#he may have a concussion or two but he’s fine

[zt4rztruck]

fuck you and let me live with my headcanon of les wearing heelys when he sells papes

[yelenasdiary]

Yelena x reader Request

Reader gets kidnapped. When yelena finds out, she's hell-bent on finding her. She goes crazy with worry. The others are surprised at yeleans reaction because she's usually so calm and collected. They didn't know she cared so much for reader.

Finding You

Pairing: Yelena Belova x Avenger! Fem! Reader (Platonic), Mentions of Kate Bishop x Fem! Reader

Summary: When a mission goes south and you’re kidnapped, Natasha asks Yelena for help. 

Angst, Comfort

Warnings: Kidnapping, mentions of torture, guns, blood and people dying | 1.7K

AC: I love this idea, I decided to do this as a platonic story, I hope that’s okay!! Thank you for sending it!! I hope you enjoy! x 

“I hope this works” Steve commented as he and Natasha walked down the long hall to meet Yelena at reception. “Trust me, I know what I’m doing” Nat replied. Yelena slightly shook her head as her eyes traced the wide-open space of the compounds reception and waiting room. Nat had called her to come for something important, she thought maybe it was just another plan to try and convince her to join the avengers. 

“Nice of you to come collect me” Yelena said sarcastically as she made eye contact with her older sister. Natasha didn’t make a joking remark back but instead jumped straight into it. “We need your help” she said sternly, keeping eye contact with the blonde. Yelena cocked a brow, “what’s Kate done now?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Kate is fine, Peter and Clint are bringing her back now. She may have a concussion, but we’ll keep an eye on her in medical. It’s Y/n we need your help with” Natasha explains, “she’s been taken” she added. 

Like a light switch, Yelena’s behavior changed. “Where do you need me?” She asked, clenching her jaw at the mere thought of you being tortured. Natasha and Steve led Yelena to the conference room where they had eyes on the team and were able to communicate with those in the field. They gave her a run-down of the mission and the events that took place before you were kidnapped. With each detail Yelena’s worries only grew, every possible ‘what if’ thought ran through her mind to add to her worries. 

“How long has it been since your last contact with her?” Yelena asked, her eyes skimming through the key details that were written on a whiteboard. 

“24 hours ago, as of 20 minutes ago” Steve replied. Yelena turned to him, “you guys waited this fucking long?! Do you even know what HYDRA could have done to her within that time?!” She snapped. 

“Yelena!” Natasha scolded, “We have been doing our best! We didn’t plan for this to happen, okay? HYDRA are too focused on what we are doing, they won’t expect you. They are expecting us to be the ones to go after her, that’s what they want. If we keep HYDRA distracted, you should be able to get in and find her” she explains. She was a little surprised by her sister’s reaction, as far as she knew, Yelena didn’t care all that much for you. Yelena was friends with Kate and occasionally hung out with the two of you but she never spoke much about you or ever expressed any opinions. 

“Oh good, I see you filled Yelena in” Clint’s voice entered the room. Yelena side-eyed him, “how’s Kate” she asked with concern. “She’s tough, you should probably go see her before you leave. She’ll be able to help you” he replies. Yelena nodded at his words before she looked back to her sister. 

“I don’t care what you guys do or whatever you guys are trying to steal. Stay out of my way and I’ll bring Y/n back” Yelena replied sternly with a hint of worry in her voice that Natasha picked up on. 

“We work as a team” Steve stepped forward. 

“Shut it, flag boy! I don’t take orders from you, you asked for my help and I’m giving it but I do it my way” Yelena snapped once more, glaring over at Steve. 

“Yelena, enough!” Natasha scolded once more, “all we ask is that you keep contact with us, keep us posted on what’s going on at your end. If you need back up, we will be there. We’ll keep HYDRA on their toes and distracted, that should give you some leeway” 

Yelena sighed lightly, “fine, but I’m not wasting anymore time here. I’ll go see Kate and then I’ll be on my way. Natasha, can you send me the GPS?” She replied. Natasha nodded before she watched her sister leave the room. Steve let out a heavy sigh as he looked over to Nat, “are you sure she doesn’t to join the team?” He asked sarcastically causing Nat to chuckle. 

“Shut it, flag boy” she joked. 

----

Looking through the scope of her advanced sniper rifle, Yelena could see two HYDRA guards dragging you from one building to another. She couldn’t see the extend of your injuries but from what she could see, half your face was covered in blood along with some cuts and tears on your suit. Yelena knew better than to go in, guns blazing, she had to wait it out a little. Wait for any sign of the Avengers to show up and start the gun fight themselves, this gave the blonde some time to work out a plan to get into the building without being seen. 

She pulled out her binoculars and scoped the area for any other signs of guards and anything that would help her plan to break in. 

“Yelena, what’s your position?” Nat’s voice came through the small earpiece. 

“About 8-9 men surrounding the first building, 12 or more surrounding the second. I’m sending in my small drone to get sights on the inside” Yelena replied. 

“Please tell me this isn’t a noticeable drone” Nat quizzed. 

“Don’t worry, it’s a full-sized loud drone. They won’t even be able to unseen it” Yelena tsked knowing her sister was rolling her eyes. “Steve is getting ready to make a move, let me know if you’re comfort with that” 

“Give me a moment” Yelena replied, sending off her micro sized drone down the cliffside and into the building she had seen the guards take you in. On her right side was her laptop which showed live camera footage from the drone. She controlled the drone into each room until she came to a room that was sealed shut by a large, metal door and from what Yelena would see was heavily locked.

“Give dinosaur the okay” Yelena spoke once more before retracting her small drone to her. “His name is Steve” Natasha corrected. 

“Same thing” Yelena mumbled with a shake of her head. 

Within minutes the HYDRA base was lighting up with the sound of gunfire and flying bullets as Yelena sat back and watched the building you were in for a few short minutes. Once she was sure the building was clear, she made her move. 

You were changed to a cold, metal chair with your wrists and ankles cuffed together. The room was cold, dark and it echoed whenever you yelled out to the guards that they would reject this. They had beaten you and tortured you for information on the Avengers, you were worried about them killing you, if they wanted you dead, you would be already. What worried you the most was the things you knew HYDRA was capable of doing. They had already poked you with a strong anesthesia that was only now just starting to wear off. 

Your vision was slightly blurry, your throat was dryer than you’ve ever felt it to be, your fingertips were numb, you were cold and sure that your open cuts would catch an infection if they weren’t tended too shortly. The room was soundproof, you couldn’t hear anything form the outside, you could only see the shadows of their feet under the door. On top of this, you did your best to ignore the headache that was making your head pound and the grumbling sound of your stomach.  

“Get the girl! Get the girl!” a voice yelled over the HYDRA guard's walkie-talkie, Yelena had snuck her way through the first building, taking down any guard that stood her in her way. She stalked the HYDRA soldier has he ran into the second building, his hand in one of his pockets digging around for the keys to your chamber.

“HEY YOU! STOP!” Yelena heard a voice yell from behind her before more bullets were shot at her. Using her batons, she was able to knock the guard off his feet and kicking his gun away before stabbing her widow’s dagger into his spine. The soldier fell face-first to the ground, creating a pool of blood at his body. 

Through your blurry vision, you saw the rays of day light peak through the door as the guard opened it in a hurry. “What’s a girl gotta do to get a drink around her?” You asked sarcastically. Without a thought, the guard hit you harshly in the face with his gun, knocking you out. 

The sound of Yelena’s gun going off echoed through the room as she shot the guard from behind, he dropped lifelessly at your feet before Yelena rushed to your aid. 

“Y/n” she said in a worry, lifting your face up, “Y/n! Wake up!” She added before she realized you were just knocked out. “Natasha! I need back up, now!” Yelena said before she began to free you from the chained restrains. 

“Hold tight, I’m coming” Natasha replied. 

----

“Yelena, you don’t wait around” Natasha said softly as she peeped her head into your room at the medical bay. Yelena looked up at her sister and smiled softly, “it’s okay. She’s my friend, I want to wait” she replied. Nat didn’t argue, she closed the door softly and walked away with a little smile on her lips knowing her sister had finally found some good people to keep around her. When you woke, you were surprised to see Yelena sitting by your side. 

“Yelena?” You questioned, your eyes struggling to stay open. 

“You’re okay” Yelena replied softly with a smile, “you had me worried for a moment” she added. 

“You?” You drowsily looked at her, “worried about me? Did you hit your head or something?” 

Yelena chuckled lightly, “no but you did” 

“Oh, so this isn’t actually happening right?” You smirked. 

Little did Yelena know, the rest of your team were watching through the window. “Well, she’s definitely your sister. I swore Yelena didn’t like Y/n” Tony commented. 

“We care, we just have different ways of showing it” Natasha replied. 

“Do you think I can go in there now?” Kate asked, “I just wanted to make sure she’s okay!” She added. 

“Yeah, sure, love bird” Peter teased, causing the team to chuckle lightly.

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[mrsdarkandyandere7]

❤ Yandere Firefighter ❤

Credit for the amazing pictures goes to: @d-lioncourt (thank you so much for doing them)

▶ This is a yandere/dark work and it may contain triggering content so please READ THE WARNINGS before. Do not read if minor.

More at Masterlist

Female reader

WARNINGS: Manipulation; Memory Loss.

Special credit to @deceitfuldevout cause she's the one that came up with the idea, thank you!

--

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who jumps right into rescue when your building has a major fire on a Saturday night.

He doesn’t even hesitate before jumping into action, running inside the apartment complex, ready to save everyone. Control the damage. Be a hero. Save lives.

It’s his job, after all, right?

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who ends up saving what might be the most gorgeous girl he’s ever seen in his life - yes, you.

Your hair is ruffled and your face is tinged with tears and black smoke, but his heart stops positively for a moment when his eyes land on you.

You’re passed out on the floor and for a moment, all of his world stopped and everything made sense. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who doesn’t understand what’s happening. Never had he been one to believe in love at first sight, not him.

He was the one that steered far away from cheesy foolish things such as commitment and marriage - casual hookups were more his style. 

But meeting you changed things. He experienced what he never thought would happen to him. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter that fights tooth and nail to be by your side when the paramedics step in to take care of you. You’re passed out, having inhaled too much smoke but they assure him that you’ll be fine. 

But still he doesn’t relax, unable to take his eyes off you. You look peaceful while sleeping, a comforting aura around you as you travel in the realm of dreams. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who comes to visit you at the hospital, claiming the plastic chair next to your bed as he waits for you to regain consciousness.

When the nurses ask him who he is, he shrugs off his shoulder, muttering something unsure and shaky that sounds a lot like ‘boy friend’.

Doctors say that might take a day or two, that you probably gained a concussion from when you passed out and hit your head on the floor. In the meanwhile he does some research, he’s got some connections in the local PD and uses it to do some much-needed research on you.

You’re originally from another country, recently having emigrated for work. You’ve got no family alive. Not much of a record in the police files. You’re low-profile, having a small job as a waitress in a restaurant near your apartment. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter whose mind drifts to the worst scenarios as he impatiently waits for you to finally wake up. How will you react to seeing him?

Will you feel the same ardent and powerful emotion that has him completely enamored to you? Will you accept him or his feelings?

His insides are dancing with anxiety and apprehension at what will happen next and he crosses his fingers in a silent prayer for you to love him back. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who is borderline starstruck when you groggily start opening your eyes, feeling himself falling in love with you all over again. 

He calls the doctors and then panic is installed in the room.

You can’t seem to remember who you are, what your name is. Nothing at all. Doctors try to comfort you, explaining it’s normal.

You just suffered a concussion. It happens. Your memory will come back one day - tomorrow or in two decades, the doctors aren’t sure of that. 

And then, you look at him for the first time, acknowledging his presence. Butterflies erupt wildly in his belly as you give him your attention, confusedly looking at him. 

He shouldn’t. He knows he shouldn’t.

But he still does. The answer is unconsciously on the tip of his tongue, just ready to be spilled as you question who he is. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who shamelessly lies about being your boyfriend, the answer coming firm and steady.

He feels guilty for doing this, but isn’t this a great chance? It’s destiny, telling him that maybe he doesn’t need to spend months - or even years - courting you. 

So he takes the chance, creating a beautiful love story where you’re dating him. That you’re practically engaged.  

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who tells himself that this isn’t lying. It’s just…forcing the circumstances a bit. All the indecision and fear is resolved when you accept his answer, not throwing a thousand questions his way - questions he doesn’t have answers to.

No, you’re calm, almost passive about it. You don’t cry in frustration of losing all your memories, accepting the short answers he gives to appease you, making up some of them.

He sighs in relief at how docile and sweet you are. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who kisses your knuckles, promising that you and him - together - will make new memories. The ones that will last for the rest of your life.

Promises to keep you safe and sound. To marry you. To love you. To cherish you. To treat you like the precious diamond you are. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who finally takes you to his apartment - your new home.

He doesn’t lie about what happened, saying that you were almost at the point of moving in together when your apartment burned.

Hence why your clothes aren’t in the wardrobe, but promises you can use his until he takes you shopping. 

Immediately falls in love with how cute you look with his oversized hoodie on, despite the slight uncomfortable expression on your face. Almost makes him want to keep you forever in his clothes. 

◾ Yandere!Firefighter who induces you into taking upon the domestic chores. Keeping your mind and body busy - hopefully that’ll help keeping old memories away. Memories where he doesn’t exist.

He never thought he’d be one to enjoy coming home to a freshly cleaned apartment, a meal ready to be served and a pretty girl waiting for his arrival but he loves it. 

He kisses you softly every time he arrives from work, making sure he doesn’t smell like smoke - doesn’t want the smell to trigger something in you - hugging you tightly before you pull away. 

You’re always reluctant when it comes to PDA, as if your subconscious knows there’s something wrong even if you don’t voice those thoughts.

But with time, he hopes to convince you to do more than just a few rushed shallow kisses and awkward cuddles where you pull away after five seconds. He says it’s okay, being understanding of your reactions but the fact is that he’s aching for you.

He wants you so bad that he has to rub one off every night, hidden in the bathroom cause sleeping in the same bed as you is so fucking tempting. 

Maybe once you’re finally married, he can convince you to accept him - all of him. Soon enough, he’s on one knee, presenting you a ring that he immediately slides on even if you didn’t answer. 

You’re his and that’s all that matters.

[c-is-for-circinate]

It feels like there's this narrative that fandom keeps wanting to explore, with Steve Harrington, about this very specific type of martyrdom where self-sacrifice is an expression of a lack of self-worth. And, like, yes, write the narrative that's meaningful to you, and yes ok Steve does admittedly get beaten up a lot, but -- legitimately I do not think this narrative is actually Steve's story.

Like, without gendering things too much, there is something in the Steve fanon that I keep seeing that's so reflective of the specific kind of sacrifice and societal pressures exerted on girls, specifically -- this story of 'you make yourself worthy and worthwhile by carving pieces out of yourself', of believing that you must always give and never receive to justify the space you take up in the world. Yes, boys can experience this same pressure (and obviously trans and nb people of all genders run into it as well! sometimes a lot!), but especially in the mid-1980s cultural context where Stranger Things takes place, it's just...really not likely to be a dominant narrative for Steve to be operating under? It doesn't even really match the Steve we see on screen -- who is happy to make sacrifices for the sake of others, yeah, when needed, but who's not particularly kind or giving unless somebody asks first.

And Steve does get hurt a lot on other people's behalf! And this is a problem! It's just a completely different problem than the one fandom keeps writing.

Steve, and I'm going to say this forever, is a story about toxic masculinity, which the show may or may not even know it's writing. The archetypes influencing Steve's character as it shows up on the screen (and the stories and messages that Steve would actually be surrounded by in his actual life) are not deconstructions of suffering heroes who never should have had to fight in the first place and were destroyed by it. That's the Buffy the Vampire Slayer story. Steve's not Buffy. Steve's cultural context is Indiana Jones.

Steve is The Guy! And part of being The Guy is that you're expected to take the hits -- not because Steve is less important than the women-and-children he's supposed to protect, but because, the story says, he will get less hurt. Why should Steve get in between Billy and Lucas? Because Steve is an eighteen-year-old athlete and Lucas is in middle school, and of the two of them, Steve actually stands a chance. (And yes, Steve got badly hurt there, and Max had to save him -- but if Lucas, if Max had taken that beating they would not have been running through those tunnels later.) Was somebody else better-qualified to dive down to the uncertain bottom of a cold lake in the middle of the night? Steve doesn't list his credentials there as a way of justifying some ideal of martyrdom; he is literally the most likely person on the boat not to drown.

And make no mistake: when Steve's pulled into the Upside-Down, he survives the bats long enough for backup to get there. Realistic or not, he's apparently tough enough that he's physically capable of hiking barefoot through hell without much slowing down. Steve is the tank for the same reason as any tank: because he literally has been shown to have the most hit points in the group. You cannot honestly engage with Steve in this context without dealing with the fact that he's right.

AND THIS IS A PROBLEM! This is still a problem! But it's not the same problem that fandom seems to expect. It's not an expression of caretaking or the need for self-sacrifice; it's not an issue with Steve valuing himself less. It's an issue of toxic masculinity so ingrained that Steve doesn't even recognize he's suffering from it, because one of the tenets of toxic masculinity is that Big Strong Guys don't suffer. It's just a concussion, it's fine, he'll walk it off. It's not that Steve thinks he deserves to get hurt, or even that he's less deserving of safety than the others. It's that absolutely nothing in his cultural context allows him to admit that he can be hurt in a significant way.

There's still so much tension that can be gotten out of this situation, I swear. There's so much that can be explored in writing! Hell, the show itself is deconstructing some of this trope, believe it or not, by giving us a Steve who absolutely can take all the hits thrown his direction but still doesn't know what the fuck he's doing with his life. It turns out that doing his job as The Guy is only mildly helpful in horror movie situations (mostly by buying time for smarter, squishier people to do the damage from behind him), and somewhere a little worse than useless in everyday life.

But Steve does not go out of his way to self-sacrifice, he really doesn't. He just does his job. He's The Guy. Of course he's not going to let a kid or a girl or some scared skinny nerd who just learned about monsters yesterday take the hits. Of course Steve's got this.

[steddieas-shegoes]

hate to remember you like this

for @steddieholidaydrabbles prompt 'angst with a happy ending' rated m wc: 1000 cw: mention of car accident, medical emergency, temporary amnesia tags: post-break up, assumed unrequited feelings, getting back together

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

"Eddie, it's Steve."

Robin's words echoed in his head as he boarded the plane.

He left Steve three years ago because Steve told him to go, told him that if his dreams were so big that he couldn't stay then he had to leave and not come back.

Steve refused to talk to him since, refused to visit when all the kids came to his shows, refused to show up to Christmas at Wayne's.

So he shouldn't be on this flight to see Steve.

But Robin had insisted that Steve asked for him, and Eddie couldn't ignore the immediate need to be there for him.

Despite time, distance, and the constant feelings of regret mixed with heartbreak and anger, he still only wanted Steve.

He didn't know what happened, just that Steve had been in a medically induced coma for over 24 hours and the moment he woke up, he was begging for someone to get Eddie.

Robin had mentioned that he didn't seem to have all of his memories, but didn't tell him any details on which memories he may be missing.

He sat in his seat and hoped that whatever he was walking into would be closure for his heart.

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

The kids were all sitting in the waiting room when he arrived at the hospital.

The moment Will saw him, hell broke loose.

"Who called you?" he asked.

"Robin. Are they letting people back?" Eddie asked.

"You shouldn't be here," Will said.

Eddie looked at his stance and couldn't help but smile. Will had grown incredibly protective of Steve after Eddie left, much to everyone's surprise.

"He asked for me. I promised I'd come if he ever needed me."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"Room 186. He was awake a little while ago, but they're only letting two people in at a time and Robin and Joyce have been with him for the last hour."

"Thanks."

Room 186 wasn't far down the hall. He could hear Joyce's motherly tone fussing while Robin sounded like she was rambling to herself.

When he walked into the room, his breath caught in his throat.

Steve was bruised, and half of his head was wrapped in bandages that looked like they needed to be changed.

But he gave Eddie a soft smile.

A smile he didn't deserve.

"Baby, tell Joyce to stop worrying herself to death over me. I'm fine."

Baby.

Robin and Joyce glanced over at Eddie, waiting for his reaction.

"I got it from here, Joyce," Eddie smiled at her and Robin, understanding coming over him swiftly.

"Alright, Eddie's got ya for a bit, but I'll be in the waiting room if you need me," Robin said, patting Steve's hand.

She gave Eddie a death glare on her way out of the room, silently suggesting that he would need a room at the hospital if he dared to hurt Steve in any way.

He sat down next to Steve, taking in his injuries.

"What took you so long?" Steve asked him, pouting slightly.

"Sorry, sweetheart. Got caught up with the band."

"But it's Wednesday. You don't have practice on Wednesdays."

Eddie sighed.

"Stevie, what year is it?" Had no one checked him for a concussion at any point in the last 12 hours?

"1988."

"It's 1991. You remember my band made it?" Eddie was going to get murdered by Robin for ruining whatever fantasy Steve's mind had settled on.

"What? But-" Steve's brows drew together as he tried to work through his own thoughts and memories. "You guys made it?"

"Yeah, we did."

They sat in silence while Steve processed.

Eddie felt the moment his memory started to come back, the room suddenly going cold.

"You left."

"Steve-"

"You left me," his voice broke, much like it had the night he screamed at Eddie as he walked out the door.

"I did."

"Why'd you come?"

"You asked me to. I'll always come when you ask."

Steve looked at him, his eyes heavy from whatever cocktail of drugs were flowing through his system, glassy with unshed tears.

"Then why did you leave?"

"You asked me to."

"I wanted you to stay. I always wanted you to stay."

"I wanted you to come with me."

They were both tense, Eddie's hands curled into fists against his thighs and Steve's body curling in on itself, preparing for a fight Eddie wasn't going to give him.

"I couldn't."

"I know."

"So, you'll leave again and I'll stay?" Steve asked, choking back a wet sound that Eddie recognized as a sob.

"I'll be here as long as you need me."

Steve searched his face.

"Why now?"

"Because you asked. Because I know what it's like to leave you and I know it's not worth missing you." Eddie gulped. "Because I love you too much to walk away from you again. Not unless it's what you want."

"I never want that."

"Then I'll be right here," Eddie reached for his hand, holding it gently in his own.

"You can't, though. You made it, Eds."

"I'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. Okay?"

Steve stayed silent for a while, but didn't pull his hand away.

"You'll stay while we figure it out?" he finally asked.

"Yeah. As long as it takes."

"Seal it with a kiss?" Steve asked, the way he did when he asked for Eddie to promise that he'd take out the trash, or stop at the store, or love him always.

Eddie leaned in and pressed his lips to Steve's.

Steve smiled as he pulled away.

"First thing to figure out: a new car."

"You totaled it?"

"She was good to me for so long. Unfortunately, she took things worse than I did."

Hard to believe looking at how swollen and bruised most of Steve was.

But they sat and talked through his plans for another car, something he could take on longer road trips to visit all the kids at school, see a few of Eddie's shows.

They'd figure it out.

[lees-chaotic-brain]

if the world was ending you'd come over right?

summary: you're not at home when the earthquake happens, but your ex doesn't know that and sees that your apartment building has collapsed on the news...loosely based off this song

cw: ex! osamu, mentions of blood, earthquake, angst, a little bit of comfort, not as fluffy as i promised sorry

wc: 923

note: this was a sponsored fic for @ficsforgaza's fundraiser!! check out how to send in a request here, or sponsor a wip here! i initially had a different idea for the fic, but it ended up like this. however i may write the other version i originally planned at some point in the future!!!

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You were returning to your apartment from getting your morning coffee when the earthquake hit. One second you were walking along, the next the ground was bouncing and you were thrown to the ground. You slammed your head hard against the pavement, and instinctually curled up into a ball, wrapping your arms around your head to protect it from further harm. 

After what felt like an eternity, it stopped as quickly as it had started, leaving you laying dazedly on the cracked pavement. You knew something was wrong with your head, that you were likely concussed and couldn’t fall asleep, but your body was battered and aching and you couldn’t bring yourself to stand.

Time was moving weirdly, so you didn’t know how long you laid there, but by the time you managed to stagger to your feet the blood dripping from your head had crusted in your hair and on your face. It took you a bit to find your footing, but once you were upright you began walking unsteadily towards your apartment, distantly realizing that you should go check on it.

“Maam! Hey! Are you okay? Do you need help?” A middle aged man you vaguely recognized as owning the grocery store you frequented approached you, concern evident on his face. “You don’t look too good. Where are you trying to go? I can help.”

It takes you a few tries to speak, your mouth sticky and dry from inhaling dust and a lack of use. “My apartment. It’s right around the corner. The one across the street from the park.” As you speak, the pounding in your head only increases and a wave of nausea washes over you, causing you to stagger.

Pity crosses over the man’s face as he reaches out to steady you. “Ah, well, I saw on the news that the buildings in that complex collapsed, so I don’t know if there will be much to see. It might be best if we try to get you some medical attention for your head…”

“I’m fine.” You attempt to keep walking, but he has to catch you as your legs give out. “Whoa. Take it easy. It looks like you hit your head pretty hard.”

“I need to go home.” You know it’s not logical, but you want to see the extent of the damage and try to salvage what you can despite knowing it was very unlikely anything remained.

The shop owner sighed, slinging your arm over his shoulder to support you better as he helped you limp along. “Fine. You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you. We’ll go to your building, but we’re going to find someone to look at your head after that.”

You don’t have the energy to reply, focusing on putting one foot ahead of the other, not the throbbing in your skull. After what felt like hours, but was probably only around five minutes in reality, you got back to your building, and were immediately greeted by chaos.

EMT’s raced stretchers with people covered in dust and blood on them to waiting ambulances, new helicopters whirred overhead, neighbors and other onlookers gathered to the side in shock, a man fighting tooth and nail to get into the building screaming at the men holding him back-wait.

“Hey, that’s your boyfriend, right?” The shop owner pointed at the man thrashing against his captors. “I’ve seen you two together in the store before. We should probably get you over to him, he looks worried sick.”

And sure enough, upon closer inspection it’s Osamu who’s raging against Kita and Atsumu as they each hold one of his arms to stop him from charging into the unstable building. 

“Uh, well he’s my ex. I don’t really know why he’s here. We broke up months ago.” You’re too tired to try and puzzle out what was going on, overwhelmed by everything that had happened so far. Then you heard your name.

“LET ME GO! SHE’S STILL IN THERE! GET OFF ME YOU MOTHERFU-”

“She’s over here! YN is over here!”

Somehow Osamu manages to hear the shopkeeper over all the noise, and instantly stops raging against Atsumu and Kita, whipping his head so fast in your direction you’re surprised he didn't break his neck. Seeing you, his brother and friend release him, knowing that there’s no danger of him charging in now that he knows where you are. 

He makes his way across the courtyard and is in front of you, frantically checking you for injuries in three seconds flat as the shopkeeper pats you on the arm and walks off.

“Yer here. Oh my god. The news- I thought, I thought ya were still in there. Ya can’t do that to me.” His eyes zero in on the blood caking your head. “Yer head! Yer bleeding. C’mon we need to get you to the hospital-”

He begins dragging you off towards an ambulance but you’re still unstable and your legs give out. Crumpling to the pavement you look up at him, your mind still foggy.

“Samu…? Why are you here? We broke up…” You can hear your words beginning to slur, and the last thing you see before your eyes close is his stricken face, his eyes fearful as he frantically pats your face and yells at you to stay awake.

Slipping into the soothing darkness, you think about how much you’ve missed him the past few months, and can’t help but be grateful he’s here.

Even if took an earthquake, he came. That was all that mattered.

taglist: @arlerts-angel @ponderingmoonlight @hotvinimon

please lmk if you want to be added to/removed from any of my taglists!!!

[sf1enjoyer]

°The crash°

Part two of the LN series:New Start

Word count:1458 words

Summary: You meet a nasty weather at one of your races ,your car had a front wheel lock-up and that led to a horrible crash which had Lando absolutely terrified and worried for you.

LN4 fluff

@fishyfishersticks

Part 1, Part 3, Part 4

It was now your second season. The team was proud of you, you were. Performing well and even had a few podiums. In the middle of the 2024 season came your first win and you realized how much you wanted that to happen again. To feel like a winner more often, and later your goal was to become a world champion. The goal has always been that but now..you were more determined and more excited to reach it knowing that you are capable of winning. Everything was perfect...Until it was not. People may think that it's normal to have big dreams and want them even more in your rookie era when you're still hungry for improvement and never pleased with something that was less than a podium. At least that's how you were like. Big mistake. Always pushed yourself to the limit and because you were new you didn't know when to stop. It was raining during the Belgian Grand Prix and it was your first race in such horrible weather. You were currently during the 26th lap of the race. You were wheel-to-wheel with your teammate Lando. He did have a faster pace so he was going to overtake you eventually. You defended the position with everything you had and paying more attention to him breathing down your neck, rather than your driving and where you were going was a big mistake. You rode the kerb making you lose control of the car and what was the cherry on top? Your front left wheel had a lock-up. You could barely turn and Lando couldn't avoid you either since he had another car on the outside. Worst crash of your life. You went flying and rolling into the barrier, your car looking like scrap metal and Lando with just the front wing being completely destroyed landed out of the track, near you. He got out of the car but you didn't.

What was taking you so long? He came to check up on you, talking to you, bumping your visor slightly but it was worthless. You didn't move. He got you out of the car with a panicked expression on his face and hands trembling, pulled you away from it and took your helmet off checking for signs that you were alive. The medical team quickly arrived, made sure Lando wasn't injured and quickly got you into the ambulance. Lando didn't know what happened for sure but he knew it was bad

During the post-race interview, Lando asked about you

"Y/N's crash was pretty bad. We were told she had a concussion and that she's still asleep"

Lando thanked the interviewer and bit his lip nervously. He felt guilty. Felt that if he avoided you the crash wouldn't have been that bad and that you would've been okay. His mind just replaying that scene over and over again...

After the interviews celebrations and the rest, he got showered, dressed and made his way to the hospital you were taken to. Mind blank and heart racing he waited to be given permission to visit you. He saw you still weren't awake and he hopes you'll be tomorrow.

"She's fine.. she's just resting. Tomorrow she'll wake up.."

Wrong. Every word he said. It was wrong. And later the doctors told him you were in a coma. Didn't know for how long but all Lando did when he heard the word coma was just freeze. A million thoughts were going through his brain and they were all blaming him.

A few weeks passed, then about two months which honestly felt like years for Lando. Coming to visit you whenever he could. Bringing you flowers and small gifts you'd see when you'd wake up. There were gifts from your friends as well and plenty of missed calls from your family.

You finally woke up. Your head buzzed a bit and you felt confused. What happened? Why were you there?

That didn't last for long because then it clicked. The crash, the sound of the ambulance and then..silence.

You saw all the flowers, some were already dead but the gesture was nice and it made you smile. Soon enough a nurse announced you woke up. You felt weak, your muscles were sore but it was normal after rotting in a bed for god knows how long. You pick up your phone, see all the missed calls and call everyone back to let them know that you're well and that you're finally awake. As soon as Lando got the news, he booked a flight to come see you.

You were drinking water when someone rushed in and over to you, hugging you tightly

"Hey, easy mate... it's good to see you as well Lan.."

"God I started to believe you weren't going to wake up. I'm so glad you're okay. It was all my fault I am so sorry Y/N"

The fact that Lando blamed himself made your heart sink. You were well aware none of what happened was on Lando and you tried to reassure him.

"Hey,Lan it wasn't your fault. It was raining, I got reckless and I should've been paying attention. Plus I had a front wheel lock-up so it's stupid of you to say that."

His eyes told you a lot. They seemed tired and slightly red. And god..you could tell he was on the verge of tears

"Lando it's okay don't cry mate. None of that is on you. Don't blame yourself"

You hugged him for a while and played with his hair gently. In that moment it just felt natural and you wanted to comfort him because he was your friend after all

It wasn't long before you started driving again and it felt good to be back home. You worked hard and got stronger physically and mentally which paid off. More podiums were coming your way and a few wins as well. Things were working out for you but you couldn't say the same about your teammate. His racing wasn't that bold anymore and he gave up fights so easily. Where was the guy who took risks, trying to win no matter what? He no longer had that fire..that ambition. He almost seemed frozen and afraid.

You decided to confront him about it because no driver in their right mind with the ambition of becoming a world champion would just give up their driving skills like that.

You knock on his driver's room and he replies with a shot "Come in."

You slowly open the door and peek your head inside "Lan, can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure."

You fully step into the room and close the door, crossing your arms in front of your chest and confront him

"What's up with you?"

"What do you mean? I'm fine."

You roll your eyes and walk towards him

"You don't seem to be. Something pressuring you. a You're not the same Lando I knew three months ago, the old Lando clearly didn't give up positions that easily even if he wasn't top three"

"What's a position worth fighting for if it's not a podium, hm? And taking risks isn't all that."

"Taking risks is what makes you a world champion. Lando, what's with this tragic change so suddenly? Talk to me. You're my friend as much as you're my teammate"

He sighs and rubs his face, sitting down and then looking up at you

"Since your accident. I blame myself because if I had been more careful you wouldn't have been in a coma because the accident would've been worse Y/N."

You grab a chair and sit in front of him

"Lando you don't know for sure if it would've been better and it's not your fault. You had no fucking space mate. You didn't have where to go and even if you braked the same thing would've happened because you didn't have time to brake. Stop blaming yourself. This incident only holds you back. I am over it, everyone is over it and you should get over it as well. If you want to win you have to move on."

Lando just looks down, contemplating your words but not saying anything

"You know what you're capable of and right now you're the only one holding yourself back from progressing."

You stand up to leave and when you get at the door you said a few last words before exiting.

"I hope you take my advice."

And to your surprise he did. You're happy you were able to make him realize that it wasn't his fault but knowing him you knew he was still guilty but he just locked that thought away, not so deep, into his brain. And of course, something had to go wrong.

[doberbutts]

@corvus--caurinus

Yup! Per my neurologist, before the mid/late 00s the medical community was sort of, uh, unconcerned about so-called "minor" concussions, because the symptoms didn't seem to last longer than a few seconds and thus it was treated as a non-issue. Most parents didn't take their kids to the doctor for them and the few who did were told to let the kid rest for a day and then get back to life as normal.

Then a breakthrough study happened and revealed there is no such thing as a "mild" concussion. All concussions are concussions and all concussions are brain injuries. And all concussions run an exponentially higher risk of increasingly dangerous and life-affecting symptoms as you knock your brain around more and more. And with each subsequent concussion, you run the serious risk of these symptoms becoming permenant brain damage. Turns out, your brain does not actually like to be jumbled around in there, who knew.

The white flash is usually caused by one of two things: a jarring motion in your retinas (not a concussion) or the impact of your brain banging against the fluids and other matter inside of your skull (that's a concussion). Same if you "see stars"- the "stars" are the damaged nerves that just banged into something firing off electrical impulses trying to figure out how to cope with what just happened. And of course if you hit your head or are shaken to the point of losing consciousness, that's your brain's equivilant of the computer that, when smacked, turns itself off. All of these are concussions, and while it may seem like knocking yourself out should result in a worse concussion than just seeing stars, brains don't always follow that rule. All of these concussions will eventually stack on top of each other and will cause a major TBI once you hit your head a little too hard or perhaps even just one too many times.

So when he said "okay so you were never *treated* for a concussion but have you ever had this happen after hitting your head?" well... yes, actually. I was hit in the head by a thrown baseball bat (accidentally) in gym class and promptly took a nap. I was awake and otherwise fine in a few minutes so besides being sent home that day and having a large bruise/egg nothing really happened. I was doing flips on the gymnastic bars and lost my grip and whacked my head against the ground and, you guessed it, was unconscious. By the time my friends got the recess teacher over I was already awake and just a little dazed- again they sent me home but that's it. I fell through one of those dome monkey bars at a playground with my mom and hit the ground head/neck first. This was before the age of cell phones so Mom told me she was trying to figure out what to do about her very unresponsive child in the middle of the park (it's dangerous to move someone who may have broken their back/neck but she also can't just leave me laying on the ground to knock on someone's door to call 911) when I woke up and outside of a stiff neck seemed "quiet but fine".

In fairness according to my neuro there's not really much a doctor *could* have done medically as I bounced back without any problems except maybe have me take it easy for a couple weeks (I'd've died of boredom with no stimulation) but it still should have been noted that each of those were concussions. Then the amount of times that I've been dazed or saw lights... too many to count. I work with high energy dogs in an impact sport, they headbutt me or punch me or knock me to the ground all the time. I was an active kid and an athlete prior to my heart acting up, so sport-related injuries just sort of come with the package and that includes knocks on the head.

But sitting in his office and hearing him say that, and then recovering from the TBI and examining what it's done to my life... it made me realize how much people take for granted. It just takes one too many knocks on the head. He said the major thing he regrets as an older neurologist is that for a very long time, most of his practicing career and certainly a significant portion of my own life, no one really cared about concussions. But the line between concussion and TBI is very blurred, because in truth a concussion *is* a brain injury, and at some point you will concuss yourself much much worse than you were expecting due to the buildup of damage from not taking hitting your head seriously.

The best way to think of it is breaking your ankle. A broken ankle is a broken ankle, there's no such thing as a "mild" broken ankle. But there are grades of severity- a hairline fracture on a single bone is a broken ankle, but recovery time and process are relatively straightforward in most cases. Completely shattering multiple bones on the other hand significantly lengthens recovery time and the process is significantly more involved with a risk of further complications. If you keep doing whatever it is that gave you a hairline fracture, one day you won't be so lucky, and you will completely shatter the whole joint assembley.

That's how concussions are. Those cute little knocks that cause a white flash and nothing else? That's a warning to stop doing that and be more careful. You get to hobble around in a boot for a while to think about your choices leading up to this point. Knocking yourself out? Well you've snapped a bone. You get a cast and some crutches. Full blown TBI? Congrats, the whole ankle is fucked and you need major surgery now.

[mcrits]

kanthony ballet au!

Anthony has long since fallen out of love with ballet.

Ever since his father, a renowned dancer and head of the Bridgerton Dance Academy, passed away, Anthony has taken over his responsibilities. He rarely dances anymore, too focused on taking care of his family, keeping the academy running, and training the next generation of dancers, some of which are his own siblings.

One day, he's approached by his mother's dear friend Agatha Danbury, who asks if he wants to star in her upcoming production of Romeo and Juliet. He tries to decline, saying that he's far too busy with the academy, but in typical Danbury fashion, he ends up agreeing before he's even realized it.

His mother thinks it'll be good for him to dance again. "Maybe it'll get you out of whatever rut you've been in," she says. Anthony rolls his eyes.

"I'm not in a rut, mother. I've simply been busy."

"Busy brooding, maybe."

Upon showing up for the first day of rehearsals, he meets his Juliet: Edwina Sharma, an up-and-coming dancer from India who is just making her debut in London's professional ballet scene.

She's talented and lovely with work with. She's graceful and the very image of excellence. She never seems to misstep or slip. Anthony could never dream of achieving such perfection, and he's been dancing in some form since the day he learned to walk.

She's kind, as well. When they arrive, during their breaks, and when they're preparing to leave, they get a chance to talk. When she asks him if he wants to get dinner with her after rehearsal one day, he finds no reason why he shouldn't.

She tells him about the stories she's been reading, and he tells her about his work at the academy. Usually, he'd be preening at the attention of a pretty, smart, and kind woman who is possibly into him, but for whatever reason, he isn't.

He has to, though, at least on stage. He has to lift her and press his body to hers and kiss her.

It's fine, but Anthony certainly doesn't feel any of the passion he once felt for dancing. He can't wait to tell his mother 'I told you so.'

Until two weeks before they're set to open, that is. Anthony is lifting her like he's done a hundred times before, but this time, she pushes off a bit too hard, sending them both off balance.

He has neither the reaction time nor the grip to keep her from falling. She falls to the ground with a loud thud and a gasp of pain. As Anthony stares down at her in shock, he winces. Her ankle does not look right.

He drives her to the hospital, where he waits with her until she can be seen and sits with her in the exam room as a doctor examines her ankle.

That is where he meets the older sister he has heard so much about. Kate Sharma.

She's like a storm, bursting into the room with who is presumably their mother in tow, demanding to know what happened and if Edwina's okay.

"I'm okay, didi," Edwina assures her. "It was just a lift gone badly, it's alright." Her face turns a little sad. "They think my ankle is broken, but they're doing an X-ray to be sure. I also have a concussion from my head hitting the floor. but I'm okay, I promise."

Anthony knows that there is no chance of her being well enough to perform in just a few weeks. But in this moment, he doesn't have much of a chance to think about it, because Kate turns to him. Her eyes are burning.

"May i speak with you in the hall, Mr. Bridgerton?"

Anthony snorts at the overly formal name. "Certainly, Miss Sharma."

As soon as the door closes behind them, Kate starts talking. "So, a lift gone badly. What happened?"

"Well, I had her, she pushed off a bit too hard, we both lost our balance, and I wasn't able to catch her."

Kate stares at him. "So you're going to blame her for you dropping her?"

Anthony frowns, his mind spinning. "Excuse me?"

"Don't think I don't know what's happening here, Bridgerton. I know you didn't want to dance again. I know you probably want a way out of this."

When Anthony processes what she's insinuating, he laughs. "You think so lowly of me that you think I'd drop Edwina on purpose?"

"Considering the way you've led her on, yes, I do."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Anthony asks. "I've just been nice! I've never given her any impression that there was anything between us other than friendship. Would you rather I be rude to her?"

"No, but I'd rather you not take her to countless lunches and dinners."

"Do you end up kissing every single person you go to lunch with? Uou don't have to do that, you know."

Late, breathing heavily with her rage, groans. "You are insufferable."

"Then you must be looking into a mirror."

Finally, Kate storms off, and Anthony shakes his head. Unbelievable.

He says a quick goodbye to Edwina, telling her to let him know about how her recovery is going, and heads home.

The next morning, rehearsal is surprisingly still on. He arrives, his heart dropping into his stomach as he sees who's sitting on the floor, pulling on her pointe shoes.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Kate looks up at him, her expression hardening. "I don't like it any more than you do, Bridgerton. But I know this show, and we only have two weeks until opening night."

This is going to be a long two weeks.

As much as Kate makes it her life's mission to piss him off, he does have to admit that she impresses him. She hasn't done the choreography in years, and yet she picks it up quickly.

But even with her fast pace, she still stays long after everyone leaves, rehearsing steps.

One night, against his better judgement, he agrees to stay late and practice with her. Despite his lack of passion, he does want to show to be as perfect as it can be.

That night, with just the two of them practicing passionate scenes over and over, Anthony truly sees her.

Kate is everything Edwina is not. She's stubborn where Edwina is easy-going. She's rude where Edwina is nice. She's reserved where Edwina is open.

Anthony loves it.

Finally, he gets a glimpse of his old passion. Their steps become routine, allowing them to focus on the emotion of the scene. Their bodies press together, and Anthony feels warm for the first time in a long time.

Their touches last longer than they should. They're closer than what's necessary.

As he walks forward to kiss her, they're both panting heavily, and his approach is much slower than it usually is. He can't help but savor the sight of her. Her cheeks are red and her hair is messy from the exertion. The blood leaves Anthony's brain.

Their lips connect, his hands going to grab her waist as usual, but this time?

Instead of leaning back and extending her arms out, she wraps both arms around his neck, going off pointe and burying a hand in the back of his hair.

He moans, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, and she groans against his lips. His brain has completely shut off, and doesn't kick back into gear until Kate pulls away.

They're sitting on the floor, their feet and legs aching, and Kate straddles his lap. She seems to have lost herself, too, since she laughs breathlessly. "I think that's enough for today," she says, her gorgeous eyes constantly flicking between his eyes and his lips.

"Agreed," he whispers, leaning in to give her a brief kiss before hovering his lips by her ear, his voice lowering. "I know you've been sore since we started rehearsing. I could introduce you to my bathtub. A warm bath does wonders."

Kate shakes her head. "I shouldn't."

"But do you want to?"

After a moment of hesitation, she sighs. "Your bathtub better be big enough for two."

Anthony grins, his heart fluttering.

From that moment on, their late-night rendezvous become routine. It's the first time in a long time that Anthony has looked forward to dancing, and the sex that follows certainly helps with the passion. But between rehearsing and sex, they do get to know each other. And while half the time, they're arguing, the other half consists of deep conversations and jokes.

It's nice. Her humor is dry and witty, and Anthony's delighted by their constant banter. Unlike Edwina, Kate challenges him. While he doesn't enjoy being bested by her as often as he is, he can't help but be thrilled by the competition.

"I'll be sad when this is over," he admits softly during one of their breaks, sitting on the floor side-by-side and sipping water.

"So will I. It's been fun." She presses her shoulder against his, and he smiles, unable to take his eyes off of her. "I'm- I'm sorry I came off so strong during our first meeting."

"It's alright, Kate. I'm a protective older sibling, I get it. If it was my sister who was dropped by an asshole, I would've been pissed, too. But for the record, it really was an accident. and I hope she's back to dancing soon."

"Her doctor says she should be alright," Kate replies, nodding. "But thank you, Anthony. As much as it pains me to say this, you're not as bad as I thought."

Anthony rolls his eyes, but grins, bumping his shoulder against hers. "You're not so bad, either, Sharma."

When the show comes to a close, Kate stays over at Anthony's apartment before the closing night of the show. With their bodies pressed together, their limbs completely entangled underneath the blankets, Kate lifts her head from his bare chest and looks him in the eye.

"I don't want this to end, Anthony," she whispers, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Neither do I."

"Then we'll still see each other after the show ends?"

Anthony grins. "You won't be able to get rid of me."

Kate matches his grin and leans in to kiss him.

Anthony loves dancing again, and he also loves Kate Sharma.

[cutielights]

Hey pookie!! I luv ur work sm and I was wondering if u could do a rottmnt boys x spider woman reader ab them reacting to her stopping a collider like miles did? Idek if u watched into the spider verse but maybe something like that if not u could wing it if you'd like tysm hope u have a good day/night! ❤️

>>:] yes. For the purposes of writing, im going to act as if you were a spider person for at least a year before this. Not supposed to be Miles’ story, but pretty similar (if that makes sense)

i waNT THE THIRD MOVIE. Frikin dying of miles morales deprivation over here, hand over the sunflower boy with in tact parents

@moonchhu THE OTHER SPIDER PERSON ONE TAG LIST

That Really Big Earthquake

LEO

“Heyyyy, I haven’t seen you in twenty four hours which truly is a record for us, I missed you, did you miss me? I bet you did right? Go on tell me aaaalllll about it.”

“So, I was just kinda minding my own business, y’know, thwipping and thwapping and going about being an awesome hero when I bumped into myself? Kinda. They looked like me, but they were different, and didn’t look like me, but, I knew they were me! Because my spider sense went off and they could do stuff I could do, but also some different stuff! And then we freaked out for a little bit before I went to auntie May to show her and she showed me four more other me’s who were hiding out in her basement and then we tried getting them home and we had to sneak about in this fancy restaurant wearing bow ties, and we cried and they went into this collider thing, also it turns out my favourite cousin was working for the evil genius corporation and he’s dead now and it feels like my fault, I’m so totally fine don’t worry about me. Howwasyourday?”

“Haha, what.”

“Stopped the collapsing of the multiverse.”

“Oh it sounds so simple when you put it like that.” Yeah okay sarcasm queen

Made you some tea after that, let’s just, take a breath for a minute, m’kay?

He has decided it’s a self care day now, at least he did after thoroughly checking you for injuries

How you do not have a concussion will always escape him, not one broken bone? Seriously? After all that?

Please remind him you’re an actual super hero and not a pane of glass

“Wait what was that about your cousin?”

RAPH

“Hey! How was your weekend?”

“Crazier than yours.”

“Okay, Bet.”

One explanation later sponge bob narrator voice

“Wait, so you’re telling Raph, that huge earthquake that happened, happened because of you and five alternate versions of yourself?

“That’s excluding a lot of things I just told you but, I am telling Raph that, yes.”

Huge bone crushing hugs are in order, according to him at least. And I mean, is he wrong?

Not letting you out of his sight for ages, please, Raph, let them go home

“Why are you so worried? I did it, I won!”

“It’s more the fact that it happened and less the fact that you’re mostly fine.”

DONNIE

Othello Von Ryan: Stay home, S.H.E.L.LD.O.N has picked up on some strange (possibly universal fabric destroying) activity. Also there has been some earthquake activity in the area you were in yesterday, not that I have a tracker on you. Because I don’t.

Only Two Legs: I handled it don’t worry :D

Othello Von Ryan: ?

Othello Von Ryan: Traverse to My Lab.

“Heyyy Deee.”

“Stop. Explain. This better be your attempt at humor.”

There was silence for a long while after you had messily glued together words to describe the past 24 hours, before he took a deep breath.

“First, How dare you stop the multiverse from collapsing without me that’s incredible rude. Second, therapy. Third, that earthquake and power surge destroyed My Lab, thankfully I have backup backups to my backups, but I couldn’t use the internet for an hour straight.”

“Y- You’re more concerned about the internet?”

“Not what I said. Now let me check you for a concussion.”

MIKEY

“Hey they took down those art displays.”

“The what?”

“Oh you weren’t here, BUT there was these reaaaallllyyyyy cool art statues along this street! Look, hey, look, I took pics!”

“Oh cooollluuuhhh that’s not an art display that’s five different fire hydrants merged into each other.”

“Haha yeah it does kinda look like that doesn’t it? I thought it was supposed to be a dog.”

“Mikey, no-“ You pulled him aside into an empty alleyway, trying to explain what had happened over the past twenty four hours.

It was an interesting experience, but you got there eventually.

Best believe this boy is giving you the biggest hug ever, and then buying pizza.

Oh, and Dr Feelings is going to be paying you a visit. Multiple. You can’t escape him.

“So they weren’t art displays?”

Speedily bulk writing and scheduling rn bc im going on a holiday with zero internet.

[somanyratsinthewalls]

Kinktober Special Part 9

Mo’s Kinktober Special 

The Crew’s Whore (Part 9) (+18)

!!!!!!MINORS DNI!!!!

Summary: You are the former owner of the Grand Line’s most popular brothel. Your powerful fighting abilities got the attention of the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. He had asked you to join their crew but what would you bring to the team? Your battle skills were hardly comparable to many of the other Straw Hats… but you actually had a great skill. Your years working as a high end escort had prepared you to become the private plaything for this pirate crew. You joined the Straw Hats as their personal sex toy.

Pairing: Eustass Kid x Fem!Reader

WC: 3000 LMAO

TWs: Kind of aggressive sex/degredation? Impact play. Degradation, name calling, angry sex, hate sex, p in v unprotected sex, spit play, edging, creampies, its SO much porn sorry

— — 

“NO I WANT TO KICK HIS ASS BEFORE YOU!” Luffy shouted at the two other captains who stood around him, fuming. 

“IF ANYONE IS KICKING ANYONE’S ASS IT’LL BE ME! I’m stronger than the two of you fuckheads combined!” The absolutely massive redhead decked out in leather and metal was looming over your captain, yelling. 

“You’re both insufferable, we need to develop a plan!” The handsome yet reserved doctor pleaded with the two hotheads to figure out an actual strategy for their mission. 

Somehow, three of the most dangerous pirate crews had been forced into an alliance and to no one’s surprise they couldn’t agree on a damn thing. You were at a table watching the argument unfold with your head in your hands propped up on your elbows. There was a large glass of white wine in front of you. If you had to watch this idiocy, you thought you’d at least try to enjoy it. You were flanked at the table by a giant man in what seemed like a hockey mask and a polar bear in an orange jumpsuit who were also watching the captains’ squabble. 

The bear was the first to speak. 

“I’m starting to think they might all be… stupid…” 

“You fucking think?” You huff out while you take a sip of your wine. You set the glass back down on the table with a sigh. “This alliance is a disaster. Not Luffy’s worst idea by any stretch of the imagination… but still a disaster. I’m going to slam my head against this table as hard as I can. They’ll probably stop fighting long enough to come over and see if I’m okay.” 

“Now that’s a stupid idea.” The masked man stated plainly. 

“Watch out or I’ll tell them you did it and then they’ll have something new to argue about.” You quipped back. 

The blonde man next to you sighed and tipped up the bottom of his mask to insert the top of the bottle of wine you were enjoying into his mouth and take several gulps. 

“I don’t think we should risk concussion just to get them to shut up.” He spoke again and took another glug of wine. He put his mask back down. “As tempting as it may be.”

“Fine.” You finish your glass of wine and cup your hands around your mouth to amplify your voice in the direction of the quarreling captains. “Just pull your dicks out and compare lengths already!” 

The shouting stopped immediately and three heads snapped in your direction. Kid and Law scowled at you. 

“Oh, I don’t think that was…” The polar bear muttered softly. 

“WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?” Captain Kid shouted as he stormed over to you at such a pace his coat was almost blown off his shoulders. Luffy and Law followed. 

“Why did you need to see my dick, y/n? I’m kinda busy right now, but I’m sure Sanji is around here somewhere!” Luffy grins and laughs at you, oblivious to your innuendo. Law covered his face with his hand and sighed. 

Kid slams his fists on the table before turning his head to your captain. 

“You let your crew talk to people like this, Strawhat? Disgraceful and disgusting.” He spits as he turns back to you. 

You smile up at the hulkingly large, angry man in front of you and bat your eyelashes. 

“Aww don’t bully me, Kid, I’ll cum!” You tease with a fake pout. 

Kid’s eyes blow totally wide and cranes his neck back in shock. Law brings his hand down to his mouth as he hides a snort-laugh. Kid is taken aback only for a moment as his expression turns wild and livid again. 

“You think I’m even remotely interested in a pirate whore? I’ve had hundreds of skanks just like you, and you think you’re special?” Kid says through gritted teeth. 

“She’s actually pretty good, Jaggy! Maybe you should lighten up and take her for awhile tonight! You’re free tonight, aren’t you, y/n?” Luffy beams at you.

“Hmmm I know Franky had some new toys he wanted to try, and Usopp and Robin were interested in watching… but I’m sure they’d have no problem rescheduling if Big Red wanted to take me for a spin.” You smirk as you casually pour yourself another glass of wine, forgetting that it probably had Hockey Mask’s backwash in it. This comment only made Kid’s face turn a deeper red. 

“I am not going to take any of your sloppy seconds, Strawhat!” Kid yelled. 

“Thirds, actually.” Law states in a deadpan manner. You smirk.

You hear the polar bear next to you gasp and bring his paws to his mouth. 

“Captain! Goodness…” He whispered softly. 

Kid seethes further. 

“You’re nothing but a whore, a filthy free use slut. I wouldn’t stick my dick anywhere near you.” Kid remarks, obviously trying to strike a chord. You giggle. You had been a whore your whole life, it was hardly something you felt bad about being called. To you, it was simply a job description. 

“So that’s what gets you going, huh? Calling girls names?” You grin up at the redhead. 

“Careful…” You hear the masked blonde next to you whisper. Kid continues to glare at you. 

“Is that what makes your little cock hard? How cute.” You go on, sipping from your wine glass. “Frankly you smell like scotch and pennies so I won’t be upset with your rejection, Captain Kid.” You emphasize his name sarcastically, still smiling. 

You had obviously struck a nerve. 

“You fucking bitch!” Kid screams at you. 

“Captain, relax…” Hockey Mask pipes up louder from your side… but Kid continues. 

“You have the audacity to call me little? I’m 6 foot 9 and you want to say I’m small? Use your brain here… or is that too hard for a bimbo like you?” He leans in and lowers his voice. 

“I’ve seen men twice your size with cocks they can barely find, so I’m no stranger to a size discrepancy.” You state calmly as you look him up and down. “If you feel like proving me wrong, I’ll be on ship’s watch tonight.” You stand up and saunter back to the Sunny across the dock, leaving the men to continue arguing behind you. 

——

You sit against the mast on the deck of the Sunny, smoking a cigarette and staring up at the starry night sky. You hear the heavy thump of jackboots hitting the deck near the gangplank. You smirk and snuff out your cigarette before standing up. 

“So much for ‘I wouldn’t stick my dick anywhere near you.’” You chuckle as you turn to face exactly who you were expecting. 

Without a word, you’re pushed backwards, now held up with a heavy metal hand pressing your body against the mast, feet dangling below you. 

“You’re a fucking brat. Brats need to be punished.” Kid speaks lowly as he brings his flesh hand to your throat and squeezes the sides gently. 

“I’d like to see you try.” You gasp out with his fingers pressing against your windpipe. 

“Gods you never shut up do you…” Kid says before his smashes his mouth onto yours in a messy, aggressive kiss. Teeth and tongues were clashing immediately. After a few moments, Kid’s grip around your torso loosened. “Your room…” He grunts out against your lips. 

“Down the hall… third door on the left…” You say softly with his hand still around your neck. 

Kid immediately scoops up your tiny body and throws it over his shoulder with a thud. His hand hits your ass and you yelp out. Kid carries you to your room and kicks open the door. You were thrown all the way across the room, your body hitting the bed with a heavy thump.

“You thought you could get away with disrespecting me like that…” Kid says as he strides towards you, shredding his jacket. “You’re in for it now, little girl…” He smiles devilishly as he starts undoing his belt. “Clothes off. Now.” 

You sit up on your elbows. 

“Make me.” You say with a sheepish grin. 

“Fucking bitch… can’t listen to a single thing…” Kid stopped his work on his pants and stomps over to you. He uses his metal hand to rip your dress and panties off your body in one fell swoop. You were now completely exposed, so you closed your legs to hide the arousal that this vicious man was causing you. He looks down at your nude body from the side of the bed for a moment, nipples erect and thighs clenched together. 

“Such a tight little body… too bad I have to ruin it.” Kid says with a laugh. 

“Get on with it then. I’m waiting. I had better offers tonight, you know. I’m not usually one for charity cases.” You say from your reclined position on the bed. 

Kid growls and forces your legs apart, then hovers his face over  yours as he still stands against the bed. He swiftly and forcefully shoves two thick fingers inside of you without warning. He grips the back of your head with his metal hand and forces you to look down at your own sex where his fingers were pumping in and out of you at a fast pace. You cry out in both pain and pleasure. 

“You slut… charity case, huh? Why is this dirty little cunt so wet, then? Just look at it, already drooling on my hand… You get this wet for every pirate that comes your way? So filthy…” He chided you. You squirmed in his hold as he crooked up his fingers and started tapping them into your g-spot. 

“Fuck!” You breath out as you feel your orgasm build quickly with each pull of his fingers and grind of his palm against your clit. The red haired man smiled maniacally down at you as he worked your pussy over. 

“You’re close, huh little girl?” Kid smirked over you as he brought you so close to the edge of release. 

“Yes, fuck, I’m right there…” You huff out and furrow your brow, trying to reach your peak. 

“Good. Stay that way.” Kid says as he removes his hands from you. 

The ache in your neck from being held in place paled in comparison to the need you felt between your legs. You were right on the precipice of your high and it was ripped away from you. 

“What the fuck, Kid!” You shouted up at him in frustration. 

“Oh sweetheart you’re going to have to get used to that. After running your mouth all day, I don’t think you’ll be cumming tonight. Maybe if you really beg for it…” Kid chuckles. 

“I’m not beggin- Oh!” You shriek as you’re picked up and flipped onto your stomach, your bottom half facing the edge of the bed. A cool metal hand grips your waist and pulls you up to your knees on the bed, presenting your ass up in the air. You hear a belt and pants clink to the floor. 

“Enough, slut.” Kid commands as he sinks his cock deep into you without warning.

“Shit!” You cry out and your head whips back. 

“Not so little now, huh?” 

“Holy shit, Kid-“ You try to squeak out as he pulled your hips back to meet his pelvis, forcing his cock to kiss your womb so deeply with each rapid stroke. “S-slow down! Too much…” You shout as tears prick at your eyes. 

“No I don’t think so, whore. You talked a big game earlier, so you’re going to take this big dick now like the slut you are.” Kid punctuated his words with a harsh slap to your ass. He pulls out and flips you quickly onto your back. “Wanna see this pretty face when I break you.” 

Kid enters you again and you moan involuntarily. You were certainly eating your words now… he was far from little. You weren’t about to let him get the best of you yet, though… 

You pull Kid down by his neck into a searing kiss as he plowed into your weeping cunt. He hummed in approval as he leaned down further into you, allowing you to wrap your arms around his shoulders. Distracting him by sticking your tongue down his throat, you use all your might to flip him over you onto the bed, leaving you seated on his cock. You pulled back with a wicked grin on your face. You bounced hard on top of him, making Kid growl out in pleasure. 

“Topped by a girl, Captain Kid? Doesn’t seem like you.” You say, your voice laced with venom as your run your hands up his chest. You squeeze his nipples as you ride his cock. 

“Fuck… you’re lucky you’re so fucking good at that… or else I’d strangle the life out of you right now…” Kid huffs out as he bucks his needy hips up into yours, making a lewd slapping noise against your ass. You grind yourself onto him, feeling yourself so close to that stolen orgasm from before. 

Kid sees your eyes roll back and feels your pussy begin to flutter around him. It was a dead giveaway, your body had betrayed you. 

Kid grips your torso in his metal hand yet again and throws you off his cock and onto your back at the foot of the bed. 

“Fuck! Why!” You cry as you whack your fists against the bed. 

Kid laughs as he teases his cock at your hole from above you. 

“You haven’t properly begged for it yet. I’ll happily let you cum… I just need to hear you, desperate and needy, beg me to let you cum on my cock.”

You groan and buck your hips into the head of his member, desperate to feel him inside of you again and achieve your release. You pussy was throbbing, hurting even, with need and you needed to fix it. Now. 

“Fine… Please just put it back in… Wanna feel you more…” You sigh out. 

“Oh was that a ‘please’? Little brat is learning! Gonna be such a good slut when we’re done here…” Kid says as he slowly slips himself back into your clenching hole. 

Kid himself lets out a groan as he sees the dopey smile that washes over your face when your feel his cock press against that sinful spot inside of you again. He continues pumping in and out of you at a slow, torturous pace. He used his flesh hand to stroke your clit gently as he holds your leg open with his metal hand. You arch your back and moan. 

“Close again, brat? You ready to beg for it? I can feel it, this little pussy needs to cum so bad. I can do it for you… you know how…” Kid teases as he stops rubbing your clit but leaves his hand there, waiting for a response. 

“Shit! Don’t stop please! Please please please, Kid! I don’t fucking care anymore you asshole, I need to cum so bad please! I want to be a good slut for you! I want to cum, please!” You scream with thrashing hips, tears finally falling from your lashes. 

“Hmmm, could be nicer… but fine. Go ahead, whore, cream my cock then.” Kid says as he resumes his ministrations on your clit and picks up the speed of his hips. 

“FUCK!” You shout lewdly as you feel the coil in your abdomen break and you’re finally pushed over that edge. You could barely control your body as it spasmed and gushed all over Kid’s waist. 

“Aww, you’re so cute when you cum.” Kid tells you condescendingly. “Now open wide, slut. What do we say?” He says as he fully leans over you and grips your cheeks together firmly in one hand. 

“Thank… you…” You say weakly as you try to recover from your orgasm, but Kid is still plowing into your sensitive pussy. Kid holds your jaw open and he spits in your mouth. You instinctively swallow. 

“Good fucking girl…” Kid coos down at you as you feel his body tighten and he shoots hot ropes of cum deep inside of you. 

Kid flops on top of you, his head buried in your shoulder. After a few moments of catching your breath, you realized yours was a bit labored. 

“Kid… you’re like 300 pounds… can you maybe get off me before you fall asleep?” You ask while trying to push him off by his shoulders. 

“Huh? Oh. Yeah.” He comes to his senses and pushes himself off of you and rises to his feet. “Mind if I crash here tonight?” He asks. 

“I’d be offended if you didn’t.” You giggle and climb into the sheets that were now thoroughly messed up. “Take that hunk of metal off and stay awhile.” You nod at his arm. 

“Uh, yeah. I guess I could. I just want to make sure the door is locked.” Kid seems to avoid your gaze as he checks your bedroom door lock before removing his metal arm and setting it on the floor next to your bed. He says nothing as he climbs into bed. 

“Sorry I’m about half the cuddler I used to be…” Kid says with a somewhat sad laugh. He wraps his flesh arm around your torso. You turn around to face him. 

“You don’t like people seeing you without it, do you?” You ask as you look into his golden eyes. 

“no. I don’t.” He replies. 

“It’s okay. You’re safe with me.” You nuzzle into Kid’s broad chest and promptly fall asleep. 

——

*****A/N* OKAY BUT DOES THIS NEED A PART 2?!?!!?!? Bitch I got carried AWAY?!!?!?!?!****

[chin-chilla-7]

I just got finished with a spy x family episode and this came up! What about DBH boys (Connor, Simon, Markus) With a female reader who is just like Yor Forger!

She’s very sweet looking, and nobody would suspect she packs quite a mean punch when protecting someone or herself, and unusually strong!

Hey anon! So sorry about the wait on this. I'll be honest part of it is due to me not knowing anything about spy x family, so I will just be going off the little description you've given in this ask! And it certainly won't stop me from trying.

Each Connor, Simon, and Markus would initially find the reader quite unassuming. To say they underestimate her is not exactly accurate, but they certainly don't expect the strength and punch she packs.

Connor witnessed it during a case. He's in the process of analyzing some evidence at a crime scene when he hears a disturbance. It was an argument, from what he could tell, between you and someone else trying to tamper with the crime scene or simply initiating some aggression because, like Connor, they misjudge exactly how strong you could be. At the sound of raised voices - yours being one of them - Connor is quick to make his way over to the disturbance, intending to intervene if necessary. Though, it quickly becomes apparent that it isn't necessary.

You've knocked the aggressor clean on their ass. One punch to the face was enough to send them falling backwards right on their ass. You probably even broke their nose. Connor, he's... well, to be honest, he's a little surprised. You aren't often in situations such as this one. And while you do work for the DPD, it's not often he sees you demonstrate exactly why you were hired in the first place.

Even though you punched someone to the point of a concussion, Connor can't help but still make sure you're okay. Physically, mentally, whatever, he wants to make sure the encounter didn't shake you up too bad. Even if you've assured you're fine and that he doesn't need to check you over, he's still doing a scan, just to be sure.

This is something he certainly does not forget about you. And while he still worries, given the fact that your appearance is deceiving compared to your actual ability, he's a little more at ease to know that you can hold your own when you need to. He's aware that people will go for those who seem weaker, and while he knows you aren't weak, at a glance, people are quick to think otherwise about you.

---

Simon, while not a coward, does prefer to take the pacifist route at any given opportunity. You're someone who's the same, unless you have absolutely no choice. And that was the case here. You were with Simon, just the two of you. You had excused yourself to the bathroom, and on your way back, you see that someone had approached Simon, and you noticed that Simon was less than comfortable about the interaction. It wasn't until you were a few steps away that you could hear exactly what was going on.

It was some anti-android guy going off - he must have recognized Simon someone. Which, come on, he's not the only PL600 to exist. Whatever, it didn't matter. What mattered was this guy was going off on Simon, and while Simon was trying to defuse the situation, he wasn't getting anywhere successful. Simon was trying to talk the other down, but the guy seemed pissed, which started to piss you off. It didn't help that the guy suddenly grabbed Simon - that's when you knew you had to step in.

"Hey!" Was all you said, which seemed to startle the guy long enough for you to grab his shoulder, turning him so you could swiftly punch him in the gut. He quickly doubled over, falingl to the ground, and Simon stumbled back, staring at the scene in shock. His mouth was agape as he looked between you and the guy, now groaning on the ground. There was even a slight tint of blue on Simon's face at the sight, which you may have noticed if you weren't still upset with the interaction.

"Whoa... I didn't know you had that in you..." Simon said, nearly stepping towards the guy to help him. But he stopped himself, mainly because you held your hand out to stop him.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," you responded, looking over to him and managing a smile. Despite the circumstances, it was cute to see the way Simon reacted to this.

"What, so we just... leave him?"

"Well, he was a prick, soo..."

---

Markus was often used to being the protector. And with you, it was a no brainer that you were someone he felt drawn to protect. And it was cute, and you never had a problem with it. But sometimes even the protector needs a little helping hand. Especially when you've got no problem fighting your own battles.

Being the leader of the android revolution meant that Markus got a lot of attention. And being a close friend of the leader of the android revolution meant you got a lot of attention as well. Both good and bad. This was an instance of the bad. Some name calling, some yelling, asking how you could ever support something like this when all the androids do is take and take and blah blah blah.

Really, you weren't listening. You had grown used to it at this point, it was something you could easily tune out.

Though, it was clear that the people nagging you were not a fan of being ignored. Markus was only a little ways ahead of you, but it was still enough of a distance that he couldn't stop the way they grabbed you to look at them. A small struggle ensued, which caught Markus' attention. He was quick to rush over to you, pulling off one of the two attacking you, but it seemed you had the rest of it under control.

A quick knee between the legs was enough to throw them off their balance, then an elbow to the chest knocked the wind out of them long enough for you to get away. As you escaped their grasp, you kept yourself ready, knees bent, arms up, ready for anything more they had to throw your way. Of course, the kerfuffle was enough to get the attention from onlookers, and the attackers found it best to avoid further humiliation.

With them submitting to defeat, Markus looked to you, first making sure you were okay. Once that was settled, he found himself looking at you with an impressed smile. "Maybe you should be the one protecting me," he joked.

"Maybe," You said, relaxing now that you weren't in danger anymore. "At least I'd know you'd be safer."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

[prodicalmenace]

college au sukuna x reader back ideation drabble based on this glorious image

you don't see it when you bump into it. your body thumps against what may as well be a hard wall. the impact makes you scratch the side of your hair with a wince. he turns around before you really notice the back you walked into, his own eyes confused as he bends to look down to you. he takes in your form, and assumes the small nudge he felt was you before he simply pats the top of your head himself.

"you'll be fine," he mutters with a step around you. you didn't turn back to see his own. the whole event was confusing; your stomach flopped at his touch, but maybe that was the slight concussion your absent mindedness caused as the side of your head still throbs.

you didn't notice it when you kept trying to dodge it; a basketball game playing out on the other side of him, yet every time the teams moved across the court his back would block your vision at all angles.

you couldn't care for the shape as it blocks the last minutes, and finally you lean forward with a gruff "hey pinkie!"

he turns, and upset his face stretches into an appalled frown. the tattoos that outline every feature across his cheeks settle into a pursed expression that should have killed you when coupled with his silence that dulls the rest of the court chaos. instead, you use two fingers to gesture for him to scooch down the bleachers.

with a flared nostril he prepares to do just that before you to catch the other pink haired hooligan on the court score the winning basket at the last second. with the rest of the crowd you jump and cheer more than your windpipes allow, and the euphoria makes you slap enthusiastically on his shoulders in an absent minded attempt to shake his joy free with the rest of the crowd. his scowl drops into an amused expression that tugs at the edges of his lips, but you cant tell as your feet still push you to hop over his back.

you do notice it later that night even as you sway heading out the house stairwell humming the party music that fades behind you. his back blocks the exit, and your eyes trace where it curves towards his hips before reaching to give it a soft poke. he merely turns his face at the intrusion to take in his opponent, but seeing you his whole body turns with a smirk.

"do you need an exit ticket, pinkie?" you ask with a giggle, one hand reaching to clutch the stair railing to steady yourself. his smirk eventually stretches at the opposite end and the pull of a smile at his cheeks makes you so warm you hum with delight.

"depends, you have a ride?" he takes you in quickly, the question somehow rich with the temptations of curiosity while dripping in genuine concern. it makes you giggle again and you hold out your phone to show your rideshare confirmation.

"don't keep me from diane, she's gonna have tiny waters in her car and some breath mints!" you coo as the car drives up behind him, but you can't really tell as he leans in garnering all your attention with a quiet sniff and a sigh.

"focus on the water, you already smell sweet." he whispers before pulling back to finally allow you the room to exit. you bite your tongue and take in his profile, the tattoos allowing his expression to fade into the darkness, and you find yourself noticing how they peek underneath his shirt like the rest of his body should fade out of view.

such would be impossible as you notice it in the corner of a lecture hall curved into the seat next to him. his elbow is on the desk to his right to prop up his hand on his fist, and the position places his back perfectly in your peripheral even as you sit rows and rows behind him.

you notice it again through the stacks at the library hunched over a book. you don't even think the book you pulled is the correct one, but you wouldn't dare put it back to block the view of his shoulders steadily rising and falling, a pattern that lowers and lowers until his head lops closer to the floor and you realize he's sleeping.

somehow, you find yourself kneeling next to him on the floor to gently tap at his shoulder. his muscles tense under your finger tips but he doesn't jolt at your touch, just raises his head a bit to take in your figure before lowering it to lean into your chest.

"i hate this fucking class..." he mutters against your shirt with a grumble you suppose is a yawn. your mind is still fixated on the shape of his back pressing into your hand now, and you slowly drag it in circles across his back committing the surface to memory as he lowly thrums with approval.

it's your favorite sight as he leads you through his apartment. he reaches an arm to scratch his head explaining the chaos that is his relationship with his not-so-twin-brother, and the motion pulls his loose shirt up exposing enough of his bare back that you can see where the tattoos from his neck reach and dot what is practically marble skin.

"anyway, the brats at practice so it should be quiet long enough for us to get some work done,"

your mind is elsewhere at his words and you can’t even tell the warmth that spreads across your cheeks and to the tips of your ears. your eyes are still glued to where his frame dips into his hips like before, but now his gym shorts are somehow lower than necessary to offer more skin to your imagination. it’s why when he finds you looking in a mirror on the hallway wall he stops himself short in anticipation of you walking into him again, a teasing remark already pulling his lips up into a truly devilish grin.

but you’re ready this time, because his back is all you can see, so you reach your hands out to brace yourself against his body admiring how they fit beneath his shoulder blades with your fingers ghosting where his back would meet his chest. underneath your hands you can feel his heart begin to race, and you suddenly find his eyes staring back at your fascinated expression in the mirror at the end of the hall.

it's the first thing you notice when you wake up the next day to find him at his desk he strums nothing in particular, a quiet metronome guiding his fingers. rising from being stuffed between pillows, your head turns to the sound of soft hums as you find his back facing you, muscles relaxed, and short lines of red hiding amongst the tattooed lines that reach from his neck and down his back. the red matches the grip of your own hands practically clawing against the skin, in anticipation, in need, not unlike the ones his mouth left across your own body.

you bundle the sheet tighter around yourself as you sit up, and he notices the sound immediately. his fingers falter, his head rises, and beautifully his back turns to reveal his smiling face propped against the back of his chair by the chin. your favorite sight. 

[ghostboneswrites2]

A Mess - Volume 2

Part 3

Summary: How the Savior war and the loss of Rick affected your relationship with Daryl.

Warnings: profanity, loss, spoilers, character deaths, smut

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

Chapter List

Note: man, one of the teasers I pulled from this chapter sparked some interest 😅

Well, @thesadcatt0, prepare for ANSWERS.

Anyways, I’ll shut up now. Enjoy ❤️

all banners credited on the masterlist!

        The lineup may have well been the worst day of your life. Two of your friends gone, and your lover taken against his will right in front of you. 

        The days without him we’re almost as bad as the day he was taken. You barely ate, never slept. You constantly found yourself crying in your shared bed, sniffing his pillow in place of him. It seemed so cruel to lose two loves in one lifetime.

        You had agreed to go to Hilltop with Rick and some others. You didn’t really know why you were going or what the plan was. You were just desperate to get out of Alexandria for a while. And, you wanted to see Maggie. You hadn’t seen her since the lineup, and she was pretty sick back then.

        You gave Maggie a big hug when you saw her, but before you could really catch up, the gates opened again and a loud engine echoed within the walls. Through the dust you could just barely make out Daryl and Jesus riding in on a motorcycle. 

        Daryl had barely stood up off the bike before you tackled him to the ground.

        “You’re okay.” You cried into the nape of his neck. He stiffened at the sudden human contact after days in isolation, but he relaxed as his arms snaked around you and held you tight against him. 

        “Yeah. I am.” He whispered into your hair, reminding not only you that he was okay but also himself. It had been a long few days at the Sanctuary, but now he knew things about them, and he had to report to Rick. They had to fight back. “C’mon.” He said softly as he tried to sit himself up off the ground. You rolled off him and stood up with him, gripping his hand tightly as he walked over to Rick to hug him. 

        That reunion was probably the highlight of the war with the Saviors. After that, there was nothing but more violence and death. You had begun to believe you were cursed. It seemed like you managed to end up with some kind of injury every time you had to fight. 

        When the final battle with the Saviors was over, you were left with a broken arm and a concussion. While your arm would take quite a while to heal, your head was fine the next day. The people that really needed healing were Maggie and Daryl. They both wanted Negan dead, and neither of them could let it go. But, Rick was unmoving on his decision to keep Negan alive as an example of what the communities all could have been. He was loyal to Carl’s vision, even at the detriment of those who had a score to settle with Negan.

        The inability to cope with Negan’s life being spared caused a bit of a rift between you and Daryl. You’d followed him to the Sanctuary for the short time he was in charge there. He hated being there, and he didn’t even really want you there in the first place. A lot of the Saviors were just people getting by, but a lot of them were also animals. He hated the way some of the men would check you out and lick their crusty lips when you walked past. It made him sick to his stomach to think what they’d do to you if they had a chance.

        The only time either of you felt any semblance of happiness at the Sanctuary was when you were both in bed.

        The frustrations of the work would often leave Daryl tense, and he’d take those pent up frustrations out on you in bed. The sex got a lot rougher in those days. 

        He’d turn you over so you were facing away from him. He felt too ashamed of himself to look at you, or let you see him. He was ashamed of the way he had failed people over time. He failed to get Beth out of that hospital, he failed Glenn when he threw that lunch that got him killed, he failed Maggie when he couldn’t avenge Glenn, he failed Rick every day he woke up to lead the people he hated, and he failed you every time you reached for his hand and he flinched away. 

        He’d grip the back of your neck with his thick hand. His cock would slam into you with so much force it knocked guttural sounds from within you. Your fingers would dig into the sheets when the bruising force of his thrusts got a little out of hand. 

        His mind would always be elsewhere. You’d rarely reach your climax, either of you. You’d both go to bed unsatisfied and you’d be sore the next day. Still, you were close to each other, intimate in privacy, and that was as good as it was going to get for the time being, so you both tried to enjoy it as much as you could. 

        When Daryl stepped down at the Sanctuary and Carol took over, you left with him to help work on the bridge. With the Saviors not always working well with others, things could get pretty hectic. Fights would break out, and often Daryl would be an aggressor. It was hot and sticky and bugs were everywhere all the time. The tent you shared was cramped and the nights were restless and uncomfortable. You couldn’t even have violent therapy sex without others listening in. There seemed to be no end to the suffering. Still, you remained by his side, no matter what.

        You stayed with him even when Rick blew up the bridge, when Daryl retired to the forest for six years. You’d often visit Hilltop or Alexandria to see old friends, but you stayed out there in that tent with him. Things were okay. He had become a bit softer, even in bed, but still he was withdrawn. You ate most of your meals in silence.

        Days dragged a lot of the time. When you got so bored you couldn’t stand it, you’d just take another trip to visit Maggie or Michonne and spend a few days away. He didn’t seem to mind, nor did he seem to worry about you taking care of yourself without him, so no harm done, you figured.

        One day you came home to see he had a dog. A dog, named Dog, apparently. 

        “Where’d you find him?” You asked as you patted and loved on the furry thing. 

        “Just out here.” He shrugged. He was holding something back, but you didn’t pry. You’d find out what it was soon enough, when you put the few tracking tips he taught you to good use, and tracked him on one of his hunts to find him at an old cabin. Another woman sat on the porch with him, long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder. 

        She noticed you as soon as you noticed her. She stood quickly, shotgun cocked and ready, barrel pointed right at you. You disregarded her completely, eyes trained on Daryl, who you didn’t think had any business at another woman’s house. 

        Dog stood pointedly at her side, growling and snarling at you. You realized he was her dog.

        Without a word, you just nodded, and stormed back to your camp. 

        By the time Daryl caught up, you were haphazardly throwing anything that belonged to you in your bag and rummaging around the campsite. 

        “(Y/N)—“

        “Don’t.” You cut him off.

        “It wasn’t—“

        “Wasn’t what?” You snapped, turning to face him, eyes blazing. “Wasn’t what it looked like? Yeah, right. Heard that one before.”

        Your body was trembling with rage. Considering the events that led to your relationship with him in the first place, you were infuriated that he’d be doing the same thing to you as your sleaze bag ex. We’re you eternally cursed to choose unfaithful men? 

        “No. It wasn’t.” He pleaded. You glanced down at Dog who sat idly by his side, tail wagging. 

        “Really? Cause I’ve never known a woman to loan anyone her dog without a good reason.” You glared. 

        “She didn’t. Dog found me. I followed him. That’s how I met her.”

        “Oh, cute. It’ll be a real nice story for your grandkids.” You rolled your eyes as you zipped up your bag and threw it over your shoulder. 

        “(Y/N) will ya just stop?!” 

        “No!” You shouted, throwing your hands up with frustration. “No, I won’t stop! If there’s anything you should know by now, it’s that I’m nobody’s fucking side piece.” 

        “It ain’t like that! If ya’d just stop and listen!”

        He pleaded with you as he stalked behind you, slapping stray limbs out of his face as he dodged through trees to keep up your pace. He found that he, too, was shaking. He felt so much anxiety in that moment — the possibility of losing you, especially over something so stupid — it was tearing him apart. He found himself blinking away tears as you tried to speed away from him. But, as he blinked them back, the pressure in his throat and chest just seemed to push more out. He was terrified. He couldn’t let you walk away. 

        When he caught up, he reached out and gripped your arm, pulling you back. You spun around and looked right through him, eyes wide and full of your own tears.

        “(Y/N), please. Just stop and listen.” He breathed. 

        “You have thirty seconds.” 

        “It wasn’t nothin’ like that, okay? I swear. Her dog follows me around. I bring ‘im home to her sometimes. We talk a little. That’s it.” He explained. 

        “Why don’t you just talk to me?” You asked quietly. You had a point. You two spent the majority of your time in silence, to the point where you’d leave him for days just to go have a real conversation with someone. You always came home, though, because you’d rather suffer in silence then be away for too long.

        “I just—“ He took a breath to collect his thoughts. “She don’t know about none of it, ya know? I just.. I don’t look at her and see somebody else I let down.”

        “Is that what you see when you look at me?”

        “No.” He shook his head. His gums were raw from how hard he’d been chewing at them. “I see somebody I’m afraid o’ lettin’ down.”

        “You never let anyone down, Daryl.” You said harshly. “And you’d know that if you’d fucking come talk to our family once in a while. I’m tired of telling them you’re doing fine, even if you won’t crawl out of your fucking hole and go see anyone.”

          “I just..” His lip quivered a little as he looked down at you. He hated that feeling. His fists bunched up at his sides, legs stiff, boots glued in place. He felt so awkward and vulnerable when he tried to be open with anyone. Especially you. All he wanted was to be someone you relied on, someone you felt safe with. Every time he opened up, he felt like anything but that. “I’m sorry.” 

        His voice cracked as he uttered the apology. You faltered a little at the sight of him, but you stood firm. 

        “Well, sorry ain’t gonna cut it this time. I need you to prove it. With actions.”

        “Like what?” He asked eagerly.

         “Like talking to me, for starters. Have a fucking conversation with me. Talk to me while we eat dinner. Touch me. Act like you want anything to do with me.” You spat. While his voice had softened the moment you gave him a chance to explain himself, your tongue was still sharp and jagged. All these things you had thought and felt and bottled up for six years were finally out on the table. 

        “Okay.” He nodded. “I will.”

        You glared at him. In all your experience with men, it had never been so easy to get the changes you’d asked for.

          “And…” You thought hard. “Sex. Like, good sex. I haven’t busted a nut in like six years.” 

        His lips curled a little. He’d almost forgotten how blunt you could be, given the chance to speak your mind. You crossed your arms.

        “Okay.” He nodded again. “So what first?”

        You cocked an eyebrow at that. It was actually a good question. 

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

        The bark of the tree scraped at your back as you gripped onto his shoulders. Lewd sounds filled the forest around you has he pumped his length in and out of you. You moaned and gasped, enjoying the familiarity of such intimate sex. It had been a long time since it felt that way. 

        Still, you weren’t reacting the way you used to, and he took notice. He wasn’t building you up the way he should have been by now.

        He slowed his pace down and broke the ongoing kiss to ask you; “What’s wrong?”

        “What? Nothing.” You panted impatiently, not understanding his sudden hesitance.

        “Somethin’s up.” He pressed.

        “I was starting to get close.” You insisted.

        “Nah ya weren’t.” He pointed out. “Hang on.”

         He hooked his hands under your thighs and dripped down to his knees, holding your legs up above his shoulders as his mouth found your mound. 

        You sucked in a breath of air at the sensation of his tongue tracing delicate circles around your clit. “Oh.” You breathed. “Shit.”

        He hummed against you, the gentle vibration making you twitch.

        Your nails dug into the tree behind you as you rocked against his mouth, relaxing your weight into the trunk as he held you up against it. 

        “Fuck.” You whined as your clit became more sensitive to his gentle laps. He sucked at your clit and fucked you with his tongue for a while, before he brought his attention back to your clit again and focused intensely on that sweet spot. 

        Soon your legs started to shake and your body began to buzz. The feeling washed over you quickly. A loud moan pushed past your lips as you came, writhing in his grip against the tree until you were twitching and jerking away from him. 

         With your orgasm finally out of the way, he was back on his feet, slapping into you, until his own high reached a climax and he was pumping you full of his cum. 

        When you recovered enough to pull your clothes back on and think a full, coherent thought, you realized something. 

        “Hey Daryl?” You asked as he buttoned up his jeans and adjusted his poncho.

        “Yeah?”

        “You didn’t pull out.” 

tags: @kissmeunicornbaobei @thesadcatt0 @clairealeehelsing @duckybird101 @tmntfixationxreader @ryoujoking @blackvelveteen1339 @yondus-girl @ladylincoln @sunshinebug9 @saylum559 @yoowhatthefuck @duffmckagansbandana @celtic-crossbow @virginsexgod69 @dazzling-roaring-20s @l0kilaufeys0n7 @uhnanix

[artiststarme]

The Party Forgets Steve's Birthday

Thank you for the prompt @nburkhardt ! I hope it meets your expectations!

Now with a Part 2!

~*~*~*~

Steve was used to being forgotten. His parents regularly left for months at a time without regarding him at all, his old friends at school had only ever seemed to remember him when they wanted to use his house to throw a party, and his own girlfriend conveniently forgot about him when she chose to sleep with the guy that gave him his first concussion. He was well past being surprised when people neglected to think about him. 

So he really shouldn’t have been surprised when everyone forgot his birthday. 

He woke up the morning of his twentieth birthday to an empty house and an even emptier heart. Just like every other day, his parents were off on a business trip ignoring his existence. They hadn’t even left him a message congratulating him on making it to twenty, a feat Steve never thought he would accomplish. The mailbox was just as empty as it always was and it was like Steve didn’t exist to his parents at all. He didn’t know why he expected anything different. He’d been ignored, cast aside by them, his entire life and he still had the gall to expect things to change. 

Steve had a shift at Family Video at 4 until close so he had to change out of his pajamas eventually. But right up until the moment he had to leave, he sulked from the comfortable nest of blankets on his couch. He grieved the loss of love from his parents that, looking back, may have never existed in the first place. 

He also waited for his friends to call. Eddie, Robin, Nancy, or Jonathan had to know it was his birthday today. He’d told them enough times and Robin had called him a “troublesome Taurus” at least once. The older teens may not have enough excitement over just another birthday to come over to his house but surely they would call. But as time marched on, his phone sat silent despite his staring at it. 

Well, he was seeing Robin at work so she was probably just waiting to tell him in person. And maybe the others were throwing a surprise party for him. The Party threw a birthday party for each one of the members on their special day so maybe it was Steve’s turn this year to be introduced to the tradition. After the horrific Spring Break from hell, he thinks he deserved it. 

While the Party was fine now, this encounter with the Upside Down had been their worst yet. Max was in a coma for two weeks before she woke up but the repercussions of Vecna’s mind-melt were permanent. She was now blind and she still hadn’t managed to leave her wheelchair over a month later. 

Eddie was ambushed by demobats and ripped apart even though his job was supposed to be the decoy that was out of danger. Steve had to give him CPR to restart his heart through the shock then had to sprint with him out of the Upside Down and into the nearest car in the Rightside Up, a car that he had to hotwire with Eddie’s minimal guidance. Then they had to clear his name with the police and townspeople that wanted nothing more than the outcast to go down for a crime he didn’t commit. 

And Steve. While his injuries were less severe than the others, his skin would always show the scars from the demobats. His neck was still blemished and his abdomen was sunken where the bats tried to use him as a meal. Mentally, his self-confidence was gone and he had nightmares every night about the feel of the teeth tearing through his flesh. He almost didn’t make it out of there this time which made this birthday all the more special. 

When he walked into the video store for his shift, all of the kids and Eddie were there. Steve had the brief thought that they were probably putting their final touches on the surprise party but that passed quickly once they turned to look at him. 

“Oh look, your esteemed babysitter is here which means he can deal with you. Now, if you don’t mind I’m going to go hang out with other grownups instead of sticking around with you children. Bye now!” Robin told them dramatically, waggling her fingers in their faces. She turned to Steve, “hey Dingus, your children have been trying to rent a rated R film for the past twenty minutes. You deal with that while I go on my date with Vickie. Toodles!”

Steve didn’t even have time to say anything in response before she made her way to the back to clock out and left his sight. He was still watching where she used to be when he heard a throat clear. It was fucking Dustin, of course it was. The little bastard had a smug smirk on his face and wiggled his eyebrows. 

“Gross dude, no. I keep telling you that it's not like that with Robin and I. Get your head out of the gutter,” Steve told him, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

“We can see how you look at her! It’s not rocket science, Steve. Just ask out the pretty girl already and stop being a lonely loser,” Dustin told him in a sarcastic tone. The other kids nodded while Eddie left to awkwardly look through the horror aisle full of movies he’d already seen. That fucker knew Robin was a lesbian and was just leaving him to suffer through this alone, on his birthday no less. 

“Look, I’m not talking about this today and I’m not renting you a tape that’s rated R. Is that all you’re here for?” Maybe this was a ruse and they were going to shower him with birthday wishes. 

“Oh come on! Eddie can rent it for us under his name!” Dustin whined. 

“I said no.”

"But-" Dustin started.

“Whatever, let’s go guys. Steve’s just being an asshole today,” Lucas said from his spot near the door. 

Will tucked his head down instead of acknowledging the asshole comment but still agreed, “we can go to the arcade!”

“Steve’s an asshole everyday. Today he’s just being unhelpful. If we wanted someone useless, we should’ve asked my dad,” Mike sneered at him. 

Being compared to Ted Wheeler was too much for Steve and the brats were starting to give him a headache. “Whatever dipshits, get out of my store. Go bother someone that cares. Bye!”

With some angry mumbles and grumbles, they shuffled out and made their way to the arcade (or so Steve assumes). Eddie poked his head out from the horror aisle then and upon seeing the coast was clear, hopped up to situate himself on the counter. “You having a bad day then?”

Steve sighed, “yeah you could say that. They were starting to give me a headache.”

Eddie hummed and poked Steve’s leg with his toe. “What’s up with you today? You seem… mad. Did something happen?”

Steve wasn’t mad, he was disappointed. He was disappointed that he didn’t mean as much to anyone else as they meant to him. The Party was his family but he was just an inconvenience to them. That was a common theme in life and many people have told him that through the years. His parents, Tommy and Carol, Nancy, some of the girls he’d taken on dates. Every single one of them considered him to be an inconvenience at best, a disappointment at worst. 

He really thought that he’d collected a good group of friends over the past few years that would treat him better, that didn’t just want to use him but loved him as he did them. Apparently not. 

He said as much to Eddie. “Do you ever feel like you mean something to someone and then it turns out that you don’t matter as much as you think you do?”

Eddie’s face twisted and he pulled a chunk of hair to cover his mouth. But he still nodded slightly before clearing his throat and answering his question. “Um yeah, I feel that way around you guys all the time.” 

Steve shot him an alarmed look but he continued. “It’s not meant to be a dig at you or anything! You guys have all been friends for so much longer that it just, it still feels like I’m an outsider still. You know?”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I feel like that too, man.” Eddie went to cut him off but he continued speaking. “No, seriously! It just feels like no one gives a shit about me even after all these years. Like, I woke up today thinking everyone was going to be calling me and coming over, just making a big deal all around, but no one did. I mean, it’s not like anyone’s ever done anything big for my birthday before but I just. I expected people to care this year.”

Eddie’s face slowly paled the more Steve spoke until his skin was practically translucent. “It’s your birthday today?”

“Yeah,” Steve chuckled sardonically. “I finally made it to the big 2-0. I kinda expected to have a party today since everyone else in the Party got one for their birthday but it’s fine. Even now I’m still just the babysitter, I guess.” 

Tears started to well in Eddie’s eyes and he lunged behind the counter to give Steve a hug. “Stevie, big boy, I’m so sorry! You deserve so much more than just a party today, baby. And you’re so much more than just the babysitter. You’re family to all of us, man.”

Steve shrugged again, “maybe that’s the problem. My family has never liked me either so that’s probably the case here too. It’s fine, I got my hopes up and I shouldn’t have. No one’s ever cared before so why would they start now?”

Eddie went to speak but a customer came in. Steve took their presence as a sign and pushed Eddie gently away from behind the counter. “I have to go help them, Eddie. See yourself out, okay? I’ll see you later.”

And then he was off to do his job and ignore the fact that Eddie was still watching him with tears in his eyes. He had other things to deal with today than Eddie’s hurt feelings. Like helping customers and trying to stomp down the soul-crushing disappointment in his chest. After all, what else could he have expected for his birthday?

Permanent tag list: @doubleb11 @nburkhardt @zerokrox-blog @newtstabber @i-less-than-three-you @carlyv @pyrohonk @straight4joekeery @trippypancakes

If you want to be tagged on all of my works, let me know!

[toxicrayofsunshine]

Dreams

Pairing: Hasil Farrell x Female OC

Words: 1776

Warnings: Injuries (not fatal), swearing, mention of family loss... lmk if I missed any

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

Summary: Hasil's dreams lead him to a young woman in need of his help. Part 1.

@babykayla288 - this took me longer than I intended and it's only the first part, but I hope you like it.

AN: This is NOT a Sasil fic. Sally-May is an amazing character and I love her and Hasil together, but I wanted to do something different.

He hadn’t been sure what he was supposed to be looking for, but his dream had been quite clear on where he was supposed to go. Off the normal trail was a rockface that climbers often frequented, but the Farrells avoided, which was why Hasil hadn’t told anyone where he was going when he left. He couldn’t explain it, but the dream left him almost frantic about finding whatever he was sure to see there. He wasn’t expecting that ‘thing’ to be a young woman around his age with raven black hair lying beneath the rock face.

At first, he was confused; why on earth would his dream tell him to come find a dead body? Upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn’t… it was telling him to find a LIVE one. He wasn’t sure how she’d survived the fall, but the slight rise and fall of her chest was unmistakable. He had no idea what Lady Ray would say about their visitor, but leaving her here wasn’t an option, not for him. With all the gentleness he possessed, he first looked her over to try to find some kind of wound. Her arms were scratched to hell, telling him she’d tried to catch herself on the way down, and he was sure one of them was broken, but other than that, she looked okay for someone who had just fallen off a cliff. When he went to pick her up, he noticed the strange necklace she had grasped in her right hand. It reminded him of the one he often saw Lady Ray wearing, but he quickly shook off the thought, grabbing the necklace, shoving it in his pocket, and carefully picking her up.

“What the hell?” she groaned, attempting to bring her hand up but wincing at the pain. “Fuck.” Hasil half expected her to start flailing when she realized she was in a stranger’s arms, but she seemed more relieved than anything when she looked at him. “Hi.”

“Hi?”

He was going to hazard a guess that she had a concussion; either that or she was just crazy. He wanted to tell her she’d be ok and that she was safe with him, but she passed out right after the word left his lips. So with a whispered ‘fuckin hell,’ he readjusted his hold on her and walked her to the 4-wheeler he’d left on the main trail. He still had no idea who she was or why his dream had brought him to her, but he didn’t think his family was going to take kindly to him bringing an outsider into their territory. Only one way to find out…

*

Lady Ray had been shocked as hell when she walked into the healer’s tent and saw the young woman. G’win was currently tearing into Hasil, calling him irresponsible and stupid for bringing her to them, but one look at her face and Lady Ray immediately stopped her.

“That’s enough.”

“Lady Ray?”

“Is she gonna be alright?”

“She’s got a broken arm, a concussion, and cuts all up and down her arms.”

“Don’t rightly answer my question.”

She didn’t sound angry, but there was a distinct edge to her tone that told them to tread very carefully. G’win wasn’t sure what the hell Hasil was thinking but now she was even more confused by their Bren’in and her reaction to this woman.

“She’ll be fine.”

“Good. Hasil, come with me.”

Hasil looked from the girl to his Bren’in but didn’t dare argue, nodding once and following her obediently. She quickly dismissed the others from her living room, and once it was just the two of them, Hasil was finally gifted with answers.

“Everythin alright, Bren’in?”

“That girl… did she have anything else on her?”

“Just this.” He pulled the necklace from his pocket and handed it over, watching her closely and catching the moment her eyes seemed to tear up. “Who is she?”

“Mitena… her family once helped our clan in a time of dire need. It was during the time of the big storm; several of our homes were destroyed along with most of our food and clean water. I was prepared t’ do whatever was necessary but they offered us their help freely. Requested nothin in return, but a Farrell doesn’t take charity, so I give ‘em that necklace. Told ‘em if they ever needed help, t’ just bring that back and they’d be welcome with open arms.”

“So her comin here weren’t no coincidence?” she shook her head ‘no’ but left it at that, at least until his next words. “Here I thought my dreams were just leadin me on a wild goose chase.”

“Dreams? What dreams?” Hasil told her about every dream he’d had over the past week. All about finding something important in an unexpected place. He explained that he had no idea it would be a person. “Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?”

“Like I said, I wasn’t sure if they was just dreams or something more.”

“Still, next time you come directly t’ me. Understand?”

“Of course Bren’in.”

“Good. Now, I’ll want t’ talk t’ her when she wakes, but I’m placin her under your charge.”

“Me?!”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” She scoffed. “You were the ones given the dreams, means your story with her has only just begun.”

“So you’re lettin her stay?”

“I am. I made a promise, and I keep my promises.”

“The rest of our kin may not like this.”

“You let me worry about them. You just worry about her.”

“Yes ma’am.”

*

When Mitena regained consciousness, she silently looked around the unfamiliar room, searching for the man she’d seen in her dreams. However, after everything that had happened, she wasn’t about to let her guard down so easily. Her parents had begged their leader not to let those women stay, but helping those in need was kind of their whole thing… only this time it led to the death of her family. Her mother’s quick thinking was the ONLY reason she’d survived, placing the necklace in her hand and telling her to find the Farrells. She’d heard stories of this clan and the promise that remained between their family and her own, and she was relieved to discover that the man in her dreams was part of that family.  

Hasil walked in a moment later, and his smile at the sight of her awake caused a small flurry of butterflies to flit in her chest. His Aura had a mix of orange, yellow, and green, bringing a natural calm to her spirit… unlike her healer, who she was seriously considering stabbing. She hadn’t heard everything, but G’win had been speaking to herself, and Mitena had heard enough to know she wasn’t happy with her presence. Something that was confirmed by her words to Hasil before realizing Mitena was awake.

“What’d she say?”

“I’m t’ look after her.”

He was speaking to G’win but looking directly at Mitena and his lip curved the tiniest amount when she let out a relieved sight. He hadn’t officially met the woman, but something about her was drawing him in, just as she was being drawn to him.

“Are you serious?! Since when do we take in strays?”

“If you’ve got a problem with it, I suggest you go on and talk t’ our Bren’in.”

“Maybe I will.”

“Maybe you should.” He shrugged, winking at Mitena and smiling outright when he saw her trying to hide a laugh. “I’m just tellin' you what she told me.”

“You sure you’re tellin' me everything?”

He just shrugged again, and G’win let out an angry groan, tossing a rag at him and wondering if everyone in this family had lost their damn minds. “Since she’s your problem, you wrap up her arm. I’m gonna go talk t’ Lady Ray and git t’ the bottom of this.”

“Knock yourself out.” He was so unphased by her outburst that Mitena figured this must be a pretty regular interaction between them. When she was finally gone, he walked over and sat beside her on the bed as though they were old friends rather than new acquaintances. “Don’t mind her. She’s a bit paranoid, but she means well.”

“She sounds like a raging bitch.”

He didn’t bother hiding his laugh, finding her assessment hilarious but not entirely wrong. He cared very much for G’win and thought she would make a decent Bren’in in the future, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be self-serving and downright mean to outsiders.

“She ain’t all bad.” He shrugged, “Now, I gotta fix up your arm. Can ya sit up for me?”

She did as he asked, wincing but not crying out when he started wrapping her arm. She was more interested in watching his face, looking for micro-expressions that would tip her off before she fell too deep. What she found instead was a deeply caring individual, and in this moment, she knew why her dreams were leading her to him.

“Thank you.”

“Can’t leave ya all banged up.”

“Not just for this.” She whispered, bowing her head so she could compose herself and meeting his eyes when she was sure she wouldn’t cry. “I know bringin me here was a risk.”

“No risk, no reward.” He teased, finding the tint of pink dusting her cheeks to be nothing short of mesmerizing. “What were ya doing all the way out here, anyways?”

“My family… we were targeted by the Kinnah. As far as I know, I’m the only one who survived.”

He’d heard stories of the Kinnah and none of them were good. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault.” She shrugged, happy that this conversation was going well, all things considered. “My mama told me t’ come find your family, said you’d help.”

“She’s right. Lady Ray said you can stay as long as ya want, but she’s gonna wanna talk t’ you… and she’ll wanna know about them Kinnah.” Mitena nodded in understanding, smiling up at him when he took her now bandaged hand in his and gave her a slight squeeze. “You’re safe here. Safe with me.”

“Thank you… I’m Mitena, by the way.”

“Hasil. Pleasure t’ meet you, Mitena.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Hasil.”

It was a small introduction, and while her heart was in tatters after the loss of her family, she was so thankful her dreams had led her to such a man as this. He had such a calming effect on her; it was unlike anything she’d experienced before, and though she didn’t know how this would end up, she was grateful to have him as her guide.