#but we can't deny that she created something that got so big and touched so many hearts it grew BEYOND her

[deadlylittlemiho]

So I'm genuinely concerned

Are we really all gonna just pretend not to like Harry Potter anymore? Because of one terf with a million bad ideas and a superiority complex?

When the fandom has long since denounced her and started making their own fan works and headcanons? The existence of Harriet Porber makes me feel like ???? We don't need to destroy the series just because the creator is a bigoted moron???? Stop me where I'm wrong but I thought the point was to separate art from the artist, and as long as we're not supporting HER, where is the harm?

[koocycle]

hii lira! ive been seeing a lot of wedding tiktoks (maybe a sign for me lol) but instead of actually taking it as one, im gonna tell u how i imagine ow wedding... and you really don't have to read this if you want to cus ...😭

first of all, the dress - since oc is THAT girl, i imagine her with 2 dresses, the main one and one for sort of like an afterparty? anyway i imagine first one obviously as a princess dress, not too huge but not too minimal. and the second one, something more simple - like vivienne westwood bridal dresses. though, with an original touch. i see her as a creative person and she just oozes the energy of someone that's different. (not in a pick me way). that's why she doesn't really "fit in" in the neighborhood - i see her wanting to do something completely original for her special day. so maybe self designed main dress and spicing up her other one. (personally, i rlly love this vw bridal dress, and i'd kill a bitch to wear it at MY WEDDING, https://pin.it/3dG0HSG - though, the original design doesn't include the gloves shown in the picture, so you can think of those as the special added detail.) but tbh, i'm not really sure about the big dress thing since i see her not doing too much, but at the same time, i see her doing everything she has ever imagined doing for her big day and i can tell that girl is a softie inside...no matter how much we deny it

the veil - i see her doing something VERY unique, like maybe sofia richie veil typa thing. maybe covered in pearls or diamonds for that rain droplet effect.

and i see her creating her dream dresses with designers she once worked with, because i bet she's adored in that industry!! so i bet they threw hands over who got to do the honors of working with her for her big day.

jk's outfit - well. i can't really say much cus men are basic... i mean who even looks at them while the bride is right there in all her glory? but i'm pretty sure he looked absolutely DELICIOUS that day. he definitely cried while oc was walking down the aisle and we LOVE him for that.

the guests - i don't think there were too many guests, but enough for the place to be filled with love. oc definitely doesn't seem like the type of person to invite the neighbors of relatives of relatives.

the speeches - OMG JUNGKOOK DEFINITELY CRIED HIS EYES OUT. i strongly believe that both their speeches were so so so cute that they still feel their eyes water when they see the videos of it.

the place - hmmmmm, i feel like it could've been in south korea, or if they wanted a more private one, italy or south of france maybe? and flying all the guests out, but that must've cost a fortune. OR JEJU ISLAND OMG HOW COULD I FORGET?!

but i see them getting married in the place that's really meaningful to them. one that's filled with great memories or the one they've always been talking about and planning on going to. since that hasn't been shown (yet), i cant rlly tell.

the venue - honestly, i haven't really thought about this one. it depends on the place they had their wedding in. but maybe a gorgeous beach view. a LOT of flowers. lots of lights too!

the musician - just because i love her with all my heart, i would hope one of them was none other than miss LEE-HI. especially the song "only". "On tiring nights and busy days, please make room in your heart for me to rest" like hello?? "I'll do better when you promise me we will stay together" i literally cant believe lee hi wrote a song about overwine couple??

idk but that wedding definitely had everyone going wild, had everyone wanting to marry as soon as possible and she ended up on a LOT of wedding inspiration boards.

aaand last but not least, their wedding night. but that's for lira to tell😉

anyways lira bae if u have something different in mind for their wedding, please don't let this distract u from all ur beautiful thoughts, i was just really bored!

oh. my. god.

you just made the rest of my year with this single ask. and now you make me want to write a wedding drabble :( that’s definitely added to the list. oof.

lemme give u my comments on your thoughts :3

so true!! not sure if oc is the type of girl to do “too much”, but she definitely is the type to stand out in a classy and simple way, yet very very outstanding with the way she carries herself in the dress. vivian westwood is so true and oc coded. it’s like you see right through her!! that dress is absolutely beautiful she’d definitely rock it. that dress makes me want to get married.

but also very true when you mention the two different dresses for her big day. i feel like she would get a different dress for the ceremony, something that brings up that princess feel but remains classy, like this (1) or this (2). love the off the shoulders look for her honestly!!

for the rest of the day she’d definitely be wearing something sexy, silky and shiny

the sofia richie veil is spot on. she’d have one that sweeps beautifully over the floors and is three times her size lol

and during the prep of their big day, stylists, decorators and designers were probably standing in fucking line to offer her all sorts of dresses, pieces and decor.

men are very boring when it comes to attire, but jungkook would eat that shit up!! he wouldn’t go with any black, grey or blue suits to live up to the standard, but instead i imagine him in a true, soft beige with a very muted corsage. imagine him in that!! we all know he shed a tear or two while she was walking down the aisle. imagine that cute little scrunch of his nose that makes wrinkles at his eye appear to laugh off the fact that he was getting teary!! especially after he tried to convince all his relatives he would not (!) cry

THEY WERE BAWLING! oh my good it was a mess and babies didn’t even try to hide it. their speeches were probably so personal and cute and a total mess!! got all their guests on a rollercoaster lmao

they’d most likely invited tons of guests but chose a more private location to celebrate at france/italy, or jeju island seem like great guesses! definitely somewhere secluded with mountains, calm sounds of the waters and a beautiful scenery to look out on. some place fairy tale worthy.

only is so wedding coded. so over wine coded. imagine them hiring a singer to sing for them while she walks up the aisle ?!? or jungkook even singing her that song later on the day

I SEARCHED UP AN AI VERSION AND HE’D DEFINITELY SING HER THIS SONG. JK WOULD.

oc definitely ended up having two full spreads in some vogue or bazaar magazine :3 no one can tell me otherwise

wedding drabble. do i do it ?!? wedding night included 😋

[softersinned-arc]

The concept of home is a strange one. The apartments in Stockholm and Reykjavic, where she learned to walk and speak and dance and sing, were always temporary and never hers. The house in Venice, where she learned to unravel a spell and create something new with what was left behind, came close; the vineyard in Friuli, where she felt her ancestors guide her, came closer. London, where she learned to endure, was her tomb. Dublin, where she began to heal, could have been home in time, but it's hard to remember the peace she felt there when she's been cast out with only her troubles. And that farmhouse in New York, with its uneven floors and strange rooms, windows that fly open and doors that lock at the lightest touch, it's home, though it's missing something. Maybe what it's missing is this. Him.

Astoria takes the offered hoodie and she pulls it on quickly, quietly, watching him as he considers. Is it surprise that she asked that gives him pause, or is he trying to find a way to let her down easy? It's too soon, she knows, and she knew before she asked, but she has never been in the habit of denying herself the things she wants most. And what she wants most is this hoodie left on her furniture all the time and her favorite coffee mugs perpetually dirty because he got to them first and those boots by the door and that smell of pine hanging on her sheets and—

—and he's smiling, now, moving closer to her, kissing her, and she forgets that she was responsible for two deaths today, and that they're here to face something that seems too big and too terrifying for her to face alone, and that until that shower his blood had stained her hands. The dire predictions and warnings vanish from her mind (not that she put much stock in them anyway; she has always believed that they make their own fate). The hoodie is much too big for her, sleeves falling over her hands and slipping down over one shoulder to hang awkwardly at her elbow, but she barely notices, only stands on her toes and winds her arms around him.

No doubt home is even more complicated for him. It's something else they can learn to navigate together, along with everything else. She's smiling too widely, too brightly to properly kiss him, but it doesn't stop her from trying; she only laughs quietly against his lips, forgetting her headache and her hunger and the cold, too. It'll be just right, for as long as they can stay there, a quiet place for the both of them to land, and when the time comes that they need to move on, she'll pack up and do just that. She thinks home might just be easy to find.

"You'll love it there. It's beautiful. Peaceful. And the cats will be obsessed with you. There's nowhere like New York when the leaves start changing and the winters are cold but the snow makes it worth it. Fair warning," she adds, and she presses a kiss to the corner of his jaw. "I fully intend to arm you with an ax so you can chop firewood while I objectify you. And if you don't have flannels I'm going to have a great time finding you at least one." They'll get a good sound system, something better than the bluetooth speaker she keeps in the shower or the speakers on her laptop, so he can enjoy his music. She'll stock the cabinets with the coffee he prefers. For people with so much time—and magic will give her more time, she knows this even if she isn't sure exactly how much—they're moving almost too quickly, but she can't pretend to regret it.

The cold and hunger hit her at once, and she shivers as her stomach lets out a truly impressive growl; Astoria lets out a quiet laugh, reluctant to release him all the same, and turns her attention to the food on the cart. The covered platter could easily feed four; she doubts there will be much left when she's finished. Between the healing and disposing of the bodies she's running on empty. "I love this place," she says with a contented sigh. "We really should come back at some point just to enjoy it." As if she doesn't enjoy her work. A bit of careful maneuvering has the cart lined up against the foot of the bed, and she doesn't bother with a separate plate. The massive Tiroler omelette is first, and she all but inhales it before she speaks again.

"For what it's worth—I don't think time will be a problem." She speaks slowly, carefully, measuring each word before she speaks it. "At the risk of sounding arrogant—and contrary to what it might seem, given how wiped out I am—the kind of power I have means I'm probably looking at well over a century before I'll start showing signs of aging. And that's if I don't learn anything new, but I have been looking into it." Her words come faster now, spurred on by excitement. "When you asked me about the magic that goes into immortality, the answer came out of research, not guesswork. It's why I got exiled in the first place." Did she tell him about the exile? She flushes, gestures vaguely with her fork before stabbing the last piece of the omelette with it. "We can come back to that in a minute. The short version is that it'll be a while before I'm allowed in Ireland again. Anyway. Point is—"

She stops only long enough to pour herself a cup of coffee, and she drops a near obscene amount of sugar and cream into it. "Point is that just because it hasn't been figured out yet doesn't mean it can't be figured out. And in general, älskling, I am difficult to kill." She smiles again, shows too many teeth. "The frightened villagers have already come to my door with torches and pitchforks. It didn't take. They didn't try again. Ooh, I think I remember what this one's called, hold on—Kaiserschmarrn?"

Her German needs work, but she'll learn the names of the foods. She digs in to that next, already comforted by having eaten. "I'm so sorry for everything you've lost. That kind of grief is unspeakable, and the fact that you've suffered it so many times is desperately unfair. I promise you, I'm glad I know, and knowing means that I get to care about you. All of you. And I may not be as durable as you are but I'm not fragile, love. I won't break. I can't tell you not to worry, and I wouldn't tell you not to grieve, but if you're alive, you deserve to really live. So long as you'll have me, I'll be a part of that."

      as ridiculous arthur thinks interior design has become, one of his absolute favorite things of the modern era is the bathroom.  specifically, all the different ways he can get clean.  the gentle rain in this one reminds him of being outdoors where those damp days tended to be one of his favorite, precisely for the reason of feeling water slide down his body.  being clean has been ridiculously hard until very recently.  granted, there’d been varied ways of smelling better.  that had always been a practice one way or another.  but nothing - nothing - could beat the feeling of stepping out of the shower.  fresh body, fresh mind.  funny enough, his mother preached something similar when he was a boy.  only that was an attempt to deter him from playing in the mud.

                   never worked.

     when astoria asks what else she could possibly need now that he was alive, his lips parted.  for the umpteenth time since meeting her his mind drifts back to his wife, their relationship, and what had become of it.  this never happened with michel, which makes the blonde wonder if he’d been as in love as he thought or if he’d been wrapped up in the romance.  either way, he looks down at his fingers.  there’s still stubborn bits of dried blood stuck under the nails.  he distracts himself with that for the several off seconds minutes? it takes to be satisfied with their cleanliness.  truth was, he could think of a number of things she’d need either now or later.  answers, possibly.  emotional availability almost certainly.  physical availability, he assumes.  not feeling like she was an afterthought to his determination to fight the world.

     he’d always wondered, since that initial transgression, if he’d forgotten how to interact with someone else on a romantic level.  did he understand - truly understand - what it was to be a partner to just one person?  not a whole kingdom of people and certainly not a group.  but could arthur be what one person needed?  that he couldn’t come up with an immediate answer was terrifying.  

     guinevere aside, arthur hadn’t had to take care of someone else in centuries.  for all intents and purposes, he’d been alone about ninety percent of his immortality.  time with the guard hardly counted.  well, it counted in more of a familial sense and he didn’t have to take care of them beyond combat.  they watched each other’s backs, listened to each other’s stories but by in large they all dealt with life in very different ways.  booker called him when something looked like a possibility for a job.  again, not exactly anything relating to a relationship.

     “ i’d…, “ arthur’s head tilts back and forth in thought.  the bar of soap is set down on a tiny corner shelf behind him so he doesn't have to push astoria out of the water again.  a number of thoughts hit him at once, all of which seemed the sort of thing to say in order to explain himself.  except, since they hit him all at once he was also having a hard time sorting though it.  his face scrunched as a result.  eyebrows pinched together and fingers started to look like they were holding an invisible basketball, only to clench down on it.  “ the oldest of us, let’s call her andy because it’s shorter, disappeared for about twenty years.  come to find out she’d found someone and they’d settled down… “  now that he was saying it out loud it sounded very similar to what happened with he and michel, only on a much longer timeframe.

     “ her lover was killed in a mob because they didn’t trust andy.  she hadn’t aged. “   then she murdered the whole town but astoria didn’t need to know that.  “ my only attempt at a relationship after guinevere was a dancer back in the 1700s.  we were together five years before he was killed.  the youngest of us, we call him booker, “  arthur couldn’t help the sigh that was also partially a chuckle.  “ he was stupid enough to try staying around his family.  thirty years?  forty years?  after his first death.  they came to hate him because they were suffering and he couldn’t figure out how to share his immortality. “   none of which were his stories to tell but he was trying to circle it back to a point.  

     “ the second i realized i care deeply for you my first instinct was to tell you because it feels like lying that i don’t.  but then i thought about those terrible experiences and i tried to formulate the words.  how are you supposed to explain ‘ i can’t die…until i can ‘ with no explanation to how or why because i don’t have that information.  in over a millenia you’d think i could answer at least one question but… “  the blonde shrugs while also ignoring the urge to throw his hands in the air.  “ nothing good seems to come from people knowing, “ arthur whispers.  after he’s said it he hopes it gets drowned out by the water.

     once they’re out arthur heads straight for the door.  the towel he attempted to keep tied around his waist for the sake of decency falls to the floor as soon as he bends to move the chair from in front of their hotel for.  so, he bundles it up and sets it on the cushion.  they’re supposed to be newlyweds anyway.  no one should be surprised to see his bare ass.  as a bonus, no one’s in the hallway when he peeks out.  he brings in a tray full of food and no one sees him do it.  that has him smiling ear to ear.

     the tray gets set on the table and arthur’s only managed to pull on a pair of basketball shorts on before the question for a piece of clothes hits him.  barely a step later comes the invitation for new york.  it takes makes him stumble a step on the way to his duffle.  instead of answering quickly he lets that sink in.  none of this was going how he expected.  hell, he was still waiting for the death to sink in and for her to throw him out.  

     arthur digs deep down into his bag and pulls out a plain black hoodie.  looking down, his thumb traces over the cotton several times before it’s folded over and extended for astoria to take.  his speech from the shower is still bouncing around in his head.  bad things seemed to happen to the people they got close to.  but the no gets stuck on the tip of his tongue.  maybe because that’s not the honest answer. what he wants is to scream a resounding yes, please.  hopefully that shows in the way he smiles.  “ cats? “  his lips are on hers before he can stop himself.  gentle and featherlight.  another lands at the corner and another on the tip of her nose.  “ why can say no to cats?  of course i’d do it. “

[everythingimagines]

The untouchable girl // Eddie Munson

Summary: Could Dustin possibly help Eddie with his hopeless crush?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x female reader

Warnings: swearing?

A/N: back again obsessed over Eddie Munson, disclaimer I'm still not a native English speaker so please be nice about my grammar. I also hate to re-read what I wrote so if something is not understandable sorry.

Y/N Y/L/N wasn't an ordinary student at Hawkins High. She in fact created one of the biggest dramas the school has ever seen while being the daughter of the principal.

In her freshman year, Y/N became a cheerleader and seemed to have a perfect life. She was beautiful, smart, popular and of course like almost every cheerleader she had a basketball player boyfriend.

Her makeup and outfit were always perfect and the way she walked in the halls, it was like a breath of fresh air. Until that one day at the end of May.

After the Hawkins Tigers had another massive win in the season of course they went to celebrate. Y/N had to miss out on the party, her mother insisted that she had to be home for a big family dinner because of some relatives she didn't even remember. She had been taught to be a good girl and had no intention to go against her mother for a stupid party. Maybe she should have.

The next day in school was a living hell, everyone was talking about how her boyfriend fucked her best friend at the party and even though they both tried to deny it to her, the hickies on their necks weren't lying. What happened next was something that shook the entire school. Y/N slapped both of them and tried to rip out Tiffany's hair. She got suspended, kicked out of the cheerleader team and we don't even want to get started on how mad her mother was.

And that was when Y/N decided that she didn't want to be the picture-perfect golden kid anymore. Her grades did not drop, but her style changed completely. Not just in clothing and makeup. She was still kind (mostly), but cared less about people's opinions and wasn't scared to stand up for herself or someone she loved.

That's how she somehow became friends with the Hellfire Club. Some dumbass basketball players were bothering Mike Wheeler and Dustin Henderson after school, all Y/N knew was that they were freshmen and complete nerds. Which is not a good combo.

"Look man why can't you just leave us alone, we literally did nothing to you." - begged Dustin.

"Yeah, Chris, why can't you just leave them alone?" - joined in Y/N.

"Oh look, who it is. The one and only Y/N Y/L/N, cheerleader to a little noisy bitch." - laughed Chris until Y/N went and punched him right in the face. But more importantly right in front of Eddie Munson.

"Woah, Woah, Woah what is going on here Henderson?"

"Chris was bullying us and Y/N hit him."

"Y/N? The principal's daughter saved your asses?"

"Is that so unbelievable Munson?" - Y/N joined their conversation.

"You standing up against another basketball dickhead? No, but judging by your shoes your high heels weren't made for fighting."

"Well, you shouldn't judge a girl by her shoes, Munson. But from as much as I know about you, you probably don't have much experience with any girl." Y/N walked past him, shoulders touching.

As Y/N was rolling her eyes, Eddie felt himself falling for her. He had a crush on her since the first time he saw her but this new Y/N is even better.

"Dude, you have a weird look on your face."

"Shut up, Henderson."

Eddie in fact did not had much sleep that night. He was way too focused on how could he ask Y/N out when ever since Andrew broke her heart no one could ever get close to her. Anyone who asked her out had been brutally rejected. Eddie did not wanted to go through that so he created his "evil plan". From what she did, Eddie suspected that maybe she has some sympathy towards Henderson and Wheeler which is good because he's friends with them. The plan was easy, Henderson somehow needs to befriend her, and then maybe if Dustin talks enough on his behalf Y/N would slowly start to like him and will say yes if he asks her out. After all, she has to have a heart somewhere under that wall she created.

"Eddie, with all respect you have no chance with her and this plan will never work."

"Henderson, with zero respect, I don't give a shit please just try it."

"Alright, I will because we're friends but don't have high hopes."

At lunch break after a lot of teasing from Eddie, Dustin approached Y/N.

"Heeey, Y/N!"

"Hi, um..."

"Oh right, my name is Dustin Henderson. You can call me Dustin. I-I didn't have the chance to thank you for saving us from Chris."

"It's honestly nothing that you need to thank for Dustin. I don't like seniors bugging freshmen it's pretty annoying and unfair."

"Yes, but still, you were the only one who stopped."

"People can be cruel when it's not their problem. Do you want to sit down?" Y/N was alone at her table at the moment, her best friend Jessica was absent for the day. After a quick glance at Eddie - who looked pretty nervous - Dustin sat down to eat with her.

"Sooo Dustin... Why exactly did Munson send you here?" - asked Y/N while casually looking down at her food while Dustin choked on his own.

"Wha-what are you talking about?"

"Oh please, when I was 6 I was at the beach with my older sister and her friends, that was the first time we were alone without parents and she immediately made me ask a boy out for her. Cut the bullshit Dustin, I like you don't make me mad."

"Agh Y/N, he's gonna kill me, I promise I told him it was bullshit and it won't work. He has a crush on you but he has no idea how to ask you out because he's afraid that you will reject him."

"Ohohoho so the big Eddie Munson is afraid of me rejecting him?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Well, this should be fun" - chuckled Y/N as she stood up and started walking towards the Hellfire Club's table while Dustin was muttering 'shit, shit, shit" in the background.

"Munson can we talk in private?" - Eddie was shocked to say at least when Y/N popped that question.

"You know I really don't appreciate you sending that child to make me soft so maybe I'll date you" - Eddie acted dumb for some time but had to give in.

"Okay, I'll admit it wasn't my brightest idea but I was up all night thinking about how I could get close to you without you pushing me away."

"You did what? Eddie Munson the guy who gives the least fuck about anything in the world was up all night thinking how could he ask me out?"

"Well, get ready Y/L/N because I'm about to spill a lot of my secrets. Do you remember when you said I have no experience with girls? You were right, but do you want to know the reason why? The reason is that I had feelings for you since the first time you walked into this goddamn school, I kinda wished that you will be close to me somehow even though I knew that I couldn't have you. You had to go and date that dickhead because that's what cheerleaders do, date basketball players. It was breaking my heart when he cheated on you, I wanted to make him regret what he did to you but we haven't even spoken a word Y/N. I thought that it will go away, it's just a stupid crush but it's been three fucking years and you just became more and more wonderful. I try to act like a tough guy but on the inside, I'm really not. After all this shit I just spit out I'm really embarrassed so please either tell me how I can win you over or reject me nicely so I can try to move on with my life."

It was probably the first time Y/N was speechless ever since the cheating scandal, it was also the first time when her heart fluttered again with love for a boy. Not trusting herself with words this time, Y/N decided to embrace Eddie in a massive hug. He needed a few seconds until he realized what was going on but then hugged her back just as strongly. After a while, Eddie felt a drop of tear on his neck coming from Y/N.

"Hey, are you alright?" - he asked softly.

"Please don't give up on me." - Y/N answered still sniffling into his neck.

"I would never princess."

That was the start of the beautiful relationship between Y/N Y/L/N and Eddie Munson. From that day, Eddie picked Y/N up every single morning, brought her flowers every Monday (from God knows where), and did everything in his powers to win her over even if we were talking about bringing her chocolate when she was on her period or just simply being her island when everything went wrong. Eventually, with her help, he finally graduated in 1986 and left the good old Hawkins behind to start their new life. Let's just say, Eddie did not regret waiting three whole years to be with her. The sight of her cooking breakfast in his Hellfire Club shirt while their daughter sat on her waist made every single moment worth it.

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

top 5-10 bleach character designs? :3

Ask me for my Top 5/Top 10 of anything!

Sorry this one is a little late anon!

If nothing else, doing this list made me appreciate how well Kubo designs his characters in terms of showing their personalities and the core of who they are, it's always been one of his strengths as an artist. As with other lists, this is purely personal preference where I'm ranking my favourite character designs, not necessarily the 'best' designs.

Honourable mentions: Rangiku Matsumoto, Yoruichi ShihoinByakuya Kuchiki, Bazz B, Jugram, Jackei Tristan, Barragan (original form), Tsukishima, Kukaku Shiba, Uryu Ishida (FB arc only), Tobiume, Shunsui Kyoraku, Ulquiorra Cifer, and Coyote Stark (Ressurecion).

10. Soi Fon

I'm not a big Soi Fon fan, but I can't deny her character design is fantastic; she often stands out because of it and makes her presence known. I love her first look, the cloth-wrapped braids were so cool and the yellow sash was a nice touch. I'm not a fan of her look after the Full Bringer arc, but her asymmetrical haircut in chapter 686 is pretty neat. I also love the shape of her eyes, they suit her character really well and are different from most of the other characters' eyes. On a side note, in terms of design, she has one of the coolest and most unique looking Shikai too.

9. Shuhei Hisagi

Say what you want about Hisagi - whether it's about the '69' tattoo or that he's a discount, hair colour swapped Ichigo - he stands out. He's got a lot going on in his design: the aforementioned '69' tattoo, the other tattoo going across his nose and cheek, the scars over his eyes, the literally explosive choker and arm bands, and the sleeveless Shihakuso. I love all of it, and it's what drew me to him in the first place. What kind of guy is this? I wondered the first time. He looks cool! And just based one how many fans this guy had before the Fake Karakura Town arc came out, if Kubo's goal was to make you instantly like or at least be intrigued by this guy based on his design, [then for me] he succeeded with flying colours!

8. As Nodt

The moment I saw As Nodt for the first time, I was immediately intrigued by his design; he looked like something out a black metal concert (heck, I could see him being the mascot for a black metal band). His design adds to his powers, I legit flinched when I saw him without his mask the first time and still get a little creeped out by his Vollstandig for when I go back and read his fight against Rukia. His volume cover remains one of my favourites, he just looks so looming and intimidating.

7. Vasto Lorde Ichigo

The form so cool they create a whole move based around it, and who could blame them if that was the case! Just look at this design! It's the perfect fusion of Hollow and Shinigami, showing the lengths Ichigo (and Zangetsu) went to come back from the dead. Sometimes when I watch the anime adaption of this form, I'll have to pause for one reason or another, but when I come back, I'm always taken aback whenever I pause on a frame of the Vasto Lorde form because it looks both so cool and so intimidating.

6. Retsu Unohana

I'm starting to think I have a thing for intimidating and/or dark haired characters. Unohana's design is deceptive as heck. She looks like what you'd expect the head of a healing division to be: kind, soft, and dignified. Her front braid is the best part of her design (and I may or may have not tried to copy it with my own hair when I was younger); it conveys a softness to her, but you also can't help but wonder why she has this braid at the front. At one point she has her hair tied back but we don't see her up close except for her face. It got me wondering if the braid was hiding something, and it would turn out years later I was right. When she undid the braid for her fight against Kenpachi, she just completely transformed and suddenly the intimidating energy she conveyed took on a form (but then I think her iconic face in that chapter also helped).

5. Kenpachi Zaraki

You know exactly what you're getting when you first see Kenny (or at least, I did). From the scars to the eyepatch to his tall, bulky frame to his hair (whether it's his spiky bell hair or his grown out hair) his look matches his personality perfectly; Kubo could not have designed a better character with a personality like Kenpachi's. You're just waiting for him to either throw the eyepatch off or grin maniacally or both and the fight instantly gets all the better for it. I like both his first look and his second one, but if I could only pick one, I'd do with the former - it's the hair, I just thought it was awesome!

4. Hyourinmaru

Hyourinmaru is lucky enough have not one but two awesome character designs. He looks awesome as a dragon, particularly after Toshiro regains his bankai during the TYBW arc (that shot of him appearing behind Hollowifed Toshiro will never not be cool). As for humanoid form, for me it's one of the best Zanpakuto spirit designs Kubo did for this arc. He looks other-worldly ancient (like he's been around since the dawn of the Shinigami), and also like a guardian, watching over and protecting his master. It's also a creative design, with the sash as a tail and the ends of his limbs being clawed and made of ice. Somehow the 'X' on his face works to bring everything together; I've seen edits online where people removed the X and he just looks so weird without it.

3. Momo Hinamori

She has one of the most plain designs in all of the series, why is she up so high on the list? Well, in a series where unnatural eye and hair colours are the norm, spiky hairstyles are in, and some people just seem to be trying to one up each other having the most distinctive (and at times daring) looking uniforms, sometimes it's refreshing to see a character who just looks ordinary. In short, sometimes I just want a little bit of simplicity. For me it conveys that her priority isn't in her appearance, that she's not interesting in looks, whether it's her own or other people's (that isn't to say that other characters who care about their appearance are judging other's based on it, see Rangiku for example...I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into this, wouldn't be the first time!). Ironically though, Hinamori is one of the more complicated characters, so the most simple thing about her ends up being her design; but for me, that's kind of the point, it added a layer of relatability to her.

In all of her designs, the most flash thing about her is whatever she does with her hair. In her first design she has the hair cloth, which in the manga is either white or a pale grey, and in the anime happens to be the same colour as her division colour, which I think is a neat touch showing her dedication to her position and maintaining the Fifth Division. Her next hair style is short with a hair clip. Was she trying to match Shinji? Was there a discount on hair cutting for shorter hair at the time (aka Rukia, Yachiru, and Shinji all getting their hair cut shorter as well)? I kid of course. I've headcanoned that it's a sign of her moving on from the past, cutting her hair short enough that she can't put it back in a bun (for now). I must admit her second look too some getting used to, but it grew on me and I came to really like it. Her latest look, though, has got be my favourite. The bun is back but this time's more elaborate with a hair piece that's got the Fifth Division's flower insignia on it (perhaos showing her commitment to her division again) I love how intricate this new look is, t retains the usual simplicity but now has a bit of flair in it. If we really are getting a new manga arc, I hope Momo keeps this look! There's probably a way to read deeper into how Momo's character design changes represent her arc/journey across the series, but I won't dive into that rabbit hole here.

2. Toshiro Hitsugaya (FB and TYBW arcs)

My bias is really starting to show now! XD He's one of my favourites, mostly for his character journey and relationships he has with other characters, but a small part does have to do with his design. First up, it's not exactly an original idea to have the character who wields ice powers to have white hair and some shade of for the eyes. It's a colour scheme I've always liked, and Hitsugaya definitely fits into this description, but there are a few things that are different - like his eyes being more green than blue.

Now don't get me wrong, his first appearance is great, I always felt the look was showing he was trying to fit into an adult's world, that he's the head of a division and he wants you to take him seriously. However, when I think of him, the first images to come up nowadays are his appearances from the FB arc onwards. I remember the first time I saw his new hairdo I went, 'Wait, is that his old hairstyle?' Turns out no, it's more like a fusion of both his hairstyles. And in a weird way, I couldn't help but see it as a reflection of his growth. We see in one of the omakes in the volume 53 that Hitsugaya says what's different about him is that he's taller, and later on in the TYBW arc he's making jokes about his height. I took the change in appearance to show that while he still wants to be respected and not be seen as a child, he's a bit more relaxed about it now, that there are more important things to worry or get angry about. I also like his latest appearance, which is basically the same but without the scarf and with slightly shorter hair...gotta admit though, I miss the scarf.

1. Renji Abarai

So a fun fact about me: before I was a major Momo or Toshiro fan, Renji was my favourite character. Don't get me wrong though, he's still one my favourite characters in the series (probably in my top 5), it's just Momo and Toshiro ended up taking first place when I became invested in them. Anyhow, Renji made a strong first impression when I first saw him, and that's largely due to his character design. Up until then the most unrealistic hair colour was Ichigo's. Then in comes Renji with his pineapple-shaped red hair, tattoos for eyebrows, and oversized goggles. To say he left an impression on me would be an understatement.

I've always liked Renji's first look, from pineapple red hair to the white bandana. But for me, his best look was after he came down from Zero Division. The furs, the armguards, the zebra-pattern bandana, and the goggles (he finally, FINALLY, has a pair of goggles again!), it all just works on him! He looks awesome, like he's about to go out, kick ass, and look good while doing it. He's no longer the stray dog barking at the moon, he's a king. Must admit, I was kind of sad that he ditched some of his accessories along the way to the Soul Palace, but he looked awesome.

And that's the thing with Renji, for me, all of his designs are awesome - I've even come around to the braid, which I initially didn't like. Every single design ties in with Zanpakuto spirit and abilities, his background, and his general character so well.

Finally, his tattoos are awesome, I don't care what anyone else says (seriously, Bazz-B and him should have been bros...I mourn for what could have been); I seriously wonder how Kubo can sit down and draw him because of all those tattoos, but he's a richer character for it.

Thanks for sending this one in!

[lipstickstainz]

true lies - s. r. (11/15)

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Series Summary: Spencer is furious, when you rejoin the team after a year and after you left him, when he got arrested. Little does he know, that you leaving him was the only option to ever get him out of prison.

Chapter Summary: you know what's coming - the truth.

Warnings: angst, minor violence

Word Count: 2k

A/N: i listened to my favorite saddest songs while writing. be prepared. thanks for your kind feedback! gif not mine.

Series Masterlist

previous part

JJ snaps you out of your thoughts. There's an expression on her face that you can't find the words for. "Y/N? What does she mean?"

You have to swallow. Your throat is tight and you can barely breathe, so you cling to her to keep from sinking to the floor. You can't take your eyes off the two in the interrogation room.

"What deal?" Spencer sits up straighter than he already does. His whole body is tense.

Cat shakes her head. "I thought you weren't here to talk about her or you."

When Spencer slaps the table with his palm, she doesn't even flinch. You do, the harder, and JJ's hands clench into fists. But you only notice this out of the corner of your eye. "What deal, Cat?" His tone is harsh, leaving no room for Cat's games.

She sighs. "Maybe you should ask her yourself. After all, she did come here with you, didn't she? I don't think she'd skip this dance." Cat looks past Spencer to the one-way mirror, straight through it, as if she knows you'd be standing right there. Her grin is crooked and ugly. "Come on, Y/N. You should know I don't bite. Not without notice, anyway."

You feel JJ's gaze on you as you enter the interrogation room without a word. You close the door behind you and out of the corner of your eye you notice Spencer looking at you. But your gaze is fixed straight on Cat. You stop right at the door.

"It's good to see you again, Y/N."

You don't have to be a mind reader to know what's going on in Spencer's head. It's practically written all over his face. Again?

"Hi, Cat," you reply curtly. You feel like shooting her.

"I always knew you lived dangerously. But I didn't think you were stupid. Yet you were the smartest one on your team. No offense, Spencie." She says it like she's bored out of her mind, not like the whole situation could completely escalate in the next second. Spencer tries not to let on, but you can read the confusion on his face. "I guess I was wrong about that."

"What are you talking about?" you ask, involuntarily taking a step forward. Cat takes it as a sign to keep talking.

"I know you killed my partner in crime. Must have been quite a mess, I'm told. Shot right through the head. Kudos, Y/N. I knew you were smart, but you're also badass. Who would have thought." She raises her hand and inspects her filthy and chewed fingernails. Her gaze drifts to you without her moving her head. She looks at you through her eyelashes, which makes her look crazy. "Quite a pity about him. But he was really just my accomplice's boyfriend. So, not worth mentioning."

Accomplice? Boyfriend?

It only takes a brief moment for everything to come together in your head. Apparently, all emotion falls from your face, because Cat looks extremely pleased. "You didn't play by the rules, Y/N. And now someone else has to pay for it."

In three steps, you've crossed the room and pulled Cat from her chair. Before Spencer can stop you, you push her full force against the nearest wall, causing a gasp to escape her mouth. You press your forearm against her throat and she lets out a hoarse laugh. Her gaze mirrors yours. Fierce and unyielding. The pressure on her throat intensifies and she has to cough.

You feel big hands on your shoulders, yanking you back so that you stagger and bump into the table. For a brief moment, you want to fight back as you leap forward again to put a stop to Cat once and for all, but Spencer extends his arm to allow some distance between you. You don't look at him. Out of anger and out of shame, because this isn't you.

"What's going on here?", he finally asks when you've pulled yourself together a bit and he's sure you won't kill her the next chance you get. "What's she talking about, Y/N?"

Cat's look is challenging and you know full well she's not going to say anything. She's dropped the bomb and now it's up to you to make sure the explosion isn't too devastating. You look at Spencer and tears form in the corners of your eyes. There's no way to get around it. And he better hear it from you than from some crazy psychopath. You owe him that much.

"When you were arrested", you begin, hoping your voice doesn't sound as brittle as it does, "it was clear to me from the start that Scratch couldn't be responsible. When you were taken to Millburn Correctional Facility instead of protective custody, it should have been obvious to the others. It was no accident that they sent you there. It was too personal." You can barely look at him, which is why you stare at the floor. "It couldn't have been Scratch, but there was no one else who had a score to settle with you." Your gaze shifts to Cat, "Except for her.

I had no proof, nothing. But I was one hundred percent sure she had something to do with it. So I talked to Emily. She gave me the day off, and I came here." You suppress the urge to knead your hands, so you shove them into your pants pockets. Your gaze wanders back to the floor, though you'd like to look at Spencer. You want to know what's going on inside him, but you don't dare. "Cat denied having anything to do with it at first, but I didn't believe her. And then she made a deal."

"And that included?" asks Spencer. You have to swallow.

"She would get you out of jail, after all, she put you in there too. I knew you wouldn't make it through jail. And not because you were too weak, but because I knew there were some people there who wouldn't bat an eye to hurt a FBI agent like you. And I couldn't stand that, so I went for it." With each word, your voice grows quieter, though you try to sound as determined as possible. But the pain weighs you down and takes away your breath. You remember the visit then, and what it had cost you.

"And what did she want in return?" Spencer's eyes glisten as if tears have formed in them. He blinks once, and the shine disappears. "What the hell did she want, Y/N?"

You can't stop the tears streaming down your cheeks Your heart is beating fast, like it's about to jump out of your chest. You take a deep breath and brace yourself for what follows. "She - she wanted me to leave you. Cat knew that prison could never hurt you the way I would if I abandoned you. If I left, with no explanation and no goodbye."

Spencer's shoulders sink and his muscles are no longer stretched to breaking point. You don't dare look at him, so you stare at Cat, whose grin has actually widened. Psychopathic sadist.

"Actually, Y/N was never supposed to come back either", she continues the explanation, but Spencer continues to look at you. "That was the deal. You weren't supposed to tell anyone about this and never come back, but you didn't stick to that. You thought if you killed the guy and I continued to be in here, you could go back home and get on with your life." Her grin disappears and suddenly she looks incredibly bitter. "Very reckless, if you ask me. My birdie knows you're back home, and as a warning, she left you a trail of dead married men. Apparently you got the message, after all, you're here. That they are dead is all your fault, Y/N. Because you couldn't stay away from your beloved Spencer." She looks from you to Spencer. "It's tragic, isn't it? She loves you so much that she took on all that pain just so you could get out of jail. How incredibly selfless of her. And I'm pretty sure you weren't exactly kind to her when she returned, were you, Spencie?"

Spencer and you can't look at each other, so heavy is the pain on your shoulders. All the anger, despair, and confusion that had spread through you since you saw each other again gives way to an all-consuming feeling of pressure that you can't shake. The only thing that can give you both some comfort is the clarity that has been created. Spencer now knows what really went on, and you no longer have to keep secrets from him. But the matter is far from over.

You look to Cat, but can't find the words. She's won.

You leave the interrogation room without looking at Spencer or saying another word. What could you have possibly said? JJ looks at you with widened eyes as you rush past her. She has her cell phone to her ear, probably talking to Emily, but calls after you, but you don't stop. The air in the building is stuffy and you feel like you're choking on it. Your heart is racing and you feel sick. You just want to get out.

"Y/N." Spencer's voice forces you to stop. You stop so jerkily that you almost fall. When you turn to face him, he's standing right in front of you. His gaze is hard. He opens his mouth, but he doesn't know exactly what to say either.

"I can't, Spencer", you beat him to it. You want to turn and keep walking, but his hand curls around your arm. At the touch, you're struck by lightning.

"Don't you think we should talk about this?"

You should. Definitely. "She had the men killed because I returned", you whisper. "She killed them because I couldn't take it anymore. Because I wanted to be with you. It's all my fault, Spencer. And I'll take the consequences for that."

"So you're just going to leave? Without explanation and without goodbye?"

You don't want to leave, quite the opposite. You would love to throw yourself into his arms, kiss him and never let go. You want to tell him you love him, but you can't. "I can't stay, Spencer. If I did, she would kill more people. I can't be responsible for that. I'm sorry."

You turn away from him, but as you take a step forward, Spencer pulls you back, making you slam against his chest. Your hands settle on the soft fabric of his shirt as his settle on your cheeks, forcing you to look at him. His expression has changed. There is deep sadness in his eyes and he tries to blink away the tears that have formed in the corners of his eyes, but they fall down his cheekbones. All at once, he looks so young. "Promise me you'll come back? Back to me?" One of his hands clasps both of yours, still resting on his chest. He holds them tightly, afraid of losing you again.

You smile weakly at him and tears come to your eyes too. Your smile is honest, but sad. "I will always come back to you."

- tags -

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[kingsuckjin]

Ungodly Beast 2

⸸ Pairing: Devil! Jungkook x reader, Priest! Namjoon x reader

⸸ Rated: M (18+)

⸸ Genre: smut, horror, fluff?, angst?

⸸ Synopsis: You’d rather go to hell yourself than let the devil take your baby, even if he helped create him… even if your little boy is beginning to sprout horns.

⸸ Warnings: (may contain spoilers) death, kidnapping, kind of depression and some heavy feels, satanic symbolism, voyeurism, blowjob, fingering, unprotected sex (please wrap your ding dong before playing ping pong), more sinful shit, male masturbation, dom-ish reader, strangulation (like also not in a sexy way), dom! Jungkook, spit kink, the most dirty talk you've ever seen, fisting, fingering, dick size kink, daddy kink, degradation, impreg kink, pain kink, devil kook still looks wild, spanking, branding, choking, hair pulling, biting and scratching, blood play/blood eating, tattoo kink, really rough sex, a very jealous Jungkook, more death/murder, a very brief mention of drugs, fluffy sex, gore, a fight scene, it's just graphic and awful.

⸸ Words: 15k

⸸ Note: I’d link the first part in this fic here, but tumblr has been doing this cute little thing where if you insert a link in something then the fic won’t show up in the tags. So I very sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but you’ll have to go through my masterlist to find part 1. Also, an anon told me that this fic goes really well with the album Too Weird to Live too Rare to die by panic at the disco, specifically the song Far too young to die, so if you're looking for something to listen too while reading this, then that would be perfect.

"What have you done?"

Those were your mother's first words after telling her you were pregnant. You had no idea how she knew, perhaps it was the worried, troubled, tired look on your face that that told her. Maybe she just sensed it, sensed the seed of half evil already taken root and growing inside of you.

You stayed silent, confirming an unspoken conclusion between you. She clutched at the rosary around her neck as her shocked, open mouth quivered and glossy tears pooled in her eyes.

"You didn't…" She whispered, "please tell me you didn't." 

Out of shame, you still didn't speak.

"How did you know?" You finally decided to ask.

"I've dealt with him before, I know the way his terrible presence feels, and now I feel it with you. I almost can't stand it." Her words both stung and made you have an unsettling feeling that crawled up your spine. Was it simply the baby she had felt? Had he marked you somehow and now it was you making her feel like this? Or was he with you? Silently watching and waiting.

"What did you give for the child?" Your mother was nearly in sobs now.

"He didn't tell me at first-" you began to try to defend yourself but your mother cut you off.

"He never does. What was it?" 

"He's taking him…" you felt the prick of tears sting your eyes now too. You had to cover your mouth quite suddenly to keep a sob from escaping. It hurt to think about, to talk about. You were afraid. "...when he turns five."

She took your hands between hers and looked you in the eyes.

"We will do everything we can, I promise. We will fight."

You nodded and attempted to blink away the tears.

"Pray with me. We can pray. God will help us, I know it." 

You nodded again as she gripped your hands firmly in hers reassuringly. She let her head fall slightly and closed her eyes prompting you to do the same.

As she started with her prayer, you began to feel a ringing in your head, the sound grew and grew until it was piercing, drowning out her words. A tsunami of nausea overtook your body so powerful you jumped up from your seat at your mother's kitchen table, knocking the chair back as you ran for the bathroom in a dizzy haze.

"Ah, they should call it all day sickness instead of morning sickness." Your mom had committed, seeming to brush it off, but you knew in your heart and deep in your soul that something was very, very wrong here.

From the moment you first saw him, you were in love. His big doe eyes, his chubby little cheeks, his soft little hands, and feet. Although he had no horns or black eyes, you tried hard not to see his father in him, which was difficult sometimes.

The worst memories for you were taking him to get baptized as a newborn. He had screamed from the moment you had entered the church and nothing you could do would calm him.

The moment the blessed holy water touched his skin, you watched as it seemed to burn and blister his infant skin in just seconds. You went out to your car in the church parking lot, 

calmed him the best you could before strapping him into his car seat, and you cried.

You cried because while he seemed to be a normal little baby, your son, the baby you feed with your own body, sing to, bathe, and love, you were occasionally reminded of what he was and that you might only have him for a very short time.

He still whimpered in the back seat just as you did in the front. Guilt and sadness and fear prompted you to get out of the car and into the back seat where you unfastened him as his pout only worsted your feelings. You took his small body in your arms and held him to your chest. Your nose snuggled into his mess of fluffy dark hair.

"I love you. No ones ever going to take you away from me. I don't care what you are, you're my son more than anything." You let your tears fall onto his head.

That wasn't the scariest thing you had been through though. The worst was the nightmares.

The first was just under a month after he had been born. You had sat up in your bed covered in sweat, the house felt like an oven. Your heart was beating hard even before you had heard it coming through the baby monitor.

Singing.

It sounded high and angelic along with the happy coos of your son. As your groggy mess faded with the race of your heart you also realized it was in a language you not just couldn't understand, but had never heard anything like it before.

It took no time at all for you to practically leap from your bed, and dash from your room and down the hall to your son's room.

As you pushed his door open you saw him. You felt like your heart was beating in your throat now as you saw him with his back to you holding your son, bathed in only the moonlight that the sheer curtains of the nursery let in.

The singing had turned to a soft hum. You realized how wrong you were upon pinning his voice like an angel. You saw the horns sprouting from his wavy hair that dangled as he looked down at the baby in his arms.

You wanted to scream, you wanted to fight, you wanted to do anything to save your baby and keep him from being taken away from you. He was a newborn, it wasn't even time.

You couldn't do anything though, and you didn't know why.

Horrifyingly you found yourself yet again drawn to him, in awe at his presence.

"You can't…" you managed to choke out.

"I will." He didn't turn as he spoke to you. After he spoke, you woke up.

You couldn't sleep very long for months after that nightmare. 

There was no denying by age two and a half that he looked more like his father. There was also no denying the little bumps you found while brushing his shaggy hair that sat on the top of his head under his skin. Most mothers would be concerned, wonder if their child had gotten hurt, and bumped their head a few times. But you just sat there frozen, feeling the bumps. You knew what they were, they were his father's claim to him, they were forming horns.

"Mommy okay?" Your son noticed your strange and oddly still demeanor as the hairbrush dropped from your hands onto the bathroom tile where you sat. 

That's when it hit you the hardest. Your baby was halfway there. Halfway gone. All you had done so far was helplessly try to deny the fact that he was coming for him. He would take your little boy and drag him to hell if you didn't do something to fight this, find some way, something, someone to help you.

"Mommy?" your son had turned around and was now reaching for your cheeks to smush with his hands like you often did him. His face read of concern and question. Your heart melted at his little gesture. You took in his sweet little face again, his little two front teeth poked out just a little. You couldn't help but squish his face gently right back.

"Mommy's okay." You tried to reassure him the best you could, and it seemed to work. Lucky for you toddlers were sweetly gullible.

The moment you got free time you sent a text to your mom telling her you'd be dropping her grandson off at her house tomorrow, you didn't wait for a reply as you already knew she would jump at any chance to see her grandson whenever she could.

You then made a very important series of phone calls.

"Thank you, thank you so much for meeting with me today on such short notice father-" 

"Father Namjoon or just Namjoon is fine." He interrupted. "And don't mention it, I'm here to help. You mentioned problems with your child?"

You took a deep breath and let your face finally show the worry you felt, your bouncing foot on the floor let out your anxiety. You sat there in his office at this tiny church. Worried he would throw you out the moment you told him the truth about what was going on.

Father Namjoon sat across the big worn wooden desk from you and waited patiently for you to further explain. Behind him on the wall was a massive cross along with pictures with him and maybe members of the church pinned to the wall.

" I'm afraid I didn't tell you everything over the phone because… well, every priest I've called said I was crazy and hung up on me after I told them." You admitted and watched as his body language changed with his growing attention.

"But father Namjoon, I swear on my son's life that what I'm about to tell you is the truth. My son is no trouble, but his father is. See, I would've brought my son in today, but he gets these… headaches and nosebleeds in churches." 

You watched his reaction carefully, he curiously tilted his head.

"Go on…" he urged.

"Because his father… is… the devil."

Namjoon gave you a nod of understanding that was far too casual for the words you said.

"I have proof." You defended before he could even think to refute your claim.

"I believe you." 

"What?" You asked thinking maybe you were only hearing what you wanted to.

"Listen," he leaned forward so that his arms rested on his desk. "He's real. I know he's real. The nervousness in your voice and you say you have proof… you seem perfectly sane to me. When can I meet with your son? Would your home be alright?"

"What are you doing right now? He's with my mother right now."

"Let's go." He said with sureness and no thinking time behind it.

He followed your car to your mother's home. You watched as he got out of his car and just stood there in the driveway, staring at the home.

"Something wrong father?" You asked as he brought forth the cross around his neck and clutched it tightly.

"I can feel him."

"My son? My mom says the same thing about him. We just assume he carries the same feeling as-"

"Not your son, the devil. He's here." 

Your heart began to race at the thought of encountering him again. Maybe you had gotten in over your head by asking a priest to see him, but you had to do something.

"Your cross." You stopped father Namjoon as he started to walk towards the door. "I'm sorry but you can't have it near him. My mother had to take down all of hers when he was born." 

His eyes seemed to shift around nervously before finally taking off his cross and putting it in his car.

"No worries." He gave you a reassuring smile. 

You expected more upon entering the house, not just for your son to casually be sitting there watching tv.

You and your mother had exchanged silent, nervous glances upon her letting you in and seeing the priest.

"Hey buddy, someone wants to talk to you." You knelt down and told your son but he seemed to ignore you.

Your mom turned off the tv, but it didn't seem to affect him.

"Touch his head." You whispered to Namjoon.

He stepped forward and crouched on the floor.

"Hey, little guy! What kind of show were you watching?" He placed his hand on your son's head to pat it but quickly retracted it.

"Don't touch me." your son spoke clearly and firmly. His speech was nothing like his normal, broken toddler way of talking.

You looked at Namjoon who still looked shocked by something, it had to be the growing horns.

"Daddy said don't touch me." Your son spoke again perfectly as if he were a few years older.

Daddy said

"Oh my go-" you couldn't help but let out at his words. Had his father been around this whole time? Just watching him… and you?

"I won't touch you, I promise. Could you turn around for me?"

Your son did as he was asked and faced the priest, looking up at him with wide, almost terrified eyes.

“Can I show him your back?” you asked knowing he would let you touch him before he would a priest. Your son nodded but seemed confused. 

You lifted the side of his shirt and showed Namjoon the mark spread along the ribs. The upside-down thick, black cross.

“Quite a birthmark you have there.” Namjoon joked with the boy.

“His father has the same one."

Namjoon stood to his feet which prompted you to do the same.

"Can we talk?" His eyes flickered towards the front door.

"Yeah of course." 

"Possibly off the property?" He added and you gave him a nod.

“I'll be back” you assured your mother as you left with the priest.

He led you to his car before asking if you wanted to get a coffee and told you he needed it after what he had just seen and felt. You understood and agreed.

He continued to apologize on the short drive there, but again you understood his need to process this.

It wasn't until after you both had gotten your drinks and sat down in a quiet corner of the shop that he began to talk openly.

“I’m still not sure what to think of all this, but I know you're not lying. He looks like him. My…” he let out a sigh as he played with a pink packet of sugar. “My grandmother had a run-in with him once, never said why or how, but she described him and the way his presence felt. I just don’t think it's your child making me feel that way. I really need to ask what happened between you and...his...father.”

“I-um..I…” you too took a deep breath and decided to explain everything as detailed as you could from summoning him, to only having a few years left with your son. You felt ashamed as you explained to this priest how you had slept with the devil.

Namjoon didn't seem to judge you though, as a matter of fact, he looked sympathetic. He seemed so sweet, kind, and understanding.

“I’m not sure what I can do here,” he told you and reached across the table to place his hand on yours “but I promise to do the best I can. I will do what I can to help protect your family and son.”

You felt the honesty and sincerity in his words, it felt so comforting to you.

“It’s going to be hard, I can just tell he doesn't want me there. I don't know if it’s because I’m a man or because I’m a priest. Let me ask you a rather personal question, have you dated at all since your son was born?”

“No.” you shook your head “I don’t want anyone getting attached to my son because I just don't know what's going to happen. Also, I’m afraid…he might do something. I just… I don't want to put anyone else into this that doesn't need to be.” that part hurt you too, you just felt so lonely on top of it all. “I've had no one to turn to with all of this except my mother.”

“Well, you have me now, okay? You don't have to feel alone anymore. We can solve this together.”

Namjoon had come up with a plan to meet with your son every other day, and at the end of the week, he would meet with only you and talk over the progress, if he had made any at all.

Just a few months in, there was a difference. It seemed his method of slowly introducing god and holy objects such as crosses were beginning to work, he no longer got headaches and nosebleeds around them, and his horns while still little bumps under his skin, they had stopped growing. That also happened to be the month your mother got very very sick. No matter how many times Namjoon came and prayed over her, she still continued to just slip away until she was gone.

And now you had no one but Namjoon.

The day after she passed away was the hardest. Your son was still too small to fully grasp the concept of death, but he still cried about his grandmother never getting to play with him again.

You had waited until you had put him to bed and he had fallen asleep to pour yourself a glass of wine and just cry.

Nothing could distract you from the pain, from the heavy misery, not even the pouring rain and house shaking thunder.

You had turned off all of the lights, the only thing that would occasionally light the room was the lightning.

You felt so alone, more alone than you've felt in your life. You tried hard to sense him, but he just didn't seem there. The one time you felt so desperate and alone, his presence didn't loom over you. 

“I hate you,” you spoke out loud. “If you can hear me I hate you. I hate that you've done this to me, I hate that you took her from me and your son. Are you really watching over your son or do you just love to see me suffer? Do you love to see me alone? Huh?” anger coursed through you as you talked to the walls “Answer me!” you yelled a little too loudly and worried that you would wake your son up so you decided to be quiet.

The desperation and loneliness felt like it was suffocating you, you had to do something.

You felt pathetic calling him up this late, but once you heard his voice you already felt better.

“Hey, how are you hanging in there?” 

“Not good Namjoon.” you sniffled “I-I just feel so alone, so in over my head. All the things my mom has done for me I just…” you did your best to hold back tears.

“Do you want me there? Is it alright if I come over so you don't have to feel alone?”

“Please?” Your plea was squeaky and weak.

“I’ll leave right now okay? It's just important to remember that you're not alone. God is with you.”

“Thank you. I don't know what I would have done this past few months without you.”

“Please, don't mention it.”

You don't know how it got here. You had only had a half a glass of wine in total, and a two-hour deep conversation and now you had pulled him into your room and you were ripping off each other’s clothes as if they were tainted.

“Fuck me” you tossed your shirt to the floor and pressed your lips back to his with ferocity. He sharply exhaled through his nose at how turned on he was by your demand, although you could feel it through his underwear. 

“You sure?” he mumbled into your lips. You let out a hum into his before sinking to your knees.

“Fuck.” he muttered, mesmerized as you pulled his underwear, letting it fall at his feet and letting his cock loose.

You let little time pass between the moment you saw his cock and putting it into your mouth. You were hungry for touch, for affection, for sex, for companionship, and you were sure to show that in the form of his dick in your throat. It was as if somehow you hoped it could fill that strange void that had existed in you for far too long.

He thrust in tandem with your head bobbing while letting out groans and sharp breaths of pleasure that just told you that it had been a while for him too. 

Thunder rolled in your dark room as you suppressed a gag and let your spit dribble down your chin. You were dripping with need at just the thought of sex.

As a brief flash of lightning lit the room, you swore you saw him in the chair in the corner of the room, legs crossed, watching you.

Could it have just been your imagination playing tricks on you? Could you have been just thinking about him? Was it what you wanted to see?

You closed your eyes as you took Namjoon deeper into your throat, letting the tip of your nose connect with his thin patch of pubes.

His hands tangled in the back of your hair.

"Can- can we have sex? Please? This feels too good to take this anymore." 

You took him from your mouth and got into the bed on all fours. He took a moment to take your body and pose in for a moment, but once his brain seemed to function again he got behind you on the bed.

His fingers ran down the skin of your back almost making you shiver.

He yanked your underwear down around your thighs and ran his fingers along your soaking folds.

"No teasing, fuck me."

You heard an almost inaudible moan behind you before feeling his tip at your entrance.

The feeling of him slowly sinking into you, filling you, felt so nice after so long.

"Be rough with me."

"O-okay." He stammered and grabbed the back of your hair to pull on as he began slamming into you.

The skin of his thighs slapped at the meat of your ass over and over, but it somehow just wasn't enough.

"Harder, call me names." 

"I won't- I can't call you names." He panted his refusal.

Thank god he was behind you so he couldn't see you rolling your eyes.

"Stop stop, stop." 

His hips quit moving at once.

"Lay on your back." You had had enough and wanted to take this into your own hands.

One he pulled out and played down you straddled his hips, reaching down to guide his cock into your entrance before sinking down on it.

The moment you slowly moved your hips with him buried inside of you he began to moan. You picked up his hands and placed them on your breasts.

"What do you think, father?" Your voice dripped with seduction as you clenched around him.

"You're so- oh god- so beautiful." 

"Wrong answer." You stilled your hips making him scramble for the right words.

"Your pussy is so wet… just for me." 

"All for you." You began to move your hips again with the answer that satisfied you. Possibly to make sure they didn't stop again his hands drifted down to your hips to move them faster on his own. You couldn't help the loud moan that slipped out of your mouth at him taking control just a little.

"You take my dick so well." 

"Fuck fuck." You chanted, moving your hips faster, feeling so close to losing it. You couldn't lie, the thought of him being a priest was really about to get you off right now.

"Such a bad girl." He murmured. Maybe he felt the same.

"Does it feel good being in the same cunt as the devil has been?" You teased.

You swore you heard a very short, unamused chuckle from somewhere in the room. 

"Fuck yes, fuck I'm so close." He aggressively moved your hips now, his fingers digging into your flesh and finally making you cum.

"Up up" 

You got off of him fast and watched ad his hand went around his cock to give it a few short jerks. His thick cum spurted from the tip. Coating his hand and shaft.

"I'll get you something to clean that up with." You climbed off of him as he quickly nodded.

"Darliiiiing" 

You felt a hand on your thigh that woke you from your sleep.

"Wake up, I need you." Your face contorted in confusion at Namjoon's words.

"Too tired." You muttered into your pillow.

"But I'm so hard for you." His deep voice whispered in your ear sending tingles through your body.

"All I can think about is your wet little cunt of yours. I'll do whatever you want me to darling." His hand ghosted up your back until it came around and reached your neck where he left it

"Mmm." You hummed in satisfaction as you rotted your ass into his once again hard dick.

"You like that? Hm?" His voice was so thick and rough with sleep. "What if I squeezed just a little?" His fingers tightened slightly around your throat.

You were more than ready now for round two, it seemed he had found some courage between when you fucked earlier and now.

"Who does your pussy belong to, darling?" 

"You." You whispered mixed with a moan. You needed him back inside of you so badly that you ached for it.

"You lying whore." His grip on your throat tightened, so much that it became almost impossible to breathe.

You struggled against his grip and tried to pry his hand from your throat.

"Your body and cunt belongs to the devil. Evil courses through your blood." You could hear the hate in his voice through his gritted teeth.

You tried to kick at him, hit him, but you could feel the tightness in your face and brain from lack of blood flow and oxygen.

"Stop, please." You attempted to choke out as your vision grew hazy.

"You belong in hell too." 

You thrashed until there was no more pressure on your throat, your hands and feet collided with nothing.

You sat up in your bed covered in sweat. You were alone and once again your room was as hot as the pits of hell themselves.

You picked up your phone from the nightstand, almost blinding yourself with the light from it as you checked the time. 

Namjoon had left hours ago. He had left upon your request.

"What the fuck." You sighed as you flopped back into your bed.

As you laid there the weight of reality seemed to feel heavier and heavier on your chest, crushing.

Your mother was dead, you had fucked a priest, the devil wouldn't leave you alone, and you had very little time before your son was gone forever.

Your bedroom felt too large, too spacious for your lonely body just as all of your problems did. Would you end up sucked into it all? Eaten alive? Was there any point in fighting at all?

You swallowed down the lump in your throat but it was no use. You couldn't stop the tears that filled your eyes and leaked into your hairline as you stared up at your ceiling.

"Please" your word brought forth your sobs in the empty room "make it stop. I'll do anything but give up my son, just make it stop."

You couldn't help it, for weeks after your dream you felt weird around Namjoon. The rational part of your brain knew he wouldn't hurt you, although you still denied any little advances he made. It did fade, and once he took you out to dinner and you let him put his hand on your knee, but he was careful not to overstep boundaries.

You thought about calling him one night as you laid there sleepless in your bed. You don’t know how you had gotten so turned on but your body felt so hot with need.

You tried to just roll over and go to bed, but your sensitive clit throbbed along with your heartbeat as if begging you to touch it. Sny motion you made at all only made things worse until you gave in.

You pulled up your oversized sleep shirt and shoved a hand down your panties. You paused a moment as you realized that it wasn't just getting off you needed, but contact with someone.

You went to reach for your phone on the nightstand, but your hand didn't even meet it before you froze.

"Don't." It was a command.

Your eyes flashed to him sitting in the chair in the corner of the room, just like you thought you had seen him a month ago with Namjoon.

You quickly pulled your hand from your underwear and sat up with your mouth agape.

"Did you miss me, darling?" His horns tilted as his head did.

"Get out of my fucking house and leave me and my son alone!" You growled, clutching your shorts angrily in your fists.

"Why? So you can fuck that priest again?" He held up his index finger, slightly shaking it making a tsk-ing sound. 

"Why does it matter to you what I do?" Your voice was stone cold.

He narrowed his eyes at you and leaned forward in the chair with a smirk. You couldn't stop yourself from thinking how regal and utterly beautiful he looked. He looked far more casual this time in a black t-shirt and jeans, but nonetheless majestic and powerful.

"You must've forgotten. That's alright, I wouldn't mind reminding you. I'm not here for our son, don't worry, not just yet."

"Then let's talk about that." 

"Talk?" He gave a little smile "we can talk. Come here." 

Although you wanted to, almost needed to, you stayed in your bed.

"Then feel free to keep going… unless you want some help."

"Tell me why you're here." You demanded.

"I'm here to save you. You called me."

"I didn't." You argued.

He beckoned you over once more as he stood from the chair. You got out of bed this time and stepped closer.

"You've done nothing but try to get my attention for months. Don't argue, you know I'm right. I can hear it again, that delicate little heart of yours fluttering when you see me." He reached a hand out for you, you took it, it was just so warm in yours. You let him pull you in until your back faced his chest with his hands on your sides.

"You called me, see?" You closed your eyes as he whispered to you, your bodies swayed together in a nonexistent song. It felt as though he was pulling you deeper into a trance, and you let yourself go.

"Does that heartbeat for me? Do you live for me? Do you want me?" You felt his nose graze your neck, the hot air from his worst trailing behind it. You had dreams of this moment for years. His whispers, his touch, the way he made you feel drunk and hypnotized you, the way he made you feel whole.

"Yes." You couldn't lie, everything but the truth had melted away, you couldn't feel or speak much else. You were weak for him, weaker than you remembered.

"Then are you mine?"

"Yes." You answered once more.

"I'll talk to you my love, about whatever your heart desires. First, tell me what it is you want from me." He whispered as you felt him grip the hem of your sleep shirt at your thighs. His hands brushed your skin. You continued to sway with him, eyes closed, worried that if you opened your eyes that this would all be a dream, worried that if you looked at him you'd fall deeper.

You didn't want to say it, you didn't want to admit you wanted him right now. He had done so much to you. Your internal struggle was hard, you wanted him desperately, yet he had done so much to you and your family. Even your closed eyes couldn't hold back the tears that escaped.

"Why did you take her?" A single son escaped but you shut it down, you refused to show all of your weakness.

To your surprise, he gently shushed you.

"Darling, I didn't take her. Her soul was never mine to take. I don't decide who lives and dies, it was just her time."

You were stunned, why was he comforting you? Why did it feel so good?

"Please don't take our son, he's alI have now, he-"

"I've thought about so many things. We can talk later, no tricks, no lies. You don't need to worry. Just let them all fall away and tell me what you want."

You bit your lip as you felt his cock begin to twitch beside you.

"You already know I want you." Your voice was a soft, weak whisper.

"Yes, but do you want me to hold and comfort you? You've been struggling so much with that. Perhaps you want my cock buried so deep inside of you that it hurts. Or maybe you just want me to pump that belly full of a second baby." 

His hand slid into your panties as you let out a gasp of excitement. Every nerve in your body felt hypersensitive, so when he slid his finger over your slit you cried out for him.

"All of it. Please, I want it all." 

"What a greedy, needy little bitch. Did that boring god loving freak not satisfy you?" He teased as his finger dipped into your folds and teased at your clit.

"N-no." You stammered.

"You didn't look like you were having much fun, not until you saw me at least." He seemed so amused by it. "I'm a little mad you let him poorly use you like that" he seemed to growl making slight fear go down your spine. "Who fucks you better? Who has a bigger dick?" His finger circling your clit picked up speed with the ferocity of his words.

"You." Your breath was already short.

"Tonight, prove to me that you're mine, that you're devoted, that you'll do whatever it takes for me, And I'll show you I'm yours." 

This wasn't happening, you couldn't believe the words he had just softly said into your neck. Your disbelief was cut off by your quickly approaching orgasm. You let out a whine as your knees turned to rubber, you would've fallen had he not have been holding you tightly against him.

"That's it darling, let me have you, let go for me." Your orgasm exploded through you like a bomb and all you could do was whine.

"Such a good girl." He still held you tightly and placed light kisses on your neck and collarbone as he took his tattooed hand from the front of your panties.

You let out a small shriek when he picked you up and carefully set you on the bed. He could've broken you in half right then and there, if he wanted to.

"On all fours, ass facing me." 

You hurried into position for him, and for a while, you felt nothing until you felt the fiery sting of a slap along a cheek.

You sucked in a breath.

"What's the matter baby, can't take it for me?"

He was so wrong, you loved it.

"I'll take whatever you give me." Your words were followed by the pleasure of another slap.

"Fuck it." He muttered and suddenly you were dragged by your legs onto his lap where he positioned you over it.

"Take anything for me, huh? We'll see about that." The slaps kept coming until your ass felt raw. You arched your ass up for him as you let out a needy whine.

"You're so fucking wet, it's everywhere. Do you want me to touch you? Is that what you're whining for?" 

You let out another whine.

"Say it."

"Please touch me. I want you to touch me." 

"I'll give you what you want." You knew that tone he used, it was the tone of having something else planned.

His fingers immediately sunk into your core.

"You're wetter than I thought, I could slide whatever I wanted into you so effortlessly." 

You could hear the sounds of his coated fingers working you too.

"Whatever you want." You replied hoping it was his cock, but you knew better at this point.

"My love, I'm going to absolutely fucking ruin you."

You went to reply but suddenly felt the slight stretch and sting of more fingers entering you.

"Ahhhh." You let out but backed up further onto his hand, still wanting more.

"What a good little whore, look at you riding my hand and taking it all for me." 

You loved the pain, and he gave it to you like no one else could. You were already ruined for anyone else, but he didn't know that.

His hand felt so deep inside of you that you swear you could feel it in your stomach.

"Harder." You begged,  and he obliged.

"You like me filling you like this, slut? I'm going to stretch your pussy so well for my big cock."

You continued to rock backward in tandem with his movements, it didn't take long at all until you were almost there, panting and gripping the sheets.

He stopped and slowly pulled his hand from your cunt, leaving you feeling more hollowed out than a pumpkin.

You left his lap and looked at him just in time to see his shirt come off. His body was just as beautiful as you remembered it, something of pure art and fantasy combined. Tattooed, muscular, and smooth you just wanted to lick every single inch of him, you had to.

You climbed back into his lap and pushed him back while you leaned forward and placed your lips to the very warm flesh of his collarbone. Your lips made their way down slowly to his nipples and enveloped one in your mouth.

"Ah." A sound of surprise and pleasure came from him, and you loved it, you loved that you could make him feel that way, you wanted more.

You took your mouth from his chest and crawled backward until you sat between his legs.

You undid his pants and pushed his underwear down along with him. You had almost forgotten just how massive his cock was. It was veiny and the tip was a blushed shade of pink that made your mouth water.

You spit in both your hands and wrapped them both around his shaft.

You slid your spit slicked hands over his leaking head before slowly bringing then down to the base.

"Faster darling. Don't play with me." He threatened with a grunt. You did as he asked and even added your mouth.

His hands tangled tightly in your hair at once.

It was hard to take him even halfway into your mouth without you gagging around his size and thickness filling your throat.

As you sucked his dick, you stared at the three black sixes on his lower stomach and watched as they moved as his muscles flexed.

"What I wouldn't give to cum down your throat right now."

You moaned around his cock at the desperation and lust in his voice.

"So fucking good for me. You suck my cock so well with your little whore mouth." He gripped your hair tighter but still not enough to hurt.

Him lying there, moaning and groaning as you pleased him made you all the more impossibly wet, you could feel it as you squeezed your thighs together.

"Please come here." He asked as he released your hair and sat up.

As you let his cock leave your mouth and too sat up only for him to lift and drag you onto his lap once again. He reached down and guided his cock into your entrance.

As you lowered yourself onto him he made a noise that should've stopped your heart.

It was a moan and a sigh all at once, he combined that with dropping his head onto your shoulder. The fullness and warmth of his cock inside of you, every little move he made, he was all just too much. How could you survive something like this a second time, especially with being this close to him.

He didn't move even an inch for a moment, not until he lifted his head off of your body and peered at you with those inky black eyes through his just as inky dark hair.

His net movements were fast, rough, and hard. He grabbed your hair from behind, forcing your head as far back as it could go without breaking anything. Your chest was arched towards him and he used it to his advantage by taking a nipple into his mouth as he bucked his hips into you quickly. All you could do was grip his shoulders for dear life as he fucked into you, fingernails sinking deeper and deeper into his muscular flesh the closer he pushed you to your high.

You felt the little sharp sting of him pinching your nipple between his teeth. You couldn't help but fall completely apart as you moaned out the filthiest curse words that you could.

Once he let your hair go and you could properly look at him, you saw beads of dark liquid forming on his shoulders. Your nails and grip had drawn blood, real human blood.

All you could do was stare. He bled just like you, he was vulnerable just like you, just like anyone else.

"Hm?" He caught your staring but seemed confused.

"I-I hurt you. I'm sorry." You furrowed your eyebrows with guilt.

He laughed, it was a real laugh, not a teasing one, not an unamused snort. His nose crinkled and his more prominent two front teeth were made more visible.

"It didn't hurt, I didn't even know you did it." He tried to get a look at the little droplets himself before wiping one away with his finger to show there was no mark left, he had somehow healed.

Each fleeting glimpse of his humanity vanished as soon as you spotted it.

His dick was beginning to soften inside of you despite him not getting off yet.

"Did you want to kiss it and make it better for me?" His voice was seductively playful and you couldn't tell if he was joking or not until he brought his blood-smeared fingertips to your lips.

You looked him in the eyes as you took them into your mouth and sucked them clean. He looked satisfied and you could feel his dick twitch back to life inside of you, showing you how much he liked that. Without a second thought, you attached your mouth to his shoulder and began to lick and cuck at the blood droplets where the wounds once were. The moment reminded you of when you were a child and they told you that wine was the blood of Christ, except this was so much better. You wanted to show him you were willing to take him in any way possible, to submit to every desire he had.

He pushed his now hard cock as far as it would go into you.

"I want to do something to you." He whispered as he continued to slowly thrust.

"Do it." Your reply was fast.

"It's going to hurt you." He added.

"Do it."

“I will. For now, shut up and bounce on my cock, slut.” his tattooed hand grabbed throat “ and you better fucking ride it harder and faster than you did that stupid Jesus loving freak.” his face read of disgust.

“Yes daddy,” you replied trying to hide the smirk at the satisfaction on his face from you calling him that.

He dropped his hand from your neck and you began to move your hips as he laid back. You would normally start slow, but you let him have it. Everything about him was incomparable to anyone you’ve ever slept with.

“Fuck, like that baby.” His hair was messy, his eyes were squeezed shut and his tattoo that looked like a snake that wrapped around his torso almost looked like it was slithering. 

“You like that daddy? I took every inch of your big cock just for you.” you loved the power over him that he was letting you have and you were going to make sure you got to enjoy it.

His hand shot to your hip and he squeezed.

“I swear If you fucking make me cum right now you’ll fucking pay for it,” he grunted obviously trying to hold back seeing as his hand was digging into your skin as if it was the last lifeline between him and losing it.

“Don’t you want to cum in my pussy daddy? Fill it full of cum and watch it drip out of me?” you continued to tease him and bring him even closer as you jackhammered up and down on his rock hard dick.

“Fuck, this is your last damn warning bitch.” his jaw was clenched, but it was too late, you were already falling apart on top of him, once again saying the dirtiest shit you could as he shuttered under you, barely hanging on as he watched you cum.

You paused, breathing heavily for a moment of rest, but it didn't last long. He was pulling out of you and throwing you face down on the bed, holding your hands by the wrists behind your back.

“I fucking told you, didn’t I?” 

“Sorry, dadd-”

“Did I say you could speak bitch?”

He wasn’t even inside you anymore but you’re empty walls clenched as you let out a small moan onto the bed sheets.

“Now let’s see just how fucking much you’re willing to take. Be good for me darling.”

You were scared but excited at the same time, the adrenaline that coursed through your veins was nothing like you’ve ever felt before.

“Yes daddy.”

“Don’t fucking move.”

You listened and stayed completely still.

You felt his hand cover the back of your neck. It got warmer and warmer until it felt searingly hot, it was burning your skin. You bit down on your lip so hard it had to have left a bruise just to keep from screaming. There was no way of stopping the whimpers that came from you in the few seconds that his hand was on your skin.

“There,” he said and sounded as though he was admiring his work before releasing your body and letting you sit up. By the time you sat up though, the pain was entirely gone as if it had never even happened.

“It’s the mark, to match.” you knew he meant that he had just branded you with an upside-down cross to match his and your son’s. You were too busy noticing the wetness on your cheeks and wondering where they had come from to concentrate on this strange sentimental moment.

You felt something warm roll down your cheek and lifted a hand to wipe away what you now realized were tears, but he gently grabbed your wrist.

With his other hand went to your chin and guided your head to face him.

You were met face to face with him, his dark eyes peering into yours and also assessing your wet cheeks.

Both hands now went to your cheeks and his thumbs wiped over the wet mess on your skin. 

He was trying to dry your tears.

“I’m sorry I hurt you.” his voice was quiet. It was a glimmer of sincerity, a splinter of sweetness.

“I didn’t even feel it.” you joked but he didn’t buy it or laugh, instead he just continued to stare into your eyes with both hands on your face.

He leaned in so slowly, head tilting slightly and his lips met yours so gently. Your eyes closed and pressed your lips harder into his.

It was a sweet kiss but it held the strength and intensity of being punched in the stomach.

Your hands came up to roam the back of his shaggy, dark hair but your mind was elsewhere.

You imagined him as an average man, your son as a normal little boy, you imagined a family. Cuddling on the couch, touching him whenever you pleased, your son being able to play with his father, your life with him would never grow dull. However, your daydreams were dashed as your hand accidentally met with a horn. 

What was wrong with you? You knew these things were stupid and unattainable, he was unattainable. Although you had known this fact from the start, here you were sleeping with him again. He fucked you over so hard, he was pure evil and you knew it, but yet here you were falling for him even harder. To be fair though, was there a soul living or dead that could resist him, that ever has been able to?

You pulled away, his hands left your face.

He looked at you with wide eyes, he looked almost shocked, scared. There was some kind of very deep feeling moment between the both of you, some kind of wordless exchange of revelations. 

A million things you wanted to say to him flooded your mind at this moment. There were so many things you wanted answers to ”Do you know how miserable I was? Do you know what it felt like waiting for you in fear the entire time? Do you know how much I hate not being able to hate you? Do you know how bad it hurts me seeing your face in my son’s? Do you know how badly you ruined my entire adult life? Do you know how hurtfully perfect you look? Do you know how lucky and cursed I feel all at once? Do you feel any weight for the things you've done to me and my family?” but you were too scared this moment would end, that he would never come back, that he would take your son and leave. You wanted to cry, but you pushed the entire internal war out of your mind, you boxed it all away just to not ruin this moment.

During your thoughts and your stares at one another, his face had softened and his eyebrows furrowed.

“Y/n” you realized that it was the first time he had ever spoken your name out loud, and as beautiful as it had sounded coming from his lips, you didn't want to hear it spoken so guilt filled. “I’m so sor-”

"Are you going to make me cum again or not?" You broke the silence, and he seemed thrown off for a moment. You didn't know what he was apologizing for, but you didn't want to know. Not only did you want to shut this sad moment down just to have the fun back, but something inside of you hurt to hear and see him like this.

An expression you were familiar with him having flickered onto his face, a smirk. It relieved you and set the fire in your body back alight.

He tackled you with his hands wrapped around you. You were flesh to flesh, his lips moving to the space above your breasts, sucking hard before moving onto another are.

“Dont fuck anyone else.” it wasn't sharp like his normal demands, it was almost as if he was asking you not to without making it into a real question.

You almost snorted as he continued making an army of marks that continued to trail lower and lower.

You almost snorted sarcastically.

“Then who the Hell am I supposed to fuck?”

“Me, fuck me.”

You did sarcastically laugh at this one. 

“Don't laugh at me.” he said defensively before sucking a new place by your belly button.

“What? Every few years you’ll swing by and I just have to wait until then?”

“No. Are you even enjoying this anymore or have you now set your focus on calling me out?” he looked up at you with an arched brow.

“Calling you out seems more fun right now.” you were only half joking, all of that hurt hfrom earlier was now festering back up to the surface upon hearing his stupid lies.

“I told you I’d talk, and I will. Trust me.” he sat up and looked down at you.

“I’ve trusted you before and that was shitty.” you argued.

“Then why the fuck are you fucking me now? Why the fuck are you letting me mark you? Why the fuck are you telling me you belong to me?” he shot back.

“BECAUSE I WANT TO PRETEND YOU'RE NOT… NOT...I DON’T KNOW...THE ACTUAL FUCKING DEVIL!” you whisper yelled at him through clenched teeth.

He came down over you and looked you in the eyes for a moment with such a look you thought he might kill you, but instead his voice was quiet and calm.

“If you think I’m incapable of feeling then you’re wrong, you're dead wrong. If I didn’t feel, then why would I want my son? Why have I been watching him grow, watching you love and take care of him and doing my best not to interfere with your time with him. I may not be mortal but I have feelings, I have empathy. Do you understand the shit I have to see and be in charge of? Do you know what it feels like to just want something so pure in good while living in something so fucked? Watching you and our son has been the only sliver of heaven that I’ve ever been able to have.” his arms were shaking as he held himself over you. You had never seen his body show any signs of tiredness or weakness, even his wounds had healed right up. He was shaken talking about this and it was obvious.

It hit you hard. Why would he want to take him? Why did all of this just make sense?

“So please, don’t take this away from me right now. Let me make you cum again, let me just have this for a little longer and we can talk.”

You were stunned. He had felt the same way, he wanted to drag this out just as much as you did, he wanted to cherish this. The question now in the air was, if you both wanted to be together, then why couldn't you?

You yanked him by the hair, forcing his lips to collide with yours. Your tongue clashed with his split one, but it no longer surprised you or made you nervous. While little about him was normal, what was normal anyway? From the moment you saw him as he really was you had thought he was perfect, so why until now had you been wishing for him to be the man you first saw at the bar? Was it because the puzzle piece of his humanity had been missing in an otherwise perfect puzzle?

Your teeth gnashed together as if you were young, new lovers blooming with anticipation, as if you had never touched before now, despite fucking for god knows how long already.

He bit at your already sore lip you had bitten down on, but he wasn't harsh.

“I want you.” you told him meaning more than just how he took it. He reached between both of you and pushed himself into your already abused core, you winced from the ache and the sensitivity.

“Close your eyes” his voice was so quiet you almost didn't hear his instruction.

You closed them though.

“Now imagine me like you.”

“Why?” you asked.

“Humor me.” 

You did, you imagined him like he was the night of the bar, like you had thought of him earlier.

“Now run your hands through my hair.”

With your eyes still closed, you felt for his hair before coming them through the soft, wavy strands. Your eyes opened just to make sure what you were feeling was correct. As you looked at his hornless head, his brown eyes looked down at you. Now you properly looked him in the eyes and now that you could see his irises, you knew now that he was looking right at you, not just at you though. He looked at you like you were the most beautiful person he had ever seen with a small smile of amusement.

“I just wanted to have this moment with you, like you. I thought it would mean something to you to not have to look into cold, black pits.” 

The man looking and speaking to you right now was not the devil, he wasn't horrible or evil but neither was the man he was before but you were yet to know why he did the things he did.

You lifted your neck this time to kiss him and his lips chased yours as you laid back onto the pillow. He once again slowly began to thrust, short breaths and quiet moans escaped you both. Your legs entangled around his hips, angling your own body so he could hit just the right place.

“Be with me.” his voice shook as he continued to thrust “I’ll do anything.” he sounded just so weak as if he were pleading.

“I’m already yours, don't pretend you don't know that.”

“Let's have a family then, I’ll stay.” he rested his forehead on top of yours, his eyes were closed, hips still moving hard cut slow as if with each powerful but passionate thrust was a chance to convince you to be with him.

“As-” you could feel yourself coming closer and struggling harder to catch your breath. “As long as you stay.” You knew it, if he went away, if you lost him tonight, nothing would ever feel this good again, you'd never feel this complete for as long as you lived.

“Let's start now on expanding.” you could see his slight smile before his voice turned serious and sultry.” want me to put another baby in you?”

“Please, fuck I’m so close.”

“Come on baby, cum for me one more time.” he picked up the pace with his hips up just a little more. “Let me get you pregnant again.”

He only thrust into you a few more times before you were coming undone underneath him.

“Fuck, I love you fuck fuck fuck.” you moaned as he also let go, burying himself deeper than he already had been.

“I love you, I love you too.” he messily kissed your lips as you felt his last few pumps slow.

Only when he had said it back did you realize you had said it at all. 

You were still breathing heavily as he pulled out and laid down next you. There was silence between you, for a while as you both recovered.

"I said I would talk so here it is."

You decided to just lay there and listen to him.

"I've always known we were supposed to be together, always. There are things I just know, I can't explain it, sometimes I just know destiny and sometimes I don't until certain events happen. Ever since I became the king of hell I've always known that eventually there would be one woman that would bring me to my knees. They call her Lilith, although that's not her name just as satan, the devil, whatever, isn't mine. There have been stories and mythology written about you that just aren't true, much like everything else in my life. When I met your mother, I knew I was fucked. So I stopped you from being able to conceive, how was I supposed to know I was only helping destiny along? When you summoned me I was nervous, although curious as to what you would be like, I never watched you until you began to work on summoning me. I developed a plan. I thought if I just gave you what you wanted and then took it away from you then you would hate me, you would never want to see me again, but yet again I plated into destiny. The moment I saw my son… when I watched you care for him and love him, I-I felt this longing. I wanted to hold him, I wanted to be with you both. I kept my distance and fought against the urge to just drop in and tell you how I felt. I resented you for the power you held over me, but at the same time I wanted to give you your space and let you have your time with him. I was still going to take him but at that point it was out of love. I knew you were still angry with me anyway, rightfully so, I also thought… that you couldn't love someone like me anyway, you were better off with a mortal and I wanted to let you live your life. I watched your pathetic attempts to protect our son from me, at least you thought you were only trying to protect him. You're a good mother, just like yours was. When our son was really little I used to sneak into his nursery and just hold him and stare at him, I could see you in him. The point where I knew I had to step in was the priest. Not only did he treat my son like his, not only did you fuck him and make me jealous but-"

He abruptly wet quiet just as the anger in his voice seemed to pick up.

"I'm sorry." You replied.

"It's not that, it's not any of that that makes me hate him, it's not my jealousy." He still didn't say what it was, but instead he got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" You sat straight up.

"I'm going to shower if that's okay." He replied as he shuffled for the bathroom attached to your room.

"Sure." He was already in there by the time you uttered out your dumbstruck reply.

He had said he would stay, you don't know why him doing average things in your home just astounded you.

You laid back in the bed with the reassurance of him planning to stay and you thought about it all.

At first you asked yourself what your mother would think of this, what she would say. Maybe if she knew everything that he had just told you she simply wouldn't say anything at all. She had been able to love the devil's son and see him for just the little boy he really was, so maybe she would've done the same for the devil himself had she really known him.

You were beginning to feel uncomfortable with the stickiness of his speed leaking out and smearing all over your thighs.

Some part of you was nervous to go into the bathroom with him showering in there, but it was your house.

You ran to the bathroom as fast as it could to keep the cum from dripping everywhere and making a mess on the floor.

You paused as you caught a glimpse of his silhouette through the shower curtain.

His horns had returned, but you didn't look at him as much as his overall shape, you could help your staring.

"I hear your heart again, are you looking at me?" He chuckled and your eyes went wide with the horror of being caught.

"I…"

"Do you want in here with me?"

"...y-yes?" 

"Get in, I promise to just let you shower, no funny business." He offered.

He kept his word though, he did his own thing in the shower and so did you. He did look jarringly beautiful with the water beading on his tattooed skin and muscles, but you didn't know how much more your body could physically handle of him so you kept your hands to yourself.

He got out of the shower before you, you were a little concerned at the silence so you got out soon after.

You found a fresh towel and pajamas waiting for you on the bathroom sink so you quickly dressed.

He just sat there in a white t-shirt and black sweat pants at the foot of your bed. His head was down and he looked to be in deep thought as he stared at the floor. He looked a little sad.

"Have you seen him since you've been here?" You asked curiously, making him finally look up and shake his head.

"Would you like to?"

He seemed shocked by your offer.

"I wouldn't want to wake him…" 

"It's alright, he's a good sleeper, he'll go back to bed… if you want to that is."

"I really really want to, I haven't seen him person to person since he was a newborn."

You led him down the hall and pushed open your son's cracked bedroom door.

His night light dimly lit the form of his little body snuggled in his toddler sized bed.

You let his father take a few apprehensive steps into the room, slowly approaching him before he knelt on the floor by the bed.

You just looked on at the little moment.

He gently pushed his son's shaggy hair from his sleeping face, but caused him to stir.

"Daddy?" You heard your son's sleepy voice ask. You had no idea how he knew it was his father, and from the look on his father's face, neither did he.

"Hey buddy." 

Your son sat up and threw his arms around his father's neck, who promptly picked him up and stood. He wrapped his arms around the little boy, holding him close.

"How did you know it was me?" 

Your son unwrapped his arms from his father and looked at his face.

You saw his lips begin to quiver and his eyes fill with tears as he started to break down.

"Oh no." You whispered as you saw your boy stare at the horns on his father's head.

"Your horns are scaring him." You whispered.

Your son patted the top of his own head as he sobbed in his father's arms.

"Me too, I too."

"Oh." You said as you realized that your son was answering his dad.

"You have them too? That's how you knew, huh?"

Your son nodded to his father and began to cry harder. His dad pulled him back into his body, lightly shushing him and patting his back. He buried his head in the little boy's hair much like you had the day in your car after he was horrifically baptized.

The moment hit you like a train.

He had missed his father all this time, and you had no idea.

"you know I'm always with you, right? You and mommy both." 

Your son nodded into his father's neck, soaking his shirt with tears although his father didn't seem to mind at all.

"I know you hear me sometimes. You know I'm here." 

Your son pulled away from him again to look at him.

"Daddy-" his words were cut off by upset hiccups from crying so hard "no leave."

"I'm not. I'll stay, I promise." 

His father knelt back down on the floor and attempted to lay the boy back in his bed, but his little hands stayed locked around him.

"I'll be here when you wake up, and all of the rest of the days when you wake up from now on, you can let go, I'll be right here."

Your son finally relinquished his hold on his father who pushed more hair from his son's face.

"And mommy?" Your son's eyes look at you now.

"Mommy has always been here, silly." His father then spoke something in a strange language, it might've been the one from your dream after your son was born.

Your son gave his father a nod not just as if he understood, but he did understand this very strange language. You had never heard your son speak it, and you had no idea that he even knew a whole other language, until he spoke it back to his father.

He sat there knelt beside his son's bed until he drifted off to sleep. You watched as he gave him a kiss on his forehead before standing and turning to face you.

You walked into the hall and closed your son's bedroom door when he looked at you with a look of concern.

"There's still more I have to tell you, it's the most important thing."

"You're going to have to trust me, okay?" He asked from his seat on the sofa beside you. "There are things I know and things I don't, you have the power to change destiny, and right now what I'm seeing is someone is going to try to take you away from us, from your family."

"Okay," you tried to patiently follow, ready for him to say anything.

"Namjoon is going to kill you."

"Why's he going to kill me?" 

"I had this deal with his whore grandmother… she wasn't happy with it, it wasn't my fault. It's not my fault mortals are idiots."

"Hey." You firmly snapped at him.

"It's just what I do, I teach lessons. Anyway, I believe Namjoon is going to hurt you and maybe even our son. He can't physically harm me, I'm immortal, but he can hurt the things I care about. Unfortunately, I can't kill him either, I can't kill humans, God's rules. So I can't stop him, there's nothing I can do but pass this to you. It doesn't matter what you do, Namjoon will hunt you down."

"Okay." You simply just sat there looking calm on the outside but terrified on the inside.

"So, y/n… I think it's kill or be killed in this case. If you die, I'm not sure how much I can do to protect our son but take him with me…" 

To hell was what he meant.

You let out a sigh as you stared at the floor and scraped together some kind of plan.

"Take my soul." You offered.

"Why?"

"In case something happens to me, take my soul." You were sure of your decision.

"I'm not taking your soul." He declined.

"Why?" It was your turn now to ask.

"Do you want to go to hell? Do you realize how many eternities you would be tortured down there before I ever found you?" 

"No." You answered both questions and seemed less sure of your offer now.

"I'm not taking your soul. Our son could come and go with me because he has that power, but you, a pure mortal… you would be in more pain than you could ever imagine." 

"But if I killed a man… wouldn't I go anyway?" You pointed out.

"Not if it was out of self defense for you and your family."

"What the fuck am I saying?! I can't kill father Namjoon!" You realized.

"Y/n, I know he's going to kill you, and I don't want to lose you, I'd do anything not to lose you. What about our son? What about our second child?"

Your mouth dropped open.

"Second child? It-we…?"

"It's not just you living in that mortal body anymore. I know, just like I did the moment I gave you our son. You have to live, you have to do this, you have to trust me."  He reached for your hand and threaded his fingers through yours. "I love you and I need you here with us."

"How do I do it?" You gave in.

You were terrified as the phone rang.

You had just left your son with the babysitter and you sat in your car. You were alone but you felt him near you.

"Hey!" Namjoon's voice came through cheerfully and it made you feel sick.

"Hey, I'm not doing so great tonight. Everything is a bit heavy and I kind of want some fresh air. Would you go for a walk with me at the park? I know it's late but…" 

"Of course. The one closest to where you live, right? I'll meet you there in a few."

You thanked him before hanging up.

"I'm sorry you have to do this." He appeared right beside you in the passenger's seat now, but you didn't look at him, instead you spaced out while looking out the window at the dark park. You were nervous, you were trying to ready yourself, you were trying to wrap your head around this situation.

"What happens after? What do I do right after?" You asked.

"I'll take care of everything. No one will know." The grim thought of what that entailed was shadowed by reassurance of only having one task to do. "You just wait in the car, I'll drive us home. I'll take care of you." 

"What if he sees this opportunity to kill me like I do with him?" You asked with your hands shaking in your lap.

"I think he would wait for a moment when our son is with you, pick you off at the same time." 

Your mouth was dry, but you still tried to swallow down the weight of his words.

"But what if I die? You said you don't know all things." You continued to think your worries out loud.

"I also said people can change destiny, they do it all the time." 

"You haven't been able to." Your point made him go silent a moment. It was true, he had been fighting against his destiny with you since before you were born only to end up with you.

"Part of me didn't want to change it, even if I hated it at first. I've always wanted you. The first time I saw you I knew I wouldn't be able to stay away from you. The first time you saw me, I just wanted you to look at me that way forever, I didn't care about anything anymore and that was scary. You're my Lilith, my eternal soulmate, there was never any fighting you. There's nothing more powerful than what we have, not me, not god himself."

"What if you're tricking me?" You asked abruptly.

"You really think I would?" His voice sounded hurt and you could feel him looking at you as you said nothing "of course you do, of course you'd think that after what I've done and because of who I am." His voice was soft now like he had accepted that option "I wish I could take back what I did to you, everything I've done to you. I wish I never would've made that deal with your mother, I wish you would've had a family with a normal man, a normal life… what have I done?"

"Like you said" you sighed "it was supposed to happen anyway, it's not all on you. I've suffered for you, and now I'm going to kill for you. Would I be doing that- any of this if I really thought you were tricking me?" You admitted. "Maybe I'm just blinded by you, so in love with you and wanting a family with you that I can't see anything else, you're the devil, it's probably what you do, but what other option do I have anyway?" 

"We could go home." He offered softly. "We could have our family and play pretend until it's ripped away." You could hear him swallow louder than his soft words."Then I'll have nothing, but at least I would've had everything for just a fraction of a moment in my eternal life."

"I'm not going to live forever anyway you know, our son might, but I'm human. I die, and when I do I'm destined to be tortured in hell for eternity." 

"You're not going to hell." 

"How do you know?" You asked partially out of curiosity "I'm in love with Satan, I bare his mark, I bared his child. How much more sinful can I be? You can't sit there and tell me Satan's soulmate is going to heaven."

"God has never let me have anything. If he decides it's your destiny and your time to go, if you're taken from me and I can't have you in life, he's not going to let me have you in death." He explained.

You sat there thinking about what he said and came to the very real conclusion that you were most likely going to die tonight. God wouldn't let him have you, he had already seen that Namjoon would kill you, you were going to die. 

Your eyes began to fill with tears as everything finally began to sink in.

"Please take care of our son." 

"Don't." He snapped at you "Don't you say that shit like I'm going to lose you."

You began to sob, you weren't listening to him.

"You're going to go out there and fuck him up and that's going to be the end of it." His voice was stern, but you were falling apart. You let your head fall onto the steering wheel.

"Why wont you just take my fucking soul?!" You cried in despair and frustration "you have every single fucking thing in my life but that, just take it god damn it! Take it and let me burn until you find me. I will obviously go through anything for you and our son at this point. Just fucking take it." 

"You don't deserve it. I don't deserve you, okay? I've fucking destroyed your life, I'm not dragging this into the timeless afterlife, no matter how badly it hurts. We have one single shot, and this is it. I'm fucking horrible, I'm the worst of the absolute worst, but there’s no way I'm going to be that selfish to let you rot in hell because of me." 

"Please?" Your voice was a desperate squeak as you finally turned to him. "Fuck." You uttered at what you saw.

There was a dark liquid running from his pitch black eyes and down his cheeks.

"Is-is that fucking blood? Are you crying blood?" 

You watched as it pooled at his chin and dropped onto his white shirt.

"Please do everything you can tonight." He ignored your question and begged you.

If you had a doubt that he loved you before, you didn't now. You watched as he closed his eyes.

"God," he began, he didn't seem as though he was talking to you at all "just let me have this, please? I'll do anything. Just let me have my family."

The dark car was suddenly illuminated by headlights coming from behind. You turned to see a car pulling into the parking lot.

"I'll be with you." He spoke as Namjoon parked beside your car.

The passenger's seat was empty when you looked back.

This was it.

You felt for the pocket knife you had put in your pocket upon leaving the house and your adrenaline began to rush through your body.

You willed your weak legs to get out of the car.

You forced a half-hearted smile but did your best not to look him in the eyes.

It was quiet at first as you both started down the dark trail.

"Don't get offended, but you look terrible." 

You hadn't slept since you had gotten your mission yesterday night, your mind felt fried and stressed and tired.

"It's been hard." You were honest about how you felt.

"Why is your lip bruised? Did you get hit?" He pried as you thought back to how hard you had bit it the other night.

"No, I did it, by accident." Although it was the truth, you wouldn't have believed it either with the way you had said it.

"Are-are you seeing anyone? It's been a few days since we talked and-"

"No." You lied quickly.

"If there's anything I can do to help you or your son… I know things are still rough for you…" 

"We'll be okay." 

He gave you a strange look.

"You're not still worried about… him?" You could hear the suspension in Namjoon's voice and you knew you had to say something to extinguish it for now.

"I am, I just don't know what's left to do, I feel so hopeless." You said as you saw the path begin to lead into a more wooded area ahead.

"Don't you feel him right now?" Namjoon asked.

"He's always just… around, I'm used to it. Maybe it's just me at this point." 

"What's that on your neck?" He reached out to see.

You had to do it now, you felt like your mark had given you away.

You stepped back out of his grasp as you quickly took the knife from your pocket and flipped it open. You didn't know if he had time to see it or not before you lunged at him.

He had put his hands up to stop you but the force you had come at him sent him toppling backward. 

You went to plunge the knife into his neck only to feel his hand around your wrist stopping you.

He yelled for help but there wasn't another soul at the park, you had been here awhile waiting, you would know.

You used your other hand to help overpower him, but he was still stronger even with all of this adrenaline and chemicals coursing through your body, even with the image of your family in your mind.

"Stop!" Namjoon yelled at you, but this was too far gone to stop now, your mind was already made up. You knew that if you stopped now then you would be the one who died.

Your arms were beginning to grow tired and your strength was weakening and because of that he was able to shift the point of the knife towards you.

In one last burst of strength you tried to switch the knife's direction back towards him but your muscles just gave out.

You didn't feel the pain of the plunge into your chest at first, but you felt the crack of your ribs at the sheer force. You were in shock, it didn't feel at all like you had just been stabbed. You let go of Namjoon and rolled over onto the cool grass as you tried to process everything.

You could hear Namjoon panicking, sitting over you, trying to help you,  it was confusing.

Why was he trying to help you? He wanted you dead.

"Please? Where are you?" You choked out. It was hard to breathe, you felt like you were drowning as you looked up at the stars.

"Get away from her." It was the only voice you wanted to hear, it had brought you some kind of peace.

You saw Namjoon look at something with wide eyes before leaving your line of vision. His quick footsteps on the ground you lay on got further and further away. 

You continued to choke and gasp.

Jungkook watched in the distance as the knife was turned on you and the blade disappeared in your chest.

It hadn't hurt until now. It was as if you were his voodoo doll. He had never felt pain before, but once he felt the sting, he knew exactly what it was, although his pain came from the inside. Until now he had been watching coldly, waiting for this to happen, knowing you would die.

You had to die, there was no other way you'd let him have his son, there was no way you'd let your son end this world. You were too compassionate, too human, too emotional. You were all the things Jungkook never thought he was. Perhaps you completed him in many ways he only was now able to realize.

He was able to fool you so well, tell you all the sweet things you needed to hear to lead you to your own demise. But why did it only now hurt him? Had it been so easy to lie to you because maybe somewhere deep down in his unbeating heart he knew that maybe you really were the one? He felt as though that as you laid there dying, that you were forcing your most human parts into him, you were cursing him.

He had never actually thought you were his Lilith, his soulmate, not until now as he watched you bleeding out and physically felt it. He felt the weight of every sweet thing and lie he had ever told you pressing on his chest. Your face, the sweet moments, holding you, the guilt of never telling you his name, everything flashed before him. He wondered for a moment if he was dying too.

"I have given you a gift, the gift to feel.Your heart is broken, child. Go to her, be with her in her last breaths before I bring her home."

It wasn't even a voice that Jungkook heard, but it wasn't in his head either. He knew who was speaking to him. He suddenly felt enraged. He wasn't going to let God take you away from him.

"Get away from her." Jungkook boomed making the silly mortal that was panicking over you run at the sight and power of his voice.

Jungkook knelt down beside you and watched as the blood flowed from the corners of your mouth and tears streamed from your eyes.

"He's not going to take you from me! God damn it! Please don't take her!" Jungkook knew you wouldn't go to hell, god himself had said so. You did nothing wrong, you had been fooled by him just like Eve had been, and Eve still went to heaven when she died. He would never see you again and it hit him harder than anything ever had before.

Jungkook  lifted his hand, the one he hadn't unknowingly slipped through your fingers, and produced a flame which gave way to a scroll of paper.

He pulled you into his lap as you continued to choke. He put your hand to your wound and dipped your fingers into your blood.

"It's okay, it's going to be fine, please just sign it, you have to move, sign it." He let go of your hand but it was limp. There was no more choking, only a faint rattling coming from you now.

"Please please just sign the paper." He begged. "I'm so sorry, I was wrong, I did this and I'm so sorry. It hurts so badly, sign the paper, I need your soul, I need to find you." 

Silence.

There was no hummingbird heartbeat, there was no heartbeat at all as he looked into your empty eyes that still looked back at him. Your body lay in his lap with the mark he had given you, but you were gone. 

“But I love you...” it was the first time in his existence that he had said it and meant it. You had never known he didn't mean it, you had never known everything he did was a lie, maybe it was best that way. Despite not feeling any of it before, he felt it now, all at once. If he could do it all over again just to mean it, just to experience those feelings along with you he would. He would have held you longer, cried more, he wouldn't have ever let you do this, he wouldn't have fed you those dreams and lies and he would have protected you. Namjoon never wanted to hurt you.

All Jungkook wanted to do now was hold you, so he did until you grew cold. It wasn't fair he only got to feel this after you were gone as punishment. He wanted to go back, he wanted to start over, but it was too late. What kind of cruel god would gift him with his now?

His chest continued to sting, as his anger continued to fester. He hated everything, God, Namjoon, himself, this horrible fucking mortal world. 

He was going to burn it all. He never wanted to make another deal with any human ever again.

Whilst he couldn't touch these stupid fucking humans, his son could, he was half human.

This wasn't supposed to happen for another few years. He didn't think his son was old enough just yet, but it would have to do, he was still naive enough to destroy humanity on his father's command. All he had to do was show his son what he was capable of, fill him with rage for his dead mother, and watch the world burn. All Jungkook knew was fire and destruction, now his son could learn as well, both of them with a bitterness in their hearts.

Jungkook let out a loud scream of anger and frustration and all of these new feelings that he didn't want that felt like they were internally ripping him apart. 

The entire park was sent up in flames, including your body.

The end was coming early for this world, it was over. He was going to destroy every last one of God's precious creations for making him feel like this.

[mingkii]

LOVE AGAIN ─✎ 송.민기

❖❳；Pairing; Song Mingi x Fem!Reader (ft. P1h's keeho, itzy's ryujin, and wooyoung)

❖❳；Genre; Greek mythology au, angst, reincarnation au.

❖❳；Words ; 6.2k

❖❳；Warnings; Mentions of death.

❖❳；Synopsis; A mission to find your lover who was reborn in the mortal world became a mission for heartbreak as you watched him fall in love with someone else.

❖❳；A/n; I honestly don't know what happened near the end, very disappointing but oh well. Not very proud of this so im sorry and don't get your hopes up.

❖❳； Note; My entry for @/sleepylixie and @/delicatewerewolfsoul 's hamartia collab. This might contain inaccurate representations of greek gods but for the sake of the story, just go with it. Slightly modernized as well.

The sun rises on the horizon, casting light all over Olympus, waking the gods in slumber, reminding them of the work they need to do. However, you wanted to fight the sun for rising so early. The rays piercing through the depths of the ocean, just enough to peek through the windows of your room.

You stir under the covers, not wanting to get up. The light blinding your closed eyes, preventing you from going back to sleep. You were honestly hoping you won't wake up the next day. You didn't want to wake up in agony knowing there's nothing to wake up to. You still picture his crescent eyes when he smiles, his laugh that echoes in your ears as if he is there with you. His hands that felt soft and warm left a mark on your skin, reminding you of how he held you in his arms.

Every night you see him in your dreams— for a while at least. Your heart was hurt, it wanted to remind you of all the things you could've done, but it knew that if you kept dreaming about him, you would have died grieving years ago.

A loud knock on your door suddenly erupted, a groan escaped your lips. You rolled to the other side trying to bury your head under the covers to drown out the sound. Then, your door busted open, making you sit up in surprise.

"What the fuck," you furrowed your brows, watching your father fix the dislocated door hinge.

"Don't use such language on me, young lady," he leans his trident beside the door. "You have a very important schedule to meet your suitors today."

Your eyes widen, "Suitors?!" You shrieked, your father's face contorts.

“Father, I think this has gone long enough for you to know that I am not interested.” he let out a sigh. He’s well aware of that.

"Look, I understand, but I will not have you sulk for the rest of your life just because that good-for-nothing son of Athena died," your blood boiled at his words.

"No father, I don’t think you do understand," You said with resentment.

You tried to bury the tears back down, not wanting to cry in front of your father. The pent up anger made you want to lash out like what he said was the last straw but your pride was much stronger.

"It's rude to keep them in line, they've travelled far just to get here, so I suggest you make yourself presentable and be there as soon as possible," his last words before shutting your door closed behind him.

The knick-knacks on your shelf shook as your father slammed the door shut. He wasn't mad, he was just….strict, as your father and god of the sea, you are under his territory thus, giving you no choice but to follow him.

You laid back on your bed, pulling the covers, letting out a muffled scream into the blanket. Only kids get treated like this, he acts like you aren't already a hundred years old.

You didn't want to meet another batch of mermen with plastic smiles and fake personalities. They were only after you because of your title, daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea, with a legacy that soon passes unto you. You had sisters and brothers, you didn't understand why it had to be you, but Poseidon himself already had it all planned.

You swam near the big stadium-like structure, with large pillars that were carved so intricately in quartz.  The end of the stadium planted Poseidon's throne where he sat so elegantly. You hid behind the pillars, spotting the men that were seated to the side, waiting for your arrival, but you already decided you weren't going to attend. Not this time.

You took the longest route to Olympus, making sure no one spots you, escaping the suffocating vast seas that used to be called home.

=

"You know one day I could get killed by your dad," Wooyoung set the teacups filled with hot liquid on the dining table where you sat.

It's been a while since you set foot on land, you didn't miss it, the painful after-effects of walking for too long did make you wonder how land dwellers live.

"He won't since I made him promise it," your cheeky smile made him roll his eyes.

"But won't he easily find you here?"

"He will but he couldn't be bothered to travel all the way here," you took a sip from the cup, hot liquid running down your throat.

"I'll be home by sundown, can't have him wash Olympus just to find me," you force out a laugh, wooyoung giving you a sympathetic look.

He knows you are still mourning. Deep inside you are still in pain, but you try to keep it hidden.

"You know, it's been years and he is still bringing me these men I barely even know and he wants me to pick one to marry?" You planted your forehead on the table, hiding your face in frustration. "It's getting annoying." After those annoying years of having to pretend you are ok and just sitting pretty in front of dozens of merpeople, making yourself look like a prize in a glass box waiting for a winner to take you home.

But of course, it's still your choice and you chose to be with none of them.

"Were any of them attractive at least?" You hear the familiar charming voice. You look up to see Wooyoung's mother— aphrodite— adorned in her usual attire, laced with gold sequences, a headpiece in gold, and jewellery that complimented her skin.

You shook your head as you gave her a soft smile, "They always have this forced appearance to look strong and the wide creepy smiles that they think will help attract me to them," she listens to your rant, pouting slightly, "What a shame, you know your father's taste was never that good," she winked. You knew she was talking about your mother, whom you didn't know that well since she is always focusing on your brothers.

"I thought you went out early," Wooyoung questioned. Aphrodite cupped her son's cheeks, kissing the top of his nose.

"I just forgot something dear," you giggled at her ways of babying her son. Fixing his hair and touching up the light makeup he puts on every day. You can't deny how attractive Wooyoung is, you could see the features that he inherited from his mother.

"Poseidon won't stop what he is doing though, I suggest you do as his wishes y/n, or you'll face his consequences," strips of memory to that day cross your mind again. It was truly painful to recall, it made your heart clenched and you wanted to scream your head off.

"Look, whatever it is you want to do, just make sure it isn't something stupid," Wooyoung held your hand in his, rubbing your skin with his thumb. You remembered the last stupid thing you did.

You were grateful to have met someone like Wooyoung, he has always been there for you. Even though your father had been skeptical of him for so long, he still let you be around him.

But you can't promise him this time because another stupid idea just popped up in your head.

=

"Are you kidding y/n? Didn't we just talk about this?" Wooyoung follows you from behind as you walk through the forest. The last time you were here was the day your world fell apart.

You swore to not cross paths where it reminded you of him but right now, it is important.

"Look, demigods are bound to be reincarnated, there's a chance I could see him again," you explained, stepping on sticks and pebbles, slashing through vines and large leaves with your bronze dagger. Mingi wasn't like you or wooyoung who had both parents that are gods. Like Athena, he was created by her from her mind. He wasn't born….normal.

"And then what? What will you do if you see him?"

In all honesty, you didn't plan that far, all you thought of was to meet mingi in the mortal world. Wooyoung's concern for you just became worse when the silence answers his question. You have no plan, you just wanted to see mingi again.

You ignored Wooyoung's continuous nagging until you reached your destination. The tree that grew sweet magical berries that can only be found deep in the forests of Olympus. The berry that could help the gods enter the mortal realm.

"Y/n…." Worry settles in, Wooyoung knows the side effects of these berries. You weren't as powerful as your parents who were able to visit the mortal realm on your own, you needed help and you were certainly not gonna ask your father.

"I'll be fine," you picked a few handfuls of berries and stuffed them in your bag, "Atlantis won't be that far, If I need to, I’ll just come back." You smiled at Wooyoung.

"I leave tomorrow."

"What about your dad? Won't he get mad?" You two made your way back out of the forest, taking the path of where you came from.

"I just told him I'm sleeping at your place for a while," Wooyoung freezes in place. As expected of his role as your best friend, he's responsible for covering you up.

"You owe me big time."

=

Arriving at the mortal realm, alone and slightly scared. But the sight of what seemed to be the city made you giddy all of the sudden.  

You walked around exploring the beautiful structures of the city. Tall buildings surrounding the area, billboards, and giant screens with lights and flashing colours. You were overwhelmed at first but it was quite interesting. It was nothing like you have seen before.

There were tons of people who wore casual attire, some wore suits as they travelled to work. Big buses and cars drove by in the streets— you almost got run over by one, not knowing the purpose of the blinking traffic light; the horrendous sound of the car horn almost did make your ears bleed.

Settling down on one of the park benches, you took a break from walking. The sandals you brought weren't doing any justice for your feet.

Your surroundings were peaceful, pink flowers scattered across the concrete, different coloured leaves decorating the trees, getting ready for the fall season. Suddenly, you felt a gust of wind. The eerie grey smoke rising in front of you. Chills running up your spine, your mind having a clear idea of where it's coming from.

A cold mischievous laugh emitted from within, your initial reaction was to pull out the dagger from your side, clutching the handle tight until your knuckles turned white.

"Relax, it's me," the same annoying voice you dreaded hearing.

"Ryujin, what are you doing here?" You scowled. She was bad news— the spirit of mischief lives within her, wherever she goes, chaos follows.

"Hmm, are you not happy to see me?" Her Cheshire cat-like smile plastered onto her face as she took a seat beside you, crossing her leg on top of the other. Her hair was shorter than the last time you saw her, eyes still full of mischief.

"I was hoping to not see you again after the incident 20 years ago," you spat, hatred lacing your words.

"Right, the poor boy, died so soon," her face turned into a sad look before smiling once again.

Ryujin was the main cause of his death. Your father just made it happen. Leading Mingi to that place in the forest where she knew your father was there, he hated Athena's children, he wouldn't hesitate to kill one in sight.

You wished there was a way to go back in time to stop Ryujin from leading Mingi to his inevitable death. But as expected, she felt no shame or guilt whatsoever.

"What is it that you plan anyway, there is a reason for you to come here, right?"

You kept your mouth closed, not wanting to possibly give your plan away for the spirit of mischief to take its course. And so, you kept quiet. Ryujin clicked her tongue in annoyance. She wished she could read minds, but that's her brother's power.

"Fine, keep it to yourself," she stood up, grumbling something under her breath, "Just so you know, I am not leaving without having a bit of fun," another gust of wind blowing in your direction leaves swirling in a circle on the concrete just below her feet, the puff of smoke covering her figure as she disappeared.

Your mind was in shambles. Usually, she would try and pressure you into answering but she brushed it off so soon.

You let out the breath you didn't know you were holding, the weight suddenly leaving your chest. Sometimes the presence of Ryujin gives you this uneasy feeling, but it was better than getting a visit from her brother. He is ten times worse.

=

You finally adapted to the mortal world, got a place to stay all by yourself. There were obstacles on the way but you got over them easily.

You lay quietly on the bed, and to be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable. The covers are placed over you up to your neck. You stared at the ceiling, counting rams in hopes of helping you fall asleep. And on your 1117th ram, your eyes finally grew heavy.

But to your dismay, your throat decides that it was parched. You sat up from your bed, wearing your slippers, and made your way to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass and filling it up with water, but before you could take a sip, you saw a figure on your couch.

You dropped the glass, shattering across the floor. The figure whipped his head around and you couldn't believe your eyes. Is this a dream? You must be dreaming… You might have even gone mad.

"Mingi?" You stuttered. You haven't called out that name in so long.

"Y/n, be careful you'll hurt yourself," he stood from the couch, making his way to you. You took a few steps back. Mingi's face shows a look of confusion.

He stepped on the glass unfazed by it. Did he not feel that? Of course, this is a dream, he's not real.

"What's wrong?" His arms out to reach for you.

"N-no, I'm dreaming, this can't be—" you shook your head, tears pricking your eyes. You felt warm hands cup your face, it was so real, your knees so close to giving out.

"What do you mean?" His eyes were the same shade of brown. His hair is styled the same way he always has it in.

"You're real?" Your voice croaked, mingi chuckled. The same smile you saw years ago, but as expected, his face started to fade. This is definitely a dream. It was impossible to have mingi physically there, you saw him….die, right in front of your eyes.

"Of course I'm real," his voice was soft, comforting even. You were really hearing his voice, this is his voice. He pressed his forehead against you, kissing the top of your nose promptly.

At this point, you couldn't stop the tears from falling. You sobbed making mingi pull away and look at you with worry in his eyes.

"Please don't leave me again," you pleaded. You wished it was real, your chest grew even tighter. What kind of cruel punishment is this?

"Why would I leave?" He wiped the tear on your cheek. "I'll always be here," he said in reassurance as he pulled you in his embrace. You missed it so much—you missed him so much. The same warmth was still there, but it eventually started to feel cold. Like Hades was paying a visit to take him back to the underworld.

You finally got to see him again, even if it was only a dream, it really felt like he was there, body and soul present. You didn't want to let him go, there's no way you are losing him again.

His image starts to fade, you start to feel the emptiness again. His hold on your body began to feel like nothing, it was cold like ice. You tried to grip his shirt, keeping him from disappearing. You spewed out pleas, begging him to stay. At Least for a little longer.

But then you woke up, hot liquid running down your face.

You were crying, something you haven't done in a long while. Slapping your cheeks, making sure you were really awake.

"Come one y/n, it was just a dream," you said to yourself out loud.

20 years and you thought you were over him. But those agonizing years were torturous. Everything seemed to remind you of him. Wooyoung almost didn't see you for 18 years until you finally decided to visit him. You wouldn't know what to do if wooyoung was never in your life, you might as well have been asleep for the rest of your life.

=

The clamshell that sat on your bedside table glowed. It was a magic shell that sends messages back and forth in writing. You gave one to Wooyoung so you could communicate from a distance.

"Did you find him?" The letters glowed as they appeared.

"Not yet." you wrote back, watching the writings disappear indicating that he is reading it.

"Time is ticking y/n." Anxiety washes over you again. Soon the berries won't be enough to hold you there and you'll be needing to come back home.

"Y/n, you there?" A voice startled you, making you almost drop the shell. It would be bad if you did, it was a fragile thing, you could risk shattering it and won't have anything else to communicate with.

"In here!" You called out, quickly hiding the shell in the dresser.

"I brought lunch," mina smiled, holding up a paper bag filled with takeout.

The day you moved in, still exploring the apartment that you rented, you heard a knock on your door.

You peeked through the peephole. A woman stood in front of the door patiently, short brown hair— half of it tied into a ponytail— dressed in a leather jacket and denim pants. She looked about 20, maybe 21 but she doesn't look older than 25.

You almost pulled out your dagger but resisted, remembering that they are mortals and you could get in trouble. You slowly twisted the doorknob open, opening it slightly so your body is visible but not the room.

"Hi, I'm mina!" She said in a bubbly tone. Her energy made you slightly overwhelmed. "I'm your neighbour, just next door." She pointed to the apartment beside yours.

You nodded, not knowing what to reply. "Have you finished unpacking?" You tilted your head in confusion. "Do you need help with boxes or anything?"

You looked back in your apartment, body moving aside just enough for Mina to have a clear view.

"Did you not bring any stuff?"  You shook your head.

"I only brought a satchel," you gripped the strap that hung across your body. She gazes at the small bag attached to your body.

"Well, it looks like you need help settling in, why don't I cook dinner for you? You don't seem to have any pots or pans or food either." Your stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food.

Mina giggled, making you heat up in embarrassment. "I'll take that as a yes."

Since then Mina has been your source of food and company. She's been a great companion for the past few days. You told Wooyoung all about her and he just replied coldly. The thought of your best friend getting jealous of your new mortal friend made you laugh.

"So, I just started my 3rd year of college, and honestly, I am tired of it— I've been thinking of dropping out but then my mom might whoop my ass…"  Mina rants while you sit there, zoned out watching the floor like it's the most interesting thing in the world.

"Earth to y/n," mina waves her hand in front of you, snapping you out of your daze.

"Oh sorry, What were you saying?" The girl pouts, eventually brushing it off to discuss other things.

"Oh right, so I met this guy on campus and he is like, really cute. He is super tall and like, maybe a bit built..." You listened to her attentively but still in the back of your mind you couldn't help but discuss your plans on how to find mingi to yourself.

"Should I ask him out?" You blinked— you weren't paying attention again.

"I'm sorry?"

"The guy I met on campus on my first day, should I ask for his number?"

"Oh totally, you should," you said plainly, you feel really bad for not paying attention but you couldn’t help it when your mind is being occupied with something else. Mina just brushed it off, not noticing your spaced-out expression. She continued rambling while your mind wandered.

Time was running out, you needed a plan.

=

"Remind me why I am on your college campus again?" You said, mina dragging you by the arm. She woke you up at an ungodly hour just to travel early to her college campus. Few students were walking around campus, on their way to their scheduled class.

"Look, I barely have friends, also do you go to college? You look to be around my age," your eyes widen. Atlantis doesn't have schools, you had to travel to Olympus just to make it to class, but you only had to go until you turned 18. And you are immortal, you haven't been to school for a hundred years.

"I graduated," you just said. Hoping she won't ask further questions.

"Oh so you're older than me then," you nodded. She stopped to sit by a tree in the campus garden, patting the grass beside you. You sat beside her, leaning on the tree.

"I don't have class 'till after lunch, we can grab something to eat before you can go back to your apartment," she took out her textbook and paper to finish what she didn't the day before.

"Sorry for dragging you, You are always locked up in your apartment so I thought why not take you here with me," you were planning on exploring more of the city, just to take note of the possible routes to get around.

"Won't I get in trouble? I don't go here."

"You are fine, besides, it's an open college, anyone can visit here," she explains as she gets back to her work.

Your eyes wandered off somewhere else, spotting the students who were early, sitting on the grass as they got some sleep under the trees. Some were reading books and some were having their breakfast.

It makes you sleepy after a while, deciding to lean your head against the tree, closing your eyes for a brief moment.

A pair of shoes tapping against the grass, crunching the leaves on the way. You didn't bother to open your eyes so you just stayed and listened. Must be one of mina's friends as you hear her voice ushering for them to sit.

They sat on the other side of the tree beside mina, talking about classes and homework but something about that voice tingles your brain. The familiar deep husky voice made your heart ache. You were confused as to why you were reacting that way.

Soon the person left and you were forced to open your eyes when mina shook your shoulder abruptly.

"Guess who just gave me their number," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Who?"

"The hot campus boy," she squealed, waving the paper in her hand. "His name is mingi and it's kinda cute and his voice was deep, not that deep, but like...deep."

Your eyes widen, "mingi?" She nodded. You felt like your world stopped spinning. Your mind is in shambles, processing the information. Your ears deafened the sounds around you, muffling mina's continuous babblings.

You thanked the gods that he's here, but then reality hit. He doesn't know you for he is only a reincarnation of the mingi you knew. He is no longer the son of Athena, he is just human.

=

"Are you sure it's the mingi?" Wooyoung's message appears from the clamshell. You lay on your bed, a book on your lap as you were reading just a while ago.

"Yes, Mina's description fits so perfectly," you bit your lip, anxiously fidgeting with your necklace. What if it wasn't him? You can't confirm that it really is him, he has no memory of his past life.

"Ok, so what are you gonna do now? You found him, what's the next step?" You mentally slapped yourself for being unprepared. You wanted to see him again, that was your main goal, and now that you know he's here, you have no reason to stay.

You want to be with him but it's impossible, you are immortal, he'll age while you stay young. Well, nothing much was changed when he was a demigod, but he had the opportunity to become immortal. It's not like there is some way a mortal can become immortal.

…..or is there.

"I'm coming back," the writing disappeared letter by letter as wooyoung's message appeared right after.

"Really? So that's it?"

You shook your head as if he could see you. "I have a plan"

"Oh no," wooyoung thought. Letting out a deep sigh. "She's gonna get into more trouble isn't she?" Wooyoung wished that somehow something would knock some sense into you.

=

"Y/n!"

"Mina, hey," she threw herself at you, engulfing you in a tight hug.

"I'm gonna miss you," she squeezed around your neck, restricting your airflow.

"Mina," you patted her back, making her apologize with a sheepish grin, "I'll be back soon though, you don't have to miss me too much."

"I know— wait, are you free right now? I was wondering if you wanna go eat before you leave," you thought for a second. Though it isn't difficult to travel back to Olympus, you're unfortunately on your last berry.

"Sure," you hoped it'll last you for another few hours.

Arriving at a restaurant with mina, ordering food as soon as you sat down. Your eyes wandered around. The restaurant was busy, waiters quickly passing around, trying to get to the customer's table as soon as possible.

"Finally," Mina says, standing up on her seat. You turned your head to the person she was referring to.

"Sorry I'm late, I got stuck in traffic."

"I invited mingi, I hope you don't mind y/n," Mina says with a sorry smile.

"I don't mind at all." That unsettling feeling soon washes over you, seeing mingi stand in front of you, face to face. You find it weird to see him like this like he didn't die. He looks like the same mingi years ago, it just felt….different.

You took your seats again, Mina helping mingi order his food. The three of you waited for your orders, chatting about anything that comes to mind. Mina talking about classes and homework that is due and mingi asking if any of you were free to a party this weekend.

Of course, you can't go.

"So, Where are you from y/n?" He asks you. His voice sounded so natural to you but at the same time, it felt foreign, like you just heard of it now. Technically you did but, the way demigod reincarnations work is they get reborn the same. Meaning they'll look the same, speak the same, and their personalities are most likely the same. Nothing will change once they get reborn— except, they won't remember anything from their past life.

"Atlantis," you blurted out, panic rushing through you. You can see the confusion in their faces.

"Like, the lost city of Atlantis?" Mortals, what are they teaching them?

"I mean Atlanta," you corrected yourself, body stiff as stone.

"America? That's far, do you have a flight?" Mina intervened. You didn't even know where that was, you just so happened to remember that book you read before coming here and the main character lived in a place called Atlanta.

"Uh yeah, sure," you felt cold sweat trickling down the back of your neck. You just hope they won't ask any more questions.

You let out a sigh of relief as the two of them get back to chatting with each other.

Finally, the food arrived and the sooner you finished the sooner you got to go home. And with your last berry, you popped it in your mouth after the meal.

Leaving the restaurant with mina and mingi you were finally able to go back to Olympus.

As you are ready to part ways, Mina engulfs you in a tight hug, cutting off your airflow. "Mina, you're squishing me," you said in a choked out voice. "Be quick ok," she gives you a final hug before walking in the other direction.

You waited until the coast was clear and hid somewhere secluded.

=

You arrived safely and with just a minute to spare. You were gonna go to wooyoung's place first before going back to Atlantis when you saw a lightning strike. A gust of moist air blows your way, a growling thunder piercing through your ears. Your mind immediately assumed that it was Zeus but when the clouds cleared you saw your father, sitting on a cloud with his trident on his lap.

"Father," you said, greeting him with a bow. Though he didn't look pleased with seeing you at the gates of Olympus, he still gave your hair a ruffle.

"You have me worried sick y/n, where were you?"

You expected yelling, hearing these words and this kind of tone shocked you. Especially even after telling him that you were staying at wooyoung's but still found you at the gates

"Look, I know I may have gone too far— with...you know, the marriage," he admits. Avoiding eye contact with you as much as possible. Not that it wasn't sincere, he just wasn't used to admitting he was wrong. But he loves you dearly and he'd do anything for you.

"It's ok, I actually forgot those happened." there was an awkward silence. Then, Poseidon left, after informing you of what time dinner was gonna be.

You finally arrived at your best friend's house and instead of a worried wooyoung, you were met with a furious wooyoung.

"I knew this was a bad idea, your father almost killed me!" He said. You rolled your eyes at the exaggeration.

"Relax wooyoung, nothing happened," you placed your bag onto his bed, taking out the souvenirs you got.

"Did he say anything to you? You are still alive so I'm guessing you haven't met yet?"

"I met him at the gates and he said he was worried." Thinking back to that moment made you shiver, it's like someone replaced your dad with someone completely different.

"Huh, well ok then— Ooh what are these," he was quick to change the topic as his curiosity fills in. Wooyoung takes the bag of candies you brought, ripping it open to take one of the wrappers with the sugary treats inside. You chuckled, watching wooyoung chew on the candy.

He notices your gaze stuck on the floor while you get lost in your own thoughts.

"Hey, did something else happen there?"

You snap back into reality, taking a while to process what wooyoung just said. You shook your head in response.

"Actually, is there a way to stay there without the berries?"

He stares at you for a moment, he honestly thought you were done and you weren't going back there. It's dangerous for you since you are not as strong as your father. Even with something more efficient than a magical fruit, you are bound to get in trouble.

"My mom has a necklace," wooyoung says, he didn't want to say it but he knew how important this is to you. Eventually you'll stop, knowing mortals and gods cannot stay together forever.

"She used to make me wear it when she let me go to the mortal world with her."

"Can I borrow it?"

=

"Y/n!" Mina ran to you with open arms, "I missed you so much," you giggled at your friend.

"I've only been gone for a week."

"A week too long," she pouted.

She takes your hand in hers, pulling you to whatever direction. You arrived at the airport, making it look like you got here by plane. Passing security check out and exiting the building.

"You still remember mingi right?" She asks.

"Of course, I left for a week, it doesn't mean I forgot anything that's here," she grinned.

"Why, what happened?" You asked, hiding the hint of fear in your voice.

"Oh nothing," she sing-song, trying to stop her lips from smiling too much.

You both stopped at the front of the main entrance, waiting for you-don't-know-who. Until a car stops in front of you. Mingi came to pick you two up, giving you a ride to your apartment.

"So, what's it like in your hometown," she asks, taking a bite of her food.

"Uh, It's….you know —uh…. there's trees and buildings."

Mina nodded slowly as she continued eating her food.

After you two finished eating, Mina left to finish her college work— probably with mingi.

You didn't want to think the worst but considering mina's behavior around mingi, you couldn't stop the thoughts running around your mind.

You gripped the pendant that was tied around your neck. It's pearly white color glowing due to the light reflecting on it. Its sharp edges indicate that it was shattered into parts.

The other half is with mingi.

Atleast, when he was still with you. It symbolizes your promise to always be together and be there for each other.

But fate just wasn't on your side. And it still isn't.

As you walked out of your apartment to get some fresh air, you spotted the two by the parking lot. Their faces are inches away from each other.

You didn't know why but you felt your heart sink. Tears welling in your eyes. You reminded yourself that this mingi isn't the same mingi that promised to be with you. He wasn't the same mingi that helped you run away from home whenever your parents were arguing again.

That gave you a reality check, you can't be with him anymore. You have to let him go.

Your gaze still stuck on the two, not noticing the sudden appearance of another spirit.

This time, it made you feel chills.

"Keeho," you said in a whisper. You didn't bother to look in his direction.

"Oh, I'm glad you recognize me," he said, a mischievous smile growing on his lips.

"Ryujin would have loved to see this, after all, this was her plan." You curled your fist into a ball, tight enough until your nails dug into your skin.

"Why?" You managed to let out. You didn't want this to affect you but it does. After everything you did, it all didn't matter in the end.

"I don't know, ask ryujin. I'm just here to relay a message."

Keeho pushed himself off the wall that he was leaning on and came over to you.

"Don't try to bring back something that was meant to be taken away, it'll come back to bite you in the ass," he whispered against your ear, sending chills down your spine.

Then he left, disappearing into the mist again.

Even though you just came back, you were already itching to leave. Packing your bag and locking the apartment. Giving the keys to the landlord.

Mina notices you in a hurry to leave, running after you to catch you.

"Y/n! Where are you going?" She grabs your wrist making you stop. You didn't turn around, you stayed rooted to the ground. Swallowing the thick lump in your throat before speaking.

"I'm sorry Mina," you pulled your wrist away from her and left. You felt guilty, she was your only friend and she felt betrayed. You left without an explanation.

=

"Y/n? You're here, did something happen?" Wooyoung read your expression.

You shook your head, clearing your thoughts as you replaced the sad look with a small smile.

"I'm great, I just didn't like the whole vibe there," you lied.

You removed the ruby crystal around your neck giving it to wooyoung, muttering a thanks. Alongside you removed the pendant that was tucked under your shirt. Wooyoung was shocked as you never took it off and you swore you never would.

You tucked the necklace into your pocket, taking a mental note to put it away when you get home.

Although you didn't accomplish your original mission, you did realize that it's always good to let go of something. Never let anything or anyone tie you down. You are still heartbroken, but you are sure you could get over it soon.

Of course, the siblings that stared at you through the window, mischievous smiles on their faces, will not let you live just yet.

[mimisempai]

I love you because you’re you

Summary:

Imagine Mobius confessing to Sylvie that his crush on Loki started when he watched his exploits as D.B. Cooper... Imagine Loki overhearing this conversation... That is enough to give ideas to our god of mischief to spice up their life...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32516398

2214 words - Rating T

Other oneshots in the same series : Together, For all time, Always 9/?

Sitting at his desk, Mobius was watching Loki.

When he thought about everything that had happened, everything they had been through, and reflected on where they were now, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

Whether it was Loki or him, they had both had to deal with great changes in their lives. Both of them had to question themselves in a short period of time.

But they had managed to do it, together.

Mobius sometimes felt a kind of overwhelming elation when he stopped to think about their lives.

Order and chaos.

As he saw Loki walk away with the group of recruits he was training, he let out a sigh of satisfaction and dug into his files.

"Oh my... Mobius, you got it bad."

He looked up.

"Sylvie!"

The young woman was leaning against the doorframe of his office, arms crossed and looking at him with a smile, the usual spark of mischief in her eyes.

"Come in!"

She stepped forward to sit across from him.

The arrival of Loki in Mobius' life had surprisingly brought him another bond.

Sylvie had made a place for herself in Mobius' heart almost as quickly as Loki had.

He had found in her a dear friend, a sister at heart.

When you think about it, Mobius who had been betrayed by his closest friend, Loki who had never found a friend who accepted him as he was, and Sylvie who had not been able to create a bond with anyone during all her years on the run, it was clear that the bonds between them all could only be strong, whether it was friendship, love or brotherhood.

"What did you mean when you came in, or rather why did you say that?"

Sylvie leaned in, her chin in her hands.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe your goofy smile when Loki walks into a room you're in, your completely smitten look when you watch him work or do something else... Do you want me to go on?"

Mobius, embarrassed, raised his hand and said, "Stop! No! It's okay!"

"If it makes you feel any better, it's only me who sees it. After all I know you and I know perfectly well the bond between you. And even though Loki is an expert at masking his feelings, he's just as obvious as you are."

"I guess the fact that you've spent so many years running away, you've learned to watch people so you can preserve yourself." Mobius told her compassionately, fully aware that he had contributed to what had shaped Sylvie's personality.

"Mobius..." Sylvie sighed before continuing, "We've talked about this before, we each did what we had to do to survive or because it was what we thought we were made for. Now we're doing what we need to do to atone, to make sure it doesn't happen again. Know that I have long since forgiven you completely."

Mobius knew that he would still carry the guilt of what he had done at the service of the old TVA for a long time to come, and even though he didn't know at the time, that didn't stop him from being aware of his own responsibility.

He simply replied, "Thank you."

"Well! Let's pick up where we left off," Sylvie began in a lighter tone, "I'm a little curious Mobius, I have the feeling that your crush on Loki dates back long before you met him for real..."

Mobius knew that with Sylvie, there was no point in denying it, she knew him well, sometimes too well for his liking.

"Damn, why do you always have to be so perceptive?"

She shrugged, before adding softly, "it's just that you're very open, Mobius, when it comes to Loki or when you're with him."

"If you say so." replied Mobius, looking unconvinced even though he knew she was right. Odin's lie about Loki's origin had had such a negative impact on his life that Mobius was doing everything to be transparent. He would always do anything to preserve the trust Loki had in him.

"So?" insisted Sylvie, "Your little crush that became a big one… When did you realize it?"

Mobius, annoyed, replied somewhat curtly, "I didn't keep a diary you know."

"Okay, but there must be something about what Loki did or who he was that made you realize your attraction, right?"

Mobius muttered and seeing that Sylvie wouldn't let go, he reached into the only locked drawer of his desk, opened it and pulled out a file.

He took out a photo and slid it towards Sylvie.

She leaned over to take a closer look.

She gasped and her gaze went back and forth from the picture to Mobius several times.

"D.B. Cooper?!!"

Sylvie moved her chair over to Mobius' desk to be closer.

"Now, my little Mobius, I want to know everything."

Mobius sighed and rolled his eyes but complied anyway.

______

Loki had assigned their training missions to the new recruits.

"Miss Minutes, what time is it?"

"Loki, I already told you! Just because I'm shaped like a watch doesn't mean I'm here to be your clock!"

Loki chuckled, before looking at what time it was on the wall clock. He would probably never tire of teasing the IA.

He headed to Mobius' office, he had five minutes before his next assignment so he was going to take the opportunity to pay his lover a short visit, hoping Mobius would be alone.

As he approached, he noticed that the door was slightly open and he heard voices. "So much for the tête-à-tête." he muttered to himself and turned on his heels, a little disappointed.

But as he walked away, he heard his name. Of course, he went back on his steps discreetly and approached the half-opened door, taking care not to be seen. He was not able to look inside the office, but he could now hear the voices very well and recognized that of Sylvie who was conversing with Mobius.

"Okay, but there must be something about what Loki did or who he was that made you realize your attraction, right?"

He heard Mobius mutter in response, but knowing their dynamic by now, he knew he would answer.His answer was of great interest to Loki.

There was a moment of silence, then he heard Sylvie gasp and then exclaim.

"D.B. Cooper?!!"

He heard a noise, as if a piece of furniture was moving and then Sylvie's lower, but still distinct voice saying, "Now, my little Mobius, I want to know everything."

Oh yes my little Mobius, I want to know everything too.

"You didn't see the video of the whole scene where Loki pretended to be D.B.Cooper, I did. And I don't know if it's the charisma he gives off, or the suit, or the glasses, or the haircut, or that fucking wink, but it's the first time I've noticed my interest was far less professional than it should have been."

Sylvie chuckled and replied, "How? You Mobius? You the oh-so-perfect TVA employee?"

Mobius grumbled back, "Ex-employee first, and then perfect employee or not, I'm only human. I was on a diet and I ended up with a five-star meal under my nose, you can't judge me because it aroused my appetite."

Loki realized that the five minutes were over and returned to his appointment place, a little baffled by what he had just heard, but above all extremely interested.

An idea began to germinate in his head, he was not the god of mischief for nothing.

Mobius was not going to figure it out...

Loki moved forward with a much more energetic step, the prospect of an interesting evening motivating him for the rest of his day.

_______

In the evening, much later, they were making out like teenagers on the couch.

Loki had surprised Mobius with a candlelight dinner and they had spent an extremely pleasant evening and continued to prolong the harmony of the moment.

Loki had wrapped his arms around Mobius' neck and was sitting on his lap.

They separated only to catch their breath before reconnecting their lips again.

Mobius' eyes were closed. Loki swirled his tongue in his lover's mouth in an absolutely naughty way before planting kisses from his mouth to his ear and then whispering in a warm voice, "Open your eyes, love."

Unable to refuse anything to Loki in the state of arousal in which he was, Mobius complied.

He opened his eyes and gasped.

Inches away from him, looking at him through familiar sunglasses, was D.B. Cooper.

D.B. Cooper-Loki sitting on his lap.

He brought his face close to Mobius', lowered his glasses slightly and winked at him. Just like on the video.

Mobius swallowed and licked his lips.

Loki's mouth almost against Mobius', his eyes unfathomable behind the smoked glasses, Loki asked him with a deep and sensual voice, "So, is the charisma that I give off..." he gave a small perverse thrust.

"... or my suit..." he traced with his fingertips the lapel of the black jacket with a lascivious gesture.

"...my haircut" he ran his long fingers through his short hair in a suggestive way.

"...my wink," he repeated the gesture before putting his forearms on Mobius' shoulders and tying his hands behind his neck.

He whispered, "Is all this up to your expectations?" and then leant in to kiss him.

But Mobius, who had recognized the words he had said to Sylvie, had no intention of letting his god of mischief be in control any longer.

Even before Loki's lips could touch his, with a skilful twist of his back, he made them turn around and managed to reverse their position somehow.

Loki found himself lying on the length of the couch, his legs imprisoned by the knees of Mobius who ended up now astride him.

Mirroring Loki's moves, he kissed him and then in the same manner, placed a shower of kisses from his jaw to his ear against which he whispered, " Become Loki again, sweetheart."

Before his eyes, under a veil of green magic that flowed through Loki, Mobius saw his lover regain his usual features.

Loki pouted a little and asked sheepishly, "Didn't you enjoy it?"

Mobius put a finger on Loki's lips, "Shhh, I enjoyed it a lot, but there's something I want to know. How far did you spy on my conversation with Sylvie?"

"Hey!" protested Loki, "I wasn't spying, well not really. I just happened to overhear some of the conversation before I went back to work! I only heard your answer about D.B. Cooper."

"Then I'll tell you what I said to Sylvie afterwards." replied Mobius softly.

"I told him that D.B. had aroused my appetite, but the one that had captured my undivided attention and made me forget about all the others was this Loki."

He underlined his words by poking Loki's nose with the tip of his forefinger.

"So yes D.B. is handsome, but he pales in comparison to you Loki. The real Loki. D.B. doesn't have those gorgeous black curls..." he ran his hands slowly through Loki's hair, and letting them run down his fingers continued, "that are soft as silk. »

He gently stroked the outline of Loki's eyes with his fingertips, "D.B. doesn't have those indescribable blue eyes that change color with light, with time and with emotion."

He ran his thumb over the lower lip of Loki's half-open mouth, "D.B. doesn't have that smile you only have for me."

He gently kissed said smile, then resting his forehead against Loki's, he said softly, "Loki, you will never have to be someone else to seduce me, hell, you don't even have to seduce me since I am already completely seduced. I was lost the day you explained to me with a sad look that your destiny was to be a villain. Because in front of me I had the real Loki. You let me see who you were."

He closed the distance between them and put his lips on Loki's.

Unlike the previous kiss, it was a gentle and almost chaste one. A kiss of oath and renewed love to which Loki responded with all his heart.

Talk about mischief turning against himself in the most beautiful way. There were no losers tonight, only two winners.

Though a little later as his head rested on Mobius' chest, he couldn't help but ask, "So, no more D.B. Cooper?"

The hand that was stroking his head, paused for a moment before resuming as Mobius whispered with a smile in his voice, "Hm... I admit the idea of being bossed around by D.B. Cooper does raise some interest..."

"Tut-tut Agent Mobius... What a naughty boy!"

Mobius pressed a kiss on Loki's forehead and said mischievously, "It's not just you who can do and be whatever you want."

Only Loki's warm laughter against his chest answered him.

Later, lulled by the sweetness of the moment, Mobius drifted off to sleep.

The last thing he felt was a light kiss from Loki on his chest, and the last thing he heard was Loki whispering against his skin, where his heart was.

"Thank you for letting me be me."

⚠️🔞NSFW 🔞⚠️SEQUEL HERE : https://archiveofourown.org/works/32529109

_______

Not beta'd I hope you enjoyed it. 🥰

Now that I'm at the end, I'm thinking about a little sequel about DB Cooper-Loki bossing around Mobius😏😏

[not-so-mundane-after-all]

Alright, so- Inspired by my awesome friend @undertheknightwing who created this AMAZING list of Dad!Dick Grayson headcanons (go check it out!!!) I decided to write down the mess I have in my own head into this giant ball of fluff, humor and angst.

So let me present you:

The Graysonfam List of Headcanons and Analysis

It's a looong ass list of my headcanons, mixed with an analysis of some scenes, looking into the motives and behavior of the characters. It's in more or less chronological order and divides into groups: season 1 (+2x01), the time jump, season 2, season 3 hopes/predictions and future. If you want me to turn any of these into fics or you feel like you could do something with it, just let me know. And now... ENJOY!

SEASON 1:

The first time Dick thinks of Gar and Rachel as his kids happens during the events of 1x08 and 1x10. It's pure instinct and it doesn't come to him until much later when he realizes that not only he thought of them this way but he actually meant it.

When he and Donna start translating Kory's notes and it becomes clear that Rachel might still be in trouble, he's immediately on his feet, asking Donna for the keys to her car and ordering her to take the books with her, so they could continue on the way. He's acting fast, ignoring Donna's questions because there's no time for explanation, my daughter is in danger. He almost says it out loud - almost. 

When Donna tells him the danger clearly comes from Kory, he wants to deny it. Kory adores these kids just as much as he does, she would never hurt them. But he puts his feet on the gas anyway, breaking every speed limit possible, because if one hair falls from Gar's and Rachel's heads, he will burn the world to find the person responsible, even if it's Kory (especially if it's Kory)

When they get there the first thing he sees is Gar being thrown in the air, and his mind short circuits to only one thing: Gar, my boy, my son. Is he okay? Thankfully Donna takes care of the rest so he's free to take care of the boy. He pulls him up, holding him tight by the shoulders and makes sure he's okay, but the words 'my son' are still circling his mind.

Speaking of Donna - when Dick starts telling her about Rachel the first time, she wants to cry from happiness. Over these past five years all she saw in Dick's eyes was pain and suffering. A storm of bottled up emotions, raging monsters of anger ready to get out. His body looked weighed down, as if he was Atlas holding the world on his shoulders. And now he's talking about this little girl who threw a brick at a cop car in Detroit and his eyes start to shine as if they were stars in the night sky. His smile grows when he brags about how smart and witty she is, how she's more intelligent than she gives herself credit for, how similar the two of them are. He talks about her bravery and her big heart and he sounds so damn proud Donna's heart is about to burst out of her chest. "I thought I couldn't do it." he tells her. "I fucked up so many times. But she had awakened something in me. I just can't describe it." She can but she doesn't say it - he needs to get to it on his own. (Over a year later, when the girl who turned her brother's world upside down tries to guide her back to the light through the darkness of afterlife, Donna finally says "I always knew he'd be a great father someday. You have no idea how much he loves you." "He told you that?" Rachel asks quietly, trying to hold back her tears. Donna looks at her and smiles. "He didn't have to. I saw it in his eyes.")

Then Dick gets to the part about finding Rachel's mother and suddenly something changes. He's trying to seem like he's happy for her, he says he's glad everything ended well and now Rachel can start a new life but Donna sees right through his facade. He thinks he can't be a part of this new life and it's killing him.

Which brings me to something very important I've noticed a long time ago - Angela's presence makes Dick hold himself back. That's why he decided to leave - Rachel had her mother back, a guardian who could take care of her from now on so he wasn't needed anymore. His job was done. But at this point he's already too attached to just leave like that and when he learns that danger isn't over he comes back immediately. But when he gets there he's met with a wall. Angela is very territorial (we all know why but Dick didn't know that) and Rachel is too overwhelmed by everything but let's be real - if Angela wasn't there Dick would be hovering over Rachel like crazy. But he doesn't. Why? Because he thinks it's not his place to do so. It's easier to go after Kory than to just be standing there awkwardly, wanting to help and comfort but not being able to.

He remembers everything Trigon put him through - every fucking detail. There is some stuff from the vision he wants to laugh at - Him and Dawn? Married? Maybe once upon a time he entertained that thought but he abandoned it long ago. There are things he's actually grateful for - seeing Gar and Rachel as they could be in the future, grown up, in college, happy. That's the one thing he doesn't want to forget. And Johnny - he doesn't want to forget Johnny either. 

His mind was sort of awake, in two places at once, even though he didn't have any control over his body. He remembers chasing the kids around the house, Gar screaming "Real life horror movie!" as he and Rachel tried to run away from him. He remembers Rachel pleading with him when the others were beating the poor boy. He wanted to respond, wanted to let her know he can hear her but he couldn't do anything. He watched helplessly as his own hand pulled Gar up and finished what others started. He screamed and shouted but it was in vain. And then he cried and howled like a wolf watching as Trigon ripped Rachel's heart from her chest and crushed it in his hand, then placed the red gemstone in her forehead. He remembers her dark eyes and evil smirk. He remembers thinking it was over, feeling heartbroken and defeated. He gave up, let the darkness swallow him whole. He didn't want to see more, it was easier locking himself up in this vision because he knew Bruce laying dead in rubble wasn't real. And then she came to him. Back straight and head held high, piercing blue eyes locked on him. He remembers his tone when he spoke to her, taunting and dangerous but it didn't scare her. "We're supposed to save each other" she told him and he wanted to cry but Trigon had him wrap his fingers around her throat and choke her - another thing he would never do. He would never lay a damn finger on her and Trigon was well aware of that. But Rachel knew that too. And she wasn't scared. 

He remembers the circus she brought him into. Empty stage, broken chairs scattered everywhere. He never wanted to come back here. And even though his body stood there motionless he was trashing inside, wanting to get out of here but more importantly wanting to get her out of here. Seeing Rachel on that platform, ready to jump, it was too much. He couldn't lose her, like he lost his parents. He didn't catch them but he sure as hell was going to catch her. So when she fell - he snapped. Got the control back, his muscles acted on memory and he jumped. He flew like he used to and wrapped his fingers around her wrists, holding her tight. He caught her. He would always catch her.

When they wake up all he wants to do is hold her. Relief almost sends him to his knees. But then Gar walks in, all bloody and bruised and all that relief turns into freezing agony and guilt. I did this, he thinks. It's my fault. But there is no time for apologies or explanation, Trigon is still there. Letting Rachel go deal with him on her own is hard but Dick knows she could do it - and she did. Seeing her walking out of that fog is one of the most beautiful views he saw in his life. And when he finally takes her into his arms he doesn't let go until Kory basically rips her out of his embrace.

He wants Kory to go with them. Kids need her. His idea of giving Gar and Rachel a new life included her. Included both of them, taking care of the kids together. Things between them are tangled and complicated but one thing that is neither of those things is their attachment to these two. But Kory just got her memories back, she has her own issues to deal with, she needs time and space - and he respects that, so do Gar and Rachel. But Dick would be lying if he said he didn't notice their disappointment.

The first day of their roadtrip across the country is quiet - mostly because they are all so goddamn tired. Dick pulls up to a motel before dark, deciding that the more sleep they get the better. They pick two rooms next to each other, Jason and Gar in one, he and Rachel in the other. Rachel immediately vanishes in the bathroom, so Dick has time to sit down and think (as if he wasn't doing it the entire day while driving). An idea is shaping in his head, memories of a beloved city in sunny California come to the surface of his mind and he knows this is where he wants to take the kids. But he has to make a stop at Gotham first, he needs to talk to Bruce and most importantly return Jason home. Rachel walks out of the bathroom in fresh clothes Donna left for her and crawls into bed without a word. He takes his time to tuck her in, then sits down on the edge of her bed. She's beyond exhausted, but she's safe, she's with him, everything will be alright. He will never let anyone take her away from him again. And when he's watching her fall asleep, holding her hand in his, three words come to his mind, words he's not ready to say aloud yet but he knows them to be true. I love you.

THE TIME JUMP:

Physical affection is something I think the show is pretty good at showing but I still crave to see more. It's clear that Dick struggles to be affectionate, whether that be through words or touch. And he doesn't even realize he's actually very good at it. Why? Because whenever he does it, he's acting on instinct. The biggest proof? All his hugs with Rachel in s1. Boy had no idea what to do, it was written on his face, but his arms went up nonetheless. He didn't freeze, he didn't push her away, but reacted accordingly. The hugs in 1x02 and 1x04 are the only ones he initiated on his own, but he still wasn't sure if he's doing it right. As the show went on he slowly eased into it, but was still taken by surprise when it happened (1x08, the first hug in 2x01). By the end of 2x01 he seems to be pretty comfortable with it but I think it's during the time jump when he really starts to understand the importance and power of physical affection and how these kids really need it. The pat he gave Gar on the shoulder in 2x03 or their hug in 2x09 felt really natural, same as the goodbye hug with Rachel in 2x13. All three of them got comfortable with each other during those first three months in SF. Which leads me to…

Cuddle sessions. Yes, this is definitely a thing at Titans Tower (*cough*Grayson*cough*household*cough). It starts that first night when Dick, Rachel, Gar and Jason gather on the couch to watch a movie. Rachel lays down and rests her head on Dick's thigh while Gar settles comfortably on his other side. Dick has no idea when it happened but he freezes for a moment when he realizes his hand is on Rachel's head, fingers carding through her hair. The girl seems to be asleep already but stirs when he stops and asks him to continue, so he does. Soon after that Gar's head lands on his shoulder as the boy starts nodding off. The sudden contact wakes him up and he pulls away awkwardly, apologizing but Dick tells him it's okay so Gar leans back against him. The feeling of having the two of them so close brings a sense of calm to Dick and soon he falls asleep as well. He wakes up in the morning with the two teenagers basically laying on top of him and Jason standing over them with a smirk and a phone in his hand.

After that it sort of becomes a thing and not just during movies. Whenever Dick sits down on the couch, whether to work or to simply relax, Gar or Rachel (or both) would find him and snuggle to him, at first hesitantly, but with more confidence as the time passes and they get comfortable with it. After three months of living together all Dick has to do is pat the spot next to him for them to jump on the couch and cuddle up, tho Rachel is the one who does it most often and with no hesitation.

Dick very quickly starts understanding how important it is for them so he starts returning the favor. A good job pat on the shoulder during training, a kiss dropped on the top of the head during breakfast, a comforting shoulder rub when they aren't feeling well, emotionally or physically. Gar loves when Dick ruffles his hair, he even leans into it sometimes, while Rachel's favorite things are forehead kisses and tucking her hair behind her ear (but neither of them would ever say that out loud)

Words are as important as gestures, which brings us to affectionate pet names. It feels normal and almost ordinary when it comes from a woman - Rachel has been called 'honey' by Melisa and 'sweetheart' by Dawn but she wasn't phased by it. But when Dick calls her 'honey' for the first time, she nearly drops her coffee mug. It comes out so naturally and he doesn't even realize he said it, but it takes her breath away and she needs a moment to collect herself. With Gar it's usually 'Bud', 'Buddy', or 'Tiger Boy' spoken affectionately and he's always beaming with happiness when he hears Dick saying that.

One night, shortly after Trigon, Rachel slips into his bedroom in the middle of the night, saying she can't sleep. The memories are too vivid, too real. Her lips are trembling and she looks like she's about to fall apart and that's all it takes for Dick to sit up, open his arms for her and with full awareness and conviction say "come here, baby girl". She falls asleep snuggled to his bare chest and Dick feels his throat getting dangerously tight. He'd seen many times, mostly on TV, images of parents holding their babies to their bare skin - something about creating a bond through skin-to-skin contact. He was never able to wrap his head around this concept, but now, as he feels Rachel's cheek pressed to his heart, her hand closed in his resting on his stomach, the understanding hits him like a speeding train, pushing a tear or two out of his eyes. It's something indescribable, feels profound and almost sacred. The love he feels in this moment is overwhelming.

Gar has nightmares too, he usually wakes up screaming. It scares Dick at first, how he reacts, because the boy pulls away, wide eyed and shaking, and doesn't want to be touched. Guilt overwhelms Dick because he's sure it's because of him, because of what he did to Gar while being under Trigon's control. He tries to apologize and Gar accepts it but explains to him that his nightmares are not Dick's fault and they are not even about that (Dick can feel the boy is lying for both of their sakes but lets him anyway). It takes a few tries and lots of pleading and building trust but one night Gar finally falls into Dick's arms, sobbing into his shoulder. He pulls the boy close, runs his fingers through his hair just like Gar likes it and whispers "it's okay, my little boy." over and over again until Gar's body goes limp in his hold and he can put him back to sleep. Neither of them mentions it in the morning, but Gar gives him a look full of gratitude, filling his heart with warmth.

One evening during their first week in SF they organise a 'bonding night' - Gar's idea. There's take out and board games and staying up all night, talking. At some point one of them suggests sharing any hidden talents (besides superpowers of course) and details no one knows about them. Jason admits to being a theatre nerd ("it's thespian you idiots!") and proves it by flawlessly rapping verses from Hamilton. Gar thanks to travelling with his parents can fluently speak few African languages, he also shares that during his time at the Doom Manor Rita taught him the basics of playing piano. When it's Dick's turn he gets up from the couch and vanishes for a few minutes, but eventually comes back with a guitar, saying he had learned to play during his circus days, but hadn't done it in a while so he might be a little rusty. He plays a few cords, trying to spark his memory and when the notes finally come to him, a beautiful melody fills the room (I always imagine it's Viva la Vida by Coldplay). And suddenly this melody is joined by an angelic voice - Rachel closes her eyes and starts singing quietly, recognizing the song. She only opens her eyes when she's finished and finds the three of them looking at her in absolute awe, Dick's eyes seem to be a bit watery. She gets a bit embarrassed and says it's nothing but they start cheering and clapping anyway. Gar asks her where did she learn to sing like that and she admits she used to sing in a church choir when she was little, but had to quit after her powers started showing. The night ends with a little jam session and lots of laughing.

Gar and Rachel grew up on golden era of Disney Channel shows (Jason knows them too but he'd rather be tortured than ever admit that) and once the news is out Dick is forced to sit through the entire run of Wizards of Waverly Place. But watching Rachel flawlessly impersonate the main character Alex, knowing every line word for word makes him grin like a madman and laugh so hard his stomach hurts and tears roll down his cheeks. He pulls her to him and she falls on him in a fit of uncontrollable giggles while Gar and Jason give her a standing ovation.

SEASON 2:

While hanging out together is important, Dick also makes sure he gets to spend some time with each of them separately. With Jason it's mostly through training - the boy isn't very keen on spending one-on-one quality time outside of the gym, but prides himself to be Dick's right hand man during lessons, having more experience over the other two. With Gar it's video games most of the time - Dick learned to play specifically for him and actually started paying attention to gaming lore. But it's not just that - Gar has a talent to anything tied to technology so they spend a lot of time together in the tech room where the boy learns to operate the Tower system. It brings both of them a lot of joy. Rachel, as the only girl in their little family, often needs some time away from the boys, so Dick takes her on walks in the mornings or a drive around the city, shows her his favorite coffee shop which soon becomes their favorite spot. They talk about everything and nothing, because conversations were the thing that brought them so close in the first place, and it just feels good. 

Rachel also loves spending time with him in the tech room - but not like Gar, she's not learning to run it (although she picked up a thing or two) but she's simply there to keep Dick company while he works (can he even call that work if he hasn't been officially working as a detective for quite a while now? Not to mention his resignation has been sent to Detroit the day they arrived in SF). She brings him coffee or snacks, stands behind his chair with her arms around his neck, observing whatever he's doing (and asking lots of questions) or simply sits in the other swiveling chair, drawing in her sketchbook or turning around so many times Dick starts to worry she's gonna get dizzy. He asks her one time if she's not bored sitting here with him but she just shrugs and says she'd rather be here than anywhere else and his heart grows tenfold as he smiles at her

So remember how Rachel lost control and attacked Jason in 2x03? And how Jason shouted "Stay away from me you fucking freak!" right in her face? And how Dick walks in like 3 seconds later asking if everything's okay and the tension is HIGH??? Well, he might have not seen what happened, but he definitely HEARD the full thing, he was within the hearing range. The fact that he didn't attack Jason immediately is really impressive, if this was s1!Dick - Jason would be on the floor right now, probably with a swollen eye and few broken bones. But here Dick is trying to play it smart and investigate. If it wasn't for dr Light he would probably get to the bottom of this and had a conversation with both Jason and Rachel. I'm thinking of writing a one-shot AU where he actually does it (mostly thanks to Gar who is a terrible liar when caught of guard)

When the last cab drives away and the Tower becomes empty, save for him, Gar and that boy in the infirmary, Dick does not leave to meet with Adeline immediately - he goes to Rachel's room and starts scrubbing it clean from all the crosses painted all over the place. His eyes are burning, the bile in his throat is the size of a tennis ball but he doesn't allow himself to cry. At some point Gar joins him and wordlessly starts helping him. It takes them a little over an hour and when it's done they both drop down on her bed, sitting shoulder to shoulder. "She'll be back." Gar tells him. "I'm not so sure." Dick replies, not looking at the boy. Gar puts a hand on his shoulder. "She will. You just wanted to protect us. Deep down she knows that, she's just angry." Dick knows Gar's reasoning is valid, but looking at his own reflection in the broken mirror he can't help but think that in the long run Rachel will be better off without him. They will all be better off without him.

It's not until his first night in prison that Dick starts to regret his decision to cast himself away. He wakes up in the middle of the night with tears in his eyes, his mind still reeling from dreams of Gar and Rachel seven years in the future. They were adults, happy and independent - that's good, right? That's what he always wanted for them. But his tears start to fall when it comes to him, hitting him like a wrecking ball, that spending 7 years behind bars means he won't be able to see them grow up. Something like a panic attack comes next and he is barely able to pull himself out of it. He's suddenly overwhelmed by questions. My kids… will they be okay? Is Kory back at the Tower or is Gar still alone? What is he gonna do when that strange boy wakes up? Was there any food in the fridge when I left? I left Gar some money, but still… God, and Rachel! She has never been on a plane before, what if she gets scared and her powers start acting out? What if she gets night terrors again? Will Donna know what to do? His head is spinning, these thoughts are suffocating him. Only a breathing exercise Bruce had taught him years ago is able to help, but it takes longer than usual. Dick doesn't sleep for the rest of the night.

He's not sure how but when Dick sees a bird in a window of his cell, he knows it's no ordinary bird. It's a raven. It's her. He gets up on his feet despite his knees being weak and wobbly and he smiles, grins like an idiot as he calls out to her. Because it has to be her, right? But all hope leaves him when the creature flies up again with a croak and disappears from his sight, leaving him alone. Dick drops to his knees, feeling more exhausted than ever and curls on the floor, his body shaking from shivers. No one is coming. He brought it on himself. He is forgotten already. But then he hears quiet tapping and something nudges his hand. He opens one eye only to look right into a ruby red one. The bird is here, inside, right in front of his face. It flaps its wings and its feathers turns into dark smoke for a moment. "Rachel…" He breathes out, holding to his last shreds of consciousness. The raven lowers its head, snuggling it to his forehead and before Dick passes out again he hears three words said by this quiet, angelic voice he loves so much: Don't give up.

When they bring Donna back to the Tower and lay her down in the infirmary Dick feels empty and overflowed at the same time. He goes to strip off his new suit and change into something more comfortable but it's a struggle when his hands are shaking so much. He goes back to infirmary and passes by Dawn in the doorway, who walks out of the room with Donna's Wonder Girl belt in hand, not even lifting her eyes up at him. He closes the door and sits down, taking Donna's hand in his but he is able to sit there for only ten minutes before the feeling of her hand growing cold in his makes him want to run away. He makes his way back to his room but takes a step back when he notices two colorful heads in the training room. Gar and Rachel are sitting on one of the benches with their backs to him, talking quietly. Gar is hunched over and Rachel has her arm around him and her head on his shoulder. The sight makes Dick's throat tight. He walks up to them quietly and they only notice him when he's standing in front of them. They simultaneously lift their heads up, showing him their red, swollen from crying eyes and his heart can't take it anymore. He falls to his knees in front of them. "I'm here." he whispers as he takes their hands in his. "I'm right here." he whispers again and his voice breaks. Suddenly two sets of arms are wrapped around him when both Gar and Rachel throw themselves at him, sobbing into his shoulders. He holds them tight, kisses their heads and lets his own tears fall into their hair as he keeps promising them he is not leaving them ever again. 

SEASON 3 HOPES/PREDICTIONS:

First few weeks without Donna and Rachel are absolute torture. Grief is normal, he's been through it before, it's nothing new (maybe more painful and guilt-ridden than he ever experienced). But not having Rachel around and how it impacts him on day-to-day basis after spending every day with her for the past few months is something totally new and unexpected and Dick is pretty sure he's never felt like this before. He's overprotective to the point of being overbearing and Gar points that out to him numerous times. He keeps making her breakfast, forgetting she's not gonna show up in the kitchen when the clock strikes 9 am. He keeps looking into her room like he's expecting to find her there. He constantly checks his phone as if she were able to call from Themyscira, where there's no signal, let alone phones. "Is it what sending your kid out to college feels like?" Hank asks him one evening and Dick almost chokes on his beer. Gar laughs so hard he falls off his chair. 

Rachel does everything she can to not cry in front of Dick when they say goodbye to each other but the moment the plane is in the air, she breaks. It was one of the hardest decisions she ever had to make and seeing Dick so broken definitely didn't help. But she has to at least try to bring Donna back, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself otherwise. So she gets herself together and keeps telling herself to be brave. For Dick. For Donna. For her family.

Gar becomes the center of family's attention and he can't say he doesn't love it. That spot always belonged to Rachel after all, but he was never jealous, nor he resented her for that. She totally deserved it and she can take the spot back when she returns (but he's never gonna let her get away with not saying goodbye to him). He's the 'A-Student' now during training, Dick is putting some extra work to make sure he learns as much as he can. Kory helps him a lot with the trauma CADMUS gave him and works with him on the development of his powers. He tries turning into other animals and after a month of struggling he finally turns into a mouse. Kory walks with him sitting on his shoulder around the whole Tower like the proudest mama in the galaxy and Dick's beaming with pride for the entire week. 

After Dick's off-hand comment that Rachel is missing on so much Gar starts to record vlogs on his phone about what's happening at the Titans Tower so Rachel can watch it and catch up when she's back. The material he gets is pure gold and even when others beg him to delete it, he refuses saying this is too good to be destroyed. 

The day before Rachel's first attempt at resurrection she uses a freshly learned trick to come to Dick in his dream. They meet on the beach she's currently on, meditating. Seeing him for the first time in three months makes her want to cry but she promised herself to be strong so he wouldn't worry and she holds her tears at bay. She falls into his arms with the brightest smile and burrows her face in his chest. He's holding her tight, asking if everything is okay and she nods, not quite trusting her voice at the moment. "I can't keep you here for long, but I needed to see you." she tells him. She's not sharing any details about her plan, the less he knows the better, but he begs her to be careful and stop if it turns out to be too much for her. Dick pulls her to him one last time before she has to serve the connection and presses his lips to her forehead. "I love you." he whispers and she closes her eyes, hugging him tighter. "Come home soon." "I love you, too. And I will."

To find Donna's soul Rachel needs to go to The Underworld, which is a dark, scary place (well, for the most part). The search is difficult and the journey ahead of her is long. On her way she meets other people, souls who sometimes want to help her, sometimes otherwise. She sees Adamson and all the people who were after her, drowning in a river of fire, calling for help. One hand grabs her by the ankle and Rachel looks down right into the hollow eyes of her birth mother. She struggles to set herself free from Angela's hold but eventually the creepy hand lets go of her and Rachel runs away. Not all the meetings are painful though. She gets to see Melisa again - she tells her about Dick and Gar and Kory and everything that happened. "I found him, mom. I found the boy from the circus." she says and they both start to cry. Melisa tells her how proud she is and lets her continue her journey. But the most surprising meeting happens right before the end. Rachel knows their faces only from her dream and the blurry videos she found online. But the resemblance to Dick is undeniable - he has his mother's eyes, his father's hair. Mary Grayson takes her into her arms with tears in her eyes, saying how happy she is to finally meet her. They chat for a while, laugh and cry together like they've known each other their whole lives. "He's so lucky to have you." John tells her. "Tell him we're proud of him." Mary asks her when she is about to leave. "And come back to him in one piece." Rachel nods, holding back tears. "I will, I promise." 

When Rachel arrives at Wayne Manor it's already dark outside. A black car pulls in the driveway. Dick, Kory and Gar are waiting by the main entrance and when the car stops they approach it and Dick opens the door. Rachel is sleeping in the backseat with her head falling on her shoulder and the view is so beautiful and adorable that Dick stops for a moment to just look at her with a dreamy smile on his face. He lifts his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and leans in whispering "welcome back, sweetheart". She smiles without opening her eyes and instantly lifts her arms to wrap them around his neck. They both laugh as he pulls her out the car. She steps away from him for a moment to hug Gar and Kory but sticks herself back to his side immediately after. Gar takes her bag and the car drives away while the 4 of them head towards the door.

She failed (or at least she thinks she failed) and that first night back she cries her eyes out into Dick's chest, apologizing over and over again. "It's okay, honey." he tells her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Remember what I told you back at the airport? No matter how strong we are, we-" "We can't always change the world." she finishes for him and smiles through her tears. "I know. I've had those words in the back of my head every day." They lay in silence for the next few minutes, Dick's hand slowly stroking Rachel's hair. She hesitates a bit but then starts telling him about meeting his parents. He smiles at her through tears. "I'm so proud of you." he whispers. "You've grown so much. You're so strong. Going away was a good decision, it gave you skills and experience you wouldn't have gotten here. But now I'm just glad I have you back. I was worried sick." Rachel smiles into his chest. "I'm not going anywhere again."

As happy as Dick is to have her back, some part of him wishes Rachel stayed longer on Themyscira. Everything that's happening in Gotham is making him consider sending her and Gar away to some place safe and hidden, The Justice League has a lot of those. But his kids are Titans - they both remind him of that. "You didn't train us to hide." she tells him. "We can handle this." Gar adds. And Dick believes them. And he's so proud his heart can barely take it.

Donna's return comes as a shock to everyone - Hank brings her to the Wayne Manor one day, saying they bumped into each other at some restaurant in the city. "How-" Rachel asks with eyes opened wide in disbelief. Donna smiles at her. "I don't know. I got lost, but… I found my way back somehow." Dick slowly walks up to her, his eyes welling up with tears. "But the spell-" "It worked." Donna explains. "It just needed more time." After that he sweeps her into his arms and extends his hand to Rachel to pull her in as well. He holds them both as close as he can, kissing their heads and swears to himself to never lose either of them again.

FUTURE:

Thoughts about adoption appear in Dick's mind more or less when he brings Gar and Rachel to San Francisco, but they are more of an abstract dream than something that could be real. But as the time goes on those thoughts become more and more solidified and are too big to be ignored. He finally decides to talk to someone about it and that someone is Dawn, mostly because they've had this kind of conversation before. "It's a big responsibility - taking her in. But taking care of a kid is complicated, you know that better than anyone." These words stay with him every day, that's why he goes to her. He struggles to say what he wants to say but she understands and hugs him with tears in her eyes saying she knew he'd do it sooner or later and that she couldn't be happier for him. She helps him with paperwork and prepares him for meetings. He breaks the news to the kids the moment everything is ready. They're suspicious of the 'gifts' he hands them since it's neither's birthday today and there's no holiday. They share a curious glance as they rip off the shiny gift paper to reveal two folders of documents (while Dick almost dies from anticipation and nerves). Gar is the first one to react - his lips slowly stretch into the biggest grin imaginable. "For real? Are you serious? This is real stuff?" his voice grows louder and more excited with each following question and Dick can't help but laugh. Rachel stays quiet though. She stares at the papers in her hands with her brows furrowed. Seconds pass and she's not moving. It's like she's not even breathing. "Rachel?" Kory asks quietly, taking a step her way. And then the floodgates open. Rachel's face twists into a grimace as she starts sobbing uncontrollably. She covers her mouth with her hand to muffle it but there's no use. Dick walks up to her, terrified he did something wrong but then she throws herself into his arms, repeating "thank you" and "I love you" over and over again. Dick pulls Gar to him as well and hugs them both. "You're my kids." He whispers to them. "I love you more than anything in the world. And nothing will ever change that." By the time of Rachel's 16th birthday she and Gar are officially Graysons.

Dick and Kory get married the following year. It's a glamorous but small ceremony with reception held at the Wayne Manor. For the months leading to the big day the kids (with the help of the entire team and few other people) prepare something very special - and the idea comes from Uncle Clay. Turns out Clay, as the closest friend of Dick's parents, owns a small storage unit where he keeps some of the stuff from the circus, including personal things - like a box of journals of Mary Grayson, who had been writing them since she was a child. Clay tells Gar and Rachel a story about how Mary used to write poetry which then she turned into songs and sometimes performed them at the circus. He even still has some of her stage outfits. The three of them get the idea that Gar and Rachel should look through tapes with her performances and pick one song to sing together at the wedding - and that's what they do. They find a beautiful ballad where Clay accompanied Mary on the piano (he teaches Gar how to play it) and in secret the team prepares the whole show. The performance happens during the Bride and Groom's first dance. Gar enters the stage in a tuxedo, says a few words and starts playing. Dick and Kory start dancing slowly but stop for a moment when he starts singing the first verse. They have no idea what's coming next. Rachel, in Mary's dress stands in the crowd surrounding the couple. Hank comes to stand behind her and secretly puts a microphone in her hand. She comes in for the second verse of the song and that's when Dick and Kory stop dancing completely, too surprised to move. They watch in absolute awe as Rachel joins her brother on stage and they finish the song together. When Dick realizes he actually remembers this song from his childhood and that the dress Rachel is wearing belonged to his mother he breaks down in tears. After the song is over the kids join their parents on the dancefloor for a bone-crushing group hug (and to help you imagine this even better this is the song I imagine them singing)

The day Rachel and Gar get their college acceptance letters is one of the most stressful days in their lives. They're in the Tower's kitchen, both holding the envelopes in their hands, afraid to open them. "What are you guys waiting for? Open it!" Kory encourages them. They agree to do it on three. Dick holds his breath, gripping tight his wife's hand. The kids read the letters, fully focused. There's a stretching moment of silence, and then… "I got in!" "Me too!" A lot of screaming and laughing and jumping around happens afterwards, but even in the chaos of all of that Dick can feel a burning knot tightening in his stomach.

And I thought sending Rachel to Themyscira was hard, Dick thinks when they drop Gar and Rachel off at college on their first day. Thankfully it's the same college, but it's in Chicago and it's still half a country away from home. He's not sure how many times he checked already if they have everything they need, if they haven't forgotten to pack something, if they are absolutely sure they know their schedule and so on. Kory, standing next to him with her hands on her growing belly, laughs at him fussing over them. Gar and Rachel just smile and nod, seeing how stressed he is. Yes, Dad, we're sure we have everything. Yes, we checked. Of course we'll call. Yes, Dad. Okay, Dad - and so on. At some point they all start laughing at the ridiculousness of it all but suddenly Dick is getting choked up. His two little birds are leaving the nest and he should be handling it better than he does. Seeing him clearlyon the edge of falling apart Gar and Rachel give him a tight hug. "I'm sorry." he says. "I'm just trying to let you go a little. Let you grow up." "It's that hard?" Rachel asks him and he looks at her - tall, beautiful, confident, brave and smart. Perfect. But he also still sees that little kid he met in Detroit. "It can't be that hard." Gar adds and for a moment when Dick looks at him he thinks he's seeing double - the young, handsome and courageous man who is standing in front of him now and that overexcited cheerful kid who joined them on their little road trip. "It's impossible." Dick tells them, pulling them back into another hug. "It's fucking impossible." Soon they have to go or they will be late for their classes and Dick and Kory are left alone on the campus. "They'll be okay." his wife tells him. He has to swallow down a bile in his throat and push back some tears before answering. "I know."

Oh and remember Dick's old silver Porsche? The one he traded for a minivan? Yeah, he got it back (don't ask him how). Rachel owns it now. Graduation present. And don't worry about Gar, he's got his car too. Grandpa Bruce got him his dream ride.

Woah... This turned out WAAAAAAAAAY longer than I thought it would be. If you made it this far (and even if you didn't) I hope you enjoyed.

[ongaku-ato-kakikomi]

Can you do a Duke Crocker imagine, where you're Nathan's twin and you can't feel anything either? Like you've always hated Duke and he jokingly pats you on the back one day and like Nathan with Audrey's touches, she can feel it and starts making any excuse to get Duke to have any contact with her(high fives, random hugs, grabbing his arm when she almost "falls" ect.) And she ends up falling in love with him despite his past with her brother🥺sorry if that's too long

(A/N): I’ve fallen in love with this idea as soon as I got it in my ask box. Thank you so much for trusting me for writing it, dear! <3 I changed your examples of contacts the reader creates to try and make it more logical, so I hope you’ll like what I’ve come up with despite that.

“Show me your teeth.”

You roll your eyes at your brother, Nathan. “I come to see you at work and that’s the first thing you say to me?”

He blinks a few times at you. “Sorry. Hi, (Y/N). Now show me your teeth.”

You reluctantly open your mouth wide, your brother taking his time to inspect each tooth that is very much still in place.

“Show me your hands.” You close your mouth and put your hands in front of you, turning them around a few times. “Now turn around.”

You give out a groan while you do as he says, already tired of these shenanigans.

“You don’t seem to be hurt anywhere. Good.” He gives you a bright smile, satisfied with his inspection. “Someone has to make sure you’re not bleeding or losing any members.”

You quirk an eyebrow at him. “And is someone making sure you’re not bleeding?” He loses his smile, already knowing what you’re gonna say. “That’s right. It goes both ways. Now show me your teeth, Nathan.”

“Don’t worry, (Y/N).” Audrey suddenly appears next to your brother, the blond putting her hand on his shoulder. “I checked him twenty minutes ago. He seems good.”

You notice him slightly tensing up under Audrey’s touch, his lips slightly stretching out into a small smile when he turns towards her. Nathan told you about Audrey’s specialty; how he manages to feel every single bit of touch she gives him. And though you feel a bit jealous of him, you also feel extremely happy for him. You’d do anything to be able to physically feel something, anything... even the breath of the wind against your face, but you can’t.

“Hey, (Y/N) is here!” Your expression falters down as soon as you recognize Duke’s voice from behind you, already seeing his large smirk inside your mind without even looking at him. “What a surprise!”

You give your brother a glare. “I thought you said he wouldn’t be here today?”

You’ve tried to avoid seeing Duke Crocker most of your life, always feeling pure annoyance whenever he’s in the same room as you, and as of now, you’ve managed to only see him a few times since childhood. You were also sure that you wouldn’t see him today, especially since Nathan told you that he wouldn’t be here.

“I didn’t think he would be.” Your brother turns his eyes towards Audrey, squinting them when he notices a knowing grin on her lips. “But I have a little idea why...”

“Ouch.” You turn your head towards Duke just as he comes to a halt next to you. “And here I thought we could be friends. What did I do to earn such hatred?”

You give him a hard smile. “Look in the mirror and you’ll have your answer.”

He gives out a dramatic gasp at your response, your brother giving out a loud laugh. “Good one!”

“Guys!” Audrey gives you all her ‘big eyes’. “Come on, can’t you get along for once?”

“Nah, it’s okay, Audrey.” Duke gives her a wink, not at all bothered by your remarks. “(Y/N) is just teasing me. She always does. Right, (Y/N)?”

You’re about to let out another remark when he abruptly pats your back, your words dying inside your throat as soon as you realized what happened.

You felt his hands on your back.

You tilt your head at Duke with pure confusion, the man staring back at you with the exact emotion. For once, you weren’t looking at him with annoyance or hatred, and it couldn’t exactly pinpoint why you suddenly weren’t.

“Audrey.” Your brother speaks up, the police officer giving the blond a hard look. “Why is he here?”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Audrey gives him an innocent look. “He’s gonna help us with the investigation.”

“He’s gonna ‘what’?!”

Duke looks away from you to send your brother a smirk. “Audrey said I’d be ‘useful’.”

You blink a few times, suddenly remembering where you are. “I find that unlikely.”

“Yeah, well...” He looks back at you, his smile not at all flinching. “You always do.”

You give him back a hard smile, though not as hard as you usually do. The feeling of his hands on your back still lingers there and partially clouds your mind. You can’t help but wonder if you’ve imagined it. You were thinking about your brother’s situation with Audrey... maybe you were wishing for the same thing so hard that your brain gave you a small exception?

“Anyway...” Duke claps his hands together, looking back towards Nathan and Audrey. “Are we gonna go or are we just gonna stand here like idiots?”

Your brother gives him a glare. “Audrey?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” She grabs her coat from her chair, sending you a smile on your way out. “You’re welcomed to join us, (Y/N).”

“Huh?” You blink in surprise, slowly starting to follow them. “Yeah... yeah, sure.”

“(Y/N) is willing to share a car ride with me?” Duke sends you a grin. “This must be my lucky day.”

“Don’t push it.”

He just laughs at your reaction, none of you noticing Nathan and Audrey exchanging whispering words.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You give a side gland towards Duke sitting next to you, your eyes carefully watching his face as he spits out a large number of words to annoy your brother more than he usually does. Normally you would have shut him up with one of your remarks by now, but the moment from earlier still obsess you. Forget how or why it happened, you have to know if you’ve imagined his touch or not... and there’s only one way to be sure.

“Ow!” You suddenly interrupt Duke by suddenly flicking your fingers against his cheek, his head snapping towards you as he holds his face with his hand. “Why did you do that?”

You ignore him and look down at your fingers, feeling a satisfying pain rushing through them. “... I just had an urge.”

You barely hear your brother laugh as Duke pouts about the pain you put him through, a small smile appearing on your lips as you realize that this is real. You can feel Duke’s touch. Would you have preferred someone else? Absolutely. Anyone but Duke would have been more than welcomed. But are you going to ignore this opportunity life is giving you? Hell no.

You’re gonna have fun with this.

“Oh, stop crying.” You poke his cheek just where you flicked your fingers earlier, a large grin forming on your lips when you feel his skin against yours. “I didn’t take you for a baby, Crocker.”

“What-stop poking me!” He pushes your hand away, a frown on his face as he hears Nathan chuckle in the front. “You’re lucky you can’t feel anything-”

 He gets interrupted by your hands suddenly squishing his face away, confusing spreading on his features.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Trying to shut you up.” You let go of his face, realizing that you might be going a bit too far. “But it’s not working.”

“Guys.” Audrey interrupts your conversation, Nathan still chuckling as he stops the car. “We’re here.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It’s been more than a few minutes since you’ve arrived at the crime scene, Nathan and Audrey now currently questioning the witnesses. Why were you and Duke even around in the first place? You have no idea. But as the two of you wait around for them to finish, you decide to test your theory a little more.

“Ow!” Duke takes a step away from you as soon as he feels your shoe kicking his leg, his eyes squinting at you. “Okay, what is your problem?”

You lose your grin as soon as he says that. “It’s not obvious? You’re my problem.”

“Yeah, yeah... you hate me, I know. But you’ve never kicked me. Or poked me. Or squished my face.” He points at you, suspicion all over his features. “So what’s the sudden change, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

You almost want to curse yourself at how fast you said those words, already knowing that he’s not going to believe that. You almost want to cringe when you see his lips stretch out into a large grin, already dreading the worst.

“Don’t tell me...” His smile gets wider, his excitement suddenly rising. “You actually like me!”

“What-no!” You frown, already shaking your head at him in disgust. “Ew! Never!”

“Aw, don’t deny it.” He approaches his face to yours, his annoying ‘charm’ turning on. “I knew you’d like me eventually. Everyone does-”

You shove his face away with your hands, muffling his words by doing so. “I will never ever like you.”

You truly believe those words, trying your best to ignore the tingling going through your skin after you touched his face. This is not going to change how you feel about Duke. You’ll make sure of it.

But Duke seems to be sure of something else, as he starts to laugh while he gently puts your hands away from his face.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Wuornos.” He gives you a knowing smile. “But I know the truth.”

You realize that you’ve let him hold onto your hands, your mind to enraptured by the feeling of it to let you do anything about it until now. You suddenly pull them back towards you, sending him a glare.

“In your dreams, Duke.”

“Already happened.”

You give out a gagging sound while you walk away from him, his laugh resonating in your ears. You were hoping there wasn’t a blush creeping up on your cheeks, having never been able to feel the heat of it. What you could feel was your heartbeat getting incredibly louder inside your chest, your mind already screaming at it to stop.

This is one of the many reasons why you try so hard to avoid Duke. You try your best to hate him, to despise him... and you do... until you get to spend time with him, and then you have to beat yourself up to hate him again. You don’t want to like him, not after what happened between him and your brother all those years ago... and you’re not gonna let his stupid feeling exception put all of your past efforts to crumble.

So why are you not quite believing that?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Boo.”

You give out a scream when you hear Duke suddenly whisper that word in your ears, already pushing him away from you. “What the hell?!”

“Aw, did I scare you?” He gives you a grin. “Sorry... not sorry!”

You glare at him, feeling your hands starting to tingle from having just pushed him. It’s been a week since you’ve felt anything, having realized that it wasn’t worth risking your brother’s trust. So you’ve started to avoid the crooked criminal again, and it worked. Until now.

Gosh, why did you have to go on a walk today?

“What do you want?”

“To bother you. I think it’s a good payback from last time.” He shrugs, his words already making you groan in annoyance as you start walking away. “I also wanted to see how you were doing. You know? With the whole ‘liking me’ thing?”

“I don’t like you.”

“Hm. Right.” He snaps his fingers before he points at you. “You love me.”

You suddenly stop in your tracks, sending him a glare. “I do not love you!”

He just gives you a large grin as an answer, as if he knew something you didn’t, which only seems to make you angrier.

“What?”

“You’re pretty when you’re mad-ow!” He rubs his arms after you hit it, his grin coming back soon after. “See? You like me!”

You shake your head at him. “How is me hitting you proof that I like you?”

“I don’t know... maybe the fact that you’re blushing?” Your eyes open wide, your hands immediately going to your cheeks to try and feel the heat: but as usual, nothing. “If you don’t believe me, I can fetch a mirror for you.”

“I’m not blushing.” You walk away from him, deciding to just deny everything. “You’re lying.”

“But I’m not!” He follows you close behind, forcing you to stop walking when he suddenly jumps in front of you. “Come on... why are you denying it?”

You glare at him once more. “I don’t need to deny things that don't exist.”

“Is liking me that much of a bad thing?” His question takes you by surprise, and you can almost sense a glint of pain in his eyes. “You don’t have to hate me just cause your brother does, you know?”

“Are you not hearing me when I talk?” You poke his shoulder with your finger, slightly pushing him away. “I. Don’t. Like. You.”

“But I like you.”

You stare at him in shock, your words choking in your throat. “... what?”

“I said I like you.” He puts his hands in his jeans’ pockets, seeming a little less confident than before. “I always have, and I know you like me... so why won’t you just give me a chance?”

“I...” You give out a sigh, rubbing your face with your hands. “Why do you keep saying that I like you?”

He lightly chuckles. “Why did you suddenly start touching me so much?”

“Because...” You hesitate for a second, then give out another sigh. “Cause I can feel you, okay?”

He stares at you for a second, confusion in his eyes. “Huh?”

“When you pat my back the other day.” You cross your arms over your chest, a sense of embarrassment going through you. “I felt that, but I wasn’t sure it was real... so that’s why I kept hitting you and all.”

“... you can feel me?”

“Yeah.” You notice the glint of an idea going through his eyes, frowning. “What are you thinking, Crocker?”

“So if I do this...” Your eyes widen when he suddenly takes your hand in his, his lips stretching out into a grin. “... you can feel that?”

You feel a shot of electricity running through your arm, watching his fingers intertwine with yours. “... what are you doing?” 

“What if I do this....” You shut your eyes close when you suddenly feel his other hand against your cheek, his fingers gently pushing a strand of hair away from your face. “... can you also feel that?”

You feel the warmth of his skin against yours, a shudder running down your spine for the first time in your entire life. You open your eyes again, now seeing him getting dangerously closer. “Duke... seriously...”

“What about this?”

You’ve never been able to feel what a kiss feels like before that moment, your mind screaming the moment you felt his lips on yours. Every little movement he made, every touch of his fingers against your skin felt like little explosions that had dangerous consequences for your heart. You couldn’t think anymore, all you could do was feel, and when he parts away a few seconds later, you can barely hear him talk.

“Did you feel that?”

“I...” A stutter threatens to come out, your free hand slowly raising so you can point at him. “... I hate you...”

He gives out a grin at your answer, noticing the tremble in your voice. “Really? I beg to differ-ow!” He gives out a laugh when he realizes that you’ve hit his shoulder yet again. “Well, I guess you definitely felt that.”

You try to wipe his touch away from your lips, without any use. “Don’t do that again.”

“Alright, I’ll do that again.” He gives out a larger grin. “As many times as you want.”

“You know that’s not what I said!” You realize that you’re still holding his hand, and so you try to free yourself, but without any success. “Duke, let go of my hand.”

“Nope.”

“Let go of my hand!”

“Not until you agree that you like me.” You give out a groan, which only seems to make his grin wider. “I’m waiting...”

“Fine!” You shake your head before you glare at him. “I like you. Satisfied?”

“Very.” He lets go of your hand, a sense of disappointment washing over you when he does. “Now... are you free tonight?”

You squint your eyes at him. “... why?”

“So I can take you on a proper date.”

You stare at him for a few seconds, then give out a sigh. “... you’re not gonna take ‘no’ as an answer, are you?”

His lips stretch out. “Does that mean you’re saying ‘yes’?”

You hated him. You’ve always hated him, just like your brother did. You swore this newfound discovery wouldn’t change anything... but gosh, it did. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

“Yeah.” You give out a sigh. “Yeah... I guess I can go on a date with you.”

“Yes!”

You can’t help but chuckle when you see him throw his fist up in the air in victory.

And you know, maybe... just maybe... this little exception is a hint that this is destiny.

[padfootagain]

Cold Weather But Warmer Hearts

Happy New Year everyone! Here is a little something to start our year! A little one-shot for Ahsoka! Mention of injuries although nothing graphic, but be careful if it bothers you!

I hope you all like this piece!

Pairing: Ahsoka Tano x Reader

Word Count:  2301

"Ahsoka…"

"Y/N, we need to go on…"

"I can't…"

"Of course, you can. The troopers are after us, we need to go."

"I'm so tired…"

"Y/N!"

Too late. You had fallen – or crumbled, more like – into the deep layer of snow, your body already starting to be covered by the fresh snowflakes falling from the stormy sky. The heavy clouds up above, mix of dark grey and black, blocked most the light of the sun. Hoth was known to be a mostly-barren, unwelcoming planet, but this snowstorm that had fallen upon the two of you was only making things worse. Ahsoka herself was struggling to keep going, making her way through the deep snow as best as she could, but you clearly had reached your limit. You still needed to go on though, for the stormtroopers sent by the Empire after the two of you were still following your tracks. Ahsoka could feel their presence through the Force.

She hurried back to you, only a few meters behind her, as you still laid down on your stomach in the ice. She softly turned you around, taking your face between her gloved hands.

"Y/N, you need to stand up. We need to keep going. We've almost reached the cave, we'll be safe there."

"What if they've found the entrance…?" you started with a quiet, yet terrified voice.

"I'm sure they haven't."

You gave her a weak smile, but were too tired for anything else, really.

"Your Jedi mojo again, huh?"

"Yes, you can say that."

She was beautiful, all wrapped in a warm coat, a hood upon her head with fur all over the edge to keep her warm, snowflakes caught in the material. And her big, endless eyes that stared at you with so many emotions into them, you could have spent a lifetime simply studying them all.

Fear, courage, determination, fondness…

"Y/N, we're almost there, you need to get up. I can't carry you all the way."

"You should leave me here."

"Absolutely not."

"Ahsoka… I'm just a mechanic, I'm not even important."

"Don't say things like that. Of course, you are important."

"Don't sell me your 'all life has value' speech again, not now…"

"I should though, it would fit right in. But it's not just that. And you know it."

You stared at each other for a while, several minutes passing by while the wind kept roaring and the snow kept falling, and some distance away from the two of you, stormtroopers kept running after you.

It wasn't the first time that one of these moments happened. One of the still ones. Motionless. As if time itself had stopped its endless flow. An instant held in mid-air, fragile and delicate, like a bubble drifting away in the wind. Unspoken words were making their way across the two of you, through emotions hidden in irises and small gaps escaping between lips instead of words spoken out loud. Still, the words were there, between you, and you could hear them, read them through the signs you let out as you grew more fragile and open than normal.

And if it wasn't the same as uttering them for real, still, it gave you strength. And you knew what she meant.

You were important to her.

"Ahsoka…"

"You can't give up now."

But really, it wasn't hard to hear what she truly meant to say.

You can't give up on me now.

And for once, you had to curse these blue eyes you usually loved so dearly. For two reasons, you hated them for a second. First because of all that was left unsaid between the two of you, everything that neither you nor her had had the courage to say in the year you had fought side by side against the Empire. Something that ran deeper than a mere friendship, but that none of you had named nor confessed for now.

It just never seemed to be the right time. After all, you were in a rebellion against a tyranny, you were fighting, you were facing death on a daily basis. It wasn't easy to let your guard down and think about love when you lived through such difficult time. And more often than not, you cursed that day where the former Jedi had walked through the door of your hangar to ask for repairs on her ship. You had been inseparable, almost, ever since. But this ghost still hovered between you, unspoken and often denied even. Still, the feelings were there and sometimes shared through unspoken gestures, and as you struggled to keep your eyes open, the cold numbing your senses but for the vivid pain in your toes and fingers as you moved them slightly, you reckoned that maybe, this time, there wouldn't be any other time to say it all out loud.

And the second reason for you to be angry at this pair of eyes now, was because you had never had the strength to deny them anything. So how could you start now?

You heaved a sigh, gathering the remnants of strength you had left, scattered across your limbs.

"Help me, up," you breathed, and Ahsoka gave you a warm smile.

She helped you back onto your feet, allowing you to lean against her when you finally took another step forward. You could feel the cold of the snow even through your boots, your legs wet with melted ice up to your knee, making you shiver uncontrollably. The wind was violent against your cheeks, spreading stingy spikes through your skin. But by your side, Ahsoka was determined, carrying most of your weight towards a shelter, warmth radiating from her frame even through her clothes. And you wondered if she used her Jedi mojo on you, because her presence by your side seemed enough to make you carry on. Or perhaps it had nothing to do with the Force, maybe it was simply love.

You weren't far from the rebel base, and you needed less than ten more minutes to reach the safety of the hidden passage leading to the compound. Carved both in ice and earth, the complex was hidden from enemy's eyes thanks to its tunnels built through the tall icy cliffs and underground. These days, a minimal team of merely 50 people lived on Hoth, all waiting for a bigger crew to be sent in the coming weeks. But the presence of troopers on the planet would for sure slow down the development of the base.

Upon arriving to the hidden entrance, the guards on duty hurried to help you and Ahsoka inside.

"Stormtroopers were behind us," Ahsoka told them quickly.

"Did they see you coming in here?" the guard, that you recognized as a Cerean named Kidi, asked.

"No, but they saw us and were following us for a while."

"What's wrong with her," the other humanoid guard asked, nodding in your direction.

You tried to focus, but your brain was becoming fuzzy again. More and more so, by the second.

You had spent more than two hours running away from the troopers after they destroyed your transport. And your body was simply not strong enough to support such a chase in hostile weather. Your strengths were fading once more, your weight growing heavier on Ahsoka as your knees were beginning to give out under you.

"Keep a close eye on the entrance, make sure we were not followed too closely," Ahsoka replied, ignoring the guard's question.

You recognized the tunnels Ahsoka guided you through. You recognized the lights leading to the hangar where you spent most of your time repairing X-Wings. You recognized the blue lights leading to the command centre. You recognized the long corridor to your quarters. But you passed all those familiar places to reach the small medcenter that you had helped put together a few weeks before.

Only two months spent at the new base and you were already coming close to dying, you reckoned the odds were not playing in your favour.

Ahsoka, if she had guessed your thoughts or defeated feelings, didn't say a word about them. Instead, she helped you to an uncomfortable bed, a nurse hurried to your side, starting treat your hypothermia. But you were so weak, and it seemed that the bed underneath you had stolen all your remaining strengths, your limbs growing numb the second they rested safely on the bed. Your skin was burning in the warmer atmosphere of the room after spending so long in the cold. You weren't sure your fingers were able to feel the bed under them, and your toes were agonizingly painful in your boots.

But the worst was this darkness creeping at the corner of your vision, more and more as you lost consciousness.

Something warm rested on the back of your hand, but you were too tired to turn your head and look at the cause of the sensation.

"Y/N, stay with me."

Ahsoka's voice sounded far off, shushed by a distance created by your own tired mind.

And it was the last thing you could remember before surrendering to the shadows.

  The sensation upon your hand had not faded.

After being unconscious for a few hours, your eyelids were finally ready to flutter open once more. And as you came around, remembering the events leading you to the infirmary, taking in the feelings around you, you recognized that same sensation on your hand.

Warm. Soothing.

And as you opened your eyes again, you chose to look at what was bringing you so much comfort thanks to a simple touch.

You weren't surprised to find it was Ahsoka's hand.

She gently rubbed your knuckles with her thumb. Soft touch calming your worried mind so easily, it was almost ridiculous.

When you looked up at her again, she was smiling.

"Well, look who's done taking naps when she should be working," she joked.

But you were not fooled by her humour. You could read the worry in her blue eyes, and in the small tremor of her voice. You read the feeling in the tenderness of her tone as well. It was hard to miss.

You offered her the best reassuring smile you could summon, given the circumstances.

"Knew you'd need a mechanic again, you're an awful pilot," you replied, your voice weaker than you hoped it would be, made a little hoarse by sleep.

She chuckled.

"You can talk. You've got more crashes than me!"

"But I do it with style."

"You say I have no style?"

You faked hesitation, but were smiling, giving you away so easily.

"Do you have your lightsabers around or can I give you an honest answer?"

You both laughed, but it seemed to drain all your energy again, and you closed your eyes once more.

"You need to rest," Ahsoka said softly, brushing her fingertips across your forehead. "We're safe, the troopers didn't find us."

You nodded, and hesitated before asking the question on the tip of your tongue.

But you had come close to dying, and you were still so weak. It got the best of your judgement, for sure. You would have never had the nerves otherwise to speak the words you were about to utter.

It was strange, really, the in-between situation you and Ahsoka were lost into. You knew she felt for you the same as you felt for her, and you had no doubt that she was aware of your love for her too. But it seemed that a silent agreement had been set between the two of you to not make a move. Maybe it was because Ahsoka used to be a Jedi, for whom celibacy was an important thing. But it was mostly because you were taking too many risks, and were too much apart. It felt like… your love deserved more than what you could offer now. So, without discussing it, you had seemed to both decide to wait. To not truly show how you felt. To not give in when you longed to kiss her, or for her to refrain her longing to hug you every time she saw you.

And yet there were moments, like this one, when circumstances made the line between your agreement and what you longed for a little more blur. After all, you had come close to dying. It could have been much more serious than a hypothermia, in the end. All because a patrol from the Empire had crossed your path to settle new defensive systems around the base…

So, it wasn't really your fault, really, when you crossed a line you had silently agreed not to cross, and wrapped your own fingers around hers.

"Can you stay for a while longer?" you asked in a breath.

She seemed to hesitate.

"I have to go check…"

"Just… just a few more minutes, please."

And for a second, you thought she would give you this apologetic smile she always gave you and lower her head, and walk away. But she didn't. After all, she had been just as scared as you, maybe even more. She had almost lost the woman she loved, so, she reckoned she could take a step over the line as well.

She gave you a tender smile instead, that meant more about her feelings for you than any word that she had ever spoken. And the smile you offered back to her was the sign that you knew what she meant, and felt just the same.

And maybe, one day, when the war would be over, you would have a chance to speak out loud the three words you kept on silently repeating for now.

It would have to wait for now though, and her answer was enough for the time being.

"Alright. A few more minutes then."

[seouledbysisi]

A Time Like No Other

Chapter 8

The Meeting

Misun outfit: 

Nori Outfit: 

The girls walked through the huge reception area of the large building. They could feel their body reacting in nervousness. Misun's palms became a bit moist. Nori knew she was on edge so she needed to calm her down somehow. She stopped her for a moment, with her hands on her shoulders. “Misun, we got this okay? The worst thing that can happen is that we don't like his plan for us.”

Misun inhaled deeply. “I know. I just need a minute before we walk into that meeting. Can we pray? I think that might help.” She was becoming anxious.

Nori nodded. “Of course!” They grabbed one another hands and began to pray asking God to be with them in this meeting and to help them make the right decisions for their career and to guide them always.

“I feel better. You ready for this?” Misun asked in a bit more excitement than she had before.

Nori pulled her to the elevator and they embarked to the seventh floor where his office was. Miranda was already there waiting for them. As they walked in there were a few people waiting for them. Nori and Misun bowed a little and took their seats.

The president welcomed them in with a smile. “Some of my talent scouts came across your YouTube channel and I must say you have a lot people that seem to like what you're doing. Tell me why you started it?”

Misun nodded to Nori so she could answer.

“We really love music and we love the people that create beautiful music that touches others hearts. We wanted fans of these artists to be able to get a better feel of who they truly are as well as us being able to connect with the artists.” Nori explained.

“Music is not just something that you do or that you listen to. It's more about how you feel when you hear it or how it moves you. It's about the passion that these artists put into their artistry. We wanted to be able to get closer to that. We love entertainment period. We want to expand in so many ways.” Misun added.

The president nodded. “I like you. You're driven and anyone can work with a person that's passionate and not afraid of learning new things and new ways. So I propose that we draw up a contract that will link you exclusively to Ktown Entertainment. What do you think?”

Misun took a deep breath. “I know you have your own staff but this contract has to include our personal consultant, Miranda, as well. We wouldn't be where we are without her and there's no way we're leaving her behind.”

“That's not a problem. You just tell me what role she plays in your career and we can draw up a contract for her as well.” The president answered with a smile.

Miranda smiled big at the girls. She had so much faith in them and she was about ready to let them fly on their own, no she wasn't ready to let them go but she wasn't sure where her place would be at this point but she felt so much love and respect from them since they weren't ready to let her go as well. “Thank you.” She nodded in Misun and Nori's direction.

They talked more business and then the contracts were in their faces. A physical copy of the thing that was changing their lives for the better.

“So living arrangements?” Misun directed her question to the president.

His grin got bigger. “Oh yes, that apartment you're staying in. . .it's yours as long as you're signed with us. I need you two living here within the next month. I have a lot of work for you girls to get started with as well as media training and so forth.”

“A month? What about our lease? That's not up until November!” Nori directed to Misun.

The president placed his hand on both of their shoulders. “No need to worry. Whatever fee you have to pay to release you from your lease I will take care of. Don't worry. It's smooth sailing from here.”

Misun nodded. “Does Miranda have to move here?”

“If she wants to but we won't need her here all the time like we need you two. She can simply travel when necessary.” He replied.

Miranda shook her head. “I don't think my husband would like moving here right now so I'll just travel here when I'm needed.”

They got everything sorted out and they left.

Back at the apartment

Nori is throwing clothes everywhere while Misun is sipping on some red wine. “What are you looking for?” Misun asked her.

“Something to wear!” She plops down on the floor with the rest of her clothes.

Misun cocked an eyebrow up. “Where are you going?”

“You mean where are WE going!” Nori answered with a sly grin.

Misun shook her head. “Nope, I'm not going anywhere especially when you have that sneaky grin on your face!”

“You are going, so go find something sexy to wear because we owe ourselves to celebrate tonight!”

Misun lifted her glass of wine. “This is me celebrating, duh!”

Nori pulled her off the bed. “Get your booty in that room and find something sexy! If you don't I will for you!”

Misun pouted as she walked into the room. “Okay okay! Gosh!”

Misun finally found something that was suitable for a club setting. She didn't go to clubs back home except for when Nori would drag her there so this was totally out of her element but she may as well live a little. She began to curl her long black hair. She loosened the curls so that they would look more like beach waves. She fixed her makeup and finally exited her room where her best friend was awaiting her.

Nori's eyes widened. She was stunned. “Whoa mama! You look hot! Every Korean guy is going to want a piece of Misun, tonight!” She couldn't take her eyes off of her bestie.

Misun began to blush and waved her off. “Stop! I feel very uncomfortable. Is this too much?”

“It's just enough. Let loose please. Even if it's just for tonight, please have some real fun. We deserve this!” Nori told her with a grin.

Misun nodded. “Okay, I won't be so in my head tonight. You look beautiful by the way, every man is that building is going to want YOU!”

Nori winked at her. “I know. That's the point of this whole outfit. Give them a taste of what they can't have. Now let's go because Miranda is waiting on us downstairs.”

“She's coming with us? Her husband is going to kill her!” Misun acknowledged.

Nori shrugged. “She's still young, she needs a life outside of him. Plus what he doesn't know can't hurt him. Let's go!”

They jumped into the vehicle with Miranda. “Dang, Miranda! You clean up really nice!” Misun told her.

“If I could dress like this all the time I would but Michael hates me showing any type of skin.” She said as she rolled her eyes and drove away from the apartment building.

Monsta X

The music was banging in their ears as they sipped on their beer in the V.I.P. section that was highly secured. There were so many fans trying to get an invite to join them but the guys just weren't feeling it tonight. They simply waved to the fans and threw hearts in their direction. They just were trying to relax and enjoy their time there.

“Times like this I kind of wish I wasn't famous.” Wonho admitted.

The guys all looked at him stunned. “What do you mean?” Shownu asked him.

“I love our fans of course but we're stuck in this section until we leave because they're swarming this area. Don't you ever just want to get on the dance floor and grab a pretty girl and dance the night away?” Wonho explained.

Minhyuk nodded. “I understand. Just be treated like a normal person because we are just normal people who just happen to perform too. I get you.”

“Go grab a pretty girl and dance with her then. We have security. Have fun!” Kihyun urged.

Shownu shook his head. “Monbebe may not like that very much.”

“What are you talking about? Whoever he dances with is a monbebe. They will be happy that we're giving them real attention.” Kihyun argued. “Go Wonho!”

Wonho chuckled. “I don't know, maybe Shownu is right.”

Shownu smirked. “No, maybe I'm not. You gotta live your life. Go dance! Or invite one of them in to dance with you.” Shownu didn't want to ruin everyone else night simply because he wasn't really into it.

Wonho nodded and patted Shownu's shoulder. He told one of their security guys to invite a few of the fans in. The ladies came in and sat next to the guys.

The girl who sat next to Shownu kept talking to him expecting better responses than he was giving. “What's wrong with you?” She asked him playfully. “Am I not pretty enough?”

Shownu snapped out of it for a moment. He felt bad that he was being rude. “Oh no, you're gorgeous. I'm just in a weird mood tonight.” He replied with a smile.

The girl moved some of her hair behind her ear. “It's okay. Maybe I can help you feel better. Dance with me?”

“No you don't have to.” He replied with a small smile and looked away.

She stood up and grabbed his hand. “I insist that you dance with me. You love to dance and I love to have a good time so give me a chance to help you feel better!”

He stood up. He couldn't allow her to keep begging for his attention so he obliged. Maybe this would open him up a bit. He had been closed off for a few weeks and he needed to get himself out of whatever funk this was. He grabbed her hips softly as she swayed them from side to side.

She placed her arms around his neck. “Is it working yet?” She asked with a flirtatious smile.

He nodded. He couldn't lie, dancing was like therapy for him so it was helping and he couldn't deny this woman's beauty.

The other guys began dancing with the other females that were up there with them until something caught Changkyun's eye. He let go of the girl he was dancing with and moved closer to the safety railing so he could get a closer view of the dance floor which was downstairs.

Hyungwon followed his gaze and moved closer too. “Is that who I think it is?”

Changkyun jumped a little from the realization that Hyungwon was now standing next to him. “Boy, you scared me! So if they're here at this club that means Shownu could've possibly seen them at the mall too, right?”

“Maybe he's not going crazy. What are the odds though? We keep ending up in weird situations with them.” Hyungwon couldn't figure out how this kept happening.

“Should we tell Shownu though?” Changkyun asked.

“Tell me what?” Shownu asked in confusion.

Changkyun jumped again from shock. “Y'all have got to stop sneaking up on me like this!”

Shownu laughed. “Why are you so jumpy tonight? Lay off the beer.”

“It's not the beer, trust me!” He responded as he hit Shownu's arm.

Shownu scanned the dance floor to try and see if he could figure out why they were near the rail just watching especially when they had beautiful women in VIP with them. “So you guys would rather stand over here by yourselves watching everyone else have a good time than dance with pretty girls? That's strange.”

“I just don't feel good right now. That's all.” Changkyun lied.

Shownu simply nodded. The other guys gathered with them.

“What's wrong? Everyone just disappeared out of nowhere.” Jooheon asked as he held the hand of one of the girls.

“Changkyun doesn't feel good.” Shownu answered.

Kihyun scrunched his face up. “You were literally just fine like two minutes ago!”

“Well now I'm not. It may be something I ate. I just needed to get away for a second that's all.”He replied in a snarky way.

Wonho's eyes widened. “I think I see Misun and Nori.”

Shownu and Jooheon both snatched their heads in his direction. “WHAT?”

Wonho pointed at the two women who were dancing in a group with guys and girls surrounding them. “I could spot them from a mile away. They stand out.”

Jooheon dropped the fan's hand quickly and started walking towards the exit of the VIP section.

Shownu grabbed his arm to stop him. “What are you doing!?”

“What do you mean? I'm going down there!” Jooheon answered him quickly with a bit of an attitude.

“Weren't you the one telling me to basically move on?” Shownu inquired.

Jooheon sighed. “Yeah but they're here and so are we. When destiny calls, you come running now let's go down there and see what's up!”

Shownu licked his lips a little. “You know we shouldn't do that. They both have our numbers and neither of them have reached out to us. That means they don't care and we shouldn't push it.”

“That's bull! You're scared of rejection. You can continue this night in fear but you'll be doing it alone!” Jooheon snatched his arm away.

“I'm not scared of rejection. We've already been rejected, Jooheon! I'm not putting myself out there anymore just to keep getting the same reaction. They're here in Seoul and we still haven't heard a peep from them so what does that tell you? It tells me that Misun just isn't that into me! Do yourself a favor and take my advice.” Shownu's voice escalated a little as he talked to Jooheon. He was frustrated. He walked away and sat back down on the couch.

Jooheon glanced back downstairs to try and find Nori and Misun. He noticed Nori looking up towards where they were. For a second he thought she may have seen them but he shook the thought away and drank the rest of his beer up. “I'm ready to go right now.” He told the guys.

[thereadersmuse]

I can't believe I didn't know you posted the first shippy Caryl fic! That's so cool! :D *bows down* Queen of Caryl!

*nods regally and waves septre*Of course this whole thing is absolutely tongue and cheek. I didn’t watch the episode of the talking dead that got everyone’s hair up, but this kind of stuff always reminds me of the power of fandom - for good or ill.  In this case perhaps it would have been a good idea to fact check yourself when you make a claim as a entertainer. Because as much as I like her, we all know YNB didn’t create caryl. It existed long before she famously stanned for it and will continue on now - after she is apparently over it - far into the future.

Though I don’t deny my head was made for a crown tbh.Don’t get me wrong, being credited with writing the first romantic caryl story is cool as shit. But unlike some, I am not going to put it on the header of my blog or anything. I don’t think that one person can ever truly be credited with something like that. I mean sure, you can do it first, but the creation of a ship needs similarly minded people to sail it out of the harbor, otherwise you are doing donuts in a circle in the rank ass lifeboat with the big hole in the bottom by yourself. 

The caryl ship is great not because someone ‘started’ it, but because people ship it. They stan for it, they make posts, fics, meta, gif sets, art, graphics, etc. We have such a diverse pool of talent, intellect, dedication and creativity in this ship and it is a joy to be able to share in this experience alongside you all.

I did notice one or two people basically spinning their heads like the exorcist about it. Mostly because I am me and I don’t tend to always stick to what some in this fandom fandom and ship believe is acceptable at all times. I don’t really do much in the way of pussyfooting around - especially these days - and sometimes that means people disagree with me. Or, some people just don’t like me. And that’s cool. Being carbon copies isn’t exactly that interesting anyway. But I should take a moment regardless to point out that while it is true I have written the longest running, and first romantic caryl fic, I cannot and will not lay claim to the idea that I started the ship. Because honestly, I doubt that is the case. The way I see it, I just watered the first few seeds!In my experience, at least from what I can remember, pairing caryl together was honestly very organic. When I wrote “Acrid” I remember thinking how lovely a pairing Daryl and Carol would be. One was soft, the other was brash. They were complimentary shades of the same fractured scheme of color. Season one might have been sparse in terms of their interaction but there were some truly key scenes. The ax scene, which the story is based around, was the main one for me. It was a release of something that touched Daryl even though it was Carol who raised the ax. It was about getting back something that had been taken from both of them.It was such a beautiful moment it was basically impossible not to write about it.Especially in that context.

*queen out.*