#enhances the entire organization

[tinakp]

Maximizing Your Business with EOS Tools: Onboarding Your New Leadership Team Member

Bringing on a new member to your leadership team can be a daunting task. But don't worry, the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) tools are here to make the process smoother and more efficient. In this video, we will explore how EOS tools can help you onboard a new team member and maximize your business's success

[moonlight-joy]

Toxic Obsession

Fandom: Kraven the hunter

Summary: You’re a scientist working on a serum that enhances physical strength and agility, unknowingly funded by Kraven. When your lab is destroyed by a rival organization, Kraven finds you and takes you under his protection. As he becomes more possessive, you realize he sees you as more than a partner—he sees you as his greatest creation.

Pairing: Reader/Sergei Kravinoff

The acrid smell of burning chemicals lingered in the air, clinging to your clothes as you stumbled out of the wreckage. The lab, your sanctuary, your life's work, lay in ruins behind you. Flames crackled in the distance, and the night sky was painted in hues of smoke and ash. You clutched a small metal case to your chest, the only surviving sample of the serum you'd been perfecting for months. Enhanced physical strength, agility—a breakthrough in human potential. But now it was all gone.

Gone, except for him.

“You should be more careful,” a low, familiar voice drawled from the shadows. You froze, your heart pounding as Kraven emerged from the darkness, his presence as commanding as ever. He moved with the grace of a predator, his eyes locked on you with unsettling intensity.

“Kraven,” you whispered, your voice trembling with a mix of relief and apprehension. “You’re here.”

“Of course,” he said, stepping closer. “I always keep an eye on what is mine.”

Your pulse quickened at his words, the possessiveness in his tone impossible to ignore. You knew Kraven’s involvement in your project wasn’t entirely altruistic. He’d funded your research, provided the resources you needed to push the boundaries of science. But his interest in the serum went beyond scientific curiosity. It was personal.

“They destroyed everything,” you said, your voice hollow. “The equipment, the data… everything except this.” You held up the case, and Kraven’s eyes gleamed with approval.

“Good,” he murmured. “You did well to save it.”

“But why?” you asked, your voice rising in frustration. “Why would someone target the lab?”

Kraven’s expression darkened. “Rival hunters,” he said simply. “They want what I have. What we have.”

You took a shaky breath, the weight of his words settling over you. “So what happens now?”

Kraven’s gaze softened, but only slightly. “Now, you come with me. You’re not safe here.”

Before you could protest, he closed the distance between you, his large hand wrapping around your wrist. His touch was firm, unyielding, and you felt a shiver run down your spine.

“I can’t just leave,” you said, trying to pull away. “I need to rebuild the lab. I need to—”

“Your work is over,” Kraven interrupted, his voice low and commanding. “The serum is complete. And now, it’s time for you to fulfill your true purpose.”

“My true purpose?” you echoed, your stomach twisting with unease.

He nodded, his eyes gleaming with something dark and possessive. “You created the serum to enhance human potential. But you don’t see it, do you? You are the perfect candidate. You understand the science better than anyone. You… will become my hunting partner.”

Your breath caught in your throat. “What? No. That’s not… That’s not what I wanted.”

“It doesn’t matter what you wanted,” Kraven said, his grip tightening ever so slightly. “It matters what is needed. And I need you.”

You shook your head, panic rising in your chest. “This isn’t right, Kraven. I’m a scientist, not a hunter. I didn’t make the serum for this.”

“But you did,” he said, his voice softening as he cupped your face with his free hand. “You just don’t realize it yet. The serum was never about making someone stronger or faster. It was about creating something… perfect. And you, my dear, are perfect.”

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you tried to pull away again. “You can’t make me do this.”

Kraven sighed, his expression hardening once more. “You misunderstand. I’m not making you do anything. I’m giving you a choice. You can stay by my side, embrace what you’ve created, and become something greater than you ever imagined. Or you can leave, knowing that the world will never be safe for you again.”

The weight of his words settled heavily on your shoulders. You knew Kraven well enough to understand that his offer wasn’t entirely selfless. He saw you as a prized possession, his greatest creation. But there was a twisted kind of care in his gaze, a desire to protect what he considered his.

“And if I stay?” you asked quietly.

His lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. “Then I will keep you safe. I will teach you to hunt, to survive. And together, we will be unstoppable.”

You swallowed hard, your mind racing. The idea of becoming a hunter, of embracing the serum’s potential, terrified you. But the alternative—walking away from Kraven and everything you’d built—felt equally impossible.

“I need time,” you said, your voice trembling. “Time to think.”

Kraven studied you for a long moment before nodding. “You have until dawn,” he said. “Then, we leave.”

The hours passed in a blur as you paced the small cabin Kraven had taken you to. The serum case sat on the table, a constant reminder of the choice you had to make. Your mind churned with conflicting thoughts—fear, anger, curiosity. The potential of the serum was undeniable. But was it worth sacrificing your humanity for?

As dawn approached, you heard the soft creak of the door opening. Kraven stepped inside, his gaze locking onto you immediately.

“Have you made your decision?” he asked, his voice calm but expectant.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself. “I’ll stay. But on my terms.”

Kraven’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, and then he chuckled, a low, satisfied sound. “You continue to surprise me,” he said. “Very well. We do this your way. For now.”

As he approached, you felt the tension in the room shift. There was an unspoken understanding between you—a dangerous dance of power and control. Kraven might see you as his greatest creation, but you refused to be reduced to a mere possession.

“One more thing,” you said, your voice steady. “I’m not just your partner. I’m your equal.”

Kraven’s gaze darkened, a flicker of something primal crossing his features. “We’ll see about that,” he murmured, his lips curling into a predatory smile.

And as dawn broke, casting light across the ruins of your old life, you couldn’t help but wonder if you’d made the right choice—or if you’d just stepped into the most dangerous hunt of all.

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[unicornpopcorn14]

Bringing back Darcy's post @whathorselegs about Chuuya's domestic capabilities because LOOK AT THIS:

His room is too empty. And seeing it drawn as so just enhances how bleak everything in Chuuya's home life is. The desk itself almost seems too out of place— why is it directly obverse to the bed?? Why isn't it against the wall? Why is everything placed in a straight line across from one another?

Chuuya clearly has no idea how to organize/fill his space, because he never had a personal space to begin with. I'd imagine the luxury of having a whole space to yourself was hardly available during his time in the sheep, let alone a whole room.

Let's not forget that Chuuya, at this point, has lived an entire year in this apartment, yet he still has no desire to liven it up.

The emptiness inside him, the turmoil of having no identity, forced his living space to lack identity as well...

[emacrow]

When danny beat pariah king and Dan, he didn't expect the damn crown and ring to follow him.

He tried everything so far to asking clockwork for help only to be told some cryptic bullshit.

The fucking crown and ring followed him everywhere even in the shower that one time scared the shit outta of him for ancient sake. It seem scolding them like a dog(thanks to tucker advise) actually work for a few days..

It was weird as fuck to see a crown and ring of rage actually look depressed as shit in the corner with a droopy blue coloring in the corner of his room under his dirt clothes a Camouflage.

It was like some self sentient object gone wrong.

Those two were diabolical, almost nearly tricking him into wearing them that one time during the school play, fortunately his ghost sense went off the moment he was about to put on the ring part.

That lead to another scolding that lasted a couple days of peace.

Until the day, he got caught by the GIW while distracted with skulker and techno again...

Being trapped to a table, mouth gagged and limbs binded like a insect held by needles pins with stolen fenton locks for dissection had him full blown out panic as the doctors left to get their new equipments after the scapel broke during the mid cutting.

Only for the crown and ring to appear like a shadow in above him. Danny was mentally arguing with himself about whether to accept his fate or get dissected and organs harvasted before he huffed through his nose and slightly nod as best as he could with the strapped helding his head to the table could do.

The crown floating toward his head, placing itself on his white hair while the ring slipped into his middle finger, before a blinding light nearly engulped the room.

The black crown covered in blue flames changed ad morphs into a aurora lights shaped crown designed in frozen ice as the ring changed from a skull to tiny galaxy like marble..

Danny could feel a surge of power nearly engulp his very core as voices whispers him, stars, galaxies, universe, the four dimension, multiple of parallel worlds and all secrets of the entire universe crammed into his brain nearly torn at his human mind before a portal below him opened sucked him in.

By the time the doctor came back, the subject on the table had escaped.

....

....

....

Danny only woke, laying on some type of ground, before he noticed that he was a bit different, enhanced like claws with sharp black nails..

As he noticed the ground was red with drips of glowing green ectoplasm blood before looking up to the sky..

To see stars above, and earth very far off on the right..

Darkness started to swirl a bit as his mind subconscious realize he might not be on earth and he might be on Mars.... first human on mars... before his body exhausted collapse back into the red dirt of mars.

Unawared of the forseen event as the astronaut crew on mars find a alien kid during exploration..

Fic inspired by this link here

[fictionadventurer]

For all the talk about bad Christian fiction, I've seen several different ways that Christianity can be well-integrated into the story.

The story is about something unrelated to Christianity, but the characters are Christian and their faith affects their outlook and daily life. I recently stumbled across Wormwood Abbey by Christina Baehr, which is a light, fairly forgettable cozy fantasy that happens to do this really well. The story is about a woman who learns that dragons exist around her family's estate, but as the daughter of a rector, she often mentions prayer, sings religious songs, or thinks of Bible verses that relate to things she experiences. The Christianity feels organic to the character, and thus enhances the story rather than distracting from it.

The world is a Christian world where Christian beliefs are shown to be the correct framework through which to view the world. This happens in good Christian fantasy, like Lewis and Tolkien, but there are plenty of real-world stories where the themes line up with Christian truths, and this can make a story Christian whether or not religion is explicitly practiced by characters within the story.

The characters wrestle with how to apply their faith in their daily lives. Regina Doman's Fairy Tale Novels often feature this, as the characters struggle to deal with plot problems while living out their faith. Amy Lynn Green's work often features this as well--characters hold certain values (like, for instance, a Quaker pacifist) and have to figure out how they apply or don't apply to specific situations, especially when they conflict with other values, or they have to figure out how to live out their values (such as forgiveness) in moments where it seems impossible or even ill-advised. Charlotte Yonge's best works (specifically, what I've read of The Three Brides) do this as well--instead of preaching the one right answer, you have characters trying to figure out what the best answer is as they figure out what's right or wrong in this specific situation.

Characters face the revelation that there's a spiritual world that exists beyond our ordinary world, which can cause terror, but also provide comfort and hope. Elizabeth Goudge's novels often exist in this space, with very internal stories of characters coming to embrace the truths that come with living in a spiritual world. To a lesser extent, I'd say Amanda Dykes' work often fits here, with characters ultimately find comfort and hope from philosophies that line up with Christian truth. In less-cozy works, there's also the possibility of stories where an entirely secular person encounters God and has to figure out what that means for their life.

So our options are Christianity as character, Christianity as setting, Christianity as theme, or Christianity as plot. The ways this is integrated most seamlessly is when Christianity (or the ways they struggle with it) is a vital part of the character, so the plot that arises from it lines up with a Christian worldview. It also works well for the characters to just exist within a world where Christian truths are the way the world works. It doesn't even necessarily require the characters to be explicitly religious. Truth is something that everyone is searching for, and stories that honestly showcase truth or the search for it are going to resonate with a wide audience, even if they aren't Christian themselves.

[twilightkitkat]

Can we take a second to consider how Deadpool's regeneration works?? Like what the limits are? And what that means in the context of their weaknesses and scenarios for fanfiction?

Deadpool's regeneration is near infinite. He's come back from being exploded before by a single blood cell. As long as he isn't completely atomized, he can come back.

If you explain his healing as an extremely enhanced metabolism (similar to Peter Parker's healing) then this would mean all cell processes and chemical reactions in his body happen at a significantly faster pace than the average person. This would apply to digestion, healing, energy expenditure, but also death and aging.

The human body has a finite limit of cells that it will produce in its lifetime, so if it was simply enhanced metabolism he couldn't regenerate infinitely. Even "enhanced" healing would have its limits and a greater metabolism wouldn't account for regrowing limbs or parts of the body entirely.

This would imply that his ability is more than just "enhanced healing" but instead the ability to completely reconstruct his body. This insinuates that mutants would need different DNA that maps out the parts of the body and the instructions to generate it in their genetic code. This is similar to the regrowth of a lizard's tail or how the liver of a human body can regenerate.

However, healing capabilities aside, where does the matter and energy for this come from? Matter doesn't spontaneously come into existence; it can neither be created nor destroyed. He would need a source of energy and matter to rebuild his body.

Let's start with energy. Most humans utilize chemical energy from food to carry out bodily functions. However, Deadpool can regenerate from a single blood cell without eating anything. This implies that his body is either insanely energy efficient and has a different blueprint or that mutants draw their energy from another source. Can mutants tap into matter and antimatter as a source of energy where the human body hits its limit?

More than energy, let's consider the issue of matter. To regenerate, Deadpool would need to rebuild the organic matter of his body. If it were just an issue of reattaching limbs and reforging bonds between severed body parts or torn skin, it would be feasible. However, it's been shown that even when Deadpool's limbs or blood or corpse are beyond salvageable, he regrows them from scratch. An example of this was in Deadpool 1 where he cut off his hand and left it with Colossus, but it still regenerated on its own without it disappearing.

This implies that the lost matter from energies such as detached limbs, blood, and gore isn't reused in the regeneration process unless intentionally reattached. If he's capable of regenerating from scratch, he needs a way to get carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which are the key elements that compose the human body. He also needs a way to condense these into macromolecules and organic compounds.

Hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen exist in large quantities in the atmosphere. Could he potentially be absorbing elements and reintegrating them into his body? Would this imply that his skin needs to be more porous to absorb elements through the air into his body?

For him to reintegrate these elements, is his body somehow catalyzing the synthesis of macromolecules? This was studied in the Miller-Urey experiment, which simulated the early conditions of Earth's atmosphere and the available basic compounds to see if it was possible for elements to spontaneously synthesize together to create the macromolecules needed for human life. It was found that under pressure, heat, and electricity, it was in fact potentially possible for the building blocks of human life to originate this way. Are mutant bodies capable of perfectly replicating the conditions and forces needed to cause this to happen consistently and at near-instantaneous speeds?

If this were possible, would this mean that there are conspiracy theories that "mutant" forces could be responsible for life on Earth in the Marvel universe? (If matter and anti-matter play a role in mutant abilities, could they have contributed to the existence of mutants to begin with? To life on Earth?)

Aside from these elements, phosphorus would be needed to recreate DNA and the nuclei of cells. Phosphorus doesn't have an atmospheric phase in its geologic cycle—it's only found in rocks and compounds, not the air. Wade couldn't absorb it from the ground because he doesn't always regenerate in areas where phosphorus is present. Does this imply that phosphorus is present in the air in Marvel and that in their dimension, it does cycle atmospherically for regenerative mutants to exist?

Considering that regeneration is possible given all of the elements are present, how was Wade able to regenerate his rapidly suffocating cells when he was trapped in the airtight tank by Francis? If he was able to replace the oxygen in his cells, does this apply that he had access to matter that "wasn't there"? Does this tie into anti-matter being an active force in Marvel that exists within mutants? Does energy conservation work differently, wherein antimatter potentially eats up organic matter in another part of the Earth to preserve the balance while it supplies necessary elements to mutants? Or is it another force?

Wade's regenerative capabilities can largely be attributed to his cancer. It gives him the added effect of rapid cell repopulation, while his healing staves away the deadly effects until it's neutralized.

For Wade's entire body to regenerate from a single blood cell, this would imply that his entire body is composed of stem cells that are capable of differentiating into all of the different types of cells. And that mutants have an insanely high number of stem cells compared to the average person. This could be incredibly useful in stem cell transplant surgery to help recover from issues with bone marrow, blood cells, cancers, blood disorders, and autoimmune diseases.

Do mutant stem cells play a large part in the medical field with their rapid regeneration and near-infinite cell differentiation? Are there mutants held captive and experimented on just to obtain their stem cells? Could Wade be a target of this?

Speaking of farming, could Wade theoretically infinitely sell his organs on the black market for money? Considering he can regrow organs entirely without the preexisting one intact. Would they go for extra money because of enhanced durability and "better" mutant cells?

Most regeneration couldn't be entirely infinite, though. Eventually, if the regeneration was rapid enough, cells would reach the Hayflict limit. The Hayflick limit is the number of times a normal human cell can divide before it stops dividing. At the end of human chromosomes, there are telomeres which protect the integrity of DNA during cell division. As cells continue to divide, the telomeres keep shortening until eventually they run out and the DNA itself gets damaged if further replication occurs. The cells reach a state of senescence, wherein the cell stops dividing but functions normally until it dies permanently. This makes infinite replication from the same set of cells impossible.

However, Wade is the exception. His cancer cells would keep dividing because telomerase, an enzyme, keeps lengthening the telomere to allow for rapid and infinite regeneration. Therefore, the cell would never reach the Hayflick Limit and Wade's entire body could be regenerated even from a single cell.

This would imply that his healing factor wouldn't be nearly as strong and would, in fact, have more imposing limits without his cancer. His mutation encompassed a faster healing ability, but it originally would be finite if his cells were overloaded and regenerated enough to reach the Hayflick limit.

Additionally, this implies that Wade stopped aging not because of his healing factor, but because of his cancer. Aging occurs due to chromosome shortening, wherein the telomeres of cells slowly get shorter until the cells are no longer capable of safe replication. Eventually, the speed of cells dying outpaces the speed of reproduction as the majority of cells reach senescence.

Wade's cancer stopped him from aging. It took his healing from strong to nearly invincible. The same thing that causes him pain every day is the very reason he's as strong as he is.

This also implies that if he ever did find a way to cure his cancer while keeping his ability intact, he would sacrifice his immortality. He would begin aging, even if slowly, and he would lose the ability to come back from mere scraps. His healing would be more on par with Logan (who I'll make a separate analysis of later), wherein he would still age and take damage but with rapidly accelerated healing and cell reconstruction capabilities.

Wade's healing is stronger than Logan's. Wade can recover if there is even a piece of him left, while Logan's healing has greater limits. While Wolverine has more enhanced physical capabilities, Wade wins in the regeneration department.

This implies that if the two were tortured repeatedly in a similar manner, Logan's regeneration might slow down and eventually stop if he was bombarded constantly without sustenance, while Wade's would hold on for much longer (potentially forever). Wade would be the sole survivor if they got trapped or tortured, and would have to watch Logan slowly die as his healing fails and his cells hit their limit .

This is a painful reminder that Logan will age and eventually die. With his ability, Wade will not. The very cancer that led to him losing the life he wanted and becoming the monster he sees himself as is the reason Logan will leave him behind in the end when he dies. It's a curse he'll never escape from, no matter how far he runs.

Wade can heal from almost anything physically, but could he ever really heal from outliving Logan? From losing him?

[eternity-death]

I would like to give out some technical cyborg tips for people who write Boothill!!!

Cyborg ≠ Robot. Robots are entirely machine (SCREWLLUM is a robot)… a cyborg is part human part machine. And when I say part human I am SPECIFICALLY talking about the brain. A cyborg is literally a human brain encased in a mechanical body. There could be nothing organic in the body— no skin, bones, veins, nerves, etc— but as long as there is a human brain running it, it is still a cyborg. Boothill’s head is almost entirely organic— but his eyes were probably tinkered with and given enhancements.

Do cyborgs need sleep? Yes. A human brain is still a human brain, and the brain NEEDS sleep to function. However, they may not need to sleep as often as a normal human does.

Do cyborgs need to eat? Yes (Kind of)!! Again, it’s a human brain, and the brain needs nutrients or it will begin to eat itself. Now, HOW the nutrients is acquired is subjective. Some cyborgs may eat normally, while some might have other ways to receive the nutrients they need. How? Not sure. Maybe they have a reserve somewhere in their body that supplies nutrients to the brain.

Do cyborgs need to bathe? Also subjective. It probably depends on how much of the cyborg’s body has been altered. If it’s still mostly organic then yeah, probably. But in Boothill’s case he might just need to spiff it up every now and then (kind of like washing a car), there’s probably special treatments for bodies like his. He does have to wash his hair regularly, though. “Can he get wet?” I think he can handle a few splashes/travel in the rain, but I’m not sure if he can submerge himself in a body of water.

Can cyborgs feel physical touch? THIS is subjective, but honestly, I don’t think they can. We have receptors in our body that allow us to feel things— I don’t think you can replicate that in a mechanical body. I do think he has special sensors that can perceive the closeness of a foreign object/another person, but I don’t think he can FEEL them.

Anyways, that’s all for now. Hope this helps!!!

[1-have-no-idea]

blush

Character(s): Crosshair, reader, just the entire batch

Genre: fluff, romance, tiiiiiiiiny bit of angst?? (Crosshair thinks you say you like him as a joke for like, three seconds)

Overview: Crosshair has a crush on you, and almost everyone is aware of it. Except you. Luckily, his brothers seem to rat him out so you can actually move forward with him.

Warning(s): Crosshair and Wrecker having brotherly bonding (Wreck makes fun of Cross), mentions of sweat, cursing (in Mando’a and English), pre-order 66, Crosshair has a BIG crush on you, reader is called ‘doll’, a little rushed

(I just wanted to write smth fluffy for him after the last one-)

2293 words

Crosshair liked you. It was an obvious fact.

…at least to his brothers. In Tech’s eyes, the marksman's crush on you was as obvious as Wrecker’s hulking form in a cantina. Come on, it didn’t take a genius to figure that out. Although, he was one. The way he’d purposefully provoke you to get a reaction from you (aka, your attention), how his gaze would linger just a couple seconds too long and how he always seemed to be in your medical room because he needed an extra toothpick for you, (which you so graciously carried for him…) wasn’t that obvious enough? He’s known his brother long enough to know what he looks like and acts like when he has a crush. As for Hunter, thanks to his enhanced senses, he was painfully aware of how his youngest brother’s heart rate quickened whenever you were near, and how his breath hitched. Not to mention the faint scent of sweat that he picked up on that always seemed to occur when you were by. As for Wrecker… he just knew. He wasn’t dumb, in fact, he thought he was quite good with emotions! He knew little Crossy had a big, fat crush on you! How did he know, you may ask?

Because his dear, skinny little brother would blush. Yup. One word from you, your name brought up in a conversation, just you being in the room… he saw it. Wrecker saw it. Not his cheeks, thank the Maker for that, because Crosshair was somewhat pale, but his ears. The tips of them, usually a dark creamy ivory, would flush a tulip pink, even a bright raspberry color depending on how embarrassed or nervous he was. Of course, however, that wasn’t obvious to you.

It wasn’t like you had enhanced or modified attributes. You were just you. A medic. How were you supposed to know-? He wasn’t obvious about it in any way! He just seemed to love pushing your buttons, that was it. And getting his toothpicks from you, but that was it. Crosshair didn’t like anybody, much less, you. You weren’t special. You were just someone he loved messing around with. That was it.…right?

Wrong.

Flick. Tap, tap, there goes another toothpick your way. It flicked past you before plummeting to the ground, skidding to a stop a little bit aways from your boot. Oh, there we go. It was that time of the day, yeah? This was ritualistic at this point. It missed you, but you knew that was entirely intentional. If the sniper wanted to hit you with it, he was fully capable of doing just that. With an unimpressed huff, you looked up from the medkit you were organizing (that Echo had so sweetly dropped off to you), to meet the piercing eyes of none other than the sniper that seemed awfully fond of throwing things at you. You rose a brow in response, placing a hand on your hip and tilting your head at Crosshair. “Really?” You asked rhetorically. The youngest batcher just hmfed and shrugged, taking large strides in your direction until he was towering over you. “What? I can’t see our hardworking medic while she’s busy?” He teased, looking down at you through narrowed eyes. You scoffed humorously, turning back to your supplies. You both knew that was a lie. “You’re funny. We both know that’s fake.” You commented, and he mocked a look of hurt. “I just wanted to spend time with you,” “Liar.” He rolled his eyes at your statement, before continuing. “Listen, in all truthfulness, I just wanted to say that…” he trailed off, leaning on the counter next to you while tapping his fingers on the cool metal rhythmically. “I think you’re pretty.” You were looking up at him the entire time, waiting for him to say what he had to say, but you didn’t seem to process his words until a couple seconds later. Immediately, your eyes widened and you physically leaned away from him, nonplussed in every way. And it didn’t help that Crosshair looked so sincere, dropping the mischievous and smug look and trading it out with a more relaxed one, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb on you by telling you that. There was no way, right? Crosshair, the nonchalant and snarky sniper, calling you pretty? When has he ever complimented anybody? You were struggling with your emotions, but you couldn’t help the way your face seemed to slightly soften and you almost looked flattered. Well- you and him always did flirt sometimes, but it was all sarcasm and just to get under each other’s skin, but you didn’t think–

“Pretty ugly.” Oh. And there it is. Your mouth was parted and you almost looked a little hurt as he smirked smugly down at you, eyes narrowing once again. You sighed and dead-panned at him, looking only a tad irritated. “Wow, you’re hilarious.” You bluntly uttered sarcastically, rolling your eyes before looking back down while cleaning up your area. Crosshair shrugged and reached a hand down to grab a toothpick from the pouch connected to your belt, placing it between his teeth and using his tongue to position it in the side of his mouth, not apologetic and rather apathetic to how you took his words. It was silent for a couple more moments, before you bravely spoke up next.

“Well, you know, I think you’re pretty.” You admitted calmly, slowly relaxing and releasing your previous tension and irritation. Crosshair rose a brow, cocking his head to the side barely. “Pretty what?” He quizzed, already expecting an insult to come next.

Silence…. More silence… your lips quirked up into a barely perceivable smile, and Crosshair couldn’t help but feel more uncomfortable and confused. Silence— “Pretty what, [name]-?” He repeated, this time more urgently, brows furrowed, but you just closed your medkit and shrugged happily, giving him a warm smile as you brushed past him. And that made his eyes widen a fraction. “[name]!” He called out in frustration, but you were already out of the medical room and pressing the button behind you so the doors slid shut. The clone let out a frustrated grunt and he felt the tips of his ears burn, and he glared daggers into the ground as if it did something wrong. His hands curled into fists as he sucked in a deep breath. “...such a kriffing pain in the shebs.” He cursed lowly in frustration.

“Ya know, Crosshair, I think that it’s great that you an’ the lil’ medic are so close!”

The toothpick in said-clone’s mouth snapped in half, and he felt his eye twitch as he whipped towards his himbo of a brother. “Pardon?” He grit out through clenched teeth, but Wrecker just barked out a laugh and grinned at him. “Y’heard me! Ain’t nothin’ wrong with bein’ a little friendly with her!” He repeated, knowing fully well that he was getting on his youngest brother’s nerves. Crosshair sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, hanging his head low. See, this is why he dreaded and absolutely detested being left alone with this small-brained giant, he didn’t understand why he had to be left at ship with him while you and his other brothers went on the mission. “There is nothing between me and [name], you big oaf. I just like annoying her.” “I call bantha-shit!” Wrecker called out loudly, bounding up to the shorter clone and hitting him with Lula. Crosshair winced and groaned, shoving him away while glaring at him. “Yer just tryna spend more time with her! That’s the truth, Cross, cuz’ you gotta big, fat, crush on her.” Wrecker provoked with a large toothy grin. Crosshair made a noise of shock and disgust and shook his head. “I do not!” He hissed in protest, but the demolitions expert just rose a hand to stop him. “Nothin’ ta be ashamed of, Crossy, m’yer big brother, ya can trust me!” He exclaimed, and Crosshair sneered at him. “That’s exactly what I will not do,”

“You wanna be with [name], Cross, admit it!” Wrecker cheered. “Ya wanna hold ‘er, ‘n kiss ‘er,” Wrecker immediately turned around and made a crude act of wrapping his arms around himself and swaying while making obscene kissing noises. “Oh, [name]! I love ya so much, I have the biggest crush on ya, ‘n I want ya!” He mocked in a high pitched voice, and Crosshair, having had enough, snapped. “Shut up, shabuir!” He shouted, baring his teeth at the larger clone, spinning him around and shoving him backwards, which barely moved him, much to his displeasure. The tips of his ears were burning again, and he felt his palms getting a little sweaty beneath his gloves, his heart banging against his ribcage. “I do not like, or love [name]!” He cried out in humiliation and embarrassment, but Wrecker just smirked and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Oh, but ya do,” he countered, voice low, making Crosshair swallow harshly as the large male took steps towards him. “An’ ya wanna know how I know?” He asked, before leaning down slightly to get in Crosshair’s face. “I know cuz’ you blush, Crossy.” He whispered huskily, before pointing to his ears. “You get real red up here.” “I–” Crosshair faltered, painfully aware of the burning at the tips of his ears again before his hands flew up to cover them. “No,” he denied, but he knew it was futile. He was figured out, by his stupid brother, nonetheless. Wrecker leaned back up, gesturing to him. “Then why’re ya coverin’ yer ears?” He questioned smugly, and Crosshair gave him the harshest glare he could muster, and if looks could kill, Wrecker would’ve been six feet under.

Just then, before he could answer, everyone came back, flooding the ship once more while you breathed out a sigh. “We’re back!” You announced, and Wrecker sent a grin towards his little brother. Immediately, Crosshair growled and stormed out of the cockpit, leaving the rest of you confused. Well. Just you. Hunter shared a knowing glance with Wrecker, and Tech only shook his head while busying himself on his datapad. Echo gave a mere shrug, before retreating to work more, leaving you utterly confused. “Did you provoke him, Wrecker?’ Hunter asked in exasperation, and Wrecker could only shrug innocently. “Jus’ brought up the obvious.” Hunter nodded, shaking his head. “Figured. Could hear him from outside. And smell him.” He added with a grimace, and you sent a questioning glance their way. “What-?” Tech waved you off and guided you away. “Nothing that you need to worry about, [name]. Crosshair is just having another lash out due to his raging hormones whenever he’s around you or someone brings you up.” Tech stated bluntly, making you stammer in shock, your cheeks heating up. Raging hormones???

Before you could question him though, he was excusing himself to go work with Echo, leaving you even more confused than before. You immediately walked back to Wrecker and Hunter as they conversed, gesturing to where Crosshair left. “What’s up with Cross-? And what ‘raging hormones’-?” You asked incredulously, wanting answers right now. Hunter pursed his lips together, unsure about ratting his brother out, but Wrecker beat him to it. If he couldn’t confess, he’d do it for him. “Crosshair has a crush on ya.” He told you. Your heart constricted in your chest, and your eyes went round with shock, cheeks heating up once more. “...he what?” “Likes you. He’s got a real big crush on ya, [name]. But he’s too scared to tell ya.” Wrecker repeated, and it felt like you got shot by another blaster bolt. Averting your eyes down, you went silent. “Oh.” Was all you could say. But as soon as he snapped out of it, you felt a bashful smile grow on your face as you blushed. “I’ll go talk to him.” You informed, before rushing to where the sniper had retreated to. Without knocking, you came in, and before Crosshair could get onto you for intruding, you cut him off.

“I like you too.” You answered, despite there being no question. Crosshair paused, questions written all over his face before he shook his head and looked down. “I’m not in the mood for joking right now, you don’t have to feel bad just because my brother’s told you,” he murmured, turning away from you and cleaning his gun a little more roughly. You protested and shook your head before moving quickly to sit in front of him. “No, Cross, I mean it.” “[name], stop-” “No, listen to me.” You demanded, making him swallow harshly but go silent. “Crosshair,” you started, sighing deeply and closing your eyes before continuing, looking up at him with nothing but genuine affection. “I feel the same. Not because I feel bad, but because I genuinely feel the same for you.” You admitted, and seeing the doubt on his face had your heart sinking, so you continued. “I meant it when I called you pretty, Cross.” You whispered, reaching out and gently taking his hand in yours, thumb rubbing his knuckles. “Why do you think I carry toothpicks for you?” “Because I want them?” You laughed at that and shrugged. “Not really. I want you to come see me, that’s why.” And that made him soften. His brow smoothed out and his shoulders relaxed, before a breathy laugh escaped him too.

“I meant it when I called you pretty too.” He confessed. You rose a brow. “Did you?” You teased, and he offered you a smile, tips of his ears turning a soft tulip pink before he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your head.

“Yeah, doll. I did.”

[danoslvrr]

“witches” - logan howlett x f!reader

summary ; you’re a witch, one of the most powerful x-men. when on a mission with your best friend, logan, you defy him, stripping away from him.

warnings ; angst— lots of angst. yearning. mutant!reader. sort of mean!logan. death. blood. love confession. reader has dark magic. fighting. mentions of logan’s past. logan will never be happy.

a/n: this is so not canon at all I’VE ONLY SEEN ONE X-MEN MOVIE I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ laughter echoes throughout the halls of the school as the bell finishes ringing. you finish up organizing your desk for the weekend, a blank expression on your face while you hum quietly. quick, running footsteps alert you of a presence nearing your classroom, and immediately, you lift your head up, expecting a student. what you find instead is a distressed scott, breathless and red in the face. “the professor needs you. now.” he states.

immediately, panic floods your entire body. what could have happened? was a student hurt? or worse— was one of the x-men hurt? you think of all the possibilities, the worst possibilities, as you follow scott down the hall, speed walking and weaving through the students. every time a student attempts to stop you to ask a question about homework or something else, you wave them off, shouting “i’ll be back soon!”

you don’t know if that’s true, though. from the sounds of it, you might be needed for longer than you lead the students to believe. when scott bursts into professor x’s study with you in tow, your face paler than usual with panic, the professor turns to you with a smile. he gestures towards one of the seats, though that doesn’t calm your nerves in the slightest. you suddenly notice that your best friend, logan howlett, is sitting in the room. that calms your growing nerves. he seemed calm, so everything must be fine.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ “you want her to what?” logan asked angrily. charles remained calm and steady as logan seethed, pacing back and forth in front of him. “you two will be going on a mission. together, to save storm. a dangerous one, yes, but i have full confidence in the two of you. you’re my most powerful soldiers, and i have no doubt you will excel.” the professor speaks and your face flashes with worry, excitement, and embarrassment, all mixed into one. logan has always been protective of you but this, this was different.

he looked like he was ready to draw his claws on the professor, finally standing in the center of the room between you and charles, taking a deep breath. “she’s not going.” he states firmly. “i’m afraid she must, logan.” charles says calmly, a smile still on his face. “well she’s not.” logan says through gritted teeth. you place a hand on his arm while you stand up, walking to stand beside him. “i’ll be fine.” you soothe him. “promise.” a smile spreads on your face and he appears to relax a little bit.

logan had been your best friend for a year now, and you two had grown inseparable during the short period of time you had spent together. you had fallen for him, and you fell hard. he made your heart flutter every time he walked into a room, your heartbeat quickening and breath hitching. you were sure he knew by now, from his enhanced senses, but the man seemed to be clueless. you had given up on trying to get him to see you like that a long time ago.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ that’s how you ended up here. on scott’s motorcycle, stolen by logan, with your arms wrapped around his midsection. you clung to him, terrified every time you two drove over a bump. logan had steady control over the motorcycle, and you knew he would never let anything hurt you, but it terrified you nonetheless. you squealed as he sped up, a look of pure determination on his face, brown hair messy from the wind, but still complete with those little tufts you loved so much. your legs rested on either side of his hips. his hazel eyes bore into the road, focused on keeping you safe. “don’t worry, sweetheart. i got ya.” he had said somewhere along the way, making your face burn crimson.

finally, you arrived at a facility, almost an eight hour drive away from the school. you easily could’ve flown there, but didn’t bother to, given as you had the power to manipulate time. you had sped up the process of travel, despite logan’s protests that you should save your energy for the real threat. he parked the motorcycle a distance away from the facility, quickly walking you through the (blatantly obvious) open door. his hand rested on your back the whole time, and your heart fluttered.

“c’mon,” he whispered into the dark. he gestured you over to the other side of the room where he was now standing. you hadn’t realized he had gotten over there, lost in your thoughts. “hey, sweetheart, you still with me?” he asked, causing you to snap out of your trance. “yeah, ‘m sorry, lo.” you whispered, quickly yet silently walking over to where he was standing. he pulled you against his chest, arm wrapped around your stomach. “gotta be quiet f’me, okay?” you nodded. “good girl.” your face burned up again.

he led you further into the facility, and as soon as you stepped into a room a bit brighter than the others, you knew something was wrong. he must’ve known too because he threw himself around you, dropping to the ground as he shielded you with his body, keeping you tucked against his chest. alarms went off around you, and logan quickly pulled you to your feet. he grabbed your hand, tugging you along with him as you left the facility.

“where are we going?” you shouted. “back to the school. ‘s not safe here.” you tugged away from his hand, running back towards the facility, determined to save ororo. “y/n! come back!” he roared, running after you, but you were quicker. well, not really, but your powers helped you to keep him behind as you fought into the facility. you fought off what appeared to be soldiers, quickly running through them as you used your shadow manipulation to make each of them begin to be attacked by their own shadows.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ your energy was wearing thin. you knew it, but you kept pushing, using your powers to fight off the men surrounding you. occasionally, when you would get particularly angry, you began to see the ghosts of all the people that had died here, cheering you on, which only spurred you on to not let ororo suffer the same fate. you finally found her in the bottom level of the facility, unconscious. logan quickly entered behind you, you having long forgotten to hold him back, too focused with the task of fending off the men attacking you.

you heard a scream, then thunder, felt a sharp wave of pain, then saw a blinding flash of light. you collapsed to the ground, head pounding. a warm, metallic liquid pooled in your mouth, though you couldn’t place what it was for a few moments. blood. your own blood. “l-logan,” you stuttered, “help.” “no, no, no, no,” he panicked as he dropped down to his knees beside you, pulling you into his arms. you had been stabbed in the chest by one of the men. how he had gotten to you, you didn’t know. your eyes, though hazy, opened to look at logan. you smiled weakly.

“my baby, please, god, not my baby.” he whispered, cradling your head with one hand, pulling you into his chest. a warmth spread through you, that familiar feeling you always got around logan. you smiled a bit wider now. tears pooled in his eyes, and he stared down at you. “m gonna get you out of here, alive, okay sweetheart? i promise.” he whispered, his voice cracking as he cried.

“lo… ‘s okay. ‘m okay. really. just… go. get her out of here. please.” you pleaded. for a moment, when he had called you his baby, you felt as if maybe, just maybe, he loved you too. you shoved the thought out of your mind, pushing it aside as you accepted the fact that you were dying. he leaned down, kissing your forehead. “can’t leave you here, sweetheart. i- i can’t.” he stammered, tears spilling rapidly down his cheeks. you reached up, cradling his face in your hand. he leaned into your touch. “i’ll be okay. i’ll find you, okay? i promise i’ll find you.”

“i love you.” you whispered, and then, you took your final breath, inhaling and never exhaling. logan sobbed. he buried his face into your hair, cradling you tightly against his chest, just crying and begging for somebody, anybody to help. to save you, to bring you back. “i love you,” he whispered. god, he felt like such a coward. he had let you die thinking he didn’t love you. “i love you so much, my sweet girl.”

ੈ✩‧₊˚ carrying your body back to the school was one of the hardest things logan ever had to do. watching them bury your body was even harder. his heart ached, thinking of all the time he could’ve spent loving you out loud had he not been so afraid to speak his feelings, to just confess his love to you. he became angry, resentful. violent. he felt as if you were the one good thing in his life after he had lost his memory, and you had been ripped away from him so cruelly.

he didn’t speak to anyone for the days that followed. he spent all day in his room, sulking. he didn’t have it in him to cry. the days turned into weeks, the weeks turned into months. that feeling of numbness never left him. he had nightmares, every night, no longer of his past, but rather of your dead body in his arms. of your whispered “i love you.” you haunted his every thought.

thoughts of you coming into his room when you couldn’t sleep and just curling up into his arms and sleeping so peacefully. thoughts of you squeezing his hand beneath your desk when you two would teach a class together. thoughts of the kids asking him about you, about where you had gone. thoughts of what would’ve happened had he told you he loved you while you were still alive. he couldn’t breathe during these nightmares, he felt like he was suffocating. he had lost everyone, everyone he cared about from his past, and now his present and future.

logan howlett had been doomed to suffer.

[nan0-sp1der]

␂ > 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 // @lyrate-lifeform-approximation , @spiderman2-99

There’s a thought stirring in Bridge’s mind. An idea rolling about and nudging against the capacitors in her head, poking and prodding incessantly to get her attention, “Hey, hey, you know you want to ask her. Don’t you? Don’t lie to yourself, now. You should just do it. Hey! Are you listening to me? Hello-o…?”

Yes. Yes, she knows, she is aware of her burning curiosity. And it’s hard to deny that even though it doesn’t involve her, she is unusually intrigued by the concept. She overheard them in his office, Miguel and LYLA–his A.I. assistant–discussing a plan.  A plan to create a physical form for LYLA to enhance her abilities as his assistant and grant her further autonomy beyond her access to the security network and other adjacent systems alongside her recent emergence into emotional intelligence. It was all so fascinating. The steps Bridge had taken herself in her development in the span of weeks, she was watching unfold in another intelligence in real-time.

There it was again. That sense of solidarity in knowing she wasn’t completely alone in her existence as an artificial being, made of code and metal. It was like a magnetic pull that made that little voice in her head that encouraged her to act on her wants all the more present in her mind. She wanted to be a part of that process that she’d been through so long ago yet was still so familiar with like it happened yesterday. She wanted to guide her in that process and grant her her own knowledge. What’s the worst that can happen if she pilots your hardware for a while? You’re prepared for this. You can handle this. You can trust her, and she will be entirely safe in your care for that short time. And think about how much she would benefit from the experience, how much more streamlined that eventual transition from intangible to tangible will be once her own body was complete. It will make all the difference–and maybe reduce the headaches for everyone all-around, mostly Miguel as he acclimates to the change himself. Just… Try it. You can’t account for every single last risk factor, can you? No. So just do it and take it as it comes.

She stood in the middle of her dorm a moment, eyes closed as she ran a quick check of her hardware before making her final decision. RAM is in good condition. Storage is defragmented and all directories are organized. Sensors are calibrated and functional. Nanomachines are synchronized properly. Servos and joints retain a full range of motion. Coolant is at above optimal operational temperatures. Energy reserves are complete. Good. Everything’s in its right place and ready for its–potentially–temporary host. It’s time to make the call.

Her gaze trains itself on her watch, her arm rising to eye-level and the sleeve that was weighed down by the leaden metal cuff at the end sliding to her forearm to reveal device so she can start the transmission, navigating the menus on the digital interface indirectly via wireless communication–the unique way that she operated and communicated the Society’s technology.

“LYLA, may I speak to you for a moment? At your leisure, of course.”

[starwrighter]

The first out of three prompts I'm throwing out this month

Featuring my favorite trope of de aging the ghost boy for trauma and angst purposes :D

Okay! So Danny gets captured by the G.I.W or the Fenton's he's experimented on until his body can no longer take it and he retreats back into his core. Since he is still in the G.I.W's/ the Fenton's lab this doesn't exactly help him escape. With Sadistic Joy the G.I.W/ Fenton's start experimenting with Danny's core. They don't manage to break his core fortunately (whether it be because halfa cores are hard to break or the sheer powerhouse that is Danny you decide!)

Danny reforms before they could figure out how to use his core as a weapon and this causes some side effects. Both halves of him were balanced with each other, instincts clicked into place. New organs and features of his body worked perfectly with his newly enhanced human ones. Only problem with this was that he was now a baby. A literal baby like a little under a year old! And worse news he was still in the lab, his memorys blurry and his thinking process babyfied. He didn't know much about the people keeping him captive right now but he knew they hurt him and he wanted out.

The G.I.W/ Fenton's are furious that Danny reformed before they could create the perfect weapon and are now trying to make him retreat back into his core yet again. They do their worst but do to Danny's new balanced forms He. Does. Not. Give. Danny doesn't retreat back into his core he's unable to; his body healing the damage faster than they could deal it. Eventually they decided they'd kill Danny again the same way he died the first time.

They put the now officially 1yo halfa into the portal chamber. He's cuffed and muzzled to keep him from escaping or making any of those ghostly chirps, clicks, and warbles at them. (They think Danny is threatening them but he's just showing distress and calling for an adult to help him)

They quickly turn the portal off and on again with Danny inside but when they look into the chamber there's no Phantom or ghost core.

The portal didn't kill him though. No, it blasted the infant through the infinite realms so fast he clips into a different universe and crashes directly into Bruce Wayne's living room.

The batfam are very startled because they were just having a movie night, they even got Jason to show up! Now they're trying to coax a terrified baby out from under a piece of furniture so they can get the cuffs and muzzle off him.

Everyone's gone from laughing and cringing from embarrassment from the stupid movie made about their vigilante persona's to being concerned, sad, and angry on behalf of their unexpected guest.

Damian leaves the room for a second and returns with a stuffed animal from his room, offering it to the baby. The baby doesn't have the free hands to grab it but crawls out to reach for it. Damian takes the opportunity to scoop the little boy up and removing muzzle and cuffs.

Danny immediately let's out an avalanche of repressed chirps and trills, excited to be free from his chains and happy with the toy he was given. Danny decides the angry child is okay, he didn't know about the bigger people though.

The entire fam has already decided he's theirs now and they're going to destroy whoever had the balls to do something like this to a child.

(Damian would make a great older brother and you can fight me on this! >:(

[midnight-in-town]

The Holy Trinity : project "Apple", "Eden" academy and "Garden"

In Genesis, the apple from the Garden of Eden is most commonly known as the fruit of knowledge and, to this day, we know Project Apple created experiments such as Anya (mind reader) and Bond (future seer). I'd say reading minds and seeing the future count as being "very knowledgeable".

Meanwhile Eden Academy is an elite school, represented by an apple on the students' uniform, in which parents of specific elite children (Imperial Scholars) have secret meetings (which Donovan has access to, thanks to Demetrius).

Also, as we know, Donovan studied there (and at some point gained telepathic powers too) and Henderson's flashback also taught us that there was a lot of war propaganda in the school back then :

Lastly, there is Garden, a secret organization, more of a legend even to a spy like Twilight, but who has super strong (no mental inhibitors ?) and probably indoctrinated soldiers, like Yor, working for them.

Eden Academy used to be pro-war and is today one of Ostania's most elite schools, super secret Project Apple wants world peace (probably meaning for Ostania to be in charge of that "peace")...

and Garden, a seemingly Ostanian organization, desires "to keep this world beautiful".

The link between all 3 can probably be summed up as "knowledge is power", which also sums up Twilight's entire mission as a spy for Westalis, trying to know what war Ostania (via Desmond who is confirmed to be able to read minds) is planning.

Lastly, the fact Anya's powers may be related to the use of classical language, a dead language most likely only taught in elite schools like Eden nowadays, is one more argument linking Eden academy (knowledge) and Project Apple (intellectual power).

As for Garden, they seem to specialize in physical prowess but if Yor's strength was indeed enhanced, surely it required a good amount of specific knowledge to unlock her mental inhibitors (and then to indoctrinate her).

(I'd also like to point out that Garden describing the world as a "beautiful place to protect" makes even more sense considering they probably took in several war orphans like Yor and made them "useful".)

TL;DR we don't know entirely how yet, but surely there is a link between Garden, Eden Academy and Project Apple and, according to Project Apple who wants "world peace", surely that can only mean war.

[cozzzynook]

This is the sixth time Bee has appeared in the room while the entire team is gathered and proudly announces his pregnancy.

The team, having been through this enough times since the first orbital cycle they shared with Bumblebee in their work repairing space bridges, has taken pretty definitive stances on the matter.

Ratchet is tired of trying to understand the thought process of a bot that goes around and has Sparks like this is the golden age. He's tired of asking, nagging, and demanding a change in behavior. From now on he's going to limit his interest to taking care of the eternally charged bot and enjoying time with some little bots who want to hear his old man stories. At least these mechs aren't constantly complaining about his 'bad mood.'

Prowl still can't figure out what exactly is driving Bee to bring more mechs out of his forge, but he has a pretty solid theory involving organic-like instincts regarding the propagation of the species, the helpful behavior of a settler in a new territory, and something that might throw into the mix the need for genetic enhancement, stalled by vorns on Cybertron. As long as Bee allows him to do his research regarding the behavior of these new beings, it's fine for him to keep spreading his code.

Bulkhead doesn't need to understand Bumblebee's attitude. He just accepts whatever comes from him (especially his offspring) since that's been in the deal always, with the first little sparkle Bee told him he carried in his forge shortly after leaving camp. He trusts his best friend like no one else, and if Bee's wish is to keep having little sparkles that Bulkhead fears he might crush with a palm, that's fine. It's not like they take up much space anyway.

Sari is happy, though she has serious questions about Bee's body's capacity for babies. She still doesn't understand if this is normal for Autobots, having one child after another in a stairwell. Still, she is more than happy to play with these adorable robots that are more her size than the others, and takes great pride in what a good mom Bee is, especially with the large number of babies he has to care for. She knows that her father, who struggled with just one child, must look upon the bot with great admiration.

And Optimus...Optimus begins to think that these babies are not so much a surprise as a plan. None of this seems like a coincidence anymore, as he had imagined from the first moment, a bot sparkled by accident and simply taking responsibility for his mistake. No. Bee doesn't seem at all surprised or nervous. He seems happy and prosperous, actually, and Optimus wonders if it was like that on his first charge, when they were still living in space, and they just didn't see that. The question bounces around in his head uncontrollably. Is Bee really staying sparkled on purpose? Ever since day one, when everyone was scolding him for being careless, he wasn't paying attention because he was actually being careful, but for other purposes?

Still, Optimus doesn't feel like there's much he can do about it. He's afraid he'll find out more things he doesn't want to know if he asks Ratchet to put a seal on Bee's gestation chamber.

He also has to admit that he likes the atmosphere that Bee and his Sparklings create at the base. They, tiny and without a care in the world beyond playing, asking for affection and feeding, brighten up a bit the colder life that could be just a bunch of coworkers trapped on an alien planet. Bee looks happy and takes care of most of it, asking for help with just simple things like watching the little ones for a moment and giving them some affection while he recharges, so them can't complain too much. It's cute, actually, to see him all small and yellow and round, waddling around with his Sparklings, while he nurses the newest ones.

The only thing the team can really complain about is the same. Is it necessary for each and every Sparkling to be obviously the offspring of a Decepticon tuti-fruti? Like, even the first one have that red eye and a weird look that non of them as seen ever in an Autobot ever. No thought about the other sooo

Oh now this. This is interesting.

Immediately i thought, “oh bee is having sparklings with blitzwing,” after you made a con description.

Bee is doing his part to help end the war

[andikiramman]

are you down to be...?

sub!caitlyn kiramman x reader

wc: 2.5k

(FORGIVE ME FOR SOME REASON THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO MY OTHER CAITLYN POST BUT I FORGORRRR)

caitlyn kiramman was bored.

she did not often feel this way, considering her job as the Sheriff of Piltover kept her busy most days, but after making the decision to delegate the solving of a certain case to her elite task force, she realized just how much she time she actually dedicated to her work.

which is how she ended up here: standing in front of her bedroom mirror decked head to toe in her birthday suit, trying and failing to wipe the smirk off of her face.

she silently trailed two fingers up from her belly button, tracing her lithe form as she thought of the ways her little plan might play out. she bit her lip, a rosy pink spreading across her cheek as she envisioned the look that'd be on your face as you'd notice her naked form standing at the doorway to your home office.

oh how she missed you...

you hadn't gone anywhere... and that was the problem. you'd waken up before she had, trapping yourself in the office as you drowned yourself in paperwork.

she hadn't expected you to take up her offer of joining the Enforcers, but you took to it like a fish to water. you progressed and climbed the ranks quite quickly, now even being in charge of your own division. you'd been overwhelmingly supportive, assisting in caitlyn's cases when you had the time. your only problem was your insistence on taking your division's matters into your own hands. while caitlyn had no problem trusting her squad with both major and minor tasks, you were quite typical about the way things were done, which led to you doing most things on your own. cait had to give credit where it was due; you certainly worked hard. too hard, in fact.

she didn't know how you'd react to being distracted from your work, but that's what thrilled her the most.

steeling her resolve, caitlyn slipped out of the master bedroom, steadily creeping down the hallway naked as the day she was born. when she reached the door to the home office, she took a deep breath, waiting a bit before slowly opening the door.

there you were, just as you had been the entire day: hunched over scattered piles of paperwork with your signature black pen in hand, focus darting from one sheet of paper to the next and writing where need be. though your desk looked to be a mess of office supplies, everything was organized just the way you needed it to enhance productivity.

realizing you had yet to notice her presence, cait silently made her way over to you, her feet gently padding along the wooden floor.

"baby, you're still working," she finally verbalized, an observation moreso than a question.

"yes dear," you replied, focus unwavering as cait decided to start rubbing the back of your neck. "do you need something?"

cait bit her lip as she smiled. "yeah, you..."

she watched as your expression formed into one of confusion, an eyebrow raising as you finally looked away from your desk. "i beg your-"

the room was silent as you took in her nude form. it was quick, the moment you realized exactly what your darling was referring to, but cait noticed, of course. the way your pupils dilated as your gaze zeroes in on her breasts for just a moment, before tearing away from the temptation.

"my love, i'm working," you said finally, turning your head away and looking down at the files in front of you.

"as you have been since you woke up this morning," caitlyn responded dryly. "did you even eat anything today?"

you sighed, locking your eyes on caitlyn's own. "if you must know, i have," you answered simply.

and yet, she could see the hunger lying within your gaze as you forced yourself not to take another look at her body. this battle was already won, but cait knew you wouldn't go down without a fight. though it seems she wouldn't need to do much fighting.

"you need a break," she insisted. cait gripped the back of your rolling chair, pulling it away before standing in between you and your desk.

"my dear, i'm almost done, please just let me finish-" you weren't even given a chance to complete your sentence before your pen was taken from your hand and mindlessly tossed to the other side of the room.

in a moment of defiance, cait climbed into your lap, long legs on both sides of your own. she took your hands in hers, placing them on her waist and being pleasantly surprised when you kept them there.

"you've been at it all day," she whispered. "please, just allow me to distract you for a mere few minutes."

you swallowed thickly. your pupils were completely blown out at this point, breathing heavy as your hands gripped caitlyn's flesh.

"you and i both know all too well that this will take more than just 'a mere few minutes'..."

caitlyn smirked when she realized she completely won you over, her hands coming up to cup both sides of your face.

"guilty as charged."

no more words were exchanged between the two of you as she pulled you in for a deep and passionate kiss. caitlyn groaned in a mix of pleasure and relief. oh, how she's missed this, how she's missed you. from the way she held you so, it'd be hard to imagine that the two of you were in a similar position just a day ago.

the way your hands massaged her waist and her lower back had cait absolutely melting on top of you, her desire for you building up to a point where she started grinding against your thigh.

she broke from the kiss to whimper out a small "fuck~" the moment her clit brushed just right against the fabric of your trousers.

"is this what you came to distract me for, darling?" muttered lowly. "to grind against my leg like a damned bitch in heat?"

caitlyn let out a whine as you gripped her hips tightly, encouraging her movements. "you could've jus' fucked yourself on my pillow if this is all you wanted to do... seeing how impatient you are, i'm sure that's something you've done before, isn't that right?"

oh god, caitlyn thought she could cum just from your words alone. you always knew just what to say to drive her into a frenzy.

she hid her face in your neck, eyes rolling to the back of her head as you starting moving your leg in sync with her grinds.

"a-ah, baby~" she cried out as one of her hands tightly clasped onto your shoulder. "want you s-so bad, please!"

“oh, i’m sure you do, my love," you chuckled. "make yourself cum first... i'll give you whatever you want after that."

"please, yes!" cait cried out, always one for a challenge. she doubled her efforts, short and quick thrusts against your thigh that sent waves of pleasure throughout her body.

she could feel your blunt nails digging into her sides; she knew there'd be bruising in the morning, but that thought was pushed to the back of her mind once she felt her core grow hotter. cait's movements grew sloppy as she felt her orgasm building up from within. she pressed her face harder against your nape and gripped your shoulder tighter, attempting to curl in on herself.

"oh, you're so close, aren't you, darling?" you cooed at her, voice smooth with a mocking lilt to it.

"please... need it, please!" cait begged in between breathy moans.

"oh, you don't have to beg, my dear," you replied. "go 'head and take what you want."

with that, caitlyn tipped over the edge, her entire body quivering as her orgasm rushed through her. she sobbed into the side of your throat, the rolling of her hips losing rhythm.

finally, she slumped against you, tired breaths coming out in whimpers against your neck. your once harsh grip turned into gentle strokes of your fingers along her back, bringing her down from her high.

"that was marvelous, darling... do you think you can take one more?"

caitlyn lifted her head up to finally look you in the eyes. you still had that hungry look to you, like you wanted to just eat her alive.

"please," she sighed. "i need more of you, please..."

"oh, you poor thing," you cooed. you slipped your hands under her legs, and in a sudden yet impressive display of strength, you stood up with her, making your way over to your desk and placing her on the side that wasn't so occupied.

you kissed her gently, caitlyn basking in the afterglow of what she'd just experienced. she cupped your face as she brought you in closer, wrapping her legs around your waist. she moaned softly when you started kissing her neck, your warm breath causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up.

she could easily lose herself in this soft moment...

that is, until you tangled your hand in her hair and pulled.

she yelped, eyes widening at the sudden painful sensation.

"i've been all too kind to you," you mused. "you come in here, get in the way of my work, and i just give you exactly what you beg me for... you're one lucky woman, you know that?"

cait could only let out a whimper. of course she knew. you always put her first, no matter what.

"i won't be so kind the next time this occurs. do you understand, my dear?"

"crystal," she rasped. lord knows what you would've done if she pulled this stunt while you were already in a bad mood.

the thought sent a thrill along her spine.

"now," you spoke again, "it seems i have yet to completely satisfy your needs..."

your free hand came up to one of her breasts, groping it before taking her nipple between two fingers and pinching. caitlyn let out a sharp cry, eyes squeezing shut as she threw her head back.

"everything about you is so damn pretty," you said aloud, seemingly to yourself. you let go of caitlyn's hair, cupping her cheek instead. "from this pretty little face of yours..."

your hand slid downwards to massage her other breast, eliciting a soft moan from caitlyn. "to your tits..."

finally, your hand slipped down in between her legs, fingers coating themselves in cait's arousal. "to this sweet fuckin' pussy of yours."

"oh my god," caitlyn whined as you traced slow circles against her clit. "oh, fuck yes~"

"what do you want from me, baby?" you muttered, bringing your lips to her jaw. "tell me and i'll let you have it."

"eat me out," caitlyn moaned out. "need to feel your mouth on me... please..."

you smirked, letting out a deep hum. "very well then... your wish is my command."

caitlyn watched in anticipation as you lowered yourself onto your knees, maintaining eye contact with her the entire way down. you began kissing her inner thighs, dangerously close to where she actually wanted you.

"babyy," she whined impatiently. "stop teasing, pleasee."

you rolled your eyes at that. "you know, for someone who came in here being nothing but a distraction, you seem rather hasty. i've already long since disregarded my work; there's no rush."

cait was not satisfied with that answer. "but i need you now," she retorted, lifting her hips up to bring herself closer to your face.

you scowled at her for just a moment before rolling your eyes. "it's no wonder you had the audacity to barge into my office and disrupt me like this. i truly do spoil you."

you wrapped your arms under caitlyn's thighs before diving in, licking a long and slow stripe from her leaking hole up to her puffy clit. cait squeezed her eyes shut and her jaw dropped as a wave of pleasure ran up her spine.

"ohhh... oh fuck," she sighed out. "please..."

without warning, cait suddenly felt your tongue delve deep inside of her, her back arching and a loud moan escaping her in response. you hummed as you tasted her, and cait couldn't help but move her hips in sync with your tongue, hoping to feel you ever deeper.

instead, you slipped your tongue out, opting to wrap your lips around her aching clit and sucking. cait's thighs tightened around your head, trapping you in and seemingly never wanting to let go.

"ahh, o-oh please, please keep going," she cried out in pure ecstasy. "oh, i'm so close baby, please!"

she felt the vibrations when you moaned in reply, letting herself fall back against your desk as she could no longer hold herself up. ignoring the digging of writing utensils in her back, her hands tangled themselves in your hair, needing something, anything, to keep her grounded as you ate at her very being.

she felt you throughout her entire body, from her scalp to the very tips of her toes. with each calculated maneuver of your lips and tongue, you lifter higher, higher, and even higher...

until she was falling, tumbling over the edge with a wail, her body tensing up ass tears flowed down the sides of her face. you didn't stop, though, the quivering jerks of her hips overlooked as you kept your pace.

"b-baby please!" caitlyn cried out. "s-sensitive!"

her pleas only fell onto deaf ears. it seems you had a mission: to lift her right back up to the peak again just to bring her right back down.

you did exactly that, caitlyn crying out as her orgasm overtook her once more. this time you let go, poor caitlyn finally getting a chance to relax. she felt your warm hands gently rubs her legs, before reaching higher to rub her stomach.

"are you finally satisfied, my dear?" you wondered aloud.

"mhm," caitlyn hummed groggily, her eyes remaining hut as she brought her arm up to shield them from the light.

she felt you put her legs down as you stood up, before her upper half was suddenly lifted off the desk into a seated position. she yelped, her eyes snapping open and being met with your warm smile.

"i'm glad," you responded. "what do you say we call it a night?"

caitlyn nodded. "but what about the rest of your paperwork?" she asked as you lifted her into a bridal carry.

"oh how ironic, you suddenly care about that?" you questioned sarcastically.

"i'm just asking," caitlyn pouted.

you kicked the door open, carrying her down the hallway and to the bedroom. "don't worry about that, i'll finish it at the precinct in the morning."

"okay."

you kissed caitlyn's forehead. "in hindsight, i really needed that, a distraction, that is... thanks for that."

caitlyn's cheeks flushed pink, and she blinked in surprise at your admission. "o-oh, really? you're welcome, then."

when you reached your room, you set her down on the bed before climbing up and laying down next to her. she instantly wrapped her arms around you, her leg resting on top of your own.

"why don't we go on a date tomorrow?" you suggested. "i'd like to spend more time with my darling."

caitlyn could feel her heart doing flips in her chest as you gently turned her face towards you, pressing a succession of soft kisses against her lips.

"yeah... i'd like the sound of that."

hope u guys enjoyed reading this! likes, comments, and reblogs are super appreciated!! o((*^▽^*))o

[ariadne-mouse]

Scavengers Reign is like

babyfaced psychic buttnewt: I shall now manipulate you with my mind control goop

organically-enhanced sentient robot: unfortunately for you, my mind is mycelially hardwired into the entire cosmos and its transcendent wonder at itself, and you simply are not equipped to handle that shit

babyfaced psychic buttnewt: oh god *unevolves*

[gmikaelson]

The Assistant 4 | K.M

“See? Isn’t this nice?”

"Nice?" He scoffs. "I'm holding a fragile human who refuses to fear me properly, while my immortal father plots to destroy everything I..." he paused, his grip becoming gentle. "And yet somehow, you've managed to make me forget, for just a moment, that I should be ripping hearts out instead of dancing."

Summary: Klaus’s feelings for his assistant grow as the days go on. An encounter with his Father makes him feel fear like never before as he is faced with the prospect of loosing her.

A/N: Ahh! I love how this part turned out and even more for what’s to come. Enjoy!

Previous part >> Here

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As the weeks pass, Klaus has found it harder and harder to suppress his growing feelings. It was harder to even attempt to put a name to the feelings – a task he has been putting off since that day in the bayou.

Klaus paced his study with agitation, his enhanced hearing tracking Y/N's movements through the compound below. The past weeks have been... unsettling. Her increasing integration into his world, the way Hope lit up at her visits, how naturally she fit into the rhythm of his household - it was becoming dangerously addictive.

He paused at his desk, fingers tracing the perfectly organized contracts - her doing, of course. The sight of her neat handwriting on his documents, the lingering scent of her perfume in his study, even the ridiculous color-coding system she'd implemented... they were all becoming distressingly essential.

His jaw clenched as he heard her laugh carry up from the courtyard, the sound stirring something possessive and primal within him. Her stubborn humanity, once a source of frustration, now haunted him with its impermanence. The thought of her eventually leaving, growing old, having children with someone else... it made his vampire nature surge with violent protest.

He gripped the edge of his desk, wood splintering under his fingers. Having her meet Hope was meant to bind her closer, to ensure her loyalty. Instead, it had backfired spectacularly - making her not just valuable, but precious.

And Klaus Mikaelson did not handle precious things well.

They either became possessions to be controlled or weaknesses to be eliminated. Yet somehow, she was becoming something else entirely - something he couldn't bring himself to either control or eliminate.

Y/N's scream pulled him violently from his thoughts. The fact that they were screams of delight did not seem to register with Klaus.

Klaus materialized in the courtyard with lethal speed, a growl building in his chest at her scream. The sight that greeted him - Kol's hands on her, even in jest - triggered something darkly possessive. Seems like Kol has found out that Y/N is ticklish.

"Brother." His voice carried dangerous warning as he moved closer with predatory intent. "Remove your hands before I remove them for you." Despite recognizing the harmless nature of the situation, his protective instincts had already surged to the surface.

He positioned himself between her and Kol with dominance, his back nearly touching her front. "Perhaps you'd like to explain why you're manhandling my assistant?" His tone was deceptively light, though his stance remained lethal. "Or shall we discuss your sudden interest in testing her... reflexes?"

Kol raised his hands in mock surrender, though his smirk remained mischievous.

"Come now, brother. Can't I get acquainted with your new... favorite?" His eyes glinted with knowing amusement. "Besides, how was I to know your little human was so delightfully ticklish?"

Klaus' expression darkened dangerously at Kol's words, his body tensing with barely contained violence. "You're testing my patience, Kol." He took a step back, positioning himself beside Y/N, his hand finding her waist with natural familiarity.

"Oh, this is rich." Kol's grin widened as he observed Klaus' protective stance. "The great Niklaus Mikaelson, brought low by a human girl's giggles. Wait until Rebekah hears about this." He vanished with vampire speed just as Klaus lunged forward with a snarl, leaving only his laughter echoing through the courtyard.

"Hey," Y/N says softly, slightly giggling, "I'm fine. Really." Her hand snakes up his back, squeezing his shoulder.

Klaus stilled at her touch, though the tension in his frame remained coiled and dangerous. He turned to face her, his eyes scanning for any sign of distress.

"Kol has a tendency to... break his toys." His voice was low and threatening as his hand moved to her waist again, grip possessive. "And you, love, are not a toy to be broken." The implications in his tone suggested graves had been dug for less.

Y/N rolls her eyes, a smile on her face, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not his toy"

He studied her expression with dangerous intensity, something shifting in his eyes at her lingering amusement. "Though perhaps I should be more concerned about your apparent comfort with my family. First Hope, now Kol..." his smirk turned playful, though the possessiveness remained. "Should I expect to find you and Elijah comparing suit fabrics next?"

She chuckles, “That sounds like a great way to pass the afternoon. Then me and Rebekah can go shopping, I’ll go bowling with Kol, and then what shall my activity be with you?”

Klaus' expression darkened, his grip on her waist tightening at the mention of spending time with his siblings.

"Careful, love." He pulled her closer, his other hand coming up to trace her jaw with threatening gentleness. "I don't share well with others. Even family." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Besides, I have far more... interesting activities in mind than bowling."

His eyes traced her features with predatory focus, something possessive flickering in their depths. "Though if you're so eager to test my patience, by all means, continue planning your social calendar with my siblings." His smirk turned lethal. "I'm sure Hope would love to hear about how her aunt and uncles mysteriously vanished."

She sighs, rolling her eyes, “Fine. I get it. I’ve been spending a lot of time with them. Let me fix that. Let’s go out and have a drink or anything else you want to do,” she suggests with an amused smile, suggesting she was amused in his little display of jealousy.

"Offering to drink with me again?" His thumb traced her jaw slowly. "Rather brave of you, considering your last declaration about never drinking in my presence. Though..." his eyes darkened, "I do still have quite the collection of your drunken confessions I haven't shared yet."

He pulls her even closer, his supernatural heat seeping through her clothes. "As for 'anything else I want to do'..." his voice dropped to a threatening purr, "that's quite the dangerous offer to make, love. Especially when you're already testing my control with that smile of yours."

Y/N rolls her eyes. She's noticed how flirty and possessive he’s become, ignoring it and chalking it up to his natural personality.

“Come on,” she takes his hand, leading him to the door. “Unless you're…scared,” she teases.

Klaus moved with supernatural speed, pinning her beside the door, his body caging hers.

"Scared?" His voice was a lethal whisper as he leaned closer, one hand braced beside her head while the other gripped her hip possessively. "You're playing a dangerous game, love." His eyes traced her features intensely. "Though I must admit, your growing boldness is rather... intoxicating."

He pulled back slightly, though his grip remained possessive. "Very well. Let's see how brave you're feeling after a few drinks." His smirk turned promising. "Though this time, try not to reorganize anything. The daggers are exactly where I want them... for now."

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They get to the bar, and after a few drinks, Klaus gets the call that his father, Mikael, is in town with a white oak stake, and he’s enlisted Davina to hide him

Klaus's entire demeanor shifted instantly, his playful predatory nature transforming into something truly lethal. His hand shot out to grip Y/N's arm with barely contained violence, eyes scanning the bar with dangerous intensity.

"We're leaving. Now." His voice was pure murder, all traces of earlier warmth vanishing. "And you're not leaving my sight until that bastard is dead." He pulled her closer with possessive desperation, his body coiled for attack.

"Klaus! Wait–" Moving with vampire speed, he maneuvered her toward the exit while maintaining protective proximity.

 "I won't let him take another person I-" He caught himself, jaw clenching as he guided her through the door with lethal urgency. "The compound. Now. And if you even think about arguing..." his eyes met hers with desperate intensity, "remember that Mikael doesn't just kill vampires. He destroys everything they care about."

She tugs on his arm, “wait, Klaus. Who’s Mikael?”

Klaus whirled on her with frightening speed, his hands gripping her shoulders with barely restrained violence.

"The monster who hunted me for a thousand years." His voice was raw with ancient hatred and something else - fear, though not for himself. "My father - no, my mother's husband. The man who made me what I am through centuries of torture and pursuit." His grip tightened possessively.

His eyes darted around the street with lethal focus before returning to her face with dangerous intensity. "He's the reason I trust no one, the reason I..." he pulled her closer, his breath ghosting her ear, "the reason I can't lose you to him. Not you." The admission seemed torn from him unwillingly, his protective rage barely contained. "Now move, before I carry you back to the compound myself. And this time, love, I won't be gentle about it."

His father? Klaus never mentioned a father, let alone this much hate, but Y/N did not have time to dwell. Her eyes widen, “You want to kill your father. Klaus, wait, let’s talk about this.”

He surprisingly lets Y/N pull him back into the bar, sitting him at a table, and grabbing him a beer

Klaus took the beer with barely contained violence, his entire frame vibrating with lethal energy.

"This isn't up for discussion." His voice was pure danger as he leaned across the table, invading her space. "He's not my father - he's a monster who delights in destroying everything I..." he caught himself again, fingers tightening around the bottle until it nearly cracked. "The last time I showed mercy, he drove a stake through Kol's heart and made me watch. The time before that, he tortured Rebekah for days."

His free hand shot out to grip her wrist with possessive desperation. "You don't understand what he's capable of. What he'll do to you just to hurt me." His eyes burned with something beyond rage - something almost like fear. "And I won't... I can't..." his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, "Your humanity makes you vulnerable enough without Mikael targeting you. So either finish that drink quickly, or I'm throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you back to the compound. Your choice, love."

Y/N just takes the beer from his hand, sipping on it.

Klaus, irritated by her silence, speaks again, “So that’s your plan is it? Ply me with alcohol and then prattle on until I’m convinced to leave Davina and Mikael alone to plot my death?”

She places the beer down, "No. My plan is to listen. Come on, Klaus. Let's just get to the part you really want me to play in this? Therapist? Assistant? Drinking buddy? Call it whatever you want, I know why I’m here. To give you the one thing you’ve never had. Someone to hear your side. “

Klaus sits down.

“So. You want to kill your father.? Fine. Let's talk about it."

Klaus studied Y/N with dangerous intensity, his eye twitching at her words.

"My side?" He let out a dark laugh, though his hand found hers across the table with possessive urgency. "My side is simple, love. He's hunted me across continents, through centuries. Destroyed everyone I've ever..." he paused, jaw clenching. "And now he's here, in my city, threatening my family. Threatening you."

His grip tightened on her hand as his other traced the rim of the beer bottle with lethal focus. "You want to play therapist? Fine. Let's talk about how he beat me as a child, how he called me an abomination, how he's made it his immortal mission to end my existence." 

 "But understand this - while we sit here talking, he's out there planning. And unlike me, sweetheart, he won't hesitate to use you against me. He won't see your humanity as precious - he'll see it as a weakness to exploit."

“I get it. The hurt your parents have inflicted pain on you for a thousand years. I understand what you’re fighting against. The real question is, What are you fighting for?

Klaus looks confused

“Ask me to dance,” she says

“You want to dance?” He asks, even more confused

“No. I never wanna dance. I’m actually very bad at it. But I’m trying to make a point. There’s more to life than the pain that they made you feel. A cold beer. A slow song. A good friend. There are good things, Klaus. And you need to see that too.”

Klaus stilled completely, his expression shifting through several dangerous emotions as he processed her words. After a long moment, he stood, extending his hand.

"Dance with me then." His voice was a complex mixture of threat and vulnerability. "Show me these 'good things' while my father plots my demise." The bitterness in his tone couldn't quite mask something softer underneath.

He pulled her close with possessive gentleness, one hand settling on her waist while the other held her with careful restraint. "Though I must warn you, love..." his lips brushed her ear as he guided her into a slow sway, "the last person who tried to show me 'good things' ended up dead. Mikael made sure of that." His grip tightened protectively. "And yet here you are, stubbornly trying to make me see light while standing in darkness. Rather brave... or incredibly foolish."

Y/N smiles, “I guess I’m foolish” She whispers, swaying with him to the music.

“See? Isn't this nice?”

Klaus pulled her closer, his movements graceful despite the dangerous tension still thrumming through his frame.

"Nice?" His voice carried dark amusement, though something vulnerable flickered in his eyes. "I'm holding a fragile human who refuses to fear me properly, while my immortal father plots to destroy everything I..." he paused, his grip becoming gentle. "And yet somehow, you've managed to make me forget, for just a moment, that I should be ripping hearts out instead of dancing."

His hand slid up her back with deliberate slowness. "Though I must say, love, your definition of 'nice' needs work. Especially considering you're practically offering yourself as bait to the most dangerous creature on earth." His eyes met her with lethal intensity. "Or perhaps that's why you insisted on this dance - to distract the monster while death approaches?"

She looks at him, the look in her eye missing any trace of fear, “there is no peace in revenge, Klaus,” she says softly, squeezing the hand that held hers.

Klaus' expression darkened dangerously, though his hold remained gentle as he continued to move with her.

"And what would you have me do instead?" His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "Let him live? Let him continue hunting everything I-" he caught himself again, jaw clenching. "He won't stop, love. Not until either he's dead or I am. And I won't risk..." his hand curved possessively around her waist, "I won't risk him taking anything else from me."

His eyes traced the features he'd come to memorize, to cherish, "Peace?" He let out a dark laugh. "Peace is a luxury I haven't known in a thousand years. Though I must admit..." his grip tightened slightly, "this moment, with you... it's the closest I've come. And that, sweetheart, is precisely why Mikael needs to die."

Klaus twirls her around but disappears mid-twirl, using his vampire speed. Y/N huffs out in frustration. She knew he was going out to the bayou, she heard Elijah on the phone. He was going to go kill Davina, but she was not to let that happen. Y/N had met the little witch a few times. She was just a girl

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Hours later, Y/N had finally made it, out of breath and huffing. Klaus had his father knocked out in the trunk of his car, Davina passed out

“Where is she? If something happened to her, Klaus, I swear to God–”

“Davina’s fine. She’ll wake with a spectacular headache. But given her intentions for me she should count her self lucky. Of course, if you drop dead of a heart attack I may have to kill her on general, principle” he responds

“You’re the one who ditched me at the bar. I had to hitchhike, and then run, on the back roads of the Bayou.“

“Well, your perseverance is duly noted–“

“Oh, Shut up!” She cuts him off, “I am so mad at you I can hardly speak. But I am here, and it is to tell you, not to bargain with you and not to shame you, but to tell you, under no circumstances will you hurt that girl, do you understand me?“ she pleads with him

Klaus sighs, rolling his eyes, “you have my word” he finally says

Y/N lets out a breath of relief, standing there for a moment before stepping closer and wrapping her arms around his neck, relaxing against him. This is the first time she's hugged him.

Klaus froze completely at her embrace, his entire frame going unnaturally still. After a moment, his arms moved to encircle her, one hand threading through her hair while the other pressed her closer.

"You could have died coming here." His voice was a whisper against her ear, though his hold remained gentle. "Hitchhiking through the bayou, alone, at night..." his grip tightened slightly. "All to save a witch who plotted my death. Your sense of self-preservation is absolutely atrocious."

He pulled back just enough to study her, though he seemed reluctant to break the embrace completely. "Though I must admit, your righteous fury was rather... compelling. Even if your methods of transportation were criminally stupid." His expression darkened dangerously. "Names, love. I want the names of every person who gave you a ride. And don't bother lying - I'll know."

She rolls her eyes, “two minutes, Klaus. Please. Just two minutes without threats and plotting.” She buries her face in his neck. She had been terrified that she'd arrive and Klaus was dead.

“Besides…you know how much I hate the bayou”

Klaus let out a soft chuckle, his hand sliding soothingly up her back as he held her closer.

"Two minutes?" His voice was uncharacteristically gentle, though still tinged with darkness. "Very well, love. Though your hatred of the bayou didn't stop you from charging out here like some avenging angel." His fingers threaded through her hair with tenderness.

He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent mixed with the night air, his body gradually relaxing despite Mikael's unconscious presence nearby. "You truly are the most frustrating human I've encountered in a thousand years." The words held no threat, only a sort of wondering disbelief. "Running through alligator-infested swamps in the dark, confronting the most dangerous creature in New Orleans..." his arms tightened protectively, "all while smelling absolutely delicious to every vampire within miles."

“You're here,” She says softly, “I know nothing will happen to me” she pulls back, looking at him with a smile, hands sliding up from his neck to cup his face.

“Are you okay?” she asks, realizing she forget to do so when she first got here

Klaus stilled under her touch, his expression shifting through several emotions before settling on something almost vulnerable.

"You trust me." It wasn't a question, but his voice carried a mix of wonder and threat. "Even after seeing what I am, what I'm capable of..." his hands slid to her waist with possessive gentleness. "You foolish, brave, absolutely maddening human."

He leaned into her touch almost unconsciously, his eyes darkening with protective intensity. "I have my father unconscious in my trunk, my family's greatest enemy at my mercy, and yet..." his thumb traced her cheekbone tenderly, "all I can think about is how you ran through the bloody bayou to make sure I didn't harm a witch who betrayed me. How you're standing here, touching me like I'm something precious instead of running in terror." His grip tightened slightly. "I'm beginning to think you're more dangerous than Mikael ever was, love."

Her smile grows, thumbs caressing his cheeks, “Of course I trust you, silly. Don’t be ridiculous. And me? Dangerous? Please, I could barely harm a fly. What’s so dangerous about me?” Her eyes roam all over his face, just to be sure he’s not harmed

Klaus caught one of her hands against his face, turning to press a kiss to her palm while maintaining intense eye contact.

"What's dangerous about you?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You waltz into my life, reorganize my study, charm my daughter, face down my siblings..." his other hand curved possessively around her waist. "And now you're standing in a dark bayou, touching me like I'm worth saving, making me feel..." he caught himself, jaw clenching.

His expression turned predatory, though his touch remained gentle. "You make me want things I can't have, love. Make me consider futures that aren't possible." His thumb traced her lower lip with dangerous intent. "And that makes you the most lethal creature I've encountered in a thousand years. Because you make me forget, even for a moment, what I am."

Y/N leans in, kissing his cheek, “And what would that be, huh? Because ever since I’ve known you, I’ve just seen Klaus. Not Klaus Mikaelson. Not the hybris. Just Klaus. So maybe you’re not as rough as you make yourself out to be” She says softly.

She suddenly flinchs, “Klaus,” she whispers, her body tensing up, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t feel a bug crawl up my pants. How much longer do we have to be here?”

Klaus let out a genuine laugh at her sudden shift from profound to panicked, the sound carrying both amusement and affection.

"Not as rough as I make myself out to be?" He swept her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest. "Says the woman who's currently trying not to screech over a bayou bug." His smirk turned playful, though his hold remained possessively protective.

He started walking toward the car, his voice dropping to an intimate whisper. "Though I must say, love, your ability to go from philosophical observations about my nature to panic over insects is rather... endearing." His expression shifted to something more dangerous. "But don't think I'm letting go of what you said about 'just Klaus'. We'll be discussing that particular observation somewhere less crawling with wildlife. Preferably somewhere I can properly demonstrate just how 'rough' I can be."

Y/N blushed furiously at his last part, deciding to not ask what that was supposed to mean. “Klaus, what are you going to do about your fath—Mikael?” she corrects herself.

Klaus' expression darkened dangerously at the mention of Mikael, his grip on her tightening.

"First, I'm taking you back to the compound." His voice was lethal silk as he moved through the darkness. "Then I'm going to deal with my father in a way that ensures he never threatens what's mine again." His eyes met her, "And yes, love, that includes you. Especially after your reckless display of loyalty tonight."

He paused by the car, though he made no move to set her down. "Though I notice you corrected yourself. 'Father' to 'Mikael'." His thumb traced patterns on her skin. "Trying to spare my feelings? Rather bold of you, considering I just had to rescue you from potential alligators and mysterious bayou insects."

I shrug, remembering how Rebekah, in passing, mentioned that Klaus wasn't her full sibling, “didn’t know if you wanted to call him that. Why would you? He’s not your actual father, right?”

Klaus stilled, his expression shifting to something raw before he set her down with careful precision, though he kept her caged between himself and the car.

"No." His voice was quiet but lethal. "My real father was a werewolf. One my mother had an affair with." His hand came up to trace her jaw gently. "Mikael's greatest shame - his wife's bastard. The product of her infidelity." His eyes burned with ancient pain masked by violence.

He leaned closer, his body practically vibrating with contained rage. "And yet here you are, understanding things my own family took centuries to grasp." His grip turned possessive. "Making observations that cut straight through a thousand years of hatred and pain." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Do you have any idea how terrifying that is, love? How dangerous it makes you?"

She tilts her head slightly, “What is? That I understand you? Is that such a bad thing?” she whispers back, “Do you not want to be understood?”

Klaus' hand slid to the back of her neck , "Understanding means vulnerability." His voice was raw beneath its lethal edge.

"In a thousand years, those who claimed to understand me either wanted something or tried to destroy me." His other hand gripped her waist. "And yet here you are, seeing straight through my carefully constructed walls, demanding I spare witches who betray me, running through dangerous swamps to ensure I keep my word..."

He pressed closer, his heat enveloping her. "You see 'just Klaus' when everyone else sees the monster. You touch me without fear, challenge me without ulterior motives." His expression turned vulnerable. "And that makes you infinitely more dangerous than any white oak stake. Because you make me want to be understood. Make me want..." he caught himself, jaw clenching as his thumb traced her pulse point.

Y/N felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest, “Yeah?” she whispers softly, leaning in closer, their noses brushing, “What do you want Klaus?” she says, looking down at his lips.

Klaus growled low in his throat, the sound pure predator, as his hand tightened on her neck with dangerous restraint.

"What I want..." His voice was lethal silk as his lips ghosted across her cheek, barely touching. "What I want would destroy everything you are. Your precious humanity, your dreams of growing old..." His other hand slid up her back possessively. "I want to keep you, corrupt you, make you as immortal and dark as I am."

He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze with burning intensity, his control visibly fraying. "But more dangerously, I want..." his thumb traced her lower lip with threatening gentleness. "I want to be the man you see when you look at me. Not the monster, not the hybrid, but 'just Klaus'. And that, love, is the most terrifying desire of all."

Y/N honestly had no idea what to say. For once, she was speechless. She needed time ti think about what he just dropped on her. “Klaus,” she says softly, “Let’s go back to the compound. I’m literally expecting a snake to crawl up my leg next”

Klaus let out a chuckle, "Running away from this conversation, love?" His voice held dangerous amusement as he moved to open the passenger door. "Though I must admit, your ability to shift from intimate moments to wildlife panic is rather..." he paused, watching as she settled into the seat, "convenient."

He leaned in close, caging her against the seat before closing the door. "But don't think I've forgotten what almost happened here. We'll be revisiting that particular moment when we're somewhere less..." his eyes darkened as he glanced at the trunk where Mikael lay unconscious, "occupied. And somewhere with significantly fewer bayou creatures to interrupt us."

Klaus starts driving and as usual, has a hand on her thigh. This time she decided to slide her hand into his, intertwining their fingers and squeezing as she kept looking ahead.

Klaus stilled for a moment, his fingers tightening around hers as he drove through the dark bayou roads.

"Careful, love." His voice was pure silk wrapped in threat. "First you make me dance, then you embrace me, and now..." his thumb traced patterns on her skin. "One might think you're trying to tame the beast."

He glanced at her before returning his eyes to the road, though his grip never loosened. "Though I must say, your timing is impeccable - holding my hand while my murderous father lies unconscious in the trunk." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Almost like you're trying to anchor me to my humanity right when I need to be at my most monstrous.”

“But you’re not a monster” she says, turning her head to him, “you just…have a tendency to do bad things. We all do. That doesn’t make us bad people.” she shrugs.

Klaus let out a dark laugh, his fingers tightening around her with affection.

"'A tendency to do bad things?'" His voice was filled with bewilderment. "That's quite the understatement, love. I've murdered entire villages, tortured countless souls, and turned families against each other for sport. And yet here you sit, holding my hand like I'm some misunderstood hero in one of those novels you keep sneaking into my study."

His expression turned dangerously intense as he glanced at you. "You're either the bravest or the most foolish creature I've encountered in a millennium. Perhaps both." His grip became tender. "Though I must admit, your stubborn insistence on seeing the good in me is becoming..." he paused, jaw clenching, "rather addictive."

“Ah, so you admit that there is good. That’s the first step,” she says, leaning back against the seat and closing her eyes, “if you don’t mind, I’ll just close my eyes for a moment. It’s been…a long day and…I’m tired” she yawn, her voice quieting but her grip on his hand remains firm.

Klaus watched her drift off, his thumb continuing its gentle patterns across your skin.

"Sleep, little human." His voice was a whisper. "Though how you manage to feel safe enough to rest beside the most dangerous creature in New Orleans, while my homicidal father lies mere feet away..." he shook his head with dark wonder. "Your trust in me is either going to get you killed or make me..." he caught himself, jaw clenching as he tightened his grip possessively.

His eyes returned to the road, though he found himself driving more carefully than usual, avoiding bumps that might disturb her rest. "And for the record, love," he murmured, knowing she were already drifting off, "I haven't admitted to anything. Though you're becoming dangerously good at making me want to."

«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«–«

Arriving at the compound, Klaus reluctantly lets go of her hand. He moved around the car with supernatural speed, opening her door gently

"Come, love." His voice was dark velvet as he lifted her with ease and gentleness. "Let's get you inside before you decide to make any more profound observations about my nature." Despite his words, his arms cradled her protectively against his chest.

He paused at the compound entrance, his expression turning dangerous."Though I should warn you - if you ever pull another stunt like today, running through the bayou alone..." his grip tightened slightly, "I'll have no choice but to lock you in that tower room you're so fond of reorganizing. And this time, sweetheart, no amount of trust in 'just Klaus' will earn you freedom."

Y/N stirred in his arms, nuzzling into him while she remained sleep

Klaus froze momentarily at her unconscious display of trust, his expression shifting through several emotions.

"Utterly maddening creature." His voice was barely a whisper as he carried her through the compound, gentle to avoid disturbing her rest. "You have no idea what you do to me, do you? Making me feel..." he caught himself, jaw clenching as he tightened his hold.

He reached her room yet found himself reluctant to set her down. “The things I've done today alone should have you running in terror." His fingers traced through her hair. "Instead, you're sleeping in my arms, making those little sounds…" his expression darkened with protective possession. "I should wake you. Make you face what you're doing to me. But apparently, even the great Klaus Mikaelson can be rendered powerless by one sleeping human."

Setting her down, Klaus goes back down to get his father’s body from the trunk, to take to the dungeon. When he arrived, to his horror, the trunk was open and empty.

His entire body went rigid with lethal fury, his eyes flashing gold as his hybrid features emerged.

"No..." The word was a dangerous snarl as he scanned the area with intensity, his senses heightened to their maximum. "No, no, NO!" His fist connected with the car, leaving a devastating dent.

His mind raced with violent calculations, but one thought dominated all others - Y/N, sleeping peacefully upstairs, completely vulnerable. "Elijah!" His voice carried deadly urgency as he vamped back into the compound. "ELIJAH!" His body vibrated with barely contained rage and... fear. Not for himself, but for the infuriating human who had wormed her way past his defenses. "Guard her room. He's loose."

Klaus blurred through the compound with lethal speed, every muscle coiled for violence as he checked every shadow, every corner.

"I will paint this city red with anyone who helped him escape." His voice was pure darkness as he pulled out his phone, sending rapid messages to his hybrids while maintaining his defensive position near her room. "I will tear apart every witch, vampire, and wolf until I find him."

His supernatural hearing strained to catch any sound of movement, any hint of his father's presence, while his body practically vibrated with protective rage."If he so much as looks in her direction..." he let the threat hang in the air, his expression promising violence that would make his previous atrocities look merciful.

He heard a scream come from her room. Klaus appeared in the doorway with lethal speed, his entire frame radiating murderous fury as he took in the scene before him.

Mikael had his arm around Y/N’s neck, positioning her in front of him

"Let. Her. Go." Each word dripped with a thousand years of violence, his hybrid features emerging as his eyes blazed gold. "Your quarrel is with me, not her." His hands flexed dangerously at his sides, every muscle coiled for attack.

He maintained eye contact with her, his expression promising violent retribution even as he calculated every possible move. "I must say, 'father', using a human girl as leverage..." his voice carried dangerous mockery despite the rage beneath. "Rather beneath the great vampire hunter, isn't it? Though I suppose desperate times..."

Y/N whimper as his grip on her neck tightens, lifting her slightly off the floor

Klaus took a step forward, his entire being radiating murderous intent.

"Careful now." His voice was deceptively soft, though his eyes promised devastating violence. "You're already dead for touching what's mine. But how painful that death becomes..." his fangs descended as dark veins crawled beneath his eyes, "that depends entirely on how gently you set her down."

He tilted his head with predatory calculation, his body tensed for explosive action. "Though I must say, it's rather poetic. The man who spent a millennium calling me weak, now hiding behind a human girl." His lips curved into a dangerous smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Tell me, does it burn you to know that this 'weak' human shows more courage in her little finger than you've managed in a thousand years of hunting me?"

“This…” Mikael shakes her slightly, “is going to be your downfall, boy.” He spits, “You don’t deserve to feel an ounce of anything other than pain.” Mikael throws her to the floor, her head hitting the edge of the bed. She immediately felt light headed, clutching her head and curling on the floor

Klaus' expression transformed into something truly terrifying, a millennium of rage crystallizing into pure lethal intent.

"Wrong choice." The words were barely audible as he blurred forward with supernatural speed, his hybrid strength unleashed in its full devastating glory."You should have killed me when you had the chance." His voice was death itself as he slammed Mikael against the wall, the impact cracking the centuries-old stone.

Even as he engaged Mikael with lethal precision, his supernatural senses remained acutely aware of her condition, her pain feeding his fury. "For a thousand years, you called me an abomination." His hybrid features emerged fully as he drove his hand into Mikael's chest, fingers wrapping around his heart  "Now let me show you exactly what this abomination can do when you harm what belongs to him."

Klaus twisted his hand inside Mikael's chest, earning a pained grunt from the vampire hunter. The expression on Klaus’s face was pained, showing glimpses of the boy rather than the man.

"You hunted me across continents, threatened my family, drove us from our home." His voice carried a millennium of bottled rage as he leaned closer, golden eyes blazing. "But touching her? That was your final mistake." His other hand gripped Mikael's throat with crushing force.

The compound walls seemed to vibrate with the intensity of his fury as he pulled Mikael forward only to slam him back again. "I want you to know something before you die, 'father'." His lips curved into a lethal smile as he realized his heart. Reaching knit his jacket and  grabbing the white oak stake, fingers wrapping around it tight as he positioned it at his heart, inserting the stake into Mikael’s heart with excruciating slowness. 

"That girl you just threw aside? She sees me as the man you never could. Sees strength where you saw weakness. And her opinion?" He twisted his hand violently. "Means infinitely more than yours ever did."

With one final surge of strength, Klaus plunges the stake into Mikael’s chest, watching with dark satisfaction as his father's body began to burn.

Klaus remained frozen for a moment, his body still vibrating with energy as a thousand years of pain and rage coursed through him.

"It's done." His voice was raw beneath its dangerous edge as he slowly turned toward Y/N, blood dripping from his hands. "A millennium of running, of looking over our shoulders..." He seemed almost lost, like a predator suddenly robbed of its hunt, before his protective instincts kicked in and he blurred to her side.

His hands hovered over her with uncharacteristic uncertainty, afraid to touch her with fingers still coated in his father's blood. "Y/N..." His voice cracked slightly, the tears he hadn't even noticed making tracks through the blood on his face. "I need you to look at me, love. Tell me how badly you're hurt." His expression was a mix of concern and lingering fury, though his usual mask of control was notably absent.

Y/N’s head was pounding, blood oozing from the area she was clutching, coating all over her hand. She sits up, her vision slightly blurry, “Are you okay?” She asks, her other hand reaching to cup his face, wiping the tears on his cheek

Klaus let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a growl, his hand coming up to cover hers on his cheek with dangerous gentleness.

"You're bleeding on my floor, barely conscious, and you're asking if I'm..." His voice caught as he pulled her closer, his other hand moving to examine her head wound with care. "Of course you are. Stubborn, impossible..." He bit into his wrist offering it to her. "Drink. Now. Before I lose what little sanity I have left."

His thumb traced her cheek with tenderness as his other arm supported her. "A thousand years I've waited to end him, and you..." his voice dropped to a whisper, "you make me feel more vulnerable than he ever did. Making me cry when I should be celebrating." His expression turned possessive. "What have you done to me, little human?"

As Y/N drinks, she feels the pounding and the dizziness immediately fade just as the wound closed up.

She lets go of his wrist, “blech. That’s disgusting, Klaus. Ew”

Klaus let out a startled laugh, the sound rough with lingering emotion as he pulled you closer with possessive relief.

"Only you would survive an encounter with Mikael, witness me kill him, and then complain about the taste of healing blood." His voice held dangerous affection as his fingers traced where her wound had been. "Though I must say, love, your priorities continue to be..." he paused, thumb brushing away a drop of blood from her lip with gentleness, "uniquely maddening."

His other hand cupped her face, forcing her to meet his still-intense gaze. "Now, since you're apparently well enough to critique the flavor of my blood..." his expression turned serious. "Don't you ever, EVER, put yourself between me and danger again. I don't care if it's Mikael himself or a common street thug." His grip tightened. "I can't..." he caught himself, jaw clenching. "I won't watch you get hurt because of me. Are we clear?"

“Not fair,” she pouts, furrowing her brows. “You’re acting like he didn't come to me”

At his glare, she smiles, practically jumping into his arms and wrapping hers around his neck. Klaus stiffened at her embrace before his arms wrapped around her tightly, his face buried in her hair.

“Okay, damn.” she squeezes for a moment before pulling back, looking at him, “You didn’t answer me. Are you okay? Emotionally. I know you’re physically fine. But…how are you?” I say, glancing to Mikael's burning form a few feet away

"A thousand years..." His voice was barely audible, raw with emotion he rarely allowed himself to show. "A thousand years of running, of watching him destroy everything I..." His grip tightened, almost painful before he caught himself. "And here you are, bleeding and frightened, yet still trying to tend to my emotional well-being." He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, his expression a volatile mix of vulnerability and intensity.

His hand came up to trace her face, his eyes flickering to Mikael's corpse. "I should feel triumphant. I've finally ended the great vampire hunter, the man who..." his jaw clenched. "Instead, all I can think about is how close he came to taking you from me. How your blood on my floor made me feel more terror than a millennium of his pursuit ever did."

His thumb traced her lower lip. "What have you done to me, little human? Making the great Klaus Mikaelson admit to fear?"

Y/N cups his face, climbing onto his lap as they sat on the floor, “Hey, I’m still here. No use in thinking of what-ifs. I’m here, yeah? I’m not going anywhere.” She hugged him tight and honestly, she was a little thrown off. Did he care that much?

Klaus' arms locked around her with lethal possessiveness, one hand threading through her hair as he inhaled her scent.

"You say that so easily," his voice was dark velvet against her skin, "not going anywhere. As if you haven't witnessed me at my most monstrous." His grip tightened. "Any sane person would be running, yet here you are, trying to comfort the beast."

He pulled back just enough to meet your gaze, his expression raw with dangerous intensity. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me? How terrifying it is to realize that after a millennium of building walls, of trusting no one..." his thumb traced your cheek with predatory tenderness, "one stubborn, foolish, beautiful human has made me feel more in weeks than I've allowed myself to feel in centuries?" His other hand splayed possessively across her back.

Y/N smiles, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose, “Come on. Let’s get cleaned up”

Klaus froze at the innocent gesture, his expression shifting and settling on something tender.

"You..." He stood in one fluid motion, keeping her secured against him with supernatural strength. "You are either the bravest or most reckless creature I've encountered in a millennium." His voice was silk as he carried her toward the bathroom, deliberately stepping over Mikael's corpse. "Kissing the nose of a blood-covered hybrid who just committed patricide." He shook his head with dark wonder. "Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised - you've been defying all logic since the moment you tried to steal from my study."

His grip tightened as he set her on the bathroom counter, caging her in with his arms. "I should warn you though, love..." his eyes gleamed, "that level of fearless affection toward someone like me... it's rather dangerous. Might give a monster ideas about keeping you forever."

She brings her hands to his face, one hand cupping while the other caresses his face gently, “Agan, you’re not a monster. Not to me. You’re anything but.” she looks at him with a tender expression

Klaus caught her wrist gently, turning his face into her palm as his eyes closed briefly.

"That's precisely what makes you so dangerous, little human." His voice was soft as his other hand cradled her face. "A millennium of being the villain, the monster under everyone's bed... and you look at me like..." he opened his eyes, the intensity in them almost painful. "Like I'm worthy of such tenderness."

His thumb traced her lower lip, his body caging her against the counter as if afraid she might disappear. "Do you know what happens to people who see good in monsters, love?" His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper as he leaned closer. "They either die tragically... or the monster becomes so possessive, so consumed by their light, that they never let them go." His grip tightened slightly. "And I've already decided I won't allow anything to happen to you."

Klaus suddenly pulls back, turning to grab a cloth. Y/N's breath hitches at the sudden loss of contact. She composes herself as he turns back

Klaus returned with a dampened cloth, his movements deliberately measured as he stepped between your legs again.

"Let's get you cleaned up first," his voice was softer than usual as he began gently wiping the dried blood from her temple. "I may be immortal, but even I need a moment to... process." He focused intently on his task, using it as an excuse to gather his scattered emotions.

His free hand rested on her knee, thumb moving in absent circles as he worked. "A thousand years I've waited to end him, to be free of his shadow." His eyes met hers briefly, showing rare vulnerability. "Yet somehow you've made that feel secondary to ensuring you're safe." He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "How do you do that? Make the great Klaus Mikaelson forget about revenge in favor of fussing over a stubborn human?"

She smiles sheepishly, “I don’t know. Maybe annoy him to the point where it would be a shame for him to kill me.” She shrugs, “who else would make him want to pull his hair out?”

Klaus' lips curved into a genuine smile, rare and unguarded as he continued cleaning her face.

"Ah yes, your particular talent for driving me to distraction." His voice held warmth beneath its usual dry tone. "Though I must say, love, reorganizing my study seems rather tame compared to tonight's adventures." He paused, thumb brushing her cheek with unexpected gentleness. "Perhaps I should have let you keep color-coding my grimoires - might have been less stressful than watching you face down Mikael."

Setting aside the cloth, he leaned his forehead against hers with uncharacteristic weariness. "You know, in a thousand years, no one has ever..." he hesitated, struggling with the admission, "no one has ever asked if I was okay after facing him. Everyone always assumed I was either fine or..." he let out a soft laugh, "too much of a monster to care. Leave it to my impossibly stubborn assistant to worry about my feelings while bleeding from a head wound."

She just smiled, “What did you want me to do, Klaus? That was the first thing that popped into my mind after ‘my head hurts like a bitch’” she lets out a soft laugh. Klaus cann’t help the smile that makes its way onto his face, looking at her.

They just simply look at each other for a few moments

“Listen to me,” Y/N says firmly, breaking the silence, “as long as I breathe, you will always have someone to ask about your well-being, to ask about you, to…care” she whispers, looking into his eyes

Klaus' breath caught, his hands coming up to frame her face with startling tenderness.

"You have no idea what you're promising, little human." His voice was rough with emotion as his thumbs traced her cheekbones. "As long as you breathe..." he repeated your words softly. "That's the crux of it, isn't it? The terrifying limitation of your humanity." His eyes searched hers, showing rare vulnerability. "How do you do this? Make me feel such..." he struggled with the word, "joy at your care, while simultaneously filling me with dread at how fleeting it could be?"

He drew back slightly, one hand moving to trace where her wound had been. "For someone who claims to be clever, you're making quite dangerous declarations to an immortal who's already far too invested in keeping you." His voice held a hint of his usual playfulness, though his eyes remained serious.

She rolls her eyes, chuckling, “Keeping me? what am I, a cat?” She reaches over for the cloth, taking it in her hand and wiping the blood from his face. She can feel his eyes on her as she works silently

Klaus remained uncharacteristically still under her ministrations, his usual restless energy settling into something quieter.

“In all my years, I don't think anyone has ever..." he trailed off, catching her hand gently as she finished. "Even my siblings, after our worst battles... we'd heal and move on. No one ever thought to..." He seemed almost mystified by the simple act of care. "You continuously find new ways to undo me with the smallest gestures, love."

His other hand settled on her waist, thumb moving in absent circles. "I should be planning how to announce Mikael's death, consolidating power, dealing with the inevitable political fallout." His lips quirked in a small smile. "Instead, I'm sitting here, letting a beautiful human fuss over the blood that would have vanished on its own and finding myself entirely unwilling to move."

“Then don’t move” she says softly, placing the cloth down, “we can deal with all of that tomorrow. For now,” She places her hands on the sides of his neck, “you should get some rest. It’s been a long day. Yeah?”

Klaus leaned into her touch, his usual sharp edges softening.

"Ever the voice of reason," he murmured, eyes closing briefly. "Though I doubt sleep will come easily tonight." He opened his eyes, studying her face with unusual openness. "Would you..." he paused, seemingly struggling with the request. "Stay? Not for any nefarious purpose, just..." His hands tightened slightly on her waist. "I find myself rather reluctant to let you out of my sight after today's events."

He quickly added, trying to maintain some semblance of his usual control, "Of course, if you'd prefer your own room, I completely understand. I imagine nearly being killed by my father isn't exactly conducive to wanting company."

“Klaus,” She says with a smile, “of course, I’ll stay with you. In fact, I insist. Last time I fell asleep in my own bed, I woke up to a hand around my throat” she jokes before hopping off the counter.

Klaus' expression darkened momentarily at the reminder before softening as he caught her hand.

"Not your finest attempt at humor, love," he said softly, pulling her closer. "Though I suppose I should be grateful you can joke about it at all." He brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Fair warning though - I may have developed a rather inconvenient protective instinct where you're concerned. Don't be surprised if you wake up to find me checking your breathing."

He guided her toward his bedroom, his hand resting protectively at the small of her back. "I should probably mention that I've never actually..." he cleared his throat, showing rare uncertainty, "shared my bed for purely sleeping purposes. A thousand years of paranoia makes one rather... selective about moments of vulnerability."

“Yeah?” she says innocently, “what else have you shared it for?” she asks before snorting, “I’m just joking. Don’t answer that.” she sticks my tongue out in disgust

Klaus let out a genuine laugh, the sound holding real warmth as he shook his head.

"And here I was, about to give you a detailed historical account spanning a millennium," his eyes sparkled with renewed mischief as he pulled back his covers. "Though I must say, that particular expression of disgust is doing wonders for my ego." He moved to his dresser, pulling out a soft henley. "Here, unless you'd prefer to sleep in clothes covered in both our blood."

He turned his back to give her privacy, a surprisingly gentlemanly gesture. "You know, most people would be too terrified to tease the Original Hybrid after the day we've had. Yet here you are, making jokes about my bedroom history and pulling faces like an impudent child." His voice held unmistakable fondness beneath the mock offense. "I'm beginning to think I've completely lost my fearsome reputation where you're concerned."

Klaus can hear the soft rustling of Y/N changing my clothes, “Long gone” she teases, sliding under the covers. “Now get changed too and join me.” She lays her head down on the pillow

Klaus turned, his expression softening at the sight of her in his bed wearing his shirt.

"Demanding little thing, aren't you?" He changed quickly, supernatural speed making it nearly instantaneous. "Though I suppose I should be grateful you're not trying to reorganize my pillows by shade." He slid under the covers with careful movements, as if afraid to disturb her.

He lay on his side facing her, maintaining a respectful distance while still close enough to reach out if needed. "You know," his voice was quiet in the darkness, "I've spent centuries making sure no one would dare command me to do anything. Yet here you are, ordering me to bed like a mother hen, and I find myself..." he paused, a hint of wonder in his tone, "completely willing to comply."

She grins, “yeah? Think I can command you to change the cushions of the courtyard seating area or am I pushing it?”

Klaus' lips twitched with amusement as he propped himself up on one elbow.

"And there it is - your true agenda revealed at last." His free hand reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "First my study, then my bedroom, and now you're eyeing the courtyard. I should have known you were playing the long game, love." His voice held playful warmth. "Though I must say, plotting interior design changes while in my bed is a rather bold strategy."

He settled back down, his expression growing softer in the dim light. "Tell you what - survive the night without reorganizing my pillows by thread count, and we can discuss the courtyard tomorrow." His voice dropped to a whisper. "But if I wake up to find you've color-coded my closet, there will be consequences."

“Yeah yeah. Threats threats and more threats” she yawns, closing her eyes, “don’t you get tired?” she whispers

Klaus watched her sleepy expression with tender amusement, his usual sharp edges completely softened.

"A thousand years of threatening people, and you've managed to make it sound as tedious as a grocery list," he murmured, shifting slightly closer as her breathing began to even out.

His hand moved to rest lightly on her waist, protective rather than possessive. "Sleep, little human. I'll keep watch." His voice dropped to barely a whisper. "And perhaps tomorrow I'll pretend to be properly outraged when you inevitably suggest redecorating the entire compound."

She lets out a soft laugh, “Just don’t yell at me too much when you do. I don’t think I can handle you yelling at me,” she murmurs, eyes still closed.

Klaus' hand tightened briefly on her waist, a flash of guilt crossing his features at the memory of past outbursts.

"No yelling," he promised softly, his thumb tracing gentle circles against the fabric of his shirt. "Though I reserve the right to dramatically roll my eyes when you inevitably suggest pastels again." His voice held gentle teasing, masking deeper emotion. "I do have a reputation to maintain, after all. Can't have the supernatural community thinking I've gone soft just because one stubborn human has me wrapped around her finger."

He watched her peaceful expression in the darkness, speaking more to himself than her. "Besides, I'm finding it rather difficult to summon any real anger towards you these days. Even when you're being impossibly vexing with your organizational schemes."

“I knew you liked the pastels idea” she mumbles

Klaus let out a quiet chuckle, the sound warm and genuine.

"I will deny that accusation until my last breath - which, given my immortality, means you'll never win this argument." His fingers absently played with a strand of her hair. "Though I must admit, your persistence is... endearing. Even if it means I'll spend the next century explaining to everyone why there are powder blue throw pillows in the Original Hybrid's compound." His voice held a mix of resignation and fondness.

He shifted closer, drawn by her sleepy warmth. "Rest now, love. You can continue your mission to soften my aesthetic tomorrow."

“Good night Klaus” she whispers

Klaus keeps his eyes open, just looking at her and the gentle rise and fall of her chest. How could he bring himself to look away?

"Goodnight, little human," he whispered, though he knew she was already drifting off. "I should be plotting revenge, celebrating victory, asserting dominance..." his voice was barely audible. "Instead, I'm lying here, counting your breaths, terrified by how peaceful you look in my bed. How right it feels."

He fought against his instinct to pull you closer, maintaining the small space between you even as every fiber of his being urged him to wrap you in his arms. "You've made quite a mess of me, haven't you?" His confession was silent in the darkness. "The great Klaus Mikaelson, reduced to a sentinel watching over a sleeping human who dares to suggest pastels in his home... and finding himself hopelessly enchanted by every moment of it."

After a few moments, she opens her eyes, smiling when their eyes meet. “You have pretty eyes,” she whispers.

Klaus' breath caught, momentarily stunned by her unexpected awakening and disarming comment.

"And you," he murmured, fighting to maintain composure despite being caught in such an unguarded moment, "have an absolutely terrible habit of catching me off guard with these devastating little observations."

He studied her face in the dim light, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable. "You should be sleeping, not making dangerous statements that make me want to..." he trailed off, catching himself. "Well, let's just say your particular brand of sleepy honesty is rather testing my self-control, love."

Y/N looked down at his lips for a moment before closing her eyes back, scooting closer so her head was tucked under his chin, relaxing fully

Klaus froze momentarily at her bold move, his body tensing before slowly relaxing around her.

"Brave little thing," he whispered into her hair, finally allowing himself to wrap an arm properly around her. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" His voice was rough with emotion as he drew her closer, one hand sliding up to cradle the back of her head.

He pressed his lips gently to the top of her head, inhaling her scent. "Sleep now, sweetheart. I've got you."

His thumb traced soothing circles against her spine, his own breathing synchronizing with her despite not needing to breathe at all.

"Though we will eventually need to discuss your alarming tendency to render me completely defenseless with these innocent little gestures."

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