#can’t figure out character background

[ladyofvoss]

of all the things to discover about my muse today, the fact that she likes it rough was not one of them.

[cuteniaarts]

Behold, my latest and most enamouring new obsession:

Malina, Lady of the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. As if Red Lotus child OCs weren’t niche enough

[polyamoryprincess]

I’m watching the good doctor and I’m like “hell yeah Bates Motel man, bad that he’s not autistic but good acting and stupid weird doctor show shit,” and then they’ll say something about autism and I’m like “oh no you talked to the wrongggg people.”

[cream-and-tea]

I think you might have talked about this before, but #3 for Pallas, for the pride month themed oc asks?

3. How did your oc discover themself? Did something cause them to question, or did they always know?

oooo ok so i think i’ve posted an excerpt from the actual book about Pallas Gender Stuff (tldr is they got the experience of being blissfully ignorant to the concept of gender as a kid until they became Aware it was a capital-C Concept and then everything felt wrong) so i wanna ramble a bit about their aro-aceness since i haven’t really gotten the opportunity to do that yet lol.

i don’t think it was something they always knew necessarily, but especially their lack of romantic attraction was always something they were vaguely aware of. when they were really little they were definitely a kid that went ‘ewwww’ and made a face whenever anyone talked about kissing. in general they just never found romance interesting in the way they found basically everything else interesting. like. why do these characters keep staring at each other can we get back to politics please this has literally nothing to do with the plot why is it important this is so boring. i think they were in the boat of fully thinking that romance and being horny were things made up in stories to add drama until people around them started experiencing it, which is when the Realization hit and they actual started to question that aspect of their identity.

[soaps-mohawk]

Cherry Red, Crimson Blood

Chapter 34: The Whole Truth

Summary: In life, we will be confronted with difficult choices. Sometimes you won't know you've made the wrong choice until it's too late

Pairing: Poly 141 x reader

Word Count: 12,582 words

Warnings: Dead dove: do not eat, Angst, graphic violence and torture, mentions of predatory behavior towards a minor, Phillip Graves is a major creep, lots blood and injuries, kidnapping and its aftermath, hostage situations, anxiety and panic attacks, language, very explicitly described torture, ‘mega gets hit a lot, choking, biting, ‘mega gets stabbed with an ice pick, author can’t write COD missions, vomiting, lots of heavy emotions, detailed descriptions of pain, guns, background character dies on screen, descriptions of guilt and grief, lots of POV changes, some descriptive language of gore and blood at the end, rehashing of ‘mega’s injuries from the last chapter, a lot of angst and very heavy content, Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics, Alternate Universe

A/N: This chapter deals with some pretty heavy content. Please, please, please read and heed the warnings. I have included content warnings for the more graphic parts before they happen, so if you don't want to read those, you can skip ahead to the next part. I suggest taking breaks if you need to, read it in installments if necessary. And I cannot stress it enough, please heed the warnings.

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“Hi darlin’.” His grin widens like he’s happy to see you. “Been a long time.” 

You squeeze your eyes shut for a moment, your brain still sluggish. You feel sick as you try to process, try to figure out why and how. You try to move your arms again, but your wrists are stuck, hands burning as you pull. You desperately want them free, desperately need them free. 

“Easy,” Phil says, putting his hands on yours, pushing them flat against the arms of the chair. They’re warm and calloused, the same hand that had been on your face a few moments ago. “You’re gonna hurt yourself. More than you already have been.” He lifts your left leg, making you groan quietly as a deep ache throbs down to your foot and up to your hip. 

Running. A gunshot. Pain.

“He had strict orders not to harm you.” Phil says, adjusting the bandage wrapped around your calf. “Don’t worry. We got you all fixed up.” He sets your leg back down gingerly, his touch lingering for a moment before he looks back up at you. 

“Why?” You croak out, trying to make sense of what happened. 

Corporal McKinney broke into the barracks and chased you into the woods. He shot you and drugged you and now you’re here, restrained in a chair staring at a man you haven’t seen for years. A man who was once your dad’s best friend. 

“A lot has happened since we saw each other last.” He says, pushing himself to stand. “I left the Marines after a few years, formed my own group of military contractors. Invited your dad to join, but you know how he is. All honor and duty and serving the country. Of course, you haven’t seen him in quite a while, have you?” 

You stare up at him, starting to get scared. You never liked Phil. There was always something about him that put you off. He always stared too long, always sat too close to you. He always greeted you with a hug that lasted too long, squeezing you too tightly against him. He was sweet on you in a way he wasn’t with anyone else. He could be intense, brash and almost downright rude sometimes. He was a firm believer in traditional packs too, even if he never spoke about his own pack, his own omega. He had to have one, if he was as dedicated as he said. 

He was far too much like your father. 

Phil was always kinder to you, though. Softer. Not quite as callous and bellicose as your father in public. He was polite, always happy to lend a hand, always glad to roughhouse with your brothers to get their energy out. You saw the way your mother looked at him though. Perhaps her apprehension bled into you, those dormant omega instincts picking up on something she was projecting. 

He made you uncomfortable, and she knew it. 

What could an omega do, though, in a world where they don’t have opinions, they can’t argue, they can’t disagree. Your mother never said anything because in the world your family existed in, the world Phil existed in, she couldn’t. 

“He was so angry when he called.” Phil continues, staring down at you. “Ranting and raving about how his oldest daughter betrayed him by presenting as an omega. He couldn’t stand having such a useless child in his perfect pack.” You flinch at his words, even though you heard your father spew those very words after your presentation firsthand. 

“He called you?” You ask, the pieces starting to come together as your brain finally snaps fully into awareness. You knew he called someone, but you hadn’t thought it would ever be Phil. 

“Of course.” Phil chuckles. “We were good friends, pals, buddies. He knew I could help him.” A shiver runs down your spine. You know what he’s going to say next. “So I did. I have some contacts in some high places, people who owe me favors. So I made some calls, pulled some strings, got you into FIOT immediately, with some strings attached of course.” He leans down so you’re almost face to face. “I wanted you. They put a note in your file. You wouldn’t be placed in the registry when you were old enough, you would go to me and my pack.” 

Bile churns in your stomach as you process his words. It all makes sense now. The stares, the hugs, the closeness with your father, your rapid enrollment in an institute that can take weeks to process applications. It was all so you could be his. Something he’s wanted from early on. 

“You would have been mine,” He pushes himself up straight again, starting to pace back and forth in front of you. “If the fucking CIA hadn’t gotten involved!” You flinch as his voice raises, the frustration starting to darken his scent. “They froze your file, made the claim null and void. All for what, their little initiative that never really existed in the first place?” He huffs out a laugh, a smirk tilting his lips. “Small world, though. Who knew we’d be seeing each other again after so long.” 

He steps closer, looking down at you. You hold his gaze, suddenly feeling afraid. Even though you know him, even though you spent a good part of your childhood around him, you’re afraid of him right now. Your mind starts to revert back, the urge to lower your eyes, break eye contact like you’re supposed to flashing through your mind. 

Don’t stare alphas in the eyes. They’ll take that as a challenge. It’s not your job to challenge them. Your job is to be subservient. 

You would have been subservient to him if the CIA hadn’t gotten involved. You would have been under his control, bowing to him and his will. You’d have pups by now, at least one. He’d always talked about having a big pack with lots of pups someday, always glancing at you when he said it. 

You’re going to vomit all over him. 

It’s not just the truth that scares you, though. You’re being held captive here. That thought has registered in your mind now, the reality settling in as you get over the shock of the last few minutes. Corporal McKinney kidnapped you from base, and now you’re restrained in a chair surrounded by unknown alphas. Phil isn’t going to help you, take pity on you. He’s not here to be nice, to have a little chat and catch up on life.

That possibly ended as soon as he was denied what he wanted. 

His hand cups your chin, holding your face up as he looks down at you. His thumb is rough as it strokes your jaw, a tickling feeling starting in the back of your mind again. There’s an almost bittersweet look in his eyes as he holds your gaze. You refuse to lower it, refuse to give him that satisfaction. “You’ve grown up a lot.” He says, his hand sliding down your neck to the collar of your shirt. “You always were cute, though. I knew early on you were going to be an omega. You were far too...calm and compliant compared to your brothers. Always so polite and eager to please. You can tell if you pay attention, you know. Those dormant instincts start to show themselves long before presentation.” 

His hand pulls your collar to the side, revealing your mark. His eyes harden as he stares at it, his lips turning down into a frown. A shiver runs down your spine as the darkness in his scent intensifies. He’s not holding you hostage just to tell you about what could have been, what direction your life might have taken. He’s here for a reason, and you know your pack is involved. Something has happened, something behind the scenes, something John was looking into. 

“What’s going on?” You ask as he releases your collar, taking a step back. 

“Well, you’re being held hostage.” He says, like it isn’t already obvious. “You’re...shall we say...leverage to ensure your pack follows orders.” 

You blink at him. You haven’t heard from or spoken to your pack in weeks. You should be relieved that they’re apparently still alive, but what if you had been right and they don’t want you anymore? Why would they take you if your pack has abandoned you? Or did they take you to ensure they wouldn’t...

“Laswell stuck her nose somewhere it shouldn’t have been.” Phil says, crossing his arms. “It’s only so long before your pack finds out. Let’s just say...they’re not going to be happy about it. So, to ensure they don’t do something impulsive and reckless as they are known to do, you’re going to play hostage.” 

You gulp as you stare up at him, suddenly feeling very afraid. Your scent spikes in the air, clouding it with the bitter scent of anxiety. It was the plan all along. You knew it even if you hadn’t been told outright. Deep down you’ve always known it wasn’t about strengthening packs. It wasn’t about studying how an omega would increase or decrease the efficiency of military packs. With the events of the last few months, the idea had started to form in your mind. You know you weren’t alone in those thoughts. John and Simon were digging into the cameras for a reason. They were put up for a reason. 

It was always about control.

That was the point of the initiative. That was why they put cameras up, that was why General Shepherd was so invested in the state of your pack and if you had been mated. He needed to ensure you were close enough to them so if something happened that wasn’t supposed to, you could be used against them. 

You’re nothing more than leverage. 

Your scent spikes in the air, clouding the room as reality sinks into you. Something happened that caused this. Something called your pack away to isolate you, to leave you vulnerable. They wanted you alone as a contingency. 

Something did happen. 

Now you’re here, being held captive by a man you used to know, a man who could have been your alpha had things not played out the way they did. The thought has your stomach churning. How far will they go? How far will Phil take things? Could he be merciful because of your history? Or will his ruined plan make him more ruthless? 

You’ll be punished for something you can’t control. 

Phil makes a soft sound as he looks at you, shaking with fear in the chair. “Don’t be scared. As long as your pack does as they’re told, I won’t have to hurt you.” He turns the light back to face you, nearly blinding you. “Now, smile for the camera.” 

They’re safe. 

It had been close. A rough position to be in, but they managed it. He never doubted them and their abilities, but four against nearly fifty with no backup were not good odds. He’s been in tighter places before, and while he had his doubts, he is grateful Johnny and Simon were sent in when they were. Even if it was a bit suspicious.

“All accounted for.” John says as he sinks down onto one of the jump seats next to Kyle. 

They’re all battered and bruised from their final fight. He’s ready to get home, ready to get back to you. From the sound of it, things were not going well, according to Johnny and Simon. He has a lot to make up for, a lot of apologies to make. 

“Fucking Russian PMCs.” He says, speaking to Kate over the comms. “It’s not a coincidence Kate.” 

Kate lets out a sigh that crackles through the comm. “No, it’s not. My team and I came across some information while we were digging into the cameras.” 

“What information?” He asks slowly and carefully. He doesn’t like being kept in the dark, especially when it comes to his pack. Especially when it comes to you. 

“Not just information on the initiative, but information on General Shepherd.” 

“What information?” He asks again, slower this time as Johnny and Simon move in closer. 

“Shepherd was the one that sold those weapons to AQ and the Russians.” 

John looks at the other three members of his team. He knew something was wrong, something was off about the way Shepherd had acted while informing them about this mission. “He wanted those missiles found and destroyed so he could cover his own ass.” He says, his stomach starting to twist. He doesn’t like the way this is going. 

“But we found out the truth before you could find all the missiles.” Kate continues. “He sent you on a wild goose chase to give himself a chance to escape.” 

John’s hand tightens into a fist. “Where is he now?” 

“He’s gone dark. Totally off radar.” 

John pushes himself up to stand, the adrenaline pumping again. “I’m going to find that bastard-” 

“John.” Kate says, cutting him off. “There’s something else.” 

The twisting in his stomach intensifies. There’s a bad feeling tickling in the back of his mind. He doesn’t want to entertain the dark thoughts that are brewing. “What?” 

“They took your omega.” 

His stomach clenches, his breath catching in his lungs. The other three shift on their feet, all of them stepping closer. The scent in the plane thickens, anger and confusion mixing into a toxic cocktail. He hopes he heard that wrong, that there was some kind of interference in the connection and his brain made up the words he missed. “Repeat that.” 

“They took your omega.” Kate says again.

He lets out a long breath, his muscles tensing. He’s had a bad feeling tickling in the back of his mind for the last few days. Something was wrong, something was off. He should have known it was all a ruse. Why would AQ and the Russians store a missile in any of the places they had been sent to in the last week? It hadn’t made sense, and he had wanted to voice his doubts, but the consequences of a missile being launched because they decided not to look in one place was greater than his own perceived doubts. 

They had been right though. 

Of course it had all been a plan. Of course there had been something fishy about it. He’s hardly ever wrong. He’s been praised on his instincts on the field and off. He should have known. Pulling Simon and Johnny when they did should have been enough evidence, even if they had been needed in the end. 

“You’re positive?” He knows she is. There’s no mistaking something like that, there’s no doubting it. 

“There’s a video.” Kate says, John’s stomach dropping. “I’m sending it to you now.” 

John pulls out his phone, his fingers white as he holds it up. He’s angry, beyond angry. If they’ve laid a hand on you...if you’ve been hurt because of his own failings, his own inability to see the truth...

He clicks on the video when it comes in, a familiar face popping up on screen. “Hi boys. Been a while.” 

“Fucking Graves.” Johnny growls, his hands closing into fists in anger. 

“I have a little something of yours I think you might be interested in.” He turns the camera around, your face popping up on screen. You’re restrained in a chair, wrists red from the zip ties, but there’s a glare on your face, looking as mean and threatening as you can. There’s a bruise on your cheek and what looks like a healing cut on your lip. Someone hit you. 

“Smile for the camera.” Graves says, a bit too cheerfully. 

You don’t smile, your glare sharpening as the camera gets closer to your face. There’s still fight left in you. Whatever has happened hasn’t been too bad. Yet. 

“Let’s make this simple.” Graves says. “You stay away from Shepherd, and I won’t have to hurt this pretty little face. She is pretty, isn’t she?” 

You shift in the chair, your leg lifting before you kick outward. 

“Ow, you little bitch.” The camera jostles for a moment before it’s straightened back up, a hand shooting out to wrap around your throat. There’s no sign of any struggle, the glare still prominent on your face. “Feisty thing. Gotta keep up with those wild boys somehow.” 

The hand tilts your face just slightly, showing the mark on your neck. It is you, not that John doubted that from the beginning. It may have been almost two months, but he wouldn’t forget your face that easily. 

“Like I said,” Graves continues. “Follow your orders and she’ll be released unharmed.” 

The screen goes dark and John resists the urge to throw his phone. He shoves it back into his pocket, turning towards the wall of the plane. He throws his fist against the metal as hard as he can. It hurts, but he can barely feel it over the rage burning hot in him. 

“Fucking Shepherd!” He shouts, rearing back to throw his hand against the wall again.

Graves has his omega. Graves has his omega and now you’re being used as leverage. They’re all being played like puppets. 

A hand catches his fist before he can punch the wall again, easing him back. “Easy.” Kyle says, trying to soothe him as best he can. “We have proof of life, we know that she’s alright for now.” 

“For now.” He growls, looking around at the members of his team. “But for how long?” 

“They knew we’d go after Shepherd as soon as we learned the truth.” Simon says. “This has been in the plans for a long time.”

“They’re trying to get us to make a choice. Focus on getting our omega back while letting Shepherd escape, or go after Shepherd and let our omega be tortured.” Kyle says. 

“Those fuckin’ wankstains.” Johnny says, shifting on his feet. He’s angry, the bitter scent filling the enclosed area of the plane. They’re all angry, angry at those responsible, and angry at themselves for falling for it. “They were usin’ us the whole time.” 

John lets out a long breath. It’s a hard decision to make. Go after Shepherd and cut the head off the snake, or go after you and let the person orchestrating all of this escape. Graves won’t stop, even if they do manage to take out Shepherd. He has his orders, and he will follow them, with or without Shepherd pulling the strings.

There might be a second contingency. They kill Shepherd, you die too. 

No matter what, you won’t be safe. If they go after you, Shepherd escapes and if they try to hunt him down later, he’ll use you again, or worse. They don’t have to kill Shepherd, though. They have proof he’s a traitor. He can be brought to justice if he’s caught. Death is too gentle of a punishment for what he’s done. He deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life. 

They have to make sacrifices for the good of the world. 

“We’re going after Shepherd.” He says, taking a deep breath. “None of us will be safe if we don’t.” 

“That’s dangerous, John.” Kate says. “We don’t know how far Shepherd or Graves will take this. You know how Graves is. He may not be able to be stopped, even if Shepherd tells him to.” 

He takes a second to breathe. His pack is silent, all three of them staring at him, waiting for him to make this decision. He is pack alpha, he is their Captain. They do what he tells them to do, follow his orders no matter what. Kate is right, this is a risk, but sacrifices have to be made. Hands have to be dirtied to keep the world clean. 

He just hopes you’ll forgive him. 

“We’re going after Shepherd.” John says definitely. 

“This is a bad idea, John.” Kate warns him. 

“It’s the only option we have. They’re trying to draw us away. It’s a risk we have to take.” He can see the apprehension on his packmate’s faces. They’re all feeling it, the drive to go after their omega, but deep down he is right. They’ll never be safe until Shepherd is taken care of. Going after Graves only removes one small piece of the puzzle. The job always comes first. 

“Get us locations, places he might try to dig in and hide.” He says, heading towards the cockpit. “We’ll find this arsehole and kill him ourselves. 

***

Kate lets out a sigh as the comms close off. It’s a mistake. She knows it is. The guilt is eating her alive. She fell for this, she brought you into this, and now you might get hurt because of it. How she didn’t see the reality has shame burning through her. They were all blind, all led astray, all fooled by the red herring. 

There was never an initiative. It was never about strengthening packs. It was always about control. They wanted a way to control packs. Shepherd knew if the secret ever came out, there would be no stopping the consequences. Legal or illegal, retribution would come for him if the truth was revealed. 

This was his way of stopping it. 

That's why the 141 were the guinea pigs. 

They are the most dangerous threat to Shepherd, and he handed them a way to control them under the guise of strengthening packs, experimenting on how their dynamics and efficiency would shift with an omega added in. Even worse, they all fell for it. 

John is making a mistake. Graves won’t stop so long as Shepherd knows they’re coming after him. The last thing she wants is for you to get hurt because of their decisions, their mistakes. Shepherd won’t order Graves to kill you. That’s too much of a risk. It would give the 141 nothing to lose, and that would put them at their most dangerous. 

Will Graves listen to that order? 

She can send out a team to get eyes on Graves, find his position at least. That way, if things do take a turn, she’ll at least have a direction to point them in. 

They were all too trusting and ignorant. You’re innocent in all of this. 

It’s her fault. 

They’re going to need help. 

Christine can’t sit still anymore. She can't take it. It’s been almost eighteen hours since your disappearance and there’s been nothing. No word, no news. She knows you’re alive. Kate had confirmed that, but that hasn’t eased the burning questions eating away at her mind. What is your current state? Who took you and why? Where is your pack and are they even aware of what’s happening? 

She’s been sitting and twirling her thumbs. She can’t bring herself to do any paperwork, any research. What is there to do besides sit and worry? She doesn’t have a patient to take care of because she lost the one she was supposed to watch. 

She huffs out a breath, pulling her phone out of her pocket and dialing Kate. If Kate won’t call, she’ll call herself. Kate’s probably busy though, so Christine can’t blame her too much for not calling. She’s probably so far from the front of Kate’s mind right now. 

The phone rings twice before Kate answers, sounding tired and disheveled, just as much as Christine feels. 

“Laswell.”

“Kate, I need to be there.” She doesn't hold back, doesn’t try to make small talk. There’s no time for it. She knows how Kate is doing, and it’s not great. 

“Christine, I don’t know if I can take that risk.” She says. 

“I need to be there. I can't take sitting around here anymore, and when you find her, she’s going to need someone she knows there, someone that knows how to take care of her.” Christine lets out a breath, the relief of getting her thoughts out taking some of the weight off her shoulders. 

Kate sighs, but she has to know Christine is right. She’s not sure what state you’re in, and depending on how bad it is, and where your pack is, you’re going to need her. Even if you think she was behind this. “I’ll have a plane ready to go in thirty minutes.” 

“Thank you, Kate.” She says, letting out a sigh of relief. 

“Don’t miss the flight.” 

Christine hangs up, gathering a couple things from her office before closing and locking her door. She nearly runs to her barracks, packing a bag quickly. She’s not sure what to bring, or how long this will take. She’s not even sure exactly where she’s going. 

She hurries to the airfield, phone in hand. She’s not sure where the plane is or which one she’s taking. She’s just relieved Kate is doing this for her. 

Her phone buzzes as she reaches the tarmac, making her puse. She lets out an annoyed sigh before answering the call. 

“Of course you have to call at the worst possible moment.” She says. 

“I’ve always had the worst timing.” Alex’s voice comes through the speaker, and she can almost hear the smile on his face. 

“I can’t talk long. I’m about to board a plane.” She says. 

“I know. We’ll pick you up on the tarmac.” 

She blinks in surprise. It’s been years since she’s seen her brother, months since she’s spoken with him. Ever since he retired from Delta Force, his regular calls have been happening less and less, and they’ve reached near radio silence over the last couple years. Now he’s involved in this too? 

“Kate called in a favor.” He continues, and that’s all she needs to know. “We’ll see you in a few hours.” 

“Yeah.” She says, tears brimming in her eyes as she smiles. Despite everything, she’s glad she gets to see her brother again. Glad she has some support in this. Your pack will be mad. They’ll blame her. She’s not afraid of them, but she knows Alex will stand behind her no

**Content Warning: light torture, ‘mega gets punched, further injury to previous injuries, panic attack**

Your hands are starting to go numb. The constant attempts to free yourself from the zip ties isn’t helping, but you’re beginning to get twitchy. Your omega is scratching at the back of your mind, begging to be free, but you know you won’t survive it. The room is full of armed mercenaries, and you’re sure if you tried to take out Phil first, you’d be pumped full of bullets before you could even do any damage. 

He’s leaning against the wall far too casually, staring at the phone he’d used to record the first video of you. His explanation had been simple. Your pack stops going after General Shepherd, you don’t get hurt. The longer they chase Shepherd, the more Phil gets to torture you until they decide your life is worth more than Shepherd’s. 

Will they choose you over Shepherd? What if they’ve already decided to abandon you? What if your fears were right and they’ve given up, and that’s why they were gone so long? They won’t care what happens to you, if they have written you off as a burden, as a loss. They’ll let Phil torture you to death and they won’t even blink an eye. You’ll just be another casualty. 

It makes your stomach hurt, the idea of your pack letting you die. Even the idea of someone who had once been a friend of your family being so cold towards you has nausea bubbling in your belly. He doesn’t care. His only worry is money, not the past. He doesn’t care. He’ll do the bidding of whoever offers the highest price. 

He lets out a sigh, pocketing his phone as he pushes himself off of the wall. “Looks like your boys don’t follow orders well.” He bends down, putting his hands on his knees so he’s face to face with you. “They’ve decided to leave you here with me. Looks like Shepherd was wrong. They don’t really care about you as much as everyone thought they did. Makes me sad, them abandoning you so easily.” 

You try to ignore his words, try to convince yourself he’s doing it on purpose, trying to mentally break you. Yet you can’t deny those words play exactly into your doubts, your fears. Have they really left you here, choosing Shepherd over you? Would they decide to do that? How easy had that decision been made?  

Tears blur your vision as you stare up at Phil, your eyes burning as you try to put on the bravest face you can. You won’t let him have the satisfaction of knowing he’s getting to you, playing into your fears. 

“Unfortunately, that means I have to hurt you.” He stands up straight, staring down at you for a moment before pulling his fist back, hitting you across the face. 

You see stars for a moment, your head snapping to the side. The left side of your face is numb, the taste of metal flooding over your tongue. You’re bleeding, blood pooling in your mouth. A hand grips your chin, pulling you back so you’re sitting up straight in the chair. You stare up at Phil, the fear fading away to anger as you glare up at him. Your face is throbbing, and you know it’s going to swell and bruise later, more than it already has thanks to Corporal McKinney. 

Traitorous bastard. 

They all are. 

“I do feel bad for hurting that pretty face.” He says, stroking your jaw with his thumb. 

The movement is impulsive, the anger becoming too much. You spit the blood in your mouth in his face, the droplets splattering across his skin. He turns his head away for a moment, bringing his other hand up to wipe at the blood. 

“That wasn’t very nice.” He says, looking down at you. 

“Fuck you, you fucking creep!” You yell, kicking at him with your bad leg. 

He releases your face, catching your leg easily. He pushes his thumb against the bullet wound, all the fight leaving you as pain tears through your body. You let out a scream, trying to pull your leg away but he won’t let you. He holds his thumb there as you scream, the tears streaming down your face. 

“Okay, okay please! Please stop!” You beg, the pain radiating up into your hip and side. You can’t take it anymore, your brain starting to go fuzzy as you hyperventilate. 

He releases your leg, his hand wrapping around your throat to lift your face. The tears are streaming down your cheeks, mixing with the blood from the cut on your cheek. There’s no sympathy, not even regret in his eyes as he stares down at you. 

“I don’t want to hurt you, but if you can’t behave, I’ll have to do just that.” He releases you as you continue to hyperventilate, your eyes starting to glaze. You’re distressing. Will Phil help you? Will he do what he has to do to keep you alive? If you die, there won’t be anything stopping your pack. The entire plan will be over. They’ll go after Shepherd, then they’ll hunt down Phil. 

Cold ice water hits you in the face, shocking you back into clarity. Phil is holding the cup of water he’d been letting you drink from periodically. You blink at him as water drips into your eyes, your breaths hitching but far slower than they had been. You’re awake and aware now. 

You didn’t even know it was possible to do that. 

“Don’t distress on me now.” He says, putting the cup down. “We have so much ahead of us.” He moves around to the back of your chair, bending down until his breath hits your ear. “Besides, you make me help you out of distress, I might not be able to stop myself.” 

Your eyes pinch closed as his lips brush the shell of your ear before he stands back up, tears mixing with the icy water still sliding down your face. 

Christine nearly runs down the ramp once the plane has stopped on the runway. She’s jet lagged and worn out after eight hours of worrying, but she’s eager not only to finally get some news on you and your status, but to see her brother for the first time in a long time. 

It’s not hard to find him. 

“Chrissy!” He grins, hugging her tightly. 

She has half a mind to complain about the nickname she’d endured her entire childhood, but she can’t find it in her as she hugs her brother tightly. She’s missed him, more than she realized. Their jobs have kept them busy, her with her medical studies and practice, and Alex with...whatever it is he does. 

“It’s been far too long.” She says, pulling away from him. She’d love to stand there and hug him for an hour, but she can’t. They have more important things to do. Time is of the essence, if her worst fears are true. 

“A lot has happened, a lot has changed.” He says. 

She looks him over, spotting the more noticeable changes in comparison to the last time they were face to face. “You could say that.” 

“We can talk about it later.” He turns to the other person with him, a woman. “Christine, this is Farah.” He introduces her. “Farah, this is my baby sister Christine.” 

“Nice to meet you.” Farah says, shaking her hand. 

“You as well.” Christine looks between them for a moment. She knows that look in Alex’s eyes as he looks at Farah. 

“We should get moving.” Farah says, ignoring him. 

“Laswell has moved off the grid.” Alex says, opening the driver’s side of the SUV. 

Smart, if things are as bad as she thinks they are. 

Christine gets into the back, letting out a long breath. She’s closer now to finding out what’s happened to you. The guilt is still eating her alive. If she just hadn’t left, if she hadn’t believed the phone call, put it above your safety. 

Things might have been worse if she had stayed. 

“Kate filled us in about everything.” Alex says as he drives away from the airfield. “At least in regards to the pack and your involvement.” 

“There’s some things she’s not telling us.” Farah says. “Though if things are as bad as they sound, I don’t blame her.” 

“I don’t know much of anything.” Christine says, staring out the window as they drive out of the city. “I feel like it’s my fault. If I hadn’t left her alone...” 

“It’s hardly your fault.” Alex says, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. “If this was all planned, there wouldn’t have been anything that would stop it from happening.” 

“They might have done worse if you had stayed there.” Farah says, speaking Christine’s own fears aloud. 

“I wish I could see her. Make sure she’s alright.” Christine says. “If something happens to her...” 

“From what I hear she’s a hardy omega.” Alex says, trying to comfort her. “She’s withstood a lot. She can survive the 141, she’s probably giving them hell as we speak.” 

**Content Warnings: light torture, choking to the point of almost passing out, blood, very detailed descriptions of pain, non-fatal stabbing**

It’s getting hard to breathe. Phil’s grip around your throat is getting tighter and tighter, less and less oxygen getting to your bloodstream and your brain. Your mouth has an almost permanent metallic taste as blood drips down your chin. Blood stains Phil’s arm from where you bit him, teeth marks red and angry looking from where they broke the skin. 

“You fucking bitch.” He growls, jaw clenched. “Your alpha should have taught you some manners.” 

His hand squeezes tighter, cutting the air off entirely. You begin to panic, tugging against the restrains with your raw, cut up wrists. Black dots begin to dance in your vision, your legs straining against the zip ties keeping them attached to the chair. Your hands and feet are going numb, your entire body tingling. This is it. You’re going to be choked to death. 

He holds his hand there for a moment, letting you struggle before he lets go and you suck in a gasp of air. You slump over in the chair, blood splattering on the floor as you cough, your throat raw and sore. Tears burn in your eyes as you heave, trying to get the oxygen flowing through your body again. 

Phil bends down to your level as you sit there, head hanging as blood drips from your mouth. Your tongue is raw from how many times you’ve bitten it. It’s impossible to tell how much time has really passed. There’s no windows in the room. The only light source is the cracks around the door behind you. Even then with the bright light in your face constantly, it’s hard to tell anything anymore. 

“Feisty still, but everyone has their limits.” His hand cups your chin as he stands, lifting your face to follow him. His hand holds the back of your head up as he wipes at the blood under your nose and on your chin almost gently. 

Tears stream down your cheeks as you stare up at him, unable to even care anymore that his hand is so close to your neck. All he has to do is move it down just slightly and squeeze and you’ll be unaware of anything around you, at the mercy of his bidding. 

That would almost be a relief. 

He dumps another icy cup of water over your head, keeping you from slipping too much into a panic. The cold water stings the cut on your chest and the one on your arm as it slides down your shoulders. You’ve lost the ability to feel the throbbing in your calf, numb to most of the pain in your body. 

Why haven’t they come for you? Where is your pack? 

Have they written you off for good? Was finding Shepherd more important than you? 

Phil’s phone goes off, your stomach dropping. He stares at the screen for a second before turning back to you. 

You shake your head, the tears cascading down your cheeks. “No,” You start to shake. “No, please-” 

“You know I have to, darlin’.” He moves behind you, tugging on your hair to keep your head up as one of his men stands in front of you with a phone in hand. 

He counts down on his fingers before pressing record. 

“Seems you boys still can’t follow orders. Your omega sure wishes you would.” Phil says as he reaches around your head, holding your chin in his hand. He tilts your head back making you look up at him. “Don’t you, darlin’. Tell them. Tell them how much you wish they’d follow orders.” 

You’re still crying, unable to stop as you stare at the camera. They really have given up on you. They’ve deemed you unworthy of saving. They’ve let you sit here and be beat up and tortured all because they put the job first. 

They really have given up on you. 

Are they even watching? 

“Please,” You croak out, half begging your pack to care, half begging Phil to have mercy. 

“Since you can’t seem to bring yourselves to care about your own omega,” He shifts slightly, someone handing him something behind you. You catch a glint of metal, your heart rate picking up. You’re panicking, breaths coming in shaky gasps. You know he can do worse. He’s threatened worse, but what is he going to do? “It seems you need a little more...motivation.” 

You try to wiggle out of his grasp in panic, wrists bleeding again from tugging at the zip ties. They’re coated in your blood, your leg throbbing but you don’t care. You need to get away, get free. “No, no-”

You let out a scream. 

It’s sharp and piercing, but nowhere near the sharp pain in your neck. It fires through your very nerve endings, making you aware of the very cells in your body. It shoots up into your brain, igniting every neuron in your brain. Your very blood feels like it’s boiling, your skin on fire from the pain. Every inhale feels like you’re breathing in sand, and every exhale is like glass shards dragging through your lungs and up your throat. The tears streaming down your face may as well be slicing through layers of skin, every wound pulsing and throbbing with a new kind of angry vengeance. 

You’re sobbing, nearly choking on air as the pain continues to pulse in your body. It’s too much, every sensation inside and outside of your body meshing together in an agonizing harmony. 

“Shhh.” Phil tries to shush you as he bends down, his cheek resting against the side of your head. “I know, I know. You’ll be alright.” He presses a kiss to the side of your head before letting you go limp in the chair. 

Your scream still hangs in the air even after the video ends. 

It’s otherwise silent in the room, all eight of them feeling the weight of their decisions on their shoulders. The scents in the air are full of pain and regret and guilt and anger. 

“Was that fatal?” Kate asks, breaking the tense silence. 

“No.” Christine chokes out, her voice shaky. Her hands are trembling where they’re tucked against her sides. Her arms are crossed over her chest, trying to bring herself some kind of comfort after what she had just watched. “He went for the scent gland. It’s not a fatal injury, unless you go too deep, but he knew what he was doing.” She swallows the lump in her throat. “It’s just incredibly painful.” 

Her words hang in the air for a moment, all of them still trying to process what they had just seen. 

John slams his hands on the table, all of them jumping. “I fucking told you.” He says, his voice laced with the deep growl of his alpha. “I fucking told you Kate, she should have been flown out here as soon as you made the call.” 

“I know.” Kate says, undeterred by his anger. She’s seen it many times, though she’s rarely been on the receiving end of it. “I know, I made a bad call. None of us knew they would take it this far.” 

“But we knew something was going on behind the scenes.” John says, still radiating anger. “All precautions should have been taken.” 

“There was no guarantee her being here would have stopped them. She might not have been any safer here.” Kate says, trying to ease his anger, even though she knows it’s completely warranted. “This goes far deeper than we thought it did. Even before this plan was set into motion.” She waits a moment, letting the air settle. “A year ago, a convoy was smuggling missiles and other weapons into the Middle East in an off-the-books operation. The convoy was attacked and the missiles and arms were stolen by a Russian PMC group. The operation was conducted under the command of Shepherd, and the soldiers in the convoy were all Shadow Company.” 

“That’s how Graves is tied into this.” Kyle says. 

“It goes deeper than that.” Kate says, pulling up a file and displaying it on screen. “The missiles and weapons being smuggled weren’t being sent to aid allies in the Middle East. Shepherd sold them to AQ and the Russians. The PMC group that attacked Shadow Company was hired by Shepherd to make it look like an ambush.” 

“Fucking weasel.” Simon growls. 

“I don’t know how much Graves knows, or how much he helped hide the entire operation, but his ties to this go even deeper.” Kate says, and they all shift closer. “Graves has history with your omega.” She says, pulling up an old photo. “We combed through one of her brothers’ Facebook pages. Found an old photo of her dad with Graves. They served on the same base when her family lived in Texas before Graves left to join MARSOC. She would have still been a child at the time.” 

They stare at the photo, Graves clearly identifiable as he stands next to another man, beers in their hands. There’s two other boys in the photo, young and grinning at the camera. Standing in front of Graves is a little girl, a happy grin on her face. They’re all in various combinations of red, white, and blue. 

4th of July, they assume. 

“That’s how she got into the institute so fast.” John says, staring at the photo. He’s never seen a photo of your father before. You must take after your mother. “Graves pulled the strings.” 

Kate nods. “He did, but under the condition he would be the one to claim her when she grew old enough. The CIA wiped out that claim when they froze her file.” 

The 141 all shift on their feet, sharing looks. John feels a sick twisting in his stomach at the implications. Your position in the photo suddenly makes sense. Anger burns in him, deep and bubbling like magma. He’ll kill the bastard. 

“This is revenge then.” Johnny says. 

“In a way, I think.” Kate says. “We took away what he wanted. Graves wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.” 

“This all is what the initiative was created for.” Christine says, leaning against the table. “A contingency in case this all was uncovered.” 

“A way to control us.” Kyle says. 

Kate nods. “Yes. It was all a plan to give the 141 a weakness, a way to be controlled should the situation arise. In this case it just so happened to be the uncovering of his traitorous arms deals.” 

“We were all pawns in this.” Christine says. 

“We let them walk right in and take control like that.” John says, turning to Christine. “You let them walk in and take our omega.” 

She turns to face him, undeterred by his agitation and anger. “I did what I thought was right at the time. I got a call from one of the front desk workers in the med center saying that someone was waiting in my office for me.” She explains. “They wouldn’t say who it was, and the whole thing felt off. I knew whoever would be visiting me was not going to be friendly, so I felt it was safer to leave her in the barracks than take her with me and risk something happening in a place she doesn’t know well. In the barracks at least she’d know places to hide and barricade herself.” 

She takes a deep breath, still facing down John fearlessly. He’s coiled tight like a spring, ready to jump at any moment should he deem it necessary. It’s those protective instincts, the knowledge that his omega is somewhere else, taken unwillingly and being tortured feeding into that need to fight. 

“My office door was open when I got there.” She continues. “I always leave it locked. I went in prepared to fight, but I was attacked from behind. Hit over the head and drugged with something fast acting, something that would keep me incapacitated long enough for him to strike.” She stares up into his eyes, projecting her scent just a bit to try and get him to calm down. “We all made mistakes here, things we thought were the right choice at the time.” 

She’s not wrong. They all know it. They had just seen proof of it.  

“The assailant?” John asks, turning back to Kate. 

“Corporal McKinney.” Kate says. “He was in Shepherd’s pocket from the start. Someone who could watch first-hand. Someone who could sneak into the barracks unnoticed without many questions. He was likely the one that put the cameras up.” 

“Fucking wanker.” Simon growls. “He approached her once in the mess. Early on. Tried to introduce himself to her. Backed off as soon as I intervened. Never tried again, at least that we know of.” 

“She never mentioned him.” Christine says. “Or anyone else on base that might have tried to approach her.” 

“Where is he now?” Kyle asks. They’re all angry, frustrated. How had they not seen this happening? 

“Local police tracked his car to an abandoned airfield not far outside of Hereford.” Kate says. “He was dead inside. Police ruled it suicide.” 

“I’m sure it was.” John says. 

They all know it wasn’t. 

“Shadow Company likely picked her up from there with orders to stage a suicide.” Kate says. 

“One less loose string to worry about.” Simon says. “Covers their tracks in England.” 

They all go quiet. How this had all happened right under their noses? They’re all guilty of falling for it, for being too trusting in a world they know they can’t be too careful in. Allies can turn on a dime and become enemies. Betrayals can be easily bought. Things can turn downhill within a blink of an eye. They’re supposed to be prepared for the worst, ready for every possibility. 

They had written this off as a conspiracy, and now their omega is paying for it. 

“We need a plan.” Farah says, breaking the silence. 

“We can’t let Shepherd get away.” John says. 

“We cannae just leave her.” Johnny argues against his alpha. It’s a brave thing, considering his alpha’s current mental state.  

“I don’t know how much more she can take.” Simon backs his beta up, the desperation and pain on your face still visible in all of their minds. 

“Let us go after Shepherd.” Alex says, offering up a solution. “He’s obviously watching for you to come after him.” 

“We can move undetected.” Farah agrees. “He’s less likely to expect us. You need to focus on your omega. Shepherd will show himself again eventually.” 

“Do we have a lead on their location?” Kyle asks, turning back to Kate. 

She nods. “We do now. I sent a team out to try and track location through the videos and where they were being sent from.” She pulls a map up on screen. “We have a location.” 

“Texas.” Alex says. 

“He took her home.” Christine says. 

“We have a plan then. We go after Graves, Farah and Alex start tracking Shepherd. Kate is eyes in the sky for us.” John says. 

“She’s going to need medical attention as soon as possible.” Christine says. She looks at Kate. “Where is the nearest military base from their location?” 

Kate types on her computer. “Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth.” 

“Get me there and I’ll be waiting. She’s going to need someone she knows.” She says, looking at John. “She’s not going to just let anyone close to her after this. She may not even let you close.” 

John stares down at her for a long moment. She stares back unflinchingly. She doesn’t get intimidated easily, not after years of dealing with institutes and alphas alike. 

He lets out a breath, staring down at her for a long moment before he nods. “I trust you.” 

“Short reunion this time.” 

“I’m just glad I got to see your face again.” Christine says, looking up at Alex. 

“Things are...complicated.” He says. “Maybe after all of this is over we can go and get some coffee. Talk about our lives...as much as we can.” 

The corner of her mouth twitches up in a smile. “I’ll hold you to that.” 

Alex pulls her into a hug, holding her tightly. “You’re doing good work, Chrissy.” 

She shakes her head at the nickname, but she holds him just as tightly. “I’m trying to.” 

Alex pulls away, squeezing her arms. “I’d say you are. You care a lot. To the point some might call it a character defect.” 

She scoffs, slapping his chest playfully. “Not like you’re much better.” She glances at the car where Farah is waiting patiently. “I’m happy for you.” 

“Oh, we’re....” Alex blushes to his ears. “We’re not...” 

She gives him a look. “Mhm sure.” She looks up at him one more time. “Be safe.” 

“As best I can.” He says. “Take care of yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself either.” 

“I try not to be.” She squeezes his hand before stepping away. 

She watches the SUV drive off, stomach churning with nerves for both of them. Shepherd is dangerous, but Alex has fearlessly faced down danger since he was a kid. He’s always been brave and determined, loyal and unafraid to do what he thinks is right no matter what. She trusts him to take care of himself, she trusts Farah to help him, even if she only met the woman today. 

She trusts them both to take care of each other. She trusts them both to help put an end to this. 

**Content Warning: Blood, vomiting, 'mega forces herself into a panic attack**

Your body aches, muscles screaming. You can’t take much more. Your cheek throbs painfully, swollen to the point you almost can’t see out of your left eye. The pain burning from your neck makes the other pain in your body nearly irrelevant, nearly nonexistent. It’s like electricity, burning through your very cells. Every movement seems to make it flare, makes the electric shock jolt through you. The burning pain that follows makes you whimper, a pathetic choking sound squeaking out from your bruised throat. 

The pain makes you nauseous, vomit staining the front of your shirt and pants. It’s mostly bile and the little food you’ve gotten since your kidnapping. 

Nutrient bars, meant to keep you fed and nourished for a short period of time. 

You may never be able to eat them again. 

“Fuck.” Graves curses, staring at his phone. “They’ve backed off.” He steps up to you, looking down on your pathetic form. “Looks like your boys do care about you after all.” 

Do they? Are they really coming for you, or have they simply given up chasing Shepherd because they lost all their leads. Will they come for you, or will they leave you here to rot? What will Graves do then? Try to take you as his own omega? Kill you out of anger? 

Your stomach churns and you can feel the bile rising. 

You vomit again, the warm liquid splashing into your lap. You can’t lean far enough anymore, not without the risk of not being able to pull yourself back up, not with the pain burning your every movement. You can’t even lift your head anymore, your body weak and battered and bruised. There’s blood everywhere, on you and on the floor. You can still taste it in your mouth, mixing with the sourness of bile. 

Graves gives you a disgusted look before turning to the others in the room. “Duran, Lewis, keep watch. The rest of you come with me.” 

He leaves the room for the first time in what you assume is days. For once the cocktail of scents begins to disperse, all but two of the alphas finally disappearing. Where they’re going or what they’re going to do, you don’t know. You can’t bring yourself to care either way. You just want to go home. You want to see your mother again, your brothers and sisters, even your father would be a welcome sight after this. You want your alpha, you want him to hold you, to take you in his arms, keep you safe.

He abandoned you. He left you to suffer like this. 

Your breathing picks up as you sit there, chin to chest as you stare at your bloody shirt. The smells in the room are awful, the scents no longer there to block out the sour bile and metallic stench blood. Tears are streaming down your cheeks, pink tinted splatters dripping onto your pants. What are you going to do now? What are they going to do to you now? Will they keep you alive long enough for your pack to arrive then kill you in front of them? Will they torture them too, make them watch as the life slowly leaves your eyes in revenge for chasing after Shepherd? 

A sob rips through your sore throat up out of your lips. 

You just want to go home. 

You just want to be free. 

You can be. 

Distress. The final defense. The last ditch effort omegas have to save themselves. Distress will lead to your omega taking over, and if nothing else, a quiet death you won’t even realize is happening. Your body will give out and you’ll be safely tucked into the back of your brain, comforted by your instincts. You won’t have to worry anymore. You won’t have to care. 

If nothing else, the pain will be over. 

I’m sorry. 

You begin to breathe heavier, ignoring the pain in your body as you push yourself to hyperventilate. The alphas behind you might do something, might try to stop it. They could, but would they even know how? Would it even work if you got too far? They’re not your alpha. They can’t comfort you, bring you back from the edge without forcing you. Will they even bother? 

You tilt your head to the side, putting pressure on your injured scent gland. You sob at the pain, the burning flowing straight into your very cells, making them scream. You push through it, your wrists twisting against the zip ties, digging them further into your already damaged wrists. The pain pushes you to a point of panic, your heart rate through the roof. You can feel it, the tightening of your muscles, your joints locking into place. 

You’ve never done it purposefully before, but in this state, it’s not hard. 

They left you. They’ve abandoned you. They’ve given up. It’s all your fault they left. They’re not coming for you. You’re not worth it. 

The thoughts send you down the spiral, the edges of your vision starting to go dark. You’re floating away, hands and feet going numb as your wheezing, shallow breaths block the oxygen from getting to your brain. You’re sinking, your body floating as you begin to retreat into the back of your mind. The cage is open, your omega soothing you as you drift off, curling up in the back recesses of your mind. 

You’re safe now. She whispers. 

There’s no going back. 

You’re going to get out. 

Even if you have to do it yourself. 

The last breath you remember taking is shaky, making you cough before your vision begins to fade to grey, then to black. You’re getting out of here no matter what. You’re going to go to sleep. If you fail, you’ll never know it. Your death will be quick and gentle and you’ll never know it happened until you’ve moved on to whatever is next. 

You won’t remember any of this. That’s your only consolation. 

Your vision fades to black as all memory and awareness leaves you. The last thing you remember is the snap of the zip ties around your wrists as they break. 

“Graves has moved with some of his men to the western building. It’s likely the hostage is being held in the eastern building. Gaz and I will go after Graves. Ghost and Soap will try to secure the hostage.” 

“Keller is on her way to NAS JRB as we speak. They’re on standby for medevac.” 

“Stealth is our priority. They know we’re here, we risk losing the hostage. Quick and quiet, take them by surprise. The faster we do this, the sooner it will all be over.” 

**Content Warning: blood and slight gore, someone gets shot offscreen, some gorey and explicit imagery towards the end**

He’s not unfamiliar with high stakes missions. It’s his specialty. He’s cool and calm under stress and pressure, which is why he gets chosen for them. He can detach easily, get the job done and then go home and forget. 

So why are his hands shaking? 

This isn’t a high stakes mission, not like one he’s used to doing. The stakes are higher, higher than he’s ever had before. It’s not just eliminating some faceless target, it’s not just rescuing some faceless hostage. 

It’s rescuing you. 

He hates that you were involved in all of this. He hates that they all fell for it, blind to the truth, blind to Shepherd’s traitorous actions. They refused to entertain those conspiratorial thoughts, and now you’re paying for it. He knows why Price made the decision he did, he understands the logic behind it. 

He hated it, though. 

How far would Graves have taken it if they had chosen to go after you first. Would things have gotten this bad? Or would he still have hurt you, tortured you just out of sheer anger for what happened between the two of you? He wouldn’t give up just because Shepherd told him to stop. He’s ruthless and uncaring of who he hurts and why. He gets his orders and he completes them, no matter what, so long as whoever is giving those orders can pay a high enough price. 

How much did he get for this assignment? How much did he settle for once he learned you were involved? 

Far too much despite that fact, most likely. Maybe he should become a merc. Less rules and more money.

It’s not a bad idea. 

He lasers his focus on the building as they creep through the trees, moving silently. Two against however many are inside. It was impossible to tell with how many were moving between the two buildings constantly. 

He brought the whole squad. He planned on putting up a fight regardless. 

At least they have the element of surprise on their hands. 

“We move silently through the building.” He says as they approach the door. There’s two guards standing outside. “They know we’re inside, things could go downhill quickly.” 

“On you, LT.” Johnny says, taking point beside him. 

“Drop one, I’ll take the other.” He says, aiming at one of the two Shadows guarding the door. 

It’s quick and quiet, their bodies slumping onto the damp dirt. Simon scans the area before moving forward to the door. It’s unlocked, Johnny pushing it open slowly to check for a trip wire. 

None. 

Sloppy, or perhaps on purpose. They can’t be too careful. Shepherd will have let Graves know they’re not on his trail anymore. He’ll be expecting them. 

They split up, combing the bottom floor of the building. He takes out two more Shadows, checking every room for a sign of their target, but they find none. 

“Second floor.” He says, waiting at the base of the stairwell for Johnny to join him. 

“You think she’s in here?” Johnny asks as they creep up the stairs, careful not to make too much noise. 

“Well, we’ll find out.” 

It’s far too unguarded to where they’re holding you. Graves will have assumed they’d split up. He must have moved most of his men to the western building to put up as much of a barricade as possible. He can picture Graves standing there, the smirk on his face as he holds a gun to your head. Will he take that risk, shoot you in front of them and give them nothing to live for? Or will he use a knife, letting you die a slow, painful death in front of them? 

Or, maybe he moved them to the western building to make them think that’s where you are. Focus their attacks there so they leave you behind. He gets cornered, he send the word to kill you before any of them can get to you. 

More red herrings. 

He pauses before he reaches the top of the steps, taking out the shadow standing down the hallway. They split up again, looking through rooms at the top of the stairs, making their way down the hallway. 

One of the doors is open, and he silently motions for Johnny. He counts down silently in his head before rounding the corner, rifle up as he scans the room. His stomach churns as he looks inside, taking a couple cautious steps forward. He’s seen a lot of things in his time, done a lot of things, but this is different. 

“Screaming Jesus.” Johnny says, lowering his rifle as he steps in behind Simon. 

There’s blood everywhere. 

It’s coating the floors, leaving a sticky residue as it dries. It’s the room you were in. He recognizes it from the video, and the bright light in the corner is a dead giveaway. The chair in the middle of the room has been broken, the wood of the arms snapped off and splintered. There’s four bloody zip ties on the floor, along with several instruments on the floor including the ice pick. 

He wants to shove that into Graves’ eye for what he did to you. 

There’s two bodies on the floor, one of them dead in a pool of his own blood, the other choking as blood seeps onto the floor under him. He steps up to the shadow, putting his boot on his chest and pushing. The Shadow lets out a groan, coughing up blood. 

“Where the fuck is she?” He growls, staring down at the quickly paling face. 

“Fucking bitch went crazy.” He chokes out. “Went running.” 

Simon steps back, pulling out his handgun and firing two bullets into the Shadow’s head. 

“Price, we found the room.” He says into his comm. “The hostage isn’t here. A half-dead Shadow said she bolted.” 

“LT.” Johnny says, motioning to the door, the only other exit from the room. There’s a bloody handprint on the door, one too small to be one of the Shadows’. 

“I think she managed to get out.” He says, staring at the handprint. His stomach drops, his hand tightening around his rifle. He glances down at the bodies, throats cut and faces bloody. “I think her omega took over.” 

“You and Soap go after her. She’ll do the one thing she knows to do, the one instinctual thing she can do if she has nothing to fight.” Price says. “We’ve got Graves cornered.” 

Simon pushes the door open, cool air flowing into the stuffy room. There’s bloody shoe prints heading down the stairs. He can see the rapid turn on the concrete below before they head off towards the trees. 

“I’ve got a trail.” He says. 

“Go.” Price says. “Simon...you know what you have to do.” 

He does.

He motions for Johnny to follow before hurrying down the stairs. The longer they delay, the further you’ll get. He doesn’t doubt some Shadows followed you if you made that much of a ruckus. The more time they waste, the more dangerous things get, and not just because they might lose you or the shadows might catch up. 

He races towards the treeline, rifle in hand, but there’s no one else standing guard. Price and Gaz will have taken care of those in the other building, and those that were outside probably went after you. 

He slows once they break the treeline, trying to catch any hint of your scent that might be left. His only hope is that you’ve left a trail. He’s a tracker, he knows what he’s doing. His senses are stronger, more in tune. He can find you. He can track you down. He has to. 

The guilt is eating him alive. If something happens to you, he’ll never forgive himself. He’s right here, so close and yet so far. You’re running on borrowed time and there’s only so much of it left. Eventually you have to slow, eventually your body will start giving up. Will it be too late then? If a Shadow finds you when you can’t fight back...

“Dead Shadow ahead.” Johnny says, motioning to the slumped over body ahead of them. “We’re on the trail.” 

“Let’s hope she left more markers on the way.” He says, kicking the Shadow, but the stab wound in his neck is all Simon needs to know. “Keep going straight.” He says, continuing on the path they’ve been following. He needs just a whiff, a hint of your scent. Something. 

They come across another dead Shadow, this one off to the side of the path they had been following. He turns, making an adjustment before moving forward. Johnny keeps close, both of them watching for more Shadows, or for any glimpse of you. All they can hope is they’re on the right path. 

He nearly sets off in a run as he hears a sound ahead. It’s a yowl, almost like a mountain lion. It sends a tingle down his back, his alpha blaring warning alarms. A threatened omega is a dangerous thing. Fierce and protective of themselves, capable of great feats and lethal if you get too close. 

It’s you, no doubt. 

Price had been right. 

He has no choice. 

He pushes forward, his steps quick as he makes his way through the bushes. He spots you near a boulder, trying to fight off a Shadow. He’s got the upper hand, using his size against you. You’re getting tired, your movements slowing. Simon aims with his rifle, a shot to the head dropping the Shadow. You drop into a crouch, surveying the trees. You’re covered in blood, a knife in your hand as your wild eyes search for them. 

“Distract her.” He says to Johnny. “Make yourself as unthreatening as possible. I’ll go around and get her from behind.” 

He doesn’t even wait for an acknowledgement before he’s moving, slipping around to the side of the boulder. Johnny steps into the clearing slowly, holding his hands up, talking to you quietly.

“Easy, kitten. Ye know who I am.” Johnny is careful not to get too close, his steps slow as he moves to the side, getting you to turn. “We’re just here to help ye. Get ye home and safe.” 

You’re holding the knife up, brandishing it at Johnny. Simon isn’t sure if you’ve ever thrown a knife before, but he doesn’t put it past you to try in this state. 

He hopes Johnny’s reflexes are fast enough. 

He slips out from behind the boulder as you pause, wasting no time as he races up behind you and grabbing you before you can bolt or go for Johnny’s neck. You let out another yowl, struggling against him as he wraps an arm around your chest. Your teeth sink into his arm and he lets out a curse, but he doesn’t let go. He lets go, they won’t get another chance. It’ll be too late. 

He doesn't want to do it. His mind flashes back to his father and mother, one of the few times his mother fought back. It hadn’t lasted long before her body went limp, practically a ragdoll in his father’s hold. Simon had grabbed Tommy and ran, barricading them in his room. They didn’t want to see what was going to happen next. 

He doesn’t want that kind of control over you, he doesn’t want to put you through that trauma. The disorientation, the fear, the confusion. That must have been what it felt like after being sedated during your heat. You had been sick for days, crying in Johnny’s room. He had heard every sob, every attempt to soothe you. 

He put you through that. He made you face that down despite the fear on your face as Johnny escorted you to the med center. 

And now he has to do it again. 

He has to this time. He has no choice. His only other option is to let you die. Price will never forgive him. Johnny won’t even look at him again. He’d betray them worse than you did, worse than Shepherd, worse than Graves. 

You never really betrayed them in the first place, though. 

You were afraid, untrusting of them, unsure because of your past. He had been foolish to blame you, foolish to think it was somehow your fault. You acted out of fear, out of terror. How you must have felt in those moments when that beta showed up, when you faced down Shepherd alone, when you returned to find your space invaded and those cameras all over your room. They weren’t there to protect you, they weren’t there to support you. They left you alone and you hid it from them because you didn’t know any better, because you were so afraid. 

He’s a goddamn fucking prick he’s been. 

Tears blur his vision as he tucks his free arm behind you, shifting your position just enough so he can get his hand around the back of your neck. You kick out with your legs, releasing his arm, your head tilting back in a last ditch, instinctual effort to protect yourself. 

His eyes squeeze closed as you let out a yelp, his fingers digging into the back of your neck. It’s hard enough it will leave a bruise, but he has to be sure. It’s the only thing that might save you. It’s his only option, his only chance to keep you alive. 

“There you go.” He says quietly into your ear. “Need you to relax for me.” 

Your body goes limp in his hold, head resting back against his hand as he holds you there. Your muscles twitch as the tension leaves you, eyelids fluttering before they close. His arm stings where your teeth had sunk into his skin, hard enough to draw blood, but he doesn’t care. 

“Keep resting.” He says, easing his hand from the back of your neck as he shifts you in his arms. “Gonna get you somewhere safe.” 

You’re like a ragdoll in his arms as he lifts you up, cradling you against his chest. You’re warm, hair sticking to your forehead. 

“Call it in.” He tells Johnny, his eyes still glued to your face. “We need that medevac now.” 

“Price, we got her.” Johnny says into his comm. “We need medevac stat.” 

You look so peaceful despite the blood soaking your body. Partially yours, partially the Shadows you killed in your escape. You look like a gruesome painting, a gorey depiction of an omega pushed too far. Something they’d put on display in a museum, a photo that would win prizes in celebration of such a natural state caught on camera. It would be circulated for decades, something talked about centuries from now. 

A raw view of humanity’s inner beasts. 

He can’t stand it, seeing you like this. They did this to you. They are the reason you’re like this. They made the bad call in the end, they put you through this. You won’t forgive them, not after everything. You went weeks without them, without a word and then this happened. Innocence tainted in the blood of the guilty. The bloodstained omega held in the arms of the blood-tainted alpha. He should be the one covered in their blood. He should be the one carrying the weight of torture and desperation on his shoulders. 

The guardian dog covered in blood in the name of protecting his innocent sheep. 

How he’s failed you. How they all failed you. 

He pushes past the pain, past the grief, past the guilt and the horror of what they did to you, what they put you through. 

They’ve got you back. You’re safe. 

It’s over. 

NEXT ->

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[c0ffeejelly1]

I can’t help but stare…

-Bros the type of guy to think, no believe full heartedly that you’re the most ethereal being in the word admiring you whenever he has the chance to

Cw: kinda spicy? Idk..just neck kissing bro.

* There you were, leaning back against the frame of the double bed you usually slept on.

* Your attention was glued to your phone, occasionally chuckling at something amusing you found on your feed.

* However, you weren’t alone on that cozy mattress.

* Another figure was nestled beside you, seemingly in a deep sleep—or so you thought.

* Unbeknownst to you, the figure who appeared to be dozing was actually wide awake, quietly watching you.

* you felt a gentle shift in the bed as he propped himself up and rested his head on your shoulder.

* Initially taken aback at first, due to you expecting him to be asleep, you quickly brushed off the surprise, paying no mind to it.

* returning to your aimless scrolling through your phone, you felt a light kiss being pressed onto your shoulder.

* It’s not that you minded nor was it not unwelcomed.

* you just found yourself curious where this sudden affection was coming from..

* “You good babe? Thought you were tired..”

* You could feel a gentle buzz on your skin from the soft sound he made to agree.

* He was worn out, but still wanted to be with you.

* It was pretty cute..

* “You don’t have to stay up for my sake y’know?..”

* You sort of felt bad.

* He must have been stirred awake by the laughter you were letting out while watching those videos on your phone...

* You could feel him mumble softly into your skin

* “..jus wanna see your face..”

* You noticed him slightly raise his head from your shoulder as you turned to face him, feeling a bit flustered by his directness.

* You really wanted to believe it, but deep down, you knew he was only awake because you were being loud.

* Maybe it was just his drowsiness, but to him, you were the most stunning person he’d ever seen, like you were crafted by the gods…almost as if you were made just for him.

* In that moment, he felt like the luckiest man alive as the two of you simply gazed into each other's eyes.

* He chose to break the silence by gently placing his hand on your cheek and leaning in to give you a tender kiss.

* Jesus you tasted just as good as you looked..

* He craved more. yearned for more.

* More of this incredible feeling.

* More of your lips.

* More of you.

* He wanted you. And he needed you badly.

* His kiss grew even more intense as he gently guided his hand to the back of your head, holding you close.

* You instinctively responded, resting your hands on either side of his face.

* It was surprising how someone who’d apparently never been in a relationship before could be such an incredible kisser.

* The kiss lingered on until you both found yourselves breathless.

* He finally pulled back, soft breaths escaping his lips as your eyes met.

* “Sorry..I can’t help myself, you look so beautiful...”

* You couldn’t help the small flutter in you chest at his words.

* You hadn’t really done anything special for yourself that night, just your usual skincare routine, but there he was, looking at you like you were the most stunning thing on the planet.

* You felt your mouth go a bit dry, unsure of what to say, while your phone played a video in the background.

* He pulled you in for another kiss, but this time he laid you back flat, his arms framing your head.

* For someone who was meant to be exhausted, he certainly had an abundance of energy.

* His kisses began to wonder from your lips to your chin, then your jaw, and eventually down to your neck.

* He took his time, savouring every inch of your face, ensuring no part went unnoticed before leaning in close to your ear and planting a soft kiss on your earlobe, a small desperate whine leaving his mouth.

* “..please baby..I need you.”

* Who were you to deny him of his needs?

* I mean you made him like this..

* The things you do to this man.

Characters I had in mind while writing this:

REIGEN (mob psycho 100)

KUROKO, kagami, Akashi (kuroko’s basketball)

Rengoku, TENGEN, Giyuu (demon slayer)

KAGEYAMA, TANAKA, nishinoya, akaashi, BOKUTO, hajime, osamu, kita (haikyuu)

CHOSO, Yuji, MEGUMI, gojo (jujustu kaisen)

REINER (attack on titan)

DENJI (chainsaw man)

- any character you would like

[flipppyflopp]

“You can’t be serious, Vil! This is stupid!”

“Don’t knock it until you try it, Epel.”

This took a lot of time, but I put all the effort I could possibly muster into this piece. 👏 I really wanted to work on something with a detailed background so I decided to try one of the twst dorms. I figured that if I chose a dorm with characters I loved, that it would help motivate me during the piece, which I think worked! It’s also been awhile since I’ve drawn Vil and Epel so that was another reason for a Pomefiore piece.

I don’t usually draw full bodies in my pieces, but I figured I was trying a lot of things, so why not go all the way. I think that Epel and Vil turned out cute and the colors came out very vibrant. I really like how this turned out and I hope you all enjoy it as well! I’m not sure who or what I’m drawing next…anyone in particular y’all would want to see 👀

[latin5mamii]

Hate you - Jude Bellingham

WARNINGS: none, just cocky jude…

SUMMARY: You hate him, right?

GENRE: enemies to lovers

AUTHOR'S NOTE:Sorry for the wait girls😔😔, hope you like it🙏🏻

You’ve always hated him. That stupid, little smirk, the way he carries himself like he’s God’s gift to football, so full of himself it makes you want to scream. The arrogance when he talks about his goals, his wins, like he’s the main character and everyone else is just background noise. God, he’s so irritating.

And yet, you can’t stop looking at him.

It’s infuriating, really. How can someone be both so attractive and so insufferable at the same time? You’d never admit that to yourself, of course. You hate him, with every cell in your body. Right?

It doesn’t help that Vinicius, bless him, keeps pushing you two together like some clueless matchmaker. 

“Come on, you just need to spend more time together!” he insists, completely oblivious to how you and Jude can’t be in the same room for five minutes without getting on each other’s nerves.

“Didn’t expect you to be here,” comes that annoyingly familiar voice, laced with just the right amount of smugness to make your blood boil.Jude,leaning casually against the wall like he’s the king of the place, holding a drink with that infuriating smirk playing on his lips.

“Hi, what do you want?” you snap, barely hiding your irritation.You wanted to sound pacific but you know how that is…

Jude’s grin widens, clearly enjoying every second of annoying you. “Just thought I’d come and bother you, like always.” You can't help but notice his muscles through his shirt, you curse yourself for looking at them.

“I hate you,” you spit out, crossing your arms. You try to hold onto that anger, but it’s hard when he’s looking at you with that lazy, amused expression, like he’s got you all figured out.

He raises an eyebrow, clearly unbothered. “Oh, really?” He leans in slightly, his voice dropping lower, almost like he’s daring you.

“Yes, really,” you say, trying to sound as convinced as possible.

“Lying doesn’t suit you, sweetheart.”

Your heart skips a beat, but you push it down, refusing to let him see the effect he’s having on you. You look away hoping he'll leave you alone but before the banter can continue, Vinicius appears out of nowhere, throwing an arm around both of you with a grin that could light up the room. “There you are! See? You’re talking like friends already!”

“Friends,” you and Jude both mutter in unison, your voices dripping with sarcasm. You exchange a quick glance, and for a moment, there’s something almost playful in his eyes. It throws you off, makes you feel like you’re stumbling in a game you didn’t even realize you were playing.

"Maybe we'll become friends, who knows?"

You wrinkle your nose in disgust, crossing your arms tighter over your chest. 

“Ew, no,” you scoff, as if the very idea is something out of a nightmare. The thought of being friends with Jude (let alone anything more) is enough to make your skin crawl, maybe.

Vinicius just laughs. “You say that now, but I’m telling you, I can see it already.” He taps the side of his head like he’s some kind of psychic. “You two are gonna get together, break up, get back together, break up again, maybe three times at least. But trust me, in the end, you’ll be disgustingly happy.”

You’re about to fire back when you catch Jude shrugging casually, his expression surprisingly serious. “Yeah, probably true,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

You whip your head around, blinking in disbelief. “What?” The word comes out more like a squeak than you’d like, but you can’t help it. Did he just agree with Vinicius? Jude? The guy who’s been nothing but an insufferable thorn in your side since the day you met?

Vinicius claps his hands, a grin spreading across his face. “Well, I’ll be there for the wedding, just so you know. Probably the only one who isn’t surprised when it happens.” He winks and then, as if he’s completed his matchmaking mission, strolls away, leaving you alone with Jude.

You stand there, arms still crossed, trying to process what just happened. “He’s lost his mind,” you mutter more to yourself than to Jude.

“Maybe,” Jude says, his voice annoyingly casual. “But he’s not completely wrong.”

You turn to glare at him, narrowing your eyes. “Excuse me? You seriously think that?”

He shrugs, taking a sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving yours. “I don’t know. You seem a bit obsessed with me. Can’t blame you though.”

You scoff, rolling your eyes. “Obsessed? Please. I just can’t stand your face.”

Jude’s smirk widens, clearly entertained by your reaction. “Funny, because you keep staring at it. Not exactly convincing.”

You feel your cheeks burn. “I’m staring because I’m trying to figure out how someone can be so irritating and full of themselves.”

“Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that,” he says with a lazy grin, leaning in just a bit closer. “You know, maybe Vini’s right. We’ve got that whole ‘enemies to lovers’ thing going on.”

You narrow your eyes at him, determined to hold your ground. “I don’t think it will ever happen, fortunately.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “If you say so. But let’s be honest, this back and forth? It’s kinda fun, isn’t it?”

You open your mouth to argue, but you hesitate. Because deep down, you know he’s right. But admitting that would be giving him exactly what he wants, and there’s no way you’re doing that.

"Let me take you out one night” He says out of nowhere.

You blink, caught completely off guard by his sudden suggestion. “What?” Your voice is sharper than intended, laced with both surprise and suspicion.

Jude’s smirk doesn’t falter. In fact, it widens, clearly satisfied with your reaction.

“You know, for Vini’s sake. Give him the peace of mind that his matchmaking finally worked.”

You cross your arms tighter, trying to hold onto your defiance. “We’re not gonna be friends, Jude.”Jude’s grin shifts, turning into something a little more mischievous, a little more intense. “You’re right,” he says, his voice lowering slightly as he steps closer, closing the gap between you. “We’re not gonna be just friends.”

[aardvaark]

the 10 lil grifters job episode of leverage is so fun. we get to see our team attend a costume party. sophie calls her seasoned criminal coworkers "whiny babies". the whole time everyone is only like 80% sure that nate didn’t commit first degree murder behind their backs. parker offhandedly mentions that she robbed imelda marcos, and she clearly has no idea who that is. hardison has been inviting himself to the oscars for years. there’s a huge amount of references to mystery novels, movies and tv shows, not to mention all the fictional detectives you can spot in the background. timothy hutton is playing nate playing ellery queen, a detective character who was played by timothy hutton’s late father, jim hutton. we get to see all of the team use their skills in very different ways: you can’t hack a house that was built well over a century ago, so hardison has to adapt; eliot has to beat people up subtly and in public; parker’s spidey senses (aka extremely good spatial awareness) allow her to discover secret passages; sophie gets to do the amateur acting gig she’s always wanted; nate has to figure out how a crime was done rather than how to do a crime. at one point, parker gets offered a threesome. truly one of the episodes of all time.

[luna-azzurra]

How to Make the Ultimate Playlist for Your Novel 🎧✨

Writing a novel is all about vibes, and what better way to get in the zone than by crafting a playlist that captures every moment, every emotion, and every heart-flipping scene? Whether you’re in the middle of writing or just dreaming about your characters, having a playlist can seriously bring your story to life.

Figure Out the Mood of Your Novel 🎶

Every novel has an overall mood - you know, that feeling that sticks with you after reading a chapter. Is your book sweet and romantic, or is it packed with suspense and action? Maybe it’s nostalgic and bittersweet. Whatever the mood is, your playlist should reflect that.

Imagine if your book was a movie, what kind of songs would play during the opening scene? Is it more of a soft, acoustic vibe with someone staring out of a rainy window? Or is it blasting pop-punk as your characters road-trip down the highway?

Pro Tip, Pick a theme song for your novel. This is the one track that feels like it could be the heart of your book. Every time you hear it, you’ll be transported straight into your world. 🎧✨

Find Songs for Your Main Characters 💖

Let’s be real, every character deserves their own theme song. You know your characters better than anyone, what would their personal soundtrack be? Is your main character a hopeless romantic who blasts Taylor Swift on repeat? Or are they more of an, Billie Eilish (Ps:I Love Billie) kind of person? Find songs that capture their personality, their struggles, and their growth throughout the novel.

Character A (The Dreamer): Their playlist is full of soft, dreamy ballads like “Falling Slowly” by Glen Hansard. Character B (The Brooding Love Interest): They’d totally vibe with something like “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood

Match Songs to Key Scenes 🎬

Think about it, When your characters finally have that emotional, heart-wrenching argument, what song plays in the background of your mind? When they share their first kiss, is it something soft and sweet, or fiery and passionate? The right song can totally enhance the mood of your scenes, even if you’re just listening while you write.

Big Fight Scene? Go for something intense, like “Control” by Halsey.

The Breakup Scene? You can’t go wrong with a tear-jerker like “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo.

Add Your Personal Favorites 🎧

This playlist is your baby, so don’t forget to throw in some of your personal faves. If a song speaks to you, even if it doesn’t seem to fit perfectly at first glance, add it anyway. Sometimes, the most random songs end up being the ones that make the most sense as you write. Plus, having your favorite songs on the playlist will keep you inspired and motivated to dive into your story.

Don’t feel pressured to make the “perfect” playlist from the start. It’s a process. You’ll probably discover new songs that fit your novel as you go, and that’s totally fine.

[et6rnalsun]

fratboy! chris who can’t resist a girly girl.

at parties you'll always see him with his sweet sweet girlfriend by his side.

arm wrapped around your waist covered in the pink glittery fabric of your tight dress— shining insistently under the blinding lights of the place. your delicate scent is the only thing that gets to him despite the room being full of disgustingly sweaty people, and his head immediately feels lighter as if he's been smoking weed as usual.

even though he would never admit it, he loves the marks of your glossy kisses on his cheek, or on his lips. he loves to be full of things about his girlfriend, his doll's oh-so-feminine markings practically visible to everyone. plus, he knows you do it on purpose, to keep bitches away from your man. it makes him feel both honored and amused.

he loves to watch as you get ready, leaning against the doorframe as his blue eyes run down your figure. he doesn't know why, but in those moments he's always so horny. the way your cheeks turn slightly pink after applying that famous Dior blush, or your long, thin fingers wrapped around the tube of mascara as you use it. . . in the background a song by lana del rey, and accompanied by the soft notes of the song all you know is that you are soon dragged into a make-out session gradually turned into sex. "couldn't help myself, sorry angel"

obsessed with spoiling the hell outta you. he buys you all the expensive things you ask for or even just repost on tiktok. he made the spoiled bratty part of your character much worse, but he doesn't care, thats how he likes his girl.

that's why it pays for you every time you get new nails. he's obsessed with them in general (ever since you had the brilliant idea to make them the color of his tip) and really enjoys giving you advice on the style etc. the scratches you make with them are heaven for him, and he would gladly die under your fingers.

[bpmiranda]

Teacher/authority figure hugh please please!!

Follow My Lead (Hugh Jackman) nsfw

A/N: teacher!hugh, dancer!reader, virgin!reader, age gap, hugh is in his mid 40s in this one, 20+ f!reader, power imbalance, sir kink, unprotected sex

Landing a role in this particular broadway show was an honor beyond imaginable. You had worked incredibly hard to get to this place in your career and you couldn’t be more overjoyed, or so you thought. Apparently, Hugh Jackman was a co-director of choreography for this show and that meant you and your group would be learning the steps from him. Having been a fan of the X-Men franchise growing up, to say that you were starstruck by him would be an understatement.

“That’s very good, great job, you guys!” Hugh clapped for you and you all beamed happily, you and the girls in your line all turned to each other, giggling and sharing knowing smiles as he walked around and gave everyone a few pointers to work on for tomorrow as they filtered out. Your eyes locked with him and he gave you a charming grin as he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. “Y/N, is that right?” He asked you, leaning in close as if this were to be a private conversation. You give him a small nod, clutching your hands nervously close to your abdomen as he leans into your ear. “You moved so wonderfully today, I truly have no notes to give you.” He whispers and your heart skips a beat as your face warms up. “Perhaps this is a bit of an amateur production for you.”

“Oh, I-I don’t know about that.” You laugh lightly, shaking your head as he looks down at you with a small smirk. “I’m so honored to be here and working with you, sir. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Hugh’s tongue peeks out to moisten his lips and he grins at you. “Care to stay behind and run the main number through, just the two of us? We still haven’t found an understudy for the lead woman.”

Your mouth falls slightly in astonishment and you press a hand over your chest, your heart beating hard in your ribcage. “Sir, I-I don’t know what to say. I’m not sure that I’m qualified, I mean-”

“Say yes.” Hugh whispers, his hand falling off your shoulder and down your arm until he squeezes your hand softly.

A breathless sigh falls out of your lips as you nod, looking up at him with doe eyes as you whisper, “Yes.”

After rehearsal had ended, Hugh insisted that you let him take you out for a quick bite so as to regain energy. “Can’t have you goin’ hungry if we’re going to put in some work.” He teased as you walked together to a casual restaurant around the block from the dance studio. Your face couldn’t seem to reach a temperature below hot as he continued teasing and complimenting you during lunch. It simply could not register that you were having dinner with him. “I’ve never seen someone so in tune with the steps, and not even just for your own choreography. I’ve noticed you counting the steps for the main number during full show runs.” He comments and you simply wave him off.

“Oh, please, I’m sure there are others in the class better than me. I just absolutely adore dancing and the choreography you’ve written is a gorgeous depiction of the story and the feelings of these characters.” Your hand inadvertently touches his as you gush and Hugh smiles at you.

“Well, leave it to you to know about gorgeous.” He says as he takes your hand and kisses your knuckles. Again, your face warms up and you look away shyly. “Shall we get back?” He asks and you nod, almost too eager to spend one on one time with him.

It’s hard work, much harder and far more intimate than the background choreography you usually run. Hugh stands in for the part of the man who is gazing in bewilderment at the female lead before he jumps in to join her. The steps to the dance are quick tempo, fun and light hearted at the start. Hugh spins you around, he lifts you mid jump before you continue down the stage. Then the steps become slower, more intimate as the characters fall in love. Hugh’s hand runs down your back, guiding you around the stage, your eyes locked together while you breathed heavily. The man can’t let her go, he can’t have their dance finish before he confesses his love for her while she tries to fight against the fall, remembering there are other expectations of her than to simply dance, responsibilities much larger that would be cast aside if she fell head first into a romance. The music is dying down as Hugh suddenly stops, his hand still on the small of your back as you get in position for the big kiss which solidifies that the characters have fallen for each other.

There is a moment where you wonder if you’ll actually kiss, but you don’t want to mistakenly cross a boundary. “How was that, sir?” You find yourself asking, breathless from the dance and he glances at your lips. Your arms are trapped between your bodies and you settle your hands on his chest which rises and falls with his own heavy breathing.

His deep green eyes snap back onto yours and he smiles. “You’re a natural.” One of his hands comes up to your cheek and you inhale sharply as he smirks. “You’re really responsive to being led which is great for dancing.” He says, his other hand moves onto your hip and you inhale shakily. “It’s great for other things too.” His tone is heavy with suggestion and you feel your face warm up.

“Sir, I-should we-” You’re cut off by him suddenly kissing you, his lips are domineering and you all to eagerly give into him. One of your hands moves up his chest and over his shoulder as he blindly guides you backstage, your ass hits a table and he’s quick to sit you down on it. Without a thought, he pulls your blouse up and you let him take it off, shivering as he kisses your chest while undoing your bra clasp.

“You want a shot at that big role, sweetheart?” He asks against your breasts as you run your hands along his beard and you distinctly hear the buckle of his belt lightly jangling between you. Your body reacts to his words, your thighs clench around his waist and he chuckles. “It could be yours based on pure talent, but I can make certain it happens.” He whispers and you shake your head.

“I don’t need it,” You breathe out, biting your lip as you quickly lift yourself up so he can tug your leggings and jazz shoes off. “Not as much as I need you, sir.” You confess and he grins.

Hugh kisses you, hard, as he steps back between your legs and you run your hands up his shirt to feel on his toned, hairy chest. “Love how you keep calling me that.” He groans as he removes his t-shirt for you and you smile bashfully. “Such a polite little thing, aren’t you?” He teases as his fingers rub at your clit, prods at your entrance and he groans from how wet you are already. “You want this?”

“Yes, sir.” You sigh as you feel the head of his cock rub between your folds. You hook one arm around his shoulders while caressing his jaw, bringing his lips back to yours as he firmly places his hands onto the table behind you, pushing himself into your tight pussy. A sharp inhale catches his attention and he smirks.

“You a virgin?” He asks curiously and you shyly nod, looking at him with such a submissive gaze he can’t help the twitch in his cock and you whine softly. “Fuck, how’s that possible?” He grunts, pumping slowly and deeply into you, his lips attaching to your neck while you moan in his ear. “You’re so damn gorgeous.”

“Just-uh-waiting for-oh, my god-the right guy.” You whimper, holding tightly onto him as your walls coat him in a sheen of your arousal. It’s embarrassing how eager you are, how wet you get for him, but Hugh is crazy for it. Crazy for you.

“Want me to be that guy, sweetheart?” He asks, his forehead resting against yours, his lips kissing you softly as you nod desperately while your lower belly tenses. “Yeah? Want me to make you cum?”

“Yes, sir, please!” You mewl against his lips and he groans as he presses himself flush to your cervix, one hand squeezing tightly onto your hip, and you suddenly gush all around his cock. It surprises the both of you that you squirt, and Hugh can’t help the breathless gasp that falls from his mouth.

“Shit, baby.” He groans, smiling to himself quite proudly.

“Fuck!” You cry out, breathing heavily as he leans further over you, his hand pressing you into him by your back as you hang onto him and let him fuck himself into your sopping cunt. Hugh growls lowly against your neck as he quickly pulls out and unloads his release onto your thigh, his body jolts and his arms flex from the force. His hand squeezes your other thigh tightly as he milks himself onto you, groaning softly as you caress his shoulders and watch him, all dazed and high on the endorphins that cloud your mind. It’s quite a sight seeing him, the Hugh Jackman, so vulnerable here with you. “Was that-was I good?” You ask, swallowing hard as you steady your breathing. Hugh cups your face in his large hands to kiss you sweetly, making you whimper against his mouth.

“A natural, sweetheart. Is there anything you can’t do?” He teases and you laugh softly, sighing contently as he pulls away from you. “Come home with me?” He asks you as he grabs the towel he had been using during rehearsals to wipe your leg off and you nod, smiling sweetly at him.

“Yes, sir.” You say, earning a chuckle from him.

While writing this one, I realized I enjoy the sir kink a whole lot more than I thought🤭

🏷️: @dontfeedthebigbadwolf @peterparkernotfound @httpsells @evasmlp @ayatotiddies @thatlittlered @seasonofthenerd @littlemisscantloveyouback @scorpiosaintt @simpingfor-wakasa @spencerswh0r3 @thatweirdtheaternerd12 @shybluebirdninja @iamburdened

[pshcomforts]

➳ strange | psh.

non!idolsunghoon x fem!reader

“from strangers to friends, friends into lovers, and strangers again?”

synopsis: you and sunghoon find it difficult to see each other after a fresh breakup when you meet at the wedding of your two best friends.

warnings/content: written in third pov. heavy and pure angst. sunghoon sad hours. cursing (i think). not proofread.

comments, likes, and reposts are appreciated :)

word count: 4.2k

a/n: fictional characters — dae (jungwon’s boyfriend), min-su (heeseung’s girlfriend), and ji-woo (jake’s girlfriend).

༘˚⋆𐙚｡masterlist⋆.✧˚

current song playing: strange by celeste

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

2:58 ──────────────|───── -1:18

𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎..

the invitation appeared clear in front of y/n’s eyes. her gaze softened as she scanned through the paper. “finally sent it out,” she mumbled under her breath.

her face lit up for a second in excitement that her friend, min-su, was getting married; but once took a pause when she realized something.

𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐄? ☐

the girl’s heart shattered at the two words. “plus one..,” she repeated in a soft scoff. “yeah right.”

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ — flashback

“sunghoon!” y/n giggled, feeling her boyfriend’s hands snake around her waist.

his loud, booming laugh echoed in the apartment as he flashed a wide grin. “i have to hold you there!” he yelled out, giving a hearty chuckle at her squirming figure.

“that tickles!”

she tried to push the hands away and sunghoon kept a firm grip where they laid. “come on, get used to it!” he murmured, trying to bring their bodies closer for the dance.

her heart quickly thumped, knees falling weak at his push for their chests to meet. “hoonie..,” she tried to whine, ignoring the fuming butterflies in her stomach.

“yeah, pretty?” he whispered in her ear, head leaning down to meet her height.

y/n felt a tickle in her throat, almost coughing at the flustering reaction he caused. she swiftly pushed him away, catching her breath once he let go with a soft smirk.

“baby, you know you’re gonna have to get used to it, right? we’re gonna be dancing for min-su and heeseung’s wedding soon.” hoon chuckled, loving the way her cheeks were so flush with pink.

“i know! but you’re very close to me.”

he laughed again before approaching closer. his finger flicked under her chin for a split second, smiling as he murmured, “that’s the whole point, y/n.”

the girl sighed before shoving his hands away. “you do it on purpose, idiot.” she rolled her eyes.

“no i don’t??” he loudly beamed, chortling out laughs afterward.

“sunghoon..,” she whined while nudging his arms.

“okay, okay, i won’t do it again! now can we please try one more time?”

she glanced up at her boyfriend who began giving a soft pout. a sigh escaped from her. she just can’t say no to that face.

her arms wrapped around his neck as his own fell to the waist again, fingers gripping tighter by the second.

his eyes peered into hers, getting completely lost into them as he started smiling like an idiot.

a smile crept onto his lips, unable to hide his longing desire to keep her in his arms like this while y/n returned back his charming grin.

her gaze attracted onto his and her face began to glow with a tinge of pink, blood rushing at the mere thought of having her lover boy near her.

the music was kept low in the background, almost drowning in their eyes as they slowly held each other in the dim-lit living room.

their foreheads bunked and they took in the sight of their perfect person.

everything about this was as memorable as one’s wedding day could be. nothing in the world mattered, but them, and they knew it.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

y/n’s eyes filled to the brim with tears, heart aching and chest tightening at the memory that ran through.

her breathing began getting heavy, and the only thing she could feel was her body in physical pain. her knees curled up to her chest and she lowered her head, drowning her tears to herself as she remained in the empty living room that was once lively.

the wedding was just in two days, but the breakup between her and sunghoon were still fresh.

granted, it had almost been two months since, but those two months were the hardest she’s ever had to endure. and with one of her best friends getting married, she couldn’t dare to put the news out there so soon.

y/n’s breath hitched, tears still flowing as she felt her world crash down. her head laid against her knees again, sniffling in hopes of pushing the pain away.

was it even possible to get through this without her other half?

she huffed out a sigh before finding her phone buzzing with texts.

jake’s girl 🫂:

are you excited, min-su??

AHHH

I AM

jungwon’s bae 🩶:

ME TOOOOOO

YOURE GONNA LOOK SO GOOD MIN-SU

hee’s fav 🤍:

STOPP

I CAN’T WAITTT

HEE AND I ARE SO EXCITED

as the group chat continued, y/n smiled to herself, heart healing at the excitement that surged through every text.

she wished she responded but her heart couldn’t recover from losing sunghoon.

✩ ‘say isn’t it strange?’ ✩

she sniffled again, hands shaking as she closed her phone and let tears run down her wet cheeks.

“i miss you, hoonie.” she whispered, heart shattering at her cracked words.

she wondered if the boy she loved was going through the same thing, or had moved on quicker than she imagined with how little contact they’ve had.

but what she didn’t know was that sunghoon was holding his knees up to his chest just like her, tears flowing down the exact same pace as he looked back on the photos he had. the photos he couldn’t dare to delete, even if he knew it was what was needed to move on.

his puffy lids drooped down a little more each time he scrolled, unlocking memories that were now filled with a stranger he once knew.

✩ ‘isn’t it strange?’ ✩

at times, he’d tilt his head and wear a soft smile he didn’t even know he had when finding pictures that defined them, defined their whole existence within each other.

how could he ever move on from the perfect girl he wanted to marry?

sunghoon quickly sniffled and shut his phone off, laying his head down next to his knees while mumbling, “i miss you, y/n.”

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

the awaited day had finally arrived.

everyone in the wedding gathered at the banquet hall, rushing to get everything in place.

y/n walked out of the room to grab her friends a few drinks, finding no harm in doing so. but she came to regret it after finding sunghoon firmly standing near the bar.

her heart was quick to drop and butterflies immediately gathered in her stomach. she gulped down the bundle of nerves that tempted to push out as his eyes finally fell on her.

she watched them soften for a second, and soon enough, the light reflected in his eyes and emphasized the tears that gathered around them.

the girl felt her chest tighten just like it did when they had agreed on breaking it off. feelings were quick to rush back and she almost couldn’t budge from the glued ground.

and that was when he walked up to her, getting a better view of his pretty girl in a cream colored dress, highlighting her body figure that he used to adore.

his heart rang for her as he tried to keep his composure, hands shoving into his pockets with a cleared throat added in.

“y/n…,” he weakly voiced. “you look beautiful.”

✩ ‘i am still me’ ✩

tears threatened to spill at that very moment but she choked it back in, though her glassy eyes still said more. “thank you, sunghoon.” she said with a shaken tone. “you look very handsome.”

✩ ‘you are still you’ ✩

her gaze fell to the suit he wore. handsome couldn’t even begin to describe him. he was still as gorgeous as ever, and it pained her that that was all she could say.

“you picked this suit out for me,” hoon murmured with a faint grin.

and almost instantly, he regretted his words because memories started to flashback for him, and her.

✩ ‘in the same place’ ✩

they were both quickly brought back to when he was debating on either suits and his person helped him choose, forced him to wear it, and teased him relentlessly on how handsome he’ll be at the wedding.

then he kissed her everywhere on the face, leaving littering pecks to show that he wouldn’t be looking good for anyone but her.

y/n softly gasped for air at the flooding memory, turning her head to hide the reddened eyes.

all the reasons to why they had to break up were suddenly gone. every single one vanishing in the air with their desire to cave in and hold each other again.

✩ ‘say isn’t it strange?’ ✩

“i should go,” she mumbled. “min-su’s waiting for me…,”

sunghoon didn’t say anything, only nodding and letting her leave in fear that he’d say something unplanned.

he watched her figure make its exit, eyes lingering for her to stay another second longer just to have her presence near.

but she didn’t, so he heavily sighed and walked away as well.

✩ ‘isn’t it strange?’ ✩

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

time was ticking and soon enough, the ceremony began.

y/n’s friend, min-su, walked down the aisle with tears in her eyes. her lips trembled and her heart stood in the right place in knowing she was marrying the man of her dreams.

y/n watched her slowly make her way as she stood by her two other friends, ji-woo and dae. her heart was almost heavy in this bittersweet moment she was experiencing.

she wanted nothing more than happiness for the soon-wedded couple, but she just couldn’t help and think about if her and sunghoon had really made it through this to be their wedding.

she quickly chewed on her lips, forcing herself out of that mindset as her friend finally reached to where heeseung was.

“please be seated,” the officiant spoke.

the ceremony continued on with faint flashbacks the bride and groom had of each other, earning giggles from the crowd. then there came the vows, and the rings exchange that melted everyone’s hearts.

“i do.” both min-su and heeseung firmly said, smiling with tears in their eyes.

“you may kiss the bride.”

and that was when hee quickly pulled his newly wedded wife into his arms, pressing a firm kiss for everyone to cheer for.

y/n quietly sobbed, clapping while ji-woo uttered, “they’re so perfect for each other.”

she softly laughed as she wiped her tears, glancing across the room and accidentally meeting eyes with the boy she loved.

his gaze had already fallen on her, and he couldn’t stop himself. he just couldn’t stop thinking about what it would’ve been like if they were still together and had arrived as a couple.

his heart ripped to shreds at the sight of her crying, bringing him back to when they broke up.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ — flashback

✩ ‘back to this room’ ✩

sunghoon had just arrived home after a long shift, drained from the used up energy he had to give.

he quickly sat onto the couch, sighing in relief of some peace and quiet.

y/n finally approached out of their shared room, walking toward with the same, exhausted expression he had on.

the two were growing out of the relationship with how busy they were, schedules never aligning and both always wanting time for themselves as introverts.

she sat near him, sighing in defeat of the realization she had. she didn’t want to let him go, she wasn’t ready.

but nothing could save the crumbling truth.

“sunghoon..,” she whispered, laying her attention on the tired boy who had his eyes closed.

“hm?”

“can we talk?”

his eyes instantly shot open and his body shook itself awake once he realized she was serious.

“yeah,” he cleared his throat, furrowing his brows and uttering, “what about?”

but he knew what it was about.

✩ ‘what could i do?’ ✩

she hesitated for a second, hands trembling and heart standing fragile. “our relationship…,” she said. “we’re both getting really busy..,”

she stopped, voice cracking within each second. her mouth opened to speak but sunghoon’s shuffling made her go mute.

he sat up with his eyes shut. “i know we are, and i know we might not make it but, please…,” he pushed himself closer to her, hands firmly holding her cheeks. “i can’t let you walk away from this, from us. we were almost there.”

✩ ‘i touch your head’ ✩

tears streamed down his face now and the area around his eyes reddened, which y/n reflected.

“we were, hoonie.” she confirmed with a weak voice. “i wanted us to last for so long.. you’re my everything, you know that but..,”

she couldn’t bring herself to say it, so he did.

“but we have to break up.”

✩ ‘to pull your thoughts into my hand’ ✩

the two immediately broke down once the harsh reality hit them.

y/n clung to his chest, arms wrapping around tightly to remember how it’d be like hugging him when they separated.

“this is unfair,” she sobbed. “we were so close, sunghoon, so close.”

the male’s heart tightened at her words as he cried into her shoulder, wetting her hair with tears. he couldn’t bring himself to say anything, scared that anything else would force him further to see that they were done.

so y/n kept quiet too, letting their mixed cries echo in the living room that was once filled with joyous laughter from their practice dance nights.

they clung onto each other just a little longer, and perhaps also clung onto their little fragment of hope until one of them pulled away.

it was unclear of who it was with how much they lingered to stay that way forever, but they were now separated, and what’d seem like forever was now never.

sunghoon’s hand cupped one side of her cheek, holding her face for one last look in the most beautiful girl he’ll ever meet.

“i love you, y/n.” he sniffled, thumb rubbing away the tears.

she whimpered out a few more cries, heart stabbing at his sentence that’d linger in her ears forever. “i love you too, sunghoon, always will.” her hand reached over the one that held her cheek, grasping it to hold what she’d soon be losing.

“you’ll forever be my favorite person, nothing can change that.” his deep voice muttered, lips frowning as he continued, “i still want to fight for us and i still want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

hoon pulled her in for a soft kiss on the forehead, holding himself against her skin longer than usual to savor his last moments with her.

“i know life is against us right now, so i can only hope that we’ll come back together again when the time is right.” he confirmed with a sniffle. “when the time no longer separates us from each other.”

y/n but her lips and sobbed, eyes glistening with tears as she nodded her head. she knew though that it was just a lie, they both did, but it was what they needed to soften the blow.

“you’re the love my life, how am i gonna go on?” she said, feeling her mind go numb at the mere though of continuing on without him.

“hey, hey,” sunghoon quickly cooed, bringing her in for another hug. her head snuggled against his chest as he uttered, “you’re strong, gorgeous. you always are, and you can live without me so easily.”

he softly chuckled when she continued to cry in his comforting embrace. “you’re my independent girl, that’s what i’ll always love about you. you’ll continue on and do great things without me, just don’t forget me, okay?”

his joke only made her sob harder, along with a faint hit to the arm, making him laugh and whisper under his breath—“that’s my girl.”

so they held on a little longer, hands tightly grasped around each other while still holding onto the tiny hope of them together again.

✩ ‘but now i can’t’ ✩

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

“hey?” jake snapped to him. “you okay, bro?”

sunghoon quickly shook his head, bringing himself back to the present where the reception would be starting soon.

“i’m good, yeah.” he confirmed, hiding away the tears.

his friend chuckled before patting him on the back. “okay well, grab your girlfriend, we gotta go in before the new couple comes in and we miss it.”

hoon nodded, heart shattering at the term—‘girlfriend’ though still walking away. he searched for y/n, trying to find her so there were no suspicions but she was nowhere to be found.

he sighed before walking into the reception, eyes still scanning for her. and just when he was about to give up, he found her already sitting at a table where his seat wasn’t assigned.

his brows furrowed from the distance and he was close to approaching her when jay had stopped him.

“can you believe our hyung is married now?” he laughed. “i’d never imagine it’d come so soon.”

“best believe it, jay. one down, six to go.” jake chuckled, flinging an arm around sunghoon.

“i’m next.” the shorter males eyes flickered to his girlfriend, ji-woo and he instantly smiled. “yeah, i’m definitely next.”

the others finally approached and jungwon laughed. “nice try, hyung, but it’s dae and i next.” he murmured, attention flashing to his partner who had his brows raising.

the two softly bickered on who’d be next, causing sunoo to utter—“are you guys forgetting sunghoon and y/n? what if they get married first before you guys?”

the six members lingered their gaze onto the said boy who awkwardly stood and laughed. “oh yeah.., i don’t know though, i don’t think we’re ready for that yet.” he tried to excuse.

“yeah right, i saw this guy in a ring store months ago! he’s definitely proposing soon,” ni-ki snorted with a head shake.

hoon froze for a second before denying, trying to break the attention away from him while ignoring the tightened chest.

✩ ‘what did we lose?’ ✩

as the rest of the members continued, he turned his gaze to y/n who was now talking to her friends.

“i can’t believe our girl got married,” ji-woo huffed, still wiping away the happy tears.

“told you she’d be the first to get married,” y/n joked.

the three bursted into giggles as dae said, “well that was to be expected, who else would it be?”

dae and y/n immediately turned to ji-woo, who gasped and playfully rolled her eyes. “alright… why are you guys targeting me?”

“it’s definitely you and jake next.”

“and then you and jungwon!” y/n added in.

“then you and sunghoon!”

the girl laughed, trying to hide the awkwardness in her tone as she only nodded.

“by the way.. are you guys okay?” ji-woo mumbled.

y/n whipped her head at her. “what??”

“well just asking… you guys haven’t been as affectionate as we thought you guys would..,” she replied back.

dae nodded in agreement. “in fact, we haven’t seen you guys near each other today at all. did you guys get into an argument again?”

he furrowed his brows toward the girl who only forced a smile. “no, we’re okay, i swear! we just.. agreed not to be too affectionate since it’s min-su and heeseung’s special day!”

“girl, are you sure because you guys have been really distant.”

“i’m sure,” she falsely confirmed. “sunghoon and i are doing great.”

the words left a sour taste in her mouth as she puckered her lips together, not wanting to ruin her friends day. eventually, she convinced the two who began giving in.

before they could say more, the announcer had suddenly yelled out—“ladies and gentlemen, for the first time as a newly wedded couple, heeseung and min-su!”

the two came out and cheers were quick to fill the room as they walked through with huge smiles plastered across their faces.

y/n’s heart lightened as she watched her two friends smear cake frosting against each other. her eyes softened at the sight and everything was forgotten for a second.

then the couple had their first dance, where ‘can’t help falling in love with you’ played in a soft melody, melting everyone who watched min-su and heeseung bunk their heads against one another.

she loved the view in front of her as she happily watched, gaze too fixated on them to notice that sunghoon wasn’t watching them, but her.

✩ ‘you look at me’ ✩

he observed how she admired the wedded couple, how her eyes began to sparkle with tears, and how she wasn’t even aware that his longing gaze remained on her.

he could fall in love with her all over again.

when the couple shifted from the center just a little, y/n followed and finally let her attention fall onto him.

✩ ‘i look at you’ ✩

her heart picked up on the rapid pace that was setting off and they let their eyes lock before she looked away, not wanting to experience another ache in her body.

✩ ‘with nothing to say’ ✩

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

as the night continued, the married couple soon left to their honeymoon, leaving the rest to maintain their fun at the reception.

when a slow song began to play, y/n’s friends left to dance with their partners, leaving her alone.

she watched for a split second, dear admiration in her eyes for the two couples not too far from her.

ji-woo locked her arms around jake’s neck as he held her close by the waist, whispering sweet nothings in her ear that’d earn giggles in return. then he smiled and pulled her in closer for a sweet kiss.

dae and jungwon were in the same position but the taller male was staring down at his boy with a mischievous grin. then they both murmured something y/n couldn’t hear and next thing, won’s hands are holding him closer by the waist.

the girl almost gagged, but still grinned at her happy friends, wishing she could experience that with her special someone. her gaze fell down, remembering how her and sunghoon had practiced for that exact moment in the wedding.

✩ ‘if i could’ ✩

her lips trembled and tears pooled in her eyes but she pushed them away before smiling to herself, looking back at the faded memories.

✩ ‘i’d pull your strings for one more dance’ ✩

she remained lost in her thoughts, unaware of a figure in front of her when a cleared throat caught her attention. she glanced up and her heartbeats were suddenly the only thing she could hear.

sunghoon stood with a hand reached out, brows softly raised and lips slightly curled.

“i owe you a dance,” he uttered.

her heart throbbed quicker and she almost jumped to her feet, but she stopped. “sunghoon..,” she chewed her lips.

“just one dance.”

a sigh left her and she soon stood without thinking, taking grasp of the hands that perfectly molded with hers.

after reaching the dance floor, her arms snaked around his neck like it was natural and he beamed a quiet smile. his arms wrapped at her waist, keeping the grip light as he stared into her eyes.

y/n pulled him down closer, hands giving soft strokes in his hair just like when they were together.

✩ ‘from strangers to friends’ ✩

sunghoon breathed in this moment, taking in how it felt like nothing’s changed between them. his fingers dug into her dress a little more as he leaned in to bunk their heads together.

both of their eyes shut, noses grazing against each others with every slow inch they took. but they stopped, leaning away when they realized their lips were about to touch.

y/n shamed her head down and sunghoon gulped away the lump in his throat, both regretting their decision.

the girl soon laid her head against his chest, and he nuzzled his chin on top of her. she felt his heart begin syncing up with hers, rhythms pounding to prove that they still belonged to each other.

she savored every possible second of this, missing how she fell perfectly into his arms. everything felt right with him in her world.

✩ ‘friends into lovers’ ✩

tears welled in her eyes as she quickly sniffled, burying herself deeper into his comforting hold.

if for even one second, one or the other pulls away, she’d come to realize that he’d still remain a stranger with memories even after this slow dance.

“so what now?” y/n shakily mumbled against his warm chest.

sunghoon softly sighed, allowing her to feel it as he replied, “let’s just.. enjoy each other’s company for now.”

he paused, gulping down the pained cries in his throat when saying, “just before we have to actually let go.”

he felt the girl he loved sigh, knowing he was right.

“okay, hoon, one last dance before we leave this behind.”

✩ ‘and strangers again?’ ✩

she pulled away and glanced up at him with a forced grin plastered on. the male reflected it back as he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

the two shut their eyes at the contact, tears flowing down. they were quickly pulled into the same position as before, where her head laid against his chest and his chin muzzled on top of it to hide their muffling cries.

“one last dance, gorgeous.”

★・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・★

a/n: i cant lie, i wrote this as someone who’s heavily sleep deprived. i will proofread this sometime later.. also someone let me know if it turned out okay bc my brain started to rot towards the end

[emptymasks]

They're done! I really want to try and make prints again as it's been years and I've never felt like I was very good at making whole posters. Dipping my toe back in with these silly chibis of each Papa with every Ghoul they've had. Perhaps they can also work as a guide for those wanting to learn all the characters? I added in a fair amount of little references with the Ghoul's poses so it'll be interesting to see what you guys figure out and notice!

The prints are on pre-order and won't ship out until November. I've put up 25 of each to start with but if they get low on stock I'll keep adding more until I have them printed and then it'll be a set amount in stock.

Also a reminder about the stickers of every Ghost Papa and Ghoul that I made earlier this year that are also available as customisable badges! Thank you so much to everyone who already bought them and got Etsy to list them as a 'bestseller' for a while. They're still up and in stock.

Characters featured on the prints and are also available on stickers and badges: Papa Emeritus I / Primo, Papa Emeritus II / Secondo, Papa Emerirus III / Terzo, Papa Emeritus IV / Cardinal Copia, Aether, Air, Alpha / Fire, Aurora, Chain / Water, Cirrus, Cowbell, Cumulus, Delta, Dewdrop / Sodo, Earth, Ifrit, Ivy, Lake, Mist, Mountain, Omega / Quintessence, Pebble, Phantom, Phil / Special Ghoul, Rain, Sunshine, Swiss, Zephy.

I can’t link to my Etsy without risking Tumblr hiding the post from tag search results, but the link is in my pinned post, my carrd, I’m emptymasks on Etsy. Reblogs help support artists more than likes ❤️

[ID: Four landscape drawings, one for each of Ghost's Papas and the Ghouls that were in the band with them while they were the lead singer. Each Papa is in the center with each of their ghouls standings to their sides. Every character has their name written above or below them, on brightly coloured backgrounds for each Papa's robe colour. Also, individual pixel art chibi drawings of 69 characters from various European musicals (listed above) that are available as stickers. These drawings are also available as badges where they are placed inside circles to show what they will look like as physical button badges, some of them with plain colour backgrounds and some with 1-3 different pride flags as examples of how you can customise the backgrounds.]

For those who want to know what the little references in the prints are and don't want to guess, they're under the cut:

Omega can be a stompy boy when he's playing guitar, Alpha likes to throw up peace signs, Air is very found of the rock horns hand symbol, there's one close-up photo of Lake out there where you can clearly see his black sclera contacts and he's doing double 'horns' hand symbol, Mountain infamously takes his shoes off when playing the drums and leaves them on the stage at the site of his drumkit, Dewdrop likes to like.. most things including his guitar and his picks and sometimes his own hand, Pebble liked to hand out his drumsticks at the end of shows by dropkicking them into the crowd, Omega wore a flower tucked into his guitar strap during one show and Terzo constantly flirts with him more than other ghouls, Delta is suspected to be the ghoul that attempted to kick an audience member off stage when they climbed onstage and attempted to kiss Terzo, Zephyr was the only band member and only keyboardist who sat down while playing, the special ghoul played by Tobias wore a nametag 'Phil' in an interview, Swiss constantly is showing all his teethies with his smiles and always wiggling and moving around, Aether and Dewdrop often interact with Dew teasing/bothering Aether, Dew and Rain also often interact with Dew constantly reaching to grab his neck and attempt to kiss him, aaaand I think that's everything I intentionally included other than just generally tried to get the poses and expressions to match the personality we've seen from each ghoul.

[sorapricots]

Blueberry Pie

Summary: Wade Wilson is finally home, with Mary Puppins and his new friend Logan. And he cannot wait to eat your classic blueberry pie.

Pair: Wade Wilson x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: Wade Wilson is a warning, curse words, sex jokes, blood mentioned, tell me if there's more warning I didn't put in this list

A/N: as my promise, a wade wilson fiction is here. I hope I can write down Deadpool’s character well cause let’s be honest unless u have the same lvl of ADHD u will have a hard times to write down Deadpool’s character.

W.C: 1,9k 

It’s been two days. Two days since you realized your lover, Wade, was gone. And in those two days all you do is just sit in the kitchen area, staring at the door, waiting for Wade to come back. TV can be heard in the background with Blind Al commenting on it every once in a while. You are glad that you decided to just agree with your lover when he suggested staying with Blind Al instead of searching for a new apartment. You don’t know if you can stay sane enough if you have to wait for Wade alone.

“Girl, stop sitting in front of the door like a guarding dog, why don’t you join me enjoying this devil’s dandruff.” Blind Al’s voice snapped you out from your daze. You look at her sigh a little bit before you walk to her.

“You really need to tone down inhaling that sinful powder before your whole organs are covered with it y’know” you jokingly said as you sat beside her. Blind Al just gives you a snort. You just let her do her thing while you blankly stare at the TV. 

Oh how you miss your man. Even though he can be annoying with all of his sex jokes, you still love him nonetheless. You frown a little bit, worried start to eat you out again as you watch Blind Al. Without you realizing, you start to pick on your fingers, a bad habit you do when you are nervous or scared. As much as you want to believe that your boyfriend can’t die, you can’t help but worry about him. 

Suddenly you hear commotion on the road in front of your apartment. Your brow furrowed as you looked at Blind Al who looked like she didn’t give any care in the world with the commotion outside. Without saying anything you quickly look from the window near the TV. 

When you open the window, the destruction of a small shop you used to visit greets your eyes. A lot of sparks sprouted from the shop. Your eyes widened while your brain tried to decide if you should go down and look closer or not. A sudden tap on your shoulder makes you yelp.

“What in the hell is going on down there?” Blind Al asks as she tries to “look” at the road. You let out a deep breath before you briefly explain what happened to her. She muttered some words under her breath that you didn’t bother wanting to know. Both of you now stand beside each other, watching the shop. You are so focused on the shop that you didn’t realize there’s a large sparkly circle across the shop.

“What… is that…” you muttered to yourself as you moved your eyes back to the shop. Suddenly you saw two figures. One in a red suit and the other in yellow spandex. For a second you thought you were hallucinating, not until you rubbed your eyes that you are sure that the figure in a red suit is none other than your lover.

“Wade?!” you screamed. The guy in yellow spandex looks up to your direction as you quickly cover your mouth. Blind Al once again tries to look in the same direction you are looking right now which she failed miserably.  Suddenly you see your lover on his knees with his body language screaming in joy while the man in yellow spandex looks at him with pure disgust. 

“What is happening…” At this point you are talking to yourself as you follow the direction of your lover’s body. There’s a dog… in a red suit too, running to him. You tilted your head to the side. A bit confused when the dog jumps to him like it has known him for a long time. Your man and the rugged man talk for a bit before you see another man in a red suit running towards them. You gasp looking at his face, looks the same as the Wade Wilson you know before he became the way he is right now. The three of them then start talking before the Wade without the mask turns his body to the same direction he came from. 

A gasp escapes your lips when you see dozens upon dozens of deadpools variants walking through the sparky circle. Your hand automatically holding Blind Al’s arm as you wait to decide if both of you should duck and hide or not. Blind Al is about to ask something but you softly hush her down as you can feel the tension of danger thick in the air. 

The deadpool with ponytails talks briefly before she pulls out two guns and starts shooting towards your deadpool. You pull Blind Al away from the window a bit as you see the man in yellow spandex run to hide behind the car with the dog in his hand and your lover using the normal face looking Wade as his shield while following the rugged man. You internally slap your forehead as you claim that the deadpool with the mask is indeed your lover.

You then decided to retreat from the window trying to pull Blind Al with you but the woman refused to leave the window. So you just let her be as you walk back to the kitchen. Your heart is beating fast due to the mixed emotions you have right now. You quickly grab a glass of water to calm down your nerves while gunshots and people fighting can still be heard on the outside. 

“Motherfucker, I wish I was deaf.” Blind Al said. You let out a snort as you can tell from the sounds itself how gruesome the fight is. 

“Sure you are,  Al.” you retort back as you decided to just start baking to prepare when your lover finally comes back.  As much as you are worried about him right now,  something in your heart tells Wade will come back home. You start to prepare a bunch of ingredients for your specialty dessert that Wade loves so much. A blueberry pie. 

You start by pulling out the pie crust dough that you keep in the fridge. Letting it soften up a bit as you start mixing fresh blueberries, lemon zests, lemon juice, sugar, flour, and cinnamon powder. After you are done mixing them you check the pie crust before you start to flattened the pie crust dough and put it in the pan. Once it’s done you carefully dump the blueberry you mixed before and put pie crust strips on top of it before you chuck the pan to the oven. While waiting for your pie, you decided to cook food other than dessert since the clock was about to hit lunch time. 

“Hey Blind Al, what do you want to eat?” you ask as you wipe down the kitchen counter from all the mess of the pie ingredient. Althea walks to the kitchen slowly and sits on one of the stools. Her back facing you instead of her face. She let out a spicy wings as her answer. You hummed in agreement as you started to cook the food. 

“Sunshine? Al? I’m back!” You and Al heard the door open as Al started to walk to the door. You immediately run after her and see Wade holding the dog and his new friend. You let out a small scream before you run to Wade. In which he is quick enough to give the dog to his friend before you crash his body with a tight hug. You let out soft sobs as you hide your face on his neck. Didn’t care with the dirt and blood on his suit. You are glad he is safely back home now. 

“About damn time! You holdin’? I’m all out devil’s dandruff  and I’m shaking like an angry vibrator!” Al angrily spoke. You can feel Wade let out a sigh as his hand rubs your back softly with his other hand holding your hips. 

“Thank you, Al. We have company.” you pull back a little as you give Wade’s new friend a welcoming smile which he returns back with an equally polite one. 

“Baby, Althea, this is… this is Logan.” Wade stares at Logan briefly as Logan gives him a quick nod. You chirped a quick hello with a smile. Logan answers with a nod his head to you.

“Nice to meet you, Logan” Althea lifts her hand as an invitation to shake hands with Logan. To which the man returned it back. You cannot stop smiling because you see that not only is he safely home but also has a new friend. 

“And this ancient anal shit not, is Mary Puppins or as I like to call her dogpool. Want to treat yourself to a little stroke?” You let out a giggle when Logan gives back Dogpool to Wade and he slowly holds out Dogpool towards Althea. Althea carefully reaches out and touches Dogpool’s tongue which she immediately pulls her hand away.

“Oh my God, Motherfucker.” you let out a loud laugh as you watch Althea and Wade continue talking while Logan just shook his head in disbelief. Suddenly you hear a beep from the oven. You clapped your hands quickly.

“Oh! It’s ready! Come, come take a seat. I’ll prepare you all something.” You pull Wade’s arm and Althea while Logan follows behind. The three of them sit at the dining table as you put your blueberry pie out of the oven. You quickly whip out 4 plates and a pint of vanilla ice cream. Skillfully cut the pies and scoop the ice cream before taking it back to the dining table.

“No way!” Wade chirped excitedly as he let down Dogpool who then started running to you. Your smile widened when Wade help you to bring the plates to the table and sit down beside you. 

“Logan you have to try my Pookie’s Pie! It’s the best pie in the world. Especially with vanilla ice cream!” Wade talks like a child as Logan stares at the dessert for a second before he carefully eats the pie. You watch Logan intently wanting to know if he likes it which he does let out a content hum while nodding his head. 

“It’s good. Thanks, bub.” Logan said as Wade squeals as he gives you a kiss on the cheek making you laugh before he dives into his pie. The four of you start talking with Wade’s hand holding yours tightly. 

.

.

.

“Thanks for the pie, mi amor. It’s the greatest pie I ever knew.” Wade, already back in his casual outfit, softly said to you as you watched him wash the plates. You smile as you turn off the water faucet and pull him towards you. Caging him between your legs. His hands immediately went to your hips as your hands circled his neck. 

“Anything for you, love.” you whispered as you stared at his eyes. Hands carefully play with the staples that he had on his head for securing his toupee. 

“I was so worried you would not come back, Wade.” your voice quivers as you watch Wade frown a little. He rubs the side of your body before one of his hands cups your cheek. Thumbs carefully wipe your tears as he coo. 

“You know I will always come back to you no matter what, sweet.” you let out a whimper of sadness as both of you close the gap between your face. 

“You promise?” you softly ask him. He nodded before he kissed you softly. 

The kiss is soft and full of love and passion. There’s no lust or aggression behind it. A kiss that makes you sobs even more as you can feel how much love Wade has for you just through his touch on your body. 

You both stay like that with both of your foreheads touched while basking in each other’s warmth. 

[yrqrnc]

pairing: lee donghyuck x reader

genre: fluff, domestic relationship

word count: n/a

summary: wherein, it’s a late afternoon and you’re watching your favorite series with your dearest boyfriend as you cuddle on the couch, but it seems that it’s physically impossible for you to keep your attention fixed on the large monitor in front of you, and not him.

the tv playing in the background starts to feel like white noises and slowly fades off into the void as your gaze stays fixed on donghyuck. his eyes are focused on the screen in front of him, but you find that you’re unable to tear yours away from his figure. his face glistens in the dim light, and the golden light radiating off of the sun that’s currently putting itself to sleep now comes in through the windows and reflects the room around you in a soft orange glow.

so this is what they call the golden hour, it hits you.

if there’s one thing that you’ve realized in these years of dating hyuck, it is that, whenever you’re with him, time seems to go by so fast—that it becomes a blur, something that falls in between the lines, something that fades off in the background, something that doesn’t matter. what really matters, every time, is him, and only him. 

you remember the time you told him that, using weak, broken constellations of words that didn’t—and could never—live up to the actual intimate emotion you felt for him. and he’d teased you, gushed endlessly about how deeply in love you were with him, and you’d huffed at his antics, but never once did you try to say a word against it. because he was right, after all. you were in love with him, deeply, more than you ever would’ve thought was possible.

and that day, despite his playful reaction, you hadn’t missed the way he’d smiled at you adoringly when he thought you weren’t watching and kept a close hold on you for the rest of the day.

his attempt to cover up actions like that with teasing and play-fighting was adorable, you’d always thought.

even now, you smile at him playfully as he looks down at you, looking away from the tv and at you for once, with a slight smirk on his face, his tone light in the air as he laughs out a “can’t take your eyes off me, right? even with your favorite show on the screen?”

and the smug in his tone is annoying to the very core, but you can’t even find anything to say against his teasing. he is right anyway, though you would never admit that to his face. even with your favorite characters and plot unraveling right there in front of you, all your attention was on him, on lee donghyuck. this man, whom you see almost everyday, whom you text and facetime so regularly, whose features you have memorised and admired too many times to count.

you should’ve been so used to him and being with him at this point, but somehow, you still could never look away.

is this obsession? is this love? is this you going back to those high-school teenage type of crush? is it a mix of everything above, or is it something that is completely something else?

who knows? and who cares, honestly?

how could you, when you had lee donghyuck existing, and loving you, right in front of your eyes, and you now believed that watching him was better than watching any movie or series that you had ever been addicted to.