#and unfortunately he has found my weakness so now I HAVE to go to bed so he can have his snuggles

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Month 5, day 26

I'm happy with the rough draft so now we move on to tying down the design :) I had an idea for how I want to outline the text to make it pop, and so far I'm liking it!

[ladymercysletters]

Synopsis: Reader has just been given the all clear by the maesters to be with her husband again. There is however the issue that her husband has taken to leaving their chambers before she wakes in the morning, and only coming to bed well after sleep has taken her. Fed up with only ever seeing her husband briefly at dinner, where he is still deep in conversation with one of his bannermen or pouring over papers, y/n takes matters into her own hands.

Word Count: 3,656

Rating: 18 + NSFW (no minors!!)

A/N: I seem to have written a 1980's Mills and Boon. Though I do like the idea of Cregan as Heathcliff!

_____________________________

“Well My Lady” said the maester, putting his instruments carefully back into his bag, “I would say you are fully healed.” He congratulated, looking up at you as you sat on the edge of the bed.

“So I can? We can?” you asked eagerly and unabashed. You had been without your husband for so long and these last few weeks of healing from your latest childbirth had been torture.

“uh, yes. My Lady.” Said the maester bashfully, head immediately dipping down to hide the reddening of his face. You thanked the maester once more before he left, calling in your maids to run you a bath and dress you. Now that it was safe for you to enjoy your husband once more, that is exactly what you intended to do. For almost two moons now you had been parted from Cregan, or at least that is what it felt like. Since you had given birth, though you still shared a bed, you found that he would be already gone by the time you awoke – and in the evening when you would stay up late into the night reading to keep yourself awake for when he did return, he would still manage to only return to bed once you had been taken by sleep. The only reason you knew he did still sleep beside you, was because you could smell him on your sheets and would sometimes still feel his warmth in the space beside you.

You sat in the milky bath as your maids paraded various dresses in front of you. Mabel held up a pale violet crushed velvet dress; it was loose and skimmed over your curves, allowing your skin to breath whilst still catching the candlelight. You had almost decided on that when Florence pulled out one of your old favourites, it was a dress you had brought with you when you first moved to Winterfell after marrying Cregan, a deep blue layered dress with a creamy silk underskirt. You had had it made especially as you had heard of how cold the North was; golden bronze fur lined the low neckline before raising higher at the back. Your eyes lit up as you remembered when you first wore it. That was the dress to seduce your husband.

Mabel and Florence dried and dressed you, plaiting strands of your hair to curl around the crown of your head like a maiden and lacing the front of the dress as tight as it would go. Unfortunately, given your many children, the front would not do up as tightly as it once did. Mabel had suggested a modesty layer for your chest, surely to keep out the cold in such a warm dress. Florence just elbowed her and gave her a look as though she was missing the point.

--x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x--

Cregan yawned as he sat at his table, eyes drifting as he tried to stay awake. He had awoken early as he had every day since the birth of his latest child, dressing quietly and leaving before you woke. Every morning he’d stay and watch you a little: his wife, tucked up in the thick, soft furs of their bed, before tearing himself away. The maesters had come to him shortly after the birth. They had expressed deep concern over the struggle of this birth how weak you were. Given that you had fallen pregnant with this one only three moons after the birth of your second child your body had not been given a lot of time to recover, which they felt contributed to the long labour and your subsequent bed rest.

The sight of you weak in bed; skin drained of much blood and not even able to hold your babe as you had your others. Cregan had berated himself no end at your state, blaming himself and his recklessness that you almost died. So, he did the only thing he could do: he distanced himself from you, leaving your chambers before you awoke and returning only when he is sure you must have fallen asleep.

--x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x--

The first place you looked for your husband, you knew you’d find him, was the great hall. He was surrounded by his men at the high table, no doubt meeting to discuss what more they have left to de before winter comes. You glide into the room as the Lady of Winterfell ought to; nodding to the guards as they opened the doors before taking a slow turn about the room. One of your ladies in waiting came with you, arm in arm you walked slowly about the room, breathing deeply to allow your bust to spill a little over the soft fur neckline of your gown. Some of the ladies of court were scattered about the room: some sitting by the large open fire grate with their embroidery. Greeting them all you sat with them, moving your hair subtly over one shoulder to make the best of your exposed neckline.

Your eyes flickered over to the top of the room, where you see Cregan’s already on you. His brow is down as he looks up through his lashes; eyes raking over your body and nostrils flaring at the sight. Giving him a small smile you hold eye contact as you trail a light hand down your neck, watching as he huffs a breath and turns back towards Lord Burley. Slightly frustrated at his dismissal you stood again, this time walking towards Cregan and his seat. He watched appreciatively though subtly. He could see that dress you had on was one you had worn when you were first made man and wife, the bust was tighter than it had once been and Cregan steadied his breathing once more as he thought of your breasts, full of milk for his babes and practically pouring out of your dress.

“Husband” you greeted lowly as not to disturb him. You picked up the jug to fill his cup. Ever the stoic Northman he paid little mind to you as you greeted him, so you went a step further: leaning over him jut a bit too much you steadied yourself on his thick thigh as you leaned into him to pour his drink. Your warm scent filled his nostrils and his eyes fluttered closed, only opening to see the soft pure skin of your chest so close to his face that all he would have to do would be to lean a little closer to taste you.

Pulling back with a sigh you placed the jug down and drew your hand slowly up his thigh, just grazing his inside seem that wasn’t covered by leather, before retiring from the room. If he wanted to pretend he didn’t see you then you would do what you did best: be a nuisance to him.

--x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x--

You took some time before finding him again, taking tea with your ladies in one of the viewing towers whilst you plotted your next move.

The training yard was where you found him that afternoon. The winter had faded into a slightly less harsh winter, so you and your ladies were safe from having to wrap yourselves up too much as you sat on the viewing platforms. Cregan and his men had clearly been in battle for some time; even with the milder weather you could still see the steam rising from their bodies. You watched as Cregan swung his sword over his head, shoulders rolling as he brought it down onto the shield of the man cowering beneath him. You bit your lip as you watched his muscles move under his shirt. Thick fingers gripped the hilt of his family sword when several men approached at him at once. There was no denying your husband was a warrior: his broad back twisted as he fought from all sides, body turning with ease in his leathers and sweat dripping from his brow as grunts filled the arena. Moving over to where he had left a cloth you took a seat nearer the edge of the grounds.

Giving him your best sultry look you breathed deeply, making the most of your heaving bosom as he stopped for a break, his chest heaving as he strode towards you.

“Wife.” He growled, almost annoyed at seeing you again. You shot him a wry smile as you stood and took a step towards him. Picking the cloth from his hand you stepped up to him and swiped it over his brow, watching as his eyes closed. You leaned forward just a bit too close to be innocent as you trailed the cloth over the back of his neck for him. A low groan rumbled from Cregans throat as you massaged the back of his neck. “It is good to see you out and about my dearest.” He murmured, head tilted back at your touch to watch you down the bridge of his nose.

“Husband. The maester visited this morning.” You let your words drift. He knew what that meant.

“My darling” Cregan growled, cupping your waist “Are you sure?” you nodded, grinning widely at his unhidden enthusiasm. The breath he released almost contained steam itself as he looked you up and down. Your lips quivered to kiss him, but you restrained yourself; simply smiling once more as you left him to his training, his knights calling him back to practice.

--x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x--

You didn’t see each other again until your evening meal. Dinner was quiet. You ate with a few of his bannermen and their families: yourself and Cregan sitting at the head of the table. Though the grip of his hands around your waist had indicated his need for you earlier, you were disappointed to find your conversation at dinner lacking. Instead, he has been distracted by the lord to his left causing you to sit in a haff by his side. Bored, and ready to tease him some more you placed your hand on his thigh, just low enough to not garner any notice.

Your hand rested over the thick material of his trousers before pressing firmer into the flesh of his leg, slowly making your way up his thigh - the only reason you knew he noticed your hand was the subtle twitch in his leg when you pressed closer to the centre of them. Your gentle hand brushed at the thick length buried deep beneath his layers when his quickly slipped below the tabletop to stop you.

His head turned sharply to you, eyes glaring a warning. You had never been a brat before and he certainly wasn’t going to allow it now, in front of everyone. Your hand flexed under his grip as his attention was drawn from you again. Your fingers moved subtly to stroke him – his length thickening in his breeches as your fingertips managed to surround the head. His thighs snapped shut at the stimulation, breathing deeply to avoid making a sound.

Dinner could not end soon enough, Cregan thought as your hand finally retracted from him. His prayers weren’t answered though as, just as the meat was taken away, small plates of sweet treats were brought out whilst drinks were further poured.

Dates shipped up from Dorne were your favourites; split open and filled with honey and chopped nuts they were one of the few sweet things you had craved through your pregnancy. You sat sweetly and eyed him as you ate; slowly biting into the fruit and licking the sweet nectar dripping from it from your lips. Cregan only looked up when he heard a faint ‘oops’ fall from your mouth, only to see you swiping honey from your cleavage, failing miserably as the sticky mess just spread further.

Cregan’s eyes glued to where your finger swiped - watching with thickening breath as your pink tongue wrapped around your finger and sucked. His thick fingers flexed on his thighs as he fought his urge to pull you into his lap and bury his face in your full cleavage to assist you. The shine of the honey distracted him when Lord Tully approached his table to congratulate your new arrival. It was only at the sound of his title leaving your lips that Cregan snapped out of the spell you cast over him and looked up, flushed.

When the last of the trays was finally taken away the Lord of Winterfell announced that the day had been long and everyone should rest, ready for a longer day tomorrow. He only hoped that his subjects did not notice the rigidness of his voice, or the clenching in his jaw as he leaned over the table.

No sooner had you entered your rooms than he was upon you.

“You think you can torment me like that wife?” he growled into your ear, pressing you against your dressing table. “You tease me. All day. In front of my men. And you don’t think I will do something about it?” he pawed at your dress, ripping open your bodice and pulling at the strings holding the rest of your gown together. You were left in just your stays and shift: back pressed against Cregan’s chest as he held you in front of your mirror. His hand held your neck and turned your face to him so he could kiss you, swiping his lips from yours up to your ear. “Watch yourself” he whispered.

The hand that wasn’t wrapped around your throat trailed down your body, over your thin undergarments where his hand bunched up the light fabric moving up your inner thigh - eyes watching you quiver in his embrace. Two thick fingers slid to part your slick folds, his thumb stroking gently over your exposed clit. He continued the slow movements, holding you in place as the pressure barely increased. Only when he could feel you dripping over his fingers did he slip the first one inside you, soon followed by the second when he heard broken moans pour from your throat.

“There’s a good girl” He growled into your ear. Despite the teasing and constant, unrelenting, movements over your little swollen bud the first thick breech of his fingers turned your legs to jelly. Having been without any touch of your husband for so long the rough texture of his palms on your heated flesh and the firm consistent push of his fingers led you to scream into the air – begging your husband for release.

“Please.” You gasped. “Husband!” you begged for gods knows what. Cregan’s lopsided smirk into your fragrant hair was enough to tip you over. The promise in the dark blown pupils of his eyes forcing your first high in months.

Your body went limp against his front, his strong arms coming around your body to lay you on the furs spread out in front of the fire. The thick pelts moulded into the curves of your naked skin and if the buzz from your first high hadn’t made you dizzy enough, seeing the broad frame of your husband staring down at you as he stripped himself of his clothes made you feel as if you would pass out.

Cregan lowered himself down to you, pulling your frame the small way up to his to kiss you properly: the rough stubble that had grown on his face grounded your mind, bringing you back into the moment to feel his body over yours. His kisses were as firm as his fingers pressing into your back, lips trailing down your neck to mark you, inhaling your scent whilst small - deep blooms appear over the swell of your breast. Cregan continued to worship his wife - over your stays and moving the remainder of your clothes out of the way as he did so. His kisses never ceased, beard rubbing deliciously over your newly expose skin when he settled his body between your thighs.

“Now. Wife.” Cregan’s breath puffed out against your sensitive flesh. “The maesters said you were healed?” you whimpered a yes. “Fully?”

“Yes husband” your high tensed voices spoke out.

“Well then…” Though you knew it was coming the high gasping moan that left your lips still did so in surprise. Cregan’s broad tongue swiped through your folds, bathing his tongue in your wetness. His eyes rolled to the back of his skull as he drank you in for the first time in almost half a year. Hands still gripping both your sides they slid down to brace your shaking legs over his shoulders.

He ate you like a man tasting food for the first time, curved tongue pushing as far as it could go before his lips moved to focus on your still sensitive clit. He sucked gently as his tongue continued to play – mimicking the actions of his fingers earlier. The consistent stimulation was driving you insane; legs shaking in Cregan’s strong hands you sought stability by running your fingers through his long dark hair, gripping a handful at the base making him groan into you.

He re-doubled his efforts when he heard your heavy breath and mewls; nose pressing into your pubic bone and tongue lapping generously over you. Your thighs shook and tensed – your high rolling over you in waves. The rush of your flavour on Cregan’s tongue had him groaning into you, lapping you clean in big strokes as your breath softened and you went limp in him arms once more.

“Don’t think you can rest yet my love.” He growled, pressing soft butterfly kisses up your thigh and hipbone as he rose above you. “You think after all the torment you put me through today, you’re only going to come twice?”

Cregan rolled you over and pulled you back up against his front. Your head lolled on his muscled shoulder as you caught your breath, looking up at him through your lashes to see the strong jaw of your husband. His large warm hands smoothed over your rumpled smallclothes; soothing your heartbeat as you relaxed back into him, only to feel his fingers flex into the small openings of your stays and rip them in two from your body.

Discarding the remains of your clothes, Cregan spread your legs further over the haunch of his thighs – pulling you back to settle your slick folds over his cock. Rutting his hips lightly he pushed his hard length through your folds, slicking it in your juices and brushing against your swollen bud before moving just slightly to impale you on his full length.

The shock of the sudden intrusion pushed a shrill puff of air from your lips; the stretch of his girth so welcome. Holding your hips down against him as he pushed up into you, his thrusts strong and firm as his hold. His hips snapped up into you at a steady, fast pace – your hands grasping out to steady yourself as your breath never fully steadied.

Falling forward you finally gained enough strength to start pushing back on him, desperate to get him deeper into you if that was at all possible. Cregan’s broad back folded over you, caging you in as he went to town; hand coming down in front of you to find your bud as he felt you spasm and clench around him. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head as he flipped you over, propping your legs over his shoulder and pushing back into you in one smooth movement.

His thick length was always a stretch in any position, but the friction brought about by your legs flung over his shoulders was something else entirely. The sparks shooting up your spine with each thrust made you keen and grope at the soft furs beneath you. Cregan watched like a wolf above you. Mouth hung open slightly as he panted, his gaze dragged down your body; from your hair splayed out over the grey black fur beneath you, over your soft breasts bouncing with his thrusts, down to where you connected. He stared at where you connected, groaning as he watched his length plunge in and out of you, your lower abdomen bulging slightly with each movement.

He leaned forward then, face to face with you in a position that just allowed him to brush that spongey spot inside you. Sliding his hands from your thighs, up your arms, he gripped your wrists in one hand and held them above your head, pressing you further into the furs as your legs hooked over his thick hips. The both of you clung to one another as he rutted into you, your hips angling to ride him from below as you both hurtled towards your ends.

Your high came first, Cregan peppering kisses down your next and biting into the juncture of your shoulder whilst you clenched and fluttered around him. He came crashing after you; groaning into your ear and holding his hips steadfastly into yours as he pumped ribbon after ribbon of cum into you, balls drawing up as they drained.

Whilst you came down from your high you felt the weight of your husband slowly drop onto you as he melted into the touch of your fingers rolling up and down his spine. After a moments reprieve Cregan pulled himself away, settling down at your side and pulling the throw at the end of your bed off and over the both of you. You both relaxed into each other, watching the glow of the fire whilst you felt your husband’s presence next to you for the first time in months.

“Never leave me for that long again.” You mumbled, bringing his knuckles to your lips, pressing a reverent kiss to them.

“Never” he murmured. Pressing a kiss to the crown of your head in response.

[oceansprompts]

text message prompts

[text] You okay?

[text] GO TO BED!

[text] hey you better be alive in there

[text] SOS save me please holy shit

[text] call me this date is going so bad

[text] I have way too much shit to do.

[text] Honestly I'm really worried about you.

[text] Why are you trending on Twitter?

[text] Please let me come over and pet your (pet).

[text] We are in the same building, you could come talk to me.

[text] It's not going to work out.

[text] This is a terrible idea.

[text] people have fetishes

[text] They really do crucify anyone these days huh

[text] I don't know why but that really means me want to stab you

[text] That movie was awful.

[text] For the love of god please help me

[text] I fucked up. I fucked up really bad.

[text] I'm blocking you.

[text] YOU ONE BRAINCELLED BITCH

[text] I regret swiping right.

[text] Everyone lies on their dating profiles.

[text] That absolutely can't be an actual picture of you.

[text] This forced open my third eye and I saw the devil

[text] I'm like a child in line for the newest fucked up disney ride

-

[text] That's just all fucking sorts of fucked up

[text] Why are we here? To suffer? Every other day I get messages that cause pain

[text] In the department of old man fucking, we've got you beat.

[text] have you gotten any work done?

[text] I am beyond shame, try again

[text] You left your left your underwear at my place.

[text] Don't you dare put this on Facebook.

[text] My brother in Christ you're being haunted

[text] I want to wring you like a wet towel and slap you against a wall

[text] The mind is weak but the body is funky

[text] I'm a zombie the law can't stop me.

[text] Jealous of my massive honkers

[text] We left you to die to play minecraft

[text] She would never ever take away one of these stupid fucking hats

[text] I puked all over the Uber driver's backseat.

[text] I just took a screenshot of that and posted it to Reddit

[text] You said you'd be right back and it's been months.

[text] Can't we talk about this face to face?

[text] Yeah, you'll come learn I just have a thing for milk

[text] Why did you like one of my pics from 2014?

[text] Now's as good a time as any to exchange nudes.

[text] Why would you send me an eggplant emoji?

[text] I write five paragraphs, pouring my heart out, and all you reply with is k?!

[text] Who would dare to lie on the internet?

[text] When I die, please delete all my shit off the internet

[text] He's so hot, I briefly started texting like a straight person

[text] And because I'm god and I've decided that; no, in fact, I'm not done.

-

[text] I know you love bloopy reggae jams, now is not the time.

[text] You better not be standing catatonic in your room again.

[text] God has abandoned his children but unfortunately for you I pay child support and I will smite thee.

[text]: My neighbor just told me he can fix my water heater for 50 bucks. I’m skeptical.

[text]: Do you have any idea how much it costs to buy apples? I paid 10 dollars for 6.

[text]: I mean, I wouldn’t say I have a problem with buying Squishmallows..

[text]: Hey, so you know how you told me no dog? *sends pic* I don’t do well with no’s.

[text] Stuart Little is a bitch and Remy could take him any day.

[text]: My roommate just said that Lola Bunny is hot. I’m moving out.

[text]: Hey I posted that vid of you drunk, singing Ariana Grande, wearing all black and people said not to do it again. Sorry.

[text]: Do you think the price is ever right? Like, I feel like it’s not.

[text]: I booped your nose. Boop the last five people you texted or–nothing happens really.

[text]: I’m actually in the ER and it’s a long story that involves Best Day Ever from spongebob.

[text]: I fucking hate you–wait you’re not my ex. Who are you?

[text]: You ever ask yourself if birds see a bee and just go ‘wow a bee’? im high.

[text]: sometimes all i think about is–sour patch kids. bet you thought it was you.

[text]: I love you—not as much as I love my dog. But still a lot!

[text]: I found a cat on the way home and now it’s mine. But it hates my guts so this should be fun.

[text]: I have questions about the marvel cinematic universe…how long do you have?

[text]: why do donald duck and winnie the pooh not have to wear pants but other people do?

[text]: Hey you know that show floor is lava? I may have turned the apartment into that..this isn’t a joke, btw. the floor is sticky.

[text]: I bought too much soap off etsy and now I don’t know what to do with it…I smell like Captain America.

[text]: On a scale of one to ten, how many drinks would you need to sleep with me? This isn’t a tiktok trend…or it is.

[vigilante24ish]

🌙 Moon Phases 🌙

Agatha Harkness X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1376

Chapter 22:

After Agatha confessed to you, things seemed to be better. With less worry and jealousy in your heart, you found sleep coming for you faster than you anticipated.

Agatha has chosen to rest a little further away from the rest of the coven, and you had followed suit, her warm body spooning you from behind was the lullaby you needed to close your eyes and relax.

Time passed oddly for everyone, no sign of sun or anything to indicate how long the group had been asleep.

The first to wake up had been Agatha, whose dreams were haunted by bitter memories of her past; this time, about Nicholas.

Having almost lost Teen and then having Rio telling her the boy was not hers... it unlocked some dark moments from her past, and unfortunately, not even your presence could truly help.

Thus, she found herself the only one awake; her hand gently brushing your hair as you had subconsciously leaned more on her folded lap and presence.

Agatha observed you as you slept, a small warm smile forming on her pink lips as she observed you; looking so peaceful and trusting her so much... not to mention yearning for her touch, even while asleep.

When she was away, when she was faking a new identity in Wanda's hex; she often felt how empty the bed was. Often, she would lay there, extending a hand and wondering how you were; and if you would take her back when she would come to your doorstep once again.

She had been thinking about you, she was not going to lie but she could not just bluntly confess it. That was not her.

A part of her always fighting to protect her by hiding her weakness by preventing her from confessing how she felt and maybe that was okay because you understood her.

Agatha sensed when someone approached, not surprised to find Rio coming your way. She had not slept like everyone else but had sat down close by, especially after you had fallen asleep.

Ironically, it was her unique danger that had made you snuggle closer to Agatha; a subconscious needed to be closer to her.

Now was it because you were seeking protection or to simply protect Agatha, no one truly knew.

"Funny. I remember you giving me the same smile," Rio commented, her tone a mixture of mockery and maybe even slight jealousy.

Agatha looked up at her. "She came first, and you know it. I had made it clear to you back then, "

Rio scoffed faintly. "And yet you still don't want the three of us as one." She folded her hands in front of her chest. "That's fine by me. Keep your little moon girlie. "

As the Green Witch started to walk away, Agatha dared to move and actually stand up. She carefully walked around your sleeping form and trailed after her former lover.

"I will, but first I want some answers," she said in a hushed tone, making Rio halt. "How do you know her?"

Agatha faced Rio's back for a few seconds before the Witch graced her by turning to face her. They locked eyes as they stood in front of one another, merely a single step separating them.

Rio tilted her head faintly to her side, her thin dark locks following the movement of her head as she did so while she played with the curved knife in her hands.

"I found her," she started, observing how Agatha hung from her every word. "After she took care of those witch hunters. Kept my eye on her, talked... you know the drill. You and I met under similar circumstances. "

"My case was different," Agatha argued. "And you didn't exactly make it clear who you were either."

Rio shrugged and glanced at your sleeping form above Agatha's shoulder. "I wasn't with her, either. She found it out on her own, but I will give her credits for her determination in doing so. "

Agatha frowned. "How did she find out?"

Before Rio could answer, he shouts of Lilia reaches them. It disturbed the silence existing in the forest and was enough to even wake you up.

You took a moment to process where you were, and when you did, you noticed Agatha and Rio standing not so far away; clearly discussing something private.

Before you could ask what had taken place, the distant sound of a howllong wolf reached you, and you swore you also heard a raven as it flew above you.

"The Salem Seven," you exclaimed, standing up so fast that you almost tripped.

You looked at Agatha, whose eyes were wide with fear. She didn't have to say anything as she gabbed her discarded purple coat and rushed towards the coven, you close behind her.

Rio just casually followed, unbothered by the presence of the cursed seven witches that wanted Agatha dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you approached the coven, you heard Lilia explaining to the rest of the witches what she saw and who was after them.

"Scary black dresses?" Teen asked, recalling the creepy figures he saw in Agatha's House before he rushed to find them in the basement.

"When Agatha killed her original coven..." Lilia started.

Once again, Jen had to comment. "By stealing their power." She added, making you wonder what Agatha did to her to have such hatred and anger against her.

"Because her own mother tried to have her executed." Rio suddenly added, having managed to reach the coven around the same time you and Agatha did.

Even though she was further behind.

You didn't stay nor bothered to question, somehow having an explanation already.

After all, it was Rio you were thinking about.

"Are you really defending a noted serial killer, you creepy lurker?" Jen asked, taking a few steps closer to Jen.

Something seemed to snap within you. You were not sure if it was Jen negative attitude, her tone, or the unnecessary name calling, but you found yourself standing between her and Rio.

"Back off, Jen. Direct your attitude elsewhere for this is not the point" you barked, one hand extended to keep Rio further behind you while your other had a single digit pointed at the Potions Witch.

She pulled her head faintly, surprised by your outburst and sudden change of character for the new Witch. After all, just a few hours ago, you had been glaring nonstop at her, and now you were opening defending her.

Jen opened her mouth, feeling insulterd and ready to serve you some attitude as well when Teen interfered; once again, stopping things from escalating too far.

"Come on, someone finish the story." He said, glancing at the rest of the coven.

Lilia took her gaze from you and focused on the boy. "When Agatha murdered her sister witches, she spared their young children."

"Yeah, and then they became a feral, hive-minded coven bent on revenge." You argued, showing where you stood on the topic.

"Whoa, ah!" Agatha exclaimed as she finally managed to wear her coat, all this time comically fighting to put the second sleeve on. "The moral of the story, kids, is always finish what you started. Also, mercy is overrated. All right, everybody, pack up your shit! Let's go!"

You started to fix your tie that you had loosened before you slept and buttoned up your black vest while everyone gathered and wore their stuff.

Before you were even fully ready, you had to run and follow Agatha; only to hear the same wolf howl from the path up ahead.

By instinct alone, you chose to run the opposite way, but the sound of a raven made you realize you were practically trapped.

"What about a hexenbesen?" Teen suddenly suggested, earning negative answers from everyone but you.

"Guys, I think we -" before you could voice your opinion and perhaps persuade them to change their mind; the Salem Seven did it for you.

An inhumane screech reached you, like claws against a board or wood. Your hair stood on end in response, and you all had this innate feeling of pray caught in the line of sight of a predator.

"No, brooms are great," Agatha exclaimed, and you hummed in agreement.

Chapter 23

[merakiui]

Ahhhh I’m loving the Skully wave, it’s so funny to see how fast you folded for him, not that I’m complaining tho (thankfully he’s nothing like Gojo) He just fits into so many thoughts that are basically either him matching your freak or out freaking you.

Incoming ramble but Ik we talked about prisoner Floyd but what about prisoner Skully? Unlike Floyd, Skully isn’t that intimidating but acc fairly easy to talk to, at least when you first meet him. Torn between Skully being a perceived as a petty criminal, even on paper, but is acc a master manipulator; his story goes that he was a lonely kid and unfortunately got mixed in with the wrong crowd, and was forced to go along with their schemes, and was ultimately arrested and found guilty by association but recurved a lighter punishment, but in reality he manipulated those fools and got a slap on the wrist compared to them. Orrrr going a more simpler route and having him just being regarded as a dangerous criminal from the get go. Maybe you’re a prison nurse and it’s become such a common site to see him brought onto the medical unit all bloody and bartered, yet still maintaining his strange but otherwise pleasant demeanour, so much so that you wonder what he did to end up in prison; you prefer not to read up on your patient’s crimes so that you may not develop any biases that may affect your work. But with Skully your conflicted with “trusting” what he says, and what everyone else, including your gut, is telling you that’s a bad idea.

There’s definitely horny thoughts somewhere here but I got too caught up in the idea and the specifics…as another anon has said work your magic

I folded so quickly for him it’s almost embarrassing, but I simply can’t resist his whimsical charms. He’s so silly goose cutie pie. <3 my most beloved!!! \(//∇//)\

Now as for prisoner Skully…….. >:) ooohhh,, I love the idea of Skully being underestimated solely because he’s so polite and outgoing when interacting with the other officers and prisoners. And he has such a kind face! There’s no way someone like him could ever commit a heinous crime, right? But his sentencing doesn’t lie, nor does the prison jumpsuit he wears.

Every time he comes to you, battered and bloody, he takes your hand in his bruised one and kisses the top of it, calling you all manner of wonderful endearments. He’s particularly fond of calling you “my lovely.” He’s definitely a…unique prisoner. He’s usually on such good behavior, too. It’s the other prisoners who rough him up on account of his being “too creepy.” Though Skully’s smile is sincere, you have to wonder how such a cordial man managed to unnerve so many prisoners. ^^;;; perhaps a dark side you’ve yet to see?

Horny thoughts…… something something Skully somehow manages to drug you on one of his many infirmary visits. Maybe you’re in a secluded room and he’s swiped the muscle relaxant intended for his injuries and used it on you so you’re weak and pliable for him. >:) AAAA but there’s also the idea of Skully intentionally harming himself just so he has a reason to visit you. Perhaps blaming his rough state on those prisoners. They just don’t understand him. :( they’re always hurting him. And you feel just a little bad. He reminds you of a kicked puppy when he’s like this, but that same seemingly weak, defenseless kicked puppy is drugging you and shutting the curtain to the infirmary bed so he can lay you down and have his way with you. :) that’s the best cure, after all.

And then, if he’s just a dangerous criminal from the beginning, perhaps serial killer Skully on death row and he’s really excited for his execution date. Or he was until he fell in love with you and now he doesn’t want death to separate the two of you. >_<

[saatorubby]

BABY PULL ME CLOSER - G. SATORU

SYNOPSIS : your boyfriend is in dire need for your attention. unfortunately for him, it’s the finals week.

a/n : im loving writing for jjk and this man makes me so ill about him.

GENRE : fluff

PARINGS : student!gojo satoru x student!reader

WARNINGS : mention of childhood pet dying once. reader is referred to as girlfriend.

The finals week was here.

Usually, there is nothing wrong with that, except for being overworked, stressed, and dehydrated, but for gojo satoru, that wasn't the worst.

No, far from worst. For him, the worst thing was being unable to be with his cute and pretty girlfriend.

"Without whom I'll die." he once declared.

There was he now, dreamily staring at you as all of your attention was stolen by those goddamn books. Satoru swears he's gonna burn them all one day.

He wonders whether those dried trees are more important to you than your loving boyfriend, him, who has been begging for your attention for days.

He huffs as his begging stare seems to have no effect in melting your cold, cold heart. Though he has to admit, the concentrated pout and the furrow of your brows do look cute on you as you slave away on the revision and assignments and last-minute projects.

He's tried everything that he could do without your presence. Played games with suguru, and caught up with his friends (which is just suguru and a very pretty and chill lady, ieiri, despite him being popular). Now, he can't go out and get food without his lovely girlfriend, could he? no, that'd be blasphemy through and through.

"Babyyy." he whined for the umpteenth time, laying on your bed as he mindlessly scrolled through social media to find topics to talk shit about with you later.

You sighed and turned to him, exasperated with his antics.

"Can we go and get food?" he asked as his bottom lip jutted in a pout you couldn't say no to. He knows you can't say no to that face, it's too cute.

"Satoru," you stared, frowning. "We've talked about this," you told him, conflicted. You wanted to take up on his offer, you do. You want to take a break too. But you just have so much work. You aren't sure you'd be able to complete it if you stopped even for a minute.

“My love, my darling, my sugarplum honey bun, can we please go and get McDonald’s?” He pleaded.

Gojo Satoru was simply irresistible.

From the first time you’ve met him, you’ve found out that he’s scarily good at getting people to do what he wants.

He looks so cute like that. His pretty eyes watery, his soft, pink lips formed into a pout, his face flushed.

He’s always gotten his way with a face like that.

So you’ve taken it upon yourself to be more resilient and tell him no. He needs to learn.

Also it’s funny how he always looks aghast after you’ve denied him something, like you’ve told him his childhood pet died or something.

“No, toru, we can’t.” You shook your head, looking up at him. You don’t dare try suggest that your boyfriend help with your work, not after…last time where both of you got distracted and ended up making out instead of getting it done.

“I have to get this paper in by tomorrow.” You said firmly, turning back to your work, holding back a snicker as he gasped dramatically.

Here it comes.

“So you don’t love me anymore, huh? Is that it?” He said, narrowing his eyes at your form, hunched over your desk. He takes it back, you’re not cute anymore.

“Is your love for me really that weak, baby?” He lamented. “That’d you’d break under the pressure this easily?” He cried.

“Do you want me to kick you out?” You take it back, he’s not cute.

“Then you won’t be able to see me for real.” You muttered, but it was enough for him to hear.

That made him shut up real quick.

[tiredfox64]

Since my identity as an anon have been exposed for that fic I did request,,,,

Can you make Pipsqueak pt. 2,,,,

*looks at u with my big eyes*

(I need to know the stupid shenanigans,,,,)

(Sorry got gay)

Little Bitty Pretty One

Yip notes: in my best Italian accent Don't say I neva did anything for ya. You are in debt to me.

Pairing: Bi-Han x Gn reader

Warnings ‼️: Haha you still small!

It seems when you need Liu Kang the most he is not there to answer. He could at least leave a message.

Well, you’re still small, unfortunately. Or maybe you like this situation. You’ve been stuck this way for two days now. Just as Bi-Han thought, you are incapable of doing many things. You’ve been depending on him for everything. You truly had no choice but to obey your grandmaster. Cause when you are the size of a Norway rat but lack the abilities of one your survivability is at a low possibility. So do him a favor and act good.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

Bi-Han tries his best not to wake you up in the morning. He’s been keeping you in his room so he can keep an eye on you and prevent you from getting hurt. He has to tiptoe around or else he will wake you up. Little does he know you’ve been waking up when he does because he always groans when he wakes up. What a loudmouth. You stir in your makeshift bed made of soft cloth material and a sponge before pretending to still be asleep. He doesn’t know that you like to peek at him when he is getting ready for the day. He doesn’t sleep with a shirt on…need I say more? It’s enjoyable to watch him tie his hair into a bun, he looks so pretty. But you can’t watch him change fully he puts a bowl over you to prevent you from seeing. No worries there are holes at the top to allow you to breathe. Alright, now he will wake you up.

He pokes your back viciously but not enough to possibly break your spine. You smack his finger which does nothing, go figures. Then he scolds you lightly for hitting your grandmaster. Again, he can’t yell or else he will risk bursting your eardrums.

Breakfast time! What do you want? Trick question, you have no choice. Whatever Bi-Han gives you is what you get. He purposely leaves some of the food big to make it seem like you are a rat nibbling on it. As he eats his breakfast he’ll occasionally look to his side to see you nibbling on a slice of carrot, your teeth leaving little marks. Now you’re whining, saying you need much more than that.

“You are acting very greedy. Have I not done enough for you already?” Bi-Han asked but you know he is being petty. When is he not.

Fine, he gave you a proper meal. Though the slice of cucumber he provided was still too big for you so you had to munch on it for a bit. He found it entertaining to see you stuff my cheeks full of food like a hamster. You did look silly that way. Especially with that glare you gave him.

Time for practice! Not for you, you’re too tiny for that. You’re gonna be staying in the palm of Bi-Han’s hand where he will proceed to pet your back with his finger. He starts from the top of your head before sliding down to your lower back. For some reason, you immediately relax when he does that. You fight a little because you know he likes finding people’s weak spots and exploiting them. But you stood little chance since even when you were big you still couldn’t fight him off. So you are forced to partake in this wonderful torment where he slowly watches you melt in his hands.

Bi-Han was so distracted by tormenting you he forgot to give orders to the rest of his clan. They waited with confused expressions. Kuai Liang had to tap on his brother to get his attention, only to be glared at by him as he quickly cupped you in his hands. He thought someone was trying to snatch you away from him. He can’t have that happening.

“What do you want, Kuai Liang?” he asked in annoyance.

Kuai Liang craned his neck in the direction of the clan to show that they were waiting. Bi-Han groaned as usual and gave them an order. Something mundane because he couldn’t care less in that moment. He was more preoccupied with you which you were trying to squeeze out of his hands again because you didn’t appreciate him leaving you in darkness.

Your little hands were trying to scratch their way between his fingers before he realized what you were doing. He uncapped his hands and you looked up at him like he just committed the ultimate betrayal.

“Don’t give me that face.”

He had you sit on his hand while looking out to the clan so you could watch them. His pointer finger and thumb were constantly squishing your face or rubbing below your chin. At this point anything he is doing to you is subconscious. He doesn’t know that he is doing it but it feels right to do, like twirling a pen while writing. It is necessary to squish something so small and fragile. You’re not having it. You’re out of here! Plan your escape!

You started walking on his arm, occasionally having to grab onto his arm guards to prevent yourself from plummeting to the ground. He sees your efforts and he does not like it. He tried to grab you but you kept swerving out of the way. Soon enough you were at his clothes and used them as a way to get down. You heard him saying words such as ‘stop’, ‘no’, and the occasional ‘obey your grandmaster’. You’re your own person, you can handle yourself! You can survive without your grandmaster’s assistance.

Never mind there was a giant golden orb weaver on the ground. It’s a female unfortunately so it’s humongous. You are not ready to handle that.

Bi-Han!!!

He froze the weaver in a matter of seconds before shattering it into millions of pieces. You were hugging his boot with your eyes closed, wondering if he demolished the arachnid. He picked you up by your uniform and you screamed thinking it was the spider before realizing it was Bi-Han.

“Will you listen to me now?” he asked with his usual grumpy tone.

“Yes, grandmaster.” You replied with your head lowered.

You obeyed him for the rest of the time, thank the elder gods. I would say that it made everything easier but you were still left being poked, petted, and squished by Bi-Han. At least when dinner time rolled around you were able to breathe. You got to munch on a nice, fat dumpling. Took a while before you got to the filling but it was so worth it when you did. That dinner could have knocked you out immediately after. You almost did but you were startled when Bi-Han picked you up and brought you to his office.

Escape plan part two!

Forget it, he already knew what you were planning. You tried to run around on his deck but he quickly pulled you back before placing you at one end of a hand towel. In one fell swoop he rolled you up like sushi. There, now you will stay in one place.

“Hey! You can’t do this! I’m a human being!” You yelled in a shrilled voice.

“A human being who drank a potion when I told you not to.” He got you there.

You could be angry all you want but you did get yourself into this mess. So just lay there and take your medicine.

You were forced to lay there silently as Bi-Han worked for about half an hour before the door opened. Finally, Liu Kang is here to help you. But for some reason, Bi-Han didn’t seem to be thrilled about this.

“I have been informed that there was a little incident,” Pun intended, “Let me assist in making things righ—oh.”

Liu Kang saw you wrapped in the hand towel with your eyebrows furrowed in anger. He gave a questioning look towards Bi-Han but at the same time, he could understand if your grandmaster had a hard time keeping you under control. Liu Kang had to hold himself back from chuckling as he reached towards you. He was going to unravel you to help get you back to normal but Bi-Han snatched you away. It nearly gave you whiplash.

“Bi-Han, I need them to get them back to normal.” Liu Kang informed him but Bi-Han walked out of the room with you in hand.

You were shouting at him and asking what he was doing and saying that this was what he wanted. You may think this whole situation was a hassle for Bi-Han. You would be slightly wrong. He finds this situation very entertaining and even, though he would never admit, adorable. It’s like having his own personal pet. A pet that has to depend on him because they don’t have any animal-like skills.

He will have you return back to normal one of these days. But this day won’t be it. Liu Kang was trying to get an answer from him but he wouldn’t say a word. He walked right into his bedroom, made a wall of ice to prevent anyone from getting in, and sat right on his bed.

He unraveled you before carefully placing you in your makeshift bed. He didn’t want you asking any more questions so he started to pet your back again. It’s too easy. With the food in your belly, the tight wrap from the towel, and the feeling of Bi-Han petting and rubbing your back you were out like a light. You were even drooling a little.

Bi-Han hasn’t felt this much joy from something in a long, long time. He wasn’t even allowed to have a pet when he was young. So let him enjoy this for a little longer then he will bring you back to normal.

But when you are back to normal you better not drink another strange potion he swears to the elder gods!

Now he can get ready for bed. He needs to mentally prepare himself for the next day. Who knows what you could do then.

Are you peeking at him taking his shirt off again? Turn your head! Damn rodent…

Yap notes: Last time I wrote for you that spine-eating goofball payed me a visit. He better not come around again just cause I did this for you. Also I hope you are feeling better I saw that you said you were sick get some Vic’s vaporub, ginger ale, and an egg to cleanse yourself. Adiós!

[judasgot-it]

i would like to request what hunting dogs would do when their s/o has insomnia, a lot of hugs and kisses please🥰

Sorry for the inactivity, I apologize everytime and I feel horrible about it :,(

I have horrible insomnia right now (I can't sleep well no matter what I try, it's hopeless) so I'm 100% using this to cope a bit. Also sorry about how messy reader is in Tecchou's part, I just love messy crying. I'm so weak for it.

Scenario: They help you fall asleep (Jouno, Tecchou)

Jouno

893 words

Jouno couldn't tell the time.

Whatever time it was, his body didn't care - it was screaming at him to go back to bed, making his bones feel sluggish with their weight.

Unfortunately, his ears kept pestering him, since no matter how quiet you tried to be, he could still hear you in the kitchen. Doing what? Jesus Christ, who knew.

Whatever it was, it was too damn loud.

It felt nearly impossible for Jouno to make his body move, but by some feat, he managed. He found his feet both on the ground, walking towards the bedroom, out the too-long hallway, and into the kitchen to see what in god's name you could think was worth losing sleep over.

By his guess, it was most probably around 2 in the morning. How horrible.

"Hi."

There was a loud clatter as he heard you drop the dishes in the sneak rather unquietly. Also, you screamed, but that was to be expected.

"Oh my god!"

Is there a God at this forsaken time of night?

Jouno sighed as he leaned against the wall, rubbing his eyes out of habit.

"Yeah. I'm right here."

He gave you a moment to collect yourself, your heartbeat still skyrocketing through the roof. He yawned, nearly deafened by the sound of his jaw pulling at his muscles.

"So."

As patient as he could, he waited. There was noise on your end - a clattering of dishes, and he was sure you threw a towel somewhere, but that was of lesser importance.

"So. Jouno."

"Yeah?"

You patted your bare thighs, popping your lips together. Nervous.

"Why are you up?"

You tried to play your words off with a giggle. He knew he probably looked the least bit pleased, but nothing was going to convince him to go easy on you right now.

"Y/n. You know why I'm up. I'm the one asking the questions here, if I recall."

"Oh, right. Because you're 'the greatest hunting dog' and all, right?"

Jouno sighed, covering his eyes. He took a deep breath in, holding it in. It was calming, feeling his lungs slowly fill with air. His head cleared, helping him realize that the headache he had was I'm part due to the tension he was keeping in his body. In that time, he heard your heart beat skyrocket, your breath slowing as you stared.

He tried not to smile as he let go of his breath slowly. If Jouno wasn't exhausted he would have teased you about it.

"'Don't do this to me. It's 2 in the morning, go to bed."

Your laughter was a nice noise to hear. Just not now. God, not now. His body was dragging him to the ground and your laughter was reminding him that he was standing, awake - as if he were in hell.

Your laughter shouldn't be in a place as torturous as this. Like the hell between staying awake and crawling back to bed, because someone thought baking at two in rhe morning was a good idea.

"Sorry princess, but I need to put these brownies in the fridge. I'm trying out this recipe I saw online and I think-"

You didn't get to finish that sentence, as you were instead kidnapped in Jouno's arms. The man didn't care to hear the end of it - he only wanted it to end.

"No." He sighed, pressing his cold nose against your neck. "You're insane, honestly."

He muffled his words into your shirt collar, still restraining you as you struggled against his hold. There was no point, as no matter what way you fought, you couldn't fight against a super-enhanced human - even a tired one.

"This is so ..."

You paused for a bit, looking for the right words. Your brain was tired, although it hadn't registered to you just yet. Your heart still beat fast enough for you to convince yourself that you were awake, even if your eyes and mind were exhausted.

"So ...fun police of you."

The words that came out of your mouth came out sloppy at best, but they got a lame chuckle out of Jouno.

With care, he took you back to the bedroom - dropping you onto the bed like a pile of unfolded laundry. You practically laid there as if you were dead anyway.

"I have no problem arresting and cuffing you to bed if it means sleep is involved."

You giggled, as much as your tired brain could push from your throat. The bed shifted as Jouno dropped himself on the mattress, pulling up the still warm blanket over the two of you.

"What if that meant something else was involved too?"

Jouno groaned, turning back towards you. He could imagine the stupid smile on your face right now.

"Y/n."

"Yeah?"

Jouno took his hand and slowly, carefully, dragged it across your face. He felt as your eyebrows pinched in confusion, and your eyelids fluttered before he finally set his fingertips on your lips.

"Shush."

He felt you nod against his hand, before finally relaxing. Tiredly, he pulled you closer, burying his face in your hair as he slowly pressed his lips against your forehead.

"Goodnight, sleepyhead."

Jouno felt a smile pull on his face at those words. Like an idiot, he let you roam your hands around his body - when really he should have smothered you to death.

Tecchou

739 words

Waking up before you were supposed to was like a coin toss - depending on the mood it's either a great early start, or the worst feeling in the world. Sometimes the body had gotten it's full rest, or it was forced awake by something talked about in horror stories.

Tecchou decided he was indeed not well rested, and that waking up at what could well be 2 in the morning was equivalent to a horror story. Why would he want to wake up to one of the worst sounds a man could hear - his own partner, crying?

Maybe if he was Jouno, but he didn't want to think about that.

He sat up, listening as he tried to decipher what you were doing.

You were rather quiet, trying your hardest to hide your cries behind your blanket (gross, but he appreciated the effort). Opening his eyes, he glanced over to see that you were enraptured by some sort of video on your phone, the blue light illuminating your face (and probably burning your retinas, from Tecchou's guess).

He shuffled closer, trying to peak at the screen while not disturbing you. Whatever you were staring at on your phone had distracted you well enough to not even notice his presence, was slightly concerning to Tecchou - you were very spatially aware.

Shaking your shoulder, he winced when you screamed - right in his ear, with snot blowing right across his face. He elected to not react to it, considering how red your eyes looked.

"Tecchou!"

"Yea. I'm here." He replied while casually wiping off his face with the blanket he was once sleeping peacefully under.

He stared at you, his amber eyes glowing from your phone screen. You looked back, trying to readjust to the sudden change in brightness.

"M'sorry, did I wake you?" You had finally shut off you phone, resting it on your chest - giving yourself a good chance to see his full face.

"Why are you crying, babe?"

His hand roamed around your stomach, softly pulling at the fabric around it. It made you shiver as you felt his legs press against yours, warming you underneath the sheets.

"Oh...um..." You tore your gaze away from his, staring straight at the ceiling. You fidgeted with your phone, trying to stop your trembling lip.

Carefully, Tecchou reached over and wiped away your spilled-over tears, thumbing your cheek as if your skin were made of glass. He pulled you closer, resting your head against his chest, trying to calm you. Adversely, this had the opposite effect, making you start to cry even more onto his naked skin.

There were muffled stupid and sorry between your sobs, although he elected to ignore them for now. Instead, he waited as your body was racked with tears, shaking and holding onto Tecchou as if he were a lifeline.

"Hey, babe?" Calmly rubbing your shoulder, Tecchou waited as you wiped your snot and tears along your sleeve, sniffing as loud as an American bullfrog.

"Can I ask what upset you so much?"

You lightly smacked his shoulder, still hiding yourself within his warmth.

"You already did, ass."

"Right."

He went back to holding you, waiting for your reply. Eventually, when he thought you would have maybe decided to fall back asleep again instead, with the room still cast in pitch-black shadows, you decided to reply -

"I failed my exam."

Silently, Tecchou nodded.

There wasn't anything he could say to make you feel better, at no words that he knew to say. It was easier to simply pull you closer, to make you feel better through his hold than to say anything more.

"It's fine, you should try and sleep. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning."

Carefully, he pulled your phone from your hand, sliding it onto the bedside table, hoping to stop you from looking at your failure once again.

You didn't need to be reminded of it anymore, not when he could distract you right now.

As gently as a man like Tecchou could, he took to scratching at the soft skin at the back of your neck, gently tapping his rough fingernails along your spine. He smiled as felt you begin to relax, breathing out a sigh as his fingertips brushed alongside your bare shoulder blades.

He watched as you relaxed into his form, waiting until you started to breathe slower so he could allow himself to fully fall asleep once again.

Sorry about the months-long break, I didn't mean to abandon Tecchou. Also btw IRLs of mine know about this account so if I start sounding even weirder on here it's because I stopped caring about my employment opportunities

[devildom-moss]

“I wanted to tell you first” (bad) (the demon brothers)

What do the demon brothers go to MC first for? These are all things that I would categorize as bad things that happen that the brothers tell MC about. I might do a good things version later on.

(the demon brothers x gn!MC)

(suggestive for some of the brothers: Levi, Satan, Asmo)

Lucifer

You’re the first person – and sometimes the only person – he tells when he’s not feeling so great. Whether it’s a cold that’s snuck up on him or a particularly excruciating headache, he’ll demand request your presence in his room. It can be a bit worrying to get a random text from Lucifer that reads nothing more than, “My room. Now, please.” At least he has the decency to say please when he’s not feeling good. Any apprehension is replaced by concern when you find a sad looking Lucifer curled up in bed. If it’s a headache or migraine that ails him, the lights will be completely off when you enter the room. Unfortunately for his pride, there’s something so pathetic and pitiable about Lucifer when he’s sick or in pain. His eyes get so misty and his face flushes. He looks so fragile and miserable and, admittedly, cute. In a weak voice, he’ll inform you about his current state.

Before, Mammon typically used to be the first to know because he’d need someone to pick up medication or run some errand in his stead if he was too unwell to go himself. Now that you’re there, he knows he has someone he can trust with everything – including watching over all of his brothers. He’ll admit to feeling bad more often than he used to as well. When you’re around, he’ll even tell you about headaches that have only lasted half an hour, which he never used to do with anyone else. If Lucifer is being honest with himself, part of the reason he tells you is because he wants you to dote on him a bit. Selfishly, he just wants you to pet his head or rub his shoulders and tell him that he’ll be okay. Most days, he’ll tell you that he’s not well and then let you continue your day as usual. Whether you dote on him is left entirely to you. However, if he’s in a lot of pain or if he’s nauseous, he’ll ask you to stay with him “just for a few minutes, please, MC?” The vulnerability and sadness in his eyes and voice are hard to deny.

Mammon

Mammon tells you first when he’s in trouble with witches or other demons. Lucifer, Satan, Asmo, and Beel are usually pretty good about being able to get rid of witches and getting him off the hook, but with the exception of Beel, Mammon gets a lot of shit for asking someone to bail him out. You, on the other hand, are so much nicer to him. Even if you scold him for making bad decisions, you will typically skip on the barrage of insults that he’s used to. He feels safe coming to you and asking for help – even if it’s embarrassing.

Furthermore, if Mammon is going to cause trouble that might impact you negatively, he wants you to know as soon as possible. He also wants you to hear it from his mouth only because he fears that if one of his brothers told you that he was out causing trouble, you’d be extra disappointed in him – which is a fate worse than 200 years as a chandelier in his eyes. Plus, being the one to tell you gives Mammon the opportunity to explain himself. One of the best ways to prevent you hearing from someone else is to just tell you first. Additionally, Mammon holds onto the hope that if you can’t help him, having you by his side when you go to Lucifer for help might soften the blow and encourage Lucifer to be more merciful.

Unfortunately, Mammon’s need to tell you when he’s in trouble first can make things harder for him. On one occasion, he ran all around RAD searching for you with a flock of witches chasing him, throwing out curses and random objects. When he finally found you and pulled you into a broom closet with barely enough room to stand arm-width apart, he admitted that he was hiding from a group of witches that had been chasing him down for nearly an hour.

“Mammon! You have a huge bruise on your arm. I can feel the lump through your clothes. What happened?”

“They literally threw the book at me. That one witch – Marie, I think – had a grimoire so thick, I don’t know how she even carries it.”

“Why didn’t you call one of your brothers? I’m sure they could have saved you.”

“I was in trouble, and,” Mammon paused and averted his gaze before mumbling, “I wanted to tell you first.”

Leviathan

You’re Leviathan’s go-to when he has an otaku fail – whether it’s failing to obtain limited-release concert tickets, losing a boss battle in a game, or just a bad gacha pull. He goes to you for reassurance and comfort because no one comforts him better than you. His brothers think he’s being ridiculous when he gets moody over something “trivial” like a game, and he just wants someone to validate his disappointment.

Sometimes, when he gets down, Levi just needs someone to sit with him and read manga while he blasts sad hyperpop. He’ll start to feel better after he’s given an hour or two to sit with his sadness instead of being encouraged to get over it. Levi doesn’t cope well when he’s expected to move on and distract himself; he needs to take time out to feel his feelings. Typically, he might spiral and start to drown in his discontent, but if you are there to anchor him, he knows he won’t drift too far or sink too deep. Even if you just let him sit next to you and pout while you do whatever you need to get done, that’s enough for Levi. He’ll even put in headphones and try to be quiet while he reads or games. This man really doesn’t ask for much. It’s hard to turn him away when he shows up at your door with his headphones around his neck, a book in his hand, and a dejected look, almost to the point of tears, on face.

If you’re willing to provide him with physical comfort, that’s even better. Secretly, that’s what he’s hoping for: a gentle pat on his head, warm cuddles, a forehead kiss, consolation head. However, he’s content as long as you don’t turn him away or dismiss his feelings. If you let him, he’ll curl up in your lap with his head buried against your neck and wrap himself around you. He might even slip into his demon form so he can wrap his tail around you, too. When he’s sad, Leviathan goes from touch-starved to touch-malnourished. There’s a desperate need for intimacy that doesn’t register in his mind until he’s in your arms. He’ll be so soft and compliant until he feels better.

Satan

Satan seeks you out first when he needs to rage-vent, especially if you’ve proven that his wrath doesn’t scare you. It’s common for him to walk into your room or call you and ask if you have time for him to vent. One day, he went directly to your room after getting home, a menacing aura surrounding him the whole time. After receiving your permission to vent, he went off:

“This fucking guy set fire to some two dozen books because he couldn’t neutralize a curse on a clearly-marked, cursed book. Seriously, who goes to a bookstore but can’t be fucked to read the sign on the shelf that says ‘do not open: cursed books’ in the cursed books aisle of the shop? How does that make sense? Either you want to read and learn to read signs or you should just lose the right to your eyes. And of course, the book I needed was one of the books he burned. It took weeks for the store to get a copy of that book in. Not even RAD had the book in their library.”

“Oh, Satan, that’s terrible. I’m so sorry your book search was ruined. That’s the type of idiot who walks into a room through the emergency exit, huh?”

“Make him emergency exit life,” Satan mumbled.

“Did you inform Diavolo? I’m sure he would be happy to assist you in your search for whatever book you were looking for. He’d probably also throw some money at the bookstore to help them recover from the fire.”

“No, not yet. I was so pissed, I just wanted to vent with you first. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

“I hope they set that asshole on fire once for every book he destroyed.”

“Can a demon survive being lit on fire two dozen times?”

“Does that matter?”

Satan appreciates that you let him talk without judgment – even when he knows he’s being unreasonable and cruel. Your presence helps him clear his mind and calm down enough to reevaluate whatever it is that enraged him.

Additionally, when Satan is extremely angry, sometimes he gets the urge to take his anger out on you mid-vent if he realizes he isn’t calming down. Although Satan doesn’t really like angry sex and he feels guilty afterward, it feels so good and intense in the moment that his anger is extinguished when he’s done. No matter what happens, he knows he’ll feel better if he goes to you first when he’s angry.

Asmodeus

Pretty privilege doesn’t protect Asmo from bad horoscopes and negative fortunes as much as he wants them to. How could something so terrible befall someone so gorgeous? Usually, Asmo wants comfort after a bad fortune before he can even think about ways to cope or avoid potential trouble. Similar to Levi, Asmo knows that most of his brothers would dismiss him being upset over a bad fortune reading as “trivial and stupid.” He’s already down, and he doesn’t need someone to make him feel bad about feeling bad.

When Asmo gets an unfavorable fortune reading, he gets anxious imagining all the potential things that could go wrong for him, and he just needs someone to make him feel safe and protected. That’s why he comes to you: nothing and no one makes him feel better than you do. Sometimes, he’ll just ask for a hug or to be held for a few minutes to settle his nerves. It’s easy to mistake this as him making up an excuse to get close to you, but when he gets upset over a bad fortune, he’s being sincere. Furthermore, it hurts his feelings to be accused of faking his distress.

The second your arms are firmly around him, he has the peace of mind to consider how to prevent anything too damaging from happening or how to cope with the inevitable “bad thing” that he’ll have to face. He has seen some shit, after all, so it’s not like he couldn’t handle it. Asmo just hates the idea of a cursed fate. Knowing that something bad is going to happen but not knowing how bad it’s going to be is what really troubles him. Is he going to lose a follower on Devilgram? Is he going to break out? What if he fails his seductive speechcraft exam in front of you? What if you get hurt?! However bad his brain starts to spiral, if he has you, he knows he can handle anything. All he needs is a gentle touch to reassure him.

Once he feels better, he might be cheeky and ask, “want to help me get lucky, MC?”

Beelzebub

Beel tells you first when a there are upcoming restaurant closures or when limited menu items are set to go away soon – especially when you enjoyed the food. He usually alerts you to these things by texting you “Bad news!” before letting you know what’s happening. The reason he texts is because he tells you immediately. It’s sad to lose a place to eat when they had good food (unless they went out of business for health code violations), and he hates having to wait until next year to find a variety of food that he loves. However, it’s somehow worse to Beel that you’re also losing a restaurant you enjoyed or that the limited food you liked is going out of season. He gets particularly sad if the first time he went to the restaurant that’s closing was with you or if he introduced you to the food that’s going away soon. It feels like he's going to lose a memory with you, even though he knows that isn’t true.

Even though Beel’s disappointed, he focuses on the joy of savoring good food with you. The sooner he tells you, the more opportunities you have to eat together before the restaurant or limited/season menu item goes away. The latter is more common, and as such, Beel often asks you, “MC, would you like to go out and eat it another time before it goes away until next year? I’ll pay.” It’s a good excuse to go on a date with you, as well.

If he’s able to, he’ll also buy limited-time food and bring it back to you so you can enjoy it at home. If it’s your favorite and it has a decent shelf-life, he might purchase everything they have in stock and carry it home to you. Once, when he arrived home and set a mountain of cherry blossom flavored chocolates on your desk, you asked him why he bought all of that.

“Because I remembered how happy you looked when we tried these. They were going out of season, so I bought all they have left. You said this was your favorite flavor, and I wanted to preserve that smile for as long as I could until it comes back next year.”

Belphegor

Belphie tells you first whenever he gets nagged or scolded by one of his brothers. Most of the time, Belphie is just annoyed about someone else telling him what to do – especially when it’s something like Lucifer nagging him about sleeping in class. He wants to tell you so he can complain about how they treated him and maybe get some attention and comfort out of it. Selfishly (and erroneously), Belphie believes that you’re always going to take his side and agree with him that his brothers were being unfair. He will be floored if you tell him he’s in the wrong. If he comes up with a good comeback to his brothers’ nagging, he gets excited to tell you. (Like that one time Lucifer told him that he sleeps so much at school that Leviathan spends more time in class than he does, and he told Lucifer, “Oh? Well, why don’t you tell Levi’s GPA to tell my GPA that I’m sleeping too much.” All he could think about what how impressed you might be when he tells you.)

On rare occasions, Belphie will come to you hurt over his brothers scolding him. However, Belphie being how he is, if his brothers nag him in a way that hurts, Belphie will get defensive and lash out, escalating it to an argument – and even full fights sometimes. It’s these times when Belphegor genuinely needs you to be on his side. Before you, unless the argument was with Beel, Belphie would go to him for comfort. You, however, are much better at actually resolving the brother’s issues, so he starts to turn to you for every serious argument.

Coming to you about those fights is an act of intimacy. For Belphie to get upset over a scolding, he has to understand that he messed up and be hurt over his brother’s approach to discuss it or resolve the issue. To tell you about that, Belphie is showing you his faults and vulnerabilities, opening himself to your honest criticism no matter how much he doesn’t want to hear how wrong he is. When he’s been hurt by an argument, he craves comfort and reassurance, but he doesn't expect it. As such, it can be a pleasant surprise for you to do something as simple as hug him and rub his back. Sometimes, that’s enough to break him. He’ll crumble and sob in your arms until you soothe him to sleep.

(the demon brothers, good version)

[leafostuff]

Eyes On me [Ft. IVE's Liz]

Tags: panic attacks comfort, fluff, girlfriend!Liz

Author's note: It's been a while since I wrote for IVE, but I hope this one will do well. Plus, this will be a callback to my wattpad Era, where I used to do more comfort fics.

========================

there are three kinds of nights in your life.

The first kind is the normal nights, which after hitting the gym, eating dinner, taking a shower, and living overall like a functioning member of society you find yourself falling asleep at 11 PM, maybe 12 AM if you are really not that tired.

The second kind is the nights where you decide to laugh at the concept of sleep, channel your inner shut in and play video games for the whole night, or just goof off with your friends on discord until the sun rises

However, sometimes you have those nights where you find yourself in your bathroom at 3 AM, throwing up all of the food you ate in the entire day and overall being miserable?

Unfortunately, tonight was the third kind of night.

Do you have any idea how you got to this situation? Nope, all you could remember is that around 1 AM, you could only feel your stomach hurting like crazy, your anxiety levels going to the 11 forcing you to go to the bathroom to try and calm yourself

However, even after an hour this was to no avail since still you found yourself throwing up while your eyes were full of tears. "Absolutely fantastic, now the one thing that can fuck me up is-" your thoughts were suddenly stopped by a light touch on your shoulder

As you look up you find your girlfriend Kim Jiwon looking at you, she was wearing a white sweatshirt, which was probably stolen from your closet.

Long black hair just like the night sky and eyes that could show sadness was the only thing you could see from your fully teared eyes as your girlfriend kneeled down before you, letting her arms wrap around your body.

"Another anxiety attack?" She asked since those events were not new to your girlfriend, at least once a month she had to stay up all night with you to try and relax you, to the point it was impressive how she still wanted to stay with you

5 minutes of brushing your teeth and a spare change of pajamas later you walked toward your shared bed with Jiwon as she looked at you with a weak smile, but it was enough to make you feel happy and in the same time: somehow guilty

"Do you know what happened that you are feeling like that?" You simply shook your head in response as she just sighed, "Oh well, it's OK... let's just go to the bed ok? After you brush your teeth" she added, trying to close her nose to block the scent of the puke.

"I don't deserve you." That was the first thing you said while you inched slowly toward Jiwon as she laid her head on your shoulder.

"Ahhhh, so that is what you are anxious about?" She asked while she turned on the TV to a random episode of friends. You could only nod as your girlfriend pulled you into an embrace

"I just..." You hesitated, which in reaction Liz leaned and kissed your forehead. Even after numerous times, she has done that it still surprises you

"Just what?" she asked, he eyes pleading for an answer as you couldn't handle it anymore

"That I am too anxious for you" her reaction could only be puzzled as she tilted her head sideways, letting you explain

"You just... deserve someone who isn't depressed all the time or a scar-" You were shutted by your girlfriend's lips on yours, their sweet taste however was short.

"I. Will. Always. Love. You, " Liz said, each word was spoken clearly as your cheeks turned red from embarrassment. However, as you tried to turn away, both her palms on your cheeks, forcing you to look at her pleading eyes.

"Eyes On me okay baby? I will always love you, say it" she requests as you have no choice but to sigh and comply

"I will always love you" you recited her words as she smiled cutely and pecked your lips.

"Good, now... let's go sleep okay, baby?" She asked, however, as her hands went over to your back she could feel you shake.

"...you are still stressed, right? It's ok, let me help you relax, " she said as her hands reached to your back under your shirt, her fingers lightly tapping on your back, causing you to instinctively let your head find its rest on her chest.

You slowly start to destress yourself by taking deep breaths, "Good baby...I'm here for you," she said while pecking your forehead, "you need this sleep...more than me" she added as you finally close your eyes, the first snore is able to be heard from your unconscious self.

And the last words you manage to hear before fully drifting into dreams.

========================

[volturiprincess]

Felix volturi with a mate who is type 1 diabetic? I’m really struggling with my diabetes rn and I could use some fluff from my favorite strong man🥺

Him

Felix Volturi x Type 1 diabetic reader

A/N: I hope this gives you the fluff you need, and I hope you are doing better 🫶🏼🥺. I might not know what you are going through but I believe in you . I'll be honest Im not super familiar with this but I have some understanding (currently in school going going for a degree in the medical field actually). But enjoy 💙

(The handsome gentle giant❤️)

“Morning my little rose”

At the sound of my mate's voice, I opened my eyes slowly to be welcomed by his handsome face. He’s so beautiful. He reached a hand out to caress my cheek gently, pure heaven right there with just his touch. I love his gentleness considering how tall and muscular he is it is hard to consider him this with his status as the ‘executor’ of the Volturi, but to me he is so tender and loving.

Still feeling a bit sleepy I responded with a soft “Morning Fe”

He joined me on the bed and pulled me into his arms so my head was resting on his chest. Today was one of those days where I had no energy to do anything. I just want to lay in bed all day and sleep. I sometimes hate feeling like this, I don't like showing Felix this side of me, even if he knows about my diagnosis. I did tell him a bit of what I go through and stuff but it's a struggle sometimes.

“You're having one of those days aren't you?”

I guess he already knows. It's been about 6 months since Felix came into my life and I was told he is my mate. But I have had type 1 for about 2 years already. The only reason he found out was he came to visit me in my house when I was feeling absolutely terrible, he thought I was sick with the flu but I told him the truth. He was very understanding and Demetri told me the next day that Felix spent the whole night reading anything there is to know about how to deal and manage with type 1. And since then my love for him bloomed more. 

“Yea it’s one of those days unfortunately”

“Alright well good thing the masters gave me the day off, i'll be your personal nurse today”

Looking up at him with a lopsided smile and booping his nose with my finger tip

“My handsome vampire nurse to exact”

—------------

Since that morning, Felix has helped with taking a nice bubble bath with my favorite bath bomb that smells like roses and lavender. He even made me an appropriate breakfast, he's managed to get me to enjoy eating cantaloupe over the past couple of months. He's still struggling to get me to eat a banana alone because whenever I chew that fruit I gag and there were times where I did throw up from that weird texture. But he does make me smoothies with that fruit which I do enjoy. And now he is pursuing me into going on a walk with him in the gardens

“Come on cara, if you do get tired, which I understand does happen, we will take a break and I will give you a taste of the Felix care package when you're tired, hmmm?”

To top it off he finished that line with his shark like grin that always makes me weak in the knees. It's impossible to say no to him when he mentions his care package, it includes a massage, hair stroking, and small kisses on every inch of exposed skin that I dare show. 

“Fine, only because I heard that the garden was worked on recently and there are new flowers that I need to see up close but-”

“I got it here already, see?”

I looked at his other side and he had a bag which I can assume had some treats to help with the fatigue and nausea and in his hand he was holding what I can say is the biggest water bottle I have ever seen. 

“What the hell Felix, where did you manage to get such a huge water bottle?”

“I have my ways amore”

He wrapped his large muscular arm around my waist and guided me to the much awaited gardens. As soon as we were close to the gardens I felt myself relax and was surrounded by the smell of different flowers. I picked up on the sweetness of jasminess, the freshness of lavender with a hint of spice which I can assume were the lilies. We walked for a while until I started to feel a bit more weak and my thirst levels increased. Felix as always picked it up and we stopped at a nearby bench that he actually carved many centuries ago. He held the water bottle for me as I drank what I felt was a whole gallon in one sip. 

“Want to hear the story about his bench, amore?”

Not wanting to speak or nod my head from the slowly approaching headache, I gave him a thumbs up that was received by a small smile from him 

“Well I told you some bits of my gladiator days from what I can remember until Aro found me and turned me in. I picked up a hobby soon after I was turned. I always thought the arts were a fascinating topic, and with Master Caius' influence, I focused on sculpting. My first couple of attempts were not ... .good” he smiled with an  embarrassed look “ With my state of being more abnormally stronger as a newborn handling small tools in my large hands to carve ... .well you can already guess my issue. With this bench it took many attempts to master, I would switch between a variety of chiseling tools until I noticed just using my hands worked best, so I actually built this with my bare hands, I wanted to add a bit of architecture inspiration from the Colosseum, which is why the legs of this are like that.”

The way he explained his story was so adorable, some of the things I picked up about Felix is when he talks about something he is passionate about he gets a twinkle in his eyes. He smiles more than he already does but the way he explains things he went through makes me feel like I was there with him as the events happened. I soon noticed after his story my headache was gone. 

“Fe, can I tell you something?”

“Always my little rose”

“I don't tell you this enough but I really do appreciate you, I love that you are in my life, I thought I would become a burden to you but with you, you make me feel so special and loved, I love you my handsome giant”

I never said the L word to him so this was a first for him to hear.

“Oh cara, I think I just fell in love with you all over again, just hearing you say that makes my undead heart flip, with you I feel complete with as what is left my humanity, I love you mi amore”

Damn that giant, some small tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks which he wiped away with his thumb. He leaned in and placed a light kiss on my forehead that can speak thousands of words. 

[fairystar111]

Dead Man's Wish

By: fairystar111

Rating: Gen

Fandom: Boku no Hero Academia

Summary:

Life isn't fair to most of us, that's something almost every villain with tell you.   So somebody decided to make it fair, and now it is.   Except not for everybody.

Characters: Tomura Shigaraki, Izuku Midoriya.

CW/Tags: Kidnapping, Platonic Yandere, Yandere Shigaraki Tomura, Big brother Tomura Shigaraki, Kidnapped Izuku Midoriya, Possessive Behavior, Obsessive Behavior, Infantilism, Stockholm Syndrome.

Start/Previous/Next

My dearest Tomura, if you are reading this then I have already passed on and for that I am sorry. I won’t be able to help you on your path any longer my dear boy but I trust in your abilities to succeed me and do what I could not. You will change the world like I always knew you could. My dear child I have not been completely honest with you and I am sorry you had to find out this way. But I have another child, his name is Izuku Midoriya. He is your brother in all but blood. I had originally planned for you two to meet in his first year of high school but circumstances changed.

I had a younger brother myself once that I loved very much. I gave him everything the world could offer but that was not enough for my dear Yoichi. My younger brother opposed my work as All for One, he hated what I did and what I stood for and tried to stop me until he perished in an untimely accident. Shortly before he passed I had given him a weak stockpiling quirk to help his sickly body gain back some strength, the quirk had melded with an invisible quirk I did not know he possessed at the time. Yoichi had the ability to pass on quirks which was quite useless on its own but once I gave him a quirk it became a new quirk known as One for All. A stockpiling quirk that is able to be passed onto others through DNA transfer and would become the key to my own demise. The wielders of One for All are all successors to my brother that want to end me and my “reign of terror” whatever that means. I know you're probably wondering but what does this have to do with Izuku Midoriya being my brother? 

Well the year before you were set to meet, through unfortunate circumstances Izuku met All Might ,the eighth successor, and became the ninth wielder of One for All. Your paths would intertwine but you would be on opposite sides of the battlefield. The tale of two brothers will repeat itself once again and I won't be able to help you. Tomura all I ask of you is that you try to help him, my child has horrible self-sacrificing tendencies and will die on his own. I need you to take care of him as I have failed to do and love him as I have loved you because one day all you will have will be each other. I want you to love each other as much as I loved both of you.

With love,

Hisashi Shigaraki 

“Don't worry dad I'll find him and I'll save him even if he doesn't want me to.”

Izuku awoke in an unfamiliar but rather comfortable bed. He rubbed his eyes trying to rid the morning grogginess when he remembered with a jolt that the league had infiltrated their base and captured him along with several of his friends. He jumped out of bed only to crash onto the floor. He groaned in pain and looked up to see a chain connecting to a thick padded cuff around his ankle. 

He studied the room around him and found it odd, he had been expecting to wake up in a concrete prison cell or maybe a laboratory. The room he found himself in was draped in soft pastels reminiscent of a baby's nursery, games and toys lined the shelves, the floor was covered in soft fluffy carpet, there was a mass of plushies on the bed. Wait, were those toddler rails on the bed? Why was he wearing bunny pajamas? He had been captured in his tattered hero outfit. Did someone shower and change him in his sleep?! 

What is going on? Izuku thought, trying not to panic. He yelped when the door opened to reveal a frantic Tomura Shigaraki.

“Izuku are you okay I heard a loud crash? Oh bunny, did you roll off the bed?” Tomura asked, feeling rather frazzled as he picked Izuku up off the floor and placed him back onto the bed. God he hasn’t even been here for a full day and he was already hurting himself even when unconscious. Dad was right, his little brother does need to be protected at all times. Hmm maybe he should install padded flooring or maybe full railing around the bed?

Izuku was too shocked to say anything in response. This monster was checking looking him over for injuries like a concerned mother looking over her young child. This murderer, his enemy, was treating him like he was something fragile and precious.

“Don’t touch me!” Izuku yelled, wrenching his arm out of Tomura’s grip. How dare this villain try to treat him this way! Soft gentle touches by hands who have murdered thousands. What did he do to deserve this?

“Calm down little brother, I know you're scared but you're safe now. Everything is okay because I am here.” Shigaraki said with a small smile petting the boy's soft curly hair. Though he hates having to use All Might's catchphrase, it is a necessary evil. Right now what his little brother associates safety and protection with most is All Might. He needs to switch that over to himself. Izuku needs to feel most safe and protected with Tomura. 

Izuku could feel his blood start to boil. How dare this monster use his mentor’s words against him in such a mocking way. And what did he mean by brother? Izuku didn't waste any time thinking about that before he launched himself at the villain trying his best to attack while still chained to the bed. He tried to reach for his quirk but felt nothing but empty space in its place. Well he didn't need quirk to gouge someone's eyes out. Before he could try Izuku was slammed back into the bed and his arms were pinned above his head.

“Izu bunny, calm down everythings alright.” Tomura cooed, trying his best to be soothing. He’s never had much experience comforting other people but he’ll try his best for his little brother.

“Let me go! Let me go!” The boy shouted as he thrashed in the villains grip.

“Izuku you need to stop–Ow!” Tomura’s scolding was interrupted by a strong kick to his side. 

“Stop!” Midoriya screamed as the villain got onto the bed raising his knee to pin his legs down, effectively immobilizing him.

“Are you ready to calm down little brother?” Tomura was a little irritated but tried to not let it show on his face, judging by the look on his Izuku’s face it wasn’t working. He had to keep his cool. Sensei did say it would be difficult in the beginning; he just had to be patient and everything will turn out okay.

“Shut up! You are not my brother, I hardly even know you. You're nothing but a monster who's been fighting me and my friends since the beginning of the year.” Damn his little brother really knew how to hit him where it hurts. None of what he said was technically wrong, but back then he didn't know they were brothers, Dad hadn't told him yet. They really were enemies before but things are different now, they are family, Izu will learn to accept that eventually.

“I see you are still not ready to be reasonable. I tried to be cordial. I wanted us to get off on the right foot but you made me do this. I will return when you are ready to listen to reason. And little brother the next time I come back you better be on your best behavior or you won’t like what will happen to your little friends.” Tomura replied with an ominous expression, closing the door to his little brother's room.

Despite how much it hurt him to leave his little brother so soon. He just wasn't ready to listen yet. Some time apart will help him adjust. After all, his only family left is Tomura. Izuku will eventually learn to be dependent on him and only him for all his needs and safety. Just like Sensei said he had done for his brother in the past.

===

Izuku was ready to tear his hair out. It had been weeks since he has had any human interaction and the isolation was starting to get to him. He can’t even take out his frustrations on the room because as soon as he tries to destroy something he is sedated, if he tries to hurt himself he is sedated, if he tries to take off the collar he is sedated, if he goes too long without sleep he is sedated. His meals are delivered while he is asleep and if he tries to ignore them he will receive a note threatening him with a feeding tube.

He can’t take it anymore, he lost everyone, his mom, his dad All Might , his school, his quirk. He can’t even find comfort in the vestiges of One for All because he can’t get the collar off. Izuku could feel his eyes starting to well up with tears as it started to set in that he lost his entire world within the span of six months. All might is gone, heroes are over, he will never be able to become a hero and make All Might proud. He lost . With that last thought Izuku broke into heart wrenching sobs, thick globs of tears clouding his vision and running down his ruddy cheeks. The poor boy was so lost in grief that he didn’t notice the door opening.

Izuku whimpered as he felt himself being pulled into someone's lap, warm arms wrapping tightly around him. Something felt off but couldn't help leaning into them. He was so tired, he just wanted his mom. He wanted to go back to his school with all his friends and teachers. He wanted his family but they don't exist anymore. Izuku’s wails started up again with a fresh set of tears rolling down his face. Shigaraki gently shushed Izuku, rocking him back and forth, gently running his hands up and down his back soothingly, until the boy fell asleep.

Tomura really wasn’t supposed to be down here, he had promised himself that he would be a strict guardian for Izuku. Izu’s punishment for his bad behavior was spending one month in isolation. Two weeks for trying to fight Tomura and the other two to help him reflect on the past few months and come to terms with his new reality. But he couldn’t help himself. He saw his little brother breaking down on the baby monitor and he had to go comfort him. It had been three weeks anyway so close enough right? 

Plus Izu didn't even reject him this time in fact he even leaned into his hug and was comforted by his presence, now that's progress. Tomura just had to wait for Izu to wake up and they can have their heart to heart and he can learn why they are brothers and the story behind their father. Then they can finally be happy together! 

===

When Izuku began to stir, he realized he was sleeping on something warm and squishy. He sleepily rubbed his face into it and felt it gently move up and down as he heard a scratchy chuckle. He sat up startled to see Shigaraki only to be pulled back down into a hug. Had he been cuddling with Tomura Shigaraki this entire time?! He tried to wiggle out the tight embrace only to be shushed by the man.

“Settle down little brother, you remembered what I said last time don’t you?” Tomara asked. Izuku just nodded into his stomach not trusting his mouth to not say something that would count as ‘bad behavior’. He didn't want any of his friends getting hurt because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

“Good boy. Now I have a very important story to tell and you will not interrupt me until I am finished or else either you or your friends will be punished. Yes it has to do with how we are brothers and who our father is.” Tomura added knowing that was probably the biggest question running through his baby brother's head.

“But-”

“Ah ah ah no interrupting or else your friends won't get to eat for a week.” Tomura threatened seeing the augmentative look that appeared on his little brother's face when he mentioned their father. Izuku promptly shut his mouth.

“The story begins at the dawn of quirks with two brothers, Hisashi and Yoichi Shigaraki. The older brother was born with immense power and charm while the younger was born sickly and seemingly quirkless. Their mother had died during childbirth leaving the boys to a childhood of danger and homelessness. Since both boys had white hair and unique eye colors the brothers were often persecuted by anti-metahuman extremists. Because of this the older brother began to delve into a life of villainy to keep the younger brother safe and off the streets. He began to amass loyal followers and influence while his younger brother remained safe and oblivious in their home. Yes I know you have questions but save them until the end.” Shigaraki grinned at his brother's pouty expression.

“Until one day while Hisashi was off on a business trip, Yoichi decided to snoop around his older brother's office. Up until that point Hisashi had been very vague when describing his work to his little brother and that had only fueled Yoichi’s curiosity. He was horrified when he discovered what his brother was actually doing to pay for their new home. So when Hisashi came back home he was immediately confronted with an arm full of angry baby brother. Hiashi tried to reason with Yoichi, telling him he could ignore everything he saw and they could live normally again. He could even join him if he really wanted to but Yoichi rejected every offer Hisashi gave him. He had gotten the idea in his head that it was his job to take down Hisashi and his empire of ‘evil’. You see, Yoichi had always loved comic book heroes and heroic morals ever since he was a child. And when the idea for metahumans becoming government sanctioned ‘heroes’ became a reality he wanted to be a part of it though he had no quirk. Dad did always call uncle Yoichi an optimistic naive little idiot, kinda like you.” Tomura chuckled at his brother's offended face.

“Anyways Yoichi gave Hisashi an ultimatum. Either he stopped his villainy all together and turned himself in or Yoichi would have to stop him himself but either way Yoichi was leaving. So Hisashi did the only reasonable thing he could think of to protect his little brother, he locked him away in a vault. Which sounds bad when you say it out loud but Dad was only trying to protect Yoichi from his own stupidity. And you know what they say: If you want your family to stay, lock them away!” Tomura cleared his throat awkwardly at the deadpan look Izuku was giving him.

“No?…Hm maybe that was only a thing Dad would say… Anyways after a while in the vault Yoichi started to refuse his meals as an act of rebellion. His already sickly body was getting weaker and weaker everyday. So dad decided to give him a quirk. It was just supposed to be a weak stockpiling quirk to help give Uncle Yoichi’s body some strength but it unfortunately became One for All. Soon after while Hisashi had been away on a business trip, two vigilantes: who would later become the second and third user of One for All, broke into Dad’s mansion and broke into Yoichi’s room vault , kidnapping him from his only family. Yoichi’s naive little self then decided he wanted to become a vigilante too with the new power his brother had given him. So he was a dumb little vigilante on the run from his caring older brother for a while. During this time he also discovered that he had a quirk: the ability to pass on quirks, which was useless by itself but once melded with the stockpiling quirk became quite powerful. I don’t even want to know how he figured out he could pass it down through dna.” Tomura said with a grimace. But Sensei did always say to watch out for boys with spiky hair because they'll steal your family and your quirk. Hm, maybe the second user had spiky hair? 

“Soon after he passed on the quirk Hisashi had found them, he was going to kill the vigilantes for daring to steal his most prized possession. Hisashi aimed a powerful blast at the Second but Yoichi using his last embers One for All leaped in front of him before the Second could be hit. The Second and Third escaped while Yoichi died in Dad’s arms. After Yoichi’s death Dad soon realized that the Second was wielding Yoichi’s quirk alongside his own and figured out that Yoichi wasn't quirkless after all. He went on a rampage trying to find all the users and killing them one after the other. But by the time he would catch one they would have already passed on the quirk to their chosen successor…You have to understand Izuku. Everything Dad has ever done has been to make a better world for his family, for us.”

“By the time the Seventh successor came around the world was everything Dad never wanted it to be. Her name was Nana Shimura and she was my grandmother. She left my father in an orphanage so she could continue playing the hero. She abandoned her child so she could go off and raise some new successor. Her child grew up to be a child-beating bastard. This is why heroes are bad Izuku. All they care about is themselves. They don't give a damn about the people they hurt because of their actions, no one else matters to them.” Tomura growled out with tears starting to form in his eyes.

“When I was four my quirk: Decay, came in and I killed my entire family. It really was an accident. I never meant to harm anyone. I was just a baby back then. I wandered the streets looking for help but not a single person would answer my plea. Do you know why? Because why would a civilian help a child in need when a hero can come along and do it for them. There is no reason for them to be good people when there are heroes around to do that. Day after day people wouldn't even spare a glance at me even the heroes patrolling wanted nothing to do with a dirty villainous looking child. Not until Sensei, he found me and took care of me as if I were his own child. That day I became his son. He didn't care that I was the Seventh’s grandson; he still loved me and raised me until the day he died.” Tomura said in a thick voice choked with tears. 

Izuku looked away, uncomfortable seeing so much emotion on the villain's face.

“Izuku look at me.” Tomura cried, gently cupping Izuku's face and turning it to face him.

“I know you don't believe me right now and this is all very confusing. But I need you to understand that our Dad loved you. He loved us, more than anything in the world. And if it was possible to stay with us forever he would have. He died to help make the world a better place for us.” Tomura’s voice trembled as tears fell down his face.

“How about we take a little break. Stay here and big brother will be right back in a minute.” Tomura said quietly as he rushed out of the room. He didn’t mean to burst into tears in front of his little brother but Izuku needed to know these things even if they hurt him to tell. 

He took the elevator down to the communal kitchen to grab a snack for Izuku ,since their panty is pretty empty right now, only to run into Dabi and Toga. 

“Hey Tomu, wait… have you been crying?” Dabi asked gruffly, concerned for their other man's well being. 

“Shut up, I'm fine.” Tomara replied, covering his face with his hands.

“Aww it's okay Shiggy, you don’t have to be embarrassed to cry in front of us.” Toga cooed, reaching out to hug the blue haired man.

“It’s just getting Izuku to understand why he is here and why the collapse of hero society is for the best has been really hard. I just want him to understand that all of this is for his own good.” Tomara replied, rubbing the residual tears from his eyes.

“Shiggy, it's going to be okay. We all knew the first months were going to be the hardest. I can't even tell you how many times Ochako has made me and Dad cry.”

“Can’t relate Shouto has been a total sweetheart since day one.” Dabi said smugly.

“No but seriously it's going to be alright. The little one will eventually come around when he realizes that know one is coming for him and he doesn't have the power to stop us. And If he doesn't, well we’ll be here to help you knock some sense into the little guy's head.” Dabi added.

“Yeah! And when they are finally settled in we can bring them out to the garden for a playdate.” Toga said happily.

“Thank you,” Tomura said quietly, rummaging through the drawers for snacks.

“Shut up, we're family, we help each other.” Dabi murmured averting his eyes, the healthy skin on his cheeks flushing pink.

Tomura left the room with his snacks and a small smile on his face, filled with a rush of  determination from the impromptu pep talk. Tomura walked into Izuku’s room to see him sitting right where he left him. Huh he didn't expect him to actually listen to him when he told him to stay put. “Hm, maybe I'm making more progress than I believed,” Tomura thought. He shut the door and sat down on the bed beside Izuku and handed him his snacks.

“Here you must be hungry, eat this for now and we can eat breakfast once we're done with our conversation. Now where did I leave off? Oh right a few years after Sensei found me you were born. We were never told of each other because we were both being raised to lead completely different lives. I was being raised to be our fathers successor, the man to bring hero society onto its knees and you…You were never supposed to be a hero or villain, you were just meant to be Izuku, not Deku, not the next symbol of peace, just Izuku, my little brother. You were never meant to be risking your life for people who would never appreciate you. But we’ll talk about that some other time I'm getting off topic.”

“Dad helped raise you until you were nine when he had to leave on a business trip. It was never supposed to be permanent. He was going to kill All Might, take back One for All and fix Japan himself. But the damn eighth almost killed him in their initial fight, All Might ripped his head off and spattered his brain on the concrete. He almost didn't make it but Garaki managed to save him. With injuries so severe there was no way he could ever come back home to you but I promise he never wanted to leave you. After that he only ever communicated to you through phone calls and sending funds for you and your mother.”

“Originally we were supposed to meet in your first year of high school though you were supposed to go to a normal run of the mill high school not UA. Sensei was so happy that you were finally coming back home to your family, but something changed. You met All Might and became the ninth user of OFA and enrolled in UA. You never came home. After that Dad had to scrap those plans and make new ones. The next time he planned for us to meet as brothers was once the heroes had fallen and he was dead, I am fulfilling dads plan. We can finally become brothers like he wanted us to be. Alright, you can ask your questions now.” Tomura said with a small smile. 

“You’re lying there is no way All for One is my father! My dad’s last name was Midoriya and he was the kindest, most loving father in the world. There is no way that villain could ever be him.” Izuku argued, offended at the very notion that the symbol of evil could ever be his father. 

“I was thinking you were going to say. Look at this picture of me and Sensei. Do you recognize the man in the photo?” 

Izuku felt the blood drain from his face, there in the photo was his shy awkward father smiling with a child shigaraki. 

“No you’re lying, that's fake!” Izuku argues, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

“Izuku, I can show you thousands of pictures and videos of me and dad together. You know this is real.” Tomura barked. He hated to make his little brother cry but he needed to rip off the bandaid. Izuku cannot go any longer denying their bond. Izuku is his little brother, he belongs to Tomura and only Tomura and he needs to get it through his thick skull.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Izuku shouted, bursting into tears. His Dad couldn't have been a monster. 

“I know this has been a lot for you to take in, I'll have Kurogiri bring you breakfast and you can spend the rest of the day reflecting on what you learned. Maybe think about how you can be a good little brother as well.” 

And with that said Tomura left leaving Izuku in a catatonic state. His Dad was a two-hundred year old villain? And Tomura Shigaraki is his adopted older brother! What is he supposed to do with that information? Also what was wrong with that story? It felt very biased towards AFO and made Yoichi’s ideals seem like child play. Did Tomura seriously believe that junk? Izuku spent the day wondering what exactly being Shigaraki’s brother would entail until he fell into a restless sleep. 

===

The next morning Izuku awoke to the door being slammed open to reveal a smiling Shigaraki.

“Good morning little brother! I don’t have any work to attend to today so we’ll be spending the day together. But first we need to go over the rules you’ll need to learn if you're going to live here.” Shigaraki explained happily, excited to finally spend time with his little brother. He sat on the bed and pulled Izuku onto his lap.

“What? Hey stop! What are you doing?” Izuku yelled trying to squirm out Tomura’s hold.

“Settle down little brother.” Shigraki warned as he popped Izuku on the thigh.

“...” Izuku stilled, face flushing; he was so shocked to be reprimanded like a toddler he couldn't even come up with a response.

“Good boy. Don’t worry there won’t be too many complicated rules to remember just pretty basic stuff all little brothers do.” Tomura said, patting Izuku on the head. Izuku just sat there, shocked still.

“Firstly you will always address me as Tomura-nii, Tenko-nii, nii-chan, Tomu-nii, or big brother. You can choose whichever you like most but you always need to say one of them when you address me, understand.” Tomara said sternly this was a sign of respect Izuku needed to do and was not something he was willing to compromise on. 

“Yes.” Izuku grumbled, an annoyed pout forming on his face.

“Yes, what?” Tomura growled.

“Yes, big brother.” Izuku spit out, cheeks flushing light pink.

“Good job bunny.

Rule number two: always obey big brother he knows what is best for you. That one is pretty self explanatory I think. 

Rule number three: no fighting, cursing, or lashing out at your big brother. Little brothers are supposed to be calm, docile, and sweet. You can't be a proper little brother if you're acting out like a heathen.

Rule number four: If something is wrong you come to me immediately and I will help you. If I Am not available you can go to any of the other adults in the house but you cannot ignore your problems. If I find out something is wrong with you and you ignored instead of asking for help, you will be punished.

Rule number five: No escaping or leaving the premises without my permission, breaking this rule will result in a severe punishment.

Rule number six: You cannot shy away from my touch. If I want a hug you cannot refuse. 

Rule number seven: You will never try to use that quirk. It is too powerful for you and you were never supposed to have it anyway.” Tomura said sternly. These rules were here to keep his baby brother safe and protected.

“Okay I think that is all the rules for now, let's move on to punishments. Punishments can range from timeout, toys being taken away, writing lines, spanking, a night in the vault, solitary confinement, withholding food from your friends, erasing your quirk permanently, torturing your friends, killing your friends.” Tomura said, looking up to see his baby brother's face flooding with tears.

“Don't worry those last three are only for big things like if you escaped and did not return within 24 hours or if you tried to use your quirk against us. But you would never do that right Izuku? You’re a good boy aren't you? You would never put your friends' lives in danger like that would you? Tomura asked gently, wiping away Izuku's tears. Izuku whined, shaking his head no.

“Good, now onto the rewards. These will depend on how long you can keep up with the rules, a week would equal an All Might toy or something you like or a few weeks would be a walk around the manor. If you make it through a month without breaking a single rule you can have a playdate with one of your little friends. But only the ones in our care and it depends on their progress as well. From what I hear the baby Todoroki is doing the best out of all of you. You can have a playdate with him if you can behave for a month. You're still settling in so these are pretty basic but once you are done. You can earn a phone, a new quirk, a pet, trips outside wherever you'd like, even supervised trips with your friends.” Tomara explained grimacing when he saw Izuku's eyes glitter when he mentioned going outside. He’s likely thinking of escape but he would snuff out those ideas soon enough.

“That's all for now. That shouldn't be too hard to remember, right Izu?” 

“Yes Tomu-nii,” Izuku chirped. Oh he was so going to bust out of this place. He just needed to be on his best behavior and earn that visit playdate with Shouto. Then they can make a plan to get the others out of here. Though he is kind of worried about what's been happening to Shouto. What kind of progress is Shigaraki talking about? 

“That was so cute,” Tomura grinned, squishing Izuku's cheeks.

“Now do you know how to play video games?”

===

This is how they spent most of their days. Tomura would wake him up and hang out with him. Punish him if he did anything wrong or give him a reward. He was treated like a weird mix of a pet and a toddler. His plan to earn the visit with Shoto was not doing great, everytime he would get close to the two week mark he would accidentally break a rule like calling Tomu-nii, Shigaraki. And the count would restart, honestly his brother was expecting too much out of him. 

Speaking of Tomura, he was surprisingly affectionate, showering Izuku with hugs, cuddles, kisses, and pets constantly throughout the day. Izuku would hate it if he wasn't so touch starved though he supposed Tomura did isolate him on purpose. He actually wasn't too bad if Izuku ignored the creepy possessiveness, at least he seemed to genuinely love Izuku and wouldn't hurt him. Well unless Izuku was breaking a rule then all bets were off. 

One time while leaving in a sleepy state Tomura had forgotten to lock his door, Izuku did what any reasonable person would do, he ran like hell trying to escape and was immediately sedated. When he woke up Tomura had taken him over his lap and spanked him. He couldn't sit properly for days afterward! Izuku hasn't done anything bad enough to receive the worst punishments but he's trying to break out of here before those can happen.

After nearly three months he finally did it. He made it through a whole month of good behavior. He can finally start his plan to get out of here. Though a small part of him will miss Tomura just a little bit. Somewhere along the way he actually started to like Tomura and his awkward presence, he really was like a big brother to him. But that didn't matter, he was still his enemy, Izuku still needed to get out of here and take him down. There's still a whole society that needs fixing out there and he'll be the one to do it. He’ll make All Might proud.

“Nii-chan I did it. I was a good boy for a whole month. Can I see Shouto now?” Izuku giggled, jumping up and down looking up at Tomura with his best puppy eyes. Damn he was really playing up the little brother thing wasn't he. Whatever he can be embarrassed later when he successfully escapes but for now this is a necessary evil. 

“Yeah yeah I'll ask Dabi how Shouto’s been behaving and if he's been good we can set something up for you guys tomorrow” Tomura said, picking Izuku and spinning him around.

“Yay! Thank you Tomu-nii!” Izuku giggled.

Don't worry guys I’m coming to get you out. I'll save you no matter what.

Start/Previous/Next

[batwritings]

Kinktober Day 6 - Dub-con

So, on of my headmates who adores Gaz wrote this and it has to be THE MOST fluffiest dub-con I've ever read in my entire life. Enjoy!~

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You really didn’t think you had drank that much when you were out celebrating with the task force. A mission well done deserved equal celebration, but…well, you were starting to think, somewhere in your mind that you had over done just a teensy bit. Walking was hard, and you were nothing but giggles left and right.

“Bit too much tonight huh mate?” Gaz asked you with a warm chuckle as he helped sling your arm around his shoulder. You and the sergeant had been growing much closer as of late. With you up for a promotion within the ranks and him having held the position for a number of years now, he knew a thing or two about the process and was more than happy to give you some pointers.

“I didn’t think I was such a lightweight,” you slurred with a laugh, leaning your weight into him. The two of you, through some careful maneuvering made your way back through the barracks to Gaz’s room. His was a bit secluded from the rest of the squad, which was probably the purpose of him bringing you here. Less light and noise for the inevitable hangover come morning.

“There we are,” the man hums, helping lower you to his bed. “I’m gonna run and get you some water and aspirin. Be right back.” You tried in vain to lift your hand and ask him to stay as you watched him slip out the door. In no shape to chase after him, you simply let yourself flop over.

You couldn’t help but cringe at your own drunken thoughts that crept up as you lied there. ‘The sheets even smell like him.’ You hadn’t wanted to say anything through being nearly carried back, but you loved every second of the closeness. Despite the added body heat, Gaz was like a cool breath of fresh air that soothed the alcoholic flush that came over your body. 

You whined a little when you grabbed onto his pillow, wishing more and more that it was him. “Miss me that much?” You heard, followed by teasing laughter. The sergeant was back, putting a cup of water and two red and white pills on the small nightstand beside his bed. A rough, war-beaten hand came to ruffle your hair affectionately. “Try to get some sleep Y/N. We’ve still got work to do come morning.”

Your hand moved of it’s own accord, gripping onto his in a clumsy attempt to hold it. “Don’ go,” you whine, trying your best to give puppy eyes. You knew they were his weakness, and you weren’t the only one noticing the closeness. 

A number of times as the two of you had gotten closer that little things had happened that would cause one, if not both of you two blush. Bumping arms, getting a little close when filling out paperwork, the whole works. It was like the two of you were two high schoolers with crushes versus grown ass adults that could express your attraction to the other, regardless of the rules your company had around insubordination.

Well now was that time, your drunken mind decided. “Want you to sleep here…with me,” you told him. Sure, you sounded a bit childish, but you could easily blame that on the alcohol come the morning. You watched as Gaz’s cheeks went up in a flush.

“I..” he started, before sighing. “Love you need some rest. Having me in the bed with you isn’t going to help that.” You’re sure you would have appreciated the gesture any other time. Unfortunately (or potentially, fortunately), your fuzzy mind didn’t exactly have a care for pleasantries. 

You’re not sure where you found the strength to pull the young man closer, but you did, easily letting your lips crash into his. You heard Gaz let out a surprised noise before he melted, fixing the two of you so the kiss was a little more coordinated. For a while, time stood still. The two of you and your connection was all that existed. 

Slowly, Gaz pulled away, his breath a bit heavy. “I…” you could practically see the gears turning and as he tried to process what had just happened and how to best proceed. “I should…go. I…you’re really drunk love. It would be wrong for me to keep going, as much as I want to.”

You felt yourself get teary-eyed at this; you knew full well why he was saying it, but…part of you didn’t care. The sergeant caught on immediately, hushing you gently and cupping your face. “No, no no no love it’s okay,” he cooed gently. “Don’t cry Y/N. It’s not because I don’t like you. But I’m sure as hell not going to take advantage of you while you’re drunk as shit.”

You took hold of his wrist to hold his hand against your face. “Promise?” your voice wobbled as the tears threatened to fall at even the inkling of a wrong word.

“Promise sweetheart, I promise,” Gaz reassured you with a kiss to your temple. “How about a compromise yeah? I stay here the night, sneak out in the morning so the Captain doesn’t have a conniption, and we talk about this tomorrow when we’re both more level headed. Sound good?”

You could barely keep your eyes open between the tears, waning adrenaline, and the overall rough day you’d had. The ebony-skinned man chuckled, standing up to strip off his shirt. If your body temperature was any indicator, it would be a rather warm night in all of his clothes. He quickly switched out of his uniform cargo pants, popping on a pair of sweats before helping you sit up to get you out of your clothes as well.

You felt akin to a rag doll with the way you needed Gaz’s help. You giggled drunkenly when you watched chocolate eyes linger on you a bit longer than was probably appropriate when your shirt had been taken off. He couldn’t help it; even with all the scars that marred your skin, you were positively gorgeous. 

The sergeant ripped his eyes away, quickly getting you into one of his older shirts that was just a bit baggy on your frame. He helps slide off your cargo pants and got you into a pair of his old basketball shorts before laying you back down. It was a tight fight with the both of you on that old military cot, but spooning you word just fine. 

“Thankyouu…” you mumbled, sleep already trying to claim you. You felt Gaz kiss the back of your head softly before he spoke.

“Don’t thank me yet love. We’re still gonna have to talk about your dubious actions come morning.”

[lionlena]

Dancing With Your Ghost (JavierPeñaxghost!reader) Part VII

Summary: You are a ghost (sort of) and you don’t  remember what  happened to you. You only know your name and you feel  that something  bad has happened to you. The only person who sees you  and hears you is  Javier, so you don’t leave him because you believe  he’ll help you. That he will solve the mystery of what happened to you.

Warnigs:  the  reader is a ghost, mentions of death, angst,descriptions of severe  wounds, blood, violence, attempted rape… And also sadness, anxiety,  little smut but later

A/N: Title inspired by this song

Part VII

After a week in the hospital, Javier had enough and decided to leave the hospital of his own accord. He couldn't just lie idle in bed waiting for you to show up. He wanted to start looking for you. He was still weak and limping from the pain in his hip, but he didn't care. You were his priority.

The day before, he had asked Daniel to bring him clothes from home, a badge, and a gun, and to park his car in the hospital parking lot. He accepted a bag of strong painkillers from the doctor and ignored the advice to rest a lot. He didn't have time for that.

He got into the car, hissing in pain as he tried to find a comfortable position. He knew the ride would be a nightmare, but he couldn't ask anyone for help. How would he explain that he had to stop in different streets and look around for a ghost? He was about to start the car when he saw the map lying on the dashboard and his first instinct was to tear it up, crumple it, tear it to pieces, and then he came to his senses. He quickly unfolded the map, grabbed a pen, and marked the center of the circle.

"Fuck me!" quickly got out of the car and went back to the hospital.

He walked over to the ward nurse, hoping for luck, and showed his badge: "DEA agent, I'm looking for someone. Her name is Y/N."

The woman looked at him carefully. "Anything more?"

Javier described your appearance, and when he had finished, the nurse replied, "I think I know who it might be. Please follow me."

His heart was beating like crazy, and he was almost out of pain. The air escaped from his lungs as he entered a small room with a single bed. He stood completely stunned, staring at your face. He found you! He finally found you... Or rather, your body.

"You were looking for her?"

The nurse's question barely reached him. All he could do was nod.

"So, I don't think she's going to help you with your investigation. She's been like this for over two months now. It's a kind of coma, but the doctors don't know exactly what's wrong with her. She breathes on her own, and her pupils react to light, but otherwise, she won't wake up. "

Javier took a hesitant step forward and said, "It's not an investigation... I know her. She's my friend. I've been looking for her."

The woman noticed how broken he was and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

He nodded and walked over to you, gently stroking your hand. Without taking his eyes off your face, he asked, "What happened?"

"Oh, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was a police chase after some thug. One of the cars tried to avoid hitting the police car and swerved onto the sidewalk, and this poor thing was just there. The car didn't hit her very hard, but enough that she hit her head on the ground and lost consciousness. Rescuers were unable to wake her up."

Javier's heart fell to his feet. It was his fault. It's all because of him. He wanted the earth to swallow him up.

"Can... Can I sit with her?" he asked in a trembling voice.

"Of course. It will do her good. The voice of loved ones always works well. Unfortunately, she has no one and her boyfriend..."

Javier snapped his head up and looked at the nurse. "Her boyfriend? What about him?"

"He's been here maybe twice and found it too hard for him," she snorted.

He felt furious with your boyfriend. He didn't know him, but he already hated him. But he hated himself even more. He ran his hand over your cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry."

The nurse pulled up a chair for him and sympathetically said, "I'll leave you. You can stay here as long as you like."

Javier dropped into a chair and grabbed your hand, placing a gentle kiss on your skin. He was finally able to touch you, his wish came true, but it was a nightmare. He once heard a saying that "when the gods want to punish you, they make your dreams come true". Now he understood it completely.

His dream came true and it was torture. He didn't know how to wake you up. He didn't know if your ghost had returned to your body. He felt he should be looking for your spirit, but at the same time, he was terrified of leaving your body. He buried his face in your hand. "Y/N, baby. What should I do?"

Javier lost track of time. He didn't know how long he sat with you. An hour, two, maybe three. He just couldn't take his eyes off you. He watched your every breath and felt the panic that each of those breaths would be your last. Finally, he decided he had to do something. He already had your body, he needed to find the ghost. He squeezed your hand tightly and said, "Y/N, I'll come back to you, I promise."

Leaving the hospital was harder than he thought. Each step that took him away from you seemed harder to take. By the time he got to the car, his hip hurt so much that he swallowed two painkillers and lit a cigarette. He rubbed his nose with his thumb and took a deep breath muttering, "Get a grip."

He had to find your ghost, so the first place he went was of course your "X" starting point. Unfortunately, he didn't find you there, so he went back to his apartment. He looked in every room calling for you but without success. He was so desperate that he even went to the place where he almost died. But, he didn't find you there either. He finally decided to go to the embassy and check out his office. He didn't find you.

And just as he feared, his appearance at work had consequences. As soon as Chris saw him, he immediately asked: "Boss, are you back? We have new information."

He sighed and nodded his head. He couldn't say he was there just because he was looking for a ghost.

And so for the next three days, Javier Peña was like a ghost himself. He moved between the embassy and the hospital. He only came to his apartment to take a quick shower and put on fresh clothes. He barely slept and was still taking too many painkillers.

Sometimes he just dozed with his head resting on your bed. He was so determined to spend every free moment with you that even the nurses gave up trying to chase him away and let him stay the night.

Javier was just sitting by your bed holding your hand. When his phone rang, he sighed heavily and picked it up muttering "Peña."

"Boss, we need you." Chris's voice came from the other end.

"I'll be there in half an hour," he replied and ended the call.

He stood up reluctantly, still holding your hand. He leaned over and kissed your hand. Then he ran his fingers lightly over your cheek and whispered, "Don't go anywhere without me, okay? I'll find a way to wake you up, I promise."

Javier had to do his best not to think about you while he was working. Fortunately, even when he did, his coworkers thought it was still the result of his wounds and did not ask him about it.

As he drove to the hospital in the late afternoon, he began to think about his job. Has he lost his motivation? NO. He wanted to catch all the godfathers of the Cali Cartel. Yes, he still wanted to, but at the same time, he felt it would be easier to find the tooth fairy.

Suddenly one thought hit him. Fairy! Spells, magic... Why hadn't he thought of that before. He abruptly changed direction and hit the accelerator?

Curandera appeared in front of him after he knocked furiously on the door..

"Agent Peña?"

"You have to help me. I found her. She's in a coma in the hospital, but... I don't know where her ghost is."

The woman frowned. "I don't understand. You said she was with you all the time."

He sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "Something happened..." he mumbled. "She entered the body of the man who tried to kill me."

"I told you that..."

"I know!" he growled. "But she did it to save me. When I woke up in the hospital, she wasn't there, but... I found her, she's still alive."

Silvaria began to shake her head. "Maybe you're the only reason she's still alive."

"What do you mean?"

"She sacrificed herself for you, she didn't do it for fun or profit. And she's bound to you."

Javier took a step toward her. "Okay, but can this somehow help bring her ghost back?"

"Your presence will certainly help, but..." She stopped and looked at him concerned. "You must know that bringing a ghost by force has consequences."

He felt his whole body tense. "What?"

"Maybe she won't remember anything. She won't remember that she was a ghost, that she met you, and... She won't remember how she felt about you."

Javier snorted. "She felt nothing for me."

"Really?" She eyed him. "The fact that you're standing here alive in front of me says otherwise."

He wiggled his fingers restlessly and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It'll be better this way. She doesn't need to remember what an asshole I was. It'll be better for her."

The woman sighed and shook her head resignedly. "I'll prepare everything and we can do it today."

Despite Javier's concerns, it turned out that Silvaria entered the hospital without any problems. The nurses were not at all surprised to see her, and the woman explained to him that the relatives of the sick often called her. But, when they entered your room, Javier closed the blinds and put a chair under the door, for sure that nobody disturb them. He watched carefully as the woman drew symbols around the bed with chalk.

"I need a strand of your hair," she said.

Javier shrugged. "Take all you want. Just help her."

She went to him with the scissors and cut one of the curls at the back of her head. She tossed a strand of hair into a small linen bag and placed it on your chest. Then she grabbed your left hand.

"Stand to her right and take her hand with one hand and mine with the other."

He sighed heavily and muttered, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

She gave him a reproachful look. "You used to not believe in ghosts, and now you're begging me to bring one, so..."

"Okay," he groaned and did, as she told him.

"Close your eyes and say her name in your mind."

He closed his eyes and concentrated on his task. At the same time, Silvaria spoke some words, but he did not recognize a single one, so he stopped listening to her. He kept repeating in his mind, "Y/N. Y/N come back."

Just when he started to think it was all stupid and pointless, it happened. Suddenly a current kicked him and he jumped backward. He opened his eyes and saw that Silvaria had also released your hand and was standing next to the bed, panting heavily.

"It worked?" He asked.

"She was far in the void, but..."

They heard your moan and they both looked at you.

You felt like you were trying to get out of the tar. Your body felt numb. You struggled to open your eyes. It was so hard but you finally did it. Memories slowly came back to you. The sound of sirens, the scream of people, and the impact... Blood? Your hands are covered in blood. NO.

"Where am I..." your voice was hoarse.

"You are in the hospital" you heard a male voice. "You had an accident and you were in a coma."

You looked at him and blinked your eyes in surprise. His face seemed familiar, but you didn't know how you knew him.

"Are you a doctor?" you asked in a tired voice.

He shook his head and backed away quickly, saying, "I'll call the nurses."

The woman who stayed with you patted your hand and said, "Calm down, little birdie, everything will be fine."

You nodded your head, but you felt a strange sadness and fear.

*

Javier walked quickly down the corridor. He had to leave the hospital as soon as possible. He needed to smoke, find a bar and drink something strong.

"Agent Peña!"

He stopped and looked annoyed at Silvaria.

"What?"

"Tell her the truth. I will help you and confirm your words."

Javier laughed dryly. " Oh, really? I'm supposed to tell her that It was my fault that, she was a ghost, because I let chase for thug through the crowded streets of Colombia. I'm supposed to tell her how I hurt her. No." He shook his head. "The truth is, she's better off without me. She has a chance at happiness now. I'm not going to take that away from her."

The woman grabbed his hand and he looked at her surprised. "Didn't you ever wonder why only you saw her? Why was she connected to you? Maybe it wasn't because of the accident, but something much deeper. A soul's connection that even death could not part."

Javier pulled away sharply, pulling his hand out of her grip. "Soulmates?" The woman nodded. "Please, leave these fairy tales for naive customers. We're done."

He turned and heard Silvaria say, "You think you're saving her, but you're hurting her... and yourself!"

*

You felt dizzy and lost. Your boyfriend Michael wasn't there, but you felt he wasn't the one you missing. It was a strange feeling, but when you closed your eyes you saw warm brown eyes. The rest of the face was blurry, but those eyes. You missed someone, but you didn't know who.

*

You never got the chance to know me

Packed it up and crossed the state

You left behind more than memories

Now when I sleep I'm only dreaming of your face

You never got the chance to hold me

I learned to love your selfish way

I still believe in you, and in this burning room

I'll suffer through the pain

Oh no, got me low, how you gonna leave like that?

Oh no, got me low, gone and I want you back

Oh no, down so low, feeling like I'm under attack

Oh no, where did you go? You're gone and I want you

SYML - Leave Like That (feat. Jenn Champion)

A/N: Well, I warned you all that before there's a happy ending, we'll suffer... Poor Javier thinks he's not good enough for the reader 💔 😢

Part VI

Part VIII

Taglist: @aestheticangel612​​ @kittenlittle24​​ @hxpburn76 @creedslove​​ @ranahx​​ @yyiikes​​ @fuglyputa24​​

[theladyofbloodshed]

Neris prompt-

Nesta and Eris attending a HL meeting after taking over as High lord and lady of Autumn and having to deal with the NC except they get backed by all the other HLs from Tamlin to Helion and Kallias cause the true nature of IC is now visible to everyone after Nesta left with Eris (idk if this is understandable since my English is weak).

Over a year later, here it is! This is set after the events of my fic A Court of Tangled Flames.

***

A heavy deluge of rain soaked the paths, turning them into a slopping mess of mud and leaves.

Nesta winced at the weather from her window then turned back to her looking glass on the vanity to finish pinning up her hair. ‘Some would say this weather is a bad omen.’

On the bed, Eris lounged with one of the dogs. He crossed his ankles. ‘Would they?’

‘Yes. I think we shouldn’t go.’

Last night, she had started on a new book that was rather good and she wanted to spend her day reading that instead – especially with gloomy weather surrounding the Forest House.

‘The amazing thing about Prythian, my love, is that the Dawn Court will have entirely different weather.’

Sometimes she loved that smile he wore, sometimes she wanted to smother him with a pillow when he smiled at her. Eris remarked that it was a miracle she hadn’t yet done it. He was flashing the smile now. In the corner of her vision, she could see his reflection in the mirror.

‘Stop smiling. It’s unnerving.’

‘Hm, am I unnerving you or is the looming family reunion? High lords have never swayed you, so one has to think it’s your family.’

Nesta turned in her seat to point at him. ‘One of them is my family. One is unfortunately a marital relation. The rest are sycophantic followers who, very occasionally, enter my orbit.’

She rose at the same time as her husband. They were always in synchronisation with each other which a bond did not facilitate. Eris was right, of course, as he always was. The last time the high lords had gathered, she had warred with herself whether to tell her story or not. They’d spent the time bickering amongst themselves until Azriel and Feyre had lost control of their sense and attacked the Autumn Court. Then, she’d managed to get her dearly departed father-in-law to take notice as her story spilt out of her. No, it wasn’t the high lords that Nesta cared about. It was the ever-insufferable Night Court.

Eris helped her into her heavy gown for the meeting. It was a beautiful thing of gold and red that firmly signified her allegiance. His fingers smoothed up her back as he fastened each hook around the small buttons. Since marrying, Nesta found that she did not want a servant’s help to dress when her husband was always ready and willing to assist – especially with undressing.

A kiss was pressed to the top of her head. ‘All will be fine. No need to worry.’

‘I will retract my claws.’

Eris gripped one of her hands then brought it to his lips. ‘I love you, claws and all.’

***

The rolling hills and golden skies of the Dawn Court greeted them. A delegate from the court received them as they winnowed into the balcony then showed them to the large atrium with the stunning pool in the centre. It was just how Nesta remembered from the pink lilies floating on the surface to the white and gold fish darting through the waters. Only this time she was with another court. Her court.

If they arrived on time, Eris felt they were late so he had an annoying habit of arriving everywhere early. It meant they were the first court – except for Dawn - assembled. For once, Nesta did not mind the punctuality. It gave her a chance to make her greetings then settle into a chair beside her mother-in-law who rested a comforting hand on top of her own.

It wasn’t the Night Court in general that had a bubble of worry growing in her chest, but the potential for them to goad Eris. There had been no contact between them since the bond had been severed with Cassian, not even a single letter from Feyre regarding the babe. The Autumn Court had been flourishing under Eris’ rule and change had been staggering. What he would propose today would either be met with anger or laughter.

The Winter Court arrived next so Nesta played her role as the lady of her court, greeting them formally after Eris had, then Day and Summer came. At the sight of Tamlin winnowing in, Nesta held back her surprise enough to greet him too. She could see the beast behind his eyes that he struggled to contain. When the Night Court arrived, they looked suited to a ball rather than a meeting. Feyre and Mor’s dresses dipped low on their chest. She held her breath as Cassian came into view. Even as Eris took her to say her formal greeting to the high lord and lady, neither she nor Cassian could look at each other. It was a relief to be back in her seat.

‘You have gathered us, Thesan, get on with it,’ clipped Helion.

Thesan swept his head across the room. ‘I am merely playing host as a neutral ground. Eris?’

Confidence seeped from her husband once all eyes settled on him. He made it look easy. Everything that Eris did seemed effortless but Nesta knew he’d have imagined this meeting in a thousand different ways, ran through every possible outcome to be prepared for it. ‘Though not our jurisdiction, I would like the high lords of Prythian to offer aid to Hybern.’

As expected, a hush fell across the room followed by a low laugh from Helion.

‘Surely your father’s treasury hasn’t been so depleted by his successor that you cannot offer aid?’ asked Rhysand. ‘Why should we give up our own wealth for a country that has warred with us for centuries?’

‘When the call to arms comes, every citizen must defend their country. We know it well enough,’ continued Eris. ‘We rallied to your call, Rhysand. Many in Hybern were faced with the choice of killing or be killed. Many did not want to go to war. They had a king who would slaughter their families if they didn’t.’ He paused for effect. Nesta had heard this speech rehearsed whilst she was in the bathroom. ‘There are children there. Children without a leader, without any sort of guidance. That country hangs on the edge. Groups are vying for power still, playing tug-and-war with a country full of innocent fae. I’d like to offer aid to the ones who just want a life of freedom and peace.’

As they expected, it was met with scorn from some.

Feyre folded her hands into her lap. ‘So that I understand it, you would like us to open the doors to our courts so Hybern can sweep in?’

‘You had no problem doing that to my court,’ said Tamlin.

‘You unlocked the door for them.’

Tamlin raised his brows, gaze settling on Cassian. ‘How does it feel? Your high lord stole my bride. His court,’ a jerk of his thumb to Eris, ‘stole your mate.’

The words hit Cassian like an arrow to the chest. Nesta saw it pierce him – the sudden involuntary recoil, the breath that caught in his throat.

Despite the heat flushing her own neck from the attention on her, Eris showed no signs of trouble. He merely smiled in a gesture of innocence reserved for a child. ‘You cannot steal something that never belonged to another. I’m afraid that what happened was my darling wife told her sister that the child inside of her would kill her – a fact they all knew but neglected to tell their high lady.’

‘Eris,’ warned Rhysand.

‘Apologies, I’m not finished. The high lord threatened to have his general’s mate killed so a fitting punishment was to have her walk until exhaustion caused her to collapse. I merely happened to reach out a hand, offer a different life. And to show no hard feelings between our courts, a wonderful healer of mine helped deliver the babe. The Night Court has an heir and a high lady. We are all won that day, didn’t we?’

Eris had no problem airing other’s dirty laundry. He had been trained in the Beron Vanserra school of humiliation and misery. Nothing could ever embarrass him; Nesta knew because she had tried. This revelation was clearly news to the other courts gathered. Usually, Nesta wouldn’t want her own story shared. She did not want pity for the punishment she was given. She just wished it hadn’t had to happen for her to fall in love with Eris.

Breaking the silence, Eris clapped his hands once. ‘We are not here to discuss my beautiful wife – although, I assure you, I could talk of her until the rivers run dry and the skies bleed black because there is nobody in this world that I love more.’

That struck something in the Winter Court. Not anger or annoyance, but almost envy. Viviane had nudged her husband. In a low voice she muttered, ‘Why can’t you talk about me like that in public?’

All eyes were on the usually cool High Lord of Winter who had a pink blush creeping over his thin cheeks. He cleared his throat. ‘Why should we offer assistance? Your land is vast enough, Eris.’

‘Indeed, it is,’ he confirmed. ‘I will take any as many as I can who want to be there.’

Mor scoffed. ‘Bolstering your armies?’

‘They will be Autumn Court citizens in time. The option to serve will be there just as the option not to will also be theirs. I am not a tyrant, Morrigan, nor am I a high lord who sees my court as a disposable force.’

So much for needing the Night Court on side, Nesta thought.

‘And you believe you will be able to control them all, Eris?’

At Rhysand’s words, Eris made a show of laughing. Ever the dramatist. ‘Control them? You make my court seem like a mindless rabble. There hasn’t been an uprising in the Autumn Court since… Oh, no there never has been one. I wonder when anybody could tell me the last time the Illyrians staged a rebellion? Last week?’

Her brother-in-law’s lips thinned. From Feyre’s expression, Nesta knew they were having a private conversation through their mental link. She knew Eris was pushing them too quickly so prodded his knee in warning as subtly as she could manage.

Tarquin exhaled as he ran a finger around the rim of the glass he held. ‘We can take in some refugees. We still have ones from Spring who have settled.’

‘We want to decide though,’ added Cresseida. ‘We’ll organise a meeting with the first batch to ensure they’ll gel well in our court.’

‘Indeed, emissary.’

A long, heavy silence followed. The solar courts tended to be close-knit with each other, but the Night Court had the largest free land for Hybern’s innocent fae to settle on. There were many females without their husbands, their fathers, their brothers, their sons. Children were without parents. This was beyond a wicked king. This was about innocent fae whose lives were uprooted by a war they had no part in. With no monarch on the throne, the country lacked direction. Eris could have been vile and proposed seizing their throne to gain control of an unstable land, but he did the honourable thing. It was only a possibility now with Beron gone.  

‘Spring can take some.’

Nesta uttered a thank you before she could stop herself. Tamlin’s words had shocked her. Her gratitude shocked him in return.

The pressure built on their final seasonal ally. Viviane had wound her hand into her husband’s, squeezing it in a pattern like a pulse. Eventually, he caved and let out a wearied sigh. ‘We can take some, though the Winter Court isn’t for everybody.’

Cressieda grinned at him. ‘They can always visit the Summer Court for a vacation.’

‘Only if we are invited too,’ countered Viviane.

Although Helion was a friend to the Night Court, they had brought their own weapon with them to sway his decision. Eliška leaned forwards in her chair to catch the male’s gaze. He had been stealing enough glances at her throughout the proceedings already.

‘Helion, what of your court?’

Nesta had never seen the male so flustered. A few words from Eris’ mother and he was entirely undone.

‘My court.’

‘Your court,’ she said, voice sweet and soft. ‘Will you help us?’

With the love-struck expression that had clobbered onto his usually collective face, Nesta thought that Helion might offer up his entire court if Eliška asked.

‘Whatever you need,’ he said, eyes never leaving her face. ‘I give it freely.’

Thesan shook his head. ‘We cannot take them here. We already have many from the Continent here, but we can offer financial aid to the courts who are helping to re-settle.’

‘Thank you for your generosity,’ replied Eris.

Begrudgingly, Rhysand spoke though he did not seem happy about the decision. ‘As a gesture of good will, we will also provide financial aid. Our emissary will discuss the figure with you later.’

‘Could Lucien not make it because he’s still walking down the ten thousand steps in your house?’

Nesta knew that Eris shouldn’t have said it. He had no reason to bring that house up. But her lips still pressed together to stop a laugh from sneaking out. She could laugh at these things now. Her life in Velaris had been a misery, but her darling Eris had managed to tease out some comedy from it all that did make Nesta laugh or roll her eyes from time to time.

‘They must have very tall houses in your court. As long as my niece-’

‘Elin is not your niece,’ said Mor, a finger pointed at him.

‘I understand that relations in the Night Court can be confusing if you consider the general your brother that you also have sexual exploits with, but you are only a loosely related cousin of the high lord. I am married to the sister of your high lady, making me Elin’s uncle. The high lord’s daughter is my niece by marriage.’

Rhys stood up, the rest of them following suit, and shook his head. ‘This meeting is done.’

‘Farewell.’

‘Couldn’t resist, could you?’ Nesta muttered.

‘I never can.’

[olympialogy]

Finally finished my Fourth Wing Birthday Bash fic! It's called A Letter A Day (Keeps You Ready To Mingle), which is a play on both An apple a day keeps the doctor away and I'm single and ready to mingle. The ending is open-ended, though ;)

Here's a snippet:

“I’ll remain standing, thank you very much,” she snipes back, and I cringe back.  (Sloane Mairi collapsed with quiet wails by her boyfriend’s deception. He’d told her that she was his first love. It wasn’t true. He had lied.  He had loved Liam Mairi, her older—and now dead—brother.)   I’m not an inntinnsic—  “Thank Dunne for that,” Cuir snorts.  —but even I can tell what kind of thoughts are running rampant in her head.

Read Here On AO3, below on tumblr! x

More information: thank you to Alli @justallihere and Amy/Hurricane @skyfallscotland for hosting the Birthday Bash!

the prompt "Do you care at all?" came from @creativepromptsforwriting, so thank you Jana!

roughly 3.7k words of angst; please pretend that Eya died at Resson instead of in the bathroom!

I’ve figured out my life, somewhat. 

Mostly. 

It’s kind of hard, right after losing the love of my life, but I’m making due. I don’t even have anything of his to keep—except for the little, white lotus carved from wood we found in his pocket—due to Basgiath’s tradition of burning a cadet’s items. 

It’s been less than a year, and I’ve been tossed right into war school—Basgiath. 

And everyday, I watch people I feel responsible or I care for in some shape, way, or form, die—during school or in my nightmares. 

I’m separated from Xaden, Garrick…Garrick, who’s my best friend, a close confidant; Xaden, who’s my literal cousin; and even Eya, who is practically my sister due to our years being fostering together. 

This isn’t even mentioning the nightly weapon runs I do. 

It’s all unfair to Sloane, but…but there’s nothing I can do. Poromiel needs to help and Xaden’s gone, meaning the responsibility has fallen to me. I get to my room most nights past midnight, and fall asleep, wishing I could hold Sloane in my arms. 

The nights I don’t go on runs are spent with Sloane, normally. We rarely fuck anymore—not that we don’t give in to our “guilty pleasures,” as Cuir calls it, as if she doesn’t still have an occasional escapade with a random dragon—but we stay in one of our beds, curled around each other, her back arched into my stomach, her hair spread over the pillow and smells heavenly, her arm bent to rest over my back, a comforting weight. She says that my arms around her stomach are comforting. 

I’ve learned that love is complicated. 

And it requires effort—it cannot be done from will alone. 

Less than a year ago, I would imagine my future with Liam Mairi—tall, muscular, blonde, blue eyes, and the sweetest heart. Less than a year ago, I was riding the love boat, clinging onto the distant dream of happiness. Less than a year ago, I knew myself less than I know now. 

It doesn’t mean that part of my heart won’t forever be held by Liam. He’s part of me, a part that won’t—can’t—go. 

I’ve accepted that. 

At least, I think I have. I hope. 

I really fucking hope. 

Unfortunately, today isn’t one of those days I get to fall asleep with my head buried in Sloane’s hair. It isn’t a night I can fall asleep without Cuir’s pestering. 

I’ve just gotten back from a weapon run, and along with the blood staining my leather jacket (dammit), my eyes are fluttering with exhaustion. Cuir’s presence is a gentle breeze in my mind. My conversations with Syrena and Catriona are barely tolerable and there’s no denying the fear that was pounding through my veins hours earlier—fear I can’t be as good as Xaden. 

“I wouldn’t have chosen you if you were weak,” Cuir scoffs. 

I don’t thank Cuir, but still, she chuffs easily as if he knows what I’m thinking—well, she should, considering we basically share a mind. 

“Though with how you act with the girl…” I can imagine Cuir’s eyes narrowing in her cave in the Vale. 

“Not now,” I fling back, shrugging my flying coat from my shoulders and tossing it onto my chair, trying not to wince, knowing that if any blood got onto it, it would stain the wood. My eyes try to close again, and I have to forcibly pull them open with my fingers to keep from falling asleep. 

I’d like nothing more than to take a soothing, warm shower, but it’s multiple hours past midnight and I have, A) important classes tomorrow; and B) Sloane is still gone with her squad training. I won’t be able to relax anyways, and there’s a higher chance of me falling asleep than actually getting clean. 

“Not my fault all humans are weak,” Cuir scoffs in my mind as I strip down to my boxers. “But you.” 

I can’t stop the response that I don’t speak but he understands. “Yet you bonded one.” 

“For reasons humans wouldn’t understand. Besides, I said, ‘but you’.” Cuir doesn’t hold a high opinion on humans—and riders—and she’s reassured me multiple times that other dragons think the same. I wouldn’t know. As she thinks, I’m a measly human, the only one worthy of bonding with her. Me and some random female rider decades ago.  

That’s always her response when we get to dragon stuff. Humans can’t know. Apparently Sgaeyl and Chradh say the same thing, so it’s not exclusively a Cuir-doesn’t-want-to-tell-her-rider event. The Empyrean is hidden, I know, so I never push. 

I close my eyes as I curl under the uncomfortable black blanket, wishing, not for the first time, that I could go back six years to when we were younger, things were simpler, and everyone was alive. But those wishes are fucking futile. 

There are people we won’t get back. 

Eya. 

Her name echoes in my head, the stunning reminder that even if something seems secure, it’s gone. 

Liam. 

Xaden’s brother. He had a connection to Xaden that even I didn’t have. 

Ciaran. 

A marked one all the same, even if I didn’t know him well. 

“You are being self-deprecating again,” Cuir chuffs, as if it doesn’t bother her. It does, though—evident by her notion—but I close my eyes and try to fall asleep. 

Sleep doesn’t come easily, but it comes calling. 

It comes calling like Garrick did when I first stepped off Parapet, how Eya, behind a tree, had thrown her arms around me. 

It comes calling like a friend I can’t see, but it’s not a nice friend. 

Lately, it’s been wrapped in nightmares—nightmares filling the gap of dreams. The dreams had been soothing; new memories taking over the burning fire of General Melgren’s dragon that swallowed my mother and uncle. The memories were good ones of Basgiath: surviving the Gauntlet, seeing Xaden and Eya and Garrick again, teasing Imogen about Garrick…meeting Liam. But the nightmares overtake it, again and again and again. 

Resson and Athebyne have been on my mind more than ever. 

Like tonight. 

When the cascade of sleep finally washes over me, it isn’t pleasant. My eyes are flooded with memories of Resson, flashing behind my eyes so quickly that it merges with the wood landscape from so little months ago. 

Resson, Resson, Resson. 

Deigh to my right, the thunderous red daggertail flying, his winds pounding the air. Compressions, I remember from some useless class I’d had to attend back in Aretia. My own hair is ruffling back in the wind, floating just over my eyes as the quick air we fly through presses it back, far, far behind my eyesight. 

“No one yet,” Cuir reports, though, if you’d ask, she would say that she was simply scouting. 

I love my dragon. 

The dream is the same every time. 

I hear the yell before it happens. Soleil is the first one down. Always. Fuil falls and then Soleil dies, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Nothing to stop the gut-wrenching pain that I know has overtaken Xaden. 

The 107 scars on his back. They don’t go away when one of us dies—and plenty of us have. Each one remains, as if to remind Xaden of a failure that doesn’t exist. Sometimes, I wish they’d disappear—but then I wonder: 

Would it hurt Xaden more to see each one disappear, to know each one of us is failing and dying…or does it hurt more to have our souls, our names, carved onto his back? 

I won’t ask him, but the question lingers in the nooks and crannies of my mind. 

“Wyvern incoming!” Cuir’s screech is off. I don’t even blink as dream-me goes into battle, fighting the wyvern. The venin will come soon, I know. Cuir’s voice is like a whisper of her true power. That was the only way I knew it was a nightmare, the first time around. 

But…something was off. 

Normally, by this time, another wyvern would come, trying to knock me off of Cuir. I knew this. I knew it well. Then Xaden would come, trying to help me. 

Where is it? When is it? 

Xaden should be coming to my rescue, but—Liam and Deigh touch the ground. They’re touching too early. They only drop later, not now. Liam leaps off of Deigh’s spine with such a well-practiced maneuver that my brain can’t help but think, that’s second year stuff. 

“Hey, Bodhi!” he yells. Something about his smile is off, but I’ve never been in this dream before. Ever. I don’t know what to say or do or react. “The ground is safe!” if this was what had actually happened in Resson…I’d be confused out of my mind. 

It was only after Liam died that we understood that the venin sucked from the Earth, like Soleil and Fuil when they’d landed. 

“I…” 

Cuir’s voice has gone silent in dream!Me’s head. Obviously, she can’t respond…I’m alone. 

Fuck. 

The dream version of me climbs off of Cuir. I—the real me—doesn’t exist here. I’m just a soul, watching from the corner. 

Liam is smiling and when I finally reach the ground, the “wrongness” clicks in my brain. 

There’s a red ring around Liam’s eyes. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck. 

I haven’t had this dream, ever, and no dream similarly like it. 

Liam’s gone venin. How? How, how, how? 

Xaden lands behind me. I don’t see him, but I feel the familiar, gusty exhale that Sgaeyl gives when she lands. Dream her is a good imitation of the real her. 

He’s also the first to speak again, reaching forward to mess with my hair as he walks around to stand next to Liam. Maybe Sorrengail and Imogen are still in the air. I don’t know. 

“Hey brother,” Liam says, and the two of them shake hands. I stand awkwardly in front of them, mind racing at the lack of Cuir’s presence. 

Xaden turns to me. Something in his eyes is sharp, so sharp that it hurts more than the dagger I was stabbed with on the first-ever day of Challenges. “You,” he hisses out. It’s cold. Freezing cold. Just like his shadows, I distantly think as I stare at him. 

“Me.” My voice is shaky. I’m scared…and I’m willing to admit it. Not to this Xaden’s face, though; only to mine, the one who doesn’t judge me. 

Or, at least, I hope he doesn’t judge me. There’s no guarantee, but Xaden keeps his promises, and he promised to protect me. 

“You,” he repeats, walking closer. And closer. And closer. And closer, until he stands just in front of me. His skin is surprisingly chocolate-y in the beating sun. Why, why, why. 

This wasn’t what happened. 

This isn’t what’s supposed to happen! 

“Me,” I say yet again, my voice shaking even more. 

Xaden raises his hand as if to cup my face, and that should’ve been my first sign that something was wrong. He doesn’t cup anyone’s face but Sorrengail’s. His hand falls on my face, a backhanded slap. 

Fucking Malek. 

My eyes well up with tiny tears that I push backwards. My cheek stings with the remnants of Xaden’s hit, and as he backs away, I see the palms of his hands are surprisingly light, lighter than even my skin. 

My skin is described as a toasted coconut, and Xaden’s is more chocolate-like—the only person that I’m related to with that skin tone is…my heart jumps into my throat, clogging it. My goddamned dead father.  

And Xaden knows how I feel about my father—fuck it, that’s why my brain chose to depict Xaden like this. It’s all one bad dream, getting longer and longer. Cuir! 

It’s not fucking fair, is all I can think as I realize that in this fucking terrifying dream, my own dragon can’t respond to me. I try to reach out to her, pushing deep, but there’s no sign of Cuir. 

Please. 

“You are a disappointment,” Xaden hisses out, eyes narrowing. 

No. 

No. 

I’m not. 

Right? 

This time Liam approaches, swinging his arm around Xaden’s shoulder. Xaden doesn’t look bothered—no, in fact, his eyes light up with love. 

“You suck the oxygen out of the air with your attempts at jokes; you make people feel worse, not better.” His lip curls upwards distastefully. “Loving you was a mistake.”  

No. 

Garrick, this time, joins in. He stands over Xaden and Liam, and he looks so “part of the family” that the tears threaten in my eyes again. 

“You just copy Xaden,” he says. His lips move; his eyes are hollow when he looks at me. “You try to mimic him in every way and everyone knows it. No one appreciates it, too, because you aren’t nearly as close to his power as you think you are.” 

No. No. No.  

I don’t mimic Xaden. 

Imogen and Masen both say something, but I’m too caught up in Garrick’s words and the tears falling down my cheeks in free-flowing rivers. 

Next is Soleil, who I used to be close to. She swings her arms over Imogen and Masen’s shoulders so she’s hugging both of them at the same time, as if to say, you’re not welcome. 

“We all know you're trying to walk into shoes that are too big for you—Xaden’s, Auntie’s, your dad’s…we all know you’re failing at it, too,” Soleil says. 

Soleil—I want to yell out her name, demand she take it back, because she knows it’s not true. 

Right? 

Eya’s hollow eyes stare into mine, the piercing in her eyebrow glinting in the sun. I can barely make her out, my tears bubbling up and gliding down my rough cheeks, dropping from my chin to the edge of my ripped shirt collar. “You…” she starts. It’s so close to what Xaden said earlier that I flinch, expecting a physical blow, but none comes and Eya acts like nothing happened. “You are failing,” Eya delivers the final blow. “You… 

“You are failing so badly, and everyone around you is too polite because you make everyone feel awkward with your horrendous jokes—” I can’t resist the part of my brain that says, you don’t complain about Garrick’s jokes. I’m the polite one “—and we all see you drowning in responsibilities you aren’t ready for.” 

Eya. Please. 

I can hear soft footsteps behind me, but I don’t turn around, figuring it’s just someone’s dragon…until a pale hand lands on my tensed arm. 

Violet’s sweet voice rings in the air, apposing, clear and loud. 

“He’s none of that,” she declares…and I feel a flare of appreciation for Violet Sorrengail. Xaden really did pick well with his girl. She’s gusty, I give her that. But she’s only a dream. Would she stand up to Xaden if he was actually hurting me? 

Xaden’s lips curl, as if it’s all amusing to him. 

Something is amusing to him, something about Sorrengail defending me. 

“Really,” he purrs out. He himself doesn’t span the small distance to us, but his shadows reach out to Violet and I can see her heart tugging to be closer to him. “Really, Violet? After what he’s done?” 

What did I do? 

But Violet steps forward as if Xaden struck a blow, and I can see Xaden’s cockiness spread over his face, even if no one else can see it. I slip a glance to Liam; nevermind. I’m not the only one. 

Fucking Liam Mairi can also see it. 

Something warm spreads in my chest—warm and uncomfortable. 

Welcome, Jealousy, the green-eyed monster. 

Or maybe it’s not jealousy, I can imagine Cuir’s chuff so realistically that for a moment I imagine she’s back, but when I reach out, she’s not. 

Violet still looks stricken. “I—” she seems to choke, as if not talking, not confessing, will help both of us. “You’re—” 

No. 

If she tells Xaden “you’re right,” this dream is going to go to shit real quickly. Xaden has an ego, something we all know, and we also know that we’re the ones who have spent time pulling it down. He gets too cocky. But Violet strokes his ego. Too much. 

She doesn’t say the words, but she still steps to Xaden, standing between him and Garrick, declaring her alliance loud and clearly: she’s not with me. Sweetly, full of genuine meaning I can’t comprehend, she says, “Sorry.” 

My only hope of allegiance in this dream is gone, crumbling away into a chasm beneath my touch. 

“Bodhi.” The yell slams into my dreamscape. I ignore it. 

“BODHI.” Now it thunders, and it sounds like Cuir in a way I can't describe. 

“WAKE UP!”  

My eyes flutter open with the final call of my dragon. I’m hesitant to leave the dream, as down-putting as it was, because it meant I could see the people I loved. 

“Cuir?” even in my head, the question sounds too unconfident, as if I’m completely, utterly lost. 

“Bodhi.” I can imagine the way Cuir purrs the sound, a deep rumbling filling her chest as her tail sways just a bit. “There’s someone at your door.” her tone means he knows who it is, but I’m too focused on a different part: it’s probably five in the morning, an hour before we have to be in formation, but also half an hour after curfew ends. Who in the world would want to talk to me at this time of day? 

I only register the fact that the only clothing I’m wearing is black boxers when I open the door. Then I realize my hair is a mess, my breath probably smells bad, and I’m in a horrible mood—but the person who decided to open my door better have a good fucking reason. 

I don’t see anyone. 

What…Oh.  

Realization comes a bit slowly. 

I tilt my head down. 

When I make eye contact with the person there, my heart stops. 

Fuck. 

“So,” Sloane Mairi says, “when were you going to tell me you loved my brother?” 

No, no, no. 

No, she’s just joking. I wait for it to come, but it doesn’t—Sloane keeps standing there, hands on her hips, right fingers crushing small slivers of paper. 

Papers that… 

“Uh…” my response is not, in fact, eloquent. “Sloane—” 

“Shut up,” she barks out, stomping the four steps forward and placing a firm hand on my chest, as if trying to physically stop me. Or maybe she’s feeling my muscles. 

Her eyes close, as if she’s trying to count to ten. 

Fine, maybe twenty. 

It doesn’t work, though, and she opens her eyes with just as much fury in them as before. “Why did I have to find out from letters?” her voice cracks. 

There’s nothing I can say. I can only remember that Sorrengail had rescued Liam’s letters for Sloane from his room before they burned all his belongings. Some of my letters to him had been…obviously kept in the same pile. 

The tears have started, small, slick pearls running down her face. “W—why,” she gasps out. 

“Sloane—” I cut myself off. There’s no easy way to approach this, not with the memories that are pounding through my head as I remember. 

Me and Liam, Liam and I. 

Fuck, Liam. 

Sloane forms fists, scrunching the papers even more. “Why, Bodhi?!” and this time it’s more of a howl. 

I bite my bottom lip anxiously. “In,” I ordered, moving out of the doorframe so she could enter. With a glare, she does, and I close and lock the door behind us. 

“Why.” 

“Because…” my gaze wanders to the window. There’s so much I can’t tell her, so I say nothing. 

Sloane takes it personally. Not only do her fists bawl even more—I doubt the paper is even readable, now—but she draws a sharp breath in, pouting her cheeks adorably. 

“Was I just a replacement?” She beats me with the questions, each one hammering into me harder than the last. “Do you care at all?” 

Fuck. 

The thing is, I do care. And I always thought she knew this. But if she really thought I was just using her as a replacement for Liam, then I’ve been doing stuff seriously wrong. 

Like, seriously seriously. 

“Sloane—” Her eyes burn bright, as if she’s daring me to contradict her. “Sloane, of course I care.” 

“Really?” she fires back, “Because the letters give the impression that you don’t.” 

Unfortunately, Cuir takes Sloane’s side, the massive fucking green she is. “She isn’t wrong,” Cuir is too amused for my liking. 

“Shut up,” I fire back. 

“Sloane…” my eyes close. “Those letters feel like that for a reason. They were written while I was riding on the waves of love.” 

“And you aren’t now?” She challenges. 

She’s got me there. I sit down on my hastily-made bed. I pat the space next to me— “Sit.” 

“I’ll remain standing, thank you very much,” she snipes back, and I cringe back. 

(Sloane Mairi collapsed with quiet wails by her boyfriend’s deception. He’d told her that she was his first love. It wasn’t true. He had lied. 

He had loved Liam Mairi, her older—and now dead—brother.)  

I’m not an inntinnsic— 

“Thank Dunne for that,” Cuir snorts. 

—but even I can tell what kind of thoughts are running rampant in her head.

 “Sorry.” It’s probably the fakest apology I’ve ever uttered. 

“Right,” she raises her eyebrow. 

“Look, Sloane—” I try, but she cuts me off. 

“Look, Bodhi,” she states clearly. “I love you. I fucking love you. But you’ve literally rocked my world upside down, denying that you love me—” No! That’s not true… I want to yell. But she’s on a roll. “…and I don’t know what else you’ve lied to me about. About Ar—home, about here, about your position. This isn’t a right-now thing, but I need you to know that most of my trust in you has completely evaporated.” 

My heart stops. 

Trust. Evaporated. 

Everything is going by so fast I can’t register the words except two: trust. Evaporated. 

Sloane, Sloane, Sloane, my heart calls. 

Sloane turns around, hiding her furious face from me. Sloane. 

“I’m going,” she tosses over her shoulder. “When you figure your shit out, come to me.”  The door slams shut and Cuir’s voice fills my head, her voice short and sweet. “I am sorry, Gentle One.”