#and we both happen to have a cabin in the woods

[just-eyris-things]

Story time: A few days ago I decided not to kill my dad with a bow and arrow and as a result I lost my arrow somewhere in the bushes on my neighbour's lawn (definitely not a clickbait, nope, not at all!)

Basically my family and I were relaxing at my parents' cabin in the woods and I got myself a spot to train archery. Everything was nice and cool and dandy on that hot summer day. But then my dad had to do something around my "shooting range" so I had to stop. Perfect time to drink some water, give my arms a very much needed break. Did I do that, though? No. Of course not.

Now listen, I have been training for around a month. I felt good, I felt confident, I felt amazing. Not confident enough to shoot at my dad though. So I turned the other way and targetted a tree.

I missed.

I said "o kurwa". Like any normal polish person would do when their possibly deadly projectile misses and goes above the fence and through the bushes.

Needless to say, nobody was having fun. I cried internally because that meant I had to go to complete strangers and tell them I lost my arrow at their property. But I was already an adult and couldn't show weakness in front of my family. I couldn't say "mom can you go with me to the neighbours' and ask if I could go and look for my arrow?". I had to face my shame for not being a Robin Hood after a month of shooting.

Well, in typical Polish fashion the neighbours had a tall fence that I could not get over and everything was locked. There was no doorbell but come on, who would have a doorbell when they're on vacation at a cabin in the woods? Oh woe is me I cry internally because 1. I am a drama queen. I cry and complain all the time. The latter is in my blood though, after all I am polish. The former... in my case: a figure of speech, really. And 2. the last thing I want is my family and other neighbours think less of me because of my fear of being berated for my shitty archery skills and overconfidence. I have a horrible social anxiety. And yet it did not stop me from somehow enjoying a job where I am working with big groups of people on a daily basis???? My brain is an enigma. Both to my therapist AND me.

ANYWAY FASTFORWARD TO FRIDAY, my parents happened to meet one of the neighbours during my absence and informed him that an arrow was lost but the guy did not invite them to look for it. I felt ashamed. I don't even know why because there really is no point in crying over spilled milk, but I did.

And today when I was shooting, a neighbour came up and found the arrow and gave it back, he laughed it off and told me not to worry after I apologised for the trouble.

To conclude: I did not kill my dad with an arrow, felt shame and fear over a lost arrow, the lost arrow was returned to me and I feel good again.

Also, I saw a woodpecker and a really pretty tricolor cat today.

[dreamwritesimagines]

Sunshine [3] - Downpour

AN: My loves, thank you so so much for your wonderful support and lovely comments and HCs! ❤️ You're amazing! ❤️

I hope you like this as well, and please don't forget to tell me what you think, thank you! 🥰

Thanks to @chibi-lioness for beta reading!

Pairing: Logan Howlett x Female!Reader

Summary: Evening rain comes out of nowhere.

Word Count: 4540

CW: Smoking cigars, explicit language

Series Masterlist

Fine.

Maybe you did have a crush.

And maybe the said crush was taking over all your thoughts to the point that you could barely focus on anything other than him, but that was completely normal.

Just like you and your best friend analyzing every single second of your interaction with your crush was completely normal.

“He actually lifted your car?”

You nodded your head, filling both her glass and yours with wine before tucking your legs under you.

“With one hand,” you said, leaning back to the arm of the couch. “He did that with one hand.”

“And you didn’t jump his bones right then and there?”

“No but I may have rambled about going to jail if the car fell on him and also not knowing who would take care of Theo.”

“What is that even supposed to mean?” she asked with a scoff. “I’d take care of Theo. We’d come to visit you every weekend.”

“Thanks Julie.”

“I’d even sign you up for those inmate dating websites.”

You blinked a couple of times. “Uh, no thank you.”

“Hey, if you accidentally kill the ridiculously hot mutant guy—”

“Logan.”

“Yeah, Logan. If you accidentally kill him, you might as well exchange some dirty letters with someone else.”

“Can we please focus on the fact that I actually have a crush on him?”

“We absolutely can,” Julie grinned, swirling the wine in her glass. ��Aw look at you! It’s cute.”

“It’s not cute!” you whined, slipping a little on the couch. “Julie, I talk absolute nonsense whenever he and I cross paths.”

“Babe, I mean it in the best way possible,” she said and motioned at your face. “I doubt any guy really listens to any word coming out of your mouth when you look like this, so you’re fine.”

“So not true,” you stated and sipped your wine. “I mean either way, it’s not like anything could happen between us so I’ll just, you know, fantasize about him and gaze at him longingly. Should be fine.”

Julie rolled her eyes at you. “Come on.”

“No seriously, because Theo—”

“Sweetheart,” she said. “You got pregnant at 18. Don’t get me wrong, I think Theo is the most perfect kid in the entire world but keep in mind that while we were all out partying, you were taking care of a baby.”

“It’s fine, I lived vicariously through you.”

“And now that you’re in your twenties and hot as fuck,” Julie said, ignoring your comment. “You don’t think it’s time to live a little?”

“It’d confuse Theo if I started dating around, especially with Logan—”

“Fine, then don’t date Logan. Just fuck his brains out.”

“Nope,” you said, shaking your head. “I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because the moment I sleep with him, I will be trying to decide on the wallpaper of our future cabin in the woods,” you pointed out, getting a handful of popcorn from the bowl and she scoffed.

“I still can’t believe you want a cabin in the woods.”

“I want a cabin in the woods and I want a horse and a cat and two dogs,” you insisted. “Anyway, the point is, no strings attached is not a thing for me when it comes to a guy that hot. He lifted a car for me, Julie!”

“And you want him to lift you up and down repeatedly,” Julie said with a grin, making you throw a popcorn at her.

“I doubt I’m his type,” you said and she groaned.

“You cannot be serious.”

“No I am, because men like him go for…” you trailed off and threw your head back. “Ugh, I so want to show you his picture so that you’ll know what I’m talking about but I don’t have one!”

“I have this mental image of a very hot lumberjack in mind.”

“That would be correct,” you said before taking a sip of your wine, but then your phone started vibrating on the table and you frowned, then snatched it off the table when you saw the caller ID.

“Theo?” you answered immediately. “Are you alright?”

“Hi mommy!”

You let out a breath at the cheerful tone of his voice, then pressed a hand on your chest and checked the time on the phone.

“What are you doing up, bean?” you asked. “It’s late at night.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“I’m with auntie Julie,” you said and Julie grinned.

“Hi Theo, I missed you sweetheart!” she called out, making Theo giggle.

“Hi auntie Julie!” he said. “Mommy, I thought about it, and I solved how I can have fish.”

You closed your eyes for a moment, a smile pulling at your lips as you shook your head.

“I’m listening, bean.”

“Okay so,” he said. “We will get two fish, and we will put them in an aquarium, but like a bowl, not a huge aquarium.”

You hummed.

“That’s where they’ll stay at the weekends when I’m there,” he said. “And then, on weekdays, I will bring them here, and put them in the lake, and that’s where they can stay within the week! They’d even make friends with other fish!”

You let out a small laugh.

“Theo, my love,” you said. “How will you catch them again if you put them in the lake?”

He paused for a moment.

“Um, I’d call them by their names,” he said. “Cheeto and Popcorn. They’d come.”

“Fish don’t do that baby,” you said softly. “How about you make friends with fish there in the lake and on the weekends they can just spend time with their own friends?”

“Yes but—” he started but then got distracted for a moment by something. “It’s my mom!”

“I know bub,” you heard Logan’s deep voice and your eyes widened. You sat up straight immediately, making Julie tilt her head in confusion. “Tell her I said hi.”

“Mommy, Mr. Logan says hi to you.”

“Uh, tell him I said hi back,” you said after a beat, hearing Theo parrot what you said as you covered the bottom part of the phone with your palm, then mouthed ‘Logan’ to Julie.

“What?!” she whispered and you cleared your throat.

“And tell him to please watch that you don’t have any sweets before bed, for his sake.”

“No!”

“Bean.”

“Ugh fine!” he said. “Mr Logan, my mom says please watch that I don’t have any sweets before bed for your sake.”

You could hear Logan’s chuckle, making you bite at your lip before he spoke.

“Can I borrow the phone for a minute Theo?”

Your jaw dropped and you motioned at the phone frantically, and Julie pulled you by the arm and made you lower the phone a little so that she could hear as well. You pressed your finger to your lips, signaling her to be silent before Theo’s excited “sure!” and there was a shuffling on the other line for a moment before Logan’s voice reached you again.

“So no chocolate before bed then?”

Julie gripped your wrist, mouthing “hot voice!” to you and you let out a giggle, trying to focus.

“Nope,” you said. “Trust me, it’s for your own good.”

You could hear Theo in the background; “I think I can have one chocolate.”

“No no,” you said, shaking your head. “He can’t.”

“Sorry bub, whatever your mom says goes.”

“Um, Logan,” you said, your mind going overdrive again. “If he’s up this late, he will turn the puppy dog eyes on for dessert, and he can be very, very insistent but sugar makes him incredibly energetic, and he will end up blowing a hole in the wall because of his powers so you can’t—”

“Relax princess,” Logan said and you could almost hear his faint smile. “It’s fine.”

Julie’s eyes widened and she fell on her back onto the couch dramatically, kicking her legs in the air while slapping the pillow and you stood up, your heart beating in your ears.

“How’s the car?” he asked and you licked your lips.

“Oh I changed my mechanic, so it’s at the new mechanic’s shop for a couple of days. My friend has been driving me to work—” Julie waved a hand from where she was lying down on the couch. “But apparently it’ll be fixed the day after tomorrow so it’s totally fine.”

“Are you being safe?”

“I am,” you said. “Are you?”

“Am I being safe?”

“Yeah,” you said with a smile. “What with lifting cars and stuff, it can be dangerous.”

“Half a chocolate!” Theo said as if it was the brightest idea in the world. “Half—Mr. Logan, can I have the phone back please?”

You ran a hand over your face and cleared your throat.

“Sorry about that,” you said and Logan chuckled.

“Not a problem,” he said. “Good night.”

“Good night Logan,” you said, your head spinning with excitement and you heard the shuffling, then Theo took a deep breath.

“Mommy, half a chocolate!”

“Not at night,” you said. “We’ve talked about this bean. You can have chocolate tomorrow morning after breakfast, okay?”

“But—”

“Theo,” you said. “After breakfast.”

He heaved a dramatic sigh.

“I know bean,” you said softly. “You’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Mkay,” he said with a huff. “I’m going to sleep then.”

“Okay, I love you!” you said. “Call me tomorrow and be nice to your teachers, okay?”

“I will,” he said. “Love you too!”

He hung up and you let out a breath, then tossed the phone on the couch while Julie sat up.

“Oh he talks you through it!” she said, slamming the pillow on the couch. “I just know he talks you through it!”

“Julie!” you exclaimed, your cheeks burning and she let out a laugh.

“Oh please, with that voice…”

“That’s what I mean!” you said and flung yourself on the couch. “He’s…he’s so amazing and Theo adores him and he’s so good with him too and to repeat, he lifted a car for me!”

“Aw,” Julie said. “He’s gonna be such a good stepdad to Theo.”

Your jaw dropped and you shook your head.

“We’re not even thinking about that,” you said, pointing at her. “We’re keeping our expectations very, very low, okay?”

She hummed, then tilted her head.

“Do you want to check Pinterest for cabins in the woods to see which one could be your and Logan’s in the future?”

You paused for a moment, then shrugged your shoulders.

“Yeah,” you said. “That sounds like keeping our expectations low, sure.”

                                                *

Despite having drunk until midnight and consequently having a hangover in the morning, the next day went without a hitch. You’d only had a couple of rude customers, which in service industry counted as a normal day if not a good one, but because of last night you were more than ready to get home, eat a bunch of snacks and go to sleep.

Towards the end of your shift, rain started pouring and you couldn’t help the whine escaping from your lips, leaning back to the counter. You could hear your friend Stacey’s small laugh as she looked out the window, then back to you.

“It’s just summer rain love,” she said. “It’ll stop.”

“Yeah but I’ll have to walk to the subway under that rain and I don’t have a coat with me,” you pointed out. “Ugh. Great. I’ll look like a horror movie protagonist by the time I get there.”

“This is why I am a huge advocate of waterproof makeup.”

You hummed, chewing on the pen in your hand as you grabbed your phone to check the weather forecast, faintly hearing the door opening behind you.

“It says it’ll rain until—what?” you asked Stacey when you lifted your head to see her raise her brows at something by the tables area and you turned your head to look over your shoulder, your heart jumping to your throat the moment you did so.

“Logan?”

Jesus, he looked way too handsome. He gave you a small smile, running a hand through his dark hair as if he was trying to get rid of the raindrops clinging to it, then approached the counter.

“Hey.”

“H—hi!” you said, your voice going way too high-pitched all of a sudden. “Uh, welcome! It’s so nice to see you, what—what can I get you?”

“I can take his order love,” Stacey said helpfully. “Your shift is over, get home before rain gets worse.”

“No no, I can stay.”

“I’m not here to eat actually,” Logan said, making you pull back a little.

“…Is Theo okay?” you asked, your stomach dropping as the thought hit you and he nodded his head.

“Oh he’s fine don’t worry,” he quickly assured you. “He was trying to name all the fish in the lake with his friends while I was leaving. I came to take you home actually.”

You blinked a couple of times.

“You drove all the way here from the institute just to take me home?” you asked just to make sure you had heard him right and he nodded again as if it was completely normal.

“You said your car is at the mechanic’s.”

One of these days, you were going to melt into a puddle in front of him.

“You really didn’t have to,” you said. “I’d hate to be a bother, and I’m sure you have other things to do, so I can just—”

“What did we say about you being too polite?” he asked, his voice almost chiding in a teasing manner, making warmth spread from your chest to your fingertips and a smile you couldn’t stop lit up your face, making you shift your weight, way too excited to just stand there.

“Um,” you said. “Just—just wait here okay? Don’t go anywhere.”

The corner of his mouth twitched in amusement. “I won’t.”

You took a step back, and rushed to the kitchen, making the line cook turn his head.

“Hey, leaving already?”

“Yeah. Paul, where’s the pie?”

“Over there,” he said, motioning at the counter. “What’s the rush?”

You grabbed the pie to put it into the container while Stacey entered the kitchen.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend, and more importantly, why didn’t you tell me he was this hot?!”

“What boyfriend?” Paul asked and Stacey motioned at the window.

“Look, right there.”

“He is not my boyfriend,” you said, your cheeks burning and Paul stole a look out the window, then let out a whistle.

“I was going to try to win you over but holy shit, that’s one hot dude.”

“And get this, he came here to drive her home.”

“He’s just being nice.”

“Car sex in the rain, got it.”

“He is my friend!”

“Oh really? So you’d be okay if I went out there and gave him my number?”

You blinked a couple of times and scoffed a laugh.

“Yeah but he…” you trailed off, desperately trying to come up with an excuse. “He has a girlfri—he’s married,” you changed your mind mid-sentence, nodding solemnly. “Yeah. He’s not wearing a ring because he is having it cleaned, and also he has—he has this condition that he can’t have sex with anyone. A disease.”

Out of the corner of your eye through the small kitchen window, you could see Logan tilting his head like a confused puppy.

“When he does, his partner’s… lower region just falls off, and it’s very gruesome, and if you haven’t heard of that condition, it’s because he’s like the only person in the world who has it, they named the disease after him,” you added. “Doctors call him a medical wonder.”

Stacey turned to Paul.

“She’s so gonna fuck him in the car.”

“She’s not gonna do that!” you exclaimed and cleared your throat, pushing the box into a plastic bag. “I’m—I’m leaving, I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Theo doesn’t need a sibling yet, use protection!” Stacey teased you and you shook your head, then pushed the kitchen door and stepped out.

“Hey,” you said breathlessly, your whole face on fire and you held up the plastic bag. “The pie as promised.”

He gave you a calm smile, his eyes darting over you.

“You didn’t bring a coat?”

“Um no, but it’s fine—” you started but before you had the chance to say anything else, he had already taken his leather jacket off to put it over your shoulders.

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Logan said as he opened the door for you and you stepped outside, Logan gently steering you to a truck with his hand on the small of your back, making you bite back a smile. As soon as you reached the truck and got in, you let out a breath and put the plastic bag on the back seat, then put your seatbelt on. Logan got in as well, then started the engine and began driving.

“Thank you,” you murmured. “Really.”

“No problem.”

“I could just put it in the GPS or…” you trailed off when you noticed that there was no screen or phone or phone holder in sight so you nodded to yourself. “I don’t—you know, I’m against being a prisoner to technology myself so I can totally relate, and yeah I’ll just put my phone here.”

You quickly found your home address and touched the screen, then carefully placed it on the dashboard and stole a look at him.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” he said. “As long as it’s not about my condition.”

“Your condition?”

“Yeah, that disease you were talking about just now?”

Your eyes widened, your jaw dropping as embarrassment hit you, your cheeks growing hot and a whine escaped from your lips.

“You heard that?”

“Mm hm.”

You slipped a little in your seat, burying your face into your hands, the sight making him chuckle as you took a deep breath and lifted your head to look at him again.

“I can explain,” you said. “It’s just that…Stacey is—you know, she’s incredibly nice but I don’t think she’s over her last boyfriend and I was trying to spare her feelings. Wait, did you want to get her number? Because if you did—”

“No.”

A small spark of hope shot through your system.

“Oh,” you managed to say. “Okay. Um, sorry I made up a nonexistent STD about you.”

“No problem,” he said with a smirk. “But for future reference, you might want to go with the wife lie. I can’t get diseases.”

You nodded slowly. “Because of clean eating?”

“Because of the X-gene.”

You blinked a couple of times, staring at him.

“Wait, what?” you asked. “But Theo got sick multiple times after his powers showed.”

“Not for every mutant,” he said. “My body heals itself.”

“Against everything?”

“Mm hm.”

“What if we had a car crash right now?”

“I’ve been in car crashes, healed in a second.”

“What if someone attacked you with a knife?”

“Happened before, healed instantly.”

“What if someone shot you?”

“Multiple people did in multiple wars. I healed.”

You tilted your head. “I’m sorry, wars?”

“Like I said,” he said after a beat. “My body heals itself. Against injuries, and time.”

You frowned slightly, trying to make sense of what you’d just heard and as soon as the thought hit you, you gasped.

“Oh my God, Logan,” you said. “Did you know Marie Antoinette?”

“What?” he asked with a grimace, turning to look at you better. “What is it with you and Theo and France? He asked me if I knew Napoleon the other day.”

You raised your brows. “Did you?”

“No!” he said. “No, I was born in 1832.”

Holy shit, Julie was right.

You did have a thing for older men but having a crush on an almost 200-year-old man was just a little bit excessive, even for you.

A silence fell upon the car and he glanced at you out of the corner of his eye. “You okay there?”

“Yeah, just in disbelief,” you muttered. “Do you miss it? Back then?”

He shook his head.

“Not really,” he said. “It was terrible. Now is better, it’s just a little too...”

“Chaotic?” you asked and he scoffed, then nodded.

“Yeah,” he said. “A little too chaotic.”

“I mean I wasn’t born in the 19th century but I know what you mean,” you said. “Seriously, if I could just live in a cabin in the woods with Theo and a cat, two dogs and a horse, I’d do it. I even have all their names.”

“What are the names?”

“I’m glad you asked,” you said. “The cat will be Catapult—”

“Are you seriously going to name your cat after a pun?”

“Damn right I am,” you said, counting with your fingers. “The dogs are Underdog and Overdog.”

“Jesus.”

“And the horse’s name used to be Princess Pink Sparkle Her Highness when I was six, but now I think I’m just going to name her Hi-Horse so that someone can tell me to get off my high horse one day.”

Logan looked like he was in actual pain for some reason.

“But listen, the list used to go like, a cat, a dog and a horse, and I figured like, if I get one dog, why not have two, you know?” you asked. “I couldn’t possibly leave Underdog without a friend, because as much as I love cats, they can be kind of assholes sometimes to dogs, they can’t help it, so that’s how Overdog came into being, and there were also ducks named Comma, Colon, Semicolon, and Exclamation, and their babies were going to be named Parenthesis, Dash and Hyphen but then I realized that would mean I'd need to have the cabin next to a lake, and ever since I watched that one creepy horror movie I’m terrified of lakes at night because I really don’t think we should mess with any bodies of water and—” you managed to stop yourself and cleared your throat. “Just…feel free to stop me when I do this.”

“I like it when you do it,” Logan stated without taking his eyes off the road, as if he was talking about the weather and your heart started pacing in your chest while you gawked at him.

“…People usually hate it.”

“People are idiots.”

“Someone I used to know would cover my mouth whenever I rambled too much.”

“And you didn’t break their hand?” he asked and you scoffed a laugh, then shook your head.

“Nope,” you muttered. “That sounds like a good idea though.”

“It is,” he said, reaching out to grab the cigar resting by the gear stick, and opened his window a little.

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” you said. “You smoke cigars?”

“Mm hm,” he said, patting his jeans for a lighter, then looked around the car before his hazel eyes fell on you. “I think my lighter is in the jacket pocket, would you…?”

“Oh sure!” you said and felt around the leather jacket over your shoulders, then pulled out the lighter and flicked it, the warmth caressing your hand for a moment before you held it out for him. Logan stole a look at you, his gaze stopping on your face illuminated by the flame before he leaned in to hold the tip of the cigar to the flame.

You had no idea why, but it felt strangely intimate.

“Thanks,” he murmured and you offered him a hesitant smile, flicking the cap of the lighter back before carefully placing it beside the gear stick.

“Sure,” you said, trying to snap yourself out of it. “Um, I used to smoke cigarettes. Mostly to look cool.”

“Did it work?”

“Not really,” you admitted as he stole a look at the GPS, then back at the road. “Never a cigar though, do you mind if I try it?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Corners of his mouth curled upwards. “Are you trying to look cool right now?”

“Hey, if you don’t think I’m cool after learning my future pets’ names, I don’t think a cigar is gonna help it.”

That coaxed a chuckle out of him and he held out his hand so that you could take the cigar from him. The moment your fingertips brushed against his skin, his hand twitched, a warmth spreading from your hand to your whole body. You swallowed thickly, your heartbeat getting faster and you brought the cigar to your lips with a trembling hand, then took a drag.

“Don’t inhale—” Logan started but you had already inhaled the smoke, a sharp pain stabbing you in the chest as soon as you did. Logan pulled over and through the coughs, you realized you were right in front of your apartment but you couldn’t even thank him as you pounded your chest with your fist, then took a deep breath and wiped at your eyes with one hand while handing him the cigar back with the other.

“Ugh, that’s terrible!” you whined. “You smoke that willingly?”

“You’re not supposed to inhale it.”

You made a face and wiped at your eyes again, sniffling.

“Not supposed to inhale it?” you repeated as you straightened your back to look at him better, your brows pulled together in almost a petulant manner. “What’s the point of it then?”

The calm smile that graced his lips was almost taunting and he reached out to wipe at the remnant of a tear under your eye with a knuckle, your breath catching in your throat.

“The taste, princess,” he said, his deep voice sending an excited shiver down your spine as he pulled his hand back. “The taste is the point.”

…Oh.

Oh you were so going to melt in front of him one of these days.

That wasn’t supposed to sound as suggestive as it did, you were sure of it but that did nothing to stop the fire spreading over your cheeks, making you shift a little in your spot before he nodded to the window.

“Is this your place?”

You had to force yourself to drag your eyes away from him and looked outside even if you knew where you were, then nodded fervently.

“Yeah!” you said. “Yeah that’s—that’s me.”

A silence fell upon the car and you cleared your throat, trying to snap out of the daze you were in.

“Thank you,” you said after a beat. “For…for all of this, really.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said and you looked outside again, now realizing the rain had stopped so you grabbed your phone off the dashboard, unbuckled your seatbelt and slipped the jacket off your shoulders, his unwavering gaze almost too hot on your skin.

“Good night Logan,” you said softly and opened your door to step out of the car, then made your way to the building. You climbed up the stairs, a giggle you couldn’t stop escaping from your lips as you unlocked your door, then stepped into your apartment and closed the door behind you before leaning back against it.

“Alright…” you breathed out, your heart beating in your ears. “Yeah, okay. I definitely have a crush.”

[4] - Ray of Light

[layaispunk]

closer than ever

pairing: joel miller x reader

summary: In the midst of a quiet, cold night in the woods, old feelings resurface between you and Joel.

warnings: bit of angst, mentions of loss, depictions of grief, established relationship (sort of), Ellie being a smart-ass, pet-names (sweetheart, darlin)

wc: 1.7k

note: I was making food for my dogs and I dropped everything to write this bdw.

The smell hit you first. Salty, metallic, and slightly rancid. Your stomach churned as you stared at the open can of dog food in your hands. It was the only thing Joel had managed to scavenge. "Best I could do, sweetheart," and you knew he meant well. He always did.

You tried not to gag, pressing the back of your hand to your mouth, shaking your head. "I can't do it, Joel," you muttered, pushing the can away. "I'll just throw it up, and that's even worse. I'd be dehydrated."

Joel's brow furrowed, his gaze flicking between you and the can. "You gotta eat somethin'. You're lookin' too pale."

Ellie, seated nearby and chewing on what little jerky was left, leaned over and made a face at the can. "Don't make her eat that, dude. That's disgusting," she said, her voice half-amused, half-horrified.

"It's all I could find. We're in the middle of fuckin' nowhere," Joel muttered defensively, shooting her a look.

"Yeah, well, it's dog food," Ellie retorted, stretching out the words like they were meant to gross him out. "She's not a dog, Joel."

Joel let out a long sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. "Ain't like i'm feedin' it to her by force."

You couldn't help the small laugh that escaped despite the situation. The woods were eerily still, the only sound coming from the crackle of the fire Joel had started for warmth. The air had a sharp chill to it - not enough to freeze you, but enough to remind you that the seasons were shifting. The three of you were on the move, searching for Tommy, hoping he'd have answers.

"Thank you, Joel, but I'm not eating that." you said, shaking your head. "Help yourself, though! Looks like its all yours," you added with a teasing smirk.

The teasing faded as the fire crackled low. The stars were unusually bright, their glow filling the sky. There were only two sleeping bags between the three of you. Joel must've noticed the worry crossing your face. "You can take mine. I'll be fine."

You blinked at him, incredulous. "Are you out of your mind? You're no good to us if you're frozen solid."

Joel chuckled softly, the sound low and warm in the cold night air. “I ain’t gonna freeze, darlin’,” he muttered, clearly amused by your concern.

You hesitated for a moment, then whispered, careful not to disturb Ellie, who was already deep in her sleeping bag. “We can just share. It’s big enough for the two of us.”

He stayed silent.

Joel and you had been together before everything fell apart. It was the best thing that’s ever happened to both of you. After he lost Sarah, things changed. The grief consumed him, and the man who once held you close became distant, shutting himself off from the world, including you. It had been a long time since he'd shown any affection, and it stung - but you'd never push it. A piece of him died with Sarah, and you knew how deeply he adored her.

You still remember it all too well. Two decades ago. The way he held Sarah’s lifeless body in his arms after she was shot, refusing to let go until you were lucky enough to find a cabin, a rare moment of luck amidst the chaos that day - the day hell broke loose on Earth.

He held her so tightly, like he was trying to stop time. With a slow, reluctant tenderness, he laid her on the unmade bed that once belonged to someone else, covered her as though she were still asleep, and left without saying a word to you or Tommy. And in that moment, a piece of him stayed behind, lingering in the stillness of that room.

Lately, though, things felt different. The more time you spent away from the QZ, trying to take Ellie to the fireflies ... he became softer around you, even more so around Ellie.

You could see how she was healing a part of him, the cracks in his heart starting to close, even if none of them were aware of it. But you were.

You've spent most of your life around Joel Miller. You knew him from the inside out. You never talked about how he's not affectionate with you anymore, not in the way he used to be before the outbreak.

You know he needs time and space, and you're ready to give him that, even if it meant slowly going crazy over it. You knew he hadn't fallen out of love with you; he made sure you knew that - whether it was giving you most of the food, making sure you had the warmest layer of clothes even if it meant him going without, or offering you what was left of his coffee grounds; and you know how much he loved coffee.

Even when words weren't there, his actions spoke louder, and you could feel the love in every small gesture, even if it was unspoken.

Your thoughts returned to Joel, as they often did, and how much he’d changed. How the man you’d once known - the one who had loved you so fiercely, despite the world falling apart - was slowly starting to resurface, little by little.

The crackling fire snapped, pulling you out of your thoughts. You glanced over at Joel, now starting to arrange the sleeping bag, his eyes distant yet soft, and his movements slow and deliberate as he gestured for you to get in. He gave you a nod, his eyes dark in the dim light.

You shook your head. “No, you go first,” you said with a small smirk. “You take up a lot more space than I do.”

He didn't argue. He nodded, listening to you without protest, and started climbing in, settling quickly. You followed, slipping in front of him, feeling the warmth of his body just behind you. You couldn't help but smile to yourself; it felt like nothing had changed, the familiar comfort of being close to him bringing back memories of the past. You shifted slightly, reminding yourself of how, more often than not, you used to be the little spoon.

"You alright?" his words bringing you back to the present. "Yeah," you replied softly. With that, he draped an arm over your hips, his hand gently resting against yours; the warmth of his touch grounding you.

It took you by surprise. His calloused hands were gentle, warm, reassuring you that he was still here, still the man who once held you close without hesitation.

You turned around to face him, your heart skipping a beat as you took in the soft glow of his face, illuminated by the faint light of the moon and the dying embers of the fire.

His features were more beautiful than ever; and without thinking, you leaned closer, your warm hands cupping his face gently. As your fingers brushed his skin, he closed his eyes, a quiet sigh escaping him.

Teary-eyed, your voice barely a whisper, the words coming out before you could stop them; "I missed you."

Joel’s gaze softened as he looked at you, his eyes lingering on your lips, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air between you. His heart raced, matching the rhythm of yours, as the distance between you both seemed to shrink. Slowly, ever so gently, his forehead touched yours, the warmth of his skin grounding you both. Closer than ever- physically, emotionally - like a puzzle piece fitting into place.

Your finger traced the outline of his lips, soft and tentative, as if asking for permission. It was all so delicate.

Then, with a breath that seemed to suspend time, you kissed him. Softly at first, gently, testing the waters, wondering how he would respond.

And then, he kissed you back. Not the tentative kiss you expected, but one full of depth, of yearning. It was slow, deliberate, as if he were pouring everything he had into that one moment—every ounce of love, every regret, every unspoken word. It was a kiss that spoke louder than any conversation ever could. This was enough. For you, it was enough.

When you finally pulled away, your eyes fluttered closed, both of you breathing in the silence, your hearts still racing but in sync.

Without a single word, without a need for more, you settled into each other’s arms, the unspoken understanding between you clear. And with that, you fell asleep, a quiet peace settling over you both.

[jewish-joy]

Let's write about Jewish characters in dynamic ways- that make it clear "Yes this is us. Yes, we are living our lives with this happiness and ritual, and we love it. "

Like it's so easy to write about, to have casual observances of Judaism and cultural practices be in the background of stories. I'll write of the few examples I can think of in my frame of reference as a college student-

there's a mezuza in the doorway of a college kid's apartment. Whenever his friends come over, it's a reach for some of them to touch it because both he and the rabbi who installed it are 6 foot three. The others feel like a middle school boy slapping the ceiling as they try and reach for the damn thing.

Characters rush on public transport to get to a rabbi's house on shabbat. The train is due. There's a flurry of regrouping, then trying to call a missing friend to get there, and then the process of methodically hiding Magen davids and jewish objects because getting to shabbat dinner without a situation was an order from college Hillel staff.

A character is half-drunk at 2 AM at the convenience store but has to scan the list of ingredients on their chemically disgusting snack for gelatin.

Said character is prevented by her friends from only sustaining herself on 7/11 slushees "even though it's all kosher!"

There are references to the Purim incident constantly- it is never clarified what happened on Purim.

the hypothetical gang of characters are in the middle of nowhere on a grand magical adventure. The main character notices a mezuza on a door of a cabin, knocks on it, and has an in-depth conversation with the resident. Then, he waves his friends over. "Hey, guys! We have a place to stay tonight!" Because through the magic of Jewish geography, it was discovered that the grumpy old Jewish man in the woods is the grand uncle of one of his Jewish Day school teachers

A character who eats cheesy bacon bagels regularly on passover has a deep respect for jewish ritual items. He kisses the siddurim as they're handed back into a pile, he always kisses his kippah that he wears for ritual purposes of shabbats and minions. He's very careful with these objects and keeps on claiming dropping something He is observant, and he cares so much, but not in the "typical" way. Just... please show the nuance in practice.

The big "going out night" for our fearless college student isn't Friday but saturday night because of shabbat.

The stain on the rabbi's couch is not to be mentioned

A character keeps on mentioning the stain anyway.

Jewish goodbyes after any event take a minimum of two hours and that's why the gang is delayed on their journey to save the world .

I want more representation than characters in novels saying "haha I'm jewish but eat bacon and love Christmas!" in such flat ways. Please feel free to add more hypothetical ways of representation in the comments !!! About or inspired by your own life and experiences ! Let's make this post vibrant!

[hexlenx]

Could you do more of Sergei? Or an alphabet? Plsss

A/N: absolutely! But the alphabet might take a while since I'm thinking of more headcannons for that. I'll do both fluff and nsfw alphabets for that since there isn't really a specific kind of alphabet so I hope you don't mind the slight delay!

PLANT LIFE — sergei kravinoff

note: I do not own sergei kravinoff or Aaron Taylor-Johnson even though I wish I could but only in my dreams, the only thing I own here is the plot which is very much random.

warning!: none 'cuz we fluffy today, pookie<3

__________________

Sergei never thought of having a life outside of violence when he grew up only knowing it. His family wasn't really the best and it was one of the reasons why he split off with them but alas, old habits die hard.

But then there was you. A ball of sunshine that barged into his life like when the sunlight rayed through his windows in his bedroom. You were a sudden gift that he didn't know he could have. All the teachings he learned from his life suddenly went out of the window the moment you flashed him a smile.

So here he was, in a grey t-shirt and black slacks leaning against the metal pole holding up the small tent you both fixed up for some of the plants you bought in the city. He was watching you tend to the vegetables you both started to grow in the last few months, courtesy of you convincing him that this would make your daily lives easier than just shopping for some food in the supermarket.

See, while you both live in deep in the woods. That doesn't mean that you both weren't able to adapt to the society, no. You both agreed that you can continue in this medieval life as well as in the modern society in harmony. While Sergei might not admit it, it did make it easier.

It was hot outside meaning it was time for you to water the plants before the sun dried it up. Standing up from your spot you walked towards the faucet on the wall of the back of the cabin. Your lover installed it in the moment he saw you struggling to get water from inside the kitchen to water your plants. You were grateful and gave him tons of kisses as thanks which made him swat you away gently. This caused you to giggle since you knew he was not used to affection, he only ever showed it to you and it made you fall in love with him more.

Filling up the tub full of water you began to carry the heavy object with your hands but it proved to be difficult as it was too heavy for you. Seeing this, Sergei shook his head in amusement as he continued to watch you. He really liked seeing you suffer from the smallest things.

Sighing, he began to make his way towards you before grabbing the tub from your hands and carrying it instead.

"You're weak." He mocked but there was no heat in it. You pouted before slapping his arm, not like it did any damage anyway.

"Well, sorry for being a woman I guess." You retorted in feign annoyance before making your way towards the farm with him following you.

This happened everytime you both spend time together. Bickering like an old married couple, tending to the plants behind your cabin, spending it walking around the forest, drinking coffee in the living room by the fireplace, spending heated nights together. It was peaceful and everything you both needed.

Never would have Sergei thought that having you in his life would bring this much peace in him. To the outside world, he was cruel, vicious, cold-hearted, and insane but to you he was a kind, warm, thoughtful and a very tentative lover. He was everything that you wanted and you were everything that he wanted as well.

Your laughter echoed behind the cabin as Sergei tackled you with his whole body being wet from the tub that you purposely pushed towards him. The water from his body soaking you up as well as his hands roamed around your waist. This tickled you as your waist was pretty sensitive and he knew that.

You were both now covered in dirt from your playfulness. Pausing to take a breather, you both then started to get lost in each other's eyes. Taking in each other's appearances even with how long you've been seeing each other, it still felt like it was the first time.

You beamed at him as you cupped his face into your hands making him smile slightly but it seemed to make you smile even more brightly than before if it was even possible. Just seeing his smile made you feel accomplished. You knew how much of a hard guy he is and seeing him melt because of you made you feel warm inside. The way he just gazes at you like you're the most important thing in the world, his touches making you feel like a masterpiece that should be cared for and the gifts he gives you made you feel like you were worth it.

It made your heart flutter everytime.

"We might need to water them now before it dries up even more from the sun." You said as you continued to examine his entire being and vice versa.

"I'm not the one who threw the water to the other, love." Sergei retorted as you giggled making him sigh quietly in content from hearing you laugh.

"You insulted me!"

"I only speak the truth."

"Blasphemy!" You gasped out dramatically as you hit him in the chest but he only smirked in amusement as it did no damage.

"But seriously, though—" you spoke out before getting cut off.

"The plants can handle being dry for a day but you, darling, do not."

[callsigns-haze]

-ˋˏ The weekend you came home ˎˊ-

This is a one-shot but could be read as a fic for what happened before -ˋˏ The week it all went south ˎˊ-

Pairing: Azriel x Rhysand's sister!reader

Years back when your mother and sister were alive you all had a dynamic. The boys would leave for training in the morning, your mother and sister would sew together while you would read. That's how it was for a very long while before everything happened. One weekend when you have to be at the cabin all alone Azriel fights for a weekend pass and you're glad he did because when you thought someone was breaking in it was just kittens and maybe those kittens are the official start of your relationship.

Warning: Fluff, cursing and mentions of cruel past.

Word count: 10.2k

500 Years Ago — The Illyrian Cabin

The fire crackled softly in the hearth, the scent of burning pine mixing with the delicate fragrance of fresh linen. Your mother sat at the small wooden table, her fingers deftly working a needle through a swath of fabric, her expression calm and focused. The rhythmic motion of her hands was something you had grown up watching, something that had always made you feel at home.

Beside her, Kaia was muttering under her breath as she helped sew, her frustration evident in the way she kept glancing at you.

"You’re useless," Kaia finally huffed, yanking the thread through the fabric with more force than necessary. "Sitting there like some pampered noble, reading your books while we actually work."

You didn’t even glance up from the pages of your novel, leisurely turning another page. "I am working," you murmured.

Kaia scoffed. "Oh, please. How exactly does reading some dusty old book help the family?"

"Knowledge is power," you replied, smirking slightly. "Unlike you, I plan on using my brain to get out of this place one day."

Kaia gasped in mock offense. "Are you calling me stupid?"

"I didn’t say it literally."

Your mother clicked her tongue, not even pausing in her work. "Both of you, stop your bickering," she said. "Kaia, let your sister be. And you," she glanced at you meaningfully, "perhaps you could take a break from your books and help with something."

You groaned, slumping further into your chair. "Mother—"

"No ‘mothering’ me," she interrupted smoothly, reaching for another spool of thread. "You can at least prepare the tea."

You sighed dramatically but set your book aside, standing and stretching before making your way toward the small kitchen space. The floor creaked beneath your feet as you moved, the old wood worn down by years of footsteps.

Outside, the winds howled through the mountains, rattling against the cabin walls. The Illyrian war camps were far enough away that you couldn’t see them from here, but you knew exactly where Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel were right now—training until exhaustion, getting tossed around by the warlords, covered in bruises and dirt.

They’d be home tonight.

You bit the inside of your cheek at the thought, pushing it aside as you focused on preparing the tea.

Kaia, meanwhile, kept complaining. "I swear, it’s like you’re allergic to actual work," she muttered.

You rolled your eyes, pouring hot water over the leaves. "And yet, I don’t hear you complaining when I help with strategy meetings with Rhys," you shot back. "Or when I make sure you don’t get scolded for sneaking off to see that boy from the next village."

Kaia’s cheeks flushed. "That is not—"

Your mother just sighed. "Cauldron save me from daughters who can’t go five minutes without arguing."

You and Kaia exchanged glances before bursting into quiet laughter. Your mother tried to look stern, but you could see the flicker of amusement in her eyes as well.

The cabin smelled like fresh fabric, tea, and the lingering traces of the lavender sachets your mother always tucked into the linens. It was small, but it was home. And tonight, the boys would be back—bruised, hungry, and full of stories from the camps.

For now, though, it was just the three of you, the hum of needle and thread weaving its way through the quiet.

You leaned against the wooden counter, watching the tea leaves swirl in the hot water as a smirk tugged at your lips. "I think knowledge will get me further than pricked fingers," you mused, glancing at Kaia.

She let out an exaggerated gasp, pressing a hand to her chest as if you had mortally wounded her. "Oh, so now you're insulting mother’s work, too? The audacity!"

Your mother didn’t even look up from her sewing. "You do have a sharp tongue, my love," she said, amusement lacing her voice.

"I prefer to call it intelligence," you replied smoothly, lifting the teapot and setting out the cups.

Kaia rolled her eyes. "And yet, for all your ‘intelligence,’ you still don’t know how to stitch a straight line."

"Because I have you to do it for me," you said sweetly, handing her a cup of tea.

She groaned, but took it anyway. "One day, you're going to regret not learning these skills."

You shrugged, taking a sip of your own tea. "Maybe. But I’d rather outthink my enemies than stab them with a needle."

Your mother chuckled under her breath, shaking her head as she continued her work.

Kaia huffed, setting her sewing down just long enough to shoot you a pointed look. “Outthink your enemies? What, you plan to sit them down and bore them to death with all those books you hoard?”

You smirked behind your teacup. “It’s a solid strategy. Imagine it: I hit them with the full history of Prythian’s trade routes, throw in some political theory, maybe a bit of philosophy—”

Kaia groaned loudly, slumping against the table. “Mother, please, make her stop.”

Your mother only chuckled, her fingers deftly working through the fabric she was stitching. “Your sister has a point, Kaia. A sharp mind will take her far.”

Kaia scoffed. “So will a sharp blade.”

You hummed, flipping a page in your book. “Why not both?”

She narrowed her eyes, studying you like you were some difficult puzzle she couldn’t quite solve. “You’re really never going to learn how to sew, are you?”

“Not if I can help it.”

Your mother sighed, though there was no true disappointment in it. “At least try to learn a few stitches, love. I won’t always be here to mend your clothes.”

The thought of a world without her sent a pang through your chest, but you masked it with a light shrug. “I’ll figure it out.”

Kaia grinned. “Or you’ll find yourself a mate who’s good with a needle.”

You made a face. “If I ever meet someone who enjoys sewing, I’ll know the Cauldron made a mistake.”

Your mother only smiled knowingly, the same way she always did when she sensed things you couldn’t yet understand.

Kaia rolled her eyes and flicked a bit of thread at you. “You’ll regret that when you’re out in the wilds with a torn tunic and no way to fix it.”

You waved a dismissive hand, eyes still on your book. “I’ll just make Rhysie do it.”

Kaia scoffed. “Rhys? Our future High Lord? You think he’s going to sit there and stitch up your clothes like some dutiful little seamstress?”

You smirked, finally glancing up. “If I’m cold and miserable enough, he might.”

Your mother chuckled softly at that, shaking her head as she continued working. “That boy would do anything for you.”

Kaia sighed dramatically. “It’s disgusting, really.”

“You're just jelly that I'm his favourite sister.”

You just grinned, but before you could come up with a proper retort, the front door creaked open, a gust of cold wind blowing into the cabin.

Cassian and Azriel stepped inside first, shaking snow from their wings and stamping off their boots. Rhys followed right after, rubbing his hands together for warmth.

“Mother above,” Cassian groaned. “It’s freezing out there.”

Azriel just huffed, pulling off his gloves. “It’s winter, Cassian. That tends to happen.”

Rhys, though, barely looked at them. His violet eyes landed on you immediately, a slow, familiar smirk curling his lips. “What? No warm welcome for your favourite brother?”

Kaia let out a sharp laugh. “Favourite? Please. I’d sooner claim Cassian.”

Cassian grinned. “I do have my charms.”

You ignored them, tilting your head as you met Rhys’s gaze. “You’re late.”

He shrugged, unbothered. “We were training.”

You set your book down, eyeing the bruises forming on his knuckles. “So I see.”

Azriel, ever the quiet observer, watched you closely, his hazel eyes flickering between you and Rhys as if reading something neither of you had spoken aloud. You met his gaze for just a moment before looking away.

Rhys stretched out his wings, rolling his shoulders. “Mother, that smells good.” He walked over to the hearth, inhaling deeply. “Did you make enough for an army?”

Your mother smiled, giving him a fond look. “I made enough for three very hungry Illyrians, yes.”

Cassian beamed. “Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?”

Kaia groaned. “Can you three at least clean up first? You smell like sweat and regret.”

Azriel shot her a look, but Rhys just grinned, ruffling your hair as he passed. “Don’t worry, dearest sister. We’ll be on our best behaviour.”

You highly doubted that.

As soon as Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel disappeared down the hall to clean up, Kaia let out an exaggerated groan and flopped dramatically against the back of her chair. “I swear, between the three of them, we’ll never have a moment of peace.”

You smirked, picking your book back up. “You say that like they don’t make life more entertaining.”

Kaia rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure. Nothing’s more entertaining than sweaty Illyrians stomping in here like wild animals.”

Your mother chuckled softly, finishing the last few stitches in the fabric she was working on. “They’re boys. And Illyrians at that. What do you expect?”

Kaia made a face, but before she could reply, the sound of heavy footsteps returned, and soon enough, the three of them emerged from the back rooms, hair still damp but looking slightly more presentable.

Cassian flopped into the chair across from Kaia, stretching his arms behind his head. “So, what’s for dinner?”

Kaia smacked his arm. “You could at least help set the table first.”

Cassian pouted but stood, dramatically grabbing some plates while Rhys just rolled his eyes. Azriel, as usual, remained quiet, though his gaze drifted to you once again as he moved to help your mother.

You ignored the look, flipping a page in your book. But before you could focus, Rhys plopped down beside you, draping an arm over the back of your chair. “Still burying yourself in books, I see.”

You didn’t even glance up. “Still getting your ass handed to you in training, I see.”

Cassian burst out laughing while Azriel smirked faintly.

Rhys gasped in mock offense. “Excuse me? I’ll have you know I—”

“You lost to Devlon today,” Azriel cut in smoothly, grabbing a set of utensils.

Cassian cackled. “Oh, that’s right! I almost forgot about that.”

Rhys scowled. “That was a fluke.”

You finally looked up at him, raising a brow. “A fluke, huh?”

Rhys huffed. “Yes. A fluke.”

Kaia snickered. “Right. And Cassian actually thinks before speaking.”

Cassian gaped. “Hey! I do think before speaking.”

Azriel muttered, “Not often.”

Cassian turned his glare to him, but Azriel only shrugged, completely unbothered.

You laughed, shaking your head as you closed your book. Rhys watched you for a moment, his smirk softening into something almost thoughtful.

“What?” you asked, narrowing your eyes at him.

He just smiled. “Nothing.”

But something in his gaze told you he was thinking about something. Something important.

Before you could press him on it, your mother clapped her hands. “Enough bickering. Sit down. Eat.”

The group grumbled but obeyed, falling into their usual places at the table.

And for that brief moment, everything felt perfect.

Dinner was its usual lively affair, filled with Cassian’s booming laughter, Kaia’s sharp remarks, and Rhysand’s ever-present smirk as he baited anyone within reach. Azriel, as always, remained mostly quiet, but his occasional remarks cut sharper than any blade.

Your mother, ever the calm presence among the chaos, waited until the plates were nearly cleared before setting down her utensils and glancing between you and Rhys. “Kaia and I will be going back to Velaris this weekend,” she announced, her voice even. “Your father wishes to see us.”

You looked up from your plate, brows furrowing. “Both of you?”

Kaia nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes. And before you start, it wasn’t my idea. He actually asked.”

That had you pausing. Your father—requesting their presence? That was… rare.

Rhys, sitting beside you, leaned back in his chair, twirling his goblet between his fingers. “How long?”

“Just the weekend,” your mother said. “We’ll be back Sunday night.”

Rhys nodded slowly, but you could see the gears turning in his head. “And Y/N?”

Your mother glanced at you. “You’ll stay here.”

Your frown deepened. “Alone?”

“Well, Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel have training all weekend,” your mother reasoned. “You’ll manage.”

Cassian grinned. “You scared to be all by yourself, Y/N?”

You rolled your eyes. “Please. I’d probably enjoy the quiet without you three stomping around like wild beasts.”

Azriel smirked faintly, but Rhys didn’t look as amused. His violet eyes flickered to your mother. “Are you sure?”

Your mother gave him a pointed look. “She’s more than capable, Rhysand.”

You crossed your arms, raising a brow at your brother. “Do you doubt me, dear brother?”

Rhys sighed, rubbing his temple. “No, but—”

“No buts,” your mother cut in. “Y/N will be fine. And the three of you will be too busy getting your asses kicked in training to even notice.”

Cassian snorted. “That’s fair.”

You leaned back in your chair, pretending to consider. “A weekend to myself… no Cassian yelling, no Rhys brooding, no Azriel sneaking around like a shadowy menace. Oh my cauldron and no Kaia! Sounds peaceful.”

Azriel arched a brow, his voice smooth. “You’ll miss us.”

You huffed. “Doubtful.”

Rhys sighed again, but he didn’t argue further. “Fine. But if anything happens—”

“I’ll be fine, Rhys,” you said, exasperated. “It’s two days. Not a lifetime.”

Your mother nodded in approval. “Good. Now eat before the food gets cold.”

And just like that, the conversation shifted, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that Rhys still wasn’t entirely on board with the idea.

-----

The next morning, your mother and Kaia were already packing their things, preparing to leave for Velaris. You stood in the doorway, watching as Kaia fussed over which dresses to bring, her nose wrinkling at a pale blue one your mother held up.

“Not that one,” Kaia said flatly. “It makes me look washed out.”

Your mother sighed but folded it into her bag anyway. “It’s just for two days.”

Kaia groaned. “Two days with father.”

You didn’t comment, but the thought sat heavy in your mind. Your father requesting them was strange—almost unsettling—but you pushed the feeling down.

Rhysand was still brooding about the whole situation, watching from across the room with crossed arms. He had already changed into his training leathers, ready to head to the camps with Cassian and Azriel.

“You could always just come with us,” Rhys murmured when your mother left the room for a moment.

You shot him a look. “And do what? Watch you three beat the hell out of each other? No, thanks.”

Cassian grinned as he passed by, throwing an arm around you briefly before heading toward the door. “It wouldn’t hurt to learn a few things, you know.”

“I know plenty,” you countered, stepping out from under his hold. “Like how to read a book instead of getting hit in the face.”

Azriel smirked slightly from where he stood by the door, sharpening a dagger. “Books won’t help in a fight.”

“Then you've never got hit in the head with one but in fairness neither will your brooding, but here we are,” you shot back.

Cassian let out a loud laugh as Azriel just shook his head, tucking the dagger away.

Your mother returned, brushing her hands together. “Alright, we should get going.”

Kaia sighed dramatically but grabbed her bag. “If I don’t make it back, tell father it was his fault.”

Your mother swatted her arm lightly before turning to you. “Be good, Y/N.”

You smirked. “Never.”

Rhys, still looking less than pleased, pulled your mother in for a quick hug, then gave Kaia a long-suffering look. “Don’t kill each other.”

“No promises,” Kaia quipped before stepping outside.

Your mother gave Rhys one last pat on the cheek before following, and just like that, they were gone, winnowing to Velaris.

You exhaled, stretching your arms over your head. “Well. Looks like it’s just me.”

Rhys gave you another once-over, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Stay inside at night,” he warned. “If anything happens, send a message.”

“Yes, Mother,” you droned.

Cassian chuckled. “She’ll be fine, Rhys. Let’s go before Devlon loses his mind waiting for us.”

Rhys gave you one last look before sighing and stepping toward the door. Azriel lingered a moment longer, his hazel eyes flickering to you.

“If anything happens—”

“I know, I know,” you interrupted. “I’ll call for my big, scary warriors to save me.”

Azriel just shook his head slightly, but you could see the amusement in his gaze before he turned and left.

And then, the cabin was quiet.

Finally.

The silence in the cabin was strange. Not unwelcome, but strange.

You were used to noise—your mother’s soft humming as she sewed, Kaia’s endless complaints about one thing or another, Rhys and the others coming and going from training. But now, with them all gone, it was just you.

You stood in the middle of the small kitchen for a moment, staring at the now-empty space where your mother and sister had been just minutes ago. Then, with a sigh, you turned and grabbed the book you had been reading earlier, settling into one of the chairs near the fireplace.

The hours passed in comfortable solitude. You read, made yourself something to eat, and even went outside for a while, letting the cool mountain air fill your lungs. The Illyrian camps were too far to hear, but you could picture what Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel were doing—sweating, fighting, grumbling about their trainers.

You rolled your eyes just thinking about it.

By nightfall, you had lit a few candles, keeping the cabin warm against the evening chill. You weren’t scared of being alone, but there was something about the stillness that made the space feel bigger.

Then, a sound.

You froze, book halfway open in your lap.

It had come from outside.

Slowly, you set the book down and stood, listening.

Nothing.

Probably an animal, you told yourself. A fox, maybe. Or a bird settling into a tree for the night.

Still, you walked to the door and carefully slid the bolt into place. Just in case.

Then, shaking your head at your own paranoia, you turned back to the fireplace and sat down.

You were fine.

Everything was fine...

Your heart pounded, listening to the silence stretch on. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was just the wind or a wild animal passing through.

But your gut twisted.

Azriel always told you to trust your instincts.

Without hesitation, you bolted down the hall, bare feet silent against the wooden floor. You went straight to Azriel’s room, moving with practiced ease. He had shown you where he kept his blades—“Just in case,” he had said, his hazel eyes serious.

You dropped to your knees beside his bed, reaching under the wooden frame until your fingers brushed cool steel. You pulled the dagger free, gripping the hilt tightly.

The weight of it was reassuring.

The door creaked behind you, the wind shifting through the cracks in the cabin. You inhaled sharply, steadying yourself, before standing and turning back toward the main room.

You tightened your grip on the dagger as you crept back down the hallway, pressing your back against the wooden walls to keep your footsteps silent. The flickering candlelight from the hearth cast shifting shadows across the cabin, making your pulse hammer even harder.

The front door was still shut. The windows locked. But something felt off.

You took a deep breath, listening.

Nothing.

Then—

A sound. Faint. Almost imperceptible.

The softest creak of wood outside the cabin, like a footstep trying too hard to be silent.

Your stomach dropped.

You swallowed hard, adjusting the dagger in your palm. If someone was out there, they weren’t moving anymore. Maybe they knew you had heard them.

You exhaled slowly and backed toward the kitchen, reaching for the second knife Azriel always kept in the drawer. Just in case.

Just as your fingers closed around the hilt, the front door handle rattled.

The door swung open, and before you could think, you moved. Instinct and fear collided as you lunged forward, dagger raised, your heart hammering in your chest.

But then—

“Cauldron damn it, Y/N!”

Azriel’s voice.

You barely stopped yourself in time, your arm jerking mid-air as recognition slammed into you. He had jumped back, his own hand flying toward his belt, likely reaching for a dagger of his own before he realized it was you.

You both stood there, breathless, frozen in place. His hazel eyes were wide, flickering between you and the blade in your grip. His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths, his wings slightly flared as if he’d been prepared to counter an attack.

“What the fuck?” he breathed, voice low and sharp.

You swallowed hard, still gripping the dagger tight. Your entire body was trembling with the leftover rush of adrenaline.

“You scared the shit out of me,” you managed to choke out, your voice rasping from fear and exertion.

Azriel let out a slow exhale, running a scarred hand through his damp hair. His training leathers were still on, slightly dusted with dirt, as if he had just come from sparring.

“You were about to stab me.” His voice was still edged with tension, but his brows furrowed as he studied you. “Why the hell are you standing in the middle of the cabin armed like you’re about to go to war?”

You let out a shaky breath, finally lowering the dagger. “I heard something,” you admitted, your voice quieter now. “Someone outside.”

Azriel’s expression hardened instantly. His instincts—honed by years in the camps, sharpened by battle and blood—flared to life. His wings tucked in, his shoulders straightening as his gaze flicked toward the door behind him.

“How long ago?” he asked, voice all business now.

You swallowed again. “Just before you came in. I thought—” You shook your head, gripping the dagger tighter again. “I thought someone was trying to break in.”

Azriel’s jaw clenched. His shadows curled subtly around him, shifting with his thoughts. He stepped closer, his free hand reaching out as if to steady you.

“I’ll check it out,” he said firmly, voice like steel. “Stay here.”

Your grip on the dagger was still tight as Azriel moved past you, but before he reached the door, you found your voice.

"Why the hell are you here?" you demanded, still slightly breathless. "You were supposed to be in the camps all weekend."

Azriel paused, glancing over his shoulder at you. His hazel eyes were still sharp, assessing, but there was something else there—something almost sheepish. He ran a hand through his hair again before exhaling through his nose.

"I fought for a weekend pass," he admitted, voice quieter now. "Didn’t feel right leaving you alone out here."

Your heart skipped a beat, though you tried not to show it. Instead, you scoffed, crossing your arms over your chest. "Rhys is going to be pissed."

Azriel gave a half-shrug, already moving toward the door again. "Let him be." Then, his voice dropped into something more serious as he reached for the handle. "Stay inside. Lock the door behind me."

And before you could argue, he slipped outside, shadows curling around him as he disappeared into the night.

The moment Azriel stepped outside, you wasted no time. Your hands were still slightly shaking from the rush of adrenaline, but you turned the lock with a sharp click, securing the door behind him.

You pressed your back against the wooden frame, gripping the dagger tightly in your hand as you listened to the quiet. The wind whispered through the trees outside, the sounds of the forest unchanged, but your heart was still pounding.

You hated this feeling. The unease of being alone. Of knowing there was no one else here except you—and whatever Azriel was searching for out there.

Swallowing, you forced yourself to move away from the door. You placed the dagger on the small table by the fireplace but kept it within reach. Just in case.

And then, you waited.

Seven minutes. That’s all it had been since you locked the door behind Azriel, but it felt like an eternity. You had barely moved from your spot, ears straining for any sound from outside. When the knocking finally came, it wasn’t forceful or rushed—it was deliberate. A pattern only you and Azriel knew.

Tap. Tap. Pause. Tap-tap.

Your breath hitched in relief. You rushed to unlock the door, but as soon as you pulled it open, whatever words you had prepared to scold him for scaring you died on your lips.

Azriel stood there, snow dusting his dark hair and leathers, his cheeks flushed red from the cold. But it wasn’t just him.

Cradled in his scarred hands, wrapped carefully in the fabric of his cloak, were two tiny creatures—kittens, barely more than lumps of fur, shivering and covered in clumps of ice. Their pitiful mewls were barely audible, their small bodies trembling from the cold.

“They were scratching around outside,” Azriel murmured, stepping past you and into the warmth of the cabin. Snow melted instantly onto the wooden floors, but he didn’t seem to care. His focus was entirely on the fragile little creatures in his grasp.

You blinked, still processing the sight before you. “Kittens?”

Azriel nodded, his wings tucking in slightly as he crouched down by the fire. He carefully unwrapped them, revealing their tiny bodies. One was black as night, save for a single white patch on its tiny chest. The other was a dusty grey, its fur speckled with damp snowflakes.

“They wouldn’t have survived the night out there,” he continued, voice softer now, as if speaking too loud would frighten them.

You dropped to your knees beside him, watching as he gently rubbed the kittens with the edge of his cloak, trying to dry them off. Their little eyes were barely open, their ears still too large for their heads. Helpless.

And yet, they’d been fighting. Scratching at the cold, trying to survive.

Your throat tightened.

Azriel, kneeling in front of the fire, his strong, battle-worn hands delicately handling the smallest, most fragile things you’d ever seen—it did something to you.

“You—” You cleared your throat, suddenly overwhelmed. “You really found them just now?”

He nodded again, shifting slightly so that the fire’s heat would reach them better. “Heard them crying. Took me a minute to find them.”

The thought of Azriel searching through the snow, kneeling in the ice and cold for something this small—this insignificant in the grand scheme of war and training and power—made your chest ache.

Without thinking, you reached out, gently touching the damp fur of the black kitten. It let out the tiniest squeak in response.

Azriel glanced at you then, watching the way your fingers stroked down the kitten’s back. His lips twitched, something softer overtaking his expression. “We should keep them warm,” he murmured, like he’d already decided you were keeping them.

You huffed, shaking your head with a small smile. “You’re unbelievable.”

But you didn’t argue. Instead, you got up to find blankets, already thinking of names.

Azriel’s low, warm laugh filled the cabin as he glanced over at the two daggers you had laid out on the table—the very ones you had yanked from his hidden stash the moment you thought something was breaking into the cabin.

“All that over two kittens?” he mused, shaking his head as he carefully adjusted them closer to the fire. The black one gave a tiny sneeze.

You crossed your arms, huffing. “I thought someone was trying to kill me, Az.”

His wings twitched as he fought back another laugh, his hazel eyes glinting with amusement. “So your first instinct was to dual-wield my daggers?”

“Yes!” You gestured toward the weapons. “Because I thought I was alone! What was I supposed to do? Politely ask an intruder to leave?”

Azriel’s lips curved into something smug. “And now those daggers are protecting two kittens.”

You scowled, but there was no real heat in it. “I hate you.”

He chuckled, settling onto the floor with the tiny bundles of fur still cradled in his cloak. “No, you don’t.” He rubbed a careful finger behind the grey kitten’s ear, his voice turning softer. “You’re going to love them just as much as I do.”

You sighed, glancing between him, the kittens, and the daggers. Muttering under your breath, you scooped up the weapons and returned them to their hiding place. “Next time, I’m stabbing first and asking questions later.”

Azriel just laughed again, shaking his head. “Sure you will.”

With a huff, you turned on your heel and strode toward your bedroom, muttering under your breath about insufferable Illyrians and their stupid smug faces. Azriel’s quiet chuckle followed you as you yanked open your door.

Your room was dimly lit by the fading embers in the hearth, the cool night air slipping through the wooden walls of the cabin. You made your way to the small chest at the foot of your bed, lifting the lid and rummaging through the neatly folded blankets inside.

Soft, thick wool met your fingers first, the one your mother had woven for you last winter. It would be warm, but you hesitated, thinking about the two tiny, soaked creatures shivering in Azriel’s cloak. You needed something softer, gentler.

You pulled out an old flannel blanket instead, the fabric worn from years of use. It had been yours since you were a child, the one Rhys used to tease you for carrying everywhere. It was warm, soft—perfect.

Still, you grabbed a second, heavier one for good measure before making your way back to the sitting room.

Azriel was right where you’d left him, kneeling in front of the fire, his scarred hands carefully adjusting the tiny kittens nestled in his cloak. They looked even smaller now, their thin, damp fur clinging to their frail bodies.

Wordlessly, you handed him the blankets. His fingers brushed yours as he took them, a silent exchange, a quiet understanding.

“You’re a good liar,” he murmured as he spread the softer blanket out before placing the kittens on it.

You frowned. “What?”

Azriel glanced up, amusement flickering in his hazel eyes. “You say you hate me, but here you are, bringing them blankets.”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, you dropped onto the floor beside him, watching as he carefully tucked the second blanket over the kittens.

“Shut up, Az,” you muttered, but you reached out anyway, gently brushing a finger over the gray kitten’s tiny head.

You scoffed, rolling your eyes as you pulled the second blanket tighter around the kittens. “This has nothing to do with you,” you muttered. “It’s about them.”

Azriel raised a brow, settling back on his heels as he watched you fuss over the tiny creatures. “Oh?” he drawled, amusement lacing his tone.

You shot him a look, gently stroking the damp fur of the black kitten. “They’re helpless. Alone. No one looking out for them.” Your voice was quieter now, the words coming almost absentmindedly as you focused on the small, fragile bodies curled into the blanket. “If I left them out there, they wouldn’t have made it through the night.”

Azriel was silent for a moment. Then, softer than before, he murmured, “I know what that’s like.”

Your fingers stilled against the kitten’s fur, your breath catching slightly. You swallowed, blinking at the firelight flickering against the wooden floorboards.

“Yeah,” you whispered. “I know you do.”

You frowned down at the tiny, shivering kittens, your fingers still smoothing over their damp fur. “What the hell am I even supposed to feed them?” you muttered, glancing up at Azriel.

He blinked at you, clearly caught off guard. “Uh… milk?”

You rolled your eyes. “Brilliant, Shadowsinger. And how do you suppose I get it into their mouths?”

Azriel scratched the back of his neck, looking vaguely uncomfortable. “I don’t know—drip it in?”

You let out a huff, shaking your head. “We don’t exactly have tiny spoons lying around.”

Azriel glanced toward the kitchen, brows furrowing. “Maybe a cloth? Like, soak it and let them suck on it?”

You paused, considering it. “That… might actually work.”

He smirked, looking far too proud of himself. “See? I’m more than just a pretty face.”

You snorted, getting to your feet. “Debatable.”

Azriel just chuckled as you made your way to the kitchen, already muttering about warming the milk and finding a clean cloth.

Azriel stayed seated on the floor, his wings tucked close as he gently rubbed the kittens with the corner of a blanket, trying to dry them off. The tiny creatures trembled in his hands, their small bodies barely bigger than his palms. He frowned, his scarred fingers careful as he tucked them closer to the warmth.

You returned a few moments later with a small bowl of warm milk and a clean scrap of cloth. Kneeling beside him, you dipped the fabric into the milk, letting it soak before bringing it toward the first kitten’s tiny mouth.

“Come on, little one,” you murmured, voice softer than you meant it to be. The kitten sniffed hesitantly before its tiny tongue flicked out, lapping at the damp cloth.

Azriel exhaled, shoulders relaxing slightly. “It’s working.”

You nudged him playfully. “Told you.”

He smirked, shaking his head. “That was my idea.”

You ignored him, focusing on feeding the second kitten. This one took a bit longer, weakly turning its head before finally accepting the milk. Azriel watched the entire time, an unreadable expression on his face.

“You’re good at this,” he murmured.

You arched a brow at him. “What, keeping helpless creatures alive?”

His smirk faded, something more serious lingering in his hazel eyes. “Yeah.”

Your stomach twisted at the weight of his gaze, but you pushed it aside, focusing back on the kittens. “Well, let’s hope they make it through the night.”

Azriel nodded, but as you worked together to keep them warm and fed, you swore you felt his attention linger on you a little longer than necessary.

As the kittens curled up in the blankets, finally warm and fed, you leaned back against the wooden floor, watching them with a soft expression. Azriel, still crouched beside them, absentmindedly stroked one with the tip of his finger, his wings slightly flared to keep the warmth trapped around them.

You tilted your head, studying him. “So… you fought for a weekend pass?”

Azriel didn’t look at you right away. He kept his focus on the kittens, his jaw tightening slightly before he nodded. “Yeah.”

Your eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why fight for it?” You crossed your arms, leaning in slightly. “Rhys and Cassian couldn’t.”

Azriel let out a quiet huff, finally meeting your gaze. “I fought for it because I could.”

You gave him a flat look. “That’s not an answer.”

He sighed, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of the question. “I don’t know,” he admitted after a moment. “Something felt… off. Like I needed to be here.”

You stared at him, something tightening in your chest. It was ridiculous—there was no way he could’ve known anything was wrong before he left the camps. And yet…

“You’re lucky,” you muttered, looking away. “I might’ve stabbed you on instinct when you walked in.”

Azriel huffed a quiet laugh. “Wouldn’t be the first time someone’s tried.”

You glanced at him, a small smirk tugging at your lips. “Yeah, well, I would’ve gotten away with it.”

His eyes glinted with amusement. “Doubtful.”

You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in his expression lingered. And despite everything, for the first time all night, you didn’t feel so alone.

Azriel leaned back against the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him. The fire crackled, casting warm light over the small space as the two of you sat in silence, watching the kittens squirm closer together in the blankets.

You fiddled with a loose thread on your sleeve before finally speaking. “So… what did you tell the commander?”

Azriel glanced at you, raising a brow. “For the pass?”

You nodded.

He hesitated for a moment, then smirked slightly. “Told him I had unfinished business in the mountains and he let me fight for it.”

You frowned. “That’s it?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think he cared enough to question me.”

You snorted. “Must be nice to get away with anything just because you can brood well.”

Azriel chuckled under his breath. “It’s a talent.”

You rolled your eyes but found yourself smiling despite everything. Silence settled again, comfortable this time, as you watched the kittens shift in their sleep. You still weren’t sure what to do with them, but at least they were safe for now.

After a few moments, Azriel spoke again, voice quieter this time. “I meant it, you know.”

You glanced at him, brow furrowed. “Meant what?”

“That something felt wrong.” His golden eyes flickered to yours, serious now. “Like I was supposed to be here.”

Your throat tightened slightly, and you looked away. You didn’t know how to respond to that—not without acknowledging the strange comfort that had settled in your chest the moment he’d walked through the door.

Instead, you nudged one of the kittens with a finger, watching as it stirred slightly. “Well,” you said after a moment, keeping your tone light, “good thing you showed up when you did.”

Azriel hummed. “Yeah. Good thing.”

And for the first time that night, you believed it.

Azriel’s gaze flickered to the small table near the couch, where your book lay open, the spine barely holding together from how often you’d read it. He reached for it, careful not to smudge the ink with the faint traces of snow still melting from his gloves.

“You were reading?” he asked, his voice almost teasing.

You scoffed. “What else would I be doing?”

He hummed, flipping the page absentmindedly. “Hiding weapons, apparently.”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, you watched as his fingers traced the lines of text, his brow furrowing slightly as he read a passage.

“You always read this one,” he murmured.

You hesitated before answering. “It’s a good book.”

Azriel glanced at you, tilting his head. “It’s about a warrior.”

You shrugged. “So?”

“So, I thought you preferred stories about scholars.”

You sighed, pulling the blanket tighter around the kittens. “Maybe I like both.”

Azriel smirked but didn’t push further. He turned his attention back to the book, scanning another passage before finally closing it and setting it aside.

“You never finish it,” he noted.

You swallowed. “I already know how it ends.”

His gaze lingered on you for a moment before he nodded, as if he understood exactly what you meant. Then, without another word, he leaned back into the couch, letting the firelight flicker between you.

Azriel leaned back against the couch, arms resting loosely over his knees as he watched you. His hazel eyes flickered with something unreadable in the dim firelight. After a moment, he nodded toward the book still sitting on the table.

"Tell me about it," he said.

You glanced at him, surprised. "You want me to explain the book to you?"

He shrugged. "You read it enough times. Must mean something to you."

You hesitated, running your fingers over the frayed edges of the blanket wrapped around the kittens. You weren’t sure why it mattered, why he cared. But there was something in the way he looked at you—expectant, patient—that made you want to answer.

"It's about a warrior," you started, shifting slightly to face him more. "But not the kind everyone respects. He's—" You stopped, choosing your words carefully. "He's underestimated. Always overlooked. But he never stops fighting."

Azriel's expression didn't change, but his eyes sharpened. "Fighting for what?"

"For himself," you said softly. "For a place in the world."

A long silence stretched between you, broken only by the occasional crackle of the fire. Azriel’s gaze stayed on you, unreadable, but there was something there—something knowing.

Finally, he said, “Sounds like someone I know.”

You scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

A rare smirk tugged at his lips, but it faded just as quickly. “That’s not what I meant.” His voice had lost its teasing edge. “I meant you.”

Your breath caught slightly, but you masked it with a scoff, shaking your head. “I don’t have anything to fight for.”

Azriel’s eyes darkened. “That’s a lie.”

You didn’t answer. Couldn’t. Instead, you reached for the book and held it up between you. "Want me to keep going, or are you just going to sit there and psychoanalyze me?"

His smirk returned, softer this time. "Both."

You rolled your eyes but opened the book anyway. And as you read, Azriel sat quietly, listening—not just to the story, but to you.

You read aloud, your voice soft in the quiet of the cabin, the firelight flickering against the walls. The kittens stirred slightly in their blanket, one of them letting out a tiny sigh as it nestled closer to the warmth. Azriel remained where he was, eyes trained on you, though his expression had relaxed into something almost peaceful.

After a while, you glanced up at him. "You’re actually listening?"

His lips quirked. "You sound surprised."

You snorted. "You never sit still long enough for a story."

Azriel shrugged, shifting slightly but making no move to leave. "I like the way you tell it."

You blinked at him, caught off guard by the quiet sincerity in his tone. A warmth spread through your chest, unexpected and unfamiliar. You swallowed it down, rolling your eyes as you turned back to the book.

“Alright, Shadowsinger. Try to keep up.”

You kept reading, and he kept listening, and for the first time in a long while, the cabin didn’t feel quite so empty.

The fire crackled as you continued reading, the warmth of the cabin pressing in around you both. Azriel shifted, resting his forearms on his knees as he listened, his eyes half-lidded but focused. You weren’t sure if he was actually interested in the story or if he was just content to sit here with you, but he hadn’t moved an inch since you’d started.

The kittens stirred again, one of them attempting to crawl onto Azriel’s lap. Without hesitation, he scooped the tiny creature up in his scarred hands, his touch surprisingly gentle as he tucked it back into the blankets. The sight of him—lethal, quiet Azriel cradling something so small—made something twist in your chest.

"You should sleep," he murmured after a while, breaking the silence.

You huffed a laugh. "You’re the one who’s been running around in the snow all night. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?"

Azriel smirked. "I’ve had worse nights."

You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, you closed the book, setting it aside before leaning back against the couch. "Fine. But you’re stuck with these two now," you said, nodding toward the kittens.

He glanced at them, still curled up in their little blanket nest. "Guess that makes us their parents now."

You snorted. "Terrifying thought."

Azriel only chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back, his wings shifting slightly. The firelight flickered over Azriel’s face as he watched the kittens, his expression unreadable. You shifted slightly, pulling the blankets tighter around them, making sure they were warm. The little creatures had barely stopped shivering since he found them, but now, tucked between the two of you, they were finally settling.

Azriel reached out absently, his fingers brushing over one of their tiny ears. “They’re so small,” he murmured.

You huffed. “That’s usually how kittens work.”

His lips quirked, but his hazel eyes remained distant, thoughtful. You recognized that look—the one that meant he was somewhere else in his mind, somewhere darker.

You nudged him lightly with your foot. “Where’d you go?”

Azriel blinked, snapping out of whatever thoughts had stolen him away. “Nowhere.”

“Liar.”

His jaw tightened for a fraction of a second before he exhaled through his nose. “I was just thinking.”

You didn’t push, waiting instead. That was always how it worked with Azriel—if you waited long enough, he’d let you in.

After a pause, he said quietly, “They would’ve died out there.”

You swallowed, understanding now. It wasn’t just about the kittens. Azriel had once been left in the cold, too—left to die, left to suffer. And no one had come for him.

But tonight, he had been the one to save something small and helpless.

“They’re safe now,” you said softly.

Azriel nodded, but you saw the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers flexed as if he still wasn’t sure if safety was something real, something permanent.

Without thinking, you reached out, your fingers barely grazing his wrist. Just a small touch, grounding. Azriel looked at you, startled, but he didn’t pull away.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The fire crackled, the wind howled faintly outside, but here—here, it was warm.

And maybe, just for tonight, that was enough.

Azriel’s eyes lingered on where your fingers brushed against his wrist. You half-expected him to pull away, to close himself off like he always did when something felt too much. But he didn’t. Instead, he exhaled, the tension in his shoulders loosening just slightly.

The kittens stirred between you, one of them curling into your lap, the other nestling against Azriel’s side. His gloved fingers twitched before he carefully, hesitantly, stroked the small creature’s fur. It let out a tiny, contented sigh.

You watched him, your voice softer now. “Why’d you really fight for that weekend pass? I know you trust me to be alone so what's the other reason.”

Azriel didn’t answer immediately. His thumb traced absent circles on the kitten’s head, his gaze still far away. Then, quietly, he admitted, “I just… I didn’t want to be there.”

Your brows furrowed. “The training?”

He shook his head. “The camps. Being surrounded by them.” He didn’t have to say who they were—the other warriors, the ones who had spent years taunting and ridiculing him. Even as Rhysand and Cassian fought for him, as they carved out space for him, there were still plenty who saw him as nothing more than a bastard-born wretch with shadows for blood.

Your stomach twisted. “You could’ve gone anywhere, then. You could’ve gone to Velaris for the weekend.”

His hazel eyes flickered to yours, something hesitant lurking in them. “I wanted to be here.”

Your breath caught. With you. He didn’t say it, but the words hummed in the silence between you, unspoken but there.

You swallowed, looking down at the kitten curled in your lap, stroking its soft fur to distract from the way your heart was suddenly pounding. “Well,” you murmured, trying to keep your voice light, “lucky you showed up when you did. I had just armed myself to the teeth over a pair of kittens.”

Azriel huffed a quiet laugh. “Yeah,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s a sight I won’t forget anytime soon.”

You glanced down at the two tiny kittens, who were now curled up in the blankets you’d gathered. One of them let out a tiny, sleepy sigh, its little paws twitching as it dozed off.

Azriel was still stroking the other absentmindedly, his touch lighter than you’d ever seen it. His scarred fingers barely skimmed the soft fur, as if he were afraid he might break the tiny creature.

A thought struck you, and you smirked, tilting your head to look at him. “Did you even check what gender they are?”

Azriel blinked, looking up from the kitten like you’d just asked him the most complicated question in the world. “What?”

You grinned. “You heard me, Shadowsinger. Did you actually check, or did you just swoop in, play hero, and assume?”

Azriel narrowed his eyes at you. “I was a little preoccupied with the fact that they were half-frozen.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Well, let’s see then.” Carefully, you scooped up the kitten in your lap, gently tilting it to check. “This one’s a girl,” you announced.

Azriel eyed the one still in his lap. “How are you so sure?”

You rolled your eyes. “I grew up taking in strays, remember? Unlike someone, I know how to check.”

Azriel gave you a flat look but still, hesitantly, lifted his own kitten to check. A second passed. Then another.

“Well?” you prompted.

Azriel sighed. “Another girl.”

You grinned. “Looks like you just brought home two little ladies, Shadowsinger.”

He muttered something under his breath, but you could see the ghost of a smile on his lips as he set the kitten back down.

“They’re going to need names, you know,” you mused.

Azriel just hummed, eyes still on the tiny creatures. “You name them,” he said, voice quieter now.

You blinked, glancing at him. “Really?”

He nodded, fingers still idly stroking the soft fur. “You’re better at that sort of thing.”

Something warm bloomed in your chest at that.

Maybe it was the firelight flickering in his hazel eyes, or the fact that he had chosen to be here, with you, instead of anywhere else. But for the first time in a long while, you felt like you weren’t just a girl in a cabin with her books.

You were his person. The one he came back to.

You turned your attention back to the two tiny, shivering kittens. Their fur was still slightly damp from the melted snow, but they were tucked in so deep in the blankets that warmth was finally settling into their small bodies.

Azriel was watching you closely, his expression unreadable, but there was a softness there—something rare. Something reserved only for moments like this.

You ran a gentle finger over one of the kittens' tiny ears. “Alright,” you murmured, thinking. “How about… Nyra for this one?” You pointed to the smaller of the two, the one with the white-tipped paws.

Azriel considered it for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Nyra,” he repeated. “Sounds fitting.”

That alone made you smile, knowing he wasn’t just humouring you—he genuinely liked it.

You turned to the second kitten, the one currently curled into Azriel’s lap. “And this one… maybe Sora?”

Azriel hummed, running a careful hand down her back. “Nyra and Sora,” he mused. “They sound like trouble.”

You snorted. “Like you wouldn’t take in the most troublesome creatures you could find.”

He smirked, a glint of amusement flashing through his hazel eyes. “I took you in, didn’t I?”

You gasped, swatting at his arm. “I took you in, actually. You’re the one who showed up on my doorstep with these two.”

Azriel laughed, and it was a sound so rare that it made warmth flood your chest. It was quiet, barely more than a breath, but it was real.

For a moment, the cold outside didn’t exist. The camps didn’t exist. There was no looming war, no responsibilities, no future heartbreak waiting in the shadows.

It was just you and Azriel, in your tiny cabin, with two tiny creatures that now belonged to you.

Azriel was still watching the kittens when you hesitated, shifting slightly on the floor where you sat. You fiddled with the edge of the blanket draped over your legs, suddenly unsure if this was stupid or not.

But then you sighed, shaking off the hesitation, and reached beside you to grab something from under the chair.

“When I got bored earlier,” you started, keeping your voice casual, “I actually tried making something.”

Azriel glanced at you then, interest flickering in his gaze. “Oh?”

You nodded, rubbing your thumb over the woven strands of fabric in your hands. “Yeah. I, uh…” You huffed a quiet laugh. “I felt like stabbing something, honestly, but my mother would have killed me if I started hacking at her sewing materials.”

Azriel’s lips twitched. “That’s fair.”

“So,” you continued, holding up the thing you had made, “I figured I should braid something instead.”

You let the piece of fabric unfurl between your fingers, revealing the long, intricate fishtail braid you had spent hours working on. The deep blue and black threads were woven together tightly, not perfect, but solid.

Azriel reached out, running a scarred finger over the braid with an unreadable expression. “You made this?”

You nodded, feeling a little ridiculous now that you were actually showing him. “Took me four hours,” you admitted, wrinkling your nose. “Which, now that I say it out loud, sounds pathetic.”

Azriel picked it up, turning it in his hands carefully. “It doesn’t.”

You scoffed. “It does.”

He ignored you, still examining the braid. “Why did you make it for me?”

You shrugged, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. “I don’t know. I was thinking about you while I was doing it, I guess.” You forced a smirk. “And I know you’re dramatic enough to wear something like this on your leathers.”

Azriel huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Dramatic?”

“Yes.”

He shot you a dry look but didn’t argue. Instead, he ran his fingers along the woven strands again before tying it around his wrist.

Your breath hitched slightly as you watched him secure it. “You’re wearing it?”

He looked up at you, something softer in his eyes. “You made it,” he said simply.

Something warm curled in your chest. You looked away before he could see the way your face heated. “It’s not that great.”

“It’s perfect.”

You swallowed, focusing on the kittens instead of the way your heart stuttered in your chest. “You’re ridiculous.”

Azriel only smirked, leaning back against the chair. “And yet you’re the one making me gifts.”

Azriel let his arm rest on his bent knee, the braid still wrapped snugly around his wrist. His fingers absentmindedly traced over the woven strands, his expression unreadable.

You kept your focus on the kittens, using the excuse of adjusting their blankets to keep from looking at him. The warmth in your chest from seeing him wear your braid still lingered, and you weren’t entirely sure what to do with it.

Silence stretched between you for a moment before Azriel finally spoke.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever made me something before besides your mother giving me clothes.”

Your fingers stilled. Slowly, you turned to him, brows furrowing slightly. “Really?”

He gave a small shrug, looking down at his wrist. “Really.”

You chewed on your lip. It wasn’t like it was something extravagant—it was just a simple braid. But the way he kept touching it, the way his voice was so quiet when he spoke…

You cleared your throat, trying to ignore the sudden tightness in your chest. “Well,” you said, keeping your voice light, “I guess that just means I get the honor of being the first.”

Azriel’s lips curved slightly, but he didn’t say anything.

The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a warm glow around the room. The snow continued to fall outside, blanketing the world in white.

After a moment, Azriel’s voice cut through the quiet again.

“You should make more.”

You blinked. “More what?”

He gestured vaguely at his wrist. “Braids.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You want me to make you more?”

Azriel shrugged. “Maybe.” His fingers drummed lightly against his knee. “It’s nice.”

A small, amused smile tugged at your lips. “You’re unbelievable.”

He just smirked. “And yet you’re still sitting here with me instead of kicking me out.”

You rolled your eyes, but there was no real annoyance behind it. Instead, you reached over, running a gentle hand over one of the kittens as it purred.

“Maybe I will make more,” you muttered.

Azriel’s smirk softened into something quieter, something you couldn’t quite place. “Good.”

A soft rustling came from the pile of blankets, followed by a tiny, high-pitched mewl. You glanced down just in time to see one of the kittens—Nyra—stretching her tiny paws forward, her mouth opening in a silent yawn. The little black-and-white fluffball wobbled unsteadily as she tried to sit up, blinking groggily.

Sora wasn’t far behind. The little gray kitten, slightly smaller than her sister, let out a chirping noise before nuzzling against Nyra’s side for warmth. But after a few seconds, she, too, pushed herself up onto unsteady paws, her tail twitching as she adjusted to being awake.

Azriel chuckled as he watched them. “Guess they’re finally ready to explore their new home.”

You smiled as Nyra took a brave step forward—only to immediately tumble sideways onto Sora. Sora let out a tiny squeak in protest, batting at her sister with an uncoordinated paw.

“They’re hopeless,” you murmured, reaching out to gently straighten Nyra again. The kitten blinked up at you, her little pink nose twitching.

Azriel smirked. “They’ll fit right in, then.”

You shot him a look, but he only laughed.

Nyra, now more confident on her feet, started sniffing at the folds of the blanket, her ears perked forward with curiosity. Sora, after a moment of watching, mimicked her, the two of them wobbling forward together in tiny, unsteady steps.

You shook your head fondly. “We’re going to have our hands full, aren’t we?”

Azriel hummed in agreement, but his attention was still on the kittens. Something in his gaze was softer than usual, like he was allowing himself to enjoy this moment in a way he rarely did.

You leaned back slightly, watching as Nyra pounced—if you could even call it that—on a loose thread of the blanket. She missed entirely, tumbling into Sora instead. Sora let out a disgruntled chirp, but rather than moving away, she curled up against her sister, blinking sleepily again.

Azriel exhaled a quiet laugh. “Hopeless,” he repeated.

You just smiled.

Nyra and Sora, despite their brief moment of wakefulness, were already curling back up together, little bodies pressed close for warmth. You reached out, gently running a finger over Nyra’s tiny head, feeling the soft fur beneath your touch. She let out a contented little sigh but didn’t stir much beyond that.

Azriel shifted beside you, resting his forearm on his knee as he watched them with a quiet sort of fondness. “They’re going to be spoiled, aren’t they?”

You smirked. “Of course they are.”

His eyes flicked to you, something unreadable in them for a moment before he glanced back at the kittens. A comfortable silence stretched between you, filled only by the distant crackling of the fire in the hearth and the occasional rustling as one of the kittens adjusted.

Eventually, Azriel leaned back slightly, stretching out his legs in front of him. “You know,” he mused, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this… maternal.”

You snorted. “I’m not maternal. They’re just tiny and helpless, and I don’t want them to die.”

Azriel chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. “Right. That’s all it is.”

You nudged him with your elbow, rolling your eyes. “Don’t start.”

He grinned but didn’t push further. Instead, he let his head rest against the back of the couch, exhaling slowly.

For a moment, you just watched him, noting how much more relaxed he seemed here than he ever did at the camps. Maybe it was the warmth of the fire, the soft sounds of the kittens breathing, or the simple fact that, for once, he wasn’t expected to be training or on edge. Whatever it was, you found yourself wishing he could have more moments like this.

“You should get some rest,” Azriel murmured suddenly, eyes still closed.

You scoffed. “You’re one to talk.”

His lips quirked, but he didn’t argue.

The fire flickered, casting shadows along the walls, and you let yourself relax just a little bit more, listening to the quiet of the cabin.

Without thinking much of it, you shifted slightly and leaned against Azriel’s shoulder. His body tensed for just a moment—barely noticeable—but then he relaxed, adjusting just enough to accommodate your weight.

Neither of you said anything about it.

The fire crackled in the hearth, the warmth of it seeping into your skin, but it wasn’t nearly as comforting as the solid presence of Azriel beside you. He smelled like fresh air and steel, like the crisp chill of the mountains and something else uniquely him.

His shoulder was firm beneath you, the muscles taut from years of training, but he didn’t move away, didn’t tease or make a comment. Instead, he just sat there, breathing steady, his gaze still fixed on the sleeping kittens.

For a long while, neither of you spoke. The silence between you wasn’t uncomfortable—it was the kind that settled in deep, wrapping around you like a thick, well-worn blanket.

Eventually, Azriel let out a soft breath. “You’re going to fall asleep like this.”

You hummed, eyes growing heavier by the second. “Maybe.”

He huffed a quiet laugh but didn’t push you away. Instead, you felt the slightest shift in his posture, as if he were leaning into you just as much as you were leaning into him.

[taamlok]

here's a collection of all the shadow figures i could find, under the cut for length and spoilers

i have posted about this previously, but there are 2 shadow figures that frequently show up in the game: one of them is kat and the other is corey. kat's shadow is doing her idle pose, and you can clearly see the strands of hair by her ears, her rolled up sweater sleeves, and the indents of her overall straps. corey's shadow sports his distinctive haircut, the silhouette of the outfit he's wearing the night of the concert, and also is standing in corey's idle pose with his arm crossed (he's even slightly rolling one ankle).

shadow!kat

ther first shadow!kat sighting takes place in 2022, where she can be seen on the righthand side of the bar when swann gets out of her car during the opening scene. (thank you @knifenick for telling me about this one!)

shadow!kat can also be seen standing in the corner of the cabin when swann breaks in for the first time. i think it's fair to say that she is the one who caused the "woosh" noise and posted the note with instructions of how to get in, especially since her knife is used to pin it to the post.

if you go up into the loft while cleaning out the cabin and approach the corn husk doll, shadow!kat blinks in and out of view

shadow!kat flickers behind swann right before the power goes out during their video viewing party

EDIT 21/04/2025: after the girls head back to the cabin from the campfire at the lake, you can examine the heart with the girls' initials carved into a tree. when you do so, shadow!kat will pop in and out of view.

EDIT 21/04/2025: when the girls enter the clearing for the first time, shadow!Kat appears behind swann

if you don't chicken out of bloody mary, shadow!kat appears behind swann in the mirror. you can even see the tie on top of her headband. interestingly, it was kat who made the dare and egged swann on to keep going

here she is again in the hunting blind, watching swann follow the moths to the abyss. weirdly, this version of her has no clothes or hair AND has distinguishable facial features, which is how i was able to ID her as kat. i don't think this was intentional and is probably just a bug with the shadow model.

shadow!corey

the first time you can see shadow!corey is when he knocks over the clown standee at the park. between this and shadow!kat hanging the note in the cabin, this is proof that both shadow!kat and shadow!corey can physically interact with their environment to some extent.

there are 5 shadow!coreys located in the forest on the night that the girls find the cabin. i was actually able to get 2 in one shot by using the freecam mode, however they are positioned in a way that stops you from being able to see more than one at a time in regular gameplay. it seems we're supposed to feel like the shadow is popping in and out of different locations around the forest. i also think it's worth noting that in both this scene and the scene with the clown standee remarks are made about there being a serial killer (swann optional dialogue and kat saying there's a masked serial killer in the woods, respectively). there's also the brief clip at the start of the game that shows someone wearing a wolf mask, which i think is corey (i brightened it in photoshop and could see his eye colour). not really relevant here, just food for thought.

here's shadow!corey watching the girls make their blood pact.

when we return to 2022 from the memory of finding the abyss, you can look out the window to find shadow!corey once again. nora and autumn are talking about him during this scene, saying that he was blamed for something that happened at the ranch.

if i missed any please let me know and i'll add them! also feel free to share this elsewhere, all i ask is that you please link back to this post because this took a lot of time and effort!

[prettymfwrites]

"Atta Girl."

Ellie x reader

Reader gets injured, Ellie gets protective.

---

The morning sun peeked through the heavy clouds over Jackson as you pulled on your jacket. Ellie sat on the edge of the bed, her leg bouncing anxiously. Her fingers fiddled with the loose thread on her flannel, and you could feel the tension radiating off her.

“You sure you have to go?” Ellie asked, her voice tight.

You stepped closer and rested your hands on her shoulders. “It’s just a patrol, Ellie. Jesse and I will be fine.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Yeah, ‘cause nothing ever goes wrong on patrols.”

You bent down, forcing her to meet your eyes. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

Her hands gripped your wrists, holding you there for a moment longer. “I hate this. You’re too damn important to me to—” She stopped herself, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Just… don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

You smiled softly, brushing her bangs out of her face. “Stupid? Me? Never.”

Despite herself, she smirked, but the worry never left her eyes. She stood and pressed a quick kiss to your lips. “You better come back in one piece.”

---

The patrol started off quiet. Jesse was his usual easygoing self, cracking jokes as you both scanned the snowy woods for any signs of trouble.

“Ellie didn’t look too happy about this,” he commented as the two of you dismounted your horses to check a suspicious cabin.

“She worries,” you replied, shrugging. “It’s her thing.”

“Yeah, well, I’d worry too if my girl had to patrol with a guy as handsome as me.”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh, please. She knows you’re more into Dina than you are into this patrol.”

He laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “You got me there.”

But the light mood didn’t last. As you exited the cabin, the sound of crunching snow caught your attention. Before you could fully turn around, a group of four armed strangers emerged from the treeline, surrounding you and Jesse.

“Well, well,” one of them sneered, a wiry man with a scar across his jaw. “What do we have here?”

Jesse’s hand twitched toward his pistol, but the man raised his rifle. “Ah, ah. Wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

They were after you. You could see it in the way their eyes lingered, their leering gazes making your skin crawl. When one of them lunged, Jesse acted fast, shoving you behind him and firing a shot. The bullet found its mark, dropping the man instantly.

Chaos erupted. Another one tackled Jesse while a third grabbed you, his filthy hand clamping around your throat.

“You’re coming with us,” he growled, dragging you back as you struggled. Your vision blurred from lack of air, but adrenaline surged through you. Kicking wildly, you managed to knock him off balance. His grip faltered, and as soon as you hit the ground, you grabbed your knife and drove it into his neck.

Blood sprayed as he collapsed, lifeless, and you gasped for air, your leg burning from a deep gash you hadn’t noticed in the fight. Jesse dispatched the last man and ran to your side, his eyes wide with panic.

“You okay?” he asked, hauling you to your feet.

“Yeah,” you lied, wincing as pain shot through your leg.

“Bullshit.” He glanced at your leg. “You’re bleeding bad.”

“No time,” you said, limping toward your horse. “We have to get back.”

---

By the time you and Jesse made it back to Jackson, the sun was setting, and the town was buzzing with activity. People swarmed around you, shouting questions, their worried faces blurring together.

And then Ellie appeared, pushing her way through the crowd. Her eyes locked on you, dark with fury and fear.

“What the hell happened?” she demanded, her voice shaking as she reached for you.

“I’m fine,” you tried to assure her, but your wobbling knees and blood-soaked pant leg said otherwise.

Ellie’s jaw clenched as she threw your arm over her shoulders. “Come on.”

She led you back to your shared home in silence. Once inside, she sat you down on the couch and grabbed the first aid kit. Her movements were quick and precise, but her lips were pressed into a thin line.

“Ellie—” you started.

“Don’t,” she interrupted, her voice low. “Don’t even try to explain right now.”

You watched her clean and stitch your wound, her hands trembling slightly. The air between you was thick with unspoken emotions.

When she finished, you broke the silence. “So, I guess you could say I showed that guy who’s boss.”

Ellie’s head snapped up, her lips twitching despite herself. “Atta girl,” she murmured, her tone softening.

You reached for her hand, pulling her to sit beside you. “Hey,” you said gently. “I’m here. I’m okay. Thanks to Jesse.”

Her eyes filled with tears as she buried her face in your lap. “I was so scared,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “What if you didn’t come back?”

You ran your fingers through her hair, your heart aching at the vulnerability in her voice. “But I did. I’m here.”

Ellie clung to you, her tears soaking into your jeans. You held her close, whispering reassurances until her breathing evened out.

The two of you stayed like that, wrapped in each other, finding comfort in the fact that, for now, you were safe and together.

Too cuteee💕 I take requests!

[semisgroupie]

summer memories

camp counselor!sae itoshi x camp counselor!fem. reader

wc: 1.8k

warnings: unprotected sex, creampie, fingering (f!receiving), anal fingering (f!receiving), oral sex (f!receiving), rimming (f!receiving), sae is an ass man to me (sorrynotsorry), spit, having sex in someone else’s bed, one spank

synopsis: an empty campsite, two horny counselors, what do you think will happen?

a/n: this is my contribution to the help wanted! collab hosted by @interstellar-inn

You didn’t know what to expect when you first got the job this summer. A camp counselor at a sleep away camp, you were nervous about what was going to happen, you were nervous about your skills with children but soon you learned that all your worries were for nothing. The campers that were assigned to you were absolute angels, they loved you endlessly. The other counselors weren’t stuck up like you thought them to be, they welcomed you in and you loved hanging out with them.

Especially one fellow counselor in particular, Sae Itoshi. His bright cerulean eyes always lit up whenever he was with his campers and the way his fiery hair stuck to his forehead whenever he was outside for long periods of time made you an obvious admirer. Luckily for you, he felt the same way and made it just as known.

Sometimes when the campers were fast asleep, you’d meet him near the dock and spend the time talking but as of late it has escalated to kissing and heavy petting. But it would always get interrupted, the camp director always seemed to come out for a smoke in front of her cabin late at night. Luckily, you two never got caught fraternizing but it was definitely a major mood killer.

It was the night before the camp was holding its final big event. During the day everyone would have to load onto buses to go into town to go shopping for treats and little decorations but Sae had other plans for you two. You were seated on his lap, both of your lips swollen from kissing and his hands were firmly placed on your hips. “I have a plan for us to be all alone here for a few hours while everyone is out. I’ll need you to fake being sick.” His thumbs rubbed small circles on the exposed skin under your shirt and your eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“When you’re sick, you can’t join everyone on the trip and you’ll need another counselor to stay behind with you. Just in case there’s some crazed psychopath roaming around the woods,” he joked and leaned in to peck your lips. “But, whenever someone can’t go on the outing someone will have to stay behind. It’s kind of like a buddy system. I already spoke to Hana and Ryusei and they’ll take care of our campers during the outing. So in the morning, you’ll go to the nurse’s cabin, pretend you’re really sick and he’ll have to tell Director Pain-in-my-ass about your illness. Then she’ll come in to see who you want to stay with, you’ll choose me, and then we’ll have the whole camp to ourselves.”

You chewed on your bottom lip as he laid out the plan for you and you nodded slowly. “How many times have you done this?” You joke and he shakes his head, “I’ve seen Oliver do it almost every year, I’ve learned everything from him.” You nod and he captures your lips once more, only pulling away when you hear the obnoxiously loud creak of the camp director’s cabin door opening.

When the next day approaches, you carry on with the plan and it works without fail. Your little campers run to give you a hug and exclaim how they’ll pick out your favorite treats and how they’ll miss you. You and Sae stand at the entrance to the camp and wave as the buses leave the campsite then after a few minutes he grabs your hand and leads you to the director’s cabin. Your eyes widen and you tug on his hand, “Sae! Why there?” He smirks and shrugs as he pulls you again, “well there is a single bed in there that looks really comfortable and there’s more space. Plus, just in case you forgot, we are alone so we can go wherever we want.” He looks into your eyes to gauge your reaction and leans in, pecking your lips. “It’ll be fun but if you don’t want to go there, we can find somewhere else to go.” You think about it for a moment and nod before leaning in to peck his lips again. “Let’s go.”

He pulls you into the cabin and pulls you close to him to capture your lips with his. He kicks the door shut behind you both as you blindly walk to the bed, only stopping when the back of your knees hit the mattress. “I’m gonna treat you so well.” He lightly pushes you back onto the bed and straddles your hips as he leans down to kiss you again, hungrily pressing his lips against yours. His hands move along your body, slipping under your shirt and his fingers ghost along your bra. He breaks the kiss and reaches down to pull your shirt off of you and tosses it aside then leans in to kiss down your chest. He pulls down the cups of your bra to reveal your nipples and takes one into his mouth while his fingers toy with your other one. He trails wet, open mouthed kisses along your chest to go to your other nipple and gives it the same treatment. He keeps his eyes on you and he releases your nipple then moves down your body.

“Sae, please, I need you. I don’t want to wait.” He chuckles against your skin and his lithe fingers move to undo the button for your shorts and lifts his head slightly. “There’s no need to rush. I want you to be ready for me.” He pulls your shorts and panties down and groans as he sees your wet pussy. “Shit, baby, you’re just soaked for me.” He bites his lip as his cock throbs, he wants nothing more than to just plunge into you but he’s not an animal.

“Go on all fours for me.” He groans out as he pulls his shirt off, revealing his toned abs then goes to take off his own shorts and briefs. You nod and get into position, arching your back as you sway your ass for him. He licks his lips and leans down behind you, getting the perfect view of both of your aching holes. “You have the prettiest pussy and asshole. I don’t know which one I want to taste first.” He leans in closer and sticks out his tongue, pressing the wet muscle against your clit then moves up to your entrance and dips his tongue inside then makes his way higher to your puckered asshole. He groans as he presses his thumb to your clit and works his tongue around your hole. You gasp and moan as he works his tongue along both of your holes, going into his own world of pleasure. “Sae, give me more.” You whine as you press your cheek against the sheets to try to look back at him. He pulls back and spits on your pussy then plunges two fingers into you while he brings his tongue back to your asshole. He curls his fingers to press against your g spot as he pushes his tongue into your ass, groaning as his cock leaks precum onto the bed.

Your hands go to grip the sheets as you writhe on the bed, getting closer and closer to your orgasm. “Sae, don’t stop please. I’m so close.” You moan out and he pulls away, panting as he looks at you. “Sorry baby, I only want you cumming on my cock. Once this whole camp season is done, then I’ll make you cum however you want.” He pulls his fingers out of you and spreads you open as he leans down to spit on your pussy, he grips his cock with one hand and strokes it as he moves the tip to your leaking entrance. He bites his bottom lip as he pushes into you, throwing his head back as you squeeze and clench around his cock. “You’ve got the tightest pussy.” He brings a hand down to spank you as he pushes into you more, stretching you out with each inch. His breath hitches as he bottoms out and he starts thrusting.

You grip the sheets tighter and cry out his name as the bed creaks with each movement. He moves his hands to your ass to spread you open, watching how his cock stretches you out then looks at your puckered hole, winking at him each time he bottoms out. He drops his head and lets a glob of spit travel from his lips to your hole, watching as it travels down to his cock pistoning in and out of your pussy. He moves one of his thumbs as presses it against your hole and slowly starts to push it into you. “Fuck, if only we had more time. I’d spend the whole day claiming all of your holes properly.” He groans out and starts thrusting his thumb in and out in time with his cock in your pussy. The feeling of both of your holes being used drives you closer and closer to the edge. The orgasm that you were denied earlier comes back in full force, ripping through you as he starts thrusting faster. “Cumming! Sae! Sae!” You cry out and bite down on one of the pillows to muffle yourself as he continues to thrust his cock and thumb in and out of you.

“Me too baby, I’m cumming too.” He groans out as he pushes his thumb into you and slams his hips against yours, keeping himself pressed against you as his cock twitches inside of you. Thick ropes of his cum coating you completely. He slowly pulls his thumb out of you then pulls his cock out of you before laying down beside you. He pulls you close to his chest and pants as he rubs your back. You rest your chin on his chest as you look up at him and caress his cheek, “that was amazing, definitely worth the wait.” He chuckles and leans in to peck your lips nodding, “oh yeah, all those nights where I had to go jerk off in the showers thinking about you was nothing compared to the real thing.”

You close your eyes for a moment before you hear the sound of tires on gravel, making both of you jump up and quickly dress. You both run out of the cabin and you smooth out your clothes as you wait with Sae, watching as the buses pull in with the campers. Everyone leaves the bus and the camp director approaches you and Sae with a raised brow, “you look better, Miss Y/N, almost like you’re glowing.” You nod and smile, “yes, I just needed a long nap and thanks to Sae’s help, I feel brand new.” She nods and walks past you both then once she’s out of view, you lean to Sae. “Please tell me you fixed the sheets.” His eyes widen as he looks at you, “I thought you did! We’re so fucked.”

Thankfully, it was the last full night of the camp season so you two wouldn’t be kicked out but it was definitely a night filled with glares and mutters from the camp director.

taglist: @litepowee @satmitsuplanet @bluelock4life @suyacho @tojjist @interstellar-inn @pixelcafe-network

[calypso-rt]

Hi! Could you do CityGirl!Reader and Rafe go to a cabin in the woods get away and since they're from like such different places where they don't have a lot of experience in the forest, hiking, in seclusion, in cabins on rainy days with the surroundings and vibes they have to get used to it but they find out they actually like it (or hate it, your choice), Thank you!!

mix-up

-> citygirl!reader

-> TY ANON. so much fun to write

"Rafe. Where. Are. We."

You stood frozen in the gravel driveway, staring up at what could barely pass for a cabin. The wood was weathered, the roof slightly caved in on one side, and the porch creaked ominously in the breeze. It looked like the kind of place people disappeared in movies.

Meanwhile, Rafe, completely unbothered, leaned against the truck, arms crossed, nodding like he’d just unveiled a masterpiece. As if he hadn't just accidentally kidnapped you to a haunted shack in the middle of nowhere.

"Okay," he started, rubbing the back of his neck. "Technically... this is still a vacation."

You turned to him, slow and deliberate. "A vacation?"

"Yeah! I mean, it’s... rustic. Kinda cozy. Romantic, even—"

"Romantic?! Rafe, I booked us a five-star resort in Turks and Caicos! And yet—" You gestured wildly at the deteriorating cabin. "We are here."

"Baby, 's not that bad—"

"There is no service. There is no pool. No beachfront suite. No WiFi, Rafe." You checked your phone for the tenth time, waving it in his face. "How did this happen?!"

Rafe sighed, looking up at the sky like he was praying for patience. "Alright, so funny story—"

"Oh, I can’t wait."

"I might’ve… accidentally booked the wrong place?"

Silence.

You just stared at him. "What?"

"Yeah, like... there were two listings with really similar names, and I guess I clicked the wrong one?" He winced, as if that would soften the blow.

You inhaled sharply. "Rafe. We could be drinking cocktails by an infinity pool right now. Instead, I just saw a squirrel fall off the roof of this place, and I don’t think it survived."

He opened his mouth, then glanced at the squirrel’s limp little body. "...That’s unfortunate."

"That’s unfortunate? Rafe."

"Look, babe, we can make this work. It’s jus' a couple of days, and we’re together... quality time, y'know?" He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around your waist, pressing a kiss to your forehead like that would erase the fact that you were in the actual wilderness.

"Quality time is what we were supposed to be having while getting couples' massages at the spa." You let your head fall against his chest with a groan. "I cannot believe this."

"Okay, yeah, but think about it... when else are we gonna experience somethin' like this?" Rafe grinned, squeezing your waist. "It’s like an adventure."

You looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "You don’t do adventures, Rafe. You golf and drive boats and go to country clubs.*"

"Yeah, well... maybe I’m turning over a new leaf."

At that exact moment, a huge mosquito landed on his arm. He swatted at it violently, stumbling back with a Jesus Christ! and nearly tripping over the squirrel corpse.

You crossed your arms, unimpressed. "Uh-huh. A real woodsman, you are."

"Oh, shut up."

"No, really, Bear Grylls, please lead the way."

With an exaggerated eye roll, Rafe grabbed the keys and marched up the porch steps. The cabin door creaked ominously as he pushed it open, revealing a dusty interior with outdated furniture.

You both stood there for a moment, silent.

"Yeah, okay," Rafe finally admitted, "this might be worse than I thought."

"No shit."

...

"I swear to God, Rafe, if you tell me to ‘just embrace it’ one more time—"

"Okay, okay!" Rafe held his hands up in surrender, biting back a smirk as you aggressively jabbed at the pile of firewood with a stick, as if sheer force alone would ignite it.

The two of you were currently crouched in front of the ancient fireplace, struggling to start a fire. Struggling was an understatement. The logs remained stubbornly unlit despite your repeated (and increasingly frustrated) attempts. You had no experience with this. Back in New York, heat came from a radiator, not from setting things on fire like a cavewoman.

Rafe, despite his confidence earlier, wasn’t doing any better. He had attempted to light a match, only to burn his fingers and drop it with a "Shit—ow!" before hastily covering it up with, "I meant to do that."

"This is miserable." You groaned, sitting back on your heels. "This place is an actual nightmare. It’s cold, it’s dark, and I swear to God something is watching us from the woods."

"Nothing is watchin' us," Rafe sighed. "And it wouldn’t be dark if you’d let me use the lighter I found in the kitchen instead of ‘doin' it the real way.’"

You shot him a glare. "That lighter looks like it was last used by a serial killer, Rafe. I’d rather freeze than risk getting tetanus."

Rafe huffed, rubbing his hands together dramatically. "Well, congratulations, baby. You jus' might get your wish."

—

After the disastrous fire attempt, you’d given up and decided to try the stove. The problem? It looked like it belonged in a dumpster.

"I don't trust it," you said flatly, standing with your arms crossed as you stared at the rusty, ancient-looking thing.

"It’s just a stove," Rafe scoffed. "You just turn the thingy—" He twisted one of the knobs, only for it to let out a violent hissing noise.

You screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"

"I—I don’t know!" Rafe staggered back, eyes wide. "That is not normal, right?"

"Oh my God, we are going to die here."

"Maybe we should just eat snacks."

"Yes. Smartest thing you’ve said all day."

The shower was even worse.

The first scream came from you.

The second scream came from Rafe.

You had barely stepped into the shower before ice-cold water blasted from the showerhead, hitting you like a thousand tiny knives. "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD—"

Rafe had run in to check on you, only to get blasted in the face when he pulled the shower curtain back. "SHIT! IT’S FREEZING!" He stumbled backward, dripping wet, eyes wild. "Why is it so cold?"

"Because we are in HELL, Rafe!"

"No, actually, hell would be warmer than this."

You grabbed a towel, shivering violently. "I am not showering for the rest of this trip."

"Same."

Silence.

"Wait—" You turned to Rafe, narrowing your eyes. "Were you even going to shower before this happened?"

"...Irrelevant question."

The final straw was the bugs.

You had made peace with the cold, with the stove from hell, and with the fact that Rafe had no survival skills whatsoever. But the second you saw a spider the size of your palm lurking in the corner of the cabin? You lost it.

"Rafe." Your voice was deadly serious. "Burn the place down."

"What?" He blinked. "Baby, we literally just spent two hours tryin' to make a fire—"

"BURN IT DOWN, RAFE."

Rafe sighed, grabbing a shoe and walking over to the spider. "It’s just a spider. Relax—"

The spider sprinted across the wall.

Rafe screamed.

"Oh HELL no—" He smacked it with the shoe, missing entirely. "Why is it so fast?!"

"KILL IT!"

"I’M TRYING!"

The spider disappeared behind the bookshelf.

Rafe stared at the spot where it had been, then looked back at you, horrified. "Okay. So. We have a problem."

"We?" You pointed at yourself. "We have a problem? No, babe, you have a problem. I’m leaving. I live here no longer."

And with that, you walked out the front door.

Rafe groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Day one. Not even 24 hours. We are so screwed."

...

"We’re lost."

"We are not lost."

You turned to Rafe with your best unimpressed stare. "Rafe. We have passed this same rock three times."

Rafe huffed, glancing around the endless trees like they personally offended him. "It’s a very normal-looking rock. Could be any rock."

"It has moss in the shape of a heart. I literally pointed it out the first time we passed it."

Rafe paused. "Oh."

You exhaled dramatically, placing your hands on your hips. "Tell me again whose idea this was?"

"Technically, yours," Rafe said, "since you were the one who said we needed to 'escape the horrors of the cabin.'"

"Yes, but I didn’t say, ‘Hey, Rafe, let’s get hopelessly lost in the middle of the woods and probably die.’"

"Baby, we are not gonna die." Rafe waved you off. "We’ll just backtrack."

"Backtrack where? The murder trees? The serial killer path?” You threw up your hands. "We’re in the opening scene of a horror movie, Rafe! A bad horror movie, where the city girl and her rich, spoiled boyfriend die first because they have no survival skills—"

"Okay, first of all," Rafe interrupted, "I’m not spoiled. Second of all, I absolutely have survival skills."

"Name one."

Rafe paused. Then, "I can—" He gestured vaguely. "I can lift stuff."

You blinked. "That’s your survival skill?"

"Yeah?"

"Okay, great. Lift us out of this damn forest then."

Rafe groaned, raking a hand through his hair. "You’re so dramatic."

"And you’re so lost," you shot back.

"Alright, that’s it—"

Before you knew what was happening, Rafe bent down, grabbed your legs, and hauled you up over his shoulder.

"RAFE CAMERON—"

"You’re exhausted," he grunted, adjusting his grip as you squirmed in protest. "You’ve been sighin' dramatically for the past fifteen minutes. I’m carryin' you back."

"Put me down! I can walk!"

"Baby, you almost tripped over a root two minutes ago. Your city legs weren’t made for this terrain."

"I am perfectly capable of—"

Rafe spun you around, flipping you into his arms in a bridal carry.

Your hands instinctively grabbed onto his shoulders. "Rafe—!"

"There." He grinned down at you. "Now you can’t escape."

You narrowed your eyes. "You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?"

"Oh, 100%."

You huffed but…admittedly, your legs were tired. And your boyfriend did have very nice arms.

"Fine," you muttered. "But if you drop me, I’m making you sleep outside with the spider tonight."

"Damn," Rafe chuckled. "High stakes."*

That night, the storm hit.

And not just any storm: a full-on apocalyptic thunderstorm that made escape impossible.

You and Rafe sat on the tiny, rickety couch in the middle of the dimly lit cabin, listening to the wind howl through the trees and the rain pound against the windows.

"I have an idea," Rafe said suddenly.

"Unless it’s ‘Let’s get a refund and leave,’ I’m not interested."

"No, hear me out—" He gestured toward the kitchen. "I saw some marshmallows earlier. We could roast them over the stove."

You gave him a look. "The murder stove?"

"C’mon, babe. What’s life without a little risk?"

"Less likely to end in tragedy?"

Rafe rolled his eyes. "Jus' grab the marshmallows."*

You sighed dramatically but complied, grabbing the bag from the counter. You sat cross-legged on the couch while Rafe stabbed a marshmallow onto a fork and held it over the stove's open flame like it was a real campfire.

You squinted at him. "You look way too into this."

"Baby, this is survival. If we were in the wilderness, I’d be a hero right now."

"We are in the wilderness," you pointed out. "And I am no closer to considering you a hero."

Rafe snorted. "Harsh."*

He handed you the roasted marshmallow. You popped it into your mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Okay. I’ll admit. This is kinda cute."

Rafe smirked. "See? I knew you’d warm up to the whole rustic vibe."

At that exact moment, a massive clap of thunder shook the cabin, making the lights flicker. You yelped and practically leapt onto Rafe’s lap, instinctively clinging to him.

Rafe chuckled, wrapping his arms around you. "Oh, baby, you’re so warming up to it."*

You buried your face in his shoulder. "Shut up, Cameron."

...

The car rumbled down the dirt road, the cabin of horrors shrinking in the rearview mirror. You watched it disappear, arms crossed, exhaustion clinging to every inch of your body.

Rafe, on the other hand? Absolutely thriving.

"Y'know," he drawled, adjusting his lazy, smug grip on the steering wheel, "not everyone could survive what we just did."

You turned your head so slowly to look at him. "We spent two nights in a cabin, Rafe. It wasn’t Survival."

"I dunno, baby." He shook his head dramatically. "The way I built that fire? The way I fought off the storm?" He gave a fake, reflective sigh. "Some might call me a modern-day explorer."

You blinked. "You threw one log onto a pile of flames and screamed when the thunder cracked too loud."

"Bravery comes in many forms."

"So does delusion."

Rafe ignored you, leaning back in his seat with the purest satisfaction. "Honestly? I think I was made for survival. Like, I feel at one with nature now 'n shit."

You snorted. "You complained for an hour about the thread count on the bed, Rafe."

"Hey." He pointed at you. "That mattress was a crime against humanity."

You exhaled slowly, pressing your fingers to your temple. "I cannot believe I survived this weekend only to be subjected to this conversation."

Rafe, grinning ear to ear, nudged your leg with his knee. "Admit it, baby."

"Admit what?"

"That you were impressed by me."

You stared at him, then deliberately turned to look out the window. "Anyway," you said flatly. "I can’t wait to take a real shower when we get back."

"Oh, no doubt." Rafe shuddered. "That shower situation was inhumane."

"Oh? The modern-day explorer couldn’t handle a little cold water?"

"First of all, rude." He threw an arm around your seat, tapping his fingers against your shoulder. "Second of all? I’m just saying, I braved the wilderness for you."

"I thought you were ‘one with nature’ now?"

"Baby, I nearly died."

You turned to him so fast. "You stubbed your toe on a tree root."

"And yet—" He sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "Here I am. Victorious. A survivor."

You groaned, flopping against your seat. "I should’ve let the bugs eat me alive."

Rafe leaned over to kiss your cheek. "Not on my watch, city girl."

[jogetsobsessed]

Friendship Bracelets - Paul Lahote x Reader

Hearing the engine of the rusty orange truck cut caused you to stir from your place on the couch. Your homework was sprawled all across the living room, the static of the TV crackling as it was in between channels. 

You were slightly annoyed that your sister was home cause that meant that her beau was in tow and you'd have to witness the awkward love the two of them shared. 

“Bella why don't you just listen to me”, your sister's boyfriend argued. Great, they were having their hourly argument. These happened so often because your sister was one of the most stubborn people you've ever met. 

“Edward drop it. I'm doing it and you can't tell me otherwise”, your sister shot back. 

“Bella I said no”, he downright yelled. 

They crashed into the kitchen and you could see how they were both physically angry and neither wanted to back down from their standpoint of whatever the hell they were talking about. 

“You don't get to make my decisions for me”, Bella screamed. 

“It's not safe for you to go alone Bella, and I obviously can't go”, Edward yelled., 

By now you were leaning against the doorframe observing the lovers quarrel, holding back laughter. You had to watch them go through this every day, except this time Edward seemed to be holding his ground even more, so it had to be serious. Normally he just gave in to your quarrelsome sister but not this time. 

Bella looked around completely baffled that somebody wasn't just giving her the green light to do whatever she wanted to do. As she looked around exasperated she spotted you listening in on the conversation and her eyes sparkled. 

“I won't go alone”, she proudly declared. 

“Hmm”, Edward hummed in question. 

“Y/N’s going with me”, Bella stated. 

“Absolutely not, I’m not letting you drag me into this”, you yelled suddenly less amused. 

“Bella just dropped it”, Edward stated clearly not enthused by Bella’s response. 

“Y/N just do this for me please”, Bella pleaded. 

She looked up at you with pleading eyes. Clearly, this was important to her. And no matter how much she pissed you off, you enjoy pissing Edward off even more. 

“Yeah Eddy boy I guess I’m going with good ole Bells to…where the hell are we going Bella?”, you asked. 

“La Push” 

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

The truck rattled down the gravel driveway as your sister drove you to the undisclosed location that apparently meant so much to her. 

Pulling to a stop in front of a wooden cabin in the middle of the woods you couldn't help but admire its beauty. Though the house itself was worn down in front of it barrels full of flowers and homemade raised flower beds were littered around. 

“Stay in the car”, your sister nonchalantly said. 

“Umm no”, you argued back. 

“I shouldn't be long, half an hour tops' ', was all she had to say. 

“Bella, I'm not letting you leave me here for thirty minutes. I’m helping you out by coming with you. I agreed to go with you with whatever you were doing, not to stay in the car”, you retorted. 

“Fine, just be careful and try to be quiet”, she sighed. 

“Whatever weirdo”, you answered. 

As the doors of the truck slammed shut and both of you hopped out the front door to the cabin two tanned-skinned boys came barreling out, both wanting to be the first to talk to Bella. 

“Bella is that you”, one of the boys called out. 

“Dude you know it's her don't be weird”, the other replied, shoving his friend nearly to the ground. 

Bella just laughed and nodded for you to follow her, the both of you stopping right in front of the two shirtless boys. 

“Who's the girl Bella?”, boy number one asked as he eyed you up and down, clearly suspicious. 

“This is my younger sister, I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned her a few times, or at least Jacob has”, Bella answered. 

“Umm I’m Y/N”, you said shyly, granting them a small wave. As much as you didn't want to be you were intimidated by the two boys, something about their presence, maybe it was the way they were standing was almost animalistic. 

“Jared," the boy said. 

“Quil”, the other spoke. 

“Great, now that introductions are done, can we go in? I came to talk to Jacob and he said to meet him here”, Bella asked. 

“Yeah, everyone’s inside we were just heading out to go run the perimeter…hey!”, Jared was cut off by a smack from Quil who looked at him as if he had three heads. 

The strange cadence to their voices through you off and how quick Quill was to cut Jared off downright made you nervous, but you weren't going to say anything. You didn't want to be rude. 

Bella mumbled for you to follow her, which you did. Trudging up the old wooden steps you glanced around your sister's body to glance through the small glass window next to the front door. 

Inside around a large circular wooden table sat more tanned skin boys, all with their shirts off. They were laughing and shoving each other while eating what looked like pumpkin bread. You were able to recognize Jacob, even though he looked different from the last time you saw him. You could also see a girl, she had a large scar that covered a portion of her face and she was standing in the kitchen mixing a bowl of batter. 

Without hesitation, Bella rapped her knuckles against the wooden door, clearly impatient that it didn't open within the first five seconds. 

Still looking through the window you could see all the faces turn to look towards your direction. As quickly as you could you moved to hide behind your sister, embarrassed that you had been spotted. 

“Bella it's good to see you”, the girl with the bowl of batter said as she opened the door, one of the shirtless boys protective watching from over her shoulder. 

“You too Emily, Sam”, Bella added nodding to the guy standing behind the girl, who you now knew as Emily. 

“And this must be your little sister, Y/N right”, Emily asked, her eyes shining bright. 

“Yeah”, you breathed out still on edge. 

“Well, it's nice to finally meet you Y/N. You, ladies, need to come inside, it's freezing out there”, Emily ushered, opening the door wider and pushing Sam out of the way. He gave you a half smile and a nod as if he could sense that you were nervous. 

Bella barged in like she owned the place and went straight towards the table of boys, all of them amused at her presence not bothering to really give you a good look. 

“Jacob”, she barked. 

Jacob looked up from where he was sitting to roll his eyes at Bella's neediness. After they had a mini staring contest he looked beyond so he could see you. Sending you a cheesy grin he shot up and out of his seat. Rushing over to you and scooping you into his arms, spinning you around, 

“Little Y/N. You’re all grown up”, he said laughing. After holding onto you for a few more seconds he let your feet return to the earth again before keeping you an arm's length away so he could get a good look at you. 

Your back faced the dining room table and Jacob smiled as he saw truly how much you had grown up. 

“It's been six or seven years. How long have you been back?”, he asked. 

“Like three weeks. Been trying to get acclimated back to Forks after all these years”, you told him. 

“Well, I’m glad you're back now, even though I am a little annoyed that Bella and Charlie have been keeping you all to themselves for these past few weeks. And before I go off to see whatever the hell it is your sister wants to drag me into, I'll introduce you to these idiots right here”, Jacob told you. 

You turned around so you were facing the table. You could see a couple of the boys were now looking at you and the rest were semi-focused on the pumpkin bread they were eating.

“This here is Embry, Seth, Brady, and Collin. And you’ve already met Sam and Emily. And I assume Jared and Quil introduced themselves on their way out. All you are missing is Leah who is not here right now and Paul who should be here in a little bit” 

You said hi to everyone and accepted the seat that Jacob offered you and a slice of pumpkin bread from Emily. After being assured by your sister and Jacob that they would be right back, you agreed to wait and hang out with your new friends, or people you hoped were going to be your new friends. 

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

You had no idea how much time had passed since your sister and Jacob had been gone but you didn't really care. 

This was the most amount of fun you had experienced in months. The boys had convinced you to play a card game with them once a girl, whom you were introduced to as Leah, came over. They had even got Sam to play with you guys and it was a total blast. Cards were flying everywhere every time one of the boys lost a hand. Emily had been watching from the kitchen giggling every time an insult was thrown at her fiance. 

“God dammit. This game is so freaking stupid”, Embry exclaimed after he was the very apparent loser of the last round. As he slammed his cards against the table and everyone laughed at his tantrum the front door was pushed open and three more people entered laughing at their own conversation. 

Looking to see what was going on you smiled at your sister and Jacob noticing that they had the third with them. You were pleased to see that Bella looked less agitated than she had before they left and Jacob looked intact. 

“Oh hey Y/n that's Paul”, Seth said, nodding to the third person with your sister and Jacob after they started to make their way toward the dining room table. Turning your head to face the illusive Paul you were startled. 

He stood there next to Jacob and when the two of you locked eyes you saw every ounce of oxygen leave his body all at once. He looked shocked and extremely pleased and scared all at once. 

It was overwhelming and you had no idea what was happening. But you were smart enough to know that it was something. 

Nobody said anything in the passing moments and there was so much tension in the room it began to get too hard to breathe. You looked between Paul, Jacob, and your sister, too afraid to speak. Your eyes begging them for an explanation. Jared opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but a hand clamped down on his shoulder shut him up before anything happened. 

“Everyone out…NOW”, Sam growled. As lightning came and went, almost everyone was out of the house. All that was left was yourself, Sam, Paul, your sister, and Jacob. Emily didn't leave the house but she did excuse herself upstairs to go busy with something other than baking. “Paul”, Sam was the one to speak again. 

You were still perched on the dining room chair, your hands holding your knees that were curled against you.

You watch as Sam gives the three left still standing a look causing Jacob to pull Bella towards the barstools that rested under the kitchen counter, and surprisingly she didn't put up a fight like she normally does. 

That left Paul, having not moved an inch since whatever it was that happened between the two of you. 

Sam moved towards Paul and he moved his hand onto Paul's shoulder giving him a nod and a slight push in your direction. Jacob then whispered something to Bella, which caused her to stand up from her barstool and throw her hands up, her mouth opening to have a freakout. But Jacob harshly shrugged her down and clamped a hand over her mouth so nothing could come out. You almost lost it over her defeated look, but you refrained since the situation seemed grave. 

“Paul, would you rather do this alone?”Sam broke the silence. 

“Umm yeah, why don't we head out back. I’m gonna send everyone in. But we’re gonna stay close just in case, um you know”, Paul stammered. 

Paul moved towards the back door but backtracked so he was standing to the side of you. He held out his hand towards you. Every ounce of you was screaming internally telling you to not take it and run. But there was a small part of you, a point zero, zero one percent of you told you to trust him. And even though that percentage was so small the idea was echoed throughout. 

So slowly you reached out, accepting his invitation and letting him softly pull you out of the chair. You could tell that once your hand was in his he relaxed. He found enough confidence to even twirl a bracelet you wore on your wrist so that he could get a better look at it. 

Weaving through Emily’s house you looked over your shoulder and saw Jacob's mouth that you were going to be okay, and Bella was fuming but that was usual for her so you didn't think twice. 

Paul opened up the back door for you letting you out first, but not letting go of your hand. The group that had once occupied the kitchen table was now kicking a soccer ball around and chatting. But the conversation stopped once Paul's steps squeaked the wooden floorboards of the porch.

Smirks were placed on their faces but were immediately wiped off once Paul literally growled at them, which sent shivers down your spine. 

The soccer ball was quickly abandoned and they all rushed by and back into Emily’s house, but not before they could send a few teasing remarks toward Paul, which caused him to huff and puff a bit. But he quickly got over it once he looked towards you. 

He pulled you towards a set of lawn furniture that looked like it had seen better days that rested on the wrap-around porch. 

Once you sat down on the couch you once again pulled your legs against your chest. It was a mental way of creating a boundary between you and Paul that you weren't even doing consciously. 

Once he was next to you his hands found yours yet again. You were somewhat calmed by the sudden warmth that he gave off. 

“Y/I need to tell you something”, Paul finally said. 

“Yeah I figured as such”, you said slightly laughing trying to bring humor in to break up the tension. Paul met your laughter as he twisted your bracelet around some more. 

“So obviously something happened”, he drawled. 

“Yeah”

“Do you want me to be blunt or sugarcoat it”, he asked. 

“Be blunt”, you answered. 

“OK well umm. There's no easy way to put this but you see well. My tribe, the Quileutes, we’re special. Some of us have a special gene that makes us different”

“You’re sugarcoating it”, you interrupted. 

“I'm sorry, fine. The gene makes us shifters. We shift into wolves. I’m a werewolf”

“Be so for real right now”, you answered, absolutely breaking out into laughter. With your comment, you could hear a collection of howling laughter coming from in the house. Paul looked absolutely bewildered but regained his composure, a smirk of disbelief formed on his face as he shook his head. 

“That's why I wanted to tell you the full story. I think it would have been a little more believable, then hey I’m a werewolf. But you’re the impatient one”, Paul said, raising his eyebrows. 

“Ok, so wolf boy. How do I come into this mix?”, you questioned. 

“That's the even more complicated part”

“Spill”

“Shifters have something called imprints. You’re mine”, he gulped at the last part as he looked at you for approval. 

You wouldn't believe what you were hearing. This was insane. Not believing him at all and believing him fully at the same time. 

You couldn't deny the connection that you felt with him, but werewolves don't exist. Or at least you didn't think that they did. 

“Imprints are like soulmates. But they don't have to be romantic. It could just be me being your protector or a friend. Or something more. It's your ultimate choice in the matter”. Paul had a firm grip on your hand now like he needed to be touching some part of you at the moment. '`Do you have anything to say?”, he asked. 

Inhaling as much air as your lungs could take in and letting it all out slowly you shifted yet again this time so you were fully in front of him. You wanted more time to think over everything that had just been thrown at you but part of you was terrified. If you asked for more time to think you would get in your head or worse let Bella get in your head. Since you were pretty positive that she knew everything that was going on based on her reactions earlier. 

“Would a human imprint, would they feel the connection too?”

“Yeah. Umm not completely like a wolf but they do. You’ll feel drawn to me. Any emotions surrounding me will feel heightened. You can feel the connection”, Paul answered. 

“Cool”, was all that you could manage to get out. This reaction made Paul heartily laugh and it made your heart warm to see him light up. 

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

“So what's the deal with you and Bella? We met her about a year ago and she just mentioned that she had a sister and that was it. Why did you just now come out of the woodwork?”Paul asked. You were now leaning against his chest, snuggled into it appreciating the warmth he provided against the freezing winds that whipped through the forest Emily's house sat in. 

“Well, I lived with my mom and stepdad for pretty much most of my life. My dad and mom got together pretty soon after Renee and he got divorced. That's why I'm only two years younger than Bella. A few months ago my stepdad found out he was sick and my mom wanted to move across the country so he could be treated at Boston Medical Center since they have a trial program he’s eligible for. Which I was all for because I love my step-dad and want him to get treated but it would have been too hard for me to go with him. So my mom called Charlie and asked if I could move back here”

“Damn I'm so sorry Y/N”, Paul softy said as he pulled you closer to him. 

“It's fine. My mom sends me daily updates on him and I’m glad to be back here with Charlie. And really it's probably a good thing that Bella and I are around each other more. Really our entire lives the only time we’ve gotten to know each other is over the phone”, you assured him. 

A comfortable silence fell over the two of you as Paul hummed no melody in particular and continued to wrap your bracelet in circles slowly around your wrist. You watched as it turned left and right and Paul's eyes concentrated on it. 

“I can make you one”, you said looking up to meet his eyes and giving him a sweet smile. He looked shocked for a second, almost embarrassed that you had caught him playing with it. 

“I don't wanna have to make you do anything for me”, Paul stuttered, but he still did not drop your left wrist. 

“Paul it would be no big deal. It's easy. I even have the colors left over. We could match”, You wiggled your eyebrows at the last point attempting to calm him down. Which worked. He laughed at your weirdness and pulled you tight to him again. 

“The packs gonna give me such crap for wearing a pink and orange bracelet”, he whined pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Such it up Lahote, You're getting a matching friendship bracelet”

-----------

1st post on tumblr, kinda nervous to see how this is going to do lol.

[simplyraeblue]

hunter and hunted (jjk)

college (summer) break au: a fic in which y/n is pining over Yuji's older brother Sukuna, while unbeknownst to her, Choso is doing the same thing for her. contents: sukuna x reader, choso x reader, modern college AU, yuji and choso are brothers, sukuna and yuji are brothers, smut warning, fem reader

chapter warnings/tags: lil bit of angst, choso's feelings are starting to show, drinking games, reader is starting to get butterflies from choso A/N: just a simple plot chapter! we're closer to a little choso x reader action, and sukuna may react poorly... ( • ᴗ - ) also no matter if there's smut in the chapter or not, I will always use MDNI!

index part seven | part nine

part eight word count: 2,912

you had decided that this weekend would be the best one of your life. after all, it was finally time for the annual summer trip that you go on with Yuji and your friends every break; last year it was the beach, but this year the group vote was to stay in a cozy cabin in the woods with plans for hiking and exploring. but your favorite part was the idea of making smores and drinking around the campfire.

“Yuji let’s go! we have to get a move on!” you yelled up the stairs, your patience wearing thin as you waited for him to hurry. you heard a clumsy thud from above, followed by a series of frantic footsteps. Yuji appeared, hopping down the stairs on one foot while struggling to put his shoes on fast enough.

“jeez, mom, I’m moving as fast as I can.” Yuji quipped, nearly losing his balance but catching himself on the stair railing. “why am I the only one getting yelling at?”

he had a point. you turned back to the stairs and hollered, “Choso, we’re going to leave without you!”

convincing Choso to join this years trip had been a small miracle – and Yuji insisted it was because you asked him to. normally, Choso wasn’t one for group outings, often dismissing your friends as immature and obnoxious. it was a mystery to you as to why he agreed to come along this time, but you weren’t complaining.

you silently thanked your lucky stars that Sukuna wasn’t around when you’d asked; he had been off on a trip with his own friends this week, conveniently coming back after you guys had left. with the increased distance between the two of you, you were slowly forgetting the anxiety you had about what had happened, instead opting to focus on the joy of hanging out with Yuji and Choso.

finally, Choso came down the stairs, at a snail’s pace you might add, carrying a duffel bag and wearing headphones around his neck. “I’ve got my music queued up for when we get in the car, so don’t even think about bothering me.” he plainly told you and Yuji, his expression already showing signs of the annoyance to come.

“Aw come on Choso. what if I wanted to play I Spy with you?” you teased, poking him in the side to agitate him more – but it had the opposite effect. instead of swatting you away and groaning like usual, Choso merely smiled at you and shrugged away from your intrusion, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

by the time you managed to herd the two of them out the door, Nobara and Megumi were waiting by the car. Nobara was tapping her foot impatiently, her gaze sweeping over the three of you with a critical eye. “which one of you took the longest to get ready?” she demanded.

without hesitation, you pointed at Choso and Yuji, while they both pointed back at you. your jaw dropped in outrage. “hey! I was the one yelling at you two to get your asses downstairs!”

“doesn’t matter.” Megumi said with a sigh, rolling his eyes. “just get in the car so we can get moving.” he slid into the driver’s seat, with Nobara taking the passenger seat. you were left to squeeze in the back, wedged between Yuji and Choso. with a final round of groans and shuffles, you all took off on the journey.

being sandwiched between Yuji and Choso wasn’t the most comfortable arrangement, and there was absolutely no room to stretch out. Yuji, like a child, kept poking and pestering Nobara from behind her seat – this inevitably led to you getting caught in the crossfire, often receiving a swift swipe from the red head accidentally.

the drive wasn’t long, but it was just long enough to leave you feeling cramped and achy. you glanced over at Choso, who had his headphones in and his eyes shut, likely tuning out the chaos of the car. deciding to take a chance, you gently pulled one of the earbuds from his ear.

Choso’s eyes snapped open in irritation before he realized it was you. “can I listen too?” you asked, offering a hopeful smile hoping to persuade him.

he nodded, a soft smile spreading across his face. you took the extra earbud and popped it into your ear. to your surprise, Choso’s playlist was filled with lo-fi music – pleasantly surprising you. the gentle beats began to relax you, and you found yourself leaning against Choso’s shoulder, closing your eyes.

unbeknownst to you, Choso’s face turned a delicate shade of pink at the unexpected contact. he looked down at you, finding you utterly adorable as you sought comfort in his presence. his smile widened as he enjoyed the moment. just then, he noticed Yuji staring at him, eyes wide in disbelief.

“what the hell?” Yuji mouthed silently, his expression a mix of surprise and confusing.

Choso quickly mouthed back, “don’t know what you’re talking about,” before settling back into his seat and closing his eyes. even though he was eager for the car ride to be over, a part of him wished it would go on forever so he could savor your closeness a bit longer.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .

you hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but the gentle shaking your shoulder woke you, and you realized you’d dozed off for the entire ride.

“y/n, we’re here.” Choso said softly, nudging you awake. as you blinked away the remnant of sleep and sat up, you stretched and tried to shake off the drowsiness. “I think you drooled on my shirt a little.” he added with a hint of amusement.

your eyes widened in alarm as you quickly glanced at Choso’s shirt, but there was no sign of drool. Choso’s laughter only made your cheeks flush with embarrassment. “don’t do that to me; I was about to feel terrible for sleeping on you.” you snapped, giving him a playful swat.

once you all exited the car, you took a deep breath and stretched your limbs, relishing the opportunity to pop a few joints. the cabin that stood before you was charming and cozy, exactly what you’d been looking forward to. the surrounding quiet was a welcome change from the car ride chaos. you mentally noted to thank Megumi later for using Gojo’s card to book the place – or perhaps thank Gojo himself.

Nobara broke the silence, questioning, “so, what’s the sleeping arrangement?”

“I’ll bunk with Yuji, and the rest of you can get your own rooms.” Megumi answered, a smirk on his face as Yuji beamed with approval.

“but Megumi, you booked the place.” you protested. “surely, you should get your own room.”

“don’t argue.” Nobara cut in firmly. “we get our own rooms.” you suspected that Nobara’s insistence was partly why Megumi had arranged it this way. while you loved her to death, her sometimes picky nature made you relieved to not be sharing a room with her.

the group entered the cabin, immediately splitting off to go find the bedrooms and place luggage inside. you chose a bedroom on the second floor, away from the action, perfect. if you needed a quiet moment, you knew you would be able to escape up here.

while unpacking your bag, you heard footsteps approaching up the stairs. curiosity piqued, you peeked out of your room to see who would be claiming the other room on the second floor. to your surprise, it was Choso.

he caught your eye and smiled warmly. “coming up here for the quiet too?” he asked, his voice gentle.

you blushed slightly and nodded. “yeah, you know how those three can drink and stay up late. I didn’t want to be kept up all night.”

Choso nodded in understanding and proceeded to the extra room to settle in, the door directly across from yours. you felt a wave of relief knowing that Choso was your neighbor up here. it was reassuring to have someone who wouldn’t be a nuisance, and thankfully, he didn’t have his stereo system from home to blast music all the time.

once everyone had settled in, you all regrouped in the kitchen, where Megumi and Yuji were taking charge of dinner. they were in full swing, cooking up a storm as they worked together seamlessly. Nobara, perched on a stool nearby, pestered them with a constant stream of corrections.

you and Choso, seated comfortably at the bar, watched the spectacle with amusement. Yuji had thoughtfully packed your favorite drinks in the cooler before you all left home, and you took a satisfied sip from the can. even though you knew that the weekend was likely to be filled with drinking games, you were just content to unwind and enjoy your alcohol responsibly.

as dinner came to a close, Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara set up a game of drunk jenga in the living room, their excitement building with every clink of a beer bottle. Choso and you decided to bow out; it was the first night at the cabin, and you wanted to wake up refreshed without a hangover tomorrow.

as the night progessed, the room was filled with the sounds of laughter and playful competition. you found yourself feeling blissfully content, sitting a little closer to Choso on the couch and relishing in the comfort.

“who do you think is gonna lose this round?” you asked Choso, your eyes fixed on Yuji as he came close to toppling the wooden tower over.

“hm…” Choso pondered, watching the game intently. after a moment, he said, “I’m betting on Yuji. he’s been a bit clumsy this round.”

“wanna make it interesting?” you suggest with a playful raise of your eyebrow. Choso’s eyes sparkled with intrigue, and he tilted his head slightly.

“what do you have in mind?” he asked, his tone light but with a hint of challenge. for a moment you thought you felt butterflies begin to flutter in your stomach.

“if I win, I get to steal your headphones for the drive back.” you proposed with a grin.

“sounds fair.” Choso agreed, pausing to consider his own wager. “alright then. if I win, you have to go to dinner with me when we get home.”

your stomach did a little flip at his proposition, and you could feel the butterflies taking flight. “how does that put me out?” you asked, your cheeks warming up as you felt the heat rise.

“you’d have to pay.” Choso said with a grin, noticing your realization. “and I eat a lot – maybe not as much as Yuji, but be prepared for a hefty bill.”

you groaned in mock frustration, but there was an undeniable thrill within you at the wager. “fine, but I’m taking you to a McDonald’s.”

“what’s not what I –” Choso started to protest, but his words were cut off by sudden, unexpected knock at the front door.

everyone in the room paused, their attention shifting to the door with a mix of curiosity and concern. Nobara’s brows furrowed. “who the hell could that be?”

Yuji stood up, slightly swaying but with an air of confidence. “maybe it’s the owner of the rental.” he suggested. as he made his way to the door, you noticed Choso’s hand reaching back toward you, a subtle protective gesture that warmed your heart.

with bated breath, you all watched as Yuji turned the doorknob and pulled the door open.

you’d seen plenty of scary movies, the ones where a group of friends go to a cabin in the woods and run into an axe murderer, but nothing could have prepared you for the jump scare you received when the door opened

“guys, look who decided to show up!” Yuji exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement as he gestured to the figure in the doorway.

“looks like my trip ended a bit early, so I thought I’d take my little bro up on his offer.” Sukuna said with a wide grin, his gaze sweeping over the room. his eyes landed on you, and his grin momentarily faltered before returning, albeit a bit force. he glanced at Choso, whose hand was still protectively reaching toward you. “Choso, didn’t think this was your scene.”

“y/n asked me to come along. I couldn’t say no.” Choso replied through gritted teeth. “didn’t think you’d show up either.”

Sukuna chuckled, making his way into the living room and sitting in a chair that, thankfully, was not next to you. “well, someone's gotta make sure none of you kids do anything stupid.” he said, his eyes lingering on you. you quickly looked away, feeling a flush of discomfort.

“we don’t have an extra bedroom.” Megumi stated calmly, though his body was visibly tense. you knew that Megumi and Nobara really didn’t like Sukuna, only tolerating his presence for Yuji’s sake.

“I’ll take the couch.” Sukuna shrugged, but his gaze remained fixed on you, making you feel increasingly nervous. “or I could share a bed if anyone’s willing.”

“the couch is fine.” Nobara said, her voice dripping with disdain as she caught the look Sukuna was giving you.

you felt like you couldn’t breathe the longer you could feel Sukuna stare at you. having Choso sitting between you two didn’t help much, considering he was beginning to act like your bodyguard making Sukuna only stare harder.

there goes your peaceful getaway.

as Sukuna settled into the living room, the tension became almost palpable. Megumi and Nobara exchanged uneasy glances, while Yuji of course remained unaware, but soon returned to their game.

you stayed put on the couch next to Choso, trying to avoid Sukuna’s lingering gaze. Choso’s presence was a small comfort, his protective demeanor evident as he subtly inched closer to you, his body language signaling he wasn’t happy with Sukuna’s intrusion either.

eventually, Sukuna leaned back in his chair, his eyes still occasionally drifting towards you. he made no effort to engage with the group’s activated, instead seemingly content to observe and occasionally interject with comments that seemed designed to provoke a reaction. Nobara was the easiest to rile up, and you heard her cursing at him every few minutes.

as if sensing the need for a break, Choso stood and stretched. “I’m going to grab a drink. anyone else want anything?” he asked. you took the opportunity to get up as well, eager to escape Sukuna’s wandering eyes.

you followed Choso into the kitchen, where he began rummaging through the cooler for another drink. “I’m sorry about this.” Choso said quietly as he handed you a drink. “I didn’t expect him to show up – honestly, I didn’t know Yuji invited him.”

you took a sip, appreciating the drink and Choso’s attempt to offer comfort. “It’s not your fault.” you replied. “I guess I thought this weekend was going to be relaxing.”

Choso shook his head, his expression shifting to one of mild annoyance. “I know he can be uncomfortable sometimes.” he admitted, his voice low. “he’s always been a bit… inappropriate around you.”

you nearly choked on your drink at his words. if only Choso knew the full extent. the thought of what would happen if Choso and Yuji found out about the bruises being left by Sukuna made your stomach churn. this was definitely not the time to reveal that particular little secret.

“actually, I appreciate the drink, but I think I’m going to head to bed early.” you said, your lips forming a thin line as you mentally cursed Sukuna for dampening your mood. you wanted to act like his presence didn’t bother you, but tonight, you didn’t have the strength to put on a brave face.

Choso’s hand gently rested on your arm, and his brows furrowed in concern, the tattoo across his nose wrinkling as well. “does he make you that uncomfortable?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.

you couldn’t tell Choso exactly what you were feeling right now, so you just shrugged and gave a small weary smile. “nah, he’s just an ass. I’m just tired from the drive.” you lied, and Choso nodded in acceptance.

“I won’t let him ruin your fun, don’t worry.” Choso smiled softly, a gesture you couldn’t help but return as you set down your beer and rubbed your clammy palms on your pants.

“let me know who loses – I expect to find those headphones in my ears when we leave in a couple of days.” you teased, making him laugh, before you turned and made your way for the stairs.

Yuji caught your movement, shouting out at you, “y/n, you’re going to bed already?”

you paused at the bottom of the stairs, turning to give your best friend an apologetic smile. “yeah, just sleepy from the trip.”

you refused to acknowledge the fact that Sukuna was unabashedly staring you down, and you were unaware of Choso glancing between the two of you as you fidgeted with your fingers.

“if you need anything don’t hesitate to let me know.” Choso told you, making you look towards him. he offered you a smile, trying to make you feel better. “I’m right across the hall if you need me.”

oh boy, if only you knew how that made Sukuna’s blood boil.

you nodded your thanks, bidding everyone goodnight before almost rushing up the stairs. once you were behind a closed door, you let out a deep sigh of relief.

and all you had wanted was a peaceful getaway.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . taglist: @nighttwingg @sweetsformysoul @casualpoetrytaco @lvingd3adg0rl @haikomaiko @csolya @dealthypink if you'd like to be added to the taglist for this WIP let me know! ♡ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ .

[dreamwritesimagines]

Sunshine [5] - Dusk

AN: My loves, thank you so so much for your wonderful support and lovely comments and HCs! ❤️ You’re amazing! ❤️

I hope you like this as well, and please don’t forget to tell me what you think, thank you! 🥰

Pairing: Logan Howlett x Female!Reader

Summary: Some evenings come with threats.

Word Count: 4242 

CW: Violence, explicit language, blood, threats

Series Masterlist

“I have no idea why you don’t like him.”

“Well, that makes two of us because I have no idea why you like him.”

You rolled your eyes at Jamie as you grabbed the coffee pot, then filled his cup while he pointed at you with his fork. The diner wasn’t very busy yet; you had the time to focus your full attention on him after taking a couple of orders to the tables, so you leaned on the counter, then stole a fry off his plate.

“Logan is nice.”

“Oh Logan is nice?” he repeated with a scoff. “He’s a giant ball of macho bullshit with no brains, that’s what he is.”

Your jaw dropped. “Oh come on Jamie!”

“I’m serious,” he said as you crossed your arms to shoot him a lighthearted glare.

“You know, I wasn’t like this when you introduced Nik to me.”

“Nik is my soulmate,” he said without hesitation. “I doubt the brute caveman is your soulmate.”

“He's not a caveman.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“He just…he doesn’t look very friendly,” you said in a rush to defend him. “I’m aware of it but he’s been to wars and stuff, so it’s kinda expected—”

“Which is another red flag, sunshine,” Jamie insisted. “When was he born, you said?”

“1832.”

“You have a crush on Dracula: Lumberjack Edition?”

“He doesn’t give off vampire vibes!”

“No, he gives off werewolf vibes,” he said. “And just in case a certain popular franchise has escaped your notice, they’re both equally bad.”

You scrunched your nose up at him, still leaning to the counter while he sipped his coffee.

“What happened to the guy Nik set you up with?”

“Oh that date was a disaster,” you said with a shrug. “He talked about himself the whole time. I barely got two words in.”

“I hate when they do that,” he grumbled, making you smile.

“I swear to you Logan is not a bad guy,” you said. “He’s the furthest thing from that—which by the way, we might be just arguing over nothing. I honestly doubt he sees me that way.”

He shot you a look of disbelief.

“Sunshine.”

“No I really don’t think—”

“A lot of people you cross paths with see you that way.”

“You and Julie both say that but that’s because you’re my best friends.”

“No, that’s because we see how people look at you,” he said. “Unlike you.”

“Yeah but Logan—”

“Logan will make a move on you one of these days, and I think you should turn him down when he does.”

You wiggled your brows. “It’d be a bit difficult to turn him down while I’m climbing him like a tree.”

“Fuck him once and leave him.”

“I already decided what our future cabin in the woods will be like.”

He let out a groan, burying his face into his hands, making you giggle.

“If Logan and I start dating and that’s a huge if, considering I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want me that way,” you said. “We’ll go on a double date with you and Nik, and you will see he’s actually the nicest guy in the entire world.”

“I hope he’s terrible in bed so that you will snap out of this,” he motioned at you as his phone vibrated, making him check it before he took a huge sip of his coffee, then stood up.

“Thank you so much for letting me borrow your car by the way,” he said. “It’s just that, Nik’s grandma needs a ride to the airport and…”

“It’s totally fine,” you said with a wave of your hand. “Don’t even mention it.”

“I’ll bring it tonight to your place.”

“Like I said, it’s totally fine,” you said. “Tell Nik’s grandma I said hi.”

“Will do,” he said, leaning over the counter to kiss your cheek, then walked out of the diner. You grabbed his plate and mug, but as soon as you entered the kitchen, the boss’ office door opened and he peeked his head out.

“Hey,” he said. “Bad news, Stacey can’t make it, she has the flu. Do you think you could close tonight?”

Shit.

Of course you had to close when you didn’t have a car.

You pressed your lips together, then forced yourself to smile before nodding your head.

“Yeah,” you said. “I can close tonight, no problem.”

 ��                                                *

Today was not going as planned, at all.

Creepy customers weren’t exactly new to you. You were pretty sure that everyone in service industry had to deal with them at one point or another, God knew you did. But usually, once you turned them down, they finished their meals and left without leaving you a tip.

They didn’t just sit there at the booth, staring at you for almost an hour.

Paul was by the grill as you walked into the kitchen and heaved a sigh, pressing your palms into your eyes, your heart beating in your throat.

It was fine. If he stayed there towards the closing time, you were just going to ask Paul to handle him, he was pretty good at that. He would deal with him, and afterwards you would just call a cab and go home and forget about today.

“You okay?” Paul asked and you dropped your hands, then nodded, clearing your throat.

“Um—yeah. Just tired I guess.”

“You sure?”

“Uh huh,” you said. “Slow day but I went to bed late, so…”  

He grinned. “Your new boyfriend is keeping you up late?”

You let out a small laugh. “It’s nothing like that.”

“No?”

“No,” you said. “I don’t even know if he likes me that way to be honest.”

“What, he just came to drive you home the other day out of the goodness in his heart?”

You nodded again. “Yeah. He’s nice.”

“Honey, I’m terribly sorry to shatter your trust in the goodness of us men, but we usually don’t do that just for any girl.”

“Yeah but Logan is nice,” you insisted. “Not to mention, he’s out of my league.”

“Did you break all the mirrors in your place or something?”

You rolled your eyes at him. “Paul.”

“Take it from a guy, Logan definitely wants to…” he wiggled his brows and you grabbed the table cloth, then tossed it at him for him to catch it in the air.

“That’s absolutely not true.”

“So your crush isn’t keeping you up, then what is?”

“Have you met me?” you asked him. “I run on stress.”

“You know what’s good for stress, right?” he asked with a smirk but as soon as he stole a look out of the small kitchen window into the diner, then pulled his brows together. “Did I Beetlejuice this motherfucker or something?”

“What?” you asked, turning your head to follow his line of sight, then gasped when you saw Logan walking to the counter to sit on a stool.

At first you were surprised at the relief that hit you out of nowhere so fast that it made your head spin, because normally whenever you were around Logan, your heart would be making flips, adrenaline rushing through you. It took you a moment to understand what it was, and once you did, you let out a breath.

It was safety.

Somehow, something in your body knew Logan being there meant you were completely safe.

You let out a breath and pushed open the door to step outside, then approached the counter.

“Hey,” you said, still slightly dizzy and Logan’s hazel eyes searched your face, his frown deepening.

“What’s wrong?”

“What?”

“I could hear your heartbeat from a mile away,” he said. “What’s going on?”

You blinked a couple of times. “You recognize my heartbeat?”

“Yeah,” he said as if it was completely normal. “And I smelled your fear. So what’s going on?”

“You what?” you asked. “I smell like fear?”

“Not normally, but you do right now,” he said impatiently. “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head, trying to focus as you stole a look at the booth the creep was still sitting in, Logan turning his head to follow your glances.

“He, um…” you said, lowering your voice. “He wanted to know when I get off work, and—and I said no and he’s been sitting there for an hour, just staring.”

Logan’s eyebrows rose as if he was surprised by the guy’s audacity.

“And I close the diner tonight,” you whispered. “And I gave the car to Jamie because his boyfriend’s grandma has been staying with them, and she’s really nice except for when she made that one comment about me giving it up too—” you stopped yourself. “Sorry. Um, I don’t—”

“How about I drive you home tonight?” he cut you off, making you pull your brows together.

“You’d do that?”

The look he gave you was almost reprimanding as if he was offended by you asking a question when the answer was clear as day and you let out a relieved breath.

“Logan I…” you trailed off. “I don’t know how to thank you, you’re—you’re amazing, really.”

“You have no reason to thank me, princess,” he said, making your heart skip a beat.

“I have many reasons.”

“No, and don’t worry about that asshole,” he said, nodding in the direction of the booth before turning to you, “but you need to call me when this sort of bullshit happens.”

“I don’t have your number,” you said and he paused for a moment as if he hadn’t thought about that.

“Right,” he said, taking his phone out of his pocket before holding it out for you and you smiled, then took it from him. You entered your phone number, then sent yourself a quick text before handing him the phone back.

“There,” you said with a grin. “Now we have each other’s numbers. Technology isn’t so bad, huh?”

He gave you a small smile and you cleared your throat.

“So what can I get you?” you asked, shifting your weight from one foot to other in excitement, and he frowned for a moment.

“Any chance you’ve got some of that pie from earlier?”

“Sure!” you said. “I’ll be right back.”

You went into the kitchen and made your way to the counter to get out the pie, then cut a big slice to put it on the plate.

“Look at that, your mood is fixed for some reason,” Paul teased you and you scrunched up your nose at him, then grabbed the chocolate sauce bottle. You carefully drew the shape on the plate, your tongue sticking out from the corner of your mouth.

“So let me guess, he’s still not your boyfriend?”

You gave him a chiding look. “Don’t.”

“Hey, I’m asking to see if I need to set you up with one of my friends.”

“Oh I’ve met your friends,” you said with a laugh. “I’ll respectfully decline, thank you.”

“They’re pretty cool guys.”

“I guess I’m not cool,” you told him and picked up the plate, then pushed open the kitchen door to make your way to Logan who was sitting on the stool by the counter.

“There you go,” you said and put the plate in front of him. “You may be curious about what that shape is on the plate is.”

“Was just about to ask you about that.”

“That’s a cigar,” you pointed at it. “And there’s an X over it because cigars suck. And that’s a frowny face right next to it because to repeat, cigars suck.”

“I see,” he said with a small grin. “A very clear message.”

“Isn’t it?” you asked, stealing a look at the booth to check on the creep but the booth was completely empty. You blinked a couple of times before you turned to Logan.

“Logan?”

“Hm?”

“Where did that man go?”

He grabbed his fork. “He left.”

“…Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Your frown deepened. “Did you say something to him?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Just a small warning, that’s all.”

You could feel the relief filling your system as a smile warmed your face, making you bite at your lip.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” he muttered as he dug into the pie while you leaned against the counter, crossing your arms on it.

“So you were around then?” you asked. “When you heard my heartbeat?”

“Mm hm.”

“How do you know it’s my heartbeat and not someone else’s?”

“I recognize it,” he said, making you raise your brows.

“Is that—” you started but were distracted by a customer asking for a refill, so you grabbed the coffee pot, went to refill his coffee and walked behind the counter again. You pulled out a mug to fill Logan coffee, then put it in front of him.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. Is that what you did during the French Revolution as well?”

“To repeat, I haven’t—” he started but then his lips curled into a smile upon seeing the teasing glint in your eyes. “Right. Seriously, what is this fascination with French Revolution?”

“I was weirdly into historical documentaries while pregnant with Theo,” you said. “Kinda stuck.”

“Ah.”

“Speaking of all that though, what was 19th century like?”

Logan took a sip of his coffee. “Foggy.”

“…Very descriptive, Dickens,” you said with a nod of your head. “Professor X should have you teach literature, you’d do wonders in prose.”

 That made him chuckle before he took his fork into his mouth, and you smiled at him before walking to another table to take their order.

                                             *

As the sky went dark and the closing time got closer, you realized that you hadn’t even been paying attention to the time. Paul had left an hour ago, so had all the customers but you were so lost in the excitement of spending time with Logan that if it weren’t for your phone vibrating on the counter, you wouldn’t have even noticed it was past the closing time.

“But yeah, he literally brought a kitten home from the street,” you said with a smile as you walked to get your coat. “The said kitten is now Nik and Jamie’s beloved son, but—what are you doing?”

Logan pulled out his wallet and motioned at the empty plate and the coffee mug, making you narrow your eyes.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Princess—”

“I will threaten you, I don’t care if you’re invincible and like 200 years old.”

He tilted his head. “You’re threatening me with threatening me?”

“Yes,” you said. “I will kill you with kindness and also this knife I found in the kitchen if you try to pay for it.”

“You’re terrible at threatening people.”

“I know, I’m working on it,” you muttered as you grabbed the plate and the mug to put it on the counter of the kitchen through the small window, and by the time you turned around he had already placed some cash on where the plate just was.

“Logan!”

“Technically I’m not paying for it, I’m leaving a tip.”

“That tip is more than the check.”

“Well that’s—” he started before his head whipped around, the playful smile wiping off of his face as a car pulled over in front of the diner. He gritted his teeth, making you pull your brows together.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong,” he said. “Just do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll step outside for a moment,” he said. “Stay here.”

Your heart started pounding in your chest. “What—what’s going on?”

“I swear to you, it’ll take only a moment,” he said, his voice completely calm as he stood up from the stool. “Don’t step outside, okay?”

 “Hey asshole, I don’t appreciate being threatened!” A shout came from outside and you took a step back, panic making you dizzy upon recognizing the voice; it had to be the guy from earlier. “So I brought some friends! How about we show you some manners and then entertain your girl?”

You could feel your blood freezing in your veins and you grabbed your phone. “I’ll—I’ll call the cops—”

“Don’t,” Logan said. “They’ll only get in the way. I got it.”

“Logan…” you started but a metallic noise reached your ears as metal claws sprouted from his knuckles, making your eyes widen.

“What…”

“Stay here.”

“I-but—” you stammered but he had already walked out of the door, making you cover your mouth. Fear pounded through your system, your eyes filling with tears as you sniffled, then grabbed the knife on the counter and took a step to the closed door, but blood splattered over the huge window, soon followed by the panicked yelling of the newcomers. Your stomach churned as you swallowed thickly, then you wiped at your eyes and rushed to the door with the knife in your hand before you swung it open.

The view you were presented with looked like something out of a movie. Two of the guys writhing on the ground, one of the crawling to the car while the other looked like he was crying. The man from earlier was also on the ground, holding onto his face but you could see the blood dripping through his fingers as Logan retracted his claws, then held him from the back of his jacket and lifted him up.

“You’ve got something to say to her?” he growled, and the man let out a sob, then lowered his hands, your breath catching in your throat upon seeing the gashes on his face.

“I’m—I’m sorry,” he managed to whimper through pain and Logan dropped him on his face unceremoniously, then turned to you.

“What’s the knife for?” he asked and you blinked a couple of times, forcing yourself to drag your gaze from the man.

“I was coming to save you,” you told Logan, making the corners of his mouth twitch.

“Yeah?” he asked as if humoring you and you nodded, then took a look at the men on the ground.

“Come on,” Logan said, snapping you out of your thoughts. “Let me take you home.”

You felt like you were in a haze as you rushed inside to put the knife back, grabbed your phone off the counter, then shut down the lights and closed the door behind you, locked it and turned to Logan again.

“…Shouldn’t we call someone?”

“Nope.”

“But what if you get in trouble because of—”

“I won’t,” Logan answered, gently leading you to the motorcycle, his hand on the small of your back. He put the helmet on your head and you got behind him on the bike, wrapping your arms around his waist to hold onto him tight.

The road to your home felt almost surreal. The panic still hadn’t left your system yet, your mind going overdrive with everything that could have gone wrong, or would go wrong if those creeps had decided to press charges on Logan. Even though he didn’t look worried at all, you were beginning to think you worried enough for the both of you.

And if something had happened to him, if they had gotten to him before he could beat them—

No.

You couldn’t even bring yourself to think about it.

You hadn’t even realized that your cheeks were wet with tears when he pulled over in front of your house, his head turning to the side when he heard you sniffling. You swung your leg over the seat to sit sideways on it and he got off the motorcycle to help you take off the helmet but as soon as he did, you pressed your palms on your eyes, biting inside your cheek to keep yourself under control.

“Sorry,” you mumbled, sniffling again as you lowered your hands before a shaky sigh left your lips. He lifted your chin with a curled finger, your eyes shooting up to his, your heart skipping a beat as he gently wiped at the tear under your eye.

“I’m sorry for scaring you off.”

The change in his tone was impossible to miss. That growl that had spilled from his lips while talking to that man was completely gone and now his deep voice was soft like honey, making you feel all warm inside. You blinked back the tears and shook your head fervently.

“You didn’t,” you said. “That’s not what’s happening.”

“But you’re scared.”

“Not of you,” you said, shaking your head again as you bit at your nail. “For you.”

That made him pull his brows together in confusion and you let out a breath.

“Logan, there were three people there,” you insisted. “They could’ve easily overpowered you—”

“That’s impossible.”

“They could’ve killed you!”

“Also impossible,” he said, a small chuckle escaping from his lips as if the idea was too absurd. “I told you before. I heal.”

“I’m sure there are exceptions to that, if they came up with a way—”

“Unless those guys were keeping a fully functioning high technology lab underneath the diner, they couldn’t,” he said. “Me getting hurt was not a possibility there, and the only reason they’re alive is because you were there. That’s it.”

You sniffled again.

“But did I make you betray a principle or something?”

“What?”

“Because the secretary of Mutant Affairs held a press conference the other day and he—”

“Hank?”

“Hank McCoy, yes. You know him?”

“Yeah, we’re friends.”

“Well, he talked about how mutants have this principle—”

A dry chuckle climbed up his throat.

“I don’t have any principles when it comes to assholes like those,” he said, a shadow crossing his handsome face. “But nobody gets to hurt you or threaten you. That’s the principle here.”

Your head was spinning again for a completely different reason and you took a trembling breath, stealing a look at the building behind you before looking up to his hazel eyes, your heart beating in your throat.

“Would you like to—” you started but before you could invite him to your apartment, a car flashed its headlights at you two, making you turn your head to look at it.

Oh.

Your car.

Jamie was in the driver’s seat and he frowned slightly before he stopped the car and Nik leaned out from the open passenger seat window.

“Hey Sunshine!” he said. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

You closed your eyes for a moment before opening them again, then licked your lips.

“It’s on mute, I didn’t hear,” you said. “Uh, Logan, this is Nik, Jamie’s boyfriend. Nik, this is Logan, my…my friend.”

Nik gave him a grin as he eyed him up and down.

“Nice to meet you Logan,” he said before turning to you. “Get in, we’re taking you out to dinner. Your friend can come too if he’d like.”

You glanced up at Logan, biting at your lip and he took a deep breath, then cleared his throat as if trying to snap out of a haze.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I am,” you said. “I just didn’t know they were coming—but um, would you like to join us? Nik is an expert when it comes to restaurants, he knows all the great ones.”

Logan shook his head.

“I’d better go,” he said. “It’ll be easier to track those guys down while they’re still bleeding.”

You blinked a couple of times. “What are you gonna do?”

“I’ll make sure they understand they shouldn’t cross paths with you ever again,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “That’s all.”

You hesitated only for a moment before you stood on your tiptoes, wrapping your arms around his neck to hug him, resting your forehead against his hard chest, the scent of pines and smoke surrounding you in the most pleasant way. He cradled the back of your head with one hand while his other arm sneaked around your waist and he nuzzled his nose into your hair to inhale deeply, making your heartbeat faster. Even though you felt like you could happily spend your whole life in his arms, you knew you had to step back especially with Jamie and Nik right there, so you slowly pulled back to look up at him. His hazel gaze went down to your lips for a moment before snapping back to your eyes and you swallowed thickly.

“Thanks,” you managed to say. “For…you know.”

“No problem, princess,” he said softly and stepped back as well, then nodded in Jamie’s direction before getting on the motorcycle.

“Be careful,” he said and you let out a small laugh.

“Likewise,” you said before he drove off and you shifted your weight before making your way to the car. You opened the door and got in the backseat, then slammed the door shut as Nik turned to look at you over his shoulder.

“Hi honey.”

“Hi Nik. Hi Jamie.”

“So that was Logan?” Nik asked and Jamie scoffed as he started the car.

“Yep. That’s the asshole I told you about.”

“Well, neither of you told me he was that hot,” Nik pointed out, grinning at you. “Did we interrupt something?”

You wiped at your nose, then shook your head. “Um, no.”

Jamie took a look at you from the rear mirror, then frowned.

“If that asshole made you cry, I swear—”

“He didn’t,” you said in a rush and buckled your seat belt. “I’ll tell you on the way. What are we eating?”

6 - Middle of the Night

[ddaz3d-and-cc0nfused]

Hi! If possible is would you write a fanfic about Daryl and reader (preferably fem) live in a cabin with dog in the woods after being together for awhile, when Daryl goes to Alexandria to visit, Carol and Rosita ask questions about her?

༉‧₊˚. 𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 || 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧

― pairings: daryl dixon x plus size!reader

― era: s10/mid whisperers era

― summary: as much as you love domestic life with daryl, you wanted him to go see his family, and he basically gets a pat down when he does.

― warnings: literally nothing besides fluff!!

― wc: 925

⋆ a/n: i have nothing much to say besides this has been sitting in my drafts for a while and i apologize that i have taken so long to actually answer this.

masterlist | AO3

Going back to visit Daryl’s family was your idea. 

“It’s been awhile, you know?” You had said whilst running your fingers through his hair, his head rested on your chest as he listened to your heart beat rhythmically. 

He had grunted in agreement, though he wasn’t really putting any thought to your words. His hands were busy with a sleepy Dog who had been resting as well, the archer running petting the hound sweetly. Daryl hadn’t really wanted to think about it if he was being honest. Of course he missed his family, but he was rather content basking in this extremely domestic moment with you.

When he’d gone to look for Rick, he was alone; but then came Dog… and then you. It was an aggressive first meeting he must admit, the two of you wrestling under the guise that the other meant harm, but after quite the tiring rumble, both of you had gotten acquainted and even became neighbors. After that, the rest of your love story was history.

“I mean it, D.” You pressed, much to Daryl’s tired irritation. He remained silent on the matter, but you knew he was beginning to ponder your words. “Just think about it, okay?” Drawing his face up to place a gentle – convincing – kiss against his lips. “Okay.” He whispered.

Now with his bags packed for a few planned days away, he was chewing on his thumbnail nervously at the thought of leaving you and Dog alone.

“Are ya sure ya’ll’l be alrigh’?” He asked. 

You smiled softly at him, wrapping your arms around his neck to look him in the eye, his large hands settling on your plush hips. “We’ll be okay, hun. You know we can take care of ourselves.” He still didn’t look convinced. “C’mon, it’ll be fun! Plus, you’ll get to see Judith and RJ, Carol, Michonne.” You had only ever really heard stories of the people you had mentioned, but you knew they were important to Daryl, so if you had to use them as a selling point, then so be it. 

You could see a longing look settle over his face at the mention of the names.

“You miss them, so go see them! Don’t stay behind on my account. You know I was just fine living on my own before I had met you, so you’re aware that I can hold my own.” He knew you were right, and with a designated sigh, he relented, his tensed body relaxing. “Yeah, I know. I jus’... I’ll miss ya too.” You laughed at his boyish confession, kissing his lips in delight. 

“I know you will, and I’ll miss you too. I’m sure Dog will as well.” The boy yipped happily, brushing his nose along Daryl’s pant leg. A small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, and you knew you had won. 

“Ya promise to try and radio me if anythin’ happens?” You nodded. “Yes, D.”

“Ya remember how to work it? Hell, why don’cha jus’ come with me?” You shook your head. “Not right now. I’d rather them have you to themselves before I’m added to the mix.” He knew that you were right and nibbled on his bottom lip.

“Go before I make you.” You said half serious, half joking. “Alrigh’ alrigh’, no need’ta threaten me.” He said with a small smile of his own.

The drive to Alexandria was long but familiar, and as he had approached the gates, he hadn’t expected to be ambushed by Carol and Rosita.

“Daryl!” Carol had cheered at the sight of him, pulling him into a tight hug. It was clear that she was elated by the sight of her best friend’s return. “Hey there stranger.” Rosita had said with a grin before pulling him into a hug of her own.

When they pulled away, Carol had given Daryl a slow once over, making the poor man shift in his place uncomfortably. “Wha’?” Her cheerful smile turned shit eating at her revelation. “You look different.” Carol teases.

“Yeah, he does.” Rosita only serves as an instigator, looking at him through playfully narrowed eyes.

“Is tha’ good or bad?” Daryl inquired unsurely, shifting back and forth on his feet at their piercing gazes. “Last time I visited your camp, I had to cut your hair myself. Now, it seems like it’s been neatly trimmed.” Carol says.“And his clothes have been patched up too.” Rosita added. “So, who is she?” She asked with a drawn out ‘so.’

“Don’t tell me you got a girlfriend out there, tarzan.” Rosita continued playfully.

“Wha’s it to you.” Daryl asked, sucking his teeth with a slight ‘mmcht’ sound.

“Oh nothing, I’m just surprised you decided to settle down, but you know, stranger things have happened.” Says Carol.

“Pfft, whatever.” But the red tips of his ears gave him away.

“So who is she? How’d you meet?” Rosita bombards.

“I dunno,” He shrugs, “The woods I guess.”

“And then we can guess she never left.” 

“Obviously. I mean what’s the love story there?”

“Ain’t no love story. Jus’ met her digging around my camp and offered to share some of my food ‘s all.”

“I guess.” He didn’t want to continue to entertain the women’s ribbing, but they were right. 

When you had first met, you were nothing short of feral, digging through his stuff in hopes of finding something - anything - to arm and feed yourself with. Daryl of course raised his crossbow at you and the rest was history.

But they didn’t need to know that.

ೃ⁀➷ my lovely taglist!: @alina02 @louderfortheback @minervadashwood @their-love @fandomsarelifee @theendofthe70s @nomajdetective @mgg-theprettiestboy @phoenixblack89 @murdadixon @hallecarey1 @bunnybabe-babydoll @khxna @dixonzzgirl @violettavirus @moonysreid

[captainsophiestark]

Don't Mess With Demeter

Luke Castellan x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for Fictober 2024!

Fandom: Percy Jackson

Day One Prompt: "That was good work."

Summary: Travis and Connor Stoll like to cause problems. Fortunately, having Luke Castellan for a boyfriend can help take the sting out of dealing with those problems.

Word Count: 1,802

Category: Fluff, Humor

A/N: Happy spooky season everyone!

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU TWO!"

My eyes snapped open at the screeching sound coming from just outside my cabin. I rolled out of bed quickly, hustling to the front door in my pajamas, to find Katie Gardner absolutley fuming in the front doorway. Her fists were clenched as she started at someone beyond the cabin door, the early morning light giving her silhouette a rosy glow.

I hadn't had a chance to look at the clock, but clearly it was much too early on a Saturday for me to be dealing with this. Unfortunately for me, as the head counselor for the Demeter cabin, I didn't actually have a choice.

I followed Katie as she stormed outside, in hot pursuit of whoever had gotten on her bad side. As she stepped further into the light, I realized she was absolutley dripping wet, and the most likely series of events clicked into my head at the exact same time I heard the Stolls cackle.

Damned Hermes kids. I knew better than to expect them to ever stop pranking us completely, especially since Travis seemed to use it as a way to flirt with Katie, but did they have to do it so early in the morning?

By the time I cleared the Demeter cabin's front steps, Katie had already chased the Stolls halfway across the lawn full of cabins, shouting and hurling seed packets at them as she went. With a little Demeter magic, she made the packets explode as soon as they got close enough to the Stolls. For the sake of every single camper still asleep, I needed to put a stop to this sooner than later.

I snatched up my own handful of seeds that had been sitting outside the cabin, then took off after Katie, Connor, and Travis. The Stolls kept cutting back and forth across the grass, Katie always a few steps behind them, which made it much easier for me to catch up to the trio by skipping the zig zags. Connor made it almost to the treeline of the forest before apparently remembering he might not want to take a fight with a Demeter kid into the woods, so he came to a screeching halt. Travis, who'd had his head turned to grin at Katie, ran right into his back. The two went toppling to the ground, and when I finally reached them, Katie had her arm pulled back to annihilate the brothers with whatever she managed to grow out of all the seeds she'd grabbed.

"Nope!" I cried, using one hand to stop Katie from following through on her throw while I scattered my own seeds with the other. A little concentration and a wave of my hand later, some flowers had sprouted and wrapped lightly around the Stolls' legs, keeping them in place at least for the moment. I turned my attention fully to Katie again.

She scolwed me, her half-dry hair and near-growling tone giving her quite a wild look.

"What are you doing? I had them!"

"Katie, as much as I get where you're coming from, I can't let you make the Stolls into living tress."

"Why not? They deserve it! It'd finally stop them from showing up at our cabin at five in the morning on a Saturday just to mess with us!" I grimaced. I knew it was early, but 5am... oof. "See! You know I'm right."

I sighed. "While my regular camper heart might agree with you, since my alarm was you screaming thanks to their prank... my senior counselor brain is reminding me we don't get to kill the other campers, even when they might deserve it. Sorry, Katie."

"So what, they just get away with it? Like nothing ever happened?"

"No, definitley not." I turned to the Stolls again, hands on my hips. They'd both managed to get about halfway out of my flower trap, but they froze on the spot when they noticed my attention on them. "What do you think, boys? You drove a daughter of Demeter to a murderous rage. I think that's gonna take quite a bit to make up for it."

They both sighed, relaxing back against the ground as they shared a look. They communicated silently for a few moments, Travis opening his mouth to say something before Connor held up a hand. Finally, Connor turned back to me.

"We'll take her stable cleaning chores for the week," he said. Katie and I scoffed in sync.

"Nice try, Connor. How about this? Both of you take all of Katie's chore spots for the next week, and I'll schedule you a few extra rotations in the stables, since you seemed so willing to take over there. And if you wake me up this early in the morning by going after one of my siblings again, I might just roll over and go back to sleep while Katie takes care of the problem for me."

Travis huffed, flopping onto his back on the ground, and Connor narrowed his eyes at me.

"That seems a little harsh."

"Oh, by all means. Let me wake you up at five tomorrow with screaming and a run and see how you feel about it."

"Fine. Message recieved," he huffed, rolling his eyes. I waved my hand to free them both from the flower trap and they stood. They made it all the way to the door of the Hermes cabin, Travis shooting a wink at Katie as he went, before Connor paused and turned back to me. "We'll make sure to schedule our pranks in the late morning from now on."

The grin those two gave me before ducking through the door was mischief incranate, but I just sighed. Now that the crisis had been dealt with, all I wanted was to go back to sleep.

"I'm going to kill them," Katie huffed from beside me. I turned to her with a lopsided smile.

"Even Travis?"

"Of course Travis! Why would you even ask me that?" I raised an eyebrow at her, and despite her scowl, she blushed furiously. "Oh, shut up! A traitor in my own house..."

She shook her head, grumbling as she headed back to our cabin without looking back at me. I just grinned as I watched her go. As much as she liked to complain about the Stolls, I'd seen her shoulder to shoulder having the time of her life with them too many times to believe she really hated them. Travis especially.

The sound of a door opening and closing drew my attention away from Katie and back to the Hermes cabin. I got ready to hurl another handful of seeds if the Stolls had decided to pick possibly the worst time ever to show their faces again, but instead, I got a much nicer surprise. Luke, my boyfriend and the head counselor of the Hermes cabin, wandered out in a camp t-shirt and his pajama pants, his hair a delightfully ruffled mess.

"Hey," he called as he walked towards me. "Any idea why the Stolls just came running into my cabin muttering and plotting?"

"Is that not just the base state of Hermes kids?"

"Very funny," he huffed, and I grinned.

"They dumped a bucket of water on Katie's head this morning. I woke up to her screaming bloody vengance, and just managed to catch them before she got her revenge. In the interest of keeping the peace, I gave them all her chore spots in exchange for Katie not attacking them. Then I made sure they knew I wasn't going to get up to save them next time if something happened before nine am."

Luke laughed, pulling me in close for a hug as he finally reached me. I let him, leaning into his chest and sighing in the now-peaceful morning.

"You know they're just going to wait until about five minutes after nine now, right?"

"Yeah."

"As long as you're prepared. Still. That was good work." He pulled back with a smile, then leaned in as if to kiss me. I leaned back, putting a hand on his chest to stop him, and he frowned.

"Kisses are for boyfriends who don't abandon me to deal with his problem-children on my own. At five in the morning."

Luke huffed a laugh before pulling me back into his chest. I let him, although I put up a little resistance just to make my point.

"Hm. I don't suppose there's anything I can do to make it up to you? Get back in your good graces?"

"I don't know, Castellan. Connor and Travis made me run at five in the morning."

"Oh, it's Castellan now, is it?"

"Mhm."

"Alright. What if... I put together an extra-special date for us tonight? Something romantic, relaxing, and maybe even a little magical. Would that get me back in your good graces?"

I hummed pretending to think about it. Luke kissed the top of my head, then pulled back again enough to look me in the eye. He raised an eyebrow.

"Well?"

"I guess that might work. Depending on just how relaxing and romantic said date is."

"Oh, I can promise you right now, it'll be the most romantic and the most relaxing. And even better, I'll make sure nobody can interrupt us with camp problems, pranks, or anything else for the rest of the night."

"You really think you can make that happen?" I asked, letting the skepticism creep into my voice. By virtue of being two of the oldest campers who'd also been here close to the longest, we got roped into everything. Luke just grinned back at me, a little bit of his family resemblance to the Stolls creeping through via the glint in his eyes.

"I really think I can."

I grinned, dropping the huffy act and leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Well, good. Because after this morning, I need a night like that with my favorite person."

"So I take it I'm at least mostly off the hook?"

"Mostly. All the way if and when we get our peaceful night tonight."

"Can't wait."

We shared a smile, then Luke leaned in to kiss me, and this time I let him. Despite the early hour, the moment alone with the camp so quiet as the sun rose over Long Island Sound was actually pretty nice. After a moment, though, I pulled back, and Luke and I shared a sigh.

"You wanna head to breakfast while we can still get away with sitting at the same table? Before the rest of the campers show up?"

"Always," he said, smiling again and taking my hand in his. The two of us headed off to the dining pavilion together, taking the rare opportunity to enjoy a peaceful morning together. Would I have preferred to still be asleep right now? Sure. But if I couldn't get that, then a nice, quiet morning with Luke wasn't a bad second option.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen

Riordanverse: @valkyriepirate

[chaussetteblanche]

Hi ! So I just loved your Luke castellan’s stories and I was wondering if you could write a story with him starting to date a child of Athena (the reader) but she wants to keep their relationship secret because she’s afraid Annabeth would get mad at her for « stealing » her hero away. Reader and Luke get caught by Annabeth whose reaction is « Finally » as she’s seen the two of them pinning on each other for years. It would be great if it was fluffy.

Sorry for the long request and thank you for your work ! It’s amazing !

hi baby, thanks so much for requesting! this was really fun to write :) hope you like it <3

Finally

pairing : luke castellan x child of athena!reader summary : two times your relationship with luke is almost revealed and the one time when it is word count : 2.6k warnings : none

"W-wait, no, Luke, we can't." Luke froze immediately, his eyes searching yours for the reasoning behind your words. You licked your lips and leaned your head back against the wood of the cabin he had pressed you up against, letting out a small sigh. His hands were on your waist, your skin was fire underneath. You could feel his warm breath against your lips. Your hands were on his shoulders, your fingers fiddling with the string around his neck. You two had never been so close before in a context which was not sparring. And he'd been about to finally kiss you but you'd stopped him.

"I- it's just with Annabeth, y'know? I don't want her to feel like I'm stealing her away from you or anything." You worried your bottom lip, looking up at him sheepishly. His brows raised in comprehension and he nodded slowly, thumbs rubbing slow circles into your sides. "Yeah, I get it. I understand why you feel that way, but also, what I feel for you is very different than what I feel for Annabeth. I think that would be clear to pretty much anyone, love. And she's smart, she'll understand, don't you think?"

You kept quiet, still nibbling on your bottom lip, your eyes trained to the colourful beads around his throat. "Baby, if you bite your lip one more time, I'm going to do it for you," Luke warned in a low voice. You looked up at him as he pulled your bottom lip out from between your teeth with his thumb. He kept his finger there for a moment before pulling it away. Yeah, this isn't going to work for me, you thought. You couldn't imagine yourself not kissing him. Not when you'd been like this, not after the years of tension and wondering and worrying which had led up to this moment.

"How 'bout we just keep it secret?" you suggested, hands trailing down his front before stopping at his waist. You lightly fisted the material of his T-shirt, using it to slowly pull him closer. "What, us?" he whispered huskily. "Yeah." "You know what?" he chuckled, "I'll take it."

He wasted no time in capturing your lips with his, pushing himself flush against you. You let out a breath as you kissed him, your arms wrapping around his neck to pull him impossibly closer.

"God, I've been wanting to do that for ages," he groaned against your lips. Your hand tangled itself in his hair as you tilted your head to the side. "Shut up and kiss me, Castellan."

And so you kept your relationship hidden from everyone. No one could know. You both knew Annabeth well, her being your actual half-sister and like Luke's little sister, so you knew that if anyone got the gist of what was happening between the two of you, she'd know. She would find a way to know. She always did.

So you were careful. You knew how much your half-sister admired and respected Luke the last thing you wanted was to take that away from her. She'd been through a lot, more than she should have ever gone through, and you knew having Luke as an older-brother-figure was very important and healthy for her.

At first, you allowed yourselves nothing more than knowing glances across crowds or rooms. Lovesick smiles and faint blushes. Maybe a hand brushing against another when you crossed each other. Sometimes, Luke's hand on high up on your thigh underneath the table. But despite this caution you both took very seriously, you had almost gotten caught a few times.

The first time had been entirely Luke's fault. You'd been teaching a new camper, Nate, how to use a spear. You were just as good at Clarisse, if not better, at wielding the weapon, it being your mother's go-to choice. The sun was getting low and painting everything gold, showing just how much time you two had been training for.

"Yeah, that's good. Do it again." You instructed as you walked around Nate in a circle. He was repeating the stabbing and slashing movement, though he seemed a bit distracted as he kept looking past you. You turned around to see Luke leaning against a pillar a few meters away, eyeing you. Your stomach flipped and you beamed, sending a warm wave his way. He returned the smile and the wave.

You turned back to your student, leaning against your spear. You suddenly felt eager to call the training session to an end. "Nate, I think we've done enough for today, yeah? We can continue tomorrow afternoon." "Whatever you say, doll."

Luke watched from his spot as Nate helped you undo your breastplate, his brows raising. Oh. He observed closely when the boy pressed a hand to the small of your back to direct you out of the training ring, lowering his head closer to yours to hear what you were saying. The child of Hermes was positively fuming by the time you both reached him.

You sped up the pace to give him a quick hug of greeting. "Hi, Luke!" you greeted cheerily, wrapping your arms around his neck. "Hey, baby," he spoke into your hair as he returned the embrace tightly. He kept you under his arm even after you pulled away. If you noticed his unusual behaviour, you didn't mention it. "Hey, man." Nate greeted with a grin, his eyes trained on you. Luke set his jaw. "Hey," he spoke icily. You frowned, Luke was never this cold with anyone. You sent him a confused look but he just kept staring at Nate. A short moment of awkward silence passed before Nate inhaled sharply. "Well, I'll be off, then. Y/N, I'll see you at dinner?" he asked, looking expectantly at you. Luke answered before you could. "Probably not, man." "Oh... uh, okay. See you both 'round, then." Nate nodded towards the both of you before walking off, head bowed and hands buried deep inside his pockets.

You pulled away from Luke, looking up into his face with furrowed brows. "What was that?" you asked, your head tilted to the side. "What was what?" Luke shrugged innocently. "That!" You pointed at Nate's retreating form, scoffing. "You're never so blatantly cold! Not to mention rude!" Luke raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "I don't like his vibe." "You-" you let out a disbelieving laugh. "You don't like his vibe? C'mon Luke-" "I didn't like the way he was with you."

"What do you mean? He was-" You were interrupted by Luke. He folded his arms over his chest. "Touching you, unnecessarily. The hand to your back. And he undid your breastplate, Y/N." "So? You do that too... oh." You shut your mouth as you came to the realisation that maybe, just maybe, Nate had been hinting at something other than friendship with you. "Yeah. Oh." Luke scoffed icily. You frowned and touched his arm. "Luke, baby, there's nothing to be upset about. We're just friends." "Yeah, but does he know that? I'm not worried about you, love."

You nodded and passed your arm through his. You started walking back to where you would have dinner. "Look, forget about him, alright? Let's go to dinner, 'm starving." "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry for acting-" "Jealous?" you interrupted with a small laugh. Luke stopped in his tracks, a dramatic hand splayed over his heart. "Me? Jealous?" he gasped, shock written all over his features. He thought for a second and then shrugged. "Maybe a bit, yeah."

The second time you'd almost gotten caught had been pretty much your fault. Luke had been wounded in capture the flag. It had been nothing too serious, merely a superficial wound, but he'd still been brought into the infirmary. You, having been on the opposite team and at the other end of the forest, were part of the last campers informed.

You'd heard the first three words : "Luke was hurt..." before you'd totally lost it. Cursing loudly, you immediately bolted in the infirmary's direction. You had never run as fast in your life as you did that day. Mere seconds went by before you skidded to a halt right outside the infirmary, where three quarters of the camp was hanging around. You cursed Luke's popularity and the campers' curiosity as you pushed your way through the crowd.

"Excuse me... sorry, sorry... could you move please?" Your patience was wearing very thin by the time you got to the door separating Luke and the rest of the world. Your hand was on the handle, hear hammering inside your eardrums when you were stopped. "He's not taking any visitors at the moment." You recognised the daughter of Apollo but couldn't be bothered for pleasantries. "He'll take me," you replied strongly, twisting the door handle. The girl let out a small huff and placed a hand on your shoulder, keeping you in place. You felt your blood starting to boil. "Look, he just got stabbed, give him a bit of space to breathe, okay?" You harshly pulled her hand off your shoulder and ignored her indignant look. "Honey, I'm going in and you're not going to stop me." You raised yourself to your full height and glowered down at her. It was times like these when you were grateful for your godly parent's mightiness and for your own reputation. She swallowed before shaking her head. "Hey, don't make me call-" "HE'S MY-" you lowered your voice, which had gotten surprisingly loud, and cleared your throat. You felt heat rise to your cheeks. You had almost blown your cover. You recovered. "Step aside," you sneered, "now."

The girl finally seemed to get the message and stepped to the side, lips curled in a grimace. You ignored her and darted inside the room. You saw Luke and gasped, slapping a hand over your mouth. His waist was wrapped in bandages and he looked awfully pale. "Oh my gods, Luke," you cried, feeling your legs get weak at the sight. "It looks worse than it is, I promise, love," he assured. You sat down on the side of his bed, looking him over, subconsciously checking for any more injuries. When you found none, you took his hand in yours and intertwined your fingers.

"Did they take care of it correctly?" "Yes, baby." "They gave you stitches?" "Yeah, four." "And they wrapped it tight enough?" "Yes, baby." "And-" "Baby, look at me." Luke's warm palm pressed against your cheek, guiding your face to look at him. "I'm fine. I'm okay. It was an accident. I'll be okay. It's just another scar."

You inhaled deeply, nodding slowly. You quickly wiped your eyes. You'd been so scared, you had immediately imagined the worst. But he was okay, he was here, with you, alive and well. "I almost hit the girl outside, she didn't want to let me in," you chuckled wetly. Luke cooed and wiped a stray tear away with his thumb. "Baby, don't cry. I'm okay, I promise." He sat up with a wince and pressed a short kiss to your lips. "And I forbid you to get into fights over me." You chuckled dryly. He had no idea. You'd get into fights with literal gods over him without a second thought. "Now," you ran your thumb over his knuckles, "tell me who did this to you."

The third time you almost got caught, well, you actually did get caught. And this time, though Luke would argue the contrary, it was totally, entirely and unarguably his fault. Really.

"Hey." A smile made its way onto your face at the sound of that voice you knew so well. You and some other campers were sitting around a fire, chatting and laughing. You turned around to see Luke and immediately opened your arms to hug him. He chuckled and bent down to hug you. He brushed his lips against your neck as he did so and you shivered. He sat down next to you, your thighs pressing against each other.

"Haven't seen you all day, love." He spoke quietly as he looked down into your eyes. You huffed and ran a heavy hand over your face. Luke tilted his head to the side. "I know," you groaned, "Mr. D has me doing all these stupid chores because I said something about Coke being a poor dietary choice or something. And apparently he took that personally." Luke couldn't help letting a chuckle slip. You gasped.

"Are you laughing at my demise, Castellan?" you asked, feigning an indignant look. He laughed, pressing a hand against your knee. "You have to admit, it's kinda funny." "Me shovelling pegasus poop because I said that edulcorants and aspartame are not good for your health is not funny!" He snorted a cute laugh and you had trouble keeping a straight face. You lightly hit his chest. "Screw you, Castellan."

His hand came up to keep yours pressed against his chest. You could feel his heart beating rapidly. "Yes, please." Your eyes snapped up to his and heat rushed to your cheeks. You rolled your eyes, shoving him back. "Shut up."

A few moments later, Luke and you had bid the other campers good night and started heading for the cabins. It was dark, so you and Luke allowed yourselves to hold hands. "I miss you, y'know," Luke spoke softly. "What d'you mean? You see me every day." You cocked your head to the side, looking up at his moonlit face, his scar being made more apparent by the white light. You thought he looked beautiful. "Yeah, but we don't get many moments to ourselves these days, there's always other people around and... I dunno, I guess I'm kinda tired of the whole 'keeping this a secret thing'..."

"Luke, baby, y'know I would love to not keep it a secret, but-" "Yeah, I know, baby, I'm just being fussy, I'm sorry." He stopped in front of the Athena cabin, turning to stand in front of you. "No, don't apologise, because I'm the one who-" You were interrupted by his lips on yours. Warm, soft and your favourite taste. The rest of the words died on your tongue as you wrapped your arms around his neck, standing on your tiptoes.

Luke pulled you closer by the hips, one of his hands resting on the skin of your waist underneath your shirt. You shivered happily and pressed yourself flush against him. Goosebumps erected everywhere he touched you and when he pulled away to kiss your jaw, your eyes fluttered closed at the pleasure of feeling his lips on your skin. You tangled your hands in his hair, twisting and lightly pulling at the soft strands. You pulled him back up to your lips, desperately wanting to kiss him again. He happily obliged and lightly bit your bottom lip. You couldn't help but let out a moan at the feeling. You felt Luke's grip on you tighten at the sound.

"What the-"

Luke and you froze on the spot at the sound of a voice you both knew too well. Slowly untangling yourselves from one another, you tried to fix your appearance before facing Annabeth with a nervous smile. "We can explain-" "Don't." She stopped you with a raised hand. "I'm just glad y'all finally got it outta your systems before I dropped dead from the mutual desperate pining. Good night."

You let out a small, breathless laugh as she disappeared inside the cabin. Luke ran a hand thought his hair, letting out a slow breath before cupping your cheek and stepping closer to you.

"So, now that that's cleared, where were we?"