#and when you don’t got nothing you wind up bitter

[made-my-peace-with-all-the-bad]

Thinking about Soda’s breakdown again. Thinking about how scared he sounds. Thinking about how he’s begging his family to not fall apart and crumble any further. Thinking about how long he must’ve been bottling it up just to keep them together. Thinking about how much he needed it. Just, thinking about Soda’s breakdown.

[shawtuzi]

JJK MEN AS: my favorite sexy songs hehe

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹ pairing: suguru x reader, satoru x reader, toji x reader, nanami x reader, sukuna x reader

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹ cw include: [suguru] possessive!sugu, he’s kinda mean :((, kinda public sex?? they fuck in a bathroom idk man, unprotected sex, rough sex, he gags her w her panties, spanking, some choking, creampie bc DUH, [satoru] pathetic!toru, he’s so down bad but so sweet, oral f!receiving, gojo cums in his pants while eating her out, unprotected sex, backshots, choking, [toji] drug usage (weed) oral m!receiving, needy!reader, throat fucking, he’s kinda rough, riding, biting, and you guessed it…a creampie!!, [nanami] shibari, use of a vibrator, oral m!receiving, unprotected sex, prone bone position, creampie, baby makin’ sex, [sukuna] i made him nice in this, public sex (nobody can see them), sex on top of a car, unprotected sex, semi rough sex, he pulls out!! shockingly, oral f!receiving, choking, squirting anddddd i think that it about it!!!! wc: 6.5k

a/n: i do NOT condone all the unprotected sex in this!!! yall better be safe 🫵🏽/// mdni boarder credit: @cafekitsune

SUGURU GETO: haunted- beyoncé

‘my haunted lungs, ghost in the sheets. i know if i’m haunting you, you must haunting me.’

“s-sugu,” you mewled against the man’s lips, hissing when you felt his hands tug roughly at your hair. suguru brought his hand to your face, pushing on your chin with his thumb to part your lips even more. once he had enough access he wasted no time shoving his tongue in your mouth, groaning at the sweet yet bitter taste of the wine you’d previously been drinking.

he just couldn’t get enough of you.

you and suguru had coincidentally ended up at the same hotel bar, the two of you engaging in a silent battle of who would talk to the other first. it wasn’t until you got up to use the restroom that sugu threw all caution into the wind and followed you, quick to push you against the nearest stall.

“missed you baby, couldn’t stop thinking about you for days,” he growled, bunching up the material of your dress to the tops of your thighs. “how’d you know i’d be here? i w-was waiting on someone,” your lips had the cutest pout, your brows furrowing as you finally got a good look at him.

his pupils were the size of saucers, holding nothing but desire and want for no one else but you.

suguru chuckled, his head tilting back as he laughed. “your little boy toy? i wouldn’t worry about him,” he hummed, cradling your face in his large hands. suguru shoved his ring and middle finger in your mouth, humming in content when you swirled your tongue around the digits. your breath hitched when you felt those same fingers press against your clit, the dull throb from it had suguru’s pants feeling extra tight.

“w-what’d you do to him suguruuu,” you whined, hands reaching out for his broad shoulders to steady yourself. geto didn’t answer, simply done talking about the irrelevant man.

without warning suguru flipped your body, pressing your front against the stall door. his hands gripped onto your hips, traveling up to your breasts to give them a squeeze. “i don’t want to talk about another man, not when i’m about to fuck you stupid,” you heard the clank! of his belt being undone, your heart skipping a beat when you heard his zipper next.

“y-you have no right to interfere with my da—hates!” you felt like the air had been punched from your lungs when he slipped inside your pussy in one go, his teeth biting onto your shoulder to hide his groans. suguru didn’t move an inch, wanting you to feel how much he missed you with each throb of his dick against your squishy walls. his once perfectly styled bun was now almost completely disheveled, his baby hairs tickling the side of your face.

“you feel me honey? feel how much i love n’ miss you?” his voice sounded breathless, boarder line drunk. suguru grinned when he felt the plushness of your ass grind against his front. he’ll take that as a yes.

suguru pulled almost all the way out, leaving just the tip in before slamming back inside of you, his hand slapping against your mouth to cover your squeals n moans. “you really fuckin’ piss me off you know that?” his free hand wrapped around your throat, pulling you impossibly closer to him.

“you give me the best sex of my life, make me feel like i’m on cloud nine every time i’m with you n’ then you leave me? fuck that,” his forehead fell against your shoulder, teeth digging into his bottom lip.

your eyes fluttered shut when you felt him hit that special spot deep inside you, fat tears welling up in your eyes. you wanted to push him off, tell him to fuck off and leave you alone for good—but the thing about that is you really really didn’t want to. as much as he was an overly possessive asshole no one, and i mean no one could ever fuck you like he could. he had your bodies likes and dislikes down to a tee the first time he ever slept with you and it only got better from there <//3

you heard a small tear, your eyes widening when you suddenly felt more exposed. suguru removed his hand from your mouth, but before you could even get a sound out you felt the soft material of your panties being shoved in your mouth.

“you’re so cute,” suguru pressed a sloppy kiss to the side of your face before gripping onto your hips, picking up the pace of his thrusts. your hands pressed against the stall for balance, nearly on your tippy toes in attempt to escape his brutal pace. suguru was absolutely mesmerized by the way your ass clapped against his pelvis, a shiny, white sheen of your essence coating his dick.

suguru’s thrusts stopped when he felt your hand tap urgently against his toned stomach. he swiftly pulled out and turned you around, concern swirling in his eyes. “you okay sweetness?” he asked, removing your panties from your mouth, his thumb wiping off the drool on your chin. you bit your kiss swollen lip, nodding.

“i just…wanted to see your face when you finish in me,” your cheeks felt blazing hot as you looked down bashfully. suguru’s nostrils flared, his chest heaving. you were absolutely gonna be the death of this man.

“jump.”

you made quick work to jump in his arms, your legs wrapping around his waist. he slipped in with ease, the both of you moaning in unison. suguru’s strokes were slow, yet so so deep you swore you felt him in your tummy. “s’good sugu,” your hands were quick to take out the elastic holding his hair up, your fingers combing through the soft locs.

“i know baby, i know. ‘missed you so much, did you miss me?” you wanted to say no, deny him the satisfaction of hearing you say you indeed did miss him but fuck it! you really did miss your sugu.

a particular harsh thrust broke you out of your thoughts, making you gasp violently. “y-yes i did! i missed you so m-much sugu,” you pulled him close by his hair, giving him a bruising kiss. suguru moaned loudly into the kiss, his hips stuttering as he finally began to finish inside of you. his fingers were quick to rub at your clit, his eyes rolling back when you squeezed tightly around him.

your thighs trembled as suguru fucked you through your orgasm, the loud squelching of your pussy echoing throughout the bathroom. “good fuckin’ pussy,” suguru grunted in your ear, pressing a soft kiss to the shell of it.

suguru set you down carefully, chuckling to himself when you grabbed onto him for dear life to steady yourself. “you’re such an asshole,” you muttered, picking your ripped, discarded panties up off the floor. he gave you a toothy grin, plucking the garment from your hands and shoving it into his pocket. “mm i know i am, now let’s get outta here your date gave me the keys to the room he booked for the two of you.”

as he ushered you out of the bathroom you looked up at him, your brows furrowing in confusion, “are you gonna tell me how the fuck you found out about him? this date?” suguru chuckled, his hand wrapping around your waist—

“don’t worry about that gorgeous.”

SATORU GOJO: the way- kehlani ft chance the rapper

‘all i do, is stay up all night losin’ sleep over you. all i do, is drive myself crazy thinkin’ bout my baby.’

“i miss herrrr!”

“toru please shut up and focus on the game.”

“but i miss herrr,” satoru’s head fell against his keyboard with a thud! making geto sigh in defeat.

“why don’t you just call her th—”

“i have been! she won’t answer!” satoru felt tears well up in his eyes as he stared at his texts with you. all he saw was blue bubbles from himself, along with ‘read’ at the bottom. he swiped over to the photos app, sighing sadly at his album of pictures dedicated to you.

why oh why were you so precious?

he clicked on a video he took of you while you were crocheting, sniffling at how cute you looked so concentrated on the hat you were making. he swiped to the next; a video of you sitting on top of his stomach, blunt between your fingers as you sang along to whatever song was playing.

“i feel like i’m gonna throw up sugu, i miss her so much,” he continued to swipe through the folder, a whine bubbling in his throat at a certain video. you were out at a club together and while you were grinding in his lap satoru whipped out his phone, flash on and everything, capturing the entire thing. you looked so pretty in that dress. you looked even prettier with it pushed up to your waist while he fucked you from the back.

satoru was broken out of his thoughts when geto spoke up, “just go over there man. the worst she can do is mace you, or like, call the cops.” gojo huffed, his lips puffing up into a pout.

“you’re right m’gonna go talk to her.”

˚ʚ♡ɞ

“go away!”

you winced when you felt gojo’s body fall against your door, a sound of defeat leaving his lips. “please pretty baby m’so sorry, you know i am!” satoru clutched the flowers in his hand, hot tears brimming his eyes. you huffed, pressing your back against the door. be strong. be strong.

“you missed our date, that’s one date too many! you didn’t even call to let me know! i got all pretty for nothing,” your brows furrowed, a fresh wave of anger running over you. “all to be at home on your ass watching baddies, without me might i add!”

“i’m sorryyyy! i really am just let me in!” his shoulders slumped when he heard you yell back ‘no!’, the pout on his lips deepening.

“y/n…i’m so sorry i forgot about our date i promise it won’t ever happen again. won’t ever let you waste a look on me again i swear. it’s been almost a week and—and i can’t sleep, i can’t eat, i c-can’t even play on my pc!”

he’ll admit he probably sounded like the biggest drama queen but these were desperate times! he’s never met a girl that took such good care of his heart the way you did. the way you let him feel every ounce of love and care you had for him with a single touch. my mans down bad mmkay?!

“baby? you still there?”

your hand was already on the door knob before he even finished his sentence, you just wanted to hear him grovel a bit. “yeah m’here,” you muttered, getting on your tippy toes to look at him through the peephole.

“is that food i see?” you mumbled, eyeing the bag in his hands. gojo nodded eagerly, holding the bag up. “spicy ramen with two things of vegetable tempura from your favorite place,” his lips quirked up into a small smile, you could never say no to your favorite ramen.

he heard some shuffling on the other side of the door before you opened it. he could’ve ate you up the way you looked so cute in your fluffy robe….oh wait—

“satoruuuu,” you head fell back against your pillow, thighs shaking against the snow haired man’s head. gojo moaned against your pussy, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he slobbered all over your clit. his large hands wandered from your thighs, to your tummy, to your exposed breasts.

“missed you so much sweetness,” he whispered to your pussy, giving your thigh a sloppy kiss. his hooded, icy blue eyes flit to yours, “missed you even more pretty baby.” before you could say anything back his lips were back on your clit, caressing it gently with the tip of his tongue. his hips ground into your bed, only adding to how overstimulated he was.

“m’gonna cum toru,” you mewled, fighting to keep your thighs open. gojo pulled you closer to his face by your hips, “me too baby, cum on my face.” you had no idea what that meant at the moment but regardless you did as he said, giving him your third orgasm of the night. satoru let out a pornographic moan against your pussy as his own orgasm hit him like a truck, his hips stuttering against the beg as he drank up your essence.

gojo laid his head on your trembling thigh, nipping the twitching skin. despite cumming in his pants he was still hard, painfully hard actually. with shaky hands satoru pushed himself up, his hands running over the silkiness of your thighs. you gasped when you suddenly felt his lips against yours, your cum smearing from his chin onto yours. one thing about satoru gojo; he was the king of sloppy kisses.

“you ready for me beautiful?” he moaned against your lips, his hips now grinding into yours. you nodded and gojo wasted no time ditching his clothes, making quick work to rid you of your robe. you turned your back to him, arching into the bed, giving him a view of your glistening pussy. gojo gave his dick a few strokes before pushing it between your folds, fat, sticky tip nudging against your clit.

“you’re a fucking dream,” satoru slurred, finally slipping into your pussy. your eyes rolled into the back of your head, mouth dropping open at the delicious stretch of him. once he was all the way in, he leant forward a tiny bit, his pelvis smushing against your ass. “t-too deep toru! too de—deep,” you whined, your hand coming back to slap at his stomach.

gojo chuckled, moving back to his original stance, “just wanted you to feel me wayyy in there.” and with that he was locked in—leg propped up on the bed to give you the meanest strokes known to man. your nails clawed at your sheets, pussy gripping onto satoru’s dick like a vice.

“so fuckin’ wet pretty baby,” gojo moaned, teeth clamping onto his kiss swollen lip. how stupid could he have been to almost lose something so so good? satoru wrapped his hand around your neck, pulling you roughly against his chest. you turned your head, immediately catching his lips in a heated kiss. his free hand cupped your breast, tweaking at your nipple, making you whine into his mouth.

“missed you so much gorgeous.”

“missed you more toru♡”

TOJI FUSHIGURO: james joint- rihanna

‘i’d rather be breaking things cause we can’t see, we’re too busy kissing.’

“you’re so good at that toji.”

you watched him with hearts practically in your eyes as he sealed up the blunt for the two of you. toji chuckled, leaning down to give your cheek a sweet kiss. “thank you baby, hand me that lighter would ya?” you were quick to reach for the lighter next to you, giving him a dreamy smile as you handed it to him. you weren’t high on weed yet, but you were definitely high on your man.

“alright s’all done, let’s get comfy. it’s your turn to pick a movie gorgeous,” toji laid on his side of the bed, head propped up with one of your squishmallows. you laid on his chest, remote in hand as you looked for a movie. you picked ‘texas chainsaw massacre’ because it was his favorite of course. toji gave the crown of your head a kiss before lighting the blunt, his hand finding purchase on your waist.

as the movie went on you became more high and restless. before you knew it you were running your fingers over the ridges of his abs over his shirt, teeth nibbling on your bottom lip. toji was too immersed in the movie to notice your hand was now underneath his shirt, running across his chest and abdomen.

suddenly he felt a tug on the waistband of his sweats. “what’re you doin’ down there,” he chuckled, giving your hip a loving squeeze. you let out a long sigh, sitting up, moving to sit on his stomach. “you just look sooo good toji,” you gave him a dopey smile, running your hands over his pecs. you pressed your forehead against his, “especially when i’m on top of you like this…so handsome.”

toji ran his tongue over his bottom lip, tilting his chin up to let you know he wanted a kiss. you happily obliged pressing your soft lips against his, your hands now cradling his face. you nibbled at toji’s bottom lip, wasting no time to slip your tongue in his mouth once his lips parted. “mm you keep kissin’ me like that n’ we’re not gonna be able to finish the movie,” he mumbled against your lips, grabbing a handful of your ass over your pj shorts.

“fine by me,” you giggled, wrapping your arms around his neck. after a few minutes of kissing you began kissing your way down his jaw to his neck, kissing and sucking on the skin. toji groaned, bucking his hips up into you. you pushed his shirt up, now kissing down his chest, stopping at the waistband of his sweats. “can i? please?” you gave him your best doe eyes, already tugging at the elastic.

“could never say no to you, pull it out for me pretty girl,” toji chuckled, running his thumb over your bottom lip, a groan bubbling in his throat when you started to suck it. you always loved giving toji head when he was high. he a little looser when it came to being rough with you, he didn’t try to hold himself back as much.

that’s how he ended up fucking your throat, head tossed against your plushies while he used you. your eyes squeezed shut, nails digging into his thighs as he fucked your throat damn near raw. you gasped wetly when he pulled his dick out of your mouth, smacking the muscle against your lips. “you take my shit so good, i oughta be rougher with you more often,” toji gave you a lazy smirk, tracing his tip over your pouting lips.

“you should…i like it,” you couldn’t help but look anywhere but his eyes as you said it, your cheeks heating up. “you’re so cute,” toji grinned, pushing down on your chin to open your mouth wider. he slowly pushed his dick in your mouth, groaning when he felt the tip of your tongue lick against the underside. you gagged rather hard when he pushed your head all the way down, your nose bumping into his pelvis. tears began to well up in your eyes and you just looked so cute, he couldn’t help wanna take a picture of you.

“look at me,” toji grunted, tugging at your hair. you blinked slowly, looking at him through your lashes. he was holding his phone up, teeth digging into his bottom lip. he warned you of the flash before taking a picture, dick jumping in your throat at just how gorgeous you looked with a mouthful of his dick. your eyes were red n glossy, practically eye fucking the camera.

you pulled off of toji’s dick with a pop! wiping your mouth with the back of your hand before speaking, “lemme ride you.” toji tossed his phone with quickness, his hands already tugging at the waistband of your shorts. you pulled off your shorts, knees settling beside toji’s hips, your dripping pussy hovering over his leaking tip. you slipped his dick in with ease, your pussy hugging his base as you slid down till your ass was snug against his thighs.

toji let out a deep sigh, rough hands settling on your waist. “every time i’m inside it’s like the first time, squeezin’ me so tight baby goddamn,” you whimpered at toji’s words, your hands pushing on his pecs for support to help you ride him. toji grabbed a handful of your ass, eyes flitting to the wet mess between the two of you. each time you slammed back down a squelching sound followed, your wetness dripping onto his thighs and the bed.

“you look so—fuck, so pretty, baby, can’t believe you’re real,” toji chuckled breathlessly, hissing when reached a hand behind you to play with his balls. all you could do was give him a weak smile, your free hand yanking up your shirt to give him a nice lil view of your tits. toji wasted no time cupping your breasts in his hands, fingers tugging at your nipples.

“hah! m’gonna cum toji,” your thighs trembled as you tried to ride him as best as you could, but the way his tip hit that spongy spot deep inside you wasn’t making it easy at all. toji brought one of his hands down to rub at your clit, thumb drawing vicious circles into your sensitive nub. you came with a squeal, body falling limp against toji’s as you rode your high out by grinding into him.

toji couldn’t a get word out before you were smushing your lips against his, whining about how you were ready to go again. “you sure baby? maybe you should take a little breather yeah?” toji ran his hand up and down your back, grinning when you began to protest. “mm well that’s fine but—” he planted his feet into the bed, lips brushing against your ear, “i’m not gonna be easy on you.”

that was more than fine with you.

toji grabbed your ass with both hands before fucking up into you, groaning into your ear when he felt you tug at his hair. you pressed your lips into his once more, toji drinking up each moan that slipped past your pretty lips. “that feel good baby? hm? talk to me, i wanna hear you,” he sucked on your bottom lip, nibbling on the plushy skin. you whined against his lips, the smell of his aftershave making you dizzy.

“feels s’good toji, y-you’re always so good to—s-shit! to me, so so good thank you thank you thank you,” you were babbling at this point, tears brimming in your eyes from overstimulation. it hurt so good you just couldn’t tell him to stop, let alone to slow down. toji hissed when felt your teeth dig into his shoulder, his pace faltering ever so slightly.

“s-shit do that again, you’re gonna make me cum baby, gonna make me cum so fuckin’ hard,” he growled into your ear, giving your ass two harsh smacks. you did as you were told, biting into the same spot on his shoulder, your tongue lolling out of your mouth to caress the mark. toji’s hips pushing into yours one last time, his arms squeezing around you impossibly tight as he emptied himself inside of you.

his orgasm triggered your own, your mouth dropping open in a silent scream as you creamed his dick. “f-fuck stop squeezing me babe it hurts,” toji let out a breathless laugh, giving your hip a rough squeeze. you shook your head, your nose nuzzling into his neck. “i can’t help it, it feels like im still cumming, like i gotta pee.” toji’s eyebrows raised in surprise, his lips pulling into a smirk.

“oh really?”

“yeah….why are you smiling?”

KENTO NANAMI: god is fair, sexy nasty-mac miller ft kendrick lamar

‘don’t you know your body been mine? i know you know i know.’

“honey, can i take this blindfold off yet?” kento chuckled, his back flopping against the mattress. it was your guys’ four year anniversary of being married and he had a pretty good idea of what you had planned for the rest of the night.

suddenly he felt a pair of warm hands on the tops of his thighs. “you can take it off now,” he heard you giggle, the warmth of your hands now gone. nanami sat up slowly, removing the blindfold with eagerness. he put his glasses on, his mouth dropping slightly once his eyes readjusted to the light.

you were on your knees wearing a pretty baby pink set of lingerie, there were ropes placed on either side of you. “i was thinking we could try that thing you brought up to me a while ago. i was a little nervous at first but m’ready now, i know you’ve been practicing,” you giggled at the last part, heat rising to nanami’s cheeks. it was true, he had been practicing shibari on himself just in case you showed interest. he’d also been doing extensive research—which usually led to him fisting his dick at the thought of you tied up all pretty like that.

kento got on his knees with you, his shaky hands reaching out to pull you close. “you really wanna do this? you don’t have to just because i want to,” he spoke softly, nudging his nose against yours lovingly. you hummed, bringing your hands up to scratch at his nape, “i promise i do. i think it’ll be really, um, hot being tied up like that,” you gave him a small smile, pressing your lips against his.

nanami had read that for your first time doing shibari with your partner it’s always best to bind them in your favorite sex position—hence why he has your on your tummy. it took some time and a lot of patience but he eventually had your arms tied behind your back in pretty knots, checking every couple of minutes to make sure it wasn’t too tight.

“how does that feel?” he asked, gently tugging at the ropes. you tried moving your arms and wrists but they weren’t budging—he really had been doing his research. “feels okay…not tight but, like, secure. keep going,” you gave him a smile of encouragement, resting your head against the mattress once more. nanami gave your cheek a sweet kiss, then another one on your shoulder, and then another one in the center of your back.

“m’gonna do your legs now, i’m gonna connect those ropes to the ones on your arms okay?” he ran his hand over your thigh, giving it a soft squeeze. “okay ken,” you gave him a verbal answer to put him more at ease and it seemed to work, his body visibly becoming less tense as he looped the ropes around your shins.

kento sat back on his knees, admiring his work with hearts in his eyes. you looked like an angel all tied up for him. “how does it feel pretty girl?” he spoke softly, brushing his thumb over the apple of your cheek.

“it feels good ken, can you touch me? please?” kento gave your cheek a kiss before getting up, rummaging through his bedside drawer to find the wand he used on you from time to time. “is it okay if i use this?” he asked, holding the wand in front of you, smiling when you nodded. he switched the wand on to the lowest setting, propping it between your thighs to sit directly on your clit.

your breath hitched, eyes fluttering when you felt him push the wand harder into your clit. “is that good baby?” nanami cooed, tracing hearts along your back. you preened into his touch, your nails digging into your palm,” yes ken, ‘feels really good.” you peeped the bulge in his dress pants, your chest feeling heavy at the thought of having him in your mouth. “kenny?” you whispered, gasping when you felt the wand being yanked from between your legs.

nanami was crouching by the bed, concern clouding his vision. were you hurt? were you starting to not like it?

you noticed his concerned stare, immediately reassuring him, “i’m good! i’m okay, i promise! i just, um, well—”

“what can i do for you darling?” his tone was tender as he spoke, thumb caressing your jaw. “well…i just wanna suck you off…” your voice was tiny as you spoke. after all these years of being together, being intimate with each other, he still made you so bashful.

nanami let out a noise of relief, giving your cheek a soft pat. “geez honey, you scared me half to death i thought you were were hurt!” after a sharing a moment of laughter together nanami placed the wand between your legs once more. “if you need me to stop, kick your legs against the bed three times ‘kay? i made the knots on your legs looser just case. don’t want you getting hurt at all right honey?” he cooed, leaning down to kiss your forehead when you nodded.

after turning up the setting on the wand he slowly began to undo his belt, giving you a warm smile as he did so. your mouth started to water when he pulled his dick out, tip leaking and begging for attention.

he didn’t have to say a word because you already knew what to do, your tongue sticking out waiting to please him. nanami let out a deep exhale through his nose when you kitten licked at his dick. he was about to remove his glasses when you suddenly let out a noise of disapproval. “keep them on please…you look so handsome with them on”, your voice was small as you spoke, your wrists struggling ever so lightly against the ropes. kento grinned, grabbing a nearby pillow to place it under your head for comfort, “of course honey, ‘can have whatever you want.”

kento fucked your mouth slowly, relishing in tiny mewls you would let out. your panties were a mess by now, the soft cotton material sticking to your folds. “look at you humping the bed, you’re so cute,” kento smirked down at you, running his thumb over the bulge in your cheek. you hummed around his dick, your hips circling to get more stimulation from the wand. he pushed his hips forward, groaning deeply when he felt your throat constrict around his tip.

you gasped when he abruptly pulled out of your mouth, your brows scrunching together bc why did he do that??

“as much as i love this and you for doing it for me i need to fuck you properly.” he carefully, but swiftly began to undo the knots, kissing your wrists and ankles as he did so. nanami grunted when you jumped into his arms, your lips littering his neck and throat with sloppy kisses. nanami squeezed your hips roughly, not being able to contain himself from peppering your shoulder with kisses. “be rough tonight, i can handle it ken,” you whispered in his ear, nibbling on the lobe.

that’s how you ended up on your tummy, head tucked between nanami’s arm and bicep while he fucked you rather roughly. sure, it was a challenge keeping his glasses on like this but it was all worth it to please his wife.

“k-ken why’re you fucking me like that,” you sobbed into the sheets, your legs crossing over themselves in attempt to slow him down. keyword attempt because the second you did that his knee forced your legs right back open. “aren’t you the one who asked for it rough honey? cmon use your words you can do it,” he rasped next to your ear, using his free hand to shove two fingers between your drooling lips.

kento grinned when you whined out an oh so cute ‘i don’t knowww’ over his fingers, your hot tears dripping onto his arm. “that’s right baby don’t think, just lemme think for you,” he gave you a particularly harsh thrust, triggering your long awaiting orgasm. he hissed when you bit down on his fingers, his hips pushing into your ass one last time as he finished inside you.

nanami released his grip, rolling you onto your side before pulling you into him. “that’s was good,” he hummed, caressing your back. you ran a shaky hand down his chest, stopping just above his dick. “lets go again, i have a feeling this one took but you can never be too sure with baby making right?” you nudged your nose against his, your hand now stroking his semi. nanami cupped the back of your neck in his hand, pressing your lips together—

“you’re absolutely right darling.”

RYOMEN SUKUNA: talk 2 u- brent faiyaz

‘if you don’t mind i wanna be the only one on your mind.’

“fuckkk y/n,” sukuna growled in your ear, fingers digging into the fat of your thighs. your mouth dropped open, hand slamming down on the hood of sukuna’s car as he fucked you like a madman. you felt sooo much better than he could’ve imagined, pussy gripping onto him so tightly as if you just wanted to keep him there.

he had pursued you a few weeks prior, spitting out more game than you could handle which is how he eventually got you like this. he was just such a smooth talker. you weren’t able to contain yourself by the end of your third date, asking, no pleading with him to take you on top of his car.

“so big ‘kuna,” you whined into his ear, drool slipping from your lips and onto your exposed chest. sukuna pushed you down softly, throwing your legs over his shoulders before pounding into you once more. his teeth nibbled at his bottom lip, his eyes solely focused on the way your breasts bounced with each thrust.

“so pretty,” he rasped out, pressing a kiss to your ankle. as he littered your ankle and shin with kisses he eyes flit to your face, pupils dilating when he saw your fucked out expression. “i-i’m cumming ‘kuna, i’m—” your body tensed as you came with a loud moan. sukuna was only adding to the stimulation, now using his fat tip to tap against your clit.

he didn’t even give you a breather before he was pushing back inside, nearly knocking the air out of your lungs. “such a good pussy baby, she’s so wet f’me,” sukuna leant down, capturing your nipple in his hot mouth. you scratched at his nape lovingly, your legs tightening around his waist. sukuna moved onto your other breast, his hand cupping the one he abandoned. he kissed, licked, n sucked all over your breasts until you were writhing in sensitivity, giving his hair a rough tug to yank him off.

sukuna pulled off your nipple with a pop! grinning at you as he gave it one last kiss. his once fast paced strokes were replaced with slower, deeper ones, reaching deeper inside you than anyone you’ve ever been with. “you like when i fuck you like that? hm?” sukuna’s forehead was now pressed against yours, his nose nudging against yours.

you physically couldn’t find it in you to reply, too fucked out to even form a sentence. sukuna wrapped his hand around your throat, applying little pressure, his thrusts stopping completely. “wha? w-why’d you stop?” you clawed at his leather jacket, your hips bucking up into his.

“i asked you a question didn’t i?” his voice was strained as he spoke, your pussy squeezing around him every second. the dull throb of his dick inside you sent shivers up your spine. “yes?” you had meant for it to sound more like a statement than a question, but he gave you some grace, seeing as you already fucked out beyond belief.

his grip around your throat tightened, “so answer me. do you *thrust* like when i *harder thrust* fuck you like that? *really hard thrust* you better answer quickly before i pull—”

“yes! yes yes, i like when you fuck me deep like that! please don’t stop ‘kuna,” your voice was trembling as you spoke, your hands moving to his face to cradle his jaw. sukuna kissed your palm, pulling out until only his tip was in you before slamming back in. your chest arched into his, your already sensitive nipples rubbing against the soft material of his shirt.

“that’s a good girl, now cum on my dick,” his thumb began to rub tight, little circles on your clit, cursing to himself when he felt his orgasm quickly approaching as well. you squealed out a symphony of ‘oh my god’s, you legs squeezing around his waist impossibly tight as your pussy convulsed around his dick. a steady stream of you cum shot out at his lower stomach only egging him on to fuck you harder, deeper.

“goddamn y/n, you’re fucking baptizing me down here,” sukuna’s words were slurred, his eyes feeling droopy as he felt the coil in his stomach about to burst. he abruptly pulled out, jerking his dick until he nutted all over your pussy, smearing his cum around your folds. “don’t do that s’gonna make it even more messy,” you whined, hiding your face behind your hands.

“none of that now, cmon lemme see you,” sukuna chuckled, gently prying your hands from your face. he couldn’t help but internally coo at you, your post sex face melting his heart. “you’re so cute, be my girlfriend,” his sudden change of tone caught you completely off guard.

“wh-what?” you sat up on shaky hands, sukuna bringing his hands to your waist to keep you steady. “i said,” he pressed a kiss to your forehead and then your cheek, “be my girlfriend.” you couldn’t help the giddy smile that took over your face, your cheeks heating up. “mm i don’t know, im not quite sure yet,” you decided to tease him a little making him smirk.

“i guess ill just have to be a little bit more convincing then hm?” he kissed his way down your neck, his hands gently pushing you down once again. sukuna began to kiss on the inside of your thighs, nibbling on the soft skin and running his tongue over it afterwards. your thighs shut around his head out of instinct when you felt his breath against at your pussy. you moaned oh so softly when you felt his tongue cup your clit.

the way sukuna had no problem devouring your pussy that was still dripping with his and your cum together had your tummy twisting, itching to jump his bones again. he moaned against your pussy, his brows scrunching when you tugged roughly at his hair. “we taste pretty good together,” the way he looked at your cunt it was almost like he was talking to it (he definitely was).

the car creaked under you as sukuna pushed your knees to your chest, slurping at your pussy as if he were a man starved. you mouth dropped open in a silent scream when you felt him push two fingers inside, instantly curling them. “hah! hah! m’gonna cum again i can’t, i can’t,” you were almost crying at this point, hot tears brimming your lash line.

“yes you can baby, i know you can. been so good f’me all night i know you can make this pussy cum one more time,” the pace of his fingers never faltered as he talked to you, the tips bumping against that spongy spot that had you seeing stars. you’d never experienced an orgasm so hard it had you sobbing, yet here you were thighs shaking violently as sukuna furiously rubbed at your clit, milking your orgasm as much as possible. his chin and the top of his shirt were soaked, but he was as happy as could be.

“‘k-kuna?”

“yes pretty baby?”

“i’ll be your girlfriend ♡”

[cressidagrey]

Stars all aligned - Chapter 1

Summary:

If there was one thing that both Azriel and Zahra Archeron had in common, it was that they were both very good at blending into the background.

They just never thought that their family were going to be the ones who never saw them at all.

Warning:

Bashing of like...every IC member? I think Rhys gets the worst though, definitely disordered eating, kinda depression?, isolation

(Lovely dividers thanks to @sweetmelodygraphics)

He found her deep inside the House of Wind. Far enough from the festivities of Starfall that it was startling to find her.

The second oldest Archeron Sister must have wandered off just like he had.

“Why aren’t you dancing?” Azriel asked her as he spied her sitting in a puddle of her skirts on one of the couches, staring at the empty fireplace.

“Why aren’t you?” Zahra gave back drily, not even looking up at him.

What exactly was he supposed to answer to that? Oh, I can't stomach watching your sister dance with her mate? And even if I could stomach that, Rhys's mental commentary to him about it had turned his stomach. Even when Azriel had kept away from Elain just like Rhysand had ordered him to do, ever since last year. So really...what was he supposed to answer?

“Dancing isn’t exactly my favourite activity,” Azriel finally replied. It wasn’t a lie. 

"Yeah, well, mine neither," she answered with a shrug. "Not that I ever learned."

"You never learned?" he asked surprised. Nesta had learned. Elain had learned.

"Bastard, remember?" Zahra said drily. "I am lucky that I got to learn how to read and write and do basic math. I was not going to be molded into a perfect lady, because no self-respecting man would marry me anyway."

The blunt way Zahra was talking stunned Azriel momentarily. There was something harsh, something almost...bitter and resentful in her voice as she spoke.

It seemed like it didn't matter if one was born a bastard in Illyria or the Human lands. It was horrible either way.

"Your sisters will miss you," he said instead quietly. "And you'll miss the spectacle."

"I don't really care for the festivities," she said with another shrug. "I don’t like the holidays. Humans don’t have any. We… they are too busy trying to survive," Zahra corrected herself quietly. "And besides, I am only here anyway so I don't end up being an indentured servant until some of you decide that I am back in your good graces,” she gave back caustically.

He grimaced. That Zahra had vehemently disagreed about their treatment of Nesta was well known.

It had surprised him too because it was just as just as well known that Nesta seemed to not care for her half-sister on a good day. They weren't particularly close, in any way, shape or form.

Something in his chest clenched painfully. Not from the insult she threw in his direction, but from the defeated way she said it. That she thought that they would just…toss her aside like that.

She was one of them.

"We won't," he said firmly. Her eyes slowly turned toward him and there were dark shadows in those eyes. Out of all the Archeron Sisters, she was the only one with green eyes. Azriel wondered if she had inherited them from her late mother.

Zahra was only the half-sister after all. The result of her father’s dalliance with a maid. Her age put her somewhere between Nesta and Elain. 

It was easy enough to pick out the differences between Nesta, Elain and Feyre and Zahra. Dark hair similar to Elain’s, but green eyes. Skin a few shades darker than any of theirs. Lips that looked like Feyre’s but a nose that looked like none of her sisters. 

Zahra seemed to belong but didn’t. 

And right now, these green eyes…something was wrong. Something was off with these eyes. 

"You don’t know that," she said with a humourless laugh. "Do you want to lie to me too, and  tell me that Rhysand has nothing to do with whatever happened between Elain and you?"

Azriel stiffened, a low sound escaping his throat. She knew. She knew.

"How did you-" he croaked hoarsely and Zahra cocked an eyebrow at him.

 "Do you really think that I hadn't noticed the two of you dancing around each other for months? Or the fact that you two can barely manage to be in the same room together?" she asked dryly and Azriel averted his gaze.  "There is no one as beautiful and kind as my sister," Zahra said drily. "I don't fault you for falling for her."

Azriel said nothing, the pain in his chest growing at her words. The pain...and the bitter realization that his feelings were not as well-hidden as he had thought they were. 

"It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "She has a mate. She deserves better than me anyway."

"Did Rhysand tell you that too?" Zahra said drily. "You never tried to hide the fact that your mate was dying from the same, so you have that on him."

Azriel gritted his teeth, the pain in his chest becoming almost unbearable. "It doesn’t matter," he repeated firmly, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. "Elain is happy. I would do nothing to put that in danger." 

"Yes, she is," Zahra agreed. "For what it's worth, I am sorry," she apologised to him, her voice honest.

Azriel swallowed, the pain in his chest lessening only to be replaced by something else. Something...much more complicated. Something like…pity.

He pitied her. This young female was so full of bitterness. He couldn’t even fault her for it either. She had been just a bastard. Even when they had first met the Archeron Sisters…Zahra had been working in the household as a maid. Half employee, half part of the family. Like their father couldn’t make up his mind what he should do with his bastard daughter. 

"You don't have anything to apologise for," Azriel finally told her quietly. "Do you really not want to watch?" he asked her. "You are supposed to wish for something when you see the stars fall."

She snorted, the sound bitter. "What I want, I am never going to get," Zahra said, her voice brittle.

He took her in in more detail at that moment.

The simple green gown she wore, high necked and long sleeved...that long gown that did little to hide how thing she was. The dark brown hair, pulled into a braid, obviously trying to hide the pointed tips of her ears and failing...the way her skin, darker than all of her sisters, was nearly ashen.

They had all thought that she was doing well. That Zahra at least was adjusting well.

But she wasn't. She wasn’t doing better.  She hadn't adjusted. Azriel would bet anything that all she wanted in her life was to be human again.

She hadn't adjusted. She just acted in a way that didn't bother anybody, that didn’t spell trouble for anybody.  Zahra had gotten herself a job, managing the accounting at an apothecary in the city.  She had gotten herself a little cottage to rent. She didn’t go out and get drunk. She didn’t use any money from Rhys or Feyre. She showed up for family dinners, staying quiet and polite. 

And if she was miserable…well, then nobody cared, because she didn’t bother anybody. Azriel could understand that. The same was the case for him.

Azriel clenched his jaw, watching her quietly sitting here. The way she was trying to hide away. The dress that was more like a potato sack than anything else. The way her skin was almost...grey. That bitter voice. 

The shadows were stirring and he was unable to look away from her. She looks upset, Master, they told him helpfully. 

"Do you want to go home?" Azriel offered quietly. Home to her cottage? Maybe some peace and quiet would make her feel better. 

Zahra shrugged, not looking at him. Not giving him an inch. That wall of bitterness and sarcasm was so firmly in place, that it was practically a solid wall between them. 

“Don’t want to end like an indentured servant, remember?“ she quipped drily.

“You won’t,“ Azriel said evenly. “You had a headache. I brought you home.“

She still didn’t look at him, her hands tightly knotted into her skirts as she sat there. She was so thin, almost fragile-looking. Her skin was sickly grey. “Come on,” he said finally, walking towards her.

Zahra finally looked up at him. Those green eyes. A bitter and lonely light in them. “What are you doing?“ she muttered. 

“I’m bringing you home,” he said simply, holding out his hand. “Come on, get up.“

Zahra looked at his hand, her gaze wary. “Why?“ she asked quietly. 

“Because you look like you are about to keel over,” he said, more bluntly than intended. 

“Gee, thanks,” she said dryly, her voice sarcastic and bitter. But she placed her hand into his own and let him pull her to her feet, even though he could feel the tension in her entire body. 

Azriel wrapped his arm around her shoulders, steadying her. “Come on. Let’s get you home and into bed,” he said firmly. 

He led her towards the balcony, the last few streaks of light painting the sky, and he grasped her tightly as they shout these few feet into the air until he could winnow to the cottage she rented. 

It’s ugly, the shadows complained. 

He had to agree with them. The cottage was an ugly little thing. Plain. Small. The type of thing that was more of a hovel in the outskirts, rather than anything else. 

“Home sweet home,“ Zahra said dryly, pulling away from him and a key out of her purse. 

That cottage was in serious need of some renovations when the red paint that was flaking off the door was anything to go by. 

As she unlocked the door it became obvious that while she kept it clean and neat.. even that couldn’t help much. This is a hovel, the shadows hissed.

Azriel was inclined to agree. He looked around with a frown, as the shadows scuttered around the tiny cottage. “You live here?“ he couldn’t help but ask. It was a terrible hovel indeed. 

Zahra shrugged as if she didn’t notice the disgust in his voice. “I couldn’t exactly afford anything else at first,” she said drily. 

At least not without taking any money from Rhys and Feyre, and clearly that was nothing that Zahra wanted to do. 

He was struck by how empty it all looked. There was a small kitchen space, a table with a few chairs a fireplace… And the door that led to her bedroom, he assumed. 

“How long have you lived here?“ he asked carefully, taking in the bare emptiness. There were no pictures on the walls. No trinkets and little belongings anywhere. It was…lifeless. She shrugged again and kicked off her shoes, making her way towards the bedroom. “A year?“

The room was equally simple and bare. A bed, a few clothes. A little bathing chamber. That was it. 

“You’ve lived here for over a year?“ Azriel repeated, his voice turning sharp as he looked at everything. There wasn’t even a mirror on the wall. 

When she just shrugged again, he was done. He grabbed her arm and towed her back into the main room. “Stay,” he ordered, pointing at the table and one of the two rickety chairs. 

“What are you doing?“ Zahra asked, raising both eyebrows at him. Her irritation had started to rise considerably. At least that had done something to the sickly colour of her skin. 

“Making sure you eat something before you pass out on me,” Azriel muttered, turning back into the kitchen area, looking around with a frown.

There was…nothing. His shadows reported as much. She literally had a few pieces of bread and some cheese in the whole house. He was more than fuming. That was not enough that she was living in…this hovel, she was apparently also starving herself.

He pointed at the chair again. “Sit,” he ordered a little sharper than he had intended. 

The glare she gave him did not surprise him. Zahra hated being ordered around. “No,” she said firmly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m not hungry.“

Azriel clenched his jaw, the anger flaring. How stubborn could she be? 

“You clearly haven’t eaten in days,” he said, pointing out the obvious. “You have nothing in your house to eat.” 

“I have what I need,” she retorted, her own anger flaring. Azriel gritted his teeth, the urge to snap at her almost overwhelming.

“You are skin and bones,” he hissed. “There is barely enough fat on you to keep out the cold.“ 

“Why do you care?“ she snapped right back.

The question hit him squarely in the chest. Why did he care? Why, he asked himself for a moment. Why indeed.

He wasn’t going to lie to himself and say that it was just because she was Feyre’s sister. 

Thankfully, Azriel was saved from actually having to answer, when her stomach grumbled.

Loudly. Azriel almost chuckled at the sound of her own stomach betraying just how hungry she really was. “Clearly your body disagrees with you,” he said drily. 

“Shut up,” Zahra snapped, her skin flushing at the sound of her own stomach. 

“I will shut up after you’ve eaten something,” Azriel said firmly, folding his arms across his chest.

Zahra gave him a glare that could strip the paint from the walls, (but then, the paint was already flaking off anyway). Still, she grudgingly sank down on the chair, her eyes avoiding his. 

He turned back into the kitchen, opening cupboards and drawers and found absolutely nothing. There was nothing. Not even some fruits or vegetables. 

He slammed the last cupboard closed, almost causing the hinges to break, the anger flaring hotly in his chest. That stupid, stubborn, stubborn woman.

“I will personally come here every day and stuff you full until you burst,” he snapped before he could stop himself.

“Why?” she asked and he could hear the challenge in her voice. Her own anger rose to meet his own. “Why would you even bother?“ 

“Because you are starving yourself,” he said, spinning around to face her. “Because you are so thin, I could snap you in half with one hand. Because I’m pretty damn sure you haven’t eaten a proper meal in at least a year. That’s why.“

“Maybe I don’t deserve a proper meal,” she shot back and something inside of him snapped at the tone in her voice. 

Because he knew that feeling. He knew. For just a moment he froze. They were far more similar than they should be. 

It was a terrible realization. He knew what the self-hatred and bitterness was like. He understood it far better than he wanted to.

“Nobody is going to suddenly show up and care,” he told her quietly. He saw her eyes flare at the words and he knew she got the meaning behind them instantly.

She sat there, her jaw tensed. “And what do you know about it?” she snapped, her voice bitter. 

“I know what it feels like to starve oneself,” he said calmly. “I know what it feels like to have not a single person notice or care.“

The words rang truer than they should. Her eyes widened for a moment, shock flashing through her. 

“I know what it feels like to be the one be always at the edge of the family. I know what it feels like for everybody around me to meet their mate but not me.“

The words slipped out before he could stop them. The pain he had buried so deep, deep down flaring up. The pain and loneliness and bitter realization that would never have what everyone else had.

He realized only then how much they really had in common. How similar they were. 

“I know what it feels like to be the afterthought,” he continued, unable to stop now. “I know how it feels to be shoved aside. I know how it feels to watch everyone around me find someone while I’m the one left behind.“ 

He took a step closer to where she was sitting, towering over her. “And I know how it feels to hate myself enough to deny myself the basic needs I actually have.“ 

The last words made her flinch. He was so close he could almost see the pain and guilt and bitter realization flit across her face. Her eyes were on her lap, her fingers wrapped around the edge of the table. 

“I know what it feels like to feel as if I don’t deserve to eat,” he said quietly. “Because I’m not good enough. Not worthy enough. Not deserving enough.“

He knelt down in front of her, forcing her to look at him. To meet his eyes. 

She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. He wanted her to see. To understand that she wasn’t as alone as she thought. “I know what it feels like to punish myself by not giving myself what I actually need,” he said quietly. 

Her breath hitched at the last words, her eyes widening ever so slightly. She was listening. Really listening to what he said.

“You’re not the only one who hates yourself, you know,” he said quietly. The look in her eyes shattered him. The look of realisation. Of bitter understanding. The realization that they were so much more similar than either of them had thought before.

Zahra bit her lip, the guilt flashing across her face. Her hands started trembling, ever so slightly.

“You don’t deserve to go hungry,” he said quietly, his voice firm and quiet. “You don’t deserve to starve yourself. You don’t deserve to live in this… hovel.

“The cauldron should just have killed me,” Zara said her voice brittle. “I don’t like this life.”

And didn’t that break his fucking heart? 

She laughed bitterly, but there was no humour in it. “I’m not even surviving,” she said, a bitter smile on her thin lips. “I’m existing. There is a difference.“ 

The words hit him hard. She was right. She didn’t survive, she just existed. There was a difference and a huge one at that. “Then stop just existing,” he said quietly.

His hand was still cupping her cheek, his thumb stroking gently over her skin. 

“Says the guy that just keeps moping around,” she quipped.

It was a low blow but also true. Azriel’s jaw tensed at the comment. “I don’t mope,” he bit. “I just..“

He didn’t really have a good argument in his defence at the moment. 

He sighed. “We should both stop rotting away,” he said drily.

“Yeah, well, that’s easy to you to say,” Zahra said and he could hear the bitterness in her voice. 

“Eat your cheese,” he responded.

She rolled her eyes and snatched away the slice of cheese off the table. “Happy now?“ she muttered. 

“Delighted,” he gave back drily, as he moved towards her fireplace.

“You don’t need to do that,” Zahra said quietly. “I can do that.”

“Considering you’ve been too starved to think straight, you are going to let me do this,” Azriel cut across her calmly. “You are more than likely to burn yourself.” 

“Don’t the flames bother you?” She asked him quietly. He froze.

Nobody else had ever asked him. They had just expected him to be over it by now. He had 500 years to be over it. His hands clenched.

“Yes,” he answered quietly. “They still do.” It was the honest truth. A truth he never told anyone before, least of all someone like her. The shadows curled around his shoulders and arms as if to calm him down. The flames still bothered him. They always would. “But I learnt to deal with it a long time ago,” he continued.

“That’s not fair to you,” Zahra said, her voice quiet. “You are always the one in discomfort. And nobody cares.”

Her words hit him square in the gut. It was true. It was painfully true. He was always the one being uncomfortable. Always the one on edge. It had always been expected of him to be over it by now, the pain and the hurt. The fear and the bitterness. 

He finished building the fire. Using a match to light it carefully, then closing the door quickly.

“I can deal with it,” he answered quietly. “You should go to sleep,” he advised her.

“So should you,” Zahra told him just as quietly. “You look terrible.“ He knew he looked like crap. But that didn’t matter. 

“I’m fine,” he muttered, brushing off her comment. Even though he knew it was a lie. Even though he knew they were both terrible at taking care of themselves. 

“You are a terrible liar,” she quipped. He looked at her and was surprised to see a tiny smile on her face. 

“And you’re a very stubborn, very stupid, very annoying woman,” he quipped back just as quietly. 

The smile on her face broadened the tiniest bit at the comment. “I could say the same about you,” she shot back. 

“Sleep,” he told her again.

And then he left that little cottage to get back to the House of Wind. He didn’t bother winnowing, instead, he shot up into the sky with one flap of his mighty wings. He wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway.

His mind was whirling as he flew back to the House of Wind. So much had happened in the last few hours and it was all still a lot to process.

He had always been good at keeping a rein on his thoughts and his emotions. But this time, he simply couldn’t. 

Zahra and him, always on the outskirts of their family. Ignored and expected to get on with it.

They were so similar in so many ways. It was shocking to realize just how much they actually had in common.

The loneliness and solitude he had come to live with, she had experienced herself. The pain and the bitterness, he could recognize it on her, for he had felt it himself. 

Where are you, Az? Rhys demanded at that moment mentally. Azriel would like to scratch out his eyes, but he didn’t.

I’m flying back to the House, he sent back curtly. Zahra had a headache, so I brought her home.

A headache, Rhys shot back incredulously. Azriel could almost see the look on his High Lord’s face. You really think I will buy that?

I don’t care if you believe me or not, Azriel responded icily, his temper rising already at the tone. It is the truth and I really don’t wish to have a discussion over it.

There was a pause in Rhys’ mind. Then a slight huff. You can be so unbelievably stubborn sometimes, you know that?

Azriel didn’t bother reacting to that.

Elain and Lucien are figuring things out. So keep away from her, Rhys told him sharply.

I am keeping away from her, Azriel shot back, irritation flaring. You really think I will go and ruin this for her?

I don’t know what you are up to, Rhys retorted, and Azriel knew the High Lord was irritated. But I really don’t have the time to deal with your crap right now. That’s an order.

Understood, High Lord, Azriel snarled back and he felt Rhys chuckle in his mind at the tone. I will keep away from your precious Elain, I promise. 

Damn right you will, he heard Rhys mutter in his mind and the mental connection between the two of them snapped close. 

Azriel snarled in irritation as he landed on his balcony and stalked into his room. It wasn’t enough that he was wrestling with his own emotions, No, he also had Rhys all up his ass about it. 

And he was infuriated about the whole thing.

Nobody will suddenly show up and care, he has told Zahra. It was the truth. Nobody would care.

They only cared as long as they got what they wanted from him.

Chip away the pieces they didn’t like. Mould him into a person they could stomach. 

Either it was Rhys ordering to keep away from Elain…or ordering him to behave around Mor and Emerie… and to be quite honest…Azriel was done.

It was always him that needed to bend to make everybody else comfortable. Nobody bends for him.

So many years of following orders, of keeping his mouth shut, of bottling up the anger.

Even when everyone around him was getting what they wanted. They got their happily ever after. And he was left behind.  Not once did someone ever realize that he was struggling. Not once did someone notice that he needed something…anything. That he was hurting and in pain. Nobody even bothered to check on him, to ask how he was doing. 

They all got what they wanted. Mor, Emerie, even Feyre. They all got the mate that they wanted. Rhys, Cassian and even Amren had Varian. 

He was the one always helping everyone else. Always the one having to endure everything. Never anything for himself. No love for himself.

Orders, commands, demands…that’s all it ever was. He didn’t get a say in anything. They just expected him to be fine. And if he wasn’t…he had to push through it. 

He was the tool that did whatever needed to be done. The spy that got the order to do the dirty work. The shadowsinger that just had to endure everything. 

All for scraps of attention.

Azriel was done.

He was so done. With everything. With everyone. With the one-sided affection that he had given in a desperate attempt to feel…something, anything��. 

He needed to stop expecting to get anything from them.

Zahra did not. She seemed to have given that up a very long time ago

The cold realization that they had been doing the same to her hit him. She was also the tool they used when they needed it. She may not be a spy, but they used her just the same. Expected her to be fine. 

She was alone just as much as he was. 

Alone and isolated, an afterthought to their family just as much as he was. 

***

It was quiet in the little cottage. 

Peaceful. 

Comfortable.

Sie should be happy. Or at the very least…she should be content, should she not?.

Zahra had a roof over her head. And if she wanted to…she could afford food.

Her job didn’t pay that well, but it wouldn’t leave her starving. She just wasn’t hungry. She seemingly never was.

That was a lie and she knew it. Deep down she was hungry all the time. She just refused to give in to eating. She refused to listen to her body screaming for sustenance. It didn’t matter, anyway. Nobody cared.

She didn’t care.

Something inside her had broken during her bath in that cauldron. Her humanity had burned away and with that…with that everything Zahra had ever wanted.

She didn’t crave anything anymore. Not love. Not affection. Not attention. Not food. It was all gone. All she felt was numb. 

Cold, empty and numb. Like her shell had hardened and frozen over.

She had never thought it was possible to feel so damn tired without having done anything. 

Zahra forced herself to get up. Forced herself to heat some water on the stove… to make tea. The cheapest tea she had been able to find at the market.

It wasn’t the best. The taste was bitter and the color was more brown than black. But it was tea and she was thirsty enough to drink it.

It wasn’t very warm and left a bitter aftertaste on the tongue. Like her life itself. 

Maybe just dying would have been easier, she reflected bitterly. Was this how eternity would feel? Alone? Tucked away in this cottage? 

All her sisters had been given a mating bond. They had been given another person who loved them unconditionally…that was at their side. That wanted them around. That wanted to spent time with them. 

And then there was her. 

She had been closest to Feyre during the years in that cottage. Nesta gave her the fault for seemingly everything htat had ever gone wrong in her life, though Zahra privately thought that for Nesta, Zahra was just the evidence of another of her father’s failings…Elain…well, Elain was more embarrassed than anything about Zahra’s very existence. But Feyre…well, Feyre hadn’t cared. And so Zahra had tried to dote on her as much as she could. 

And then clearly she had been replaced in Feyre’s affections. 

She didn’t fault her for that. 

Feyre had made her own life. And she had every right to do that. She was busy with her mate and her son and Mor was her best friend and…there was seemingly no place for Zahra there. 

Which was fine. 

It was. 

But if Zahra was completely honest with herself…she was unspeakably jealous of the mating bond of every single one of her sisters. 

Of that promise of at least one person that would be on her side, come Hel or High Water. 

Clearly, something was wrong with her that she hadn’t been given a Mating Bond.

She wasn’t worth a mate. Clearly, something was broken inside her. Otherwise, the cauldron would have given her a mate, right? 

Maybe she was broken so thoroughly that nobody even wanted her. 

Why would they? She was a shell of a person, a ghost of the woman she was supposed to be.

She was cold, empty and numb. Everything that nobody could possibly want. 

Everyone else got a mate, love and happiness. Not her.

She had nothing.

Her hands clenched around her lukewarm cup of tea. 

Some random sparks of light sparked against the mug. A gift from the cauldron. They didn’t seem to do anything but warm whatever they touched. Maybe that was that random power the cauldron had given her. Neither future or death…but…warmth. She supposed it was something.

She wasn’t quite sure what to do with it, and she had never bothered telling anybody about it. 

Sometimes she allowed herself to play with them when she couldn’t sleep. They were strange and utterly useless. 

It wasn’t the power of foresight or the power of a death god…no. She had the stupid power to create sparks. Useless sparks of light. 

Oh well. 

Complaining about her sparks wasn’t going to help her either. 

So she pulled out her work and sat down to do her work as the sun came up and the day went on. 

Zahra balanced the account ledgers for one of the apothecaries in Velaris. Which meant she had a whole box of receipts to sort through and put into said ledger.

One receipt at a time, one name after the other. 

It kept her busy. It paid well enough. She seemed to have some kind of aptitude for it…maybe the fact that her father was a merchant had come through for once. 

She worked until the late evening. Until her eyes couldn’t concentrate on the numbers anymore.Until her back and shoulders ached with pain. She stretched her shoulders back. 

She wondered if she should eat something. Her cheese was gone, thanks to Azriel standing over her until she ate it…but she still had one or two slices of bread, didn’t she? 

She could go food shopping…buy another bread, another chunk of cheese tomorrow. 

Then Zahra heard a knock on the door. 

Confusion spread through her. Who would knock on her door at that very late hour? It was after 9 pm already. 

She got up, walked towards the door and opened it carefully.

It was the last person she would expected to be standing on the front porch. Azriel. 

“I am making you dinner.“

Her eyes widened at that announcement. “You are what?” she asked him dumbly. 

He just gave her a deadpan look and pushed past her. “I am cooking dinner because I am assuming that you haven’t eaten yet,” he told her plainly. 

It was true. Zahra hadn’t eaten a proper meal in god knows how long. But why did he care?? “Why?” she blurted out. “Why do you care if I’ve eaten?” 

He gave her a sharp look and pushed her towards the kitchen chair. “Sit down,” he simply ordered and she was too taken aback to protest against it. 

He had brought his own ingredients. His own knives, all tucked away in a little basket that he put on her countertop. “Can you peel potatoes?” He asked her as he rummaged through it. 

She could just stare at him. 

“Who do you think cooked the meat Feyre hunted?” Zahra replied drily.

Azriel froze in the process of digging something out of the basket on the counter. “You can cook?” he asked her and she heard the surprise in his voice. 

Zahra let out a snort. “Yes, I can cook,” she retorted. “What did you think I was doing this whole time in the cottage? Twiddling my thumbs?” 

He shrugged. “Honestly, I had no idea what you were up to,” he told her truthfully.  “I thought you were as useless as Elain and Nesta were at that point,” he admitted.

“Nesta did all the cleaning and hacked the wook,” Zara corrected him quietly. “Elain mended. I cooked. Feyre was the only one who hunted. And yes, we should have done more, but I did help run the household. The only one who never helped was our father.” The bitterness bled into her voice at that. 

There was a long pause after her admission. Then Azriel exhaled. “I guess I shouldn’t be as surprised as I am,” he muttered. “You don’t strike me as a pampered useless damsel.” 

“Thank you for that assessment, Shadowsinger,” she quipped back. “I will make sure to remember it when I need a pick-me-up.” 

He put a sack of potatoes in front of her. “I take it I’m peeling potatoes,” Zahra murmured, staring at the sack that was in front of her.

“Yes,” Azriel confirmed in that no-nonsense voice of his. “While I prep the meat. I do hope you like rabbit,” he added drily.

“Oh good,” she muttered, grabbing a knife and started to peel away at the potatoes. “Did you hunt it?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, his voice neutral. Zahra bit back a snarky remark and focused on the potatoes. 

They worked like that in silence. Him preparing the meat, her peeling the potatoes and the carrots.

It was odd. This whole thing was odd. Sitting and cooking with Azriel. She hadn’t even known he could cook. 

And yet…it was comfortable. Like the silence wasn’t awkward and neither of them felt the need to break it. It was a comfortable domestic kind of silence. Like they had done this a thousand times before. 

“How are you with spicy food?” Azriel asked her after he had taken the potatoes from her. 

Zahra blinked in surprise. “I have a pretty good tolerance, why?” she asked, curious. 

“All the food I can cook is Illyrian,” Azriel answered drily. “I learned from Rhys’ mother and later from my own. It’s spicy.”

“I can handle a bit of spice,” she assured him. “It should be fine.” He nodded in response. 

The sound of the fire crackling in the stove and him stirring up the meat were the only sounds filling the kitchen as they continued their work. 

Zahra honestly had no idea Azriel could cook. He didn’t seem like the type of male who spent time cooped up in the kitchen, making meals. It was a little surprising. 

And yet, the scents of spices and rabbit were filling her kitchen right now... It smelled almost heavenly. 

She hadn’t smelled something as heavenly in a long time. And her stomach growled in response to the delicious scents of food. Zahra tried to remember when she’d last eaten something actually decent, but she couldn’t think straight. The food was distracting her.

“You look half starved,” Azriel observed in a deadpanned tone and she snapped her head up only to find him looking at her. 

His eyes were focused on her, a frown playing on his forehead. “When was the last time you actually ate something properly?” he asked her, his voice firm. 

She averted her gaze. “I don’t know,” she muttered, looking away from him and to the pot bubbling on the stove. “Maybe a week ago?” 

He was silent for a moment. “That long?” he asked her, his voice carefully neutral. She just shrugged in response to keep herself from admitting that she actually couldn’t remember exactly. 

He poured hot, thick stew into a bowl for her and then put it in front of her, holding out cutlery for her to take. “Why are you doing this?” Zahra asked him weakly.

“Because I wish somehow had done it for me,” Azriel responded

That simple statement made her blink in surprise. It was not an answer she had been expecting. She bit her lip, not really sure what to say. 

And then he simply said. “Eat. You look like you’d blow away at the slightest breeze.”

She should have been angered by that blunt statement, but somehow she wasn’t. 

So Zahra ate.

The food tasted incredibly good. She had to admit that the Shadowsinger was talented with cooking. The food was spiced just perfectly, hot and filled with flavour. 

Every bite made her realize just how incredibly hungry she was. Her stomach filled slowly and the hunger abated with every spoonful. It was like her insides started to come back to life. The numbness was slowly disappearing, replaced by an odd sort of warmth flowing through her limbs. 

"Thank you," she finally said weakly.

Azriel just nodded at her, watching her eat. “Of course,” he murmured and continued with his own food. 

[girlygirl14534]

Body Heat - Bucky x Reader

Pairing: Bucky x Avenger!Reader

Warnings: Smut, Cock Warming, Snowed In, Only One Bed

Length: 3.7k

Summary: A blizzard knocks out the power in the safehouse where you and Bucky are sharing a bed. Can Bucky keep you warm through the cold night?

Author’s Note: It has been so cold where I live lately and there’s nobody better than Bucky to warm me up. I’m entering this work into @targaryenvampireslayer Blind Date Writing Challenge. I don’t participate in a lot of fandom events, so this was really fun! I used the Only One Bed trope and the Dialogue Prompts “Take your clothes off. Right now,” and “Are you holding back? Don’t.” Happy reading and stay warm! Divider via @firefly-graphics

Read this work on AO3

“You didn’t even want to get egg rolls,” Bucky whined as you grabbed one off of his plate.

You grinned as you bit into it. He smiled back at you, but his shoulders shifted ever so slightly, tipping you off to his next move. His chopsticks swooped onto your plate in retaliation, but you were ready for him, blocking his attempt on your orange chicken.

He glared at you and you relented. He popped the chicken into his mouth with a satisfied smirk. You rolled your eyes at him and took a sip of your beer. It was a local brew. A little hoppy but not too bitter, with a surprisingly crisp taste. You loved trying beers at every new little town you ended up at. Nothing beat a cold beer after a long mission, even if it was 20 degrees and dropping outside.

It was warm and cozy inside the little cabin. This safe house was cuter than most. It had a little wood stove and lace tablecloth—definitely grandmother-approved. The place was small, but you’d stayed at smaller ones. Although most had at least a few twin size cots. The bed here looked comfortable, but there was only one.

“It’s picking up out there,” Bucky nodded at the window. Outside you could see the snow swirling in the wind.

“The Winter Soldier scared of a little snow?” you teased.

“Oh, shut up. You wouldn’t last ten seconds out there. Remember Helsinki?”

“That is so unfair! I fell into a frozen pond!”

“I told you not to walk on that patch of ice!”

“You were being a know-it-all.”

“That’s because I actually know it all.”

You threw your half-eaten egg roll at him.

“You didn’t even eat it?!”

You shrugged and he glared at you as he finished it. After dinner, you got ready for bed. It had been a long day. When Bucky came out of the shower, you were already under the paisley-printed covers.

He grinned at you. “That’s my favorite bonnet,” he said, nodding at the silky cap on your head.

“You have favorite bonnets of mine?”

He shrugged. “I’ve seen you in enough of them. I love the one with rhinestones on the headband. You look like a queen. The Kirby one is really cute, too.”

“Nice try, Bucky.” You threw a pillow at him. “You’re still sleeping on the floor.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes.”

You knew he was going to jump on the bed a second before he did it, but you didn’t stop him. He looked so satisfied with himself.

“Time for bed,” you said as you started stacking pillows on the bed between you.

“Afraid you won’t be able to keep your hands off of me?” he teased.

“Don’t think I forgot how you hogged the couch in Bangladesh.”

“I maintain that you rolled off of the couch by yourself.”

“Well then consider it protection from me rolling you off the bed.”

He laughed as you finished the wall of pillows, marking your territory. You were just grateful that the bed was big enough to have your own space and that there were enough blankets that you wouldn’t have to share. You loved Bucky, but in your friendship you were more likely to trade insults than share the covers. Was there something more behind the words you traded? Maybe. Sometimes it felt obvious that he felt the same and other times you were certain that he just saw you as a friend.

If you were just friends, you were friends that lived and worked in very close quarters. You’d had a lot of hands-on moments working the mission with him today. If you had a little more privacy, you’d probably be touching yourself right now thinking about the weight of him on top of you as he tackled you to the ground to protect you, his hair tickling your face as he whispered a new tactical plan into your ear. Instead you were stuck here, close but not close enough. You sighed in frustration.

“Need a bedtime story?” Bucky asked.

“Once upon a time, a former assassin wouldn’t shut up while his teammate tried to sleep.”

“Teammate? That’s all I am to you?” he asked. The hurt and offense in his voice almost sounded real.

“What do you want to be described as?” you asked.

“Just get some sleep, princess.”

You chuckled and rolled over, soon falling asleep. You dreamt of him, of course. Of his hands on you. One warm, one cold. And then it was just his left hand. It was so cold. You let him keep touching you, of course. You didn’t care if you got frostbite. You just wanted him to keep touching you.

You were pissed when you woke up before you could climax. But you quickly realized it wasn’t just cold in your dream. Your teeth were chattering in real life.

“Fuck. It’s freezing,” you said.

“Power’s out,” Bucky said. “Must be the storm.”

“Can we make a fire?”

“I checked. The stove is electric.”

“Are you sure? That thing looks older than you.”

Bucky laughed. “I think I saw a few candles in the cupboard.” He got up and rummaged around in the kitchen. He lit them and placed them around the room.

“Bring one here. Maybe I can warm my hands.”

He laughed as he flopped back onto his side of the bed. “I know it’s cold in here. With the blizzard, there’s no way we’ll make it down the mountain. In the morning, we can—”

“I’m not gonna make it to morning! Feel my fingers!”

Bucky outstretched his right hand toward you, smiling in amusement at what he assumed was exaggeration. When you touched him, his expression changed to one of concern. Maybe things were worse than you thought. Maybe it really was frostbite. Bucky started taking down the pillow barrier.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

“You’re right,” he said as he threw pillows over his shoulder and onto the floor.

“Oooh, say that again.”

He laughed. “It’s too cold in here. You need body heat.”

You rolled your eyes but he kept moving pillows. “You’re serious?”

He nodded as he got rid of the last pillow. He awkwardly opened his arms. You scooted closer to him. This wasn’t how you wanted his arms around you, but you were too cold to deny him. He wrapped his big, strong arms around you. You relaxed into his embrace, and not just because of the warmth. He held you tight to him and you would’ve stayed just like forever, but you were still shivering. It felt like the chill had settled into your bones. The extra warmth from Bucky was only making it more obvious just how cold it was in the tiny cabin.

“We need skin to skin,” Bucky said.

You laughed but he didn’t.

“Take your clothes off. Right now,” he said.

Maybe the frigid air was impacting your decision-making, because instead of denying him, you complied. Tried to, anyway. Your fingers were so numb from the cold that you fumbled with the hem of your shirt. He gently nudged your fingers aside and helped you out of your shirt. You’d imagined the first time he took your clothes off a little differently, but you couldn’t care about that now. Once your shirt was off, he took his off too.

He hugged you again then. Your bare skin felt electrified where it touched his. He held your hands to his chest to warm them. With his hardened pecs beneath your fingers, it took all of your willpower not to squeeze.

“Is that better?” he asked.

You nodded. You didn’t trust yourself to speak. You stayed like that for a few minutes, afraid to move. Afraid that at some point he’d decide that you were warm enough. You weren’t warm enough. In any sense. You needed him closer for survival, but it became increasingly difficult to tell if you needed him because you were cold or because you were horny.

“You’re not warm enough,” he said finally. You didn’t argue.

When he pulled away, the sudden loss of warmth made your body tense up. He immediately placed his arms around you again.

“I won’t let go of you anymore, okay?”

You hated how pathetic your voice sounded when you responded, “Okay.”

His arm reached between your bodies to pull his pants down. You told yourself that you weren’t going to look, but your eyes had a mind of their own. You watched his fingers grip his waistband and tug down his boxers and his pants. Suddenly he was naked. Even in the dim lighting, you could see how big he was. His eyes went straight to yours to check in, but he found no objection. You looked away to be polite, but felt too awkward to look into his eyes. You turned around so that your back was to his chest. You were grateful that he couldn’t see your face when he started to pull your pants down. If he was hesitant about this plan, his movements didn’t show it. He was smooth and deliberate, quickly ridding you of your pajamas and underwear. When you were both undressed, he pulled you close. When you felt his cock against your ass, you shivered, and it wasn’t because of the freezing temperatures.

“That’s it,” he said. “Turn over.”

He didn’t wait for you to move, effortlessly pulling you onto your back and laying on top of you. Bucky was naked. You were naked. And he was on top of you. You were short of breath just thinking about it.

“Don’t tell me I’m taking your breath away,” he teased.

“You’re heavy,” you retorted. “I think you may need to start laying off the eggrolls.”

As you laughed together, you became hyper aware of how close your bodies were, of just how much physical contact you had. The laughing stopped abruptly.

“Why didn’t you take off my bra?” you whispered. “Afraid that once you see these you’ll be ruined for all other boobs?”

“Yes,” he nodded as he reached under you, large hands rubbing your back and unhooking the clasp. He slowly slid your straps down your arms. He looked into your eyes as he pulled your bra from between your bodies and threw it onto the floor.

Here you were, caged in his warmth, looking deep into his eyes like in one of your fantasies. And yet your instinct was to make a stupid joke, find some way to make this feel less serious. But you couldn’t think straight with his dick resting on your stomach and his warm breath on your face.

“Better?” he asked.

“Eh. Still a little chilly,” you joked breathlessly.

“I can get you warmer,” he said seriously.

You laughed. “I don’t think we could physically be any closer than we are right now.”

He quirked an eyebrow at you. “Well, technically we could be a little closer.”

“Barnes, if I go outside in the morning and find out that you cut the powerlines…”

“I can’t have you dying of hypothermia on my watch. I don’t have to move or anything. Just to keep you warm.”

You wanted to roll your eyes and hit him on the arm, but his sincerity caught you off guard.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. I’m not a fan of the cold either. I’ve spent too much of my life frozen already. We don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just thought…”

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

You nodded. “And don’t worry, when I tell Nat this story, I won’t even mention the shrinkage.”

He laughed with you and then shook his head at you.

“What am I gonna do with you?” he asked.

“Stick your dick in me, apparently.”

He swallowed nervously. “Are you…? Are you ready?” he asked.

You nodded, hoping he wouldn’t question how wet you were already. You certainly weren’t going to bring up the fact that you had felt his length slowly hardening against you for the last few minutes.

“I, uh, just gotta…” He reached down to pump himself a few times, looking anywhere but you. You wanted to change that.

“You can look at me, Bucky.”

His eyes found yours. You’d never seen this expression on his face before. He was never this easy to read. Even though he’d beaten the Winter Soldier programming, he usually always kept a part of himself closed off. Those defenses were gone now. In their place was yearning. A desire so deep it was overwhelming. The way he looked at you was the same way you felt about him.

You arched your back, drawing attention to your chest. “You can also look here, if it helps.”

He looked at your breasts for the first time. His mouth fell open in awe. You hoped you really were ruining him for other women. You hoped he would never look at anyone else like this for as long as he lived. His eyes went from your chest back to your face as he shifted between your legs. You bit your lip when you felt the head of his cock prod your entrance. It would take everything in your power not to moan. This was probably a very bad idea. But still you let your legs fall open wider to give him easier access.

When he first pushed in, you drew a shaky breath. He stopped moving, eyes anxiously searching yours. He was terrified you’d ask him to stop. Quite the contrary.

“That all you got?” you asked.

He smirked at you before resuming his progress. Despite your earlier joke, you felt your walls stretch around him as he pushed further into you. You felt every single inch, but it was torture not being able to wrap your legs around his hips or claw at his back like you wanted to.

When he was fully seated, he stilled. You took a few deep breaths. It was dizzying, being this close to him, this full of him. It was his turn to tell you, “You can look at me, ya know.”

You looked at him in the flickering candlelight. His hair obscured your view of his face. You reached up and tucked it behind his ear. He nuzzled his face against your hand. Your heart skipped a beat. You could feel his warm cock throbbing inside of you. He was looking at you so romantically that you forgot where you were for a moment. Your body did, too. Your pussy clenched around him. You didn’t get a chance to wonder if he’d felt it. You heard him groan. Right before you felt him thrust.

His eyes darted to you, panicked. You’d seen him panic once before, as he pulled you out of the ice in Finland. That day he’d warmed you up by the fire with plenty of hot drinks and some light teasing. You preferred the current method of warming you up. Which is why you let him hear you. You moaned for him. If you’d been less desperate for him to fuck you, you would’ve been embarassed by how needy you sounded. It was nothing compared to the strangled cry Bucky let out with his second thrust. You expected him to keep moving, but he stopped again. He leaned in, eyes urgent.

“The first time I saw you,” he panted, “I knew you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever—”

Your heart fluttered, but you couldn’t have him saying things he didn’t mean. “You don’t have to flatter me, Buck—”

“It’s not flattery if it’s true. And you are so beautiful.”

You placed your hands behind his head and pulled him in for a kiss. You weren’t sure what it was going to be like, your first kiss with Bucky. Especially since that first kiss was occurring after he was already inside of you. When your lips touched, you both sighed with relief. His lips were soft. You weren’t expecting that. His tongue probed your lips gently, and you gladly gave it access. He kissed you slowly, like he was savoring every second. He cupped your breast with his right hand, softly stroking it. His touches were almost reverent. It would’ve been romantic if you weren’t so needy. There’d be time for slow and steady. You hoped so, anyway. Right now you needed fire. You needed his touch to chase away the cold.

“Are you holding back on me, Barnes? Don’t.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. He bent his head and attached his lips to your neck. He pulled the delicate flesh between his teeth as the hand on your breast eagerly squeezed. His metal hand tightened its grip on your hip. Maybe, if you were lucky, you’d have a bruise in the shape of his handprint tomorrow. Proof that this had actually happened. Proof it wasn’t just the best dream of your life.

Maybe you wanted to mark him, too. Maybe that’s why you tangled your fingers in his hair while you raked the nails of the other hand down his back. He grunted as he drove into you with renewed force, the headboard rattling against the wall.

“Fuck,” he whispered. “You’re so wet. So tight. So perfect. Even better than I—” he stopped himself.

“Better than you imagined?” you suggested.

He nodded.

“You imagine me?” you asked, breathless.

“Every day,” he confessed.

You moved your hips in time with his next stroke, taking him deeper than ever. You both cursed. With each thrust, you knew things would never be the same. With each thrust, you got more and more desperate for him to ruin you. You writhed desperately under him and he only gripped you tighter, forcing you to stay still and accept your pleasure like a good girl. He angled his hips so that he was massaging your g-spot with every thrust. The head of his cock dragged against your center of pleasure over and over again in a relentless pursuit for your climax. You wanted to beg him to fuck you harder and faster but you didn’t want this to end yet. Not until he was as ruined as you were.

You took your hands away from him and brought them to your chest. You gripped your breasts tightly and moaned. He was mesmerized. You pinched your nipples and rolled your hips, putting on a show for him. You needed to know that he would never forget this. That he would never forget you. You tugged on your nipples and cried his name.

“That’s my job,” he said. You smirked at him.

You put your fingers in his open mouth and brought them to your clit and started rubbing slow circles. You watched his eyes darken. He grabbed your hand and brought it to his mouth again, closing his eyes in pleasure as he licked your fingers clean. Instead of putting your hand back where he found it, he brought his metal fingers to your clit instead, taking over your ministrations there. The cold, hard metal rhythmically massaged the sensitive bundle of nerves until his name was the only word in your vocabulary.

You wouldn’t last much longer. You’d see to it that neither would he. You attached your lips to his neck and sucked a bruise into the skin. His fingers on your clit went from slow circles to frantic figure 8s. Your back arched in pleasure as you felt your walls tighten around Bucky’s cock. His hips stuttered as he flooded you with warmth. Your legs shook when you felt him fill you. You whimpered his name. He whispered yours. Before you could even catch your breath, it happened.

You both knew the second the power turned back on. The hum of the fridge, the rattle of the old radiator, the red “Off” light on the coffee pot. It was like a bomb going off in the bubble you’d built. You looked at each other, startled, as if you were just realizing the extent of what you had done. For a split second, you considered pulling away from him and getting dressed, pretending none of this had ever happened. But you didn’t want that, not while his cum was still warm inside you and aftershocks of your orgasm were still rocking your core. You two spoke at the same time.

“It’ll probably take a while before you’re warm eno—”

“The power could go off again at any mo—”

“Sorry—”

“What were you saying—”

You both chuckled self-consciously.

“You love being inside me, don’t you, Barnes?” you teased with no taunting in your voice. You felt his dick twitch. You rolled your hips. “Is that a yes?”

He bit his lip and looked at you with more than lust. It was devotion.

“Yes,” he said finally.

“Good. Because you’re the only one that can keep me warm.”

“What about me?” he asked.

You looked at him, perplexed.

“I get cold, too.”

“What can I warm up for you, Bucky?”

“My ears are kinda cold,” he said.

Oh. Not exactly what you were thinking about warming up, but ok. You reached out to stroke the side of his face. He smiled and blushed, but nuzzled into your hand.

“Your thighs should be pretty warm now…”

Oh. Your thighs could keep his ears warm. You would happily straddle his face in the name of reciprocity. It was the least you could do, right?

…

The next morning, you woke up wrapped in Bucky’s arms. The heat hadn’t gone out again during the night, but you still felt like you needed Bucky’s warmth.

“I didn’t tamper with the generator,” Bucky said. “But I should have. I should’ve warmed you up like that when you fell into the lake.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Would you have let me?”

You nodded.

“You would have?!”

“I bought the Kirby bonnet for you,” you confessed.

“What?”

“I know how much you like playing Mario Kart with Sam. I thought you’d like it. I thought maybe it’d make you like me.”

He scoffed. “Are you kidding? By that point, I was already in lo—I mean, I, uh. I really do love Mario Kart, you’re right.”

“Nice save.”

“Let me take you out on a proper date.”

“One condition.”

“Anything.”

“Has to be somewhere warm.”

You shared a laugh.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he smirked.

Want to read more of my writing? Check out my ongoing Stucky x Reader series.

[annievrse]

Break Through, Break Down / Act III

Trafalgar Law x Fem!Reader  Summary: When your captain, Luffy, tells you to run from Bartholomew Kuma on the Sabaody Archipelago instead of fighting, you end up on a submarine. Takes place post-time skip. W/C: 20k C/W: Fic structure: Sabaody Archipelago → Zou spoilers, canon timeline but majority canon-divergent events, she/her pronouns, no use of y/n. Content: anxiety, descriptions of injuries, blood, mentions of torture and violence, mentions of past trauma (Law), Doflamingo.

Labyrinth Series Masterlist

— Scene 1 —

You need to get to Sabaody. 

You don’t know how because Law sure as hell isn’t going back to Paradise, not when everything is going to plan. But it must be done; you must be at Sabaody Archipelago in a month. Everything you’ve done to get stronger has been to meet your family back on Sabaody. 

You feel like you’ve betrayed the Straw Hats by going to the New World before them. That was the plan after all, but you got so caught up with the Heart Pirates and helping Law that the thought of meeting Luffy at Sabaody had slipped your mind. You scolded yourself every day for it. 

Law achieved Warlord status, and as you watch him say farewell to Bepo, Penguin, Shachi, and the rest of the crew, you mull over how much you’ve fucked up the original plan. 

It’s been a year and a half since Law presented the ninety-eight pirate hearts he collected on Hachinosu and the two single hearts, one from Seamus Wells and the other from the noble on the passenger ship before the Navy Headquarters. He wore his usual smirk and callous facade while the rest of you stood on the deck of the Polar Tang with guns pointed at you from every angle. From what you remember, the Marines looked mortified, some sick, and others confused—you were used to it at that point, wearing a bored expression while Law went inside the complex to talk with someone higher up. Your anxiety that day spread like wildfire through your body, but you knew he’d get what he wanted. 

Now, you stand before the Polar Tang on an island overrun with snow and ice on one side and fire and lava on the other. You wrap your arms around yourself, the thick jacket you wear doing nothing against the frigid wind of Punk Hazard. Law stands beside you with his jacket zipped up to his chin, his katana resting on his shoulder. 

“Be careful!” Bepo yells, his paws covering his mouth to project his voice. 

“We’ll be fine,” Law calls. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Penguin laughs before coughing, the winter air tightening his chest. “When are we ever stupid?” 

“Bye!” Ikkaku yells, waving at you. 

You smile and wave back. “Be safe!”

You have grown closer to Ikkaku during your time on the Polar Tang. She no longer regards you with disdain and is grateful for another woman on the sub. It’s refreshing to have a female friendship again—and the thought makes the taste of Sabaody bitter in your mouth. 

Law clicks his tongue and turns, making his way toward the giant laboratory in the mountains. You stand there, watching the Heart Pirates shut the door and descend back into the sea, embarking on their journey to Zou. You sigh deeply and pull the beanie further over your ears. 

“C’mon!” 

You turn, your gaze remaining on when the submarine submerged. Though they aren’t going in the direction you need to go, and somewhere deep in your soul, you wish you could persuade them to go back over Reverse Mountain to Sabaody. 

Law calls your name, and you look toward him. His hand is outreached, and you rush over to him as quickly as possible in this weather and take it. You shake your head to rid your mind of the impossible. 

“This guy knows we’re coming, right?” 

He clears his throat. “He knows I’m coming.” 

“So we’re not going to get attacked?” 

“Shouldn’t.” 

You roll your lips between your teeth and huddle closer to Law. Glancing up at him, the red tint to his cheeks is mainly from the icy wind, but you know it’s also because you’re holding his hand. You refrain from giggling, knowing he’d only scold you for such trivial things, but he knows you too well.

“You better not be laughing at me.” 

You snort. “Never, my love.” 

Law rolls his eyes and says nothing, though he squeezes your gloved hand tighter. 

“While we’re here, I need you to do something for me.” 

You nod with owlish eyes. “Of course.” 

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Caesar Clown has this place on lockdown, with cameras and shit… So we need to do this here,” He pauses, looking toward the mountain. “I need you to keep my heart safe.” 

Furrowing your eyebrows, you stop, the snow squeaking under your feet. “Why?”

Law senses your worried tone and faces you. “I’m going to give my ‘heart’ to them to prove my loyalty.” 

“Your ‘heart’?” 

“I have an extra heart from Hachinosu,” Law says. “You’re going to keep mine safe while I hand over this one.” 

You purse your lips, your own heart racing. “Okay. Right now?” 

“Right now,” He urges, lifting his hand to his chest. “I should’ve done it on the sub, but I got sidetracked…” 

You feel your cheeks warm at the connotation. “Yeah, well…” 

Law uses Scalpel, and a blue cube slides from his chest. “Keep it safe for me, sweetheart.” 

You open the flap of the bag you carry on your back and wrap it in a scarf crafted with Sew. “I have been for two years, haven’t I?” 

He snorts and digs around inside his coat for the pirate’s heart. Law inhales sharply before inserting it into the empty slot, his face scrunching in agony. You place your hand on his. 

“Careful,” You whisper, your gaze running over his face as his expression evens out. 

“I’m good.”

You hum, swinging the backpack over your shoulder. The wind whistles through the barren land, and the laboratory looks further away than it did a second ago. “If you could Shamble us up there right now, I’d be eternally grateful.” 

Law gives a sidelong glance but flicks his fingers up anyway. “You’re annoying.” 

“I love you,” You tease, leaning up and kissing his freezing cheek. 

His gaze softens, and then you’re stumbling. 

Before you can complain to him, Law is at the giant door, knocking. You don’t think anyone will answer until it slides open and a cloud of gas emerges. 

“Ceasar.”

“Trafalgar Law,” The gas speaks before materialising into a figure. A ten-foot man with horns in a yellow stripy jumpsuit and a purple cape towers over you, and you let out a squeak of surprise. “Who’s this?”

“My assistant.” 

Caesar huffs and looks you up and down. “Ugh, fine! Come with me. We have business to discuss before I let you roam around here… unsupervised.” 

You glance at Law, who looks straight ahead and follows the gas man inside. There’s a bad feeling swirling in your stomach, but you pay it no mind. 

— Scene 2 —

The inside of the laboratory is unsettling, almost as much as the looming presence of Caesar as he watches over you. Law is elsewhere, performing his part of the contract, healing Caesar’s underlings while you stay in this room. You make no sudden movements and keep your breathing steady. 

“So, what do you do out here? On Punk Hazard?” 

Caesar narrows his eyes. “Experiments.” 

You nod, knowing you weren’t getting more of an answer than that. “Cool.” 

The scientist makes no sound, and you chew on your bottom lip. 

“I could’ve sworn I’ve seen your face in the newspaper. Who are you again?”

You glance at Caesar, surprised he asked you a question but nervous about the former statement. “Law’s assistant.” 

“Huh,” Caesar mused. “Maybe I’m thinking of the wrong person…” 

Your stomach flips, and before you comprehend the situation, Caesar has you hanging in the air by your throat. 

“A Straw Hat,” He growls, his gas tightening around your neck. “Trafalgar Law brought a pirate into my laboratory.” 

You struggle to breathe and claw at the invisible hand. “No, it’s not like that, please.” 

“Law and I signed a contract,” Caesar says. “I don’t remember seeing your name in there.” 

“I’m just here to learn,” You squeeze your eyes closed and squeak out the syllables. 

“Learn about what?”

“Caesar.” 

The scientist freezes, his gas turning icy against your skin. “Law…”

“Put her down. I won’t ask again.” 

You feel your feet hit the floor, and then you crumble. You inhale sharply, the oxygen burning your lungs as you gulp it down hungrily. Coughing, you rub at your chest. “Asshole.” 

“Why did you bring a pirate here?” 

Law huffs harshly, glancing at you to see if you’re okay. When you are, he cocks his head at Caesar. “She’s my assistant. If you have a problem with that, I’ll happily turn your underlings back as they were.” 

Caesar giggles nervously. “No problems. None at all. Have you finished with them?” 

“Yes.” 

And then Caesar flies from the room. Law rushes over to you and helps you stand, cursing under his breath.

“I shouldn’t have left him alone with you.” 

You smile weakly, resting your palm on his cheek. “I’m fine.” 

“You’re not,” He sits you down on the couch. “Fuck.” 

He inspects your neck; his fingers light on your skin as he traces the blooming bruises, leaving goosebumps in his wake. 

“What do we do now?” You ask, deflecting his attention. Law’s gaze remains on your neck.

“We lay low, try not to draw attention to ourselves while we’re here. I need to gain their trust.” 

— Scene 3 —

It's been a month since you and Law arrived at Punk Hazard, and it’s been nothing short of boring. But Sabaody never left your mind. The date of the meeting came and went, and you felt guilt deep in your stomach, the feeling making you sick. There’s nothing you could have said or done, though you know Law wanted you to be there—he’d apologised every day, but it just wasn’t possible. 

Most days are the same: wake up, eat a meal of potato, rice, and curry, walk around the facility, eat another serving of potato, rice, and curry, and go to sleep. It’s mundane, but Law ensures there is a means to the end—find the SAD production room. It’s why you’re required to wander around the facility all day to inspect the thousands of rooms and decipher which is the one to destroy. 

You’ve had no luck so far; there are men in yellow suits in every direction who forbid you from going certain ways, but you aren’t stupid— you know the hallways lead to where you need to go. You just don’t know how to go about it. Sure, you could use Seam, and your mind and ability have strengthened substantially since Hachinosu. Still, there’s an unknown number of people in the facility, and anything above 300 souls would send you comatose. The limitation frustrates you. 

Caesar and his underling, Monet, project clear disdain toward you, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. The winged woman is eerie, always watching you, like she knows you’re being untruthful about your intentions. There are moments when you’re walking the corridors, and there are screams, child-like wails of terror and anguish that have your hair standing on end. You choose not to ask Caesar or Monet about it; that would be foolish. Law says he’s heard it too but doesn’t know where it’s coming from—the cries echo like they’re everywhere, with no one place to pinpoint them to. It’s unsettling. 

“Located.” 

Law whispers it as he passes by you breezily. You gulp and suppress your relieved smile; the word brings you hope. 

You know Caesar’s hazmat crew hovers over you, the surveillance snails monitoring your every movement, but you neglect to care when you’ve just heard that you’ll soon be leaving. You don’t dare glance back at Law as he walks down the hallway you just came from and clench your fists tight to avoid doing so. 

A faraway scream draws you from your daze, and when it continues, you look back at Law. He’s at the end of the hall, stopped with his head tilted. You take a step, but a loud, echoing thump startles you. 

“Navy’s here,” Law calls, and then he takes off down the hall toward Building A. You sigh, perplexed as to how he could know that. “C’mon.” 

Your heart races as you do, the winter boots you wear barely gripping the slick vinyl floors. As you catch up to Law, you notice he’s taken on a leisurely stroll. 

“How do you know the Navy’s here?” You raise an eyebrow. Law huffs a laugh and adjusts his katana on his shoulder. 

“I heard chaos outside; looked in the surveillance room.” 

Your jaw drops. “How’d you get in there?” 

Law doesn’t respond since he knows you know the answer anyway. You give him a sidelong glance. 

“I’ve been trying to get in there for weeks…” You mumble, pouting. “And all I had to do was ask you.” 

Law shrugs and takes the left hallway at the fork. 

“Why are the Navy here anyway?” 

“I don’t know,” Law says, voice low. “But I don’t like it.” 

The knock is incessant, and it gets louder with each passing second. 

When you get to the door, Law huffs with irritation. He presses a red button, and the thick sheet of metal slides open a few feet. 

“Trafalgar Law.” 

You decide to hang back, not wanting to alert the Marines of your presence… besides, Law is a Warlord, and you’re not. 

You recognise the Navy Vice Admiral when he speaks, his deep timbre annoyed. “Trafalgar Law.”

Law scoffs lightly. “What brings you to my vacation home?” 

You close your eyes at his quip, his body leaning carelessly against the wall. The wind whistles harshly, and the icy air nips at your ears. It’s the only sound for a minute, the Navy seemingly shocked at Law’s presence. 

“Trafalgar! We understand you’re a Warlord, but we need to get past. Step aside!” The voice is familiar, and you comb through your memories to figure out who it belongs to. You faintly recall a woman with a sword, someone who Zoro complained about. “We already know you’re not the only one on this island.” 

You bite your tongue. There’s no way she could know you’re here. Law narrows his eyes. 

“What are you talking about?” 

Tashigi, you remember. That’s her name. When she doesn’t answer, you dare a peek at her. She holds a Baby Transponder Snail in her hand, the gastropod warbling as it gains a signal. 

“Hello?—”

Your heart stops.

“My name is Monkey D. Luffy!”

You can’t move, the icy wind blowing through the crack in the door almost tipping you over. There’s no way. You touch Law’s back, begging to look at the snail closer. 

But you physically deflate when the call goes on and realise it’s a recording. 

“He said cold and named the island,” Tashigi’s voice cuts off your daze. “Given those facts, it's almost undeniable that the signal was sent from here.” 

Law remains silent. 

“And you’ve met Straw Hat before, haven’t you?” Smoker asks, folding his arms over his chest. “You helped him escape from Marineford.” 

You gulp and back away. If they knew you were here…

“Alright then, what now?” Law sighs. “I know you Marines are good at faking those distress signals.” 

Smoker raises an eyebrow, his cigar bobbing between his lips. “If you’re insinuating that this is a trap we set, you’re wrong.”

“Is that so?” Law scoffs. “Well, I haven’t got any information for you.” 

“You and I both know that’s bullshit,” Smoker growls. “Now, let us inside that lab.” 

“It’s my vacation home, that’s all. Beat it,” Law says, his tone growing agitated. “The Navy abandoned this place, so why does it matter if I’m here? I see nobody else around.” 

You’re on the verge of sprinting. The mention of Luffy and hearing his voice through the Snail has made you feel sick. You betrayed them, and now they’re here? You don’t think you can face them.

“And if Straw Hat does come knocking, I’ll behead him for you. Now, get lost.” 

You almost stumble and glare at the back of Law’s head—empty threats. 

Smoker and Tashigi say nothing, but they aren’t leaving. You raise your hand, ready to send their souls to Seam, when there’s a rumble behind you. 

“Wha—” A collection of footsteps clamber down the stairs, and you furrow your brows, your heart clenching with fear. What is that?

Law looks at you, his eyes widening as he spots something you can’t. You slowly turn, ignoring the chatter of confusion outside, and your jaw opens in both horror and shock. 

There are children—tens of them, running toward you, all dressed in the same white gown. But what puzzles you more is that some of them are 4 times your height. 

“What the…” Law muses, his voice trailing off. Your chest heaves like your lungs are trying to increase the oxygen to your brain because… what are you looking at?

The voices that scream behind them cause a chill down your spine. “We gotta get outta here!” 

“Look! There’s a door!” 

It can’t be. You blink,  tears pooling in your eyes. 

Law’s brows tug together as he tries to figure out what the hell is going on. 

Before your eyes, a large raccoon dog throws itself past you, kicking the door wider. You recognise the hat instantly and feel your knees buckle. More people rush past, and you’re disoriented by the chaos around you. 

“Woah! It’s freezing out here…” 

“Nami…” You whisper with confusion. “Nami!” 

You turn around to face the door, your hands clasped together on your chest. You hope you’re not mistaken.

Your name falls from her lips, and it's like the world is rewarding you for sticking it out and for surviving this long. She gasps, her familiar red hair a blur as she wraps her arms around you. 

“Nami,” You cry, pulling her tighter against you. 

“We thought—”

“I know,” Pulling your face back to explain yourself, Nami brushes stray hairs away from your eyes. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get to Sabaody. I was already here, and—”

“Don’t apologise,” Nami exclaims, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I’m so happy to see you.” 

You frown, searching her eyes for any hint of a lie—you’re sure they’re upset and angry with you for not coming back when everyone else made the effort. But she’s genuine; she’s not mad. 

Law stands awkwardly in the doorway, staring down Smoker as he grapples with the shock of seeing so many children burst from the laboratory. And as confused and irritated Law is at Caesar for keeping these kids hostage, he can’t think about that when the Navy stands before him, ready to attack. Especially when you’re here, behind him, reuniting with your crew. 

“Hey, hey, hey, Franky the Tank!” 

A stunned laugh forces its way out of your chest, and you turn. Franky is coming toward you in a form you haven’t seen, with two children and Sanji behind him. They don’t seem to notice you and Nami yet, only the hoard of kids they saved. 

“It’s the Straw Hats…” You hear Tashigi call outside. Fear clings to you, and you shove Nami toward Franky and Sanji. 

“Go!” You yell. Sanji’s ears seem to perk up at the sound of your voice, and when he mumbles your name, he’s jumping off Franky and running. 

Law grunts but is focused on the Marines. Sanji yells your name again, a broad grin on his mouth. 

“My sweet!” He brings you into a hug. “I thought I would never see you again, my love. Are you okay?” 

You leer and nod, your cheeks hurting when Chopper and Franky realise it’s you, too. 

“I’m so sorry,” You repeat, taking advantage of the Navy’s shock to talk to your friends for a bit longer.

“Luffy told us everything,” Sanji reassures. “We’re not mad at you. We could never be.” 

You purse your lips in an attempt to stop crying. 

“A severed head?” A yell echoes through the wind, and you look at Franky, who holds one. 

You’re at a loss for words, and you don’t think your heart can take this right now. Rationality takes over your emotions, and panic arises inside you. “You have to go! The Navy’s here!”

“The Navy?” Nami asks. The children are circled around Franky, who tries his best to distract them from the impending danger around them, face wet with tears from seeing you. 

“I’ll catch up,” You say, sniffling. “Go!” 

Chopper squeaks as he cries. “I missed you.” 

Nami, after wiping her cheeks, grabs Chopper and Sanji’s wrists. “She’s right. We should go.” 

You inhale sharply, watching as your friends try and quickly maneuver the kids down the hallway you pointed to. 

“Hey, wait,” Nami squints in Law's direction. “We know him.”

Chopper gasps. “Yeah, we saw him in Sabaody. What’s his name again?” 

Then Nami’s expression turns into one of betrayal. “You didn’t kidnap these kids, did you?” 

You shake your head, upset she’d even think of Law like that. But, then again, the only person who knows him is you. 

“No!” You plead. “This is the first we’ve seen of them.” 

Sanji makes a surprised sound that turns into a growl. “What’s he doing here?”

Everyone’s attention turns to the Vice Admiral, who has moved back onto the snow. 

“Smoker!” Sanji points at him. “And Tashigi! Looking good…”

Law rolls his eyes. “Are you gonna leave before they attack, or not?” 

“We should go,” Chopper whines, tugging Nami’s arm. You look between your crew and the Navy, the tension in the air growing tenfold. 

“Quick!” Sanji shouts. “We can’t get out this way. Go down that hallway!” 

The children start screaming while they run, following the direction Sanji pointed. Nami gives you one last smile before trailing after them, and soon, it’s just you and Law. 

Law takes the stairs down the ice, and the Navy backs up as he does so. You follow close behind. 

Your name falls from Smoker’s lips as a snarl. It seems he’s just noticed you. “You’ve caused us a lotta trouble…” 

Law guards your body with his own. 

“So there are others here!” Tashigi exclaims. 

Law shrugs. “Guess so. It’s a shock for me, too.” 

Without replying, Tashigi draws her sword. “Marines! Track down the Straw Hats!” 

Behind her, there’s a collective yell, the men inching closer. You peek around Law’s bicep, watching them. 

“Wait,” Smoker says sternly. “Back down.” 

But, before you or the Navy can comprehend the situation, Law sticks out his hand. “Room.” 

You gape as a phantom wind pushes the Navy back, the blue dome hardly visible through the thick cloud. “Law…”

He doesn’t hear you. “And Takt.” 

Ice cracks beyond the cloud, and you step beside him. “So, we’re doing this?” 

Law sighs. “They won’t leave…” 

Smoker and Tashigi look behind them, both frozen in place. There’s a large dark silhouette looming over the Marines. You tilt your head in wonder when you realise it’s their battleship. 

“Shit,” You murmur, glancing up at Law to see his eyes closed. “Careful…”

Law swallows, acknowledging your warning. 

“I lied to you for your own good,” He calls to Smoker. “You should’ve listened. And now that you’ve seen the truth… I can’t let you leave.” 

The chatter of the Marines is almost deafening, and you wince. 

“Stay behind me,” Smoker growls to his subordinates. He draws the staff from his back and points it at Law. You narrow your eyes. How dare he wield that at him. 

Beside you, Law reaches for his katana, pulling it from the scabbard. He smirks, his katana blade reflecting the glare of the snow. 

It could be so easy for you to just send Smoker’s soul to Seam, to watch his body go limp, to defeat him. But, since he has a Logia-type Devil Fruit, it’s dangerous for you to do so. 

“Don’t get too close to him,” Law mumbles. “He touches you with that stick of his, and it’s over.” 

“I know,” You sigh, matching Tashigi’s stance. “You, too.” 

The battleship is suspended in the air above you, the hull of the ship to the sky. The ground shakes under your feet. Law changes his position, lowering his arm. 

The Marines behind Smoker and Tashigi yell out, but you pay them no mind. 

“That was the Samurai,” Law mutters. You furrow your eyebrows and look up at him. 

“Who?” 

“The severed head.” 

“Oh,” You frown, regretting not paying closer attention. 

Law’s free hand moves up again; this time, the debris from the battleship flies around, narrowly missing the Marines. 

“Give the ship back,” Smoker deadpans. 

Law smirks. “Eh, fine. But let me make one adjustment.” 

Your lips form a straight line. “Stop playing with them.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” And then he swings his katana upwards, the blade cutting the air. There’s a collective gasp, and then the ship splits into two, and the sound of wood cracking is deafening. 

The two halves of the ship lower slowly, Law moving his finger down slightly to prompt the movement. He stares straight ahead, watching the Marines panic. You watch in awe as a giant iceberg levitates behind it, and Law quickly slashes his sword multiple times to cut the ice. 

The chunks, plus the ship halves and the debris, start falling into the ground, sending the area into more chaos, the screams and shouts echoing far past the laboratory. 

The inside of Room is a mess, like a snow globe just shaken. 

“Let’s go, Admiral!” A voice bounces off the ice.

Law scoffs. “I don’t think so…”

You do nothing but admire the control Law has over the tonnes of wood and ice as they join together like magnets. It reminds you of a game you used to play as a child. 

“Hey! You work for the government too, Bud!” 

“Wait until we tell HQ that you attacked us!”

Law’s tongue pokes the inside of his cheek, a wry laugh leaving his throat. He flips the katana in his hand, pointing the blade to the ground. “Scan.” 

He drags the blade perpendicular to the ground before propping it back up on his shoulder and closing his outstretched fist. You know the play; he’s done it hundreds of times before. 

A collective thud sounds behind you, and you don’t have to turn to know it’s the Marines’ Baby Transponder Snails. 

There’s a crazed look in Law’s eye that excites you. 

“Warlord or not, you’ve gone too far,” Smoker says, his body turning to smoke around him. And then he takes off, speeding toward Law. Your gasp is smothered by the innate response to protect Law, your body throwing itself before him. 

Law says nothing, knowing you hate when he intervenes. 

“Needles.” 

A large one materialises in your hand, and before Smoker reaches you, you swing it. Law jumps back, his katana out. He presses his back to yours, slashing the smoke that swirls around him. You work in tandem, cutting and slicing the air. You see Smoker’s top half in the sky, speaking to the Marines. It’s your cue to elbow Law. 

He faces them and swings the katana, cutting all of the Marines in half. They all scream, but you don’t take your eyes off of Smoker. He lands in front of you.

“Trafalgar Law!” Tashigi yells, sprinting at him. 

Smoker stands to his full height before you, noticing Tashigi. “Stop! You can’t win!”

She doesn’t let up, positioning her sword beside her head. Tashigi jumps, her blade over her head, and she comes down on Law. 

You take the opportunity to send the Marine’s souls to Seam, and the influx makes you lightheaded. They all slump, the halves of their bodies laying limply on the ice, and you’re grateful for the silence. 

Swords clang, and you turn to see two halves of Tashigi’s sword fly through the air. They have yet to notice their Marines are unresponsive. 

Smoker falters when he sees Tashigi’s torso slip off her hips, her legs remaining stuck in the ice. 

The wind is the only sound; it blows harshly against your face and sneaks its way through your thick coat, chilling you to the bone. You see Law standing there through blurred vision, your eyes watering at the sting of the cold. 

“Why won’t you finish me? Trafalgar!” 

Law clicks his tongue. “Weaklings like you don’t get to decide where you die.” 

The needle in your hand drops to the ground, and then Smoker staggers over to Tashigi, his voice tight and cautious. With the Marines quiet, there’s nothing to be worried about. 

Law stalks toward you, his hat-shrouded gaze darkening when he sees you shivering. Immediately, the wind stops. You inhale as he stands before you. 

“You could’ve done that before,” You say, noticing the wind blowing harder outside the small bubble around you. 

Law shrugs. “We need to get inside and figure out what the hell is going on.” 

You nod, swallowing thickly. “How are they here?” 

“I don't know,” Law whispers, knowing you’re talking about the children. “But I’m gonna kick Caesar’s ass.” 

“Law!” 

The Warlord sighs with something akin to defeat and turns. “What?” 

A cloud of smoke is heading straight for you, but Law quickly slashes it with his katana. 

“You may be a Warlord, but you’re still just a pirate,” Smoker grunts as he dodges Law’s attack. “Just like her.” 

Another needle forms in your grasp, and you jump to the side to avoid Smoker’s staff, the end dangerously close to your shoulder. “Shit.” 

The smoke cloud rises above you. Law is quick to swipe, but Smoker’s quicker. The katana clangs against the metal staff with a sharp zing; Law focuses on keeping the end of the staff away from you. 

Smoker’s hand wielding the staff stays the same, and you don’t realise the rest of his body turning to smoke. He rounds Law, and his other hand tightens around Law’s neck. 

You gasp, stabbing your needle into the space where Smoker’s body should be. 

The Admiral materialises and uses his strength to slam Law’s head into the ice. Law grunts and you aren’t quick enough to react to how fast Smoker raises his staff and slams it into Law’s face.

The impact is loud, but where you expect blood and flesh, there’s only green wood. 

“Sea-prism stone, huh?” 

You spin, seeing Law with his katana ready. Smoker meets him halfway, the metal connecting again. Instead of staying there, the katana keeps going, the momentum too fast to slow, and the mountain of icebergs and battleship Law created before slices in half. 

The Marines below are still in Seam, and you freeze at the realisation—they’re going to get crushed. 

You’re torn but ultimately choose to return their souls to their bodies. The cacophony of noise starts again, and the men flee with terror, confused about where they are. 

They run out of Room, having figured out how to stay safe from Law. A lone Marine runs for Tashigi and picks her up, taking her with him. 

Behind you, Law and Smoker keep fighting. Grunts and snarls combine with the ringing of metal on metal to create a symphony of a duel. 

You watch the Marines leave, doing nothing to stop them—your objective now is to find out why there were children inside the laboratory and how you didn’t know after being here for a month. Where was Caesar hiding them? And for what reason? It sickens you. 

Debris flies in Room; Law’s ability is perfectly altered, so nothing hits you. A harsh call of your name causes you to spin. 

Law stands behind a jagged piece of rock, Smoker’s body leaning over it—the wild look in his eye returning. 

“Scalpel.” 

You run, feet slipping in the snow. With your hands outstretched, threads weave quickly to catch the heart that flies out of Smoker’s back. The Vice Admiral heaves, his body stuck in slow motion as he realises what happened. You know the look all too well. 

You flick your finger to send his heart to Law, who catches it. Smoker falls to his knees, his cigars falling from between his teeth and extinguishing. 

“You can beg,” Law snarls. “But I don’t have to tell you a damn thing.” 

You wince when you round the rock as Smoker grunts and falls face-first into the snow. 

“C’mon.” 

You trail behind Law before catching up to him. He holds Smoker’s heart in his palm. 

“We need to find Caesar,” You say, watching him shove the heart inside his coat. “Creepy bastard.” 

Law’s jaw is set. “I’m gonna kill him.” 

You click your tongue. “You told me I wasn’t allowed to, so you can’t. Not until the plan is done. We need him.” 

“I—”

“Hey! Hello!” 

Your mouth opens slightly. “No…”

“Whatcha doin’ out here?” 

A smile breaks across your face, and you stop. Law keeps walking, only pausing because you do. “Luffy!” 

Law’s eyes widen. “Straw Hat.” 

You laugh; it’s wild and full of joy. “Luffy!”

Your Captain cackles and screams your name. “Hey!”

There’s a collective gasp, and then several heads peek out behind Brownbeard’s back: Robin, Zoro, Usopp, Brook.

You cover your mouth with your hand, the emotions you’ve kept suppressed finally exploding when they all jump down and rush you. 

Robin is the first to slam into you, her arms tight around your shoulders. “Look at you.” 

Tears stream down your cheeks, your cheeks hurting. 

“Hey, it’s my turn,” Zoro grumbles, waving Robin away before his arm circles your neck and pulls you into his shoulder. 

“Yo ho ho ho!” Brook laughs. “Isn’t it nice to see you…” 

Usopp runs into the back of Zoro, his hands clutching the sleeves of your jacket. “You’re here!” 

“I missed you guys,” You laugh. 

“We missed you!” Robin says, giggling behind her hand. 

“Get off her,” Luffy yells. “My turn!” 

Usopp and Zoro are yanked from your body, and you have half a mind to prepare for the impact of Luffy pulling you toward him with his rubber arms. 

“I’m so happy you’re okay!” Luffy exclaims, wrapping his arms around you ten times. 

You choke out a sob. “I’m happy you guys are okay. I’m so sorry I couldn’t meet you at Sabaody.” 

“Don’t worry about it!” Usopp says. “The only thing you missed on Fishman Island was Sanji bleeding out every 10 seconds.” 

You shake your head with disbelief. “Why am I not surprised?”

You all laugh together before you notice the extra legs hanging off Luffy’s lower back. Your mouth opens to ask about it, but Zoro cuts you off. 

“Don’t ask. It’s a long story.” 

You nod and point back at Law. “That’s Law.”

“I know you,” Zoro eyes him suspiciously. “You were at Sabaody.” 

Law doesn’t acknowledge it; his attention is solely on you. He won’t admit it, but his chest is full of warmth—your smile never fails to make him feel this way. 

“Thanks for helping me back at Marineford,” Luffy says, stopping his stride in front of Law. 

Law’s annoyed that Luffy pulled his focus away from you. “Don’t mention it.”

“Nami, Franky, Sanji, and Chopper were here before,” You say. “Did you get separated?” 

Robin furrows her eyebrows. “Here? They’re meant to be on the Sunny.” 

“Idiots…”

“Of course, they are…”

“They’re here?” 

“Hey, over there,” Usopp yells, his arm straight out. You turn, your attention diverted. “There’s a Marine on the ground.” 

You look to where Usopp points. “That’s Smokey.” 

Luffy’s ears perk up. “Smokey?” 

You gasp when you see Tashigi running straight for Law, tears on her face. “Damn you!”

The Marines follow close behind her, their expressions twisted with anger. 

“Really?” Law sighs. “Room.” 

He takes his katana and jabs the air several times, but it’s enough. “Shambles.”

Tashigi stumbles, gripping her chest. The Vice Admiral and his Captain stay down, their bodies limp in the snow. 

“Are they dead?” Zoro asks, his voice low. You shake your head. 

“Luffy, we gotta go!” Usopp screams. “Marines, incoming!” 

“Wait,” Your captain says, glancing at Law. “Traffy—”

“Head to the back of the lab. You’ll see what you’re looking for.”

Luffy nods and makes a sound of confirmation that he understands, and then he looks at you. “You coming with?” 

Your eyes widen, your throat growing tight. “What?”

“Are you coming with us?”

Your crew is silent, the yells of the Marines inching closer with every second. “I–uh, I—”

“Never mind!” Usopp cuts you off; his voice is full of panic. Brownbeard has already taken off with him and the others, leaving you and Luffy alone. “Luffy! Hurry up!” 

“I’ll see you soon,” Luffy says, a smile on his face. 

You don’t return it and nod. “Okay.” 

Law stands in the doorway, eyes tracking Luffy as he enters the fog. You make it up the steps with a frown, noticing the heart in Law’s grip. Smoker’s heart. 

“C’mon,” Law turns, closing the door when you’re safely inside. “You okay?” 

“I think so,” You wipe your forehead with the back of your hand. Law knows not to push further, to let you digest your emotions before he asks again. He gives you a sidelong glance when you fall into step beside him, concern swimming in his gaze. 

“What now?” You ask, pulling the ends of the fingers of your gloves. You peel them off and shove them into your pocket. 

“I need to speak to Caesar.” 

— Scene 4 —

“What have you done now, Law?” Caesar snaps. You hover behind Law, eyes darting around the room. 

“Nothing,” Law says nonchalantly. “I took care of it.” 

“Why was the Navy here in the first place?” The scientist asks, eyeing Law suspiciously. 

He shrugs, resting his ankle on his knee as he leans back on the couch. “Distress call, apparently.” 

Caesar’s gaze moves to you. “Are you distressed?” 

Law scoffs, clicking his fingers to divert the scientist’s attention from you to him. “Not from her. But perhaps from one of the tens of children you’ve been keeping here…”

Monet makes a sound from the corner, her wings unfurling slightly. “Watch it.”

Caesar’s eyes widen. “You didn’t tell the Navy, did you?” 

“They saw for themselves.”

“Argh! Get out,” Caesar growls. “I need to figure this out.” 

The door clicks behind you, and you bring the Earpiece Transponder Snail to your ear and adjust it. 

“I should’ve known you’d do this.” 

You wink at Law and press the top of the Snail. A crackling sound comes through the receiver. You planted a Black Transponder Snail under the couch Law was sitting on. 

The call is outgoing, and you concentrate on the voices. One is Caesar, the other, you’ve never heard. It’s deep and jesty, the tone getting harsher with every request Caesar makes. 

The call ends, and you relay it to Law when you walk down the hallway. A room moves with you, Law effectively removing all sound within the dome from the outside. It’s helped you more times than you can count. 

“He says, ‘I can kill them all. The Straw Hats, the G-5 crew, and Firefox Kin’emon. Joker will ensure the losses are officially listed as sea accidents.” 

“Joker, huh?” 

Your eyebrows tug together. “Who is that?” 

“Doflamingo.” 

Men in yellow suits run past you, and you guess they’re on their way to find your crew and the children. 

“What?” Your voice is close to a growl, stopping abruptly. “That’s who I heard… he sounds insane.” 

The voice on the Transponder Snail was bone-chilling. 

Law doesn’t look at you. “You know he is.” 

When Law told you of his childhood a year ago, within the safety of his Room, you didn’t realise just how evil Donquixote Doflamingo was. Law cut open his chest and bared himself to you, his voice raw and eyes glassy. He told you how he met Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi and found his crew. It ended with you in tears and Law’s head in your neck, your fingers working out the tiny tangles in his hair. As he calmed down, you spoke of your childhood—the girl stuck in Seam, your parents, Luffy saving your island, and you joining his crew. The night was a dark one, one you don’t wish to recall that often, but it was vulnerable, your souls intertwining with no way of undoing them. You’ve been attached at the hip since, challenging Bepo’s position as Law’s favourite—he would never tell Bepo, but it’s you. 

“What do we do?” 

“Continue with the plan.”

— Scene 5 —

Continuing with the plan went as you expected. Badly.

The sea prism chains around your body make you dizzy. They rub against your skin, leaving it raw. You curse whoever discovered the stone was harmful to Devil Fruit users. 

Someone is talking, but you can’t hear them, your head too full of cotton to comprehend anything. You know Law lies beside you, and Luffy is on the other side of him. Robin and Franky are to your left, and Smoker and Tashigi sit opposite them. The cell is small, from what you saw when your eyes opened for a moment before you fell back into the abyss. 

With closed eyes, you groan, trying to shift your hip into a different position—being like this is severely uncomfortable. 

“You shouldn’t put your trust in others, Law,” Caesar taunts, and your eyes fly open. It doesn’t make sense he would say that unprovoked unless—

“No,” You gasp, wriggling on the spot, pushing your arms out to try and break the chains. “No! Please!” 

Law turns to you quickly, seeing your panic-stricken expression. His eyes scan your body for any sign of injury, his heart racing at the possibility of you being hurt.

“I see your little assistant has figured it out, shurororo,” Caesar laughs. “If you’re worried about your heart, Vergo’s taking good care of it.” 

Vergo. The name races through your mind; where had you heard that before? 

The man stands behind the scientists on the other side of the wire, his grip around a blue cube holding a heart with an erratic heartbeat. But it can’t be. It should be the heart of the pirate Law stole it from, not his actual heart. 

But your disbelief is punctured when Law screams out in agony, his body writhing. 

“I’m sorry,” You cry, watching Law squeeze his eyes shut. “Please, stop.”

“I know you’re a rather shrewd man, but you never thought to worry about my secretary,” Caesar says, and you can’t bear to look. 

It’s all your fault. “I’m sorry.”

He moans, his body slowly lengthening back to normal. 

“It’s okay,” Law exhales, voice gravelly. “It’s not your fault.”

“Are you okay, Traffy?”

“What’s not her fault?” Robin pipes up, her head tilted. 

You don’t look at her; you focus solely on the man beside you. It's a silent conversation through your eyes, with a painful frown on your face. 

Law glares at you through his lashes; the guilt of giving you the responsibility of his heart in the first place eats at him. “It’s not your fault. I asked you to.”

For someone wrapped in sea prism stone and having his heart in the enemy’s grip, Law is oddly energetic. You eye him suspiciously; indeed, if he did have a plan, he’d have told you… 

You shake your head, not hearing him. 

“Enough domestics,” If looks could kill, Caesar’d be dead. “I thought I’d found a friend in you, Law. I’m disappointed.” 

The captain pauses the heaving of his chest, a smirk gracing his mouth. “So, it was all her, huh? Fine, I can admit that I wasn’t wary of her. That one’s on me. I just didn’t expect someone so smart to work for such a dumbass.” 

Caesar grunts, his fist swinging toward Law’s heart again. 

You shake your head, the adrenaline in your veins heightening as law keens over in pain again. 

“You’re amazing, Traffy,” Luffy says mindlessly. “He has your heart, but you’re still alive. Cool!” 

Smoker scoffs from the corner. “Pathetic… what’d you do with mine?”

Caesar breaks your staring contest with the Admiral, giggling as he raises another blue cube. “You mean this? Shurororo.” 

Smoker makes a disgruntled sound. “You son of a—”

“Uh uh,” The scientist smiles. “Who’s in control right now?”

“Master,” Monet appears behind him, and you jolt against the chains. You bare your teeth at her, pure rage coursing through you at the sight of her. She must’ve searched your unconscious body for Law’s heart since you never parted with it. The thought makes you shiver. “The feed’s ready.” 

A large white sheet dispenses from the ceiling, and a bright visual of outside the laboratory flashes on the screen. There’s a large blue-striped candy positioned in the middle. 

Caesar holds a device in his hand that you assume is connected to a monstrous number of Transponder Snails. “This is Smiley!”

You furrow your eyebrows, seeing a giant magenta slime ball moving feverishly in the snow. 

“He’s a living incarnation of the toxic H2S gas that destroyed this island four years ago!” 

A memory flashes in your mind; you sit in Law’s office on the Polar Tang, looking over photos in a book. 

“Two years ago, when Vegapunk was using the island, the island exploded when one of his scientists threw a fit with his Devil Fruit, rendering it uninhabitable…”

You gasp, using the limited movement of your hand to hit Law’s bicep. He nods, knowing what you’ve just realised. 

“That was the problem with my last test,” Caesar continues. “They were saturated with the deadly gas, but they were still able to evacuate. Boring! Disappointing! So I made a new one!” 

You cringe and look at Robin, whose usually stoic expression is slightly twisted. 

“The candy here boosts his poisonous composition, making him one hundred times more deadly, shurororo!”

“This is bad,” Tashigi mumbles; it’s the first time you’ve heard her speak since you’ve been awake. 

“Now, let the party begin!” 

On the screen, the slimy ball erupts; its face starts melting down, and the bottom of it turns gaseous. Hundreds of people are outside the lab, their bodies like ants on the video feed. 

You watch as the gas swallows them, and when there’s no movement from beyond the purple clouds, you balk. 

“This is crazy,” Smoker mumbles. 

“Everyone out there,” Luffy says. “They’re all going to die.” 

The cage jolts and creaks. Your body sways with the movement. “What’s happening?” 

“Shurororororo. Have fun!”

There’s a crack and metal on metal behind you, and then the cage swings backward. An icy wind hits you, and snow immediately starts pelting the cell. 

“Fucking hell,” Smoker grumbles as the cage starts rising. The swaying isn’t doing you any good, the ground getting further and further away.  

Luffy shivers, his teeth chattering. “I’m gonna be sick.”

“No, you’re not,” Robin says. “Enjoy the ride.” 

You feel the cage rock, but being suspended this high isn’t as scary as the impending gas.

The sudden commotion of cheering has you paying attention to the ground. There are hundreds of Marines surrounding the cage, and Tashigi gasps, throwing herself against the wall of the cell. 

The cage lowers, and the chains holding it creak under its weight. 

“No…” She whimpers, her eyes wide as she looks up. Above you, the purple gas looms. It moves fast and isn’t showing any signs of slowing. 

“I gotta say,” Franky chimes in, making you blink out of your stupor. “They really built this lab as a fortress, huh?”

Robin shrugs a shoulder. “Very true.”

Tashigi makes a sound of indignation. “How are you two so calm right now?”

“Yeah,” Luffy ponders. “How are we getting outta this?”

Law sighs, and your attention falls on him. He definitely has a plan he didn’t tell you about, and you’re secretly seething about it. “I wasn’t expecting Vergo, but no matter. Straw Hat, we’re sticking with the plan.” 

You scoff in surprise. “What plan?” 

Robin and Franky smile smugly beside you, and you suddenly feel like an outsider. 

“Time for the counterattack.” 

Luffy leers, his expression turning to one of mischief.

You shake your head. “So everyone knows about this plan but me?” 

“I didn't know,” Tashigi offers, but you huff with frustration. 

You won’t ask Law here, but the idea that you weren’t included stings. He gives you an apologetic look, but you remain deadpan. 

“We need to speed this up,” Law says. “If anyone can burn things, now would be the time to say it.” 

“Franky can burn things!” Luffy laughs. “He’s got laser beams, too!” 

“Can you set fire to that Navy ship down there?” 

“Huh? You mean half a Navy ship?”

“Whatever,” Law mutters. “Yeah.”

“Sweet. Sit back and be impressed, ladies,” Franky jumps to his feet and leans back. You roll your eyes but do so anyway, the back of your head thumping against the metal. “Fireball!” 

The heat speeds past you, warming you briefly before the cold seeps back in. Marines scream as the Navy ship behind them goes up in flames.

The smoke suffocates your lungs, and you cough, the air burning your throat. The air eventually clears, and Franky is nowhere to be seen. You furrow your eyebrows as you look around the small space. 

“Now, what?” 

Law sighs, standing. The chains around him go slack, clanging sharply to the ground. You blink.

“Are you kidding?”

“What?!”

“How did you do that?” Tashigi asks, her voice light. 

Law looks down at you, his hand rubbing his chest. “Caesar’s Transponder Snails can’t see us, so we only have a few minutes to move.” 

“How’d you get those off?” Luffy gapes. 

“I’ve been here for months. I replaced some chains about two weeks ago. I thought something like this would happen.” 

“And I didn’t know because…?”

He sticks out his hand, his katana materialising before him. “We’ll talk about this later.” 

Scoffing, you look away from him, feeling the sea-prism chains loosen around you. “And you just happened to get the normal one?”

Law tries not to take your bitter tone to heart, but he clenches his jaw and slashes his katana around the cage to cut everyone’s chains. 

Once Luffy’s free, he jumps up, screaming with happiness. You’re not in the mood to do the same. 

“Hey, Traffy!” Luffy yells, prying open the wire of the left wall. “Where do we go?” 

Law clicks his tongue. “We’ll start by—”

“Okay!” Luffy flings himself out of the hole, and you watch him freefall. You go to call after him but figure it's useless when he lands on a railing around the main building. 

“Tch,” Law scoffs, glancing at you. “Quickly.”  

“I’m going to see my Sunny!” Franky exclaims. “See ya!”

The purple cloud isn’t far away, and the sight of it causes anxiety to prickle your insides. It spills over the mountain, and Law uses Shambles to transport you, Smoker, Tashigi, and Robin inside the laboratory. 

Law directs you away from them immediately, tugging you down the hall. 

“This way.”

— Scene 6 —

Law walks beside you, his steps light. You don’t speak but are eager to see where the SAD room has been. 

There is a rattling of footsteps in front of you, and when the men in the yellow suits point their weapons at you, you sigh. Law quickly slices them down using Room, and then you look up. 

A giant door sits in the wall, and Law clears his throat. “This is it.” 

You look behind you. “It was in Building D the whole time?” 

Law says nothing as the doors creak and a siren starts blaring. The doors start sliding open, and the alarms get louder. There’s nobody behind you but the severed torsos of the yellow-suited men, and you follow Law inside when he steps inside. 

“Hm,” Law hums, a smirk on his face. You glance at him and shake your head with disbelief. This is it. This is what you’ve been working toward for almost two years. The realisation makes your heart race. 

“Law…” You exhale, spinning slowly as you take it in. 

The giant SAD tanks loom ominously over you, the bubbling sounds from within them making it all the more unsettling. Now, it’s easy. 

Law draws his katana, the blade reflecting the red lights of the tanks. Anticipation fills the space between you, and you forget why you’re mad at him in the first place. 

You open your mouth to say something, anything to quell the tension between you when a voice echoes through the factory. 

“It feels like I’ve been bitten by my own dog, Law.” 

Law exhales softly and turns, returning his sword to its scabbard while you freeze, the voice familiar. 

“It’s such a shame, Law,” Vergo says. “People like you, so smart, tend to die at a young age.”

You turn, flicking your finger up to summon Sew. A thread weaves around his neck, tightening before Vergo uses armament haki to snap it. 

“It’d be easiest for me to kill you by crushing your heart,” Vergo continues, ignoring your advances. “But that’s no fun. So, I’m going to torment you slowly. Maybe with her—”

Before you can comprehend, he appears in front of Law, slamming his chin up with a bamboo stick. You gasp, staggering away as he continues to hammer Law, pointedly ignoring you. 

It’s been a blur since then. 

The memory makes you falter, a fist knocking you to the floor, your cheek numb. He’s fast. 

Law is across the room, on the verge of passing out. 

“Vergo,” His voice is gravelly, his tone harsh as he says the name. The man watches you heave on the ground, cocking his head and ignoring Law. 

Vergo slinks toward you, his sunglasses obscuring his eyes. “Joker’s been interested in you.”

You clench your jaw tight to stop the shutter that goes through you. Vergo was the one who got Corazon killed. By some cruel twist of fate, this man led to the demise of your lover's best friend.

Law growls from where he lies across the room, slipping in and out of consciousness. 

“You and him have… similar abilities. He wants to meet you.”

“Go to hell,” You wheeze, gritting your teeth. Vergo scoffs a laugh as you cough, a metallic taste flooding your mouth; one of your molars is loose on your tongue, and you realise it just freed itself from when Vergo punched you—you must’ve kept it in place when you set your jaw. 

Law mumbles your name, his hand reaching for you. You spit your tooth out, the molar bouncing on the floor. Vergo walks back over to Law, a familiar blue cube in his hand. 

“Seems you and Law have become close. Joker’s going to have a field day,” Vergo laughs, tightening his grip on Law’s heart. You cry out as Law does. 

“Stop!” You try to yell, your body curling in on itself. The room spins, and you blink away the darkness from your eyes. 

Law grunts, his breathing ragged, and he clutches his chest. “Room.” 

The heart in Vergo’s hand disappears, and when you look at Law, he holds it. You sigh with relief, moving to try and stand. 

But he’s too quick; Vergo rushes Law, kicking him in the stomach, causing him to slam into the railing on the other side of the room. Law coughs, blood dripping from his mouth. The heart flies from the impact, and Vergo catches it. 

“No,” You cry, clawing yourself toward them, your hand flipping slightly to summon Seam.

But as the word slips from your lips, Vergo charges for you, his haki-laced fist punching your cheek. Seam falters; Vergo’s conscience controls his body, but you can feel his soul within you. It’s angry and haughty, the soul struggling against your ability.

“Wha–?”

Law goes flying backwards as Vergo hits him again, his beloved hat knocked off his head and disappearing into the depths of the laboratory. He pants, his hand covering his chest as he reaches his right hand forward. “Counter Shock.” 

Vergo freezes, his body twitches, and smoke erupts from his chest. “I have a message from Joker. He says it’s a shame it had to turn out this way.” 

You scoff weakly, pushing yourself to your feet while Law uses the railing to support himself. There’s blood dripping from Law’s lip, and you doubt you look much better. But as Vergo keeps talking, you register that Law’s attack didn’t work, and from the way his eyes widen, you know he’s realised, too. 

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Law cuts him off, a tactic he’s used many times. It’s his favourite, you’ve gathered after being with him for two years, to throw off his opponent. “I should’ve known you were his lackey. Don’t you have better things to do?”

“Tch,” Vergo cocks his head, his hand tightening around Law's heart again. “You’re not the only one I’m after.”

You’ll never get used to the screams that escape Law, the sound motivating you to approach Vergo from behind. Silently, a needle takes shape in your fist, and you raise it, aiming for Vergo’s head. 

Around you, the SAD tanks rumble, the red light of the emergency lights casting an eerie hue. Law’s shrieks echo, and just as Vergo lets up the assault on Law’s heart, you swing, changing course at the last moment. 

Sew didn’t work earlier, and it hasn’t worked since, with Vergo using his armament haki to prevent the threads from doing any damage. But this time, instead of hitting him, you jab the needle straight into his back. 

Law moans out with relief, his limbs weak and his body taking the brunt of the pain. He slides down to the floor, hitting it with a thump. 

Vergo pauses, his head turning to glance at you. Your needle protrudes from him, just between his shoulder blades, but he’s not affected. You inhale sharply.

“Really? Now? I’m in the middle of something.” 

You whine with frustration and step back. Vergo approaches you, his nose leaking blood—turns out he is human. 

You breathe heavily, your feet slipping as you stumble backward. 

“I’m right here,” Law calls weakly. “Don’t touch her.” 

Vergo stops his advance and squeezes Law’s heart again. You falter, watching Vergo torment him. 

“Shut up. Lay there and wait until I’m ready for you. I’ve got to deal with her first.” 

“No!” Law pants, voice desperate. “I’m your opponent.” 

Vergo ignores him before vanishing. You try to even out your breathing, to balance yourself, and clear your head. You need to fight. 

“Needles,” You whisper, your head on a swivel. He could be anywhere. You move before he appears, your needle stopping Vergo from hitting you with the bamboo stick. You let out a sound of surprise, jumping back and preparing for his next attack. 

He cocks his head—he wasn’t expecting you to have observation haki. You barely notice the improvement of your haki, arms burning with each meeting of his weapon on yours. It’s fast and tiring, but you channel your ability, using Seam to suppress his soul. 

Vergo growls, his movement getting more erratic with each swing. He ducks, but another needle emerges in your other hand when he does so. You drop the one Vergo is concentrated on and clutch the new one with both hands, swinging it directly into his forehead. You unknowingly infuse it with haki at the last minute and send Vergo flying backward. 

Law laughs weakly, pride evident in the sound. You don’t let it distract you before you vanish. When Vergo’s body slumps slightly, Law sighs. 

You dodge Vergo’s attack as soon as you enter Seam; the man seems to know exactly where you’d be before you arrive. 

Letting out a surprised squeal, you point a needle at his jugular before he moves again.

“I’m in control here,” You pant, a slight grin on your lips. 

Vergo raises an eyebrow. “We’ll see about that, Dreamweaver.” 

You blink at the nickname, speechless. 

“Oh, you don’t know what you are, do you?” He laughs, using your shock as an opportunity to punch you. You swiftly avoid it, your body light inside your mindscape. “Joker has a lot to tell you.”

You scowl, holding a needle like a spear and stabbing him. “Joker’s not telling me shit. When I see him, I’m going to kill him.” 

Vergo scoffs, not bothering to check on the slash on his arm from your needle, the fluff of his white coat poking through the fabric. “I would advise against that. You are worth so much more than… this.” 

“Shut up!” You shout, continuously cutting him down with the little energy you have left—fighting inside Seam always takes a toll on you. Vergo takes the hits. 

“I’m not allowed to kill you,” He says. “Joker’s orders.” 

“If you say that name one more time…”

Vergo turns his head to spit blood. “You could be a god.” 

Shaking your head, your needle pierces his stomach. “Shut up!” 

You watch his soul go limp, hyperventilating as you process what just happened. The blood seeping onto the lush grass pisses you off. You clench your jaw to stop the emotions from overflowing and return to the material world. 

Law cries your name, his body hunched over where he sits. You rush over to him, your hands on his shoulders. 

“You okay?” 

He nods, pointing weakly at Vergo’s body. “He’s not dead.”

“I know,” You say, quickly snatching the blue cube from Vergo’s hand. “Here.”

“Thanks,” Law gulps, taking his heart with a shaky hand. “Scalpel.”

After he slots his heart back into his chest, wincing as he goes, Law brings you close to him. You wrap your arms around him and shove his face into your neck. 

“We have a lot to talk about when we’re outta here,” You whisper, a tear falling from your eye. 

Law hums. “Is this because I didn’t tell you the plan?” 

Straight to the point.

“Of course it is!” You exclaim, pulling away from him. You wipe another tear that rolls. “If you don’t trust me—”

“—you’re kidding, right?—”

“—I know you, Law. I know you want to protect me, and I know by not telling me the plan, you were protecting me from Vergo’s torture,” You look over at the man. There’s no doubt that if he got his hands on you, he would’ve tortured you for information—you’re Law’s 'assistant', after all. “I know and appreciate it; I appreciate you more than ever. But I can keep my mouth shut; I can be trusted. I’ve been with you for two years and never betrayed your trust like that.”

“It’s not about trust,” Law mumbles, tracing the bruise forming on your arm. “It’s about them.” 

“Who?” You ask, voice dangerous. “You better not be talking about Luffy.”

He bangs his fist softly on the floor. “Vergo. Doflamingo. Everyone from my past that can hurt you. You didn’t sign up for this when we got together.” 

At the sound of Doflamingo, your breath hitches in your throat. Law notices immediately. “What did he say to you? Vergo?” 

“He says Joker has a lot to tell me. He called me Dreamweaver.” 

Law makes a sound of frustration. “Fuck.” 

“You know what that is?” 

“No. But I’ve heard of legends with the same name. There’s no way…” He trails off, seemingly deep in thought.

You shake your head, focusing on the task at hand, trying to wipe the dried blood from the corner of his mouth to gain his attention.

“Anyway, I signed up for everything to do with you when we got together,” You say. “And none of those egotistical assholes scare me.”

“They should,” Law’s eyes peer into yours. “I’m scared of him.” 

“Law…”

“I can’t lose you,” He whispers, voice cracking. “If Doflamingo knows what you are to me, I’m scared of what he’ll do.” 

You reach for his arm, tugging him close again. “I get it.” 

“I know you’re strong, far stronger than me, and you can handle yourself. But I’m a selfish man.”

The only sounds in the factory are those of the tanks. You move to stand, helping Law to his feet. Having his heart back has made Law return to his usual self as you watch him summon his hat and katana back. He sighs when the hat fits smugly back on his head. 

“Ready to destroy this thing?”

“Not so fast.”

You cringe, Law’s hand tight around yours. Vergo stands there when you turn, his coat gone and body purple with armament haki. You freeze at the sight, Law removing his hand from yours to grip his katana, unsheathing it with an unimpressed look on his face—a sure sign that he knows he’ll win. 

Vergo doesn’t speak and speeds towards you, Law’s body poised and ready, like a true fighter. 

“Duck,” He says, and you do, watching in awe and horror as Vergo’s torso separates from his legs. It isn’t until you look up that you realise the room—the mountain—is split in two as well. 

You gape, tears filling your eyes. A devilish smile splits his face, and you return to your full height. 

“You’re incredible,” You murmur, not sparing a glance at Vergo’s mutilated body. Law scoffs, a hand on your hip as you search his grey eyes. 

Distant screams have you looking at the entrance and Law huffs. He casts his gaze over to Vergo, a sadistic gleam in his eye that excites you. “We have to get to Building R. But I’ve something to do before then.” 

— Scene 7 —

You stand against the mast of the Sunny, the celebrations on the ice below doing nothing to bring you out of your foul mood. A missing tooth with bruising and swelling has made you irritable and upset. 

The rest of the mission went smoothly, the only problem being Caesar and the two executives of the Doflamingo family, Baby 5 and Buffalo. Franky was attacked by them before you made it to the beach; their threats of what Doflamingo would do carried away with the wind when everybody else showed up. 

“Keep the ice pack on your jaw!” Chopper demands, lifting your arm back toward your face. You shake the memory from your head, not wanting to worsen your mood. The reindeer wears an uncharacteristic scowl, but under the guise, you see the emotions he hides. He was eager to help you when he saw you again, brushing off Law’s attempts at helping you.

“Sorry,” You mumble, pressing the bag against your face. The icy burn makes you wince, but you keep it there nonetheless. The wind picks up, and you’ve missed the salty air whipping your clothes and hair. 

“I can give you some medicine for the pain, but don’t expect it to do much if you don’t keep it iced,” Chopper says, his authoritative tone fading when he sees the ghost of a smile on your lips. 

Shaking your head, you pat his arm. “Don’t apologise, Chop. It’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention.” 

“Bullshit.”

You look up from your friend to see Law. He wears his usual irritated, unamused facade, but his eyes shine with something akin to pride when he looks at you.

Chopper moves to stand in front of you. “She’s recovering.” 

“I can see that,” Law says, remaining where he is. “When can I talk to her?”

“Tomorrow—”

“It’s okay, Chop,” You mumble, stepping around him. He looks down at you in his human form, eyes filled with concern. “It’s just Law.”

“Did you see what he did to those children? They were screaming!”

“I was removing the poison from their bloodstreams.”

“It was terrifying.”

You smile. “He’s harmless, Chopper.”

The reindeer spins, jaw slack and eyes wide. “Harmless?! He cut all those Marines in half!”

“They deserved it,” Law says, his katana sliding off his shoulder. He leans it against the wall beside the door to the study. “Anyway, can I please speak to my girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?!” Chopper almost faints. “I gotta go; this is too much for me. You two are crazy.”

As he stumbles away, Chopper shrinks to his usual size. “Food…” 

Law keeps his eyes on you, his gaze wavering to flicker down to the bruise on your cheek. His jaw ticks, and his face morphs into a scowl. “Tch.”

“I’m okay,” You reassure him, stepping forward and taking his hand in your free one. “We just need to get to Dressrosa now.”

“I’m sorry.”

Your eyebrows tug together. “For what?”

“I didn’t plan on you getting captured. You were meant to be with Nami and the others. That’s why there was only one set of normal chains.”

“Oh,” You whisper, looking up at him. “Law, I forgave you for that the second we were out of there. I knew you had a plan, and I was upset that you didn’t tell me, but it worked out.”

Law shakes his head. “I trust you.”

“I know.”

“I’m sorry.”

A memory flashes through your head, and you bite back a smile. “Stop saying sorry.”

Law seems to understand the reference. He pulls your hand into him, your chest bumping his. “I’ve got something to do before we set off. Want to help?”

It sounds sketchy, but you nod, sending him a grin twinged with excitement. 

—

After the ship sets sail following the Log Pose to Dressrosa, your nerves start to dwindle. Law sits beside you against the wall, snow raining down on you softly. 

You look at him. “Are you sure you want to talk to him?”

He scratches his cheek, sighing harshly. “No, but I have to at some point.”

Humming, you watch your friends dance around the deck, admiring the falling snowflakes. With another weight lifted off your chest, you sigh, content. 

“I didn’t expect to be on this ship again,” You mumble. 

Law gives you a sidelong glance, silently urging you to continue. 

“When we got to Punk Hazard, I wanted to go to Sabaody so badly,” You confess, skin tingling with shame. 

“I know.”

Your head whips toward him. “You did?”

Law nods. “You’re not very subtle, you know.” 

“I’m sorry,” You look at your hands in your lap. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”

He tilts his head. “Like what?”

“Like I wanted to leave you because I didn’t. Truly.”

“I know,” He shrugs, voice quiet. “I understand.” 

You squint at him, considering his tone and posture. “Are you okay?”

“I—”

“Hey, Law! The Transponder Snail you asked me to watch is talking!” Robin calls. “And Caesar is chained up in the study.”

“C’mon,” Law rises, his hand outstretched for you to grab ahold of. You take it as a sign he’s not bitter with you—like he never could ever be—and follow him to the study. 

The Snail starts picking up clear dialogue as you sit beside Law, anxiety pouring over you like ice water. You remain locked up in the study; Caesar Clown opposite you with his hands in sea-prism stone cuffs. 

Law leans forward and picks up the receiver. “Colour me surprised. It’s the boss. I didn't think you’d show up in person.”

“Hello, Law. It’s been far too long, hasn’t it? A real shame you didn’t choose to show your face… or that of your assistant.”

The voice sends a shiver down your spine. 

“I figure you wanna know where Caesar is,” Law says. “He’s safely in our hands.” 

The scientist jolts at the sound of his name. “Joker! Where are you? They got me! Help me, please!”

Law shoots him a glare while you threaten him with a needle pointed at his throat. Caesar gulps and whimpers. 

“Question regarding the state of my cohort’s bodies,” Doflamingo barks. “Where are they?”

Law shrugs. “I couldn’t say. Nor does it particularly interest me. Let’s negotiate.” 

Doflamingo hums down the line, and you pray he’ll take the bait. 

“C’mon, Law, get serious,” He cackles. “Quit pretending like you’re an adult, and let’s cut to the chase. Where are you? Where did you take that girl? Answer quickly, or I may get angry.”

You inhale sharply, ignoring the wide-eyed stares from Caesar. 

“Oh, you’ll get angry?” Law taunts, but his fist turns white as he tightens on the receiver. “And what about your business partner… what’s his name again? Oh! Kaido. King of the Beasts, right? An emperor? If there’s anyone you’d wanna keep from getting angry, I think it’d be him.”

Doflamingo grunts as Law continues. 

“I wonder how he might react after he finds out you can’t produce SMILE anymore. Who knows?”

“Alright,” He snaps. “You’ve carried the joke far enough. What do you want to trade for Caesar? And that girl?”

Law’s face falls, clicking his tongue. “She’s not a part of the deal. Never will be. So get her out of your sick head.”

“Pity,” Doflamingo laughs. “I was hoping to meet her, and—“

“Resign from the Seven Warlords.” 

“Hm?” Doflamingo hums, his tone dangerous now that Law is leading the conversation.

“That’s the deal for Caesar. Resign, and you get him back.”

“C’mon!” Another voice echos down the line. “If Joker quits, he’ll be forced to leave Dressrosa!”

“Yeah, well,” Law says, picking at a small hole in his jeans—he’ll have to get you to fix it for him. “Shit happens, and once you’re a lowly pirate once more, the Navy won’t be able to turn a blind eye to you any longer. You have until tomorrow. If there’s a headline in the morning paper saying that you’ve resigned, I’ll give you a call, and you can have your precious Caesar back. But, if I don’t, my offer is as good as dead.”

He reaches forward and places the receiver back on the snail, and Caesar thrashes in his chains. “What? You’re going to kill me if Joker doesn’t resign?”

“I guess we’ll see tomorrow.” 

“And what of her?” 

Law growls. “Don’t even think of her. She’s a part of no deal and never will be.”

Slamming the receiver down on the snail, who gives a little squeak at his aggression, Law stands. You follow him, leaving the study and Caesar inside. Law blinks quickly when he exits into the sun, and you’re quick to grab ahold of his bicep. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah, are you?” Law’s tongue darts out to wet his lower lip. “Fuck, that was—”

“Exhilarating,” You leer, pursing your lips to suppress your grin when he catches the excited look on your face. Sure, Doflamingo scares the shit out of you, but you can’t help the adrenaline that runs rampant through your veins at pissing him off. 

“Yeah, okay.”

You lace your fingers with his to bring him back to you. His mind is miles away, and the simple act of squeezing his hand rids him of the faraway look in his eye. “And now we wait.” 

— Scene 9 —

Salty air swirls around you. The overwhelming scent in the breeze used to make your senses sharper; now, they lull you into relaxation. The sun is harsh, beating down on your skin, but you welcome it, missing the feeling of being on open seas. 

Beams reflect off the deep blue, enticing you to jump in. The urge is irresistible, and you would, if you could, the soul of your Devil Fruit coercing you to dive in, to repent for the sin of eating it. But you hold back, strengthening the grip of your fingers on the railing. 

The horizon is vast, with nothing in sight except for the light blue of the sky and the tantalising indigo of the ocean. You wonder how long it took for the first human to venture out on the seas and if you could have waited as long as they did—the waves too mesmerising to ignore for longer than a single minute. You long to plunge into the icy water, submerge your mind, and just exist. The depths are so close you can taste it.

The steady sway of the Thousand Sunny is enough to bring you to tears, though they don’t fall. You squint at the bow of the ship, the outline of the figurehead and your captain sitting atop it, a familiar sight that sends deep ripples of nostalgia and bliss through your chest. 

Someone joins you, their forearm against yours on the railing. You already know who it is before they speak. 

“Brought you a snack,” He says, offering you a round, plump tangerine. You smirk, watching him spin the fruit in his hand. 

“Nami’s going to kill you.” 

He shrugs, using his thumbs to pierce the top of the tangerine and peel the skin away from the flesh. “Worth it if you get to enjoy it.” 

You turn to face him, watching his expressions with keen interest. Law isn’t a man who believes he wears his heart on his sleeve, but you know better. He’s hiding his true feelings, and with the negotiation with Doflamingo up in the air, you know that his furrowed eyebrows and chapped lips are the outcome of anxiety rather than whatever excuse he would tell you.

Law removes a segment of the fruit, holding it out for you to take. His grey eyes twinkle in the sunlight, and you ponder the true shade of them—you’ve never seen him like this, fully submerged in sunshine. 

You pluck the tangerine slice from his fingertips and bite into it. The juice slides down your fingers, the sweet tang of citrus fresh on your tongue. 

“Silver.”

Law raises an eyebrow slightly, offering you another piece. “Hm?”

“Your eyes are silver,” You say, licking the sticky sweetness from your fingertip. “Not grey.”

Law doesn’t reply; instead, he opens his mouth to accept the segment you press against his lips. Your eyes don’t leave his as he bites into it, juice dripping from his chin. A smile spreads across your cheeks as he wipes it away with the back of his hand, eyeing you with faux annoyance. 

“You think so?”

You nod, using your thumb to dry the corner of his lip. “I know so, and they’re gorgeous.”

He snorts and shakes his head, the tangerine peel clutched in his palm. “Yeah, okay, sweetheart…”

A frown takes over your once joyful expression, and Law sighs, looking to the sky. “Okay, they’re alright.”

You laugh, the sound falling from your lips with such furore that Law inhales sharply at the mere thought of never hearing it again. 

“You’re gorgeous,” He mumbles, clasping his palms around your fingers and keeping them against his chest. “You’re the most precious soul alive.”

You pout; his gaze is intense in the daylight. Your heart swells in your chest; the pressure is almost unbearable. A giddy squeal leaves your mouth, and you jump up and wrap your arms around his neck. 

“Who knew Trafalgar D. Water Law could be such a sap.” 

Law's stomach turns as your lips form the letters of his full name. It’s surprising and terrifying, but it’s you. And when you finish saying his real name, he closes his eyes. He doesn’t know how to digest the truth that you’re saying it from a place of love, not malice.

When he cracks an eye open to see your wide grin, his shoulders relax, the tension receding from his body like the ocean at low tide; Law’s glassy, silver eyes search yours, and you lean forward to capture his lips.

He hums in content, tightening his hold around your waist. The affection has been a long time coming, having been on Punk Hazard for a few months, and it’s more rewarding than anything you could dream of. You giggle, Law pinching your side.

“Thanks for bringing me a tangerine,” You whisper, curling your bottom lip into your mouth to taste the remnants of the sweet fruit. 

Law’s eyes flicker down to your mouth. “Always.”

A large bird flies overhead, in his talons, a newspaper. 

“Law,” You swallow thickly, eyes following the creature until the paper drops on the deck. You tug him along quickly, feet slapping against the wood floors as you rush for the main area. 

The grass is plush under your feet when you jump from the third step onto it. In Usopp’s hands is the newspaper, his fingers slightly crushing the thin pages. He holds it out to you, which you take and pass to Law. 

His exhale is shaky as he reads the headline: Donquixote Doflamingo Resigns as Warlord of the Sea. 

“We have to call him!” Luffy exclaims as he bursts from the kitchen. “He resigned!” 

But Law’s already got the ringing Transponder Snail in his hand, the receiver in front of his lips. It rings for a while, and you’re unsure if Doflamingo will answer. 

Click.

“I resigned. Happy now?” 

“Tch,” Law tuts, swerving the phone away from Luffy, who is trying to grab it. “We’re handing Caesar over to you.”

“Well, that was the deal,” Doflamingo growls. “Now, put me onto my business partner. I want to confirm that he’s right where he’s supposed to be.”

Franky pulls Caesar out from the study, the scientist’s face alight with relief. He shuffles over, his shackled hands gripping the receiver when Law shoves it in his direction. “Joker! I’m so sorry! You resigned from the Warlords all because of me!”

Law yanks the receiver away. “He’s fine.”

“Great,” Doflamingo’s voice is slimy, making you grimace. 

“We’ll meet eight hours from now, on the southeast side of Green Bit.”

Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy’s ears perk up at the mention of a new island, their fingers inching to snatch the snail from Law. 

“We’ll leave Caesar there for you at 3pm. Pick him up, and this will be over.”  

A deep, rumbling laugh emerges from the snail. “Don’t say that. I was hoping to meet your girlfriend. I hear she’s got an interesting ability—”

Law grunts and slams the receiver back on the snail’s shell. He runs his tongue over his teeth, breathing heavily. How did Doflamingo find out about his relationship with you? 

“Fuck,” He curses, tugging his hand off his head. You remain still, mind racing. “Fuck.”

The crew is silent. 

“There were no other conditions?” Sanji pipes up. You look at him, confused, your brain swimming with apprehension. You want to pay attention to what Sanji is proposing, but the sick feeling in your stomach overpowers your ability to think straight. Doflamingo knows. 

“Why would there be?” Usopp asks nervously. 

“What if he brings an entire crew with him?”

Usopp and Chopper scream, Nami looking slightly green beside them. 

“That won’t happen,” Law mumbles absentmindedly. “Caesar is a distraction. If he brings more people, that would be better for us.”

“Oh!” Like a lightbulb went off in his head, Usopp stands up straight. “If he brings more people to the tradeoff, then less people will be guarding the SMILE factory?” 

“Exactly. The only problem is, we need to find it.” 

“So, we need a plan,” You finally get a grip on reality, knowing what the word means to the Straw Hats. 

“I was thinking we just wing it!” Luffy laughs, placing his hands on the back of his head. You were expecting this, but from the look on Law’s face, he wasn’t. “Take a trip to Dressrosa, destroy the factory—ooh! Maybe we can swing by Wano when we’re done!”

“No,” Law shakes his head, and you know it’s useless. “We’re going in there blind; we need a plan.”

“Sanji! I’m hungry. What’s on the menu?” 

Law growls, and you giggle lightly when you step up beside him. “I could’ve told you that wouldn't have worked.” 

“Sandwiches.”

“Oooh! I want a cotton candy sandwich!” 

“Just a cup of tea, please.”

“Cola for me!” 

“Where’d you put the booze?” 

“Milk for me!” 

“You guys are boring. Sanji’s sandwiches are the best!”

The rest of the crew follows Luffy up the stairs and into the galley. Law stares in disbelief as they all disappear behind the door. 

“Sorry, but I don’t like bread!” Law yells after them, his expression twisted into one of anguish. You continue to laugh as he gasps at how easily the secret fell from his lips. He glances at you and tuts. “Shut up, you.” 

“I’ll tell Sanji to make rice balls,” You wink before making your way up the stairs and into the galley. Pretending like you aren’t going straight into a death trap is one of your favourite pastimes, and teasing Law is more fun than stewing with anxiety in the darkness of your room. 

Law scrunches his nose, mulling over the thought of stacks of bread before him. 

“Are you just going to leave me here to starve?” 

Law’s usual stoic facade falls back into place as he observes Caesar sitting on the grass. There’s no hesitation when he answers. “Yes.” 

And then he follows your footsteps.

— Scene 10 —

The sight of land after sailing never fails to make your chest warm. Every time you’ve done it, it’s exciting, daunting, frightening, confronting, and unpredictable—and every time, you leave feeling like you’ve achieved something bigger than you could have imagined. Being a Straw Hat pirate is honest work. 

After this morning’s feast of sandwiches, or in Law’s case, rice balls, you formulated a plan. It was shoddy at best because everyone and nobody contributed to the final idea, and while you were used to it, Law was at his wit's end. 

He watches in horror as Luffy jumps off the side of the Sunny, screaming all the way down. You don’t need to check to see that he landed on solid ground; he always does. 

“Luffy!” Usopp scolds over the edge of the ship. “Shut it! We’re in enemy territory.”

Franky is next to disembark, his voice loud as he joins Luffy in discussing what they will do on the island. Usopp is having a meltdown, his anxiety palpable. 

“Straw Hat,” Law calls when his feet land on the island. You’re not far behind, coddling a stressed Usopp. “We can go into town; just don’t take any unnecessary risks. We don’t need—”

“Oh, hey! I just had a great idea,” Luffy exclaims, running over to Nami and Momonosuke. “Let me ride you, dragon!”

Law glares at him with a frown as he runs away. “Tch.”

“I can’t fly!” Momonosuke yells, fear evident in his tone. You ignore the conversation after that, walking over to Law when Usopp has calmed down. Your friends continue their usual antics, egging each other on and arguing about who's more of a man. 

You glance at Law, who has a deep-set scowl etched on his features. “They’re always like this.”

He doesn’t answer, choosing to stand and watch them in silence. Your gaze wanders off to the centre of the island, where there is a singular, giant structure just over the tops of the trees. When you squint to get a better look, you swear there’s a building on top of it. 

“Here.”

The sound of Law’s voice brings you back to the scene before you: Sanji, Kin’emon, and Brook on the ground, injured. You don’t doubt it had something to do with Nami. 

Said woman turns when Law approaches her, and you wonder how he left you alone so quietly—you still haven’t put that bell on him. 

“Take this.”

Nami furrows her eyebrows. “Huh? A Vivire Card?”

“Yeah,” He replies. “It’ll take you to that place, Zou, I mentioned at breakfast. My crew’s there.”

Nami nods, inspecting the piece of paper in her palm. “Uh, okay?”

The breeze is light as you walk to them, and the rest of the crew is crowding around, too. 

“If anything happens to us on Dressrosa, go straight there.” 

Nami goes to ask a question when Law turns and crouches down. You take that as your cue to hand him the map. His fingers brush yours, and you can’t help the heat rising to your cheeks at the mere contact—it’s different when people are around. 

He unfurls Bepo’s map on the ground, pointing to a place at the bottom of the main blob. 

“Kinda sloppy,” Nami mumbles and you purse your lips; you can’t but agree, the familiar paw mark on the bottom right of the paper making you smile. Law ignores her. 

“This is where we are,” Law says, moving his index finger to the middle of the island. “This is where Doflamingo’s palace is.” 

You peer up at the tall mountain in the distance. There. 

“The SMILE factory could be anywhere. So just search for info and don’t raise suspicion.” 

You side-eye Luffy, who gives you a cheesy grin. 

“My team is responsible for handing over Caesar on Green Bit up here,” Law moves his finger upwards to the green blob in the top left. He's talking to you, Usopp, Robin, and Caesar; all of who nod except for Caesar, who winces. 

It isn’t ideal, you being within Doflamingo’s vicinity, but Law knows better than to argue with you about your own safety. So he was at a loss when you insisted you accompany them to Green Bit.

“I think I’ve come down with ‘Can’t Step Foot On Dressrosa’ Disease. It’s terminal.” 

You slap your hand and grip tight on Usopp’s shoulder. He pales, a forced grin pulling at the corners of his lips. “You’ll stick with me, right?”

Beaming, you nod. “Of course. I think I’ve got a similar disease.”

Usopp’s wide eyes close as he cries out. “We’re fucked!”

“As for the Sunny Security Team, be wary of enemy attacks,” Law cuts him off. “You may have to be our decoy.” 

Nami gasps. “No! That’s a thing?”

“That’s okay! We’ve got Sanji to protect us,” Chopper giggles, nudging Brook. You roll your lips inward when the cook is nowhere to be seen. Surprising. 

Chopper screams in fear. “No! You can’t leave us here without protection!” 

“Luffy’s gone, and so are Zoro, Franky, and Kin’emon.” 

Law grunts, tilting his head toward the sky. “Those idiots. This plan is riding on them.”

“Get used to it,” You sigh, crossing your arms over your chest. 

“Not helping.” 

“You’re not seriously leaving us here on our own,” Nami quips. “How are we going to protect ourselves?”

“Not my problem.”

—

After an argument or two, you, Law, Robin, Usopp, and Caesar leave the Sunny Security Team alone on the Sunny, promising not to take too long. It’s a pain, but it’s the best plan you could devise, considering Doflamingo’s presence on Green Bit. 

You start your journey, first going into the town to purchase disguises, which seems stupid now that you look at Law. 

“Cute,” You comment, mischief swimming in your eye. “Is that because you can’t grow a real one?” 

Law dodges your hand aiming to flick the end of the fake moustache attached to his upper lip. “Quit.” 

Robin comes back with sunglasses and a hat for you; the two pieces are cute at first glance. The sun is bright on Dressrosa, and the summer weather is in full effect, so donning the accessories won’t make you look out of place. 

“How’s this?” Law asks when Robin turns away to pay for your items. You open your mouth to respond, a quip on your tongue before you notice what he’s done.

With raised eyebrows, Law stands there, arms outstretched, his Corazon jacket unzipped, and his abs and tattoos on full display. You roll your lips inwards, suppressing a cheeky smile. 

“Hm?” 

You bob your head, no words forming. The apples of Law’s cheeks redden, and he goes to zip it back up. Robin leaves the vendor, joining back up with Usopp and Caesar, who already have their disguises on. Her sly laughter brings you out of your daze.

“No!” You squeal, lunging to halt his hands. “Well, yes, you’re incredibly sexy like this, but no, don’t cover up. Leave it.” 

Law gives you an unimpressed look, his nose scrunched slightly. “So, good disguise?”

Sighing, you run your hand along his chest, the sparse hairs tickling your fingertips. “Great disguise.”

Law’s eyes flicker down to your mouth, and your chest is tight with anticipation. But then there’s a horn, a high-pitched one and laughter. You jump, glancing over Law’s shoulder to see a clown standing there. 

“Come on, guys!” Usopp yells, waving at you. But you’re focused on the clown. It’s eerily similar to a toy you had as a child, unlike the humans dressed up in costumes on your island. The clown blinks, one eye closing after the other mechanically, and you yelp. 

Law’s hands enclose over your upper arms. “What’s wrong?”

You don’t say anything but blink, hoping your eyes are playing tricks on you. He pulls the sunglasses off his face and mumbles your name. 

You shake your head, and a slight uptilt of your lips have you laughing in disbelief. “I thought that was a toy.” 

Law looks to where you do. “You’re right. Weird.”

“Guys!”

You turn, your gaze on the ground, as you follow the rest of the team to the northeastern side of Dressrosa. 

— Scene 11 —

The bridge is eerily still when you stand at the entrance. There’s signage everywhere, many red with STOP and KEEP OUT printed on them, but the warnings do nothing to quash the interest you have in journeying across. 

Usopp trembles beside you, sweat dripping from his jaw. “Are you sure we need to go across this? Like there’s no other way?”

“Nope.”

He whines, covering his face with his hands. “Why am I on this team?” 

Robin fills the gap between you and Usopp. “I’m excited. The only thing to worry about is the monstrous flesh-eating fish. Think about how big they are; the bridge needs a cage to protect whoever’s on it.”

“Are you kidding me?” Usopp snaps. “I don’t need your morbidity right now.”

Robin shrugs and steps forward, her foot on the first panel of the bridge. “We better hurry, time’s ticking.”

“She’s right,” Law says, ignoring Usopp’s visible breakdown. “Let’s go.”

A hand latches onto your wrist, and you laugh, pulling your friend closer. “Together. Come on.” 

“Your disease seems to be improving,” He mumbles bitterly. Usopp takes a shaky step, the iron creaking under his weight. 

You follow suit, and then everybody is on the unsteady structure. There’s no movement in the surrounding water, and the group silently walks. The overwhelming stink of seaweed and rot is the only thing that abuses your senses. You scrunch your nose and try to focus on quelling the anxiety blooming in your chest. You’ve been walking for a few minutes, the wind howling through the iron bars.

You feel the urge to laugh bubbling in your throat, something to express the utter ridiculousness of walking on an iron bridge and being terrified of fish coming to attack you. The corners of your lips upturn as the laugh starts to escape when Law stops. 

“One’s approaching.”

You spin, the laugh dying on your tongue. “What?”

“Who?” Usopp squeaks, and his grip on your wrist tightens. You pay no mind to the pressure; it keeps your mind from thinking this is fake. 

If Law can detect the fish with his haki, then it’s a lot bigger than you thought. 

“That direction,” Law points to the left, a splash accentuating his statement. 

“There!” Caesar exclaims with his hands pressed to his chest. Your eyes dart to where he’s looking, and low and behold, there’s a giant fin skimming the water. 

The fish disappears under the bridge, and your hands move to squeeze Usopp’s arm.

Something is emerging from the water before you can say ‘go’... It’s unlike anything you imagined: thick, scarred, navy skin, mammoth, twisty horns, and rows of razor-sharp teeth widen before you. You watch as the fish flies above and over the bridge, the underside of its body just metres from your head. 

It continues its path overhead and lands with a splash on the other side of the bridge. 

Usopp is speechless beside you, his jaw slack and eyes bulging from his head. You look around at the group, everyone standing there watching the bubbles surface. 

“We should move,” You whisper, scared that if you speak any louder, the fish may hear you. It isn’t until the fin appears again, and then another, and another, and Law nods. 

“Move! Go!”

Your legs burn like they haven’t in a while, the collective footfalls of the group making the iron panels scrape against one another. 

“Watch out!” 

You veer to the right, a fish ramming its head directly into the iron bars where you just stood. Screaming with surprise and fear, you continue, Usopp a little bit ahead of you. 

The fish’s red eyes follow you, its jaw gnawing on the cage before it slinks back into the water. 

“Special Attack! Exploding Star!” 

Above you, Usopp’s bullets make contact with something, but you don’t dare look up. Sweat runs down the side of your face, and you feel useless. Seam does nothing against beasts like this. 

“Mil Fleurs.” 

You glance back to see Robin’s giant hand punch one of the fish’s heads, and Usopp load another bullet into his slingshot. 

“Skull Bombgrass!”

Law falls into step next to you as an explosion sounds above. The end of the bridge is nowhere in sight, and you feel your heart drop. 

“Are we even gonna make it to Green Bit?” You pant. 

“Usopp should be able to handle it.”

Your friend whips around at his name. “You’re kidding! You’re the Warlord! You do something!” 

Law peers back at the damage already caused and scoffs. “I can’t fight right now.”

“It’s a pack, we can’t fight them!” Robin yells. 

Law swears under his breath and surges forward. Usopp keeps up his attacks, sending bullets of various abilities at the fish. 

“Nose!” Law yells. “Unlock Caesar’s cuffs.” 

“What did you call me?” Usopp growls. “And why would I do that?” 

You answer before Law has the chance. “So he can fly us across the bridge.”

Caesar gasps behind you. “Like hell—”

“I’d reconsider.” You don’t see what Law holds up, but by Caesar’s reaction, you know it’s his heart. 

“You bastard! How’d you get your hands on that?”

Usopp unlocks the restraints, slipping the key back into his pocket. “Hurry up!” 

“You’re all going to die miserable deaths,” Caesar snaps as he turns around. A blue hue covers the bridge in front of you, and you glance back. 

“Law, if you could use that power of yours right now, that’d be great!” Usopp yells, transfixed by Caesar’s power, too. The blue beam coming from him is so large it swallows up four fish at once. 

“I can’t!”

“Well, fuck you then!” 

Law comes to a screeching halt, and you almost run into his back. The memory isn’t lost on you,  but you throw it away when you realise why he stopped. 

“Oh, perfect!” Usopp cries. The bridge drops off into the water, the other side of the iron structure metres from where you stand. There’s no way you could jump across there unless Law uses Shambles, which he won’t. 

“Caesar!” You scream, voice shrill to hurry him up. “Get over here!”

The scientist glares as he flies toward you. “Don’t you start ordering me around!”

You’re scooped up into Caesar’s arms, the wind slapping your skin as he speeds through the iron cage and to the end of the bridge. The wind carries away Usopp’s screams, and Law and Robin remain their usual composed selves. 

“Why didn’t we do this from the start?” Usopp exclaims, his hands grappling for purchase on the allusive gas. 

“Because I’m a hostage, and hostages are meant to be treated humanely!”

—

Green Bit is exactly as you expected: green. Giant flowers, fruits, vines, and mushrooms separate the foliage from the beach, the spectacles enough to stun you into silence. As you take in the sights before you, Robin and Law discuss the abandoned Navy ship to your left, but you don’t look. The flora is magnificent, with mushrooms in colours you’ve never thought possible and vines thicker than the Mangroves on Sabaody; you’re in awe. 

Nobody notices you walking toward the foreign plants, all too absorbed with the ship. Down the beach, there’s a rose, but one that could swallow the Sunny if it wanted to. It draws you to it, and you gladly obey its song, the red of the petals so deep it parallels the deepest blood. 

Sand puffs up behind you as you walk, the boots on your feet long discarded. You haven’t felt your toes in the sand for years; the right occasion never arose for such a thing. The grains burn the soles of your feet, but you take it in your stride. 

A rhino beetle scuttles along the forest's edge, its size much larger than you’ve seen. The sight of it should scare you, but all you can think of is how much Luffy would love it. 

You shed your disguise, the hat and sunglasses dropping to the ground when you reach the stem of the rose. Looking up, it’s taller than the highest building you’ve seen, and the thorns dotting the stem mimic steps that you could easily use. You got to grip onto the slick plant tissue, its fuzzy exterior tickling your palm. 

You hear your name from down the beach, urgency lacing their tone. Tugging your eyebrows together, you look down the coast, a group of people running after you. Fear pricks your skin, and you begin to climb, panic in your veins. 

Quickly, a voice whispers, he’s coming. 

You feel your foot slip as you frantically reach out for another thorn, your body falling backwards. No noise leaves your lips as you free-fall to the sand below. 

“Room.”

And then your feet are back on the sand, the grains uncomfortable. Blinking, you look around. “Law?” 

“What the hell were you doing?” 

You peer over at Robin and Usopp, shock evident on their faces. 

“What happened?” You ask, breathing heavily. 

“You were climbing that tree.”

You glance behind you, the rose still standing tall in the sunlight. “Rose.” 

“Whatever,” Law spits. “Are you okay?”

Still looking at the rose, you sigh. “I heard voices.” 

Usopp laughs nervously, turning around to head back to the bridge. “Okay, that’s my cue to leave.” 

“What were they saying?” Robin asks curiously. 

“He’s coming’.”

Law curses. “Doflamingo is on his way.”

“How’d you get that from that?” Usopp exclaims, eyes moving to the forest warily. “Does the forest speak?”

“Not quite,” Law studies you, and you wait to ask what he’s thinking. “Anyway, we’re dropping Caesar right there in ten minutes.” 

“So that’s it? She wanders off and nearly falls to her death from a giant rose, and we’re meant to act like everything’s fine?” 

“Yep.”

“I’m okay, Usopp. Truly.” Your friend sways on his feet, the lightheadedness of panic and disbelief catching up with him. 

“You two go hide somewhere,” Law regards Usopp and Robin. “Be ready to snipe if the situation calls for it.”

Robin takes off alone, leaving Usopp to complain as he follows. 

Law says your name. “Hide in the tree line. If he attacks, it’s you and me.”

You open your mouth, but the familiar ringing of Transponder Snail pins you in place. Who could possibly be calling at a time like this?

“Take my handcuffs off.” You forgot Caesar was here. The scientist has his head on a swivel, looking unsettled. 

“Shut up,” Law murmurs, fishing a baby Transponder Snail from his jacket. You swallow thickly before raising your eyes to the head of the rose again. 

Who was speaking to you before? How did they know Doflamingo was coming?

“Law! It’s Sanji.”

“Where’d you go? Please tell me you found the factory.” 

“It’s a trap! You gotta go right now!”

Your breath gets lodged in your throat, and your eyes widen. Looking out to the ocean, Dressrosa is in the distance, and you try to understand how this happened. 

“He’s still a Warlord! Right now, you’re handing over Caesar for nothing!” 

Law stills, his body tensing as he follows your line of vision. He eyes a speck flying through the sky, and he squints to decipher what it could be. 

You whimper, your body tingling with panic. “We need to leave. Right now.” 

Caesar breaks into a fit of giggles, and you feel your eye twitch. Expletives fall from Law’s lips before he tells you to run, recognising the pink coat of the man flying toward you. “Go, now!”

The flying figure approaches at an alarming rate, and you race for the trees, only to be pulled backward, your arms thrown behind you. 

There’s a rustling in the trees, but you ignore it, focusing on the tightening of the strings around your wrists. 

“Dreamweaver!” A voice announces. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

You struggle to look at what is restraining you, but from the sharp, cocky voice that echoes down the beach, you already know. Doflamingo hangs in the air; his arms outstretched with a Cheshire grin. 

“Joker!” Caesar yells with excitement. 

“Let go of her,” Law says, his gaze darkening when it lands on Doflamingo. “Now.” 

“And you got a Navy Admiral to show up? I’m impressed,” Doflamingo chuckles. You turn your head at an awkward angle to get a glimpse of the surprise arrival of the Marines, and you can tell Law is seething. “And since I’m no longer a Warlord, I’m shaking in my boots. I’m terrified!” 

“Fuck you,” Law bares his teeth. “You’re a damn liar.” 

You wriggle around on the sand, summoning Needles in an attempt to cut the strings. Tiny prickles cover your hands and forearms in rapid succession, and when Doflamingo opens his mouth to taunt Law again, you free yourself. 

Some Marines to your left are startled at your sudden movement, shocked to be in the presence of two Warlords and a pirate with a 650 million berry bounty. They quickly compose themselves, but the grips on their weapons are tighter than before. 

“Don’t touch me again,” You shout, hands positioned to summon your power if necessary. 

Doflamingo’s stare pins you in your place, and though you can’t see his eyes behind his sunglasses, you know he sports a wild gleam. 

“I’m having some trouble unravelling this situation,” A deep voice says. “I don’t have much experience as a Marine, so I don’t want to make any baseless accusations.” 

You falter, blinking in confusion. The Marines chatter amongst themselves as the Admiral at the head of the bunch finishes speaking. 

“Fujitora!” Doflamingo interjects. “You’re the famous Admiral who got recruited in the World Military Draft, weren’t you? I’ve heard you’re a force to be reckoned with.”

Fujitora brushes him off. “It seems to me, as Warlords, you’re both doing something that steps outside your boundaries. The fellow there referred to you as ‘Joker’... a troubling implication.”

Your steps are silent as you hurry through the sand, nobody paying much attention to you as Domflamingo’s grin turns dangerous. 

“I don’t care what you think about me. As for Law, other here, what will you do about him?”

Law’s eye catches you as you skirt around the back of the Marines’ group, darting his eyes back to Doflamingo so as not to raise suspicion. 

“If you’re referring to his alliance with the pirate Straw Hat, should he confirm this, he’s guilty. But what comes after that depends on his answer… betrayal of the World Government is a serious crime.” 

Caesar makes a strangled noise. “And what of her?” 

Fujitora raises an eyebrow. “I’m unsure I know who you’re referring to.” 

“That girl, the one with the Sew-Sew Fruit.” 

The Navy Admiral mutters your name. “I see. She’s a pirate, too, and with her strong ties to Straw Hat and Trafalgar Law, I see it fit that she should be arrested as well.” 

“That won’t do,” Doflamingo snaps. “She’s coming with me.” 

“Like hell!” Law yells as his calculated facade cracks. “She’s my subordinate.”

“So what will it be, Law?” Fujitora urges, drawing his sword. 

“It’s true! The Straw Hats and I are equal in this alliance!” 

You appear beside Law, the Marines’ looking back and forth to where you were and where you stand now. Doflamingo’s lip curls as he assesses the situation. 

Fujitora leans over, and a purple halo shoots into the sky without warning. You keep your eye on Doflamingo, not risking him moving any closer to you or Law. Caesar gasps, his face stricken with fear. 

The blue sky darkens to deep indigo like the sun has disappeared and night has fallen upon the world early. The tide recedes, and you spare a glance at the water. How odd. 

You ready yourself, feet shifting into a fighting stance and hands poised before you. 

“What is that?” 

Law’s shocked whisper pulls you from your concentration, and you look up. 

“Is that a meteor?” Caesar’s neck is craned back, and you nod. 

“What the—”

Frantic chatter and gasps sound from your left, and the Marines sprint for the tree line. 

“Your title has been revoked, Trafalgar Law.” 

A red hue covers the beach, and Law shoves your shoulder. “Go!”

The blazing rock inches closer, its speed never slowing. You don’t want to follow his demand, ever the stubborn mindset, but the pure fear on Law’s face forces you. 

“Room!” 

It’s quick, and you’re almost into the forest when Law slashes his katana, the monstrous rock splitting in half. One side heads directly for Domflamingo, who swipes his hand. You watch in horror as the rock splits again, this time into ten slices and then twenty. The segments crash into the sand, throwing him off his feet. 

You don’t see where the second half goes, but you guess toward Fujitora by the way the leaves surrounding you go purple. With your gaze on Law, you shout after him, but your voice is lost in the destruction. The aftermath of the impact sends you flying backward, Caesar and the Marines following. You throw your hands out, Sew multiplying at an alarming rate to form a net that catches everyone. 

Coughing through the dust, you emerge from the trees, only to be pulled back by a Marine. Before you is a giant pit that descends into the depths of the earth. It’s an unusual sight, but your heart rate increases exponentially when you think about Law’s whereabouts. 

“Where—”

“Look!”

So you do, and when the smoke clears, you feel your shoulders relax, but only slightly. Law, Doflamingo, and Fujitora stand on their own pillars of rock; the drop below them is endless. 

The men speak amongst themselves on the pillars, and you can’t make out what they’re saying. But, without warning, they all attack at once. Your mouth is dry with fear and apprehension, and you absentmindedly move your tongue to generate saliva. Though, it’s difficult with the dust and sand coating your throat. 

“He’s mine to kill!” Doflamingo cackles, pointing his finger at Law. You scowl and leap from the bushes, your feet sinking into the sand with every step. Law dodges at the last second, and whatever Doflamingo sends his way slices his cheek. Fujitora stands there unmoving, letting them fight.

Law sees your figure running from the trees and escapes from the pit, making his way toward you. “Run.”

Doflamingo follows, and you watch in horror as the pink man flies at you. 

“Law,” He sings, his attention snagged by your sudden attack. You fling a needle in his direction, its sharp tip barely missing his face. “Oh! Dreamweaver’s come out to play, too! How exciting.”

You sprint behind Law, weaving through the giant flora of Green Bit. Law tugs your hand, and you go crashing over a vine. Shambles catches you and keeps you on your toes. A quick zip goes past your ear, and you stagger. 

“Bullet strings,” Law explains, dodging said attack. You swallow thickly, the exhaustion eating at your muscles. “They’ll kill you if you’re not careful.” 

His breathing is ragged as he speaks, and you send a needle behind you, the dark chuckle of Doflamingo letting you know you missed—you won’t dare send him to Seam without knowing the full extent of his power; he’d most likely rip you to shreds. 

“I’ve been keeping a close eye on you, Dreamweaver.”

The nickname is still foreign to your ears. You don’t want to know what it means and why it’s the same as legends past. Law snarls at him, grabbing your wrist and transporting you further away. 

“If you join me, I’ll let your little Law go free, unharmed.” 

His voice gets closer every time Law puts more distance between you and Doflamingo. The offer is enticing only because Law’s safety is the only thing on your mind. As if reading your mind, Law tightens his grip on your wrist. 

“Don’t even think about it.”

There’s no time to dwell on the emotions that rise within you when Law flies forward, his body upside down as he slams into a tree. Almost invisible strings lace over his chest, torso, legs, and arms, and you spin around wildly to face the man responsible. 

Doflamingo slows, his shoes hitting the ground as he stalks toward you.

“No!” Law yells, his voice gruff as he fights against the restraints. “Don’t you dare touch her!”

The King of Dressrosa observes you, his head tilting as he scrutinises you. You stand your ground, protecting Law from the man who ruined his life. 

“Gorgeous thing you are, Dreamweaver… tragic that Law’s been keeping you hidden from me.”

You gulp silently but are unwavering. Doflamingo stops in front of you, his two-metre frame towering. You have to tilt your head back to look him directly in the eyes—though his sunglasses make it difficult to see where he’s looking. 

“Did Law ever tell you what you are?” 

“I don’t know!” Law’s voice is strained, the strings strengthening their hold. “I don’t know why everyone thinks I do!”

“Forget Law, you could’ve been a Warlord. And if you were feeling up to the task, maybe an Emperor.”

The titles he’s throwing at you mean nothing. “Leave us alone.” 

“Love has made you weak!” Doflamingo barks a laugh as he takes a step. He circles you, his gaze piercing. “Who knew that the one I sort was so… pathetic.”

“Fuck you,” You growl, watching him over your shoulder. He makes no move for Law but sighs, his pity palpable. 

“You could be a god.”

Your finger flicks and Doflamingo makes a sound of indignation as a needle pierces his side. “Stop saying that.” 

Turning around, you glower. Law’s expression is painted in surprise at how easily you attacked him, the needle deepening with every movement Doflamingo takes. Blood drips from the wound, and Law gasps. 

“Interesting,” Doflamingo regards the protruding needle, running his finger along its shining body. “Just as I expected.” 

Behind him, needles work to free Law, loosening the strings just enough so he can use shambles to transport to you. 

You ignore Doflamingo’s wondrous tone and continue to impale him. He grunts with each needle that sinks into his flesh, but his smile never lets up. 

“Dreamweaver,” He mutters, arms outstretched and Cheshire grin widening. He looks like a pincushion. “You are the only one who can defeat me.” 

Your power halts. Why would he say that when he’s at your mercy? When you could kill him here and now? Unless you can’t.  

You don’t say anything, knowing he’s toying with you. When you glance at the tree, Law’s gone, so you keep Doflamingo’s focus on you. 

“Come with me now,” He mutters, voice brutally low. “Or I’ll slice Law’s head clean off. I know he’s sneaking around here somewhere, and I won’t hesitate.” 

Your blood freezes in your arteries, and your body feels like it's in slow motion—deep in your soul, you know he’s not lying. He killed his own father and brother, and Trafalgar Law is no exception. 

“Fine. But stay away from Law.” 

“You’re aware of our history then? What’d he tell you about that traitor, Corazon?”

Silently, your hands return to your sides. You inhale deeply, calming your nerves. Law won’t forgive you for this, but you’d do anything to keep him safe. With your glare as sharp as a needle, you put your wrists together before you and shake them. “Take me away, then.”

Doflamingo smirks and cackles, the sharp sound echoing through the trees. Law freezes at the noise, knowing it can't mean anything good. With his heart in his throat, he transports himself to your location.

But when he arrives, Doflamingo is gone, and so are you. 

Taglist:

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[qwimblenorrisstan]

Dreamers | Rhysand & Daughter!Reader

Summary: After Madja is away in business for two months, he has to find a healer to replace her in her absence, which happens to be you, his bastard daughter, and unbeknownst to him, Azriel’s mate.

Word Count: ~ 2.3k

Warnings: Angst, bad family relationship, mentions of prostitution, implied sex, but it ends happy don’t worry (PLATONIC BETWEEN RHYS AND READER)

A/N: This request was like perfectly matching up with my daydreams so thanks !! hope you enjoy<3

Requests are open!

Throughout all your years of education and schooling, there was one truth you knew without having to be told.

You were unwanted. A mistake.

You’d always known that and hadn’t cared much for the first few years of your life. Your mother had been a prostitute, and your father had accidentally knocked her up. Whether it had been a mistake, or your mother had purposefully not used a contraceptive just to have a tie to the High Lord was still in debate, but you didn’t care much anymore.

He had tried to raise you, probably not wanting you to grow up a whore like your mother, but been trapped Under the Mountain, leaving you alone, your only real ties to him were through Cassian, who didn’t seem to care that you were a bastard child or your circumstances.

He felt like more of a father, sometimes.

You’d gotten your apartment in Velaris, working as an herbalist, and something of a medic, using the mingled magic of your mother and father to heal people. Some would say the job didn’t match your sometimes uncaring and blunt, even bitter demeanor. But you didn’t care what they said, and you never had. It paid the bills, and let you live relatively comfortably in your little shop when not in the apartment.

You had heard the rumors of Feyre, the Cursebreaker who’d freed your father, and by extension all the other High Lords from Under the Mountain. You’d seen the female and your father together, walking the streets happy as could be together, openly proclaiming their love, not to mention their baby.

After he’d been liberated, you hadn’t tried to seek him out, and he hadn’t with you. It was for the best, probably. You wanted nothing to do with his perfect little happy family and Inner Circle, you didn’t belong there, and you had no desire to. You hadn’t needed a father to grow up, and you didn’t need one now.

However, Madja was away on business, leaving you as the only other healer in Velaris capable of giving checkups to their child. It was for that reason, you suspected, that he invited you to a “family” dinner as if he’d ever treated you like family.

“It’ll be alright.”

Your mate, Azriel, spoke to you as he got ready to escort you into the House of Wind, where they wanted to have dinner that night. You hadn’t bothered to dress up nice or fancy, only donning some loose pants and a shirt, clothes you would usually work in.

Azriel had been your mate for nearly three years, having secretly accepted the bond, and decided to keep the relationship private for now, to let things settle down for now, and now had stretched into one year after another, until you were both content to live in the shadows.

“You know how I feel about them.”

You replied, sighing before quickly composing yourself at the clear mix of emotions on his face. His urge to defend his family and to empathize with you warring with each other in his mind.

You stepped forward, settling into his arms as you felt the shadows wrap around you, the environment shifting as your eyes remained open, and then you were there, the door to the House of Wind standing right in front of you. It felt wrong, to come back here after completely cutting off contact, only to be used for your healing abilities and medical knowledge for a half-sibling you’d never met.

Glancing over at Azriel, he gave a little nod, and you opened the door, setting foot inside the home and immediately confronted with the scents of multiple people. You could recognize some, Mor, Rhys, Cassian, maybe Amren? Only Feyre, Rhys, and Cassian were seated at the table, waiting for you. You’d heard news that Mor was visiting her private estate, and Amren off god knows where.

Expression as ticked off and blunt as you were feeling, you walked in, taking a seat as a plate of food magically appeared in front of you.

Rhys’ gaze ran up and down you, noting your clothes, simple cheap ones to get the job done, the herbs caked under your long nails, the calluses on your hands from handling your mortar and pestle so often, the way you didn’t smile at him or any of his family, or the same impassive and slightly annoyed look on your face. Something briefly appeared in his gaze, before being gone just as easily. Good. You had enough to deal with without any family problems.

“Hello, Y/N, I’d like you to meet -“

He spoke, voice sounding as confident as usual, but with a hint of a crack, as if testing the waters as he gestured towards Feyre.

“Your mate and son. I’m well aware.”

Your voice wasn’t like his, not with the silver tongue he had, tone blunt and straightforward. You didn’t refer to them by name on purpose, to make it seem like you hadn’t even cared to follow the news about him and his life. Like you were better. Feyre cast a sympathetic glance at Rhys, one that made your temper flare.

He shouldn’t get to be comforted for his past mistakes coming to bite him in the ass.

Cassian remained silent, exchanging glances with Azriel across the table. This was bound to happen eventually, and the General didn’t try any of his usual tactics to lighten the mood.

Rhys swallowed, opening his mouth to speak, probably to try and soothe you or make you less openly hostile, but you interrupted him.

“What do you want?”

You asked, tone blunt and cold, detached almost if it weren’t for the anger you held against him. He tried to hide his wince but failed to do it completely. That made you feel a bit better, at least. A sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. His expression sobered into one of resigned seriousness.

“Our healer, Madja, will be away on business for two months. You’re the most qualified to take her place if you would.”

He said. Feyre seemed a bit uncomfortable with the thought of you being the personal healer for their family for two months, and you didn’t blame her, considering your demeanor and history, but it still pissed you off.

“How much will you pay?”

You asked blandly, making it clear that the job meant nothing to you to get closer to them at all. All that mattered was the pay. Your mind was already calculating the costs, advantages, and disadvantages of taking the deal. He stiffened slightly, another small victory.

He stated a price, it was high, ridiculously so, in fact, but you weren’t complaining. Money was money. Even if you got it from your half-family.

“Sure.”

You said simply, still not touching your dinner. The food was tantalizing, but the thought of sending a message even more so. You wouldn’t dine at this table, not like how you had done so many years ago. Though your throat was parched, you didn’t touch the glass of water.

“Is that all?”

You asked, your mint green eyes, the same shade as your mother’s, meeting his violet gaze. Pure indifference was all you were determined to give him. After he’d forgotten about you, too obsessed with his mate and new child, the replacements, to bother with you.

“I was hoping you’d stay for dinner.”

He said quietly, a hint of pleading in his gaze. You felt a pang in your chest at that but shoved it down as you got up from your seat, not tucking it in. They could look at the seat pushed out after you left, and think about you. It would hopefully plague his mind like he plagued yours.

“Keep hoping. See where it gets you.”

You said dryly, walking out of the kitchen, out of that goddamned sentient House that remembered you even now, how it knew your favorite food, just the way you knew your mother had cooked it so long ago, or the way you’d loved the water from that river out back, one you still visited now.

You heard the harsh scratching of a chair against the wooden floor and footsteps, and before you could winnow away, you found that you couldn’t move.

Not metaphorically or rhetorically, you literally could not move your own body, and that’s when you became all too aware of the presence in your mind when your barriers had slipped because of your irritation. Your father finally released you as he stood behind you, you whirled to look at him, seething.

“Stay out of my head.”

You hissed, shoving him away from you even as he gave you a begging gaze.

“Please, I’m sorry, let me try, just give me one chance to be your father, one?”

He begged, voice cracking with desperation you’d never seen before, and it would’ve weirded you out a little if you weren’t frozen in place, throat even dryer now as you tried to think of something to say.

Despite how you denied it and wanted to be cold and vengeful towards him, deep down, that wasn’t what you wanted. Maybe a relationship with him wouldn’t be so bad. It wasn’t like he’d had a choice to leave you behind, he’d been kidnapped Under the Mountain, and been so busy putting his Court back together and handling a war that he hadn’t even been able to think about you.

You swallowed, sighing and giving a resigned nod.

“Just..meet me for breakfast tomorrow, I guess. At my apartment. It’s down the block to the right of Rita’s, you’ll know it when you see it.”

As soon as you said it, he pulled you into a gentle hug, feeling you stiffening under his touch. You weren’t the most touchy person with strangers, or people you didn’t know very well at that.

Breakfast tomorrow. Great.

*********************************************************

Az had already been late when he’d arrived at your apartment for the moment, his tedious little schedule for the recent mission already thrown off because of the extra time he’d taken bending you over a counter. Just as he gave you a little kiss on the cheek, opening the door to head out, he ran face-first into Rhys, the only thing stopping the two from kissing being the subtle height advantage Azriel had over his High Lord.

“What -“

Rhys began, and Azriel was gone quicker than you’d ever seen his shadows transport him. You dragged your father in, closing the door behind you.

“He’s my mate and has been for three years, but anyways, breakfast.”

You blurted in a rushed tone as you tried to ignore the obvious thing that had just happened. Rhys ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed, seeming exasperated but not surprised.

“I thought so, Cassian said he’s been coming home smelling like you lately.”

He muttered under his breath as you slipped an oven mitt on, pulling a muffin sheet out of the oven and hissing as the oven brushed against your arm, leaving an angry little red spot. Your father’s eyebrows raised at that, and he walked over and turned your sink to a lukewarm temperature, grabbing you and easily moving you over to it to run the burn under it. Protective instincts were probably already kicking in for him, albeit a bit dusty and not used for anyone other than his new son.

He grabbed a roll of bandaging that was on your counter, from the other night when you’d also accidentally burned yourself while trying to open the oven with your bare feet, hands too busy. The oven-related incidents were getting a bit too often, now. Especially since Azriel threatened to throw the oven out if you didn’t stop getting hurt.

“Thanks.”

You managed to mumble as his slender fingers skillfully wrapped some of it around you, securing it easily. He gave a little nod, slipping an oven mitt on and dumping the muffins out, just shoving them all onto one plate he set on the small table with two chairs, one for you and Az.

He sat down, you sitting across from him, grabbing a muffin and unwrapping it, before just awkwardly eating in silence.

“So..”

You said, swallowing as you tried to think about how weird this conversation would be. He sighed, running his hands through his hair again. It seemed to be a nervous habit of his.

“I’m sorry, for not being there. There was just so much going on, with the war, Amarantha, not to mention Koschei…”

His voice trailed off at the mention of them.

“I..get it. You were busy with all that.”

“I still should’ve been there. You’re my daughter, and you grew up without a father because of me.”

You swallowed, trying to bite back the emotions that rose because of this conversation. He seemed to notice, violet eyes softening as his chair scooted a bit closer to yours, wanting to comfort you but unsure how to do so without further upsetting you. You suddenly felt bad for all your remarks and attitude earlier. He’d been trying, you hadn’t.

“We can start over if you want. Just father and daughter?”

You nodded, sniffling slightly. At that tiny sniffle, he couldn’t resist anymore, getting up and pulling you into his arms. This time, you didn’t stiffen, didn’t struggle, or try to pull away, you just cried into his chest in a way you usually only could do with Az. He held you close, hand soothingly rubbing your back.

“I think I’d like that.”

You managed to choke out as the tears dried up, and you looked up into his violet eyes, now noticing the golden flecks in them, like stars you could wish on.

Stars promising hope and a future of warmth and acceptance.

Tags:

@judeduartewannbe

[brnesblogposts]

Stuck

bucky barnes x reader

a/n miscommunication & close proximity trope is all i’m gonna say, it’s very fluffy once well- read it and find out reblogs appreciated!!!

“You’ve gotta be shitting me” Bucky speaks under his breath, frustration evident in his body language and tone. A feedback sound started on the speakers on the ferris wheel.

“Ladies and gentlemen there seems to be some technical issues with the ferris wheel, remain calm and stay seated and we should have it back up and running soon”

You heard a heavy sigh escape from Bucky as his head hung back in defeat.

“They said it’ll be fixed soon, won’t have to be stuck with me for long Buck” Trying to cut the tension that sat between him and yourself only earned a side glance from the man beside you.

You looked down to the car just beneath you “STEVE, NAT!! ARE YOU GUYS OKAY??!” Their heads whipping towards you as you spoke at a far too loud volume.

“WE’RE OKAY! YOU?” Natasha replied back and you gave her a thumbs up, her and Steve getting back to bickering and giggling about whatever they were talking about. Meanwhile you were sat next to Mr Grumpy-

“Can you stop moving,” he spat out without looking at you. Bold of you to assume you were getting somewhere with him, even on the brink of considering him a ‘friend’ but that idea was shot down quickly.

“I’m not moving, it’s probably the wind or maybe it’s you and you don’t realise” Tapping your fingers on the barrier that held you in place, he turned to you and gave you a bitter look which only made the situation more awkward and tense.

“How’d i get dragged onto the ferris wheel anyway” He huffs.

“Because, Steve and Nat are your best friends and also Nat is really scary and saying yes was easier than saying no” You looked down at the two as you spoke, their flirting ever so obvious even from your height.

A few minutes passed where nobody said anything, you both avoided eye contact and it gave you time to reflect on what you could’ve done to make Bucky so impassive to you, you’d barely talked to him because if you tried he disregarded you or made an excuse to leave as soon as possible. You really wanted to be his friend too. It’s awkward when the four of you go out and Steve and Nat obviously want to do things together as a couple making you stuck with Bucky and him with you. At least being civil is all you want, for Bucky to be able to hold a conversation with you longer than a few seconds.

“Are you cold?” His voice broke you from your thoughts, you were shivering and you hadn’t realised as you were so deep in your head. You looked at the goosebumps on your arms and turned to him,

“I guess I am, yeah.” you laughed at your ignorance for not noticing your body temperature drop. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Bucky starting to take his jumper off.

“What are you doing?” You furrowed your brows at his action, there’s no way he was about to give that to you, he doesn’t even like you, you don’t think so anyway based on every interaction you’ve had with him ever.

“I’m giving you my sweater?” Now he was confused, it was quite obvious to him what he was doing, why else would he take off the jumper and sacrifice himself so you could be warm? He’s a gentleman first if anything. He got it over is head and handed it you, you took a second to take it as you were flabbergasted at his sudden kindness towards you.

“Oh.” You broke your gaze from him down to the jumper “Thank you,” you smiled gratefully and put the jumper on. The sleeves swallowed your hands, which helped because they were freezing before. Then you looked back at Bucky who now sat next to you in nothing but a black t-shirt “Are you not cold?” Once again furrowing your brows in his direction.

“Not as cold as you” He was looking straight ahead at the city view from your spot at the top of the ferris wheel. Reading his expression was impossible and you were really trying to—

“Okay well uh— thanks again.” You repeated your thanks as you snuggled into the jumper that now enveloped you, “So.. kinda awkward, huh?” You tried cracking a joke laughing a little as you did so which made Bucky turn to face you, analysing his features which you didn’t notice softened as he saw you smiling.

Bucky coughed awkwardly “Uh-“ He let out a small laugh too “Looks like Steve and Nat aren’t bothered by this disruption at all” His tone was lighter.

“Those two wouldn’t notice the world ending while they’re gazing at each other like that” You laughed again, Bucky liked that sound.

“So in love, it’s sickening” He retorted with a shake of his head and a smile which earned a glance from you, just a brief one before you looked back down at your sweater paws as they rested on the barrier, Bucky has noticed and he found it endearing, he felt warm whenever he saw you smile or heard you laugh and every time your thigh accidentally touched his due to your close proximity he swears a bolt of electricity travelled through him making his heart beat faster.

“I think it’s cute” You had a small pout on your face as you spoke, still looking down towards your two friends “imagine being stuck on a ferris wheel with someone you love, not the worst thing in the world in my opinion, it’s kind of like an impromptu date where you have no choice but to talk because the other option is incredibly awkward silence” You fiddled with the sleeves of the jumper.

“I guess, but what if you were trapped on a ferris wheel with someone you liked who you knew didn’t feel the same, that’s awkward all on its own” He was playing with a thread on his jeans as he spoke, you noticed.

“How would they know if the other person didn’t feel the same? Had they asked?” You inquired as the tension between you grew once again because the situation was too close to home.

“Isn’t asking embarrassing though?” Bucky asked breathily, like he was nervous.

“I don’t think so.”

“You don’t?” He looked at you.

“I mean the worst that can happen is they say no and you’re sad for a bit but you’d move on eventually” You smiled but you weren’t looking at him.

“Right, yeah” He coughed awkwardly again and the silence resumed until he broke it about a minute later “Uhm” clearing his throat again Bucky decided it was now or never “Are you doing anything Friday night?” He closed his eyes for a brief second because there was no going back now.

“No, why?” You looked at him and smiled, maybe he’d finally be your friend, that was progress and you could work with that.

“Would you uh- like to get dinner with me? Like a date..?” He avoided your gaze as he asked.

“What” It caught you off guard and you responded without thinking.

“Fuck” He swore to himself “sorry forget I said anything, I don’t know what was going through my-“ He began to ramble.

“Bucky no I mean, I thought you didn’t like me” His head turned to face you as he thought about your words.

“What? No I do like you” He furrowed his brows thinking back on the interactions you’d had where he hadn’t realised he’d been so nervous it came off as rude. “Shit i’m sorry, i’ve been an ass to you now that I think about it, I wasn’t trying to though, I thought I was uh- I thought i was disguising my attraction to you well because i didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, but I guess it came off dickish” He internally slapped himself at his mistake

“Oh, OH” The realisation and his admission hit you “Awe, Bucky,” you laughed at how silly it all was, if you’d have just talked to each other sooner this could’ve been avoided “Bucky I would love to go to dinner with you” You smiled at the man.

The ferris wheel suddenly began again and you were on your way down, both smiling like idiots and laughing whenever you’d glance at each other, two idiots that had liked each other this whole time who didn’t know it. You both stepped off the car and down the stairs smiling and giggling still and approached Natasha and Steve,

“What the hell happened up there?” Natasha laughed because she had never seen the two of you so cosy before, Steve raised a brow but you two only burst out laughing again and started walking ahead of them and snickering as they both stared in confusion and disbelief.

[fastandcarlos]

Late Night Drives : ̗̀➛ Logan Sargeant

summary: with logan home, you decide to head off on an adventure, allowing the man behind the wheel to lead the way

A smile graces Logan’s face as you make yourself comfortable in the seat beside him, a blanket draped over your body. Despite you insisting that you were warm enough, he still watched you closely, wanting to be absolutely certain that the chill in their air wasn’t disturbing you too much.

A faint chuckle escaped as Logan began to rev the engine of his car, it was nothing compared to the engines that Logan started on his day job, but he still liked to impress you. He could feel your eyes watching him closely, leaning across and pressing a kiss against the side of your head as you rested your head further into the headrest of Logan’s car, admiring the view of him concentrating on what was ahead.

Around your car the sun was starting to set, the stunning shade of orange set the scene for you both perfectly. After a lazy day, you both craved the feeling of fresh air hitting against your body, and so when Logan suggested the two of you head out for a drive for a while, you found yourself unable to say no. Happy to play passenger princess whilst Logan took control of the wheel.

He wasn’t expecting you to agree to his offer, you were sleepy, surprising really when you hadn’t done much, but Logan somehow seemed to sweet talk you. Undeniably, you would agree to do anything as long as it meant that you got to enjoy Logan’s company for a little while longer, unable to bring yourself to separate from him for even a second.

“It’s not fair how one person can look so effortlessly beautiful,” Logan complimented, turning his eyes back to the road ahead of you.

“Don’t start being all adorable now,” you laughed, jabbing your fingertip against his arm, “you’ve been mean to me all day.”

A sigh came from Logan, “are you still bitter about the pancakes?”

“You ate my pancakes, that’s an unforgivable act.”

Logan could only shake his head at your dramatics, whilst he knew you were only joking, admittedly he did feel slightly guilty for stealing your food, and mostly getting a huge satisfaction from enjoying the meal he found on the counter top of the kitchen too.

“In my defence, you just left them there, so I just assumed they were for me.”

“Oh, I see…it’s my fault?! Well, forgive me for leaving my food unattended whilst I go to the toilet,” you cried out, rolling your eyes back at Logan. He was about to put his foot down on the accelerator, only to stop himself.

“Exactly,” Logan plays along, looking at you as if it’s obvious that this has been your fault all along. “You should know by now that when you live with me, the second there’s food around, it’s mine,” he added, chuckling away to himself, feeling your eyes burning a hole against the side of your head.

Once his laughter subsided, Logan reached across and rested his hand against the top of your thigh, squeezing it gently. You were as bad as each other, but you could never stay at mad at him, how could you when he smiled so beautifully across at you?

Together you were well known for your bickering, squabbling like children, but always making up. The feeling of Logan kissing against your cheek was enough for you to know that he was just messing with you, and that he was ready to get going and head off to wherever it was that you wanted to go.

You both put your seatbelts on, Logan winding the window down slightly to let in some fresh air, your fingers pressing play on the car radio before setting off down the road.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

You weren’t quite sure how long the two of you had been travelling for, but when the car finally came to a stop, a smile crept onto your face as you looked out to realise that Logan had stopped you both by the beach.

“It’s the second-best view I’ve had today,” Logan spoke as he watched the way your eyes narrowed, taking in the beautiful sight before you. Your head shook as you listened to him, glancing in his direction momentarily before taking in the beauty of the beach again.

You take a moment to shuffle in your seat, waking your body back up again. Your hand comes out from underneath the blanket, reaching across and taking Logan’s hand off of the steering wheel and intertwining it in with your own.

His hand is cold, thanks to the cool breeze that came through the window. Summer hadn’t quite arrived yet, but that didn’t stop him from wearing a thin shirt, knowing you always loved to admire the way the material gripped to the muscles on his body.

It was all comfortable between you, you wore smiles, relaxed, and made the most of being able to spend time together.

With the sunset behind you, Logan’s breath was taken away by the view beside him. His heart was racing, his mind still wondering how he ever managed to get so lucky, even after so many years together.

Logan was lost for a moment, until he met your eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you whispered back to him, leaning across and peppering a kiss against his slightly chapped lips.

Outside of your car, the beach was still pretty busy. There were young families running around, dogs chasing anything they could find in the sand, waves smacking against the shoreline. Down by the water you could see a small gap in the sand, there was a dip where someone else must have been sat previously, a gap that looked like it was the perfect size for you and Logan to fit in and spend a bit of time together, being able to shut yourselves off completely from the rest of the world, even just for a few moments.

And as you pondered, it quickly turned out that you were not the only one to do so.

“What are you thinking pretty girl?” Logan asked, intrigued by what had made you smile.

“It’s just lovely down here, isn’t it?” You calmly spoke, unable to tear your eyes away from the scene unfolding in front of you, “our lives our so busy, and yet down here everything just feels so quiet.”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Logan questioned, usually the two of you were on the same page, and he really hoped you were now too.

You were all too aware that the beach was Logan’s favourite place in the world, the spot where he could relax and forget about everything else. The positives, the negatives, the whispers that always went around the paddock, many of which seemed to revolve around him and the future of his career in formula one.

The nod of your head was all Logan needed to take the keys out of the ignition and climb out of the car, running around the outside of the vehicle.

“Here,” he proudly grinned as he opened up your car door and extended his hand out for you to take a hold of.

“Such a gent,” you teased, making sure that you still had the blanket wrapped around you and your phone securely in your jean pocket before letting Logan help you out of the car. It took a moment for you to wake your legs up, but Logan was happy to stand beside you and give you all the time that you needed.

Once your feet were on the ground, his arm moved to wrap around your waist. “Are you going to be warm enough just taking that down there?”

You hum in reply to Logan, “I’m more concerned about you; will you be warm enough just in that shirt?”

“Of course,” he insisted, “and if I get cold then that just gives me more of a reason to cuddle into you, doesn’t it?”

You couldn’t help but laugh as Logan tickled against your waist, knowing that you would never argue with him. After locking up the car and making sure that the two of you had everything that you’d need, intertwined together you made your way down to the beach, finding the perfect spot.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

Time ran away from you both as you settled in the dip that you had pointed out to Logan earlier. By now the sun was almost set, the sky was turning darker and darker, but that didn’t seem to bother either of you in the slightest.

The sound of the waves crashing filled those momentary pauses of conversation between you both, providing the perfect backdrop to your evening.

There was plenty going on around you both, but neither of you were paying any attention to it at all. All you wanted was Logan. All Logan wanted was you. It was as if there was an imaginary barrier wrapped around you both, keeping everyone and everything else away.

Your head was resting against Logan’s chest, propped up to try and avoid getting too many grains of sand tangled in your locks. Logan’s hands were all over your body, one on your waist to keep you close by, the other against the top of your head so that Logan could twirl a few strands of your hair around his fingertips whenever he found himself beginning to slip into a bit of a daydream.

“Are you warm enough?” Logan asked as his fingertips brushed against the goosebumps that were beginning to form on your skin. “We can go home if you want, I don’t want you to catch a cold or anything baby.”

“I’m good,” you whispered, trying your best to reassure Logan and stop him from worrying. You try your best to sound convincing, but with the sun now hidden, the coolness of the breeze is beginning to trouble you.

“I can tell when you’re lying,” Logan sniggered, able to read you like a book, arguably knowing you better than you knew yourself.

“Honestly, I’m happy here for a while,” you once again assured.

Logan hummed, although he was far from convinced, running his hand along your arm to try and generate some warmth. “We’ll stay here for a few more minutes, I’ve got something else in mind to finish our evening off, which I know you’ll love.”

“What’s that?” You quizzed, propping yourself up with a hand against Logan’s chest. He shook his head though, refusing to share what his plans were with you.

You tried your best to get his plans out of Logan. Your hands tickled against his tummy, fingers poked against his cheek and his ears, lips pressed several times against his cheeks and his lips, but he still remained silent. It was torment for you not being able to know exactly what was happening next for you both, but for Logan, it brought him a great deal of satisfaction to know that he was irritating you.

“You’ll love it,” he repeated, feeling you press yet another kiss along his jawline. “Do you really think I would ever organise for us to do something you dislike?” He then asked, however with Logan, you never managed to quite know what he had up his sleeve.

Feeling your eyes on him brought another laugh from Logan, especially as you doubted him.

“I’m not as horrible as you think you think I am I’ll have you know.”

“Do you remember the time-“ you began to say, only for Logan to cut you off by tickling your sides. The squeal that escaped from you earnt you a couple of glares from other people around you, but you didn’t care as you tried your hardest to push Logan’s hands off of you before you lost all control.

Unfortunately for you, Logan was far stronger than you, keeping his hands tight on your body as your legs kicked out against him, enjoying having you exactly where he wanted you.

Eventually, after pleading what felt like hundreds of times, Logan finally let you go.

“Come on, let’s get out of here before someone files a noise complaint against us,” Logan suggested, slipping his hand into yours and pulling you up from the comfort of the sand wrapped around your body.

You made sure to keep your blanket nice and tight around your frame as you allowed Logan to lead you back up the sand and towards the car. It was beginning to get quieter as people slipped away after the sun had set, giving you an easy path to the car. Like before, Logan opened up your car door for you, giving you a hand up so you could comfortably slip into the passenger seat, a seat that seemed like it had been moulded for your body given how much time you spent there these days, letting Logan drive you around.

“Are you still planning on keeping this a secret?” You quizzed as Logan impressively revved up his engine once again, nodding his head in response to you as he began to concentrate on safely getting the two of you to his next destination.

He smirked as you groaned, wishing that he wasn’t so secretive with you. “Just trust me my love, I told you that you’d love it, didn’t I?”

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

And love it you did as the two of you sat with your feet on the dashboard, a portion of chips between you both and messy burgers being held in your hands. You had sauce dripping everywhere, half of your fillings were in the footwell of the car, but neither of you cared a bit, simply humming in delight with every mouthful that you took.

You soon realised as Logan drove where he planned on taking you, the burger shack that he was only allowed to indulge in during certain weeks of the year. You promised Logan that you would never eat from there unless he was allowed to too, and with a three week break at your fingertips, he finally had permission. You were bouncing in your seat as soon as you realised where he was heading for, desperate to get your hands on the treat that you had craved for so long.

Beside you, Logan was a lot calmer, but on the inside, he was a bubbling mess just like you.

You’re so lost in your bubble of delight that you’ve almost forgotten Logan beside you. “It’s unfair how one fast food place can make food that tastes so good.”

“They’re still not as nice as the burgers you make,” Logan remarked as he grabbed a napkin, reaching across and dabbing against the corner of your mouth where a bit of sauce was beginning to dribble.

“You don’t have to pretend to be nice to me, we all know that’s not true,” you replied, refusing to let him even make the comparison.

“I think this is the perfect end to the perfect day, what do you think?” Logan quizzed, taking yet another huge bite out of his burger, closing his eyes as he savoured it.

You nodded in agreement, “we should go on some late night drives more often if this is how they’re going to end.”

A chuckle came from Logan, “just don’t tell the team that this is where we ended up.”

“Of course, our evening ended with us going home and making a delicious, nutritious chicken salad for our dinner.”

Over the years you seemed to have perfected your ability to lie, the ability to save Logan from getting into trouble with his bosses by pretending to agree with anything that he had to say.

“And obviously whilst we were at the beach you were doing some sort of workout to make sure that you’re in perfect shape for after the break.”

“I like your thinking,” Logan chuckled, admiring how well you knew what you had to do.

“See, not just a pretty face.”

No, you were far from just that in Logan’s eyes.

“Thank you for such a lovely evening babe.”

Logan simply smiled back at you, your eyes were bright with colour, and most of all he knew that your heart was full of happiness after spending your day with him.

“Don’t be silly, it should be me thanking you.”

˗ˏˋ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ! ´ˎ˗

[icallhimjoey]

eddie?! 👀 did you say EDDIE?!?! 👀👀👀👀

i DID say eddie! i had a tiny idea that fit the version of eddie ive written before (and the only version of eddie ive written before) and so... here we are. i am: so sorry. Wordcount: 6.6K

---

Let’s Go Home

(find all other parts of this story here)

“Let’s go get him.”

You sound very determined for someone completely unsure of how to handle the situation. It’s difficult to watch someone so deeply unhappy struggle with parts of their past they can’t seem to get a grip on.

“I… what?” two wet, red-rimmed eyes stare back at you. Confused. A little annoyed.

“Yea. Come on. Let’s go. We’re packing our bags and we’re going to go pick him up and bring him back here.”

Eddie doesn’t get it. Frowns, entirely unsure of who you’re talking about.

“Steve’s already here… and Wayne is coming here for Christmas, we don’t need to–…” he looks so tired.

“I know we don’t need to.”

It always happened when the days got a little shorter. When the nights got colder and Christmas loomed. When happy, wholesome family moments would be advertised all over the world, and it all became glaringly obvious – once again – how that was something Eddie never got to be a part of when he was little. Not until Wayne took him in and tried his best to make the holidays special in his own way.

No matter how hard Wayne tried, though, the bitter aftertaste of abandonment and loneliness was impossible to get rid of.

Eddie would never admit this to Wayne, but celebrating Christmas just the two of them felt just as pathetic and lonely as it had done when he lived with his parents still.

Different.

Definitely not as traumatizing, which was good.

But still dreary, and sad, with a lot of playing pretend that he was okay and happy and fine.

He was never okay and happy and fine.

Still isn’t okay and happy and fine.

That’s not Wayne’s fault, Eddie knows, and he feels like a shitty person because Wayne always tried his best. Did what he could. It just never quite worked.

Christmas would roll around, and Eddie would get depressed.

That’s just what happened.

Eddie would slip into sadness, scary thoughts intruding happy places they weren’t allowed to settle into, but he’d not yet learnt how to tell them to fuck off. To leave him alone. Didn’t know how to get the uninvited guests out of his house, and felt powerless as he watched them settle into his living room. Nothing he could do about it.

Somber, pensive moments would slowly stretch until they covered most of the day. Mornings were the happiest, still. He’d wake up after falling asleep eventually, never managing to slip into dreams before 3 AM, and for a moment, he’d forget. The short amount of sleep would have him tired enough to not remember the reality of his life for a second, and in those moments, it would just be you in bed with him and that would be the only thing in existence.

It’s awful to feel reality set into someone’s body mid-hug.

You wish you knew how to keep it out.

Over the years Eddie had learnt he had to vocalize his feelings. His thoughts. Knew that a burden shared was a burden halved, but knowing things in theory didn’t make them easier in practice.

“What can I do? Let me help.” You’d whisper, and Eddie was lucky you’d known each other for so long. There were no worried questions of are you okay, or a concerned soft hey what’s wrong.

You know he’s not okay, and you know what’s wrong.

“You, here. That’s all you need to do.” Eddie would murmur and he’d pull you in to hold you for a short while. And sometimes, that would temporarily fix him.

There is part of Eddie that honestly thinks if he doesn’t think about it, that it’ll be okay.

If he ignores it for long enough, it might go away by itself.

He’s lucky that sometimes, it does.

He pretends that the foundation of shit that he’d been given for his life hasn’t got all the cracks in. The house he has tried to build on top might shake a bit in the wind, but he can convince himself that the strong support beams that have been put in place will make sure the whole thing doesn’t collapse.

But it’s getting closer and closer to Christmas, and he’s sinking deeper and deeper into everything that’s dark, and cold, and uncomfortable, and painful, and scary.

Everything is designed to make people feel happy around this time of year, and he’s in LA where the sun shines all year long and it doesn’t even really get cold at all. Not like it gets cold in Hawkins. The days don’t really get that much shorter, and he can go outside in a T-shirt and be fine. But maybe that’s precisely the problem right now; there’s no quick get inside the house, and no let me warm your hands up for you.

The comfort of a frozen nose that get nuzzled back to life is unattainable in LA.

“Can you go to another meeting? Would that help, do you think?” you silently ask him one evening, hidden under the covers and too tired to stay awake for much longer, even though you know Eddie’s wide awake next to you. He’ll toss and turn for a couple more hours after you’ve drifted off.

“Yea, of course. I should.” Eddie is quick to reply, but you know he doesn’t want to.

Talking about his addiction with strangers when he’s trying his best to pretend it’s not there will just make things worse, he thinks. Logically, he knows it probably won’t, but there’s always that fear.

“Can I join you?”

You feel how Eddie shifts in bed, probably to take a look at you, but your eyes are closed and you’re about to fall asleep. This isn’t the time to fall into a conversation in which he asks you why on earth you would want to hear a lot of people you don’t know talk about a lot of drastic measures you don’t need to know people let themselves be pushed to sometimes.

So instead, you feel a kiss press to your temple, and he whispers, “Sure you can.”

At first, Eddie doesn’t say much in the meeting you join him for. You mostly listen to issues other people bring forward, and try to think of things you’d do if Eddie was the person speaking. If he was the one with all of those problems. How would you help?

How would you fix it?

When a kind, soft-spoken voice asks if there’s anyone new who wants to share, a lot of eyes fall on you, and you shift in your seat. Sit up a little. Feel Eddie squeeze your hand in his which could have meant, it’s okay, you can tell people why you’re here, but instead it means, I got this.

Eddie talks.

Tells everyone about how he feels like he’s deep in a depression and that he doesn’t really know how to get out of the dark pit he’s fallen into.

How it feels like he’s five years old and stuck in a small dark room, and he’s feeling all over the walls but can’t locate the light switch, and the longer he’s looking, the more he starts feeling claustrophobic in there.

You make the mistake of asking him if he can call out for help.

“Have you tried asking? Maybe someone else can turn the light on for you…”

Eddie breaks down, elbows on his knees, face hidden from the group as he looks at the wooden floor boards through his tears.

It’s not your fault.

Eddie doesn’t expect you to understand the feeling of being so utterly helpless and alone that he knows there’s no use in even trying to call for help.

No one would’ve answered.

You scoot your seat closer to his, and lean into his side as you wrap an arm around his back, fingers curling around his shoulder. It’s nice. He needs it. He also knows there’s thirteen pairs of eyes on him and he doesn’t know how to tell you that no matter how hard you’ll try, you won’t be able to actually fix anything.

“Let me turn the light on. Let Steve, or let Wayne– Robin… we can all help turn the light on. We’ll fly Wayne out, Robin too, and anyone else that you want. They can all move in, we have the space for it. Just… please, let us turn the light on, Eddie…”

It’s the fucking sweetest thing he’s ever heard, but he can reach for the light himself now. He can find it in the dark, and he can turn it on. The problem is that it doesn’t make a fucking difference.

Turning a light on now doesn’t change anything about his past.

Eddie gets asked if he has anything more to share. He sniffs and wipes his face with both his hands before he sits up and leans back and says, “Thank you, but um, no. I don’t. It’s this time of year, I guess. I know it’ll pass.”

You hold hands, fingers intertwined, as you listen to everyone else share more of their own personal issues, and when you leave Eddie puts his arm around you and pulls you close to kiss the side of your face. He tells you that he loves you, that he’s glad that he came, and he thanks you for coming with him.

You can see in his eyes that none of it helped.

Eddie lets himself sink deeper and all you can really do is be there for him. Be there when he wakes up and be there when he goes to sleep. You give him the gift of routine. Of healthy meals. Of pleasant walks outside. Long showers after.

It helps.

But it doesn’t fix anything.

You try your best at damage control. Talk to Steve. Call Wayne a lot.

And it helps.

But about two weeks later, Eddie starts isolating.

He had never isolated before.

Not like this.

He’s in his home studio, hyperfocussing on four seconds of a song he’s working on, and when you interrupt to tell him you’re going to go to bed, he says he’ll come up in a minute. He just needs to figure this bit out. “I’m so close, I can taste it.” Eddie smiles a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, and for a moment you think Eddie’s going to let you listen to his work in progress. He always asks for your opinion, but this time he doesn’t. He just looks at you with a smile that’s just there for reassurance until you leave him alone.

At 5 AM you get woken up by Steve, who softly says, “You need to come downstairs…” and leads the way for you.

“I got up to pee, and the bathroom is right above the studio…”

You find Eddie in the exact same spot, going over the exact same four seconds of music.

He looks like he’s being tortured, barely able to keep his eyes open. When you gently pry the guitar from his hands, his breathing changes, and you think if he would have had the energy to sob, he would have cried like a child.

“Let’s go to bed, Eddie.”

Eddie lets you take him upstairs, but then locks himself in the bathroom and when you ask if he can let you in, all you can hear are soft sniffles whilst the shower runs.

It’s then that you decide.

Something is different this time around.

Something deeper has bubbled up, and you know whatever you are doing here, in LA, to help him simply will not be enough.

You establish a plan and pull out two suitcases that you place onto your bed. You’re going to pack your bags and you’re going to go get him.

It’s clearly necessary.

Eddie is no longer letting you comfort him and you’re scared that the next step is going to be a relapse.

“What are you doing?”

“Let’s go get him.”

“I–… what?”

Eddie hasn’t slept, and his unwashed hair is wet from the shower he’s sat in for a while, and you’re very calmly and methodically folding clothes into a suitcase. You might as well be speaking in a different language right now.

“Yea. Come on. Let’s go. We’re packing our bags and we’re going to go pick him up and bring him back here.”

Eddie slowly moves to sit down on the bed, and he looks at what you’re doing for a moment before he sighs and softly says, “Steve’s already here… and Wayne is coming here for Christmas, we don’t need to–…”

He stops speaking when he sees your slight smile.

“I know we don’t need to.” You say and Eddie doesn’t like how you look at him with so much care in your eyes. He doesn’t think he deserves it.

Doesn’t deserve you.

“Do you want to bring both of your black hoodies?” you then ask, not giving him a chance to question what’s happening, and so he just goes, “Yea… yea, sure.” before he lets himself fall backwards onto the mattress where he shuts his eyes.

You let Eddie sleep for as long as sleep will hold him. Pack up both suitcases and let Steve help you book travel back home.

“Do you want to come?” you ask when Steve is on the phone to a travel agent. He is listening to the woman who’s reading him back information he’s just given her, so he can’t answer you, but he reaches out and holds your hand whilst you listen to him book two tickets to Indiana.

When he gets off the phone he reaches for your other hand as well and says, “I’ll watch the house.”

You give him a slight frown. “You know he’d love you to come with us… Wayne says Hawkins is covered in snow. We could watch Christmas films in the trailer… get Robin and run across Lover’s Lake again… or, call Dustin and, I don’t know, Eddie could challenge him to a snow ball fight and they could play–”

“Dustin’s 26 years old.”

“Yea...” you frown at Steve. “So?” you sound desperate.

Steve huffs a laugh as he rubs his thumbs over your hands. He grimaces a little before he says, “No offense, but… he doesn’t need us out there. Of course you’ve got to go with him, but every other person is going to be one too many.”

And Steve’s right.

The next day, Steve joins you outside as you’re about to leave. He hugs Eddie for a long time by the trunk of the car, and you know they’re softly talking to each other. You can only see Eddie’s back, and Steve’s face is hidden by all of Eddie’s curls, but suddenly you can hear Eddie laugh before he pokes Steve in the side.

You get hugged next.

Eddie doesn’t sleep on the flight. Just stares out the window and gets lost in thought. You know he’s not entirely sure of why you’re taking him back to Hawkins, but he’s also not asked about it again.

When your rental car stops in front of Wayne’s trailer, you turn the engine off and sit in silence for a moment as you both just… look at it. It’s four in the afternoon, but it’s getting dark outside already.

Forest Hills.

A surprisingly large lot of land that holds about twenty-four sporadically placed trailers; some of them neatly lined up, others facing whichever way. Wayne’s trailer was one of those ones, placed diagonally to the road, surrounded by dry grass for most of the year which was now hidden by a thick layer of snow.

Momentarily, everything about the image that you’re looking at looks like it’s 1987. Maybe 1988. You can easily envision a younger version of yourself running up to that same front door, it swinging open before you could even get up the steps, Eddie bursting through just to throw you over his shoulder and haul you inside.

“We’re here...” you break the silence, stating the obvious, and find Eddie’s hand to squeeze.

It’s a little silly, but it looks like he’s scared.

“Did you tell him we were coming?”

“Wayne?”

Eddie turns to look at you, slightly confused because, yea who the fuck else?

“Yea. I called Wayne.”

You watch how Eddie takes a breath. Watch that information settle within him.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

And Eddie does. Doesn’t want to do anything without you, ever.

But he takes a shaky breath and says, “I’ll come get you in a second.” before he opens the door and gets out of the car.

Footsteps crunch in the snow, and you watch Eddie, hands in pockets, rush up the steps to what used to be the trailer that he lived in with his uncle. The trailer that he found home in when he was about seven years old and Wayne had decided that his bedroom could actually be Eddie’s bedroom instead for a while.

A while turned into fifteen years in the blink of an eye.

You watch Eddie hug Wayne through the window. It’s another long embrace, but this one doesn’t part with boyish grins and jabbing fingers. Instead, you can see how Eddie goes limp in Wayne’s arms a little, and when he goes to pull back, Wayne just… holds on.

Just a little longer.

It feels a little wrong to be watching them like this, chin perched on the steering wheel, fingers hidden in your sleeves. It feels especially invasive when you see how when they eventually part, the first thing both men do is bring their sleeves to their faces to dry what has become wet.

Then, Eddie steps away. Slowly walks towards the room that used to be his bedroom, and he goes alone.

Good, you think.

That’s good.

Wayne didn’t understand at first, when you told him over the phone. That you were coming over for a strange, but important visit. But this was good.

It takes a while.

Your fingers start to lose their feeling a little as you wait in the car, but it’s fine. You are not the priority right now.

When Eddie eventually emerges from the trailer, you get out of the car, and wait for him to call for you. A, come on. Come inside. It’s fucking freezing out here.

Instead, you get silence. Eddie doesn’t stop walking to wave you over.

He makes his way all the way over to where you’re stood next to the car, and then, he hesitates for a moment.

Eddie can’t look you in the eye.

“Everything okay?”

You know it’s not.

“He um…” Eddie starts, voice trembling. “He’s not here.”

“What?”

Eddie moves closer to place a kiss to your temple, eyes looking away, over the top of the car, across the trailer park. “He’s not here. I didn’t find him.”

Eddie steps around you and gets into the passenger seat, and for a moment, you stand with both shoes in slush whilst you try to think of what to do next. When you look back at the trailer, you catch Wayne through he window. Gives you a smile and a wave.

For a moment you contemplate running over, up those same steps, to ask what happened inside. Maybe Wayne has answers to questions you keep asking yourself.

Before you can, Eddie roars the engine back to life.

You give Wayne a wave back from where you’re stood and round the car to get into the passenger’s seat. You can talk to Wayne later.

Back inside the car, you put your seatbelt on and look at Eddie for a moment. He’s got one hand on the steering wheel, the other on the gearshift, and he’s biting his lip as he stares into space.

“If he’s not here…” you start pensively.

“It’s quite the drive.” Eddie answers, unmoving.

“We have the time.”

“I don’t think we’d make it back here before midnight.”

“Hey,”

Eddie turns his head to look at you.

“We have time.” You repeat yourself and place your hand on the back of his head where you softly scratch your fingers into his hair. “You good to drive?”

You don’t get an answer. Instead, Eddie puts the car in reverse and starts backing out. Just before he’s about to fully leave Forest Hills Trailer Park, he stops the car, even though there’s no traffic to wait for.

“I can drive if you want me to–”

“N-no, that’s not it. I can drive, but I…”

Eddie stares. Looks at his hands and just sits in silence, going through it. Then suddenly, he takes his seatbelt off, opens his door and quickly says, “I’ll be right back.” and he runs.

Left in a car with a running engine and a wide open door, you turn in your seat to watch Eddie’s breath leave him in white clouds as he runs back to the trailer, back up the steps, back inside. You’re too far away to see in the windows now.

It only takes a minute.

When he comes back, jogs down those steps in the snow, he looks a little lighter somehow. Like running back towards the car is a little easier.

Eddie gets back in the car, and he’s all loud inhales and rough exhales, hands rubbing together because it’s cold and he just ran through the snow, but then he looks at you as he puts on his seatbelt and he smiles.

There’s tears in his eyes, but he’s smiling.

“Had to tell him it’s okay. That I’m okay.”

Somehow, Eddie is beaming and solemn at the same time, but you’re happy that something has changed a little. That he seems to get it. You sink into your seat a bit more when Eddie pulls onto the road and starts heading south.

Eddie told you once, years ago, that he used to live in a motel before he came to Hawkins. How that’s all his parents could afford, and even then, they were always fighting with the front desk about money. Always late on payments.

It was just one big room, and even though it was just him, his mother and sometimes his dad, there were always people in their room. Strangers. Friends, his mother would tell him. Sometimes she’d even tell him, this is your Uncle Frank, and Eddie would be forced to shake the hand of a man he had never seen before and would never see again.

Eddie spent a lot of his early childhood confused.

He spent a lot of his childhood hiding.

Afraid.

Alone.

He wouldn’t ever trust anyone. People told him one thing and then they would laugh together and they would do something else.

Adults were evil, and yet the world was made so that adults were the ones that had to look after him. That made the decisions. That told him, go play outside, even if rain was coming down hard, and Eddie would have no other choice but to listen. To do as he was told.

He was only a little kid.

When Eddie was seven years old, he got kicked out of the room at eight in the morning and got told to not come back until they were ‘ready for him’.

Like he knew what that meant.

No one had told him how to tell time.

Eddie didn’t go to school.

But he knew that being sent outside meant that he had to go find his own entertainment for a while, and so he did.

Eddie was seven years old when he came back around lunch time with skinned knees and grass stains in his shorts, and there was commotion.

Lots of people.

People in uniforms.

A cop car.

A kind woman who asked him if he had lost his way. If she could help him get home. Eddie had just smiled and said, no thanks, and had tried to hide in the spot where he always hid. Adults were not to be trusted, Eddie knew. No matter how kind they looked.

Eddie was seven years old when he got pulled from his safe space, his little hiding spot, kicking and screaming, and got brought over to Wayne’s trailer. He’d never been back to that motel room again. Had never even gotten close.

The sun has fully set by the time you pull up outside of an old, run down motel that looks like it should’ve been torn down ages ago. Most windows are boarded up, paint on the walls is chipping and what used to be a light-up sign has been torn down.

It’s a dump.

Just trying to imagine someone growing up here has you choking up.

Little four-year-old Eddie running around these grounds? In dirty clothes too big for his body because nobody was feeding him right? Being exposed to things no child should ever be exposed to, simply because his bedroom was also the only room they had?

Before you can let it make you cry, you hear a faint chuckle beside you.

It’s small and weak, but it’s a chuckle none the less.

“I remember this place much bigger,” he says, like it’s funny. “There’s only like… seven rooms.” Eddie counts.

You’re momentarily unsure if coming here was a good idea. If facing this reality of his past is going to be doing him any good. If it won’t just break him down even more. But then Eddie turns to look at you and says, “Come, let me show you.”

Eddie visiting the place where he spent the first few years of his life turns into him giving you a surprisingly pleasant tour of the grounds. He recounts the other people that lived there, the rooms he wasn’t allowed into. How there used to be a soda machine here, and how sometimes the older kids would ask him to get them some cans for free, because his arms were small and skinny enough to just sneak them out the bottom.

It’s easy to skim the surface of this place like this.

To make it about showing you around instead of sinking down past the layers of self-protection that would have him walking around here with wobbly legs.

Yea.

This is easier. Better.

All of the doors are locked, but it doesn’t take much more than a good shove of a shoulder for the locks to give way. For the wood of the doorframes to splinter.

“Entering the Forest Hills way.” Eddie grins, and you suppress a smile. It’s a lie. Forest Hills is full of all honest, all hard-working people. But, it’s still a trailer park, and thus, the joke is funny.

Without much care, Eddie easily manages to open every door he comes across. It’s dark everywhere you go, none of the lights work, but the streetlights out front provide you with plenty of it, and your eyes quickly adjust.

Eddie shows you the laundry. Breaks into a little back office. A supply closet. Some other motel rooms - some that had semi-permanent guests staying there too, just like he used to be one. And some that would have overnight guests that didn’t know about the draft that would make the door slam so hard, you’d lose your fingers if they got caught in between.

It’s almost joyful, how Eddie talks about his memories. He hasn’t got many, he was so young, but every time he comes across something he remembers, he seems pleasantly surprised at his brain’s ability to bring it all back to him.

But then, when you eventually stop outside room number five, he pauses.

Stops.

Stares at the doorknob.

You can feel how his entire demeanor changes, and even though it’s painful to witness, you know that this is why you came here. This is the whole reason you drove all the way out here.

Eddie takes a good, deep breath but doesn’t move otherwise. Just keeps his eyes locked on a rusty old doorknob to a locked door of a room that probably looks exactly like all the other ones Eddie had already shown you.

“Is this where you lived?” you ask, doing your best to make your voice sound as neutral as possible. You don’t want to scare him off. Don’t want to trigger something.

Eddie nods, a barely-there up and down movement of his head, and then he goes for the doorhandle, rattles it weakly.

Keeps staring at it.

“Door’s locked.” He croaks, like that had been a problem for any of the other doors.

But it does make sense.

You understand that the person who opened up all those other doors was Eddie in his thirties, showing you around.

The person staring at the doorknob now, was Eddie as a child.

Afraid to go inside, unsure of what he was going to find there.

Not strong enough.

Maybe only just tall enough to even reach.

But, you were strong.

You had witnessed how a little force had gone a long way with these locks, and after giving Eddie a second to maybe ask for help, because God, you really wanted him to realize he could just ask for help, he doesn’t ask for shit, and you decide to take matters into your own hands.

Before Eddie even registers you taking a few steps back to get a running start, the wood of the door has already split from the blow of your shoulder.

“Oh my G–” Eddie jumps, both arms reaching out to grab at you and to pull you close. He makes sure he holds you where you ran into the door, large palm cupping over the curve of your shoulder, and he rubs the skin there. Which helps, because, you’re not really hiding the fact that Jesus fuck that fucking hurt very well.  

Despite the sting, there’s a moment where you both see the humor in what just happened, and looking at each other, you both let huffs of laughter escape you.

“Are you crazy? What you do that for, huh?” Eddie pretend scolds.

You shrug, “Forest Hills way.”  

The comedic relief is so welcome, but it’s short-lived. You see from up close how Eddie’s expression drops. He goes from looking at his insane girlfriend with all the love he’s got for her spilling from his eyes, to looking over your head into the dark room where he used to live, and it all slips away.

You wait by the door.

Want Eddie to do this alone because you think it’ll be better that way.

You also truly don’t know what to do, so it feels a little safer to just… wait outside. You wouldn’t know how to help anyway.

Just like when you were outside of Wayne’s trailer, it feels a little invasive to look at Eddie as he silently takes slow steps inside and looks around. At the same time, you can’t really look away. If he’s going to break down and fall to his knees, you want to be there within a second to pick him back up.

Eddie trails slow fingers along a dresser.

Takes careful steps towards a nightstand of which he opens and then closes the drawer.

“Huh…” he comments. Looks around the full room again, sees it in different light as he stands in another corner, the lights from outside showing him different parts of the room.

He disappears into the bathroom for a moment before he steps back out, and he looks… confused.

Surprised, maybe. A little dumbfounded.

He gives the room another glance, and then turns to find you watching him in silence.

“This is really weird,” Eddie comments, both eyebrows raised.

“Yea? How so?”

“I don’t know… it’s different. It’s not like I remember. I think… I don’t know, I think my mind made this room the most terrible place ever in the world, but it’s just… it’s just a room. There’s nothing…” Eddie twirls on the spot, “Yea, it’s just a room. Nothing’s… nothing is scary.”

You swallow audibly, and hesitate before you speak.

“It’s not scary.” Eddie concludes again before you can say anything, and he raises both shoulders at you in a long shrug, like he’s trying to convince you that it’s all right.

You’re not the one who needs convincing though.

“Is, um…” you start, and you clear your throat, entirely unsure of how Eddie is going to react to your question.

After visiting Wayne, you think he gets it now.

He gets why you took him back to Indiana.

Eddie has let his eyes fall on a weird piece of wall art he doesn’t remember, something that maybe they added to the room after his parents had been kicked out, and he’d been taken away to go live somewhere safer.

“Is he here?”

“Huh?”

“Is he in here, somewhere?”

It takes a moment of Eddie looking at you before he fully registers what you’re talking about.

His gaze drifts towards the closet next to the bathroom door.

It’s shut. Both bifold doors closed.

Eddie stalls for a moment, and then he raises an arm to open one of the doors before he drops it by his side again.

The closet’s empty.

It seemingly comes from nowhere, the way your lips suddenly quiver. How your eyes well up with tears so quickly. You have to cover your mouth with your hand to remain silent; this isn’t about you.

Eddie is slowly taking it all in, looks around the inside of the closet. The stains in the carpet. The peeling wallpaper. The mismatched hangers, a couple plastic ones amongst a couple more wire ones. And then he looks up and finds the the little yellowed piece of string that hangs down from way up high.

He reaches up and pulls it.

An audible click is heard.

Nothing changes though.

No light springs on.

Eddie pulls it again. Softly smiles. Pulls it a couple more times.

Click, click.

Click, click.

Nothing happens.

You’re about to burst with a violent sob when you see how Eddie, entirely in his own thoughts, inside of his own memories, slowly steps into the closet and closes the door behind him.

You hear the clicking of the light a couple more times, and need to step away.  

It’s too much.

The visuals of a tiny little malnourished Eddie hiding in a closet unable to reach the string of the light in there is going to make you hyperventilate if you’re not careful, so you have to take a walk.

It’s fucking freezing but hot tears trail down your cheeks as you hurry back to your rental car.

It doesn’t take much longer for Eddie to step outside, leaving the place where he spent the first few years of his life. His long legs carry him over to you quickly.

You can tell that he’s holding back sobs until he’s close enough to crash himself into you.

Arms wrap so tightly, they almost hurt. Bodies wrack with silent sobs until deep breaths calm the both of you down.

It takes a good while.

Eddie is first to pull back, and whilst cupping your face, both his thumbs wiping underneath your eyes in a bid to rid you of your tears, he manages to squeak, “Found him.”

“Yea?” you ask wetly. Hopeful.

This is why you came out here.

To find the small version of Eddie who, even as a toddler, knew that calling out for help was a waste of time because the calls would go unanswered.

To take him home.

“Turned on the–” Eddie throat closes up before he can even say it.

“Turned on the light for him?” you finish for him, and he just nods as he presses his lips together to keep them from wobbling.

Eddie goes in for another hug, hides his face in the side of your neck and grounds himself there.

You can feel how he’s actively trying to steady his own breathing.

It works, eventually.

“Did you…” you start, still holding him, but falter for a moment.

“Did I what?” Eddie asks, sniffing loudly, pulling back after you nudge your nose into his hair.

“Did you take him with you?”

It’s such a silly question. Eddie can’t help the smile that carefully plays at the corner of his mouth, and his eyebrows scrunch up as he looks down at you. He can dissect the question that pops up in the back of his brain for the fourth time today another time. How can he even begin to figure out why he deserves someone like you in his life?

“I did.” He confirms, and you let the breath you were holding escape you in a shudder.

He doesn’t think he deserves you.

“Good.” you smile, and maybe things are starting to look up, a little. Maybe the universe is slowly starting to make amends with Eddie. Is starting to apologize for all the shit it put little Eddie through in this godforsaken place no one should spend more than a single night at.

“Let’s take him home then.”

Eddie cries.

Thought he was done, but he’s not.

He lets you press kisses to the skin just underneath his eyes as he closes them.

He lets you open the car door and help him into the passenger’s seat.

Lets you drive all the way back to Wayne’s whilst he cries, because this is the second time little Eddie makes this trip, from the motel to Forest Hills. But this time he’s not scared.

He knows he’s going to go to a better place.

A safer place.

To a person who will try his very best hand at proper damage control. Who’s got a nice trailer, and a room that will get turned into his own bedroom three days into his stay.

To a person who will join Eddie in the closet for those first few nights. Who will just bring him food in there, have their dinner hidden away together, and who won’t force him out.

Who will play silly games with him in there, until the trips to the bathroom feel safe enough to do on his own.

There’s never other people in the trailer.

Just them.

Safe.

Eddie cries as he remembers more. Thought he had forgotten almost everything, but he remembers so much. He can’t talk about anything yet. Not now. His voice won’t let him. But that’s okay. You’ve got the radio on and need to focus on the road, and you’re taking him back to Wayne, and all he really wants to do is sleep.

And you just drive, and hold Eddie’s hand as he clings to you, and this is good.

It’s good.

Little Eddie deserves the fucking world.

You think so.

And you know of a handful of people who would wholeheartedly agree.

Slowly, you think Eddie might start to understand where you’re coming from.

He was never okay and happy and fine.

Still isn’t okay and happy and fine.

But the light has been switched on.

There’s light now.

He might one day be okay and happy and fine, and that’s something that before today was the most difficult thing to grasp.

“We’re taking you home, kiddo. I got you.” Eddie whispers, soft enough so only he can hear it over the engine and the music coming from the radio.

“Let’s go home.”

---

The Taglisted

@almightywdm, @alwayslindie, @capricornrisingsstuff, @chaoticgood-munson, @dailyobsession

@eddies-puppet, @elvendria, @emma-munson, @emotionaldreamer, @everythinghasafacee

@ferfan14, @figmentofquinn, @gri959, @hazelenys, @joesquinns

@keikoraven, @kennedy-brooke, @kravitzwhore, @lovelyblueness, @loves0phelia

@mandyjo8719, @munsonluvrr, @munsonssweets, @nadixq, @niallersfreckles

@notverywise, @overthinking-raccoon, @pepperstories, @pinchofhoney, @readergf

@royale1803, @sherrylyn0628, @shizlac, @solzi1420, @songforeddiemunson

@sweetberry47, @take-everything-you-can, @thebellenouvelle, @tlclick73, @werepartnersnow

@witchwolflea, @xxladymjxx, @yunirgo

Add yourself

[absxntmxnded]

LET ME TAKE CARE OF YOU

—————————————————————————

origins!logan x reader

warnings: fluff, no use of y/n

Had this thought in my head and I read a shit ton of Logan blurbs and fics but I’ve never posted anything I’ve randomly written and I’m deffo nervous but fuck it I guess

—————————————————————————

You woke up to it snowing, just like the weatherman predicted. You needed to go into town to get groceries and other necessities, and having put it off all week proved to be a poor decision.

You reluctantly slid out of bed, from the safe, warm, space, and wrapped yourself in your cardigan before padding downstairs to the kitchen. As you filled your coffee pot with water you peered out the window to get a gist of just how bad it was snowing.

It was coming down, but not too hard and the visibility was still good. The tall pine trees that lined the edge of your property swayed with the tender swirls of snow. The sun was unsettlingly bright against the whiteness of the snow, blinding you from looking out for too long.

You poured a cup of coffee and settled at the dining room table, seated perfectly to watch the snow fall and the wildlife wake up with the sun. This life was not perfect by any means, but you knew why Logan chose to home you both out here. It was for comfort, safety, and peace knowing not many would trek through the unknown to find you.

After finishing your coffee, you made your way to the front door, slipping on your winter gear. Tall, thick boots now adorned your feet, and a fur-lined parka wrapping the last remnants of heat from your bed against you. You knew if you wanted to make it to town you would have to shovel the driveway now and leave soon before the weather got worse. With that, with your now gloved hands, you opened the front door and invited the bitter cold in. The wind whipped you in the face and it stung hard, but nothing you weren’t already used to.

You grabbed the shovel and started a path from the steps of the front deck to the truck. From there, you went up and down the driveway in straight lines, careful not to slip. You were so focused on the task at hand you could barely hear Logan calling from the front deck.

“Princess! What are you doing?” Logan calls. You turn around to see your boyfriend standing there, head cocked, arms across his chest with that ever present scowl across his face. You knew he wasn’t seriously upset with you but you never enjoyed seeing him upset. “Give me the shovel, you go inside and get warmed up.” Logan says while coming down the path you made.

You pulled the shovel out of his reach. “Not a chance Logan, I’m almost done, I can handle it.” You said, matching his stern tone.

“I don’t care if you can handle it, I will finish, now go.” He said, pointing at the house. You weren’t going to give in that easily.

“Logan, I am perfectly capable of shoveling the driveway! I used to do it when I lived with my parents, seriously I’m fine.” You appreciated Logan’s kindness to help you with everything, but sometimes you just really wanted to show him how independent you were.

Logan places his hands on your shoulders. dusting the snow off. “Darlin, I know you’re capable of shoveling the driveway. You’re capable of a lot of things, but you live with me now. I’m taking care of you now, so I do this, okay?” You felt your heart swell and you couldn’t even think of where to begin what to say. Your whole life, you were the person everyone else relied on. The feeling of gratitude and love filled your chest and soon your eyes. You stammered, not even knowing how to respond to Logan.

He didn’t even give you a chance to answer before he picked you up and slung you over his shoulders like you weighed nothing. “Logan!” you screeched, “Put me down!” You were giggling and smacking Logan’s back, but that was hardly a deterrent to him. He effortlessly carried you back into the house, placing you by the wood stove to heat you quicker. Carefully, he undressed your winter gear and clothes, laying them on the back of the couch to dry. You allowed him this moment in caring for you, because you knew deep down this was mending broken pieces of him, slowly but surely.

Before you knew it, you were down to your undies and bra, being hoisted over Logan’s shoulder again, this time being taken upstairs. “Logan! I can walk!”

“I know darlin.”

Logan set you down gently on the bed and turned to rummage through his drawers. He turned back around holding sweatpants and a sweatshirt, which were clearly his. A toothy grinned crossed his face as he walked to you. He first put the sweatpants on you, sliding them over each foot and up to your hips. Then he carefully pulled the oversized hoodie over you. Last, to finish off your look, he brought out the warmest cabin socks he could find, carefully slipping those on as well. He stepped back and gave a once over of his job. You couldn’t help but break out into laughter.

“Whats’o funny?” He scrunched his nose and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“Nothing Logan, you’re just going overboard, I’m fine, was hardly cold and I could’ve fini-.” You didn’t get to finish your sentence as Logan cut you off with a sweet kiss.

“Like I said before, you live here now. I’m supposed to be taking care of you, so let me. You don’t need to do everything anymore. I love you.” Logan held your hands and kissed your forehead before laying you down and pulling the covers over you. “Now you lay here and warm up. I’ll finish the driveway, and cook breakfast. Then we can head to town. Okay darlin?” Logan’s hazel eyes were surrounded by those crinkles you absolutely adored, and a bright smile only reserved for you.

You nodded. “Okay, Lo…” you smiled up at him, taking in his gentle features and soaking in the love and display of affection Logan was giving you. Logan leaned down and pressed a longer kiss to your forehead before pushing some hair to the side of your face. “I love you sweetheart.” He said as he moved to the door, glancing back one more time to flash a grin before disappearing down the hallway.

You weren’t used to the one being waited on and getting to relax, but living with someone like Logan made it easy.

[ladymoody]

can you make a story with theo and yn and they’re friends but we have a boyfriend and like he doesn’t treat us very good so we have sex with theo? i know its cheating if u don’t feel comfortable don’t do it���� thank u💜

OUR LITTLE SECRET

theodore nott x fem!reader

warnings: nsfw +18, cheating, swearing, dirty talk, explicit language, breast squeezing, fingering, p in v penetration, unprotected sex, rough sex, dom!theo, creampie.

word count: 2,7k

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ masterlist ; playlist ; characters list ; my website

mr. brown was on my bed looking like he was judging me. he was my childhood soft toy and I knew he would've hated seeing me cry for a damn boy. I hugged him - my dear teddy bear - squeezing him to my chest as the memories of what had happened with my boyfriend flowed back into my mind.

"you're a whore, that's what you are."

"all you do is insult me! but can you really face the matter and have a bloody conversation like a civil person?!"

"oh, are you saying I'm immature? bitch, have you looked in the mirror? because all I see is a damn child! you will never be good enough."

you will never be good enough. my brain wouldn't stop playing that scene and making me listen to that sentence all over again. I wasn't good enough and will have never been.

warm tears started sliding down my cheeks, I started sobbing and squeezing mr. brown harder. all I wanted to do was bury my face somewhere and stay there for the rest of my life, not wanting to see or talk to anyone. I wasn’t good enough.

but then my bitter look lit up and I stopped crying for a second, before starting again but a bit more softly. theodore. he was my friend and perhaps he could’ve helped me.

I picked up my phone and unlocked it, ready to text him.

💬 hey. — I typed.

theo answered within a few seconds.

and theo never read my last message. or at least from the SMS app, because I was pretty sure he had done it from the notification centre and decided not to text back. I sighed knowing he was already in his car to drive to my place.

(skip time)

I heard a knock on my window but ignored it as I was lying in my bed, facing the opposite wall and hugging mr. brown. I thought it was the wind blowing outside at first, since it was raining, but the knocking continued and the sound of it increased more and more. I rolled over to glance at it and I immediately found myself gasping as I sat up, seeing theodore standing on my balcony.

I was on the second floor of a building, and there was also a small staircase nearby. I wasn’t surprised of seeing him there, I knew him too well not to know he was stubborn and eventually managed to come over, but I was concerned when I saw him completely soaked.

I stood up and left my teddy bear on my bed, making my way towards the window. “have you gone completely insane?”

theo smiled slightly sheepishly as he stepped inside, his clothes wetting my carpet.

“you know I’ve got a front door, right?”

“I thought your parents were asleep at this hour.”

“so what? was climbing up my window a better idea?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“you’re drenched, theo.”

“and you’re crying, y/n.”

I stopped and realized that I had been crying, still thinking about the discussion my boyfriend and I had. I quickly wiped away my tears and blinked a few times in an attempt to make the redness go away from my eyes.

“you told me to come over and-”

“no, I didn’t! I just wanted to chat. no need to come over, theo. ugh… you’re completely soaked in rainy water.” I walked out of my room just to come back some seconds later with a towel wrapped around my arm.

“here.”

theo took the towel and started to rub it on his head to dry his hair off, then he placed his leather jacket on my chair and continued to dry himself.

“what did that bastard do to you?” theo spoke passive-aggressively.

“nothing, theo… it’s nothing. I’m more worried about you catching a damn cold.”

theodore rushed towards me and grabbed my face — his hand holding my cheeks and squeezing them in a way my lips were all squashed. “if you don’t tell me what he’s done to you, I will ask him myself, and trust me, he won’t be able to speak again after that.”

theo had always been very protective towards me and I had always appreciated that. we were good friends and whenever my boyfriend and I had fights, theo was there for me. through time he started hating my boyfriend more and more, as I kept telling him the way he treated me.

“he was rude again. nothing to be concerned about. I just overreacted, theo.”

“no, y/n. if it’s something that moved you, it was something serious.”

“listen, I don’t want to talk about it, okay? I just wanted some company…”

theodore saw the look of sadness and vulnerability on my face, and he softened up. he sighed and loosened his grip on my face, then he weakly smiled at me before leaving my chin.

“come here…” he pulled me in a hug and I happily hugged him back.

“he doesn’t deserve you…” he murmured and I let a few tears slide down my cheeks. “shh… it’s okay, I’ve got you…”

I felt safer in theo’s arms than in my boyfriend’s.

theo gently pulled away wiping away my tears as he looked down at me. “you deserve someone who can appreciate you and love you unconditionally. you definitely don’t deserve someone like that bastard you’re dating.”

theo was right, indeed. but I loved my boyfriend and I couldn’t bring myself to admit I deserved better. I just nodded without adding anything.

theo’s hands were on my hips gripping them firmly, every now and then roaming from the small of my back to my waist. he was looking at me with those piercing eyes of his, and he was incredibly sexy.

“if he only knew how many things I’m thinking of his girlfriend…” he said. his voice a little above a whisper.

“…what do you mean, theo?”

oh, I perfectly knew what he meant. yet, I wanted him to say it out loud both because I couldn’t believe it yet, and because the thought of it was making me aroused.

“I could be a better boyfriend than him.”

“theo…” I wanted to sound mature, sensible, and disagreeing. instead, all that came out of my mouth was a whine. a moan of arousal.

“I could treat you so good… and it could be our little secret.” he pleaded.

“you know I shouldn’t be doing this, right?” I said as my arms automatically wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer than two friends should be.

theo’s hands gripped my hips more firmly, flushing me against him and making our bodies feel each other’s heat. I knew it was so wrong, cheating is wrong, but this felt so right… we together felt so right. theo had always been a good guy when it came to treating women properly, so I knew I would’ve put myself in good hands, yet it was still cheating and I felt myself torn between him and my boyfriend.

“theo…” I looked away, avoiding his gaze. but he soon grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his eyes. he didn’t wait any further and cupped my cheek, pressing his lips against mine.

at first, I was about to pull away and yell — “what the fuck!”, but the softness of his lips mixed with his aggressive and firm grip had me kissing him back eagerly.

he let out a low moan as he felt my lips moving against his in equal passion, and he bent on his legs — our lips not leaving each other for a second — as his hands grabbed my thighs and he lifted me up. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist as he securely held me by my butt and pressed me against the nearest wall. all my paranoia was gone and any possible thought of my boyfriend was no longer lingering in my mind as it was all replaced by how good theo was making me feel. I’ve always had secret fantasies about me and him because he was the only decent treatment I got from a male figure. not only did my boyfriend mistreat me, but he was also quite bad at kissing and having sex — his kisses were too sloppy and wet and I hadn’t had a good orgasm in MONTHS.

“all for me… you’re all for me now…” theo muttered against my lips between kisses. “I’ve been jerking off thinking about you every day… I’ve had dreams about you leaving your boyfriend, stripping in front of me, and riding me as an apology for dating such a dork…”

I mentally chuckled at his words, it was such a… unique fantasy.

“my god…” I moaned and he liked it. he broke the kiss and smirked, carrying me to my bed.

I giggled slightly and he grinned as he laid me on it and climbed over me. his right forearm was next to my head, allowing him to prop himself and not crash his weight on me, while his left hand tightly gripped my hip.

theo and I kept making out on my bed, until I felt his hardness pressing against my hip and I pulled away.

“I’m not sure we should we be doing this… if my boyfriend finds out-” theo cut me off with another kiss, and I couldn’t get the strength to pull away anymore. he just felt too good.

his hand slid up to my top, gripping and squeezing my boob. I panted and broke the kiss for a few seconds as I pressed my forehead against his. theo kept his eyes closed and smirked at the feeling of my breast in his hand, then he moved under the fabric.

“ohh! yes…” I arched my back. my boyfriend had never touched me like that — he always skipped straight to the act and didn’t do anything to pleasure me.

“you like that?” he murmured as he began to leave kisses on my neck. I simply nodded, not being able to do anything else for the position I was at that moment.

theo’s hand teasingly shifted down my stomach, leaving my breast all alone again — swollen, deprived of his touch, and sore. I wanted so much more. he reached my lower belly and played with the waistband of my shorts for a bit, and then he slid his hand inside my panties giving me goosebumps at the feeling of his long and slim fingers touching me down there. I let out a louder moan which was soon quieted down by his lips on mine, his thumb rubbing my clit.

“theo… ohh… fuck!” he smirked and chuckled to himself before slightly nibbling at my earlobe and continuing his trail of heated kisses on my neck and jawline.

“yeah, doll… be loud for me…” his hips moved instinctively against mine to seek some friction — I could tell he was very horny and I was too.

I shut my eyes and arched my back once again as I felt his fingers starting to stretch me mercilessly. they went in and out so effortlessly that I could feel my lower belly burn due to pleasure. “yes! don’t stop!”

“I know, baby… come on… come on my fingers… show me just how much I’m better than your idiotic boyfriend.” and there my walls coated his fingers, loud whimpers and moans left my mouth as I covered his hand with my juices.

“yeah! like that…” he smirked and pumped his fingers inside my pussy a few more times, before taking them out and bringing them into his mouth. he licked them clean while he looked at me, enjoying the sight of me all needy and almost helpless on the bed.

“I can’t hold back anymore.” he said as he sat up and set his hands on his belt, beginning to undo it. I was excited I might have let out another moan just at the sight of him freeing himself and he couldn’t help but notice it.

he hurried to take his pants off as soon as the leather belt left his jeans’ loops. theo pulled them down letting me see his huge erection pressing against the fabric of his black boxers.

“please…” I whined.

“I know, I know…” my eyes widened and my eyebrows lifted as I saw theo pulling his underwear down, it meeting his pants at his ankles. his cock stood so perfectly, throbbing and almost screaming to get inside of me.

none of us wanted to waste any further time, in fact, he immediately pulled my shorts and panties off in one quick move, allowing him to have a full view of my cunt. he lined up against me and thrust hard, not even leaving me a moment to get adjusted to his size — which was way bigger than my boyfriend’s. as he pumped inside of me we both finished to undress each other, eventually leaving us completely bare and exposed. he brought my legs above his shoulders and laid them there, his hands on them to keep them steady. I gripped the sheets, twisting them and pulling them as theo hit perfectly my g-spot.

“does your boyfriend fuck you like this?” he panted as he ran his hand through his brown hair, keeping it away from his forehead and the drops of sweat that were creating.

I knew my boyfriend had never had me like this. never. he was so incapable and goofy, that he put himself in the first place not even worrying about making me come. theo was being so damn good… I felt his big dick filling me so well, his cock head teasing my cervix. it was the best sensation I had ever felt.

“no…” I panted grabbing his arms and pulling him down on me so I could hold onto his shoulders. my nails dug deep into his skin, probably leaving a few scratches here and there, and making him groan in pain and satisfaction.

“I know… yet he gets this pretty pussy all to himself, mh?”

he was going so damn fast as if he wanted to prove to me he was better than my boyfriend, as if he had joined a competition, as if he wanted to claim me as his and remove the memory of my boyfriend from my mind.

all I could do was let out a strangled chuckle, very similar to a whimper. I know I was close.

“theo… I’m… yes! just like that!” theo chuckled at my moans, he enjoyed being shamelessly praised by me and he knew how good he was in bed.

“let me come inside you, please… don’t make me pull out…” he sounded like he was whimpering so I realized he was getting as close as me. I couldn’t think of any other answer beyond a simple “yes”, even if I knew he wasn’t wearing a condom and I wasn’t on birth control.

as soon as I permitted him, I felt his pace quickening — if that was even possible — and he bit my shoulder, burying his face in the crook of my neck. in a matter of seconds I felt his hot seed spilling inside of me, coating my insides and slightly dripping out of my folds and onto the bed. he came groaning into my ear, which only turned me on more and made me come right after him. our breathings were unsteady and rapid and I felt him slowing down, his cock’s tip gradually leaving my g-spot to pull out.

he kissed my neck, his eyes still shut while mine were lidded and my eyebrows curved in an upside-down frown of pleasure and vulnerability. his lips leisurely went up to kiss my jaw, then went up further and find mine to capture in a lazy, yet passionate, kiss.

his hand grabbed my hip and then rested on my lower belly, caressing my skin. “you drive me incredibly crazy…” he whispered between kisses.

“come to me every time he doesn’t treat you right and I’ll show you just how a real man can appreciate such a beautiful woman like you.”oh theo… what have you done to me?

[crappymixtape]

because of you • part three

PART I • PART II • PART IV • PART V • EPILOGUE // REQ -> @sattlersquarry ❝ an enemies to lovers fic with Steve? 💙 maybe they have to put aside their differences to fight upside down stuff and realize they actually have a lot in common 👀 • 18+ | ( 3.1k – little bit of king!steve, mostly angst with a dash of fluff, enemies to idiots in love, steve x reader )

B E C A U S E O F Y O U •  P A R T T H R E E 🎶 thick skull ( re: julien baker ), paramore ft. julien baker

❝ GOOD GIRLS DON’T CRY & GOOD GIRLS DON’T LIE & GOOD GIRLS JUSTIFY BUT I DON’T ❞

“Think she’s okay?”

“Shh!”

“What? No way she can hear us back here.”

“Dustin, ‘back here’ is literally a seat behind her.”

Sat quietly at a table seat in the Winnebago, Eddie looking on worriedly across from you, you were still grappling with the fact that you were alive. That you didn’t die. That you were breathing fresh air and free from the dark and free from Him.

For now.

And as the RV bumped down the road out of Hawkins you said nothing. Felt Steve’s eyes on you constantly as he glanced at you in the rearview. Eddie’s hand still holding tight to yours after he helped you up, afraid to lose you again. Dustin and Lucas and Max all talking in not-so-hushed voices behind you about what it all meant and if El could get back in time and was this all gonna be enough?

Voice thick and choked by the sobs that had felt endless, you’d managed to tell everyone what Vecna had showed you. Told them about Hawkins, about the monsters, about your family, about them. Eddie, Robin, Nancy Steve. And no one had said anything at first. The sounds of your cries filling up the RV. Stark against the silence and heavy with the weight of your words and they knew before you’d even opened your mouth that it was going to be bad.

Of course they knew.

But now that Vecna had revealed his master plan, the efforts you were all making just felt hopeless. The munitions stuffed under the bench seats and closets and cabinets, all puny and worthless against Vecna and his army of nightmares.

A big bump in the road brought you out of your thoughts and when you glanced up your eyes met Steve’s as he snuck another look in the rear view. And instead of glaring, instead of flipping him the bird, you looked right back. Held his gaze for moment longer and he didn’t shy away until he came up on a turn-off.

“Alright, shitheads. We’re here.”

“Here?” Lucas asked, more than confused at the thick forest Steve was now driving you all through.

“Yeah, this is it.”

And as the trees slowly thinned out, thick grass and wildflower blooms took their place. Creeping out ahead of you to reveal a meadow, wide and green and lush. A haven that felt so very far away, felt safe, and as Steve parked and the engine quieted you let out the breath you’d been holding.

❝ MAYBE IF YOU JUST GOT SOME GUTS WE’D KILL ‘EM WITH A THOUSAND CUTS AND SAY WE DID IT OUT OF LOVE ❞

Everyone piled out of the RV and got after their tasks. Pretended like preparing for the end of the world was totally normal and routine. Nancy and Robin sawing off the end of a shotgun. Lucas and Erica attempting to make spears from tactical knives and broom handles. Eddie and Dustin shoving each other around in the grass with their garbage can lids full of nails at their feet and none of it instilled you with confidence, but Dustin screaming No wedgies! did manage to pull a little smile out of you.

And for a split second it felt okay.

Laughter, the sound of birds, the feeling of the wind on your bare skin and all the green around you – so unlike the cracked and bitter feeling in the Upside Down and then your smile fell.

You wished He hadn’t shown you.

Wished Vecna had just left you alone. Wished for just a moment that you hadn’t gone to Max’s trailer and put yourself in the middle of all this, but then Eddie grabbed Dustin in a big bear hug and your chest squeezed.

Your best friend.

The reason why you had gone to Max’s trailer.

The reason why you weren’t going to run.

The reason this was all worth it.

“Ah, shit.”

Sat next to you, Steve sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. The funnel in your hands slipping as you lost focus and liquid trickled down your hands and wrists.

“Hold it still,” Steve quickly tipped back his can of kerosene and set it down to grab a piece of ripped towel.

A string of curses were muttered under your breath, so much for homemade molotov cocktails.

Cheeks burning with embarrassment you went to wipe your hands on your sweater, but when you looked back up at Steve he was looking too. Eyes searching yours, unsure and tentative. Moles dotting along his cheeks and jaw like tiny constellations. Skin gold like it held summer and when you blinked away the haze of him, you realized he was reaching out to you.

“Here, get that off so it doesn’t burn,” he said a little softer. Cloth in one hand, he took yours in the other and wiped at the kerosene.

Oh, fell from your lips. Surprised. Unsure. Your skin buzzing where he touched you and you swallowed thick as you felt your pulse flutter against your neck.

“Uh–here, you can get the rest,” Steve said quickly, like he’d felt it too and hastily passed the cloth off to you, dropping your hand to wipe his on his jeans.

“Thanks,” you mumbled back.

It was quiet for a moment as he cleared his throat and picked up his can of kerosene again. You followed suit and grabbed your empty vodka bottle and funnel. Wordlessly he leaned over to hold your hand in his and once it was steady began pouring again, eyes flicking over to look at you.

“I’m an asshole,” he suddenly admitted, breaking the silence, and you had to focus really hard to not fumble the bottle again.

“I didn’t say it,” you started and he chuckled under his breath. A low, warm thing that made the air around you fizzle and crack like bonfires down at the quarry.

“Didn’t say you did,” he gently pushed back, lips still tugged up into a small, wry smile, but it faded the longer he looked at you. “Listen. I know we aren’t…well, I know I don’t have a great track record,” he said and the change in his tone surprised you. Told you he was serious and you had to look away to try to gather yourself back up again.

"No, really?" you said, all sarcasm, and he huffed another laugh.

“Hah hah,” he joked, weakly at first, and then his expression shifted more serious. “I just wanted to say that…well, that you have every right to be here it’s just–” the boy hummed around his words. Dropped his gaze down to where your hands met on the kerosene filled vodka bottle and put the can on the ground.

Talking to you like this, showing weakness and vulnerability, made him feel so exposed. Uncomfortable. Unable to find the right words and his tongue jammed into his cheek as he tried to decide just how honest he wanted to be.

With you.

“It’s just–everything about the Upside Down wants to kill you and it’s like–” he sighed heavy and carded a hand through his already messy hair. “I dunno. How many more people have to die? You know?” and then he was looking at you again. Really looking, really asking, and for a second it made you doubt everything you felt about him.

Jock. Asshole. King Steve.

No second chances, remember?

“Can I ask you something?” you heard yourself say and you could feel the muddled mixture of nerves and frustration and anticipation buzzing under your skin. Everything you’d been holding onto all this time pent up and pushing against the wall you’d built around it. Waiting waiting waiting for you to set it loose.

“Oh–sure, yeah.”

“Why are you really here?”

Steve’s eyes grew wide and he sat back on his milk crate, hands squeezing at the tops of his thighs.

“Why am I here?”

“Yeah. Do you really care about Eddie?”

Steve’s eyes darted back over to where Eddie and Dustin were hammering more nails into their garbage can lids and maybe you were impatient or maybe Steve was stalling, but you didn’t want to wait.

“Cos you didn’t care about him before.”

“B-before? I don’t–what d'you mean–”

Steve was stumbling over himself now, struggling to own the words you put on him and frustration grew warm in your chest, but you tried hard to swallow it down. Tried hard to let him prove Eddie’s theory of change.

“High school, Harrington,” you started, trying to keep your tone even and calm. “Yelled at us in the quad? Tossed people’s books in the hallway? Threw fries at us in the cafeteria.” You paused, debated whether or not you wanted to tack more on, and then you thought of Tommy and it came out all on its own, “Let your friends say really shitty things to me.”

Steve’s gaze dropped down to his feet and he didn’t say anything at first, not a word, and you kicked yourself for even bothering to think he’d be able to handle it. Of course he couldn’t.

“You know what–nevermind,” you mumbled, capping your bottle and moving to stand, but his hand grabbed yours and pulled you back down onto your milk crate.

“Wait. Please?”

And the way he was looking at you was pained, the pinch between his brows deep, and it made you pause. Was Eddie right? The way Steve cared for these kids, for your best friend, showed clearly something had shifted in him, but was it enough?

“Wait for what, Harrington? So you can show me things are different now?” your voice was softer, but hurt, “Because Eddie swears you’ve changed, but you still sound just like Tommy.”

The mention of his ex-best friend felt like getting the wind knocked out of him. He knew Tommy was wrong now. Hell, he knew it back then too. Knew how fucked up it'd been in the parking lot at the school, but he hadn’t had the guts to say anything. Couldn’t stand up to him or tell him off because he ‘had a reputation to uphold’ and what would everyone else say if he went ‘soft on a freak’?

“I–I know. I fucked up. I get it and I don’t know how I can prove it to you, but–” he started truthfully, hand still holding yours, thumb shifting softly against your palm, “–but I am. Really sorry.”

Really sorry.

Finally. After all those years. After everything he’d said and done, but sorry didn’t fix it. Or take any of it back. Was it too late?

Reluctantly you pulled your hand away from Steve’s, his fingers flexing as they fell away from yours, wanting to hold on just a little bit longer but you weren’t ready.

“You know that doesn’t fix it, right?” you said quietly, glancing up at Steve through the long sweep of your lashes and guilt settled heavy over him.

He knew it didn’t fix it. Knew all too well that words didn’t mean shit, but he would be the first to admit he was a slow learner. Crawl before you walk. Hit your head and maybe something will suddenly make sense and when it came to you? Vecna had been like a sucker punch.

You were strong-willed. Didn’t take shit lying down. Were fiercely loyal to your best friend and just wanted to try to help and it had taken Steve a minute to realize – in your eyes he was still bullshit, but he didn’t want to be. It wasn’t going to be easy, not in the least, but just like you he wanted to try.

“I know it doesn’t fix it.”

His eyes squeezed shut so he didn’t have to look at you. Tried to make it easier on himself as he pushed through the discomfort of taking responsibility for his actions. Tongue running along his bottom lip, just like it always did when his brain was working overtime, he finally looked back up at you.

“I’m not asking you for forgiveness or–or to be my friend or anything. I just want you know I really am sorry. For all of it. Okay?”

Sitting there so close to him, your hands inches away from touching, holding each other’s gaze as you listened to the words falling from his lips in sincerity – it was almost too much. The wall you’d built around yourself cracking and straining against this new feeling that had settled in your chest, but the words wouldn’t come to you as your lips parted and you tried and pull yourself together but–

“Dammit, Eddie, no wedgies!”

Dustin’s voice cut through the silence that had settled and Steve reflexively sat up. Pushed himself away from whatever it was you’d waded into together. Away from sorry and the feeling of your hands pressed together and the look you gave him through the long sweep of your lashes and the way you made his heart race. Turned away from you and played it off.

“Hey! Less dicking around, more putting shit together!” he yelled at Dustin and Eddie flipped him off without looking.

“Like you’re doing anything important, big boy!” Eddie hollered back and the way it made Steve’s cheeks grow pink made your lips twitch with a smile you had to work hard to hold back.

“Shut up,” Steve muttered at Eddie, but mostly to himself, and stood from his milk crate to put your filled vodka bottle into the box with the rest.

You watched quietly as he placed the last bottle in and folded the cardboard shut. Muscles tensing and pulling taut as he worked, moving against the fabric of his shirt and you quickly looked away for fear of being caught.

Then your eye caught his nail covered bat tipped against side of the Winnebago and the threat of the Upside Down and all its nasties wrapped around you tight like a vice.

Oh.

Right.

The end of the world.

Just a few yards away Nancy pulled the trigger on her shotgun, the sound making you flinch, and it hit you like a ton of bricks – you had absolutely no clue how to defend yourself against this. Against Him. Against an army from hell. You knew how to throw a punch and knee someone in the crotch and you’d always had an arm on you from playing volleyball, but none of that had anything to do with monsters. Or guns. Or nail covered bats.

“Uhm–” came out mumbled, more sound than word, and it pulled Steve’s attention up from the box.

“What’s that?”

“Can you–er–would you maybe show me how to swing that?” you asked and it made him turn to face you, giving you his full attention.

“What?”

Your cheeks grew hot.

“That bat,” you said shifting uncomfortably on your crate, “I don’t think–I can't shoot a gun.”

Steve’s expression softened as he remembered what it'd felt like the first time he saw a demogorgon. The first time he swung that very bat into the side of a demodog. The first time this world had been exposed to him and he knew how overwhelming and absolutely crazy it all felt.

Grabbing the bat in his hand he gave you a small smile and took the few steps back over to you.

“Sure. It’s not too hard. You know, just aim and swing.”

“Just aim and swing?” your tone was flat, all skeptics, a defensive move against his kindness and it made him chuckle.

“Well, there’s probably more to it than that, but those stupid bats are thick enough when they swarm it’d be hard for anyone to miss.”

Your eyes grew wide at the thought of swarming bats and it made him laugh again, a half-grimace pulling at his features.

“Shit, sorry. Uh–here,” readjusting his grip he bent his knees a bit and dug his heel into the ground. “Just make sure you get a wide stance, yeah? Like, hip width apart? And don’t be afraid to choke up on your hold. It’ll make your swings hit harder.”

He swung the bat and the sound it made as it cut through the air made your breath catch in your throat.

“Wanna try?” the boy held the crude weapon out to you and you swallowed thick. Stood up from your own milk crate and tentatively took it from him.

It was heavy in your hands, heavier than you thought it’d be, but smooth. You did as he said and slid your hands up a little further on the handle and tried a swing, but threw yourself off balance and stumbled forward.

“Ah, that’s okay. Here, uh–” Steve stepped in behind you and placed his hands over yours on the bat, “–try again, but follow through with your hip. Your grip’s good, just don’t throw your full weight forward.”

The warmth of his chest on your back made your cheeks burn again. Made your heart race. Hammering against your ribcage as he slowly took you through the motion again.

“Then when you get to the end of the swing, follow with your hip," his voice was much quieter over your shoulder, words falling into your ear and making you dizzy as he tried so damn hard to keep his focus. Placed a hand on your waist to guide it and toed your foot forward with his shoe as he took a step. “See?”

“Yeah,” was all you could manage, the feeling of his breath on your neck trailing goosebumps across your skin and you couldn’t help it. Couldn’t help the way the closeness of him pulled your gaze and when you looked up he was looking too.

“Does that–uh–did that make sense?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper and you nodded. A small thing that barely registered and he was so close now. Close enough his nose nearly brushed your cheek, getting closer by the second and–

“Harrington! Where are those bottles? I gotta get ‘em loaded up!” Eddie yelled from the other side of the RV and the space between you shattered. Both of you stepping away as though you’d touched a hot stove and you pressed the bat into Steve’s hands.

“Should probably get ready,” you muttered and he nodded, cleared his throat and took two big steps back to set the bat down.

“Coming!” Steve called back as he scooped up the box of molotov cocktails, bottles clinking against each other as he walked away and disappeared around the corner of the RV.

King Steve turned Steve Harrington.

Steve Harrington turned something else.

Something more.

Something you thought you’d written off.

Something that held you so tightly now it made you want to run, but at the back of your mind, somewhere soft and warm, you couldn’t help wondering what might happen if you didn’t.

[ NOTE: THIS IS PART THREE OF A – POSSIBLY – FIVE PART SERIES, PART FOUR AND FIVE TO COME SOON ]

crappymixtape™ • steve harrington masterlist // stranger things masterlist♥️ reblogs and comments keep me going, friends! ily! ♥️

[wayfayrr]

"Wait no you're not supposed to get hurt."

First of the 400 follower raffle winners!!! took a little longer to write than planned but it's here! This is for @the-moon-files and it's masc!human!reader with the chain, it doesn't touch on all of the hcs I have for humans/hylians but it's made very clear that there is a difference :3c

[masterlist]

“Um, [name]? Are you sure you don’t need a potion, that gash you got on your leg seems like it’ll get infected if you don’t use a potion or anything other than bandages.”

“Thanks for the concern sky but-”

“Yes, I know most potions don’t work for us. It’s why luv and bertie spent so long perfecting recipes that have any positive effect.”

Us? US? After months of traveling with the chain, having to explain new differences between me and them sky decides to drop a bomb like this???? Is he messing with me or something? My face must have said exactly what I’m thinking considering he pulled back with a nervous giggle. 

“I forgot to mention it, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, yeah you did. It would have been very nice to know I’m not the only human here earlier.”

“Sorry, I was so happy not being the only one anymore that I forgot… to actually tell you. But really can’t this whole thing wait until we’ve dealt with your injury?”

That’s fair, I’m still a tad bitter over it but I can understand. He’s got a look of guilt and concern on his own face now, his hands twitching and half reaching for the gash on my leg before pulling back reluctantly. Begging for my permission to help with puppy dog eyes glancing back and forth simply begging for approval. Hopefully he hasn't noticed that it's a bit worse than just a gash.

“If you’re sure that it won’t just be a waste of supplies then go ahead I guess.”

“I’m certain it’ll help you, not as much as it would the traveller or the champion but it’ll help.”

The potion feels strange in the wound as he goes about applying it, it’s almost similar to antiseptic but with less of a sting. Not anything like what I thought with how the other links down them like it’s honey or something, maybe they just taste a lot better than they feel. Maybe they’re just different for humans. No way to really tell. Before long he’s finished with that though, moving on to simply bandaging it. 

“Skyyyyyyyy you’ve been over here hogging his attention for ages when are y- oh I…”

It seems wind didn’t notice the reason sky’s been ‘hogging’ me then, does that mean that sky was just watching me in the battle. Probably just cause he’s enamored by not being the only human now, nothing to look into beyond that. I’m overthinking it. 

“[name]? When did - Twi said humans are invincible, how did you - how did they - You’re alright right?”

“I’m alright kiddo, sky’s just been helping me with some of his own potions.”

“Wait twi’s been saying what?”

Seems Sky’s just as shocked as I am, he wouldn’t have said anything otherwise, so this isn’t commonly known. Or true but that’s another thing. Was it his attempt at getting wind to not be so wound up that most potions and magic is about as effective on me as carrying water in a sieve. But that just means that if something were to happen, like maybe y’know - right now, he’s going to get more messed up than otherwise. Twilight wouldn’t do that, he’s a bit dense sometimes but he loves the sailor like a brother. Does that mean this is just something he believes himself? He grew up in ordon it’s not impossible.

“Wind please when did Twilight say that?”

“He said it when we found out [name] is a human, why are you so bothered by what twi is saying about him?” 

“I think sky is just worried about any rumours going around, no need to snap at him for it.”

“Yeah, just worried about rumours, yeah.”

“Well if anyone should be worried about those ‘rumours’ it should be ME - what if… what if you got hurt worse… we wouldn’t be able to - we wouldn’t know… even if we were to use a potion it'd just blend in with your blood and we could miss places...”

The exact reason why twilight shouldn’t have told wind this is happening right now, and I don’t know how to comfort him. He’s crying and stressed over me getting hurt despite sky-treating it, despite me being fine. It’s not like it’s just wind upset either, I don’t think I’ve seen sky so stressed in all the time I’ve known him. It’s almost like he’s been caught in a lie, wait now that I think about it his ears look hylian, has he not told the chain either? Too many questions and not enough time or words to get all the answers. And he knows I want them.

“I- I’m going to tell wild that he’ll need to make some more potions. I’ll send twi over as well if he’s not busy with anything else. Your leg should be fine now, just don’t move too quick or take the bandages off unless it’s to replace them with clean ones.”

And now sky’s gone, leaving me with an overwhelmed wind. Who looks honestly more confused over Sky leaving the way he did than upset over me being hurt, which is somewhat of an improvement I guess? It’s better than having him stressed out over a little gash. 

“Was it just me or was sky-”

“Really nervous? I’m sure he’s got a reason to be kiddo, who knows maybe he’s just anxious over me getting infected.”

“INFECTED!?”

Oh, I should not have said that, it’s like wind didn’t even consider that that could possibly happen. And now I’ve sparked his worry all over again. 

“hey I didn't mean to -”

“If you can get infected we've gotta be extra careful and and - [name] we've gotta tell time before he pushes you way too hard and something else happens.”

“Nothing else is gonna happen, I'm fine I promise you that.”

How long is he going to be pouting over me getting injured, it’s not a big deal, I’m not going to die or anything. 

"What're you two doin' that's causin' Sky to act up like some cuccos durin’ a lightnin' storm?"

“IT’S CAUSE [NAME] GOT INJURED, HIS LEG GOT CUT.”

His ears drooped faster than wolfies tail would start to wag if you offered him some pets. Which proves the fact that twilight wasn’t telling wind a lie to make him concerned for no reason, he genuinely thought that humans couldn’t be hurt. I - don’t really know what to think now, I mean it is good that it wasn’t him lying intentionally but how long has he lived with humans, how long has he had to learn that this isn’t true??? He’s what 24? Has Rusl or no one else gotten hurt in any of those twenty-four years? 

“Ya - ya got hurt ‘nd didn’t tell?”

“Well sky was helping me and then-”

“Neither of ya thought ta tell? Y’ain’t think I shoulda known?”

Is - is he going to start crying? I knew twi was pretty soft-hearted but to start crying over me not thinking to tell him about just a small little cut into my leg? Why’s he so personally offended that he wasn’t told any sooner, does he really care so much about someone he’s only met recently? 

“I mean, I thought that’s what sky was going over to you for?”

“I well yeah, yer right, that’s part of why he did.”

“Hey are we missing the point!? [Name] got HURT when you said humans were near invincible!”

“That really isn’t the important thing right now wind, I think twi only said that so you wouldn’t worry about me. Right?”

Go along with it, see on my face that I’m trying to get you to go along with this so that wind doesn’t get more stressed and just go along with it. Please. If he doesn’t then I will never be able to move on from this, and I don’t think that anyone would appreciate being lectured for something that you genuinely have no control over. 

“Right?”

“Ah righ’, wind you know I were only sayin’ that so you wouldn’t worry, yeah?”

“Oh sure you say that now, but before it was all ‘Humans were blessed to be invincible by the spirit ordona because of the goddess hylia’s hatred of them.”

“Aigh’, and I was tellin ya that so you won’t worry.” 

Well wind clearly doesn’t believe him, he doesn’t sound certain of himself either to be honest. But the sailor seems to be done stressing over it now, ran himself out of energy it seems. Nuzzling into my side with a pout. 

“Come on kiddo, it’s not worth a grudge with one of your big bros.”

No response, But a very disappointed twi now. Offended from me not apparently telling him fast enough or whatever, which just feels like a weird reason more than anything. Besides even that it’s not like he’s known me long, he really shouldn’t be as bothered as he is. 

“Wind please, I don’t think it’ll do me any good staying on the floor like this either.”

“...f’ne.”

Hinting at something worse happening did just the trick as I hoped and got him up onto his feet, while giving me the silent treatment as twi helps me to my feet. Just gotta hope that the break won’t get any worse now that I'm standing. Or noticed. I’m already lucky enough that sky didn’t pick up on it, because I know that the second anyone learns it’s going to pull us all to a halt. Hell for all I know he’s hiding that he saw it to go tattle on me to time, never would have known that he could lie so well so I can only hope he won't use it like this. But what do I know, he could do anything just to get some extra sleep in.

[wannab-urs]

Thermos

Summary: You go on patrol with Joel Warnings: fluff Rating: G A/N: Finally got an idea for this one. Hope y’all like it! 

Joel Miller Masterlist | Masterlist | Prompt Fills | AO3 | Kofi | Seasons of Life Masterlist

Patrol with Joel is never fun. The man doesn’t speak, doesn’t really even acknowledge your presence. You used to try to strike up a conversation with him. If you were lucky he’d grunt, but usually he just stayed silent. 

It’s extra cold today – the wind cutting, sharp, and the temperature well below zero. You pull your jacket tighter around you and brace yourself for the rest of the journey to the cabin. 

When you finally arrive, you tie the horses up. “I’ll check perimeter, you get the inside?” you suggest. 

Joel just grunts and trudges up the stairs to the cabin. Okay then. You ready your rifle and start the slow walk around the perimeter of the cabin. You find nothing and head inside to fill out the log book. 

Joel is already comfortable on the threadbare couch, sipping from his thermos. You plop down next to him, close enough to feel his warmth but far enough that you don’t touch. He holds the thermos out to you and you take it. You’re expecting bitter “coffee” at best, whiskey at worst. But when the mug touches your lips you inhale the scent of chocolate. 

You think you must be going crazy, it can’t be, but you take a sip and it is. 

“Joel, where the fuck did you get hot chocolate?” 

“Found it on patrol with Jesse. Thought you’d like it.”

You’re stunned into silence. Hot chocolate and near full sentences from Joel. You must be dreaming. 

“Thank you… that was very thoughtful.”

Joel shrugs, shakes his head when you offer the mug back to him. 

“You take it. I have more at the house.” 

Maybe Joel isn’t as much of an asshole as you thought. 

@fanfictionoverload

[wynnyfryd]

Trailer park Steve AU part 58

part 1 | part 57 | ao3

@steddie-island said i wasn't allowed to cut this lol. cw: angst, canon typical horror, mentions of minor character death

“Lucas called me a ghost today.”

Steve almost laughs, bitter and sharp. Sure. Why not? What’s one more ghost in his passenger seat?

He doesn't really want to talk to her right now, if he's honest. It's been fifteen minutes and she still hasn't apologized for trying to rob him, or explained where they're going, or what spooked her, or why this car ride was so urgent that he had to risk his job for it — a job he actually needs, considering his, well, everything. She's hardly said anything beyond the occasional "turn here" or "next left" while sulking with her forehead pressed against the window.

But he can tell she has something she needs to get off her chest, so he swallows his annoyance and offers, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she says back. Doesn't elaborate.

He gives her another minute to gather her words, watches her open and close her mouth a few times in his periphery, but nothing comes out. She scoffs at herself and abruptly changes the subject. “Eddie was being extra… well, extra today.”

“Was he?” Steve asks, his bones itching under his skin. He doesn't want to talk about Eddie. Doesn't want to think his name.

“Yeah, he, uh- he was kinda manic? He was, like, running all over the cafeteria and starting shit with Jason Carver...” And he's only half-listening, anger simmering as she goes on and on, because she promised that Dustin didn't put her up to this. Said that this wasn't some bullshit excuse to get him to talk about Eddie or hang out with Eddie or think about Eddie or kiss and make up with fucking Eddie, and now she's just talking about him, and it-

And it hurts; god, it still just hurts—

"....Then he started rambling about how he can’t wait to get the hell out of here when he graduates.”

Searing-stabbing-burning-sharp. Steve clutches at the flare of pain in his chest, the crushed soda-can feeling where his heart's supposed to be. His head pounds. He follows her next direction onto a winding, tree-lined road, the canopy suffocating overhead, and his skin feels too dry — too tight, too small, shrink-wrapping him inside of it, because he knows where they are now. Knows the tilt of the rusted lamp shade, the shape of the weather brick paths. He's tasted the metal tang of this stop sign in his nightmares.

Fuck. Fuck.

"Cool," he grits out as he drives through the cemetery gates. Past stone and wrought iron, past the empty central fountain. He hasn't been here since July. “Good for him.”

“Steve-"

“Why are you telling me this?" he snaps. He throws the car in park under an old oak and turns to glare at her, barking a frustrated, "Huh?"

Immediately, he feels bad for raising his voice. Feels even worse for the way she flinches away. The naked fear on her face, her hand reaching for the door. He takes a long, deep breath and lets it out slowly through his nose. “Sorry. Sorry. Just-" There's a leak inside him somewhere; some infected, gaping hole, and his stupid heart keeps pumping all his blood into the wound. "Why are you-?”

“Look,” she says sharply, "I know it sucks. To talk about him." She's staring at the rows of headstones up ahead, her face gone steely with determination, her shoulders squared, her big eyes wide and a little wet when she turns to meet his gaze. “But whatever you were— whatever happened, it just… it really messed him up.”

Good. "You sound like Dustin."

"Maybe Dustin had a point."

"Since when?"

She throws her hands up, nostrils flaring. "I'm trying to tell you that I think he still cares!"

“Yeah? He’s got a seriously fucked up way of showing it if so!”

“Yeah, well some of us don’t know how to show it!”

And oh.

Oh.

Silence blankets them like dust. Eyes locked; harsh breaths. This has nothing to do with him and Eddie, does it?

Lucas called me a ghost.

Steve sighs and slumps forward, his forearms on the wheel, his chin resting on his wrist. The late afternoon sun is warm through the glass, and his head gives another nasty throb as he looks out over the hill, at the polished stones glinting in the golden hour rays.

His dad is buried here.

A lot of people are.

“Hey,” he murmurs, rolling his neck to look at her. The skin under her eyes is red. "Sorry for yelling."

She sniffs quietly. "Me, too."

He reaches over and gives her hand a quick squeeze, keeping his voice low and gentle. "You know you can just talk to me, right? Max, talk to me. Please.”

Her bottom lip quivers. “It’s nothing, okay?” She sinks down in her seat, crossing her arms to shield herself. “Shit’s just been… it’s just been weird all week. Like- like bad weird, and I don't know if I'm just going crazy, or— I mean, maybe Ms. Kelley's right, maybe's it's just— but it feels like…”

"Like what?"

She holds a hand out flat in front of her; flips her wrist over slowly so her palm faces the sky.

Steve's blood runs cold. He thinks of his own nightmares: the weird visions, the headaches, the persistent haunted feeling.

"I don't know anything for sure," she insists, rushing to reassure him before he can fully start to panic. "Seriously, don't freak out; I haven't, like, seen any gates or anything, it's just— bad dreams. Nose bleeds. I don't know." She hoists her backpack onto her shoulder. "I thought coming here might help."

He catches her by the arm, raking his eyes over her face, looking for any signs of danger. "Is there anything I can do?"

She shakes her head no and tugs free of his grip, and then she's slipping out of the car, letting the door fall shut behind her, and Steve watches her crest the hill while sirens wail inside his head.

—

part 59

tag list in separate reblogs under '#trailer park steve au taglist' if you'd like to filter that content. if you want to be added please comment and let me know (must be over 21; please either verify in the comment or have your age visible on your blog)

[teruzenji]

GHOST OF YOU ft shōyō hinata + fem!reader

A relationship is supposed to be a joint effort, so why did it feel like you were the only one in it?

cw swearing, timeskip!hinata, brazil!hinata, ooc hinata, angst, hurt / no comfort, alcohol, blood, not proofread

wc 1k

THE NIGHT AIR FELT cool against her skin, the cold metal and rust of the balcony’s railing pressed firmly against her skin. The lights of her hotel room were off, a deafening silence against the city’s blaring noise.

She was used to the city noises, the people yelling on the street below her, the sound of honking and the smell of air polluted by a mix of the salty ocean breeze, street food from the vendors outside, and sewage from the waste left outdoors. It wasn’t too far off from the noise and smell of Bunkyō, and she felt oddly at home despite knowing nothing of the people or the culture.

The bottle of coconut water felt heavy in her hand as she brought it up to her lips to take another sip. It had been two days since she last saw him, two days since their last conversation, two days since the big argument.

She remembered the fight as clear as day, the way his lips pulled over his teeth in a sneer as he bit out words she never thought she’d hear from him. Words she never thought the sweet boy she met in her second year of highschool would utter.

He had come back to her hotel room much later than he said he would. She sat on a stool at the kitchen island, sipping on champagne from the minibar, the lights above the island being the only source of illumination in the suite.

“You’re late.”

“Hey!” His smile made her heart ache. She watched as he dropped his beach bag, still covered in sand on the hardwood floor. “Sorry I’m late, I got busy practicing some more with Heitor and some guys on the beach–why’re you dressed up?”

She knew he could be forgetful, but forgetting their anniversary and the plan they had for weeks knocked the wind out of her lungs. She gripped her champagne flute hard.

“Of course.”

“Of course what?”

“I never expected you to forget, Hinata.” She was sure she cut into him by calling him by his last name, something she hadn’t done since before they were friends. 

“Hinata? What do you–oh. Our date. I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you, we can go somewhere tomorrow.” 

She felt a bitter laugh build up in her chest. She was sure the grip she had on the glass would break it.

“I don’t need your pity apologies. We both know volleyball’s the most important thing in your life, isn’t it, Hinata?” 

He frowned. “That’s not true, you’re important, too.” 

“Oh really.” 

“Yes?” He said it as though it was a question, she bit her cheek, she could feel blood in her mouth.

“Bullshit! I feel like an afterthought to you! Like I only exist in the gaps when you’re bored, nothing else to do!”

“C’mon that’s not fair! You know this isn’t just some mere hobby–it’s my dream! You know how much this means to me! You knew what you signed up for when we got together!” His voice grew louder with every sentence, he was always loud but she had never seen him in such a state. 

A part of her felt bad, it’s true it was his dream. She knew this going into the relationship, she knew this when he had first told her he wanted to come to Brazil, play beach volleyball to become better at indoor volleyball when he came back to Japan. She knew how serious about volleyball he was. But on the same token, she couldn’t continue on living like she was just an afterthought, like her feelings would constantly be on the backburner.

“And where do I fit into, in this dream of yours?” Her question was short, but it spoke words she didn’t say out loud. She didn’t fit into his dream, she knew it, and she was certain he did.

“You fit in.” His voice was meek and she didn’t know if he was trying to convince her, or himself.

“No, I’m just…here. A place holder. Convenient when you need me, invisible the rest.”

“What do you want me to do? Quit? Throw everything away because you’re upset I can’t hold your hand all the time?”

That stung. She sat there stunned at his sudden outburst.

“You do matter! But apparently, that’s not enough for you, is it? You want me to drop everything just to prove it? You want me to stop being me?” He spat out, venom practically burning her. She tried to rationalize it, he’s stressed. She brought up this argument at the wrong time.

“No, I just want an ounce of your time. That’s all I’m asking for.” Her voice was quiet when she spoke. “I just want you to care about this relationship half as much as you care about volleyball, is that too much to ask?”

“That’s not fair! I’ve worked my whole life for this, and now that I’m finally getting somewhere, you’re trying to guilt me into feeling bad about it? I don’t have time to sit around and babysit your feelings!”

“Babysit? Is that all I am to you? A burden? A chore?”

“What if it is? You don’t get it. I can’t slow down. I can’t just stop because you’re upset. If that’s what you need, then maybe you should find someone who has the time to give you that!”

“You don’t mean that, Shō.” But her attempt was futile, he had already picked up his bag and walked out the door he had come through.

The glass in her hand finally snapped, digging into her skin until it drew blood and she was left picking up the pieces.

She didn’t know when the tears started to fall as she stood there, the air of Rio De Janeiro suddenly felt like icicles on her skin. Somewhere in the apartment, her bags were hastily packed, laptop open to a screen illuminating a plane ticket home; another tab was opened to her email, a half-written email originally declining a job offer she had gotten from her company asking to transfer her to their branch in Italy under a five-year contract.

She loved Shōyō Hinata in his entirety, but his silence was loud, and she was receptive.

@sahrii

teruzenji, 2025