#he is suffering from a dinosaurs neck here little bit

[rwby-confess]

Confession #95

[zeldahime]

Highway to Pail Bonus #1

[Day 1] [Prev] [Next] @do-it-with-style-events

Bonus prompt 1: Thought I'd found a dinosaur skeleton, but it turned out to be a fossil arm.

The oddest part about being on the outs with Crowley for the last year and change was that the Arrangement was still on. They weren't speaking about anything but work, as though work were a safe subject. It was only safe in comparison to the fight itself, dull with familiarity, but still more dangerous than Crowley appeared to want to realize.

So, here Aziraphale found himself in America, carrying out the work of angel and demon both. Blessings in Rhode Island and New Jersey, followed by a temptation in Connecticut. If he hadn't seen the orders, he nearly would have thought the temptation specifically cooked up to make him feel guilty: the target was a nephew of a gentleman he'd known socially in London some years ago, an academic studying to make sense of the bones he knew to be a divine prank, a confirmed bachelor.

Still, needs must. Work must get done, or else both their bosses would be breathing down their necks, and if Crowley insisted on believing him so, so, well, transactional about it all, Aziraphale would live down to his expectations. Anything to keep death out of his hands.

Connecticut's Yale University was not unlike Cambridge or Oxford in appearance; he supposed that was to be expected. Also to be expected were the academics in tweed suits and beards, the students in the quad studying or playing lawn sports, the small offices in which the teaching staff eternally suffered a lack of space for their packrattish tendencies. The eternal aura of professional envy toward their peers, even their friends, which Aziraphale usually politely disregarded but which currently he found useful.

He found the correct door and knocked. "Mr Marsh?"

"It's unlocked," came an irritated voice from inside. Oh. This was going to go swimmingly, Aziraphale thought sarcastically. I shall wind up tempting him to kicking an Angel of the Lord out of his office, which can hardly be written up in the memo.

He smiled politely as he entered. "Hello, Mr Marsh. I'm A. Fell; I wrote you that I would be coming?"

"Did you now," Marsh said flatly. "I remember, Mr Fell. I don't recall my uncle ever having mentioned you, but you seemed quite familiar with him in your letter."

"We met because of the nasty bit of business in Baltimore, you see," Aziraphale tried to explain, and Marsh's eyebrows raised.

"Forty years ago?"

"I try not to count the years; it does make one feel rather old, and it seems as though it were only yesterday. But yes." Not a lie; well, except the man bit, but that was purely social convention. He'd simply forgotten it had been so long. "Your uncle made quite the impression."

Marsh gave him a long, appraising look, then nodded. "I'm certain he did." Aziraphale looked appraisingly back, feeding the obvious impression Marsh had formed of him, and let his smile turn a little sharper at one corner.

They spoke for a while. Aziraphale's cover of a potential wealthy donor but scientific ingenue was quite truthful. He had plenty of money, knew next to nothing about natural history or the sciences, and had centuries of practice delivering fawn eyes to anyone (well, one particular someone) who he knew wished to explain them to him and only needed encouragement or excuse. Marsh grew comfortable with him quickly, seeing the like-mindedness bachelors tended to see in each other in these days, and invited him to continue their interview over dinner.

Eventually, their conversation turned to other academics, and Aziraphale found his opening. "How about that fellow Cope?" he asked, setting down his fork. "Some of those I represent had thought Haverford may be a recipient of future funds, but they were concerned their premiere paleontologolist had resigned. Are you acquainted with his reasoning?"

Mr Marsh smiled patronizingly and looked so like Gabriel for a moment that Aziraphale blinked repeatedly to center himself, hoping it looked more like the batting of eyelashes than a sudden gesture of fear and distrust.

"Cope is a good friend and a fair enough scientist, but it's hardly worth throwing money around on his account," Marsh said with more than a hint of judgement. "He's no anatomist and has a habit of destroying his work when he gets into a mood. Haverford is probably better off without him, though don't tell him I said so."

Aziraphale swallowed hard. Suddenly he no longer felt any need to be guilty about whatever the fate may be of this particular man's eternal soul. His attitudes were not at all incompatible with those of some in Heaven.

"In fact," Marsh continued, "I'm due to meet with him in New Jersey in a few weeks. He's found a quarry that might hold some undescribed species, he says."

"Could he be trusted with such a find?" Aziraphale asked, all innocent curiosity. "If he's as poor an anatomist as you say, surely he wouldn't do the animals justice." Marsh looked thoughtful. "In fact, if I might be so bold," Aziraphale said, sliding his hand across the table towards, but not to, Marsh, who watched its movement with a sharp inhale, "perhaps it would be best if you could arrange for new finds to bypass him. In the interests of science, of course."

"Of course," Marsh said to Aziraphale's hand. Marsh licked his lips.

"Where are you staying, Mr Fell?" he asked. "If you haven't yet found lodgings, I have a fairly spacious home."

Flattering, of course, and exactly where Aziraphale had pointed him, but....

"You're very kind to offer, Mr Marsh, but I'm staying with friends who will surely notice if I don't return. Perhaps I might call on you the next time I am in town?" Aziraphale looked at Marsh and thought as hard as he could of Crowley, trying to replicate his friend's strikingly flirtatious demeanour, and judging from the somewhat glazed look in Marsh's eyes, it seemed to work.

"Please do, Mr Fell. Let me give you my address; you could come straight there next time, if it pleases you."

Aziraphale took his card with a flourish and a smile. He then retreated from the restaurant, teleporting himself to his actual lodgings as soon as he was out of sight of Marsh, and locked the door.

He wanted to talk to Crowley dreadfully, about anything other than work, not about memos or missions or that dratted Marsh but about the fashions Crowley had decided to mimic this decade, or what made the stars burn, or the ethics of using carrots and string to direct a horse. He wanted to be in his bookshop in London, with its soft dim lighting and worn-in furniture and books that had seen him through both better and worse times. He wanted his spectacles and his house-coat and the Sauvignon Blanc that Crowley had picked out last time they were in France together. Most of all, he wanted to simply be Aziraphale, not all the things he was supposed to be instead.

Instead, alone and exhausted from a day of pretending on Earth as intensely as he did in Heaven, in a hotel room in America, he pretended that tears did not escape from the corners of his eyes.

Author's note:

Aziraphale started the Bone Wars? Nope. Marsh started the Bone Wars. He 100% chose to play Cope for a sucker and it's not Aziraphale's fault he chose to backstab his friend and then humiliate him in front of the entire American Philosophical Society.

Othniel Marsh was a life-long bachelor, but I made up him being gay and also his entire personality in this fic. Any resemblance to how he was in actual real life is basically coincidental. Also, look at his beard:

He is making Choices with that beard, let me tell you.

[thecreaturecodex]

Dinosaur, Cutlasstooth

Image by Steve Holden, from The New Dinosaurs. Accessed on the Speculative Evolution Wiki here

[Commissioned by @martyslittleusedblog​. In the 1980s, Dougal Dixon wrote three books, all lavishly illustrated, that basically defined speculative evolution as a genre. The first, After Man, has had multiple reprints and is widely available. The last, Man After Man, is the rarest but has become the subject of memes due to its bizarre content.  Which leaves The New Dinosaurs with a bit of a case of Middle Child Syndrome. Obscure, never reprinted, and not well remembered outside of Spec Evo circles.

The New Dinosaurs posits an alternate world where the K-T extinction didn’t happen, and dinosaurs evolve into the present day as more than just birds. It has aged some ways very well, and in others very poorly. To its credit, it depicts dinosaurs with multiple types of complex integument, gives fuzz to ornithischians as well as theropods before the first feathered dinosaur fossils were found, and predicts the existence of small, arboreal gliding theropods similar to the bizarre scansoriopterygids. The anatomy is bad, but a lot of that has more to do with advanced understanding of how dinosaurs work, which I can’t blame Dixon for. What I can blame Dixon for is that The New Dinosaurs kills off most of the groups of dinosaurs that were actually doing well in the late Cretaceous. This move is seemingly so he has basal forms to change however he sees fit. The text very much wants to turn dinosaurs into modern species, mostly mammals--there are manatee dinosaurs, mole dinosaurs, pangolin dinosaurs, giraffe pterosaurs, flamingo dinosaurs, and the cutlasstooth, a saber tooth cat dinosaur.

There’s already a saber tooth cat in Pathfinder--it’s the dire tiger. And these statistics were built in reference to those stats, but a little less extreme. The dire tiger is one of the most egregious glass cannons in PFRPG 1e, being a CR 8 creature with the AC expected for a CR 4, and a damage output more in line with a CR 15. I wanted my cutlasstooth to be less swingy overall, and so has a better (but still low) AC and a worse (but still high) damage output.]

Dinosaur, Cutlasstooth CR 8 N Animal This bipedal dinosaur has a large head with forward-projecting, blade like teeth sitting in the upper jaw. Its arms are relatively short, but its legs are long and powerful, and it has a long stiff tail. The creature has a cape of filamentous feathers over its trunk and tail, but has leathery skin along its face and neck and a scaled belly.

The cutlasstooth is a strange predatory dinosaur found on alternate worlds and divergent timelines. They are similar in appearance to saber-toothed cats, and live in prides that tackle oversized prey like sauropods. The fangs of a cutlasstooth are serrated and wedge-shaped, allowing them to deeply pierce flesh and leave gaping, bleeding, excruciating wounds. Their claws are relatively weak by comparison, but still deadly to small prey items.

Cutlasstooths live in social groups comprised of a number of related females, their young, and one or two males. Males are ejected from the pride when they become adults, occasionally forming alliances with their brothers or cousins in an attempt to find a pride of their own. Battles between cutlasstooth males over mating rights can be deadly, but the animals prefer to use posturing and threats before than lethal violence. Males have shaggy dark manes over their hips and tails, which they use for display purposes.

A cutlasstooth grows to 25 feet long at maximum, and weighs roughly five hundred pounds. Males tend to be slightly larger than females.

Cutlasstooths as Animal Companions For a cutlasstooth animal companion, use the statistics for an allosaurus animal companion, only it gains bleed (bite, 1d8) and powerful charge (bite) at 7th level instead of grab and pounce.

Cutlasstooth CR 8 XP 4,800 N Large animal Init +7; Senses low-light vision, Perception +13, scent Defense AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural) hp 105 (14d8+42) Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +7 Offense Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +18 (2d8+8 plus bleed), 2 claws +17 (1d6+8) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks arterial spray, bleed (1d8), powerful charge (bite, 4d8+12) Statistics Str 27, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10 Base Atk +10; CMB +19; CMD 33 Feats Dodge, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Skill Focus (Stealth), Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Acrobatics +14 (+18 when jumping), Perception +13, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth Ecology Environment warm plains Organization solitary, pair or pride (3-8) Treasure none Special Abilities Arterial Spray (Ex) A creature suffering from a bleed effect imposed by a cutlasstooth must succeed a DC 20 Fortitude save or be sickened for as long as the bleed persists. This is a pain effect. The save DC is Constitution based.

[cazimagines]

Slipping through my fingers

Synopsis: While waiting for Bucky to arrive Zemo reflects on the past, remembering time he spent with his family and when he found them after the Sokovian attack

Warnings: Mention of death, blood, guns, dark imagery, this is a very sad fic, includes a scene from episode 5

Word Count: 2.2k

Author's note: This isn’t a fic that involves a reader this time, I wanted to write about scenes with Zemo and his family as every time I think about it; it makes me sad and I haven’t seen anything like this done yet. Recommended you listen to sad music while reading if you want to feel even more pain. Sorry if this makes you cry.

Masterlist

Screams echoed throughout the hospital room, bouncing off the walls. Nurses rushed around grabbing towels and rushing towards the bed. A man paced back and forth. He ran his hands through his hair in stress as he kept looking over at the hospital bed.

“Helmut” she whispered

Instantly he was by her side. She raised out her arm, palm open wide. He clasped it, giving a tender kiss on her knuckles. “I’m here, my love” he confided as she clenched her eyes. She let out an ear-piercing shriek, clenching his hand tightly as she squeezed.

After a few minutes she exhaled, and the sound of a baby crying filled the room. The nurses wrap the child up in a clean towel, wiping away as much blood as they could before handing it over to the women.

“A boy!” they say

The woman smiled down happily as the baby wriggled in her arms. She lifted her arm to tickle him as her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders, smiling at his son. She looks to him and holds up the baby, offering him to Zemo. He carefully picks up the child, holding him as if he was the most fragile thing in the world.

“Your heir” she whispers as she watches them, a sweet smile gracing her lips.

Tears of happiness slip down Zemo’s face as he looks at his son, his smile as wide as it could be. He leans down and places a gentle kiss on his son’s forehead. Turning back to his wife, he presses a kiss on her forehead as well and hands their son to her.

“Our son, my beautiful baroness,”

Sirens echoed in the street. Though it was days later since the attack, dust still fell as if a reminder of how everything has crumbled. Fallen down.

Footsteps thudded across the pavement. His eyes scanned the wreckage of once his summer house, away from the city. He could feel people staring. They recognized him. The baron. But in a matter of a few days, he had lost any power he had. Now he was one of them, suffering because of the attack, desperate to find his family.

He called out their names. His father, wife, son. There was no answer. Just people staring at him.

He asked them if they had seen anyone else. They shook their heads.

Angrily he walked forward, grabbing the rocks, determined he would find them alive under the rubble.

They had to be alive. They had to be.

“Tonight I am a father!” Zemo declared, sitting down on the lavish seat next to his father.

“And I am a grandfather. I think a drink is in order” his father chuckles, pouring out whiskey into two glasses, placing the bottle back into the glass cabinet. He hands the drink to his son and they give a toast.

“To a long and healthy life for your son,” his father exclaims

“Cheers!” Zemo shouts, clinking his glass with his father’s then eagerly drinking.

His father sits back in his armchair, getting comfy and exhaling happily. He glances at his son, smiling warmly.

“What name have you chosen?”

“Carl. After Grandpa,”

Zemo’s father’s eyes glossed over with tears after hearing that name. His smile tightens as he reaches over to embrace his son.

“Your mother would be proud,”

Zemo hugs him back tightly, burying his head in his father’s shoulders, enjoying the comfort the embrace brought to him, as if he himself was a child again.

“Thank you” he whispers to his father, “Thank you”

After hours of searching, he could see them. The breath leaves his lungs, an inhumane noise falls out from him. He rushes to his father’s side, not caring at how the dirt clung to his clothes, the blood staining them.

His father was hunched over, his arms wrapped around two bodies. Blood stained his head. It trailed down the side of his face, tinting the floor and a rock. A piece of ceiling that had fallen down.

A sob was pulled from Zemo, his eyes clouded with tears he could hardly see. His hand was raised to his mouth, trying to keep everything in. His other hand brushes over his father’s head, wanting to feel his warming embrace one last time, but the skin was cold, clammy. Dead.

His eyes moved further down.

Zemo walked into the kitchen, grinning as he saw the situation before him. His son sat in a baby chair, the remainders of his breakfast split all over the table. His wife was also covered in parts of his breakfast. She held a rag in her hand, attempting to clean up the mess Carl made.

“I see we’ve had quite the disaster this morning” Zemo jokes, walking over to his son, placing a kiss on his head. He pulls out a tissue of his coat pocket and wipes the rest of the breakfast off Carl’s lips.

“Carl has decided he now hates porridge,”

“I don’t blame him. Why have porridge when there are so many other things you can have for breakfast that taste much better,” Zemo says, stepping over to stand in front of his wife, “Like for example, you,” he adds quickly giving his wife a peck on the lips.

“Helmut!” his wife exclaims, looking around the room flustered. “Not in front of Carl”

“I had not realised he suddenly understood the whole English language” he said glancing back to his son who was staring at them, his eyes sparkling and a giggle coming from him.

Zemo turns back to his wife, a smirk on his lips. He raises up the tissue and rubs the porridge off her face. Her eyes flicker to his thin lips, then back to his warm chocolate eyes.

“Oh Helmut” she purrs, warmth flooding her.

Zemo raises his hands to cradle her face, pressing a longer, passionate kiss to her lips. Her arms wrap around his abdomen, tugging him closer to her. He draws back from the kiss, instead burying his head into her neck, kissing it as he wraps his arms around her back, resting on the back of her head, gently stroking her hair.

“I love you so much darling” he sighs, inhaling the sweet smell of her strawberry tainted perfume.

“I love you to Helmut. For forever,”

Her hair was matted with blood, her skin deathly pale. Bruises ran down her arms, down her neck.

Zemo pulled her out from under his father. He whispered her name, shaking her.

“Please,” he begged, “Please wake up,”

But she didn’t.

A scream wrenched from his throat. Hot tears spilled from his eyes. He buried his face into her hair, letting all the pain out. His heart plummeted, shattering inside his chest. He didn’t care who was watching, who was taking photos, videos. He just wanted her. But she was gone.

“Come on, it’s bedtime for you,” Zemo declares, gripping his son’s hand and leading him to his bedroom.

Zemo helped Carl into his pj’s then settled him into his bed, tucking him in.

“Dad, I’m scared of the monster under by bed,” Carl whispers

Zemo tilts his head looking at his son, “The monster under your bed?” he whispers back, leaning towards his son

“Yeah! I think it’s going to eat me,”

“Well, we can’t be having that can we,” Zemo claims, “I’ll look under the bed to see if I can spot anything,”

Carl holds his breath as Zemo dips his head down, searching under the bed. He stays under there for a few moments till,

“ROAR” Zemo shouts suddenly jumping up and at Carl, maintaining his hands in claw shapes and opening his mouth wide to look scary. His son shrieks and Zemo instantly goes to tickle him, making Carl laugh hysterically.

Finally, they settled down and Zemo rested his head on the side of his son’s bead, leaning on his side on the floor.

“That was mean dad!” Carl claims, crossing his arms as he glares at Zemo, but he struggles to keep a smile off his lips.

Zemo chuckles, smiling warmly at his son, “Sorry Carl, but I can confirm there is nothing under your bed,”

“But what if it comes back at night?”

“I’ll always be here to protect you, son. You know that,”

Zemo glances around the room and his eyes land on the pile of his son’s superheroes action figures. He leans over and picks up Iron Man off the heap and hands him to his son.

“But while I am not in the room Iron man here will protect you,”

Carl smiles, hugging the toy tightly.

“Do you think I’ll get to see the real Iron man one day?” he begs.

“I’m sure I can arrange something,” Zemo says, “Now you need to go to sleep or mummy will be upset with us”

Zemo leans over and tenderly puts a kiss on his son’s forehead. He walks away from the bed and glances over one last time at the bed, watching his son gently fall to sleep. He smiles to himself and presses the light switch off.

His little hands were still clutching her body. His once smooth dark brown hair was messy, unkept. His favorite t-shirt, with the dinosaur on, was torn. Stained. Zemo clung to him tightly. He gripped his son in his arms, but his son wasn’t there anymore.

Zemo didn’t even try to suppress his shrieks of agony. The sound burst from his throat. The sound of complete and utter grief.

“Carl,” he wailed, “My son. Please,”

He didn’t even know what he was asking for anymore. For time to go back? For revenge? All he felt was the pain. His eyes squeezed closed, not wanting to see the ghostly face his son still had. He crumpled on the ground beside his wife. His son still cradled against his body.

Slowly he opened his eyes, wiping the tears away. Something red caught his eyes. Beside the bodies was an Iron Man action figure.

Zemo reached a hand out and picked it up. His jaw clenched in hatred as he glared down at it. Using the last bit of strength he had, he threw the toy to the floor shattering it into a thousand pieces.

Years later, Zemo found himself at the same spot where he had lost everything he cherished. Before him stood a statue. The memorial sculpture to all the lives that were lost. His family. There were no flowers by it. He should have brought flowers.

An exquisite landscape surrounded it. Though if he reflected back on it, Sokovia had always been beautiful. He’d just taken the scenery for granted.

He was waiting for the end he knew was coming. Any minute.

He was grateful in a way. He got to appreciate life for one last time. Enjoy what it was like being a Baron again just for a moment. And now he has to go home. Soon to join his family. To see them again.

As he stared at the statue, he could hear footsteps approaching. They finally stopped beside him.

“I thought you’d be here sooner,” he says, taking one last look at the memorial before him. He turns his head slightly towards Bucky, then looks down to the ground to gather his words.

“Don’t worry. I’ve decided I’m not going to kill you,”

“Imagine my relief,”

Bucky moves the gun as Zemo turns towards him, but Zemo already knew he had it. It was Bucky, after all. The winter soldier is still inside of him.

If these were his last moments, he could at least provide some advice to Bucky, though he doubted Bucky would listen. He’d grown fond of Bucky and Sam with the time they spent together and he knew them well enough to know they wouldn’t listen, but it was the least he could do to help.

“The girl has been radicalised beyond salvation,” Zemo says, stepping towards Bucky.

“I warned Sam, but he didn’t listen to me. He’s stubborn as Steve Rogers before him. But you…”

Zemo studies Bucky for a second, curious about his reaction, but Bucky remains impassive, expressionless. ‘One thing they had trained him for’, Zemo thought.

“They literally programmed you to kill. James, do what needs to be done. Karli has people everywhere and there is only one way to make sure she cannot continue her mission.”

“I appreciate the advice. But we’re going to do it our own way,”

Zemo chuckles slightly, looking away from Bucky. A slight melancholy in his voice, “Yeah. I was afraid you would say that”

There was a moment of silence between them, They both knew what was coming. What had to be done.

Zemo’s eyes flicker down to the gun as it clicks again. He perceived what was to happen, but now the moment was here, he could feel fear creep up on him. It crawled into his broken soul. He let out a shaky breath as he brought his gaze back up to Bucky as he raised the gun.

Zemo started down the barrel at Bucky, his gaze unwavering. Though he feared it. It was what he wanted.

He nods at Bucky signaling. It was okay. He would see his family soon.

Bucky pulled the trigger.

Taglist: @sinister-sleep @cable-kenobi @faustlyaccused @chipster-21 @icarusinstatic @yallgotkik @montypythonsholysnail @bunniwritesx @checkurwindow @huntheimpossible @jayxkelsi @avgravy @prestigious-tea @wonderwoman292 @there-goes-thefighter @multiyfandomgirl40 @freyjasamael @ineffablebean

[dabiboy]

Did someone order angst? Here it is! My heart broke while writing this, but I promise you, read all of it, it's angst to fluff and together with my broken Dabi piece this became one of my favorites too.

TW: blood, violence, death, curses. Also some manga spoilers.

In a Million Years

All of his body hurt. Different types of pain. What had happened? How much time has he been there? Hawks didn't know, and what woke him up was the annoying white light coming from the roof, that, and the blood dripping down his forehead.

The pain and the lack of weight on his back made him aware or the missing wings, but it was still hard to focus and to process how he got there.

"Are you finally going to tell us where the documents are, bird shit?" A male voice said out of nowhere. What documents?

"I don't know what are you talking about" He said weakly. His hands were tied behind his body, all of his limbs were in pain. And there were no feathers around to help him.

"The documents, now!" A kick in his face. Where the hell where his wings? Not even feathers?

"I have no idea what are you talking about!" Keigo hissed, trying to stay firm and not to break in front of those unknown man.

"Boss, the pidgeon won't talk"

"Oh, is that so?" Another man knelt down in front of him, pulling his golden locks to make him look up "Then let's make the bird sing" They laughed, standing up and walking away from him "bring the kid"

At the selection of words, Hawks eyes went wide open. Did they kidnap a kid? Was it the name of a villain? Fuck, wait a second. It couldn't be. His heart started beating faster and harder against his chest, hoping he was wrong. And then, his soul left his body, replacing it with fear and despair. When the huge metal gate opened, he saw it. A large man's hand on a tiny shoulder, a shaking shoulder. Haru had a bruised eye, tears were still wet on his cheeks as he hold on to his dino plushie, cucumber, with his last bits of strenght.

"Daddy!" He screamed and try to run to him, but the man didn't let him.

"Haru!" Keigo screamed, losing his mind, breaking his voice "What the fuck do you all think you're doing!" He tried to get away from the ropes grip, but it was impossible "Let him go! Please! He has nothing to do with all of this!"

"Are you gonna speak then?" One of the men asked.

"I know shit! I-I swear I don't just let him go" He kept moving, but when he did the man that was holding Haru pushed him down to the floor, his knees getting hurt. He started crying again.

"We'll start plucking him if you don't speak, fucking pidgeon"

"I swear I know nothing, I work for the commission, my father was a thief and a murderer, I was undercover with the league, I- I fucking killed Twice but please just don't hurt him, he's just a kid, he's just-" they cut him off when another kick was given to him, making him spit blood.

"Don't hurt my daddy!"

"Shut up you too" The other man did pressure, making Haru legs hurt thanks the hard concrete beneath him.

"Hey, hey kid. Look at me, it'll be fine, ok? It's fine. Just hold on a bit longer, I'll get us out of here" Keigo said with a trembling voice, blood covering his face together with sweat and dirt.

"And now you're lying to him. So pathetic." Haru's plushie was taken away from him, and the man kicked him towards Keigo's direction. "Fucking speak or next will be your damn child!" Rage was the only emotion in his voice, and Hawks was helpless than ever.

"I already told you everything! I-I don't know what the hell you're talking about," a sob "listen, I've got money, I can give you everything the fuck you want you can even kill me right here but let my son out of this" he spoke through his teeth, pain more evident than ever.

"You are worthless," their boss said "let him go, and the child to" a man started cutting the ropes that were holding Hawks, finally feeling peace "get rid of both of them" and with that last sentence, everything went to shit.

Haru was free from his grip too, running towards his dad who was still weak on the floor, and just two steps before he could make it to Keigo's arm, a deafening noise filled the room. A gunshot.

Hawks didn't even have the time to scream when his son fell to his arms, blood dripping his shirt.

"Haru!" He said, moving as he could, laying him on his leg as he pulled his bleeding torso to his body "No no no no, you fucking bastards!" A piercing scream left his throat, but the men were already gone. "Baby, baby come on. Look at me, please" he gave little slaps on his cheek, trying to make him open his eyes, while his free hand tried to put pressure on the wound. "Haru I need you to wake up, please my boy come on, stay here" his chin was trembling, tears running wild down his dirty cheeks "Someome help!" Keigo looked around, but it was only him and Haru.

"Dad?" He said weakly. "Where's... Cucum..." He was already slurring his words.

"What? Cucumber, your dino. Right here baby, there" after looking around, he streteched his arm towards the stuffed animal, giving it to Haru.

"Come on chicken wing, talk to me please. We-we gotta go home, to mommy, to your friends, come on" it was impossible to describe Keigo's emotion at thar point. He was broken, more broken than any other man in history.

"Daddy I'm... I'm scared" Haru finally opened his golden eyes, breaking Hawks's heart even more "I'm cold"

"No, no, don't be. It'll be fine I promise I, please I-I will take you home now. Haru? Hey, Haru!" Keigo held him tight against his chest, his mouth wide open but no sounds leaving, just drowned screams full with sorrow. His boy, his precious boy was suffering and there was anything he could do about it. He was about to leave. And he knew it, he fucking knew it. Keigo's lips were on Haru's forehead, whispering words of hope, promises that he was not going to be able to fulfill. Not anymore. His hand was on Haru's head, afraid of let him go. But after short seconds, the green-like dinosaur plushie fell to the floor. Free from Haru's hug. Keigo's throat almost bleeding from the strength of his painful scream, of his cry for help.

And then, he woke up.

Hawks sat abruptly on the bed, cold sweat covering his whole body as his erratic breath kept him unaware of his where being. A comfy bed, natural sun light, smell of cookies, fresh mint, perfume. Home. He was there and he couldn't tell. It was his room, the room he shared with you. Pictures of Haru, you and him were on the night stand and hanging on the wall. His cheeks were still wet, he was crying in his sleep. Keigo got up, the similar pain on his limbs returned, but also did the weight on his back. His wings were there too, big and strong as always. Giving a fuck about the pain, he walked out the room. The hallway that led to the living room was empty, also the bathroom, the guest room and Haru's room. But there was noise coming from the living room. And when he got there? His heart skipped a beat, his shoulder resting on the wall when he lost his balance.

"Daddy you're awake!" Haru said happily, setting his dino book aside. "I will call mommy, she said I should call her when you-" Keigo interrupted him. He had walked towards him when he was still talking, and kneeling on the floor he hugged the kid tighter than ever. "Uhm, are you ok?" Haru asked with curiosity. "You're sweating! Maybe you have a fever, I gotta call-"

"I'm fine, my chicken wing" a sob, followed by a smile "I'm better than ever" gaining distance, Keigo cupped Haru's face in both hands "I'm just very, very happy to see you" He laughed just a bit, combing his hair and kissing his forehead. He pulled him in again, his hand caressing Haru's hair. And then it hit him. He was on a mission, and a wanna be villain with a strong quirk disabled him and made Hawks fell to a rooftop, hitting his head and vanishing. Everything was a dream, a nasty dream.

"Did you have an ugly dream? I have those sometimes too" Haru said, trying to look at his dad, whom nodded.

"I did. It was, uhm... A very ugly one" Keigo tried to smile, reassuring his kid that now he was fine. He got free from his grip and ran to grab his plushie.

"Here! You can hug cucumber, I hug him everytime when I have ugly dreams" Haru smiled widely, giving Hawks his most precious item.

"Thank you, chicken nugget" Keigo hug the plushie and kissed it's head, but then placed it on the couch. "Wanna eat some fried chicken, and a huuuge milkshake? Whadaya' say" again he didn't even care about his pain, he grabbed Haru by the waist so he could lift him in his arms. "We can even call mommy and tell her to leave the agency earlier, sounds good?"

"Yes!!" Haru raised his arms in victory "can cucumber have a milkshake too?"

"He can have two milkshakes" Keigo kissed his cheeks, making the child clap in joy. "Hey, kid" this time, Haru tilted his head, showing he was paying attention and that, at the same time, he was curious "I love you. So, so much. Never forget that, ok? I will always protect and take care of you, got it? You're my chicken wing, I love you," a kiss on his temple, "I love you" another on his forehead.

"I wub you too, daddy! And Cucumber loves you as well" Haru smiled widely, giving Hawks's heart the peace he needed.

"Yeah, there's love for him too" Keigo laughed and started walking towards the kitchen "Now, let's order some food and call mommy, ok?" Haru held tightly to his father's neck, resting his cheek on his shoulder. And Keigo? Keigo held him with all of his strength. He was not leaving his baby boy. Never, never in a million years.

[sailtoafarawayland]

The Chicken Debacle

Summary:  There’s nothing Emma loves more than watching her husband work up a sweat, but being right certainly comes in a close second. In which a hot day, a flock of fowl, and a naughty Emma work together to make good use of some patio furniture. 

Rating: Explicit 

Tags: Humor, Pregnant Emma, Pregnant Sex  

Many thanks to all of my lovelies over on the discord - a truly inspiring bunch who prompted my muse to take what was a rather frustrating real life situation and turn it into something a bit more fun, and a bit more naughty.  

AO3 - FF

The Chicken Debacle

“You're not going to help?” Killian asked, eyebrows darting up in surprise as he swept his arm across the backyard, gesturing toward the small flock of chickens currently digging through the garden and flower beds.

Emma caught the edge of her bottom lip between her teeth, her cheeks warming as she bit back a smile.

“Nope, sorry, babe,” she shrugged, running her hands down the large swell of her stomach, “I probably shouldn't be chasing chickens seven months pregnant. Besides, I'm not the one who forgot to shut the latch on the gate.”

His eyes narrowing at her accusation, Killian looked as if he were about to argue, but finally sighed and started toward the closest chicken, the heavyset, yellow fowl bobbing her head suspiciously as he drew near, her feathers ruffling as she shook herself and pecked viciously at the ground – readying herself for a fight, Killian imagined.

“I'll keep you company though,” Emma called out, grabbing her iced tea and laying back on the lounger – smothering a laugh behind her hand as her husband leaped toward the chicken only to have it kick up a cloud of mulch in his face and dart between his legs, making for the nearest bush.

“I'm very grateful indeed,” her husband quipped as he turned and reevaluated the situation, casting his eyes around the yard to see if there was anything he could use to ensnare the unsuspecting birds. “Enjoying your iced tea, Swan?”

“Yup, delicious,” she purred, enjoying the way the hot sun was glancing off the sheen on his chest, the summer hot enough that even the smallest amount of activity outside was enough to make them both sweat. “Perfect for a hot day – oh, our little one just kicked!”

A look of genuine contentment washed over Emma's face as she rested her free hand on her belly, her hair falling to frame her cheeks as she whispered something he couldn't hear to the child growing within her – and just like that the frustration fell from his shoulders, replaced with a love so deep he wouldn't begrudge his beautiful wife anything, not even the opportunity to hold something as trivial as the chicken gate over his head, but...that didn't mean he couldn't make his Swan work up a sweat of her own while doing it.

Emma had just looked up from the gently undulating swell of her belly when she saw Killian standing in the middle of their yard, his fingers folded around the edge of his shirt as he lifted the hem up and over his body, his abs and pectorals flexing as he tossed it to the ground nearby, shoulders rolling as he stretched and eyed the closest chicken with a determination Emma recognized immediately– those poor birds were in for it.

She watched as he lunged forward, his sneakers shifting in the grass as he chased the chicken toward a corner of the fencing, just managing to snatch it by the leg before carefully folding its wings in and lowering her over the fence back into the run, the only sign of a bruised ego some few ruffled feathers.

He rounded on the next bird, a smaller one that Emma liked to call Cinnamon – although they were pretty sure she'd never laid, and were somewhat concerned she didn't seem to know she was a chicken at all, preferring to spend her time stubbornly following around the chipmunks and squirrels that frequented the yard. While she wasn't the smartest of the bunch, she was quick, and Emma had to bite back a chuckle as Killian stumbled more than once trying to get near her – eventually giving up and moving on to the larger fowl digging in the raspberries.

Emma enjoyed the cool slip of iced tea down her throat as she feasted on her husband – his skin glistening in the sun as he moved, each hard line and muscle calling out to be touched, stroked, lavished with the sweep of her tongue as she slid her palms over the ridged planes of his stomach, moving lower until she could curl her fingers around the waistband of his shorts and slowly peel them down, her nose parting the thatch of dark curls that surrounded his thick, glorious –

“Ha!” Killian let out a triumphant yell, drawing Emma's mind back to what he was doing, two rather disgruntled looking hens fidgeting in his arms as he hurried them back to the pen and plopped them over the fence.

Her eyes were locked on her husband as he paused to catch his breath, his biceps curling as he ran his hands through his inky mop of hair, a curtain of it falling once more over his face as he bent and tightened the laces on one of his shoes, giving her an eyeful of just how firm and perfect his ass was in those particular shorts – if her husband wasn't made in the image of the gods, then she wasn't sure there ever was such a thing.

The straw she'd been sucking on finally let out a loud gurgle as she drained the last of her drink, her cheeks flushed as Killian turned around and shot her a look that said he knew exactly what she was thinking, and indeed, as she shifted on the lounger, she could feel her desire slick and wet between her legs – but there was still one chicken left to catch – Cinnamon, and her pirate wasn't one to give up before the job was done. She set the glass down on the patio, her fingers brushing against the firm coil of the hose they used for watering the garden, and as she watched Killian sprint across the yard after the last, stubborn bird, she got a perfectly wicked idea.

He'd made a few passes around the yard, Cinnamon dodging into the raspberries when he rooted her out of the garden, but no matter how quick he was, she was faster, her beady eyes never leaving him as she pranced through the grass like a tiny, cheeky dinosaur, always just out of arm's reach. It wasn't until he paused mid yard to catch his breath that Emma struck, the hose already primed and ready as she pulled the trigger and let a spray of cool water douse him, his muscles tensing as he jumped out of range and spluttered, wiping the rivulets of clear water from his eyes, his hair plastered to his head.

“Oh, you'll pay for that, Swan,” he promised, stepping forward with a dark intensity that had her scooting back on the lounge chair, her hands raised in front of her to ward off any tickling he was likely make her suffer.

“You looked so hot,” she begged, her voice rising an octave as he drew closer, droplets spraying from his hair as he shook his head and graced her with a sinful smirk, “hot and thirsty...I just thought – ”

She was about to scream, her body already on edge at the mere thought that he might tickle her, but then he stopped, both of their heads swiveling to the garden shed where they could here the clamor of something knocking and a plaintive bock that sounded for all the world like it was coming from the bottom of a well.

“Well, your punishment will just have to wait, love – that's too good an opportunity to pass up,” Killian grinning, walking swiftly to the shed where Emma could just see the fluffy bottom of Cinnamon framed by two flapping wings, her head stuck in the open neck of an old water can.

Triumphantly, Killian picked up both the bird and the can, soothing her with quiet sounds as he coaxed her free and dropped her back into the pen with her sisters, her soft orange feathers looking only a little worse for the wear as she rejoined the flock with a confused warble.

Emma's heart thumped in her chest as her husband finally turned his attention back to her, no more chickens to distract him, and advanced across the yard, the ripple of his muscles as he moved making her core clench and her nipples harden beneath her tank top – fuck if she didn't always want him, and pregnancy hadn't done anything but make that need more sharp, more constant.

“Killian,” she pleaded, licking her lips as he strode toward her, that same determination she'd seen earlier now focused entirely on her. “You could have gotten heat stroke. It's got to be ninety – ”

She yelped as his large hands gripped the bottom of the lounge chair and pulled it closer, its wheels grating against the patio as she held on, her bare foot running along the side of her leg in anticipation.

“You were quite right, love – I was getting quite thirsty.” Letting go of the chair, he kept his blue gaze locked on hers as his palms traced the firm lines of her calves, pressing deliciously into her muscles and sliding up towards her thighs as he leaned closer, “and now that you've sated that need, I can focus on more important matters.”

“Oh?” she breathed, every other part of her brain shutting down as her body screamed for him to touch her, to  take her right there on the lounge chair, “and what would that be?”

“Well, a bit of hard labor always makes a man hungry, Swan,” he growled, his hands swiveling to press against the inside of her knees, her legs falling open on the lounger as he filled the space between them, his fingers deftly pulling the adjustment on the side of the chair and carefully lowering the head rest so she was nearly flat, her view of him suddenly blocked by the roundness of their child – it was the only thing she missed, being able to see him so sinfully enjoying himself between her legs.

“And I intend to enjoy every last bite of my dessert,” he finished, his fingers making her jump as they brushed against her inner thigh, pushing the light fabric of her shorts and panties to the side as he exposed her. “I knew you'd already be sopping wet for me, love...”

Emma whimpered as she felt the welcome press of his stubbled cheek against her leg, his breath hot against her damp folds for only an instant before the sensation was washed away by his tongue lightly dragging through her arousal, her back arching as he curled the tip of it around her clit, just barely nudging beneath its hood to tease the sensitive nerves within.  

“Oh my god,” she hissed, her fingers wrapping tightly around the edges of the lounger as she pushed forward, desperate to have his mouth sealed over her, sucking and licking and making her feel as if she could shatter with one flick of his tongue – knowing she would. “Killian, please...”

“Now be a good girl,” he whispered, pulling back as she writhed closer. “I intend to savor this, just as you savored watching me chase those bothersome fowl around the yard.”

“You shouldn't have forgotten to lock the door,” Emma whined – why she was arguing, she wasn't sure, after all, it wasn't talking she wanted his mouth occupied with.

“Ah, but I didn't let the chickens out this morning,” he chided, licking a stripe along her leg before returning to her drenched folds, teasing along the edges of them as he drank down her essence. “I was dropping Henry off at work, if you recall.”

“Oh!” Emma gasped as his tongue slipped into her, stroking another wave of wetness from her walls as his lips massaged her flesh – oh, that was right, she remembered it now, letting them out, dropping the lid to the feed bin on her foot and forgetting to latch the gate. “Oh my god....fuck...Killian, please...”

She could feel his grin against her as he pushed her legs wider, the top of his head bumping against her belly as he moved up. The flat of his tongue licked straight through her wetness and encircled her clit, his lips pursing as he sucked on her small, swollen nub, his scruff razing her thighs and countering the overwhelming roll of pleasure that was spiraling between her legs.    

“So delicious, Emma,” he moaned between her sharp gasps, leaving her only a moment's relief before he returned to making her crumble around him, alternating between sucking and laving her clit, his fingers reaching between them to slide into her tight sheath, her walls grasping and pulling as soon as he entered, eager to be filled. “I could feast on you like this all day...”

Something between a cry and a scream fell from her lips as she clutched the lounger, the pleasure building in her core spiraling and writhing and threatening to pull her apart as his rough fingers stroked her swollen walls, his tongue darting down to swallow every drop of arousal that was slipping from her, his breath fast and needy against her hot flesh – and then with a rough press of his fingers and soft flicks of his tongue, she was falling, tumbling, breaking apart around his mouth as her orgasm rolled through her like a storm.

She eased her hips up without realizing what was happening, Killian's strong hands caressing her flesh at the same time he slipped her shorts from her body, leaving her half clothed in their backyard, her mind still spinning from his incredible mouth, the sounds of the outdoors and the cars in the distance only just filtering back to her.

“That was...”

“I know,” he smirked, tossing her shorts to patio as he hooked his fingers into his own and drew them down over the impressive length of his cock, its swollen thickness bobbing against his stomach with urgency, “and now that I've eaten, I think we can move onto taking care of my other needs.”

“Killian,” she rasped, her words muffled against the material of the lounger as he gently lifted and guided her, turning her still reeling body over so that her hips were raised in the air, her sopping folds open and framed by her pale thighs as her face rested against the cushion.

“Yes, love,” he hummed, drawing a groan from her as he ran his cock through her folds, coating it in her arousal before slapping it cheekily against her bottom. “Is there something you wanted to say, perhaps?”

“I left the...accidentally...” she mumbled, coherent thought fleeing her as she felt the thick press of the head of his cock against her pleading center, her folds parting around its velvet roundness as he slowly entered her.

“What was that, darling?” His hardness slid unhurriedly into her, his strong hands holding her achingly in place as she sought that burning fullness that came when he was in her completely, but her walls pulsed longingly around just the tip of him, anticipating when they would be stretched to their limit.

“Fuck...Killian, please, need you in me...all of you,” she begged, wriggling against his grip as he grunted and gave her a few shallow thrusts, the swollen head of his cock so close to that sensitive, ribbed place inside of her that would scream with pleasure as he rolled over it.

“Aye, I know what you need, Swan, but you won't get it just yet...” He pulled out slowly, his fingers grasping her full bottom and squeezing as he watched his cock slip from her, only the flushed, glistening edges of her folds still brushing against his sensitive flesh. “Not until you admit what you did.”

“I forgot,” she hissed in a rush of air, pushing hard against his grasp, his nails almost certainly leaving red marks in her pale skin as she struggled to slide herself back onto his hard length, needing it like she needed to breath. “I left the gate open for the chickens to get – get out...”

“There we are, Swan,” he crooned, his grip easing as he swatted her on the bottom and leaned forward, a keening whimper falling from her mouth as he lodged himself completely within her, her nails dragging across the cushion as she rolled her hips to adjust to his girth. “Now was that so hard?”

She would have laughed if she didn't think she would cry from how amazing it felt to have him buried inside of her, every inch of her core throbbing around him and begging to be stroked by his beautiful cock.

“Very hard,” she breathed, squeezing his member inside of her and reveling in the deep groan it pulled from his chest, a mischievous smile twisting her lips.  “Are you mad at me?”

“Never, Emma,” he whispered, his words ghosting along her back as he leaned over her and placed a reverent kiss to her shoulder, his hand trailing along her body until it came to rest against her swollen stomach, drawing small circles against her taut skin. “There's nothing I love more than indulging the beautiful...” He thrust roughly into her, her cry of pleasure lodging between his ribs like the most exquisite knife as he withdrew “...forgetful...”      Another drive of his hips buried him in her once more, her body trembling as her walls clung desperately to his cock “...mother of my child...”

A wavering cry hung between them as he sunk deeply into her again, stilling for only a moment before his hips snapped back and he set the punishing pace she was craving, greedy, desperate pleas falling from her lips as he pistoned into her, his skin burning with a heat that roared from deep in his gut to blaze along every inch of his body.

Emma clung to the lounger as Killian filled her over and over again, his member caressing the most intimate parts of her and pulling from her noises she'd only ever shared with him, her panting breaths lost amid the slap of their skin meeting, the back of her thighs stinging from the scrape of his hair as he pounded into her, whispering things into the air that had her core throbbing with sinful pride.

It didn't take them long, the hot sun beating down against them as he roared over her, her upper body limp and clutching the cushion beneath her as he finally came, the vicious pulsing of his cock sending her over that beautiful horizon once more, her tight sheath squeezing him as he washed her insides with his release, their bodies shivering and trembling together as those last waves licked their skin – electric and burning and perfectly right.

His cheek was rough and hot against her back as his cock finally softened and slipped from her, pulling a last whimper from her lips as her wet flesh was left cool and exposed, everything throbbing pleasantly. His fingers traced soothing lines along her legs and sides, a soft chuckle reverberating against her back.

“Something funny, pirate?” she murmured, her back starting to ache even though she felt too boneless to move.

“It just occurred to me that I may very well find the chickens loose more often after this...lovely afternoon interlude.”

“I make no promises,” she quipped.  

“I've have always said you've a little bit of pirate in you, Swan,” he rumbled, pinching her bottom before gently rolling her to lay sideways on the lounger, his arms pulling her close to his chest.

“Well, more than a little,” she reminded him, drawing his calloused palm over her stomach, their not-so-little pirate rolling happily against them both as they soaked in the warmth of another lazy afternoon. Everything was bathed in that burnt, hazy afterglow that comes with summer, nearly tempting them to fall asleep – at least until something moving across her field of vision had Emma's eyes springing open, her mouth opening in surprise.

“Is that...Killian, did you check that the latch was actually shut after you put the chickens back in?”

Her husband's stubble scraped her skin as he peeked over her shoulder and watched the slow march of fowl making their way around the edge of the garden, scratching and pecking and looking far more recuperated from their last encounter than he currently felt.

“Bloody hell...”  

END

Tagging: @justanother-unluckysoul​ @kmom0f4 @the-darkdragonfly @teamhook @zaharadessert​ @xarandomdreamx @jrob64 @wefoundloveunderthelight​ @tiganasummertree​ @pirateprincessofpizza @lfh1226-linda @alexa-fangirl-forever @alifeofdreams @superchocovian @donteattheappleshook @hollyethecurious @caught-in-the-filter @snowbellewells @itsfabianadocarmo @stahlop 

[sacklerscumrag]

Teach Me A Lesson

Notes: Hey :) I wrote this as a gift for a friends birthday, it was never meant to be posted haha but she convinced me to share it so here it is ❤️

Summary: You've been Henry's tutor for two years now. The sexual tension with Charlie was bound to break some time, right?

Warnings: Daddy kink, smut, fingering, PIV sex

Wordcount: 1.5K 

     Straightening out your dress, you put your phone back inside your bag and  knocked on the door.

     “Hey! Come on in” Charlie opened the door, sleeves rolled up with a flustered look on his face and gestured towards Henry who was already sitting at the dinner table with his homework laid out in front of him. He rose from the chair and ran to hug your legs while looking up at you with the sweetest smile on his face.

    “Hey kiddo, you ready?” you trailed behind Henry as he ran to sit back at the table while Charlie made his way into the kitchen. Nicole hired you to be Henry's tutor about two years ago and you had grown quite comfortable around their family at that time.

    At first, you and Charlie barely spoke a word to each other. Most of the time he was either too busy with work or too tired from fighting with Nicole. As you started seeing more of each other, Charlie grew more comfortable around you.

    Stealing glances from each other with hidden smiles lasting only a second. Those looks sending a tingling sensation straight down to your core. He started to invite you to stay for dinner after your sessions with Henry, which you would politely decline at first, eventually giving in. Charlie told you all about his theater group, the projects he was eagerly working on while Henry asked you all sorts of questions about dinosaurs. You talked for hours and it quickly became a routine.

    His affection grew as well. A kiss on the cheek when he greeted you, placing a hand on your shoulder as he stood next to you at the dinner table while Henry showed him what you two had been working on, letting his hand linger while giving your shoulder a light squeeze.

The time came where you could not deny your feelings for Charlie any longer. You wondered if he felt the same way, but you knew these feelings were wrong. He and Nicole were separated but not legally divorced yet, hell he still wore that damn ring on his hand. That angered you, knowing how much suffering she put him through, she never deserved him.

    About halfway through your session with Henry, you heard a knock at the door.

    “Hey you’re early?” Charlie answered the door with a puzzled look on his face as Nicole’s mother hugged him and made her way inside, nodding hello at you.

    “Well Nicole needed me to pick up Henry and this is the only time I could come” Henry ran to his room to grab his bag, making his way out to his grandma. Charlie gives Henry a hug and kiss as they leave. You started to feel your nerves setting in. You had never really been alone with Charlie and you weren’t sure what to do so you head into the kitchen to grab your things. But as you turn around, you’re faced with Charlie’s chest, bumping into each other.

    “Sorry I-I was just grabbing my stuff to head out” you both let out a chuckle “since the sessions over I assumed I would just go home” from this close you couldn’t help but be intoxicated by his scent. You stay there for a bit, eyes scanning his face. He leans in a bit closer, his nose brushing against yours, you can feel his breath on your cheek. His lips ghost over yours as he brings them closer for a soft kiss. You pull away.

    “Charlie I-” his lips are on yours before you can finish, this kiss is hungrier than the last. His hands find your hips as you wrap your arms around his neck pressing your body against his. He tasted like wine and you couldn’t get enough. He tugs your sweater off, revealing your white lace bra, looking back to see Charlie's eyes fixated on you. He palms your tits through your bra as you tangle your hands in his hair taking his lower lip into your mouth making him groan. He grabs your waist with one hand as the other slides under your skirt to grip your bare ass. Charlie moans when he realized you’re wearing a barely-there lace thong.

    “This is what you’re wearing under your skirt? Such a little slut” his sudden change in tone causing you to clench. His hands cupped your ass harder as you run your hands down to his belt, starting to undo it. Charlie’s lips never left your neck, kissing down your shoulders. Sucking, biting at whatever piece of skin he could get his lips on. He unbuttons his shirt a slides it off, sliding his pants down along with his briefs. His cock springs out, swollen, red with a bead of pre-cum at the tip. You immediately take it into your hand, admiring its size as you can barely wrap your hands around the girth of it. Lowering yourself on your knees in front of him, you run your tongue from the base to the tip before taking as much of him as you can into your mouth. Bobbing your head while using one hand to stroke the base and the other to lightly cup his balls. Charlie pulls your head back; you look up to see his eyes fluttering as he lets out a shaky breath.

    “Get up. Now” he guides you over to the couch and turns you around until your ass is grinding up on his cock. He slipped a hand past your skirt and into your panties where he could feel how soaked you were while the other teases your nipple through your bra.

    “Look at you. I’ve barely touched you and you’re already so wet. So desperate for my cock” he runs his fingers along your folds, coating them in your slick, teasing you. Pressing a hand on your lower back while bending you over the couch, he lifted your skit and tore your panties clean off.

     Smack his hand making contact with your ass Smack the burning sensation turning into pleasure as you let out a sob. You were sure his sheer force was enough to leave that pretty little ring he wore marked on your ass. But you didn’t care. You wanted this, wanted Charlie to mark you, wanted to go about your day tomorrow knowing you were covered in marks and bruises reminding you of him. You felt him get on his knees behind you, using his thumbs to spread your lips apart, taking his time to admire you like this as he stroked himself, trying to get some sort of relief. You buck forward when you felt his mouth start to work on you as his thumb drew circles on your clit. Taking his time to taste you, to worship you with his tongue. You felt your orgasm building already, pushing you to the edge before he pulled away.

    He stood up and aligned his cock with your dripping entrance before sliding in, fully in one long thrust. You saw stars at the feeling of him filling you up.

    “Shit you’re so tight. Squeezing my cock so well” his hands gripped your hips. Looking down as he pulled out slightly, watching your greedy cunt swallowing him whole. He started to thrust harder. The sound of skin echoing in the room as Charlie slammed into you. Your hands reach for the sides of the couch to try and stabilize yourself before he snatches them and folds them behind your back, pounding harder. Your eyes start to roll into the back of your head, you were sure you could feel him stretching you to your limit.

     Charlie picks up his pace, releasing your hands as he leans forward, taking a handful of your hair, pulling you back while his other hand wraps around to find your throbbing clit. His fingers swirling around the sensitive bundle of nerves making you jolt.

    “Fucking hell” Charlie lets out an animalistic groan “tell me whose cock makes you feel like this”

    "Yours daddy, only yours” a series of moans escape you, unsure how you were even able to speak. Charlie grips your hair tighter; his breathing becomes quicker. You could tell he was close.

    “FUCKKK that’s my good girl taking daddy’s cock so well” he can feel you clenching around him.

    “Charlie I'm gonna-“ you couldn’t finish your sentence, you felt like you were going to explode.

    “What’s that kitten?” he relentlessly pounded into you, harder, faster

    “I’m gonna-im-ah” you shut your eyes tight, letting your orgasm crash into you as you fluttered around his cock bringing him to his high.

    Charlie slammed into you one last time, as hard as he could. Spurting thick, hot ropes of cum deep inside you as you both rode out your orgasms.

    He slumped forward with you in his arms as his head rested in between your shoulders, his breath ragged, sweat beading on his forehead. He placed soft kisses along your shoulder, down your back as you both lay there, spent. You feel him slowly pull out, already missing him the feel of him inside of you. You stumble slightly as you pull yourself up from the couch and turn around as Charlie holds you close. His hair was sticking to his face, his lips swollen and flushed pink. It was the most beautiful you’d ever seen him. He kissed you softly as you cupped his face.

[yandere-ac]

Tom Nook X Reader

Fireworks

Alone.

10 pm on a Sunday and Tom was sitting alone in the residential services, typing away on his computer, trying to ignore all the sounds outside. The sounds of everyone running around, the sounds of people having fun, the sounds of fireworks going off. But most importantly, the sound of him. It’s been years and nothing has changed with him. He was screaming at the top of his lungs, trying to attract customers to his little raffle. Tom knee he was out there, that’s why he simply couldn’t go. The simple muffled sound of him shouting was enough to make his heart stop. “Come one! Come all! Step right up to redds raffle! For the small fee of 500 bells you’ll be guaranteed to win one of these fine prices! That’s right folks! You’ll never know what you’ll get but you are guaranteed to win!!!”

Huh. You’ll never know what you’ll get. Thats funny. That’s sort of how Redd and Toms relationship used to be. Tom however, did not get a guaranteed win. No, he got scammed out of 500 000 bells and was left in a ditch to rot away and die. He never thought Redd would be able to do something like that to him. Tom thought that he was different to Redd, that he actually cared for him. But Redd proved him wrong that night. He proved that Tom was no different than all the other fools that Redd tricked on a day to day basis. Because that’s what he was to Redd, he was just another one of his pawns in his big game of chess. He meant nothing to Redd and was easily disposable. And here he was, just outside his window, trying to make quick money off of his fellow islanders. And Tom was letting it happen. Because he was too much of a coward to go and do something.

Phyyyuuuuuuuu....

BOOM!!!

Another firework went off. Tom could see the ground light up from outside his window. Oh how he wished he could be outside. But he knew he wasn’t strong enough to face Redd. He never wanted to see him again, and he hadn’t planned on doing so. And he would do anything to avoid seeing his past partner.

Plingelingeling

The soft sound of the little bell that was attached to the door dragged Tom out of his thoughts. Someone had entered. And that someone was you. You were laughing and were holding a balloon. At least someone was having fun out there. You made eye contact with him and smiled, running up to him. You had a star bopper on, probably something that Isabelle gave to you. You looked very cute in it.

“Hi Tom!” You said as you sat down in the chair on the other side of his desk. “Why hello hello Y/N! Having fun out there I hope?” He said, giving you a genuine smile. “Yeah! It’s been awesome! The fireworks are really pretty and we’ve all had very fun! The boys are really happy as well! They’ve been running around for hours now! It’s really cute!” You said, very enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. Tom has asked you to take the kids with you to the festival. They both had been cooped up in the store for too long and deserved a break. And there was no one he trusted more than you. “But....I think they would enjoy it more of you were out there with them...” oh boy. So you would pull this card huh. He let out a slight sigh. “Yes, I would also enjoy it...but I can’t Y/N...you know that...” as he said this he felt two soft hands grab his paws. “Is this about Redd?” You asked, and just hearing someone else say that bastards name made him tense up and made his eyes widen. “...I take that as a yes...come on Tom! Who cares what that guy thinks! He’s a sad man who’s only enjoyment in life comes from watching other suffer! He’s not worth your time!” Tom knew Redd wasn’t worth his time, yet it didn’t exactly make it any better. Just stating the obvious isn’t going to help his case.

“...I’m sorry...look, how about we go to a secluded spot, far away from the plaza. Do you think Redd will leave his precious money making station to go after you? Trust me, you need to get out of the residential services. You won’t have to see Redd okay? I promise!” Once you said this, you took one of your hands and cupped his cheek. Tom responded by closing his eyes and leaning into the touch. How bad could it be. If he would just ignore Redd and get away as soon as possible, things might work out. And so, he took one of his paws and pressed it on the hand that was cupping your cheek. “Alright then”

Walking out from the building, Tom and you were holding hands. Tom could see all of the islands inhabitants running around, clapping or cheering. Some were sitting on the ground, others were standing up. And he could see one islander sitting on another shoulders as they ran past him and Y/N. “Oh hello Mr Nook!” The one on top shouted as they passed the two. The loud announcement of the name made a certain fox turn his head to see if what he heard was really true. And once he made eye contact with Tom and gave him a wide smirk, Tom knew it was game over.

“Well well well. If it’s isn’t Tom Nook himself. I’ll be honest, I thought you died or something nookie, but here you are! Nice of you to visit your good ol pal Redd!” Toms ears fell done on his head. All of a sudden he could feel memories of Redd and him wash over him. But not the good memories, no, rather the memories he wished he could lock in a box and throw into the ocean. Redd walked closer to the two and Tom tried to regain his posture. “Hello Redd. How are you doing this evening?” Tom looked at the fox. He was wearing completely different clothes than his usual “only an apron” style. He hated to admit, but he like the foxes outfit. Should he say something? “You look nice. I like the new clothes.” Tom didnt want to give the fox any sort of encouragement In any way shape or form but he hoped that the compliment would at least soften Redd up in the slightest. He refused to look into the foxes eyes. “Pff, thanks! I wish I could say the same for you.” this made Tom freeze for a few seconds, that’s was, until he felt you squeeze his hand. Slowly stroking it with your thumb. Once he looked into your eyes and saw nothing but support, he felt better. “Uncle Tom!!!” The tension was interrupted by the sound of two younger voices accompanied by the small pit pats of four small paws running against the ground. Tom could see Timmy and Tommy running up towards him. Both of the boys jumped into his arms and he managed to catch both of them swiftly. He felt a pair of small arms wrap around his neck. Tommy was giving him a hug and Timmy was enthusiastically explaining what they had done this evening.

“It was so cool!!! You should have seen it! Y/N made custom fireworks with us! I made a dinosaur and Tommy made a jellyfish!!! And then- then Y/N made their custom firework look like me and Tommy!!! It was so pretty!!! And then aunt Isabelle gave us these boppers! Look, look!” The two brothers were indeed wearing two boppers. Timmy was wearing a flower bopper and Tommy was wearing a heart bopper. Tom chuckled slightly at their frenetic nature. It was obvious the two was running on sugar and adrenaline at the moment. He was certain that the two small tanookis were gonna have a tummy ache the next day. He could hear the faintest sounds of a little bell coming towards them. He turned to see that, yup, Isabelle was coming towards them all.

“Oh! Tom! Great to see you out here! I’ll be honest, I felt a little guilty leaving you alone while I got to be out here” Isabelle said, huffing slightly as she talked to him. “Oh yes. I finished all my paper work you see.” That was a lie, however, only three people knew it was a lie. “Oh yeah I’m sure you had so much paperwork huh?” Redd said, inserting himself into the conversation. This is when you started to lose patience. “Why don’t you shut your trap Redd!” Redd was a bit taken back by this. You always acted so quiet when you bought art of off him so to see you be so audible was strange to be sure. “Oh I’m sorry? Where you involved Y/N? What are you gonna?” Redd said, irritation plaiting his voice. “I would love to tell you what I would do but there are children present you selfish-“ “enough! Y/N, you said it yourself. He’s not worth it. Just let it go.” Tom told you, stroking your shoulder in an attempt at calming your nerves. You looked into his eyes, and in one fell swoop, you picked up the two brother that were now standing besides him. The two of them let out screams of delight and laughter as you started to run off. “Come on! Follow me!!!”

Isabelle and Tom were trailing behind you. How were you so fast when you were carrying TWO children!? Just like always. You never cease to amaze. You finally stopped at the highest hill on the island. There grew a single tree full of the islands native fruit. You put down Timmy and Tommy who were still giggling like crazy. You sat down besides the two boys and leaned up against the tree. Soon Tom and Isabelle caught up with you, both extremely out of breath once they got there. “What in the world was that for?” Isabelle asked as she looked at you. “I felt like we needed a change of scenery. Tom needs to see the fireworks! And I thought, what better place then the hill! And so, I grabbed the kids and ran here!” As you said this, you scooted over, patted the place next to you. Tom sat down next to you and Isabelle sat next to the boys. And for the first time, Tom could actually focus on the sky. It was beautiful. Absolutely stunning even! The sky was filled to the brim with colours after colours. Exploding like big balls of flames. It took his breath away. Even Isabelle seemed amazed. She had seen the fireworks sure, but from up here, they were even clearer! All five of them just watched the fireworks in silence for 15 minutes straight. It was only when the three adults heard a soft groan that they turned the attention away from the sky and to the small tanookies. Tommy was resting his head on Isabelle’s lap and Timmy was using Tommy as a pillow.

“Whoops. Looks like someone’s energies run out. Poor things, it’s way past their bed time. I’ll take them home.” Isabelle said, gently picking up the boys in her arms. She was about to leave when Tom stopped her. “Wait Isabelle. Before you leave... could I have one of those boppers?” He asked. It felt silly of him to ask but he thought they were pretty and wanted to participate. But Isabelle wasn’t a judgemental person, far from it. She simply giggled slightly and bowed her head before him. “Here, take mine.”

And so. Isabelle was off. She was off to put the kids to bed. That left Tom and you completely alone. Tom was readjusting his bopper and you were simply looking at him with a smile. “Hey look at that! We match!” You said, nudging his shoulder slightly. “Huh? Oh yeah! I guess we do ahhah...hey Y/N? I wanted to thank you. Thank you for fixing the Redd situation, thank you for taking care of the boys, just thank you for dragging me out here. And umm...” he took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. The tanooki placed a quick kiss on your cheek. It took you a second to realise what had just happened. But once you did, you smiled to yourself, grabbing his hand slightly.

“You’re welcome Tom.“ And so. The two of you continued to watch the fireworks, you leaned your head against his shoulder.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

So yeah...another out of the blue fic that I wasn’t planning on writing!!! But listen, @mrmr-uwu told me about this headcanon she had about how the reason Tom isn’t present at the festival is because he can’t be with Redd because it’s to painful for him. Like do you expect me to hear that and NOT write a 2000 word fic about it??? Don’t be ridiculous I don’t have that self control! But this was really fun. Like I’ve said before I will take ANY excuse to write for Tom Nook. I will now get back to your normal Yandere content

[captainjanegay]

Where I’m Meant to Be | Stucky | Meet-Cute, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Kid Fic, No powers AU | Chapter 1 | 4.6k words | Ao3

Summary:

Bucky is a single dad coming back from a work trip with a very bored, very whiney 7-year-old girl. A mysterious stranger with a kind heart and a notebook full of doodles comes to the rescue.

A/N: This fic was supposed to be just a short one-shot for the Stucky Bingo but somehow, it's at 11k at this point and it's nowhere near done. I have two more chapters all done and ready and a vague outline for the rest of the story. It's my first time posting a fic chapter by chapter so it's both exciting and kinda scary. I hope you'll like the story enough to stick with me for a while. 

My sixth fill for the @stuckybingo2020​ ♥

.

At some point in his life Bucky didn't mind spending hours at airports and he found traveling —even work-related —quite enjoyable. But that was when he was young, stupid and alone. Now he's older, just as stupid and has a wonderful girl in his life. 

The girl in question is now standing next to him, little arms crossed and a sullen expression on her face. She's repeatedly kicking at the leg of the chair he's sitting on. There's no real force to it —she's only 7 after all —and she's not doing it to do any real damage to anyone or anything. It's just little taps, really and she's doing it out of boredom. But dear lord, Bucky's about to explode.

"Alex, sweetheart," Bucky says, slowly breathing out through his nose. "Could you please stop with that kicking? It's a bit annoying."

"But papa," she whines, drawling out the word. "I'm bored!"

"I know, love and I'm really sorry but papa’s gotta do something important for work," he sighs, trying to run a hand through her hair. She ducks and flops onto the chair next to him, an angry little pout on her face. "I have to finish it before we go on the plane. I'll do it as quickly as possible and then I'll be all yours, ok?"

It's not really surprising when he doesn't get an answer. With another sigh, he leans to the side and presses a kiss to the top of his daughter's head and then turns back to his laptop. 

From the very moment she woke up today, Bucky knew it's gonna be a long day. She was cranky and teary all morning, not wanting to say goodbye to Natasha and it took a good hour to calm her down. Then Bucky had to basically beg her to eat something before they left for the airport. It wasn't a great day. And Bucky knew she didn't do it just to make him miserable, she was just as frustrated and tired as he was. On top of that, he has to edit and upload a report from the conference and the airport Wi-Fi is so bad Bucky is close to tears himself.

The work would probably take less time if he wasn't getting distracted every minute or so and glancing to the side, making sure that Alex is fine. Or relatively fine, the bad mood excluded. At the moment she is slouching on the plastic chair, still pouting. Felicia—a pink stuffed Triceratops —is placed on her lap so at least Alex has something to occupy her for a moment.

Bucky tries his best to get through the documents quickly but he doesn't want to miss any errors either. He gets lost in the work for the entirety of about five minutes when he hears something truly surprising.

Alex laughs. It’s so unexpected after what seems like hours of complaining, crying and whining that Bucky’s head snaps up from his laptop and he looks at his daughter.

She is still sitting by his side, Felicia pressed closely to her chest and there is a smile on her face. It’s definitely not aimed at Bucky, though. So Bucky follows her line of sight and… oh.

It’s not like he didn’t notice the guy sitting across from them before. Because he did. It would be rather impossible not to notice this guy. He is tall and well-built and could look intimidating if it wasn’t for his bright blue eyes or tousled golden hair or the gentle smile or the fact that he’s wearing the softest beige sweater Bucky has ever seen. He is both ridiculously handsome and cute at the same time. So of course, Bucky noticed him before. But now he tries to figure out what about him made Alex laugh. It doesn’t take long, because the man is holding up his notebook, showing the page to Alex.

On the page are three little, cartoon-like doodles. The first one at the top looks unmistakably like Alex—her brows are furrowed, arms crossed and a little storm cloud is hovering above her. Underneath there’s his daughter again but this time she’s laughing, her eyes only small slits and a little sun peeks from behind the cloud. The last drawing, just next to the smiling Alex, is of Bucky. His head is partly hidden behind a laptop screen and there’s a look of utter concentration on his face. Above his cartoon persona floats a swarm of little gears, question marks and lightbulbs. Bucky snorts. It’s probably quite accurate.

Noticing that Bucky is staring at the drawing, the stranger startles and his cheeks turn red.

“I’m not some creep, I promise!” he starts explaining himself, before Bucky even opens his mouth. “I just—she seemed so upset and I’ve heard you said you have something important to do so I just wanted—Man, it’s weird, isn’t it? I’m sorry I promise I just wanted to help, not bug your kid without permission.”

“It’s not—,” Bucky starts, slightly taken aback. “It’s very sweet of you, actually. Thank you. Really, that’s just—I don’t mind. And Alex here seems to enjoy your drawings.” Bucky smiles down at his daughter and then at the stranger. His smile falters a bit and he sighs. “I’d really love to chat some more but I really need to get this shit done and the airport Wi-Fi is truly horrible.”

“Oh! Bad word!” Alex gasps, covering Bucky’s mouth with her little hand. “You said a bad word! No sweets for you!”

The stranger laughs at that and Bucky probably shouldn’t be as charmed as he feels right now. He just kisses Alex's hand and leans away from it.

“OK, sweetheart. Promise not to eat any when we get home,” he says solemnly. “But papa really needs to work a little longer, OK? Ten more minutes, I promise. Try not to bother the nice man too much until then, yeah?”

She lets a long-suffering sigh but she agrees.

“I’m Steve, by the way,” the man says, smiling at Bucky. 

Before he gets the chance to answer, Alex chimes in, “I’m Alexandra. And papa’s name is James but only mama and people at work call him that. Everyone calls him Bucky.”

The man — Steve — lets out a small laugh. “It’s nice to meet you both. Alexandra, do you want me to draw you something specific, while we let your papa work?”

“Oh, can you draw Felicia? She’s a...,” Alex furrows her brows in concentration, “tri-ce-ra-tops! That’s a dinosaur!” 

Steve leans forward from his chair and smiles at her. “She’s so cool! But weren’t dinosaurs kinda dangerous?”

“Some of them, yeah. They ate other dinosaurs. But the ones like Felicia only ate plants, so she’s cool.”

Steve lets out an attentive hum but something in his expression tells Bucky that it’s not new information for him and he’s just indulging Alex and letting her share what she knows. It makes Bucky feel a wave of sympathy towards this Steve guy.

Soon enough, a new page of Steve’s notebook gets covered with doodles of various dinosaurs, based on Alex’s jurassic knowledge—it’s a bit flawed, but Bucky is proud of her nonetheless.

It takes Bucky a few moments to stop sending glances towards the two. It’s partly because Steve—no matter how sweet he seems to be—is still a stranger. Steve might be bigger than him, but Bucky would end him if he tried to do anything to his little girl. But there are no red lights when it comes to Steve—and Bucky always prided himself on his ability to read people.

The other thing making it hard to go back to work is the fact that the scene he’s looking at is quite an adorable one. Both Alex and Steve are sitting at the edges of their seats, leaning over the passage between the two rows of chairs and their eyes are fixed on the notebook propped on Steve’s knee. They’re chatting, exchanging random facts about dinosaurs but since their knowledge is limited, they switch to talking about modern animals soon enough. Steve listens intently to whatever Alex has to say without patronising her. And sadly, Bucky has met a fair share of adults for whom it was impossible to take Alex seriously just because she was a kid. It calms Bucky enough to actually focus on his work for a little longer.

Some peace of mind does wonders for his concentration and the ten minutes he promised Alex are actually enough for him to finish editing the reports. The WiFi is still a bitch, though. However, after staring at the loading circle for what feels like an eternity, he is able to send the documents. With a triumphant little cheer, he turns off the laptop and slides it back into his bag.

Steve looks up at him and smiles. Alex completely ignores him, though, still too focused on whatever Steve was drawing. Bucky feels a bit betrayed. When she looks up, she glances at Steve first, probably to ask why the drawing has stopped and turns to Bucky when she notices Steve looking his way.

“Oh, you’ve finished the work, daddy?” she asks and when he nods, she smiles and reaches to wrap her arms around his neck. “It took you some time. But I’m proud of you.”

Bucky laughs at that, shaking his head slightly, “Thank you, sunshine. I see you were having fun with Steve while I was busy?”

“Yeah! Steve drawings are so pretty! He drew you riding a dinosaur!” Alex giggles, pointing at one of the little drawings.

Raising his brows, Bucky sends Steve a questioning look but the other man just shrugs and rubs at his neck. “It was her idea,” he says with a sheepish smile.

The doodle Alex is pointing at is indeed of him sitting on a dinosaur's back. It’s the one with the long, giraffe-like neck, Brachiosaurus if he remembers correctly. The cartoon Bucky’s arms are wrapped around the base of the reptile’s neck, his hair fluttering behind him and his mouth is open in either a big smile or a scream, he’s not sure. Either way, it’s a very cute drawing.

“Well,” Bucky says. “I’m not a fan of horses but I’d totally ride a dinosaur if I had a chance. Shouldn’t he have a saddle, though?”

It’s not even that funny but Steve still laughs and Bucky smiles at that. His daughter is less impressed or at least tries to appear so. She rolls her eyes but there’s a grin on her face.

“You’re so silly, daddy. They didn’t have saddles back then! And besides you’d need a very, very big one for a dinosaur!”

Bucky hums in agreement and looks up at the departure display. Noticing that their flight’s gate is open, he nudges Alex lightly.

“We gotta go, sweetheart,” he says. She perks up a bit but then glances at Steve with a small pout. “Sadly, we have to say goodbye to Steve. On the bright side, we’re gonna be home soon, yeah?”

Alex nods and slides off her chair. Steve looks up at the display and straightens up.

“Oh, my flight’s boarding, too. But you know what?” Steve asks and then rips the page with all the dinosaur doodles and holds it out to Alex. “You should keep this, if you want.”

Hearing this, Alex’s whole face lights up and she takes the drawings with gentle hands, as if afraid to mess it up. “Thank you, Steve! Those are so cool I’m gonna keep them forever!”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Steve smiles. He looks up at Bucky. “It was nice to meet you, guys.���

“Likewise. Thank you again for the help. It was very nice of you,” Bucky says sincerely.

“It was my pleasure. My knowledge about dinosaurs is so much better now,” Steve’s smile grows even bigger and Bucky chuckles.

Bucky leans to help Alex put on her little backpack, since she refuses to put down the drawing and then reaches for his bag. He rests his hand on his daughter’s back and turns to Steve one last time. He’s still sitting at the edge of his seat and is watching them. A smile is still plastered to his face and at this point Bucky is sure that it’s his default setting.

“Bye, Steve. Have a safe flight,” Bucky says.

“Bye, Steve. Thank you for the dinosaurs,” Alex adds, making Steve laugh.

“You are very welcome, Alexandra,” he says. “Have a nice day, guys.”

Bucky gently steers Alex towards their gate. Before they disappear behind the corner, he turns away to look at Steve one more time. The man is already looking back and he waves at them when he notices Bucky staring. Alex waves back enthusiastically and Bucky just ducks his head, feeling flustered all of sudden. He used to be more collected around nice, attractive people. And Steve definitely qualifies as both.

***

Some time later they finally make it to the plane. Alex flops down onto the middle seat and eventually — after a long discussion and promises that he won’t ruin it — she lets Bucky put the drawings she got from Steve into the folder he keeps his documents in. When the treasure is safely put away Bucky straightens to put his bag in the overhead compartment.

“Oh,” he hears a voice behind his back and a low chuckle quickly follows. “Fancy bumping into you here.”

Bucky looks over his shoulder and the surprise makes him try to close the compartment while his other hand is still holding the bag. He yelps in pain, making Alex look up.

“Steve!” she says with a smile, completely ignoring her father’s distress.

“Hello again, Alexandra,” Steve shoots her a quick smile and looks at Bucky, concerned. “You’re OK? I didn’t want to spook you.”

Man, he really got bad at keeping his cool around attractive people. Feeling a blush creep up his neck, Bucky nods. “No, no, you didn’t. I’m just a clutz, this happens a lot, ignore me.”

Steve raises an eyebrow at him but he doesn’t say anything more. For a moment they just stand in the narrow aisle, looking at each other. Finally, Bucky’s ability to think kicks back in and he moves to the side.

“Sorry, you probably want to get through to your seat.”

“Actually,” Steve says and glances down at the boarding pass in his hand. After checking it, he points to the seat by the window, on Alex’s other side. “That one’s mine.”

“Oh,” Bucky looks at the seat and then at Steve. His cheeks still feel warm for some reason but he hopes he's not blushing too visibly. "That's great. I'm just gonna—"

Bucky shifts to the other side and takes a step back, making room for Steve.

"You're flying with us back home?" Alex asks with a hopeful glint in her eyes. "Will you draw something more for me?"

"Alex, come on. Don't abuse Steve niceness like that," Bucky scolds her gently but before he can even finish the sentence, Steve starts shaking his head.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. I often doodle when I get bored anyway so I'd be honoured to draw for you again, Alexandra," Steve grins at her.

She actually lets out a little happy squeal when she hears that and Bucky's heart skips a beat. He's absolutely charmed by the way Steve treats his daughter. He really seems like entertaining some random little girl is the best thing he could be doing and while Bucky - absolutely objectively - thinks that Alex is the most wonderful little girl in the world, it still seems unusual. And he positively melts every time that Steve uses her full name, just because that was the way she introduced herself the first time. Most adults Bucky knows don't do that with other adults, not to mention kids. And Steve is just so… kind and genuine, it takes Bucky off guard but it's a really nice surprise.

"Ok, fine," Bucky says with a smile. "You have no idea what you've brought on yourself. Is it possible to strain your hand from drawing too much? The flight's almost two hours, right?"

"Does your dad always complain this much?" Steve asks Alex and she giggles in response. He sends Bucky a glance over her head and he has a smirk on his face. Ignoring Bucky again, he says to Alex, "Hey, have you ever watched Sesame Street? There was this one grouchy green guy."

Bucky just sends him his most unimpressed look. Steve doesn't seem affected. Alex is delighted. And in truth, Bucky has to bite the inside of his cheek to contain a smile.

It turns out that on top of being nice and lovely, Steve is also a little shit, because he draws a Bucky-version of Oscar the Grouch - with a grumpy expression and wild hair, sitting in a garbage can. It's actually amazing. Bucky doesn't say that out loud, but he snorts when he sees it, so that might betray him a little.

This time — prompted by the mention of Sesame Street — the conversation resolves mostly around animated movies. To Bucky’s surprise, it turns out that Steve is a huge Disney fan. He doesn’t even try to hide it. Not to brag but Bucky knows his way around animated movies — partly because he has a 7-year-old daughter and partly because who doesn’t like animated movies? But compared to Steve and Alex? He knows nothing. They use names he doesn’t even recognise - who or what even is Flit? Judging by Steve’s drawing it’s some kind of a bird, apparently. When Bucky can’t remember — he knows it, of course, it just slipped his mind — the name of the redheaded princess from Brave, he is given the most disdainful look he’s ever seen. Both by his daughter and by Steve. Bucky still tries to participate in the conversation, at least for as much as they let him. He never expected his own daughter to team up with some stranger against him. It hurts.

The pain is all forgotten when Steve and Alex start quietly singing Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid together. Bucky can’t help a laugh that bubbles from his chest at the sight. How is Steve even real, Bucky has no idea. He is over six feet of muscle, his bicep is bigger than Alex's head and he could probably bench press Bucky and here he is, sitting next to Bucky’s little girl, drawing a picture of Megara, because she’s his favourite Disney princess and singing a song from The Little Mermaid.

This guy can’t be real.

About half an hour into the flight it turns out that Bucky was wrong — Alex does leave Steve alone but it’s only because the tiredness catches up to her and she falls asleep. And she’s sleeping with her head resting on Steve’s arm. It’s a really nice arm, Bucky has to admit, a nap on such an arm would be good and comfortable even for him, probably. But that doesn’t change the fact that he feels left out.

“Sorry,” Bucky says quietly. “You probably want your arm back, I can just—”

He offers to move Alex’s sleeping body but Steve just shrugs with his free arm, careful not to jostle the girl.

“Don't want to wake her and I really don't mind," Steve says, smiling at Bucky.

"You sure?" Bucky asks and after getting a nod in confirmation, he chuckles and shakes his head. “I keep trying to figure out where the catch is but I’ve got nothing. You’re just naturally this kind, aren’t you?”

Steve barks out a laugh and then slaps his hand over his mouth to quiet the noise. He looks down to make sure he didn’t wake Alex.

“Oh there’s plenty wrong with me,” Steve says with a chuckle. “For one I’m usually really awkward around kids. Alexandra’s such a great girl, though. But I do like to help and try to be nice whenever I can.”

Bucky narrows his eyes at Steve. “You think you’d side-track me by complimenting my daughter? You’re totally right, but that doesn’t mean I’m not curious.”

With an exaggerated eye roll, Steve makes the ‘bring it’ gesture and grins. “Come on. Hit me with your best guesses.”

“OK. OK, fine,” Bucky says and shifts in his seat so he can look at Steve more directly. Crossing his arms, he asks, “Do I have a limited number of guesses?”

“It’s not that long of a flight,” Steve shrugs with one shoulder, grin still in place.

In a theatrically thoughtful gesture Bucky strokes his chin gauging Steve with his eyes.

“You… secretly work as a hitman” Bucky says slowly, “or like, an underwear model. Which is not a bad thing to do.”

A blush creeps up Steve’s cheeks as he laughs again. “Those are… pretty far off. Why those two?”

“Well, you’re built appropriately for both from what I can see,” Bucky explains, enjoying the way Steve cheeks go darker. Maybe he’s not so helpless at talking to attractive people as he thought. It feels a whole lot like flirting.

That terrifies him for a moment. He didn't do flirting in what feels like ages. He doesn't have time for this. Should he even do this? He has a daughter, he shouldn’t just—

Bucky takes a deep breath and smacks himself mentally across the head. He’s not doing anything bad. He’s just talking and having fun with an attractive stranger. Maybe even flirting a bit. And that’s OK, this is allowed, he doesn’t have to go anywhere else with that. It’s not like he’s ever going to see the guy again, anyway. Natasha would punch him for denying himself that. So he will make sure not to mention it the next time they talk.

“Well…,” Steve rubs the back of his neck. “I am not. Hitman or— I’m neither of those. I’m actually an illustrator. Mostly freelance stuff. I paint sometimes, too. But that’s mostly for fun.”

“OK, fine. Somehow I can believe that. You seem like an artsy type,” Bucky agrees.

“No hitman vibes anymore?”

“Who says a hitman can’t enjoy painting in his free time?”

Steve laughs, throwing his head back. Somehow he manages to keep the left side of his body completely still, mindful of Alex sleeping on him.

“I don’t know if there’s a point in trying to convince you, but I’m really not.”

“Sure. Probably what a hitman would say,” Bucky waves a hand at him but smiles. “That’s cool though. Being able to get paid for doing what you love.”

“It is. Sometimes you get frustrated enough to hate it but it’s still pretty cool,” Steve agrees. “You don’t like your job?”

Bucky scrunches his nose, making a non-committal sound as he tries to find the best way to explain. “It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s fun. Interesting, exciting, sometimes frustrating as hell, too. And the responsibility can be incredibly stressful. It’s just…  I never took time to think about what I really like doing in life. And since the job was good enough, I just stuck with it.”

Steve hums, nodding along to Bucky's words. "It's never too late to figure it out, you know?" he says. "I mean, I don't wanna impose and tell you how to live your life or anything. I'd never. I just— I think it's an important thing to know."

"You might be right," Bucky agrees. He glances down at Alex. "I don't think it's a good time for me to experiment, you know? Besides — if there's one thing I know for sure that I like it's having this little rascal around."

The smile on Steve's face turns soft. But only for a moment, before it turns back into that smirk he had earlier. "Any guesses left? About my dark side?"

"A few," Bucky grins. 

It's a bit of a lie because he really struggles to see Steve as anything but perfect but he can try. It's just a game they're playing to kill time after all.

"You are that kind of guy who can eat garbage food and not move a finger and still look like you've just walked straight out of a gym. I hate those people. It's so unfair."

"Are all of your guesses based on how I look? I kind of see a pattern here so far."

Bucky opens his mouth to protest but there's something in the way Steve looks at him, with a raised eyebrow and one corner of his mouth quirked up that makes him close his mouth without a word. He might be blushing. Maybe he's being too forward. It's probably not appropriate to talk about a stranger's body this much.

Before he gets the chance to apologize, Steve answers, "And you're wrong, again. I like working out. Takes my mind off things, helps me clear my head when I need that. Besides I used to be small and sickly my whole childhood. Couldn't even play with other kids for too long without getting an asthma attack. So I'm kinda compensating for that," he jokes.

"Really?"

"Yeah. All pointy elbows and bony knees."

"Huh," Bucky says. "Bet you looked way cuter than me when I had my bowl cut. We all had our dark moments."

Steve laughs again and Bucky really enjoys the sound of that. He really enjoys Steve's company in general, which is weird considering they've just met. It usually takes him much more time to get comfortable around people. Maybe it's the fact that they'll go their separate ways as soon as the plane lands makes it all easier.

"I'm kinda disappointed, you know?" Steve starts after a moment. "I thought you'd guess at least once. Or at least would be more creative with those."

"Who says I'm done? It was all on purpose, I was just assessing, gathering intel. I'm a scientist, I don't know if I've mentioned that before," Bucky points a finger at Steve. "You've got to be methodical about stuff."

Raising his hands in surrender, Steve tries to keep a straight face. He fails miserably.

"I wanted to say that you secretly hate dogs or cats but that would be just too harsh," Bucky says. "I don't think you're a monster."

"I love dogs," Steve confirms. "Always wanted to get one but my flat's too small and I doubt that'd be good for a dog. I don't have anything against cats but I feel like they don't… like me that much."

Bucky chuckles. "I feel like there's a story there."

"Just— My friend Sam has a cat and she absolutely hates me. I can't leave my phone on the table cause she pushes it off, but she doesn't touch Sam's. Every time I'm there she follows me around and hisses at me for no reason. She peed in my shoe more than once," Steve says and tries to look hurt when Bucky starts laughing. "It's not funny! I haven't done anything to deserve this. I tried to bribe her with food, I tried to pet her but I only got scratched for my efforts. And she doesn't do that with anyone but me."

"So that's your dark secret? That your nemesis is a cat?" Bucky asks with a grin.

"It's… definitely true."

“Can’t say I’ve seen that one coming,” Bucky laughs.

Steve shrugs with one arm. “I’m full of surprises.”

Clearly, Bucky thinks, shaking his head at the other man.

.

Title: Wrap me up (in your love) Creator(s): niallhoranbitches Card number: 065 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27745402/chapters/67911988 Square filled: B2 - Airport Rating: Teen and Up Archive warnings: None Major tags: Meet-Cute, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Kid Fic, No powers AU Summary: Bucky is a single dad coming back from a work trip with a very bored, very whiney 7-year-old girl. A mysterious stranger with a kind heart and a notebook full of doodles comes to the rescue. Word count: 4591 

[eddiemunsonssoulmate]

You have given me something that I can't live without

Pairing: JJ x Pogue!Reader

Word Count: 2814

Summary: JJ has the habit to show up at your house whenever his father has beaten him up. This time, it was worse than usual.

Warnings: Mentions of violence/abuse & breakdown

Available on: AO3

A/N: I hurt myself while writing this. JJ really needs more hugs okay.

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It was a late summer evening that you spent at home for once. Your parents were on the mainland to visit your aunt and uncle but you hadn’t really been in the mood so you stayed back here. You’d rather hang out with the Pogues than go to the mainland and having the house to yourself wasn’t the worst thing on earth.

You’ve been enjoying the quiet night, still recovering from the party at the boneyard last night. It was one of those days where you didn’t want to leave the house because you’ve been sleeping until 1pm anyway and felt like complete trash, the hangover almost killing you.

Thankfully you felt better now, the urge to constantly puke was gone and breathing the fresh night air that was coming in from the window of your room was healing your confused mind. You loved the nights, especially one likes these where the skies were clear and you could see the stars and the moon shining into your room.

You were pretty sure the other Pogues hadn’t spent the day any differently. It had been a really massive party after all, including Rafe and his minions causing trouble but whatever. He was the kind of guy you didn’t waste any time thinking about.

The pizza had been standing on your desk for a while now as you’d almost burned your tongue trying to eat it fresh out of the oven. Hunger was a stronger emotion than anything else today. You were about to eat it when you heard someone knock loudly at the door downstairs. At 11pm. What the actual fuck.

Whoever it was, they better had a really good explanation for what was going on. With a ‘I’ll be back soon’ look that you gave your pizza you walked downstairs, taking the baseball bat with you. Could never be too careful around here.

You couldn’t see anyone through the small windows left and right from the door and you sighed.

“Who’s there?”, you called before opening the door, one hand at the doorknob, the other one at the baseball bat.

“It’s me.” A very muffled and silent voice was making it’s way through the door and it took you a moment to realize that it was JJ. You dropped the baseball bat and immediately opened the door only to catch him almost falling into your arms. He must have been leaning against the door.

You could see how he was holding his left side with his right hand and when turned around fully to you, you saw how his face was full of cuts and bruises, some of them still bleeding.

“Holy shit, JJ!”, you said almost in shock and ushered him inside and closed the door, locking it with the extra lock, just in case he was followed by someone.

“What happened?”, you asked as you were helping him over to the living room couch where he sat down with a groan of pain.

“Dad”, he said while breathing heavily, clearly in so much pain he couldn’t say more.

You ran your hand through your hair and tried to think about what to do with him. He was clearly bleeding on the cushions and your parents might kill you for it but that wasn’t important right now.

“That bastard...Wait here, I’ll be right back.” You hated his dad more than anyone on this island. Well, Rafe was probably on the same level. Just disgusting, abusive assholes. Your heart dropped when you thought about JJ getting beaten up again and no one ever doing anything against it. He was suffering in silence every time.

The blonde boy had been afraid of his father for the longest time, trying to please him only to get a punch in the face as a thank you. He never told you why his mother had left them but you knew his father was blaming JJ for that.

Sometimes you wondered how he could hold up the act of being a happy, sassy young man. He was clearly falling apart inside and yet, he didn’t let anyone know, always saying it was fine.

It was not fine. Not at all.

You told him that every time he showed up at your door. Yes you were friends but sometimes you wondered why he didn’t visit any of the others when he was wounded like that. Afraid? Ashamed? And if yes, why did he show up here so frequently after almost every beating he took? Was it because of the looks he gave you, that you only caught glimpses of from time to time? Was it because you made him feel the same way he made you feel?

After going to the bathroom and grabbing a few painkillers and something to clean his wounds you went back down, looking at him for a second while standing in the doorway. His eyes were closed and he was barely even sitting on the couch. He looked like he would fall to the side at any moment so you walked over there quickly.

“Hey JJ, look at me”, you said and watched how he opened his eyes while you were crouching in front of him. “It’s gonna be okay.” You tried to give him a smile, trying not to show how worried you were actually about him.

“No”, he whispered and you saw tears starting to dwell in his eyes. “It’s never gonna be okay.”

You could almost hear your heart break at his words and you slowly stroked his cheek, catching the first tear that was falling. Within one breath you were up and hugging him tightly. It was only then that the rest of his composure started to break and he started crying with no end in sight, leaning into your hug and pressing his face against your neck.

“I can’t do anything right!”, he spoke against your skin. “I try to do the right things and it always ends up the same. I’m so stupid. So worthless. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Hey, shh.” You tried to console him but you knew that deep down, he was still the insecure child he had been the first day his father started to abuse him. “You’re not worthless, you hear me? You’re. Not. Worthless.”

You pulled away a little to look into his eyes, now red from crying and you felt how a tear was also escaping your own eye. It was a sight you didn’t want to see and you hated his father for making him break down like that.

“I can’t do shit!”, he exclaimed and ran a hand through his hair, wincing in pain a second later.

After sitting down next to him, you could just watch him for a moment, not sure what to do to help him.

“I ruin everything. No matter how hard I try, I keep fucking up. God, I hate my life, sometimes I wish I was -” You didn’t let him finish this sentence, instead you cupped his face in your hands and pulled him close, placing a soft and careful kiss on his lips. His body relaxed within a second and you pulled away.

“What are you doing?”, he breathed against your lips as they were still close, his breath tingling against your skin.

“Calming you down”, you replied with a soft laugh and reached forward to the cloth before starting to clean his wounds again.

“Maybe you should take a few painkillers.” You simply nodded towards the small table in front of the couch where you had placed a glass of water and some pills. He was about to say something else but then just nodded, taking the pills.

“Thanks”, he mumbled and tried to hold still while you were cleaning him.

“Take your shirt off, I know there’s more”, you demanded after you were finished with his face, thankfully nothing too deep but it still looked bad and would do so for a few more days.

He gulped before he took it off, throwing it over the back of the couch. You bit your bottom lip as you saw how bruised his whole body actually was. Normally he would only have wounds in the face, which was bad enough, but this time it looked like his father had punched or kicked him right in the gut. How could a father do such things?

The two of you were silent for a while as you did everything you could to help him, cleaning wounds, checking if he had broken any ribs and making sure he would be okay.

“I hit him back”, he suddenly said out of nowhere and you looked up from his stomach where you might have studied his muscles a little too long. It wasn’t a sight you hadn’t seen already but you were still impressed how fit he actually was.

The words you wanted to say didn’t leave your lips so you were silent. You got up and picked up the shirt about to give it back to him but it had dried blood on it and you didn’t want him to wear this tonight.

“He’ll kill me if I go back home”, he added after a few more deep breaths and you nodded. As far as you knew, he never actually stood up to his father. He only took the beatings without a word, never doing anything against it out of fear.

Knowing that JJ’s biggest fear was his own father was tearing you apart inside. He shouldn’t be afraid of his own father. No kid should ever be afraid of their own parents.

“I hope you know that I won’t let you leave this place tonight. You’ll stay. Parents aren’t home anyway”, you said and held out your hand after dropping his shirt on the ground again. You’d clean it tomorrow.

He took your hand and got up a little less wobbly than earlier, the painkillers seemed to kick in.

You pulled him up to your room, signing him to sit down while you went to your parents bedroom really quick, trying to look for a shirt from your father that might fit JJ. It took a moment but thankfully your dad kept clothes even though he didn’t fit in there anymore.

Going back to JJ you saw him leaning against the headboard of your bed, fiddling with one of the band-aids you had put on him in his face.

“Stop that”, you said and laughed a little when he looked at you like a little kid that wanted to have a dinosaur band-aid instead of a normal one. “And put that one. Carefully.”

You threw him the shirt and watched how he put it one, smiling a little. He’d be okay, you were sure of that. He would always turn out okay, at least on the outside. The inside was a whole other issue.

After that you changed into your sleeping clothes, ignoring that he was right there and could see more naked skin than he had ever seen before.

“Scoot.” You waved your hands a little and he moved over to one side of the bed before you crawled under the blanket on the other side.

“So we’re sleeping in one bed now?”, he said a little confused and you chuckled, placing a soft kiss against one of the bruises on his shoulder.

“I’m not leaving you alone. You’re under my watch now.” He grinned when you said those words and it made you smile too because he seemed to get into a better mood despite everything.

He slipped under the blanket and tried to keep at least a little distance between you but you wouldn’t have any of it, grabbing his hand under the blanket. You felt him tense briefly but relax soon enough.

A while passed where you didn’t say anything and you were almost sure that he had been asleep already when he suddenly spoke up.

“Why are you helping me...like this?”, he asked and turned around to you, not letting go of your hand that you two were still holding. He sounded so insecure like he wasn’t worth the time and care you gave him. You wish you could somehow get some sense into him.

“Why are you always showing up here after he beat you?”, you asked in return and you realized that question could come out right. “I mean, why not the others?”, you quickly added before he got it wrong.

“You can’t answer a question with another question, you know”, he huffed and pouted a little at the fact you hadn’t answered him.

“Fine. You’re my friend, JJ. You’re part of my Pogue family. How can I not help you, when you’re clearly in need of it?”, you told him but it didn’t seem like he was satisfied with that answer. “Your turn.”

He bit his bottom lip and looked into your eyes, then your lips and back to your eyes again.

“No one cleans my wounds as well as you do”, he said with a half grin and it was also not the kind of answer you wanted to hear.

You shook your head with a soft laugh and he squeezed your hand. Silence was falling over you for a long while.

“(y/n)?” Every time he said your name in such a soft way, your heart jumped a little and you hated it. Hated that he made you feel this way because it was clearly going down a dangerous road that was also your fault. Feelings were something you weren’t good with.

“Hm?”, you simply replied and didn’t look at him in the darkness, trying to focus on the spot on his jaw where you knew a bruise was lingering. The moonlight was shining into your room so you’d have been able to see his face clear enough but you didn’t want to. You didn’t want to because you had been falling for this boy for quite a while now but it couldn’t happen.

No pogue on pogue macking, right? Even though you had screwed that one up earlier already but then again, that was a case of emergency.

“Let’s run away together”, he whispered into the night and it caused you to look up at those blue, blue eyes that were so sad right now.

You laughed softly and squeezed his hand a little. “You know we can’t do that.”

“I can’t go back home and I’ve got nothing left to lose except you.” His voice was breaking while he spoke and you were sure he was about to cry again, filled with worry so you moved over closer to him until you were snuggling against his chest.

“You got a lot to lose, JJ. Not just me. What about the other Pogues? They’d probably hunt us down. You’re also a bright, young man that can have a wonderful future”, you mumbled against his chest, the shirt already smelling like him.

It was really hard not to just hug him tight again but you didn’t want to touch any bruises, too afraid he’d start hurting again as he seemed fine right now.

“It’s only wonderful if you’re in it.” God damn, he needed to stop talking like right now. It was probably just the painkillers speaking, you gave him some really strong ones. Maybe he also just needed someone to be close to him right now so he would stay calm.

“You really need to sleep now,” you mumbled and looked up at him with a soft smile but he didn’t budge. You knew that there was something between you and maybe, just maybe you would act on it. One day.

“Can I kiss you?”, he asked, seemed almost shy and you breathed in heavily. Why was he so irresistible. Yes, it was your fault that he was in your bed now instead of the couch or something but you wanted to comfort him the best way you could, that included not leaving him alone because you knew how lonely he felt inside.

“Just this one time”, you said with a sigh and he pressed your lips against yours, deepening the kiss to make sure it was a real one, not like the little peck earlier.

After you two pulled apart he smiled broadly at you. “Technically, that was number two and both of them in one day.”

“Sleep, idiot”, you said and kissed his nose briefly before letting go of his hand, turning on your other side to finally sleep. It didn’t take long for you to fall asleep next to his warmth and steady breathing.

You knew this wouldn’t be the last kiss you two would share.

You weren’t surprised when you woke up with him spooning you from behind.

You were a little surprised when he actually told you he loved you two weeks later in front of your friends.

[nekoannie-chan]

Another dimension

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Reader (Vampire! Steve Rogers X Nymph! Reader too)

Word count: 1260 words.

Summary: Accidents happen all the time…accidents can send you to another…dimension…

Warnings: Angst, mentions of blood, death of a character.

A/N: This is my entry to the @fanfictionaries‘s Classic Tropes Writing Challenge with the AU trope:

“Magic creature”

Also is my entry to the @simsadventures ‘s 3K Challenge with the Mood board #5.

And my entry to @jtargaryen18​ ‘s 30 days of Chris.

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistake please let me know and I will correct it.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics be posted in other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don’t steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other’s people. The only exception is the ones I gifted ‘cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and is not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own Marvel’s characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

My other media where I publish: Wattpad, Ao3, ffnet.

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

“The place is here, the time is now, and the journey into the shadows that we’re about to watch could be ‘our’ journey” The Twilight Zone, episode 1 “Where is everybody”, season 1.

 Steve took your hand one more time, he didn't want to leave you alone, he was afraid something bad would happen to you if he wasn't by your side.  

He felt guilty that he hadn't been with you at the time of the incident.  

In that incident, you had tried to reassure Rogue and Dagger in the argument they were having, which was getting any good as time went on, you inadvertently received one of Tandy's attacks, which left you in a coma.  

Tandy felt too guilty, kept apologizing to Steve, and you for what happened, at no point did he want to hurt anyone.  

No one knew exactly what damage you had because of what previously happened, they weren't even sure if you were going to wake up.

"Steve, I know it's not a good time, but we need you," Natasha said.  

"I already told them to take over...”

"The parents explicitly asked for you, they think it's more feasible that they want to come back if you ask them to if we just go the others," Blink interrupted.  

"The Parents?" Steve asked strangely.  

"I don't think it takes us much time, they're a group of teenagers who ran away from their parents with the dinosaur from one of them…

"A dinosaur? What kind of parents gives a dinosaur to a teenager?' questioned Steve incredulously.  

Both women raised their shoulders, they couldn't explain it either, at first they didn't believe it until they showed them the pictures.

"I can't leave Y/N...”

"It'll be quick, Steve, it's just finding them, we take them with their parents," Nat said.  

He hesitantly agreed to go, perhaps if you noticed his absence, you would react.  

They started searching the streets, it wouldn't be so difficult if they were carrying a dinosaur, and he could bet they would get attention, Steve kept walking until he found them.

"Come on, guys, you just need to go home, your parents are very worried about you," Steve said, trying to convince them.

"We can't go back," Molly said between our teeth.  

"They're just worried, they won't punish you... why does she have a dinosaur?" he questioned while still seeing her.  

"Is not just a dinosaur, she is...she is A DEINONYCHUS—Gert corrected annoyed.

Old Lace let out a kind of roar to support her owner.

"Come on guys," Steve said exasperated.  

"You'd never understand, Captain," Nico said.

She took firmly the Staff; she knew what to do, for no reason could they return with PRIDE, they would leave the right way or the hard way.

"Nico don't," Karolina asked.

“We don't have a choice," Nico revolved.

"Guys don't...”

“Dream... Uh... Dimension?!” Nico shouted, putting the Staff in front of her.  

Steve fell unconscious to the floor.

"I-Is he alive?" asked Gert fearfully.

Alex and Chase approached, Chase put forward the Fistigons just in case while Alex checked the Captain's condition, not even Nico was sure what she had just done, she simply said the first words she had come up with.

"He's just unconscious," Wilder informed.

"Okay, so... we have to go...”

Steve woke up, he was thirsty, and he remembered he was on a street, but now he had shown up somewhere else, how did he get there?

He was in a kind of forest, he came up to the creek and drank some of the water, but he spat it out, he spat it out, he knew horrible, his body indicated that he needed... blood?  

He turned quickly as he perceived a movement, he seemed to smell the blood of the deer; he went after the animal, caught him, and drank his blood.

"Do you finish?" Clarice asked.  

Steve looked up, had not realized at what point she had appeared.  

"Blink... what's going on?” Steve asked.  

"We have to hurry, the Shadows must not find us... "

And the kids with the dinosaur?” Rogers interrupted.  

"With what? What are you talking about, Count Rogers?”  

"Count?”  

"If you want to rescue Y/N, we must hurry," Clarice replied.  

In short, Steve didn't understand what was going on.

“What happens to Y/N? Where is Y/N?”

"In the castle, where else she would be?" Blink replied as if it was obvious.  

What castle did she mean? Steve didn't even know where he'd appeared.  

"If they get here before us, she can die," the mutant warned.  

"Where is that castle?”  

"Count, don't you know where your castle is?”

"My castle? Well anyway, take me to it, use your powers... do you still have powers?”  

"Sure," she replied.

She opened a portal and the two came in appearing outside the castle, Steve was surprised with what he saw, he couldn't understand how he owned that place when you heard a noise, you immediately left the lake where you were playing.

Steve was stunned to see you... you were a nymph, but when he approached the water, he didn't recognize he... he was exaggeratedly pale, the blood from the deer was draining down his chin... Clarice had called him Count... was he a vampire?

"Are you okay...?” He asked.

He immediately crouched down to wash with the lake water, he didn't want you to see him in those conditions.  

"Why wouldn't I be? I have everything you promised me, this lake is very beautiful, but are you sure they won't come for me?”  

"You'll be safe here," Steve said.

Soon the sky began to darken – for no apparent reason – you shuddered, you knew what that meant.  

"The Army of Darkness is approaching," Nat reported, approaching as she flapping her little wings.

Steve looked at her perplexed, Natasha was a little fairy, and she understood less and less, apart what famous Army of Darkness was? And most of all, why did they want you?

Shadows, black Pegasus, and other terrible monsters arrived, they were determined to take you with them, and Steve ordered Natasha to keep you safe.  

The battle began, Steve had tried to keep them away from you, but he didn't expect one of the trolls to get to you, as soon as he realized he went to the place to take him down.  

However, he was late, you were seriously injured, he didn't know what to do until he came up with something maybe that could save you, there was no choice and he had to take a chance.

He drew his teeth even in doubt to your neck, then he bit him, he took some of your blood, he got hurt so you'd take from his and so you'd become, but what Steve did not know was that the wounds had been fatal and before you could drink, you had already died in his arms.

When he realized he started screaming desperately without releasing your body, he feared that in his world you had died too, how could he fix it? How could he get you back? If he came back, what would he expect there?

"Steve! Steve!”  

He opened his eyes, the team was surrounding him, and they were on the street where he had found the teenagers.

"What?" he questioned disoriented.

"What happened to you?" Nat asked.  

"Why were you lying there?" Clint questioned.

"The kids... one of them has a Staff...”  

Meanwhile, at the hospital, you finally opened your eyes, the last thing you remember was one of Tandy's daggers and screaming, everything had been so confusing.

"Well, they run away," Clarice deduced.  

At that moment Steve's mobile phone rang, he immediately answered when he saw he was from the hospital.  

"Y/N has woken up," Caitlin told him.

 “They say a dream takes only a second or so, and yet in that second a man can live a lifetime. He can suffer and die, and who’s to say which is the greater reality: the one we know or the one in dreams, between heaven, the sky, the earth in the Twilight Zone” The Twilight Zone, episode 9 “Perchance to Dream”, season 1. 

[anubislover]

A Primal Need for a Marine (a X Drake x Reader fanfic)

In the past twenty-four hours, your luck had been, quite frankly, abysmal. First, while in pursuit of the infamous pirate X Drake, a storm came out of nowhere, wrecking your ship and nearly killing you, separating you from your captain and crew—assuming they were still alive. Then you spent hours floating on a piece of wreckage, until you finally spotted land and were able to paddle your way to shore. You thought perhaps things were looking better when you heard human voices coming from the jungle, only to discover they were the subordinates of the man your squad had been hunting. Before you could even attempt to parlay, they’d tied your hands behind your back, hoisted you up and carried you to a cave deep in the jungle, unceremoniously dumping you inside and sealing off the entrance, only saying, “The captain will want to see you.”

The inside of the cave was spacious, several lamps providing adequate light to see by, but also casting long, ominous shadows. There appeared to be a massive pile of plush bedding in the back corner, and some animal bones scattered about; a clear sign that something had decided to call it home. You immediately began looking around for a sharp rock or piece of bone to use to cut your bindings, as you had a lot more faith in turning your situation around if you had use of your hands.

“So, you’re the crew’s solution to my problem?” came a voice from deep in the cave. A figure approached slowly from the shadows, long strides powerful and sure with the grace of an apex predator. Nearly eight feet tall, made of pure muscle, and dressed in deep blue leather pants, gloves, thigh-high boots, and open bolero jacket trimmed with white fur, he cut an intimidating figure. His sunset red hair looked like fire in the lamplight, and the shadow cast across his face nearly hid the black domino mask over his piercing blue eyes. The X-shaped scar on his chin and tattoo on his bare chest were painfully familiar.

Now you knew for sure your luck had completely run out. You, a captured Marine, were alone in a cave with X Drake. The pirate your squad had been tasked with arresting and bringing to justice.

The traitor.

His eyes scanned your face, taking you in. “You look familiar.”

“We’ve crossed paths,” you bit out evasively. You really didn’t want him to remember you—at best, you’d be one of the starry-eyed recruits that had admired him back when he was a rear admiral. That innocent crush you’d once had had gotten you in trouble; he’d caught you and a few others watching him train shirtless when you should have been doing chores, and he’d marched you straight to your commander for a humiliating admonishment.

At worst…well, last time your crews had crossed paths, he’d been seconds away from cutting off your captain’s head with his giant axe. Thinking quickly, you’d jumped between them and blocked the blow with your rifle. It would have been extremely cool if it were your prowess that had truly stopped him, and not the way your ripped shirt fluttered in the breeze, giving him an unobstructed view of your bare breasts. He’d gone bright red, and you swore a slight trickle of blood dripped down his nose before he was distracted by an attack from your captain, who’d caught his second wind.

Crossing his beefy arms, he looked down on you, thoroughly unimpressed at your wet, shivering figure. “Your uniform is a mess. Back in my day, to come before a high-ranking officer in such a state would have earned you at least ten lashes.”

“Good thing there aren’t any officers around, then—just traitorous scum,” you countered, voice full of venom.

A ginger eyebrow arched at your cheek, but interest flickered in his eyes. “You’re a member of the squad that’s been chasing us, aren’t you?”

“Oh, have people been chasing you? I can’t imagine why,” you replied sarcastically. Your captain often complained about your attitude, but he’d also preached defiance in the face of death, and you planned on living up to his expectations.

“That’d be another twenty lashes for talking back. Either the Navy’s eased up on disciplinary measures, or you’re a particularly tough one to break.”

“A little from column A, a little from column B.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, and something like approval flashed in his steely gaze. “Do you know why my men brought you here?” he asked, circling you slowly, critical stare sweeping over your kneeling, disheveled form.

“They didn’t bother to fill me in.”

“Since we reached this island I’ve suffered…urges,” he grumbled, frustration lacing his voice. “My more bestial side has been rearing its head, even in my human form, demanding I sate some of its more primal instincts. I’ve hunted and fought and killed, but it’s not enough. It wants to mate.”

A shiver ran down your spine as you finally understood. “And you couldn’t find some nice lady dinosaur to get your rocks off with?”

He actually chuckled lightly as he knelt down behind you, reaching around to untie the kerchief around your neck. “No, those are in short supply. However, a mouthy little Marine should work just fine.” The tips of his gloved fingers trailed across your damp shoulders, down your back to your bound hands. Teasingly, he yanked at the rope that cut into your wrists. “If you’re a good girl and do exactly as I say, you might even survive this. Might. I can’t promise anything.”

“That doesn’t exactly inspire me to comply.”

His hot breath danced across the back of your neck as he whispered, “Then I’ll just have to fuck you into submission.”

You blanched. Of course Drake swore—he was a sailor, pirate, and former Marine. A dirty mouth was practically guaranteed, and even the most formal officer was known to turn the air blue under the right circumstances. But to hear him talk that way, when he was usually so stoic, brought a faint blush to your cheeks that you desperately hoped he couldn’t see. A few years ago, when he was still a rear admiral, you would have given your right arm to be in this position.

Now…well, you wanted to say you were utterly repulsed at the idea, but the spike of heat between your legs would call you a liar.

His hands returned to your front, and you watched as he carefully removed one of his leather gloves. Your heart raced as it morphed into a green-scaled dinosaur claw, wickedly sharp and deadly. Instinctively you flinched away, but Drake’s imposing figure gave you nowhere to go. Carefully, the tip of a curved talon stroked your cheek before sliding down to the collar of your uniform. “Hold still; I’d hate to accidentally slit your throat.” You knew he could do it; you’d seen him rend some of your comrades effortlessly with those ancient talons. Heart in your throat, you did as he said, though your cheeks reddened further when his monstrous claws shredded your shirt and bra into ribbons, leaving your torso completely exposed.

What the hell? you thought frantically. Isn’t he supposed to be weak to a woman’s body? Why would he do that?!

Without ceremony Drake picked you up and placed you on his lap, pressing your bare back to the exposed skin of his chest.

“Wha—!”

Once more gloved and human, large hands slid up your sides to cup your breasts, giving them an experimental squeeze. “You really are such a tiny thing,” he murmured in your ear, hot breath dancing across the sensitive skin as he massaged and fondled you. “So cute and helpless, like a bunny caught in a trap.”

There really was quite the size difference between you, but then again, Drake towered over quite a few people. And good gods, pressed against him like this, feeling his hard pectorals and abdominal muscles flex with every movement, made you feel like a doll, small and breakable in his powerful grip. On top of that, his body exuded heat like a furnace, and had the situation been different, you would have relished it warming your damp flesh, chasing away the chill of the cave.

His nose buried itself in your hair as he inhaled deeply, letting out a low groan as his palms squeezed your breasts hard. “You smell delicious, too. Like fear and sea water and sweet, soft flesh. Like prey.”

“More like bait,” you bluffed, eyes squeezing shut as he ran his teeth across the fragile skin of your neck, latching his hot mouth to your pulse-point and sucking hard. “I—ah!—let myself be captured to distract you. M-my crew’s taking out yours as we speak, and then you’ll be taken into custody, literally caught with your pants down.”

The flat of his tongue stroked the mark he left on your throat. “You had no clue about my…condition, as it were, so there’s no way you could have planned this. Given that storm last night, I’d say it’s more likely your ship capsized, and you washed up on shore, alone and ripe for the taking. No one’s coming to save you, and we’ll be long gone by the time another Marine ship shows up.”

His left hand dropped to press against your stomach, pinning you against him so you couldn’t wiggle free. Still, you made a valiant attempt to break away, twisting and writhing in his lap.

Your efforts were halted when he growled, amusement lacing his voice, “Oh, please, keep struggling like that. Your ass feels amazing against my cock.”

A hot blush painted your face as you realized that you could feel a hard bulge against your backside, and it probably wasn’t a pistol in his pocket. “You’re an absolute bastard,” you cried as his hand shifted to grab your hip, pulling you back to grind against his concealed length.

“What did you expect? I’m a pirate from the Worst Generation. Did you think a man like me would be sweet words and gentle caresses?”

Honestly, you kind of had, given how he seemed so shy around women, even back when you were a recruit. “No—I figured you’d pass out from a nosebleed the second you even touched a pair of tits!” you snapped back.

His right hand abandoned your breast to harshly grip your chin, yanking it up so you hand no choice but to meet his intense blue eyes. They weren’t quite in their more reptilian form, but you could see his pupils were blown wide and the iris had faint specks of yellow. “I remember you, now. You’re the one who flashed me to save your captain.” Blunt teeth caught the shell of your ear, his hot, wet tongue flicking against the delicate flesh. “Bold of you, I have to say. An effective strategy at the time, but I’m only weak to a woman’s body when I’m caught off guard, and definitely not when my Zoan side is impatient to fuck.”

You bit your lip to suppress the small, needy whimper that his tongue nearly coaxed from you. Your ears had always been your most responsive erogenous zone, and his mouth was stimulating it with just the right amount of heat and pressure. When he gave a sharp suck, you couldn’t quite hide your quick intake of breath, though you tried to hide it by renewing your struggles.

Drake didn’t seem to mind as his hips jerked to match your movements, grunting in appreciation. His left hand abandoned your hip to bury itself between your clenched thighs, cupping your hot core through your wet trousers and panties. “Mmmm, I can smell that you’re starting to enjoy this.” The hand at your chin shifted to press two fingers against your plump lips. Scowling, you closed your mouth as tightly as possible. There was an annoyed growl at your resistance, and the heel of his palm ground harshly against your clit, causing you to gasp in shock and outrage.

Taking advantage of your open mouth, he shoved his fingers inside the wet cavern, giving a shallow thrust. Instinctively you bit down on the meaty appendages, but it did little to dissuade him. In fact, he sank his teeth into the side of your throat in retaliation, making you scream in pain around his fingers.

“Bad girl,” he rumbled lowly as his tongue lapped at the sore spot, cleaning up the small drops of blood from where his fangs had broken the skin. “I’ve been restraining myself because I didn’t want to break you too soon, but if you keep misbehaving, you’re going to find out just what kind of animal I can become.”

You winced, finally accepting that you weren’t going to be able to discourage him from using your body how he pleased through resistance. He was a former rear admiral, a hundred times stronger than you, and if you really got on his nerves, he could just turn into his Allosaurus form and eat you.

Sensing he’d broken your resolve, he resumed pumping his fingers into your mouth, the smooth leather of his gloves gliding over your wet tongue. “That’s better. Now suck—unless you’d rather I replace my fingers with my cock and fuck your throat?”  

Swallowing hard, you closed your eyes and focused on sucking his fingers, hoping your skills would be satisfactory. When he gave a pleased grunt you rolled the flat of your tongue against them, imagining it was the hard cock of someone you actually wanted to please and not the traitorous bastard that held you captive. Your cheeks darkened as the fingers at your core curled against your covered slit, pressing into the sensitive flesh as his palm ground against your clit, enticing you to buck against him.

“Look at me, girl. I want you to acknowledge exactly who you’ll be servicing tonight.” His voice was right above you, steamy breath fanning your face. Instinctively your eyes opened, and his mouth stretched into a grin. He chuckled, stroking your nether lips in time to his thrusts, causing heat to coil tighter in your belly.

You were absolutely horrified at your body’s reaction—you couldn’t possibly be feeling pleasure because of X Drake, could you? He was a pirate and a traitor, and he made it clear you were basically only there as his fuck toy! Your crush on him hadn’t been that strong, had it?

Grinding his contained cock against the cleft of your ass, he said, “I know what you’re thinking, and there’s no need to be ashamed—we can’t always control when or how our bodies feel pleasure. A glimpse of bare skin, a touch to just the right spot, a few dirty words—it all involuntarily stimulates us. I used to think that it could be resisted with enough willpower, but after a week of my instincts driving me mad, I’ve realized that everyone has their breaking point.”

With a wet pop, he removed his fingers to stroke down your jaw and throat to once more play with your breasts, this time putting special focus on teasing your nipples. To your dismay, they quickly grew into stiff peaks under his rough pinches and flicks, his thumb circling the hard tips teasingly. “Bet you didn’t think your little flash of chest would result in this, did you?”

When you didn’t answer right away her gave your left breast a harsh squeeze, prompting you to gasp out a weak, “No.”

“Did you get a commendation for your bravery, little girl? A promotion? Or did you reject any praise because you didn’t want to be known as ‘The Tits that Felled X Drake’?”

You whimpered, though mostly in humiliation. He’d hit the nail on the head. You’d been mocked by your shipmates for nearly a month over that, and even though the captain had been grateful, he’d kept your involvement out of his report for that very reason.

“Well, now you’ll get to be ‘The Tits that Fucked X Drake,’” he chuckled, rolling his hips for emphasis. “In fact, that sounds like a great way to start.”

Before you could question him, he pushed you out of his lap to the cave floor, flipping you onto your back. You attempted to sit up, but a large boot rested lightly on your stomach, pressing down just enough to make it clear how easily he could crush your torso. There was no choice but to look up at him, and for a moment you couldn’t help but stare at the prominent bulge between his legs straining against the tight leather of his pants. Blushing, you forced yourself to look further north, landing on Drake’s unusually expressive face, his lips quirked in an amused smirk and a hungry gleam twinkling in his eyes. Your gazes locked as he palmed his belt buckle, undoing the clasp and allowing the long strip of leather to fall to the ground with a clatter. Next, he grabbed the zipper of his tight pants, pulling it down bit by bit, the clicking of metal teeth deafening in the silence of the cave.

As he freed his length, you swallowed nervously. Of course a man his size would have a massive cock to match. At least nine inches long, roughly two inches thick, and perfectly curved, he’d be like something out of a wet dream if the circumstances hadn’t been so horrible.

“Like what you see, Marine?” he chuckled, giving it a few teasing strokes, running his thumb over the already leaking tip. “Just imagine how it’ll feel inside you.”

His foot vacated your chest so he could straddle your hips, pinning you down with his superior body weight. Blue eyes stared, mesmerized, at the twin peaks of flesh before him. Your chest was flushed and swollen from his earlier attentions, nipples hard and practically begging for his touch. A pink tongue darted out to wet his lips, then he leaned down, wrapping them around a straining, rosy bud.

“Ah!” you cried, overwhelmed by the heat of his mouth on your sensitive areola.

Your chest was completely at the mercy of his ravenous mouth and tongue. Alternating between sharp sucks and soothing licks, his attentions sent sparks through the soft mounds of flesh, making you arch further into his mouth, your body wordlessly begging him for more. He eagerly complied, and you were ashamed at the surge of moisture that pooled between your thighs when he brought his teeth into the mix, shallow bites and taunting scrapes of his incisors both frightening and thrilling you.

Trailing his mouth down the silky peaks, he lavished the valley between your breasts with long, slick strokes of his tongue. Your nipples weren’t abandoned for long, however, as his hands returned, the leather deliciously smooth in contrast to the sharp pinches to your straining buds.

This time, you couldn’t quite suppress the little sighs and whimpers that bubbled up in your throat as his arousing actions. For all that the situation demanded you resist, Drake played your body like a harp, strumming your taut strings of desire and producing a symphony of lustful sounds.

Finally, he leaned back, critically studying the wet trail between your tits before nodding to himself in approval. He lifted himself from your lap to straddle your ribcage, resting his straining cock in your cleavage and pressing your swollen mounds of flesh around it for extra stimulation.

“Brace yourself, dear—I’ve been dreaming about this since you first flashed me.”

There really wasn’t much you could do to brace yourself with your hands tied and back pinned to the ground, but you lifted your knees and planted your feet as best you could, praying that the stone floor wouldn’t tear up your skin too badly. His grip on your breasts was harsh, squeezing them together so tightly you were sure he’d leave finger-shaped bruises behind. Each thrust rocked your entire body, his long cock peeking out from between your breasts to brush your chin. Blue eyes fixated on the drops of precum left behind, and you watched his pupils dilate until his irises were nearly overtaken by the black.

“Imagine if your superiors could see you now,” he panted, a few drops of sweat trailing down his temple. “Helpless, at the mercy of a pirate, being used as a fuck toy and loving it.”

“I’m not—” your whimpered denial was cut off by a particularly brutal thrust and a massive hand yanking your hair.

“I told you that I could smell your arousal, little one. Lie to me again and I’ll hand you over to my men to have a turn with that cute body of yours. Now open your mouth.”

Being used by one horny pirate was bad enough, and your luck had been so awful you dared not call his bluff. Instead, you silently obeyed, parting your lips as he released your hair to continue tit-fucking you. If his erratic thrusts were any indication, he was close to climaxing, which meant it was nearly over. Closing your eyes and taking as deep a breath as you could with the massive man straddling your chest, you forcefully pushed down the disappointment that the fire he’d stoked between your thighs wouldn’t be sated.

With a sound that was somewhere between a grunt and a shout he came all over your face, his hot, sticky seed splattering across your chin and lips, but mostly shooting inside your waiting mouth. Salty and thick, you had to swallow several times to get it all down.

Panting and wiping the sweat from his brow, Drake leaned back to study you, grinning at the drops of cum that dappled your cheeks.

“Aren’t you a sight?” he purred, wiping a sticky glob off with his finger and painting it across your lips. “I’m glad I started with tit-fucking you instead of finishing.”

Your eyes widened in horror, even as your cunt clenched in anticipation. “You…you’re not finished?”

The tips of his fingers stroked his still-hard cock. “Do I look finished? If this problem were solved by a single orgasm, I would have just jerked off and been done with it. No, I need to properly mate, and even then I doubt I’ll be sated until I’ve fucked us both unconscious.”

If the way he’d used your chest was any indication, it wouldn’t be hard for him to knock you out, and once he had his fun, what did he plan to do? Ransom you? Interrogate you? Kill you? Behind your back, your nails dug into your palms, wishing your hands were free so you had a better chance of escaping.

Eyes capturing yours, he raised his left hand to his lips, white teeth catching the leather encasing the middle finger, pulling slowly to expose pale skin and thick, calloused digits. “I wonder if you can even take me,” he murmured, more to himself than you as he pulled of the other glove. “You’re such a little thing…”

You seriously doubted you could. He was twice the girth of any man you’d ever slept with, and long enough that you were positive he’d wreck your insides if he bottomed out. The fact that he was still hard even after already cumming indicated his stamina was nothing to scoff at, either.

You were, figuratively and quite literally, fucked.

Removing himself from your torso, he crawled down to your legs, hooking his now bare fingers into your waistband to slowly peel your trousers from your legs. You tried to kick at him, to fight back and wiggle away, but he grabbed your thigh, nails digging into your skin in warning.

“Behave, girl,” he growled, eyes flashing with something fierce and primal as he ripped off your panties, nostrils flaring as he caught the undiluted scent of your womanhood.

“Please, let me go,” you tried to reason. Drake was a traitor and a pirate, but surely he hadn’t lost all of his honor? “You’re not the kind to take an unwilling woman, right?”

“But you’re not unwilling,” he chuckled, leaning in to lap up your juices with a long, luscious stroke of his tongue. Your back arched at the delicious sensation, cheeks flushing and toes curling as the coil of arousal deep inside you tightened. “You’re impossibly wet. You smell like a bitch in heat, waiting to be mounted by a worthy male. You’re aching for me, aren’t you?” he growled before nipping at your sensitive nether lips.

Head shaking in denial, you closed your eyes in hopes of blocking out the overwhelming pleasure the sweeps of his hot tongue brought you. That only made it worse, though; your body’s sense of touch heightened, making your empty cavern ache to be filled.

For his part, being so close to the source of your womanly scent was driving Drake’s beastly instincts wild as he feasted on your arousal, your cream thickly coating his tongue and dripping down his prominent chin. The flexible appendage delved deep, teasing your inner walls as his fingers tightly clutched the meat of your ass, lifting your hips so he could get a better angle. It was when his nose brushed your clit, though, that you finally unleashed a lustful cry, hips bucking, unconsciously chasing that intense spark of pleasure that rocked your entire body.

“Ah, that’s more like it,” he purred as he pulled away, licking at the juices that coated his lips. “I can’t wait to hear what other noises you’ll make.”

He turned his attention to your swollen pearl, teasing it with the tip of his tongue while one of his long, thick fingers leisurely penetrated your molten core up to the knuckle. “You’re going to be a tight fit, but that just makes it all the better,” he groaned, deep voice practically reverberating through you.

Your teeth sank into your bottom lip as you felt your inner walls clench around his finger. It was nearly as wide as two of your own, hot and wonderfully rough, massaging the sensitive tissue of your core.

As he experimentally began pumping his finger in and out, his tongue flicked your sweet little bundle of nerves, chuckling at the strained sounds that slipped from your lips. He dragged the calloused tip along the top of your passage, licking and teasing your sensitive nub.

After a minute or so, pleased at how wet you were for him, he forced in a second finger, curling the pair against your G-spot while suckling your clit when you let out a whine of discomfort.

“Just relax,” he murmured, dropping a brief kiss to your thigh as if in apology while he scissored his fingers, stretching your tight hole. “If you’re too tense to take my fingers, how can you hope to handle my cock? Take a deep breath and relax.”

You wanted to argue that there was no way you could relax when you were being molested by a filthy pirate, that you didn’t want to take his cock, but then his lips wrapped around your throbbing clit and sucked hard, and your mind went blank as you were momentarily overwhelmed by white-hot pleasure.

“That’s it,” he rasped, lips barely pulling away long enough to speak before diving back in, sucking in time to the thrust and curl of his digits, coaxing your hips to match his rhythm.

Against all decency and logic, your walls clenched around him as your body sang, coil of pleasure winding tighter and tighter in your belly with every heady bend and eager suck.

Just when you thought you might reach that peak and finally climax, Drake completely stopped. You whined, bucking your hips in hope of taking your own pleasure from the slick fingers that rested motionless inside you, but his free hand grabbed your hip in a bruising grip. Sluggishly, you opened your eyes, meeting his intense gaze as he gave you a feral smile.

“Beg me to let you cum.”

Despite your flushed cheeks, humming nerves, and aching cunt, you refused to give him that victory. You may be his prisoner and a slave to his desires, but you wouldn’t beg. Steeling yourself for whatever he had planned, you defiantly shook your head, provoking a low, menacing chuckle.

“I was being nice, little one. I don’t have to give you pleasure at all—I could just flip you over and start fucking you. Are you denying yourself out of pride? Think you’ll get a moral victory by refusing to give in to your urges like I am? You think your will’s stronger than mine?” he snarled, suddenly angry. Your heart sped up as you realized you’d unconsciously touched a nerve—X Drake was famous for his composure since his days in the Navy. He was a man who strove to be in control of his emotions; to not give in to vices like lust or anger like his father had. That his Devil Fruit had driven him to this was a testament to how frustrated he was, how powerful the urges were, and how insulting it was to think that you could hold out when he couldn’t.

His hand started moving again, brutally ramming inside you as his fingers slammed against your G-spot with every stroke. “If you won’t beg me to let you cum, then I’ll just make you cum. I was giving you a choice. Something you’re never going to have again.” His mouth latched onto your clit, sucking hard, overwhelming you with sensation as his fingers continued to piston in and out. Captive to his touches and powerless to do anything but lay there and feel, your mouth let out little wordless cries, and even you couldn’t tell if they were meant to be denial or encouragement. It was when he started humming, sending sweet vibrations straight into your throbbing clit, that you finally felt your climax hit, pleasure shooting through you like liquid lightning, your walls clenching around his digits while your back arched.

The second he felt you spasm around his fingers Drake pulled away, grabbing your hips and refusing to let you ride out your orgasm, watching you writhe hopelessly under him.

“That’s enough foreplay,” he rumbled, tossing you over his shoulder and carrying you over to what could only be described as a nest of pillows, blankets, and other bedding. It made for a soft landing when he tossed you down, flipping you onto your stomach. To your surprise, you felt his fingers at your wrists, and the harsh rope tying your hands behind your back fell away. “It’s time we got to the main event.”

Wincing at the awful pins and needles travelling up your newly freed arms, you managed to brace yourself on your elbows and look up at him over your shoulder. His eyes had turned fully yellow and dangerously reptilian, and his ravenous gaze was fixated solely on you as he peeled off his leather bolero. You could feel his eyes caressing the smooth expanse of your back, your pert ass, quivering legs, and flushed face like you were a feast laid out just for him. His attention dropped briefly to his thigh-high boots, bending down to remove them, and you grasped at your chance, clumsily darting to your feet and attempting to make a run for it while he was distracted.

You didn’t even make it out of the nest before a beefy arm wrapped around your waist, swinging you up into the air before slamming you down into the bedding. The soft blankets and pillows prevented any injury, but the air was knocked out of your lungs, rendering your immobile while you struggled to regain your breath.

“At any other time I’d commend you for not giving up the fight, but right now all you’re doing is making this harder than it needs to be,” he growled as he rolled you back onto your stomach, prying your thighs apart so he could settle between them and elevating your hips with a pillow. One hand seized your right wrist, pinning it behind your back while the other grasped the back of your neck, pressing just hard enough to ensure you wouldn’t even dream of moving. Like this, he had full control, completely dominant and ready to claim his prize.

The hot tip of his erection teased your dripping entrance, and you let out an involuntary whimper. “Please…” You weren’t even entirely sure what you were begging for. Sure, you’d just tried to escape, but had you really thought you’d get away? Had you really wanted to, with your core aching to be filled? Or had you just wanted to see just how far you could push him?

“I warned you,” he growled. “Let’s see how much of me you can take. And just so you know, I will be cumming inside you. Every. Fucking. Time.” With deliberate slowness he pushed his stiff, throbbing cock into your tight, wet sex. Inch by inch he filled you, penetrating your womb as he finally bottomed out.

“Fuck, you feel good,” he said with a deep, relieved groan, stilling his hips to savor your walls clenching him. “Such a tight little cunt. Here I was wondering if I’d split you in half, but you took me like a champ. Like you were made for me,” he finished with a possessive, rumbling growl, slowly rolling his hips back before plunging back in.

Your free hand clawed at the bedding beneath you, caught between pain and pleasure. He was stretching you to the breaking point, slamming against your cunt like a battering ram, speed increasing with every rotation of his hips. At the same time, each thrust hit that magic spot inside you, and you were already so sensitive from your earlier orgasm, you couldn’t help but let out helpless little mewls as you squeezed him tightly. Pinned beneath him like this, helpless as his rough treatment stoked a fire in your belly, you wondered if, should you survive this, you’d ever be able to lay with another man again.

Hips snapping against your backside, the sharp slap of skin on skin echoed through the cave, accompanied by your needy cries and Drake’s terse grunts.

The hand pressing down on your neck tightened slightly as he growled, “That’s it, little one; you’re taking my cock so nicely. Should have known you were meant to be a pirate’s whore. It’s probably your dream, isn’t it? To get fucked day and night by a Navy traitor. Well, congratulations, dear; mission accomplished!”

You’d never imagined being degraded like this would get you off, but it was like his words were the catalyst you needed to cum so hard stars filled your vision. Your silken walls desperately milked him as your orgasm and his thrusts rocked your body, screaming his name like it was the only word that mattered anymore.

The sensation of you milking his cock sent Drake over the edge after you. With a nearly inhuman roar his seed filled your womb, hot cum painting your inner walls in thick spurts as he buried himself as deeply into your eager cunt as he could.

For a few moments the two of you just lay there, panting heavily and basking in post-orgasmic bliss. You whimpered a little when he pulled out, strangely mourning the sudden lack of heat and pressure, but soon found his arm wrapped around your waist, hoisting you up so you were vertical and pressed to his chest, legs spread as he lowered you back onto his cock. His free hand played with your breasts as his teeth latched onto your ear, sending shockwaves of pleasure through you.

“Drake~” you moaned, hypersensitive but matching his thrusts as best you could.

“Finally giving in, huh?” he panted in your ear, rutting up into your aching cunt. “I knew you would—you can only deny your instincts for so long.”

Hand encircling your throat, he pressed your head to his shoulder, looking down at you with fierce yellow eyes. “You’re loving this, aren’t you? Getting railed by a pirate’s cock. You greedy little slut. You make a hell of a sight right now—needy juices dripping down your thighs, eyes glazed with pleasure, face covered in my cum.” He leaned down to lick away one of the milky droplets that clung to your cheek. “I should take a picture to send to headquarters; show them what happens to cute little Marines that fall into my clutches.” The hand supporting your waist slid down over your sweat-slicked stomach to the apex of your thighs, mercilessly grinding his thumb against your clit.

You didn’t even try to fight your orgasm this time, letting it wash over you, bouncing on Drake’s cock to draw it out while screaming your throat raw. Sharp teeth latched onto your shoulder as he released, hips snapping up hard as he came.

Drake wasn’t quite done yet, though. Somehow, despite two consecutive orgasms, he was still hard inside you. You mewled helplessly, too worn out to even rock your hips. Sensing you were at your limit, he pushed you back onto your stomach, hoisted up your hips, and proceeded to fuck you into the mattress.

Covered in sweat, stretched to your limit, limbs weak, overstimulated and hypertensive, all you could do was lay there, ass in the air as Drake continued to pump his massive cock into your twitching hole. However, the pathetic sounds of pleasure that you let out at every snap of his hips seemed to egg him on, and before long he slammed himself inside you with a penultimate, animalistic groan, emptying the last of his hot seed inside you.

At last sated, he removed you from his softening cock to wrap you up in a loose blanket before laying down beside you.

“Mmmm, can’t wait to do this again tomorrow.”

“To-tomorrow?” you gasped, forcing yourself to stay awake even as exhaustion darkened the corners of your vision and your limbs grew heavy and lethargic.

“I was eager to fuck you and rid myself of these damned urges, but now, I think I rather like them. I haven’t felt this relaxed in years.” Muscular arms engulfed you as he pulled you to his warm chest. Glancing up, you could see his eyes had returned to their normal, intense shade of blue. He purred, “And for such a little thing, you’re surprisingly durable. I’d be a fool to give you up. When my crew and I leave this island, you’re coming with us.”

“I can’t…”

“Your squad’s most likely dead, and the survivors would be trapped here until another ship stumbles across them. Even if they all lived, they couldn’t stop me from carrying you off.” His thick fingers combed through your hair, not caring that they were still damp and sticky with your juices. “You can’t go back to the Navy, anyway; the anti-fraternization laws are rather draconian, and if you don’t get court-martialed just on the off-chance that I could have recruited you as a spy, you’ll be looked down on with disgust and suspicion, passed over for promotions and missions for the rest of your career. Join my crew, and you’ll at least have my men’s respect.”

“I’m not a traitor,” you insisted, even as you buried your head against his chest to hide the tears that threatened to fall. Damn it, he was right—if the Navy found out that you’d been involved with X Drake, even under duress, you’d be branded a pariah and, at best, shuffled to some out-of-the-way base doing paperwork until judgement day.

His large hand cupped your chin, lifting your face so he could press a gentle kiss to your brow. “Then I guess you’ll have to spend your days as my captive and feisty little bed warmer.”

“Better keep me in the brig—otherwise, I might slit your throat in your sleep.”

“You can try, dear, but if I have to tie you up and fuck you into unconsciousness every night to ensure my safety, well, that’s a cross I’m willing to bear.” Tilting your head, he leaned in to whisper in your ear, “I’d advise against killing me, though. If you prove yourself trustworthy, I’ll let you in on why I became a pirate. It’s a fascinating story, and it might just make you realize I’m not as bad as I seem.”

Your brow furrowed. What could he possibly mean by that? You wanted to question him, but the strain of the day was finally catching up to you, making your eyelids heavy. It was even harder to focus with the soft bedding underneath you and Drake’s bare chest keeping you warm.

He chuckled softly as you began to drift off, murmuring, “Get some rest, little one; that’s an order from your captain.”

[fuwafuwamedb]

Cursed G Pt 28 (Hakuno, Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Siduri)

Previous Part: 1 - HakuPOV / GilPOV, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

___

There was light streaming down on her.

Hakuno could feel the warmth of the light, the feeling of a light breeze drifting in from the window. She could hear the soft sounds of the wind brushing against tree branches and leaves, leaving her to stretch light and grimace.

She must have left the window open last night when she’d gone to bed.

It wasn’t the wisest decision to make, since her home was a one-story building with open access to the windows and screens that wouldn’t be terribly difficult to push aside to gain entrance. She’d listened to many of her friends get after her about them being open sometimes, but she’d thought she was getting better about the windows.

Shifting slightly, Hakuno grimaced.

She was in a robe.

There was definitely a belt around her waist, the upper part of the robes faltering slightly as she shifted and tried to get herself to go upright. That was a tall order though; and, as she was quickly finding, she had no desire to ruin the opportunity to take another nap.

Surely she had something to do today.

A soft yawn met her person before she felt a tail brush against her neck.

“G,” Hakuno cooed, rolling over and petting that soft tail.

A large, very wet tongue met her cheek in response.

Hakuno opened her eyes to a set of golden eyes, staring at her as a tail flicked back and forth on the one before her. She could see a couple other heads rise, staring in her direction as she tried to process what she was seeing.

It was nothing.

It must have been just a wild dream.

Long hours of studying alongside taking care of Gilgamesh and learning magic…

Hakuno felt herself freeze.

A large lion was in front of her, moving in closer to her as she lay there in the strange place. There were three more that were moving in, flopping against her side. She could almost painfully feel the sheets tightening as their bodies tugged at the sheets. She was becoming pinned down, unable to even free her other arm as the first lion leaned in to continue licking her.

Her hair was no doubt slimy. Her eyes closed as she felt an overwhelming need to wipe at her face.

Another few laps of that tongue…

Hakuno could feel herself tensing worse, her stomach churning as she tried her best not to panic. These were large, very man-eating beasts. They were the kid that, from what she could remember, were very likely ones who chased after those who ran.

Did they work by dinosaur logic?

Well, the visual movement thing wasn’t the case.

Hakuno looked up at the cat, listening to its loud and very pleased purr filling the air. A heavy paw pressed to her chest, the beast beginning to settle in painfully half atop her.

More of that licking began, a series of small grunts and mewls from the beast leaving her to tremble softly.

“She’s normally not one to be scared,” a voice called out.

The beasts shifted at the sound of Gilgamesh, leaving her to glance in his direction.

He was wrapped in only a fabric around his waist, a golden necklace gleaming from his chest and his chest and abs out in the open. The sun seemed to almost glisten on him, creating a halo effect with that golden hair of his. The sharp angles of his jaw looked almost sharper than a knife in the fading light.

“You slept for days,” he complained softly.

“Gil…”

He waited, crossing his arms and leaning against the nearby wall.

“…Gil, can you…” She eyed the lions nearby, hesitating. Being too loud or to sudden could spook the beasts. If she wasn’t careful, there was a good chance she could-

The king clicked his tongue, patting one of his legs.

The collection above her migrated, tails flicking here and there as she felt each presence around her move from the bed one by one. They hopped to the floor, leaving the large bed to lift a bit higher with each loss.  

And then, with them off the bed, the king lowered himself to their level, stroking manes and patting heads softly.

“You have done well in looking after her, haven’t you? You have earned much in this time,” he told them all. “We shall have to see about your rewards later.”

His lips pressed to one’s head, earning a loud slight tussle between that one and another.

“Leave,” he demanded, motioning at the door.

They went, willingly.

“You’ve er… you’ve trained them well.”

“You misunderstand, Hakuno.” Gilgamesh glanced over at her, shaking his head. “They’re not trained. They are as feral as any that you would find still roaming over the lands outside of Uruk. My people are quite accustomed to their presence. You’ll find yourself settling in with them soon enough.”

She didn’t think so.

That sounded like a good way to end up getting hurt.

Her arms felt weak as she pushed against the bed, making sitting up a process. Her stomach still hurt, as did a good portion of her person.

“What are you doing?”

“Where are we?” she asked of him, looking around more at the room. There was something wrong with this room, with the way he was dressed. She could feel her mind already noting various objects that very much didn’t belong in the modern bedroom. The golden interior and items were leaving that odd trickle of tension building.

“You,” Gilgamesh told her, moving over to her side and pulling the sheets up her person a bit. “You are in Uruk.”

That she could see.

It was very obvious that she was in Uruk.

What she wanted to know was how was she in Uruk?

Gilgamesh hadn’t been able to create a portal to get himself to Uruk without her help. They had both put forth a good amount of power to get a portal big enough for one open, and that had required that they both continue to push energy into the portal to keep it open.

How had he managed, alone, to open a pathway to Uruk and drag her through?

Why had he dragged her through?

Her gaze was fixed on his expression, her heart hammering faster and faster as she tried to think about what had happened. Her mind was drawing a very fast and very hard blank on how things had gotten to this point. The man before her was simply fixing the pillows a bit, wiping at a bit of lion saliva on her face.

“…What happened?”

There was no point in avoiding the question.

A soft chuckle escaped him.

“You had agreed to come with me, if you recall.”

“I did. I was supposed to marry you in front of my friends before that happened though. We had agreed to wait to come here and I had a series of classes to get to for the week.”

She remembered getting up on Monday…

She’d had a nice moment with Gilgamesh that morning…

Why was her mind so fuzzy about this?

“Does your head hurt?”

Hakuno waved off the question lightly, finding the man stealing her hand away and holding it to the bed as he invaded her space. That bemused expression was back, his eyes drifting over her face.

“I can call for an apsu if there is something wrong.”

“Gil,” Hakuno looked at him, prepared to argue.

This wasn’t what they had planned at all.

There were things she hadn’t been ready to surrender yet. She didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to anyone. There were people to see one last time and things to do one last time. Hell, she hadn’t had the chance to go to any of her favorite stores one last time.

But…

There was that single fact that Gilgamesh was looking at her like that that made her hold back her complaints. The way his face held that serious expression, his brows furrowed and his gaze searching hers. There was the way that he held her hand, his leaning in close almost feeling like he was assuring himself more that she was alive and well than anything else.

He had offered to call an apsu…

She really couldn’t remember what those were, but it sounded like something like a hospital.

The man in front of her was worried, as worried as he’d been, if not moreso, than when she had used too much magic.

“I’m alright,” she relented.

“Something is wrong.”

Something was wrong, but she was here now and saying goodbye would have been hard. It would be difficult to go back to her time without there being all kinds of trouble. She didn’t even want to think of the kind of magic finding the precise time she’d disappeared from her own time would be.

So she shook her head a little, settling for pressing against the king and closing her eyes again.

He stiffened, his arms clearly open as he had to process what she was doing. She could feel the moment he relaxed, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

“Ishtar attacked you,” Gilgamesh murmured. “It seems she was more cowardly than I had suspected, attacking you in your bathrooms.”

She could remember a little more.

She’d been leaving the two fools by the counter to go use the restroom real quick. Her stomach had been a little awkward feeling.

It still felt out of sorts, but…

“How long did I sleep exactly?”

“Just a day.”

Hakuno pulled back, “you said it’d been days!”

“I did.” He snickered. “And you failed to react. You disappoint me, Hakuno. Was I not that believable?”

“I could have slept for weeks!”

Gilgamesh pinched at her cheeks, growling a bit. “If you dare to do such a thing, I’ll let the lions and the lionesses climb on you and use you for a pillow. You don’t get to slumber away and suffer without my permission.”

Ah, yes. His permission.

She’d remember that the next time that Ishtar decided to try something on her again.

Speaking of…

Hakuno looked around at the room again, pushing the king’s hands off her cheeks.

“…Are we actually safe from Ishtar here?”

“She cannot come into the palace. I had the magicians and the apsu work together to craft a divine barrier around the entirety of the palace and inner gates of Uruk. Although it is not… perfect, it is an effective means to keep the woman from entering.”

So they would be safe and sound then.

“You read about my Uruk,” he prompted, moving to stand on his feet once more. He held out his hand. “Come with me a moment.”

Her hand slid into his, that grip tight as he let her lean against him and walk awkwardly for the first time in a while. Her left foot was tingling, probably fast asleep from one of those lions sleeping on it. Her knees wobbled threateningly as she moved to the window with him, looking out towards…

Gold.

There was a river that cut through the land off in the distance, glistening in the afternoon light. It cut harshly at a point in her view, slithering off into the horizon. Before it though, stood a wall that rose high into the air.

Small movements below showed signs of the people. She could see large fabrics and countless golden buildings standing proudly against the lands close to them. Trees with great green branches hung here and there, dotting the city in nature.

“This is the view to the smithies and the citizens who work occupations that make less,” he told her.

“It doesn’t look like a slum.”

“It is not a slum, it is merely the area that makes the least and the forges that have bought land to work in.” He smirked, looking out at it. “They are still useful and make their living. They just are satisfied with other things besides wealth.”

She doubted that all of them were that way, but…

The view was nice.

She could see a procession moving off to the side, their banners waving softly in the wind.

“What’s that?”

“A wedding ceremony, actually,” the man at her side replied. “It’s not typical for there to be that much fanfare. It must be one of my upper class citizens.”

“Should we go look?”

The man snorted. “You are barely standing.”

She was standing though.

“Much of your practices were going to be a mystery to me. I feel like putting you through the same. You will have to wait until your own ceremony for learning what is required.”

Hakuno found him leaning her against the wall a bit, adjusting the robes she wore a moment before he took her hand once more.

“In the meantime, there is someone you should meet properly.”

“Gil, I can barely walk!”

“And yet you were so eager to go see that wedding a moment ago,” the man threw her a look as he pulled open the doors of the room, leading her into the hallway.

“Gil-“

“SIDURI! ENKIDU!”

Hakuno moved closer to the man, noting a few people popping their heads out of rooms nearby. A low murmur was forming, bringing out more people to glance their way from around doors and the end of the halls.

“SIDURI!”

“Gil! Let me meet your mother later,” she pleaded softly, noting the people watching her with mounting interest. She really wanted to just go back into their room. Maybe leave the lions near the door for a while.

The man glanced over his shoulder at her.

“Please,” Hakuno repeated again, “let me meet your mother, Siduri, later.”

The look on his face was almost mockingly amused, those eyes glinting a second before his laughter rang out, echoing in the hallway. She could feel her cheeks burning as the sound of footsteps came running in their direction.

“My king!” A figure in green came hurrying into the hall, her veil dropping a bit as she caught up to them. “Did I hear you calling for me?”

“It would seem that Hakuno was under the foolish assumption that I was calling for my mother just now,” Gilgamesh told her, still chuckling as he forced her to press up against him. “You will have to teach her well about exactly who my mother is.”

“Oh… Well, she is from another time, isn’t she?” Siduri offered, angelic as could be. She already liked this woman a lot more, finding the woman smiling gently. “I would have assumed that someone random that you are calling was someone close to you as well.”

“A-are you two close?”

The man was laughing harder at her. She needed to shut up.

Siduri waved her hands, “I am Gilgamesh’s attendant, remember?”

Right!

“You were in the gateway that we made before!”

The woman sighed in relief, nodding. “That would be me. Once again, it is a pleasure to meet you, although I much prefer this manner of meeting. Being in person with someone is far better than your paths and magic.”

Hakuno nodded.

“My king?” Siduri turned to him once again, “you did call for me, didn’t you?”

“I wanted to have you meet Hakuno in person and speak about Uruk.”

“Perhaps over food?” Siduri gave another smile her way. “We could help you dress, bathe, and get a proper meal in you before returning you to bed.”

That didn’t sound half bad-

“The meal is fine. I rather doubt that Hakuno will need to uselessly change before her baths and we can take the meal in one of my gardens.”

Siduri went to speak, but there was movement.

A flash of green was speeding towards them, all but leaping into the air in a flurry of white and green before Hakuno found herself scooped into a pair of arms.

“ENKIDU!”

“Hakuno! You’re finally awake!” The being held her up in the air, laughing a little. “I was wondering if we needed to call back the apsu to check on you again!”

“E-Enkidu,” Siduri tugged at the being’s sleeve, “Please put her Grace down. She’s barely awakened.”

She was on her feet once more before Gilgamesh moved to haul her over his shoulder.

“Since you’re here, Enkidu, then we don’t have to wait. We’re going to eat in one of the gardens and Siduri is going to inform the kitchens to bring something.”

“Perfect, I’ll join.”

“You just ate!” Siduri complained.

“I am a hungry being,” Enkidu told her, patting their chest. “I have barely eaten anything.”

Between the laugh and from what she had seen of the being’s appetite, Hakuno could only shake her head.

She felt for Siduri. She really did.

“We’ll be in the upper gardens,” Gilgamesh told the woman, carrying her off with Enkidu at his side.

“Careful, hold her under the armpits or cradled,” Enkidu warned him. “Her stomach and belly are probably weaker than normal.”

“Fine, fine.”

She pursed her lips a bit at the two as Gilgamesh held her by the armpits.

This was not how to hold someone.

[pandawritespoorly]

How They Met - A With Time Story

Author’s Note: I got asked by @periwinklepost-its​ how the Quantics met, and I couldn't resist. I threw this together, and here we are! There's reference slides here, and yes, I am now being bombarded with ads for children's clothes. 

Summary: Allan, Allegra, Claude, and Felix are all six when they meet.

Oh, and there's a dinosaur. He doesn't talk much though.

“Hi!!”

Felix looks up, seeing a brown haired boy standing in front of him, a sparkly star shaped hair clip stuck to his head seemingly randomly. There’s a stuffed black fabric rectangle hanging from his neck, with the image of a camera printed on it in white. He has a funny looking dinosaur on his shirt, with spikes on its back. The same spikes are on the boy’s shorts.

Dinosaurs are cool.

“Hello?”

People don’t normally talk to Felix. The six year old tends to sit apart during recess and just read while the other children run around. It’s too much excitement, and he’d rather read his cat books.

“I really like your tie! They’re cats, but they’re in space!!”

Felix blushes a little, not used to other kids complimenting his clothing. Most of them think it’s weird that he’s dressed so formally. He looks down at his tie and easily removes it, holding it out. “You may look at it. Cats are my favorite animal.”

The boy smiles, nodding and holding the tie carefully and sitting down on the bench beside him. Felix appreciates that he seems to understand that he should be gentle with things that don’t belong to him.

“Do you like space?” The other boy asks. “Do you think there are cats in space? Do you think there’s a cat planet? Do you think cats are from space?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so?” Felix shrugs. “I am no space expert.” He looks at the clip in the boy’s hair. “I like your star.”

The boy touches the star. “Yeah! My friend is letting me borrow it! It’s really pretty, and she said I could wear it until we have to go home.”

“That is nice. Where-”

“Claauuddeeee!!” A girl’s voice calls, “This isn’t how tag works!” She harrumphs, crossing her arms. She notices Felix, then his book, and she brightens, tag forgotten. “You have a book? What’s it about?”

She has a purple play dress on, leggings underneath it. Her hair is tied back in two braids, and she has a headband on with a large purple bow. On the side of her head and near the back she’s slipped several different colored sparkly star hair clips, though one is missing.

“A cat. He finds aliens. There aren't a lot of words though.”

“Aliens?! That’s cool!” The boy exclaims, still holding the tie.

The girl notices it. “Where’d you get that?”

“Oh! This is his! You can have it back now!” The boy holds it out, and Felix puts it back on his shirt.

“I like your astronaut cats. My name’s Allegra!”

“I am Felix. I like cats.”

“I like purple!”

“I like… a lot of things!” The boy decides. “Oh, and my name is Claude!”

“Do you want to come with us? We were going to look for four leaf clovers over there,” Allegra offers.

“My brother says they’re not real!” Claude pouts. “I gotta’ prove him wrong!”

Felix considers this. He has already finished his book, and it would be very interesting to find a four leaf clover.

“Okay.”

It doesn't take long for the ‘walk’ to turn into a race for Allegra and Claude. Felix walks at a normal pace, because he doesn’t want to trip.

He passes the swings, spotting a boy in a gray hoodie holding a dinosaur sitting on one of the swings. Felix remembers seeing him around school before, usually hanging back and sticking to the sidelines.

Felix walks over.

“Hello. I like your dinosaur.”

The boy looks up, startled. “Th-thanks. His name is Lucas.”

“That is a very good name.”

The boy smiles.

“My friend has a dinosaur on his shirt. Do you want to meet him?”

“Yeah!”

“Follow me. We are looking for four leaf clovers over there. I am Felix, the dinosaur shirt boy is Claude, and the purple girl is Allegra.” He gestures to where Claude and Allegra are already sitting on the ground a little ways away.

“I know Ally! She gave me a star yesterday.”

“Really? Then I suppose she will be happy to see you again.”

“I hope so. Mama says she hopes I’ll ‘find my people’. I think she wants me to make a friend that isn't a dinosaur.”

“We can be friends.”

He smiles brightly, “Really?! Thanks!”

“Dinosaurs are a very good judge of people. Clearly, Lucas approves of you.”

“Do you want to hold him? He is a very nice dino.”

Felix nods. “Would you like to look at my book while I hold him? It is mostly pictures. It’s about aliens and cats.”

“That’s super cool!!”

They trade, sitting down beside the other children, who look up from their search.

“Hi Allan!”

“Ooh, do you like dinosaurs too??” Claude bounces where he sits in the grass.

Allan nods. “But Lucas is my favorite. Felix is holding him right now, but you can hold him later.”

“Okay!!”

Allegra holds out two star clips.

“My friends get stars. At least until I go home. Mommy wants me to bring them back home.”

Allan puts it in his hair, and Felix looks at it consideringly. He isn’t sure how it works. It’s completely closed! How does it stay on someone’s head? The snapping sound from when Allan put his on is concerning too.

“I do not wish to break it…” Felix admits. “How does it work?”

Allegra crawls over to him. “Here. I’ll help.” She takes it from him, then moves some of his hair slightly before putting it in his hair easily. “It’s a barrette. You have to make it click.”

“You gotta’ click it to stick it! ...in your hair!” Claude declares.

“I like your rhyme.” Allan smiles shyly.

Claude gasps, taking his camera and holding it up to his face and pretending to take a picture of Allan. “I like your smile!!!”

He blushes. “Th-thanks.”

Allegra pokes Claude’s face. “Don’t make my all-buddy uncomfortable.”

“What?”

“Both of our names start with A-l-l. That’s how we became friends.”

“It’s fine, Ally,” Allan reassures, then turns to Claude. “Your camera is cool!”

“Thanks! It can take a picture of anything! Even the things that normal cameras can’t. Like when you’re playing pretend and want a picture!”

“That’s cool!”

“Yeah, I even used it to prove there was a monster under my bed!”

Allegra gasps. “Really? No one ever gets a picture of them!”

Felix nods in agreement. It’s very true. They’re very elusive.

Allan stares at him in shock. “Do you mean you d-defeated the monster under your bed? You said ‘was’...”

“My parents got me anti-monster spray. Maybe they can show your parents where to get some!!” Claude offers.

“That is fascinating. An invention like that should be famous.” Felix marvels.

“Yeah!”

Felix hands Allan Lucas. “I believe recess is going to be over soon. It was nice to meet all of you.”

Claude hugs all of them enthusiastically, he stands backing up a bit, gesturing for them to get closer. “I’m going to get a picture! Stay still!”

Once the picture is taken, Claude pats Lucas’ head before running off to be first in line to get back inside. “Bye guys!! I’ll see you later!!”

Allegra takes off after him, not about to lose a potential race.

“They're nice,” Allan comments.

Felix nods as they make their way back to the school. “They have a lot of energy though.”

Allan gives the most long suffering sigh a six year old has ever given. “We’ll have to make sure they don’t hurt themselves.”

“Oh my. You’re right.”

“Mhm.”

“I suppose this is our life now? Are we not rather young to have found our career?”

“Maybe.” Allan shrugs, hugging the green dinosaur to his chest slightly.

Felix hums, then sticks his hand out. “I look forward to working with you.”

Allan smiles, and shakes his hand.

“Me too.”

---

Author’s Note: Allan has already accepted these guys will be giving him gray hairs. He is very wise.

Once again, reference slides here. I tried to stick with their usual color scheme, but Allan got a gray hoodie (it has little bear ears though), because all the green ones were either a) boring, or b) too similar to... something else I have planned. You'll just have to wait on that! 😉

For some reason, I fell in love with Lucas the dinosaur. Don't ask me how, he's just really cute okay?? I'll probably find an excuse to reference him sometime.

Thank you for reading!! 💕💕💕 Any sort of love is much appreciated!! 💝💝

[kathyprior4200]

Entrapta’s Nightmare

 Entrapta happily slurped on a small fruit smoothie, complete with a tiny umbrella and straw. She used her other hand to pop a small cupcake shaped like a kitten into her mouth.

 “Log 175,” she spoke into her recorder. “It appears that after several simulated scenarios of the portal’s potential, there’s a 99.8% chance that reality as we know it will collapse and get sucked in by the gateway. Best to collect as much as I can. Oh how I envy one who can collect data when getting stuck in a loophole!”

 Had Entrapta been in the modern world, she would’ve happily sung along to the band Muse’s song “Unsustainable,” and compared herself with Fu, the mischievous purple time traveling ki from the Dragon Ball Super show. He would bend reality and bring people together to fight in the name of science and entertainment. Oh, and getting to meet and debate with Bill Nye the Science Guy would’ve been interesting as well.

 Entrapta shook her head and laughed. “Back to the task, shall we?”

 Entrapta was lost in the working moment, fixing up another bot and trying to come up with an alternate safer portal machine to make. She heard footsteps from behind her and turned around. Hordak stood in the shadows, glaring down at her with angry red eyes.

 Entrapta, however, was unfazed. “Oh, hi, there Hordak!” she said. “I remember trying to tell you that opening the portal would be very dangerous and cause everything to be sucked in and blown up. So now here I am, coming up with an alternative interdimensional gateway that could be opened with other types of First’s Ones…”

 She was interrupted with a growl from the Horde leader, his sharp teeth bared.

 “You would dare let the princesses in, behind my back?”

 Entrapta stared back in confusion.

 “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hordak.”

 “Don’t play the fool. I should’ve realized that trusting a princess could only spell trouble for the Horde.”

“I’m sure they probably let themselves in. It’s not my fault that I left Adora alone for a bit…I was just typing in potential scenarios on the screen to see what would happen if the portal were opened.”

 “What’s done is done,” he sneered. He turned away from her. “And here I thought, we would be compatible…associates.”

 “Well, we are still lab partners, right?” Entrapta pressed. “There’s no need to get upset over some minor setbacks.”

 “This setback was not minor! I heard what Catra said, ‘did you really think she was on our side? Oh, you can’t trust anyone, especially a princess. They’ll just use you to get what they want.’”

 Entrapta gasped. “She… said that to you? But that’s not true. I’d never…”

 “I have no time to deal with your lies,” Hordak spat, cutting her off. “You have betrayed me and you betrayed the Horde. Your actions will have grave consequences.”

 “But…but…surely you’d understand the dangers of the portal…and our love of technological advancement.”

 “Maybe I should’ve killed you myself,” Hordak muttered, almost to himself. “Or banished you to Beast Island, along with the others who foolishly questioned my authority.”

 “I’m telling the truth, I swear,” Entrapta protested. “I never let them in.”

 Tears erupted from Entrapta’s eyes, even though she didn’t consider herself emotional that often. “Who will help modify your suits of armor and keep you company? Who will encourage you to keep going and pursue your goals? When will you realize…that being different is never a bad thing…”

  “I don’t need your help nor your guidance!” Hordak bellowed. “I will get my revenge on Horde Prime and conquer Etheria on my own. And no more princesses will get in my way!”

 Hordak yelled in rage and smacked her hard across the face. She fell down to the floor, quickly picking herself up with her lavender pensile hair.

 “GET OUT, TRAITOR!”

 Entrapta sprinted out of the room, as fast as her legs could carry her. Not too far behind, Emily, the round bot, hurried after her on four metal legs. She ran down the metal walled corridor, wiping tears from her eyes. From up above, she could hear Hordak’s voice.

 “We are not friends, anymore…never were to begin with…”

 In the back of her mind, she knew it was Hordak’s imp, using his voice to intimidate her. But she was too heartbroken to care.

 “You wouldn’t, and yet you did let them out. You’re useless to me now. Useless…”

 The word “useless” echoed off the walls as the blue imp flew around her, cackling as he went.

Entrapta swiped at the pest with her hair, but the imp dodged her extra limbs. She ran and came across the same screens she had typed in earlier. The screens glared red and a skull with crossbones stared back at her. A low rumbling sound came from the other room, and the hairs stood up on Entrapta’s arms and neck.

 She could sense the portal opening up. Sprinting into the other room, she saw a figure pull down a lever. The figure turned around, revealing Catra, staring at Entrapta with an evil smirk.

 Entrapta had been too late.

 “What have you done?!” she cried. “Reality will collapse as we know it.”

 “I only did what I had to do,” Catra replied.

 Entrapta looked around at the collapsing room and the expanding cracks spreading through the floor and the ceiling.

 “I have to get out of here,” she thought.

 In the blink of an eye, Catra rushed behind her and stabbed her hard in the back with the stun weapon. Painful shocks of electricity flooded her body. She yelped in pain until her world went dark.

  Entrapta slowly opened her eyes, panting for breath. Looking around, she appeared to be in a plain metal cell, nothing much save for a hard bunk bed and a hole that served as a toilet. A loud roar from outside jolted her completely awake.

 “What…what was that?”

 She lifted herself up to the window and peered through the bars. Vast palm trees and flora were spread as far as the eye could see. Ocean waves crashed roughly on the rocks and against a nearby cliff wall. Entrapta noticed a huge footprint in the dirt, which appeared to belong to a dinosaur. In various spots were animal skeletons of those unlucky enough to come into contact with predators.

 Entrapta headed over to the door, and swept her hair underneath the small crack. She searched for a key or anything to escape, but there was none.

“Good luck getting out,” said a voice.

 Entrapta looked at an adjacent cell and saw another Horde soldier inside.

 “Or better, yet,” said another prisoner to her right, a gator man who had briefly defected to the Rebellion, “Don’t go out there at all…unless you want to get eaten alive by monsters.”

 “Or get skewered by the savage tribes,” added the first soldier.

Fascination with the strange land plowed into her thoughts. Yet the sense of curiosity was quickly replaced by concern. She could still feel the burn marks on her back and skin.

 ‘Catra knocked me out…and sent me here. Will Hordak ever trust me again? Will I be stuck forever, abandoned by…everyone?’

 “What is this place?” asked Entrapta. “I need to get back to the Fright Zone.”

 The soldier sighed. “The place where “worthless” Horde cadets are sent to. Welcome to Beast Island.”

  Hours later, Entrapta paced around her small cramped cell, lost in thought. Her mind briefly wandered back to one of her earliest memories, back at Castle Dryl.

 She had only known her parents for a very short time when she was little. Both of them supported her in her pursuit of science. Even as an infant, Entrapta was endlessly curious, rather than scared of the world around her. She began using the short purple tendrils from her hair around the time she learned to walk. In her early years of schooling, she messed up on a science project, the contents blowing up in her face as her classmates laughed. While she broke down in tears back at the palace, her father said that failure is a vital part of all experiments. Adding to the conversation, her mother encouraged her to always try again…whether it meant following the steps, or taking an alternative direction. She had called it “divergent thinking,” a term Entrapta still endeared to this day.

 Entrapta’s father was an esteemed inventor and engineer. He had been part of a team providing blueprints for the architecture of several Fright Zone buildings. He was an easy going fellow but also possessed a stricter side, (he was the ruler of Dryl after all).  One of his better known projects was programming the training fight simulations for the Horde cadets. However, he had also helped design the holographic map which Queen Angella used for the Rebellion. So in a sense, Entrapta and her family had been neutral from the start. His eyebrows were dark and his mustache black and bushy.

 On the other hand, her mother was a scientist by day, artist by night. Her hair was short and lavender purple like Entrapta’s and could even stretch out like hers to a lesser extent. She taught Entrapta how to paint, and frequently, they would spend quiet time together in their room, using paintbrushes of various sizes and thicknesses to create unique strokes of color. (The colors were mostly deep purple, white, and black, Entrapta’s favorite colors). Though her mother, Entrapta also developed her love of tiny food and cute animals. Soon, painting cute kittens, pugs, dinosaurs, and outer space became a regular past time until she got older.

 Times changed. Entrapta’s interests changed as well…from artistic to technical. She began using her recorder to keep track of her projects as a way to stay organized (and mostly to keep herself entertained). When her parents suffered a serious accident, Entrapta was left alone with her servers, both human and robotic. It wasn’t long before Entrapta became totally engrossed in her research and work, isolating herself from the outside world, and then from inside the castle walls.

 Perhaps it was a new dedication to create something grand. Maybe it was to make up for the aching loneliness she felt, whenever her mind drifted to her parents. Entrapta still remembered posing in between the two robots she had invented, one resembling her mother, and the other, her father. She made a peace sign with her left hand and held a wrench in her right, clad in blue overalls, her thick purple hair in two buff ponytails.

 “What were their names again?” Entrapta asked out loud to herself, briefly back in the present. “I think Dad’s name was…King Pliar! That’s it. Mom’s name was Queen Rachet! Now I remember!”

 Whatever the cause of her closure was, she would’ve been stuck with only her robotic servants and friends, had Adora and the Rebellion not entered her life.

  But then again…would that have been for the better? Adora and the others did abandon her after Adora had been rescued. Although things were fantastic for a while, with her having the freedom to work on anything she wanted, things then took a turn for the worse just before the portal’s activation.

 “Catra’s my friend,” Entrapta repeated to herself. “My data said she is based on compatibility, proximity, and mutual interests. How could it be wrong? My data’s never wrong.”

 Yet her mind flashed back to that searing pain she had received from behind her back. Did Catra literally betray her behind her back? Or was her mind overthinking things again?

  Entrapta took a deep breath and tried to focus. She had to find a way to escape.

[mariequitecontrarie]

The Dinosaur

Summary: It's Belle's second week on the job at Regal Marketing Company, and she's working late with Regina and Gold. Gold tells the story of how the office elevator earned its name. A/N: Happy Fluffapalooza, darlings! Another amazing year of shipping our babies with you! A little fluff from the Cufflinks!verse. Thanks to @galactic-pirates for the help!

On AO3

“It’s time you were initiated, Miss French.” Mr. Gold tossed his chopsticks into the white takeout box, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, and Belle’s heart did another summersault. Her new boss was unfairly handsome. Dark eyes, brown hair streaked with grey that lapped at his collar, and she’d never seen a man wear a suit quite so well. Despite her nervousness, or maybe because of it, she was finding it difficult not to stare. His was not a classically beautiful face, but intelligent energy surrounded him, a strength that made him more appealing than the most perfect description of any hero in any of the hundreds of novel she’d read. Even the little flake of cabbage now resting on his chin couldn’t detract from his arresting good looks. Regina pointed at Gold with one of her chopsticks and snorted. “You’ve got food on your face, Gold.”

It was Friday, the end of Belle’s second week at Regal Marketing Company, and the three of them were working late over Chinese takeout to prepare for the grand opening of a new medical facility scheduled for Monday morning. Over the past several days she had met and worked with dozens of colleagues and clients but this was her first opportunity to work closely with Mr. Gold, the firm’s senior partner and the man company president Regina Mills called her right hand. Working at the conference room table across from him—the full measure of his attention fixed on her ideas and words—had her poor organs performing a gymnastics routine all evening long. Gold scowled at Regina and flicked at his chin with a paper napkin, giving Belle a chance to gulp down the mouthful of lo mein she was chewing. “Initiated, Mr. Gold?” “Indeed.” He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table. “Into the history of how our elevator got its name.” “The Dinosaur?” Regina rolled her eyes. “You’re not seriously going to tell that story?” “Whatever do you mean, Madam President?” Gold steepled his fingers beneath his chin, clearly enjoying Regina’s pique. “I tell this one to all the new hires.” Regina slanted a disbelieving look in his direction. That sexy little smirk of Gold’s was spreading into a full-fledged smile. There was a flash of white teeth and Belle was thankful to be seated because her knees chose that moment to buckle. Get a grip, French. Regina fixed Gold with a cold glare and Belle shivered at the abrupt drop in temperature. They were done working, dinner was over, and she didn’t want to be caught in the middle of a disagreement with two people she liked and respected. She swiveled her chair toward the conference room door. “Maybe I could hear about it next week?”

According to one of her new work friends, Ruby Lucas, Gold and Regina’s disagreements were legendary. They weren’t above shouting insults at each other from across the office and if Regina wasn’t threatening to fire Gold, he was threatening to quit. Today, while she and Belle grabbed salads at the café across the street, Ruby had confided that one time Gold and Regina had started a food fight, and Gold had gone home with one of his pricey three-piece custom suits smeared with strawberry jam. The story had been amusing, if somewhat alarming, but Ruby had been quick with reassurances: their thunderous arguments blew over as soon as they ended.  

Jealousy had made the back of Belle’s neck prickle. “Are they lovers?” she’d asked, picking at her lettuce. “Good God, no. More like siblings.” Ruby had winked as she popped a cucumber slice into her mouth. “Regina’s dating Emma Swan and Gold? Well, he doesn’t date anybody.” Mr. Gold was single. Belle hadn’t wanted to examine the relief she felt at that particular pronouncement too closely then, as she didn’t want Ruby to guess she had the hots for their boss. Back in the present, she was eager to head home for the weekend before another food fight broke out and she wound up with Kung Pao chicken on her new blue blouse. “See you Monday,” she chirped, rising from her chair. “Please stay where you are, Miss French.”

Belle plopped back down, volleying her attention between Gold and Regina. At least if a fight broke out, she would be available to referee. “This is so typical of you, Gold. Only interested in socializing when it’s at my expense.” With the grace of a basketball player, Regina tossed her takeout boxes into the trash can.   “Are you going to pout about it, Your Majesty?” “How about I fire you instead?” Regina hissed the threat through clenched teeth, but the undercurrent of fondness in her tone belied the harshness of her words. The corner of his mouth twitched. “Try me.” “Oh, go ahead.” Regina sighed in long-suffering defeat. Gold made a show of clearing his throat and turned to Belle. “It was the first day we rented the office. Space was at a premium in town and this place was the best we could do. We were down on the third floor then, in a space a quarter the size of this one.” Belle nodded. These days, Regal Marketing Company occupied the entire seventh floor, but eight years ago it had been a startup and Gold and had been Regina’s only employee. “We toured the building, but we didn’t try the elevator and the building manager forgot to tell us it was slow. It was a Saturday, moving day, and we were riding up with a load of files. The elevator was taking its sweet time, opening on every floor even though no one else was in the building.” Belle couldn’t help but smile at the way Gold leaned forward, his eyes flashing like tiny torches as he spoke. She’d been observing him for the last two weeks. Most of the time he hid away in his office, pretending to be quiet and unaffected, but this was another side of him—one that enjoyed an audience. “Regina started ranting about the elevator being broken, claiming we were going to be stuck for hours. Next thing I knew, she made a grab for my cane and smashed in the emergency button.” “I didn’t smash it,” Regina interrupted. “You broke the panel, dearie. And dented the top of my cane.” Laughter rumbled low in his chest and Belle smothered a giggle. “You should have seen her, Miss French. She was banging on the walls, demanding a refund on the lease. Five minutes later, Sheriff Humbert arrived with a volunteer fire department resembling the Seven Dwarves and calmly explained that this elevator is temperamental and has been since this building was built at the turn of the twentieth century.” “Sue me for not wanting to be stuck in an elevator with the likes of you and your little flip phone.” Regina crossed her arms over her chest. “Ten years later, I think you’re still talking on the same one, aren’t you Gold?” “Why mess with what works?” Gold retorted. “I found the pace of the elevator quite charming, which is exactly what I told the sheriff. ‘From one dinosaur to another,’ is what Regina told the rescue crew, and the name stuck. And that’s why we call our elevator The Dinosaur.” His story finished, he pushed back his chair with a triumphant smile and sipped his coffee. Belle was charmed. She wanted to break out into spontaneous applause, but she thought that reaction might be a bit of a giveaway. “And you tell this to everyone who comes to work here?” she asked. Regina opened her mouth and closed it abruptly. “It’s actually a really good example of the way you complement each other’s leadership,” Belle rushed to add. She hoped she didn’t sound like a kiss ass, but the affection between Regina and Gold was obvious. Gold was worth millions from investments both local and abroad. He didn’t need this job. He cared about Regina and the company. “And by that you mean one of us panics and the other has no pulse?” Regina asked. They all laughed. “It’s all about balance,” Belle said.

Miss French had long since packed up and gone home when Regina stood in his office doorway, watching him. She’d been boring holes into the top of his head for a good five minutes.

“What is it this time, Regina?” he asked without looking up. “Baseball game? Roller skating party?  Whatever little office adventure you’re planning, the answer is no.” “You’ve never told anyone that elevator story before,” she said softly. “You like her.” “Who?” “Belle.” She huffed. “Don’t play games with me, Gold. I’ve known you too long.” He flushed, resisting the urge to loosen his collar. He had no idea what had possessed him to tell that ridiculous story, let alone claim it as some sort of initiation ritual. There was something about Belle, though. She demanded his attention, like a burst of sunshine, a breath of fresh air, and a double rainbow, all bundled into one tiny yet lovely package. She brought vivacity and energy into the office with her clever ideas and her positive outlook on life. He supposed he had wanted to impress her, if he was being honest.

But Regina didn’t need to know all his inner thoughts.

“Go home to your girlfriend,” he said, waving her away. “Fine. I’ll leave you to your paperwork.” She pushed away from the door. “But for the record?” “Yes?” He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I think she likes you, too.” A rush of heat coursed through him at her words and he realized for the first time since high school, he had a bit of a crush. It wouldn’t go anywhere, of course, but the thought of the charming, lovely, Miss French liking him warmed him for the rest of the evening.

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