#and the woman who for all eternity he could never beat | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nemesyaaa · 22 days ago

Text

Seven days // Zach mclaren x female!reader

Summary ; After an injury from soccer, Zach is forced by his doctor to rest his feets at home which leads him to order food. It was just supposed to be one night, but it was before seeing how pretty you are. And this is how you end up meeting him almost every night on your shift because he couldn't stop himself from ordering just to see you on his door . The food is great but he's now looking for another taste...

Warnings : None. it's purely romcom coded with all the fluff plotline and the cheesy lines filled because i needed this <3 (the delivery trope is so much underrated.)

Author's note : This is dedicated to @nadvs because we belong in the same zach fanclub. but also it's for all the zach's girlies. ✨‼️

There was no one who loved winter more than you. you were always the first to look forward to this season of the year. From the month of November, you waited at your bedroom window for the first snowflakes, the first white trees, the first mist on the window, the first icy breath on the snowfall. You couldn't wait for the city to be immersed in the Christmas spirit with all the decorations in the streets, the lightened places, the warm outfits to alleviate the chattered teeth and the frozen hands stuck on the pocket. The sunny sky above the roofs of the houses completely covered in snow, the sidewalks buried under the ice, and the snow was so pretty to contemplate in the parks, northern lights and the winter landscapes.

You were definitely a winter girl. that night like all the others where you were not with your nose buried in your books or on the screen of your phone scrolling all your tiktok fyp, you were working as a delivery girl in a chinese restaurant a few meters away from your home. The old couple who ran the house had agreed to take you in, even without any professional experience, and you had always been grateful to them. They were friendly people with immigrant backgrounds like you. You bonded easily, and you were a bit like their granddaughter. It was crazy how the clash of cultures could bring people together.

Because you had been lazing around in your bed for too long, you had to take a fast shower, and leave the apartment quickly. you hadn't even been able to put on a coat as you were already heading to your workplace. the only thing you had time to do was get into the frosty december mood with an eternal classic of your playlist music in your ears called “Last Christmas” by Wham.

you didn't like being late, because it made it seem like you didn't take your job seriously even though it was currently one of the things that mattered the most to you. you had good bosses, nice colleagues and in addition to your salary, you received generous tips. you may not have been rich but life offered you countless things to make you happy.

the only thing she had never given you before was a boyfriend. you'd like to say you weren't desperate about it but you were already in your late twenties and had no experience. it shouldn't be shameful to be single and a virgin but you were starting to believe that you would never find the right person. However, you had crushes but you were just good at accumulating them, not collecting them.

a woman should think more about her studies than about guys. and you agreed, but it was terribly frustrating to see the whole world pairing up when you had never kissed anyone, or even discovered what true love was. it was completely ridiculous.

you pushed the door of the restaurant, your entrance punctuated by a shrill sound of a bell. you greeted your work colleagues, put on your outfit and apologized to the bosses. you were ready to return to service.

“I don't mind if you're late here, but don't be late for the customer " the grandmother behind the counter gently scolded you, with a compassionate smile on her face.

“There is no faster or more reliable delivery person than me. I remind you that I have five stars on the site.”

“think you can beat me?” Spencer, one of your work colleagues, had challenged you.

“i already did. but thanks you, you’re adorable but keep going, I love seeing you believe in your dreams.”

you giggled before grabbing the bag of food. when you looked up at the address, your eyes widened.

“ what's the matter ? ” he asked because of the sudden look in your face. “ Something's wrong ? ”

“ it's just…i already delivered this guy almost everyday this week…i'm just kinda surprised, you know ? ”

“ you doubt the quality of my food ? ” questioned your boss with a fake offended tone.

“ no, lady su. nobody makes better food as you in this town but isn't-it strange ? ”

"maybe it's not about the food that he orders so much." had simply commented on the grandfather who passed by with a steaming tray of delicious dumplings with a plate of Peking duck.

you rolled your eyes, not believing a word he had just said. but he replied with a wink. sometimes you wondered if they weren't your real grandparents.

you left the restaurant before starting your motorcycle. on the way, you began to regret not having brought a jacket or scarves because you were starting to shiver. the cold was terrible with the wind which literally felt like a blizzard. your body felt colder against the temperature and you had been sneezed on several times. your ears were icy, and you were sure your bones were frozen. at least your fingers were.

you parked in front of the building. you rang the bell for him to open the building door for you before going up the stairs.

you knew the place by heart now that you came there every day. even though you tried not to think about it, it gave you a strange feeling knowing that he ordered at the restaurant every day. it was quite curious. you recognized that the food was incredibly good, but so much so that he wanted to eat it every day?

no way.

impossible.

you weren't complaining about having such a good client, it was very cool but you had to ask yourself questions. you barely had time to knock on the door when it opened, as if he had pathetically and desperately waited behind until you arrived.

“hey” his voice was always so friendly, so eager to greet you.

“hey” you replied with the same intonation, before handing over the bag of food.

Usually, you never bothered to take a closer look at your customers. you delivered and left but this time, you couldn't help but observe him from the third time you came. he must have been the same age as you. he was easily taller than you, his size forcing him to look down on your frame. he had intensely blue eyes, even brighter in the light of the hall.

and you could tell by his athletic shape that he had a sports career at his college. but judging by the way he grimaced when he walked, it was on break. you could tell that he had recently had a problem with his foot. you didn't need to have studied medicine to know that.

even if he wanted to hide it from you, you could hardly ignore that he was in pain.

as he picked up his bag, you sneezed. three times in a minutes. you tried to appear completely normal but it would have been hard for him to act like he hadn’t heard anything.

“i’m s-sorry.” you apologized. “ i'm fine. ”

“don’t tell me you deliver in those clothes ? ”

"it's okay. it's not about the co..." you sneezed.

“what did you say already?” he mocked you softly. “hold on. can you wait just a second?”

“w..."

you couldn't finish your sentence as he already had his back turned to you. you sighed slightly. you couldn’t lie about how terribly cold you were. you were shaking, and your cheeks were frozen.

when he returned, he was holding a jacket in his hand.

“I can’t accept it, I’m sorry.” you politely refused.

“I’m not going to let you go without it.”

“It’s embarrassing. and it’s not mine.”

he placed the jacket on your shoulders, ignoring your words. “now it’s yours. ”

“ you're too kind. I’ll give it back to you after my shift.” you replied, thanking him.

“It can wait until tomorrow.”

"Are you sure? I don't want to take advantage of your kindness."

“you’re better like that…” he hesitated for a long time before answering. “It looks good on you, better than it does on me.”

“then I should keep it.” you joked.

your little moment was interrupted by the vibration of your phone. it was spencer. you smiled, and replied “sorry, I have to go.”

you came home around two in the morning, the night had been long but warmer with your client's jacket on your back. you felt so good in it that when you got home, you kept it on for a few more minutes. the garment carried his scent, it was soft and surprisingly light as a perfume.

the next night he ordered again. you had left home early so as not to be late for work. he ordered at the same time every day, and he was very conscientious about this detail. so he was always your first customer of the day.

you had picked up the food, and walked over to his house in a fuzzy coat and matching boots. you had opted for something warmer, and you were carrying three bags in your hands. Chinese food, coat and apple shortbread with an aromatic touch of cinnamon and spices. you had spent your free time cooking instead of studying in order to thank him for kindly lending you his coat because it had saved you.

you followed the recipe from a culinary influencer that you followed on Instagram. you hoped that would have an effect on him.

you rang the doorbell. and the moment he opened the door, you were about to greet him with your charming delivery girl voice, but the words stuck wildly in your throat. you swallowed hard, forcing yourself to stay calm.

you were by no means shy, but he had literally managed to shove all of your self-confidence down your soul with his half-naked appearance. a hot steam hovered his tonic body and a white towel loosened his sculpted hips.

his chest was hot and wet as if he had just come out of a sauna. you wanted to look away but how were you supposed to ignore the size of his biceps when he rubbed his hair, the shaking movements of his arm making splash some beads of water. how were you supposed to ignore the six-packs exposed under your eyes. this body was just full of sins and you were about to lose your job if you heard your thoughts.

you gulped loudly, before finally being able to speak your mind. “ hey ! here’s your jacket. and i… ”

his smile was huge and in a way so warm. but mostly, it was his gaze. the way his eyes were fixed on your face, and your opened lips to catch every word of your mouth killed you. you tried to avoid his piercing stare but you couldn't escape it.

“ i made you some shortbread. i just hope you like cinnamon and apples. ”

“ you really made this for me ? ” he asked, like he couldn't believe it himself.

“ it's my way to show you how thankful i am. ”

“ seems like you've got a lot for me today. ”

“ "It's nothing. And you're a loyal customer. It's very nice to order from us every day. My bosses appreciate it."

“my name is zach.” he replied, holding out his hand to you.

“y/n.”

“I should have known you had a pretty name.”

you smiled before giving him all the bags. he returned a few seconds later with the tip. and your eyes widened at the amount.

“ wow... that's nice but i don't think I deserve that much money. "

“ you don't want my money ? ” he teased you softly, a little smile curving his lips. “ what can I offer you that would please you ? ”

“ you don't need to. just stay safe, okay ? ”

“ it comes from the girl who makes deliveries on cold winter days without a jacket. ”

“ i was stupid, it doesn't count. and I was late to my job, I didn't think too much. but now can you see ? i've got a superb coat. ”

he stared at you longer than he should. obviously, you were pretty. you were coming back from a long drive in the wind. you still had snowflakes in your hair, the tip of your nose was damp from the cold, your lips were slightly chapped and your breathing was foggy. you also wore an earmuff on your head which made your hair sag.

but you still looked so beautiful to him. his eyes were sparkling under the lights of the hall of his apartment.

“ would you mind if i ask you why you are ordering everyday ? i mean yea the food is really great and i'm happy that you're enjoying it truly. but it can't possibly be this awesome ? and deliveries cost some money at the end of the day, so is it…just about the food already ? ”

you know it was a risk to ask something like that but you couldn't hold yourself to hide this thought. you kept coming back everyday to his place, it was kinda your right to want to know. and also, he was not forced to answer you. you were anxious and afraid because you didn't want to seem bothered by him. you started to play with your fingers, slowly biting nervously your lower lip.

a little chuckle came from his mouth, before answering your thoughts. “ you've got me. ”

“ you think i'm dumb, zach ? ” you lighty joked to relieve the tension.

“ oh no. i know you're smarter than me, ma’am. ”

“ it's not true. you're just obvious. ”

“ but the food is really good. ” he defended himself by pulling out of the bag the box of noodles. “ want a bite ? ”

“ i'm working. ” you said.

“ actually, you're talking to me. ” he corrected.

how silly.

“ to be honest, i need to go back to work. my bosses will not be happy if i took too much time with a client. ”

“ then let's see each other without you being the delivery girl and me being the client. ”

“ i don't think it's professional. ”

“ think the way you stared at me when i opened the door was professional too ? ”

“ you know what you were doing. ” you mumbled in your throat.

“ and you're just mad because it worked. admit it, pretty. ”

you rolled your eyes and he laughed. “ it's not like you've got the body of an old man. ”

“ i'm a soccer player so i need to stay in good shape. i'm working out every day. ”

“ oh i totally suck at this game. ” you admitted.

“ you just need to learn. ” he answered. “ because, i promise, it's easy for a sport. ”

“ i don't know if i can trust you when i look at your foot…it doesn't look better since i come here…”

you didn't realize what you had just said until you caught his intense and piercing blue gaze on you. you looked away and he responded.

you had observed him. and you had just exposed it.

“It’s just an accident. It's nothing serious. I just have to be careful for a month but then I can start playing soccer and matches again. "

“you have to really love it to want to pick it up after an accident.”

“I don’t really have a choice.”

you would have loved to finish this conversation and even chat a little more with him but the clock was ticking and you had other clients.

"Okay. We can see each other again as normal people."

you wrote your number on a piece of paper before greeting him. you felt a little sorry for cutting him off in such a serious moment like this but you didn't have time anymore.

you couldn't afford to lose your job. you needed it. you were a student and you didn't really have the choice of working if you wanted to enjoy life, which was quite ironic.

When you got home, you had your phone on. zach sent you a message.

zach mclaren: hey

zach mclaren: your shortbreads were perfect

you: maybe i should start a business :)

(you boost my ego. thank you.)

zach mclaren: you know how to boost my ego too when you stare at me for so long

you: i was just checking that you don't get cold...

zach mclaren: you're not good at lying

zach mclaren: it's a compliment

you: i'm going to sleep.

zach mclaren: are you working tomorrow? i would love to see you

you: you're lucky. it's my day off.

it had already been half an hour since you said you were going to sleep but you continued to text zach. you would probably regret it tomorrow when you were half asleep in class but for now, you were responding to all his texts every second.

after your day of classes, you came home to change. you were meeting zach at the christmas market in a few minutes and you wanted to look presentable. you had arrived early for the meeting for fear of being too late, you hoped not to seem desperate or in too much of a hurry. when you saw his silhouette in the crowd, you smiled.

he was walking towards you, his hands in his pockets, and his lips were twisted into an adorable smile that was only addressed to you.

It was so warm in places like that but it was even better when you had someone by your side. you would think he was your boyfriend but he wasn't. you were still sadly single in winter.

“did you find something you like? " he asked.

“i was waiting for you.”

“ did you wait a long time ? ” he was now worried, but you reassured him.

“ also last time you said that you didn't have the choice to continue soccer…and i was wondering why ? i mean, there are a lot of alternatives. ”

“ i'm just…good at it ? i always focused on soccer since i'm a kid, and i've got no other skills or passions so i can't really give up. ”

“ there is no other things that you're good at except that ? i don't believe you. yes, i don't know you but you can't tell me you're only skilled at just shooting your feet in a ball. ”

“ i really need to show you what soccer is. ” he chuckled out loud, looking at you're confused look.

“ what do you do when you're at home ? you're just watching TV ? don't you read ? ”

“ it's boring to read. ”

you tried not to wince at his comment but your mouth was pursed slightly. “Have you ever tried to at least read some?”

you chatted while walking through the aisles filled with small traders. there was everything: jewelry, food, scented candles, soaps and body care, clothes and scarves, local products and a lot of other things.

“ i want to look at the scarves. maybe, i will find another one to add to my collection. ”

he nodded. honestly, all your desires were orders. he couldn’t say no to your sparkling eyes.

he followed you to the stand run by a lady behind her counter. she was quick to greet you as if you were her first customers of the day.

you grabbed the white scarf before wrapping it around your neck in front of the mirror. the wool was so soft.

you turned around to ask zach’s opinion but he was already looking at you. all his attention was fixed on you.

“it looks very pretty on you. you should pick that one. “

you didn't need to look in the mirror again because his gaze was terribly convincing.

White was certainly an ordinary color but with the tone of your skin, it was the ideal layering. the glow of your features was what made this scarf look so good, and what made you so attractive. Zach was literally watching you with stars in his eyes, trying so hard to not exposing his feelings but you were just so pretty with that accessory and your smile was literally taking his breath away. “ very pretty ” he whispered before towering with his height, using his hands to adjust the scarf around your neck.

His touch was so gentle, cold because of the snow that fell from the sky and gave your bones little shivers. You slowly met his gaze as his face was across yours, his fingers still wrapped around the fabric of the accessory.

Your mouth was agape, filled with tiny breathing that was tickling the space between you and him. You felt every snowflakes on your hair, your face getting colder with time.

When he took a step back, you looked away quickly.

“ i'm gonna take it then ! ”

“ you should. ”

when you were about to take out your wallet, he had already taken out his card to pay.

“You’re lucky to have a boyfriend like that. ” the lady commented.

“ he's n…” for some reason you didn’t continue your sentence.

you had just continued on your way to turn towards a food stand.

"you shouldn't have paid. I'll reimburse you..."

“I know but I wanted to do it. ”

"ok, then let me buy you something in return. why not a smoothie? athletes like that, right? it's fruity, it has vitamins. it's nutritious. let me find the perfect taste for you. ”

zach was lucky that you couldn't read his thoughts because he was gonna explode. hearing you talking about his health like that, turning yourself into a little nutritionist was something irreal for him. you were like a dream.

you were smart, gentle, soft and calm. you didn't need anything more to make him under your spell. just the way you were was enough. he was not the type to be difficult in regards to love, he could fall in love so easily with anyone. but the way you were, all the beauty that came from your brain, your physic, your gesture, your mind.

“ think you can do that without knowing every single thing about me ? ”

“ i know that you play soccer. ”

“ and ? ”

“ yea, you're kinda right. we don't know each other. but this is why we are here together in that marketplace. you're gonna talk to me about your life, the things you love, that make you happy and i will just be here, listening to you and realize that you're in fact a sweet boy. ”

“ only sweet ? i'm sure i'm more than sweet. ”

you ordered a smoothie and gave it to him, waiting to know what his thoughts on the state. he catched the straw with his mouth, and started to drink a little of the juice.

“ pretty good. ”

“ i'm glad. there are strawberries, bananas and spinach in it. i know it's the end of the day, but when you start your morning, it's a good and rich combo. ”

“ do you want to taste it ? ”

“ can i ? ”

“ you're lucky. i'm happy to share. ”

“ oh zach, you're too good. ”

“ i can ask for another str…”

“ it's okay. ”

he handed you the juice, and at the moment, you didn't care about the way your lips literally shared around the straw. you were just focused on how good your taste was. it was delicious.

you and zach continued to walk under the snow.

you shouldn't do it but unconsciously you noticed the little attention of the athlete. like the way he held you closer to prevent you from bump into people, the way he delicately readjusted your scarf so it wouldn't fall off, the way he slowed down when he felt like he was walking too fast for you, the way he went where your gaze went, looking at you so often to make sure that you were okay.

he was also a very attentive person. he loved hearing you talk, as he enjoyed listening to you. you were so interesting that he felt terribly boring next to you. you always had something to say, anecdotes, facts, stories. you could convince him to open a book more often with your words.

you had a way of being simply attractive.

when it started to get late, he walked you home. you talked about absolutely everything about cinema, music, sports, activities. you had never had so much fun. and it felt good.

you had even listened to music on the way home. you shared a pair of headphones that connected to your phone while remaining next to each other.

you had arrived at the door of your house, and a long minute had passed.

“thanks for today, zach. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a great day in my entire life.”

“then we should do this again. i mean if you're okay. ”

"Would you invite me again? It would be a pleasure. We could go to the cinema, or to.."

“whatever you want. i just like to be with you honestly. ”

you smiled. and his lightened gaze already catched your smile, while you wisely kept your hands in your pockets.

“ Oh, I almost forget.” you replied, giving him back the jacket he had lent you earlier. “ this is yours. ”

“you can keep it.”

“I can’t accept it.”

“And I can’t get it back either.”

“zach!”

"I'm serious. I'd rather see it on you than on me…”

he moved closer, leaning just above you. you had started to feel chills throughout your body, like squirming in your stomach. the proximity was so close that you were frozen. when you thought he was going to kiss you because he was leaning over your face, staring at you with light in his eyes, he simply blew on the tip of your nose. you shivered before feeling a slight rush of moisture on your face. a snowflake.

for some reason, you were kinda disappointed.

his mouth was so close to yours that you kinda expected it, his features were over yours, his lips were so close that you could feel his warm breathing against yours, and his nose was literally brushing your skin. the way it was so cold outside but every time he stood near you, the temperature rose again. it felt like he was enough to warm you up.

you didn't realize that you closed your eyes because of the sudden magic you felt inside your tummy. it was so strange. when you fixed your gaze on him again, he was two feets away from you and you chuckled softly. “ you scared me. ” you admitted. “ don't do that again. ”

“ i just protecting you from getting cold again. ”

“ you're worrying too much about me. don't forget yourself. ”

“ i can't help it. ”

"i-i need to go, okay. thanks you so much for today.”

“ text me when you're home. i mean in your room. ”

“ i'm literally there. ”

“ i just want to be sure. ”

“ okay. ”

you had been thinking about this day for the past two days. it occupied all your thoughts. you had returned to work, you had become a simple delivery person again.

you made your deliveries and then went home. the routine was the same except for one detail. zach had stopped ordering. now you were friends.

today, you suggested to Zach that you meet at the mall. It was quite cold outside due to the winter wind and snow so it was better to stay warm. you hadn't waited long before seeing him in the middle of the crowd. you were starting to get used to his presence in your life, and it was crazy how much space he could take up so quickly.

“wow, you really came fast.”

“I couldn’t keep you waiting. I'm a gentleman. ”

“I’m not that special you know.”

“I think you are. ”

“ I think you should stop saying things that make me want to fall in love with you. ”

“ Why ? Is it bad ? I'm a good guy. ”

“ Being too good is suspicious. ”

“ Fair point. ”

“ Anyways, does your feets hurt ? I've always ask you for things that make you walk so I feel sorry. ”

“ Don't worry, it's starting to get better. ” in fact, Zach was really surprised that you care about it. you cared about him more than he thought.

“ Really ? I'm glad. ”

you had followed the athlete to the video game store, a place that was extremely foreign to you but it was perfect. you wanted to know so much more about his world because since you knew him, you had the impression of only talking about yourself, of being the only one to open up.

“I bet you’re lost.” He scoffed, watching you glance around. “ You look like a puppy. ”

"I'm getting acquainted with your world. Be nice, will you?"

“I should teach you how to play.”

“ Oh yeah, teach me how to kick your ass. ”

" So this is your only motivation. ” he laughed, taking place next to you.

“ you know, i already play some games. not your type of game but…”

“ which one ? ”

“ just dance. ” you replied proudly. “ and i'm pretty good at it so don't even start to mock me. . ”

“ i believe you. but you know, you need to show me those dance skills one day. ”

“ don't say it twice. out of subject, why are we here ? you want to buy something ? ”

“ yea for my little sister. she loves to play video games like me, and it's Christmas soon so I want to buy her a new game. ”

“ oh so you're a big brother ? that's why you're so good with girls. ”

“ i thought i already told you. “

“ no, because i would remember it. what's her name ? ”

“ avery. i think you would like her. ”

“ i would like to meet her. ”

you kept talking while seeking a present for his little sister. when you find a game, he buyed it before the two of you walk to the bookstore. it was his time to get lost, and your time to shine.

“ so, this is your heaven ? ” he asked, still staring at you.

“ isn't it the most pretty place in the world ? i would buy everything here if i was rich but unfortunately i'm forced to choose only a few books. ”

“ you can read online. ” Zach suggested.

“ i know but this is not the same. i want to feel the paper. and i need to have the book in my room, to add it to my collection. ”

“ so you want to be an author later or something like that ? ”

“ oh no, reading is just a hobby. i learn a lot by reading. i can't believe you don't like it, or maybe you just didn't find the perfect book. let me find you one. ”

“ you really took that seriously. ”

“ this is why you shouldn't joke with me. so now, you're forced to read. ”

The Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison.

“ I've read this one when i was younger and it's beautiful. I think it's one of my favorites ever written. ”

“ I'm sure you've got great tastes. ”

one day, the grandmother who was your boss stopped you while you were going on deliveries.

“are you okay?”

“yes. why?”

“you know that guy you were talking about last time. he doesn’t order from us anymore. is he sick?”

" oh so that's it. don't worry. he just got what he wanted. " you replied with a wink.

A month had passed, and his feet were already feeling much better. he was going to return to university, and especially soccer.

zach mclaren : i've finished the book

you : how do you feel ?

zach McLaren : miserable

zach McLaren : but it was worth it

you : i felt the same the first time

you : but congrats, you read a book !

you : i'm feeling proud

zach mclaren : now, it's my turn

zach McLaren : come over

you : i need to study

zach mclaren : this is why you're texting me right now ?

you : i will be there in few minutes

you left your house after a quick shower to spend the rest of the day with him.

before returning to classes, he invited you to his house.

It was crazy knowing this building by heart even though you didn't live there.

he opened the door for you and you couldn’t help but joke. “ shit, you're dressed this time. ”

“ and i still make you look. ”

“ one point for yot. i've got the food. my bosses are generous and wanted to make the food for tonight. ”

“ i'm starting to be the favorite. ”

“ in your dreams. ”

you entered the apartment.

it was big enough for a student. you wondered how rich he was sometimes. you had started setting the table with all the chinese food, and he had brought the drinks. he had even prepared cakes for dessert.

you decided to watch a movie.

“what do you want to watch? ” he asked.

“ the princess and the frog. i'm in the mood to lurk at Prince Naveen. Isn't he the best prince ? ”

“ I thought i was. ”

“ So, i'm your Tiana. ” you joked. “ You would love me if I turned into a frog, Zach McLaren ? ”

“ Yea. And you will still be the best and the most beautiful person i've ever known. ”

“ I can't believe a man like you is single. ”

“ I can't believe you're single too. You're pretty, you're smart, you're talen…”

“ continue and i will think that you're in love with me. ”

“ does it matter ? ”

you looked at him, turning your gaze in his eyes.

maybe it was obvious from the start. all these commands, the way he looked at you, the way he absolutely wanted to spend time with you, the way he was constantly trying to talk to you. it wasn't just friendship, this affection was stronger, more intense. he wanted more than to be your friend.

what was less so for you was when all these attentions began to charm you. when was the moment, he made a house inside your mind and made you think of him so often.

“ Zach. ”

“ You're important to me. I love everything about you. I thought i was good by staying your friend but i want more with you. ”

“ It's so funny…I was just that delivery girl who came to your place and now, we're just here together…i mean, i'm just surprised…i'm just surprised because your words make me feel so attractive and important. i Always thought that i would end up alone and you just came into my life, made it brighter and now you're confessing your feelings about how you love me just because i was myself. ”

you were too sensitive, and zach took your hand in his, gently stroking your skin with his thumb, before you lost your gaze in the blue fierce of his eyes. “ hey, hey. look at me…”

“ when you seek love all your life and you suddenly feel loved, it's just so warm. you make everything so much better… ”

your words were shutted by his mouth, his lips moved into yours crushing them in a passionate kiss, as he pulled you closer with his hand on your cheek. you were exploding, making yourself a way on his lips, letting his free hand slowly down your body to catch your hips. he stroked them softly, his fingers dancing under the fabric of your t-shirt. you were on top of him, controlling the kiss with your tongue, and biting his lower lips with your teeths. you were pleased by the sounds of his moans under your breath. he was deliciously hot, and you shushed him with your fingers against the wet stream of his lips, forcing him to keep his mouth shut.

“ maybe, it's better to do it slowly because we are just confessing our feelings to each other. we shouldn't burn any step. it's okay for you ?”

“ i think you're right. it's better if we're taking time to make things right. ”

“ sounds like we're understanding each other well. ”

“ i really want to take my time with you, and we're not in a hurry. ”

“ i appreciate you for this. you're my first boyfriend you know and what i mean by that is that i'm…very happy that's you. i don't care that i'm not your first girlfriend because I feel really loved and it's all that matters. ”

#dividers by dollywons #my baby zach mclaren. been waiting for you <3 #walking green flag. love of my life. sweetest boy. babyface.#zach mclaren #zach mclaren and reader #zach mclaren x reader #zach mclaren x female!reader #the other zoey #zach mclaren fanfiction #i love him so much god #drew starkey x reader #zach mclaren x y/n

174 notes · View notes

liahaslosthermind · 3 months ago

Text

~ 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓 ~

Past Rhysand x OC (Adelaide), Eventual Azriel x OC Part 5 of Betrayal Summary: There is no time, no time, no time, no time. Warnings: Suicidal thoughts and ideology, Death of a loved one, Grief, Betrayal.

Azriel awoke with a pounding headache. One someone could only get from having their mind horrifically violated as he had.

Despite the headache, he was at peace in the comfortable bed. A warm wool blanket wrapped around him, one that smelt of-

Adelaide

The realization made him quickly sit up. He was in Adelaide's room, not unusual these past months. But he had the blanket she had given him wrapped around his upper body, the one he had given to her... corpse.

With renewed urgency, Azriel got up as fast as he could, grabbing The Walking Dead, which he had hidden in a loose floorboard under the bed. One that still housed the love letters Adelaide had put there years ago, all given to her by Rhysand. The thought made his stomach turn.

He couldn't allow himself to think about Rhysand. The name creating a bad taste in his mouth and a deep wound in his already scabrous heart. He couldn't think about all the books on this kind of magic he had yet to read from the library. What had he to lose at this point?

Less than a day ago, he didn't even want to live to see the morning If the spell didn't work, if something went wrong, if he got his hopes up for nothing, then he wouldn't have lost anything. He didn't have anything else to lose anymore.

His shadows seemed to be on board, they had started talking to him for the first time since he decided to end his life. Alerting him of anyone he might run into while escaping the house, Azriel had almost gotten out quickly and unnoticed. But he knew he didn't have much time before someone came to check on him and figured out he was doing something stupid. Thats why he couldn't have been too surprised when Amren appeared from around the corner, blocking his exit.

He cursed the shadows for their sudden silence.

Hear what The Ancient One has to say, was all they replied.

"What are you doing, boy?" She asked. He didn't answer, not knowing what kind of a response she was looking for, and because the look in her eyes told him she already knew he was going to do something he shouldn't.

She looked down at The Walking Dead and hissed.

"Where did you get that?" She asked, with more urgency than he had heard from her in a while.

"It... found me" it was the truth, but not a very believable one.

"Gods," She mumbled, "You are messing with a kind of magic you shouldn't." She said.

"I know."

"There will be consequences."

"I know."

There was silence for a beat. In that moment Azriel saw a thousand emotions in Amren, a woman who was usually so closed off.

Understanding, disappointment, approval, grief, empathy.

But the moment ended, and her mask was slipped back on.

"You won't have long till they figure it out, and I won't go out of my way to help you," was all she said as she walked off.

The mausoleum looked the same as it had the last time Azriel was there, sans the blanket he draped over Adelaide.

Hands shook as he opened the... spell book, or whatever this thing could be categorized as.

He should have really taken a moment to study the other texts.

But there was no time.

The pages remained blank, safe for the spell he had seen. No instructions, no pointers. Only the words of Eternally Intertwined.

He carefully grabbed Adelaide's body, shaking even harder as he felt how cold she was. He didn't want her potentially waking up in a marble casket.

So he got back on the floor and held her in his arms, the same position they had been in when she had taken her dying breath.

Despite how much he was shaking, despite the stress of the situation, despite the time constraint, despite how much he needed this to work, the Shadowsinger's voice was steady, commanding, speaking the words in a tone he had never heard himself use.

He began to hear the flapping of wings. Cassian. And someone shouting his name. Nesta.

Their oncoming arrival caused Azriel to speed up, losing the steadiness of his voice. By the end, he had messed up a few words. But he couldn't think about that as he closed his eyes, and waited. Waited for her to wake up. Waited for Cassian and Nesta to get there. Waited for something.

But nothing happened.

He finally opened them when he heard the two arrive through the entrance, fear etched on their faces. They both let out a breath as they looked over Azriel and saw him physically unharmed.

They thought they would find you dead, his shadows sang.

So Amren hadn't ratted him out, but she also hadn't spared his family the heartache and stress.

They stopped when they took in Adelaide, still limp in his arms. Still dead.

"Azriel..." Cassian trailed off, at a loss for words as he saw tears streaked across his brother's face. The look in his eyes, utter despair, grief, hopelessness.

Azriel was too far gone, and Cassian didn't know if he could pull him back.

Azriel turned away from them, holding Addie closer as they began to step forward, mumbling something.

The two mates' hearts broke when they finally could make out what the Spy Master was saying.

Please, please, please, please, I'll give anything.

Cassian and Nesta didn't have time to look at one another as a blinding white light appeared, surrounding Azriel and the corpse.

They didn't have time to think as a hot wave passed over them, not enough to wound them, but enough to sting. Through all of the light and heat, they could distantly hear the rest of their family coming, having stayed behind to get Madja incase they needed to save Azriel from himself.

Yells from the new arrivals entering the building were all either of them could hold onto to remain grounded.

Just as fast as it happened, the light went away. Blinking a few times, checking in on one another, and letting the rest of their family know they were alright, Nesta and Cassian looked towards their brother.

He was motionless on the ground, Addie's body next to him, hands intertwined.

"Gods, what has he done?" Madja asked, for the first time in a while, she didn't know how to help, how to heal.

Suddenly, the Shadowsinger opened his eyes, sitting up. Seeing Adelaide's unmoving body next to him, he felt a new wave of disconsolateness wash over him.

Then he noticed their intertwined fingers, something he hadn't been doing when he held her previously.

Then he noticed how warm her hands were, none of that cold touch death cast upon the dead.

Then he noticed the soft rise and fall of her chest.

"She's- fuck she's-" Azriel couldn't even finish his thought as he grabbed her, once again holding his best friend as close to him as possible.

But this time she wasn't lifeless.

If he focused, he could see her eyes moving under her eyelids, as if she was dreaming.

He felt like he was dreaming too.

The shouts coming from behind him were incomprehensible in the state he was in. He was breathing too hard, black dots starting to eat away at his vision.

Cassian caught his brother as he passed out.

#acotar #acotar x reader #azriel x reader #rhysand x reader #acotar angst #rhysand angst #azriel #rhysand #azriel angst #cassian #amren

206 notes · View notes

fairiesdowntheroad · 1 year ago

Text

SHE LOVES CONTROL ; prologue.

summary — being a woman is difficult.what about being a woman who is pursuing a career in motorsports? you would be met with pandemonium.that was the story of her life.always having to fight for a place among the big leagues ; in this case the men just to prove she belonged in the sport.

her last name didn’t help her much either.the world would continue to bark and bite away at her confidence — even more so if they knew of her family ties.that was the reason why she chose to race under a different name,everyone would respect her so called “underdog” story after all.

the drivers were….alright to say the least.she knew of their prying eyes and judging stares when she had first made her appearance on the grid.thankfully,there were a few diamonds in the rough to help her out.for now,she just needed to prove herself to everyone ; quench her hunger for victory.this was going to be a wild season..

pairing — f1 22-23 grid x fem driver!reader,love interest tbd

warnings — misogyny.

teaser | prologue | chapter 1

FROM J ⛅️ : hello everyone!! the prologue is here <3 it’s just a little teaser to Y/N and her character,also her friendship with albonoooo 😮‍💨 she’ll interact with the other drivers soon,don’t worry! please lmk your thoughts and if you want to be added to the taglist!

“Who run the world? Girls! Y/N Y/LN to race for Formula 1 — establishing her place as the first woman to race in the big leagues since Maria Teresa de Filippis”

“Do women really belong in Motorsport? What makes Y/N Y/LN so special?”

“A recipe for disaster: Y/N Y/LN’s Formula 1 debut and what it could mean for the future of motorsport”

Headline after headline.

Articles either criticising her every move or stating their unwavering support for her.

She read each and every article published about the news — eager to know how the world would react.A part of her already made peace with the reality that there would be people reacting terribly towards the news ; let it be a man or woman.The men simply viewed her inferior to the other drivers,commenting on how her biological capabilities were “leagues away” from the other nineteen…..just because of what was between her legs.The women on the other hand were possesive…thinking she would steal away their beloved drivers because she definetly was the only female presence on the paddock.

It was humorous really,how a mere woman wanting her career to align with motorsports could cause such an uprise of reactions among everyone.

Her eyes scanned over the headlines again and again.Laughing at the things they had to say.She found the articles scrutinising her every move amusing — it was ironic how they perceived her as ‘unworthy’ of a seat.

Yet,she did beat everyone else in Formula 2 in terms of points…claiming her place as the champion.

Becoming the champion of Formula 2 was a tough fight.She had stayed there for a few years,giving it her all to stand above all with victory — and she did in the end.Did they hate her because she was victorious? Or was it because she had rightfully earned her place among the others? She would never know..not like she wanted to anyway.

“You haven’t even had your debut,yet you’re causing an uproar on the internet” he hummed in amusement standing next to her while he observed her reading the words on her phone.His british accent was hard to miss as she chuckled along with him.“I think it’s admirable” Alex added on with his voice filled with sincerity.A bashful smile made its way on her face,flattered and touched by his words.

“That makes me a little more hungry to prove to everyone I belong here” she admitted with a chuckle.She was eternally grateful for the little support she had coming from him and her family…though she was more discreet when it came to the family part.He placed a hand on her shoulder squeezing it softly.

“You will.” he nodded his head,patting her back before making his way to the car.Her nerves buzzed with excitement ; her last race as a reserve driver.A few more months,and that seat would be hers.She felt remorseful for Latifi because he lost his seat…but it would be her turn to take on the mantle now.She would take his place since he didn’t perform.

That was Formula 1.

A sport dependant on results.If you didn’t deliver, it was best to kiss your seat goodbye.She could only cross her fingers and pray the 2023 season was kind to her.She needed the team to see her results….see her effort.There was no way she worked her ass off just to quit now.Thankfully,James Vowles was there to see her worth.She had caught his eye — he was watching her races in Formula 2,undoubtedly raising his expectations with the performance she served on the track.

It was only a matter of time until she was offered a seat,he was unwilling to let such talent go to waste.

Williams.

Not her first choice for a team when it came to making her debut but — she was eternally grateful she had a seat regardless.It was also a step closer to Mercedes….even if she didn’t want aim to race with them.

Not when he would be there.

BAHRAIN 23’ : THURSDAY.

“How do you feel about making your Formula 1 debut this Sunday?” the reporter asked curiously as he jotted down notes in his journal.The two RedBull drivers on her left and right turned their heads to observe her,eager to know what she had to say.

“It’s definitely nerve wracking — I’m feeling quite nervous to be honest” she admitted with a shy smile.Max and Checo chuckled softly at her words,the 2-time world champion nodding in understanding on how she would feel.

“But…I feel excited as well.I want to prove to everyone that I deserve to be here just as much as the others.With Williams and Alex supporting me,I hope I can do exactly that” she finished her sentence,putting down the mic as fans clapped at her answer.It was diplomatic ; she was biting her tongue and choosing not to express her true feelings.

If she had the right to be a 100% honest there would be a lot more of….colourful words being spoken.

The fans were definetly a plot twist.Hearing them cheer for her was heartwarming.She still did recieve her fair share of hate,but she would “focus on the positives” — just like dad advised.He was all the wiser when it came to motorsports anyway.

”Well Y/N,I hope the season treats you well.You’ve already made a name for yourself so I’m sure all will go smoothly”the reporter replied to her,the girl smiling bashfully and thanking him for his kind wishes.

The press conference ended after a few more questions being thrown here and there.She walked over to the managers with a pep to her step while maintaining the calm expression on her face….even if her heart felt like it was about to burst.Alex stood there as well with small smile gracing his face.Her first press conference as a Formula 1 Driver! It was a milestone to her.

“You did amazing” Thea — her newly appointed PR Manager said with a smile.She chuckled softly,taking the water bottle she was offered with for a sip.Her heart screamed with excitement,adrenaline coursing through her veins even if it was only Thursday.There were three more days for her to impress everyone.

She shaked off her train of thoughts with a smile.Opening her mouth,she answered with a cheeky response.

“I hope I can do the same on-track then”

taglist — @eutrizbea @eugene-emt-roe @ivoryluvs @itsjustkhaos @lewisvinga @kodzuvk @roseseraj @iliyad @laura-naruto-fan1998 @l0verl4ne

#formula one #f1 fic #f1 x driver!reader #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 x female reader #formula 1 #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 x reader #charles leclerc x reader #max verstappen x reader #lando norris x reader #alex albon x reader #george russell x reader #oscar piastri x reader #carlos sainz x reader #pierre gasly x reader #yuki tsunoda x reader

1K notes · View notes

dragon-kazansky · 2 months ago

Text

The song in our hearts

Lestat De Lioncourt x Female Reader

A musician with a heart that sings and an admirer who wishes to see his songbird thrive. Two beings in different worlds get caught up in each other when someone threatens to steal his songbird's spotlight. Loving Lestat isn't simple, and your life will never be the same again. What is eternity without chaos?

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}

Chapter Thirteen - Dangerous roads

The bar is a small intimate place, but it's perfect for a celebration. Eleanor hired out the back room for you all to celebrate in private. You didn't mind, it was nice to not be around so many people.

Lestat stays by your side the entire time. You arrive together and take your seats around the round table. Amelie sits on the other side of you. Jack sits on the other side of Lestat. Eleanor sits opposite you.

Eleanor calls for drinks to be brought in. Lestat orders for you and himself, the others order for themselves.

Eleanor stays quiet as the drinks come in. She eyes you across the table. You smile at her. You're trying to focus on her thoughts, but Lestat is nipping at your ear. He's stopping you from focusing.

“Lestat,” you whisper his name.

He grins. “Amour.”

“Stop it,” you scold him lightly.

“Non.”

You chuckle as he nips at your earlobe. He's teasing you on purpose, you know it. Though you don't like to assume he knows something you don't. Not that you can ever tell with him.

“That was quite a performance tonight,” Jack comments.

You smile proudly. “I've been working hard on my music. You could say I have a burning inspiration.”

Lestat grins at you.

“Well, I hope that flame doesn't go out too soon. Your music is bringing in the crowds.”

You chuckle. Lestat brushes some hair behind your ear with his finger. “She is magnificent. People are blessed to hear such precious pieces.”

You lean into his touch.

Amelie looks at the way you two are looking at each other. Lestat literally can't keep his hands to himself. Nor his lips, it seems. She had never seen you this cosy with someone before. It's almost strange.

Drinks are topped up. Conversation remains light and easy going. Lestat is cuddled up beside you, his arm always around you. Eleanor continues to eye you from across the table. Jack has begun to notice her constant staring and clears his throat, but her gaze doesn't waver. Lestat continues to distract you any time you try to read her mind.

It's starting to bug you.

“Something you wish to say?” You ask, keeping your eyes unblinking on Eleanor.

“Not at all.” Her voice gives nothing away. You continue to stare each other down. Lestat presses his lips gently against your cheek and you turn away first, though you can still feel her eyes on you.

Another half hour or so passes. One last round of drinks. You and Lestat are the first ones to leave the table, standing from your seats. Lestat holds out your coat and helps you put it on. Eleanor follows you with her eyes.

Amelie rises from her seat too. She grabs her purse and fixes her hair. Lestat offers you both an arm. Jack rises from his seat after finishing his drink. Eleanor is the last to stand.

Lestat guides you and Amelie outside into the cool night air. Jack comes up beside Amelie. The young woman lets go of Lestat in favour of taking Jack's arm instead.

“Well, this has been fun,” Jack comments.

“Certainly has,” you smile, looking up at the tall blond vampire beside you. Lestat grins and steals a kiss.

“I'm beat. I hear my bed calling for me,” Amelie says, yawning after.

“Let's get you home.” Jack smiles and gives her arm a little squeeze. They both bid you goodnight and take off down the road.

Lestat is about to guide you down the opposite way when Eleanor speaks. “Night cap?”

You look at Lestat. He looks at you.

“Why not,” he grins.

Lestat does not let go of you as he leads the way back to the house. Eleanor follows closely behind. No words have to be spoken for you to know what Lestat is thinking. You can see it in his gaze.

The walk back to the house is slow. Lestat is purposely dragging it out. Eleanor doesn't seem to take much notice though. She listens to him talk. He talks about the city, the music, you. He leans down to kiss you at one point. It makes you smile.

Lestat opens the door upon arrival and lets you in first. He then lets Eleanor in next, watching as she walks right by him and enters the house. The door closes behind him once he's inside.

You make your way over to the cabinet and pour some drinks. Eleanor isn't even discreet as she looks around the room. Little does she know that her brother was killed right in that room.

“Nice home.”

“Merci,” Lestat smiles at her. He comes up beside you and takes a glass from your hands. You smile as you pour another.

You bring a glass to Eleanor. She looks at you closely as she takes the glass. You sip yours, not once breaking eye contact.

“I must confess, I didn't come here just for a drink,” she says calmly.

“Oh?” You don't sound surprised. You know she's been waiting to catch you one on one like this. You've been onto her just as she's been on to you. You didn't need to read her mind to know. Lestat's behaviour tonight told you everything.

“My brother adored you.”

“I'm aware.”

“You were the last person who saw him,” she says firmly. “I know that now. I've been watching you.”

You lift your head a little higher.

“There's something weird about you,” she continues. “I'm not sure when you changed, but you have. I'm only going to ask once… where is my brother?”

You stare at her with no emotion. You're aware of Lestat moving behind you, taking slow careful steps to join you. He sips his drink and puts the glass down, you hear it land on the table.

“Not here,” you say.

“So he's somewhere else?” She asks.

“In a sense.”

“What does that mean?”

Lestat is now right behind you. He brings a hand to your hip and presses his nose to your hair. You don't tear your eyes away from the other woman, but you do tilt your head slightly to make contact with Lestat. He presses his lips to your temple.

“Your brother was here,” you tell her.

“Where is he now…?”

“Dead.”

Eleanor seems to go rather pale. You'd be amused if you weren't so focused on the sound of her blood rushing. She was scared. Good.

“What happened to him…?” She asks softly, fear clear in her voice.

“He was killed here. On that sofa.” You nod your head toward the furniture. “It wasn't I who killed him. It was Lestat.”

Lestat grins.

Eleanor's eyes widened.

“I saw him do it, but that night I ran. That night I learned that vampires were real and I had been keeping one company. Days later I became just like him. Your brother was a horrible man who wanted to outshine me. He wanted to push me into the background while he became a star. Lestat was displeased. No, he was angry.”

Eleanor attempts to step backwards, but in the blink of an eye Lestat was behind her, holding her still. She began to squirm. “Don't kill me!”

Lestat scoffs. “I will not. My love will.”

Eleanor tore her gaze away from him to look at you. You were approaching her like a predator hunting its prey. She was far more afraid than she had ever been in her life.

“Why? Why did you do it?” Eleanor asks.

Lestat leans down to bring his lips to her ear. “For love.”

Quicker than she can form a single thought you're on her. Your teeth are sunk into her neck before she can even make a sound.

Her blood flooded your mouth, sending your tastebuds haywire. You moaned against her skin, ignoring the way she tried to pry you off. She was a fighter, that was for certain, but with both you and Lestat holding her down, she wouldn't get very far.

Lestat watched you with hungry eyes as you drank your fill. Watching you feed was a delight. You were so beautiful.

Eleanor goes limp and quiet.

You pull away from her neck and lift your head up. Blood dribbles down your chin. An easy fix for Lestat as he leans forward and kisses you. He lets Eleanor's body drop to the floor and gathers you in his arms, pulling you right against his chest.

You lose yourself in his touch. Eleanor is a memory as Lestat leads you over to the couch. He guides you down, his lips kissing along your neck and jaw. His hand works on your clothing, but you don't really comprehend it.

All you know is Lestat.

Lestat is draped over your naked body. You caress your fingers through his golden hair. His head rests on your chest.

“We really did it.”

Lestat smiles and raises his head to look at you. “We did. She shall no longer be a problem.”

“People might ask questions.”

“Very few were acquainted with her.”

“What about her things?”

“Leave it all to me, Chéri.”

You decide to trust him. He will erase any trace of Eleanor. You relax again and go back to caressing his hair.

An hour later you're tucked away in the coffin. Alone. Lestat is busy disposing of the body and anything she brought to New Orleans with her. He had gone to the apartment she was staying in and cleared it out.

Everyone would assume she packed up and left.

Unable to rest, you rise. You climb out of the coffin and grab a robe, putting it on. You sigh and wander down the hall. The house was quiet with Lestat gone. However, there was one thing that could provide some comfort.

The piano sits untouched downstairs. You spend a few moments just looking at it. Lestat had officially given it to you. It brings you comfort just looking at it. You walk across the room and take a seat at the bench, lifting the cover from the keys and gently running your fingers along them.

Music begins to flood the room. You close your eyes and allow yourself to be taken away from your worries. All you have is the music around you, comforting you in its warm embrace.

You smile as each note comes to you naturally. This piece is new, completely spur of the moment. You memorise the pattern of the keys, committing this one to memory.

The sound of light at the end of a tunnel.

You miss the sound of the door opening and closing. You also don't hear Lestat's steps on the floor. You do, however, smell cologne as he comes closer. You open your eyes and smile, but you continue to play. Lestat comes up behind you and wraps his arms around your frame.

“Don't stop,” he mutters.

You don't. You keep playing until you find it's perfect ending. Lestat holds you until you get there. As you let the last note linger he kisses the top of your head.

“It is done.”

You gaze up at him above you. He uses one hand to brush your hair back out of your face. You smile again.

“You have nothing to worry about,” he tells you. “Everything is sorted.”

We'll be fine.

Lestat reaches for your hand and brings you to your feet. He pulls you in close and begins to sway with you in the quiet room. He's trying to keep you distracted. It's sort of working, though Eleanor still lingers in the back of your mind.

You can't help feeling like that family might be a curse to you.

Lestat kisses your forehead. He'll always be here to keep you safe. He swears by it.

@awanderingghost @theprettiesthead @cosmixstar @theblueslytherin @katherine2098 @sawendel @floofdeloop @sitkafay @bigbaddie45 @bluscryn

@secretisme4 @darkqueen1995 @bridkesby @caribbeangal @sarcasticandfangirl @missjadesfics @kaybart19 @whereismymindnow @chauchirem @angelrenee239 @ppureheroiine @heyitsaloy

#the song in our hearts #lestat de lioncourt x reader #interview with the vampire #iwtv #female reader #dragon's lair

88 notes · View notes

justbelievinginmagic · 13 days ago

Text

im(mortal) - part 2: daydream.

pairing(s): vampire!enhypen ot7 x fem!reader, jake x reader focus for this chapter. series summary: Seven souls struggle with the bitter dregs of eternal life. As they hide amongst human society, they try to discover a cure for their curse, decade after decade, century into century. In their investigations, they find more than they could imagine brewing including a strange magnetic pull towards a human woman. Will they be able to find their humanity once more or will their world crumble beneath the weight of immortality? glimpse: In this modern-day university hall of over one hundred students, there was a lone heart beating louder than any heart that Jake had ever heard in his immortal life. Who's was it? warnings/tags: Inspired by Enhypen's MVs lore, Vampire AU, sort of Soulmate AU, College AU, heavy science fiction inspiration, ot7 x reader but not poly ot7 (but some are really close tbh), 3rd person POV, use of YN, Ni-ki written as Riki, mature topics, vampire typical themes, vampire lore, blood, biting, canon typical violence, descriptions of blood & sounds of blood, bloodlusting, stealing blood bags, mentions of illnesses, secondhand embarrassment from YN, obsessive tendencies from Jake, let me know if there needs to be more tags! word count: 5.7k first chapter <- -> next chapter series masterlist

One thing that never got easier was the sound. Some of the seven could block them out, but, like tinnitus, it’d ring back into focus. Loud. Overwhelming. Ever-present. As the decades crawled forward, there was only more noise. The electricity humming, the world buzzing and dinging and swooshing, the bones creaking. The gurgling, the beating, the rushing, the squelching of beautiful, wonderful, tempting blood.

Never-ending.

Jungwon had gotten good at ignoring a majority of it, but, when surrounded on all sides by humans in the large university lecture hall, it was distracting. Students talking, their hearts beating, their stomach grumbling, their phones and tablet and laptops dinging and humming and whirling, the pencils scratching, the shoes squeaking, the fluorescent lights buzzing. It was a lot to block out while still focusing on the lecture at hand. That was a big reason only a handful of the seven blood-brothers attempted going to college in person. In fact, most of them took advantage of online college courses instead. Jay and Riki could never survive around such commotion – for different reasons.

Heeseung sat beside Jungwon, spinning a pen around his long fingers repeatedly. Jake was a few rows in front of them. A collection of girls whispered and swooned nearby, pointing at Jake as he adjusted his hair. They could hear their whispers clear as day.

Jungwon smiled fondly. It was the same routine. A routine he was starting to like. He had grown to like routine now. He liked its stability.

The professor droned on about something he had already learned decades ago. His Google document on his laptop didn’t have any notes from the session; just an email opened up with this week’s shifts at the hospital. Not many hours, all in the graveyard shift he noted. Good. He was tired of missing his day-classes when he got scheduled during the day. A medical student like him was always busy but c’mon, he’d lament. A notification popped up in the corner of his laptop. A message from Jay: Sunghoon got dinner.

Relief trickled through his veins. Their stash of blood was running low these past few weeks. Jungwon couldn’t sneak anything from the hospital with the rising cases of a new mystery illness plaguing the country. He hadn’t heard much about it other than the rise of blood transfusions in the hospital. There was something brewing said doctors under their breath. A sickness that they didn’t understand.

So, the seven didn’t have their recent easy way of getting dinner. Not without suspicions rising or questions being asked. They had other ways than Jungwon sneaking a few blood bags. It had been decades, a century of needing this vitae. They had other ways. Not as easy but still other ways. And, their leeching (pun intended) off of the hospital would return.

After all, there was one thing that they learned in their decades of immortality: life goes on. Things evolve. Illnesses come and go in a blink of an eye. Plagues crash through society like waves of an uncontrollable ocean. It ebbed and flowed. Life came and went.

They didn’t need to worry about that, of course. They learned quite quickly that illnesses didn’t affect them. Nothing really did. Everything could be solved with blood. Hunger; blood. Injury; blood. Exhaustion beyond sleep; blood. Blood, blood, blood.

That’s all that matter for them, to them. An ever-constant need, an ever-constant haunt.

Pumping, rushing, thud-thudding, thu-thumping, beating, pulsing blood. Taunting.

Jake’s head throbbed already. He wondered if it was hunger striking him harder than usual (he hadn’t drunk as much blood lately, waiting for their newest batch) or if it was the bright fluorescent lights overhead faintly flickering. He tried to pay attention to the professor’s ramblings – a lecture on some historical event. The presentation on the projector flickered and flickered. Did the humans notice it, he wondered?

Ugh, everything bothered him today. It made his anxiety climb and itch under his skin. Like a match temptingly close to a sandpaper pad, brushing and teasing against the rough surface. He felt his palms sweat. His body buzzed. The noises were louder.

Louder.

There was a louder heartbeat that caught Jake’s attention. It was racing, louder and faster than anyone around him. A faint crinkle of his brow creased his forehead. He had never heard such a loud heart. It was magnified, almost to a too brash amplified beat. Immediately, Jake found it annoying.

No, it was not annoying; it was alarming.

His fingers fiddled with the edge of his ribbed sweater, taking slow breaths. In through his mouth, out through his nose like Jungwon had advised long ago.

Thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud.

He felt this loud heartbeat like it was his own heart’s pulsations. But his heart couldn’t race like that, couldn’t beat like that. It couldn’t. It hadn’t in a long time. Jake’s gaze flickered from the professor’s slide-show to glance back at Jungwon and Heeseung.

The eldest vampires, not in age but in rank, stared back at him. If anyone else had caught their gazes locking, they would say it was eerie. A magnetic quality almost. They locked and steadied on one another despite there being three of them. There was a quiet understanding between the three that most humans never experience. Their eyes spoke to one another with no words or facial expressions.

‘You good?’

It was a simple thought that pressed into Jake’s mind. Thoughtful and careful much like the man who ‘said’ it. Heeseung was no emotion-reader (like Jay), but Jake’s mind was racing like a river. He could only pick out a few things in its rush. ‘What the fuck?’ being the loudest thought.

Jake nodded minutely, quick and near impossible for a human to detect. Just a little twitch if anything.

‘You don’t hear that?’ Jake projected.

Heeseung’s brow rose questioningly. There was nothing. Nothing he could tell at least. Things were ordinary. Annoying and overwhelming but ordinary. He shook his head. It made Jake’s brow crinkle into a furrow. He turned his head to stare at the professor once more.

“This signified a change in society – the first pandemic in modern times, and yes,” the professor drawled. “The 1910s are considered modern.” No one chuckled in the hall. “It sent shockwaves throughout everything. Culture, technology, gender-roles, war – when things are turbulent, people get scared.”

Thu-thud. Thu-thud. Thu-thu-thud. It was distracting.

Thu-thud. Thu-thud. Thu-thud-thud. How could they not hear it?

Thu-thud. Thu-thu-thump. Jake’s hand rose to his mouth, fiddling with his lips. His sharp teeth ached.

He glanced over the crowd. Who’s heart was it? Who was it? Was someone wildly nervous? No, it wasn’t racing like that. He’s heard all sorts of heart beats. Nervous, happy, afraid. It was just loud, quick, and… tempting. He could imagine the hot, pulsing blood coursing through the mystery person’s veins. Burning hot. Fast and quick and sweet. The way it’d pour into his mouth like a waterfall, never enough no matter how fast it spilled into the maw, into his own veins.

‘Dude.’ Heeseung broke through Jake’s daydream, scoldingly.

Jake’s cheeks burned hot, embarrassed his hyung heard his blood-lust fantasy. His entire body felt hot actually. He shifted, uncomfortably. His hand went to shove his hair out of his face, sweat beaded at his hairline. He heard a college girl nearby swoon. “He’s so hot,” a whisper to another burned in his ear. They were sitting only a few seats away, but it was hard to catch it from the hummingbird heart that bellowed over everything. Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Thu--

Then, in through the double-doors of the lecture hall, the heart came not barreling into the room but creeping in, quietly. So quietly he was shocked her heart could be that loud and yet look so unaffected on the outside (other than having a pretty bashfulness dusting her cheeks red.) He bit down, jaw clenching painfully. She’d be delicious he knew it. So tasty.

YN thanked God that this was a lecture class – she was pretty sure the professor didn’t even know her name. Anonymity was liquid courage. A single student among a hundred. She could sneak it. Or so she thought. When everyone’s eyes zoomed in on her, she couldn’t help but pause. A flare of fight or flight, a want to hide. Her fingers curled around the metal push-bar of the blue door behind her. Her eyes tried not to lock with anyone’s as she tried to find an open seat anywhere in a hundred-person hall. Darting over the first row, the second row, no, no, no open seats.

“Late and disruptive,” the professor crowed out as he paused in his lecture.

He put a hand on his hip as he turned and stared at her as well. He looked down his nose at her, all sharp lines with the projection of the slide-show casting shadows over his face. Her mouth dried up as she clung to the door a bit tighter. Jake’s mouth watered as her heart skyrocketed in her chest. How was that even possible?

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“Find a seat or excuse yourself from my class before I kick you out,” he barked.

Her eyes widened. Damn, what a dick.

“Sor-sorry,” she bleated out again as she rushed in front of the class.

Some students laughed, snorting in their hand; most stared off into nothing, wishing to be in their dorms’ beds. A late-class always made students creep on the edge of sleep. The last rays of winter sunlight trickled in through the high ceiling windows at the back of the lecture hall.

Her boots, still caked in cold snow from outside, clanked against the concrete floors. Chunks of ice were left on the steps as she began to ascend quickly. The professor refused to continue until she had sat. Her ears burned. Except for her hurried footsteps, it was so quiet.

She was so loud in Jake’s ears; his eyes were stuck on her. Her heart was beating a thousand beats per second into a metaphorical megaphone. He would be worried for her health if she didn’t look so utterly normal. Well, normal-ish. Her face was a rosy color – cheeks flushed with blood and heat.

His tongue salivated. His canines ached. He wanted to bite her reddened cheek, draw that blood to his lips – that tempting heart could fill his mouth, his maw, his heart, his veins.

‘Jake.’ It was a warning tone, gentle and deep in his head; Heeseung was still poking around in his brain. ‘You good?’

It felt like water was dosed over his head, and still he felt holt. Shame, guilt, hunger: they all clashed in his stomach like some sort of boiling pot. He blinked and glanced away from this human woman. It was hard to look away as she hurried past. He tried to block out the images of taking the woman into his arms, biting her. Biting, biting, biting. He raised a hand to brush over his neck, shifting in his seat. His gaze flickered to his brothers, two wide saucers of brown-red eyes. Searching for support as his anxiety roiled in his chest. Heeseung’s gaze was steady on Jake, not even glancing over at the woman who hurried past the rows of students. Clunk, clank, clunk.

‘Do you need to leave?’

The thought pressed through a flurry of blood-lusting thoughts and guilt-ridden rambles, all jumbled in Jake’s head as he stared off at them. Almost unseeing. Jake breathed out, unsure. Why? Why was her heart so… tempting? None of the other students tempted him so. Just. Her.

Jungwon’s eyes followed her for the trio (because, of course, Heeseung had kept him in the loop with Jake – a strange case of telepathic telephone). His eyes lazed over her form as she settled down into an empty seat, a row behind Jake. She was pretty, he’d admit. But nothing drew him to her. Not even her heart beat. Her bag was slung to the ground with a clatter, and her hair fell around her face in a curtain as she pretended to search through it for her notebook and pencil. Hunched over, she tried to hide from the world for a second. Waiting, in the terrible silence of the large hall. A cough echoed from somewhere. Finally, the professor spoke once more, and she let out a shudder of a breath. Her eyes shut.

Cheeks red and heart pounding, YN thought maybe she shouldn’t had come to class at all; skipping wasn’t too bad of a sin, and most students did it with these types of classes; she was good with attendance usually, so, really, where was the harm? All this led to was humiliation at the hands of a professor who didn’t understand public buses getting delayed.

YN took a few deep breaths, a hand going to rub at her forehead before she tugged out her notebook and a stray pen. Popping back up in a flurry of hair, she watched as a handsome man hid his gaze, turning to face the professor who had begun his lecture once more. God, everyone was looking at her, she thought as she buried herself in her jacket and buried her attention into her notebook.

Jake took a deep breath. He had gotten caught staring. Ignore her. Ignore her heart. Ignore the heat that seemed to radiate from her. Ignore her. Ignore her. Ignore it.

Slowly, her heart slowly fell into a calmer rhythm, but it didn’t seem to quiet. In fact, Jake swore it grew louder and louder. Like a ticking clock, like a pendulum swinging back and forth, like a metronome counting in a siren melody. Like a deadly monster calling his name and his name only. His blood-brothers didn’t feel her pull. When he glanced back at them, all Heeseung did was give him a questioning look. A careful look. Ever the older brother.

‘I’m okay.’ Jake thought in a mantra. ‘I’m in control.’

He was sure Heeseung doubted him; he wasn’t sure he trusted himself.

Class crept slowly by – the rest of the hour-long lecture feeling longer by how the professor droned on and on in the same monotone. It felt like an eternity with her heart in his ear. It wasn’t a squelching thing he realized. It was soft and thrumming and tempting. He flashed between daydreams of sip, sip, sip, sipping her blood from her throat to daydreams of being done with the class and running home to hide himself in his bed.

He was so lost in his thoughts that Jake didn’t notice the professor wrapping up class. The humans stood from their seats. His blood-brothers had stood from their seats. She hadn’t left. That’s all he could focus on. Her heart. Her heart was thudding and thudding in his ears. In his heart.

He stared off. Daydreaming of a girl he didn’t even know the name of. Just her heart.

YN sighed out as she stared at her incomplete notes. Only half a class worth of notes penned, and she knew this professor didn’t share his slides on the online portal. Cruel. (That was the real reason she had come late; this teacher hated technology.) Glancing around her row, suddenly, she felt invisible. Students push past her knees as they shuffled out of the row, yawning and texting and itching to get out of the lecture hall.

She needed the notes from the beginning of the class … glancing around, she debated just waiting until next class, but then she spotted him.

The cute twenty-something year old that had stared at her earlier, dressed in an inviting over-sized soft-ribbed sweater with dark long hair, sat in front of her, still. He hadn’t shifted – almost frozen like a statue. Maybe he was asleep? Some kids had learned to sleep sitting up in her multi-hour classes. She paused. Well, she could wake him – that’s only polite. And maybe he’ll be polite back and let her copy his notes.

Nudging his shoulder with a lithe finger, she asked. “Excuse me?”

Jake took in a small miniscule breath as he was jolted out of his daydream. He knew it was her. Her heart had become a melody, a tempting one but one that he fell into like the waves of an ocean, deep and dark and tempting but strangely soothing. She smelled nice. Like perfume, like detergent, like iron-blood. He licked his lips; his mouth was so dry and yet so salivating. Slowly, he turned and offered a small smile, tentative and gentle. His fingers fiddled with the hem of his ribbed sweater.

“Yeah?” his voice nearly cracked and he wanted to hide into the walls.

Oh, he was cute. His eyes were a pretty brown-red like lit firewood in a camp-fire. His hair was tousled effortlessly. His smile he offered her was bashful, soft, fleeting. But it was radiant. He was so cute. Swallowing quickly, she blinked.

“Hi, sorry, can I take a picture of your notes from the beginning of the class?” she asked.

Her heart had jumped. He had heard it. He swore he could almost feel it. His body felt aflame. Her features were so pretty. His eyes licked over her cheeks, the same cheeks he had wanted to bite earlier. His heart jittered and he jumped a bit to shift his notebook between his palms.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, of course,” he stumbled out.

The heart smiled brighter. “Thanks.”

With ease, she took a quick snapshot of his notes with her cell-phone. She squinted at his notes – there

“Sorry-- uh, sorry for the bad handwriting,” he apologized, flicking to the next page.

“No, no, its fine; better than mine,” she told him.

“I doubt that,” he teased. “Mine looks ancient.”

It was ancient. He’s had decades to change his handwriting, but it always remained this too loose cursive script. Like a doctor’s handwriting, it was indecipherable at points. He knew it. Yet, he still flushed at her words – face hot, heart hot.

“It’s pretty.” She said instead, her hand reached out to flip to the next page.

Her heartbeat filled his senses; maybe that’s why he felt so hot. Like his body was mimicking the way her heart rushed.

“I’m Jake,” he said. Sharp teeth gleaming.

“YN,” she smiled. Blunt teeth shining.

Her hand outstretched first. At the barest touch of her skin against his, he felt like he had been struck by lightning. Like every cell in his body became bubbling hot and freezing cold. Like he was stuck in the mansion, sitting in a tub of icy water before it became scalding hot. His atoms rearranged, electrified.

He pulled his hand away quick, jolting back and tugging his notebook with him. She let out a little sound that had his eyes flashing to her face.

She was pretty. So pretty, this sweet heart. His gums ached. His heart raced. Her heart raced. Their heart raced. He had to leave. He had to. He had to.

“Sorry, gotta go,” he excused lamely before stumbling out of his seat, fisting his backpack in one hand, and pressing his notebook to his chest with his other hand.

“Oh-okay,” YN barely managed to get out before she was alone in the emptying lecture hall.

Two pairs of red eyes watched her from the top of the lecture hall before, in a whoosh, they were gone.

“What was that all about?” Heeseung prompted, catching up to Jake easily. His hair was tousled by the teleportation, an unearthly shudder to his locks like it moved in slow motion. Like it was catching up with the world around him.

Jake’s face felt hot, his hands felt hot. His entire body felt hot. Scorching, hotter, hotter. Out of control.

“Nothing,” he mumbled out. “It was nothing.”

“Didn’t look like it,” Jungwon commented from behind the duo. He kept his gaze solidly on Jake’s form.

“He could hear her heartbeat over all the others,” Heeseung gossiped. “YN, right?”

Her name felt like a taunt and Jake swallowed against the burning in his throat as his gums ached; his teeth were painful to the brush of his tongue.

YN, YN, YN.

Hungry. Hungry. Hungry.

“Jake.” His name sounded like a scold.

“I know,” he bit out, eyes shutting tight.

In his anger, his own fangs nicked his lower lip. A drop of red blood formed there. He licked it up and felt a burn in his throat. He could still hear her heart. How could he still hear it? He could still hear it pounding in his ears like it was his own heart in his chest. How? They were far from the lecture hall now, passing a bus stop. Sweat prickled the back of his neck.

“Do you need to stay home for a while? We don’t want ano–,“ Jungwon continued.

His cool, collected words were cut off as Jake turned suddenly, stopping in his tracks. His eyes were flaring red like ruby gems; his teeth sharp and glinting in the orange sunlight

“I don’t remind you of every mess up; I said it was nothing!" Jake snapped; a nearby lit-sign extinguished with a pop of sparks. Some humans nearby yelled in fright.

Jungwon’s dark red eyes were stoney as he stared at Jake. The fuming man huffed and puffed before he looked aside.

“This doesn’t make me think its nothing,” Jungwon countered, glancing over at the broken sign. His face was a blank canvas, almost detached looking as he walked towards Jake.

Jake’s breaths were shuddering. Jungwon paused beside him. His voice low as he spoke to him. Jake shut his eyes again, a hand raising to rub the bridge of his nose. He could still smell her. Like she was following after him. What the fuck?

‘I don’t mean to bring up the past.’ It was a fleeting thought from Jungwon.

Heeseung looked between the two, watching as Jungwon whispered to the other. It was an effort to give one another privacy with their impossible senses, harder with Heeseung’s powers, but it was possible. Like now. Jake replied back; his fangs sparkled in the setting sun. Dripping in saliva, dripping with sweet venom. When there was a lull, a barely shared look between the two men, Heeseung cleared his throat, shouldering his backpack over his back.

“C’mon, let’s just go home.” He slung his arms over the two, brotherly. “You’re probably just hungry.”

They walked away from the humans chattering about the sudden burst electrical light.

“We’re home,” Jungwon called out, slinking his backpack off his shoulder.

Heeseung and Jake followed in after him; Jake pushed past the pair and up the stairs with heavied footsteps.

The grand mansion was different to the mansion they grew up in. It was larger than the orphanage for one – each man had their own large room, though few of them were decorated. In fact, if you walked around the mansion, it had a strange feeling to it. Like it was the mimicry of living. Perfectly staged. Slightly empty.

Heeseung liked this mansion despite the fake feeling he felt walking through it. It was better than his previous home. Before Jungwon had gathered them to live together once more, in this day and age, they had been scattered across the world like lost pieces of the same puzzle. Some stayed together and others had strayed off alone. Riki and Heeseung had wanted the same thing at the time. Freedom. Or what they thought was freedom.

Their apartment had been dirt-cheap – but also dirty. Peeling, molding baby-blue walls taunted him like a specter. Two small single beds took up the majority of the damp room. A large window took up one wall, looking over the city (if one could look past the coat of grime it had). There was a radiator that hummed a high-pitched shrillness more often than not separating their beds. Eventually, there was an old television, new at the time and something the pair of them splurged on with the little cash they made, shoved against the far wall next to their shared closet. The floor was often covered in books or notebooks or sometimes trash. Boys being boys, or just him and Riki being free.

This place was far better. Clean, large, and clean. His room was more decorated than most of the blood-brothers. He clearly liked it here more.

Heeseung padded into the living room and plopped down on the too-firm settee, sighing out and stretching. At least here, the ever-present sounds of hearts’ thu-thumping and gurgling and sloshing were quieter. All of their heart beats were similar, familiar, and easy to tune out. They often didn’t hear each other now. Was it familiarity? Was it fate? Was it that they were inhuman and therefore equal to their senses? They didn’t know. Just that each of the vampires’ heart rates were slow, almost sludge-like as their strange blood coursed through their veins at a snail’s pace.

The noise of the television was a different story; Heeseung’s tired eyes flickered over to Riki who was biting into his lower lip as he played a video game on the flat-screen TV. It was some new flashy vampire game with too much gore and with a screen so dark that humans couldn’t play it in bright-light. Meanwhile, Riki could see every pixel if he focused too hard.

‘Hey.’ He greeted Heeseung with a single thought; his eyes didn’t tear away from the screen.

Jungwon walked past the living room, past Heeseung and Riki, into a kitchen. Now, if anything looked like a staged space, it was the kitchen. Fake fruits sat in a basket, plates were sitting in a cabinet, dustied and unused.

Jay was there, sorting through their fridge. Handfuls of IV bags were in his arms. A negative, O positive, A positive, even an AB were among the labeled. Patiently, he reorganized their refrigerator by type. Sunghoon was sat on the nearby counter; face mask and baseball cap discarded beside him. He was suckling on an IV bag quickly, almost chugging it. Sunghoon always struggled with the taste of blood, even decades later.

“Hey,” Jay nodded at Jungwon.

“Hey; good job,” the oldest vampire yet youngest among the three nudged Sunghoon’s knee with his hand. “You didn’t get caught?”

Sunghoon’s brows raised in a challenge at Jungwon, playful, as he squeezed the rest of the blood into his mouth.

“Not that I know of, couldn’t sense anyone nearby, and Jay took care of the cameras.” Sunghoon commented, smacking his lips before tossing the IV haphazardly to his side.

“Good,” Jungwon hummed again. “Anyone else eat yet?”

“Riki devoured three of the new packs; I had one; Jay?” he looked towards the man finishing organizing the fridge.

He raised up two fingers. “Old stock.” He added.

“Where’s Sunoo?” Jungwon asked Sunghoon.

Sunghoon leveled him with an exasperated look. “Room. Where else?”

Jungwon sighed out. It had been two weeks of this. Sunoo isolated himself often throughout the decades, growing lost in his mind and its illusions. He’s recalled stories of him and the boys that had never happened. Spoke riddles of a princess, talk of a land far away from theirs. Jungwon worried for him more often than not.

Grabbing two older blood bags, he thanked the two before treading through the rest of the mansion. The long hallways felt endless at times, but Jungwon liked it that way. It felt endless in a way that the manor they grew up in didn’t. Their whole world had been in that stupid, tiny house. That stupid burnt to a crisp mansion. Now, they had all of this. Or at least, Jungwon had all of this. It was his mansion after all. He owned it.

“Sunoo,” he called out as he walked down wainscoted hallway. Dark cherry wood and white painted walls encased him. One door on each side. A music room. A painting room. Finally, Sunoo’s room at the end of the hallway. “Dinner-time.”

Jungwon knocked once before entering, shutting the white door behind him.

“Dinner,” Jay called from the doorway to the living room.

“In a minute,” the youngest called. Riki hadn’t moved, his eyes locked on the television. His in-game character bit ruthlessly into a human. Screams and garbles noises came from the speaker.

“Not for you. You drank three bags in two minutes,” Jay retorted. “Hyung.”

Heeseung nodded from his spot.

“I’m still hungry,” Riki said. He didn’t complain, just stated.

“Where’d Jake go?” Jay asked ignoring the youngest, his gaze flickering upwards. He could feel the turbulent emotions like a tremble in the air. Like static electricity clinging to the back of his mouth. A calm before the storm.

“Attic,” Sunghoon called, half lying on the couch. His laptop was perched on his stomach; some notes about velocity and speed and weight shone on the screen. Heeseung didn’t understand most of it – he favored the arts while Sunghoon favored this. Science. He said it helped. Helped what he wasn’t sure.

But, of course, Sunghoon would know where Jake had gone off too. He was skilled with knowing where everyone was.

“He good?” Jay asked, more towards Heeseung.

Heeseung sighed but revealed what had happened. “There was this girl in our history course.”

“Oh, a crush?” Riki teased, laughing as he paused his game finally.

“No, not like that,” Heeseung defended, brows furrowing. “It was weird. He was like obsessing over her—”

“It’s a crush,” Riki teased, dangling his controller in between long fingers. He stretched out on the couch, kicking his now-long limbs into Heeseung’s lap.

“No,” Heeseung scolded, nudging the younger’s legs off his lap. “He could hear her heartbeat louder than the others.”

“What?” Jay laughed a bit, concerned.

“Weird, right?” he countered. “Jungwon’s worried.”

“I got that, but he’s always worried,” Jay replied, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorway.

The boys laughed at that.

Jake could barely hear their laughter from the attic. No, all he could hear was her. Her heart. He could feel it in his chest still, his heart thudding more ferociously than ever before.

A hand rose to press against his bare skin, shedding the soft sweater and his button up shirt. Staring into a mirror, he looked at his chest. His heart thu-thumped, thu-thumped, thu-thumped. Faster than ever. His eyes flared a hot red - almost a burning orange. Sweat dripped down his back.

He hadn’t felt this way ever. Maybe when he was young but that had been so long ago. Things were different now. They were all different now. Older. Physically and mentally. Controlled.

Control. He had everything under control. His heart beat hummingbird-quick. Uncontrolled. A vein in his neck pulsated. Control.

Breathe in, breathe out.

He laid back against the spare bed, his skin sizzling at it met the mattress. A burn of his silhouette haloed into the fabric. Smoke pillowed around him.

Breathe out, breathe in.

Her heart, his heart, was beating, still. His heart...

He had to see her again.

Something had changed today beneath the setting orange sun. Just like that night under the blood moon.

Running through the forest that night as boys upon the brink of manhood, they never realized how far their prison had been from civilization. Many nights were spent in those woods.

Dawns that bled a burning red sun, dazed in their fury and hunger. Angry at what they have become – because they had become something different. Their stomach cramped even with their gulps of red vitae. Their teeth were sharpened like wolves. Their eyes red, inhuman. Nights that felt endless in a cold blue, gnashing teeth and icy tears. Their path was formed by fear. Their unity was all they had those nights and days.

Hazed by time, many of them can only make out bits and pieces.

They hid. They hid for quite some time. Inside an abandoned hunting shed with a single mattress in the corner on the floor. There was the smell of rotten blood and animal fur. Some of them argued about going back – they’d die out here they said. Blood vials were downed sparingly, shared between the brothers as they sat on the bed. Huddled but not cold. They were never cold.

Riki remembered their fangs glinting at one another in anger. Sunoo remembered chasing Jake down in the woods one day after he fell into a fit of tears.

Jungwon remembered offering his neck, his wrist, his veins to his brothers once their rations dwindled. The pierce of fangs ached more than any needle did but he didn’t cry or whimper. It was his sacrifice.

During those dusks to dawns, they learned more and more about themselves. Their talents were more than speed or telepathy or freezing time. It was teleportation. One moment they could be in the shed; the next they were perched on a tree branch. It was immortality. Their bodies were flexible, able to bend and face the world with a resilience. It was hearing. They could hear the doe running through the forest away from a predator, away from their violence.

Sunghoon discovered the strangest one – transformation. Shapeshifting. Transfiguration. It wasn’t in anger or fear or any emotion when it had happened. He simply felt it. Tingling at his fingertips, tingling in his toes. Like a live-wire beneath his skin. His head threw back, staring up at the starry night. The deep-azure sky far above him seemed so free, seemed far from their reality. Optimistic. He took a breath in - of upturned dirt, of fresh dew, of aged-pine. And when he breathed out, he became something else.

A flurry of bats took his place. Spiraling up and away from the ground he stood on, flying high, flying free. Flying away from the forest.

In his discovery, Sunghoon had found their key to their future. A line cutting through the forest. A road. A way to civilization. He returned for his brothers and took them forward. Day broke as they walked the fine line.

For so long there had been only two constants in their lives since they walked down that road and into society. Their unbreakable bonds and their unstoppable hunger for blood. But Jake knew in his blood, as it raced for the first time in a century, that there was a third constant: you.

85 notes · View notes

missmarveledsblog · 5 months ago

Text

IDiots (dean winchester x reader )

Summary : when reader becomes the victim of a entity Dean is forced to admit feeling that he thought he could keep away in fear of being hurt .

Warning : little angsty mostly fluffy

Shit hitting the fan was an understatement of the century . The boys stood stuck to the ground watching as it loomed over her . He knew it was his fault , he knew they told him it was bad idea and yet he knew better . He knew this stuff more than they did or so he thought. Now he stood frozen while his brother screamed for it to leave her alone , while the woman he's loves in now on the ground out cold while evil lurks over her and it was all his fault . They warned him a week ago and he didn't listen.

It was always the same on case sam and Y/N sat in the kitchen of the bunker laptops on and researching away . " so the story goes a woman Jane Howard was killed by some dude one night , a man by John.. Smith really this has got to be fake .. anyway he was in love with Jane but never told her went on rampage in his madness killing single women some say he now attaches to a woman and if her love doesn't announce himself to her he take her soul to live with him for eternity " she couldn't help laugh at the ridiculousness of it all . " hey maybe I can get slash to admit he knows and loves me " she snorted. " or someone else would grow balls and do it " sam muttered shooting his brother a quick glance . " awh Sammy I love you too .. not like that though but we have our pact still " she teased . " pact? " . " if we're both single by 50 I marry her " sam smiled seeing the jealous glare from his brother . " yup have in writing too , I mean it's on a beer mat but still OK I need to pack up I'll meet you guys in an hour " she giggled heading off to her room . " you think maybe we should ask her sit this out giving she probably going to die before you admit your feelings to her " sam mused . " she not into me dude so let's drop this " he huffed walking off to his own room . " idiots I'm surrounded by idiots " sam face palmed .

Walking out she was standing looking at the brothers pouting up at them. " cas will be fine " Dean rolled his eyes . " but he's a baby " she whined . " he older than three of us combined ... plus Bobby's got him " . " I miss him already " she pouted making his heart beat faster . " go give him another hug " he smiled making her bolt into the bunker . " now if I asked that I'd be told to suck it up " sam teased . " hey Bobby give her special treatment too , plus she clearly pining for the big baby " he pointed out . " well then maybe he'll do what you can't but cas isn't the one she pining for i can definitely tell you that much " sam shot back . " he's a bit better but still sad " she sighed getting into the impala cutting dean asking what his brother ment by that . " come on we can get you some of those candy bars you like on the way " sam smiled brightly at her . " its like your in love with cas " Dean rolled his eyes . " I love all you guys .. some more than other " she whispered looking at him before getting into the car . " idiots " sam exhaled before following.

Pulling up to the motel instead of waking the sleeping woman Dean decided she was too cute to disturb only for him to lift her and carry her in leaving his brother to carry the bags . " yeah course I got it " the younger winchester huffed . Not that his brother listened nor did he care when she held on tight nuzzling her head into his chest letting out a content sigh . Maybe she could love him back like he loved her but then again the self doubt kicked in . She was light and he was just the darkest of dark . A woman like her couldn't love him. She was too special and he was the boy who couldn't even make his own father proud no matter what he did . No a girl like her was made for his brother . Caring sweetheart who would make sure everyone was OK before herself . A smile and laugh that could brighten anyone's day no he would never have a woman love the likes of him , he was sure of it . Placing her gently on the bed he rushed out of the room, only just as he did she smiled in her sleep calling his name . " idiot " sam huffed placing the bags at the near by table .

Driving to the house another woman losing her life what perplexed then was the man admitted he love her yet she still died . " oh no " she gasped . " what is it " sam turned checking her over . " she didn't love him back its why she died " she sniffled . "Great so it like a true loves first kiss but with a entity " Dean growled . " we'll get him don't worry " she patted his shoulder. " hey why don't you sit this one out " sam turned to her. " yeah I mean if he latches on I don't think we could get slash here on time " Dean joked making her eyes roll . " he not my true love though " she blew her nose. "Well im sure cas can come soon then " he didn't mean for it to come out snappy . " you think I love cas like that " she snorted . " I mean your always cuddling him , hate leaving him and well i don't know " he shrugged. " i cuddle sammy too and bobby when he lets me " she deadpanned which wasn't a lie she was a cuddler . " your not in love with cas " he asked. " i love him but not in love with him " she murmured . " idiots " sam grumbled .

they went after the entity it keep messing with her locking her into rooms or pushing her little things it considered as warning leading the brothers to take her from the house and back to the motel. " your sitting this one out " dean slammed the door while sam checked the small cuts the litter her hands after she was pushed into glass. "i'm not letting a bully win " she growled. " your not going " sam said putting the gauze on her hand . " i'm going and where going to kick his ass, i'm going to have a shower " she got off the bed grabbing her clothes before heading to the bathroom . " you need to either tell her or make her sit this one out " sam waited til the shower was on . " why don't you tell her , it's clear your the one she loves " he shot back . " i love her like a sister god you are so blind to what's in front of you , you need to get her to sit it out, he's already feeding on you and she getting hurt " he said holding up the glass shard filled dish . " a guy like me doesn't get with a girl like that ok i am sick of you pushing this " he growled slamming the door . only for sam to look up and see her standing there heartbroken hearing his words. " he didn't mean it the way you think he did " he began but she just grabbed her coat and shoes before heading out the door herself storming past the older winchester . " idiots " sam yelled out at them .

she knew it was stupid , something she was completely regretting the minute she stepped in the house but ever since they took on this case everything went to shit . Maybe a broken heart could take on a broken heart was her stupid reasoning . His words replayed over in her head making her head reel . That was til she was locked in a room trying to get out til she was knocked across the room her phone hitting the ground as dean number came up and answer , he could here her groans and followed by something he could only describe as a disembodied growl . " shit we're coming sweetheart " he called before the line went completely dead. now here they stood stuck while the entity stood over her body sucking and draining the life from her . The fear of losing her was growing stronger then the fear of rejection . "please stop ok take me , i know you don't but take me i will take her place , they world can't lose a woman like that , a woman who would starve rather then let someone go hungry , one who cries at stupid video's online because someone is sad and she can't help , i'd rather you take me then take the woman i love out from this world" he finally felt the words spewn only for her to sit up gasping grabbing the pistol and shooting the entity and the two men being able to move . " i'm sorry " was all she said not that he cared he was stunned , knowing the only reason she was talking now was because in some divine madness meant she loved him like really loved him . she couldn't get another word out before she felt him pull her up and smash his lips to her . " finally ... idiots " sam smiled looking at the pair.

#dean winchester #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester x you #supernatural #sam winchester #castiel #supernatural fic #jensen ackles #jensen fucking ackles #jared and jensen #dean x reader #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester imagine

108 notes · View notes

sv5hive · 10 months ago

Text

who said burnt pancakes weren't good? | fa14

pairing: fernando alonso x fem!reader

content warning(s): none!

word count: 458

note: im not really happy with this one but i haven't posted anything in a while and i have a couple of exams coming up so i won't be very active 🙃 i hope you like it anyways!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻

(masterlist!)

ever since fernando had come home for the summer break, you had taken it upon yourself to treat him to luxuries he wouldn't usually get while racing. home cooked meals, lie ins, unlimited access to you; the whole works. while you did attend some of his races when you could, you still had your own career to grow despite fernando's insistence that he could support the both of you if you ever wanted it. you appreciated it but you loved your job and it kept you busy while he was away.

this morning, you found yourself humming along to the radio while waiting to flip the pancakes. you wanted nothing more than to sleep in with fernando and you struggled to leave his warm embrace but you had also been craving pancakes for a while now. besides, you felt good knowing that you could help your boyfriend even if it was a small thing like breakfast.

unbeknownst to you, fernando had already woken up and was now leaning against the doorway to admire you in your element. watching you bounce to the beat of the music, he found himself falling for you all over again. not many could say they were lucky enough to be with a woman like you but he could. he was eternally grateful for everything you did for him and never stopped wondering what kind of saint he was in a past life to be blessed with you.

"fernando! did i wake you?"

you had finally noticed him when you turned around to check the clock.

"no, mi amor. i was already awake."

he trudged towards you and kissed you before wrapping his arms around you. any time spent together was precious for both of you so you made every moment worth it.

"thank you, i don't tell you it enough." he mumbled with his face buried into your neck.

you could tell he wasn't just talking about the breakfast and simply smiled.

"you don't have to say it. i know."

you pulled away and took notice of the mellow song now playing on the radio.

"dance with me!"

he could never say no to that smile so he silently obliged and spun you around, much to your delight. when you first started dating, you both promised to make time for each other despite your hectic schedules and sure, sometimes it was hard not seeing each other as often as most couples would. but somehow, you had made it work when nobody else thought you could. and you were happy to keep proving them wrong.

the blare of the smoke alarm startled both of you out of your daze and you promptly remembered what you were doing before you got carried away.

"the pancakes!"

#fa14 #f1 fic #f1 x reader #f1 x you #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #fa14 x reader #fa14 imagine #fernando alonso #fernando alonso x reader #fernando alonso x you #fernando alonso fluff #fernando alonso imagine #fernando alonso x fem!reader #fernando alonso fanfic #fernando alonso fic

263 notes · View notes

vanfleeter · 3 months ago

Text

Hello Darlin'

Characters: Jake Kiszka x Fem!Reader Warnings: 18+ || Angst. Pain. Hurt. Heartbreak. Mentions of alcoholism. Sobriety. Fluff. Dancing. Smiling. Kissing. A/N: Hello Darlin' (originally by Conway Twitty) inspired this small follow up a year later to Let Her Go.

Seeing her again, it felt like the first time all over again.

Except now it’s tainted and everything is different than it was nearly a decade ago. Part of me felt a bit of happiness when I saw her smile, but the other part of me was hurting as I watched her smile. She was happy, and it wasn't because of me. It would never be because of me again.

It had been two years since we went our separate ways. I still remember the day she left like it was yesterday, and it was because of my own doing. I was selfish and all I thought about was me. I treated her like crap because I couldn't decide what I wanted. Of course I wanted her, but my heart just wasn't in it. That doesn't mean that I never loved her, but that she deserves someone who could have given her more than what I was offering, or what I wasn’t.

I broke her heart and in doing so, I broke mine too.

I still remember that last night that we had spent together, where I gave everything I had to her. I gave it all to try to prove to her that I was sorry. But in the end, she still left, leaving me behind and her sweater. I had that small feeling of knowing she would still leave but a big part of me was hoping that she would have stayed and worked through it all together but I guess I had hurt her too much for her to want to stay. I can’t blame her, I wouldn't want to have stayed if I were her.

In the two years we had spent apart felt like an eternity. I tried to drown myself in work, take every opportunity the band had to tour, keep my ass in the studio working on songs, anything really to keep my mind off of her. It never did work because I would find myself, like I have every night since she left, drunk off of tequila or whiskey. It numbed the pain I inflicted on myself for only a little while. A temporary fix to the wound I gave myself. It felt like there was a permanent hole in my heart where she belonged.

No one could ever replace her. I vowed that I’d be single from now on. Josh thought I was being dramatic but so far, two years and I haven't touched another woman.

I did sober up though. Quit drinking as a way to numb the pain. I was basically a functioning alcoholic and I knew that wasn’t good for me. I knew that if I ever had the chance to see her again, I wouldn’t be like that. I would be clean, I would sober up, and I would look like I’m not dying inside and constantly beating myself up.

Tonight was that night.. I hadn’t touched a single drop of alcohol and for once I wasn’t tempted to.

She was talking to Josh, he was making her smile over something he said. I couldn't hear her laugh over the multitude of people in this room, but she was happy. Or she looked like she was.

Sucking in a deep breath, I ran a hand through my hair and rubbed it over my facial hair. I could tell she had liked it the last time we saw each other so I kept it. I’d trim it and shape it but I never shaved it. As I approached the two of them, her eyes moved and landed on me and her smile only got bigger. That little flame inside of me grew a little bigger. I returned the smile and gave her a small nod of my head.

“Hello, darlin’!” She exclaims. “It’s so good to see you! Been some time, how are you?”

“I-I’m good,” I stammer. “How are you?”

“Oh well, you know.. Living..” She says with a wink. I chuckle slightly and she giggles.

“I heard you have a boyfriend,” I say. Heard through the grapevine of course. “I hope all is well.” I add, giving her a reassuring smile. I don’t want to be a dick, I truly mean it. I do hope she’s happy because that is all I ever want for her.

“I did have one..” She says. “But we broke up..” The flame seemed to grow just a little bit more when she uttered those words. ‘Broke up’, they broke up. She’s single now, right? Maybe I can try to get her back. Prove to her that I mean it this time, that I truly do want her. She’s the one, the love of my life.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” I say, keeping the conversation cordial.

“Eh,” She shrugs her shoulders and takes a drink. “Do you have someone?” She asks. “You’re still the same old private man,” She smirks.

I shake my head and stuff my hands into my pockets. “Uh.. No.. Not since…you..”

Her eyes dim a little and she downcasts them to the floor. “Oh..”

I hear Josh suck in a breath and he smacks his teeth. “Well.. I’m going to go see what food they have here.. Anyone want something for me to bring back?” We both shake our heads and he nods his head. “Then I shall be back.” He says before taking a drink and walking away.

We stood there in silence for a little while, neither of us daring to speak as the music played in the background. I opened my mouth at one point to say something but I couldn't quite find the words to say. In truth I wanted to spill my guts and tell her how awful it’s been without her. How dark my life has been, all of the struggles. But I knew better than that. I didn't want to hurt her anymore than I already had two years ago. It wasn't her fault, none of it was. All of the pain and suffering I went through was by my own hand because of the regret that I had.

The music changes to something slower and I see her lower her drink as she twists her body to set it down. When she turns back to me, she holds out her hand. “Care to dance with me?” She asks.

Dance? Together?

I merely nod my head and she takes my hand in hers before pulling me out to the dance floor. Feeling her again felt like a weight was being lifted from me. Her skin was still as soft as she still held my hand.

“Do you remember this song?” She asks as she guides my hands to proper places on her body. My hands tingled as I felt her warmth beneath the fabric of her dress. “You were away on tour, the longest we had been apart because I couldn’t go with you, and when you came home, you started playing this as soon as you stepped through the door.” I smile as the memory crosses my brain.

(It's Been A Long, Long Time - Kitty Kallen, Harry James)

Winter had just hit Nashville when the four of us landed at the airport. The drive was a slow one due to the snow and I was itching to get back home. And as soon as the car pulled into the driveway, I said my goodbyes to the guys as I grabbed my backpack and my suitcase and closed the car door. Trudging through the snow, I made it up to the front door and unlocked it. Setting my things on the floor by the stairs, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and connected my phone to the stereo in the living room and started to play the song.

It took a few seconds but she was at the top of the staircase and looking down at me. I held my hand out in front of me and she smiled before rushing down the stairs and grabbing hold of my hand. I pulled her into me, reveling in both her warmth as the cold from outside disappeared and from holding her in my arms again. It was the longest four months being away from her–dramatic, I know–but it was awful not having her with me.

And together we danced to the music in the foyer, holding each other close and sweetly kissing each other.

Here we are now, holding each other but not kissing. I wanted to kiss her so badly, but I knew better. Soon the song came to end and switched to something more upbeat. She lifted up her hand, looking at her watch and sighing. “I know you just got here but I have to go,” She says. “I have an early flight in the morning..”

“Where are you going? If you don’t mind me asking..”

“Washington.” She says. “Business meeting in Portland.”

“Supposed to be dreary this time of year,” I say. “Make sure you stay bundled, and carry an umbrella. You never know when it might rain.”

“Considering we grew up in Michigan?” She smiles. “I’m always prepared for the unexpected.” I can’t help but to smile and chuckle.

She starts to leave, pulling her hand from mine but I hold on and she turns back. “Can I ask you something?” I say. She nods her head and steps back up to me. “Will you forgive me for how I’ve treated you?”

She smiles again and nods her head. Reaching up on her toes, she presses her lips against my cheeks. “I already have.” When she steps away, I still don’t let go. “Jake, I have to go.”

“Just one more thing..”

Just tell her.

“I-If you ever decide to, I’ll be at home..waiting for you..”

Her hand tightened around mine as she squeezed it and she gave me a small smile. “I’ll see you around, Jake.” That was that. She disappeared through the sea of people and I stood there unsure of when I’d ever see her next.

Months flew by and soon it was winter again. Snow was lightly falling as I watched it from the kitchen window. My hands were submerged in the warm, soapy water as I grabbed another plate to scrub clean.

I’ve been thinking about her since seeing her again. I hadn’t heard from her after she left for Portland. I wasn’t entirely expecting to but I meant what I said when I told her that I would be waiting. I want her back.

Seeing my wrinkled fingers when I pull my hands out of the water, I pull the drain blockage and let the water go down as I dry off my hands. Tossing the towel onto the kitchen counter, I retrieve a water bottle from the fridge and crack the cap.

As I go to shut off the lights in the kitchen, I see headlights shine through the living room window indicating the arrival of a car in the driveway. Suddenly the stereo starts playing that song again. The trumpet fills the quiet air.

I forgot I left that thing on.

I slowly walk through the entry hall towards the door when I hear the lock turn. I stop walking when I see the door open and she steps inside the house. She pauses when she sees me.

“Josh let me use his key,” She says as she moves again to set her bag on the floor and shuts the door.

“Y-You came..” I stammer.

She smiles and nods her head. “After seeing you again, all I could think about was you. I’m sorry it took me so long to finally show up here.. I was at war with myself over if this would be a smart idea but,” She shrugs her shoulders. “I still love you, Jake. I don’t think I ever stopped loving you.”

I didn’t even stop myself from rushing up to her and grabbing her face in my hands to kiss her. Pulling away for a breath, I let my hands drop to her hips and I draw her body close to mine.

“Jake?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you still have my sweater?”

A smile cracks across my face and I throw my head back in laughter. “Yes, I still have it.” I say as I rub my thumb over her cheek. “I never got rid of it.” She looks up at me with a smile and I return it. “I know that it will take time for me to pick up the pieces, but I swear that I will work everyday to put your heart all back together.”

“I already did that,” She says as places her hand over mine. “But I am trusting you to hold it again and not drop it this time.”

“Never..” I say before leaning down to kiss her again.

____________________________________________________________

like, reblog, and comment if you enjoyed this! :)

@losfacedevil @writingcold @edgingthedarkness @ignite-my-fire @hollyco @piratejtk @earthgrlsreasy @dancingcarbon @josh-iamyour-mama @oliverfuckingreed @cheersdannyx2 @fasttrainblues

tag list is linked in my master list is you would like to add yourself!

#jake kiszka #greta van fleet #greta van fleet fic #greta van fleet fanfic #jake kiszka fanfic #jake kiszka fic #gvf #jake kiszka angst #jake kiszka fluff #jake kiszka fanfiction

75 notes · View notes

dreamwavesexploringreality · 5 months ago

Text

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE:

(NIGHT IN THE LIBRARY PT3)

Niragi x reader

TW: Violence, Alcohol Consumption, Harassment.

Niragi had not slept well a single night since the encounter with Y/N. All those memories he had kept buried deep in his mind, hidden behind the persona he had created to survive in Borderlands, had surfaced tumultuously.

He no longer knew who he was. Was he truly the violent, threatening man, rifle in hand, whom everyone feared? Or perhaps he was just Niragi Suguru, her Niragi, as she used to say—the man who stayed up late at the library trying to escape his ghosts.

Y/N's arrival in Borderlands had turned his world upside down. Once again. And now he could do nothing but drink late into the night to forget, to forget that she was there, somewhere in that dangerous world, playing deadly games, facing rivals, facing people like him... Or maybe she was already dead. He could never rule out that possibility in Borderlands... and so he drank more. He drank more to forget.

Pool parties until the early hours of the morning, encounters with women his drunk mind mistook for her, shouts and screams from the people he threatened and beat violently simply for being in his way... only amidst that chaos did Niragi seem able to silence the voices in his head, to blur her image in his mind and quiet the fears that gripped his body, sending shivers down his spine. He had lost her.

It was due to all those extracurricular activities that Niragi did not learn of her arrival at The Beach until the following day.

Y/N had been kidnapped, from her perspective, by a group of people who seemed to have been impressed by her in the last game. A diamond four, nothing too fascinating in her view, but those men did not seem willing to let her go once the game was over. They put her in a car, blindfolded and tied her hands “to avoid complications,” they said, and drove what seemed like an eternity to her until they reached an old hotel that stood imposing in the middle of nowhere.

“There’s electricity,” was the first thing she noticed, and the idea of staying in such a place became a bit more appealing. When she also saw the pool in operation, indicating the presence of running water, and the image of a warm shower formed in her mind, she decided that the place couldn’t be that bad.

“Welcome! Welcome to The Beach!” A curious-looking man, who would later refer to himself as The Hatter, greeted her in a room illuminated by the first rays of the morning sun. “I’ve heard about you and couldn’t wait to have you in our ranks!”

Y/N remained silent, assessing the situation. The room was not too crowded—four people beside the Hatter, two by the door, and two others behind her.

“In this utopia we call The Beach, you can enjoy the comforts of a luxurious life... as long as you contribute,” continued The Hatter.

“Contribute how?” Y/N thought, of course, there had to be a catch.

“I don’t ask too much, Y/N, just follow a few basic rules and play all the games assigned to you, returning here with a card for me,” the man said simply, while watching the girl, studying her reaction.

The woman was surprised that this man, whom she had never seen before, knew her name, but she did not show it. She immediately understood that this place was based on a hierarchy where the Hatter was at the top, and that was exactly what he intended to demonstrate with his cheap trick of calling her by name.

“Alright, I agree to stay,” Y/N nodded. The advantages that the place seemed to offer were too tempting to refuse.

“Oh, darling... you don’t have a choice,” The Hatter laughed.

An hour later, the girl had her own room, a swimsuit too sensual in her opinion, and a bracelet with the number 12 around her wrist.

Y/N walked around the room, scrutinizing each corner with suspicion. The first thing she noticed was the impossibility of locking the door. “Security measures,” the white-haired man with the hoodie who had accompanied her to her door had simply said. The next thing that caught her attention was the huge bed occupying more than half of the room, and from that moment on, her body started to act on autopilot, lying down in the plush sheets and surrendering to sleep. That morning, with the sun lighting up the room and the fresh memory of a bloody game just hours before, Y/N slept like she hadn’t in a long time. Perhaps it was the lack of rest in recent days, the nights of solitude and uncertainty, the vivid memory of Niragi in her mind... but that dawn, tangled in those fluffy and cozy sheets, the girl found a peace and serenity she never thought she would experience again.

Time passed unnoticed by Y/N until some screams beyond her window jolted her from her deep sleep. It took her a few minutes to remember where she was as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips, longing for a few more minutes of sleep.

More shouts filtered through the window with the curtains drawn, and Y/N got up heavily from her comfortable paradise, approaching the window and searching for the source of the disturbance. Beyond the glass, a pool party seemed to be taking place, people yelling with joy, enjoying the water and the afternoon sun. There were barely a few hours of daylight left before the moon rose in the sky and night overcame day. “I’ve slept a lot,” the girl told herself. She spent a little more time observing the crowd before deciding to go down. She had never been much of a party person, not even in college. While her peers enjoyed a “wild night,” she preferred the quiet of the library in the company of Niragi... and there it was again, that thought. She quickly discarded it from her mind; she had promised herself never to think of him again. Never again.

Before she knew it, she had blended into the crowd, blending in among drunks and intoxicated people, making her way to the bar. If she was going to stay in this place, she had to adapt to it, as if it was just another of the many games tormenting her in Borderlands. She ordered a drink she recognized as alcoholic and headed to an available lounger near the pool.

“Are you new? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

Y/N turned towards the voice. A tall woman with braided hair looked at her with curiosity from the lounger beside her, chewing on what seemed like plastic.

“I’m Kuina,” she introduced herself.

“Y/N, nice to meet you, and yes, I arrived today.” Although making friends wasn’t on her list, Y/N couldn’t help but be drawn to the woman’s aura and, upon reflection, it wouldn’t be bad to have an acquaintance in a place like this.

“Well, if you’re new, you must still be in shock… Have you tried the showers yet? They have running water!” Kuina said excitedly.

Y/N smiled. Yes… there was something about that woman that gave her an instinctive trust, a good feeling accompanied by a warmth in her chest as she smiled for the first time in a long time.

The girl was about to respond to Kuina when a sudden silence fell over the pool. The atmosphere became tense, and, without apparent reason, what had been a party was buried under a bitter unease that made her hair stand on end.

“The Militants,” Kuina whispered.

Y/N turned to try to figure out what Kuina was referring to. She saw a group of armed men advancing as if they owned the place, with arrogant and haughty expressions, following a serious-looking man who seemed to be their leader.

“If you want to live peacefully here, don’t mess with them...” Kuina whispered again, still watching the group as they pushed aside those who seemed to bother them with their mere presence.

Y/N watched nervously as the men drew closer to her position. She had faced games, the life beyond the placid comfort of The Beach, but for some reason, the presence of that group sent shivers down her spine. She observed the leader moving forward with a steady gaze. “He looks like a military man,” she thought as she studied his firm and calculated movements, and almost jumped in fright when the man stopped right in front of her, still looking ahead. He turned his head towards her, his body rigid, and she felt his penetrating gaze examine her from head to toe. Y/N made a move to shield herself from his gaze as the man turned to his subordinates, nodding in her direction.

“Bring her to me,” his voice echoed in the silence.

The girl’s heart skipped a beat as she realized the situation she was in, and she quickly felt a hand on her thigh gripping her tightly, as if fearing she might fly away. Kuina had taken on an almost defensive position, holding her in place.

But the leader didn’t even notice; he was watching one of his men intently.

“Didn’t you hear me, Niragi? Bring her to me,” he spat through clenched teeth.

For a brief moment, Y/N thought her mind was tricking her by making her hear that name she had been trying to forget for days, and the next moment, she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole as she made eye contact with the man holding the rifle, in a patterned shirt, and facial piercings who had been frozen in place.

Niragi’s world had crumbled once again upon seeing the woman that Aguni seemed to have his eye on. Normally, he had no trouble obeying his leader’s orders with sarcasm and arrogance, but this time, although he wanted to, his feet felt like lead and his legs refused to move. Additionally, his mind was reluctant to comprehend his boss’s words that seemed to be relegated to the background while he stared at the girl in astonishment, not even able to understand how he felt at that moment: Happy? Confused?... no. He was scared, of that he was sure.

“Niragi!” Aguni’s roar seemed to snap him out of his daze, making him aware of his situation as he was observed with curiosity by everyone at the pool. His image was in danger if he didn’t act at that very moment.

He took a step towards Y/N, horrified as the girl trembled at his approach. He didn’t even know what he would do when he was in front of her, he was supposed to grab her and hand her over to his leader, but all he wanted was to hold her in his arms and beg for her forgiveness.

“What’s going on here?” A new voice echoed through the silence and tension of the moment. The Hatter had arrived. Niragi let out a sigh of relief, halting his advance and standing still, watching Y/N, who had slid back on the lounger as if trying to keep the maximum distance between them. He could also see the woman he recognized as Chishiya’s companion holding Y/N’s thigh tightly as if trying to prevent her from being taken.

“Hatter,” Aguni greeted, clearly annoyed.

“You can’t just take people away like that,” The Hatter said as he approached the scene with a hint of mockery in his voice, raising both arms nonchalantly. “I’m in charge here,” he spoke closer to Aguni, with a touch of tension in his voice.

Aguni clenched his jaw, staring at the other man before turning away.

“Let’s go,” he shouted to his men, who quickly started walking behind their leader.

Niragi seemed to hesitate in his movement, his mind maliciously assuring him that he would never see her again if he left at that moment. With his eyes locked on hers intensely, he tried to convey a message of reassurance: “Don’t worry, I’ll come back for you,” but Y/N only saw in his gaze the monster she had seen days earlier in that alley, the monster she was desperately trying to erase from her mind.

The paradise... it was too good to be true.

---------

The third part of Night in the Library has just been published!

What do you think? Your feedback is much appreciated. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Should I continue with the next part?

#aib x reader #alice in borderland #niragi suguru #aib #chishiya shuntaro #chishiya x reader #fanfic #ao3 #arisu ryohei #kuina hikari #niragi alice in borderland #niragi x reader #suguru niragi x reader #niragi suguru x reader

78 notes · View notes

terapsina · 2 months ago

Note

Ask Game: Agatha All Along:

Fandom: 1, 17

Ship: Agatha/Rio (Vidarkness): 7, 10

Character: Agatha OR Rio: 6, 7, or 8

(from this ask game)

Fandom:

1. ...the moment in the story that I started shipping my OTP from this world.

That whole scene where Rio blows in the door at just the most dramatic moment and the following throwdown fight made me pay attention. But this sentence? This sentence was a direct hit to alllllll my weaknesses.

It immediately gave me so much delicious information. Like, despite all that 'I want to see you burn... or hang... or drown' aggression? that this woman clearly was utterly gone for Agatha.

*be still, my beating heart 😍*

17. ...the world-building aspect of the story I have the greatest admiration for.

That SONG. I adore the way they used The Ballad of the Witches' Road in this show in so many ways. The way we kept getting different versions and the way they were so slightly and significantly different based on the purpose behind that particular version.

Like how the Sacred Chant version was all about the community of witches (and the way that hid the trap Agatha had used for centuries).

The way Lorna's version was full of a mother's unconditional love for her daughter and the lengths she'd go to for that love.

The way Nicky and Agatha's version was about their coven of two (and how even while Nicky was alive, the way Agatha had already kinda corrupted it even as her love for her son remained the one true thing about her).

Just. The way the song informed every aspect of the story... it's frankly incredibly impressive.

Ship:

7. ...the scene that I like to point to as proof that they're perfect for each other.

I could probably choose literally ANY of their scenes to make that particular point but I really like this one.

Like. Agatha has been angry and avoiding Rio for centuries. Rio has recently made it clear she wants Agatha dead (though admittedly knowing her nature this is basically at least 70% her wanting Agatha back).

But despite that, as soon as they know they have to do this particular ritual both of them know THEY are going to be the ones exchanging the brooms. They don't need to talk about it, or discuss it, or consider it, it's just... instinctual.

They are just always on the same wavelengths and it's both beautiful and really tragic.

10. ...rate the level of stupid they reach in their pining.

I mean... *murder threats* followed by...

*Agatha trying to claw Rio's face off* followed by...

*Rio painfully reminded Agatha she's never going to get her son back, a day ago* followed by...

*Rio saying she HATES ghosts* followed by...

(obviously not... no, she took a calculated risk on being able to continue irritating Rio for the next eternity).

Also just... we have one case of a dum-dum who fell in love with the literal embodiment of death. And another case of a literal embodiment of death who turned full dum-dum because she met a very pretty witch.

They're SUCH dumb. I love these pining idiots SO MUCH.

Character:

6. ...the scene that I think shows just how awesome they really are.

(I'll answer this one for Rio)

This is really boring of me maybe, but like.... how do you top a badass show-stopping moment like THAT?

Rio Vidal. Full Lady Death, everyone! *cheers and applause* *CHEERS AND APPLAUSE*

7. ...the scene that I think adds depth to their character or the relationship this character has with someone.

(...and this one for Agatha)

This scene just... shows that Billy doesn't just remind Agatha of her son... he reminds her of herself.

At the end of the day Agatha is a survivor, and so is Billy. And that both connects and differentiate them. And I just find that very interesting.

8. ...a headcanon I have about this character.

(...and Rio again)

Rio absolutely lied about being pulled onto the Road by their summoning spell. She's Death, she could have shaken that thing off with the flick of a pinky but was she really going to waste an opportunity that good?

#vidarkness #agathario #agatha x rio #agatha harkness #rio vidal #lady death #agatha all along #ask game #answers #isagrimorie #otp: it's black and it beats for you #terapsina rambles #terapsina's agatha all along rambles

44 notes · View notes

remembrancer-of-heresy · 5 months ago

Text

The Eternal Night (Part 3)

Summary: Every night you become more attached to Sevatar. He, in turn, becomes obsessed with your connection.

Jago Sevatarion/fem!Reader

Warnings: yandere, obsession, power imbalance, violence, predator/prey, rape (attempted), stockholm syndrome

Word count: 2252

Song: She Wants Revenge - Tear You Apart

I want to hold you close Soft breath, beating heart, As I whisper in your ear: I want to fucking tear you apart

You didn't talk to Sevatar about what happened that day. Was it really necessary? He is your master, he saved you from the Legion. You were to serve him faithfully and not ask questions. Even if his behavior was unusual for Space Marines.

However, Jago Sevatarion decided not to dwell on one incident. You also continued to clean his chambers. But at the same time he continued his strangeness. If the Astartes were an ordinary man, you would think that it was he who pestered you like that. One such thought was blasphemous. And yet…

He holds you too tight, too strong. You won't even be able to escape from his embrace if you wanted to. But you couldn't resist this feeling. There are monsters outside the doors, ready to tear your soul and body to pieces. They don’t even hide, because this is their land.

Only with Sevatar will you be safe.

The rough tongue slides over your shoulder again, reminding you of its owner. He was rude, but still tried to act gentle. It just wasn't in his nature. It's like caressing flowers with a knife. But even so. Even so, you liked it.

Sevatar squeezes you harder, leaving bruises all over your body. Your back is pressed tightly against his chest. There is no chance of running away. Especially when his teeth are so close to your skin. One wrong step and he will bite your flesh off. But for now he is treating you too softly.

Your skin under the tattoo has become too sensitive. Every touch of his fingers or tongue caused a strange feeling. Heaviness appeared in the lower abdomen, it was hot and you had to suppress a moan. This was embarrassing. To experience such feelings...

But this is connected not only with touches. All these conversations, a man's concern for you. After all, the first captain could mock you, not take you as his servant, or force you to do hard work. But he didn't do it. Your past life was harder than in the service of Sevatar. And then you weren’t touched that way before him.

Such moments did not happen every time. Not every night. But only in those moments when the space marine especially needed sleep. He was calmed by your presence, your movements, the way you cleaned up. But apparently touching you broke something in him. After which Sevatar fell asleep in an unusually sound and peaceful sleep.

Perhaps you should have been happy for him. It was true, it just still hurt. Lonely. You couldn’t understand where sympathy for Sevatar came from in your heart. It was a shame to feel like that. He was the Night Lord. He wanted and served the Emperor, you were not stupid. You knew he was still a murderer and a sadist.

And he's a Space Marine. You knew that men of his kind could not experience attraction. Sevatar has never seen and will never see you as a woman. All this time, you were nothing more than a piece of meat that calmed him down. It was annoying and easy at the same time.

You didn't want to give in to weakness. To feel fear of the horrors of NightFall, which grew into an obsessive desire to be protected. To be loved. Every day the hanging bloody flesh of your mistress was forgotten. The cries of the suffering prisoners echoed. You began to get used to this place, to your surroundings.

Disgusting.

You desperately wanted to save the remnants of your mind before it completely shattered. Preserve your humanity, kindness and mercy. You didn't want your heart to turn to stone. So that it beats again and fills with blood not only when Sevatar appears nearby.

Therefore, you began to leave your master’s chambers even more often and spend every free minute with the rats. Or with grandpa and other serfs if they were not busy. But mostly with your favorite friends. In addition, your diet improved and you were able to share more acceptable food with them.

Still, you couldn't help but worry. There are fewer of them. Much less. But the serfs did not pay attention to your friends, and the space marines even less so. So why did it seem to you that the disappearance of your little friends was not due to hunger? Rats could be cruel, but now there was no reason for them to kill each other. It could have been someone else.

Later, grandpa told you that recently the Night Lords brought one of many planets to the Imperium. As always, in a very perverted way, since the residents apparently did not have enough footage of the previous massacre. Many ended up in skinning pits. Some prisoners were specially taken to Nightfall to prolong the pleasure of torture.

Maybe one of the prisoners escaped? Hidden in the depths of the ship and somehow managed to escape pursuit? Eating scraps and rats, he survived in this gloomy and dark place. You felt sorry for your friends, but you also felt sorry for the prisoner. You couldn't give him away. So you decided to pretend you didn't notice anything. Close your eyes to what is happening, as you usually did. Only this time it was much easier to do.

But in the end, everything that is hidden will become clear. You saw him. A thin man whose ribs stood out against his skin. Covered in blood and filth. His growing hair and beard, his whole appearance, turned him into a beast. Once a former person.

He was just finishing the rat. And judging by the bones and meat scattered around him, it was not the first. He ate them all. He killed them all. The rats were not people, but they were dear to you. You guessed that this would happen, but when your thoughts become reality you feel sick. You sobbed.

The creature heard your sobs and turned around sharply. You froze. He's spent too long in pitch darkness, he can see you. You won't be able to hide. But maybe he will run away on his own? You pose no danger. And apparently the man knew this. You could tell by his hungry look and the saliva coming out of his mouth. They only look like that when they want to eat. He wanted it, just differently.

You ran. Heart was beating incredibly loudly, ready to jump out at any minute. You were out of breath, but the stomping from behind urged you on. And yet he caught you. He lay down on your back, breathing heavily into your ear.

“Woman, woman” - the older girls told you that men turn into animals at the sight of a woman. But right now there really was a monster above you, trying to take off his pants. - “Warm. Finally alive. D-don't move. Don’t c-cry, I’ll be quick.”

But you cried. You resisted. Even when he turned you around and punched you in the stomach.

“I-I'm marked. I have a tattoo.” - you choked on tears, not believing that this was the first time you had to talk about this. You desperately tried to stop the man from untying the knot of his pants. - “I serve Jago Sevatarion, the first captain. Y-you can’t touch me.”

"Shut up!" - the man slaps you in the face and you burst into tears. - “I don’t know anyone here. Just let me in. Open up. I want warmth.”

You see how he finally copes with his pants and something in you breaks. Having found a fragment from the bottle, you plunge it into the flesh. A cry of pain is heard in the compartment, but this only spurs you on. You were beaten. He wanted to hurt you. He wanted...

You were weak in body. And it's not that your spirit is strong. But the man in front of you was even worse. You felt sorry for him. And no. You stab the shard into the rapist a few more times until he runs away from you on all fours like a whining dog.

A shiver ran through your body, nausea rising in your throat. You looked at the bloody shard with tears in your eyes. Your whole body ached. Especially those places where you were hit. Especially your tattoo.

***

Sevatar found you in his chambers. Sitting in the darkest corner, covered in blood and dirt. You thought he would brush you off or tell you to clean up after yourself. But the pale face lit up with such rage that you had never seen. You barely held back a whine when he came up to you with lightning speed, pulling you towards him.

“Who did this?” - The first captain looked at you with an anger. The hands squeezed your shoulders painfully, leaving new bruises. - “Some kind of mortal degenerate since you are still alive. Did you show him my sign? Who was it?

“H-he saw it. I met him in the trash compartment. P-probably one of your prisoners.” - you are safe and the man was clearly worried. But why are you so scared? - “But he ran a-away and was hiding. And then we collided. He wanted, he wanted-"

“Rape you, yes, I know, I'm not an idiot.” - the space marine abruptly interrupts your babble and you fall silent. Sevatar looks into your red eyes and runs a finger across your cheek with amazing gentleness, wiping away a tear. - “The blood is not yours. Hurt him?”

Nod.

“Killed?”

You shake your head, almost hiccupping. No, you didn't kill him, you saw him run away. Yes, he was badly injured. Weak and lost too much blood. But could you kill him? And did you want this?

To your horror, you couldn’t really tell. Sevatar chuckles, clearly satisfied with this answer. He examines you one more time, lingering on all the places where your tormentor's blood got into. There was too much of it. Your face was probably all red.

“It suits you, mouse. But I don’t want you to smell like someone else, so wash it off.” - you don’t even have time to think about such strange words. Sevatar did not seem to understand what he said, continuing his thought. - “Since our guards are not coping with their duties, we will have to carry out a purge. We'll find that bastard too. He will receive his well-deserved punishment.”

Sevatar turns to leave the quarters. But he turns around for a moment to look you in the eyes again. All you can do is stand silently in shock. He obviously came to his chambers to rest. But he leaves as soon as he hears what happened to you. He leaves to fulfill his duty.

“Well done for defending yourself.” - an unpleasant grin passes over the pale face and the man chuckles. - “But you are terrible murderer. Lucky you have me.”

It didn't take long at all. As Sevatar later told you, the prisoner was quickly captured. He was bleeding and was on the verge of death. But the Apothecary saved him in time. So that the Astartes could later put their sentence into action, prolonging the man's torment as long as possible.

The warden and guards also received what they deserved. They didn't do their job. They allowed the prisoner to escape and showed the Legion to be weak. They put you in danger. Although you were sure that the first captain kept the last part only for himself and you.

Some were more fortunate, some less so. Some were reprimanded, others were transferred to other positions. Some were beaten. The overseer responsible for such an offense was, of course, gutted in front of his subordinates. So that the new person in his position would better carry out the orders of the Legion.

“Oh, and this is for you.” - the man hands you an iron box with a cooling regulator. You open it with fear and look at the contents in horror. A small human heart, red with blood, lay on pieces of ice. Still fresh.

“If it weren’t for our Apothecary, you would still have finished off this pathetic mortal.” - the man smiled. Just as always that smile gave an unpleasant feeling. But you knew that this time it was not an imitation. He was sincerely happy. - “So keep your trophy.”

“What should I do with it?” - you turn the box in your hands, remembering one of the recent conversations. You look at the first captain like a child who does not understand a simple task. - “Eat?”

“Hah, you can eat it. Or feed it to your rats. Or keep it for yourself as a reminder. Do whatever you want.” - the man speaks relaxedly while his unblinking black eyes look at the tattoo. - “You deserve it.”

Even though it was a human organ. And you never thought that you would keep someone's heart to yourself. And even though it's terrible. It was nice. Nice to receive something of your own as a sign of consolation. Albeit in the manner of the Night Lords.

"Thank you."

You say this quietly, with all the gratitude that glows in your living heart. The man is silent, continuing to look at you. A strange fire burns in the black eyes, which you have never seen before.

Like a mortal, but in a completely different way, Sevatar also wanted to eat you. And to your horror and pleasure, you realize that you would allow him to tear you apart.

"You're welcome."

#warhammer 40k x reader #yandere space marine #space marine x reader #night lord x reader #jago sevatarion x reader #sevatar x reader #tw: yandere #tw: violence #tw: rape (attempted)#tw: stockholm syndrome #tw: obsession

83 notes · View notes

bandydear · 6 months ago

Text

I think the sad thing about the Rue Royale family is that they really are operating the best that they can considering everyone’s circumstances.

Take Claudia for example: She’s a 14 year-old orphan who has never ever been loved. She was abused from the moment she could crawl by her aunt, exposed to creepy uncles at the boarding house, and has had 0 friends. A goose egg. Louis and Lestat were the first people. Ever. To love her. The only people who would care if she died. And they loved her. They poured all the devotion that bounced off each other’s defence mechanisms onto The Child.

So she’s a spoiled teenage apex predator who has had zero socialization her own age trapped in eternal homeschooling with BPD The Clown and the vampire embodiment of self-loathing. She was never going to be Normal. The fact that she grows up to be so socially capable is really a testament to her willpower.

And they’re fucking trying to raise her right too! Lestat’s parents did not give a shit about him. If he wasn’t being abused he was being neglected. Beatings, withholding food, withholding love*, he never learned how to read! So he feeds Claudia, he teaches her to drive, to play chess, to play piano—all the things he is proud of. All that nourishes his soul he gives to Claudia. He gives her a priceless amulet all while thinking she’s impermanent. That she won’t last.

And then there’s Louis. Louis who always had the expectations of “carrying the family line”. Louis who was told to marry a woman named Hazel by Paul the moment before he died. Louis, whose familial and social rejection for what he is (in layers) sent him spinning out in self-destruction and what he find on the brink of annihilation was Claudia. His beautiful daughter. She’s the embodiment of all his hopes and dreams. Only child to all the expectations of an eldest child. He brings her to the lake his dad took him and Paul to when he was a child and they catch fireflies. He does her hair and he dresses her like the little rich girl he’s always wanted to parade around at church.

But Claudia is a person, not a doll.

And Louis is still caught up in the living drama of his family. Louis spends Claudia’s entire life mourning the mortal man he never was. He wants to make his mother proud. He wants her forgiveness for Paul. He wants to be there for his sister and her family, and he wants to be a married man with a child of his own. His war with his own nature extends to his family. He cannot accept being a vampire the same way his mother never accepted his queerness. And, just like his mother, he withdraws love as punishment when his family does not follow his rules. He cannot accept a daughter with sadistic house cat tendencies, and he can’t accept the horny Shakespearean menace he married. He punishes Lestat when Claudia goes off to college (typical empty nester behaviour) and he punishes Claudia when she starts having a life outside of him in Paris.

And yet! They were happy! For years! Happy until what was always going to happen happened. Lestat has always had a wandering dick and Claudia was always going to want independence and companionship outside of her parents and Louis was always going to be jenga tower of emotional stability. On a tight rope of personality disorders and abusive upbringings they actually lasted longer than a lot of vampire covens.

#interview with the vampire #iwtv meta #rue royale family

110 notes · View notes

viviennevermillion · 1 year ago

Text

ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ꜱᴄᴀʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅ...

❝ I was made for loving you, even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through; every bone screaming, I don't know what we should do ❞ — tori kelly

prompt: affection they crave but don't dare to ask for

character included: ei, wanderer, pantalone, baizhu

contains: character x gn!reader, established relationship

warnings: descriptions of suffering and chronic illness in baizhu's part

✧ holding your hand — Ei is touch starved after the centuries she has spent locking herself away in the Plane of Euthymia. She's used to people respecting her and even fearing her, but few actually treat her as an equal. How could they after all? She was an archon and she had ruled Inazuma with an iron fist for quite a while. So something as simple as you taking her hand into yours just as she remembers her friends doing ages ago.... it's hardly something self-evident to her. She has a lot to learn about how the world has changed during her absence. Sometimes she may be confused or have this serious, slightly intimidating look on her face. Nothing better in this moment than her beloved taking her hand, which instantly brings a smile to her face. Ei doesn't ask you to hold her hand, she doesn't want to come off as clingy, but everytime the two of you are out on a date she's silently hoping you'll do this small gesture again that makes her heart skip a beat.

✧ leaning your forehead against hers — Even an archon like the Raiden Shogun is not without troubles. Quite on the contrary, Ei has a lot of them after all that has happened. When her doubts and grief creep up on her, a gesture such as leaning your forehead against hers is like a silent promise to her that you'll be there even as the storm rages on in her mind. Your touch is soothing to her restless soul and as she feels your kindness and the extent of your love, she understands what it means to find her beloved eternity in something as simple as a fleeting moment with you.

✧ kissing her neck — Ei, when she appears in public, represents eternity both as an archon and a person. She's solid and radiates an aura of untouchability. Who could have thought that someone as her was incredibly ticklish? She likes the sensation of your lips against her neck, but it also tickles her sensitive skin, so you can hear a giggle escaping her that you might not have heard otherwise. If you're planning to tease her and fool around, a giggle might turn into a hearty laugh. You'd be sure to earn the respect of Inazuma's citizens if they were to learn that you could draw a laugh like that out of the woman who once watched these lands with such a cold gaze.

✧ letting her rest her head on your shoulder — Ei doesn't technically need to sleep. But the duties of the Shogun can be quite taxing. As such, she appreciates the opportunity to wind down in your presence and take some deep breaths after a stressful day. You can always tell when she's tired. She tends to close her eyes and let the cool wind hit her face. If you offer her to rest her head on your shoulder, she'll happily take you up on it. She'll keep her eyes shut, enjoying the closeness to you as she mumbles a quiet "thank you". She loves to sit idly like this for a while, simply relishing in the love you give her each day.

✧ sharing things with her — There's just something so intimate about doing things together and sharing what you enjoy with each other. At first, Ei found the idea of sharing a can of dango milk with two straws or an ice cream cup a little silly, not understanding how it could be any different from each of you getting your own food and drinks, but after trying it she really felt like she bonded with you over it.

✧ letting him sit on your lap — This is something he would never ask for over his dead body unless you tease the hell out of him repeatedly but he's been thinking about it ever since getting together with you. He's all too familiar with bickering and pushing you away, even when he doesn't want to; because he's scared of what would become of him; were he to face another devastating betrayal. He craves your affection but he spends his days waiting.... yearning for it. For how foolish would it look if you were to mock him and abandon him for craving something as cheesy and human as this? So he pushes down his feelings and just settles for whatever affection you decide to give him. Until one day there's no seating spot left for him and you grab his waist, gently pulling him onto your lap. You had no idea up to that point that your lover was capable of blushing. But he's silent and doesn't dare to move, lest you might push him off with a joking comment. As you pull him closer to your chest, he relaxes into your embrace and closes his eyes. Your lips find the soft skin of his neck and place a couple of appreciative kisses on it. Wanderer lets out a relaxed sigh and turns his head to you to press a kiss to your lips. "You seem to enjoy this", you remarked with a smile on your face. "I'm simply making sure you don't cry about not getting enough affection later. That'd be a bother", he huffs and you can't help but let out a chuckle, knowing him well enough by now to see through his facade. You make a note to do this more often.

✧ playing with his hair — This one is in your favor because he has really, really soft hair. You don't even remember when it happened but at some point, laying his head in your lap and letting you card your fingers through the dark strands has become his way of unwinding after a long day. He loved the experience of finally feeling safe and cared for in someone else's presence after he had been surrounded by people he was more than justified to distrust for the past centuries. Your touch was soothing, like a gentle breeze inviting him to a place far away from his troubles and doubts. Never did Wanderer believe that anything in his life could be considered "a blessing from the gods", but with you? Well, he wouldn't be surprised. Or maybe it was simply what you were like; giving your love to him in this often cold and cruel world without expecting anything in return; your care for him blossoming and persisting in this reality despite all odds.

✧ squeezing his thigh — He loves when you do this, whether it be when you have to get up and leave to attend some business or whether it's in reassurance; despite how he'd claim that he doesn't need your support and encouragement about anything. He'd feel much more lost without it. He also enjoys simply having you rest your hand on his thigh while you're sitting idly on the couch or a picnic blanket, each of you tending to your own matters and interests but always enjoying being together like this. It reminds him that you're there, something he needs when the thoughts of his past and the uncertainty about his future start to creep up on him.

✧ kissing his shoulders — He's very weak for this. He has no idea what the point was; for a puppet to have any sensitive spots. Wouldn't he have been more efficient if he could feel no affection or pain? After all, wouldn't life have been less hurtful like this? But in those moments; feeling your lips trail soft kisses along his shoulders; he was, for the first time, glad that he was like that. He closes his eyes and focuses solely on the pleasant tickle your pecks left on his skin.

✧ holding him in your arms — Pantalone may seem like a cold and serious business man on the outside, but he can't fool his beloved. That man is a hopeless romantic once you get him to trust you and he's clingy as hell. He's a little spoon and he loves when you hold him in your arms after a long day of work that you sometimes even have to coax him away from. He'll rest his head against your chest as you do him the favor of gently removing his glasses that he forgot he even still had on because of how tired he was. He lets out a happy sigh as you run your fingers through his dark locks and press a kiss to his forehead. He may not ask you to do this, but he always makes sure to express his gratitude to you for the love you give him. "Thank you for always taking care of me like this, my dearest", he mumbles and nuzzles your neck, "and getting me to sleep on time... I had no idea it was already midnight." He let out of chuckle and you shake your head with a disappointed sigh. Not a week went by where you didn't find him nodding off at his desk at least once; struggling to keep his eyes open and accidentally misspelling or repeating words on the report drafts he made. "You need to take some more time off", you whisper, gently caressing his cheeks. "The work of a Fatui Harbinger is tedious", he simply states. But if you could convince him to take breaks and get enough rest with your love and affection? Well, that was enough for now.

✧ listing the reasons you love him — This is something he needs from time to time. He vividly remembers his youth where he used to search for coins in the streets to buy himself a meal and was politely told to exit restaurants as his shabby looks might have a negative impact on the establishments' reputation if wealthy customers saw him like this, sitting alone at the table with half a meal because that was all he could afford. His popularity and desirability skyrocketed when he became a wealthy business man and the 9th harbinger. What could you love about him, if not his material possessions? There are moment, especially in the beginning of the relationship, where nothing helps him get over his doubts more than you holding him close and reminding him of how beautiful he was in your eyes; how you'd love him with every fiber of your being even if he had not a single coin to spare. That you adored how thoughtful, intelligent, ambitious and passionate he was. You loved the light-hearted moments in which Pantalone would joke around with you and attempt to tease you; as well as the quiet nights where he just couldn't help but to kiss you over and over again because his love for you was too much to just keep in his heart. You felt the same. That's why you let him know how much he means to you and all the little things you've grown to love about him.

✧ shoulder massages — He needs those because he has so much muscle tension, you weren't sure how his back didn't hurt every minute of the day. There's few things Pantalone appreciates more than having you massage his shoulders and help his muscles relax when he pulls what you had come to refer to as another "desk work marathon". Again, he doesn't ask for this but he makes sure to thank you, interrupting his work for a moment to give you a loving kiss and look into your eyes as he tells you that he loves you.

✧ holding his hand when he's sick — We all know Baizhu has some days where his ailment gets so bad that he has to stay in bed and can't go to work. It took him a long, long time to even let you see him during those moments of weakness. Usually he'd just lock himself in his bedroom with only Changsheng for company as he tried to get through his pain on his own. After all, to him, it seemed as though it probably would be burden enough for you to love a man you knew was slowly dying. You didn't need to see him suffer like this. Only after you insisted several times that you want to be there for him when he has a bad day; that it would worry you way less if you could support him and comfort him; he let you in. Baizhu feels bad for relying on your help when he's in this state, but simultaneously your presence soon becomes a remedy he wouldn't want to miss out on. When the pain makes his whole body sore and the dizziness and nausea makes him feel like he's never going to get up again and the temperature of his body feels as though the gods of cryo and pyro were having a brutal war in his quarters; there's also, through all the hurt, the feeling of your hand holding his. The sound of your voice reassuring him that he was going to be okay and that you were right there with him. "Just focus on my hand", you tell him with a gentle voice as you run your fingertips over his palm as you see him shiver in the bed next to you. "I'm sorry that-", he croaks out but you interrupt him. "There's nothing you need to apologize for, my love", you reassure him and press a kiss to his forehead.

✧ helping him during bad days — Similarly, it also takes Baizhu a while to warm up to the idea of letting you assist him when he's feeling sick; be it making him tea or soup, taking care of some of his documents or wrapping his calves in wet cloths to help with the fever. You can only shake your head upon learning that he used to try and do these things himself while in this state. Changsheng is more than grateful that she doesn't have to fuss over the doctor as much as she used to now that you're here. Despite his initial protests, Baizhu has to admit that getting through one of those days had become way easier with someone around who actually had arms. Changsheng could try to ease his pain and comfort him with words but carrying a plate of soup was outside of the realm of possibility for the white snake.

✧ braiding his hair — As much as you love to see your lover with his hair down, there's many situations in his profession where a braid is more hygienic and comfortable to have. So he appreciates just being able to relax and talk with you about anything that crosses your minds while you braid his hair. If you keep commenting on how soft it is and how beautiful you think Baizhu is, you're sure to get a blush out of the physician. "You're adorable when you're flustered", you tease and Baizhu is glad that you're braiding his hair so he doesn't have to make eye contact with you. Oftentimes, doing this will have you press a kiss or two to his neck to remind him of your love for him while you tend to his long hair.

✧ deep and loving kisses — Baizhu loves when you take the initiative and just hold him in your arms while kissing him slowly and repeatedly. He appreciates to just be able to forget about his quest for immortality and his illness like this for a while, simply focusing on the feeling of your lips on his and your tongue circling around his, pouring all your love for him into the gesture and mumbling a quiet "I love you" in-between them. He knew very well that humans had a habit of living fast and the days going by faster than you'd think they would, so he adores just being able to indulge you and focus on your touch as if time had frozen for just a moment. He lets you pull him into another kiss as many times as you like to, simply grateful to be loved like this by someone he treasures as much as you.

#genshin x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #baizhu x reader #baizhu x you #pantalone x reader #pantalone x you #wanderer x reader #scaramouche x reader #kunikuzushi x reader #ei x reader #raiden shogun x reader #raiden ei x reader #raiden shogun #raiden ei #pantalone #scaramouche #baizhu

612 notes · View notes