#but ugh. has reminded me that i never want that job again and it is not (as i had been fooling myself into thinking)

[caffeinewitchcraft]

Ghost Eater

Summary: You don't like exorcists. They don't much like you either.

-----

You’d always thought big restaurants like the Brownie Industry only did well in small, midwestern towns like the one you came from. A year working in LA has taught you that, no matter where you go, people will always love garlic bread and sugar.

It’s your day off which means you’re pulling a double shift. You haven’t had time to wash your hair for the past two weeks so it’s frizzing out of your claw clip and flying wild around your face. The lighting is so dim that you’ve tripped over two black purses already, luckily not while you’re running food. The big dining room sounds like an apiary with the tittering laughter of the later adult crowd that’s filtered in from the theater across the four lane road. The main difference between the Brownie Industry here and the one back home is size. The ceiling soars overhead, supported by a series of concrete pillars separating the dining area into three sections.

Normally it would be three servers per section. Today, it’s just you in yours.

One more hour. That’s what the manager promised you. It might even be true if the host stand quits seating you after the table you’re approaching.

There are three people at the table. A woman whose hair might be light blonde or gray in the light of day, her eyes light and piercing. Her face is soft from age, emphasized by the tight, lace collar of her off-season sweater. She reminds you strongly of your mom’s nemesis on the HOA board. The man couldn’t be more out of place next to her despite their equivalent age. He’s wearing a leather jacket – again, it’s not cold here – and a Norwegian metal shirt underneath. His hair is definitely white, so white it almost glows. He’s frowning at the teenager across the table as if she’s touched his motorcycle without permission.

The teenager might be the first you’ve seen all night who doesn’t have their phone out. She’s decked out in what you consider grandma florals – a t-shirt scattered with daisy chains, a bucket hat made out of nana’s carpet bag, and a hand-crocheted scarf in pastel.  You can’t really see her face under the shadow of her hat and there’s an odd, blurred quality to the way she fiddles with her napkin. You let your eyes skip past her and back to the two adults. Teenagers don’t pay the bill.

“Welcome to Brownie Industry!” you chirp. You’re sweaty and red but the faded yellow light hides that. You’re a service industry pro so none of your exhaustion shows on your face when you ask, “Is this your first-time dining with us?”

If you weren’t so burned out, you’d have noticed before you introduced yourself.

“Are you Grady?” the woman asks. Her voice is more posh than you expected even with her lace collar. “Grady Pace?”

Fuck. There’s a noticeable temperature differential now that you’re close to them. The restaurant is warm from the number of bodies, maybe even warmer than the summer air outside, but stepping up next to their table feels like walking into an ice rink.

“I’m your waitress,” you say. You don’t have time for this conversation. You’ve got five minutes in your cycle to take their order and then you’ve got food to run. “If you need any other services from me, I have a website.”

“We messaged you,” the man says. His lips thin to the point his thick mustache covers them entirely. “You never responded.”

Because you’ve been making more money at the Brownie Industry than your other job. “I’ll take a look at it tonight.”

“Wait,” the teenager says, sitting upright. She looks from you to the adults and back again. When she smiles, there’s no humor in it. “This is why we drove eight hours to have dinner at the Brownie Industry? For her?”

“Katie, be polite—”

“I’m sorry,” Katie says, “It’s just—I found a priest, you know? An actual exorcist priest and you guys want to trust a waitress over him?”

“Ugh exorcists,” you say. The memory of sour cabbage is so heavy on your tongue that you stick your tongue out in disgust. When you see Katie’s look, you backtrack. “Effective! Definitely effective.”

“Your mistakes have cost us too much already,” the man says, shaking a finger at her. “We are not converting just for an exorcism.”

“I normally don’t agree with your father,” the woman tells Katie, “but in this case I would like to leave conversion as a last resort.”

“We wouldn’t actually convert,” Katie says, rolling her eyes.

“Pretty sure exorcists can tell when you lie,” you tell Katie. When her scowl deepens, you clear your throat. “Did you all need another minute to think about the menu?”

“We need you to help us,” the dad says. He scrubs a hand over his face. “Look, I know you’re at work and I’m sorry we’re bothering you.”

“We’re desperate,” the mom says. She reaches for her purse. “We’ll pay you. Triple the rate on your website or even quadruple. We need that thing gone by tonight.”

Katie covers her face. “Mom. You’re embarrassing me. Terry isn’t that bad.”

“Oh, he’s bad, young lady,” the dad says sternly. “A bad influence.”

“We caught her trying to perform another séance yesterday,” the mom confesses to you. She leans forward with a pinched expression. “So Terry’s friend Larry could visit too.”

“Interesting,” you say. The food bell rings, but you think you can ignore it for another minute. You study Katie’s blush. “Why did you do that?”

If she was being compelled, she won’t have an answer to your question. You’ve dealt with a lot of ghosts in your time, but so few are sentient enough – or powerful enough – for compulsion.

“Go on,” the dad says, gesturing at you. “Tell her.”

“Leroy, she’s embarrassed enough,” the mom says.

“No, she’s not, Sarah.” The dad – Leroy – gestures to you again. “Tell her.”

Katie huffs, clearly resistant. But when her dad huffs back, she caves. “So,” she says, “I have this YouTube channel—”

“I’m off in an hour,” you interrupt. You don’t care that you’re being rude. Your patience ran out as soon as she said YouTube. “I’ll meet you in the parking lot.” You turn to go.

“A moment!” Sarah shakes out her menu. “How’s the nicoise salad?”

Of course they’re going to order. They’d better tip too if they want you to help them with their ghost problem.

----.

“You said an hour,” mom Sarah says when you leave out the employee entrance. She’s shivering next to her daughter. Leroy is off smoking behind his motorcycle, parked next to the Tesla Katie is leaning on, but he stubs out his cigarette on the asphalt when you walk up. “It’s been two.”

“I had side work,” you say instead of it would have been one if not for you. You rub your bare arms when the familiar ghost chill washes over you. You want nothing more than to go home and wash the scent of garlic and brownie batter out of your hair. “Was there something wrong with my service?”

“No?”

You try to make your voice light. “I see.”

Sarah frowns at your tone anyway. “Why?”

“You tipped five dollars.”

Katie jolts like a scalded cat. “Mom!”

Leroy scrubs a hand over his face. “Sarah…”

“What?” Sarah throws up her hands. The parking lot lights catch on her Swarovski charm bracelet. “I tipped!”

“Like ten percent,” Katie says. She pulls her bucket hat over her eyes for a beat and then peeks at you from under it. “I’m so sorry. It’s not you, she’s always like this.”

“It was actually a six percent tip,” you say. You’re getting a clearer picture of this little family now. It’s becoming more and more understandable why Katie might have started summoning ghosts. “If you want to be precise.”

Leroy reaches for his back pocket. “Let me.”

Sarah swats at his hand. “We’re about to pay her a lot more than that!”

“For a completely separate job,” Leroy says. He pulls a twenty from his wallet and hands it to you with a grimace. “Sorry, Grady, I should’ve checked.”

“You should’ve paid if you cared so much,” Sarah retorts. She folds her arms over her chest. She taps her cheek and widens her eyes. “Oh wait… you never pay.”

“Sure,” Leroy says. This time it’s his turn to throw his hands in the air. “Sure, Sarah. I don’t pay for anything to do with our daughter’s private school or her dance classes or her health insurance—”

“If the court hadn’t mandated—”

“You make twice as much as me—"

“Guys!” Katie says loudly. Her mouth is a thin line of upset when she says, “Argue about what an expensive burden I am later when we don’t have an audience, okay?”

Her parents speak at the same time.

“You’re twisting my words,” Sarah says. “I never said—"

“Sweetie, you’re not a burden—”

“Can you just get this ghost out of me?” Katie asks you. She goes for nonchalance and falls short. “My parents haven’t been in the same room for the last five years for a reason.” She fakes whispering. “They don’t play nicely with others.”

Sarah bristles. “Katie.”

“God, I know how that is,” you say. The whole interaction is giving you the worst case of sympathy for Katie. Before her parents can say anything else, you change the subject. “How long have you been haunted?”

“Six months,” Katie says. She fiddles with her bucket hat so that you can see her eyes for the first time. They’re brown, like her dad’s, and have heavy bruises underneath. She shrugs. “They only noticed a month ago though.”

“I noticed your behavior had changed,” Sarah defends. Like her daughter, she fidgets. She plays with her bracelet and clears her throat. “I thought it was a teenage thing.”

“What signs did you notice first?” you ask the parents. They glance at each other and then away.

“Let’s just say we noticed different things,” Leroy says dryly. He pulls out his phone.

“Moodiness,” Sarah says. She ticks them off on her fingers. “Laziness. Disrespect. Over-sleeping.”

“Those are just teenager things,” Katie says with an astounding level of self awareness. She shrugs. “I’m a senior now. They’re lucky it didn’t start sooner.”

“I,” Leroy says, “noticed this.” He turns his phone towards you.

“Ah,” Sarah says, “Yes. That.”

You examine the picture. It’s of Katie on a small dirt bike. She’s wearing a helmet in the picture, but you recognize the fashion sense in the floral boots she’s wearing. The scene behind her is of the hills, low scrub brush recognizable to someone who’s lived in LA for the past five years. On the bike behind her is a smudge. It could be a cloud of dirt blown into frame or maybe a camera glitch. It could be if it weren’t for the leering face emerging from the cloud right behind her head.

“I just want to say I did not agree to getting her a motorcycle,” Sarah says.

“Mom, not the point,” Katie says.

“Look how close that creep is to my daughter,” Leroy says. He jabs a finger at Katie’s waist in the photo where you can see a ghostly hand. “I want him gone.”

“Dad, he didn’t mean anything by it!” Katie turns to you earnestly. “Terry never rode a bike before and I thought, like, what if he moved on after he got a chance to? It was a philanthropic effort!”

“Plant a tree if you want to be a philanthropist,” Leroy growls. “I want this guy away from my daughter.”

“He doesn’t mean any harm really,” Katie says. “He would move on if he could! He says he’s stuck to me because of how I summoned him. He’s like, really sorry. He even spelled out Sorry in the bathroom mirror once.”

“What,” Sarah says in a dangerous voice, “was Terry doing in the bathroom with you, Katie?”

Katie splutters. “Mom, don’t be gross!”

The family descends into bickering. You have heard about ghosts being stuck to a person before, but usually that’s when the person has some sort of psychic powers. Katie’s wearing crystal in her ears, but they aren’t charged. She might develop some talent later in life, but right now she’s a normal girl.

The parking lost is nearly empty now. You recognize a few employee cars, but very few customers. The kitchen will be cleaning for another half hour before they’re ready to go home.  The reality is that, if Terry is stuck, you might not be the best way to handle the situation. If he’s not…

Well.

It’s time to talk to Terry.

Opening your ghost sense is hard to describe. Some psychics liken it to a third eye, right in the middle of their forehead. You’ve always thought that sounded really cool like maybe the world gets cast in a blue hue when they do it and the dead appear like they do in movies. You’ve met other psychics who say it’s like a sixth sense. They know where the ghost is and it’s like they download all that information until their minds can just sort of conjure their image.

For you, it’s like letting your body remember it has a second mouth. Cats have an extra sensory organ on the roof of their mouth that lets them detect scents better. Your second mouth is a bit like that. You can still smell brownies and garlic and the city air of LA, but you can also smell/taste something else.

Something like…pepper?

Your eyes water and you sneeze so viciously that your eyes close. When you open them again, four people are staring at you in surprise.

“Gesundheit,” Leroy says.

“You sneeze like Dad does,” Katie says.

“Did no one ever teach you to cover your mouth?” Sarah asks in disgust.

“I wish you would’ve sneezed on her,” Terry says, nodding to Sarah. “She’s such a bitch.”

“Thank you for the commentary, everyone,” you say. You wipe your nose with the collar of your shirt as you consider Terry. It’s dirty anyway. “Terry. Interesting name for a ghost.”

Terry hasn’t noticed that you can see him yet. He’s floating behind Katie, one arm casually flung over her shoulder. It’s hard to place when he died based on his appearance alone. His hair is chin length, emphasizing the width of his jaw. Squire cuts have been popular for several decades and the bowling shirt he’s wearing could either be a modern fashion statement or a dated uniform. He looks to be in his mid-twenties, sun-kissed and with the air of someone who tells a lot of jokes at the expense of others. His arm around Katie strikes you as possessive, the glare he gives her parents venomous.

“I didn’t name him,” Katie says. “He said it’s short of Torrance.”

You blink. “Wouldn’t he be Torri then?”

“That’s a girl’s name,” Katie and Terry say at the same time. Their cadence is so close that it actually sounds like Terry’s baritone comes out of Katie’s mouth. For a moment, his arm flickers, clipping into her shoulder like a bad animation. When it does, Terry’s form grows brighter, more solid. Then Katie shivers and he’s forced out of her.

You and Terry click your tongues at the same time.

You remember how Katie’s hands seemed to blur at the dinner table. Terry’s not just haunting Katie. He’s trying to possess her. You wonder if that’s why Katie looked up an exorcist rather than a simple spiritual cleansing. Did she know how much danger she was in?

“Okay,” you say. You tear your attention away from Katie and Terry for a moment. Business first. “Sarah. Leroy. Who was it that found my site?”

“I did,” Sarah says. She raises her chin when you can’t hide your surprise. “When Katie was looking up exorcists—”

“She didn’t mean it,” Terry says. He pats Katie’s hat. “Right?”

“—I looked up alternative solutions,” Sarah says, not having heard Terry. Her confidence falters for a moment and she rubs her arm. “I have had some… negative experiences with exorcisms. I don’t want my daughter to go through that.”

Katie’s head whips towards her mother. “What? I didn’t know that.”

“It was a long time ago,” Leroy says. For the first time, he reaches out and hugs Sarah with one arm. You don’t know what surprises you more; Leroy hugging Sarah or Sarah leaning into his side. “When Sarah told me, we decided to put our differences aside. I vetted you through some of my contacts and they all agreed you’d be a safe bet.”

“I am,” you say. You’re not bragging either. You’re probably the safest bet in half the western states besides your older sister. “There are some…peculiarities in my method.”

“Charlatan,” Terry whispers in Katie’s ear. He’s grinning now. “Only charlatans are that confident. Look! She can’t even see me!”

Katie looks doubtful.

Usually, you’d try to talk to Terry at this point. Sometimes spirits can be negotiated with. They can be encouraged to move on or to take on a less aggressive form of haunting. Those that are truly stuck can be helped with the right sort of ritual work. But the way Terry’s affecting Katie’s mood and that fucking arm around her shoulders…

You don’t really want to talk to Terry.

“We can ask Terry to move on,” you tell the family.

“Nooooooo,” Terry says and flips you off. “Pass!”

“Sometimes spirits don’t realize how deeply they’re affecting their hosts,” you say.

“You don’t even know how deep I’m about to be,” Terry jeers at you.

“Many ghosts are confused when they’re called to interact with the living,” you say. “It can blur their understanding of death and, as a result, they cling to life. If they stick around long enough, their presence will affect the living like what’s happening to Katie. It’s not always malicious. It can be a symptom of that confusion.”

“Katie, tell her to piss off,” Terry hisses in the teen’s ear. “I’m not confused, I’m bored.” His voice deepens. “Tell her we don’t need her help. Tell her we’re going home.”

Katie opens her mouth robotically. “That’s…” Her brow creases as she tries to figure out what she was going to say. “It seems like we don’t need help then. Terry will move on when he’s ready, like I thought.”

“We aren’t paying you for a ghost therapy session,” Sarah snaps. It’s only because you’re really focusing that you can see the unease under her anger. She’s noticed something wrong with Katie. “Katie, Terry is going away today.”

“Fuck you,” Terry says.

“Fuck you,” Katie says.

Leroy’s head rears back. “Katie, you don’t use that language with your mother!”

“Fuck you too,” Katie and Terry say. The parking lot lights flicker.

“No, fuck you, Terry,” you say, stepping between Katie and her parents. Leroy starts like he’s going to pull you out of the way, but he doesn’t.

“Terry?” Leroy asks. He looks scared. “Terry said that? Is Terry possessing my daughter?”

“Not yet.” You eye Terry’s arm and the way his fingers are sinking into Katie’s arm.

“Oh fuck,” Terry says. He doesn’t look scared. Not yet. Instead, he grins. “You can see me.”

“Not every ghost is malicious,” you tell the parents without taking your eyes off Terry. “But some are.”

“I’m not malicious.” Terry runs a hand through his hair, still grinning. The parking lot lights flicker overhead again. “I care about Katie a lot.”

“Terry’s never hurt me,” Katie says.

You ignore her. She’s not even shaking Terry off now. Her gaze is dull on your face when you say, “I don’t mean to sound like I’m some sort of ghost therapist. However, it’s important to differentiate between malicious and non-malicious hauntings in my practice. My methods are unconventional and, if used indiscriminately, I can get in a lot of trouble.”

“We won’t tell anyone,” Leroy says. He steps into your periphery. His gaze flicks from you to the spot you’re staring at over Katie’s shoulder. “We want Terry gone.”

“Not a soul,” Sarah promises. She comes up on your other side. “Please help our daughter.”

“Terry,” you say. Your second mouth is yawning wide somewhere in the back of your brain. The taste of pepper isn’t as overwhelming now. “Last chance. Renounce your claim on Katie’s soul and slither back into whatever hole you came out of.”

“We’re soulmates,” Terry says. He bares his teeth at you. “Go on, Charlatan. Call on your God to banish me. I’ve been around for decades and no exorcist has ever been able to put a scratch on me. And when they manage to push me out?” He laughs and the temperature drops another ten degrees. An unholy light flickers in his eyes. “I just come right back.”

“Then I guess I won’t feel guilty,” you say.

“Guilty?” Katie asks.

You walk forward two steps and grab Terry’s face. Terry’s skin is soft and jelly-like. His facial bones undulate like rubber under your grip. “Hi, Terry.”

Now Terry’s afraid. “What the fuck, you can touch—?”

“Bye, Terry.” You drag him towards you. His fingers pop out of Katie’s arm with a wet sucking sound, and he claws at your wrist.

“Wait! Waitwaitwaitwait--”

You eat Terry.

People come from all around to eat at the Brownie Industry. They love the density of the desserts and the heaps of garlic spread over home-baked (shipped frozen) rolls. It’s a treat to know you’re always going to enjoy the meal even if you’re far from home or eating at the same location a hundred times. It’s consistency, sugar and butter. An easy addiction to have.

Eating ghosts is like that for you. They fizz in your second mouth like champagne and melt like fudge. It’s hard to describe and the ephemeral quality of it sends shivers down your spine. Somewhere Terry is screaming in anguish, maybe crying. You think that the family you’re helping is screaming something too, but the sensation of eating is so consuming you can’t hear the words.

Terry is younger than other ghosts you’ve eaten. He doesn’t have the depth of flavor you’d once been addicted to back in Illinois. The best ghost you’ve ever eaten had been like a six-course meal with all the centuries she’d been carrying. In comparison, Terry is like a bag of pepper chips. Interesting, but gone in a moment. Still, he hits the spot.

When you’re done, you burp a purple cloud of ectoplasm into the still night air.

Leroy is the first to speak. His eyes are so wide you can see the whites all around them. “Pay her, Sarah,” he says breathlessly. His hands shake as he reaches for Katie, steadying her on her feet. “Now.”

You smack your lips and graciously accept the wad of cash Sarah hands you. You raise your eyebrows. “This is more than three times my rate.”

“Consider it a tip,” Sarah says. She’s more composed than Leroy, but still pale. She studies you. “That was…revolting.”

“You didn’t have to watch,” you say. You put your money away and then perk up at a sudden thought. “Hey, if you can, can you leave me a review on my site?”

“I thought you didn’t want us to tell anyone?”

You wave your hand. “Secrets are bad for business. Besides, Terry deserved it. I’m sure they’ll understand if you write that in your review.”

“They…?”

You smile and don’t answer.

The family don’t ask many more questions after that. The parents promise to leave a review and Katie just stares at you as if concussed. You assure the parents that she’ll be back to normal as soon as the soul-shock wears off. 

“And if it doesn’t?” Sarah asks.

“Message me,” you say.

“You don’t check your messages,” Leroy says.

“Oh,” you say, patting your stomach, “I’ll be checking them a lot more often now.”

You’re hungry again.

---

(Patreon)

[rainydaygotham]

BE MINE VALENTINE

Dick Grayson x vigilante!reader || 3865 wc

summary: Valentine’s Day with Dickie Bird. And you decide to take the next step in your relationship.

warnings: fem reader, drinking, unprotected penetrative sex

a/n: man i need a cigarette. and more than the couple of drinks had here. reminds me, dont worry about the drinking and driving you know his bikes are souped tf up. autopilot is a given

You glanced at the ticking clock on the wall for the bajillionth time. Still an hour before you got off of work. Still an hour before Dick picks you up and spirits you away on his motorcycle, off into the neon lights of the Gotham nightlife.

You tapped your fingertips on your desk. With the agitating knowledge that he was going to be here soon, you were way too distracted to work anymore. Hopefully your boss doesn’t notice you just fidgeting around and not doing your job.

You let yourself daydream about it while you waited.

The way Dick would roll in, probably dressed in clothes that hug him so nicely thanks to the Waynes’ tailor. The way he’d pull that motorcycle helmet off his head, his fluffy black hair sticking to him with sweat. The way he would toss his head back, giving said sticky hair a run through with his hand. The way his eyes would light up when he sees you stalking towards him. The way Dick would pull you in, his hands naturally going down to grip your hips as he kissed you deeply, not caring if anyone was around—

Bzzt! Your phone buzzed.

Oh, speak of the devil. Dick’s made it to Gotham. The picture he sent you was adorable, a selfie of him smiling wide with Jason and Roy at some bar. Not even close to 5 o’clock yet, mind you, but it’s always good to see Dick with his friends. You’re not entirely sure he has them in Blüdhaven, unfortunately.

Cute, you text him. Don’t have too much fun without me, tho :(

Baby, I could never <3

You looked around the room. Everyone else was focused on actually doing their work, and not up walking around. You could probably get away with it…

After checking one last time to see if the coast was clear, you pulled down your blouse just enough that you could see the top of your breast and just a hint of the Nightwing blue lingerie you were wearing. Tasteful, exciting, just enough to rile him up without actually showing anything Dick wouldn’t want his baby brother to accidentally see when he opened this message willy-nilly.

Want a peek? IMG_214.jpg

Please get off work faster 🥺

Well damn Dick I can’t control time

You smiled at your phone, putting it down before you got caught. Looking at that stupid clock again, it was only 20 past 4:00. Ugh. Fine. Guess you’ll at least pretend to do your job for another half hour or so.

-

After what felt like years, you were finally on the back of Dick’s bike, clinging to him as he races through the streets of Gotham with a practiced ease. You wished you didn’t have this clunky helmet on, so you could nuzzle into the back of his neck. But he insists you wear it. And you do, because it’s nice to have someone care about your safety like that.

The bike rolled to a stop as you pulled into a red light. You were suddenly able to hear the city around you in clarity. So, you dipped closer to Dick’s ear, tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

“Do I get to know where we’re going?”

“Wherever the night takes us,” he said seriously.

“So, you forgot to make any reservations,” you giggled in his ear.

“No,” he said with mock offense, “I just thought we could have a mysterious adventure. It adds to the sexiness,”

You snorted, “Sure,”

Eventually you stopped at an amphitheater, where a local band was playing some good music. Thankfully, Gotham had smiled upon its citizens and granted you a cool, not rainy night. The trees were still lit up with Christmas lights, adding to the normal city glow. All in all, the atmosphere was pretty sexy, you’ll give Dick that.

There were food trucks around, so you picked up a few items to share. Some ‘gourmet’ fries from a truck that only sold fries. Chicken and waffles from a chicken and waffles truck. Boba from a truck selling ‘Mexican-Asian fusion cuisine’, whatever that was. There was pretty good array of foods here.

You settled into the grassy amphitheater seats to eat and enjoy the music serenading you.

It should be absolutely freezing out, but somehow it was only in the 50’s. Still chilly, but all you needed was a sweater. Strange for February. And well, you hadn’t worn a sweater. On purpose. So you were in fact pretty damn cold.

You shivered for a moment, making sure Dick saw but not making it too obvious. Or, at least you thought you weren’t being too obvious. Dick chuckled as he took off his jacket, and put it around your shoulders, just like he always does.

“Hmm, I distinctly remember your closet having more than a few jackets,” he playfully booped your nose with his fingertip, “and yet you always seem to need mine, how is that?”

You smiled guiltily, “Well. Yours are more comfortable, you see,”

“Oh, are they now?”

“Mmmhmm,”

He did have a sweater on underneath, making the jacket overkill considering how hot he normally runs. So clearly he not only wanted but expected you to take the jacket. No guilt on your part at all then.

You sat in the grass, listening to the band and talking about anything and everything for a few hours. Most nights, all you have is Dick’s voice over the phone, so it was nice to have him physically there. You could lean against your boyfriend while he told you about his day, actually feeling his body pressed into yours.

Bittersweet, you believe the word to be. That feeling of being so happy here with Dick that it just made you sad. You wished you could have this all the time, but you don’t. A warm body to cuddle into, not a pillow. A real voice in your ear, not transmitted over telephone airwaves.

Blüdhaven wasn’t far. But goddamn, was it too far.

When you had first met, it was on a weekend when he was in Gotham. Even though you had met in the Batcave, you had no idea he didn’t live here full time. Everyone talked about him constantly like he was there, and you knew he had a room in the manor. You just assumed he wasn’t as into the whole vigilante thing as the rest of them were. It took you a while to realize that he just straight up left town after a mission was over.

And then when you started dating, it was fine. He’d take you out for Friday drinks, and sleep in on Saturdays. You’d partner up on patrols or cases and occasionally he’d take you on Titans missions with him. He made sure you got to spend time together at least once a week, and that had been enough.

But then things got more serious between you two. And suddenly it was Not Enough anymore.

Falling asleep on call wasn’t enough. Good morning texts weren’t enough. Little weekend dates weren’t enough. You needed him with you. You need him close to you all the time, not just some of it.

You’ve been job searching in Büdhaven, but it’s yet to be fruitful. There was also the option of asking him to move back to Gotham, but you weren’t sure he would be keen on that at the moment. But either way, something had to give.

You were going to tell him. You had to tell him. You didn’t want to ruin this sweet Valentine’s Day if he disagreed with you, but you had to tell him tonight.

And now was as good a time as ever, you supposed. You looked over at him, and he was already looking at you. You blushed, the words now dying on your tongue.

“You wanna go get drinks?” he asked, oblivious to your conundrum.

“Uh. Yeah, sure,”

You took his hand as he helped you up. You brushed yourself off before letting him lead you back to where he parked the bike. His hand was always so warm, even in the chilly night air.

Leaving for the bar was smart, actually, since it was well past sundown and it’s not a good idea to be out in the open air like this in the dark. People still did it, of course, that good ol’ fashioned Gothamite spirit coming through. But none of the people choosing to stay sitting in the grass were recognizable public figures like Gotham Prince over here. So moving on to a second location was the natural next step in your night.

Actually nevermind. The lounge Dick took you was probably just as dangerous as staying outside, but he seemed to be very friendly with the owner, so maybe it’s fine. Probably.

You were ushered into some ‘vip area’, which wasn’t different from the normal tables area, just a piece of it arbitrarily marked off with a rope. Although, you were still grateful, because these seats looked a little less sticky than the ones just a few feet away.

Soon your favorite cocktail was in your hand. And with a little liquid courage, you can easily start this very important conversation with your boyfrie—

“Baby, I think we need to talk,” Dick interrupted your mental pep talk.

And goddamn. Were those not words you ever wanted to hear.

“Yes, love of my life?” you said shakily.

Dick had the audacity to laugh, “Relax. It’s nothing bad,”

You audibly let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding, “Then why would you say it like that?”

“You’re so cute when you’re mad,”

“Well, you know what. I have something I think we should talk about too. So like. Uno reverse, bitch,”

Dick eyed you wearily before knocking back his glass, “Can I go first?”

Well, if what he had to say altered the possibility of you moving in together in any way, it would probably be best if you don’t bring it up then. Just tell him you no longer need to talk about what you wanted to talk about. So yeah, he could go first.

“Shoot,”

Dick set his glass down on the table and turned towards you, giving you his undivided attention. He took both of your hands in his, tenderly holding them, which was either very sweet or very worrisome depending on what was about to come out of his mouth.

“I’ve been thinking. Things have gotten very.. serious, to me lately. Between us,” he quickly added, “and don’t be mad! But I may have gotten you a job in Blüdhaven…”

He grit his teeth, waiting for you to either stubbornly turn the offer down or even just plain tell him to fuck off. He knew you weren’t really a fan of the whole ‘using connections’ thing, and that you really didn’t like it when people told you what to do.

“…Does it pay better than what I have going now?”

“Well, no. It actually pays worse…” he admitted.

“Then how am I going to pay rent, Dickie? Blüdhaven’s housing market is just as bad as Gotham’s,”

“See, that’s the thing. It’s not going to matter that you’re taking a cut because you won’t have to pay any rent. I can make that whole bill disappear,”

You allowed yourself a small smile, hoping that you knew where this was going, “And how, pray tell, would you be doing that?”

“Well I’m magic, for one thing. Learned it in the circus.”

“Is that so?”

“Uh huh…” he stopped bantering for a moment, sobering up a bit, “I want you to move in with me, y/n.”

“Hmmm,” you pretended to mull it over, “Well, my lease is almost up,“

“Yes, in April,” he supplied.

You laughed, of course Dick remembers every little thing you ever tell him. He always does.

“And I have been missing you like a phantom limb lately,”

Dick’s eyes softened from nervous to endeared, “I miss you too. So much,”

You shook your head in mock exasperation before taking one of your hands out of his hold, using it to guide his face to you as you kissed him sweetly. You could taste the tequila sunrise on his lips. Dick never was one for whiskey.

You broke the kiss, “It’s a deal,” Dick grinned madly at you, “But you’re going to have to tell Batman you’re poaching me,”

“You know what, I’m okay with that,”

Your boyfriend goes and orders another round to celebrate. While he stands waiting at the bar, you get a good opportunity to appreciate, how you say, the sceneic view. You really gotta send that tailor a fruit basket one of these days. Of course, you’re sure Dick could make any pair of pants look good. That ass was to die for. You definitely know what Ella Fitzgerald meant when she said “worship the trousers that cling to him.” If you were at home, you’d wolf whistle.

“I’m sorry, but I got so excited I forgot to ask what you needed to talk about,” Dick sounds sheepish as he places the new drinks on the table.

You take a drink, ah it hits the spot, “Just that either I need to find a job in Blüdhaven or you need to move back to Gotham. Looks like we were on the same page, as usual,”

“Yeah, we are,” Dick says wistfully, “I love you,”

It was nice, how well you and him synced up. Great for vigilante work, and it looks like Blüdhaven’s got a new dynamic duo rather than a solo act now.

“I love you too,” you placed a hand on his knee, “now let’s finish this round, I want to get out of here,”

“Toast?” he held his glass up, “To the next chapter,”

You clinked you glass to his, “To the next chapter,”

-

The ride back to your apartment took too long. You were a bit tipsy, but that didn’t help. You really really wished you could nuzzle into the back of his neck now, feeling how hot his skin was.

Guess you have to settle for pressing your body into his back. You know he can feel your tits when you do that. And with your arms wrapped tightly around his waist, you can let your hands wander while you’re at it, feeling him up.

He shivers underneath you, and you know that’s not the weirdly temperate February air that’s got him like that. You allow yourself a little smirk of satisfaction, but let up so he wouldn’t have a wet spot on the front of his pants when you two practically race down the apartment building’s hallways.

You fumble with the keys at the door. Dick hangs off of you like a cape, and his chin on your shoulder is not helping the whole unlocking the door thing. You feel his breath hot on your neck as you finally turn the knob and open the portal to that world where just you and him exist. Dick wastes no time in pushing you through the threshold.

He basically slammed that door shut and relocked it as fast as the Flash before caging you against the wall.

Dick eagerly captured your lips with his. You tangled your hands in his hair, and he groaned as you pulled it slightly. He gave your lips a little kitten lick and you opened them expectantly, giving his tongue access to start exploring your mouth. Like he hadn’t already memorized every part of it yet. He tasted like, well, tequila and grenadine. Just a hint of sweetness. Not exactly the taste of love but people in clubs mistook it for that well enough.

Soon Dick reached his hands under your thighs, hefting you up as you wrapped your legs tightly around his waist. He ground his hips into yours in time with the swipes of his tongue. You moaned loudly as his clothed cock pressed into your clit just right. You gave his hair a little tug in approval. He got the message, breaking away from the kiss to whine at the friction as he continued to rut into you.

“Bed?”

“Bed,” he panted in agreement.

You wrapped your arms and legs around him like a koala as he stumbled into your bedroom. You thought about how it won’t be your bedroom for much longer and the butterflies in your stomach fluttered.

Dick lovingly placed you on your back at the foot of your bed. You propped yourself up by the elbows to watch him unbutton his shirt as he stood between your knees. You almost went to start removing yours but remembered that it might be more fun to watch him open that present himself. So you just leaned back and enjoyed the show.

Dick had already stripped himself down to his socks before he looked back and noticed that you hadn’t followed suit.

“Do you need help?” he smirked.

“Mm, just a little, yeah,”

You raised your arms to help him lift your blouse up and over and oh—

“I forgot about this,” his eyes raked over your chest as he took in the lingerie. A gorgeous balconette, satiny and blue. His blue, specifically.

Dick pressed his lips to the valley between your breasts reverently.

You could only giggle as he quickly moved on to practically ripping off your skirt to reveal the matching panties. Those couldn’t stay for long either, though. He stepped back and admired you in the set for a moment, before taking those panties and throwing them off to the side.

Dick kissed you as he pushed both of your bodies down onto the bed. His hands fumbled for your hips, and he broke the kiss briefly to line himself up. You moaned as you felt his tip press through your entrance.

“There we go Baby. Just a little more—“ he cut himself off with a load groan as he bottomed out.

He let you get used to the stretch for a moment while he started on your neck. It would be a crime if you walked out of this Valentine’s date without a collection of purple marks to show everyone just how serious you two were now. You were one step closer to being irrefutably his, and he needed people to know that.

“Dick, move,”

Ah, but maybe he got a bit distracted.

He started a slow, sensual pace. Dick wanted to take his time with you tonight. It was only romantic, for a nice romantic night like this. He watched as your eyes screwed shut, your legs pulling him in closer. He loved getting to see how you reacted to him, always so sensitive.

He crawled further onto the bed, hefting you along with him. Once he got you situated comfortably beneath him, he resumed thrusting into you. You gasped as he hit that particularly good spot within you. Dick smirked as he gripped your thighs, moving them impossibly more apart. He moved closer to cage you into the bed. With the new angle, he sank deeper into you. You moaned as his pubic hair tickled your clit with each thrust of his hips.

Dick was still taking his sweet time as he captured your lips with his once more. Not that you minded. His lips dragged across yours just as languishly as his member dragged against your walls. Very heartfelt, very tender. Like he was savoring the feeling of you beneath him.

“Faster, Dickiee,” you whined against his lips. Okay scratch that it’s been long enough that you’re starting to mind.

“As you wish~”

Even though your eyes were shut tightly, you could very clearly picture that smug look on his face you knew had to be there.

“Ah— Fuck…” you heard him say quietly as he picked up the pace.

And he was right. Now that you were properly going at it, the pleasure spiked in your nerves.

You kissed Dick’s shoulder as he desperately fucked you, now chasing that fiery feeling. Slick wet noises could be heard as he pounded into you, gasping and moaning, the sounds going straight to your pussy. He reached down in between you and found your clit with his thumb.

“Mmmph,”

“Yeah? You like that?” Dick began rubbing fast little circles over the sensitive bud.

“Babe— AhhH—“ your breath hitched as you came. Your walls fluttered around him, and he gasped, enjoying the feeling. He was close, and the feeling of your pussy spasming was like you were trying to milk him for everything he was worth. Amazing, he would never get used to this.

Once you had ridden out your high, he started chasing his own orgasm, hips brutally snapping into yours. You felt his tip kiss your cervix with every thrust. His grip on your hips was definitely going to leave little finger sized bruises in the morning, but you didn’t care.

He looked so pretty right now, sweat sticky hair and flushed cheeks. He had the hottest expression on his face as he rutted into you. He was so much stronger than you and yet so gentle even in his feistier moments like this.

“God, you’re amazing, Dick…”

Dick let out a loud guttural noise as he spilled his seed inside you. You felt the hot liquid seep into your walls.

He went limp and fell into you. Wrapping your arms around him, his heart beat fast against your flesh. His face rested on your chest, and you felt his breath fan against your skin as he panted. Recovering slightly, he slid a hand up to one of your breasts, brushing a thumb over the Nightwing blue fabric of your bra.

“You’re.. You’re amazing..” he huffed, “uno reverse, bitch,”

You giggled, bending to press a kiss to his hair.

“Let’s see if you still think that when I forget to do the dishes for a workweek and they pile up,”

“Why would I complain about something I’m also not doing?”

Damn. You better start saving up for a wedding.

You laid there basking in each other’s presence a little longer. You tried to take a good ‘snapshot’ in your brain of this moment, how the weight of his body nestled into you, the feeling of his skin, the scent of his sweat mixed with his cologne.

“Hey Y/n?”

“Mmm?”

“Be mine, Valentine?”

You laughed with all of your chest, “Only if you’ll be mine too,”

“I’m already yours,” you felt his toothy grin against the skin of the boob he had tucked his face into.

“You down for a second round?”

Dick heaved himself back up, hovering over you, “If I ever say no to that question, shoot me, it’s an imposter,”

He crashed his lips into you once again. And again. And again. And… It’s gonna be a long night.

-

It was hard as it ever was to watch Dick leave for Blüdhaven, but this time, you had a lot of hope. Just a little longer, and soon, you’ll both fall asleep and wake up in his arms every day of the week. Just a little longer…

You can make it just a little longer…

[edenesth]

TWTHH Spinoff: Try Again [2]

Pairing: assistant!Jongho x new maid!reader

AU: historical au (Joseon era)

Word Count: 7.6k

Summary: Among the many staff members at General Park's estate, Jongho stood out for his dedication, leaving no room for personal indulgence. Convinced that love and marriage would detract from his commitment to serving the general, he had resigned himself to a life of solitude. But his conviction was challenged with the arrival of an annoyingly perfect Miss Kwon, a new maid whose kindness and efficiency began to make him rethink his life choices.

Part 1 | Main Story | Spinoff Masterlist

"Ugh, he's such an idiot," Seonghwa mumbled, rubbing a frustrated hand against his temple as he entered the House of Lotus that night. His wife smirked from her position on the bed. "Yeah, reminds me of you. Men become utter fools when they develop feelings for someone."

He pouted, shedding the outer layer of his hanbok before carefully joining her on the bed, mindful of her round belly. "Am not," he argued, but she raised a challenging brow. "Are too." He huffed but pulled her close regardless. "Am not."

She glared up at him. "Are too, General Park. You're being one right now." He couldn't resist the grin creeping onto his face at how adorable she was, despite being about to become a mother. "Yes, my love. You're always right. I'm just messing with you, you know that." She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "That's more like it," she said, melting into her husband's warm embrace.

"Let him be, Hwa. I know you're frustrated, but he's at a stage where nothing you say will get through. He'll learn on his own eventually." He nodded in defeat, sighing when she pressed her lips against his jaw.

"Now, let us sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."

On the other side of the estate, you lay awake in bed, the events of the afternoon replaying in your mind like a broken record. You tried to reevaluate your priorities here, but one memory stood out starkly.

"Don't think, Miss Kwon. Just do your job and leave me alone. And it's Assistant Choi to you."

Those words pierced your heart more deeply than he would ever know. After all those moments and progress, were you a fool to believe you were finally on good terms? Was it naive to assume you were now… friends? A small, hopeful part of you even dared to wish for something more.

But now, you understand.

You had grown up a people pleaser all your life. And if leaving Jongho alone was what he truly wanted, you would grant him your absence. The last thing you ever wanted was to be a bother or annoyance to anyone. You had tried your best, but even a saint has their limits, and you had reached yours.

Feeling a profound sense of betrayal, you replayed his harsh words over and over in your mind. Each repetition cut deeper, shattering the fragile hope you had nurtured. You had seen glimpses of a softer side in the assistant, moments where his stern exterior seemed to crack. Those moments had given you hope—hope that there was more to your relationship than a mere formality. But now, it was clear that those glimpses were just that—brief and fleeting.

You had spent your life striving to make others happy, always going the extra mile to please those around you, to earn their approval and affection. It was in your nature to help, to support, to be there for others. But now, faced with his cold rejection, you were once again reminded that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it will never be enough. The weight of his words pressed down on you, and the sting of rejection was almost unbearable.

It was just like with my parents…

Determined to respect his wishes, you resolved to distance yourself from him. It wasn't easy. Every interaction, every shared moment, had left an indelible mark on your heart. But you had to protect yourself, to preserve whatever dignity you had left. You would focus on your duties, keeping your head down and your heart guarded.

As you moved through your days, you couldn't help but feel a profound sadness. You missed the camaraderie you thought you had built, the unspoken connection you felt. Yet, you reminded yourself that you deserved to be around people who appreciated you and valued your presence. If Jongho wanted distance, you would give it to him, even if it broke your heart in the process.

The assistant had initially been grateful that you had listened and left him alone. He remembered tensing up the first time he saw you after he had told you off so rudely the other day. He breathed a sigh of relief when you only nodded politely in acknowledgement before walking the other way. But as days passed, it became hard not to notice how you were beginning to avoid him like he had first done to you. Whenever he tried to speak to you regarding work, you would dismiss him and redirect him to someone else.

Today was another one of those days.

He straightened up, noticing you heading his way. He cleared his throat, trying to act as nonchalant as possible as he stepped in front of you, intentionally blocking your path.

"Miss Kwon, I'd hate to trouble you, but I'm going to need you to—"

You sighed, bowing. "Apologies, Assistant Choi, but I have more than enough on my plate as it is. If this does not concern maternity or relate to the mistress in any way, please seek assistance from someone else." Without waiting for his response, you walked away.

He blinked in surprise as he watched you go. The indifference in your voice and the quick dismissal stung more than he cared to admit. It was a stark contrast to the warmth and eagerness you had once shown him. His initial relief turned into an uncomfortable realisation that your absence, your avoidance, was affecting him more than he had anticipated.

Whatever, it's better this way.

Jongho tried to convince himself, but it was no use. This treatment affected him more than he liked to admit, yet his stubbornness prevented him from addressing it. Out of spite, he became even meaner to you, thinking that maintaining a cold front would help him regain control.

One day, as he passed by the House of Lotus, he saw you tidying up Lady Park's pavilion, now cluttered with various items. When you felt his gaze, you turned and found him staring. Flustered, he huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'd be careful not to break anything if I were you. Every single item here is worth more than you ever will be." He cursed himself internally after uttering those words, wondering why he had to be so cruel. His fists clenched in regret when you let out a shaky breath and nodded obediently.

"I am aware, Assistant Choi. Please do not worry; I will treat them with the utmost care."

Why didn't you fight back? he wondered. The way you did when he had questioned you and your skills before? He hated that you were giving him minimal reactions, as if speaking to him would kill you. The realisation hit him hard—he was the hypocrite, condemning your distance when he had been the one to push you away.

Jongho's frustration mounted as he realised that your avoidance was cutting deeper than he had anticipated. Despite his best efforts to distance himself from you, each time you turned away, it stirred a pang of regret within him. At the thought, he found himself arranging the books in the general's study with more force than usual.

"Woah, any harder and you'll have to replace them all with new ones. I'm not sure your salary can cover that expense, Jongho. What's gotten your panties in a knot?" Seonghwa's sudden appearance beside him startled the assistant into a cough and a bow.

In truth, the younger man struggled to pinpoint the source of his frustration—whether it was directed at himself, you, or both. He knew he had no right to be angry with you; after all, you had only done exactly what he asked. It was a constant war between his mind and heart, and he was sick of it.

"Nothing, sir. Just a bit... overwhelmed with work," he lied, avoiding the general's knowing gaze.

Seonghwa sighed, crossing his arms. "You know, you're a terrible liar. This wouldn't have anything to do with Miss Kwon, would it?"

Jongho's silence spoke volumes. He continued to arrange the books, each movement more agitated than the last. "It's just... she's avoiding me," he finally admitted, his voice laced with frustration.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Seonghwa asked, raising an eyebrow.

The younger man clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "I thought it was. But now... I don't know."

"Maybe you should figure out what you really want before you destroy everything around you," General Park advised, his tone gentle but firm. "Including your own peace of mind."

He nodded slowly, the weight of his employer's words sinking in. He realised he needed to stop this war within himself. The constant push and pull were tearing him apart, and he couldn't bear it any longer.

That night, the general returned to his wife's side with a triumphant grin. "Things between those two will be fine now. Just you wait, my love." Lady Park shook her head. "Are you sure? I wouldn't be so optimistic if I were you."

And once again, her intuition proved correct.

Despite Jongho's desire to mend the rift between you, his pride and reluctance eventually held him back. Much to Seonghwa's disappointment, nothing changed. The silent war between Assistant Choi and the new maid persisted, casting a palpable tension over the household, noticed by nearly everyone.

Eunsook sighed heavily as she noticed the usually alert assistant zoning out for what felt like the thousandth time during their weekly inventory check. "What's bothering you, Jongho-yah? You know you can talk to me, right?" the elderly woman asked gently.

The general's aide finally snapped out of his trance, his eyes drifting away from the window where you had been standing moments ago, discussing herbs for the mistress' tonic with another maid.

"I…" He hesitated, tempted to confide in her. Eunsook had been like a mother to him throughout his employment here. But he shook his head, recognising how unprofessional discussing personal matters during work hours would be. More importantly, his pride stood in the way. Admitting his feelings would make them real and expose his vulnerability. He was Choi Jongho, after all. The last thing he needed was to be seen as a lovesick fool.

With a firm shake of his head, he forced a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Eunsook. Maybe just a bit tired, nothing a good night's sleep can't fix. I'll rest earlier tonight, don't worry."

She shook her head in disbelief as she watched the stubborn young man return to work, his usual mask of nonchalance firmly back in place. She could see the turmoil beneath his facade, but he was determined to keep it hidden, even from himself.

These kids are hopeless, I swear...

"Good job, everyone. Go and get some rest for the night." The assistant nodded approvingly at the completed tasks for the day and dismissed the group of estate staff assigned under him.

He watched as the servants dispersed, heading towards their respective quarters. Giving the tidy inventory one last look, he dusted off his hands in satisfaction and began walking towards his own room, ready to retire for the night. All he could think about was the comfort of his mattress. He couldn’t wait to lie down and forget about everything, especially you. Thoughts of you had been making him restless, and he truly loathed it. He chastised himself for being caught by Eunsook earlier. This was bad, and he couldn't keep letting you affect him this way.

As if the world were adamant about ruining his plans, your familiar petite frame appeared in his vision. You were hunched over a basin, scrubbing one of the mistress' hanboks clean. What in the world were you doing out here in the cold of the night? Everyone else was either heading to bed or already asleep. And here you were, performing a chore that could very well make you sick in this weather.

He took a hesitant step towards you, wanting to lecture you, but then stepped back, remembering how awkward things were between you now. Yet, he didn't have the heart to walk away. With a huff, he pushed himself to approach you.

"Miss Kwon, shouldn't this be a task done during the day? Just because you're out here late doesn't mean you're hardworking. If anything, it shows you can't finish your tasks on time during work hours." He mentally cursed himself for always letting such harsh words slip, as if showing that he cared was such a horrendous thing.

You halted your actions momentarily at the sound of his voice before continuing. "Good evening, Assistant Choi," you said, turning slightly to eye him from the corner of your eye, not granting him the pleasure of your full attention. "I understand what you mean, but I hope you also understand that a heavily pregnant woman like the mistress might not always have full control of her bladder like the rest of us and that unplanned mishaps can happen. Do you suppose I should leave the lady in her wet garments? Is it wrong that I am getting things done on my own time? Please do not let me stop you from getting your rest. I am fully capable of managing my own time. Thank you very much. Now, if you'll excuse me," you answered firmly, not paying him any more mind.

Jongho stood there, feeling a mix of frustration and regret. He hated the way he spoke to you, but he couldn't seem to help it. Watching you continue your task, he realised that your dedication and resilience only made him admire you more, even if he was too stubborn to admit it. "Fine."

If he thought that would be the last time he found you out late, he was sorely mistaken. Over the next few days, he noticed a troubling pattern: you were working harder than ever, often staying up late to complete various chores long after the mistress had gone to bed. As if that wasn't concerning enough, you were already up and working by the time he started his day, which was unusually early. He began to wonder if you were getting any rest at all.

Despite his stubbornness, the assistant couldn't help but worry about your well-being. He noticed the dark circles under your eyes, the way you sometimes swayed on your feet from exhaustion and the quiet determination in your every movement. It bothered him more than he would like to admit, but he refused to acknowledge that he cared. The thought of you overworking yourself began to weigh heavily on his mind.

One evening, he stood by the window of the general's study, watching as you meticulously swept the courtyard. The sun had long set, and the estate was bathed in the soft glow of lanterns. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to go out there and tell you to stop. But his pride kept him rooted in place.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Why does she have to be so damn stubborn?" he muttered to himself.

Just then, the head maid entered the room with a tray of tea. She set it down on the desk and looked at him with a knowing expression. "Still worrying about her?"

Jongho stiffened, then tried to play it off with a nonchalant shrug. "I'm not worrying, Eunsook. It's just… She's working too hard. It's not good for her."

The elderly woman raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying his act. "You know, Jongho-yah, it's okay to care about someone. Even if it's hard to admit."

He scoffed, turning away from the window. "I'm not admitting anything. She's just… being reckless."

Eunsook shook her head with a soft chuckle. "You can keep telling yourself that, but everyone can see it. Just don't wait too long to do something about it."

As she left the room, Jongho's gaze drifted back to you. He knew she was right, but his pride and fear of vulnerability kept him silent. Yet, with each passing day, the thought of you overworking yourself increasingly bothered him, threatening to break through the walls he had built around his heart.

About to retire for the night, the assistant once again spotted you still busy at work. Tonight, you were by the furnace outside the House of Lotus, burning coals in an attempt to keep the mistress warm during the relentless cold weather. What an idiot, he thought to himself as he carefully approached you, not wanting to alert you to his presence. Here you were, busy keeping the lady warm while putting yourself in the cold. You were going to fall sick at this rate. He was amazed that you weren't already ill with the constant work and little rest you'd been getting lately.

He let out a small sigh of relief when he was close enough to see your head propped up on your fist, your elbow resting on your knee, your eyes closed. "You stubborn girl," he whispered to himself, feeling his heart ache as he observed the callouses on your free hand and the bags under your eyes. Your lips were dry and chapped, nearly turning blue from sitting out in the cold for god knows how long. He had to fight the urge to pull you close and carry you back to your quarters.

Instead, he sighed and crouched down beside you, lifting a hesitant hand to your face and gently moving a stray strand of hair. Noticing the slight shiver that ran through you, he quickly pulled off the outer layer of his hanbok and draped it around your shaking form. He froze when you seemed to wake up from the sudden warmth enveloping you.

"Hm— what? J-Jongho?" you muttered groggily before realising who was in front of you. Clearing your throat, you shot up from your seat and bowed. "Assistant Choi, wh-what were you…" you trailed off, noticing his outer layer on your shoulders.

Ignoring his disappointment when you corrected yourself and addressed him by his title instead of his name, he avoided your gaze, standing up as well. "Don't overthink it. I may be strict, but I'm not heartless. After all, who would care for the mistress if you fell sick? If you were responsible, you'd take good care of yourself too." He spoke in his usual icy tone, the mask of nonchalance returning as he turned to leave.

"Wait, your—" you started, looking down at the piece of clothing around your frame, but he cut you off.

"Keep it," he said firmly.

As he walked back to his room, he whispered to the wind, hoping it would somehow reach you, "You need it more than I do."

You stared after his retreating figure in confusion. He was so infuriating. If he wanted to be mean, why couldn't he be mean until the end? Why was he always making things more complicated than they should be? He constantly said one thing and did another. Why was he playing with your feelings like this?

You had been trying so hard to push all thoughts of him out of your mind, focusing on nothing but work, keeping yourself busy, and putting him at a distance just as he had wanted. You wanted to show him that you could be just as good at your job as he was—just as hardworking, dedicated, and capable—to prove him wrong about whatever prejudices he might have against you.

And just when you thought you could finally learn to hate him, he would go and do things like this, undoing all your efforts. You sighed, clutching the fabric around you, pulling it close as tears of frustration welled in your eyes. His scent was somehow… comforting.

"Stop doing this to me, Choi Jongho," you whispered to the night, feeling your resolve crumble once again.

The next day, the assistant resumed his work as usual, though his heart raced at the thought of running into you. Would you still be wearing the piece of clothing he had given you? Or had you already cleaned it and left it on his doorstep? The latter seemed more likely. He couldn't understand his internal dilemma: on the one hand, it felt oddly satisfying to imagine you walking around with his robe draped over you, as if you were his. On the other hand, he wanted to smack himself sober for having these mind-boggling thoughts. He was stuck between wanting to see you in it and knowing the impropriety of it all.

In his constant efforts to both avoid and keep an eye out for you, half the day had gone by, and he began to realise that you had been nowhere in sight the entire time. He told himself not to overthink it, but his mind raced with possibilities of where you could be, trying to regulate the escalating unease he felt.

While he could have simply asked around, he refused to inquire about your whereabouts, prioritising his pride over his concern. Yet, secretly, he was going insane with worry.

As he moved through his tasks, his frustration grew. Every room he entered, every corridor he walked down, he found himself hoping to catch a glimpse of you. The absence of your presence gnawed at him more than he cared to admit.

By the time the sun began to set, his anxiety had reached its peak. The thought of something happening to you while he stubbornly refused to show concern made him feel a pang of guilt. He clenched his fists, battling the urge to ask someone where you were.

Instead of carrying out his tasks, Jongho ended up spending nearly the entire day searching the estate for you. Every corner, every room, every possible hiding place—he checked them all, growing more distressed with each passing moment.

Where could she have possibly gone?

After what felt like an eternity, he finally found you alone in the Cold Palace. Your figure was hunched, and his heart clenched when he realised you were crying on one of the steps leading up to the vacant chambers. His heart picked up its speed again when he spotted his robe neatly folded beside you. So, you kept it. It was apparent you had come here for privacy, given that this place had been as good as abandoned ever since the mistress moved out.

A part of him told himself he was intruding on a personal moment and that he should leave you be now that he knew you were safe. But the bigger part of him couldn't take it anymore. He wanted— no, needed to know you were okay.

Annoyed yet concerned, Jongho moved to sit down beside you, his presence startling you slightly. "What's making you cry?" he asked, his tone a mix of irritation and genuine concern.

"Assistant Choi?" Blinking rapidly, you shook your head. "I-I'm fine..."

His stern gaze silenced you. "Just be honest with me… please."

You wiped your tears, taking a deep breath before responding. "Fine, if you insist. I'm just… I'm tired of constantly feeling as though I will never be enough for anyone and everyone. You think you're the only one who fought hard to get where you are?" you began, your voice trembling with emotion. "I've struggled, too. I've given everything to prove myself, to show that I'm just as capable, just as dedicated. You have no right to judge me or mistreat me."

The assistant's heart sank with each word. He had hoped, in some twisted way, that your tears were because of him, a testament to his impact on your life. But hearing your frustration, your own story of perseverance, shattered that notion.

When you finished, you stood up, ready to leave. But against his better judgement, he gently pulled you back, his mind racing for the right words. All his usual defences, his pride and stubbornness, seemed meaningless at this moment.

"I... I'm sorry," he muttered softly, his voice barely audible.

You looked at him, surprised by his uncharacteristic vulnerability. For a moment, the air between you was heavy with unspoken emotions. Jongho, struggling to find more words, simply held your gaze, hoping his apology was enough to convey his regret.

At those unexpected words, your tears flowed again as you allowed him to gently guide you back into the seat beside him. The chill of the air was gradually replaced by warmth as he once again draped his robe over your shoulders. He didn't say another word, but his actions spoke volumes, conveying his sincerity. This unexpected kindness only made you cry harder.

He moved closer until your shoulders touched, his presence a silent reassurance that you weren't alone. The two of you spent the rest of the evening sitting next to each other in silence. Though he could have left after offering his apology, he realised he didn't want to. There was an unspoken bond forming between you, a quiet understanding that both of you needed.

As the stars began to dot the sky, the silence between you became more comfortable, almost intimate. He felt a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. He glanced at you, noticing the way your breathing had evened out, your tears finally subsiding.

"I'm sorry," he repeated softly, feeling the need to say it again.

You nodded, leaning slightly into his warmth, feeling a strange sense of relief. "Thank you," you whispered, grateful for his sincerity.

The two of you remained there, side by side, the Cold Palace no longer feeling so cold with the shared warmth of understanding and newfound camaraderie. The quiet intimacy of the moment made your hearts flutter, the connection between you deepening with each passing second.

The next day, Jongho eagerly looked forward to seeing you again. However, as he made his rounds, his anticipation turned to confusion and panic when he couldn't find you anywhere again, not even the Cold Palace. None of the servants had any answers for him, claiming not to know where you had gone.

Desperate for answers, he sought out the general, the head maid, and the mistress. Each of them gave him the same response: "She left, Jongho. She's gone home."

She... left? But why?

Panic gripped him. Hadn't everything been resolved after the previous night? He couldn't understand what was happening. He clearly recalled escorting you back to your quarters after a pleasant stop by the kitchen, where you treated yourselves to some leftover dishes from dinner. There had been laughter, shared stories, and a genuine connection. You had shyly handed his robe back to him at the end of the night, but he had insisted you keep it. Things were going well, weren't they? So, what went wrong?

His mind raced with questions. For once, he wasn't worried about the consequences Seonghwa mentioned he would face if you quit. All he could think about was why you had left and where you had gone. Was last night a goodbye? Why exactly were you crying? There had to be more to it, right?

He needed answers.

Holy crap, he needed you.

As he stood in the empty courtyard, grappling with his mounting frustration and confusion, the general approached, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Jongho...? You okay, buddy?"

The question snapped the assistant from his spiralling thoughts. He turned to face his employer, his face a mask of desperation and determination. The weight of the revelation that you had left, combined with the realisation of how deeply he had come to care for you, pushed him to the brink.

With a sudden surge of emotion, Jongho blurted out, "I need to know where she lives. I need her address—now!"

General Park's eyes widened in surprise. The head maid and the mistress exchanged concerned glances, their expressions reflecting the unexpected turn of events. His outburst revealed a side of him they had rarely seen—a side filled with raw vulnerability and an intensity that spoke of deep feelings.

"You... you were right, I can't be without her," he continued, his voice trembling with a mix of frustration and resolve. "I didn't realise how much she meant to me until she was gone. I thought I could handle it, but I can't. I need to bring her back."

Took you long enough, you prideful idiot.

Seonghwa's hand remained on his shoulder, a silent gesture of support. The assistant's declaration of his feelings, so raw and exposed, left him feeling both embarrassed and liberated. He knew now that his emotions were undeniable, and he was willing to face whatever consequences lay ahead to be with you again.

Eunsook stepped forward, her voice soft but firm. "Jongho, are you sure about this? It's a long journey, and things might not be as simple as you think. Miss Kwon, she was uh... she seemed very troubled."

Jongho nodded, his eyes determined. "Then that's all the more reason for me to be there for her. I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I can't let her think that I don't care. I need to see her, to explain… to fix whatever I messed up."

The lady, witnessing his resolve, stepped in with a sympathetic smile. "Very well. We'll get you the address. But remember, you must be honest with her. Be clear about your feelings. No more saying things you don't mean."

He nodded firmly and took a deep breath, the weight of his decision settling in. He felt a rush of relief and fear, knowing that he was about to embark on a journey to find you and make things right. He had come to understand that his feelings for you were more than just fleeting emotions—they were real, and they mattered deeply.

As the information was given to him, the assistant clutched the piece of paper tightly, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety. He turned to Seonghwa, Eunsook, and the mistress, offering them a sincere thank you.

"I'll make sure she knows how much she means to me," Jongho said with resolve. "Thank you for your understanding."

With that, he set off, ready to face the world and do whatever it took to bring you back. The journey ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: he was no longer just an assistant doing his job—he was a man determined to fight for the love he had finally come to recognise.

Your heart felt heavy as you stepped out of the carriage, staring up at the estate you once called home, though it had never truly felt like one. No matter how many people filled its halls, it always remained a cold place, devoid of the warmth you craved. And yet, here you were again, returning after years away. You took a deep breath, steeling yourself before entering the Kwon household for the first time in forever.

As you walked through the entrance, the servants bowed in recognition of your presence. "Welcome back, young miss," they murmured. You nodded emotionlessly, your eyes fixed on the altar straight ahead, which held the painting of a person whose affection you had fought hard to earn but never received.

Your brothers turned as your presence was announced. The second eldest furrowed his brows, a sneer forming on his lips. "Well, well, look who finally decides to show up? And here I was thinking Miss Ungrateful would never step foot in this house again. I'm afraid it's a little late to return, little sister. Mother's already dea—"

The eldest grabbed his arm, stopping him from finishing the sentence. "That's enough. Don't start anything. Show some respect. Mother would not want this."

You stood there, feeling a mix of sorrow and resentment. The coldness of the house and the harshness of your brother's words only served to remind you of why you had left in the first place. Yet, as you looked at the painting of the late Lady Kwon, you couldn't help but feel a pang of grief. Despite everything, a part of you had always hoped for reconciliation, for a family that would accept and love you.

Swallowing your emotions, you stepped forward, trying to find your voice. "I came to pay my respects," you said softly, your tone measured and controlled. "Whatever differences we had, she was still my mother."

The second eldest scoffed but remained silent, his gaze shifting away from you. You took another step closer to the altar, feeling the weight of the past and the unresolved emotions pressing down on you. It was difficult to be here, but you knew you had to face it, if not for your own sake, then for the memory of the woman whose portrait now watched over you.

As you stood there, the silence was heavy, filled with unspoken words and buried feelings. Your heart ached, but you remained resolute, determined to find closure in this place that had once been so unforgiving.

You settled on your knees before the altar, the flickering candlelight casting gentle shadows across your face. After lighting your own incense stick, you carefully placed it in the holder before your mother's resting place. Lowering your head, you clasped your hands together, the scent of the burning incense mingling with the bittersweet memories that flooded your mind.

The past few days had been a tumultuous sea of emotions. Upon receiving word of your mother's passing, you had been overwhelmed, retreating to the solitude of the Cold Palace to grapple with your feelings. The cold and empty chambers mirrored your own inner turmoil as you wrestled with the decision of whether or not to return to the place that had caused you so much pain.

As you knelt there, the weight of the moment pressing down on you, thoughts of a certain general's assistant suddenly entered your mind. The memory of his comforting presence the night before, his robe draped around your shoulders, and the sincerity in his voice as he apologised, filled your heart with a warmth that contrasted sharply with the coldness of your surroundings.

I wish you were here, Choi Jongho...

His steady presence, his silent strength—it would have been a balm to your aching soul. You longed for his reassuring touch, his quiet support. The thought of him brought a small measure of comfort amidst the sorrow.

Blinking back tears, you whispered a silent prayer, seeking peace and closure. You hoped that, somehow, your mother could hear you and understand the complex emotions you harboured. Despite the years of distance and the unresolved pain, you wished for forgiveness and reconciliation, even if it was now too late.

You took a deep breath, lifting your head to gaze at the portrait before you. "Mother," you whispered, your voice trembling, "I hope you find peace. I hope you know that despite everything, I loved you. And I hope… I hope you can forgive me."

The room was silent, the air thick with the scent of incense and the weight of unspoken words. You remained kneeling, feeling the presence of your elder brothers behind you, the tension still palpable. But in that moment, you felt a small sense of release, as if a part of the burden you had carried for so long had been lifted.

As you rose to your feet and turned, your breath hitched at the sight of your father standing there, your younger brothers by his side. His presence was imposing, yet there was something different in his eyes—a softness you hadn't seen before.

"You're really here… I didn't believe them when they told me you came," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

You gulped and bowed deeply. "Yes, I've come, Father."

To your surprise, he broke into a smile, a genuine expression of warmth that took you aback. "Come, my dear, let us have some tea and catch up."

Your heart warmed at the semblance of pleasure on his face. Was he glad you returned? Could he have… regretted not treating you better after you left? The questions swirled in your mind, but the hint of hope blossomed in your chest.

The eldest gave you an encouraging nod. You took a deep breath and followed your father to the living hall, your footsteps echoing softly in the spacious corridors of the house where you spent your childhood.

The living hall was just as you remembered—lavishly decorated yet exuding a cold elegance. But today, the atmosphere felt different, almost welcoming. The elderly man gestured for you to sit, and soon a servant brought in a tray with a steaming teapot and delicate porcelain cups.

As the tea was poured, your father looked at you with a mixture of pride and regret. "I've been thinking, and I believe it's time for you to move back home," he said, his voice steady but with an undertone that made your blood run cold. "You don't have to work so hard anymore. I heard you're out there working as some servant to General Park. You're a lady from House Kwon; you can do so much better. I have a list of marriage candidates that could guarantee you a lavish life, my daughter."

In that moment, the warmth you had felt earlier was sucked out of your being. You should have known better than to believe he genuinely wanted you back for the sake of family. You saw through his motives right away. He only saw a use for you now—to marry and establish another powerful connection for his family. That was all you were ever good for in his eyes.

Your heart sank, and the chill of disappointment wrapped around you. "I see," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. The tea, which moments ago had brought comfort, now tasted like ash in your mouth. "So that's why you want me back."

He frowned, clearly not expecting your reaction. "You misunderstand, my daughter. I only want what's best for you."

You stood, feeling a surge of defiance. "No, you want what's best for you and this house. But I am not a tool for your ambitions."

"That's right because she is so much more than that." You gasped, whipping around to find Jongho standing there, a confident grin on his face. "And Lord Kwon, this young lady is far more than just a mere servant for General Park. In case your informant wasn't thorough enough, she is a renowned obstetrician recommended by noblewomen all around Joseon. She is now a valued and cherished member of the Park household. So, it would be great if you could show her the respect she deserves."

Your father narrowed his eyes at the uninvited guest, standing up. "And who the hell are you? Her little secret admirer?"

Before you could turn to defend the assistant, Jongho stepped forward, his voice steady and unyielding. "If you must know, I'm Choi Jongho, General Park's most trusted aide and only assistant. And yes, I am also Miss Kwon's secret admirer, but I don't need your permission to court her. I've come to ask for hers, not yours."

Your jaw dropped as you stared at him with wide eyes, your heart pounding in your chest. Was this a confession?

With a final, stern glare, he took a step forward, placing his arm protectively around you, just as he had when you went to the market. "Now, if we're done here, Lord Kwon, I will be escorting the lady back to where she truly belongs, far away from here."

You let him lead you away, the shock slowly giving way to a warm, comforting certainty. For the first time in a long while, you felt valued, seen, and cared for. As you walked away from the place that never truly felt like home, you glanced up at Jongho, grateful for his unexpected presence and the boldness of his words.

"So, you're my secret admirer, huh?" you teased, biting your lip as you watched the assistant's face flush with a deep, embarrassed red. He blinked rapidly, trying to regain his composure, and straightened in his seat across from you in the carriage.

"Yes, well… I suppose I am," the usually composed assistant stammered, his hands fidgeting nervously. "And I need to apologise for all the times I was mean to you."

You tilted your head, intrigued. "Oh? And why were you so mean to me, Assistant Choi?"

Jongho sighed deeply, his gaze falling to his lap. "I didn't mean any of it. I was bitter because I thought it was unfair that you seemed to have it easy while I had to work so hard. But now… now I see how hard you work and how much you deserve every bit of recognition you get. And your family, if you can even call them that— I... I was wrong about everything, and I'm truly sorry."

His eyes met yours, brimming with genuine regret and admiration. "Most importantly, I've come to realise how much I admire you and how much I enjoy being around you. It's been hard, and I have no one to blame but myself for pretending I didn't want to hold you close, feeling foolish for pushing you away when all I wanted was to be by your side."

You felt a warmth spread through you at his heartfelt words. "And that was why, when I found out you were gone, I had to get you back. I can't lose you without having you know how I feel. I promise that this time, you'll never have another reason to return to the Kwon estate. You'll always have a home here with us… with me."

You blinked, slightly confused. "As sweet as that is… you do know I was planning to return to the general's estate the next day, right?"

He went speechless, his eyes widening in surprise. "Y-you were…?"

You nodded. "Yeah, I was just going to attend the funeral. Besides, who would care for the mistress if I was gone? I promised I'd help her through it, and I intend to. Didn't Eunsook or the general tell you that?"

Jongho shook his head, a mix of relief and frustration washing over him. He silently cursed Seonghwa, his wife, and Eunsook for making him look like a fool.

You sighed, a light laugh escaping your lips. "And here I was, worried that the lady's water might have broken because of how suddenly you appeared to take me back."

He softened, a sheepish grin slowly replacing his earlier tension. "Well, I guess that makes me look a bit like an idiot. But I'm glad I could finally be honest with you and with myself. I promise I'll be good to you and make up for all my past mistakes… if you'll let me."

You reached out hesitantly for his hand, then nervously retreated, feeling unsure. But he was quick to hold onto your hand firmly, cradling it against his chest, letting you feel his heart racing for you. Heart fluttering in your chest, you smiled warmly. "Jongho, I never wanted anything more than for you to be honest with me. I forgive you. Let's... let us try again."

His eyes lit up with relief and joy, his grip on your hand tightening with earnestness. "Thank you," he whispered, leaning in slightly. "I won't let you down."

As the carriage continued its journey, the two of you settled into a comfortable silence, a new bond beginning to weave itself between you. For the first time, you felt a deep sense of peace, knowing that the future held promise and that you had someone who truly cared by your side.

Arriving back at the general's estate, Seonghwa greeted you both with a teasing smile and a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Ah, Miss Kwon, you're back a day early!"

Jongho shot the older man a flat, unamused look but couldn't hide the blush and adoration in his eyes as he watched you. You suppressed a laugh, noting the general's knowing grin.

"Yes, sir," you replied with a grateful smile at Jongho. "Assistant Choi was kind enough to bring me back early. Now I should probably get to work—I'm sure the mistress could use my assistance."

Giving his hand a quick, reassuring squeeze, you turned to head towards the House of Lotus. The assistant stood there, rooted to the spot, his gaze following you with a lovesick grin, already missing you.

I can't believe she's really mine...

Observing the scene with amusement, Seonghwa clapped him on the shoulder. "I told you I'd help you find a wife. Perfect, isn't she? Just wait until I tell Miss Kwon all about your speech on how you'd be a terrible husband."

The younger man cleared his throat, irritation on his face. "Sir, need I remind you that you were once just as hopeless as I am?"

Seonghwa fell silent, his smile fading as he remembered his own awkward past.

"Look at you now, all grown up," the general teased. "Now get back to work if you're so free to stand around. It's not a honeymoon until you ask for her hand in marriage, and I expect that to happen soon!"

Jongho's face turned a deep shade of red. He stammered, "Y-yes, sir. I need to, um… get something done."

In a flurry of flustered haste, he dashed off, muttering about urgent tasks. Seonghwa chuckled, watching his dedicated assistant with a sense of satisfaction. It was heartening to see that even the stubborn Jongho had finally found love. General Park couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment, knowing that all his friends had found their own happiness. His thoughts then drifted to a certain fourth prince, wondering how he was faring these days.

Aaand we're finally done with baby bear's love story! Hope it was decent! Are y'all ready for Prince Yeo's spinoff? One last story to go before wrapping up this universe! I am, of course, open to doing more TWTHH bonus content but we'll see hehe~

As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

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[revelboo]

ugh the bluestreak one really makes me feel things. I want to protect him and reassure him and be there for him and hold him and just let him be happy and loved 😭

Thank you for writing these fics the always make my day. I'm curious, do you have plans for the stories or do you come up with stuff as you write?

I have a rough idea where I’m going with these, but I’m not sitting down and outlining these by any means 😅

Where I Belong Pt 5

IDW Bluestreak x Reader

• “You can tell me to shut up, I won’t get mad,” he says watching your little legs swing where you’re stretched out on his desk on your belly, a blanket under you. He’s not allowed back on patrol just yet, but he can still work on the never ending supply of reports to be filed away. A boring enough job, but it’s nice to have you there with him. Someone to talk to as he works the datapad with one hand and drapes the other against your shoulders and back so you’re not shivering. You’re always worryingly cold and he likes the contact, the reminder that you’re there. That he’s not alone.

• Eyes closing as a servo presses between your shoulders, rubbing almost absentmindedly, you soak in the warmth of his touch. “You’re not bothering me,” you reassure him again. Because it’s apparent that he’s used to being told to stop talking and that makes you dearly want to slap someone. For being so big, being able to hurt you so easily, he’s shockingly careful with you like he’s afraid of accidentally breaking you. “I like your stories.” And you do, because it’s like he has years worth of anecdotes and stories he’s just been waiting to share. And he gets so excited about them, like a big kid. It’s adorable.

• “I’m sorry again that you can’t leave the Ark,” he mutters, watching from the corner of his optic as you glance at him. “You’re trapped here because of me. I shouldn’t have asked you to stay.” It’s not fair to you that he took your freedom away without even asking because he’d been terrified. Clinging to you, pleading to not be left alone. And you’d stayed, reached out to him in return. He doesn’t know if it was only pity, but it means everything to him.

• Every worried word just melts your heart a bit more. “I chose to stay and I don’t regret it.” Pushing against his palm until he moves his big hand so you can climb to your feet and walk closer to him, head tipping back to meet those blue optics. Seeing the uncertainty there, the guilt. “I like it here.” With you. And you do. You like his company even if you’re essentially on alien house arrest. Makes you wonder what your boss thought when you just blipped off the face of the earth, house abandoned and destroyed. Maybe no one has even noticed you’re missing yet. Or cared. You’d been alone and okay with that, but Bluestreak needs you and it feels good to be needed.

• He’s reaching before he can think better of it, servos curling around you, but stopping short of actually touching you. Silently asking permission, if it’s okay. And your smile is amused as you take a little sideways step to press against his palm, allowing him to pick you up. So small and warm as he lifts you against him under his chin, against his neck where the mesh is most sensitive so he can feel you there. Reassuring himself. “Thank you,” he says, trying to not cling too tightly, but never wanting to let go. Knowing that like everyone else, no matter what you say now, you’ll get tired of him. You’ll leave him too. Everyone does in the end, but for now he can pretend.

Previous

Next

[semperamans]

nsfw! age-gap! cheating! daddy-issues (kinda)! clo being absolutely insane over johnny again! why is this so long? why am i so crazy?

good morning i'm currently thinkin' about stayin' at johnny's house because betty is away n'someone has gotta help him watch the girls.

you've been the davis' babysitter since you were in high school - the girls were just babies, then - but now some years have passed n'since you've been here ya can't help but notice how attractive johnny is :( he's so sweet on ya, too. placin' his hand on the small of your back as he passes you in the kitchen while you're makin' the girls' lunches :( tellin' ya your hair looks pretty when you've got it pinned up like that :( he even makes ya dinner even though that's supposed to be your job, but "y've been workin' so hard, peach. know the girls are a lot. s'let me take care of ya." and oh he's so lovely. he listens to music while he cooks and wears an apron the girls got 'em for fathers day and he helps you with the dishes afterward and you are in love with him.

you've never felt like this before. your heart hammers whenever he returns from a long day of truckin' n'his sleepy eyes brighten at the sight of you standin' in the foyer with a beer and a smile. he's so thankful for you, he says. y'make life so much easier, he confesses. and ugh :( what are you to do about this? i mean, these feelings so new n'unfamilar and the only thing you've found that somewhat tames them is when ya stick your pillow between your legs in the quiet of the night n'imagine it's johnny :'( your favorite thing to think about is when ya caught him slippin' out of the bathroom with a pink fluffy towel 'round his waist. you'd never seen a man in so little before, my god, your heart nearly lept from your chest. your cheeks flushed and he apologized and you told him it was fine because it was then slipped into your room to ride your pillow until you couldn't breathe :'( johnny was so pretty n'yeah, you figured men his age didn't like to be called that, but it was god's truth. his chorded muscles dusted with hair and tattoos and scars made want drip down your thighs because boys your age simply didn't look like that :( they didn't smell the way he did; a delicious blend of smoke and spice and cedar. boys your age didn't care, but johnny did :( johnny lit a fire one night once the girls were in bed n'he toasted your marshmallows and asked about your interest n'what you wanted to be when you were older and you wanted to tell him that you would love to be his wife - but you couldn't obviously, so you told 'em about the classes you had taken back in high school. how there was this program and you talked and talked but he never seemed bored. didn't shoot you down the way your father had. johnny placed his big ole hand on your bare knee n'smiled while he told ya "ya can do anythin' ya set your mind to, doll. don't let nothin' stop you. i believe in ya. know you're gonna do so so good." his wedding ring - a cold metal band - bit into your skin almost like a reminder that johnny wasn't yours... but you could do anything, right?

"momma's comin' home tomorrow." johnny told the girls the next mornin' and you were sure your heart shattered all over the floor. the girls were happy, of course, but you couldn't even fake a smile. it had been so easy to play house with betty gone. so easy to fool your mind into believin' that this was your house, those were your dresses in the closet, those were your girls racin' off to the bus, n'that johnny was your husband. but no :( none of it was true n'soon you'd be back at your parents' house - back in the real world - n'it was just so unfair :( johnny seemed to sense that something was wrong. before he left, he placed a soft hand on your shoulder n'made you turn to face him, but you shook your head n'swore you only had a headache. he didn't believe you, the frown on his face made that apparent, but he didn't fight you. he just pinched the round of your cheek softly, told ya to have a good day, n'left.

is it strange that despite your sadness you still have to ride your pillow over the thought of what didn't happen? probably. as you whine and pant and writhe, you envision what would've happened if johnny would've cupped your cheek n'pressed his lips against yours :( you would have licked into his mouth :( would've let his saliva coat your tongue n'drip down your chin and he would have placed his hand 'round your throat to pull you closer :( he would tell you how pretty you are. how you just know him like no one else does n'he's a lucky old man that a girl like you wants 'em. you cum over and over and over to the thought of him takin' you on the counter, but it doesn't satiate the ache between your thighs. you're so frustrated and overstimulated and upset, but you've got a plan.

it takes a while n'when you finally creep into johnny's room the wall clock reads 2:45 am. it isn't the best idea you've ever had, but it makes so much sense in your lust-addled mind. johnny said he'd take care of ya, right? said he'd always be there if ya needed anything, right? well, you need help because "johnny? johnny? it hurts." :( n'he's an old man, y'know, so it takes 'em a minute to wake up. he's gotta grab his glasses n'slide 'em on, but then he sees you in your silk nightie and jesus christ.

"what's goin' on, sweets?" you've got tears in your eyes and your lips are bitten bright red and you look so pretty in the shaft of moonlight that spills through the window and onto johnny's bedding. you don't answer right away, just nuzzle your way onto his lap and brush your nose into his neck. he can hear the scrape of your soft skin on his prickly stubble and you sigh like it's everything you've ever needed. "tell johnny what's got ya so upset. c'mon." he wants you to look at him, but he wouldn't be able to pry ya off with a goddamn crowbar. you're latched onto him, snuffling into his bare shoulder all sad and defeated. poor baby.

"hurts." you repeat, sniffling. "hurts so bad."

"what hurts?"

the clock ticks and you hiccup and your fingers wrap around johnny's wrist n'tug it over where it lands on your knee, first, then you're pullin' him up up up and he should stop you because he knows where this is going, but fuck he can't. sure enough, you stop 'em right when his hand covers your cunt. it's warm. he can feel the warmth radiating through your thin little panties and his fingers twitch with the urge to touch, but no. that's not okay. he figures he hasn't taken a breath in a minute, so he releases a sigh that shudders n'he squeezes his eyes shut tight.

"peach, i-"

"jus' need to cum, please johnny." you take his face in your palms the way you so badly wanted him to do to you n'his hand still lays protectively over your clothed center and god you just want to kiss him. "please. i'll be good, so good. promise." when his eyes open he's blinking at you, pupils pulsing back and forth between your own, but then they flicked down to your lips n'you know you've got 'em. and maybe he was right. maybe you can do anything. "jus' hurts."

"yeah?" johnny turns his cheek, kissin' your palm and you fuckin' gasp because you didn't think it would be this easy and maybe he is in love with you. "why don't i take a look? wanna lay back for me?"

his scent tangles around you as you lay yourself back against the pillows, blinkin' down at him so wide-eyed and mesmerized. he's smiling at you :( thinks the heave of your chest is so cute n'you're just such a precious baby who needs his help :( that's all he's doin'. just helpin'.

"open up, c'mon." he says, patting your thigh n'your knees part at his words, revealing the wet center of your panties and johnny coos.

"y've been touchin' yourself? yeah? s'that what's got ya all wet?" you can't respond. you just throw your head back at the feel of his fingers tracing patterns along the slick, but johnny likes good girls, so he ceases his ministrations, and glances up at you expectantly. "tell daddy, c'mon."

"i-i have - have been touchin' myself," you breathe, suddenly bashful. johnny just hums, hooking his index finger 'round your panties to move 'em over and he can tell.

"mm." he probes an exploratory finger against your folds and you really think it's goin' somewhere until he situates your panties back in place, then rocks back onto the balls of his feet. "show me."

you positively balk in response, shaking your head quickly because that's embarrassing. no way. there is no way -

"wan' my help, yeah? gotta show me what you're doin' so i know how to fix it."

and - well, he's gotta point, you guess. so you let out a pitiful little huff, rolling onto your tummy, shovin' johnny's pillow between your thighs :( and oh he is mesmerized and fucked and so hard it's almost comical how his dick sticks up in his briefs. he watches you so intently: the way your nightie rides up your back revealing the cutest little dimples at your spine, the roll of your hips, the tightening of your fists against the sheets. you make these sounds, sounds that he's only ever heard when he had his ear pressed to your door and they are so beautiful. so this is what you were doing all those times? grinding your clit against the cotton pillowcases his wife picked out?

"i know what the problem is, baby." johnny says, placin' his large hand on your back to still you. your head luls, tear-soaked lashes fluttering at 'em. "y'need somethin' inside. think that's gonna help so much." he maneuvers you so delicately - like he's afraid you're gonna break. "get on top of me, peach. daddy'll show you how to do it right, kay? y'trust me? yeah?"

you do. you trust him. you love him. you're so in love with him.

"gimmie some sugar first. let me kiss ya." the kiss is a distraction because what comes next is gonna hurt because surely you've never had fingers any bigger than your own in ya, right? but johnny is easy with ya :( eases ya open and praises you for bein' so good :( then it's time. he's hoverin' over ya - mouthin' at your neck because you smell so good there - n'his cock nudges between your lips in a dull stretch.

"daddy's gonna show ya."

and he does.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Tell me, tell me, tell me

Warnings: non/dubcon and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Loki

Summary: your husband doesn't handle change well and falls into old habits.

This is one of my birthday drabbles. Of course, little lies had a lot of votes and has earned it's own little add on. Thanks again for your input :) Enjoy.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

A birthday drabble for Little Lies 

You sit up and smile as the man exits Loki’s office. He looks content but your husband looks less than as he appears in the doorway. He crosses his arms and watches the candidate leave. You’ve gone through this routine at least two dozen times this week. 

“How was it?” You ask. 

He hums flatly and stares after the man’s departure. 

“His resume was great. What’s wrong?” 

Loki pouts and looks at you. He stands straight and crosses his arms. “He’s not you.” 

“Oh, I know. I’m so talented at keeping your agenda,” you retort dryly. “You can’t keep doing this. You have to hire someone.” 

“Don’t you understand?” He strides forward and stops just on the other side of your desk. His hands drop to his hips. “You’re asking me to replace you. That’s impossible.” 

“Ha, when did you get so sentimental?” You ignore him for the email on your screen. 

“Since the day you broke your leg, actually.” 

“Shut up,” you snip without looking up. 

“Truly. As worried as I might’ve been, I do miss those crutches. You were... manageable then.” 

You shake your head. “Well, you never are, but I’m hoping you can find an assistant that can do a somewhat decent job of it.”

He huffs and slithers around the desk. He sits on the corner, crowding you. “It won’t matter. I’ll be a mess without you, darling.” 

“I screened him. What was wrong with Peter?” You challenge, leaning back in your chair to face him. 

“Little upstart. I don’t need him flirting with my clients,” he harrumphs. 

“As if you don’t.” 

“On my honour,” he puts his hand to his chest, “I’ve changed my ways. You know it. I gave my vows.” 

“Uh huh.” You tut and check the time. “Well, who else? Jacqueline was good. She has a great CV and she’s very warm and welcoming.” 

“But I adore the way you snarl at me. It makes me...” Loki trails off and touches his belt. 

“You’re looking for an assistant,” you remind him. 

“Yes, but I will be losing my wife.” 

“That’s dramatic. It’s not like you can’t come see me. I can come back too between terms.” 

“School. You’re leaving me for school,” he mopes and shakes his head. 

“I’m trying to better myself, Lo. I don’t want to be your secretary my whole life.” 

“Personal Assistant,” he corrects. “Prized Asset.” 

“Ugh, you are so--” you put your hand up in exasperation. “This isn’t about the job. You’ll just call the temp agency, huh? So, you don’t have to pay benefits.” 

He shrugs guiltily as he examines the wall behind you. 

“What is this really about?” You insist. 

“Nothing.” 

“Tell me.” 

“I swear, I’ll miss you--” 

“Yeah, yeah, and I’ll miss you too. Blah blah blah,” you flutter your fingers at him and push yourself to your feet. You go to him and he looks at you with those sparkling green eyes. You put your hands on his shoulders and he instinctively frames your hips. “What is bothering you so much?” 

He stares at you then looks down. His lips thin and he tilts his head one way then the other. His gaze flicks back up to you. A grin creases his face and he laughs, “it’s foolish. Stupid! I shouldn’t worry.” 

“Loki,” you warn. 

He sighs. He peeks over at the door and his mouth slants. “You’re going to meet a lot of young men. Like that Peter.” 

You narrow your eyes and frown. Then you smile and scoff. You grab his chin and make him look at you, “you’re worried I’m going to meet some young gun and ditch my old man?” 

“Old? I wouldn’t use that word,” he winces. 

“You really think I would run off with some young hunk? With big burly shoulders and a nice chest...” Your let your tone drift into a dreamy drone. “Oh and thick hair and stamina like no one’s business...” 

“Hey!” He pokes your side and you cackle. 

“Loki, I’m not going to do anything like that. I’ll be far too busy studying and I’m too old for all that. Those twenty-year olds don’t want me. Now, hire a replacement so I can deal with all this nonsense.” You caress his cheek and give a smile. 

“You underestimate those twenty-year old cads. I once was one and I would've pounced on you at once.” 

“Oh really. Because you’re like forty and took years.” 

“Eh, let’s not toss around numbers here.” He sniffs. “I’m just saying that you are a beautiful woman, obviously. I married you. And those young ones, well, they like the allure of an older woman.” 

“Alright, alright,” you pat his shoulder. “Let it go.” You exhale and look him in the face. He stares back at you and squeezes your hips. “I’ll miss you.” 

His cheeks dust with pink and he smirks, “I'll miss you too, darling.” 

“You better.” 

His eyes fog and slowly crawl down. You squirm as he stands, crowding you, and his hands grazes along your sides. He walks his fingertips up and down and grips your waist again. He spins you suddenly, pinning you against the desk. 

“Let me be your young gun, eh? Show you this old man’s still got it.” He purrs. 

“Lo,” you rub his chest. 

“I can’t have you running off not thinking of me and how I’d put any of them to shame.” He winks and leans in, brushing the tip of his nose against yours. “Mm, Mrs. Laufeyson, is that what you want? A sweet young thing. I’ve not lost my touch, believe me.” 

“Lo,” you put your hand over one of his. 

“I feel you trembling, darling.” 

“Not here,” you tug on his hand. 

“Anywhere.” He urges you back until you hit the desk.  

He leans in until you’re forced to brace the desk. You strain backward and he reaches around to swipe the desk clear. Your monitor and laptop teeter dangerously near the edge as the rest of your things scatter. You gasp. 

“Loki!” 

“I’ll buy new ones,” he lifts you at once and puts you on the desk. 

“You can’t--” 

“I am.” 

He puts his hand under your chin and forces your head up. His thumb rubs along your cheekbones as he marvels down at you. He exhales and tickles your nose with his. You scrunch up your face and he presses a kiss to your lips. 

You push against his chest as his tongue glides along your lips. You murmur and try to resist. You never can. His hand brushes up and down your side then hooks up to your neck. He holds your head between his hands as he invades your mouth. He consumes you as he shifts and pushes between your knees. 

You clutch his lapel and part from his lips with a gulp. “Loki--” 

“Let me remind you who you married, darling. It was no old man,” he yanks his tie free as he clings to the front of your blouse, bunching it as he keeps you snagged. He tosses the silk and draws you back to him. 

You giggle, cheeks vibrant with heat, and shake your head. “Oh, I know who I married.” 

“And you will keep it in mind with those young lads.”  

He pinches a button, tediously undoing it with a single hand. He snarls and withdraws briefly to tear open his shirts. Buttons scatter as he snarls and steps up once more. He cradles your head in his hands and enshrines you in another fervent kiss, this one has you breathless. 

You put your hands on your chest, feeling the way his muscle tenses with need. He shudders as you drag your touch down to his stomach and the firm muscle clenches. He growls into you and bends you until your back is against the desk. He pins you there as he runs his hand down the length of your figure. 

He hooks his thumb beneath the hem of your dress and pushes the skirt up. You wriggle and feel blindly along his belt. He twitches as you latch onto his buckle. He hums and parts from your mouth, gasping against your cheek. 

His belt clinks open at your blind tugging and you pick open his fly. He growls and nips your ear lobe, laying a trail of kisses across your jaw and down your neck. He pants slacken and you push them down with his briefs. He springs free and wiggles his hips so his belt slides lower. 

He pulls your rear over the edge and flutters his fingers along your thigh. You curl your other leg around him as he tickles the front of your panties. He presses your clit through the thin fabric. You draw his mouth back to yours hungrily.  

Your tongues meet in a flurry of need and dread. You need each other right then and dread the separation to come. You’ve been outrunning that fact. That distance will not be easy, even so much as you’ve longed for it. 

He rubs you through your panties until he can feel you seeping through. He traces the trim of the lingerie and peels them away from your cunt. The satin bunches against your thigh as he flips your skirt up and moves closer. 

You know each other by touch. He finds you without hesitation. He slides into you in a single lunge and you drone in delight. Your turn your head as his wet lips smear over your cheek. He groans as your walls squeeze him. 

“Darling,” he drawls. 

You puff and arch your back, hooking your legs so that your heels press into the back of his thighs. You tilt your hips, goading him on as he takes his long, patient strokes. That pace he keeps when he means to torture. 

You snarl and grab his chin. You force his head up, “I thought you said you weren’t going to fuck me like an old man.” 

His eyes flicker and his lips curve into a devious smirk. He slams his hips against you and you cry out. Your nails dig into his jaw and you laugh through your teeth. He does it again, jolting the desk with you, and you quiver around him. 

“Oh, yes,” you grit. “You can do it, old man.” 

“Old. Man.” He chuffs out and rams into your again. 

You chuckle only to be met with another blunt rut. Your voice fizzles to a squeal.  

He traces along the top of your dress and drags the sleeve down your shoulder. He follows the cut of the bodice and uncovers your bra beneath. He quickly pulls the strap down and flips the cup inside out. He fondles you at once.  

His hips pump into you, harder and harder. His thumb flicks over your nipple, swirling around to tease. He hunches and dips down to take the bud between his teeth. He snarls and bucks faster. You hug him between your thighs and wrap an around his head. 

His other hand snakes down between your bodies. He pushes against your clit, the motion of his pelvis moving his fingers against you. The friction melds into the pressure inside. Your eyes roll back as you cling to his shoulder, your other hand on his lower back, beckoning him deeper. 

His harried grunts punctuate your soft moans, the slap of flesh and constant clink of his buckle adding to the twisted melody of your fucking. You roll your hips up into his. Just a little more. 

Your thighs shake and the swell in your core threatens to boil over. Your voice begins to crest and suddenly, he stops. You groan and clamp onto his side. You try to pull him down as he lifts himself. He keeps only his tip inside of you.  

Your eyes snap open as he flings his tussled hair back and looks you in the face. Your brows furrow. 

“Old man?” He challenges. 

“Lo...” you breathe, “please.” 

“No, no, that is what you said. So, allow me to prove you wrong.” He snickers and nips at your lower lip. “I can keep up, can you?” 

He dips into you slowly and you whine. Your head lolls and your lashes flutter. You bare your teeth at him and hiss. “I hate you.” 

“How can you hate this, darling?” He rears back and thrusts again. “Mm, I feel the way you’re clinging to me.” 

“Just--” You flare your nose and turn your head straight. “Do it. Old man.” 

His irises spark and he snaps his hips. You yipe and he twirls his fingertips against your clit. You shudder at the sensation. 

“Oh ho, darling, do you want to cum?” 

“Loki--” 

“Tell me you want to cum.” 

“Lo--” 

“Beg me.” He commands and pulls his fingers away. The coolness left in the shadow of his touch makes you squirm. “I did vow to serve you, darling, but I cannot if you do not say what you want.” 

Frustration, desperation, call it what you will. You whimper and reach for his hand. You guide it back to your clit and growl, “make me cum.” 

It’s his turn to shiver. He twists his hand away from yours to grab your fingers and pushes them to your bud. You gasp as he uses them to rub you instead. As he does, his hips fall into tempo. 

He fucks you so the desk scrapes the floor and his thighs hits the sharp edge. He raises himself as he spreads a hand across your stomach and watches himself delves into you, over and over. He guides your fingers in a frantic rhythm and the tension clusters beneath your own touch. 

You spasm and cry out, legs locked around his as you trap him inside you. 

“Oh, yes, make me cum, Loki, make me--” you descend into a stream of gibberish as you contort on the desk. You bite your knuckles to silence yourself, heaving wildly as your lungs burn and your skin tingles. 

“Um...” a knock sounds at the door and Loki halts mid-thrust. You share a startled look then slowly glance over at the open door. Shit. The last interviewee, Peter, stands dumbfounded as he peers in from the hall. “I, uh, forgot my phone in your office.” 

“Well,” Loki clears his throat and looks down at you with a sinister gleam. “Go and get it. Can’t you see I’m busy?” 

[dark-frosted-heart]

He Doesn't Know That I Turned into an Animal - Roger Barel (Part 2)

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this. None of my translations are proofread until a day after posting

Kate: Woof! Woof!! (I refuse! Absolutely not!!)

Roger: Hey, stop struggling. Do you hate baths? But we can’t sleep in the same bed if you don’t take one.

--

Despite my desperate attempts to resist, Roger picked me up and carried me away.

Kate: Grrr… (I don’t want to…)

Roger: Come on, stop whining. You can’t run away now so just accept it.

As he tried to calm me down, he poured hot water all over my fur.

He lathered me up with soap and proceeded to wash me gently and carefully.

Kate: Grr…rrrr…(Please…stop…) …

It was a mortifying experience, but Roger's skilled hands felt soothing.

Roger: What, you’ve quieted down now? You’ve realized how good a bath feels, haven’t you?

Kate: Arf… (Yes…)

Roger: Haha, I’m glad you’re liking it. You did a good job. Now I just need to rinse and towel you off.

--

Back in the room, Roger wrapped me up in a fluffy towel and dried me.

Roger: You struggled at first, but then calmed down later. …Good girl, good girl.

Roger patted my head with a gentle smile.

(Ugh… I give in when he washes or pets me…)

It felt so good being pet by Roger’s large hands and I wagged my tail in defeat.

Roger: Alright, Ale’s turn next.

Ale: Woof?! (My next meal?!)

Roger: Hahaha, don’t you hate baths too? Do you think you’re getting food again?

Ale: Arf! Arf! (Food! Food!)

Roger left the room with Ale happily trotting after.

A while later, an exhausted-looking Ale and Roger returned.

Ale: Awoo…(Wahhh, I was tricked…) Arf, arf! (Roger was so mean, torturing me with hot water!)

Roger: Cheer up, Ale. Here’s a treat for putting up with the bath.

Ale: Woof?! (Treat?!)

Apparently Ale only understood Roger’s name, and the word “treat”.

Wagging his short tail, Ale ran around Roger’s feet.

Roger: Hey, you want a treat too?

Roger held a biscuit out to me.

Roger: It’s a baked treat for dogs. There’s not much flavor and no unnecessary ingredients.

I ate the biscuit from Roger’s hand. A mild sweetness spread in my mouth.

Roger: Tastes good?

Kate: Arf! (It’s tasty!)

Roger: Haha. You probably don’t understand a word I’m saying…But it sounds like you answered me just now. Your owner’s probably worried about losing such a cute dog.

(...That reminds me, has Crown noticed that I’m missing?)

(I have a couple of days off from being a fairytale keeper, so they might not have started looking yet…)

(Even if they did look for me, they won’t find me because I look like this…)

Roger: Hey. If we can’t find your owner, then… I’ll take care of you. The work put into taking care of one or two dogs isn’t so different. Plus I’ll be twice as happy.

(Roger…)

(Honestly, if I can never turn back…this doesn’t sound so bad)

With how much Roger cares for dogs, I’d live a happy dog life.

--

(Mmm…?)

I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night.

The only one sleeping beside me was Ale who was snoring away.

(Huh? Where did Roger go?)

(We were sleeping side by side…Did he go out drinking?)

I hopped off the bed and followed Roger’s scent.

I left Crown castle and finally found him.

Kate: Arf! (Roger!)

Roger: …What’re you doing here? Did you follow my scent? Amazing…

(What’s Roger doing sitting out here in the middle of nowhere?)

I sat down next to Roger and observed him.

Roger: …Since there’s nothing in the way, I can hear the town pretty well.

Roger listened carefully for a moment before he stood up with a look of frustration.

Roger: Damn it…I can’t hear anything. Just where the hell did you go,— 

The name he muttered was drowned out by the wind.

(What’s Roger listening for…?)

Roger: Sorry for keeping you out so late. Let’s head back to the castle.

(Roger really is feeling down…)

(...Cheer up soon)

--

When he returned to Crown Castle, Victor was waiting for us in the foyer. 

Victor: How did it go, Roger?

Roger: No good. Couldn’t hear anything. Not a cry for help nor footsteps…Nothing. I don’t even know where they went.

Victor: I see... Then I’ll keep looking too.

Roger and Victor looked so serious and the air was heavy.

(Roger and Victor are looking for someone…)

(From the mood, is it related to a mission?)

Victor: …Oh, is this little one the lost dog you mentioned? Come here, come here~

Victor casually beckoned me over.

(......Huh?)

(Why won’t my legs move…?)

I looked up at Victor again—And for some reason, was filled with an indescribable sense of fear of him.

Kate: Grrrrr…! (Scary…!)

My teeth were bared and a growl escaped my throat. My fur stood on end and I couldn’t stop shaking.

To shake off my fear, I quickly hid behind Roger.

Victor: Oh my…She’s hiding from me.

Roger: What did you do, Victor?

Victor: I didn’t do anything! However, animals have always avoided me…

Roger: Maybe it’s animal instinct. They know when someone’s dangerous.

Victor: Dangerous? I’m happy, lucky, friendly?!

Kate: Awoo…(I’m sorry, Victor)

Victor: Oh, do you feel sorry? You’re a sweet girl. It’s okay. Even if you’re afraid of me, I don’t hate you. Love & peace!

I felt a little relieved that Victor was as kind as ever, even with dogs.

Victor: Even so, you’re quite taken with Roger, aren’t you?

Roger: I’m used to handling dogs. But… Sorry. I’m gonna have to put off looking for your owner for a while tomorrow.

(I don’t have an owner so I don’t mind at all, but…what happened all of a sudden?)

When I tilted my head in confusion, Roger continued.

Roger: …There’s something else I need to do.

--

The next day, after I spent one night as a dog, Roger had been rushing around making preparations since early morning.

Ale: Arf?! Arf! (Do you wanna play?! Roger!)

Roger: Sorry, Ale. You’re staying home today… You too.

Roger patted our heads and turned to leave.

(He’s going out to do the thing he “needs to do” that he mentioned yesterday)

He’s likely going to “hunt someone down”.

Last night, Roger was listening for a voice or footsteps in town.

(I want to help in some way too…!)

Kate: Arf arf! (Please take me with you!)

Roger: What’s up? Why’d you bark all of a sudden… Are you…feeling lonely? You’re so spoiled.

Ale: Arf arf arf!! (I wanna come along too, Roger!)

Roger: Ale too…Guess I got no choice. It’s not like you’ll get in the way so I’ll take you both along.

(Yay! I get to go with Roger…!)

(Now if only I knew who he was looking for…)

Roger: …Now that I think about it, you followed my scent last night, didn’t you?

Kate: Arf! (I did!)

Roger: Can you follow this scent too?

[crescentpaws]

unprompted anti keefe post because i remembered this quote just now and got unnecessarily mad about it again. almost every reason i have to hate keefe can be seen in this quote from legacy btw:

“Isn’t this the epic showdown you’ve been planning where you order Tammy Boy to kill me? Thanks for the warning about that, by the way,” he told Tam. “As you can see, it worked super well.”

“keefe can keep a secret if it’s actually important” no the fuck he can not. this quote just proves how little he actually cares for other people. tam risked SO MUCH to pass along that warning to sophie, and keefe just casually mentions it in front of gisela. i can’t tell if he’s just really stupid or if he genuinely doesn’t care about the very REAL and very LIKELY possibility that gisela would literally kill tam for that. keefe casually decides to possibly condemn someone to death just to have a moment where he can tell his mom “i already knew what you were planning all along btw! lol! haha!” god he’s a fucking idiot.

then he has the nerve to say “as you can see, it worked super well” as if keefe didn’t SPECIFICALLY CHOOSE to ignore the message????? acting as if it’s tam’s fault that they’re in this position???

i get he uses humor as a coping mechanism, but all his comebacks to his mom just seem so stupid considering he is fully aware of what she is able to do. even if he knows she won’t hurt him, she is fully willing to hurt his friends. which he never seems to care about (unless it’s sophie, because for some reason sophie is the only person that matters to him. but clearly not even she really matters or else he would stop betraying her trust over and over and over again.)

reminder that the only reason they’re here is because sophie knew if she didn’t take keefe to london he would go by himself btw. which is just so. UGH. it’s not her job to be his fucking babysitter. how is that a healthy relationship

and then keefe has the nerve to be mad after tam escapes with gisela. like, you know, the literal exact same fucking thing he did with alvar in lodestar. except in keefe’s situation, he wasn’t a prisoner. he wasn’t wearing special bonds made of light that restricted his power. tam actually had a reason to go back with gisela. which keefe never did with alvar. but it’s ok! he’s allowed to be mad because it’s his mom! he’s allowed to be mad at everyone if they focus on the bigger picture instead of what will stop making him feel sad right this second! it’s ok for him to be mad because his mom is evil! but it’s not ok for fitz to be mad about them letting alvar go! because that’s different for some reason! trust me guys!!!!!!!!!!!

and don’t even get me STARTED on the final battle scene in loamnore. keefe is just so. oh my god. he’s so fucking aggravating. literally the whole group’s plan relied on the fact that keefe WASNT going to be there. he literally PROMISED he wouldn’t show up and try to take things over (like he always does). i seriously have no idea how sophie ever trusts him again after that. that would be my final straw. all he’s done is prove that no matter how much he swears he’s telling the truth, he’s just a manipulative liar 👍 it shouldn’t be sophie’s job to be constantly monitoring keefe to make sure he doesn’t do stupid shit like this. she shouldn’t have to be using her energy 24/7 worrying about what stupid thing he’s going to do next. that is not a healthy relationship.

and what do you know, keefe arriving at the scene was exactly what the neverseen wanted! gisela got to do what she was planning from the beginning!! and keefe acts like it wasn’t ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE.

god he’s just so stupid i don’t understand how any of these characters are able to remain friends with him. but whatever. keep glorifying his shitty behavior i guess.

[kingconia]

hiiiiii! ugh, i am not sure if you take requests? but if you do, can i ask you leona one, where reader is the descendant of scar, and afterglow savanna always treats her like shit, thinking she will try to kill farena or leona?? idk tbh the dynamic between her and others, but maybe with a prompt "why are you keep protecting me?" "because if anyone kills you it will be me?" BUT NOT ANGSTY MORE LIKE CHEESY ONE like she is joking she has no plans to do so!!

(also maybe she is friend with azul bc both of them manipulative masterminds idk)

A/N: that's actually sounds so fun. i am genuinely invested, though, i had never thought that someone will ask me to write something. but, oh, darling, thank you. i would love do that more, so if anyone wants, i am open to your ideas.

LEONA KINGSCHOLAR × READER, WHO IS SCAR'S DESCENDANT

warnings: not detailed mention of blood and some threats with mentions of gore? it is lighter than it sounds.

Hatred followed you from a very young age. And it wasn't necessarily yours.

You were six, when you learned to understand that kindness will not help you survive. But cruelty will.

Abandoned, throwed away, you were nothing in the world of kings and queens. Your whole existence were cursed from the day you made your first breath, and no one was going to tell you why. Why you were so hated by the whole country, by every single person in your motherland? Why your mother turned away from you? Why you were considered to be dangerous?

But the more you grew, the more you understood that it is for the better. Their hatred, their suspicion, their rage. It made you the independent person. The predator.

And you were fine with that.

At some point, you stopped caring about what all of them thought. Instead, it filled you with even more power to move forward.

And so you survived. Proudly, with chin up to the sky, ignoring the way others treated you.

Savannaclaw wasn't necessarily bad, though. You thought it will be; Farena Kingscholar never being kind to you, and his kingdom therefore, too. But Savannaclaw was different. There, your only king was Leona. And Leona didn't care whose descendant you were.

If anything, he never even took it seriously.

”Why the fuck I would care about that cursed king?” He spitted it out once, as Ruggie asked him in what he thought was a whisper, as you passed by. ”Stupid lion is dead for a long time. Why would she care about him, even?”

And that was it. Savannaclaw never acted like you were enemy, no one glared at you with participation, no one was suspicious about your every single world.

You were free.

And the freedom you had gained, finally, made your loyalty to Leona stronger.

So, you didn't really like, when someone offended him.

It was your job to annoy him, to try break his trust towards you by cynical remarks—”oh, my King, you shouldn't trust me with your nephew. What if I tear him apart?” or ”Tsh, tsh, little lion... Haven't your brother told you? You shouldn't really turn your back to the hungry animal,”—even if he never cared.

And if someone tried to steal your job... Well, that would be really-really bad.

”Remind me once again,” you yawned, throwing a grape in your mouth, ”why I am not allowed to fight that Pomfiore boy for you?”

Azul chuckled.

”You got almost expelled twice, tigerfish. I am flatted that you are willing to try it for me, too, but I have more interesting ways to get my revenge.”

Azul was probably the strangest friend you ever had—and you had the only one, who was Jack—but it wasn't necessarily bad. He always got you involved in his plans, and as both of you were thinking about this or that in complete solitude, scheming and laughing, you thought it actually was nice.

”I caught him applying foundation on his face a week ago,” you share with him quietly. ”On the whole face. And let me say, he is not that perfect without it, Zul.”

He gasped dramatically.

”And that after interview, where he says he hates unnatural beauty?!”

”Mhm.”

”Tigerfish, you are so cruel,” he smiled. ”I love it.”

”Sure you are,” your ears moved by itself and you turned your head on the right. ”Do you hear that?”

Voices. Very loud, very angry voices. Usually, you would ignore that, but it was a familiar scent that made you move forward, ignoring Azul's question.

”Are you fucking insane, Hunt?”

”Oi, oi, I only cared to see if you would react immediately!”

You groaned.

Fucking Pomfiore kids.

As you stepped closer, your annoyed expression shifted to a worried one. There was a crossbow in Rook's arms, and Leona was holding an arrow is his hand, face angry.

So, it was it: little hunter tried to hunt Leona down.

Before he acknowledged your presence, you moved forward, raising Rook by his collar, right from behind.

”Don't get frightened, little one,” you said, voice, despite a smirk, vicious. ”I only cared to see if you would react immediately.”

Leona scoffed.

”Aha, how nice! Jolie Lionne! Had you came to save your pretty prince from the trouble?”

You frowned.

”He is the king, hunter.” Your turned him to face you properly, still leaving him hanging in the air. ”Listen to me, sweet human, the next time I see you trying to shoot him, I will scratch your eyes with my claws, and eat them in front of your fake housewarden. And then, I am going to make a feast. Do you hear me?”

His face scrunched for a second, but he put his usual smile on the face rather quickly.

”My, my... We were merely playing! But, fine, fine. As you wish, jolie lionne!”

You freed him, and this time he was rather quick with leaving.

Other students shun you actively, so it wasn't surprising. Beyond Savannaclaw, Azul, and, well, Lillia Van Rouge, other either ignored your existence or avoided you in fear. You had one the hell of the reputation, and your own attitude never helped to fix the damage that rumours left on you.

”I didn't ask you to do that,” Leona clicked his tongue, moving to your right side.

”You never do,” you shrugged. ”I don't really care.”

Maybe it was the fact that you never denied his power, never looked down at him, that helped him to make a peace with the fact that you were so eager to protect him. Because, well, in the beginning, he thought it was offensive.

”You are so fucking strange that, do you know that?” You repeated your previous action, and he continued. ”If I were you, I would love to kill me. And my brother. Especially him. But you keep doing that. Keep guarding me like a lapdog. Why?”

Why?

You wondered about it too, once. But the answer came easily to you.

It was a boy with unusual scar on his young face that stared at you without hatred the first. Simply stared, without any particular emotion, and handed you a little red flower, before leaving.

And though, he probably didn't remember it...

It was still him, who looked at you without despise in his eyes, when both of you grew up, meeting here and there, as your presence should have been always controlled and seen by the royal family.

And it was him, who made Savannaclaw respect you, as he joined this school, a year later than you did.

It was always him.

”Having trouble with creating another lie?” He smirked, moving to stop in front of you, clearly disliking the fact that you ignore his presence.

”You want to know why, Leona?” You tilted your head, meeting his curious eyes. "Because I consider you to be the King, more than your brother ever will, and therefore, I should protect you.”

Before he opened his mouth, you caught him by the chin, moving him closer. He stared at you, not annoyed, but quite lost by this action. Your eyes shimmered with a familiar hunger that always lived inside you.

A hunger for fame. Acceptance. Peace. Blood. Cruelty.

Love.

”And because,” your lips brushed the corner of his, as you breathed out on his cheek, ”if anyone ever tries to rip out your golden heart, my King, it is going to be me.”

His lips curled in a same wicked smile that played on your face.

And as his arms fall on your hips, he accepted the game.

”What a coincidence,” his whisper came out like a purr. ”Because if ever try to rip our my heart, my dear Consort, I will allow it to you.”

A laugh that escaped your chest sounded so taunted that others would find it scary.

But you know Leona didn't. In fact, he enjoyed it very much.

And both of you had a very long journey to find out what else you enjoy about each other. Gladly, you had plenty of time for that.

[galaxyedging]

Sinful Sunday thoughts.

Smut under the cut.

Marcus Acacius

Marcus never thought he would find love again at his age. He thought his heart was only good for hanging heavy in his chest as a reminder of how such joy in life could be fleeting.

Then he met you. The moment he laid eyes on you, his heart found new life. So did his appetite for more than war.

So many things in his life took on new meaning. The bed that provided a place to rest his head now served as an alter on which to worship you on. He would spend hours on his knees taking your sacrament.

The armour than he was thankful to for its manoeuvrability on the battlefield, he was now thankful to it for the ease at which it could be moved aside so he could fill you whenever and wherever he pleased until his thighs shook and glistened with your combined spend.

The house that gave him shelter was now truly a home. A home that he would return to worn from battle to fall into your comfort. His fingers would dip inside you, your sweet juices serving as a balm for his split knuckles. He would bury his stress as deep as he could bury his shaft in you. Afterwards, your breasts would provide a softer place to lay his head than any fine feather stuffed mattress.

Joel and Tommy

"Fuuuck." Tommy drawls lazily above you.

His cock twitches in your hand as you mouth his heavy balls.

"Joel, turn her over. I want to see her tits." Tommy sounds drunk.

It could be the whiskey or the blow job. He must be pretty far gone to boss his big brother around while he's balls deep in you. Joel had been lazily sliding his length in and out of you while slowly tracing circles on your clit with a thick, calloused thumb. All of you had already come more than once, and there was no need to rush anything at the end of the world.

Tommy shushes you as you whine at the loss of Joel. Handling you between them like they so often had with material on the site, they flip you with ease. Tommy's hands find your tits to drag them out of your shirt with little finesse. While Joel slips straight back in until his hips are flush with the back of your thighs. His pace quickens in line with his brother's frantic pawing of your tits now that his cock head can slip down the open angle of your throat.

"Thank fuck that you are better at sharing than you used to be when we were kids. Shit, Baby, you got a mouth on you. " Tommy always gets chatty when he's about to come.

It seems to be a family trait, Joel says all sorts of nasty things when you are alone. When he lets his brother join in, he prefers to keep his thoughts to himself.

"Remem-remember when..uh...you-you wouldn't let me....play with stuff...in case I kept it? I'm rea-real glad you got past that." Tommy's chuckle turns into a hiss when you softly drag your blunt nails across the skin of his balls. "Oh, shit. You ready for it? You ready? Ugh." With a long drawn out moan, Tommy releases every drop of his come down your throat.

He's barely softening, still twitching against your tongue when his length is unceremoniously pulled from your mouth as Joel drags you upright on the old table they had you laid across. Saliva and cum spill down your chin only for Joel's tongue to drag through it and shove it back in your mouth. You near choke on it as Joel begins pounding into you at a relentless pace. His thumb speeds up on your clit until you come for him harshly and crudely. Your whole body tenses and shakes in waves while you moan and curse. Joel simply holds you tight in place. Your nipples rub against the warn flannel on his chest. His lips are pressed against your neck to hold in his sounds of pleasure as his drives yours to a crescendo. No man has ever made you come the way Joel can. It's dirty, and it's transcendent. It's vulger, and it's pure. It's the most basic desire in life, also the thing that makes your life, such as it is, worth living.

The second time your pussy begs his cock to coat it, he gives in. With a single grunt, he fills you, standing on his tip toes to drive his cock deeper. When you feel the warmth flooding you stop, Joel pulls out. He tucks himself away, makes his way up the basement stairs with you and Tommy behind him, still struggling to breathe again. Before he steps through the door at the top of the staircase. He tosses one last thing to his brother.

"You can play with her all you want. We both know she won't let you keep her."

[ubesam]

DOGDAY X READER

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Note from Author: Well, I made this At 4:00 Am early in the morning. And also, you're a female y/n and I'm tired of calling them/they/blah blah.

I'm still figuring out how to colour my texts, so you guys are stuck with non colour ones, yay...

Just a quick reminder that I barely post like tomorrow or next week, it depends if I get busy at school. Welp, that's all. Enjoy the story, and I might make it longer by time. ENJOY MY LITTLE LEGO STARS!

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"Well, that's the end of the tour!"

"Thanks, dogday. I was expecting that the other employees would be the ones to give me a tour... But, I guess they were busy." Nope. They weren't busy. They were lazy. "Oh, hahaha! Well, I get that a lot too, angel." He laughs and then you hear him calling you an angel again.. strange, nobody called you that. "Um, can I ask a question?" "Hm? Sure!" You were getting embarrassed of the question but you pulled it off. "Why do you.. keep calling me angel? I mean I have a name." Dogday was quiet for a moment, you felt awkward for asking that question and you can barely feel your face getting warm from the embarrassment. "You know what! Never mind... Haha..." Dogday laughs seeing you getting all nervous. "No need to be nervous, besides. The reason I called you angel, is because i- uh- like calling you that. Yeah!" Awkward. Y/N looks around to find a change of subject. The only thing that comes to her mind is the statues of the smiling critters. "Oh, Uh.. can you tell me more about yourself.. and the other smiling critters?"

Dogday's tail wags a little from excitement. "Well, I don't mind! As you heard from Tiffany. I'm dogday! The leader of the smiling critters! And you probably can meet the others and they might introduce themselves properly to you!" Dogday was very cheerful about it as you can tell by his tail wagging. "Okay! I'm y/n and I'm 22 years old, my favourite colour is red. And I love to eat cookies!" Dogday smiled at you. "Well, the introduction has been confirmed to both of us. And also, you have to keep your eyes with the others to see no one is getting any Problems." You nodded as he began to point at your office.

"Okay, keep a watch at the others and do my job. Got it!" Dogday smiled as he patted your head.

"I know you can do it, angel!" You felt a flutter in your heart.. what.. what is this feeling? Am I sick?

(Girl you stupid).

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––It's been a week since you started working there. You met three smiling critters along the way, craftycorn, picky piggy, and hoppy hopscotch. The others are you haven't quite met yet. Day by day, the children loved how caring and loving you are, they even started to call you mama. You're not used to it but you tried. Dogday got even close to you, every time he gets a chance he would come and hang out with you. (Ah, young love. 🤭)

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––After you arrive in playcare at 5:00 Am, since you woke up Prettyyy early in the morning. You went to your office and sat down, you stretched your body and yawned. "Man... I woke up so early I couldn't even go back to sleep... I want some coffee now.." you groan and sighed. And then you noticed a clipboard on your side of the desk, you picked it up and read it. Your first task was to give the smiling critters baths, your second task was to wake the children up and the others are for later. "Hm... A bath- oh. Dogs hates water... The others might enjoy but for catnap... Ugh... This is going to a lot more harder..." You groan as you rubbed your face with both of your hands. And then you thought for a second.. then realised that you might meet the other critters. "I should probably get started.. since it's 5:26 am.." you got up from your chair and started to walk to where the smiling critters are sleeping. You felt kinda nervous tho, you don't like disturbing people from their sleep. At their room of where they sleep, you noticed below the door that the lights are turned on. You knocked on the door 3 times but no answers, strange you knock again but 6 times, yet no answers.. you open the door a little and take a peek, then.. someone pulled you in to make and it made you caught off guard. "Oof!" You landed on the floor and immediately got up. "Holy mother of cookies from heaven. I almost got a heart attack." You look up, and saw all of the smiling critters except for catnap. Dogday was in front. "Angel?" "Okay, why on earth did you pull me and almost give me a heart attack?" The other smiling critters chuckles and laughs a little. "S-sorry angel.. we thought you were some sort of a bad guy.." You sighed looking up at him. "You did hear me knocking 3 to 6 times, right? You know what, never mind.. come on now all of you.. I have to give each of you all a bath.." Dogday flinched and started to back away. "U-um dogday?" The craftycorn was confused seeing dogday backing away. "Hm? What's wrong dogday?" "I... I don't like baths..." Dogday claims himself scared of baths. And kickin chickin starts to laughs. "Don't be such a coward, dogday! It ain't gonna be that bad!" As kickin keeps laughing bobby bearhug pinched kickin. "Ow! Ow! BB! Stop!" "Stop being such a bully to dogday, kickin." You sighed and went over to dogday. "Dogday, what's wrong? You can tell me, and I'll try a way to make you feel less scared." Dogday thought about it for a moment. Before dogday was the one who was going to speak, picky piggy was the one who speaks first. "It's probably because of how the other employees bathe us..." She said, you tilted my head from confused as bubba bubbaphant came in front to tell the other details. "Well, they put us in a cage... And just spray water on us like were some kind of a... Animal..." (*LE GASP* HOW DARE THEY>:0)

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After knowing and understanding the situation, I sighed and walked over to hoppy. "Do you have a pillow that I can borrow?" Hoppy was confused but she gave you a pillow, you took the pillow and shoved it to your face and screamed in anger making the other smiling critters confused.. you were done screaming your anger out and gave back the pillow. "Ahem. I'm fine, I'm not mad at your situation. I am mad at those employees for treating you all like some animals.." the smiling critters were surprised about that including dogday. "You guys deserved better than being an animal in a cage... I can even relate how that feels..." Craftycorn then asked. "What do you mean... By that?" You stayed quiet... Staring at the floor... "It's... Nothing... We should probably get you all some baths before the playcare opens..." The smiling critters can feel that something is wrong but they didn't want to ask and just nodded. (Time skips in the bathroom) At the bathroom you told the smiling critters to take off their pendants and put them somewhere, and you also told them that dogday will be last. The smiling critters understand and follow your orders. During giving a bath from each smiling critter you ask them how their day was, it was awkward at first but they eventually told you. There laughing and chuckling curing gave them each a bath, it took 20 minutes or more. After the others are down with baths and drying, dogday was the last. He took a peek at the door, while you were busy getting the giant tub ready for him. He was hesitant but what he had heard from the others, by saying she's kind,caring, and loving it made him feel confident to trust you. "Dogday! You can come in now." Dogday slowly walked in and sat in the tub. You started to spray water on him it took 3 minutes to get him wet. (Just like my dog) you then put vanilla shampoo on him and started to scrub with a big brush. "So, dogday.. since we have known each other for a week now, tell me... How was your day." "It.. was fun.. you get to play with children seeing them laugh together and chasing each other and seeing them enjoy themselves." I smiled giving him a scratch on his head. "You're such a good boy, dogday. You really are." Dogday's tail wags happily. After 30 minutes of laughter and giving a bath to dogday, it's finally time to dry him up with a blow dryer. "You're such a good boy, dogday! You look more handsome and cute!" Dogday blushes slightly and wags his tail. "Thank you, angel."

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After getting all the smiling critters except for catnap a bath. It was time for the playcare to open up. But, you have been thinking... Where is catnap?

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PART 3?

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Note from Author: Well... In part 3 I might put the dark backstory of Y/N, for fun of course. But also, if your wondering Is dogday in this story a human version of him or is dogday in this story is in his original version? It depends on you and your imagination. And also! I recommend seeing @sinnersweets Stories! They are very heart beating Stories (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) Well, see you in part 3! Toodles my Little Lego star devils! (⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠³⁠˘⁠)⁠♥

(This is kinda short..)

[lilbitdepressed27]

Hi, I was thinking Tara Carpenter x Reader. Where Reader and Sam coming home from work. They are at Sam’s car going to her house till, she saw 2 kittens in the alley way. Reader told Sam to stop but Sam wants to know why till she pointed out the kittens. Sam sighed because she knows you love kittens. Reader went outside and pick up 2 kittens. One of them is a Scottish cat with brown eyes just like Tara. And the other one is a orange cat with blue eyes. Reader took them back to Sam’s car and Sam look at the kittens and she stared at them with awe’s. On the way reader has to tell Tara someway that she brought two kittens in and she doesn’t know that if Tara likes kittens but Sam tells the reader that she does. When they made it back to the house, Reader saw Mindy, Chad, and Anika in the living room but doesn’t see Tara. Mindy told Reader that Tara is in her room. Reader opened the door and see Tara, Reader is hiding the kittens behind her back till Tara hears a meow and she actually went towards her. Tara ask what is behind her back, & Reader shows her the kitten.

Tara Carpenter/Fem!Reader

WC: 1.0k

Authors Note: hope you like it dude. Sorry for any mistakes in advance.

It had been a long shift. You were tired, but you did enjoy the extra money you got. You loved spoiling Tara and sometimes your friends. So you had begged Sam to get you a job at the restaurant she worked at. Now that you worked with Sam, it was convenient that you both to ride together.

The drive back home was quiet. With the streets mostly empty. At a stop light you looked to your right, seeing the some people walking but what really caught your eye was something in the alley way. What looked to be two tiny ears sticking out of a box.

"Wait Sam!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"Stop the car." You quickly unbuckled your seat belt. Moving to exit the car.

"Wow Y/n wait! Why?" She reached over to stop you, she didn't want you running out there at night. If something were to happen to you, even if it's the smallest scratch. Tara would kill her. Tara had become so protective of you after what happened last year. Even though Tara was also attached. You had been the one on the verge of death. Amber had attacked you, stabbing you a total of five times. You had been a state of a coma for two weeks. It had been a hard time for Tara.

"I think I saw a kitten! In a box!" You looked back at Sam with a beaming smile before exiting the car. Sam was quick to park the car and follow you. There was no keeping you away from any kittens. The love you had for kittens could rival with your love for Tara.

Seeing you coming out of the alley way with two kittens bundled up in your jacket. "Sam look! This once kinda reminds me of Tara. The brown eyes are crazy similar. I'm gonna call this little girl Jenna. And this orange little cutie, you could name her." You excitedly explained. Making sure to keep your voice down. Not wanting to scare the little kittens that had quickly cuddled up into your jacket.

"They are cute. But we don't even know if-" Sam didn't understand, well she could cause most times when you pulled the look she was receiving at moment. You always got your way. It was no wonder Tara was wrapped around your finger. But it wasn't like Tara didn't also have you wrapped around her finger. "Ugh fine. Come on. If we're gonna keep them. Let's go buy them stuff they need."

"Wait, Tara likes cats right? I mean, she's never said anything about kittens, but then again I've never asked-Y/n stop. Tara likes cats. And even if she didn't she loves you too much to say no." Sam lead you back to the car. She could already imagine her sister now, the amount of times Tara would do just about anything to see you happy. To see you smiling. And if that meant keeping kittens. Than Tara would allow it.

"Okay. Well what's your cats name?"

*

They had gotten home a lot later than they usually would. You had Jenna and Lexi in your arms while Sam brought all the things a cat could need.

"Oh my god are those kittens?" Anika was the first to spring up from where she was sitting on the couch. Gushing over the kittens in your arms.

"Yea this one is Jenna. And this one is Lexi. The newest family members." You looked around the apartment hoping to see your girlfriend. You couldn't wait for her to meet the kittens. "Where's Tara?"

"She's in your room. Went in there to focus on her homework.” Mindy said as she helped Sam unpack all the shopping bags.

With a nod, you made your way to your shared room. Peaking your head in when you opened the door. There she was sat on the desk chair. At the sound of the door opened had her turning around. A smile forming on the her lips at the sight of you.

“Hey baby-” Tara had stopped when she saw how you didn’t make a move to get in the room. Her eyes narrowed, from the smile on your face she knew you were hiding something. If hiding most of your body behind the door was saying anything. “What are you hiding?”

“I-*Meow*” You stepped in side of the room. The two kittens still in your jacket. Tara stepped closer to you, looking down at the bundle you had on your arms. “I found them coming back from work. Look this one kinda reminds me of you. This one is Jenna. And this one is Lexi. Can we keep them, please.”

Tara chuckled as one of the kittens licked her finger. She had already been convinced as soon as she heard the first meow. But seeing your pout would have convinced her if she hadn’t. “Of course we can.” At the sight of your smile she leaned up bringing your lips down to hers for a kiss.

Quickly pulling away when she had remembered something. “Wait a minute. Did you name the cat after that one actress? The same actress that flirted with you when we met her?”

“Oh my gosh! Yea! That actress looks exactly like you. But she wasn’t flirting with me. She was just being friendly with a fan .” You leaned down to kiss the top of Jenna’s head. The kitten meowed a return, purring as you gently ran your finger under the kittens chin.

“No she doesn’t and yes she was!” She lightly pushed you away. It hadn’t been a few weeks ago when you both had ran into the actress. The actress had been nice but then she had realized that the actress was flirting with you.

“Oh come on, I’m only teasing. Now come on help give these little cuties a bath. Gotta make sure they don’t have any fleas.”

Tara rolled her eyes half heartedly. The smile you had on your face as you spoke to the kittens had her swooning. The smile was a reminder that you were still with her. You were happy and alive.

:)

[drpoisonoaky]

Are they really your friends if they haven’t threatened your partner? Yes they are, but where’s the fun in that.

This is the Gaang threatening Azula for “Katara’s sake”.

— Sokka

Sokka: Katara out!

Katara, raising an eyebrow: Excuse me?

Sokka: Can you please get out so I can speak with Azula?

Katara: Whatever you want to say to her I’m sure I can be in here.

Sokka: No. And don’t ask.

Katara:

Sokka: Pretty please?

Azula: I’m honestly intrigued.

Katara: Ugh. Fine.

Sokka: Thanks sister. Luv ya.

*Katara out of the picture*

Sokka: Listen up snooty princess. *Put his boomerang on the table*. I’m here to talk about how I will punish you if you hurt my sister in any kind of way.

Azula: Sure, I’m all ears.

Sokka: Wait what?

Azula: But I must advise you I experienced a lot of forms of torture already. Father used to say “It’s war Azula, they will do this to you if you’re weak and they catch you. It’s for you own good”

Azula: So what do you have in mind? Father favored the traditional practices of the Earth Nation.

Sokka: I- Damn. Spirits.

Azula: Look I never would hurt your sister on purpose. Ever. You have my word and honor.

Sokka: I’m going to hug you. So be ready. Here I go.

Azula: This is certainly a technique that my father didn’t use.

Sokka: NOW.

— Suki

Suki: Let’s talk.

Azula: Last time I checked you weren’t my friend in the kyoshi warriors. Did something happen to Ty lee?

Suki: I want to talk to you as Katara’s friend.

Azula: Ugh.

Suki: Listen asshole If you consider for a fraction of sec-

Azula: I am not going to hurt her on purpose. I’m a bitch. I know. I’m mean. Believe I know. But-

Azula: Wait why am I explaining anything to you?

Suki: Because I’m going to kill you if you don’t treat her as she deserves?

Azula: She’d do it first, don’t you think?

Suki: ..Well yeah, but it’s mandatory. They give Sokka the warning talk when we started dating.

Azula: They give it to Sokka and not you?

Suki: In Katara’s words “You could do way better than him so we’re going to remind him that”

— Toph

Toph: Princess purple platypus.

Azula: Living creature who doesn’t know what a bath is.

Toph: I’m here to give you a talk captain firebitch.

Azula: About how you are going to murder me if I lost my mind again and hurt my girlfriend on purpose?

Toph: Yeah I guess.

Azula: Message received.

Toph: Good. Another thing.

Azula: What?

Toph: Is it true that you know several torture techniques from the Earth Kingdom?

Azula: *sighs* He cannot shut up. Yes.

Toph: Good so start to talk princess snooty-pants. I want details.

— Zuko

Azula: Is your turn in that madness that they’re doing?

Zuko: Has everyone talked to you?

Azula: I think the avatar didn’t but I’m not sure. But I don’t think he knows how to threat someone.

Zuko: Who knows. So can you help me to figure out how to distribute all of the income from-

Azula: Thank Agni. No talk from you?

Zuko: Of course not. If you hurt her she will beat the shit out of you. Well, maybe you will have an awesome battle like I would pick popcorn and watch. So no, I’ve started learning when I don’t need to talk.

Azula: Oh I wasn’t expecting that. Good job Zuzu.

Zuko: So can you help me?

Azula: Gladly.

— Aang

Aang: Hey Azula. Mind if I sit here?

Azula: Do as you please Avatar.

Aang: Oh thanks.

Aang: By the way I came here to say you something.

Azula: So I was right you were the one left-

Aang: Listen Azula I’m only going to say this once. *Avatar State on* Hurt Katara in any kind of way and I will forget everything I know about peace. I’ll bring Kyoshi and let her do whatever she wants. Your past will look like a fairy tale compared to what will happen to you. Understood?

Azula, pale as a piece of paper: Sure.

Aang: It was nice to see you. Let’s grab some tea someday. Bye!

Azula:

Azula: Who would have thought that the air monk which I already kill once would be the most sadistic. My respects Avatar.

— Katara

Katara: I assume they give you the talk, right?

Azula: You have assumed correctly.

Katara: Poor thing.

Azula: I know you don’t feel bad for me, quit the show.

Katara: Don’t be such a baby. Now I need to know, who was the weakest?

Azula: Your brother by far. He spent more time trying to hug me than threatening me.

Katara: No surprised. Who was the “scariest”?

Azula: The Avatar. But don’t you dare to tell a soul.

Katara: Aang? The pacifist monk? Aang who cries if he eats a piece of meat?

Azula: Yes sweetie, that one.

Katara: *barely holding her laughter*

Azula: One more laugh and I’m done with you.

Katara: No you don’t.

Azula: I hate you.

Katara: I hate you too babe.

Toph, from afar: WHIPPED.

— Ty lee & Mai

Azula: Did you give Katara the talk

Ty lee: What talk?

Mai: I don’t think we need to tell her where the babies come from.

Azula: The one of If Katara hurt me you will hurt her etc.

Mai: No?

Ty lee: Why would we ever do that? We like Katara. She’s way nicer than you.

Mai: Being honest she could do better than you.

Azula: And I’m betrayed once aga-

Azula: Oh no. I’m the Sokka. Somebody kill me.

Mai: I think she lost it. Again.

Ty lee: Suki could also do better than Sokka.

Azula: I’m a sinner in the eyes of the fire nation. SOMEBODY KILL ME.

Ty lee: NO YOU ARE NOT ANYMORE NOW IT’S LEGAL.

Mai: Ugh. She’s so dramatic.

[wannaeatramyeon]

Hello amazing author. So you're an absolutely amazing writer and I really enjoy reading your fics. I honestly don't get how good you are at writing, I am so jealous. So I was wondering if you have thought of a fic where Taehoon/Jake and the reader insert were in a relationship, so they went on a date and the whole Viral hit crew/big deal decided to watch because they idk were bored? I think it would be a cute little scenario. I love the way you write Jake and Taehoon (you're also the reason I am now a Vin Jin simp). Take care of yourself and have a good day/night/evening <3

Hi Anon, why the hell are you so sweet. Come here and let me smoosh your cheeks. Thank you for reading?! I can never get over that there are people that e n j o y ??? reading my bs.I haven't written about that sunglasses shitter in a hot second, maybe I need to cook something up for him.

I did something similar-ish (but not really) Jake and Reader here. Here's something for Taehoon.

Seong Taehoon x Reader: Coffee date (feat Hobin)

G/N Reader. Fluffy.

Crap.

How is Seoul such a small place? A city of nearly 10 million people and Hobin sees goddamn Taehoon and you here.

Obviously on a coffee date, if the way Taehoon is looking at you is anything to go by. Hobin can't really make out your face, but he's still pretty certain you are wearing the same smitten expression.

Huh.

It's surprising how Taehoon hasn't noticed him yet. Someone so shrewd and perceptive, nothing getting past him. Yet it's like when you're around, his attention is fully focused on you.

Hobin peeks over again at Taehoon.

Entire body leaning towards you, knees knocking together with yours under the table and your hand on his leg as you are gesticulating about something else with your other.

One side of his lips lifted in a trademark smirk and his half-lidded gaze peers at you beneath his lashes. Even from across the room, Hobin can make out that his eyes are unfathomably tender.

Ugh. Quite honestly it gives Hobin the creeps.

This is Seong Taehoon he's looking at here. How can Seong Taehoon ever look at someone like that. Wasn't it only yesterday he called Hobin cringe for talking about Bomi all the time?

Hypocrite.

Frankly, Hobin can never get over how soft Taehoon is for you. In his own way, of course. And this: catching a glimpse of you two, of Taehoon when he doesn't think anyone he knows is around, feels like Hobin's intruding on a private, intimate moment.

Which he is. But that's besides the point.

Seriously though, what is your magic touch and how can Hobin get in on some of that.

Taehoon lets you get away with so much. The way you poke and prod at him with your words, and sometimes even with your hands and fingers, present company and public decency be damned.

Taehoon has kicked people in the face for far less. Has kicked Hobin in the face for far less.

It's a rough lesson learned for the company the first time they mistook Taehoon's soft spot for you for his attitude softening in general. Snapper said one word a bit too overconfident and nearly got kicked through a wall.

That reminds Hobin. He needs to get that wall patched up soon.

.

.

Bzzt!

Taehoon's phone vibrates, breaking him out of his reverie, eyes darting to it and then - shit.

Snapping straight to Hobin's face.

Hobin flinches. Feels his soul departing as he whips his head away. Maybe Taehoon didn't recognise him. Maybe Taehoon didn't even see him.

The only way Taehoon couldn't have seen him is if Taehoon was blind or Hobin was invisible.

He has been caught red-handed staring.

Taehoon's good mood from moments ago is replaced instantly by prickly annoyance. Damn it, the last thing he wants to see is Hobin's stupid ugly face here.

Who, by the way, is doing an absolutely terrible job of hiding; judging by the way he ducks under the table.

Taehoon excuses himself. Long legs making short work of his strides over to Hobin's table. Yanking the aforementioned up by the hair until they're staring eye to eye.

"Morning Taehoon-hyung!" Hobin manages, mustering up some courage and charm.

Hyung? How fucking transparent. It makes Taehoon want to beat him up more.

"Why the fuck are you here?"

What was that Hobin was saying about your magic touch with Taehoon?

Maybe... Maybe this would work.

Hobin tries for a sweet smile, eyes big and round and pleading.

A smile he has seen on your face before. Right when Taehoon is on the precipice of exasperation and anger. The same smile that would placate him, pulling him from the edge as his temper diminishes and he settles for an eye roll instead.

Unfortunately, it's a very grotesque imitation of your own that makes Taehoon want to kick Hobin's face more than ever.

Hobin's eyes flicker to Taehoon's leg twitching.

Oops. Nevermind then.

[moonystoes]

Nurse? - Elisa De Almeida x reader (highschool students)

Summary: When the school has never felt this empty, you decide to escape the students by helping out the nurse. Only to find out you can't escape her.

Warning: yap sesh I'm sorry, confusion??(girl me too idk), an annoying guy x

Wc: 5.670k

A/n: Ugh writing the summary is worse than the whole fic wtf. Also finding pics and trying to make the coloring match is shit I'm sorry LMFAO. Apologies for the late post, I've been going through it in school. and as I said again, im pretty new to writing so constructive criticism or advice is needed :)

Part one

This is FANfiction. Please don't view Elisa this way.

-

“Do you know who you're going to prom with?” You turned to look at Sam, walking down the school hallway to your shared class. Prom has been a topic of conversations since they first revealed it two months ago. Now, prom will happen in two weeks, and all the young teens are procrastinating to look for partners.

“Ugh, no! I don't even know why our school decided to add this thing. We don't have to copy Americans, let them do their thing and we will do our thing.” She groaned loudly. You looked around you, noticing people glancing at her weirdly.

“Okay… but the students voted for it, not the school. So technically it's our fault.” You whispered, tugging her closer to remind her to lower her voice. You thought about who might ask you out. Xavi has been eyeing you for a while, but he was caught creating fake Instagram accounts to catfish girls. So there is no possible way of you agreeing to go with him. Edward was a year older than you, and you've been chatting with him at lunch. As much as you enjoyed the conversations with him, you didn't feel anything with him. He was the most attractive guy in his grade, his hazel eyes and dark skin made the girls swoon around him. For you, his personality isn't as attractive as his face, therefore you aren't crazy about him.

Then there is Paul, your childhood friend. You've known him since first grade, sitting together at the school park. In your head, you had imagined your friendship to stay forever, until you both get jobs and live close to each other. But after the both of you hit puberty, he started to act weird and felt uncomfortable around you. You hated it, but you knew it was bound to happen anyways.

It also didn't help you how attractive he grew to be, his short dark hair matched his brown eyes but also contrasted with his pale skin. His soft smile and attentive personality made many of the girls attach to his hip. You were never insecure about your looks, but now you started to question yourself. Did he stop our friendship because I was too ugly?

At some point, some of the girls came up to you and asked what he likes so they can ‘buy him a gift’. Your response was an easy lie, ‘I don't remember, it's been years.’

That doesn't make you guys strangers, he still comes and talks to you every once in a while, just like now.

“Hey y/n… can we talk privately?” Paul startled you. You turned to look at him with confusion, the last time you talked to each other was last month when he asked for the English homework (which you reluctantly gave to him out of kindness… and because you're a people pleaser). You glanced at Sam to check if she's okay with you leaving her, she gave you a small nod and left the both of you alone.

“So… have any plans for the winter dance? Or prom I don't even know what it is.” He awkwardly grabbed your arm and pulled you to the side of the corridor to not interrupt the people walking.

“Are you asking me out as your date?” You questioned slowly.

“What! No…i mean yes. Do you want to come with me?” He shook his head, obviously distracted with something. You stayed silent for a few seconds to think about it. You aren't a ‘party’ person, but the winter prom is a new thing and you wanted to experience it for once. Paul was a complicated guy, he wouldn't talk to you for months and then approach you like nothing happened. At least when he does approach you, he treats you right, or that’s what you thought.

“Sure…do you have any planning? For the dress or just the day as a whole?” You asked. Everytime you watch an American teen movie, you imagine yourself and Mr. Perfect together at a shop buying a dress, the shocked face when they see you going down the stairs all glammed up, going to dinner before prom, and having a soft kiss at the dance…. Although now you don't really feel like sharing your first kiss with Paul.

“Oh?... What thing for the dress? And no, I didn't volunteer for the dance so I didn't plan anything with the organizers,” And just like that your hopes were crushed, of course a 14 year old boy wouldn't know a thing about romance. He clearly didn't care about what dress you'll wear, or what the both of you would do before the event. You shook your head with a sigh, faking a smile and walking past him to your class. “Ohhh! I did vote for you for prom queen… you know? So we both can be like ‘famous’. You should vote for me, if that's what you mean.”

You felt disappointed, pretending not to hear him and walked into your first class. Great. He ruined your day and it just started.

-

Your parents were excited when you told them about Paul asking you. Of course, they've known him for years and his parents are in touch with yours. You were at the store trying to look for an ‘age appropriate’ dress. Your father is staying in the car, obviously fed up with the indecisive behaviors from you and your mom.

“Look, this is great!” You heard your mom cheer from the back of the store, she came up to you with a flower print dress and a bright smile on her face.

“Mom, it looks like I work on a farm.” You sighed, turning to the other side where there are dresses lined up.

“Are you serious? It looks amazing. I like it!” Yeah, you like it. You turned to look at it again, but the sadness in your mother's face caught you off guard. So you decided to lie. You grabbed the dress from her hand and turned it to see it ‘from every angle’.

“You know what? I think it's great. And it's not expensive like the other dresses here.” You faked a smile and looked at the cashier that was standing uncomfortably close to the both of you. You handed her the dress and both went to the checkout.

For you, making decisions isn't something you care about. Everytime you think of something, you'd agree with the others because at the end of the day ‘it's not that serious’. Sometimes, your friends end up scolding you for choosing people's happiness over yours. But when you turned to glance at your mother's happy smile, it was worth it.

-

Wed 19th of December 2012

The next week, Paul had thrown your prom ticket into your locker with no message or any indication. At least he bought you the ticket. Sam has gotten sick as well as the other two girls close to the both of you. She had sent you a message saying she probably won't be at prom, explaining in great details of her vomit and sickness.

You felt all alone and the class has never felt emptier. Fleur had a major knee injury from football practice, two guys were suspended for a fight. Students are calling this week a curse, considering that it's wednesday and prom will just be in a few days. The filled class now is almost half empty, making the class feel quiet.

“Okay…since most of the students are absent, we won't take a lesson today,” Cheers erupted from the class, happy to not have biology. “I'm not done! You will be partnered up to discuss prom preparations.”

The atmosphere changed from cheering to groaning in a second. You glanced at Paul, wondering if he would be your partner. You hoped that Paul would realize he has responsibilities for prom today when the both of you discuss it. But as the teacher started labeling the partners, you realized that it doesn't matter who is your date, she is randomly assigning them.

“Elisa and Marie you don't need to sit at the back anymore, the class is practically empty. Elisa, you sit with y/n. Katoto, sit with Adam.” You sighed frustratingly, why her? During the two months of school, she has been treating you like dirt. Ignoring you and always avoiding you. Whenever teachers put you in groups, she'd ask the teacher if she can be partnered with Fleur instead.

But she's been more open and relaxed now, and it's somehow freaking you out. She has made some friendships there and there with the other girls. She laughs louder, jokes more with her side of the class. And even if her ignorance towards you confused you at first, it wasn’t why you were freaked out. It's how she treats the girls in class. It's like the guys…but gentler? She stares at Amy the same way the guys do, with heart eyes. And all of this frustrates you, because why is she looking at Amy like that? She's not supposed to like Amy. And why is she treating every girl in the class sweetly except you?

Everytime you catch her looking at Amy, you remember that Quora comment. Admittedly, you've been thinking about it everyday for the past 2 months. When you’re near her, you stutter and avoid looking at her eyes. Because when Elisa looks at your eyes, she can read you. And although you know you're not necessarily hiding anything, you don't want Elisa to know how she affects you.

Elisa rolled her eyes in annoyance when the teacher told her to move to sit next to you. Of course it would be you. Your bubbly and nice personality makes her sick, because right when it comes to her, you become mute. It feels as though her sitting next to you makes you feel grossed out and disgusted. It doesn't help how Sam glances at the both of you everytime Elisa walks past you. It's like you have told her something about her, that elisa is some sick joke you told her about. Growing up, Elisa realized that not many people liked her. But she didn't care, until it was you.

You were kind and sweet to everyone. Whenever anyone asks for help, you're always there. Whenever you have to be surrounded by people you don't even like, you're still respectful and treat them well. But why is it when it comes to her, you ignore her? Every time she's near you, she sees your uncomfortable glance, she’s already used to it by now, but it still breaks her.

Homophobia isn’t something surprising, it’s everywhere. But again, the most non-judgemental person… you, she didn’t expect you to be just like everyone else.

She threw her bag next to your seat as she sighed. Of course she’s already groaning around you. You rolled your eyes at her dramatic reaction, pulling open your notes to write anything you need for the prom. You wrote ‘dress’ check, ‘hair’... you’ll just straighten it, ‘make up’ you’ll ask Sam to help you with it. You glanced at Elisa, a blush ran through your face when you saw the sketch of a woman on her notes. Does she have a date? Did she get asked… or did she ask a girl out? There is no way she’d go with a boy… just the idea of Elisa with a boy makes your stomach churn, and you don’t know why it would feel better if she would be with a girl, a person like you.

“Um… so, do you have a date?” You stammered, trying to act casual about the question, as if it hasn’t been on your mind all month.

She looked away from her sketch to glance at you, “no.”

“Why not?”

Elisa was silent for a moment, “Fleur tore her ACL so she won’t come with me.”

Fleur? Why Fleur? Your kind smile slowly turned to a frown, fuck I know I said it would make me feel better if she would ask a girl out but Fleur? Does she like her? No way.

Elisa noticed the way your smile turned into disgust. At first, panic started to get into her head, would you tell everyone that she wanted her date to be a girl? It’s okay, right? A lot of girls go with their friends? Fleur is her friend. But her panic turned into anger, fuck you and your disgusting beliefs. Of course you wouldn’t like the fact she’s into women, and although she never said she's gay out loud, anyone who glances at her knows about it.

“ACL injuries are really serious, tell her I wish her a speedy recovery.” You mumbled, you didn’t know why you’re acting this way, and why does it happen every time with Elisa. Elisa ignored what you said and continued to draw. You were looking at her sketch from the corner of your eyes, what else would she add? Big boobs? Blonde hair? Is her type in girls the same as the boys’? But suddenly Elisa stopped drawing for a second and took a deep breath, then she scribbled all over the drawing, ripping the page away from her notebook and standing angrily to throw it away in the bin.

When she sat back, she moved her seat slightly away from you. You lowered your head feeling shame, what did you do to deserve this from her? Your heart did the fluttering thing again around her, but now it’s because of the heartbreak of rejection. Elisa kept on tapping the pencil on the paper, writing nothing on her notebook. You glanced at Paul, realizing that he was partnered with Amy. Because of the panic of Elisa sitting next to you, you didn’t even think about Paul. Great, Paul is with the hottest girl in class and Elisa here hates your ass, you already knew Sam would be tired from the phone call this evening.

You glanced at the teacher quickly to make sure she's not looking at you. You grabbed your phone and opened the chats between you and Sam and sent her a message.

“Sam I'm sorry for the monster I'd be when we call today.”

Elisa noticed you using your phone, slightly surprised since you've always been the ‘good’ girl of the class. She saw you texting Sam, quickly diverting her eyes away from your phone. Are you texting Sam about the drawing? Is she seriously that grossed out by a silly drawing? Elisa's frustration has faded, now filled with sorrow. How can someone be filled with that much hatred? How can you sit here and act all cute and innocent to everyone but react this way over a drawing?

Right when the bell rang, Elisa grabbed her bag and left first, not even waiting for Katoto. You breathed out slowly, glad that she's not sitting next to you anymore. The rest of the school day was miserable, feeling all alone. At lunch, you sat on the ‘loner benches’, which are placed behind the school buildings near the football pitch. It's called that because nobody usually notices it, so it's always empty. For once, you were too tired to be friendly and socialize with people you can't stand.

When you were watching the football game, you noticed Elisa playing. Sighing, you got up and walked to the building, deciding to help out the nurse in easy tasks like bandages. She likes you, and had previously written notes to the teachers for you ‘to skip’ their classes. And after what happened in class with Elisa, you really didn't want to face her again.

When you reached the nurse office, you saw Ms. Eugene frantically running around her office to grab things into her giant bag. When she turned to look at you she gasped, “oh thank God! I was about to call the office to bring you,” She grasped your arm, pulling you to sit in her office. “My daughter… she's sick, they called right now. Can you please take over my place? You know we don't have other nurses, and I trust you. You're very smart, y/n. If anyone came here with something more serious than a cut, don't hesitate to call the ambulance.” She rambled, her face filled with stress as she grasped her keys.

“I can stay here, just let the office know so I don't get counted as absent,” You were getting more worried about her daughter the more you looked at her. Ms. Eugene is a single mom of a 3 year old girl, having to carry the responsibilities of both parents as one. She nodded at what you said, and pulled the door open. “I hope everything works out with baby Lee.”

She turned to look at you with grateful eyes, and left you alone. You were stressed about the new ‘job’ you got, but excitement started filling you when you looked around. The posters, the small medications, the tapes and bandages. You can now pretend to be a nurse! You pulled out your phone to text Sam about your new adventure, until a knock made you flinch.

You glanced at the door, yelling out a ‘come in’. When the door opened, you heard Elisa's pained voice, “Nurse Eugene?”

When Elisa glanced at you, she rolled her eyes and limped outside, making sure to shut the door as loud as possible. Usually, you would be hurt at this. But by the way Elisa was limping, you jumped up from the big chair and ran out to see what happened.

“Elisa, are you serious?!” You pulled the door open, finding her limping down the stairs. She looks up to see you and asks, “What are you even doing here? Where is the actual nurse?”

“She had a family emergency,” You followed her down the stairs, “Elisa you're limping! I'm just going to tape you and you will not see my face again.” Your voice cracked as you said the last part. Usually you're good at masking your feelings, but Elisa's pained face in front of you and the way she ran away from you broke you.

Elisa groaned loudly and took a step forward, holding onto the stairs’ railing and following you back into the nurse's office. When she got in the room, she limply sat on the bed. Glancing at the wall in front of her instead of you.

She had heard the neediness from your voice, and it made her heart throb quicker. Even when you clearly feel disgust around her, at least you were worried about her right? Did you do this because you cared about her? Or because you didn't want to get in trouble?

You brought disinfectant wipes, a cotton ball, pre wrap, and a tape. You placed them near her on the bed then turned to look at her to see what actually happened. Elisa lifted her foot up to show that the injury was there, and when you looked down you saw a trail of blood and a cut on her lower shin.

You pointed at the bed as your face scrunched in worry. Awkwardly, Elisa twisted her body towards you and layed down, resting her upper body on her arms behind her. You sat on the bed too, making sure the tapes were near you.

You grabbed the wipes packet, glancing at Elisa to make sure she knows it will be painful. But she was already looking at your face, so you panicked and just placed the wipe directly at the cut.

“Fuck!” She pulled her leg away and threw the wipe away. But you grabbed her foot and pulled it to your lap, using a different wipe and attempting to clean up the cut again. Elisa’s hiss was loud, and it involuntarily made your breath hitch and bite your lip for a second. You had to stop being inappropriate and dirty minded. It's disrespectful, so you tried to ignore it and continued cleaning up the wound. But when her defined and thick calf tensed up, you froze. Of course she will have muscles… She plays football!

“Can you be quick? It's burning me.” Elisa's frustrated groan pulled you out of the daydreams, so you quickly placed your right hand on a piece of cotton there and awkwardly tried to place the pre-wrap over it with your left hand. Elisa saw you struggle so she placed her fingers on yours over the cotton pad.

You quickly removed your fingers from her warm hand, and started wrapping her shin tightly with the pre-wrap. It was easier now to be completely focused on the injury in front of you instead of Elisa’s gaze or warm hand, it was your dream to major in a medical field and you didn’t want to harm Elisa or tape it wrong.

All Elisa was doing while you were taping her shin is look at your face. She was intrigued on how you knew how to do this. For her, she plays football and it’s mandatory for all of the players to know how to tape and deal with certain injuries. But for you, she wasn’t sure on how you knew how to do this… or how you’re good at so many things, you were just perfect in everything in her eyes.

She shook her head at her thoughts and looked at your hands instead, watching you bring the sticky white tape and securing her shin just like the physio at her academy. When you were done, you softly tapped her foot, indicating that she can lift it now. She removes her foot from your thighs and twists her body to sit on the bed instead, forcedly turning her head to look at you with a thankful smile, “you taped it well, thank you.”

You shrugged and looked down at both your feet, dangling them around as you bit your lip in embarrassment, “Thank you, I’ve always wanted to do this in the future so…”

“Be a school nurse?” Elisa asked.

“No, just anything with the medical field.” You replied. Elisa didn’t realize how close you were both sitting next to each other until she accidentally nudged your foot when she started moving her feet like you. She stood up, making sure not to put her weight on her foot, and walked to the door.

“Good luck with that, you’re smart and I think you’ll be able to do it.” You looked up to see her at the door, heart slightly warming at what she said. You smiled gratefully at her and nodded, before mumbling a short, “good luck with football.”

Elisa giggled with a shrug at your comment, and closed the door behind her delicately this time. You released a breath you didn’t know you were holding and hid your face in your hands. Why was it comforting to you that she thinks your hard work will actually get you to your dream major? Did she lie to make you feel better?...Elisa hates lying, you have noticed that because everytime she doesn’t like anything she’d stay quiet…not lie.

But the door was opened shortly, Elisa appearing again with a flustered smile, “I forgot to ask you for a nurse pass.”

You raised your face from your hands and nodded in her direction, standing up from the bed to the desk and writing a note. When you reached ‘time:’ on the notes, you turned to look at Elisa, “Hey Elisa… Do you want to go to class now or walk around the school? I can lie about the time and basically give you free time.”

She looked away from a random poster and turned to look at you with a bright smile, the ones kids do when they get offered candy. “Will you actually do that for me?”

You giggled at her reaction with a nod, she skipped happily and sat on the bed again. She turned to look at you with a grateful smile and pulled out her phone from her pocket, “thank you, I can’t stand the PE teacher or any of the students.”

You hummed in agreement as you sat there awkwardly. Elisa continued scrolling through her screen, while you were just looking at her. “If the teacher asks you why it took you so long you should say that you were dizzy and almost passed out because it is mandatory for nurses to keep students in their office for a minimum of 20 minutes.”

She looks away from her phone to look at you for a second before returning her eyes back, “yeah thanks.”

You didn’t like how she wasn’t really talking to you, even when you knew she didn't like you at all. For a second, it felt like all the tension that was there in the morning had oozed away, but you soon realized that you had to accept that the discomfort Elisa felt toward you will always be the same. As you thought of a topic to talk with her, there was a knock on the door.

You glanced back at elisa to signal for her to hide her phone, before calling out a ‘come in’.

When the door opened, you saw Elisa visibly grimace and you realized that it's Paul the moment he said your name, “y/n! Or should I say Nurse y/n?”

You turned awkwardly to Elisa with a confused look. Nobody knew you were there other than the office, how did he know? Your minutes of peace were frustratingly disturbed now that other students know. Elisa shrugged to show you she didn't know how he knew, but she didn't want to admit that she did text Katoto about you helping her skip.

“Hey Paul, do you need a bandage?” You fake smiled at him. After the whole prom planning that happened, you really didn't want to be around him.

“What? No, I'm just here so you can write me a note to skip class.” He laughed as he sat at the seat near you, grabbing a note from the desk and giving it to you so you could write him one.

“I'm not allowed to do that Paul, you know that.” You looked at him disappointedly and returned the pack of excused notes back to where they were. Paul groaned in frustration. He glanced at Elisa on the bed and pointed at her, “what about her?”

“Elisa is dizzy and has to stay here for a while.”

“Y/n do you seriously believe that! C'mon, I'm your prom date! She fell and bled a little, that's all. I was there. Look! She can stand and walk normally with it taped.” He cried out, pointing at Elisa's taped shin.

“Calm down weirdo,” Elisa calmly said. She didn't like the way he was yelling at you, and she was slightly worried if you couldn't think of an excuse to tell him about how she was dizzy so she tried to waste time.

In fact, Elisa didn't know why you were doing this in the first place. Taping her shin is understandable, but helping her skip class? Memories of first period hit her, and now she doesn't understand you.

Paul turned to look at Elisa after what she said, “weirdo? Did you just call me that?”

“Paul, stop acting childish!” You groaned. “Elisa got dizzy…when girls are in their…you know what, they can feel dizzy. Especially when they lose even more blood.” You mumbled to him as you pointed at her shin. It may not be the smartest excuse, but Paul doesn't know a single thing about women's bodies and you know he's going to feel weird and awkward when anyone mentions ‘periods’.

Paul looked down in embarrassment after what you said, turning to look back at you. “Um…sorry I forgot you guys get that, I'll just leave.” He talked under his breath, before opening the door and leaving you both alone.

Both of you and Elisa exhaled in sync, before turning to each other with a soft smile.

Elisa looked away from you to the door, “he's a dick.”

You sighed as you relaxed into the seat, “Yeah I don't know what else to do with him,”

You looked at your painted nails, avoiding Elisa's glance. You wanted to speak about this with someone, but you didn't like to put your problems into someone even if it was your best friend. “He didn't even…bother to ask me out properly like the movies.”

Elisa noticed the deep frown on your face. She never expected a day where the both of you are sitting down and talking about boys, but it felt slightly better to know that you're opening up now especially after the two months of ignoring and distancing yourself from her. Maybe you weren't as mean as she made you seem in her head, and she liked this vulnerable side of you. “Well… he's a guy, what did you expect from him?”

You let out a scoff, “it just feels like no guy is good enough. We always put the effort in everything, he couldn't even care about what dress I'll wear or flowers or anything.”

Elisa wanted to make a gay joke, but she still didn't trust you enough to joke that way. And considering the way you behaved around her drawing just a few hours ago, she didn't think it would be a good idea. “You're too pretty and smart for him anyways.”

You looked up to glance at her, but she was looking at her taped up shin. Did she mean it? A deep blush ran through your face, and you let out a soft giggle at the thought of her thinking you deserve better than the most handsome guy of your class.

“Yeah? Like who?” You questioned. Maybe Elisa knows someone she can set you up with for the next prom, or maybe she can help you find the love you always yearned for but the boys are too immature and inappropriate…Or maybe she'd say she's the one for you.

Elisa glimpsed at you and stayed quiet with no response for a few seconds. She shrugged, “none of the guys here for sure. Maybe somewhere else.”

Elisa didn't like the attention you just gave her. You turned a compliment into a questionnaire she can't answer. But who is there to blame but herself, she's the one who said you deserve someone better. Elisa loved the small giggle that came out of you. No matter how much she hated your behavior towards her, she always liked making girls realize guys are trash.

You crossed your hands in front of you as you rested your head on them, looking up to Elisa from your seat. She was deep in thought, and you started wondering if she'd ever date a girl in your school. Would she give her flowers every week? Would she receive flowers?... She's still a girl no matter how different she dresses, and she still deserves them. Would she be a physical person like the students that do PDA? Or would she pretend she doesn't know her girlfriend to not gain attention?

Elisa noticed you staring at her weird, the same glance she'd see Katoto has when she looks at Adam. Her ears turned pink and she pulled out her phone to complain to Marie about the ‘Voldemort guy’ interrupting what could've been your first ever sane conversation.

You were probably thinking about Paul, right? Maybe your ‘dream’ man since the both of you were talking about it.

You realized your thoughts were drifting too much, so you closed your eyes tightly and hoped sleep would come and take you somewhere away from Elisa. You shouldn't be thinking about her that way. And you also shouldn't assume her sexuality, like what that Quora response said…even after what she said about guys.

Elisa had noticed you sleeping, so she concluded that your dreamy stare at her was probably sleepiness making you tired. She sat there and scrolled on her Facebook and Instagram.

When she realized that it had been over an hour of her time in the office, she knew she couldn't use that excuse anymore and needed to focus on the other classes. She stood up and approached you, whispering your name.

When she didn't see you react, she knew she had to touch you. But she didn't know how, childishly afraid of tapping your arm. Your fringe had been covering your face, so Elisa lightly moved them away and placed them behind your ears, hoping you wouldn't feel her touch. Elisa always had short hair and she never wanted to grow it out, but she still loved the feeling of hair in her fingers. Fleur gets frustrated whenever Elisa plays with her hair, and Katoto has braids so Elisa was ‘not allowed’ to touch her hair no matter what (she tried one day and Marie yelled at her).

Your eyes scrunched at the feeling of soft fingers on your forehead, and when you opened your eyes you saw Elisa's horrified eyes. You sat up looking confused, worrying about why she looked like she had seen a ghost. “umm… sorry for touching your hair I tried to wake you up but you didn't wake up from my voice.” Elisa rambled quickly, stepping away from you towards the door.

“Wait,” you groaned out, “You're leaving me?”

Elisa smiled at your confused face, slowly speaking so you could understand, “I spent too much time here already, I can't miss more classes.”

She almost laughed at the way your face contorted, something deep in her is warming up and now her whole body is burning. She knows she needs to leave this room before her thoughts start spiraling, so she gave you a small wave and left the office.

Maybe it was the sleepiness talking, but for once, you finally knew that Elisa is a sweet person… and your heart break from the morning today came back, when you realized that what happened today was only a one time thing.

___

~ yes, the next chapter will be prom

~ fun fact, there are some countries in Europe that do prom nowadays. Maybe not back in the 2010s but this is fanfiction so xx

~ did you guys notice something about Paul's looks? yeah y/n has a type ;)

[independent-fics]

Inde watches “The Tower Job”

Leverage Redemption 1x04

The description warns about recent events affecting the viewers and if I remember correctly when redemption first aired it was right around the Miami(?) apartment collapse. Dang. 

Listen let Harry take initiative on this one okay.

“So she thinks she has taste” I love you Breanna

I love Parker dropping in more

And Breanna just being like I can just have the plans? She wants to steal so bad

Ahhhhh I love Eliot and Parker standing so close. And the klingon I can’t those nerds and the smile Parker has hehehe now Eliot’s grumpy again and she loves it

10 million hurts my brain too Breanna

Eliot’s head shake at her French hahaha I love them

Why is the wife and driver giving affair

“Because my American accent is better than yours” honestly I wanna explore Parker’s language mannerisms (? Idk if that’s the word I’m looking for)

Harry I love your enthusiasm. There isn’t rules just guidelines haha

Also Sophie’s fit is so nice

Parker I too am uncomfortable in business clothes

Idk which pair is having more fun Harry and Sophie being annoying or Eliot and Breanna destroying things

Off brand European tranquilizers goodness gracious

Nooooo Harry not you being in on the first lawsuit

“Your screwups make me look good” once again Breanna I love you

“The man’s trying to make amends I respect that” ugh Eliot my heart

Parker once again on the ceiling I love you. Reminded of Hardison always finding her places with rafters

Oooo Eliot love you suggesting the play of the con

Love Breanna and Harry being newbies supporting each other

The way I screamed with Breanna’s character

I love them all supporting Breanna’s art and then just Eliot’s “WHERE.” I LOVE THEM

Mrs Crawlys “I did a year at college of art” is like my “I did a study abroad” 😭 I’m sorry but I get her

Love Harry and contract law hehehe

“We never say no to parties” I love her and how foreboding that sounded and now I’m thinking about every other party the original leverage team invaded hehehe

Oh goodness not Parker knocking Breanna out hahaha but love Eliot helping her up. I’m only four episodes in but I’m desperate for new team old team bonding

Harry and Parker begging for the safe I love them

Eliot absolutely hating the kissing up he just had to do hahah I love him

THERE IS AN AFFAIR

Not Eliot’s lack of tipping annoyance reminded hahaha

Okay I am loving learning more about Harry and the changes he’s making. I get the doing your job and doing it well because who doesn’t want to do that but then realizing it’s not something that you want to be doing.

“We’re not heroes. We’re just necessary”

“ Sophie Parker Hardison and Nathan ford showed me there was another way” ugh Eliot my beloved but HA PARKER IN THE BOX

Wait I love Parker’s fit

Lil Bucky hehehe

“Wow Harry was a good bad guy” yeah Breanna he was I might be taking notes because I gotta retire one day

“I’ll go find some chopsticks” girl

I am also taking notes from Breanna dang

HARRY KEEP IT TOGETHER

“And you’re not graded on a curve Mrs Casey” dang

Oh gosh nvm as someone who also sometimes experiences vertigo get that remote away from me

I love Sophie narrating this whole thing as a show

Breanna putting on the headphones with that evil smile I love haha

BREANNA YES I TOO AM A CHEERLEADER WHEN ELIOT FIGHTS I love her enthusiasm so much and narrating. Eliot don’t deny it you’re flipping the sticks to show off

As much as I love leverage they do have a couple of iffy episodes where they really cause some trauma like wow I’m rooting for Harry rn

That chute thing would terrify me but I love that Parker is loving it

Love them buying the tower

Gosh the change in Harry from being in the first lawsuit to protecting the victims in the next

“It’s not every day someone gets a little piece of their soul back” ugh this was good