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dumpywrites · 16 days ago

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Star Crossed - Kim Taehyung / V

Prompt: Costume party comes into disaster when you mistaken your crush as your friend.

Prompt request: HERE

Genre/tags: Fluff, just feel-good sweet soft fluff, university au, strangers to lovers (?), drable-ish

Pairing: Taehyung x reader

Word count: 2.8k

a/n: I'm not a huge fate believer, never am. But I've always have a soft spot for accidental meetings type of stories :')

You never really get the rich people life. They just be throwing parties left and right, without having to think about the expenses, the mess, or even worry about invitation number. Even if you had the money to spend, party was and never will be the first choice in your mind to do so.

But you were in university, life was supposed to be like this, right? It was supposed to be filled with stupid young people activities. And by that theory, you should not be regretting your decision on joining your friend to this random rich girl’s party. Right?

You were sure the month was February, and Halloween wasn’t supposed to come early like this. The new head of student council was obsessed with costume dressing, said she loved the oddly sexy vibe it brought. Plus, it did give her and everyone else some good excuse to dress slutty.

While you could understand Lisa throwing this huge party to celebrate her new position, you had no idea why she would invite your friend. Apparently, they accidentally bumped into each other during lunch break and he helped her picking up her stuff. The invitation came very easily right after. You guessed being friendly with everyone was a must-do thing if you wanted to maintain your popular status.

“Your costume is very creative…” You said in a sarcastic tone, eyeing your friend up and down.

“Hey, this was a last minute decision, alright?! I don’t have time to actually make one and this was rather cheap.” Hanbin said.

You took a double take on your friend squid game guard costume. “This just screams lack of creativity and personality no matter how hard you try to defend it.”

“Dude, I was struggling with my assignments!!!” He rolled his eyes as he protested.

“You should’ve just bought a floral shorts and pink t-shirt and just be my Patrick.” You told him.

You were in fact in a Spongebob inspired costume, with your shirt and tie, and you even got a his hat in a form of hair clip that you found online. You were pretty proud of the look you created.

“Whatever dude, let’s just go.”

Your friend turned off the car engine and exited the vehicle, you followed. After pressing the doorbell a few times, the door opened revealing the owner of the house herself greeting you both. She was wearing a fully blinged bodysuit, and with tiny wings on her back, it seemed like she was aiming for a Victoria’s Secret inspired look.

“Hanbin! You made it!” She squealed and clapped her hands. “Oh, you brought a friend? Hello! I’m Lisa.” She happily extended hand to you just after she closed the door.

You mentioned your name and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you and congrats.”

She smiled sweetly and thanked you. “I have to go back to the others, but you guys have fun! Go around and help yourselves!” And with that she waved and left.

“Great, now what?” You looked at your friend.

“We socialize! Maybe this way I can get more member for the dance club.” He smirked, fixing the mask that hung on his head.

“Whatever.” You dismissed, shooing him. “Just go, I’ll be just right here, playing tetris on my phone.”

“You’re not coming with me to mingle around? Who knows, maybe that Taehyung guy is here.” Hanbin wiggled his eyebrows.

Your eyes widened as you gasped. “God, you’re right! He must be popular there’s no way he isn’t invited!!! Come on… now I regret on being Spongebob.”

Taehyung was this stranger you met at the library once upon a time. His pen rolled away when he accidentally dropped it and it landed right next to your feet, just where you were sitting. He didn’t need to know that you were basically watching him from a few tables away just because of how beautiful he looked, just sitting there reading prettily.

All you had was his name right after the awkward handshake when you gave him the pen. You were too stunned to even say your name back, which you still regretted until this very day. He did smile on his way back to his table, and even waved his hand at you before leaving, but that was all. At times like this you wished you had better self esteem.

“And you think you’ll actually have a chance with him if you’re not in this Spongebob attire?” He teased.

“You did not just say that.” You hit your friend’s side.

The two-story villa was enormous. You did not know what was in the punch they gave you but after a short social charge toilet break, you totally lost your friend in the crowd. How you managed to lost someone with a full pink costume was beyond you, but in your defense the light was pretty dim.

You had been looking for almost half an hour, before you finally spotted the bright colored suit. But now questions arose.

Why was Hanbin covering his face with the mask? You thought he was coming to socialize. Who was this guy sitting next to him, with an arm covered in full tattooed sleeve, wearing a police costume? Nonetheless you needed to go to him since you still had no luck in finding anyone to at least be your company. At times like this you wished more of your friends were the party type.

When you approached him, you saw whatever conversation they were having halted. The tattooed man looked at you with confusion in his eyes.

“Can we go back home now? If you’re still not done socializing I can go back myself.”

“Whoa, who are you?!” The policemen asked with wide eyes.

You quickly gave him your name and shook his hand with a blank face, leaving the guy in awe. You turned to your friend again, who was weirdly quiet. “So?”

Your friend shrugged, there was an unfamiliar chuckle coming out from him but you figured the loud music and the fact that his mask was on were playing a part. He nodded and stood up, waved his hand at the other guy before you followed him out of the front door. He stopped right in front of the gates, standing awkwardly.

“Are you drunk? I can drive if you can’t.”

“I never actually got your name before, but now that I have, it’s nice to meet you, I guess.”

Now who in the fresh hell was this. That wasn’t how Hanbin sounded like. You had known the man for two years enough for you to instantly know that this was in fact not your friend who was behind the costume.

You took a few steps back, afraid. “You’re not Hanbin…”

He took his mask off, proceeding to take your breath away along with it. Oh, this was definitely not your friend.

“Remember me? From library?”

You could not believe your eyes. It was none other than Taehyung himself smiling brightly at you. Did they switch costume? What on earth was going on??? Your little brain could only do so much.

“H-How?! Oh my goodness I’m so sorry! I thought you were my friend!” You panicked.

“It’s fine.” He chuckled. “It was getting stuffy in there anyways. You’re down for some ice cream?”

“Huh? You sure? I need to tell my friend about this…”

“I came across your friend, we had a good laugh about our poor costume choices for a solid minute before he told me he needed to get out from it cause he couldn’t stand the heat anymore, which honestly, I get it now.” He laughed.

“He took the suit off, that makes a lot of sense now.” You sighed.

“His mask is circle, mine’s square.” He pointed at the mask over his head and took it off to show you. “See?”

“Of course.” As if anyone would remember that detail.

“I can replace your friend for the night?” He gave you a questioning look.

Honestly, you would be utterly stupid to refuse this golden offer.

“If you’re not too ashamed to walk around in public with Spongebob that is.”

“Eh, it’s cute.”

Yeah, there was definitely something in that punch. “Thank you?” You said as you walked next to him, hoping your blush wasn’t visible. “Where are we heading?”

“Seven-eleven. Let’s just hope they won’t kick us out for looking like this.” He laughed. “So what were you reading?”

“Huh?”

“That day, at the library.”

“Uh, don’t laugh at me.” You nervously looked away. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”

“Oh wow.” He laughed instantly.

“I told you not to laugh!” You sulked.

“No, that’s like perfect, I couldn’t imagine a better answer.” He continued to laugh. “At least that’s a cool answer, I was just there to study for my exam.”

“I regret telling you what book I was reading.”

“Okay, I’ll stop laughing.” He chuckled. “I’m still bummed you didn’t say your name when I told you mine that day.”

You for sure couldn’t tell him you were too mesmerized seeing him up close to say anything. “I was zoning out.”

He breathed out in relief. “I swear I thought you didn’t like me or something.” He smiled. “What were you doing at Lisa’s party anyway?”

“Hanbin was the one who got the invitation, I was just dragged along.” You shrugged. “You?”

“We just know each other I guess. She’s quite the social butterfly. I wasn’t doing anything anyways and Jungkook actually was the one who wanted to wear this costume, but boy ordered the wrong size and it was too small for him. Hence, this.” He pointed at himself.

“What was your original costume then?”

“Nick Wilde from Zootopia.”

This time it was your turn to burst out laughing.

He looked at you with a frown. “What’s so funny?”

“Don’t tell me you’re a furry.”

“Hey, it’s just a very simple costume. All I need was some fake fox ears, plain green shirt and a tie, done!” He reasoned.

“Whatever you say, furry.” You teased.

“Oh my god, you’re never gonna let this go now, huh?” He complained, but couldn’t help a smile.

Finally you arrived at a near seven-eleven. The cashier was indeed giving both of you weird looks, considering the place was empty and your costumes, especially Taehyung’s bright pink one, were quite hard to miss. Nonetheless, you got yourself a cup of slurpee and Taehyung got himself a cone of packaged ice cream.

The whole time you were enjoying your drink, Taehyung was singing along to the random songs they played. You had to cover his mouth a few times, afraid you were actually gonna get kicked out for real just because he was singing his heart out to a Katy Perry song. You never pictured him to be this goofy weirdo judging by his model-esque appearance, but it sure was a wonderful surprise.

After finishing the snacks, both of you decided to continue the night stroll. He held out his hand to help you stand up from the bench, knowing well you could stand up by yourself easily, but again, who were you to miss such opportunity.

“So,” he said, glancing at you with a teasing smile, “If you hadn’t mistaken me for your friend tonight, would you have talked to me?”

You hesitated, kicking a small pebble on the sidewalk. “Honestly? Probably not.”

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

You sighed, debating whether to tell the truth. But something about him made it easy, like he wouldn’t judge you no matter what you said. “Because I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. And when you don’t think you’ll see someone again, it’s easier to keep them as a… I don’t know, a daydream.”

He looked at you in amuse. “A daydream?”

“I had this whole version of you in my head. A mystery guy from the library.” You playfully explained with your hands.

“Am I better or worse than the version in your head?”

You bit your lip, pretending to think. “Hmm… jury’s still out.”

Taehyung put a hand over his chest dramatically. “I’m personally offended.”

You giggled, nudging him playfully. “I was so sure you were this person who just wouldn’t talk to someone like me, given the chance.” You shrugged. “I’m glad I was wrong about it.” You smiled.

“You shouldn’t think of yourself so lowly like that. What makes you think I wouldn’t talk to you? Who even am I?!” He folded his arms.

“That’s why you’re better than the version in my head.” You giggled. “What about me? What’s the verdict?”

“Oh, I hate it.” He nodded with big boxy grin on his face.

“Excuse me?!” You gasped.

“If I know this is how fun you are to be with I would’ve fought for your name that day.”

This man really had you in his fingertips. “You can’t be serious.” You rolled your eyes, groaning but stomach filled with butterflies.

Somehow, your random wandering led you to a small playground nestled between apartment buildings. It was empty, the swings swaying slightly in the breeze. Without thinking, you walked over and sat down on one, pushing off lightly with your feet. Taehyung sat on the swing next to you, mirroring your movements.

“When was the last time you were on a swing?” you asked, gripping the metal chains.

“Hmm… Probably when I was, like, eight? I used to think if I swung high enough, I’d be able to fly.”

You laughed. “Me too.”

Taehyung turned his head toward you, his expression softer now. “Why’d you stop?”

You hesitated, looking down at your feet as they brushed against the gravel. “I guess… I grew up. Started worrying about things that seven-year-old me never did.”

Taehyung was quiet for a moment. Then, suddenly, he jumped off his swing, landing with a small thud. He turned to face you with an excited glint in his eyes. “Okay, new challenge.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What now?”

He grinned. “Swing as high as you can. No thinking. Just feel it.”

You scoffed. “What are we, kids?”

“Yep.” he said simply, grabbing the chains of your swing and pulling it back slightly before stepping away. “Now go.”

You rolled your eyes but gave in, pushing off with your feet. At first, you were hesitant, but then the familiar rush of the wind against your skin took over. You pumped your legs harder, swinging higher and higher until the ground blurred beneath you.

And for the first time in a long time, you felt free.

Taehyung laughed beside you, his own swing matching yours. “See? Told you.”

You couldn’t stop smiling. “Okay, okay, you win. You’re still a weirdo for it though.”

“Damn right, I am.” He proudly said.

The two of you stayed like that for a while, swinging under the dim glow of the streetlights, talking about everything and nothing. It was easy. Natural. Like you had known him forever.

Eventually, you both slowed to a stop, breathing heavily from laughing too much. Taehyung leaned back against the jungle gym, tilting his head up to look at the sky. You joined him, the night stretching endlessly above you.

“It’s weird.” you murmured after a while.

“What is?”

“How we were literally just strangers like a few hours ago.” You giggled. “And trust me I’m not this person with high social capabilities to just do… this.”

Taehyung turned his head to look at you, his expression unreadable. “It is kinda crazy, huh?”

You nodded, playing with the hem of your sleeve. “I was convinced I’d never see you again.”

“Me too.” he admitted. “And then, suddenly you were in front of me, asking me to go home with you. Never thought you were that kind of person but, we listen we don’t judge?” He laughed.

You groaned, hiding your face in your hands. “Please don’t remind me.”

He chuckled, gently prying your hands away. Your breath hitched as his fingers lingered on yours for a second too long.

You swallowed. “Taehyung…”

“Yeah?”

You hesitated, searching his face. “This… whatever this is—”

He cut you off gently. “—is something I want to figure out.”

Your heart stopped.

He smiled, a little softer this time. “You feel the same way?”

You exhaled shakily, the tension melting away. ��Totally.”

Taehyung grinned, standing up and stretching. “Then let’s do it again!”

You blinked a few times. “Do what?”

“Hang out! No parties, no mistaken identities. Just us.”

You giggled, warmth spreading through your chest. “Sounds great.”

He held out his hand, just like he had at the convenience store. Without hesitation this time, you took it.

As you walked together under the glow of the city lights, you couldn’t help but think. Maybe, just maybe, some things were meant to happen after all.

You might need to thank your friend later for his costume choice though.

Thank you for reading! ★

#bts fanfic #bts fic #bts scenarios #taehyung x reader #taehyung fluff #taehyung imagine #taehyung scenarios #kim taehyung #bts v #taehyung fanfic #taehyung x y/n

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double-vandammage · 8 months ago

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Title: Rude Awakening

Word count: 2,573

Rating: 18+

Ship: Bret Hart x Shawn Michaels

Tags/Warnings: Enemies to lovers, Bret POV, Handjob, Blowjob, Alcohol

Also posted to my a03: aa_beatrix

Here is my first fanfic in probably 6 years. I'm so nervous about it, but I hope you Hartbreak shippers like it. I'm fairly new to this ship so please be gentle. 🥹 Thank you to the encouragement of my sis @taydaq, @imabillyami, @crxssjae, and @superkickme 😘

Let me know if anyone wants to be tagged in future fics, I do plan on writing more. 🫣

Bret sat silently by his motel window, watching the rain gently glide down the glass. What a shit day he had, it was only fitting the weather was also terrible. The promo he had just cut with Shawn weighed heavily on his mind. He was so tired of the little prick. Night after night he had to observe Shawn flamboyantly parade around the stage. Not only did he have to watch the annoying spectacle, but also endure the man occasionally shake his bare ass at the crowd. The fans ate it up and he couldn’t fathom why. They were close once, it seemed a lifetime away. Thunder cracked, startling him from his thoughts. The universe was telling him to relinquish any thoughts of Shawn for the rest of the evening. He didn’t want Shawn in his head more than was required, especially while he was alone in his motel room. Bret made his way to the bed, climbing under the covers and slowly he drifted to sleep.

Abruptly there was an aggressive and continuous rap at his door. Bret was barely able to open his eyes as he dazedly glanced at the bedside clock. The time read 2:00AM. “Who the fuck-?” he grunted as the knocking became louder. He whipped the blanket from his body while quickly swinging his legs over the mattress. “I’m coming dammit.” he spat, stumbling to the door in his sleepy stupor. He put his eye to the peephole. “Jesus Christ…” none other than a Heartbreak Kid disruption. “Hey! Big daddy cool! Open up big sexy!” Shawn half yelled, half giggled. Bret opened the door, “wrong room shithead. Some of us are trying to sleep.” Shawn was drenched. He had clearly spent some time in the rain. “Whoa.” Shawn raised both hands up in defense. “This isn’t Kevin’s room?” Bret made a show of moving his hands up and down his own frame, “clearly it isn’t you asshole, what are you drunk?” Shawn put his index finger and thumb together, “Mmmm…maybe just a pinch.”

Rolling his eyes, Bret took in Shawn’s appearance. He was soaked, so much so he had created a pool of moisture on the motel floor. He was a mess. “Do you know which room Kevin is in?” he asked, not wanting Shawn to be his problem this early in the morning. “Hmmm…well I thought this was his room…so I guess…no.” he said with his signature smile, chuckling to himself. “You wouldn’t mind if I bunked here tonight, eh Hitman?” Shawn asked while running a hand through his wet hair. Bret thought this must be some cruel joke the universe was playing on him. The last thing he wanted in his room was a drunk wet dog named Shawn Michaels, but he couldn’t let him wander aimlessly up and down the halls, slamming on random doors, and calling for big sexy.

Bret crossed his arms, “shit. Fine. Do not drip on anything.” Shawn grinned, “Thanks Hitman, you’re the best there is and ever will be.” he said, pushing Bret to the side and slapping him on the arm. Bret closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “The bathroom is to the left, I can get you something to change into.” He closed the door and turned to find Shawn already on the bed. “Are you fucking kidding me Michaels? You’re super fucking soaked. Get off the bed, now.” Shawn rose, propping himself on his elbows. “Oh man…I am?” he asked, real concern in his voice. “Uh, yeah. Get up.” Bret demanded. Shawn moved almost intentionally slow, the blankets getting more and more saturated.

“Dammit Shawn. Get your ass to the bathroom.” he said, grabbing Shawn’s arm, shoving him towards the open doorway. “Alright, alright. Ya don’t gotta be so touchy.” Shawn almost immediately began stripping off his flashy costume. He shook off his vest and began removing those hideous chaps he insisted on wearing. He kicked off his boots next and in doing so Shawn had noticed Bret leaning against the door frame observing. Bret in an instant knew exactly what he was about to do. Shawn turned, his back facing him and commenced shimmying his tights down to wiggle his ass at him. “Like what ya see Hitman?” he taunted. Bret kept his face stoic, but could feel his cheeks beginning to flush. “Stop that shit and just get cleaned up would you?” he urged moving away. Shawn smirked, pulling his tights completely off. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Bret began pulling the blankets and sheets off the bed, discarding them onto the floor. He could hear the water start to run and eventually steam wafted outside the door. He pulled out a plain white t-shirt and gray sweats from his suitcase for Shawn to wear. Bret climbed back into the bed to try and get some more sleep before they had to be on the road again. The shower stopped and after a few minutes, he felt the empty side of the mattress shift. “Absolutely not boytoy.” he murmured. “Oh come on Bret, there’s not even a couch in here.” Shawn whined. “Not my problem. This is already obnoxious without having dry blankets, you are not sleeping up here.” Shawn in a child-like tantrum, huffed off the bed and onto the floor with one of the pillows. Within minutes he was fast asleep.

Outside rain still poured and thunder intermittently boomed, a particularly loud burst was enough to rattle Bret awake again. The clock registered at 5:00AM. He could hear Shawn’s slow and steady breathing, surprised Shawn didn’t also wake. Rolling to the opposite side of the bed, Bret peered over. Shawn was lying on his side facing him. Long blonde hair fell down around his shoulder and pillow. His bangs draped over his eyes. Shawn was beautiful, anyone could see that. Bret found his eyes had lingered, observing the white t-shirt he let the man borrow had slightly uplifted, revealing a small glimpse of Shawn’s tanned stomach. Quickly he averted his gaze and rolled back over. Squeezing his eyes shut, focusing on the sounds outside in an attempt to stifle an unresolved hunger he had no business feeling towards the Heartbreak Kid.

Unable to rest, he again got out of bed to reside by the window in the lone chair. He needed air. He opened the window just enough to feel the cool misting of rain against his face. Minutes later he heard Shawn stirring, a small groan escaping from him as he stretched. Shawn sat upright, dreamily looking at Bret. “Can’t sleep Hitman?” he mumbled. Bret ignored him, keeping his view to the window. “I gotta take a leak.” Shawn yawned as he shuffled towards the bathroom. Bret listened as Shawn fumbled around in the dark, hearing the toilet flush and sink run. He came out in the middle of another yawn, “Fuck me, I’m gonna be sore. You think people will believe me when I say I’m sore after spending the night in the Hitman’s room?” he laughed. “Don’t even joke about that shit Shawn.” Bret spat. “I’ll kick you out right now, don’t test me.”

Shawn cautiously made his way to stand in front of him. “Come on, would it be so terrible? Maybe this is exactly what you and I need.” Shawn said, reaching out a hand to brush the inky strands of hair from Bret’s face. Bret caught his wrist, stopping him. “Don’t.” Shawn only invaded his space more, moving his leg to part Bret’s thighs. His free hand tilted Bret’s chin upward so he could meet his stare. “I know you look at me. Just like I knew you were looking at me over there.” he said, nodding his head in the direction of the bed. Bret jerked his head away irritated, but Shawn hadn’t released his grip. Shawn lowered himself, his mouth inches from his ear, “I like it when you look at me…”.

Bret felt many things for Shawn Michaels. Desire he could always snuff out, now he wasn’t so sure. Shawn closed the space between them, placing his lips to Bret’s temple. Bret involuntarily let go of Shawn’s wrist, finding he was nuzzling into Shawn as he continued to trail light kisses around the side of his face. “Touch me Bret…” Shawn sighed into him. Bret moved his hands to Shawn’s waist, tugging him forward so the younger man was situated between his thighs. Shawn moved his hands to cradle his face, lifting him slightly from the chair into an eager kiss. Bret let his own hands find their way under his t-shirt, running his fingers up Shawn’s back. “Come here.” Bret breathed against Shawn’s lips, guiding him to straddle his lap.

Shawn smiled into their kiss, feeling Bret’s growing excitement beneath him. Shawn slid his hand down, teasing at Bret’s erection. “I knew you always had a hart on for me.” he joked. “Do you ever just shut the fuck up Michaels?” Bret gasped in between Shawn’s stroking. Their mouths fought for the upperhand, Bret captured Shawn’s bottom lip and bit down roughly. Shawn withdrew, taken aback, “Damn hitman.” he snickered, testing his lip for blood. He hated Shawn and this was probably a huge mistake, but all he wanted to do was make Shawn shut up. Swiftly he grabbed Shawn by the thighs, hoisting him up, and threw him to the bed. Shawn bounced onto the mattress, promptly grabbing at Bret’s shirt to yank him forward. Bret landed a quick peck to Shawn’s mouth before moving to devour his neck. Strategically he removed the pesky white t-shirt from Shawn, creating a makeshift tie to bind Shawn’s wrists.

He ran his tongue down to Shawn’s shoulder; tasting sweat, motel body wash, and a hint of rain water. Not an ideal flavor, but damn did it taste good on Shawn. Bret flipped Shawn effortlessly onto his stomach, keeping hold of his bound wrists. He swept Shawn’s hair to the side, kissing the nape of his neck. Shawn arched into him, craning his neck to meet Bret’s lips. His fingers felt for the waistband of Shawn’s sweatpants, sliding his hand under the fabric, not surprised to find he wasn’t wearing underwear and grasping his cock. Letting go of his wrists, he tapped the side of Shawn’s hips, signaling Shawn to prop himself on his knees. Shawn read him easily as if inside the ring and elevated his backside, pushing against Bret’s groin, breaking their kiss and keeping his face down to the mattress.

“Holy shit, Hitman…I want you.” Shawn sputtered as Bret began to steadily pump Shawn’s dick. “Fuck, I’ve always wanted you, Bret.” he mumbled into the bed. How long had Shawn wanted him? Was it nearly as long as he wanted Shawn? Over the years he had indulged himself in the occasional sexy boy fantasy and every time he loathed himself for it. He was a complete hypocrite with each jab at Shawn for shooting that girly mag. Now he had Shawn under him, unapologetically jerking him off. He brought his free hand to clasp Shawn’s throat, easing him upward so he could relax against his chest. Bret continued his deliberate rhythm, relishing the low moans and the way Shawn began to thrust into Bret’s hand. “Jesus. Don’t stop.” Shawn whimpered, burying his face into Bret’s neck. He could tell Shawn was getting close, his panting becoming more rapid.

The feeling of Shawn nestled into his body was intoxicating. Sure, they had their physical history in the ring which was intimate in itself but maybe Shawn was right after all. Maybe this was exactly what they needed. What they couldn’t settle on the mat, they could settle behind closed doors. Bret pressed his lips to Shawn’s forehead, “You know I still hate you?” he said, his words muffled against Shawn’s skin and damp hair. “This doesn’t change anything between us.” The hold he had on Shawn’s neck became a little tighter. “Even with my…dick in your hand, you still…manage to be all business.” Shawn choked out as Bret’s pace began to quicken. Bret covered Shawn’s mouth, muting the wail expelling from him as he erupted into Bret’s hand. Shawn clawed at his hold with his own constrained wrists, his hips rutting wildly into Bret’s palm as he rode out his orgasm.

Bret released Shawn, letting him drop to the mattress. He lay there exhausted, chest heaving and glistening with sweat. Shawn twisted his wrists from the tied up shirt, easily exiting his confines. “Bret baby…” Shawn with eyes still glazed over, rolled to face him. “Please, let me make you feel good too.” he begged, crawling between Bret’s legs to play with the drawstrings of his sweats. He lifted Bret’s shirt, kissing gently at his stomach. The touch of Shawn’s lips pressing at his skin made him shiver and the thought alone of the blonde going down on him was damn near enough to make him come. Against his better judgment, he leaned back and let Shawn take control.

Shawn slid his sweats and underwear down, revealing his throbbing erection. Without much pause, Shawn took him into his mouth. He let his eyes flutter shut, Shawn clearly had done this a time or two. His mouth felt so warm, so good, his tongue hitting all the right places. He clutched at Shawn’s hair, allowing his fingers to entangle themselves. “God damn Michaels…” he managed to groan as Shawn licked up the length of his cock. He wasn’t going to last much longer. Shawn was unrelenting as he held tightly to Bret’s thighs, keeping him in place as his hips bucked desperately into the heat of Shawn’s mouth. He couldn’t help the mangled cry Shawn managed to pry out of him as he came. “Holy shit.” he breathed, unable to form anything else articulate.

The rain seemed to intensify outside the window, brisk air filtering in and caressing their moist bodies. Shawn had positioned himself on top of Bret’s stomach, his chin resting on crossed arms. “I bet you didn’t hate me just now.” he purred. “Fuck you.” Bret smirked, propping a hand behind his neck. His dark eyes met Shawn’s baby blues. “What now?” Shawn asked. Bret’s other hand traveled down to brush the hair from Shawn’s face, tucking a rogue lock behind his ear. “I don’t know. We have to get up soon.” Shawn emitted a breathy sigh, “Let’s stay like this a bit longer.” he insisted. The Heartbreak Kid’s eyes closed as he leaned into the way Bret lazily threaded his fingers through his golden hair.

Internally Bret felt the need to run, this dangerously bordered on affection. He should shove the younger man away, tell him to get lost, and figure out what to do before their next show. However, his needs and wants were very different. He had said nothing would change, but deep down he knew neither of them believed that. Would they fall back into their rivalry or back into bed? What was to follow after, they couldn’t know now and they didn’t have to address it just yet. This sweet silence was preferred to all the bullshit they put each other through. Even if they had got it wrong, they could figure out the details later. Before the other knew it, the sound of the rain mixed with their slow breathing lulled them to sleep.

This quiet moment was theirs to keep.

#fanfic #fic #a03 #hartbreak #bretshawn #bret hart x shawn michaels #wwf ships #ns/fw #smut

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vesanal · 2 months ago

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₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊The 18th Day of Writemas₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊

Hey y’all! This winter season for me is suuuuuper hot. Currently it’s like 20 C which is absolutely insane! I guess there won’t be a white Christmas this year(just like every other year). In November it was super cold, getting down to maybeee -1 C which again, still isn’t THAT cold but for here it very much is! Anyways I won’t keep ya here long so here is the invite post if you need a reminder of the rules and here are the prompts I’ll be using today!!!

Prompts used:

Narration: Light fought the dark, and finally, dawn broke.

Setting: A home + Emptiness

Hurray! More Melinaaaa. WOW! 2 boss bitches who run towns in a row!? It really is Christmas! It’s too bad Melina doesn’t care about the people of Elares or just anything there in general. Like at all. Especially the prison. ANYWAYYY. I’m going pretty far back into her past for this one, and shedding some light on her ambition for getting the fame and power(that of which she wasn’t given by being born) before she gave it all up a few writemasses ago. Hope y’all enjoy younger Melina and the cunning little rat bastard she is. :). She might just learn from her mistakes one day in the future, wink wink.

Read about the WIP here!!

Hope ya enjoy!!

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Melina popped open another bottle of alcohol to celebrate such a momentous occasion. It wasn’t every day that you sign a deal that large. Well, maybe for Melina it was.

Taking a sip from the burning dark blue liquid filled her with as much warmness as the satisfaction from getting just a little more into her grasp. She sat down on top of the desk and picked up the parchment papers to stare at the contract drawn. Right there in ink stated all of the words she needed to hear. It was hers, all hers. Completely. She could just kiss the paper, she was so happy.

Oh, so much money! Just for a few senseless crooks. I could bathe in gold for years on this.

“Such a pleasure to do business with you. Now, I must get back to work. I’m a very busy woman.” Melina said as she ushered the well-armored man out of her office, throwing the door back onto its hinges before he could even open his mouth to say more. He didn’t mean anything now.

Hurrying back inside her room and looking out the intricately stained window, she watched over the hard at work city. Her empire. She had great plans for it. And now that she signed that deal with those shiny, Haukrosen living, castle dwelling, used to the heat, Queen-ass-kissing magic freaks to hand over all of the prisoners held within Elares, effectively dissolving the founding principles her family based the city on, she can bask in all the future glory it will generate for her. So, in her room, devoid of anything else, she stood alone to see the light creep onto the city’s streets, solely responsible for it’s existence. Without her, they were lost, and completely nothing, just fools who lived under another fool’s law.

Light fought the dark, and finally, dawn broke. Across the horizon of Elares came new plans, huge plans. Melina was quite happy to be their benevolent mayor. She was executing the will of the people by transporting those criminals to the capitol. They always wanted for her to remove the prisons and free the people inside, that is specifically why she campaigned for it in her reelection. Melina did exactly what they asked, she freed them from damnation in the Elares prisons. She giddily poured another drink and watched the reflection of the city expand, refracting its silhouette into something better. For her own pleasure. And taking another sip of the drink was just another dip into the pool of greed she created for herself from the tears of others.

For a second, emptiness left the room. But it always comes back, starving for more. Melina knew it.

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(PLEASE tell me if you wanna get added to a tag list here because I genuinely don't know who to tag lol. I'll edit this and add you in!! <3 )

TAGLIST SO FAR: @sunflowerrosy @seastarblue

@thebookishkiwi @viridis-icithus @corinneglass

Our wonderful host <3 → @agirlandherquill Have a lovely day everyone!!

#writeblr #writing #writers on tumblr #writing community #writers #writer #creative writing #writers of tumblr #am writing #writings #fantasy writer #fantasy writers #fantasy #writemas challenge #writemas #writemas 2024 #the bone-binder's covenant #TBBC #TBBC: Melina

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valiantroeagleangel · 1 year ago

Text

Goldilocks.

Will Ramos x female reader.

Phone sex, masturbation, lingerie, mention of alcohol.

From the anon request: "Oh.my.god. How about “mildly tipsy reader x currently on tour Will”? She FaceTime’s him after a few glasses of wine, she’s feeling good, feeling sexy, and she just wants to show her man all the pretty new lingeries she now owns. Poor, needy boy Will is intrigued and also very turned on, and what happens from now on is up to you, my favorite writer 😉."

They called me their favourite writer and now I have a god complex, thank you. I hope you'll like it as much as I do. Love you very much. 🫶

Mama's tag list: @circle-with-me @malice-ov-mercy @darkhallcorner @loeytuan98 @witchyweeb34 @lyschko666 @emzandthevoid

"Will." You called from the kitchen, pouring another glass of wine when you noticed the empty bottle. "Wiiiiiiilllllllllll."

You called again but got no response.

Right. Will wasn't home, he was on tour with his band and you were home alone for the upcoming weeks.

Life was unfair, but maybe that was what your life was meant to be. You, hot and alone in your apartment while Will travelled the earth. Like a princess trapped in a tower waiting for the return of her prince. What a prince he was. He looked more like Goldilocks than Flynn Rider but you could work with it I guess. I mean, you were dating the dude so yeah Goldilocks would have to work.

Still, your prince charming wasn't home and that was a shame. The bottle was empty, almost like your heart, like a void of loneliness.

But thanks God created technology and Facetime calls because it allowed you to overcome your boredom. It's very determined that you decided to take your phone to Facetime Will. A little drunk and very clumsy you tried to put the phone against the bottle to use it as a stand but that one fell and your phone followed quickly. Unfortunately, it was at that very moment that Will decided to pick up, the camera of the phone facing the ceiling.

"Hey love? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." You bent over the phone, out of breath for no reason, your hair falling over the screen. "Everything is fine, just dropped my phone. Sorry."

Without measuring your strength you put the phone back on the table, stalling it -successfully this time- against the bottle.

"Hello there." Will smiled, happy to see your face and not the grey ceiling of your home.

"Hey, hi. I'm sorry." Hastingly you tried to place your hair behind your ear to style your cut. "Yeah, hi."

You heard him chuckle on the other side of the screen as he watched you getting ready in the little caller interface.

"You already said that three times. Did you call to talk about all the different ways to greet someone? If so I have a good one: Rise and shine sunshine. What about that, huh?"

He continued his small talk with himself until you focused on him again, your eyes completely blown as your heart raced with happiness just by seeing him.

"Oh my god Will stop." You couldn't restrain your smile anymore as you watched him ramble about stupid things until you won his attention back. "Hey."

"Hello, my dear. Nice to see you again."

Your mind buzzing you just stared at him through the phone, admiring his pretty eyes and his golden locks. What was I saying? Goldilocks, hm?

And just like that the two of you chatted for a bit. It was probably the wine talking but it made you very flirty and bold. Will told you about the tour and you told him about your day at work. Just the usual chit-chat the two of you would have when you found each other in the evening. This time it was just covered in dirty and cheesy jokes. At some point, you told him about your shopping of the day, very excited to show him your new purchases.

Standing up, you missed to spill the bottle and make your phone fall again in the movement. But once on your feet, you spun for him, showing him the pretty black dress you got and how well it was fitting you. Maybe it was also the dress that made you flirty because you were feeling hot as hell in this.

Will clapped his hands in admiration, he was so infatuated with you that he just loved listening to you talk about random stuff that was making you happy. You were so pretty as your eyes got this little light in them that was everything to him. And it would be a lie to say that he did not like this dress on you. Especially the way it was falling just behind your ass. If only you arched a little for him he would be able to see your underwear. Oh god yes, he would love that.

"[...] and that's why I bought it. What do you think, hm? He didn't give you an answer. "Will? Are you even listening?"

"Hm? Yes of course!"

No.

He was lurking at your ass, lurking at the front of your dress and how it was right under your pussy. Fuck. This dress was so short it should be illegal. You arched a brow and leaned over the table to approach the phone, showing him generously your cleavage. Of course, this dress had a cleavage too. Geez life was really unfair.

"And what was I saying?"

You asked and a deafening silence settled between the two of you until Will finally admitted his defeat.

"Alright, I have no fucking idea. I was trying to look at your underwear."

You faked a surprised scoff as you sat down on the chair. Will might not have been drunk but he was honest for sure. Maybe it was his dick talking, maybe it was the loneliness he was feeling or how horny he was as the end of the tour approached but he didn't even try to hide it to make a good impression. You were drunk and hitting on him, he would be dumb to not play along. He was intrigued to see how far this could go.

You didn't know how to respond to his last words but an idea flashed through your mind. In haste, you stood up and grabbed your phone as you headed toward your bedroom.

"Ow- Where are we going?" Will's voice was distorted through the call. Your phone in hand you showed him the floor without caring about the camera. "Are you going to lock me down? You know you can just end the call if you don't want to talk to me. No need to cage me."

He joked but it made you think about the princess and tower story you imagined before and you liked it. As if Will was the princess.

When you finally slowed down you put your phone on the nightstand, facing it with your entire body. It was your moment. He gave you a chance and you were definitely taking it.

"Sooooo?" He asked when he saw you move to the pantry behind you.

"You want to see underwear? I'll show you underwear."

Opening the cabinet you got out a box with a full set of lingerie that you got earlier. You wanted to surprise him with it when the tour would be over but this moment might also be a good one. You could just tease him a little. That would be great, to let him see but not touch because he was so far away. What a good punishment it was.

"What's in the box?"

Will didn't know how he should react to this. He was excited, sure he was horny but he also dreaded what was going to happen. You were so unpredictable sometimes. He liked that about you but in moments like these it freaked him more than anything else.

"It was meant to be a surprise for when you get back home. But it will cause no harm to show you right now."

As you opened the box Will's expression started to change, passing from quite intrigued to utterly shocked.

"Causing no harm? Are you kidding me? I almost had a heart attack."

A long silence settled once again between the two of you. Both of your minds racing to what was going to occur next. It was disjointed and you scattered in all directions. You were lonely and getting drunk unleashed your horniness. You didn't know why, probably just the alcohol but it was getting messy in your head.

You sat on the bed, turning the phone so you could still face it.

"I feel alone Will. I feel so fucking alone when you are not here." The atmosphere thickened and he looked at you with dark eyes, making your cheeks heat. "You're not here, you're never here."

"I know, I'm sorry that it has to be like this baby." His voice cracked. He really was sorry but seeing you sitting on that bed, lingerie in your hands and your short dress rolling up your thighs reduced his guilt. Because you were so hot. He just wanted to see more, to see your dress reach your hips, to see your panties and breasts.

Another silence took place before you switched on the bed, shortly spreading your legs to allow your dress to go higher on your body.

"You want to see, don't you?" You asked as you leaned on your arms, balancing your body to highlight your chest.

"Yes, please." He breathed out without taking his eyes off the screen.

You had bought another set, you were wearing it. How convenient it was. You didn't even have to move, you could just undress here in front of the camera and Will would have to sit and take it.

Slowly you moved back on the mattress, spreading your legs even more to let him peak on the lace of your underwear. Your both legs bent making your dress roll to your belly, stripping your lower half from any kind of clothing.

"Shit, baby." Will cursed and moved closer to his phone as if it was possible. "Can you touch it? It seems so fucking soft."

You obeyed him and slowly brushed your fingers against your intimacy, the fabric getting wetter and wetter every second.

"It is soft." You told him and he groaned. "And it's wet, it's so fucking wet, Will."

You both swallowed hard while your fingers kept caressing your entrance. After that things escalated quickly.

"Take the dress off." He commanded and you did nothing but listen to his demand.

Straightening yourself you got your dress over your head, throwing it next to you. Will's eyes crossed as he saw the pattern of your bra, perfectly matching your panties.

"Let's be clear. You're not taking that off." His voice was so rasp and firm that it made you clench over nothing.

"I won't." On the other hand, yours was breaking, your mind already spinning from the alcohol and your arousal.

"Good girl." Will let these words escape him like it was the most natural thing to say but the effect it had on you was anything but natural. You let out some kind of pathetic whimper, your pussy clenching over nothing again as you kept staring at him through the screen.

"Touch yourself." He asked in a sombre tone. "Caress these breasts for me." He paused and watched your hand slip under your bra. "But don't you dare push it off."

Once again you obeyed him, one hand between your legs and the other up on your chest you started to gently play with yourself. As your breath accelerated and your eyes closed, Will's voice guided you through it.

"Yes, just like that."; "You're doing so good for me."; "Give this pussy what it wants, love."; "Finger fuck yourself for me."

Every single one of his words pushed you closer to the edge. You were getting so aroused that you started to moan loudly without realising it. Still completely focused on Will's voice and breathing, one of your hands slid into your panties, brushing over your clit before reaching your slit.

"Will." You sighed, calling him as you pushed your fingers in yourself. "Shit Will, it feels so fucking good."

Your voice was trembling as your fingers worked inside of you, hitting the sweet spot that had you screaming his name out.

"Fuck, you're so hot like that." You heard him unbuckle his belt as he said those words and you dared to open your eyes back to look at him. "'Making me so hard."

His cheeks were red, his breathing erratic and he was working rapidly to take his jeans and underwear off. His dilated pupils didn't leave you as he started to pump himself, ecstasy in his chest.

Your orgasm drew closer and closer to the point that the pleasure made your arched back, your hips rocking against your hand to chase your release. Your eyes closed back and you bit your lower lips to restrain your moans. On the other side, Will didn't even try to hide his groans and curses. He just kept swearing as he admired the way your body bent over the mattress, your lingerie wet and out of place.

Will loved the fact that you listened to him, that you kept the pieces on even if it was more inconvenient than everything else. But what could have he done? The colour of the set was so pretty on your skin, contrasting perfectly but yet complementing you totally. At this very moment, he could have died to be allowed to put his lips on you, on your skin, to have his fingers caressing the wet fabric of your panties and to have his mouth cover one of your nipples.

"Let me see you come, please." He begged as if it was not something that was going to happen from the beginning but you still let it go, too far gone in your own pleasure.

"If only you were here." You pleaded, the hand that you had on your chest leaving it to come to draw circles on your clit as you heard a shaky sound escape him.

"Yeah, if only I was here." He paused, closing his eyes violently as his thumb caressed his tip. "Shit baby. I would eat you out like I never did. I want to drown in your lingerie. Fuck- I'll suffocate in your scent."

The idea of him lapping you like his life depended on it was enough. Your climax hit you with a strength you barely knew was possible. It was so good that you kept your movements for seconds later, fucking yourself longer than you should have just to keep feeling this rapture.

Will delight himself with this image of you, his own orgasm washing over him quickly as he called your name again and again, like a supplication, like you could deliver him.

Strained you picked up your phone and fell out on the bed, lying down completely on the cover.

"Will I-" You didn't even have finished your sentence when you noticed in which state he was. His hair had gone in all directions, and he was a complete mess, maybe worse than you. His gaze was still full of lust like he hadn't had enough, like it couldn't be enough.

"I miss you." He sighed his face dropping in his hands.

"Do you miss me or do you miss fucking me, hm?" You were only teasing him but his timing was terrible as always.

"Both?" He dared to look up at you, a grin settling on his lips.

"Of course you do." Your eyes rolled back and you chuckled, Will's smile not leaving him.

You both laughed, looking at each other with hooded eyes as fatigue won over you. You couldn't wait to see him again, phone calls weren't enough but at least it was better than nothing. "I miss you too Will." You admitted and his smile turned into a more tender one.

"I know baby. I'll buy you plenty of lingerie when I'll be home so that next time you'll have new clothes to fuck yourself in."

You "pfft" him, imagining him with billions of lingerie bags just because he liked watching you and you found that idea kind of sweet. In the end, Will may not be here physically but he was always making sure to remind you how he was here emotionally. You were like a princess trapped in a tower but you were not alone. Goldilocks was here for you.

#will ramos #lorna shore #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #smut

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anjuschiffer · 1 month ago

Text

Repairing a Broken Hero (if you can even call me that...) - Chapter 4

Updating two stories in one day, bonkers I know XD

tags: @toodaloo-kangaroo @vixen-uchiha @angie500 @fairlyfatale @battybatbat

Chapter 4

FIRST | PREV | AO3

“What’s a Guardian?” Cass asked, turning to Tim who only shrugged.

“First time hearing this as well.”

“Bats, did you know she was a Guardian?” John asked, feeling his headache get worse. “Actually, let’s take a step back. How did you find this kid?”

There was only one type of magic that made him feel like this and he really hoped he wasn't right.

“A new recruit. A solo hero from Paris who uses what she calls Miraculi to-“

“It just had to be a bloody- the fuck did you get me into, Bats?” John quickly opened a portal and stepped into it before being pulled back.

“John. I need you to-“ Constantine jerked his arm away from Bruce.

“Let me tell you one thing.” He jabbed a finger at Bruce. “I do not fuck with bloody miraculous magic one bit.

Ancient magic, sure. But miraculous magic? That shits older than ancient magic. It created ancient magic.

The way it runs through your body and corrodes your soul?” Constantine blanched at the thought, the memory of his first encounter with it many years ago. He quickly pushed the memory to the back of his mind. “What’s even worse is that this kid is a high level miraculous user who’s pretty tuned with her element.” Constantine let out a huff he didn’t know he was holding in. “You’re on your own for this one Bats.

I don’t know what you did to her, but the next time you see her, I suggest-”

“Constantine. She’s out there on her own.” Bruce reminded him. “She doesn’t know where else to-“

“Didn’t you hear me?” Constantine scoffed. “She doesn’t want to be fucking found.

If she did, she would’ve dispelled her magic and let us find her. Seeing as she didn’t, she must be pretty pissed-”

“But I’m asking you to find her.” Bruce growled, glowering at Constantine. “So find her.”

The two stared at each other before Constantine let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well…there’s one way to find her without her magic interfering with mine.”

“Which would be?”

“Well rather than locate, it’ll help you talk with her.” Everyone waited with baited breath. “You’ll need another miraculous.”

The kids in the room groaned. They were back to where they started.

“Hey. At least I’m trying.”

“Where would we even find another-“

“Hey. I don’t know all the answers in the universe, Batsy.” Constantine took out a cigarette and lit it. “And I may be a magic user but that also doesn’t mean I know about every little branch of magic out there.

Especially about the Miraculi. They’ve been hidden for centuries.

So to find them?” John blew a smoke ring. “Got no clue. Bloody bastard who made them eons ago casted a spell to make them untraceable without a very specific item to be able to locate them.” John noticed one of the teens open their mouths to ask a question. “And you guessed. only Guardians can use them.

So unless you have said item or have a miraculous of your own,” Constantine shrugged. “Better off just leaving the bugger alone.”

The room went silent before the doors bursted open, a very pissed off Black Canary marching into the room.

“We need to talk.”

“And that’s my cue.” Constantine made another smoke ring before it made itself into a portal. “See ya around Batman. And next time, make the favor worth a while, alright mate?”

The portal closed the minute John fully stepped into it, leaving Bruce to face Dinah on his own.

Before she could open her mouth, Bruce sent her a glare which did not sit well with Dinah.

“Let’s speak elsewhere. Without prying ears.” Bruce warned, watching as some of the kids take a step back.

Dinah huffed but nodded in agreement.

“But know this. I’m only doing this for the kids. Not for you.”

Marinette sat at the table, knowing that they had to talk about everything they knew about the chamber that made her feral upon sight and that Victor held as a momentum of his late wife.

As fro her behavior, they agreed to sweep it under the rug and move on. Nothing comes from crying over spilled milk after all.

Learning about Gabriel Agreste and the mess he made in Paris took Victor a while to process as he filled Marinette with his side of the story where he could as she explained what went on before she got to Gotham.

Shortly after finishing his first cryogenic freezing chamber, Victor had received a voice message on his personal cell.

A man named Gabriel Agreste, a man was willing to pay all expenses for Victor to create another one and promises of backing him on any future endeavors.

But the moment Victor finished his second stasis chamber, Gabriel quickly dismissed him, using the latest scandal on Victor to cut off his funding.

“You will not make a fool of me! I know about the money you laundered from your previous employer. I know about the thief you are, Mr. Fries!

Once you finish installing the paper line, I want you gone. Gone!”

Gone went the hopes of being able to have the resources to help cure his wife, leading him to find out illegal ways to gather the necessary resources: thievery.

Victor didn’t blink an eye when he installed the chamber but there were oddities he should’ve asked about now that he recalled the events years later.

He should’ve asked about the butterfly farm surrounding her, the location of said farm being several meters below ground level, the lack of medical equipment… then again, magic was his last guess…

Hearing Marinette talk about the way Gabriel neglected his son while trying to revive his wife and then cast his life with his son aside to try and make a wish to bring her back…it sickened him.

What worsened his opinion on the man was hearing Gabriel blame his own child for not allowing him to bring his wife back to life, for being the cause of her death despite his wife’s very wish of having said child.

He was happy to hear about the man’s death despite it being odd to know that no one knew how the man was killed despite being in a highly secured compound in prison though he could have cared less. Good riddance if you asked him.

But now came Marinette’s reason for coming to Gotham: finding her missing partner.

“How exactly is this John Constantine going to help you?”

“He has a locating spell that might help me find Adrien.” Marinette said, twirling the pencil in her hand aimlessly as she stared at the blank page in front of her. “Since I couldn’t find Adrien using my magic, I will have to use a different branch’s magic to find him.”

It has been months since she held a pencil and more since she’s ever had blank paper in front of her that wasn’t going to be used to jot down information for a mission.

She stared at the items in front of her, not knowing what to do with either, settling on just dragging the graphite wherever it wanted to go.

Anything to help her mind wander away from the abyss of anxiety that was her mind.

Where are you Adrien?

“Magic.” Victor repeated, knowing that everything surrounding Marinette was not his field of expertise. That there was not much help he could offer besides giving her place to stay.

The journey that lays ahead of her will have to be her own. “I’m assuming you used the same spell to track Adrien to track Constantine, which led you here.” She nodded. “What if you fail to find him, or if you do find him, will he agree to help?”

“There’s always that, isn’t there?” Marinette began to draw circles, making clusters. “If he doesn’t agree, then there’s not much I can do.

I've lost touch with those of the Temple and as I don’t own a Guardian Staff-“ A magical item he presumed. “-finding Adrien on my own will be impossible. If I can get John to at least give me a vague area of where Adrien is, then that’s enough.”

“You mentioned a…Temple. Who are they?” Victor asked her, hoping they were allies of some sort to her. She didn’t need another group to be placing a target on her back.

“My higher ups, technically.” She groaned. “But the last time I talked to them I kinda flipped them off and vowed to never go back to them for help…so I can’t go back to ask them for help.

And to make matters worse, Su-Han tried to defend me but made matters worse so now everyone there -but him- hates me.”

Well, at least there was one person in that place that defended her.

“Hate is a strong word.”

“They casted a spell around the Temple to prevent me from entering and made sure to cover every centimeter of the mountain with magical traps.” Victor could only hum in response.

Guess she was on her own then.

“Now I’m wondering what exactly did you do for them to react that way.”

“Long story short, I told them I would use my magic for evil if they didn’t accept my current ranking.”

“I’m assuming they acknowledged you? Seeing as you are not using your magic for evil.”

Marinette laughed.

“Nope! They kicked me out the minute I finished my sentence!” She let one last laugh out before looking at her scribbling in front of her. It really was all over the place. “To be honest, I didn’t expect them to accept me.

I was the apprentice of a rogue Guardian, made a Guardian without the Temple’s approval and to top it all off, refused to renounce my magic once I defeated my enemy.”

“Renounce your magic?” Victor asked, perplexed by her explanation. Did magic users have to give up their livelihood after defeating their enemies? What if new ones arose? What then?

“You know how I said before that my powers were given to me by a goddess?” Victor nodded. “Well, I was never supposed to have received that power either so the Temple wanted me to renounce the power she invested in me. But I refused, got into a fight with them which resulted in my exile.”

“Did- feel free to not answer if it makes you uncomfortable- but did they try to forcibly take it from you?”

“Take what?” The power?” Victor nodded. Marinette grinned. “Oh, they tried! But what they didn’t know was I formed a contract with the goddess before I even got to the Temple.

If the goddess was okay with me keeping with her powers, then there was nothing the Temple could do to take them back. After all, her word is final and the Temple had to respect that.”

A silence overcame them, Victor doing his best to absorb it all. Once he filed everything into his memory, he dared to ask the question he had wanted to ask since the beginning.

“Are you sure that Constantine will be able to find your friend? Is there really nothing else you can try? What about giving a spell of yours another try to locate your friend?”

While Victor knew nothing about the magical world, there was one thing he did know: never fully trust a man you knew little of.

“I wouldn’t be looking for Constantine if at least one of my methods worked, now would I?” Marinette grimaced, dragging the pencil across the paper, ripping it in half. “If my magic had worked, then I wouldn’t be-”

“So how do you plan on making sure Constantine doesn’t con you? Based on what you just told me, you don’t know much about him, do you?” Marinette pursed her lips. “Were you planning on just blindly-”

“I may seem optimistic but ’m not naive enough to not think of that possibility.” Marinette blurted out.

“So then, what’s your plan?”

Victor watched as Marrinette wiped her hand across her face, a mask appearing from thin air. She summoned her yo-yo and dragged her finger across it, opening it up.

He watched as she dipped her hand inside and pulled out a few vials containing unknown powders, scales and pieces of hair?

“Oh don’t worry about those. Those are mine.” Marinette chuckled when she saw his concerned face as she finally pulled out a small bowl.

“Do you ever get called a witch?”

“Considering I ran an apothecary before deciding to come here…yes. Though that came more from the children than the adults themselves.”

“And what do you plan on doing with all these,” he eyes the vial with what he deemed to believe was slime, “ingredients?”

“A binding truth serum…I’m kidding! I’m going to make a binding truth serum and the basis to my locator spell!”

Marinette lifted a vial, watching as the glittery orange liquid moved around.

I’ll find you Adrien…just wait for me, okay?

“Can you stop acting like divorced parents fighting over their kid’s custody?” Tim shouted, causing Bruce to flinch and Dinah to huff as she took a step back. “You’ve been at it for half an hour. Just drop it.”

The adults looked at each other before they decided to sit back down because he was right.

They were both at fault and should be thinking about Red Beetle and not point fingers at each other. They can do that later. Right now, they had a vigilante to find.

“…any leads then?” Dinah spoke up after a brief silence.

“Constantine was our last bet.”

“There’s Zatanna?” Dinah tried to suggest.

“She was pissed when I told her Bruce had asked Constantine for help first before her.” Tim chirped in.

“So nothing?”

“Only if I can get hold of a person who wields a miraculous.”

“A what?”

“Magical item that will allow us to contact Red Beetle and for that matter give Red her abilities.” Tim explained.

“Like Jaime’s beetle?” Dinah asked, only then Bruce realized he should’ve asked Constantine what they looked like. But then again, it looked like he didn’t know what they looked like either. “I’m guessing no.”

“Constantine doesn’t know what they look like, only knows how to find them. He mentioned Red Beetle being very well tuned to hers and could be contacted-“ Bruce turned to Tim. “Pull up the files we have on Red Beetle.”

“On it!” Tim whipped out his tablet, quickly opening up some files. “What are we looking for?”

“Beetle was originally from Paris, stating she was a hero there for 7 years, taking down a villain called Hawkmoth. Despite this, there was barely any evidence to back up her claims.”

“But didn’t Clark mention feeling off while visiting Paris with you?” Dinah brought up, remembering the week-long excursion to gather evidence about that supposed villain. “Something about the area covered in a thin miasma of magic?” Bruce nodded.

“We were not able to find any traces of the fight between Hawkmoth and Red Beetle, but we did find a single monument honoring the heroes that fought and a few magical traces left behind by the aftermath of the fight.” Bruce continued. “Tim.” He motioned for the tablet.

Tim handed it over, Bruce quickly opening up a file. He projected it onto a nearby screen. “The streets of Paris were emitting high levels of magic particles, some places like the Arc of Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower emitting the highest.

According to some citizens, during Hawkmoth’s active days, most fights did happen around those two places. But what stood out the most during the investigation was the high levels of concentrated magic at a school called Dupont.”

Bruce pulled up an image of the school. “Turns out most of the ‘akumas’ Hawkmoth created came from this school-”

“Akumas were people Hawkmoth brainwashed to fight on ’his behalf’. “ Tim provided with air quotes when he caught Dinah about to ask a question.

“Thank you Tim. Most of his soldiers came from his school but what also caught our interest were that some of the alumni from this school have high readings of magic surrounding them. We compiled a list of students who had high levels of magical readings and found these kids.”

On the screen, photos of a particular class were shown, Tim quickly recognizing the faces. “These were Beetle’s classmates she grew up with.”

“Then they should probably know-”

“They’ve had all their memories wiped of the Hawkmoth incident and to make matters worse, do not recall being friends with Red Beetle.” Bruce filled her in. “Furthermore, none of them aren’t even sure if such a classmate even went to school with them.”

“So how are we-”

“We have two leads we can trust, but can only really use one lead as the other is missing.” Bruce pulled up a picture. “Adrien Agreste: Red Beetle has been trying to find him for some time now and he’s the reason behind her recruitment to the Justice League.”

“And what is this other lead you mentioned?” Dinah dared to ask, watching Bruce show a picture of- “What does Jagged Stone’s son have to do with-”

“Aside from the kids in her class, he is the only other kid at that time who also had a high reading of magic.”

“And you think he might know where Beetle might-”

“No. But he might know her well enough to help us figure out what her next move could be.”

“Bruce!” Tim shouted, raising his arm and pointed to his watch. “We’ll miss the concert!”

“Concert?” Dinah furrowed her brow. “Bruce, we’re in the middle of-”

“Couffaine is playing a concert in Gotham and I managed to get Tim and I two VIP tickets to see him.” Bruce walked to the doorway. “We’ll try to get some information from him there. I’ll keep you updated.”

“-riled up to see Luka Couffaine-” Marinette whipped her head so fast, feeling bile rise to her mouth before swallowing it back down.

She was pouring her serum into small vials, when she heard a name she had long forgotten about and should’ve kept in touch with this entire time.

“Listen to him?” Victor asked her, looking at the tv screen he insisted on having on while Marinette was creating her serum just moments ago. “Apparently he’s been a rising favorite for the youth here in Goth-”

“He’s my ex.” Marinette quickly told him, pouring the last vial and getting up.

“Your ex- Where are you going?”

“To see him…and possibly talk with him.”

“Just like that?”

“...yeah.”

“Do you have a ticket?”

“Nope!” She popped a ‘p’ as she kept walking to the exit of Victor’s hideout.

“Marinette, you’re not going to-”

“When there’s a will, there’s a way!” Marinette said with a grin. “And I’m not just going to go see him perform.” She dropped her smile. “I’m just going over to ask a favor.”

“Luka, I feel another miraculous nearby.” Sass warned Luka, Luka feeling his shoulders relax.

That would explain my uneasiness and the faint familiarity to the melody I’ve been hearing since we got here.

“But it’s not just any miraculous…its the Guardian’s.”

Luka froze.

Could it be Marinette?

When was the last time they-

“Mr.Couffaine! You’re up in ten!”

Seems like he would have to wait…he had a show to play now…and yet the question lingered as he walked to his place and rose to the platform above…

What was Marinette doing in Gotham?

#maribat #found family #post hawkmoth #JL salt

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toska-writes · 2 years ago

Text

“Safety in Numbers”

Summary: A huge thunderstorms strike the air, and it’s hard for someone with heighten sense and someone who spent their whole life in a war.

Pairing: Hunter x GN padawan reader (ok guess what.. I bet you don’t know. It’s Platonic!

Warning: hurt and comfort. PTSD mentions and such. Blood but it’s only mentioned once and nondescript. We love dad Hunter here!

Word count: 942

Notes: if you want to be added to my tag list comment or message me! Also feel free to suggest any ideas!

BOOM.

Thunder struck the ground as you tossed back over in your bunk. As silly as it was your blanket formed a protective layer between you and the storm.

You’d been awake for hours. Thunder struck since the early hours of the night making sleep vacant.

BOOM.

Every time you closed your eyes the noise echoed through your skull, it sounded a little too familiar and the memories it brought back weren’t pleasant.

You saw their faces flashing across your vison, the horrific scenes played out over and over again. If you really concentrated you could smell it as well.

Smoke, sweat, and blood.

Lighting flashed and the whole ship shook with the force of the invisible thunder. You couldn’t take it anymore. Someone else had to be awake right? Maybe a walk would help clear your head.

You’d never wake a sleeping member of the crew you were currently stationed with, which was Clone Force 99. They needed just as much sleep as you were missing right now.

You stumbled from your bunk, every time a new sound was made you froze making the journey to the cockpit ever so slow. Clearly the walking idea was out.

Breath in 1 2, breath out. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can get you. You thought over and over once again.

But with every loud noise that thought slipped further and further away from you.

BOOM.

Coming to the cock pit you weren’t necessarily surprised to see the sergent of Clone Force 99 still awake.

Hunter sat in one of the front seats facing the dark scenery where rain banged against the glass. Hunter leaned slightly into his arm that propped him up, both hands were cupped around his face.

Without giving his unfortunate circumstances you’d almost think he looked at peace watching the rain, like he enjoyed it.

He still picked up your steps over the loud noises raging outside as he quickly turned to look at you spinning in his chair.

You gave him a small smile, by no means did it reach your eyes. “Hey.” The words barely slipped past your teeth and you stood there wondering if you said them at all.

“What’s wrong kid?” Hunter spoke softly, clearly he saw your tear stained face and best attempt at a comforting smile. Nothing could get past him, even in the dark.

“Nothing,” You shook your head slightly. “Just… couldn’t sleep is all.”

He gave you a slight look but didn’t press further, he didn’t need his heightened sense to tell him you were on edge and uncomfortable. Scared even.

Another bolt of lighting strikes the ground creating a huge boom right along after it, suddenly Hunter was on his feet and met you in the middle of the cockpit where you stumbled too.

“Shhh kid it’s ok, I got ya. I don’t like it either. It’s ok ” Hunter rambled into your ear. He held you tightly to his chest rocking back and forth for a moment.

You looked up at him, the pain on his face and the wavering of him in the force told you all you needed to know. “I got you too Hunter alright, Safety in numbers am I right?” You tried to joke but all you felt was numbness.

Hunter held you tighter walking back over to the seat he just vacated. The two of you squished in together. “Don’t worry about me kid, been dealing with loud noises and such for a while.”

Hunter looked down at your huddled form, he could feel the racing heartbeat in your chest.

This was wrong. “I’m so sorry kid.” He spoke into your hair. “You should be playing in the rain, watching it fall, be scared of it if you want but it shouldn’t be like this.”

BOOM.

Hunter wasn’t sure why he was angry or at who but seeing you now experiencing fear and hurt of this level sat wrong with him.

Another boom came, the noise rang in the skull of the trooper. Why him? He understood Crosshairs own struggles sometimes knowing his brother if he were here with you instead would have a problem with the lights that flashed across the sky. But as his head throbbed he almost could admit he was jeoulse of his sleeping brothers.

The duo sat in the chair quietly, muffled tears and whimpers were lost to the raging storm just outside.

Hunter looked down now after a while, the rise and fall of your body wasn’t perfect but it meant that you were asleep hopefully having a dreamless sleep. How could something like this happen to a kid like this? A good kid.

Hunter stood now with you still tightly bundled in his arms. He made is way back through the ship trying not to jump when the thunder struck yet again.

Setting you in his bunk he watched you for a moment in the dark.

“I’m sorry for this life vod’ika.” He whispered “But we can have safety in numbers if you want.”

He slowly climbed into the bunk after you, making sure some part of him protected you from the storm on the exterior of the ship. An arm of his draped over your shoulder and chest pulling you closer.

Sleep never welcomed Hunter that night, not as long as you were asleep. Knowing you too well that you’d wake up while the storm would still be going, disoriented from sleep and scared.

If he could stop that and comfort you for just a second making you feel safer. In Hunters book that’s worth losing a little sleep.

He felt you shift beside him, grasping firmly to his arm.

Safety in numbers, it always works.

—————————————————————

Taglist: @arctrooper69

#star wars clone wars #clone wars #the clone boys #my writing #star wars #the clone wars #tbb hunter #sergeant hunter #hunter x reader #clone force 99 #the bad batch #bad batch #clone x reader #jedi padawan #toska-writes #reader insert

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anticidic · 15 hours ago

Text

thanks for tagging me @frankenjoly @marichild and @saoirseyun <3 (I meant to do this eventually but three time's the charm)

20 questions for fic writers!

How many works do you have on AO3?

24 (but really 25, but one of them is written by a friend and I am merely a spectator and not really a cowriter)

what's your total ao3 word count?

406,373 words

what fandoms do you write for?

Only Bungo Stray Dogs, though I keep toying with the idea of writing for others (and then never do).

what are your top five fics by kudos?

from a to o, i love you so — omegaverse A/A -> A/O Soukoku piece

foiled fables — Kitsune!Dazai and human!Chuuya AU

with me, disaster finds a playfield — omegaverse Beast AU

letters to my chosen one — Angel!Dazai and Demon!Chuuya AU

bad days, good nights — Dazai birthday fic

do you respond to comments? why or why not?

Yes 💖 I do my best to respond to all of them because I appreciate others taking the time out to read and comment their thoughts, even if it's a simple emoji

what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

still the snowflakes fall — A what-if had Dazai been a part of the Decay of Angels instead. It doesn't end well for anyone involved.

what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think probably from a to o, i love you so. Because it's about Dazai waking up one morning and losing a critical part of his identity and suddenly everything he knows is a lie. But despite fumbling, he comes to accept a new reality because, as Chuuya puts it, he's still Dazai. That core part of him hasn't changed.

do you get hate on fics?

Not really. I've gotten dumb trollish comments and people demanding for requests but I've shut them down

do you write smut?

wildly gestures to almost my entire catalog of fics And I'll do it again

do you write crossovers?

No, but I've wanted to write fusions. Like dropping bsd characters into Genshin or Honkai Star Rail or Psycho-Pass or something. Some of my fics have been loosely inspired by games or things I've watched but I definitely wouldn't call them crossovers.

have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge, but I hope not jkdkjskj

have you ever had a fic translated?

I've had a few requests for one of my recent fics to be translated 👀 I'm over the moon every time someone asks

have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I SUPPOSE Darling, Some Things Are Meant to Be counts in a very roundabout way. @ohhcinnybuns gets full credits for the actual fic on there, but we go back and forth on here writing Snow White!Dazai and Prince!Chuuya ficlets (hey, go check out our fairytale playlist for them, I'm obsessed)

what's your all time favourite ship?

Probably IwaOi and ShuAke

what's the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I started a zombie apocalypse-flavored omegaverse in anticipation of finishing it for omegaverse week and that never happened. I'm feeling ambitious but I also have a lot of events I'm participating in at the moment and ongoing fics that need prioritizing.

what are your writing strengths?

Painting scenes and going into depth about character motives and inner thoughts! Also, tying subplots into the overarching plot. I love worldbuilding and creating seemingly insignificant backstories for characters that end up playing major roles down the road.

what are your writing weaknesses?

The last time I did this tag game, I said dialogue, and that was a couple of months ago now but I feel like I've made major improvements in that area with my recent stuff. I'm becoming a lot more comfortable with fleshing out the plot through characters interacting with one another than in exposition and narrative. Now, I'd say editing. I tend to second guess myself and will scrap several thousands-worth of words if something's not working and then rewrite it all over again because I can't pick out what exactly is wrong with something.

thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I write Japanese honorifics simply because I feel like it reads a little better, but that's about it since most of what I write takes place in Japan.

first fandom you wrote for?

K-Pop help it was so long ago...we don't talk about those days...

favourite fic you've ever written?

hunter's season my beloved. It's a Dark Era omegaverse fic revolving around Dazai/Chuuya, with Dazai who thought he was an alpha but turns out he was really living a lie his whole life and finds out the hard way after taking some tampered medications.

no pressure tags: @altruistic-meme @monkey-banana41 @chuuyaspinkmotorcycle @calmlb @bloodsherry

#tag game #fic writer game #i'm so embarrassed abt the first fandom pls have mercy #it was an ancient amount of years ago when i was a wee kid #i'm onto Bigger and Better Things ™ now #and that's the story of how i circled around to the bsd fandom - not really

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bp-zb1fics · 2 years ago

Note

hey could you make some one shots w kum junhyeon where he says something mean to reader but then he regret it at the end

You didn’t have to say it like that

pairing: kum junhyeon x s/o reader

pronouns: none used

genre: canon au, angst ish, fluff, hurt-comfort

tw/tags: junhyeon confession flashback, bp finale aftermath, intrusive thoughts, junhyeon going through it, harsh words, giving space, apologies, cuddling

wc: 729

summary: your boyfriend has many words to say and sometimes some of them hurt.

a/n last lil drabble before I take a smol break to work on finals 😭 ~ pls love, appreciate and enjoy!

check my pinned for more fics!

You know Junhyeon talks a lot. Maybe a little too much sometimes. The words just flow out until some of them end up tangled in others, switching places, creating completely new meanings. You know this because that’s how he confessed to you.

“I know me really like you, will I go out with you?”

You stare for a second. Then, you laugh.

“Well, I hope you will.”

It takes him about a minute of celebrating before he realises exactly what he had said.

Everyone you told was amazed that you understood him so fast.

After the finale, he’s the quietest you’ve ever seen him. Sure, he’s smiling, handing out his enthusiastic congratulations to the debut members, greeting the other trainees. But as soon as the cameras are off and he joins you backstage, Junhyeon shuts off.

It isn’t the good kind of silence either. More like something uncomfortable is buried underneath his skin, emanating from him in an oddly dark dejected way. He moves mechanically, following behind as you unlock the door. It’s late and he just sits there. You sit with him.

“How are you feeling?” You venture tentatively, a little unsure of how to navigate around this Junhyeon. You’ve seen him angry, sad, tired, deliriously happy and downright silly but this seemed like something else entirely.

“I dunno, just tired I guess.”

“You’ve worked hard. You should rest.”

He laughs humorlessly.

“That’s what all of them told me. You’ve worked hard, Junhyeon-ah. You’lll get there, Junhyeon-ah. You did your best. Is this my best? Okay, maybe with my rank, I shouldn’t expect anything but I was close. I could’ve made it. But I didn’t, and I should have expected that but-”

He’s breathing so hard that you’re a little worried.

“They told me to prepare myself. Hoetaek-hyung, Jongwoo-hyung, even Kamden-hyung and Seungeonie were ready for it. So how come I wasn’t, huh? How could I even expect to-”

“Hyeoni, I-”

“No. You don’t get it. Just, just don’t say anything.”

His voice is quiet and fierce and ice cold and he’s never spoken to you that way. And it hurt, honestly, it did.

Of course, you didn’t get it. You were just another member of the audience, looking at what was happening from the outside. Maybe dating Junhyeon gave you a little more to work with than an average person but you still watched through the screen as they edited these boys down into characters and fit them into specific shelves for applause. You watched. Junhyeon lived that.

So no, you really didn’t get it. But he didn’t have to say it that way. He’s upset, angry, sad, frightfully so because he put months of work into this program and while not everyone got to stand in the spotlight in the end, he’s told you how addicting it is once you get a taste.

You don’t say anything. You get up and go take a shower. Maybe you let a few tears flow while the water’s running, to soothe the sharp ache in your chest. The shower goes until your skin is pink from the heat and tender to touch. You get dressed, do your skincare, dry your hair and go to bed, resisting the urge to check on your boyfriend again.

Junhyeon slips in beside you when you’re dozing off, hair haphazardly dried, skin as pink as yours.

“I’m sorry.” He murmurs. “I shouldn’t have said those things.”

“You weren’t wrong,” you whisper back.

“I still shouldn’t have said it that way.” he tells you. “I was frustrated and mad at myself and I took it out on you.”

“It’s fine, I think. Just let me know if you’re feeling like that and you want to talk and you just want me to listen.”

“Okay.” He agrees. “I’m sorry again.”

You open your arms and he slips between them, letting you hold him.

“It will be fine.” He says both to you and to himself. “The company said they’ve got plans for us too if we don't make it.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Your eyes are so heavy, all too soothed by the smell of his shampoo and how warm he is.

“I get the whole week off, I think. We should do something tomorrow.”

“Okay, Hyeoni.”

He gives you a quick kiss before relaxing into the sheets.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Hyeoni”

“Dream of me~”

Maybe you will.

#boys planet #boys planet fics #boys planet x reader #boys planet mnet #boys planet drabbles #boys planet 999 #kpop fics #kpop scenarios #kpop fanfic #kpop fanfics #kum junhyeon #kum junhyeon x reader #kum junhyeon fic #kum junhyeon drabble #fic request #bp-zb1fics

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chickensarentcheap · 1 year ago

Text

Lost and Found- Chapter 23

Fandom: Extraction

Pairing: Tyler Rake and Esme Drummond (OFC. But you do not have to read the others in the series to understand this fic.)

Tagging: @tragiclyhip@munstysmind@themaradwrites@youflickedtooharddamnit@secretaryunpaid@kmc1989@thebejeweledwatercat@asirensrage@theesirenteller@residentdormouse@arrthurpendragon@ocappreciation@occommunity@karimac@alisbackalleybbq@ninjasawakenedmystar

Link to Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43179357/chapters/131266804

My tag list is OPEN. Please just let me know if you’d like to be added :D

*****

Esme lingers in the near distance, watching Millie as she busies herself at the table by the living room windows; her hair dishevelled and unruly, wayward strands skimming the sides of her face and falling into her eyes. Her long, slender frame still clad in her pyjamas; an intentionally mismatched set comprising traditional brown and grey camo leggings and a neon pink shirt decorated with bright yellow stars. Attention riveted on her creative pursuits; kneeling on one of the chairs, the tabletop covered in sheets of different coloured paper, markers, and both pencil and traditional crayons.

The little one looks so much like her in that moment of intense concentration: the furrowed brow, the narrowed eyes, the top teeth tucked over her bottom lip. Even fresh out of the womb, she’d borne a startling resemblance to him. Arriving in the world with a headful of thick, dirty blond tresses, sparkling blue eyes, and that long torso and lanky limbs. And shockingly big feet and hands. And despite not spending her first four years in his presence, she somehow carries quite a number of his mannerisms and quirks; the stubbornness, the resiliency, the naturally occurring love for animals and a seemingly fearless, bold curiosity that knows no limits.

For Esme, it had been so bittersweet. Longing to be a mother for so long, she had found herself alone and overwhelmed, yet blessed with a beautiful little girl who was the spitting of the man who helped create her.

The one she had lost, but had loved beyond all comprehension. And always would.

She lightly raps her knuckles against the wall in an effort to grab Millie’s attention. “Hey…”

The four-year-old glances up and over; a broad, dimpled smile replacing the frown of concentration. “Momma! Hi!”

“What’cha doin’, babes?”

“Just drawing and colouring some stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“Just all the stuff I like best. Animals and birds and rainbows and flowers and the places that you and I would always go to. Like the library, and the Statue of Liberty, and the fountain at Central Park. And Macy’s.”

“Macy’s, huh? Let me guess; what it looks like at Christmas?”

“Christmas is the best time to go there. All the lights and decorations and stuff. And the hot chocolate and those things we always get to eat. In the paper bag. That you got at the food cart.”

“Roasted chestnuts.”

“Those are soooo good. Do they have Christmas in Australia?”

“They definitely do.”

“Just no snow.”

“No. There won’t be any snow. But we could always travel somewhere where there is some. For Christmas time. I’m sure Tyler wouldn’t mind. He’s been in winter weather before.”

“Christmas is only a month and a bit away. Is that enough time? To let Santa know where I moved to? What if he comes to New York City and can’t find me?”

“There’s more than enough time to send him your new address. Once December first comes, we’ll write him a letter. Let him know where you’re living now. He won’t forget about you. I promise.”

Satisfied with the answer, Millie returns to the drawing in front of her. “I’m going to hang my pictures on the wall in my new bedroom. Tyler said I could. That I could decorate it myself. And that we could even go shopping! So I can pick out things I really like. He even said I could get a bike. And that he’ll teach me to ride it. IF it’s okay with you.”

“Of course that’s okay with me. You guys have been talking a lot, huh?”

“I like talking to him. He always lets me ask tons of questions. Even if they’re stupid ones. And he never gets mad at me. For talking too much. Alessio always got mad. He said I was too noisy.”

“I’m sorry. That Alessio was mean to you. And I’m sorry that I didn’t do something about it. That I didn’t take you away from him.”

“You always told him off! When he was mean to me. You never let him get away with it. Especially when he threw away my sandals. You REALLY lost it on him! It was awesome!”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. To defend you. Keep you safe. You know that, right?”

“Mmhmm. ‘Cause you’re my momma. And you love me.”

“I do. I DO love you. I love you so very, very, VERY much. And that’s why I need to have a little chat with you about something. About how things are going to go down today. When we finally get out of here.”

“When do we have to try and get away from the bad guys?”

Her mother nods. “Do you think I could join you? Sit with you for a little bit? Have our talk, and then you let you go back to what you’re doing?”

“Okay.” She hurriedly gathers up the loose pieces of paper, caps the markers, and settles everything into a neat pile. “Can I show you my pictures first? I think they’re really good. That you’ll REALLY like them.”

“I would love to see them.” Settles on the edge of the bed, Esme combs her fingers through Millie’s hair as the little one proudly shows off her creations: brightly coloured drawings of all of her favourite animals, princesses, superheroes, her rendition of Macy’s at Christmas, and the fountain and ducks in Central Park.

“And I made this!” Millie holds aloft the final piece. “It’s my best one! That’s me and you and…”

“How come you made me so short? I’m almost as small as you are.”

“‘Cause you’re really tiny, mom. I’m going to be taller than you soon.”

“You’re four years old, I highly doubt that.”

“I bet you when I’m ten, I'll be taller than you!”

“You know, for such a cute little thing, you’re a savage.”

“...and that’s Tyler. I made it with all three of us ‘cause we’re going to be living together, so that makes us a family! He IS family, right?”

“He definitely is.”

“And that’s his dog, Lucy. He showed me a picture of her. So I could draw her. I love her already. I always wanted a dog.”

“And a rabbit and a ferret and a bearded dragon. Along with a whole list of other animals. You’ll have to go easy on Lucy, okay? She’s getting older. Slowing down. And I’m sure things are starting to hurt.”

“Tyler said maybe all she needs is a little kid around. To have fun with. That maybe she’ll be so excited, she’ll act like a puppy again. I really hope she likes me.”

“She’ll love you. For sure. She’s a very sweet girl.”

“Mom, can I ask you something? Without you getting mad?”

“Why would I ever get mad at you? There’s nothing you could ask that would ever upset me.”

“Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent. There’s nothing you can’t talk to me about. You know that. What’s going on? What’s up?”

“You remember how you said that one day you’d take me to meet my dad? My REAL dad?”

“I remember.”

“I kinda changed my mind. I don’t think I want to meet him anymore.”

“Why not? What happened?”

“Well, if we’re going to be living with Tyler, that means he’s gonna be my dad. Maybe not the dad that helped make me, but the dad that’s going to help you take care of me. Until I’m old enough to take care of myself.”

“Okay…”

“I love Tyler. With all my heart. He’s my second bestie. And if my real dad comes along, he might not like that. That Tyler is around and that I love him and like being with him and living with him. And he might get upset and not let me see Tyler anymore. That would really make me sad. If I couldn’t see him.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that. I don’t think your dad…”

“I don’t want to take any chances. So it’s just better if I don’t meet him; if he stays a secret, and I just wonder about him. I just want it to be us. You and me and Tyler. And Lucy. I don’t want anyone changing that.”

“Honey, I don’t…”

“Please, momma?” Millie’s voice quivers with emotion as tears sparkle in her eyes. “Please don’t make me meet him. I don’t want to ruin things. I want them to stay the way they are. I don’t want him trying to take me away. I just want to stay with you and Tyler and Lucy. Please?”

“Alright…” Cradling her daughter’s cheeks in her palms, Esme turns her head up towards her and places a kiss on her lips. “...we’ll keep things the way they are. But there’s something I need to tell you. And it’s really important and…”

“About my dad?”

“Yeah, about your dad.”

“Momma, no! I don’t want to hear it. I don’t…”

“Millie, it’s not what you think. It’s not bad. It’s very good, actually. It’s very, very, VERY good. Please just let me say it? I really need to say it?”

“I don’t want to hear it. I don’t…”

“Tyler’s your dad. Your REAL dad. He’s not just an old boyfriend that I got back together with. He’s so much more than that. He always has been.”

“That’s impossible. He CAN’T be my dad.”

“He is, sweets. There is no doubt about it. There was no one else but him. In my life. He’s the person who helped make you. He’s…”

“If he was my dad, he would have known about me BEFORE. He wouldn’t have just met me.”

“It’s a long and complicated story and…” Her voice trails off as the main door to the suite clicks open. And she returns Tyler’s warm yet apologetic smile with a shaky, nervous one of her own.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be this late.” Affectionately ruffling Millie's hair, he lays a hand on Esme’s shoulder, and drops a kiss on the top of her head. “I got tied up with work stuff. We were going over some things, and people were disagreeing about them and…” He frowns as he notices her discomfort, then runs a hand over her hair, and squeezes the nape of her neck. “What’s going on? You alright? You don’t…”

Tears threaten as Esme shakes her head. “I told her. The truth. About you. I didn’t mean to do it. Just she was talking about her dad, and I just blurted out. I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I know that we were going to wait and tell her together, but…”

“It’s okay. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You didn’t do anything wrong. Hey…” Dropping to a knee alongside Millie’s chair, he gives a comforting smile and then places his palm on the top of her head; thumb repeatedly stroking her brow. “...you alright? What’s going on?”

“It’s not true, is it? That you’re my dad. There’s no way it’s true.”

“It’s true. Your mom isn’t lying, I AM your dad.”

“You can’t be. I’m four. And we just met! If you were my dad, we would have met before. You would have known since I was in mummy’s tum!”

“Tyler didn’t know,” Esme informs her daughter. “He had no clue you were ever in my tummy.”

“How could he not know? It’s obvious when there’s a baby in someone’s tummy!”

“He never knew about you, Amelia. He had no clue you were even on the way. I left before I found out about you.”

“Why did you leave? You didn’t love him?”

“I didn’t leave because I didn’t love him. I left because I did.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. NONE of this makes any sense.”

“Your mom got into some trouble,” Tyler attempts an explanation; eager to tell the truth, but keep it simple and short enough for a little one to understand. “With some really bad people. And she was worried that I was going to get hurt. Or worse. We had already been through something really bad together, and I wasn’t healthy enough to fight back and keep her safe. That’s the only reason she left. So nothing would happen to ME.”

“But mom said you had no clue I was ever in her tummy. Why didn’t she tell you?”

“Because there was still trouble. And once she found out she was having you, all of a sudden, there were three people to keep safe. Her, me, and YOU. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. Before you were even born. And she’d wanted to be a mom for so long, and she was so happy that you were on the way that she did whatever she had to. To protect you.”

“But what about AFTER? After all the bad stuff? She must have told you about me then. I’m FOUR! There’s no way you just found out about me. Didn’t you want me?”

“I didn’t know about you. Until I came here. That was the first time I met you. I wouldn’t lie. Millie. I didn’t know you even existed. Because believe me, if I had? There’s nothing…or no one…that could have stopped me from being with you. AND your mum. We would have been a family. Long before now.”

Millie turns narrowed, accusing eyes towards her mother. “Why didn’t you tell him? About me?”

“Because I was stupid. And selfish.”

“You’re stupid, alright.”

“Hey…” Tyler’s tone is firm. Scolding. “...don’t talk to your mum like that. Don’t ever say those things to her.”

“I hate her! For lying to me! And to you!”

“No. You don’t. You don’t hate her.”

“I do. I DO hate her.”

“I can’t do this.” Esme holds her hands up in surrender. And a play for mercy. “ I can’t HEAR this. I just can’t. I’m sorry. I can’t…”

Tyler reaches for her, fingertips brushing across the top of her hand as she moves further away. “It’s alright, Me. Just sit down. Just sit down and breathe and…”

“I need some air. Or some water. Something. Anything. I’m sorry. I am so sorry.”

He heaves a sigh as she flees the room; running a hand over his weary, unshaven face before turning his attention back to Millie.

She remains steadfast. Unapologetic. “I DO hate her.”

“Listen to me.” He takes his daughter’s face in his hands. “ That is your mum. And she loves you more than she loves anything or anyone in this world. More than she even loves herself. And she’s been a good mum, yeah? A REALY good mum?”

The four-year-old offers a reluctant nod.

“Everything she did? She did it to protect you. And me. It doesn’t matter if we agree with it or not. Doesn’t matter if we even really understand. We don’t know what she was going through. What she HAS been going through. Only she knows those things. But what I DO know? I know it wasn’t easy for her to leave. I know she didn’t want to go. I know she wanted to have a life with me. She wanted to get married and have kids; she wanted us to grow really old and really gray together. But she didn’t have much of a choice. She wasn’t given one. And she wasn’t taking any chances. With me OR you.”

“I’m angry. At her.”

“But you don’t hate her.”

Millie shakes her head.

“It’s okay to be angry, Amelia. It’s okay to be pissed off and for your heart to hurt. Mine does. It’s hurt nearly every second of every day for the last five years. I have missed your mum so much. I never stopped loving her. I never will. But just because I love her and I would do anything for her doesn’t mean I’m not angry at her. That I don’t get upset with her sometimes. But I don’t hate her. I never could.”

“Why? Why don’t you hate her? You should.”

“No. I shouldn’t. Because I don’t know what she was going through. The things she was thinking. How she was feeling. It hasn’t been easy for her. These last five years. She didn’t want to leave me. She HAD to. And she has her reasons; for not telling me about you. I don’t pretend to understand them. But one day I will. And one day, I won’t be angry anymore. And neither will you.”

“But right now…”

“Right now, you’re pissed off. And you’re hurt, yeah?”

The little girl nods.

“So am I. And that’s alright. To feel this way. And you know who told me that? Your mom. She was the one who told me that it's okay to be angry and sad. That she understands. But to say you hate her…”

“I don’t really. I don’t really hate her.”

“You said it to hurt her, didn’t you. You wanted her to be sad, too.”

“I wanted her heart to hurt. Like mine.”

“Believe me, Millie, it already does. It’s been hurting for five years. Your mum didn’t deserve that. You saying that to her. She isn’t some horrible person who did all of this to hurt you. Or me. She thought she was doing the right thing. And even though all the bad stuff was finished and she still didn’t tell me about you, she thought there was a reason she needed to protect herself. She was afraid. Of being hurt. That maybe I’d be so angry at her that I wouldn’t want her back. That I wouldn’t even want YOU.”

“But you would have, right? Wanted us?”

“I definitely would have wanted you. BOTH of you. And I’m sorry; that we didn’t get to meet before. That we didn’t know each other until now. But we got a lot of time left, yeah? For all of that?”

“Tons of time.”

“And I know that we’re both pissed off and hurt and all that. That we deserve to feel these things. But you know what? Your mumma is going through a lot. Because of all this. She’s been lonely and sad and hurting for five years. And she hates herself; for what she did to us. And I don’t want that. I love her too much to watch her put herself through that.”

“So do I.”

“She needs us. More than she lets on. So do you think you could help me? Be there for her? Think we could be a team? Help her together?”

“I think so.”

“I know you love your mum. And she knows it too. But do you think maybe you could tell her? Maybe say you’re sorry? Because she didn’t deserve that. Being hurt like that. And I think you know that.”

“I didn’t mean it. I don’t really hate her.”

“I know. And so does she. But I still think it’s better if you tell her that. That you’re sorry and you love her. Even if you don’t understand why she did the things she did. I don’t really understand either. But I’m trying.”

“Is it REALLY true? It’s not some kind of big joke, is it? That you and mom are playing. You really ARE my dad?”

“We wouldn’t joke about this. I really AM your dad.”

“And you honestly didn’t know about me?”

“If I’d known that your mum was pregnant, nothing would have stopped me from being with her. There’s not a bad guy in the world that would have kept me from her. I would have been there as soon as she told me about you. And she knows that. That I never would have stayed away. Which is part of the reason why she didn’t tell me.”

“Because she wanted to protect you.”

“Exactly.”

“And she didn’t tell you after all that?”

“I didn’t know about you until I came here. I didn’t even know it was your mum that needed my help. It was Auntie Nik that called me and said she needed to do a job for her. A client asked for me by name and needed me to get her and her little kid out of a bad situation. And to somewhere safe.”

“You didn’t know it was mom?”

“I hadn’t seen or heard from her in five years. I had no idea where she was. I didn’t even know if she was alive. I wish I had. Known that she was alright.”

“And you wish you’d known about me.”

“Believe me, I would have loved to have known about you. I wanted to be a dad again. I was scared to be one, but…”

“Because your little boy died.”

Tyler nods. “And because I made a really bad decision when he was sick. That hurt him and his mum. And I didn’t want to screw things up again. With your mumma. But I wanted all that with her. A house and a wife and kids. I wanted to do it right the second time around.”

“It’s sad, you know.”

“What’s sad?”

“That momma had to leave. That she didn’t get to stay. ‘Cause she was happy, and she loved you, and she wanted all that too. It must have hurt her. A lot. To leave.”

“It did. And it still hurts her. That she left. She didn’t want to go. And she definitely didn’t want to keep you from me. She really thought she was doing the best for me. And for you.”

“Momma wouldn’t do anything to hurt anyone. Not on purpose.”

“Exactly. Your mum isn’t like that. She’s a good person, Millie. She’s the best human being I’ve ever known.”

“And the best momma, too.”

“I’m very lucky. That she’s your mum. Because she loves you so much. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you. And she’s taken such good care of you. She’s kept you happy and healthy all this time. And SAFE.”

“It’s been a really good life.”

“I’m sure it has. And that makes me really happy; to hear you say that. Your mum has done such a good job, Millie. And she IS sorry. That she kept us apart. She regrets it. And she probably will for the rest of her life.”

“I don’t want her to be sad. Not for THAT long.”

“Neither do I. And that’s why we have to team up. Work together. To help her NOT be sad. To let her know that we don’t hate her. We never could. We just gotta keep finding ways to show her that we love her. Think we can do that? Be a team?”

Millis gives an enthusiastic nod.

“I’m going to go and check on her. Make sure she’s okay. And then I’m gonna bring her back here. Is that alright?”

“That’s alright. But I have a question first. Is that okay?”

“Always.”

“I don’t want to upset you.”

“Believe me, it takes a lot.”

“When do I call you ‘daddy’? ‘Cause I’ve only known you as Tyler, and I don’t know if I’m ready yet. To NOT call you Tyler. Is that wrong? That I’m not ready to call you anything else?”

“That’s not wrong. At all. I know all of this is hard. It’s a lot to hear. And make sense of.”

“So when? When do I call you something else?”

“Whenever you’re ready to. Whenever it feels right. That’s all that’s important. What’s right for YOU. Don’t worry about anyone else. Just yourself. I’ll be around. I can wait as long as you need me to.”

“Promise you’ll be around? Even if it takes a long time? You promise you won’t leave me? And momma?”

“I’m not going anywhere, Millie. Ever. You and your mum are stuck with me. Sorry.”

Giggling she wraps her arms around his neck and pecks his cheek. “I do love you, you know.”

“I know.” He embraces her as tight as her little body will allow, then places a kiss on her temple. “And I love you. You know THAT, yeah?”

“Yeah…” Millie issues a long, content sigh, then rests her head on his shoulder. “...I do.”

*****

He finds her in the master bathroom, perched on the edge of the bathtub; eyes puffy and red from crying, a pile of used tissues by her feet.

“You okay?”

“She hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you.”

“You were right there. You heard her say it.”

“She could never hate you. You’re her mother.”

“I hate MY mother.”

“Yeah? So? So do I.”

“So that means you hate me, too.”

“Don’t start that shit again. No one hates you. Least of all ME. I have very good, solid reasons to hate your mother.”

“Millie has a VERY good and solid reason.”

“No, she doesn’t. It’s a hell of a shock, you know? To hear something like that. Especially when you’re only four years old. Fuck, it’s a lot to digest as an adult. But she does not hate you. She was hurt, and she was angry, and she lashed out.”

“Boy, it’s true,” Esme rips a tissue from the nearby box; sniffling noisily as she dabs at her eyes. “About the apple not falling far from the tree. She really IS her father.”

“I’m going to ignore that.”

“You heard her, Tyler. You heard everything she said. She even called me stupid.”

“You know damn well that your daughter…OUR daughter…doesn’t hate you. And she doesn’t think you’re stupid, either. Babe, she was upset. She just dropped it on her. How did you want her to react?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“She’s been through a lot. In the past week ALONE. And hearing that…that I’m her dad and you’ve been keeping it a secret…it was just too much for her. She’s just a little girl. I know she’s smart as hell, but she’s still only four. Get her some slack.”

“It just hurt, you know. To hear her say that. It was my worst fear; that she’d hate me for keeping her from her dad.”

“Look at me,” he gently orders as he kneels down in front of her; using calloused fingertips to clear wayward strands of hair away from the sides of her face. A thumb passing over her lips as he cups her cheek in his palm. “Please?”

She raises her chin from her chest.

“Millie does NOT hate you. You’re her mum. And you’re a damn good mum. An AMAZING one. She was just angry and hurt and that was the only one she knew how to express it. That’s all it was. She didn’t mean it.”

“When did you become an expert on child behaviour?”

“I have done this before, remember? And believe me, Austin could be damn mouthy when he wanted to be.”

“So he took after his dad, too, huh?”

“She is so much like him, Esme. She has so much of him inside of her. I saw it that first day; just the way she carried herself, the way she laughed, and how even the smallest things just made her so excited. And he loved drawing and colouring, too.”

“Does she look like him?”

“A little. He had a lot of his mum in him, though. Millie…”

“Physically, she is ALL you. I knew she was going to look like her dad. I mean, at my thirty-two-week ultrasound, they got a perfect side pic of her, and she damn well had your profile. She had your chin and the line of your jaw and even your nose. Well, your nose BEFORE it got all busted up a few times.”

“You love my nose.”

“I do.” She trails a fingertip over the bump in the bridge, then the scar that curves over top of it. “I love everything about you.”

“Do you still have that picture? Of her?”

“I have so many. There’s so much stuff. I started collecting things and putting them away; as soon as I found out that I was pregnant up until about eight months ago. When I moved in with Alessio, Nik took everything for me and kept it safe. I didn’t want him to find any of it. I didn’t want him to know about me. The REAL me. Or my past. He didn’t deserve to.”

“Maybe we can grab that stuff sometime. Or get Nik to ship it to us. I’d like to see it.”

“I saved it for you. So you could see what she was like; from the time she was born until the time you met her. I know it wouldn’t have made a difference; it wouldn’t have made you less hurt or angry. And it wouldn’t have replaced everything you missed out on. But I wanted that for you. To at least SEE those things.”

“It wasn’t easy for you. I know it wasn’t. And I’m sorry. If I’ve made you feel like I don’t care about any of that. How you must have felt and everything you must have been going through. I never meant to make you feel like it never mattered.”

“I never wanted to leave you. It was the last thing I wanted. I wanted ‘always and forever’ and ‘happy ever after’. Whatever that would have looked like for us.”

“We‘re still going to get that. It just didn’t happen the way we planned it. Things got a little sidetracked and delayed…”

“Just a bit.”

“...but we’ll get there. We’ve already started.”

“I’m sorry. That I told her. I know we planned on doing it together. I know you wanted to be there when it happened. It just..”

Laying a hand on the nape of her neck, he pulls her into him and kisses her forehead. “It’s alright, Me. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about.”

“She started talking about her dad. And how she didn’t want to meet him anymore. Because she found you and loves you and she was scared that her dad would come along and take her away from you. And it just freaked me out; hearing her talk about those things and being so adamant about it. Because her dad is right here, and she doesn’t even know it, and it seemed so unfair for her NOT to know and…”

“It’s okay, Esme. Everything’s alright. I’m not mad. Not in the slightest.”

“That’s NOT how I wanted her to find out.”

“Better out than in, yeah? It wasn’t the best way for it to happen, but…”

“Is she okay? How did she handle it? How…?”

“She’s so tough. So resilient. I’ve never seen a kid THAT strong. What have you been feeding her?”

She manages a laugh. “I told you. She’s YOU.”

“No. That’s all her mum. Her mum is the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

“That’s not true, and you know it.”

“It IS true. When do I ever bullshit?”

“Never. Not about serious things like that.”

“Millie’s fine. She just had the rug pulled out from under her. But we had a nice, long talk about her mum and why she did the things she did. And I told her that no matter how hurt and angry I am at times, I will defend you. No matter. Against anyone. Even her.”

“Boy, do you ever have your work cut out for you. That girl is pretty damn headstrong. She’s a bit of a challenge.”

“Babe, don’t hate me for saying this, but she gets that from you.”

“I am NOT that bad.”

“You are, and then some. I just let her know that I wouldn’t put up with that shit; her talking to her mum like that. And I told her that I love you. That I always have. That I always will.”

A soft knock comes to the door. “Mommy?” Millie’s voice is uncharacteristically tiny. Nervous. “Mommy, are you in there?”

“I am. Tyler’s here too.”

“Can I come in?”

“Of course you can.”

The little one lets herself into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and then sheepishly approaching her mom. In possession of a peace offering; pink construction paper cut into the shape of a heart and sprinkled with purple and silver glittering and decorated with stickers of rainbows and unicorns. “I made this for you, momma. Don’t worry, I didn’t use the scissors. Abuela did that part.”

Tears threaten once more as Esme accepts the gift; giving a small, choked sob when she opens the card and discovers its message. Done with so much care, patience and love; letters of various sizes and facing different directions. Declaring her the best mommy ever and Millie the luckiest kid alive- so carefully and lovingly printed- on the inside. “It’s so beautiful. Thank you. I love it.”

“I’m sorry, momma. That I said bad things to you. And hurt your feelings. I didn’t mean them. I was just angry. And really sad. I still am.”

“And that’s okay, sweetpea. To be angry and sad. It’s a horrible thing that I did. And I’m so sorry. I am so, so, so sorry.”

“I love you always. No matter what. But right now, I’m really upset with you. Tyler told me that’s okay; that we can be upset at someone but still love them.”

“Tyler…your dad…is a very smart man.”

“I know you were just trying to protect me. But it still hurts. That I didn’t get to meet my dad. Until now.”

“I know it does. I’d never deny you that, Millie. I’d never say your feelings are wrong.”

“But I DO love you. I’m just a little pissed off.”

“You’re allowed to be. I totally understand why you are.”

“I still want snuggles, though. Even though I’m mad. Can I have some? Some snuggles? Maybe Tyler will snuggle with us too.”

“He scowls. “Tyler doesn't snuggle.”

“I know that isn’t true. When I woke up this morning, you and momma were asleep, but you were snuggling.”

“Your mum is the one that likes to snuggle.”

“I think you like it too.’

“You’re right,” he concedes, then gathers his ‘girls’ in his arms. Pressing a kiss to one forehead, then the other. “But I’m telling you right now; if you tell anyone, I’ll have to kill you.”

Laughing, Millie then curls an arm around his neck and noisily kisses his cheek. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

******

Three hours later, they stand alongside the dining table; the suite a hub of activity as the countdown begins. A mixture of nerves and adrenaline among the team; the rush that comes with a mixture of confidence, worry, and fear. The world around them so unpredictable; the expectation that danger…perhaps death…lingers around every corner.

“It’s weird,” Esme says as she watches him ‘gear up.’ “Seeing you like this.”

“You’ve seen me like this before. Maybe not in this exact stuff, but…”

“Sometimes it seems like such a long time ago. Dhaka. And then other days…”

“Feels like it was just last week.”

She nods. “So much has changed since then. WE’VE changed.”

“For the better, or…”

“I mean, not like there was anything horrible about the way we were. We were just…different. We were at different places in our lives. Different crossroads.”

“Not to mention my body ached less back then,” Tyler teases. “Five years ago, just one of my shoulders could tell you if it was going to rain. Now it’s both AND my right knee.”

“You went through a lot. After Dhaka. No one expected you to live, let alone walk out of that hospital.” “You did.”

“I knew you weren’t going to give up. That you were going to fight your way back. I know that sounds weird; considering we’d only known each other for less than a week. But I already knew you were too stubborn to die. That this universe couldn’t get rid of you that easily.”

“I only fought my way back for you. So I could have more time to drive you completely insane.”

“You weren’t THAT bad. You occasionally got on my already frayed nerves, but…” She lightly smacks his butt. “...you were really hot, so it made it a bit easier to deal with.”

A grin tugs at the corners of his mouth. “You always grope your mercenaries like that?”

“That was hardly groping. And no, I don’t. Only the really tall, blue-eyed, tatted-up Australian ones.”

“You meet a lot of them, do ya?”

“Tons,” she teases. “They’re a dime a dozen. I do like it, though.” She smoothes her palms down the front of his bulletproof vest. “You’ve always looked really good in black. It’s very sexy.”

“You’re nervous, aren’t you.”

Sighing, she fidgets with the frayed hem on the waist of his jacket. “Is it that obvious?”

He holds his thumb and forefinger half an inch apart. “Just a bit. You always talk about crazy shit when you’re nervous.”

“What’s so crazy about it? It’s a compliment. Okay, so maybe it isn’t exactly the right TIME to be saying it…”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I appreciate the ego-stroking.”

“And you are a whole other level of hot. When you’re all geared up. It’s so intimidating and masculine and badass. Not that you aren’t masculine or badass all the time, but it’s just heightened, you know? And with that jacket and the vest over it? You look even thicker.”

He smirks, then nods his thanks to Yaz when he hands him his earpiece for communications, popping it into place before turning back to Esme. “Listen, if you call me fat one more time…”

“I’ve already explained this to you. I’m not calling you fat. I’m calling you THICK. It’s two totally different things.”

“In your warped little mind, anyway.”

“And even if you were, I’d still be madly in lust with you.”

“So we’ve narrowed it down, have we?” He chides, and snags a bulletproof vest from the supply case open in the middle of the table. “To just lust?”

“Well, I DO love you. That’s never in question. But sometimes the lust does have a slight edge. Are you telling me that there are never times when you don’t lust me more than you love me?”

“I love and lust you in equal amounts.”

“You are so diplomatic.”

“They’re both huge amounts, in case you haven’t figured that out.”

“You really ARE just a big sap.”

“Remember how you said maybe it isn’t the time or place for certain talk? Well, this is it. This is the time and place. Are you honestly feeling that confident? Insulting the guy that’s in charge of keeping your ass in one piece?”

“Like you would ever let anything happen to me. Regardless of how annoyed you are.”

“It’s because you’re so cute. You get away with a lot. Arms up.”

She does as instructed, her eyes never leaving his face as he slips the garment over her head. Tugging firmly at the fabric until it settles perfectly just above her waist; calloused palms smoothing down the front and back before his fingers begin tending to the velcro straps. And she notices the very distinct change in him in his persona. The seemingly smooth and easy transition from the angry and vulnerable Tyler from the night before to stern and focused -and extremely intuitive and skilled- mercenary. The darkness that now inhabits his eyes, the edge and the authority that creeps into his voice, the confident and assertive body language.

It’s the Tyler she remembers from years ago. The one who had tended to her vest and made sure she was feeling safe and secure in her own skin before sending her on her way. It had been those rough and rugged edges that had started the tumble into blinding lust and unprecedented love, but it had been what lay beneath that had sealed it. Those five days in the dirty little room had allowed her access to the Tyler that he hid from everyone else. Not just the softness and the lingering humanity that this weary and broken man still possessed, but the tenderness and patience and adoration that he had poured upon her. And she repeats her actions from that day as she reaches up to clear locks of hair from his furrowed brow; a shaky yet reassuring smile curving her lips.

“I was just thinking about how…” A startled gasp interrupts her words, a grimace replacing the smile. “Ow! Too tight! My lungs do need space to work!”

“Sorry.” He adjusts the straps. “I think I was being a little overcautious there.”

“Yeah, just a bit.”

Hands keeping a firm hold on the shoulders of the vest, he pulls her into him, lips pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. A pure and innocent form of intimacy that brings tears to her eyes; so many words left unsaid, yet so many promises being made at the same time. “What were you thinking about?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“I wouldn’t have asked.”

“Dhaka.” She notices the beginnings of his scowl and quickly adds, “But not the bad things. About when you dropped me off. Before going to get Ovi out of that apartment. You did the same thing; you wouldn’t let me put on my vest. You insisted on doing it. Didn’t give me much of a chance, actually.”

“I needed to make sure you’d be safe. It made me feel better. Doing it for you.”

“Maybe this sounds really odd, but I liked it. Then AND now.”

“You ARE really odd,” he teases, shooting her a wink before turning back to his selection of equipment. “Now, don’t make me regret this. Don’t get trigger-happy and shoot me in the ass.”

“Ooooo….” She accepts the weapon offered; slipping the Glock out of its holster and checking the magazine. “...a shiny toy just for me. I don’t get another clip?”

“I’m hoping you won’t need to use that one. IF, for some reason, you run out, I’ve got more.”

“By the way, I would NEVER shoot you in the butt,” she assures him as she returns the revolver to its holster, then reaches under her coat and clips it to the waist of her jeans. “It’s too nice of an ass to take any chances with. But there was this guy that I served with in Kabul, that put his sidearm down on a lawn chair and then sat on it. Took a nine-millimetre right between the legs. Came out of it okay. Well, one ball less, mind you.”

“You shot him in the nuts, didn’t you.”

“I am completely innocent. Although he pissed off enough people that I’m sure a lot of us WANTED to.”

“Okay…listen…” He firmly seizes her by both shoulders. “...I know you’re not just a regular client off the street, and you have a lot of personal experience with shit like this, so I don’t know exactly why I’m about to say what I’m going to…”

“Force of habit?”

“..and I’m not trying to be a complete asshole, so…”

“It’s okay, Tyler. I get it. If anyone does, it’s me.”

“You stay close to me. At all times. Always behind, never in front. Unless I tell you otherwise. You listen to everything I say. Whatever I tell you to do, whenever I tell you to do it, you don’t hesitate. You don’t give me a hard time, you don’t argue, you don’t second guess me, and you don’t question a goddamn thing. If I want your opinion or your ideas, I’ll ask for them. Got it?”

She nods.

“You wanna get out of here alive, you cooperate. Now, I know how much pleasure you get out of being a complete pain in my ass…”

“One of the greatest joys of my life.”

“…but I really need you to toe the line. This isn’t a regular job. This isn’t Dhaka; we’re not partners this time. This is MY show to run. So I need you to just go easy on me, yeah? Just do what I say? Because this is way too personal, and I have way too much to lose. So does Millie. She needs her mum. And at the risk of being called a sap, I kinda need her too.”

“That’s not sappy at all. It’s beautiful.”

“That’s even WORSE than being called sappy, you realize that, yeah?”

Finishing the tightening of his own vest, he checks the magazine on both rifle and sidearm; locking and loading before disabling the safety switches. Noticing out of the corner of his eye the way she anxiously rocks back and forth on her heels and gnaws at the inside of her cheek; her hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of her jacket. And he’s amazed at how easily it is to make that switch; to abandon the harder and more aggressive and assertive version of himself in order to become exactly what she needs at that moment.

“Hey…” His tone is gentle yet firm as he settles a gloved hand on the back of her neck and lightly squeezes. “...you’re alright. You’re safe. With me. I’m going to get you outta here. All you gotta do is trust me.”

“I do. I DO trust you.”

“Everything’s going to be okay,” he assures her as his fingers massage her tense muscles. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

Taking in a deep, trembling breath, she releases it slowly; eyes briefly closing as his lips brush against her brow. “I hope so.”

“Getting close to showtime.” Alcott, as he and Abeula join them. Millie perched upon his hip, already clad in winter boots, hat and mitts, her coat unzipped to reveal the child-size bulletproof vest worn underneath. Posie the doll, tucked tightly under one arm, Franklin the stuffed koala under the other. “I think we’re ready. Are we?” He lightly pinches and tickles the little one’s tummy, managing to get a giggle and a smile out of her.. “Are YOU ready, sunshine?”

“As I’ll ever be!”

Esme steps forward; zipping Millie’s coat and straightening the brim on her beanie. “You be good for Uncle Duey and AB, okay?”

“I’m always good!”

“Mmmhmm. Sure you are.”

“Well, maybe not ALWAYS, but most of the time. And why do I gotta wear this thing?” Reaching under the shoulder of her coat, she pulls at the fabric of the vest. “It’s tight! I don’t like it. It’s making me sweat!”

“We’re all wearing them. We match. It’s like a team uniform. Why should we leave you out? You’re part of the team.”

“Mom…” Millie tilts her head to the sigh and regards her in disdain. “...I KNOW what it is. I KNOW it stops bullets. I get why you guys have to wear them, but why ME?”

“Because bad people are crazy, and they love to hurt people. Especially innocent people. And I don’t want you to be one of them. It makes me feel better, okay? Knowing you’re wearing that. Makes me know that you’re safe and sound.”

“I am safe with Uncle Duey. He can protect me.”

“But wearing that vest makes you EXTRA safe,” Alcott points out. “And that’s a good thing, yeah? To be extra safe? I know I like to feel extra safe. That’s why I wear one.”

“You’re safe because you carry a gun, Uncle Duey.”

“Guns don’t protect you from other guns. So having one makes me safe, but wearing one of those makes me extra safe. Make sense?”

“I suppose. I still don’t like it, though. It’s uncomfy. I can’t breathe.”

“You’re breathing just fine, judging by the amount of talking you’re doing. Just like your mum, yeah? Talk, talk, talk.”

“That’s ‘cause we both have a lot to say! We’re very opinionated!”

“You’re very something alright. How do you even know that word? Opinionated? You’re four.”

“‘Cause I’m smart! Like momma. She’s pretty brainy, you know.”

“I beg to differ. She did get mixed up with your dad after all and…”

Esme takes her daughter’s face in her hands. “You and I need to have a chat, little miss. It’s very important that you hear what I have to say, okay?”

Millie nods.

“I want you to listen to everything Uncle Duey and AB say. Whatever they tell you to do, whatever they tell you to say, you do it. You don’t argue with them, you don’t pitch a fit, you don’t ask why. You just do what you’re told. It’s very important that you do. You understand that, right?”

“I understand.”

“All you need to do is cooperate. Just stay calm and do whatever they say. If you do, things will go by really fast, and you won’t have time to be scared.”

“I’m already scared, though.”

“You’re in very good hands. There’s not many people I trust. Especially when it comes to you. It’s a very small list. And you know what? Uncle Duey is right near the very top. Because I know nothing bad is going to happen to you when he’s around. That he’ll do whatever he has to, to keep you safe. And you’ll have AB with you and Uncle John when you pick him up. Baby sweets, you are going to be with three of the strongest people I have EVER met.”

“But I’m not gonna be with YOU. Or Tyler.”

“I know it would make you feel better; if you were with us. But this really IS for the best. I wouldn’t send you away if it weren’t. And it’s not permanent. It’s not even CLOSE. It’s just for a little bit.”

“How long’s a little bit?”

“An hour. At the most.”

“That’s a long time.”

“I know it seems like it, but it’s really not. It’s going to go by really fast, babe. I promise. You just buckle yourself in tight, put your earphones on, and watch something on your tablet. You do that, and before you know it, you’ll be at the airport. And we’ll all be one step closer to getting out of here and starting our new life somewhere else.”

“And you’ll be there? At the airport?”

“You’ll get there first. You’ll have to wait for me.”

“For how long?”

“Not long at all. Probably just a few minutes. Believe me, Millie, if it could be any other way, it would be. If it were safe for you to stay with me, you wouldn’t be going off with Uncle Duey and AB. But remember what your dad told you? About how he has to really concentrate? On getting me out of here? Do you remember that?”

“I remember.”

“And that if you were with us, he’d be so worried about you that he wouldn’t have all his attention on me and…”

“And that’s when bad things happen. When he doesn’t put all his attention on something.”

“Exactly. He just wants everyone safe. That’s all. And sending you with Uncle Duey? That’s what it does; keeps everyone safe. We’re not sending you away because you’ve been bad or because we’re punishing you or anything like that. We’re doing it because we want you to be okay. And because we love you. You know that, right? How loved you are?”

The four-year-old nods.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Amelia. The best gift anyone could have ever given me. And I don’t want that taken from me. I don’t want something happening to you. I just want you safe. That’s all. And this keeps you safe.”

“And we’ll see each other soon?”

“Very soon. It won’t be very long. We’re leaving right after you are. We’re taking a different way so we’ll be a bit late, but we’ll get to the airport not long after you. I promise. I love you so much. So, so, so much.”

“I love you, too, momma. Bunches.”

“How many bunches?”

“Tons and tons and tons!”

“That’s a lot of bunches.” She pecks Millie’s cheek, then her temple, before squeezing her tightly. “Too-da-loo, kangaroo.”

Giggling, Millie noisily pecks her mother’s lips. “Adieu, cockatoo!”

“Hey…” Tyler lays a hand on the back of the four-year-old’s head, then leans down to lightly knock his forehead against hers. “...you behave. I don’t want to hear any different.”

“I will,” Millie promises, then shakes a finger at him. “And you behave too! Don’t get hurt! And make sure you take care of momma! Bring her back to me, okay?”

“I’ll do whatever I have to make sure that happens.” Offering Millie a fist, she curls her tiny fingers into one of her own; beaming up at him as she taps her clenched hand against his.

“And remember, you promised that when we got to Australia, I could hold a snake AND a big spider!”

“A snake and a spider, huh?” Esme stares at him pointedly, both eyebrows raised. “Really…”

“Come on now…” Tyler playfully tousles his daughter’s hair. “...you weren’t supposed to say that out loud.”

Eyes sparkling, Millie covers her mouth with both hands and giggles into them. “Ooops.”

“We’ll see you in a little bit,” Abuela promises as she tightly embraces Esme. “Take care of one another. Watch each other’s backs.”

“Always,” the younger woman assures her, then offers a shaky smile. “Please keep my baby safe. If anything happens to her…”

“She’s going to be just fine. Like you said, she’s in great hands. Just worry about yourself. That’s all you need to do. Keep your head on your shoulders, breathe, and rely on each other to get the hell out of here. And don’t give this poor man a hard time…” Reaching up, she gently taps Tyler’s cheek. “...he’s been through enough. And he’s already complaining about the amount of gray hair he already has. Try not to give him anymore.”

“This is Esme we’re talking about. Giving me gray hair is her specialty.”

Rolling her eyes, she playfully elbows him in the ribs. Thankful for the strong, supportive hand that settles on the nape of her neck and gives her weak, trembling knees a reprieve; her body leaning against his as it seeks both comfort and reassurance.

“Two minutes,” Nik calls from across the room, immediately followed by the last-minute securing of weapons and loading of magazines and the fastening of velcro. The tech team hurriedly logging off their computers and packing away their equipment as Yaz prepares to shut down the hotel’s security system; able to monitor it through just his cell phone.

Wick approaches the group as the group moves towards the door, slipping into his own bulletproof vest and then scooping up a storage case that contains the pieces of his rifle.

“You ready for this?” Alcott inquires, a smirk curling his lips. “Think your old ass is up to it?”

“Just another day at the office.”

“Make sure you’re right where I’m supposed to pick you up. ‘Cause if you’re not there, I’m leaving you behind. You can take the subway. Or an Uber.”

“Don’t you worry about me, I’ll be there. Just make sure you don’t get lost. I know you’re used to driving on the other side of the road and all that, but…”

“Have you noticed the kind of men you allow into your life?” Alcott playfully tugs on Esme’s ponytail. “You’ve got the smart-mouthed, severely depressed, alcoholic American, the nappy-headed, big-eared, ugly ass muppet from Australia. You have a soft spot for mangy strays?”

“Obviously. Or you and I wouldn’t be friends.”

“I set myself up for that, didn’t I.”

“Left yourself WIDE open.” Turning to Wick, she stands on her tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek and then tightly embraces him. “Be careful, okay? Stay safe.”

“I always try my best. See you on the other side.”

Tyler offers a hand in appreciation. “Thank you. For everything. Especially getting them out of there the other night. If you hadn’t done that…”

“When Nik called, I didn’t hesitate. Of course I was going to be there.”

“ I know this can’t be easy for you; going against Winston after all he’s done for you.”

“I don’t regret my decision. After all…” Wick casts a glance at Esme, offering a wink and a small smile. “...I have my own amends to make.”

#Tyler and Esme series #Tyler Rake #Tyler Rake fanfic #Tyler Rake fan fiction #Extraction #Extraction 2 #Extraction fanfic #Extraction fan fiction #Tyler Rake x OFC #Chris Hemsworth #Esme Drummond #Esme Rake #Millie Drummond #Millie Rake #Rake Lives

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missoblaine · 1 year ago

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Tag Game!

Yay tag game! I was tagged by @evaofkonoha and I am tagging @shameless-fujoshi to do this (if you want to haha).

Are you named after anyone?

Nope! I like my name though 😊

What sports have you played?

If dancing counts as a sport then I danced for about fifteen years quite intensely! Otherwise, no. I dislike sports so much actually 😣 I used to pretend to be sick to get out of PE at school. I don't like the physicality and conflict and outside-ness of many sports. I am a squishy little indoors person!

Do you use sarcasm?

Yes! It is why writing in Sasuke's voice is easier for me than writing in Naruto's.

What is the first thing you notice about people?

Hmm, I don't meet new people often actually. I think in general, I am not very good at reading people and it takes me a while to properly make friends. I think both online and IRL, I notice someone's way of speaking/writing/communicating. Their tone and voice and word choice etc.

What's your eye colour?

Very dark brown.

Scary movies or happy endings?

I can't do scary movies eeek. Thrillers, I can do, and I enjoy watching people play scary games sometimes, but horror is too much for me. In general movies are kind of overwhelming for me, I don't watch many of them!

So by default, I guess I like happy endings? I do think for me to enjoy them they have to be purposeful and earned (not necessarily by the characters but by the story).

Any talent?

Writing! While it has ebbed and flowed in its presence over the course of my life, it has always been with me in some form and I am proud of how I have grown with it, especially in the last two years. I am a pretty fast reader as well so I guess that's another one?

What are your hobbies?

Writing, reading, board games, and occasionally crafting things (sewing, crochet, painting miniatures).

Do you have any pets?

My partner has a dog!

How tall are you?

155cm. I am pretty short lol.

Dream job?

I am honestly quite happy with my current job (board game adjacent, relatively not stressful, lets me play with spreadsheets lol). I think my dream job is just not working tbh or doing something just mentally stimulating enough but not stressful and getting paid well for it! 😅 Isn't that the dream?

I will say, I wouldn't want to do any of the creative hobbies I love dearly, especially writing, as a job as I strongly believe it would ruin my love for them.

My answer to this particular question got very long so the rest is under the cut if you are interested in my thoughts. Otherwise, if this is your off ramp - thank you for reading and thank you to @evaofkonoha again for tagging me 🥰

rambling (a.k.a. why i don't want to write as a job)

Even if I worked for myself and got to create the things I wanted, I don't believe I would enjoy it, perhaps simply because it would be a job and it would become something I had to do instead of chose to do. I also believe that whatever I created wouldn't feel truly mine. I think part of the joy of a hobby is getting to do it whenever, however, whyever you want - I value that freedom highly.

For example, if I were to write a novel, even if I wrote it for myself, I would need to, eventually, pitch it to agents/publishers etc and it would always be in the back of my mind that 'this needs to be something that an agent/publisher believes would sell'. Even if I wrote it exactly as I wanted, perhaps someone further down the publishing line would ask for changes to improve its commercial value because, hey, they have to make money too, no? (And perhaps this view is jaded from working in a retail/sales environment for a couple years but if anything, I am even more sure of it now.)

From my time in uni studying creative writing (in which we got some experience pitching short pieces/essays to journals/student publications), I saw the level of ambition needed to succeed in a career like this and I just…don't want that kind of stress to be tied to my finances and living situation. I don't want my ability to be creative (which can wax and wane with the moon, it feels) to be what my paycheck hinges on. Perhaps this is because my creativity is so personal and sacred to me - it is the channel via which my soul interacts with the world - but perhaps it is to everyone? Maybe I am simply very sensitive about it, as I am with many things.

Studying creative writing made me fall out of love with the craft for a couple years, constantly overthinking my words and weighing them against form, content, industry, moral and message. I distinctly remember writing an memoir/essay I was quite proud of part way through my third year (within which I was quite vulnerable about myself) and being disappointed with my final grade on it, as it was so detached from my own personal pride in it. (To be fair though, looking back, it was not as technically sound as I had believed it at the time.)

To be clear, it is not that I wish to create completely void of external input and influence, and I do understand the importance of assessment and external feedback when it comes to developing technical skill! But for the point where I am in my life now, where I have done some formal learning and am starting to realise the infinity and freedom of informal learning, I just think there is a sweet spot where the amount and type of external input/influence is nuturing and kind and motivating and authentic. Too little influence and it can feel like screaming into the void - no resonance. Too much and . . . well, you get the above experience, where it feels like the thing you created as well as the process of creation becomes no longer wholly yours.

For me and what I have learned thus far in my life, my writing is best as this weird wildspace. That's what works for me! And I share my writing online in the purest sense of that word - share - because I want to show this small community something that means something to me, with no kind of transaction behind it. It's just out there, and you're also out there, and if you stumble upon it (or go looking for it) I hope this thing that means something to me means something to you too. I hope it creates resonance with you in this incomprehensible vastness of life.

Um, yeah. That's cool to have that written out and articulated! Thanks for reading 😊

~13/03/2024

#tag game

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nonuggetshere · 2 years ago

Note

A bit random, but after seeing all the gijinka designs for the Hollows, could you tell us a bit about the Humble Pie AU? (Is this one of the ones where Hollow/Secret grows up happily?)

WITH PLEASURE, AND YUP

I actually posted it before but it didn't have a name yet back then. I went ahead and tagged that old post with the AU name though so y'all can go see baby Secret full of meats

Anyway,

So the basic premise is that Pale King wanted a more controlled environment to create the vessels, so instead of putting them in the abyss, he injected himself with void while pregnant. Unfortunately for him the news of his plan got out into the public and his own citizens overthrew him. Just, "Hey that's fucked up, get the fuck out of our kingdom?", which I guess is one of the things you gotta deal with when you allow your people to have free will; they might stop wanting you to be their God.

Not being the kind of wyrm to force bugs to follow him, he cut his losses and left Hallownest with his wife. For a while, they travelled and lived out in the wastelands before they eventually found a suitable enough place to stay. The Pale King gave birth to two children in their little burrow.

They named the kids Secret and Ghost, as they saw them as their punishment. Having to care for and raise the corpses of their former children, mindless weapons without a purpose, was a fitting punishment for their crimes. It was mentally exhausting having to stay with them, watching them lay there motionless, not making a sound, not even breathing.

But as the kids grew they kind of realised oh shit they're actually just normal kids. Pale King had that realisation when he stayed behind with them while his wife went out to find food. They were old enough to start moving and crawling around, exploring their surroundings. They either crawled up to him for warmth or tried to play with his tail by pawing at it, I can't quite remember but it was either of these.

So after PK and WL realise these children are alive they actually have a pretty good childhood. The two expand their burrow so their children can play around, they sell what they grow and craft from their kills at the nearest kingdom and use that money to get the kids some toys and soft pillows and blankets for their beds. When they're old enough Secret and Ghost are taken along to their hunts and learn from their parents to not only hunt but also how to fight and defend themselves.

Generally, it focuses a lot on their domestic life and all that fuzzy shit. And for once they have a completely normal childhood.

Secret is my only PV/THK version that has absolutely ZERO childhood trauma. Congrats buddy.

Okay maybe except that one time when they almost got kidnapped as a baby, but it's FINE. Their mum and dad rescued them almost immediately, it's alright, it doesn't count.

#asks #spooky arts #humble pie au #pregnancy mention #trans pregnancy tw #TECHNICALLY. I just know a guy being pregnant can be dysphoric for some people so better safe than sorry #Can you tell I suck at designing clothes #I wanna base Secret's outfit on rogue style stuff but I was too lazy to look up refs so I just gave them whatever for now

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ultramagicalternate · 11 months ago

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ULTRAMagic Interlude: Shadowland Chapter 15

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Master Post - Patreon

Andelin continued to play her games over the next couple of days. While Gratiana and Gummi kept the cult distracted, Barna and the others continued to move forward with their plans. The repeated challenges were bothersome, but admittedly offered a reprieve from the tedium of covertly transporting explosives. Aureolus definitely enjoyed them. He was having so much fun that Barna put him in charge of solving them. At the moment he was chasing around a cloud of darkness, trying to catch it. As Dunja and Turi watched, they had a feeling something was very familiar.

“You know, Turi? I’m pretty sure that’s Weaver over there…” The Owl gave a hoot in agreement.

“Hey, Dunja!” Torunn called out as she approached. “How goes Andelin’s tomfoolery?”

“Hey, Torunn. Things seem to be alright. Nothing too out of the ordinary has occurred.” Turi walked across the table to Torunn as she sat down.

“Turi, back so soon? Is everything alright in The Iron City?”

Dunja handed her a letter she had already read. “I guess so. The only thing of importance here is that I apparently need to send Turi back there at you know when.”

Torunn nodded as she put the paper back into the envelope. “Bizarre… Well, good news on my end: We got the last handful of cult compounds under control. The Church is still an outlier, obviously. And as for 10 and Lambda, those are being heavily guarded.”

“Makes sense, given that those held most of Milosh’s pet projects…”

“That and whatever that hellspawn Gudrun is working on…”

Dunja shuddered. “The sooner we get rid of the cult, the better.”

Aureolus meanwhile was on the verge of catching the cloud. Using his void magic, he created an illusion of himself to trick the cloud into moving where he needed. Once its guard was down, Aureolus sprung into action and tagged it. “HA! Got you!”

“Good job, Aureolus. Here you go…” It handed him another special card, but left its hand out a little too long.

“Hey, wait a second. That skin color…”

“Whoops! Um, Gotta go! See you all later!” The Cloud exclaimed as it scurried off.

Aureolus checked the card, then looked over to Dunja. “That was Weaver, wasn’t it?”

She silently nodded. “I’ve fought him enough times to know his methods all too well.”

“Aunt Dunja, If I were to fight him, how would I do that?” Aureolus asked as he sat down next to her. “Just as a hypothetical. Also hey, Torunn.”

Dunja went through her memories, trying to figure out some good advice. “Well, he’s a very in your face kind of fighter. While incredibly fierce, he can only focus on one opponent at a time in the heat of the moment. Of course I rarely fought him alone…”

“Proving he doesn’t do well alone and needs to work on that” Torunn added. “We’re both technically outsiders, hailing from the same timeline. I remember he always had a hard time fitting in due to being awkward around the others. Personally I think his brain was born different, which unfortunately led to his people generally disliking them. It sucks too because he has an amazing work ethic with his blacksmithing. A little too well in certain instances, but I’m not complaining. Kid did a fantastic job on my current hammer.”

Aureolus thought for a second. “So I take it this contributed to him being captured that one time, right, Aunt Dunja?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I hate to say it, but me and Andelin did take advantage of him by going after him while he was alone.”

Torunn chuckled, but it sounded a bit regretful. “I remember that day all too well. I had gotten on his case about being too reliant on us, so he went overboard and decided to go off on his own. In hindsight, I should’ve recognized that he was tense leading up to that and that was his mental breakdown…”

“Oh my, is he doing better now?” Aureolus inquired.

Torunn nodded. “Yeah, I’d say so. What better way to get someone to change than conflict? It’s not how I should have handled it, but it did get him to be more open with his thoughts and feelings.”

Dunja sighed and got up. “I really do need to make it up to him someday…”

“Aren’t you doing that now by helping us out?” Torunn put forth.

“Well, yeah… but I still feel bad.”

Aureolus gave his aunt a reassuring hug and began walking. The three had to go inform Barna on what had happened. As they made their way back to the mansion, Aureolus quickly realized something: He was lost. One minute he was with his aunt and the next he was alone. Making things worse was that he was seemingly trapped inside a… giant balloon? It took the form of a tent that had no exit. Pushing a hand on the wall did nothing as it kept stretching and stretching. Sticking his leg into it did no good either. Seeing that he was not getting anywhere, Aureolus decided to try going inward.

Traversing the tent was an odd experience. It was made of what felt like rubber and another material that was hard, smooth, and shiny. The lighting was dim and there were many obstacles in the way. Aureolus found himself crawling, jumping, and climbing all over the place. After one last crawl through a tight tube, he found himself in a hall of mirrors. Making his way out further led him to a hallway with a lit room at the end. Faint music could be heard and the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted in the air. It was incredibly strange given that the tent was seemingly empty.

The room in question was a lounge, albeit with inflatable furniture. Over on a couch was a woman in a black and red suit, waiting patiently. “Aureolus! There you are. Here, have a seat with me.”

“You’re Andelin, I presume?” He was a little nervous, but the plate of cookies over on the coffee table (or what constituted as a coffee table) was too enticing.

“That would be I: Andelin the Doom, Andelin the Cursed Child, Andelin of the Gold Blood; Andelin Sylvia Lillemor Lindbek, betrothed to Teunis Van Hautum, also of gold blood… Go ahead, I made them for you.”

Aureolus sat down, taking a cookie. It was chocolate chip. “So… Do you know where Weaver and Gabriella are?”

She got out the cards in question. “They’re right here. Of course, you’ll have to best me in a duel to get them…”

“We’re pretty sure they’ve been working with you.”

Andelin had a grin with subtle smugness and silently laughed. “Okay, fine; We’ve been working together. I had a feeling you guys were on to us. Weaver’s too proud to alter his tactics so he doesn't get found out…” This warranted a groan from him, muffled by the card.

“I take it they’re alright then?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. I was never one to dirty my hands with fisticuffs…”

“Disregarding the fact that you locked us up in cages…” The angel quietly pointed out.

“Shh, that’s not important…” Andelin said as she shuffled them back into the deck.

Aureolus gave her a slightly judgmental look, then took another cookie. “So what is this place?”

“It’s my own personal realm, a home away from home. It’s a whimsical place where I can collect my thoughts and lollygag around.”

“A circus tent?”

She nodded again. “If I had my way, I’d find some people to live here so we could play and have fun all the time!”

“I see… Sounds like a bit of a hassle, but I suppose that could work… Argh, getting back on track: Mind if I ask who you are and where you’re from?”

Andelin chuckled. “Of course. I’d ask the same of you, but let’s be real, I already know who you are. Oh boy, where do I even begin?”

Starting with her background, Andelin explained that she was from the fallen kingdom of Feuerland. It was far to the north of Shadowland, tucked away in The Lost Mountains (well past The Roaring Mountains). The people of Feuerland were very superstitious, and Andelin’s birth did not help. She was deemed a cursed child because her blood was pure gold. Many saw this as a bad omen, a sign that the kingdom had become greedy and profane. The chaos her existence caused was immense, leading to Andelin either being worshiped as a god or condemned as a witch. It was not an ideal place to grow up in.

“That sounds awful. How did you cope with it all?” Aureolus wondered.

“I didn’t. I’m pretty sure all of that made me mad, HA!” After an awkward pause, she spoke again. “Fortunately a girl my age, from the noble family of Arlotti, convinced her parents to foster me. And that girl’s name was Gratiana.”

Aureolus was surprised by this. “Really? That’s so kind. Are you two still friends?”

“Of course we are! She kept me safe and I will always be indebted to her… and it’s a good thing that she finally came to her senses. I did not want to have to keep her in a card to prevent her from doing something foolish.”

“Oh… Wait a second! She’s on Aunt Dunja’s side now?”

“Our side, Aureolus. Everything is going topsy-turvy for Milosh because I turned my back on him.”

That was a lot to take in, so Aureolus took a second to pace and organize his thoughts. “Alright then… how do I trust you?”

“Simple; Delphine, The Discordant God of Desire. She asked me to take my coup and realign those efforts with Sten’s ambitions. And I can assure you that’s the honest truth as I would never lie on my master’s honor, nor would I lie to a fellow steward of the goddess.”

“You know about my meeting with her?”

Andelin had a smug grin. “Aureolus, dear, I know exactly what all of you have been doing these past two weeks.”

He smiled and nodded. “Right, forgot. My bad. So, before I ask the big question, can I ask why you joined Milosh? Also I’d like to know why your blood is gold specifically.”

Since Aureolus looked like he had had his fill, Andelin politely asked if she could have one of the cookies. “Oh wow, I did a good job on these… Ahem, I joined Milosh because I thought he could get me back on my feet and provide me with the arcane knowledge I desired. It was promising at first, given Dunja and The Lich… Up until they failed to produce any usable results and I quickly realized Milosh and The Lich were a pair blithering, imbecilic philistines. Fortunately Delphine eventually came along, giving me what I was looking for. From that point on I went through the motions up until Blood-Wraith was born. I won’t lie, Milosh was incredibly alluring back then too.”

“I see. So what about the gold blood?”

“I’m not sure. I could never get ahold of the holy texts that talked about it as they got burned in a fire… and not even Delphine is sure. What we do know is that it keeps me healthy and young. Plus it makes Alchemy very easy even though I rarely use it. This could all be connected to my past life for all we know…”

“A past life? What was that? Do you remember?”

“YES. I was a god!”

Aureolus was skeptical. “You were a god? A god from The Source?”

“Indeed! I was The Cheerful God… up until I got stripped of my honors and powers. Gee God, I’m sorry I wanted to make everyone happy! What better way to say you’re on the wrong side of history than to have The Hunger of Old, The God of Logic, and two whelp demigods thump your arse all the way back to The Ennead!!” She ranted, gritting her teeth.

Aureolus was taken aback. “Are… you okay?”

“It’s cool, we’re fine” Andelin answered as she straightened out her top hat and took another cookie. “It’s ancient history at this point.”

“Right… Can I ask the big question now?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Where’s The Fear of Old? Aunt Dunja said you know where it is.”

Andelin gave a playful, mischievous laugh. “I know exactly where he is! In fact, I need you guys to talk some sense into him… BUT FIRST! You need to beat me in a duel!”

This made Aureolus a little nervous. “What kind of duel?”

“A duel of magic, a duel of cards” she replied as she presented a full hand. “Show me your moves, show me your skills and I will tell you where The Fear is!”

This sounded exciting… until Aureolus remembered a small issue. “Andelin? My deck isn’t ready. I’m still trying to come up with spells for the minimum amount I should have.”

Andelin smiled and sat Aureolus down next to her. “Here, take out your cards and we’ll work on it together, hexer to hexer.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Of course. We are friends now, aren’t we? Besides, you got the ULTRAMagic Guild coming up soon. Surely you’d want to put your best foot forward, wouldn’t you?”

Aureolus nodded and began placing some cards down. “Thank you, Andelin. That’s really nice of you.”

“No problem. Show me what you have so far and we’ll work on it from there.”

Next: Chapter 16

#chaotictempleknight #ultramagic alternate #fantasy #sciencefiction #sciencefictionfantasy #literature #fiction #writing #story #chapter #writers on tumblr

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lovecanyon · 3 years ago

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can you create a pornstar!y/n and pornstar!y/n trope ??

pornstar!harry x pornstar!y/n

(masterlist)

Harry was new to the adult industry. He had tried camming before but he had stopped because he never made any good money from it.

When he had first saw an ad to be a pornstar at one of the most prominent adult film companies he immediately called the company and got an audition.

Right when the casting members saw his face he automatically got the job.

He didn’t even have to audition.

“Isn’t that enough oil?” Harry questions the makeup lady who was drenching his abs with baby oil.

“Never is enough sweetheart.”

He decided to just stay silent and watch the crew members rush around the house trying to get everything set on time.

It was quiet for a moment until the front door opened.

“Y/N darling!” The director Sofia happily shouts as she rushes over to the girl.

Harry’s mouth dropped at the name.

He was going to be working with Y/N L/N? She was the most famous adult actress right now and he was going to be filming with her? On his first day?

He wasn’t even going to lie and say he hasn’t heard of her before. Every man on earth knew her name. Some were actually very obsessed with her.

Harry was kind of obsessed with her.

“And….this is Harry, it’s his first day.” Sofia’s voice snaps Harry out of his trance. When he looks up he sees Y/N already staring at him with a small smile.

“Hey I’m Y/N.”

I already know that.

“I-I’m Harry.” He nervously smiles back at her. What she does and says next makes his stomach flutter.

She bit her lip as she moves to sit on his lap. “I guess I’m the first girl your fucking on camera.”

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#harry styles x reader #boyfriend!harry #pornstar!harry #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles writing #harry styles #harry styles au #harry styles x y/n #harry styles x you #harry styles one shot #harry styles angst #harry styles fan fic #harry styles fluff #harry styles imagine #harry styles smut

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barleyo · 3 years ago

Text

Rental Slut.

Montgomery Gator X Fem! Reader (smut)

A/N: Hello everyone! I know this took awhile, but I really put my all into it, so I hope it exceeded, or at least met your expectations. Thank you all for being so patient with me.

Summary: Fazbear Entertainment is now catering to a more mature audience! Lucky you!

Fazbear Entertainment. A household name, yes? Of course! Everyone remembers playing games and eating pizza at their earlier establishments and watching performances at the current one, but even the memories the company created couldn’t save them from losing profits. Things were going downhill quickly and nobody really knew what to do to help. Until one bright and somewhat disturbing employee came up with the idea to rent the new Glamrock Animatronics out for more ‘adult’ occasions. Really it wasn’t a bad idea, the sex appeal of the robots might’ve been what saved the iconic company from its all time low.

Every Friday to Sunday after 10:00 p.m. the animatronics were sent to their green rooms to get ready for their more mature customers. Although not many people were extremely interested in having intimate time with mechanical sex toys, the people that were, paid a lot to live out their fantasies. Some did it for fun, some as a fetish, some as a dare. Whatever the reason, it was costly, and Fazbear Entertainment profited from it.

Considering all of this, it was a pretty obvious choice for things like bachelorette parties, one of which you were attending. Your best friend was soon to be married, and wanted to have some unconstrained fun. The answer to that? Fucking an anthropomorphic robot character loved by millions.

Once your group had arrived at the PizzaPlex, you were starting to get nervous. You’d mostly tagged along to support the bride-to-be, and to not be seen as a stick in the mud, but being there brought on a layer of shame. Wouldn’t it be weird to do ‘stuff’ with a hunk of metal? What if someone you knew found out? What if this turned into a fetish?!

You tried to calm yourself down while entering the building, but your anxiety was very obvious.

“Hey,” one of your friends chimed in, noticing your distress, “it’s not a big deal, (Y/N). It’s just for fun! You don’t even have to do anything, really if you want you can just stay at the bar and drink.”

“Nah it’s fine, I guess it could interesting, and besides, I don’t wanna ruin the fun,” you said.

You all had reached the front desk and were admitted into the lobby. Nobody else was walking around except for a girl heading into Chica’s room, so at least no one you knew was there.

“Alright we’re going to that hot ass bear’s room, are you joining or just hanging out?” Another one of your friends asked.

“I think I’ll wait for y’all to finish and sit at the bar,” you replied apologetically.

She nodded and joined the others while you took your seat at the makeshift tavern. The map bot turned bartender rolled over to your stool. How naïve of you to think you’d get much human interaction here in the first place. After placing your order with ‘bar bot’ you swiveled around in your chair, looking around the PizzaPlex. All of the rooms had curtains covering the windows, most likely for privacy, except for one: Montgomery’s. He was looking away from the window, zoning out completely. Really he looked bored. Maybe lonely? Either way, the expression on his face was enough to draw you in.

What an allusive creature he seemed to be. He was aggressive, loud, and quite intimidating. He wasn’t necessarily a fan favorite, but you thought he was at the very least the most interesting and the most attractive, in an aesthetic way. It’s not like you had the hots for a gator.

Either way, you felt yourself stand up, completely abandoning your drink. A few steps later and you found yourself standing in front of his door. You felt awkward just standing there, what kind of creep just hangs out in front of someone’s door?

Swallowing your pride, you knocked on his door. You reasoned with yourself, it was fine. You were only going to check in on him, maybe even have a chat while you waited for your friends to finish up? You could practically hear the crisp thwack of his head turning to look in the direction of your knocking.

“Hm? Come on in,” he grunted, it was obvious he wasn’t expecting any visitors tonight.

You entered, holding your breath. Each step caused you to be more embarrassed, any closer and you would simply have to turn around and run away. You stopped a foot or so away from him, resisting eye contact while mumbling a greeting.

“Hello? You okay, darlin’?” he questioned, wondering why you were just standing and muttering like a weirdo.

“Huh? I’m…I’m sorry,” you started, “I didn’t mean to bother you, I’ll go.”

He snorted, he wasn’t used to such timid visitors this time of night. You’d be a fun change of pace.

“Aw, don’t go. You think a cutie like you could ever bother me any?” He teasingly asked.

“No it’s not that, I just,” you paused “I just wanted to stay with you until my friends are ready to leave. Is that okay?”

“I don’t mind at all. What a sweet lil’ thing you are,” he gushed.

You shuffled over and sat down, sitting as far away from him as possible. This was most definitely noticed by him. After a few minutes of suffering the distance, he slowly moved over to close the gap between you two.

He fake yawned and stretched, allowing his arms to raise and fall over the back of the couch, close to where your shoulders were.

What a sly dog he was.

He slid his arm lower and lower until it was was wrapped around your lower back. His hand’s coldness sent shivers through your body.

“Oh, you poor thing. You’ll catch your death of cold, shivering like that,” he murmured.

He picked you up and sat you in his lap, curling you up into his chest. His chest-plate was warm, but not nearly as warm as your face was getting.

“That better, Cher?”

All you could do was nod as the heat from your core and face increased. He turned you around on his lap so that you were looking at the window, and each of your legs were on a different side of his right one, and wrapped his arms around your waist, bordering your needy cunt.

He started humming and slowly bouncing his leg. The vibrations from his movement was enough to completely trigger you. You needed to do something about your sudden urges.

You started to slowly move you hips in little circles to match the rhythm of his leg, just enough to offer yourself some relief. Luckily, the small sounds you allowed to slip past your lips were covered up by his mindless humming.

After a minute or two he saw what you were doing and smirked. He thought to ignore it and let you keep going, but the opportunity to embarrass you was too tempting.

“And just what are you doing?” He questioned in a smug tone.

You immediately stopped as tears of embarrassment pricked your eyes. Your face burned up and you looked down at the floor in slight shame.

“No, it was nothing, I didn’t mean to-,”

“Pipe down, you little Jezebel, I didn’t tell you to stop,” he interrupted.

You hesitated for a second, still flustered, but decided to continue at your previous pace.

Without his humming, there was nothing to hide your desperate moans. You started grinding into his hardened thigh, speeding up ever so slightly when you heard him groan at the sight of you.

He let his hands travel up your shirt and slice your bra off with his nails. He then took your boobs into his hands, rubbing your nipples with his thumbs.

This only added to your internal fire and made you pant like a dog.

“You like that, huh?” He said, obviously amused.

You whined in return, “It feels so good.”

He snorted and leaned in to lick your neck with his slick tongue. Hearing your breath hitch only egged him on. He bit into your neck, deep enough to leave a mark. You gently sobbed out at the sudden puncture on your throat.

He lifted his head up and laughed.

“Aw, Sha, did that hurt? However will I make this up to you?”

He grabbed your hips and stopped your movements completely. You whined at the lack of friction on your cunt.

“Oh, hush. You’re getting something better anyways,” he snapped.

He lifted you up and sat you down on the couch, prying your legs open as he dropped to his knees. He grabbed the back of your legs to anchor himself properly.

“Monty, what are you doing on the-“ you asked before you were interrupted by him quickly licking the folds of your pussy. Your legs briefly shook as you adjusted to the feeling.

“Yeah, how about that? Y’like that?” He smugly asked.

“Please,” you started, “can you keep going?”

He didn’t reply, but let his tongue run over your clit, stopping every once in awhile to lick a stripe over your leaking cunt.

You threw your head back in pleasure, releasing all the pent up moans from your throat.

After a few minutes, your hips started bucking and your legs opened further. Taking notice of this, Monty retracted his claws and thrusted two of his fingers into your already overstimulated core. He forced them in and out in a messy rhythm, curling them inside of you.

You clenched around his thick fingers and came on them, panting and furrowing your eyebrows as you rode out your orgasm.

“You look like such a cute slut with my fingers in you,” Monty snickered.

You couldn’t catch your breath in time to respond to him, and him pushing you down on the couch didn’t help.

“It’s a good thing you’re already worked up, right slut?” He asked in a patronizing tone.

“You’re so mean to me,” you retorted in a fake hurt voice.

“Oh, I’ll show you mean.”

He pressed his pelvic plate, releasing a thick, veiny dick. It was leaking a pre-cum like substance.

He lifted both of your legs over his shoulders and slid into your tight hole. You clenched around him, leaving him groaning in pleasure.

“Fuck, gonna milk me dry, yeah?” He moaned and quicken his pace.

“Mhm, yes! Feels so nice,” you said.

His thrusts got stronger and his groans got more and more filthy. Your walls were clenching on his cock repeatedly as you took him deeper inside of you.

“God damn, I’m close, Sha. This little cunt is so perfect,” he cooed.

“Please keep going,” you whined, “I’m close too.”

He mercilessly pounded into you, feeling your walls spasm on his cock only made him go faster and faster. The room filled with lewd squelching noises.

You reared up on your orgasm and could feel a pressure build up in your stomach. You finally released after Monty roared and shot his synthetic ropes of cum into you.

He fell down next to you and huffed out.

“Thank you for letting me stay with you,” you shyly said after a few moments of silence.

“No problem at all, darlin’. I’m glad I got to stay with your cute ass,” he purred.

He stood up and stretched, then helped you gather your things a get ready to leave. Just as you were about to walk out and find your friends, Monty called out for you.

“Hey, Y/N. Before you leave, I just want you to know the curtains were open that entire time,” he grinned.

You immediately blushed and cursed your luck.

You felt him creep up on you, slap your ass and send you off.

“Come back soon, yeah? I’ll see you next time, you little exhibitionist.”

#Fnaf #fnafxreader #fnaf security breach #smutfic #lemon #montgomerygator #barleyxnighteye #monty gator #monty x reader

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