#her favourite is draped over my neck like a scarf

[mayasaura]

Miaocchiato update!

In between her busy schedule of napping 20 hours a day in the laundry, the little professor has made time to maul countless hands, chew on shoes, and commit various other minor kitten misdemeanors

[targaryenrealnessdarling]

Simple Joys

An 'It's Who We Have' Oneshot

Summary: after a few months, Billy ventures outside of London to feel somewhat normal, and brings her along for the ride | Word Count: 2k~ | Warnings: just fluffy

A/N: my boyf took me to goose fair to cheer me up and I couldn't help but think of my favourite pair 😭

When she thought of her life in London, the first word that came to mind was busy. Always busy. Rubbing shoulders with people everywhere you go, fighting for your life running around tourists and least of all the incessant beeps of rowdy taxis and weaving out the way of electric bikes.

So the first thing she thought when Billy said he wanted to take her up to Nottingham one cold October evening, she thought it might be the same.

And yes, while there was a certain hustle and bustle about the place, it was like a breath of fresh air. Billy had been uncharacteristically quiet since they left London, a small, secretive smile on his lips as he glanced around the familiar city centre.

With their hands linked, fingers intertwined, she caught him looking at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement. His hair pushed slightly to his forehead from the hat he was wearing to cover his ears from the chill. Equally, she was grateful for the thick scarf around her neck. The midlands was bitterly cold.

“What you looking so happy about, eh?”

Billy shrugged, his arm moving to casually drape over her shoulders. “Just excited to show you a bit of my world. You’re always dragging me to your fancy London spots, figured it’s my turn now.”

He leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear. “You ever heard of the Goose Fair?”

She furrowed her brows at him, half amused, “assuming there are no geese involved?”

Billy chuckled, his breath warm against her ear. "Not a single one, surprisingly," he said with a smirk. "Over 700 years, and not a goose in sight. But I promise, it’s a hell of a lot more fun than it sounds. Rides, games, all the dodgy fair food you can handle."

She grinned, shaking her head. "You really know how to sell it, Billy."

He walked in front of her, the Council House coming into view behind him as he walked backwards. He seemed so aloof that she couldn't help that warm fluttery feeling in her stomach. “Proper day out with the locals.”

She found herself smiling, excited not just for the fair, but for the chance to see this side of Billy, the carefree, playful part of him that rarely had a chance to surface.

As they approached the Goose Fair, the air thickened with the scents of sugary doughnuts, frying onions, and the rich aroma of caramelised popcorn. The sound of distant screams from the towering rides mixed with the low hum of chatter from families, couples, and groups of friends wandering the packed fairgrounds. Bright lights blinked from every direction, illuminating the sprawling rides, food stalls, and game booths, all surrounded by the hustle and bustle of one of the oldest fairs in the country.

Billy’s hand found hers, squeezing it gently as he pulled her through the crowds, using his body as a sort of meat shield. 

“First things first,” he beamed, his tone playful, “you’ve got to try the mushy peas.”

“I’m fairly certain I’ve tried mushy peas, Billy,” she laughed, raising an eyebrow. But she didn’t protest as Billy led her toward a food stall, handing over a few coins in exchange for a steaming polystyrene cup, thankful then for her thick gloves.

"You’ve got to have mushy peas," Billy said, holding out a forkful with a grin. "It’s a Goose Fair tradition."

She eyed the peas suspiciously, then sighed and took the bite, trusting his enthusiasm. As the taste hit her, her eyes widened in surprise, and she froze mid-chew. “It’s minty?!” 

Billy burst out laughing at her reaction, barely holding the fork steady. “You should see your face.”

She shook her head, still processing, blinking at him with amusement. “I was not prepared for that at all.”

"Hey," Billy said, feigning offence, "this is fine dining where I’m from. Just wait until I get you on one of the rides after all this. You'll be thanking me when you’re dizzy and full of carbs.”

She laughed it off at the time, but Billy was not joking. And as they stepped up to the dodgems, she realised she might’ve underestimated him.

The ride roared to life, and within seconds, Billy’s eyes gleamed with the mischievous focus of a man on a mission. He gripped the wheel, glancing at her with a wicked grin. "Hold on tight," he warned, just as they lurched forward.

She barely had time to register what was happening before Billy veered sharply, locking his sights on a pair of unsuspecting kids in a bright red car. He slammed their car from the side with a cackle, sending them spinning. “Got 'em!” he shouted triumphantly.

“Billy!” she gasped, wide-eyed and laughing at the same time. “You’re going after children!”

He only smirked in response, dodging another car and steering straight for a teenager who had been too cocky behind the wheel. “No mercy,” he muttered, tapping the accelerator.

She gripped the side of the car, laughing through her protests. “I thought you’d be... I don’t know, charmingly bad at this or something.”

It was so so nice to see Billy happy. Carefree. No furrowed brow or distant gaze, no shadow of the weight they'd been carrying for so long. Just him, fully in the moment, grinning like a kid between lovesick glances. For so long, they had been in survival mode. From that horrific day at Cranstead Fields to the fallout that followed, every step had been a fight to just stay afloat. But today… today, it felt like they were finally catching their breath.

It was strange to think it had only been that July it happened. It felt like a lifetime between then and now. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched him laugh, a thick swallow of emotion easing her shoulders, his whole body relaxed in a way that had been rare to see. He was healing. They were healing.

Her heart swelled at the sound of it, his laugh, unguarded and free.

It was here, she thought with amusement, that he had a competitive streak, something rarely seen in any of his interactions back in London. And she saw the twinkle in his eyes reignite as they stopped by a ring-toss game booth. “Right,” he said, rolling up his sleeves, “time to win you something.”

She shot him a sceptical look, arms crossed. “Billy, these games are rigged.”

He smirked, grabbing a ring with a confident twirl. “Maybe for the average bloke,” he said, winking at her.

His confidence was admirable, and the first few attempts were predictably off-target, much to her amusement. But Billy, determined not to be outdone, narrowed his eyes and focused, launching the final ring with precision. It sailed through the air and landed perfectly on the peg, causing the stall worker to give a resigned, tight-lipped smile.

“All right, mate,” the worker said, handing Billy a tiny plush toy shaped as a goose. “She’s yours.”

Billy turned to her, a wide grin spreading across his face as he held out the stuffed goose. “Told you I’d win something.”

As the night wound down, they found themselves standing in front of a massive ride, The Stargazer, a swinging chair ride that took riders high up into the sky, offering a breathtaking view of the fair and the city beyond.

“Up for one more ride before we call it a night?” he asked, already knowing her answer.

They strapped in a loveseat, and soon, the ride lifted them high into the cool evening sky. As they soared through the air, the fair spread out beneath them like a sea of twinkling lights, the city glowing softly in the distance. For a moment, it was just the two of them, floating above it all, the wind whipping through their hair.

Billy looked over at her as his hand slid around her waist, his heart swelling with something that felt both terrifying and exhilarating. The glow of the lights reflected in her eyes, and for a moment, everything else disappeared, the past, the chaos, the danger. It was just her, the night, and this feeling.

“I’m glad we came,” he said softly, his voice almost lost in the wind. “It’s nice, having something… normal.”

She smiled, leaning into him, her head resting on his shoulder. “Yeah, it is. We deserve this.”

He let the words settle between them, a quiet acknowledgment of everything they’d been through. Now, here they were, sharing something simple, something normal, like a ride under the stars. And somehow, that made it feel even more precious.

Billy pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “We do.”

They were drunk on the night, on each other, intoxicated by the simple joy of being together, of having survived so much and still finding this lightness in the world.

“I can’t believe you took me to a fair,” she murmured, glancing up at him with a soft smile. “It feels like a dream. And you! Driving like a maniac on the dodgems?”

Billy chuckled, his grip around her tightening as he kissed the top of her head. “Hmm…impressed though?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Yes, baby, consider me thoroughly impressed.”

The path they walked together slowly became quieter, pulling them into a quieter, more suburban part of town, where they'd be staying with Billy's Aunty and Uncle for the weekend.

“You think your Auntie Jean will still be awake?” she asked, stifling a yawn as they approached the house.

Billy grinned. “Oh, she’ll be waiting up. Probably with tea and biscuits, knowing her.”

Sure enough, as they approached the front door, a soft light flickered in the window, and the smell of something sweet drifted out from the house. For a short moment he refrained from knocking on the front door, and simply held her beneath the dim glow of the porch light.

With a quiet exhale, Billy reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek, cold from the night but warming under his touch. Her breath hitched slightly as his thumb traced along her jawline, and she felt the warmth bloom in her chest, the kind that only he could stir.

It reminded her of the time he'd kissed her in Cranstead Fields that summery evening. Except this time, she doubted he tasted like WKD.

He gently tucked a strand of windblown hair behind her ear, his hand lingering as his thumb grazed her skin. Her cheeks tingled, not from the cold, but from the tenderness in his touch, the quiet love that had been growing between them for so long.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” Billy’s voice was low, barely above a whisper, but the sincerity in his words hit her like a wave.

She felt her heart skip as she met his gaze, her hand sliding up to rest against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingertips. How alive he felt. “Only when you look at me like that.”

Billy’s smile widened, and without a word, he leaned in, pressing his forehead gently to hers, their noses brushing. His breath mingled with hers, and for a moment, they stood there, wrapped in their quiet intimacy.

“I’m so lucky,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers as he spoke, the words carrying a weight that made her heart swell.

And then, softly, tenderly, he kissed her. It wasn’t rushed or urgent, but slow and full of all the hardship they’d carried through every moment, every challenge. It was a kiss that promised something real, something lasting.

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads still resting together, both of them breathing softly, she smiled, her eyes sparkling with quiet joy.

“Let’s go inside. Get warm,” she whispered, though neither of them seemed in any rush.

Billy grinned, his thumb tracing her cheek one last time before he reached for the door. "Yeah," he said softly, still holding her close. “After you, baby.”

The warmth hit their bones instantly, and even past the incessant questions from Auntie Jean between offers of cups of tea and something to nibble on, she and Billy would meet eyes across the room, and it would still manage to make her blush the way he looked at her.

There was no need for words. This kind of love, friendship, everything, had no need for declarations. Just the simple, undeniable truth that they were meant to be here, together.

...

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[melis-writes]

Hey babes serious serious question lol what’s Ms Victoria’s fashion sense cause I was picturing her dressing in cottage core over at Sicily but in America and with being a lawyer is she the same is it bougie is it business causal … ? And would she spend coins on a fit?

She comes from wealth naturally and especially being the only girl I know sis was spoilt and obvi Michael would spend a bag on her but I really wonder like would she have been a high end Chanel, Prada, LV and Gucci girl in the 50s

Like this really has been on my mind lmao

You're definitely right about Victoria living her cottagecore life in Sicily. 😂❤️ Lots of cute and light summer dresses for the Sicilian heat at knee length and longer in bright colours or floral and polka dot patterns, especially shirtwaist dresses.

Her fabrics of choice are velvet, satin, and silk. She loves matching her colours with the seasons, so we'd see Victoria wearing brighter/vibrant coloured clothing in the spring/summer especially.

If Victoria's at the courthouse, she's only in business casual consisting of pencil skirts, blouses (lace, chiffon, etc) blazer jackets and so forth if she's in the actual courtroom for trial, preliminary, etc. In her own office doing work but not prosecuting in a courtroom, we know Miss Victoria has an amazing taste in fashion and is always dressing her best. 😌 Victoria wouldn't wear gloves at work or a casual dress like a shirtwaist dress, but definitely more towards sheath dresses. You won't see her wearing patterns at work, unless she's wearing a banker stripe pencil skirt.

We're talking circle/swing dresses (a favourite), jumper dresses, sheath dresses, hand-held purses (leather, sequin, etc), wrist length satin/silk or velvet gloves (and elbow length for special occasions). Victoria's preference for nights out are cocktail dresses (especially sleeveless ones) and she loves a draped or princess neckline.

Faux mink coats and faux mink stoles draped over Victoria's shoulders, and we know she's a diamonds over pearls kind of girl so Miss Victoria's neck, arms and earlobes are dripped out. 😂 She loves to accessorize! Of course when the outfit matches, Victoria will also wear a hat, but her preference is to have a silk scarf tied through her hair or a flower for a cute pin up look.

As for her shoes of choice, Victoria loves her simple flats, Mary-Janes, but is a heels kind of girl. Kitten heels to tall heels, stilettos, pumps, all of that. She's very used to wearing heels.

I remember mentioning in the very early chapters of Moth to Flame that I believe Victoria's engagement dress (a gorgeous, black evening gown) was designed by Gucci. 😍 So yes, she's definitely high end for Italian designer and I could see her adoring and shopping for French designer items too. ❤️ She would definitely not hesitate to drop coin for a fit.

I came across some lovely designs that I can definitely see Miss Victoria wearing! ❤️❤️❤️

[xthescarletbitch]

nsfw alphabet || dani rojas

18+, minors do NOT interact

cw: f!reader, smut, strap-on use, f!receiving, [implied] reader!giving, exhibitionism, spanking, power play, rough sex

word count: 2000+

author’s note: i have read this over and over to a point where i’m tired of looking at it. i apologise in advance for any mistakes or inconsistency, i tried my best! these responses were easier in my head (lmao). i hope you enjoy. ♡

✦ A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

when duty does not call, dani’s aftercare includes reminding you how much she adores and appreciates you. lots of little kisses and praises like “you did so good”. she will also constantly ask if you’re okay while cleaning everything up. you can expect her to ignore every call that comes through during this time because all of her focus is on you. you feel like getting a bite to eat? of course. you want to cuddle for a bit? even better.

✦ B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

you would both answer this the same: her thighs. she absolutely adores it when you’re seated atop them, whether it’s just as a seat or as a ride (it’s your favourite because of the latter). she also has no preference of where you face as each position brings its own benefits. when facing her, she can kiss all over your neck and face! when facing away, she is able to see her favourite body part of yours, your ass, move as you pick up speed. it allows her the chance to smack it however she pleases and to grip your hips harder to thrust up into you. she also enjoys massaging your breasts with one hand and pulling you back against her with the other.

✦ C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

it doesn’t matter what brought you here, but after your release, dani is immediately there to scarf it down. she makes sure to get every last drop out of you, even if it means spending the rest of the day there (as if that’s a bad thing). sometimes you can’t help but feel a little shy about it, especially when she’s done fingering you and makes a show of licking it all off her fingers and your thighs.

✦ D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

dani yearns to fuck you right on el presidente’s desk in torre del león. something about sticking it to the man (or in her girlfriend) gives her a rush of adrenaline. being in a position like that would surely give her the surge of power and control that she desires.

✦ E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

she has had a few flings here and there. she is not the most inexperienced person in the world, but also not the most experienced. one thing is for sure, and it’s that she knows how to read your body. she is a dedicated and thorough lover.

✦ F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

any position where you both are close to each other, skin to skin. she loves the contact and intimacy that it brings. she especially loves taking you from behind, but bringing you up so that your back is fully against her chest. she loves to rub her hands all over your front as she pounds into you; a tactic she uses just because she likes to touch you and also because it keeps her stable with her exertion.

✦ G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

sometimes she will be too focused on pleasuring you that she is so serious, but it’s not rare for her to be goofy either. even though she wouldn’t outright degrade you, she enjoys teasing you and chuckling at your reactions. *insert spongebob mocking meme* “woooow, i barely touched you and you’re already this we-” before you jokingly smack her. it’s also an ego boost when she can turn off your laughter instantly by having you moan out instead.

✦ H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

dani could care less about personal hygiene. she is not very well groomed down there because she doesn’t really care much about it. on that note, she has no preferences for her partner either. you’re still a full-course meal either way.

✦ I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

she can be very romantic during the deed. she is huge on cuddling and kissing while fucking. she wants to feel all of you against her, and vice versa. she always has to be touching all over you. she is certainly passionate in her lust.

✦ J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

it’s rare for her to find the time and means to masturbate, but that doesn’t mean she won’t do it. especially if she’s away from you for an extended period of time, she’ll pleasure herself while imagining the two of you and your deeds.

✦ K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

she enjoys power play and being the dominant figure in the bedroom. additionally, she loves to spank you, especially when she can watch your ass jiggle in time with her thrusts into you. considering her dirty secret, she doesn’t mind a little exhibitionism. anybody who would ever walk in would know that you’re dani’s and dani’s only.

✦ L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

if you’re both horny and there’s a flat surface, horizontal or vertical, you’re doing it there. if she had to pick a favourite place, she would choose the workbench. it’s perfect because she can have you sit there and look pretty while she does her thing. she can eat you out in this position, she can finger you, and she can even pound into you as she’d like with her superior angling. she also likes the way that the workbench will slam against the wall (there may have been one or two times where you made an obvious marking to the workbench or wall itself). she can’t necessarily do that much against a wall, but she’ll still manage to use it to her advantage. after all, a good guerrilla masters their environment.

✦ M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

dani has a dirty mind, okay. you could be fighting a soldado, grunt, and she’d be turned on. you could bend over to grab some scrap and she’d be turned on. it’s not hard to get her going at all. however, one of the biggest things you could do that would turn her on is to take charge. not necessarily in the bedroom, but by doing things like leading some bandidos on a mission. god, she thinks you’re so hot when you get into command mode. sure, she likes to be the dominant one in the bedroom, but seeing you like this just motivates her more.

✦ N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

no sharing. ever. she would also never dare to degrade or hurt you. even if it wouldn’t be in a bad manner, she still can’t bring herself to do it. she has lost so much and tries her best to remain kind, even in the bedroom. she is a big softie (let’s go with soft dom). <3

actually, that doesn’t include spanking. have i mentioned that she loves that?

✦ O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

dani loves to give. one of her favourite things to do is eat you out. she loves how your nails dig into her skin as it only invigorates her more. of course, she does enjoy receiving too! but when it comes down to limited time, she does not mind taking up all of it to enjoy you like a buffet.

✦ P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

dani is all about being quick and rough. she usually doesn’t have a lot of time to spare, so she wants to make it count. if she’s using the strap, she is doing quick and deep strokes. she’ll grip your hips as she draws the strap all the way out, only to slam it back into you over and over (rip to your insides).

✦ Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

it seems like all dani does is run around and do errands. she hardly has time to spare in order to properly plow you. that said, she loves quickies. you are both almost always game, so any moment that she has to spare is dedicated to absolutely devouring you. her favourite? you pressed against a wall as she crouches down and eats you out.

✦ R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

it depends on context. as mentioned before, she fantasises about taking you in one of the most guarded places in yara. that is not where her fantasies stop, but her ultimate goal is to keep you safe. thankfully, she is fully aware of the risks that come with taking you in fnd territory and will usually avoid it if she can. however, it’s not past her to pounce on you as soon as the vicinity is clear.

✦ S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

thanks to being ex-military, and contributing to her being one of the best guerrillas, dani has high stamina. she could go on for as long as time permits if she were able. however, due to time constraints, dani is often dedicating her efforts to quality over quantity. she wants to make your limited time count before the next mission occurs.

✦ T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

oh, she definitely does. if nothing else, she has an emerald green strap that brings out her eyes. it’s quite a sight to behold when you watch dani sheath it inside of you. and when she notices you watching? her pace will quicken and her strokes will become even more unforgiving.

if you would like to read more about dani and her legendary strap, my friend @mrsdanirojas is the one who coined this toy hc. read her fic here (you will not regret it)! ♡

✦ U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

as mentioned before, dani is known to tease. she knows the effect she has on your body and uses it against you (lovingly and jokingly of course, not at all derogatory). she will have you soaked and tease you for it. don’t worry. her teasing is always followed by an “apology”.

she’ll wait to hear a giggle from you before she buries her face in-between your legs and has you gasping from the sudden stimulation.

✦ V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

dani is a grunter. we’ve heard how many times she has grunted in frustration! it’s incredibly hot, both in bed and on the field. she grunts as she pounds into you, as you deepen a kiss and move your hand down to her core, and/or while she’s enjoying the full-course meal that is you.

✦ W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

i feel like dani is incredibly sensitive. you could touch her once and she will turn completely feral, wanting more. and she is easily turned on, so it’s not hard to get her going. any little touch and she’s ready to throw you onto the nearest surface and plow you into next week.

✦ X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

✦ Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

incredibly high. this poor woman gets sexually frustrated way too easily. i mentioned before how sensitive she is, which means she can usually cum from just giving pleasure. both your release and hers motivates her to keep going, and she most certainly does not stop at once. or twice.

✦ Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

dani barely sleeps as it is. instead of being the type to sleep afterwards, she prefers to cuddle instead. she does not end your rendezvous there. one of her favourite things to do (and she hopes to build upon this after la revolución) is to set up a picnic under the stars. maybe she’ll take a little snooze after cuddling up with you and watching the night sky, but that’s contingent on you falling asleep first (preferably on her).

[moonchildstyles]

i have a cold so im gonna be self indulgent but

angel coming down with something while she’s at work and she’s supposed to meet h at his shop, and she’s not going to just go home without him because they haven’t seen each other in a few days, and it’s fall so she’s dressed in a big pink knit sweater but she’s freezing by the time she gets in the shop and h is in the back working on a piece and she just barely greets Niall at the front before she’s going into his office and curling up on the couch with the big fluffy blanket that he keeps there for her and h comes in when he’s done after asking if she ever showed up because she didn’t come say hi like normal and then he just finds her buried in the blanket in his office with little shallow breaths falling from her lips and her cheeks are a little flush and he’s just bending down and brushing her hair out of her face and he feels the heat coming off of her face and he’s ): because she gets sad when she’s sick and it makes him sad, so he lets her sleep while he helps close up the shop and finishes some paperwork and by the time he’s pulling on his jacket to go home, she’s waking up and he smiles when he sees her, just going over and crouching near her head with a “hi, angel, you feeling okay?” and she’s just shaking her head and she doesn’t wanna talk because her throat hurts but h already knows how she gets so he’s just handing her some water and telling her how he’s planning on trying a new soup recipe for dinner tonight because he knows she’ll try to argue if he says he’s gonna change their dinner plans just because of her, and he’s pulling her up to stand and wrapping his scarf around her neck because she doesn’t have a jacket and her hands are cold to the touch, and she’s practically falling asleep on the drive home because h cranks the heat and turns on her seat warmers and when he shuts the car off she’s just clearing her throat and “are we still watching that movie tonight?” and his heart breaks a little because her voice is a little deeper than normal and raspy and “of course we are, should we get all the blankets and pile them onto the couch?” and he smiles when her face brightens because she loves turning the couch into a makeshift bed for their movie nights and h knows she’ll fall asleep once she eats and he dims the lights and he gets some cold medicine in her tummy which she’ll whine about having to take but h compromises with giving her little kisses all over her face and he’s just holding her so gently and rubbing little circles over her back and he’s already rescheduled some work appointments to clear up his day tomorrow and they spend the next day in the living room until she’s been sleeping all day between h feeding her and giving her more medicine and he eventually carries her to bed while he washes the blankets and drapes her favourite one over her fresh out of the dryer and the whole thing is just so sweet and she’s too tired to even really appreciate him in the moment but once she feels better she’s just so sweet and loving on him even more and i need him in my life so bad ☹️ - 🍓

Omg bestie I’m sorry u don’t feel good:( but omg ofc even when she’s sick she wants to see him so she walks to the shop and is so clearly 🤒🤧 so the boys don’t really bother her past telling her where h is and saying hi so she’s quick to head out to his office using her big sweater as much like a blanket as she could before she’s out:( but omg h coming back to see her and she’s obvi not resting super well just from the way she’s shivering but he doesn’t want to wake her up so he just leaves a blanket on her before finishing out his day checking in on her between clients and as he’s doing his paperwork but omg:( when she wakes up and he’s immediately right there getting ready to take her home talking to her so softly and getting her some water:( and faking her home w his scarf around her neck and all the heat and warmers on her while she’s trying not to fall asleep again and omg his heart breaking when he hears her voice for the first time today all achey and cracking and just not his angels voice:( just so obsessed w him taking care of her making soup and kissing on her even if just to check her temp and giving her anything she wants as long as it’s helping her get better:( taking a day off so he can do paperwork at home and stay w her:( hurt:(

[discoscoob]

Fires of Pompeii | Loki x Female Reader

Loki (Marvel) x Doctor Who

You and Loki meet each other while you’re both running for your lives through the streets of Pompeii.

Part Two | Chapter Index

Words: 10k +

Warnings: blood and injury

Read on AO3: here

You huddled under the arch of an abandoned doorway just off the high street, it provided you suitable enough shelter from the miserable rain which pathetically drizzled down from the night sky. The light from the street lamps, traffic and shop fronts reflected off the soaked concrete while in the distance you could hear the laughter and chatter of groups of people as they made their way to the pubs and the clubs, the night was still early for them but you intended to be home and curl up in bed within the hour but first, dinner.

 You warmed your frozen fingertips around the paper wrapping which contained a piping hot portion of golden chips from your favourite chippy. Just as you were about to pop one of the steaming chips into your mouth using one of those tiny wooden forks you only ever find in chip shops, something caught your attention and you paused.

 “You’re not mating with me, sunshine!” A woman gasped in a broad east London accent that you would recognise anywhere, it belonged to your auntie Donna, a fiery redhead with an unmistakable dialect. Reluctantly you dropped your wooden fork, with your chip still attached to it, back onto the pile of chips which sat on the wrapping paper cradled in your palm and you ran out from under the doorway to investigate.

 “A mate. I want a mate.” Came a reply and you turned your head in the direction the voice came from to find your auntie, half shielding herself behind the door of an old police box, while a man you didn’t recognise stood before her wearing a pinstripe suit with a pile of luggage gathered around his feet.

 “Well just as well because I’m not having any of that nonsense. I mean you’re just a long string of nothing, you know, alien nothing.” She asserted, now standing fully outside the police box.

 “Is everything okay?” You approached the pair, completely lost by the conversation or argument you had picked up on midway through. Upon hearing your voice Donna gasped your name suddenly looking like someone caught doing something they shouldn’t.

 “Oh chips! I love chips. Can I have one?” The man smiled and pinched a chip from your pile before you could even answer.

 “I can explain.” Donna offered and that is where it all began.

 Donna’s explanation had consisted of an elaborate story about how the man she was with, known simply as The Doctor, was the last surviving member of an advanced alien species which specialised in space and time travel and that he had offered to take her exploring with him through all of time and space. Naturally your initial response was one of disbelief, you questioned your auntie on how much she had to drink that night, then you quickly switched to concern wondering if this strange man had drugged her.

 Donna looked offended that you believed she was anything but sober while the Doctor was startled that you believed he had any ill intent and was quick to sincerely reassure you that he meant your auntie no harm and that he was more than happy to extend his invitation of space and time travel to you, either in order to prove what they were telling you was in fact the truth or to allow you to come along to ensure Donna’s safety.

 You were tempted by his offer until you found out that their mode of transportation was the cramped police box the three of you were stood in front of, the Doctor informed you that it was called a TARDIS, an abbreviation for something you were sure you wouldn’t remember, and that it’s appearance as a police box was merely a disguise however the function had stopped working several decades ago meaning it was stuck like that permanently. You questioned how all of you would comfortably fit inside, along with the huge pile of Donna’s luggage. Images of scenes from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure ran through your mind, the two teens faces pushed up against the glass of phone box which they were squashed into like sardines along with several prominent figures from history.

 Your concern soon developed into wonder after you were ushered by the pair into the box to find it was much bigger on the inside, and not in a ‘its size is deceiving’ sort of way where they cleverly maximised the limited space inside, it was literally impossibly bigger. You had to immediately step outside and circle the boxes perimeter to make sure it wasn’t attached to any walls but it stood in the middle of the street completely detached from any other structure or building. That is when you first started to believe that maybe what Donna had told you wasn’t so far fetched after all.

 Barely 10 minutes later you were rendered speechless as you were stood in the middle of a busy outdoor market, chippy tea long forgotten. Beneath your feet the ground was no longer covered in puddles or reflected the colours of the different city lights, instead you stood on cobble stone covered with dry sand and stray piles of straw. The black night sky was replaced by a flawless blue with not a single white cloud in sight as the heat of the midday sun caressed your skin. You were quick to unwrap your scarf from around your neck and shrug off your bulky winter coat and carelessly throw them back into the TARDIS without a care where they landed.

 “Ancient Rome!” The Doctor enthusiastically announced.

 Your eyes scanned around the bustling market once again and you took in the sight of all the people dressed in period typical clothing, tunics, sandals and such. The air way filled with the smell of fresh baked goods, scents similar to a barbeque and the faintest smell of horse stables. Some people who walked by were even wearing armour with long red capes draped over their shoulders, you eyed them cautiously as they passed.

 “Oh my god!” Donna gasped, grabbing your attention you quickly turned around. “It’s… it’s so Roman! This is fantastic.”

 You rolled your eyes at her dramatics as she threw her arms around the Doctors neck to pull him into a hug and he laughed happily with a proud smile on his face. You had to admit, you were impressed, more than impressed, you were astonished. You could hardly believe your eyes as you took in your surroundings, you would have believed you were on a film set were it not for the lack of a technology crew, cameras and director yelling at you to get out the way of the shot.

 “Hold on a minute, that sign over there’s in English. Are you having us on?” Donna spotted and you looked in the direction she pointed in to find a sign which read ‘TWO AMPHORAS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE’ and your shoulders sank and the prospect of being lied to this whole time.

 “No, no, no,” the Doctor calmly reassured her “that’s the TARDIS translation circuits, it looks like English. It works for speech as well, you’re talking Latin right now.”

 That certainly was very clever and convenient, you thought to yourself.

 The Doctor lead the way as you continued your stroll through the crowded streets in search of landmarks like the colosseum, the pantheon and the circus maximus. You were excited by the prospect of seeing these ancient landmarks in all their former glory but the Doctor appeared lost as he aimlessly wondered the streets with no sense of direction.

 A sudden deep continuous rumbling caused the ground beneath your feet to shake and vibrate, causing tremors to ripple through your entire body, almost knocking you off balance, while the pottery from the market stalls could be heard smashing as they fell to the floor and the scent of smoke in the air intensified. You panicked and grabbed onto Donna’s arm for balance, you caught her staring upwards her eyes transfixed on the sight before her. You followed her line of sight and your face dropped when you saw a mountain top standing tall over the small buildings which surrounded you, as black clouds of ash emerged from the top of it, your heart hammered against your ribcage and your grip on Donna involuntarily tightened.

 “Pompeii. We’re in Pompeii and it’s volcano day.” Your throat closed up as you heard the words leave the Doctors lips.

 Without another word the Doctor began sprinting back in the direction you previously came, you and Donna quickly followed on his heel. As all three of you dashed through the busy streets as fast as your feet could carry you, in an attempt to make it back to the TARDIS and escape the city before the volcano erupted, you collided into someone’s chest just as they were running in the opposite direction, your foot got caught on their ankle, causing you to trip and before you knew it you were heading straight for the floor with barely enough time to brace for impact.

 “Watch where you’re-“ You heard a raised voice behind you and cringed as you prepared to be yelled at on top of the humiliation of already tripping flat on your face, but his voice faltered mid-sentence and you cautiously looked over your shoulder to find a man dressed in modern attire staring back at you with a slack jaw and his brows pulled together as his eyes roamed over you. Obviously your modern clothes caught his attention, just as his caught yours and you could practically see the cogs turning behind his eyes, you were sure your expression mirrored his as you studied each other. You pushed yourself to your feet and glanced over his appearance from head to toe. His shoulder length dark hair was windswept indicating that he must have been running for some time, he wore a brown jacket with its collar pulled up, over a plain white dress shirt paired with a thin dark tie and matching straight leg brown trousers and on his feet he wore a pair of smart polished black shoes. He definitely didn’t belong here, you concluded.

 You barely noticed him take a quick glance over your shoulder before he grabbed a firm hold of your wrist and pulled you into a small nook hidden behind one of the market stalls and clamped his hand over your mouth before you could let out a single sound. You glared up at him to try and communicate how aggravated you were, only to find he wasn’t even looking at you as he was too occupied with searching the market with shifty eyes. So you gave up on your glaring in an effort to try and spot what he was looking for, that is when you caught sight of a man who stood out in the crowd, due to the fact that he, too, was dressed in modern attire. You could see he was searching for something, no doubt it was the man who had you pinned against a secluded wall with his hand over your mouth, for your own good you had to ignore the way your stomach flipped ever so slightly by that predicament.

 Once the man on the street was out of sight the stranger slowly removed his hand from your jaw and took a step back to give you some space. You were about to open your mouth to ask him what exactly that was all about when another rumble shook the ground beneath your feet and reminded you of how urgently you needed to catch up with Donna and the Doctor before the entire city was destroyed and you along with it. You had no time to stop and interrogate the stranger with all your questions such as where he came from, how he got here, who was that man on the street and why was he hiding from him and why volcano day in Pompeii was such a popular destination for time travellers. Perhaps you could bring it up with the Doctor later as he seemed to have all the answers. 

 You were about to step foot back onto the street and continue your sprint back to the TARDIS but the stranger had other ideas. He wrapped his large hand around your upper arm and tugged you back against the wall, with no concerns about being gentle and this time he managed to cage you in with both his arms placed on each side of your head.

 “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was low and intimidating, as he loomed over you threateningly and stared at you from under his dark eyebrows but with adrenaline already coursing through your veins you were feeling bolder than usual and with your mind occupied by the imminent threat of ash clouds and burning hot magma, it would take a lot more than a deep voice and an intimidating stare to scare you into submission right now.

 “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you have somehow failed to notice that you arrived in Pompeii on the same day the volcano famously erupts and I think it goes without saying that I’m not too fond of the idea of being here when it does. So to answer your question I am trying to get back to the time machine that I came here in so I can get out of here before the city is destroyed. I advise you hurry back to yours and do the same.” 

 The man looked taken aback by your abrupt tone and you momentarily allowed a fluttering of pride to fill your chest but it didn’t last long before it was once again drowned out by the heavy feeling of anxiety caused by the life threatening natural disaster which lay just around the corner, both literally and figuratively.

 “The volcano doesn’t erupt until tomorrow,” the man finally explained once he regained his composure, dismissing your concerns. You blinked, contemplating whether or not to believe him. “But more importantly, I couldn’t help but hear the fact that you mentioned you have a time machine.” 

 “Of course. How else would I have got here? Don’t you have one?” Despite your positions you were beginning to feel less threatened by the man as your interaction shifted into feeling more like casual conversation.

 “It’s a long story.” He vaguely answered.

 “What about that man you were hiding from?” You suggested.

 “What about him?”

 “Does he not have a time machine?”

 “It’s a long story.” He repeated and you sighed with the realisation that this conversation was going nowhere fast.

 “Right. Well, it was... interesting to meet you but I need to get back to my aunt and the Doctor before I get left behind. Then I would be in trouble.” Donna wouldn’t leave you behind, you hoped, surely she was worrying about you right now, wondering where you were.

 “I need safe passage on your time machine away from here.” The stranger rushed to explain before you could duck out of his makeshift trap.

 “I mean... technically it’s not mine.” You awkwardly scratched the back of your neck, as you cleared up the misunderstanding.

 “You just said you have a time machine.” He narrowed his eyes as his expression grew dangerous.

 “I have access to one but it’s not mine. It belongs to the Doctor.” You quickly clarified.

 “Then you will take me to this Doctor.” He commanded, leaving no room for negotiations.

 “I don’t even know your name.” You hesitated.

 At this the man paused and finally took a step back once again granting you your personal space.

 “I am Loki of Asgard, God of Mischief and you will answer to my request.” Loki answered as he raised his head with pride and looked down his nose at you.

 There was a momentary beat of silence as you stared at one another before you couldn’t hold it any longer and you let out a snort of laughter.

 “I’m sorry, does that amuse you?” Loki look mortified and you quickly bit your lip to contain your giggles, realising he looked truly offended.

 “Wait, you’re being serious?” You paled.

 His quiet glare was enough to tell you he was not messing around and you looked down and awkwardly cleared your throat. Had you met this man yesterday you probably would’ve thought without a shadow of doubt that he was suffering from delusions of grandeur but today you were in Pompeii in 79 AD so your mind was beginning to open up to new possibilities, one of those being, meeting a God. Stranger things have happened.

 “Okay, Loki, God of mischief...” you began as you introduced yourself following the same format, telling him your name followed by the country you lived in and jokingly adding ‘mortal of existential crises’ at the end.

 “Don’t do that again.” Loki didn’t appear amused.

 ***

 “No, no, no. This can’t be happening.” You panicked when you returned to the exact spot where the Doctor had left the police box only to discover it had vanished, leaving no trace behind.

 “What? What can’t be happening?” Loki asked you from where he stood a few steps behind, his eyes were still shifty as he seemed paranoid about that man he was hiding from finding him.

 “The TARDIS, the time machine... it’s gone.” You could barely believe the words coming out your mouth, they couldn’t have left without you, Donna wouldn’t have left you behind. Unless the Doctor forced her, but no she would’ve fought him, you would never want to get on the wrong side of your auntie, she was a force to be reckoned with and the Doctor was no match, like she had said he was a long string of alien nothing. There had to be an explanation.

 “Are you sure that this is where they left it?” Loki impatiently offered.

 “Yes, I’m certain. It’s a big blue police box, you can’t miss it. He parked it right there.” You gestured to the empty corner with both your arms, before you brought one of your hands to your forehead while the other rested on your hip.

 “Excuse me.” You jumped when you felt a tap on your shoulder and turned around to find an older man with a head full of curly hair stood behind you. “I couldn’t help but overhear you’re looking for a blue box.”

 “Yes, it was stood right there,” you pointed behind you. “Did you see it?” 

 “I sold it. A young couple came looking for it not too long ago, I sent them to Old Caecilius’ villa on Foss Street, he’s the one who bought it, if you’re quick you might be able to catch them, I think they might try to steal it.”

 “Steal it? You can’t steal something that already belongs to you!” You complained.

 “Well, it belongs to Caecilius now, don’t it? After all he bought it off me fair and square.” The man haggled and you finally noticed that he was speaking with a rough cockney accent which was very fitting with his sleazy disposition, presumably the work of the TARDIS’ automatic translations, this offered you the peace of mind that it was still here along with Donna and the Doctor.

 “It wasn’t yours to sell!” You argued in return.

 “It was on my patch, weren’t it?” 

 You growled, ready to argue back but Loki quickly stepped in.

 “If you would be so kind as to point us in the direction of Foss Street and we will be on our way.” Loki charmed the older man with a polite smile and your jaw dropped at the contrast to the abrupt and arrogant attitude he had treated you with since your encounter began. 

 “Straight up there, big villa, can’t miss it.” He pointed to the street behind Loki.

 “Thank you, sir.” Loki slightly nodded his head before before he took a hold of the back of the shirt near the small of your back and began tugging you towards Foss Street, while you stared at him speechless.

 “What?” He finally snapped when you didn’t take your eyes off him.

 “What was that?” You asked as you shrugged his hold off your shirt.

 “What was what?” 

 “Back there,” you gestured behind you with your hand. “‘If you would be so kind... thank you, sir.’ What possessed you? You’ve been nothing but rude since I met you.” 

 “You we’re doing nothing but wasting my time by engaging in an argument with him and being polite was the quickest way to get the answer I needed so I could be on my way.” He curtly answered, never once meeting your gaze as he kept a vigilant eye on his surroundings.

 “Why is that man looking for you?” You wondered out loud a few moments later, finding his constant surveillance of the surrounding area concerning. If you were going to help this man escape, undoubtedly you had a right to know what you were helping him run from. 

 “He wants to erase my existence.” He answered so bluntly it stunted to silence for a moment.

 “Why?” You finally asked.

 “I’m a glitch in the timeline, I’m not supposed to be here.” He admitted but you were lost.

 “What does that mean?”

 “It’s a-“

 “Long story.” You rolled your eyes but you meant no harm, Loki realised, when he fixed you with a hash glare which softened when he saw your teasing smile.

 Your eyes quickly snapped away from Loki’s when you heard your name being called and found Donna running towards you, you left Loki to run over to her and she pulled you into a bone crushing hug once she finally reached you.

 “I thought you had left without me.” You admitted, as you snuggled into her embrace, all your emotions of the day finally overwhelmed you and you felt moisture building at the rim of your eyes. 

 “I’d never leave you behind, besides your mother would kill me if I let anything happen to you.” She assured you with a small laugh, she wasn’t exaggerating. “But where did you go? You vanished into thin air.” 

 You were about to answer her when her eyes fell on Loki who was quietly stood behind you with his hands resting in the pockets of his pants, his modern attire immediately making him standout to Donna as he did to you when you first laid your eyes on him.

 “Who’s this?” She asked, her interest clearly peaked.

 You invited Loki over by extending your arm and he stepped up beside you.

 “Loki, this is my auntie Donna. Donna, this is Loki. I crashed into him while we were running back to the TARDIS, he’s the reason I fell behind.” You glared at him accusingly and he rolled his eyes.

 “You found your very own time traveller?” Donna looked at you with genuine excitement, obviously putting two and two together from his outfit.

 “I am a God.” Loki narrowed his eyes, frustrated at his status being reduced to ‘someone’s time traveller’

 Just like you had, Donna burst into laughter and you awkwardly pulled your lips together while you waited for her to realise he was being serious.

 “He’s a bit full of himself but at least he’s easy on the eye.” Donna did a terrible job of trying to subtly whisper in your ear and you massaged your eyebrows in embarrassment.

 “I heard that.” Loki sighed exasperatedly, already finding your aunties lack of filter tedious.

 “Come on, let’s get you inside. It’s getting dark.” Donna put her arm around you and guided you into the villa, in an effort to run away from Loki’s glare. Loki followed a few paces behind the pair of you and he glanced over his shoulder one last time before he stepped through the entrance to the villa.

  ***

  As soon as you entered the villa you could see how grand it was compared to the other houses on the streets of Pompeii, it was obvious that the family who lived here were well to do. Everywhere you looked all you could see was marble, it covered the walls and floors and the room was decorated with various marble sculptures and other art pieces, Caecilius was clearly a collector. Sculpted pillars ran through the room, supporting the high ceilings and in the very centre of the room there was fountain. You thought it was a shame that it would all be buried under rocks and fire within less than 24 hours, but you tried to let yourself think too much about it as Donna introduced you to Caecilius, the man who bought the Doctors TARDIS, which you noticed was stood in the far right corner of the room, and Metella his wife, she explained that they also had two teenagers, a daughter, Evelina but she was sleeping and a son, Quintus, who was currently out with the Doctor.

 “The Doctor isn’t here? But we’re meant to be leaving.” You asked, your voice slightly raised in pitch due to your panic.

 “Something came up. Strange things have been happening, he just wants to make sure nothing untoward is going on.” Donna answered.

 “This Doctor...” Loki stepped forward. “He will return soon, yes? I am in quite the rush to leave.”

 “You’re coming with us?” Donna looked between you and Loki for an answer.

 “Yes.” He answered

 “I mean, if it’s okay with the Doctor.” You answered at the same time.

 Without warning the whole villa began to shake as tremors ran through the floor again, Caecilius and Metella held onto their valuables to stop them from smashing against the ground, it reminded you of the scene from Mary Poppin’s where Mrs Banks and the maids cling onto the furniture when the admiral sets off his cannon. You noticed that this time the tremors felt different, they weren’t continuous, they came one after another mimicking the rhythm of footsteps. Before you could question it, the Doctor came running loudly into the room just in time. A teenage boy, presumably Caecilius’ son, Quintus, followed close behind him.

 “Get out! All of you! Get out!” 

 “Doctor! What is it?” Donna yelled, she and the Doctor were holding onto each other for stability and that’s when you realised you had instinctively held onto Loki after the tremors started and he was holding onto you, the both of you stepped away from each other as soon as you realised. 

 “I think we’re being followed!” The Doctor explained, before his eyes landed on Loki and he took in his appearance.

 “Who are you?” 

 “Loki of Asgard-“ Loki started.

 “The God of Mischief?” The Doctor finished, his pitch raised several octaves as his face scrunched up in confusion.

 “Hold on, for real?” Donna looked between Loki and the Doctor, now realising Loki was serious about being a God earlier and in normal circumstances you would have face palmed.

 “You’re not supposed to be here.” The Doctor thought out loud and reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a device the size of a pen and pointed it at Loki, the tip glowed blue and it emitted a high pitched bleeping sound as he scanned it over his body.

 “What is that?” Loki quickly jumped back, dodging the device in the Doctors hand and with a flash of emerald light he was holding a dagger in his hand, that appeared out of nowhere, causing you to gasp and Donna quickly pulled you to her side.

 “It is a sonic screwdriver.” The Doctor answered distractedly, not even noticing the weapon in Loki’s hand as he closely inspected the device with furrowed brows and mumbled something about not being able to get clear readings, but before he could allow himself to get too concerned over the matter, you were all reminded of the bigger problem by the sound of a loud clatter which came from inside the room, it was caused by the metal grid flying off one of the square grills.

 “Just get out!” The Doctor yelled at you all again, as he flapped his arms towards the doors but you were frozen to the spot, you could hear a sinister growling from beneath the floor, there was definitely something alive down there and from the cracks that were beginning to form around the grill, it was obviously trying to break out.

 Gradually a large creature made of magma and stone began to rise out of the ground, until it stood to its full height of about eight foot. 

 “The Gods are with us.” Evelina, Caecilius’ daughter, cried as she entered the room and her mother wrapped a protective arm around her.

 “That is no God! I am the only God present.” Loki seethed in offence.

 “Water, we need water. Quintus, Donna, all of you, get water!” The Doctor yelled above the growls which came from the threatening creature. 

 You were about to follow Quintus and Donna out of the room as they rushed to get buckets of water like the Doctor instructed, but Loki grabbed hold of your wrist and kept you by his side. You looked at him and pulled your brows together confused by his actions, but he offered you no explanation as he closely watched the beast which stood high above all of you.

 “Talk to me, that’s all I want! Talk to me! Just tell me who you are.” The Doctor cautiously approached the tempered creature, with his arms held out before him. “Don’t hurt these people.” He continued to try and reason with it, while it just continued to growl and snarl aggressively at him. 

 Quickly Quintus came rushing into the room with a bucket of water and threw it over the beast. A loud hissing could be heard, as steam evaporated around it, and the Doctor shielded Quintus with his own body as he backed him away from the creature which began to crumble to the floor into a heap of rocks.

 “Like I said, not a God.” Loki smugly remarked to no one in particular. 

 “What was it?” Caecilius shouted at the Doctor, quickly learning that he was usually the one with all the answers.

 “Carapace of stone, held together by internal magma, not too difficult to stop but I reckon that was just a foot soldier. Still... If there are aliens at work in Pompeii, it’s a good thing we stayed.” The Doctor pondered aloud. 

 “Excuse me, aliens?” Loki stepped forward.

 “Oh yes, I still haven’t figured out what you’re doing here.” The Doctor drew his focus back to the God, clearly intrigued by his presence.

 “It doesn’t matter why I am here, I only wish to leave.” Loki answered with a scowl.

 “Why don’t you just leave the same way you got here.” The Doctor challenged with raised brows.

 “I cannot.” 

 “Why not?”

 As you observed the exchange you saw Loki falter and his eyes cast downwards.

 “It would result in my death.” He answered truthfully.

 The Doctor suddenly looked upon Loki with eyes that seemed filled with familiarity and a hint of sympathy. 

 “You remind me of an old friend of mine, I think you would’ve liked him,” he paused as if imagining it. “Actually, perhaps not… your personalities would’ve probably clashed.” The Doctor digressed. “Since you’re not supposed to be here you’re welcome to join us on the TARDIS.”

 Loki’s brows shot up, as he seemed genuinely surprised that the Doctor agreed to let him travel on the TARDIS. 

 “We should be on our way, it will not be long before,” Loki glanced at Caecilius and his family who were all comforting each other after the ordeal they just witnessed, without wanting to mention the volcano out loud in case they might overhear he resorted to miming an explosion with is hands while adding a “boom” sound effect by blowing air through saliva at the back of his throat.

 “Not just yet, I need to- Donna?” The Doctor paused looking around the room in search of Donna and you began looking around for her too but she was nowhere to be found. “When did you last see her?” The Doctor looked at you.

 “She ran out when you asked for water, I didn’t realise she hadn’t returned.” You scolded yourself for not focusing, you should have noticed she wasn’t there.

 “Donna!” The Doctor shouted at the top of his lungs, as he began to run out into the street but before he could leave Evelina stopped him timidly.

 “I saw members of the Sibylline Sisterhood take her while you were confronting the beast.” She quietly confessed.

 “The who?” You questioned, completely confused, while the Doctor grumbled under his breath wasting no more time before he dashed out the door and you were quick to follow after him. Behind you, you heard Loki call your name as he followed after, but you didn’t listen, Donna had been taken and she needed your help.

  ***

  When you sneaked into the temple between the Doctor and Loki, who had caught up to you halfway, and saw Donna bound to a slab of stone, surrounded by a group of women dressed in red robes and one of them holding a dagger above her head ready to plunge it into your aunties chest, you were ready to attack, but the Doctor held you back before you could do anything rash and silent put a finger to his own lips to signal for you to keep quiet, his eyes silently assured you he had a plan.

 “Let me go!” You heard Donna yell above the voice of the woman who held the dagger. The Doctor quietly made his way across the room, ready to intervene at any moment while you stayed by Loki’s side near the back of the room.

 “This prattling voice will cease forever!” The woman yelled as she began to lower the dagger towards Donna.

 “Oh, that will be the day.” The Doctor casually commented, causing all the women around Donna to gasp in shock, while your auntie sent the Doctor and you a wide smile when she realised you had all come to save her.

 “No man is allowed in the Temple of Sibyl.” The woman who was clearly the leader of the group warned the Doctor, before her eyes also shifted to Loki.

 “Well, that’s alright, just us girls.” The Doctor joked as he made his way towards the women, while in the corner of your eye you caught a glimmer of green light only to do a double take when you found Loki had transformed into a woman.

 She sent you a proud smirk as you gaped at her with a slack jaw, your face full of confusion and astonishment.

 You turned your head back to Donna and the Doctor when you heard the sound of his sonic screwdriver, which he held above her restraints and they immediately fell lose, freeing her bound wrists.

 “I have got to get one of those.” Loki commented, her voice sounded more feminine to match her changed appearance, but it still kept that low and slightly intimidating tone.

 As soon as Donna was free she came running over to you and you gave each other a hug, when she pulled back her eyes were on Loki.

 “You’ve changed.” She stated the obvious as her eyes dragged up and down Loki’s new form.

 “I am respecting the sisters temple.” Loki raised her chin and crossed her arms over her chest as she answered.

 “Respecting the sisters temple?” Donna sounded exasperated. “They just tried to kill me!” 

 “I saw.” Loki offered no concern.

 “I’m just glad you’re safe now.” You quickly interjected before the argument escalated, you put your hand on Donna’s shoulder and moved yourself between the pair while you sent Loki a disapproving stare.

 “Show me this man!” A voice echoed through the temple, startling you and drawing your attention back to the Doctor and the sisters. Immediately they all turned and fell to their knees and bowed their heads.

 “They dare kneel before another being whilst in the presence of a God?” Loki seethed as her brows cast a shadow over her eyes.

 “And after you respected their temple n all.” Donna poked from beside you, feigning sympathy.

 You placed a hand on Loki’s chest to hold her back when you heard her grumble under her breath.

 “High Priestess, the stranger would defy us.” The leader spoke, being the only sister left standing.

 “Let me see. This one is different. He carries starlight in his wake.” The voice echoed again, coming from behind a set of sheer drapes at the top of the temple.

 “Where do these words of wisdom come from?” The Doctor asked as he approached the voice.

 “The Gods whisper to me.” It replied.

 “If they’re hearing voices, it’s not mine.” Loki raised her hands innocently.

 “Might I beg audiences? Look upon the High Priestess?” The Doctor suddenly requested and the sheer drapes slowly pulled back to reveal a woman made of stone sat upon a bed.

 You watched closely as the Doctor inspected the Priestess’ condition, and inquired her about it to try and figure out the cause.

 “The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts.” The Doctor observed. 

 “This word... this volcano... what is that?” 

 “More to the point, why don’t you know about it? Who are you?”

 “High Priestess of the Sibylline!” 

 “No, I’m talking to the creature inside of you. I demand you tell me who you are!” The Doctor commanded.

 “We... are... awakening!” The Priestess spoke, but her voice had suddenly deepened and multiplied, she sounded possessed.

 “The voice of the Gods!” The leader of the sisters cried, before those who were on their knees before the Priestess began repeatedly chanting ‘words of wisdom, words of power...’ your eyes widened at the scene before you, Donna’s jaw was slack with shock, while Loki just rolled her eyes and appeared bored.

 “We... are... rising!” The possessed voice of the Priestess grew louder as she rose from the bed and stepped toward the Doctor.

 “Tell... me... your name!” He yelled back, mirroring her tone.

 “Pyrovile!” The voice inside the Priestess roared.

 “Pyrovile, pyrovile, pyrovile...” The sisters chanted.

 “And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor.” The possessed Priestess threatened.

 “I warn you I’m armed!” The Doctor yelled as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket.

 “Is that... a water gun?” Loki squinted her eyes at the yellow plastic toy the Doctor held in his fist.

 You heard your name yelled by the Doctor as he instructed you and Donna to lift the grid off one of the grills, similar to the one the monster smashed through in Caecilius’ home.

 Without hesitation you followed Donna over to the grill and you both hooked your fingers into the holes on each side and attempted to lift it, but it slipped from your fingers since you weren’t expecting it to be so heavy and it crashed back into place. Loki quickly joined you and Donna to offer a helping hand and together the three of you lifted the heavy iron grid, while the Doctor continued to argue with the Priestess behind you.

 “Got it!” Donna yelled at the Doctor, once the grid was completed removed.

 “Now get down!” The Doctor quickly shouted back, and you looked down into the hole in the ground which hot steam was rising out of.

 “What, down there?” You asked, wondering if the Doctor had lost his mind.

 “Yes, down there!” 

 “Sisters, I see into his mind, the weapon is harmless!” The leader of the sisters yelled.

 “Yeah, but it’s gotta sting.” The Doctor shrugged before he began squirting water at the Priestess who groaned in pain as steam evaporated from where the squirts of water hit her stone surface and she stumbled backwards.

 “Get down there!” He repeated louder when he saw none of you had yet made a move to jump into the hole.

 Donna jumped in first.

 “I don’t think this is a good idea.” Loki spoke, her eyes almost looking spooked as she glanced down at the steaming hole.

 “It’s either climb in there or stay here and wait for the volcano. Your choice.” The Doctor told Loki as he urged you to climb in next.

 Sensing Loki’s anxiety you offered her an assuring nod. “You’ll be okay, look watch me and then follow right after.” 

 Once you joined Donna you found yourself in an underground cave, you could instantly feel the change in the temperature as the air was thick with heat. You looked back up through the hole to find Loki looking down at you.

 “See, perfectly safe.” You assured her.

 Hesitantly Loki climbed into the hole and you helped her down, once both her feet were on the ground she swayed and stumbled as if she was about to faint but you caught her with your arm around her waist and helped her regain her balance. She held your shoulders and shook her head and forcibly kept her eyes wide open before she looked back at you, suddenly aware of how close you were.

 “Are you okay?” You asked, concerned by her behaviour.

 A green light shimmered over her body and he returned to the form you had met him in, you noticed he instantly grew taller and you needed to tilt your head slightly to maintain eye contact, your arm was still wrapped around his waist but it was no longer holding him up as he was supporting his own weight now although you could still feel his body swaying slightly as it was pressed against yours.

 “I’m fine.” He answered curtly, before taking a step back to put some distance between the two of you.

 “This way!” The Doctor led as soon as he jumped into the cave.

 “Where are we going now?” Donna sighed.

 “Into the volcano.” The Doctor answered as if it were obvious.

 You failed to notice Loki’s face fill with dread beside you.

 “No way.” Donna challenged.

 “Yes way.” The Doctor smiled as he twirled the water gun around his finger.

 “Wait, for once I agree with her. We can’t go into the volcano. It could be dangerous.” Loki argued before quickly adding, “for mortals.”

 “It will be fine, it doesn’t erupt for another few hours yet.” The Doctor dismissed. “Now, come on!”

 Before anyone else could protest he had already turned on his heel and began leading the way through the cave, Donna followed behind him, you followed behind her and Loki was at the back.

 As you followed Donna and the Doctor through the winding path of the cave, you kept taking quick glances over your shoulder to check on Loki and you grew increasingly concerned as his condition appeared to deteriorate each time you looked. The further you walked into the cave, the hotter and thicker the air became, you were surprised to find Loki seemed to be the one who was most affected by the conditions out of all of you. While your breathing had become heavy and a thin layer of sweat coated your skin, sweat literally dripped from Loki’s forehead, he started using the walls of the cave to hold himself up as his legs barely carried him, the skin around his eyes grew darker and you could hear him straining on each breath. 

 Once you reached inside the volcano Loki rested his back against the wall and began to sink to the floor, his chest rose and fell rapidly as he struggled to shrug off his jacket, his white shirt clung to his body due to his sweat and he attempted to loosened his tie with trembling hands.

 “Doctor!” You called, as you rushed over to Loki who looked as though he was about to pass out. The Doctor quickly joined your side, as did Donna once her eyes fell on Loki’s condition.

 “What happened?” He asked you urgently.

 “I... I don’t know, he hasn’t been right ever since he entered the cave.” You explained.

 “Loki! Loki, can you hear me?” The Doctor tried, he gently tapped Loki’s cheek but his head just lulled to the side and he struggled to keep his eyes open as he mumble some incoherent in a cracked voice.

 The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began scanning it over Loki.

 “That’s not possible.” You heard the Doctor whisper to himself as he looked over the readings, he quickly gave Loki another scan and read them again and his face squished up in pure confusion.

 “What is it?” You urged him.

 “He’s... he’s Jotun?” The Doctor answered while sounding more like he was asking a question.

 “What’s a Jotun when it’s at home?” Donna asked.

 “He isn’t Asgardian at all, magic is suppressing his true form. He’s from Jotunheim, a frost plant inhabited by Jotuns, they aren’t designed to withstand heat of such temperatures as this. We need to get him out of here.” The Doctor quickly explained as he crouched down to scoop a barely conscious Loki into his arms and held him bridal style, once he knew he was secure he began running further into the volcano, leaving both you and Donna trailing behind after him.

 You all stopped in your tracks when you found more of the giant stone beasts roaming around inside the volcano. 

 “There’s tons of them.” Donna gasped. “You better hurry up and think of something, Rocky 4’s on its way.”

 “There’s an escape pod!” The Doctor noticed.

 “Maybe... it erupts, and they launch themselves back into space or something?” Donna offered, since obviously the escape pod belonged to the stone creatures which were currently invading Pompeii.

 “Oh, it’s worse than that.” The Doctor whispered.

 “How could it be worse?” You frowned.

 “Heathens!” You heard a man cry. “Defile us! They would desecrate your temple, My Lord Gods!” 

 “Come on.” The Doctor started running towards the escape pod, which looked like a huge hollow boulder with circuits inside.

 “We can’t go in!” Donna shouted after him.

 “Well, we can’t go back.”

 “Crush them! Burn them!” The man who you now noticed was stood on top of some rocks looking down at you as you tried to escape.

 A giant monster blocked your path to the escape pod and growled causing you all to slide to a stop.

 “Get the water gun, it’s tucked into the back of my pants!” The Doctor called your name, unable to get it himself as he was still holding an unconscious Loki in his arms. You wasted no time reaching for the water gun and squirted it directly at the creature and it stumbled back with a groan easily allowing you all enough time to rush past and continue your dash towards the escape pod.

 “There is nowhere to run!” The man screamed.

 “No. But if I might beg the wisdom of the Gods, before we perish, once this new race of creatures is complete, then what?” The Doctor yelled up to the man.

 “My masters will follow the example of Rome itself. There is heat enough in this world for a new species to rise.” 

 “Yeah, I should warn you, it’s 70% water out there.” The Doctor explained, nodding his head to the world which lay beyond the mountain.

 “Water can boil, and everything will burn!” The mad man argued.

 “Then the whole planet is at stake.” The Doctor concluded to himself. “Thank you. That’s all I needed to know.” 

 He quickly turned and gently lowered Loki to the floor of the escape pod then ushered both you and Donna inside before he squeezed in as well and used his sonic to seal the door shut.

 It was cramped inside of the small escape pod with the four of you squashed inside together, once you got inside you immediately crouched down beside Loki to check on his condition.

 “Loki, can you hear me?” You gently nudged his shoulder. His eyes fluttered slightly but he failed to open them and he let out a weak groan, but you were just relieved that he was still conscious. 

 You were conscious of the fact that inside the cramped space of the escape pod it felt even hotter, even you were starting to feel faint. You were still holding the water pistol in your hand and had an idea. You took a gentle hold of Loki’s chin in your free hand and encouraged his mouth open, in his weak state he didn’t fight you, and you pulled the trigger of the toy gun to spray water into his mouth. Once he felt the cool liquid hit his tongue he gladly accepted it as it provided him a little relief from the heat. Loki offered you a small grunt as thanks.

 “See? The energy converter takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix, which welds the Pyrovile to human. Now it’s complete, they can convert millions.” You heard the Doctor explaining how the Pyrovile planned to take over the human race to Donna, sounding completely horrified.

 “Can’t you change it? With these controls?” Donna tried, her voice filled with panic.

 “I can invert the system, set off the volcano, and blow them up, yes. But that’s the choice, Donna. It’s Pompeii or the world.” The Doctor revealed the heavy decision you were all faced with.

 “Oh my god.” Donna paled.

 “If Pompeii is destroyed then it’s not just history, it’s me. It was always meant to be me, I make it happen.” The Doctor realised. “Push this leaver and it’s over. 20,000 people.” 

 The pod fell silent as the Doctor froze with his hands held over the leaver, Donna watched him with tears building in her eyes and you looked at Loki who was barely unconscious and you made your choice.

You used the wall to push yourself back up to your feet and you stepped between Donna and the Doctor. You placed your trembling hands over the Doctors. You looked to your auntie when she whispered your name and saw the tears brimming out of her eyes your chest felt heavy. At first you thought she was going to talk you out of it but when you felt her hand rest on top of yours you couldn’t control the tears that threatened to fall from your eyes as well. She gave you a final nod and then you knew you could do it, all three of you pushed down the leaver and within seconds the entire pod was shaking, you braced yourself against the wall, careful not to trample over Loki and prepared yourself for whatever fate awaited you.

 Your body got flung around as you were pretty sure that the pod you were in was currently flying through the air, you could only pray you would survive the crash landing. A force pushed you to the ground and you landed on top of Loki’s chest, while the Doctor fell down beside you and Donna miraculously remained the only one standing. Your eyes snapped open when you felt the first breeze of fresh air brush your cheek and you saw the Doctor crawling out the pod. You felt hands wrap around your upper arms and you looked up to find Donna helping you to your feet and you both stumbled out the pod on shaking legs, while the Doctor lifted Loki back into his arms and you noticed that he had sustained an injury to his head during the escape.

 You didn’t have much time to do anything other than run when you noticed the heavy cloud of ash quickly heading straight for you and all three of you began running as fast as your legs could carry you, hoping you could make it to the city and into the TARDIS before it was too late.

 You and Donna held onto each other’s hands as you ran ahead of the Doctor who was slowed down by the extra weight of Loki, but he still managed to run pretty fast. You weren’t far from the city when the thick ash blocked out the light of the sun and plunged the city into darkness, though it was daytime it felt like night as you raced through the streets, trying to remember the direction to Caecilius’ villa. 

 Ash fell down from the sky like snow as the people of the town scrambled in different directions in attempts to make it out of the city alive, you could hear nothing but their cries and the thunderous sound of the volcano as it felt like the whole world was crumbling around you.

 As Caecilius’ villa came into view you pushed yourself to go even faster and you looked over your shoulder to find the Doctor not too far behind with Loki still in his arms, his injured head fell limp over the crook of the Doctors arm, revealing his long neck and prominent adam’s apple and dread struck through you, you had to remind yourself he was only unconscious.

 You pushed through the doors of Caecilius’ villa and headed straight towards the TARDIS but the sound of whimpering stopped you in your tracks, you looked to find Caecilius and his family crowded together on the floor, holding on tight to one another as they cried. 

 “God save us, Doctor!” Caecilius begged the Doctor when he came running in behind you, and he stopped beside you and Donna for a moment as you all looked at the family, you thought the Doctor would encourage them all to get on board his TARDIS but eventually he turned away kept running towards his TARDIS in the corner of the room.

 “No! Doctor, you can’t!” Donna called after him, you silently looked between the Doctor and the family, as he kicked the TARDIS door open with his foot and disappeared inside with Loki. You pushed away the feeling of guilt which fell heavy on your chest as you followed after the Doctor into the TARDIS.

 “Donna!” You pleaded with her when she remained frozen in place, she couldn’t look away from Caecilius and his family as they looked straight back at her, silently begging her to save them. The sound of one of the windows smashing through snapped Donna back into reality and she looked back at you before she hesitantly made her way towards the TARDIS, leaving the family behind. 

 When you entered the TARDIS, you saw the Doctor had placed Loki down onto the floor while he operated the console, preparing the TARDIS to leave. You rushed over to Loki and immediately checked his pulse and breathed a heavy sigh of relief when you found it still beating. 

 “You can’t just leave them!” You heard Donna yell as soon as she entered the TARDIS but you couldn’t lift your eyes from Loki, looking over his pale face and hovering your hand over the injury on his head, drops of blood had ran down the side of his sharp cheek and matted into part of his hair.

 “Don’t you think I’ve done enough? History’s back in place and everyone dies.” You heard the Doctor answer, as you checked over Loki for anymore injuries. 

 “You’ve got to go back. Doctor, I am telling you, take this thing back!” Donna demanded.

 The TARDIS shuddered and your whole body jerked letting you know the Doctor had sent it into flight, once the tremors subsided, the ship fell silent.

 “It’s not fair.” Donna whispered.

 “No, it’s not.” The Doctor agreed.

 “But your own planet. It burned.” Donna cried, and you finally looked up, you didn’t know what your auntie was referring to but you looked at the Doctor with sympathy. It suddenly made sense why he froze when it came to pushing the leaver, if he had already watched his own planet suffer a similar fate. 

 “That’s just it. Don’t you see, Donna? Can’t you understand? If I could go back and save them then I would, but I can’t. I can never go back. I can’t, I just can’t, I can’t.” His voice broke.

 “Just someone. Please.” Donna bargained. “Not the whole town. Just save someone.” 

 “You saved him,” you spoke, as you looked at Loki, who was laid out in front of you. “You can save them too.”

  ***

 The Doctor had returned to Pompeii and saved Caecilius and his family, he and Donna were currently outside bidding them fair well where the Doctor had safely dropped them off just outside of Rome, while you stayed inside the TARDIS by Loki’s side waiting for him to regain consciousness.

 You had cradled his head and moved so you could cushion it against your lap, since you imagined his head will already be hurting from the injury it wouldn’t be very comfortable for him to rest it against the hard floor of the TARDIS. 

 The first sign of Loki regaining consciousness was his eyebrows drawing together as a groan slipped out between his lips, no doubt quickly becoming aware of the pain in his head. His eyelashes fluttered against the top of his ash covered cheeks before his eyes slowly blinked open and the first thing he saw was your face above his.

 “Hi,” you began, unsure of what else to say.

 You barely leaned back in time to avoid his head colliding with yours as he suddenly shot up, so he was sitting up straight on the floor with his legs still lying out in front of him. This appeared to make his head rush as he moaned and cradled his head in the palms. You slowly shuffled up to him so you were at his side, careful not to startle him, you hesitantly placed your hand on his strong shoulder.

 “It’s okay, you’re safe.” You assured him softly.

 He lifted his face to look at you, his eyes filled with something you couldn’t quiet put your finger on. 

 “Where are we?” He asked you, for the first time since you met him his voice sounded gentle.

 “The TARDIS.” You answered him, just as gently.

 He let his eyes roam over the room, taking in his surroundings, before they finally landed back on you. “Am I severely concussed or is this thing bigger on the inside?” 

 You laughed softly. 

 “It’s bigger on the inside.” You confirmed. “Don’t ask me how, I have no idea how it works, if you’d like to know I’d recommend asking the Doctor.”

 Loki nodded with a slight smile as his eyes fell to his lap and you both stayed like that for a moment, neither of you saying anything.

 “Thank you.” Loki eventually broke the silence.

 “What?” Your head shot up, afraid you had misheard him.

 Loki avoided your eyes and his dark hair shadowed most of his face, protecting him from your gaze as he continued.

 “For what you did in the volcano and for...” he cleared his throat, “for the lack of a better word... saving me, I guess.” 

 “I mean to be fair the Doctor did most of the heavy lifting.” You humbly joked.

 “Where is he anyway?” Loki asked, since he noticed it was only you and him. “Isn’t he the pilot of this thing?”

 “He’s just outside with Donna saying goodbye to Caecilius and his family, he dropped them off safely just outside of Rome.” You don’t know why your chest felt heavy as you asked Loki your next question, perhaps it was due to the fact that you had just started warming to his company and he would be leaving soon. “So do you know where you would like the Doctor to drop you off?

 Loki seemed stumped by your question, as if he hadn’t gave where he was going much consideration, instead he was more focused on just escaping Pompeii rather than where he was escaping to. When some time passed and had yet to answer, you decided to break the silence.

 “I mean, if you’re not sure where you want to go, you could always stay with us.” You offered, it was now your turn to avoid his eyes as he looked at you with as much shock as you had when he thanked you.

 “You think the Doctor would be okay with that?” Loki worried.

 “Sure, why wouldn’t he?” You now looked up at him with your brows pulled together.

 Loki opened his mouth about to answer you when he realised, you didn’t know him, you didn’t know any of his previous actions, on Asgard, on Jotunheim and on your very own planet. Then it crossed his mind, he didn’t know what year you were from, in his time it had been about a week since he attacked New York, he imagined his face would have been all over every media outlet after the attack but you hadn’t even recognised him when you first ran into each other.

 “What year are you from?” Loki quickly inquired out of nowhere and you were a bit confused by the random question.

 “2008.” You answered him anyway.

 4 years before he first stepped foot on midgard, 4 years before he attacked New York under Thanos’ control, 4 years before you would know him as the man who tried to take over your planet and rule the human race. Right now you only knew him as the time travelling God of mischief who you ran into while you were both running for your lives. He had anonymity with you, you offered the perfect opportunity for him to start a fresh. He could join you on the TARDIS for a while, with your auntie and the Doctor plus he imagined it would only make it harder for the TVA to find him if he was constantly moving through time and space.

 “I would like that.” Loki confessed.

 “To stay?” You asked hopefully, just to make sure you weren’t misinterpreting him.

 When Loki nodded you couldn’t hold back the smile that took over your whole face, you we’re excited to spend more time with Loki, learn more about him and explore all of time and space with the God of mischief.

[yacoka]

MARRY ME

──⊱ [repost] three times kuroo said marry me, and the one time he (really) meant it

character(s) — kuroo tetsurou, kozume kenma, yaku morisuke, kai nobuyuki

pairing — kuroo tetsurou x reader

genre — fluff

warning(s) — none

word count — 2400+

beta(s) — none

the first time

Your phone buzzes for the millionth time, and you don’t even need to check it to know it’s Kuroo complaining about how he had left his lunch at home. Even though you knew he was just complaining for the sake of it, you planned to rush home and make him lunch anyways. For him, you would do anything.

If it meant rushing off straight after class ended and running back home under the scalding afternoon sun, so be it. After all, love makes fools out of everyone.

You ignored the yelps of surprise and annoyance as you dash past people on the streets, checking your watch occasionally. You had to be back in school in an hour to make sure Kuroo had at least half an hour to eat, and you weren’t going to waste a single second.

The second you reached home, you threw down your bag and began yanking out the necessary ingredients to make his favourite dish - grilled salted mackerel pike. You knew that that was meant to be saved for your brother’s lunch tomorrow, but he could always buy another one in the evening.

Strands of hair stuck to your sweat-slicked neck, and you resisted the urge to brush them away, your hands handling the pungent fish. You had never understood Kuroo’s love for fish, but if he liked it, you would cook it.

Once the vegetables and fish were done, you carefully plated it into the bento box, laying them as nicely as you could over the rice. You didn’t have any time to make it look presentable, and you figured Kuroo would be too busy scarfing it down to admire the aesthetics of it anyways.

A quick glance at the clock told you there was only ten minutes left for you to get back to school, and you let out a sharp curse. There wasn’t enough time for you to do the dishes. Casting a guilty glance at the mountain of dirty utensils and pots in the sink, you sent a silent apology to your parents, swearing to do them when you got home later.

You dashed out of the house, bento box clutched tightly in one hand and your phone in the other. As much as your chest tightened in protest of the lack of oxygen from how hard you were pushing yourself, you kept going.

Kuroo needed his lunch, oxygen could wait.

Skidding to a halt just before the gym doors, you checked yourself in the phone camera. You grimaced at your tousled hair and flushed face, there wasn’t much that you could do to fix those right now.

Right, time to give the damn rooster head his lunch. A few deep breaths to even out your breathing, and you stepped into the gym, where Kuroo was slumped onto the floor next to Kenma’s sitting figure, complaining loudly that he would die from hunger if Kenma didn’t share his lunch with him.

“Kids these days have no respect for their elders, leaving them to starve to death.” Kuroo pulls a face at the two-toned blonde.

“Kuroo!” You called out, cutting off whatever retort Kenma had planned.

“Oya? Y/n? are you here to bring me food?” He teased, getting to his feet.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” you thrust out the lunch box.

Kuroo’s mouth popped open. “That- that’s for me?” He pointed at himself.

You rolled your eyes. “No it’s for Kenma, because he clearly needs a second lunch.”

The mentioned boy snickers, earning a glare from Kuroo before he turns back to you.

“Y/n,” he says, face filled with seriousness. “Marry me.”

You flush, heat spreading all the way to the tips of your ears. “Shut up and take the food or I’ll leave with it!”

He grins and takes the container from you, fingers brushing lightly against yours. Once you were sure he had a firm grip on it, you yanked your hand back and clutched it to your chest, fingers burning where he had touched.

“Enjoy it or whatever, just return it to me tomorrow.” You turned on your heel abruptly and darted out of the gym, catching only the thanks Kuroo threw after your retreating back.

“Thank you Y/n!”

the second time

If you had a dollar for every time Kuroo disappeared from your side because he got distracted by his friends, you’d be a millionaire by now. Somehow you had managed to walk for god knows how long, just rambling to yourself without even realizing he had vanished. You let out a sigh of annoyance and began backtracking. Hopefully, you would bump into him somewhere along the way.

As you maneuvered your way through the various groups of students lingering in the hallway, you heard a familiar voice chuckle nervously. Your head whipped towards the source and found Kuroo backed up against the wall by a few girls who had sickeningly sweet smiles plastered across their faces.

You purse your lips in an attempt to keep your laughter back, amused by the desperate look on Kuroo’s face.

“Kuroo, are you free after school today? I know a great cafe that just opened down the road!” One of the girls batted her lashes at him, leaning in as she spoke.

Kuroo pressed himself further into the wall. “Ah, I have volleyball practice later. But thank you for the offer.”

He tried to inch his way out, but the group tightened around him, forcing him to stay put.

“Aww, can’t you skip just once? You’re always having practice,” another girl pouts, resting her hand on his bicep.

You stopped laughing.

Okay, that was enough fun at his expense, that girl was crossing a line by touching him. You cleared your throat loudly as you strolled forward, a look of pure boredom plastered across your face.

“Kuroo, how many times are you gonna get lost?” You chided him, intentionally ignoring the girls.

A look of pure relief had appeared upon his face the second he spotted you, and his eyes screamed ‘save me’ even as he replied to you smoothly, “As long as you come find me, I'll be fine.”

You frowned at him. “What if I decided not to find you one day?”

Kuroo let out a gasp of fake offense. “You wouldn’t!”

“Ahem, we were having a conversation here.” The first girl shot you a nasty look.

Raising an eyebrow at her, you replied coolly, “It seems to me that the conversation is over, so maybe don’t interrupt the one we have now?”

She scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder, narrowly missing Kuroo’s face. “Who said it was over? You’re the one who barged in.”

You stifled a laugh at the indignant look on Kuroo's face at almost eating hair. “I said it was over, I need kuroo for other things that are more important than you trying to come on to him. C’mon kitty, let’s go.”

Ignoring the soft protest from Kuroo at the nickname, you pushed past the girls and grabbed his arm, tugging him out of the circle they had formed around him.

“Bye girls.” You waved over your shoulder and walked off with Kuroo in tow.

Once you were a safe distance away from them, Kuroo draped himself over you. “Please, marry me. Maybe then they’d leave me alone.”

Trying your best to calm your racing heart and pretend you weren’t affected by him, you shrugged him off.

“Oh shut up, if you weren’t so friendly all the time maybe they wouldn’t try to make so many moves.”

Kuroo sighs loudly. “It's called being civilized, you should try it sometime.”

You raise a brow at him. “Did that save you from them?”

“....No.”

“Right so shut up.”

“Marry me tho?”

“I said shut up!”

the third time

You sat under a tree, leaning against it as you flipped through your textbook. You were waiting for Kuroo to end volleyball practice so that you could go for dinner. His treat, he had promised you the other day, for finding kenma and dragging him to practice.

The time for the end of practice came, and you sat there patiently, waiting for him to walk past you. Members of the volleyball team had already greeted you on their way out, but still no Kuroo. Finally, as Yaku and Kai appeared, you stood up and walked up to them.

“Hey Yaku, Kai.” They greeted you back. “Where’s Kuroo?”

Yaku grimaced slightly as he replied. “The idiot got a leg cramp right as practice ended, so he’s sitting in the middle of the court trying to wait it out right now.”

You rolled your eyes. “Seriously? Okay, thanks, I’ll go find him and make sure he’s okay.”

“Give us a call if you need help, We’ll come back to school.” Kai told you.

“What? No, we won’t-“ Yaku squawked in outrage as Kai elbowed him. “Fine, we will.”

“Thanks guys, but I doubt I need to. I should be able to handle this oversized cat on my own.” You smiled at them and took your leave, heading towards the gym.

On your way in, you bumped into Kenma who had his eyes glued to his switch.

“Kenma!” You reached out a hand to steady the boy.

“Oh, hey Y/n. he’s in there,” Kenma nods inside. “He has a leg cramp.”

“Yeah, Yaku told me. I’ll take care of him,” you patted Kenma’s arm. “Don’t walk and play, you might trip.”

Kenma frowned slightly, “I haven't tripped yet.”

You laughed and shook your head, waving at him as he left. Crossing the threshold into the gym, you spotted Kuroo lying spread eagle in the middle of the court, eyes closed.

“Oi, what happened to dinner?” You called out to him as you walked over.

He started, body flinging upright as he stared at you wide-eyed.

“Oh shit, that was today?”

You stared at him in disbelief. Really? He forgot?

Examining his face closely, you noted how exhausted he looked, with dark circles under his eyes and the exhaustion that sat heavily upon his shoulders. Sighing heavily, you sat on the floor next to him.

“Alright, which leg is it,” you asked, prodding both legs.

He pointed to his right calf, and you got to work, kneading the tight muscle. Kuroo groaned in pain.

“Could you be, a little gentler?” He gritted out.

Raising your eyebrows at him, you pressed down particularly hard, causing him to yelp and attempt to pull his leg away.

“Stop complaining and let me do my thing,” you demanded, smacking him lightly.

He sulked but stopped trying to move away from you, the occasional grunt coming from him as he watched you massage his leg. When you were sure the cramp had passed, you let go of him, shaking out your now sore hands. Kuroo grabbed onto them, clutching them gently as he looked at you.

“Marry me.” His voice sounded so serious for a second that you were taken aback until he burst into laughter. “Your face! God, you looked so startled!”

Scowling, you smacked him across the head hard. “Shut up, idiot! You’re the one that always fakes proposing to me when we’re not even dating!”

He grins at you, a smile that reaches his eyes as he asks, “Well then, will you date me?”

What.

Kuroo takes your silence the wrong way and begins rambling. “Unless you don’t like me and I’ve been reading the signs all wrong, Then you can totally just take it as a joke because-“

You slap a hand over his mouth. “Yes.”

He says something, but the words are muffled by your hand and he tugs it down to repeat his words again. “Yes as in you’ll date me or yes as in I read the signs wrong?”

“Yes as in you read the signs wrong, because why else would I do all the stupid shit I do for someone who I don’t like.” You deadpan. Kuroo’s face shifts into mild panic and you facepalm.

“Yes, I do like you, you idiot!”

“Oh, jesus, don’t play with my feelings like that! What if I got a heart attack? I'm old, you know!” He yelps as you punch him in the chest.

“You’re 18, not 80.”

“Okay but you’d still date me if I was 80 right?” He smirks, tugging on the collar of your uniform.

“Who said I’d date you now?”

“You just did! And there’s no taking back that confession!” He laughs gleefully.

“What’s stopping me from rejecting you though,” you smile darkly.

He freezes, arms in mid-wave.

“Uhhhh, I’ll buy you food?”

“Deal.”

plus one

It's been a while since you had seen your boyfriend for more than brief moments in the morning and night, and for the first time in weeks, he said he was going to end work early and come home for dinner.

You hummed as you went around the kitchen preparing a variety of dishes for him, the most important one being his favourite grilled mackerel. Even after years of being together, you still hadn’t gotten used to the smell of fish and fought the urge to gag as the smell wafted up to you.

Kuroo knew how much you didn’t like it, so he never requested you to cook it, opting to eat it only when you guys went to his parents' house for dinner.

But seeing as how he had been working hard and pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion, you decided to suck it up and prepare the dish for him. What was one mere dish in comparison to love, huh?

Right as you set the last dish onto the dining table, Kuroo came through the door, tossing his bag onto the sofa carelessly and draped himself over your back.

“Hey kitty, how was work?” You smiled as you felt him burrow his face into your neck.

“It was tiring, as always. how was- is that grilled mackerel?” He lifted his head to stare at the table, where the dish sits smack in the middle smiling at him.

“Yeah, it is,” you said casually, twisting around in his hold to face him. “I figured you’d like to eat your favourite after working so hard for the past few weeks.”

“Marry me.” It comes out as a rush, the words tripping over themself as his tongue twists over the words.

There’s a ringing in your ears as you process what he just said, taking in the nerves that have settled upon his face.

Your answer escapes in a breathy laugh as you grin up at him.

“Yes.”

A smile stretches across his face and he pulls you into a deep kiss, pouring every bit of happiness and love he felt for you into the kiss.

“I love you so much,” he says in between pecks. “I love you so so so much.”

“I love you too, Tetsu.”

“.....I forgot the ring!”

[morri-m]

I’m sad cuz my sister bullied Me for writing fanfiction and a whole bunch of other stuff so in spite imma write some cute Naegiri stuff❤️♥️💖.

Makoto shivered and shook as he walked back from the store, clutching some grocery bags in his trembling hands.

Kyoko wasn’t back from work yet, and they needed to buy groceries, and it just so happened that there was a snowstorm.

Meaning poor small Makoto had to walk to and back from the store in freezing cold weather like that if he wanted to eat tonight. And the worst part was he thought he’d be done shopping before going home, so he only had a thin coat which barely provided any warmth.

He wanted to wrap his arms around himself to try and keep warm, but he couldn’t due to the fact that he was carrying the grocery bags still, which drained even more of his wearing thin strength.

Eventually he decided to run due to the fact that he was absolutely freezing and just couldn’t take it anymore, and so he began racing back home like a serial killer was chasing him.

———

After what felt like ten hours to him, the green eyed boy made it home, still quivering and whining under his breath.

And just as he began walking again, a car pulled up into the driveway, and Kyoko opened the door and emerged from it, wearing a long black jacket and a matching hat with a white Pom-Pom on top.

She visibly gasped upon seeing her boyfriend and immediately rushed over to him, throwing her hands on the sides of his shoulder and brushed the snow off of them.

“Oh my god! Makoto are you okay!? You’re freezing!!”

“I-I-I’m f-fine!!”

Kyoko clearly didn’t believe him and removed her hat and placed it on his head, along with her scarf which she carefully draped around his neck.

“Come on, let’s go inside.” The silver haired girl said as she put an arm around him and guided him inside the house.

———

“Okay go sit down in the living room. I’ll make you a warm drink, otherwise you’d probably catch a cold.”

Makoto nodded and headed for the room he was told to go to whilst Kyoko got the milk out of the fridge and honey out of a cabinet. She than grabbed Makoto’s favourite mug and poured the milk into it and put it in the microwave and set the time and waited for a bit.

———

Meanwhile Makoto was still shaking on the couch, cuddling himself for dear life, his teeth still chattering.

Kyoko pulled the scolding hot mug out of the microwave and mixed some honey into it, and then she walked into the living room to give it to Makoto after it had cooled down a little.

“Here, babe. It’ll help warm you up, you’re still freezing.”

She removed the scarf and hat and replaced them with some blankets that were scattered all over the couch. Bundling up Makoto in them.

The small brunette took a sip of his drink and smiled as he drank more, deciding that it tasted quite nice.

Kyoko smiled as she run a circle with her pointer finger in his head. “Like it?” She asked.

Makoto nodded as she sat down next to him, and right on cue he offered her the mug.

“Want some?” He asked.

The detective grinned at his cuteness and took it from him, taking a few sips and handing it back to her boyfriend, who took a few more sips himself and sat it on the coffee table in front of him, officially deciding they were sharing it.

Makoto then snuggled into Kyoko’s shoulder, and in return she wrapped her arms around his stomach and rested her chin on his head, holding him closely.

They stayed like that for another two minutes before Makoto decided he wanted more milk and reached his hand out for the mug again, taking another few sips and sitting it back down, letting Kyoko finish the rest since he than snuggled into her shoulder again, hiding his face in her neck, showing signs that he felt sleepy and would probably be falling asleep in the next minute or so.

“Kiri.. I’m tired..” He yawned, wrapping his arms around her.

“You can go to sleep and I’ll put dinner on after, you deserve it after walking home in this.”

She gestured to the window, her eyes raising in fake disbelief, causing the smaller one to laugh.

A few minutes later, Makoto fell asleep, and Kyoko was stacking up two cushions for him to use as pillows whilst she cooked dinner for them.

“Sleep well, darling.” She whispered into his ear and pulled the covers around him lovingly.

She than walked back into the kitchen to cook dinner, smiling as she recalled everything that had just happened.

[perseusjackson-jasongrace]

Snowy Favours

i wrote this for one of my favourite humans in the entire world! @queen-of-demons-and-hell i just kind of forgot to post it on here oops

masterlist; my links

[image has alt text]

She smells coffee. And then pancakes, and then freshly squeezed orange juice. And suddenly she's three days into a Indonesian island holiday and there's sun streaming through her windows and the sheets draped over her bared skin are cool and if she opens her eyes she'll be met with ruffling lace curtains and the sight of the ocean just over the deck.

Annabeth Chase wakes up to silence. To darkness. To New York plunged into winter as if Khione had taken her rage out on the city over night. Snow covers the concrete buildings, already turning sloppy and muddied with the trek of never ending people. She is nowhere near Indonesia, nor in a villa overlooking blue waters. She is in her grungy apartment in her more-mattress-than-bed bed and the single window in her bedroom looks out onto the brick of the building next to her. In short its just another Monday morning.

The disappointment that floods through her is breathtaking. She feels her life swallow her up, wrapping around her lungs and squeezing as if it had taken lessons from a python. Her fingers curl around the duvet pulled over her as she stares at the wall, at the pictures littering it. She takes a deep breath, another, another. Slowly the python loosens, her heart returns to it's normal rhythm.

Glancing at the small pink clock on her bedside table she almost groans as she sees the time. Three minutes till her alarm rings. Not enough to dive back into bed but enough to consider it anyway. She forces herself to get up, feeling the cool of the wood under her feet and traipses to the bathroom where she is met with tile, the sudden cold pulls a hiss from her.

With a zombied look in her eyes she goes about her morning routine: pee, teeth, shower, change, scrounge around in empty cupboards for something at least half edible, scarf another energy bar when nothing better makes itself known, and then finally pack her bag and make her way out. She can do it with her eyes closed by now, sometimes she even does.

Still as she steps into the biting air that comes with snow her body wakes up considerably. With a curse that middles Greek and English, she twists her scarf tighter around her neck and pulls her beanie over her ears. She decides she can spare a moment to go to her favourite coffee shop this morning just to throw down a hot drink that hopefully scorches her insides.

With a determined step she sets off to the subway, earbuds shoved into her ears blaring "do re mi" by blackbear. A violent song for this early in the morning but one she mumbles along to all the same.

The coffee shop, as she so lovingly calls it, is more like a caravan sized hole wedged between two skyscrapers. It fits maybe five people comfortably, ten if you're looking to be smothered. But the coffee is beyond magical and they have the most decadent blueberry muffins she's ever had the pleasure to eat. Besides her best friend works here and really if anyone can turn her from bruised-eyed zombie to semi-human it's Percy Jackson.

The door creaks as she steps through, announcing her presence. She's too busy basking in the warmth of the little hovel to worry about the greeting thrown her way.

"Gods it's cold out there." She sucks in a breath, feeling her lungs defrost.

"Yes," Percy grins, "I suppose someone pissed off Khione again."

She rolls her eyes, as her body collapses against the black marble counter. "Khione gets pissed off about everything that's hardly an excuse to give us all frostbite."

"I suggest you take that up with her, because I cannot see any of us coming out alive after that conversation."

"Just give me a coffee you menace," She scrunches her nose in distaste, but cannot keep the playfulness out of her voice.

"Want a blueb?" He shakes a paper bag, something thumping inside. "On the house." The accompanying wink sets her cold skin on fire.

Her eyes narrow as she surveys him. His unruly black curls are kept back by three butterfly shaped clips, bright pink and probably Estelle's, and his skin browner— like dark roast coffee— from the weekend his family had taken in Spain three weeks before glows softly under the warm yellow light hanging above then. The black polo neck he wears under his "Holed Up" company t-shirt, makes his eyes look darker than normal. His jeans, faded blue, stand stark against the rest of his outfit. Even like this, in work appropriate clothes, he looks beautiful. Looks like the beginning of spring, and the happily ever after of stories, and the change of tides.

"What are you planning?" His look of incredulity almost makes her laugh.

"Why would you think I'm up to anything?"

"I've known you since we were twelve Jackson," She scoffs, as if his question is ridiculous in itself. "I know every face, every expression, every movement of your body. I know when you're up to something." She finishes off with a glare for good measure.

His green eyes are bright as he studies her, emotions warring across his face. To spill or not to spill. He pushes her coffee across the counter and she looks at him expectantly as she grabs the cup with both hands. Her numb fingers instantly start to sting with the sudden change in temperature.

"Fine." He sighs, looking at her through his lashes as if maybe be could get away with not telling her. She raises a brow. He curses under his breath and flops down on a chair hidden behind the counter.

"I need your help with something—"

Yes, of course, is on the tip of her tongue. She would do it. No hesitation. There's not much, not anything, she wouldn't do for him.

"But before you say no or worse get mad you have to hear me out." He finishes quickly. And then his eyes are big and pleading and she doesn't know if she wants to turn away or lean in closer, study that captivating green like it's the newest find in her paleontology class.

Instead she clears her throat, "What is it Percy?"

"I need you to be my fake girlfriend." He says it in one breath.

She almost asks him to repeat in case she hadn't heard right. But she knows she did. She knows she couldn't have heard anything else

He swallows. She blinks. He drops his head to his hands, a sigh already on his lips. She opens her mouth, snaps it shut.

"Okay I know it's...odd," He starts, "But I kind of got roped into going to a mixer with some people from my class and this one guy asked if we could go together but I don't really like him so I said no." Percy was rambling but she was too speechless to stop him. "But then he looked really hurt and I felt really bad so I kind of said I already had a partner which made him look less hurt but then Piper, the girl hosting the mixer, over heard me and said I should bring my partner along, since a few of them were bringing their partners, and you know I couldn't exactly back out of the lie after that so I said I would and well..." He gestures between them. "Then this happened."

Annabeth takes a sip of her coffee. And another, she downs almost half the cup before she has the ability to talk. "Why don't you just say your partner is sick on the day?"

It's her first question and instantly she wants to take it back. Because the flinch Percy tries to hide is enough to have her scrambling for a way to take back the words. Because it's not that she won't be Percy's (fake) partner, or even that she doesn't want to.

It's more that she doesnt know if she'll be able to draw the line between fake gestures and her very real feelings. Having a crush on someone for the better part of eight years tends to tug at her emotional side in a way that overules her logical one. Yes she can be Percy's fake girlfriend. No her heart won't believe the lopsided grin he gives her when he makes a bad joke will be 'just for show'. Yes she can hold hands with him and meet his friends. No she can't help the jump in her stomach as she sees the interlaced fingers.

"You don't have to." He says quietly. "I'll think of something." He waves it off, a small smile already finding its way onto his face. She knows, even without careful study, that it doesn't quite reach his eyes. She has to fix this.

"No." It comes out in a snap of rushed regret. "I will, I want to."

He looks at her, gaze wide, hesitant. "You do?"

She nods and then, as if the gesture isn't good enough stumbles through her words. "Yes, I want to." Her smile is shy, but the beam she's rewarded with nearly knocks her off her feet. "I think it'll be fun."

He scoffs at her, waving a hand. "Everything we do is fun. We're Percy and Annabeth."

And he says it's like there's no other way their names could be said. Like if someone says his hers must follow. Like if someone says hers his cannot possibly be far behind. He says it like they belong.

Her heart does a giddy sort of flip that spreads warmth through her chest and in her stomach, better than the coffee ever could.

"Okay Percy Jackson." She holds out her hand, to shake on. "Let's pretend to be madly in love."

With a wink, that causes her brain to explode, he takes her hand in his and turns it over before placing a delicate kiss on her knuckles.

She becomes the air itself. And as she floats to lectures she decides maybe it's not just another Monday. Maybe she did wake up in a paradise of sorts. Maybe life isn't so dull. She laughs to herself.

It can never be dull if Percy is there. It never has.

[nalgenewhore]

masterlist - part one - part two ½

“Oh, I could fucking snap that pretty little neck of yours.” 

Elide smirked and crossed her arms, “Keep it in your pants, Salvaterre. We’re still at work, baby.” 

From the other side of her office, Lorcan sent her a glare that could freeze Hellas’ fiery realm. He crossed the room in two large strides. His long, glossy hair was in disarray. Elide practically choked on her desire to smooth it back for him. She glanced around, quickly averting her eyes from Rowan’s pointed look. His fiancée beside him wore a delighted expression, almost as if she wished she was snacking on something right about now. “Lochan, c’mon. Listen to me. If we settle now, it’ll only allow big tech corporations to completely demolish software start-ups. You know I’m right.” 

“If we push, we could end up with nothing and bankrupt our client! If we settle, that leaves Nox and Luca with enough money to further their technology.” She stood up and braced her hands against the glass surface of her desk. “Lorcan, I know that you want to set precedent–”

“It’s not about setting precedent, princess,” he snapped. “I don’t give a fucking shit if people know my name or not. I’m doing the right thing here and it’s insulting that you don’t see that.” Lorcan dropped the papers on her desk. He stepped back and ran his hands through his hair before twisting his locks into a messy bun. “You’re fucking impossible, Elide.” 

Elide’s spine straightened, “ I’m impossible? This is my case and since the second I asked you for help, you’ve been–”

“You’re fucking it up, Elide! You’re scared of losing and leaving those kids with nothing so you’re playing it safe and–” 

“I am not playing it safe , Lorcan. I’m playing it smart. This is what we learned in school. It’s how we’re supposed to do it.” 

He scoffed, his words cutting, “Yeah, according to a second-year class. I never had you pegged as a coward, Elide. You’re scared and you’re hiding behind a gods-damned book . You know, I really used to think you were cut out for this, but I’m not so sure anymore.” Tears burned her throat. Elide flicked her watery eyes to the wall of windows and focused on the glittering city lights. Lorcan inhaled sharply, as if realising what he’d just said. “Princess, shit, I’m–”

“You’re not sorry, don’t you dare lie to me,” Elide whispered. She looked up at him, “You want the case that bad, Lorcan? Fine. It’s yours. Enjoy it, you bastard.” She shoved the case file box to him so hard that it slid off the smooth surface and on pure reflex, Lorcan caught it. Elide didn’t look at anyone while she strode out of her office. 

She took the elevator up to the roof and walked across the gravel-covered roof to the railing. Elide leaned against it and then, because she couldn’t help herself anymore, she let a sob fall from her lips. Elide buried her face in her hands. 

She cried softly until she heard the heavy metal door drag against the gravel as it was pushed open. Elide raised her head and hastily wiped her eyes, “If you’re here to grovel, I don’t want to hear it, Salvaterre.” 

“He’s not. Aelin’s chewing him out right now.” 

Elide turned, sighing softly. “What are you doing out here, Rowan? I want to be alone.” A gust of cold wind blew over her. Elide hugged her arms around herself and tucked her chin into her chest to conserve heat. 

Rowan walked closer and draped her heavy wool coat over her shaking shoulders. “I thought you might be cold. Might want some company, too.” He opened his arms and Elide leaned into him. “Yeah,” he said as he folded her into his warm chest and rested his chin on her head. “I know, Ellie.” 

“Every time,” she sniffled, pathetically, “every time I think we- we’re getting somewhere, we fight and- and lose whatever progress we’ve made. He isn’t even mine and I keep losing him.” 

“I know,” Rowan said, his brogue strong and comforting. Unbeknownst to Elide, his face was set in a deep frown, all directed at the man who sat floors below them, being berated by a woman he towered over by at least a foot. 

After a few minutes, Elide stepped back. She accepted the tissue Rowan procured and wiped her mascara tracks away. “I guess I should go back and�� figure this out. Are you and Ae staying?” 

“No, we’ve got dinner with my parents.” 

Elide nodded and looped her arm through his elbow, “Let’s go, then.” Rowan wisely didn’t try to dissuade her and escorted her back down. Aelin was waiting by the elevators, her coat and scarf on. She carried her gloves and bag in hand and stepped up to hug Elide good-bye and fuss over her hair. “Ae,” Elide said, “I’m fine, really. Go, have dinner with Ro’s parents. I’ll call you tonight.” 

“Alright. But if you need me, I can ditch those losers and come over.” Rowan cleared his throat and arched an unimpressed brow. Aelin sent him a loved-up grin and kissed Elide’s cheeks, “Bye, honey.” 

“Good-bye, Elide,” Rowan said. 

“Night, you two. Say hi to your parents for me.” 

“Of course,” Rowan nodded his head and guided his fiancée into the waiting elevator. 

Elide turned on her heels and slowly walked back through the empty office to hers. She looked through the glass wall and saw Lorcan. He was sitting on the low, modern leather couch and bent forward with his forearms against his thighs. 

When she walked in, Lorcan shot to his feet, his eyes wide. “El, please, listen to me. I’m sorry. Really. I didn’t- I was- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. None of it is true, you have to believe me. You- you’re an amazing lawyer, Lochan. I’m so fucking sorry.” 

“I know, Lorcan. Really, I know. It’s not the first time one of us has said something we didn’t mean.” 

Relief flooded his face, “Ok, um, yeah. That’s good.” He flashed her a rakish grin. Elide felt her own smile grow at the sight of his. She wasn’t too stubborn to deny that Lorcan was attractive and quite possibly the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on, but when he smiled… she could only describe him as beautiful. “And, listen, I know you think we should settle, but–” 

“Lor,” Elide laughed, “let’s order dinner before we get back to it, ok? I’m starving.” 

Lorcan loosened his tie and lifted his eyebrows, “You aren’t trying to wine and dine me just so I’ll agree with you, right?” Elide just hummed noncommittally and walked to her desk. She leaned back against the edge as she picked up her phone and dialed the number to their favourite restaurant. He laughed and sat down, “Right, like that would ever happen.” He paused, waiting for her response. “Right, Elide?” 

“Hmmm? Oh, yeah, never.” Never. Never. Never.  

She hated that the thought of them never being together made her heart crack. After she put in their classic order, she sat down next to him and they read briefs in a comfortable silence. 

An hour later, their dinner arrived. Lorcan sat down on the carpeted floor and rested his back against her couch. Elide kicked her heels off and sat down against the matching armchair, perpendicular to Lorcan. 

They spread out their papers around them, interspersed with boxes of Chinese takeout. Elide rested her feet in his lap, her brow furrowed as her eyes flicked back and forth across the page. Lorcan didn’t say a word and laid his hand on her ankle. His thumb soothed circles over her skin, “What is it?” 

“I think we should push.” 

“Lochan–” 

“You’re backing down, really?” There was a fluttering sound as she dropped the package. “Stop doing that. I told you I was fine and you’re right. If we settle, it’ll only allow other corporations to go after and attack small developers.” 

“I’m sorry, what was that?” 

She narrowed her eyes in warning. “If we settle–” 

“No, no, not that,” he said, smiling at her, “the thing before that. I’m what? ”

Elide rolled her eyes and flicked his nose with her index finger, “You’re right . I should’ve listened to you earlier.” 

Picking up a box of sesame noodles, Lorcan passed Elide her vegetarian dumplings. “What are you thinking?” 

Elide took the box and picked up her chopsticks to pinch one. She lifted the dumpling, but didn’t eat it. “About what?” They both knew he wasn’t talking about the case. 

Lorcan dropped his head back against the couch cushion, “Anything.” 

“I’m thinking that… this is nice. Being with you. I like it.” He looked at her and Elide frowned defensively, “What, I like your company. We don’t always have to fight.” 

“I know,” he said softly. “I like it too.” Her pale cheeks pinked and they shared a gentle grin. 

Elide poked his thigh with her toe, her heart pounding, “Tell me what you’re thinking.” 

His eyes were so dark, Elide swore she could get lost in them and willingly, too. Lorcan rubbed his hand up and down her shin, “I’m thinking maybe I don’t… hate you. Maybe I’ve never hated you.” 

She could barely hear herself think, blood rushing through her ears. Slowly, Elide rose onto her knees and straddled his lap. Lorcan didn’t say a word, merely steadying her hips as she shifted. “Well, maybe I’m tired of pretending we wouldn’t be great together.” 

Lorcan lifted a hand to cradle the back of her head and pull her close. They both leaned in and the tips of their noses bumped together. Her hands were surprisingly steady as she gripped his collar and tugged him that much closer. Their lips were a hair’s breadth apart when he whispered, “Let’s stop pretending then, hmm?”

+*+*+*+*+*+*

an: tee hee 

@mythicaitt @werewolffprince @schmlip-scribble  @empire-of-wildfire@ladyverena @ttakeitbacknoww @shyvioletcat @alifletcher2012 @tswaney17 @ourbooksuniverse  @flora-and-fae @thesirenwashere @queenofxhearts @maastrash @mynewdreamwasyou @cursebreaker29 @empress-ofbloodshed @b00kworm @hizqueen4life @silversprings98 @amren-courtofdreams @minaidss @superspiritfestival @sanakapoor @ireallyshouldsleeprn @spyofthenightcourt  @thegoddessofyou @more-espresso-less-depresso-xx @claralady @neonhellas @darlinminds @readingismyonlyhobby​ @autophobiaxx​ @silversprings28​ @myshadowsingeraz​ @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln​ @elriel4life​ @always-in-a-daydream​ let me know if u want to be added/removed from the tag list !!

[jonspurpleskirt]

Perks of Beholding

Summary: Jon gets distracted from paranoia by learning he can now understand animals. This somehow solves all their problems. Or: Jon turns into a Disney princess the fic.

No Warnings apply. It’s just fluff. Heavily inspired by this lovely TMA comic:  ___

It started with the Admiral. Jon was about to read the first statement his mysterious benefactor had sent when he heard a small "Jon!" from the kitchen. It had a strange, rumbling undertone to it and sounded as though a human was trying to imitate a cat.

Jon startled so hard at the unfamiliar voice that he send the papers he had in his hands flying. Instinctively grabbing the tape recorder he sprung up.

"Who's there!"

The Admiral came out of the kitchen, rubbing against the doorframe and purring. "Jon! It's time for a midday snack."

Jon blinked hard, wondering if he had lost his mind entirely, while a much louder voice was screeching in delight.

"Admiral! I can understand you!"

"Give me food Jon, I beg of you. I'm famished."

The Admiral jumped up on his lap, claws snagging on the worm hole riddled arm. It should have already been healed, but Jon continued picking on it.

"Ah..ha. Careful please. I'm damaged goods."

"My apologies. Now food and then cuddles? I crave attention."

Statement forgotten Jon spend the rest of the afternoon debating with Georgies cat about the pros and cons of feeding the Admiral without Georgies consent, sneaking snacks anyway and cuddling on the couch.

To say that Georgie was bemused when she got home was an understatement. "You can speak cat now. Are you shitting me?"

"No. It's amazing! Georgie this might be the only good thing to have happened to me in years!"

Georgie rolled his eyes, grinning. "Don't be so dramatic. So what? Are cats really planning to overthrow us lowly humans? What is he saying?"

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't tell me if that was the case. Admiral is there anything you'd like to say to Georgie?"

The Admiral, who hadn't budged from Jons chest since after he had been fed was staring straight at him. "Tell her I love her."

Jon turned to Georgie with the most serious face she had ever seen on him. "He wants you to know that he loves you." He announced gravely. And then, after a short pause. "But he loves me more."

"I didn't say that."

"He didn't say that!"

"No, but I know."

The Admiral bit at his finger and then immediately licked the raw skin as an apology. "Unruly kitten."

"I'm not a kitten!"

"You know I'm not sure if the noises you make are cute or creepy."

~~~

His language comprehension skills didn't only focus on cat speak, Jon found out soon after. He had been brave enough to step out of Georgies flat to go for a quick walk (and buy some cat food that Georgie refused to get for the Admiral), when a voice from above cooed at him.

"So shiny!"

Jon froze at the croaky exclamation, scanning his environment and trying not to panic. There was no police nearby. Which was good. But also bad if this was going to turn out to be a robbery. There weren't any people around at all, actually. Jon had gone out at an ungodly hour as to avoid big crowds and thus being seen.

The only being he could make out was a crow perched atop a lantern, gazing down at him. Jon pointed at himself. "Are you speaking to me?"

The crow tilted its head. "It would seem so, human."

"Oh. What is it that you find so shiny?"

It considered his question for a moment, then flew down. Jon flinched when the bird landed on his shoulder, a sharp beak tapping the hair clasp Jon had used to keep his mess of a hair out of his face.

"This. I'd like to have it."

Jon itched to stroke the black feathers that caressed his cheek. A childish excitement that he hadn't felt since uni thrumming in his chest.

"You can have it. Just let me take it out first."

The crow hopped on his other shoulder, nibbling at his scarf while Jon gently untangled the clasp from his locks, careful not to jostle his new friend too much.

"There we go. Here."

"Thank you. This kindness will not be forgotten."

Jon watched the bird fly off with his possession and wished his human encounters could go so smoothly.

Word did get around fast that he was a friend of corvids and provider of shiny things. Wherever he went at least two or three crows or ravens would appear within minutes chatting him up. Most of his spare change went to them and soon he found himself buying little trinkets for them to carry off.

In the weeks that followed Jon got out more and more, keeping to parks at unreasonable hours, driven to converse with all kinds of wildlife. He hadn't touched most of the statements he had been send, too fixated on the new, harmless ability he had been granted. This had improved Georgies and his relationship immensely. She had been worried that he would obsess over who could have murdered Leitner. Him going out and talking to various animals might not have been any less strange, but at least it felt harmless enough to her that she left him to it, sometimes even tagging along.

Jon had always felt it easier to communicate with animals. And this didn't change with his new ability. Interactions were simple and their stories were interesting, with a perspective foreign enough to catch his interest. Animals viewed the world rather differently, had different priorities and had less behavioral rules that Jon could mess up.

And they weren't shy to seek out his touch once they got to know him. More often than not these days Georgie would find him with a squirrel draped around his neck, a bird pulling his hair or a cat in his arms. He had even tried to talk to some insects once, but told Georgie with a look of disappointment that they didn't have the mind for idle chatter.

Like humans not every animal was friendly or even a good conversationalist. There was a white and grey pigeon nesting close to Georgies flat, who made for dreadful smalltalk and couldn't hold a thought to save its life. And Clara the sparrow loved to spew a litany of curse words at him, because she found they sounded funny.

In the end, however, his curiousity to learn more about his abilities led him to check out more of the statements and eventually, try and contact Jude Perry. They met in a quaint little café, opting to sit outside because of Judes flamability and Jons want to have a better chance of escape should anything go wrong.

Jon didn't shake Judes hand when she first asked. But after her statement and her willingness to give him the contact of an acquaintance he felt he had to. He reached out to take her hand when a crow dived down and crashed between the two. The ball of black feathers shook itself and snapped sharply at Jons hand.

"What do you think you are doing you lanky idiot! Do you not have any instincts left in your body! What are you?! A fledgling? Shame on you! You nearly gave us a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry, but you really should fly away. Your feathers are beginning to sizzle- Ow!"

The crow had squawked at him in a rather unbecoming manner for such a lovely lady, but had heeded his warning and flown onto his shoulder, opting to snap at his ear and pull it to get him to leave the firey lady, cussing him out all the while.

"I get it, I get it! Please stop assaulting my ear."

"What."

Momentarily having forgotten his audience in order to get the furious crow out of his hair, Jon send Jude an apologetic smile.

"Sorry. Marah seems to be quite against me shaking your hand. Ow. Would you stop that I'm not doing anything!"

"You can speak with animals?" Not even Jude - I'll burn everything you love to the ground - Perry seemed to be immune to the craziness of the situation. Her grin had turned from feral to amused. The air around her had gotten colder as well.

"Ah, yes. Wasn't Gertrude also able to do so?"

Jon had finally been able to get Marah out of his hair and was cradling her against his chest, patting down her ruffled feathers and let her play with the shiny decorative coins that hung from his scarf.

"I don't think I've ever seen her doing that. But then everyone Becomes differently."

"Becomes? Ah... right sorry, no further questions. I... I guess I've always had more interest in animals then humans. Could that... I mean that could be the reason."

"Could." She echoed him, eyes fixed on the crow nestled in his arms.

A flutter of wings made both of them look up and startle at the sight of dozens of black birds perched along the roofs staring down at them.

"Did you call them?" She hissed.

"No. It's not like I can control them. I occasionally give them stuff? And they make great conversation partners. I guess they're just pretty protective of me?"

"Fledgling." Marah huffed, winding one of his long locks around her beak and tugging.

"Ow. They call me fledgling for some reason."

Jude snorted into her boiling coffee. "Yeah that checks out." Her gaze skimmed the dark wall of feathers above them. People around them had become uncomfortable as well, hurrying to get out of the area. The waiter was giving them nervous glances, too.

"If it would ease your mind I doubt they'll try to attack you if you play nice?"

"You sound awfully unsure of that."

Jon shrugged as best as he could without jostling Marah too much. "I'm still not sure how all of this works. That's why I'm looking for other avatars."

Jude shook her head and laughed. "A Watcher not Knowing something. The world never ceases to surprise me." She took out her phone, which had a cracked display, the plastic scorched where her fingers touched, but miraculously was still functioning. "Give me your number I'll forward you some of my contacts."

"Thank you!"

"Don't. You'll pay me in cute pet pictures. Once weekly."

Jon smiled, that sounded like a much better price to pay than a scorched hand. "I'll do that. Any favourites?"

"Owls." Jude said without hesitation, then blinked and scowled at him. "You'll have to get a grip on that if you don't want Mike to throw you out the window."

"I'm sorry. I really don't mean to do... whatever I'm doing."

"Watch your wording then. Don't ask questions or whatever."

Jon sighed, holding out his phone for her to copy his number. "Right."

He bought Marah her favourite pastry as a thank you for saving him and promised to get her that pretty ring she had seen. It was quite expensive, but Jon thought it was worth it.

~~~

Jon was a bundle of frayed nerves when he went to visit Mike Crew. They had written back and forth a bit over the days and no matter how much Jon tried to coax Mike into meeting him somewhere more open the Avatar of the Vast never budged.

So here he was, sans crow support, knocking on the door of a serial killer. The young man that welcomed him in was only shorter than him by maybe an inch or two. He had donned a fake smile and was asking if he wanted some tea.

Jon didn't. He had a set of questions, hungered for Mikes statement. But Judes warning stopped him from immediately going for it. Drinking bland tea he didn't want was probably the better alternative to being thrown out a window. Not that that was still a very real possibility afterwards.

"I'd love to. Thank you."

Mike seemed surprised that he had taken him up on the offer. "Huh. Well then. Come in. I only have Lavender and Peppermint, any preferences?"

Jon tried to distract himself from the very obvious scar on Mikes neck by taking in the spacious flat he had just entered. "Peppermint sounds nice."

"Peppermint it is, then."

Jon trailed after him into the kitchen, a bit lost on what the etiquette was when being a first time guest. Was he supposed to wait somewhere? Go to the couch? Was he even allowed to take a seat before being told?

At least he had gotten better at small talk. True Mike Crew wasn't an animal, but Jon had found out that being nice was actually well received by humans and avatars alike. (What a shocker.)

"You have a lovely apartment."

Mike shot him what looked like a genuine grin. "Thank you! A gift from Simon. He's taking good care of all the new Vast avatars. Tends to try and adopt them, but I quite like my autonomy and the family parties he throws are dreadful."

Jon couldn't help but pout. The terminology didn't confuse him as much anymore. Jude had deigned to explain that to him via text, with a lot of gloating and bad puns. "I wish the Eye would be so welcoming. I swear for an entity that's all about knowing it doesn't tell me shit."

"Tough. You sure you work for the Eye and not the Web? Here. Come on don't just stand there like a bean pole the couch is a perfectly good place to sit."

"Good lord I hope so. I hate spiders."

"Cheers to that."

Not asking questions was hard. Jon was an impatient man, endlessly curious. And something within him craved Mikes statement. He opted to be honest with Mike about that, telling him without turning it into a burning question and the Avatar nodded in understanding.

"Alright I'll tell you my story then. Because you were nice enough not to ask and we short people should work together."

Jon hadn't been prepared for the sad tale that had been Mikes life. It seemed that he had only been able to somewhat settle down in the last few years. Being on the run for so long, Jon could only imagine what it did to a persons mind. He was only being wanted for murder for a bit now and the stress and paranoia was already killing him.

"Huh." Mike blinked when he was done, tea gone cold in his hands. "That was actually pretty therapeutic. I'm not opposed to doing this again."

They talked idly for a while after, Mike far less aggressive in his attitude than Jude, although he did lightly threaten him once or twice and gave him a horrible case of vertigo when Jon accidently insulted his taste in books.

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and Mikes eyes narrowed. "I thought we agreed you'd come alone."

"I did." Jon defended himself, fear easily flooding back into his body.

They both stood and carefully inched towards the door. Just as Mike was about to open it, mouth already open to scold whoever had dared to interrupt him, a chorus of loud hisses, meows and a surprised shout made them freeze.

"Jon! A Hunter is here! We've got her handled. Run!"

Not thinking Jon snatched Mikes wrist and pulled him away from the entrance to the flat. The floor underneath him seemed to give way, but Mike at least hadn't fully thrown him into his domain. He dragged them both deeper into the flat. "Shit that's Tonner."

"Who?"

"The police. I ah... might be wanted for murder at the moment. I thought I've been descreet enough. But apparently not. Sorry."

He didn't like that Mikes eyes gleamed with a newfound respect after hearing that. "Oh yeah. I forgot that murder was illegal for a moment. Who did you kill?"

"I didn't." Jon scowled. "I was framed. It was Jurgen Leitner."

"Leitner?!"

"Hmhm. Turns out he was hiding below the institute the whole time. Honestly he was a rather pathetic old man."

Mike tsked. "Good riddance."

"Quite."

Mike eyed the window as the cursing from outside continued. They both flinched when there was a gunshot. Jon lurched forward, running towards the sound, only to be harshly janked back with surprising force. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"She's shooting the cats! I need to save them!" There might have been a bit of static in his voice, fueled by the panic.

An inhuman growl came from outside and a layered voice shouting "Stay back!".

"That's a Hunter out there!"

Jon only let out a pathetic whine. His cats. He couldn't leave his cats! But the arm around his waist didn't let him go. Mike cursed behind him.

"You're crazy. And weird. You owe me for this."

"I can pay in cute animal pictures."

Mike snorted and let Jon go, leaving him to open the door. As soon as Daisy was in sight there was a loud Pop and a yelp, then she was gone. Jon knelt down in the mass of hissing fur, hands stroking over every body he could find, frantically looking for injuries on any of his babies. They came to him immediately, butting against his hands, chanting "Jon!" and started to purr up a storm.

"I think she just fired a warning shot." Mike mused, pointing towards the ceiling.

Jon heaved a huge sigh. "Oh thank god."

Mike tilted his head at the strange display before him. "Are those free of fleas?"

"Of course! They all are perfectly well behaved, clean angels."

Mike rolled his eyes. "Cool. They can come in then. I'm sure they just saved both of our lifes. Might as well reward them a bit."

And that was how Jon joined an impromptu sleepover at a supernatural serial killers flat, drowned in cats and delightfully tipsy, because Mike insisted on drinking to not dying.

The next morning greeted them with more knocking, which was nearly drowned out by the screams of the cats begging for food. Mike shot him a tired look.

"I deal with the cats. You open the door. You only presumably killed one guy. I'm sure they won't shoot you on sight."

Jon really didn't think that logic was sound, but decided against arguing with Mike, who turned out to not be a morning person at all. Some of the cats came with him as he greeted Basira, who frowned at his entourage.

"I didn't know Mike Crew was secretly a cat lady."

"Ah no, that would be me."

"Right. That sounds more believable. I just came by to let you know that you're in the clear. Elias Bouchard is the murderer. We have evidence now."

"Cool." Came the nonplussed reply from behind Jon.

Both avatars (could Jon count himself as an avatar at this point?) stared the police woman down. Jon unsure how to either continue or end the conversation and Mike probably trying to glare her to death. By the looks of it Basira had suddenly developed a very bad case of vertigo.

She stood her ground, though, clearing her throat and staring right back. "Would you know where Daisy is? She came her to investigate yesterday and I didn't hear from her since."

Mike giggled, Jon sighed and the cats purred in triumph, looking smug. This did not reassure Basira in the slightest.

"Your feral mutt was making a racket outside my flat, Officer."

"She was shooting at the cats." Jon was still upset about that, bending down to cradle one of them against his chest. The good boy immediately began licking his chin to soothe him.

Basira just about held herself back from snarling at them, keeping her cold, professional mask in place. "And where is she now?"

Jon glanced over to Mike in question. The Avatar of the Vast grinned. "Enjoying a long skydiving trip!"

"I'd like to have her back, please. We'll need her to confront Elias."

"We?"

Basira shot him a glare. "Yes." There was no room for arguement there.

Jons shoulders slumped and Mike patted his head in faux sympathy. There was a scream from outside.

"There. Done. See you around Archivist. Send pictures not Cops."

"If I survive this." Jon grumbled, the cats trailing behind him as he left with officer Hussain.

Daisy met them halfway down the stairs and nearly lunged at Jon. Basira took the whole car ride to calm her down. A task that was made even harder by Jon, who was unconsciously bristling with static, still very much furious about Daisy trying to harm his babies. No matter how many times either of the women explained that they would never and that Daisy hadn't aimed at any of them, Jon could not be calmed. This was the only reason why Basira allowed him to take a huge orange tabby into the car.

Really.

[chierafied]

What Wouldn’t I Do For You

1.7 k words of unproofread randomness because my enablers enabled me.

For @inuvember Day 24, Family.

Kagome had been Inuyasha's best friend since middle school.

By this point, she was like family – except Sesshoumaru's feelings for her hadn't been exactly familial for several years now.

He'd suppressed and hidden those feelings away, refused to acknowledge them.

But much as he loved Rin, she would never have persuaded Sesshoumaru into such ridiculousness if those unwanted, unrequited, inappropriate feelings for his younger half-brother's best friend weren't there.

Of course, while he did not expect anything from Kagome and would never presume to act on those damn inconvenient feelings, with this stunt he would surely ruin all his meagre chances forever.

Rin was five and had recently come to the conclusion that princesses were the best thing ever and that ballet dancers were basically real-life princesses.

The pink tutu Kagome had got Rin for her last birthday was her very favourite thing to wear, and if Rin could decide (and Sesshoumaru was forced to admit to his shame that she got to decide much too often) she would be wearing it and pretending to be a princess ballerina 24/7.

So, it shouldn’t have come as a huge shock to Sesshoumaru, that when he gently suggested to Rin that they should do something nice for Kagome, like buy her a gift and make a nice card, Rin’s thoughts had turned to ballerinas.

Solemnly, she’d informed Sesshoumaru that while gifts and cards were nice, she had something much better in mind.

They should invite Kagome over, Rin had told him. They would do dress up and have a tea party together. And then they would have a special show for Kagome.

Sesshoumaru had his doubts about this entire plan, of course. But then nothing would as effectively take Kagome’s mind off of the loss of her grandfather than a day spent indulging Rin.

Then again, he hadn’t factored in two things when he had given Rin the green light: that he would, himself, have to participate in this “special show”, and that Rin had his wardrobe all ready and picked out for him.

Kagome accepted the invitation gladly.

When the doorbell rang and Rin rushed to the door to let their guest in, Sesshoumaru noted that Kagome’s blue eyes looked bruised, the smile she offered Rin a little hollow.

“Welcome, Kagome-nee-chan!” Rin gushed, fiercely hugging Kagome’s legs.

“Hello, Rin-chan. Thank you so much for inviting me,” Kagome replied, ruffling the girl’s head.

Sesshoumaru stepped forward as Rin sped away towards her room.

He wanted to hug so bad – and for precisely that same reason did not give her one.

“How have you been?” he asked, his low voice laced with concern.

“Not great,” Kagome said, offering another wan smile. “One day at a time, right?”

Sesshoumaru only had time to nod, and then Rin was back.

Beaming, she proffered her favourite plastic tiara to Kagome.

“Here! You’re the princess today!”

That lured a little laugh out of Kagome. “Am I? How wonderful!”

With great care, she placed the tiara on top of her dark hair.

Rin took her hand, reached for Sesshoumaru’s next.

“Let’s play dress up!”

Over her head, Sesshoumaru’s gaze met Kagome’s and he offered her a wry smile. “Let’s.”

* * * * * * * * * * * *

 Losing her grandfather had not come as a huge shock. His health had not been the greatest for a while, and he had been getting on the years. Her whole family had known it was coming, and yet… He had been the first family member she had lost since her father.

So for a while, life had seemed to dull into grey numbness.

When the invitation had arrived, it had shocked a smile out of her.

For one, Kagome had not expected an invitation from Sesshoumaru. Secondly, he had obviously given Rin free hands with it, as the invitation had been pink and decorated with copious amounts of flower stickers and glitter.

The fancy handwriting inviting her to a tea party and a dance recital was all Sesshoumaru’s, though.

Her heart had fluttered with anticipation, for the first time since her world had grown grey.

And so far, Kagome hadn’t been disappointed.

When Rin had offered the pink tutu and feather boa for Sesshoumaru at the very beginning of their dress up game, Kagome hadn’t quite managed to stifle her giggle.

She’d been pleasantly surprised when Sesshoumaru had accepted the items without complaint and put them on. He looked ridiculous, but Kagome’s heart also melted a little at how wonderful he was with Rin, how willing to engage with her and the things she enjoyed.

How many dads played dress up with their daughters?

Besides, Sesshoumaru could make that pink feather boa work.

Grinning from ear to ear, Kagome added her own touch by placing a flower crown on Sesshoumaru’s head, earning a raised eyebrow.

Rin had donned a set of fairy-wings and was now digging through her jewellery box, handing a plethora of bright plastic bead necklaces out to Kagome.

She obediently draped them over her neck.

Kagome found a sparkly scarf which she tied around her neck to serve as a cape. Princesses should have capes.

Then, Rin got out her makeup. All kids stuff, in bright colours. Her brown eyes were dancing with delight and Kagome silently thought that she must be the sweetest kid ever.

Sesshoumaru, however, groaned aloud.

He had good cause, because Rin didn't enthusiastically begin to apply makeup on herself, but focused her efforts on her father.

Kagome slapped a hand over her mouth so as not to laugh outright as Sesshoumaru sat patiently and with only the faintest frown creasing his brow as Rin hummed and smeared lines of magenta red on his cheeks with her chubby fingers.

Mischief sparkled inside Kagome then, and when Rin pulled back, she announced it was her turn, holding her hand out for the makeup palette.

Rin beamed at her as she passed it over.

Sesshoumaru sighed but offered no protest or complaint.

Kagome studied her choices, finally deciding on magenta eyeshadow matching the stripes Rin had drawn.

"Close your eyes," Kagome told Sesshoumaru, scooting closer.

He rolled his eyes first, but did close them, and sat perfectly still while Kagome carefully applied the eyeshadow on him.

"You can open now," she told him once she was done.

Oddly enough, it seemed to suit him, it made his eyes seem a bit lighter, a bit brighter. Like molten pools of gold.

For a moment, they simply stared at one another.

Then, Kagome hastily turned her attention to the makeup palette.

"Now, for a final touch!" she declared, trying for a joke.

She chose another eyeshadow, this one a glittery blue.

On a whim, she traced a crescent moon on Sesshoumaru's forehead, biting her lip in concentration.

“There,” she whispered, leaning back. “Perfect.”

And somehow, it really was.

“Right then,” Sesshoumaru murmured. He slanted a glance at Rin. “I think we’re ready for the tea party.”

 Kagome gushed over the selection of cakes, frosted cupcakes, cookies, ice cream and mochi that Sesshoumaru had ordered while Rin kept pointing out her favourites and insisting that Kagome try everything.

 * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sesshoumaru sat in silence and poured the tea, half-surprised that his hands were steady.

When Kagome had taken over Rin to apply that silly makeup on him, every nerve-ending had suddenly been standing at attention. His heart had raced madly in his chest and for a few critical seconds he had forgotten how to breathe.

She had been right there, in his reach, her fingers warm and soft as they’d danced on his skin.

Somehow, he’d managed to rein in the impulse to lean in, to kiss her.

The tutu and the feather boa had probably helped with that, as it was impossible to forget what a horrid sight he must be.

Sesshoumaru served the tea and even managed a bite of mochi while he listened to Kagome’s and Rin’s chatter, occasionally weighing in on the discussion.

It felt good, to have Kagome here with him and Rin, Sesshoumaru thought, as he watched Kagome brush off a bit of frosting smeared on Rin’s cheek.

It felt right.

If only.

All too soon, however, Rin and Kagome had eaten their fill.

Rin all but glowed with excitement as she turned to Kagome and told her they had prepared a special show for her.

Rin took Kagome’s hand, pulled her along to the living room.

Sesshoumaru trailed after them, resigned to his fate.

All too soon, Kagome was settled on the sofa, looking expectantly at him and Rin.

It was time to dance.

Rin hadn’t laid out any choreography for their grand performance, so Sesshoumaru tried to just imitate his daughter the best he could.

He hopped. He pranced. He twirled.

Perhaps, if Kagome squinted, it might even be called dancing.

Sesshoumaru felt like a prize idiot.

And yet, perhaps, he was an even bigger fool because he did not care.

Not when Kagome was clapping and grinning.

Not while her beautiful laughter rang in the air, sweeter than any sound.

To hear that now, after the grief she still carried within, was worth a hundred pink tutus.

When their dance show wound to its end and Rin dropped into an exaggerated curtsey, Kagome got up to her feet and clapped wildly.

“Bravo! That was amazing!”

They had a little more tea and a few more bites of cake after the dance, and then, finally, came the dreaded hour when Kagome had to leave.

She crouched down and took off the tiara and gave it back to Rin. Then she gave Rin a big hug and thanked her for the invitation.

When Kagome straightened, her eyes met Sesshoumaru’s. She came to him but offered no hugs.

Instead, feather-soft and all too brief, her lips brushed against his cheek.

Sesshoumaru froze.

“Thank you,” Kagome breathed. “This was everything I didn’t know I needed.”

“You’re welcome,” Sesshoumaru replied when he finally found his voice again and remembered how to use it.

“Also,” she added, her blue eyes twinkling, “you look great.”

With one last bright grin, Kagome left.

Sesshoumaru bent to pick up Rin and cradled his daughter in his arms, pressed his nose to the crown of her head.

“Thank you, Rin. Your idea worked really well.”

“We should invite Kagome-nee-chan over again soon,” Rin said, hugging Sesshoumaru.

“That we should,” Sesshoumaru agreed, his heart full.

[blu-archer]

Cold and Comfort

Sickie: Hybrid Jungkook

Caretaker/s: Taehyung/Hosoek

Snz and comfort based. 

Poly pairing. 

Alternate universe

Magic and hybrids are a thing, this is technically a universe that I write in often but I’ll probably categorize it differently from my previous Yoonmin based one... 

I thought I’d post this since it’s been sitting in my files for a while, it’s probably not great and feels a little unfinished but I’m going through some stuff so it’s probably not going to get better than this... so yeah.. Sorry for any grammatical errors

Word count: 4894

****

Perfect. Because a storm was exactly what he needed right now.

Jungkook sniffled meekly as he burrowed his face further into his scarf, glaring tiredly at the icy rain that flooded the streets just outside the safety of the campus Fine Arts building. His studio class was technically still in session, but after trying and almost completely abolishing the wood block that he needed to carve his image into for his print media class, Jungkook was calling it quits almost two hours early.

His head and throat ached in a way that could only mean one thing, and he really didn’t appreciate the timing. 

His printing project was due in just over a week and his lecturer already had it out for him for the amount of times he’d had to skip class or post pone meetings due to clashes with his minor dancing course. He couldn’t exactly help it though. It wasn’t his fault that his schedule tended to overlap a lot.

Jungkook stepped closer to the double doors, huddling behind the one that had remained shut in order to limit the amount of cold wind that entered the building. It was pouring buckets outside. The entire sky was painted a dark charcoal grey, making everything outside seem a lot more depressing and gloomier than what it should have been. It also didn’t help that while Jungkook was quite padded for warmth, his coat and jacket were not waterproof, and he did not think to bring an umbrella.  

To be fair it hadn’t been raining when he’d left that morning.

He sighed heavy and rearranged his scarf so that his droopy, black ears managed to just slip under the material, making his neck marginally warmer. Ultimately he could wait for Yugyeom or Jaehyun to finish with their classes, while they didn’t have a car they did store umbrella’s in their lockers by the dance studio’s, but that would be a while still. And he couldn’t call any of his friends or boyfriends because they were all either working or out of town and he didn’t really want to make them come out of their way for a distance that would literally take him thirty minutes to walk through. It would honestly take them longer to get to him than it would for him to get home. He really just needed to stop over thinking the cold and rain and just walk now. He knew he was getting sick anyway, he could already feel the heaviness settling into his body, so a quick walk probably wouldn’t make it that much worse. Hopefully.

Before he talked himself out of it or his lecturer could possibly come and find him hovering in the hallway instead of class, Jungkook stepped out into the brisk and awful weather. He hugged his arms around himself and tried to stick close to the buildings so that he had some form of shelter, but there was nothing that could really shield him from the immediate sheet of icy water that smothered and drown him with each step he took.

So maybe walking hadn’t been the best idea.

His body trembled until it had finally reached a peak point of numbness about halfway back home. He had crossed over the bridge by the highway and was beginning to weave his way through the streets that held all of his favourite cafes and stores, but there was no stopping for anything today. It was like a spell had been cast over the town so that no one even thought to wonder outside. He had only seen a few cars as well, none of them stopping in their journeys – not even slowing down when passing by the soaked bunny hybrid. There was one car in particular that had driven so close to the sidewalk that the puddle it had gone through had shot up high enough to smack straight into his face. If the rain and wind hadn’t been so loud Jungkook was sure he would have been able to hear the water in his shoes squelching with each step.

He tucked his chin deeper into his chest, rubbing a wet hand against his nose as the cold caused a ticklish buzz in his sinuses. He could feel cold rivulets streaming down his ears, leaving him feeling uncomfortable and heavy headed.

He really hated the rain.

 Eventually he turned up at home, walking up the three flights of stairs with shaky caution after he’d slipped on the first few before sighing at the relief of being sheltered and indoors when he finally reached the corridor that held their shared apartment. He sniffled and shook as he fumbled for his keys, taking far longer than usual to find the right one for the door. His neighbour had passed him with a look of sympathy as she carried on to her apartment, seemingly coming back from fetching her small child from school. He accidentally dropped them when he tried to slip a key into the lock. He could feel his neighbours gaze one final time before she disappeared, in which he then promptly sneezed deeply when he bent to retrieve the keys from the floor. After a few more shaky attempts he managed to get the door open, taking off his soaked shoes and bulky layers as soon as the door was shut and locked behind him, almost immediately sneezing twice into his fist from the warmer change of temperature.

Jungkook let out a wet sniffle and groaned as he shook his head to try getting rid of some of the water that had soaked into his ears and hair. It was mostly unsuccessful. There was now a puddle of water in front of the door where he had been standing and he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care about the trail he was leaving as he went down the passage to steal clothes from Tae.

He took his time in the shower, just standing under the hot water while his skin turned red and he burned the chill out of his skin. It was only when he started to feel light headed from the heat that he decided to get out, drying quickly to avoid the cold before changing into the softest baggiest clothes that Tae owned – it also happened to be Jungkook’s comfort clothes and had been since he and Tae had first started dating in high school. There was something about the scent and feeling of the material that made Jungkook feel completely and entirely safe. Perhaps it was because Taehyung had had the set of clothes for so long, and Jungkook couldn’t even begin to associate the items with anything besides his childhood best friend.

He scrubbed his hair with a towel, not feeling up to the effort of blow drying it, before grabbing the fluffy green blanket from Hobi’s wardrobe to drape around his shoulders. He needed something from both of his boyfriends, needing something with their scents. Hoseok had claimed that the blanket had magical properties purely because his mother had given it to him when he had studying overseas for a year, and it had kept him from most of his homesick thoughts or general dips in his mood. And therefore, it had quickly become a shared item for whenever one of their household felt down or off, there had even been a time when Jungkook had stolen and nested with it before Hoseok had moved in with them. It had been mildly embarrassing at the time, but if anything, it had helped ease any concerns Hoseok had had when he had first decided to try a relationship with two people – no longer fearing if Jungkook had just been tolerating him for the sake of Tae.  

The bunny got to work on heating up some of the left-over pizza from the night before, grabbing a carton of banana milk from the fridge before finding his phone that had surprisingly fared well, despite how wet it had gotten from his walk.

Skipping past the group chat that he had with Tae and Hobi to avoid any unnecessary concerns, since he didn’t need Tae to know he had walked through a storm when the witch wasn’t anywhere close to check on him, he shot a brief text to Taehyung asking how the little workshop that Namjoon had taken him to for the day was going, then switched to Hoseok’s contact.

 To: ~♥Sunshine☼~

Hobi, left studio early. Wasn’t feeling the mood… When are you coming home? It’s cold.

 From: ~♥Sunshine☼~

One more class, then solo session with a senior. How’d you get home? Gyeomie ask Jackson to drop you?

 Jungkook cleared his throat gently, taking his newly heated food from the microwave so that he could sit in the lounge and sprawl out on the couch. He looked at his phone again to see that Tae had answered him as well.

  To: ~♥Sunshine☼~

Walked. Yugyeom was still in class.

 From: ~♥Tae♥~

Learning so much! I met this really cool person that owns a crystal shop, so I can restock on things while I’m here. Might be home a bit later than planned but will definitely be back tonight! Love you!! Give Hoseok kisses for me when you get home!

 From: ~♥Sunshine☼~

Bun…

Jungkook quickly sent a ‘stay safe’ to Tae before he tossed his phone aside so he could focus on nibbling his food with little interest while he played some anime softly on the TV. He snuggled down in the cushions to get comfortable and emptied his mind of any stressors that had been plaguing him.

He doesn’t quite remember at what point he had fallen asleep, he hadn’t done much besides lay around or make coffee since returning from class, so he hadn’t expected to be able to slip so easily into resting, but he wasn’t complaining about it. He’d been stressing enough over his upcoming assignments that sleep was a blessing that he hadn’t been getting enough of right now.

*

Jungkook rolled over on the couch, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as he did, hoping that he would just go back to sleep. He rubbed his face into the blanket, scrunching up his nose as something tickled at his sinuses. He sniffed and tried to ignore it, but when he realised that it wasn’t going to subside he pushed himself up right. Squinting in confusion as he realised what he had thought was still natural light was in fact fluorescent, the TV had been turned off as well. He frowned with a sniff. He was waking up enough to realise that it had gotten dark outside and that meant that he probably wasn’t home alone anymore. Which… would make sense.

It took a few moments for him to get to his feet. His head had spun for a bit before he chanced putting any effort into being vertical, but he did manage to stand and stretch – not waiting a second longer before grabbing the blanket once more and wrapping it around his shoulders. Making his way to the kitchen to find water, his nose twinged once more and he snapped forward sharply with a throaty “Huhe’TSHhh”, merely tightening his grip on that blanket before he ducked down again.

‘Heh’ehhhshheww … Heh’eehhhTCHsheww!’

“Bless you, Kookie.”

Jungkook sniffled and blinked blurrily into the kitchen space, only noticing that Hoseok had been seated at the table going over what he could only assume had to do with the dancers students.

“Thangks.”

Hoseok’s brows were furrowed with concern as the bunny hybrid just made his way towards the cupboard to drag out a glass before taking it to the fridge to find cold water. Jungkook wanted to cringe at how wet his sniffling had now become but there wasn’t much he could do about it.

“How you feeling?” Hobi asked, concerned but toned down enough for the bunny to know that he disapproved of his actions. The elder glanced away briefly to continue checking his exam schedule, not looking at Jungkook as he said, “The walk must have really gotten to you.”

“mmm…” Jungkook gulped down his water before he discarded the glass and moved so that he was behind his boyfriend, rubbing his face gently into the crook of Hobi’s neck even if the dancers body language had first implied that he was mildly annoyed. “I’ve been feeling off all day. But it’s worse now, my head hurts.”

That caught Hobi’s attention. He twisted in his seat so that he could hold his hand to Jungkook’s face. “You’ve been sick all day? Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you even go to class?”

Jungkook shrugged. “If I said something then Tae wouldn’t have wanted to go to that workshop thing, or you would have tried to get the day off, even though you’ve been trying to work at the school as much as possible for your students right now. And anyway, I was hoping that I would be able to get some work done. I didn’t think it would rain.”

“Oh god, you walked in that while sick?” Hoseok pulled the hybrid into his arms so that his head rested on Jungkook’s shoulder. “My poor bunny, I swear you’re going to shave years off of my life with how easily you just disregard your health. Have you at least taken something?”

Jungkook grimaced. Hoseok let out a heavy sigh before getting to his feet and tugging the hybrid back to the couch that he had fallen asleep on earlier. Because of course Jungkook wouldn’t have taken something. Of course he would have waited until someone came home, and would have not bothered to mention anything about how he had felt before then – always quick to not be any form of immediate inconvenience.

“We don’t have much of anything left from last time… I’ll call Tae to pick something up, hopefully somewhere is still open.” Hoseok left Jungkook after covering him with the blanket, moving into the bathroom for a moment before returning with a box of allergy meds and a thermometer. “I know it’s not much, but if you want to take something now…”

Jungkook didn’t complain, merely dry swallowed two pills before allowing Hobi to slip the thermometer under his tongue. He pulled the blanket tighter around him  as he coughed – lips drawn tightly together to avoid spitting out the device before it was ready. Hoseok took a seat beside him, running a hand up and down the length of Jungkook’s spine. He peered at the hybrid with a heavy, concerned gaze as he waited patiently for the small alerting beep – pulling the stick from Jungkook’s mouth when he did finally hear it. His concern didn’t ebb.

“You’re a little warm… but that’s not particularly surprising.” Hobi murmuring, watching Jungkook’s lips fall into a soft pout and his ears droop further into his face. Hobi peeled some of the blanket back,  having to tug it a bit when the bunny gripped tighter, and half pulled Jungkook into his lap so that they were both covered by the fluffy green warmth.

He sent a somewhat lengthy text to Taehyung with stern instructions before he let his arms become a frame around the larger boy that had pushed himself into his chest. A wet nose pressed to his neck.

Hoseok sighed but didn’t put forth any humorous complaints like he usually would to lighten the mood, he had a feeling as much as Jungkook would probably try laugh at them, he wouldn’t necessarily appreciate them. So, he merely embraced the other, kissing at his hair line as the bunny drifted off.

 ….

Hoseok had been catching up on some series when Jungkook had woken up, wanting to shift positions so that he could lie length ways on the couch and use Hoseok as a pillow while he slept – which had maybe lasted an hour before he had begun to cough and rub at his nose insistently.

“Do you want to sneeze maybe?” Hobi asked gently as he ran a hand over Jungkook’s ears. “It might help…”

Jungkook whined and sniffled into his boyfriends lap. It had to have been over three hours now since he had taken the allergy meds and he was a mess.  The itchy feeling wasn’t leaving him and he wanted to sleep, or at the very least be able to focus on whatever series Hobi had put on. He rubbed his nose into Hobi’s stomach with very little progress. Hoseok took to slowly running his hand up and down the length of Jungkook’s left ear, hoping to send some sort of content through the hybrid.

It was mostly working, Jungkook sighed and relaxed his tense body. While he was still feeling the active buzz in his sinuses, a familiar warmth flooded his system and he was left uncurling his tightly pulled in body as the fuzzy sensations started to travel down his spine.

Hobi smiled. He easily forgot how soft and submissive Jungkook could be when he wasn’t feeling well, it wasn’t something that Hoseok particularly enjoyed to see, since the hybrid was usually sick or in pain, but it wasn’t all bad. Especially from the caring side of things. It wasn’t terrible to have Jungkook cling to him or Tae and seek general comfort and closeness more than being keen on isolating like he himself usually did. Or at least he usually tried to. Living with Taehyung and Jungkook had taught him that there was no running from cuddles.

Jungkook gave small pleased ‘hums’ as Hobi gently began to rub at the soft ears, moving in massaging circles from the bottom all the way up. When he reached the base, Jungkook subconsciously raised his head to push his ear harder into Hobi’s fingers. His body giving a light tremble as Hoseok laughed and focused his attention on where Jungkook’s ears met his hair, enjoying the soft sounds that escaped the bunny.

“Is it good?” Hobi asked teasingly when he noticed Jungkook’s foot twitching into a tapping motion on the couch. He wondered what it felt like. He had always been too shy to ask Jungkook about what he went through each time he or Tae played with his ears or tail, despite being in a relationship with the bunny for almost 2 years now and seeing that what Jungkook felt was clearly one of pleasure, he just couldn’t bring himself to ask the details. As a human he’d probably never understand it properly, and he didn’t want to seem jealous of it or something – because he wasn’t. He was just curious, and he’d much rather be able to be the giver if it meant seeing his bunny writhe and moan at his touch.

He’d have to remember to ask Jimin, maybe he could give a better explanation and pointers than what the internet did.

Jungkook moaned as Hobi found a particular spot right at the base of his ear, the bunny had been leaning into it so much that he was holding himself almost upright with his arms propped under him, hovering over Hobi’s lap now. His mouth hung open a bit with heavy breaths and glazed eyes peered through dark lashes. Hoseok rubbed harder, watching as Jungkook sniffled persistently and shivered against him.

“You okay still?”

“mmmhh, it’s good…jus-just ti-ticklish..” he sniffled wetly. “I’b gonna  sne-hih-sneeze.”

Well this was new, but not entirely unfamiliar territory. Taking pity on him, Hobi started to rub at the other ear as well. A deep bubble of heat burst through him as he watched Jungkook’s expression switch from pleased to downright euphoric. His breath stuttering and hitching as Hoseok become more determined in his activity. Jungkook was so beautiful, even when he looked like a mess. It was a hot mess, one that Hoseok had been a participant of creating. It didn’t take much longer before Jungkook was crumpling into his chest, tears brimming in his eyes.

Heh’ ehHHESHEW! ISHHHEW’uh Heh’EHHTCH’ahh… Hih..snf… Hiehh’TCHshhiew!

“Bless you.” Hoseok could feel the spray settling on the visible skin of his collar bone. “Are you done?”

Jungkook sniffled deeply, letting out a heavy sigh that forced him into a bout of soft coughs. “It still.. ugh.”

“Tickles? Should I fetch you tissues? We can coax them out if you want…”

Jungkook didn’t answer verbally, just sunk his face back into Hoseok’s neck while his hands clung to the elders shirt with an iron grip. That was as much an answer as he was going to get.

**

They remained in that position, both having fallen asleep at some point, until Taehyung came sneaking into the house later that night.  The witch winced as he accidentally bumped into the trellis of plants by the door that Jimin had gifted him a year ago when he was shaking water droplets from his hair. The sound resonating through the silent apartment with more volume than he would have liked. His wince returned as he realised that Hoseok was blinking wide, blurry eyes through the darkness in his direction, the only source of light being the T.V. that his boyfriends must have forgotten to turn off.

“Sorry, it’s just me.” He reassured softly before flipping on the passage light so that Hoseok could see him better without bothering Jungkook too much. Tae lifted up a large, damp paper bag that hadn’t been able to fit in his backpack with the other materials he’d bought throughout the day.  “I got some stuff. Most of the places had closed already but I found this one pharmacy that had just closed and convinced one of the workers that it was extremely vital that I got medication and stuff, so he let me inside for a bit. Praise that guy. Much thanks was given. A saint amongst people.”

Hobi let out a soft chuckle at Taehyung as shuffled closer to set a gentle kiss against his temple before leaning down and brushing the hair back from Jungkook’s face to press a kiss too his forehead as well. 

The witches brows drew together at the slight heat that radiated off of the hybrid. He ran his hand through the bunnies hair, giving a gentle scratch at his ears as he watched Jungkook cuddle closer to Hoseok in his sleep. The blanket that covered them slipped down a little and Taehyung was quick to tuck it back under Jungkook’s chin.

“Is he feverish? This came on so quickly, he seemed fine earlier.”

Hobi yawned widely, shifting in his seat but not making a move to push Jungkook off. “I thought so too, but he told me that he woke up feeling sick. He also left class early and walked through that storm to get home.” He sighed and Taehyung’s brows raised with surprise, his mouth slightly ajar as if he wanted to say something but no words came out. “I think we can be grateful he isn’t worse. I gave him some allergy med’s since its mostly his sinuses that were bothering him and that’s all we had, but they didn’t last very long. He was miserable for a while before he got to sleep. I don’t think he ate much today either…”

“…Should we give him something now?”

Hobi bit at his lip. He knew hybrids could tolerate certain things a bit better than  humans could, but he still didn’t like the idea of giving the bunny medication on an empty stomach. And eating at this hour… it must be at least close to eleven pm now.

“ If we feed him now he is probably just going to get nauseous. I don’t want him to feel worse..”

Tae nodded in agreement, still carding his fingers through Jungkook’s hair. “We can make a nice breakfast tomorrow and give it to him then. I got some new herbs and crystals, so I’ll make him some new charms as well. For you too.” Hoseok smiled at Taehyungs concern. “You still have classes tomorrow right? Yoongi is still out of town so I don’t really have to go into work. Namjoon is probably sick of me hovering anyway. Between him breaking jars and me doing the wrong measurements and methods, Yoongi may just bury us alive when he gets back.” He chuckled nervously, but Hobi knew that Tae had mixed feelings of disappointment and worry when it came to his work. “I just mean, I’ll be able to stay with him.”

“I know.” Hobi replied, staring at Tae’s downward gaze. “I think we’ll both appreciate the effort, Tae. I’ll try get home early, but it will probably be just the two of you in the morning. Just email his lecturers.”

 “Of course…” Tae pressed another kiss to Jungkook’s forehead, then to Hoseok’s lips before the elder broke into another yawn. “I’ll pack this stuff away quickly then we can head to bed, just give me a second.”

The witch disappeared, not trusting himself to try to levitate anything like Yoongi had taught him -he was still only getting it right a third of the time. So it took a bit longer than he planned, but he eventually packed away the food and goods that he’d gotten and left his charm materials and medication on the table to be dealt with in the morning. He re-entered the dim lounge to see Hoseok gently shaking Jungkook to a somewhat state of consciousness so that the elder could get up.

When Jungkook let out a deep whine Tae moved beside them and slipped his arms under Jungkook’s legs and back to lift him up. It was a bit of a struggle at first, since the angle was weird, but he bumped the bunny up in his arms to get a better grip and then carefully carried him to their room down the hall. Hoseok was a bit slow to follow, taking a moment to stretch and get life in his legs before he joined them. Jungkook buried his face into Tae’s shoulder as the lights in the passage forced him further into the land of the living.

“Tae…?” Jungkook sniffed, then pushed harder against Taehyungs body. “Eh’hii’ehSHHieww. Eh’iishieww!... … ‘m sorry.”

“That’s okay, Bun. Bless you.” Tae murmured. His shirt was still a little damp from the rain when he had to climb the stairs anyway. “Let’s get you to bed, Hobi is bringing your blanket so you can stay warm and comfortable.”

Jungkook nodded before sneezing again. Behind him, Tae could hear Hobi’s soft blessing and sloppy, half asleep movements as he used furniture and the wall to no doubt help him walk. Taehyung forced himself not to grimace at the delayed thought of how both of his boyfriends had kept him in the dark about things for most of the day. Hoseok had probably been exhausted from his classes and yet he had chosen not to bother Tae with any concerns until it was late, and Jungkook had acted like nothing had been wrong at all when he’d spoken to him earlier…

He kicked open the bedroom door with a shake of his head, walking into the dark room with perhaps a bit too much force. He was being dumb. This wasn’t necessarily about him, and he knew that. It’s not what he was supposed to be focusing on.

He set the hybrid down on their bed, opening up the duvet and encouraging him with little pats to roll towards the center, before he went and grabbed the ‘magical’ blanket from Hobi who was still only halfway up the passage – sparing an embarrassing chuckle as Tae picked him up as well – so that he could give it to the bunny before he started to look for it.

“You should change.” He said once he had set Hobi down and left him to handle settling Jungkook with gentle pats. He tossed some sweatpants and a T-shirt at Hoseok, before grabbing his own pajama’s to change into. “How was school?”

Tae listened to Hoseok tiredly ramble on about his students and the upcoming exam preparations while they both got dressed for the night. Overall, it sounded particularly stressful, and some of Hoseok’s kids weren’t the most hardworking – even if they had the talent to be amazing. Hobi more often than not would break down in spiralling rants about how they needed to work harder or at the very least pay attention in class. Honestly, Taehyung couldn’t fathom who wouldn’t be interested in having Hoseok teach them. The man was one of the most passionate people he had ever met, it was actually what had drawn him to the human. Of course now there many other traits that he loved, but Hoseok’s passion would always be his first.

He added a brief skim of his daily events, knowing that even if Hoseok was trying his best to pay attention, the elder needed to sleep more than he needed an immediate recap. Tae merely ended his tales by saying that it was ‘Knowledgeable and fun’ before he ruffled Hobi’s hair and jumped onto the bed, cuddling up to Jungkook’s sleeping figure. He imitated the bunnies deep snores and earned muffled laughter from the elder as he joined them on the other side of the bed.

“Good night TaeTae.”

“Sleep well, Hoseok.” Tae murmured. The lump in his chest from early slowly melting away as sleep dragged him into darkness.  

[sunflowersseemhappy]

Asra, Muriel and Lucio with mc who has really long, rapunzel hair? 👁👄👁

My bestie is a big fan of Disney’s Rapunzel so this request made me think of her instantly. I’ll leave it up to the imagination on why and how MC’s hair gets that long but for the sake of these headcanons lets just say the fairy tale stories we know also exist in the Arcana world.

Next up: Asra/Julian/Nadia/Portia/Muriel with an MC who has scoliosis (which might take a while because I do my research!)

REQUESTS ARE OPEN! But enjoy for now my friends!

Asra

When you show up Asra thinks you’re the most interesting person in Vesuvia and not just because of your hair.

The way you carry yourself, almost innocently oblivious to the stares and yet winding through the streets like you’ve done so all your life. How you greet everyone you pass by and when your eyes find him in the street Asra knows he’s caught your attention.

He wonders why you’re looking at him like that and he can only absentmindedly return your polite wave as you pass by with a glint in your eyes, for Asra its the start of something mysterious and magical.

He’s still enchanted to this day. Often reminded of the fairy tales his parents read to him so long ago, it’s like you were pulled from those pages and into his world. How lucky he is...

Asra keeps the shop as clean as he can so that your hair doesn’t get too dirty, he built in a series of wide hooks that your hair can hang from and has a rug behind the counter that you can put your hair on.

It’s funny having him around because when his nose is buried in a book and he’s walking by he will often trip and fall. The customers get a kick out of it as much as you do.

The hair products you have leave much to be desired, but on one of your birthdays Asra did extra readings and worked longer hours to buy you some decent combs and brushes. They were a great gift (but he’s late enough on rent payments as it is).

Made a magical head scarf that actually holds all your hair in a space so you can walk down the street without the stares from strangers. Not feeling your hair drag behind you is a relief.

Asra tried to develop a spell that would have your hair braided in seconds but it didn’t work out great... Its the thought that counts.

When washing it Asra likes to weave some magic and get the combs, brushes, etc... to help out, unlike his braiding spell it works a lot better and your hair is done quicker than it ever could with just the two of you.

Snuggle time involves a lot of hair twirling with Asra, he really likes the silken feel of your hair and the way it drapes over your bodies like a cool blanket.

Although he is extremely fidgety in his sleep and you often wake to his body pinning down your hair...

Asra loves it when you kiss him and your hair creates a shroud around your faces, almost shutting the world out as he lets you know how much he adores you.

Asra finds magic with you in every sense of the word and he’s so glad that out of all the people in the world such a kind creature chose him.

Muriel

When he first meets you Muriel thinks the long hair is wildly impractical and he expects you to ignore him and Asra, as you pass them on the streets but then your eye catches him staring.

That look you give him is enough to make Muriel’s mind short-circuit, something between shyness and amusement plays on your face as you graciously give a vendor coins for some bread and apples.

Muriel’s eyes dart away before he stares too much, but then a hand holds out the basket of bread and apples and you’re so close he can smell your perfume and see his reflection in your eyes. You hand him the basket with a wordless smile and meander down the street, your hair flowing behind you.

He thought about you more often than he’ll admit, especially when he was a gladiator. Your face and smile would be the only pleasant dream he ever had between the nightmares.

Muriel didn’t dare hope to see you again, because he didn’t want to see you in those stands. Not next to those calling for blood, he’s glad he never did but he wondered why he cared so much to even think that.

He still thinks the hair is impractical but the way it catches in the light from the sun makes it seem like a part of the forest he’s made his home. Beautiful.

Asked you to teach him how to braid it so it “didn’t get dirty dragging in the hut or the forest.” He loves the braiding and will almost always weave in your favourite flowers after you said you loved it like that.

Makes you a set of bone combs and boar-bristle brushes that work better than anything else you’ve ever tried.

His tub isn’t the biggest so Muriel helps you carry all your hair to the stream that flows close by and you spend hours washing it. He mostly enjoys the talking you do and working the products through your hair.

He follows through with growing his hair out a bit more since he likes being able to braid and tie his back for convenience (and also why not?).

Very confused when you ask for a strand of his longer hair, then he sees you’ve woven it into your own. He’s really flustered and sheepishly asks if he can have some of your hair to do the same.

Has not tripped over or been tangled up in your hair once.

When the two of you snuggle Muriel strokes his big hands through your hair working through the tangles in your loose hair or smoothing the braid, after you begin kissing he’ll return the favour. Hands scratching at the nape of your neck and winding in your hair as he mummers softly.

After you kiss your hair might trail along his jaw and as you pull away it looks like he has a long flowing beard and you can’t help but laugh. Muriel finds the whole thing embarrassingly amusing.

That memory of you is so distant now, but it got him through a tough time and Muriel is glad he gets to share the better part of his life with you.

Lucio

You made a boring day much more interesting, he sees you in the crowd as his masquerade party celebrates in the streets and thinks you’re some kind of princess or magical creature from the stories he’s heard. Your long hair woven in a plait and draping over your shoulder.

From his float Lucio can see curiousness in your eyes as you watch the floats with the same fascination of those around you, it’s like the crowd around you only serves as a backdrop as your eyes lock with his.

Lucio is stumbling from his float a second after, but the crowd surges against him and when he finally finds the spot he was sure you were in Lucio turns in a circle. But you’re gone, as if you were never there.

From the moment he met you Rapunzel became his new favourite fairy tale, he will always be calling you his ‘Princess’.

Wanted to put on a play of that particular fairy tale with you as the star.

Begged you for four days on trying out the climbing using your hair, turns out hair doesn’t have that good of a grip as rope...

Astounded that you could care for your hair without help from servants, wanted to know your routine because his hair doesn’t even compare to yours.

The palace baths are a life saver because all of it can fit!

He spends a lot on hair care products for you, there are vats of your favourite products and the finest brushes and combs in the land.

Had to explain to him how long it takes for that amount of hair to grow after he started growing his out.

Got his prosthetic tangled up a lot before he figured out the grooves would catch your hair, began wearing long sleeves and a glove to stop that.

Loves your hair loose rather than tied but if you want it braided he’ll spend hours helping you do so.

Very proud of his work, even if its a bit uneven. Shows it off to whoever is admiring your hair, he’s pretty cute when explaining how he did it.

He’s actually hidden in your hair before and jumped out to scare you.

He then got very tangled up, but you had fun teasing him! *wink, wink*

When the two of you are snuggling Lucio likes to bury his face in your hair and breath you in, limbs all tangled in your hair as he sneaks kisses on your neck and nips at your ear whispering lovingly to you.

Laughs a lot when your hair blocks his lips from kissing yours, accidentally inhaled some from laughing too much.

Of course hair is just hair, it’s not what made him fall in love with you, it just helped him pick you out from the crowd that day and discover his real love for you. The beauty on the inside as well as the out.

[melacka]

A Blacklist Secret Santa

Sending out the very best wishes for a wonderful festive season to @reddingtonsplace. I am your Blacklist Secret Santa and I offer you a brand new Lizzington fic which I sincerely hope you enjoy. It’s chock full of flirting, Christmas-related fluff and an eventful undercover operation.

Thanks, as always, to the organisers of this event. I look forward to it every year and really appreciate the effort you put in to facilitate so much great new content.

Now, on with the story!

Title: Precious Time by Melacka

Rating: T (for suggestive comments only)

Word Count: 2210

Summary: Red had been so wired after their little undercover jaunt that when he returned to the safe house he couldn’t think of anything but Lizzy. He knew that if he left her to her own devices at this critical juncture, the most likely outcome was that she would turn herself inside out trying to rationalise her actions and then seek to distance herself. He couldn’t allow that to happen, not this time.

Or, after an untimely interruption halts an intimate moment undercover, Red seeks Liz out to talk it over.

You can read it on AO3 here or keep reading below.

Liz took a careful sip of her champagne and tried to focus on what the man sitting next to her was saying. Unfortunately, she was having some trouble concentrating. She couldn’t remember his name, or why he was sitting next to her, or what information she was trying to extract from him. Unfortunately, she was also having trouble remembering what name she was supposed to be using or what her cover was. When she’d agreed to go undercover with Red at this event, she hadn’t anticipated that he would introduce her as his wife or that he would spend most of the night touching her. When they were dancing, he pulled her close into him and encouraged her to lean against his shoulder, claiming that it would help her not to think too much about the steps and just enjoy the dance. He was right, of course, which Liz chose to keep to herself. When he introduced her to various people, he managed to keep in touch with some part of her body at all times. And now, he had one arm draped over the back of her chair and his fingers were tracing gentle patterns on her back. It had been like that all evening. It was nothing inappropriate, of course, but it was so deliberate, so casually intimate, that even she was starting to believe that they were lovers.

If only, she thought and then shook her head slightly. Get a grip, Liz.

“You disagree, Clarice?” her mystery man said, sounding surprised.

Liz snapped her attention back to her conversation partner and favoured him with a wide smile. She had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

“Oh, not at all!” Liz said breezily, trying to cover her confusion with charm. “I don’t know how anyone could disagree!”

“Quite right,” Red murmured from her other side. “Clarice, my dear, may I borrow you for a moment?”

“Of course, Raymond,” Liz said demurely. “Would you excuse us?”

Red stood and offered her his arm. She placed her hand on his elbow and remained close by his side as they exited the room.

“You seem distracted this evening,” Red murmured, when they were far enough away from the other guests to speak in relative privacy. “Anything I can help with?”

“Yes,” Liz sighed, “remind me who I’m talking to again.”

“That gentleman is Jackson Nicholls, useful for his connections but otherwise uninteresting. He’s a small fish in a rather large pond, Lizzy, you don’t need to worry if you find his conversation less than scintillating.”

“Oh, thank God.” Liz threw a glance over her shoulder and then steered Red further away from the crowd. “By the way,” she said, turning to look at him with an eyebrow raised. “Clarice?”

“You don’t like it?” he asked innocently. “I thought that it was curiously appropriate.”

“Appropriate?” Liz scoffed. “Do me a favour and never ever tell me your reasoning for that.”

“Are you feeling alright, Lizzy?” Red asked, caught somewhere between amusement and concern. “You’ve been distracted all night and now you’re telling me not to explain myself.”

Liz laughed softly and reached a hand up to adjust his bowtie. It was perfectly straight, of course, she was just wound so tight that she felt the need for some kind of contact.

“I’m fine, Raymond.”

“You’ve been calling me Raymond an awful lot this evening.”

“Is there something else you’d like me to call you, Raymond?” she said playfully.

“Not at all,” he replied quickly, pulling her in a fraction closer. “I like to hear you say it.”

“What a coincidence.”

“Coincidence?”

“Oh yes,” Liz said, slipping her hands around his waist and smiling when his eyes widened. “I’ve found that I quite like saying it, as well. It has a certain ring to it, wouldn’t you agree? And there’s just something so pleasurable about the way it feels in my mouth.”

Red gaped and Liz felt a little flutter in her stomach at her daring.

“Lizzy—”

“Raymond,” she purred as she hugged him tightly. “Raymond.” She lifted her face to his. “Raymond.”

“Raymond!” a voice called out jovially and Liz froze. “There you two are! Sneaking off at a party like a couple of teenagers, I don’t know what’s gotten into you!”

Red sent an irritated glare towards the intruder but otherwise didn’t move. Liz recognised him as one of the men who worked for their host and had a sudden thrill of fear that they had been found out.

“Although, with a beautiful woman like that on offer, I can’t say I blame you. Clarice, isn’t it? A pleasure to meet you.”

“Isaac,” Red said gruffly. “Was there something you needed?”

“I’m sorry, have I interrupted something important?”

Liz only just managed to stop herself from shouting out that yes, he had very much interrupted something important.

“You don’t sound especially worried by your interruption, Isaac,” Red said smoothly. “And you still haven’t given the reason for it.”

“Dinner is almost ready to be served,” Isaac continued, still staring avidly at Liz. “Your absence was a point of some concern for our host.”

“Naturally.” Red sounded annoyed but when he turned his attention back to Liz, his tone was considerably softer. “Sweetheart, are you ready to re-join the party?”

“Of course, darling,” Liz murmured, pressing a teasing kiss to his neck, chuckling at the shiver that passed through him at the contact. “Anything you want.”

Red closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers briefly before he pulled away and gestured for her to precede him out of the room.

“You lucky dog!” Isaac cried, slapping Red on the back as he passed.

Red looked murderous, Liz just smiled and walked away.

Early the next morning, Raymond Reddington held his breath as he watched Liz enter the small café. She scanned the room quickly as she unwound the scarf from her neck and unbuttoned her coat. She froze when she noticed him, and it would have been comical if Red didn’t have so much riding on this meeting. He relaxed somewhat when he saw the slight softening around her lips, barely the hint of a smile, but Red was prepared to take what he could get.

He’d barely slept at all the night before and he'd already had two cups of coffee this morning to compensate. He’d been so wired after their little undercover jaunt that when he returned to the safe house he couldn’t think of anything but Lizzy. They hadn’t uncovered any useful intel about the Blacklister they were chasing, but their evening left Red with so much to consider. So many possibilities seemed to open up before him, but he felt like he needed to move fast before Lizzy slammed the door in his face. He knew that if he left her to her own devices at this critical juncture, the most likely outcome was that she would turn herself inside out trying to rationalise her actions and then seek to distance herself. He couldn’t allow that to happen, not this time.

He tried to regulate his breathing as Liz wove her way through the tables and chairs towards where he sat alone. He summoned his best carefree smile as she came to a stop directly in front of him.

“Lizzy, fancy meeting you here!”

Liz raised an eyebrow at him but otherwise remained impassive as she spoke.

“Considering the fact that I live just around the corner from this place, I’d say that it’s far more likely that I’ll be here than you, Red.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that! This is fast becoming one of my favourite haunts.”

“Really?” Liz said dryly, her eyes flicking quickly to his lips before she raised them to glance carelessly around the room. “I guess it’s time for me to find a new local, then.”

“You wound me, Lizzy,” Red sighed dramatically, and Liz grinned. “Care to join me? They have some rather delicious looking items on their menu.”

“Well—” Liz began, looking hesitant. “It’s just that I wasn’t expecting to see you today. It’s supposed to be my day off.”

“I’m not here to work,” Red said calmly. “This is purely a social visit, I assure you.”

She hesitated for a moment more before she shrugged and pulled out the chair across from him, draping her coat carefully over the back.

“Well, now that we’re both here, we may as well make the most of it.”

“Exactly! Let us make the most of our opportunities before they completely pass us by.”

Liz shot him a suspicious look but merely said, “Are you sure I’m not going to be disturbing your plans by joining you?”

“I am, as you know, a very busy man, Lizzy.” Liz snorted at this but Red continued speaking unperturbed, “But your company is always welcome.”

“What a relief,” she said dryly as she reached over to steal the menu from under his hand.

“Looking to try something new, Lizzy?”

“Hmm,” she said, sounding non-committal. “I’ve been thinking that it’s about time for some pretty drastic change in my life. May as well start with my breakfast order.”

“That’s awfully philosophical of you for so early in the day.”

“I can manage it occasionally. What are you getting?”

“I was thinking of getting a range of options,” Red said, watching her face carefully to gauge her reaction. “Perhaps we could share.”

“Sounds great,” Liz said immediately. “Just make sure none of the options are pancakes.”

“Your drastic change doesn’t reach to pancakes?”

“Ugh, no!” Liz said, laughing a little even as she sounded indignant. “The change that needs to come is for the things I can actually stomach. I’m not looking to punish myself by introducing pancakes to my diet.”

“Well, I’m relieved to hear that you’re not seeking to punish yourself,” Red said quietly as he gestured to the waitress.

Liz watched him in silence as he seemed to order at least three quarters of the menu. His enthusiasm made her smile, and she hadn’t quite managed to subdue it before he looked up at her again.

“Something amusing?” he asked lightly.

“Many things,” she said vaguely. “I was just admiring your enthusiasm, though we may need to move to a bigger table to fit all that food. Just how long are you planning to sit here? It’ll take a few hours to work your way through it all, won’t it?”

“I am always in favour of a leisurely breakfast. When the food is good, the day is fine and the company delightful, what more could I need?”

“Speaking of need,” Liz began slowly.

“Oh, you do intrigue me, Lizzy,” Red interrupted her smoothly. “Do tell.”

“I’ve been trying to decide what to get you for Christmas, actually,” Liz said in a rush. “And I was trying to think if there was anything you needed.”

“Lizzy!” Red cried, delighted. “How kind of you to think of me, but you must know that it is completely unnecessary.”

“It may not be necessary, but I’d still like to get you something,” Liz said quietly, fingering the tablecloth in front of her and avoiding his eyes. “But what could I possibly give you that you haven’t already got?”

“Are you looking for suggestions, Lizzy?” A wicked grin spread across his face as he continued, “I can think of a few things.”

“Oh?” she prompted, looking wary. “Such as?”

“Well, I’ve always preferred the personal touch when it comes to gifts. I can, of course, obtain any material object I desire with very little difficulty, but something a little more personal, Lizzy?” He leaned back in his chair and sighed wistfully. “Priceless.”

“The personal touch, huh?” Liz said, eyeing him speculatively. “And just what kind of personal touch would you appreciate?”

Red dearly wanted to tell her that any personal touch from her would be like water to a dying man but thought that she may not appreciate such a sentiment so early in the day. At least, not until she’d had some coffee and something to eat.

“There is nothing more precious than time,” he said instead.

“Time?” Liz echoed, sounding unconvinced. “You just want—”

“Quality time, Elizabeth. No subterfuge, no Blacklisters, no distractions.”

Liz bit her lip as she searched his face eagerly. After a tense moment of silence, a broad smile spread across her face.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay,” Liz said again. “Let’s spend some time together, for Christmas.”

The waitress chose that moment to bring the first of their many dishes to the table, so Red was able to take a moment to compose himself.

“Well, Lizzy, that sounds wonderful,” he said eventually, managing to keep his voice almost entirely steady. “I hope you will allow me to get you a Christmas gift as well.”

“The gift of time not enough for you?” Liz teased.

“Lizzy, it’s very tiresome when you use my words against me like that.”

“Is it? Well, I’m sure we’ll think of something you can give me, Red.”

“Lizzy—”

“Raymond,” Liz said. “Just eat your breakfast. We’re going to be here for hours as it is.”

Red smiled and raised his coffee cup to her in a toast.

“Precious time, Lizzy, it’s all the better for being spent with you.”

[armandyke]

Blood and destruction because of one man

Summary: Klaus is seventeen, and currently barred from all Academy business due to his... questionable lifestyle choices. Oblivious to the tragedy unfolding on his siblings’ latest mission, he finds himself being visited by a gruesome and hauntingly familiar ghost. 

Word Count: 2604

Square Filled: Free Space

Characters: All the siblings, Reginald Hargreeves, Grace Hargreeves, Pogo

Warnings: Drug use, gore, swearing, death

A/N: The fourth of nine entries for @tuacreatorsbingo !

You can read it here, or on my AO3

It had been thirty seven minutes and sixteen seconds since Klaus had swallowed two of the rather ominous looking red pills he’d managed to score the night before, and he was starting to think he might have been ripped off. Sure, the room seemed to be spinning just a little bit, but other than that he just felt… Normal. 

Thirty seven minutes and thirty two seconds.

The thought occurred to him that maybe being high was his normal now, and the more he thought about it, the more he realised that he couldn’t quite pinpoint what being sober actually felt like anymore. 

Thirty seven minutes and forty five seconds.

With a deflated sigh, he rolled himself off the bed, barely registering the pain in his side as he hit the floorboards with a heavy thud. He reached under the bed, feeling blindly around until his hand found the soft toy unicorn, repurposed last year into a makeshift cigarette stash. His heart sank when he pried the toy's torso apart, finding nothing but a few remnants of cotton stuffing. 

Thirty eight minutes and twelve seconds.

He was sure there’d been at least twenty when he counted last night. Had he really smoked that many since then? He did tend to smoke more when his siblings were away on a mission, but twenty? Unfortunately, his memory of the past twelve hours was hazy at best, so he just shrugged to himself, getting to his feet and padding down the hall to Allison’s room. 

The silence of the empty house was comforting. Obviously he worried about his siblings while they were away, but dad being out of the house certainly made life easier for a few blissful hours. 

He grabbed a vibrant purple and gold scarf from Allison’s closet as he walked past, twirling it around his neck and admiring himself in the mirror. It didn’t quite match the pyjamas he was wearing, but then, when had that ever stopped him before? Allison kept her cigarettes on the shelf above her dresser, so he clambered on top of it, sending a few brushes and perfume bottles crashing to the floor in the process, and balanced precariously on his toes to reach the ornate pink box. He took a couple, placed the box back on it’s shelf, and made his way back to his own room, stopping to pocket a bottle of deep blue nail polish along the way. 

One hour ten minutes and nineteen seconds.

The sound of Vanya’s violin flooded the house as Klaus lit the second of his stolen cigarettes, letting it burn his lungs while he finished painting over the chipped pink polish on his toes. He flopped back against the mattress and closed his eyes as the music filled his ears. The song was unfamiliar, maybe even improv, which was his favourite to listen to. He liked not knowing what was coming next. 

The music washed over him, and he felt as though a thick, heavy blanket had been laid over him, pushing him deeper into the mattress. It was the most relaxed he’d felt all day, letting out a deep breath and stubbing his cigarette out on his bedside table. Gradually, the sound drifted further and further away, until all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears. 

One hour twenty one minutes and eleven seconds.

He was pulled out of his daze by the sound of footsteps. Cracking one eye open, he glanced over at his open door. It was a wet, squelching sound, like somebody tracking muddy boots across the hardwood floor. Definitely not mom, then. She never went outside. Vanya was still playing her violin, seemingly oblivious to the approaching sound, and Pogo never went anywhere without his cane. 

“Diego?” He called, wondering if maybe the others had snuck back in without him noticing. 

No answer, and now he could hear the footsteps heading up the stairs. Rolling his eyes, Klaus hopped off the bed and made his way towards the door. 

“If you’re trying to scare me, it won’t work,” He said as he poked his head around the door frame. “Because nothing you do can compare to the nightmare that is my actual life.” 

He was fully expecting to see his siblings crouching on the staircase, waiting to jump out and scare him, but the whole hallway was empty. The footsteps started again, this time overhead, and he let out a loud, dramatic sigh. 

“You guys are assholes,” He muttered, trudging up the stairs.

The corridor was empty, and the noise had disappeared. With a frustrated huff, he made his way quietly across the floor, pausing, and backtracking two steps to Five’s bedroom door. An impossible thought flashed across his mind, before being quickly extinguished by another muffled sound coming from behind Ben’s door. 

Charging across the hall, he threw the door open, ready to cuss his siblings out for being massive jerks and really shitty pranksters. Only it wasn’t his siblings, it was a ghost, at least he hoped that’s what they were, given the state of them. 

He made a mental note to flush the rest of those shitty pills down the toilet later before looking the ghost up and down. The “muddy” shoes he’d heard squelching across the floorboards were drenched in blood, with one leg looking almost as though it had been blown up, ripped completely open with fleshy ribbons hanging down around the exposed bone. Their stomach was shredded to pieces, oozing blood and guts and fatty tissue that squelched and made Klaus’ stomach turn every time the ghost moved. One arm appeared to have been torn off completely, while the other hung limply with a piece of bone jutting out from the elbow, and their face… well, what was left of it, was bloody and shredded, as though it had been practically torn off. One eye was missing, or maybe just sunken behind the swollen exposed flesh, while the other peered out at him, watching him blankly. 

“Uh…” Klaus said, swallowing thickly as he fought to keep the contents of his stomach down. “Look. I can see you’re going through a bit of a rough time, but I do have some ground rules around here. Numero Uno being that my siblings’ bedrooms are strictly off limits.” 

The ghost made a grunting noise and opened their mouth in an attempt to speak, but one side of their jaw appeared to be almost completely detached and the only sound that came out was a sickening gurgling noise as blood dribbled down their chin. They took an unsteady step towards Ben’s desk and he frowned, folding his arms and clearing his throat. 

“Okay, clearly you’re new to the whole… being dead thing,” He said as he watched the ghost swiping their hand through the furniture they were attempting to touch. “And you probably have a lot going on. But my brother Ben? He has kind of a nervous disposition, and a creepy ghost tracking blood all over his bedroom isn’t gonna make him feel any better. There’s a million empty rooms in this stupid house for you to haunt. Just not this one. Okay? Please?”

That seemed to capture the ghost’s attention again and they turned back towards him, making what sounded like a whimpering noise. He wasn’t sure if it was the way the ghost stood, or how they looked at him, or what, but something felt familiar.

“Klaus?”

Shrieking, Klaus spun around, very nearly smacking his sister in the face in the process. Vanya blinked at him for a moment before standing on tiptoes to look over his shoulder. 

“Who are you talking to?” 

“Me? Nobody. No talking going on here. Silent as the grave.” 

He cringed at the poor choice of phrasing, pulling Ben’s bedroom door shut and giving her the most innocent smile he could muster. 

“What are you doing up here anyway?” He asked. “I thought you were practicing.”

“Mom told me to find you. The others will be back soon and I think…” She trailed off, looking uncertain for a moment. “She was acting really strange.” 

“Our robotic mother, built and programmed by our sociopathic father to provide the love he is incapable of feeling, was acting strange? What a turn up for the books.” 

“I’m serious, Klaus,” She hissed. “What if something bad happened on their mission?”

“Nothing bad ever happens on missions, Vanya. They show up, they save the day, the city is once again indebted to us. Hip hip hooray. You’re just being paranoid.” 

Draping his arm over her shoulder, the two of them made their way down the stairs and through the winding corridors to their front door where mom and Pogo were waiting. 

“Hey, Pogo,” He said cheerfully as he strolled up next to him, frowning when Pogo gave him a sympathetic look and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

Next to him, Vanya gave him a strong “I told you so” look before nodding up towards mom, who was staring blankly at the wall opposite. 

“Mom?” He prompted, with no response. “Mom.”

The doors flung open and their father strode in, looking just as stony faced as usual. He didn’t spare either of them so much as a passing glance as he marched across the hall, stopping and turning at the foot of the stairs as he always did to wait for the others. The wait was agonising, but finally the door opened again, and Luther walked in. 

His hair was drenched with blood that ran down his face and onto his uniform, and his eyes were red and puffy with tear tracks streaking down his cheeks. Klaus had never seen him take his mask off before the mission debrief. It made him look strangely young, a far cry from the usual stoic Number One. He paused at the door and glanced over at them, making eye contact with Klaus for a second before looking back down at the floor and hurrying over to stand in front of dad. 

Diego came in next, his jaw clenched tightly as he marched purposefully across the room without a second of hesitation and tracking blood across the tiled floors. There was blood on his hands. The right was dried but the left… Klaus could see it dripping in spots on the floor where he stood, oozing through his fingers as they pressed tightly on the blade in his hand. 

The door swung open again and Allison walked in, making it two paces across the floor before looking over at him and Vanya and bursting into tears. Mom hurried across the room to her, squeezing her shoulders and whispering hushed comforts to her as she guided her the rest of the way. 

Klaus turned back towards the door expectantly and waited for Ben, desperate for the debrief to start so he could find out what the hell happened. The seconds ticked by, and the door stayed shut. It wasn’t like Ben to delay the debrief. 

He felt Vanya take his hand, and when he turned towards her she was staring at the ground, her eyes squeezed shut and tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“I don’t…” He turned to Pogo, who squeezed his shoulder and looked up at him sadly. “Where’s Ben?” He looked over at their father. “Where is he!?” 

“Silence!” He said sharply, tapping his cane on the ground in front of him. 

Luther straightened his shoulders. Diego’s fist started shaking with the force of his grip on his knife. Allison sobbed into mom’s arm. 

“Children, the city is once again indebted to you,” He announced, looking down his nose at the three of them. “Although the loss of Number Six proved to be… an unfortunate distraction, this was a successful mission, and I congratulate you.”

With that, he turned and began making his way up the stairs. Klaus saw Diego’s hand twitch, and before he could open his mouth to shout there was a sharp crack as his knife hit the handrail their father was holding, splintering the wood an inch above where his hand rested. 

“Is that it?” He asked when their father turned back to face him. “That’s all you have to say?” 

“Nothing more needs to be said.”

“No, there is plenty more that needs to be said.” Diego jabbed a finger at him accusingly, taking a step towards him. “I just watched my brother get ripped apart.” 

“As I said, Number Two-”

“Don’t call me that,” He said through gritted teeth, taking another step until they were standing toe to toe. “You killed him. You sent him in there, to die.” 

“I was not your leader on this mission.” 

Behind them, Luther hunched in on himself and Diego slammed his hand against the railing. 

“No, you don’t get to pin this on Luther. You lied to him. You lied to all of us. The only reason any of us got out of there alive is because B-” Diego stared at him, shaking with rage as he tried to get the word out. “B-B-Because B-”

“Spit it out, boy,” Their father said, drumming his fingers on the top of his cane impatiently. 

In a flash, Diego whipped another knife from his belt, holding the tip against their father’s neck. 

“Diego, no! ” Vanya screamed, while Allison hugged mom tighter and Luther threw his hands over his face. 

Klaus stood there, frozen to the spot, watching Diego’s shoulders rise and fall with each quick, shaky breath he took. Their father stood confidently, unphased by the knife pressed to his throat, with an almost bored expression on his face as Diego stared him down. 

After what seemed like an eternity, Diego yielded, hurling the knife at a painting on the opposing wall. 

“Fuck you,” He spat, his voice thick as he ripped the umbrella patch from his uniform and threw it at his feet before turning and storming away. 

“Diego-” Klaus tried to reach out for him as he walked past, but his brother shoved past him wordlessly and disappeared down the hall. 

“Dismissed!” Their father said sharply, tapping his cane against the tiles and marching up the stairs to his office. 

Slowly, Grace guided Allison across the hall towards her bedroom. Luther followed, then Vanya, then Pogo, until Klaus was the only one left standing there. 

He trudged across the floor, following the trail of Diego’s blood up to the stairs where he sank down and stared ahead at the door, hoping that maybe, just maybe this whole thing had been one really bad trip, and that any minute now Ben would come through the door, and they could go back to his room and Ben would fill him in on everything that happened on the mission. He heard something dripping on the floor and realised he was crying. How long had he been doing that? Sniffling, he wiped his face on the back of his sleeve and wrapped his arms around himself. 

Down the hall, he could hear the sound of furniture crashing and glass smashing, and then the sound of Vanya’s violin playing. He was aware of a presence stood next to him on the stairs, but it was a few minutes before he could bring himself to look up. 

The ghost had finally made his way out of his bedroom. In the light, Klaus could make out a few more features. Dark, blood soaked hair, a dark brown eye staring wordlessly at him, and the umbrella patch stitched to his uniform. 

One hour fifty eight minutes and thirty two seconds. 

Sighing, he fished the bag of pills out of his pocket and tipped a few into his hand. Three this time? Sure, why not. 

One second. 

A crash as Luther tore one of his models down from the ceiling. 

Two seconds. 

The sound of Diego’s mirror smashing. 

Three seconds. 

Muffled screams as Allison wailed into her pillow. 

Four seconds. 

Five seconds. 

Six seconds. 

Silence.