#but now it is a toss up because he has the option to fight back

[esterigermaine]

Headcanon:

When Astarion is in severe pain, you have a 50/50 chance of him becoming absolutely feral or completely mentally shutting down.

[moonstruckme]

Are you going to continue the roomate James series? I’m actually in love with it😍

Yes! Thank you for reading <3

part 1 │ part 2 │ part 3 │ part 4 │part 5 │ part 6 │ part 7 │ part 8 │ part 9 │ part 10 │ part 11 │ part 12 │ part 13

roommate!James x shy!reader ♡ 804 words

“Honey, I’m home!” 

A smile tugs at your lips, even as you roll your eyes to yourself. James has become more and more fond of these pet names, and of announcing his comings and goings like he’s worried you’ll miss him. (He’s never gone long enough for that, though you might actually miss him if he were.) If you don’t respond in some way or another, he’ll—

“Hey.” He pokes his head through your cracked door. “You alive in here?” 

You pause in folding your laundry to give him a deadpan look. “I could have been in my underwear.” 

He looks mildly horrified. “I’d hope if you were, you’d close the door all the way.” 

“You know, I did manage to stay alive even before you moved in.” 

James leans on your doorframe, giving you the sort of lazy grin you have to pretend doesn’t scare butterflies into flight in your stomach. You really hope that wears off soon. “See, but now I’m convinced if I don’t check on you, you really will die and it’ll be my fault.” 

“How would it be your fault?” 

“Classic case of roommate neglect. I smell the rotting coming from inside your room, the police come, they ask How did you not know your roommate was dead for a month? I reply, Well, officer, she said she could be galavanting in her underwear at any moment. They put me in handcuffs and I spend the next five to fifteen years having Sirius bring me cigarettes I don’t want so that I can trade them for ramen noodles in the yard.” 

You scoff, fighting a smile. “As if you would ever eat ramen.” 

“That’s what I’m saying, sweetheart. You’d be forcing me upon desperate times. But hey,” he raises his hands in a show of surrender, “I didn’t come in here to discuss prison currency. Would it be alright with you if I had friends over tonight?” 

“Of course,” you say, looking back down to match a pair of socks. “You don’t need to ask every time, it’s always alright.” 

“Thanks,” he says warmly, “but it makes me feel better to ask. What do you want on your pizza?” 

You blink. “Me?” 

“Yes, you.” He smiles. Butterflies all over again. “You don’t have to hang out with us to eat it—though we’d love to have you—but I’m not just going to order pizza to your own apartment without having any for you.” 

“It’s your apartment, too,” you remind him. “That’d be a very normal thing to do.” 

“Irregardless.” James waves you off. You wrinkle your nose at the word choice. “What do you want?” 

You swallow a sigh. There are some things, you’ve found, James is nearly impossible to argue with about. If you really dig your heels in, sometimes you can make him move first, but you don’t feel like it right now. 

You do the next best thing you can think of: choosing the least obtrusive option. “Cheese is good with me, thanks.” 

His eyes narrow like he knows what you’re doing, but he says, “Got it. I’ll let you know when it’s here.” 

“Thanks.” You turn your attention back to your laundry. James lingers in the doorway. 

A month ago, you would have kept ignoring him, working on the (unfounded) hope that he’d go away. Now, you look up. 

“Do you think you might come downstairs and hang out?” he asks. He has a strange look on his face, one you can’t quite decipher. “You know you’re always invited.” 

You give James a terse sort of smile. He’s not stopped inviting you to do things since the day he moved in. Your open invitation has been made very clear, and you’ve been accepting it more often lately. James is someone who makes it easy to feel close to him. He tosses pet names at you like they’re nothing, comes to check on you when he gets home, pretends he needs to go grocery shopping just because you need a ride to the store. Last week, you’d sat down to watch a movie with him and woken up to a black screen, your cheek smushed into his shoulder and his head resting atop yours. 

Somehow, you’ve let him spill into your life without meaning to, and now you have these childish, crush-like reactions whenever he smiles a certain way or calls you pet names with that familiar bent to his voice. You know you just need time to sort these feelings out. It’d probably be ideal to keep yourself from spilling into his life as much as possible in the meantime. 

But it’s hard to deny James anything when he’s so sweet to you. And he’s nice. His friends seem nice. 

“I might,” you say. 

“I’ll take the win,” James replies, smiling. These butterflies are seriously inconvenient.

[itgetzweird08]

can i have this dance? k. bakugo x gn!reader

one two three

“Mmm I like the black jacket more”

Katsuki hums softly at your answer as he holds the suit jacket up to his chest. He scoffs, tossing it haphazardly on the bed before flopping down on top of it. He held his phone above his face at arm's length, staring at your face through the screen as you ate your cereal. “This is fucking stupid” he complains softly and you giggle as he moans and groans, chewing your breakfast.

“It’s not stupid Kats, it’s a dance! And technically, it's your first high school dance. If you ask me it’s long overdue.”

That part was true. It was the first formal UA has hosted in the past three years. Usually, there was a dance twice a year: one during the Christmas festival and the other during the spring semester. It was exclusive to students and staff as everyone dressed to the nines and had a good time celebrating the holiday season and the loveliness of spring. Katsuki grew up hearing about it, and sort of looked forward to them. But due to the League and AFO, class 3-A never got to experience one. Until now.

Japan was slowly returning to normal after the events of the war a year prior, and to celebrate the students after all of their hard work and sacrifices, Nezu had finally cleared the spring formal to take place just a few months before graduation. When the class got the news, they were thrilled and even Katsuki had to admit that he was the tiniest bit excited. That was until Mina mentioned that they were all gonna have to find dates- then his balloon popped. He only wanted one person to be his date at any event, and that was you. Unfortunately, you were halfway across the world. This is why as you sat at your breakfast nook munching on Frosted Flakes, Bakugo laid on his comforter in his pajamas in preparation for bed. You called each other almost every day and when one of the first things he told you was the news about the dance, you begged to see his suit options. That’s what led you here, keeping him up two hours past his bedtime as he gave you a little fashion show. But he didn’t mind. He would explode the planet to make you smile, and he valued your opinion. He just wished you were there to give it in person.

“Yeah I guess,” he huffed and sat up, putting his suit back in his closet, turning off his ceiling light, and getting beneath his comforter. “I just don’t see the fucking point in going.” You raised an eyebrow at him and frowned. You knew he was excited, you could tell because of how fast he told you the news when you called. But now he seemed disappointed. “Why not?” You pried softly, trying to get to the root of the problem as he pouted. His room was dark, so you couldn’t see his entire face, but you could hear in the way he spoke that his bottom lip was slightly jutted out in disappointment. “Raccoon eyes was talking about everyone getting dates and shit…and you aren’t here.”

Your heart broke a little and your eyes stung a bit. He wasn’t upset that he had to go to the dance..he was upset that you wouldn’t be there to accompany him. “Oh baby…I’m so sorry” you whispered. All he did was shrug and grumble to himself, which is what he did when he didn’t want to outright tell you he was sad. “You know I would love to be your date Katsuki…I wouldn’t want to be anything more. But I can’t..we both know that.”

While Japan was making leaps and bounds in its recovery, its reputation in the eyes of other countries was still extremely damaged. After the death of Star and Stripe, all travel to Japan was halted indefinitely in your country. Not to mention, due to the aftermath of America’s number one’s death, as a hero student, you had to fight against the villains that tried to take advantage of the gap she left behind. Between the travel ban and your responsibilities, not to mention general travel costs, there was no possible chance you would be able to accompany Katsuki.

“Yeah, I know…just wish I could dance with you, that’s all. Wanna see you all dressed up and shit.”

All you could do was smile sadly at the camera and muster as much hope as you could for the both of you. “Maybe one day…especially since we’re both graduating soon.”

It was silent for a moment, both of you sitting in your own disappointment. You glanced at the clock, seeing the time and knowing that it was way past the time Katsuki usually slept, so he must be exhausted. But before you let him go, you just had to ask.

"Kats...can you even dance?"

His face filled the screen, eyebrows pulled together in offense. "HUH? What the fuck are you talking about?" You couldn't help but smile at him, and the heaviness of the prior conversation lifted off both of your shoulders. "I'm just asking!" " Of course I can dance! The fuck do you take me for??" "Okay prove it!"

Before he could respond, Katsuki yawned and you took that as your cue. You gave him a warm smile, depsite the fact that he was still glaring at you. " You can show me your moves tommorrow-" " m'not showing you shit-' "Tomorrow! I want to see what you got! Now go to bed, I'll text you later. Love you!"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. But seeing how goofy and happy you were made him smile slightly. " Love you too. Talk later."

[wyvernest]

hello! i absolutely love your writing could i request smth like fem! reader with miguel where she buys a suggestive nightgown/lingere set or outfit for him and how he’d totally melt when he sees it? thank you :))

for your eyes only

pairing: miguel o'hara x wife!reader

warnings: smut, fluff, established relationship, piv, creampie, unprotected sex, spanking, slight body worship, tiddie sucking?

summary: miguel has been overworking himself, and you buy a new lingerie set to help him release some stress

divider by @cafekitsune <3

You and Miguel are on a vacation.

He had been more than stressed lately with the aching duties of leading the spider-society, but the very last thing he intended to do was to neglect you.

So naturally, he thought of ways to spend more time with you, yet every time you two would finally get into the mood, right when he was about to make you his all over again, an anomaly or a system malfunction at HQ would interrupt you, leaving you with your heart racing and him with terribly uncomfortable blue balls.

He had had quite enough.

He surprised you with the tickets several weeks ago, on one of those rare occasions on which you two happened to be alone in the intimacy of his house.

To say that you were overflowing with joy is an understatement. He assured you that while he is gone, Jess would remain in charge so things don't go downhill.

So now, here you are, packing for a long-awaited, honeymoon-replica with your beloved husband. You feel enormously grateful for his effort to make you a priority, even more so when you remember how anxious he was about abandoning his job for a while.

You want to make it worth it.

You want to make him forget about all the stress and worries. You want to be there for him, to help him, to comfort him,

to pleasure him.

After assessing all options, you decide you're more than happy with the results.

"What's gotten into you?" he inquires playfully in between your hurried, passionate kisses as you drag him into the hotel room, excitement evident in your movements. 

He's clearly more than pleased to see you clinging onto him like a lifeline, his ego undeniably boosted by the desperate make out session you just pulled him into right in the hallways. The knowledge of still being able to drive you crazy so effortlessly makes him smirk into the heated kiss.

"Told you." you gasp shallowly, parting from his swollen lips as you pull at his shirt, seeking to take it off. "I have a surprise."

Taking the hem and tossing the shirt out of your way, he bends down slightly, his massive shoulders bringing his shadow upon you, intimidating but so hot.

"Tell me about it." His voice is an octave lower, deep and provoking. You have to actively fight your brain from melting into lust and hunger for him in order to remain conscious and stick with the idea.

"No need.", you push at his biceps and he complies, backing off, an eyebrow raising in slight confusion mixed with surprise.

"You just have to take a shower first."

"Ah." his mood shifts abruptly, his head tilts to the side as if to check if he really needs one.

You can't help but burst into a hearty chuckle. "No, not because of that! I just need you away for a couple of minutes."

Your eyes squint, suggestive. He doesn't fail to catch on to your request, the ideas of what you might be up to already taking form in his mind, making his eyes shine a dark red glow.

Stepping back, he heads to the bathroom, turning back to you before shutting the door.

"Be quick. I won't be long.", He warns, almost threateningly, and you can't stop yourself from growing wet at the thought that he would take you the second he's out, no matter if you're ready or not.

Coming back to your senses, you hear the water running in the shower, yet sense no movement. You know he's listening in, but you couldn't care less. Enhanced senses or not, he wouldn't possibly be able to tell that you're rushing to the luggage to snatch the lingerie set you brought just by the shuffling alone. 

Or can he?

You're fast to discard your evening outfit, slipping into the set. Glancing at yourself in the hotel mirror, a nearly evil smirk takes over your face imagining his reaction. Adjusting everything in place, you look at the bright red straps around your thighs, ever slightly too tight, just to make the flesh look plumper, ready to pop out of its confinement; you look at the thin panties, inviting and bold, leaving your ass bare for his hands to play with. And finally, the pièce de résistance, the bow tie holding your breasts together, the only thing covering them.

Fixing your hair and doing the final touches to the bed, turning the lights off and lighting a couple candles, you take your place on the soft mattress.

You feel your heart racing like it's your honeymoon night, your nervousness not aided by the sound of the water tap falling silent and of him stepping out of the shower.

It only takes him a few seconds to tie a towel around his hips and push the door wide open, the bright light creeping into the room through a barely-there cloud of condensation.

The moment he spots you, he stops dead in his tracks.

"Ay, mierda.." He mumbles, more to himself, his eyes scanning your body up and down, from head to toe and back.

"So beautiful," he concludes, tone heavy with need as he approaches you slowly, eyes still not meeting yours. "And all mine."

Getting up from your spot, you meet him halfway, kneeled on the edge of the bed. Your hands fly to his massive shoulders, moving up his neck to tangle in his damp hair. He grabs your waist, the heat of his palms on the bare skin of your middle sending shivers up your spine like it's your first time together.

Nearly getting lost in the sight of him, half naked with droplets of water running down his chest, you bite your lip, breathing quickened.

"What did I do to deserve this, hm?" He whispers, eyes half lidded and voice low and sleepy. "Eres demasiado buena para mí." (You're too good to me)

He leans closer, his hot breath fanning your face.

You find it hard to gather yourself and focus on what he's saying.

"You've been working so hard lately." your voice drips into an exaggerated praise which he drinks in with the most obvious interest. "Coming home late, barely getting any time to yourself." 

He leans even closer, keen on listening to you.

"You hold it all together so well," you mirror his own past voiced complaints. "You deserve so much more than a vacation."

"¿Ah, sí? ¿Cómo qué?" (Oh, yeah? What do you mean?). He insists smugly, one inch away from tasting your lips.

He wants to hear you say it.

You take his hands from your waist and pull them to slide upwards; he doesn't waste a second before he places them on each side of your breasts, pushing them together softly.

"Anything I can give you." You speak quietly, toying with the superficial knot of his towel. He closes the gap between you, his lips moving against yours with unmatched passion and want, his breathing already hot and laboured. His bare chest rises and falls against yours as he finally pulls away only to get rid of the cloth around his waist, flashing you with the image of his hardening fat cock.

Towering over you, he slowly and carefully pushes you to lie back down on the bed, crawling on top of you.

His mouth latches on to your pulse point, kissing and nibbling the sensitive skin, while his warm hands travel up and down your body appreciatively. 

Your eyes roll back at the feeling of his cursory palm caressing your thighs, the curve of your hips, up to the soft mound of your tit, all the while his lips remain on your neck.

"Miguel-!" You moan mindlessly, and his cock twitches on your thigh, hard and heavy.

Suddenly, his hands grip your waist firmly and he flips you over so that you're on top of him. 

You brace yourself on your elbows on either side of his head, arching your back. He plants a wet kiss on the tops of your breasts, still concealed by the red bow, as one of his hands moves to deliver a slap to your ass.

The hot palm maps your body like a vice, you feel as if the skin will burn and sting once his touch departs from you. He shifts and presses his lips to yours, indulgent and tender. It’s different, not nearly as greedy as before, it’s more intimate, as if you’re trading parts of your souls to each other, never to return them nor want to do so. You arch against him, crushing your chest onto his.

The second you part from him with a gasp, blissed out with the taste of him still on your lips, you shiver at the sight of his half lidded eyes, dark cocoa alight with the crimson tide you know so well, full of need and desperation.

His hands come up to your front, pulling the tie loose with a dumbfounded, sleepy smirk.

Your breasts bounce free from the blood-red ribbon. His broad hands slide to your back, pulling you into him as he takes one tit in his mouth, sucking and kissing, groaning with every breath he stops to take. You feel each sound he lets out, vibrating deep in his chest.

Breathing shallow and quickened, you let your pelvis lower until the girth of his hard cock brushes against the silky fabric of your thong. 

His hips buck into you reflexively, eliciting a soft whimper out of you. 

Detaching from the tender flesh of your breasts, he pulls you down to taste your lips once more, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat with the way he swallows every whisper of his name that rivers into the kiss.

Unbeknownst to you, he hooks his fingers around the elastic straps around your ass and thighs, pulling on the strings only to release them, making them whip your skin with a loud smack.

You arch your back further into him, grinding into his erection in the process. He grunts abruptly, no longer able to hold back.

With expert ease, he drags at the straps holding your panties, ripping them at the joints. Before you can yelp and protest, he pushes the mushroom head of his already leaking cock into your folds.

You clench at the contact, anchoring your hands on his stout shoulders as you sink onto his dick. He watches your greedy cunt swallow him, inch by inch, until he bottoms out, his pubes brushing right against your clit.

You start rolling your hips, feeling his whole dick slip out half way only to push back in against your guts, grazing every mind-numbing nerve in its wake. You’re utterly delirious, and so is he.

His vision targets your breasts, softly swaying in his face with every mount of your body on his. He stills you momentarily, his massive arms sheathing you in a spine-tingling hold. 

Muffled, pleased hums resonate in his chest, echoing against yours as he squeezes you into him, your tits pressed flush right above his collar. You let a moan crawl out of your throat as he plants rushed, desperate pecks on every spot he can lay his mouth on; your neck, your shoulders, the tops of your breasts. 

The heat of his profound exhales washes over your skin, kindle to a fire. Heedlessly, you arch your back into his hold, pushing yourself into him, your body marinated into his arms the way he loves so much. He thinks he might come right then and there, no friction, no nothing. Just the feeling of you, soft and tender, mollifying further into his possessive touch with every kiss he places on you.

But soon the need for more friction gets the better of him as he starts thrusting into you from below.

You let yourself fall into his forceful arms as he drives his cock in and out of your weeping cunt, face contorting into pure pleasure, eyebrows furrowed and fucked-out eyes squinting.

The bed squeaks under his weight, the bedframe hitting the wall with ever violent push of his cock into you. You feel his abdomen flex against your stomach, his biceps pulling you impossibly close against his feverish skin.

Burying his head in the crook of your neck, his pants turn into moans as his thrusts lose rhythm and strength. It's the hottest thing that's ever reached your ears, and you moan in tandem with him as you reach your climax. 

When he doesn't stop, your whole body starts burning, a blinding firework scattering on the sky. 

Pushing hard into you, as deep as he can be, with a pained, breathless groan, he comes inside your still fluttering pussy. His cock pulsates into you, staining your insides white, the feeling of his warm seed short circuiting you in an aftershock. 

Both of your heads nestled into each other, feverish bodies moulded together in a suffocating embrace, his lips start ghosting over your neck, a silent praise for taking him so good.

"You should wear this more often, mi vida." he breathes into your mouth.

"I would, if you hadn't ripped it." You tease back, evidently turned on by his antics.

"No te preocupes. (Don't worry.) I'll buy you more."

a/n: yes im obviously in love with the vacation with miguel trope, hope you like this<33 it turned out longer than expected

[kentosovertime]

(n.) a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past

➳ reformed fuckboy!gojo x afab!reader - 3.8k

➳ a/n: just got done saying how fun it is to write gojo platonically but fuck that he's my little slut~

➳ cw: explicit content, explicit language, multiple sex scenes, choking, unprotected sex, longing, reader leaves gojo in the dust, one night stand or so he thinks, mentions of alcohol, snowed in trope

✨Masterlist | Tag List | Ask Box | Open Request Event | AO3 | Ko-Fi✨

“Do you want to get out of here?” The white haired sorcerer leans into your space where you’ve been nursing the drink he purchased for you, not wanting to seem too interested. 

Gojo Satoru, you hum to yourself in thought. Notorious fuck boy of the jujutsu world. There was a dark, predatory promise in his eyes and you knew that the scratch you came out to itch would be satisfied if you went home with him but… You were up for consideration of promotion from a Grade 1 sorcerer to a special grade. You didn’t want to ruin that or make it seem like you slept your way there, especially given how few obtain the title. 

“I don’t know…” You shoot him a sly smile, swirling the liquid around your glass. “Is it my turn in line now?”

“Come on, baby girl. It’s not like that.” His smile doesn’t drop as he gently grabs you by the wrist and lays a teasing kiss on your open palm. “I can’t help myself when I see a beautiful, strong woman who’s so pent up. You need to blow off steam.”

Goosebumps race up your arm where his lips brush against your palm again before nipping at your skin, sending the sensation straight to your core.

“What makes you my best option?” You lean forward, playfully trailing a finger down his black casual t-shirt before tossing your gaze over to Nanami sitting across the local bar. “Your light haired friend has been looking at me all night. Maybe I’ll go home with him instead.”

“Because…” He crowds into where you’re standing, making your face tip back to meet his gaze as he purrs down at you. “You’re not rubbing those lush thighs together with anyone here but me.” 

Your breathing stutters out as he leans forward and trails his nose up your neck, his heavy breaths panting against your sensitive skin. 

“I bet this is making your little cunt drip.” His touch meets the side of your breast, thumbing you through the fabric of your dress. “You can be greedy, baby. I won’t complain.” 

“F-fuck-” A whimper escapes your mouth despite your determination not to react. “You’re so crude.”

“I don’t hear you disagreeing with me.” He only grins wider when your words come out with no bite to them as you choke them out. You wish the rumors included that he was terrible in bed but that was never the case. 

“I’m not…” You chew on your cheek, making the worst decision of your life as you knock back your entire drink and meet his gaze directly. “Your place then?” 

Gojo’s eyes light up as he nods excitedly, half expecting to have to fight you further on this. 

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

A moan rips from his throat as you break from his lips to shove him to the surface of the bed, already flush with the multiple highs he pulled out of you by the time he shut the apartment door behind you. There was one in the cab ride home from his fingers and another in the elevator from his tongue alone. Your bare legs part as you straddle him, your pants lost somewhere in the journey to his bedroom.

“Sweetheart-” He hisses, his hips bucking as you take a hold of his slacks, unzipping them and shoving your hand into where there was a painfully obvious bulge. “Fuck, slow down. I want to take my time with you.” 

Your hand pumps the hard length of him, your thumb rubbing and paying attention to the tip that’s oozing globs of pre-cum as you settle yourself to hover over him, primed to sink down at a moment's notice. 

“I thought you brought me here to fuck me.” You smirk down at him, being your turn to gloat, basking in the impact you had on him. You circle your hips slowly, pushing just the tip of his cock into you, moaning softly as you chuckle at his low whine. “You should let me get on with it. Someone wanted me to be greedy.”

“Well yes, b-but- oh my fuck-” His head tilts back with a throaty moan as you suddenly sink down, taking his length in one motion before you’re grinding at a steady pace to build up your high as he grapples to hold onto your hips, his fingers digging into your skin, leaving crescent moons in their wake. 

“Shit, Sa-Satoru- Ah!” Your hands find their way to his chest, bracing yourself as you lean forward to bounce your hips to slide his glistening cock into your sensitive walls. A whimper escapes your lips each time he uses his grip to push you back down onto his cock harder, meeting your thrusts in the middle so you can feel the vibrations ricochet through your center, sending lightning up your spine. 

“Fuck, baby.” His muscles tense with the need to cum, but fuck he wants to enjoy this first. Your skin ripples with the squelching slaps that echo through the room as he braces his feet under him and fucks up into you hard, forcing his cock to bottom out each time. “You can hear your pussy sucking me deep.. B-bet it wants my cum… fuck.. I bet you want it more.”

“N-not yet.” You stammer breathlessly, your fingers dig helplessly into the pillow next to his head. “Want this to keep going.”

“Oh, really?” His hand flies out to grip you by the chin, to get your attention before he smacks your cheek and moves his free hand to smack your center harshly, pulling a rough scream from you that turns into a desperate sob as he continues the movement in his hips while zeroing in on your clit with terrible precision. “I say it's time to cum, baby girl… and make sure to scream my name when you do it. I want the neighbors to hear.”

“P-Please n-no-” You squirm wildly in his hold, as he grunts in frustration, ready to pin you to the bed to pull more out of you, overstimulating you as punishment. Your legs tremble, squeezing shut to prevent him from thrusting into you so harshly and he growls in need as he swaps your positions, holding you to the mattress by your neck and not missing a beat in his thrusting. 

“You think you’re the one in charge here?” He grits his teeth and doesn’t hold back as he brings you right to the edge, his fingers tightening as you get closer to make spot dance around your vision. “Fuckin’ give it to me baby. I want another one from you.”

“S-Satoru-!” Your hands claw at the wrist pinning your throat as a particularly hard thrust slams into you just right, making your vision go white. He watches with a satisfied grin as your eye rolls back and your breath stutters out in ragged whines as you soak his waist. 

“Nuh uh-” He grapples with your hips, pulling you back into him as he fucks you through your high, bullying himself past the vice grip of your cunt. “God you’re pussy so perfect for me. So f-fucking tight.. Where do you want it, baby girl? You gonna let me finish inside?” 

“Please-” Your voice cracks as you sob out for him needily, locking your legs around his waist so he’s forced to trade his long thrusts for a grinding motion. His pace stutters with a low whine before he slams himself into you one more time, burying himself deep as he shoots ropes of cum into you. 

You swear your ears are ringing with how long it's taking you to come down. What you don’t expect from him is how he gently rubs the side of your hip as he pulls out of you or how he removes your legs from around him before he dips down a leaves soft kisses on our inner leg before he disappears into a room attached to the bedroom. 

You start to shimmy yourself up, looking for where your clothing got thrown before he reappears with a hot washcloth. 

“Lay back down.” He grumbles with a slight pout, taking you by the leg to tip you back onto the mattress. You whimper out in embarrassment as he cleans your center and thighs and he simply chuckles at your distress. “Stop that… I can tell you’re about to pass out. Let me help before you go to sleep.”

You don’t have it in you to argue. You’re certainly not planning on staying here until the morning, but he doesn’t need to know that. 

You don’t argue when he picks you up bridal style to settle you in the soft array of his bed’s blankets. You find your eyes drooping almost immediately, drifting closed as you wrap your arms around a pillow that smells comfortingly like him.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Three years, four months, twenty-three days, and 13 hours since he woke up with you gone. Not that he was counting. 

That morning Gojo had woken up more satisfied than he had been in ages. His hand slid across his smooth sheets to wrap his arms around you and pull you to his chest only to come up empty. The purse he had set on the night stand with your clothing neatly folded next to it were gone from their place as well.

He frowns at the memory, expecting that you would have at least said goodbye. 

All this time must be penance for all of the women he had burned through and pushed out the door after their hookups. That was in the rare instance that he invited someone to his place, much preferring the ability to slip out someone’s front door in the dead of night like you had. Were the sheets that cold when the women had searched for him in the morning? 

Had it been hard for you? Did he make up how good that night was? He tortures himself by thinking about the what-ifs. He imagines that nothing like that has ever been difficult for you. You were so unashamed in taking what you wanted from him. In his deepest thoughts, he fantasizes you’re just as haunted by the memories you made that night and how perfectly your bodies fit together.

And later that day he thanks whatever higher power is out there when he receives a mission assignment for a special grade curse that had cropped up in Siberia and listed under his name was yours. 

He reminds himself of this joy as the two of you trudge through the snow of a blizzard after you had successfully landed a killing blow on the curse. They certainly got your promotion to a Special Grade correct.

On the way back down the mountain a snow storm had hit, leaving you stranded until the weather cleared.

“We should have asked the village for clearer directions back.” You snip at him, squinting against the onslaught of white in your vision. “Face it, we're lost.”

“I can teleport us…?” He suggests unhelpfully, happy to sit back and let your brain do its beautiful brain thing. 

“Not if you don’t know where we are first.” You sigh in exasperation. “Kill a special grade curse only to die from cold exposure. The higher ups certainly have a sense of humor.”

“What about that cabin?” He points over his shoulder to a mass he spotted in the snow, though he doubts you can see it without the Six Eyes.

He snatches your hand and pulls you along, not waiting for a response. He knows your shivering is starting to slow down which is never a good sign. 

“Oh thank fuck-” You groan and hurry inside as he hips the door open, quickly closing it to prevent the snow from entering the small space. 

You wrap your arms around yourself, rubbing your arms until they heat up enough to focus on the space around you. It was quaint, but fully stocked. The surface you were currently sitting on was a mattress covered in fur pelts and flannel blankets. It was shoved into the corner to make space for the wood stove that Gojo was currently crouching in front of, already getting the fire started.

“You’re g-g-good at that.” You shiver violently as you shed your soaked outer layer, trading it for one of the large flannel blankets. The second it's wrapped around you for cover you kick off your shoes and your pants, quickly pulling your legs underneath you so none of your skin is exposed to the air. 

“I think you give me too little credit in general.” He mumbles loud enough for you to catch it. 

You blink at him in shocked silence. Everything had been tense for your trip, the flight here was almost unbearable, let alone trekking through the snowy wilderness together. 

“You know…” He starts softly, tracking the sweat that drips down your neck as the hut quickly heats up. “Sometimes I’m convinced I hallucinated it all.” You don’t respond, but when he looks up, the flush on your cheeks is enough to confirm to him you’re thinking about the same thing. 

“I don’t think it was fair to leave like that…” He frowns, looking intently at his hands. “You didn’t even ask me what I wanted.”

“I know your reputation… this all seems a bit hypocritical if you ask me. You wanted to hookup and that’s fine. I wasn’t looking for anything-” You start before he cuts you off with a lost look.

“Maybe that’s how it started but… I was content to wake up with to you the next morning and you were gone before I could ask if you wanted to go out to breakfast.”

“I don’t know what to tell you…” You gulp, your heart hammering in your chest. You draw the blanket tighter around you, sweltering in the heat but needing the barrier between you and his blue gaze. 

Your cheeks only grow warmer at the memories of that night. How you would have loved to stay if he hadn’t been who he was. Not that he was Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer in hundreds of years, but that he went through women like a child who grew tired of his new toys.

You had never begged a man for anything in your life and you had decided that the night with him would be no exception to your rule. Leaving the bed where he had passed out had been one of the hardest things you had done in your adult life. You’d rather fight a thousand curses than have to do it again, but life wasn’t always fair. 

“Tell me you felt something between us. Tell me it wasn’t just me who felt right being near you.” He stands suddenly, walking the short distance to stand in front of you, his eyes pleading. 

“I… I c-can’t. You’re not going to change who you are for me-” Your voice cracks, betraying the storm of emotions swirling within your soul. 

He moves closer to you, leaning over your frame far enough to force you to fall back against the mattress and planting his hands on either side of your head. 

“I would if you gave me the chance.” His eyes are serious and you find that the look is strange gracing his face. 

“You’ve said that to a dozen women, haven’t you?” You feel yourself starting to shake, wanting his words to be true but you’re not going to let him hurt you. “Including the ones after me.”

“Never.” His voice is steady, as serious as his gaze as his brow furrow. “There hasn’t been anyone else since, baby. Please.”

“It's been over three years. You really expect me to believe that?” Your chest rises and falls faster as your breath picks up, shifting the blanket to fall open, exposing your chest to the air. 

“No, I don’t expect that. But I could convince you it’s actually true.” He leans in further, ghosting his nose up your jaw as he breathes in your scent with a low groan. “You could let me show you what you’ve been missing out on all this time waiting… Please.”

A breath hitches in your throat as he nips at your earlobe, his heavy breath hitting your skin, pulling goosebumps down your spine. Your words fail you, but your body doesn’t, acting on autopilot to take what it wants. 

Your hands let go of the blanket entirely, letting the flannel open entirely to expose where you had stripped down to just your bra and panties while you grip the back of his neck, pulling his lips to yours. 

Gojo moans low in your mouth, climbing fully on the bed to crawl over your prone form. He braces himself with one hand and sinks the other into your hair, tugging your head back to get a better angle to deepen and slow the kiss. 

His pace is worlds different from your first night together. The grip his hands have on you is firmer, more purposeful. Despite the time you had spent apart, he wasn’t rushing this like one the quick fucks you thought he favored. When his tongue pushes past your lips, eliciting a whimper from your throat, he doesn’t greedily lap at you. He swirls his tongue with careful precision, savoring the taste of you. 

“Satoru-” You whine as he leaves open mouthed kisses down the column of your neck. How could you properly convey to him how you were burning alive with the need for him to give you just a little bit more? 

“So greedy.” He chuckles into your neck, calling back to when he told you to be greedy that first night. “But I wanna take my time with you after waiting so long.”  

Any response dies on your lips when he makes his way down to your bra, tugging it to the side enough for your breasts to pop out, immediately latching onto one while his hand kneads the one he’s neglecting. 

“N-Now you’re just teasing me, Satoru.” You huff out a moan, pressing your legs together as you feel him smirk against your skin; the little shit. “At least take these off…” 

He helps you strip him bare, tossing the shirt into a heap across the hut, quickly followed by his pants and boxers after he kicks off his boots. You take the opportunity to shed your bra and panties, leaving you as bare as he is. Needy hands search him out as soon as he joins you back on the mattress with a chuckle. 

“Ya know… a little please and thank you will get you a long way, baby girl.” Shivers wrack your body as he trails his tongue down your stomach to the apex of your thighs, using his fingers to spread your folds, exposing you to his gaze. 

Your body squirms at the light touch, screaming for more friction. 

“Please fuck me.” You bite out, knowing he’s not going to listen to your request.

“Nice try.” A playful laugh rips through him before he leans in and licks a large stripe up your center before expertly flicking his tongue against your clit, pulling a string of curse from you as your body jolts and your hands fly out to grab him by the hair at his scalp. “That’s it, grind this sopping little cunt against my face baby.” He growls before diving back in, sucking down on you hard the second he shoves three fingers into you without warning. 

“Oh my fucking-! S-Satoru- ah! Fucking shit, pl-please-” Fingers bully into you, past your fluttering walls to find the spongey spot inside where they hammer into you until your eyes cross and your ears start ringing. “Satoru- pl-please can I- can I cum please?” Maybe begging will get you what you want at this point. Maybe it will break him down enough so he’ll shove your cock inside of you. “Good fucking girl. Cum for me baby…  make a mess out of this face.” He purrs deep in his throat. The vibrations work through you until your muscles shake with the effort of tensing before they snap inwards, making your back arch off the worn mattress, a hoarse scream ripping its way through your throat before the aftershocks start working through your body. 

You’re so deep in a subspace that you don’t feel him unlatching himself after he licks your cum clean and he’s shoving his cock into you without preamble. 

“Mmmph-! Fuck!” A cry leaves your mouth as you claw at his lower stomach, leaving angry red welts in your wake as you try desperately to get him to slow down so you can breathe, but you already feel another high building. 

“Ahhh… Not too much for my baby now is it?” He goads you on, grabbing at your thighs to push your legs closer to your chest. “You take me like you were born for it. Bet you’re still desperate for my cum aren’t you?”

“Fuck, please.” You pant out, trying to catch your breath as his brutal thrusts knock the air out of you each time. “M-missed your cum, ‘Toru. W-want it all.”

“Then you better give me one more baby…” The thrusts don’t falter in pace as his hand sneaks between the two of you. His hand presses into your lower tummy and his thumb reaches to rub quick circles into your bundle of nerves until you're thrown over the edge for the last time. 

White, blinding light floods your vision as Gojo moans low and lets your cunt squeeze him, pulling him deeper as he presses as close so he can to explode inside of you. 

When you come to, you’re gathered in his arms, his hands grazing carefully across your face as he wipes the sweat that formed there, tucking your hair behind your ear with a soft smile gracing his features. 

“You’re even more beautiful than that first night.” He hums to himself. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you always have had a way of crashing into my life and breaking down my assumptions.” 

“I think it's my assumption you’re destroying…” You lean into his touch, soaking up the attention you never thought you’d receive. 

You both lay there, enjoying the quiet moment you’ve carved for yourself out of this mission by happenstance. You let the storm rage on around you, letting yourselves forget what lies outside these mountains.

tag list: @sugarbooger513 @sugarmapoops @roughwithfluff @severelytalentless @yelzoldyck @silversslut @aazaard @dreamyyholland @wobblewobble822 @vantastic210 @rafzaha @tirzamisu @chososhoney @littlemochi @bebechinas99 @firdaoz @saoney @meromelo @pelicanpizza @sukunassoulmate @damncakie @katgalle @honeyyjems [[ if your blog name is crossed out i couldn't tag you]]

[itsclydebitches]

The narrative H/C potential of switching Cazador and Orin’s kidnappings is just delicious to me. Instead of Astarion’s siblings waking him up and giving the party the chance to defend him, the player arrives back at camp (or finishes a long rest if Astarion is currently in your party) to discover that he’s just gone. No note, no sign of a struggle, nothing. Insert any hand wave-y means of abducting Astarion quietly here. The point is that this would wreck him.

Not just because he’s now back in the clutches of Cazador (though that’s obvious), but because you’re not coming for him. See, having Orin as your kidnapper is actually one of the more reassuring options, despite her murder-happy disposition. Even if she nabs a struggling character like Gale who might believe they’re unworthy of rescue for any number of reasons, Orin is one of the few baddies you simply have to engage with. Significantly, knowledge of that necessity is baked into the actual story-world. We see fighting her as a gameplay mechanic—defeat three mini bosses to reach the final boss—but that structure still exists as a Save The World quest for your party. No stone, no victory. No Orin, no stone. Ergo, they’re fighting Orin. So whoever is kidnapped knows that the party will show up eventually, even if it’s not for them. That’s it’s own wonderful, angsty assumption—“You came because it was the right thing to do, not because you care about me. My rescue was always a byproduct of saving the people who truly deserve it”—but at least there’s still reassurance in knowing you’ll see them again. All the kidnapped member has to do is not piss off Orin in the meantime and hope the party doesn’t die along the way. Not stellar odds, admittedly, but are they really any worse than what they’ve been dealing with all along?

Getting kidnapped by Cazador on the other hand... oh boy. He’s a missable boss, both mechanically and narratively. Who’s worried about him when there’s a fucking Netherbrain threatening all of Faerûn? Sure, sure, your Tav might have spent their journey helping every idiot with suitably convincing puppy-dog eyes, but Astarion is very much not a refugee tiefling/snake-threatened child/shadow-cursed hero/etc. He’s a chaotic, caustic bitch whose trauma is expressed more through biting fury than soft bouts of crying. Not only is he (in his own mind) not the sort of person people go out of their way to save, but would you even know where to begin? Depending on your approval rating you might still be iffy about Astarion’s past, as well as this upcoming ritual. Has Tav met any of the siblings yet? Do they know that Cazador’s Ascension would pose a threat to all of Baldur’s Gate? Do they have any means of finding the entrance to his palace without a former resident in the party (or convenient map marker)? Now, toss in the fact that, depending on how many long rests you’ve done, the party has only been traveling together for a matter of days/weeks. They know one another deeply (yay trauma bonding) but once separated that timeframe feels pretty insignificant, particularly to someone who has existed for over 200 years. Even if you’re romancing Astarion and he has more reason to believe that this short period of time was emotionally meaningful, he’s still admitted to manipulating you, to molding your emotions to best ensure his protection... but protection never extended to this.

Besides, Astarion has literally been here before. No heroes rescued him across two centuries of enslavement. Why would they rescue him now?

Except, it’s far worse this time around, isn’t it? Cazador isn’t merely his abuser, he’s now set to become an all-powerful vampire whose hold will truly be unbreakable. Astarion isn’t merely a slave to one individual, he’s now got a ticking time bomb in the form of a parasite set to enslave him to another. (And isn’t that something to chew on: him cursing the fact that the artifact’s protection still extends to him. At least as a Mind Flayer he wouldn’t feel anymore, would have a chance to fight back.) This time around Astarion isn’t just another beloved “child” of Cazador’s, he’s uniquely gifted in his ability to walk in the sun and resist commands. The hells only know what Cazador will make him do with that newfound power if he survives the ritual— or how Cazador will ensure Astarion’s continued “loyalty” while he does it. Worst of all though... now Astarion has had a chance to see what life could be like. Freedom. Agency. People who love him despite all the reasons they shouldn’t. Whoever said, “Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” was a fucking fool. It’s so much worse to go backwards, to have lost not merely the life you dreamed of, but also the ability to pretend you never needed it in the first place.

Imagine that Astarion. Picture how broken he would be.

Now imagine the party kicking down Cazador’s door. The look on Astarion’s face when he realizes that despite the danger, the practical hurtles, the bigger stakes at play, the fact that it’s him... they came anyway.

[babyyweebbitch]

haiii! im super impressed w ur writing. It's so good (must admit). can I have a Simon "Ghost" Riley when he found out I trying to hide wounds after fighting?

It's okie for no, thx u and luv uuu <3

no problem bubba :)) i wanted to do something like this but didn’t know how to | i just reread everything and saw u said fight 🧍🏾‍♀️ chat pls to kill me its been a while and i JUST woke up from a nap. i hope this is okay tho!!

content warning : Black female reader, blood, hiding wounds , simon being angy

you had gotten back from a solo week long mission a few days ago, you were being quite distant and secretive from everyone… nobody knew why but they didn’t pry thinking it was just you wanting space after a tough mission especially going alone… nobody blamed you

one day, you were walking through the base in regular clothing but baggy clothing, which Simon thought was odd because you were always known to wear shorts or something, you grabbed a few medical supplies and hid them before quickly going to your room across the bass, he noticed this.

how odd… what would you need with these items? he decided to follow far behind you and watched as you went into your room. after a few minutes he knocked on your door and waited for a response

“im busy! one moment!” you yelled out sounding panicked and hurried.

“can i come in?” simon called out from the other side, his deep, thick British accent was very easy to tell who it was because of how it sounded. after a few seconds you opened the door but leaned against the door putting weight on one leg as you did, opening it just so much so he couldn’t see the rest of your room

“whats up?” you asked, having a face of trying to hide pain, which he took notice of very quickly. he raised an eyebrow and looked at you, taking a few seconds to answer

“i saw you got medical supplies… is everything okay?” he asked with clear worry in his voice, which only showed with you

“yeah everything is okay, i was just getting them for Johnny” you said clearly lying, Johnny has been with Ghost most of the day

“you’re lying — what is wrong?” he said, with a stern voice, you kinda just looked at him with a look of ‘oh shit, im cooked’ but you wanted to try and lie again

“im telling the truth, Si…”

“lying again! Y/N what is going on, let me in”

you both just looked at each other before you slowly opened the door, simon saw all of your bloodied bandages on the floor along with the new ones you had just gotten… he didn’t say anything at first but once he did you felt like a kid being yelled at again

“what the hell? what happened?” he said with a angry tone, he looked at you and the look in his eyes scared you. you avoided eye contact and you just looked at the floor

“it happened on my mission… i got banged up pretty bad and didn’t want to tell anyone…”

“why?!” simons voice was raised just a little bit once he asked this, he was angry that you didn’t say anything about it and he was angry you let it go this long. after a few seconds he walked into your room and closed the door “show me now, you don’t have an option” he said, standing directly in front of you with his arms crossed. you were about to protest but after seeing he was dead serious you untied your sweatpants and let them drop, once he saw your legs you had a few cuts and bruises but the worst one was a gash on your upper thigh that was still healing. he sighed and he pointed to your bed without further explanation

you sat down and simon started to take care of the gash on your thigh first before the rest. he didn’t have anything to stitch it with so he just wrapped it tightly after cleaning it and he prayed for the best.

“take your shirt off, i know theres more” he said as he tossed bloody tissues away and he looked at you, you took your shirt off and you had a tank top underneath, there were a few scrapes and bruises here and there on your arms and rest of your body but nothing that wouldn’t heal on its own.

“if you do something this stupid again, i will tell Price about it…” he said getting up from the floor and subconsciously cleaning up the old bloodied bandages and other trash from your floor. he didn’t say anything else afterwards, he was upset with you and didn’t know what to say or do with you. you kinda just watched him and once he was done cleaning up he left the room.

you felt horrible now…

[sroloc--elbisivni]

Fic roundup: Heart Pirates, post Winner Island

After seeing @purplehairedwonder's post rounding up her fics from the aftermath of the Law-Blackbeard fight now that it's been animated, I thought I'd make one putting together as many as I could find or remember. These are ones where it's the main focus--I realize it does feature in like, various longfics, as a background/inciting event but my goal was to sift out the ones that are focused on it. If there's one that is post WI focused you know and love I'm missing feel free to toss the link in the replies and I'll update the list. I've done some minor sorting into sections for Lulaw, Heart Pirates crew fics, bad end, and various, and within those things are listed alphabetically.

Lulaw

a beating heart by Heartprts (jiaaa27)

After successfully escaping Egghead, the Straw Hats are on their way to Elbaf when two individuals made their way to the Thousand Sunny. The ensuing events led Luffy to realize his feelings for the dying captain. Prompt: confession | heart swap | i thought i'd lost you

A Thing Both Terrible and Beautiful by purplehairedwonder; E, 3.5k, complete.

Law wants it rough, wants it to hurt, because it’s what he deserves after losing everything. Again. Luffy knows he needs something else.

as I hold your hollow heart by betsib; M, 25k, complete.

The Straw Hats pick up Bepo and an unconscious Law after the events at Winner Island. Luffy is more than ready to help him, but when Law opens his eyes, he is a stranger. Meanwhile, Law wakes up in Dressrosa, with Doflamingo's symbol tattooed on his chest and servants calling him "Corazon".

Ballast by SyrupFog; NR, 7.3k, complete.

Law stands at the helm of a ship that isn’t his. They need supplies, they need to recover (he needs to recover), they need to go back. He can’t— he doesn’t have another choice. They have to go back to Winner Island as soon as possible, as soon as they’re able. There’s just no other option, here. Not for him. Not when his entire crew, save for Bepo, is somewhere out there. They’re strong. They must have survived. Law needs them to have survived. Law and Bepo have commandeered a small marine vessel, but there's a ship that simply won't stop following them, and Law-- Law's having nightmares.

Bet by Salemmcit0; G, 1.3k, complete.

Luffy wants to take care of Law while he's wounded, and he lets him. Both pirate crews are freaking out. And betting about it.

Broken Hearts by Dragon_Fallss; M, 33k, complete.

After retreating from Blackbeard, Bepo takes Law to the Thousand Sunny for help. Law's broken. And on top of that, the virus from the battle makes a surprise return. He now has to deal with his grief and a new body. And Luffy is so kind it's painful.

Call You Mine by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead; T, 8.8k, complete.

“Who would even be crazy enough to date Straw Hat Luffy?” “It’s gotta be someone who’s pretty strong,” one of the bar’s patrons mused. “I don’t see Straw Hat falling for a weakling.” “Strong enough for Straw Hat, and crazy enough to accept his advances,” another patron mused. “There aren’t many people that can say they’d meet those requirements.” “It’s pretty much just the Worst Generation, right?” someone else pointed out. Law scowled at his drink and wished Penguin wasn’t such a busybody. “Makes sense. Those Worst Generation guys all seem pretty close. When they’re not trying to kill each other, anyway,” the bartender pointed out with a shrug. Law had to admit he was right, at least when it came to Luffy. The idea of Luffy dating someone in their exclusive little band made sense to him, too. Or: Five times Law was jealous of Luffy's mystery boyfriend, and one time he realized the mystery boyfriend was Law himself.

Dead Defend No Honour (Day 9 of LawLu Week 2023) by KhepiAri; G, 2.7k, complete.

What if Luffy found out, Law lost it all at the hands of Blackbeard? Will he let Law suffer alone, or will he drag him back to Sunny?

Dissecting a Captain by devils_regrets; E, 10.8k, complete.

Law's anguish and hatred drives him to lash out at the Straw Hat Captain, but Luffy of all people knows that's not how to heal the heart.

Grounding Exercise by heart_sen_ya; T, 2.5k, complete.

The panic didn’t leave Law’s body, but he managed to slow his movements, grip tightly at his first mate’s sleeve. “Bepo?” he huffed. “Real?” The question hung heavy between them. “Yes,” the word was dripping with sorrow, with apology. “Not dreaming. I’m sorry, Captain.” Tattooed fingers curled deeper into Bepo’s sleeve. Law leaned forward into him, his body screaming in protest. He didn’t care. How could he? Here he was, alive amidst tragedy. “Again,” he hissed, vocalizing the thought. “Again?'' The word tasted like poison.

Healing of the heart by Tchell1; G, 10.5k, complete.

In the aftermath of Law and Black Beard's battle, Law is left broken and hopeless. Monkey D. Luffy will not allow Law to fall into despair.

Look Who's Laughing Now by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead; T, 13.2k, complete.

I really like Torao, Luffy thought contentedly. I like him, too. The words felt like a warm echo of his own thoughts, bumping against the inside of his skull in a gentle but insistent way. That was weird. But not the weirdest thing Luffy had ever experienced, so he ignored it. “Did you get something in your eyes, Mugiwara-ya?” Torao asked. “They look a little pink.”

Loss & Regret by CaptainButterBuns; G, 1.4k, complete.

Blackbeard has dealt a crushing blow to the Hearts and Law is left to deal with the trauma but an old ally could be just what he needs to help him through it.

Lost and Found (You) by purplehairedwonder; T, 7.5k, complete.

Five times Law and Luffy almost lost one another and one time they did something about it.

My Heart in Your Hands, My Hands around Your Heart by purplehairedwonder; G, 1.9k, complete

In Luffy's lowest moment, Law takes Luffy's hand and promises that his story will not end. In Law's lowest moment, Luffy takes Law's hand and promises the same.

My Heart, Fragile in Your Hands by purplehairedwonder. T, 2.3k, complete.

“I failed them,” Law whispered, and it felt like a confession—like at church in Flevance. Confession was supposed to absolve someone of their sins, right? He doubted there was a god anywhere who could absolve him of his. And yet, he confessed at the altar of Luffy. “They were my responsibility, and I failed them.” Or, Law wakes up in the Sunny's infirmary after Winner Island.

On fire by Suwym; T, 367 words, complete.

Law has lost practically everything: his father, his submarine, his crew, and that vivre card.

Our Hearts, Made Whole in Each Other by purplehairedwonder. T, 2.3k, complete.

Luffy cupped Law’s cheek with his hand, softly grazing his thumb over a yellowing bruise. “Torao is so pretty,” he said quietly, a note of awe in his voice. Law flushed. “Torao’s heart is beating so fast.” “Yeah,” Law agreed, swallowing. “It is.” Luffy’s, despite a few flutters, was beating steadily in Law’s chest. Law, on the other hand, felt pinned to the spot, one hand holding Kikoku and the other in Luffy’s grip. “You should stay.” Law blinked. “What?” “You should stay,” Luffy repeated. “On the Sunny. With me."

Passing Showers by daggermoon; G, 6k, complete.

In which Law is extremely irritable, lost at sea with an idiot strawhat burrito, and very much out of his depth. ______ He is helpless, no more than an insect in a puddle, clinging to a leaf in order not to drown. Even worse, he has a particularly dumb fellow insect to take care of. Now part of a series *grins sheepishly*

Tattoos by Salemmcit0; G, 4k, complete.

Luffy takes Law and his crew to Swallow Island to build a new Polar Tang, and retouch his tattoos. Nobody knew that Mugiwara-ya was planning on getting one too.

The Heart is a Thing to Be Broken by purplehairedwonder; T, 5.5k, complete.

The Straw Hats learn about Winner Island.

The Lost Case by felsefeslegen; M, 24k, WIP.

SPOILERS AFTER 1081 IN THE MANGA. What happened to Law and Bepo after they defeated by Blackbeard and lost in the ocean? How will they survive and what will happen after Law and Luffy meet up in Elbaf? --- After the total defeat of Heart Pirates, Law and Bepo washed up on a deserted island. After that the thing made them survive became their nightmare, they were rescued from there like a miracle. Yet, Law was broken enough to hurt both himself and others. And mostly, Luffy.

Then Came You by Raiya

„Please Captain don’t die.“ Law could hear Bepo repeat the words over and over. The seawater around him felt like it was holding him in a breathtaking grip, but maybe it was Bepo carrying him. Law did not know if he was unable to move because of the water or his injuries but it did not matter much, he barely could keep himself conscious but tried his best.

These Petals Surface And Scathe by Cooknumber3; T, 17.8k, complete.

What had begun as a flicker of curiosity in Sabaody had turned into an unfortunate crush by the time Punk Hazard rolled around. Dressrosa saw it deepen into devotion, and it sweetened on Zou. Then Wano came and went, leaving him with something he now has to recover from. (Or: Hanahaki disease is cured by confession, not reciprocation. This is the aftermath, where Law tries to move on.)

What once was lost, now found by Callunar; T, 7k, complete.

Transcription for Chapter 1082 OFFICIAL!!! THIS IS DEFINITELY WHAT HAPPENED IN CHAPTER 1082. DON'T LOOK AT ANY OTHER SOURCES, JUST TRUST ME.

You didn't have to come by Salemmcit0; G, 1.6k, complete.

After parting ways while leaving Wano, Luffy can't stop looking at Law's vivre card. Days later the paper began to disintegrate. Or, Luffy goes to look for Torao as the Winner Island encounter is going on Day 1 of Lawlu 2023 week - Loyalty

your hands in mine by betsib; T, 1k, complete.

Luffy has always liked Law's hands.

Your Heart, Broken in My Chest by purplehairedwonder. T, 3.6k, complete.

Luffy was far from an expert at having someone else’s heart in his chest, but he was pretty sure what was happening with Torao’s heart wasn’t normal. AKA, Law and Luffy switched hearts after Wano, and Luffy feels Winner Island happen.

10 Days of LawLu 2023 Day 6/8/10: Holding Hands/Hurt & Comfort/Confessions by Straw_Heart3; M, 4.6k, complete.

The aftermath of Law's fight with Blackbeard on Winner Island.

Heart Pirates major role

A Last, Beating Heart by HyperbolicReverie; G, 1.4k, complete.

“Oh, my wonderful crew,” you think, thoughts hazy as bits and pieces of yourself begin to drift in the currents. “Oh, my dear, brave little boys. I hope you can forgive me for not being able to carry you further. I can no longer be your heart.”

Your journey has ended. But this? This you can do.

A Swallow's Cry by Heartprts (jiaaa27); T, 3k, complete.

Klabautermann: a spirit that dwells in ships, an incarnation of a ship that has been well loved and cared for. Tangs, surgeonfishes: a family of marine fish with a distinctive characteristic of having scalpel-like scales at their caudal peduncle. or Polar Tang fought for her family, to her very last breath.

At Our Dream's End by chioccowine; G, 2.5k, complete

A snippet between the Heart's captain and his first mate after chapter 1081 - - - “But, Bepo...” his captain’s body shivered as he uttered softly, like the blossoms of the epiphyllum under the moonlight, silently withering in the gentle wind without anyone knowing. “What lies at the dream’s end? What lies at the end…when there’s nothing left to dream about?” Bepo sniffed to hold back his tears, and he reached out his paws determinedly. Like how the three of them used to do for him when he was still a little cub, he hugged his captain tight, sheltering him from the long freezing night.

Bioluminescent Hearts by Harmonica_Smile (Rescue_Remedy); T, 5.7k, complete.

"No bodies?" Blackbeard fumed. Doc Q and Stronger had bounced across rocky Winner Island when that bear had gone all Sulong and knocked them out. Van Augur's range for warping wasn't that great, and was tricky over open water. He could sharpshoot the skin of a hangnail, but the bear was fast. If he'd managed to get a shot in, they could've finished the Mink off, and pulled the shitty doctor from the water, taken his heart and returned triumphant. Once the horse had woken up.

blessed, not cursed by Heartprts (jiaaa27)

For a few years now, Jean Bart feels like his life is cursed. It all happened too quickly; one moment their ship capsized, and the next moment he's wearing an explosive collar. It was the start of all the curses.

Caught by purplehairedwonder. T, 1.2k, complete.

Maybe this wasn’t such a bad death, Hakugan thought as he felt darkness beginning to encroach on his vision. He’d been on the crew of a Warlord, had helped in the fight that defeated two Emperors, and had seen more incredible, unbelievable things than he would have once thought possible; it had been a much more fulfilling life than he would have had if he’d stayed in his boring, backwater home in the North Blue. He would never regret agreeing to join Trafalgar Law all those years ago. He only hoped that his captain would somehow live on to fight another day; as long as Law lived on, so would the Heart Pirates.

Celebration by purplehairedwonder. T, 1.6k, complete.

As the Heart and Straw Hat Pirates celebrate the jailbreak of the imprisoned Hearts, Shachi tracks down a guilt-ridden Law and offers his captain some moral support.

Cursed by purplehairedwonder. T, 1.4k, complete.

After Wano, Jean had never been prouder to sport the Heart Pirates Jolly Roger on his back, tattooed over the slave brand that had marked him as cursed for so many years. But they had failed Law on Winner Island. Jean had failed him on Winner Island.

Clang, Ding, Zing by Mekachu04. G, 489 words, complete.

Still, it surprised him when Kidd approached him first, a thick pad of blank newsprint that Law hoped he'd gotten permission for before liberating from Franky's workshop. Kidd dropped the heavy booklet on Law with no preamble. an *extremely* short snippet of two very much down on their luck pirate captains dealing with their recent losses. More light-hearted than it sounds.

Food by purplehairedwonder. T, 1.2k, complete

“Sorry for borrowing your kitchen without asking. I just...” “It’s fine,” Sanji said easily before starting to roll up the cuffs on his sleeves to his elbow. “You wanted to make something for your people, didn’t you?” “I...” Clione blinked in surprise. “Yeah.” “I get it,” Sanji said. Once his cuffs were rolled up, he crossed his arms and leaned against the side of the counter. “It’s how people like us show our love, right?” Sanji went on. “Through our cooking.”

going through by aghhhhhh; G, 1.1k, complete.

Hakugan has an idea. Written for Heart Pirates Week 2024 Day 8: Hakugan and Caught

Heart to Heart by MorWicked; G, 1k, complete.

The Heart Pirates have been destroyed, and now they need to help each other remember what matters most. ----- Digging his fingers in amongst the flotsam of pebbles and broken shells, Law wrestled his harrowed anatomy into a position somewhat less prone. Slumping against the familiar form of his salvation, Law found it a little easier to breathe. A heavy paw settled over his shoulders, somehow easing the gravity of devastation even as it rested in a fashion that belied a bone-deep exhaustion.

'homeless heart' by fab_ia; T, 4k, complete.

“They’ll make it,” Bepo says. “They always have before, haven’t they? From the North until here…” It isn’t survivors' guilt. Bepo refuses to call it that, at any rate, because that would mean expressing some degree of doubt that the rest of them have managed to survive. He isn’t sure that he’ll be able to keep going if he lets go of that hope, if he doubts them for even a moment.

Last nights with Tang by Lyy30; G, 6.5k, complete.

Ikkaku has her first and last conversation with Tang.

Loyalty by purplehairedwonder. T, 1.2k, complete.

The only solace the Hearts had after being taken captive by the Blackbeard Pirates was the revelation that Bepo had gotten Law away from the battlefield. They’d all sworn in Wano that they would do whatever it took to protect their self-sacrificing captain, and any of them would have made the same choice, had they been able. They were the Heart Pirates, and Trafalgar Law was the beating heart at the center of the crew. They would hold out until Law came for them, and they would give the Blackbeard Pirates nothing.

Low Battery by killyhawk; T, 1.5k, complete

Two times Shachi carried Law, and one time he couldn't.

Night by purplehairedwonder. T, 1.1k, complete.

Their rescue comes at night.

Wish the 4 of us stay together forever by Horsehead_557; G, 837 words, complete.

Penguin, Shachi, Law and Bepo are all waiting outside to see the shooting star while drinking some tasty hot chocolate until Bepo suggest that they make a wish

Bad end

Broken Hearts by CaptainButterBuns; E, 736 words, complete. Graphic Depictions of Violence + Major Character Death warning.

Law has bitten off more than he can chew with Black Beard and the Heart Pirates pay the ultimate price.

Forced Disease of Despair by ProfessorDatenix; E, 6k, complete. Law/Blackbeard and Blackbeard Pirates. Rape/Non-Con warning.

Law gets turned into a woman in the battle against the Blackbeard Pirates near Winner Island, but something goes wrong and ends up captured by them, being completely at the mercy of mean that want to show their new slut what it means to be a captured woman by an enemy ship

From the Ashes by purplehairedwonder. T, 10.8k, WIP.

Blackbeard takes Law and the defeated Heart Pirates captive after their defeat at Winner Island.

Some version of you. That I might not have, but I did not lose by ImpassiveMoon; T, 3.2k, WIP.

Law doesn't escape Winner Island. Luffy and the Strawhat Pirates, sailing high after their escape from Egghead Island, find out far too late. A butterfly flaps its wings and creates a tornado. What then would a beetle do? A god? Brace yourself. For D will bring a storm.

The promised I have to keep by Horsehead_557; G, 3.35k. Graphic Depictions of Violence + Rape/Non-Con warning.

the young captain taking out his den-den mushi and vivre card luffy like calling the other captain while looking at his vivre card cause it makes him feel like that torao is infront of him “wh-where is” luffy panicked he cant find torao’s vivre card - in something happened to law and they cant do anything about it

the steps to an foretold conclusion by aghhhhhh; T, 3.2k, complete.

Law was always going to die. He is on the altar, heart torn out for the sun.

to the victor go the soiled by Anonymous; E, 8k, complete. Rape/Non-Con warning.

Law had been Doflamingo’s slave-concubine for some years before escaping the clan in his late teens and starting his own crew, but no-one left Doflamingo’s harem. Doflamingo was excited that Law now had a hole that he and other members of his crew had not yet sampled. Variety was the spice of life and all that. Another thing Doflamingo liked was how docile the constant fucking from Blackbeard’s crew, the transformation, and the specially designed seastone adornments had made Law. Straight into the PWP. Hurt, no comfort. If it's not your thing, click right back. Tags are not for show

Other

Aftermath by purplehairedwonder; G, 1k.

The aftermath of the fight at Winner Island.

A Most Surprising Alliance by Cygnus_the_Harper; G, 13.3k, complete. Users-only.

After the battle on Winner Island Bepo and Law flee across the ocean. Finding themselves stranded on a winter island they try to pick up the pieces, find a plan for moving forward, and worry about their crew. This was written after the cover page art depicting Law napping with a leopard and a bottle of vodka. It was such a fun picture that I had to write the adventures of Law and Bepo on that island, and their eventual rescue.

A Promise Fulfilled, 13 Years Later by betsib. T, 5.8k, complete.

Rosinante wakes up on Minon Island on the exact spot where he died, 13 years later. He's surprised to find Law is now a notorious pirate, and sets out on a journey to find him. Written for CoraFest 2024.

a victory every year by betsib; T, 6k, complete.

Law finds himself imprisoned in Impel Down, injured and possibly dying. His only company is Doflamingo, who tells him Luffy has been captured too. All in all, not the best way to spend his birthday.

A Wave Across a Bay by Sleeping_Songbird; G, 785 words, complete.

The aftermath of The Hearts fight with Blackbeard.

Beautiful Savior by Captainkreuger; G, 1k, complete.

Cavendish and his crew save Law and Bepo after Blackbeard defeats the Heart Pirates.

Faded by meowmystery; T, 819 words, complete.

Alone with his thoughts, Trafalgar Law begins to think his past over, which he has done over a million times. No matter how much he tries, he can't seem to come to a conclusion. Is there really an answer?

Fem Law on Winner Island by SilverSphere; G, 1.4k, complete.

This is just a canon-divergence drabble of Law getting stuck as a girl on Winner Island : )

Give Us a Little Love by cptrum; G, 2.3k, complete.

Law and Bepo get away from Winner island, but now what? Bepo is stuck trying to help an injured Law and also get his crew back. A what happened after chapter 1081 (since we still have zero resolution for that).

Hurting by lostsometime; T, 808 words, complete.

It hurts different, is the thing.

In the Light that Falls at Moonrise by Rimetin; T, 12.7k, Smoker/Law.

"The Captain,” the mink repeats, “trusts you.” Smoker chews on his cigars, letting his head fall back again. “Yeah, you said that.” “And you trust him.” Smoker and Law speak with their respective seconds-in-command, gain some valuable insight, and come face to face with some difficult to admit facts. Part 3 of Bitten by the Cold

Magneteers by Mekachu04; T, 2k, WIP.

After fleeing Blackbeard, Law & Bepo have been rescued by the Strawhats. Luffy is more than happy to help Law find his ship and crew, but his crew rightly points out that finding a submarine under the water is a big ask. If only there was someone they knew who could find large metal things and easy move them around. Possibly bring a sunken sub up to the surface with his magnetic abilities. So they detour to hunt down the Kidd Pirates. Unfortunately for Law, Shanks found Kidd first.

Polar Bear, Ocean Blue, and A Glass of His Dreams by chioccowine; G, 8k, WIP. Shanks/Law.

In order to bring Black Beard down to his demise, the Captain of the Hearts seized the opportunity to propose an alliance to the notorious red-haired emperor. The young captain’s willing to offer anything - - As he had nothing to lose.

Salt for Salt (Bone For Bone) by Friendly_Neighborhood_Asexual; NR, 2k, complete.

Bepo didn’t know how long he had been swimming, only that his lungs burned and his limbs ached and that he could not stop until his captain was safe. Law was tucked firmly under his arm, pressed close to his side with all the strength the mink could afford, and Bepo couldn’t tell if he was still breathing anymore. He couldn’t dwell on that though - wouldn’t dare to entertain the thought that he might be - his captain was strong, strong enough to survive Doflamingo, strong enough to survive Kaido and Big Mom, strong enough to bring emperors to their knees. Law would be strong enough to survive Blackbeard. Bepo didn’t know if he would be strong enough to survive Law’s death.

Seeing the Light by CaptainJoJo; T, 1.4k, complete.

Law doesn't want to talk about it and Luffy isn't pushing him.

Suns Will Sink to Shade by Rimetin; T, 7.3k, complete. Smoker/Law.

Smoker gnaws on his cigars, puffing thick clouds of off-white smoke. “I’m trying to help you, brat.” “I didn’t–” Law cuts himself off. It dawns on him then that he did, in fact, ask. Involving Smoker was his own express decision, however impulsively made. Bepo certainly hadn't made it for him - hell, he hadn't so much as questioned it. And he hadn't been the one to bring the rumors, either: it had been an innocuous bit of conversation Law overheard, and his traitor brain had latched onto it. Pushed to his breaking point and beyond, he'd heard Smoker's name and only thought refuge. Fuck. Smoker and Law talk some things through. Plans are made. (now with art!) Part 2 of Bitten by the Cold

The Aftermath by RitsukoRyoku; G, 3.5k, complete

This is how I envision the aftermath of that fateful battle as the Heart Pirates recover and recuperate.

what we have left by betsib; G, 716 words, complete.

Bepo and Law are picked up by the Straw Hats after the events on Winner Island, and Law proposes another alliance.

When Stars are Silver by Rimetin; T, 7k, complete. Smoker/Law.

When the air around him thins and fills with bluish static, Smoker knows exactly what it is. He turns in his chair just in time to catch two of his meditating rocks poof out of existence, replaced instead with… A man and a polar bear. SPOILERS for ch. 1081. After Winner Island, Law finds Smoker. Part 1 of Bitten by the Cold

I II II L by darkrogue1 (Lily_Haydee_Lohdisse); T, 764 words, complete.

Bepo worries about his Captain

[vodika-vibes]

I love your writing and I was so excited to see this event! I promise I am still rereading and reading all your new releases and each and every one gives me life! May I get a Fairy Tale AU with Rex? Maybe where reader is a second born princess, with a protective but very feminist older brother, who has encouraged her to train to defend herself. Rex is the captain of her guard and he loves her because they grew up beside one another and yet she’s promised to a prince who doesn’t swing her way? They’ve grown up and “grown up” with each other in every possible way and she loves him back but it must be secret? But the prince she’s promised to sees their closeness and realizes that the only way he’s not going to be miserable is release her from the betrothal and take her older brother’s hand in marriage (which he’s not complaining about because her older brother is sweet and wonderful and very much more so who HE’s interested in). And because her older brother is a real one, he unapologetically rewrites their governing laws when he takes the throne to say screw you I’m not providing an heir because I don’t fancy women and you wouldn’t accept any foundlings I adopt, when my sister marries her beloved best friend Rex, that little one will be my heir to the throne. Angst at the beginning because reader doesn’t know how she can have what her heart wants while fulfilling her royal expectations, Rex loves her dearly but doesn’t think he’s worthy of standing at her side (honorable and self deprecating King he is), and all along her cheeky older brother is the unsung hero bringing justice and love to them all. Even if this isn’t quite how it plays out when you write it, I know you’ll work your magic! 💕

My Lady's Choice

Summary: Rex has been in love with his best friend for as long as he can remember. And he knows that she loves him too, she tells him often enough. But he’s just a knight, and she’s been promised to another man.

Pairing: Captain Rex x F!Reader

Word Count: 1239

Warnings: None

Prompt: Fairy Tale AU

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: Hi there! Thanks for your request! I hope this is close to what you wanted! Also, sorry that it took so long, words haven't wanted to agree with me for a bit.

“You’ve been in a foul mood all day,” Rex notes as he offers the Princess another arrow, “What’s wrong?”

Her pretty lips become a scowl as she notches her arrow and draws the sting back, “Nothing.” She releases the string and the arrow flies true, striking the dummy in the center.

Rex watches her momentarily, taking in the tension in her frame and how her lips are turned down, and he sighs. “You might be able to lie to yourself and your brother, but you can’t lie to me.”

She hesitates and lowers her bow, “My betrothed is coming to meet me.” She finally admits, “My brother told me yesterday.”

Rex feels a pang in his chest, but he shoves it to the side. He always knew that he was going to lose her one day, he just hoped that it would be one day far in the future. “Well, perhaps you’ll like him?” He offers.

She tosses him a frustrated look, “I don’t want to like him.”

“Now you’re just being stubborn.”

She whirls to face him, “I’ve made my choice. I made it years ago.”

Rex sighs, soft and slow, “Princess,” His voice is so softly pained, “I’m not an option. You know that.”

Her lower lip juts out and she lifts her chin defiantly, “I don’t care.”

“Princess,”

“I love you!”

Rex pauses and his heart swells with affection for the woman standing in front of him. He glances around and, upon seeing that they’re alone, he takes a step closer to her and brings his hand up to cup her face, “I know you do.”

There’s something almost panicked in her gaze, “And you love me?”

His smile spreads, “More than I can put into words.”

The panic settles into something a little steadier, and Rex lightly brushes his thumb across her painted lower lip, “Then why won’t you fight for us?”

“We always knew that this was going to happen, cyar’ika.” Rex murmurs, the familiar endearment falling from his lips without thought. “That someday you would be claimed by someone else, and that I would lose you.”

“No.”

She says it so firmly that Rex almost believes her. But then, she’s always been so sure that they would find a way to be them, even within the constraints of the laws.

“Cyar’ika,” Rex pauses, “Princess,” He corrects, “Maybe it would be best to end things before you lose everything.” It’ll break his heart, but he won’t stand here and watch her throw away everything that she has a right to because she was fool enough to fall in love with a lowborn knight.

The panic returns to her face, “Are you breaking up with me?” Her voice is small, fragile sounding almost, and Rex wants to kick himself. He knows, better than most, how his cyar’ika views herself. And why she’d view a breakup as a form of abandonment.

Rex presses his other hand to her cheek, “No. I said that I should.”

Confusion slides across her face, “Rex?”

“I should let you go.” He murmurs, “You might find happiness with your betrothed. But I don’t want to.”

“I won’t be happy with anyone who isn’t you.” She announces as she presses her hands over his.

For some reason, her announcement surprises him. Never mind that he already knew that. Never mind that he thinks the same thing.

He’s still shocked to hear her say it.

Slowly, he leans in and presses his forehead against hers, and a small smile lifts his lips when he feels her warm breath against his face.

Stars, he really does love her so much. 

Maybe he can talk himself into her guard after she gets married, that way they won’t be separated. And it’s not like she would be the first Queen who had a low-born lover after getting married.

It’s a horrible idea. And Rex knows it.

But he also knows that watching her ride off into the sunset with her betrothed will destroy him.

She leans in and catches his lips with hers, and Rex surges into the kiss, one of his hands moving to tangle in her hair as he adjusts her head to deepen the kiss.

He smiles into the kiss as she almost becomes boneless against him, her soft hands lightly gripping the plates of his armor to try and pull herself closer to him. She breaks the kiss before he does, her eyes closed and a small smile on her face.

She looks happy. Content.

He’d sell his soul to keep her smiling like that.

She opens her eyes and favors him with the warmest smile he’s ever seen, “Cyare?”

Slowly she reaches up and traces his lips, “I think I have an idea, Rex.”

Rex eyes her, doubtfully, “A good idea?”

Her smile widens, “Trust me.”

He watches her for a moment, and then sighs, “As if you have to ask,” Rex leans in and kisses her one more time, and then pulls away from her. It wouldn’t do for anyone to catch him kissing her, after all.

Rex doesn’t see much of his cyare for the next couple of weeks, a fact that makes him unbearably anxious. He knows that the wedding hasn’t happened, as there’s no way that he would miss that, but the constant meetings between his cyare, her brother, and her betrothed don’t bode well for his relationship.

When he does see her again, he’s a bit surprised.

Well, ‘a bit’ is something of an understatement.

The truth is, he almost doesn’t recognize her when she comes running up to him. She has a bright smile on her pretty face and her hair, normally pulled into a series of intricate braids, hangs loose around her head.

And she’s wearing civilian clothes. A tunic and comfortable trousers with boots, rather than the delicate gowns that she’s supposed to wear as princess.

“Princes—” Rex is forced to drop the training mat that he is supposed to be bringing to the salles when she flings herself into his arms. His arms wrap securely around her, supporting her weight as she wraps her arms around his neck.

She’s giggling as she bumps her nose against his, her grin so broad that it looks like it’s going to crack her face in two.

And, despite the audience, Rex can’t help but smile back at her, her good mood infectious, “Why are you so happy, cyare?” He murmurs.

“My brother has canceled my betrothal,”

“He did wha—”

Her hands come up to cup his face, “He’s also rewritten the laws, I am free to marry anyone I choose. And if the council of old people have a problem with it, they can take it up with him and his sword.”

“Cyare, what—?”

“My brother is going to marry my former betrothed,” She continues, “As it happens, my brother is more his type.” Her fingers slide over his short hair, “And, to keep the throne in the family, my firstborn child will be named heir.”

Rex stares at her, wide-eyed, and then a slow smile crosses his face, “So, that means—”

“—nothing is stopping us from being together.” She finishes.

That’s all Rex needs to hear as he crashes his lips against hers, no longer caring about their audience. Needing her as close as he can get her.

Looks like he’ll actually have a use for that ring he’s saved up for after all.

[fluentmoviequoter]

I love your writing it's great could you write a Dalton Lambert x reader where the readers a single mom to a one year old chris introduced them and they hit it off so they've been together for 6 months and then before that friends for 6 months so the baby was 6 months old when they got together and is now a year old so Dalton became readers baby's step dad a little and reader and her child go with Dalton to his home for Thanksgiving break and meet his family obviously Cali doesn't really care and is happy to have a sister and niece now and Renia is happy to know Dalton is happy and absolutely loves the reader and her kid and then foster being the teenage boy he is doesn't really care that much but obviously Josh doesn't really like reader cause she's a young mom and is skeptical of her considering the problems he and Dalton have

So sorry for the long wait! I hope this is along the lines of what you wanted. I think this is my longest fic and it covers over a year; I tried to follow your timeline. Thank you so much for the request and the kind words!! Enjoy and let me know what you think! :)

Warnings: fem!reader is pregnant and gives birth (no detail), unnamed child (nickname: Bump), marriage, lots of fluff, some angst towards the end. 3.8k+ words

A/N: The title is from "Come Together" by Aerosmith, which has absolutely nothing to do with the fic, I didn't explain why the reader is a single mom, that's up for interpretation/reader's choice. I also made a very obvious reference to another Ty Simpkins movie.

One and One and One is Three

✵Last October✵

“Dolphin, please!” Chris begs, extending a store-bought Halloween costume.

“I’m not going to another party with you, I’ve learned my lesson,” Dalton responds, crossing his arms.

“Fine.” Chris sighs. “I guess I’ll go by myself, just a poor, defenseless girl, and hope for the best. I thought we were friends.”

Dalton groans as he tips his head back, running a hand through his hair. “Why do you always do this?”

“Because it works. Now go change, we need to go.”

Chris tosses the costume onto Dalton’s bed before walking out.

Dalton takes a deep breath before picking up the bag.

“Iron Man? Really?”

After changing, Dalton meets Chris outside the dorm building, standing silently as she playfully fawns over him. The closer they get to the party, the more Dalton appreciates the cheap piece of plastic covering his face. Maybe he can get through the party and back to his dorm without any incidents this time.

Chris leads Dalton inside the house, greeting people and looking around as she walks toward the kitchen. Dalton hears several other Avengers yelling at him but pretends not to notice them. As he prepares to ask Chris what or who she’s looking for, she stops abruptly, and he nearly runs into her.

“Baby Bump!” Chris yells.

“Chris,” Dalton hisses, concerned he will have to break up a fight. He takes off his mask to prepare.

Chris hugs someone and then steps aside. “Dalton this is Baby Bump. Baby Bump, Dolphin.”

Dalton tells you his real name as you tell him yours. You laugh as you repeat his name and shake his hand.

“You’re…” Dalton begins.

“Pregnant?” you suggest. At the same time, Dalton finishes, “A kangaroo.”

“Oh. Yeah, I’m a kangaroo. And you’re Iron Man.”

Chris interjects to say she’s going to find food. You nod sweetly and smile, sending Dalton’s mind into overdrive as he imagines you looking at him like that.

���Do you like Iron Man? Or did Chris get your costume? She wanted to pick mine, but I vetoed that.”

“Yeah, yeah, Chris picked it. She forced me to come, so I didn’t have much of an option,” Dalton answers.

You nod and smile up at him, making him wish he had the mask back on to cover his warming cheeks.

“You make a very attractive Iron Man if it helps.”

“I’m pretty sure you could tell me I look stupid, and I’d say thank you.”

You laugh, and Dalton thinks it’s the best sound he has ever heard. You look over your shoulder for Chris and shift your feet to find comfort.

“Do you wanna go somewhere else, or sit down? Anything?” Dalton offers, raising a hand toward you slightly.

“Yeah,” you answer with a sigh. “But you stay here, enjoy! Chris should be back soon.”

“Chris isn’t coming back, it’s like her favorite thing in the world to abandon me at parties. So, where to?” Dalton offers his arm, and you loop yours through, smiling as he walks you toward the front door.

“Why did you agree to come?” you ask as you exit the house.

“I’d never let Chris go to a party by herself. This one seems like a decent one, so I’m okay with leaving her.”

“Bad experience with a college party?”

“Frat party the first week.”

You make a sound of agreement. “You’re a good friend.”

“You never told me where you want to go,” Dalton points out, trying to get your attention off of him.

“I’m craving something really weird, so if you want to go home-“

Dalton cuts you off with a dramatic shake of his head. “Let’s get it. How weird can it be?”

✵Last November✵

“What do you guys want for dinner?” Chris asks, looking up from her phone.

“Your favorite concoction?” Dalton suggests, looking over at you, where you’re lying on his bed with your feet up.

“Never going to let me live that down,” you grumble. “I’m pregnant, Dalton, it was a one-time craving, get over it.”

“Yeah, Dalton, give your pregnant best friend a break. You’re so mean,” Chris adds, winking at you quickly.

Dalton rolls his eyes and returns to his drawing, listening to you and Chris discuss what to order. When the two of you decide, Chris places the order and then says she has to finish some laundry before it gets delivered.

“What are you doing for the break, Dalton?”

Dalton abandons his drawing; his interest shifted to talking to you. He sits at the end of his bed and stretches his legs beside yours. “My dad’s coming to pick me up after my last class, so I’ll be with them for Thanksgiving. What about you?”

“I’ll be in labor, hopefully.”

“You’re staying here?”

“Yep. My stuff got delivered to my new apartment yesterday.”

“Need help unpacking?”

You open your mouth to answer, then tense as a contraction seizes you.

“Was that a contraction?” Dalton asks, sitting up as his eyes widen.

“Yeah, just Braxton Hicks. I’ve had more of them this week.”

“If I’m not here, you’ll call when you go into labor, right?”

“Depends on what day it is and how fast it happens.”

Dalton says your name, waits for your full attention, then says, “Call me. No matter what day or time.”

You nod, then raise your hand and allow Dalton to pull you up to a sitting position.

“Bet you never thought one of your best friends in college would be pregnant.”

“I’ll admit, I never thought about it. But I’m glad we’re friends.”

Dalton stands and helps you up the rest of the way, opening the door as you promise to return in time for dinner.

As the door to the bathroom closes, you feel another sharp contraction. Your eyes widen when you realize what’s happening.

Pulling your phone from your pocket, you click Dalton’s name on your favorites list.

“Hey, Baby Bump, did you fall in?” Dalton answers.

“My water just broke.”

You hear Dalton stand and start running. “I’ll be right there.”

“Sorry about dinner.” You exhale sharply as you experience another contraction. The phone beeps as Dalton hangs up.

“Did you seriously just apologize about dinner while you’re going into labor?” Dalton asks as he walks into the bathroom. You see his shoes outside the stall you’re in.

“Yeah.”

“We’ll talk about that later. Let’s get to the hospital.”

From the moment you walk out of the bathroom stall until your little girl is placed in your arms, Dalton’s hand doesn’t leave yours. He wipes your hair from your forehead and tells you every encouraging thing he can think of. Feeling closer to Dalton than ever, you nearly answer ‘Lambert’ when the nurse asks for your daughter’s last name. You decide not to tell Dalton about that, though.

When you finally force Dalton out of your apartment before Thanksgiving break, you promise to keep him updated. Dalton doesn’t tell his family exactly why he keeps checking his phone, but the smile on his face when you send a picture of you and your daughter tells everything they need to know. Even if Dalton doesn’t know yet.

✵Last December✵

“I missed you so much,” Dalton says as he hugs you. “You look amazing.”

“You were gone for a week, Dalton, I look exactly the same.”

“I got Bump some Christmas presents.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about Chris’s nicknames. Actually, really nervous to hear what she calls me now.”

“Oh, I know what she’s planning to call you and I’m getting in on it,” Dalton says with a smile.

“Wait, did you say Christmas presents? She’ll be less than six weeks old; she won’t remember it.”

“But you’ll remember her first Christmas, and you might need some of them.”

You nod and pull Dalton into another hug, whispering, “I missed you, too.”

The door opens, and a handful of gift bags enter before Chris yells, “Merry Christmas, Momma!”

“Oh, no,” you whisper, hiding your face in Dalton’s chest.

“Oh, yes,” he whispers in reply. “Momma.”

✵May✵

“I know something is going on between you two, Momma.”

“Chris, Dalton and I are just friends,” you insist, for the hundredth time.

“He acts like a dad to your kid, more importantly he acts like your husband, and you’re going to sit there and tell me you don’t want more?”

“We’re just friends.”

Chris’s smile grows, and you furrow your brows as you wonder what you said wrong.

“You didn’t answer the question. You want more, don’t you?”

You bite your lip and look over to your sleeping daughter.

Chris leans forward as she says, “Then do something about it.”

“Like what, Chris?” You stand and pace as you explain, “I can’t just tell a guy, who I’ve only been friends with for seven months, by the way, that I’ve fallen in love with him and can’t imagine my life without him. No one wants a girlfriend with a kid, besides It’s bad enough that he stayed by my side while I had a kid and buys her everything.”

“You said no one wants a girl with a kid then immediately said Dalton treats your daughter like his own.”

You wipe your hands down your face as you sit back down. “I can’t lose what we have. Dalton is an amazing guy, but it’s true that girls with kids are less desirable.”

“No, it’s not.”

You jump at the sound of a third voice, looking over to see Dalton standing in your kitchen.

“How long have you been there?” you ask quietly.

“I’m going to give you two some time,” Chris announces, sending Dalton an encouraging nod as she passes him.

Dalton waits for the door to close before he walks over to you, looking at your daughter before meeting your eyes.

“You are not undesirable because you have a kid. You are beautiful, brave, self-reliant, not to mention an amazing mother. Some guy will be very lucky to have you.”

“How much did you hear?” You repeat.

“Just that you think girls with kids are less desirable. Which isn’t true.”

“Really? That’s all you heard?’

“Yeah.” Dalton’s eyes soften as he kneels before you on the couch.

“What’s going on?”

“If I tell you something, and you don’t agree with me or feel differently, can we still be friends?”

Your daughter starts crying, and Dalton rubs his thumb across your cheekbone before standing and picking her up from her playpen. Dalton bounces your daughter and smiles at her until she starts laughing.

“Momma is nervous, but she doesn’t need to be, does she?” Dalton asks in a high voice. He shakes his head dramatically, drawing a laugh from you and your daughter.

Hearing your laugh, Dalton looks over and sees you smiling. He sits beside you, holding your daughter in his lap.

“I’m in love with you. I have been since after that Halloween party, and I just keep falling more in love with you,” you admit, playing with your fingers.

Dalton’s smile grows slowly, and he stands up, spinning with your daughter. “Did you hear that? Momma loves me too! Yeah, she said it! The big l-word, can you believe that?”

You smile as you stand and walk to Dalton’s side. He tucks you under one arm, kissing your temple quickly. “In case my victory lap didn’t make it clear, I love you too.”

“Even though I have a kid?”

“Are you kidding? I love her too. Professor Armagan is convinced she’s my kid anyway.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. I drew a picture of her and no matter how many times I try to explain the situation, she swears that it’s my kid.”

“I think she is, too. Maybe not by blood, but you’re the only father she’ll ever know, Dalton. She loves you; no one else gets her to laugh like that.”

“She cried when I walked in,” Dalton states with narrowed eyes.

“To get your attention, Dalton.”

Dalton gasps and looks over to her. “Really? You did all that just for me? Now I’m going to have to spend more time with Momma though.” He lowers his ear like she’s responding, nodding and shrugging to his imagined conversation. “Of course, I’ll still visit you. But I may have to kiss Momma when I come in or take her on a date. I promise we will still be best friends though.”

“I love you,” you whisper, looking into Dalton’s eyes.

Dalton removes his arm from your shoulders and holds up one finger. He sets your daughter back in the playpen, placing her favorite toy beside her before returning to you. Dalton wraps his arms around your waist, and you raise your arms over his shoulders.

“I love you. More than you know,” Dalton whispers.

Dalton tips his head down and kisses you, laughing into the kiss as your daughter squeals happily in the background.

✵October✵

“You two should do a couple’s costume! It is your one-year anniversary,” Chris says as she drags you and Dalton into a costume shop.

“We didn’t start dating until May.”

“But you should have started in October, that’s my point.” Dalton rolls his eyes when you look over at him.

“Joker and Harley?” Chris suggests.

“I like to think I left the psychopath back in the Further,” Dalton deadpans.

“You could have said anything else. Both of you,” you state, shaking your head as you look at the costumes.

“What would you pick?” Chris asks.

“Farmers and a pumpkin,” Dalton answers.

“That was fast. Wait, pumpkin?”

Dalton looks over at Chris, waiting for her to realize the obvious. “Oh! Right. I forgot that you’d want to include her.”

Chris walks to the next aisle, and Dalton returns to you, wrapping his arms around you from behind and resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Find one?”

“I think she’d make a cute Grogu.” You turn in his grasp, smiling as you ask, “Do you still have the Iron Man costume?”

“I think so. Why?”

“Because it looked really good on you. We could do superheroes.” Something catches your eye over Dalton’s shoulders, and your smile widens. “Or we could be the Incredibles.”

When you look back at Dalton, he’s looking at you like no one else exists.

“Or we could get married.”

You pull away from Dalton slightly, looking into his eyes. “Are you serious?”

“Would you want to? This isn’t an official proposal.”

“Of course, I would, Dalton.”

“What’d we pick? Besides PDA?” Chris asks as she returns.

“The Incredibles,” Dalton answers quickly.

“I think Bump has something for you, Momma,” Dalton says as he opens the door to your apartment after dinner.

Lit candles sit on the windowsill, and Chris and your daughter are wearing dresses. You look at Dalton with teary eyes, wondering what’s going on. You kneel in front of your daughter, and she makes grabby hands at a black box on the table.

“Wing,” your daughter cheers.

Chris winks at you before picking up your daughter and carrying her into your bedroom.

As you stand and turn around, you see Dalton kneeling in front of you, the box open to reveal a beautiful engagement ring.

“I love you. I fell in love with you when I first saw you dressed up as a kangaroo, and I can’t live without you. You and your daughter are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life learning to be a husband and father with you by my side. Will you marry me?”

Tears slide down your face as you nod. “Yes, Dalton, yes!”

He stands, wrapping his arms around your waist and spinning you. You laugh as he slips the ring onto your finger, looking at it quickly before leaning up to kiss him.

“How would you feel about a Halloween wedding? For sentimental reasons,” Dalton suggests.

“Absolutely,” you agree.

Chris carries your daughter out, and she immediately reaches out to Dalton, squealing as he picks her up.

“Momma said yes!” He cheers, pretending to dance with her.

On Halloween, you and Dalton stand in a courthouse with outfits picked by Chris. Chris stands by your side, holding your daughter as you say your vows and marry Dalton Lambert.

As you exit the courthouse, you take your daughter from Chris and hug her close. Dalton silently asks for her, hugging her in the same way.

“You’re stuck with me now,” he whispers before looking at you, “and so are you.”

✵November✵

“Let’s go to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving. You can meet my family, and I know you didn’t get a real Thanksgiving last year,” Dalton suggests.

“I don’t know, Dalton. I mean, do they even know about everything that’s happened? About us?”

“My mom knows, and she really wants to meet you.”

Dalton wraps his arms around you, swaying you gently.

“Okay,” you respond with a nod. “Let’s do it.”

“I’m so nervous,” you tell Dalton as he pulls onto his parent’s street.

“Everything will be fine. They’ll love you; both of you.”

As Dalton parks in the driveway, he squeezes your hand and leans across the console to kiss you. As he pulls back, he sees his mom coming down the driveway.

“Here we go,” Dalton whispers before opening his door.

He hugs his mom quickly before coming around to open your door. After helping you out, Dalton says, “Hey, Bump, what are you doing here?” as he releases the car seat straps.

“Hi, sweetheart, I’m Renai. I’ve heard so much about you!” Renai introduces herself before pulling you into a hug.

“I’ve heard a lot about you too. I’m glad to finally meet you!” You respond before introducing yourself.

“And this is Bump,” Dalton says as he joins you.

“A pretty girl like this deserves a better nickname,” Renai says with a smile.

“Dalton!” Kali yells from the porch.

“I’m going to go become her favorite brother because I have a baby,” Dalton announces proudly before walking away.

Renai gestures for you to join her as she begins walking behind Dalton. “I can’t thank you enough for making Dalton so happy.”

“He’s made me happier than I thought possible.”

You hear someone say your name, phrased as a question, and look up to see Kali sitting with your daughter in the living room.

“Hi. You must be Kali, you’re Dalton’s favorite sister,” you tease before introducing yourself and sitting beside them.

“I’m his only sister,” Kali answers with a laugh. “Is she really my niece?”

“Yes, she is. Is that okay?”

“That’s awesome! Wait, so then you would be?”

“Your sister-in-law.”

“I finally have a sister!” she cheers before hugging you.

You make eye contact with Dalton over Kali’s head, smiling at him.

“Is that the wife?” Foster asks as he walks in.

“Yes,” Dalton answers before telling him your name.

“Cool. Nice to meet you,” Foster tells you before continuing toward the kitchen.

“He’s nice, just weird,” Kali tells you quietly.

“Dalton,” Josh calls as he walks in. He looks over at you, playing with Kali and your daughter. “A word?”

Dalton catches your nervous look and nods at you before following his dad outside.

“He doesn’t like me, does he?” You ask Renai as Kali continues playing with Bump, adopting Chris’s nickname.

“Josh has… trust problems and a lot of incorrect assumptions about single mothers. Give him a little time, and if he says something out of line, please don’t be afraid to put him in his place. As far as I know he means well, but sometimes he goes about things all wrong.” You nod, Josh’s voice becoming audible from outside.

“Would introducing myself make it worse?”

“Sweetheart, I honestly don’t know. I’ve known Josh a long time but even I don’t know what makes him so… Josh. But, feel free. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me to come yell at him.”

You thank her, then slowly approach the back door before stepping outside.

“Dalton, you can’t even tell me why she’s a single mom at her age!” Josh argues.

“I can’t tell you because it’s none of your business,” Dalton explains, with a level voice compared to his dad’s yelling.

“Hi,” you say, drawing their attention. “I know we haven’t actually met, and that you don’t trust me or like me because I have a kid and I was a single mom.” You introduce yourself and extend a hand, awkwardly waiting as he hesitates to shake it.

“My mom was a single mother, and she had so many problems,” Josh begins.

“Mr. Lambert, sorry to interrupt, but I’m not a single mom anymore. I understand your concern that I have a kid and what people could say about Dalton for being with me.”

“Oh, so because you have a boyfriend you aren’t a single mom? You’re already balancing a child and college, what could you possibly offer my son?”

“Happiness,” Renai says as she steps out. “Josh, let them explain before you start biting heads off and making this about you and your mom. I’m going to go finish cooking, and if I hear you yelling again we will be celebrating Thanksgiving without you.”

You lean closer to Dalton and whisper, “Your mom is awesome.”

He chuckles against you before nodding.

“Okay. Please, explain,” Josh tries again, crossing his arms.

You look over to Dalton and nod, allowing him to explain.

“We got married. Almost two months ago,” Dalton answers. “And the last fourteen months have been the happiest of my life. If you have a problem with me, or her, keep them to yourself, Dad. We aren’t here for your approval, we wanted to give you a chance to get to know your daughter-in-law, but if you want to waste that by being stubborn and letting your childhood trust issues get in the way, then that’s your loss. Because this is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met in my life and that little girl in there is my daughter, blood or not.”

Josh drops his arms and nods slowly. “I’ll be honest, I won’t be able to accept this overnight, but if you’re both happy and your lives are going where you want them to, then it’s your decision.” He turns to you and apologizes for yelling.

“It’s okay, Mr. Lambert,” you promise. “I know that trust and respect have to be earned.”

“Call me Josh,” he offers, a small olive branch.

“Food is ready!” Renai calls. “And Bump seems to think her last name is Lambert.”

“Maybe it should be,” you whisper to Dalton as you walk inside.

His eyes widen, and he stops walking before rushing to catch up and ask, “What does that mean? Bump Lambert does have a nice ring to it!”

[moonstruckme]

apple pie - send a character + a prompt off this list and I’ll write a drabble

congrats mae!! love the new theme and all your fics xx could i get sirius black and 10?

Thank you angel <3

¹⁰⁾ a six pack of beer and an apology

cw: alcohol, reader is implicitly introverted and/or shy

Sirius Black x fem!reader ♡ 744 words

Sirius finds you on the roof of his building. It’s a nice roof, not because of the roof itself—that’s pretty disgusting, actually, scattered with beer cans and smelling of piss from parties gone by—but because of the view. The trees and bricks of his neighborhood, giving way after a few blocks to city lights and black sky. 

You’re silhouetted against it all, sitting on the edge of the roof with your feet dangling over the pavement. You have a six pack of beer sitting beside you with one missing. 

“Are you planning to drink all of those by yourself?” Sirius asks as he sits down on your other side, the beers between you. 

You startle a little, and his muscles tense, ready to snatch you away from the edge. Sirius sits there like that all the time, but it makes him twitchy when you do it. When you realize it’s only him, your sigh is half relieved and half exasperated. Maybe there’s a little bit of fondness in there, too. 

“No,” you reply, “but I wanted to have the option.” 

“Sound.” Sirius grabs one for himself, popping the tab with a hiss. 

You keep looking out into the distance while he takes a couple of slow sips. He never knows what exactly you’re doing when you get like this. Sometimes you’ll be quiet for so long he thinks you must be entirely in your own head, but then you’ll say something like “I think that couple on that stoop has just been on their first date. See how nervous they are?” and he’ll realize you’ve been paying attention all along. 

Now, he knows you’re only waiting for him to own up. 

“I’m sorry,” Sirius says, “for luring you here under false pretenses.” 

“You told me it was a small dinner.” 

“There is food down there, if you go looking…” 

“This is a party, Sirius.” 

“You wouldn’t have come if I’d told you it was a party.” 

You take a sip of your beer, looking like you might be trying to hide a smile. “No,” you agree. 

“Then I lied.” He tests his luck, tossing you a grin meant to coax out your own. “I’m not sorry.” 

“I knew it,” you mutter, but there’s no real malice in your voice. Sirius leans over, bumping his shoulder into yours. 

“I wanted to see you.” 

You give him a look. “You could see me any night.” 

“I wanted to see you tonight,” he amends. “I had to get you here somehow.” 

You sigh, leaning into him in turn. “I’m sorry if I’m keeping you from your party.” You cringe. “Or being rude to your friends.” 

“Don’t be silly, nobody minds. They all love you anyway, and now that I’ve been gone for more than five seconds James will have seized the opportunity to change the music. They’ll all be having a grand time.” 

You smile, turning your face down so your hair almost covers it. But Sirius won’t be robbed of the sight; he hooks your hair on a finger, slotting as much as he can behind your ear. 

Your eyes meet his. “I like your music,” you tell him. 

Sirius beams. “And that’s why I like you, gorgeous. Well,” he hedges, “part of why. There’s also your personality, I suppose.” 

“Stop.” You give him what he supposes is meant to be a stern look, but it’s only heart-wrenchingly cute. 

“And your lovely ass, can’t forget that.” 

You turn your face entirely away from him, but your shoulders shake silently. Now that Sirius has you laughing, he decides to push his luck one more time. 

“Do me a favor?” He asks. You look over, still fighting your smile. “Come back inside. You can sit with Remus—he adores you, and he’ll be happy to have someone he doesn’t need to make small talk with. In an hour I’ll kick everybody out, and it’ll be just us for the rest of the night. Okay?” 

You tug on your bottom lip with your teeth, mulling it over. “Yeah,” you say after a minute, “okay. Just give me a minute and I’ll head down.” 

“Thanks, sweetheart.” Sirius leans over, capturing your lips with his. He makes it good and persuasive, but in all honesty he’s probably as wobbly as you are when he pulls away. “And will you do one more thing for me, please?” 

“Um.” You look a bit dazed. “Sure.” 

“Get down off the edge. You’re freaking me out.”

[irene9900]

Friends with Benefits?

Sanemi x Reader Semi-NSFW

CW: Friends with benefits? Soft Sanemi. Brief mentions of sex, kissing scars, Dom!Sanemi, Sanemi in denial.

Please let me know if I missed any warnings.

Minors and Ageless blogs DNI.

I write with a female reader in mind, but I believe this one can be read as gender neutral, please let me know otherwise.

A/N: Proofread. I have Sanemi brain rot to the point I’ve gathered the courage to finally post write about it. This was originally intended to be more smutty, but I’m a slut for soft Nemi.

🪻It was accidental at first. The build up from hours of training led you both to snap and give into one another. Clothes torn off. Hot and sweaty bodies clashing together in pleasure. Not even leaving his training grounds.

🪻One time turned into two, and now it’s an unspoken agreement between you when “steam needs to be let off”.

🪻Rushed moments in either estate, clothes ripped off and tossed away as you’re pulled into the bedroom or sometimes not even bothering to leave the training ground.

🪻Sanemi thought he would be the last to break. Putting up a wall between his feelings for you and acting upon them. Telling himself that it’s just sex, you both understand the complications of getting feelings involved. It won’t work out. You’re both hashira, you never know when the next mission is your last.

🪻Speaking of missions. The post mission sex is fantastic. Sanemi loses the small bit of control he thought he had. Glad he is able to hold you in his arms again, knowing you’re safe. Sanemi tells himself he was only gentle like that because you needed time to recover after your mission, denying his feelings.

🪻When Sanemi is the one coming back from a mission he lets you top him. He’s still mostly in control, but he loves watching the way you bounce on his cock, hands pressed against his chest with your head thrown back, lost in your own pleasure.

🪻He finds himself staring at you for long periods of time. Becoming flustered when you catch him and giggle, until he playfully shoves you over.

🪻When he passes by shops on his solo missions and finds items that he feels you would like. Fighting with himself on actually purchasing the items for you. He has definitely brought you back small trinkets.

🪻He will never admit it, but his heart skips a beat when he sees you jog up to him, trying to catch up, and offer him a home-cooked meal you made for him.

🪻He finds that the once quick fucks, become longer sessions. Sometimes multiple rounds. Taking time to enjoy one another. Taking time to kiss one another’s scars. Staring into one another’s eyes as he slowly fucks you.

🪻He finds that he prefers missionary, having the option to take his time with you or fuck you senseless, depending on his mood.

🪻He definitely hand holds in missionary.

🪻Goes from leaving soon after, to falling asleep with you in his arms. From the minimal aftercare cleanup, to soaking together in the hot springs before laying down together.

🪻Don’t get him started on how his heart feels when you snuggle against him in the middle of the night, and when the morning rays grace your presence, not ready to fully awaken yet.

🪻He opens his eyes, yours staring back at him. He finally lets slip the words he had been hiding from you for so long, “I love you”.

🪻“I love you too, ‘Nemi.”

[leahnardo-da-veggie]

Fast Food - The False Oracles

Childhood, Adolescence, Travels

I knelt before the Oracles, eyes downcast. Six of them, there were, dressed in clothes too casual for their nature. Shrinking beneath their gaze, I felt rather like a child before my elders. 

“One has come to seek counsel, great Oracles,” I whispered with reverence. “I have travelled far and wide. I have met the heroes of legend, watched them make history, and fought alongside them too. I have caused the death of my people, and the rise of another, and I live to tell the tale.”

One of them leaned forward. She was serpentine, with skin dry enough to be scaly, eyes red as rubies and long hair to match. “And what is it you seek, little trickster? Do you wish to change the past? To turn back time and make a different choice? To create a world in which you never had to make a choice in the first place?” The sharp edge of her smile told me there was a right answer, and a wrong one.

“None of them,” I replied, meeting her gaze. I had locked forearms with the first Spirit-Empress, bowed to the great Lich-Queen, danced with the God of Chaos himself. I could handle a crew of omniscient priestesses. “I did the right thing. Even if you gave me the option, I wouldn't have made any other choice.”

“Then why are you here?” It was a different Oracle this time, one hardly more than a girl-child, yet with a voice as deep and luscious as sin. “You have yet to answer our first question.”

I winced. “I-” What did I want? Why was I here? I had just needed to come back to Iraios, back to the place where I had met my first love, lost my first loss. “I must know: Could I have chosen better? Could I have done anything differently? Could I have saved them all?” 

I didn't know what I wanted to hear. It would have broken my heart either way, to know that my family and friends were doomed all along, or to know that I had failed to save their lives.

“And the sun will rise and the mountains will fall and all things will come to an end,” the sole male Oracle said. He studied me with steely eyes, devoid of soul. “What does it matter if they died now, or in a thousand years?” He paused, and I felt the room shift, as though something beyond my grasp had tilted reality. “I cannot stand you pathetic little woe-is-me trauma magnets. ‘Oh, my backstory is so sad! Oh, all my family died in a fire and that's why I'm evil!’ Oh, why don't I smack you right in your sad-little-meow-meow mouth, hmm?”

A smattering of laughter went up at that, the Oracle's clearly delighting in his condemnation of me. It stung, like a slap to the face, hurt and shock and shame. Then it burned like rage. 

“You can stuff your mouth up your ass, you little mud-suckler,” I snapped, not caring if I was picking a fight I couldn't win. “Those are real people you're talking about here, not some pawns in a game. They were my family, my tribe, my entire gods-accursed species! Everyone I shared a single drop of blood with is gone! And you dare to make light of it?”

“Don't you see? That's the point. Those were people with lives, with stories of their own, tossed aside like unwanted toys! She's playing with them, just as She toys with you, for Her cruelty knows no bounds.” It was the scarred one that spoke this time, her voice filled with bitter rage. “I weep for your loss, truly. We all do. Only a monster such as our Writer would dare sacrifice an entire people for character development.”

“I don't understand. You mean… Someone made this happen? This wasn't my fault?” The thought alone lifted a weight of guilt off my chest.

“Hah! It absolutely was your fault, you sad little queer representation,” the snake Oracle told me. “We merely mean that it was written from the very beginning. You would, will, and have always sacrificed your people to save humanity. That's the meta-tragedy of it. And for the record, Liam and I don't weep for you. We laugh, because this whole tale is a farcical comedy.”

“Me too,” the youthful Oracle added. “I mean: You're named after a Macdonald's breakfast. How much funnier can you get? Peak comedic relief.” She grinned. “Oh, but I do feel rather sorry for you.”

I felt myself twitch. Everyone had warned me that the Oracles spoke in tongues, but this? They might as well have been talking to someone else, with the way they went on. “What the hell is a Mac Donald? And was there someone pulling the strings, or was there not? Answer me!”

They ignored me. “You should pity it,” the scarred one told the others. “That accursed Writer thinks She can toy with us like this? Make us into her little dolls to break and bruise?” She spat on the floor. “Well, someday, we'll prove her wrong.”

“Don't be ridiculous, Gloria,” one of the remaining two said. She could have blended into any crowd, save for her solemnity, which could belong nowhere except in the highest of holy places. (Which, despite all evidence to the contrary, this was.) “We can't stop her any more than a character can reach through the pages and pull the quill that writes them away. All we mean, all we have are, all we have done is controlled by her.” What crossed her face was a river so deep I could have drowned all my troubles in it. 

“I am sorry, Hash. You are a Watcher, true and just. You have, will, and must witness many things, most of which will bleed your soul. And you have not, will not, must not allow it to kill the kindness in your heart.” She got up from her seat and stepped forward, pressing her hands against mine. “A long time ago, or perhaps no time at all, your progenitors sought my counsel. I warned them that you, specifically, would be the death of all their people.” she paused, as though to let that sink in.

“But- The records said they didn't know which of us it was,” I protested. “The records just said one of their children!”

“That's the bit you're focusing on?!” Gloria shoved her companion aside. “What part of deliberately engineered tragedy by a callous bitch did you not get?” Her face was right up against mine, cleft lip trembling with rage.

“A tragedy is still a tragedy if it was deliberately set up. It is still grief-worthy if it were unpreventable. And even if the audience does not weep, I will,” the young one added. “Out of respect for a good tale, if nothing else.”

“That I can drink to,” snake-Oracle agreed. “But what about you, dear taglist, hmm?” She cleared her throat.

“Pardon me for the bad language you're about to experience, but here's a shout-out to: @coffeeangelinabox, @dorky-pals, @calliecwrites, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @shukei-jiwa

@thewingedbaron, @pluppsauthor, @cowboybrunch, @wylloblr, @possiblyeldritch

@tragedycoded, @finickyfelix, @urnumber1star, @ratedn, @ramwritblr

@vampirelover890, @possiblylisle, @illarian-rambling, @the-ellia-west

@evilgabe29, @glitched-dawn, @rivenantiqnerd, @dragonhoardesfandoms, @xenascribbles

@drchenquill, @everythingismadeofchaos, @owldwagitoutofyou, @dimitrakies, @beloveddawn-blog

@riveriafalll, @the-golden-comet, @rascaronii, @trippingpossum, @real-fragments

@unrepentantcheeseaddict, @the-inkwell-variable, @flock-from-the-void .” She finished her spiel with a wink at nobody in particular. 

They clapped with delight. “Oh, what creativity! How adorable. To turn such a solemn moment into a breaking of the fourth wall,” the steel Oracle commented. “But using Olive as your mouthpiece? Hardly appropriate. In the future, my hateful Writer, choose me for your meta-messages. After all, aren't I the odd one out?”

Oh, that was it. “This is ridiculous,” I told them, before they could continue their insane little game, or whatever it was. “You all are crazier than a clan of spirits in a crockpot. This isn't going to help me.” None of them stopped me as I got up.

I was halfway to the door when the final Oracle noticed me. Throughout our exchange, her eyes had been closed, her expression unchanging. She might as well have been a statue, carved of ivory and obsidian by the finest of stone-mages. Yet, as I passed her, she opened her eyes and revealed the vitality that lay beneath them. 

In the days before and after, I have encountered the Void That Swallows All, the God-huntress Who Brought the New World, and even Kurall, our Creator, herself. Even after all that, nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever compare to the power I felt at that moment.

The depths of her eyes superseded any Void. The graze of her fingers sparked a fire hotter than a thousand gods' immolations. The curve of her body could have birthed a thousand worlds. She was beautiful like my worst nightmare, and I fell to my knees before the True Oracle.

“WARBRINGER. WANDERER. WATCHER. YOU ARE MANY THINGS, CHILD, BUT A HERO FIRST AND FOREMOST AMONG THEM. I WILL NOT DISGRACE YOU BY CALLING YOU A FALSE NAME. NOR WILL I PRESUME AND CALL YOU BY YOUR TRUE ONE.” Her gaze burned my skin where it fell, and I fought the urge to shift into something small, to dodge the observation of something that could crush me so easily.

She seemed to understand, for she stroked my shoulder. “YOU WISH TO KNOW IF YOU COULD HAVE SAVED THEM?” 

I nodded.

“NO. IT WAS FORETOLD FROM THE BEGINNING. I FORETOLD IT MYSELF. IT HURTS YOU TO KNOW THAT.” She said it as a fact, not a question. 

“BUT YOU WILL FACE WORSE HURTS. YOU WILL KILL THE ONE YOU LOVE. YOU WILL SACRIFICE HIM FOR OTHER PEOPLES, LIKE YOU DID YOUR FAMILY. AND THIS TIME, YOU WILL KNOW THAT YOU CHOSE THE SACRIFICE. YOU WILL HAVE MADE THE ACTIVE DESCISION. YOU WILL KNOW THIS, AND YOU WILL REALISE THAT YOU WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT.” 

“That doesn't make things better,” I replied. “It's not fair. Why do I have to do this? Why does it have to be me?” My complaints sounded hollow, like a rat's chittering, beneath the baritone of her voice. “I just wanted to get by, have fun, live a little. I didn't ask for any of this.”

Her sigh held no judgement, no compassion, nothing except an endless exhaustion. “IT IS INDEED NOT FAIR.” She did not seem willing to say more.

“You think we chose this?” One of the lesser Oracles had spoken up, the man, and his voice did hold judgement. “You think we wanted to be cursed with omnipotence, to be forced to see that stupid fourth wall and the assholes that lie beyond? To know all that, and be able to change none of it? Ramaeria died to try to save her husband, and what did it change? Nothing! She, we, knew everything, and yet we're helpless! It sucks, you stupid little fried potato, and don't you try to compare your suffering to ours,” he snarled.

“SILENCE. THE CHILD'S WEEPING IS NOT CAUSELESS. WE WILL AID YOU, LITTLE ONE, IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE THE ORACLE'S BLESSING.” 

I turned back towards the True Oracle, and nodded unsteadily. At the corner of my gibbering mind, I thought she looked an awful lot like my first lover, like Akati come back to life. 

She must have known, for she stood up and enfolded me in her arms, like I were a baby bird and the sleeves of her robe a mother's wings. “SO IT IS, YOU WHO CALL YOURSELF HASH BROWN. YOUR SHIFTING WILL BE SWIFT, YOUR TONGUE WEAVED OF THE PUREST SILVER, YOUR JUDGEMENT ABLE TO BALANCE A HEART AND A FEATHER. SO IT IS SAID BY THE ORACLES.” 

Grudgingly, one by one, the other Oracles piped up. “So it is said by the Oracles,” they chimed.

“Thank you,” I replied, at a loss for other words.

“THERE IS ONE LAST THING I MUST DO TO SEAL THIS DEAL.” As she said it, she bent down, a smile finally passing over her lips. 

The True Oracle pressed her lips to mine, and delivered me the grandest kiss of my life.

(hahah i normally put my taglist here but Olive had other plans. Please tell me what you think of this, I really went outta my comfort zone with it. Also, Fast Food is a chronologically unordered series, and you can find the rest on my pinned post!)

[hyperactively-me]

hit the ground

“You— ‘m, I don’t feel that great” you say sluggishly, exhaustion creeping up on you. “Yeah I know, just hang on just a sec. Just keep your eyes open” he mumbles out, fingers shaking with anxiety.

just wanted to ask you guys to please read this

(asks are open)

happy reading

warnings: none

A brawl erupted at the local cantina. This time, it had nothing to do with Din, but some deal must have gone south for chaos to erupt. People were throwing chairs, open firing randomly into the air, tossing hits and punches left and right. You and Din jumped over the bar counter and ducked underneath it in an attempt to hide from stray blaster shots. 

“Well, our relaxing day together just got screwed over” Din grumbles, not happy that he has to deal with more violence then he has to.

“Uh yeah, we should try getting out of here without dying, Din” your eyes wide, chest heaving with anxiety. 

“That’s what I’m doing, sweetheart. When have I ever not survived?” he huffs out with pride. 

You roll your eyes and turn back to glance over the counter top. 

The unexpected turn of events reminded you far too much of the violence you dealt with in your early days when you had no fighting experience, no way to defend yourself. You came into the cantina unarmed because you didn’t think you’d need anything, but now you were seriously regretting that decision.

Din takes a peak over the counter to assess the brawl and ducks back under. He opens his mouth as if to speak, but before he can say anything, a man comes crashing over the counter. You let out a loud yelp as the man groans from the impact. Scrambling away would have been the best option if you were fast enough, but before you knew it, a large hand was reaching over the counter, grabbing at anything it could take a hold of— which included your shirt.

“What the—” you cry out as the hand pulls you upward. 

“C’mon, what’re you waiting around for? I thought you were quicker than this” Din says smugly before signaling for you to hop over the counter.

A blaster shot rings in your ears, now suddenly aware of how dangerous the situation is. You take one look at Din’s seemingly bored demeanor before you feel exasperated all over again.

“You think this is a walk in the park, do you?” you call out to him as he takes off, weaving through the violent crowd, dodging punches left and right. 

“You’re falling behind” he scolded as he turned around, a huff escaping the modulator in his helmet. 

The exit to the cantina grows closer, your hope at leaving without a scratch increasing. But of course, who are you if you don’t draw bad luck to you every so often at the most inconvenient times?

You run smack dab in the middle of the crossfire of two trigger-happy aliens, shooting into the crowd as a poor attempt to subdue the violence. 

Din is currently fending himself from some haywire droid, taking his viroblade and cutting through its wires.

Turning away, you continued to weave through the crowd, seeing that the two aliens were relentless on their blaster triggers. You watched as a small portion of the crowd either runs out or collapses unconscious on the ground. You press your lips together, meeting Din’s visor who beckons for you to come to him.

Your eyes flick past him and to the exit of the cantina once again, signaling to him that the exit was clear. Before you could take off, your eyes landed on a Twi’lek with a large blaster. Your eyes widened as he raised the barrel, aiming it straight to shoot Din. 

“Din!” you scream out as you push your way towards him. 

His helmet turns to look at you before he turns rigid, turning to look at what you were so frantic about. The surprise exchanges itself for shock as he realizes the gravity of his situation, meeting the firm gaze of the Twi’lek. Just as the Twi’lek was about to pull the trigger, Din felt his body slam on the ground as you threw yourself on top of him. 

You both fall on the floor, his back slamming into the floor of the cantina as he lets out a grunt and a hiss from the impact. Your body rolls off his, writhing in pain. He groans as he sits up, shaking off the disorientation from the fall. He frantically looks over only to see the blaster shot embedded in your shoulder. Your face turns white as you take sharp inhales, shock crashing over you in waves. Din’s hands hover over your body as the world seemed to move in slow motion, your shoulder throbbing in white-hot pain.  

Before he knew it, Din whipped out his own blaster and shot the Twi’lek square in the chest without hesitation. He scrambles over to you, pulling your body up in an attempt to carry you out.

Your vision is swimming with dots as you hear Din’s distorted voice speak to you.

“Hey, hey keep your eyes open. Talk to me” he bites out as he heaved you up in his arms bridal style. He spots the exit and moves toward it without looking back.

“Yeah I— what’s happened?” you slur, body shutting down as your adrenaline pumps through your veins. The world around you is blurry, bouncing up and down in your vision as Din weaves through the streets outside. 

“You— you got shot” Din grunts out as he continues to run back to the ship. His heat signature alerts the Crest of his arrival and the ramp begins to lower. He scrambles up the cold metal of the old ship, chest heaving with anxiety. The ramp shuts and locks behind, sealing both of you in from the violence of the outside. 

Din adjusts his tight hold on you before gently laying you down on the floor of the ship, 

Din curses under his breath as he fumbles with bacta and bandages from the first aid kit, gloved hands slightly shaking. 

“You— ‘m, I don’t feel that great” you say sluggishly, exhaustion creeping up on you.

“Yeah I know, just hang on just a sec. Just keep your eyes open” he mumbles out, fingers shaking with anxiety.

“I’m just gonna shut my eyes, just for a little bit” you rasp. 

The next thing you know, you feel your eyes slipping shut, too drowsy to put in the effort to stay awake.

- - - - - 

As your eyes flutter open, your vision meets the cool silver metal of the interior of the ship. It took another moment for you to register the searing pain in your shoulder as you attempted to sit up.

A guttural groan erupts from your lips as you fall back onto the floor, still weak from the shot. Din immediately springs up from his hunched over position against the wall. 

“I— are you okay?” he inquires, a dull shine emits from his helmet as he scans your face for any discomfort. 

“Yeah yeah, I’m sure I’ll be fine. Just, help me sit up for a sec.” Your voice sounds strained and tired, drained from the action in the cantina. 

Din places his hands under your arms and gently pulls you up, letting your back support you against the firm wall. Once you get comfortable, he breathes out a sigh of relief.

The air is tense as your eyes meet his visor, waiting for him to say something, anything. You cross your arms over your chest, waiting for the next move. 

“Why did you do that?” he snaps.

“Do what?”

“What do you mean? You jumped in front of a blaster shot. Why would you do that?”

“It was aimed at you. He was going to kill you” you bite back. 

He huffs out “You shouldn’t have done that. Risked your life to save mine. Don’t you understand what would’ve happened if you got killed because of my careless behavior?” 

“Well, I jumped in front of you to protect you and there’s nothing you can do about it” you argue back. Why can’t he just thank you for once? Thank you for jumping in front of a bullet for me would be so much nicer than the response you were getting now. 

Din is still, not breaking contact with your face. His hands are balled into fists, leather gloves creaking at the action. He taps his foot against the floor panels a few times before he turns his gaze towards you again. 

Suddenly, he whispers timidly, “I need you.” 

All of his pent up frustration pours out, although none of the anger was directed towards you.

You stay silent, eyes quietly looking up to where you assume his eyes are. You watch him as he gently removes his gloves, pulling the leather off his fingers with a measured slowness, taking care to pull them off. You felt your heart pounding in your chest as he reached out to grab your hand. His hand feels warm and calloused in your own, his grip tight yet reassuring. Your face heats as he squeezes your hand once, twice. He doesn’t turn away from your face once. 

“Just- be more careful next time. Please” he begs, an unusual characteristic for Din. 

“I- yeah, don’t worry, I will.” You give him a small lop-sided smile to keep your composure. He returns with his own small nod, a display of acceptance. 

You take a quick glance into his visor, but he catches your subtle movement. He drops your hands from his own as he reaches up to shut off the remaining light in the Crest, plunging your world into darkness. You hear the sound of his helmet disengaging, a quiet hiss following the removal. Your breath hitches, face flushing with excitement and wonder. Din leans in slightly and you feel his warm breath tickle your nose. As he leans in, he grabs your hands once more, giving a small squeeze before leaning down all the way, his lips gently pressing into yours. 

You bring your hands up to the collar of his pauldron, pulling him closer to you. His hands move from your sides to your cheeks, deepening the kiss by pushing you against the wall with a gentle but firm desperation. A sharp inhale escapes your nose as he quite literally takes your breath away. He breaks away from the kiss, breathless and satisfied. He squeezes you reassuringly before relaxing, almost laying on top of you on the floor. 

Your face is flushed and your vision is slightly hazy after the kiss, emotions coursing through your veins. He once again grabs your hands, holding them with a firm grip. He lays next to you on the floor, and you bask in each other’s presence for the time being.

[teaberrii]

Chapter 27: Final Goodbyes

You've been Cupid for as long as you can remember. You've brought countless soulmates together, yet you've never found love.

When you're assigned to bring two childhood friends back together, it should be simple until you unexpectedly catch feelings for the mysterious and cold Ph.D. student, Dan Heng, the man with a soulmate… the man with answers to your past.

Dan Heng/You

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave them alone?”

Pom pops open a beer just as Gepard sits on the couch with his own can on the opposite side. While you and Young are upstairs, talking things out, Pom joins Gepard for a couple of drinks in Dan Heng’s apartment. Pom has just finished telling Gepard almost everything that’s been going on, including Young’s revelation that there’s a chance to save you… and get rid of the curse.

“Well, don’t keep us in the dark!” Nanook said as if he was the one who was going to die. “Are you saying there’s a way to get rid of the curse and keep her alive?”

“You aren’t human,” Young said to you, “which means you can still wield magic. If you’re human, any magic associated with you wouldn’t exist because you wouldn’t have the power to wield it.”

Lan looked at Young. “But, are you sure that will work?”

“Has that ever happened before?” Pom asked. “A God… changing to a human?”

Sampo curiously looked at you. “You’re awfully quiet, dearie.” He grinned. “Or… has it finally hit you?” You slowly looked up without moving your head. “The day you officially became who you are today.”

Pom puts his can of beer on the table after taking a long chug. “If what Young says is true, she can’t live as a god anymore. It’s either she becomes human or… she dies.”

“That doesn’t seem like a hard choice to make,” Gepard says quietly. “Or, maybe it’s just me. I can’t see why anyone would choose to die when they have other options.”

Pom leans back. “I guess. But, you’ve always been human. Gods… or magical beings, we’re, well, magic. It’d be like taking away one of our means of survival.”

Gepard puts his beer on the table. “Young is in Dan Heng’s body… He’s not going to stay, is he?”

“He and Dan Heng can’t coexist in the same period since, well, they’re kinda the same person. It’ll get increasingly painful as time goes on, even worse if Dan Heng fights back.”

“Dan Heng can fight back?”

Pom nods. “It’s his body to begin with. The fact that Young doesn’t look like he’s suffering or anything… My guess is that Dan Heng is letting him take control of his body. For now, at least.” Pom crunches the empty can and tosses it into the recycle. “Which is why I think it’s a good idea to have them talk it out.”

“...Hey. Were you with her when she became a god?" Gepard asks. "What happened to you?"

When Pom found you, you were still holding the knife that took Jing Yuan’s life. His lifeless body was hunched over, his forehead touching your shoulder.

Pom stepped closer and quietly said your name.“...He’s gone.” Pom gently touched your shoulder, and he felt you shaking. “It’s over.”

“No…”

Suddenly, you grabbed Jing Yuan by the shoulders and forced him to look at you. Pom wasn’t sure what was going on when you started screaming at him to tell you what he meant by him and Young protecting you. Eventually, Pom put his arms underneath your arms and forced you away from Jing Yuan’s dead body.

Then, Pom spun you around. “We need to leave. Now.”

It took you a brief moment, but you stashed away all of your burning, unanswered questions, and left with Pom.

Death was all around you. You smelt it in the air, heard the feasting of flesh, and saw the lifeless, bloody bodies on the ground.

You were crossing through an open area, the same place where Young’s execution took place. That was when you saw it.

The red tape around its handle shone in the night, and the gold around the floating sphere looked as if it was sparkling, deliberately trying to get your attention in the chaos. You recognized it immediately. It was Young’s favourite weapon: The Cloud-Piercer. But what was it doing stuck in the ground? Where did it come from? You walked over, and you saw that it was pierced in a small puddle of dry blood. The very place where Young was executed.

“...How odd.” When Pom tried reaching out, he was instantly shocked. A short scream, and he quickly pulled back his hand. “What was that?”

You reached over and successfully grabbed it by the shaft. As you pulled it out of the ground, the gold around the sphere slowly began to fade. “This belonged to Young,” you said quietly.

“Young? Don’t tell me this was here the whole time.”

You knew it wasn't. You had forced yourself to walk by this courtyard a hundred times during your time back at the palace, and you had never seen the Cloud-Piercer until today. When you heard the monstrous snarls getting closer, you and Pom fled the scene with the spear in your hand.

“Eventually, we had to split up,” Pom says.

Gepard is silent for a moment until he frowns. “I’m still surprised at why you stuck by her side this entire time. This was her revenge, wasn’t it?”

“Truth be told, I didn’t think the curse would be from the Grimoire,” Pom says quietly. “It wasn’t until after I found out, and, well… I didn’t want to go against her. I didn’t need to make an enemy out of her.” A sigh. “But even after it was all over, I couldn’t find it in me to just go separate ways.”

“Even after she tricked you?”

“...I would’ve stopped her if I knew had to die for this curse to stop. She tricked me because she knew. It might be twisted to say this, but she never put me in deliberate danger. She was the first human I really befriended. And, well… I’ll support whatever choice she makes, but I really hope she chooses to stay.”

◆◆◆

You heard a building collapse behind you.

Yet, you kept walking.

An innocent man ran toward you. He stopped and collapsed just as an arrow pierced his heart.

Yet, you kept walking.

You could smell the rotting, burning flesh around you.

Yet, you kept walking.

Suddenly, you felt something stop you; it was the first time you looked down. A young girl was bleeding from the head, her eyes wide and her lips dry.

“...Please,” she whimpered. “...Please help me.”

You lifted your foot, shrugging her hand off your blood-stained boot. Then, you raised the spear in your hand. And, as soon as you stared into her eyes, you aimed the spear directly toward her heart.

As you took out the Cloud-Piercer from the dead girl’s body, you saw her eyes had clouded over. She was infected, and you’d spared her from turning into a monster. You and Pom had to split up, but you had a good idea of where he might be.

By the time you reached the sandy outskirts of the palace, you heard footsteps behind you. With the Cloud-Piercer raised, you swiftly spun around and saw a tall man with teal-coloured eyes.

“Hello, dearie,” he said with a smile. “We finally meet.”

You’ve been quiet ever since leaving the hospital. Young puts a hot cup of tea in front of you and sits on the opposite side.

“...Drink something,” he says softly.

“You said you wanted me to go with you,” you say quietly. “But, you told us of a choice for me to stay human.”

“It’s like you said,” Young says with a kind look in his eyes. “I made a mistake centuries ago, and now… I want to make it up to you. If you come with me, we will finally be together. If you choose to stay human, you’ll be here...” A small pause. “...With Dan Heng.”

You suck in a small breath. “But like Lan said… Has that ever happened before? How does that work?”

Young puts his tea on the table. “As a god, you walk with those who have perished to the other side. That strips away your powers. Then, you must make your way back to the living. But…”

“But?”

“It’s a painful process.”

“...And how do you know this?”

Young puts his hand on yours. “It was something I was researching. To tie my soul to the locket, I had to learn everything there was about the afterlife. This was something I learned about.”

“Well, it’s better than what I was imagining… At least I don’t have to beg anybody,” you say after a short silence. Then, you hold his hand. “You said I was supposed to forget about you when you died. Yet, you still tied your soul to this locket. Why? What if… What if I did move on? Were you going to witness that?”

“...I wanted to stay by your side… protecting you.” Young’s eyes land on the pendant still around your neck. “As long as you wore the locket, I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know you said you can’t stay, but if I choose to live… your soul won’t be tied to this locket anymore?”

“The magic in that locket was made for you. If you choose to live, all of the magic associated with you will be gone. The good and the bad.”

You look down and sigh. “It’s… a little late to ask this now, but what would’ve happened if I died back then?”

“When it was your time, I wanted to be the one to walk with you to the other side. You wouldn’t remember me, but it would be a new beginning.”

“But that beginning never came, did it?”

You and Young don’t have to look to know that it’s Sampo. Frowning, you say, “This is a private conversation. You aren’t invited.”

Sampo, leaning against the counter, says, “You can always pretend I’m not here. Continue on with your post-love trauma.”

Young suddenly appears in front of the mercenary. “Why are you here?”

“I’m waiting for my answer.” Sampo looks at you and smiles. “It’s rare that the gods took pity on a human like you when you tried. You really were someone special, Cupid."

“Pom said you mentioned it before,” you say, glaring at Sampo. “No one knows what you’re talking about.”

“You and Pom were put on trial for your crimes. You fell prey to the Grimoire and used it without permission. This got their attention.”

“Who?”

“The Stellaron Hunters, of course.”

“...Who are you?” you asked cautiously.

“I’m here on a job, but you can call me Sampo.” He smiled. “That’s what I like the pretty girls to call me.” The tip of the Cloud-Piercer was at his throat. Your hard gaze was fixed on him, but he still maintained his calm, leisurely composure. “Jokes aside… I’m here because you’ve been summoned.”

Your brows furrowed just as Sampo snapped his fingers. The sand around you began to swirl upwards until you couldn’t keep your eyes open. It became so violent that it began cutting into your skin, snapping off the locket around your neck. The scorching heat melted away, and the sand beneath your feet hardened. You no longer smelled blood, and a single hit of a gavel replaced the snarls and groans of the undead.

When you slowly opened your eyes, you were in a cathedral, standing on a round podium with gold bars caging you in. A stone wall encircled you, and sitting on top were five people on large, gold thrones. At first, the top half of their faces were hidden in shadow until the ceiling above crumbled just enough to allow a faint glimmer of light to shine on them.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, making you turn around once more. But this time, you saw Pom… surrounded by the same gold bars as you.

You opened your mouth, but it wasn’t your voice you heard.

“Welcome, dearie.” You spun around and saw Sampo with a hand in his pocket. “To the Hunter's Court of Law.”

“...Wow. It’s hard to believe they’re the ones who started this whole thing. They look harmless!” You turned and saw a teenager with her elbow on an armrest of the throne.

“Quiet, Silver.” You turned again and saw a man—at least you thought it was a man—adorned in metal plating from head to toe. "Did you forget she's the one who used the Grimoire?"

"A classic example of how appearances can be deceiving."

Then, your eyes landed on a man with fair skin and red eyes. His cold stare was one of slight intrigue but also disgust.

A woman whose hair was tied in a loose ponytail stood. “Shall the trial begin?”

“You destroyed countless lives and tore apart happy families,” Sampo continues. “The Stellaron Hunters ruled for you to take responsibility.” You close your eyes and hear the single thunder of the gravel. “You were sentenced to rule as the God of Love and bring together the families you destroyed across all three kingdoms until you met the reincarnation.”

“...Yet, I was supposed to bring him and Stelle together."

Sampo glances at Young. “If you hadn’t existed, he and Stelle would’ve gotten their happily ever after.” Sampo sighs. “But, I guess they underestimated him.”

“Underestimate? What are you—”

“Dan Heng wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you,” Young says.

“But the man did, anyway.” Sampo rolls his eyes. “He screwed up the order of things and now we’re here.”

“...And our memories?” you ask. “Why couldn’t Pom and I remember anything?”

Sampo smiles. “That was also part of your ruling. By starting on a clean slate and bringing the love you destroyed back together… maybe that would erase the darkness in your heart.”

“...Didn’t think they would be so kind,” you mutter.

Sampo clicks his tongue. “So, what’s it going to be, Cupid?”

You shoot him a look. “You said I only have two options. To live or to die. What about choosing to become human?”

“Well"—Sampo smiles at Young—"he didn’t lie to you. It’s an option, but a painful one. Many people gave up and just turned their butts around and stayed in the afterlife where they belonged.” Sampo sits next to you but you instantly move away. “Young has to go back. So, you can happily go back with him and let fate play out what it’s supposed to be. Or, you can make Dan Heng wait for you on a promise that you might not be able to keep. It’s your choice, dearie.”

◆◆◆

That night, Young is asleep on Dan Heng’s bed when he suddenly hears a faint voice.

“...Get up.”

Young opens his eyes, but he doesn’t see the familiar white ceiling of Dan Heng’s room. Instead, he’s staring at a bright hole in the sky surrounded by dark clouds. Young gets to his feet and notices he’s standing on a large, round flat rock with broken pillars all around. He’s also in his old form. Upon hearing footsteps approaching him, Young turns around, and his eyes widen when he sees Dan Heng.

“What are you—”

“...I’m done just sitting around,” Dan Heng interrupts. “I heard everything. I know… about everything.”

Young narrows his eyes. “Are you going to try to convince me to get her to stay? Her best option is to leave this world.”

“And go with you?” Dan Heng scoffs.

“I might’ve made a mistake,” Young admits, “but her revenge was not in vain. She destroyed the order of things. There were no laws… only chaos and destruction. The world became a blank canvas, and through that, everyone could start over. People learned to share information and cooperate to prevent the same thing from happening again. And since then, there hasn’t been another war, unlike in the past.” Young walks toward Dan Heng until he’s in front of him. “She deserves to rest after all she’s done and been through.”

Dan Heng’s gaze hardens. “She deserves a life of her own, to pursue what she wants.”

“...And are you saying you can make her happy? After running away from what happened to your mother?"

"I'm sorry," Dan Heng says flatly. "Do you mean our mother?" A small sigh, and he says your name. "You really don't understand her."

Young scoffs. “I grew up with her. You’ve known her for less than a year, and you’re saying I don’t understand the woman I love?”

“If you understood her, you wouldn’t have done what you did. You had your chance and failed because you thought her happiness was with you. But it wasn’t.” Young’s eyes darken. “You took away her choices. The war… the curse… that was her decision. Was it wise? Was it the best choice? It’s hard to say, but you left her with no choice.”

Young is silent for a moment. Then, he says, “...I can’t believe I’m arguing with myself."

“We’re different,” Dan Heng says flatly. “Besides, you wanted me to help her move on.” A short pause. “I think she already has.”

Upstairs, you’ve just closed the fridge and turned around when you nearly dropped the small carton of milk you’re holding. Pom stands behind you, his eyes half-open.

“Geezus,” you say. “How long have you been standing there?”

Pom rubs his eyes and yawns. “Just now… I couldn’t sleep.” You turn on the light just as he points to the carton. “Can we share?”

And that’s how you and Pom end up sitting on the couch with two glasses of milk.

“...Have you decided?” Pom asks quietly. You glance at him. “Are you really just going to leave?”

“What makes you think that?”

Pom looks down. “I would imagine Young would be trying to convince you to go with him.”

“Hm… Why does it sound like you don’t want me to leave?” you ask teasingly.

“I remember the day we were tried in front of the Stellaron Hunters. You were sentenced to becoming the God of Love while I was cursed. I couldn’t change my form out of my own free will. I wasn’t human back then. I was a magical being. And, if you go back to being human, you won’t be able to use… or see magic.”

You lean forward and put a hand on top of his. “Pom… What are you getting at?”

Pom gives you a sad smile. “No matter what you choose, we won’t be able to see each other again.”

“N-No. That’s ridiculous!”

“Pom’s right.”

You look past Pom and see Lan.

“Pom was never a god,” Lan says. “But, it’s not like he’s going to disappear. Just, you won’t be able to see him anymore.”

“Well? What are we going to do about the shapeshifter?” Silver asked.

“...Losing his memories and his ability to freely change his form… That’s enough punishment for him.”

Silver raised a brow. “Seriously? That’s it? It’s not like you to be so understanding, Blade. What happens after he gets his memories back? Nothing? How lame.”

“You can see they care for each other.” Everyone turned to the woman who spoke. “Did you not hear her asking for us to spare him?” Silver put her hands on the stone ledge and peeked down at you and Pom. “When their memories return, she must make a decision. That will be their ultimate punishment.”

Silver sighed. “The day they separate, huh?”

When you and Pom look at each other, he takes your hand. “Do you know why I stayed with you until the end?” Then, a little smile. “I’ve never met someone as interesting as you. You fascinated me in a lot of ways.”

You look away with a sad, little smile. “Are you sure it wasn’t because you were scared I’d kill you?”

“Weeelll, there's that too. But, I mean… I would have nowhere to go.” You slowly look back at Pom. “Don’t know when it started or how it happened, but you were like my second home.”

“Gosh, I guess that old shack in the woods is still more important than me.”

Pom smiles wistfully, but you can’t return it. Instead, you look down. You’ve never imagined your life without Pom. The two of you go together like bread and butter. As if knowing what you’re thinking, Pom shimmies closer to you.

“Good things can’t last forever.”

You glance at him and chuckle. “You’re right, Pom. You’re too good for this world.”

Pom looks at Lan. “You can count on Uncle Lan to take good care of me.”

“Uncle Lan?” The god raises a brow.

“Why is Uncle Lan here, anyway?” you ask. “Or… Were you eavesdropping?”

Lan rolls his eyes. “On the contrary.” He looks at you with a grim expression. “I just came from Luocha’s place. You really don’t have much time left.”

◆◆◆

You haven’t got a wink of sleep as your mind is restless from everything that’s happening. Living a life with Young was what you always wanted, so shouldn’t you be jumping at the opportunity to go with him? Sure, you might not be alive, but your souls will finally be together in peace. You flip to the other side. So, why are you so unsure?

When you close your eyes, you see Dan Heng, and your memories with him start playing like a movie inside your mind. His drunken hug when he took you out for drinks. The festival. The aquarium date. His warmth and comfort. Before you know it, you’re smiling and your consciousness starts to drift until you hear your phone buzz. You reach for it on the nightstand, and upon seeing the name on the screen, you quickly sit up.

“...It’s me.”

It takes you a moment, but then you say, “...Dan Heng?”

“Can we talk?”

It doesn’t take you long to meet Dan Heng outside of the apartment in a small park. As soon as you see him, you walk up to him just as he turns around and gives you that little smile you love so much.

“...How are you here?” you ask. “What about Young?”

“We talked.”

Your eyes widen slightly. “You… You talked to him?”

“It was an interesting experience, to say the least.” Then, he looks you in the eyes. “I know everything that happened, and… I wanted a chance to talk to you.” Dan Heng puts a hand on your cheek. “I want you to come back.” You put your hand on top of his. “...If you tell me you’re going to come back, I’ll wait for you.” A small pause. “But, whatever decision you make, I want it to be yours. Not mine. Not Young’s.”

In a fraction of a second, your lips find his. Dan Heng’s hand burrows into your hair. Your hand finds his chest as the hot and demanding heat pulls you two closer together. Then, when it ends, and you look into his eyes, you’re left wanting more. You don’t want to let him go. You can’t let him go. And that’s when you’re absolutely sure.

“...I’ll come back.” He puts his forehead to yours. Then, with tears in your eyes, you say, “...I promise I’ll come back.”

Little do you know, Young is standing a little ways away from you and Dan Heng.

“You don’t look angry.”

Young doesn’t turn but glances at Pom who’s suddenly beside him. “Should I be?”

“She chose Dan Heng, didn’t she?” Pom nudges Young. “Or, are you convincing yourself that it’s just you in the present?”

Young closes his eyes for a moment. “As long as she gets the happiness she deserves.” Then, he turns to Pom. “And so do you, Pom.”

Pom puts his hands around his head. “Honestly… It’s hard to imagine my life without her.” Then, he slightly smiles. “But, hey, I survived without you, didn’t I?”

“We’ll meet again.”

Pom grins. “Just try to give me a heads-up next time, ‘kay? No more appearing in other people's bodies. You'll scare me to death."

Young scoffs with a little smile. “Right. I’ll try.”

“...Were you two just going to keep standing there?” Pom and Young turn and see you and Dan Heng.

“Oh, well, we couldn’t interrupt your little moment, could we?” Pom says.

Young walks up to you. “...You’ve decided.”

You look him in the eyes and give a firm nod. “...I’ve decided.”

Young leans in and gives your head a quick kiss. “Then, I have nothing else to say.”

“Well, I do.” You frown when you hear the voice. When you turn around, you see Sampo casually tossing a coin in the air. “It’s time to say your final goodbyes.”

Chapter 28

End notes:

If everything goes according to plan, the next chapter will be the last.

A reader asked me if the spear Cupid used at the beginning of the chapter was The Cloud-Piercer, and I was mindblown by the idea lolol so I got permission to use it :3

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[imawreck]

Memory

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x Original Character

Summary: While in surgery, Bucky has a memory that reveals a little more about his relationship with Snow.

Warnings: flashback, mentions of torture and Winter Soldier!Bucky, injuries, scars

Word Count: 2,419

Ghost-

Captain Rogers leapt off the bed as the dead bolt slid into place, fists raised and blue eyes wide in surprise. I ripped the cap off of my head, tossing it into the chair beside the door. "Explain. Now."

"How did you get in here?" He dropped his fists, taking a seat back on the bed.

"Answer me, Rogers. What happened out there?" I searched his face for any giveaways. He sat with his shoulders slumped, a bruise flowering against his cheekbone. His lip was split, and he held his side loosely with one arm.

He searched the tile floor with his eyes before raising them to mine, "You were right. Strucker is more dangerous than we had anticipated. Hydra has made more Super Soldiers, a dozen at least, and they were there." Worry lines creased on his brow as he held his side tighter. "He knew Bucky's triggers. He used them to make him attack the team. I had to knock him out to stop him, but as I was trying to get him back to the jet, Strucker shot him. I guess he decided if Hydra didn't have him than the only other option was to try and kill him." He dropped his head into his hands. "It's my fault he's hurt."

I didn't really hear anything after that. It was like I was under water, like someone had shoved stuffing in my ears.

I could feel my body move without my command and I could only watch as my fists clenched around Steve's suit and I lifted him level with my face. "I told you not to let him go and you dismissed me. He was nearly killed because of you." My heart was pounding in my ears as I stared at his startled face. His fists were clenched around my wrists almost painfully tight as I spoke. "If he dies, all of you will pay."

I released him and moved to the door, unlocking the deadbolt and slipping back into the hallway. I ripped off the nurses garb and tossed it to the floor, suddenly uncaring whether the security took me away or not. It was probably better if they did. A feeling of emptiness had begun to consume me and it seemed that my care was swallowed up into its depths.

Voices of the security guards became louder as I approached the main hallway. I spotted the woman I had questioned again as she searched the faces of the agents and other nurses passing by. When her eyes landed on me I could visibly see the blood drain from her face. She gripped the arm of the guard closest to her and pointed with a shaky finger, mumbling something I couldn't hear over the white noise swimming in my ears. He radioed in and suddenly I was surrounded from all sides.

I didn't feel like fighting as they gripped my wrists and knocked me to the floor. Cool metal rested against my skin a moment later and I was being dragged down the hallway, presumably back to the holding cell.

We passed several rooms as they dragged me along, the tops of my feet dragging across the cold linoleum floor. Natasha and Banner were in one, their faces illuminated behind the glass with their looks of pity made me drop my head from view.

I couldn't stand pity.

I was one of the strongest soldiers ever created, I didn't need pity. And yet here I was letting these men drag me down a hallway, handcuffed and swallowed in an encapsulating pit of dread.

_____

Ghost-

I rested my head against my cuffed wrists. The guards had left them on when they had tossed me back into Tony's new and improved Super Soldier cell now completely fortified with vibranium bars. I had been in here for at least three hours, though I wasn't really keeping time. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Bucky. I wondered how he was, and if the surgery had gone well. I knew he would recover faster than the average person, but he would still be uncomfortable for at least a few days.

I heard footsteps echoing beyond the door leading to the cell and buried my head further into my arms. I didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

Against my wishes, the door creaked open and in stepped the last person I wanted to see. Tony. I peered at him through the gap between my arms, my elbows propped up on my knees.

He was much less bruised up than the others were, more than likely the perks of fighting in a metal suit, but he carried himself with a subtle limp. When he stopped just on the other side of the cell, he tilted his head and set his brows in a frown. "You attacked a nurse."

I shifted my body away from him, pressing myself against the wall, "I didn't attack her, I asked her a question."

His gaze hardened, "By threatening her. She said it was like you were a rabid animal, bared your teeth and everything."

"I didn't hurt her." I closed my eyes, trying hard to ignore the man's presence. "Unless you're going to punish me, go away."

"Steve said you were pretty upset, said you visited him while the nurse was out of the room. He also mentioned that you threatened the team." He crossed his arms over his chest, putting his fingers against his face and resting his head against his palm.

I pulled my head up from my position against the wall, staring him down. "I wasn't in the right mind."

Tony scoffed and threw his arms up. "Is that all you have to say?"

I shoved off from the floor and marched over to stand in front of him. Rage pooled in my stomach and I fought the urge to slam my fist against the glass right where his pretty little face stared at me from the other side. "I told you not to let him go, I warned you that Strucker was dangerous. He was one of the leaders of Hydra, Tony. I worked under him for decades. He will stop at nothing until he has what he wants, and that means people are going to die until it happens. He doesn't care who or how many, all he cares about is getting back the Asset. Or killing him if he can't get him back into his own possession evidently."

I bored holes through the glass, watching my words churn in Tony's head. I ran my fingers through my hair, resting my palms against the glass to steady myself afterwards while I squeezed my eyes shut. "I was raised to protect the Asset, programmed to, if you would. I wasn't made exactly like Bucky, no, I have a free will and thoughts, but that doesn't mean that I can just disobey what I was created to do. Something happened to me when I found out he was hurt. It was like a switch was flipped and I was flying on autopilot. I could control myself and I couldn't at the same time. When the jet left the launchpad, my nerves felt like they were on fire Tony. I can't do that again."

Tony watched me for a few moments, mulling over my confession and seeming to debate in his own head. "I can't let you out yet until we're certain there is nothing going on with you. You understand that, don't you?"

I nodded, accepting my confinement. "Understood."

I turned to return to my position against the wall but his voice caught me again, "Barnes is out of surgery. He's stable for right now. I thought you should know."

My shoulders dropped as relief washed over me in waves. I nearly dropped to the floor and wept. "Thank you. I'm sorry for how I acted, it wasn't right. Tell the nurse I'm sorry for scaring her."

He left after that, leaving me alone once more.

_____

Bucky-

I was dreaming.

I knew I had to have been. I was laying in a bed that wasn't my own, the soft sheets engulfing my body. I should have been alarmed, but an odd sense of calm swept through me. The bed dipped beside me, catching my attention. It was Snow, but her hair was longer and still a deep chestnut brown. She smiled warmly at me and my stomach writhed with butterflies. "Good Morning, Winter." Her voice was light and kind despite speaking in Russian, the common brash speech softened as the words fell from her lips. Her hand reached out and brushed my hair away from my face, "You should return to them soon. They will punish you if they find you here."

I felt myself roll over, capturing her palm with my left arm and pressing it firmly against my face. She smelled of flowers despite the fact that I knew we were too far in the mountains for there to be any alive or close by. It was intoxicating. It was my own voice that spoke to her, replying in Russian, but I wasn't in control of it. "I don't want to leave you."

A lock of hair fell into her eyes and she was quick to sweep it behind her ear. "I will see you again. You have a mission today, I'll be sure to see you right after." Her thumb brushed against my cheek sending warmth wherever it touched. "You should go."

I squeezed her hand gently before easing out from under the covers. As soon as I made it out of the door, the scene shifted. Years later perhaps, maybe not, I couldn't tell. I was standing before an aged log of wood cemented into the floor. A gnarled bar stuck out and curled into a loop, and from it dangled a pair of cuffs. A man walked up to me, drawing my attention from the group of soldiers entering the door behind the block. I immediately recognized him as Strucker, my body straightening at the sight of him. His face drew into a crewd smile as he addressed me, "Soldat."

"Ready to comply."

He stepped aside and my eyes directed themselves to the body now chained to the block in front of me. My heart stilled, blood draining from my face. A woman's bare back was displayed as she sat knelt on her knees. Scars of various sizes and shades littered its entirety. Her arms hung from the shackles clamped around her wrist and her fists clenched around their chains. My heart ached, but I couldn't understand why. Something about her was familiar to me, but I couldn't remember her.

Strucker lifted his arm and gestured towards her figure. "Do you recognize this woman, Soldat?"

I couldn't remember her. I knew I should, there was a part of me screaming for me to remember her. "No, Commander."

The woman turned her head to look at me over her shoulder. Her eyes were the lightest blue I had ever seen. Snow. Strucker opened his palm and a soldier lined behind him brought forward a whip. "This woman is to be punished for undermining her Handlers. I want you to execute the punishment."

He extended the leather handle to me, my body automatically moving to take it as commanded. I waited for him to give me further instructions.

He folded his hands behind his back and tilted his chin up. I began screaming into my own head, but I couldn't stop, couldn't control what was about to happen. Strucker smiled, "You may begin."

I jolted awake, causing a searing pain to erupt from my side. I gripped it, noticing the gauze taped to my bare skin. I was drenched in sweat. A body jerked up at my movements and my eyes landed on Steve's disheveled form. "Hey there Buck, easy."

I leaned back into the hospital mattress, groaning at the pain in my side. "What happened?"

Steve pursed his lips, "Strucker knew your trigger words."

"Shit." I draped my palm over my face, "What did I do?"

Steve shook his head slowly as he folded his hands together against the side of the bed, "Nothing too bad. Just gave Nat a mild concussion. I knocked you out before you could do too much."

Another pang resonated from my abdomen. "And this?" I pressed around the wound lightly, hissing at the ache that followed it.

Steve's mouth thinned. "Strucker shot you when we were heading back to the jet. You lost a lot of blood." He brushed his fingers over his knuckles. "Bucky, a lot of things happened while you were out of it. Snow, I mean, she... She wasn't doing too well after finding out you got injured."

That struck my attention. “What do you mean?" I sat up, ignoring the pain that followed my movements. "Is she alright?"

Steve nodded, "She's alright, just went a little off the edge when she found out. She hunted me down and asked me what happened to you, and after I told her... It was like she just went blank. She lifted me like I weighed nothing and told me that if you died then we would all pay." He shook his head, "I don't think she meant it, she was just scared." I could hear the denial lingering in his voice.

"I had a memory while I was under. I was in her quarters and she called me Winter like she did when we first came here. She looked a lot different, I don't think she was enhanced yet. They made me forget her. They made me torture her for being with me."

Steve watched me closely as I explained my memory to him, not saying a word or questioning what I meant by her 'being with me'. He was just nodding as I went. "She cares a lot about you Bucky. Living with her memories and knowing you can't remember them as she does is probably not the easiest thing for her to go through."

I lifted my hands from my eyes, "Steve... the way she spoke to me. The way she treated me, I think she... I think we were something more."

Steve gave me a soft smile, "You should talk to her when you heal up. She will want to see you. Tony’s put her back in the cell because of her outburst. She'll probably be in there a while."

I scoffed, "Dammit, Stark."

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