#first crack at this we'll see how it goes over

[peachesofteal]

Through Me (The Flood) - secret baby fic Simon Riley / female reader - warnings: panic attack, PPD

"Does tomorrow morning work? I'll be heading to base immediately after. Want to make sure I have enough time to say goodbye."

"Yeah, we'll see you then."

Simon goes to bed early that night.

He's good at clearing his mind and willing himself to sleep, hovering just barely there on the surface, never dipping too deep, and has done it for years. It enables his ability to rest in even some of the most uncomfortable circumstances (and that includes Johnny's snoring). It's compartmentalizing at it's finest, something he's tried to impress upon the sergeants too, over time.

Learn how to do this. It may save your life.

The pendulum swing keeps him somewhat aware, connected to a very small piece still tethered to the conscious world.

It's how he hears his phone ring at twenty hundred.

The caller ID flashes your name and he picks up immediately, sitting straight up. "Hey-"

"Hi, um..." You're crying. He flips himself out of bed, already partially dress, and manages to locate his shoes in a millisecond.

"What's wrong?"

"Can you... can you c-come- take the baby for a little while?" Your exhale whistles through the phone sharply. "P-please. I know you- you're leaving tomorrow but I-"

"It's alright, I'm on my way. I'll be there in a minute. Are you okay?"

"I- I... don't know wh-what to do." You're hyperventilating, caught in the grip of something, scared and alone. The sidewalk stretches for miles, his lungs burning as the oxygen stays trapped in his chest from the weight of his fear, and the line goes quiet, call ending as he makes it to the lobby of your building and up the stairs.

The copy of your key he never returned gets him inside, and the first thing he notices, or realizes, is Orion's screaming. He calls your name, yells it, beelining for the nursery where the baby lays on his back, hands and feet wriggling wildly in the air, tears coursing down his cheeks as he wails. "Alright, Ry, alright. C'mere, I've got you." You're not in here, not anywhere in sight, and his stomach flips.

You have to be here. He just talked to you.

But you wouldn't know how to signal him if something was really wrong, would you? He didn't prepare you. If something happened, how would you tell him?

He tucks Orion into his arms, cradles him to his chest, and bounces him gently. "Hey, you're okay, you're okay. What's all this crying about, hmm? What is it? Where's your mama?" The crying gentles, barely, and Simon holds him at a distance, quickly, checking him over. He's not overheated, he doesn't seem to be hurt, he's freshly bathed and in a clean onesie. His nappy is new and doesn't need to be changed. "Mama took good care of you, huh? You're all clean, fresh nappy, ready for bed, aren't you bub? Yeah." Simon paces in a circle, trying to settle his cries, before lowering him back into the crib. "You stay right here, little man, alright? Close your eyes. Daddy's gonna find mama and he'll be right back."

You're not in the living room, and he finds your bedroom dark when he opens the door. For a very brief moment, his panic blooms into paralyzation, before he spots the light from your bathroom.

His heart breaks when he opens the door.

You're on the floor, back against the vanity, sobbing with your palms covering your ears. You look like you haven't showered in days, and your light blue t shirt is soaked, slicked to your breasts and belly.

There's no distance between the two of you in this moment, no barriers, no time, no need for space. He kneels, and you look up, tearful eyes telling him all he needs to know. "I'm here, mama. I've got you."

You go into his arms willingly, diaphragm heaving with tiny hiccups and sobs, unable to catch your breath. Your entire body shakes, and wraps himself around you, holding you tight where you've buried your face in his chest. "I- I'm s-sorry." You're hoarse, voice cracked and broken. "He w-won't stop."

"Shhh, don't worry about that right now, just take a deep breath." You shake your head.

"I can't."

"Yes you can." You're frozen, panicked, and he smoothes his hand over your head. "You can do it, honey. Try f'me." The baby is still crying, and with the bathroom door slightly ajar, it bounces off the tile, all around you. Simon grimaces.

He's fine, he's safe. He's in his crib.

Simon shuts the door.

"Breathe with me, alright?" he maneuvers you so that you're in his arms, laying on his chest, face tipped back to his. "Just follow me," he pulls the hand that's gripping onto his forearm like rebar away and places it over his heart, "like this." You try and try to sync your breathing with his, and once you finally get there, evening out slowly, he kisses your hair. "There you go, good girl."

Simon keeps you close, happy to hold you, even if it was in these circumstances. It's so selfish, so wrong, but he can't find it in himself to let you go, waiting long past the point when you've calmed down to finally speak again. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"He... he wouldn't stop crying. For hours and I... I tried everything, but I felt like I couldn't breathe and I felt... dizzy, and when I went to feed him he didn't want me and I was crying too, but I felt so- so mad at the same time, and I didn't know what to do so I j-just put him in his crib and came in here and c-called you. I don't kn-know what I did wrong-" your breathing slips into shallow territory again, and he rubs your back.

"You didn't do anything wrong. He's okay, he's safe. He's even got a fresh nappy on. You made sure you took care of him, which is all you need to do, okay?"

"I feel awful," you whisper, drenched in shame, "he needs to eat, and I just- I abandoned him."

"No, you did the right thing and took a break. There's nothing wrong with taking a break." You sniffle, pulling the sopping shirt away from your body, shivering with discomfort. "Do you want to try again? See if it goes any better?" You give him a frightened look, unsure and nervous. "I'll be right here with you."

"Okay."

"Let's go see your mama." Orion has worked himself into a state, and it tears Simon to pieces, guilt about leaving him in here ripping through his heart.

He feels responsible. He is responsible, at the end of the day. If he had been upfront with you from the beginning, this might have never happened. He would have been here. You would have the support you need.

He was supposed to take care of you, but all he did was make it worse.

He kisses Orion gently. It helps quell the anxiety growing like a plague inside him, worry and fear about leaving you on your own for weeks, or more, chipping away at his resolve. He tells himself you'll be okay, that you did it on your own before he came along, and that you can do it again, but the admission of another dizzy spell doesn't make him feel any better in the long run.

"Don't worry, she's okay now. She loves you so much, you know that? She takes such good care of you, all the time. Even when she doesn't feel good, doesn't she?" He doesn't turn the lights on to your bedroom, and finds you on the bed, sitting up, wet shirt discarded on the floor. He doesn't rush it, doesn't push you, even though the baby cries at the top of his lungs in Simon's arms.

Finally, you hold your hands out. He helps get Orion settled, stroking his cheek over and over until he starts to instinctually seek you out, latching after a few long minutes.

Your eyes slip closed at the silence and you lean to the side, nestling into Simon's chest.

He holds you. You hold his baby.

How it was always meant to be.

He whispers above your ear, working his fingers into the knots of your neck, your shoulders. "You're doing great, mama." You hum but stay quiet, head down, fingers stroking over Ry's cheek, again and again.

"Thank you... for being here. I know things are complicated but it means a lot that you would come. I'm sorry I freaked out, about your job. I just... it's a lot to take in. I don't really know how to feel. I need some time." That's good, he thinks. Better than last week, when you asked him to leave with tears in your eyes. There's hope. He can fix this.

"You can have all the time you want sweetheart, but... I need to ask you a favor." Orion's body full relaxes, little fist clenched in the swell of your breast falling away, and you sigh.

"What is it?"

"When I'm away... I can turn my phone on every now and then, in specific places. D'you think you could send me some pictures? Or maybe I could call, when I'm able?"

"Of course."

He stays most of the night, until the sun comes up. Gets Ry back down, stands watch while you're in shower, helps you get settled in bed. There's a special place in his heart for you when you're soft and sweet and sleepy, a tiny kitten, curling up in the palm of his hand, purring. His moon. His everything.

"You be good for your mama, okay? I expect a good report when I get home. And try not to grow too much, alright little man?" He kisses his head, holding it there, walking around in the kitchen with Ry in his arms. "I love you, Orion. You and your mama. I'll be home real soon."

You turn the corner, something clenched in your hands, what, he can't tell, and you smile sadly. "I uh... I have something for you." He cocks, his head, shifting the baby to one arm, and you hold your fist out. "It's kind of dumb, honestly, but I thought you might... I don't know. I thought you might like it. I made it myself." It's a small fabric square, embroidered with a constellation, Orion's, he recognizes now, and a compass. "It's so you can always find it in the night sky. If you're in the northern hemisphere it should be south west, and if you're in the southern, it's in the north west. I didn't know like, what you could take with you but I figured this is small enough..." You look embarrassed, and all he wants to do is pull you into his arms and kiss you.

But he can't. He can only whisper your name, thick with emotion.

"It's great. I'll use it every night. Thank you." You blink, eyes wet, and then nod. He glances at his watch.

"Time to go?"

"Yeah," he hands you the baby, and picks up his duffle, the weight foreign now but still familiar. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"I will."

"Promise me." He's stern, pushing a little bit of lieutenant into it, and you agree again, quickly.

"I will." You follow him to the door, holding Orion up for him to kiss one last time, and then he presses his mouth to your forehead, pleased when you don't pull away. He's dragging it out, the reluctance too ripe, and finally hangs his head in defeat after the too short minutes tick away.

"I'll see you soon." He gives you one last look, memorizing your face, Orion's, as much as he can, before heading down the hall.

"Simon," you call, turning him on a dime, "be careful, okay? Make sure... make sure you come home." Home.

"I will. I promise."

[toruro]

— ✧ mr. nice guy

pairing. hong joshua x reader

description. you thought your next-door neighbor was just being polite when he offered to help you carry in your boxes the first time you saw him, but as you adjust to your new home, you start to notice that joshua’s nice in other ways too: nice eyes, nice smile, nice arms, nice fingers, probably nice di—okay you get the point. but just how long can you go with lusting after your neighbor before giving in to your very much not-nice desires? well, lucky for you, joshua also isn’t nearly as much of a gentleman as he likes to let on.

✘ tags. smut (18+), neighbor!joshua, joshua's muscles deserve their own tag tbh, oral (f receiving), alcohol consumption (NOT drunk sex), petnames (sweetheart mostly :pp), biting, spit kink, unedited as always ✘ w/c. 5.3k ✘ a/n. i have had this idea in me for a WHILE so it's good to finally get it out! honestly i feel like the story is a little rushed but whatever

there's a gentle voice coming from in front of you, but with the way you’re holding the large box up right in front of your face, you can’t see who’s speaking. “do you need help with that?”

muscles straining and sweat beading down your skin, you manage to squeak out a quick, “yes please!” a wave of relief washing over your body as you feel the box grow infinitely lighter as this man’s arms wrap around the side. “thank you so much,” you say, still gripping onto the box as you slowly walk over and lead it to the front of your apartment door a few feet away. setting it down carefully, you look up so you can finally see the face of the angel who saved you so much trouble.

“no problem," he replies politely, and as your eyes flicker up, you're taken aback by his kind smile. "you new here?"

"did the moving boxes give it away?" you joke and the man cracks a hearty laugh.

"you got me there. i'm joshua," he tells you, and you think to yourself that there can't be a name for fitting for the man. he points over to the door across from yours. "i live right there, so i guess we'll be seeing each other a lot. what's your name?"

your name falls from your lips in a haze, internally thanking your lucky stars for finding yourself an apartment that was not only close to your work but also in close proximity someone as nice as joshua. "i guess so," you reply looking down the hallway where the movers had left the rest of your boxes. "i don't suppose you'd be down for another few boxes?" you ask hopefully, wincing at the way you're so shamelessly asking for help.

joshua chuckles at your expression and you feel that the ground might as well swallow you up whole. "it'd be my pleasure. it's not often i get new neighbors who are under the age of 50."

"i've noticed that...is there a reason the average age of the residents of place is like 60?" you ask curiously as you walk down to the end of the hallway to the boxes.

"not sure," joshua says. "i guess this place is just popular with them. not that i'm complaining. noisy neighbors are never a problem for me." he gives you an awry look, and you're a bit confused before he's jokes, "unless you plan on making that something i have to worry about now."

"no!" you reply a little too quickly, flustered by the way joshua is so easily coming up with conversation. it seems as if he's so smooth with everything, and with the way you have a million thoughts racing through your head—it's a it hard to keep up. "i mean, i don't do much or anything really," you clarify, reaching down to pick up one box while joshua goes to grab the other side.

"good to know," joshua tells you with a smile, and you try not to focus too much on the way that he grunts slightly when lifting up his end. "you're always welcome to come over to my place for a drink or something," he suggests as you begin walking over to your apartment.

smiling as you set down the box, you adjust your shirt and look up at him. "i'll think about it."

you, in fact, do think about joshua's offer. you think about it a lot.

you think about it that night when you carefully unpack your boxes. joshua's a nice guy, you think to yourself, because it's not often you come across such a person who's willing to give you an hour of their day to help carry heavy ass boxes for someone they barely know.

you think about it two mornings later when you're walking down the hallway with your groceries for the week only to find joshua about to enter his own apartment, clad in a tight fit t-shirt and gym shorts. his skin glows with layer of sheen sweat, his light brown hair pressing against his forehead in an oddly fitting mess. his breath is slightly labored when you call out his name instinctively, turning to look at you with bright eyes.

"hey, how's it going?" he's polite. joshua is polite, and a gentleman. you almost feel guilty when your eyes dart to the arms when the muscles flex as he brings up a hand to grab one of your grocery bags, insisting that it was his pleasure to help you out. something along the lines of, "i just got back from my work out and i can't help a pretty lady with her bags?"

pretty lady. you hope he can attribute your burning cheeks to the hot sun and not his words, because holy shit does he have your stomach doing tumbles. after all, joshua's just being polite right? right?

you think about his offer again three evenings later. you're just leaving your apartment to go on a walk, and joshua seems to have some people over, five boys knocking on his front door, where there seems to be more boys on the other side. you quickly glance at each other as you slip out of your apartment, hoping to hobble off quickly before things get more awkward, but then there's that door opening and you hear joshua's voice and you falter in your tracks for a moment at the way he calls you name so smoothly.

you turn around to face him as his friends slowly shuffle into his apartment, joshua leaning against the doorframe with a bottle of beer. he holds it up and raises a brow and fuck—if you don't stare at the way the bottle is perched between his perfect, thick fingers—fuck. "you wanna join?"

you want to. fuck, you really want to. so why do the words, the simple phrase of, "yeah sure," fall flat on your tongue? maybe it comes from the embarrassment of lusting over a man you hardly know. from the humiliation of letting your eyes dart towards his arms, his hands, his fingers, joshua's collarbone and the little adam's apple that bobs up when he takes a sip of his beer.

"i, uh, i was just going on a walk right now," you tell him, your voice sounding meek and you want to cringe at the poorly planned response. joshua chuckles, and you aren't sure why.

"you don't wanna come? aw, you're hurting my feelings," he coos.

"no! that's not what i meant," you say quickly, averting your gaze from joshua because the way he's peering down at you right now—god, you don't know if you want to go up to him and fall straight to your knees and suck him off or turn around and run away out of pure humiliation. "i just—you know—walks. go on them every day," you try to explain haphazardly.

"no it's okay, i get it," he replies before looking into his apartment when one of his friends yells out his name, "it's bit rowdy in here anyways, so i don't blame you." there's an awkward sort of silence that settles between you and the air is thick as you debate if you should turn around and leave right about now. "i don't suppose you'd want to stop by after your walk?" he asks hopefully, and you figure this is his way of giving you a second chance.

this time, you look up at him and smile. "i'll think about it."

except this time you actually think about, not just sit and wonder of the possibilities. as you pace down the street, your one hour walk that usually make time fly now seems to feel like the longest sixty minutes of your life. you come down to two possibilities at the end of it:

1. you don't show up and joshua thinks you're an indecisive bitch

2. you do show up, have a good time, and things are left at that

of course, putting it like that only really leaves you with one choice to choose, that being the latter. knowing that your own conscience won't let you live it down if you don't end up choosing the latter, you march up to joshua's apartment with a slowly diminishing confidence. yeah, you're eager to see where this night will take you, but you're also not necessarily confident that you're anxiousness won't betray you.

it's just that joshua is so nice and so kind and he has you thinking so many thoughts that your words always seem to jumble up into an incoherent mess whenever he speaks to you. all you can really ever think about when you see him is—well—all of him, which includes his nice smile, his nice muscles, his nice—okay, shit, you really need to control yourself.

doing what little mind-clearing exercises you can cram into the time it takes you to get up to your floor, you're pretty sure your breath is labored from how hard you're thinking alone. before you have any time to let yourself back out of this, you're rushing up to joshua's door, knocking maybe a little too desperately.

in the next moment, you have time to listen in on the other side, the room being quieter than you remember it being an hour ago. all that can be heard is some soft shuffling that can only be identified as joshua's footsteps, and before you know the door is opening, the one and only standing in front of you.

"there she is," joshua greets with a smile, "low and behold!"

the tips of your ears burn at his welcoming, stepping back a little. "h-hi," you murmur quickly, the responses that you planned in your head earlier seemingly fading away in your mind. "is that offer for a drink still on the table?" you ask hopefully, chewing on your bottom lip as you wait for an answer.

"'course it is," he replies. "i was waiting for you to come to your senses," he continues, stepping to the side so you can slip off your shoes and step in, realizing now that all his friends have left leaving only you two. you follow in after him, your eyes glazing over his apartment. it's got the same layout as yours, as expected, only it's mirrored. it's slightly messy, presumably from the mess his friends left from before, but the set up is neat and you can tell joshua has a good eye for color.

"i like those paintings up on the wall," you comment, pointing at a set of wall art hung above his sofa. joshua looks up at it before smiling softly and nodding, walking to the kitchen as you trail behind him.

"thank you, one of my friends that was here earlier got it for me. he's great at interior design, if you're ever looking for someone," he tells you, reaching for the fridge and pulling out a cool bottle of beer. "here," he says, handing it to you before grabbing a bottle opener and popping off the cap for you. holding it out in front of you, you're able to watch his hands up close—they're big and veiny and fuck, you'd be lying if you said you didn't press your thighs together slightly.

you aren't sure joshua notices, and if he does, he doesn't make it obvious. "thank you," you murmur softly, letting him step back and put the opener away before he leads you to the living room. you settle down on one end of the couch, and instead of opting to sit on the arm chair, joshua just sits on the opposite end. throwing his hands back so they lean on the arm rest and the back of the couch, his biceps are stretched out and on display thanks to his short sleeve t-shirt.

"so," joshua begins as he grabs his own beer and brings it up to his lips, "how do you like it here?"

you take your own sip of the cool liquid before responding, "it's hardly been a week...but i like it. it's peaceful, and i like the neighborhood."

"yeah, the people are nice," joshua agrees. you're nice, you think. "how was moving in?"

"i'm still honestly unpacking," you chuckle to yourself, feeling more comfortable now that there's casual conversation being initiated. "i have a bunch of clothes at my friend's place that i still need to pick up," you explain, leaning back into the plush cushions.

"you need help bringing them in? i can lend a hand if you need."

your stomach tumbles at his generosity, but you shake your head. "ah, you've already helped me so much, i don't think that's fair."

"oh c'mon," joshua counters, "you can pay me back with something if that'll make you feel better."

you raise a brow. "now how would i do that? you got venmo?" you tease.

"i was thinking of something a little less materialistic," joshua replies with a roll of his eyes, and you think you might just combust on the spot.

you aren't exactly sure what he means by that until you bring your eyes to meet his and that's when you see it. how his eyes darken, how he gulps even though he hasn't taken a sip of his drink, how he shifts in his seat. suddenly, you're dawned with the realization that on your walk, you left out the option for a third possibility, a.k.a. you do show up, have a good time, and then have joshua rail you into the next dimension.

gaining confidence, you cross your legs over each other and turn to face him better, deciding to go along. "huh..." your voice trails off. "i'm not quite sure what you mean by that joshua," and you swear you hear his breath hitch when you say his name.

he regains composure so quickly it's hard to tell you even threw him off guard in the first place. "i'm not really sure actually. you have anything to offer?"

you shrug as you set down your beer at the coffee table by your feet. "i make a mean maple cake, if you're into sweet stuff." joshua perks up at that.

"i do have a sweet tooth," he mumbles to himself, pretending to be in thought as he follows your movements, pushing his bottle to the side. "that's gonna take a while though," he says solemnly, "you're gonna have to get the ingredients...make the cake...bring it to me...sounds like a lot of work for you..." his voice trails off, and then he's tossing you that look again.

joshua figures you're both definitely on the same page by now and there's no point leaving the tension between his go unrelieved for any longer than he has to, and before you know it he's reaching one strong arm over to grab your wrist, pulling you into his hold so he can kiss you fiercely.

his lips are soft, but the way he's pushing against you, sucking, nipping, running his tongue along you is all but gentle. with joshua's arms leaving your hands and instead running up the sides of your waist, pulling you in roughly, you gasp into his mouth, allowing him the chance to slip his tongue against yours, tasting you, feeling you, being one with you.

one hand comes up to cup the side of your face, tilting your head slightly so he can push his lips against yours harder, his tongue sinking deeper to explore the caverns of your mouth. when he pulls away, you both share heaving breaths of air, mouths connected with a string of saliva before he's leaning back in and capturing you once more.

his other hand on your waist gently nudges you and you're falling back onto the cushions, head hitting one of the pillows as he crawls into the space between your legs. inching up his knee until his thick thigh is pressing up against your pounding core, easing the tension that he's been so carefully building up.

joshua noticed it. the way your eyes lingered on his arms, his fingers—noticed the sparkle in your eyes followed by the immediate embarrassment of your own thoughts. he's not sure if you're just easy to read or if he's just good at reading you but whatever it is, you're an open book to him and fuck it's so cute it has him going crazy.

you whine against his lips, rocking into him to the best of you abilities while you're pinned beneath him. there isn't much space to move around in the little corner of this couch, but you hardly pay mind to the inconvenience when joshua peels his lips and thigh away from you. "ha—no," you gasp out, hips chasing the relief the hard muscle provided. joshua chuckles, shaking his head as you pout.

"relax baby," he coos, and the pet name has you shivering under his touch as he inches his body down the length of the couch until his upper body rests between your thighs, face dangerously close to your gaping cunt. "be patient, okay?" he orders, and you nod your head quickly in agreement. joshua traces his fingers from your knees achingly slow up to the hem of your denim shorts, slipping under the cloth only slightly, leaving you nearly begging for more.

"josh—shua—fuck, more, please?" you choke out, voice broken from pure desperation. joshua clicks his tongue at you, flashing a warning look which shuts your lips real tight as he reaches up to unbutton the shorts. you quickly reach down, helping him out, but he swats your hands away.

"can you keep your hands up for me sweetheart?" he asks so fucking sweetly you almost forget about the mischievous glint that flashes in his eyes.

"uh-huh," you mumble, slowly lifting your hands above your head, gripping onto the armrest of the couch to brace yourself. in the meantime, joshua unzips and yanks your shorts off, tossing them to the side so they fall somewhere in the room. staring down at your now exposed and soiled panties, you hear joshua suck in a breath.

"all this for me sweetheart?" he murmurs, bring two fingers up to lightly pinch your clit, causing you to jerk against his hold.

"all for you," you affirm nearly immediately, squirming when he takes one finger and tuns it down the midline of the fabric. joshua's eyes are gaping down at your core, nearly in the shape of hearts as his mind races with the idea of how you're already so undone, so desperate, so far gone for him. slowly but surely, he hooks one finger on each side of the waist band, peeling your panties off and exposing your dripping folds.

joshua nearly groans at the site of you clenching around nothing, saying, "fuck baby, you're gonna soak my couch."

"s-sorry," you stutter out, averting your gaze so you don't have the chance to look at the mess you've made.

"don't apologize...it's hot as hell." he pauses, then looks up at you. "you mind if i get a taste?"

"god, fuck yes—i mean no—wait," you babble, "i mean—shit—i don't mind, not at all."

joshua's heart swells at your response, waisting no time dipping his head between your thighs and pressing his tongue flat against your folds. you cry out at the warmth and friction, instinctively shooting one hand down to grab at his hair. within seconds, he's pulling his head back and giving you a stern look. "what'd i say sweetheart?"

"hands, sorry." you quickly pull your fingers back and return them to their hold on the couch.

"there you go sweetheart," joshua mumbles before diving back in, wrapping his arms under and around your thighs to hold you in your place. you can nearly feel his muscles bulge against your leg and you twitch against his mouth at the thought. meanwhile, joshua runs his tongue up and down, going and back and forth between hardening at and circling it around your hole before moving up and wrapping his lips around your clit and flicking his tongue over it.

the erratic, unpredictable movements have your back arching off the couch within minutes, moaning out words like, "feels so good joshua," along with quite curses as you attempt to keep your voice down. it hardly takes a few minutes before you're writhing under him, joshua pulling back with his lips and chin coated in a sticky wetness with a grin.

"you look so pretty baby," he compliments, using one hand to continue to rub between your folds and circle around your clit, never halting the shoots of pleasure through your spine. his eyes are flickering between yours and core, and then holy shit, his lips contort for a moment and then he's spitting on your already soaked pussy and the act is so demeaning and dirty and hot that you hardly comprehend the next words that come out of joshua's mouth. "so do you wanna cum now, or on my cock?" he offers, and you figure there's a right answer and a wrong one, but you don't have the brain capacity right now to think about which is which.

pouting, you respond, "c-can't i have both?"

that must be the right answer, because it has joshua beaming at you, smiling against your pussy as he slips two fingers into you and presses his mouth on your clit. jerking your hips up, joshua follows the swivel of your lower half, matching the thrusts and flicks of his wrist to your own movements so his fingers are hitting deeper and deeper every time. you think you're close, but when he's curling his digits inside of you and sucking hard on your nub you know it's coming.

you don't have time to warn joshua about your impending orgasm but the way your walls hug his fingers so fucking tight is warning enough, and he speeds up both his fingers and the flicking of his tongue to the point where you're on the brink of tears as he finger fucks you through your high. humming in appreciation at the way you call out his name as you do, he releases your clit with a filthy 'pop' sound, fingers taking a moment to gently slip out of you as you come down from your high.

"you did so good angel," joshua praises, pressing kisses along your inner thigh, smearing your skin in the mixture of your own cum and his saliva. your breaths are far too erratic for you to respond, but the way you look up at him with heavy eyelids through thick, glossy lashes tells joshua all he needs to know. unraveling his arms around you, he bring himself up and guides your legs to wrap around his bare torso—shit, wait, when did he take his shirt off.

gaping at this man who could quite literally be god, you can't even comprehend what's going on until you're being carried into a whole new room, joshua throwing you onto his bed, the messy covers bunching up around you. he stands at the edge, unbuckling his belt at a painfully slow rate. quickly scrambling up from your laying back position, you crawl to the spot in front of him and help unbutton his jeans. "already wanting more, huh?" he teases, but doesn't push you away, rather putting his hands to his side to watch you do the work yourself. you don't respond, taking this chance to grab both his jeans and boxers, pulling them down in one go.

joshua's cock springs out, thick and beaming with a bead of precum that dribbles off the tip, lightly hitting your face in the process. your mind is foggy and you look up at him with dreamy eyes as you absentmindedly open your mouth and close your lips around his bulbous tip, lapping at the precum. joshua doesn't hesitate to grab at your hair and pull you off of him, and for a moment you're scared you've done something wrong, getting pulled out of your haze.

but then you catch the way his voice drops an octave when he says, "slow down," and your worries are put at ease. "we can do that another time. wanna feel your cunt." another time. those words ring in your head. there's going to be another time. you ponder on that thought for a moment and then you recall the next of what he says and you look up at him with these doe eyes that joshua finds so fucking adorable, he'd be surprised if you don't see his dick twitching.

crawling onto the mattress, your limbs intertwine in a hot mess so that one of your legs is hooked around his torso while the other rests between his knees under him. it's a slightly awkward position, but the thought hardly crosses either of your minds once his fat tip his sliding between your drooling folds teasingly, before you're begging, "c'mon joshie, stick it in, please—need it now."

now joshua isn't one to usually give in—he's good at maintaining his patience. yet, the way you mumble out his nickname as if there isn't a single thought in your pretty head has his mind going numb, losing all semblance of self control until he can't help but sink his full length into you.

and joshua knows he's big, and looking down at how you nearly shake beneath him, it's confirmed that this is a lot for you. he almost feels bad at the way tears stream down your cheek, considering pulling out and pressing kisses along your face until you're ready to try again but then you're saying his name like that—"joshie, joshie, joshie"—and he just knows that neither of you would be satisfied until he's balls deep inside of you.

"takin'—god, fuck—takin' me like a pro, huh sweetheart?" joshua finally finds it in him to grunt out with out his voice wavering from the way you hug him so well.

"yeah-huh," you nod along, holding up your hand in a grabbing motion, joshua not hesitating to hold your hand in his so you can squeeze it tight while you work through the initial stretch. "you're so big, joshie."

"yeah," he breaths out a laugh. "you like it?" he groans, slipping out around halfway, giving you a chance to breathe, before he's shallowly thrusting back into you. "like me stretching out this pretty fucking pussy?" you nod dumbly, and your jaw gyrates as you try to form a response but no words come out, strangled syllables morphing into pornographic moans as joshua begins to drag his cock out further each time, plunging it deeper and deeper as he goes on.

"oh my god," you're finally able to babble, tits bouncing back and forth as joshua begins jamming his hips into yours with increasing force. the sounds of your wet pussy colliding with his cock bounce off the walls and if it isn't the filthiest thing you've ever heard, you don't know what is.

joshua latches one arm to your hip, the other continuing to hold yours as he pins it by your neck and shifting his body over you so his head hovers above yours. this new angle his his cock ramming hard down onto a spot that has you biting down onto your lips and crying out, "fuck, joshie!"

"you're squeezing me so tight," joshua moans as you rake one hand down his back. "suckin' me in, god i can't get enough, sweetheart," he grunts out, dropping his head down to bury it in the crook of your neck as he continues to pound into you. your body feels as if it's on fire in the best way possible, and with the way joshua is pressing open mouthed kisses onto your sticky skin has your hips lifting to meet his sharp strokes.

you feel as if things can't get any better and then you feel his teeth bite down into your flesh and your eyes roll to the fucking back of your head as the pain quickly shoots to pleasure when he sucks on the spot, the patch of skin throbbing—pulsing. "'m so close, joshie," you moan as he pullings away, looking down at your fucked out face. your eyes are droopy and shutting tight every time he fucks into you, mouth slightly agape and never fully closing.

he isn't sure what urges him to do it but then he's shoving three fingers into your mouth and joshua thinks that this might just be true love at the way you don't even hesitate a second to circle your lips against them and run your tongue against them. drool dribbles down your lips as you suck on his fingers and joshua's mind is consumed with the thought of your mouth doing that to his dick and then you moan around his fingers at the way he twitches inside of you and—fuck—he's getting close too, but he just can't allow himself to cum until you have.

slipping his fingers out, he uses the same, slick hand to toy at your clit as you clench around him tighter. "you said you're close?" he groans. "fuckin' cum then, cum around my cock how you wanted to, sweetheart."

it's the way he's gazing down at you endearingly. it's his fat cock pushing itself deeper inside of you, forcing you and your gummy walls to make room for me. it's the filthy words that spill from his lips, laced with his sweet words of praise. it's all of it that comes crashing down on you, the waves of pleasure hitting you over and over and over again until you're reduced to nothing but a thrashing, crying, whining mess with the words, "joshie, fuck," falling from your lips.

you're so lost in pleasure of your second orgasm of the day that you hardly notice it when joshua slips out of you himself, fervently jerking himself off until he moans out your name and there's thick white ropes of cum painting your stomach and clit 'til he's practically milked himself dry.

all the echos through the room now is the sound of your hiccups and joshua's gasps for air until he's finally falling on top of you, head resting on your chest.

"you are so not a gentleman," you gasp out between breaths as he slowly lifts himself off of you, rolling to your side once you unwind your leg from around his hips. he furrows his eyebrows at you with a frown.

"what do you mean?" he whines. "that's literally like my trademark."

"well change it," you grumble, running your fingers over the mark on your neck from where joshua bit you.

"i'm sorry," he murmurs, turning over to you to look at the bruise against your skin. "did i hurt you?" he asks, eyes wide with worry. you want to kick your feet at the way his concern has butterflies coursing through your veins as if this man didn't just rearrange your guts.

you push his face away when he leans down to pepper your neck with kisses, shuffling back onto you. you aren't sure how much longer your poor heart can handle this. "it's too late to be a gentleman now..."

"is it though?" joshua asks with a smirk, looking down at you.

"dunno...guess you just have to prove to me that you're worth the title."

"does this mean i get more chances?" joshua grins.

you roll your eyes. "maybe...it depends on what you have planned."

"well," joshua drawls out. "i'm thinking a nice date...then maybe you, me, my bed and—"

i guess you can tell where it goes from here.

a/n. half the time i think i dont know how to end fics without some stupid dialouge bc wtf.... anyways if u enjoyed pls like and reblog!

[kayhi808]

First Crush - 8

Your dinner & movie date was great! Dinner came out well. Bucky enjoyed it. He hadn't had a home cooked meal in a while. Bucky helps you clear the table, "I'll have to give Abby a bath & get her ready for bed, but if you want...to hang around for a bit..."

You feel his hands on your hips as he turns you around. "Yea, I think I can do that." He leans in & kisses you softly. His lips, soft but firm makes the butterflies in your belly take flight. You take his bottom lip between your teeth & tug, eliciting a soft moan from Bucky's throat.

"Mama?" Bucky jumps back, looking over his shoulder at Abby standing 3 feet away. "What doing?"

"Hey, Baby. I was on my way to get your bath started. Can you pick out your pajamas for me? You can also pick out 2 stories for tonight."

"Mama?"

"Yes."

She waddles over to hold Bucky's hand, "Can Bucky reads me a story"

You both look at Bucky. "Sure." He smiles down at her.

She claps & bounces up & down. "One story for Buckys & 2 story for yous."

"What? No, ma'am. You only get 2 stories. One for me & one for Bucky."

Abby bends over cackling, "I almost tricks yous."

"Nice try. Go find your pajamas & stories. We'll be right there." Abby skips out of the kitchen and then you're able to crack a smile. "She's only 3! By the time she's a teenager, she'll be too smart for me." Bucky drops a kiss at your temple as you pass him to get Abby's bath ready.

*****

Your evening didn't end like you would have hoped. Abby wouldn't fall asleep as long as Bucky was there. She came outside for water, monsters in her closet, monsters under the bed, to ask very important questions about Moana's Chicken if it knew how to swim in the ocean...Her interruptions were endless. Bucky left because Abby wouldn't go to sleep otherwise. Cockblocked by your own child!

You and Bucky decided that once he returns from this mission, you'd set time aside for a real date. Just the two of you. You've been so limited to lunches in your office or phone calls after Abby goes to sleep. You're dying to go on a grown-up date with Bucky.

Wednesday morning started like any other day, until an alert came in that Bucky's mission went sideways & the team suffered injuries. The med bay had to be alerted & prepped for the incoming quinjet. Bucky had been shot and one of the other agents under him was in serious condition.

It was hard for you to concentrate on work knowing Bucky was hurt. This is exactly what scared you about starting a relationship with Bucky. The fear you'll feel with every mission he leaves on. You both have kept it professional at work, but Bucky's friends know you've been seeing each other. You weren't assigned to Director Fury today, so you aren't abreast with details of the mission.

Sam drops by your office, "Hey."

Leaping up from your desk, "Sam! What happened? How is he?"

"He'll be fine. They're checking him out now. It was a through and through.

"And the other agent?"

"He's in surgery now, but it looks good." You nod, biting your bottom lip. "Want me to take you up?"

Tears fall, "I'm still working. I don't want Fury..."

Sam laughs, "Fury already knows EVERYTHING that happens here. It'll be quick. Once you see him, it'll put your mind at ease."

Wiping away your tears, "Please?" Sam nods & as you pass him, he puts his arm around your shoulder giving you a quick squeeze.

*****

You get to the med bay and Bucky is on a bed, his side patched up with a large bandage & his arm in a sling. You gasp & cover our mouth with your hands, trying to silence yourself. "Buck." It's the first time you've seen him without a shirt, you see the way his Vibranium arm in attached to him. The scars.

It's overwhelming. The abuse his poor body has taken.

"Hey, Doll." Sam nudges you towards the bed & leaves to give you both privacy.

You brush his hair off his forehead & drop a kiss on his brow before placing one on his lips. "Can I get you anything?"

He closes his eyes and shakes his head clasping your hand in his, "Nope. This is good."

You know he's medicated, so you stay until he falls asleep before you leave him.

*****

You made arrangements with a neighbor to pick up Abby from daycare, so you can visit with Bucky after work.

When you get there, Natalie, Clint & Steve are there joking with him. He looks much better than this morning.

"Hey, doll! What are you still doing here?"

Lingering in the doorway, "I asked my neighbor if she could get Abby from daycare because I'd be a little late. I wanted to check on you before I left."

Clint teases, "You don't have to worry about him. He's like a cat with nine lives. Thankfully he's able to put himself in harms way to save the day, with his super serum."

"Shut up, man."

Natasha sees you flinch, "He'll be good as new. The serum does accelerate the healing process. There's nothing to worry about."

You give her a small smile, "Yea, that's good to hear."

"Y/N?" Bucky hears the strain in your voice.

"I'm glad you're feeling better. I...I wanted to know if you needed anything before I left but looks like you're well taken care of."

"Could you guys give us a minute?"

"No, I can't stay. I need to get Abby. I don't want to be an inconvenience; you know how Abby gets. We'll talk later." You quickly go to him & drop a kiss on his brow & turn to leave, giving a small wave to the others.

*****

The following morning Director Fury had you with him in meetings. When you got back to your office, you found Bucky sitting there waiting for you. "Bucky? What are you doing here? Did they release you already?" You notice the bruise and scrapes were already healed. He still had his arm in a sling though.

"You didn't answer your phone last night."

"I'm sorry. I texted you this morning. Abby was in a mood and I fell asleep early. I was real tired." Bucky just stares at you and it makes you nervous. "Did you want me to pick up lunch for you?"

He shakes his head & continues to stare at you until you finally make eye contact with him. "Talk to me, Y/N." He waits out your silence.

"What do you want me to say?"

"Whatever's bothering you, we can talk it through. We can figure it out. At least give me a chance."

"I don't even know where to start."

"The beginning works best," getting comfortable in the chair, signaling he's not going anywhere.

"Abby's father. He was a fighter pilot with the Air Force. He had a dangerous job but he didn't die in the line of duty. It was because he was reckless. He was careless & lost control of his plane. He did that to himself."

"And you see him in me?" You see his jaw clench.

"I don't know. I know that i'm scared now. I feel more connected to you, than I did to Jason in the short time I've known you. My daughter absolutely adores you." You see a cocky smile on his face. "Those aren't good points, Bucky." Frowning at him, "Your job is dangerous and you risk your life to save others. I can't have someone else in my life who puts me & Abby second."

"And you think I'd do that?"

"I do. Clint said that because you're a Super Soldier, you take extra risks because you know you'll recover. You take a bullet for someone on the team because you know you'll survive and they will die. That's brave and heroic and I commend you on that."

"Y/N."

"But if I'm honest and selfish, if I let myself fall in love with you, where does that leave me? Abby? I don't think we have a place in your world. Your team, Mankind, will always outrank us."

"It's like you've got this all figured out."

Shaking your head, "I don't. And that's what scares me. If it was just myself I had to think about, my concerns would be different. I'd be willing to risk more." Taking a deep breath, "I'm protecting Abby the only way I know how."

"And if I promise to put you & Abby first?"

That wasn't an option you were expecting. "I don't understand."

Bucky stands and leans on your desk, "If I swear to put you and Abby first. Will you give us a chance?"

"How?"

"Let me work it out. I'm asking you to trust me? Can you do that? Can you give me time?" You silently nod as he pulls you in for a kiss. The chill of his vibranium hand on the nape of your neck giving you goosebumps. Or is it just the kiss itself?

Next chapter

@waywardhunter95 @rebeccapineapple @ordelixx @onceithough @crazyunsexycool @thezombieprostitute @ilovetaquitosmmmm @julvrs @unaxv @s-a-v-a-n-a-34 @winterslove1917 @ozwriterchick @mrs-bucky-barnes-73 @mrsnikstan @hisredheadedgoddess28 @itsteambarnes @otterlycanadian @enchantedbarnes @purplecolordeer @samsgirl93 @buckitostan @blackbirdwitch22

[supernaturallyedsheeran]

Witch Hunt

SYNOPSIS: After a hunt goes wrong, and Dean is in a coma, you sneak out to seek the witch that did it - only to get caught up in trouble of your own.

WORD COUNT: 4082

PAIRING: Reader x Dean

INCLUDES: Blood, pain, fluff

CHARACTERS: Sam, Dean, female reader

FANDOM: Supernatural

You'd never been ridden with guilt or anger at Dean like this before. Sure you'd get mad at Dean for doing things on a hunt without telling anyone first, but it always worked out. The hunt was always successful.

But this time was different. This time it didn't go to plan.

This time, you were sitting in a chair in a hospital room, staring Dean down, as he laid motionless in the bed.

"Hey" You were snapped out of your thoughts as Sam entered the room, two coffees in hand. "How's he holding up?"

Sam gave a pitiful smile, looking at you, then to his brother.

"Same as yesterday. And the day before that." You sigh, shaking your head, taking the coffee Sam handed you.

"We'll figure something out, I promise."

"How can you be so sure Sam? He's been here, for a month, who's to say it's not....time.." You trail off, even as those words come out of your mouth, you feel a lump forming in your throat, and Sam's gaze pierce you at those words.

"It's time, when I say it's time." He snaps back.

Since the day Dean was attacked by the witch you had been thinking of places to go, people to talk to that could help him come out of whatever deep sleep this was. You were determined to get Dean back, but you never wanted to leave his side. "I'll take the shift, if you want to go back to the motel, grab a shower and something to eat?" Sam said, taking a chair from across the room and dragging it up beside his brother.

"Yea, sounds good." Getting up from your chair was hard - not for the fact that'd you'd been sitting in it for days, but for the fact that you didn't want to leave Dean in case the moment you left, he woke up. You knew it wouldn't happen...but if it did and you weren't there...

"Hey" Sam snapped you again back to reality. "He's not going anywhere." It's like he could read your mind. He knew you were over thinking it as you stood in the doorway, staring at Dean.

"Yea, I know." You breathed out, on the verge of tears. "Thanks Sam." With one last forced smile, you left.

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. It had been months since you last walked out on Sam and Dean. You were miserable, but the time spent with other hunters, and following dead end leads for cures at least passed the time.

You were in a motel room, somewhere in Idaho staring out the window, watching the rain pour outside. You'd often get lost in your own thoughts, thinking about Dean and wondering how he was, or thinking how mad Sam would be when he saw you again.

The decision to leave them wasn't easy. Especially after not even saying goodbye, and just leaving the hospital and hitting the road. But you were determined to find a cure for Dean, even if that meant you had to leave him. Sam had been trying to find cures but you didn't think it was enough just looking through a computer - you knew hitting the road would be the best chance at finding a cure for Dean.

You were getting choked up at the thought of him, still laying in a hospital bed, months after you left. You just wanted him to hold you again, to kiss you, to just sit with you. You took a deep breath and re focussed on the paperwork spread out in front of you.

No sooner had you gotten lost in your work, had something pulled you right back out of your trance. Something outside was stirring, watching you from across the parking lot.

You grabbed your gun and slowly walked over to the front door - careful not to make any sounds as you did so. You checked through the peep hole - the rain was coming down so hard still you couldn't see anything outside but the glare from the water on the pavement.

You unlatched the lock, and slowly opened the door, pointing your gun at the crack opening before you..

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *.

You woke up in a daze. Head pounding. Arms sore, legs weak.

As you tried to open your eyes, you realized your arms were tied above your head - your feet just barely touching the ground; you were hanging somewhere dark, somewhere damp and musty, but you couldn't make out where.

"She's finally awake." Someone hissed from the dark corner of the room Out from the shadow stepped a woman, dressed in red velvet from head to toe, the robes sweeping as she walked towards you. She took a finger and wiped it across your head, as she did so a hot burning replaced her finger. You let out a scream "Oh poor darling, if you hadn't put up such a fight, you wouldn't be so hurt!" You could feel the anger boiling inside you but it was quickly replaced by the realization that you were bleeding. When did you fight? You had no recollection of hunting or fighting.

"Who are you" You manage to get out - your throat even painful, as the words left your mouth. You look up and manage to catch her face. No. This was the witch that hurt Dean. "What do you want from me" You so badly wanted to yell but couldn't, your throat hurt, swelling with anger, your chest thumping with rage your eyes filing with blood and tears.

"From you, nothing." She replied sweetly. "It's Sammy I want something from." Dazed and confused you stared her down for more information

"Oh, you didn't know?" She remarked. "He had found you, at your motel. He was going to come get you, to make you come back." Your voice caught in your throat; you wanted nothing more than to see Sam to hug him, to apologize for leaving and having nothing to show for it - and now, you were bait for him "Please leave him alone." You cried. "Afraid I can't do that honey; you see, I have Dean trapped in dreamland, and once I get Sam in there too; well you see, I'll be able to hand them both over to Lucifer and save myself a good seat for the fight!" A new burning sensation took hold of your body. That's it? Her only motive was to kill the boys to save herself in this fight? And you were nothing more than a pawn to lure Sam in.

"He'll never fall for this." You gurgle through gritted teeth. "Oh but I'm afraid he will. But just in case..." Her voice trailed off as she poured something into a bowl, mixed and said an incantation. Your throat closed. You couldn't breath. You couldn't speak.

"I might as well just make it so you can't talk to him and tell him what's happening." She smiled and left the room.

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *.

Sam had been on the road a few weeks after you left. He was determined to find you after you stopped answering calls. He had left Dean in the care of Bobby as he set out. Knowing Dean was with Bobby in the safe house instead of the hospital set him at ease, but it still weighed on his mind that his brother hadn't woken up for months. And it pained and frustrated him more that his brothers girlfriend had up and left without saying anything. He wanted to be mad, but he knew what you were going through, he just wanted to find you and bring you home so you could hunt this witch together.

He had finally picked your trail up in Wyoming, searching cameras and highway footage and picking up your car crossing state lines into Idaho.

Going door to door, he had found some people who'd sighted you entering the Pines Motel where he confirmed with the front desk, you had been there, but never checked out.

His heart sank as he thanked the receptionist, and wandered over to your room and broke in.

The cleaning ladies had already been through, so it was tidy, but a stack of your things were on the table. Your clothes, backpack, toiletries, stacks of paperwork, and car keys. Just as Sam turned around he caught sight of something on the door frame - something so small and tucked away it was a wonder he even caught it.

A hex bag.

"No." He breathed out. He had a bad feeling the witch had taken you and he knew immediately it was a trap. But he also knew he couldn't leave you where ever you were. Just as his mind was racing his phone rang; an unknown number. "Hello?" "Oh Sam dear, I see you've found my little treasure I left behind. I do have her, I'm sure you already know but in case you don't believe me..." The witch held the phone up to your mouth, momentarily dropping whatever spell she had placed to silence you "Sam, Sam, don't co--" Before you could finish warning him your throat closed up again and you couldn't speak. Hot tears filled your eyes and washed the blood down your cheeks. "Let her go!" He screamed at the phone

"Come get her dear. Ill text you the address." She hung up, smiling and touching your nose as she did so. "So simple these Winchester boys!"

Back at the motel, Sam jumped in the car and sped off, in chase of the place the witch had sent him to.

You were in and our of consciousness; Unaware how hurt you were, feeling the blood sticking and drying on your face, losing sensation in your hands and feet and dragging in ragged breaths of air stale air as you slowly started to give up hope you'd be set free. Had Sam already come and been beaten? Did he never show up at all?

Between states of seeing around the room and blacking out, you could have sworn someone came in. Two people? Flash lights panning the room. Or gun bursts? Screaming and bursts of smoke. Or laughter and rejoicing?

You felt your body fall to the concrete slowly, but all at once. Someone grabbed you by the waist, your head nodding towards the ground. Arms under your legs and you were being carried - by who? To where? Suddenly through a door, bright light hit warmly on your face - were you outside? It felt nice. A breeze of chilly air and warm sun. You let out a sigh and melted into darkness once again.

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *.

You woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed - as you did a sudden rush of blood flowed to your head and a thumping began. A headache from moving too fast. "Ow" You winced, grabbing your face in your hands.

"Hey, good morning sleepyhead." You steady yourself and look up slowly through squinting eyes to see Sam sitting at the edge of the bed. He smiled, a little brighter than last time you saw him - it was like he had hope again. "Sam-" you start to talk but your throat closes as the aches take hold of you. You close your eyes and try to work through the pain. "It's ok." You're in the bunker. We're safe. The witch is dead." You look up at him with wide eyes. What? You plead to him for more information, without asking.

"You were close, to finding the cure for Dean. It was the witch that put him in the sleep. She came for you to get to me. "Bobby found it. We just needed the blood from the witch to counter her spell on Dean. "He's alive"

Tears swell in your eyes, happiness exploding through screams and crying. It was all too much. Dean was alive? Where was he? Would he forgive you for running out on him and his brother when he needed you most?

Sam scooted closer to you, grabbing you into a hug, your head in his chest as you heaved crying, trying to catch a breath through the pain.

"He's alive." Sam said, his voice wavering. "You're alive." He grasped you tighter into his chest, stroking your hair. "You're both alive."

Sam pushed away from you and held your face in his hands. "You're ok." He helped you up slowly from the bed, as you winced with the pain aching across your body. Your feet touched the cool cement floor and a sense of ease washed over you. Sam led you to the bathroom, where he turned on the shower. "Do you need help?" He asked "I think I'm ok Sam, thanks." He gave a small smile and closed the door behind him as you began to undress tenderly, trying not to move too quick or hard to hurt yourself more. You step under the hot shower, grateful to have it washing away old blood and soothe your bruises. You stood in the shower, for what felt like hours, gently washing your skin, detangling your hair and just letting your emotions out. Once finished, exhaustion washed over you. You grabbed one of Dean's tshirts from the dresser, and threw it on subconsciously. It was like a dress on you. Your wet hair was soaking the shirt but you didn't care, it felt nice. Gently putting on your underwear, shorts and shoes, you make your way out into the hall; dark marble walls greeting you as you slowly strode towards the kitchen. Laughter was heard, a few voices, Sam's definitely...Bobby, and was that --

"Dean." Sam had spotted you standing in the doorway, frozen at the sight of the back of Dean's head. He turned around in his chair, pulling the beer bottle from his lips. His green eyes staring into you; you were too exhausted to feel anything but guilt and emptiness. He looked healthy, normal. Not at all like he had been asleep for the past couple of months. His eyes darted from your face, to your bruised arms and legs, back up to your eyes. His mouth parted, as if to say something, but nothing came out. He stood up slowly placing his beer on the table, without breaking eye contact. He walked slowly towards you, anger and sadness in his eyes. "You." He said through gritted teeth. You were ready for him to blow up on you, to be angry, but instead as he stood a foot away from you he grabbed you. His chin resting on your head, one hand on your back and one on your upper back, locking you in an embrace you couldn't move from. You could hear his heart fluttering in his chest - heaving trying to keep his tears down. "You're ok" He said through gritted teeth.

"Give her a moment to breathe, son" Bobby spoke softly from the kitchen, both him and Sam staring at you and Dean. Dean released you, his hands still holding on to your waist. He took a moment to drink in your injuries. Countless arm and leg bruises, a black eye, split lip and cut on your forehead; burns around your neck. "I'm so sorry-" He started but it caught you off guard "Why the hell are you sorry?" You questioned. Again he opened his mouth to say something but was lost for words "I took off on you. I left Sam by himself, I didn't even say where I was going. I almost got you and Sam killed." You were looking everywhere and anywhere but Dean's eyes. He couldn't stop staring at you. "Stop. Okay? You tried to save me. In fact you brought Sam and Bobby closer to finding the cure to bring me back, and Sam's fine - he's a big boy he can take care of himself. I'm not mad. I'm happy you went out and searched for something. I'm alive because of you." He brought his hands up from your waist and grabbed your chin gently with his hand bringing your eyes to meet his. "I'm alive because of you." He looked at you with his stern green eyes, you could tell, he wasn't mad. He was passionate. He was grateful you were alive. "Come here" His lips crashed against yours, you winced a little at the pain of it, but sunk into the kiss, feeling his tongue roll against yours. He pressed your body into his, again locking you in an embrace. When he let go of the kiss, he rested his forehead to yours. "I love you so much. Next time you need to take off, don't. I can't bare losing you."

All you could muster was another "I'm sorry." through tears, exhaustion and tiredness. Dean took your hand and walked you into the kitchen where you walked up to Sam and he sat down. "I'm sorry." You said, Sam taking you into a warm embrace. "Don't be. Only a little." He smirked, letting you go and handing you back to Dean. As you took a few steps towards dean, your body wavered. You stumbled a little and the few smiles that had started to spread back across everyone's faces, faltered. "Hey hey, whoa what's goin' on." Dean stood up from his seat to catch you before you fell, balancing you against his side. "I'm fine, really just tired and sore." You lied. Something did not feel right, you felt a presence inside your chest, the darkness looming again coming in and out of alertness. You slumped more against Dean's chest, eye's fluttering. "I'm fine." Before you knew it, you were out again. Darkness consumed your eyes and your ears felt hot and plugged by sounds of nothing.

Dean grabbed you before your body fully collapsed onto the floor, his body sinking with you to the cool cement. "Bobby what the hells going on?" Dean started to panic, not wanting to lose you again. "Check her arms" Bobby said - as he did so, Sam grabbed your right wrist and his eyes widened. "Bobby" He said.

On the inside of your wrist, was a little circle, with what looked to be a 6 pointed flower inside it. It had been carved into your skin. "That's a mark of a witch." Dean's eyes widened at Bobby's statement. "What's going on Bobby" Dean started getting louder, feeling like he wasn't getting his questions answered quick enough. "She's been marked. And until we find out by who, she's gone back into exactly where you were Dean." "Sam already killed the witch! Are you saying there's another one out there, controlling her?"

"I'm saying we might have stumbled on a coven, and they're not too pleased that we offed one of their own."

"Son of a bitch" Dean stared into your face, the calmest you ever looked since being rescued. You looked at peace.

"Dean we got to get going on this if we're going to save her." Sam placed his hand on Dean's shoulder, Dean looking up at him "Sammy I can't lose her."

"I know, which is why we need to go. Now." Sam replied sternly.

Dean took your limp body back into your bedroom, and placed you gently onto the sheets. "I'll stay and watch, you boys go on and get this this done." Bobby walked into the room, sitting at the desk across from the bed. "I've got her, Dean." He reassured. Dean furrowed his brow, staring at your face. He leaned down and placed a kiss on your forehead. "I'm coming back sweetheart. I'm coming back, hell or high water." He squeezed your wrist one last time, before swiftly moving out of the room, Sammy in tow. A tear rolled down your cheek. You couldn't move. But you could scream - but no one could hear you. You begged for Bobby to bring Dean back to not let him leave your side but he couldn't hear you. Bobby let out a sigh, and started rolling out paperwork to read while he took watch over you. The boys had to be back They couldn't leave you like this forever surely. Is this what Dean went through? Did he hear you leaving the hospital those months ago? Did he hear Sam curse you out after he found out you were gone?

You screamed at the noise inside your brain. Nothing came out. No movement, no sound. Just silence.

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *.

A few days had passed since the boys had left to hunt the witch that had a hold on you.

Bobby passed the time wiping your body with a damp cloth, to keep you clean and cool, and reading out loud lore to you, to keep you occupied. Neither of which he was certain you could hear or feel. He did it mostly since Dean had been asking him to.

The boys would call almost daily - mostly Dean to check in on you and then Sam to get information from Bobby on leads they had found. They were close to the witch, but it kept evading their grasp.

"Dean, she's fine, nothings changed. I've been reading into the covens that are around you and I'm certain your near the one. Just tell me when you get there." Bobby sighed and hung up the phone. "That boy. Needs to get his head straight or he's going to get himself killed." Bobby looked back at you, still on the bed. "Sorry." He mumbled.

You heard Bobby leave the room again and rummage somewhere else in the bunker. Being alone was ok from time to time, but not knowing the day or time really put a kink in your thinking. You mostly thought about Dean - any noise of someone coming into the room you'd hoped it was him coming to wrap you in his arms and tell you he found the cure.

A weight, suddenly lifted from your chest. You could see the light from behind your eyelids. You parted your lips, and inhaled. Your eyes slowly opened. Bobby came running into the room, cell phone pressed to his ear; you could hear Dean on the other side yelling at him "Bobby! What's going on did it work?!"

Bobby let out a sigh of relief into the phone "Come home boys, you did it."

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *.

Whatever the curse was, as soon as it was lifted you felt light as air. As though you had never been stuck in bed for days, like you'd never been beaten and sore; it was electrifying.

Bobby had gone to do a food run once he knew you were alive and well enough to stay on your own for a while, until the boys came home. You walked around the bunker, glad to see it again, and touch it's cool stones, feel the chill in the air, and smell the pages of lore books.

The front door slammed open. "Where is she Bobby?" Dean sounded frantic

"She's in there, go find her ya idjit."

You hurried to the stairs where Dean was descending, gun bag in hand, covered in dirt sweat and blood. He looked as frantic as he sounded but you were so happy to see him.

As soon as he locked eyes with you, he dropped his bags and picked you up, planting his lips onto yours, squeezing your lower back, with his other hand tangled in your hair. Between gasps of air, tears and chuckles he kept saying "You're alive"

"I'm here I'm here" you reassured him resting your forehead to his.

Bobby and Sam made their way into the book room, so Dean could have you to himself.

"Never again, am I letting you out of my sight." You spoke, through tears and laughs. "I am not letting you do anything stupid like that again." "Deal." He smirked, those green eyes staring deeply into yours.

He placed your feet firmly on the floor, but not letting go of your waist.

"Let me have a shower, and then what do you say we hang out in the room tonight?" Dean sneered. "I am not waiting for you to shower to get my hands on you Winchester." You laughed back.

You caught him off guard with that quip, but he smiled and and bit his bottom lip.

"Alright." He said. Dean grabbed you up into his arms, and walked you into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He laughed, dropping you onto the bed and climbing on top of you.

"You're never leaving my sight again." He smiled, planting a kiss onto your lips.

[heartfullofleeches]

Femboy slasher Yandere and Darling is giving me brain rot SO BADLY RN. Okay so what if yandere is a playboy, luring in his victims using his oh so perfectly hot body. One day, he goes out late at night to a bar and finds Darling hooking up with some guy. He plans on killing the both of them, but loses them in the crowd. When he finds them again, Darling is gutting the fool who thought that they would ever touch scum like him, and yandere can't help but plan their wedding.

(This could kinda go with what I had in mind so I hope you don't mind me merging the two- Mentions of Murder/Death)

Femboy Slasher Yan + Femboy Murder-Streamer Slasher Darling-

"Looking for some fun?~ Two cuties seeking third partner to celebrate their anniversary with. Location and pictures provided after a few questions. See you soon ;)"

" "You're making this way too easy, love. People might get suspicious."

"Whaaat? No way - ugh, this blows. I wish we could go to our usual spot, but there's too much attention around that area after that last guy you picked...."

"He was being too sweet with you - he had to die...."

"All he did was give me a free drink - on my birthday!"

Yan's Darling is so weird. Instead of movies of grabbing a bite to eat, Darling has a different idea of what the perfect date night is. They're lucky they're so damn cute in red-

Derailing from your ask a little, Yan actually never murdered anyone before he met darling. Robbed them blind and maybe left a few in the hospital, but he never killed anyone far as he knew or cared. He used his looks to lure people in and take everything from them once they were under his spell. One day, he catches word of another cute face frequenting bars and other places Yan chose as his place of business. He couldn't have that. Eventually, Yan locates Darling on the same night Darling is luring some drunk guy behind some dumpsters. Yan heads over, hoping to catch some blackmail he could used to get Darling off his turf, but what he saw behind those dumpsters was not what he was especially to see."

"Hey gang~ Oops, looks like someone's finally feeling the effects of the medicine I put in his drink. We'll have to cut this stream a little short tonight."

Yan watches as the person behind the dumpsters slits the man's throat - blood mixing with white foam bubbling from his lips. The person looks almost identical to the boy Yan had seen early, but now he's wearing some weird make. It doesn't take long for darling to notice Yan. Instead of rushing him, Darling reaches into the man's pocket and pulls out his wallet - throwing it at the other male.

"That's what you wanted, right? I've seen you around here before, but I thought you'd be good bait to lead the police off my scent when this guy here was found... Wanna be friends?"

Yan should run. He should scream - yell for help, but the way Darling is so carefree and nonchalant about their crimes..... It's the hottest thing he's ever witnessed.

Darling tells Yan all about their life. Killing people has always been more of a hobby to them, but somehow they found a community of freaks who'd pay hundreds to see a cute boy like them crack someone's skull open. Better than being stuck as at crappy cashier job in their book. Their first manager would have been their first victim had he not passed away in an accident the same week Darling planned to butcher him.

Darling and Yan quickly come to the agreement that if Yan lures people away, Darling will do the deed. Yan develops more of a crush on darling seeing how much pleasure and glee comes from killing for rhem. Yan is approached by someone who's cautious of their new friend and warns Yan about them. Yan kills their acquaintance in a fit of rage after they express their plans on telling the police about Darling. Yan realizes he hasn't been entirely in it for the money and has developed feelings for Darlings. Feelings he'll protect in any way necessary. Darling is so proud of him. They give him their favorite knife as part of his promotion to becoming their partner. The two become a team who passionately kiss in between disemboweling the poor fool who was stupid enough to answer their online ad.

[peppermintquartz]

Hen wonders if Buck realizes how loudly he broadcasts his thoughts and feelings. He's better at keeping his mouth shut, for which Hen is grateful - she does not need to hear about Buck's sexcapades ever again - but his face expresses everything that comes into that pretty head of his.

Like right now, for example.

It's the Firefighter Challenge regionals and Tommy's signed up after losing a bet to Eddie, and now Buck is torn between supporting his boyfriend and supporting Eddie representing the 118.

"They'll give a good showing at least," Chimney says, offering some churros to Hen and Buck. Hen takes one and Buck declines. "But they're going up against Wesley from the 114. They gonna be trounced."

"Eddie will beat that guy," Buck says loyally. His brow is furrowed as he tries to pick out his best friend from the assembled challengers. He brightens and waves his hand wildly. "There he is!"

Chimney grins. "Wesley's represented the west side in the nationals for three years running. Eddie's good, but he's not that good."

"And more importantly: will Tommy beat Eddie?" Hen inquires slyly.

Buck's face falls and he wails, "I don't know!" He goes on tiptoes to try to locate Tommy, but everyone is in their SCBA and there's too many people between them and the starting line.

"We should've signed up for the team events," Ravi says as he joins them. "Boost morale, team-building..."

"I prefer my morale boosted through snacks and alcohol," Hen deadpans. When she glances at Buck, she wants to laugh out loud. The poor kid looks like he's an icon of despair.

Buck sees Hen looking at him and sulks. "I can't find Tommy!"

Denny doesn't sulk as good as that. Hen smothers her amusement. "We'll see their names - oh, look, the display is on. We're about to begin."

The tinny sound of the commentators come across the speakers with heavy distortion, but Buck cheers and whoops when they hear something like "Diaz from Station 118!"

"I don't hear Thomas Kinard," Ravi observes unnecessarily after the names were all read out.

Buck is frowning hard enough to crack a walnut with his face. "That doesn't make sense. Tommy definitely signed up, I was with him when he did." He takes out his phone and types rapidly. Then his face clears and he is sunshine again, even as he is rolling his eyes. "Sly asshole. He signed up for the Over 40 category."

He clearly doesn't mean the asshole comment, and it's good that he can be so fondly annoyed by his boyfriend. Not merely infatuation and novelty, then. Maybe soon they'll have their first fight. Maybe she can advise him, or Maddie or Bobby will. Doesn't matter. As long as they're on the same page.

Chimney guffaws. "Well that's one way to avoid Wesley!" Before anyone can say more, they hear the pop of the starting gun and a tumult of cheers erupt from the spectators. Buck roars his support, nearly knocking Chimney and Ravi over when he throws up his arms when Eddie pulls ahead in the climb up the tower.

Laughing to herself as the guys get into the spirit of the competition, Hen thinks it's good that Buck can be so open and in touch with his feelings. Wearing his heart on his sleeve isn't such a bad way to live.

[starsomens]

Reader and Noah on the day of their wedding!!

Like maybe from their povs? Like individual? Maybe they do a first look or one of them gets nervous so one of them goes to the other end they hold hands without looking, you know what I mean???

If you understand thank you love😭

A/N: AHHH so adorable! I guess I kinda mushed 2 ideas together??

You were pacing back and forth in the dressing room of the venue, nerves getting the better of you. Your makeup was flawless, your hair styled perfectly. The dress? It hugged your figure like a dream, making you feel like royalty. Yet, amidst this perfection, you were a bundle of nerves. Your hands trembled, the words of your vows tangled on your tongue, and you couldn't believe you were sweating enough to risk your makeup.

"Y/N, you're going to do just fine!" "we'll be there to remind you anyway!" "Noah's gonna love anything you say to him hon"

It was undeniable that your friends were an incredible support system during such a time. As you reviewed your vows, you hoped to recite them from memory, yet you were very aware that the paper would be necessary. Amidst your reading, your phone vibrated on the table. Approaching, you noticed Nick was calling. The plan was for you and Noah to stay out of contact before the wedding, but it seemed Noah had assigned Nick to keep in touch with you, just in case.

"Hello?"

"hey Y/N..so we may have a bit of a situation and the ceremony starts in an hour," Nick gets right to the point "nothing bad just nerves..."

Crap.

"Can I talk to him Nick?" You asked starting to worry about your soon to be husband

"Well that's what I was going to ask," he says "he wanted to know if you two can meet?"

"Meet? But-"

"I know, the seeing part but just trust me on this. Neither of you will see one another but I think he really just needs to be in your presence right now..." you sigh feeling as if this was a bad omen (HA). What if he was getting cold feet? What if he didn't want to marry at all??

You take a deep breath and sigh "Alright Nick, I trust you. Where should I meet you guys?" you ask him

"We'll come to you, don't worry. See you soon," he said, and abruptly, the call ended. Despite the slight dilemma, you were relieved that Nick was there to assist him. You informed the girls about the situation and mentioned that you might need the room to yourself. About ten minutes later, a knock on your door prompted you to answer it. As you cracked open the door, you found no one there. It seemed odd, and just as you were about to step out, you heard Noah's voice.

“I’m here babe…..” he stuck his hand out to the right where he was hiding behind the wall where you couldn’t see him. Very, very clever, you take his hand in yours and lean against the frame

"Hey...." you said softly "what's going on baby? talk to me..." you gave him a small squeeze coxing him to speak

"I uh...I was practicing my vows and I was listening to my words and I just though like....how....what if....I can't live up to what...I want to give you?" he sighs

"What...what do you mean hon?"

"I mean...I want to give you everything you want and deserve, I want to be the best partner, I just want you to be happy and keep you happy.....what if I fail? What if I make you miserable instead?"

Oh God… this poor man. The urge to giggle at his concerns was there, but it was overshadowed by heartache over his lack of self-belief. You understood that marriage was a significant leap and wouldn't be flawless. Yet, it was him you wanted to brave it with, and no one else.

"Noah, darling…" you exhale deeply, intertwining his fingers with yours, "Do you remember our anniversary? You had this grand idea planned, but then it rained, our reservation fell through, and we just headed back home to order pizza, remember?"

"Yeah…" It wasn't his proudest moment; he had wanted to make it special, but it felt as though the world was against that. "I'm still sorry about that—"

"It was one of my favorite dates. Nothing was overpriced or extreme, and I always laugh and smile when I recall us getting caught in the rain together," you say, smiling at the memory of both of you giggling in the rain after being told your reservation was canceled. You both stood outside the restaurant, laughing under the downpour. "And how you indulged me with a kiss in the rain, just like in the movies. I remember sharing the story with my friends and feeling so giddy about the memory. The way you kissed and held me in the rain, and then we chose our favorite movie to watch afterward…"

“…did you actually like it?” He asked

"Apart from the proposal, it's my favorite memory of us. You don't need to be perfect because you already are perfect to me. Every flaw, every habit, everything you think you need to improve—I love all of it… I love you so much, Noah," he said softly, giving his hand a squeeze. You knew that sometimes he underestimated himself. He works tirelessly, striving to improve, yet he doesn't give himself enough credit, and that extends to everything he does in your relationship.

"our marriage won't be perfect, but it doesn't mean we won't work it out together, okay?"

"y-yeah...okay princess.." you hear a slight sniff

"Awhhh baby are you crying?"

"N-no! I have allergies!" Your only response was to giggle at his defense. You knew he could be emotional yet still try to conceal it. Raising your hand, you waited for him to notice your signal. He understood all too well and leaned his face into your hand. As your thumb gently caressed his cheekbone, he relaxed into your touch, turning his face to kiss your palm.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't you dare apologize, Noah, instead I want you to wait or me at the alter and know that I'll be there...okay?"

“Okay……I love you Y/N.”

“I love you Noah….”

You both hesitantly let each other’s hands go knowing that the ceremony would be starting in about 20 minutes. However, matter, you’ve had this encounter with your soon to be husband, it was cut down to about 10. Which meant that Noah was now running down to the altar and you were putting on your finishing touches, grabbing your bouquet and making your way down to the entrance door.

First, the groomsmen and the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. You wait your turn, praying and hoping to whatever God or entity there is that you wouldn’t trip down the aisle and forget your vowels. All thoughts were followed by the flashing cameras provided by Bryan to capture some behind-the-scenes. Waving his hand above his head so that you can look his way and smile. Noah may or may have not told him to get extra pictures of you so that he can have to remember.

And now finally, it was time for you to walk down the aisle as the song you picked starts playing. Jolly had actually done the honors of playing the guitar of the song you and Noah had dedicated to yourselves and your relationship everyone as you start to walk down the aisle. Everybody in all and all smiles as they see you, enter with your gorgeous dress and a beautiful bouquet to match.

All of these eyes were trained on you, but all you could focus on was Noah the way he smiled and how his face would come down over his eyes as he tried to hold his back. Especially when it came to displaying his emotions in public, Noah was very good at it except for today. Today he saw the woman of his dreams, walking towards him, looking absolutely stunning in that moment as you make your last few steps to him and take his hand he cannot understand how someone like him so someone like you.

The song ends, and everybody takes a seat as the officiant speaks.

“We are here today witness the union between Noah and Y/N. Now, before we get to the vows, Noah had asked me to let you all know that despite his expression down, he is crying like a baby” your friends and family giggle as the officiant narrates Noah’s in her monologue “however, my part is going to be short. These two tell each other exactly what it is like to be in love,”

That was your signal to start

“Noah, you came into my life when I was in pieces and put me back together. He saw me for all of my broken heart and left me anyway. It didn’t scare you but it made you stay and I love you for that,” you take a breath as you blink away the tears and continue to speak “ Noah. You are my best friend and there is no one in this world. I would rather spend the rest of my life with I promise stay up late and wait for you to get home, I promise to make waffles with you the day you’re home after tour, but above all else I promise to love you endlessly even on the days that you don’t love yourself I will love you in your place”

No caresses the back of your palm with his thumb as he quietly mouths “Thank you baby,”

Noah then pulls out a paper slip that he had in the pocket of his tux and starts to read.

“ When I first met Y/N, I was actually way too scared to go and talk to her. So what I did was when her and her friend were looking, I threw a napkin with my name and number on it, hoping that she would text me, great plan right?” The crowd chuckles “ but somehow she found my social media instead because your friend is a damn FBI agent. I am so glad that she did, because now I don’t hesitate for a moment when it comes to her. I knew I was first together. I wanted you to be with me for the rest of our lives. I wanted to be the one to make you smile, the one to make you laugh and the ones to love you until my dying breath” you can already tell that you were crying, and you just didn’t care if it would mess up your make up. Hearing his declaration of love was enough to make you like a baby

“Y/N, you are the light of my life, and my reason to keep going. Even in death, I will find you and continue to hold and love you. And even in our next lives, I will find you again and love you more and more each time….i love you so so much…”

At this point, everyone in the crowd, including the officiant, were tears and moved by your words of love.

“ I think it’s very clear with the answers are but Noah do you take Y/N to be your wife as long as you both shall live ?”

“I fucking do”

“And do you Y/N, take Noah to be your husband for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do…”

“Then By the power invest of me, but the state of California, I am not your husband in life. You may kiss the bride.”

Noah did not have to be told twice as he pulled you in close by your waist. His other hand coming to the back of your head as he crashes his lips onto yours. Your friends and family, roaring and celebration, as collapse, and she filled the room. But in the moment, everything went silent as you and Noah had finally, tied the knot pull back slightly and whispers to you

“ Mrs. Sebastian now…”

“ you’re my husband now,”

“Yes I am,” he smiles as he goes in for another kiss. Finally, you were his and he was yours.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Seeing Wukong having to give up MK is what ultimately broke Macaque of what little reservations that MK wasn't their son. This kid WAS Wukong's cub. Maybe not by birth, but he was Wukong's from the moment of his birth. He saw what led to Wukong giving the cub up. Saw how it pained him. And MK saw it too.

Learning he was a Stone Monkey and that the orange haired mother he had remembered had actually been Wukong had been shocking, but it wasn't as scary as he'd thought it'd be, not in Slow Boiled au at least. It actually explains a lot about how Wukong would act when they first started training together, a lot of the ways he'd act around Wukong, too. Monkey instincts of a cub looking after their pregnant parent. He'd already started thinking of Wukong as another parent, so learning they actually were connected only confirmed it in MK's mind. Even if he has the 'worst' step-dad ever (joking).

MK end up being the one to explain it to Pigsy. How he finally knew where he came from and why Pigsy had found him the way he had. At first Pigsy wants to rage at their stupid monkey for abandoning his child until he remembers the state the king had been in when they had first found him. How he had certainly jot been in any condition to care for himself much less a child. And learning from MK how, from what he could see of the memory, Monkey King had been very serious and careful with his decision to leave MK with Pigsy, how he had cried when he finally let his cub go to be with the reincarnation of his brother, how he had TRUSTED Pigsy even before they had met... well the pig started crying as well. He couldn't help but feel a bit of pride knowing how much the guy had trusted him and that he at least had the sense to make sure MK had a normal childhood.

They do need to have a talk about the event, mainly to figure out where they all stand now with this new information. That wukong had been a part of their family even before they had 'rescued' him during the DBK's first attack on the city.

Yesss. Apologies for how long this took to answer.

Ref.

Macaque had just completed his own big trauma realization that; he hadn't been a good mate or friend to Wukong during their last meeting under the Mountain + that Macaque really did realise a little too late that Wukong was with child + the realisation that Wukong mourned for him long after his death.

With the added context in S5 of MK really being a creation of Nüwa; its possible than when Xiangliu/Nine-Headed Demon woke MK up, hw had not realised that Wukong was nearby. Wukong came running as fast as he could towards the sounds of a baby monkey's crying.

In the Scroll of Memory; MK and Macaque watch as the memory of the Monkey King approaches the shattered Stone Egg on the ground - the very same Stone Egg that Subodhi showed MK. His eyes wide with both wonder and fear.

A pair of tiny dark furred hands reach out from the cracked stone. Reaching for it's mother.

The memory of Wukong scoops the baby stone monkey into his arms without question. Tears are running down his face as he's just so afraid and unsure how he can raise them as he is.

MK's mind comes to a screeching halt.

His "birth mother". The person in his earliest memory. The only evidence his mind had to a life before Pigsy.

His mother's hair was the same sunshine-gold as the Monkey King's fur.

Macaque notices the horrified look on MK's face, looking between him and the baby monkey in the memory. He makes the connection.

Macaque: "He's.. I guess you really are his cub." MK: "But I CAN'T be!! I'm just MK!" Macaque: "Maybe we'll see where the little guy goes if we keep going..."

And they travel further. Further and deeper into Wukong's memories of that little monkey.

How he gave him his first bath and grooming. How he nursed him against his chest. How he curled against him in the nest at night, and was afraid of falling asleep in case anything happened.

And how his physical and mental state deteriorated over the next two years.

Wukong is a proud and fearful person. He didn't want anyone to know about the new Stone Monkey. And therefore wouldn't seek help in raising them. Even his own dear Stalwarts only came upon the baby when their King was too exhausted to hide them.

The Stalwarts had argued, but ultimately agreed that the King needed to find someone who could raise the child, but also act as a protector against dark forces.

Marshal Ma mentions that her co-worker has an eerily familiar soul Wukong might recognise...

MK mutters "No no no no..." as he witnesses the memory of the pregnant Monkey King landing just outside a familiar neon-lit street. The orange monkey sniffing the air with a look of finality and guilt.

The baby squeals with confusion. Are they playing a game? Little hands smack at the rain-wetted mud of the ground.

Memory!Wukong: "Xiaotian. I'm afraid I we... won't be together for a while. I'm so so very scared that if I keep you, one of us will..." (*the memory winces, a hand caressing his swollen stomach as the baby continues to cling to it*) Memory!Wukong: "It's costing all of my power just to keep myself and your sister alive. In order for us to all be safe, I can't continue caring for you as I have been." Memory!BabyMonkey: (*confused warbling chirp?*) Memory!Wukong: "We'll meet again someday my Little Heaven. I will always be watching you." (*the memory of Wukong pulls the baby from his body and places them on the ground. His hands glow a golden light as the baby is glamoured into a human form*) Memory!BabyMK: (*chirp of fear!*) Memory!Wukong, drained and despaired: "I'm so sorry. Remember that your mother loves you." (*the Monkey King transforms into his bird form and flies off into the rainy sky, not daring to look back. The transformed baby reaches out to the sky, screeching.) Memory!???: "The heck is all that racket?" (*a stout pig demon lifts the curtain of his shop, seeing only a naked, muddy baby*) Memory!Pigsy: "Oh! So it's you... is you parent's around, kid?" Memory!BabyMK: (*looks around forlorn, sucking on their fingers*) Memory!Pigsy, removing his chef coat: "Gods above. Lets get you inside before you catch your death. Do you have a name? I can't call you Mystery Kid after all." (*He wraps the baby in his coat, bringing them inside the shop. The baby calms down in his arms, embracing the pig's plump body as he would his mother.*) Memory!Pigsy, looking defeated: "Gracious Buddha. I hope you get picked up soon. Or I'm gonna have a hard time giving you back."

In the Scroll, MK and Macaque do not miss the sight of how the Monkey King hid in the roofs above the shop; watching the first meeting closely.

And the many many vigils in the years afterwards.... MK meeting the reincarnation of his Master. His first ever bowl of noodles. His adoption. His first day of school, pre-k, kindergarten, primary, secondary, his driving test...

The words spoken to MK the "first" time he met the Monkey King finally make sense. And why the pregnant, pyjama-clad monkey had deftly avoided what he'd meant.

Memory!Wukong in "A Hero is Born": "Look, I'm gonna come clean. Um… I've been kinda watching you."

And he had. Just for far longer than MK had thought.

And MK had reunited with his "birth mother" that very day in Water Curtain Cave.

He needed to find Wukong right away so he can finally hug him again.

And immediately tell Pigsy and Tang too of course. They deserve to know who blessed them with their Little Heaven all those years ago.

Bonus sad thought: when MK refuses to sacrifice himself to stabilise the cycle, and he comes to in Wukong's arms. Memories rush back of his "birth mother". MK accidentally lets out a chirp of "Mama."

Wukong doesn't even hesitate to pull his elder cub closer. And neither does the rest of their family/troop.

[melanieph321]

What about a Ruben one shot where he and the reader are a bit older and their oldest daughter is like 17 and she goes out to a party with some friends and ends up getting drunk for the first time and calls Ruben in the middle of the night, crying and feeling so bad about getting drunk and asking him to pick her up and he and the reader take care of the girl? Pleaseeee i love your writing 🙏🏻

Ugh, such a good request!

Please, let me have your babies, Ruben 😩😩😩

SEVEN DAYS OF REQUESTS (DAY 5)

Ruben Dias x Reader - Our Little Women

Enjoy!

Ruben is a girl dad and loves his job more than anything in the world. He had nine months to prepare for it. And even when you had your second child, he was there, prepared to be the best dad to two beautiful girls. He couldn't imagine a life where he wasn't a girl dad, and perhaps that's where he went wrong, his lack of imagination. Ruben had never imagined that his girls would one day become little women, and the realization hit him pretty hard.

"Dad?"

He was in your bedroom sleeping, when a crack of the door reveled your youngest daughter Emilia, with the homeline in her hand.

"What?" He groand, a bit grumpy to be disturb in his sleep, especially with you, fast asleep in his arms.

"Gigi is on the phone." She said. "But why is he she talking so funny?"

"What?" Ruben sat up, rattling the bed as he did. Gigi, short for Giorgina, was your oldest daugter. It was late. Very late for her to call, especially if she was having a sleepover at her friends house. "Come here." Ruben waved for Emilia in the dark. She was quick to rush over with the homeline, raising her arms for Ruben to lift her up into your bed, unhanding her the phone as he pressed it to his ear.

"Hello, Gigi?"

His heart raised when there was no response. However, there was a dimmed sound of music playing in the back.

"Gigi, can you hear me? This is your dad."

"Dad?"

Ruben exhaled. "Yes, dad. Where are you?"

"Dad." His daughter sobbed.

Panic struck Ruben, but he fought to remain calm for Emilia's sake. She was still by his side, her head pressed to his chest.

"Daddy?" She whined, perhaps reacting to how his muscles had tensed.

"Shhh, it's okay." Ruben assured. "I'm trying to talk to your sister. Gigi, can you hear me? Where are you?"

"Daddy." Giorgina sobbed. Ruben did everything not to fly out of bed and run down the stairs.

"Just tell me where you are baby and I'll come get you. Daddy will come and get you."

"I'm at some guys house." She sniffled "My friends and I thought it would be fun to go to his party since him and his friends are a bit older than us..."

"Define older." Ruben said through clenched teeth.

"I dunno, eighteen? They told us that they were seniors."

"Seniors!" He snapped but put a hand to his mouth so as not to wake you up.

"Yes, seniors. Dad, I know that I messed up by lying to you and mom, but can you come and get me? I've had too much to drink and I can't find my friends...."

"Okay, okay...." Ruben said, calming her down.

"Please dad, I'm so scared."

"I'll be there in a minute. Just text me your address and try to stay out of trouble."

Ruben got out of bed.

"Daddy, is Gigi gonna be okay." Emilia asked.

"Yes, baby. She's gonna be fine." He planted a kiss on top of her head. "You stay with mommy and try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay."

With that Ruben got dressed and rushed downstairs. He grabbed his car keys and drove to the adress that your daughter had texted him. She was seen standing outiside of the house, on the sidewalk, waiting for him in the nights cold. Seeing that your daughter was okay, Ruben did nothing more than to open up the passenger door for her, driving off as she got in.

"Dad, I'm so sorry that I...."

"We'll discuss this in the morning."

"But I wanna...."

"I said in the morning Georgina! When your mother is awake."

Ruben kept his hands on the wheel, ignoring the way his daughter crumbled in the seat beside him. He was never the one to raise his voice at the girls. You were often the one more comfortable doing so, but tonight....tonight Ruben doesn't know what he would have done if he hadn't found your daughter waiting for him by the sidewalk. He would have probably stormed the house, threatening every teenage boy up in there to tell him where she was.

Pulling up to your driveway, Ruben was surprised to see you and Emilia waiting.

"Is she okay?" You asked, your expression laced with worry.

"She's fine." Ruben got out of the car and walked around it to open the door up for your daughter. She could barely walk on her own two, Ruben had to help her inside.

"Where was she? What happened to the sleepover at Talia's house?" You asked.

"Apprently they decided that it would be fun to sneak away to a party."

"What?"

"We'll have to give Talia's parents a call in the morning and inform them."

Ruben walked passed you and into the house. Just then your daughter looked to be hit with sudden nausea.

"I think I'm gonna...."

She rushed to the nearest bathroom, and you could only hope that she made it to the toilet in time. Nevertheless you saw the expression on Ruben's face and reached for his hand as you approached him. "You did good baby."

He looked to you, a bit taken aback.

You smiled reassuringly. "Why don't you take Emilia upstairs, tuck her back into bed for me? I'll make sure Gigi is okay."

He nodded his head and beant down to pick Emilia up in his arms. She was halfway asleep by the time he got her tucked into bed.

"Am I in trouble daddy?"

Ruben was on his way to the door when she had him turn back around. "Why would you be?" He said, stroking her hair as he sat down by her bedside.

"I woke up mommy and told her that you went to get Gigi."

Ruben smiled. "That's alright baby. You did what you thought to be right."

"Is Gigi gonna be alright?"

"Of course she is." Ruben assured. "She is just feeling a little sick at the moment. She'll be all good tomorrow, you'll see."

"Okay, daddy."

Ruben bent over to kiss her cheek. "You have a good sleep now."

"Goodnight, daddy."

"Goodnight baby."

Ruben stood and walked over to the door. However he did not shut it until he was sure that his daughter had fallen asleep. He returned to your bedroom, running a hand down his tired face. He could hear you downstairs, taking care of your daughter as she was throwing up whatever she and her friends had consumed that night. Ruben felt betrayed. His daughter knew how he felt about alcohol. Not to mention that she was only sixteen years old, drinking should be the last thing on your daughter's mind.

"Hey?"

Ruben jumped as your arms wrapped around him. He had been sitting on the edge of your bed, deep in reflection. To deep to notice you slip back into your bedroom.

"How are you holding up?" You asked, moving to sit down beside him.

He pulled you in for a hug. "How is Gigi?"

"She's fine." You assured. "At least she will be in the morning."

He nodded.

"How are you doing?"

"Me?" He looked to you and frowned.

"Yes you? You seem a bit shook up."

Ruben sighed. "I don't know. I guess I'm just..."

"Yes?"

"I'm just...."

"Ruben?" Your hand stroked his cheek. "It's okay to be disappointed at her."

He looked to you, surprised that you had read his mind.

You smiled. "She's still our little girl even if she messes up sometimes."

"Yes, but..."

You pressed a finger his lips, silencing him. "No buts. You have the right to be disappointed at her."

He exhaled, admitting defeat.

You leaned in to kiss him, and despite his initial hesitation he warmed up to it, a hand traveling to the back of your neck, deepening the kiss.

You pulled back breathless, happy to see that Ruben didn't look so deep in thought anymore.

"I guess I never thought about it." He said, pulling his t-shirt over his head.

"Thought about what?"

You did not hesitate to lift up your arms as Ruben then tugged the hem of your own shirt.

"I never thought they'd grow up on me." He said, helping you undress. He pulled you down to lay beneath him, loving the way you giggled when he traced soft kiss up your body. He traced them all the way to the crook of your neck, moving on to the edge of your jaw.

"But they will." You said, cradling Ruben's face between your hands, meeting his eyes. "Our little women."

He smiled. "Yes they will, our little women."

[aventurinemybeloved]

Summary: Aventurine wouldn't mind being your personal mannequin forever if it meant having you this close to him

Fem!reader who's a popular fashion designer all throughout the universe, currently just "friends" with aventurine here, more like sugar daddy tho- very self indulgent because I have my oc in mind while writing this lol

"Not that I'm questioning your process when it comes to your craft, but aren't you tired?"

"Hm nope, not at all are you?"

"I've handled far worse than just standing for a few hours, don't mind me friend, continue"

While that wasn't exactly a lie, it has been a couple of hours since Aventurine was made to be a makeshift mannequin for you, this was supposed to be a day to relax and take both your mind off work.

But it seems that inspiration has struck the minute you laid eyes on a particular fabric store that just got a new stock on a handful of interesting designs, without a second thought you rushed in, your companion had looked away for one second and the next he sees that you've already made yourself comfortable shuffling through the many options to choose from.

As he made his way back to your side, the faint sound of you mumbling under your breath could be heard clearer and clearer, while he didn't quite catch all of it, he was able to piece some things, one of which you wishing you had your mannequin back at the boutique right about now.

"Hey, why not use me for a bit?"

While Aventurine obviously isn't a mannequin, he can sure act like one if you need it, and that you did so you agreed without putting much thought into it, making a mental note to make him a little something as thanks.

And now here you two were, in the middle of the store as you try to pin fabric with your hands on Aventurine's body, he expected this to happen after all he's not the type to willingly volunteer for something without it benefiting him in some way, but he was not prepared for how close you'd be.

Practically an inch away from him, chest against his as you maneuver the fabric in your hands all over him trying to come up with a design in mind, his nose catching a whiff of your shampoo as the top of your head was practically in his face, he's mastered the art of keeping a poker face but a couple hours of this, no one can blame the man for cracking as time goes on.

Luckily for him it seems you've finally finished whatever it was you were doing, he can't even remember even though you were talking about it earlier, his mind growing muddled with serotonin.

He managed to snap out of it as you call over a worker to place an order for your chosen items, and of course pay for it, Aventurine beat you to it though handing his card while softly smiling.

"It's on me"

"What? Aventurine I can pay for it myself, there's really no need to-"

"I insist, it's a treat for how much I enjoyed being your little helper"

Just as you were about to contradict him, insisting even more that you should be the one paying since he already helped you, the worker has already swiped his card handing it back to him and walked off to prepare your order.

You could only facepalm, this wasn't the first time that he has thwarted your attempts at paying for your own things, he's done it so many times you've lost count, and while it's a fact that all of it combined wouldn't make a dent in his wallet, you still couldn't hell but feel guilty.

Not for long though as you could feel a hand gently patting your head, peaking up at him you could see a soft smile on his face.

"You know the deal~" he said in a singsong way

You playfully rolled your eyes

"Yeah yeah, Just let me know when you're free and we'll hang out again"

It was weird to you at first how that was the only thing he wanted after spending so much on you, but overtime you've sorta started to understand it, and want it as much as he does as well.

[bad-and-drawn-that-way]

HEAR ME OUT- DUMBIFICATION, DEGRADATION AND PRAISE WITH VOX

THOUGHTS??

I also have a headcanon request that I'll do separately in list form! This is actually a scene from a scrapped multi-chapter fic idea I had for a secretary reader. As to why it was scrapped, I didn't know how to finish it so I ✨gave up! ✨

Ngl this is actually only half of the scene, there's scraps of this whole extra kinky round-two thing with some casual exhibitionism, but we'll see how this does first. That being said, enjoy!

At Your Service [Vox x Secretary Reader] NSFW AS FUCK

(NSFW writing under the cut. Minors stay away <3)

It was an early morning like any other. Vox is sitting at his desk, looking over the paperwork he had from yesterday. It’s far too early and his bougie oversized office offered little comfort as you sleepily walked in. Hearing the door open, Vox looked up and smirked as he noticed the coffee in your hand.

"Good morning." he greeted you, motioning to a chair for you to take a seat.

"Morning," you smile a bit tiredly as you enter the room. You were never much of a morning person. Once the initial adrenaline of stepping out of your house had burned out, you needed the extra caffeine boost to keep your energy going.

A yawn slipped past your lips as you sat in the chair across from his desk.

"Wimp," Vox chuckled, poking fun at your inability to start a morning as early as him. It had become a regular topic of banter that started most of your work mornings together.

"Capitalist cocksucker," you wave him off. "Not everyone can be up at the ass crack of dawn in a freshly pressed suit, Sir. A few more sips of this stuff and I'll be good to go." You say as you lift your coffee to your lips.

You hum and lick some foam off your lip as you pull out your laptop. "Any changes to today's agenda I need to know about?" you ask him.

Vox smirked, rolling his eyes as he pulled up one of the hundreds of tabs he had open on his computer. "I can tell you're still a bit tired, but if you're sure... " he paused for a moment, glancing over his schedule."Yes, actually. There has been a small change to the overall plan. We're going to be running a new campaign today, so I'll need you to be ready to assist with that."

"What would you like me to oversee?

"I want you to be over on the promotion side for this new campaign," he said as he looked up from his paperwork. "Make sure that we get maximum visibility on this. The security system may have been a spur-of-the-moment idea, but it could bring in huge fucking numbers if we pull it off. I want as many people as possible to know about it and twice as many sales as views minimum.”

You nod, take notes, and start writing an email draft to get meetings scheduled. "Do you want the visual hypnosis team to work on the campaign or the auditory team?" It was common knowledge that Vox had hypnotic abilities, but it was less common to know how it had been incorporated throughout his entire company. Inductions were slipped into nearly every advertisement, program, and product that the company made.

"Have both of the hypnosis teams work on it," he answered. "We'll have the visual team focus primarily on the advertising for the campaign, and the audial team will work on creating the sounds and audio to slip in. We want this to be a very effective campaign, so the more hypnotic technology we can put into work, the better."

You stop typing, looking up at him incredulously. “Are you sure? The last time we doubled down on inductions we had to do that whole cover story to explain why half of hell turned into braindead zombies for a week.”

“It’ll be fine,” Vox waved off your concerns. “That was years ago and we’re better at this shit now. We can always blame it on Alastor somehow if shit goes wrong.”

You nod along, "If you’re sure. I've personally been incredibly susceptible to the combination, so forgive me if I don’t watch any of your programs for the next month," you say idly without thinking.

You didn’t notice as Vox paused. You didn’t notice the toothy grin that could have prepared you for what was to come either. "How susceptible were you previously to hypnosis?"

You nod along, not listening to his question as you finish sending the email to the hypnosis teams. Your brain catches up with you as you hit send and you freeze like a deer in the headlights. The look on your flushed face was priceless and Vox would have burst out laughing if he wasn’t so invested in hearing your answer. "I, uh.." you look away from him, "I was focused and said too much out loud. You weren't supposed to hear that."

His eyes were still on you, a clear look of curiosity flashing across his expression.

"You're right, I wasn't supposed to hear that,” He grinned. “But you said it and you’re not getting out of this that easily. You said that you are quite susceptible?"

You cringe, knowing you couldn't dodge a direct question from your boss. Even if he was an ass and an absolute man-child. "I..." you bite your lip curling in on yourself and crossing your legs as you take a sudden great interest in your laptop. "Yeah, I may have... experimented a bit."

His eyebrows raised, and he leaned slightly over to get a better look at you.

"Experiments?" he spoke softly. "What type of experiments?"

You sputter, your entire body flushing as you stammer out a panicked reply, "I, ah, um.. don't know if that would be a-appropriate to um.."

He chuckled slightly, now seeming rather amused by your reaction. "I assure you, I've heard much worse than whatever you may be worried about telling me."

"E-even so," you try to reason. "It's embarrassing. It's one thing to do it, it's another to tell your boss about it."

His eyebrows raised further. "You've done hypnotic experiments on yourself, and you're embarrassed to tell me about it?” He chuckles and rests his screen on his hand. “Yeah, no. You’re not getting out of this. What exactly did you do?"

You stare at him, before sighing and opening up a blank document. It was too mortifying to say out loud. He may have the power to squeeze the information out of you for his entertainment, but you’d be damned if you gave him the satisfaction of saying it out loud. You silently type up that you've tried being hypnotized both sober and when high and how you had done free-use edging with a group while high and hypnotized. Without a word you turn the laptop around so he can read it, your face on fire as you look anywhere but at him.

He had been expecting something a bit more tame, but now he was intrigued. It seemed that you had quite the mind on you to explore such risky topics. When he finished reading it, he raised his eyebrows even further, seemingly somewhat impressed.

"Well, I'll be damned," he commented. "That's not what I expected... What made you wanna try such things?"

"I like the feeling of it," you muttered as you turned the laptop around and promptly deleted the damning text.

His eyebrows raised a bit, intrigued. "You like the feeling of being hypnotized? You like letting someone else be in control of you?"

You pressed your lips together, blushing hard as he asked his question.

"Is that a yes then?" he inquired, his grin growing as the pixels under his mouth went dead. "You don't want to give me a straight answer, but the way you're stuttering and blushing makes it pretty clear that you do."

"S-Shut up," you bite back at his call-out as you finally look back at him.

Vox laughs as he just keeps winning the game he’d caught you in. "I think I hit the nail on the head, didn't I?"

"Y-Yes, sir." You say, cringing as you realize that sounded completely different given the topic compared to when you usually called him that during work hours.

He chuckled again, finding your response more than a bit amusing. "Well then, I take it that you have no issues with me being in complete control over you, then?"

You would combust into flames if you could. Your legs clenched together as you took in his question. You looked down at your laptop, stammering as you felt yourself quickly slipping into his grasp. "T-The campaign-"

"Yes, yes, yes," he interrupts you, seeming rather amused by this. "We'll talk about the campaign after that. I'm more interested in how much control you're willing to give up to me right here and now."

"I..." you pause, staring down at your hands clenched on top of your laptop. Were you really about to do this? Fuck it.

You look up at him and nod.

A grin appeared on his face as you nodded, even more amused now that this little bit was going exactly the way he had hoped. The two of you had flirted here and there, but never anything more than the occasional passing comment. If anything, it had just been a part of the playful and teasing game you’d be playing together for the past few months with you as his assistant.

He had no idea if you had ever truly noticed his advances or the way he’d stare at your ass in that pencil skirt you always wore during meeting days. But now he had the chance to unravel every last secret that’d been out of reach. Vox was nothing if not an opportunist.

"Good girl," he said softly. "Are you ready for me to control you now?"

You stand, going to place your phone and laptop on a nearby table. You stop and take a shaky breath, smoothing out your pencil skirt. You turn and walk back to him, this time hesitating instead of simply sitting in the chair across from his desk.

"Yes."

He smiles at your obedience and hesitation, noting the way that you smoothed down your skirt. You had already given up quite a lot of control to him, and it seemed that it was just going to be even easier from this point on.

"Then come here," he said softly, motioning for you to do so.

Your heart was pounding hard in your chest and you felt how hot your cheeks were as you stepped forward and moved to stand before him. His attention had been on every part of you, taking in every inch of you. He didn’t have to sneak in glances like before, he could just take it all in on his own time. He was enjoying the way that he seemed to be able to control you with a seemingly simple command. And to think he’d barely lifted a finger.

His eyes moved downwards as you stood in front of him, and his expression became a bit more serious than mere amusement.

"Let your skirt fall to your ankles," he instructed.

You practically shivered at the command, screaming internally at how embarrassed you felt and yet squirming at how just a short command from him was enough to send sparks through your body.

Your face flushed as you slowly undid the zipper on the side of your hip, taking a sharp breath before letting the fabric fall to the floor. You hugged yourself as you looked to the side, stepping out of your skirt and standing half-exposed in front of him.

He couldn't help but smirk as you did exactly as he commanded. Your legs were now exposed, and he noted how they were quivering slightly.

"Good girl," he smirked. "Now, let's step this up."

"But you’re still wearing too much. Let’s move on to your top next, shall we?" he suggested with a spark of playful amusement.

Oh god, was he really going to make you do this? It would have been one thing if he had been the one undressing you, but the fact he was making you do it for him like this was going to be the double death of you. You shakily undo the buttons of your blouse, trying to keep your heart rate under control as you pull it over your head and let it fall to the floor by your skirt.

You look at Vox, hoping he’d finally have some mercy and touch you himself, but he only lazily drags his gaze over your body with a hum of approval. "And finally?"

You were only left in your bra, underwear, sheer black thigh-high tights, and your heels. You felt incredibly vulnerable in his large office. Anyone could come in through the door and the windows that overlooked the city suddenly felt far more exposing than they ever had before.

You could see the spark of excitement begin to rise in him as you bit your lip and paused. Your hesitation was only making this a bit more exciting for him. He could hardly keep up the playful mask when his claws were threatening to tear into the armrest of his chair.

"Go on... " he said softly and slowly, his voice now beginning to become a bit huskier.

You took another shaky breath as you slowly reached back to unclasp your bra. You shook just knowing he was looking at you. That he was pursuing this. It made you hyper-aware in every way as you tossed the garment to the side and then finally stepped out of your underwear.

His gaze on your body was intense once more, seeming to take in every inch of you. He could not stop himself from being intrigued by your body and by just how vulnerable you were right now.

Your shaking was making it even more enticing to him. "Good girl," he said softly. You move to undo the garter and roll down your tights, when he stops you. Leave those. They’re perfect.” The dead pixels under his mouth might as well have been drool with the way his eyes hungrily took in the sight of the tights pressing into your skin so perfectly. 

“Are you ready to move on to the last step?"

You take a deep breath before lowering to your knees in front of him and nodding. You'd never done anything like this with a single person, finding it so much easier in a group. His lone, laser focus on you made you feel every twitch and spark and overwhelmed you in the best of ways.

"Yes, Sir."

He looked down at you once more, this time taking in all of your body as you were now kneeling, your hands resting on his chair.

"Now..." he said quietly as he reached down in a rare moment of tenderness as he lifted your chin. "I want to ask you a very simple question, but you must answer honestly. Do you enjoy this? Do you enjoy giving up your control to me?"

The smallest moan slips past your lips without your permission. Despite your embarrassment, you answer truthfully. “Yes. I love it a lot, actually.."

He smirked at the moan and the truth in your words. You were enjoying this... he could tell. You truly loved giving up your control to him. And he loved taking it.

"Good girl," he said with a soft chuckle at your veracity. "Very, very good girl. You enjoy letting me take c̶o̸m̶p̴l̶e̵t̵e̵ control of you, don't you?"

You take a deep breath, feeling your body relax a bit as you feel a bit of yourself give into him as you finally gather the nerve to look him in the eye. "Yes, Sir."

His expression seemed to shift a bit as you gave in even more. His amusement was more apparent now, as he now had you exactly where he wanted you.

"I love that you enjoy this so much," he said softly. "Does it make it more fun for you to know that you are pleasing me?"

You nod, shifting on your knees. "It does," you say earnestly. "Your approval isn't something easy to earn."

The slight shift you made was enough to cause him to smirk once more. Every time you moved, he would find something new about you that appealed to him.

"I approve of this tremendously," he grinned. "It is obvious that you enjoy giving up your control over me and letting me take control of you. It is clear that you enjoy giving me pleasure."

You let out a hot breath, your eyes darting down to between his legs as he mentioned giving him pleasure. You weren’t subtle about it either. Vox chuckled, amused more now than any other time during the interactions you two have had so far. You whine, your fists clenching where they rested on top of your thighs. Your chest shifted with every movement as you waited for his instruction.

"So eager," he breathed. He reached down and tucked your hair behind your ear as he committed the view to memory. "Go on, then,” he purred. “Show me what you’re willing to do for this.”

"I'm happy to give you a demonstration," you say to him with a smirk. Vox chuckled, happy to see some of your usual sass seep into the moment. He just knew you had a bratty side to you. The duality of how eager you seemed to submit and that bit of knowledge filled him with anticipation for all the different sides of you he wanted to see.

You scoot forward and reach for the zipper of his slacks. You chuckle as his breath hitches when you slowly pull down. He moans softly as your hand only continues following a path down as you palm him slowly over his slacks. There was already a bulge formed there that made you twitch with delight.

Looking up, you see Vox watching you with wide eyes. The smirk on his face only grew larger as you slowly pulled down his slacks and boxers You could feel the heat of his gaze on you, his breath becoming more and more audible with every slow movement.

You hum with pleasure as you focus your attention on his half-hard cock in your hand. It was easier to let go and forget your insecurities when you had him in front of you like this. For as much as you’d fantasized about him, you had never dared to dream you’d find yourself in this situation with him. You lean down and use your hand to slowly pump him before you lock eyes with him and lick a trail across the underside of his cock.

“F̷̮͛u̷̞͗c̵̹̈́k̸̝̎i̷̝͝n̶̗̎g̷̭͒ hell,” Vox swore, his grip on his chair tightening. His breath got increasingly more audible, his throat hoarse from his attempts at restraining any noise he might make. He’d been dreaming of this for far too long. He had you pegged all wrong. He always thought you were innocent. Flirty, but he couldn’t truly imagine you’d have a side like this. You always seemed too pure despite your sass. How happy was he, to be proven wrong.

"Good girl," Vox huskily breathed as his fingers tangled in your hair.

You lower down to press a kiss to the head of his cock. He hissed as you sucked lightly and collected his pre-cum on your tongue. You let your tongue loll out for a moment to show him before you lower yourself and take him in your mouth. Your tongue swirls around the tip of him and your fingers dig into his thighs as you bob your head shallowly. You tease him with subtle motions before you start to take his length down your throat in earnest.

Every movement you made only increased the heat of the situation exponentially and Vox found his cool demeanor quickly fading as he panted above you. “F̷̰͠u̵͕̅c̵̠̓k̸̞͊i̵̢͊n̵͓̅g̷̤̃ ̶̠̋ḫ̵̑e̵̩̾l̶̦͋l̶̩͆,” he gasped as your tongue lapped at the base of his cock. How the fuck were you doing that when he was jammed past your non-existent gag reflex? 

You hummed around him, your eyes watering as you choked on him. He could see the mirth in your eyes and he knew you’d be teasing him with a snarky remark if you weren’t too busy drooling on his dick like a goddamn champ.

Vox lets out a stuttering breath. As hot as it was, he wasn’t going to let you just get away with keeping your attitude intact. Out of selfish pleasure, he let you continue your ministrations for a moment longer before his fingers tugged at your hair, bringing your attention back to him.

You let him pull you off of his member, your tongue hanging out as you catch your breath and smile dumbly at him. His expression remained very much one of satisfaction and admiration as he observed you. That dumbly, innocent smile of yours was rather endearing to him, as it went hand in hand with the way you were acting.

"You really are quite the little showstopper, aren’t you?" he said quietly as he took in your porn-quality face. He idly wondered how the hell you ended up working for him and not Valentino. He was not about to complain about the unexpected victory.

You hummed happily, letting yourself go more for him. It was such a stark contrast to how tense you were when you were working. He'd never seen this side of you before and he hadn't even hypnotized you yet.

He had now realized just why you got so tense when he approached you with that offer. You enjoyed this in such a way that it was almost intoxicating, that it was almost addictive. It was a stark contrast to the version of you he knew that strived for greatness and top results at all times. You must have been so wound up from it all that you just whiplashed into the complete opposite frame of mind to release.

If you were already like this in front of him, then what would you be like after he had you completely under his control?

You nod, smirking as some drool fell to your chest from when you had your mouth on him moments ago.” What can I say?” you say teasingly. “Oral fixations keep a girl eager.”

Vox grinned with the look of a hungry predator as his eyes roamed all over you. Every god damned inch.

“You actually want this, don’t you?” He chuckled. “You want me to turn you into a brain-dead d̶͈͊ȍ̴̪l̵̺͊ḽ̸̏.”

"Please," you whisper as you look up at him with pleading eyes.

You could see the hunger within his eyes as you said that single fucking word. It didn’t take lifting a single finger for you to desperately plead for his control. You’d been wanting this just as bad as he had. The whole goddamned time. Vox buried his face in his hands and you looked at him with concern. You couldn’t see the way he grinned or feel how his body trembled slightly. You could only gasp as your vision was filled with black and red spirals when he lowered his hands and looked at you with a wicked grin.

You sit back on your knees, your eyelids growing heavy as your mouth falls open. Your body felt like it was floating and it was enough to make you feel like you were high. The hypnotic effect of his demonic abilities was how he'd reached the powerful position of an overlord. Even if you hadn't been so susceptible, you would have been powerless under his gaze as a normal person. 

Any hypnosis you’d experienced before took many sessions of induction. It took a bond, trust, and a lot of mental bandwidth to be so vulnerable. But Vox could just drop you at a whim. And the pull of his tide dragging you under was stronger than anything you’d ever succumbed to before.

You were blissfully unaware as Vox’s expression shifted into feral joy. Your submission. This control. It was all his for the taking. You were giving him everything he’d ever craved and he could already tell that once he properly tasted this power, he’d never want to let go. He’d become an addict, for sure.

Your mind and body felt like they were floating. All you could see was Vox as your empty and needy self waited for his command. Your body felt almost weightless now, every sense and thought centered solely on him. His commands were all that you cared about now, his desires were now like law to you, and your body, empty as it was, only had one desire.

"I want you to do as I ask without question, do you understand?" he asked, his voice shaking with delight and raw hunger.

"Yes," you sigh, your every breath feeling heavy as you’re pulled deeper under his spell.

He had already gotten you to admit you were a submissive slut and he already got you to strip for him. All before he had even used his power on you. Now? Now, he could make you do or tell him anything he wanted. You were his.

"Good girl," he grinned. "I want you to stand up and walk over to that door over there," he said, pointing to one of the nearby doors to the room. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir," you say calmly. Whereas before your embarrassment left you feeling exposed, you now felt relaxed and light. Your embarrassment and insecurities didn’t exist under Vox’s control. There was only the need to satisfy him and be blessed with ecstasy in return.

You walked over to the door in nothing but your sheer thigh-high tights and heels. You place both of your hands on the door and stand with your hips out, waiting for Vox.

Vox glitched hard and admired the way that you followed these commands so easily. This was his. He found himself growing more addicted and possessive by the second. His mind was already buzzing with all the ways he could mold you to his every need and desire. He’d never felt so in control of another person like this and it satiated a dark craving in him.

"Now, I want you to take off those tights and throw them over to me."

You bend over in front of him, fully exposed, yet carefree as you peel off your tights and hand them to him with a relaxed look on your face. Vox sparked again as he got a full view of your need for him. Once your tights were off, you handed them over to him calmly.  All you could think about was pleasing him and satisfying him. Your anxiety and self-conscious tendencies were washed away.

Vox ordered you to put your hands behind your back. He grinned and tied your wrists together with one of the stockings. He snatched your underwear from the forgotten bundle of clothing by his desk and made you open your mouth for him. He stuffed them in and used the other stocking to tie around your mouth. 

Now that you were completely bound, your mind was completely free to focus on the feelings and sensations you were experiencing. He dropped the hypnotic spell on you and you gasped into your gag as your mind cleared and he pushed you forward so your face and tits were flush against the door. You shuddered hard and let out a broken moan as his palm rubbed against your leaking cunt.

Vox grinned and leaned down to speak by your ear as he slid his fingers in. “You have n̷͙̈o̷̹̎ idea how much I can’t wait to fucking d̷̲͆e̶̗͘s̴̳̈t̸͚̆r̷͎͒o̸͙͊ỹ̸̝ ̸̞̉y̷̰̓ǒ̵̦u̵̬͂.”

Your gasps and moans were muffled by the fabric in your mouth and you pushed against him as he roughly played with you. His hand slammed your head against the door and held you in place as his fingers curled and scissored inside of your sloppy heat. Tears pricked your eyes as your heart and mind raced. You were completely vulnerable to him, but now your embarrassment was rearing his head at the worst (b̴̼̊è̶͔s̶͜͝t̶̹̽) possible moment. 

The chance that there could be anyone on the other side of the door had you thrashing desperately against Vox’s ministrations. Vox delighted in your internal struggle and couldn’t help himself as his claws dug into the back of your hair so he could pull you back hard. “I’m going to make sure e̶͖͌v̷̞͐e̶͈̽r̶̡̂y̸̨͊o̵̤̚n̴̦̈́e̴̥͌ ̵͜͠k̵̜̔n̷̝̈́ǒ̷̮w̷͎̅s̸͓̈́ who̸̩͂ ̶͔̀y̸͎̐ő̸̳u̸̗͊ ̶̞̏f̶͎̔u̷̠̅ć̵͈k̶͙̚i̴̜̿n̸̘͐g̷̨̿ ̸͔̌ belong to,” he growled as he lifted one of your legs and slipped himself inside of you.

Your eyes rolled back and you screamed into your gag as he slipped in and out of you with ease. He’d been so hard from the build-up of it all and you were literally dripping for him by this point. Vox growled and lost control as he picked up the pace of his actions, moving you around to different areas of the office and fucking you in as many positions as possible. He wanted you exposed. He wanted you defenseless. He wanted you marked in the blood and bruises of his ownership. He wanted to ḋ̴̥ó̶̰m̵̯̕i̷̗͗n̴͈̽a̵̱̒t̶̤̎ȇ̸͚ you. And he would.

Neither of you could keep track of the amount of times you’d come. Your mixed desire was dripping from your cunt as he’d buried himself deep inside of you every time one of you peaked. This was all he wanted. That was all you wanted. No more thinking, no more emotions, just the sheer fucking pleasure.

Your eyes rolled back into your head as you cried from how good he made you feel. He knew how to unravel you into nothing more than a babbling mess with every clever touch and command. It was becoming too much and yet you felt like you wanted more of it. You were overwhelmed as you felt yourself quickly approaching an orgasm.

“That’s it,” Vox growled as he fucked you against his desk. He chuckled darkly as he smacked your ass. “Fucking do it, c̴͖͆o̵͕͋m̷̟̉ẽ̵̞.”

You threw your head back and screamed as your entire body convulsed around him. You couldn't do anything but take his relentless thrusts as he pounded you into the desk. Vox growled, nearly on the verge of cumming himself when he suddenly rips himself off of you. You let out a muffled sob as you clench around nothing.

Your entire world is suddenly filled with bright blue electricity as you feel everything shift suddenly. You almost fall, but are caught by Vox’s hands. You squint as your eyes adjust to the sudden change of lighting and Vox undoes the gag around your mouth as you realize you’re now in his surveillance room. 

Your eyes go wide and you gasp and you see yourself on the monitors with Vox crouched over you. Every screen was showing a live feed of you from several different angles, showing how vulnerable you were in this situation. The footage of you was quite an entertaining sight for Vox as his wires came out of nowhere and threw you onto his chair.

"V-Vox,” you gasp as you look up at him with wide eyes. The overlord’s grin stretches wide as he grabs onto your shaking legs.

It was the first time you'd actually used his name.

At work, you were professional. In his office, you were playful. However now that he had you in his lair, he would mark a new side of you… Here, you were your true self, fully and utterly submissive. Here was his favorite.

You couldn't help but moan shamelessly as he lifted you with his cables and sat in the chair beneath you. You threw your head back with a scream as he dropped you onto his cock and turned the chair so you had an eyeful of each and every monitor with your shameful display recorded. 

You moan as you bounce yourself on him, meeting every one of his feral thrusts. Your mind was completely gone. Every grunt and growl that slipped from his lips only fueled your need. The marks on your hips and back from where his sharp nails clawed in burned just as deliciously as the stretch of him inside you.

Pain and pleasure all in one were now filling your mind. His grunts and growls were becoming louder, as were yours. You couldn't control it. This situation was pushing you further and further toward the edge.

You leaned into him, gasping as he made you lose your mind.

"P-please." You begged.

"Beg for it," he said growled, "Beg f̸̼̑ó̶̙r̴̠̀ ̵̫́m̴̡̾è̸̼."

You moan low as you desperately plead with him. "Please Vox, plus fucking break me! Please please please, Sir, please I'll be good. I'll do anything, please, Sir, fucking please!"

"You'll do anything for me," he said, with a grin on his face as he saw you getting more desperate with your plea. The red recording symbol on all of the screens wasn’t enough to make you see the incoming danger. You were too overwhelmed with the pleasure quaking through your body as Vox pumped into your sloppy cunt.

Your entire body shook hard as his movements suddenly stopped. A long whine of frustration and the roll of your hips made Vox grin. You were so desperate for him in the moment, you didn't notice the gravity of the position you were in.

"Fucking please don’t stop, I'll do anything Vox, please," you begged as you desperately rutted against him.

"I'm going to give you exactly what you want," he grinned as he whispered in your ear. "If you do everything I say from now on, then I'll give you everything you want. Sound like a deal?"

You sob, nodding rapidly against him. "Fuck, please, yes! It's a deal, so please!"

Vox suddenly thrusts up into you hard, making you scream as the room flashes with electricity. The deal was made and the pact was sealed.

"Good girl," he said quietly and calmly, as he pet your hair.

His grin was downright sinister as he pulled your head back.

"You're mine now."

Your eyes went wide as you realized the gravity of what you had just done in the heat of the moment. "Wait, I-" you gasp as you're cut off as Vox starts to mercilessly pound into your heat.

"I heard what you said," he grins as his claws dig into your hips and draw blood. "I heard it a̸̩̎l̴͚͗l̷̖̓.. And I'm going to hold you to e̵̻̐v̶͎͌é̵͉r̶͕͊y̷̳̍ word of that agreement."

If you thought Vox was rough before, it was nothing compared to how he used you now. He tossed you around like a toy and you sobbed as he broke you.

Your eyes were crossed as you screamed and took everything he had to give you. "Vox, Vox, Sir, fucking please!" You babbled, practically worshipping how he destroyed you now that he owned your soul. It was too good to care about the consequences. It was too much. All you could think of was how badly you needed him.

Your screams and moans were now all he could hear as you completely lost it. He was using everything that he could to break you and he seemed to enjoy every second of it. He was doing you dirty, but it was also exactly what you desired. All you wanted now was his approval, as he completely controlled and dominated you in body and spirit.

[multimadstoner]

Wakey Wakey

Alright first one out of the vault we'll see how this goes send in some requests if youd like me to add onto this or if you have any ideas of your own!

Pairing: Eric Coulter X Pregnant! Reader

Warnings: None just fluff

Bacon. That's the first thing you smell when opening your eyes, looking around the room you fail to find your fiancé in, you proceed to get out of bed and find the amazing smell.

"Eric?" You asked walking into the kitchen and wrapping your arm around him, looking over him to see what he's making, bacon, sunny side up eggs and potatoes are what greets you.

"I was just about to come wake you up, Four's been nagging me to get down to training for an hour."

"AN HOUR???" You almost trip over your own feet while running to the shower, why he let you sleep in that long is a mystery. You quickly start pulling out your clothes for the day, setting them on the bed when Eric walks in.

"Stop worrying, it isnt good for the baby." He said while ushering you to sit down and off your scampering feet, already aching from being up too long.

Yes, your pregnant. About 6 months actually, it caught both you and Eric by surprise (as surprised you can be without using a condom) since it was soon after your engagement that you found out, but Eric put any doubt in your mind that he would leave when he started crying. Yes the Eric Coulter, feared leader who makes initiates hang off the chasm, was crying.

"I wouldn't be worrying if you woke me up a couple hours ago so we both could be on time." You said while trying to shimmy down your shorts which were becoming hard to do with your belly growing every couple weeks or so.

"You never like being woken up and with the baby coming soon, Max agreed that you shouldn't have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn like everybody else." As caring as your fiancé may be, its quite annoying when he makes decisions without telling you about them at all.

"Eric, we talked about this, just because I'm pregnant doesn't make me any special, I can wake up the same time the initiates do with no problem."

"I know baby but humor me a bit just on this, I would be this way with anybody growing a person inside them that somebody just so happens to be the love of my life'"

Curse this man and his sweet sweet words.

"Fine, but only because im starving and the bacon smells good." You said while Eric came to help you out of his hoodie you refuse to sleep without, his comforting smell helps to fall asleep when hes off on patrols or late nights with the initiates.

He may seem all hard and mean to the rest of Chicago, but in here, in your apartment of 3 years, he is a whole different man. Don't get me wrong he has a temper and swears like a sailor but you are the calm to his storm while also being the bullet to his gun, always by his side and willing to protect him even when he doesn't need it.

"I love you" ,he said walking over and kissing your head as you finally were able to strip and start getting the water turned on for your shower, turning around you wrapped your arms around his waist and lean in so that your face is hiding in his neck while saying "Love you too," you said rising up on your tippy toes to give him a sweet kiss, one that of course he tried to deepen. "Keep doing that and we'll never leave," he said while mumbling against your lips. Hesitantly you pulled away and started taking out a towel.

"I'm gonna go set up our plates go shower you smell like the initiates," he said jokingly while slapping your ass when you turned to check the temperature. "You weren't saying that last night when you made me sit on you to do push ups." You yelled while finally hopping into your shower knowing that the your big tattooed brute was outside ready to protect you and your baby.

[slaymitchabernathy]

The Nanny

Soarynn's heart is pounding.

She wonders if it's possible to die from stress. She might die anyway from the looks of it.

She keeps a tight hold of Ceraphina's hand as they're led down the hallway and she's kicking herself for being so stupid, so naive to believe these men in the first place. She should've noticed their accents, the missing tooth, the...the blood on their boots. Soarynn swallows, have they killed people already? Did they kill the two Peacekeepers standing guard outside of their suites? Were they the ones knocking on her doors?

Soarynn wonders what will happen next, wonders where Coriolanus and Eudora are. She wonders if the Mayor knows what's happening, how many people have been planning this, and if she and the children will make it out alive.

She knows one thing for certain: she would rather die than let these evil men hurt the children.

"Soarynn, I want Daddy," Celeste pouts from behind her. Soarynn pushes down any nerves that might be obvious and attempts to give Celeste a reassuring smile from over her shoulder, "We'll see him soon darling."

"Stop talking," one of the men snaps, shooting her a dirty look. Soarynn scowls but keeps her mouth shut. These men clearly weren't above putting a gun to Caspian's head so she knows they'll have no problem leaving her dead body in the hall for someone to find.

"Momma," Caspian mumbles resting his head on her shoulder. Soarynn can only give him a comforting kiss on the head while they keep walking, towards two doors from the looks of it. Soarynn wonders if anyone outside the Resort knows what's going on. Have the proper authorities been alerted? Is Coriolanus wondering where they are? Is she going to die?

They come to a stop in front of the doors and the man waves his gun at Soarynn and the children, "Backs against the wall," he orders. Soarynn holds her head up high while pressing her back against the wall, instructing the girls to do the same. The other man, the other Rebel, cracks the two doors open, having some sort of conversation with someone on the other side. Soarynn can smell the ocean wafting in, those doors lead outside.

He pushes the doors open to reveal a rugged-looking man, dressed in boots, a heavy coat, and an eye patch. He literally looks like a pirate so it's no surprise that he's in on this attack. Soarynn notices the gun holstered in his belt, it seems everyone in Four owns a firearm today. He slowly walks down the line of hostages, sizing each of them up.

"Never thought we'd get all three," he muses, stopping when he reaches Soarynn and Caspian. He reaches out to grab her chin and Soarynn jerks away from his hold, "But you are a lucky catch," he says with a chuckle, "didn't think he'd bring his whore with him as well." Soarynn glares daggers at the man who has no problem insulting her or her character, "I am not a whore and if I were you, I'd let us go before the authorities arrive and stop this attack."

All three men break into laughter as if she just told the funniest joke they've ever heard, causing her stomach to twist into knots, "No wonder he keeps you around, I wonder what you feel like from behind, or better yet, tied up with nowhere to go."

Soarynn could cry right now. Will this be how she goes? Defiled in front of the children and then shot?

"You'll never get the chance to find out," she fires back, "whatever you want, he won't give you."

The one-eyed man sneers and shakes his head, waving his finger in the air, "Oh, he'll give us what we want, as long as we have his children, we've got him in the palm of our hand. It's time Coriolanus Snow learns a lesson from profiting off of other people's pain."

Soarynn isn't given time to respond when the doors fly open, revealing even more men, all armed to the teeth. "We've gotta go Captain," one of them says, glancing over his shoulder, "it's getting messy out there." Soarynn's eyes widen when she hears the sound of gunshots in the distance. She hopes no one is seriously hurt or even worse...dead.

The Captian grunts and grabs her by the arm and drags her towards the doors, "Let's go, pretty girl." Soarynn whimpers when his grip tightens and she desperately looks back at the girls who are being pushed by the other two men, "Please don't hurt them," she begs, trying to break free, "please, they'll listen, they'll listen I promise. We'll do exactly as you say."

They're walking in the sand now, and the wind is starting to pick up, thunderclouds rolling in from the distance. Soarynn can hear more shouting and gunfire but her focus is solely on the girls who are wide-eyed with fear, holding each other's hands as they walk along the beach with their captors.

"Shut your mouth," the Captain orders, yanking her towards him. Soarynn yelps, nearly tripping in her heels with the sand making it more difficult to walk. She spots a boat floating near the shore, they must've come all the way from the village to get here.

They can not get into that boat.

Soarynn digs her feet into the sand, kicking the Captain's leg for good measure. He looks back at her, his eyes filled with anger and hatred and he uses his other hand to grab his gun, slapping her across the face with the weapon in an instant. Soarynn cries out in pain, momentarily blinded by it as she falls back onto the sand, Caspian almost tumbling from her hold.

"Soarynn!" Ceraphina cries, running over to her, "Soarynn are you okay?"

Tears burn in Soarynn's eyes, both from the pain and the fear. Celeste runs over to her as well, bending down to wipe some sand off of her dress, "Do you need a bandaid?"

Soarynn sniffles, she has to keep it together.

"What she needs to do is keep her fucking mouth shut unless she needs another reminder," the Captain says, his gun trained on Soarynn. She takes in a shaky breath, the wind causing her hair to whip across her face, "You're going to die for that," she tells him.

He laughs, kicking sand in her face for good measure, "I don't plan on dying tonight, not until I get what I want."

One of the men who was pretending to be a Peacekeeper perks up at those words, casting a glare in the Captain's direction, "You mean what we want," he corrects, gesturing at Soarynn and the children with his own gun, "we aren't risking our lives for you."

The Captain rolls his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, what we want, that's what I meant. Don't get so paranoid Marvin, just get them up and take them to the boat yeah?"

Marvin frowns but nods, bending down to grab Soarynn's arm and lift her up. She groans from the pain but allows him to lift her from the sand, trying to wipe off the sand but it's no use at this point. She must look like a mess. "Start walking to the boat," Marvin orders, pressing his gun into her back. Soarynn gasps at the feeling but does as she's told, nodding at the girls to do the same. "I don't want to get my shoes wet," Ceraphina mumbles, trudging along the now-wet sand.

Marvin scoffs and gives her a push, causing Ceraphina to glare up at him, her gaze sharp like her father's, "Don't push me." Soarynn doesn't know if she should be amazed or terrified by Ceraphina's confidence in this life-or-death scenario. But Marvin doesn't seem deterred by the five-year-old's attitude.

The water begins to lap at their feet and Soarynn has a harder time walking correctly with her heels constantly sinking in the wet sand. Marvin pushes the gun against her even harder, "Walk better or take the fucking shoes off." Soarynn almost rolls her eyes but stops herself, now is not the time to have an attitude. With a heavy heart, she steps out of her heels and onto the sand barefoot.

The boat isn't that far from the shore but the waves are choppy and she doesn't even know if there's a current, "You want us to swim there?" She asks, giving him an incredulous look. Marvin scoffs, rolling his own eyes, "Yeah, I didn't think women in the Capitol were dumb and spoiled."

Soarynn chooses to ignore his jabs and gestures towards the girls who are always halfway in the water by now, "I have to help them, they could drown or get swept away."

"They'll be fine."

"If they drown then all of this will have been for nothing," she pushes, turning around to face him. Marvin has a somewhat nice-looking face, he might even be considered handsome if it weren't for his habit of kidnapping people. She can see him weighing out his options for a moment and then he sighs, tucking away his gun, "I'll carry them, but if you try to run, I'm shooting you then the kid," he points at Caspian and Soarynn presses her lips into a thin line, she wasn't planning on trying to escape but she certainly isn't now.

"Fine," she decides. She looks down at the girls who look terrified as the waves crash against them, "I need you girls to behave okay? We're going to get on that boat," she points at the boat rocking against the waves. Celeste looks over at the boat and then back up at Soarynn, "I want Daddy."

I do too, Soarynn thinks to herself.

"We'll see him soon," Soarynn promises, hoping she can keep her word, "let's go on the boat first okay?" Neither of the girls looks too convinced but they slowly nod and Soarynn watches Marvin grab Ceraphina first, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of flour. She frowns at his method of handling the children but he waves her off, "Start swimming," he says, pushing her towards the boat.

He picks up Celeste next and she lets out a sound of surprise when she's also tossed over his shoulder, her shoes nearly kicking him in the face. Soarynn says a quick prayer to her father to keep the girls safe before she turns back towards the boat and begins wading towards it. "Cold," Caspian says, the water getting closer to both of their necks. Soarynn's teeth are chattering and her footing on the ocean floor is slowly disappearing, "It's...it's okay Caspian," she manages to get out, "we're almost there."

Once the floor is gone, she's swimming, or well, trying her best to swim. Soarynn's main focus is keeping Caspian's head above water and he's doing a good job at it himself, using his hands to push himself up. It's hard swimming with one hand and a child in the other but she's getting closer to the small boat. She finally notices the two men sitting in the boat and one of them throws a rope in her direction. She doesn't hesitate to grab it, letting them pull her in.

The other man grabs Caspian and Soarynn's heart drops for a second but the man holding the rope grabs her next, hoisting her into the boat as if she weighs nothing. He sets her down on a small bench next to Caspian who's shivering, his cheeks red and his nose runny, "Cold," he says again, his voice trembling this time.

Soarynn pulls him into her lap, wrapping her arms around him in hopes of giving him some warmth and comfort, "I know my darling, I know." She gazes back out at the water where Marvin is now being pulled in by the rope, both girls shrieking from how cold the water is. She anxiously watches the men grab both girls from Marvin's shoulders, tossing them onto the boat as well. They both scramble off the floor and rush to Soarynn, grabbing onto her the moment she's in reach.

"I'm scared," Celeste whispers, pulling herself onto the bench, "where's Daddy?" Soarynn looks out at the Resort but sees no one but the Rebels on the beach. "I don't know," she whispers back, "but we have to do as they say."

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn didn't know it was possible to feel so cold.

But with the rain, ocean water, and wind, she's convinced that they all might just die from hypothermia.

"Stay close to me," she murmurs, pulling both girls closer to her as the boat rocks even harder due to the large waves. She has no idea where they're going but none of these men have said anything to her and they don't look like they plan on it.

Soarynn had contemplated jumping ship, but that would be pointless. And a death wish.

She knows the girls can swim but not under these conditions. Besides, she doesn't know these waters and what lurks within them. She watches two men pull back the oars, pushing them towards what must be the wall that keeps people from escaping District Four. She'd heard of it before in school, how Peacekeepers patrolled the top of the wall, prepared to shoot anyone who tried to escape. There are grates at the bottom of the wall, allowing the marine life to swim in and out of the cove as they please but it must be so deep.

"Are...are we gonna die?" Ceraphina whispers, nuzzling her head against Soarynn's shoulder. Soarynn sniffles, her head is throbbing and her entire body is shaking from both the cold and the fear, "I don't know," she admits quietly, "but I'll do anything to protect you, as long as we listen we should be alright darling."

Ceraphina peers up at her and her face reflects worry and fear, "Soarynn, you're bleeding."

Soarynn lifts her hand to her face, to her nose more specifically where there is in fact blood dropping down from it. She wonders if the Captain broke it. She can still feel it which is a good sign. "I'm okay," she lies, giving Ceraphina a tight-lipped smile, "just a scratch." Ceraphina doesn't look like she believes her but they're interrupted by Marvin who stands up, the rockiness of the boat not even phasing him, "On your feet," he says.

Soarynn and the children stay firmly planted on the bench and he scoffs, "On your feet," he repeats, "we're leaving you here," he points at what looks like a buoy bobbing in the water, large enough for maybe one person. "We're not going anywhere," Soarynn replies with a shake of her head, doing her best to remain brave despite the circumstances.

The rest of the men laugh, making Soarynn feel more meek and smaller than before, "Just you pretty girl," he explains, grabbing her shoulder and yanking her off the bench, "not that you don't look like a good time, but we've already got what we need."

Her eyes widen when she realizes what he means, "No," she cries, "no I won't leave them!”

She looks back at the children, all watching with wide blue eyes full of fear while they cling to each other, "It's not your choice to make," he sneers, pushing her toward the edge of the boat, "now get off now before I throw your dead body into the water."

Soarynn digs her bare feet into the wooden floor of the boat, refusing to move any further, "I go nowhere without them," she tells him, throwing all of her weight against him for good measure. Soarynn must be stronger than she feels because Marvin's body disappears from behind her and she turns around just in time to watch him stumble into the edge of the boat, his arms flailing as he falls into the water.

The Captain stands up, wielding his gun and pointing it at Soarynn, "That's enough you little bitch. I was trying to be nice and let you off easy but now, I think I'll just have to shoot you before I take the kids."

Soarynn glares daggers at the man who's taken her captive, her rage seething through her fearful facade, "You will do nothing of the sort, if you kill me," she points at the cowering Snow children, "then they won't listen to a thing you say." Celeste and Ceraphina perk up at her statement and nod, giving him defiant looks, "Mhm, we'll scream and fight," Celeste tells him.

Soarynn raises an eyebrow at the Captain, "See? I'm the only one who can calm them down. You kill me, you won't be able to complete any of your objectives and this will all have been for nothing."

"Stop talking to her and fucking shoot her!" Marvin yells from the water, paddling towards the boat with an annoyed look on his face. If looks could kill, Soarynn would be dead by now. But she's not, and that's for one reason or another.

The Captain slowly lowers his gun, scoffing at Marvin's orders that clearly aren't respected in this hierarchy. The other two men haven't said a word this entire time. Maybe they're just being paid to row the boat and nothing more.

"If they act out, we might have to correct them," he tells her, some taunting in his tone and it makes her blood boil. Soarynn takes a step towards him, bloody nose and hypothermia be damned.

"No one touches my children," she says, raising a finger, "especially men who have no problem hurting women."

It's a standoff and she won't be the one who loses.

He finally smirks, looking her up and down before nodding, "Fine, but it'll be your head if not theirs."

Soarynn's bottom lip trembles but no tears escape her eyes, she's better than that. "I agree to your terms."

Soarynn turns back to the children, all three of them look absolutely terrified and it breaks her heart that there's nothing she can do to make this better. At least they won't be separated.

But what had Coriolanus said the first time they met?

"Nothing else matters but them. They're all I have now that Livia is gone. I can't have any more children. They're my future. My legacy. Should it come down to it, your life will come before theirs."

Soarynn hadn't ever thought that there might actually be a moment where it would come down to her life or the children's but she knows in her heart that she'd gladly give her life to save theirs. Coriolanus has lost so much already, she can't imagine him finding out about the death of his children as well.

Soarynn sits back down on the bench, her hands are shaking from the cold but she knows it also has to do with her fear, her nerves from standing up to these evil men. "It's okay," she whispers to the children, pulling Caspian back into her lap and kissing the top of his head, "it's okay, we're still together, we're okay."

The girls press themselves against her, desperate for comfort and she gladly gives it to them.

Her stormy blue eyes scan the ocean, looking for someone who might come and rescue them but she sees nothing but rain and thunder in the distance.

Coriolanus, where are you? She wonders, the wind blowing more hair in her face. She hopes he's alright wherever he is, if he's not dead already.

Would they assassinate the President?

They'd certainly kill a nanny.

That's all you are, she reminds herself. tears pooling in her eyes, just the nanny.

꧁ ꧂

They sit in the boat for what must be at least another hour if Soarynn's gauge of time is correct.

Finally, a strip of land comes into view and Soarynn feels some sort of relief even though all she sees are more Rebels from the looks of it, wielding lanterns and probably weapons with her luck.

Soarynn is just ready to get off the fucking boat.

She didn't know what it felt like to be seasick but she was starting to feel nauseous and so was Caspian from the looks of it, his porcelain face turning green the poor thing. Soarynn wishes she could magically pull out some medication but the best she can do is whisper words of encouragement.

The Captain stands up when the shore comes into view, waving a hand at the people watching them from the beach, "Looks like they're all here," he says to his men, a grin on his face, "now's not the time to get sloppy." His men grumble and Soarynn notices the dirty look that Marvin throws his way. Marvin is shivering himself, so now they're all in the same boat, literally.

"Are we gonna have to swim again?" Celeste whispers to her, tugging on Soarynn's dress that's now torn and dirtied. Soarynn brushes some wet curls from her face, staring into those sweet blue eyes that are usually filled with joy and kindness, "We might," she whispers back, "but we'll be okay."

Celeste merely nods in response before closing her eyes again and resting her head on Soarynn's shoulder. Soarynn does her best to ignore the pain that flares from the simple action, her arm hurts from where she's constantly been grabbed and yanked. She doesn't think her nose is bleeding anymore.

She looks down at Ceraphina whose eyes are also closed. It's late at night at this point, nearing midnight based off of the faint glow of the moon. Soarynn stares at the Captain from behind and wonders how long he's been planning this. He looks mighty pleased with himself, one foot leaning against the front of the boat, acting like the king of the world.

The boat is getting closer to the shore, maybe thirty yards at this point. They're probably going to have to swim again which worries Soarynn, the children can't handle being submerged in cold water again.

Before she can ask about how they're going to go about getting to shore, a gun goes off and Soarynn lets out s scream when the Captain falls back towards her, blood spurting from his arm from where he was shot.

His men go frantic, grabbing their own guns and pointing them in every direction.

Soarynn grabs both girls, holding them tight while Caspian clings to her dress, burying his face in her neck, "Don't move," she whispers, scanning the beach for where the gunshot might have come from.

"I can't do this anymore," one of the men whispers, his eyes wide and manic, "we're all gonna die, we have to go now!"

Marvin shakes his head and slips off of the bench he's been sitting on, sliding next to the Captain who's letting out pitiful groans, "Don't try to swim for it, you'll just get shot and drown."

Soarynn wonders if she and the children should take cover as well or if they should stay put. She looks back over at the beach where people are running around, frantically trying to get away. More gunshots ring through the air and she gasps when more Rebels drop dead on the sand, collapsing like ragdolls.

"Keep your eyes closed," she says to the girls, not wanting them to witness any more traumatic events tonight.

The manic man lets out a frustrated groan, his head whipping back and forth from the beach back to the boat where the Captain seems to be bleeding out from what Soarynn can see. And no one seems eager to come to his aid.

"Fuck this," he says, standing up, "I'm getting the hell out of here."

His accomplices try to deter him from jumping ship but he's made up his mind. They all watch him stand on the edge of the boat, bending his knees to jump and then they all watch a bullet pierce his skull, sending blood and who knows what else into the air. Soarynn screams again when some of the blood lands on her and the children, some of it even landing in her mouth.

All hell breaks loose then.

Rampant gunfire breaks out on the beach and she opens her eyes in time to see several Peacekeeper trucks driving over the dunes, firing at anyone in sight. Peacekeepers swarm the area, guns at the ready.

The calvary has arrived.

This isn't a fight the Rebels will win and both Marvin and the other man seem to realize this. Marvin quickly slips his legs over the side of the boat, slipping into the water without being shot which is a victory within itself. The other man isn't so lucky when he tries to stand up and is immediately shot several times in the chest, his limp body falling backward into the water.

Soarynn squeezes her eyes shut, wanting to block out this night for the rest of her life but then she hears something, hears someone.

"SOARYNN!"

Soarynn looks over her shoulder at the beach and she lets out a cry of relief when she sees Coriolanus on the beach, accompanied by Peacekeepers, Eudora, and another man who must be the Mayor.

"It's your father," she says, a frail laugh leaving her lips, "girls look it's your father."

The girls both open their eyes and turn to see their father on the beach, letting out excited gasps, "Daddy! Daddy came to rescue us!"

He came for them.

Soarynn's relief turns into something more primal, something more maternal, "We have to swim to the beach, we're not that far." She knows they could wait but the Captain is still alive, wounded but alive. Ceraphina frowns, looking down at the water, "But it's cold."

Soarynn nods, carefully standing up so as to not rock the boat, "I know but we have to get to safety. We can do it, I promise."

Celeste also stands up, determination in her eyes, "It's just like the bathtub," she says to her sister, offering her hand. Ceraphina furrows her brows, she looks so much like Coriolanus right now it's uncanny how alike they look when deciding on something. Surviving, it seems, is the decision she comes down to and she takes her little sister's hand.

"Okay," she agrees, "let's go."

Soarynn wraps her arms around Caspian tightly, murmuring a few more words of prayer before stepping onto the bench, one step away from plunging into the water. She thinks she can hear Eudora shouting for her to sit back down but she's so past caring right now.

"Here we go," she says and she jumps.

A wave of shock mixed with pain shoots through her body when her feet hit the sandy bottom. Soarynn pushes herself back up to the surface, gasping for air when she breaches the water. She can hear Caspian coughing which means he also didn't drown and die.

Soarynn opens her eyes and looks around to find that it's actually quite shallow. The water is up to her chest and while it is freezing, the current isn't too bad. "It's safe," she says to the girls who are watching him with hesitation, "and quite shallow. Come on, I'll catch you."

Ceraphina nods and steps onto the bench, helping Celeste climb up as well. "One, two, three!" The girls jump into the water and Soarynn wades towards them the moment they come up for air, grabbing both of them and pulling them into her. The girl's heads are bobbing above the water but they aren't drowning which is the most important part.

"Hold onto me and I'll pull us to shore," Soarynn instructs them, helping and making sure they have a good grip on something before she begins wading to the beach. She watches more trucks drive onto the beach, people are beginning to be arrested if they haven't been killed already.

Soarynn can feel her body slowing down. The cold is seeping into her bones, her nose hurts, her arm hurts. Wouldn't it be pitiful for her to drown in five feet of water?

But when she gazes towards Coriolanus again, she knows she needn't worry about a thing due to the fact that he's halfway in the water, wading towards them. Soarynn never thought in a million years that she'd see the President of Panem soaked in the ocean, but she knew he'd do anything for his children, even if it meant jumping into freezing waters.

The girls cry out when they see him, letting go of Soarynn the second he's within reaching distance to paddle towards him.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Coriolanus scoops them out of the water as if they weigh nothing, holding them so tight while murmuring words of devotion and comfort. Soarynn feels herself tearing up at the sight, for a moment, she didn't know if they'd make it, if the children would ever see their father again.

A second later she hears the sound of a motorized boat and looks to her left where three Peacekeepers are driving towards them, hopefully with blankets. "We made it," she whispers to herself, watching their boat stop next to the wooden one where the Captain is still lying there, injured and abandoned. One of the Peacekeepers jumps into the boat, pulling the Captain onto his feet despite his pained protests.

Soarynn mindlessly peppers Caspian's head with kisses, feeling his little body cling to hers for warmth. She might as well keep heading towards shore, even if she can't feel her toes, or her feet, or her legs. Is she sinking?

Soarynn whimpers as her legs slowly begin to give out from under her, both her and Caspian gasping when their faces hit the cold water. They're only drowning for a second before a hand pulls them both up. It's one of the Peacekeepers from the boat and he looks very concerned for her wellbeing. "Are you alright miss?"

After the day she's had, Soarynn doesn't have it in her to lie.

"No," she answers truthfully, letting the man gently pull her up and into the boat, a world of a difference compared to how she was handled by the Rebels. She looks back into the water where Coriolanus is already wading back to shore, wasting no time to get his girls to safety. A blanket is draped over her shoulder a second later and Soarynn lets out a content sigh, making sure that Caspian is well covered. "Blanket," he says, a small smile on his sweet little face. Soarynn nods, kissing his forehead, "That's right sweet boy. We got a blanket and we got rescued."

Soarynn knows that sooner or later she'll be able to have a proper breakdown due to what's occurred tonight, but until then, she'll continue putting on a brave face.

She looks back at the boat she was held captive on, watching the Captain take quite a beating from the Peacekeeper who pulled him up. Good, she thinks to herself, he deserves it.

Their boat finally brushes up against the beach and Eudora is running up to her and Caspian with tears in her eyes, "Oh thank goodness! We were so worried!" Soarynn gives her a tired smile, she has no idea what happened to Eudora and Coriolanus during all of this commotion, but Eudora seems unscathed from what she can see.

"We're okay," Soarynn tells her, feeling unsteady on her feet when she slowly stands up. One of the Peacekeepers steadies her, "Let me take him," he offers. Soarynn appreciates the kind gesture, but she holds onto Caspian even tighter, "I'm fine," she insists, ignoring the concerned looks she gets from both Eudora and the Peacekeeper.

She shakily steps out of the boat, her feet feel numb when they touch the sandy shores but she feels better than she did in the ocean. Soarynn scans the beach, watching as people are detained and thrown into the backs of Peacekeeper trucks. "I...what happened?" She finally asks Eudora who rests a hand on her shoulder, "We were at dinner," Eudora starts but her voice dies off as she stares out into the ocean.

Soarynn turns and both women watch Coriolanus trudge onto the beach, both girls still in his hold. "Oh the poor things," Eudora whispers, "we were so, so worried about all of you when we checked the suite." Soarynn swallows and she can taste bits of salt, "It all happened so fast."

Two more men approach the Snow family, dressed in white uniforms with medic symbols on the backs of their jackets. They'll definitely need medical attention after the day they've had. Coriolanus carefully hands over the girls, his hands lingering on their backs before they're taken over to a small medic truck. Soarynn feels so grateful to have survived that, to be able to deliver all of his children to him.

One of the medics tends to both girls, giving them blankets while the other approaches her with a kind smile on his face. Soarynn steps back when he holds out his hands, "We've got him," he assures her, reaching for Caspian. Soarynn shakes her head, resting her hand on the back of Caspian's head to cradle him closer, "No, I..."

Another hand comes to rest on her other shoulder and this time, it's Coriolanus. He looks exhausted, his piercing blue eyes don't hold the usual authority she's used to. Instead, they hold worry, fear, and anxiety. "It's okay," he tells her, his voice so gentle, "let them take him. It's okay Soarynn."

She doesn't quite believe him, not after what's happened. How can she trust any of these people in Four?

Caspian lifts his head after hearing his father's voice, his eyes wide with excitement and he reaches out for him. Coriolanus sighs and grabs his small hand and gives it a squeeze, "You're alright Cas, he's alright." Soarynn still doesn't believe him but Coriolanus takes matters into his own hands and quite literally pries his son from Soarynn's iron grip, handing him over to the medic who offers her a reassuring smile.

Soarynn's hands feel so empty now that Caspian is gone. He peeks his head over the medic's shoulder, giving her a small wave despite everything they've endured tonight. Soarynn sniffles, wiping any trace of tears.

Eudora rubs soothing circles on the back of her shoulder, "It's alright dear, you're perfectly safe now." She doesn't feel safe, doesn't feel like everything is alright.

Her bottom lip trembles but she remains silent, the blanket on her shoulders falls onto the sand, revealing the torn state of her dress. She can feel Coriolanus tighten his grip on her shoulder, taking in the current state of her body. Soarynn stares at the sand, suddenly ashamed of the state she's in.

"Soarynn," he starts but she shakes her head, trying to hold it all in, "It's fine," she gets out, her voice breaking, "I'm fine, I...I shouldn't ha-"

Soarynn never gets to finish her sentence. Coriolanus pulls her into his embrace and she instantly melts into it, melts into the protective hold he puts over her. Soarynn hasn't felt a touch like this since her father, felt so safe and protected within seconds. She chokes out a sob, all the emotions hitting her all at once.

He rests a hand on the back of her head while she grabs onto his shirt, probably staining it with her tears and blood. He smells like roses.

"Thank you," he says quietly, his voice muffled, "thank you for bringing them back to me."

Soarynn doesn't feel as though she needs to be thanked for doing her job, so she simply nods, unable to form a coherent sentence. She can hear some sort of struggle ensuing on the beach, the sound of a man arguing with another man, one of their voices sounding terribly familiar.

The Captain.

They must have brought him to shore to properly detain him. "Keep moving," someone tells him. "Fuck you," he spits out. Soarynn takes a small peek at him, stunned at how battered and bruised he is in addition to the gunshot wound. He catches her looking and sneers in her direction, his lips curling up into a cruel smirk, "Looks like the President got his whore back safe and sound. Only wish I could've taken her for a spin."

It all happens so quickly then.

Coriolanus pushing Soarynn towards. Eudora. Coriolanus grabbing the Captain by the collar of his shirt and slamming him into he ground. Coriolanus punching the Captain in the face over and over again.

Soarynn watches more blood pool from his face, dripping onto the sand while he lays their limp, coughing up more blood. Soarynn feels nauseous. She leans over to throw up but nothing comes out, only a few drops of blood from her nose which Eudora notices immediately. "Soarynn, you're bleeding!" Soarynn stands back up, stumbling on the sand, "I'm...I'm fine," she mumbles, wiping her nose with the back of her hand, "just, just tired."

Everything starts to grow black. Everything is so fuzzy.

The last thing she sees before falling into the sand is Coriolanus Snow knocking the Captain unconscious.

꧁ ꧂

When Soarynn wakes up, she's on a train.

At least, she thinks she's on a train.

She blinks up at the ceiling, her head is groggy and throbbing. She wants to sit up but she doesn't know if that would be wise. She looks over to her right at the bedside table where there's a glass of water and two orange pills on a small plate. She doesn't hesitate to grab the water, drinking half the glass before she takes the pills and swallows them down with the remaining water.

Hopefully, those were meant for her.

Soarynn listens to her surroundings for a moment. She can hear a few muffled voices from outside of the hallway. One of distinct enough to place it as Coriolanus, and the other is high-pitched enough to belong to Eudora. Did they already leave Four?

Soarynn then hears the patter of small footsteps running down the hall.

The children.

That's all Soarynn needs to motivate her to sit up. She groans once she's fully seated, resting against her headboard but her mind feels more clear now. Soarynn brings her hand up to her face and feels some bandages around her nose. Maybe it is broken. She then reaches for her shoulder and finds more bandaging has been wrapped around her upper arm as well.

She's dressed in a long-sleeved button-up shirt and flowy pants, both feel like pajamas. Soarynn probably shouldn't stand up, but she doesn't care, not after what she's been through. She swings her feet off the edge of the bed, firmly planting them on the floor. "Here we go," she whispers to herself, slowly pushing up from the bed. The train barely jostles while riding along the tracks but the slightest movement makes her feel unsteady.

Soarynn places a hand on the wall in front of her, leaning against it for support. She looks to her right into the bathroom and her eyes widen when she sees her reflection.

Her nose is bandaged and her left eye is slightly bruised. But other than that, there's no physical proof that she was kidnapped with the children. And that frightens her.

Was that even real if she has no scars to prove it?

Soarynn shakes those thoughts from her head and turns towards the bedroom door, brushing against the wall as she walks to it. It slides open and she pokes her head out, looking down both ends of the hallway. She sees no one but hears giggles coming from down the hall. Soarynn carefully steps out into the hall, wrapping her arms around herself as she walks down the hall to the children's room.

They've all gathered in Ceraphina's room it seems, the same room where she and Coriolanus put the girls to bed...one day ago? Or has it been two? She slept one night at the resort before everything fell apart. It feels like they got on this train years ago, not days ago.

Soarynn looks into the bedroom and finds all three children piled onto the bed while their father reads them a bedtime story. They all seem fine, dressed in warm pajamas with dry hair and faces. Soarynn took on the brunt of the physical assault so the children are unscathed on the surface.

She can't say the same on the inside.

The girls are enamored by whatever book Coriolanus is reading to them, both of them leaning against his chest while Caspain sits next to Ceraphina, his head resting against her shoulder. It's Caspian who notices Soarynn lingering in the doorway first, his bright blue eyes finding her within seconds, "Soar!"

Soarynn smiles and the girls both look up from the story, gasping when they see her walking about. "Soarynn, you're awake!" Celeste crawls over her father's lap and carefully slips off the edge of the bed, she runs to Soarynn and throws her arms around her legs, "Soarynn we missed you! We got to go back to the Resort and then we got on the train and now we're going home!"

Soarynn raises her eyebrows, did she really sleep through all of that?

She gives Celeste another smile although this one is less genuine than the first, "Oh my goodness, that sounds like quite a busy series of events. You must be very tired." Celeste shrugs and looks back at Coriolanus whose eyes are set on Soarynn, "I'm not that tired," she says, a small smile creeping onto her face, "but maybe you could sing us a lullaby to help us go to sleep."

Coriolanus goes to get off of the bed, already beginning to protest, "I don't think Soarynn is up for sin-"

"It's fine," Soarynn cuts him off, her voice soft and fragile, "I don't mind. Truly."

Coriolanus sits back down, a conflicted look on his face but Soarynn really doesn't mind singing to the children. It'll help her take her mind off of things.

"Get under the covers," she says softly. Celeste scurries back to the bed where Ceraphina pulls her back up, both of them groaning at the effort it takes.

"You're too heavy," Ceraphian whines. Celeste shoots her a look, "Maybe you're not strong enough."

Soarynn shakes her head and walks into the room, "Be nice to each other girls." If they're already back to arguing then that means that they're not that shaken up from everything. Which is a good thing she hopes.

Caspian crawls towards Soarynn, a smile on his face, "Lenny comes," he says, looking back over at his shoulder where Lenny is sitting against the headboard. Soarynn nods, bending down to pick him up, "Lenny did come back with us darling, you're right."

Caspian places a hand on her bandaged nose, gently so as not to hurt her, "Hurt," he mumbles, a concerned look on his small face. Soarynn shakes her head, "I'm alright darling," she insists, placing a kiss on his own little nose, making him giggle, "I'm perfectly fine now that I've seen you and Lenny."

"And us," Ceraphina calls from under the covers.

Soarynn chuckles, walking along the edge of the bed until she reaches the top, "Yes, and you two as well," she agrees.

She gently places Caspian down on the bed, he usually sleeps in his crib but she can't blame him if he wants to be near his sisters after what happened.

Coriolanus rises from his spot on the bed, watching over his three children who look so precious tucked under the covers. All spitting images of him.

Soarynn clears her throat, she's never sung her lullaby to anyone but the children but he doesn't seem keen on leaving anytime soon. Soarynn takes a deep breath and begins to sing.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow, A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes, and when they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, here it's warm, here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."

Their little eyes slowly grow heavy until all three children are asleep. Soarynn reaches down to turn off the lamp on the bedside table and Coriolanus does the same on the other side of the bed. Neither of them makes any moves to leave, both of them watching the children that they'd gladly take a bullet for.

Soarynn eventually convinces herself that no evil men will sneak onto the train to take the children away and she quietly pads out of the room, Coriolanus right on her heels. She doesn't even say anything to him and doesn't protest when he grabs her wrist and gently leads her down the hall, all the way to the last bedroom. His bedroom.

Soarynn merely glances around the room that's slightly larger than hers before focusing on the man who brought her on this trip.

He looks so concerned, so worried.

So caring.

A world of a difference compared to how he used to look at her when she first started working for him.

"I'm so sorry," he finally says, his voice breaking at the end and it nearly breaks her as well, "I...I never imagined that this would happen to us. It shouldn't have happened to us," he corrects himself, "but it did and I'm so sorry that you were caught in the crossfire."

Soarynn purses her lips, studying him for a moment. He looks like a wreck to put things lightly. His curls are all tussled, there are bags under her eyes and his shirt is unbuttoned a little bit, showing off some of his upper chest. He looks like a man whose job is to run the country and then his children were kidnapped on a business trip so now he's trying to put all the pieces back together.

"The crossfire," Soarynn repeats, her voice soft yet hollow, "the crossfire of what? I...I thought we were safe at the Resort. I thought everything was fine in Four."

Coriolanus scowls, and his hand curls into a fist, "We were until we weren't," he says coldly, "Rebels caught wind of when we'd be visiting and they started to plan an attack, to plan how they'd break into the Resort and take my children hostage in exchange for me to stop the Hunger Games."

Soarynn's throat goes dry. She doesn't really pay attention to the Hunger Games, not when it's all about children being forced to kill one another in the name of pageantry and honor. But she can tell that this is personal for Coriolanus, in ways she doesn't wish to examine.

Not now at least. Not when he's still her boss.

"They didn't think I'd be there," she murmurs, remembering how those men called her a lucky catch. Coriolanus nods, his jaw slightly clenched but he's uncurled his fist which is a good sign, "They didn't know you existed," he states plainly.

Soarynn's eyes slightly widen at his words. They didn't know she existed?

"People in the Districts are given very little information compared to those who live in the Capitol," he explains, "mostly for safety reasons such as traveling with me. They didn't know about Eudora either until she was hurling her binder at them at dinner." Soarynn feels her lips pull up in a small smile, Eudora Trinket is a force to be reckoned with.

"They didn't know about you because I felt that it would be safer if you remained anonymous. You caught them off guard, and you...you saved my children," he whispers the last part. "You saved my children and I am eternally grateful for that Soarynn, I wish I could put it into words how grateful I am for that."

Soarynn nods, her eyes trained on the floor, "That's my job isn't it?"

Coriolanus reaches out with his other hand, gently cupping her face and lifting it so that she's looking him in the eye, "I'd say you went above and beyond for what the parameters of your job are," he says, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. His eyes travel down to her nose and he frowns, "How did this happen?"

Soarynn reaches up and feels the bandages covering her nose, it's not broken she's decided, but probably swollen. "He um...he hit me across the face with a gun," she says, her voice so far away, "I said we wouldn't get on the boat and he slapped me with his gun."

One hundred emotions flash through his eyes within a second, most of them being filled with anger and rage before he relaxes and all she can see is kindness and concern. "He'll die for that," he tells her calmly, "anyone who was in on the attack will be executed for treason."

Soarynn wishes that she could beg Coriolanus to spare those men but she can't, not after what they did, what they tried to do.

"Good," she decides, "they were quite brutish in their language."

He tightens his grip on her face, inspecting her for any further damage, "Did they...did they touch you in any way?"

That simple question leads Soarynn to realize that this attack could've had an ever worse ending than it already does. "No," she shakes her head, "they called me your whore, but other than that no, there was no sexual assault." He lets out a breath of relief, she’s sure he wouldn’t want to have to deal with one of his employees being assaulted on top of all of this.

They’ve already experienced enough with Festus.

She waits for him to remove his hand, to say goodnight and tell her how they’ll arrive at the Capitol tomorrow morning but he doesn’t and his hand stays on her face, his large fingers feel so warm against her skin.

“You know,” he murmurs, his thumb brushing back and forth against her cheek and Soarynn can feel her heart starting to beat a little faster but she doesn’t know why, “I used to only care for my children once Livia died, but after tonight, I found myself caring about someone else.”

Soarynn’s throat dries at the possibilities of what that could mean. “It’s good to care about those who you employ,” she states, but Coriolanus shakes his head, “You’re not just another employee Soarynn. You’re not just the nanny, you’re irreplaceable to us, to me.”

To him.

Soarynn feels frozen, she feels frozen as his other hand comes up to hold her face, she feels frozen when he leans down and his lips brush up against her own lips.

But she doesn’t feel frozen when she returns the kiss.

It’s the opposite of what she expected from Coriolanus who’s known for being stern and cynical. It’s gentle and so very patient as if he’s afraid that she might shatter into a million pieces. It feels so good, so right. Her own hands come to rest on his covered biceps and she wonders what it would be like if he took off his shirt, if she took off her own clothes and they spent the night tangled in his sheets.

We can’t, she reminds herself, we can’t.

She pulls away from the kiss, her lips parted and her voice is slightly breathless as she looks back up at up, “We can’t. We…we shouldn’t. The children are right down the hall and you’re my boss whether you like it or not. I wouldn’t want to put anything in jeopardy for the sake of intimate companionship.”

Coriolanus furrows his eyebrows, his hands remain holding her face but she doesn’t mind. She should but she doesn’t.

“You know you’re more than that right?” He ask, pressing his thumbs into her skin, “You’re more than the act itself and you’re more than just a warm body to me, I didn’t ever feel this way around Livia and yet you drive me mad Soarynn, absolutely mad.”

She drives him mad.

Soarynn licks her lips, remembering how his own tasted a few moments ago, “We still should stop. Tonight has been quite traumatic for all of us and I think we’d do well to get some much-needed rest before we return home.”

She hates how crestfallen his face looks but Soarynn knows this is for the best. If they continue to act on their primal urges, someone will get hurt, and it’ll be her.

Even though Coriolanus is a very handsome man, a very handsome man with adorable children that he loves very much…and such strong biceps. And he’s a very good kisser, and he makes her feel safe, and…she’s finding it very hard to find reasons not to end up in bed with him.

But he’s her boss!

The children come first, even before her own wants and needs…and desires.

Soarynn feels herself burning with shame but Coriolanus doesn’t seem to be embarrassed whatsoever. “Tonight has been quite traumatic,” he agrees, his face softens, “and I’d never forgive myself if you felt forced to comply with me and my own wishes.” Soarynn wants to tell him about the dreams she’s been having about him but maybe she should just keep those to herself.

She forces a small smile onto her face although it doesn’t quite reach her eyes, “Alright then. Thank you for checking on me once again. Your efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.”

He nods but he still looks hesitant to let her go. How will they go back to normal after everything that's transpired today? The kidnapping and then the kiss. Soarynn wonders if she even wants to go back to normal, back to a world where she and Coriolanus only exchange a few words when necessary, a world where he might one day show up with another woman on his arm, dismissing her as only the nanny.

"Stay with me," he says, "I'd feel much better if you stayed the night in this room with me," he quickly adds, his cheeks turn pink and Soarynn feels her lips curl up into a genuine smile this time. It's cute how a simple request can leave him so flustered.

She rests her own hand on his smooth-shaven cheek, Coriolanus truly is a most handsome creature, even when he's exhausted and clearly not thinking straight. "I'll stay until you fall asleep," she offers. Soarynn is all too familiar with sitting on the edge of the children's beds whenever they wake her up after a nightmare. Soarynn doesn't mind, she'll lull them back to sleep and then stay for a while in case they wake up again.

She never thought she'd be doing the same for Coriolanus Snow.

He looks as if he wants more, as if he wants her to stay the entire night but they can't risk that, can't risk the train attendants catching wind of this.

The President and his nanny, what a story for the tabloids.

No, Soarynn decides, it's best if this is a one-time thing.

"Alright," he finally agrees, grabbing her wrist and pressing a soft kiss to the palm of her hand. Soarynn feels butterflies in her stomach but she ignores them and lets Coriolanus lead her over to his bed. This bedroom is bigger than hers but he's a large man who needs quite a bit of room.

Coriolanus slides into his bed first and Soarynn follows behind him, feeling a bit excited and a bit nervous. She's never been in a bed with a man, let alone the President of Panem.

"Do you want me to read you a story?" She teases, grinning when he scoffs and rolls his eyes, "No," he replies, his fingers slowly unbuttoning his shirt, "I do not require the ten bedtime stories that my girls do."

Soarynn furrows her brows, "It's more like five," she counters.

Coriolanus gives her a look and shakes his head, "You forget that my children tell me everything, which includes how many stories they swindle you into reading them every night."

Well, he's got her there.

"It's hard to say no to them," she admits, knowing that Coriolanus will relate to that sentiment. He grunts in agreement, finally slipping out of his button-up and baring his upper torso to her. Soarynn looks down at her lap, fiddling with her fingers, "Should I turn off the lamp?'

"I suppose."

She needn't be told twice.

Soarynn reaches over to the lamp sitting on the bedside table and turns it off, waiting for Coriolanus to do the same on his side. "You're sure you don't want to stay for the entire night?" He presses, resting a hand on her shoulder, "I wake up before my household every morning, no one would know."

As lovely as that sounds, Soarynn would prefer to sleep in her own bed tonight. Not that sleeping in the same bed as Coriolanus doesn't sound enticing because it does, but after the way she was treated today, being around men makes her a bit...weary.

"I know," she replies, "but I'm still firm in my decision."

Coriolanus being the good man he is, doesn't push her any further and simply settles against the headboard after pulling up the covers. "Did they try to break into your suite first?"

Soarynn swallows, remembering the persistent knocks outside her doors, and how she almost opened them. "They did," she answers, brushing her hair behind her ears, "although I think they must've thought that the children had their own separate suite. They didn't know their bedroom was within your own suite. When did you learn of the attack?"

It's hard to see his expression in the dark room, but as they sit next to one another, shoulder to shoulder, she can see his face harden at the thought of the Rebels attacking them.

"We were all waiting for you at dinner," he says, "the Mayor, a few diplomats as well. But you weren't coming and I was beginning to think something might've happened with one of the children. A cut finger, an upset stomach, anything really. We had Peacekeepers guarding the doors to the dining room, real Peacekeepers," he continues, "but the doors had been locked from the outside. They tried to break down the doors but it was no use. We were trapped and without a clue as to where you and the children were."

Soarynn can't imagine how worried he must've been, not knowing what was going on outside, what had become of his children. But she got them out, got them back to him.

"Well, it's over now," she says softly, closing her eyes, "I do worry about the children though, how this will affect them." She feels Coriolanus take her hand into his, feels his long fingers lace between her own slender ones. She keeps her eyes shut because if she opens them, she might not leave this room.

"They seem fine now, but only time will tell," he muses, "but my children tend to forget things after a few weeks. With the holidays coming up, they'll have plenty to look forward to."

Soarynn can't say that she's surprised that he still plans to go back as if everything is normal. They'll celebrate the holidays and throw a party at the end of the year. He'll take family portraits and conduct interviews. District Four was only a momentary lapse in his schedule.

Then is that all she is right now? A lapse in his schedule?

Soarynn pulls her hand out of his grip when her own thumb rubs against his injured knuckles, opening her eyes and clearing her throat, "You should get some rest," she suggests, ignoring how fast her heart is beating and how Coriolanus beat the Captain until he fell unconscious for her, "we should arrive at the Capitol by morning."

Soarynn knows that he's looking at her with those piercing blue eyes but she refuses to look anywhere in his direction right now. This is so wrong, she thinks to herself, I'm in bed with my employer right now, in bed with the President of Panem. No wonder people think I'm his whore.

"Yes, we should. Well, goodnight then. Thank you for staying."

Soarynn nods even though he can't see her, "Of course. Sleep well."

She listens to him rustle with his pillow and lay down, listens to his breaths grow deeper and slower, more heavy. Soarynn looks down at Coriolanus Snow who's already sound asleep. She'd do well to get some rest as well. She wonders if he slept in the same bed as Livia or if they slept in separate rooms. She knows that they didn't share any true love but sleeping in the same bed is something you can do with anyone.

Even your boss.

Soarynn gives his sleeping form one last glance before she carefully slips out of the bed and pads out into the hallway. She looks back over her shoulder just once where a streak of light from the hallway is illuminating his face. He looks so handsome, so handsome and so much younger when he's asleep as if he doesn't have the world on his shoulders.

Soarynn makes sure the door closes behind her before she walks down the hallway to her own room, only stopping to look in on the children who are all sound asleep in bed.

Soarynn flops onto her own bed with a groan. She'll probably be given a full medical and psychological evaluation once they get back to truly assess any damage. She brings her hand up and gently touches her nose, it doesn't hurt, it didn't hurt when it brushed up against his nose when they kissed.

Oh, when they kissed.

"What're you doing Soarynn?" She whispers, staring up at the ceiling, "Get a grip, get your head straight. One traumatic event doesn't mean you get to kiss your boss."

It was nice though, kissing Coriolanus after dreaming about it. She never knew he felt the same way but the more she thinks about it, the more she wonders if he does feel the same way.

Was she just a quick way to blow off steam?

Is she really just the President's whore?

Soarynn crawls under the covers, turning off the bedside lamp encasing her in darkness and she gladly welcomes it.

"You're the nanny Soarynn," she reminds herself, "nothing more nothing less."

Even though she wonders what it might be like to be seen as more.

| Part 7. |

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

꧁| taglist: @lovelylove268 @strawberriicakes @kickmybark @inmydelusions-icanfixhim @wonderlandbound111 @melodyoflove99 |꧂

[billlydear]

LIKE WE'LL NEVER HAVE SEX - BILLY HARGROVE X READER (PART ONE)

word count: 1277 // masterlist | inbox (please request) | WIP list

Summary: Billy's not used to getting less attention than the movie playing on the theater screen.

Contents/Warnings: fem!reader, mentions of sex, mentions of making out, light kissing

A/N: i'm sorry i've been MIA for a bit! school and work are very busy lately </3 but i hope you enjoy this! not me posting another part one with two outgoing series already... but this isn't a chapter of anything, it's a one-shot, and the other parts will be their own completed stories as well. it's a collection of stories, not a series, so you're welcome to read any of them without the others, it won't matter.

reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated! your feedback motivates me to write more, so thank you for your support :-)

The first time Billy realizes you're not using him for sex is during your first date. Movie theaters are prime date locations, at least on Billy's list, because it gets entertainment and a makeout session knocked out in the same two-hour window. He doesn't have to make small talk before fingering a girl if he's supposed to be silent watching the movie.

It's a pretty well-worn routine by now; the lights dim, and they're done with each other by the time the credits roll. It's efficient, he likes to think, it's easy.

When you'd expressed your enthusiasm about a sci-fi thriller playing in the little theater he frequented, he'd taken his shot. Five minutes later and your address was scrawled on his notebook paper, a smiley face beside it.

He picks you up at eight, and he even pays for popcorn.

You're resting back against the seat behind you, munching on M&Ms. He's neglected to kiss you thus far because the usher is prowling the aisles, on the lookout for anyone behaving... well, how Billy behaves every time.

When the guy stops flashing his torch at suspicious moviegoers and finally leaves the theater, Billy's eager to get on with his routine. He's sure the chocolate on your tongue will taste better than the popcorn dust on his own, but he's curious to see how they mix.

He reaches over to squeeze your hand first, and you tear your eyes away from the screen to shoot him an easy grin. Then you're back to the movie, eyes tracking the characters intently.

He leans over to butt his nose against your jaw, and you startle. You peer over at him with wide doe eyes, shining softly with the light from the screen. He grins and moves into a lazy kiss, one that he feels you sigh softly against his mouth for. It's sweet, but it's short.

"Wait!" You whisper, eyes wide as you tear yourself away from him to glance at the screen, "They're gonna-!"

An explosion rattles the sound system, and one of the characters gets slammed up against a cluster of rocks from the impact. She's dead on impact, and your mouth hang open.

When you settle back into your seat, a fresh candy in your mouth, he decides to steal it off of your tongue. He grips your cheek this time, tugging your face so that you're turned towards him, and pressing his lips to yours a little more firmly this time.

He manages to crack the melted candy on your tongue, spilling gooey chocolate into your spit. There's leftover popcorn butter residue on his lips, grainy and salty, but you don't seem to mind, sliding your hands against his chest.

But then you push against him, the same hands he'd thought were feeling him up nudging him away instead, and you shoot him a bashful smile.

"Sorry," You whisper, warm-cheeked and plump-lipped, "I... really wanna see this movie."

He sits back against his seat, eyes glazed over at the screen for five minutes. You're choosing to watch this shit movie instead of pay him attention? Shit, he could have rented a flick for you for seventy-five cents. Why did he pay for a ticket?

But then a new character steps on screen, and the theater goes up in cheers. He looks bewilderedly around, peering concernedly at you where you're clapping excitedly. You catch his confused stare, and lean in with chocolate-stained lips to whisper-shout, "He's from the original series! He was captain, and everyone was kind of speculating that they'd bring him back for the movie, but no one was really sure, and-!"

He watches your eyes sparkle with excitement as you fill him in on the series' lore, while also trying to keep up with the dialogue the characters have going. He realizes now that you're interested in the movie, you're not disinterested in him. He even laughs at a particularly clever quip, not that he'll ever admit it. The movie is clearly something more to you than it is to him, and he takes solace in the fact that he's not losing his game, you're just not playing it at the moment.

He fully intends to tongue you in the backseat of his camaro before driving you home, though. A man has needs, after all.

Instead, he nods along to the plot of the third episode of the sixth season of the show that the movie was based on, boots crunching against the gravel of the parking lot as he listens to you ramble. Apparently, that episode set up a villain for the movie, but he can't say he was paying attention enough to even remember what they'd looked like.

"-so they find out these guys are just taking it, but obviously they know they're not gonna stop until someone stops them. So they gear up and prepare for battle, but then they realize that there's a colony not too far from the planet they're trying to target, and they don't want them to think they're being hostile to them, so they have to run a team down to the colony to let them know they mean no harm. But it gives their enemies time to escape, and that's why it was such a big deal in the movie, because they were so close and never got to finish the job. But-"

Billy drives you home in silence, adding a few hums of acknowledgement here and there. He can't say he's interested in what you're talking about, but he likes the way you're saying it. Gushy, like the words have to get out now or you'll explode.

He lets you yammer his ear off all the way to your house, and there's lights on inside, which means he won't get away with a makeout session idling in the driveway. Parents don't like that, he knows.

There's disappointment lingering in the pit of his stomach at the prospect of going home without a proper kiss. One with wandering hands, muffled whimpers, maybe a quickie in the backseat. But when you realize he's not going to walk you to the front door, you rush around to the driver's side, ducking down to pop your face in his window.

He stares amusedly at you, surprised when you lean in to push your lips softly against his.

"Thank you," You hum, cheeks heated, "I had a good time tonight.I'm sorry I kind of talked a lot."

"It's fine," He chuckles, leaning in again to milk another kiss out of your waning time together, "You know a lot about that show."

"I do," Your laugh is bashful, and your hands fiddle with the hem of your shirt as you take a deep breath before speaking again, "I was wondering if... you'd want to come over sometime and watch a few episodes? The first ones are a bit shaky but they're totally worth it once you get to the good stuff."

'No' Is on the tip of Billy's tongue. He is not the kind of guy that sits in a girl's living room to watch nerd shit with her. But your eyes are shining at him just like they'd been shining at the movie screen earlier, and the word 'Sure' tumbles from his lips before he knows it's even there.

"Awesome," You gush, your laugh bright and bubbly, "Does five o'clock next Friday work? We can order a pizza."

"Friday at five," He repeats, leaning in to steal one last kiss, "See you then, honey."

The smile you give him as he drives off is just as sweet and sticky as the pet name he'd coined you.

[imtryingbuck]

Donations and Monsters

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC!Theo

Summary: Bucky has to marry a woman who surprises him more and more as their story goes along.

Word count: 3,021

Warnings: angst. Gunshot wounds. Hospitals. Blood transfusions (me not knowing how they work is a warning too). Small amount fluff

Masterlist   Series Masterlist

"We'll be right there." Standing up he handed her Wanda's coat that she had let her borrow the day earlier before putting his on.

"We need to go, come on" his voice wobbled enough to let her know it was serious and for her to comply.

~~~

Bucky took Theo's hand in his as he led her in to the hospital, to say she was confused is an understatement but when she saw Steve sitting on the chair running his hand through his messy blonde hair, leg bouncing a hundred miles per hour not stopping until Bucky said his name in a whisper.

Steve jumped up out of the chair, his face pained and eyes red as he rushed over wrapping his arms his best friend clinging on to him like a lifeline as the fresh tears tell.

Theo's eyes were glued to the spot of Steve's white shirt.

Blood.

Sliding her hand out of Bucky's she moves to where the rest were sitting, as she took in the familiar faces and the ones she didn't know her panic skyrocketed, seeing Nat red eyed as her hands shook blood coating them. Sam's arms leaning on his thighs his body still, tears wetting his cheeks. Clint burning a hole in to the wall his chest slowly rising and falling.

Turning to face Bucky she shook her head as he stared at her with tears falling freely, he made no effort to wipe them away. "Come here sweetheart" his voice softer than anyone had ever heard before.

Shaking her head once again she looked back at the people she had been around, those that she was slowly getting used to. She looks back to Bucky and cocks her head to the side, reminding him off a puppy who didn't understand the command it was given.

"Baby, please come here" His voice cracking has her feet moving as she gets closer his arms open and she falls straight into his chest, he quickly wraps his strong arms around her pulling her even closer.

The only person who wasn't sitting there was the only person who she has ever felt a connection too, her first and only friend.

Wanda.

"She's still in surgery Buck" Steve said handing Bucky and Theo a drink. A black coffee for Bucky and a hot chocolate for Theo.

"What the fuck happened?"

"I-I don't know, we went to the club to help set up for the weekend you know because of the new tables and chairs coming in an-and one minute everything was fine and we were all laughing and joking and...and then this guy came in, Robby told him that we weren't open and then he started shooting-" his explanation gets cut off by Bucky.

"Where is he now?"

"He's dead. I shot him, not quick enough though. None of us realised until Kimmy screamed that Wands had been shot. Buck I'm so sorry"

"You don't need to be sorry as long as she wakes up Steven"

"James, it's not his fault" Theo said weakly even though she believed her words the way she saw it, the blame went solely to the man who had shot Wanda. If Steve hadn't done something who's to say who else would have be injured or worse.

"It is-"

"No it isn't and you know it, she will get through this-"

"How do you know? You don't even know her like we do, not being funny but you shouldn't even here, you're not family." Nat spat with her arms crossed.

"Watch who you’re fucking speaking too Natasha" Bucky growled.

"Why are you defending this bitch? You've already cheated on her with your whore, your marriage is a joke and you know it"

"Say one more thing Natasha I fucking dare you"

Sam places his hand on Theo's arm when she tries to leave. "I need to go toilet" she whispers, he searched her eyes to try and detect a lie, finding none he lets her go.

"There you are! I've been panicking, wh-why are you outside?" Bucky asks slightly out of breath, his eyes wide seeing Theo sat on a bench covered by a very small shelter as the rain splashed off her shoes.

"Natasha's right, I shouldn't be in there bu-but please just let me wait out here until I know Wanda's okay. I-I know I don't know her like you guys but she's my friend."

Slightly ignoring her words, forcing himself not to head back into the hospital and put Nat's head through a wall, he took her hand in his and helped her to stand

"You're freezing, let's get you inside to warm you up"

"B-but-I don't want to cause any trouble I can just wait out here until I know she's fine and I will head back to your home"

"You are my wife which makes you family. Please Theo, I want-need you with me"

"O-okay"

Walking hand in hand back into the hospital Theo felt a fluttery feeling in her stomach when Bucky rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. That's normal right? She asked herself.

"Steve, I'm sorry for trying to blame you"

"Buck its fine-"

"It isn't fine jerk." Bucky falls silent when he notices Nat walking over.

"Theo... I'm so sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you, I'm so sor" Nat's apology ends as she bursts out crying, her dam breaking. She had tried so hard to keep up the act that she was okay, trying to act like seeing her best friend being shot in front of her hasn't imbedded its self on her brain. If she was being truthful she regretted the words as soon as they spilled out of lips, though she hadn't formed a bond with Theo like Wanda had she had to admit that she liked having her around. Even if she didn't speak much, well hardly ever other than to Wanda.

Nat always took pride in knowing that she could at least cop up to her mistakes.

Once again Theo slid her hand out of Bucky's grasp and nervously wrapped her arms around the crying redhead whispering softly to her that it was okay, smiling to herself when she felt Nat's arms circle her body, crying even harder Theo just stood there and held her.

Time seemed to drag on as the clock ticking by slowly was the only sound heard other than the occasion coughing from a patient in the background as they sat waiting for an update to be given about Wanda.

Bucky was starting to grow restless as his leg bounced; his eyes going to the clock to Theo's hand snug tight in his then back to the clock. He didn't understand what was taking so long.

Just as he was about to say something to Steve a doctor came around the corner. "Family of Wanda Maximoff?"

In unison they all stood up including Theo - not like she had a choice as Bucky's hand got tighter around hers. "That's us, is she okay?" Bucky asked, praying to a higher power that his best friend was alive.

"Yes" everyone released a breath that none of them had realised they were holding in "She's stable however she has lost a lot of blood an-and unfortunately we haven't got any more of her type in storage-"

"How on earth do you not have her blood type in the hospital?" Steve asked puzzled by the ridiculousness of what he was hearing.

"We did sir but the amount she has lost we've had to use everything we have on hand, is anyone here the same type and willing to donate?"

At hearing Wanda's blood type Theo stepped forward not even looking to see if anyone else had "I'm the same Sir, I'm more than happy to do it"

"Would you please follow me then and we can start"

"Theo... you don't hav-"

"I do James, its Wanda. This isn't the first time I've had to do this, you don't need to worry she will be okay I promise" waiting for him to let go off her hand she followed the doctor who talked her through what was going to happen she hadn't heard Bucky's whispered words.

"It's you I'm worried about"

Not flinching at the sharp scratch of the needle growing accustomed to the quick feeling off pain by now, she looked over at Wanda watching as her friends chest raised and fell she let her free hand move over to hold Wanda's. "It's okay my friend I'm here to help"

"Do you need anything?" a nurse who had introduced herself as Susana had asked after taking her gloves off.

"N-no I'm okay, thank you"

"Okay, if you do just press this button and I'll come in." showing Theo the button she needed to press.

"Okay. Thank you"

Leaving just Theo and Wanda in the room, Theo took the silence as the perfect opportunity to fill Wanda in on what really happened when she had gone back to her father's house which was shortly followed by her apologising to her for lying. Then she told her about Bucky taking her shopping, admitting that she was scared he was going to want something in return, as payment. She told her friend as she slept that as she had no money to her name that the only thing she had to offer was her scared riddled body, admitting quietly that not even her soul had much worth to it.

Then embarrassingly admitted about what happened not even twenty minutes before the phone call.

Susana had come back in to remove the needle but Theo stopped her "I can give more-"

"It's not safe darling-"

"I can do it, I promise. I'm just going to need some water if that's okay?"

"Miss I'll have to talk to the doctor"

"That's fine"

Coming back with the doctor who had told her that it really wasn't that safe for her to give this much Theo shook her head and repeated what she had told to Susana all she needed in return was a cup of cold water. Though worried the doctor agreed but not without making Theo promise him that this was the last one.

This time around she sat in silence apart from the beeping of the monitor that reminded her that her friend was still alive.

"How much fucking blood did they take from you?" Bucky questioned as Theo stumbled a little bit out of the room.

"Not enough, I can do more but the doctor won't let me"

"Theo you've given enough oka-what's wrong?" asking as he notices her struggle to stand straight.

"Ne-need to sit"

"Okay-okay, I've got you" holding onto her arm he helps her walk the rest of the corridor and helps her sit in the seat he was sitting in before the nurse came to get him.

"Do you need anything?" Bucky asked worriedly.

"N-no I'm okay"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure"

Whilst Theo was in donating blood he had rang Martha to let her know about Wanda, it was only the right thing to do as Martha had known the redhead since she was a child. Martha told him that she was going to head back to the house and start cooking some dinner for them all, knowing they wouldn't do it themselves and just to put her own mind at rest that they had actually eaten. Bucky told her about the bags full of clothes and that they belonged to Theo, Martha's response was that she will make sure they are washed and dried before they came home.

None of them wanted to leave until the doctor all but forced them too, telling them to get some rest and that Bucky will get a phone call if anything changed. Bucky made it abundantly clear that he would have two of his men standing guard outside Wanda's room to which they doctor nodded in agreement or fear, Theo wasn't sure which one but she was glad her friend was going to be protected.

Getting into their cars Bucky held the passenger side door open for Theo, shutting it softly he climbed in the driver seat before following Steve's car which he was then closely followed by Sam and the rest.

Back at the mansion they enter silently, Theo watched from the side lines as they all fell into Martha's waiting arms as she came practically running out of the kitchen. Though her job was a maid she reminded Theo more like a mother to them as she watched Martha console them one by one.

Steve was the first one to pull away and head up to the stairs Theo heard him whisper that he was going for a shower, Nat followed suit as she still had Wanda's blood on her hands. Soon enough it was just Theo, Bucky and Martha standing in the foyer. Martha turned her attention on to the other woman, smiling sadly she made her way over and before Theo could comprehend what was happening Martha had pulled her in to her arms.

"Are you okay sweet girl?" the older woman asked.

"I'm okay, are you?"

"Don't worry about me, how about you both go and get a shower when your finished dinner will be done" Bucky nodded holding his hand out for Theo he tried his hardest to ignore the butterflies fluttering in his stomach when she doesn't hesitate in putting her hand in his.

"I'll see you in a few" Bucky says as he walks Theo to her bedroom door, he turns on his heels when he receives a nod. He walks to his own room and straight into the bathroom to wash the day off.

Everyone finished with their showers they sat at the dining table their forks scrapping off the plate as they devoured the food. Bucky told Theo that she was to sit at the table, next to him. No one uttered a word as they ate.

After dinner Bucky told Theo to either go to her room or to Wanda's library as they had a meeting, Theo nodded in understanding and made herself scarce. At first she was going to go to her room but decided to go to Wanda's library remembering her words from a few days ago.

The book that Wanda had been reading to Theo still sat on the coffee table and even though she couldn't read properly only knowing a handful of words when they were written down, she picked up the book and sat on the ground. She took her time in moving her finger along the page, spelling each word out just like Wanda had told her to do, feeling really proud of herself when she knew the words.

So lost in the book that she struggled to read she didn't notice the time or that Bucky was standing at the doorway watching her as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What are you reading?" startling Theo she slammed the book closed and stared at him like a deer in headlights. "Sorry sweetheart I didn't mean to scare you"

"It's okay James"

"So what are you reading?"

"I-I'm not sure" she admitted shyly.

Timidly she held the book up and Bucky had to supress the smile that tried to form on his lips "Theo your reading a dictionary..."

"It's what Wanda was r-reading to me the other day, she said it will help me to... read"

"There's no need to be embarrassed by that angel, I couldn't tie my laces until I was thirteen Wanda had taught me and then she had to reteach me a few years ago"

"R-really?"

"Yes, what word was you stuck on?" he asked moving his eyes to the dictionary and back to her face.

"This one" flicking through the pages she pointed at the word once she had found the right one.

"Extinction"

"Oh... thank you"

"It's really late so we need to head to bed" his heart aching when he saw her shoulders sag downwards.

"You can read more tomorrow, Wanda won't mind"

"O-okay" Theo perked up at the prospect of learning more words the next day.

Heading upstairs Bucky lingers at Theo's door the words falling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Theo will-can you sleep with me tonight please?"

"W-w-what?"

"It's just I don't want to be alone tonight-wait I'm not asking for sex I promise, I-jus-never mind I'm sorry I’ll see you tomorrow" he wants to slap himself for asking, he turns quickly and heads to his room when he stops short by the sound of her voice.

"Just what?"

Not turning around just moving his head to the side so he can see her in his peripheral "Just wanted you nearby"

"I-I don't have to do anything?" At her words he turns around to face her.

"No of course not!"

"Okay, I'll sleep on the floor"

"Bed, you'll sleep in the bed with me. T-that way I can protect you"

"Protect me from what?"

"Um the monsters?" he says it as a question, he smiles when she giggles.

"O-okay"

"Okay?"

"I'll let you protect me from the monsters"

"I promise I'll keep my hands to myself okay"

Nodding at him she took slow steps towards him when he opens his bedroom door he lets her in first, she takes in the huge room. Her heart skipping when she sees her painting hanging on the wall above his bed, she looks at him and he just shrugs his shoulders with a grin playing on his lips.

"I don't know how that got there"

"The monsters" she replied which had him barking out a laugh.

Once they were settled in to bed and the lights were turned off they quickly fell asleep, both having the first peaceful dreams in a very long time.

Bucky's hands weren't kept to himself.

When they woke the next morning Theo was curled up against his front, one of his arms was resting heavily over her waist his hand on her stomach. And his other arm was under neck and his hand was holding hers.

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[yumeka-sxf]

I was surprised we got another Yuri-focused chapter so soon, considering we just finished the Mole Hunt arc...but it was a good chapter nonetheless!

Chloe is a great character to help with Yuri's development, the reason being because she not only knows his true identity, but she also has known him for many years, as this chapter reveals. Unlike his superiors, Yuri seems more comfortable with Chloe, probably because she doesn't have authority over him, but she's also not afraid to point out his flaws. So yeah, I'm glad she's becoming a reoccurring character. Yuri really needs someone he can talk to with whom he doesn't have to hide anything from, but who also sticks with him despite knowing how cringe his personality is. I do hope we'll see more of Chloe bringing out Yuri's relatable side in the future.

Speaking of which, Twilight has Franky (and Sylvia somewhat) who fills this role for him - someone he can talk freely with who knows his true identity, but they also sense the goodness in him that he tries to hide. Yor, however, doesn't have anyone like this, at least not yet. Olka filled that role well during the cruise arc, but it's very unlikely we'll see her again. While McMahon and Shopkeeper know Yor's true identity, their relationship with her has been very business-like, not casual like Twilight/Franky and Chloe/Yuri. It almost seems like Melinda could fill that role for Yor, except for the important detail that she doesn't know Yor's true identity...OR DOES SHE???

Anyway, back to today's chapter, we find out that Yuri can also withstand getting hit by vehicles, and both siblings can smell/sense the other's presence!? And yet, a slap from Chloe hurt Yuri more than getting hit by a truck?! I would say that's too much, but I guess it's not that unusual for characters in shonen series 😅But I have to agree with Chloe on this line...

I also find it a bit sad that Yuri thinks Yor wouldn't like the idea of him having a girlfriend. I wish they discussed more about this, but it just goes to show that, as close as Yuri and Yor are, there are some very obvious things about each other that they don't know. Of course we as well as Chloe know that Yor would be happy if Yuri is happy with a girlfriend, or any friend really. But to Yuri, it seems like having an intimate relationship equates to not being diligent enough at his job, maybe? Or maybe he thinks Yor would see it as a betrayal of his dedication to her? Either way, he's flat-out wrong about that obviously. Hopefully he'll realize it someday.

I cracked up when we got the glimpse of all the Yor photos in Yuri's house 😂 I hope Anya visits his home one day...would love to see her expression about this! (also he names his attacks after Yor too, I can't 🤣)

Even though Yuri misunderstood what Chloe meant when she told him not to be so reckless, by the end of the chapter he did have a thought on his own about how getting rid of Loid would make Yor sad. Of course he tries to deny that by bringing up the gripes she supposedly had with him, and of course Yor, who's always so flustered about her feelings, can't straight up tell him that she likes/loves Loid. So back to square one I guess...?

But even though this chapter may turn out like the last one and just be a standalone that doesn't lead to the next big arc, I can't help but think it's hinting at a "Yuri discovers who Twilight really is" scenario. For all we know that could be the first identity reveal of the series. It makes sense since, unlike identity reveals among the Forgers, this wouldn't necessarily result in the series heading towards an end. Even if Yuri discovered Twilight's identity, he could choose to keep it to himself for a while and nothing else would change. I don't like to speculate too much, but I feel this is a possibility with all the "Yuri vs Twilight" mentions we've had lately.

As always, just gotta wait and see!