we're gone. I need a vacation, anyways."

Azriel laughed, the sound deep and joyous. He gestured a hand toward the door. "After you," he said. "I've been wanting to see what those wings look like in flight."

---

Her wings were the most beautiful things he had ever laid his eyes on. Even though it was dark, they shimmered under the moonlight, their color shifting to silver.

They laughed as they flew, and Az was surprised at how well she could keep up with him. She was able to follow his maneuvers expertly, dipping and rolling along with him. He made it a point to ask her who she was trained by later.

The River House was quiet when they landed. His shadows alerted him to the fact that Rhys, Feyre, Nyx, Ky, Nesta, and Cassian were all inside, having just finished dinner.

"It seems that everyone is here," he murmured to her, taking her hand in his as he walked up the steps. "This is your last chance to turn back."

She pulled her eyes away from her surroundings long enough to look at him. "After I flew all this way? I don't think so," she said with a giggle.

He pushed the door open, his hand still in hers. He led the way into the small sitting room, the air warm and smelling of citrus and jasmine. His family was all here, seated in chairs around the fire. His eyes roamed the room, looking for Ky, and he found him sleeping in a small basket next to the fire. Nyx was sleeping next to him, the small boy having placed his hand protectively over the babe.

Azriel felt his chest ease at the sight of his son, safe and warm. He wanted to run to him, but he needed to ease his mate into this.

"Az," Rhys greeted, standing up from his chair. "We were wondering if you would be back tonight." He walked toward them, a smile on his face, but that smile faltered a little when he saw the female next to his brother. "And who is this?"

She stepped forward, radiating confidence as she introduced herself. "I'm sorry for intruding on your evening, but Azriel offered to show me around the Night Court. I've always heard lovely things about it."

Azriel met Rhys's violet stare. A stranger in Velaris, Az? Rhys asked into his mind. You were only supposed to go on a routine mission.

Azriel decided it was best not to beat around the bush. She's my mate. She means no harm. She is kind. And nice. And I wanted her to meet all of you.

Rhys nodded slightly. He raised a brow. Everyone?

Azriel glanced over at Ky. Everyone, he responded.

Rhys must have communicated with Feyre, because she gracefully walked over to Ky, sweeping him gently up in her arms. She smiled affectionately at Nyx as she moved over to Azriel. "He's been sleeping well," she whispered. "And eating well. I swear he's gained ten pounds since you were gone."

Azriel could no longer deny his paternal instincts, so he quickly took Ky in his arms, savoring the warmth radiating from his small body. "Did you miss me, little one?" he murmured to him as his shadows swarmed the baby, searching for any sign of distress or harm.

Azriel turned, a smile on his face as he found his mate's face. He expected her to be curious, or shocked, at the sight of a baby in his arms.

But nothing could have prepared him for the look of raw pain on her face as she looked at Azriel and Ky. "Who is that." It wasn't a question. Her voice was hard and tight, and Az swore she was holding back tears.

"This is Ky," he said gently, worry and fear creeping in as he took in her expression. "My son."

She quickly tore her eyes away, searching around the room. They fell on Nyx, who was still sleeping soundly on the floor, and she stepped back as a gasp flew from her lips.

Azriel could sense the unease radiating off Rhys and Feyre, already preparing themselves to defend their family. Cassian and Nesta stood next to each other on the far side of the room, their backs straight, their eyes holding predatory intent.

It was only Azriel, who was still holding Ky, who forced himself to remain calm. "Would- would you like to hold him? He's quite small, but he's so warm and-"

"NO!" she screamed, her body trembling as she stepped backward toward the door. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she covered her face with her hands. "I can't. No. No. No."

Feyre quickly stepped forward, taking Ky out of Azriel's arms. Calm her down. Now, Azriel, she whispered into his mind, but it was the voice of the High Lady.

"Come on," he muttered to his mate, reaching for her arm to pull her outside. "Let's go outside." She didn't fight him as he hauled her through the door and down the steps. The night air was cold, but Azriel didn't feel it.

He could only feel pain, anger, rage, and a hurt like no other. What had he said or done to send her into this kind of panic? Was the thought of him being a father truly so horrible?

Once they were outside, she ripped herself out of his grasp. "I'm going home." Her voice was distant now, devoid of any emotion.

He moved to step in front of her, his eyes pleading. "Please. Let me explain all of this-"

She pushed him out of the way, her wings unfurling as she prepared to take flight. "You're a nice male, Azriel," she said. "I... like you. I do. But you should have told me about this. About him."

Azriel fought the urge to snarl at her tone when speaking about his son. "Is it really that bad that I'm a father?" Though he was angry, his voice came out broken.

She looked at him then, her eyes softening slightly. "No. It's the fact that you don't understand. You could never understand."

"Then tell me! Help me understand!"

She shook her head as she pushed off the ground, his wings catching the air, hauling her up. "Goodbye, Azriel."

Her voice carried on the wind as Azriel watched her take off into the night, taking a piece of his heart with her.

---

1 year later

"Come on, Ky. You can do it!" Azriel encouraged, his hands out to catch Ky. The Velaris sun was blinding, but Az kept his attention on his boy, not daring to miss the sight of him taking his first steps.

Ky was standing on small, wobbly knees, his tiny face scrunched up in determination. He took a small step forward, then another, and another-

"Gods! You're doing it, son!" Azriel exclaimed in happiness.

Ky took one more step before his tiny legs gave out, but Azriel was there to catch him, as he always would be. He swooped him up, pressing a kiss to his chubby cheek. "I'm glad to know you got that determination from me, at least," he said to Ky.

Ky gave him a toothy smile as he giggled, his attention already captured by Az's shadows as they swarmed him, seeming to offer their own form of praise.

In the last year, Azriel had heard nothing from Elain. He had heard from his spies that she and Lucien had welcomed their own child into the world, a little girl who Azriel had not bothered to learn the name of.

A year ago, he would have been heartbroken beyond repair at the thought of Elain choosing to start a family with another male, even though she already had a family here. But since then, Azriel had taken the time to heal, choosing to let go of any bitterness and anger.

Ky deserved better than having a father who was pissed off at the world, and Az had vowed to himself to be the best father the world had seen. He didn't know what a good father looked like, but he was learning, and he had Rhys and Cass and the rest of his family to help him.

There was one part of his healing that he was struggling with though- his mate. The female who had quite literally flown off into the night at the sight of Ky. Az had not heard from her since that night, so he never got an explanation as to why.

He tried not to hold it against her, hoping that, if they were meant to be together, things would work out in the end.

"Uncle Azriel!" Nyx's voice, though the boy was small, boomed across the lawn. "Want me to take Ky in for his nap?" Nyx was the best cousin to Ky, always making sure the boy was eating and sleeping properly.

Hell, sometimes he was even more on top of things than Azriel was.

"Sure," Azriel said, placing Ky in Nyx's arms. "He just took his first steps. He deserves to rest."

Nyx's eyes widened. "He took his first steps and I missed it?" He blew out a breath. "You should have called for me!"

Azriel chuckled as he ruffled Nyx's black hair. "Sorry, kid. At least you were there for his first word."

In fact, Nyx had been the first word Ky had said. Of course, it had sounded more like "Byx" than anything else, but Nyx had gloated about it for days afterward.

Azriel watched Nyx carry Ky into the house, smiling to himself. It was moments like this that he was thankful for his life. Things had gotten better, so much better. He had a family now, a place where he belonged. A son, a perfect boy who looked just like him-

His thoughts were cut short as he heard soft wing beats from above. Not Illyrian wings, he realized, but something softer, like feathers.

Azriel squinted into the sun, watching small shape grow closer and closer, until the small body of a female landed in front of him.

But it wasn't any female. It was his mate.

"Hello, Azriel," she said, her voice soft. Her face was full of nervousness, and she was biting her lip and wringing her hands. She tucked her wings in tight. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

For a moment, Azriel could only blink at her. She's here. She's really here.

"No. No. Of course not," he blurted out, taking a step toward her. His shadows swarmed her, just as they had when they first met. She smiled down at them, but the smile didn't meet her eyes. "Why are you here? Are you in danger?"

She shook her head, her hair falling around her shoulders. "No. I'm fine. Everything is fine." She went back to biting her lip again as she spoke. "I've been thinking... I think you deserve an explanation of what happened last year. I owe you that. The way I reacted was wrong, and I want to explain."

"You don't owe me anything," Az said, running a hand through his hair. "I should have told you about Ky. It was wrong of me to force him onto you like that."

She smiled again. "No. You did nothing wrong. I don't know your situation, but..." She took a step forward, craning her head up to look at him. "I would like to hear about it now if you want to tell me. I promise not to fly away again."

Despite himself, Azriel laughed. He angled his head over to a small table and chairs Feyre had set up on the east end of the house. "We can talk over there," he said. "Nobody will disturb us."

The two of them walked in silence, the soft wind rustling through the trees. Azriel was nervous, not knowing what to say to carry on an easy conversation. He could feel the unease radiating from his mate, so he decided it was best to keep his mouth shut.

“You go first,” she said once they had situated themselves in the chairs. “My story is… well- just go first, Az. Please.” Her voice trembled at the end of her sentence, her eyes watery.

Azriel reached a hand over and laid it atop her own, squeezing gently. He took a deep breath before letting the painful story spill from his lips. He told her of Elain and the short romance that had followed the War. He told her of Ky's birth and the disaster that had followed. He spoke to her of his feelings, the feelings that he had not spoken to anyone, not even his family.

By the end, silent tears were streaming down his face, and he sucked in a breath as she gently reached over and wiped them away, her face full of understanding.

"She just... left?" she asked, her voice full of something like wonder, as if she couldn't understand how a mother could do that to her child. "And you've been raising Ky on your own?"

Azriel nodded once. "Well, mostly on my own. My family has been helping me, but that hasn't made it easy."

She took a deep breath, her eyes on his face. "I am sorry that happened. I don't think I would have survived that, if I were in your position." She paused for a moment, biting her lip.

"You don't have to tell me your story, you know," Azriel said, his tone gentle. "Believe me, I understand that some things are... difficult to discuss."

"I was married once," she said abruptly, her eyes moving to look at the city. "We were so happy together, but we were only missing one thing. A child."

Azriel's heart stuttered inside his chest as she spoke. He forced his face to neutrality, not wanting the warring emotions inside his mind to scare her.

She continued on, her voice vacant, "We tried for years to get pregnant, but it wasn't easy for us. We had so many false positives, and each time it happened, I felt as if a piece of my heart broke. We finally gave up, so we were surprised when I got pregnant a few years later."

"We were happy, so happy... but I had a hard pregnancy. By the third month, I was already placed on strict bedrest, completely forbidden to leave my bed except to relieve myself or get food. The labor was even worse. It took two days for our babe to arrive, but the pain and suffering was worth it to hold him in my arms. To hear his little cries and to feel him wrap his tiny hand around my finger."

Azriel watched silently as her eyes filled with tears, but he was too shocked to move. He had a horrible pit in his stomach, afraid of where this story was going.

"My family lived in peace for a few years. We had such a quiet life, you see, filled with so much love and joy... I never thought of how fast it could all be ripped away..." The tears in her eyes spilled over, coating her cheeks. "There was a male in Day Court. He was a harsh man, but he had always liked me. He was the one who taught me how to fly. He was in love with me, so he got angry when I got married, and even angrier when I had a child. I never thought he would do anything, though. I was so wrong..."

"One night, we were sleeping in our home. The male broke in and pulled my husband and me out of bed. I was so shocked, I was unable to fight, unable to do anything as I watched him go to my son's bedroom. I couldn't do anything as I watched my husband try to fight him off, only to get killed in the process. I was helpless as I listened to my boy's cries grow louder and louder, only to be silenced as he was murdered... Because of me."

She started sobbing uncontrollably, and it was all Az could do to wrap her in his arms, trying his best to shield her from the horrors of her memories.

She was breathless as she continued on, her face pressed against Azriel's chest. "What kind of mother am I? I couldn't even protect my own child when he needed me the most. I couldn't face what I had done, so I ran after that, moving into the capital city. I didn't even bury my son. There's no place I can go to honor his memory... I tried to forget my prior life, not telling anyone what had happened. My roommates don't even know."

She pulled away from him, tipping her face to look up at his. "That's why I ran, why I couldn't look at my friend's child that night. It's too painful for me to see a child. I get bombarded with these memories, and all I can see is my son's face, screaming for me to help him."

She was silent after that, her voice broken. So Azriel held her, trying to find the words. But there were really no words to offer a grieving mother. There was nothing he could say to heal these wounds.

Finally, he asked, "What was his name? Your son?"

She froze for a moment, and Azriel worried he had asked the wrong question. But she said, "Alek was his name. He..." She shook her head. "That night when I saw you with Ky... He reminds me so much of my Alek."

Azriel released a breath. "Thank you for telling me. I can't even begin to imagine what that must feel like," he said quietly. "But I need you to know- nothing could ever take away the love you gave Alek, or the love he had for you. You carry that love with you, and you hold onto it." He hesitated for a moment, moving his hand up to cup her face. "I'm here. For whatever you need- whether that's to talk, or to sit and grieve. Just know you're not alone anymore."

Despite her grave expression, she smiled. "Now you're starting to sound like my mate. I was wondering when the sweet talking would start."

Azriel gaped at her, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "You... you knew?"

She nodded. "The bond snapped for me before I flew off that night. I almost stayed, but I knew I needed time to heal before I could be the mate you deserved. So I left, and I've been working on my healing since then. I am better, but I still have hard days, so I understand if you need more time..."

Azriel cut her off with a quick kiss. "I still have hard days, too. But we can face them together. Nobody needs to deal with their problems alone. We can't let the hard days win."

She smiled, and he felt his chest warm as the life returned to her expression. "I would like that. Together," she agreed.

Azriel took a deep breath. "Would you like to see Ky? You don't have to if it will be difficult, but if you stay here..."

"I would love to," she said quietly, her eyes shining. "I'm alright. I want to meet your son."

Azriel led the way into the quiet River House, thankful that most of his family had left for the day. Once they got to Ky's room, he quietly pushed the door open, knowing he was sleeping.

"It's his nap time," he said. "It's probably best you meet him when he's not screaming his head off."

She smiled at Ky as she walked over to the crib, placing her hand on the rails. She looked up to Az, her face warm. "May I hold him?" Her voice was quiet and filled with awe.

Azriel nodded. "Of course you can, love."

Gently, she raised Ky out of the crib, cradling him to her chest. He didn't stir other than snuggling into her warmth, his small face innocent as he slept. "He looks like you," she said quietly, her eyes roaming Ky's face.

"Thank you," Azriel said proudly, a silly smile on his face.

She gasped softly as Ky wrapped his hand around his finger, his hand so small. He murmured contentedly as he slept, and Azriel realized Ky had never had this. Of course Feyre and Nesta had held him, but he had never had someone hold him with a motherly love.

Azriel's heart warmed at the sight, and he couldn't help himself as he walked over, and wrapped them tightly in his arms.

They stood there in the quiet, and Azriel swore he could hear the sounds of old wounds healing,

---

6 months later

"Where are we going, Az?" she asked, giggling as Azriel pulled her to the outskirts of the city. "There's nothing over here."

He looked back at her, offering her a wink. "That's what you think, angel."

The last six months had been filled with happiness, joy, and healing. They both had hard days, but they had been there for each other every time, honoring their promise to face it together.

Ky was growing faster than Azriel liked. He was walking and talking now, and he was even learning how to eat by himself. Just earlier this morning, Azriel had whined, complaining that his son would no longer need him soon.

She had slapped him gently on the arm. "That's what babies do, Az," she had said, kissing him gently on the cheek. "They grow, yes, but they will always need us."

She had become a mother to Ky, there was really no other way to put it. She would clean him and put him to bed, doing all the things that Azriel himself had struggled to manage with ease. A few weeks ago, Ky had called her "Mama", which caused her to cry with happiness and pain commingled.

The two of them were set to accept their mating bond next week, and Azriel couldn't be happier. They had learned so much about each other, and he had found himself falling more and more in love with this female each day. There was one thing he needed to do, though, which was why he was dragging her to this place.

On the outskirts of Velaris, there was an opening in the trees to a place where many people didn't go. At least, not those who had never experienced the loss of a loved one.

As they walked up the path, he could see the small stones poking out of the ground, their engravings holding the names of the people in the ground.

"Azriel," she said quietly, her hand tight in his, "why did you bring me to a cemetery?"

He smiled softly at her, leading her to a small stone, newer than the others, its engraving easy to read. "I wanted you to see this."

She looked at the stone, her eyes filling with tears as she read the words there.

Alek

"Forever Loved, Never Forgotten"

Though your time was brief, your light will shine in our hearts for all eternity.

In the embrace of the stars, you rest, but in our hearts, you live on.

Azriel watched her face as she read, worrying if he had chosen the right words to put on the headstone. Maybe he should have made it shorter? Was it too much?

He was pulled from his thoughts as she suddenly wrapped her arms around him, throwing her body against his. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said between sobs. "It's perfect, Az."

"I know his body isn't here, but you can come here whenever you like. To remember him," Azriel said as he held her, running his hands through her hair.

She pulled away then, her eyes bright with love. "I can't wait to be your mate," she said, smiling through the tears.

Azriel laughed, his heart full. The wounds of the past would always linger, like shadows that never fade. But with those you love by your side, even the deepest scars could begin to heal, and in their place, hope could grow.

general tag list: @quiet-loser @andreperez11 @lilah-asteria

@anarchiii @inkedinshadows @panther-girl-124

@scorpioriesling @olive-main @scarsandallaz

[a-write-for-soreeyes]

Yes, Chef [OPLA Sanji x Afab!Reader SMUT]

Pairing : OPLA Sanji x Chef (AFAB) Reader

Summary : Sanji is the only one you call 'Chef'. One night when you're the only ones working the late shift he finally confronts you about why.

Warnings : 18+ !!!!!!, NSFW/SMUT, Semi-public sex (kitchen), Oral (fem receiving), some slight dirty talk?, the apron stays ON during foreplay, Use of the term 'Chef' in a sexual way, Top!Sanji, Bottom!Reader

Word Count : 3685 (good lord)

A/N : I have never written smut before but I think this went really well! I had one quote (that quote from Fleabag the hot priest says) and a dream (sanji brain rot and my sexy playlist), so please feel free to leave your thoughts! <3

“y/n I think we’ve known each other long enough you can stop calling me ‘Chef’.”

“Yes, Chef I know” You said, carefully placing the garnish on the plate of steak and seared vegetables at your station. It was the last call of the night and of course a group had walked in right as you and Sanji had finished clearing your stations for the night.

Placing the final plate on the counter you hit the bell, one of the servers came through the doors to the kitchen grabbing the plate and turning on their heel pushing through back to the rowdy group of pirates in the dining room. Turning back to your station and beginning to stack your pots and pans, placing the used utensils inside the pot and carrying them over to the sink, ready to re-wash them.

A comfortable quiet had washed over the kitchen, only broken by the boisterous chatter from the last table of the night. “You can head out if you’d like. I’m going to put together a new dessert I’ve been practicing for these gentlemen, hopefully get them to tip better after coming in right before closing.” Sanji had called from across the kitchen while grabbing ingredients from the pantry.

“Chef, if you don’t like my company you can just say and I’ll get out of your hair.” You joked,

“Ay don’t you ever say that gorgeous, you know I love your company,” Sanji flirted pausing next to you, “Someone with good looks and good conversation, how could I not want you around?” He winked, continuing his stride back to his station.

“I think I’ll stick around once I’m done with these if it’s all the same to you, Chef. You know how much I love to taste whatever new recipes you put together.” You replied with a smile. You really did enjoy being able to be the first person to taste all of Sanji’s cooking, and you suppose being the only person in the kitchen late at night, with your criminally good looking coworker wasn’t so bad either. Rolling up your sleeves and plunging your hands into the warm water of the sink you began to scrub at your dishes.

You scrubbed in silence for a few moments, washing the grime and the stress of the day away. “Really y/n, you can go home I really don’t mind,” Sanji walked next to you leaning his side against the counter stacked high with plates and cups that would need to be washed during tomorrows slow hours, “You’ve already stayed late enough, just finish up your dishes and turn in for the night.” Out of the corner of your eye you could see him looking over your face,

“It’s fine, Chef you know I would probably be awake anyw-” Your sentence and scrubbing stopped as Sanji reached forwards wiping a smear of some ingredient from your cheek, letting his thumb linger on your cheek for just a moment, your face heating at the intimacy of the moment.

“Sorry love,” He said, pulling his hand away from your face and placing it back on the counter next to you, “Couldn’t focus on your beautiful face with something covering it.” 

This has always been the game between the two of you. When you had joined the Baratie’ crew almost 3 years ago, Sanji had started working his charm on you from day one, flustering you everytime causing you to always avoid his flirtatious gaze. Although it had taken you about two months to get comfortable with the pleasure he takes in flirting with you, (leaving you mildly excited each time he had thrown a nickname your way) the day that you did start flirting back was possibly the best day of Sanji’ life, (although he wouldn’t be admitting that to anyone anytime soon) and possibly the worst of yours. The embarrassment you felt every time you gave a flirtatious response, effectively causing you to never have the guts to look him in the eyes.

And although his flirting was nothing new, something about being the only people in the quiet kitchen after a busy Friday night, had the soft way Sanji was speaking to you to have a new feeling behind it.

“Sanji, I’m fine really. I’ll finish these up and then I want to taste whatever you’re supposed to be cooking over there, for our lovely guests.” You softly broke the tension, not looking up at him from the murky water. Sanji chuckled and pushed off the counter, making his way back to his abandoned pastry mix. Resuming your washing the both of you working contently in each other's presence.

—-

Placing the last of your now clean dishes back at your station and wiping your hands on the towel you always had draped over the string of your apron. Slugging your way over to Sanji's station, you hiked yourself up onto the counter next to him, huffing out a quiet “Whatever you’ve got baking smells amazing Chef. I can’t wait to taste whatever it is.”

Sanji chuckled, continuing to whisk whatever he was whipping up for a “quick dessert”.

“They’re strawberry macarons, with an easy butterscotch drizzle on top.”

“Ah yes Chef, a very simple dessert, definitely not a complicated pastry that can take years to master.” Laughing, Sanji put down the bowl and grabbed his dish towel, turning towards the oven behind him, taking hold of the hot baking sheet in his covered hand. Turning back to you he gently swatted your side, placing the hot tray down where you had been sitting.

“For your information the pastry is not the hard part for me. It’s the filling that always gets me.”, Using his one hand to pull the macaron shells up from the pan, Sanji stuck his finger in the bowl on his right swiping up some of the filling he had been whipping up on his finger, and held it out to you, “Here give this a try, I know it’s missing something I just can’t quite place it.”

Seeing Sanji hold his finger out, covered in the pink buttercream filling, you made the conscious decision that this was going to be your winning move in this game of cat and mouse you and him had been playing for the past years. You leaned forwards and wrapped your mouth around his finger, the taste of the sweet icing flowing over your tongue. Swirling your tongue around his finger to get the last of the filling off of his digit.

“It’s good. Could maybe use a little more powdered sugar, get it to thicken up a bit more.” You shrugged.

 Sanji was silent. Not even a flirtatious remark about how ‘you’re all the sugar I need sugar’ just silence. Looking at Sanji directly (for possibly the first time in months) you were shocked at the way he was looking at you. So gently, so full of love and something else you couldn’t quite place. Surprise? Uncomfortability? You weren’t sure, only assuming the worst, regret flooded your body immediately. Sanji opened his mouth to speak but you beat him to it, hanging your head,

“I-I’m so sorry Chef, I-I don’t know what I was thinking, I guess I just thought it would be funny considering how much we fake flirt with each other, but I’m now realizing that that was WILDLY inappropriate especially to someone who is a much better chef than I am- I’m so so sorry Chef-”

“Ah, fuck you calling me “Chef” like it doesn’t turn you on just to say it.” Your head snapped up to look him directly in the eyes.

“Wha-what?”

“You heard what I said.” He smirked at you, blond hair falling in front of his left eye, “The way you say it any moment you possibly can, ‘yes Chef’, ‘I’m sorry Chef’, ‘Of course I can Chef’. You think I haven’t noticed how I’m the only one you call that?” Sanji stalking around the counter, placed one hand on the counter at either side of you.

He leaned into you, his hot breath fanning over your neck, “Everytime you say that stupid fucking title,you know what it does to me. What it makes me think of.”

Shivering at the feeling of his breath you turned your face towards him, “And what does it make you think of, Chef?” A low rumble reverberated from Sanji’ chest, now pressing up close to you.

Sanji tilted his head, lips just barely ghosting over yours, “Would you like me to show you?” You gave an embarrassed nod.

His lips were soft against yours, tasting of cigarettes and the mint he used to try and cover the previous. Pushing himself up against you, you could feel your underwear beginning to slick. Teeth clashing together you ran your hand up Sanji’ back, neck and up into his blonde hair. One of his own hands wrapping around your waist, the other sliding up the front of your apron and giving your breast a soft squeeze. You gasped, and fast as lightning Sanji slipped his tongue into your mouth exploring it with a small groan at the feeling.

Using the heated kiss as a distraction Sanji began to unbutton your uniform, pausing every few buttons to bring his hands up to your face, deepening your make out before going back to his main mission of releasing you from your shirt.

Finally undoing the final button of your uniform Sanji reached into your shirt with one hand swiping over your tit, causing it to harden under his calloused hand, even with the fabric of your bra separating them. Although Sanji made quick work of that issue, easily reaching around you and unclasping the irritating bra pulling it down under your breasts, allowing them to bounce slightly with the force of your making out. Removing his other hand from your waist Sanji roughly cupped your breasts in his hands bringing them out from behind your apron. Squeezing them with his large hands, your apron roughly scraping against the soft flesh, you moaned into the unstopping kisses. Hiking you up onto the edge of the counter Sanji gave himself better access to your chest, leaning down to your right tit and taking it into his mouth, tongue swirling around the nipple, leaving kisses, nips and hickies all around. His left hand grasping at your other tit Sanji pinches at the bud for a few moments before switching. Moans leaving your mouth, you bit your lip nearly drawing blood, as you used one hand to pull his head closer into your chest, the other pulling off his ascot, apron and starting on the snap buttons of his uniform.

“Please, Chef please.” You whimpered, beginning to roll your hips on him, the feeling of his warm mouth on your chest with no friction on your lower parts starting to take its toll on you. Feeling Sanji groan and roll against the counter he pulled back looking at you, hair a mess, eyes glazed over in arousal he ripped the apron and top from off your body, bra following immediately after. During the moment of separation you ripped his now crumpled shirt off, tossing it somewhere in the kitchen out of your vision, which was now focused solely on taking in Sanji’ gorgeous figure.

Grabbing his face and pulling him towards you hungerly you continued to make out. Sanji began to press his body against yours reaching behind your figure to swipe the forgotten baking sheet off the counter creating room for him to be able to push you back into a lying position, the heat of the counter where the hot pans of pastries had just been only seconds earlier caused you to let out a gasp, arching your back to get away from the heat pressing your breasts right into Sanji’s hard chest, his hand going behind you to pull your torso as close to him as possible.

Pulling back from the kiss, Sanji gently laid you down fully on the counter. Running his hands down your sides he began to kiss his way down your body stopping to leave small nips around your chest and hips. Pulling away Sanji started work on your belt, unbuckling it and immediately going for your buttons. You begin to fuss at the feeling of his hands being so close to where you need him but he has yet to touch you.

“I know love, don't worry, I’m gonna make you feel so good.” he whispered out, pressing a kiss to your thigh as he finally slid your pants off, leaving you in just your panties. Groaning at the sight of you trying to hump the air to get any friction to quell the desire you feel, Sanji brought a finger up to your covered mound, gently ghosting it along causing you to let a loud whimper escape from your lips. “Darling you’re soaked. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you want me to make you feel good?”

Gripping the edges of the counter whimpered “Yes. Yes yes please Chef, please make me feel good.”

Sanji smirked up at you, already fidgeting and he hasn’t even started yet. “Well, when you put it like that. I guess I have no choice.” He pulled your panties down grabbing them in one hand and used the other to grasp your hip bringing your soaked pussy right to him, immediately beginning his assault, licking up your folds and once he reached the top starting to suck on your clit, swirling his tongue around the small bud. Your hand shot down for Sanji’ bleach blond hair, fisting it and using it to pull him right into you, wrapping your legs around his head when he stuck his tongue right into your pussy.

“Oh fuck! Yes, god please!” You moaned, at the sound of your moans and whimpers Sanji could feel the tent in his pants straining, he beginning to slightly hump at the air, getting pleasure from just the motions he made.

Feeling the knot begin to form in your stomach you started to pant and hump his face faster. Sanji getting the message stopped tongue fucking you to resume sucking on your clit bringing his right hand down to your entrance sticking 2 fingers in you easily between the slick and spit that had been pooling there. The pleasure assaulting your senses caused you to lurch forwards, nails scraping against Sanji's scalp causing him to moan against you.

Between the feeling of Sanji sucking on your clit, his fingers rapidly pushing in and out of you and the vibrations of the moans he was letting out you felt the knot in your stomach snap, shaking your felt yourself release all over his face, practically screaming out into the echoes of the kitchen,

“Yes, yes fuck, yes Chef! Fuck!” When the feeling of your first orgasm of the night finished and your clit started to become overstimulated you leant back against your arm, releasing your hold on Sanji's hair to run one hand through it and tried to pull yourself away from his mouth still licking up your wetness and kissing around your nub.

“Uhh, Chef- Chef please too- too much” Pulling himself off of you Sanji leant back on his heels, a string of spit and cum connecting him to you. You took a moment to admire him as he caught his breath. He looked beautiful, face covered in your cum with strings of it and drool connecting the two of you, hair sticking in all directions from your harsh pulling and his eyes, god his eyes he had a look in them you’d only ever hoped to see, he was so drunk on your pussy you’re not even sure he knew where the two of you were right now.

Grabbing his right wrist from where his fingers were still brushing against your pussy lips you pulled him up to you, locking your lips in another kiss, this one much more gentle and soft than the previous rough make out you had. Pushing your tongue into his mouth you could taste yourself on his tongue, occasionally kissing around his mouth and along his jawline to collect more of your slick from his face. Sanji let out a gasp as you kissed up his jaw and to his ear, giving it a slight nip before whispering to him, “You made me feel so good Chef. I wanna do the same for you.”

Standing to his full height Sanji started to work on his belt, hands shaking in anticipation at finally being able to feel you around him. You started work on the button on his bottoms, purposely brushing your hand against his erection feeling it twitch at every touch you gave him. Reaching your hands up to his waistband Sanji pulled down his pants and underwear in one swoop as he stepped out of the pool of fabric now at his feet. Cradling your face in his large hands Sanji ran his thumb down your cheekbone and swiped it over your lips.

"I wanna make you feel good, let me make you feel good.”, You looked up at him with half lidded eyes, your hand lazily wrapping around his hard-on, stroking him and running your thumb over his head using the precum that had begun to bead there as lube for your lazy motions. “Please Chef.” You felt his cock twitch at the title and his breathing hitch.

“We can feel good together love. Just let me take care of you this time.” At that Sanji guided you back to your lying position against the now cold countertop of his work station. Taking a moment to admire you splayed out before him Sanji ran his hands down the backs of your thighs pushing them up to give himself access to your wet cunt.

Rubbing the head of his cock against your folds he collected some of your slick before he watched his cock disappear into you. A growl coming from him as he felt you tighten around his shaft.

Keening at the feeling of yourself stretching around him, your eyes rolling back as he pushed further finally bottoming out. Sanji paused allowing you a chance to adjust to his size he could feel you tighten around him.

Slowly, he began to pull almost all the way out of you before rocking back in, the both of you groaning at the feeling. Sanji looked up at your face, eyes almost completely closed and mouth open gasping in pleasure. He reached forwards grasping your soft hand in his own rough one giving something for you to ground yourself on through the pleasure.

“Chef please-!” you whimpered at the feeling of his thrusts starting to pick up speed.

“Fuck love, you feel so good squeezing around me.” Sanji groaned into your ear, leaving sloppy kisses around your jaw and down your neck, his cock burying into you at a rapid pace.

Your moans and huffs at the overwhelming feelings you were experiencing getting louder with each thrust, to the point you were almost crying out in pleasure. Sanji captured your lips again roughly making out with you in an attempt to quiet you, although between your moans and the squelch of his cock pistoning in and out of you it was nearly impossible to do so.

Sanji could feel his high approaching with each thrust, “I-I’m close, fuck darling you feel so good-” he sighed pressing your foreheads together.

“I-I’m so close, please Chef. Please let me cum please!” You blubbered against his lips, tears beginning to form and run down your cheeks, you could feel every inch of him in you, stretching you, pressing against every part of you, his head kissing your cervix.

“Just a little more baby, just give me a little more.” Pounding into your cunt, slick running down both of you, you wrapped your legs around his back pulling him impossibly closer, the hand that was resting coming down to rub furiously at your clit, “come for me love, come all over my cock.” Your mouth opened in a silent scream as you felt yourself release all over his cock, your pussy clamping down, you cried out,

“Fuck! Chef!”

At the feeling of you cumming around him Sanji knew he just needed a few more before he to came undone, or- “Fuck Sanji!” your eyes rolling back, and that was his breaking point. At the sound of you crying out his name, his real name for the first time since you’ve met, not some title he’d heard a thousand times before, Sanji came. Ropes of his cum painting your insides with his release he shuttered, his vision blanking at the overwhelming bliss he was experiencing from cumming inside you for the first time.

The air between you two hot and heavy as you both stayed still just enjoying the intimacy of the moment. Sanji gave a few final sluggish thrusts to help you both ride the end of your pleasures before the feeling became too much. He pulled out gently being sure not to overwhelm you, the sound of your mixed cum quietly dripping from you both onto the tiled floor beneath him.

Basking in the afterglow of the scene, foreheads pressed together you tilted your head up locking your lips in a tender kiss. Bringing your hand that was not clasped in Sanji's up to caress his face, taking in the way the soft light reflected off his glistening forehead and the beads of sweat that dripped from his disheveled hair down the curves and lines of his face.

“You’re beautiful.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m the one who’s supposed to say that to you, Love.” He chuckled, allowing the seriousness of the moment to fade away into comfortable giggles. “I love you.” He breathed out, gazing at you, trying to memorize everything about you in this moment, from how your messy hair splayed out behind you to the dried tear tracks down your face. Looking back into his blue eyes,

“I love you Sanji.”

--------------------------------

[mysumeow]

. . . ꒰ IN MY DREAMS...

Warnings: afab body and breasts, reader is referred to with you/your only. PWP (plot what plot), handjob, cunnilingus. XIAO X READER

Word count: 1.3k

A/N: this was supposed to be for tomorrow hahafhfsahjs YES this was inspired by xiao's letter. its been a while since i last wrote something about xiao </3

₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ♡ 🌷 . . KOFI | GENSHIN MASTERLIST

Xiao’s dreams of you start with simplicity and indulging in idle moments of life. Moments he always thought were unreachable for him because of the karma he carries on his shoulders.

To saunter along the coast of Yaoguang Shoal as you collect those starconches that captures your attention, both his eyes and mind drifting off to the way you look with the sunset behind your back, casting its afterglow’s hues onto your hair.

He remembers your face with such vivacity, thanks to the longing in his heart. Your voice, your signature perfume, or the aroma of your shampoo—the mirage that you are in his dreams—all of it committed to the smallest detail. It’s like you were there.

The dream keeps moving forward. With intertwining hands, you two make your way towards the abode. He’s looking at you while you chat, smiling at him and taking his other hand in yours. Inside the abode, the chatter fades into silence, and a shift in mood ensues. It’s soft, however. Like how you press a kiss on his lips.

Not only does he recall your face to the simplest detail, but so does your warmth. When you envelop his shoulders with your arms, lean into him and rest your head on his chest. Knowing that you can hear his heartbeats makes them fasten, but he doesn’t move away. He’s capable of maintaining some level of composure, and his hands relax on your hips. His touch is loving like he’s with you: malleable, allowing you to take the lead according to your heart’s whims.

You press a second kiss on his body. This time, on his neck. The underside. It tickles him. Then, you move onto a third one, a fourth one... It stopped tickling and instead stimulated other sorts of reactions in his body.

In the blink of an eye, he finds himself with his back against the mattress, your body looming over his. You were whispering something to him; he couldn’t decipher what it was, but it sounded sweet against his ear. Xiao closes his eyes and lets you continue, his hands obediently waiting by his side.

The longer you stay on his lap and the more you keep canting your hips forward and backwards, the harder it is for him to stay obedient, though. Likewise, the way you suckle and lick on those delicate spots on his neck doesn’t help his case. With a heaving chest, Xiao tries to warn you of that impending pleasure that’s going to burst; much to his dismay, he fails to warn you in time.

Despite the shame he feels, you don’t appear to be bothered by it. You laugh, endeared, and promise there’s nothing wrong and that you’ll relieve him more. Xiao tries to make sense of your words amidst the after waves of his climax, but you clear up what you meant the moment you pull his pants down.

And then…he woke up with a rapid heartbeat. His cheeks, neck, and the tip of his ears were tinted red.

He spent a while in silence, staring off into the starry sky in those couple of seconds.

And then he moved his head to a side—his gaze met your sleeping face. He had fallen asleep on your lap a couple of hours ago. At some point, you dozed off as well after him, he presumed. No wonder the warmth and aroma were so vivid. 

Maybe his fixed gawk woke you up. You blinked a couple of times before mustering up a drowsy smile.

“Mm…” You rubbed your eyelids, shaking off some sleepiness. “You look like you had a nice dream. I’d like to hear about it.”

Despite it being a mere dream, somehow, Xiao felt tender all over. He woke up flustered and didn't know how to arrange his thoughts at first.

“We were...strolling the shore. While holding hands,” He scratched his cheek, avoiding your eyes.

“Aw,” You placed your palm on his forehead with the intention of brushing his bangs but found yourself rather surprised by how sweaty it was. Not that he was drenched in it; it was enough for you to notice it, however. “If you have some time, we can do that tomorrow. What else did you dream about?”

He hummed, thinking.

“You were collecting starconches until you were tired. We made our way home...” Xiao's resolution to seem unaffected by his fantasies was stable enough for his voice to not waver.

You leaned in closer, eager to hear more. “And what else?”

“...That's it.”

Mindlessly, you traced with your fingertip the side of his face down to his jawline as you heard him speak.

“Are you sure that was it?” You couldn't help but stifle a small giggle.

Other details you noticed besides his sweaty forehead was the prominent arousal evident behind his pants.

Xiao looked like he wanted to say something, to which you shut him up with a kiss. Little by little, you felt him relax into you more, pleasured sighs escaping from him on those short instances you would pull away. Those seconds of rest did nothing to cease the fire that burned up in him. The adeptus tangled his hands in your hair to hurry you into needy kisses.

You slid your hand beneath the elastic of his pants to pull them down midway to his thighs and wrap it around his stiff cock. A small sound vibrated within his throat because he held it back, but that didn't deter you from continuing your touches. You swiped your thumb on the tip, smearing it with his pre. You stroked it, feeling the malleable skin harden and grow hotter with your attention. More beads of precum dripped on your hand, resulting in a smoother movement.

“C-Comin',” The obscene word with which the adeptus have grown familiar, it still caused some bashfulness to express it. “I don't want to get your hand dirty—”

Xiao stared at your complacent smile; his bewilderment grew when he saw you lick your fingers clean.

You hurried your pace, the slick sounds coming from down there proving that it wasn't a difficult task to do. Xiao's brows furrowed, and he bit his lip hard when he came, spurts of it landing on your wrist and fingers.

He sat up with a new resolution. He grabbed your shoulders. “You haven't come yet. I... I’ll help you with that.”

“Oh, don't worry about it!”

“Not fair. I also want to taste you.”

It was not like he needed to beg for it more; his eagerness to please you was enough. It was Xiao’s turn to push you against the ground, get rid of your clothes, and, without missing a beat, went straight to what he desired.

This wasn’t the first time you shared an intimate night with him, and thus, Xiao had a solid idea of what to do to please you. He spread you open with his fingers, and his tongue delved between your folds, slurping and sucking. It gently thrusted inside, tasting, and swallowing you before his mouth sought your clit, repeating the suction and the licks there. The tremors in your body signaled to him of your impending orgasm, his soft lips and hot tongue stimulated you with more vigor.

When the inescapable happened, Xiao’s awaiting mouth opened to drink you up, licking the remnants of your slick on your thighs.

While you caught your breath, attention lost in the starry sky, Xiao loomed over your form. He was blushing, looking like he didn’t know what to do with himself, and with his dick poking at your entrance. Seeing you enjoy yourself that much aroused him again, ready for another round.

And you were, oh, sore and aching—yet you wanted it as much.

[keikikait]

ʙᴜᴛᴄʜᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ (ɢᴏᴊᴏ x ꜰ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ)

this is the final part. part one, part two, part three

pairing: gojo x f!reader (not au, gojo is 29, reader is early-mid 20’s), some nanami x reader

word count: 3.2k

summary: you hang on to gojo's words for too long, and find yourself in the presence of another

warnings: (FOR THIS LAST PART) no outright smut but it can get suggestive so 18+, ANGST, kinda mean gojo, kinda mean nanami, light violence (pushing), my wolf motif from part 3, nickname use [baby, sweetheart], death implications, mention of blood, no use of y/n

a note: this is the final part.

please reblog and like, it means a lot! let me know what you think!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧

"How close is soon?"

"Close enough."

It’s been almost three months, and here you are, your routine unchanged. You’re starting to wonder if this was ever really worth it. If Satoru Gojo is worth all of this effort. You feel yourself travelling further and further into the wolf’s den, your protective light slowly flickering out. Soon you’ll be left in total darkness, with only the wolves to comfort you. You wonder how long you’ll be able to get by, feeling the damp walls, etched with his poison, with your fingertips before you trip over the corpse of someone else who came before you.

Within the depths of your being, a conflict raged. One part of you yearned to continue, to press forward despite the darkness and uncertainty of a life with Gojo. The other part, weary and wounded, longed for escape, for a way to retreat from the perilous path you had set foot upon. You had ventured into the unknown, leaving behind the familiar and safe, all for a glimmer of hope. But as time passed, the shine of that hope seemed to diminish, replaced by an encroaching sense of despair. The wolves followed you all this way…you couldn’t let them down, could you?

The bell rings.

You’re snapped out of your thoughts, blinking a couple of times to stabilise yourself. Right. You were at work. You clear your throat and start packing up, preparing for the lunch break. The students quickly file out of the class, eager to enjoy the sunlight that just started peaking out from behind the grey clouds.

Gojo sits on the edge of your desk, smirking down at you. “Hey.”

You smile softly. “Hey.”

He glances back at the door before looking at you. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Fuck. Your eye twitches a little. You had a sneaking suspicion. “What are you thinking about?”

Gojo smirks, reaching out to stroke your cheek. “You bent over the desk, spread out all pretty for me…maybe I’ll gag you so no one interrupts us.” Your eye twitches again. You didn’t want to fuck Gojo right now, but you know you can’t just tell him ‘no’ without him trying to fight you. Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe he would cum quickly and not even worry about your orgasm. You sigh, shutting your eyes for a second, and before you can speak there’s a soft knock on the classroom door. He immediately jumps away from you, returning to his desk before mumbling, “Come in.”

The door opens and Shoko peeks her head in her eyes immediately fixing on Gojo before speaking, “Hey. Are you still coming out with me and Akari tonight?”

What? You look between the two of them, confused. Gojo was supposed to be going out with you tonight, and even though both of you would have to leave the city and travel separately to avoid suspicion, you had been looking forward to your weekend away with him.

Gojo smirks, adjusting his blindfold. “Of course. Same place?”

“Yeah, same place.” Shoko looks at you, and her eyes widen as if she’s suddenly remembering that you exist. “Oh, sorry! We meant to invite you but…Akari’s car can only fit three.”

That’s the biggest fucking lie you’ve ever heard. What car can only fit three people? You smile as genuinely as you can. “No worries. I’m busy tonight anyways.” Shoko seems to brush off your response, saying a quick goodbye to Gojo before exiting the room.

Gojo turns to you as soon as he hears Shoko’s feet shuffling away. “Sorry, I didn’t tell you. I know you wanted to go out tonight but…I can’t say no to her. She’ll get suspicious if she sees me with you.”

You feel like the capillaries in your eyes are about to burst. “You promised we would go out tonight, Gojo. I was looking forward to this.”

Gojo sighs. “I know, baby. It’s just that she asked me to go with her, and I knew that if I said no she would ask about my previous plans, and I can’t just lie to Shoko.”

"But you can lie to me?" you ask, your voice tinged with both disbelief and a hint of hurt.

Gojo groans, running a hand through his hair. "Don't say it like that. It's not like that at all. I'm just...protecting my reputation."

You raise an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Your reputation? Being the strongest jujutsu sorcerer in the world? The unbeatable Gojo Satoru?"

Gojo sighs, a sheepish grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, yeah. But there's more to me than just that, you know. I have a carefully crafted image to uphold."

You scowl. "Right. Because being the most powerful sorcerer in the world isn't enough. You also have to be an unattainable bachelor."

Gojo chuckles, reaching out to gently cup your cheek. "It's not about being enough. It's about maintaining a certain mystique. It's part of the job."

Even though you know his act is purely for show, you find yourself believing it anyway. “You don’t have to lie to me to keep your reputation, Gojo.”

He nods, his expression serious. “I know, it’s just…it's not just about me. It's about the jujutsu world, about maintaining the balance. You know how important appearances can be."

You push his hand off. “Whatever. I hope you have fun.”

He scowls. “Don’t push me away. You know I don’t like that.”

You laugh, standing up and grabbing your bag. “I don’t like being played with.”

Gojo reaches out and grabs your arm. “I can play with you however I like. You’re mine. Don’t forget that.”

“Whatever, Gojo.” You say, pulling your arm away and leaving the classroom, harshly closing the screen door behind you.

During your lunch break, you find an unexpected sense of tranquility. In the past, the mere thought of eating alone elicited feelings of isolation and longing, you yearned to sit next to Gojo. However, lately, you've discovered a newfound appreciation for this solitary time away from him. The absence of Gojo's magnetic pull allows you to explore different facets of yourself without the influence of his opinions or expectations of you. You can finally think, and you find yourself again wondering if this is all worth it. If Gojo Satoru is worth all of this trouble. You don’t want to hang onto him, letting him drag you along and fill your ears with false whispers and forgotten promises, but you can’t help yourself. You love him. Or, at least, you love the version of him in your head.

He doesn’t speak to you for the rest of the day, rushing out after class to head into town with Shoko and Akari. You ride the train alone back to your apartment, the wolves stalking you and hiding in bushes when you turn to face them. You reach your apartment and change into something comfortable. Maybe a long walk along the river will help clear your mind. Maybe Gojo will feel guilty and call you, begging on his knees for your forgiveness.

You walk along the river, admiring the reflection of the streetlights in the inky dark water. Your mind wanders, and you wonder what it would feel like to jump in, to feel your lungs fill with water as you sink into the abyss. You wonder what it would be like to choke on the salt, reaching for the surface, your hand outstretched, hoping Gojo’s own would reach in and pull you out.

As you sit on the bench along the water, lost in thought, someone sits next to you. Turning your head, your eyes widen in surprise as you recognise the person—Kento Nanami. It has been weeks since the festival, where you profusely apologized for Gojo's behavior after he dragged you to that isolated classroom. The memory of that day still makes your cheeks flush with embarrassment, and you can't help but feel nervous as you face Nanami again.

"Hey," you manage to say, your voice slightly higher than usual. "It's been a while."

Nanami nods, his expression unreadable. "Yes, it has." An awkward silence settles between you, and you fidget with your hands, unsure of what to say next. You want to make a good impression, but the weight of your past interaction with Gojo hangs heavily in the air. 

Finally, you speak up, your voice calm and measured. "I wanted to apologise for what happened at the festival. I know Gojo's behavior was inexcusable, and I should have done more to stop him." Nanami’s face shows slight surprise but you continue anyway, "I understand if you don't want to forgive me. But I wanted to take responsibility for my actions and let you know that I regret what happened."

He shakes his head, waving your concerns away. "It's not your fault. Gojo is the one who should apologize."

You smile faintly. "Thank you for saying that." The tension between you begins to ease, and you find yourself relaxing in Nanami's presence. You can't help but admire his calm demeanor, and as you talk, you realise that there is more to Nanami than you initially thought. He is intelligent, thoughtful, and possesses a quiet strength that draws you in. The more you speak, the more you find yourself enjoying his company. Maybe a little bit too much.

He suddenly stands, stretching a little. “I’m hungry. Have you eaten dinner yet?”

You shake your head. Eating was the last thing on your mind. “No. I could eat, though.”

He sticks his hand out in your direction. “Sweet. I know this great takoyaki stand nearby. Wanna come?”

You nod, smiling. “Sure.” You reach out and grab his hand, and you feel warmth pool in your stomach as your hand fits perfectly in his. His hands are so big, rough, and warm and your mind starts swirling as you imagine what they would feel like on your body.

You walk hand in hand toward the takoyaki stand, the warmth spreading all over your body. Your cheeks flush as you find yourself thinking, is this a date? Gojo has never taken you out on a date, not even once. It would be, as he always said, suspicious. You’ve eaten takeout with him in your apartment while watching TV plenty of times, but that isn’t really a date. Yet here Nanami is, taking you on a date.

As you stand in front of the takoyaki stand, waiting for your order, you can't shake the feeling that something special is happening. The air is filled with anticipation, and your heart races with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. He doesn’t let you pay, another stark difference from Gojo. You barely eat, just admiring him as he talks through another corporate world story. You feel something in your gut, and you can’t help the fact that you’re falling for Nanami, and he seems interested in you too. At least you think he is.

You both finish your food and he walks you back in the direction of your apartment. He continues to talk about himself and his corporate job, and even though you find it incredibly boring, you listen anyway. He’s done so much for you just this night alone, it’s the least you could do to repay him. You make it to your apartment door, and in the heat of the moment you invite him in, and the smirk on his face as he accepts causes your thighs to squeeze together.

Sex with Nanami is different. He’s much more caring, more loving than Gojo. He doesn’t slap you, choke you, or hurt you. He’s gentle, gentle with his movements, and gentle with his kisses. You clean yourself up and return to the bed, already thinking about a movie you two could watch while you cuddle, to find Nanami gone. You text him, asking if he’s okay, and his response is plain. “Had to head out. I had fun.” You try not to overthink, you’ve done enough of that with Gojo. You set your phone aside and watch the movie alone, fantasising about your possible future with Nanami.

After two weeks, you finally say what you’ve always wanted to say to Gojo; “I want to break up.”

He laughs at you, leaning his elbows on your kitchen counter. “Funny joke, sweetheart.”

You stand your ground, your arms crossed. “I’m serious, Gojo.”

Gojo's laughter fades, and he looks at you with a more serious expression. "You can't be serious," His voice is laced with disbelief. "We're perfect for each other."

"I don't think so," you reply, your voice shaking slightly. "Things have been...difficult between us lately, and I don't see a way to fix them."

Gojo's face hardens, and he takes a step towards you. "You're making a mistake."

You start to shake. “No, I’m not.”

Gojo laughs again. “This is because of Nanami, isn’t it?”

You hesitate. “It doesn’t matter, Gojo. I want to break up.”

Gojo reaches out and grabs your shoulders. “Quit being a dumbass, sweetheart.”

Your eyebrows furrow. “Don’t call me a dumbass—”

“I can call you whatever I want,” Gojo says. “You’re mine. You’re not dumping me for Nanami. You’re not dumping me for anyone.”

You try to push him away. “I’m tired of waiting around for you, Gojo.”

Gojo pulls you to his chest, squeezing you tight. “Maybe if you weren’t such a bitch I would fall in love with you faster. Have you ever thought about that? No, you haven’t. You only think about yourself.”

Your words die in your throat, and you can feel the familiar presence of the wolves at your ankles. Nanami had come to your rescue, brandishing a torch to scare away the wolves that Gojo had left you surrounded by. You haven’t felt their presence in so long, you thought you had finally gotten away, but Gojo picked you right back up and threw you back in the den.

He shoves you against the wall. “Fine. Go with him. See if I fucking care. You’ll come crawling back to me after you realise he isn’t any different.” Gojo leaves in a huff, slamming the door of your apartment behind him. You did it. You got away. You escaped Gojo Satoru’s clutches.

Your heart sinks as you soon realise the harsh truth in Gojo's words. Nanami, the person you've been cautiously and gradually getting close to, is no different from the rest, you've been merely a casual fling, an object of desire providing temporary pleasure and companionship. That’s all you were to him, an object, and the bitter realisation leaves you feeling betrayed and dejected.

Weeks have passed since you first embarked on this uncertain journey with Nanami. You've shared meals, conversations, and even some tender moments late at night when the lights go out. During one of your late-night trips to the takoyaki stand, you ask him the age-old question What are we? With food still in his mouth, he looks at you, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion as if trying to understand your reaction. His blunt words hit you like a ton of bricks: "Oh, I wasn’t looking for anything serious with you."

The pain is palpable as your heart shatters into a million pieces. The chopsticks in your hand tremble with the force of your grip, threatening to snap in two. A mix of disbelief and anguish floods your being, leaving you struggling to process the situation. A simple "huh?" escapes your lips, a feeble attempt to seek clarification or perhaps a desperate plea for him to reconsider. But the damage has been done, and the truth is laid bare before you.

He swallows, setting his food down. He pauses, gathering his thoughts, he speaks slowly, trying to choose his words carefully. "Listen," he began, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and awkwardness, "I want to be honest with you. You're an amazing person, a great girl in every way. But I have to confess, my feelings for you aren't romantic. As much as I value your body, I can't see us in a dating relationship. You aren’t exactly dating material. I don't want to lead you on or anything, but I just don’t want to date you."

You swallow hard, looking down at your lap. Maybe this was your destiny. Maybe you were supposed to be stuck in situationships, always being the one wanting more, always being someone’s but never being theirs. You mutter an apology to Nanami before standing up and quickly walking away, back towards your apartment. You expect, you hope, that Nanami will chase after you, but he doesn’t. He just goes back to eating, as if you were never even there.

You make it into your apartment, collapsing to the floor and sobbing. Was this your fate? Was this a punishment for your hubris, a long-term karma? Gojo had devoured you. Gojo had butchered your world, leaving only scraps of you. Scraps no one wanted, scraps not worthy of use. 

You’re back in the den again, surrounded by the corpses of those who loved before you. You were just another person in Gojo’s book, another person in the walls that surrounded the den.

You hear them.

You feel them.

The wolves. They’re coming for you.

Run.

You try to run, but you can’t. You keep tripping, and tripping, and tripping, unable to escape, unable to climb over the bodies of those who loved him first. 

You see the light on the other side, the exit to the den, and you get so close, and you’re almost out —

You trip again. Your body hits the cold, hard cave floor with a thud, the impact knocking the wind out of you. Your heart pounds against your chest, adrenaline coursing through your veins, as you scramble to your feet. But it's no use. The wolves have caught up to you, their relentless pursuit echoing off the stone walls. Time has run out.

You turn instinctively, desperation fueling your movements, trying to crawl away on trembling limbs. But your feeble attempt is met with a chilling realisation – they are already there. Towering over you, their hulking forms block out the dim light, casting eerie shadows. Their menacing growls reverberate in the air, sending shivers down your spine. Their muscular bodies tense and coiled, poised to pounce.

Their muzzles are contorted, revealing rows of sharp, glistening fangs, dripping with saliva. A feral hunger burns in their bloodshot eyes, as red as fresh blood. You can almost taste the metallic tang in the air, a grim reminder of the fate that awaits you. Paralysed by fear, you brace yourself for the inevitable, as the wolves close in, their ravenous jaws inching closer. The darkness of the cave closes in, consuming you whole.

You succumb to the wolves and their sharp teeth as they tear you apart. The way they bite and gnaw at you is almost comforting. Beside you is a puddle, and you watch your reflection as they butcher you. They tear out your heart, the one that once belonged to the strongest, and the one you thought would belong to a businessman. Your last thoughts are of Gojo, and you spend your last waking moments wondering if he’ll walk all over you, even in death.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧

epilogue is here

★taglist: @heijihattorisgf, @strxxberries, @sadmonke, @mo0nforme, @whereflowerswenttodie, @mwtsxri, @tuliptoot, @certainduckanchor, @softhrted, @mystarlightswiftt, @kaizestar (italics mean i couldn't tag you)

[tan1shere]

Too Late

Ellie Williams x female reader

A/n: it's just one of those days for angst 😍 I put my whole heart into this I hope you all enjoy it <3 also did the paragraphs differently idk which layout I should do. This or my normal one...

Summary: Ellie was blind to it all. But so were you. Blind by her sweet little remarks, sucked in. You fell first but she fell incredibly harder once she realized she'd lost you entirely.

Warnings: not much just angsty angst my friends. NO HAPPY ENDING hehehe sorry not sorry ;)

Masterlist

Tears threatening to spill. For what felt like the thousandth time that week, you've been crying your heart out. Yes that's right, crying over someone who doesn't even glance at you, the way you would like. Doesn't even want anything to do with you... The way you'd like. How could you be so stupid to fall, to cry when they haven't even done anything. Ellie williams, your best friend. Well not right now. You two have been drifting and it hurt like anything. Shes very affectionate towards you, so much that at some points you wonder if she could ever like you for more. You were very stupid to think that even for a second.

Sitting in your room, alone. Text after text. You just wanted to wither away into thin air. Your eyes stung from the constant truckle of tears. But what hurt more, were the texts weren't even from the one person you wanted it to be. You were a bit younger than Ellie, so maybe she just thought of you as a child. That roamed around your brain for what felt like hours. Overthinking to the absolute max. You just wish your brain would zip it. Stop talking to you, just stop. It was silly to think that someone as amazing as her, would ever go for a wreck like you. Turning over in your bed, trying to get your brain to stop antagonizing you.

Fast forward a few days later, you were in your last class of the day, eyes droopy. Dark. Sore. Every possible thing that wasn't good. You were pale from lack of sun, just genuinely looking dead. Exactly how you felt deep inside. Dead. Dead. DEAD. "Y/n?" You get pulled out of your depressing thoughts by a voice. Her voice. You swallow, worried if you look at her you might break and crumble. You turn around looking at your feet, avoiding everything. "Hey, you haven't been in classes recently." You close your eyes for a split second praying that in some random universe this was all a silly dream.

That you were safe in your bed, dreaming this all. But no, ofcourse not. This was reality, she was talking to you and all you wanted to do was puke. Hurl. Your mind was racing. "Everything alright?" Your mouth goes dry, feeling like you can't form any words. You really were dead. So you do the only thing you could think of and just nod. "Babe are you sure?" There it was. That hope. That name. You kept everything in you not to let go completely and just run off to your small apartment, as you didn't live on campus. You finally look up at her, going to be strong as you had finished for the day. Not long to go now. "I'm sure. Just tired." She nods. "Ok well I want you to come with me this avo, I'm having a small party at mine. I miss you, please come."

Does she not understand what she's doing to your little heart. You feel it break more, every single day. You don't know how much longer you can keep going until it fully breaks in half. Jagged edges pinching your organs with that sting of pain. Or do you get over it once that's happened, maybe you want her to hurt you just that much, so even if you're broken you have nothing left to give. No more worries. "Yeah maybe." You go to leave not wanting to continue this any further. But she grabs your wrsit stopping you. "Please. I've missed you these past few weeks. And I have something really exciting to show you." For the first time in what felt like a decade you smile.

She was poisoning you. Your tiny heart started to mend again. Heartbreaking as it was you still loved her so much. You were inlove with her. "Okay, I'll be there." You were still so stupid.

Later on rolled round pretty quickly, your spark had come back again, you still looked like a bit of a mess but nothing a little makeup couldn't fix. Hiding those bags, and dark circles. You decided to wear something cute, maybe in hopes she'd fully see you for you. As you were approaching the dorm room that Ellie lived in you were smiling ear to ear, then suddenly everything in you fades. The door was open music booming, people everywhere. But you saw her. And she wasn't alone. A pretty girl was perched on her lap, they were laughing. Everything went buzzy. Your ears, numb. Your body. She sees you and smiles. Coming over to you hand in hand with this girl.

She looks to be Ellies age. Making your overthinking come face to face with you, as it was true. "Hey, you came! Id like you to meet Layla." You stare at both of them unsure of how to even process anything right now. Your brain was muddled. Hurt. So hurt. Your heart ached. The girl doesn't really say much she just smiles. You get a gross feeling. But you being you. You stay silent. Letting it hurt quietly, not wanting to ruin how happy she looks. But it isn't with you. You gulp thickly. Wanting to do nothing but go home and melt into your sheets.

"I- uhm. I have to go." You abruptly say, letting your small body wisk off, you get into your car and sit there. Feeling like a broken bone, not yet sunk in as the shock still consumes you. But when it hits you. It hits hard. You sob, cry. Break down, putting your head on the steering wheel as you let your heart out. You had gotten your hopes up. Again. In hopes that she'd love you like you loved her. You hit the steering wheel, sobbing with every bit of strength you have left. And just like that your heart was fully broken, no amount of super glue would fix it. No, nothing would fix the ache. The sting. You let out a pained scream as you rest your head back, knowing you can't drive like this.

You get out your phone and call for an Uber, you could pick up your car in the morning when you felt a bit better. But who are you kidding you'd never feel good ever again. It's like the person in you has just deflated. Gone. As you get out you hear her voice. You don't even know if it was a dream or reality. But you didn't care for the calls you couldn't. "What the hell was that." You then hear. You stop in your tracks. Is she really going to be putrid right now. "What...?" You don't turn around. "You heard me, what the fuck is up with you lately." You start to cry more, frustration starting to fuel your body. You slowly turn around. "Are you stupid Williams.." She squints at you. "Excuse me?" You stay silent. Not even sure what to say to her.

"Babe. Just talk to m-" That's when you lost it. "No. NO. stop fucking calling me that. God Ellie. After all these years you don't even fucking know me!" You get a bit sidetracked, letting everything in. "Dont stand there calling me that, you don't know how much it hurts me. When your off with someone else, leaving me behind you say you miss me but where were your texts huh? You're the only one I wanted texts from. I only wanted you." She was speechless. "But no, I'm not going to stand here and argue with you, because if anything im mad at myself. Glad you're happy." Your Uber had pulled up in time. You get in not even looking at her as the vehicle drives off.

Numb. Empty. Dead. You felt emotionless the next day. You truly had no tears left to cry. Like it has been your eyes hurt. But this time, you didn't even care. It was sort of soothing. Comforting to know you could atleast feel something. You hadn't moved that whole night. Hadn't slept. Just laying there. Your theory was right. Your heart was now fully broken, it felt exactly how you had imagined it to. You had nothing left to give. But you were glad about that. Ellie broke your heart to the point where you just lost all that love for her. It was just gone. You scrunch your face up at the sound of a car parking outside. It sounded exactly like your car. And you were greeted with the sound of a knock on your door.

Confusion strikes you. You slowly, emotionlessly. Get up and head over to it. You're greeted with that one person you never wanted to see again. And yet, you don't even care for her arrival. Nor ask why the hell she's even here. You just move, heading back inside and leaving the door open for her to do what she wanted. You did not care. "Hi..." She speaks softly. Your cold, dark. You don't say a word. "I uhm. I had a spare key of yours that you had given me in case of anything so." Silence. Nothing. You go into your kitchen grabbing a glass of water. Was the only thing you felt like. "Me and her aren't..-" She sighs. "She was just using me to make her ex boyfriend jealous and, well. It worked." You turn your head to slightly look at her.

"B- Y/n I'm so fucking sorry-" You don't even know what came over you but you speak. "I'm not inlove with you anymore." She stares at you for a second, letting out another sigh. "I didn't know you were." She responds. You look into her eyes, yours drained and tired. Full of nothing for her, or anyone else in this world for that matter. She saw it now. She didn't the other day because she was so hung up on something that deep down she knew wouldn't end well. She's full of regret, hatred for herself. How could she not of seen any of it. "I can make this up to you, I genuinely want to be with you also-" You then look at her, making her shut up for some reason, worried about your reaction or response. "Guess it's too late for that." Her face drops, watching you going into your room, shutting the door behind you. Leaving Ellie stunned in your living room. Knowing she's lost you for good.

[hottiehiei]

- Slow burn romance with Hiei PART 3 (Final)

Hiei gets a taste of his own medicine…

sfw, gender neutral, angst, fluff

read PART 1 and PART 2 for the full experience!

✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻

𓆩⟡𓆪 Hiei continues to put up a wall, only this time, it’s stronger than ever. Somehow, the accidental confession only caused more tension. He doesn’t give you the cold shoulder like before, but things aren’t quite the same either. Conversations trail off into silence. Body language becomes stiff and closed off. Longing gazes turn empty.

𓆩⟡𓆪 Truthfully, Hiei feels embarrassed— ashamed even. He lost his composure at the sight of your tears. Now, he can’t bring himself to face you without the entire scene playing over in his head. He convinces himself that you’ll be better off with some other human. Someone that won’t make you cry.

𓆩⟡𓆪 The way he sees it, there are more negatives than positives. He’s a demon, a thief, unfit to be with you. He doesn’t know the first thing about love. The very thought of it makes him uneasy. What could he offer you besides trouble?

𓆩⟡𓆪 With all of these doubts floating around in his head, Hiei makes no attempts to rekindle the relationship, and you give up trying. One could only be turned down so many times before finally taking the hint.

𓆩⟡𓆪 Each passing day, you drift further apart. Your memories with Hiei fade into nothing but a distant dream, as if they never happened in the first place. Once friends, almost lovers, now strangers. There was nothing left for you two….

𓆩⟡𓆪 Yet— the minute you stopped giving Hiei attention, he suddenly felt ill.

𓆩⟡𓆪 Despite his avoidance, he looked forward to hearing you speak to him, or at least look in his direction. It was the only thing he could hold on to, a sign that you still cared.

𓆩⟡𓆪 Hiei watched from afar, irritated beyond belief. You would hang around everyone but him, smiling and joking like normal. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw you so happy. Surely Kuwabara wasn’t that funny.

𓆩⟡𓆪 To make matters worse, there was no need for Hiei to swoop in and save you anymore. After spending time with Shizuru, you picked up a few self-defense tricks. You were managing just fine without him.

𓆩⟡𓆪 At this point, Hiei is spiraling. How could you move on so effortlessly? When he tried to break away from you, he nearly lost it. Yet here you are, livelier than ever.

𓆩⟡𓆪 It wasn’t long before you felt a pair of eyes burning into the back of your head. You turned to meet his stare, fully expecting him to look elsewhere before you could catch him. But he didn’t. He wanted you to look at him. Who cares if it was just for a few seconds. He needed to look you in the eye.

𓆩⟡𓆪 Hiei wouldn’t draw attention to himself without good reason. His face remained stoic, but you suspected he was trying to communicate something. Holding his gaze, you waited with bated breath.

𓆩⟡𓆪 He walked away, but not before signaling you to follow with a subtle tilt of his head. Undeterred by his silence, you trailed behind him until no one else was around. Hiei only says one thing.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

𓆩⟡𓆪 After days of not speaking, you would have liked some kind of explanation, but making any demands would shatter this moment. The only thing you can do is read between the lines. It’s unlike Hiei to be indirect. A hint of uncertainty lingers within his gaze. Seeking you out was a huge step, and he needs reassurance.

𓆩⟡𓆪 As long as you are willing to accept him, Hiei will do his best to keep you happy.

You nod to his question.

Hiei is silent for a moment, unsatisfied.

Just as your heart began to sink, he was standing directly in front of you, one hand cradling the side of your face and the other tracing your bottom lip.

"Use your words.”

He spoke so quietly you thought you misheard him, but the word yes came rushing from your mouth before you realized it.

Then he kissed you

✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻✧༺✧༻

extra:

𓆩⟡𓆪 Hiei takes on the role as your “boyfriend” without formally asking you. He dislikes the word boyfriend, though. It doesn’t fit his taste. It’s too cutesy and teeny. In his eyes, you are his lover. This relationship is far more serious than your average romance. Hiei is attentive to your needs and knows more about you than he lets on. He would put his life on the line for you without hesitation.

𓆩⟡𓆪 A date with Hiei typically involves relaxing outside. It’s his ideal way of spending quality time with you. Chatting about trivial topics or napping while lying on the grass is perfect for bonding. If you aren’t afraid of heights, he carries you up a tall tree so you can admire the view.

𓆩⟡𓆪 In private, Hiei’s love for you is evident, but he’s still a smart ass. He occasionally pokes fun at you in a lighthearted manner.

𓆩⟡𓆪 His possessiveness jumps to a new level. He can freely interject when someone gets too friendly. No more glaring from a distance. He outrightly threatens anyone who gets too close. “I suggest you get lost or die.”

𓆩⟡𓆪 Everyone will start to assume you two are together— or at least have feelings for each other. Hiei doesn’t bother denying the rumors. If Yusuke or Kuwabara try teasing him, he simply tells them to mind their business. Handling those two is nothing, he’s used to the witty banter. However, they might catch him off guard with a suggestive joke.

[oonajaeadira]

I'll Leave a Light On For You

Fandom: Bloodsucking Bastards / Max Phillips

Pairing: Max Phillips x f!reader

Reader: Adult female. No other physical descriptors; no use of y/n. (There is a little description, but it’s still you. Believe me, it will make sense. We’re dealing with the supernatural here.)

Rating: T. 

Warnings: Angst. Character death. Allusions to the atrocities of war and its lasting effects. Max is a vampire. Traumatic soul memory. Me assuming I know anything about French culture of the 1930s.

Summary: Max has reservations when it comes to love, and for very good reasons.

A/N: This is my entry for the @pedrostories Secret Santa event. While I played one selfish card in my hand and wrote something of a companion to Light Only Shows You Where the Shadows Are, this can still be read as a standalone.

To my giftee, the amazing and wonderful @artemiseamoon : First of all, I admire you so much and I was really nervous to write for you. But I looked among your generous prompt choices (omgs thank you for so many good choices) and was surprised to find Max as an option. I wasn’t going to choose him at first but then my eye caught “past lives” and something in me zinged. Soul mates, angsty romance, second chance at love… and I’ve been itching to write an angsty Max. I know you are a fan of soft and whump, so all those elements had a party in my heart and here we are. I really hope you’re having a nice holiday and a good time off. Happy Secret Santa, Arte. <3

What we’ve been told is that when you die, your life flashes before your eyes.

That’s almost correct.

The truth is…it’s not just your current life.

It’s all of them.

Max hardly remembers the fear, the pain, the cold of his draining. Even though he knew what was coming, bought into the cult, the human instinct of fight or flight is hard to dismiss no matter how well they’ve been prepped and it was to be expected. But it was a flash in the pan and once he came around to the undead side of things, those pesky human responses were all quickly forgotten.

For a time. Until he saw your light and–

Anyway. Human instincts. Pffft. Adorable. Trading the constant possibility of fear for that of glee, of rapture, of delight? Human instincts are trash. Not to mention their senses, poor suckers. The things they can’t see can’t hear can’t smell can’t taste? Tragic.

If only the feelings weren’t heightened too. It makes some things–some people–hard to ignore–

Feelings were something he could also have done without in his human life–the latest one anyway–and did whatever he could do to avoid.

It wasn’t until he died that he understood why.

As the life drained out of him and the delirium set in, there was a rushing sound, a pull through his soul like the drag of blood from his body, and he was laying, feeble, wailing, bloody and naked among the limbs of his mother.

But not the mother he so recently remembered, the one that showed her approval only when he provided her with some accomplishment worthy of crowing about to her society friends. No, this one was gentle, kind, held him and sang to him, lived her life for him until she died of fever when he was only five years old.

Max saw it all, from within himself and without, remembered the pull of his heart and watched the tears fall down his little face as they nailed his mother’s body in a pine box and put it in a hole at the top of a hill under a tree.

He always imagined he heard her singing to him in the grasses after that.

The world welcomed a new century, and not long afterward, he was a young man, looking to take over his father’s wine fields. But the chance was stolen when an archduke was shot. Max–Pierre, as he was called then–and all of the close friends and cousins he had were thrust into a great war. 

He was the only one to walk out of the fray. And when he came home, he found his father’s fields had been burned and that nothing remained.

That was a dark time. Ten years of looking back rather than looking forward. Ten years–it went by so fast–while he watched the world around him try to repair itself and find its footing again, not realizing that the roots of evil still grew beneath the soil.

He kept his head down and his hands working wherever he could.

But then he met a woman.

And she was Pierre’s life. Max’s life. Before he was Max.

It happened in the winter, just before Noël. And her name was Yaëlle.

Max remembered that before she even told him as he watched the story of this strange old life.

Yaëlle. It means “beautiful one.”

“It also means ‘goat,’” she’d said. “That seems more fitting.” She never thought of herself pretty, and perhaps she wasn’t fashionable and maybe she was stronger than she was dainty, with a weak chin and curly dark hair she couldn’t control. But the light in her eyes when she laughed–and what a laugh, like a little bird–the sway of her hips and the confidence in her carriage, her air of easy care and comfort caught his heart like a surly bear in the prettiest trap.

She’d simply been passing through the marché de Noēl, looking but not stopping, taking the kerchief off her head so the snow could land in her curls, when a child approached her selling buns in the shape of a cross and she gave the child a franc before sitting down at the statue of some cardinal or other in the center of the square.

She could have sat on any of the other benches, but she chose to plonk down next to Max. Next to Pierre.

“You want this?” she asked, offering the bun. “Not really my thing.”

How could she have known he was hungry? That he was lonely? That he was facing the market rather than the river because he was trying not to succumb to his inclinations, a pull to walk out onto the thin ice and let himself be taken by the stream?

He was instantly entranced by her. He felt himself smiling. Something shifted within. A destiny.

“You sure?” he asked.

She peered at him, scrutinized his whole self like she could see a glow around him and was looking for its source.

She found it in his eyes.

“Absolutely. I already ate three hand pies today. The last thing I need is more bread.”

He laughed for the first time in a long while. They talked. He ate.

On Christmas Eve when everyone was at the evening’s mass, she was there again, sitting alone, and this time it was he who had hot food and came to join her on the bench while the night was silent and cold and the stars were twinkling.

It was then that he learned why she was not in church–her folk did not observe Noēl. And she learned why he was not in church–he had lost his faith, that everyone he had ever loved was taken and there were not enough candles in the sanctuary to light for all of them.

“What if I lit one?” she’d asked.

“Who would you light it for?”

“For you. So you don’t have to sit in the dark.” When he was only silent, she said, “You fought in the Great War, didn’t you.” And when he looked away–when he shut her out–she continued. “My husband fought in that war. And he never could find his heart again. He said he loved me, but I don’t think he ever really did, not all the way. But I loved him all the way and when he put an end to his own life I thought I would have to do it too. Instead, I sat in the dark for a long time. It’s something I can see in a person. I can see you’re sitting in the dark.”

They stayed quiet for a time on the bench under the statue of the cardinal and when the church bells started to toll–signaling the magic of the empty square would soon be disrupted by the mass emptying into its streets–she stood and pulled her coat around her.

“My home is down that street, a little one with a red roof. It’s warm and I’ve plenty of hand pies--I made too many. I’ll leave a candle in the window until I’m asleep. You’re always welcome there, Max.”

And then she smiled and turned down the avenue where she’d pointed.

He blinked. Just before she reached the edge of the square he called out, “My name isn’t Max. It’s Pierre.”

She turned and gave a sly wink. “Good to know. I think once you get a belly full of my pies, you’ll let me call you whatever I want.”

He only sat long enough to watch the churchgoers file out of the holy service, many of them with people they loved, humming, happy, cheeks glowing in that way when one steps into a fresh cold world after being an hour or two soaking in the warmth. And once the square was empty again, he stood, gave only a fleeting look to the river, and then walked resolutely down Yaëlle’s street.

A little house with a red roof and a candle in the window.

He stayed for supper and came back many nights after.

And then one night he never left.

Max recalled the rest of that life with a lurking despair. While he couldn’t quite remember how it went, something in him carried it through to the life he’d just left…and he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was yet.

A few years of joy, of the greatest love he’d felt since his childhood. Like the mother he’d lost, another woman who was gentle, kind, held him and sang to him, lived her life for him until she couldn’t anymore.

They never celebrated Noël as the others did, but in their own way. For a handful of years they would go sit on the bench in the square and hand out pies to their neighbors and anyone who came to join them where they sat. They would listen to the singing in the church and watch the stars scintillate overhead. They would leave their shoes by the fireplace and wake up to find gifts they’d bought for each other with the little francs that they had. And they would never talk about what they would do in the future, because they knew it would be this and that’s all they aspired to and it would be a happy life.

And Max watched Pierre forget about the rot that still ran its roots through the soil.

And one day soldiers came to town when he was out in the fields and they took Yaëlle and some of the other dark-haired, joyful, bird-laughing folk about town and murdered them. By the time he returned for the evening, the soldiers had gone and left him nothing but a ravaged house and a body to bury.

There’s nothing he could have done, the mourning neighbors told him, the tide was rising. If he had fought them, they would have shot him too.

Pierre said that it would have been better that way.

Pierre stopped working in the fields when he started to hear his mother’s voice singing among the grasses again…now joined by Yaëlle’s sweet alto.

He had one more Noël in that life. He drank as much as he could take without falling over and stumbled out to sit on the bench in the square, weeping once the churchgoers had gone. He didn’t say a word, but Max remembered what Pierre was thinking then.

Love hurts too much. It is always taken. It’s not worth the trouble.

And then Pierre fell asleep on that bench and never woke up again.

There wasn’t much time between that first life and this one, maybe a few decades in the dark. Just long enough for a voice to reach him in the void–a voice he knew well and loved with his whole heart for only a short time–to say,

“That was a good first try, Max. Let’s give it another go, okay? Another place, another time, when it’s not so hard. I’ll leave a light on for you.”

____

Max’s life had been shorter this time. But he’d learned a thing or two and kept love at arm’s length. Sex was good and companionship was fine, but he wouldn’t invest in anything that could drain him in an instant and leave him destitute. 

Now power, that could fill the void. 

So when fortune smiled and he was given the choice, he swallowed hard and put his neck to the teeth, traded in his humanity for power that nobody could take away from him…and a heart that had no need for warmth.

He was wrong about that last point though.

And he didn’t even know it until he saw something that humans couldn’t see.

Heard something they couldn’t hear, a long ago and far away voice singing.

Smelled you on the wind.

Followed it to you–a woman, just another human woman–walking out of a bar along some street in the city.

And he saw a light glowing from within you.

You wore another face, another body, but all he saw was you.

Yaëlle.

Beautiful one.

He followed you that night, and several nights after. He was the reason that car swerved before it hit you, the reason you weren’t approached by that seedy guy at the club. He was the reason you kept looking behind you now and then and when you finally saw him–having dinner at the same restaurant, totally by coincidence, you on a friendly outing, him trying to charm a client into a contract–it broke his heart that you did not know him instantly.

He found he was surprised that he still had a heart to break. He’d been so fucking careful.

Max almost gave into the anger, the disappointment. Replayed the pathetic way Pierre let himself be brought down and tried to remind himself not to let himself be broken again.

But then he heard your voice in a way only those who walk in death can.

Let’s give it another go. I’ll leave a light on for you.

____

Heightened feeling is the one drawback of all this power. It’s one thing to latch onto a target, to fixate on some middle manager or accountant or IT specialist until there’s a good time to finally strike. That is an itch that can be satisfied with a well-timed, fear-seasoned, adrenaline-soaked kill.

But love sinks its fangs in and doesn’t let go. It sucks at something that can’t be drained, has no end, can never get enough. It can drive an immortal--a never-ending being of heightened existence--to madness.

There will come a day in the future when you’ll trust him for no good reason, when you’ll understand the monster he is and whisper under your breath against your better judgment, when you’ll invite him in. For dinner.

And he’ll come around again and again.

And then one day, he’ll stay.

And you’ll yawn ask him on the edge of sleep, “Why me? Of all these humans that you could easily enthrall and have without question, why choose this?”

Max will look at you in the darkness and see nothing but your light.

You won’t understand when he puts on a show of an irritated sigh and tells you, “You gave me another chance, sweetmeats,” but you’ll doze in his cold arms, absolutely confident as he is that nothing will ever hurt you again. Including himself.

And that night he’ll stay until you wake.

He won’t have you sit in the darkness alone.

_____

MASTERLIST

CHARACTER MASTERLIST

[sarahghetti]

Could we get a mix of 27, 28, and 40 with the moonknight guys! Love your work! xx -V

ooooo had a lot of fun with this one!! request more kisses from this list!

pairing: marc spector x reader, steven grant x reader, jake lockley x reader

summary: you go to steven's work event with the boys. aka, the boys + a comforting kiss (#40), a sloppy kiss (#28), and a soft kiss (#27).

warnings: none! only fluff <3

word count: 1.3k

MOON KNIGHT MASTERLIST | ALL MASTERLISTS

Warm, low-hanging lights are strewn throughout the ballroom, and chatter fills the air. The band’s playing something jazzier than they were at the start of the evening, and you can see the effect it’s having on Steven’s coworkers with the increasing sway of their hips.

Well, that, and all free drinks are probably hitting them by now.

There’s no sign of Steven, though; his neatly styled curls and the sharp lines of his suit are nowhere to be found. You frown. He was only supposed to be away for a few moments while he grabbed some water.

“Excuse me,” you smile before slipping away from the group you were talking to. He’s been gone a little too long to have been in the washroom, and you’re awkwardly peering at the door when you feel your phone buzz.

I’m outside.

It’s quieter in the courtyard, a small gardenesque area with shrubs and park benches lining the edges of a lawn. You spot him instantly. His back is to you, arms crossed as he leans against lamplight. But there’s a stiffness in his shoulders that’s a bit much for your Stevie.

“Hey, Marc,” you greet and he startles, tension easing from his body as you rest your hands on his chest. Steven’s tie hangs loosely around his neck, and a curl falls onto his forehead from how much he must’ve been messing with his hair. “You okay? Didn’t think I’d see you tonight.”

“Neither did I,” he mutters, scowling over your shoulder towards Steven’s work event. The bright lights and busy crowds—it’s all precisely what Marc tends to avoid. You cup his cheek, worried, and his gaze finds yours again. “I’m fine. Just needed some air. Steven should be back soon.”

There’s an unsaid or else at the end of that last sentence and you snort, leaning forward to brush your nose against his. His arms come up to wrap around your waist; his hands clench into fists behind your back.

“I’ll wait out here with you, then,” you say. You feel Marc tense up underneath you as he readies himself to absolve you of the responsibility, to tell you to just go back inside and enjoy the party, but you’re faster.

You tug lightly at his neck, and he folds easily under your touch—always willing to do whatever you ask of him—until you’re able to press a gentle kiss against his forehead. He lets out a long breath, clutching at your back to keep you close as his eyes flutter shut.

“As long as you need.” You affirm, and Marc nods mutely. Through half-lidded eyes, he’s far more at ease than when you first found him, looking at you so softly like you hold his heart in your hands, like you’re the cure for all his ailments.

Like you give him peace.

-

Steven’s not one to get drunk very often, and you’re beginning to see why.

“C’mon, Stevie.” You tug lightly on his arm as he waves over his shoulder, still saying goodbye to his coworkers even as you’re trying to escort him home. An exasperated smile pulls on your lips. “Let’s get to you to bed.”

“Wasn’t that a blast, love? I can’t believe they got Dr. Ibrahim as the keynote speaker, oh, her work is incredible—” All the alcohol has loosened his lips, and no amount of stumbling over his words stops his thoughts from streaming out anyway. If Steven is enthusiastic while sober, then he’s positively beaming now.

He continues to babble into the night. You hum in affirmation as you eye the streets for a cab, cool air nipping at your skin. It’s colder than you thought it would be. You’d forgone a jacket in the name of fashion and look at you now, rubbing your arms in a lame attempt to generate some heat.

Steven acts immediately. One second, you’re yearning for the warmth of a car interior and the next, Steven’s suit jacket is draped onto your shoulders from behind. His hands, still gripping the lapels, wrap around your torso in a hug as he bundles you up like a cocoon and proceeds to not let go.

“Steven—” You laugh as his weight presses down on you, his breath warm against your ear. He pulls you impossibly closer so that you feel the entire length of him against your body, then cranes his neck to press sloppy kisses on your jaw, your cheek, the corner of your mouth—anywhere his lips can reach. You splutter. “We gotta get home!”

“In a bit,” he promises in between trailing his kisses down your skin, snickering at how you squirm, ticklish. “Have I told you how lovely you look tonight? Because you look gorgeous—radiant, darling.”

It’s like you can hear the moment when his focus switches from the event to you, and the air is promptly filled with his glowing praise in between the loud smacks of his lips. When he reaches the junction of your neck and shoulder, you think, surely, he’s done now. But all he does is switch to your other side and start his journey anew. “Just—one—more.”

Drunk Steven is a mushy liar, but in the warmth of his embrace, your cheeks straining against how widely you’re grinning—you can’t complain all that much.

-

Steven toes off his shoes as he makes his way through the living room, then promptly faceplants onto the couch.

You can’t help but laugh, prodding at his back in an attempt to stir him. “Steven—Stevie, you’re so close, just a few more steps to the bed, up you come.”

His response is garbled nonsense into the throw pillow, although there’s an intonation in his voice that makes you pause. He continues, words still too muffled to understand, but you can make out the accent more clearly now that you’re looking for it.

“Hang on—Jake? Is that you?”

An affirming groan.

Your hand languidly strokes his back, condoling. “Did Steven leave you to take care of the body?”

Finally, Jake turns his head, and the indignant pout on his face is truly something to behold. “Steven just passed out. Marc is probably mad that I accidentally put him in the driver’s seat earlier.”

“So that’s what happened.” You shake your head. Still, you lightly tug at his arm to try to get him up. “C’mon—it’s bedtime.”

His eyes flutter shut. “Just let me sleep here.”

You quickly do a once-over. Half his body is hanging off the couch, arm and leg resting on the floorboards. His neck is angled in a way that’ll kill whoever wakes up tomorrow morning, and that doesn’t even cover the hangover that’s surely waiting for them. You tug at him again. “Nuh-uh. Let’s go, Lockley.”

Reluctantly, he follows, feet dragging on the ground as you lead him to the bathroom. He complains the whole way through the shower and brushing his teeth, and you do feel a little bad even though it’s for his own good. Exhaustion seeps into his movements, and he nearly knocks over the cup of water on the nightstand as he gets into bed.

You slip in beside him, brushing damp curls away from his face. Already half-asleep, he leans into your touch.

“Can’t believe Steven left me here. ¿Qué te gusta decir? This is cruel and unusual punishment.”

Now it’s your turn to pout, feigning disappointment. “Aw, that hurts.”

You try to remove your hand in order to settle in, but his hand comes to cover yours, keeping you close. Without opening his eyes, he presses a lingering kiss to your palm. A sleepy sincerity has replaced his annoyance. “Cada momento a tu lado es una bendición. Sleep well, darling.”

You can't help but smile back. “Good night, Jake.”

[ellieshaze]

After Dark

{Part 3}

Ellie Williams X F! reader

Warnings: language , blood , kissing ofc , so much fluff fr , ellie is a big baby idc what y’all say

Word Count: 3k words

This probably sucks because i wrote it half asleep last night but whatever. Also, this one isn’t nsfw but the parts before are and the ones after this will be <3

Read part 2 here

It had been a few days since that night with Ellie in your bedroom, and she had been avoiding you ever since. Jackson is a small town, so she couldn’t avoid you forever, at least you thought. If you went into a room she happened to be in, she’d come up with any excuse to leave. When walking down the main street of Jackson, if you were on the same side or anywhere near her she’d go far around you. While patrolling she made sure you never got on the same patrol as her, even if it was a group. It was definitely petty but you deserved it, you had hurt her.

You wanted to apologize to her but every time you’d try and go up to her, she’d leave before you got to her. Honestly, it was kind of annoying and childish that she thought she could avoid you forever. On day four of Ellie ignoring you, you decided you’d do whatever you could to get close to her again, and try to apologize to her. “Jesse!” You yelled as you picked up pace to get to him, it was in the middle of the main street of Jackson. “Hm?” He muttered, turning around to face you. You grabbed his arm and dragged him off between two buildings, because if Ellie saw she’d know what was up. “Switch patrols with me” You said to him, he still looked confused as to why he was dragged away. “Why couldn’t you just ask me out there?” He was leaned against the side of the small shop, looking down at you.

“Doesn’t matter, can i have your patrol or not?” You asked him, feeling a little stupid for being overly paranoid. “Yeah sure.. weird that you wanna patrol so bad but whatever” Was all Jesse said before he walked away, laughing a little to himself. You made your way quickly back to your house, changing into clothes that were fit for being out in the snow for an extended period of time. You wore black jeans that were faded and torn up a little, a random long sleeved shirt and a heavy black jacket. You noticed Ellie’s gray hoodie on your bed, but you didn’t bring it, not knowing if she’d even want to talk to you in the first place. When you made it to your front door, about to leave, you suddenly got nervous. What if she refused to go and you were left to patrol by yourself or with someone you didn’t know well?

When you were finally able to build up the courage to leave your house you headed down to the stables. You expected Ellie to be there already, but she wasn’t, so you headed in for your horse. The horse you had bonded with was a paint mare, she was white with black running down from her neck all the way to the base of her tail. Her name was Eagle, she was found roaming around near Jackson, and had almost been killed by infected. “Hey girl” You said softly to the horse, you grabbed a handful of treats and held your hand out to her. She whinnied at you as she ate the treats, when she was done you grabbed onto her reins as you walked her out of the barn. You mounted your horse and sat by the gate, waiting for Ellie to show up.

You were running your hands through the mane of Eagle when you heard hoof steps approaching. You heard a grunt and when you looked up you saw Ellie on top of her horse, Shimmer. She avoided your eyes when she yelled at a woman who was standing near the weaponry by the gate, and she came quickly, two rifles in her hand. She handed one to you and then the other to Ellie before she yelled for the gates to be opened. Once the large gates were open, Shimmer raced forward, and you whistled at Eagle, indicating for her to go. Not long after, you caught up to Ellie, and your horses trotted side by side once you made it into the thick forest. You had only been out this way a handful of times, months before. “We have to make sure the town nearby is still clear.” Ellie said to you, oh how you missed her voice. Before you could respond she picked up pace, clearly trying to get this over with as soon as possible.

Once the two of you made it to the edge of the town, the two horses were now at a slow trot, unable to go fast because if they made too much noise infected nearby would hear and you’d be swarmed. You wanted to say something to Ellie as the two of you sat quietly on the backs of your horses, but you couldn’t bring yourself to. After a few minutes of silence you decided that you had to talk to her, that was the whole reason you took Jesse’s patrol anyways. “Ellie-“ You started but were cut off by the clicking sound you immediately recognized as a clickers, and your horses eyes went wide as she whinnied and began trotting faster. You gently pat your horse, trying to calm her as you got her to stop, you and Ellie both getting off your horses.

You both tied your horses in a nearby garage, closing it to ensure their safety. The clickers noise began again, it was louder and coming from a nearby convenience store, walking towards the door the both of you crouched down. Ellie glanced at you, nodding before she opened the door quietly, you made your way in quietly behind her. When you got into the store, you stood behind a shelf, looking out into the store to see two clickers, sighing as you reached for the blade in your boot. You and Ellie nodded at each other as she made her way to the one on the left, you on the right. Ellie brought hers down first, stabbing it in the neck quickly, bringing it to the ground silently. You were only a foot from the clicker when you stepped on glass, your heart dropping to your stomach.

You jumped to your feet, the clicker screaming out at you as it grabbed onto you. “Fuck!” You yelled, holding it back with your arm, but you weren’t strong enough and it knocked you to the ground. Your blade fell from your hand, now using both hands to keep the clicker off of you. Only a moment later Ellie came up, shoving her switchblade into the clickers head and pulling it off of you. “Holy shit” Ellie muttered, immediately on her knees, grabbing into your hand. Only then did you realize there was blood pouring from a wound on your hand. She began to wipe away the blood even though it was still coming out fast. “Not a bite…” She sighed, closing her eyes and you could tell she was relieved.

“It may not be a bite but I am still bleeding everywhere.” You said to her, laughing a little through the pain that now overcame you. She tore fabric from her jacket, the one she usually wore over her gray hoodie but you remembered, you still had it. She wrapped the fabric around your hand, holding onto it to keep pressure on the wound. She helped you to your feet, “We need to find something to clean the wound, Jackson is too far but there’s a house across the street. They might have something.” She picked up your knife from the floor, handing it to you and turning to walk out the door. “Ellie your back” You said to her, noticing blood seeping through her shirt on her shoulder blade. She reached a hand back and touched her shoulder, her hand covered in fresh blood. “Let’s go.” Was all she said in response before opening the door.

When you made it to the house across the street you made your way inside, Ellie ahead to make sure it was clear. She took out a stalker in the basement but aside from that, it was clear. When the two of you began to loot the rooms, she found some gauze, wrap and alcohol in an upstairs bathroom. You both ended up seated on the couch downstairs in the living room, and Ellie took your hand in hers. You watched her as she unwrapped your hand and poured alcohol onto it, you winced in pain but didn’t pull away from her grasp. You watched as she cleaned the deep gash on the palm of your hand, almost forgetting the pain as you were mesmerized by her focused face. Once she was done, she wrapped your hand with the gauze and then the tan wrap, tying it off tightly to be certain it would hold.

“Your turn” You said to Ellie as she let go of your hand gently. “I’m fine” She muttered, she wouldn’t meet your gaze for even a second. “Don’t be dumb, turn around and pull your shirt down.” You said firmly, and she didn’t object any further as she pulled her jacket off, and undid the buttons of her flannel, the one that she wore the first night everything between you began. She pulled it down on the shoulder, exposing a bloody cut on her shoulder blade, not nearly as deep as the one on your hand was. You poured some of the alcohol onto a cloth and brought it to the wound, noticing how she flinched at the sharp pain of the alcohol on a fresh cut. Once you cleaned the wound, you pulled her shirt back over her shoulder. “Can’t really wrap it because of the placement.” You as you began to shove things back into your backpack, watching as Ellie began to put her jacket back on.

Ellie was about to stand when you grabbed her hand, she stopped and just looked at you. “Don’t” She muttered, you heard some sadness in her voice, but no hatred or anger. “Please, just listen to me” You pleaded with her, and she didn’t object or move so you assumed she’d listen. “I’m sorry-“ you started but were cut off, “sorry doesn’t fix shit” Ellie snapped at you, anger was now slightly noticeable in her voice. “Just let me finish.” you said to her, your eyes not leaving hers no matter how angry and hurt they looked. She sat there, not saying another word. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have made you hide and i know i shouldn’t give a shit what people think. But i’ve seen how they’ve treated you, and i just- I don’t think i could deal with that.”

Ellie was fumbling with her hands now, something you’ve noticed she does when she’s nervous. “I don’t know how to just tell my parents, it’s weird to bring it up randomly” You said, your eyes landed at your feet, unable to even look in her direction anymore. “I’m not asking you to tell anyone.” Ellie finally spoke, “I just- don’t want you to pretend there’s nothing happening here when anyone else is around. I want to be able to be seen in public with you, i don’t want you to feel ashamed of me.” She sounded sad, you could feel her eyes on you. “I’m not ashamed of you, Ellie. I’m ashamed of myself.” Your eyes finally left your feet, meeting her sad green eyes. “Well fuck that,” Ellie said, grabbing your injured hand again, “We’re out here fighting infected, protecting that fucking town and those people. If they have an issue you can just remind them of that.”

“What if they don’t want me to be around the children anymore? I know some of them think it’s inappropriate” Ellie laughed at that, “Well they can deal with it because Maria decides on who does what and she won’t stand for that shit” You smiled at her, Maria was known to not take peoples shit and do whatever she felt was right whether it made people mad or not. “I am sorry, Ellie.” You said to her, holding her gaze, “It’s okay” Ellie said softly, she even smiled a little and it seemed to be genuine. “We should finish patrol and head back, we’ve been gone far too long” You nodded and grabbed your bag, slinging it over your shoulder.

When the two of you made your way back into Jackson, you were both smiling like idiots. When you brought your horses back to the barn, Ellie looked around for a moment before leaning in to kiss you. As much as you wanted to pull away and make sure nobody saw, you didn’t, you were done trying to be someone else. You leaned into her, one of your hands grabbing her waist, pulling her closer to you. Only a moment later she pulled away, saying her goodbyes and waving at you on her way out. “So that’s what stealing my patrol was about” You jumped, turning to see Jesse standing there, a stupid smirk on his face. “Shut up” you groaned, leaving the stables before he could say anything else.

When you got home, you had found out that there was some event going on at the main hall in Jackson. Just some dancing and drinking, these only happened occasionally, usually when things were going well and there were no recent casualties. You decided that you were going to go, because you knew Ellie probably would show up for her friends. Before you headed out, you took a shower, not wanting to smell like blood and sweat any longer. Putting on a simple button up and jeans you left your house, heading towards the hall. Your family had joined you, it seemed like most of the town was there.

You immediately spotted Ellie when you made your way inside, she was leaned against a table with a drink in hand. She was wearing a blue flannel, the sleeves rolled up and unbuttoned to reveal a white shirt underneath. You noticed she wore the same type of outfits frequently, but you definitely were not complaining. Her hair was tied up, some strands hung loose as usual, her look was so basic but it had your eyes lingering for way longer than they should. She didn’t seem to notice you as you walked up, leaning against the table next to her. “Hey” You said, looking over at Ellie. “She smiled softly at you, “Hey.” You knew that your apology earlier that day wouldn’t fix everything, and that you needed to do more to make up for your shitty behavior.

Without thinking you grabbed her drink, drinking the last of it, it was disgusting but you needed the confidence. “Hey-“ Ellie said, not seeming to be mad but more confused. You grabbed her hand and dragged her to the middle of the room, the song had ended and a slower one had begun. You pulled her into you, your arms wrapping around her neck, and hers finding their place on your waist. “This is new” Ellie said, sounding impressed. “I’ve decided it doesn’t matter what people think” She smiled at you as the two of you swayed to the music, and you couldn’t help but lean in. You tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as you leaned in to kiss her, very aware of the fact that other people were around.

Her lips were soft on yours, her hands squeezed your waist tighter and your arms tightened around her neck. The two of you kissed for just a few more moments before pulling apart, smiling at each other like idiots. You looked around and then you saw it, a few had their eyes on the two of you, but nobody said a thing. You saw your family on the other side of the room, they were also looking at you but you didn’t see disgust or anger on any of their faces. “See” Ellie said softly. When the song came to an end and you walked away, Ellie’s hand in yours, not caring what anyone else thought in that moment. The two of you left early, walking down the snowy streets towards your house.

You leaned into her side as the two of you walked, your arms linked. “So are you my girlfriend now?” You asked her, immediately feeling stupid for even asking. “Do you want me to be?” She laughed softly, her head leaning into yours. You smiled, nodding but saying nothing more. “Then yes.” Ellie responded.

Soon you regretted not bringing a jacket with you when you began to shiver. Yes, Jackson wasn’t that big, but it was still cold as fuck. When you got to the porch you stopped, “can you stay with me?” She nodded, and with that you opened the door,walking in and slamming it shut quickly. Thankful for the warmth of the house. You grabbed her hand as the two of you made it to your room, the only lights were the blue christmas lights hanging around your walls.

When you made it to your room, Ellie immediately hopped onto your bed, getting comfortable. “Is that my hoodie?” She asked you, grabbing it off the edge of your bed. Your eyes went wide, it was so embarrassing to not only still have her hoodie, but it was in your bed, for days. “Uh-“ Was all you said, unsure of how to explain to her why you kept it in her bed instead of returning it to her. “Keep it.” She said, laughing a little at how flustered you had gotten. You didn’t say anything as you climbed onto your bed, your shoes discarded on the floor next to Ellie’s. Both of you just lied there on your sides, facing each other but not saying anything. After a few minutes you noticed she was drowsy, looking like she was about to fall asleep any moment. Without thinking, you pulled her close to you, her face leaned into your chest as she drifted off. Only yesterday Ellie was upset with you, and now she was in your bed, asleep in your arms.

[mellyssageversee]

Eclipsed - Chapter 2

ZoLu/LuZo AU (Sun God Nika)

Summary: Sun God Nika is accused of a crime he did not commit. Nika goes into hiding to avoid being hunted by other Gods who wish to have him replaced. This inadvertently plunges the world into darkness, triggering an ice age. Only one human has faith that Nika will return the Sun.

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Zoro released a content sigh, relishing the warmth that enveloped him as he lay on the familiar soil of Isshen Dojo’s garden. Basking in the sunlight, a smile graced the swordsman’s face. It had been so long that Zoro nearly forgot the sensation of the warm earth against his skin. Despite his closed eyes, Zoro sensed someone at his side.

“I knew I’d find you here…” Kuina’s teasing voice echoed above Zoro, prompting a subtle stir. “Come on, lazy bones. It’s time to wake up! Wake up!”

Zoro attempted to open his eyes, but found the task challenging. The warmth was too inviting, too comfortable.

“Wake up!”

Zoro furrowed his eyebrows. The voice had changed. That wasn’t Kuina’s voice…

“Do you usually sleep this loooong?!” The voice whined.

Zoro slowly blinked open his eyes. A blinding light from above cast a glare across his vision. He could barely make out a childishly wide grin that reminded him of his friend.

“Finally!” The unexpected stranger bounced up happily, his fists raised over his head victoriously, as if Zoro's awakening was a great feat. The stranger turned his attention back to Zoro, his wide smile never faltering. Zoro, feeling petrified in the spot he lay, noticed the stranger's bright, glowing red eyes and white hair that danced like fire. As his disoriented gaze wandered, he realized he was in a surprisingly warm cave, the surroundings unfamiliar and surreal to him.

“All I can say is: Wow! I’m surprised that there is a human that actually still likes me!” Nika’s beaming smile seemed to intensify his light. The sight of such genuine glee had become foreign to Zoro. To see another full of such joy made his heart involuntarily quicken. “So! Who do I have the honor of thanking for sticking up for me back there?”

Zoro sat up cautiously. His mind raced to catch up with what was happening. A God was there before him. Not just any God. Nika! The one who had been missing for months. The one with the power to return light to their dark world was sitting before him, tilting his head in an inquisitive manner. His red eyes bright with curiosity. For a moment, Zoro wondered if he was dead. How else could he explain this encounter? The last thing he remembered was falling into the snow. Did he freeze to death?! No, he’d know right away if he had died…

“You have a funny look on your face. Most of you mortals seem to get this way when meeting me.” Nika sat down and reached forward to pinch Zoro’s cheek, as if trying to encourage Zoro to change his expression. Zoro couldn’t help but notice how warm the God’s touch was. “You don’t have to get so serious! All I’m asking is for your name.”

Despite Nika’s encouraging words, Zoro still couldn’t help but be taken aback. Kuina was right when she said the God was unique. Nika didn’t hold himself above Zoro. He spoke to him as if he was an old friend. In fact, the God had almost a childish nature about him. The way he now positioned himself to sit with his legs crossed next to Zoro, the way his smile never faltered, the way those large eyes glistened with wonder.. Nika was unlike anyone he had ever met.

“Zoro..” Zoro finally found his voice to answer. Nika’s eyes shone happily at the reply, which caused Zoro’s stomach to twist into knots. Perhaps it was his gut telling him he needed to address Nika with more respect? “My name is Roronoa Zoro.. uh all great and powerful Sun God Nika.”

Nika immediately scrunched his face in distaste. Zoro didn’t blame him. It felt awkward to address the God in such a way.

“Gross.. no need to get all formal. I just wanted to know Zoro’s name.” Nika let go of Zoro’s cheek. The swordsman couldn’t help but frown at the loss of warmth upon his face.

“Well, I’ve never met a God before. I don’t know exactly how I’m supposed to address one!” Zoro replied with a bit more candor. The interaction was becoming more casual, and Zoro was starting to feel a bit more at ease in the presence of the unconventional Sun God.

“Nika is fine,” Nika said with a shrug, his attention turned to a hangnail on his thumb, which he began to pick at as he continued, “Unless we are around other humans. Then you can just call me Luffy.”

“Luffy?” Zoro asked aloud. Then another question popped into his mind. “What do you mean by me addressing you that way in front of other people?”

“Well, I can’t have you addressing me as ‘your royal sun god’ around others.” Nika explained rolling his eyes like it was obvious. He picked the hangnail free and promptly flicked it across the cave.

Zoro blinked in confusion.

“Okay, that title is nothing like what I said before. And I still don’t get what you mean about us talking in front of others.” Zoro said, a bit more heatedly this time. Zoro never liked dancing around a subject. He preferred straightforward answers.

“I mean when we're traveling together.” Nika frowned, appearing equally upset. As if his answers were the most obvious things in the world, and he didn’t like that Zoro couldn’t understand right away. “You already know that others don’t like me. How would they react if they saw me in person?”

“What do you mean when we travel together?!” Zoro’s voice grew louder as shock took hold of him.

“Geez… I thought Zoro would be a lot smarter since you know I didn’t harm that island.” Nika said with a pout. The God leaned back against the cavern wall with his arms crossed.

Nika’s offhanded comment surprised Zoro yet again. He had always known the God wasn’t responsible for what happened to Ohara, but hearing it out loud from the God himself filled Zoro with vindicating relief.

“You were right at the tavern. I'm set on bringing back the sun, but first, I've got to clear my name. And Zoro’s the one who's gonna be my partner in uncovering the truth.” Nika asserted confidently.

Zoro buried his face in his hands, grappling with the confusion stirred by Nika's vague answers. With an exasperated exhale, Zoro lifted his head, determination ablaze in his eyes, poised to extract some clarity from the enigmatic God.

“Alright, let’s say I’m on board with helping you-” Zoro began slowly.

“Which you definitely are!” Nika chimed in confidently.

“No interrupting.” Zoro scolded. He blushed when realizing he shouldn't be scolding a God but he found a certain comfort in their banter. He continued, “If we're traveling together, I need more information. So, let's start from the beginning. I know you didn’t destroy Ohara, but if you're innocent, then why did you vanish? Why did the Sun suddenly disappear?”

Nika's grin finally faded. A hint of sadness flashed across the God’s eyes.

“Humans aren't the only ones who think I messed up that island.” Nika shifted his gaze away, seemingly reluctant to make eye contact with Zoro while explaining. “Other Gods share the same idea, and they're demanding I be replaced.”

Zoro's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Gods can be replaced?” Zoro questioned, wondering why, if that were the case, the other deities hadn't taken action to end the world's darkness by replacing Nika during his absence. “How? Isn’t the whole point of being a God is that you were born with your gifts. Isn’t that what sets you apart from us humans?”

Nika’s demeanor shifted. A dark look flashed across his eyes when he answered.

“Being born with our gifts never stopped other Gods from wanting more power and finding ways to take it.” Nika’s reply was so dark, so ominous, it made Zoro shiver despite the warmth of the cave. Nika, as if sensing Zoro’s discomfort, immediately switched back to his wide maddening smile. “Anyways, they planned on executing me so someone else can take my place.”

“What?!” 

The swordsman couldn’t believe what he was hearing, nor could he understand how Nika could say something like it was an offhand comment.

Zoro's protective instincts kicked in, his hands involuntarily reaching out to grip Nika’s. Wide eyes turned toward Zoro, surprised by the swordsman's intense reaction. 

“How can they just decide that after all the good you've done?! Did they even try to find another culprit?!”

Nika's surprise transformed into gleeful excitement, his features lighting up with a wide grin.

"I knew I’d like you." Nika beamed, seemingly unfazed by the anger on Zoro's face. The God was clearly delighted by Zoro's immediate protective response, finding joy in the swordsman's fierce loyalty despite their recent acquaintance. "Nope, they didn't bother looking for another culprit. The evidence pointed to me. Only my brothers believe in my innocence."

Nika gave the swordsman’s hand a tender squeeze, his warm touch causing a subtle blush to spread across Zoro’s face. As they shared this moment, a lingering ache of sadness toward Nika’s situation settled within the swordsman, he sat there silently waiting for the God to continue unraveling the events that led to the Sun’s disappearance. 

Nika glanced upwards, seemingly envisioning the events that led to his current predicament.

“Many of the other Gods were divided on what to do with me. They fought a LOT! That’s when some Gods decided to take matters into their own hands. They chose to execute me themselves.” Nika explained.

“How is trying to take down another God not a crime?!” Zoro asked in disbelief.

Nika rolled his eyes, as if the answer was obvious. 

“If the God supposedly did something wrong against humanity, it only makes sense to get rid of them. Ohara housed the temple of the God of Wisdom. Destroying the island erased sacred knowledge, lost forever in both the Mortal and Celestial Realms.”

Zoro had always known Ohara as the home of brilliant minds, but the revelation that it held knowledge sacred to the Gods added another layer to the tragedy.

“What happened when they pursued you?” Zoro prodded Nika to share more.

“My brothers tried to shield me, but it got dangerous for them. I couldn’t let them risk their safety for me, so I decided to come to the Mortal Realm to investigate myself. If I can prove my innocence, maybe the other Gods won't chase me. But I've been here too long. Cut off from the Celestial Realm, I can't provide the Sun.” Nika explained with a hint of sadness.

A heavy weight settled onto Zoro's heart. The revelation of Nika’s situation hit him hard; people had assumed the God abandoned them, not realizing Nika was fighting to survive.

“You say you need my help, but what can I do?” Zoro asked uncertainly. “I know nothing of your world. How can I assist in proving your innocence when I don't even know what to look for?”

Nika offered Zoro a reassuring smile, acknowledging the swordsman's concern.

"Well, I need someone like Zoro by my side. You're strong, and you've got a good heart." Nika explained. "I'm not the best at dealing with humans, and you can help me navigate through this world. Besides, I trust Zoro."

Zoro shook his head and chuckled in disbelief as he processed Nika's words. The idea of the Sun God relying on him to navigate the complexities of human interaction was both amusing and somewhat ironic. Zoro, often reserved and straightforward, couldn't help but find it peculiar that Nika saw him as the go-to person for this task.

"Well, you better be prepared," Zoro remarked with a smirk. A rare smile crossed his lips, and he felt a flicker of warmth in his chest at accepting the Gods request. "Interacting with ‘humans’ isn't exactly my strong suit either, but I'll do my best to keep you out of trouble."

Nika’s eyes sparkled with excitement, the infectious energy of a carefree adventurer. The God abruptly rose to his feet, stretching his limbs like he was preparing for an exhilarating journey.

“Great! Let’s get going!” Nika beamed happily, exuding his infectious enthusiasm. The God already started walking towards the exit of the cave, but Zoro was quick to rush after Nika. The swordsman grabbed into a fistful of the God’s shirt.

“You can’t just go out looking like that.” Zoro scolded, his voice carrying a protective undertone. His expression turned more serious as he felt more duty bound to protect this whimsical being. “People are going to know you’re a God right away if you go out with flaming hair, and you’re not even dressed for winter weather.”

Nika looked down at himself in surprise, realizing Zoro was right.

“Oh yeah! I forgot about that.” Nika gently shook out of Zoro’s hold. Soon, he emitted a bright glow that filled the cave. When the light disappeared, Nika stood before him looking very familiar. Zoro immediately recognized this dark-haired, brown-eyed young man as the fidgeting patron from the tavern. Even in his human form, Nika’s eyes still radiated the same alluring warmth.

Zoro didn’t realize he was staring for so long until Nika's impatient fingers gently closed around his arm, an unexpected warmth seeped through his bones. Nika's touch was a magnetic force, tugging at Zoro's attention more than he cared to admit.

“Come on. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.” Nika insisted.

Zoro, unable to resist the pull Nika had on him, obediently followed. His stoic exterior hiding the subtle warmth swelling within. As they moved together, Zoro couldn’t help but notice the intertwining of their steps, creating a silent harmony between them.

“Where are we going?”

“Ohara!”

(Next Chapter)

[tikosblogg]

HIDDEN HEARTS//PT 3. FINAL PART

summary: love triangle? you grew up with folio, you are best friends. Both in very successful bands. folio tries to ignore his hidden feelings for you, especially when the one and only Noah Sebastian steals your heart.

Warnings: angst, SMUT nothing too crazy a little fluff.

A/N : so sorry for the long wait. I had trouble with this chapter. That being said, this will be the last chapter!! I hope you guys enjoy it!!! Not proof read I apologize.

I wake up to my alarm blaring on the bedside table at 5am. Letting out a tired sigh, I shut off my alarm. Today is the day. We leave for tour in 2.5 hours. I feel the nerves rack through my exhausted body. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so excited about this tour. It’s an absolute dream….but this also means I’m gonna be trapped on a tour bus with Noah, whom I’ve been avoiding for the past 3 weeks.

It’s been so hard. The hurt look on his face, everytime I cut our conversations short or made an excuse to leave the room every time he showed up, killed me. I have to do this. I don’t want to, but it’s for the best. I groaned, crawling out of bed to get all my stuff packed into my car. I slept in some sweats and a hoodie, so I could just get up and go. Since our first destination is only a 5 hour drive from here, we’re meeting at the studio, and all piling up into the bus.

After going over my check list a dozen times, I finally climb into my car, and head to meet everyone else. When I pulled up, all the guys plus a few more were packing their things in the bus. When I stepped out of the car, everyone yelled their “heys” and “what’s up” except for one. I looked him over, as he shoved his suitcase into the compartment on the outside of the bus.

He gave me a quick glance, before closing the compartment, and headed straight into the bus. I walked over to Nick, giving him a hug. “Is he okay?” He looked over towards the bus before shaking his head. “Don’t know. He’s been like this for the past 3 weeks. He won’t talk to anyone about it.” I felt my heart fall out of my ass. It's my fault.. ”you can go ahead and get on the bus, the guys will load your stuff.”

I shook my head pulling my gaze back to Nick. “Absolutely not, I can do it Nick.” He shook his head, pointing towards the bus. “There is a lot of stuff, and it has to be packed a certain way. Just go y/n. Get some rest.” I reluctantly nodded, headed towards the steps. I made my way inside, checking out the space. It was amazing. It was narrow, but so spacious at the same time.

I made my way across the bus, claiming a bunk. I threw my purse and phone onto the small mattress at the very top bunk, on the left side. I looked in front of me, at the closed sliding door. I slid it open to the entertainment area. There was a small flat screen, hung up on the wall, with an Xbox hooked up to it, resting on a shelf hung up under the tv. Across from it was the fluffiest recliner couch I’d ever seen.

Sitting on said couch was Noah. He wore his black bad omens joggers, with a Matching black hoodie. A black baseball cap on his. He looked so good. “Hi.” I stood there, awkwardly shifting back and forth on my feet. He nodded his head with a quiet “hey”, his eyes never leaving his phone. I turned back around, deciding to get some sleep. Our very first show is tomorrow, I need all the rest I can get.

I struggled climbing into the top bunk. Probably wasn’t the smartest idea being 5’0, picking the highest bunk. I got about half way, stretching my knee up to the mattress. My knee dug into it, as I tried pulling myself up into the bunk. My left leg dangle below me, trying to find something to push off of. I could feel myself slowly slipping.

Both of my hands clawed against the mattress trying to find anything to hold onto. As soon as I accepted my dreadful fate, I felt two hands on my ass shoving me into the bunk. I flew forward across the mattress, my forehead bouncing off the bunk wall with a loud thud. I quickly turned over, seeing Noah climbing into his bunk, directly across from mine on the right.

I rubbed over the throbbing spot on my forehead, as he lay on his back looking over at me. Our eye contact was intense, I could feel my face heating up. “Thanks.” I mumbled quietly, diverting my eyes somewhere else. He let out a quiet ‘mhmm” before sliding his curtain shut. I sighed, laying down, closing my curtain as well. This is gonna be a long tour.

I woke up to the sound of movement all throughout the bus. I checked the time on my phone seeing it was 1pm. Holy shit?! I slept that long? All of sudden my curtain was whipped open, to a smiling Nick. “Wakey wakey!! We gotta get checked into the hotel and then get ready for rehearsal and sound check.” I nodded with a smile, slowly climbing down from my bunk.

We all grabbed our stuff, exiting the bus to retrieve our suitcases from the bus compartment. We made our way inside, getting our key cards and headed to our floor. Once we got up there, we split up going to our respective rooms. I entered mine, throwing all of my stuff onto the bed. I pulled some black spandex shorts, and an oversized band t out of my suitcase. After getting dressed, I brushed my teeth and my hair. A knock on the door sounded through my room.

I opened it to Nick, and jolly. “Hey you ready?” I smiled, nodded my head, and followed them out. We all piled into a black suv, taking us to the venu we will be performing at tomorrow night. We’ve been here for three hours already, it’s hot as fuck in this place, and Noah is not happy. His inear isn’t working correctly, and the sound system doesn’t sound right. “Alright guys, let’s do it again.”

I sighed squatting to the ground, my legs so tired from just standing there. The music started, and I pulled the mic up to my lips. “Violence against nature….violence against nature.”

During the break down, Noah signaled for everyone to stop. “Y/N you’re sounding pitchy! Get it together!” I felt my heart stop. Did he really just say that to me? “Excuse me?!” I yelled, dropping my microphone to the ground, walking closer to him. We stared each other down, his eyes hard and cold. I shook my head walking away. I felt the tears burning my eyes. How fucking humiliating.

Who does he think he is?? I made my way to the green room backstage, slamming the door closed behind me. My chest heaved as I paced back forth. This is all my fault.. I threw myself at him, and ruined our friendship. I let out a quiet sob, as I took a seat on the couch, throwing my head in my hands. “Y/N” nicks voice made me jump out of my skin. I never even heard him enter the room.

“I’m fine Nick, we should probably get back out there.” I sighed, standing from the couch. “No y/n…sit down. We need to talk.” I nodded plopping back down on the couch, him taking the seat beside me. “Look I don’t know what happened, but it’s pretty obvious something is going on between you and Noah.” I felt my heartbeat pick up, as I shook my head. “No nick I-“ he shook his head “let me finish.”

I snapped my mouth shut, nodding my head. “You and Noah clicked as soon as you laid eyes on each other. Everyone noticed it. I noticed it.” I could feel my heart breaking. I never wanted Nick to find out. Of course he would have never told me I couldn’t see Noah, but I never wanted to put him in the middle of something like that. He didn’t deserve it.

“You quit coming around. We all noticed that. Come to think of it, that’s when Noah started acting differently. Why did you? Did he do something?” His voice had a bit of an edge at the end of his sentence. My eyes widened in horror. He thinks Noah did something to me?! If anything I did something to him! I’m the one who threw myself at him, and then ran away with no explanation.

I shook my head, throwing my hands over my mouth. “Oh god no Nick, no not at all.” A fresh set of tears fell down my cheeks as I let out a sigh. I just wanna be honest, and get over this. “The night you guys stayed at my air bnb with me….after I got out of the shower, you jolly and Nick passed out on the couches.” He nodded his head, never taking his eyes off of me. “Noah was outside on the patio, and I went and joined him. We just talked for a while. It was really nice. Then I….I kissed him.”

Nick laid a hand on my shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze. “So why are you so upset? Why are you avoiding him?” I sucked in a breath, trying to control my sobs. “After I kissed him, I freaked out and ran. I just. I don’t want to put you in the middle of something like that Nick. He’s your best friend and you’re mine. I never wanna put you in a position where you feel like you have to choose.”

Nick chuckled, shaking his head. “But how do YOU feel y/n?” We stared at each other for a few seconds, as I tried to put the right words together. “I’ve never felt the way I do with Noah, with anyone else. I care about him so fucking much, but I can’t lose you Nick.” He pulled me into a tight hug, placing a kiss on my head. “Y/n I can promise you…you are never going to lose me. Ever. If that’s how you feel, then I 100% support you.”

I lifted my head in surprise. I thought he would be totally against this. I could feel the tension, worry, and dread slowly leaving my body. “I told you, all I want is for you to be happy. No matter who it’s with.” I nodded my head, my tears finally slowing down. So that’s what he meant that day….he already knew. I pulled him into another tight hug, as he stood from the couch. “Where are you going?” He smiled down at me. “I got a hot date with one of the sound techs lily.” He sent me a wink, crossing his arms over his chest. “And YOU have someone you need to talk to.”

I looked down nodding my head. “Yeah I should probably explain everything to Noah, let him know how I really feel.” Nick laughed, patting my shoulder. “You already did.” I looked up at Nick confused, his eyes fixed on the door. I looked over to see Noah standing there, a small smile on his face. Welp…I guess that was easy. Nick ruffled my hair with his hand, before walking toward the door. “I’ll leave ya to it.” He walked past Noah, giving him a pat on the back before closing the door behind him.

Me and Noah sat in silence for a minute, just staring at each other. He finally made his way over, sitting down next to me. He let out a sigh, before finally speaking. “I’m so sorry y/n. I didn’t mean what I said, I was just…I was hurt, and confused. But I should have never taken it out on you.” I didn’t bother saying anything. I didn’t care. I forgive him. He forgives me.

I threw myself onto his lap, straddling his thighs. I wrapped my arms tight around his neck, nuzzling my face into his shoulder. He instantly wrapped his arms around me leaning back into the couch, pulling me with him. I pulled back, catching his gaze with mine. “I’m so sorry Noah.” He shook his head, cupping my cheek with his hand. He pulled me down into a soft kiss.

It started out just like our first one, sweet and slow. Until his hand slid down my back, cupping my ass in his giant hand. He squeezed it hard, making my core grind against his lap. I let out a soft moan, as he took the opportunity to shove his tongue in my mouth. Our kiss got more heated, the longer we sat there. Loud pounding at the door, made us both jump apart. “Let’s go love birds! We’re going back to the hotel!”

Jolly’s voice came through the door. We smiled at each other, still not moving. He cupped my cheek again, pecking my lips. “I like you too y/n, a lot.” I smiled, nodding my head. “Good.”

We made it back to the hotel 30 minutes later, Noah and I were glued together the entire time. We got to our floor, and everyone split up. I looked at Noah, nodding my head towards my room. “You wanna hang out for a bit?” He nodded, leading the way. I pulled out my key card, sliding it in. As soon as I opened the door, I was rushed in instantly being shoved against the door, Noah’s lips on mine.

I groaned into it, fisting his hoodie in my hands at his hips. He picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. He carried me to the bed, dropping me on top of it. He climbed on top of me, settling between my thighs, laying his chest on top of mine. “Do you wanna do this?” I nodded my head without a second thought.

He leaned back down, shoving his tongue in my mouth. His hands gripped my shirt, pulling it over my head. He sat straddling my waist, pulling my bra off as well. I groaned as the cool air hardened my sensitive nipples. He leaned down, taking one into his mouth, sucking lightly before releasing it. “You’re so beautiful baby.” I whined, reaching for him. He smiled, grabbing both of my hands, placing a kiss on the palm of both of them. He slid down my body, sliding my shorts and underwear off in one swoop.

Kneeled on the floor, at the end of the bed, grabbing my calves pulling me down closer to him. “Noah..” I whimpered as his breath hit my core. He spread my thighs open wide, slowly leaning down. He ran his thumb over my clit, before finally sucking it between his lips. I gasped, my hands flying to his hair, tugging on it. I quickly let it go, mumbling out an apology. He pulled away from me, looking into my eyes.

“You grab my hair, and fucking pull it all you want. Please baby.” I clenched at the fact, he was begging me. It was the sexiest fucking thing. I watched as spit fell from between his lips. I gasped as it fell directly on my clit. He watched me as he slid his two middle fingers into my throbbing hole. He slowly thrusted them, leaning back down to lick at my throbbing clit. “Fuck Noah.”

He groaned against me, as I tugged on his hair. He pulled away gasping. He whimpered before catching my eyes again. “Harder.” I almost came at that. He went back down, pumping his fingers faster. I felt my orgasm approaching, as I pulled hard on his hair, now grinding my pussy against his face and fingers. A few seconds later, my thighs were squeezed around his head shaking.

He pumped his fingers getting me through my high, before pulling out and climbing back on top of me. This kiss was erratic, and messy. Lips, tongues, and teeth clashing. I yanked at his hoodie, pulling it off of him. I ran my hands down his tattooed chest, pulling the waistband of his sweats and underwear down, his hard dick springing free. I gasped at his size. He smirked, pecking my lips before speaking. “You can take it, can’t you baby?”

I nodded my head fast, pulling his lips down to mine. I felt the tip of dick, right at my entrance. He gripped my thigh, bringing it up to my chest. Before looking at me one more time for confirmation. I nodded quickly. “Please.” Noah groaned, laying his forehead against mine. He slowly inserted the tip, before pulling it back out, over and over again. I whined, bucking my hips begging him to go in all the way.

He gave me a teasing smile. “Whose pussy is this?” I whimpered, as his tip kept entering me, and leaving me. “Yours.” I mumbled. He shook his head, gripping the back of my head pulling it up towards him. “Who’s?” I gasped, at this new dominant side of Noah. It’s driving me insane. “Fuck Noah it’s yours! Please!” Not a second later, he thrusted up completely bottoming out inside of me.

“Fuck Noah!” He wasted no times, pounding into me. “That’s right baby, this is my pussy. Nobody else's right?” He kept thrusting, never breaking eye contact with me. It was fucking intense. I shook my head, as best as I could with his fingers tangled in the back of my hair. “No baby…never.” He groaned, shoving his face into my neck, biting and sucking my skin. “Fuuuck baby.”

He groaned against me, sending chills down my spine. He quickly pulled away, pulling out of me. He took no time, flipping me over. He pulled my hips up, my ass high in the hair. He gripped the hair at the back of my hair again, shoving my cheek against the mattress. My back was arched as far as it could go, before he thrusted back into me. “Holy fuck y/n.” He groaned.

“You’re so fucking beautiful…so perfect.” All I could do was whimper and moan into the mattress. A loud smack sounded around the room. My ass cheek now on fire. I let out a strangled groan, loving the burning sensation it left behind. “Come on baby. Cum on cock.” Noah groaned, thrusting harder. He pulled me all the way up, until we were back to chest.

He wrapped one around my waist, bring his other down so his fingers could play with clit. He went back to biting and licking my neck, as I moaned out his name. My orgasm was quickly rising. He could feel it, as he rubbed my clit faster. “That’s right baby.” I groaned out his name, and came all over his dick, as he fucked me through it. “Good fucking girl.” He reached up, turning my face towards him.

We shared a sloppy wet kiss, before he let me go. I dropped back down on to my face, as he kept thrusting chasing his own high. “Please Noah….cum inside me.” He groaned, thrusting three more times before finally finishing inside me. He pulled out, falling down beside me. We laid there catching our breath, as lightly rubbed my back.

“Are you okay baby?” I smiled, opening my eyes looking at him. “More than okay.” He laughed, turning me onto my side to face him and into his chest. We laid there for a while, just soaking up each other's warmth until he finally broke the silence. “I missed you..” I lifted my head, to look at him. “I missed you too Noah. I’m so sorry-“

He put his fingers to my lips, stopping me. “You’re here now, that’s all that matters.” I smiled against his fingers. Giving them a little kiss, before taking them in his mouth. He groaned watching me. “Fuck baby…you’re gonna be the death of me.” I shrieked as he pounced back on me.

We spent the rest of the night, wrapped up in the sheets, and each other. It started out a little rough, but I am so grateful that Noah came into my life. He is the piece that I’ve always felt like I was missing…

[sordidpsychick]

Angel Numbers

3 - UFO

Angel’s first day on the job, rat problems, stovetop popcorn, and cheesy romance movies.

Previous | Ao3 | Tip Jar | Next (coming soon)

Content: Reigen/Fem!OC, MDNI, eventual NSFW, I am cringe but I am free, self-indulgent, perv Reigen, human experimentation, OC can see ghosts, chubby OC

5k words

In the morning, once the two of them had gotten up and eaten breakfast, Angel stepped out of the bathroom after a long, silent while; wearing the nicer pair of jeans, her blue sweater, and her buckle-ups. “Okay.” She gives Reigen a thumbs-up. “I’m ready to leave.” There was a twinge of nervousness from her, but she seemed to be copying Reigen somewhat in the realm of bold confidence.

“Great!” Reigen said as he stood and finished buttoning the sleeve of his blazer. He caught onto her nerves as he looked at her and walked over to her, setting a hand on her shoulder. “Relax, you’ll be fine. I've heard the boss is pretty chill,” he said with a wink. He walked past the bathroom and to the front door where his hand hovered over the lock before remembering something. “Right! Listen, since you came from a… hospital and all, everything around you was probably pretty isolated and sanitary, right? I was thinking last night and realized; when we’re on the streets you’re probably pretty susceptible to colds and stuff.” He walked into the kitchen and rummaged through a drawer before pulling out a thin medical mask. “Figured you should wear it on the streets just to be safe.” This might be one of my better lies, I will say. This one makes sense on multiple levels. She will never suspect a thing.

“Oh, right.” Angel nods in immediate understanding, taking the mask when it’s handed to her. She slips it on, white fabric covering her nose and mouth. Strangely enough, it looks pretty cute on her. Maybe it’s the new hair or maybe it’s that she looks like she’s bundling up for winter with it. It was getting colder and colder the more autumn drew to a close. “I’m used to wearing these, so it’s kind of comforting, actually.” She smiles, eyes squinting. 

“Good, well maybe we will buy some more on our way back,” said Reigen as he held open the door, waiting until she stepped out to lock it behind them both with a key. “Also, just so you know, I have someone else who works in the office with me; a man by the name of Serizawa. He is a little awkward at first, but he will help you with any questions around the office whenever I'm away.” 

The two of them began to walk down flights of stairs before reaching the ground floor and approaching the street.

“Serizawa…” Angel echoes Reigen, repeating the name under her breath a couple of times. She follows Reigen, shoes tapping on the cement. 

—

“I-It’s a pleasure to meet you, Angel.” The man named ‘Serizawa’ was currently bent into a deep bow before the newest employee of Spirits and Such. 

“I-it’s a pleasure to meet you too,” Angel speaks with an equal amount of awkwardness as Serizawa, opting for an improper wave of her hand. She wasn’t quite used to being bowed to like this… even though she knew it was proper manners. 

“If… you don’t mind me asking, how did you and Reigen meet?” The dark-haired man rises to his full height, itching at his cheek as he avoids eye contact with Angel, who does the same. 

Let's hope she doesn't realize that because I lied this once, I lie about everything. Besides, I only lie for people’s benefit. That makes it less harmful right? “I met Angel at an international psychic convention. Angel can see ghosts, but as far as she knows that's pretty much it. We got to talking and she seemed like a good fit for our office so I gave her an offer. She accepted, obviously.” Reigen placed a warm hand across her upper back as he spoke about her, smiling down at her while occasionally looking up at Serizawa. 

Angel stiffens, glancing at Reigen out of the corner of her eye. 

“Oh, is that so?” Serizawa smiles, obviously fooled. “Well, I look forward to working with you.”

“Y-you too,” Angel responds, beginning to sweat. The second time she looks at Reigen it’s a glare. 

“Here, let me show you around,” Serizawa says, not noticing the way Angel squints at Reigen before turning her back and joining his side in the mini-office tour. 

Reigen watches her go, stomach churning from her glare. She didn’t like that? Why didn’t she like that? I thought she would have wanted me to lie. She doesn’t even want me or Mob to know the full truth about her, why would she want me to tell a complete stranger that I picked up an escapee from an experimental institution in the woods and brought her to my place, then offered her a job? I thought she would want to try and live past all that or something. Reigen took a seat at his desk and let out a sigh, opening his computer to look busy as his thoughts wandered.

Angel fell into a rhythm in the office surprisingly well. Serizawa took most of the calls for the day, showing her the ropes with the phone and filing system. She was great at filing, great at organizing, and great at scheduling. The only thing she lacked was her skills in answering the phone and successfully holding a conversation. The last few attempts ended in Serizawa gingerly reclaiming the phone while Angel sat beside him, shoulders tensed and face red with embarrassment. 

When the sun began to sag on the horizon, Mob showed up wearing his middle school uniform. “Hello master, hello Serizawa, hello Angel.” 

“You know Shigeo, you can just greet everyone all at once.” Dimple comes floating in after him. 

“Good afternoon you two.” Angel waves from the office’s couch, where she is currently sitting with a laptop on her lap. 

“Good afternoon,” greets Serizawa.

“Hey Mob! Great to see ya,” Reigen said as he swiveled in his chair to look at Mob. His ankle rested on the top of the opposite knee and his hands were neatly folded together and resting on his stomach. “We have a light schedule today, just one client with reports of mysterious noises in her basement. I suspect it's just rats but we should check it out just to be sure.”

“Rats, huh? Got it.” Mob nods and looks from Reigen to Angel and Serizawa. “How have things been?” His question is directed at Angel. 

“Good.” She smiles. “Serizawa has been showing me the ropes. It’s a little nerve-wracking but I’m already having fun, so I’m sure I’ll get used to the harder parts.” Angel sets the laptop aside to stand and stretch.

“Well.” Dimple hums. “It’s good that you’re settling in.” Mob nods in agreement. 

“Master, I know you said it’s most likely that the client has rats—so it’ll probably be a quick fix—but should we bring Angel and Serizawa along?” It was clear why Mob was asking. He was nervous about leaving Angel alone in the case that someone might be tracking her. Serizawa would be able to handle it in such a case, but he didn’t know Angel’s true circumstances.

Reigen leaned back in his chair, scowling up at the ceiling as he rubbed his chin in thought. “Hmm, you are right… plus it would be good for her to see all aspects of everyone’s job anyway. And since it probably won’t be that dangerous.” He shrugged. “I don't see why not.” Great thinking Mob. Reigen stood and pointed to Angel, tilting his head to the side. “You ready?” He asked.

“Yes.” Angel leans down to shut the laptop, brushing her sweater off and tucking a section into the waistband of her jeans. The facemask which sat under her chin during most of her time in the office was pulled back up over her nose in preparation. 

—

The client’s basement was dark and damp. Those who had phones had their flashlights on. They weren’t very strong and only projected light about two feet in front of them. Angel walked between Reigen and Serizawa with Mob trailing a little behind. She was tense, eyes darting around in the dark. 

Just as the client had said; there was a strange rattling up ahead, like little feet on metal.

“I do sense something,” says Mob, Serizawa nodding in agreement.

Something brushes past their ankles, small, and chittering. It's a rat. The thing scampers into the darkness ahead.

Reigen stifled a scream as the rat ran in between both his feet and towards the source of the noise. “Whatever it is, it seems pretty powerless if I can’t sense it,” he said with a small sniffle, wiping the tip of his nose with his finger. He kept one hand calmly in his pocket, the other holding his small black flip phone. He squinted as the thing they were walking towards finally came in contact with the dim edge of their combined light. Reigen winced. “Please don’t be a giant rat,” he whined as he hesitantly drew closer.

Another rat ran past and this time it was accompanied by Angel lurching forward strangely. She seems to stop herself, shoe coming down on the concrete with a loud smack that echoes in the space. 

Everything is silent except for the slow-building sound of chittering. The sound distorts and then, with a nervous ‘uhh’ from Serizawa, their flashlights meet the shape of a giant rat sitting on top of a metal garbage can. Its form looks gelatinous and purple and its eyes glow a sickly yellow.

“It’s a spirit!” Mob points. 

“Yeah, a greedy one at that. It’s sucking the life out of all the little ones,” adds Dimple.

Reigen is too busy trying to hold back his lunch to notice Angel’s odd footwork, stepping backward from the spirit. He covered his mouth as he turned to look at Mob and Serizawa. “All yours-!” He said as he stepped back, looking like he was going to hurl.

“Reigen!” Angel notices immediately, pushing him back towards a support beam while Mob and Serizawa take care of the spirit “I didn’t know you get queasy around rats,” she speaks casually while flashing light and dying rat screams fill the air behind them.

Reigen leaned an arm up against the beam, leaning down and facing the ground. “Euhg… I-I usually am not,” he said, taking a small breath. “But there’s-so many of them,” he said with a small quiver at a particular screech from a rat behind them. He took another deep breath and then straightened up. “Im fine.” He adjusted his blazer and slowly turned around.

Angel’s hand breezes down Reigen’s spine in a comforting motion, barely there, and gone before even a moment. 

“All done, master!” Mob and Serizawa turn around. The giant rat is no longer there. Instead, just a pile of dust and little rat footprints.

“There’s still a rat problem,” reports Serizawa. “But the spirit is gone.” He brushes dust off his suit and re-adjusts his tie.

“Thank you to you both. I'll inform the client to put out poison to get the rest of them. Why don't you all secure us a way home while I handle the client?” Reigen said, looking particularly eager to leave the stuffy basement.

“I’ll call a cab,” says Serizawa, pulling his phone from his pocket as they all head towards the basement stairs.

—

Serizawa left the office an hour early once they’d returned. He had night classes—Reigen explained—and Mob had studying to do, so it was just him and Angel for the remaining hours of the evening. Angel sat quietly on the couch, typing on the work laptop. 

She had a habit of chewing her lip and sliding her tongue against the corner of her mouth while she typed. Her typing was slow, too. It was clear she’d never learned the keyboard—or if she had—not much. But she was adept at reading. She read fast and thorough and so far, not a single spelling error was made on any documents or schedules that she’d written up. 

The office is quiet except for the sound of the ticking clock and typing, which comes to a pause. Fabric rustles and the laptop slides to the cushion beside Angel’s lap. She stands, nearing Reigen’s desk with curious eyes. As if afraid to break the quiet, she speaks softly. “Is there… a place where I can get some water?” She asks. 

He nods and points to the short hall where the door to the office is. To the side, a single burner stove with a sink attached to its side, and the office’s bathroom.

“There is a sink you can use. Cups are in the cabinet above it. Just rinse it out when you are done,” he said as he finished typing something on his computer and changed tabs with a click of his pointer on the keypad.

Angel nods quietly, disappearing into the hall. Distantly, the glass clinks and the sink runs. It's silent for a moment again before the water runs once more and Angel returns, shoes tapping on the tiled floor. The light of the dying sun that comes through the window behind her casts a long shadow over Reigen as she comes to stand in front of his desk once more. A full glass of water in hand, stray droplets dripping from its side—she sets it in front of him. “I haven’t seen you drink anything all day.” Something flickers in her shadow, only there when one isn’t looking.

Reigen opened his mouth to protest until he realized that she was correct. He had not even had tea. He grabbed the glass, tilting it back and slowly chugging the whole thing. “Ahh… I think I’m all done catching up on things,” he said as he shut the top of his computer closed and stood from his roller chair.

They walked home. It wasn't far and the air wasn’t too chilly. Soon, though, they’d have to be catching a cab home every night when winter really rolled in. 

“Mob and Serizawa took care of that spirit fast,” Angel comments, looking up at the sky and the sparkling city lights. Her voice is muffled behind her facemask. “And Mob is just a kid. It’s impressive. You must be a really good mentor, Reigen.” She swings her head to look at Reigen.

Reigen smiled and looked up towards the sky. “I find that letting Mob explore his power on his own is the best teaching method for him. I've only ever had to step in to help him deal the last blow once or twice.” Reigen’s gaze turned down toward Angel as they rounded a street corner. “I'm proud of Mob and how far he has grown as a person and as an esper.” Reigen sounded honest, which he did most of the time, but for once he felt honest too. It was the truth; he really was proud of Mob and how much he had changed since their first encounter.

Angel hums out a happy sound, folding her arms behind her back. “I’m sort of jealous of that mentor-student relationship. I think, when I was younger, I could’ve benefited from that.” She nods. “Being like I am.” Her hands unfold, instead raising to play with her honey-brown hair. “I’m not like you guys—I mean, my only ability is that I can see spirits—but I wish I had someone that could’ve taught me how to… deal with it. You know, something better than running and hiding.”

Reigen winces slightly. He felt bad that she was seeking some sort of reassurance, an amount of relatability, something. Lying about something so personal could harm her if she ever found out. No, I need to be careful with this one. “Discovering that on your own must have been scary, I am sorry,” he said as his hand moved to rest on the back of his neck. Reigen was, for once, unsure what else to say.

Ever sharp, Angel deflects the situation and buries her words. “Oh, it’s alright. I’m not sixteen anymore. It’s in the past.” Her short laugh is a little strained and following it is an awkward silence that's filled with nothing but the cool autumn breeze, the drone of cars, and the distantly twittering birds. 

When they make it to the apartment, Angel is first up the stairs, rocking back and forth before placing her temple on the wall, watching as Reigen gets his keys.

Reigen raises a brow at her behavior, finally breaking the silence. “Eager to go in?” He knew the answer, he was eager too. He quickly grabbed out his keys and began to file through key after key before finding the correct one. He unlocked the door with a click and stepped inside, holding it open for Angel as he jiggled his key back out. 

Angel closes her eyes and nods, slipping inside, unbuckling her shoes, and flicking on the light as she does. She sheds her mask on the coffee table and goes to rummage through their now-shared wardrobe. “I’ll be in the shower,” she mutters as she passes him in the hall, carrying a change of clothes to sleep in. “All that walking made me sweaty!” The bathroom door clicks shut.

Reigen stood in the doorway still, shutting it at nearly the same time Angel crossed the room and locked the bathroom door. 

Something was definitely up with her, right? She hasn’t acted this weird the whole time, surely not. 

Reigen sets his keys down on the small coffee table as he walks into the room and shrugs off his work attire, getting into a more comfortable outfit. Maybe we should watch a movie before bed, take her mind off things. She would like that, right? He walked into the kitchen after tossing his clothes in a small hamper and began to look around for food.

Bingo. Macaroni and cheese from a box with stovetop popcorn for the movie. It would put a smile on anyone’s face no matter how bad the day. He grabbed out a stovetop popcorn and set it aside for now, grabbing the only pot he had before filling it with water from the sink.

Twenty minutes later, Angel was swinging out of the bathroom and pacing past the kitchen in one of Reigen’s shirts and her underwear—this pair blue. “What’s that smell?” She calls, backtracking and peering into the kitchen with her damp hair sticking to her cheeks. “It smells good.”

“Good ol mac n’ cheese,” Reigen said as he turned and smiled over his shoulder. In one hand, the worn pot handle, in the other, a wooden spoon stirring a boiling pot of water and noodles. Over his shoulder was a towel where he occasionally wiped his hands or used to dab sweat.

Reigen clicked the stove off and set the pot aside, tilting it carefully to drain in the sink until no more water trickled out of the pot. He then grabbed a packet from the box and ripped it open, pouring out a golden powder that he called heaven. When the packet was up, he tossed it—along with the box—then gave it a quick stir until the yellowy-gold color was evenly distributed throughout the pot. “Tadaaa!” He exclaimed as he held the pot out to Angel so she could look inside.

“Wow! You’re a cook.” Angel peers into the pot and then leans away to give him a smiling round of applause. Licking her lips, she hums. “Now I’m starving. Hurry.” This smile is more teasing—playful. It wrinkles her nose as she rounds Reigen to push at his back, urging him to plate the food. 

Reigen smiles and sets the pot down, mindful of Angel’s movement behind him so he doesn't crash into her with the recently boiling pot. He grabs out two bowls and two forks and scoops an equal amount into each bowl. “I figured to celebrate your first day working for me, that we watch a movie?” He said as he glanced over himself to look over to Angel, grabbing her bowl and turning as he handed it to her.

Angel took the bowl while nodding excitedly. “I’d love that. What kind of movie were you thinking?” She toes over to the doorway, leaning up against it while waiting for Reigen. Hungry little animal—she’s already forking some into her mouth where she stands. 

He scoops up his own bowl and moves past her, setting the bowl and fork down on the coffee table as he slides to the entertainment center his TV was set on top of and browsed his slim movie selection. “I don’t have much.” He blushed and added, “Most of these are cheesy romance movies, th-they were left here by the previous tenants.” He cleared his throat and let out a nervous laugh. “But uh I have a few comedies too if you are into that sort of thing?” Honestly, though, I don't even know if she has ever read a book or seen a movie. Who knows how sheltered she was in that place? Reigen grabbed the basket containing his movies from the small shelf and brought them back to the couch, where he sat down so the two of them could look through them.

Angel plops down beside Reigen hard enough that it jostles him a little. The couch barely seats two, even less so when Angel sits the way she does; cross-legged with her bowl in the middle. “Do a romance. I like it when they’re a little cheesy.” She turns to look at him, fork in mouth. “Have you seen any of them?”

All of them, at least seven times each. “Just one, it was uh, pretty good I guess,” he said as he read the titles and pulled out the last one he had seen. It was about a guy whose video game crush came to life but was nothing like he expected and slowly learns to love her. Definitely cheesy.

“Let’s watch it, then.” Angel taps the cover with her fork, which had been licked clean only to return to the bowl moments later. “I wanna see what you see.” The sentence was said so softly it was like it almost wasn’t said at all. Like if one thought about it too much they’d forget the words. But Angel doesn’t act like she’d even said it. She only hums under her breath and reads the cover of the movie in his hand, slipping another spoonful of mac and cheese into her mouth.

“Alright,” Reigen said as his cheeks tinted a slight shade of pink, though moments later forgetting why. He set the container of DVD cases aside and powered on the TV and DVD player, eventually sliding in the disk and pressing play. He brought the remote over to the couch and grabbed his bowl, finally starting to eat as the movie began to play.

Halfway through, their empty bowls were stacked one on the other, forks touching within the topmost one. The daylight had all gone and now only the blue light of the television illuminated the room. Angel was watching intently, roped seamlessly into the building tension. The current scene was slow, though, and she seemed to relax a little in the lull of the pace. Her attention is broken, however, when the ‘pause’ screen appears. Curious, she looks at Reigen.

He wiggles the remote side to side in his fingers and smiles. “Still hungry?” He asks before leaning back a ways and uncrossing his legs. “Personally, I prefer my movies with popcorn,” he said as he set down the remote, not expecting a refusal from Angel from his prior experiences involving her and food.

“I’ve never had that before.” Angel brings her knees to her chest, leaning her cheek against the couch and facing him fully. “Let’s do it.” She grins, scooting off the couch and picking up the bowls. She was trying to be a little helpful, humming a little tune as she headed toward the kitchen with Reigen’s shirt fluttering just barely over the swell of her rear.

“I don't have a microwave so I have to make mine on the stove. I think you’ll enjoy watching,” he said as he got up and walked behind her, blushing at the sight of the sliver of her soft cheek that stuck out where the shirt fluttered and her underwear did not cover. Hold yourself together Reigen. She is your guest and employee. That's no way to look at a lady! He brushed past her once in the kitchen and grabbed a metallic container off the counter where he had left it earlier. He turned on the burner and placed it over. “It's kinda boring at first, but eventually, the heat will cause the kernels to expand and pop, forcing this foil here on top to rise! I always thought it made it look like some UFO.” He slowly began to shake the container over the heat as he spoke to Angel.

Angel follows behind, placing two hands on the nearby counter before hopping up and taking a seat there. “Really?” She laughs aloud, legs kicking and heels banging lightly on the cupboards below. “UFO popcorn. I’m excited.” Pale eyes flick from the container on the stove, to Reigen, and back again.

Reigen began to ask her questions about the movie as the two of them waited. Impressions on the main characters, if she liked their relationship or not, what she thought about the plot line. Finally, a kernel popped.

“Ah!” Reigen looked at the foil with excitement as it slowly began to rise, a chorus of pops building to a crescendo and echoing throughout the tiled kitchen. He smiled as he watched, like this brought him back to some fond memory.

Angel let out a playful little yelp, laughing as she covered her ears. “So loud!” She shouted overdramatically, legs kicking a bit faster. Her eyes flicked to him again, and then back to the swelling foil. “It does look like a UFO.” 

When it was finished popping, Angel leaned over it, breathing in heavily the smell of salt and butter. “How’re we gonna get the popcorn out? It’s like a big balloon.”

Reigen smiled, turning the stove off while setting the popcorn aside. “Easy, just like a balloon, we pop it,” he said with a wink as he grabbed a fork and a big bowl. “Would you like to do the honors?” He asked as he held the tinfoil over the bowl. “Just poke the top.”

Smiling, Angel takes the fork from Reigen’s fingers and leans over a little to give a short, quick jab to the top of the tin foil. Buttery steam rolls out and Angel licks her lips, mouth watering. “Smells good,” she comments, sliding off the counter to stand beside him. 

Reigen carefully peels the thin metal back, pulling back his fingers to shake and blow on occasionally as they burn in the steam. He finally gets it open enough to pour out into the large bowl. He couldn’t wait to see her face when she put one in her mouth.

“Looks cute, like little clouds.” Angel reaches into the bowl, plucking one buttered piece from the pile and popping it into her mouth. “Mmm!” Pale blue eyes sparkle with enjoyment. “Salty! That’s good stuff, Reigen.” Angel takes a greedy handful and, smiling playfully, hurries off to the couch once more.

Reigen smiles, color flushing his face at the mention of his name. He followed soon after and carefully sat down with the bowl, placing it between the two of them as he picked up the remote and pressed play.

As the scenes returned and the light of the television bathed them once more, Angel mumbled between crunching bites. “They’re cute, huh?” She looks at Reigen, wrinkling her nose. “Real cheesy. It’s perfect.”

He leaned back against the cheap cushioned sofa. “I guess you could say so,” he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Personally, I’m not a fan of the main character. But I guess he grows to be okay in the end. It's probably the point of the movie anyways.” He shrugged and crossed his ankles. “I guess what I am saying is that I think I could be a lot better than him.” Reigen sniffed pridefully as he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them back onto the screen.

“Oh, really?” A playful, challenging voice asks from beside him. The popcorn bowl shifts as Angel grabs another fistful. “Mm’what makes you say that?” she speaks around a big bite.

“Well I mean come on? The main guy summons this beautiful woman of his dreams, then tries to just immediately come on to her. I just think that if I were in that position, I would realize that she is a person and that I can’t just force my love on her.” So Reigen was a man of flirtation and romance. “But I mean hey, maybe I wouldn’t be the right fit, who knows.” He sat back up and sighed passing the bowl to Angel signaling that she could have the rest.

“I think,” Angel begins as she re-adjusts, laying leg over long leg onto Reigen’s lap as she uses the armrest on her side like a backrest. “That you pulled that line from a woman's love magazine.” Her expression is smug as she pops some more popcorn into her mouth. Then, Angel squints. “But who knows? Maybe you really are… just that good of a guy.” Her heel nudges his mid-thigh playfully. 

Reigen turns red as he watches her feet carefully. “L-listen I-I think that's just the movie getting to your head,” he said as he tried to shyly squirm as far into the opposite side of the couch as he could. “Just…watch the rest of the movie,” he said pointing to the television with a small glare.

Angel does. With a little shrug and a faint purse of her lips, her legs slide off of his and resume their crisscross.

The rest of the movie is watched in stark silence.

Previous | Next (coming soon)

[maxipad032]

Can you do a Shuri x reader, where they go on a date in Dubai?

I love the pic of Letitia in Dubai

lmaoo, the picture makes me laugh omg but SUREE😍

date in dubai

synopsis: short fic where shuri takes reader on a date to dubai to celebrate their hard work, and blooming relationship.

warnings: nothing really, fluff, suggestive language x

ty for your request dear😌

(ignore any typos x)

“are you sure you’re okay?” shuri asked worriedly, as she watched you grip onto the helicopter arm rests so tightly, you’re once melanated knuckles were getting increasingly pale. you flashed a crooked smile and nodded rapidly as your eyes were closed shut, “yes! yes shuri i’m fine just- sh.” you were breathing heavily and trying to count sheep in your heads in order to slow down your racing heart rate. shuri then laughed at you which caused you to give her a hefty side eye, which just made her laugh even harder.

“please, this isn’t funny.” you begged, your stomach doing front and back flips as the helicopter began to steadily rise into the air. obviously, you disliked heights and anything that requested you to be more than 3ft in the air. you had been on quite a few planes, as your work required travel, but every time, it got somehow worse and you couldn’t like it, no matter how hard you tried.

“it’s okay, we’re basically in the air now.” shuri yelled reassuringly with an unbothered attitude as she looked down through the helicopter window, watching the wakandan palace grow smaller and smaller. you were still reluctant to look at anything but forwards, or nothing at all. shuri saw that you were still instilled with fear and began to gently rub circles on your hands to comfort you. it lowkey worked and you felt your body relax at her subtle touch and you finally grew up the courage to open your eyes and actually take in the interior of the highly technological helicopter. you turned to shuri and saw her flash you a toothy smile as she controlled the intercom, and you couldn’t help but giggle at how goofy she looked with those green headphones. the propellers circling behind the helicopter, were deafening but you both were the headphones to protect your ears during the journey.

you were both on your way to dubai after shuri had planned a special trip for you both as a break from all the work you both had been doing. you had been anticipating it for the weeks leading up to it but god she never told you that you’d both fly in a helicopter! i mean, you were pretty familiar with her shenanigans but this was absolutely too much. you were pretty much tense the whole time and shuri just cracked jokes and showed you funny videos to take your mind off the fact you were thousands of feet in the air. normally, it would’ve been quite long to get to dubai, but for wakanda? it didn’t have to be. the airborne vehicle had the ability to travel at super speeds without using much energy and of course it was one of shuri’s fancy tech advancements that you had yet to wrap your head around.

“hold on steady baby.” shuri warned and you shut your eyes again, holding onto the handles above you in order to brace yourself. once you were ready, shuri took one last swipe at the GPS to confirm the destination and then, pulled the large switch handle down. in an instant, the helicopter jetted forward and flips in your stomach arrived again. your eyes squeezed and you bit your lip, holding the urge to scream at the top of your lungs. shuri also held on for dear life to avoid her flying out, but eventually managed to switch the handle up, so you were flying at a normal speed again. it’s this time, you were out of waistbands borders and well on your way to the arab city of dubai; a 6-hour journey would now take only 2/3 thanks to shuri’s large brain.

~~~

it was about 2pm when you arrived, and your legs felt like pure jelly as you stepped out of the special helicopter. shuri held your hand to avoid you falling and getting injured already. you landed at the atlantis, the royal hotel that was already waiting for your arrival as shuri had notified them of your staying, since she was the queen of wakanda and all. your luggage was taken out by the guards that worked there, and you were soon guided to your private room that you’d be staying in throughout your time there.

the sheer vastness of the hotel made your mouth hang open as you walked past it, staring at every shimmer in the glass and the perfect array of windows. the shape itself was a bit odd, but the design was unique and you liked it. shuri, as well as the guards carrying your stuff, followed behind you as she also stared in awe, as if held in a trance at the beauty of the place they were going to reside in. soon, the hotel assistant gave you both separate keys to the same room and gestured you to open. eagerly, you jumped towards the door and unlocked it with the key, gently opening it. it was dark at driest, but once notified of your arrival, it lit up and displayed the absolutely exquisite contents. as you walked inside, if felt like you were walking on diamonds; the place just screamed money. as the guards left your stuff in the room, you ran towards the windows and gawker at the picturesque view. the beach was so clean, the water bluer than sapphire and the markets built in neat rows. the work put into the architecture of the place was so amazing, you just had devote your time to admire it.

shuri walked up slowly behind you and snaked her slender arms around your waist, resting her chin on top of your shoulder, “shuri, it’s so beautiful,” you whispered, “it’s actually unreal.” shuri chuckled and kissed the side of your neck before letting you go, “it really is.” she walked towards the double king sized bed and tested the hardness before completely throwing herself into it and nearly moaning due to how good it felt to just relax on it.

finally snapped out of your hypnosis, you turned to her and shook your head in an reprimanding manner at her childish behaviour, “that probably cost like 5 million you know.” you grabbed your suitcase and started to unpack as she just snuggled further into the cloudy-like bedsheets with not a single care in the world. you smiled wholeheartedly and ended up joining her in which you both were rolling around all over the bed, relishing in his insanely comfortable it was.

you two chilled there for the rest of the day before actually going out the next day.

~~~

you were both roaming around the dubai market place in search of a place to eat. if had been quite a funny day so far, from you attempting to communicate in arabic with a lady trying to swell you fake roses, to a random guy tying a shemagh red head scarf around shuri. she stuck out like a sore thumb with her bright green hoodie and orange basketball shorts. it was such an odd clothing choice especially since it was boiling outside but you simply didn’t question it and crossed your arms as you walked up and down the same streets. shuri could sense that you weee getting hungry and you eventually settled for a little restaurant, shaped like a hut for that authentic and traditional feel. excitedly, you asked a woman at the counter for a table (thank god she spoke english) and she provided a vacant one, in which you both sat down, opposite each other with a menu settled on it. you impatiently took it and began to scan. you’d never seen most of the dishes here in your life, but you loved to try new things and so picked the first thing that caught your attention, chelow kebab. shuri had the same thing but with some green soup on the side.

you dug in, absolutely ravenous and diminished your food into basically nothing. shuri was a slower eater but she eventually was also finished and in which she gladly paid for the meal since you hadn’t converted your wakandan dollar to dirhams yet. for the memories, you got up and sat down next to shuri, taking out the digital camera you took everywhere, especially on holidays like this one. you posed with shuri and took as much as possible, as well as the interior of the restaurants hut that had sick drawings and paintings from various designers. thanking the woman for the lovely food, you both walked out back into the blazing sun, “fucking hell, i don’t know how you’re surviving in that.”

shuri stared at you blankly as you aggressively fanned yourself, the white tank top you wore becoming too hot for your liking. “i like it.” shuri took your hand, and walked in random directions, like she had any idea of where she was going.

“we have one more thing to do today!” she said excitedly. her moods were contagious and as soon as she said that, your skin began to prick from the anticipation and you immediately urged her to take your there.

~~~

you both had boarded a bus to the desert, where shuri had a special lesson planned for you both. you left the bus and took off your sandles as you’d much rather feel the sand sink and massage your feet. shuri did the same and walked towards the shelter where the camels were docked, “ey! RJ!” she called out before a tallish man looked in your direction before waving madly and smiling. you wonder how they knew each other but you didn’t question as you walked, holding your silky floral skirt as it blew in the wind. once you were there, you saw shuri and the man catching up with a handshake and talking amongst themselves.

“ha, this is my soon to be wife, y/n.” she said as she introduced you and the man laughed, taking your hand in his and shaking it, “it’s nice to meet you, i’m RJ, a childhood friend of shuri.” he confirmed, in a way to say that he isn’t a threat. you couldn’t help but flush as shuri’s choice of words but you nodded and turned back to shuri.

“so, as you can see,” rj started he pointed towards the camel stable, “this will be your means of transport for this 1 hour session.”

you didn’t even notice them back there and you gasped because it was your first time seeing a camel in real life. was that sad? maybe but who cares you finally got yo see one let alone ride one. a petite asian woman came out of the stable with a quite large camel with uneven brown circles, holding it by the reins and calmly walking towards us.

“ah! shuri is that you! we’ve been waiting for another visit.” she perked up, stroking the short hairs of the camel.

“well amina, i’m back again aren’t i.” she said in a sarcastic tone, laughing as the girl gave her the reins to the animal.

she’s been here before?

“and you must be y/n, she talks about you all the time, im glad you finally came!” amina said, holding her hand out so you could shake it as rj brought the second, much smaller camel to you.

“thank you, nice to meet you amina!” you said, shaking her hand but the camel immediately grasped your attention as it looked at you, long eyelashes battering as it chewed on some kind of fruit.

“she’s called aya,” rj said, pointing to your camel, “and she’s nadira.” he said, pointing to shuri’s camel that was lying down in the hot sand as shuri patted her fine and creamy coloured fur.

“they have such beautiful names.” you said, stroking aya softly as you felt along the reins.

“yep, we make sure to give them as much as an identity as possible.” amina said, downing a bottle of water. you nodded in agreement and grew impatient, “so can we ride it yet?” you asked. RJ nodded, “yup, we just have to guide you.” as if she’d done this before, shuri has already managed to use the hoist and climb up on the red cloth over nadira’s back. rj went to help her and held onto her rein to slowly guide her forward until she was ready to walk. wanting to do the same, you attempted to put your foot in the hoist but you missed and fell back down. amina saw your struggles and decided to help, supporting your back so you could be lifted up fully, “thank you.” you said and she nodded as she took aya’s long leather rein and began to follow behind shuri and rj. it was kind of weird, the feeling of riding a camel as it was way different than a horse and you could practically feel every step as it walked slowly across the sand

the sun was starting to set at this point and beautiful gradient of yellow and pale blue settled over the sky as the two of you rode further. it was so relaxing, you don’t know why you hadn’t done this sooner. the camels were very nice and weren’t vexed at the two of you riding them since they were probably used to it. after that, you left your camel and went to shuri, climbing behind her onto nadira as the both of you rode her. you hugged shuri from the back and felt as she hummed, wanting to do nothing more than just kiss you right at that moment. however, she suppressed the urge and you guys finished the session, thoroughly enjoying every step it took, literally and thanking rj and amina for their assistance. soon after, you two were picked up and driven back to the hotel.

~~~

you stepped out of the shower and felt the coldness hit your skin. hurriedly, you wrapped yourself up with a soft towel provided in neat rows, and walked out into your shared bedroom where shuri was doing random push ups in the middle of the floor,

“4….3…..2……..1.” she got up and rubbed her sore arms before immediately jumping back as she saw you. you chuckled at her face and began to moisturize yourself,

“lord, you scared me.” she said, sitting on the bed and watching you get ready.

“wow, i didn’t know you got scared, ” you said, tweezing your eyebrows as you stood close into the illuminated mirror situated in the corner of the room, “also, have you come here before?” you asked shuri, dowsing your face in skin serum.

“ah, yeah for business, i’ve signed some papers but also with some old friends, rj was part of them but when i came last time, he told me about the camel riding business and doing it with his girlfriend amina so that was pretty cool to see it up and running, hence why i decided to go support them.

“ahhh…” you nodded your head as it all made sense now. soon, you were finished dressing and you laid down, looking up at the golden chandelier.

“you smell so good.” shuri complimented, sniffing your neck and eventually giving it a peck. you shifted and bit your lip. she noticed that and gently stroked the inside of your thigh with her rough palm and in which you stared up at her. you were about to aggressively kiss her but instead, you composed yourself and simply turned over, pulling the silky duvet up against you.

shuri fake pouted and stroked the sides of your exposed waist from your top rising up, “mm, why did you avoid that.”

“because it would lead to something else that i don’t have energy to partake in right now, maybe tomorrow?”you said as nicely and inexplicitly as you could.

shuri shook her head jokingly at your choice of words but ultimately left you alone, “whatever you want princess.” she said as she spooned you, the both of you soon falling fast asleep in each others embrace.

your stay dubai wasn’t yet over though, and shuri had planned many other things in plan for your date.

[cybiirz]

ೃ⁀➷ LATE NIGHT REALISATIONS

Gepard x Gn!Reader

Sypnosis : You had managed to successfully escape the scene and left the Captain to fend for himself. The aftermath of said scene could not be one which you had expected however. Turns out, taking a late night walk with an old friend can lead to realisations, ones of different kinds…

WC : 3.1k

Warnings : None! Fluffy, could turn angsty…Tiny mention of Sampo, idiots in love..? The reader plays as two different people for the plot, you will see what I mean but please keep in mind that the thief and reader are the same just in case you forget! Might make a part 3 before I go back to school <3

Read part 1 || part 2 || part 2.5 || part 3

Ever since the entire café debuckle, the people of the Underworld had been given the food and water that they needed. The food was mainly given towards the sick as many had been living in anguish due to the lack of nutrients that they were receiving. Whereas the drinks were equally spread out among the people, allowing as many people to get their fill.

It pained you in all honesty, to see these people living a life that they had no choice to live in. If they were born here, they would stay here. Well, apart from the exception of Bronya, but, not many people knew of her story in the first place.

Nevertheless, you sat with the children of Boulder Town as you supervised the little rascals who ran around together. Not really doing anything, simply just messing around in general. It was entertaining to say the least. You were perched up on a crate as you giggled at their antics before hearing a ping from your phone this time.

After picking up the device, a message from Sampo was clear as day on the screen. You clicked onto the scammer’s message before reading said message. Now, it turns out, that strange lady who had guided you down the furnace the first time was not-so-surprisingly a man. A man named Sampo, who had unbelievable amounts of charisma. Whilst you were aware of his… dealings, if you will, you had grown fairly close with the man. But that didn’t mean you could avoid his teasing remarks.

“Yo (name), I was just up on the streets when I saw more wanted posters of you. Looks like that Captain is on your back, be careful (╥︣﹏᷅╥᷅)” You let out a scoff after reading his message. Of course Gepard would be more cautious of you ever since that whole situation.

You ran a hand through your hair and let out a sigh before sitting back slightly. Well, looks like stealing from the Underworld would prove to be more of a challenge from now on. Thankfully, going up as little ol’ (name) was still an option. No one would ever suspect you.

Meanwhile, up on the surface…

It was late at night now, the bright specks of light scattered the sky as the moon shone down onto the ghost-like streets. Gepard was finally given some time to take rest as a few of his guards had sworn to protect the land. Not to mention that the rate of Fragmentum monsters was not as large back in that area. Soon enough however, he would have to get back to protecting the city.

The said man was sitting in his bathtub, the warm water reaching just below his collarbone as his arms rested on the edges of the tub. His eyes were closed as his breathing was steady. His mind was constantly clouded with the thoughts of strategies on how to push the front line forward and different formations on how to take on the monsters.

But that was not the only thing. You had become a much larger target to him, which only caused you to be on his radar at all times. Gepard’s mind finally thought about what happened at the last meeting with you. After being dragged away by a few of the guards, he had woken up and immediately snagged his weapon which was laid beside him, next to his bed.

Even with the constant nagging of him being told to not leave until they were sure that no side effects had taken place, the Captain still refused and was practically on the hunt for you. His long strides took him back to the place of the crime which had guards surveilling the area and a few more checking for clues. At the sight of the Captain, they each straightened up and addressed him.

After giving a nod back, he began to look around himself. His eyes were peeled for anything that seemed out of place, and lo and behold, a glittering object was dropped onto the floor. Immediately, his gloved hand reached out and picked up the object before inspecting it. It seemed to be a badge of some sort, except the carving on said badge had worn out overtime it seems. Definitely was not taken care of, he thought.

The only thing that seemed to concern the man was that this badge looked strangely familiar. After looking around and seeing that the guards were more focused on cleaning up the place, Gepard pocketed the badge and planned to show it to his sister to see if she recognised it. He highly doubted that the Silvermane guards could create any connections with it.

That badge was now laying on the countertop beside him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and grabbed the object before observing it again. It was all so disturbing how he recognised the piece of metal but also didn’t. His brows furrowed as he kept searching in his mind what on earth could be the link between him and this.

Eventually, a groan of frustration could be heard as he placed it back down. Gepard had caught a glimpse of his fingertips as they began to prune up just a bit, as he realised he had to probably leave the bath now.

The droplets of water cascaded down his fairly well built body as he wrapped a towel tightly around his waist. Grabbing a separate towel, he began to dry his hair in the mirror, watching as his blonde strands became all messy. He let the smaller towel wrap around his neck as he grabbed the edge of the sink before letting out a deep groan. This whole thing was becoming more frustrating by the second.

However, he chose to try and take his mind off of it as he treaded out of the bathroom, still drying his hair with one side of the towel, the other still laying on his shoulder. Gepard’s balcony windows were open as the somewhat harsh midnight breeze blew his curtains in towards the room. The moon light poured through the gap as it fell silent, the curtains now swaying gently as if dancing.

The silence was suddenly broken as a crash could be heard from outside. Gepard instantly dashed to look off the balcony ledge, only to see a shadowed figure who had knocked over a bin and was frantically trying to clean up the mess now made.

His captain-like mindset caused him to get dressed swiftly, his hair still slightly wet as he threw his clothes on. Maybe, just maybe, this was the thief that he had longed to capture. Even if it was not, he would still be helping an innocent citizen, right?

Meanwhile, with you…

After saying farewell to the children and hugging their parents goodbye, you left Boulder Town through the furnace core. Your body had managed to adapt to the seemingly endless flight of stairs, yet you were still lacking air when you reached the top.

Still feeling slightly woozy from your loss of oxygen, you stumbled around slightly and held yourself up against the wall. Thank goodness it was night time, otherwise people may have taken you for an extreme drunkard. You began walking, still keeping yourself upright with the wall.

Just as you felt well enough to walk normally after catching your breath, you pushed yourself off of the stone material. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, you had managed to bump into one of the metal bins which were scattered in the streets.

The material instantly collided with the pavement and made probably the loudest noise ever! (It was not that loud, only seemed that way due to the quiet streets.)

“Shit, shit, shit!” Panicking slightly, you kneeled down and began cleaning up the mess, much to your disgust. There wasn’t much in that trash can, only a poster of a terribly drawn black haired man, a few soda cans and some leftover food.

You cringed at the smell but cleaned it all up eventually. After getting the bin to stand upright again, you exhaled and turned around, only to spot a certain figure coming towards you. You squinted your eyes to try and focus on the figure as it progressively came closer to you. The figure took impressively long strides as it appeared in front of you in what seemed like less than a second.

Before you knew it, you were staring at the face of Gepard himself. You widened your eyes in shock and became slightly scared before you realised that you were (name), not the thief of Belobog right now. So you simply lifted your hand and scratched the back of your neck as you stared up at him.

“Evening Gepard. How are you?” You asked him with a nervous expression. But of course, you wouldn’t escape his observant gaze as you watched him raise his eyebrow.

“(Name)? What are you doing out here so late? Are your parents not worried about you?” He questions with concern. The two of you knew each other when you were still kids. In fact, you two were actually great friends. But as Gepard grew older, more training had cursed him which caused you to slowly grow apart from each other. You still talked from time to time, but even that was put on hold as you became the thief which he was unaware of. You did feel guilty having to put him through such things, but it was for a good cause. You just never believed there was any way to convince him of that.

“My parents are fine, and uhm, I’m out here cause…?” Your eyes darted around quickly to look for an excuse before you looked up slightly and spotted the full moon. “Ah yes! I was out here to watch the moon. Not every night you get to see the full moon in all its glory you know?” You applauded yourself internally at your save.

Gepard looked up and noticed the moon as well before letting a noise of agreement. “Well, I suppose that is true. But you should not be out at this time, it’s midnight and you should be getting home,” He replied after looking back at you. Somehow he was all dressed in his uniform, you guessed that either he was on patrol already or was just incredibly fast at getting changed.

“I guess…Well, I’ll get going now!” Your response was quick as you wanted to leave right away. Even though he knew not of your “other self”, you still felt awkward to be in his presence. Quickly, you began to walk off as you held your head straight before hearing his footsteps slowly catch up to you. You turned your head immediately, only to catch him walking just a bit behind you. “You need something?” You asked.

“I was just thinking that I should escort you home. It’s late and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to an old friend,” Gepard replied sheepishly with a faint but noticeable tone of pink on his cheeks. You paused momentarily before thinking. The two of you haven’t had a proper conversation in a while, what’s the harm anyway?

“Sure I guess, as long as you’re not busy,” You said to him before turning and slowly walking again. He gave no reply and instead walked beside you, his boots making loud footsteps in contrast to your light shoes. The silence that fell among you two was comfortable in a way. It felt quite nice to simply be as the two of you were before, old friends who did almost everything together. The silence was broken when Gepard spoke up.

“So, how has life been treating you recently?” He questioned in a hushed tone as his gaze stayed straight. Your breath hitched just barely at his ask, obviously you couldn’t tell him about the robberies. Hell, he’d probably execute you on the spot. So instead you made up a lie.

“Ah, nothing much. Just been relaxing at home most of the time. I guess that’s why I wanted to come out tonight, missed the cold air. What about you?” Your reply was smooth, thank goodness. He thought for a second before speaking.

“It’s been…Alright, I suppose,” He said bluntly. You could tell something was bothering him, and it was most likely the thief thing. But you wanted to hear him say it for himself, so you pushed just a little bit.

“Oh? Only alright? Usually you would say it’s been at least great with the front line. Is there anything else on your mind?” You tried not to make yourself sound too persistent. But it seemed that whatever was on his mind was bothering him too much to even notice.

“Well…just do not tell anyone ok?” He asked, looking at you briefly. You answered with a nod, suddenly becoming a bit concerned. He sighed deeply before speaking.

“Recently, there’s been this thief that keeps popping up more often. You might’ve heard of them since they’ve gotten more common nowadays. But honestly, it’s been stressing me to no end, no matter how hard I try, they always manage to escape. They leave pretty much no pieces of evidence and, as much as I dislike my emotions to get the better of me, it infuriates me sometimes,” He was complaining now, that’s for sure. You smiled internally at your success, but of course you still felt somewhat bad. I mean, you were doing this to a friend, albeit an old friend but still. But before you could even give a reply, he began speaking again.

“But that’s not it,” He brought his hand up to cover his mouth slightly. You looked at him confused before spotting his cheeks become slightly more red, and it was only growing the more he spoke about the thief. “They’re always giving me a challenge, that’s one thing I appreciate. But for crying out loud, whenever I’m near them, I cannot help but feel as if I’m falling deeper into them. Their teasing, when they mock me, when they beat me. It only makes me more intrigued and it’s just…I cannot even describe it,” He seemed to be almost whining but also…complimenting you? This was not something you had ever seen in him that’s for sure.

But you didn’t reply for a while this time. You kept your head held low as you felt a bit of blood rushing to your cheeks. What on earth was he thinking by saying something like that? I mean, it was certainly something to hear him talk about you in such a way, but it was like a different person. You wore different clothes when you acted as a thief, you wore a mask and you mostly wore a hood to hide your hair colour. As you opened your mouth to speak, Gepard managed to get the first word in.

“My apologies if that was too much information. I just needed to get it off my chest, I hope you’re not uncomfortable,” He spoke with a bashful face as he turned to look at you with nervousness in his eyes. You reciprocated the action as you faced him as well.

“No no, it’s fine, I don’t mind. Besides, we used to share everything together, right?” You replied as you put your hands up beside you to show him it was truly alright.

“Thank you, (name). Although I cannot stress how much I would like for you to keep this between us?” He questioned.

“Of course, I don’t plan on telling anyone, do not worry,” You answered with a smile. Silence encased the two of you again as you slowly continued making your way back home.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, you approached the steps towards your door. You made your way up the small yet wide steps before turning back and bowing your head to thank Gepard. He told you it was no problem as the two of you stood in silence for a moment. You looked away briefly before turning and opening the door. As you turned the knob, your eyes switched back to the man behind you before saying one last thing.

“It seems you don’t hate that thief as much as you think Gepard. You talked about them like you actually enjoyed their company,” You said with a gentle laugh before smiling slightly. His eyes were wide with surprise as you left him there to wonder what your words meant.

After entering a not shockingly empty house, you made your way up to your room and immediately got changed before flopping onto your bed. You laid on your back with your forearm across your forehead and your other arm on your abdomen. You stared up at the ceiling as you thought about what Gepard had said. Was he really truthful with his words? Did he actually feel those things for you? Was what you said afterwards completely stupid?

You didn’t know anymore. All you knew was that you had to sleep to take your mind off of this. It was all too much, and it was honestly making you overthink everything. So you let your eyes flutter shut as you drifted off into a deep slumber.

Meanwhile with Gepard…

He stood at your steps for a few seconds as he took in your words. Were you right? No, there was no way he enjoyed that criminal’s company. They violated the code and conduct that this city was meant to preserve. And they always mocked him. He would never enjoy such a thing, no way. He kept trying to convince himself.

Gepard looked around a bit and observed the two statues that lay parallel to each other, just next to your door steps. He found himself zoning out for a second before he felt his face contort into one of bewilderment. Upon closer inspection, he noticed some sort of crest carved into the centre of the statues, most likely symbolising your family name.

The captain inched closer and stared at the carving for a while. Why did he feel like he had seen that before? But where. He then remembered that it most certainly was your family crest, since when the two of you would play together, he would spot this exact symbol on your parents uniform.

So why on earth did he feel as if he had seen it again. But not during your childhood. After snapping back to reality, he quickly realised how odd he looked staring at a statue, even if there was no one around to see him. He turned away embarrassed before striding back to his living quarters. He looked back at your house and watched the final light turn off, leaving the place in complete darkness.

All he knew was that there was something about your family that was bothering him. And he would get to the bottom of it, even if it killed him…

A/N : Second fanfic done and dusted. Although it may not be a lot I cannot thank the people who have currently liked, reblogged and commented on my first fic enough. I was honestly so surprised when I actually received notifications of people reading my work and enjoying it. If enough requests are made, I will happily make a part 3 as I have loadsss of ideas for this kind of series. Of course, if you would like a different character story, feel free to leave a request and I will get it done as soon as possible!

[jamesunderwater]

a jily microfic - may 2nd: mourning

A/N: okay this is evidently turning into a greater fic, so I've named it and given it a banner, but the plan is to challenge myself to continue it each day with the jily microfic prompts. also...i am so sorry, in advance. @athenasparrow here is your continuation </3 thank you for reading!

a continuation of this fic! word count: 1607 - @jilymicrofics content warnings: underage drinking, underage sexual content, minor manipulation, implied parent death, implied parental abuse

leave out all the rest - linkin park Forgetting All the hurt inside you've learned to hide so well Pretending Someone else can come and save me from myself I can't be who you are I can't be who you are

Lily remembered the sag of his shoulders as he walked away, so caught in the image of it that she failed to blink until her eyes stung and watered. In all the years she’d known him, she had never heard James Potter’s voice sound in one moment so raw, so feral, and in the next so empty. Dead, as though he’d just finished burying her body and was looking down at the padded earth unfeeling. 

She could handle his ferality. In fact, she’d hidden a smirk at first, her body finally coming back to life as he screamed at her - yes, I’ve made you feel something, now make me feel something. Tear me in two. But it was the emptiness that had her mind suspended in midair hours after he’d stormed off. “Good riddance,” he’d said. Good riddance good riddance good riddance good riddance. Yes, she was a phantom that needed banishing. He’d done a good thing.

The whole thing had not started off as an attempt to use him. Really, it had started with very little thinking on her part. She had returned from break determined not to shed another tear for a man who had done nothing but hurt her. Good riddance. Instead, she discovered it did not take much firewhiskey to turn her brain to static, that she could schedule patrols to always avoid Remus, that long, empty corridors filled with sleeping portraits were an excellent place for a prefect to drink unbothered late into the night. 

And one night he showed up, seemingly out of thin air, voice loud and boisterous and always with her name at the tip of his tongue. “Evans! Now what is our diligent prefect doing on the stone floor at 2am?” 

A multitude of universes hung in the air before her, and Lily will never really know why she chose the one in which she teased him into joining her, offered him her flask, and held her breath while his radiance poured warmth over her numbed body. 

It was 4am and they’d spent the last 30 minutes impersonating Binns lecturing on the lewd sexual history of the Hogwarts founders when she noticed him staring, mouth open in a silent laugh, and what she should do next suddenly seemed clear. 

“Where is this side of Perfect Prefect Lily Evans in the daylight hours?” He asked, genuine despite how he tried to tease. 

She shrugged, smirking, “Maybe not everyone deserves to see this side.”

His eyebrows rose. “And I, the lowly James Potter, am deserving?”

“Evidently so.”

His eyes dropped to her lips for the briefest moment, and the anticipation she felt was the first thing in weeks to cut through the endless ache. She let him watch her eyes dart to his mouth, too, and saw the way his chest tightened as he held his breath. It was sweet, that he thought he could ruin the moment. That he thought he had any control at all.

She leaned forward, catching his eye, and there was hunger there. She felt it too, some creature that had been living inside her for who knew how long, more eager than she’d expected. She didn’t know, then, whose hand reached up first, who closed the final inch between them, only that a moment later his hand was in her hair and the heat of his lips on hers was better than any static the firewhiskey offered. She breathed his name between kisses and he groaned, losing whatever control he might have had before. He was pulling her on top of him and she was scrambling to feel his body and they were swimming, they were underwater, they had to be, how else could she feel nothing but his hands on her?

He’d stopped things, that first night. The gentleman she’d never expected, and didn’t want. But every night after they pushed things further, and soon she didn’t need the firewhiskey. The waiting to be with him each night was intoxicating enough, their looks across classrooms flooding her with desire, a dam against the rising current.  

It had been six weeks of this, of meeting in quiet corridors and abandoned classrooms, of her pushing him against the wall before he could say a word, of him nervously slipping a hand up her skirt, of her leaving hickies just beneath his collar line, of him making her laugh even in the middle of the heat of it all, of her pulling back from a kiss just to see the way he grins when he opens his eyes and it’s her standing there. 

But March 14th was her father’s birthday, and no amount of lust kept the thoughts at bay. He would have been 51, he would have been 51; good riddance good riddance good riddance good riddance. 

When James found her that night, she was a few shots into her flask of firewhiskey and eagerly offered him some. “Are you alright?” he asked, and the concern in his voice made her want to slap him. He didn’t know. He didn’t need to know. No one did. 

“Yes, and I’ll be much better when we’ve got some of those clothes off…” He rolled his eyes with a smirk, but she thought she noted a hint of falsity in it. “Drink up!” she declared, motioning to her flask in his hand.

He did, and she was grateful. They seemed to share the same buzz - the feeling that nothing could quite touch them, that time slowed and bowed to their every whim. They stood on abandoned desks and tables and declared the classroom their kingdom, giggled into each other’s arms at the childishness of it all. When things did start, it was somehow sweeter than usual. James touched her earlobe tenderly and she softened into his touch, sighing into their kiss. When he unbuttoned her blouse it wasn’t with the same impatience, and she felt each and every time his fingers brushed over her breasts. This was good - different, enough to distract her wandering thoughts. But she needed more.

They were pressed bare-chested together, he without any trousers, when she said it. “You–you do?” He stuttered, and she felt the hammering of his heart reverberate through her. 

She stood on her toes to capture him in another kiss and said, “yes, please, James,” against his open mouth and when he moaned, she knew he’d acquiesce. 

There was a wide-set bench at the back of the classroom they’d used before. It wasn’t without its awkward moments, but just before, when James had leaned up and looked down at her with the most earnest, caring eyes and asked if she was sure, she’d said, “Yes. I just want you,” and part of her had meant it. Most of her, though, just wanted to feel something different. 

After, she was lying on his chest, and he was tracing images on her back, when she felt it. He traced a flower. And she remembered. And the sob escaped her before she could stop it. 

“Lily?” James’s voice was almost frantic with worry as she scrambled off of him, holding a hand to her mouth. The tears fell, fell, fell, and she couldn’t stop them despite the embarrassment staining every inch of her. “Lily, what’s wrong?” He was reaching for her, but she was stumbling backwards, shaking her head. 

“No,” was all she croaked out, and then it was her flying around the room trying to find her discarded clothing, and him chasing after her, and her shaking him off, and him with those eyes, devastated.

“Lily, I’m so sorry, I didn’t-”

“James, no, I’m - I’m sorry.” She didn’t meet his eye. Her shirt was buttoned haphazardly, her skirt crooked, socks gone. “I thought - but I can’t. I’m sorry.” And she left him standing there, naked, confused, and - he hadn’t been wrong - used. 

They didn’t speak for five days. 

James gave it every effort to meet her eye, to catch her between classes, even came to sit beside her during dinner in the Great Hall, but by the third day he’d evidently decided to respect her space. She still saw his eyes, though. Devastated, no matter where they were looking. 

Then, one morning, he walked up to her so quickly that she didn’t have the chance to flee. “You’re in mourning.” No greeting, no preamble. He looked down at her on the stone bench and spoke as if he’d solved something. Not proud, but with some feeling like now he understood. 

She stared at him for a very long time. How had he found out? And who was he, to think he knew anything at all? The affection she’d felt toward him slithered down her skin and pooled at her feet. He thought that because he’d had her body, he deserved her tears. That he could dry them. 

“Fuck you, James Potter. You don’t know me.”

He faltered for a second, then seemed to recover. “Don’t I? Why didn’t you just tell me? Lily, I want to be there for you-”

She stood so suddenly that they were toe to toe, knees nearly knocking together. “Did I ask you to? No. I asked you to fuck me, and you did, and that’s that. Leave me alone.”

“Lily!” He’d called after her, and she could still hear it in his voice: care, hope. She threw up in the nearest bathroom before heading to Charms.