#at least in the last non-epilogue chapter

[aparticularbandit]

okay let's try and get more of the second write of oaei done.

[juuuulez]

📰 | part thirteen: capulet.

info: Carl Grimes x Saviour! Reader, no pronouns/no use of (y/n), FINAL CHAPTER, canon divergence (i rewrote the ‘wrath’ episode), non-descriptive violence, blood.

summary: The Saviour-Alexandria war comes to a close in one, final battle.

guys i just wanted to say thank you all SO MUCH for loving this story, because it’s truly my favourite thing i’ve ever written….these two mean the world to me and i’m so glad everyone understands my vision

i actually loved writing this chapter, and i think the ending is really appropriate to the themes and nature of their relationship

i’ll publish an epilogue next, which will be the 6-year timeskip, and just wrap things up nicely so you know what the future held for carl and reader :,)

-> masterlist <-

Truthfully, you were a little nervous. It had taken a week for these negotiations to settle, and you were worried as to what state the Saviours were in. You hoped that Negan was doing alright. Strangely enough, you’d never been away from him for this long, not since getting stuck together all those years ago.

A meeting spot was decided, though everyone was still wary. You’d been cuffed again for safety, and carefully transported alongside Rick, Carl and Michonne. They kept a close eye on you, wanting to ensure that nothing went haywire at the last minute.

It was a large clearing, a small grassy hill with an oak tree. Hanging from a branch was a beautiful stained glass panel, the intricate design having become slightly rusty with time and lack of care.

As you stepped from the car, the adults left your side, trusting you in Carl’s watch for now. He held onto your forearm, walking a few paces behind everyone else, allowing you to gain your bearings.

But something didn’t feel right.

“Carl,” You whispered, garnering his attention. “I don’t.. I don’t think this is a good idea.”

There was a look of worry on your face, one that made Carl’s heart break a little, wanting to assure you that everything is okay, though he didn’t know if that was true. He knew how risky this plan was: a plan that he couldn’t tell you, for you’d absolutely loose it.

“It’ll be okay.” He ends up saying, giving you a small squeeze and continuing to usher you forward.

It wouldn’t. Not for the Saviours, at least.

Fortunately for them, Eugene was still on their side. He’d expressed how the Saviours intended on sabotaging the deal, in hopes of taking power and taking you. This awareness led Eugene to rig the bullets with an explosive mechanism.

Carl had been uncomfortable to hear it at first, but knew that it was necessary in defending their stance. He couldn’t tell you. There wouldn’t be a single universe in which you’d hear him out, and see their side of the argument.

Yet, he understood. If someone was threatening his father’s life, he’d react similarly. So, Carl kept his mouth shut.

As you approached the hill, the Saviours became visible, and it seemed Negan had certainly brought backup. You could identify a few of them as Simon’s men, and wondered how loyal they’d been since his death. Or… murder, you suppose.

The more you focused, the more you realised the sheer amount of guns they’d brought. All standing defensively, weapons at the ready. It started to settle in, and you remembered your long history with the Saviours. They didn’t do things peacefully. They didn’t take deals, there was no such thing as compromise.

“Carl, Carl, I’m serious,” You urged him, suddenly stopping in your spot, causing Carl to stop with you. “This isn’t right. They’re gonna fire, I know they are. We have to—“

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Carl interrupted, trying to calm you. “Trust me, okay? I know. And it’s alright.”

Something about that sent off an alarm in your head, a look of confusion crossing your face. You stared at Carl, eyes darting back to the others, then to him.

“You know?” You repeat, “What do you mean? Carl, they’re gonna shoot you, shoot everyone here. This is bad.”

The more you spoke, the more you seemed to panic, so Carl tried to quiet your tangent with a hand over your mouth. It worked, and had this been another situation, you would have laughed at the irony.

His hand doesn’t move, looking subtly nervous despite trying to calm you down. “You need to listen to me, okay? Just breathe, and—“

Whatever he was suggesting doesn’t matter, as suddenly there is crackling in the distance, loud pops as the Saviours attempt to discharge their weapons. Several guns break down into pieces, flames overtaking their inner workings as the mechanisms shut down and killing several of their owners. Those who survived were injured, their hands crippled and burnt.

You’d cover your ears to protect from the noise, if not for the handcuffs, but Carl seems to have a similar idea. He’s looking around, looking for something, before he pulls you down against the grassy hill, trying to duck and shield your body from something unknown.

“Carl!” You yell over the gunfire, “What the fuck is happening!”

Finally identifying a group of Oceansiders in the distance, Carl cups his hand over your ear, the one uninjured and still intact. You try to squirm away, but to no avail, confused and freaking out, unsure whether his hold was supposed to be comforting or threatening.

As you realised what was happening, it was too late to do anything. Molotov cocktails were used to alight the remaining of Negan’s army, the alcohol splashing at their feet and soaking into the grassy hill, spreading with reckless abandon.

“No! You asshole!” You scream, jerking your head away from Carl and trying to find your bearings. But being handcuffed, and your current lack of balance since the injury, you just end up falling back against the dirt.

“Hey! Listen to me,” Carl interrupts your protests sternly. He clasps his hands on either side of your face, keeping you still despite your attempts at moving away. “It’s over, okay? This is it. It’s done.”

You’re panting, looking practically feral, sweat beading on your brow and skin. Dirt is in your hair, stuck to your bandage, marred over the flannel you still wear. Carl’s flannel. Instinctively, you want to bite his hands, to do anything to get away.

But after everything, you know better. There’s nothing you could do to change this. Whether it be him, or you, someone had to face the music. Someone had to loose.

“Uncuff me.” You demand, chest rising heavily with each breath you suck in, still lying flat against the grass while Carl leans over your form.

He shakes his head, “I can’t do that. Not until we get back to Alexandria. You’ll get a house, your own place, and—“

You interrupt him with a scream, “Uncuff me!”

Though your pleas don’t work, Carl pulls your body up against him, trying to get you into a seated position. If you had control, you’d probably be able to hold yourself up, yet you remain helpless to his control.

“I don’t have the key.” He finally reveals, holding you up by your arms, unconsciously rubbing away some of the dirt that’s stuck there. “Even if I did, we have to wait, alright? I’m on your side, I promise.”

You’re on the brink of agreeing, of finally calming yourself, of accepting that this really is the end. Even your head begins to nod, a small motion, still looking a little breathless and confused.

Meanwhile, the battle isn’t entirely over. The remaining Saviours had seemingly submitted, abandoning any semblance of control under the promise that they would live, if they left for good.

You catch the end of that speech, confusion flooding your featured as they’re commanded to leave. The pair of you still sit in the grass, away from the main commotion.

Carl must have similarly picked up on the sudden shift in tension, his mind finally catching up with everything happening.

The realisation clicks instantly: if the Saviours are disbanding, they had no leader.

At the same time, you’re trying to stand once more. “No, no! Let go of me!” You scream, jerking yourself away from Carl even when he tries to help you up. You only make it a few steps before lack of coordination hits, and despite your hostility, Carl wraps his arms around you in assistance.

Carefully, he helps you over the hill, standing right on the crest. From here, the two of you can see everything. His breath caught in his chest as he realised that Rick had been shot, though he stalled himself from doing anything, understanding there was a much more dire situation at hand.

Everyone stood in awe as Negan essentially choked on his own blood, the liquid seeping from a slice in this throat, no doubt a critical wound. Rick stood above him, hands soaked red, dropping the shard of glass he’d used as a weapon.

It felt like there was no more air in your chest. Like you’d been thrown into space, the oxygen sucked from your form. You stood there dumbly, watching, mouth open but nothing came out. Next to you, Carl was saying something, but you couldn’t hear him.

You couldn’t hear when Rick ordered for Negan to be saved.

Nor could you hear Maggie’s shrill screams, begging and accusing Rick of betraying her.

Everything sort of just stopped moving. All of the noise had stopped, leaving this deafening silence and overwhelming feeling of pure emptiness.

Whatever happened after that didn’t sink in. Somebody had spoken to you, but you weren’t listening, nor did you have any clue where they’d taken Negan. Or where they’d take you. It was likely that you were told, but it didn’t stick.

The entire time, Carl was by your side. After getting into the car, he slid in next to you, a small metal ringlet in his hands. He unlocked the handcuffs from behind you, however had been instructed to cuff you once more from the front, shooting you a sympathetic look as he did so. At least now, he could hold your hand, which he did for the whole trip.

It was mildly comforting, some place in the back of your mind appreciating the gesture, despite the numbness that had worked itself into every corner of your body.

Eventually, you’d arrived at Alexandria. They took you towards the back of the community, to a house standing far from the others. It had been emptied of any objects that could be deemed weaponry, and was fairly bare-bones, but contained the minimum for survival. It was the first time you noticed Carl wasn’t around, a notion that allowed your senses to return slightly, offput by the sudden seclusion.

You allowed yourself to explore the area, opening each drawer only to find them all empty. The windows were barred, the door locked, leaving the house to feel more like a prison than a home.

Unsure what to do, you sat down on the couch, facing the door. It was comfortable. You poked at the fabric with your fingertips, trying to gain your bearings and come back to a place of consciousness, but everything still felt fuzzy and far away. Like you just couldn’t reach reality.

Hours past, though you weren’t too focused on the time. The only way of telling was when the sun had lowered, shadows being cast through the partially obscured windows. You hadn’t turned the light on earlier, causing the room to just become darker and darker, as you had no intention of getting up.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door unlocked with a distinct click, before creaking open. You hoped that Negan would walk in, that he’d be alright and he’d hug you and say you’re going back to the Sanctuary. Together. But that was wishful thinking.

Though when Carl entered the house, you didn’t have the energy to be angry. You probably should have been.

“It’s dark, isn’t it?” He comments, having instantly spotted you sitting on the couch. When he doesn’t get a reply, Carl knows that small-talk won’t cut it, that he’s messed up.

So, he comes over, sitting next to you on the couch. In another life, you would have probably punched him. Screamed and accused him of lying to you. But you couldn’t be that person anymore.

When he wraps an arm around your side, you don’t protest, allowing Carl to pull you against him. You’ve finally begun to realise just how tired you are, as you rest your head down on his shoulder, tucked nicely into his side.

“He’ll live,” Carl whispers, “And they’re gonna keep him in a cell. I dunno how long… but probably a long time.”

You give a small nod, just to acknowledge that you’re listening. It makes sense. As long as Negan was alright, that they’d help him get better, then you could deal with the rest later.

“Can I see him?” You ask, voice coming out a quiet whisper. They’re the first words you’ve uttered since everything went down.

Carl feels guilty for his answer. He wasn’t even supposed to be here, with you. “No. Not for a while. Someone’s gonna come here, live in this house, just to keep an eye on you,” He has to swallow to clear his throat, “And.. it’s gonna be weird, I know, but… you’re here, and that’s all that matters.”

There’s little protesting you can do, not in this state. The shock still hasn’t fully worn off, Carl knows this, so he tries to move away from the heavy conversation.

He shifts on the couch, laying down and pulling you with him. You settle there easily, head resting over his chest, though he’s wary of not putting any pressure on your injury.

“We should get you something to eat.” He suggests quietly, brushing back some hair so he can see your face.

You shake your head, not having much of an appetite anymore. “Can we just stay here?” You whispered, lifting your head slightly to look at him.

Carl feels himself getting choked up again. He doesn’t quite know why, as he’s glad that this is over, that Negan will be confined to a cell, unable to harm anyone. This was the best-case scenario for his community.

But he knows, in another life, this could have ended badly. That he shouldn’t have been so lucky as to survive. The idea hurts, a deep ache in his chest, though he tries to keep the emotion out of his face.

“I’m just glad that I’ve got you.” Carl ends up whispering, the words slightly vague and confusing, but they mean everything they need to mean.

For Carl does, quite literally, have you in his arms. It didn’t matter where your relationship stood, or all your differences, for he had you.

You seem to realise this, a smile finally making its way onto your face. “Dork.” You mumble, the slight jab helping Carl to smile as well.

That numbness fades, as you lift yourself up a little, hovering over his body as your lips connect in a kiss. It’s the first one since weeks ago, after your fight in the alleyway.

This time, it’s softer, and Carl places one hand on your hip and the other to the back of your neck. Your breathing slows to match his own, lips moving together in an almost tired manner whilst your fingertips stroke the sides of his face.

Tomorrow will likely be difficult, as will the next day, and the next. But right now, things felt alright.

That night, you fell asleep on top of Carl, the pair of you tangled on the couch. You’d wake up to his voice in your ear and lips against your cheek, and though neither of you knew it then, you’d spend many, many more mornings together.

Eventually, the noise would fade, and you’d find some sense of peace in Alexandria with Carl. Years from then, you’d even help Negan find his peace, too.

Life would never be easy, but it certainly felt a little better with each day. That was enough.

[xieliansbignaturals]

do you have any xie lian whump fic recs? 👁️

Oh my gosh, yes!! I just finished this one:

State Of You by Koiichaser_lucorinth (M, 61k, Past Torture, Starvation, PTSD)

Divine dragon Xie Lian has lived centuries as a scavenger, scraping through life by wandering the realms searching for a thing he dare not hope for. Horrible luck haunts his steps, and heartache has long since faded into acceptance. And yet, when another near-fatal wound drags him close to death, has that luck turned around in the shape of a human named San Lang? Long buried instincts start to rise to the surface, but it doesn’t matter. San Lang is already in the service of another dragon: a mysterious, powerful being named Hua Cheng. At least, Xie Lian thinks so...

It's SO good. It's pretty intense at times, but the focus of the overall fic is on Xie Lian healing and being courted by Hua Cheng.

And then this one is technically still unfinished, but it's just waiting for an epilogue, and the author has been very consistent with uploading chapters:

lay your wager (down to sleep) by BenevolentErrancy (E, 103k, Flashbacks, Temporary Brain Trauma, Rape Recovery)

Captured and incapacitated, Xie Lian has been enduring an unchanging routine of confusion and pain until he finds himself lost in a wager to the fierce Ghost King, Hua Cheng.

I've been mentally writing fan-fan-fiction for this fic since I first started reading it! All the noncon is in flashbacks, but it's pretty explicit, and it takes a while to get to the comfort.

Then there's this one:

you live with ghosts by feelslikefire (M, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Past Rape/Non-Con)

For a year and a half, Xie Lian has served--endured--at his Emperor's knee. As Jun Wu's personal pet, the experience has been more painful and humbling than he could possibly have predicted. But when a chance encounter gives Xie Lian the opportunity to escape Jun Wu's grip, he finds support in the last place he would have thought possible: the waiting arms of the most feared ghost king in the three realms. (Or: Xie Lian escapes a terribly abusive relationship and recovers with Hua Cheng's help, featuring hurt/comfort with Hualian happy ending.)

This one has a prequel that's just Junlian noncon, but I haven't read that one in a while. I really liked the description of Xie Lian's recovery - Jun Wu's psychological abuse really took a toll on him, and it didn't fade away easily.

And I don't remember this one super well, but I remember it was good and intense:

a long day in yong an by ThreePlums (E, 65k, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Time Loop)

"Gege," San Lang calls, his voice oddly strained. He isn't looking at Xie Lian's face, his eyes instead fixed pointedly over his shoulder. "You remember me?" Xie Lian takes a few tentative steps closer. "Of course," he says cautiously. "How could I forget San Lang so easily?" "But you said," he croaks, and then stops to clear his throat. He shakes his head, and then quickly walks over to meet Xie Lian halfway. "Gege," he whispers. "You said it wasn't happening to you." "I said what wasn't happening?" he asks, matching San Lang's volume. "Today," San Lang says, finally meeting his eyes. "Haven't you lived it before?" -- Featuring: a thrice-sealed coffin, an extravagant parade, and too many osmanthus cakes.

Sorry, my whump tastes tend toward sex-related whump! (And Hualian.) Hopefully if you're not into that, you'll still like the other two. Thank you for sending this ask! <3

[thenerdykneazle]

The Nerdy Kneazle's Masterlist

Hogwarts Legacy fics featuring:

Ominis Gaunt Sebastian Sallow Garreth Weasley

Mostly x F!MC but a few others mixed in (M, GN, and silver trio).

Legend:

📈 = most popular fic for the character

Ominis Gaunt

The Scriptorium Omi x GN!MC | read on AO3

After a harrowing journey through Slytherin's Scriptorium, Ominis helps MC recover from being subjected to the torture curse. After all, he has personal experience dealing with its effects.

Amorous Tension Omi x F!MC | read on AO3

collab with @darch7995 Audios: Part 1 & Part 2 Two idiots in love brew amortentia together.

📈 Her Touch Omi x F!MC | read on AO3

Ominis had never been fond of being touched. Or, at least, he had few positive experiences with it. That changed with the arrival of the new fifth-year.

Left Behind Omi x F!MC x Seb | read on AO3

collab with @darch7995 | listen to the audio here Ominis is feeling forgotten when he discovers his partners have run off on yet another adventure without him. Can Sebastian and MC make amends with him when they return to the castle?

Sebastian Sallow

A Win Seb x F!MC | read on AO3

Sebastian has a creative interpretation of who won your last duel.

Slytherin Green Seb x F!MC NSFW | read on AO3

Sebastian is none too pleased to discover you've borrowed Garreth's jumper after his experimental potion ruined your usual uniform. Your duelling practice threatens to turn into a falling out.

Fast Asleep Seb x F!MC NSFW | read on AO3

(TW: non-consensual somnophilia) Sebastian finds himself unable to resist his curiosity when late nights fighting baddies cause the two of you to repeatedly spend the night in the Room of Requirement together.

Kindred Spirits Seb x F!MC NSFW | read on AO3

32.8k words | Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 On the cusp of a promotion to Senior Auror, MC is sent by the DMLE to train with the most efficient law enforcement team in Europe. She’s quite excited until she discovers that the auror hosting her is none other than her ex, Sebastian Sallow. Modern wizarding world AU.

Sallow Soul Seb x F!MC NSFW | read on AO3

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6 (additional epilogues likely) Seb's POV for Kindred Spirits. Starts earlier with Anne's funeral and goes past where KS left off. Makes more sense if you've read Kindred Spirits, but the first chapter (The Funeral, 3k) works as a stand-alone. AKA fate gives a heartbroken Sebastian a third chance (hopefully) with the witch he's loved since he was 15.

📈 Wild Ride Seb x M!MC | read on AO3

collab with @darch7995 Audios: Part 1 & Part 2 Seb is desperate to get you to let him back into your life. When he invites himself on your ingredient run, the simple errand turns out to be much more dangerous than either of you anticipated.

Garreth Weasley

Dear Diary Gar x F!MC NSFW | read on AO3

You stumble across Garreth's rather scandalizing diary while waiting for him to meet up with you.

Sweet Dreams Gar x F!MC NSFW | read on AO3

Garreth wakes up painfully hard after spicy dreams about MC. Unfortunately, he's neither alone nor in his own bed when he instinctively tries to 'take care of it' himself.

📈 Marry You Gar x F!MC | read on AO3

Garreth proclaims to anyone and everyone, including you, that he is going to marry you one day – despite the fact that you haven’t even agreed to court him (not that he's asked). Pure fluff.

Yule Ball Gar x F!MC NSFW | Read on AO3

You realise last-minute that your boyfriend isn't planning on taking you to the Yule Ball. A simple misunderstanding leads to hurt feelings, but talking it out (and the makeup sex) is worth it.

[all-weneed]

hi everyone! dani (@biscuityskies) tagged me in a last sentence challenge and because i'm just so obsessed with them, i am, for once in my life, following through.

this is from chapter 8 of None But You (Half Agony, Half Hope) my persuasion-inspired codywan fic and current pride and joy. this is my first published ao3 fic and really my first multi-chapter project for a fandom so I'm excited to be close to finishing it up.

Instead, Obi-Wan grabs Cody’s hand where it lies limp at his side. He curls Cody’s fingers gently over his own and lifts Cody’s hand to his mouth. With a gentle kiss to his knuckles, Obi-Wan continues, “and I need you to not look as if the fight is already lost. I need you to trust me.” Cody’s wide eyes stare into Obi-Wan’s own as he breathes out a quiet “always.” Obi-Wan drops Cody’s hand with a grin a touch too close to wicked for either of their own good, before he turns and walks away. He needs to find Mace.

so uhhhhhhh yeah things are happening!!! i am optimistic to get this fic finished before my semester starts (or at least, everything but the epilogue, but i'd like to get epilogue finished too), so keep an eye on things as i'll be working on this pretty non-stop now that i am fully moved in.

if you see this, i want you to post a last line challenge. and tag me in it if you do so i can see it :) love ya, bye!

[roomwithanopenfire]

Happy Sunday!! (Or something, there's still like 30 20 minutes left of Saturday here for me, but I've been tagged twice already and am in the mood for sharing) Thanks for the tags @monbons and @shrekgogurt!!

I've actually got a lot done this week! Been editing my Natasha Lives AU WIP which going well! And I flip-flop between thinking my writing is actually the best thing since sliced bread and thinking that everything is awful and horrible, but the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle, and I’m happy with that. I've also figured out a title! (Or at least I think, I hate decisions, but I've changed the name of the Google docs file so it's a step in the right direction). And I've finally split the last bit into chapters and it'll be 15 chapters + a prologue & epilogue!

I’m trying so hard to not spoil anything at this point and all my favorite non-spoilery sections have been used, but I still want to share something (sharing this snippets is the only thing stopping me from posting before it's ready atp adlfkj). So here’s six seven short sentences/sections that I plucked out of context based on their starting letter. Somehow most of them ended up being dialogue. See if you can catch the ‘pattern’.

“Vampires’ll be scared of me with this.”

Agatha sighs. “Yeah, because she clenched her jaw. That’s something people do when they’re annoyed, Simon. You annoy her.”

My leg hurts. And the stupid moon is still behind the stupid clouds. What’s the point of surviving a coffin if you can’t see the moon? 

“Palm up,” she said gently, guiding my hand with her own. She traced the lines of my fingers. “You’ve got fire mage’s hands, Basilton.”

“I’m washing up and going to bed,” Snow gruffed, grabbing his clothes with his uninjured hand. “Try not to drain me while I sleep.”

“Rat hands,” he says as an explanation, but he doesn’t meet my eyes.

“Everyone’s eating out of Natasha’s hand, but we’ll prove them wrong.”

Let me know which one speaks to you. My personal favorite is number 6 because I think it’s kind of silly without context. (Also I just need you guys to know that the fact that some are past tense and some present is on purpose, and I'm not just flip-flopping tenses😅)

Tags and such:

@you-remind-me-of-the-babe @facewithoutheart @run-for-chamo-miles (I haven't had any time to watch more YR, I should have just binged it all spring break 😭) @raenestee @artsyunderstudy @onepintobean @prettygoododds @noblecorgi @hushed-chorus @angelsfalling16 @thewholelemon

[waytooinvested]

Vengeance, Victory, and Undying Love - pt 12 - Epilogue

12th and final chapter of my Supercorp fic in which Lena still creates something called Non Nocere to deal with her broken heart after finding out Supergirl's identity, but this time she gives the name to a different project. A more personal one. And now she’s coming for Supergirl.

The full story is also available to read on Ao3

...............

The first few days had been intense, both of them desperate for the emotional closeness they had been missing since Lex’s bombshell, and the physical closeness that was proving to be a revelation to their touch starved bodies.

Lena had cancelled appointments and shareholder meetings recklessly, and it was only Kara’s ability to pull a last minute exclusive with Supergirl out the bag that kept her from being fired after the fourth day she hadn’t shown up for work.

They had spent every minute of that time together. Talking. Crying. Kissing. More than kissing. Until at last things had begun to settle, and they found that what was left was…

Joy.

Pure, simple joy in each other’s company and the fact that finally, against all the odds, they had ended up exactly where they had always been heading.

Of course, their bliss bubble couldn’t last for ever, and eventually they both acknowledged that they were going to have to get up, put on their big-girl pants (or really, any pants at all at that point) and go and make things right at their respective work places.

After that things fell more or less into a better version of the way they had been before, only now sleepovers after movie nights were a forgone conclusion, and their sleeplessness included much more than just talking all night (though there was plenty of talking too). During the first one Kara had told Lena all about her fantasy of the picnic basket and the sunrise, and while that particular dawn found them too busy (and much too naked) to go flying about the countryside, they got round to it eventually, and it was everything Kara had hoped it would be.

Even with the amount they still had to talk through and all the emotional processing that needed to be done, when it was just the two of them even the hard parts felt as natural as breathing.

It took a little longer with the others.

There was still some wariness on both sides, and the first games night Lena turned up to, nervous and clutching an excessively pricey bottle of wine as a peace offering, had been… strained, to say the least.

No one had actually said anything against her – had even hugged her and told her they were glad she was back – but the conversation didn’t flow as naturally as it once had, and there were more than a few glances at Lena and Kara’s linked hands, as if they all badly wanted to comment but had been told not to make a big deal over it.

It was difficult, and it made Lena want to ice up and hide behind her old Luthor-trained emotional defences again, but she persevered, and so did they, and bit by bit the tension eased until it seemed as if they had been able to paper over the cracks in their group dynamic and settle into a new normal.

At least, until the night at Al’s when they had all had a one drink too many, and somehow the conversation had gotten on to the subject of relationships.

Kara had taken Lena’s hand and said how happy and lucky she felt to be with someone she could feel fully herself with, and the others had smiled and agreed.

All except Alex.

Alex and Lena had had their own whisky-assisted heart to heart weeks before and had thought the air was clear between them, but now Alex turned to Lena and jabbed a finger at her with the sort of intensely earnest frown only achievable by the moderately inebriated.

‘You know Lena, I am so mad at you’.

Kara froze, glancing between her sister and her girlfriend.

‘Hey, Alex come on, it’s all in the past-’

‘No, no Kara it’s not. I am so mad at her’.

The whole table was silent now, holding their breath and waiting for whatever would happen next, no one quite knowing how to diffuse the pending argument.

To her credit, Lena wasn’t biting back. Her happy smile had faded and she was clutching Kara’s hand twice as tightly as before, but she was waiting, outwardly calm, to allow Alex the space to say whatever she so clearly needed to get off her chest.

‘I mean seriously. How the hell are any of us supposed to make a grand romantic gesture ever again after that? It has got to be the single most dramatic, over the top way of declaring your undying love for someone ever’.

She paused and grinned round at them all, seeming not to notice the tension she had created and the confusion that followed it after this remark.

‘Undying. Get it? Because she literally cured Kara of the one thing that could kill her?’

Alex laughed at her own joke, betraying the fact that she at least, had passed well over the tipsy/drunk dividing line.

‘It’s freakin’ ridiculous. Brilliant, but ridiculous. Still, I’m going to get my own back one day. When I tell this story in my sister-of-the-bride speech at your wedding’.

The tension eased, and a couple of people chuckled along as everyone realised that there wasn’t going to be a fight after all, but they didn’t relax entirely until Lena joined in the laughter and put an arm companionably around Alex’s shoulders.

‘I can’t wait to hear it’.

And that’s when Kara knew for sure that everything was going to be alright.

And also that one day, maybe not for years, but one day, she would hear that speech.

Because she was going to marry Lena Luthor.

[faroreskiss]

Unnatural Coincidences / Part 2

Parts 1 2 3 4 Epilogue

You have been in Hyrule for a while now, and some things just cannot stay hidden anymore.

General Info & Warnings: -This will be a four part story for now, with the last part being the most explicit. There is a potential to expand the non-explicit parts, if there is interest. -If you are under 18, please do not read this. You have been warned. -Italic words like this mean the words in "your language", as they are speaking Hylian with each other. -Feel free to comment, if you think instead of (Y/N) this story should be written from first or second person POV (or it should be an OC) Pairing: Zelda x Fem!Reader x Link

In the previous chapter: You had a steamy moment with Link, who you knew had feelings for Zelda (and vice versa). Now you have to go to work as usual, and then meet up with both of them in the evening.

_______________________

“Look, Link.”

“(y/n)”

They spoke at the same time.

“We should… probably talk about this, but you know I really need to go to work now.”

“Yes, okay, I agree. Let me walk you there, at least.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Oh Hylia, Zelda is going to be there. It’s even worse to say oh Hylia, because she literally has her blood. Would she get it? Man, this will be awkward.

They made it to the lab without speaking much more.

“Bye Link, see you this evening.”

“...sure.” he was a bit hesitant.

“I said, see you this evening.”

“Yeah yeah.”

She went in and joined Zelda and Purah, they were drinking their morning tea.

“Good morning (y/n)!” Zelda was beaming, her lovely cheeks just the right color of red, her bi-cut as perfect as always. She just made (y/n) feel fuzzy inside, only by looking at her.

She just wanted to pin her down to the wall and attack her neck sometimes with butterfly kisses down to her beautiful perky breasts.

Oh.

Now she was being greedy. Or, was it the leftover horny energy from the encounter earlier?

“Hey Zelda” (Y/N) smiled after hearing her beaming voice, without realizing. She was in conflicting feelings the whole day. First she kissed Link, who might have feelings for her, now she is lusting over Zelda. What is wrong with her?

“Girl, are you OK? Your clothes look a bit roughened up, did you roll on the grass with Link or something?” Zelda giggled.

(Y/n) started thinking about what happened, which made her kind of blush, but replied flatly instead.

“I fell down while coming down the path. Luckily Mr. Hero caught me. I’m OK.”

Purah gave her a look. “Yeah yeah Ms. Mystery, we see what happened. At least wipe the smile off of your face.” and chuckled.

“Huh?” both her and Zelda looked at Purah. She just waved her hand off. She could swear she caught Zelda’s face darken a little bit. Well, fuck.

Work went on as usual.

“Alllright girlies, I’ll be heading out a bit earlier. Gotta to and test this new auto ID feature myself after the updates, see you after the weekend!”

“Bye Purah!” said the girls in unison.

“Sooooo (y/n), will you tell me what happened now? I saw Link, but he just bolted out without even saying hi, both your clothes are in a bit of a rough condition, you are acting awkward.”

Well, isn’t she observant. How convenient.

“For real, I fell down and he caught me.”

Zelda looked into her eyes. What was wrong with the local Hylians today, all these intense stares. (Y/n) just avoided her gaze. Oh Farore, she was cute.

“(y/n)?”

“Yes?”

“You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I… I know.”

“So what about a girl’s evening!”

“But don’t we already have one happening tonight? With Link?”

“Well, yes and no. Purah already left early, so we can go ahead and start early, Link will be out a while still as you know. So,”

Oh well, she thought. What’s the worst that can happen?

“Okay then” (y/n) beamed, “Let’s do that.”

She loved how Zelda understood her, and did not press on.

This evening… would be an interesting one.

They made it to the cottage. (Y/n) immediately went for the cabinet, and popped one of the bottles open.

“Whoa (y/n), isn’t it a bit early for that?”

“I need this if I am to be able to tell you stuff.”

“So something DID happen.”

“Yes, but also no.”

“Okay… I’ll join you. Let me grab a glass and I’ll come upstairs.”

(y/n) sat down to the couch upstairs, it was directly looking outside, with a view to Mount Lanayru. The mountain they were hiking up to this morning with Link. And Zelda, possibly his fated love, was coming upstairs.

She took a big gulp from the wine, and then another one. Then she poured herself another glass. Now it was time to stall until the alcohol hit her.

Zelda arrived and made herself comfortable next to her.

“So! How are you?”

“Just fine, I thought my cloak was almost ruined, but it seems to be doing fine. The fabric is really crazy over here, give it a bit of time and poof, all the weird stuff on it is gone!”

“(y/n).”

“And you know what, I thought I scraped my knee as well but I guess I didn’t.”

“(Y/N).”

“Hi Zelda.”

“Seriously, you’ve been acting weird since this morning, and obviously something happened. Did you have an argument with Link?”

“Zelda, I really, really want to tell you what happened but I am so conflicted. And I’m afraid if I do, you might not want to talk with me anymore.”

“Oh come on, what can it be?”

“Look, I kissed Link.”

“You, you what?”

“Yes.”

Zelda was ice cold for a second, and then she started laughing.

“Not surprised!"

“What?”

“(y/n), it was so obvious you had a thing for him! I’m happy for you!” she was being way too overly enthusiastic about this.

“But Zelda…”

“It’s great! Two of my best friends, getting together, what can I ask for? Please don’t leave me behind though!”

The tears were building up in Zelda’s eyes too. Sad ones.

“Zelda. Zelda, come here.”

(y/n) gave Zelda a big hug, she started crying on (y/n)s shoulder. Ah, she was never the one to hold her liqueur...

“Look, I don’t want to come between you and Link, okay? You both are my friends, and we can just say it was a moment.”

“What do you mean (y/n)?”

“Zelda, I know for a… fact that you guys are meant to be together. It was very selfish of me to do what I have done. Please forgive me.”

“How can you know this?” Zelda’s voice was rising. But again, all the alcohol was already getting to Tori.

“Exactly how I know other things. Like having an “educated guess” on when exactly the legendary great flood happened. How I have a “theory” about the so called Hero of Time, him being related to the Hero of Twilight. Maybe I just don’t “get lucky” about these things. Some of the things are theories yes, but some, I do know, for a fact. But this one… This one is different. Not certain, yet important.”

Zelda was shaking, she looked confused. She was confused. She knew (y/n) had feelings for Link, yet she had feelings for both of them. At first, she thought she should be with Link, after all he is the hero of the Hyrule. Her knight. But wouldn’t that be abusing her power over him? He already sacrificed 100 years of his life. Lost his memories. Yet her heart also ached for (y/n). How perverse is she, thought Zelda to herself. They didn’t even know where exactly she came from, she never felt like (y/n) lied to them, yet there was definitely some information being left out from her end.

She still trusted her. How? Why?

“You know what Zelda? I already dug myself a grave so just let me say it all, so it’s out of the way.”

She gently pushed Zelda away so they now faced each other.

“I like you. In fact, I have a crush on you.”

Zelda tried to protest, but she put a finger on her lips and looked into her eyes.

“Just listen, okay?”

Zelda nodded, with teary eyes. She also looked a bit surprised.

“Yes, I know I kissed Link. That’s because I have a crush on him too. Yes, I am selfish and I am greedy. I like both of you! But I shouldn’t! I also know you like Link. Yes, don’t look so surprised now. Maybe I am a bit biased due to my background which I have yet to explain, but I KNOW.”

Zelda was speechless.

“Don’t you dare deny it either, I see how you lighten up when he’s around.”

Now Zelda was blushing. Then, she just couldn’t stop laughing. Alcohol was REALLY getting to her. She put her head on (y/n)’s lap.

“(y/n) stop. You do realize, I have a crush on you too, right?” she kept laughing between the words.

“Now you are just messing with me. I am dead serious.”

She stopped.

“So am I.”

“Yeah?” (y/n)’s heart was beating as if it is going to spring out from her chest. Is this real, she thought to herself. What a mess. Should she take advantage of this too? But… Not like they are little puppets. And, and she told the truth.

“Let me show you.”

Zelda straightened up once again. She put the stray hair on (y/n)’s face back behind her ear. (Y/n) was staring on her lips. She unconsciously licked her own.

Zelda closed the distance between them, and gave her a long, drawn out kiss.

It was then they heard the sound from the staircase. The kiss was broken, with Zelda’s one hand still cupping (y/n)'s head.

“Zelda, (y/n)? What’s going on here?”

It was Link.

[dotieeee]

The Dream That Got Away

Chapter 21

Pairing: Dark!Morpheus x You (no Y/N!)

**********************************************************

Link to the Masterlist

Overall Warnings!! Take heed:

Morpheus is DARK – in canon, he changes for the better (or at least, tries to – but we don’t do canon lol, so he goes even more batshit crazy) cue obsession, manipulation, possessiveness, powerplay

18+ ONLY – explicit scenes will be present, some explicit language

DUB-CON and NON-CON scenes

Character death (sort of)

Creator vs Creation drama

And other dark stuff that may be added in the future

This chapter’s warnings:

dub-con smut

Deviousness, manipulation and gaslighting galore

Barely edited, please bear with me

You have been warned!! Proceed with caution!!!

Link to the previous chapter

Chapter 21/Epilogue: A Sibling's Offer

You open your eyes to a million galaxies cradled in ocean blue.

The eyes of your creator, so soft, so benevolent, so full of affection. Slowly, your lips widen to match his tender smile as his hands gently cup your cheeks, so warm you could melt in them. He dips his head closer to yours as if his eyes could see nothing else before him. You could feel heat spread across your cheeks as he caresses your lips with his touch - he hums, as if in approval of your reaction.

“My little dream, you’re beautiful. You’re perfect,” with his lips barely moving, he whispers in a deep, velvety, hypnotic voice. 

“The entire realm pales in comparison to your radiance.”

Speechless at his praise, you watch as he pulls away, instantly depriving you of his warmth, his expression never changing.

“I am Dream of the Endless, the King of Dreams and Ruler of the Nightmare Realm.”

“My Lord,” you speak for the first time, in awe of your master’s beauty, wanting nothing but to venerate him for giving you life.

“My Mera, tell me,” your King says, a look of concern marring his ethereal features. “What do you last remember?”

You furrow your brows in concentration, but your thoughts land on mere snippets - glimpses of what seems like a former life, now long-forgotten; lines of tall, wooden shelves filled with books as far as your eyes could see, bodies drawn together, flushed in a fevered embrace, soft lips searching yours with hunger…

And you eventually giving in and kissing him back just as passionately.

The picture is suddenly crystal clear. You blush at the vivid image of you and your creator in each other’s arms, so you speak bashfully, “We kissed…in the library…”

Worried you might be wrong and upset him, you peer into his eyes in search of a sign that you have displeased him, but there was none - his eyes, sparkling with all the stars they hold, are full of nothing but adoration.

“My Lord, were we lovers?”

Your innocent question brings a shine to his eyes you could not read. He gathers your cheeks in his palm once more and brings your forehead close to his.

“We are.”

Your mind runs through the memory - the only memory you seem to have - in search of clues about your supposed relationship. You would never show it, but it frustrated you a little to have no recall of his love, especially when it seemed to run deep and with utter devotion.

“We loved each other, didn’t we?”

He closes his eyes and hums in satisfaction.

“You vowed to devote yourself wholly, only unto me, for eternity.”

He is gentle when his lips descend on yours as if wanting you to make true to your promise. Tentatively, you return his kiss and wrap your arms around his neck - he is your King, your creator and lover, and you trust him with your life, so you stay in his tight embrace until all that you know is his love, burning and all-consuming.

At the back of your mind is something telling you it isn’t right, but you pay it no mind: what wrong could there be, when your creator is by your side, ready to take your troubles away?  

***

You were more than eager to begin your duties, crafting inspiring dreams in your master’s name, but he himself was adamant that you stayed in the confines of his palace where he could always reach you. Even though you were temporarily taken out of commission, you took his orders to heart: the accident which robbed you of your former self was still fresh in his mind, so for you, it was clear that his actions meant he was trying to keep you from further harm.

But it also frustrated you a little - if you could just remember what had happened to you and why it happened, maybe you could help prevent it from ever happening again. You decide to tell him this one day in his throne room, where you find him sitting on the bottom of the winding stairs to his royal seat. Your king greets you with a small, warm smile - a rarity, you discovered, but which he gives you freely - and closes the book he had opened on his lap. Curtsying just as you get close, you open up to him about recovering your memories, to which his expression goes sombre before beckoning you closer.

“My dream, it is possible that your memories may never come back.”

As soon as you’re within his reach, he snakes an arm around your midriff and strokes your cheeks with another. You could tell how deeply saddened he was about you forgetting many things. There were, after all, memories he shared with you.

“Why is that, Lord Morpheus?” you ask, not at all comforted by soft gestures. “What happened to me?”

He tilts down your chin so you could look only at him. “It was a loss I almost could not bear,” he reveals while he traces your lips with his eyes and toys with your hair. “You met a terrible accident, my Mera. I wish for you to be spared the details.”

You run your fingers idly through his hair, fascinated by how soft it is. “And you saved me, my Lord?”

“I did.”

You let out a tiny yelp just as he pulls you to his lap and cradles you in his cloak. “I thought I was too late, but you held steadfast. I will not allow such a terrible fate upon you again, you have my word.”

***

He calls upon you to his chambers one night. You had an inkling what for when Morwyn gave you the word, and perhaps you had been expecting it; he’s allowed you privacy in your own chambers for months since the day he gave you life anew, but you were aware he has needs that have to be fulfilled.

Knowing that, however, does not make it any less nerve-wracking.

You decide to enter your King’s quarters early in the night. Thankfully, you find it empty of his presence, so you spend the next moments alone, circling the wide expanse of his room, getting increasingly anxious as you watch the night sky from his window turn from orange to purple, to midnight blue and littered with the glittering stars of your master’s creation.

You’re admiring a particular marble sculpture in a corner of his room when you feel the hairs at the back of your neck stand, and arms pulling you tight and pressing your back tightly against a warm, rumbling chest.

Gasping audibly at the pair of lips nipping at your earlobe, you whisper, “Lord Morpheus, you gave me quite a fright!”

“My apologies, little dream,” he says with a seemingly pleased hum. “I have missed you terribly.”

He spins you around and instantly places his mouth on yours in a heated kiss that makes your knees weak, so you hold on to his shoulders, while one of his hands grasps the back of your neck, the other you could feel stroking your back and fondling your dress ties. With his lips tracing yours and his tongue making yours dance with his, he takes your breath away.

Which is why even you don’t understand why you break it off so suddenly.

Is he going to be mad? You ask yourself. 

“I’m sorry my Lord, I don’t know what came over me,” you whisper apologetically against his cloaked chest, wrapping your arms around him in a hug and hoping you could placate him. You could feel your heartbeat soar through the roof and you could swear he could feel it too.

“There is nothing to apologise for, my dream,” he replies, rubbing your back in an effort to soothe you. He places a lingering kiss on your temple while his finger traces circles on your shoulder. Releasing a low, rumbling hum, he nuzzles your neck as he pulls you ever closer to his body, taking in your scent, an act that leaves goosebumps all over your arms.

“Lord Morpheus, were we…intimate in my previous form?”

Your innocent question does not seem to faze your creator.

“We were passionately in love, my Mera. We indulged in the pleasures of the flesh night after night.”

As if to prove his point, his lips travel down from your neck to your shoulders, peppering your skin with soft kisses and hot licks, all of which leave you panting in his hold and a feeling of wetness gathering between your thighs as you rub them together.

But, once again, no matter how good he was making you feel, you still find yourself pulling away from him. Breathless, you back away into a wall, thinking you’ve angered him this time, but you brave a look at him, only to see him look forlorn as he slowly approaches you.

“It wasn’t just you who I mourned for that day.” Stopping just a few feet from you, he reveals, “You were with our child in your previous form when you…when you passed.”

You clasp your hand over your mouth at the only information he reveals about your passing. His eyes, dulling at the pain of such an enormous loss, are glazed with tears unshed for your unborn child, and it was all because of you.

“I didn’t know.” You muster the courage to close the distance between you and place a trembling palm on his cheek. Welcoming your touch, he leans onto it, clasping it with his own and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. His grief was all your fault, and you couldn’t even remember. With tears cascading your cheeks, you say, “I’m sorry, I’m terribly sorry, Lord Morpheus. I should’ve taken better care of us…”

“That was not your doing, my dream,” he responds with the gentleness you know you don’t deserve. He kisses your forehead, then your cheeks, still wet with tears, which he wills away. He then captures your lips with his in a slow, searing kiss, and this time, you kiss him back without reservations, hoping you could share even just a tiny amount of the pain he bears.

It isn’t long before the kiss becomes more passionate, his lips more insistent and his tongue swirling around yours insistently. He suckles your bottom lip before he grows bolder - his lips make their way to your jawline, then to your neck, where he licks and nips at your skin. He seems to be spurred on by how your chest starts heaving up and down, for he starts biting the strap of your dress and lowering it to your arms, exposing more of the flesh he seems adamant about marking. Licking his way back up, his lips brushing over your ears, he whispers in a tone laced with hunger:

“There is no one else I desire, my Mera, no one, across all realms and dimensions. Just you.”

He bites your earlobe just as you feel his hands undo the ribbon at the back of your dress. For some reason, the anxiousness you felt before comes back, making you close your eyes and whimper, just as he pulls away to take your mouth in his.

You bite your lower lips as you hear a tiny, disapproving growl from the back of his throat.

“Why do you reject my touch?” he whispers against your temple. “Losing you was painful enough, so why do you spurn me and hurt me still? Do you not love me, my Mera?”

Sniffling and choking back your tears, you respond, “I do, Morpheus. I love you.”

“Then, grant me this.”

Your actions cost him his child. It’s the least you could do.

With your lips trembling, you give him a small nod. “Take comfort in me, my King: do with me as you wish.”

Ignoring the way your skin crawled at your words, you let your King take you in his arms and carry you to his bed, with your dress barely clinging to your form. With all the gentleness he possesses, he lowers you on the silken sheets, and with a single move, removes all your clothing, just as his own disappear in a wink - all while not breaking eye contact with you for even a single moment.

He takes a while to appreciate the sight you offer: you, bare underneath him, bashfully peering into his face. His eyes, laden with barely contained lust, roam your form freely while you squirm at the attention.

You love him, you tell yourself. You’re doing this for him.

After a long, agonising minute, he descends on you at last, his sculpted chest hovering over you almost threateningly as his mouth finds yours, and his hands rake every inch of your skin he could reach. You lie back down and take all of it - his mouth licking and nipping your jaw, your neck, and your collarbones, his hands groping and squeezing your breasts, his knee parting your thighs so he could nestle between them - you take them all.

You love him.

You let out an involuntary moan as his hot mouth finds its way to your nipple. Biting down and suckling, his other hand pinches your other nipple while your back arches further to welcome his touches. With your breathing turning shallow, your hips squirm underneath him, intent on finding more of the friction he provides.

Chuckling darkly, he pulls away, only for a brief moment, to chide you:

“Patience, my little dream. I shall have you soon. For now, I thirst for something only you could quench.”

From your stomach, he licks his way down to his goal: that increasingly throbbing mound between your legs.

You watch him as he teases you further by planting butterfly kisses on your inner thighs, then surprising you by biting down the flesh and leaving bruising marks on your flesh. When he reaches your pulsating flesh, already wet even before he laid you down, you let out an embarrassingly loud, high-pitched moan, unable to help yourself. With that devious tongue of his, he parts your folds at an achingly slow pace, flicking your clit with it as he does. He repeats the action over and over, before delving further down, licking your entrance and lapping up everything you offer. You could do nothing but cling onto the pillow on your head as you close your eyes, mewling at his ministrations.

But he squeezes your thighs in a warning.

“Eyes. On. Me.” he enunciates every word of his command.

Jerking them open, you maintain eye contact with your King just as he sucks your clit - it’s all you could do to come undone within minutes as he holds your hips down and gorges on the feast that is your elixir. Immediately, you’re thrown into a world of pleasure your current body has yet to be familiar with, and you’re left weak and panting, and somehow yearning for so much more.

“Your sweet nectar will be my undoing. I crave more of you, my Mera. I must have you now.”

You’re broken from your lustful reverie once he looms over your body. As he parts your thighs further apart and nestles his hips between them, a trepidation awakens in you, and your hands, of their own volition, claw at his chest, and tears you don’t know the source of come bursting forth. You glimpse a flash of onyx in your Lord’s eyes of what looks like fury just before he takes your wrists and pins them to your sides, amplifying your bizarre fear. You tilt your head to the side, weeping and apologising profusely, dreading punishment from him. His lips descend to your exposed ear, shushing you gently.

“Shh, little dream. You have nothing to fear from me.”

You give a small nod as the anxiety you felt dissipates as soon as it came. You swallow a lump in your throat - you could feel his hips shift slightly, his hard member pushing against your thigh.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, while your creator releases your wrists and lovingly wipes your tears away. “Will it hurt, my Lord?”

He takes your question as a sign, so he starts aligning his cock over your entrance, untouched in this body, all while he cups your cheek as if trying to be a source of your comfort.

“Fear not our joining, my dream. We are fated, and so is this.”

As you lay within his hold, already resigned to your fate, you feel something large and hot and pulsating invade your body, tearing through your flesh and making you cry out in pain. Your King shushes you, this time peppering your tear-stained face and neck with soft kisses; he pushes himself further inside your protesting body, groaning above you in pleasure while you sob profusely at his intrusion.

You love him. This is all for him.

“Relax for me, dream of mine,” he whispers hotly against your skin, then proceeds to leave open-mouthed kisses on your collarbone and breasts. 

You try to relieve yourself of the tension, but it’s impossible, especially as he shoves his entire length inside you, stretching your walls more than you could ever imagine. He pulls his head away to look into your face, and you focus on his eyes, brimming with lust he could no longer contain. Still whimpering and breathing shallowly, you feel him withdraw his cock almost entirely before pushing it back in with slightly more force and speed. Tears continue to spill from your eyes at the unfamiliar friction, but you take it all, you take it all for him. He repeats his actions, settling for a pace that eventually allows you to adjust to his size. Moaning and making strangled noises at the back of your throat, your thoughts of wriggling away from underneath him die down as he grabs your waist and starts bringing you to his hips to meet his thrusts. You throw your head back as the pleasure begins to mount in your body and you arch your back, your muscles now clenching and unclenching his cock uncontrollably, eager for more. Your hips, now meeting your King’s thrusts, melts in his hold, so when he picks up a pace at a slightly different angle that makes you see stars, you all but welcome the endless amount of pleasure he’s giving with heavy moans that echo his chambers.

You love him.

The eyes that refuse to leave yours darken, glistening with unbridled carnal longing, and with a bruising grip on your hips, he begins an uninhibited pace.

“You are perfect, my Mera,” he praises. “You’re mine. Mine.”

You try to bite down the embarrassing sounds coming from your mouth, but this earns you a displeased look from your King; he draws his body even closer as he wraps your legs around him, the angle making you scream into the night while his unforgiving pace brings an intense heat in your abdomen. It isn’t long before the heat explodes, and immediately, you fall - you come with your creator’s name on your lips, a screaming, sweaty, writhing mess, while his hands anchor your hips, unceasing and growing increasingly erratic with his thrusts to seek his own. Amplifying your orgasm, he, too, comes undone with a loud groan that shakes his castle. An almost overwhelming warmth floods your core, making you moan incoherently, and as he pumps more of it inside you, he whispers your name over and over in utter ecstasy. He waits for your breathing to even out, pulling your foreheads close and cupping your face before his mouth descends on yours and rolls his tongue languidly on yours, kissing you with so much adoration you couldn’t help but moan in satisfaction and run your fingers through his messy locks.

As with everything, your high fades, replaced with an indescribable, dull ache between your legs, where his cock is still buried. You break away from the kiss, releasing a tiny whine from the back of your throat. Perhaps recognizing the pain you’re in, your master pulls out of you completely. You roll over your stomach to find some sort of relief, and as your inner thighs brush together, you could feel some of his sticky substance spill out, coating them with the evidence of your union.

Your Dream Lord does not lie down beside you like you expect him to - instead, you could feel his lips caressing your shoulders, biting down on the skin you could feel it sting. He continues doing this all across your back, while you could feel him press up on your backside, his once-again hard cock probing your entrance. Your whimpers of protest are all but ignored, and in a swift motion, he sheathes his entire length inside your still-aching walls, which earns a soft squeal from you. He kisses his way from your back to your ear, purring wantonly:

“You took me so well, dream of mine. You will take one more for your King.”

You could only nod, helpless, when he grabs ahold of your waist, bringing your hips to his as he starts pounding relentlessly, parting your cheeks so he could get further access. Grabbing the pillow and squeezing with your might so you could take it, you remind yourself that you’re doing this for your creator, the King who fathered the child you lost, the being you pledged your life, your heart and your soul to. You love him.

Right?

***

“Dream, if I ever hear her soul call out for me in any way, I will snatch her away from you without warning, I will take her soul where even you can’t go, and you’ll never find her again!”

Dream of the Endless recalls his sister’s threat in the cave of the Great Void with an inward flinch. She was kind enough to allow him to keep your soul (it is his right, after all, and he didn’t need her permission), but he is aware he is treading on thin ice, now that his sister is forever going to keep an eye on his affairs. He had made a vow to her to give you a choice in your resurrected form: one between him and the other, to remain only as his dream, free of his pursuit and his love. He had made true to his words, of course.

Conveniently, he had glossed over the part about modifying your memories - just a little, just enough so he could gently push you into choosing him.

Even more aware is he of the fragile state of your soul - as disturbed as he was when he saw your bright light flicker and dim, he knows it would prove useful to him. Apparently, your soul had been using its energy and manifesting itself as a voice, calling out to his sisters for help. He had no prior knowledge of this until Death had inadvertently revealed this important little tidbit - was this why even your past forms have been resistant to him? How long had your soul been rebelling and turning your mind against him?

But, none of that mattered now - your soul is all but close to being diminished - it would no longer bother you nor him. He had been seeing remnants here and there of your defiance, causing you to pull away from him several times on your first night with him in this current body. He could see how it brought you so much distress, not knowing why you were doing it, you had been so regretful of those actions you could not control, so he is patient - he could be, for you - he will continue to push that disobedience in you aside until it baulks. It will only be a matter of time, he surmises.

Even more vexing to him was the manner with which his siblings had obtruded with matters they should not have. His little sister, Delirium, who had confessed to helping you by leading you to that mortal you had claimed to love, and then, his sister Death, who had attempted to wrench your soul from his grasp: why had the two of them become so invested in his affairs, when his other, normally-meddlesome sibling had gone unusually silent since the events related to the Vortex?

This is the reason why he isn’t much surprised when the sibling in question requests his audience for the first time in centuries.

“Dream, dear brother, I stand in my gallery and hold your sigil. Can I come in?” comes his sibling’s smooth, echoing in his throne room. “Pretty please?”

Morpheus feels his eyes narrow at his sibling’s request. What could they possibly want at this time?

“Desire,” he mutters. He exhales audibly as he closes the book he was reading only a few moments ago, emitting a small cloud of dust from its pages. He’s lost interest in the book.

“You may enter.”

Drumming his fingers on his throne’s armrest, he watches his sibling’s lithe form manifest at the foot of the stairs leading up to his throne, wearing a sleek, double-breasted suit.

“Hello Dream,” they greet, a wide, toothy smile adorning their cat-like features.

Morpheus does not feel like returning the smile. Sand rises from the ground to form an ornate, high-backed velvet seat for his sibling, which they gracefully plop onto. “To what do I owe this visit, sibling?”

“Oh, I was just checking up on you - worried, actually,” Desire says with a bat of their eyelashes, crossing their legs and leaning back on the velvet chair. “Tell me, how's your ongoing project? Have you perfected her yet?”

Dream feels his eye twitch in slight annoyance. “My current undertakings are my business, my little sibling.” None of your business.

Humming thoughtfully, his sibling places a well-manicured nail on their lips. “I'm just surprised how, even after you've recreated her over and over for the past millennium, you can't seem to make her...bend to your will. Pun most definitely intended.” 

Desire laughs, throwing their head back in their mirth. “Truth always seems to have a way of worming its way to her.” They sling their knees over the armrest and lay their head back on the other, continuing, “I remember her visit to my Threshold about.. four centuries ago, I suppose. She was the seventh, I think? She was so distraught, so desperate for my guidance. And, like the Mera before this current one, she was in love.”

They let their tongue roll on the last phrase for emphasis, which somehow Dream finds incredibly irritating. Quietly, he drags a nail against the marble armrest, while feigning disinterest:

“Oh?”

His sibling pouts and places a hand on their chest, saying, “Looking back now, I think it was cruel of dear Destiny to have orchestrated this on the man’s poor lineage. She was in love with a Chapman.” They side-eye Dream for a gauge of his reaction. “The poor doctor and his ancestors seem to have a penchant for attracting your stubborn, wayward creation. Did I not mention this before? Wait, I did!”

The laugh they let out, louder than the former, is mirthless and bounces against his throne room walls.

“That’s why you cursed his descendants!” They sigh deeply, and in what sounds like contentment, before placing their palms in the air to admire their nail polish. 

“Anyway, the poor thing had no one to talk to, no friends, no family…I didn’t know you could go so low as to keep her isolated. But it wasn’t her love for the Chapman fellow that drew me to her. Surprisingly, her heart’s deepest, innermost desire was freedom - for everything to end. Sadly, it wasn’t mine to give. Anyway, you should be thanking me for what I did. I may have nudged her little mortal lover to take another woman. My twin sister indulged in her misery, she practically bathed in it.”

“Enough.”

Dream, already on the verge of banishing his mischievous blood relation from his realm, shifts in his seat in his ire, his jaw clenching and eyes turning silver and wanting very much to break something. He need not be reminded of how the dream he’s fallen in love with seems to choose anyone else but him, no matter what form they take. “I have no need to hear of the petty games you and your meddlesome twin play at my creation’s expense. I should have your blood for that, if not for the fact that I have remedied your misdeed.”

“By ‘remedied,’ you mean ‘unmade.’”

Feeling his self-control wane in an instant, he stands to his feet abruptly, the book on his lap falling several steps down the stairs. They dare insinuate that he had caused your demise?

Desire just rolls their eyes and curls their lips at his outburst, brushing it off. “Oh Dream, it was merely a joke. I mean, she doesn’t always get to be unmade by you, of course.”

They follow their brother’s action and get to their feet. They walk up the stairs to get closer to the monarch, who’s currently fuming in rage underneath his composed mask. 

“Let me get to my point, then. I came here to help you.”

Dream replies with a biting tone, “And what on earth makes you think that I am in need of your aid?”

“Oh, dear brother, you know of my expertise. Surely, you know just what I can do to your little dream. I can make her want you. Make her crave only your touch. Imagine, a Mera, completely under the spell of her master, her King, submitting to her Creator's wildest fantasies. I mean, there is no one better suited for that task than me. All you have to do is ask.”

Always suspicious of his devious sibling’s intentions, he purses his lips with a heavy scowl marring his pale features. “You’re assuming this one will fail.”

Desire sits on one of his armrests and places a hand on his shoulder, the other toying with his hair. “Oh, I don't know. I just want to spare you the heartbreak of her being uncreated for, what, the tenth, twelfth time? I'm afraid I've lost count. I'm only looking after you, big brother. Isn't that what family is for?”

Ignoring his younger sibling’s manicured nails grazing his scalp, he actually finds himself smirking, finding the idea ridiculous at best, and devious at worst.

“I appreciate the gesture, sibling, but given your propensity to bring sabotage to my personal affairs, I'm inclined to refuse. I have reason to believe this Mera will succeed where the others have failed.”

“Suit yourself,” his sibling shrugs. They pull away from him and begin to descend the stairs, but not before declaring, “You know that when this one proves faulty, my offer still stands. You need only call me.”

Dream’s only reply is taciturn. “I will keep that in mind.”

Flashing that large, crooked grin Dream has come to associate with the craftiness unique only to them, they wave playfully and say, “Till then, big brother.”

His realm would have to freeze over first before he lets them touch you.

***

He’s done for the day - and it was a long, exhausting day, too - so he comes home to you.

Morpheus knows you’d be waiting for him dutifully in his chambers - his dream, his only lover, splayed all over his bed on the softest silk sheets, your hair fanning the pillows, your eyes glazed over in desire - it’s a sight that only he gets the pleasure of seeing, and it makes his cock twitch in anticipation.

When he enters his room at last, he finds your silhouette hiding behind the curtains of his four-poster bed. You had heard him arrive, so you got out of bed just to meet him.

He finds his breath taken away by your beauty, as always.

You’re wearing a sheer ruby nightgown that cascaded just a little above your knees and nothing else underneath.

Just like he had instructed.

Dream makes his approach, never taking his eyes off your form. Once you’re but inches away from him, he grabs ahold of your body and immediately plants his lips on yours - engaged in passionate liplock, he could feel your hands travel beneath his coat before taking it off from him. He obliges, not wanting to deny you of anything, much less undressing him. He only pulls away to undo the ribbon, the only thing that holds your nightgown in place. The flimsy article of clothing falls to your feet, revealing your body - one he’s crafted with care, one he’ll never get enough of no matter how many times he takes it. 

His eyes, after scanning your entire, naked form, bathed in the moonlight, land on the bulge on your belly. It’s small, but he sees it - he can feel the life you had formed with him four months past, swirling happily, safely tucked on your bosom. He lets his palm brush over your abdomen. As if recognising the touch of his father, his son’s energy spikes slightly, making you jolt a little in excitement - wide-eyed, you look up at him as you place your hand over his, wanting to share the experience. He could feel his own eyes glowing with so much emotion - you will be round with his child in no time, and who knows, maybe you will be again after this. He leans on the next being a girl - a princess, just like you in every manner, except maybe she’ll have his eyes, or his hair - he brushes the thought aside; he has an eternity with you to plan this out.

Hating to waste any more time, he gives a little nudge on your shoulder - a silent command for you to lie down for him. You offer no resistance, it seems: you happily get on the bed, your eyes glimmering coyly as you wait for him to climb on top of you. The fight in your soul has died down. Inwardly, he celebrates this victory.

Willing his own clothes into sand and disappearing completely, he descends on his ultimate prize: your body, now completely his and waiting for him to ravish over and over, like he does night after night, indulging in the pleasure only you could satisfy for him. Underneath him, you gaze up at him with so much reverence, so much love, and his heart sings in utter triumph. Just like that, all the work he had poured into you for more than a thousand years, bearing fruit right before him, and it’s all for him to bask in, to take.

This little dream of his is never getting away from him ever again.

******************************

Author notes on the Chapter:

I. AM. SCREAMING. !!!!

Did I just finish my first-ever fic? Yes. Is it long? Oh, yes. Did it take so much time out of me? Double yes. Did I have fun with it? Immensely. Will I write another? Absolutely.

But seriously, thank you for being with me this entire fic, this journey of mine in writing a fanfic for the very first time. It’s a ride I’ll never forget. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for following thus far! Look out for my next ones featuring the same, mopey, sopping-wet cat of a man (endless)!! ILY

Author's notes in general:

Thank you, THANK YOU for reading!!

Please engage, comment and reblog!! I love feedback from you guys :) This is my first ever fic, so kindness is truly appreciated!

Thank you to my queen @queenshelby @endlessdreamqueen3 for encouraging me to pen this, as well as to my fellow Dark!Morpheus writers whose work I have thoroughly enjoyed and keep rereading :)

Post date: 3/23/23

Edit date: 3/23/23

Taglist: Just lemme know please if you want to be added, too!

Tagging the following:

@wt-fxck

@sandman-33

@reallystressedhoneybee

@akiraquote

@safe-teycar

@ponyboys-sunsets

@izzicle

@spygrrl99

@intothesoul

@thecrazytealady

@tastyinspection8860

@kittenssss-blog

@trinittyy

@mxacegrey

@saraicus

@blu3what

@justporple

@emy635

@chantzmar

@dawnissunnysideup

@esmeralda-tupi

@ggxsan

[sebstanaddict]

Love Song

Sebastian Stan x Female Reader Story

Epilogue - Love Song

Summary : A romantic comedy story between Sebastian Stan and female reader where we witness their journey after they said I do.

Reader and Sebastian finally live the life of their dreams. It's been four years after they found out they were having a second baby and life couldn't be better for them. But they couldn't seem to shake the curse that had fallen on them during their honeymoon, causing chaos and mayhem during their family vacation to Europe. Will they finally enjoy a European family vacation of their dreams or will they suffer all the bad things that have happened during their honeymoon again?

Pairings : Sebastian Stan x Female!Reader

Chapters : 24/24

Chapter List >

Warning : fluff, sexual references, non vulgar smut

Word count : 14.3k

This is a sequel to my first Sebastian fic Always You. If you want to understand more about Sebastian's and reader's relationship, please read it first. But it's not necessary to understand this story. Check it out here.

---

In this lifelong, love song

You can love right

You can love wrong

In this love song

You can love wrong

But if you love wrong

It doesn't mean love's gone

Love Song - Hanson

---

Nyack, NY, May 14th 2027 - 6.30 am

Soft morning light enveloped the trees, the creek, and the houses around them as morning arrived in a quiet part of Nyack, New York. The light fell on a two story country home and streamed through a gap between the curtains in the master bedroom and finally fell on a sleeping couple. 

A woman stirred under a white thick comforter and found herself stuck underneath her darling husband's big arms. She was lying down on her right side and found his left arm around her shoulder while his left leg was on her thigh. His breath was slow and steady and she could feel it on top of her head. 

She smiled as she slowly lifted her husband's arms away from her and turned her body a little to face him. She couldn't turn all the way because the lower part of her body was still stuck under his leg. 

"Iubirea mea.. wake up.." She called out gently.

"Hmmm.." Sebastian mumbled.

"Wake up, Seb, Iubirea mea." She called out again, a little louder this time.

"Hmm.. no.. I don't wanna wake up.." He replied with a hoarse voice still thick with sleep.

"Seb.. at least move your leg up so I can get up." She protested.

"Hmmm.. no.." He mumbled and put his arms back around her shoulder, making her roll her eyes.

"Iubirea mea, please let me go." She pleaded.

"No.. You're my hostage. I'm not letting you go until I get what I want." He said, his voice returned to normal.

"And what is it that you want, mister?" She asked, smiling a little, knowing where this was going.

"I'm a monster and I'm hungry and I want to eat you!" He suddenly yelled, startling her. He quickly started to tickle her waist, making her squirm underneath him. 

"No! Help! A monster is trying to eat me!" She yelled as he started to give her kisses and gentle bites on her neck.

"Ssshh.. keep it down, sweetheart. You could wake the kids up." He scolded her.

"Sorry.." she giggled as he finally got his legs off her and turned her around to face him.

He started kissing her with so much passion and desire, turning on the fire of passion in her own heart. Butterflies flew around in her stomach as they continued kissing and caressing each other. 

She really loved this about them. They've been together for six years and known each other for twenty six years but he never failed to make the butterflies flew around in her stomach. He didn't even have to do much for her to start feeling them in her stomach. Just a glance, a smile, a little touch from him, and the butterflies would fly around excitedly. She hoped she would continue to feel this way until the day she died.

They ended up making love again that morning even though last night they just did it. They really could never get enough of each other.

"I love you so much, sweetheart." He said breathlessly after they reached their peak together.

"I love you so much too, Iubirea mea." She smiled as she stroked his cheek gently.

They stayed in each other's arms for a while, enjoying being one in heart, body and soul for a moment in time. She loved being so close to him like this. Every inch of their bodies were touching each other that she didn't know where he started and where she ended. There was no sound safe from their heartbeats which she realized were beating on the same rhythm.

In the stillness she could hear the sound of a door being opened and light footsteps outside their room. Sebastian seemed to hear it too because he immediately peeled himself off from her and put his boxer shorts and shirt back on while she put her underwear and night gown back on.

"Let's pretend we're still asleep." He winked. She nodded and smiled.

They laid back underneath the comforter and closed their eyes when the door of their room was opened slowly. She could hear the creak of it breaking through the quiet morning.

"Sssshhh.. keep it down, Adrian.." a young girl's voice whispered.

"Sorry.. " a young boy's voice whispered back.

She couldn't help but smiled a little as she heard the sound of her two children entering the room.

Moments passed as she waited for her children to reach them when all of a sudden..

"Blaaaargh!" Sebastian yelled, startling her and making the children screamed in fear.

"Who dared to disturb my slumber?" Sebastian sat up, making his children scream again as they started to run back towards the door. But Sebastian jumped out of the bed, ran towards them and caught them both on their waists.

"Monster is angry. It's time for your punishment little children!" He growled as he carried both struggling kids back towards the bed.

"No! Help! Mommy help!" The children squealed and giggled as Sebastian dropped them off on the bed and started to tickle their waists. 

"Your mommy is a monster too! She won't help you!" Sebastian said as he continued to tickle them.

"Noo.. mommy noo..!" Starlene said in between her giggles.

"It's true! Mommy is a monster too!" Y/n yelled as she started tickling their feet, making both children laughed uncontrollably.

"Stop daddy, stop mommy!" They pleaded in between their giggles.

"Monster won't stop until you say the magic word." Sebastian said as he continued to tickle them, on their tummies this time while Y/n continued to tickle their underarms.

"Pleaseee..." Adrian pleaded as he squirmed under their relentless tickle attack.

"Please stop, daddy, mommy.." Starlene begged.

"Alright, okay." Y/n raised her hands up from both children and Sebastian followed suit.

"Pillow fight!" Adrian yelled all of a sudden as he got up and picked a pillow and started moving it around.

"Yeah! Time to attack the monsters!" Starlene yelled and started to copy her little brother.

They hit both Sebastian and Y/n on their faces with the pillows making them fall over on the bed, laughing and giggling.

"Aaaahhh.. nooo.. you're too powerful. Monster can't fight you!" Sebastian said as he raised his hands in surrender while bracing the pillow attacks from his children.

"Yeah, we give up.. we give up!" Y/n said, laughing and raising her hands up.

"We won, we won!" Adrian squealed in delight while jumping up and down on the bed.

Sebastian pulled Adrian down on top of him and ruffled his brunette hair then gave him kisses on his face.

"Eeewww.. daad.. gross.." He protested as he squirmed in his hold but Sebastian just laughed.

"Come here both of you." Y/n said, reaching out and pulled Starlene and Adrian both into her arms and hugged them both tight. Sebastian opened his arms wide and embraced all three of them in his arms, hugging them tight.

"I love you all so much my amazing family!" He declared.

"Aaawww... We love you too, daddy." Y/n smiled and winked at him.

"Yeah, we love you too, daddy. Now can we break this up? I can't breathe." Starlene protested.

"Sorry.. sorry.. " Sebastian chuckled as he released all of them from his embrace and they all broke apart.

"Now, who wants some pancakes?" Y/n offered.

"Me!" Adrian immediately said and jumped off from the bed.

"I want some pancakes too!" Starlene said as she jumped off from the bed too.

"Race you to the kitchen!" Sebastian said as he started to run out of the room followed by their children.

She shook her head and smiled as she got off the bed. She picked a robe from a hanger behind the door, put them on and followed them out of the master bedroom.

Four years had passed since she found out they were having a second baby. Things have changed a lot for the Stan family. It felt just like yesterday when she saw Sebastian being hit by a car and having to endure four months of hard recovery. Thankfully after four months of continuous therapy with the best physical therapist in New York he was able to completely recover from his injuries and continued to shoot Thunderbolts. Yes, Marvel still kept him on as Bucky. There was no question at all of replacing him with someone else. He did have to give up doing all the stunts himself and let his stuntman do all the work. But he was happy to be able to continue to shoot regardless.

James Adrian Stan came into the world three months after he started shooting Thunderbolts, right after he was done shooting. He stopped all other work after that and focused on his family for three months. They also moved out of his Soho apartment during that time. Having an additional family member made them think that living in a small apartment wasn't ideal. Additionally, the fact that paparazzis knew where they lived was really bothering them. They decided to move to Nyack, New York, where his mother lived so they could be closer to her.

The house they ended up buying and moving into was only a half a block away from his mother's. So they frequently visited her and vice versa. It was the third house that they had surveyed. She fell in love with it the moment she stepped out of their car and saw the facade. 

The house had light grey walls, dark grey roof and the famous white picket fence. It was located by a creek which they could see from their backyard and from the window in their master bedroom. Waking up everyday with the view of the creek and the small wood behind it was heavenly. She couldn't have wished for a better place to live the rest of her life in.

"Woof.. woof.." a golden retriever came running towards her as soon as she stepped foot in the kitchen.

"Morning, Lucky." She smiled and leaned down as she scratched the dog's neck.

"Woof.." Lucky greeted her and started moving around her feet.

"You're hungry aren't you?" She laughed as she opened a cupboard and picked a can of dog food. She put the dog food into Lucky's bowl and stepped back as Lucky immediately started gobbling the food down.

"Well well.. he's really hungry isn't he." She chuckled as she threw the empty can of dog food into a trash bin.

"He's not the only one that's hungry. We're hungry too, mommy!" Starlene protested.

Starlene and Adrian both sat on the dining table, pouting at her.

"Well you won't get any pancakes if you don't help out. Set the table up and get all of the toppings out while I prepare the pancakes." She scolded them.

"No, I'm just three years old. I just wanna sit here." Adrian protested.

"Adrian.. listen to your mommy. Come on, let's set up the table together." Sebastian offered as he picked Adrian off from his seat and put him on the floor.

"Fine.." Adrian pouted.

"Thanks." Y/n mouthed at Sebastian and he just winked back at her.

An hour later a stack of perfectly cooked pancakes were placed in the middle of the table. Various toppings were placed around it. The smell was heavenly and she couldn't wait to dig in. 

"Starlene! Don't touch that." She scolded at her daughter when she saw her reaching for a can of whipped cream. 

Starlene suffered from lactose intolerance and couldn't digest dairy. She knew full well what the whipped cream could do to her stomach and she really didn't want to deal with a sick child that day. They were going to Europe that summer for a vacation as well as accompanying Sebastian who was invited to attend Cannes Film Festival. She remembered full well how Starlene was during the start of their honeymoon after Sebastian fed her cake with buttercream. She didn't want a repeat of that smelly and agonizing ten hours of airplane ride with a baby that kept on farting, burping and had diarrhea.

"Why can't I have it while Adrian can have the whole can?!" Starlene whined.

"You know how it will make your stomach hurt, Starlene. You don't want to have a stomach ache while on the plane or anywhere else for that matter." She reminded her daughter.

"Besides, Adrian can't have the whole can either. Remember how sick it made you feel, Adrian?" She said referring to the time Adrian finished a whole can of whipped cream meant for his birthday cake and he ended up having a stomach ache and being nauseaous despite the fact he didn't have dairy intolerance.

"Uh huh. But I still love whipped cream." Adrian shrugged as he ate a spoonful of pancake with whipped cream on it.

"Honey, I think you should just stop buying whipped cream at this point." Sebastian suggested as he cut his pancake.  

"Umm.. yeah.. I think I will." She said sheepishly as she remembered why she bought a can in the first place. Knowing Starlene had lactose intolerance she usually bought non dairy foodstuff. But for the past week she had been having a weird craving for whipped cream that she sneaked out in the middle of the night and ate several spoonfuls of it. This had never happened to her before and she had a suspicion she was pregnant again. But it was too soon to have a pregnancy test so she decided to wait a couple more days before she takes a pregnancy test.

"Good morning everyone!" A lady came into the kitchen and greeted them all.

"Good morning, Rosita." Y/n smiled as she looked at the professional nanny that they had hired since Adrian was three months old.

Yes, she ended up hiring a professional nanny to help her take care of her children. Sebastian had to go back to work when Adrian was three months old. She didn't think she could handle taking care of a baby and a two year old toddler without help. She didn't want to bother Sebastian's mother so despite her initial misgivings in letting a stranger take care of her babies, she ended up changing her mind out of necessity.

After interviewing a dozen nannies they ended up hiring Rosita, a Mexican woman in her fifties who had plenty of experience caring for babies and toddlers. Having hired Rosita turned out to be such a blessing. She was patient and loving to her children yet could be stern when needed. Y/n actually learned a lot of how to raise children from her. She turned out to become like family to them.

"Come and sit here with us Rosita, have some pancakes." Sebastian offered.

"Oh no no, thank you Mr.Stan. I already had breakfast this morning. I really need to watch what I eat. I gained another pound overnight." She sighed as she went to the sink and started washing some dishes.

"Oh Rosita, as long as you're healthy it's okay, you don't need to worry about gaining a few pounds." Sebastian said.

"Yeah, that's what my daughter said. But I'm about to be sixty in a few years. I really do need to watch what I eat." Rosita responded.

"Well, okay. Maybe have some apple and carrot juice instead." Sebastian offered. While Y/n was making the pancakes, he made some apple mixed with carrot juice with help from the children.

"Thank you, Mr.Stan. I might just have some a little later. Thank you very much." Rosita turned around from the sink and smiled at him.

"Good." Sebastian smiled back.

"So, are you ready to go to Europe, Rosita?" Y/n asked.

They decided to take Rosita with them to Europe so they would have someone to watch over the children while they went to the Cannes Film Festival. They also wanted to have some time enjoying the vacation without the children. Having Rosita around would help them in getting some alone time.

"Oh yes! I'm so excited! Can't wait to go on yachts in Cannes and hit on Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise. They wouldn't be able to resist my charm." She said, making Sebastian and Y/n laugh.

"I can't wait to see that too!" Sebastian said, laughing.

They decided to go to the same cities in Europe as they did during their honeymoon, aside from Cannes. They hadn't had the chance to go on a family vacation in a while and seeing how they didn't enjoy most of their honeymoon trip, they decided to recreate it in the hopes that they could enjoy it this time even though they had two children, a dog and a nanny this time.

Their itinerary was a little different for this trip. Their first stop would be Cannes and then Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne and Rome. They decided to go for a full month, leaving plenty of time to enjoy each city fully. They were even going to take the whole trip from Cannes to Cologne by car then took the plane from Cologne to Rome. So it was mostly a road trip.

Their flight was scheduled to leave for Nice, France at 3.30 pm that afternoon. They had to be at the airport by at least 12.30 pm to make sure they had enough time to check their baggage and also to check Lucky in.

"Is your luggage ready, Rosita?" Y/n asked.

"Yes, they're in the living room, Mrs.Stan." Rosita replied.

"Okay, good. Maybe after cleaning the kitchen you can help make the final check on the children's luggages. I already packed them last night but I might have missed some things." She said.

"Sure thing, Mrs.Stan." Rosita replied.

"Don't forget we're leaving in.. two hours." Sebastian said after glancing at the clock on the wall. It was 9.30 already. Time seemed to fly by so fast.

"Okay. Well if you guys are done let's go and take a bath you two." Y/n said as she looked at her children who were not done eating apparently.

"Starlene! Put that down!" She shouted as she caught Starlene took a little of whipped cream from Adrian's plate with her spoon and was about to put it into her mouth.

"Oh mom.. " she whined as she put the spoon down.

"Honey, maybe it's okay if she just takes a little of it." Sebastian said, watching his daughter's pouting face with concern.

"Seb, don't you remember what happened last time? Do you really want to deal with that again?" She scolded him.

"I.. well.. okay. You have a point. Maybe we can get her non dairy whipped cream next time. What do you think Starlene?" He asked.

"Non dairy whipped cream?" Starlene asked.

"Yes, it doesn't taste as good as the original whipped cream but it won't make your tummy hurt." He explained.

"Oh okay. Can we have it, mom?" Starlene turned to look at Y/n.

"Yeah, sure. If they have it in Europe you can try it there." She replied.

"Thanks mom!" Starlene said brightly.

"Okay, now finish your pancakes Starlene, Adrian. We don't have much time to get ready." She reminded them.

They ended up being ready and finally left the house three hours later. Having two children and a dog to prepare for a long trip really did take some time. 

Having missed an hour of precious time Sebastian stepped on the gas of their family SUV on the highway towards JFK airport, swerving quickly between cars.

"Seb! Watch it!" Y/n yelled as their car almost grazed another car on their right when Sebastian tried to bypass it.

"Sorry.. sorry.." Sebastian apologized.

"Iubirea mea, we still have time. Don't go too fast. If we get into an accident it's not worth it. Don't you remember what happened at the start of our honeymoon?" She scolded him.

"Yeah yeah.. I remember. Sorry." He said as he slowed the car down.

"We're not gonna be late. Don't worry." She said as she placed her hand on his and squeezed it gently.

"I hope so." He said, glancing at her. His eyebrows furrowed, his face looked so tense.

"I know so." She winked and he smiled. The tension on his face gradually disappeared as he looked at her.

It all happened so fast but one second she was looking at his smiling face and the next she heard a loud screech right outside her window and felt their car bumped to the left as another car grazed them.

"What the f**k?!" Sebastian yelled as he slowed the car down and drove it to stop by the side of the street.

The car that grazed them didn't stop but just continued driving away.

"Is everyone okay?" Y/n turned around and found her children's eyes were widened in shock. Adrian seemed to be on the verge of crying. Rosita was raising her hands in prayer, her mouth mumbling things she couldn't hear. Lucky were barking loudly at the very back of the car.

"We're okay, Mrs.Stan." Rosita finally replied after she was done praying and caressed Adrian's head gently to calm him down.

"Lucky! Calm down boy, it's all okay." Rosita called out and thankfully Lucky stopped barking.

"Daddy said a bad word." Adrian said after his initial shock went away.

"Yeah.. yeah.. I'm sorry, Adrian." Sebastian shrugged as he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door.

Y/n sighed, unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door too. Once outside she studied her side of the car and found a bump and a long mark right on her door towards the front of the car.

"Great!" Sebastian commented as he looked at the damage, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"Iubirea mea, it's not that bad. We can deal with this after we get back. The most important thing is that we're all okay." She said, trying to stay calm.

"Yeah. I can't believe that driver just drove away! What a coward!" He said, placing his hands on his waist as he looked away towards the street, as if he could still see the car that grazed them.

"Maybe he didn't have the money to compensate us, Iubirea mea." She said.

"Yeah, but still, how rude of them for just leaving. They owe us an apology at least." He protested.

"Yeah, I know. But Seb, let's not dwell on this too long. We have a plane to catch." She said as she reached out to touch his hand.

"Thankfully we can still go. And you know we've been in much worse situations." She reminded him as she pulled him closer to her and placed her hand on the side of his face. She looked up and saw him gradually relaxed under her touch. The crease on his eyebrows slowly gone.

"Yeah, you're right. We definitely have been in far worse situations." He chuckled. 

"I just hope this doesn't mean our trip is gonna be another cursed trip." He sighed.

"Oh Iubirea mea, even if it is, as long as we have each other, it's all gonna be okay." She said, stroking his cheek gently.

"You're right, honey. I love you." He smiled as he picked her hand that was on the side of his face and kissed it gently.

"I love you too, Iubirea mea." She smiled.

"Alright, let's go. I hope we're not gonna be late." He said as he released her hand and went back towards the driver's seat.

"We won't." She said, glancing at her watch. Hopefully. She thought. It was almost 1.30 pm, their plane leaves in two hours and JFK airport was still about half an hour away. They would be cutting it very close.

They finally went back to their car and drove away towards JFK airport. She might look calm from the outside but she couldn't help but feel slightly worried too. His comment about this being another cursed trip echoed in her head. But she tried her best not to dwell on it too much.

Thankfully they arrived on time at the airport and still had time to check all their baggages and Lucky even though they really were cutting it very close. However, the feeling of being in a cursed trip continued as they started their journey on the plane. Despite trying her best not to let Starlene have anything of dairy, Starlene ended up getting some accidentally on the airplane. The stewardess were offering drinks to all the passengers. Starlene had requested soy milk but was given regular cow's milk instead so she ended up having a stomach ache and went to the bathroom back and forth. 

"I'm sorry Mrs.Stan, I should have watched what the stewardess was giving her." Rosita said as Y/n stood up from her seat and took Starlene’s hand to guide her to the bathroom.

They were riding on first class and the plane had one-two-one arrangement on each row. Sebastian sat alone by the window, Y/n and Adrian sat across the aisle from him while Starlene and Rosita sat behind her.

"It's okay, Rosita. It's an honest mistake." She sighed.

Starlene ended up moving to sit next to her while Adrian sat with Rosita. Having her stomach hurt a lot Starlene wanted to be near her mother. So she spent the rest of the airplane ride putting on essential oil on Starlene's tummy and accompanying her whenever she needed to use the bathroom.

"I feel a little deja vu." She commented, turning to Sebastian right after she was back from accompanying Starlene to the bathroom for the fifth time.

"Oh honey. I know. But I'm sure everything will be okay in the end. I mean.. I.. for one.. will not ask you to have sex outdoors ever again. So you don't have to worry about getting arrested again." He chuckled and she couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Okay, you have a point, Iubirea mea." She said.

"Sweetheart, just relax and try to enjoy this as much as you can. Like you said, everything is gonna be okay as long as we still have each other." He said as he reached his hand out across the aisle and squeezed her hand tight.

"Yeah, thank you Iubirea mea." She smiled and squeezed his hand back.

Unfortunately the feeling that the trip seemed to be another cursed trip intensified for her after they arrived in Nice.

They were waiting for their luggages to come out from the conveyor belt when something unexpected happened. They already picked Lucky up from the cargo area but he was still in his crate as pets were not allowed out of their carriers inside the airport.

Starlene and Rosita were in the bathroom as Starlene was still having stomach ache. Y/n and Sebastian waited by the conveyor belt with Adrian sitting on a trolley behind them and Lucky in a crate next to him. Lucky kept on barking and wouldn't stay put in the crate. The long flight must have stressed him out.

"Mommy, Lucky wants to go out." Adrian commented.

"I know, Adrian. But he's not allowed to go out. We'll let him out once we're at the villa." She replied, referring to a villa they rented in Cannes for their first stay.

"Sorry, Lucky." Adrian said as he stood up from the trolley and placed his hand on the crate.

"Woof.. woof.." Lucky barked as he looked at Adrian.

He whimpered and gave Adrian puppy dog eyes. 

"Maybe it's okay if you're out for a just a minute while we wait for the bags." Adrian said to himself with a low voice that no one else could hear.

Slowly he started to open the lock on the crate and moments later it was successfully opened. As soon as it was opened Lucky immediately ran out of it and started running away from him to God knows where.

"Lucky, no! Come back here!" Adrian shouted as he chased Lucky.

Y/n and Sebastian whipped their heads around and saw Adrian running after Lucky. They were running towards the exit, bumping other people as they passed, making people fall over and generally making a mess throughout the airport.

Sebastian glanced at Y/n for a split second in disbelief.

"I'll go and get them. You just wait for the luggages, okay?" He said and she could only nod.

She watched as Sebastian shouted both Adrian and Lucky's names and ran towards the exit to chase them. She hoped he would be able to catch them and reign Lucky in. She was starting to regret bringing Lucky on their trip. She thought because Lucky was much older and could already behave that it wouldn't be a problem to bring him on the trip. Apparently that wasn't the case.

Half an hour later she successfully picked up all their luggages and with great effort put them all on their trolleys. With help from Rosita she pushed them out of the airport while her mind was still worrying about her husband, son and dog who were nowhere to be seen. After passing the baggage check, she finally got out of the airport and immediately looked around her surroundings to find the rest of her family.

"Woof.. woof.." She heard the familiar bark of Lucky not far on her right. Moments later she saw Lucky running towards her left with Adrian and Sebastian still running after them along with two airport security officers. None of them managed to catch Lucky.

She sighed as she saw them and put her fingers in her mouth. A loud whistle came out from her mouth. Lucky immediately stopped in his tracks and turned towards her.

"There you go Mrs.Stan." Rosita handed her a bag of dog treats as if she could read her mind.

"Thanks, Rosita." She accepted the dog treats and started shaking it in front of her, making Lucky ran even faster towards her.

Lucky finally stopped in front of her and barked, wagging his tail excitedly, asking for his treats.

"Sit, Lucky. Sit! I'm not gonna give you your treats unless you sit. You've been a very bad boy!" She scolded him as she raised her hand up in the air preventing Lucky to get the treats in her hand.

"Woof!" Lucky sat down immediately, his tongue sticking out of his mouth.

She gave him several dog treats then with help from Rosita she put a leash on his collar and held it tight.

"Oh.. thank God you got him, honey." Sebastian said moments later as he stood next to her, trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah, well, he needed some motivation to stop running." She shrugged.

"Yeah.. Why didn't I think of that? You're a genius, honey." He smiled at her, making the annoyance she felt about the whole situation lessened for a bit.

"Now, Adrian. Didn't I tell you not to let him out in the airport?" She turned to Adrian who was standing next to Sebastian, panting after all the running. She raised her voice a little and glared at him.

"I'm sorry, mommy. He looked so miserable in his crate. I thought he wouldn't run away." Adrian replied, his head hung.

"Well, you need to listen to me, Adrian. What if he got out and went to the street and got hit by a car? It's not safe from him to be out at a public place like this." She continued to scold him.

"I know, mommy. I'm sorry." Adrian said, still with his head hung.

"Well, the most important thing now is that we got Lucky back and no one was harmed. Now let's go and find our rented car. I'm tired and can't wait to get to our villa." Sebastian said as he placed his hand on Y/n's shoulder and squeezed it gently, trying to calm her down. She took a deep breath and let it go.

"Okay. Come on. I think the car rental company's booth is over there." She said, pointing towards what seemed to be a small booth with the car rental's company logo written on the booth. And with that they continued to walk. Sebastian and Rosita pushed the trolleys while she guided Lucky and the children.

Her feeling that this was another cursed trip got even stronger, unfortunately. Her heart dropped to her stomach, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she looked at the rented car that arrived in front of them several minutes later.

"Well, well, well.. what are the odds of us getting this ridicilously mini car again?!" Sebastian exclaimed out loud as he stared at the smallest car in the world, the Fiat 500, the exact same one they got during their honeymoon.

"I'm sorry Iubirea mea, I swear I ordered the Volkswagen Sharan van and not this. Let me just talk to the rental company." She said, feeling guilty for causing another mishap in their car rental arrangement.

Apparently there was a glitch with the rental company's system that they ended up getting the Fiat 500. Fortunately the Volkswagen Sharan van was still available. They just had to wait for about an hour before the van arrived from the rental company's headquarter.

She couldn't help but feel annoyed with how things turned out so far. She was tired because she barely had time to sleep on the plane with Starlene wanting her to rub her tummy continuously. The children were tired too and they began to get cranky. Lucky was also restless. They ended up waiting while resting in a cafe nearby, but since Lucky wouldn't stay put, she ended up asking Rosita to take him out on a walk around the airport while she and her family rested.

"I'm sorry, Iubirea mea. I guess I should have learnt from the past and used a different rental company. I can't believe they still have the same glitch in their system after all these years." She said as she stirred the cup of cappuccino on the table in front of her.

"It's okay, honey. It's not your fault. I mean, there is a reason why they have the lowest rate out of all the other rental companies." He shrugged then sipped his coffee.

"Yeah, you're right." She sighed. "I really hope this trip isn't cursed."

"Honey, I'm sure it's not. I mean, I know some things that have happened were similar to the start of our honeymoon. But we're not going to stay in a castle this time so at least there's no chance of being haunted by a ghost." He chuckled.

"A ghost?" Adrian asked, looking at Sebastian curiously.

"Yes, Adrian. Mommy, daddy and your sister saw a ghost last time we were in Europe." She responded.

"But I don't remember seeing it." Starlene commented.

"Well, you were only ten months old Starlene, you wouldn't remember." She said.

"I wanna see a ghost too!" Adrian piped up.

"Are you sure, Adrian? The ghost was really scary. The ghost looked like an old lady wearing a black dress, her hair was put up in a bun, but.. she has no face!" Sebastian suddenly yelled as he covered his face with both hands, trying to emulate a scary faceless ghost and making the children scream in surprise. But then they giggled just moments later as Sebastian continued to make silly faces.

"The ghost had no face?!" Starlene exclaimed in awe after their laughter subsided.

"Nope." Y/n shook her head.

"Well, if the ghost doesn't have a face, how is it able to see?" Starlene wondered.

"I don't know, Starlene. You're gonna have to ask the ghost herself." Y/n chuckled.

For the first time since they left New York she finally felt relaxed and happy as they continued to chat and laughed together. Sebastian was right, whatever happened in the trip it would all be okay as long as they had each other. She hoped there won't be any more bad things happening to them though. She just wanted to spend a happy and relaxing holiday with her family. It was not supposed to be an unattainable wish. But, she should have known that their family was special and that chaos would lurk around every corner throughout their holiday.

—

Villa Joliet, Vallauris, France - May 15th 2027 - 2 pm

The villa that they had booked for their stay in Cannes was located at Vallauris, a small town north east of Cannes about 7 km away from La Croisette Boulevard where the Cannes Film Festival was being held. It was located on a hill among other large luxury villas facing the beautiful view of the French riviera with Port de Golfe Juan as its central view. Port de Golfe Juan was a small craft harbor located between Cannes and another small town, Juan-Le-Pins, where small yachts could dock. From the villa one could clearly see the small harbor with the white docked yachts dotting the waters.

After a thankfully uneventful but scenic ride from Nice Airport to Vallauris they finally arrived at Villa Joliet, the beautiful Mediterranean one story villa. The 300 square meter villa had 3 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms fit for 6 guests with a fully equipped kitchen, large dining room, spacious living room, a sun room and the most stunning of all it had a large infinity pool right next to it facing the beautiful French riviera. 

As soon as their rented car stopped in front of the villa, Lucky and the children ran out of the car and immediately entered the villa, their exhaustion seemed to be gone.

“Wow! This place is amazing!” Starlene exclaimed out loud as she ran into the villa while Adrian and Lucky ran straight towards the lawn with the infinity pool on it with Rosita walking quickly behind them.

“This place is amazing, honey!” Sebastian commented as he entered the living room and put their luggages on the floor.

“It is, isn’t it?” She smiled as she stood next to Sebastian who was facing the large window in the living room. The window was of course facing towards the beautiful French coast.

She circled her arms around his waist and took a deep breath as she stared at the view of the sea. The air was fresh and smelled a little like the sea which she loved. She couldn’t wait to spend some time on the beach.

“I think we’re gonna really enjoy ourselves here, and I hope the master bedroom is far away from the other rooms.” Sebastian said, placing his arm around her shoulder and squeezed it tight as he glanced down at her with a twinkle in his eyes, making her face reddened.

“Oh Seb, you have such a dirty mind.” She chuckled.

“Why am I not allowed to think that? With a wife as beautiful and sexy as you are, it’s normal for a husband to think about it a lot.” He winked as he turned towards her and turned her to face him by her waist. He gazed down at her with eyes full of love and longing that she felt the butterflies again in her stomach. He leaned closer to her and captured her lips in his, making her feel like she was flying. They kissed and kissed as if the world was only theirs.

"Ahem." A male voice cleared his throat, startling them.

They jumped in surprise and immediately broke apart only to find a man standing by the door to the lawn, smiling wide at them.

"I'm really sorry to bother you Mr. and Mrs.Stan. My name is Maurice and I will be your concierge and butler during your stay here." Maurice said in a thick French accent. He smiled as he walked closer to them and extended his hand out to her.

"Oh yes, hello Maurice. Nice to meet you." Y/n smiled and shook his hand.

"My pleasure Mrs.Stan, Mr.Stan." Maurice nodded as he shook Sebastian's hand.

"Now, let me take you on a tour of the villa and show you your rooms." Maurice said, beckoning for them to follow him. 

The villa had a bright white and beige colored theme giving a warm and homey summer home feel. Every room was meticulously clean with off white walls and shiny beige ceramic floors. The decorations were minimalist but had beach vibes. The bedrooms felt warm and inviting with light brown parquet floors and bright comforters and sheets. Out of three bedrooms one even had its own small kitchen and dining table which made it perfect for Rosita in case she wanted some privacy.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed our little tour Mr and Mrs. Stan." Maurice smiled half an hour later as the tour concluded and they stopped in front of the master bedroom.

"We did enjoy it. Thank you so much, Maurice." Y/n smiled.

"Glad to hear that Mrs.Stan. Oh, by the way, I believe you've been informed about the no pets policy of the villa?" Maurice asked.

"What?" Sebastian asked, dumbfounded.

"Umm.. yes. I was told about it by the sales staff. But she said she already talked to the villa's owner and he told her that he could make an exception seeing how it's us, Sebastian Stan's family, that are staying here. And I believe I have told your sales staff that our pet dog is a very well behaved dog and will not cause any trouble. So, she said the owner of the villa gave his permission to let our dog stay here with us." Y/n quickly explained.

"Hmm.. I see. In that case, if you are certain that your dog will not cause any trouble in this villa and that the owner has given his permission, then I have no choice but to accept." Maurice nodded.

"Thank you so much, Maurice. I promise our dog will behave." She said even though deep down she started to doubt it.

"I'll take your word for it Mrs.Stan. However, in the case that he does cause trouble I would like to remind you that we have every right to do the steps necessary to prevent damage to the villa, including evicting you from the premises if needed." He said.

"What? So if our dog causes trouble you're going to kick us out?" Sebastian asked, his voice raised.

"Well.. that's another way of saying it. I'm sorry Mr.Stan. That is just part of the rules." Maurice responded.

"Don't worry, our dog will behave." Y/n said again, trying to convince Maurice and herself.

"Very well. By the way, I believe you requested for a barbeque this afternoon Mrs.Stan?" Maurice continued to ask.

"Oh yes! That's right!" Her face brightened.

"Barbeque?" Sebastian asked, turning to her.

"Yes! They offered to prepare meals throughout our stay and I thought a barbeque would be nice for our first day here." She said, smiling wide.

"That sounds great, honey." Sebastian smiled.

"Well if you'll excuse me then Mr and Mrs.Stan. I will prepare the barbeque for you. They should be ready in an hour." Maurice said.

"Alright, thank you so much, Maurice." She smiled. Maurice nodded and finally left them.

"I can't believe you used the celebrity card to let them allow us to bring Lucky here." Sebastian chuckled as they entered the master bedroom together, dragging their suitcases with them.

"Well.. I had to. I fell in love with this villa and just had to make it work so we can stay here." She shrugged as she closed the door behind her.

"And you did make it work, honey. I just hope Lucky will really behave. Otherwise we'll be in trouble." He said as he placed his suitcase by the wardrobe and walked towards the bed.

"Oh he'll behave. I'm going to make sure he does." She responded.

"Alright, after what happened back at the airport I believe you, honey. If there's anyone that can tame that dog, it's you." He said and she chuckled.

Seeing a large and comfortable bed in the master bedroom Sebastian immediately laid on it and sighed in contentment.

"I think I'm gonna take a nap for a short while." He said as he put his hands behind his head and gazed at the view of the sea from the windows right across the bed.

"Come and take a nap with me, sweetheart." He said, patting the bed next to him.

"I wish I can, Iubirea mea. I want to unpack and check on the kids." She said as she sat on the edge of the bed next to him.

"Oh come on, honey. Lie down here with me just for a minute and rest. The kids are okay. We have Rosita watching them, and our stuff isn't going anywhere." He persuaded her.

"Well.. okay. Maybe just for five minutes. The bed is inviting." She smiled as she slowly climbed onto the bed and scooted closer to him.

"Mmhmm.. but I think there's something else more inviting on the bed." He smiled with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Ah yes.. the pillows! They're so fluffy and thick. I love them." She said as she patted a pillow behind her, fluffed it and laid her head down on it.

"Hmm.. I think you're forgetting something." He said as he looked at her with eyebrows raised.

"What?" She asked, glancing at him with a small smile on her lips.

"There's a monster on the bed and he hates that you ignore him!" He yelled and started to tickle her waist.

"Seb.. No..!" She laughed and giggled while trying to pry his hands away from her.

"Monster is tired and hungry, monster needs to eat!" He growled as he started kissing and biting her neck gently.

"Noo.. someone help! " she giggled but she was powerless as his kisses traveled upwards onto the back of her ear, where one of her sensitive spots was located. She couldn't help but trembled at the feeling and melted in his arms.

"Seb.. it's day time.. the kids are awake.. there's Rosita and Maurice.. and Lucky.." she said breathlessly, feeling the fire of passion in her heart ignited as he continued to plant kisses behind her ear. She gasped as she felt his hand traveled to one of her breasts and squeezed it.

"I know.. but I don't care.." He whispered, making her feel weak all over.

For a moment she let herself blissfully drown in his kisses and touch but she remembered her children and she had a nagging feeling that she should check up on them.

"Seb.. I thought you wanted to take a nap?" She asked as she caught his hand that was on her breast and pushed it away. She looked up at him and her heart skipped a beat as she saw his eyes darkened with desire.

"Yeah well.. with a wife as hot as you are I just can't help myself." He said with a husky voice.

She couldn't help but feel warmth crawling from her neck up to her cheek.

"All the tiredness I felt just went out the window, especially seeing you blush like this. You look so pretty when you blush, honey. I love it." He smiled and stroked her cheek gently. 

Her heart beat so fast in her chest as he gazed at her with love and longing in his eyes. Slowly but surely he leaned closer to her. His lips hovered on hers that she could feel his breath on her lips. His hand cupped the side of her face and he leaned even closer. She felt like her heart was going to explode with anticipation. She closed her eyes and his lips finally touched hers gently, sending shivers down her spine. He kissed her with so much love and tenderness that she felt like flying. Sometimes she wondered how he could still make her weak all over like this even after years of being together. She felt like the luckiest woman on earth to be able to continue being in love with her husband throughout everything that had happened in their lives. She hoped she would continue being in love with him for the rest of her life.

His kisses became more urgent and passionate as time went on and his hand traveled down back to her breast, cupping and squeezing it, igniting more passion and desire in her. But as they continued to kiss and caress each other she couldn't help to think about their current situation. This was really not a good time to make love as much as she wanted to. The kids could come through the door at any minute. And the nagging feeling she felt earlier came back to her.

"Seb.." she stopped kissing him and pushed him away.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"This really isn't a good time to make love. The kids could come through the door at any time. And I really need to check on them." She insisted.

"Oh honey, the kids are fine.." He started to say but suddenly they could hear the sound of something crashing onto the floor.

"Adrian! Starlene!" They could hear Rosita's surprised shout from outside the bedroom.

"I told you.." She sighed as she started to get up and Sebastian finally let her go but with his head hung.

"We have to continue this later tonight, honey." He said as he got up from the bed and she followed him.

"Oh of course Iubirea mea, if we can." She shrugged and he just grimaced in return.

They went outside of the master bedroom towards the living room, following the voices of Rosita and Maurice who seemed to be fighting with the sound of Adrian and Starlene's cries in the background.

"This is an expensive vase! There's only one like it in the world! You're hired to watch over them!" Maurice shouted at Rosita.

"Well I'm sorry but I was in the bathroom for like a minute! And could you stop yelling?! You're scaring them." Rosita shouted back as she pulled the children close to her and patted their backs, trying to make them stop crying. 

What looked to be broken pieces of a vase were lying all over the living room floor by the large coffee table in the middle of the room with the flowers that were in it strewn all over the floor. 

"Rosita, what's going on?" Sebastian asked.

Seeing their parents coming Adrian and Starlene immediately ran towards them. Sebastian leaned down and picked Adrian up into his arms and started to rub his back gently while Starlene cling to Y/n's leg.

"Oh I'm sorry Mr.Stan. I was in the bathroom for just a moment then I heard the sound of something crashing. When I got here Adrian was standing on the table and the vase was already broken. I didn't see what happened." Rosita explained.

"Adrian, why were you standing on the table?" Sebastian asked, looking at Adrian.

"We were playing 'the floor is a lava', dad." Adrian said, sniffling.

"Yes, daddy. He jumped from the sofa to the table and bumped onto the vase. I tried to stop the vase from falling down but I couldn't." Starlene explained, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Oh Adrian, be careful next time and don't jump on the table." Y/n scolded him. "This isn't our house. You have to be more careful and behave." 

"I'm sorry, mommy." Adrian said, his ocean blue eyes welled up with tears and he started to cry again.

"There there, Adrian, it's okay." Sebastian said as he continued to rub Adrian's back.

"Well I'm sorry Mr.Stan, but it's not okay! The vase is imported from Italy and the owner could fire me if he knows that it's broken." Maurice said in agitation.

"Maurice, calm down. I can pay to cover the damage, okay? How much does it cost?" Sebastian asked.

"Well, I'm not sure but I believe the villa's owner bought it for two thousand euros." Maurice replied.

Sebastian's and Y/n's eyes widened as they heard the price of the vase. Sebastian took a deep breath and let it go.

"Fine. Just charge it to us. We'll pay for it." Sebastian said.

"Very well Mr.Stan. I'm going to report this to the owner." Maurice said.

"Okay, do that. Let him know we're willing to pay for it." Sebastian said and Maurice nodded. 

Maurice pulled out his cellphone from his pants' pocket, took some pictures of the vase then continued to use his cellphone. 

"I just sent the pictures to the owner and he said that he really appreciates it that you are willing to cover the damages, Mr.Stan. The vase costs him three thousand euros, not two apparently." Maurice said moments later.

"Fine. We'll pay for it." Sebastian sighed.

"Very well, Mr.Stan. Thank you. I'm sorry, but the owner also said that if something like this should happen again, he has no choice but to evict you." Maurice said slowly, his eyes stared at Sebastian in apprehension.

"Fine. That's fine." Sebastian said, gritting his teeth.

Y/n placed her hand on Sebastian's shoulder and squeezed it gently as she saw that he almost lost it.

"Thank you Mr.Stan. Now let me clean this up." Maurice said.

"Yes, please do that, Maurice. Thank you so much and we're really sorry for what happened." Y/n said.

"It's okay Mrs.Stan." Maurice finally smiled a little then left them.

"I'm really sorry, Mr.Stan, Mrs.Stan." Rosita said, her head hung.

"It's okay, Rosita, it's not your fault. Now where's Lucky?" Y/n asked.

"He was by the pool when I went inside with the children." Rosita said.

"Alright, thank you Rosita. Now kids, why don't you go with Rosita and have some cookies while we wait for the barbeque to be ready." She said.

"Okay, mommy." Starlene nodded.

"I'm sorry, mommy." Adrian sniffled as Sebastian put him down on the floor.

"It's okay, Adrian. Just don't do that again okay? Be a good boy." She said, kneeling down in front of Adrian and gave him a hug.

"Okay, mommy." Adrian nodded in her arms.

She let him go and stood up as Rosita guided the children to the dining room. 

"Three thousand euros for just a vase." Sebastian shook his head as he walked towards the lawn.

"I know. Ridiculous isn't it? I mean, the collection of china that Starlene broke at that castle in Germany cost ten thousand euros. Just one vase should cost way less than three thousand." She commented as she followed Sebastian out towards the lawn.

"Yeah. That's true honey. The owner probably lied about the real price of the vase. But we have no choice, do we?" He responded, sighing.

"Yeah. Even if we want to move to another villa we can't. They're all fully booked seeing how tomorrow is the start of the film festival." She commented.

"Well, we just have to make sure nothing else is broken in this villa for the rest of our stay here." Sebastian said as they reached the infinity pool and sat on chairs by the pool. Lucky was apparently lying down under a tree not far from them. He seemed to be sleeping.

“Yeah. You know what, Iubirea mea. It feels exactly like our honeymoon again. This trip feels cursed.” She said, dread in her stomach.

“Oh honey, if what you say is true we should have been kicked out of this villa, but we haven’t. And I really won’t ask you to have sex outdoors again. So don’t worry about it, okay?” He said, reaching his hand out to touch hers and squeezed it gently.

“Okay.” She chuckled and she squeezed his hand back.

She released his hand and leaned back on the chair. Her eyes gazed towards the breathtaking view of the infinity pool and the sea far beyond it. As she enjoyed the beautiful and serene view she prayed in her heart that the rest of their trip would be pleasant. They still have a month left to go. Surely they would be able to enjoy the trip as days progressed.

However, the universe seemed to want to play with them again as what happened next triggered a big change in their trip.

They were all sitting outside by the pool around a table, enjoying the delicious barbeque Maurice had prepared for them when a squirrel who just gathered some nuts from the woods ran up the tree where Lucky was lying down under. Apparently the tree was his home.

“Mommy! Look! There’s a squirrel!” Starlene exclaimed out loud, pointing her index finger towards the squirrel.

“Oh yeah, how cute!” Y/n responded. 

Her heart dropped to her stomach as she saw what happened next. The squirrel dropped a nut it was carrying in its mouth and it fell right on top of Lucky’s head. Lucky woke up immediately and looked around, barking loudly. Then he looked up and saw the squirrel. He growled and barked at the squirrel, placing his front paws on the tree, trying to get to the squirrel but couldn’t. He tried hard to climb the tree as the squirrel looked down at him in panic.

“Seb, do you see that?” Y/n asked.

“What?” Sebastian asked, looking up at her. He was too busy focusing on his food to notice anything. He finally noticed when the squirrel ran down the other side of the tree and sprinted towards the nearby woods. Seeing the squirrel had successfully run away Lucky ran towards the woods and chased it.

“Oh no.. Lucky! Come back here boy!” Sebastian shouted as he stood up and started to chase him.

Soon all of the Stan family left the table and started to run chasing him.

“Lucky! Stop!” Adrian shouted.

Y/n put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly but Lucky didn’t care, he continued to run chasing the squirrel. The squirrel seemed to panic as it saw that it was being chased not just by a dog but also by humans. In its panic state it circled around a tree and ran back towards the villa where Maurice was still busy with the barbeque. The squirrel ran straight towards Maurice, passed his feet and went straight into the villa. Moments later Lucky ran towards Maurice too. He streaked past Maurice and bumped onto the small grill in front of Maurice. The grill toppled over onto a nearby plant, startling Maurice. Lucky continued to run chasing the squirrel inside the villa while the plant started to catch fire from the grill.

“Oh no!” Maurice exclaimed in panic.

Y/n stopped in her tracks as she saw what was going on. With her eyes widened she watched as the fire became bigger and Sebastian tried to help Maurice to extinguish the fire while Rosita and the children continued to chase Lucky and the squirrel inside the villa. She walked closer towards the chaotic scene and winced as she heard the sound of things breaking inside the villa.

Cursed. This trip was definitely cursed. She thought as she continued to stare at the chaotic scene in front of her helplessly.

—-

There was no question that after what happened the Stan family was kicked out of Villa Joliet. The fire on the lawn was thankfully extinguished successfully but the plants around the grill all burnt down and the grill was damaged. The condition was worse inside the villa. Almost all the fragile decorations around the villa broke and destroyed when Lucky chased the squirrel around the villa. Eventually Y/n managed to stop Lucky from running by offering him some dog treats and the squirrel could slip out back into the woods.

Sebastian and Y/n begged Maurice to let them stay but he was adamant that they couldn’t. Worst of all the owner of the villa wouldn’t refund the rental money that Y/n had paid them in full before they arrived. He even charged them an extra thousand euros for making all the damages to the villa. 

"What a greedy bas***d! They're charging us so much! We haven't even spent one night here!" Sebastian shouted in anger as he turned the ignition of their rented van on and started backing out of the villa's driveway.

"Daddy said a bad word again." Starlene pointed out.

"Yes Seb, watch your language." Y/n sighed.

"I'm sorry.. I'm just frustrated. They're robbing us!" He said as he drove the van towards the small street in front of the villa.

"Well, they do need the money to cover all the damages." Y/n stated.

"Yeah, but I’m sure it wouldn’t cost that much to cover all the damages. It’s not like we were staying in Versailles where a single vase could cost millions of euros." He said as he stepped on the gas and the van started its descent down the hill the villa was located on.

"I know, Seb. I know. Let's just focus on where to go from here." She sighed as she pulled her cellphone out and started browsing for options.

"Right, okay, I'm sorry. Maybe we can just try booking a hotel somewhere near the Croisette." Sebastian suggested.

"Yeah, I'm looking at the available options but there are none, Seb. All the hotels, motels, villas, bed and breakfasts are full in Cannes." 

"Well.. how about we try and search somewhere around here?" He suggested.

"You mean around Vallauris?" She asked.

"Yeah, or Juan-Le-Pins." He nodded.

"Okay. Let's see." She said as she started to browse for options.

Soon a list of all the hotels and accomodations around Vallauris popped up in her cellphone. But after checking on them, all of them were also fully booked. She then searched for options around Juan-Le-Pins, thankfully there was one available hotel in Juan-Le-Pins, Hotel Castel Mistral which was located near the beach and a railroad. The hotel was about 5 kilometers away from the villa.

"Oh thank God." Sebastian said as he started to drive the van towards Juan-Le-Pins.

"I have to remind you though that you might not like the hotel. It says here that it's close to the railroad so the sound of the trains can be disturbing. And it's an old two star hotel, so don't expect much." She warned him.

"Honey, right now I don't need a perfect place. I'll take anything. I'm tired. As long as it has a bed and a private bathroom I'll take it." He said, exasperated.

"Alright. There's a private beach about 40m away from the hotel. So tomorrow you guys can play at the beach while mommy and daddy go to the film festival." She said, turning around to face her children.

"The beach! Yay!" Adrian shouted in delight, his face brightened immediately, making her smile in return.

She turned her head back towards the front of the van and sighed, knowing what kind of hotel they were going to go to. She hoped it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

After passing through small idyllic streets and passing port de Golfe Juan and Juan-Le-Pins beach, half an hour later they finally arrived at Hotel Castel Mistral.

"I know now why you said I might not like the hotel." Sebastian chuckled as he drove the van into the hotel's small parking lot.  

The hotel's exterior had cream colored stone walls with a medieval castle theme. The building looked old, worn down and consisted of three floors. 

"Yeah. It reminds me so much of that haunted castle in Germany." She chuckled as the van finally stopped.

"Yup. I hope this place isn't haunted." He commented as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Haunted? Do you think there's a ghost here, dad?" Starlene asked, dumbfounded.

"Well I don't know for sure. But most likely not because this hotel doesn't look that old." Sebastian responded.

They entered the hotel and seeing the interior made Y/n feel another deja vu. The interior of the hotel had vintage and classic feel with dark brown parquet floors, mahogany furniture and classic floral wallpapers. Seeing it reminded her so much of the haunted castle in Germany. The main difference was that it didn’t have many old portraits of people on the walls and there was of course no armored knight statue around, but the old vibe still gave her the chills.

They checked into two rooms at the hotel. One room had a double bed while the other room had a single bed and a bunk bed. Sebastian and Y/n took the room with the double bed of course while the children, Rosita and Lucky took the other room.

By the time they were settled in their rooms it was already time for dinner. Feeling tired they decided to just order room service for dinner and sleep early. The next day was a busy day for Sebastian as he was supposed to attend the press conference and premiere of his movie with Renate Reinsve. After the premiere he was scheduled to attend a party to celebrate the release of the movie. So he was going to be busy from morning until night.

Y/n was also invited to all of the events. Even though she wasn’t someone who worked in the film industry but being Sebastian’s spouse she was allowed to come as his plus one. 

She laid down on the bed that night feeling tired all over her body. She still couldn’t believe everything that had happened to them that day. She wondered if their trip really was cursed. Every single thing that had happened to them on the trip had already happened back during their honeymoon. And looking from what had happened, the ghost incident should happen next.

Suddenly she heard the sound of someone snoring lightly which startled her a little. She looked to her left and saw that Sebastian already fell asleep. His mouth opened a little and he looked so peaceful and innocent in his sleep. She smiled as she looked at him and snuggled closer to him. She placed one arm around his body and laid her head on his chest. He stirred and stopped snoring as soon as she touched him.

“Good night, Iubirea mea.” She said gently, looking up at him.

“Hmmm.. night, honey.” He replied and placed his arm around her shoulder then pulled her closer to him.

Home, she felt at home in his arms. Even though they ended up staying somewhere completely different, she still felt at home as long as she was in his arms.

It took a while for her to fall asleep as she was kind of dreading and anticipating the appearance of a ghost. The sound of the trains from the nearby railroad also kept her awake. Eventually though, being so exhausted after a long and tiring day she fell asleep without seeing any ghosts. The Stan family could thankfully sleep in peace that night.

—-

Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes, France - May 16th 2027 - 5 pm 

Y/n's heart beat so fast in her chest as the limousine that brought them to the Cannes Film Festival's venue for Sebastian's movie's premiere stopped in front of the red carpet. Sebastian got out of the limousine first then extended his hand towards her. She picked it up and got out as well. Flashes from cameras soon blinded her as numerous photographers took their pictures. 

They looked stunning that day. Sebastian wore the usual black tuxedo with a bow tie. His hair was short but fluffy at the top and his face had some short stubble which she loved to see on him. She herself wore a champagne long-sleeved tulle dress with floral white appliques adorning the bodice from the plunging v neck line down to the skirt. Her hair was pulled up in an elegant bun at the nape of her neck. The only accessories she wore was the necklace with the heart and key shaped pendant Sebastian had given to her years ago along with the heart shaped diamond earrings he had gifted to her at the start of their relationship.

She was really nervous that day because she had never gone to the Cannes Film Festival before. Over the years Sebastian had invited her to come to his movie's premieres including Thunderbolts and the Ric Flair documentary. The first time she went to his movie premiere was for Thunderbolts and it was quite a nerve wracking experience for her because it was her first public appearance with Sebastian after the infamous scandal that they were in. Thankfully it went well. None of Sebastian's fans harassed her and some of his fans even cheered for her, which she was genuinely surprised about. After that she felt more confident being seen in public with him and she finally reactivated her Instagram account even though she rarely posted.

Even though she was much more confident about being seen in public with Sebastian, she couldn't help but feel nervous that day. Cannes Film Festival was a whole different beast of an event and she just hoped she would be able to walk the red carpet without tripping.

Sebastian seemed to notice how nervous she was. He smiled warmly at her and squeezed her hand gently as he guided her to walk along the red carpet.

"You look stunning, sweetheart. Don't be nervous. You're doing great." He whispered in her ear as they continued to walk. She looked up at him and smiled. 

"Thank you Iubirea mea. I just hope I can survive the long walk to the top of the stairs and not trip." She whispered back.

"Honey, I'll be here to catch you even if you do." He winked and she blushed.

He raised her hand up and kissed it, making the photographers go wild and took more and more pictures of them, making her blushed even more.

"I love it when you blush, honey. You look so pretty when you do." He smiled and she just shook her head shyly.

Thankfully she survived the long walk to the top of the stairs and she watched as Sebastian posed with Renate Reinsve, Joachim Trier the director and other cast members.

As she watched them her mind went back to the time she went to the set of the movie to shoot a scene with Sebastian. Yes, she was in the movie even if for a very short while and she was only seen from the back and wore a wig. She replaced Renate for a brief kissing scene between Sebastian's character and Renate's character.

She didn't ask for it but Sebastian offered it. Ever since their honeymoon scandal happened he had tried very hard to make her feel more comfortable in letting him leave to shoot movies around the world. He took no more than three projects a year and when he had to leave for a shoot more than a month he always took his whole family with him. He also took projects where there was no vulgar sexual scenes, unlike during his single days when he didn't think twice about taking on roles that required him to be in vulgar sexual scenes. These days even if there were sexual scenes or kissing scenes, he tried to persuade the director to allow the scene to be taken with Y/n. Thankfully all the directors didn't mind and this was her second time of being in a movie with Sebastian.

His very considerate and respectful gesture touched her deeply and she knew that he really loved her so much as much as she loved him. She was the love of his life and he was hers. Nothing in the world could change that.

—

Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, Cannes, France - May 16th 2027 - 8 pm 

The crowd erupted in cheers as the closing credit of Sebastian and Renate's movie started rolling. Everyone stood up, clapped and cheered giving them a standing ovation. Y/n cheered and clapped hard as she watched Sebastian and Renate took bows on the row in front of her. The director, Joachim Trier, gave Sebastian and Renate hugs and clapped their shoulders. 

Her heart swelled in her chest as she looked around the theater. She couldn't be more proud of her husband. The movie was not just visually stunning but the subject matter, which was a drama and thriller about human and child trafficking, was something so important to bring up to the world. Most of the general public was not aware of the urgent issue of human and child trafficking and the movie was definitely something that could make people more aware and help bring the matter more into light.

Sebastian played a CIA agent who was tasked to investigate a series of child abductions happening around the US and ended up finding out about the underground criminal organization who were doing human and child trafficking all over the world. Renate played a single mother who lost her daughter to an abduction that happened in rural US. Their acting was top notch and Y/n wouldn't be surprised if they ended up bringing home the awards for Best Actor and Actress that year.

The audience ended up giving a twenty minute standing ovation for them. Something that had not happened in the festival for a long time. The last time the audience gave a twenty minute standing ovation was for Fahrenheit 9/11 back in 2004. So it was quite a big deal for Sebastian and the rest of the cast and crew of the movie to receive a standing ovation that long.

By the time the standing ovation was done her hands were numb and red from all the clapping but it was worth it. Joachim followed by Renate and Sebastian filed out of the theater to go outside for a photo call in front of the famous red steps at the front of the venue. Even though they already posed for photos at the red carpet earlier that day before the screening started, there was still one more photo call they needed to do before they were off to the movie's release party.

She walked a little further away from him and let him and everyone else in the movie posed for the cameras. It didn't take long for Sebastian to notice her absence. Ignoring the shouts from the photographers he walked away from the middle of the red carpet and quickly went to where she was standing.

"Honey, come on, take some pictures with me." He grabbed her hand and started to guide her towards the red carpet.

"Seb, I think I posed enough. It's time for you and Renate to take the spotlight." She refused.

"Sweetheart, you were in the movie too." He winked and she just shook her head shyly.

"Just for a minute and then we go." He pleaded.

"Okay." She finally nodded.

Sebastian's face brightened and he immediately pulled her towards the middle of the red carpet where Renate was posing. They posed for some pictures together all three of them and then Renate left them so the photographers could take pictures of just the two of them.

Throughout the photo session his hand never left her. He placed his hand at the small of her back then he also pulled her closer to him by her waist.

"I can't wait to get back to the hotel and strip you off this stunning dress." He whispered as the photographers continued to take pictures of them, making her blush furiously.

"Seb.. " she looked up at him in disbelief but he just looked down at her with love and longing in his eyes.

"We need to continue where we left off at the villa yesterday." He winked, making her blush even more.

As if that wasn't enough, he leaned closer to her and planted a soft kiss on her lips, releasing all the butterflies in her stomach.

"I love you, sweetheart." He whispered.

"I love you too, Iubirea mea." She whispered back and smiled shyly.

Their little PDA scene made the photographers go wilder. Her face reddened throughout the photo session that she was sure she looked like a lobster, but Sebastian seemed to love looking at her blushing furiously. He kept glancing at her lovingly throughout the photo session, making the butterflies in her stomach fly around wildly.

The photo session finally ended and Sebastian guided her to go to their limousine. They were going to a hotel nearby to change their outfit for the party that night into something a little less formal. The movie studio had booked a room at a nearby hotel specifically for the movie's cast members to get ready for the red carpet and party that day.

There was a queue to get into their limousine as everyone else were also leaving the venue. They stood in line behind Renate when her cellphone buzzed in the small purse she was carrying.

She pulled it out from her purse and immediately picked it up after seeing who the caller was. Rosita was video calling her.

"Rosita, what's going on? Where are you?" Her heart rate raised a little as she saw where Rosita was. It seemed she was standing outside of the hotel and not in the hotel room. Her eyebrows were furrowed, she looked like she was really scared about something.

"Mrs.Stan.. I'm really sorry to bother you but.. You need to come back here soon." Rosita replied, her voice sounded agitated. She could hear the sound of someone shouting in the background in French and what seemed to be the sound of splashing water.

"What happened?" She asked, dreading the answer.

"I was in the bathroom with the children giving them a bath after we got back from the beach, when a.. a ghost appeared Mrs.Stan.." Rosita said, her voice shook.

"What?!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, mommy! There was a ghost!" Starlene's face popped up next to Rosita's face, her face looked scared.

"Oh, Starlene, really?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, mommy, really!" Adrian's face popped up next to Starlene and crowded the screen.

"Honey, what's going on?" Sebastian asked, looking at her cellphone screen curiously.

"They said they saw a ghost." She explained and Sebastian's jaw dropped.

"What?!" He exclaimed out loud.

"Yes Mr.Stan. We were shocked and scared and immediately ran out of the room. But.. umm.. I forgot to turn off the tap in the bathtub and.. umm.. the water flooded the room and flowed all over the floor and it wasn't until the water started to flow downwards to the ground floor that I realized I had left the tap running. And.. umm.. because of that we got kicked out of the hotel." Rosita explained.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. A ghost finally made an appearance on their trip and they got kicked out of their accommodation yet again!

She exchanged looks of disbelief with Sebastian and after a moment Sebastian finally asked. "Alright, where are you now, Rosita?"

"Down at the hotel lobby, Mr.Stan." Rosita replied.

"Okay. Just wait there and we'll come there soon. Kids, stay there with Rosita and don't go anywhere, okay?" Sebastian warned them.

"Yes, daddy." The children chorused.

Rosita finally hung up the video call session but not before showing them a little of the water flooding the floor of the hotel.

Y/n turned her cellphone's screen off and put it back in her purse.

"So, what do we do now?" She looked up at Sebastian, her mind still reeling from the information they just received.

"Well.. looks like we have to skip the party and rescue our family, there's no other choice." He sighed.

"I'm sorry Iubirea mea. You know what, you can stay and I'll go back alone. I'll check out of the hotel and bring the kids, Rosita and Lucky here. Maybe we can ask Christie to allow us to stay at the hotel." She suggested, referring to Christie, the movie's producer who had booked the hotel room for the movie's cast members that day.

She felt really bad if Sebastian missed the party. The movie was a big deal for him. She was sure that he would love to attend the party and network with people and promote the movie.

"Honey, I don't care about the party. Our family is in danger from a ghost! And they're stranded at the hotel. I need to save them. It's my responsibility. Not just yours." He said, looking at her with his eyebrows furrowed.

Her heart swelled at his answer. Four years ago she was certain he would choose to stay for the party instead of prioritizing his family, but he had changed and she was so happy about it. She was glad that he could finally sort out his priorities.

"I love you." She blurted out, making him smile.

"And I love you more, honey." He replied as he reached out to squeeze her hand tight.

"Come on. Let's save our family." He beckoned his head towards their limousine which just stopped in front of them.

She smiled and nodded. 

"You know what, Seb?" She asked as they sat at the back of the limousine and the limousine started to move, taking them back to their children.

"What, honey?" He asked.

"Maybe next year we should go on vacation to Asia or maybe even Africa. We may have better luck there instead of here in Europe." She suggested, making him laugh.

"Great idea, honey." He chuckled.

"And you know what honey, seeing that what has been happening has checked all the boxes of what happened back during our honeymoon, I'm sure you know what's next on the list." He teased.

"Oh Seb.. " She blushed as she realized what he was referring to.

"I am desperate for you as I was back then." He said slowly with a low and husky voice, making her heart skip a beat. 

"You, looking so stunning with this dress made it worse for me, honey. You have no idea how many times I imagined making love to you tonight." He continued as his eyes traveled from her face down to her body with so much love and desire, making her feel weak all over.

He pushed a button by the window and the barrier between the driver's seat and passenger seat rolled up, effectively covering them from the view of the driver.

Without waiting any longer he pulled her closer to him and started kissing and caressing her passionately. She was powerless as she gave in to her desire and let it consume her completely. How could she hold back with a husband as handsome and sexy as he was? She couldn't.

The ride back to Juan-Le-Pins was quite eventful for them as they made sweet love at the back seat of the limousine. 

"I love you so much, sweetheart." He said breathlessly after they reached their peak together. His breath was short and fast as he tried to recover from all the pleasure they just felt, she could feel it in her ear.

She was sitting on top of him, straddling him while somehow still wearing the stunning dress. Her arms were around his shoulder as she felt the remnants of the peak of their love making all throughout her body down to the tips of her toes. They were hugging each other tight. He was still in her and she never wanted to let him go.

"I love you so much too, Iubirea mea." She whispered breathlessly.

After a while she finally released her hug on him and looked down at him. They gazed at each other in silence as they enjoyed basking in the feeling of the peak of their love. His fingers caressed her cheek gently and she did the same to his cheek.

She wished they could stay like that forever but of course they couldn't.

"So, ready for another adventure?" He asked gently with a small smile on his lips.

"With you, I'm ready for anything." She replied, smiling back at him.

Whatever obstacle the universe throws at them. Whatever chaotic mess she and her family got themselves into. She knew that they would be able to deal with them. As long as they had each other. As long as they continued to love each other as they always have for the past twenty six years.

Taglist

@sebsgirl71479 @dhoruwolfie

[write-and-wander]

Touch: Epilogue

Pairing:  Kylo Ren x Fem!Reader

Warnings:  Non-canon AU

Word count:  1K

Author’s note: As much as I loved the ending of the last chapter, I can't resist a little epilogue to show where I imagine things would go in my version of the sequels.

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

(Part 3)

(Part 4)

(Part 5)

(Part 6)

(Part 7)

Epilogue: Future's Path

“General Kenobi?”  You hear Poe call out to you.

“Be there in five!” you call back, looking back down to your journal.  It’s been a while since your last entry, and you just wanted to finish recording things before The Path Forward’s first meeting for Project Rebuild.  With a deep breath, you think back on all that has transpired since the Final Victory.

The first order of business was to repair what had been broken.  For the Path- which, at the time, was still the Resistance- that meant tending to the wreckage of the bases we had built in the past.  They settled on rebuilding in D’Qar as, for most of those who stayed after the Victory, it felt like home.  Though many people left the Resistance after that final battle was won, feeling satisfied with having achieved what they had set out to accomplish, some still remained, determining that the work was not yet finished.  Those that stayed reached out to those that left and other allies to raise funds and gather supplies, and while the Resistance itself was gone, the spirit of working together to make the galaxy a better place yet remained.  We all had managed to gather enough not just to rebuild the base we once had, but to also improve upon it with the hope that future generations would be using this place to continue to strive for better.  In fact, reconstruction and renovation just came to completion- hence the meeting I’m about to attend.

General Dameron seamlessly took over the Path after the Victory.  Those of us who joined prior to Leia’s passing knew that it was exactly what she would have wanted- and seeing him lead now confirmed that it was for good reason.  He really was the perfect choice for the head of the organization.  Poe, having grown up with the group and being- well, himself- made for a natural leader.  While some members, new and old alike, still disagree with the risks he’s willing to take, it’s hard to argue against his decisions when they always seem to work out.  I don’t want to discount his natural talents, but I also believe that none of it would be possible without the force’s favor over him.  Regardless, he really is the best we’ve got.

General Storm would agree with me- and, being as force sensitive as he is, I trust his word (admittedly, sometimes more than I trust my own).  Finn’s wisdom is unparalleled, and his bravery and even head makes for a perfect counterpart to General Dameron.  I’m still getting used to calling him General Storm; it was the last name he had taken for himself while Ben, Poe, and I were working out logistics for the Path.  We were shocked when it was the first name he offered for himself, being a reference to his time with the First Order as a Stormtrooper.  However, he said it best himself: “It’s who I am.  It can always mean something new.”  It was a short deliberation, then, on how we would be referring to Finn upon his promotion to General: ‘Storm’ it was.  Shortly after, Rey took the same sort of inspiration, having found out the truth of her past- though, there was no concern about a proper title, as she would not be stepping up into any sort of leadership for the Path.

Now make no mistake, Rey was still working in a close alliance with the Path- which I believe is at least in part due to General Storm.  Instead, she had also taken on her own mantle moving forward.  She had kept both Luke and Leia’s sabers, as well as some of the ancient Jedi texts- which, I just recently learned, were otherwise turned to ash on Ahch-To by Jedi Master Yoda; meaning that the ever-resourceful scavenger managed to recover some before the fiery incident.  With those few relics, she determined that the Jedi tradition should not so easily die.  She decided to try again what Luke had failed to do in his lifetime- rebuild the Jedi Order.  While we disagreed with her decision, we’ve also decided to respect it; with the caveat that the Path would be keeping a close eye on her new Order.  Understanding the hesitation and wanting to be held accountable for the sake of the galaxy’s security moving forward, she easily accepted the conditions.

General Solo- my beloved Ben- took a similar path for himself.  While he was more invested in the Path than Rey was- enough to be given a proper title and position- he also still pursued more, taking the last words of his uncle to heart.  Actually, it’s a project we’ve both been working on for a while now.  We want to forge a new future; to pave a new path for those who are strong with the force.  It will be a way of balance, where the dark cannot exist without the light, both in the galaxy and within ourselves.  We hope to honor our ancestors with the work we do- and, having taken advantage of the presence of their force ghosts to seek out guidance from them, we can confidently say that we’re off to a good start.  Together, we began to teach new, young force-wielders what true balance and harmony with the force might look like, and how one can harness the power within that.

Finally, both sides of the force are intertwined into one, just as intended; and to think it all began when the light first touched the darkness.

You jump at the sound of the door opening, but relax when you see Ben walking in.

“If you show up any later, they might think you’re nervous,” he teases.

“Nervous?” you scoff, “Never.”

Ben laughs.  “The journal can wait, my light,” he says with a kiss to your temple. You stand.

“There’s just so much to record, I wanted to at least start-”

“Will you two stop making out in here?” Poe butts in, “We’ve got a project to start.”

You laugh and give Ben a kiss.  “Okay,” you say, taking a deep breath.

Ben grabs your hand.  “Together?”

You nod as you both follow Poe to the meeting room.  “Together.”

[harrypocter]

We at Harry POCter are delighted to announce our first big event of the year: the Festival of Colours! 🎨 It’s time to celebrate the POC characters of Harry Potter. Whether you do this by writing a fic or by creating a piece of fanart is entirely up to you!

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[floralcyanide]

The Extra || Austin Butler x OC

Chapter Fourteen

Pairing: Austin Butler x OC

Warnings: mentions of physical illness, hospitals, passing out, mentions of alcohol, mentions of drinking.

Word Count: 1378

*I forgot to add the taglist so if you've been tagged in this and have already read this, I apologize!!

>> holy mother it's been like, 2 months since I last posted. I've been super busy with uni and work so I haven't had time to write. I've been working on this chapter for a little while and finally finished it. It's kind of a filler but this is the second to last chapter and then the epilogue. thanks to everyone who has continued reading and those who have been waiting for an update. I appreciate you all. I hope you enjoy (: <3

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist | Add yourself to the taglist HERE

March 2021

Today was the last day of filming Elvis, and it’s bittersweet. The entire cast has put in so much hard work, and now it’s coming to an end. But we’re all proud of what we’ve put into the movie. We’re all a little tired overall from the non-stop energy we’ve put into Elvis. So for today, we’re just going to chill out at Austin and I’s condo. Going out to celebrate will come at a later time.

“What was your favorite scene to film?” Dacre asks me, taking a sip of his beer while sitting on the couch in the living room. 

Olivia is beside him with Austin on the other side, and I’m sitting on the floor in front of them, nursing a beer of my own. The additional sofa is taken up by Kodi and Xavier, who have joined in on our group shenanigans, and Luke is with them. The chair is taken by Tom, who is happily enjoying the glass of wine that Luke brought. Austin offered for me to sit on his lap, but I decided against it. Besides, everyone needs a little floor time.

“Hmm,” I say, picking at the beer label, “That’s a hard one. But probably the beginning of the Comeback Special. It was fun seeing Austin on stage,” I smile.

“Mine is probably the scene where Steve is just annoyed at the Colonel and keeps running through the sequences with him over his shoulder,” Dacre chuckles, and Tom turns the chair around.

“You definitely got Steve down-pat in that one. I personally enjoyed the International Hotel scenes,” Tom says.

“Luke did a great job at being Jerry,” Austin sips his whiskey, “Whatever I read about him that Luke hadn’t seen yet, I would forward to him.”

“I’d sometimes get emails and texts at three in the morning,” Luke says half-jokingly.

“At least he wasn’t sending memes at three in the morning to the group chat like someone I know,” Kodi says, eyeballing Xavier next to him.

“At least they were funny,” I defend, “Austin would send me Elvis TikToks and YouTube videos in the middle of the night, and I’d wake up to, like, twenty of the weirdest videos.”

“Are you saying they weren’t funny?” Austin pouts.

“You’ve sent me some too, and maybe half of them were entertaining,” Olivia chimes in.

Austin pretends to be hurt, and Dacre laughs at him. A comfortable silence falls over everyone. 

The afternoon turns into evening, and conversation still flows until Austin suddenly bolts from his seat to the powder room. Everyone’s voices quiet down in concern. I get up from the floor and follow Austin, knocking on the door gently.

“Aus, you okay in there?”

My ear is pressed against the door, and I can hear him getting physically ill. I pull away from the door and open it before quickly shutting it back behind me. I kneel on the floor next to Austin and rub his back as he continues getting sick. When he’s done, he leans against the wall as he catches his breath, wiping his mouth with his wrist.

“All good?” I raise my eyebrows, eyeballing him with concern as he grabs my hand.

Austin nods wordlessly, letting his head loll back for a moment. 

“Let’s get you some water and then get you to bed, okay? Everyone will understand,” I say, standing up and offering my hand to help him off the floor. 

But Austin is too weak even to move. He groans, looking at me with glassy eyes. I quickly tell him I’d be right back, and I head to the living room to rally someone to help get him up.

“Is everything alright?” Kodi asks when I walk back into the living room, his brows furrowed in concern.

“I don’t think so. I actually need help getting Austin off the floor. He’s really sick,” I frown, and Steve, Luke, Kodi, and Xavier immediately stand up from their seats.

They all offer to help, and they follow me to the powder room where Austin sits, now barely conscious.

“Oh, mate. I think you need a hospital,” Luke grimaces and looks over at me.

“Yeah, he’s extremely dehydrated,” Steve points out, checking how quickly blood comes to the surface of Austin’s skin when he presses on it.

“Whatever we need to do to get him better. I’ve never seen him like this,” I say, my teeth worrying at my bottom lip.

Xavier and Luke help lift Austin up as Kodi and Steve make a clear path to the front door as I follow close behind. The rest of the group decides to leave but asks that I keep them updated. Luke and Xavier stay back to help me get him to the hospital. Luckily, Luke had driven to the condo, so we won’t have to walk a nearly passed-out Austin all the way there. I sit with Austin in the backseat, letting his head rest in my lap as I carefully run my fingers through his hair. He eventually does pass out on my legs, but Luke gets us to the emergency room as quickly as possible.

Luke, Xavier, and I anxiously waited for Austin’s name to be called out in the waiting room for what seemed like ages. After an hour of waiting, another hour is spent allowing nurses to pump Austin full of fluids in an infirmary room. Only I’m allowed back with him, so Luke and Xavier remain in the waiting area. Austin is still knocked out even when the doctor comes in. The doctor decides to admit him into the hospital due to extreme exhaustion. He suspects the constant work and energy Austin was putting into filming overexerted him, causing him to succumb to exhaustion. I never paid much attention to how little rest Austin was getting because he almost always threw himself into roles full force. But little did I know those times he was pretending to be asleep, his mind was wandering and reciting lines over and over.

I’m curled up in the hospital chair next to Austin’s bed when my eyes peel open. I check my phone, and it’s two in the morning. I quickly scroll through my notifications, and I’m about to shut my phone back off when I notice Austin move in the corner of my eye. He groans a little, rolling around in the bed as his eyes open.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” I joke, leaning over to grab his hand.

“Where am I?” Austin asks groggily, looking around the room, confused.

“You passed out after you got sick earlier, and we took you to the hospital,” I say, gently running my thumb over his knuckles.

“Is there something wrong?” Austin rubs his eyes, squeezing them shut before focusing them back on me.

“You’re exhausted, Aus,” I frown, “Why didn’t you tell me you were having a hard time?”

“I didn’t realize I was,” Austin says quietly, looking down at the pulse reader on his finger and the IV in his arm, “Is all of this necessary?”

“Yes, because you’re not well. The doctor wants to keep you here for a few days,” I bite my lip nervously, hoping Austin doesn’t get too upset about it.

He sighs, “Alright. I guess I do need to rest up now that filming is done.”

I nod in agreement, sighing in relief. I shoot a text to Luke and Xavier, who have long since left, as they asked me to update them as things happened. I also called the nurse, so she knows Austin is awake and alert. She hurries in and asks Austin some questions as she checks his vitals and fluids.

The next few days are steady as the doctor monitors Austin. Many crime TV shows are watched, and many card games are played over those few days. After the doctor is satisfied Austin has rested enough under his care, he decides we can go home, much to our relief. The shows and games can only do so much for boredom. We also needed to prepare for Cannes once Austin was feeling better. 

I, for one, also needed to prepare for Cannes since I’d never done anything like it before. I guess we’ll see how that goes.

taglist:

@anangelwhodidntfall @butlersluvbot @austinbutler17 @misspygmypie @mamaspresley @mirandastuckinthe80s @sodonebruh @lizzymizzy-blogg @defnotreadingfanfics12 @izzvoid @homebodybirkin2003 @thatonemoviefan @kittenlittle24 @alltheflowerstomav @tubble-wubble @kaycinema @annamarie16 @adoreyouusugar @amiets2 @mrs-butler @ari-nicole @austin-butlers-gf @feral4austinbutler @inlovewithchrisevans @shynovelist @mommy-maia @karamelcoveredolicity @thtguyovrthere @starry-night-20 @coldonexx @hangmanswhorey @mavericksicybabe @coco-bitch @bobthefishiesworld @emmymaehereeeeee @myguiltypleasures21 @rainydayz101 @finelineskies @cryingabtab

[tetsunabouquet]

Basic Instinct Chapter 27

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE! Today, the first chapter of Basic Instinct turnt 1 year old. I mentioned before how xenophobic native English speakers dragged me for my mistakes as a non-English speaker to the point I stopped publishing fanworks and I'll admit the lack of support also wasn't motivating. Basic Instinct is the first fanfic I've completed since my very first fanfic that I actually kept to myself that I wrote when I was 11 years old. Yes, I am saying completed as I had planned this to be the final chapter. There's something poetic about releasing the ending on Basic Instinct's birthday and it just feels right to end the story at this point. Don't worry guys, you guys will still be getting an epilogue and a blooper reel where I will be releasing some short funny scenes like the off screen dance Kotaro and the reader did at the Maji Burger in chapter 5. I thank every single one of you for being here on the journey! masterpost

Today, was Akashi's birthday. Rima had planned out everything and you, Momoi, Reo, Midorima and Kuroko had filled her in with the occasional comment about what they thought might be nice too. Last week, before winter break, Reo had slipped the invitations to Nebuya and Kotaro, and Momoi did the same for Kise and Aomine as Kuroko took care of Kagami and Murasakibara. Kagami had been a bit surprised to be invited too, but after careful thought everyone agreed Kagami also should be getting an invitation. You were glowing with excitement and wore a beautiful, expensive dress that Rima had given you as an advance Christmas gift as you did feel a bit insecure as Masaomi would drop by on the party. You didn't wanted to look cheap, knowing how he felt about you. Rima had her scary side, but she had embraced you like a granddaughter and you knew she truly had your back if Masaomi were to act coldly towards you. So if anyone should be scared, it should be him. At least, that's what you kept telling yourself. You had been as thoughtful as possiblr. For one, you had written his birthday note with the markers he had bought for you on your first date. It had been hard to think of a birthday gift, because what could you give a boy who had almost everything already? You had been grateful for your friend Mari-Chan. As the two of you had chatted about the topic and how you thought of perhaps a self-made gift, she had the most brilliant idea. With the help of everyone, you had managed to collect a decent number of photos of Akashi and his friends, the few ones of the two of you and Rima had doubles made of childhood photographs with his mother. Spending your money on a few magazines of National Geographic, you had created the most beautiful collage of nature pictures to create a pretty backdrop, and then you carefully started making a collage of Akashi and his loved ones on top of your first collage. Mari had given you the money for the frame as those magazines had blown your budget, telling you how you always had her back when she needed you and this time she wanted to help you. She also said she thought you and Akashi were a cute couple in general and how much happier you looked now that the two of you had one another. Mari nearly chocked in the tight embrace you'd given her. Now, as you entered the Kaneshiro mansion with your gift, you couldn't help but think of how the dress and the pretty mansion remembered you of a fairy tale, with you being the princess. Fujioka came to place your present with the others, and the old man smiled at you. "Thank you for giving him his joy back. This birthday will be the best my young master will have ever gotten, and its all thanks to your love that he's getting what he deserves. I'd be honored of serving you as the lady of the house one day." Your face got a little red and you could feel a few tears pricking your eyes. The compliment touched you, and you gave Fujioka your warmest smile. "And I thank you, for getting him to the warm home he deserves." "Oi, y/n-chan!" Kotaro yelled, arriving with Nebuya and you let out a soft chuckle. Another servant took the gifts of their hands and they led the three of you to the dining hall. The usual table was shoved into a corner where the small pile of gifts rested atop A new, larger table was seated in the center of the room, sporting the largest birthday cake you had ever seen in real life, and plates with various different foods. Midorima and Tamamura-san seemed to try their hardest to distract Murasakibara from eating before the party started. Kuroko, Kagami and Momoi were reacting to something stupid Aomine had said, Momoi was rolling her eyes and Kuroko was saying something you couldn't hear with Midorima's scolding drowning out his voice. Reo was chatting up with Umemiya-san and you guessed it was probably recipe related. You could recognize Yuuki, chatting up with some other maids as they eyed the commotion as you did. Only Kise hadn't arrived yet.

After another half hour, all of you gathered around as Fujioka went to get Rima and Akashi. Kise still wasn't there yet! You hoped it wouldn't hurt Akashi's feelings. As the anticipation arose in the room, and you could feel the excitement jittering in your skin, the doors opened. "Surprise!" They all yelled, only to see Kise in the doorway, carrying his gift. He chuckled as he walked into the room, "Hi!" "Kise, why are you so god damn late!" Aomine grumbled annoyed and Kise pouted. "Aominecchi, I am supposed to be fashionably late." At that you and several others chuckled, and just then did the doors open again, this time with the actual birthday boy, butler and grandma. As everyone gathered some air, they once more shouted, "Surprise!" Akashi looked on with big surprised eyes and then looked at his grandmother. "I thought you deserved an actual birthday." He couldn't help but feel his eyes water, and he hugged his grandmother. You broke out into a wide smile, looking onto his happiness. Akashi walked to your group and said, "I'm happy you made it to my birthday." "He's here now. Can we finally eat?" Murasakibara asked hungrily. Akashi chuckled and said, "Of course, let us feast on this occasion!" And so all of you took your own seat. The cake only had one candle, so Akashi did not have to worry about the cake's large size. He closed his eyes and made his wish, 'I wish my bonds with these people will never change.' All of you clapped as he blew out the candle, and almost with lightning speed did Murasakibara took a slice. Everyone looked flabbergasted at his audacity not to let Akashi go first, but he shrugged it off with a happy smile, because all of you were there and that was the gift he had always wanted. Each of you then took your then filled your own plate, and just as you took your first bite of food, did another butler bring in Masaomi, awkwardly holding a gift. "Take a seat father." Akashi said, and Masaomi handed his gift to the butler. You immediately felt anxious, but then Rima smiled at you and you couldn't help but smile back. 'thank you', you mouthed, for all her support. And the party did go over smoothly. Masaomi talked mostly with Rima and the servants that evening, observing you, Akashi and his friends from the sidelines. Which came much as a relief. Before you left to go back home, Akashi embraced you as you bid your goodbye to him in the garden. "You really look stunning in that dress. It suits you perfectly." He complimented and your face flushed red. "Thank you, your grandmother has great taste." He chuckled, his eyes bright and his smile so wide that it hurt but he couldn't help how happy he was. You wrapped your arms around his neck. "Happy birthday Sei." Akashi leaned in and kissed you with such delight, the two of you felt as if you were set afire. There was no moment more perfect then this.

[tobiasdrake]

So Rain Code has DLC to zero in on each of the non-Yuma detectives. Gonna play through these in order of release. Who do we start with? Let's see, that would be....

Goddammit. Desuhiko.

Okay, well. At least we can get him out of the way and then move on to the characters I like. Wonder if these take place before, after, or during the main game?

Well, we're opening at the Scary Zombie Rex Museum so that eliminates "before" as an option. Either the Secret of Kanai Ward investigation is currently ongoing or this is between Makoto's defeat and the Master Detectives leaving town.

Ooh, classic cat burglar mystery going on. So it looks like we'll have to stop this notorious thief from stealing the precious jewels. Okay, we can--

Nope, never mind, we failed. That was a short DLC. Alright, who's next on the list?

Alright, shouldn't be too hard to identify the Nine-Tailed Cat. As we can clearly see from this silhouette, our target is a naked man. Bizarre choice of aesthetic for a cat burglar, but I'm not going to judge.

Go, Nudist Thief, go!

...where do you think he stashed the jewel? Probably best not to think about that.

Again!? How often do naked men steal things on your watch!?

Desuhiko's over here proving my firmly-held belief that the word "again" is the funniest word in the English language.

Will you, though? Your skillset is in intelligence gathering. You're pretty much my last choice in fisticuffs, so I'm pretty sure anyone else on the team is better suited to apprehending our streaker.

Makoto agrees. When he was faking everyone's deaths, he had you die first. He knew there'd be no doubt about that.

I wouldn't call what Desuhiko has charisma. If he were charismatic, people would be willing to buy what he's selling. Instead, his role is one of constantly embarrassing himself for comic relief but with zero self-awareness of how cringe everyone else finds him. His behavior routinely makes him the butt of the joke.

Enthusiasm is how I'd describe Desuhiko. He has enthusiasm. Despite rejection after rejection after rejection, despite constantly failing to convince anyone or even himself that he's cool, Desuhiko never stops putting out a positive façade and trying again.

Oh hey, Yakou's sapient! That places us pretty firmly in the "during" timespan. We're somewhere between Desuhiko's arrival in town and Chapter 4.

The museum must be taking this pretty seriously. Amaterasu's isolation would make it difficult to procure new art pieces for display. Pretty much whatever they already had here plus anything new that the residents create, that's it.

So far as new gems go? Amaterasu doesn't do business within the city; People were talking about that in the epilogue. That's a problem because Amaterasu may have international reach, but they're the only part of Kanai Ward that does.

So good fucking luck getting gemstones here. It's not like Makoto's going to let anyone go out and open a mine somewhere.

That being said, our naked man has to be stealing for his own private collection, right? It's not like he can take the gems to a fence. I can't imagine Kanai Ward has a thriving black market. Why would someone even become a notorious serial burglar in an isolated city-state?

Unless this is a human burglar from outside the rain cage. In which case, WHOA HO HO did he come to the wrong city.

Okay, so their reputation extends to before the Blank Week. That makes a bit more sense. It's possible Kanai Ward had a black market before the isolation. Either way, the possibility of an aristocrat stealing for their own private collection remains as well.

That doesn't sound so bad, honestly. I'm glad Yuma's not on this case. A cat burglar who robs from museums hardly warrants a death feral regeneration sentence.

That's where the nudity comes in. It draws the eye away from the face, and that's if you don't look away immediately out of embarrassment. Brilliant, really.

Sorry, Desuhiko, but I think I'm on Team Kitsune. Robbing a megacorporation barely even constitutes a crime.

I AM 100% ON TEAM KITSUNE. Why would we even want to thwart these robberies? Desuhiko's pride? That and a dozen coins is worth 12 shien.

Oh, it is Desuhiko's pride at stake. I thought I was being dismissive.

Wow, I aggressively do not care about the stakes of this conflict. Let the Nine-Tailed Cat keep pissing in Yomi's corn flakes. It's not like they're hurting anyone.

Oh no, you're mentioned on the seventh paragraph here. "Yellow stranger spotted shaking fist impotently at the burglar."

Hey, I'm all for bagging on Yakou for being a shit detective. But this sounds a hell of a lot like Yomi's problem, not ours.

Yuma does enough of that shit as it is. Do you have any idea how frequently he nearly gets shot? The answer may surprise you.

This was all about impressing a girl. That makes sense. I am now even less invested in the stakes than I was before.

Sound advice, Yakou.

It's amazing how much less irritating his dismissive reluctance to do anything becomes when it's Desuhiko on the receiving end instead of Yuma.

Alas, as with Yuma and Kurumi, Yakou's greatest weakness in reining in his Detectives shows itself once again: His stern disapproval is no match for a brisk jogging pace.

At least we can be sure that didn't change when he turned feral. Yakou's speed has always maxed out at a shamble, so his zombie's barely changed in that regard.

[rickie-the-storyteller]

WIP Title Meme Tag

Thank you very much to @rbbess110 for tagging me to do this! I've never done this one before.

RULES: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the most intriguing title, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you have WIPs. (this part is optional tho)

The thing is... all my writing files are all over the place lol. That being said, I have some good titles that hopefully you guys will like a lot! I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys ask about my work.

Most of my file names are chapter titles.

Steph's Crew: The Misfit Manifesto

Exam Week

The End (of February Mocks)

Life with B

Nothing but the Truth

A Million Lives (and all of them suck)

Suspended

Life Without B

Why I Could Never Be a Rebel

Detention

The Aftermath

Bret 2.0

Half Term

Ben's Leaving Party

It's Too Late to Apologise

Climbing Uphill (slowly but surely)

Figuring Life Out (it sucks, but it's necessary)

Times Are Changing

Moving On

Alice's Sitcom-esque Family

I Have a Crush on You

Where Are You, Ben?

How to Get Back on Track

Movie Night's with El

I Miss My Man

Is This What Love Is?

Boyfriend

Anything Could Happen (almost)

Honeymoon

Library Sessions

An Unexpected (and Unwanted) Visitor from the Past

Drunk, Lonely, Miserable Losers

We Don't Talk Much Anymore... and It Sucks

A Night to Remember

A Night I'll Probably Never Forget

Where's Steph?

Leaving on a Jet Plane

The Beginning (of our final exams)

Epilogue (Stephanie's letters to her friends)

There. That's all the chapters in order (at least, I hope it's in order... idk tho). Something about this story that's really fun is that each of these chapters is in the perspective of a different character! Originally, it was just in Steph's POV (it was supposed to be her journal). I'm still very much in the process of editing this one, so some of these could still change in future (some of these chapter titles are way too long imo).

Steph's Crew: Unreported Violent Crimes

This is the sequel to the first book! I've only started it a couple of months ago... so there aren't quite as many this time. It's not quite finished yet, but I'm definitely going to add more chapters to this later!

The News Report

So, Some Guy Died Last Night...

Pillow Talk

The History of Stephanie and Ben

To Take Matters into One's Own Hands

Visiting an Old Friend

Stephanie's Upbringing

I've Never Had a Best Friend

The Story of Em and Jack

This is a story that I'm posting on Wattpad! I've already posted chapter 1, but I've got all these other chapters in the works as well:

Jemily

Flashback #1 (Elementary School)

Friends

Summertime

Meeting Mom

Jen's Party

Flashback #2 (Freshman Year)

"You broke me."

Back to School

"I think I loved you."

The Best Friend Zone

Flashback #3 (The First Breakup)

Square One

Thinking about the Future

Homecoming

Together

Be Good

"Let's NOT fight about this."

Fast-forward (College)

Another story that I'm planning to post on Wattpad is my Five Seconds Flat series... but I'm not going to post any of my file names/chapter names here, because it's literally based off of the Lizzy McAlpine album of the same name lol. All the chapters are titles from the album. Here's a link to it in case you want to see it, though (the album is awesome, btw. Hope you guys enjoy it!!):

AU

(I'm posting this series here in September! So you guys will get to see this very soon... I'm super excited! There are 10 chapters this time - this story has an ensemble cast of characters, and each chapter has a new focus character. There isn't a single "main character" - though some characters appear more than others)

1: “Starting Point" (focus character = Zephyr)

2: “Meet Cute” (focus character = Eurydice)

3: "Just This Once…" (focus character = Caius)

4: "Junebug" (focus character = Juniper)

5: "New Friends" (focus character = Cassius)

6: "Don’t Be a B-word" (focus character = Avalon)

7: "Say it with Chest" (focus character = Isadora)

8: "Things Shouldn’t Be Like This" (focus character = Adara)

9: "Hey, Brother" (focus character = Xander)

10: "Shut Up, Marcy!" (focus character = Marcelline)

Imma tag these people to do this next: @fayeiswriting, @kirsten-is-writing, @e-s-willswriting, @jay-avian, @clairelsonao3, @sarahlizziewrites, @mjparkerwriting, @silverslipstream, @winterandwords, @exquisitecrow, @elizaellwrites, @writingalterras, @thecreakywriter, @sam-glade, @hollyannewrites, @ryns-ramblings, @autumnalwalker, @toribookworm22, @blind-the-winds, @falesiacats, @j-1173, @gummybugg, @jessicawestonauthor, @thelavenderwriter, @jay-avian, @mysticstarlightduck