#he saw his chance to brag and he took its

[sweets-yandere-lover]

[limethefirst]

Sick Days

pairings: Shadow the Hedgehog x reader (platonic)

warnings: mention of illness, Shadow trauma :(

summary: after getting sick with a small flu Shadow takes care of you

a/n: this is written from the movie au so erm its movie shadow to fill the little hole in my heart! small little fluff cause my day has been so depressing and i needed comfort (can be romantic or platonic tbh but i wrote it from a platonic pov so). Also i am getting a few requests, it’s not overwhelming and I’m not closing my requests but it is first come first serve so please be patient while I go through them all!!!

A shivering body lay under the blankets, you felt so cold. But your entire body was overheating; unfortunately the flu was spreading and you had succumb to it. You’d been bragging how you were so healthy and you actually believed you’d get through the flu season without ever catching it, but the world really had a way of sticking it to you.

And so there you lay, on your warm bed with an empty water bottle by your side that you would’ve filled long ago if it wasn’t for the flashes of pain you’d randomly get throughout your body.

You’d been home alone for a while, not really telling anyone you were sick, you didn’t want to bother them anyway. What could they do? You’d already taken medicine, at this point it was just a waiting game.

Slowly you settled yourself into a more comfortable position, hoping a nap would make the pain go away, but as you closed your eyes, the ring of the doorbell echoed through the empty house. You were currently alone, so you had no choice but to get up.

As you did you felt your bones aching and flashed of heat passing through you, it felt as if you were walking through hell. By the time you’d made it to the door your breath was staggered, making it seem like you ran a marathon while in reality you’d only walked 10 feet to open the door.

As the door creaked open you saw the one and only Shadow, his body straight and his eyes were like little daggers poking at you, but it faltered. His clenched little paw slightly widening as he took you in; your body was slightly hunched over, your blanket clinging to your shoulders and your eyes looked sullen, deprived of sleep.

Before he had the chance to ask you anything you suddenly erupted into a fit of coughs, your throat felt as if it were on fire after each one, “You’re sick,” he exclaimed; it wasn’t a question, more of a clarification.

You offered him a small nod, sniffing a bit. Shadows gaze lingered on you a bit, he felt himself getting goosebumps, this scene was far too familiar for him. Suddenly it felt like he was next to Maria again, as she assured him that she was fine, and he had to stand there and watch as the sickness she had only caused her more suffering.

This time though, Shadow could do something, and so he will. Before you had a chance to ask Shadow what he was doing here, he’d already grabbed ahold of your hand and ushered you back into your room.

“Shadow what are you doing?” You asked him, your voice hoarse. He didn’t respond, instead he lightly pushed you back onto your bed, grabbing your empty water bottle and walking out.

You sat there dumbfounded, he just pushed you onto your bed and left? This was Shadow you were thinking about though so he did do strange things every now and then. You would’ve gone after him but the pain that engulfed you was overwhelming, so instead you decided to lay down and wait for it to pass.

As you laid there, Shadow quickly returned. The water bottled filled to the brim as he handed it to you, “Drink” he said, holding it up to you.

Slightly you adjusted yourself, as you took the water from his hands. You took a few small sips and as you tried to close the bottle Shadow held the cap back from you, “More” you let out a weak chuckle as you drank some more, the water soothing your itching throat.

When you handed it back to him, he put the cap back on the bottle and placed the blanket over you, not saying much; his eyes spoke a million words for him.

Gently he pushed you onto your back and made sure you were completely covered and comfortable, he was used to taking care of sick people, he’d done it with Maria a lot, so he had a basic understanding of what he should be doing.

As you laid in bed, you face staring at the ceiling muttering a small thank you, Shadow felt his work there was done. He couldn’t do much against a flu, it was more of a ‘do what you can and wait it out’ type of sickness.

“Get well soon, take this medicine after you wake up and I’ll be back to check on you,” his voice monotone as you began to leave your room.

You watched him go, but before he reached the door you’d turned onto your side, mumbling his name, “Shadow..” you fidgeted with your hands under the blanket. He turned back to look at you, his eyes scanning you and you covered your face a bit, “Could you stay with me while I sleep?”

You erupted into a small fit of coughs, only solidifying the idea that he should stay. Instead of responding Shadow sat on your bed, his back against the wall and his arms crossed and he lightly nodded and closed his eyes as well.

The room became still, the occasional cough making Shadow turn to glance at you. He watched you shiver under the blanket, clearly it wasn’t warm enough for you; so he did the only other thing he knew would help.

He quietly made his way to the head of your bed, and silently made his way under your blanket and laid next to you. You didn’t notice, the exhaustion of the sickness already making you fall fast asleep.

Shadow was glad you couldn’t tell what he was doing, he didn’t even know why he did it himself honestly. He just did what he used to do, back when she was sick.

After a while the shivering had stopped, your breathing was even but Shadow stayed, he was still next you, curled up so that you had a sense of comfort.

And he would stay there until you got better, because this was something he knew how to do, and you were someone he’d grown to care for.

[atlabeth]

weight of the world

series masterlist

pairing: luke castellan x daughter of poseidon!reader

summary: percy returns to camp after a successful quest. luke battles his guilt.

a/n: a lot of you guys seemed to like the percy pov and the pure angst of luke doing all this stuff to his first love's brother percy jackson instead of just percy jackson and first and foremost i would like to say you're all crazy but i also agree. so here you go. title from the jon bellion song

wc: 5.6k

warning(s): reader is dead (i feel like i have to tag this every time lmao). angst made angstier with fluffy flashbacks. tlt betrayal scene (pit scorpion edition). everyone is so sad

When Percy returned to camp with Annabeth and Grover, they were hailed as heroes. 

It might not have felt like it on the road, isolated with just the three of them, but they’d prevented a third World War. They certainly stopped camp from getting destroyed, if what Luke told them was true about the cabins taking sides. 

Burning their burial shrouds felt even better, especially with the Ares cabin’s expert craftsmanship. Apparently it was a tradition because demigods died so frequently on quests—Percy took pride in breaking that unsettling standard. 

It turned out all he needed to come into his own was to go on a quest everyone thought would kill him and not die. 

He excelled during his sword fighting lessons—going against a god would do that for you—he’d gotten much better at using his powers—going against a god would also do that for you—and his team always dominated on the lake during races, though that might’ve just been him cheating. 

He’d even started getting used to the Poseidon cabin in all its emptiness. It still felt too lonely, but he was working on it. The first thing he did when he got back to the cabin was pin your photo on the wall—Cabin Three belonged to you as much as it did to him.

And of course, everyone wanted to hear about how Percy saved the world. He’d told the story of his quest about a hundred times since he got back, sometimes with Annabeth piping in to set the record straight, sometimes with Grover dramatically setting the scene, always with a million different questions in between about how everything went down. 

Tonight was no different in the amphitheater—a group of Athena kids wanted to hear about his fight against Ares again—but he managed to get out of giving them the excruciating play-by-play courtesy of campfire songs. Percy didn’t really mind, though—any night with a large, golden fire was a good night in his books. 

Which was kind of how he ended up giving Luke the play-by-play of his quest. Maybe it was bragging, but he hadn’t seen who he considered his first friend at camp in a while. And yeah, sue him, but he wanted to impress Luke. He was cool and nice and good at everything, and Percy wanted to prove he’d made him proud. 

“—And I thought I didn’t stand a chance, but she taunted me and told me to jump into the water if I was really Poseidon’s kid. So I did, and it worked, and somehow I lived.” Percy shook his head with a slight laugh. “It ended up all over the news. I was a nationally wanted criminal for a couple days. We also blew a bus up, and rode with a zebra and a lion to Vegas, and went to the Underworld— gods, we did so much. It was crazy, honestly.” 

Luke chuckled. “I’m sure.” 

Percy glanced over at him, his brows creasing when he saw his distant gaze. He didn’t think Luke heard a single word. “You good, man?” 

He blinked and focused back on Percy, and though he smiled it was strained. “Yeah. Sorry—spaced out for a second. You were talking about your quest?” 

Percy nodded slowly. “Yeah. The whole criminal thing.” 

His smile turned a little more genuine. “You made front page news, too. I think you became the idol of a lotta kids here.”

“Oh, god,” he said with a frown. “You guys get news here?” 

“Couple New York papers,” he nodded. “You’re camp-famous.” 

Percy huffed a laugh and shook his head. “It feels crazy. I just got here a month ago, and everything’s already changed so much.” He looked over at Luke. “What did you do after you got home from your quest?” 

“...It takes some getting used to,” he admitted with a shrug. “I mean, getting to camp after so many years on the road was rough—coming back to camp after getting this—” he tapped his scar— “didn’t help.” 

“How did you get that?” he asked. 

“You’re always trying to get the saddest stories out of me,” Luke said wryly. “You know you can read books, right?” 

“I can’t, actually,” Percy said. "Not well."

Luke laughed and shook his head, his gaze falling back to the fire. Percy took it as him moving on. 

“I��� I know I’m kind of proving your point, but… I wanted to ask you if I could have a couple more pictures” Percy cleared his throat, brushing a few dark strands of hair out of his face. “Of my sister, I mean. Obviously, you have way more of a right to them than I do, but— but Cabin Three’s a little bare. I thought adding a couple current things to the old stuff she put up would be nice.” 

His throat bobbed, and it took him a second, but he nodded. “Yeah. Yeah— sure.”

“Tomorrow after breakfast?” he asked. “I’ve got some free time before I have to go down to the forge.”

Luke nodded again. “Sure. You still have that picture I gave you?”

“Of course,” he said. “I already put it up on the wall. Do you want it back?”

His smile was bittersweet as he shook his head. “Nah. Like I said, you deserve to have a piece of her with you. And I’m sure she’d say the same.”

“I asked my dad about her, y’know,” Percy said. Luke’s eyes widened a bit as he looked back at him. “I went to Olympus on my own to return Zeus’s bolt, and the two of them were there. My dad and I got some alone time, and…” he shrugged. “I already annoyed two gods that day. Figured a third wouldn’t be that crazy.”

“What did he say?” 

“That it was one of his greatest regrets,” Percy said. “And he’d never forgive himself for letting her die, and for what it did to her mom.” He glanced at Luke. “And to you.”

Luke’s chest stilled, his gaze going out of focus for a moment as a muscle worked in his jaw. He hid it well, but Percy knew. He’d spent enough time at home with his mom and step-dad, overheard enough one-sided arguments. 

“You’re braver than me,” he finally said, and he stood up. “I’m gonna turn in—it’s been a long day.”

“I’m sorry, Luke,” he said. “And Poseidon is too, for whatever it’s worth.” 

Luke didn’t look back at him as he started towards the path. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Percy.” 

-

“Are you sure you’re allowed to put lights up?” Luke asked. 

“Okay, Chiron,” you said cloyingly. “I didn’t know you were such a stickler for the rules.” 

“I’m just worried about fire safety!” he exclaimed. “The Hephaestus kids nearly burn down their cabin at least five times a week.” 

“They’re working with actual fire. These are just Christmas lights.” You glanced down at him and he handed you the next strand. “Besides, this is the safest cabin for possible fire hazards. And they look pretty—that’s all that matters.” 

Luke chuckled as you hung them up, and he took a step back as you jumped off the chair and moved it to the other side of the room. You usually hung fairy lights, but with the holidays just around the corner, you wanted to make the place more festive. You asked Luke if he wanted to hang out with you while you decorated, and he obviously accepted. He took all the time he could get with you. 

“It’s so quiet in here,” Luke said as you got back up, taking the next strand with you. “I’m not used to an empty cabin.” 

“That’s what happens when you’re not supposed to be alive,” you mused. 

“You of all people can’t say that.” He huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Do you ever get lonely in here?” 

“‘Course not,” you said. “I’ve always got you following me around.” 

“Can you blame me?” he asked. “Your company’s the best.” 

You grinned and looked back down at him, and Luke gave you the next string of lights. “Or maybe you’re just a little crazy. You’ve gotta be to spend three years on the road with me.” 

“Being around you is what’s kept me sane,” he corrected. “Especially in the Hermes cabin of chaos.” 

You got up on your toes and lifted a leg up so you could lean to reach the last hook. “Oh, come on. Your siblings are so fun to be around!” 

“Maybe in small doses,” he said wryly. “And be careful, gods—” 

You looked down at him, your grin only growing. “Are you saying you’re worried about me?” 

“Always,” he said, still watching you, “but the last thing you need is to break your leg.” 

“It’s a five foot fall, Luke,” you said, amused as you got back on even footing. You hopped back down and tilted your head. “I’ve survived much higher falls.” 

Luke frowned. “You don’t get to joke about that.” 

“I thought you were dead too,” you defended. “That means it’s fair game.” 

His chest twisted. He’d played that day over in his head thousands of times since he first lost you, wondering if he could have done something different or if he should have searched more—he stayed in those woods for a week and a half searching for you before another monster attack forced him out of the area. It was the whole reason he came up with a designated meeting area with Thalia and Annabeth if they got separated—he never wanted to lose someone again the way he lost you. 

He shook his head with a sigh. “Sometimes I still can’t believe it, y’know? 

“Thank my dad,” you said. “I would have died if I didn’t fall into water. And he’s the reason I got to camp.” 

He’s also the reason you ended up on the streets in the first place, Luke wanted to say, but he held his tongue. You’d never shared his disdain for the gods, and he didn’t want to spoil your mood with his bitterness. 

So he doesn’t. He tilted his head and focused back on you. “Do I ever tell you how thankful I am that you're still alive?”

You smiled as you pushed the chair in front of your desk. “I could always stand to hear it more.” 

“Well, I’m thankful that you’re alive,” Luke said. He could have stared at your smile forever. “Mourning you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” 

“With any luck, you won’t have to do it again,” you joked. “I get it, though. Sometimes it feels like a dream. I thought I was hallucinating when you came over that hill.”  

The best and the worst day of his life—he found you again and lost Thalia in the same five-minute span. It wasn’t fair—Luke had told Thalia so many stories about you, and she was the one that brought him back from the edge your supposed death sent him to. On his worst days, Luke blamed himself for both. 

“Luke,” you said, jarring him out of his thoughts. “What do you think of the lights? Tacky, or festive, or both?” 

He blinked, then took a step back with you so you could get the full view. He nodded. “Festive, definitely. Where’d you even get them?” 

“The Big House attic,” you said. “It’s not just full of Oracles and spoils of war.” 

He chuckled. “And how did you convince Chiron to give you those?” 

You shrugged. “You know I’m persuasive.” 

Luke shook his head. “I’m jealous. No one else really gets to decorate their place like this.” 

“No siblings means full creative control,” you mused. “And Big Three dad means a big cabin all for me.” 

“And yet you still get a twin bed,” he said with a smile. “We’re all equal, really.” 

“Like you wouldn’t prefer a full.” You fluffed your pillow then set it back down. “You spend as much time in here as I do.” 

“Can you blame me?” Luke shrugged. “There’s no privacy there. We can get away with basically anything in here.” 

“And because you love me,” you said cloyingly as you rustled your hair with his hand. 

“Yeah,” he said with a smile. “I really do.” 

Your smile widened and you gestured at your box of decorations. “Wanna prove it, loverboy? Help me get the rest of this up before sword lessons.”

“Y’know, I’m leading them today,” Luke said, picking up a stack of snowflake cutouts. He was pretty sure you just took all the rejects after you were in charge of the crafts for a week. “Technically, that means we’ve got as long as we want.” 

“Oh, Luke Castellan,” you said airily, pressing a hand to your chest. “You know the way to my heart.” 

-

“Oh,” Percy said. “Wow.” 

“Yeah. And this is only one of them.” Luke set a cardboard box full of things on an empty bed and sighed. “She made this place her own while she was here.”

Percy took out a stack of baseball cards on top—Red Sox, of course, the only bad thing about you—and shuffled through them. “Everything’s a little dusty.” 

“No one really wanted to come in here after she died,” Luke said. He had a tangled mess of Christmas lights in his hands. “All this stuff stayed up for a year or two before I took it all down.” He huffed a mirthless laugh. “You’re probably the only one apart from me to be in here since she left.” 

Percy set the cards down. “Do you mind if I put some of it back up?” 

Luke glanced at him. “Why do you always ask me? This is your place.” 

“It’s not just my place,” he said. “I… I want to make sure I’m honoring her well. And I don’t wanna make it harder for you. Especially if you took it down for a reason.” 

Luke was silent for a moment as he stared at the lights. He brushed off some dust with his thumb. 

Percy felt bad for pushing the matter every time he was around Luke, but there was a tug inside of him—an innate need to know more about her, a desperation to honor her life despite never meeting her. 

“I appreciate it,” he finally said. “But go for it, man. You don’t have to get my permission.” 

Percy nodded, and he took a poster out, wedged in the side of the box. A Blondie poster, based off the huge block letters above a blonde singer stylized in pop art. It had a torn corner, and bits of tape had been folded over some parts of the edges. 

Luke chuckled. “She was a huge Blondie fan. She brought her Walkman when she ran away—I lost count of how many times we listened to Parallel Lines. Definitely put that one back up.” 

Percy nodded and set it on his bed. He looked at the lights in Luke’s hand. “Why’d she have those?” 

“She loved to light the cabin up,” he explained. “Said it made it feel more homey, and she liked to change it with the seasons. And when she enlisted the Aphrodite kids, it was like a— a HomeGoods warzone.” Luke shook his head with the most genuine smile he’d seen all day. “She really was something special.”  

Again, Percy’s heart clenched. It wasn’t fair he only got to learn about you through stories, only through the past tense. If he could get his mom back, why the hell couldn’t he get you back? Why couldn’t his dad have stepped in? 

What good was regret when you have all the power in the world to stop it? What good was being a god if you couldn’t save your family when it mattered most? 

“Y’know, I decorated this place a million times with her,” he said, and Percy was thankful for the interruption with his thoughts. “She wanted it to be a welcoming cabin, open to the whole camp if they ever got homesick.” 

“So the opposite of what it used to be,” Percy said wryly. 

“Yeah,” Luke nodded. “You two are the first Poseidon kids in a long time because of the oath—it was just here for respect. She didn’t just make it into her home, she made it into a home for anyone that needed some extra warmth.” 

Percy looked around, trying to imagine you and a younger, unscarred Luke putting all this stuff on the walls, him helping you hang Christmas lights. You sitting on a bed, maybe what he’d chosen as his bed, talking a younger camper through their fears or their homesickness. You forcing the innate coldness of Cabin Three out and replacing it with warmth of your own. 

“Did you bring any pictures?” he asked. 

Luke nodded again and took a few out of his pockets, offering them to Percy. He took the one sticking out the most and smiled a bit. 

“Very Poseidon of her,” he commented. 

“She loved the beach,” Luke said, smiling wistfully. “No matter what state we were in, she would always try to find one. We could’ve walked twenty miles that day, and the moment she stepped into the water she would be good as new. I should’ve known who her dad was a lot sooner.”

Percy’s hand lingered on the picture he’d just put up. You stood on a sandy shore with your arms spread and head tilted back, and you looked wholly in your element. 

He wondered what you would think of Montauk. 

“This was one of those times?” he asked. 

Luke nodded. “North Carolina. A year and a half in, I think. We missed the East Coast after being in the Midwest for so long, and naturally, she found a beach immediately.” His eyes softened. “She was always so happy around the water, even after she knew what it meant.”

Percy frowned. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “Finding out the thing you’ve always loved is the domain of the father who abandoned you is a little rough.” 

Luke always spoke with more nerve towards the gods than any other camper he knew. Funny, considering he was one of the first ones to tell him that names had power.

And he’d been acting weird since Percy got back from the quest. He thought maybe he was jealous, but Luke didn’t really seem like the jealous type—especially when he was already so cool. 

Then again, they did just come back from the brink of a possible world war. Percy should’ve been surprised more people weren’t acting weird. 

His attention drifted to the clock on the wall in the midst of his thoughts—Chiron’s last ditch effort in a camp full of time-blind kids—and his eyes widened. 

Percy muttered under his breath—Annabeth had taught him some Ancient Greek curse words on the road, and he was sure his mom would love them—and looked up at Luke. “Sorry, man. I’ve gotta go. Time really got away from me.” 

“I get it,” he nodded. “Have you gotten any better?” 

He glanced away bashfully. “Not really. But Beckendorf has the patience of a saint. Maybe someday I’ll make an actually functional sword.” 

Luke chuckled, though it was wistful. “Good luck. You mind if I stay here for a bit? I can put up some of her things.” 

“Yeah,” he nodded, “of course. Stay as long as you want.” 

Percy stopped once he got out of the door. Luke’s gaze was glued to a picture of you on the wall, his expression softer than he’d ever seen before at odds with something indistinguishable in his eyes. Again, Percy felt that all-encompassing dread, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. 

He left before it could consume him, but the haunted look in Luke’s eyes didn’t leave his head for the rest of the day. 

-

You took in a deep breath of salty air. The sea breeze blew over you as waves gently rolled into shore, and you smiled. You never felt more like yourself than when you were at the beach, and when you and Luke were constantly on the run fighting for your lives, sometimes you desperately needed to feel like yourself. 

You exhaled long and slow. It had been a particularly rough week—Luke did his best patching up your shoulder, but it would definitely scar—and this was just what you needed to wind down before you started moving again. 

You and your mom went to Cape Cod a lot when you were growing up, and though this wasn’t anywhere close to the same, it made for an alright stand-in.

The click of a polaroid camera interrupted your peace, and you opened your eyes and turned your head to see the culprit. 

“And you made fun of me for constantly taking pictures,” you said wryly. 

Luke smiled. “I made fun of you for taking up valuable space in your bag to bring your camera with you. I can’t not take pictures of you—especially when you’re so photogenic.” 

“Flatterer.” 

“Not if it’s true,” he remarked. He held out the camera to you. “Wanna get any pictures of the sea? You’ve got a better eye than me.” 

“Well, the sea’s a better subject than me,” you said. “Hold onto it.” 

He chuckled and took it back, drying out the newly printed picture. “How’re you feeling, by the way? I know it’s been a hard few days.”  

“Never better,” you said. “I needed a break from the road.”

“I get why you wanted to stop here,” he said. “It’s… calming.”

“Isn’t it?” You spread your arms out, breathing in deep once more. “I always feel better out here. More free.”

Another camera click, and your smile grew. “How do you feel?” 

“Better too, surprisingly. But that might just be because we’re walking instead of running.” You heard his footsteps and he came up next to you. You took the picture he offered and chuckled. You had your head back and your arms spread, soaking up every bit of sun and sea air you could. 

“I look like a stock photo.” 

“Does that mean I can get a job as a photographer?” he asked. “We could use some extra cash.” 

“Half of the pictures are either random parts of nature or me,” you said. “Who’d buy those?” 

“Me,” Luke said. “But I don’t think that would help with our money problems.” 

“All this flattery won’t get you anywhere,” you said. 

“It got me here,” he said. “I think it’s worked out pretty well.” 

You smiled as you looped arms with Luke, and after you gestured with your head, you started walking down the sand together. Whereas you always felt like you were blurting out the first thing that came to mind when you were around him, Luke always knew exactly what to say to make you feel better. “Do you like it here?” 

Luke nodded. “It’s nice. I get why you like the water so much.” 

“At least one beach a week going forward now that we’re on the coast again, then,” you said. “Deal?” 

“Deal,” he agreed. 

“Good,” you said with a smile. “I’ve been wanting to go back to Virginia Beach. Last time, those giant ant things ruined it for us.” 

“Gods,” Luke grumbled, and you felt him shiver. “Don’t remind me of those things. I’ll never forget what their poison smelled like—and I’ll never forgive them for ruining my favorite shirt.” 

“Don’t worry,” you said. “I’ll get you a Red Sox one someday, and it’ll become your new favorite shirt.” 

Luke shook his head. “Your Boston baseball propaganda isn’t gonna work. I was raised as a Yankee.” 

“And I’m here to undo that awful brainwashing,” you said sagely. “Next time we go through Massachusetts, I’ll have to get you one. And we can stop by Cape Cod—I think being close to the water is good for my health.” 

“And I like seeing you happy,” he mused. “So I guess it works out for both of us.” 

You laughed. “We’ll have to stop at a music store before the day ends, too. I’ve nearly worn out my Cyndi Lauper tape, and I need to get some new ones. You should pick out an album you like too.h” 

“‘Course,” he said. “I think we’ve got some extra cash saved up. And if we have to—” 

“We shouldn’t steal anything yet,” you interrupted. “I don’t wanna get the cops on our backs so soon.” 

“You say that like I would get caught,” Luke remarked. “It’s literally in my genes. I’m making my father proud, and I’m helping you. I see no reason not to do it.” 

“Cool it,” you said. “We’re not becoming Bonnie and Clyde at the ripe old age of eleven.” 

“Fine.” You couldn’t see it, but you could sense his smile. “I’ll hold off. For now.” 

That got another laugh out of you as you leaned your head against his shoulder. It felt like you’d been on the run for a week straight—this was the best break you could have asked for. Maybe the sea was good for your health, you thought. Or maybe it was just Luke. 

Either worked for you. 

-

Percy could hardly breathe as he stared down at the scorpion, slowly inching its way up his pants leg. It wasn’t every day one of your friends betrayed and tried to kill you in the woods, but this seemed like the year he started checking things off his bucket list. 

“So this was your plan all along,” he said, attention split between the pit scorpion and the traitor. “Gain my trust, send me to Tartarus, start a war for Kronos.” 

The air got colder, and Luke tilted his head. “You should be careful with names.”

“And you should do the job yourself,” he challenged. “You want to kill me? Fight me like a man.” 

“I’m not Ares,” he said tartly. “You can’t bait me.” 

“So you’re a coward too?” Red hot anger rose within him, and the words left him before he could really think about them. “Did you also lie about my sister? Got a hobby of killing Poseidon kids?”

“Zeus got her killed, Percy!” Luke yelled. There was something wild in his eyes as he gestured with his sword. “I loved her more than anything—I held her as she died, and your dad let it happen. If it weren’t for the gods, both her and Thalia would be alive!” 

Maybe it was a good thing Percy didn’t know that until now. If he knew the king of gods was responsible for his sister’s death, he would’ve gotten himself burnt to a crisp on Olympus. 

“This isn’t what my sister would have wanted,” he said. “She—”

“Don’t you dare talk about her!” His voice continued to rise. “You don’t know her— you don’t know what she would have wanted!” 

“She couldn’t have wanted this!” he exclaimed. Percy’s breath caught momentarily as the scorpion inched closer and he forced his muscles to remain as still as possible as his gaze flicked back over to Luke. “This isn’t the way to fix things, Luke. I promise.” 

He shook his head, and he could have been a son of Ares the way fire seemed to blaze in his eyes. “She died because of Zeus, Percy. She was so close to sixteen, and that meant she was a threat to his power. He sent monsters to kill her, and your dad could have saved her, but he didn’t do a damn thing about it. And y’know,” Luke huffed a laugh, cold and mirthless, “the same thing’s gonna happen to you.” 

His blood had turned to ice. “He knows the pain of losing a daughter. Why would he—” 

“Because they don’t care, Percy!” he yelled, his sword cutting through the air again. “All they care about is keeping their power and their position. Your dad would rather send you on a death quest than stop stroking his ego for one measly second. Hades sent monsters to kill Thalia, and Zeus sent monsters to kill your sister—they can’t punish each other, so they punish us, and the cycle will never stop until we make it stop.”

“And you think that this is the way to do it?” he asked desperately. “By betraying camp and all your friends? We’re in the same position as you are!” 

“And anyone that’s smart will join our cause,” Luke said. “Do you really think I’m the only one that’s upset with the gods? I’ve been here for five years—I’ve seen kids leave for the school year and never come back. I’ve seen kids die without ever being claimed. My own dad turned me away at every opportunity. Our numbers are bigger than you know, Percy.” 

“You say I don’t know my sister,” Percy said, “but I know her enough to know she wouldn’t want this. Not in her name. Not against our father.” 

“You don’t know her at all,” Luke said, voice trembling. “If she knew that Zeus killed her for nothing but paranoia over a bullshit prophecy, she would be fighting against the gods right beside me.” 

“I lost her once,” he continued, shaky but full of anger, “and then I got her back, just to lose her all over again. The gods will never know that kind of pain—if they did, they wouldn’t have let it happen in the first place.” 

The scorpion was at his knee now. Percy was running out of time, and his mind was working in overdrive on how to get more, but he found himself rendered speechless. What could he say to a boy who’d lost everything? 

Luke was the lightning thief, he’d fully intended to kill Percy with those shoes, he meant to turn the gods against each other and raise Kronos, and now he was really trying to kill him.  

And yet, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy.

Percy thought he’d lost his mother, but now she was back. He’d met his father in person. He had a sister he’d never meet, that he would never be able to fully grieve. Luke loved her and grew up with her and grieved her twice.

Percy didn’t care—anyone who his sister loved couldn’t be a bad person. Not fully.  

“Please, Luke,” he said, voice low. “I don’t know how to solve it, but this isn’t the way. You think the gods are using you? Kronos is doing the exact same thing.” 

“You’re twelve, Percy, and you’re already the chosen one,” Luke said. “Hades and Ares would have both killed you if they got their way, and it was your job to stop a war between the gods because they couldn’t see beyond their egos. How is that fair to you?”  

“There was no other choice,” Percy insisted. “If either of them backed down, they would look weak. We’re the only ones that can do quests like this.” 

“Exactly,” he said. “They start petty fights that they can’t finish and it gets taken out on us. We have to be their heroes, and we have to praise them as we die.”

Percy remembered their bus exploding. Medusa, an innocent woman favored by Poseidon and punished by Athena for it. The endless souls in the Asphodel Fields, and even more waiting in line for their chance to be judged. Luke’s quest given to him by his father permanently scarring him, Thalia Grace sacrificing herself for her friends, his sister never getting the chance to see sixteen—Percy himself being used as a pawn to enact Kronos’s plan. 

“You don’t have to be a hero,” Luke continued, almost begging at this point. “You can join our cause—you can prove you’re so much more than the prophecies want you to be. Say the word and I’ll call it off.”

Percy wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of godly respect. He tricked Hades, insulted Zeus, and actually fought Ares. But his dad loved him—or loved his mom, at least. Annabeth’s determination and Grover’s steadfastness and all the friends he’d made at camp—all innocent children like himself. He couldn’t turn his back on that. 

Percy clenched his jaw. “I will never serve Kronos.”

Pain flashed in Luke’s dark eyes, but he shut it down just as soon. “So be it.”

He slashed his sword through the air and a ripple of darkness appeared, the void bleeding into the forest. 

“I really am sorry it came to this, Percy,” Luke said quietly. “But it’ll be quick. And that’s a bigger mercy than Zeus gave your sister.”

Luke disappeared into the darkness and it vanished soon after. Percy didn’t have time to think about his words—the scorpion had reached his thigh. Sixty seconds, Luke had said, then it was over. 

Percy had about five seconds to think of a plan before it lunged at him. He batted it away with one hand and uncapped his sword with the other, cutting the scorpion in half before it could reach the ground. 

He thought he did it. Then he looked at his hand, a red welt already sweltering on his palm, oozing sticky yellow liquid. 

Percy stumbled to the creek and submerged his hand, but nothing happened. He muttered a delusional prayer to his dad, then to his mother, then to you as he stumbled his way towards camp. Nymphs emerged from their trees, and he croaked a plea for help. 

As Percy collapsed, barely caught by nymphs on either side, he swore that he saw you. Did that mean he was dying? You had kind eyes like his mother, an aura of warmth unlike the feverish heat in his body, and it made the idea of it a lot less scary. 

He wondered if he’d meet you in Elysium. 

Percy reached a leaden arm out to you, mumbling your name despite his cottonmouth, and then his vision went black. 

[backwzzds]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ RORONOA ZORO AS A FATHER…

zoro would be one those fathers that most people assume would be terrible, but unsurprisingly, he’s very good with kids, as told canonically.

he’ll only have one daughter. he can’t handle anymore brats.

when your daughter was born, he’d bought up possibly naming her after his late childhood best friend. you knew how much she meant to him, so it was no problem making sure your daughter carried on her name, and hopefully her future dream. roronoa kuina.

lots of people assume zoro’s a strict dad, but most days, he’s pretty chilled back.

he came off as not having any interest in learning how to do kuina’s type 3-4 hair, but when you secretly caught him watching a youtube video as he practiced on one of your wig mannequins you knew he wanted to learn from the start

when kuina’s a toddler, you teach him how to do simple styles on her hair. to detangle from the bottom, always make sure her hair was moisturized, and just learn the small things about her. like how she was tenderheaded—something she inevitably inherited from you.

he’ll take her to get braids from the african aunties whenever you’re busy or stuck at work. kuina, already knowing the routine would sit on the chair and zoro’s big body would be squeezed between two parents talking on the phone for nearly nine hours straight, occasionally heading out to grab some food for himself and kuina. the things he would do for that girl.

kuina would be in the big chair swinging her little feet as she watched youtube video’s on her daddy’s phone. she’d always smile at the fact that you were his lock screen and she was his home screen—a picture of him coddling with her to sleep when she was just a baby. lord knows how much them two love they sleep!

he’d be so overprotective, he would teach kuina her parents’ full name, address, emergency phone numbers, and everything in between by the time she’s 6. no stranger would ever had a chance to mess with the daughter of roronoa zoro.

despite his off putting (and quite rude) personality, he’d be the best one to give advice. only to you and his little kuina though. most wouldnt even consider it advice, but baby kuina always loved it when her daddy told her what he thinks she should do in a troubling situation.

“papa what do you think i should do?” the little girl frowns. “i really think i hurt the girl’s feelings. but i didn’t mean to!”

zoro pops his one good eye open from its closed resting position as he sat on the couch with his arms folded. “are you sorry?”

kuina gives him solemn eyes and nods her head. “really sorry.”

with a quick whit, zoro answers straight, “apologize. don’t make the situation about you. she’s the one you hurt, make sure she realizes that you know that.”

kuina allows her father’s words to sink in her brain in order to fully process everything he’d said. when a bright idea comes to her head, she wraps her arms around her father and places a wet kiss on his cheek, yelling, “thank you papa!” before skipping off to make amends with her friend.

would sueprise teachers and parents when he shows up to some PTA’s alone. you were caught up at work, so zoro took up parental volunteering opportunities on his own. of course, he only did these things for you and kuina, so he didn’t care that the single parents were eye goggling him with lust. not when kuina bragged to all her friends about how cool her dad was.

zoro tries to create an emotion-based home. he doesn’t want kuina growing up in a cold home like you and him did, so he always made it his best to publicly express his emotions or whatever he was feeling at home. he made sure kuina saw him love on you in order to see and know that her parents always loved each other—not just for show—and made sure that she knew it was okay to express her own emotions because she was a lot like him, more than he’d have liked.

when he catches kuina stiffile in her cry about him having to miss a chunk of her school play due to a very heinous and reaosnable excuse (traffic was a bitch), he pulls her off to the side and allows her space to express how she feels.

“you can cry. it’s okay to cry, marimo.” zoro kneels down to kuina’s height as she hangs her head low, too embarrassed to look up and reveal her tears. the one bond they had, was him calling her marimo because if you looked at the both of them—they were damn near identical twins. you were convinced your genes didn’t even fucking try to make it to the egg on time. only he could call her that though. that was their thing.

zoro gives her a genuine apology. he hated seeing his pretty princess cry, but he knew she had to do it. “i’m sorry. i got here as quick as i could, hm? i’d never miss anything about you on purpose.”

at the sound of her father’s soft voice, kuina looks up and wipes away some of her tears. “you promise papa?” her voice is sultry as you wipe at your back, heart warming at the beautiful wholesome interaction between the two.

behind zoro’s back were a mini bouquet of flowers and candy. “course i do kid. c’mere, i’m gonna make it up to you.”

lord knows zoro wasn’t the best father. he didn’t even think he was a good father—this was all new to him. but sometimes, he’d liked to believe that what he was doing in the present was enough to give kuina the future he never got to have.

[alornights]

⟢ you took my soul.

➜ in which ! your beauty took their breath away.

💌 ﹫main 4 + butters stotch.

✩ 🎸 warnings﹗none.

🍓 ⟡ notes — me when subliminals start working, tehehe. based on the jimmy & kyle pretty people drabbles i did. idk what im doing tbh.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ eric cartman.

hates you.

the guy was so confused about why you looked like you were glowing and why his heart was about to beat out of his chest.

death stared you the entire first week you moved to town.

he later confronts you asking if you do witchcraft. you obviously answer you don't. he thinks you're lying and got plastic surgery.

you say you didn't with like the prettiest smile he's ever seen. he takes your word for it and everyone was shocked.

since then he's been like a parasite who always seems to be stuck with you always there to shoo off anyone irrelevant.

thinks he has asthma bc every time he sees you his breath cuts short and fucking hates himself for "having" asthma.

has tried on multiple occasions to "get rid" of people who bothered you even in the slightest way.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ kyle broflovski.

is actually so fucking flustered around you.

when he saw you in the cafeteria walking in he couldn't take his eyes off you the entire time, even with his friends calling for him.

if you even give him the slightest hint you're into him, he will take matters into his own hands and just brag to everyone.

for funsies of course.

deffo helps you away from any unwanted eyes, help meaning may literally threaten them in the worst ways possible.

when he's around you its like he's in a daze for him, he just feels like he's on cloud nine and is living the best life ever.

suddenly becomes the most romantic person ever, not that he wasn't already. but like hella cheesy hopeless romantic.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ stan marsh.

the classic and boring response is a throws up. but he actually doesn't do that contrary to popular beliefs.

he faints instead!

he thought he died since he saw an angel and then his vision went black but he thought hey at least that meant hed be in heaven.

he is stunned when he wakes up in the nurse's office and sees you worried about him of all people.

is like a stuttering mess but he starts slowly but surely relaxing around you, still very nervous talking to you though.

has bragged very purposely in front of wendy that y'all are friends.

while he may not be good at romance, he does try. and by trying i mean he makes u a picnic and brings takeout.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ kenny mccormick.

ay, he has a heart attack because of you.

kidding. but bro does feel his heart like- stop when he sees you walking down the halls like it's some rom-com movie.

instantly starts making moves on you, no hesitation.

doesn't matter whats going on, if he has the chance, hell take it.

at one point thought you were like his actual guardian angel because he had yet to die after meeting you.

still thinks you are and worships the ground you walk on.

very much one of those "ill do anything for you" but he actually will do anything for you, like seriously. just ask.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ butters stotch.

surprisingly the most normal of the bunch.

treats you like a normal human being thankfully.

though he does like stutter around you a lot but that calms down and he's usually back to his normal self in like a day or two.

is very much attached to you especially since his parents have

brags so much to the guys and tells them to "suck on these nuts bitch" because you don't hang out with them, ever.

has tried, and failed, to set up a date with you two. cried himself to sleep, and repeated this process for like a week.

it did work. at his house, in front of his parents! but it was kinda fun, you surprisingly got along with them very well.

[volturissideslut]

https://at.tumblr.com/volturissideslut/hi-i-saw-your-asks-were-open-and-was-wondering-if/yi64fqu3q2fp

Hi do you mind if you do the Poly version of this as well if not in understand thank you 💖

𝖁𝖔𝖑𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖎 𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 (𝕻𝖔𝖑𝖞)

This is the ask where the Volturi kinds have a mate that sleeps naked right?? The link wasn't working on my laptop and it took me a while to figure it out

Good luck getting a singular moment of peaceful sleep if this is you, because there are three of them and one of you and they will argue over who gets to lay by your sides

One time, Caius was feeling selfish and would lay on top of you so that only he could have you, but this is something they all do at least once

It's not that big of an issue to you though, because its like a version of those weighted anxiety blankets that also loves you

You will be cold, no way around it, they quadruple layer up before cuddling you to sleep but they radiate ice temperatures (Seriously, you may as well snuggle an icicle)

You see that first part where i said 'good luck getting a singular moment of peaceful sleep'? Yeah, i'm gonna say that again because on the off chance that they don't get all territorial over who gets to spend time with their naked mate, the one's who lay with you (If they aren't busy, **cough cough** Aro) they're be tossing and turning the whole time

So good luck if you're a light sleeper, because they want you and are too distracted by you to think straight enough to remember that you need sleep (They've been out of the human game for a while now, they don't understand what an acceptable amount is)

"Please, Tesoro, you can stay awake for another hour. You can do it, i need to feel you please" - literally any of them

Caius secretly wants you to sleep nakey in his private studio so he can paint you. There will be two versions made, one to be shown off and bragged about with a blanket covering certain areas, and one for their eyes only if you're comfortable with that.

Every day is a struggle

Aro is personally offended when you take a nap without telling them, or go to sleep without saying goodnight because "Cara mia, why are you depriving me of seeing you?" and needs reassurance you're not mad and was just tired

Marcus would definitely use this as a way to keep you human for longer, because he knows damn well that you're irresistable to all of them and Aro and Caius will hold off on turning you if it means you get to continue this for a while

[theodorecanaryhood]

Dangerous Villain

Jason Todd x Male reader

Yes, yet another JT x Male reader fic, I can’t get enough of these

Warning: swearing, unprotected rough sex, mentions of blood and death

The blood stains were a struggle to wash out of his white shirt, Jason sat with a smile as the blood was splattered on his face.

Knuckles raw and red, body aching from the fight, the blood from his enemies covered him. Jason ripped his blood soaked shirt from his body. Throwing it into the fireplace.

His knife was covered in blood, his gun was empty as it had been used to its limits tonight.

Jason showed up to the smuggling ring undercover as a Crime Lord, only to take everyone out in seconds.

The smuggling ring was children and Jason saw red, black in his eyes as he killed all the men. Red Hood was retired tonight as Jason took over as himself.

Knowing a risk of being spotted, he left no one alive. He made sure of it.

The black shirt and pants pressed against Jason’s form, as he attended the gala, a recent one that Bruce was organising for Wayne Enterprises. Jason only went for the free drinks, not being in great speaking terms with his father.

You were sat next to Jason as he held your hand, your smaller form sat neatly on the chair as Jason held you in place. Pride on Jason’s face to call you his, and only his.

Jason is a jealous type and you were fully aware, Jason liked his boyfriend to know his place. To know that you are Jason’s, no one is allowed to look at you. Not the way Jason does.

Jason isn’t violent towards you, he would never. But he is dangerous, dark, and can switch sides if provoked.

You know better than to question Jason’s authority, he is your master.

So many times Jason has walked into your shared bedroom and demanded you take him in, Jason has had a rough night of patrol, or even just horny.

Tonight is no exception as you sat in a suit, shirt not done all the way up so Jason can glance at your chest every so often.

Jason had lust in his eyes as he took in your form, seeing that an older man was looking at you. Jason gave him a death stare.

You sat by the bar as the older, well dressed, rich snobby type man came over to you. A chance he’d sought after once you were alone.

‘Can I buy you a drink?’ The older man asked, you being a polite man, simply smiled.

‘No thank you, sir’ you replied, taking your attention back to your drink.

‘I’m Matthew, Lord Matthew. I own half of Metropolis Estate, along with 15% of Gotham, hopefully after tonight’ he bragged, you nodded.

‘Congratulations, you must be proud’ you responded, politely but not being too open to a conversation.

‘I noticed you earlier, you’re friends with Mr Wayne?’ The man asked, you nodded again.

‘Yeah, I’m dating his son’

‘Well, if you ever want an older man, more experience and money. Here’s my number’ the older man said, handing his number to you on a business card.

Jason appeared and took the card out of the man’s hand.

‘Thanks, but he has everything he needs already. My dick being one of them, which still works unlike yours’ Jason snarked.

The older man took offence as he snatched his card back.

‘I only give these to people that deserve my attention, which you do not, young man’ The older man barked back.

Jason’s fist clenched as he tried hard not to punch him in the face. Jason promised you he would behave tonight, but this man was trying his luck.

‘Y/n, go wait in the car’ Jason said as he took out his keys, handing them to you.

Jason didn’t take his eyes off of this man, black in his eyes again as the older man smiled smugly.

‘He has a nice ass’ the older man said as he spanked you, you shot your head around.

Before you could register anything the man had tumbled into a stack of glasses, holding his nose that was now bloodied.

Jason’s fist was red as he’d obviously punched the older man. Jason smiled a little as he grabbed your hand and walked you outside to his car.

The drive home was a rush as Jason hit speeds he would usually avoid, he charged through the streets in his Mustang.

Jason was charged with adrenaline and rage as he got you both home, Jason ordered you in the house.

‘Get in, wait for me in the bedroom’ Jason ordered as he locked the car doors.

You walked toward the bedroom as your heart pounded. Your heart thumped so hard you couldn’t hear anything else.

Jason’s form appeared in the bedroom doorway as he threw you on the bed, ripping your shirt off.

You grabbed onto Jason and kissed him as he held onto your face, feeling heat coming from his crotch.

You shuddered as Jason took off his clothes, peeling the rest of yours off.

‘Who do you belong to?’ Jason asked, hard as he stared in your eyes.

‘You’ you responded quick, Jason raised his eyebrows.

‘Who?’ He asked again, harsher than before as he applied pressure to your throat.

‘You Master’ you responded, feeling yourself getting hard.

Jason pushed you down as he yanked your hair, biting your neck.

He rolled you onto your front as he pushed himself inside you. Raw, with no warning.

‘I’m gonna fuck you till you can’t fucking walk again, maybe then you’ll remember that you fucking belong to me’ Jason growled as he pumped into you.

You clawed at the bedsheets as Jason stuffed himself deep inside you, pulling your hair again as he kissed the top of your head. Jason then placed his hand on the back of your head, pushing it into the pillow.

‘This is what happens when you don’t obey me, you get fucked raw. Do you like misbehaving?’ Jason roared as he slammed into you quickly, you moaning underneath as your back shivered.

‘No master, I’ll behave’ you panted as Jason’s dick filled you up from behind.

Jason was hitting so hard that the bed would’ve surely broke into pieces. The force of his manhood was surely going to tear you in half.

‘I don’t believe you, this is your punishment, you are mine and you won’t fucking obey me. This is your punishment’ Jason panted as he continued to pump deep inside you.

His throbbing length ached for release as Jason thrusted even faster and harder, his seed spilled into you as you felt it swim inside you.

‘Fuck’ Jason called out as he emptied his load.

You lay on your front trying to catch your breath as you felt Jason pull out of you, your brain seemed to be switched off as you couldn’t register anything for at least a minute.

‘Clean yourself up, slut’ Jason ordered as he stood up and threw a towel at you.

Jason left the room to use the shower as you grabbed the towel, wiping yourself up as you felt Jason’s seed dribble out of your hole.

You stood and looked at yourself in the mirror as you saw Jason’s teeth marks on your body, red marks where he had grabbed. Areas of your body that Jason had marked for you to remember, remember who you belong to.

Jason was angry that another man had touched you, he was angry that you entertained the idea you were noticed. Jason would never be angry at you, hurt you on purpose or even assault you.

It was these moments that you actually felt more love than ever from Jason, a man who was so dominating and overpowering. It was why you stayed.

Jason loves you, no doubt about it, but he just hates that men still think they can try it with you.

The first time this happened you almost shit yourself.

It was in a bar and a man asked for your number, not realising Jason is your boyfriend. Jason got so angry that he drove you both home, he didn’t speak to you the whole way and you thought you’d done something.

Jason lifted his hand to run through his hair, but you flinched the second Jason’s hand raised. His eyes shot wide as he looked at you, realising what you thought of him.

Jason gave you the chance to leave then and there, but you didn’t. You stayed, and every time a man looks at you, Jason has to remind you that you’re his.

Jason was smiling at you as he pulled you into bed with him, holding you in his arms as the two of you slept. A moment to last all night, where both of you wanted to remain. With each other.

[tlou-bombshell]

"𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕,

𝙹𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚎.

𝚂𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏,

𝙱𝚊𝚋𝚢, 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚢."

* . • 　 ·

Jinx stumbled, her knees buckling as she struggled to catch her breath. The metallic taste of blood lingered on her palate, but it didn't stop her from contorting her battered face into a grotesque grimace.

"Damn Firelights," she thought, wiping the blood from her lips with her sleeve. "They know how to fight." She kicked the Firelight's arm out of her way, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

It had been a messy fight, but Jinx had managed to hold her own. Barely.

𝘞𝘰𝘸, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝙅𝙞𝙣𝙭. Mylo's face seemed to hover at the edge of her vision, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I'll ignore you until you get bored enough and leave," she thought, her mind racing with exhaustion. She was too tired to deal with Mylo right now.

She already had enough. Time to head back to Silco and brag about taking down a team of Firelights solo. Sevika's face would turn green with envy. Who needs backup when you're Jinx? Apparently, not Jinx herself.

A giggle escaped her lips, but it was cut short by the sound of hoverboard blades. That stupid hoverboard. She could recognize its roar from a mile away. She could even recognize it flying from Demacia. And, of course, there was only one Firelight skilled enough to fly that thing with such precision. And Jinx had a score to settle with him.

𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝙅𝙞𝙣𝙭. "Screw you, Mylo," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. She wouldn't let him distract her. Not again. Not when she was so close to finally make things right.

She glanced to her right, spotting the vials of shimmering liquid. Orange. Almost as orange as the fruit from Piltover. A new variant of Shimmer, and... a bunch of Singed's crap that she couldn't care less about.

But they were intact. And she needed to keep it that way.

—Powder! —Ekko's voice echoed through the night air, his words punctuated by the residual smoke from her Fishbones. —Believe me. I won't have patience with you twice.

𝘗𝘖𝘞𝘋𝘌𝘙.

Patience? Ekko? As if she'd ever had the chance to get her hands on him without risking a whole bunch of pyrotechnics.

A second giggle escaped her lips, but she bit it back. Stupid. She'd just given away her location for free.

She picked up the gun from the floor, wincing as a sharp pain shot through her side. Her palm came away bloody.

Her pink orbs glowed with rage.

—Just... don't make me do this, Pow-Pow. —Ekko's voice came again, closer this time.

𝘗𝘖𝘞-𝘗𝘖𝘞.

Jinx spun around, her eyes locking onto Ekko's figure. Predictable.

—Why are you doing this, Powder? —Ekko asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

The words stung like a thousand acid-tipped needles.

𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘳. 𝙋𝙊𝙒𝘿𝙀𝙍.

Jinx raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, forcing herself to convey fear in her gaze. She could swear she even managed to conjure up some cynical tears.

The blood from her side had begun to trickle down her hip. She took a step forward, her voice cracking into a pitiful plea.

—Help me, Ekko. —For a moment, she looked like the scared little girl her sister had abandoned. Just for a moment. Like the terrified little girl she used to be, before she became Jinx.

𝘑𝘐𝘕𝘟.

Ekko raised his gun, his eyes cold and hard.

—It's Jinx now! —she yelled, throwing herself at him with a fierce cry.

It was a desperate move, but she had no other choice.

𝘑𝘪𝘯𝘹, 𝘑𝘪𝘯𝘹, 𝘑𝘪𝘯𝘹. 𝙅𝙄𝙉𝙓.

With her fist clenched, she swung at Ekko, missing him by a hair's breadth. He countered with a punch that sent her stumbling back, the pain radiating from her wounded side like a wildfire.

As she looked up, she saw Ekko's fist hurtling towards her face.

She closed her eyes, bracing for impact. But the blow never came.

Instead, she heard the helicopter's blades whirring to life again. Ekko was leaving.

Jinx felt a surge of anger and humiliation. Couldn't he even look her in the eye?

—Consider this the last time, Jinx. —Ekko's voice came, his words dripping with warning. —Don't ruin my plans again.

She felt disgusted. Was it that hard to look her in the face?

The blue haired girl let herself fall to her knees on the floor. She picked up the gun. Surprisingly, it was barely a meter away. And shot at the container of orange substance, causing a domino effect that spilled the contents of all the vials.

A very pathetic scene. She knew. Right before she got up to limp away to... She didn't know. Anywhere. Anywhere but there. Anywhere, as long as it was as far from Ekko as possible.

Jinx let out a defeated growl, her eyes blazing with fury. She watched as Ekko flew away, leaving her to nurse her wounds and plot her next move.

𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝙅𝙞𝙣𝙭.

First time I post here and English is not my first language but I'm so trying to do my best. ♡

[burnmarksofficial]

꒰꒰ ‧₊˚𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 ─ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐀 ˚₊· ꒱꒱

❨ series masterlist | request | taglist ❩

jaeeunlee

liked by redbullracing christianhorner 126,764,784 others

jaeeunlee bring on 2021

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user I hope you dnf every race

kimimatiasraikkonen I told you this last year now where is my money also I'm gonna beat you in the driver standings ⤷ jaeeunlee you wish old man ⤷ user these two >>

redbullracing bring on 2021 🫡💪 liked by jaeeunlee

user KOREA REPRESENT🇰🇷 rahhhh

minjihwang 이런 경주 시간은 말도 안 돼요 평소에는 무슨 일이 일어난 걸까요? these race time are ridiculous what happened to things being at normal times? ⤷ jaeeunlee 시차 엄마 time difference mum ⤷ user my fav mother-daughter duo!!! ⤷ user I would like to personally thank Mrs. Hwang for birthing Jae and her siblings ⤷ minjihwang your welcome.

user ain't no way she's gonna get anywhere near verstappen 😂

arilee 아빠는 네가 자랑스러울 거야, 우리 모두가 그러하듯이 dad would be proud of you jae, just like we all are ⤷ jaeeunlee 고마워요 언니 thank you sis ⤷ user I'm tearing up rn 🥹🥹

user FINALLY SOME FEMALE REPRESENTATION

daehohwang 그 사람은 내 여동생이야, 네, 여기 계신 여러분, 내 여동생이 레드불에 있다는 사실이 자랑스럽습니다. 재… that’s my sister , yes everyone here that MY SISTER IS IN RED BULL we’re proud of you Jae… ⤷ jaeeunlee 네, 사람들에게 당신에게 정말로 여동생이 있다는 사실을 상기시켜주셔서 감사합니다. 하지만 고마워요 호베어 yes thank you for reminding people you indeed have a sister but thank you ho-bear ⤷ user god if only me and my brother were like this

user the goat has resurrected

daeeunhwang 끝까지 자랑할 권리를 줘서 고마워 언니 thank you sis for giving me bragging rights till the end of time ⤷ jaeeunlee 물론이죠 you are welcome

user I bet she’s going to go through the barrier in monaco like her dad did ☺️

sajalee 재 님, 이제 이렇게 큰 월급을 받으셨으니 새 ps4 사주실 수 있나요? 당신은 더 이상 한국에 살지 않고 우리가 자주 만날 수 없다는 걸 알고 있으니 제발 도와주세요. 형 아웃. 하지만 어쨌든 사랑해 언니는 빨리 너를 큰 화면에서 보고 싶어 I'm so excited for you Jae, now that you're on this big salary can you buy me the new ps4 since you know you don’t live in Korea any more and we don’t see each other often please, help the bro out. but anyway love you sis can’t wait to see you on the big screen ⤷ jaeeunlee 우선 감사합니다 자자님도 할머니가 자기 꽃병에 무슨 일이 일어났는지 알아주셨으면 좋겠나요… first of all thank you jaja also do you want halmeoni to fins out what happened to his vase... ⤷ sajalee 아니요! no! ⤷ user bro saw a chance and took it but forgot who he was messing with

user nepotism at its finest

choiminho_1209 Jae, 많이 컸구나. 너희 아버지가 한국을 대표해 F1을 제패하고 우리를 지도에 올려놓으시는 모습을 본 기억이 난다. 넌 그들에게 지옥을 선사해 Jae you’ve grown up so much, I remember watching your dad dominating f1 representing Korea and putting us on the map. you give them hell ⤷ jaeeunlee 감사합니다 thank you

user the story continues

lewishamilton i believe in you jae, welcome to f1 and stay strong though the hate you are gonna do great things ⤷ jaeeunlee thank you lewis ⤷ user the fact she is already getting recognition from the goat means she must be GOOD 😌

user she's slaying on the main again!!!

chaelincl i knew it!!! you’ve done well, from the day your dad introduced me to you i knew you were going to continue his legacy ⤷ jaeeunlee 고마워요 언니 thank you sister

user more asians in this sport, they own everything nowadays

yukitsunoda0511 今ではアジアを代表していると思います。 おめでとう！！ I guess we’re representing Asia now. congratulations!! ⤷ jaeeunlee 今度はあなたの言ったように食事に行ってもいいですか now can we go out to eat like you said

user another china invasion 😡

sebastianvettle i’ve seen you progress over the years, your dad would be proud!! redbull will take care of you… ⤷ jaeeunlee thank you seb

user the story continues

liamlawson30 redbull jnrs represent!!! ⤷ jaeeunlee as one should

user making history like her dad 👑

danielricciardo so proud of you little jj can't wait to see you on the track ⤷ user The fact that jae responded to every driver but daniel... ⤷ user I though daniel and jae use to be close? ⤷ user somethings not right between jae and daniel ⤷ user another reason to hate jae like she did daniel dirty ⤷ user what happened to daniel and jae they were supposed to be THE f1 duo ⤷ user is this brocedes 2.0 ⤷ user jae replied to all of the other drivers but not daniel, something definitely happened ⤷ user nahh I don't blame her he is joining the team that killed her dad m*laren ⤷ user that hasn't been confirmed yet

user I have a feeling the 2021 season is gonna be filled with drama

leetaehyung Jae가 말로 표현할 수 없을 만큼 자랑스럽습니다. (모든 경주를 지켜볼 것입니다) so proud Jae words cannot describe (I will be watching every race)  ⤷ jaeeunlee 너 예전엔 아니었어? you weren’t before?  ⤷ user broo got caught big time ⤷ user best football x f1 duo

user here for Jae's friends comments 🤞

junsehun 내 목장이 p.o.를 통과하는 것을 허용하겠습니다. 상자. 농담이었는데 이제 한국을 대표하는 빅리그에서 뵙게 ���는데, 이 재재를 위해 ���생하셨고 성과가 있었습니다. I’ll accept my paddock passes through p.o. box. I’m just joking Jae but now we get to see you in the big leagues representing Korea, you’ve worked hard for this Jae and it paid off. ⤷ jaeeunlee 누가 합격한다고 하던가요 선생님 🤨 who said you were getting passes sir 🤨 ⤷ user THIS IS WHY I LOVE JAE ⤷ user best basketball and f1 duo

user Jae with her friends and family >>>> Jae with everyone else

hanyejun 이제 귀하의 GP를 평가하는 시리즈를 만들 수 있습니다. (scotty j tiktok과 유사) 하지만 우리는 힘들고 어려운 일을 겪었고 당신의 우울함도 겪었습니다. 그날의 공포는 생각나지 않지만 대체로 당신이 해냈습니다. Jae Jae, 나는 당신이 자랑스럽습니다. now I can make a series rating your GP. (similar to scotty j tiktok’s) but we’ve been through thick and thin and your downs, don’t remind me of the horror of that day but all in all you made it Jae Jae, i’m proud of you.  ⤷ jaeeunlee 10/10 아니면 내 차로 너를 때렸어 (저렴한 차) 10/10 or I hit you with my car (the cheap one) ⤷ user okay this made me stan her SO hard 🤭 ⤷ user best ice hokey and f1 duo danny and Scotty better watch out 👀 ⤷ user nahh they are clear of these spoilt nepo's

user Jae really is such a different person with people that she genuinely cares for 🥺

parkjiho 포뮬러 1에 들어가고 싶었고, 모토 GP에 들어가고 싶었을 때, 인제 스피디움에서 밤낮으로 트랙에서 열심히 일하는 모습을 본 기억이 납니다. 비가 와도 넌 f1 진출을 축하하지 않았어 Jae Bear FIA가 너한테 장난치기로 결정했다면 나한테 전화해 바로잡아줄게 I remember when you wanted to be in Formula 1 and I wanted to be in Moto GP, day and night I saw you work hard on the track at Inje Speedium. even when it was raining you did not stop congrats on making it to f1 Jae-bear if the FIA decided to fuck with you call me and I'll set them straight ⤷ jaeeunlee 우리가 얼마나 멀리 왔는지 봐 look how far we have come ⤷ user I ❤️ women in motorsports ⤷ user this just shows how much work and effort they put in

user the only nepo's with actual talent

kimlia 재야, 네가 해냈어. 지금은 아무것도 믿을 수가 없어요. 너는 나의 첫 번째 날이고, 네가 아빠처럼 포뮬러 드라이버가 될 거라고 말하며 제주 해변을 뛰어다녔던 기억이 난다. 해냈어, 제이!! … 비록 많이 만나지는 못하더라도 전 세계 어디에서나 항상 응원하겠습니다. Jae you did it. I can’t believe anything right now. you are my day one and I remember running around on the beach in Jeju saying you were going to be a Formula driver like your dad. you did it, Jae!! … even though we don’t see each other much I will always support you even from across the globe  ⤷ jaeeunlee 그리고 나는 전 세계에서 당신을 지원할 것입니다 Lia and I will support you from across the globe as well Lia ⤷ user kinda want Lia to introduce Jae to Lily ⤷ user how would they know each other ⤷ user Lia and Lily are both golfers bro ⤷ user won't it be awkward seeing as Jae replaced Alex

user I swear Jae's friend group is so iconic I can't 💅

rkive Redbull에 입사한 것을 축하합니다… 이 놀라운 성과를 축하하기 위해 GIF로. 당신이 원하는 티켓을 얻었습니다. 무대 뒤에서 봐요🤭🤭 as congratulations on getting into Redbull… as a gif to celebrate this amazing achievement. I got those tickets you wanted. I’ll see you backstage 🤭🤭  ⤷ jaeeunlee 응, 정말 고마워 okay, thank you very much  ⤷ user dawg flirting in the comments and she just ignored him ⤷ user Jae 💀

user 🤮🤮🤮

jin 행운을 빌어요 제이!! 자신을 돌보고 수분을 유지하는 것을 잊지 마십시오 !! best of luck Jae!! Remember to look after yourself and make sure you stay hydrated!! liked by jaeeunlee

user girl really thought she did something 🙄

agustd 다가오는 시즌을 축하하고 행운을 빕니다. congrats and best of luck for the upcoming season Jae liked by jaeeunlee

user the fact that she is just 18 🤩

uarmyhope 빨리 트랙에서 뵙길 바라요 Jae!! Can’t wait to see you on the track Jae!!  liked by jaeeunlee

user max >>> Jae

j.m 이번 시즌에 당신이 굉장한 모습을 보고 싶습니다! can’t wait to see you smash this season! liked by jaeeunlee

user I feel bad for the grid...they have do idea what they are getting into

thv 자랑스럽다 재화이팅 ✊ proud of you Jae hwaiting ✊  liked by jaeeunlee

user I just know Jae will make F1 her bitch 😭😭

jeonjungkook 한국 Jae에게 우승을 안겨주세요! Bring home a championship for Korea Jae! liked by jaeeunlee

user as an A.R.M.Y I support Jae ✊🏼

sooyaaa__ Jae에게 행운을 빕니다! hwaiting Jae best of luck! liked by jaeeunlee

user real BLINKS support Jae 👏🏼

jennierubyjane 축하해요 아가씨 ❤️💙 congrats girl ❤️💙 liked by jaeeunlee

user Jae fr uniting the most powerful fandoms in the world...the rest of the grid is shaking rn 🤭

roses_are_rosie 정말 자랑스럽습니다 언니, 대한민국 모두가 당신 뒤에 있습니다! so proud sis all of Korea is behind you fighting! liked by jaeeunlee

user Jae really got ass whole nation behind her

lalalalisa_m OMG 정말 기대됩니다. 첫 번째 GP에 가겠습니다. 재야 축하해… OMG I’m so excited, I’m coming to your first GP. Jae congratulations…  liked by jaeeunlee

user god she is so overraterd and she hasn't even raced yet 🙄

xxibrgn.x Jae님, 이번 성과를 축하드립니다!! 제가 목장에서 보이더라도 놀라지 마세요 ;) Jae, congratulations on this achievement!! Don't be surprised if you see me in the paddock ;)  liked by jaeeunlee ⤷ user the fact that G-dragon acknowledged her...🤯

user go back to china

itzy.all.in.us 앞으로는 경마를 종교적으로 지켜볼 예정입니다. Going to be watching races religiously from now onwards liked by jaeeunlee

user Jae def ran out of replies which is why she is just liking now 😅

realstraykids 역사가 만들어졌고 우리는 이를 지켜보는 영광을 누리고 있습니다. history has been made and we have the honour of watching liked by jaeeunlee

user the fact her brother and sister groups official insta's are showing her support 🥹🥹

ateez_official_ 팀이 당신을 지원하고 있습니다 !!! 당신의 존재로 우리를 우아하게 만드는 당신의 경주를 지켜볼 수 있어서 기쁩니다!! 화이팅 the team is supporting you!!! We’re excited to watch your races as you grace us with your presence!! Hwaiting  liked by jaeeunlee

user I don't even think the tifosi or the orange army will be any match for J-nation

user these comments are giving me whiplash 😅

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[mysticwolfshadows]

Taken - Zutara - Part 27

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Sokka raged at her for nearly an hour for her recklessness when they finally got back to their room. Zuko seethed, glaring and huffing, while Aang tried to calm them down. Katara really wasn't sorry. They got everything they wanted.

"But they're still going to kill Zhao," Aang whined.

"Zhao is a fool," Zuko countered. "If he had succeeded, the world would have suffered. Fire Nation included."

Katara nodded. "Now, are you coming with us or do we need to drop you off with Uncle?"

He blinked. "I... I thought I was coming with you...?"

"You probably know the Earth Kingdom better than we do," Sokka sighed. "So it would be helpful. Aang, do you know where we're going?"

"Omashu. I want Bumi to be my earthbending master."

Zuko blinked. "Oh. Yeah, no. I don't... You can't go to Omashu. The city was taken a few weeks ago. They're calling it New Ozai."

"What?!" Aang stared, horrified. "No! You have to be lying! What happened to Bumi?!"

Zuko looked at Aang, frowning. "If you're talking about King Bumi, he willingly surrendered. As far as I know, he's being held prisoner in the city. But it's too dangerous to go there. We'll need to figure something else out."

"But Bumi is the best earthbender there is! He has to teach me!"

Zuko frowned. "I haven't seen this Bumi, but I have seen others. In Gao Ling, my crew found this... underground earthbending tournament. There was this girl there, going by 'the Blind Bandit'. They say she's blind, but she's the champion. They say she's one of the best earthbenders in existence. I only saw her briefly, when I was dragging my crew out, but I would believe it."

"Thats pretty far," Katara muses. "Farthar than Omashu at least. It will take a few weeks just to make it that far. Even with Appa."

"Then we should get moving."

Aang was silent as they finished packing, clearly having trouble processing what happened to his friend. They needed to leave quickly, though. Katara wasn't even going to worry about getting extra bedrolls. They had a spare Zuko could use anyway.

Aang went to tell Chief Arnook they were taking off sooner than expected, while Katara went to tell the soldiers the news. There were afraid of going to the south, but Zuko was able to convince them it was for the best. The Southern Tribe was good to their Fire Nation friends. As long as they did their best to help, Katara's mother and grandmother would make sure they lived comfortably.

As Katara and Zuko went to Appa, they found Yue standing awkwardly with Sokka. The white haired princess turned, and came up to Katara.

"I have something for you," Yue said, holding out a glass vial pendent. "Its water, from the oasis. After centuries of Tui and La living there, the water has been embued with special healing properties." She paused, looking at the vial. "I don't want to think that anything would happen to any of you, but..."

Nodding, Katara took the vial. "I understand. Thank you, Yue."

The princess bowed, and Katara returned it. Then, she and Zuko joined Sokka on Appa. Her brother was slouched, clearly upset, but she didn't know what to say. So she sat with Zuko, pulling out their map to discuss where to go first, while waiting for Aang. She pointed out Jeong Jeong's camp, which Zuko apparently hadn't known about. There was a chance it was gone, since Zhao had been bragging about some kind of recent win. Zuko hadn't really been paying attention, since he didn't care about Zhao's grand standing.

Neither of them really had to worry about that now, though.

Aang came back looking haunted. Apparently, they had been announcing Zhao's crimes to the tribe, along with his punishment. The Admiral had been shouting and screaming, but not for his life. Till the end, even as they dragged him away, Zhao seethed anger and hatred.

"Spiritually isn't practiced as much in the Fire Nation anymore," Zuko said, as they took off. "But Agni, the sun spirit... Supposedly, Agni watches us and when we die, decides where we go based on if we brought glory to the Fire Nation? I never really understood. But if thats right, I know Agni would agree that his end was deserved."

"How can you say that?" Aang hissed, hands tight on the reins. "He's your countryman. Was..."

Katara reached a hand put, placing it on Aang's shoulder. "The individual nations have the right to serve justice when someone breaks their laws. You gave your point of view, and thats what matters. Its good that you didn't try to force them to follow your rules."

Aang slouched, defeated. "I just don't think its right for someone to decide another has to die..."

Katara glanced at Sokka and Zuko. Both were looking as nervous as she felt. She, Sokka, and Zuko all knew Ozai had to 'go down', as they had been saying. Did Aang not realize that likely meant killing the man?

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[itsscromp]

Could I ask for Insomniac Peter with a GN reader who's a big musical theatre fan? Maybe he needs to miss a few shows and it upsets them

Peter parker x reader

Oooh a very interesting idea. Gives me Raimi vibes with this request. Now my musical knowledge may be slim so bare with me lol. Word count:1K

"Dude come on it's the last show before it stops !!" You pleaded him to join you.

"Y/n, I know how much you've been looking forward to it but I can't guarantee it OK ??"

You have been a musical fan all your life, You were able to remember each act of certain shows off the back of your head from repeat viewings. But your dream musical you wished to see live was in the heights. Peter would always catch you humming to one of the songs. You wouldn't even stop bragging when the movie came out. But tomorrow was its last ever show, You had many chances to go and always wanted to bring Peter with you. But every time that happened. Spider-Man was needed, Peter made a promise to himself to go to this show with you.

He had his ticket ready, Standing in line at the theatre and waiting for you. No trouble seemed to be in sight, But then his phone began to buzz from miles.

"Miles ??' He answered.

"Pete I need your help man, Scorpion is on the loose !!"

He knew he would be grilled from you for missing the last show, But right now the city was in danger.

"Ok I'm on my way miles, hang tight" He then left the line and then changed into his suit, ready to stop scorpion.

You stood there in line as you waited for Peter, But he was nowhere to be seen, Soon after the line began to move as the theatre began to take its final patrons. You didn't want to go in without peter, But you didn't want to miss the show, but as you tried to get in the ticket person stopped you as the theatre was now full and the no disturbance policy was in place.

You never felt so angry and sad, You missed your favourite show and your best friend ditched you again, for the 5th time in a row. You felt utterly betrayed.

As soon as scorpion was taken care of, Peter swung back to the theatre as fast as he could, But when he saw you sitting on the curb, the guilt in him rose, He almost forced you to miss out because he had to stop scorpion.

"Y/n I'm so so sorry..."

"This was the last show... Possibly forever... And you ditched me again !!!" You yelled at him.

"Please you have to understand..."

"You always do this Peter !!!!" You were almost beyond for calming down. You were almost a volcano that erupted.

His guilt rose from hearing your frustrations, This was incredibly important to you and he pretty much stopped you from seeing it.

"I know the city needs Spider-Man... But I need my best friend..." You wiped your tears as you stormed off.

"Y/n wait..." He rushed too you but you drove off.

He mentally punched himself when he got home, Leaving many voicemails and texts full of apologies. He never felt so guilty in his life, His thoughts almost trained to if you wouldn't be friends with him anymore because of this...

He had to make it up to you, But how was the biggest question, Maybe he could rent out an entire movie theatre to show a private screening of the movie ?? No, you've already seen it 10 times when it came out. Or maybe a local production could work, Quickly researching. No one was doing such a thing. "Damn it"

Just when all hope seemed lost, He got a suggestion on his social media that showed that due to popular demand, they're doing an encore tonight. He quickly booked the tickets. But now to tell you was the hardest part.

He Picked up the phone and dialed your contact, It took a few rings until you finally picked up.

"Peter ??"

"Y/n I have something important to tell you"

"If this is another apology peter I really don't..."

"No y/n this is more than an apology, Look I screwed up ok ?? I know it... I don't do these things on purpose I swear." He took a deep breath as the guilt emerged again. "I really want to fix this OK?? I really do."

You remained quiet for a bit until you finally spoke up.

"How do you wanna fix it ??" You said it in a way you weren't convinced.

"Look I got tickets to it, They're doing an encore because of popular demand" He even sent pictures to prove it.

"Are you serious ??" Your light heartened tone slightly returned.

"I promise, I really promise. Hell, all the promises I will be there ok ??, I'll get Miles to cover the patrol for tonight ok ??"

You went quiet again before saying...

"Ok"

The night arrived and you were standing at the curb of the theatre again, You wanted to trust Peter in his word, but a small portion of you said it would happen again, He would bail once again, But how that portion was proven wrong when you saw him in the corner of your eye.

"Hey.." He then pulled your ticket out of his pocket and handed it to you. With an apology letter written in the most peter way, You couldn't help but smile.

"I'm really sorry y/n, For the 5 times that I missed the show... I really am..." He looked down at the ground.

"I... I'm sorry for yelling at you, It wasn't your fault dude. The city needed you." You apologised.

"So... we're cool ??' Peter slightly perked up

"We're cool" You smiled as you held out your hand, Peter smiling as you both engaged in your secret handshake.

"Let's go enjoy the show shall we ??"

The show was an absolute blast from start to finish, Peter couldn't help but softly chuckle every time he turned to you as you had a bright smile on your face for the entirety of the show. Like a kid in a candy shop.

After the show finished he offered to drop you home.

"That was... amazing !!!" You cheered in the car

"It really was huh, They really had some catchy tunes, Had me tapping my foot." Peter chuckled

"Thank you, Peter... Really" You raised your fist for a fist bump. Which he happily returned.

No matter what happens, Nothing could split you two apart, Never ever. Peter knew this. From the way you smiled It could light up Washington heights showing you two were as thick as thieves.

(Hehe see what I did their)

Taglist @callofdudes @fun-k-board

[darkhymns-fic]

A Show of Strength

When Seles challenges one of her brother's companions in the coliseum, she only has one goal in mind: To achieve victory and earn Zelos' respect.

But Colette, the current Champion of the coliseum, has a put a little dent in her plans. Why offer kindness during a fight?

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Seles Wilder, Tokunaga, Colette Brunel, Zelos Wilder (mentioned) Rating: G Word Count: 5866 Mirror: AO3 Notes: Finished up a fic I started last year for @unsungtalesweek! Initially came up with the idea because I did the Seles fight with Colette and it made me think of their unexplored dynamic.

--

Seles was already out of breath.

The lobbies were oddly cramped here, she noticed. Despite its size to house several waiting fighters for their chance at glory, there were too many of them, along with the weapons that took up spaces in the corners, and the beds on the right wall to hold the injured as they waited to be healed. The smell of polished metal and leather, the unsettling way the floor seemed to wobble at her feet, and the shouts of the crowd just outside those walls—it was…

Overwhelming.

“Ma’am? Are you well?”

Still, Seles felt the age-old frustration. She resented the pity she saw in the nurse’s eyes. Her gaze flicked to the blood-soaked bandages the woman held. “I think you should have more pressing matters to attend to. I’m perfectly fine.”

“I just wanted to check if you needed any aid—”

“I said ,” Seles spoke again, knowing how petulant she must have sounded. “Leave me alone.”

“It’s quite alright.” Tokunaga appeared from the side of the room, as if from thin air. He shooed away the nurse with a gloved hand. “I will see to her, thank you.”

Seles perhaps was a little ashamed at the relief she felt, like a child grateful that their parent intervened. Tokunaga wasted little time, already pulling out a chair from a hidden corner, brushing away dust and whatever debris that had been left over the years.

She took the opportunity to seat herself, keeping her gratitude silent. Tokunaga would know how she felt regardless. “Where have you been?” she asked instead.

“Perusing who’s fighting for the Champion title,” Tokunaga explained. He provided a handkerchief succinctly, Seles taking it to wipe away the cold sweat at her brow. “The last match is currently underway. It is one of the Chosen’s companions.”

She made sure to keep her face expressionless, though she knew such a thing to be useless. Tokunaga could read her like a beloved novel, perhaps already knowing how she went through all the faces of those companions in her head. From that witch from Mizuho, to that loud boy in red, to even the president of the Lezareno Company. Her brother had such an odd array of attendants helping him on the journey.

“So this all depends if they win.” She fiddled with the handle of her bag. “If only I had challenged my brother when he had been competing.”

But of course, she had been too fatigued, barely making it in time to watch his matches. And even then, she had been content to simply see him there, fighting skillfully with sword and shield. Of course he may have ruined the imagery of him being a skilled warrior whenever he opened his mouth to brag after every fight, she still wanted to see all that he did.

All that she had missed by being shut away in the Abbey.

But for these matches, she ensured she would arrive earlier, no matter who was taking place in the row of battles. I won’t let my weakness take over again.

“This will still be a good opportunity. Zelos will have no choice but to accept you, I am sure of it.” Tokunaga tried to appear complacent, but she could hear the tremble in his voice. “And if he somehow doesn’t, I will make him see reason.”

“Please don’t trouble yourself, Tokunaga. This is up to me now.” Still, she felt touched. Tokunaga had been one of the very few to not let her wallow alone in her feelings.

He had been the one to come up with this plan, after all.

Soon, the cheering within the coliseum got even louder, so much that it pierced through the stone walls of the lobby. It seemed that perhaps the battle was close to its end.

Her legs were no longer shaking, and she found it easier to breathe. She felt the Exsphere press against her cuff, its luster hidden away underneath her clothes. Its effects were finally working again…or maybe it was simply the chair that provided her a brief respite.

“I want to see it,” she said, making the effort to stand. Her footing was firm. “Show me.”

“Of course. Right this way.” Tokunaga knew how to be efficient when necessary. He lent her the crook of his elbow, and she took hold without comment. To others, it would look just as a lady holding onto the arm of a polite gentleman—and not the stability that she relied on just in case her health once again gave out.

Even so, she couldn’t afford that now.

Tokunaga led her to an alcove, a hidden door near to the side that was meant for the coliseum employees. Over here, there was also a small open window, showcasing the very center of the structure, along with a section of the crowd, their faces numerous and their waving arms like that of a multi-legged creature. It was only then she could finally understand their excitement.

The first thing Seles noticed was the brilliant light that flashed inside the coliseum. At first, she thought it belonged to the enemy, and it was a great thing indeed—a fierce dragon warrior that had been tamed just enough to battle inside Meltokio's walls, and to, maybe, halt its own killing blow. But anyone could very well trip into the end of its axe by mistake and split open their head.

It almost seemed like that girl might very well do so.

Seles had only met Colette once. Sylvarant's very own Chosen. She had said very little then, seeming to sink into the background as Zelos, in his constant smile, asked for his crystal. There wasn't much she could glean from that one meeting alone. Just another one of big brother's attendants, she had thought. Then, with even more ire, Or is she just one of his stupid floozies?

The girl hadn't shown off her wings, but now they were on display, uplifting her away from the swing of that weapon. And even when it seemed she would trip again in the very air, it seemed to be done in safety. A flash of pink, followed by white, and it seemed the very wrath of heaven rained down from above.

Quick, yet awe-inspiring. The great dragon fell on its backs, its own wings outstretched uselessly. Axe and shield dropped from its claws, while the girl—Colette—held onto her chakrams with a worried expression.

"Oh whoops! Did I hurt it too much?"

Seles thought she could hear the girl's name being shouted. The crowd? No. To the side of her somewhere within the lobby, she could see one boy in that garish red waving his arms from another window, cheering her on. All while Colette dusted away her dress, giving that same boy a cheerful wave back.

The air still hummed from the angelic arte. Seles could feel it on her skin, even in here, electric and terrifying. "So, this is the true power of the Chosen…" she heard Tokunaga whisper beside her. Perhaps he was reconsidering their mission. She gripped the handle of her bag tightly in both hands.

"Let's go. They'll be done congratulating her soon."

That seemed to shock some life back in her servant. His lips pressed into a thin line, then he gave a nod. He held out his hand. "I will lead you then."

But already, she reached for the door handle. The sunlight beamed down at her as she opened it to a wave of incredible sound and heat. “You told me before. I need to issue her the challenge myself.”

And if big brother will ever respect me, I need to finally prove myself to him.

--

Seles had always been so small, even as a child. The kind of smallness where even adults would have trouble seeing her until she was already at their feet. No matter her bright red hair, or even when she cried. Once, she had collapsed onto the stone stairs, breaking her nose, and it had taken nearly an hour for someone to find her.

In the Abbey, she was seen even less. The Papal Knights avoided staring at her when they could, their helmets turned to the side whenever she passed them. Other church members would barely speak with her, ensuring only that she would have food and clothing. For much of her days, Seles would simply sit outside to watch the ocean lap at the shore, a book in her hands to read through. She had re-read her books several times over, enough that their bindings began to fall apart.

It was why Zelos’ visits had meant so much to her. For at least, for a very brief time, someone was seeing her. Acknowledging her. Speaking to her. Only him and Tokunaga, and even those attendants of his, who gawked at her like she was up on display. But it was better than being flat-out ignored. Better than being forgotten completely.

Her boots trampled along the dirt of the coliseum, eyes set on her goal. The girl’s wings were like a beacon almost, beckoning her to move forward despite the rapid beating of her heart and her shortened breath from exertion.

“And for her victory, let’s give a big congratulations to Super Girl!” yelled the announcer, though his voice petered out once he saw Seles marching forward.

Out there, in the middle of the coliseum pit, Seles suddenly got the complete reaction that she had been wanting for all her life. All eyes were now on her, noticing her as she made her way to the center. All eyes saw her exist.

And that included the strange Chosen from Sylvarant, who turned to her with bright, confused eyes.

Suddenly, Seles was struck and forgot all that she had been about to say. So once again, Tokunaga had to go to her rescue.

“Wait just a moment!” Her butler, her one confidant in all that she wanted and feared for, stepped forward with a steady voice. She envied that, noting how he didn’t sound at all weakened. “Your next opponent is…Seles!”

The announcer was looking at a piece of paper that he pulled from his pocket. “Uh, isn’t the surprise team for next week…?”

“Oh! Seles!” Colette fluttered her wings, moving slightly closer. Though her hair was just a bit tangled from her fights, and there was a bit of dirt on her clothes, she rarely looked worse for wear. She hardly seemed tired out at all. “Are you here to see Zelos?”

And at the mention of her brother’s name, it was as if something clicked. If he was here, he would be watching the fight. He would see her. She straightened, taking a step past Tokunaga, ignoring the cheers from the crowd, the hundreds of mouths hungry for another fight.

“You’re the Chosen of the declining world, correct? A Chosen like my brother. And since you serve him, you must have confidence in your skill.”

The girl blinked at the observation, as if she had no idea she had just been fighting teams of warriors and monsters, including a giant dragon. “Ah, I am! A Chosen, I mean. I don’t know about serving…”

A small shout from the side, cutting through all the cheering. The voice was incredibly loud to be heard past the multitudes of others. “We’re not his servants! Stop calling us that!”

Seles narrowed her eyes. She had her resolve. Maybe it was the cheers of the crowd, urging her on. So different from the secret training sessions she had endured, where all she heard was the clang of steel and her own labored breaths. 

“As Tokunaga already stated, I’m your next opponent.” Then, with demand in her voice, “Now, fight me!”

Another great cheer, and even the announcer decided to go along with it, raising up his hand to gesture to Seles. “So, we have Seles fighting against our Super Girl champion! An unexpected turn of events!”

Colette's hands didn't seem to know where to go at first. They fidgeted with each other, then clasped tightly as the Chosen, savior of the dying world of Sylvarant, stuttered. "Ah, um-um, do…do we really have to fight?"

Seles felt a sharp stinging in her head at that, a shortness of breath in her lungs. Was this a strategy of the other girl's? To make her weak?

Or was what happened with the dragon had just been a fluke?

"..Silence!" Seles shouted back. She gritted her teeth, already frustrated beyond belief. "I’ll prove that I’m stronger than you!"

If such a girl like this can be a Chosen, then so could she!

The announcer took that as his cue to officially start the fight, cutting his arm in between the two girls and then effectively leaping back to avoid any flying sharp objects. “Begin!”

“Ah, wait!” Colette still hadn’t taken out her weapons, which Seles knew she still held somewhere on her person. “If you wanted to just talk with your brother, we could—”

“That is not what I asked of you!” How stubborn was this girl? Seles gripped the handle of her bag tightly, recalling to her mind an arte. If this girl refused to fight, then she would just have to force her.

And she knew how few would expect her to know any of the skills she had tirelessly learned over the years.

For a moment, it looked like Colette would protest again. But Seles raised her hand, a shining flare hovering just above the girl’s head. 

Light magic had been one of the first things she learned, ever since she was a child. It was her mother who had taught her the Ray arte specifically.

She had hoped that the glaring light would prompt Colette to move, to accidentally rush right into a beam of magic that circled around her spot. But the girl, still with her wings out, remained still, watching the magic take place, and then raised her arms above her head.

The light hit something transparent that surrounded her for a moment, glittering with a green tint before fading away completely. Colette then raised her head. Her weapons, rings of metals that were as brilliant as her golden hair, were already clutched in her hands.

“If…if you want to fight, then okay! But just so you know, I’m going to try really, really hard!”

Seles wavered just then. She was befuddled, looking towards Colette who just had her eyebrows slightly lowered, her mouth barely in a frown. Was this girl making fun of her?

For a moment, it felt like the gleeful shouts of the crowd around her turned to jeers. 

“Argh, then just fight me already!” 

Not a spell this time, but she reached into her bag. The item was another gift from her mother, it’s magical properties giving her the ability to house what she needed, and to summon them at will. The star-stitched pattern on it glowed as it gave her what she seeked. 

The staff of the wand was nearly as large as her body, and the star atop it kept growing and growing, until it seemed impossible for someone such as her to wield it.

But her Exsphere made so many things possible for her. It gave her strength when she needed it, it let her breathe in the air more easily, and it let her move her legs when before, on her worse days, she’d have to rest on her knees.

Even if the Exsphere could not cure her, it gave her the appearance of someone who could hold her own. She had to make such a thing real.

She swung the wand right in front of her, stars falling all around her in a terrific storm, until it engulfed the girl in front of her. Just a flash of her violet wings, the shine of her weapons against the light of Seles’ wand. The stars were just a distraction, and her wand grazed Colette’s arm, prompting a surprised shout from her.

She took a quick glance. There was a tear in Colette’s sleeve, but no sign of a full injury. Seles huffed in frustration, putting the wand away back in her bag.

Colette watched the motion, somehow completely forgetting about the near scuffle from before. “Oh wow! That’s amazing! How does it fit in there?”

“Wh—That’s none of your business!” Why did this girl keep asking so many stupid questions!?

Seles needed to fight better, be more aggressive, lean more into what she had been training for. That was all there was to it.

She could hear the crowd’s shouts growing louder when she reached back into her bag. There was clear excitement in the air, the people already catching onto her abilities. Even Colette seemed to stare, which did instill a bit of nervousness within Seles. It doesn’t matter! I just have to beat her! The weapon she pulled out emitted a metallic sound, the blade scraping against its magical hold. 

Her sword’s hilt had been specially designed to fit her own hands—one of the few benefits of being part of the Mana Lineage, even for one who was banished to an island in the southern seas. She only lingered for a moment, getting used to the weight of the blade.

With a lunge, Seles aimed her strike at Colette, and yet, the girl already seemed to block it so easily? The chakrams may have been weapons, but they paled in comparison to the giant sword Seles wielded. They looked as frail as gold foil, and should have bent underneath her strength.

Because Seles knew she was strong—from her Exsphere, from her training, from her own will. Even the swordsmen Tokunaga had hired to train her had trouble deflecting her blows when she sparred with them. But instead, Colette knocked aside her attack, nearly upending her balance. It was those wings, bright and distracting, filling the air with trails of stardust in their wake.

“I’m so sorry,” Colette was saying. She still held fast to her chakrams, arms up in defense. “Are you hurt?”

Incredible words from her, when she had just been fighting a dragon, when her overcoat was still slightly frayed from Seles’ earlier attacks. But otherwise, this seemed to be a walk in the park for her.

Seles felt a strange wave of jealousy run through her, directed at this girl who probably didn’t feel her lungs burn. With a quick sheathe of the sword, Seles commanded the mana to store within her hands again. “Don’t you dare go easy on me!”

Pillars of ice erupted from where Colette stood. Sharp and tall, refracting the sunlight to blind the eyes. Seles felt the chill within her throat, controlling herself from coughing. For a moment, wings flickered away from existence.

But it was only because Colette tripped away from the spell.

This has to be a joke, Seles thought with disbelief.

Yet instead, the girl quickly got to her feet, brushing away the dirt from her dress. As if she had just fallen over a bend in the road instead of fighting for her life in battle.

She wasn’t taking Seles seriously!

“That was so quick!” Colette was now complimenting—complimenting!!—on her spellwork, still not using her chakrams to actually take the offense. “How did you—?”

“No! That’s enough!” Seles shouted, already calling forth another arte. “Stop asking me questions during our fight! You didn’t do this for anyone else!”

Colette paused. She still hovered above the ground, wings fluttering before her. The unforgiving sunlight made her golden hair burn.

“If you truly don’t want to fight me, then forfeit right now, instead of trying to so clearly stall it.” Seles clutched her bag handle so tightly that it hurt, that it made her palm ache so much. “Don’t treat my challenge as something so trivial.”

Her whole existence has been both trivial and troublesome to many. In the coliseum, it shouldn’t have no longer mattered. The only importance was knowing who was stronger, and that was it.

Even with the crowd still cheering, some of them chanting for Colette, the other for Seles, (though some must have not known who Seles truly was, or they would never cheer for her in the first place) both girls stood their ground, facing the other. The arte was ready on Seles’ tongue, her right hand held up to the sky, waiting.

Then, after an eternity, Colette nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry.” She held out her weapons, and in that moment, there was something different in her eyes, a resolve that didn’t feel unfamiliar. “I’ll fight you if it’s the only way.”

Seles didn’t answer her. She already had the chant for Prism Sword, circling over and over in her mind. The arte descended onto Colette almost immediately, but she had seen the Sylvaranti Chosen endure much more than that. 

She still needed to win.

--

But soon, Seles understood what it meant to fight against true angelic strength. 

It was what the dragon had faced before with Colette, and now Seles had taken the dragon’s place. The forceful barrage of chakram thrusts, and the occasional spell of light that rained down from the sky kept Seles on her toes, kept her rushing across the field of the coliseum, dirt staining her dress, her hair already matted with sweat beneath her hat.

The Sylvaranti Chosen still said the occasional ‘Oops!’ and ‘Uh oh’ throughout their battle, but fought with more precision now. She was relentless, her wings framing her as she met Seles’ sword strikes with her circular blades. Seles noticed how the girl’s arms didn’t tremble, even as blood leaked from her palms from where the chakrams bit at her skin.

Occasionally, Seles would switch to her other weapons; her wand, her giant hammer, the shape of a planet as its head, but her sword was the most reliable. She met Colette’s strikes, and quickly put it away when she would revert to her spellcasting. 

But the problem was that Seles’ endurance, even with her Exsphere, had never been that strong. She was getting exhausted.

“Looks like Super Girl has her opponent on the ropes!” The announcer’s voice was unexpected, surprising Seles out of her stance and aiming her Freeze Lancer to the wrong side. She groaned in frustration and restarted her spell.

The noise was getting to be too much, and that annoying host was not helping at all!

Just keep going. Another arte…then I can catch her off guard!  

Then, she heard someone call out to her.

“...eles! Seles!!”

What? Seles couldn’t help but turn to the right, to the seats that faced them and the people waving, eager to see the pandemonium that was occurring. On one of those seats, she saw a familiar face, the figure wearing an awful red coat, his brown hair unkempt as he was watching the scene and cheering. Was that not one of her brother’s attendants? He must have left the lobby to get a better view of the fight. But then who was—

“Hey! Seles!”

Another quick glance to the right, near the bottom of the circular row of seats, and she saw Zelos. He was gripping the edge of the coliseum wall, his red hair tumbling past his face. “What are you doing?!”

He looked worried. He looked frightened for her. Seeing him in the crowd, that look froze her in place, made her forget the words to her arte.

Zelos looked at her as if she would break apart at any moment. 

“Judgment!”

The call for the spell was the only thing that brought Seles back to the battlefield, even if for a second too late. As beams of light rained down, she quickly pulled out another item from her bag; a giant shield with a star engraved in the center, and wings fanning out at the sides. It was as large as her entire body, and she lifted the metal over her head to withstand the magic attacks that rained down from the skies, like the wrath of heaven. The force of it was intense, enough to blow away the hat off her head and flutter off in an unseen direction.

And then, before the spell was even finished, she saw Colette fly towards her to attack.

Seles was going to lose.

Still, with shaking arms, she placed the shield back in front of her to block the girl’s chakram blows. They felt as heavy as iron sledges against her shield, and she saw how the weapons glowed with angelic power. This really is the power of the Chosen, she thought to herself in both awe and fear. I can’t fight against it.

And with that thought, the ache in her arms became nigh overwhelming. Another attack from Colette, a thrust from her chakram to leave a cut against the star design of her shield, and Seles crumpled to the ground. She let go of both the shield and bag, the latter spilling out her sword up to middle part of the blade from its opening. The bag’s insides were full of dazzling colors, the magic still trying to work but with no wielder to guide it. 

“No! Not…not yet, I…” Seles could only lift herself to her knees, but couldn’t push herself further. Colette was still a bit of distance away, her weapons held before her, and her wings still shining so brilliantly.

Seles shut her eyes to the sight and her ears to the crowd. She didn’t want to hear the referee announce her defeat, and simply knelt there to wait. It’s over. I didn’t win. She pressed her hands to her knees, crumpling the dress in her fingers. Zelos won’t ever accept me now.

“Seles?” Another call for her name, but this was time, it was calm. It was sincere. A mixture of shadow and light fell over her. “Are you okay?”

A hand reached out to her, the palms slightly callused, with a sharp cut drawn across. The red was almost blinding.

“No! Just…leave me alone. You won.” You’re stronger than me…better than me. It was no wonder then that this girl was the Chosen in her own right.

Seles’ hands were hurting. They ached, and they stung. Her palms felt raw, as if the skin would break at any moment. Except… Colette’s hands are already bleeding.

“Seles! This…this must be some kind of mistake.” Tokuaga was already by her side, kneeling in the dirt with her. A hand gently pressed on her shoulder.

The man had so much faith in her that she could not live up to. For a moment, she couldn’t even look at him. “I wasn’t strong enough. That’s all.” With shaking knees, Seles got to her feet, making sure to grab both her bag, all items pushed inside it, and her hat. She was already out of breath. The crowd around her was too much now, making her want to hide.

Colette was still looking at her, the hand she had offered now lowered. But she didn’t move away.

“Maybe… we can talk now? Since we’re done fighting?” Colette quickly sheathed her chakrams, both her hands already empty though they must have ached terribly.

Seles tried to steady her voice even as her lungs struggled. That and the crowd’s constant yelling was giving her a headache. “I don’t want to talk! You’ve gotten your victory. Is that not enough?” 

She was further weakening herself this way, so she rushed back to the walls of the coliseum. She didn’t hear Tokunaga go after her. Perhaps he realized this plan was foolish now that she couldn’t fulfill her part no matter what.

“Please, understand Seles’ feelings…”

Already she was through the door, rushing past some badgering guards, past the nurse who had been looking at her like she would fall apart at the seams. But at some point, she must have stopped to catch her breath, placing a hand over her chest and waiting for her body to finally calm down. 

Instead, it only worsened, her body shaking from the strain of all the fighting. She had pushed herself beyond what she was used to, and even her Exsphere wasn’t enough to keep her from feeling the effects. If just one fight was enough to get her this winded, then how could she think she would be able to travel with her brother?

“Seles?”

It wasn’t Tokunaga’s voice that called out to her, like she expected. It wasn’t even Zelos’ voice, even though he had called out to her in the coliseum. 

She turned to see Colette rushing up to her. Her wings had vanished, leaving just a girl in her white overcoat, and her hair a little frayed from the fight.

Apparently, challenging this girl had been her poorest decision yet.

“Why are you… Go away!” Seles snapped before Colette could even reach her. She felt so sick and lightheaded. She needed to close her eyes. “What more do you want? Can’t you see I can barely even stand now?”

Just a weak girl that everyone just wanted to shut away in the Abbey. Out of sight, out of mind.

When someone clasped her hand, she flinched, but she didn’t pull away. The hand had a roughness to it, and she felt the fresh cut over her own palm. Opening her eyes, Colette was holding her hand with a smile on her face.

“There was a time, not long ago, that I was barely able to walk on my own. I felt like I was letting everyone down.” Colette’s voice was gentle, held with patience that Seles had trouble understanding just why. “I’m sorry you’re feeling the same… But, in our fight, you were strong. And I think a lot of people can see that.”

The way the Chosen drove to the core of Seles’ fears unnerved her. But she no longer felt as sick as before, though her head still occasionally pounded. She didn’t even feel in danger of falling anymore, somehow more calm than what she felt just minutes before.

“Tokunaga told me why you’re here. And that you wanted to join Zelos on our journey. I think that would be amazing if you could!” Colette gripped her hand warmly, and the grin she had on her face didn’t seem to be false.

“But…why would you care about that? You barely know me.” 

Colette blinked, but she seemed to consider her answer, going by the soft ‘um’ sound she uttered. “Well, it’s fun to make new friends. And I’ve made so many on this journey. Maybe you can, too.”

Seles had no idea what Colette meant by all this. She wondered then what Zelos really thought about this girl.

She shook her head. “I doubt big brother would want me to join…especially after I lost.” The plan was for me to win, so he would have to accept me. But since Colette beat me, there’s no way that—

“I can ask him if you can join!”

Seles raised her head. “What?”

“I can ask him!” Colette nodded. “And maybe Lloyd can, too. And Genis, and everyone else! I’m sure Zelos is just worried about your health, but if we all look out for each other like we always do, then it should be okay.”

“Do you really think it would be that easy?” Seles asked pointedly. She didn’t want false hope, after a life of denial. “If there’s one thing I know about my big brother, it’s that he’s stubborn.”

“Hm, but he might change his mind on something if a girl asks him to? At least, that’s what he’s said before!”

“...He said that?” Seles seethed inwardly. So she IS a floozie!

“Yes! Or he might have been joking. It’s hard to tell with him sometimes.” Colette still hadn’t let go of her hand, seemingly so insistent on staying connected.

“I don’t… I’m not sure.” But she was feeling better, somehow. Just talking about this seemed to lift away the weight from her chest. A question soon nagged at her, demanding an answer. “How did you get better? If you were also weak?”

“It took…a while,” Colette answered. The color in her eyes seemed muted then, at the mention of a past Seles didn’t know of. “And, not everything has been fixed, if that’s what you mean. The noises of the crowds here are actually a lot for me still. And I still get ill sometimes whenever I push myself. It’s…a balancing act, almost.”

Something about that made Seles a little saddened. Maybe this weakness was not something one could fully escape from.

“But that’s why I think I can convince Zelos to let you come along! He knows I get this way too, and that I’m still trying my best. He’ll understand that you’re doing the same!”

“Are you sure?” Seles had to ask once more, but the hope was strong. “I shouldn’t let others talk for me. I need to ask him myself.”

“Would it still be okay if I was with you when you ask him?” 

Colette was looking at her like some eager puppy, with her constant questions and encouragement. Seles was not used to such a thing. “I…I suppose so! Also, you can let go of my hand now.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.” Colette immediately let go with a nervous giggle. “I didn’t realize I was doing that.”

“...How did you not—Never mind.” Seles flexed the hand Colette had been holding. She couldn’t recall the last time someone had held her hand for such a time, except for when she was a child. 

“I don’t understand why you’re being so kind to me,” she said without meaning to. Instantly, she regretted it. The words made her sound so petulant and young.

But Colette answered her with sincerity, still.

“I think it’s important to be kind. More than anything.” Colette turned slightly to her left, down back to the lobby where Seles had initially waited. “I think I heard Zelos and Lloyd just now. They’re looking for you.”

Seles noted how Colette didn’t mention how they were searching for the both of them. It would make sense they would seek out their companion. But for Seles?

Maybe she could do this.

“Okay, let’s go talk to them before I change my mind about this,” she said with quickness. “And… I would appreciate if you were there with me.”

“Of course! I’m so glad we’re friends now.”

Seles didn’t exactly admit to that, but she couldn’t deny that the idea was a bit tempting. She never had another friend her age…

Before she knew it, Colette linked her arm with Seles, and with a strength that belied her appearance, she guided the other girl back to the lobby. “Let’s go then!”

“I… Is this what friends do?!” she asked, already being dragged away.

But she didn’t pull out of the hold, or refuse Colette’s help when she felt her own steps begin to falter. 

Perhaps asking for aid wasn’t as much of a weakness as she once feared.

[lamentingocean]

Mafia Jaha x Reader

Tw: riding, humping, slight abuse, verbal abuse, slut name calling, money bragging and cheating, all of this is insane pls help me, drugs, casino crap, SEXUAL EVERYTHING HAHAH (I'm sick asf)

+Made by Your Favorite Blogger- Ocean!+

___________________________________________

I must always obey what jaha says. I was only a small worker in a restaurant until I saw him pull up to the drive thru with bucks of money on his hands If he's trying to shove it on my face to give me a powerful surge of jealousy or something. But no. even though he's a red flag with a suit that costs 500K. he's incredibly attractive.

This is only a backstory.

His long black hair....his red eyes that can win a beauty battle with the roses in the snow pinterest pictures, and his chin that can stab a brick wall in a second got you falling in silent love. having heart eyes directly at him if you're a yandere to your senpai. But it's a chance to take him from all these thots all over him.

he set up a party poster all over the town, just to celebrate his elimination of a cartel he has been enemies with for many years, so he's happy about it, nobody knows that he is a proficient badass at martial arts. especially with a sword, but let's not talk about that right now. I took my day off work to go to the party.

I used all of my currency to buy an expensive dress and used my last quarters to buy this popular makeup swarming around social media, it's flower knows it makeup just to look good for a man for a man I met on a fast food thru. but you got to do what you got to do. I showed up to his house. looking good and sexy for one man that can shoot you with one bullet.

Weak ass.

I caught one glimpse of him, and there he is. mooching off his booze and bathing himself with money. he can even take off his outfit and pour money of his cock if he wants to, but no. he drank aphrodisiacs and sugar at the same time with a mix of his favorite booze. but those same heart eyes still set on him like a target, but as soon I left. I saw him glimpse at me at the last second when I walked to expose his house more.

he was following me. thinking he's slick by hiding in corners pretending to avoid me, but everything I move to the crowd full of people, I hear footsteps behind me, and it's starting to terrify me. it's like a ghost wanting to assault me from behind me, but I can't see it. I entered the bathroom to take a tinkle.

Take a piss while I'm scrolling on tumblr. Someone knocked on the door while they could hear my audible trickling in the toilet, the person busted it. it's jaha.

his fists slammed against my hands to the wall. he's obviously drunk, horny, and on a sugar rush due to all the drugs he's taken. he's drooling from the mouth, and his eyes look like a white dirty condom on an abandoned hotel room floor. but he also looks like he's dead with those eyes. but you also smelt a stench coming from him, and it wasn't his body. or his breath.

His cock was frothing of pre-cum, dripping full of saliva of different woman, its also twitching uncontrollably which caught you off gaurd. he slowly slapped his hands on your thighs and forcefully opened your legs. At the same time. I didn't really overreact to his frothing mouth full of drugs in his breath that could possibly kill bugs and pigs. Two of the most disgusting things on earth.

he chuckled in delight to my face of no emotion to my pussy exposure, he went way beyond my pussy lips to leave his cock enter the door of my womb, i screamed out in lust, and then noticed the door behind him. it's open and then you started to overthink that people were gonna recording the mafia leader fucking a random girl in the bathroom just for internet comedy. he did your exact wish. he closed the door behind him. dispite being functional at a disgustingly rush of sex drugs and booze bottles.

he thrust his cock right in and out of your pussy lips. groaning at your squelching hot wet pussy enveloping in his dick skin. his cock throbbed inside you. I tried to cease my moans from my mouth by covering it. but he felt so damn good that I started to slowly move my fingers to rub my clit. he fucked you so hard that if people walk by the bathroom then they can hear sounds coming from inside. a small spray of pre-cum went out of your pussy since he's slamming into you so hard. He didn't even give you a warning.

he spread his thick load all of you, going from your chest, hand, arm, and face. once he finished the rest of his climax. his fingers flicked out and dug into your insides like he shoved a booze bottle into someone's ass. it was at this point that I couldn't hold in my moans anymore and just let it out without a care in the world. his fingers were coated with your vagina juices. his fingers were so goddamn big. That you cummed all over his fingers in such a short amount of time.

I'm writing this now in my free time since I was supposed to cook for jaha right before he went back to his headquarters. and that I'm probably slacking on my cooking time. I must do everything for him since he called me a bitch before. BUT he was only in a bad mood since some of his employees got shot in the chest by a new cartel targeting jaha for over 70 million dollars.

I went downstairs. I'm overall a housewive in my new life with a mafia man. Jaha is in the kitchen, throwing his money around like it's an addiction to flex around his own wife. until he glanced at you. "Where is my food lousy bitch. I have been standing here for the past 20 minutes." I took his attitude as an affection of love. I bow down as a form of respect and love. "I'm sorry babe..I'll get your lunch started soon♡"

"Ok, well. I need you to hurry up. I got places to be and things to do." I couldn't make his lunch that fast.

"Do you just want the leftovers then?" I suddenly felt a slap on my face that felt like a brick. he chuckled with his anger powdered voice.

"fuck the leftovers. I want a new dish. if you can make my dish properly. I will make sure to put you in a wheelchair just how you are impressively horny you are for my cock. just like we were fucking in that party I had 4 years ago. Do you have that clear slut?"

"Yes sir..." I held the slap in my face.

'"Actually...on second thought.."

I got picked up and thrown to the wall to see jaha's smirk of sexual addiction. he spoke out in words that shocked my hormones to the core. It's like it activated just by these single words. "Let's fuck. I don't care about work anymore other than to fuck you endlessly like a cum hungry slut." he zipped down his pants to see his stiff cock smelling clean like it's a human itself.

He slapped it right on my face, which could leave a mark, he glanced right at my face begging me to suck his dick off like a vacuum until he can cum endlessly until he can no longer cum again. drain his dick down. your mouth was filled with his cock. I suck it up and down just so I can catch a glimpse of jaha's horny nature, and it did work, but his dick got bigger due to getting harder by your natural mouth massage by his dick, he groaned once again, rubbing your locks in as if he's mesmerized by your beauty. his dick tip started to pump his pre-cum into the hole of your mouth so you could swallow it every time you suck him off up and down. He threw his head back in unforgivable lust, radiating arousal for your mouth tricks. his hair wicked back and forth just he can spread his groans all around the empty walls of our expensive home. his pre-cum leaked out of your mouth and started to overfill your taste buds with it. until he actually did shoot his gun shot like load right inside your mouth, pumping it so full that you nearly choked at his cum load. right before his load.

he covered his mouth and rolled his eyes back with his sweat dripping down his expensive suit, with his face feeling so hot of toxic love that he's burning in poison in the midst of calling his wife a bitch uncontrollably. he did a finger signal to come over to my lap and make out with me.

"we aren't over"

(MY X READERS ARE GETTING MORE DIRTIER OML)

[thatboreddrake]

Ser Diana, the Moon's Lance

Hailing from the western shore of Liurnia, Diana's family were dedicated vassals and servants of the Carian royalty. Her father was an accomplished spellblade. Though he never achieved the prestigious title of knighthood, he nonetheless distinguished himself during the First and Second Liurnian Wars. In doing so, he earned a comfortable estate for himself and his family. However, as the youngest daughter of a lesser noble house, Diana's chances for an inheritance were slim at best. To anyone else, the logical path would have been to try to marry well, or else take up a trade to support herself when the time came to leave her family home. But Diana was no ordinary lordling.

She was never content to stay inside, waited on by servants. She much preferred to wander the woods, looking for hidden glades and animal nests. When Diana was fourteen, she discovered a tower hidden deep in the woods. Its foundation was coated with frost though it was the middle of summer. Her chattering teeth indicated a rapid drop in the atmospheric temperature, and her heart was filled with fright. She recalled the tales of the ancient astrologers, her family's ancestors, telling of wights which roamed the frozen wastes of their homeland, wielding dreadful ice magic. These monsters had aided in the slaughter of the Fire Giants, long friends of the astrologers, and though hostilities with the Golden Order ended with the marriage of Lord Radagon and Queen Rennala, the Zamorans had signed no treaty.

The adventuresome girl's heart froze within her chest, and she turned to flee from what surely was the abode of an ancient evil. In her haste, however, she neglected to observe her surroundings and ran headlong into a robe of deep blue. Diana fell back, but her scream died in her throat. This was not some monster of ages long past, but another girl, her red hair contrasting against her blue academic robes. The other girl's gaze narrowed, her green eyes seemingly looking right through Diana. Finally, as though she had solved a difficult problem, she reached down a hand to help Diana to her feet.

"Art thou lost, young one?"

Upon regaining her feet, Diana saw that the stranger was a head taller than her but did not appear to be much older.

"Young one? I'm fourteen! And from the look of it, you're not much older. Who are you?"

"Ah, an impertinent one, I see. Very well, my name is Renna."

The voice of an aged woman called from within the tower. "Ranni! Get back in here, we haven't finished our lesson yet?"

Diana cocked her head to the side. "Ranni? Princess Ranni?"

She knelt in recognition of the Carian princess, but Ranni merely rolled her eyes. "Ah, 'tis what I feared. Come then, no need for such formalities."

The voice called again, more insistent this time. "Ranni! Hurry up! I'm not gettin' any younger, you bluntstone!"

Ranni called back, her voice tempered by a veneer of fake annoyance. "Have patience, old hag!"

She turned back to Diana with a slight grin. "Tell me, hast thou any training in sorcery?"

Diana nodded slowly, piecing together what was happening. "A bit. Nothing to brag about, but my father has taught me a fair bit."

Ranni grabbed her hand and began pulling her along. "Excellent! A companion will make these lessons far less dull."

And so the two began a lasting friendship. Diana would meet Ranni in the woods, and together they learned frozen sorceries from Renna, the Snow Witch. Occasionally they were joined by Blaidd, Ranni's guardian, though he was more a brother to her than anything. He was a good fellow, though it took Diana a bit to grow used to his half-wolven appearance. With her father's permission, she took up the partisan in addition to her training in sorcery. Diana and Blaidd entertained a friendly rivalry and sparred whenever they had the chance.

When the day arrived that Diana completed her training, she swore an oath to the Carian royal family, pledging herself as a royal knight loyal to Lunar Princess Ranni. They were not to spend much time together, however, for Queen Marika, the Eternal, summoned Ranni to the Royal Capital of Leyndell soon thereafter. Despondent at the loss of her friend, Diana turned to her knightly duties, overseen by Ser Loretta.

Then, while keeping watch under a moonlit night sky, Ser Diana received a missive from Lady Ranni, borne by one of the unseen sorcerers of Sellia. It was written in High Noxian, a tongue which few could read, and read: "I regret that I cannot bid farewell in person. I must act quickly and decisively, for there is much at stake. You will hear rumors in the coming weeks, but know that whatever I am accused of, I did it of mine own accord. To you, my companion, I leave one last task: let not the servants of gold discover the Study Hall. Know that we will meet again."

At the time, Diana could not comprehend the meaning of the message. What could be so urgent as to require immediate action, yet leave enough time for half of an explanation? And what secrets could the study hall hold that must be kept from the Golden Order? She only began to glimpse her friend's meaning when messengers arrived from Leyndell, declaring that rebels had murdered both Godwyn, the Golden, heir to the Golden Order, and Lunar Princess Ranni. For many nights, Diana mourned the loss of her friend. However, the message left her with hope, for Ranni had sworn that they would meet again.

Knowing naught else, Diana took up her partisan, mounted her horse, and rode for Liurnia's eastern shore. Even if her lady never returned, she would honor her last wish and protect the study hall with her life. Many armies marched through Liurnia in the ensuing months, but all marched either on or from Leyndell. None turned aside to investigate the fringes of the mist-shrouded Liurnia. A year passed, and Ser Diana began to wonder of the fate of her family, and of the academy. Leaving the hall for the first time since the Shattering, she once more traversed the Liurnian High Road. Here, she encountered a man in a tattered coat, leaning heavily on a walking stick.

He introduced himself as King Morgott, last monarch of Leyndell. He explained that he was in search of knights who would aid him in bringing peace back to the land which had been so ravaged by the demigods and their grasps for power. Though Diana had no great love for the Golden Order, Ranni's final words to her echoed in her mind. What better way to divert the Order's attention than to serve as one of its enforcers? And so Diana pledged herself to Morgott and took on the raiment of the Night's Cavalry, though she considered this oath as nothing but a means to uphold her true allegiance. And so she patrols the southern reaches of Liurnia, intent on keeping all trespassers away from the Carian Study Hall. However, Ser Diana shall not forever remain a servant of the Golden Order. For the sorcerers whisper amongst themselves of a rising along Liurnia's western shore. A dragon has taken up roost in Caria Manor, and rumors circle of a man roaming the Mistwood, half wolf and half man. Perhaps the day shall soon come, when she will be re-united with her liege.

[kookie-doughs]

Your Voice

Oikawa Tooru X Reader

-In a world where only a few people has a soulmate, and they are burdened with a disability until they meet their other half.

Chapter 18: The Taste Of Love

Italic signed, Bold written

Oikawa once again had his entire, table, lockers and bag full of sweets. He absolutely dreads this day.

People would say it'd be his favourite day as a chance to reap all his narcissism, but its really not. Having the fact he's still alone and will probably be for i dont know perhaps forever with food he can never enjoy thrown at him.

He hated sweets, he doesnt understand why people kept giving him. Years and years of him declining and saying no. No one listened.

So he did what he's always been doing to the sweets he's always gotten.

having them all in his bag. He went to the gym, it was after school and they had another practice.

"Yahoo~" He sang.

"You took forever."

"You got more than you did last year huh." Hanamaki smirked.

Oikawa groaned and tossed one large bag full of cookies and chocolates. It had been a tradition for the boys to gather valentines gifts and make it into a potluck so everyone in the team would get some. It was always Oikawa bringing them but hey, he doesn't like it anyway.

The man looked around. "Is Y/N at the locker room?"

"No she's at Shiratorizawa. She's giving their sweets." Iwaizumi said.

"SPEAKING OF!!!" Matsukawa cut off. "She got me something too, it was sweet of her. I didnt know she can bake!"

Oikawa blinked. He may not be a fan of sweets but he takes note of who gives them. Not one of them had your name. But you gave Matsukawa one?

"Oh, yeah I got one too!" Hanamaki bragged.

Even Hanamaki? Was it because he told you he doesn't like sweets? Was that why you didnt give him one?

"She made one for everyone." Yahaba interjected.

Oikawa's heart broke. Everyone but him. He wanted to have a bite. Even not being able to taste it, eating something you made... the thought of it makes him excited.

"Get the potluck ready already. Im going to get something."

Oikawa went to the locker and placed his stuff. He sat there too for a while.

He was thinking of you. He appreciates the fact you remembered he doesn't like sweet but it hurt that he was left out.

He took a breathy breath. It hurt him. Not wanting the others to check up on him, he left the locker room so he doesnt over stay.

Upon exiting, the boys had already put all the chocolate and cookies in a big bowl. Some were already eating.

Matsukawa saw Oikawa's expression. He handed him a chocolate.

"Maybe it'll lift your spirits."

"He hates those." Iwaizumi reminded him.

"Right..."

Oikawa put it in his mout anyway. The flavor of nothing made him slump more.

"Surprise attack!" Hanamaki then shoved a cookie to Oikawa's mouth.

The boy was about to spit it out when his stomach dropped.

"No." His eyes widened. Tears were forming.

This wasn't what he wanted.

It was chewy. It was his first encounter with flavor so he doesn't understand how to explain jt. It bittersweet chocolate chips. Chunks of chocolate were around, chocolate spreads to his tongue in each bite. It also had walnuts. They added crunch and a nice nutty flavor and a hint of bitterness that’s different from the bittersweet taste of the chocolate.

He had no words. It tasted amazing. It tasted beautiful. No words could come to his mind.

He pushed the guys away and looked around at the potluck

"OI SHITTYKAWA WHAT THE-" Iwaizumi was about to kill him.

"Fuck!" He sobbed.

He looked for any signs of nuts on cookies. But there were too many. He moved the cookies around looking for something. He'd bite from every cookie with a nut he found.

"Oikawa!" Hanamaki shouted.

He didn't stop searching. That was his only link to his true love. He couldn't lose it like this.

The boys were getting worried.

"Oi, oi, oi," Iwaizumi pulled him away. But Oikawa was struggling against him.

He needed it.

Matsukawa helped Iwaizumi.

"Oi, Oikawa what's wrong?!" The entire team was surrounding him.

"Fuck!" He sobbed throwing away the cookie he was holding.

He curled up and sobbed to his knees.

"Oikawa I'm sorry for feeding you... come one it was a joke..." Hanamaki was feeling so shit.

But they didn't know.

"I lied." His voice broke.

"What do you mean...?" Iwaizumi asked hand behind his friends back.

"I just lost it..." His sobbing was coming back to him. "I'm never going to find them..."

"Find who?" The guys asked.

"Oikawa-san..." Yahaba gasped.

"You lied about it? How?" Kyotani looked at him shocked.

"Lied about what?" Kindachi asked the couple.

"Oikawa-san has a soulmate..." Yahaba answered.

Everyone looked at his sobbing form.

"I'm assuming he also lost his taste... Until Hanamaki fed him something his partner made."

Oikawa tighten his hold on his knees.

"No way..."

"Your whole life you lied about it???"

"No fucking way..."

He couldn't careless about what they said. All he could think about was the love he had just lost thanks to his stupidity. Why hadn't he thought of tasting them before this potluck?

They were all looking at him in pity.

"He lost his only link to the love of his life." The couple said.

The flavour of the cookies still linger at his mouth. His heart tightens every time he thought about it.

He will never find his true love. The taste lingering, is the taste of his true love. The true love he lost forever.

And he won't ever find her.

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Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @wormonastringonastick @the-sander-fander @rukia-uchiha-98

[meowww-ffxiv]

Theodore x Erenville booty call post 6.55

M-rated.

I'm really doing the most for this slouch.

Erenville lived in an apartment complex on the other side of Old Sharlayan's harbor.

It was, as Theodore understood it, the common living arrangement for gleaners or scholars who were away more often than not. Its location complemented its somewhat irrelevant purpose, if nothing else, Theodore thought wryly as he was forced to cross through a long mountain tunnel and then climbed three sets of stairs to get to the nondescript, white-stoned building.

At least the lobby was a homely collection of mahogany and burgundy shades, and the large hearth was ever-blazing. Not that Theodore came inside. Even from without, a few gleaners gave him odd looks, and it made the thought of going in there and taking the stairs... seem ill-advised.

Curse you, Estinien, Theodore thought as he counted the windows and prepared to leap. You and your dramatic exits, and their effectiveness.

At least the balcony window was opened, and the pair of lemon eyes peering at him the moment Theodore landed on solid stone was entirely devoid of surprise.

"I appreciate your discretion," Erenville said. "A trait not observed all too often for the entirety of this day."

"It was my pleasure," Theodore replied, ducking into the room and closing the door behind him. After a moment of hesitation, he locked it.

Erenville didn't seem to notice. His attention was on the spread of maps and papers on the desk before him.

Rucksack and coat discarded, Erenville's slender frame still held an odd amount of tension. A disproportionate amount of tension, Theodore wanted to say, and did not, because he might have a clue where it came from.

Instead, he took the pitcher sitting next to the gleaner, picked up one of the conspicuously-two cups, and poured a glass of...wine?

"Mango wine, an export of Tural," Erenville said, looking up at him. "You said you never had much chance to try tropical fruits. Much of our produce would have rotted on the way back, however."

Theodore sighed gustily, leaning his hip against the desk. "And here I was, hoping to surprise you with my visit. Only for you to have set me up to be the houseguest, it seems."

Erenville smirked. "I did not know whether you would visit," he admitted. Paused. "Or that you would remember which room was mine."

"Or how lucky I am that you are still using the same apartment," Theodore replied.

Erenvile laughed, the kind of laugh that began deep in his chest and sat warm in Theodore's own, as warm and bright as the wine on its way down.

He set the cup aside and studied the Viera's profile for a moment. Allowed himself to be studied in return, though not so much wondering what, exactly, Erenville worried about. What he saw in him beyond the night visitor that he was.

Slowly, purposefully, Theodore reached for him. His fingers hooked on the leather collar Erenville wore, slipping warm skin to warm skin, felt a thrill as Erenville's pulse jumped under his touch.

He tugged on the collar, forcing Erenville to lift his head, to look at him. Erenville swallowed, his throat bobbing, the movement and the heat of his skin tantalizing.

"Allow me," Theodore said.

Erenville only exhaled, shuddering. Yes, he mouthed.

Theodore tugged on the collar, undoing it with experience he wouldn't be boorish enough to brag about. It was cast aside, along with his own coat. Erenville gasped, then sighed as Theodore pulled him from his chair, as their lips met, as Theodore's tongue swept into his mouth.

The way he clung to him was precious. Not that they hadn't done this before, multiple times before, the first time here in this apartment and the other times across Eorzea wherever they reunited. But it was still the same; Erenville's sinewy arms wrapped around Theodore's neck, pulling him closer. Their lips parted for air, and then he was kissing him again, more sure this time, as they found their rhythm once more.

Theodore kissed his jaw, then down his neck, along his pulse. He sank his teeth into the soft hollow of Erenville's throat, harder than he would for most lovers. A moan spilled through dark, wine-sweet lips. Erenville arched into him, thighs tightening around Theodore's waist. He begged without words, rocking his hips, his urgency almost desperate.

Well. It likely was a very, very long voyage from the New World to Old Sharlayan.

What layers remained were cast aside. Theodore pressed Erenville into the modest mattress with his own body, a bulwark against the perpetual Sharlayan chill. Chest-to-chest, their hearts shared the frantic pace of their desire, as Theodore hitched Erenville's leg over his hip and pressed into him.

"Slow," was the only thing Erenville requested.

Theodore obliged, kissing along his jaw as they settled into a steady rhythm. He felt more than heard Erenville's breathy chuckle, as arms once again settled around his neck in a snug embrace.

By the time they were both sated, the candles had burned down to nubs. The room was dark save silvery moon-rays spilling in from the balcony door, its chill cooling the sweat on Theodore's skin. Yet he couldn't quite bring himself to move to reach for blankets, as that would require him to shrug off Erenville, who had taken to stroking his hair.

Eventually, he murmured, "You are a gentleman every time."

"Does that deserve such wonderment?" Theodore replied.

Erenville hummed. His fingers ceased their movement, so Theodore forced himself to take the opportunity and pull the blankets over both their bodies. Some instinct in him tucked it around Erenville, who regarded him with eyes too bright to be fully obscured by the dark.

He was mellow in the afterglow. Soft, permissive, and a world away from the scholar and gleaner whose very gaze could cut someone -- the one Theodore in the daylight knew, though not half as well as this one. Soft flesh and kiss-swollen lips that he still pressed to Theodore's so he could feel the shape of his smile, their legs tangled together.

"Are you worried?" Theodore asked, also more honest and too pleasant-tired for proper manners. "For Wuk Lamat."

"Worrying does not do anything," Erenville replied. But he sighed a very, very long sigh, and tucked his head under Theodore's chin. His ears twitched, tickling his nose. "Thank you. For agreeing to her request. I understand it's a sacrifice for you to leave for Tural without your fellow Warrior of Light."

"How are you stringing so many words together still?" Theodore muttered. He squeezed Erenville's thigh under the cover, enjoying the way his breath hitched.

"You asked," Erenville retorted. Then he sighed again. "Mordred said you agreed because of me. Is it true?"

"...Yes. In some parts."

"And this was your motivation?"

Theodore saw in his mind's eye a primed bear trap. He debated the idea for a moment, then gingerly put his leg into it. "In some parts."

He wondered if Erenville was going to get offended and kick him out of his bed, and then it would be awkward for the rest of the trip. But, instead, the Viera only snorted in laughter.

"You are honest," he told Theodore, and kissed his chin. "Something quite underrated in one's bed companions. I appreciate it."

Then he turned to face the wall and, in a few minutes, began to snore softly. Like always.

Fair enough, Theodore thought as he turned to face the ceiling and closed his eyes, satisfied.

He would still throttle that cat later though. That wasn't something you could just tell someone.