#first one is about how when trying to pass you give up things you love for fear of it being too feminine/masculine. eventually you become a

[bloodstainedsapphic]

modern!ellie dating app au. for a little monthly au challenge i've tasked myself with. a most awkward first date. fluff. 2.1k words.

you matched with ellie! your eyes widen at the pop-up on your screen. could that be real? some sick, twisted glitch on the app’s end? ellie is—by no exaggeration—the cutest person you've seen on this godforsaken app since you downloaded it. sure, that’s not exactly a bragging right, but it’s true. she stands out like a diamond in a sea of grit and mediocre matchmaking.

so what do you do? of course, you don’t send a message. it’s not like there’s other options, that’s not the lesbian way.

the rest of the day wanes, and your mind drifts to other matters. only occasionally do your thoughts flicker back to ellie’s profile, just sitting there in waiting—her silly question responses, the obligatory guitar photo, how her sage-green eyes must appear even brighter, prettier in person. oh, that’s no good. you need to stifle your expectations. calm down, you remind yourself. it’s just an app. just a pretty girl on an app. only later, when you slither into bed clad in your coziest socks under dimmed lights, you’re struck with the unforeseen.  your phone buzzes, and damn near flies out of your hand when you see the culprit notification. Ellie: Hey :)

oh god oh god oh god. it’s 11 pm. too early for a booty call. or is it? hell, would you even say no to one? not with her, hell no. your fingers tremble as you mull over the best response to send back—something to capture the attention of this hot girl who defied all odds and sent the first message. You: Hi :) great. just perfect. now you look like an idiot. you huff to yourself, running a clammy palm over your face, immediately swiping to another app in a desperate bid to forget that interaction exists. maybe 5 minutes pass. Ellie: What’s up tonight? Ellie: Sorry if that’s dry, I’m new to this dating app thing you smile ear-to-ear at the follow-up. it humanizes her—this gorgeous person who’s looking at the same screen as you, right this second. she’s real, and seems to care just as you do about saying the right thing. you don’t want to muck this up, already putting too much weight into this handful of words. You: Not much, just reading before bed. You? You: And that’s okay, you’re doing fine :) maybe 30 seconds pass this time. Ellie: Oh good Ellie: And just scrolling on my phone. I swear I’m usually more exciting lol Ellie: What are u reading? You: it’s this weird sci-fi fantasy thing. like space politics and robot humanoid thingies lol You: not sure if that makes sense Ellie: No it does! That sounds sick actually

Ellie: I love sci-fi, give me weird and spacey anyday you grin, already kicking your feet a little under the blanket. she gets it. she sees you. You: real!! so you do read it too? or are you trying to impress me? lol You: either is fine you tack on the quip at the end, worried you sounded hard-to-get. you don’t want to seem uninterested at all. you pull the blanket up over your mouth, as if shrouding yourself from the anticipation. Ellie: No I do Ellie: But i’d say i’m also trying to impress you a little. Is that a crime 🤨 now you’re really giggling, your embarrassingly fluttery fingers trying to type faster than your racing thoughts can keep up.

You: not at all. it’s working 🤭 Ellie: Good :) wanna get coffee sometime? We can exchange weird spacey sci-fi books You: I’d like that :) —---------------------- saturday at 1. saturday at 1 at northrise cafe.

the plan becomes etched into your brain. you’re on edge, unsure how to approach this new development. coffee is casual, right? you’re caught wondering if your giddiness suggests that you’re incapable of being casual about anything at all. let alone this cutie in your messages.

you’re on your laptop, browsing, trying to check off the last few tasks of the day when a new ping zaps through your synapses. instinctively, you reach for your phone. 

@/els.williams liked your photo.

on instagram? you hadn’t even exchanged instagrams yet. what a little sleuth ellie is.

you don’t say anything—just pleased at her curiosity. you toss a like back, letting ellie know she hadn’t been slick.

you rake your profile, for a brief panic over the viewability of your posts. but you’re relieved when ellie plays it off, naturally, by spamming a few more of your posts in retaliation, leaning into the bit. she must not hate it.

you follow suit, liking her few posts in return. they’re pretty vague, just a few photo dumps of someone trying not to look too online. almost none of her face; only piquing your curiosity more. this starts a little back-and-forth rhythm building between you.

maybe-just maybe-she is just as eager as you.

—------------

you stare at the locked doors of northrise cafe at 12:51 p.m on what’s turned out to be a balmy saturday afternoon.

closed at 12? what the fuck? that place’ll be out of business by summer with hours like that.

your fingers scramble across the screen, firing off a message before you both end up awkwardly standing here, side by side, locked out and confused like morons who didn’t triple check the business hours. You: um change of plan You: the cafe is closed. wtf no answer. your foot taps the pavement and you look around. why isn’t she answering? your eyes stay glued to the screen. hoping, waiting, praying that the message bubbles appear. all hope seems lost at 12:57 pm. “uh. hi?�� your internal panic is interrupted, looking behind you. you weren’t ready for this up close—she’s gorgeous. lips pinkened, cheeks rosey but still full of freckles, and yep, green of her eyes brighter in person. her hair, pulled back in a loose bun with some strands lining her face, sheens in the light, more reddish than brown now. she was wearing an black leather jacket, old, worn, fitting loosely on her. the looseness of the jacket complemented her skinny jeans. she did casual so well. and the way she smiled—something seraphic, inviting, in spite of the awkward situation that had arose.

you try not to trip over your own tongue, stumble over your words. “hello! hi. the cafe is closed. i tried to text you. umm…” you glance between her and the barrier that uprooted your plan. ellie steps closer, scanning the storefront, assessing the situation. her brow lifts slightly in disbelief before she presses her tongue to her bottom lip, thinking.

“i know it’s not ideal… but my place is just two blocks over,” she says, trying to stay lighthearted but careful, considerate. “....i promise i’m not a murderer.”

-------

ellie’s place is... characterized by your average early-20s space, barren in some corners, likely missing a few key essentials, but elevated by a more eccentric, nerdy memorabilia collection. it’s a cozy clutter.

not that you’re focused on that. you’re preoccupied with the fact that you’re in this one-of-a-kind cutie’s space after having only just met face-to-face. is this an absolute nightmare for the safety-conscious? mayhaps. but you trust her word about not being a murderer, willingly entering the potential lion’s den, convinced by a single glance into those soft, round, forest-colored eyes. you’ve settled on her patched-together loveseat, waiting for her return. it feels like every muscle in your body is dedicated to trying to seem casual. do you have any clue if it’s working? definitely not. “ta daa…” ellie rounds the armrest, carrying a plate teeming with whatever cheese, crackers, and olives she could scrounge together from her kitchenette. “it’s no cafe... but, uh, i think i did alright..”

she places a hard seltzer in your hand, catching you slightly off-guard. a questioning look flickers across her face as your fingers wrap around the can—an unspoken ask if you’re okay with this absolutely bastardized smorgasbord of treats.

it’s so funny, you can’t help but titter, peeling open the tab and tasting that first sip. ellie’s shoulders slump in relief as she situates the entree on the coffee table, her free hand reaching for the remote.

“i guess..there’s something special about sharing a charcuterie board and seltzer on the first meeting with a not-murderer,” you say, reaching out to clang your cans together.

she snorts at that, the sound short and unexpected, like she hadn’t meant to laugh but couldn’t stop it. she gently knocks her can against yours, the corner of her mouth twitching up. her knees subconsciously mirror the gesture, brushing against yours on the semi-cramped seat.

there’s a comfortable sliver of silence. maybe you’re both actively deciding which topic is best to redirect the afternoon. your eyes drift to her knickknacks—you start examining them more closely, hoping to jog ellie’s memory, silently nudging her to show off a little.

luckily, she catches on. she swallows the last of her cracker and rises, pointing toward the bookshelf brimming with comics. 

”oh, right- i can show you i meant it- the sci-fi nerd, thing..hopefully you find it as cool in person,” she musters up with a sheepish grin, gesturing you over. you follow, a collected smirk on your face to try and reassure her. you did think it was cool, in a dorky way. a dork you’d hope to have the courage to kiss senseless if the opportunity arose for sure. 

ellie traces the spines of her collection, introducing her volumes of comic books in a sort of impromptu show-and-tell. the more receptive you are, the more enthusiastic she gets—an excited aura radiating off her as she spouts off details, trivia, favorite arcs. you’re enamored with her nerding out. it’s endearing, disarming. it proves her humanness in a way that makes you fall further, faster.

the shelf is just the beginning, she shows off her trinkets littered all over, giving you a proper feel for her lived space and by proxy- ellie herself.

ellie suddenly looks taken aback. she scratches the back of her neck, slightly embarrassed, like she realized something was missing.

“it’s a bit..quiet? would you mind if i put on some music?”

eventually, ellie nabs a playlist, deciding it’d be nice. without a speaker, the sound quietly emits from her phone, a blend of alt-rock and dusty classics older than either of you. you sway a little in approval. it’s a small thing, but it sweetens the growing ease between you.

“anyway, don’t let me do all the talking. what are your favorites?” ellie puts the spotlight on you, and you return to the tightly-fit love seat, ellie tucking one leg underneath her and leaning in, freckles as evident as ever- allowing you some room in more ways than one. 

you snack on ellie’s make-do cheese board, conversing about your favorite stories, exchanging fan theories and controversial opinions, playfully debating for the hell of it. there are even a few little couch-dances to whatever’s playing. it’s delightfully awkward, it’s low stakes, and you’re growing more comfortable by the second. 

time slips away during the warm, lively chatter. you’re only aware that it’s getting to be late when the sun melts into a golden glow that peeks through the window shades.

“would you look at the time?” you announce, stretching out from that extended time curled up, invested in this girl. you shoot ellie the universal look, initiating a regretful, hesitant goodbye. seems neither of you really want it to end- but simultaneously fear being the one acting ‘too much’ or overstepping. 

ellie escorts you down to the entrance, hands shoved into her pockets of her skinny jeans, steps dragging at a snails pace.

you hover. glance at her mouth under the dim, flickering entryway light. she does the same—shoulders curled forward, eyes darting. both of you standing there, waiting for the other to act brave just as ellie had with that first dm—the one that led you here. ellie even rocks forward on the balls of her feet, eyes flitting to your lips and down to your shoes, almost having the nerve to go for it. 

but, alas, the loserishness wins over.

you lift a small wave, which ellie volleys back to you. finally parting ways, ellie stepping backwards, retreating into her place. a space you already sorely missed, despite only having visited one time. but you’re already, eagerly hoping it’s not the only time you grace the inside of it.

you‘ve hardly turned the street corner when your phone dings.

Ellie: I had a good time. Hope u did too :) Lowkey wish I had kissed you you stop walking, grinning at the screen like a dumbass and biting back a tiny, smitten squeal. 

You: next time <3 

[clarkeysbedchem]

more than just us

george clarke x single mom! reader

summary: you have been dating george for almost a year, and he finally meets your daughter

masterlist | main masterlist

Wednesdays were your thing, every week without fail like clockwork. A bottle of wine, shared laughter over dinner, and you tucked into George’s side as he walked you back hime. A year of soft unsure glances that turned into soft kisses and weeknight rituals, but still, there were parts of your life you kept tight to your chest; like the pastel-painted bedroom down the hall, and the little girl who called you “Mummy.”

Ivy.

She had been your whole world since you were nineteen. And as much as your heart expanded for George and his sleepy voice in the mornings, the dumb jokes that he made just to hear you laugh. You kept him separate from that part of your life. Not because you didn’t want him in it but because you were scared, he’d leave once he saw what came with loving you.

Tonight, your mother had cancelled last minute, leaving you with no sitter and stuck. You were stood in the kitchen, phone pressed to your cheek, apologizing a hundred times over to George with the sound of Ivy’s humming along to her film in the background.

“I’m so sorry,” you said, “Can we rain check? Ivy’s staying with me tonight and I don’t want to spring that on you.”

George paused, just for a beat, “No worries at all,” he said, his tone warm and casual like always, “We’ll do next week, yeah?”

You agreed the conversation lingering for a few minutes before you hung up with a tight chest, guilt knotting itself into your ribs. Ivy had peeked around the corner, holding her stuffed bunny upside down.

“Mummy, can we have pizza?”

You smiled brightly, kissed the top of her curls, “Course we can.”

An hour had passed when a knock echoed through the hallway, your eyebrows furrowed looking over at the front door. Ivy was painting at the coffee table, a dot of purple on her nose. You opened the door in your leggings and oversized hoodie, and George was stood there, holding pizza boxes in one hand, a paper bag in the other, and a cautious smile on his lips.

“Thought maybe I could still come over,” he shrugged, “Brought nuggets and smiley faces. For Ivy. Hope that’s alright.”

You blinked, “You, you didn’t have to.”

“Couldn’t go the whole week without seeing you,” he said, his eyes soft, “And I wanted to meet her. If that’s okay.”

You stepped aside before your voice could betray you.

Ivy was shy at first clinging to your leg as George crouched in front of her and introduced himself like a character from her favourite cartoons, even giving her bunny a formal handshake.

“Hello, Mr. Bun,” he introduced himself to the stuffed animal, “Pleasure to meet you.”

Ivy giggled and you felt yourself melt instantly.

Dinner was full of laughter. The three of you eat on the floor, picnic-style, while Ivy letting George pick the film and he picked Princess and the Frog - Ivy’s favourite – as he made a dramatic deal about how lucky he was to be having dinner with ‘two gorgeous girls.’

George let Ivy steal most of his chips and even two slices of his pizza as she sat in front of him slouched into his chest. Then when she dropped ketchup on her pyjamas, he dabbed at it with a napkin and tells her he does that all the time.

You had caught him glancing at you every now and then, always with this quiet, careful softness like he knew what this night meant, and he was trying to hold onto it gently.

By the time the credits rolled, Ivy had curled herself up half on your lap, half on George’s, her thumb in her mouth, eyes fluttering shut.

“I’ll do bath,” you whispered, rising carefully.

George looked up, “Need help?”

You hesitated before nodding, the anxiety in your chest slowly floating away.

Bedtime was gentle. You showed George how to do her hair in loose braids for sleep, and he followed your lead through the bedtime story, adding silly voices to the characters making giggles fall from Ivy as she leaned into his chest.

Then Ivy asked for him to do the last page, and your throat tightened.

He read it gently, slowly before tucked her in like he had always been there.

“Night-night, Ivy,” he murmured, “Sleep tight, superstar.”

She reached out and her palm sprawled out on his cheek, “Night-night, George.”

You stood in the hallway after, staring at him as he carried about his night like he had been in this situation before and it was like you were seeing him for the first time.

You were back on the sofa, the house finally quiet, nestled into him. Your head on his chest, his hand rubbing small circles on your back, the flicker of the lamp low and warm casting shadows over the walls.

“You’re amazing with her,” you whispered, not moving your head scared to look him in the eyes.

George tilted his head down, resting his cheek against your hair, “She’s brilliant. Like you.”

You closed your eyes, breathing him in, “I didn’t let you meet her sooner because I was scared. Scared that you’d run and I’d have to explain to her where you had gone, scared that if you knew what this was actually like, you’d give up.”

He was quiet for a moment, then shifted so he could look at you properly, “Ivy’s part of you,” he said, “How could I ever run from that?”

Your breath hitched tears collecting at your waterline as you took a deep breath.

“I just... no one’s ever really stuck around for both of us,” you admitted, voice cracking, “They say they care about me, but it’s always too much, too complicated once they realise it’s not just me.”

George’s thumb brushed under your eye, catching a tear you didn’t realise had fallen.

“I’m not them,” he said gently, “I’m here. For you, and for Ivy. I don’t care if it’s messy or complicated, I just care that it’s real. And this,” he kissed your forehead, “is real.”

You wrapped your arms tighter around him, feeling something inside your chest release. The tension of four years of being enough for Ivy, but never enough for someone else leaving your thoughts.

“I think she really liked you,” you murmured.

George chuckled, “Yeah?”

“She made you a friend in her bunny club. That’s a big deal.”

He grinned, “That means I made the inner circle. Better not mess it up then.”

You laughed, light and full for the first time in ages.

In that moment, wrapped in his arms, your daughter sleeping peacefully down the hall, you realised something simple and powerful: You weren’t alone anymore.

taglist: @jamiekluivert @reidyourpalms @roc-haze @whisperturnedecho @graceln4 @dopeysunflowers @super-gay-for-u @bethorwhateverr @livvymd @lilyyxoii @4ngelrealm @kiyoomology @canyouseethesainz @happyclifford @golden-hoax @tatumrileyslover @madforgeorge @wherethezoes-at @themdera @xlovergirlx @smzyyx @bowielovesyou @pretendyoucantseeme @elhotchner @duolingofanaccount @pookietv @ooostarwarsfandom501st

a/n: this based on a dream i had btw and i put in my notes app and completely forgot abt it

[withdulce]

adore me — joel miller

pairings sunshine!reader x joel miller

summary feeding joel cookies then telling him you’re pregnant causing him to accidentally and unintentionally choke.

tags grumpy and sunshine unspecified age gap. pregnancy. sweet talking. dirty taking soft joel miller, reader being a sunshine. joel calling you darling, sweetheart, baby, pure sweetness. slight swearing. jackson era. joel being dirty and freaky. established relationship

a/n this is unedited

the first time joel met you, you had a gun pointed against his head. 

yet here you were. oh, how have the table turned. time had molded the two of you into something the both of you had not quite expected. five years. it felt like a lifetime and a blink all at once. 

it started with how joel’s gruff exterior softened just barely when he saw you patching up ellie’s wound, your hands steady and soft to the touch. the first time you caught him really staring, was after a long patrol together after encountering a group of raiders just a few months after you three arrived at jackson.

his eyes didn’t miss how your sweat trailed down your neck, disappearing beneath your shirt. he knew better than to let his eyes liger too long especially with someone younger but something about you  in that moment, raw and unguarded made it impossible to look away.

you caught him, of course. leaving joel to mutter something under his breath, something that wasn’t a compliment but is not far from it either. 

after that day, something subtle but undeniable shifted. the space between the two of you grew smaller, your conversations grew longer lingering past their usual cut-off after your patrol together is done. joel found himself stealing glances at you more, his responses less clipped which both didn’t go unnoticed.

you started watching him in a different way too. with the way his expression softened when he wasn’t guarding himself. the way his voice, normally gruff and impatient, turns soft and held something quieter when he talks to you. 

and then there were the touches, small at first. a brush of fingers when passing supplies, the holding of hands whenever joel helps you to ride your horse ignoring the fact that you have told him many times that you can do it by yourself. 

over time, it grew bolder. the two of you testing boundaries but never pulling away.  

it was dangerous, this thing growing between you. unspoken, hanging thick in the air and so, day after day, it built until neither of the two of you can could ignore it anymore. 

the warm scent of baked goods lingered in the air, wrapping the home in something comforting, something undeniably safe.

you glanced up just as joel pushed through the front door, exhaustion hanging on his shoulders like a heavy coat.

“baby! i missed you like crazy” joel barely had time to react before you threw yourself  into his arms, squeezing him so tight he almost lost his breath. he chuckled, surprised but not complaining, arms wrapping around her instinctively. 

“missed you too, sweetheart” he murmured against her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of home, of you  after a long patrol day. but something was felt different. she felt different. 

“you bake somethin’ delicious for me darling?”

you grinned, holding up a plate. “i did, thought i’d treat you today since you had to survive patrol without me.” 

joel shook his head with a tired chuckle, tossing his gear onto the table as they sat in the couch. “you spoil me.”

you, grabbing a cookie and holding it up. “you love me now open up.”

“fuck i love cookies, especially your cookies and i’m talking about the other one” joel smirked his eyes with a hint of amusement as he tried so hard not to laugh and kiss you right her right now. 

“open your mouth, old man.” you wiggled the cookie at him, trying to suppress your laughter. “let me feed you baby. you deserve it.”

joel scoffed, giving you a look. “i ain’t a damn baby.”

“but you are my baby” you said, emphasizing the word ‘are’ 

“my only baby” you added as you smiled softly at him. the kind of smile that can brighten anyone’s day, yeah that one. joel smiled, he had never felt this kind of love for someone before besides his daughter sarah.

with a resigned shake of his head, joel finally opened his lips, letting the love of his life carefully place the cookie between them. he took a bite, chewing slowly and then, much to your satisfaction, his eyes widened slightly.

“damn baby,” he muttered through the crumbs. you beamed. “so good, right?” your voice so sweet.

joel swallowed, glancing at you with something softer beneath his rough exterior. “ain’t bad.”

you gasped in mock offense. “ain’t bad? these are amazing.”

“i know but i know for a fact that you are more delicious, tempting, and sweet than these cookies.” 

“you flatter me, miller.”

joel chuckled, reaching for another one himself, but you swatted his hand away just in time. “nuh-uh. i’m feeding you.”

joel huffed. “you’re ridiculous.”

“i am, exclusively and obsessively and ridiculously in love with you.” you whispered. the distance between the two of you growing closer and closer. 

“i love you more than words sweetheart.”

you hummed. “i know”

joel smirked as he finished his second cookie, shaking his head at your obvious satisfaction in feeding him. 

“alright, now it’s your turn,” he said, grabbing a cookie from the plate.

“didn’t think you had it in you, old man.”

joel huffed, but the amusement in his eyes betrayed him. “you had your fun. now humor me.”

“fine. but I expect a five-star experience.” 

joel playfully rolled his eyes before holding up the cookie, inching it closer to your lips. “open up.” you smirked, leaning forward just slightly, teasing. “this is kinda romantic, don’t you think?” 

you chuckled, finally taking a bite. a small, satisfied hum escaped your lips as you chewed. “damn. i outdid myself.”

joel watched you, his usual guarded expression softening as you enjoyed your creation. “yeah,” he muttered, voice quieter. “you did sweetheart,”

joel simply reached for another cookie, but this time, instead of feeding it to you, he broke off a piece and popped it into his own mouth, smirking around it.

“you betray me like this? after everything?”

joel shrugged. “didn’t say i was gonna feed you the whole time.”

you fell quiet. brows furrowing as he looked her over. “feelin’ better?” his rough palm lifted to cup your cheek, thumb brushing lightly along your skin, searching for any signs of sickness that had kept you  inside that morning.

you grinned, eyes shining brighter than usual, almost nervous. “way better”

“i—uh,” you swallowed, then let out a breathless laugh, shaking your head as you stood up. joel following you. “i’m pregnant, joel.” you said as you turned to him, grabbing his calloused hands, pressing them against you stomach. 

joel froze as he choked on the cookies.

you were watching him now, so damn vulnerable.

joel’s gaze dropped to where his hands rested against your stomach, his heart hammering in his chest. his fingers flexed slightly, almost in disbelief, before lifting his eyes back to you.

“sweetheart…” his voice was quiet, like he was afraid saying anything too loudly might make the moment disappear. you nodded, biting her lip as her smile trembled “yeah?”

“you baked cookies for me and then hit me with this?” his voice was hoarse, cracking slightly at the edges. he quickly reached out for a glass of water. you let out a breathy laugh, relieved, nudging him lightly. 

“figured you’d take the news better with food.”

joel shook his head, still gripping your like he needed to keep you close, needed to steady himself through the whirlwind of emotions hitting him all at once.

“a baby,” he murmured, as if testing the word. your fingers laced through his, grounding him. “our baby.”

“sweetheart… i—, i don’t even got the words.” he muttered, voice cracking as pure happiness threatened to overwhelm him. 

you laughed softly, pressing your forehead against his. “guess i finally found a way to shut you up.”

he pulled back just enough to cup your face, brushing his thumbs over your cheeks with a gentleness that contrasted his usual rough demeanor. his gaze, usually guarded, was wide open, vulnerable, soft, utterly awestruck.

“you’re havin’ our baby,” he murmured, voice uneven, filled with something so tender it made your breath hitch.

“damn, baby. i have always dreamed of you carrying a part of me. god, this is the best damn thing.”

she smirked. “you gonna cry, old man?”

joel huffed out another laugh, sniffing once before shaking his head. “nah. not yet.” then, after a beat, his voice dipped, playful, warm, full of something deeper. “i’m gonna make love with ya tonight, baby.”

you smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck again, letting yourself sink into him. and joel, who had spent his life fighting to survive, finally let himself feel something worth living for.

[sergeantbuckybarnes]

the one before the one // joaquín torres

Summary: During a night out with your friends, you run into your ex and find he got engaged. While you struggle with the bittersweet feeling of not being enough, Joaquín is struggling to find the way to tell you you’re ‘the one’ for him.

Pairing: Joaquín Torres x Reader

Word count: 3.1k

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, shitty exes, reader feels like she's not enough, yelena (trying to) being a wingwoman, joaquín being adorable, unsaid feelings

A/N: As always, remember English is not my first language. Also, thanks to @ladybirdbeewrites for proofreading this!

Inspired by the song 'the one before the one' by Áine Deane

marvel masterlist | main masterlist

The pub buzzed with lively energy, filled with people chatting, drinking, and playing pool. The music played loud enough to create a vibrant backdrop, but not so loud that it hindered conversations.

At the bar, the sound of your friends’ laughter reached you from where they sat in a booth tucked into one of the corners. You leaned your arms on the bar as you waited for Tabitha to finish preparing the drinks you had ordered.

“Y/N?” 

You turned around at the sound of the familiar voice calling your name, your heart quickening when you saw the man approaching.

“Tyler?” 

The last person you expected you’d run into tonight was your ex-boyfriend. The last time you saw him was nearly a year ago, the night he ended things with you, claiming he wasn’t ready for commitment. To say that seeing him now with his arm wrapped around a stunning redhead was surprising would be an understatement.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just a night out with my friends,” you replied, gesturing behind you toward the table where your friends were animatedly chatting as they waited for you to bring the drinks.

“I see,” he muttered.

“And who’s this?” you asked, gesturing toward the woman next to him, as it appeared he had no intention of introducing her.

“Oh, this is Sylvie.” 

The redhead extended her left hand toward you with a kind smile, and that’s when you saw it. The diamond ring on her left hand glimmered as it caught the light.

“You’re engaged.” Your voice unintentionally came out slightly higher than you had intended as it resonated with disbelief.

She nodded, a radiant smile spreading across her face. "Yeah, Tyler proposed a few weeks ago.”

A knot formed in your stomach, blending surprise with a sharp twinge of pain. Eight months had passed since the breakup, yet here he was, effortlessly beginning a new chapter of his life right before your eyes, which felt undeniably unfair. Tyler, who once seemed certain about his feelings for you, was now prepared to take a step he had previously deemed unacceptable with you.

“Wow, that's... great,” you barely managed to say, each word feeling like a careful balance between politeness and discomfort. “Congratulations,” you added, though your tone couldn’t entirely conceal your unease.

Here you were again.

You'd lost count of how many times this had happened to you.

Sometimes you wonder if you did something bad in another life. Perhaps you refused to give up your seat on the bus for a grandma or rejected the plaintive gaze of a homeless man who simply wanted five dollars, and now karma was punishing you for it.

How else would you explain your never-ending terrible luck in love?

You and Tyler had dated for two years. There were ups and downs, as with any relationship. The honeymoon phase had long passed, but you were in a stable relationship, or so you thought.

You'd given it your all in that relationship, just as you did in prior ones.

And what did you get in return? Lack of commitment and empty promises.

But it seemed, just like the other times before, the problem in the equation was you.

Because if Tyler had envisioned a future with you, he wouldn’t have ended the relationship.

And if Tyler had considered you the love of his life, he wouldn't be engaged right now to a woman he'd been dating for less than a year.

“Here are your drinks, hon.” Tabitha placed the drinks in front of you with a wink.

“Thank you, Tabs,” you replied, attempting to smile despite the whirlwind of emotions shaking inside you. 

“Tyler mentioned that you work for the Avengers?” Sylvie asked curiously. “That’s so cool.”

“She doesn’t work for the Avengers; She is an Avenger,” a voice corrected from behind you.

Your savior.

Relief washed over you when Joaquín approached and placed a reassuring hand on the small of your back.

Tyler scoffed as he saw your friend arrive. “Of course you’re here.”

It was worth saying that Tyler wasn't Joaquin's biggest fan, of any of your friends, for that matter. To say he was uninterested in your social circle was an understatement. Even when he met Yelena and Kate, he did so reluctantly. But with Joaquin, it had always been worse; he'd always felt an animosity toward him that you couldn't quite understand, and in turn, Joaquin had his reservations about your ex as well. 

Sylvie squealed with excitement. “Oh my god, you’re the new Falcon.” 

She was overjoyed to have Joaquín in front of her, her eyes shimmering with glee, lighting up her face. However, Tyler let out a dry, humorless laugh, shaking his head.

“He’s the new Falcon? Yeah, right, and I'm the God of Space.” Disdain oozed from his remark, dampening Sylvie's enthusiasm.

“No. You're just a jerk.” You would not put up with any of his petty behavior tonight, let alone his belittling your friends.

“Always so witty, huh? You never change,” he rebutted. “This is why you're still alone.”

That simple statement hit you with unexpected brutality.

Joaquin was ready to respond, but you gently pressed a hand against his chest, halting him. “It's not worth it.” 

Then you turned back to your ex. “Why don't you better go enjoy your night with your fiancée?” You politely smiled at Sylvie before picking up the tray with the drinks that Tabitha had left at the bar a few minutes ago and made your way back to your friends’ table.

“Took you guys long enough,” Yelena complained, her arms crossed as she leaned against the booth when you and Joaquin finally arrived with the drinks. 

“I had a little diversion.”

Yelena averted her gaze to the bar and groaned loudly. “Oh no, what’s Fumble McGee doing here?”

“He’s engaged.” You dropped the news casually as you sipped your drink.

Kate's eyes grew wide. “No way! So soon?”

You simply nodded.

“Are you okay?”

“Peachy.” You took another sip. “Can't you see?”

Kate looked unconvinced and Yelena was biting her tongue to avoid speaking out of turn.

She looked you up and down for a moment to see how ‘peachy’ you actually were and how much was just bravado. Your poker face never faltered, which she had to begrudgingly give you points for. But that would not deter her. ‘Cause, Yelena never knew when to let something be.

“Oh, look at you, pretending to be all fine and dandy as if you just won the lotto. The only ‘peachy’ thing about that is the fruit salad you’re avoiding.”

“Really? We are going to do this right now?”

“Hey, if you’re going to pretend everything is fine, I might as well call you on it.”

“Yelena,” you took a deep breath, attempting to level your tone, “I’m over it.”

“Honey, you aren’t over it until you stop pretending to drink your feelings away. That is rule number one.”

“I’m just trying to enjoy a night out with my friends,” you said defensively.

“At least you didn't set anything on fire this time,” Kate chimed in, trying to lighten the mood.

Joaquín's eyes dilated in surprise and perplexion when Kate's words reached his ears. This was the first he was hearing of that story. “You did what!?”

“Kate is exaggerating. It was a small fire, nothing too catastrophic. And it was only one time,” you defended yourself.

“Only one small fire. Noted,” Yelena said with a chuckle. “Your track record of poor judgment is improving. But back to Fumble McGee over there— do you want me to go have a word with him?”

“Tempting, but I think I'll decline that offer.”

You cast a glance across the bar; Sylvie was laughing at something Tyler had said, and he was staring at her as if she were the entire universe. Something churned in your stomach, but it wasn’t jealousy, no. You did not lie when you said you were over him. 

It was something different. Something you couldn’t find a name for, even though you were familiar with, because you have experienced it before.

He never acted like that with you— he never laughed at your jokes, sent you a birthday card, or called you late at night to ask about your day. 

He never made an effort.

But what stung the most was seeing him engaged after he repeatedly told you he wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. 

Guess he meant that he, like the rest of your ex-boyfriends, wasn't ready to take that step with you.

You averted your gaze and took a long swig of your drink, feeling the burn of the alcohol as it passed down your throat.

“Offer is still up,” Yelena interjected. “If you let me get creative, I brought my kni—”

“Why did you bring your knife to a club?” Kate asked, although she was unimpressed.

Yelena gave her a deadpan look. “Because you never know when you’ll need it. One must always be prepared for the unexpected. Especially if the target is him.” She pointed back to the bar. “You know how badly I wanted to kick his ass, but she never let me.” She gestured at you with an exaggerated hand motion.

You rolled your eyes at Yelena's antics, though you couldn't help but feel slightly amused.

“Oh, come on. You know I couldn't let you go all... deadly on him.”

“I prefer to think of it as assertive.”

“Sure, assertive like a cat with a hairball.”

Yelena’s eyes widened in mock indignation. “You did not just compare me to a cat with a hairball.”

Kate doubled up in laughter, holding her stomach as she could barely breathe. Joaquín gulped his glass, suppressing his chuckling.

Yelena nudged Joaquín in the arm, her features contorting into a knowing smile. “You’re very silent tonight, Birdy Boy. What’s in your head?”

Joaquín blinked, looking a bit taken aback as if he’d been pulled from a trance. “Uh, well…” He cleared his throat, glancing between you and Yelena. “I mean, it’s pretty clear he’s not worthy of—”

“I wasn’t talking about Fumble McGee,” Yelena cut him in, a cheeky grin spread across her face. “But since you brought it up again… What do you think about our fruit salad here? Don’t you think she deserves someone better?”

Joaquín faltered, the heat rising in his cheeks as he looked at you, searching for the right words. “Yeah, sure. She deserves someone who appreciates her. You know, someone who sees her for who she truly is, not just some trophy to flaunt.”

Yelena smirked knowingly, casting a brief glance at you before turning her attention back to Joaquin. “See? Even Birdy Boy agrees. Our fruit salad deserves someone who not only appreciates, but also adores her.” She took a slow sip of her drink, her eyes bright with delight. “Someone who would go out of their way just to make her happy.”

Joaquín’s face heated up, his gaze shifting to you momentarily before returning to Yelena. “Right,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Someone just like that.”

You felt an unexpected flutter in your stomach. You weren't used to feeling this way around him. It was an unusual sensation, unsettling yet invigorating. Joaquín had always been the easygoing, dependable friend who could lighten the mood with a silly joke or a reassuring hug when things got tough. You had never thought of him as anything more than that. However, tonight, as his deep brown eyes locked onto yours, it felt as though layers were peeling away. You had entered uncharted territory. You brushed it off, taking another sip of your drink and skillfully diverting the topic of conversation. But when you met Yelena's gaze, you realized you weren't fooling her; she kept staring at you as though she knew something you didn’t.

“You know you didn’t have to walk me home, right?”

Kate and Yelena had already said their goodbyes by the time you left the club at the end of your night out. Even though it was late, the streets were lit by moonlight and lampposts, and Joaquín insisted on walking you home. 

Following Yelena’s insistence, which created a somewhat awkward moment, Joaquín’s heartfelt response, and the unexpected reaction it stirred within you, the tension seemed to dissipate, restoring the familiar and relaxed atmosphere. 

“I know. But I still wanted to. It’s a nice night to walk, and I want to make sure you get home safely.”

“I can take care of myself, you know. Remember how I kicked your ass in the ring yesterday?”

“Just ‘cause I went easy on you.” He rolled his eyes playfully.

You chuckled softly, shaking your head. “Of course, whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Silence settled in, a comfortable one. The night air was crisp, and the chilly breeze carried the scent of pine from the neighboring trees.

After a few moments, you cast a sidelong glance at him. “What’s on your mind?” 

“Just thinking… about what Kate said. Did you really start a fire?” He looked at you with a gleam in his eyes, letting out a chuckle.

You rolled your eyes and gave him a lighthearted bump on the shoulder. 

“Come on, angel. I need to know that story.”

You let out a small laugh, amusement flooding your chest. “I’m not telling you anything.”

He pouted in feigned despair, his lower lip sticking out playfully. “Come on! You can’t just dangle that juicy story and leave me hanging.”

“You’re just looking for ammunition to tease me.”

He grasped his chest, as though your statement had offended him. “I would never. Who do you take me for?”

You tilted your head and looked at him, your eyes speaking for themselves. 

“You wound me. I did not expect this from you, angel.”

You stifled a laugh, raising an eyebrow at his overly dramatic flair. You had a smart comeback on the tip of your tongue, but chose to keep it to yourself. Despite enjoying yourself, you refused to engage in Joaquín's banter.

“Very well, I’ll let my heart heal from this sudden betrayal,” Joaquín muttered, clutching his chest as if he were ready to faint. “But know this: the next time the subject is brought up, I’ll be armed with even more dazzling wit to win you over.”

You smirked, trying your best to remain unyielding. “Keep dreaming, Joaquín. You’ll need more than theatrics to make me crack.”

As you kept walking at a steady pace, Joaquín drew closer, his warmth blending with the cold night air. The sound of your footsteps on the pavement resonated faintly in the quiet. You could feel his stare lingering on you. 

“And now what?” you inquired playfully. Expecting some more of his antics, which somehow always made you smile.

“Yelena was right, you know?” His tone was soft, yet with a trace of hesitancy. “You really deserve better than someone who thinks you’re… a practice run."

A weary sigh escaped your lips. There went your smile. Running into Tyler tonight was already more than enough, and discovering he was engaged to someone else only made it worse. Yelena and Kate had prolonged discussing the matter far more than necessary—particularly Yelena. And while you knew Joaquín’s intentions were good, and his words from a few hours ago had sparked something within you that you still couldn’t fully comprehend, the last way you wanted to end the night was by bringing it up again.

You halted on your step abruptly, and consequently Joaquín did too.

“All my exes are married by now, Joaquín. As soon as they broke up with me, they tied the knot with someone else. What does that tell you?” you asked, narrowing your eyes in scrutiny.

“You think you are the problem?” Joaquín's voice was laced with concern, his eyebrows drawing into a frown.

You took a shallow breath, aware of the weight of your own words. “I’m starting to wonder if there’s something about me that just… doesn’t stick. Like, maybe I’m too much, or not enough.”

“That’s not it at all. You're not too much or not enough,” Joaquín said, stepping closer as if he could somehow shield you from own thoughts. “Some people just don’t really see what’s in front of them. They get caught up in the surface stuff—appearance, status, whatever. But you’re… you.” His eyes didn’t leave yours. “You have depth. You're strong, smart, funny, you care about everyone… Anyone would be lucky to date you.”

“Are you saying that because you drank a little too much tonight?” you teased, attempting to deflect the seriousness of the situation.

Joaquín chuckled, the tension easing a notch as he shook his head. “Maybe a little. But I wouldn’t be saying it if I didn’t mean it.”

That you believed it. In all the time you had come to know Joaquín, you knew the guy was nothing but honest. It was the thing you liked the most about him. So you fought against your urge to dismiss his words. 

“Thanks, Joaquín. That’s kind of you to say.”

He shrugged, taking his hands out of his pockets and running them through his hair. “It’s just the truth.” 

He took a step forward, the space between you shrinking as he spoke earnestly. “You deserve someone who sees you and chooses you every single day—someone who truly wants to be there for you, not just when it’s convenient.”

You felt something shift when you looked into Joaquín's soft gaze. Everything else faded away, leaving only the two of you in the embrace of the crisp night air.

“What are you saying?” you asked, the tremble of uncertainty returning into your voice.

He hesitated, the soft light revealing the vulnerability in his eyes. “I’m saying… maybe I—”

His words were interrupted by the ringing of your cell phone. Instinctively, your hand dove into your bag, fingertips brushing against the familiar device. You glanced at the caller ID and swiped to answer without hesitation. You listened closely for a few moments before hanging up.

You cleared your throat before speaking. “It was Sam,” you explained. “Something came up. He needs us to go to the base.”

Joaquín’s expression shifted, a hint of disappointment passing across his features before he masked it with a practiced ease. “Okay,” he said, his tone somewhat clipped. “Is it… serious?”

“Yeah, it sounded like it. He didn’t give many details, but we should head over.”

“Right,” he murmured, his hands returning to his pockets in a subtle gesture of retreat. “We should get going then.”

A moment passed between you. The lighthearted feeling from only moments before seemed distant now, as did the impression that something unsaid hovered in the air, making you wish you could rewind time.

[selineram3421]

←Prev: Part 2- Devilish Human

Spell Gone Wrong

Part 3- From Above

Alastor X Reader

Alastor is trying a new spell but it's not right and something goes wrong.

Warnings ⚠

⚠ possessive Alastor, Angel Alastor-7p 👀, Italics= thoughts, kisses and cuddles, 😇 he's a little mean?, relationship advice, friendship, implied/suggestive at the end. ⚠

As soon as a week passes, Alastor goes for as many kisses as he wants. Most of the time snatching you up and cuddling you on a nearby couch or in bed.

He calms down after you pepper his face with kisses.

The Radio Demon does not let you know when he does his next spell test. So you're not prepared for another odd thing that might happen.

You're sleeping until you wake up when something felt...off.

Getting up and walking out of your bedroom, you look around the house and notice how quiet it is. With an uneasy feeling, you go towards the back room.

"Alastor? Love, are you awake?", you ask as you open the door.

Then you see the strangest thing.

Alastor talking to an angel. And not just any angel, Alastor the Angel.

The deer angel is mostly white with light blue eyes, cold looking like frost on a window, the halo about his head an almost blood red color. He stood still and wore no emotion.

"Have we come to an understanding?", Alastor asks and holds a hand out to shake.

"Yes, but there is no need for that.", the angel lowers your fiance's hand. "I'll keep my promise."

"Hello?", you say unsure as you step into the room. "Everything alright in here?"

Alastor turns to you and smiles.

"Darling! Yes, everything is fine. The spell failed again but not to worry, I can look for what I did wrong.", the deer demon holds a hand out for you. "Come?"

You take his hand and stand next to him, then looking at the angel.

"I'm shocked to see you as an angel.", you whisper to Alastor.

"I'm shocked to see you here at all.", the winged deer says, hearing what you said. "You look...wrong."

What does he mean? You wonder and just shake it off.

"They are perfect.", Alastor says and then hugs you close. "Now, I have to go over the spell again but it shouldn't take too long.", he kisses your head. "Our guest was quite interested to see the library, could you take him my darling?"

You raise a brow but nod.

"Sure, I don't mind."

The angel follows you out of the room, quiet and graceful, but still with a monotone expression.

It was odd.

First of all, Alastor wasn't put off by this version of himself and didn't have a threatening smile, he seemed quite relieved actually. Maybe it was something the angel had said to your fiancé before you entered the room.

Second, you've never really seen someone go without making a single expression on their face for so long.

As you make it to the library door, you turn and give your guest a smile. "I hope you enjoy your time here. I know it's not ideal to be away from home but sometimes it can be interesting.", you say as you open the door for Angel Alastor.

The angel just nods and walks past you, brushing against your shoulder slightly.

"Don't touch me."

You stare at him a bit confused as he was the one who accidentally touched you. Still, knowing how your Alastor doesn't like too much physical contact, you shake it off.

"Ok, well..", you take a step back. "Let me know if you need anything or have questions."

Angel Alastor, or Lastor, doesn't respond at all and focuses on the books. With a shrug, you close the door and walk back over to your bedroom.

Some time passes, you don't know exactly how long but there's a concerning thud noise from the library and you rush over to check on your guest. Once pushing the door open, you find him kneeling on the ground and rubbing his head. A pile of books scattered around him on the floor.

"You ok?", you ask worried, walking over quickly to check on him. "I heard a noise and-"

"Not a step closer demon!", Lastor hisses out and glares up at you.

You stop.

The first emotion you've seen on him at all since meeting him.

Anger.

"I don't want you anywhere near me. I shouldn't even be a concern to you.", he says as his wings flare out. "Leave me be and don't bother me again you ruined soul."

This was the last straw for you.

"I don't know what your problem is with me but fine.", you crossed your arms and glared back at the angel. "I won't bother you but you must apologize for being an ass for no reason.", you hissed out. "I've been welcoming enough but if you're going to continue to be rude, then I see no reason why I should be nice to some stuck up angel, even if you wear my fiancé's face!"

"Fiancé-?"

"I hope you go home very soon and never come back again!", you finish off before turning around to leave. "Fucking prick-"

"Wait."

"What! What else could you possibly want to say to a sinner like me!?", you look back and find the angel a bit shocked.

"You said fiancé. Has..", Alastor stands up. "Has our relationship really developed that way?"

Our?

You look at him with furrowed brows, confused.

Then you piece together what he means.

"Do you fancy the other me?", you ask.

His face goes back to the neutral expression and he doesn't say a word, but you can see a blush across his cheeks.

"I'll take that as a yes.", you sigh. "I'll help you."

He perks up slightly, well..his eyes light up a bit.

"But, you have to stop being mean. I know what I've done and I don't regret what I did.", you go to pick up the books on the floor. "I was only human.."

The angel is quite but he kneels down to help you.

"I..understand somewhat. Do forgive me."

Both of you put away the books and he takes a moment before speaking.

"I would like your advice. I wish to court the you in my realm but I'm not sure how to start.", he says quietly.

You nod and look over at the books.

"Hmm.. Well, you can read on some material but first, tell me about the other version of me. What do they wear often? Colors and design wise. What do they do on their free time, what do their eyes linger on the most, what they like to eat.", you list off.

"Well-", he starts listing off everything that he could, going as far as their favorite number, which wasn't surprising as it was the same as yours.

Both of you take a seat on the couches to continue the conversation.

"And they like listening to my radio show."

"They do?", you smile a bit. "Does every angel listen in to your show?", you ask.

"Almost all of Heaven listens in, but they are the only ones who ask me questions about it. Like my next topic or the other music I have planned to be played.", he says.

"Anything else you can think of?", you ask.

"They recently asked me what kind of food I liked.", Lastor adds.

"Oh.", you say suddenly.

You know exactly what they plan to do. You've actually done it, of course they might have better cooking skills than you but they plan on making him food.

Alastor managed to catch you making him Jambalaya and decided to help you.

It was fun.

"I think you'll be fine. But remember to be respectful, kind, and ask first if you'd like to kiss them.", you say.

"K-Kiss!?", Alastor blushes like a school boy.

You laugh.

"Obviously start small.", you giggle/chuckle out. "But when you feel like you absolutely need to kiss them, ask. They'll appreciate that you ask first."

"I-I see..", the angel clears his throat. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

"Glad to help.", you smile.

He stays quiet for a moment before standing up and holding a hand out to you.

Confused, you take his hand and let him help you stand.

"Truly, I am grateful for your advice. May I?", he asks and gestures for a hug.

"Oh. Are you sure?", you take a small step closer to test the waters.

He nods.

With a shrug, you hug the angel and he seems stiff at first but he soon relaxes and leans his head against yours.

Then Alastor walks in.

"₩Ⱨ₳₮ ł₴ ₲Øł₦₲ Ø₦ ⱧɆⱤɆ?", your fiancé asks, heavy static over his voice as shadows start taking over the corners of the room, making it darker. "Ɨ ŦĦØᵾǤĦŦ WɆ ĦȺĐ ȺN ȺǤɌɆɆMɆNŦ?"

"I-", Lastor turns, a bit surprised.

"He's saying sorry.", you pipe up. "And it's a friend hug, not a romantic one."

"Still.", Alastor walks over and takes you out of the angel's hold. "He agreed not to touch you.", he holds you close and places a hand on the back of your head, the other around your waist. "I'm quite selfish for your attention, you know?"

You roll your eyes and wraps your arms around his waist.

"Yes, yes. You've made that very clear.", you peck the red deer demon on the lips. "Now, did you find a way to get him home? He has some unfinished business that needs to be taken care of."

It isn't long till you're waving the angel goodbye.

With a small bow of his head, Last or disappears with a flash of bright light, leaving a few feathers gliding down until they fell to the floor.

You pick one up and decide to save them.

"Do we have a jar somewhere?", you ask.

"Plenty darling, why do you ask?", he gets you a small jar in an instant.

"Saving the feathers.", you say and pick up the rest.

"Whatever for? They aren't needed.", he says, almost sounding pouty.

"I just want to remember the new friend I made.", you place the feathers into the jar and close it. "That's all."

He seems to feel unsure but you quickly put the jar away, deciding that he needed some attention to get rid of any silly thoughts.

"Alastor, my love.", you sigh and hold his face. "He was asking me dating advice. The other me is trying to make him some food like I did with you.", you kiss his cheek. "That's all sweetheart."

"Alright dear.", he says and both of you walk towards the bedrooms. "Let's go to bed."

You hum and follow him, but you walk past yours and pull him to his.

"I can stay up for a little longer. What do you think?", you ask.

"I think..", he steps closer to you and holds your waist, turning the doorknob as soon as both of you reach his bedroom. "..there's no harm in staying up a little longer.", he smiles and leads you into the room.

He holds your cheek and leans forward to kiss you.

You sigh into the kiss, one hand on his chest and the other moving up to grip his shoulder.

A few hours doesn't sound too bad..

The door clicks shut behind you.

*looking at angel Alastor pics* 7p Alastor? Is that right?

~Seline, the person.

Part 4- ?

Taglist@

@kittykat3232013 @littlebluefishtail @diffidentphantom @+?

+more in the comments+

ML II Alastor 🎙️ | SGW ChL✨

[dior-luxury]

HI

💐 here to confess my love because your twst ficlets are SO FREAKIN GOOD I AM LITERALLY FCKING DYING RN (out of love!)

My humble self has come to beg for yandere lilia bc i am a hopeless lilia simp 🙂‍↕️

If the inspo hits and you are so inclined, please feed the poor starving peon crouched outside your doorstep. They are probably not feral, but they havent eaten in days, and may faint for several hours after consuming a single morsel of food.

But also no pressure! I honestly just also want to pick your brain for this cuz you’re SO GOOD at writing him in character

Lilia Vanrouge As A Yandere

( ✧ ) ────── yandere stories . yandere/angst - f!reader .

- [𝐜𝐡.] lilia vanrouge

- [𝐩:𝐬] Yandere Behavior . Gaslighting and Isolation . Mind Control/Memory Alteration . Romanticized Toxic Behavior . Power Imbalance . Implied Imprisonment . Dark Fantasy Themes . Ambiguous Consent . Potential Identity Loss

Note: Tried to keep it creepy but still true to Lilia’s charm- y’know, “haha I might’ve kidnapped you but I’m still adorable” energy. Hope it gives you chills and also maybe a little “wait why is this kinda hot tho” moment LMAO 💕 Let me know if you want versions with other characters!! ♡(｡•́‿•̀｡)

Lilia Vanrouge

Lilia Vanrouge is ancient, powerful, and deceptively playful — a fae who has watched centuries pass like falling cherry blossoms. But even immortals are not immune to obsession, especially when their hearts — long dormant — are unexpectedly stirred. And when an immortal falls in love, they fall forever.

You were just a human — mortal, fleeting, fragile. But Lilia found you fascinating.

At first, it was innocent. You made him laugh. You were kind in a way that reminded him of simpler, long-forgotten eras. He would appear unexpectedly around you, draped in upside-down smiles and playful banter, his glowing eyes always glinting with something unreadable. You thought it was harmless attention.

You were wrong.

He was watching.

Lilia didn’t need to sleep like you did. So during the deep, quiet hours of the night, he’d wander — to your dorm, your classroom, even your dreams, using faint, ancient magic to peek into the worlds behind your eyes. Every expression you made, every person you smiled at, every fleeting interaction — he catalogued it.

You never noticed the bats near your window at night. You should have.

Things escalated slowly.

Lilia began appearing wherever you were — always just in time to “protect” you. A spilled potion in alchemy? Lilia was there. An overzealous duel from an NRC student? Lilia stepped between, laughing while he disarmed them. He said he was just helping, but there was something sharp in his gaze when others got too close to you.

At first, you thought it was your imagination. Then your phone began behaving oddly. Messages unsent. Calls dropped. Friends pulling away after odd, brief conversations.

“Are you lonely, little bat?” he’d ask with mock pity, holding a tray of snacks or a handmade charm. “Don’t worry. I’ll always be here.”

He didn’t look like he was joking anymore.

Lilia’s obsession is sweet — like a poisoned wine.

He still jokes, flutters around, and teases. But now there’s an edge to it. He refers to you as his. He leaves you gifts that seem impossible to procure: relics from the Briar Valley, enchanted music boxes that sing only your name, or petals from flowers that bloom once every thousand years.

When you try to talk to someone about it, strange things happen. People don’t remember your conversations. Even Crowley avoids eye contact when you mention Lilia’s name in a fearful tone.

You begin to suspect he’s altering memories. His magic is old — deep-rooted, almost forgotten by modern mages. You're not sure how much of your life is still your own.

And then you wake up one morning to find an old lullaby playing softly in your room — one you never learned, but find yourself humming anyway.

He’s been whispering it into your mind at night.

Eventually, he tells you.

Not in a romantic flourish, but in the still quiet after a storm, when he’s rescued you (again) from a danger you suspect he may have orchestrated.

“I’ve lived long enough to see empires fall and rise. But nothing has captivated me as much as you,” he says, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, fingers cold and gentle. “You don’t understand what that means to someone like me. I’ve chosen you. That doesn’t happen more than once in a few millennia.”

You try to pull away. He only smiles.

“You’ll understand. In time. Humans always break so easily… but love can make you last.”

He kisses your forehead. And you swear you feel a mark burn there, invisible, but real — an ancient fae seal claiming you.

Lilia wouldn’t keep you in chains — not literal ones.

No, he’s too refined for that. Instead, he builds you a world where you don’t want to leave.

A hidden part of NRC’s grounds, warped by old fae magic. Days feel like dreams. You stop remembering time — memories blend, feelings shift. Lilia is always there: doting, smiling, grooming you into someone perfect for eternity.

Your dreams start to end in his voice. Your fears vanish — because you can no longer recall what they were.

Even if you tried to escape, you’re not sure where to go.

Because by now, you aren’t even certain who you were before he loved you.

You age. He does not.

But when your body grows frail, Lilia offers you a choice — sealed with a kiss, bound in blood and starlight.

“Become mine. Truly. Let me preserve you… as I have always longed to.”

You hesitate. Just for a moment.

He smiles.

You no longer dream of the outside world.

You no longer remember why you ever wanted to.

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Can I request Herta with an S/O who's a massive tsundere?

(H:SR) Herta with a tsundere S/O

Oh, what's that? S/O was being stubborn and getting too embarrassed to say what's on their mind?

Funny/Cute as it was, Herta doesn't have time for this.

Do you think such a beautiful, smart, and young genius like her has time to wait for S/O to stop twiddling their thumbs to say they wanna hold hands?!

Hell no! That's a waste of time for her, AND S/O!

That being said, many people ask: "Madam Herta, if you find that part about S/O annoying, why did you even agree to be with them?"

And her response is rather simple.

(Herta) "And that is any of your business, how, exactly?"

The way Herta gets around this little quirk of S/O's: Isn't it obvious? Just directly bring up whatever to where they can't beat around the bush.

(Herta) "I need a test subject and need to spend time with someone who can actually listen, S/O. Dinner will be made on time, probably."

(S/O) "...Shouldn't you ask if I want to be a test subject?"

Herta simply raised an eyebrow at S/O. They opened their mouth to say something else, but it's not like spending time with their (definitely young and attractive) girlfriend was the worst thing.

Even if there was at least a 50% chance of them imploding.

(S/O) sigh "Alright, what are we doing?"

And being fair to S/O, Herta doesn't really mind nor care of their blushy-attitude that they give her.

If anything, it makes them a little more fun to be around. Heavens know that Herta is a handful to be around, the least she could do for her beloved (test subject) was to return the favor.

Alongside Asta, and some of the Genius Society, S/O was also a voice of reason to stop some insane plan or research she had, lest the entire Herta Space Station blinks into some god-forsaken star, or some other freak abomination.

It also puts S/O's social skills to the test! They can't be a tsundere if they need to tell Asta that Herta was harnessing the power of a star to do Aeons knows what.

And that was the least of S/O's concerns. What they really had to worry about was when she was bored and had free time.

(Herta) "Hm...While I'm here on the Station, S/O, we need to get you a new set of clothes!"

(S/O) "You're not going to make me go into your wardrobe again, right?"

(Herta) "Well, I do intend for you to help me sometime in the next three years, so no, obviously. But that being said..."

She snaps her fingers and immediately, several puppets burst into the room.

(S/O) "You didn't need to snap to summon them."

(Herta) "Has it occurred to you that I do things because I like to, S/O?"

(S/O) "I think that's one of the first things I learned about you..."

(Herta) "Exactly! Now, let's have you visited by the Emanator of Beauty!"

About an hour passes and the entire room is devoured by rolling racks of clothes, with even some of the puppets acting as Coat Hangars, with their arms out-stretched into a T-Pose.

All the while, Herta is sitting on a floating key, trying to decide which shade of purple matched S/O the best, researching some other things on the side of a tablet.

With S/O checking themselves in a mirror, also held by a smaller Herta.

Herta appeared busy with the many things occupying her, S/O stealing a glance from the mirrors and quietly smiling to themselves.

(Herta) "...It'll last longer if you take a picture, y'know."

S/O shifted their eyes away and blushed, mumbling something under their breath much to her amusement.

(S/O) "D-Don't tease me!"

(Herta) "Hm? And you are going to do what exactly? If I continue to do so?"

Suddenly, Herta was by S/O's side, giving them the smirk they (loved) were irritated by so much.

(S/O) "I-I..."

(Herta) "Ah, get flustered. Naturally."

Herta chuckles to herself as she hands the outfit to S/O to try on, finally stepping back onto the ground and checking both herself and her lover in the mirror.

(Herta) "Now, chop chop! Try it on!"

(S/O) "Will this even look good on me?"

(Herta) "I'll ignore the doubt you have in my fashion sense, which is a crime against me I'll have you know, and say, obviously! I'm the one who chose it, and you're the one wearing it."

S/O's face heated up from Herta's own flavor of compliment and took the outfit, preparing to change again.

All the while, Herta just smiled to herself, and turned away for them to change.

She was still looking, and S/O knew that, but for the sake of their prideful heart, they chose not to say anything.

But...admittedly, S/O loved the attention, and Herta knew that damn well.

It was nice to have someone that could understand each other in a more intimate way, and it went both ways.

...Most of the time, anyways.

Its kind of hard to view your girlfriend the same way once she harnesses the power of a nearby star with some unfathomably complicated device just to see if she could and prove some random-ass researcher four hundred sectors away wrong.

S/O was prideful in not admitting they liked to kiss her, but holy shit that was kind of a whole other level.

===

A/N: Do you guys tell how much I love writing Herta? She's so damn funny. I always knew I had a taste for insane brunette scientists (See Hange), and DAMN Herta scratches that itch.

[thebluediner]

HIIIII... anyways this is my first time requesting a fic so I hope this makes sense and if it doesn't just try and bare with me . okay so let's say reader and Billie are dating but media doesn't know about it until like the Met Gala where reader and Billie are kinda matching outfits ( maybe Billie's met gala outfit from 2023 and Emma Chamberlain met gala outfit from 2024 idk they looked a little similar in my head ) and like Billie gets taken to do an interview at the met gala and like gives subtle hints that her and reader might be dating and you can do whatever else you want with the rest of the fic ( also you can make the met gala whatever year you want it to be )

a/n: hiiiii baby, I hope you like it (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) finished this up just in time with the met gala this year. I know you waited so long lovie but I hope you love it

𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙢 #𝟱

𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙮𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤'𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩, 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙨𝙤, 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚.

time: the day of the met gala

you stood in the middle of the hotel room your hands intertwined and placed on your front looking over at the window at the sunny blue skied day. it's was quiet and stunning you always liked weather like that it's made you feel safe. it reassured you how you could wear anything without covering it up with a jacket or something for reasons like " just in case it rains" that made you feel free. your eyes blinked when a sharp pain pierced your skin.

someone muttered an apology before their hand pats over the hurting part of your body reminding you were you were. the tranquil space you thought you were in suddenly disappeared and replaced with reality.

you were in a luxurious five star hotel located in new york that carried probably every other guest of the met gala. there was chaos around you.

one of your many hairstylists took control of the assessing the type of hairstyle you would go for because by the looks of it the others didn't know how to deal with your type of hair. so that resulted in gel , combs , small brushes , water , extensions and much more than you could comprehend being brought over.

your dress finally found its way right in front of your eyes. your doe brown orbs traced the material inspecting it of any faults that would appear in the lens of the many cameras that would be surround you later that day. originally it had a pink lace under-top that it went with but it didn't speak to you so you got it removed.

when you look at this dress you don't regret it because it's the most beautiful thing you've seen but the moment the thought passes blue ocean eyes with the perfect eyelashes , pretty button nose and the most kissable lip come to mind and you wasted no time in rethinking your judgement. the thought brings an uncontrollable smile and blush to your face.

the stylist smiles at you with some kind of knowing eyes but instead of teasing you or anything she hands the dress over to you so you could wear it. the material lands in your hands and you swear a huff escapes your lips because you didn't expect it to be that heavy. the people around you giggle at your wide eyes reacting to your stylist.

she leads you to another room to get changed but she stays outside in case you need anything from her. you felt like a little girl when you slipped your phone to try and send some kind of text to her.

-billie my dress is so heavy wtf

-okay that was totally an excuse to talk to you

-but anyways I miss you already

-man my dress is so tight

-I had a feeling about that but I miss you too my love

-I'm gonna try and not pounce on you when I see you tonight

you giggled reading the message which you instantly regretted forgetting your stylist was waiting for you a couple of feet away. you eyes look at the dress you've placed on the bed knowing time isn't going to be your friend if you keep being a lovesick puppy. you groan a bit before typing in some words to billie.

-fuck okay wait I need to actually get dressed

-I'll see you later sexy

-I love you and good luck out there

you threw your phone on the bed before hurrying to get into the dress. it took a few grunt and yelps before you were able to slip into it. you opened the door for the stylist to hook on the ribbons and pull them as tight as possible to define your waists more. a scream escaped your lips causing a couple of eyes to peak and see the commotion all for them to laugh at the realisation.

you knew you liked the dress and hopefully the media will too but more importantly you hoped billie would love it. you weren't going to the carpet together but separately so you would meet later inside the venue.

time flew the sunny days turned into a sunset and by that time your hair was done and you felt like a member of a royal family. glasses of champagne were served around the room just to ease the nerves and celebrate the work done so far. soo enough you were being escorted out of the room through the hallways which was way too small for the puff of your dress which caused shuffling sounds throughout the long pathway. getting into the elevator was worse since you discovered only one other person could fit in with you.

once you reached the lobby you wet met with a bunch of men in tuxedos carrying wildly decorated umbrellas from the early ages. you turned back to your assistant and stylist in question at the random men. your assistant instantly froe realisation she forgot to mention the last minute planning but your manager saved the day when she quickly briefed you on the plan. upon explanation these men where going to surround you i attempt to hide you and the dress from the cameras outside the hotel.

it was definitely fun hearing the screaming around when you wet outside covered in ruffled lacy parasols matching your dress just to be kept a secret until the very red carpet leading up the stairs though it was obvious sitting down the car seats was harder than you thought so you more so slouched.

''do not rush into that building without spending at-least twenty minute on the carpet'' you manger instructs you as if she could read your mind and knew the plan.

''excuse me... I was not going to do that'' you huff rolling your eyes but then silence enveloped the scene. your eyes traced back to the women accompanying you in the car.

''no really I was not...'' yet they still gave you questionable glances making you sigh in defeat.

''okay yeah maybe but I won't any more promise'' you say with a foolish smile being caught guilty. you picked up the tiny model of a pink hat placing it on your head before turning to them to ask an opinion. with their thumbs up you pace it to be a bit more firm so it won't fall out

when you arrived at the events there were people all around the venue screaming it's was crazy. the moment your vans door slid open you were gently guided down paying great mind to your shoes and the mobility the dress provided. from the other van the men assembled in front of you pulling our the matching parasols acting as your companions more than bodyguard. it was funny and definitely a concept to play into.

the moment people around got a glimpse of you the screams roared and pierced through the venue. people were shouting your name for recognition, some yelling over to compliment you and some purely for your existence. the dress cascaded over your feet brushing onto the carpet as it flowed onto the ground leading you onto the main carpet. when you got there you realised so many other celebrities have entered way before you as some were already headed towards the doors.

you didn't see her but she definitely felt the air switch when you entered. billie was way above the stairs standing tall on her platform heels and tight corset pushing her breast up she looked to die but you hadn't seen that yet. she was busy with her interview with a journalist from a big media company but somehow billie couldn't hear anything she said the moment she saw your figure down the stairs. the camera totally caught the moment of total loserism she just displayed but with a little pat from the journalist she seem to find a way out of the trance.

''sorry... it's so busy it's easy to get distracted'''billie muttered an excuse for her behaviour but there was a reason this journalist was from a big company she was the best, maybe a little too much.

'' you know we've realised you like being associated with her'' the woman didn't have to mention your name and that made billie feel a bit too excited. so of-course that cheeky lip bite and a flashing smile slipped

'' who wouldn't she's a very beautiful and talented woman'' billie says her eyes always finding you just like the cameras flashing each second.

'' that's really kind of you billie, you wouldn't mind us relaying that to her when she comes up the stars would you ''

''not at all let my girl know how pretty I think she is'' that was a total slip up but billie didn't let it show though it shocked her as well. with a quick smile and her eyes scanning were you were for the millionth time before she accepted finneas's hand to guide her up the stairs joining the main event.

not later than a couple of minutes later you found yourself in the palms of the same journalist. you exchange pleasantries and a few girly screams at each others outfits.

'' whatever this is I love it girl way to fit in into the theme'' she says pointing to the men that surrounded you with parasols covering you at every angle possible.

'' ah! thank you babes the creative directors knew the vision very well''

'' you know who else saw your vision?'' she said teasing with her cameraman even laughing along with her.

'' girl who?'' you asked throwing a skeptical look at her not knowing what's coming in next.

''billie eilish was here a couple of minutes ago and asked me to really her message of how beautiful and talented her girl is''

you weren't aware of the look on your face but the camera picked up the way the corners of your lips twitched into a bigger smile at the mention of billie alone with some shy laughs which you covered with your hands hovering above your face trying to hide it.

'' she's very sweet can't wait to see her inside'' the way your heart pounded against your chest at the thought of her made you grow a little impatient.

'' you two are sure excited to see each other'' she said in a way that made you think she knew something you didn't

''pretty girl are always my favourite you know that'' you admitted even though you might've been revealing a little too much. after the interview you gave her a playfully curtsy before you and your companions rised up the stairs.

when you arrived up the stairs you were met with your assistant and manager once again. they quickly thanked the men around you which you did the same without a fail to mention the fun you had with them before they drifted away in polite smile leaving you alone. with a few words of encouragement and warnings to not get carried away with the drinks in there they pushed you into the gala.

yours eyes didn't even bother to look around and admire the interior design and the archived designs you were after one person. your eyes searched frantically around the room to no avail well until you felt a hand on your exposed shoulder. when you turned you eyes turned to lighter ones leaving you with a rushing of excitement.

'' oh my lady way to bless us with your beauty this evening'' billie said with a copy of the english accent trying to fit the role as she complimented you in awe going as far as throwing in a curtsy.

'' well thank you my lady though I see more beauty in you this fine evening'' you gave her her own set of compliments your hands squeezing hers in excitement with a giggle at her antics

the night was going to be long but at-least you were going to be with her from here on, even for the after party.

[aellesira]

彡 gifts from you mean the whole world to me!

pairings, aether, albedo, alhaitham, cyno, diluc, gaming, kazuha, kaveh, kinich sethos, tighnari, venti, xiao, zhongli x reader. (separate)

ᯓ ᯓ' summary, what they get you on your birthday and why + how you react to it! and the silent message each gift passes. [ 1.7k word count. ] content, birthday gifts from our favourites, most are based off their voice lines, sorry for repeats or any ooc, fluff, mostly not established relationship, pining. happy birthday to me!

Yawning, you slumped down onto your bed after the day you had. Looking at the giant pile on the opposite corner of your room, memories of today and this week stirred in your mind, reminding you of everything you’d done today. All the gifts you were given by your lovely friends…

AETHER.

The Traveler, your partner in crime. 

These days you don’t get to see him because of how immensely busy he is off in other nations; he has long since passed from your own region of Teyvat.

But Aether has his own list of his favourite people, and you are one of those lucky few he loves dearly. So of course, his present is here too!

A picture of you two. You looked lovely in it, Aether was the one taking the picture, so it was more like a selfie, with Aether wrapping an arm around your shoulder. Paimon was flying in the background as well — you would be able to notice her if you squinted.

The Traveler and Paimon keep a lot of pictures, ones they take of you as well. This is one present you hold very, very dear.

ALBEDO.

He asked to sketch you, most definitely. 

And quite the lovely sketch he made, as lovely as the person it was of, you remembered a conversation the day before. He had asked if you would like to be his live model, or if he could take a picture of you. 

Nevertheless, the completed sketch was what was in that scroll. Carefully opening the ribbon, you were pleasantly surprised.

Framing it was obvious. Could you let such a thoughtful gift sit in your drawer somewhere in its beauty? I feel like Albedo would also want to see your reaction to his gift to judge if it was too little for something like your birthday, but he could tell you liked it.

ALHAITHAM.

Wouldn’t think too much of your birthday.

He doesn’t think it’s worth all the enthusiasm it gets, and that goes for his own and others’ birthdays.

Maybe he would do a favour for you just because it seemed like the right thing to do, even when he doesn’t bother with gifts on birthdays.

Although if you were his special someone, he might try to get you something you said you wanted a few weeks prior to your birthday, although for friends he draws the line.

CYNO.

I don’t think he’d know what you like specifically or what qualifies as a ‘good’ birthday present. Either he’d forget or he’d give you some new limited-edition expensive TCG card.

You don’t even play that often?

Nevertheless, it’s a sweet gift from Cyno, even if he wasn’t sure what you’d like as a gift.

Was half-considering offering to walk around the desert as like… a date (if he had a minor crush on you)? But he didn’t have time, didn’t know if you had time, and there is nothing romantic about roaming in the sand with beetles being the most interesting thing there — Tighnari told him that — so he relented.

DILUC.

Depends on how close the two of you are, but if you were someone he cares about, he would first get you a card.

Nothing too heartfelt; it was a rather fancy-looking card adorned with a simple happy birthday message from him, but it was really nothing much. Only for formalities, although you wished he would bring down the walls he let up for so long, at least with you, so as to make him less formal with you.

Maybe would buy you some expensive item from the shops, he doesn’t mind much, not with you.

GAMING.

Only a memory, because his gift wasn’t in your room.

 Oh! Your birthday is coming up? Just kidding, he’s been planning his gift for you for a few weeks now. He loves his friends, and that includes you, naturally!

Of course, it’s not Gaming it he doesn’t book you a private Wushou dance performance, just for your birthday. You’re always so busy, so you have to make sure you come to this one; it’s special.

You also knew he would make a reservation at Xinyue Kiosk, and damn, you can’t eat that much. Soups, curries, dim sum, rice, and so many other foods you couldn’t name…

All the same, you were really happy with his gift, touched by his kindness.

KAEDEHARA KAZUHA.

Definitely spent a few nights in his spare time trying to come up with a haiku for you.

As much as he has a habit of bringing on his flowery words of praise for you, your good qualities, and little things about you that only he notes, writing a haiku for you became something that he found rather difficult.

It wasn’t that there wasn’t anything to say about you, but could he write about you in a way that would capture your image anywhere close to perfect?

He thought not. As he put it, no word in our language could come close to describing you, and even though he had so much to say, he had only a little to write.

He gave it to you after your party, which of course, he had time to attend. Promising to read it once you come home, here you are. 

Swooning and struggling to hold your giggles, although nobody would hear you anyway. You told yourself he did this for all his close friends, but perhaps Kazuha tried to hide his true feelings for you in that poem, ones you shared too.

KAVEH.

Let’s be real; he doesn’t have enough money right now to spend on you.

But I feel like he would try to just barely hold on to enough to get you something he remembered you said you liked. 

Kaveh is an emotional person. Not in the sense that his feelings are out of control, or that he is too dramatic, but Kaveh truly cares for people. You of all people, anyone would note. 

Knowing that, the little trinket, bracelet, or small thing that Kaveh was able to give you meant more than any expensive gift anyone else could give you, even if he didn’t know that himself.

Maybe, one day you would have the courage to tell each other how you feel, but until then, he is happy with your shy little smiles and giggles whenever you get to see him.

KINICH.

Also wouldn’t know what to give you.

He frees up his schedule to spend some time with you, and that time is spent exploring Natlan for fun. And it is fun! Whenever you had to cross a pit of lava or a deep valley, he’d hold onto your waist and grapple through the sky.

At first it was pretty scary, but you knew Kinich knew what he was doing. The close proximity to someone you trusted also helped, although it flustered you a little.

Not a physical gift, but his presence was more than you could have asked for.

SETHOS.

He could give you anything, anything you wanted, and yet, it still wouldn’t feel like something attributed to him. Sure, you could spend time with one another, but he’d made that a habit a long time ago, of seeking you out constantly, so he ruled that out.

Totally not based on his voiceline — gives you a desert dweller hairstyle!

And it looks very cute, braids and all, you keep it for the whole day, especially with that pretty flower in your hair you don’t quite remember Sethos putting on…

TIGHNARI.

Speaking of flowers, Tighnari gets you a potted plant. Whichever Sumeru flower you loved, whether that be a Sumeru Rose, Kalpalata Lotus, Padisarah, a Nilotpala Lotus, it was one of them for sure.

It was there right now, right by your windowsill. If you looked hard enough it had already started to bloom under your care.

Tighnari comes around a few times after that, whenever he has time, and it is truly such a sweet thing, to see his gift bloom into such a beautiful flower as the day passes.

You love taking care of it, and make it a habit to water it every morning.

VENTI.

Was going to get you something, maybe, maybe not… you didn’t know. But alas, he eventually forgot it was your birthday and spent his evening at the tavern, like he usually does.

He didn’t quite expect you to go there too… had you been seeking him out? Then he remembered the poem he created a few days back. Stopping his incoherent rambles and songs although people were still tipping him for them, he sang.

It was about you, but did you know? Probably not. Still, it was quite a lovely song, about someone he cherished, a friend he wished to keep forever by his side. A lovely song.

You decided not to bother him while he performed, wondering who was this special person he sings for. You hum this tune in your room right now, wondering.

XIAO.

A memory. Also another that doesn’t care for mortal traditions, such as birthdays — he doesn’t understand it.

But it’s you, so… maybe he could give you something. An amulet. He created an adepti amulet for you, one you wore right now. After all, the one thing he wants for you above all else is your safety.

Even if he feels he can’t show you his care, he’ll do it however he can.

ZHONGLI.

Asks to spend time with you, if you would allow it. He takes you to a market with many fine brocades, gems, and jewelry to buy.

Of course, he knows what you’d like best, and what is best, so…

You end up having a lovely collection of trinkets, bought by him, although you insisted repeatedly not to dote on you so much.

The two of you have dinner, watch some stories and plays, all to end it with a final goodbye after the lovely day you had with Zhongli giving you a Glaze Lily. You as you were now, smiling and blushing at the flower in your hair, greatly remind him of someone dear.

[theoddityherself]

TLOU HBO S2E4 REVIEW:

This has been my least favorite episode of the four and a lot of you might not like what I have to say but I do not care. I did not enjoy this episode as much as I hoped I would and I even considered giving up on the show after watching it because the direction of the writing legit pissed me off.

Dina and Ellie:

So many of you were confidently pulling out the term slowburn as an excuse for the writing when it came to Dina in episode 3. The writing completely went against that in episode 4. Not only was it not slowburn but everything that happened in that theater felt rushed and out of character. The fact that they turned a scene that was supposed to show relationship conflicts between Ellie and Dina, because not everything is perfect in their relationship, and is also supposed to show how Ellie is spiraling as she's trying to seek revenge for Joel's murder, the scene in the show did the complete opposite of that. They took the seriousness out of the scene by having Dina point a gun at Ellie just to turn around and reveal her pregnancy and then have sex in the theater.

Also I know a lot of people aren't going to want to hear this but show Dina and Ellie have no more development than game Dina and Ellie. A lot of you like to say that the show developed their relationship so much more than the game did. It didn't. Dina and Ellie kiss at the winter dance, they go on a patrol together, Joel dies and all we know is that Dina visits Ellie while she's in the hospital, they go to Seattle together and rate their kiss in a tent, Ellie sings to Dina, Ellie gets bit and Dina finds out she's a immune, Dina tells Ellie that she's pregnant for Jesse, they have sex. Where exactly is the development for their relationship?

You can definitely tell that a man is writing their romance...

Urgency:

And that brings me to the lack of urgency in this show. Ellie seems like she's in absolutely no rush to avenge Joel. She's doesn't even look like she's emotionally going through anything. Nothing about how they're writing Ellie in this show really reflects how much Joel's passing affects her aside from the bits and pieces they gave us in episode 3. Ellie looks like she doesn't have a care in the world. I feel like the show is doing a piss poor job of truly portraying somebody who's to get revenge, is suffering from the trauma of watching the most important person in their life be murdered and is truly losing it as she looks for Abby throughout Seattle.

Dina:

Can people stop saying that Dina is more fleshed out in this show than she is in the game? Dina is out of character in the show and what fleshing out she's had has been related to all the relationships she has with other people; Joel, Jesse and Ellie. Not one thing about Dina herself has really been dabbled into. They haven't talked about her religion, more about her mom, her sister or her life before she met Ellie. Even in episode 4 her character was still mainly focused on the relationship between her and Ellie. As of right now Dina's character still revolves around Ellie. She has not been expanded on whatsoever.

Also before anyone brings up the fact that this is an adaptation. I know, but HBO is quite literally known for not respecting the source material even when they have access to their creators, this is currently happening with House of the Dragon. It's very obvious to me that they could have easily adapted the second game into a show without making major changes to the characters, personality traits, core elements, etc., but they just didn't care enough to try and adapt this game with same love and care that they gave the first game and first season.

I'm also starting to feel like a lot of you have forgotten that the last of us is not a romance and that anger, grief and trauma that Ellie went through is very important. It's definitely not something that she should be written out or overshadowed.

[gremlinmodetweeker]

König of the Icks - The Great Return of the King

Now, I know what you all are thinking. Gremmy, why are you linking a 40 minute STRANGE ÆONS video? Why is a video of one man's journey into DIY hell so important for me to understand? What is the importance of Groverhaus in the world of König?

It's because he is Grover.

I'm telling you right now that König is a DIY nut and he fucking sucks at it.

Art from This Post

König grows up with a professor for a father who was always called effeminate for being a quiet, mousey man.

Growing up, children used to make fun of König for how sweet and gentle his father was. Kids always used to make fun of König's masculinity, which when you're a developing 12 year old boy, has devastating consequences that ripple through the rest of your life

One of the many consequences is the fact that he thinks he's more of a man when he does his own DIY for his house. He genuinely thinks you do not need a degree or training, you cna just watch youtube videos and you'll never need to hire a contractor

To add onto this, König is the most frugal fucker you've ever met. That will be it's own later post, I swear, but for right now you need to understand that's he's super cheap, and he thinks he can fix any problem he faces on his own without professional help

As such, König goes out of his way to buy a really shitty little house with you. He promises he'll make it into a palace. He's a strong, powerful military man and he is a man of commitment.

His promises mean nothing.

König first tries to do his own plumbing. This has disastrous repercussions.

After you finish draining the basement, König decides he wants to replace everything in the bathroom because it's all been water damaged.

After he finishes cleaning out the mould he artfully cultivated on the ceiling, he gives in and hires a plumber.

He tries to put in tiles on his own after the plumber is gone but they end up looking more like a Roman floor mosaic rather than a smooth tiled floor.

You both end up tearing up what he did and hiring a contractor to put in a beautiful tiled floor with a resplendent back splash

After about two months of König's destruction followed by a contractor coming in on short notice to fix the damages, the bathrooms end up exactly how you wanted.

You suffered too much. It's a Pyrrhic victory

Then König turns his eyes to the kitchen. You can scream all you like, but in one day he pulls down all the cabinets, throws out the appliances, and all that's left is a deep freezer in the basement and a sink.

He tries to explain that putting a head of lettuce in and out of the freezer at regular intervals is perfectly fine and can be done for weeks on end, but the next morning you're kicking him out of the house to get a new fridge.

He tries installing the cabinets into the drywall and then tries to attach a microwave underneath and the whole thing comes down in five minutes.

Another day passes, and König hires a contractor to install his cupboards. He ends up having to buy another copy of the ones he already had because he ended up destroying the ones he tried installing and the contractor couldn't use them.

He then goes on to try and jerry-rig the electrical system and ends up in hospital.

The electrician that comes in afterwards. He flicks three switches, drinks a glass of water, uses the washroom, eats lunch and charges you over a hundred for the whole ordeal.

Every mistake König makes comes with devastating costs. You can only hope that he keeps his job at KorTac because he burns through cash.

He's so cheap in every other area of life, but the problem is that you can't get it through his thick man skull that no, he is not more of a man for doing his own DIY projects. No, he is not saving money by doing it himself. He is actively digging a hole with his own pride and manhood on the line.

After five years, you do actually end up having your promised palace. The house is fantastic. It's stunning. Everyone loves it.

König did none of it.

König had to hire contractors each step of the way, nearly doubling the price by the end

Your house is perfect, but the cost of the professionals and the cost of therapy is daunting.

You love your husband, you really do, but sometimes you wonder why you love him

It's because he's a wonderful husband

He's just too stubborn for his own good

Bonus

When he offers to help set up a nursery, you end up setting it up yourself

The only thing he does is put the furniture together.

He gets huffy about it, but there's nothing he can do.

He tries to make some toys for them, but he ends up sewing the most horrific teddy bear you've ever seen.

Teddy bears should not have fuzzy teeth.

It's a genuine abomination and you end up using it as a Halloween decoration.

He goes back to the drawing board and ends up whittling a set of cute toys and building a dollhouse.

Evidently, König can't paint a wall without destroying the carpet, but he can make some impressive wood statues and whittle some cute animals

He ends up selling these toys on the side as an old man, and it's very cute, but you'll never forget when he tried to build the home of your dreams together

Cute little ducks mean shit when you had to freeze lettuce

Konig Dump

Konig Headcanons

[divadowndivadown]

Part two of the Vampire’s maid <3

Here’s part one if you didn’t see it first

Author’s Note: I’m so excited about this part! It’s been so long since I’ve written everything and it feels so good to share my stories with you. Love you diva, feel free to comment on the story and thanks for the support <3

He never revealed much about himself, to your dismay. But he would always be around as you did your chores for the day, keeping a vigilant eye on you as you went about your daily routine of dusting around the manor.

A slow two weeks had passed since the first meeting, and strangely, he hasn’t touched you since then, much less talked to you. There was always an anxious gut feeling you had around him after you found out you were working for a vampire lord, feelings of isolation grew even though you could always feel his presence hover close to you. Malicious or possessive? You couldn’t tell, but what you did know is that you never wanted to get on his bad side. Even though he hadn’t done anything to you and was actually a decent host, setting you up with your own room and making sure you got fed each day, you couldn’t help the thought that he might try to kill you someday.

“Lord Damascus.. I’m done dusting… was there anything else you needed..?” You inquire, looking into his eyes as he looks up from his book, his eyes bore into yours as that awkward tension grows with every bated breath. A quiet breath of relief escapes you as he gives you a slow nod and a wave of dismissal, but when you turn to leave you hear his voice call out to you.

Lord Damascus had only planned on feasting on your blood that night… drinking every drop until there was nothing left.. he’d done it to a plethora of ignorant, clueless humans, luring them in with hopes of an easy job, food, and comfort away from the city. You should have been like the others, and in many ways, you were. Young, naive and ignorant to the trap he had laid out for centuries. But you… your lovely warm eyes, so full of fear and anxiety, your heart pounding out of your chest, the way you shivered when he felt your pulse. He was utterly entranced in a way he himself couldn’t understand, he just knew the feeling was right, the need to hold you close and comfort you, to protect you from everything, to cherish your very soul, the need to make you his.

It filled his heart with a sense of wonder and confusion, having spent the week beyond enthralled with everything you did for the manor, for him. He noticed how diligent you worked, how committed you were to getting a good deal of work done. The areas he frequented became clear of the dust and grime under your care, bringing him back to when he still considered himself youthful.

His face nor his hair have shown any indication of his true age, and he had always held himself in high regard, dignity and eloquence is what he thought of himself before you.

After your fifth day at the manor he found himself watching you at night, how your chest rose and fell so calmly, the peace that took over your unconscious face compared to how you always looked over your shoulder with worry. He wondered when you would stop being afraid of him, did he not give you enough space..? Did you feel threatened by him?

“Maybe I should reach out more..” he pondered as his heart grows fuller with each breath you take, safe and comfortable under his gaze, just as you should be. Later on at night he started imagining things he would have never been interested in before you. How your lips would taste against his, how warm your body would be when he cuddled you, how incredibly lovely you would look melting into him. Thoughts of domestic affection and warmth clouded his mind and plagued him every time he watched you do your simple duties around the manor.

After the first week he continued to sit in the chair as he watched you sleep, but on this day he felt something dormant stirring within him as he watched you drool. It wasn’t anything irregular but at that moment you couldn’t have been more irresistible to him, watching the warm saliva slip past your lips, down your cheek onto the silk pillowcase did it for him.

He felt his body aching as he silently leaned into you, his thoughts wrapped up in your raw, unconscious presence. Fangs digging into his lip as he resists the urge to kiss you awake, his mind coming up with images of your pretty eyes fluttering awake in surprise has him quietly groaning, his cock throbbing eagerly at the sight of your sweet, unaware, sleeping face.

He almost touched himself, but being so vulnerable in front of you asleep or not was enough encouragement to refrain from this newly discovered desire. He couldn’t remember a time his body burned for someone so badly, and it only got worse as he continued his habit of watching you at night.

It was unruly, he thought as he watched your sleeping form, you had worked so hard these past days and it was getting harder to stay away from you, to not hold you close in his arms, to not sing your praises. He felt pathetic in a way, not that he would ever admit it, but just watching you get all the rest you rightfully earned makes his heart unusually fuzzy and his cock strain painfully against his tailored trousers.

It became his favorite past time, every small twitch, every subtle moment of your rest had him seething in lust and affection. He tried to labeled it a just a silly game he’d play with you… until he heard you snore for the first time. Pure, deep, unconscious snoring. The type of snoring that lets you know how deep and comfortable the person is.

He had came untouched. It was the headiest aphrodisiac he had ever been trapped in, his cum stained his trousers in a large wet mess, hoarse whimpers forced back in his throat, and the feeling of being utterly breathless and spent yet still wanting more forced him to realize it wasn’t a game. He was obsessed.. and he had to make you feel the same, no… better. He wanted to give you euphoria, and he couldn’t wait to devote his entire existence to your very being.

“My dear, I have a question… and I need your honest answer, am I clear?” He insisted, his tone calm and leveled but it wasn’t a question, it was a demand.

“Yes, my lord..?” You murmur, the pounding of your racing heart didn’t help with your nerves at all. You could only think of all the negative things that could possibly happen. Was he going to kill you now? Was he not satisfied with your work? Is he going to-

“…are you afraid of me?”

The question left you startled and unsure, his rich bass voice made you unexpectedly calm, but then your brain started spinning again. Should you lie? Lying would be easier… but what he calls you out and you get punished?!

You don’t even realize you looked away until you lock eye contact with him once again, gulping heavily as you take a breath, “..yes… I know you haven’t done anything.. but you’re… a vampire. I know I’m just your maid so please don’t hurt me” you admit, expecting the worst.

“Harm you..? My dear… my delightful human… I wouldn’t even think of such a thing. You’re mine. And I take care of the things that are mine, do you understand?” He chuckles, but his tone is sharper than before.

You silently nod and watch as he puts his book down and walks around the desk and stands in front of you. He can feel how your breathing unintentionally hitches as he cups your cheek and tilts your head up to face his, and it makes him keen inside.

“..you’ve done such an eloquent service for me, do you not agree…? I haven’t seen cobwebs since you started here. You’re utterly valuable.. how could I ever harm you?” He disclosed, grinning gleefully and mischievously as he can feel your heart flutter again, knowing he’s winning you over.

“Well… when you put it like that I just sound irrational..” you jest depreciatingly, but you do feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Still slightly on guard but… you feel better.

“You do, my precious human… but rest assured, I see you. And I appreciate you with every fresh breath you bring” he coos as he presses a tender, lingering kiss to your temple.

You could feel a simultaneous shiver of comfort, relief and embarrassment run down your spine from the kiss, warmth creeping up your face as your eyes try to wander elsewhere before his hand gently pulls your attention back to him.

“Mm… you’ve given me your all.. and I believe I am behind on your payment, aren’t I?” He inquires, but before you can even get your thoughts together, his lips are on yours.

It’s a warm, tender kiss. The one he’s been craving since he saw you, and finally got. He savors you with all his undead heart, sucking on your lips tenderly and carefully as his arms slowly wrap around your waist. He doesn’t stop till he feels your need for air, but by then he’s already smitten, so lost in you, so ready to worship your hard working flesh like it deserves. He only asks you one last question..

“…would you like your reward, my darling..?”

I got inspired to write my own monster story from these blogs: @lyonnerileyauthor @monstersholygrail @davinawritings

Dividers are from: @kodaswrld

[joelmillers-wife]

take my hand (joel miller x f!reader) chapter six

18+, MDNI series masterlist: here | please check this for complete series warnings and tags pairing: joel miller x f!reader chapter summary: your mind a mess of conflicting thoughts and feelings, you find solace in an unexpected person wc: 3.3k rating: this story is 18+ (minors, do not interact), there will be eventual smut in later chapters  chapter warnings and tags: cursing and tlou lore accurate outbreak content below, maria and tommy family time, talk of feelings, angst-ish, fluff-ish, brief mentions of the loss of children, (there’s no joel in this one I’M SORRY), reader has no description besides she has hair, jackson!joel, age difference: reader is in her 30s and joel is in his 50s, sloooow burn a/n: a short, early surprise chapter :) ao3 | follow @writtenbynic and turn on notifications for chapters! dividers made by: @saradika-graphics , check them out!

previous chapter | next chapter (coming soon)

VI. UNDER PRESSURE

'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word And love dares you to care for The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night And love (People on streets) dares you to change our way of Caring about ourselves

Winter had come and gone, and you had figured that spending two winters in Jackson would get you used to the cold, but it did not. Somehow it felt more brutal than the last, as if the weather evolved each year as the infection would—a constant mutating monster that got worse as time went on. 

With the spring, your plans to build that garden in your backyard were brought to life—Joel still being a part of that plan. You constantly reassured him he was not obligated to help, but you were always met with the same response. “I wanna help. Let me do this.”

Because, despite the seasons changing, Joel’s presence around you did not waver. He had kept good on his promise to fix that broken light in your house. And that one chance that he got to fix something inside your house only invited him to work on other things inside. You didn’t want to feel as if you were complaining—you appreciated the help and the company, and figured these were just things he had to do to keep himself busy when he had free time. 

You just couldn’t shake some feeling inside you, a feeling you still couldn’t quite place. People’s comments on Joel being around you had burrowed under your skin and created a warm and unpleasant pit in your stomach, making you try to figure out why him being around you made you feel so odd all of a sudden. Why people noticing this makes you feel weird.

Regardless, the time you spent together in your home only grew as you would offer him meals or to stay for a drink after work was done. He never let you pay him directly for the help by doing something for him in return, but you still wanted to give him something to reciprocate his kindness. 

“Don’t worry, darlin’. You don’t ever gotta owe me anythin’,” he’d say.

And, yeah. That word has still stuck around when he speaks to you—another thing that made you feel… warm. That pit in your stomach only started to grow until it ended up keeping you awake for longer than your usual anxiety kept you. 

You couldn’t figure out what to do with it—how to fix it. The first place your mind went to was asking Tommy about it, leaning into the fact that he would know why Joel is like this more than anyone, but the idea of that didn’t sit right. It felt odd going to Tommy for something so personal that regards his brother, and you definitely couldn’t go to Ellie about it. So, that left you with one last person you thought could help.

You shuffle back and forth on your feet as you stand waiting for the front door to open after knocking. As a few seconds pass, your insecurity begins brewing. This was a stupid idea… What the fuck were you thinking? 

Quickly, you decide that no one is probably home and turn to leave, when you hear a noise behind the door before it opens.

You twist your body back to face the door, one foot already backed up ready to leave. Maria stands there looking surprised, but not upset at your appearance before speaking your name, her voice lifting up at the end in question.

“Hey,” you breathe out, suddenly unsure of your decision to come here. “Is, uh—is Tommy home?”

She looks out behind you before saying, “No, I’m sorry, honey, you just missed him. He went out in town to get Benjamin some fresh air while I worked on some things at home. He should be back in an hour if you wanted to wait here?”

You shake your head gently. “Oh, no that’s alright. I actually, um… I wanted to talk to you on your own for a bit. Only if you aren’t too busy.”

Her eyebrows raise momentarily before a warm smile appears on her face. That’s why you wanted to come to her, you realize—her natural ability to make you feel safe.

“Not at all. I need a break from working on these damn blueprints,” Maria says before gesturing to you to come in. “Please, come in and make yourself comfortable.”

Maria steps aside a bit, allowing you the space to walk inside before she shuts the door softly behind you. A brief touch on your shoulder as she passes by indicates for you to begin following her into the living area, where you find papers laying out on the coffee table.

“Do you want me to make you any tea or coffee?” She offers.

“Tea, please,” you say with a grateful smile. She nods once before turning into the kitchen to make the drinks. Taking a second to look around while nervously fidgeting with your hands, your body gravitates to the fireplace mantle where a small chalkboard is placed in the center of the shelf. Written on the board are the names Kevin and Sarah, with the respective dates below it—the memorial of their lives. 

Maria had spoken about her son before the outbreak, Kevin, and you of course knew of Sarah. You remember the first time you came here, you didn’t know about Joel’s daughter, and assumed the memorial was some family member to either Tommy or Maria, considering you never took a closer look at the dates out of respect. Now, knowing what you do, the sight of the board makes your heart ache.

You’ve been over here a few times before—enjoying dinners with the couple and their child, or coming over for small meetings with some other members of the community. You just couldn’t recall a time where you spoke only with Maria, let alone about matters that didn’t regard things in town.

The sound of the tea kettle whistling grabs your attention, and you walk into the kitchen to find Maria preparing the mugs for the two of you. Hearing your presence, she turns around briefly to smile at you, gesturing at the table for you to sit down. 

“Make yourself at home. Sorry for the mess,” she says, referring to the array of blueprints and clipboards sprawled across the dining table, similar to the living room table. “We’ve been needing to build a lot more houses and space recently with all the newcomers. I thank God for marrying an ex-contractor, and getting my brother-in-law, even if he pisses me off most of the time.”

You chuckle softly at Maria’s teasing talk of Joel—the mention of him bringing a smile to your face without even thinking, before the same feeling in your gut warns again and you’re reminded of why you are here.

As you move to sit down at one of the seats, Maria brushes away some of the papers to make room for the two of you. She makes her way over to the fridge, asking, “Are you a milk or honey person with your tea?”

“Milk, please, and sugar if you have it.”

A soft nod can be seen from behind her as she pulls the milk jug and begins to prepare the tea for the two of you. 

Rounding the table to set one down in front of your seat before settling herself in the chair across from you, she asks you, “Is everything okay? Is there an issue with your house or something with the work?” 

You quickly settle her concern. “No, everything is perfect with that, thank you.” You look down to your mug, rubbing your fingers over the handle of it as your nerves take over more and that insecurity begins to build again.

God… Why does this feel so awkward?

“I actually—I wanted to talk to you about something a bit more… personal, I suppose.”

A slight look of shock fills her features before it gets overtaken with a more serious expression—Maria sitting up straighter in her chair and leaning her arms on the table to show you she’s paying attention. The sight calms you a bit as you recognize that same trusting, yet stern, look she had given you that first day in Jackson. “Of course, sweetheart. You can share anything you’d like, whenever you’re ready.”

Her reassurance washes over you, quieting the noise in your mind and calming the anxiety brewing in you. It’s the push you need before sighing and blurting it out.

“Why does Joel always spend time with me?”

Maria doesn’t react at first, before doing a double take, tilting her head towards you with confusion. “I’m sorry, what?”

You sigh before looking back down to your mug, tracing your fingers over the ridges from the floral design surrounding it, before all the words you’ve had trapped inside you just comes out. 

“He, recently, is always at my house. He started doing it by saying that Ellie would tell him about things I need fixed at my house—stuff in my yard or front porch. But then, at the Christmas party, I told Ellie thanks for letting him know, and she said she didn’t bring anything up.”

You look down, frowning at the mug in your hand as you recall Ellie’s words. “She said that Joel would tell her about things he noticed regarding me. And a little before that night, people in town were whispering and giggling over Joel being around me a lot, saying that he’s always near. I didn’t believe that, but then when Ellie told me that stuff, I realized that he really does kinda just… show up? I mean I don’t think I’m bothered by it. Just that… I don’t know, it feels weird for some reason. And I didn’t know who to talk to about it because it felt weird to go to Tommy or Ellie with this, and you’re the only other person I think would know him the most. And… frankly, you’re someone I trust the most around here.” 

Taking a deep breath after the end of your rambling, the trembling feeling that’s been growing in you for months seems to settle into an afterthought—as if voicing everything has brought you a sense of peace, even if briefly.

You look up to face Maria again, but the reaction you see isn’t one you were expecting. Her brows were completely shot up, eyes slightly wide and her lips parted open and twitching up a bit at the corners.

Great. She was laughing at you.

Filled with embarrassment, you shake your head and move to get up. “I’m sorry, this was dumb, I shouldn’t have—”

Maria straightens up and grabs your arm to keep you seated, shaking her head.“Sweetie, no, I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you. I promise.”

Still uneasy, you feel tense as you wait to see what she has to say, hesitantly lowering yourself back into your seat, bracing your mind for whatever words she has to say. Your body sinks into the chair, as if you want to burrow deep into the wood and away from this moment.

Maria slouches back into her seat almost comically and looks off to the side, softly huffing out a laugh before turning to look at you. “Joel—oh god, um… Joel, from what I know of him, struggles with showing people he cares.” She pauses to look at you, her eyebrows raised and head tilted in hopes that you understand what she’s trying to say. 

You shake your head, feeling clueless. “I… I mean I knew that, but… what does that have to do with me?”

She smiles and sighs, closing her eyes briefly to formulate her words. “The only two people I’ve seen Joel be comfortable around are Tommy and Ellie. Even then, there’s this wall between him and them—thin, almost as if it’s through a veil. Something that slightly clouds the vulnerability between him and the ones closest to him.”

Maria frowns for a moment, but her face shifts into something resembling sympathy. “No one here in town has had a conversation longer than a few minutes with Joel before—me included. Our talks are strictly business or cordial. Now he knows I’m not the biggest fan of him and his… past, but I know when he does care because I see him with that little girl or my husband. Joel shows his love for those two by doing things for them or getting gifts he thinks that Ellie would like.”

You wait a moment for her to continue, but she just looks at you expectantly, as if you were meant to catch on by now. That was true, you suppose—you’ve seen Joel go out of his way to get things to make Ellie happy, or do things that contribute to the community simply because Tommy and Maria asked of him. 

That was expected, though. He loves them—they’re his family. 

Your thoughts leading you nowhere, you shake your head slowly at Maria in confusion until she reaches over to grab your hand. Cautiously, as if unsure how to speak to you, Maria asks, “Honey… have you ever liked someone?”

Your confusion only deepens as you try to piece together why she asked that. “Of course I have. I like many people here.”

Her lips quirk up again. “I mean, have you ever liked someone? Romantically?”

Oh.

Your eyes widen. No… this isn’t that. 

She speaks up before your anxiety takes over completely, her hands held out in front of her cautiously as if trying to calm a wild animal. “There’s nothing wrong with that, I promise. I’m not saying that you necessarily have those feelings for Joel, but more so that I think he has feelings for you. I just don’t think he knows how to show it.”

You look back down to the mug in front of you, trying to focus on the swirling patterns the milk has made with the tea—trying to focus on anything to distract from whatever the fuck is running through your mind.

Maria speaks your name softly, making you force yourself to look at her. “When you said it makes you feel weird, is it like there’s butterflies in your stomach?” She asks.

“More like a blizzard.”

She lets out a laugh. “Oh I know that feeling all too well,” she says, before her face settles into a more serious expression. “I think you may like Joel in the same way that I think he likes you. You don’t need to do anything with that right now, though. If you aren’t sure what is going on then you do not need to rush and figure it out. I’m just offering what I think is happening and what it may mean.”

You take in her words and consider what you know about romantic feelings—a crush, as you have heard. She wasn’t wrong to ask if you ever felt something like that before, because… you haven’t. The state of life made the notion of a crush not be something that had ever crossed your mind. It was almost a fairytale. Something that always felt so out of reach—not something tangible to you. It makes sense that you wouldn’t recognize what the feeling was yourself, let alone know what it looked like on someone else. 

You briefly recall some moments that happened when you had first arrived in Jackson, a few instances at the mess hall or bar where men had come up to talk to you. You had taken it as them being polite to newcomers, but the giggling and whispering from other women around had made you feel uneasy. Embarrassingly, the person who had to tell you what their real intentions were, was the damn teenager you had befriended. 

“Dude. You’re hot. They’re flirting with you. Come on,” Ellie would say. The realization made you feel odd and caused you to avoid interacting with them for too long, coming up with an excuse to leave. It hadn’t happened for the past few months though, thank god—

Oh, fuck.

Your eyes widen as you realize something while sitting there processing what Maria had said. Those moments with the men in town had stopped a few months ago… when Joel and you had become friends.

He’s always near you.

Maria notices your expression and gives you a knowing smile. “I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry to have thrown this at you at once.”

Shaking your head, you tell her, “No this… this isn’t your fault. I mean, thank you, ya know, for telling me all this in the first place.”

Her hand soothingly rubs up and down your arm that plays on the table. “Of course. I hope you know you can come to me about anything like this whenever, okay?”

You subconsciously nod at her, your mind still reeling with all the thoughts racing through you as you try to piece everything together.

The sound of the front door opening pulls you away from your thoughts, causing you to straighten up and look more present.

You hear the sounds of a child giggling before you see Tommy appear in the doorway with Benjamin held on his hip. He looks at his wife with a smile before his gaze lands on you with a surprised expression. “Hey, m’sorry to barge in—didn’t know it was a girls day today.”

Maria laughs before standing up and collecting your two now-empty mugs, bringing them over to the kitchen. “No worries, honey. Seems like my mind was read by her because she gave me a much needed break,” you hear her voice travel as she walks. 

You stand from your seat as you get ready to head out. “Yeah, sorry… I should’ve given you a heads up before coming over. I don’t mean to keep you too long while you’re busy.”

Walking back into the dining area, Maria shakes her head. “Believe me, you do not need to ever apologize for stopping by.” She gives you a pointed look, with understanding in her eyes. “You’re always more than welcome here. We appreciate the company, truly.”

Tommy gives you a nod as well, silently reaffirming the sincerity that Maria conveyed to you. You take a second to look at them in front of you—Tommy holding their son while looking at Maria lovingly. The ease they both share around each other. The home they’ve built together, both physically and emotionally. 

It makes your throat tighten for a moment, taking in their words as they offer you the right to be a part of their lives so openly. It’s a feeling of comfort you haven’t had in a long time, and one you didn’t think you were deserving of—one you didn’t even think was possible for you in this lifetime. A fairytale.

Maria looks at you for confirmation that you believe her, you nod your head with a small smile—your eyes watery. “Thank you, Maria.” She returns your smile before offering for you to stay for a bit while Tommy makes dinner.

“No, thank you. I told myself I’d get some organizing done on my few days off, so I need to get back home to do that.”

She nods in understanding and walks you over to the door, stopping to hug Tommy and say your goodbyes to him and Benjamin on the way.

As you reach the door where Maria waits for you, you give her a hug as well when she leans in to whisper in your ear. “You tell me if you need anything in this situation—I happen to be sorta good at giving love advice.” She pulls away with a soft smirk before her face hardens, transitioning into one more serious.

“And just… be careful when it comes to him, alright?”

You pull away from her, the last thing she said confusing you for a moment as your eyebrows lightly twitching. Not mentioning it, you quietly thank her again for the advice and say goodbye to her before heading outside.

That word she had said before you left, love, ringing in your ears the whole walk home. With it, the idea of that fairytale begins to fill your mind and slip into your dreams.

a/n: surprise! wanted to post this short chapter before I post chapter seven this saturday, hope you guys enjoy <3

follow @writtenbynic and turn on notifications for updates! I’m still doing my tag list for now, but they’ve been kinda wonky recently so I apologize if it doesn’t work! <3 I’ve gotten some people saying it keeps glitching and tagging repeatedly, or my post goes away and comes back?? so I am so sorry I don’t know how to fix this but hope it stops :(( if I miss anyone’s tags, please let me know!

🏷️: @dendulinka6 @suzysface @koshkaj-blog @orcasoul @emmasveinyahhdih @thatoneperson38747 @lcvespedro @heartpatch @orodaeh @ithinkimokeei @emnull0 @warriorkarol @luvwanda @pascal-mynightlyobsession @grayandthyme @crlsummer

[sualne]

Old and new gifts.

(timeline)

[cecoeur]

it's hell on earth to be heavenly them's the breaks, they don't come gently

[maskedbyghost]

when simon wakes up in a hospital, the last thing you expect is for him to grab your hand, pull you close, and say, “hey, there you are, love.” his voice is so soft, so sure, it leaves you speechless. you stare at him, half in shock, because this is ghost—simon riley, the one person who’s kept every feeling locked up.

“simon, do you… do you remember anything?” you ask, testing the waters.

he blinks, looking at you with confidence. “of course, i remember. you’re my wife.”

you freeze. his wife? this is new, and you’re not sure where he got the idea, but before you can correct him, johnny walks in, taking one look at the two of you and biting back a grin. he leans in, whispering to you, “maybe just… go with it for now, eh?” he’s got that teasing glint in his eye, and something tells you there’s no harm in humoring simon for a bit, if it can be helpful for his recovery.

so, you go along with it. and to your surprise, simon doesn’t act confused—in fact, he’s more open with you than he’s ever been. suddenly, he’s holding your hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world, always looking for you, keeping you close, calling you “love” or “darlin’” in front of everyone. he’s even got that soft smile every time you catch his eye, one that makes it hard to remember this isn’t real.

the team’s amused but supportive, playing along with the whole story. simon keeps asking you little things, like what your favorite meal is, or how you usually spend your days when he’s away, as if filling in gaps in a life he believes you share. you find yourself answering with things that feel so genuine, and the way he listens—focused, attentive—feels more intimate than anything you’ve shared before.

one day, you’re patching up a minor scrape on his hand, and he just watches you, eyes soft, like he’s memorizing every detail. “i don’t know what i’d do without you,” he murmurs, voice barely above a whisper. it’s so genuine, so open, that for a second, you forget it’s all just part of his memory loss.

then, one night, he pulls you close, resting his forehead against yours, eyes serious. “do you ever think about us?” he asks softly, like he’s trying to get at something just out of reach. “how we’d be if things were… different?”

you’re not sure how to answer because there’s no script for this. “sometimes,” you admit, feeling a pang of something deep and unspoken. and for the first time, you’re almost grateful he can’t remember—because maybe, just maybe, it’s the only reason he’s letting himself be this vulnerable with you.

as the days pass, you start catching little glimpses, small things that make you wonder if he knows more than he’s letting on. he catches you watching him once, and instead of asking why, he just gives you this little smile, one that feels like he’s in on the secret. and just when you’re starting to think this is all some kind of twisted dream, he pulls you aside.

“i know i’m supposed to remember,” he whispers, “but i don’t want this to end. not yet.”

it’s in that moment you realize the truth. he’s been aware all along—he’s been pretending just as much as you, holding on to this fragile, temporary illusion because, maybe, he needs it just as much as you do.

--------------------------------------------

hii!! i'm backkk!! send some requests plsss, byee <333

@daydreamerwoah @spicyspicyliving