#cause I'm waiting longer in case there's final responses

[nightingale-prompts]

Lay Me to Rest- DCxDP Prompt

Warning: Blood and gore

There has been a series of murders across the country. Each death was varied and self-inflicted. At first, they all seemed like suicide but each had a strange range of symptoms before death.

Sudden paranoia, incoherent mumbling, screaming or yelling, going in and out of their homes sporadically, random fixations, and finally self-harm.

The victims were teachers, parents, businessmen, truckers, and even a crime novelist. All unrelated and in different states.

Each victim didn't seem to have a connection until an investigation discovered that each one had been an active serial killer. The body counts ranged from as little as 5 to as much as 23. The killer was named the Serial Serial Killer which wasn't creative but it was catchy. Some called them the Angel of Vengeance but most thought it was cringy and overdramatic. Many people didn't want them to be caught but others hotly debated letting a killer dispense justice when their crusade could easily turn into them killing people for innocuous things.

The police were still questioning whether this killer even existed. One thing was clear, there was a trail and it led straight to Gotham. A goldmine for them. Naturally, Batman had gotten a hold on the case and began an investigation.

The biggest question was how the killer found their victims and how they knew that they were killers.

The answer was obvious. They didn't need to figure it out. They just needed to wait. Why just in the effort to investigate when a serial killer tries to convince you to leave with them? So bars are the obvious place. But that's shaky at best since there is a period of torment that takes place that allows the victims to return home. The killer doesn't care if the victims could call the police, perhaps because they know their victim won't.

Bruce started to build a profile. He saw a pattern here. Each of the victims had a preference for their victims as well. They targeted young people, mainly boys. Odds are the Serial Serial Killer matched that description or age range. So bars weren't the hunting ground. So parks were more likely to go unnoticed and boys tended to hang out there longer after dark.

The killer was more than likely a victim himself so he may have a few scars but probably not noticeable enough that his would-be assailants would be turned off. There is no ignoring the predatory nature of the victims. Each killed children for gratification in some form. It's not that the boy is attractive but he probably has traits that the victims found attractive in children. So babyfaced, short, native, and polite.

There was much else Bruce could get. There was nothing concrete and he still didn't understand the method that was used. So far this was guesswork.

It wasn't until a few weeks later while he tracking another killer that he found his answer.

Dr.Kinder a Biologist by day and a killer who experiments on his victims at night had picked up a promising new lab rat a week ago. He had intended to slowly dissect the boy. He had gotten so used to the screams he stopped using anesthetics besides he wanted to see how the fear response caused the organs to shift.

To his surprise the boy didn't fight, in fact he seemed to jump to the table and say he didn't need restraints. Disturbing. But he was restrained anyways.

As the doctor cut him open the boy didn't react, only humming to himself as he watched the doctor.

"What are you hoping to find?" He asked. "I'm getting bored and this bearly hurts."

The boy annoyingly never stopped talking and never missed a chance to ruin the moment. There were never any screams or cries but incessant talking.

Dr.Kinder found the boy disturbing so he simply took an axe and chopped the boy into pieces. Not once did he make a sound. The doctor thought it was over but the next day the boy was back. He sat on the autopsy table kicking his feet in nothing but his bare skin.

"What the hell are you?" The doctor gasped in horror.

"I'm bored. Play with me again." The boy purred.

Bile crawled up his throat as the doctor restained this...thing again.

This time the boy spoke differently.

"You cut me up last time. Did you do that to the last boy. After you...you know." A sick grin spread across his cheeks.

The doctor cut open his neck this time and let him bleed out.

Everyday he came back and every day the doctor killed him until the time between his death got shorter and shorter. The days began to blur and he had no idea how long he had been doing this. But that thing kept talkimg to him.

Dr.Kinder stared down at his desk at the papers trying to think of anything but-

"I wonder what people would think about what you've done. You're a disgusting and depraved man doctor. Look at what you've done to me." The sing-song voice of that demon called out.

He could feel those blood-soaked arms wrapped around his neck.

He flinch as he pushed the thing away.

"Oh, are you going to beat me or stab me this time? Ooo, or are you going to put me through the woodchipper again?" The demon asked as the doctor wrapped his hands around his throat.

He just kept squeezing until the boy went limp. It never ends. The blood never goes away. It covered every surface of the room. Dripping, conjugating, and spreading into every corner. Whenever he turned his head he could see body parts spread across the room in the pools of blood he could they the faces of the others that he had killed. Each face wretched in agony.

"You hold on better than the others. I've been eaten, torched, and disemboweled before but after coming back a few times they usually end it after a few words. But every time they don't feel guilt. They just don't want to face consequences." The boy said. "Do you even remember my name? The one I told you when you picked me up on the side of the road or was I just another body to use and discard? I used the name of your first victim. I hoped you'd notice."

The doctor knew he couldn't kill the boy but he could end himself. He had tried it once but just like the kid he came back without a scratch.

"Not yet. This is your life now. Come on, let's taste death together. Again and again and again and again and-" he repeated over and over.

This was hell. This was his hell.

But it came to an end eventually. Dr.Kinder put an end to himself in a gruesome display.

Batman had only caught the tail end as he faced a young boy standing an a pool of blood.

****

"Yeah, that thing is like a worse version of a revenant. Doesn't really have a name yet to describe it. It's undead for sure. You kill it and it just comes back." Constantine said "Why did you bring it here?"

After a long bath and some new clothes, the kid looked normal as played on a phone given to him.

"Look, I didn't know what else to do." Bruce explained.

"You leave it alone!" Constantine said exasperated "Look they are harmless to anything they don't bear a grudge towards. Think of it as a force of nature." Constantine said.

"I just want to know how to stop him." Bruce said.

"Well you can't kill it but you can't bring him back entirely. You can just soothe it 'till it stops targeting its victims. It must have died pretty gruesomely to go to these lengths. You need to find where it died and lay it to rest. Properly." Constantine sighed knowing that appeasing this soul would be more than just difficult.

"Danny, come on. Let's go." Bruced said putting a hand on the boy's head as Danny stood up to leave.

"Okay. Bye!" Danny waved to Constantine.

[en-trashy]

Forget me not 박성훈

Sunghoon and Y/n are a happy married couple, everything is going fine between them, at least that's what she thinks, everything crumble down and now she needs to start again.

12.4k words

Tw: mention of a real drug, mention of rape it doesn't happen but is mentioned, talks about cheating, Sunghoon hit her once, heartbroken Sunghoon, hospital and health struggles caused by a heartbreak.

Is part 2 of this but I feel like you can read it alone too

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE OF YOUR MEDIA CONSUMPTION BE OVER 18 PLEASE

Their marriage visibly got better, beyond the contract that put them together now it feels more like something natural, each day she fell harder for him, they already developed a routine, in the morning he would wake her with a kiss, spending a couple minutes in bed just kissing or hugging each other until his alarm rings and it's time to get ready, he would sent her to take a shower while he picks their clothes, most of the days is in matching colors, others in matching garments, when he's satisfied with the outfits he would go inside the shower with her finishing together, they would put on their skincare together and he would dress himself and supervise she looks the way he imagined, the breakfast usually they take it on the dinning room, only when she's feeling lazy he let her stay in bed for longer, taking their breakfast in the room and leaving her clothes ready for when she gets up.

By the time Sunghoon needs to go she goes with him to the door giving him a goodbye kiss, each day when he's about to go inside his car she yells a little ‘i love you’ and he will respond blowing her a kiss like if it's his way to say I love you back, the rest of the day for him is work, meetings, contracts, stuff that she doesn't get involved, on her side, she has classes in the afternoon since Sunghoon insists in her to learn something that can help her in case she wants to do something, develop a career or a business herself. It depends on his schedule, if he can he would return to their house to eat and spend the night making what she called love, even if it was one sided love she likes that he's more openly affectionate with her and treats her good, she likes to believe that he loves her back and is just shy to confess out loud. On days when he's stressed he would immediately go to her undressing her body and fuck her brains out, later in bed after he calms down he would complain about everything that went wrong on his day, and that in particular was one of her favorite days since is one of the few he actually vents about what's bothering him asking for advice or mere company.

Once a week he would take her on a date, once a month they do a little trip, everything was perfect, what she expected and wanted from the beginning a loving husband and finally a life she can enjoy.

Today it marked a year since they got married, and she planned a lot of things he was on a business trip since two days ago but he promised he'll be here in time, he always kept his promises, so she planned a perfect night, she bought a dress, lingerie and made a reservation at his favorite restaurant, she spent hours getting herself ready for him messaging him while he was doing his own thing she only told him it was a dinner because she expected for him to remember it's their anniversary he messaged her that he was gonna start his flight that he won't be available until he lands, she made the finishing touches feeling nervous of the night y/n double check that everything is just how he likes it, she arrived first at the restaurant her bodyguards always close to her, she was sipping on her glass of water, the waitress arrived to offer her appetizers but she denied telling him her husband would be here in any moment, she waited and waited, and waited, sending him messages that never delivered, he was disconnected, she was getting worried what if something happened to him?

-i'm sorry miss, we'll be closing soon. Do you want something to take out?

-yes, I talked before to ask for the dinner menu, it's for Mr and Mrs Park, please- she smiles as best as she can while holding her tears, the waitress gave an apologetic smile leaving her.

She stayed there, her bodyguard received the food escorting her to the car, she cried a little on the way home her mascara ruined, Mr Min opened the door seeing her defeated.

-i bring food you can have it for dinner Mr Min

-mrs Park you also need to eat- she holds her hand

-i'm not hungry, I just wanna go to my room and sleep

y/n started to walk to their shared bedroom, but his laugh coming through his office made her turn on her heels, then a female voice laced with a little flirt, she opened the door finding Sunghoon sitting on his desk with a blonde girl on his lap, his shirt was unbuttoned and his face covered in kiss marks, her heart shattered and a loud sob echoed in the room, that's when he looked at the door, trying to focus on who it was.

-love? Is that you?- he got up, pushing the blonde off his lap, he stumbled through the room to the door- why don't you join me?- she looked at the blonde who was clearly furious- I'm with… what? What was your name again?

He was so drunk, he smelled from meters away, he was so wasted and confused and she didn't have words, he tried to lean and kiss her but y/n pushed him off

-love please, I missed you… did you not miss me? don't I deserve my hello kiss?- he tried to force her, but she put resistance until Sunghoon slapped her making her freeze, their maid arrived seeing the scene unfold- miss Min my wife doesn't want to kiss me- he pouted like a little kid crying to her nanny

Mrs Min holds his hands since he was fussing and babbling nonsense, she runs away from that, going to their room taking a suitcase packing her things, clothes he didn't buy her, she wipes her tears with her hand. Downstairs the blonde was furiously yelling at Sunghoon, on why he was so rude to her now, Mrs Min called security on her to take her out of the house, in the middle of the commotion Sunghoon puked on the floor of his office, all the service on his house put hands on do something about it, he was taken to the nearest bathroom to put him in shower and help him regain some lucidity, some cleaned the office and his cooks making him something to eat, the guest room was the closest one to his office to help him so everyone was there including him.

Mrs Min went to their bedroom searching for his clothes, seeing her there crying her heart out taking off her makeup, her cheek red because of the slap, she got close.

-i'm sorry… he arrived hours ago… it's been so long since we saw him drunk, but I never saw him like that, we weren't sure about telling you Mrs Park

-Did he arrive with her?

-yes… I'm sorry again I should have told you before all of this happened

-how is he?

-we’re still working on it, probably he will sleep on the guest room, he's not at his best tomorrow probably he will be suffering the consequences of the hangover but he'll live- she tried to make it lighter

-okay, can you leave me alone tonight please? I'm not feeling well either

-Yes Mr Park, do you need something before you sleep?- she shakes her head as a no

Y/n was left alone, the commotion on the house left the perfect opportunity for her to go out without being noticed, while the staff available in the house was helping him, and the bodyguards and security were guarding the front door preventing the blonde from entering again, she went out through the backdoor usually where the employees of the house left, she walked, not sure where or what to do now, it was a long way down the street, all the mansions and she felt so out of place, probably she walked for over an hour until she finally made it out her neighborhood, then she walked some more until she reached an avenue and saw an hotel, she went there to have a place where she can can sleep, it feels foreign being in a room without him now, her brain didn't let her stop thinking, he promised her to not have affairs that she'll be the only one that he'll love her back with time, all those business trip, were his excuse to sleep with other people?, he promised so many things and yet broke each one of them, she wiped her tears not wanting to cry again for him, she got ready for bed turning on the tv just for background noise she felt like trash now and she couldn't think in anything else just him and the blond kissing in their home.

In the morning when he woke up first thing he noticed was that she wasn't next to him, he went out of the guest room confused walking with difficulty to their room, the bed was made and she was not there, he checked the bathroom noticing her skincare is not there, their closet only the things he bought was there, he was confused going to her old room.

-my love… Why are you angry with me? Your things are not in our room- he knocked on the door but no one answered- love please let me see you- he opened the door finding the room just like she left it a year ago, since they started to share the bedroom

Sunghoon felt something on his chest, this is not normal, the worry started to get him, frantically searching for her each room, each place and corner of their house and she was no where to be found, the maids were also hiding from him and the inevitable rage he's gonna let out, one of the newest ones happened to be passing near him.

-you, come here NOW- the maid scared of the warnings everyone else gave her got close to him trembling- where is my wife?

-I really don't know… I just barely started my shift… I I I'm… sorry- she basically run away from him

Sunghoon went into the kitchen were all the staff of his home was hiding, he went to Mrs Min immediately.

-good morning Mr Park, do you want your breakfast now?

-no I want to know where is my wife?- he was clearly angry and Mrs Min was the only one who can actually deal with him

-we don't know, last time I saw her was last night almost midnight when she came from your anniversary dinner- Sunghoon stopped frowning- we were taking care of you Mr Park and how drunk you were, also we did have to take care of your companion because she wouldn't leave

-I… what are you talking? I don't like this sick joke, where is my wife?

-I already told you Mr Park, security is checking the cameras now trying to pin point what happened

He went to the security right away, leaving the rest of the staff to finally breath some peace and do their work, security made a chronologic of the events, everyone knew that eventually when he would woke up and find out her missing this would happen, they expected him to break something as it was usual when angry, but they didn't expect him to cry. Security showed him the videos when he arrived with the blonde, how they kissed and touched each other on his office, how he keeps drinking and drinking, then y/n her sobbings breaking his heart, how she saw them and the reply he gave, he felt awful, then the slap, he couldn't believe himself if someone would told him he wouldn't believe he did that, he was astonished and embarrassed. Each corner of the house had a camera expect for the rooms and bathrooms, so he saw how Mrs Min went to check on her, how everyone was trying to help him, the blonde trying to get back inside, lastly y/n going out through the service door with her suitcase, crying and heartbroken, Sunghoon didn't recognized himself on the videos, now he's crying after seeing all the pain on her face, why did he do that? Why can't he remember? His head hurts a lot and he just faints.

He opened his eyes finding himself on his room, thank God was only a dream, he reached to the opposite side of bed finding the empty cold spot next to him, he sits in bed his head spinning and the feeling that he's about to puke in any moment, Mr Min arrived to the bedroom followed by his usual doctor, this one checked on him noticing his blown out pupils.

-did you take any kind of substance?

-are you implying I'm a drug addict?- he was so offended

-i'm implying that if you didn't take anything willingly some else gave you without your consent- Sunghoon was surprised while his doctor was taking a blood sample- I will prescript an IV drip to help you detoxify your blood, I'm going to do lab tests to find out exactly what they gave you… I'll recommend that if you didn't take it or if you don't know who gave you, you call your lawyer you were in real danger- the doctor put in the IV to leave

-did I fucked up real good this time?- Mrs Min only saw her with eyes of disappointment

-you did, I have been the one taking care of you since you were born, I thought that now that you are a grown disciplined man I wouldn't have to worry, but last night that person who was here wasn't my Sunghoon, I didn't raise you like that- she wiped a lonely tear on her cheek- I've been working so many years for your family and I know the type of people with money who are mean to us because we clean their mess, but Mrs Park is one of the kindest souls we ever met and now I'm afraid I won't see her again… did you know that she refused to eat alone and each day she goes to the kitchen to eat with us, that on Christmas she gave us presents and an extra money so we can celebrate with our family… I know you don't know half of the things she does for us and how much everyone in this house loves Mrs Park, but we know that you're our boss and we own you our respect and loyalty, yet even when you still see her like the girl your parents forced you to marry, and it's such a shame for us see her every day try so hard to listen an I love you back… but you only slapped her back, she only talked about you and the dinner the whole week, she poured her heart into planning something nice for you… just so you know in case you don't remember last night was your anniversary and you missed and broke Mrs Park heart… I'm so disappointed on you, now if you excuse me I have a lot of work to do.

Mrs Min left him alone and crying, the remorse on his chest was killing him, the image of him slapping her was replaying on his head over and over again.

She took as much money as she could from the ATM, almost emptying her card, knowing Sunghoon can track where she withdrawal the money, also the hotel since she used the credit card he gave her, she just needed to get to the bus station and everything will be alright, she took some more money in the ATM there before going to her bus, she left feeling tired just wanting to be far away from that stupid city, the trip was 3 hours away so she decided to take a nap there.

When she arrived to the small town she took a taxi straight to the small house she bought a long time ago she saw the mess since she never lived there; first thing to do was to clean, she checked her phone not even a call or a message from him, surely he was busy with the blonde and even if she felt heartbroken she couldn't stop to think about him so she started to sweep the floor, dust the few pieces of furniture and clean in general at the end of the day she was exhausted and hungry so she went out to search for something to eat, the town was really small, quiet and lovely, the business there were nothing compared to the places Sunghoon took her but that's exactly what she wanted some peace of mind, she ate contently looking at the scenery turning off completely her cellphone not wanting to actually deal with anyone anymore, she took a deep breath accepting this new life and the changes it may have.

She went to the local market and the flower shop, buying her favorites to decorate her new house, everything was new to her, the cooking, the cleaning, the whole arrangement of do things on her own for herself, she missed Mrs Min because probably she would have teach her how to do everything with patience and love, the night arrived sooner than she expected and she didn't knew how safe it will be for her to be alone, so she locked every door and window getting on bed reading a book she bought in an antique store. It felt strange knowing she was completely alone and at her mercy, no maids, no bodyguards, no gardeners but overall no Sunghoon, she looked at her ring, the diamond still chosen to be displayed but as an empty promise of eternal love.

Early in the morning someone arrived to Sunghoon's house, he excited went downstairs hopping it was y/n, but he was so disappointed seeing his doctor there.

-let's go to my office- Sunghoon's face changed completely, frowning angry that she hasn't come back- so?

-I have your test results from the blood sample, It's Gamma hydroxybutyrate, or GBH... It's a drug usually I see it a lot in sexual assault victims- he sighed- it makes you euphoric, increases the sex drive sometimes, it relaxes the body because is a nervous system depressant, I'm sorry this happened to you, as I tell everyone this could happen to anyone

-I wasn't raped

-i'm not saying you were, I'm saying you were drugged with no good intentions, and if I was you I would have already called my lawyer- the doctor got up- the dosis they gave you was small so there's no risk now, probably is already almost completely out of your system- he gave a file with documents- this is my declaration the test results and you can call me again if you need someone to corroborate what happened to you, this record can help tho.

The doctor left him and his thoughts alone, he spaced out for a while until he decided to follow the advice calling his lawyer telling him everything that happened last night, the few things he can remember and overall what he saw on the security videos, his lawyer started to make everything to proceed against the girl and get to the bottom of this mess.

Once alone he took his phone, sending her a message that never got delivered, then another, and another until it piled up with no answer; he tried to call but it never connected it was directly to miss call, that put him in a bad mood, he expected for her to be mad but not to do something like this, he never thought that she would run away from him, he messed up real good and for the first time he didn't knew how to solve this.

-sorry Mr Park we still don't know where she is, her phone doesn't have any type of signal we're still working on it but it's impossible for us to do things this fast, we need time and patience- the responsible of the technology team told Sunghoon with his trembling voice

-it's been a month… A FUCKING MONTH SINCE MY WIFE IS MISSING AND YOU ASKE ME FOR TIME- Sunghoon throws his glass of liquor to the wall frustrated

-we understand your worry but…

-you don't understand anything, I fucking pay you thousands more than I should and you can't do your job, what did you do? The only fucking clue you got was where she stayed one night, how much money she took from my card and nothing else… you're fired

-but Mr Park won't you be rational?

-i'm being rational my wife is missing and the one that is supposed to find where she is, is doing nothing, I don't wanna see you ever again

Mrs Min appears at the door, all the yelling alerts her, the poor guy runs away from his office, she only looks at Sunghoon, her eyes reflect all the pain she feels for him, to see him this way, she gets close to him putting a hand on his shoulder.

-yelling at your employees won't bring her back

-I know… but I don't know what else to do, it's like she vanished into thin air, like I only imagined her but was never real… I need her I feel like I'm going crazy- she was surprised to hear him like that

-we all miss her, the house is not the same without her

-nobody ever made me feel this way- he looks up at his nanny with his eyes sparkling with tears

-i know, I never saw you like this I know you like my own hand - Sunghoon finally cried hugging his nanny like a child finding comfort with her

-I think she's the love of my life- she hugged him a little more tight

-oh my poor boy I never thought I'll live enough to experience your first heartbreak

-i know I ruined everything and that it's my fault that she decided to go, but I'm gonna die if I don't see her again

-we’ll be alright I promise, Mrs Park loves you a lot that's why it hurt her more than anything what you did to her, but only the time will be the one that would help you heal your heart

Sunghoon cried for a long time until he ran out of tears and his nanny pulled apart from him, taking him to his room to rest, since she went missing he haven't left his house hoping that she'll be back one of these days, he barely slept or eat, he just worked from home and talked with everyone he could trying to find her.

She was at her little job, not a proper one she just helped the lady of the flower shop to make bouquets on the weekends and she'll have a little payment, enough to buy groceries for the week, she lives now without luxury as Sunghoon accustomed her to, she was happy this way too but she missed him so much, y/n couldn't help but to expect him in the afternoon asking for his kiss after he came from work, she missed to feel him at night to cuddle him and feel safe and loved, she was daydreaming about him that he once loved her before having an affair.

-what 's his name?- she looked up at miss Kim- the boy you like

-oh Sunghoon- she keeps working on his bouquet

-why you miss him?

-I don't, I just remembered him but it's nothing especial

-I have lived twice as long as you to know when someone is in love, so tell me…

-he's my husband but he doesn't love me, we got married because our families but it's okay I accepted that, now we parted separate ways- she shrugs her shoulders- we're better this way

-if you were better this way you wouldn't talk about him with so much regret, you love him and miss him

-I do, but things are complicated, I do love him but he never loved me back, he treated me good but it's not what I want- the lady takes her hands

-my child everyone falls in love with you, I don't know a single soul in this town who doesn't love you already- she takes a pot with flowers- I bet that Sunghoon is just dumb but it's okay, as long as he's good, if you ever decide to try again I bet he'll fall for you… take this it's forget me not, love and loyalty, eternal love but also deep longing, mother nature will heard your prayers and will bring your true love back to you- she takes the pot smiling

-thank you,for everything since I came here

-thank you for helping this old bones

They both laughed and kept working, until the late afternoon, talking about anything and everything.

Another month passed in a blink of an eye, Sunghoon have loss a significant amount of weight, the dark circles made him look almost dead, he didn't even took off his pajamas now, walking around his house like a man sentenced to death the maids tried so hard to convince him to eat or take showers, but only Mrs Min managed to convince him sometimes, it hurt everyone in the house to see him like that, he didn't allowed them to open the curtains so everything was always in a dim light erasing for him the time, he was working almost like a robot, just doing what he's supposed to do without much thinking, everyday at the same hour he would try to call only to find the same voice message “line cannot be connected”, Mrs Min entered with his food.

-my beautiful boy it's meal time- she started to call him again his usual nickname from when he was little

-i'm not hungry- he pouted knowing he can't scape this- I'll just finish this and go to sleep

-no you can't- she takes the bowl and the spoon to hand feed him- I personally made your favorite, so now open- it was like if Sunghoon was 5 again and his nanny was struggling to give him veggies- you need to be strong and healthy- he eats still looking at her- when Mrs Park come back you need to be my strong handsome boy for her

-you think she's gonna ever come back?- he looks at his nanny with his sparkling eyes, taking another bite of his food

-i think she loves you way to much to be angry at you forever… only time will give you the peace in your heart

She keeps fedding him until the bowl is empty giving him his kiss on the forehead before leaving him alone, he sighs starting to get going into his room to lay in bed when one of his bodyguards came in to the house running, screaming for Mr Park, he almost tackled Sunghoon when he saw him on the hall to his room.

-I saw Mrs Park I know where she is- Sunghoon's face light up immediately

-we have to go now tell them to take my car out I need you and y/n’s bodyguards too- Mrs Min saw them walking to the front door

- where do you think you're going?

-for my wife nanny, they found her

-wait a minute- she gets in his way- you can't do that, number one you're a mess right now, you haven't showered in days, number two what's your plan? Just take her and force her to comeback?, number three you're not even sure if she wants to see you

-but nanny…

-no but my beautiful boy, I love you but I'm not gonna let you hurt Mrs Park just because you decided that at the end of the day you actually love her… go shower now- Sunghoon was about to cry and protest- go and don't throw a tantrum I'm old to deal with that… I'll think in something so we go for her with a plan- Sunghoon's eyes lit up, kissing his nanny’s cheek and running to his bedroom to get ready.

Y/n was finishing some things in the flower shop wiping the dirt on his apron, leaving it on the shed.

-i'm done, I'll see you tomorrow

-bye darling don't forget to bring me one of those cookies you make

-I won't forget, bye

She went out saying hi to the people on the street, she went to the small market to buy everything for the week and to make the cookies she promised; on the other side of the street a group of people is watching her from the small cafe.

-i'll go now- Sunghoon tried to go for her but Mrs Min holds him

-no, you'll wait for the right moment… now you big guy go to buy a beautiful bouquet- she took her wallet giving the bodyguard money- we'll wait here for her to come out you'll tell her the truth about what you feel and you have to promise me if she tells you no you won't force her again

-but nanny, I want to be with her… I love her

-I know, my beautiful boy, but you can't just force her to still love you back- she takes the bouquet from the bodyguard handing it to Sunghoon- I'll wait for you at home… I trust you'll do the right thing… big guy it's time to go- she also handed him the keys to his car, she waved goodbye leaving him alone to deal with his feelings.

He followed her quietly and a certain distance, waiting for her to actually get to her house he waited outside unsure to ring the doorbell; she was putting everything away on her pantry and fridge starting to cut the veggies for her dinner when the doorbell rings, she quickly goes to the door opening freezing on her spot to see him there.

-my love, oh my how much I missed you- he cups her face to kiss her but she pushed him- love, please I… - her hand landed hard and heavy on his cheek taking him by surprise, then the door slamming and he locked up outside- my love please I can explain, just let me see you please

-go away, I don't wanna see you ever again in my life- her voice cracks at the end and her tears run down her face

-please let me in just a moment to explain you everything

-no, I know what happened I don't need explanations, just go… stop hurting me and go- her sobbings broke his heart even more, crying himself on the other side of the door

He didn't try again staying outside the house with the bouquet there, he sat on the sidewalk giving her space but still not giving up. The hours went by until it was dark outside and he felt so cold, he started to sing outside her door hoping for her to listen.

-I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight… I've never seen you shine so bright, mhm hmm- she heard his voice outside thinking that he would be already gone by now- I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance- she got close to her window seeing him just standing there singing- They're looking for a little romance, given half a chance… And I have never seen that dress you're wearing- he made eye contact with her- Or the highlights in your hair that catch your eyes- singing his heart out for her- I have been blind… please my love open the door

-if I do that would you stop singing?

-only if that's what you want- she slowly went to her door to open

-The lady in red- he was unsure but he pulled her close to him finally holding her again- Is dancing with me, cheek to cheek… There's nobody here, it's just you and me- he started to swing softly dancing with her- It's where I want to be… But I hardly know this beauty by my side- she started to cry again- I'll never forget the way you look tonight… please forgive me

-no… you liar- she hugs him tighter crying finally letting out everything she feels since the day she left

-I have missed you like crazy, I can't live without you my love, do you want me dead? I can do that if you ask me- she whimpers- or I can come here every day until you forgive me even if it takes an eternity for you to love me again

-don't say nonsense- she pulled apart seeing him, noticing how he looks his dark circles, pale skin and how much weight he's missing

-can I come in?- she nods moving so he can come, he finally gave her flowers she takes them to put them on a vase

Sunghoon looked around the house, how tiny but cozy it was, it smelled sweet like vanilla and sugar but overall like her, he looks at her pot and the forgive me not flowers alongside with a photo frame with a cutout from the newspaper, it was his photo the one there and he felt happy that she still thinks on him at least enough to have him there all this time.

-I read about what happened to you, I'm sorry you went through that, Mrs Lim was really evil for doing that to you

-i don't care… I prefer it was me the one they drug to ruin and not you, I would never have forgive myself if they have done that to you my love

-do you want water or something before you go?- his smile faded

-i'm okay… do you know a place where I can stay here?

-the nearest hotel is in the next town, 40 minutes est

-oh, okay… do you have plans for tomorrow?-she nods

- I work at the flower shop

-can I pick you up to go somewhere? We missed 8 dates and 1 trip

-I would rather not… I'm sorry, I don't know if I can still pretend I'm okay with that arrangement. I loved you so much it hurt a lot seeing you with someone else… and you hit me too

-i know I was a dick and I regret every single minute of it, I'm still trying to remember everything but I want you to know how sorry I'm… not just that, I'm sorry for everything for slapping you, for being a terrible husband, for missing our anniversary, for not answering my phone that night… for acting that way, for taking another woman into our home… I can live with all of that if you don't forgive me but I would never let myself live if I don't tell you how much I regret not telling you how much I love you- her eyes went big in surprise- how in love I am with everything you do, every inch of your body, each piece of your soul… I was a fool trying to deny what I felt since long ago… I have loved you since our honeymoon when you hugged me so tight I thought that was the only place in the world I wanted to be… I have loved you since your beautiful laugh made me feel happy- she was crying now with her arms crossed on her chest

- Sunghoon please don't…

-no I won't shut up now… because I wasted a whole year not telling you how much you mean to me, how much I love you… how your kisses makes me the happiest man on earth, how I rather be dead than without you because my life doesn't have meaning without the love of my life… and I'm sorry I realized that too late- he was crying too turning around to leave

-wait… you're missing something- he turned around immediately feeling her run to his arms to hug him he wrapped his arms around her body she was whimpering as he finally held her- I love you- and then she kissed him and he responded immediately.

She tangled her arms around his neck while he held her legs up wrapping them on his waist, holding her body as tight as he could, walking with her on arms until he reached the sofa laying her softly on it pulling apart to start to kiss every inch of her exposed.

-i love you so much Mrs Park, there's no a future without you at least not for me

-i love you too Mr Park, even if you're terrible at expressing feelings… Do you want to stay the night here?

-I would love too

Sunghoon wipes her tears, staying just there seeing her again like it's just a dream, still afraid that he's imagining her right now, he just cups her face caressing her cheek she pecks his lips before pushing him off, he frowns but she have already slipped from his arms running into the kitchen to take the cookies out of the oven, he followed her seeing her bake.

-i'll make you something for dinner, you can go to my room to wash and maybe find something to wear… I have t-shirts and boxers in one of my drawers- Sunghoon wrapped his arms around her waist kissing her neck

-i'll be quick

He explored the tiny house finding cute how she still have glimpses of him, their wedding photo was on her night stand, one of his shirts was on the closet, the magazine with the photos of their honeymoon, all the cutouts of the newspapers about the drug incident and the lawsuit against the Lim family, he smiles because deep down he was getting ready for her to never forgive him for her to hate him, but she still loves him. He washed himself and changed clothes going to the kitchen smelling the food she made.

-smells delicious… who taught you how to cook?- he back hugged her

-i learned watching Mrs Min, it's not as tasty as hers but is good enough- she served him a bowl of the soup and one for her

He helped her to set the table, sitting and waiting for her to come with him. Once she's close he pulled her to his lap, not wanting to take his hands off her, feeling her body.

-stop… it's gonna get cold- she takes her bowl starting to eat but his hands were inching closer to her breasts and she slapped them away- Sunghoon stop now

-my love I'm a man and I'm weak I haven't seen my wife in two months and now she denied me touch her gorgeous body- he pouts but still opened his mouth for her to feed him

-I haven't forgive you completely, I'm not even sure how long you're gonna stay here before you leave

-you mean we leave right?- she shakes her head

-I don't wanna be back to that type of life- she looks down- you can have any blonde big boobs girl you want now- she mentioned frowning taking a spoonful for her herself

-did you not listened to what I said? You're the love of my life, I realized that I love you more than my own life…

-i like this house

-then let's run away from our life, I'll leave everything my company, my family, everything… I don't care I wanna grow old with you… I'll learn how to cook, to clean… please don't leave me I'll do anything you ask me too- he feels desperation flooding his body- I'll kill myself just to make you happy

-don't say stuff like that- she tried her best to turn around and see him, he looked so sad- I don't want you to die, I just want you to be happy to do what you like to have your life again exactly like before we got married

-but what about what I want? I want you and nothing else, just you please my love, let me love you I'll kiss the floor where you step I'll make you an altar just let me adore you, you don't have to love me back anymore I just wanna be with you- he holds her tighter feeling like she's slipping away from his arms, like if this nightmare without her is never gonna end

-Hoonie please don't make it harder for me

-but it's okay for you to make me suffer…- he sighs- I know I fucked everything up but if you leave me I'm gonna…

-don't say that again… I think is better this way we never fitted together everyone said that

He silently did as she said, eating in silence but without letting her go, he was feeling so sad, and when they finished he helped her on her feet getting up and taking the dirty dishes to the sink, he started to wash them and she just stared at him and how depressed he looks right now.

-I'm sorry I don't wanna go back together

-no, it's okay… you have all the right to hate me yet you still told me you love me… I feel happy… I guess I'll go now, 40 minutes is a long way for an hotel and I want to come here early hoping I can take you to work- he gets close to kiss her forehead- I'll bring you breakfast too my love

-but… are you not gonna stay?- she didn't meant to sound so disappointed

-i don't wanna make you feel uncomfortable- he pulled her a little unsure cupping her face to kiss her waiting for her to push him but she pulled him too, they kissed with sweetness pulling a part shortly after- good night my love, please at least dream about me just like I do with you every night

-please stay… only for today- her voice was almost a whisper

-i'll sleep on your sofa

She wanted to protest but she knows Sunghoon is doing that because she asked basically for him to not being around, for them not being together. Sunghoon takes her on his arms carrying her to her room leaving her softly on her bed kissing one last time before going to her living room and getting as comfortable as he could on the couch, he closed his eyes trying to sleep, he did it for a couple hours only but he couldn't get himself to sleep knowing she was there so close to him but so far away, he got up to make himself a coffee he felt so out of place pouring his cup and walking back to the living room.

-Hoonie? Is that you?- he looks at her on the entrance of her bedroom

-yes my love- she went to the living room to him- I'm sorry did I woke you?- she nods going straight to hug him sitting on his lap straddling him- I didn't mean to do it

-Is okay I don't mind it- she snuggled on his chest closing her eyes

-were you sleeping well?- he softly pats her back

- so good I dreamed about you- she started to kiss his neck- about our first time together… not the ugly one… the one you made me feel so good and loved

-i'm sorry I made have an ugly first time

-don't feel sorry I wouldn't want anyone else to be my first time- he takes a sip of his coffee swinging softly to make her relax and sleep again- I feel like I want you inside but I don't have the energy to make love- she whispered hiding on his neck

-oh we can actually do that… if you want… you can just warm me while you sleep

-i don't know how to do that

-you don't have to do anything just look pretty and relax

-I want you please Hoonie

He kiss her cheek getting up with her on his arms going to her bedroom leaving her in bed to undress her lower half, he kneels in front of her staying eye level with her crotch, getting close to taste her she immediately covered herself with her hand.

-i need to prep you baby, to not hurt you

-i… it's just… I haven't shaved my… my pussy- she blushed and he finds her adorable under the soft light on her nightstand

-me neither- he say with a soft chuckle- haven't shave in a long time

-but you're gonna… gonna eat me… and I haven't

-my love I couldn't care less- he takes her hand off leaning to give her soft kisses on her clit- i missed this pussy so much and she missed me too… it's already drooling for me- he gives a long lick from her entrance to her clit making her moan.

He was slowly making out with her pussy, until she was dripping wet, she was moaning, he takes her on his arms again going to sit on bed with her on top he takes his already hard length, kissing her neck helping her to put it inside her, she holds onto him moaning feeling the stretch he was all inside now groaning feeling her walls squeezing him, her pussy fluttering to fit him comfortably.

-feels good love?

-so good Hoonie- she jawns- really can we sleep like this?- she looks at him with her tired eyes feeling so sleepy

-if you feel comfortable enough we can

-I like how it feels… Am I making you feel good too?- she shifts fixing her position making him twitch and bite a moan

-so good… feels like heaven- he pats her back making sure she's back to sleep, shifting slowly to get comfortable- sweet dreams my love- he holds her tight on top of him.

Finally closing his eyes to get his much desired rest after so many sleepless nights thinking about her, she was finally with him even if it's only for a while. She opened her eyes when the light from the window hit her face, she stirred awake feeling his length heavy inside of her, she moaned snuggling on his chest, y/n stayed there just admiring him how insanely beautiful he is, she really loves him but she doesn't know why she feels so afraid to go back to him, to their usual life, maybe because of that because she loves him too much that it hurts more when something happens, she tried not to think about it and just enjoy him feeling safe and happy like this the stretch was comfortable until Sunghoon stirred making her bite a moan, feeling him push deeper, he groaned and opened his eyes looking straight to her and smiling.

-good morning my love- he carefully sits with her on his lap- did you had a good sleep?- he started to kiss all over her face

-so good- she jawns enjoying all his kisses

-let's get you ready for work okay?- she just stays still while he pulls out, she bites a moan- are you feeling alright?

-yes… just that I feel empty now- she blush and Sunghoon chuckle kissing her forehead.

He got up and out of habit he went straight to her closet to pick her clothes, choosing from her limited wardrobe what he liked the best, he handed the clothes to her, going to the shower to get the water ready, she looked at him smiling as if it's just as it used to be before she left. She showered and changed, as promised he took her to the cafe in front of the flower shop, she told him about everything she did there, how much she loves the town even if it's small, her favorite stores, how people always greeted her with a smile and the time she caught a cold they helped her making chicken soup and teas, Sunghoon listened feeling happy that she found the place where she's truly happy, once it was time to let her go he kiss her forehead the sadness flooding again his body hugging her.

-can I come to see you?- she was all happy and giggly

-yes anytime Hoonie

-i'll try my best to come again before the end of the week, I have a lot of work to do but I'll tell my assistant to make space for you my love- her smile faded she thought that he was talking about coming over while she's at work

-oh are you… are you leaving now?- he nods

-I have a lot of work to do… it's been messy since you been gone everyone would be surprised to see me at the office again, my nanny probably would feel happy that I finally left the house for good- he smiles but there's only sadness all over his face- now go inside- she did turning around when he was about to get in his car- I love you… now you blow me a kiss

She did as he said, feeling immense happiness, she went inside to work, her brain repeating the I love you all day.

-what it is now?- her boss was on the counter looking her lovestruck eyes

-nothing, my husband… he came to apologize and see me… he told me that he loves me

-so that means you're not gonna work here anymore?

-are you firing me?- she looks surprised at her

-no, but if you finally got what you desired for so long I would expect for you to go back to your home with him

-I told him I didn't want to be back together- her face immediately reflects sadness she's feeling

-I'm not understanding… he came here only to tell you how much he loves you, that he misses you and yet even if that's what you wanted you turned him down?

-it's complicated…

-how? Life is never that complicated, especially in this because if you're dying for him and he does too… one plus one is two, you get back together

-I don't want for him to hurt me again

-right, so you're gonna stay for the rest of your life here, doing what? This?- her boss takes a bouquet from her hands- I just hope you take this decision because is what you want not because you're afraid to get hurt, I'm old enough to give you advice and to know that this is the type of things you'll talk about with regret when you're my age- she gives her flowers to finish a bouquet.

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The week already ended and Sunghoon didn't come back to the town, then another week, and she felt like he abandoned her. She went to work feeling defeated.

-I don't wanna be that type but I told you… what it is now?

-he hasn't come back, it's been two weeks- she lays her face in the counter completely sad and defeated

-so you told him you didn't want for you to be back together and now you're crying and complaining because he did as you asked… seems reasonable to be angry for that

-I know it is my fault… I just… I don't… I expected for him to be here as he said

-don't wanna be the bad boss that doesn't care about you but darling you need to get to work we have orders- y/n got up to start with the floral arrangements- it will be better with time I promise

She got to work, most of the day she was busy since it will be the fair of flowers, she was left alone in the store since Miss Kim was out all day doing her earrings, it was already closed and she was finishing putting things away when the bell in the front door rings.

-i'm sorry is already closed, come back tomorrow- she was giving her back to the door finishing the set up of some flowers, the bell didn't ring again- I'm sorry but I already told you we're close

-i just want to pick an order I made this morning- she turned around seeing Sunghoon with his work suit she smiles and runs to him wrapping her limps on him to hug him

-Why did you take so long to come?- she started to softly cry when Sunghoon wrapped his arms around her

-I'm sorry I was busy with work, I needed to finish a lot of things if I want to spend the weekend with my little love- he kiss her forehead cupping her face to wipe her tears- oh it was true that I ordered a bouquet this morning, is under the name of my nanny

She quickly searched for the forget me not bouquet, and he paid for it, handing the flowers to her making her blush and smile like a fool, knowing what it means to receive them.

-let's go, I have your favorite takeout in my car, we can go to your place and eat while you tell me about your week.

She contently nods taking the flowers and closing the shop, getting on his car, she started to tell him about the fair of the flowers and all the things she did today, Sunghoon listened attentively opening the door for her when they arrived, she keeps talking while he plates everything, he made sure to give her bites while she's telling him about her days without him, the new things she found in the vintage store, the newborn of a couple down the street, the market and her new obsession to go there to eat.

-what about you?- she ask with her cheeks full

-I haven't done much love, just work I have a lot to do still

-but we're going to spend the weekend together, right?

-yes my love we'll do whatever you want and spend time together

-I know where I want to take you, you are going to love it, did you bring a swimsuit by any chance?

-actually… yes I do

-great because there's a beautiful lake where we can swim, there's flowers all over and really close to here there's a sanctuary for wildlife, we can go too

-I would love to do that, sounds amazing

She happily keeps talking about the new bird drinker and the seeds she left for them, Sunghoon was so happy hearing her talk about the things she makes, with deep sadness he accepted that she was more happy here and not with him, he wasn't ready to let her go yet but he'll have to eventually.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Monday morning arrived sooner than he wanted, she was tangled with him in bed, snuggled against his chest and sleeping peacefully, in any moment he needs to leave even if he doesn't feel ready, Sunghoon still needs to work since the Company is a chaos right now, his assistant called him to tell him all the appointments and meetings from the week, even if he tried to talk lowly she woke up, looking at him with her sleepy face, he made sure to get everything before ending the call.

-good morning love, did you sleep well?- he kiss her forehead

-so good- she snuggled more on him, and that made harder for him to go

-I'm glad… I need to get ready, I need to go to work and I'm kinda far away from my office- she just giggles getting up bed

-you can shower and dress while I make your breakfast- she pecks his lips before leaving

Sunghoon took a shower and put on his suit, he gathered his things going to the kitchen, she served them sitting next to him, he eats with a heavy heart knowing is just minutes away their goodbye, when they finished she got up to clean the dishes, he looks at her doing this, so domestic and happy, she seems more distant from the life he offered in the beginning and she looks so happy here.

When she finished quickly and giggling she straddle him, cupping his face and giving him kisses all over, he smiles but soon he frowns.

-what's wrong?

-i've have been talking with my lawyer and my nanny a lot… about you… me… us

-oh really? What about us?- she said so happy fluttering her lashes

- I love you so much, in fact you're my first love I never got to experience this feeling before you… I think you're the love of my life- she feels her tummy revolve with butterflies, blushing at what he's saying- and it kills me when I'm not with you, but I have seen how happy you're here… how much you like this life and not the one I can offer you… -he extended his arm to his bag taking a file leaving it in the table- it hurts my heart but I just wanna make you happy…- she saw the divorce papers and freeze, her eyes immediately tearing- I will take care of you, will send money as my contract with you says, I'll provide for you for the rest of my life and beyond… this is just for you to be free, to have what you want and hopefully you'll find someone else that it's good for you, I know you love babies maybe one day you can be a mother… just promise me that even if you find someone else you'll call me if you need help- she couldn't understand why… why if he said he loves her why he came with the divorce papers

-i don't wanna

-my love… it's the best for you

-no, I want you… I love you why haven't you understand that?- she was feeling angry

-you're the one that told me you didn't want to be back together- she felt guilty because it was true, she got angry with what he is doing but she asked for it

-i hate you- she pushed him getting off his lap and going to her room, he followed her only to receive the door slammed on his face

-my love… please talk to me, what's wrong? What do you want from me?- she was sobbing

-go away leave me alone you liar… you don't love me… don't wanna see you in my life I hope you die- she let out all her rage on him

-i'll be back on Friday to pick up the papers… I love you with all my life- he heard her sobbing- I'm sorry my love…-

Sunghoon left driving directly to his office feeling like trash, but in the end he knows it is the best to let her be happy and finally have a choice in her life.

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Friday arrived and she was currently working, treating everyone with fake sympathy, she was still angry with Sunghoon, she hates him for not trying, because he didn't fight for them he just put the divorce papers there not caring about her.

-what it is now that you want to stab anyone coming through that door?- her boss asked her taking the scissors from her hand

-my soon to be ex husband came last week only to bring divorce papers

-and why are you angry?- she looks at her condescendingly

-because he wants a divorce he's a liar that only told me that he loved me to laugh at how naive I am- her boss let out a sarcastic laugh

-You're not serious… oh you are- miss Kim rubbed the sides of her head- let me check I got it right, your husband was drugged to damage his reputation, that's when you thought he was cheating on you but it was all set up to destroy him, you of course ran away from your home and came here, two months later he found you came all the way here to confess his undeniable love for you but you told him you didn't want to be back together, you told him you didn't want the life he was offering… and for what you have told me he told you he would leave everything he knows his life as it is now including his millionaire company to be with you here in this life you want, but you again told him no, last week he was here he arrived here to give you what you asked for and now you're angry with him?

-it's not like that, it's… I didn't asked him to divorce I want him to fight for us to show me that he loves me- miss Kim cups her face talking with all the softness she can

-darling he loves you so much he's giving you the greatest proof of love, letting you go to be happy even if it breaks his heart

-but I don't wanna divorce I love him- she cried frustrated because she knows that she's the one in the wrong

-so what? You expect him to come here everyday or every week just because you don't want any real commitment anymore? To spend the rest of your marriage making him split between his life and the one you want that's only meant for you?- she cried harder- when the storm season arrives do you want him driving for hours on a lonely dangerous highway? In winter with the snow and the slippery roads?... for what you have told me he would definitely take those roads without a second thought only to see you even if it risks his life

-what do I do?

-you have to chose, but more important you have to tell him what you want, what you really want not this push and pull between you both

Her phone rings, it's him, she takes a deep breath, because it's probably Sunghoon asking when to pick up the papers she hasn't signed, she answered the phone, but it wasn't his voice, it was a woman.

-hello Mrs Park, I'm miss Lee, Mr Park personal assistant, I have scheduled for him to go pick up the papers today, whatsoever he's not in condition to go so I'll be the one picking them, I'll let you know when I'm leaving from here to your home, approximately 5 pm.

-why he can't come?

-it's delicate, something came up, like I was telling you once we submit the papers, it will take 7 business days for the first hearing. Mr. Park asked me to get you a lawyer just for formality, not to fight something. He is willing to give you anything you ask him for- this was to much for her

-tell your boss I'm not giving you the papers… he hates me that much that cannot see me again?

-I understand your concern but he's unwilling now- she feels that rage again flooding her body- I'm gonna lose my job for this but I can't bear it anymore, Mr Park is at hospital, he haven't feeling any good since months ago and everything pile up, he threatened to fire anyone who would tell you about his health- her breath was caught on her throat

-but he was fine last week… -her voice sounds small and hurt

-i'll send you the hospital and the information about his staying here, I hope you're good Mr Park, have a great day

The call ended and she stayed there just spacing out, why didn't he mention anything?, miss Kim was closing the store and taking her keys.

-well let's go… I warn you that I am not a good driver, but at least I am better than you, who can't drive

-what? But…

-your husband is at hospital… sorry soon to be ex husband, but you're still married and he needs you now, now get going is long way to where you used to live

She just nodded while getting inside the car, indicating to her boss where to go, the waiting was killing her and she felt so anxious, the road felt like it was eternal and she was holding back her tears, reading the diagnosis.

“Underweight risk of anemia, burnout resulting from stress and anxiety disorders, sleep cycle disturbances”

When she finally got there she basically run inside the hospital yelling a thanks to her boss, in the front desk she asked for Sunghoon, his personal assistant was there and she was the one taking her to his room, when she saw him she broke to cry, with oxygen mask, fragile and connected to a lot of machines.

-he was sedated because he refused to sleep, doctors don't allow visits inside the room when he's like this

-how long has he been here?

-two days, he collapsed at his office

-but he was alright when I saw him

- I'm really gonna lose my job but part of it is make sure that Mr Park is alright, and the only dumb person who didn't realize that you was the one making feel alright was him… since you left he stopped eating, his nanny used to force him but it was so little compared to what he actually needed, he stopped going to the office, he didn't even showered sometimes, he used to send me messages in the early morning or after midnight asking me if you by any chance called, he fired a lot of private investigators that couldn't find you, everyone felt relief when someone knew where you were- she didn't knew all of that and now she feels bad for him- it got better after he saw you and spend some time with you, we all thought that things would be back to normal… he didn't told me anything about the divorce, he didn't told anyone only the lawyer, he got back on Monday and went directly to work, he locked himself on his office and didn't let anyone inside, he didn't sleep or eat at all until thursday… he had a meeting and wasn't there so I went for him and he was laying on the floor unconscious… I called emergency services and even here he refused to eat or sleep insisting he had a lot to do, he was babbling that he needed more money to left a good amount of inheritance to his wife… he said that his wife wanted him to die- ha assistant took a handkerchief to wipe her tears

-he didn't told me anything- she felt guilty it was because of her that he was here- he seemed alright when he left I don't understand how this happened- his personal assistant looked at her with some resentment and she's aware that she's the problem here the reason he is like this

-when he was already here he asked me to pick the papers get you a lawyer and also asked me that if something happens to him that you're his only heir- there's some hate on the voice miss Lee wipes her tears- if you excuse me I have work to do, Mr Park was clear on his desires

Y/n stayed there crying outside his room curled up in a chair just looking at the empty chair in front of her, her boss was still around finding her to give her food.

-I had some useful things in my car, I have a blanket, a travel pillow, I bought you some food, this fancy drink they have in the cafeteria… and for your husband flowers- she handed everything to y/n including the forget me not bouquet- he'll be okay… you ask mother nature for your true love to be back with you, don't mess it up this time okay- she kiss her forehead- I should leave, way back home is long

-i'll pay you back I promise

-just promise me if you remarry with him you'll buy your flowers with me

-i promise, but you have to be there too

-I promise too, now take the right choice okay darling?-she just nodded before she was left alone.

Y/n waited outside his room until late night when he woke up, she heard him groan and complain, she peeks through the door seeing him there, she went directly to the nurses telling them that he's conscious and they immediately entered to check on him, she watched from the glass in the door, she cried seeing him like that, so fragile when he used to be imposing, his physique demanded respect, his aura put anyone at his disposal, but now this side of him broke her heart in a way she didn't knew it was possible.

-you can come now if you want, Mr Park is a little dazed but it's normal because of the medicine

She went inside after everyone else left the room, Sunghoon was looking at the window barely noticing her presence, they already removed the oxygen mask but there's still a lot of cables on his arms and chest.

-I don't wanna eat I already told the previous nurses I'm not hungry and yes I don't care if they put a feeding tube on me

-you must be hungry after not eating for days- he quickly turned his face to see her, his face lit up- your assistant called me to tell me about this, were you planning just to divorce me? To get rid of me? For what? To auto destroy yourself?... didn't you think for a moment what I felt when they told me everything how careless you're acting?- he frowns while she cries- are you not going to offer me a hello kiss after how much I missed you, did you not miss me?- Sunghoon smiles weakly

-did you not miss me, my love?- he said with a tint of nostalgia for those words he used to say to her every day when he came home from work

-I did, a lot

-why didn't you kissed me hello then?- she got close to bed still a little unsure leaning to kiss his lips, softly, she was still crying she felt his hands on her cheeks wiping the tears- why is my wife crying so much?

-because my husband told me he loves me but wants to divorce me and abandon me, he's a liar

-that's not true, your husband loves you a lot that's why he's willing to let you go and be happy

-Haven't he thought that he's the reason I'm happy? That I love how he blows me a kiss every day before leaving for work, that he sometimes escapes from work just to go eat with me, that I look forward to our date every Saturday, that I love how much effort he puts on dressing us in matching clothes… - she cried harder- Haven't he thought how much I missed him? How cold and empty the bed is when I don't share it with him, how much I miss our goodnight kiss, or when he stays in bed with me just to cuddle together, how loved and safe I feel when he holds me, hasn't he thought about any of that? That no one makes me happy the way he does

-then why did you leave me?- his voice was broken, holding his own tears- why didn't you call? Or told me you were alright?... Why did you told me you didn't want to be together anymore?

-because I was afraid… -she cups his face wiping his tears- I love you so much it hurts sometimes when I felt that you didn't love me back, that night I saw you and my biggest fear was there, I was losing you, when you asked me to come back I was afraid to feel like that again without realizing I was really going to lose you because of me- she leans to kiss him again, both of them crying and their tears mixing- you have a dumb wife so you have to explain everything to her- she smiles remembering how he calls himself dumb so she can explain everything

-i have a really smart wife, so smart that she's the one explaining me things all the time, telling me fun facts she reads during the day- he pulled her to him, making her lay down with him in bed wrapping his arms around her -are we coming back together?

-yes, I didn't sign the divorce so you have wife until death tear us apart Mr Park

-nah I don't think so, not gonna let you run away so easily again, gonna chase you in every single life after this and make you mine again and again for eternity- he smiles making her smile too

She lays down with him, her head on his chest, careful with the cables and where her hand is.

-can we go from time to time to my little house? Now that I'll be back in our home I don't wanna left completely my house

-of course we can, maybe a romantic getaway a whole weekend just you and me, how's that sound?

-i would love to do that… are you not angry with me for leaving?

-no, I could never be angry at you

-your assistant told me you fired a lot of people and yelled at everyone because of me

-not because of you, because they couldn't do anything right, I was angry, yes but not with you, with me because I was the one responsible for you to leave

-i'm sorry I ran away and caused a mess

-don't be sorry… you needed to be away from me and everything… not gonna lie I prefer you attached to me, I like that my wife is clingy and so needy of love, makes me feel like I'm doing something good and that's why she likes to be with me- she gasped almost offended

-you're the clingy one you always ask for kisses an naked cuddles and stuff like that

-you're right but you can't blame me, have you seen how pretty my wife is, how perfect? I just can't get enough of her- he let our a deep laugh squeezing her butt cheek shamelessly making her Yelp

-stop… we're at hospital

-I would buy it if I need to just to get a taste of you

-stop saying nonsense- she gently smack his chest making him smile, leaning to kiss her passionately

She melts on the kiss, finally everything feels correct, that every piece is finally in place, that she came back home after a long time, feeling that warmth and love she always desired but now was real and it was here, on his arms.

Fin.

I didn't know you had a 10 pic limit, but anyways I hope you like this, I feel like I need it the opposite of the first story I made of Sunghoon.

I wanted a more soft Hoonie because if I'm down bad for him I want the same from him.

[safination]

For Your Heart

The Middle

|Masterlist|

|Part 1: The Beginning| |Part 3: The End|

Pairings: Alastor x wife!Reader.Tags/ Warning: SFW. fem!Reader, AFAB, Established Relationship, Human! Alastor, Human! Reader, tooth-rooting fluff, Husband! Alastor Harana – a traditional form of courtship done during the night where men will go to someone’s window with an instrument, usually a guitar, along with some of his friends to sing.

TLDR: Sometimes all you need is a guitar and a song to catch hearts…and well, Alastor has a guitar and a voice perfect for singing. The beginning, the middle, the end, and the new beginning with a guitar and a song (feat. Ben&Ben) I decided to make this into a four-part series instead of releasing it all at once. Just comment if you ever want to be added into a taglist for this mini-series I'm doing. I know that it's been a while since I've updated but,,,ehehehehe. I was enjoying my break but finally got around to writing again. I'll post the tagalog versions soon. This can be read as a stand-alone

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It’s funny, actually.

The same moonlight shines across a different window, yet the way it filters through the glass is the same. The feeling it pulls from your heart is still the same. It reminds you of the faint and distant think that would sound on your window. Those sounds have long faded awa—

BANG!

The sound shakes the wooden frame of the window. Another loud bang causes the brush in your hand to drop to the carpeted floor. You rush to the window and peek out the curtains.

Oh, it’s Alastor.

Moonlight reflects against the same brown hair, but it no longer belongs to a boy. Instead, the man who stands under your window has grown taller over the years. Alastor traded his faded jeans for dress pants and bowties. The strands of his hair that used to poke out are now neatly slicked back. Yet, Alastor runs a hand through his hair, and traces of that boy peek out.

There’s a guitar strapped to his back. It brings a brighter smile on your face than it should.

Alastor grabs another stone, and hurls it to the side of your window, just barely touching the glass. The bang of the stone causes a muscle on your cheek to tense. Well, at least he hasn’t broken anything…yet.

Quite the hazard, indeed.

Still, you open the window and pause just in case Alastor decides to hurl another stone.

“The window will break, love,” you tell him because you’re not keen on waiting until Alastor breaks something.

Alastor strums the string of the guitar. Music filters into the air and flies straight into your window—it's much better than a stone. “Darling, it’s our window,” he says, smiling up at you. “I can always replace the glass if something breaks.”

“One of these days,  I swear, I will take a rock straight through your window.”

“I look forward to it.” Alastor laughs, bright and airy. It’s everything to you. Especially when the moonlight illuminates the brown in his eyes as they crinkle. “Whatever window I could possibly own belongs to you as well.”

You lean out the windowsill with a smile, pleased at his response.

That smile slowly fades when Alastor approaches the tree, and grasps a stump to hurl his body upwards. He plants his foot on a small nook of bark, reaching out for a branch to climb even higher up the tree. The look of focus on his face as Alastor climbs the tree is cute, but there’s not time to savor the way his eyebrows scrunch or how his lips purse.

“Sweetie, you’re going to fall,” you say, plain and simple. “I would be smart to get down, now.”

Alastor keeps climbing the tree until he climbs all the way up the branch that faces your window. He balances across the branch, a steady hand on the trunk as he walks. He’s careful to keep the guitar from hitting anything. You keep your glare steady on him until he sits across the thick branch.

“Oh don’t look at me like that,” Alastor tells you, rolling his eyes in a very, very, dramatic way. “I’m already at the top.”

Just to be funny, you say, “Why are you here, love?”

“I’ve come for your heart.” Alastor raises the guitar above his head, and once more you see traces of that wide and boyish smile on his lips.

“Why don’t you just come in?” you say. “I’ll go down and open the door for you.”

Alastor rolls his eyes again. “Or you could just listen right now.”

“Sweethe—”

“Every second we argue is a second I spend longer on this tree.” Alastor pats the branch, bouncing in his seat as he tests the capabilities of the tree to hold his weight. “I quite like the view up here. I think I could spend a lifetime up here.”

With a sigh, you lean against the windowsill. Alastor catches your gaze, and you offer a small smile. It’s a plain and simple small smile.

Except…Alastor’s fingers still at the strings of the guitar, halting the strumming. He blinks at you with a wide stare.

A pause.

Then another pause.

Then he slings an arm over his eyes with the goofiest smile. The edges of his lips curl higher and higher until it reaches all the way up his eyes. The most boisterous laugh escapes his lips, and it rings across the night air. “You are absolutely unfair!” he says, pointing at you, but there’s a certain giddiness in his tone. “How unfair of you, my dear! I call foul! Completely and absolutely unfair of you to do this to me.”

Your head tilts. “Love, do what?”

Alastor runs a hand over his hair, and strands filter through his fingers and frame around his face. There’s a silly, silly, smile on him. “I love you.”

The clutch of girlhood has long left you, but the way Alastor looks at you places you right back into the confines of the ridiculous girl you once were. There’s a ridiculous smile on your lip as you play with the ring around your finger. “I love you as well.”

The strum of the first note.

“Morning has come in our home, so don’t you disappear.” Alastor’s voice fills into the air, once again tugging at the strings of your heart. “Morning has come in our home…to love or to be enchanted.”

His fingers carefully strum the correct cords of the song. It’s a slow build-up of notes until all you can hear is the sweet sounds of his singing and the guitar.

It’s easy to hum along the song, and beat Alastor to the next lyrics. “The eyes that recognize each other at first encounter,” you sing along. It’s not as good as Alastor’s smooth and deep voice, but there’s no need to be embarrassed. “How did they slowly captivate my heart?”

And why would you be embarrassed? Deep down, you know that Alastor would never dare to judge you on this matter.

“I’ve been alone for so long yet you’ve been there all along.” Alastor shakes his head at you, smiling. “Oh, how magical, I’ll choose you every day.”

The way he sings it to you—as firm as a promise. It makes your smile widen even more.

“Oh, how magical,” you begin, “the feelings I have for you are clear.”

“What you make me feel is more than happiness. Everything’s understandable in the depth of your gaze,” he sings, looking straight into you. “Oh, how magical, I’ll choose you every day.”

“Oh, how magical,” you repeat once more, “the feelings I have for you are clear.”

“With a single turn on the wind, it brought you to me. I will choose nothing but loving you fully and wholeheartedly.” Alastor sings louder, making it obvious that it’s his song and not yours. “Peaceful in the embrace of your magic. Peaceful in the embrace of your…”

But you’ve never lightly taken anything.

Flashes of your time together filter through your mind. You like that word…‘Together’. Just as it should be. All the silly breakfast mornings, and the tired afternoon naps, and the sleepless but warm nights. All the ways Alastor likes to mess with you like pulling on your hair. All the ways you like to mess with him like undoing his bowtie for fun.

It’s everywhere.

It’s evident.

It’s you and him.

Together.

Alastor strums the guitar, and you listen until you both sing the end. “Oh, how magical, I’ll choose you every day.”

His eyes close as the last notes die down. There’s a smile on his lips when he tilts his head back against the tree. Dimples–how have you never noticed?

“New Orlean’s biggest and brightest start at my window in the middle of the night…I wonder what the papers will say?” you say, tilting your head to show off your wide smile. “You must like me very much—Don’t you?”

“Ha! My dearest, as if I could ever just ‘like’ you, and I’m pretty sure we’re well past that realm.” Alastor removes the straps of the guitar from around his body. “Can I come inside?”

“Sure, but it won’t be through the window,” you tell him, trying to add as much firmness in your tone. “Climb down, and I’ll open the door for you.”

“Let me in.”

“What a bold thing to say to a married woman,” you say. “My husband wouldn’t like it. He gets very protective of me.”

“Then shouldn’t he be here?”

“He’s probably off serenading some poor woman.”

Alastor sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Dearest, let me in.”

You know a losing battle when you see it, but you won’t go down without at least gaining something in return. “Only if you teach me how to play,” you say. “Then it will be my turn to sing for you.”

A cheeky smile. “You’re going to sing just for me?”

“Only for you.”

“I believe we have a deal.” Alastor offers the guitar to you, holding it across the air. “Do not drop it. It will take at least another year until we can afford another guitar.”

He tosses the guitar across the few feet of space between your window and the tree.

You let it slip between your fingers to feign dropping it. It slides against your fingers. Of course, you don’t let it slip too far, catching it just in the nick of time. The horror on Alastor’s face makes you laugh. Just a little payback, that’s all.

Alastor glares at you.

You show him your most innocent smile.

With a sigh, his glare lightens until it completely disappears with the constant prompting of your smile. “I swear–”Alastor runs a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. “Hi.”

“Hi,” you say, smiling softly. “I love you.”

“I love you as well.”

Alastor jumps the few feet from the tree and your window, then completely disappears from view.

One second.

Two seconds.

“Alastor!” You rush to the edge, poking your head out. “Alastor, I swear if yo—”

 He pokes his head up the window, stealing a kiss from you. It’s a quick peck on the lips

“I’m going to close the window on your fingers,” you tell him, but lean in to brush your lips against his. 

“Please don’t.”

You lean your head out the window, taking a proper kiss from his lips. It’s the same lips, yet they still bring the same butterflies even after years of marriage. Just a single kiss from this silly, silly, man, and you’ve reverted back into a ridiculous girl

Alastor pulls away first, and his arms shake as he grasps the window frame. “I don’t know how long I can keep holding on without falling, love,” he says, tightening his grip. “Let me in.”

He pulls himself up, using the strength of his body, and tumbles straight through the window and into the carpeted floor. Ladies and Gentlemen, Louisiana’s most eligible bachelor right here. Right here in your bedroom and all yours.

Alastor pulls on your wrist, taking you down with him and flush against his body. Long and warm arms wrap around your waist as he nuzzles straight into your hair. He takes a sniff…and another sniff…and another sniff. You choose not to comment on it

“I thought you fell,” you say, mumbling into his chest. Every breath he takes cranes your neck up and down.

Alastor hugs you tighter against him, laughing. “We had a deal, love,” he tells you. “And I would never go back on my word.”

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I'm going to be real honest with y'all. This is not my best work, but I wanted to finally publish this and move on. So here it is! Maybe I'll polish it, maybe I won't For my kababayans, I’m releasing a version with the original lyrics because so much of it gets lost in translation and Ben&Ben did not give us masterpieces for this to happen. I’ve got to tell you, the original lyrics hit differently when you understand them hahaha. Please keep in mind that I'm not an expert translator, I just formed it in the way it makes sense to read. Sneak Peek of the next song: Comets

[lillaydee]

Shhh!!! Part 17

Celebrity!Joel Miller / F Reader

A reluctant celebrity contractor who has closed his heart for love meets a celebrity-hating Cafe on Wheels owner...

She HATES him. Thing is, he couldn't get enough of the coffee she makes...

Tag List:

@kirsteng42 @peelieblue @harriedandharassed @joelalorian @vickie5446 @inept-the-magnificent @maried01 @brittmb115 @peedrow @lovefreylove @jessthebaker @bunniboo0015

Let me know if you would like to be added/removed from the tag list.

Dividers by the awesome @saradika

Header by Moi cause I learned how to use Canva! Yay me!

WARNINGS: Grumpy Joel (The Last of Us), Protective Joel (The Last of Us), Good Parent Joel (The Last of Us), Joel is Bad at Feelings (The Last of Us), Alternate Universe - No Cordyceps Outbreak (The Last of Us), Joel Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), Celebrity Joel Miller, Fluff and Angst, Eventual Smut, I'm Bad At Tagging, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change, Hurt Joel (The Last of Us), Jealousy.

SERIES MASTER LIST

Part 16

***Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. Any legal documents in this chapter is purely imagined, so please don't come after me if they don't sound legit or would not be legit in any way.***

This must be a mistake.

He told you he loved you. He asked you to move in with him.

But then he stopped responding to you. They all stopped responding to you. Even Maria.

What happened? What happened between his declaration of love and this piece of document being handed to you? Heck, he was very much responsive up to the point where you sent him the confirmation of your flight.

Did he change his mind?

Oh wait, wait. You silly woman. Maybe this NDA was different. Maybe this was necessary because you were now officially in a relationship with him, moving in with him, maybe there were just things that he needed you to be quiet about? It still stung that he wouldn’t trust you with his private life, but if that was the case then maybe it’s not too bad?

But he promised you he would never make you sign an NDA. He promised you that.

You tried to read the document, but upon reading the first line, your sight turned blurry. Tears were falling thick and fast down your face. Frank took the document from you, reading it.

“What is it?” your Uncle Bill asked.

Frank hesitated to answer, warily looking at you and your Uncle Bill, before softly responding, “It’s an NDA Bill.”

“For what?” your Uncle asked, raising his upper body with a wince. You quickly got up and helped raise his bed so he could sit more comfortably. Frank was still silently reading the document, his hand over his mouth.

“Confidentiality Agreement for the Dissolution of Romantic Partnership between Joel Christopher Miller (Party 1), and Lily Ann Stevens (Party 2)” he finally read out loud.

Your Uncle’s head snapped towards you before moving towards the young man who had brought the document in.

“Term 1 – Confidentiality. Both parties agree not to disclose any information regarding the relationship between Party1 and Party 2 by any means, including but not limited to verbal, written, electronic, or any other form of communication.”

The room was silent.

“Term 2 – Party 2 agrees not to contact Party 1 or Party 1’s family members or associates at any time, directly or indirectly.

“Term 3 – Party 2 agrees not to seek, claim, or receive any financial benefit or compensation arising from the relationship with Party 1, including but not limited to alimony, one off payments, TV or Film rights, book sales, interviews, or any other means possible.”

Frank looked away, as if unable to read any longer.

Your Uncle Bill looked at you, shocked to be hearing this. “Did you two break up? I thought he asked you to move in with him?”

“Er, please Miss,” the man chimed in, looking rather nervous. “You are not allowed to say anything about the relationship,” he reminded.

“She hasn’t signed it, she can say whatever the fuck she wants to say!” your Uncle boomed. “You sit your pathetic ass down and wait, quietly!”

The man sat down, looking as if he would rather disappear.

“Beanie?” your Uncle looked at you, trying to get your hand to hold. You held your head down.

“I guess he changed his mind,” you whispered.

Your phone chimed. You scrambled to get it, desperately hoping that it was him.

It was your Mom.

Mom: Beanie, sweetie? Is this true?

She linked an article to her text.

Tess Servopoulos and Joel Miller back together, and (GASP!) ENGAGED?

And there it was, a picture of the two of them holding hands in downtown Austin, Joel laughing with his old friend, while you were sitting here wondering why he had you served with an NDA.

After months of being seen fiercely protective of and madly in love with his Barista Lady, Joel Miller has seemingly returned to an old flame, finally confirming years of speculation about their relationship. For years, it was said that the two were an item, but Servopoulos’s sudden move to Texas put a stopper to that rumour mill. And now, the two seem happy to finally share their love with the world, spending some time publicly walking hand in hand while getting lunch together.

And not only that, Servopoulos seems to be sporting a shiny new accessory on a very important finger. Could our hunky, most eligible ‘single Daddy’ contractor finally be off the market?

Another picture followed, a profile of Tess holding a phone to her ear, a sparkly, massive, beautiful diamond ring on her finger.

The texts from your Mom kept coming in. And then the calls. You ignored them all.

Behind you, your uncles were bickering.

“Give me that, I’m the lawyer.”

“Bill, I have a PhD. I can read a document if it’s written in English.”

“It’s Law lingo! I should read it so we don’t get confused. Give it to me!”

You looked at the man who brought the document in, a young, green bean of a thing. He looked at you with such pity in his eyes you couldn’t stand it.

So he went back to Tess. After declaring his love for you. After asking you to move in with him. He went to Texas, got back together with Tess, and didn’t think to tell you. Instead, he decided to go full on drama and hand you an NDA to let you know he was done with you.

So much drama. He might as well have hired a fanfare to escort the young man, let the world know.

So Celebrity.

This, from a man who told you he hated being a celebrity. The man who knew you hated celebrities. Who worried that you would find his fame too overwhelming.

He did this. Rather than contact you himself.

And he thought you were going to profit from your two months relationship with him.

You were right to hate celebrities after all. You really thought he was the exception.

How wrong you were. How stupid you were. You had lived your life a strong, independent woman with values. Values you held on to. Principles. Ones you didn't discount for anyone. And you threw all of it away to be with him. Because he had managed to convince you that he wasn't like the other celebrities. 

Well, turned out, he was just a great actor. Was he even a contractor? 

Never, in all your life, had you been insulted like this.

How high and mighty of him. How arrogant. How hurtful.

“Beanie, we should contest this. Make an amendment so that HE could not profit from your relationship either. You know how they can be, what if he sells a biography or something?”

“No.”

“What?”

You got the document from your Uncle, picked up the pen the man had offered you, and signed it. You placed the document back into it’s envelope and handed it to the young man, who thanked you, apologizing profusely for putting a cloud over your head before leaving.

“Lily, sweetie,” Frank whispered. He stopped there. What else could he say?

“Beanie…” your Uncle Bill started, but he too, was lost for words.

“Excuse me, I have to make a few phone calls.”

Joel left the hotel far earlier than he needed to. You were due to arrive at 11.45 tonight. He stopped at a grocery store, getting you the ramen you liked, just in case you got hungry and didn’t feel like going out or ordering in, those little milk cookies you couldn’t seem to live without, he even got you a cowboy hat, as cheesy as that may be, just because. He wanted to make sure you were as comfortable as you could be while he was out working the next day. He didn’t know how he was going to leave you in the hotel room to go to work, but that’s a problem for the next day.  

He was far too excited to see you. He hadn’t seen you in 12 days. Okay, that’s a lie. He saw you three days ago, but that didn’t count, not where his mind was at. Fuck he missed you. His body ached from lack of proper sleep. Sleeping with you in his arms was just… and when you spooned him instead, oh… never, in his 46 years on this earth had he ever thought he could ever be the little spoon. But there he was, craving to be spooned by you.

And those hugs you gave him. Every single day, he came home to a simple question from you at the garage entrance. Big hug or little hug? And by God he always, ALWAYS asked for the big hug. There was just something about those big hugs from you. Made him feel like he was safe, protected, loved.

God he’s so in love with you. He never thought the day would come. Heck, he didn’t know this was what true love felt like. He had genuinely thought he was in love with Laura. Now, he understood that while he had been in love with her, she wasn’t in love with him, and all these years later, he could finally see the signs. If only he knew better then.

But he couldn’t regret what he had with Laura. Laura gave him Sarah. And Sarah brought him Ellie. And now, Ellie brought him you.

His life was complete.

He was truly in love. He loved you, and you, in return, loved him right back. And it showed.

He stopped at the florist near the hotel, getting you the biggest bouquet of sunflowers he could get, wishing so much that the time would fly by faster. Even in his excitement, there was an unsettling in his heart. You texted him the day before confirming your flight. And then nothing. No texts, no calls. All his communication attempts with you went unanswered. Tommy tried calling. Nope. Nada. Sarah and Ellie tried calling. Silence. Ellie and Dina stopped by your truck after school, it wasn’t there. Ellie and Sarah drove to your apartment that night. All was dark and quiet. Even Maria couldn’t reach you. Angela couldn’t. No one could reach Bill or Frank either. Joel kicked himself for never taking your Mom Jenny’s number. He had only talked to her through your phone. So had the girls. He didn’t even know where she lived, the cheeky woman giving different answers every time he asked.

By evening, Ellie realized that you had blocked her. You had blocked everyone.

Joel had to fight the urge to fly back to see if you were alright himself. But he’s sure you were alright. If something had happened, you would have told him, surely?

Everyone was equally concerned as he was, were you sick? Did you get in trouble? Was your phone broken? But that didn’t explain no one being able to find you. Tommy even called the hospital looking for you. No one under your name had been registered. Sarah and Ellie kept trying. Maria kept trying. Angela kept trying. Nothing.

Maybe you were busy, Tommy coaxed. Maybe you were trying to surprise him. Maybe your phone was broken. Maybe someone stole your phone and blocked everyone as not to be found. Let’s just wait until you got there.

The one person who didn’t seem to care at all was Tess. She had simply rolled her eyes and walked away any time your name was mentioned. It was odd. She didn’t ask about you at all, despite meeting you. Every time he started to talk about you these few days, she interrupted and directed the conversation elsewhere. He couldn’t understand it. But he will set things right with her. It was important to him that you and she get along.

Joel waited at the arrival hall for you, leaving Tommy in the rental, a bouquet of sunflowers in his arms, a cute latte coloured cowboy hat on top of them. He himself was wearing one, tipped low over his brows so that he wouldn’t get recognized, heart beating so fast to see you again. Sarah and Ellie were on Face Time with him, both anxious to see you, hoping to God you were alright.

Passengers from LAX began to trickle out. No sign of you.

Midnight. 1am. 2am.

Tommy found Joel standing in an almost empty arrival hall, his face crestfallen.

You had deserted him.

“Seriously Joel, you need to pay attention! You almost nailed my foot to the floor! What the fuck?” Tess hissed, glad that cameras were not filming at that very moment.

Joel placed the nail gun on the floor, taking his gloves off. He hadn’t slept in days. He flew back to LA Friday evening to find you but couldn’t. Your apartment was empty. Your coffee truck was parked in the garage. But you were not there. He went to Bill’s, Frank’s, even asked Tony if he had seen you. No one has. Tony said you simply drove off Wednesday evening, didn’t say anything to anyone. He flew back to Austin with the heaviest of hearts, snapping at everyone who dared breathe near him.

“Come on,” Tess offered him a hand. “Let me buy you lunch.”

He took it, and she didn’t let go. “Just so you don’t go attacking people left and right when we go out,” she said, stepping outside, reminding him how he almost punched someone for trying to coax him into putting on ChapStick.

For the first time in days, he laughed. He laughed so hard remembering that day. There were people milling around in the streets. He saw a few with their phones out. He tried to take his hand away, but she held fast. “Don’t go attacking them for taking pictures Joel. Relax.”

“Penny wouldn’t mind if they start thinking we’re dating again? Didn’t she almost leave you the last time that happened? You had to chase her all the way here?”

“She put a ring on it,” she joked, waving her brand new ring, “I think we’re okay.”

He huffed a laugh. They had a quick lunch together, Tess talking about anything but you, trying hard to distract him. He was glad for it, quite aware that his heartbreak was affecting everyone around him. He Face Timed the girls every night, both of them worried about you, wondering if they had done something to push you away, wondering if cancelling with you to be with Tess that weekend was too harsh, if they made you feel like you didn’t belong.

He couldn’t, for the life of him, get you out of his mind. He spent his sleepless nights in tears, leaving you messages, begging you to call him back, asking you what he had done to deserve this. That he loved you, he missed you, that he needed you. Please baby, call me back.

He tried emailing. Email failed to deliver. He called again and again. The ringing never stopped. Not even voicemail. He knew you blocked him. He just didn’t know why. He needed to know why.

And with Tess, Joel was made very much aware that she didn’t welcome any thoughts of you, that much was obvious, but he couldn’t help himself. He was obviously down, and it showed. Painfully so.

“Joel, did you hear what I said?” she snapped him out of his thoughts when they finally got back to the site.

He was clearly out of it, looking at her face questioningly.

She rolled her eyes. “You’re thinking about her again aren’t you?”

“Tess… I don’t…”

“Snap out of it, Joel. If she’s such a great woman, why’d she ghost you for no reason? If she loved you, she wouldn’t do this to you. To the girls.”

“What do you have against her? The girls told me you didn’t make any effort with her. After all these years of trying to get me to date again, and you shut her out? What’s up with that?”

“I didn’t get a good vibe from her, okay? I think she’s playing you. And I was right. Here you are, moping around because she ghosted you. No offence, Joel. But if she is indeed your great love, she wouldn’t treat you like this. So I don’t want to see all this pitiful heartbreak, not when it’s about her. She doesn’t deserve your tears, Joel. Move on. She left. She broke your heart. Forget her.”

Joel kept quiet. He didn’t like this side of Tess. Heartbreak? Move on. It was all black and white with her. And the fact that she said she didn’t get good vibes off you, he just didn’t buy it. Something was not right, he just didn’t know what. She had never been the type to judge someone based on a ‘vibe’. In fact, she used to laugh at people who believed in healing crystals and chakras. So why was she so determined to hate you based on a ‘vibe’?

His phone chimed. A text from Sarah. With a link to an article. He read it, shocked to see how fast the article was published. That picture was taken less than an hour ago. Suddenly her insistence of holding his hand made him wonder.

“Well,” he said, showing Tess the article. “You may just get your wish Tess. There’s no way she will ever come back to me now. We’re engaged, apparently. Tell me you don’t have anything to do with this. Tell me you didn’t hold my hand on purpose for them to take this picture Tess.”

“What?” Tess looked at the phone, her expression changing to one of shock. “No, I swear I didn’t. I promise you Joel. I honestly just didn’t want you to get mad at people. Joel, you know I wouldn’t do that to you. I have never done that to you. You know me.”

“Then tell me the truth. Why are you so negative towards Lily?”

Tess sighed.

“Laura. I just didn’t want you to be hurt again. You fell too fast and too hard for this Lily, Joel. I guess I just… I was terrified for you.”

“You think I fall too fast?”

“Joel, you asked this woman to move in with you. After two months. You had googly eyes for Laura the first time I introduced you two. She was clearly not into you, and you went for her hard anyway. And I know we didn’t plan on things happening the way they did but look what happened. I just don’t want you to get hurt again Joel. I swear. You’re the brother I never had. Just looking out. Please believe me.”

“You didn’t know Lily, Tess. Trust me, you would’ve loved her if you gave her a chance. But I guess you’re right. She ghosted me, I guess I didn’t know her as well as I thought I did,” he said. “I just need time. Just… don’t bite my head off if I’m not over her. I need time, Tess. And I’m not giving up hope. Even Tommy, the girls, Maria, they all thought this to be strange of her. She’s not like this. And we may have only dated for two months, but I spent months before that gathering the courage to ask her out, and the girls have known her years. Something must’ve happened. I’m not giving up just yet. If you are really my friend, Tess, endure this sappy old man for a while. I need this.”

Tess felt bad. She hugged her old friend, the one who had been with her through thick and thin, and nodded. She will hold her tongue on Lily, she told him, earning her a sad smile from him.

Joel woke up with a start, his daughters banging on the door.

“What?” he croaked. He hadn’t slept much, getting maybe three hours this time, having landed in LAX at midnight. He couldn’t sleep even when he got home, thinking about how empty his bed was without you in it. It’s been a whole month, and he was still haunted by your memory. It must have been around 4 am when he finally fell asleep.

They burst into his room, looking excited.

“Lil’s truck, it’s back! Tony just texted us!”

Joel jumped out of bed, running into the bathroom, all fatigue forgotten.

“Why are we being loud?” Tess chimed in, coming out of the guest bedroom.

“Lil’s truck, it’s back. We’re going over.”

Tess wanted to say something, but decided not to, getting dressed instead to come with.

Joel practically flew through Saturday morning traffic to get to the rec centre. No one dared say anything. No backseat driving today. He didn’t even pull the hand brakes when he parked, jumping out of the truck as soon as it stopped. The girls followed, leaving Tess to get everything sorted with the truck. The three of them ran around the corner to get to the food trucks, Joel’s heart beating in his mouth as he saw the familiar truck parked at its usual spot.

Tony was putting the chairs out, cringing a little when he saw them.

“Sorry girls, I spoke too soon.”

“What? What do you mean?” Sarah asked, looking around for you. The truck looked empty.

A man popped up, placing some paper cups on the racks next to the till, jumping outside and opening the storage hatch.

Joel walked towards him.

“Dave,” he called out.

Dave looked around, his expression changing when he saw Joel.

“She’s not here, Joel,” Dave told him. “She’s gone man.”

“Where? Where is she?”

Tess walked up, finally catching up to them. Dave saw her and scoffed.

“Really? You brought her here? Why? You want to shove her in Lil’s face? You left her and got engaged within days and now you come looking for her, bringing your new fiancée along? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“No, we’re not engaged. That was a rumour. Not true.”

Dave rolled his eyes. “There were pictures Joel. You guys looked pretty happy and in love to me.”

“Dave, how long did you work for Cleo? You know how the media works.”

“And I held his hand to stop him from running amok on them. I’m engaged to someone else. I swear.”

“Where is she, Dave, please.”

“She left. I promised her I won’t blab, and after all she did to help me out, I’m keeping my words man.”

“What do you mean? What did she do for you?” Ellie asked.

Dave pointed at the truck. “She sold me the truck and her apartment for a steal. Just to help me start over. I own my own little business now. After what I did to her, she still helped me. And for that, I will always keep her secrets.” He turned around and began to unload the tables and chairs, telling Joel to go home.

“Will you at least tell me if she’s still in LA?”

“No. She’s not.”

Joel sat in Angela’s office listening to the ramblings, not really listening to anything. He couldn’t wait for this whole thing to be over. Sitting still was a problem for him these days. When his body stilled, his mind went straight to you. So this, sitting in a meeting while the people around him rambled on and on about the events to come, this was torture. He just wanted to get back to the site and work. Hammer something. Get his mind filled with noises so he wouldn’t think of you.

His thoughts stopped when people began rising, the meeting over. He jumped up to his feet, turning around to leave.

“Joel?” Angela called out. “Will you stay a bit? I need to talk to you about something.”

Joel turned to Tess and Tommy, “Wait for me outside?” The two nodded and left the room. Joel faced the agent, a quizzical look on his face.

“How are you doing? You okay? They tell me you’ve been distracted at work.”

“I’m fine.”

She came up to him. “Come on, Joel. This is me. How long have we known each other? Spill.”

“Nothing to talk about,” Joel insisted. “Is that all? I need to get onsite.”

“Joel,” she said, pulling his hand. “Sit down for a bit, please? This is important.”

He drew a deep breath and sat on the couch. Angela sat next to him, facing him.

“I know you miss her. Everyone can see it. But you can’t let this affect your work. It’s not only unprofessional, but also dangerous Joel. You could get someone hurt. You could kill someone. We’re all worried about you. I wouldn’t bring it up if the others didn’t notice, you know this.”

Joel leaned forward, rubbing his face. “I just need to know why. What did I do? I thought we were doing great. We were gonna move in together. And then it all just…” he covered his face with his hands, willing himself not to cry. “I just need to know why.”

Angela shuffled closer to him, putting her arm around his broad shoulder, rubbing his arm. “I know,” she coaxed. “I know. I’m sorry. It’ll get better,” she said, “I promise.”

“You know, if you need some… tension relief, I can help with that,” she whispered, turning his face towards her, licking his lips.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Joel pushed her off, standing up, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

“I was just trying to help, Joel. It’s not like we have never done that. Just saying, I’m here if you need me. You’re single, I’m single, isn’t this what we do?”

“No, it’s not. Not for a long time, never again.” He grabbed his jacket and stormed out.

“What happened?” Tess asked, clocking his annoyed look.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he huffed, beelining towards the exit.

“Mr Miller,” a young man called out.

“WHAT?” Joel barked.

“Sorry sir, just wanted to give you your copy of the latest NDA. We’ve just gotten it stamped. Here you go, sir,” he said, giving him the envelope.

“What NDA?” Joel looked flummoxed, taking the envelope, opening it. His whole body froze when he read the content.

“What is it?” Tess asked. Tommy read the document over Joel’s shoulder.

“Confidentiality Agreement for the Dissolution of Romantic Partnership between Joel Christopher Miller (Party 1), and Lily Ann Stevens (Party 2),” he read out loud. “You broke up with her? I thought she ghosted you?”

“She did,” Joel said, turning the page. The NDA was signed. He signed it. But he didn’t. His signature was there, but he didn’t sign it.

He stormed into Angela’s office, the woman startled to see him back, Tess and Tommy flanking him.

“What the fuck is this?” he shouted, tossing the document on her table.

Angela’s face turned chalk white. She started speaking but only came out with garbled words.

“You asked me to… you said…”

“No, I did not. Did you serve her with this? Is this why she ghosted me?”

Angela was still trying to string a complete sentence together when her door opened again. A younger man with a cast on his left wrist walked in, a credit card in his right hand.

“Hey Aunt Angie, this one is all maxed out too… I need another card…” the man stopped talking, his face turning white when he realized who was standing in his aunt’s office.

Joel found himself staring at the face of the man who pulled you out of his truck all those months ago, the one who injured you.

Part 18

[richardsphere]

My initial response to the Tokyo Special announcement

Full feelings below the cut: Warning a lot of negativity.

I dont know how i feel about the Miraculous Tokyo thing... I feel like i should be feeling more then this vague sense of boredom? Like admittedly we dont know much of worth, but that in itself is a bad thing. It feels like if they had something worth being excited about, they'd have teased the exciting thing as part of the announcement. The silence itself is damning... Like... what do we know? theres a different show (one they dont feel confident enough in to show anything significant about it yet), and its a crossover with it. The supreme will be there, Kagami too, and adrien probably not... Thats not a lot for an announcement is it? If you're trying to drum up excitement for this new event movie, and this new spin-off show... Why are you not showing anything we can get excited about. I mean I know i dont like the consistent trend towards ML devolving into nothing but a 'launch platform' for other shows (all of which seem to die in the womb). So i already know i dont like that. And the supposed focus on bringing the Supreme into it.... It feels like they're trying to hypebuild a nothing-antagonist? Like say what you want about early-season, anonymous hawkmoth. Even when we didnt know he was Gabe, HM was at least still a character. Even when he was just 'Dr. Claw screaming at gadget once an episode' that was a character. The supreme is just a load of ominous nothingness. Both of those things i just plain dont like.

----

But the 'second consecutive ML special without Adrien' thing im not sure about... I feel like it should be making me angry... frustrated, tired or annoyed. But at this point... its strangely giving me a sense of relief? I guess its nice that, they at least seem to be going out in front and declaring openly and in advance that they dont care about including the catboy. Not getting a repeat of his suprise-absence in the London Special at least... I know that some military bastard said 'once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times enemy action'. But personally, i dont ascribe to a count-of-three... As far as im concerned the first time gets noted and inspected for any glaring cause, and the second establishes a pattern with a finer-combed investigation to shore up any defenses and see if repeats can or should be prevented... I do not believe in giving someone a third shot. 2 is enough of a pattern that it's worth discussing, lest we die on the count of three. (and if you count the S5 finale... we're already there anyway).

---

So I'm starting to think they might actually be phasing out the catboy... like straight up... and strangely that is where the relief comes from... Best case scenario: This is because S6 ends with a break-up and adrien just... retires. Leaves paris and bids the bunch adieu and we never see him again. Adrien is being phased out of the specials, because he's being phased out entire. Sure i'd miss him, but strangely i think i could grow to respect the show if they wrote him out entirety. In this age of IP management, characters rarely get to have a proper end... too often they outstay their welcome, even as the very franchise changes into one that is unrecognisable from the one they were created for. Like some kind of Frankenstinian ship of theseus, an undeath of a thousand cuts... for an example of what i mean... I remember when Roosterteeth went bankrupt and immediate emotional response was 'Oh thank God RWBY can finally rest'... which was unfortunately followed by 'oh wait, they're just gonna sell the IP to someone else to drag it's death out even longer arent they'. (sweet, blissfull 2.5 minutes of relief that was though) because RWBY refused to acknowledge that its cast wasnt written for the blandpocalypse they retooled the show into... it suffered a slow and drawn-out death as all its characters devolved into soulless shells of their former selves. Seeing what became of those characters... i wouldnt wish what happened to them on my worst enemies. (and assure you im a cruel and vengefull bastard where they are concerned)... Yeah... if adrien gets written out in the future, and thus sidestep the slow death-of-personality that comes with an IP going the beyond its milage, and shifting tone and genre to the point the character no longer belongs in it?... i think i could be zen with it. I'd rather Adrien, the light-hearted, pun-loving, freespirited catboy retires... then see him go the way of Ruby Rose and drink the tea. I say let him retire, if the writers want a 'edgey morally complicated girlboss'-story (as they seem to)... Mari can go solo. But I dont think that the marketing department would go for it... so more likely that they just... demote him to boyfriend and continue the sidelining as they have been... just without the release of a killing blow.

--- Sure there is a theoretical option that these three consecutive Spectacle Event Plots are all outliers... but im not buying that. This is an undeniable patern and i kind of worry for what that pattern might lead to. But i do think this is officially the point where im calling it... 'You and me against the world' and 'Yinyang equals in balance' are officially dead. They've been on life support for a while but im calling it. Time of death: 7/6/25 9:01 Pacific time. May these notions rest in peace. And i hope that Adrien himself gets to join them in their rest. Maybe this 'Just LB' era of the show could even become a good thing for Mari's writing, unshackled by the need for toxic romance dynamics to drag her moral compass south she might even become fun to watch again... I can only hope.

[rhiannswork]

s. reid || art isn’t supposed to look nice.

warnings: mentions of anxiety, hotch being reid’s dad, sensitive reader idk?? ummm angst and fluff

a/n: sorry guys, i’ve been awol. a lot has been going on mentally and i just needed some time to myself. i seen that i have requests in my inbox but it won’t let me view them fully. i’ll try to fix it, other than that enjoy ><

12:43 am. you gazed at the tv, engrossed in a monster high compilation, losing track of time. it wasn't until you realized that spencer hadn't called yet, breaking his tradition of always reaching out before midnight. now, it's almost a quarter to one, and you're left wondering.

you snatched your phone and dialed spencer's number, waiting as the faint sound of the ringing echoed from your cell's tiny speaker.

"hello, this is doctor spencer reid. unfortunately, i'm unable to answer your call right now. please leave your name, contact number, and the purpose of your call, and i'll return your message at my earliest convenience."

a loud beep pierced your ear before you ended the call, attempting to quell your growing worry, although your anxiety continued to escalate with each passing minute.

you made an effort not to dwell on it, yet sleep eluded you without the comfort of his soothing voice, reciting a romantic passage he had once come across in a book.

1:56 am. you dialed once more, the ringing filling your ear again, but this time spencer finally answered the call.

"what?" he replied with an irritated tone, causing your eyes to widen at his response. "um... i was just wondering how you were doing. you hadn't called," you stammered, a hint of concern in your voice.

"well, it's because i've been incredibly busy, y/n," he spoke sternly, his stress evident. you sensed his tension, a departure from his usual demeanor. "i’m sorry... i’m just used to you calling me before midnight. i’m sorry," you added before he hung up.

a feeling like your heart had been crushed by the world's largest hammer washed over you. your eyes began to well up, but you fought back tears, reminding yourself that he must have been under immense stress and didn't mean to come across so moody.

[ back @ the BAU ]

hotch observed the confrontation unfold, a sigh escaping him as he witnessed how spencer had spoken to you. "reid," he uttered with slight disappointment in his voice.

"yeah?" spencer turned around, rubbing his temples. "you need to go home... you've been awake longer than you should, and it's starting to impact your work," hotch advised.

spencer turned back to the large bulletin board, covered with crime scenes, maps, and other pieces of evidence waiting to be linked. "that wasn't a suggestion, reid," hotch's voice thick with authority. "it's an order."

"are you seri—" spencer began to protest, but hotch interrupted him. "spencer," hotch's tone was firm, cutting off any further argument. spencer could only manage a small scoff before he reluctantly complied. "go," hotch commanded, his gaze locking onto reid's for a final moment before he turned away.

he grabbed his coat and slung his crossbody bag over his shoulder, leaving without uttering any goodbyes. this particular case had pushed him to his limits.

twenty minutes later, he arrived home, the drive having given him some time to calm his emotions. during the drive, he reflected on how he had exploded on you over the phone.

he entered the bedroom quietly, noticing your body facing the door, a common sight. his gaze fell upon you cuddling his pillow, the one he usually slept on.

the pillow held his scent, offering comfort that helped you drift off to sleep. despite always missing spencer dearly, you hadn't gone to the extent of hugging his pillow before now.

the tv continued to play autoplayed cartoon shorts, casting a gentle glow that allowed him to see your face more clearly. "y/n... baby..." he whispered softly, concern lacing his voice.

spencer crouched down beside you, allowing you to wake up and meet his gaze. he extended his hand, his thumb gently stroking your face as you began to stir, emitting a soft hum as you gradually woke up to find spencer before you.

"hi, my love," he murmured, planting a tender kiss on your forehead. it took a moment for everything to register, but then the earlier phone call came rushing back to your memory.

"hi," you finally responded, your voice tinged with a hint of anger. turning over, you positioned yourself with your back to him.

"i'm sorry," spencer's voice held sincerity, "i'm just incredibly stressed about this case. i promised that mother i'd find the demon who took her family away."

"you sounded so upset with me..." your voice quivered, tears welling up once more. "oh, baby, please don't cry," spencer implored, leaning closer and planting a gentle kiss on your neck. "you know how much i love you... i'd never do anything to hurt your feelings."

spencer managed to coax you to scoot over in bed, allowing him to settle right under you. somehow, you found yourself in his embrace, his arms holding you close.

"do you want to hear the quote i've chosen?" his fingers traced soothing patterns up and down your arm. you raised yourself slightly and nodded, before resting your head back on his chest.

“she looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something…. from eleanor & park by rainbow rowell.”

"do you feel something when you look at me?" you murmured softly into his chest, your fingers tracing delicate patterns on his slim stomach.

“i feel everything when i look at you.”

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Uhh could you write dad headcanons for gavriel?

Baby lion

We all know this man is a textbook example of a FATHER. period. I don't know why but I always kind of imagine him not only being Aedion's father. There's just something in me that is screaming that there's one more child out there of his, that he takes care of and is trying to be there as much as he can.

With you, I think the babe would be both a mix of surprise but also something that is almost self-explanatory. Like yeah duh, you thought I wasn't gonna give this man a baby. Cause go to war with me for it, but kids are something Gavriel would bring up on a first proper date. Like there is no sugar coating. He knows his responsibilities. Knows that babies happen even if they are rare. He isn't taking a tonic and honestly, you are free to not take one in his book but this man ain't pulling out. Here you go. I said it.

I doubt it would happen quickly. I think it would happen once everything settles. Once everyone is safe and sound. No threats. No need to be on high alert. You two already settled in your little cottage in the woods. Living a happy domestic life. Growing crops and tending to a flower garden. Gavriel trains younglings in town as his hobby. Loving the fact that he can be a part of shaping young people into great soldiers.

And if you think you are telling him that you are pregnant. Forget about it. Gavriel would notice even before you did. He wouldn't necessarily clock onto it straight away. There's just a slight difference in how you smell. And that slight change makes something perk up deep inside him. This sudden wave of protectiveness rushed through his bloodstream.

So he just keeps an eye out for you. Not wanting to overwhelm you. But in case this is a sickness of some sort he wants to make sure that he would notice it before it spread. Yet all Gavriel finds is you becoming breathless quicker. Getting more grouchy at your mate, over the smallest things. Snaking right before bed and just randomly reaching for a pot of cookies throughout the day. But the thing that finally makes everything click is when Gavriel returns home after one of his lessons. It's barely after midday but he finds you curled up on a little day bed in the garden fast asleep. A warm smile spreads over his face as he steps closer.

Finally, he thinks to himself as he kneels in front of you. "I was waiting for you", Gavriel mutters, pressing his palm on your tummy. A little heartbeat is finally much easier to distinguish. No longer hidden by your own. "Had a feeling you were, happily growing there", and it's so surreal. To know. To be able to have this moment for himself. To be able to just soak in the knowledge. "Gavriel...", you mutter tiredly and your mate's eyes slowly drift back to you. "I see you've been busy", he teases almost, you narrow your eyes at him, "Hey, that's mean. I've made you lunch", you grumble.

But Gavriel is shaking his head, "Didn't mean it like that, my heart", he gently moves your hand to your tummy. You frown at first, confused by his actions but then your senses pick up on it. You let out a gasp. Big eyes watching Gavriel but he's just smiling. Smiling so fondly it's making your heart swell. "You knew?", you whisper, "I had a feeling something was different for a while but...", he admits, moving to brush away strand of your hair away from your face. "I'm... there's a baby", you whisper shout before your eyes fill up with tears, Gavriel lets out a breath laugh, "You're growing our little lion".

Honestly, the rest of the pregnancy would be out of a fantasy book. Gavriel is super attentive but he also cared for his previous partners in their pregnancies. So he knows what your body needs for sure. Trust him to be bringing home a whole area of fruits and goods you two don't have in your garden but that are beneficial for you and the baby.

He doesn't baby you. Nor is he controlling. You want to do laundry? Do it. Want to dust the floor or weed out the garden? Go for it. He doesn't try to put you on bed rest and lock you in the house. His only rule is - tell him when you start feeling tired. That's all he's asking of you. Gavriel knows moving around is good at the end of the day.

Doubt you would get protective outbursts from him. This man has too much self-control to just burst out, start throwing daggers, or murder someone if they came too close to you. It's more like as long as you are okay with people being close to you so is he. He's watching and assessing. He's looking for threats and dangerous it's just in a much more tamed manner.

Talks to the baby from the moment he finds out. Gavriel has many stories up his belt so nighttime stories are never dull. He always falls asleep holding your bump. He was always cuddly but now it's in his blood. He just needs to have you close. Feel you both.

He cherishes this pregnancy so much because it's the first time he could watch his partner and baby grow. Without someone interfering. Without Maeve lurking to harm. To take away. To rip to shreds the happiness. And so those fears come out at night through the nightmares that sometimes plague his sleep but they are quickly chased away by the baby moving around in your tummy. And he's so thankful for the chance to do this again to experience the love. The beauty of having a family.

[isekai-crow]

2024 Winter Anime Lineup (Master Post?)

First post for a new blog where I'm going to try and record my opinions, break downs, comparisons, and various degrees of squees about anime!

The lineup for this year's Winter isn't as packed as the 2023 Fall season was, but that's always the case. It sure is still causing my To Watch List to keep getting longer... but more importantly because it's so lacking in big name shows one of my most anticipated shows gets to shine...

SOLO LEVELING

俺だけレベルアップな件

LET'S GOOOOOOOO!!!

I'M SO EXCITED FOR MY SHADOW BOY TO FINALLY ARRIVE!!!

also, holy CRAP look at all this TRADITIONAL FANTASY!!! There is even a decent selection of non harem Isekai this round too! And a lot of awesome sequels/continuations!

Anyways, here's what's on my to watch list for this season! I'll be posting about them in their own or other threads as I figure out how I want to set this blog up. My reasons for WHY I'm watching what I'm watching

Definitely Will Watch!

Solo Leveling / 俺だけレベルアップな件

Apothecary Diaries /薬屋のひとりごと(Continued)

Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) / ダンジョン飯

The Villains Day Off / 休日のわるものさん

Undead Unluck / アンデッドアンラック(Continued)

Fire Hunter (Hikari no Ou) 2nd Season / 火狩りの王

High Hopes / Might Drop / Taking My Time

Sasaki and Peeps / 佐々木とぴーちゃん

The Witch and the Beast / 魔女と野獣

Doctor Elise / 外科医エリゼ

Cherry Magic (THIS ENGLISH TITLE LMAO) / 30歳まで童貞だと魔法使いになれるらしい (DEF WATCHING THIS ONE NOW)

Shangri-La Frontier / シャングリラフロンティア　(Continued)

Beyond Journey's End / 葬送のフリーレン (Continued)

Gonna Give Them A Few Episodes

Mashle Season 2

Fluffy Paradise / Isekai de Mofumofu Nadenade Suru Tame ni, Ganbattemasu (I'm doing my best in another world to pet fluffy creatures)

Ishura

The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic / 治癒魔法の間違った使い方

Blue Exorcist / Ao no Exorcist (OUT OF LEFT FIELD THIS ONE)

Delusional Monthly Magazine / Gekkan Mousou Kagaku

This is already insanely long, so the second half of this essay about what I think is below ↓↓↓↓

DEFINITE WATCH LIST

SOLO LEVELING - I've been waiting for the solo leveling anime since BEFORE the anime was ever announced, re-reading the webcomic/manhwa multiple times and just HOPING someone would animate these gorgeous shadows. It is a very well done power fantasy with only squints of romance, and while I'm sad it's been localized to Japan (and all the fuckery that comes with of Korean erasure), I got to see the first two episodes at the World Premiere and I. Am. So. Hype.

APOTHECARY DIARIES existed completely outside of my head space, and my initial response at the premise was, Raven of the Inner Palace? I wasn't actually expecting much from it and then the first few episodes BLEW ME OUT OF THE WATER and now I'm obsessed.

DUNGEON MESHI is one of those manga I've heard about, but tried reading and it was too slow paced for me (I say, currently slogging through The Boat Arc (TM) of Hunter x Hunter), but the anime gives it life and I think I'll enjoy this alot. I love cooking anime and fantasy, so this will be fun!

KYUJITSU NO WARUMONOSAN is just straight up Crow Bait. That curly bowl cut, the gap moe of a villain who loves cute things, and voiced by fricken Shintarou Asanuma!!! (I know him as Samatoki from HypMic, other's will know him from the "Fucking Bullshit" song from Carole and Tuesday, and a host of other roles) Also, all the pretty sentei / power ranger boys!!! I'm so hype, in the most relaxed chill way for this.

UNDEAD UNLUCK is so weird in that it involves a lot of random sexualization, but it doesn't make me uncomfortable like Seven Deadly Sin's random gropping did, maybe because there is actual implied consent involved. Fuuko and Andy are Poly and I love them for it. And the world building is TOP NOTCH.

FIRE HUNTER - If you haven't seen season one, you are missing out. A darkly beautiful post-post apocolyptic alternate Japan-esque world, from the POV of a young girl, and a young genius boy having to let himself be manipulated by capitalism to survive, and gods? a magic system? but so soft that it's barely there even while being a full on fantasy story.

High Hopes or Taking My Time

SASAKI AND PEEPS- What a weird little show that has the weirdest combination of isekai, the most "this is fine." salaryman, and a fricken' CHUNIBYO BIRB. I've already watched the first episode and it feels like there are two magic systems going on and its a bit confusing, so we will see how this plays out!

WITCH AND BEAST - I keep wanting to call this Beauty and the Beast, because the beast is a rad bad ass looking lady, and the witch is certainly one of the most beautiful undertakers I've ever seen. I think he carries his boyfriend around in his coffin backpack, so I'm hype to see WTF is up with that >o>

DOCTOR ELISE - Why do manhwa I read keep randomly popping up as anime??? This is a vilainess turned good story, and supposedly the market is full of these, but none of them are the good ones I've read, so I did a double take of happiness when I saw this. THIS ONE IS GOOD. An spoiled princess gets killed, is reborn in Korea and becomes a doctor, only to be killed by Airplane-kun, and winds up back in her old body where she decides to become a doctor again! The prince is even not your typical icy asshole! (although maybe he is a little at the beginning..)

CHERRY MAGIC - THIS FRICKEN ENGLISH TITLE GOOD LORDS ABOVE. I'm dying. I'm also excited to see this one play out and I'll be hiding behind a pillow giggling like a mad lad while I do. It's been a while since there's been a good BL that's not SAD (looking at YOU Given and Banana Fish, but avoids eye contact with Sasaki and Miyano) so hopefully it doesn't dip into that territory. Going into this one mostly blind as to the premise apart from the obvious Gap-Moe with the love interest.

SHANGRI-LA - I started watching this on a whim as the Fall season started to wind down, and found it to be a good potato chip to have on in the background. I'll probably continue watching it, but not weekly.

FRIEREN - This is what I watch when Jujutsu Kaisen hurts too much to keep going. I'm only a few episodes in, so it'll be slow going, but I think it's about to pick up it's pacing a little where I'm at, and it'll be good comfort food to have.

MAYBES

Mashle Season 2 - The pacing was SUPER WEIRD in the first season that despite all of it's shitting on the properties of she-who-shall-not-be-named, the end of the season kind of fell flat. I wanted to like it more, so I'm hoping Season 2 does that for me.

Fluffy Paradise - I love isekais with an adult in a child's body pretending to be just super smart, and this doesn't feel like it's going to do that, but still looks cute none the less. I'll give it a few episodes, but will quickly drop it if my watch list is too long.

Ishura - Is this what life is like for D&D Characters when they hit level 20? I HOPE SO. I LOVED the Legend of Vox Machina, and hope this has the same sort of vibes, but I'm going in blind!

The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic - Love me some fucked up healing magic. Please DO NOT let this be ANYTHING like Redo Healer. I refuse to watch that even those FUCKED UP HEALING MAGIC IS FUN. But this. This I want to see. Please let this also not be a harem. I'm fine with ~vibes~ but please no actual harem that's not actually Poly.

Blue Exorcist - THIS IS TOTALLY OUT OF NOWHERE. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?????? I remember the last season feeling like a disappointment? But can't remember why? Gonna see if this is worth re-watching the seasons from like... a decade ago.

Delusional Monthly Magazine - I watched the PV and had no fucking clue what was happening. Therefore, I will be watching a few episodes to sate my curiosity about WTF OR possibly just get myself even more confused and rage quit. lmao

I've watched the first few episodes of a couple of these, and will be watching a few more tomorrow, so Next Goal: Post a write up or three about what I think!

[cosmicjoke]

https://www.tumblr.com/cosmicjoke/757516383076679680/alright-well-first-of-all-id-like-to-say-that

While I understand both Anon's objections and your explanation for the way it is like it is, I gotta admit I'm getting tired of Levi's unending suffering. It's true recovery is not linear, the relapses are fine, but the amount of external shit happening to him is too much too. I really need him to stop suffering. Preferably with a happy ending, but really, at this point, I'd welcome just an ending. I get a little depressed/ anxious with each update when I see there's no final chapter yet, and thus no foreseeable end to the constant whumping. :( I may have met my Angst ceiling.

You're free to stop reading any time you want. It's not like anyone is holding a gun to your head and "forcing" you to read my story. If it's really causing you to feel "depressed" and "anxious", again, it's your responsibility to look out for your own mental health, not mine.

And I'm sorry, but this much bad shit can and does happen to people in real life. If you don't want to read about it, that's fine, and if you don't have the patience to wait for me to get to his eventual recovery, again, you don't have to read it. But I'm not going to tailor my story to your specific needs, I'm afraid.

My answer to that anon ask wasn't a free invite for people to just come in and dump on my story, by the way. I said "constructive criticism". Telling me you get depressed reading my story and telling me you think it's "too much" what Levi is suffering through isn't constructive, it's just criticism.

Stories have to have catalysts for why things happen. Otherwise, there's nothing to hold the readers interest and nothing to drive the story forward. There has to be conflict, whether that's internal or external. There's been maybe 3 or 4 external events that have contributed to Levi's internal issues in my story, so I don't know what you're talking about with there being too much "external shit". Most of the external things that have happened to Levi in my story have been a catalyst for his other mental and physical problems compounding. One is necessary for explaining the other. Both his mental and physical illnesses in my story are the result of one another, being compounded by one another. It's rare for either mental or physical illnesses to exist in a vacuum. They always have a high rate of comorbidity.

Like I said, if you don't enjoy the story anymore, then I don't know why you're still reading it. It's marked as "angst" and "heavy angst", and "hurt/comfort". It has all the appropriate tags. You know what you're getting into, so complaining about the dark content and saying it's "too much" and claiming that it's triggering you in some way isn't valid. That's a you problem.

I think your issue may be that you think a happy ending requires Levi to be fully healed from his trauma, but the reality of trauma is, you never really get rid of it. You learn to live with it, but it never disappears completely. So if you want or expect there to be some miraculous moment of recovery for Levi where he simply no longer suffers from any of the issues I've presented in the story ever again, then I'm afraid you're going to be sorely disappointed, and you should probably just drop it, because I can't and won't give you what you want.

This is meant to be a realistic depiction of chronic mental and physical illness, and in reality, it's often the case that those things remain lifelong problems for people. You can't just hand-wave them away, and I refuse to do so just because my story might make some readers uncomfortable.

[aishangotome]

Personal Branch (Yi Yu): #1 The Dark Secrets of Aisha Hospital (爱莎医院的黑幕) Part 2 | Beyond The World 世界之外

Part 1

♡———♡

Before I could think further, Li Ming's car had already stopped in front of a detached villa.

The iron gate in front of the villa's yard and the doors were sealed, clearly indicating that this place no longer belonged to its former owners.

A slender, upright teenager stood quietly in front of the villa, his lead-gray eyes calmly gazing at some distant, unknown place.

He wore clean, well-made clothes, clearly indicating he had lived a privileged life and had good manners.

Even after experiencing such a drastic change in his life, he didn't show much panic.

Li Ming: Look, that should be the kid.

Li Ming: The young master of the Nine Colors Group. It's a pity, his family suddenly experienced such a huge change.

Even at his young age, the outline of his future refined and handsome face was visible.

It was Yi Yu as a teenager.

Me: ...What will happen to him?

My voice suddenly became a little dry.

Li Ming: Hard to say, this age is a bit awkward...

Li Ming: The information I got is that his family doesn't seem to have any relatives they keep in touch with. He'll probably be taken to a welfare institution?

Li Ming: But whether he can continue his studies is hard to say...

Yi Yu: "Just like when I lost what was important to me, everyone else was just observing."

Unexpectedly, I recalled the words Yi Yu had said on the ship and his calm demeanor when discussing the lives and deaths of everyone on board.

Li Ming just said that the Nine Colors Group's accident was caused by the Yi Dian Group.

I remember seeing the names of the main people responsible for the Yi Dian Group on the list of invited "spectators"...

And the Boreas itself was built by a subsidiary of the Yi Dian Group.

So, when he was on the ship, was Yi Yu doing all that for revenge?

Controlling those people, creating a maritime disaster, and silently sending them away in an "accident"...

Me: Is there anything I can do?

Li Ming: Oh, up to you. You could sponsor his schooling, if you want...

Li Ming: But there are too many pitiful people. We've seen even worse cases before. To be honest, we can't manage too much.

I lowered my head and said nothing, but I knew Li Ming was right.

On the Boreas ten years later, I did have some connection with the adult Yi Yu.

But I'm not a savior. I'm just a passerby from another world, a player. I can't help him.

Seeing that there was no other valuable information here, Li Ming took me away.

Young Yi Yu didn't pay much attention to us, possibly having become accustomed to the people who came here for various reasons these past few days.

I followed Li Ming into his old car. I wasn't looking at the boy in front of the villa.

But those lead-gray eyes kept unexpectedly floating before me.

Me: Wait, please stop the car.

Li Ming, who had just started the car, turned off the engine and looked at me.

Li Ming: What's wrong?

Me: Something came up. Please wait for me.

I pulled out a pen and paper from my backpack and wrote down my name and contact information.

Then I quickly opened the car door and ran towards Yi Yu.

It wasn't until I reached him that I finally stopped.

The boy looked up at me, a little puzzled.

Yi Yu: Do you need something?

At this moment, he didn't know me yet.

I placed the paper with my contact information in his hand.

Me: My name is Y/N. I'm a journalist. If you have any problems, you can contact me.

He nodded and took the note.

Yi Yu: Okay, thank you, I understand.

Even after such a huge change, he remained calm, gentle, and polite.

I didn't know what to say to him for a moment. Li Ming was still waiting in the car, so I finally nodded to him and turned back to the car.

Li Ming: What did you say to him?

Me: Nothing much.

Li Ming shook his head, saying nothing, and started the car.

I looked back through the car window. The slender and upright boy lowered his head, lost in thought.

.

.

.

.

.

The Dark Secrets of Aisha Hospital: Part 3

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to leave me a tip here or buy me a coffee through the "Leave a Tip" button on my navigation bar!

[x-bee-x]

Back again @cupidlia haha, I couldn't decide between prompts, off to a good start, have the boys ice skating as well!

I waited to post it until tonight just in case any friends who watched Arkanis, myself included, possibly needed a break and to see a cute fic to maybe take their mind off things btw.

Slippery

925 words

"And, there we go, o que você acha, Richas?"

Pac straightened his form in front of the boy with thick brown curls who was sitting on and had his legs hanging from the counter of the lab above him.

He had made the child a new prosthetic leg, not one for everyday, just occasions such as today, and finished making the final adjustments while it was pulled over the stump just above where his knee would be.

The bottom of its foot with a blade on it to help him glide along the ice outside, an ice skating shoe to wear on the opposite foot sitting on the counter beside him to put on when they were settled and ready.

Ramón with a matching pair sitting on the stool beside him and across from his sibling and parents, wiping his much less curly light brown hair from his forehead, and adjusting his signature bandana with a mustache drawn on the front.

The slightly younger kicked their leg slowly forward and turned his ankle to test the new prosthetic, then nodded matter of factly, Fit stepping forward to help him put on the other skate shoe then lifted and lowered them from the counter.

Pac standing in front of the chair their other son was at, bent slightly, and tying his ice skates.

"Cuidado, fihlo's. It is, it is difficult to walk on them sometimes. Não corra por favor."

They both nodded, holding hands to support one another, giggling as they waddled to the elevator, out the door of Chume Labs, and to the frozen over water at the edge.

The American had pulled one of the wooden chairs from the middle of this section of the island to sit at and observe his boyfriend and children, having waved his hand a couple times in response to him joining them at the moment but maybe later.

Pac holding one of each of their hands as they stepped onto the ice shaky and giggling.

"Lá vamos nós, good job guys, olha você vai!"

Richas and Ramón were holding each other's gloved hands now as they floated across the ice, Pac clapping his own together as the children learned how to stay upright, Fit cheering from a few feet away.

"Nice job guys, I knew you could do it!"

"Fitchi, would you like to join us now? It is fun!"

"I appreciate it, I think I'm okay for right now though, having fun watching my favorite boys having fun."

The Brazilian's cheeks were kind of pink, mostly caused by them standing in the weather, but not entirely.

Their sons still holding each other and spinning in slow circles and laughing while Pac skated over to the edge and stood in front of the other.

"Is everything okay, Fit? I do not want you to feel left out if you are not having fun, that's all."

Fit stood from the chair and sandwiched one of Pac's hands to reassure him and also keep it warm.

"I'm okay Pac, I'm not feeling left out or not having fun, promise."

"Then, then why do you not want to skate with us right now?"

Fit opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, Pac traced the palm of one of his hands with a finger still inside the warmth and smiled reassuringly, he opened his mouth again.

"Cause I uh, I don't know how."

"Oh! Is that all? Tudo bem! Would you, would you like to learn, can I help teach you?"

"I, yes, we can do that."

"Okay! There is still a pair of skate shoes inside, no? Could you go in and get them and I stay here to see if the kids need anymore help?"

"Copy that."

When the veteran came waddling out from the elevator and walked across to meet the other three a few minutes later, the boys were no longer holding onto each other but they skated close to each other still, and the dark haired man stood at the edge of the frozen ocean.

"Oi Fitchi!"

"Oi. So."

"So! Hold onto my hands, yes? Just take a few more little steps. I will not let you fall, estou bem aqui, I promise."

Step step step.

One and then both feet on the ice.

And.

"Whoa!"

"It's okay! I've got you, remember? Look, you are on the ice now, one part done!"

Pac tightened the hold on Fit's hands and the corners of his dark eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"Now you just kind of-"

He shuffled his feet in place, encouraging the American to do the same, still holding him steady.

"There you go, bom trabalho, Fit! Okay, do you think you would like to try moving, like um, not just in place. We can move together, yeah?"

Fit was still standing, shakily, and Pac rubbed his thumbs along the back of the veteran's hands.

"I uh, I think I'm good here actually, we don't have to go anywhere else do we?"

The giggle that followed, like all the times the Brazilian laughed, was one of Fit's favorite sounds in the world.

"Come on Fitchi, I've got you, I am not going anywhere away, we're just going to try to move more away from the edge, can we do that?"

Those big and soft brown eyes looked up and into soft hazel ones.

"You won't let go?"

One flesh and one faux hand squeezed as children laughed nearby.

"Eu não vou deixar ir."

"Okay."

The sound of skates gliding along ice slowly filled the air once more.

[gothicmama]

Pirates of Erebor Chapter 8 (Rough Draft?)

I'm posting this here before I post it to AO3, not sure how much editing I'll do to it later but it's just in case there's anything I missed during proofreading, or I fiddle with it some more.

Waking up with a hangover wasn’t an unfamiliar occurrence for Thorin. He’d done it many times during his traveling, on nights when drinking was all he could do and the weight of missing his family and the responsibilities he took upon himself grew too heavy. But waking up with a splitting headache, a special kind of pain that only the strong alcohol provided at Ered Luin could cause, and finding himself staring up at the wooden ceiling of his bedroom, brought about a strange feeling. It was like confirming he really was home and for a moment he closed his eyes and let himself lay, boneless, on the thick rug that covered his floor. For just a little while he could pretend nothing had changed and everything was okay.

But the longer he lay there, the more awake he became, and the more reality began to disturb the peace he wanted. The responsibilities he’d burdened himself with wasted no time in pushing to the forefront of his mind, despite his best efforts to not think about them. Finally, after several minutes of failing to go back to sleep, he let out a heavy sigh, rolled sideways, and got up on his hands and knees. Immediately his head and stomach protested the movement, but he pulled himself the rest of the way up anyway. The time for relaxing and celebrating had passed last night, with dozens of bottles of Ered Luin’s best, a few good-natured fights between cousins and siblings, and story after story from both himself and his family to catch everyone up. Now, it was time for work.

Standing upright, he took a moment to stretch and work out the kinks he’d gained from awkwardly sleeping on the floor for hours. As he moved, he became aware of various bruises all over his body, unsurprisingly he only remembered getting some of them. The others were mysteries that he discovered, with groans and pained hisses, as he moved about. Dropping his arms, he turned around and saw why he’d ended up on the floor. Not that it was the worst place to sleep since his room was big enough for two, a silent message from his parents who he knew were hoping he wouldn’t be alone forever, and the rug was thick, soft, and warm against his body. But when given the choice, he still would’ve chosen his bed, if it had been unoccupied. It unfortunately wasn’t, because Dwalin was sprawled out on it. His large frame dwarfed Thorin’s bed, despite it’s larger than normal size. That probably explained some of the mysterious bruises on him, as he and Dwalin had a habit of fighting over the bed after drinking. Snorting, Thorin lightly kicked his cousin’s leg and barked out, “Dwalin!” Dwalin clumsily kicked back at him with a sleep muffled curse before he returned to snoring.

Thorin chuckled as he moved past his bed to the other side of the room where his bathroom was. It was only the size of a closet, but it had everything he needed. He quickly relieved his bladder and got to work cleaning himself up. He was relieved to see he had changed at some point last night. He’d made the mistake of getting drunk in his good clothes before and they had almost always ended up ruined, either by blood or drink. He pulled off the worn-out pants and undershirt, both of which were surprisingly only stained with sweat, and briskly washed himself off with cold water in the tub. He didn’t have the patience to wait for hot water and after drying himself off just as quickly, he hurried to his dresser. He pulled open the first drawer he touched and randomly pulled out clothes. Everything was the same color, so it was guaranteed to match. He dressed quickly and pulled his boots on, then returned to the bathroom.

He took a quick look in the mirror above the sink before he ran a brush through his hair in record time, wincing each time he caught a tangle. He tied his hair back with a piece of leather and kicked Dwalin’s leg again on his way to the bedroom door. He ignored his cousin’s sleepy grumble but made a point to slam the door on his way out. He heard a muffled shout from inside, right before someone else yelled his name. Flinching, he turned to find his mother glaring at him from the end of the hallway. She looked just as put together as she always did, with her hair done up in the same intricate braids she always wore and her colorful clothing neat and clean. She’d clearly been awake for a while and didn’t appear to be as affected by the previous night’s activities as he and Dwalin were. Which was astounding because Thorin knew for a fact she’d drank as much as, if not more than, they both had.

He ducked his head to avoid her glare and walked towards her, apologizing, “Sorry, mother. I was messing with Dwalin.” He stopped in front of her, head tilted up slightly to meet her gaze.

As the seconds passed, Fris’ gaze softened until finally she cracked a small smile. “It’s past time he woke up. Past time you woke up, as well, son.” She reached up and began fussing with his hair, brushing down the loose strands into some semblance of control. “Did you get into a fight with the hairbrush, Thorin? Goodness.”

Thorin smiled sheepishly and stood still as she cleaned him up to her liking. Or as much as she could when he was only wearing a shirt, pants, and boots. She straightened everything, tucked his shirt in, laced the front ties up, and with a sigh let his hair loose so she could redo his ponytail completely. Her hands were insistent but gentle as she combed through the unruly curls with her fingers, likely because she knew his head was pounding with his hangover. As much as he wanted to protest, remind her that he was an adult and he liked the way he looked just fine, he found himself leaning into her touch. It had been many months since he’d last felt it, since she’d last lovingly fussed over him. That was his own fault, of course, he was the one who ran off on his own. Guilt surged up in him and he couldn’t stop himself from suddenly wrapping his arms around her. She let out a surprised gasp before she returned the gesture, hugging him just as hard as he was squeezing her.

Neither spoke for a long moment, until finally he whispered, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” she replied immediately. She gave him one extra tight squeeze then stepped back. He dropped his arms as she stared at his shirt, needlessly untying then retying the laces. He didn’t need to see her eyes to know they were filling with tears. “Enough of that now. We had enough last night.”

“Aye, you cried plenty for the both of us,” he teased. He gently grabbed her hands and pulled them away from his shirt. He gave them a careful squeeze which she returned.

“I’ll have you know, you cried more than me.” After reluctantly pulling her hands from his, she raised her head with a sniff and turned away from him. She started down the hallway towards the dining room and he fell into step next to her, loosely wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked.

“And Father cried more than both of us.” He chuckled, vividly remembering how many times his father had randomly started crying into his cup.

Fris rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hold back an affectionate smile. “He’s always been an emotional drunk. But I don’t think anyone can blame him this time.” Laughing softly, he nodded his agreement.

The conversation stopped for a moment when they reached the end of the hallway and the door they were looking for. He automatically stepped ahead of her to open the door, the action engrained in him from years of seeing his father and grandfather do the same for his mother and grandmother. She patted his cheek, pulling a soft smile from him, then she entered ahead of him. He followed in after her and wasn’t surprised to see the table was already occupied. His father was slumped over, head in his hands. He looked much like Thorin had when he'd first awoken, his hair and beard a frizzled mess and his clothes rumpled and stained. In contrast, his sister, who was sitting next to him and gently pushing a bowl towards him, looked almost as put together as Fris did. She'd left her hair down, save her important braids, and she wore an apron over her clean clothes. She looked up when they entered and smiled.

“Good morning, mother, Thorin. I fixed a little breakfast for us, would you like some?” Ignoring Thrain’s moan in response to her cheerful voice, she stood up and moved over to the counter. She didn’t wait for them to answer before she began fixing them both plates. The “little” breakfast wasn’t actually so little, there was a large platter piled high with various meats, two bowls full of soup, and a smaller platter stacked with bread. She picked up an empty plate and quickly filled it with meat and bread. Just as Thorin sat down, she set the plate in front of him. It was quickly followed by a bowlful of soup and a cup. He knew not to get his hopes up but he was still slightly disappointed when he lifted it up and smelled nothing but fresh water in it.

Despite the disappointing lack of alcohol, the first sip had him chugging it down. He hadn’t realized how much he missed fresh water after months at sea. All too soon his cup was empty and his face was wet with the drops that had missed his mouth in his frenzy. He set it down and, ignoring his mother’s glare, wiped his face dry with his sleeve. Dis refilled his cup without having to be asked and he managed not to gulp the second cupful down, too. Setting the cup down half empty, he pulled the bowl to him. The smell hit him immediately and sent a brief bit of nausea curling in his stomach, but it was squashed by the sudden hunger exploding through him. He’d had his fair share of food while he’d been drinking just hours ago, but months traveling and eating whatever he could scrounge up needed more than just one night of good food to be completely erased. He dug into the soup ravenously, earning a good-natured huff from his mother. She reached over and brushed some loose hair behind his ear before it could land in his bowl.

“Just a few months at sea and you’ve forgotten all the manners I taught you,” Fris huffed, though the affection in her voice made it clear she was only teasing. Dis set a plate, bowl, and cup in front of her before she sat back down by Thrain. The older man had yet to raise his head and hadn’t moved since Thorin and Fris had entered. Thorin wasn’t certain he was even awake until Dis patted his back and his father let out a loud, painfilled groan. Fris glanced at her husband disapprovingly before she began to eat, with much less hurry than her son had. She dipped the bread into the soup before taking her first bite. Mouthful, she closed her eyes and hummed approvingly, then after swallowing she said, “This is quite good, Dis, darling, thank you.”

Without looking at her husband, she added, “It’s too bad your father can’t appreciate it. But I suppose when you get to be his age, you just can’t handle your drink like you did when you were young.”

Her teasing worked and instantly Thrain picked his head up, grumbling, “At my age? I’m a perfectly respectable age and I can hold my drink just fine, thank you very much.” Still grumbling, he rubbed his eyes repeatedly to clear them, then blinked a few times before they focused on Fris. As if only just realizing she was there, he stopped grumbling and his face brightened immediately. He clumsily reached over the table and grabbed Fris’ free hand with both of his She hid her smile by taking another bite of bread, but she let him entwine their fingers. “Fris! My dear, Fris, my darling jewel, you look ever so lovely this morning!”

Ignoring Dis and Thorin’s snickers, Thrain scooted his chair around the table to Fris’ side. When he was close enough, he leaned towards her, lips puckered for a kiss. Instead of her lips however, he was met with a large chunk of bread. He leaned back, eyes growing wide with confusion, and the bread followed him. Fris rubbed the bread against his lips, and he followed the silent command and opened his mouth. Under her watchful gaze, he took a bite, chewed it up slowly, and swallowed it. Satisfied, Fris smiled at him and reached out to caress his cheek. He leaned into the touch until she was holding his head up. Still staring and smiling dopily at her, he let her feed him, opening his mouth each time she offered something.

With their parents focused on each other, Dis and Thorin looked away from them, an attempt to offer them some semblance of privacy. Huffing, she stood up from the table and picked up the bowl she’d been trying to give Thrain. Still eating, Thorin watched her pour the soup back into the bigger bowl and put the now empty bowl in the sink. After she rejoined him at the table, he swallowed his mouthful and asked, “Are you not going to eat?”

“I ate earlier, while I was cooking,” she explained. She glanced over at Thrain and Fris, rolling her eyes even as she smiled. “I’ve been trying to get him to eat something, or just drink some water, for almost an hour.”

Thorin followed her gaze and watched Fris literally spoon feed his father a bit of soup, being careful not to let any drip into his beard. Chuckling, he stuffed a bit of sausage into his mouth and said, “He’s always been a fool for mother, Dis. You know only she can get him to listen when he’s hungover.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Thorin, goodness,” Dis leaned away from him, fighting back a smile, and shooed her hand playfully at him. “How old are you, brother? It seems you’ve forgotten.”

“I’m old enough,” Thorin responded after swallowing his mouthful. He took a long drink of water to wash it down and pushed his plate away. Now that he’d stuffed himself, his hunger was appeased, at least for the moment. Wiping his mouth dry, he stood up. Neither of his parents reacted to his movement and he wasn’t about to disturb them, but he couldn’t sit there and watch them either. He set his empty bowl in the sink with the other dirty dishes, finished the rest of his water before adding it to the growing pile, and then set his plate that was still partially full on the counter, out of the way of the rest of the food.

With his mess cleaned up, he leaned over and kissed Dis’ hair. She caught his sleeve before he could walk away and asked, “What are you going to do now?”

Shrugging, he replied, “I’m going to find Bil- Master Baggins and get started with planning. We can at least get something started, and Father and everyone else can join us later when they’re ready.”

Something gleamed in Dis’ eyes in response to his answer. She smiled sweetly up at him and asked, “Could you wake the boys first, please? I want them to eat while the food is hot.” He was instantly suspicious of her smile and the sweetness in her voice, but there was nothing unusual in her request. So, staring at her with narrowed eyes, he hesitantly nodded. “Oh, thank you, brother!” She grinned and pushed him away from the table, causing him to stumble before he caught himself. He glanced back at her, still trying to figure out what she was planning, but when her smile didn’t budge, he had no choice but to let it go.

Sighing, he turned away from her and left the room. Whatever it was, he was confident it wasn’t as bad as anything else she’d done to him when they were younger. He could handle it. Holding onto that confidence, he leisurely walked through the hallways. As much as he wanted to rush and get the boys up as quickly as possible, so he could get started planning as fast as possible, being at home for the first time in months was enough to calm his impatience. He was surprised by the simple joy he found just being in the familiar halls, seeing the doors to his family’s various rooms. He passed a few people, a few cousins, but most people were still sleeping off their hangover or they’d already started their day’s work.

It took him a few minutes to finally reach the door to the room that his nephews shared with Gimli, but for once he didn’t mind the time it took. He was so calmed and relaxed by the walk that when he reached it, he’d forgotten all about Dis’ strange behavior. He stopped in front of the door and paused when he heard voices on the other side. He recognized his nephews, it was impossible not to with how loud they were, and he knew one of the other voices had to be Gimli. But the fourth eluded him, even when he leaned closer to the door he couldn’t place it. He wasn’t worried, as he trusted that no one could make it to the family side of the inn without permission, but his curiosity was piqued.

He really wanted to open the door and surprise them all, his nephews, Gimli, and the stranger, but he restrained himself. He raised his fist to knock, but before he could, the door suddenly opened. He looked down and suddenly found himself staring into Bilbo’s eyes. He froze, his hand stuck in the air. Bilbo was just as frozen, his mouth dropping open. They stared at each other, neither moving nor making a sound, for a long moment. Finally, they both snapped out of it. And then they, simultaneously, spoke.

“Thorin?!”

“Bilbo?!”

The Italics are Khuzdul and if I missed anything or something just doesn't seem right, please let me know!

[nightrestrp]

With that, we conclude season 2! We’re currently working on season 3 and we understand that the recent (multiple hehe) self-paras, plot drops and the big reveal can be a lot to deal with so we encourage everyone to take all the time they need. Your mental and emotional health is important to us so if you’re in need of a hiatus, we completely understand! Just please let us know.

I can honestly say this has been our best season so far and I want to take this moment to applaud my fellow admin, Jasmine, for all the hard work she did with her character, and not only for sticking to the storyline, but also for moving it along. This season wouldn't have been as great a success without her dedication and talent. Additionally, I'd like to thank Jasmine and Idalis for all the help with the main this season. Thank you both for your continued dedication to this group and I appreciate you both so much ❤️

Fair warning, this post will be a little long because all updates to end this season will be stated here!

Moving forward, we understand that it can be a big change for a lot of characters so if anyone would like to drop characters or switch one for another or edit anything about your current ones, you’re more than welcome to do so! Just shoot the main a message since we’ll be updating the pages today and tomorrow, and will be going back to our regular schedule of acceptances (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays). As of right now, you may apply for up to TWO ADDITIONAL MUSES, but this will be on a case by case basis, depending on your activity. The only thing we’re asking is for you to only take on the number of characters you’re sure you can handle. You're more than welcome to send in the apps now!

Like at the start of Season 2, we’ll be having a FACE CLAIM RESET, which means that all face claims of all characters who have died prior to the season finale will be reopened. This means that all the face claims of all characters who died during the Season 1 finale will also be reopened. You may check our TAKEN PAGE to see the updated list of everyone currently taken!

We've added a couple of rules to our RULES PAGE so please go over them!

We’re also asking everyone to UNFOLLOW ALL ACCOUNTS AND ONLY REFOLLOW THE ONES THE MAIN CONTINUES TO FOLLOW, because the main will no longer follow dead/retired/killer characters’ blogs moving forward, though all self-paras will still be linked in the timeline page!

Also, this is over a week late but HAPPY SIX MONTHS of Nightrest being open! I can't believe we've been open for over half a year, and this is another cause for celebration. I'm genuinely so, so, so grateful for everyone here, for the dedication to this group and the plot and all your characters and I can't wait to see what the next season will bring!

When it comes to IN CHARACTER INFORMATION, here a few things to take note of:

We are now in real time. The engagement party happened on July 22nd, and it’s been a week since then. You're free to write threads that happened any time between the end of the event until now, or continue your event threads, or start new for the new season. It's all up to you!

People still don’t know who owns the nightrestanonymous Instagram account that tagged Azra and it hasn’t been active since.

It’s now common and accepted knowledge that Adee was the killer and holds responsibility for all deaths and injuries since Enzo was locked up and Kennedy & Peter were killed. You may have your characters wonder if Jake's involvement was greater than just Adee's death, but there will be no proof of that. You may also have your characters wonder if there were more people secretly involved (there weren’t, but you know, curious minds).

Jacob is currently locked up, but won’t be facing that long a sentence. You may check the SEASON 2 TIMELINE page to see which killer was responsible for which death/injury!

I truly hope everybody’s having a great day/night and I’ll be around for the rest of the day if anyone has any questions!

[miraiq]

Semi-Hiatus/Sporadic Activity Notice

I'm sure this isn't a surprise, as I haven't written anything aside from a total of 4 sentences in well over a month---- but... yeah.

I've been fighting with myself for over a week to make this post and make it official.. cause doing so felt like admitting defeat.. or giving up, and it's not a nice feeling. But considering I have not written in that long just felt like I needed to at this point to at least make those who are waiting on me aware of my lack of response(s), and aren't just... politely awaiting a reply.

I do have it placed in my rules that I am very slow (at times), so hopefully this isn't a deal breaker-- but if I is, I understand and no hard feelings if you are no longer wanting to be mutuals/write with me. If not the case, I thank you all for your patience with me. Things are still in drafts, and several have a few sentences started, but I cannot get my brain to co-operate with me. I know where I want to take a thread but trying to actually put the thoughts into words and then actually write it out is just.. a bit much.

I won't go into details here, but I will provide the specifics in private if curious. My health has been on a drastic decline since the end of November and it's gotten to the point that I can barely operate on a day to day basis-- and what little energy and brain power I do have I have to save for college classes and my frequent doctor appointments. I've gone through 5 different medications since, and nothing has been helping, or has even made it worse-- and so I cannot say when I will be back to my usual frequency of activity.. Just, whenever my doctors can finally figure out what to do I guess- but at this rate, who knows how long that will be.

I am absolutely still willing to just goof off in private messages about muses and ideas, but I just can't put out anything of substance or any actual threads at the moment. And- I will still be on lurking, so seeing me in your activity feed just liking your posts will continue.

I can still send in prompts at least to make an attempt at building bonds between muses. If it is okay to do so, or encouraged/desired, please send me a message or leave a note on this post. However, doing so is acknowledging that you are not expecting me to reply to any prompt I send it, and that I am aware that I do not need to expand on any.

I can also add anyone on Discord to do silly back and forth idea swapping if easier than here on the good ol' Tungle. Though I reiterate, I will not be able to do anything serious in regards to writing. I've also wanted to put out a shipping call but I don't feel like that would be fair to others if I'm not going to be very present in terms of.. you know, full on threading and fleshing things out. But I can still toss headcanons and other ideas in terms of ships around.

So uh........ yeah. That's the update from ya buddy prince and my lack of existing.

[bookwyrminspiration]

I don't know who you are random anonymous survey taker, but I'm going to need you to stay far away from me and my boy. you're entitled to your own opinions but also you're wrong hope that helps (kinda joking kinda not. mostly joking)

anyway I love one Fitzroy Avery Vacker he's my favorite my best boy I'd do anything for him and he deserves to be treated with kindness and empathy and complexity and I'd cross the world at 2am for him <3

[mactavishwritings]

Fresh Ink part two

Ghost x Tattoo Artist!Reader

No matter what happens to him, he always comes home

tw: tattoo needles and slight arguing

this one will primarily be from ghost's pov. will switch to reader's pov occassionally. this one is also slightly longer!

part one | part two |part three | part four

The days leading up to the 29th dragged on and on. Ghost couldn't wait to get back into your little shop. Price made fun of him slightly, "I told you that it would become an addiction soon."

The day before the team was suppose to be sent home and Ghost could get his next piece was the final piece of the mission they were on. It should've been so simple, but fucking Graves had to go and throw everything away.

Ghost pictured you sitting in your little chair, waiting for him. He wanted to call or something, but he couldn't. He was stuck in the middle of Mexico, directing Soap to a church. He knew you understood because for active duty soldiers, you did not have a cancelation policy. He always thought it was so sweet that you would do that.

Sitting around a table with the rest of the ghost team, they plotted their next mission. "After this, we should commemorate this shit. We should get little tattoos or somethin'." Soap joked and the team laughed. "We could go to Ghost's girl. She does a fantastic job on him." Price sent a wink Ghost's way and he felt himself tense. The thought of sharing you with the rest of the team made him feel jealous.

He didn't want to share your softness. He didn't want to share your kindness or your artistry. He refuse to allow the others to be tattooed by you, but it was your job; your livelihood. How dare he take that from you.

Ghost nodded. "Considering I was suppose to see her a month ago for my next piece, maybe she can fit all of us in."

You were laying in your bed when your phone started ringing. You were up late like usual, drawing the next day's appointments. You picked up your phone and noticed it was a number you didn't have saved. You usually allowed your clients to give your number out to their friends so it may have been the case.

"Hey this is (Y/N). If this is regarding a tattoo, can you please call again at a better time. It is 2am." You said into your phone, trying to be as polite as you could muster at this hour.

"Why are you up then? Shouldn't you be asleep?" You heard a familiar British voice ask in response and you smiled.

"I was starting to think I offended you or maybe you died. What's up, Simon?" You asked, putting your tablet down. You could hear other voices in the background. You guessed that he was still on the mission that caused him to miss the last appointment he had with you.

"I'm sorry for missing that appointment. Do you think you could possibly tattoo me and my buddies? We wanna get dumb matching tattoos?" While on the surface, it sounded like he hated the idea, but you could tell that he secretly really loved it. He had told you previously about how some of his tattoos were dedicated towards old team members of his who had passed.

"Sounds good to me. You and I can work out a day to continue your sleeve. For this group piece, wanna do like four weeks out? I don't have the book with me. I do know I should be free 'bout a month out." You slightly rambled.

Ghost smiled, nodding along to your words. "Yeah sounds good to me. I can just text you when we get back?" Ghost picked at his thumb again, feeling nervous that you would tell him to keep your relationship more on the business side. "Yeah of course. Now I have your number so I can text you shit about your tattoos." He could tell that you were beaming. He felt his shoulders relax at the thought.

Soap elbowed Ghost and started snickering. "Ghost is in looooove." Ghost quickly thanked you and you two said your goodbyes before Ghost turned to Soap. "I have never seen you so flustered, L.T." Soap leaned forward on his elbows, sighing dreamily. "Shut it."

-

A few weeks had gone by and Ghost opened the door for your shop. The rest of the team followed him inside, all looking around curiously. Ghost nodded at your receptionist. "(Y/N) in? I actually have an appointment for once." Emma smiled at the group. "Course. Let me grab her. Any of you boys need anything? Water, snacks?"

Soon Emma brought you out as well as some snacks and water. You smiled brightly at Ghost and threw your arms around him. "I'm glad you made it back safely. I worked hard on your half-sleeve!" You laughed.

"Price! How's it been? Lemme see the tat. I wanna see how it healed." You moved on to greet Price and Ghost stepped back, allowing you to greet the team. Soon you led the group back to your room.

Since he had been there last, Ghost noticed that you added a few more couches and just general sitting place. He took the one closest to your usual chair, Soap sitting next to him on the coach, Gaz sitting on the tattooing chair, and Price sat on a bench next to the tattooing chair. "Right boys. Let me know what you guys think. I've been doodling." You smiled and flipped your tablet around to show your designs.

Immediately, Ghost smiled. Most of the designs were serious; Skulls similar to his mask, actual grave markers with dog tags, guns shooting out a ghost. Then there were non serious ones; a cartoon ghost, a small group of ghosts who were holding baseball bats. The guys looked over the designs, all smiling and laughing.

"This is some good shit." Soap looked up at you as you were prepping your work station. "Thank you. I work hard for my favorite client." You nodded your head towards Ghost. Thank god he had his mask on because Ghost felt his face heat up. Soap reached over and nudged Ghost.

Price rolled his eyes and grabbed the tablet from Gaz. "I think we all like the design with the gun shooting out the ghost. I do want you to explain the baseball bats." Price looked in your direction. "Ghost team. Baseball team. Therefore, Ghost sports team. Duh. Alright who's first!" You responded, causing the room to erupt into laughter.

You printed out all the stencils and got them all placed on the boys. Price decided to go first and you got his tattoo done quick. It was a relatively simple design so it wasn't had to get done. Ghost was never able to watch you tattoo from this side before. He was always the one being tattoo, not the watcher. Your arms flexed with each line you created. Your eyes squinted when you concentrated. He felt himself relax in your presence like he did every time he heard the hum of your machine.

Gaz was next. He was the only one in the group who did not have a tattoo. "Is it gonna hurt?" He looked at you with big eyes and the rest of the group rolled their eyes. "Dude, you've been shot before. Grow up." Soap groaned. You laughed and started on Gaz's tattoo. Ghost felt himself tense as Gaz tried to get you to comfort him. It was clear the young man was flirting with you.

After you finished Gaz, Soap plopped down and looked at you. "How many do you have? Tattoos I mean." Ghost was thrown off. He had never thought to ask you. He was sure you had tons that had many deep meanings. "Well, I have two full sleeves. I also have a sternum, a few on my rips, I got two matching pieces on both thighs, and some on my back." You recounted. Ghost had seen most of the ones on your arms. When he first came to you, it helped make him feel at home to see that you were somewhat tatted.

Finally, it was Ghost's turn. He decided to put his piece behind his ear, close to his hairline. Each of the boys had picked different spots and this was an intimate spot for him. You adjusted the tattoo chair and patted it. "Alright, your turn." Ghost lied on his back and turned his head. He lifted his mask up enough so you could tattoo the spot, but didn't reveal his face. You placed a hand on his head softly, running a thumb over his forehead. You started on the tattoo and while the hum of the machine was loud, he could still hear Gaz flirting with you.

Ghost clenched his jaw and slightly adjusted his position, not wanting to mess you up. You suddenly also moved to block his view of the team and your hand rest on his jaw. Once you started tattooing again, he heard you whisper something. "Relax, Simon. He's just messing."

The way you tattooed the rest of the team compared to him was completely different. You were gentle with him. You held him softly in a way that no one had before. He had never felt such softness before and he wanted to keep you to himself. He could feel himself falling.

He could feel himself falling in love with you. Hard.

-

Ghost's appointment to continue his sleeve came and he actually was able to make it to this one. He had stopped at the local coffee shop before his appointment to grab your favorite coffee. After the team tattoo, the two of you started talking more. First, it was to plan out his sleeves, but now the lines between professional business had blurred.

Emma smiled when he arrived. "Coffee? Someone's really trying to impress her." She sent the man a wink before nodding back to your room. "She's already back there. Go ahead, Ghost." He nodded at her before heading back to your room. You had just put up curtains, after asking for his advice. He was glad you did, made the room a little more private.

He stepped into the room and smiled. You had a stick of incense burning, leaving a warm feeling in Ghost's stomach. You weren't facing him, in your own world. You had music softly playing and were nodding along to it. You were wearing a pair of black jeans that you had cuffed, a black short sleeve shirt that showed off your tattoos, and a pair of black shoes. You soon turned and noticed Ghost standing at the door.

"Si! Is that coffee?" Your eyes soften as you accepted the cup from him. "You're a life saver. I'll have this after so I'm not shakin' with the machine." You put the cup off to the side and gave Simon a hug. He wrapped his arms around you and all the tension melted away. You tended to have that affect on him.

"Ready to get started?" You adjusted the tattoo chair for him as he sat down. He pulled his sleeve up so you'd have full access. He nodded, looking over at your station. You had the stencil already printed out, ready to be fitted. You lifted it up and started fitting the stencil, cutting small dents into curves to fit his biceps.

"Feeling better?" You asked casually, causing him to look at you confused. "Last time you were in, looked like you were gonna rip the little one's head off."

"Oh..Gaz. I don't know what you mean." Ghost immediately got defensive. You looked at him with an unconvinced glare. "Simon. I'm gonna let this stencil dry and you are gonna sit here and tell me why you almost killed your teammate for flirting with me."

You sat back in your chair and prepped the ink. He looked at you, terrified that he was going to have to admit his feelings. He didn't want the one constant kindness to be ripped from him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want him to make you uncomfortable." He said flatly. You rolled your eyes and turned away from him. "Sure. Cause I was the uncomfortable one."

A silence fell over the room as the stencil finished drying. Ghost watched your movements carefully. He could tell you had a lot on your mind, a lot you wanted to say. As you sat back down and grabbed your gun, he sighed and turned his head away from you. "I'm sorry. I didn't like him flirting with you."

He saw you nod to yourself out of the corner of his eye. "Thank you. Why didn't you like that?" You asked as you leaned closer to him, starting to tattoo him. "Who are you? My therapist?" You smiled again and looked at him. "In a way. You're always relaxed with me. Expect for that day. I wanna know why. If it's what I think it is, then okay."

"What do you think it is then, little miss therapist?" Ghost turned his head towards you. He knew that you could break him down with a single glance and no one else in the world could do that. He would let you though.

"I think you like me. I think that you don't want to share me, because no one has giving this kindness before so you don't want to share." You said it so casually as if it was your coffee order. "Am I right?"

Ghost remained silent, not wanting to confirm for you out loud that you were correct. "It's okay Simon. I don't let all my client have my personal number to text whenever they want. I really like you too, so it's fine that you don't want Gaz to flirt with what's already yours." Your focus then went back to the tattoo.

Ghost was taken aback. He had always been so afraid to be so vulnerable, but around you, it came so naturally. He wanted to show you every side of him. He reached up and slowly pealed the mask off his face.

"Can I kiss you?"