#for you <3 @imminent-danger-came

[its-leethee]

just refilling my coping-skills-toolbox for season 6

feel free to borrow a few when you need :3

(original here)

[scudslut]

ahhh yes yes, I haven’t written him too subby on here yet so I was super excited to write this❤️ I hope you like it @darylsgirl23 <3

Heartsease

Daryl x f!reader

Setting: Bridge Camp/Post Savior War

Wordcount: 2.6k

Warnings: 18+, softdom reader, unestablished relationship (but both know there’s a little somethin somethin iykwim), aka your his and everyone knows it, oral (m - receiving), unprotected piv, premature finish

Daryl was never one to keep still.

It made him anxious to be in one place for too long, always going on runs and patrols ensuring his people were as safe and provided for as they could be. He felt at ease outside the walls, out of people's prying gazes, and left alone to do his part for the community in peace. These days though, he was a flurry of activity. Hardly ever in the same spot long enough to see the sun rise and set again.

You knew he felt guilty - that he was angry and didn't know how to release it. You'd watch him work on the bridge for hours, frustration seeping out of his bones and into the atmosphere around him. It hung off him like a phantom.

The vast majority of the community was intimidated by it. They would walk on eggshells in his presence as if they could predict an oncoming outburst. But you knew better, you knew him.

He was angry at the world, yes. But he was distraught with himself... his own mind. It ran a mile a minute and gave absolutely zero reprieve. Anyone could see that if they dug just a bit deeper, looked at him a little closer.

Sure he was strong and burly; a true beast of a man, but he was also quiet and thoughtful. He cared so deeply about others that it frightened him to his core. All he wanted was to protect his family and do right by them.

And you saw all of that.

You had for years now and it only made your desire for him stronger. You wanted to thank him. Drop down to your knees and worship every freckle and scar that made him, him. He deserved it, deserved an escape.

Initially, you thought maybe he wasn't into that and preferred to keep his relationships asexual, to which you were perfectly happy to abide by. Any time spent with him was cherished time in your eyes. But during a sleep-deprived chat with Carol one night on patrol, long ago, you had found out he did have a few sexual encounters before the apocalypse. Just none that had truly meant much to him, or that he was entirely sober for.

That small bit of insight helped you understand the man so much more and you carefully dropped your hints from that point on. However, with your luck, every time you thought something might happen between you two, the moment would slip right through your aching fingers, dusted away by whatever imminent danger lurked behind each corner.

To be quite honest, you were getting fed up with the world's continuous cruel jokes, and from the looks of things, Daryl could use a healthy distraction right about now.

Ears perking at the familiar rumble you'd grown to love, you watched as he pulled up on his trusty, beaten-up Nighthawk, finally returning from a longer visit at Hilltop. You could see the sheen layer of sweat built up above his furrowed brows, his teeth nibbling away at his lower lip - an anxious habit you had picked up on mere days after meeting him.

His mind was bothering him. That much was clear.

He shuffled quickly to his tent, gaze transfixed on the muddy shoes he wore, avoiding any onlookers who wanted to ask their silly questions, throwing the flaps open, and disappearing in a fluster.

You knew better than to bother him now, give him some time to gather his thoughts and decompress. You whittled away at your spears, biding the time as you devised a plan on how you would approach him. After all, the last thing you wanted was to scare him off or embarrass him in any way. He was reserved when it came to these situations, unsure of himself. The few times you had brushed lips or touched him a bit heatedly, he was jumpy and almost insecure, as if he needed instructions on how he should behave. It was extremely endearing to you; like a stray pup who just needed a little reassurance and affection to calm his fierce walls of doubt.

It was almost dusk when you finished with your spears, gathering them up and placing them near some of the other weapons the community used when needed. You scanned the grounds, noticing everyone collected by the fire, dishing up for a late dinner. You quickly made your way over, grabbing two portions and slipping away before you were noticed and stopped for conversation. You knew Daryl wouldn't get one for himself, spew some excuse that 'he wasn't hungry' or was 'too tired' when really, he just didn't want to take away from another. Even if that meant he didn't eat or drink anything for days at a time. It made your heart blister for more reasons than one.

You balance both plates on your left arm, reaching to pull the flaps open slowly, not wanting to startle him with your arrival, "Dar? You asleep?" you whisper into the dim den.

You hear a grunt, some shuffling, and in a moment a soft glow fills the area as he lights a nearby lamp, perching up on his small cot, "I was."

Flicking off your boots, you zip the entrance closed behind you, "I brought you some dinner, figured you'd be hungry after your trip," You smile and he mutters a quiet thanks, opting to accept your kind offer rather than argue with you, he knew you wouldn't take no for answer anyway. He scoots to the side, creating a spot for you to sit while you two eat in comfortable silence. He liked that you didn't feel the need to fill the air, that you could simply enjoy each other's company without all the small talk. You were one of the few people he'd met in his life, who just inherently understood him, down to the most basic level. He hated leaving you all the time like he had been, just another thing to nag at his over-exhausted mind.

Hearing him sigh quietly, you cast your eyes over, watching as he scrapes up the remaining crumbs off his plate, placing it outside the tent along with yours for you both to deal with in the morning.

"I imagine your pretty tired, huh?" You ask, following his movements as he plops down again beside you.

"Nah, not really. Got a few hours 'fore ya came bustin' in here," he grumbles with a small smirk and you lean into him nudging his shoulder playfully. "Why ya wanna chat or somethin'?"

You consider him for a minute, trying to find the proper words to initiate what was truly on your mind. You knew you had no reason to be nervous. That even though you'd never labeled anything between you guys, you both felt it. Knew it was there. You just needed the right moment. Now was as good a time as any, you figured.

"No, I just- I wanna try something."

He nods his head for you to continue, so you scoot closer, placing your hand delicately on his shoulder and bringing your face centimeters from his. You stop just before you close the gap, gauging his reaction. His breath hitches slightly and you feel his pulse rapid under your fingertips, but he doesn't pull away. Taking that as the only confirmation you'll get, you press your lips to his softly, brushing your thumb against his stubbly, pink cheek. He takes a good minute to respond, carefully moving his lips back against yours and placing his hands on your hips. You feel him squeeze, eliciting a quiet moan of encouragement from you and he all but sinks into your touch, falling into a comfortable rhythm with your lips. You stay like that for a while, breathing in his piney scent and relishing in his gentle kneads at your waist. It wasn’t much to the untrained eye, but you knew that was his way of pouring his affection into you without so many words. His way of telling you he was yours.

You drag your kisses down his neck, nibbling and sucking at the salty flesh between his collarbones. His breaths grow uneven and you can feel him begin to tense again, unused to such personal attention, "Is this okay?" You ask, not wanting to push him past his boundaries. He only nods in response, his throat feeling like the Sahara.

He has to admit, he's thought about this many times, relieved himself to thoughts of you too many times to count over the years. He's just never known how to approach you about it, scared you'd reject him or he'd do something wrong.

He watches as you slip to your knees before him, your eyes glued to his. "You'll let me know if you want me to stop, yeah?" As he tries to nod in response again, you stop him, "I need you to say it to me," You press.

"Y-yea, I'll say somethin'," he whispers timidly and you grin, beginning to unbuckle his belt and slip his raged jeans down. You kiss down his strong thighs, feeling them tremble slightly beneath you. His hard-on is poking through his boxers and you drag your lips across it, placing soft pecks down the length of him, listening to his breathy pants. You didn't realize how turned on you'd be, having him all flushed and needy for you, but god were you enjoying it. Slipping your fingers into the waistband, you tug them down and his cock springs free, precum leaking from the pretty, pink tip.

"You dun have'ta," he mutters, anxiety sweeping over him fast, even though he really, really does want to. You catch his gaze, noticing how dark his stormy eyes have gotten.

"Let me take care of you, sweetheart," you reply, pressing soft kisses from the base to tip, feeling him pulse under your touch. You enclose your mouth around him, taking almost his entire length at once and you hear a guttural groan from above you, his knuckles white from the clutch they had on the bedsheets.

You wondered if he had ever had a woman go down on him before. Judging by the gasps and twitches he was emitting, if he had, it hadn't been for a very long time.

He bucks into you, searching in a daze for more friction, and you pin his hips down, earning a deep whine from him. You knew if he wanted to, he could easily overpower you, use your mouth to his heart's content, but he wouldn't. He wanted you to take charge. Needed it.

Raking your eyes over his heaving figure, you slide your tongue along his shaft, moving in slow, sensual circles as you bob up and down. Daryl's head is tossed back, eyes screwed shut and you can tell he won't last much longer. The sensitivity of not being touched in so long, sprinting towards him at full speed. You pull back, slowing your movements. He lifts his head off the wall, pale blue eyes blown to darkness as he watches you take him so sweetly, "Please," He whispers.

When you shake your head, humming a soft, "Not yet," as best you can around him, his eyes roll back into his skull, entirely overwhelmed by the overstimulation, but loving it nonetheless. "I-I can't," He gasps, his accent muddled even stronger in his lustful state. You have to squeeze your legs tighter, clenching around nothing hearing your man so utterly wrecked beneath you. You want to draw it out for hours. Have him begging you to let him cum down your awaiting throat. However, you decide you both have waited damn long enough to prolong your union even more.

Releasing him with a soft kiss to his leaking tip, you stand in front of him, shimmying out of your clothes as quickly as you can. "Lay down for me, baby,' You direct, moving the straddle him as he eagerly follows your orders, turning lengthwise on the makeshift bed. His eyes never leave yours as you sit down on him, groaning when he feels how wet you are pressed against his cock. "Have you thought about this before, pretty boy?" His cheeks flush crimson at your sultry compliments, nodding curtly whilst avoiding your stare.

"Dar." You press.

You were being so gentle yet stern with him it was making it brain fuzzy, all stressors from the day long washed away to be replaced by only you.

"Have, yeah," He huffs in embarrassment, trying with great difficulty not to portray how truly turned on your words were making him. But you saw right through him... or rather felt him. You lean forward, kissing and nipping up his neck to the shell of his pink ears, "Do you want me to stop?"

A full-body shiver jolts through him when he feels your warm breath against his ear, involuntarily rolling his hips into yours and you chuckle at his obvious sensitivity. He knows he needs to use his words. You won't be letting him off that easy. "Please don't," Is all he manages and it seems to do the trick. You grip his length, tracing it along your soaked folds, and slowly sink down. Your careful as you take in his reaction, scanning his expression for any signs of discomfort. He bites his lip, his eyes squeezed shut and lets out a muffled groan.

"Fuck," He mumbles, and you're surprised to hear him say anything you didn't need to pry out of him. A positive sign, you determined and start to bounce your hips slowly, creating a synchronized dance between your bodies. Your body is buzzing as you ride him, finally feeling the dull ache you’ve had for the man below you begin to dissipate as he whimpers oh so softly for only you to hear. His hands grip your waist hard enough to leave bruises to find in the morning, but you hardly give it a second thought. All you can think about is Daryl. His closeness, his warmth and strength, and-

He tenses beneath you, broken gasps leaving his chewed lips and suddenly he’s lifting you off of him, soaking your thighs and abdomen completely. You gawk as you watch him come down, sworn you haven’t ever seen something so fucking sexy in your life. His head tossed back, jumbled curses leaving his mouth, and dark auburn hair dripping with sweat. You don’t care that he finished before you, this was about him. But you see his eyes snap to yours when he fully comes back down to reality, cheeks blazing for a different reason than before.

Leaning towards him, you capture his lips with your own, tenderly pouring your affection into him, needing him to know you weren’t upset, “It’s okay, relax,” you whisper against him with a soft smile, leaning your forehead onto his. His eyes are filled with guilt, “I mean it, Dar,” And he’s back to his nods of response.

He didn’t need any more words of sympathy. He knew you were happy as a kid on Christmas, he just needed to accept it for himself. So with one last peck to his cherry lips, you slide off him, grab a rag to clean yourself up with, and scoot right in beside him, craving his warmth. He turns to you quickly, grabbing your waist and pulling you impossibly closer to him, burying his head into the crook of your neck. You feel a few soft pecks from him along your jaw and you sigh contentedly, wrapping your limbs around his, reeling in your post-coital glow.

You were safe, snuggled with your love, and that was all you needed.

[have-you-seen-my-sanity]

Hi, could you do a dark/yandere Marc and Steven in which they force the reader into a DDLG relationship or forces her to call them “daddy”? If this makes you uncomfortable, then that’s okay.

Heya Anony <3

This would actually be my first time writing something involving a daddy kink, hope this doesn't disappoint though. :,)

I literally had to google what the shortcut DDLG meant lmao.

Marc and Steven having daddy kink

Pairing:

Dark!Steven Grant x fem!reader

Dark!Marc Spector x fem!reader

Warnings: oral m! receiving, p in v, fingering, usage of daddy kink, possessive behavior, Steven being a *bit* too needy and dominant.

Steven

Steven came home later than usual, his boss Donna made him stay longer.

When he walked through the door, you were already getting ready for bed. Even though Steven told you to wait for him, you got tired and just wanted to sleep.

"Heyia love! Daddy's back." Steven's voice rang through his flat. You were already in bed when you heard him, sitting up and rubbing your eyes as he opened the door to your room, "Already wanting to drift off, are we, love?" Steven hummed.

Stretching your arms, you nodded "You're about two hours too late, I was getting tired."

"My pretty little darling got all tired, hm? But now I'm back like I promised." Steven smiled, walking over to you "Have you been a behaved little girl while I was away?"

"Yea I was." You nodded.

"And you'll still be that way for daddy, yeah?" He sat on the bed, his hand moving the covers away, revealing you in underwear.

"Yes, d-daddy.." You replied hesistantly, seeing Steven's hand slipped down on himself, into his pants to grab himself.

"You look so sexy like this, all submissive. So pretty. And all mine.." Steven's cock was already painfully hard, he had been thinking about you the whole time at work, coming back to his good little girl.

He moved closer to you, his other hand hooking its fingers on the waistband of your panties, "I want you to beg f' me. Beg me to fuck you." his voice lowered dangerously as he began to pull down your panties and spreading your lips, rubbing your clit slowly with his thumb to get you wet.

With a soft, almost whiney moan you obeyed "Please fuck me daddy, I need your cock. Please.."

Steven chuckled, leaning over you getting closer to your ear "S'that all you got, love?" He asked dryly, as he already worked on getting himself out.

"Need you so bad, my pussy wants to get owned by you, Steven-.."

Slap!

Steven softly spanked your ass cheek, making you gasp as he continued to work you up with his fingers, "Who?" Steven asked, slipping a finger inside of you, immediately getting soaked.

"Daddy- I mean daddy!" You quickly corrected yourself, feeling his finger slowly pumping inside of you.

"That's my good girl." Steven praised "Said you need my cock, yeah? Gonna give it to you."

He positioned his already free cock at your entrance, teasing you before he entered you, not stopping until his whole length was buried inside, "Mh-mm, here you go, got you wrapped nicely around me." Steven groaned, starting to move into you at a normal pace, hitting those spots inside you. You moaned, instinctively arching into him. Steven increased his pace, the pent up desires from the day started to fade away as he lost himself in pounding into you. "Thought about this all day, coming back to my little girl, getting to feel you again." Steven moaned, his hand coming down to rub you clit while he's thrusting into you, making you moan louder

"Love, you have to stay quiet for me, you will wake up the whole building." Steven chuckled, the way he was pounding into you and rubbing made you see stars, you tightened around him feeling your orgasm approaching.

"I'm close!" You whined, eagerly arching your hips chasing your imminent release.

"There you go love, go ahead and make a mess of yourself for daddy." Steven praised, getting close himself. Your orgasm came fast, gripping his cock like a vice. Steven's eyes rolled back in his head at the familiar grip you had, his cum shooting into you. Both of you were panting, Steven laid ontop of you with his face buried in your neck as you two calmed down. When Steven pulled up and looked at you, seeing you all fucked out and tired, he pressed a soft kiss on your lips

"You were such a lovely girl for daddy. Sleep now, you deserved it." You didn't even noticed anything after, you drifted off to sleep like a blown out candle.

-

Marc

Marc was so glad to be back, Khonshu was royally pissing him off, that old clunky bird was getting on his nerves with all the demands. Good thing Marc had his Scotch and precious little girl to make him forget about his day. When he returned, he went straight for a shower to wash away the evidence and blood from the day. You didn't hear him enter, you were in the kitchen when he came back, only hearing the noises of the shower made it clear that he was back. After they stopped you made your way to the living room, seeing Marc standing by his Scotch counter with his back turned to you, his hair still a damp from the shower, wearing nothing but his boxers.

"Hey Marc, how was your day?" You asked softly, not wanting to startle him. When Marc turned, he saw you wearing one of his shirts which was a bit too big for you, the hem hanging a bit past your waist.

"That old bone beak Khonshu was grumpy." Marc replied, swinging his glass, watching the liquid as it moved.

Sensing how boiled up Marc must be, you decided to make your way to the bedroom, while Marc flopped down on the couch getting comfortable, but he stopped you from walking further.

"Babygirl, where do you think you're going?" Marc called out amused, taking a sip from his glass.

You gulped, turning around, seeing Marc beckoning you over to him with a finger, "Come to daddy."

Marc set his glass down on the coffee table, turning his attention back to you "Get down." He ordered, the bulge in his boxers was already growing. You knew Marc had a shit day, you didn't want to piss him off anymore than Khonshu did. You obeyed, lowering yourself on your knees infront of him.

"Be a good girl and help your daddy relax, would ya'?" He asked, not beating around and freeing his throbbing cock "Go ahead, make me proud."

You leaned in, supporting yourself with your hands on his trained thighs his hand coming up behind your head, tangling his fingers through your hair, forcing your head down on his dick. Wasting no time, you took his girth into his mouth, lips wrapped around him, while swirling your tongue.

Marc's eyes fluttered shut, his head falling back on the headrest behind him "Fuck honey, just like that.." A sigh of delight came out of him. As your mouth served him, you grazed your teeth on his shaft, which caught Marc off guard and he almost came at that, his hand pushed you down forcing you to take him deeper as the tip of his cock hit the back of your throat.

"Don't do that babygirl, don't make me cum too fast, I don't want to end it now." Marc gasped, suddenly pulling you off his cock "Get up here." He said, grabbing your wrist to practically pull you up.

You moved to straddle his lap, pulling your panties aside and positioned yourself over his cock while Marc grabbed your hips and easily pulled you down swiftly. The way you gasped as he stretched you was like music to his ears. "There you go baby, taking daddy's cock so well like you should." Marc started using you like a ragdoll, your weight was no match for his strength as he fucked you however he pleased. "Who does this pussy belong to?" He asked, his hips thrusting upwards to meet yours.

You couldn't think straight, his cock was hitting your sweetspots with every thrust, "My pussy belongs to you, daddy!" You moaned, Marc's grip on your hips tightened at your words, he felt himself getting close his movements increased. "That's right, all mine, hm? Only getting filled by my cock." Marc hummed, his breathing becoming heavy, "Cum all over my cock, honey. Do it." Marc ordered, feeling how your pussy tightened around him at the command. "Just like that, let that pussy coat my cock." Just at that, your pussy clamped down, gushing your juices all over Marc's cock, who just like you came too filling you up with his cum.

The two of you didn't move, you rested your head against his shoulder. Marc's cock has already softened inside of you "Such a good girl for me, that's how you make daddy proud, princess." Marc leaned in to kiss your temple gently.

[human-encounters-diary]

Day 8

Doubts regarding whether or not the Terran liked me where certainly and indisputably diminished at the beginning of the next cycle.

Quinn seemed to have predicted my intention of speaking to her as soon as possible, given that she sought me out shortly after the new cycle had begun. She was walking towards me in a rather strange manner, faster than normal walking, practically jumping with small flying phases in between taking the next step. I could not discern the purpose it was supposed to serve, but I was not given time to put too much thought into it.

She bared her teeth at me once again, although this time I did not recoil. One of her hands hit me languidly slightly above the juncture where my first pair of legs joined my upper body. I was uncertain what this gesture was supposed to convey. Was it an attack? Was she trying to notify me of an imminent danger approaching?

"I wanna show you something", she informed me. She waved her hand from my direction towards her body, which, if I inferred correctly out of the previous records, was supposed to signify me to follow her.

I trailed after her, letting her lead me to the emergency in question. As it turned out, there was no immediate emergency. The Terran came to a halt in front of one of the few windows built into the outer layer of the SIIR Noxos. She pointed to it as I joined her side, leaving a (as I aimed) respectful distance between the two of us. I followed her extended arm with my visual organs, ending up staring out of the window. 

I blinked. If there was an immediate threat outside the window in close proximity, I was not able to glimpse it. The human spoke up: "It‘s beautiful, isn‘t it?"

She had sunken to the floor, a rather alarming sight at first, but she seemed unharmed. 

I searched for an appropriate response, but in the end, I simply answered: "I suppose. Although my species does not linger in the beauty of transient things."

The human‘s face morphed into a grimace of displeasure. "Then what‘s the point in life?"

"My species believes that there is more to life than oneself, and that intelligent life is supposed to be dedicated to the exploration of science.", I eludicated.

"Hm. I guess y‘all aren‘t too different from some humans. Y‘know, we humans have the phrase 'Appreciate the little things'. I mean, the universe isn‘t exactly small, but…it‘s definitely nice to look at." "I suppose", I repeated.

I lowered myself onto the floor as well, as it seemed appropriate. I gazed upon the universe outside the window. I suppose there was something quite beautiful about it. 

Eventually, I broke the silence.

"May I ask a question?", I requested, careful not to be impolite. 

"Yeah, sure", she answered.

"I watched the video recording of your work in Sector 3, simply to control your work, and you…seemingly began to sing? While continuing to work? I am merely trying to understand the reasoning behind this. Does it serve a religious or cultural purpose?You were not bored by your task, were you?" My front pliers rattled quietly. Something about the thought of the human being bored made me…rather uneasy. Perhaps it was due to my mind imagining what the human might come up with to pass the time in case of boredom.

The Terran blew air out of her nostrils rather aggressively, but there were no other signs of irritation.

"Oh, no", she answered. "No, it‘s actually just because…well, my dad taught me everything he knows about handling machines, so when I used to help him out in the workshop in the afternoons, and we‘d be like…fixing a car engine or whatever, we always used to turn up the radio and sing along. It was kind of our thing. So nowadays, when I‘m working on something, I might start singing. Not out of boredom, just a habit."

"Your…dad.", I repeated, uncertain what that term was supposed to mean. 

She looked at me in a indiscernible manner. "Yeah, my father, my parent, whatever you wanna call it."

"I apologize. I was unfamiliar with that term.", I stated.

"Oh. Sure."

She opened her mouth once again to say: "Y‘know, um…I mainly just wanted to show you this and also thank you, y‘know, for…giving me something to work on."

"It was my pleasure. I admit I might have given you a rather simple task to begin with, but that was merely because, while the Vitrichl stated you were competent, he and I have…differentiating views on the word 'competent'."

She bared her teeth once again, although shortly, before raising to her full height and, for some inexplicable reason patting down her clothes as if to remove any dust, although her clothing was perfectly clean.

"Well, Cap wants to see me again today, so, I guess I‘ll see ya tomorrow."

"Indeed.", I retorted.

Without another word, she turned and waved one of her hands behind her as if to signal her departure.

[thrandilf]

Hi everyone! I'm strangefake on AO3 and this is a little post of all of my sfw lmk stuff (so far!). Here's the list, only one was written after S5 came out (All the Small Things) and none of the others have spoilers, though some really fit the post S5 mood. I hope you enjoy if anything catches your eye! <3

General/Not Ship Focused:

What Kind of Memory Am I? MK POV. Sunburst Duo. MK and Wukong talk post S4. “In that scroll, in all of those memories, those lifetimes of mistakes- was I one of them?” MK was afraid of the answer. “One of your mistakes?”

Guilt "Complex?" I Find It Quite Simple Red Son POV. Inspired by Callum's "I need you to kill me" moment in TDP, MK panics about Monkey Form. The two people he calls up- Macaque and Red Son- are far from the sort one would associate with comfort and emotional intelligence, but they try their best. Hurt and comfort with heavy mental health/angst, but on par with S5.

Hair Bones Red Son POV. Traffic Light Trio has a sleepover at MK's house post S4 with a focus on comforting MK with a dash of goofiness. Background Dragonfruit.

Harmonize the Wild Energies Within Red Son POV. Past Red Son and Princess Iron Fan training in the earlier days of him mastering his powers hundreds of years ago.

(NEW!) Given, Not Earned Macaque POV. SoySauce Duo. To Macaque's surprise, MK requests a sleepover with him Post Season 5, saying he wants to learn a new power. Literal fluff and then typical MK angst. Minor Wukong appearances.

Shadowpeach:

All the Small Things Macaque POV. Takes place during S5 E1 if the episode had lasted longer, mostly fluff and island monkeys.

Kintsugi Wukong POV. Bittersweet Shadowpeach with a hopeful ending, written post S4 but emotionally works post S5 too. There was little use asking what specific memory was bothering Macaque. One, it was obvious, and two, it didn’t matter. Every thread that tied them together always looped back to encompass it all.

Break the Cycle Wukong POV. Post S4, Wukong and Macaque have a romantically charged fight while Wukong stays at Macaque's place. Rated T.

Freenoodles:

Infinite Noodle Glitch Tang POV. Just as it sounds, Tang hatches a plan to get as many noodles as possible. Established relationship.

Dragonfruit:

Complimentary Colors Red Son POV. Apollo dealt me a glancing hit with the dodgeball: Red Son calls Mei over after a mysterious fireproof dog breaks into his house to help handle it. Featuring dog sitting shenanigans and first kisses, this fic was the first LMK fic I ever wrote and has art by @imminent-danger-came

Down Bad Red Son POV. MK runs into Red Son at the mall and catches him buying a green dragon plushie- for himself? Red Son gets the courage up to confess his feelings to Mei- but there's a twist.

[earenwen-leafwhisper]

Not Wanted part 3

 

Pairing: Daemon Targaryen x chubby fem reader  

Summary: What a surprise it was to run into Daemon in this tavern.  

Trigger warning: English is not my mother tongue, I am sorry if mistakes are going through my correction, I will correct them.

Author’s note: Y/s/n = Your servant name  

Y/f/n = your father name  

 

---  

 

 

There he was, siting. You were face to face. Your heart throbbed, your blood pouring into your whole body. Your breath seemed to be trapped in your lungs and throat. Daemon was looking at you with a sweet smirk on his lips. He could see your reaction, but he couldn’t see your internal reaction.  

 

Inside you, your mind ran in all directions, you never could have imagined seeing it, here, in this tavern, even less during the day. What was he doing there? You were trying to stay calm, keep your breath down.  

 

He was the first to answer  

 

 

"Keep my mouth?"  

 

 

The tone of his voice was not harsh or angry, but rather amused. His voice seemed hypnotized to you, the environment around you no longer existed. Until this bubble burst at your realization. But what happens to me?  

 

"Yes, it is not very courteous to speak like that."  

"It is not a proper place for a lady, especially without a knight on her side." He smirk, but the tone of her voice was most serious.  

 

 

He hit the nail  

"I am not alone."  

 

 

He looked at your maid, his smirk grown bigger, a small laugh, out of his mouth, he shook his head gently spanking his long silver hair.  

"A servant will not serve you against bandits. Unless you are an expert in handling fabrics and needles."  

 

Even if you were to contradict him, he was right, she would be as helpless as you in the event of a bandit attack. You sighed softly, but did not lower your eyes.  

 

 

All of a sudden, you were worried if your dad found out you were sneaking out, although for your dad you were a jerk, disobeying him was going to lead to the beating you didn’t want to imagine. You shivered despite the heat of the tavern.  

"Will you bring it back?" 

 

Daemon watched your body language, your pupils widen, the fact that you curl slightly. You looked like an animal who was hunter and in front of an imminent and not visible danger. Time seemed to have become slow, so slow that it seemed to have stopped.  

"No, I see no interest, or benefit."  

 

Daemon was serious, his voice more posed and less playful, he smiled more mockingly. You let go of the breath you were holding, the tension of your whole body dissipated, you felt relieved although a slight fear, although reduced, remained in the depths of your mind.  

 

 

Your servant could see the tension that had settled, slowly fades, to help, she made the decision to change conversation and focus on you and ordering your meal.  

"Oh that’s right... "  

 

You think for a few seconds asking for a dish that contained what you enjoyed eating and that could please your servant, throwing a glance at her, to confirm if she was willing to eat it. She nodded. You commanded for two people, be it for food and drink. 

 

When the employer went away with your order, a silence settled at the table, this silence was only a silence of voices, because music came from the opposite side of the tavern. When you looked in the direction where the music was coming from, you could see Daemon, who was wearing the hood of his cape on his head, preventing the people behind him from seeing his silver hair, you were taken aback, he was alone in this tavern, at least seemed to be alone. For a prince, you thought that he would at least be accompanied by a knight not necessarily in bodyguard but at least in reinforcement if the prince was attacked. Perhaps his reinforcements were in the tavern also incognito. Although it seemed more likely that the prince came alone, hence the placement of his hood on his head.  

 

You didn’t want to keep your eyes on him to avoid being seen as an insistent person or one of the young women who is desperately looking for a man. So yes you found him more than charming, but no you did not want to pass for crazy.  

 

In the distance, from the oak counter, an employee differs from the one who took your order, walked zigzagging between the tables, arriving at yours. He brought a jug and a goblet in a gesture, he laid it all before Daemon. When the prince poured the contents of the jug you could see wine coming out, raising an eyebrow you could contain your reflection.  

 

Daemon looked at you and smiled in the corner, almost amused by your reflection. He let out a small mocking laugh. If the prince seemed to take your words well, your servant had become tense, giving you alert looks, trying to make you understand that you had to apologize for your words. You cast an inquiring glance at her, you did not see the evil in your words, a small battle of glance began, you were both winning and losing, for not apologizing, she did it in your place.  

"Wine that looks like dog urine, but not enough to drink?" 

"I am sorry, my prince, for my mistress’s behavior and word." She bowed her head in respect.  

 

"You can just as well shout." You looked harshly at your servant, your whispered words directed at her." Don’t forget that we can’t get caught."  

It is true that you had been dry and direct, but you refused to be punished on your return and even more so that your return would be faster if one of the knights of your house were in this tavern and recognized you. You were never harsh towards your servant, she was the closest person to a friend than anyone else in your home. You’ll talk to him later.  

 

"Oh yes... the rumors." It was Daemon.  

 

"What rumors?" His words questioned you.  

"The ones that say you’d be mistreated by your alcoholic father."  

Daemon had hit home. You avoided wincing at his words. Your father was finally more famous than you could have imagined, if even a Targaryen had heard the rumors.  

 

The prince drank a sip of his wine before continuing to speak.  

"An alcoholic asshole, I’m surprised to see you here, not under his yoke."  

 

"If I don’t start living now, I’ll never do it. Not once marry the man he chooses." You sigh.  

 

This interested Daemon, a lady tired of being the kind second child, envious of freedom. Oh how much could he understand you, much more than anyone else, but unlike you, the fact that he was a man prevented him from getting in trouble, you could live as a woman.  

Your servant was watching what was happening, nervous, hoping that once the dishes were brought, you would eat before leaving for the camp before the end of the game of the day. It was without counting on Daemon’s growing interest in you and your desire to escape.  

 

If at the arrival of the dishes, the discussion ended as desired Y/s/n the continuation was quite different.  

Daemon came out of the tavern first, long before you finished eating, he had not said a word, you were disappointed, but did not dare to say anything. At the end of your meal, you took out a small purse where some gold and silver coins were stored and you paid.  

 

Coming out of the tavern in your turn, the sun had slightly dazzled you, you took a few seconds before your eyes adapt to the brightness.  

The street was crowded with people, Y/s/n wrapped his arm around the hold so as not to lose you. You walked towards the main street, taking the time to look at the clothes of the people, the dresses were not in the style of your region, they were much simpler, the pomp of the nobles, gave them quite a charm. What the sun’s rays seemed to bring out. 

During a blockade in the street, where several people seemed to fight for something and had ended up blocking the street because of the crowd of spectators observing the situation. In the distance you could hear the cries of the people, then suddenly the cries were less until a crowd movement. Your heart and your breath began to accelerate. The cries had given way to a fight that was becoming widespread. The tinsel of armor was heard in less than two minutes. As you were about to be hit by a city guard, someone grabbed you by your free arm, made you step back, and stumbled on your steps.  

 

A hand came over your mouth, you looked around as much as you could. The back of your head was against a person’s chest/shoulder, you could feel the movement of the person’s breath, even feel the person’s breath against your cheek. Your gaze crossed Y/s/n, his gaze reflected his fear and growing panic. You could feel the blood pulsating in your temples, to the frenetic rhythm of your heart, a cold sweat running along your back.  

 

By trying to calm down, you could focus on the smell of the person holding you. It was a mixture of leather, grass from a bath, and burning coal, as well as a small smell of wine when the man began to speak your ear.  

 

 

"A young woman inclined to freedom, but not to her own safety."  

You recognized that voice, though you only heard it a few times. That voice... heard less than an hour before. A voice you wanted him to continue to speak to you. Some silver streak only confirmed your intuition. He released your mouth when he felt you relax.  

"Prince Daemon? ..."  

 

You turned in his direction, surprised, your pride shouted at you to answer him in a scathing way, but your spirit told you to be posed, while your heart howled incoherent things.  

"Fair lady, this city can be dangerous, not as dangerous as King’s Lading but feel no doubt much more than your city." 

 

But he was not wrong, this crowd movement, was nothing compared to an attack of bandits. Whatever you were in the middle of the day, in a street full of people, where the guards reacted quickly, rare were the attacks of bandits in such conditions.  

"Thank you... for stopping us from being pushed by the guards." You had to admit, you’d rather be shot at the prince than pushed by guards.  

 

Daemon smiles in the corner, seeing you thank him, your look avoiding him. He had interviewed your eyes in the tavern, and now that you were avoiding him, he had made it his mission to make you look at him.  

 

 

 

"Have you visited the whole city?"  

"No..." You didn’t have time to answer him.  

"No, we must return to the encampment as soon as possible, before Lord Y/f/n returns, and discovers that we are not present."  

 

 

Your servant had cut you off, you were irritating, you knew your father, with the day of the game, he would come home late at night and completely drunk, which means that he would not notice, your absence, even Sir Percival, was not at your bedside, Your father had ordered him to stay with him, thinking that you would stay in your tent. Sir Percival would not see your disappearance until your father was asleep in his tent.  

 

Daemon looked at your servant, she bored her to the highest point. Her black eyes, made her shut up and looked towards the ground. If she was familiar with your kindness, she would not suffer the wrath of a prince, a Targaryen prince in addition. 

Your side of the was measuring the pros and cons, to know if you stayed to go around the city with the prince, if he agreed, or you would come back now and reduce your chances of future boredom, due to your little escapade.  

 

 

For:  

"You discovered the city and were not locked up in your tent."  

-Chances of spending the afternoon with Daemon.  

-If you were with him, the opportunity to ask him questions.  

"If the prince liked you, it would reduce the chances of your father correcting you."  

 

 

Against:  

"Your father’s reaction if he finds you missing."  

-Be in your tent until the games are over.  

-To be forced to marry a horrible stranger... Oh yes it is true, it was already the case, feel your exit quietly.  

-Let your father learn of your sneaking out with Daemon, who already has his reputation and a nickname that was given to him in the victory of 'Rogue Prince'  

 

 

Whether for or against, they were at the same numbers, in any case those you had in mind at that time.  

Might as well live fully, no? But in safety. If Daemon asked you to visit the city by his side, you agreed. But if you were alone with Y/s/n, you would go back with her to the camp, putting an end to this escapade.  

 

 

"So? Have you visited the city?"  

"Not all of it, just the big streets."  

"Are there places you would like to visit? Like the alleys where jugglers play or street theatre?"  

"It sounds interesting, only... I wouldn’t mind a guide." You were hoping he understood your undertone and agreed to go with you.  

"I happen to know the perfect guide." He smirk.  

"Oh, who is he?"  

"Me."  

 

Your heart which had calmed down again to beat ka chamade, at the moment you thought you had misunderstood, that your imagination had played a trick on you, but by looking at him, in an interrogation way, his mocking smile. He offered you to be your guide, your blood poured into your body, a heat invaded it. You smiled softly and looked Y/s/n which was on the edge of panic. If you could calm her down, she would accompany you, she would even become a witness if anything should happen and turn against you.  

 

With a glance from you, encouraging, she agreed to follow you, you will talk about it later, once enter your tent and without witnesses.  

 

 

---  

 

 

The sky was overcrowded with heavy clouds, the wind had risen slightly, a smell of rain was beginning to spread in the air.  

 

In the city, only the people living there and not merchant had taken refuge in their cottages, the (entertainers) continued to entertain the passers-by, the different musics play by the small troupes of artists animated each street and alleys. In one of the alleys, a play was played. This one traced with "certainty" the loves and counted with confidence the number of conquest of the Lord Baratheon.  

 

 

"Certainty?... There must be only half the bastards begotten."  

 

 

Daemon had spoken in your ear, the sound of his voice and his breath against your cheek and neck, gave you shivers in the back, not of horror but earlier of anticipation.  

 

 

"Are Lord Baratheon’s out-of-wedlock adventures so well known?" You were watching Daemon surprise and disillusionment.  

"For the common people and some nobles apparently." Daemon shrugged.  

 

 

Applause came out of your discussion. The audience applauds the final scene where Lord Baratheon, at least his actor, had collapsed on the alcoholic floor under the gaze of his mistresses. 

“If it was one of the best shows in the city, I can’t imagine the others.” Daemon chuckled and shook his head.  

"Maybe the other theatres offer shows more to your liking?"  

“I highly doubt it.”  

"Why not try? At least you won’t have any regrets."  

 

 

Daemon shook his head again, if he were not intrigued by you, he would have refused. But at the thought of spending more time with you. He was ready to undergo the endless staging that included the theatres of the city, fortunately for him, almost all were filled by the people and were inaccessible.  

 

Daemon had left his hood on his head so as not to be recognized. You were often at the back of the crowd, avoiding contact with other spectators. Y/s/n was nervous and on high alert, all your opposite. You forgot your troubles, live the present moment.  

 

 

---  

 

 

It is only when the sun sets that you return to the camp. Once inside, Daemon removed his hood releasing his silver hair, the sun gave golden hues to his hair. You watched him from the corner of your eye, an almost mystical charm emanated from him.  

 

Servants and knights, staying in the camp looked in your direction, many were people who did not pay attention, too busy with their own concerns. Others wondered why the prince came back with you. (Mainly the people of small noble houses of the lords wanted to marry their sons) 

At the time you didn’t care, until you left the prince, your little bubble, deflated without bursting. For when they entered your tent, some of your servants present, looked at you surprised and panicked, they had searched throughout the camp without finding you and had feared that you had fled or worse had been kidnapped. If you had come home later, by nightfall they should have warned your father of your disappearance. You were sorry to have frightened them and told them, but deep down, you did not regret anything, this simple moment with Prince Targaryen you allowed to change your mind, to see a side of life that you did not know, you finally felt free. Free of this tent, free of your castle, free of your father and your family’s judgments. You had finally lived part of your life.  

 

 

---  

 

 

On his return your father had not even seen your change in your behavior, your look in the wave, how you only half listened to what he told you while being drunk. You even smiled a little, something strange coming from you, because you usually remained closed on you when he was there. You were on your little cloud, remembering the reflections of light in Daemon’s hair, or the smell that emanated from him when you were sitting next to him. To his giggling when he mocked a stage and actors at shows. To his breath against your skin when he pulled you out of the crowd. Even if it was only one exit, the prince had managed to capture your mind much more than you could have imagined.  

 

---  

 

 

The next morning, you had prepared, not for another getaway but for the new games of the day, the Béhourd tournament was about to begin and your father wanted you to be there to show you to a lord. You were bubbling with resentment that you were riding like a fairground beast. Your father left at first, letting you grind your teeth.  

 

As you left your tent, your gaze met that of a certain prince. He walked in the direction of the games, when he turned his head in my direction of the heavy sound of the movement of the fabrics which composed the entrance of your tent.  

When Daemon saw you, he smiled in the corner, not with mockery but because it was pleasant for him to see you. In no time you walked side by side, your servant followed you, Ser Percival followed you by his side, his gaze was suspicious, you spoke so easily with the prince, that it was not normal for two people who had just met.  

 

Along the way towards the duel field, your conversation with Daemon continued, you smiled much more than usual, even he smiled at you gently and not with his mocking smile. All along the way, you stayed too close, more than courtesy allowed. When you split up, Daemon took your hand and put a chaste fuck in it. You felt a heat rising in you, the same heat you had felt the day before, not of embarrassment (of Shame), but a pleasant warmth, of anticipation of the present moment.  

 

 

“Good game, my lady.”  

“Good game, Prince Daemon.”  

 

Ser Percival was about to faint, he knew very well the rumors about the prince who was more than once named Rogue Prince, in discussions between knights of different noble houses.  

He wondered about the events of the day before, he was not at your side and was afraid of what might have happened. He hoped the prince would not do this just to pass the time or to have a new nobleman to add to his conquests for the abandoned once tired of her.  

 

 

---  

 

 

The duels took place in the middle of the city, Lord Baratheon wanted everyone to be able to observe the duels, several of his own knights were going to fight and he wanted the greatest number to watch their victories.  

 

People had settled on the floors of the houses to look, people could attend the fight although they were not in contact with the nobles, the most guard arena was placed in the center of the city, large bleachers had been erected as well as barriers, to limit access to the place.  

 

As for the archery tournament, you were at your closest, your father sitting several rows behind you, but he had sat at the side of a lord, at the pace, not very neat. Y/s/s was always to be rated, but a young man, younger than the prince, with a dubious smell sat on your other side. He was more passionate about his wine cup and fighting than the people around him. If you were about to vomit, another person was bubbling.  

 

Daemon was seated in the gallery in front of yours, his hard and ardent gaze towards you, he could see how hard you were trying to get away from the lousy one who was shouting in the direction of the fights overthrow of his wine all around him. The fights bore Daemon, but what he saw in the stands opposite him was bubbling, your father a few rows above you, looked like a drunken and unscrupulous merchant. The screaming spectators, the clash of armor and weapons, did nothing to him, he heard nothing, just his blood bubbling in his temples.  

 

 

'My prince? ...' He was a servant, carrying a pitcher of wine.  

“What?” It wasn’t time to bother him.  

'Do you want more wine?' The servant, who had startled at the sound of Daemon’s voice, trembled.  

“No.”  

 

 

Daemon was not in the mood to drink wine, nor to talk to anyone. As soon as this tournament of Béhourd was finished, it would go in your direction. He was preparing a way out, to get you out of the mess your father decided to put you through.  

 

 

---  

 

 

When the sun reached its zenith, the game was over, you felt the wine you had not drunk, your dress was stained and this stranger followed you out of the bleachers. He made you uncomfortable, you looked around, behind you, your father was talking to the same lord at the beginning of the day. Until from the corner of your eye you saw silver hair moving in your direction. This silver hair moved very quickly, creating a crowd movement. In less than two minutes, Daemon was standing in front of you. He stood straight, a menacing look towards the gougea who was next to you.  

 

 

“My lady seem to be disturbed by some ‘dirty’ boy?” 

Daemon’s gaze towards the young man was murderous, he needed more than flames out of his mouth to make him look like a dragon. Ser Percival stood between you.  

“You’d better get away from Ser.” The tone of his voice became increasingly threatening.  

Y/s/n little reassured squeezed your arm.  

“It’s nothing, Percival.”   

The knight turned to look uncertain.  

'The prince must have seen what it is to pass in the stands and the state of my dress.' You smiled softly to try to calm the situation.  

“What’s going on?” Your father had just arrived and was looking at you with boredom.  

“Go back to your tent to change, have you seen how you present yourself in the presence of a prince?”  

“If that bastard hadn’t splashed his wine!”  

“This bastard is her fiancé!” The lord, father of the gougea, was caught in his pride.  

This sentence, dropped a stone on you, you quickly looked at your father, who although drunk had a hard look, you then looked at himself as a “fiancé” that even several poor had more pace, a wind of dread had just crossed you, it is the panicked look, You looked at the prince, lost.  

Daemon saw him with your change of expression and the positioning of your back, which reminded him of that of a condemned man. He finds himself bubbling even more rage. Oh he was going to make the lord regret the idea of making you marry his son, your father was going to regret how he treated you.  

Because for Daemon, you were his and his alone. 

[cuppalevi]

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐚 #𝟒 | 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢

Today's Cuppa is cuppalevi's feature fanfic recommendations. See Cuppa Collections for list of fanfic recommendations.

april 27 2024

this is a levi x reader x erwin fanfic that shook every part of me, body and soul. one of my favorites (i feel like im bout to say that to every fic i feature in today's cuppa hehe) that i steadily anticipated every update and cried when the last chapter was released.

shinzuoing, u absolute incredible writer. the antics between the three of them, between levi and reader, between levi and erwin, and between erwin and reader— brought this story so much life. a relationship that's so messy yet fulfilling, enough yet not, indenial but evident. god. with every chapter i always look forward to what these three will do next and how their story will play out during canon events of the show.

the intimacy between learning each other's boundaries and limits, all the while playing this back and forth juggle of feelings that they so desperately try to hide as they face imminent dangers of their world. its a steady build to developing trust and reconciling with prior conflicts.

you get constantly plagued with thoughts of "huh?!" "oh my god!?" "YES?!" "FINALLY?!" "NOOO?!?!?" the next thing u know ur pressing next chapter after chapter because u cant get enough of this incredible intense connection on these characters.

shinzuoing has also published a spin off to which ive linked below too, one that im currently subscribed to because i cannot get enough of these three. they also have a oneshot series set in the same universe but can be read as itself. both of which are definitely worth checking out if u loved this is a story of the sea.

edit may 21 2024: I JSUT FOUND @shinzouing on tumblr FJAFNKAF im sorry for this sudden tag i just need you to know that you are such a talented writer and this universe you made is one of my roman empires <3

Content: canonverse, threesomes, angst, grief, sexual content, pining, yearning, more tags on ao3

Status: completed

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖 by shinzouing

You and Levi have a truce: when sharing Erwin’s bed, (almost) anything goes. You both want him too much to let your years-long feud stop you. But after reclaiming Shiganshina, you have to decide: how do you two keep going without your fulcrum? Is there anything left between you—and were you the only one keeping your true feelings secret? Caught up in memories and grief, it becomes clear that the only way to move forward is to do it together. (from the serum to the sea, and everything that came before.)

Status: incompleted

𝙗𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖 by shinzouing

Despite a years-long feud, you and Levi have a truce: when sharing Erwin’s bed, (almost) anything goes. You both want him, and this arrangement is easier than sharing your real feelings when Levi so clearly doesn’t want you. But after reclaiming Shiganshina and the three of you closer than ever, can you really keep pretending you don’t want Levi? And the way he’s acting, are you the only one keeping your true feelings secret? Between the survivor’s guilt and the challenges ahead, it becomes clear that the only way to reach the sea (and beyond) is for all three of you to do it together. (or, this is a story of the sea, if erwin had survived at shiganshina)

Status: completed

𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 by shinzouing

©cuppalevi on tumblr / icon by yomu do not steal / header by me

[raayllum]

love it when your friends make fun of you <3 @imminent-danger-came

[devnmon]

Long, Long Time.

'Cause I've done everything I know To try and make you mine And I think I'm gonna love you For a long, long time

Summary: Irrevocably in love with the woman you can’t have, a wine drunk night over classical reading and a fireplace aids in decision making.

Ao3 version | tess masterlist

prequel fic

Warnings: smut [a tiny bit], reader hopelessly in love with Tess, use of y/n (a couple times); based on ep 3 of TLOU

wc: 13k

A/n: Okay ummm first of all don’t blame me for writing this much on one character that i’ve never written before, but this fic is literally my baby. It’s my favorite thing i’ve written. I thought it was my turn to take a spin with writing for Tess. Since tlou came out i’ve been obsessed with her and… well you can tell by how much I wrote. Here it is, my perfect Tess fic. Enjoy <3

Today was the day.

A warm morning in September, 20 years after the Cordyceps infection sunk into the deepest depths of society, crumbling down its once high, strong walls, to a brittle, cracked dictatorship of community. The Boston Quarantine Zone was one of your least favorite places in the world, but from what you heard about other cities' QZ's, it was a walk in the park.

As a smuggler, you handled runs for more than 75% of the place, with the help of a few desperate FEDRA officers that offered to look the other way for a price.

If risking your life for bottles of pills and useful supplies was the most dangerous thing to do, then so be it; you were the unlucky one.

Most runs, you were accompanied by one of your two partners, Tess Servopolous or Joel Miller. They were older, skilled, smart, and resourceful, and they knew how to kill. Especially Tess. She could handle her own like it was nobody's business. Hard headed and courageous, Tess became a good partner and soon enough, a close friend.

Although, there was another part of you that found her alluring, captivating and so, so gorgeous. She was confident in herself no matter what, which only drew you towards her more.

Ever since the early days of the outbreak, you three had each other's backs, and nothing could come between you. To you, they were the only thing you'd known after being found by the older woman and taken in. The day she found you, beat up and bloody with several injuries, was the day she had quite genuinely saved your life.

Now a part of Joel and Tess's smuggling business, you were off to a town called Lincoln, a five hour hike from the walls of the QZ.

The hot sun glared down on your skin, a chill September breeze flowing in gusts that kept you cooled off enough throughout your journey.

A majority of the trip was spent in silence, lost in your enamor for Tess, eyes trailing over the back of her figure. She had glanced back once or twice at you, like she could feel your eyes burning into her body.

Some nights you lay awake wondering what it would be like to drag your fingers up and down the expanses of her skin, trailing over her back and caressing the soft skin of her figure till you fell asleep.

Time passed as you traveled behind Tess and Joel, and the image of a metal fence coming into view.

"This is it," Joel stated before approaching the gate. You begin to follow the two older individuals before you pause, stopping a minute to remember something that Frank had mentioned about their gate.

"Wait, I thought you said this thing was booby-trapped or something.. How do we know it won't get triggered?" The concern of your safety was imminent, the unknown patiently waiting behind the metal gates.

"Well we don't, but Frank said if we came from the road instead of the forest that it wouldn't get triggered. They'd see us coming that way, too. Trust me, I know Frank. He wouldn't lie, not when he knows we can work together."

Tess was the expert on the two men that lived behind the gates of the completely deserted town; she was the one who arranged their meeting, after all.

"Alright.." You sighed, walking right up to the gate with them.

There was a box attached to the entry gate with a few buttons on it. You watched Joel walk up to the gate and press a button labeled 'Call'.

A loud buzzing sounded out after he'd pushed the red button in, and a moment later, a male voice responded from the intercom.

"Password."

The voice sounded deeper than Frank's, only assuming the speaker was Bill, the other half of the couple that resided in Lincoln.

"Uh- Ahem," Joel cleared his throat, before stating the code word Frank had given you three before coming.

The feedback rang out as Joel spoke, another buzzing sound coming from the gate as you hear it unlock.

"Alright, let's go. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious, since we really don't know what we're walkin' into here."

Tess scoffed at her male partner's words, a smirk on her face saying otherwise from your tense anxiety of meeting new people.

"Tess, hey," you grabbed her arm ever so softly as you trailed behind her, and she looked toward you, "Are you sure we can trust these guys?"

A tiny smile formed on her face as she recognized your nervousness. She thought it was adorable and sweet how you went to her for comfort at any point in time. It warmed her heart and made her feel important to somebody again.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Frank wouldn't hurt a fly. Bill on the other hand.. he might be a bit standoffish at first. From what Frank said, I'm sure he'll warm up to us with time. Don't worry."

Tess rubbed your arm up and down a couple times, hoping it would soothe your worries. As she did, your face broke out into a small smile, nodding before you dropped your grip and continued walking. You could get lost in the hazel of her eyes like it was hypnosis, or something close to that. The way Tess made your world stop by even being in your presence was something entirely familiar to you, and it kept you up at night, pondering about the simplest things.

It seemed the little town of Lincoln, Massachusetts was surrounded by this perfect bubble of safety and security. Like a dream, the familiarity of a place as different from the QZ.. felt a bit unreal. You never thought you'd have the chance to make friends in a world with infected, much less one with access to such a large range of supplies in a deserted town, highly protected by its sole residents.

The feeling surrounding you was oddly similar to how you felt around Tess, her warmth and beauty heart-warming, much like a hug.

Your focus is brought back to reality as you almost bump into Tess's back, her and Joel had abruptly stopped walking.

"Oof- sorry Tess-"

"Y/n.." Joel says abruptly, not realizing they're both holding their hands out to the side, the cocking of what sounded like a gun putting the realization into place.

"Shit.." You whispered, stepping out from behind Tess, arms out in the same fashion as your partners, and you realize there's a man holding a gun out at the three of you.

Then, from the house the man stood in front of, another man came running out. He calls the name of the man who's holding his pistol at you, Bill.

Which means.. that's Frank. You thought to yourself, as the sweater-wearing man approached and tried to beckon the other man to lower his weapon.

"Bill, these are the people I met over the radio. We can trust them.. they aren't going to hurt us. Put the gun down, please? I don't want to scare off people we could potentially be working with.." The man named Frank said with a chuckle, almost having to force the gun down himself. After another moment of brooding stares being passed between Bill and Joel, he lowers the gun and places it in his holster at his thigh.

Your hands drop to your sides after freezing with them out in the air due to fear. It wasn't the first time someone's pointed a gun at you, but it sure as hell was one of the times you thought someone would actually shoot. Relief washed over you as Bill's arms lowered.

"Perfect, thank you," Frank says to Bill, before wrapping his arm around the man's shoulder, "Welcome to our home, I'm Frank, and this is Bill. I'm so glad to finally meet you guys. We have a lot to talk about! Come on, follow me."

Frank had a home-like smile that was warm and welcoming. It was the first time in a long time you'd seen anyone smile like that. So carefree. You guessed it was the effect of not being behind the walls of a QZ for too long. That, or Frank knew how to stay true to himself in such a rugged, rough around the edges world.

The uncomfortable gaze Bill shot your way made you realize that it probably took a lot for him to even agree to let the three of you come into their town, much less want to work with complete strangers.

While being led back to Bill and Frank's home, you can't help but marvel at everything around you. Lincoln was much different than the QZ and open city; a town quite literally frozen in time from when it had been evacuated. A place like this was one you dreamed of settling down in, with a partner before the outbreak; it seemed like the perfect place to do so. Quiet, quaint, and bare of any infected or dangerous militia and resistance groups.

As their home came into view, it was exactly as you thought it'd be: another one of the huge houses a place like suburbia always had. It was one of the biggest you'd ever seen, almost out of a storybook. Except for the leaves blowing through the streets, it was as if the house hadn't aged a day. Everything about their home and its surrounding yard looked as if it had been tended to regularly; a mowed lawn, bushes with budding flowers, and not a single area of chipped paint to be seen.

"This is our place, I do my best to keep it looking its best and Bill... well he's just one hell of a cook. Aren't you, dear?" Frank turned to Bill with a smile, only to look away from his lover and back at you three.

"It's true, one of the many things I'm good at. Including defending my home." Bill's hand went to the gun strapped on his thigh.

"Yes, of course you are. Now, could you whip us up some lunch while I get to know our lovely guests here?" Frank turns his head towards Bill again.

"But-" Bill begins to speak, wanting to name all the reasons he doesn't want to leave his lover alone with strangers. Though, you notice Frank is quick to reassure Bill that everything will be alright.

"I'll be fine, I promise. They aren't going to hurt me, I've been extra careful with who I talk to, you know that. These people aren't dangerous. At least not to us." Frank's smile breaks Bill's resolve, trusting his lover enough to retreat into the house with haste.

Now alone with Frank, he guides the three of you over to the table on their lawn. You sit down next to Tess on your right side and Frank on the left.

"So.. Tess, I assume the lovely man you arrived with is the famous Joel Miller?" Frank turned to Joel with his hand out, receiving a firm handshake and nod from the Texan man.

"And you must be..." He turns to you.

"I'm y/n, the secret.. not-so-secret third partner." You laughed awkwardly, feeling somewhat out of place with the man and woman.

"That's right, I've only heard your name a handful of times, but it is so nice to finally meet you in person." Frank read your nervous state like a book, giving you peace of mind with a warm smile. Your nervous state diminishes when Frank's words set in, easing a smile onto your face and raising your eyebrows in slight surprise.

He's heard of me? I wonder what Tess's told him...

"It's nice to meet you too, Frank."

The four of you conversed with small talk, only butting in here and there to add something in, mostly keeping to yourself and not wanting to make the wrong impression on Frank. Tess and Joel discuss the details of a trading business between you all.

Soon enough, Bill began to come out with plates and silverware, to which Frank jumped up to help with setting the table.

"I can help if-" You started to speak, feeling a little guilty at not doing anything to help out as a guest.

"No, no. Sit, relax. You're our guests here, and I'm sure your trip has been long and tiring. Besides, it's been a while since I've set the table for more people than just me and Bill, and it's something I've always loved doing." Frank's kind smile once again eases your worries. But you swore to yourself you'd find a way to repay them for this.

You nodded as the two men made several trips to set the table, appreciating every little thing they added to it one after another. Spices, napkins, fine china plates and silverware with no scratches or rust on them. It was all a marvelous sight, one that reminded you of the old world and missing little things like this in times like these.

The amount of objects they'd placed on the table made you forget just how many of those material things you realized living without was doable. Even if you wished there were more aspects of the old world in the present one.

Fiddling with your thumbs again, you listened in to Joel and Tess's muttering about whether or not they could convince the two males on agreeing to work together, until you heard an exclamation from Tess.

"Oh my god.."

Your head jolted up towards the woman, about to ask her the reason for her outburst, until you picked up what had caught her attention.

The smell of fresh, hot food surrounded the three of you, hunger scraping at the edges of your stomach, making it even more evident that your last meal hadn't been as much of a hearty one as you'd wished. Dishes with meat and vegetables were all neatly placed in the same portion sizes as Frank and Bill put each plate down.

Before you dug in, you heard a familiar pop of cork from what you could only assume was a wine bottle. Sure enough, as you looked at Frank, the bottle he'd brought out resembled one you'd buy for a nice meal like this.

It wasn't until you heard the same cocking of Bill's pistol that you froze in your place. You watched as he placed it on the table for you all to see, a statement of protection and untrustworthiness he clearly still saw in the three of you.

Maybe not you or Tess specifically, but Joel, most definitely.

You decide to ignore the firearm's presence on the table, and begin eating the food that's so delicately placed on each of your plates. Instead of scarfing it all down like some rabid animal, you savored each bite of the flavorful, nutritious food and sip of wine like it was your last.

It might as well have been, since you had no idea whether or not you would be working together.

You wondered how people even ate on china plates that were as delicate and prettily detailed in the most extravagant ways. The silverware and wine glasses were also detailed and etched in such a beautiful way. It made you appreciate the smallest things before you had to go without them again.

A while passes, and everyone's finishing their food up. Light gusts of wind flow through Tess's hair as you look over to her, holding the glass of wine in her hand.

"Well, this really is just-- it's amazing." A slight smile on her face brings warmth to your chest, heating your body despite the cool air.

"Right?" Frank looks from Tess to Bill, who still has his pistol on the table, "Can you not please?"

He reaches over Tess's glass to fill it with the dark red alcohol, then reaches over to yours to do the same as you smile at him.

"I'm the same way," Joel states, understanding where Bill's actions are coming from. You realized in that moment that Bill and Joel are more alike than you thought.

"Oh, you're a paranoid schizophrenic too?" There's a slight chuckle that sounds out from you and Tess as Frank speaks.

"I'm not schizophrenic." Bill suddenly retorts, knowing the validity behind the methods to his madness.

Tess clears her throat, attempting to break the awkward tension that's so clearly grown between Bill and Joel.

"Well can I just say, gun aside, which I get, by the way, how nice this is to have a civilized meal in such a beautiful place? It's been so long. I mean it, I just- I wanna thank you. Even if we don't end up working together. I really needed this."

Her words seemed genuine, a slight twinge of silent and repressed pain in what she said. You only knew an extent of Tess's emotional wounds, ones she pushed down to do her job better.

As Frank lifts his wine glass to Tess with a small smile, he states, "We are working together."

The two clink their glasses together, making you raise yours to do the same.

"Cheers." Tess and Frank clink their glasses, and then Tess turns to you in the same fashion, quickly lifting your glass to clink together.

You all finish up your meals, occasionally glancing over to Tess with appreciation that you got to share something this special with your best friend.

And then the realization hit you, she was only your best friend, and you'd wanted to be more with her since she'd revealed a different side of her to you throughout the years. It was a kind, warm, caring side of Tess that made her feel like the familiarity of those strawberry candies that were hard on the outside, but soft, sweet and gooey on the inside. Tess was rough around the edges, but when she was alone with you were the times she revealed a softer side of herself.

Frank hadn't glanced anywhere other than Tess and Joel, picking up the way they discussed with one another, as if they were good business partners and friends. He'd been blinded by the fact that you sat furthest from Joel, barely even glancing his way for a split second.

The moment Frank gets a good look at you at the table is when he picks up on the way you look at Tess; it's different than the way you look at Bill and Joel, and by god does it open his eyes a mile wide. He only hides it behind his all-knowing warm persona and recognizes a light in your eyes that he saw similarly in Bill's the minute before he'd kissed him, that one day in 2007. Three years later, he saw that same spark of light in you, whenever your eyes glazed over to the only other woman at the table.

The warm younger man looks to his partner, who's anything but, to reassure you all again.

"We are." A moment passes as he sips from the wine glass and speaks again, "You know what? Let's go inside. Tess and y/n, I wanna show you something."

Frank begins to stand, lifting his wine glass from the table, Tess following next before you stand as well.

"Oh yes, it sounds amazing, I'd love to see inside." Now more sociable with the two glasses of wine in your system, you catch your balance before pushing your chair out from the table.

"Actually, I have been wanting to see inside, thank you."

Your words and Tess's overlap at the same time, chuckling a little at the synchronized movements and words between you and the older woman.

"Bring your wine. There's more inside."

"No, not inside. Frank.. Frank!" Bill's voice echoes from the table, as Frank holds the front door open for you two.

You're looking down at your feet as you walk up the porch and into the house, unaware that Tess was glancing back every few seconds to see if you followed. As you step inside, you wipe your boots off on the mat and Frank shuts the door behind him.

Your eyes finally pull away from the mat you've wiped your boots off on, to the inside of Bill and Frank's home. A deep breath of air fills your lungs to the brim as the sight of it all is a bit overwhelming.

"Wow..." you sigh, Frank stood behind you, Tess a few feet ahead, "I haven't seen anything like this in so.. long..."

You trail off as the sight of it all renders you speechless. There's candelabras with fresh wax from candles and picture frames with black and white photos. The image of inside makes it feel like a home, something you haven't felt in a very long time.

"Come on, it's right over here." Frank speaks out loud to the both of you, only you're still standing a few feet in front of the door, as the two walk into the open room just right of the stairway.

"Oh wow, look at these photo albums! I haven't seen one of these in forever.. Are they all Bill's?" Tess's voice carries to you from the other room, noticing her slight chuckle as you gaze over to where she's flipping through one of the albums.

"Yeah, yeah they are. Just don't tell him I showed you.." The two continue to giggle to themselves over the old pictures.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't even notice the extensive vinyl collection.. You know, I used to have a turntable back in college. I'd play the same old records every day, annoyed the hell out of my roommates.." Tess chuckles as she talks about her past life, something you always enjoyed hearing about when she brought it up.

With you, she could bring up anything from her old life, and you'd listen to every word.

You still had the suspicion that she and Joel had a thing going on, and your not-so-little crush on her was doing more harm for you than good in that aspect.

Tess and Frank are looking through the collections of vinyl and photos while you nonchalantly watch from afar, eyes glazing over to the massive shelves of books. Most of the ones on lower shelves were Bill's books on survival and guns, but the ones resting on the higher shelves were classics.

Before the outbreak, you'd been a sucker for those. There was something about the art of classic literature, the subtext and deeper meanings under every word. The beauty of those stories was unmatched.

I'd love to read one of those over some wine.. Matter of fact-

"Hey Frank? Where's that other bottle of wine?" You call out to him from the doorway, with your glass still in hand. Frank glances over to you from a few feet away.

"It's in the fridge, wine opener is uh- somewhere in there. You'll find it."

"Okay, thanks."

You finally break off from the two, eyes glazing over every single picture Bill and Frank have of themselves in their home, as well as the paintings Frank's done of Bill and himself.

Striding into the other room, the kitchen was in a state of what looked freshly used; pots and pans were everywhere, the scent of once heated oil lingering.

Your curious eyes peel over all the older pictures, then notice one in color that's stuck to the fridge with a rainbow magnet.

A twinge in your chest comes as well as joy for the two men that happened to find each other among a world of infected and dictatorships.

You just wish it would have happened to you already.

Bill must have had some vintage cameras lying around, ones Frank knew how to use, or learned to use for things like this. You crouched closer to look at the picture of the two men, bodies pressed together and hands clasped in each other's like they never wanted to let go.

And in such a world, why would they want to?

You pull the refrigerator door open, spotting the unopened bottle of red wine in the door. Reaching for it, you read the label, Beaujolais.

Huh, fancy name for a wine. It'll get me drunk all the same though.. Now where is that damn cork opener?

You're rummaging around in the kitchen drawers until you finally find it, oblivious to the fact that Tess has walked up behind you in your haste to find the damn thing. Her grey shirt is unbuttoned, with a white tee underneath. She always had the simplest style, but it didn't stop her from looking fucking stunning in anything she wore. Tess makes her presence known to you, arms folded across her chest as she leans against the doorway. Picturesque light chestnut strands of hair frame the soft features of her face.

"Whatcha got there?" your body whips around, wine bottle and opener in each of your hands (and almost slipping from them), to which Tess smirks a little at the sight.

You were surprised to not have heard the sound of her boots on the wooden floor, but Tess always had a way of surprising you like that.

You smile sheepishly, raising the bottle and wine opener in both your hands. Truth was, Tess popped in at the perfect time; you could never get the hang of opening things like this.

Opening bottles of liquor for you was always Tess's thing, since you didn't have the skill or strength for it. Your hands were just naturally smaller than hers as well, which meant it was only a job for a person with bigger hands.

How you wished you could hold them.

"Just in time. Could you open this for me? It's more your thing than mine.. Please? Before I drop it or something.."

Tess strides towards you and grabs both objects from your hands. She inserts the opener into the cork and twists until the similar pop from earlier indicates she'd removed it, the wine's aroma filling the area between you two.

Her strength was so attractive, the way she could make the simplest things such as opening a wine bottle look hot. The veins in her hands protruded when her grip strained, making you wonder what her hands would look like doing different things.

Tess lifts the cork to her nose, smelling the wine more intensely now, looking angelic as she breaths it in. Then, she lifts it to your nose, the gesture so familiar to you, but yet you've never seen Tess in a moment like this before.

The scent of the liquor paired with how Tess looks in the sunlight peering through the window is intoxicating in itself, as she places the bottle on the counter. Glancing outside, the golden light began to fade fast, darkness approaching quicker than you'd like it to.

With a smile, you walk over to the countertop and pour yourself another glass of wine.

"Thanks... you'll have to teach me that sometime." You couldn't tell if the flush on your cheeks was from the wine, or the gesture Tess just did for you.

"Yeah, but then what would you need me for?" Tess cocks her head to the side, a slight smirk on her face again. That damn smirk.

Rolling your eyes, you scoffed.

As if I could ever go without you, Theresa.

"Oh, please. I'll always need you, Tess."

"Right.. So, Frank said we could stay the night, since it's more dangerous to travel when it isn't daytime. Our visit was longer than expected.." Tess's eyes move from you to outside, where Bill and Joel were still sat, discussing in what looked like a more civilized way than earlier.

"They have enough room for us?" You asked, sipping at the red wine.

"Yeah, they've got two extra bedrooms. So, I figure you and I could share one and give Joel the other room for himself. Plus they said we could use their shower," Tess shuffled closer to you and lowered her voice, "I hear they have hot water.."

Your eyes widened at the thought of a hot shower, something you hadn't realized was accessible anymore. Though, before speaking, you cleared your throat to minimize any indication of nervousness in the fact that you and Tess would be sharing a bed tonight.

"You sure you wouldn't rather room with Joel? I.. move around a lot in my sleep."

A confused look displays itself across Tess's face.

"I mean- I wouldn't want you to wake up with me on top of you or.. anything.." A nervous chuckle erupts from your chest as you laugh your awkwardness off.

"I think that second bottle of wine is what I should be worried about, not your restlessness." She smirks again, "But have fun with that. I'm gonna go wash up. Talk later?"

You only nodded, not wanting to embarrass yourself in front of your best friend any more.

As Tess left the room, the strain of your journey finally set in. Soles of your feet began to twinge with pain, carrying you to the next room with the wine bottle and glass in hand.

You saunter into the living room, the amount of wine you've consumed making your cheeks, not to mention your whole body, flush with heat. The weight of your figure flopped down in a corner of the room as you placed the wine bottle down.

You gulped at the rest of the liquid in your glass, putting it on the side table. Gazing around the room at all the vintage items in perfect condition, your eyes meet the tall shelf of classic literature once again.

Pulling yourself from the chair, you pick up the bottle of wine by its neck, instead of pouring yourself another glass.

They're not gonna miss one little bottle... they've got a whole vineyard to themselves.

It's then you hear the front door open finally, Bill and Joel coming in, their discussion a little lighter than the one they were having earlier. You hear a chuckle fall from Joel in his Texan accent and your eyebrows raise.

Wow, they're finally getting along. Maybe we will have new business partners after all..

You stumble over to the bookshelf, about three glasses of wine making your bodily strength diminish with every sip you took. You were in a more tipsy state than usual; not having drank alcohol for years had more of an effect on you than it usually would.

The higher bookshelves are littered with dust, not having been touched since who knows when; you're just tall enough to drag your fingers across the top shelf on your tippy toes, the one below it littered with the many classic stories.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence, Emma by Jane Austen.

You read the titles off in your head, fingers trickling over the necks of each hardcover novel, stopping at Little Women and pulling it from the bookshelf. You also grabbed Pride and Prejudice, planning to ask Frank or Bill in the morning to borrow them till your next visit.

Slumping over in the chair again, you open Little Women, pages crinkling as the smell of the vintage book hits your face. It almost makes you sneeze, but you stifle it and begin reading.

You're mumbling to yourself in the little cozy corner of Frank and Bill's house, perched in a red armchair, and it's the most domestic you've ever seen yourself be in a long time. Granted, you were becoming more intoxicated with each gulp of the bitter alcohol you ingested. It floods your insides with warmth, your train of thought sidetracking from the story in your hand to the thought of the gorgeous woman that was Tess Servopolous.

She felt like home, the sweet smile she revealed to you your favorite thing about her. Her hardened exterior cracked and withered away bit by bit with every day you lay in her apartment healing from your injuries.

You're pulled out of the daydream when footsteps descend down the stairway, until the figure turns the corner. Frank's face comes into the warm lamp light, silently walking into the room and fiddling around with a few things before making his way over nearby where you sat.

Over the edges of the book, you watch him grab a few logs of firewood, placing one in the brick fire pit, before lowering your eyes back to the book. A few more minutes pass of his fidgeting before you realize the fireplace has come alive with flames of light.

Waves of heat flood the room, completely bringing your attention away from the book in your hands.

"No way..." Your voice draws Frank's eyes to you.

"Way. You know, my favorite thing to do in the fall is make fires.. Bonfires, campfires, any kind of natural warmth feels so home-like and safe. Don't you think so?"

"Yeah.. my childhood home had such a nice fireplace like this. It's really nice to see and feel again after so long." The two of you share a smile and look at the fire. Flames crackle and burn high, popping at times, the same way it used to before. Silence is adamant throughout the room, clutching the novel in your arms as the flames continue to burn.

"So.. you gonna tell me what's got you slumped over in a corner reading classic literature? I can't imagine it's that riveting.." Frank's tone tells you that he's joking, but you can't help from being at least a little offended in your drunken state.

"Classic literature is actually my favorite genre of novel, for your information. And you wouldn't get it…" The irony of your words slaps you in the face the minute they manifest themselves because.. Frank does know what it's like to feel the way you do. He’s just still in the dark about it.

"Hey, hey. You can tell me what's going on. I may or... may not have any experience on what you're going through."

Then the realization sets in that he's probably felt the way you do his whole life.

It's at that moment you decide to trust him. You close the book over, and look Frank in the eye.

"Okay, but this stays between us. Promise?"

"Of course."

A sigh leaves your chest and you begin to tell him how you feel about a certain one of your smuggling partners.

"Tess saved me... however many years ago it was... I can't remember how long it's been now. I've just always been around her since then. She's done things for me and- and I've done things for her... But I never knew why I always wanted to be around her.. until one night when I had a really, really rough day and she comforted me. I never wanted to leave her arms, and that's when I realized.. I liked her. She's my best friend, Frank.. What would I do if she doesn't feel the same? I don't think I could live with myself if I ruin our friendship because of some stupid fucking crush."

You finished speaking, letting out another sigh like you'd just thrown up all the thoughts reverberating in your head the second you made it out of the QZ walls.

Frank's silent until he speaks, analyzing and connecting dots in his head about this afternoon and the way you'd been acting.

"All that... doesn't sound just like a little crush to me, hon. You love her.. and you want what's best for her. Protecting yourself from the hypothetical hurt of her not feeling the same is valid.. but you're not gonna know how she feels about you if you don't tell her. Take the night, and think on it. Or... go ahead and keep on reading your classic literature while the love of your life goes to sleep upstairs. I'm just saying, if you don't try, then what's the point?"

The next time you look Frank in the eyes, they're filled with kindness, and you can tell he sees you for who you really are. There's no hiding your true self around him, he reads you the same way he read Bill the day he fell in that hole in the ground.

"You know what, you're right. I'm gonna take the night to think about it, thanks, Frank. I don't know what I'd do if I was alone in this."

Frank places his hand over yours in a compassionate and friendly way. He understood where you'd been coming from, especially with the way you both were.

The rest of your night is spent cuddling up under a blanket Frank had placed over your legs before he headed up to bed for the night. The wine drunk put you in an exhausted state, eyelids as heavy as weights until you ended up falling asleep curled up in the chair, fire dwindling away to nothing but embers.

A nudge to your arm slightly pulls you from your slumber, wine bottle abandoned on the floor from earlier. The next thing you feel is a strong grip lifting your body from the chair. With a groan, your arms flail weightlessly to the side, as you're picked up bridal style, the creaking under the wood indicating you were being carried up the stairs.

It's probably Joel who's lifted you like this with no effort at all, no chance it was Frank or Bill. Tess was already asleep too, and once she rested her head, there was no waking her. She slept like a rock.

You figure you're finally up the stairs as the steps steady, pushing the door open silently to the dark bedroom. Finally, you're placed down onto the soft bed, boots being tugged from your feet and placed on the floor. Rolling over a bit, you groan at the comfortable state of the bed.

Already comforted by the blankets, the heat of your body diminishes in the cool, dark room, as you doze off to sleep for the night.

As morning peeks through the shades of the cool bedroom, a pounding headache rammed behind your skull as your eyes inch open. Fluttering profusely, your pupils adjust to the rays of sunlight slowly, head still spinning.

Groaning at the pain, your eyes shift from the window to the side table, where there'd been a glass of water and two pills of Tylenol placed next to a small piece of paper. You sit upright in the bed, truly unable to recall the events of the previous night. The only thing you remembered vaguely was that second bottle of wine, one you regretted even picking up.

You reached for the note, headache only pounding harder as you attempted to read it.

For your head, since you really thought that second bottle of wine was a good idea. We've got breakfast made when you feel well enough. - Frank

It's at that moment you realize your mouth is bone dry, concluding on the fact that you hadn't drank one drop of water last night. As if a desperate plea for the quenching of your thirst, you drop the note in your lap abruptly, gravitating towards the very full glass of water sitting just a foot away.

The liquid slides down your throat as you desperately gulp it down, only stopping for a moment to pop both Tylenol into your mouth. After finishing the glass of water, you look down at the note again.

Signed Frank, but I've seen this handwriting before. Somewhere.. My hungover brain cannot remember right now for the life of me.

A yawn breaks through your chest, your hand instinctively going up to cover your mouth. When the smell of your breath hit your nose, it became apparent to you that you should probably take advantage of the hot and running water in the home.

Quickly, you threw the covers to the side, glancing down at your legs, body covered in the same clothes as yesterday. You didn't even dare attempt to sniff those articles of clothing, knowing how sweat stained they had become on the hike yesterday.

Yeah, you really needed to shower.

Standing from the bed now, you reach over to grab your bag, when you realize you've left it downstairs. Only when you look around the room is when you see a plain grey t-shirt sitting on the arm of a chair.

Tess's shirt, no doubt.

You pick it up and hold it in your hands, the scent of her sure enough surrounding your head.

As tempting as it would be to head back to sleep, you walk over to the bedroom door, opening it to the hallway. It seemed there was nobody remaining upstairs, evident due to the light conversation coming from downstairs. Your socked feet patter across the hall, peeping around a corner before b-lining straight for the bathroom.

Placing the clothing on the countertop, you reach into the shower and start the running water. As it slowly heats the small room, you stride over to a closet, pulling it open to find an abundance of everything you could've ever needed to bathe in the world before. Shampoos, conditioners, body wash, shaving cream and razors.

Wow, these guys really know how to keep inventory. They won't mind if I make use of some of this stuff, I definitely need it more than they do right now.

Steam fills the bathroom as you pull each article of sweat-stained clothing from your body, landing all together in a pile. As you pull the curtain back and step in, the warm water washes over your work-weathered body, goosebumps rising at the comfortably warm liquid.

It was euphoric, the temperature of clean, filtered water paired with the privacy of the shower.

You can only stand still as the dirt and other liquids patter to the tub floor, bringing you lighter in mood and vibrance as well.

As you scrub your scalp with the shampoo, the events of last night finally return to you.

Reading Little Women, admitting how you felt about Tess to Frank- the decision you told him you'd take the night on and think about.

You caught your head in your hands as embarrassment for yourself washed over you, much like the warm water of the shower.

"Ughh, I can't believe I told Frank that stuff.." Although you didn't regret it, not completely. The chat you had actually made you feel better, getting it off your chest after so long of holding it in.

You just wished it would be that easy to tell the person of your affection.

The spray of water from the shower ceased as you turned it off, stepping out onto the bath mat and wrapping a towel around you.

Regrettably, you had no other clothes to change into, so you pull on everything you'd worn the day before, except for your shirt. You put on the grey one for now.

Yep, it definitely smelled like Tess.

Pulling your cargo pants on, you stride out of the steam-filled bathroom, and your feet lead you into Bill and Frank's room.

Though you feel it's trespassing on an already stepped-over line, you head towards their closet, quickly opening the door and taking in the massive amount of flannel shirts hanging there.

Frank had impeccable taste in clothes, deciding to yank one or two of the darkly colored button ups from their hangers. You took a pair of socks as well, since yours had holes in them from their constant use.

You thought about not telling Frank about your thievery, but it's going to become imminent when you walk down the stairs with his shirts in your arms. So you shove them in your bag once you find it resting next to the bed.

Heading back into the guest bedroom, you pull the fresh pair of socks onto your feet, beginning to reach for your black boots sitting on the floor. Reaching down for one, you hear a knock at the door before you can grab it.

Quickly, you stride over to the door, expecting to see Frank or Bill on the other side with a message from your partners about hurrying to leave or something along those lines.

To your surprise, the face on the other side of the door is Tess.

Shit, Tess. The person you promised Frank you'd confess to last night over a drunken conversation.

She looks well rested, wearing a different shirt than the one from yesterday. It's a dark green, that compliments her eye color and the wisps of her caramel hair framing her face. Her hair is in that half up-half down bun, the rest of it resting behind her shoulders.

She looks fucking perfect, and you look like a wet dog, hair still damp from your shower.

"Hey, morning. How'd you sleep? I uh-" Tess is pulling at her collar awkwardly, standing in the same fashion as your eyes finally trail down to what she'd holding in her hands.

She had a plate in her grip, covered in freshly made, very appetizing breakfast foods. Some so freshly made, there was still steam coming off of it.

You're thankful in this moment to have taken those Tylenol earlier, or else the smell of any food whatsoever would've sent you hurling over the toilet like a hungover sorority girl.

"Oh my god, Tess. What is all this?" Your eyes widened in surprise, the smell catching your attention even before you had seen the plate of food in her hands.

"Well, you need a big breakfast for the journey back to Boston today, and I figured you could use it after last night.." A chuckle breaks through her chest, head dipping downwards before looking at your freshened state.

"Come- come in." You move aside for Tess to enter the bedroom, assuming you'd slept alone in here for the night. As she places the tray down on the bed, you sit down, Tess standing a few feet away.

"Tess, did you make this? What the hell- This looks amazing.. Eggs, sausage, hash browns? These are all my favorites.. Seriously, thank you. Wh-what can I do to make it up to you?"

"Well, first of all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And second of all, don't thank me, thank Bill and Frank, it's their food I cooked. Consider it a hangover cure. Once I get so drunk that I fall asleep in an armchair with a classic book in my lap, then you can pay me back. It better be a damn good breakfast." She chuckles again, in that low voice that keeps you up at night when you think about it.

The way it says your name, her low tone when she curses under her breath, the way she sounds in the early mornings when the sun still hasn't risen and she's drowsy enough to not make any sense in her muttering.

Tess went through all the trouble of making everything she knew you favored, the mere thought of her thinking about you as she cooked it all only made your enamor for her grow stronger, a fire of love burning behind your chest for the woman in front of you.

It's then she takes a seat on the bed with you, watching as you poke into the eggs and begin devouring the food on your plate. She wasn't leaving, by the looks of it.

In the middle of chewing your food, you speak again.

"Did Frank tell you I passed out down there?"

Her grin becomes larger now as her eyes move from the plate of food to your face as you consume your breakfast.

I wonder what else he told her. Hopefully nothing I haven't yet...

"No, I'm the one that found you, silly. Carried you up the stairs and put you to bed myself."

You continue chewing as your eyes widen, another realization from last night coming back to mind.

It wasn't Joel carrying you, it was Tess.

"You carried me up the stairs? Wow, I'm gonna have to start lifting weights if I have to do the same for you."

While you speak, you're enjoying every morsel of this delicious food Tess has made you, and you're grateful for her in so many more ways than you could express presently.

"You better," Tess says with a scoff. A couple more minutes pass by as you're finishing up the food on your plate. You notice that she's still sitting in the room with you, taking your silence as a sign of comfortability around her.

"So, what's up, Tess?" You say, shoving another fork full of hash browns into your mouth.

"Well, I came to check on you, since last night Frank told me you were drinking a whole 'nother bottle of wine by yourself.. and reading classic literature? For fun?" She laughs.. "I figured you might be hungover this morning and wanted to bring you something to fill your stomach. I can't have you fainting on me when we hike back to the QZ, now can I? Gotta keep your strength up, hun."

The name melts your heart a little and you smile. It was such a simple thing, one that indicated she cared about your wellbeing and didn't want to see you unwell.

"Yeah, always gotta be nourished and shit. Just human things, I guess. Though, a meal like this never gets old." You said with a smile.

It became more difficult to hold back the thoughts of holding and kissing the woman before you, her green button down shirt just aching to be pulled in order to kiss her. Those perfect hazel eyes of hers that resembled gems when they hit the sun just right, getting effortlessly lost in them every time they locked with yours. Her hands that completed her daily tasks so beautifully, with such care and concern in everything she did making you think she'd hold you the same way, love you the same beautiful way she did everything in her life with.

"I'm guessing you're feeling alright, then? Tylenol helped?" It was cute that Tess was still worrying about how you were feeling from the night before. Putting the fork down finally, you looked up at her.

"Yeah I- Wait, how'd you know I took Tylenol?" You hadn't mentioned anything to her about taking medicine.. so how did she know?

"Well I uh- I just.." She scoffed lightly before continuing, "I asked Frank to leave some by your bedside earlier and I was really worried about you, since yesterday. You don't drink like that unless something's bothering you."

Her eyes focused on you, hair lightly spilling over her shoulder, and she's in the moment with you now more than she had ever been. It's almost like she's reading you when you glance up again, pulling at the collar of your shirt.

"I know, Tess. It's just-" you sigh, thumbs fiddling with each other, palms beginning to prick ever so lightly with sweat.

"You can tell me anything, you know that right?" Her voice was sweet and soft, lowering a bit to hopefully ease your worries. One of her hands grabs yours, and the sensation is enough to make the breath in your lungs hitch.

If there was any perfect moment to confess, this was it.

"Tess, there's something I need to tell you." A slight quiver of your voice tells her that this thing that had been bothering you clearly meant a lot. You keeping things from her wasn't a common occurrence, which only happens when something was beyond frustrating for you to talk about.

"Okay, what is it?"

You're infuriatingly beautiful and I want to kiss you right now.

"It's the fact that I'm over here pining like an idiot for you and you can't even see it.." You mutter, not wanting to look Tess's way for fear of judgment or rejection. She notices, and in that very moment she longs to see the fire in your eyes burn its brightest. "It's the fact that- that I love you, and you probably love someone else.."

"Someone else?" Tess scoffed, "And who do you think that is, huh?"

"I don't know.. Joel, maybe.." Head still hung, your hands shake slightly, chest filled to the brim with uneasiness and anxiety.

Was it just you, or did the temperature in here get hotter?

"Y/n, look at me." You hesitate for a moment, then slowly your eyes move from their locked position on your hands.

Tess's hands are fidgeting in her lap too, you notice.

The second you lift your head, the glossy state of your eyes catches her attention, and her face eases once you're looking directly at her. Tess's bottom lip catches between her teeth for a moment, and she glances down swiftly, then back up at you.

"Joel and I are nothing but friends, you understand? I don't want him, never have." The words hit your ears and it's as if a weight lights off your shoulders.

It's the most clarifying moment that makes you giddy to spill everything onto her lap.

"Tess.." you breathe, closing your eyes for a moment and making a decision, "Please don't shoot me for this..."

You begin to lean in towards her, eyelids hooded as you glance down to her lips, watching intently as she does the same. It feels like an eternity before you're close enough to pick up on her natural scent, consuming your brain and going fuzzy upon the close proximity.

A warm tingling fills your hands as they brush over Tess's thighs and hover just over the dark denim covering them.

Once, twice, three times you glanced down at her lips, pausing to drag your eyes across her flawless face.

"Are you gonna kiss me, or what?" Her snarky tone pulls your eyes back to gaze into her hazel ones, almost getting lost in them before getting the courage to do something you couldn't come back from.

"Shut up," You say, before your hands grab onto her collar, and pull her lips to yours. Her kiss takes your breath away, crawling into her lap, collar of Tess's shirt still in your grip. Sparks flicker in your chest, and they're coming off of Tess's as well, deepening the kiss with another push of your lips against hers.

The weight of you in her lap pulls a groan from the woman opposite you, separating your lips from hers. You almost couldn't pull away, but the thought of hurting her made your worry jump a mile high.

"Shit.. Are-are you okay?" Tess gives you another peck on your lips, before trailing her eyes down your face and neck. The smirk on her face makes the heat from your cheeks travel down your torso.

"Oh, I'm better than ever... you wanna know why?"

Nodding your head fervently, her hands trail up your shirt to your collar, watching as her pupils dilate around the hazel in her eyes. The grasp on your shirt is tight, even tighter when she beckons you impossibly closer to her. The next moment, she's pulling your lips to hers in another passionate kiss. Your lips are pressed together for so long, it feels like you're out of breath by the time she pulls away.

"It's because I love you." The three words fall from her lips like a siren beckoning you with its song. Her voice has never sounded more perfect, and when she says those words to you, it's an indescribable amount of joy that fills your chest.

Her panting is an indication of not being able to breathe, but she doesn't fucking care if she got to kiss you like that.

"You love me, too?" Out of curiosity, you ask again, just to make sure it registers in your brain. Disbelief makes your heart jump, even though you've just kissed her, and you never wanted to stop.

Even though she told you she felt the same way, it was still a dream.

"Of fucking course I do. Ever since I took care of you, those few months you were living in my apartment. How could I not?" One of her hands trails up your face, brushing some stray hairs obstructing her view, so she could look at you fully.

The woman you've pined after for years has loved you all the same, and the realization feels a lot like you've wasted so much time behind a closed door. Sleepless nights went by with you writing about her in your journal, detailing all the ways you would love her if she only loved you back.

Tess adored you, she just hadn't let herself show it or feel any other way than a friend, and she'd been terrified to lose you if she fucked any of that up. The years and years of pining built to this very moment, tension in the room thick as you gazed at her lovingly.

"Tess.. kiss me again..."

It was a desperate plea for that fucking woman to press your lips to hers so you could taste her even stronger than you thought you could handle.

"I don't think I'll be able to stop if I do." Her low voice made your legs tremble, a new kind of desire growing due to her.

"Then don't." Your lips clashed together with hers, tongues exploring each other's mouths in a feverish attempt to taste even more of you than she already had.

The truth was, she had all of you for a long time, and now she couldn't imagine needing anything more.

A soft moan is pulled from your chest as Tess's teeth nip at your bottom lip. The both of you seem breathless as you pull away again, but every time you glance down at her swollen lips is when you want to just press them to yours over and over again.

"God, you're so beautiful, it's hard to look directly at you sometimes." Her words catch you off guard, feeling your eager hands travel up her neck, one resting on her shoulder while the other sneaks your fingers between her soft strands of hair. Twirling a lock of it, the blush on your face makes her smirk.

"Stop it, I mean just look at yourself. You're so hot and intimidating and perfect and-"

"You saying you're not those things?" Her brows furrow in distaste, because how dare you suggest otherwise.

"I'm saying you are. Pretty girl." A giggle erupts from your chest, raking your fingers through her hair with appreciation.

"If you don't say you're all of those things right this second, love, I'm just gonna have to prove it to you. And you know I will."

Your eyebrows raise, wanting to pull a little sneaky trick on her.

"Say that I'm what?" The smirk on your face makes Tess blush a little, chuckling to herself because she knows exactly what you're doing.

"Say that you're..." One of her hands goes to the top button of your shirt and unbuttons it as she places a quick peck on your cheek, "Perfect, intimidating, hot, everything I want.. God, fuck. Look at what you do to me.."

Her nimble fingers trail down your shirt, undoing each button carefully, letting the shirt fall open to your sides. Hands rest on the skin of your sides, just under the shirt you're wearing. Her shirt you're wearing.

"Tess.." You sigh breathlessly, still trying to gain back whatever air was pulled out of your lungs just a moment earlier.

"Hmm? Tell me what you want, baby." She tilts her head ever so slightly, the smirk on her face only enlarging when she sees the desire in your lust-blown eyes. Her pet name all but pulls a squeal from your chest, scrunching your nose upon hearing her low words.

"I want you, Tess. God, I want all of you.. But we can't-" Your hands run up and down her sides, shaking ever so slightly at her intimidating smirk.

"We can do anything we want, sweetheart. I've got you, now. No one's gonna take you away from me, ever. And no one's taking me from you. Got it?"

It's so warm, so Tess, such a loving and nurturing side of her that spills those words into your chest like a goddamn golden light, and it brings tears to your eyes. Sniffling, you try to blink them away every second they threaten to fall from your eyes.

The close proximity of her immediately pulls you into a safe hug, tears dropping on the cloth of her shirt, dampening the fabric bit by bit. Her hand rubs up and down your back, comfort surrounding you in the moment like nothing else in the world.

"So-sorry, Tess, I didn't mean to get your shirt all wet," You say, pulling back from her embrace, "I'm just.. so fucking happy because I love you and- and you're finally mine."

The words come out like the easiest thing in the world, like you could tell her your deepest darkest secrets and she'd still love you completely as you are.

"Aw, you look so pretty when you're in love. 'Bout the most perfect thing in the whole world to me, pretty girl."

"Well, yeah. It's all your fault that I'm crying like a sap, dummy." You playfully punch her shoulder and wipe your face, tears finally ceasing their descent from your eyes.

"You love me that much, huh?" This time, Tess's smile is sweet, intimate and all but this time your eyes lock with hers in a deep gaze.

"Love you even more than that, Tess." A giggle erupts from your chest as her lips press ever so lightly to your neck, ghosting feather light kisses across your skin. Before she pulls back, she attaches her lips to your skin and sucks obsessively, in the same spot. A particularly sensitive spot she gets to pulls a whimper from your chest, the sound making her pull away from kissing you, eyebrows raised with curiosity.

"What was that, baby?" You whimper again, embarrassment washing over you while your cheeks are being painted with a blush.

"Need you, Tess. Need you so bad.." The last word comes out rather quickly, hips rolling against hers ever so slightly.

"I'm right here, honey. Tell me what you need from me, and I'll give it to you." Her words come out like a plead, work-worn hands and fingers trailing over the waistband of your pants. "Come on, we don't have much time. Joel wants to get on the road soon.."

Oh God. Joel. Bill. Frank.

Your thoughts freeze and think to the three other men in the house, or probably somewhere nearby, if not lingering just a few feet away down the stairs.

"Shit, should we-"

"Yes, my love, we should. After all this time, we should."

"But the door-"

The bedroom door; it was swung almost completely open.

"Guess you better be quiet then." She mutters, voice low with lust and the need for you to fall apart for her just once before their travels.

"Tess-" You whimper breathlessly, and before you can speak another word, her lips attach to yours again. Her hair smells like lavender, and her lips taste like strawberries.

"Do you trust me?" She asks, wanting to know you're okay with her going further.

"You know I do. I trust you with my life." You reply, almost immediately. Her soft eyes gaze into yours and she nods.

It's the most perfect vision of Tess you've had your entire life, and nothing in this world could tear you away from that.

Once you feel her hands unbuckling your pants successfully, one of her hands slips down under the fabric, bypassing your underwear right down to where she knows you need her.

Her middle and ring finger slide through the arousal between your legs, and the second she feels you throbbing against her, is when her kisses trail from your mouth to your neck.

"Tess, fuck-" You whimper out, as her fingertips swirl around the most sensitive part of you.

"Needy girl, aren't you? So gorgeous..." The smirk on her face turns devious when her eyes meet yours again, catching how your face contorts with pleasure under her doing.

Another mewl leaves your chest, nodding fervently once again.

"Shit, all wet for me? You really know how to make a woman happy.." The slight laughter from her chest makes you clench around nothing. Nothing, until her fingers pursue lower than your sensitive bundle of nerves. Deep breaths of air make your chest heave, and Tess is only relishing in the way you're falling apart completely for her.

Before you feel her fingers prodding at your entrance, your hand grabs her forearm and she halts her movements.

"What about you?" Your eyes seem to beg for her without saying another word more, and she hesitates for a moment, until she speaks.

"You don't have to, love. You feeling good makes me feel good and-"

She pauses her words, because your doe eyes make whatever was left of her resolve break, the instant she looks into them.

"Alright, baby. Go ahead, touch me.. I need you, too." A smile breaks out onto your face, hands gravitating towards her belt, undoing it as fast as she can complete her sentence to satisfy you.

One of your hands slips down between her legs, watching as her eyes close in bliss at the first light drag of your fingers down her heat.

"Fuck.." Her head gets thrown back while her eyes shut at the amount of pleasure and love you have for her in that very moment. Tess curses under her breath as you begin slow circles on her most sensitive part of her body, goosebumps trailing all over her skin.

"Now who's the needy one?" She glances back up to your eyes, and just like that, her intimidating demeanor returns.

You almost yelp aloud when she pushes a finger inside of you, but her lips press against yours before you could do so. The fervent exchange of moans between each swirl of your fingers, and each thrust of Tess's fingers inside of you makes the moment feel infinite.

Everything you've ever wanted, you finally had.

She was yours to touch, to hold, to please. Tess gave you all of her, completely and irrevocably.

"Tess.. fuck, I love you.. I- never wanna be with anyone else but you.." Your tone of voice is pitched higher, submerged in the pleasure she brought. She could tell you were inching closer to release with every swirl of her fingers.

"I love you, baby. With everything inside of me. It's you. Only you.. Now be a good girl and come with me."

"Are you gonna-"

"Yeah, I am. Fuck- keep going, just like that. Cmon, baby." The hand that wasn't inside your pants snuck up to your hair, grabbing a handful and pulling in silent demand.

Sighing dreamily, Tess pulled her fingers out of you and rubbed incessantly at your precious bundle of nerves, triggering your hips to rock against hers.

"Tess.." You moan out loud, almost too loud for the people downstairs to hear, but at the same time, you don't care. Not when Tess is giving you the most pleasure you think you've ever experienced in your life.

"I love it when you moan my name.. Say it again." Her fingers swirl to no end, feeling a jolt of pleasure wash through you as your high began to rush towards you.

"Tess, fuck. Oh my god Tess- baby I'm gonna come.." Your sounds are uncontrollable now as your release is beckoning you further.

"Yeah, hun? Gonna come for me?" Your hand speeds up your movements on her sensitive bud of nerves, another low moan leaving her chest, dripping with desire.

"Oh, baby, I'm-I'm.."

"Me too baby, yeah..." Tess calls out, her movements on your clit pushing you over the edge, her high washing over her intensely.

A few more filthy moans leave your chest, release crashing over you like a wave, running throughout your body with relief, your partner helping you ride it out before you finally look back up at her.

Sweat adorns her skin, chest heaving as she pulls her fingers from your pants. You do the same, only watching as she licks her fingers seductively. Another wave of pleasure threatens to overtake you, just by watching her do that.

"Holy shit... that was amazing. I knew your hands were good for more than just holding a gun and punching people." Your head tilts back the slightest bit as you try to catch your breath after the immense pleasure washed over you only moments ago.

"For our first time, that's nothing compared to what I've been thinking about doing to you for months now.." The smirk on her face threatens the rise of arousal again, though you're too exhausted now to even think about doing that, with what a long journey you've got ahead of you.

"You-" Tess raises an eyebrow at your speechlessness, "are the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and you chose to love me. Isn't that something."

Your words make her blush again, leaving a few small pecks on your cheeks, before pressing one to your lips again. Then, Tess's hands reach to your pants once more, doing the zipper up and buttoning them so she could do the same to hers.

"Well, I don't think we choose who we love. But if it was.. it's because you're the most perfect person in the world. Isn't that something.."

You look to Tess with a soft smile, one that makes both of you appreciate the domesticity of your conversation at hand.

"Yeah, it is," You say, taking her hands in yours and interlocking your fingers together, "So, what does all this make us?"

You catch Tess staring into your eyes again, and it takes a second for her to respond.

"Well, I'm already in love with you, so whatever you want, I want it too. I'm all in, for you. That sound good?"

God, you've waited forever to hear those words.

Attaching your lips with hers, it's a slow, soft kiss, almost stopping time with how you craved more every second that went by. As you pull away, Tess looks radiant in the sunlight that's pouring through the window even more now.

Her words turn you speechless, already knowing you called her 'mine' but hearing it from the velvet voice of your lover made your heart swell ten times bigger.

"It sounds wonderful, Tess." You lean in for another kiss, soft and sweet, until you pull back again, "You'll have to teach me how to open wine bottles, though."

"Nah, I think I'd rather just keep doing it for you." Your lips locked in another kiss, one you wished would last forever.

"Oh, one more thing," Tess goes digging in her back pocket, pulling out a blue tube, "Deodorant. You stink like sex."

"And whose fault is that?" You quip, grabbing the tube from her and rubbing it under your armpits.

Tess shrugged, almost pulling you in for another kiss, until the sound of a male voice from downstairs snapped both of you out of the daydream.

"Shit, Joel. He's gonna be mad that I took so long up here.. that-that we took so long-" You begin to speak, pulling yourself from the bed, reaching down to slip your boots on.

"Joel Miller is not gonna say anything when he sees that hickey." Tess mumbles, standing from the bed as well, adjusting her shirt from where you'd grasped it before.

"What mark? Oh, Tess.. you didn't.." You rush over to the mirror hanging on the wall, and pull your collar to the side abruptly to see the darkening purple bruise on your neck. You scoff, only buttoning up your shirt with haste to get out the door.

"I did. Couldn't help myself, you know. You're all mine now, had to make sure everyone in Boston knows you're spoken for."

She walks up behind you, placing her hands on your hips as you continue buttoning the flannel up. You scoff, flipping your head around to kiss her on the lips again.

"Yeah, well did you have to make it so dark?" You questioned, knowing she could've gone lighter but didn't.

"You already know the answer to that. Now c'mon, let's not keep the man waiting." Tess pulls you by your hand to the door, looking back once more as you exit the room and walk down the stairs with her hand in yours.

Just as you thought he'd be, Joel was pacing downstairs with his pack already on his back.

"There y'all are.. was starting to get worried about- Oh." The tall, Texan man clears his throat when his eyes spot the mark on your neck, eyes immediately avoiding yours.

"Yeah.. I'll grab our packs and meet you outside. Cool?" Tess says, before sharing a look with Joel, not saying anything more as he turns to walk out to the front yard. Her hand slips from yours every so slightly, and you already miss the warmth and love in her contact the second it drops from you.

"Hey, wait- where's Frank?" You call out to Joel, but he's already to the gate of their yard before he can hear you.

"In here!" Frank's voice comes from the living room, and you saunter over to him.

"Hey, morning. Listen, I wanted to thank you for everything. What you said to me last night, and just your hospitality and all you're gonna help us with when we start working together. I mean it- I'm really grateful."

Frank looks up from the vinyl he's sifting through, and meets your eyes with a compassionate smile.

"I take it this morning went... well?" He gestures to the mark on your neck, one of your hands going up to sheepishly cover it, a bit embarrassed that you let her go that far.

"Oh, um. Yeah, very well. I did that thing we talked about." As soon as the words hit his ears, he's grinning from ear to ear and throws his arms around you with a tight embrace, one that caught you off guard, but you hugged back, nonetheless. The smile is still beaming on his face as he pulls away.

"I knew it would go well. You two.." He shakes his head, hands on his hips, "Sparks were basically flying over lunch yesterday, every time one of you looked at each other.. Wait- Is that my shirt? Nevermind, keep it. Looks better on you anyway."

Frank laughs at the realization that you didn't have fresh clothes after showering, so he understood.

"Seriously, thank you. For everything, again."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm such a matchmaker. Now go, run to your lover, and never let her go, okay? She's one special woman."

"Yeah, that she is.." Your gaze shifts from Frank to Tess appearing in the doorway with your pack in her hand.

"Oh, one more thing." Frank hands you the books you'd taken down from their shelves last night, Little Women and Pride and Prejudice. "Don't worry, Bill said it's alright. He doesn't read classics, anyways. You'll come back, and we'll trade."

That's the last thing Frank says before Tess beckons you back to her.

"You ready to go? Joel's gonna lose his marbles if we make him wait any longer, so.." Tess asks you, standing a few feet away, but it felt like miles before you could get back to her.

"Oh, God forbid a man wait on two fine ladies, such as yourselves." Frank says, turning Tess's way as you walk towards her, grabbing your pack from her hand and putting the two books into it, before slinging it onto your back.

"You make a good point, but he's gonna be grouchy the whole hike. He'll be done with our lovesick asses once we get back to the QZ." You say with a giggle, pressing a quick kiss to Tess's lips.

"Well, it's been lovely having you here, I'm not sure where Bill's run off to, but I'm sure he says goodbye as well. I'll walk you to the gate, since there's an idea I have as to how we can communicate back and forth on the radio.. I'll tell you on the way."

Frank follows you both out the door, spotting Bill already at the gate, the same holster with his pistol sticking out from his otherwise plain outfit.

As Joel finally spots the three of you coming from the house, he darts right out of their front yard, b-lining for the gate.

"Guess he's got a new friend..." You mutter to Tess, Joel's steps bringing him towards the gate faster than you three were walking.

"Maybe he just doesn't wanna look at the huge hickey on your neck." She retorts, her reasoning better than anything else you came up with.

Chuckling, you nudge her side, hands falling beside each other's before locking your fingers together again.

Frank catches up, walking alongside Tess as he begins to explain his idea for communication back and forth.

"So, I had this idea that we should use codes for the radio, in case anyone's listening."

"That's a good idea. Like, with what?" Tess tilts her head over to the man in curiosity.

"I was thinking, like, the decades. Like- 80's, trouble, of course." Frank states, as if he's put immense thought into something as simple as this.

"Yeah..?"

"70's- for when we get new stuff to trade with.. and 60's for not having anything new. Sound good?"

"Yeah, Frank. That's actually really clever. I mean, I wouldn't have thought of that. Right, babe?" It's the first use of any pet name around people, and you can tell it puts Tess in a lighter mood just by hearing you say it.

"Right. Well, radio back to me when you guys are ready to start our business together." He reaches out to shake Tess's hand, "Otherwise, it has been lovely having you three here, and I'm so ecstatic to have you back whenever." Frank stood still, watching you all walk ahead.

The sound of Joel's boots on the pavement approaching you all force you to turn your heads towards the third partner in your group.

"What are y'all lookin' at? Let's head out, already. Whenever you lovebirds are done.."

Grumpy exterior, but an ally, all the same.

"What are we gonna do with him..."

"Yeah, he's not nearly as much fun as you." Nudging her shoulder again, your bottom lip catches between your teeth for a slight moment. Tess's hair is blowing in the wind slightly, and you can't help but smile at the beauty of the woman you called the love of your life.

You share a look between Tess's eyes and your own, before tugging her along as you walk ahead, attached by a soul tie at your hands, linked together for a lifetime.

[happilyhertale]

Long Last Love - Aemond Targaryen x female!reader, Part 12

Summary: You are finally engaged to Aemond Targaryen. As the daughter of Daemon and Rhaenyra, you will now live in King's Landing and no longer on Dragonstone. Your marriage to Aemond is imminent, as is your life together. The relationship between Aemond and your family has never been particularly easy, but the future will show whether your love will withstand this and subsequent tensions.

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x fem!reader

Warnings: In some parts Smut (uncle/niece) as well as violence

Author’s note: Hey you (:

This is the follow-up story to "Long Lost Love".

The story starts just before the wedding of Aemond and y/n and goes over the events of the first season hotd. However, the events are not quite similar to those in the series. English is my second language, please forgive me if I made any mistakes (:

18+ NSFW (light smut)

Word count: 3k

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

A few weeks have passed since Aemond returned from Storm's End. It is hard for you to bear being here in the keep than to return to your family on Dragonstone. You miss your family very much. There is nothing you would rather do now than sink into your father's arms. Sometimes you wonder if your father would come for you... If he would come and take you in his arms. But you don't know if you would go with him... You couldn't leave without Alyssa... without Aemond. You toyed with the idea of writing to your father. You don't really know why, perhaps to explain your situation, to explain Aemond's situation. Perhaps just to say something to him, as you always do when you are at a loss. Or perhaps you just want to hear something from him. But you are too afraid of what would happen if that came out. You're too afraid of what the consequences would be, that it could put Alyssa in danger.

But none of that changes the fact that even if you went to Dragonstone, that Luke wouldn't be on Dragonstone. The thought of that always brings tears to your eyes. Silently they just run down your cheeks, trying to dull the pain that blazes inside you. Should Aemond be near you at such a moment, he takes you in his arms wordlessly. He just holds you and caresses you. Trying desperately to make this situation somehow bearable. You let him make his attempts to comfort you. But in such moments there is no more closeness between you.

Aemond does his best to be gentle with you. But still you don't talk much. You wouldn't know what to talk about or how to talk to him either. From time to time he tries to elicit small conversations from you, but apart from short and curt answers as well as sometimes a small smile does not cross your lips.

You exist rather than really live.

It breaks Aemond's heart that the closeness between you seems lost. That there is no interaction, let alone tenderness, between you. He knows it's his fault and that fact hurts him more than anything else. He misses you so dearly.

You now only spend your time in your chambers. Even before the incident, you were in your chambers much more often than usual. But now your whole life takes place here. You feel safe here. With Ser Erryk, who is always by your side, making sure that no one who could harm you comes too close. Sometimes you catch yourself wondering when he's going to sleep. And of course Alyssa is with you. You hate to let her out of your sight now.

You did not speak to Ser Erryk about the incident. But of course it didn't take long for word of Aemond's "heroic deed" to get around and Ser Erryk heard about it too. One afternoon he suddenly appeared unannounced in your chambers. You looked up startled, but he didn't say anything. He just stood there and looked startled too, as if he had only now realised that he was suddenly standing in your chambers.

"My princess... I am so sorry... I heard about the incident... and... I don't know...", he usually knows exactly what to say, but now he almost stutters.

You just gave him a little smile. That seemed to give him courage.

"My princess. I am here for your protection. And this atrocity threatens your safety. Do you wish me to… act on your behalf?"

Then you looked startled. You greatly appreciate his loyalty, but never would you want anyone to do something so terrible in your name.

You shake your head, "No... Ser Erryk, I am grateful for your loyalty... But... I.. I love him."

Those were your only words to Ser Erryk, about this incident, and he simply nodded.

He doesn't like Aemond very much. Even before the incident, he wasn't really fond of him. And the fact that he has now done something like this to you doesn't make it any better.

This afternoon you sit in your chambers as usual. Ser Erryk dutifully guards your door. Alyssa is on your lap and she's babbling, "Mo-om... Mooo-om..."

"Momma," you finish her sentence and she laughs happily.

As your door opens and Ser Erryk enters, "My princess. Your Lord husband, Prince Aemond Targaryen, wishes to enter your chambers."

Aemond walks wordlessly past Ser Erryk and just gives him an annoyed look. You know Ser Erryk is only doing this to spite Aemond. He announces him as if it were not also his chambers, but as if he were a visitor.

Ser Erryk leaves your chambers again. Aemond approaches you, gently kissing Alyssa's head, "My little girl," leaves his lips. Then he kisses you on the cheek. He pauses briefly as he kisses you, as if he needs to feel you a little longer. You miss his touch. You close your eyes for a moment. The caresses you exchanged and that were part of your daily life, you miss them so badly. You don't feel complete without them. Without Aemond you don't feel complete. But you don't know how to convey that. Everything seems hopeless.

Aemond sits down with you and just watches you cuddle Alyssa.

A while passes before you hear his voice, "My love... I... " , he sighs, "please... I need to hear your voice. I can't take any more of this... I need... I need to hear you. Just one gentle thing out of your mouth… your soft voice... and I can continue to function"

Your gaze wanders to him and you see tears running down his cheek. He is breathing heavily.

As your door opens and Alicent walks in. Aemond quickly wipes his cheek and his gaze is fixed on Alyssa who smiles at him.

"Aemond, y/n. I'm here to pick up Alyssa," she smiles at you.

You look up startled as it comes back to you. You reluctantly agreed to Alyssa spending the afternoon and evening with Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. You don't like her not being around you, but it's probably for her own good that she's spending time with her cousins.

You just nod at her and she comes up to you smiling. You kiss Alyssa gently on the top of her head once more and then hand her to Alicent.

"Come here, my sweet thing. I'll take you to your cousins, shall I?" she cradles Alyssa gently in her arms. "Shall I bring her back in the morning?"

You look irritated, "You want her to stay with you overnight?"

Alicent smiles, "I think it's quite good for you to have a night's rest and knowing my grandchildren... We certainly can't separate them tonight"

You smile slightly at her and just nod.

You murmur, "Take care of her, please," and Alicent nods fondly.

She leaves your chambers and your daughter, who makes you feel safe, is gone.

It is now quiet in your chambers. Aemond is still sitting next to you. As you notice he takes your hand and caresses it. His thumb leaves a trail of heat on your skin.

Again you hear him breathing heavily. You look up and see the pain in his eyes that you have felt in your chest all this time. His eye fills with tears again. "I am so incredibly sorry... I didn't want this... all of this... for him to die... I know I can't do it right anymore... That I can't undo it, no matter how much I wish I could..."

You swallow hard and turn to him. It hurts you to see him like this. You put your hand on his cheek. When your fingers touch his cheek, you immediately feel this touch making itself felt throughout your whole body. Aemond leans into your first touch in a long time. "I love you so much," he whispers. He looks at you and you nod slowly at him. You lean forward and kiss him softly. Like two magnets, your lips still fit perfectly together and cannot be parted. You briefly interrupt the kiss. Aemond is still breathing heavily. You look him in the eye, "I love you... Aemond...". He inhales sharply. He takes your face in his hands and kisses you passionately.

He kisses you tenderly. Greedily, yet tenderly. He hangs on your lips like a man thirsting for water in the desert of Dorne, and your lips would be the only source of water for far and wide. You don't know why, but you have a sudden desire to feel him. You have been numb for the last few weeks. Now here with Aemond, this passionate kiss, you feel something again.

You put your arm around his neck and pull him towards you. He follows you and continues to kiss you gently. As you break the kiss and slowly get up from the sofa. He just follows you with his gaze as you stand in front of him. Carefully you reach for his hand and pull him with you towards your bed. He looks at you irritated, but you need him now. Slowly you start to open your dress, but then Aemond steps up to you, stops your hand, places his hand gently on yours. "You don't have to do this," you hear him whisper.

You look him in the eye and take his hand in yours. Gently you kiss his fingers. As you whisper, "I need this now... I need to feel you, Aemond..."

He looks into your eyes and carefully puts his arms around you. He pulls you gently towards him and only your soft breathing can be heard. Slowly he caresses your cheek, lets his thumb wander over your lower lip, while he lowers his head and encloses your lips with his.

Very gently and tenderly he kisses you, without any haste.

He softly pushes you onto the bed and you let yourself fall, surrendering completely to his touch.

Aemond, who is always tender with you, who always senses what you need, realises that you need gentle affection. Your whole body burns with passion. His lips wander over your entire soft skin. Countless soft kisses envelop you and where his lips cannot be, his fingers take over and caress you.

All his adoration for you is shown in this intimate moment between you. You lie there and enjoy it. This tender attention you are experiencing makes you finally feel something again. Something other than the dull pain of the last few weeks.

After his lips are on yours again and his body is on top of you, you feel him fill you completely. Never before have you felt him so intensely. It is not a wild act of love, but an act of affection, of infinite love. Gently he pushes into you and keeps his pace. You move your hips rhythmically towards him. Your hands take hold of his arms on which he leans. Your breathing becomes more violent and ends in a moan. Aemond kisses you, breathes in your scent, your moans. Your tongues gently caress each other and you wrap your arms around his neck to hold him close to you. While he penetrates you deeper and deeper with his gentle thrusts. Yet his thrusts remain gentle, as if he is afraid that you might break.

You feel the fire slowly spreading through your abdomen. Your thighs begin to tremble slightly around Aemond and you whimper his name again and again as you come. He kisses you almost desperately, his hand moves to your hip and he grips it tightly. You hear him moan too. A deep, long moan resounds in his chest, sending a shiver down your spine and making your climax unending. He can't last any longer either and comes to climax together with you.

Only your heavy breathing can be heard in your chambers while he is still lying on top of you. You look into each other's eyes, he gently caresses your cheek and kisses you again and again. You return his kisses, which end in a long passionate kiss.

Carefully he rolls off you and pulls you close to him. You lay your head on your old, familiar place, on his chest. He holds you tightly in his arms and lets his fingers wander over your body. You feel him press his nose gently into your hair and leave kisses on your head.

You know that what he has done cannot be undone. What he has done cannot be explained away. But you also know that he deeply regrets it and that he is suffering. That his decision to "scare Luke" is the most horrible thing he's ever done, and that he didn't see the outcome coming...

Yet, you still love him, he is your husband. And that fact cannot be changed either. And even if you couldn't stand his touch, you still missed his gentle caresses.

You feel something again. Something other than pain.

You slowly let your gaze wander up to him. His gaze is fixed on you. He doesn't smile, he just looks at you and continues to caress you.

"Y/n... I'm really sorry...", you hear him whisper.

You stick your head out towards him and you stop him from talking any further, you kiss him gently.

He returns the kiss, his hand resting gently on your cheek.

When you end the kiss and look out of the window, you see that the sun has already set, "Your mother will look after Alyssa...?"

He just nods at you, his gaze still looking pained. You snuggle closer to him. Gently you caress his chest, let your fingers wander over his muscles. While his arms continue to close around you and hold you tightly in his arms. Tiredness slowly overcomes you and for the first time in weeks, you sleep in his arms again, feeling his caresses.

You wake up when you feel arms gently pulling you against a warm body from behind. That's what you've been missing, Aemond, snuggling up behind you and holding you gently and securely. You lie in his embrace and enjoy this moment. You feel his nose gliding over the crook of your neck. How soft kisses cover your skin and the touch of his lips send a shiver down your spine. "I love you so dearly," you hear him whisper into the crook of your neck. Slowly you turn in his arms and snuggle into his chest. He simply holds you.

"I've missed this Aemond... I missed you," you finally confess to him. He gently kisses the top of your head, "I am here, my Queen," he says softly.

Aemond doesn't go to training in the morning, he stays in bed with you. You cuddle all morning and exchange tender caresses that you have been missing for weeks. After you have taken a bath together, you go your separate ways. Aemond goes to the council meeting and you set off to pick up Alyssa. When you arrive in Helaena's chambers, Alyssa is already grinning at you. Helaena is not there, only Helaena's personal servant who looks after the children. You take Alyssa in your arms and she mumbles "Mooomm..." back at you. You hug her close and leave Helaena's chambers.

But before you go to your chambers, you go straight to a maester. With the utmost discretion you arrange for tea to be brought to you. You make it clear to the maester what tea it is, and that he will suffer a fiery, violent death should this information reach Prince Aemond. The maester nods to you.

Towards afternoon, Alyssa is lying in her cradle sleeping when the maester himself comes into your chambers and brings you the moon tea. He assures you that no one has seen him and leaves your chambers after you have thanked him.

You stand in the middle of your chambers and look at the cup in your hands. You love Aemond, just as you love Alyssa. But you will not bring another life into this keep. Still you stare at the liquid. The warmth radiating from the cup floods your hands. You watch the warmth from the tea rise into the air. You absorb the smell of the herbs that prevent you from getting with child. You know from stories that drinking this tea is often accompanied by bad stomach cramps. But what are stomach cramps if you save a child from being born into a war? If you drink now, you will not be with child... If you are with child at all... you are hesitating. But it would be the right thing... wouldn't it? A war is coming, a child should not witness such a thing.

You exhale heavily before you bring the cup to your mouth.

As the door opens and Aemond enters your chambers. Startled, you look at the door.

He stands there and just looks at you. His gaze keeps going from your eyes to the cup that is on its way to your lips. His look changes from confused to hurt.

"What... What is that?" he whispers.

You say nothing, tears come to your eyes. Suddenly there is that oppressive silence again in your chambers that has accompanied you in recent weeks. He walks towards you, "Y/n... don't tell me that's what I think it is?"

"Aemond..."

"You want to kill a child??", his voice sounds desperate.

You look at him indignantly, "Maybe I'm not with child?!"

"But you can't bear the eventuality??" now he's literally screaming. Aemond never shouts at you. He breathes heavily.

You look at him, "I can't bear to be helpless here... with a child. With you. That I can't do anything to escape this situation. I don't want and I won't bring another child in here. A war is coming..."

But Aemond turns around and goes straight to the door. You just hear the door slam loudly and wince. You hear Alyssa startle as well and wake up from her sleep. Her cries now fill your chambers. You are calm at first, but you are breathing heavily. Your gaze falls on the cup again, your hands tremble. But finally you throw the cup against the wall and just scream.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Tag list

@leahjean @afro-hispwriter @jeyramarie @powellssaturn @notabotiswear @hoshi-miharu-blog @random-human02 @m00n5t0n3 @sporadicshepherdzinebear @drewsgfduh @stargaryenx @dark-night-sky-99 @ccosmic-illusion @darylandbethfanforever9 @grungegrrrl @spn-obession @carlottalhn @elle4404 @girl-with-an-orange-cat @genshinimpactislife @imjustboredso @tragicbucky @dollfaceyourfear @magnificantmermaid @mllemarianne @mikariell95 @khaothick @aemonds-wifey @burningshewolf @munsonswrld @jackierose902109 @scaraxmouche @bucky-thorin-winchester @alexandra-001 @yentroucnagol @cicaspair418 @tropicprincess08 @simplyarryn @bellameshipper @jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

[meimi-haneoka]

{drabble} I'm here - Akiho/Kaito

Alright, how do you do any of this...😂

I guess what you need to know it's that it is a Akiho x Kaito / YunaAki drabble, it's based on canon (set 3 weeks after the series ended), and it's based on the assumption that, differently from what the ENG translation said in ch. 80, in the JP Sakura affirmed that thanks to his stopped time Kaito wouldn't be hurting more than that...this means that his seizures would continue, just they wouldn't get worse than what we've seen till now.

This is mainly a hurt/comfort drabble, with glimpses of happiness. After all, Akiho is happy with him. And it's mainly a way for me to vent some complex feelings about the finale of Clear Card. I have a Kaito POV on the way (edit: here's the link, go read it after you finished this one!), but it's more difficult to write for him (and, uh, more depressing) so it'll come in the next days.

Easter egg: a line is a direct reference to the lyrics of Anata by Hikaru Utada. 😉

I'm not a native English speaker so forgive me if any line sounds weird!

Finally, I have to thank the "enabler" dandelion-stuff-and-fluff (not tagging in case you don't want to!) for giving immediately support to my whims! 😂

Excerpt:

I could feel the tears emerging, but I kicked all of them back, as I threw my 13-year-old self out of the window and summoned the part of me that helped me survive all these years. The resilient one.

Akiho's POV 

Three weeks had passed by, from that fateful night. 

Most of our stuff was packed, and our days were spent between checking everything for the imminent departure and hanging out with Sakura-san and the rest of the group, making the most out of the remaining time. Everyone was so lovely to us, showing all the support we needed. I really felt like I had acquired a family in Tomoeda, and the thought of it made me incredibly happy.  I was going to miss them so much. Just like I would miss this big mansion full of memories.... and mysterious protective forces, apparently, as I was told by him. 

Kaito-san revealed to me that when we came to Tomoeda almost one year prior, he had chosen this mansion specifically to protect me, as I was carrying a dangerous magical artifact that my own clan had engraved in me.  We talked quite a lot over the span of those three weeks, and swallowing the truth had been hard, at first.  But all of that was gone now and like waking up from a nightmare, the memories of it were getting more and more hazy as time went on. Only a permanent scar remained. 

Both of us were in the kitchen, cooking dinner. The clang of kitchen utensils, the sizzle in the frying pan made me strangely happy. It sounded warm. It sounded normal. I love cooking with him. This was the corner of the house where we declared to each other how much we cherished one another, without even fully realizing it. 

“Akiho-san, could you hand me the salt?”  “Here you go!” I said, smiling brightly at him.  He smiled back at me in that soft way that made my knees weak.  God, please, give me this for the rest of my life. Every day, immutably. 

“Done! We’re ready.”  Removing our aprons, we were getting ready to bring everything to the table. 

And then I saw it.  

He stopped in his tracks, his complexion paling by the second. 

Another one was coming.   My blood ran cold, and I rushed to the other side of the room, while he slowly crouched to the ground, out of breath, groaning in pain.   Each cry stabbed me in the chest like a knife. I could feel the tears emerging, but I kicked all of them back, as I threw my 13-year-old self out of the window and summoned the part of me that helped me survive all these years. The resilient one.   I hastily opened a cabinet and took out a finely decorated small box, toppling other items in the process. I didn't care.   Hiiragizawa-san had sent us, through a magic portal, a series of pills he made weaving a complex magic spell over them, to help Kaito-san cope with the seizures. He said they wouldn't do any miracle, but hopefully they could reduce the duration of the seizures and ease the pain a little bit. Cause the pain he was experiencing wasn’t caused by anything ordinary, and no ordinary medicine would’ve been effective. 

I grabbed a towel, flung it over my shoulder and ran back to Kaito-san with a glass of water, spilling some of it in the process. I watched him as he struggled to swallow both the pill and the water. 

How many times did he experience this excruciating pain, completely alone?   How many times did he force himself to not crumble down in front of me, to protect my peace of mind? Just thinking back to all the times I could feel something was not right, and how he tried to deceive me to keep dealing with it all alone.... it brought back in me an anger I didn't know what to do with.  

Yes, I didn't get over it yet. The wound was still so fresh.  But we agreed that we would’ve dealt with this together, from now on.  ...And just like that, the fit of anger quickly vanished, as a gentle feeling got a hold of me, and I began unbuttoning the collar of his shirt to let him breath better, then dabbing his damp forehead with the towel.   "It's okay.... it's okay... I'm here" I whispered softly, like a lullaby. 

As if surrendering himself to me, he held onto my arms and leaned over, trying to regain control of his breathing. I supported him, thanking in my head a hundred times that his time was halted. Yes, we were trying to look for a way to eventually make it flow again, but it was in moments like these that I remembered how numbing the fear to lose him again was.   I couldn't live with that. With that feeling of hollowness. Not again. 

That's why, I said to myself, this time I would've done anything in my power to not lose him, come what may. I wouldn't have spared any effort. Losing him would’ve been a hundred times more devastating than the pain I was feeling in that moment, seeing him in those conditions. After all, he was feeling like that because of me.  

“Momo...please give me strength”, I thought, missing my beloved bunny more than ever. Who knows how many times she had witnessed all of that, and how she dealt with it. I could’ve used some advice in that moment. 

His ragged breath became more regular, the pill was starting to kick in. He raised his head and looked at me.   Those eyes I loved so much, now covered by a mysterious dark fog - a remnant of the dragon appearance, as they explained to me – seemed to regain finally focus.  His face was so close to mine. In another situation, in another more oblivious period, there’s no doubt my heart would've exploded from embarrassment, red in the face like a tomato. But right now, I was preoccupied with something completely different, as I looked at him holding nothing but worry and sadness in my eyes. 

"I'm sorry...", he whispered. 

I could feel my heart catching fire, and it reminded how much I love him, despite being so hurt by his reckless behavior.  But I didn't answer to his apology. Cause that wasn't what I wanted to hear from him.

Instead, I asked him “can you stand up?” and helped propping him up when he nodded. We proceeded slowly towards the couch in the living room, where I helped him lying down. Despite having tons of lovely memories here, this house was starting to be a bit too big for us and for emergencies of this kind.  Hiiragizawa-san's pills had a sedative that inevitably caused Kaito-san to fall asleep, to recuperate. He looked so exhausted.  I arranged some cushions on the ground and sat down beside the couch, watching him closing his eyes and drifting quickly into sleep. I moved some of his hair to the side and dabbed the towel over his forehead one more time.   Then I went back to stare at his peaceful face, lost in thought. Was I truly prepared for this, when I decided that the life I wanted was this one? Probably not.  Would I have chosen anything else? Absolutely not.  Being with him is my happiness, after all.

[coal15]

So for the tens and tens of people out there following my WIPs, I apologize that it's been ages since I posted another chapter. At first it was just a monster case of writer's block but then a potentially devastating health crisis came up--for now it looks like I'm at least not staring down the barrel of imminent doom, but it has been a teensy bit distracting. I'm trying to get the creative engines revving again, but it's slow going. I don't wanna force things and end up cranking out garbage chapters, but it's hard not to pressure myself. So to lift my spirits and maybe re-ignite some confidence, I've decided to post links to the works I'm most proud of.

**fandoms represented below the cut are Heartstopper, 9-1-1, Good Omens, Sleepy Hollow, and The Magicians. Comments welcome but certainly not required (she says whilst mewling in the general direction of her inbox)

Protected. The Magicians, Queliot. Explicit but also full of romance and cuddles. If I had to pick one project as my "crowning achievement," it would be this baby. It follows Queliot's entire life together. 11 chapters. **it even got mentioned in a list on syfy, I had no idea until someone pointed it out to me in the comments, and yes I did 100% squeal about it for days even though it was just a tiny blurb on the list

Inconvenient Mistletoe. Sleepy Hollow, Ichabbie. Porn With Plot. (lots of plot) This was the first fanfic I ever wrote. Had no intention of publishing, but in a sudden fit of daring I posted it to ff.net and it got such an enthusiastic response I kept going. Covers the whole Apocalypse and a few years beyond. Every fic I've written since then owes its existence to this one. 17 chapters.

Of Guilt and Victory. Heartstopper, Nick and Charlie. General Audiences. This one is strange in that the story is what it is because Nick can't bear the thought of finding out someone has un-alived themselves when he knew it might happen and did/said nothing to intervene. This is in regards to Ben but at NO POINT is he forgiven for what he did nor sh*tty behavior in general, but this idea just fell into my mind based on what a beautiful golden retriever of a human Nick Nelson is, and the story evolved from there. It's odd, but I'm proud of it. 7 chapters.

A Series of Odd Proposals. Heartstopper, Nick and Charlie. General Audiences. This is one of those WIPs I mentioned. 8 chapters so far. It follows them through adulthood. In the chapter I'm currently writing their daughter is sixteen.

*Discalimer re: my 911 fics* yes I've written for both buddie and bucktommy, if it offends you that I've done such a thing the solution is easy: don't read them.

All's Well That Ends Well. 911, Buddie. Teen and up audiences. The whole thing pretty much revolves around the evolution of their love story from present day into old age. 10 chapters.

Buck's Gonna Buck. 911, Bucktommy. Mostly GA, but there is a brief mention of sex toys to I tagged it teen and up. These three "chapters" are just short, ridiculous drabbles. 1) Buck's POV getting ready for a date. 2) Tommy's POV getting ready for the date. 3) The date. Just silly fun. We haven't had much time w/them yet but I'm hoping to write more for them in s8 when there's more material to work with.

All Roads Lead Back. Good Omens, Aziracrow. Teen and up. One of those obnoxious WIPs. Starts a few weeks after s2 ends. 11 chapters thus far and we're tits deep in a rebellion against The Metatron in Heaven and searching for the true Almighty. Also, Muriel is a badass.

The Long Way Home. The Magicians, Queliot. Teen and up. Eliot embarks on a desperate mission to bring Quentin back from the underworld. Angst, danger, adventure, longing, romance, humor. Even a musical episode ********Okay, so this one is unusual in that I was just about to start writing the LAST DAMN CHAPTER when the pandemic hit. And how had I planned to end it since the very beginning? Well our heroes would win the war of course, but as a last act of vicious revenge before defeat the Library was gonna . . . wait for it . . . unleash a deadly pandemic upon the world and kill millions. I came up with this ending long before the pandemic, but . . . yeah. Nope. But I couldn't think of a better idea either. So it just sat there without an ending and thanks to everything else going on in the world I totally forgot about it for like a year. And when I did remember I still couldn't come up with anything better than my original idea. Should I finish it and stick to the original plan even though it's SO on the nose? I am super open to alternative suggestions here, because if it had an ending I absolutely would have listed it right up there with Protected. Currently 12 chapters. Again, alternative ending suggestions super welcome!

[i-am-a-fan]

Dude. I need to know about the tails.

I

Am

Invested

In that headcanon. I wanna hear a whole lore dump on your thought process on the latest peice

(If ya want ofc)

so. You wanted to hear my whole lore dump huh?

Please keep in mind that I am well aware that this is SUPPPEERRR off script for the show. This is just kinda like me playing with it like silly putty.

Link to artwork

Spoilers underneath and also long text.

Okay. So it stems from a lot of places.

First I’ll talk specifically about the tails since I think they’re the easiest to explain.

Tails:

The tails from from the season 4 special and the idea that Mk’s Kaiju form has three tails. That’s kinda what inspired it at the beginning.

I’ve outlined what I believe to be the tails in red so it’s easier to see.

Then we have Mk’s name sake in the Chinese dub (I think) Qi Xiaotain which roughly means “little sky” or “little heaven”.

If Wukong is the Sun, and Macaque is the moon, then would it not make sense that Mk, the one caught in between them is the sky?

I always try to draw Wukong’s tail to look like a fire ball, Macaque’s tail to look like a crescent moon, and Mk’s tail to look like a cloud.

Thus, you get the three tails that make up the controlled Kaiju form :D!

I also added the detail that the cloud swirl, what it outlined in orange, comes before wukong’s and Macaque’s tail to show that this feature is special to MK.

Samadhi Fire/ Teal Coloring:

The real thing that started everything was my crazy theory that Mk is the next person to get the samadhi fire.

The original smashing fire was also blue, which is why I made the painting be mixed with teal and yellow.

Link to Mk and the Samadhi Fire

I go into a LOT more detail in that post, but I’m almost certain that one of these 3 things happened to the samadhi fire in the show.

1. It got destroyed with the Lady Bone demon

2. Redson got it back and is unaware of it

3. Plot armor/ unexplained disappearance.

If it’s the first one, then onto the next topic.

Celestial Monkey(?):

I really hope that Mk turns out to be yet another celestial monkey, and if he is, I think it would make the most sense that he’s the “Connected Arm Gibbon” who can “seize the sun and the moon, shorten a thousand mountains, distinguish the auspicious from the inauspicious, And manipulate planets and stars.”

To me it makes the most sense since Mk is already somehow connected the the heavens and the planets.

More so, when Mk uses the Skeleton Key on himself, we get this frame… one that shows us a type of cosmic entity.

Plus, all the times that Mk has a cataclysmic power that shakes the universe.

If you combine this with the eye theory by @ imminent-danger-came , it seems like there’s some other version of MK that is watching and controlling what is happening to the Mk we are following.

- Eye Theory/ Eye Motifs with Mk

- Other Mk theory

There’s also the saying that the fate is written in the stars, and there’s a storyline relating Mk with destiny/ fate and how he can either be doomed to repeat it or change it.

If a version of Mk can truly control the stars, maybe by doing so he can change his fate as the harbinger of chaos.

Adding on, and with @spoofyleaf ‘s contributions, other Mk might be some protective seer of our MK. As seen in “Cooking with Chang’e” episode, Mk seems to simply be able to gain abilities from time to time and lose them.

Tang even comments on this and questions it, and if tang is our Normal Guy ™ who stands in as a Narrator and informant for the audience, then we can assume that this is not normal.

Referencing back to that image, look at the protective stance that the celestial version has over Mk, it’s almost protective of them (how I got inspired for the stance in the image).

Which brings me to the last part:

Reality Manipulation:

If Mk can gain new abilities when it is needed, and has the ability to control fate, does that entail that he has some sort of affect on the reality he’s placed in?

If so, that’s where I took creative liberties. If the Samadhi fire WAS destroyed, and it WAS the ultimate weapon for anything, wouldn’t someone who is obsessed with keeping everyone safe, try to reforge it? Wouldn’t the perfect person be someone who can change reality as they see fit? Wouldn’t that be someone who can distinguish the promising from the unpromising? Wouldn’t it be someone whom the bone demon tried to recruit again, and again? Wouldn’t the ultimate wildfire be wielded by chaos itself? Wou-

[ronaldofandom]

Forever, and for always!

And, after a few titbits, the proposal fic is up :)

Written at the request of a few readers. And also because I missed writing about my babies.

Summary: Bheem wants to ask Jenny to marry him. He's shit nervous and takes help from Ram & Sita. Then, he proposes in the most 'Bheem' way possible. This is fluff & fluff & more fluff.

................................................................

‘Anna - meet me riverside. It’s a matter of life and death.’

Ram had just finished the training session when a kid handed over Bheem’s note to him. The haphazardly scribbled words added to the urgency of the situation. Ram dropped everything and galloped towards the river, bracing himself for the worst. Ready to go on absolute rampage if anyone had dared to hurt Bheem.

His eyes scanned all directions, searching from pillar to post. When he finally spotted Bheem, he dashed towards him.

‘What…what’s wrong? What happened? I came as quickly as I could.’

Bheem looked curiously at Ram. The man was bent over, his hands on his knees, desperately trying to catch his breath.

Ram had also gotten the chance to look Bheem over. He didn’t seem physically hurt, thankfully, and there didn’t seem to be any imminent danger either. What was the issue then? Why did Bheem scare the living daylights out of him with that note?

‘Anna - why are you panting?’

Ram was more than mildly irritated by the question.

‘Isn’t it obvious? I came running because you said it’s a matter of life and death.’

Bheem looked guilty. Instantly. And Ram started to get irked by the look.

‘Well, what is it then? Spill. NOW.’

Bheem started to pace around the area, nervously. The man was driving Ram nuts.

‘I…uh…I am thinking about asking Jenny to marry me.’

Ram processed the information for a few seconds. Then picked up a pebble and hurled it at Bheem. It was small enough to not hurt but large enough to at-least sting.

Bheem rubbled his hurt shoulder, and gaped at Ram, all crestfallen and confused.

‘THAT was a matter of life and death? THAT? Do you have any idea what all went through my mind in the last 6 minutes? DO YOU?’

Bheem looked down sheepishly. He should have worded the note better, instead of letting his heart overpower his judgement.

A few more cuss words and bear hugs and puppy eyes later, Ram’s mood improved markedly and he calmed down enough to focus  on the matter at hand.

‘What exactly is bothering you, Bheem? Tell me.’

Bheem started to pace up and down again, making Ram dizzy.

‘You remember how you had told me to give her time to get acclimatised? To not pop the question too soon? To not put her in a spot where she feels compelled or pressured to make a choice?’

‘Yes I said that. Because you wanted to propose marriage to her two days after you guys said ‘I love you’ to each other.’

Ram rolled his eyes in annoyance at the memory. He believed he had saved Bheem from falling off a cliff with that herculean stupid idea of his.

Bheem paused the frenzied pacing abruptly and held Ram’s shoulders.

‘Exactly. I did all that you said. I waited. Patiently. I didn’t blurt out or hinted anything. Not even once. I stayed mum all this while. But Anna, it’s been 3 months since we have been together. I…I think we are ready to take the next step. What do you think?’

For the first time that evening, and in a long time, Ram smiled. Fondly. While shaking his head at Bheem.

‘My sweet brother - how could I be the judge of that? Only you two could know where you are in your relationship.’

‘That’s not true. You know her world better than me. You can see things from her lens. If she hadn’t been here, if it hadn’t been me but one of….well….those white men, would they have waited 3 months or more to pop the question? What’s the norm?’

Ram smiled even more, irking Bheem this time.

‘Glad my troubles are amusing to you.’

Bheem huffed and crossed his hands across his chest.

‘Oh no no, it’s not like that. It’s just funny that of all the people in this world, you decided to come to ME for relationship advice. I am laughing at the irony, not you.’

Bheem just shrugged in response. Ram was the smartest person he knew, and he trusted him with his life. So ofcourse he had gone to Ram for advice. Plus, Ram had saved him from quite a few faux-pas during his whirlwind romance. And, he had asked Sita to marry him. Surely he would have some pearls of wisdom to offer.

‘Look Bheem, no part of this is as per the norm. While you made your courtship official to the tribal council, her living together with you all these months is not the accepted practice in her world. In fact, it would be frowned upon and would cause immense uproar in her family. She has defied every rule set for her by following you here, so that shouldn’t be your benchmark. Your relationship has moved at a very different pace. You both have been through a lot, in this short span of three months. Forget the norm, just ask yourself if you think she is ready.’

Bheem was dreading this answer. Frankly, he didn’t want to rely just on his own heart. If he had followed his stupid heart, he would have foolishly proposed three months back itself.

Ram saw his inner turmoil through his transparent face.

‘Ok - let’s go through a few parameters. She wanted to be more self-reliant, right? To learn the ways of your world. How do you think she fares in that now?’

‘Frankly, she has surprised me. Surpassed all my assumptions. She has been the most diligent student, Anna. In household stuff and outside stuff alike. I don’t need to tell you that, since you have already graduated her from knife training to a revolver. She has picked up the language so quickly. All day, she busies herself in one thing or another. As if wanting to do a crash course on everything related to my world. Long story short, I don’t believe that to be an issue anymore.’

Ram nodded in agreement. Jenny was one of the best students he ever had. He had seen her evolve rapidly in all departments.

‘Great. Now, what about communication? She wanted you to share more with her, about your troubles, and not keep shielding her from the sad realities. Where do you guys stand on that?’

Bheem paused for introspection. After that massive and near-terminal fight at the beginning, they had started to communicate better. It had taken conscious effort, on both sides, to not let their insecurities affect what they said to each other. To actually share things as they were. Because the unspoken things were doing more harm than good.

‘Yes, we learnt it the hard way but we are fine now.’

‘Super. What about her health? You were worried initially about her adapting to the climate and food.’

‘That’s settled too. She got a few bouts of fever and food poisoning initially but that I had anticipated. Since then, she has adapted well.’

Ram nodded his head silently, while going through the checklist in his mind. There wasn’t much else to ask. All of their initial hiccups in the relationship seemed to have been sorted. There was one elephant in the room, though. Ram decided to address it head on.

‘Finally, Bheem, are you over the stupid notion that you don’t deserve her? That she would walk away any day, wanting no more of this life with you?’

Bheem’s mood suddenly turned solemn and his face fell. Ram had to resist the urge to offer physical comfort.

‘Anna, to be honest, I don’t think that fear will go away fully. Ever. I think she knows it too. But she has shown me in her own way how much she…loves me. And that this isn’t some exotic adventure for her. She has given her all and more to our relationship. So, I don’t want to let this fear rule my life anymore.’

This time, Ram couldn’t stop himself from hugging his little pumpkin. The pumpkin hugged back instantly. Separating after a few pats on the back.

‘In that case, my friend, you are ready. Go and make me proud.’

Panic hit Bheem, suddenly.

‘Go? What do you mean go? I can’t just say it like that. What would I even say? What should I do? I should do something, right? I can’t just ask this plainly. It has to be special, how do I make it special? Why are you looking at me like that, Anna? What should I do?’

‘That is not my department. You should ask the wise one.’

‘Yes, Sita would know. Surely, she would know what to do. I will go find her now. Oh Anna, thanks a ton.’

Bheem crushed Ram in a bear hug, his excitement palpable from his every move.

Before galloping away to find Sita, Bheem turned around to look at Ram one final time.

‘Anna - she won’t say no, right?’

‘Bheem, the only question is, how quickly will she say yes. My guess is under a second. Unless there are tears. From both sides. You are going to cry, aren’t you?’

‘I shall neither confirm nor deny that.’

With that, Bheem ran away to find Sita. Leaving Ram in an uncharacteristically pleasant mood.

Sita had just finished her chores for the afternoon, and was sitting under the banyan tree near her hut, knitting for the village new-borns.

Bheem whooshed past her in his rush, only turning back when he heard her singing.

Sita was initially alarmed to see Bheem so frenzied, but he quickly assured her that all was well.

She patted to the makeshift bench next to her, and Bheem sat down, nervously wriggling his fingers.

‘Where were you all day? I made kheer. Was looking for you but you were nowhere to be found.’

‘Ahh I was caught up in something. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.’

‘Let me get you some kheer. Then we will talk.’

Bheem didn’t protest. A little kheer won’t do anyone any harm.

Sita returned shortly with the creamy delicacy, which Bheem gobbled in 5 bites, licking around his mouth for any leftovers. Sita smiled fondly at his antics.

‘So, what did you want to talk about?’

Bheem looked down & quickly repeated what he had told Ram, about his intentions to marry Jenny. In some ways, Sita’s thoughts would be more insightful here since she was the closest to Jenny here, after him.

When there was silence for the next few moments, Bheem looked up to find moistness in Sita’s eyes.

She cupped his face gently, and dropped an affectionate peck to his forehead.

‘Oh dear, you have no idea how happy that made me. I am sooo thrilled for my friend. And I am equally overjoyed for you, my sweet Bheem. You two deserve all the happiness in the world. May god save you from all evil eyes. My love and blessings will always be with you both.’

Sita held his hands, while saying all the prayers for the couple. Bheem couldn’t help but smile at this pure soul. Her nobility, her kindness, her wisdom, and her resolve was second to none. Truly, a goddess reincarnated. Sometimes, Bheem saw traces of his mother’s care and affection in her. He was very fond of Sita and always held her in high regard.

She was also as intuitive as his mother, quickly sensing his hesitation.

‘What’s troubling you, Bheem? Your smile isn’t fully reaching your eyes.’

‘Sita - you know her as well as I do. Tell me - is this the right time? Will I overwhelm her by asking now? Should I wait some more. I don’t…I am not going to do anything which causes her any stress.’

‘I will tell you what I feel. But before that, tell me, what does your heart say?’

‘I feel marriage is just a nomenclature for us now. We are already married in our hearts. But still, this is very important for me. And I know that she believes in marriage too. I just want her to be mine, in every way humanly possible. That’s what I feel.’

Sita smiled serenely at the adorable person she loved like a brother. They must have been siblings in a previous life.

She reached out and held his hand.

‘Here is what I think. She has been in this world for 21 years but she has truly lived in the last one year, since she has met you. And especially the last three months. Her hopes, fears, prayers, trepidations, pretty much all sentiments are linked to you, Bheem. She never thought this could be a reality, that you would ever love her back like she did. Every day, she thanks her stars for bringing you to her. Every effort she has made to assimilate and adapt here has all been for you.’

Bheem felt a lump in his throat, too overcome with emotion to say anything. She squeezed his hand lightly and continued.

‘Her time here has not been without challenges. You know that. But what you may not know is how much she appreciates you letting her navigate her own path. To make her own choices. Bheem - when you understood her hesitations about motherhood, it meant the world to her. When you let her fall, get hurt, get lost sometimes while learning this way of life, that support is all she needs. It shows her that you see her. You hear her. You understand her. You support her. You respect her. We all know how much that has hurt you, to let her go through any kind of pain, which is why she is all the more grateful. Her world begins and ends with you, my dear Bheem - there is no need to have any second thoughts.’

Bheem hung on to every word, smiling through his hazy eyes. Sita’s validation is what he needed. He had no doubt that Jenny loved him as unconditionally and irrevocably as he loved her. It hadn’t been easy but they had gotten here. What they had was so special, he couldn’t afford to make any stupid move to mess that up.

Grateful, he beamed back at Sita, who was wiping her eyes with her pallu and smiling like an idiot at the same time.

They brainstormed on how best to tell Jenny. And the things Bheem wanted to do to make the occasion even more special. Sita had a ton of ideas, Bheem loved them all. He had only two ideas but Sita cried again when she heard them. Clarifying between sobs that they touched her heart.

‘Oh Bheem, Jenny is so so lucky. Yes, please go ahead with both. I will help with the logistics.’

They were going to need at-least two days to execute the plan. Once all the details were finalised, Bheem looked at her earnestly.

‘I can’t thank Anna and you enough. Without you both, I would never have had the courage to do what I am going to do.’

‘One second, you asked Ram for suggestion? OUR RAM?’

‘Umm, yes?’

‘You do know he proposed to me when we were half asleep, after a harrowing day and a tumultuous fight, out of nowhere right?’

‘But you said yes, didn’t you?’

She sighed, resigned.

‘Yes. Yes, I did.’

‘I think that qualifies as mission accomplished.’

‘Yeah, whatever.’

They spent few more lazy moments together, then went their own ways. There was a lot to do.

Two days passed. And the D-Day was here.

Bheem was in Sita’s hut and they were cross-checking if everything was in place. Once Sita was satisfied, she kept the bag aside and held Bheem by his shoulders. Both smiled at each other. Both looked like absolute lunatics to Ram, who was observing their histrionics from a distance.

But when Sita put tilak on Bheem’s forehead and fed him some sweet curd, for good omen, Ram couldn’t help himself from chiming in.

‘Sita, he is not going on a war, for heaven’s sake.’

Both pair of eyes turned on him, Sita’s more annoyed than Bheem’s, obviously.

Ram looked away, muttering under his breath.

‘Bheem, ignore this robot. He can take his cynicism and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. You go on. I will wait to hear the good news.’

After a comforting and reassuring hug from Sita, Bheem headed out, smiling at the faint bickering between Ram-Sita in the background. Holding the bag close to his chest. Trying to relive all the pep talk from the last few days, to not panic.

But alas, Jenny wasn’t in the hut. Where could she go at this time?

He looked around, trying to keep a lid on his paranoia. Just then, a neighbour told him she had seen her near the well in the village courtyard.

And there she was. Frolicking with toddlers in the makeshift pool created for them, since these children were too young to bathe in the stream or the river.

She had a one year old in her lap, who was too young to even dip in this pool. So, she was splashing him with tiny droplets while he was bouncing in her arms. The other kids took advantage of the distraction and splashed her with fists full of water. Their giggles sounded like a song of nature. A celebration of freedom. An expression of pure unadulterated bliss.

Bheem stood in the shadows, admiring the scene. He should take her swimming soon. Last time, the river current had been too much for Jenny. She was used to swimming in pools and lakes but not in running water. So she had clung to him the whole time, head to toe, not letting go for a second. The memory made him all fuzzy.

Bheem couldn’t wait anymore and called out to Jenny. She waved back happily, safely returned the infant to his mother, bid goodbye to the other kids and semi-hopped towards him. Just when he thought she couldn’t get any more adorable.

Seeing her with toddlers always tugged at his heart strings. A strange desire mixed with ache. A hope for a family, if and when the notion appeals to her.

‘Hello hello. Earth to Bheem. Where are you lost?’

They were walking back, hand in hand. Jenny was chattering away, but Bheem was too lost in his imaginations to register her pearly voice.

Pearly voice. Bheem was amused as to how he had an adjective for everything related to her.

‘You had a good day?’

‘Oh it was absolutely lovely. I was walking by and the kids just dragged me in. You could have joined us in the merrymaking.’

She elbowed him lightly, glancing up at him. He seemed a bit lost today and she wondered if everything was well.

‘I have other plans for us today. But before that, let’s get you changed. You are soaking wet right now.’

She hummed and rested her head on his shoulder, lacing their fingers together.

Upon reaching the hut, Jenny started to pick up a change of clothing, when Bheem gently held her wrist.

‘Umm I have brought something for you. A saree. Will you wear that for me?’

‘Awww my darling. That’s so sweet. Ofcourse I will wear it now. But, how come this all of a sudden? Anything special today?’

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her close and looked straight into her eyes.

‘Every moment with you is special. You make it special, by just being with me.’

He said it so earnestly, so matter-of-factly that she nearly forgot to breathe for a few seconds, losing her way in his eyes.

When she went to take out the garments from the bag, Bheem jumped & took the bag out of her reach, handing her the red blouse and petticoat sheepishly. She looked at him curiously, convinced that he was up to something, but decided to play along.

While she changed in the adjoining chamber, Bheem bounced around the hut, praying to all gods known to mankind. Praying to his parents, seeking their blessings.

He also did a few squats, push-ups to dissipate the nervous every plaguing his body. He was in the middle of a headstand when he heard the door open, losing his balance and falling flat on his face with a loud thud. Thankfully, she didn’t see any of it.

Jenny walked out, knocking the wind out of his chest. The red blouse, fitted to perfection, a perfect match for her radiant skin. The petticoat around her slender, smooth, curvy lower waist. Her damp hair dangling over one shoulder, while she ran her fingers through them to sort the messy strands.

‘Help me with this please? I can’t reach it.’

She turned her back to him, pointing to the thread to tie the blouse.

Bheem’s fingers slid up her part-bare back, of their own volition, and tied the thread gently. Checking on the sturdiness of the knot by pulling at it with his teeth. Enjoying her resulting shudder & goosebumps.

Sliding an arm over her waist, he turned her around, admiring her from head to toe. He was particularly proud of the fit of the blouse, given he had relied solely on his memory for the measurements. She realised it too & glanced away, trying to hide her fluster.

Finally, he pulled out the saree from the bag and she clapped in delight. It was a traditional Indian red & white saree. Jenny had been longing for one since she had seen it on a few women in Delhi during festivities. But only Sita knew about her fondness for it. And ofcourse she had told Bheem. Ofcourse.

Draping the saree was an adventure. Neither knew how to do it properly. Bheem knew the mechanics but actually doing the pleats was far more complicated than the concept of it. She helped however she could, letting her body loose like a doll for him to manoeuver, as he figured out which side to pull the pallu from. They laughed and giggled through it all.

The end result was quite close to a saree. Atleast that’s what they both insisted. Sita would have disagreed, ofcourse.

Bheem was far from being done. He sneaked into that suspicious bag again and pulled out a set of jhumkis, a waist chain, a red bindi and a gajra. Donning them all on her carefully, like she was made of rose petals.

Mesmerised, she just followed his movements. Every little thing he had picked to adorn her body was perfect. Stunning. He was dressing her up like a devoted priest would dress a goddess before the temple opening every morning. Readying her to be worshipped. The lump in her throat grew.

‘B-Bheem, all this….what’s happening?’

The way he looked at her then, she knew something momentous was going to happen.

Bheem held her hands, bringing them to his eyes first, and then to his lips, finally keeping them close to his chest, letting her feel his rapidly thumping heart.

‘Do you hear what it is saying?’

He pressed her hands further into his chest. She looked at him pleadingly, voice cracking in her throat.

‘Bangaram, it’s saying that it belongs to you, now and forever. For this life and the next six. You own my heart. You own my life. You own my soul, Jenny.’

Jenny leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his while pressing their foreheads together.

‘I…I know, my love.’

She whispered against his lips. Then stepped back to communicate the same through her eyes.

‘It is also scared. Not as scared as earlier, though, when it used to not feel deserving enough of you. Because you made it believe that you did love this fool back. You made the fears go away. You made it dream. You made it fly. You made it hope. You made it full. You made it worthy. You made it your home.’

Jenny tried hard to rein in her emotions but tears had started to drop from the corner of her eyes. He kissed away a few. She was shaking, as was he. They continued to cling to each other for support.

‘It’s scared because without you, it will suffocate to death. It won’t know how to function, how to get by. It doesn’t recollect what life used to be before you, or if that was any life at all. It can not imagine a life without you. You made it greedy, bangaram. Because now, it wants you fully. Exclusively. Forever.’

She desperately gripped his shoulder for support and started to respond, but he placed his palm over her lips.

‘If you say something now, I would lose the strength to continue. I am not good with words jaan, you know that.’

Jenny broke into a helpless giggle. Man had the audacity to say that after putting Jane Austen to shame with his ballad of love. But she nodded nonetheless, asking him to continue.

What he did next made her head reel.

Bheem went down on one knee, looking up at her with all the love he could muster.

‘I have wanted to do this since the day I told you I loved you. It felt right then. It feels right now. You are the light of my life, the centre of my universe, the reason for my existence. I want to grow old with you, Jenny.’

He pulled out the last item from the bag. A pair of gold-plated bangles that belonged to his mother. Jenny knew what those were; he had told her it was the only belonging of his mother that he had. That his father had given her on the day Bheem was born. It looked recently polished but Jenny was certain it was the same pair. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest.

‘I know you know what these are and what they mean to me. All I can say is, you mean as much now, as she did. Amma would have loved for you to have these. I wish she was here. I wish she had given these to you herself. But I know she is smiling up there, watching over us.’

Jenny felt like she would combust any moment. She pinched herself a few times to ensure it wasn’t a dream.

‘Jenny Buxton, would you make me the happiest being to ever exist on this earth, by being mine forever? By….by being my wife?’

She fell down on her knees, throwing her arms around him, almost toppling him with the impact. She cupped his face and kissed him all over, like her life depended on it, whispering ‘yes’ with each kiss.

It took Bheem fifteen yes to finally believe it. When he did, he pulled her into his lap, kissing her back as desperately and passionately. When they parted after what seemed like an eternity, he held her wrists and slid the bangles lovingly on them.

He found her beautiful always. But today was extra special. No goddess, no angel, no divine being could match up to her glow today. He wanted her to see what he was seeing. So he took her in front of the full length mirror, that he had especially gotten for her (with immense efforts) when she had come to Adilabad.

She stood there, fiddling with the fabric and all the ornaments, quite pleased with herself too.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, as Bheem buried his head into the side of her neck, which she could both feel and see through the mirror. His fingers started to play with the chain on her waist, as he nibbled around her neck and shoulder.

‘You could wear this saree on our wedding. It has both red and white. To represent both our cultures and marriage traditions.’

Jenny had to close her eyes, and not just because she was feeling dizzy with all his ministrations. Every-time she thought this man couldn’t get any more thoughtful, he did something like this.

She traced his arm which was wrapped around her waist, playing with the hair there. While her other hand reached back to caress his bearded cheek. He immediately leaned into her palm, nuzzling against it.

‘I want to take your name.’

He paused and looked up. Their eyes met through the mirror.

‘I don’t wanna be Jenny Buxton after the wedding. I want to take your name. I want everything a married woman has with her husband. Everything.’

Jenny didn’t know why that statement generated such fire in Bheem. He seemed to be undressing her with his eyes now, through the mirror. She had to break the gaze and look away.

His hands became more urgent, more insistent, roaming all over, turning her into a hot mess.

‘Since you have to wear this attire on our wedding, maybe we should keep it safe and take it off, yes?’

‘Oh, ‘we’ should take it off is it?’

She managed to find her voice.

‘Yes. It’s a two-person job.’

‘Uh-huh.’

Bheem took it atrociously slow, taking his time to undo her piece by piece. Not letting her help. Pinning her wrists in one hand.

He planned to only leave the bangles on her.

Just then, a loud knock on the door interrupted his flow.

‘Anna - the recce team is back from Hyderabad. Should I tell them you will meet them now?’

Bheem took a few deep breaths. The messenger was just doing his job, he didn’t want to yell at him.

Jenny was amused, observing his reaction. Pressed up close to him, she felt the state he was in and knew he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

‘Tell them I will come later.’

‘Ok. Should I tell them 15 minutes?’

‘15 MINUTES? Tell them one hour.’

He thought for a second, then called out again.

‘Actually, make that two hours. Go, tell them right now.’

The messenger scuttled away quickly, wanting to relay Bheem’s message ASAP.

And Bheem went back to celebrating his engagement with the love of his life. As planned, he left only the bangles on her. Loving the way they looked. The way they felt as she wrapped her arms around his neck. As her hands gripped his shoulders, his arms, his back, his face.

He just wanted to indulge in her attentions, immerse in her softness, drown in her love. Other things could wait. Other people could wait. Today was just for the two of them. The day that neither would forget for as long as they live. The day where they committed to be each other’s. Forever, and for always.

.................................................................

That was it, folks. Hope you liked it. Would love to hear your thoughts, as always!

@irisesforyoureyes @rambheem-is-real @thewinchestergirl1208 @eremin0109 @eenadu-varthalu @rorapostsbl @yehsahihai @budugu @maraudersbitchesassemble @justmeand-myinsight @rambheemisgoated @rosayounan @jrntrtitties @obsessedtoafault @rambheemlove @jjwolfesworld @alikokinav @iam-siriuslysher-lokid @dumdaradumdaradum @lovingperfectionwonderland

@chaanv @ssabriel @milla984 @kaagazkefool @boochhaan @mesimpleone @filesbeorganized @ladydarkey @teddybat24 @stanleykubricks @burningsheepcrown @veteran-fanperson @ronika-writes-stuff @beingmes-blog @yonderghostshistories @nisreenart @chaidrivenwhore @bheemaxrama @umbrulla @mizutaama @rosefulmadness @gifseafins @fangirlshrewt97 @voidsteffy @maooyinysparkle @amalthea9 @vijayasena @stars-in-the-distance @astrafangs

[5eraphim]

Multi yandere! x reader !TEASER!

Inspired by Engie’s “Hey boys it’s a Spy!” line. Spy!Reader’s cloaking device malfunctions while behind enemy lines and is instantly captured. The request didn’t specify which characters to feature (besides Engie of course-) So I figured it was only fitting to use Engie, Heavy and Sniper, the classes soft-countered by Spy, to team up an enact a little vengeance. It’s a 3 on 1 fight, and the boys are playing dirty, you don’t have a prayer.

(Also look, class counters are very fluid, and I know there isn’t exactly an agreed lineup of counters, but these are generally agreed to be Spy’s- and work well for the narrative, I hope we can all make our peace with that!)

Characters: The Engineer 🦦, The Heavy 🐻 and the Sniper 🦘

There was no way in hell you would make it out of this alive, let alone complete your objective. Your cloaking device was acting up for some time now, and you found yourself blinking back into visibility precious seconds before you were supposed to. In addition, the disguises you needed to sneak behind enemy lines failed to appear correctly, giving you away instantly. Though you'd hoped to make it through, a bit longer before you needed to pay for a repair or to buy an upgrade. 

You'd managed to skate by unscathed through sheer dumb luck so far, but you knew, in this exact moment, your luck had run out, and at the worst possible time. Not only did your cloaking device power down, going entirely unresponsive in the middle of a match, but while you were in enemy territory. You were all but inside an Engineer's unattended nest when you heard your device begin to beep erratically before powering down altogether, going completely unresponsive. Great. Just what you needed. Given how you were already inside the nest, you didn't want to flee just yet, and the least you could do was try dismantling at least one structure before a forced retreat. Usually, you weren't the type to make such arrogant moves, but you were positioned well away from the heat of battle and couldn't hear the rival Engie nearby. It was risky, but if you wanted to make those last precious moments of your invisibility cloak work, now was the time. 

You were so focused on listening attentively to the sound of the far-away conflict, not daring to look up from your work as you dismantled as fast as you could manage. Every second counted here, and you couldn't afford to make a single mistake. However, the closer you came to finishing the objective, the more engrossed you became, so much so that you failed to register the sound of the Engineer returning to his nest until he practically rounded the corner to meet you head-on.

By chance, you picked up the sound of the floorboards by your feet creaking as another figure approached you fast. It hurt to come so close, but you knew it was time to retreat. You sank into the shadows, slipping out the window as you tried to find a way out, but you were just a hair too slow, knowing Engie spotted you as he called,

"Hey, boys! It's a Spy!"

There was no time to hide and plan. Instead, you needed to move fast. Darting from your place in the shadows, you tried to slip into a hallway. You intended to run deeper into the building and find another window to jump from, but the sound of the enemy Heavy approaching through the entrance ruined that plan before you could even try. The only thing to do now to avoid running back the way you came was to run upstairs. To jump from a higher elevation was a terrible idea, but there was a chance: you could endure it just long enough until you reached your Medic... Wherever he was anyway. Your heart hammered away in your chest as you bolted in a blind panic. You were moments away from jumping to a near-certain death. You were so fixated on finding your window of opportunity, blindly seeking an exit you failed to notice the little blue dot aimed at your calf. So painfully blind to the imminent danger until you felt the bullet rip through your flesh.

Crying out in pain, you barely managed to break the fall with your arms as you were sent hurtling down face-first into the floor. "How did I not see him? How long was he watching? Where the hell did he come from anyway? You mentally screamed, but it's not like it mattered now. In just a few seconds, Sniper would be blasting your head into a hundred little pieces, and there was nothing you could do to stop him. Painting with adrenaline, your headshot upright as Sniper drew closer, gun still poised in the firing position. From behind, you heard the Engineer make his way up to the upper deck, where Sniper was apparently watching and waiting for God knows how long.

For a second, you stared ahead, waiting for him to move. From where he was stationed, this should've been an easy headshot- what happened? Why was he still aiming at you if he wouldn't pull the trigger? You were humiliated by your lousy performance as a Spy and wanted to end all this mess. You couldn't understand why he was prolonging the inevitable like this- he, of all people, prided himself on efficiency. What was stopping him now? "Great work Aussie- you missed my head by a mile!" You glared, still downed and breathing heavily. Sniper merely snarled in response.

"Wasn't aiming for your head, mongrel."

From behind, you heard a familiar Texan deep laugh,

"Looks like somebody caught us a snake. Nice shootin' partner!"

A little ways away, you heard Heavy finally make his way to the top of the building, walking over to stand by Engie, curious at the sight before him. Usually, he'd not waste a moment downing easy prey like this, but even he could tell something interesting was happening here and wanted in on it. Sniper's eyes narrowed as he spoke to you, lowering his gun to his side and talking to the other men on his team.

"I could've made the shot, but it's not every day you see a Spy with no cloaking device. I watched it die on her myself. If we send the Spy back now, it might be repaired in respawn."

You felt a chill of fear run down your spine as he stared down at you, looking at the Engineer with dark amusement.

"Bit of a waste, you know? Every day you cowardly Spies run around, stabbing the rest of us in the back while you hide in the shadows. Let's see how tough you are with nowhere to hide.

He leaned his gun to rest propped up on the side of the house as he got down on one knee, his face far too close to yours for comfort. 

"Got nowhere to run now, do ya?"

From behind, you could hear Engie slowly step forward to draw closer before he lowered one of his heavy boots to rest squarely in the middle of your back as he pushed you down, crushing your chest to the floor.

"You're due for a little payback, partner."

He chuckled, watching you try and twist out from under his boot, blood continuing to ooze from the wound on your leg as you squirmed below pathetically.

"What d'ya think, Heavy? Care to show our little friend here how we welcome traitors on our side?"

Of all the people to catch you while you were down, of course, it was these pricks. Just your luck.

"Today is a good day to watch Spy bleed."

Your cheek was practically digging into the floorboards, given how much force Engie had pressed to your back, forcing you to look to the side to lessen the pressure on your neck. Even from your position so far below, you could feel the hungry look in Sniper's eyes. None of this made sense! Why weren't they going in for the kill yet? Surely they weren't serious about all this.

"How 'bout it, mongrel, how long d'ya reckon until you're begging for us to blow that pretty little head off ya shoulders?"

It was hard to respond while all the air was squished from your lungs, but you were a Spy. You were too proud to fold so quickly.

"Go fuck yourself- you filthy piss-slinging ape!"

His smile disappeared as he spoke in a mocking pout,

"Aw, don't be like that, mate. You'll hurt my feelings. And ya wouldn't want to make me angry, would ya?"

From behind, you heard Engie say,

"Let's take this inside, boys. I think we might need to teach our lil' friend here how to play nice."

"One thing first."

To your surprise, Heavy interjected, walking closer with loud steps, which sounded all the more intimidating with your ear pressed against the floor. The weight on your back lifted as Engie moved to accommodate space for Heavy, but you knew better than to try and run now. Any chance of running was long gone now. You heard him fiddle with something clumsily, but before you could spend too long wondering what it was, you felt a smooth, warm strap forced around your neck, followed by a rattling clasp. It took you a moment to realize, but it dawned on you then he must've removed his belt to use as a leash on you. The buckle's metal pressed against the back of your neck, making a perfect, inescapable loop around your neck. Your cheeks flush with humiliation. 

"This too, seriously!? Do you idiots think I could run now if I tr-"

You were cut off by the feeling of the leather tightening sharply around your throat. You choked loudly in shock and pain, much to the amusement of the boys around you. Then, in desperation, you tried to wriggle away. Using your core strength, you pulled your upper body up from the floor, resting your weight on your elbows as you tried to pry away at the strap with your fingers to no avail.

"Oh yeah, I reckon' the lil Snake's 'bout ready now." 

That was the last thing you heard before you were pulled backward on your ass by your "leash." Heavy dragging the deadweight of your body on the tether, your hands uselessly trying to grip onto anything before you were carried deeper inside the Hell House, legs limply dragged with the rest of your dead-weighted body. A few tears ran down your face, and you cried out in choked sobs for a team you knew couldn't hear, to a God who would grant you no deliverance, to your captors who would spare no mercy.

[sweetflanfiction]

The Arena - Part 4

Universe: Alice in Borderland Pairing: Chishiya x reader Disclaimer Pt.3: The story isn't finished! This isn't proofread! I don't speak english as my main language! Sorry from everything aaannnddd...Anything between these // // is a flashback/not real.

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5 // Part 6 // Part 7 // Part 8 // Part 9 // End

• ··········· • ············ •

When nighttime came, you all decided to go out and be social. You were hanging by the lounge area once again, trying to make small talk with some other guests and event attendees. Trying and mostly failing since the only thing the group managed to actually do was sit in some comfy chairs and have a late snack. 

The walk to the bedroom, your bedtime routine and the hushed conversation you had with Ari were covered in a fog of tiredness and weariness. And although you had been dead-tired you only managed to sleep a couple of hours straight, after that you’d only been able to twist and turn on your bed, until you decided to get up and get some fresh air. 

Getting up you grabbed your sneakers, the first piece of clothes your hand touched and without turning the lights on you got dressed. Grabbing your keycard and phone, you silently made it out into the corridor.

The hotel was even quieter than in the evening. You shoved your hands in the pockets of your jacket and walked around the corridor, finally arriving at the balcony that overlooked the foyer. You leaned on the railing and closed your eyes. 

You opened your eyes and saw a man dressed in a silk robe and swim trunks on the tall stone balcony. Hands behind his back, sunglasses, leaning into the stone banister, looking at the lower floor. He moved slowly and looked directly at you, smiling and tilting his head in acknowledgement. You raised your eyebrows for a second but nodded your head all the same. The man walked away and you were left alone once more.

Reaching the outdoor pool was easy and nobody had stopped you on the way there. The night was cool, but not cold. The sky was clear and filled with stars. You heard the sound of waves crashing at the beach, the repetitive sound soothing you.

Bending down you took off your shoes and sat quietly on the edge of the pool. You dipped your feet into the water and let the sound of the waves and soft wind lull you into a relaxed state. 

After a while you felt someone standing by your side and thinking it was a hotel employee you jerked your head to look at the uninvited guest. 

It wasn't an employee though. Chishiya stood next to you, his hands shoved into his pants pockets. He gave you a quick grin, took off his flip-flops and sat down next to you.

"I forgot about the buddy system." You teased him.

"I didn't follow you. Although you’re pretty easy to spot.” He mentioned your clothing, and you looked down, finally registering that you were wearing his white hoodie.

“Shit. Sorry!" You started taking it off.

“You can keep it.” He said, chuckling at you fumbling with the zipper. 

“Thanks.” 

He nodded and you both fell silent for a while. 

"This place…" You faltered, unsure if you should keep talking. "This place, something is wrong with it. I'm not sure why, or what it is, but...there seems to be a sense of imminent danger. It feels like I'm being watched, threatened, and it's not the same as it was before. I want to leave. Whenever I stop to think about it, I feel a need to hide. Not just physically, I need to shut down everything in me. I don’t know if it’s the people, or the lights or this strange smell of…”

“Something burning?” Chishiya sighed. "I've been having similar thoughts. It’s not as unpleasant as yours. I do feel watched, not threatened. It’s just uncomfortable… and urgent. Like a need to finish something as quickly as possible. And the smell of burning is…bizarre. Kaori hasn’t felt it and I’m sure there would be an alarm if something was burning.”

“Trauma is a bitch.” You grunted, leaning your elbows into your knees, looking out into the pool water. 

“It is. But at least we get to share it.” He leaned back the opposite way, but looked at the same spot.

“Well, if I have to get through it, I’m glad you’re coming in with me Chishiya.” You blurted out, looking back at him watching for his reaction.

The man looked at you and nodded. He had a gentle smile on his lips. His eyes blinked slowly, like a satisfied cat. You mirrored his expression and he bumped his knee against yours playfully. Turning to look back into the dark sky, you placed a hand on his knee, trying to focus on being relaxed.

You had to start admitting to yourself that you enjoyed his company in more ways than just friendly companionship. When he stood next to you, you couldn't help but relax, and you always tried to make that happen as subtly and quickly as possible. Whenever your band of friends hung out, you always enjoyed watching him silently. From the way he moved, to the way he spoke. 

You hadn’t acted on this though. Your mental health and well-being were your first priority. Before you could jump into a relationship with anyone, you had to make sure you were ready to handle it. However, everything seemed to be falling into place as of late, so much so that you were starting to consider asking a certain doctor out.

• ··········· • ············ •

Chishiya shifted his gaze to you. If two years ago, someone had told him this would be his life, he would have dismissed it with a shrug and an eye roll. The idea of having real friends who he could count on was such a stretch of the imagination that he had never even thought about making an effort. The notion of caring for anyone other than himself had been completely foreign at the time, let alone thinking about wanting to be with someone. 

But here he was, fighting the urge to wrap his arm around your own, take your hand and just sit there for hours until the sun rose. 

• ··········· • ············ •

The next day was a little less stressful, but the final hurdle was still on the horizon: the fundraiser. The main event would be finished by three and the Foundation had decided to hold a small fundraiser for its research department. And that meant every staff member had to attend. Some of the speakers and some higher up in the hospital would also be there, so the thought of skipping it hadn’t even been discussed.

You and Ari were waiting in the bedroom for the rest of the gang to join in. Although the day had been relatively calm, there was still something bothering you.

"Please…stop." Ari begged, watching you pace the room for the umpteenth time. "You're making me dizzy."

"Sorry." You sat on the edge of the bed, your leg bouncing.

"Have you taken your medication?" She asked and you nodded. "You want me to check your vitals?"

“What? Why?” You stared at her confused. She shrugged.

"My patients tell me I'm very zen when I work." She declared proudly.

"Thanks. I'm fine." You snickered.

"Yes, the earthquake you're trying to create with that leg sure makes you look fine." She pointed and you stopped immediately. “How did it turn out with Chishiya last night? You managed to ask him out or…?”

“What? How did you know?” 

“I have eyeballs and ears, and so does Kaori.” 

“You were sleeping.” You doubted.

“We also have bladders, my friend. I woke up and you were gone. Kaori woke up and he was gone. Coincidence?” Ari sassed. “Come on, there's exactly two people in the world that haven't realized you both have been "heart-eyeing" each other for the longest time: you and him."

You tried to defend yourself but stopped halfway. Both of you were adults, with your lives more or less organized and enough wits to make informed choices. There was no need for you to try and hide or defend the fact that yes, you had feelings towards the aloof doctor. 

"Has it clicked yet?" Your friend asked, watching you slowly nod as the realization dawned on your face. "Good."

"I just don't think now is the time." You sighed. "If my breakdowns are coming back…"

"Well, he's well aware of the trauma and the effect it has." Ari leaned back into the bed, grabbing her phone.

After a few seconds of silence, two knocks on the door interrupted your thoughts. You got up and opened it. Kaori stood there, with a smile on their face. They were already dressed nicely and ready for the function.

"I heard someone had an epiphany!" They gently pushed you inside the room and closed the door. 

"How?" You asked confused.

Ari cleared her throat and waved her phone, smiling mischievously. You rolled your eyes and watched as Kaori sat next to your current roommate.

"First of all, congratulations." They teased, winking at you. "Second of all, can we switch rooms now? That man is driving me nuts!"

"First of all, thanks? Second of all, no." You sat down again. "I'm still trying to figure it out."

Kaori turned serious for a moment, noticing your flustered state.

"Listen, as much as we sound like actual high schoolers over this, we understand that it's complicated." Kaori reasoned, knowing you'd listen to them more than anyone else while Ari nodded in agreement. "Don't make any decisions based on what he might do or think. Make it for you. If you feel capable of doing it, do it. He knows the hand he is being dealt. If not, then don't. Just know that, as your friends, we just want to see you enjoy yourself. Be happy."

"And then, if you do decide to go for it... burn all his sweaters, for the sake of Kaori's well being." Ari added, lightening the mood. "And please condition that hair."

There was a pause as the three of you hummed in agreement, before chuckles and laughter started to bubble up. If there was anything certain in this world, it was that there was an understanding between the three of you. A balance to make sure things are put in perspective, no matter if it’s work or personal.

• ··········· • ············ •

@phoenix666stuff // @rosesandlavendertea // @xiaoishwrites