#honestly it was so hard to even narrow it down to thirteen

[rustbeltjessie]

Some of my favorite photos I took in 2024. (13 instead of 12, because October had Chicago and aurora borealis, so I had to give it two.)

steam fog on the lake, North Bay (Racine), WI - January 16

hoarfrost on the dead sunflowers, Egg Harbor (Door County), WI - February 4

Bird Keeper by Janice Lowry, Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI - March 14

blue walls at the diner, Frank’s Diner, Kenosha, WI - April 4

moon jellies, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL - May 15

golden hour, Kenosha, WI - June 8

fallen tree, Petrifying Springs Park, Kenosha, WI - July 11

fire pit, Fish Creek (Door County), WI - August 14

Norwegian Rosemaling, Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI - September 21

dusk comes on, Chicago, IL - October 5

aurora borealis, Racine, WI - October 10

orange before the rain, Racine, WI - November 18

you are as strong as you are honest, Racine, WI - December 15

[my-head-is-an-animal]

Problems With The Heart

Greg House x Dr Anna Harding (OFC)

Story Masterlist

Chapter 14 - Christmas Music

House hated to see Big Love go, but he just didn’t cut it. Thirteen was being unreasonable about not wanting to know whether she had Huntington’s or not and that was very interesting. He needed Anna’s company to figure things out.

‘What’s annoying you?’ She asked, from his office chair.

‘You assume I’m annoyed.’ He said limping towards her, dumping his bag in the chair opposite her.

‘You’ve been especially nice to me recently. I assume I’ve annoyed you and you’re about getting some convoluted revenge on me, but I’m open to other options.’ She shot back.

‘I’m not.’ He said, looking down at her. He smirked, enjoying the angle of sitting in front of him. House ran his fingers up her smooth jaw, watching her eyes darken almost entirely. Anna was beautiful. ‘I’m not.’ He repeated, making sure she understood what he meant. ‘Come over tonight, stay with me.’

Anna’s eyes were even darker, his hand traced up her jaw all the way to her soft hair, she loved it when he massaged her hairline. House very gently pushed his luck and went deeper into her hair, making her eyes flutter shut. He smiled gently at how pretty she looked when she relaxed.

Anna suddenly took a breath and stood up. ‘Greg, I can’t do this.’ He didn’t move, making her stand pressed against him. If she wanted to leave then she could’ve done.

‘You called me Greg.’ He said, lowly.

She half smiled and took a breath, her eyes finding his. He smiled gently, bringing his hand up to her jaw again. He knew she wouldn’t resist if he just kissed her and he couldn’t really remember the reason not to. House slowly lowered his mouth, his lips grazed hers, he felt his hand wrap around her waist of its own accord, she felt thinner than the last time he’d held her.

‘Oh sorry!’ Amber said, entering his office. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Get out.’ House told her, annoyed that a perfect moment was ruined. Amber scuttled away, but by the time she did, Anna was already moving away from him. ‘Anna.’

‘What did you think was going to happen?’ She said, more exhausted than annoyed.

House was quiet for a moment. ‘I don’t know what I thought would happen. I hoped you’d say yes.’

‘Why would I say yes? I ended things with you.’

‘I told you. You called me Greg.’ He said it as gently as he could. ‘You never do it on purpose or consciously, but you always do it when you want to stay.’ He watched her fold her arms and observe him carefully. ‘If I thought you meant it when you said you didn’t want to be with me, I’d back off. But you do want to be with me and I can’t understand why you won’t say yes.’

Anna’s watered ever so slightly. ‘Were you upset when I miscarried?’ She asked.

‘What do you mean?’ He frowned.

‘It’s a simple question.’ She frowned back. ‘Were you upset that I lost the baby that you and I might have had?’ He felt like his brain might have exploded. ‘Or were you relieved?’

House narrowed his eyes. ‘I was upset.’ He conceded, but it wasn’t the answer she expected. ‘I had no idea you were pregnant, you showed no signs and I honestly didn’t think it would happen. I wasn’t upset that we lost a child, I was upset because you were upset, because you were bleeding and…’

‘What?’

‘Because I did that to you. I was upset because it felt like my fault. Vicodin and alcohol don’t mix well together and if you’re at any stage of pregnancy it can cause miscarriages.’ He explained. ‘I wasn’t angry with you because I didn’t know, but I was upset because I should’ve known better. I should have considered the possibility.’

Anna just watched him, looking for any sign of a lie, but there was none. ‘So, what has all this been about? Why do you still want to be with me? Is it some form of apology?’

‘There’s nothing wrong with you.’ He told her firmly. ‘I mean, there’s something wrong with everybody and you should go to a sleep clinic, but you are not a monster and you didn’t kill anyone or anything.’

Anna didn’t know what to say, but she accepted his answer. She nodded and said. ‘Okay. Thank you.’

House watched her leave and leaned on his desk hating the fact that he’d been interrupted before he could actually kiss her.

Cuddy needed him to fire somebody, Amber was his leading choice and so he concocted a plan to keep the other three. He also thought of a plan to make Anna happy, she wasn’t going home for Christmas, she never did, like him, she preferred not to see her parents. He wanted her to feel good though and with Wilson’s help he came up with a plan to get her a present he knew she’d love.

‘A piano?’ Wilson exclaimed as House showed him the one. ‘It’s nearly two thousand dollars! What if she doesn’t like it?’

‘You know, none of this is helpful.’ House shot back. ‘You just need to keep her here for a few more hours, I’ll call you when it’s safe for her to go home.’

‘You’re going to break into her house with a piano?’

‘No!’ House said with as much disapproval. ‘I’ve got keys.’

‘Course you do, did you steal them to make a copy?’

‘She gave them to me.’ House got on with ordering the piano, he knew she’d like it, she liked playing and this way they could play together a little more if she could practice.

‘When?’

‘Few months ago. What does it matter?’

‘And you didn’t think to give them back when she broke up with you?’

‘She didn’t really break up with me, she thought she didn’t want to be with me, I’m proving that she does.’

Wilson wandered towards the door of his office. ‘This is madness, House. Have you told her you love her yet?’ House just gave him a guilt look and it was enough to make Wilson leave.

I took Wilson up on his offer to have lunch, he had a few patients that he needed a consult on anyway and I needed to spend time in the company of someone that could take my mind off House. The lunch was nice, Wilson was nice, he asked me to stay for the Christmas celebration after work, I didn’t see any harm in it and I knew House wouldn’t be there.

‘Anna?’

I turned to see Chase. ‘Chase, how are you?’ I said, we hugged and I spotted Cameron. ‘Cameron.’ I hugged her as well and we caught up for a while. None of them asked me about House, but I could tell they wanted to. Every topic of conversation was about what I was getting up to and what interesting cases I had. It was all a way into finding out my relationship details and I was getting fed up of it.

Eventually I decided it was time for me to go home and get very drunk. Christmas was a difficult time, my parents were still in London and I would need to call them tomorrow when it wasn’t the middle of the night.

‘House?’ I exclaimed seeing him outside my front door. ‘Are you breaking into my flat?’ I wasn’t even that annoyed, but he definitely looked guiltier than usual.

‘I have a key.’ He said, by way of reason.

I rolled my eyes. ‘Well, are you going to let me in or are we going to stand in the hallway all night?’

House opened the door again, but not all the way.

‘What are you doing?’ I frowned.

‘I… I did something…’ he couldn’t look at me. ‘It was stupid.’

I pushed the door open and saw something that wasn’t there before. A black Roland piano. I wandered towards it, not quite believing it was sitting in my living room.

I turned back to see House standing in the doorway. ‘How did you get it up here?’ Why was that the first question?

‘The guys who dropped it off brought it up,’ he said, closing the door finally. ‘I was just making sure it was ready to play.’

I lifted the lid to see the perfectly clean and new white and black keys while House came over to watch. I tapped a few keys and listened to the beautiful sound that came out. I couldn’t believe he’d done this.

‘Merry Christmas.’ He said, quietly, looking down at his shoes.

I took a deep breath. ‘Greg.’ His eyes snapped up to mine. I didn’t bother resisting, I scanned his face, my eyes landing on his lips, leaned up and placed a soft kiss to the side of his mouth. ‘Thank you.’ I whispered.

I liked kissing him and I knew he liked kissing me, his low growl every time told me so. I didn’t want to stop and I hardly needed to convince him to continue. He sat down on my sofa, I followed straddling him and listened to his shallow breathing as we undressed each other. He was good at making me come, but he especially liked it when I made myself come on top of him.

House let his head fall back as I slowly slid down on top of him, his hands held my hips firmly, controlling the descent and I loved every moment of it. It was slow at first and then all he wanted was to make me come for him, over and over again.

He wrapped his arms around my cooling body and kissed my forehead, it was a rare thing for him to do, but it was also one of my favourite things. His fingers traced over my back, delicately and slowly, he caressed the scars and relaxed my whole body.

‘I was going to get drunk tonight.’ I said, still listening to his heart rate slow down.

‘Still can.’ His lips moved against my skin.

‘I was going to get high as well.’ I admitted.

‘On what?’

‘Morphine. You’re not the only one who has access to a stash.’ I tried to joke, but he didn’t laugh.

‘Have you taken a pregnancy test recently?’ I knew he hated asking, I didn’t like it either. I sat up and stared down at him.

‘I had my period last week.’ I told him, somewhat aware that he was still inside me. House nodded and let his eyes scan over my naked body. I liked it when he looked at me, I didn’t feel under the scope, I felt watched, safe.

‘Vicodin is a safer high.’ He said.

‘Morphine is more pleasurable.’ I countered.

‘Vicodin plus sex is a good combo. I could stay in case you need a top up.’

He made me laugh and I decided it was time to get up.

‘You want to take a shower with me?’ I asked, wandering toward my bathroom. House grinned and followed me.

It was the start of a fun night, we drank, we played the piano, not very well in our states, but we played and we joked and we went to bed, still getting each other off. Maybe Christmas wasn’t so bad.

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[botslayer]

I admit that I don't usually feel strong emotions. It's what makes me good at my job. Disgust is hard to register. Joy, even on the night my son was born, was difficult to dig up. They've diagnosed me with everything from sociopathy to clinical apathy and everything in between. Now. You might be wondering what kinda job someone like me would be good at... Well. What do you feel when you kill somebody? Whatever your answer is, I usually don't.

Publicly, I'm a detective. But throw in about a hundred bucks extra and my investigations can get, for lack of a better term, messy if you want. One day, as I leaned back in my chair and swirled a scotch-glass sized martini, a kid came in. Couldn't have been more than twelve. Or a malnourished thirteen.

"Excuse me?" He said meekly. I expected him to ask if he could use my phone, call his mom, something. The building had a few other businesses built into them, so a few people stumbled into mine asking for things like that. "Are you detective Fogerty?"

"Uh. Yeah. That's me. What can I help you with?" He let the door swing open the rest of the way and came in slowly with a little folder in his hand. Youngest client I ever seen.

"I need you to look into my dad," he said, stepping forward slowly. "There's something wrong with him."

"What do you mean?" I cocked an eyebrow. Something happened like this once, sixteen year old girl wanted to know what her dad was hiding. Turns out it was just a birthday present.

"... I mean you probably don't want to open this folder," he started, holding it up. I didn't feel a whole lot, but I could read people just fine. Kid clearly had on a brave face of a sort. "The cops won't do what you do," he said, slapping it down on my desk somewhat dramatically.

I narrowed my eyes, knowing what the kid was getting at but needing to look normal. "And that would that be?"

"... How much would it take for you to look into something messy?"

I had no clue where this kid picked up my code. I was genuinely floored for the first time in a long time. "Get out of my office, kid."

"My name is Drake," he said sternly. "And I'm not going anywhere without a price," he shook his head.

"... Three hundred." I answered honestly and expected that to be the end of it until he pulled a wad of fifties from his pocket, counted seven of them and slapped them down on the file.

"You can keep the extra fifty if you're done by the end of the week." He scowled.

"Do you know what you're asking for?" I furrowed my brow and set my drink down on a filing cabinet as picked up the money.

"Do you know what's in that folder?" I had a feeling but I had to check. There were pictures of this kid, his little sister, and their mom. Bruises everywhere. I genuinely felt my disgust bubble over into anger. A new one, honestly.

"Is there more of this?" I asked after two minutes of trying to find the words.

"Tons. Why?"

"I'm burning this," I answered honestly and aimed it at my fireplace.

"Go ahead... Just get rid of him."

"I need an address, ki-- Drake," I said roughly. When I finally had the son of a bitch cornered three days later in his garage, his family away on a shopping trip at Drake's request no less, I stabbed him in the shoulder. Idiot couldn't keep a grip on his gun.

"Please! I have a wife and children!" He started sobbing as I got a hold of his front collar and he dropped to his knees, begging for his worthless life. All I could do as I felt the anger from knowing what this fucker was doing deform was laugh.

"Who do you think sent me?" I dug my knife into his neck as the realization of how bad he screwed up dawned on him and dropped him before much blood could get on me. I tossed the garage. Made it look like a real fight. By the time Drake and his family were back, I'd already called the cops, made it look like he tried to burn evidence in the furnace and told them the honest truth. His son told me where to look, and the guy did pull on me.

About two months later, I was at Drake's birthday. He invited me himself. Turns out him and my son get along well enough. I hear from him every so often. He's doing well. I admit, it makes me feel something. Not sure what. But I think it feels good.

“Please! I have a wife and children!” He cries under your grip as you hold the knife above him. You burst out laughing, “WHO do you think sent me?”

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 116: Silver

The problem was that the entire house was grey.

Not metaphorically speaking, of course. No, Harry was actually a little in love with the house itself. It was a cozy little two bedroom home with a nice big kitchen that had an island in the center and a breakfast nook in the corner by the window. And the bathroom had a giant bathtub for soaking and relaxing. The living room had bookshelves built into the walls and a cozy fireplace that Harry couldn't wait to use in the fall and winter.

Metaphorically speaking, the house was sunshine-yellow. Harry adored it.

But every wall in the house was literally grey. His realtor had assured him that grey walls were very fashionable and that he'd grow to like them in time if he just gave them a chance.

So he'd given them a chance. He waited to fall in love with the walls for three whole days before he decided that he simply couldn't take it anymore.

He went to the little muggle hardware store down the street and bought seven gallons of paint; sea foam for the bathroom, coral for the kitchen and breakfast nook, cerulean for his bed room, emerald for the guest bedroom, raspberry for the living room, crisp white for the entry way and all of the doorways, and crimson for the front door. Harry bought paintbrushes, rollers, drop cloths, painters tape, and even a fancy tool to get the corners.

Thankfully, the shop owner let him borrow a little wagon to take everything back on and in no time Harry had the tape up to protect ceilings and doorways, he had drop cloths covering the hard wood floors, and he was ready to start.

He didn't know how long he was at it, but he'd finished the front door, the entry way, and the kitchen when a familiar voice was calling out to him from the open front door. "Potter?"

"Draco," he said in surprise, making his way through the stacks of covered furniture to find his bemused looking auror partner standing on the front steps with a bottle of wine and a house plant. "Hi," he said.

"Hello," the other man replied. "Is it a muggle custom to simply leave one's door open?"

(Read more below the cut)

"No," Harry said with a laugh, "My paint is just drying."

"Have I come at a bad time?" Draco asked, brow furrowing slightly. "I should have sent a patronus ahead of me to check, I'm sorr-"

"It's fine," Harry assured quickly, "I told you to come by any time. Come in. Please."

"Are you certain?" he asked.

He nodded, "Come on. Just don't touch the walls."

Draco followed him inside and held out the wine and the plant, "These are for you," he offered, "house warming presents."

"Thank you," Harry said, genuinely touched. "Really, you didn't have to-"

"I wanted to."

"Thank you," he said again.

After a moment of simply staring at one another, an activity that was becoming increasingly, worryingly common for the two of them, Draco said, "So! Show me your house." He grinned, silver eyes twinkling with mischief, "Give me the grand tour."

Harry laughed, "Well, you'll have to forgive the mess," he said as he headed toward the kitchen, "I'm painting."

"I can see that," he teased. "What was wrong with the color the walls were when you moved in?"

He made a face as he tucked the wine into the refrigerator, "They were all grey!" he said. "Every. single. wall. Grey!"

Draco laughed, "Alright, tell me about your vision for each room."

Happily, Harry complied; taking Draco around the house room by room and telling him about the color palette for each space, the new furniture and decorations he was thinking about buying to complete each room.

By the time they made it back to the living room, Draco was chuckling under his breath.

"What?" he asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Just you," he said with a little shake of his head. "This is so like you."

"How so?"

With a wistful little smile, Draco looked around the room like he could already see what Harry was going to do. "There's just so much life here, you know? You just," he shrugged a little helplessly, "Everywhere you go, you make things come to life."

He blinked at him and opened his mouth to say something and nothing came out. He swallowed back what felt suspiciously like tears and then managed, "That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

A flush flared across Draco's cheeks and Harry admirably resisted the urge to trail his nose over the blush. "Don't let it go to your head," the other man said with a huff.

Harry laughed, "Do you want to stay?"

"Sorry?"

He shrugged, "Do you want to stay and help paint? It's actually pretty fun."

"I don't have the appropriate attire," he said after a moment.

"I have extra joggers and t-shirts you can borrow if you'd like?" he offered.

The corner of Draco's mouth tipped up, "If you don't mind. I've never painted the muggle way before."

"It feels good," Harry said as he started off toward his room to fetch clothes for Draco to borrow. "It feels like you've really accomplished something."

Draco laughed, following along behind him, "Ah, yes. I can see how you, who brought in only thirteen criminals to the DMLE this week alone, might feel the need to 'really accomplish something,'" he teased.

"Shut it," Harry said good naturedly as he dug out clothes for Draco to borrow and threw them at his head.

Draco caught them and Harry's eyes snagged on Draco's, holding them for a beat too long again, before he cleared his throat, "I'll see you in a few minutes," he offered lamely before fleeing his own bedroom.

----------

After several hours of painting (and laughing, and singing and dancing along with the wireless, and cleaning dripped paint off of several surfaces that it should never have been on in the first place) they decided to take a break for dinner.

They ordered a pizza and ate it sitting on the floor in the living room while they drank the bottle of wine Draco had brought. And as Harry stared at the rosy blush coloring Draco's cheeks from the wine and the laughter, he tried to remember the last time he'd felt this free and happy.

When he couldn't eat one more bite, Harry flopped down on his back on the floor in the living room with a groan, "My shoulder hurts from painting."

Draco nudged him with his knee. "You're getting old, Potter," he said with a little smile.

And he meant it as a joke but it twisted something in Harry's gut uncomfortably, "I never imagined I'd grow old," he confessed softly.

The smile slipped from Draco's face, "Harry, I didn't mean-"

"It's alright," Harry said quickly, reaching out to press his pinky against Draco's. "It just my parents died really young, and there was everything with Voldemort, and for a long time after that I thought that surely one of his followers would finish me off," he shrugged. "And I just didn't expect to get old."

"You listen to me, Harry Potter," Draco said fiercely, his eyes bright in a way that made Harry's heart clench in his chest. "You are going to live to be ancient. Older than Dumbledore and infinitely happier."

"Oh?" he asked, smiling in spite of himself.

"Yes."

"How do you know?" he asked.

Draco narrowed his eyes at him, "Because I do. And if there is something else destined for you, I will make it so by sheer force of will." He wrapped his pinky around Harry's and something thrilled in the pit of Harry's stomach, "You deserve the world and if the world will not hand itself over on a silver platter, I will give it to you."

He sat up and pressed his lips to the other man's without another thought because it was honestly nothing short of a miracle that he hadn't done it before now. And honestly, how was he supposed to resist kissing him when the other man said things like that? "I love you," he breathed when he pulled back. And then he immediately wanted to take those words back, "Sorry," he spluttered as he collapsed back onto the floor and covered his face with his hands, "Godric, I don't know what's come over me. Sorry. Just forget-"

Draco's lips covered Harry's and stemmed the flow of words coming from his mouth.

"Mmrmph," Harry murmured against his mouth inelegantly before giving himself over to the kiss completely and reaching up to cup Draco's face with his hands.

"Don't be sorry," Draco whispered when he drew back a moment later, "Please say you meant it."

"I meant it," Harry replied softly as he brushed Draco's hair back.

"Good," Draco said, leaning down to kiss him softly once more. "Because I love you, too."

-----------

Day 115: Soft | Day 117: Movie

[backtobackbakubabe]

Speak Easy Part 8

Dabi x Reader, Bakugo x Reader

Words : 5816

Masterlist

Reader has a siren quirk and has spent the past several years of her life as a captive being experimented on by “heroes” Now that she’s out she needs protection and safe place to heal. Who will be the one to put her pieces back together?

Words with ‘this’ is dialogue written in her journal rather than said out loud and and words with ~this~ is dialogue said in sign language rather than out loud.

TW: Mentions of torture, r*pe, and abuse.

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

You had to squint one eye closed in order to focus hard enough to clean up Dabi’s wound. Upon further inspection you realized it hadn’t been that deep but there was something nagging at the back of your mind that you were just too drunk to grasp at right now.

He didn’t even flinch as you dabbed it with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. You were seated between his legs on the floor as he sat on the couch. You were eye level with his injury and close enough that if you wanted to, you could lick his abs. You suddenly found yourself fantasizing about pulling his cock out and letting him fuck your face. You shook the thought out of your head. You were a horn dog sober, and when you were drunk it was even worse. You must have been staring because Dabi’s fingers wove through your hair. “What’s going on through that drunk little head of yours?”

You leaned into it his hand a little and sighed, “I’m not drunk!... Anymore… And nothing appropriate.”

You felt him vibrate with soft laughter. “Oh yeah? I’d love to hear about it.”

You blushed, “No thanks.” You gently smoothed a bandage over his abdomen, fingers lingering a little longer than necessary.

He placed his free hand on top of yours and held it to him. “Sometimes I wish I had your quirk so I could always know what you’re thinkin’.”

Your eyes traveled up to meet his. “Well I do have my quirk and I still don’t know what’s going on in your head most of the time.”

He smirked at you, “Well that’s just because you’re nicer than I am. You never use your quirk on me without permission.” The fingers that were still in your hair tightened as he forced you to look at him. “But that’s because you’re such a good girl. You’d never do something without permission would you baby?” He glanced at the coffee table at the empty wine bottles. “Well I guess that’s not true huh? Looks like you helped yourself to some of my wine without asking first.”

You narrowed your eyes, “You weren’t here to ask!” His hand that had been on top of yours started moving towards his crotch, dragging yours with it. “You left me here all alone without even talking to me about it first. It was scary!”

You started to pout, and it was honestly one of the cutest things he had ever seen. That sweet look in your eyes pierced his heart. He continued pushing your hand closer and closer to his semi hard cock. He was so warm and you wondered if it had something to do with his quirk. “I know and I really am sorry about that. I didn’t think it’d freak you out like that… But thank you so much for patching me up anyways.” His eyes softened a bit. “You’re such a good little nurse.”

You beamed at the praise. “You take care of me all the time. The least I can do is put a bandage on you when you get stabbed.” You gave him a pointed look, “Even if you won��t tell me why you were stabbed to begin with.”

He chuckled at you. “Well you won’t tell me what naughty thoughts you’re keeping to yourself either. Looks like we’re both guilty of hiding things.”

You chewed on your lip in thought. The action drew his eyes and he hummed. He brushed his calloused thumb over your bottom lip making you release it. “You can be such a tease you know that.” You quickly nipped at the tip of his thumb, and leaned closer to him. “For the love of god what are you linking about?”

“I’ll tell you…if you tell me what happened tonight.”

He groaned, “Bribing me huh?” He saw a seductive spark in your eyes that had him intrigued. “Okay but you first.” He pulled you closer so your head was basically laying in his lap. “And don’t leave out a single filthy detail…”

You got up on you knees and placed your hands on his thick thighs. “Well… At first, I was wondering what it would be like to lick your abs.”

You felt him begin to tense up. “Oh yeah? And what did my naughty girl want to do next?”

You licked your lips. “I wondered what it would be like if you…” You paused and you could feel your blush spreading over your cheeks.

“Yeah? What it would be like if I what?” He resumed playing with your hair in encouragement.

“What it would be like if you fucked my face…” Your eyes shot to his to gauge his reaction and what you saw lit a fire in your stomach.

You squeezed your thighs together and the feral look his gave you. A low growl left his lips as his hand came down to squeeze the back of your neck. “Such a dirty girl with such a dirty mouth.” He brought a hand up to your chin, “Open…” You obediently opened your mouth for him. His eyes practically glowed with hunger. You heard his zipper, but your eyes remained glued to his. “Law thirteen?”

You nodded but he just squeezed your chin. “Law says verbal or written consent. Use your words princess.”

“Yes… sir.”

He hummed as he brought his dick to your lips and paused for a brief moment. “You won’t be able to use your colors with my dick in your throat. If it gets to be too much, I need you to tap my hip twice to check in three times to stop completely. Confirm that you understand.”

Gasping at his words you could feel your thighs getting slick. “I understand sir.”

Before you could say anything else he was shoving his dick in your mouth. His hands scooped your hair out of your face, and he started his pace out slow. “There’s something so hot about knowing what a fucking bad ass you are. Yet here you are… sitting so pretty for me on your knees with my cock in your mouth.

You hummed in approval and you felt his dick twitch in your throat. His hips snapped forward and it took everything you had to stay still. Your fingernails dug into his thighs and you felt tears start to leak out the corners of your eyes. “Shhhhh relax your throat baby.” He brushed away your tears and his snapped forward again. “I’m not going to take it easy on you just because you look at me like that.” His pace picked up a bit. “Looking at me with those sweet, devoted eyes.”

The force of his hips left you unbalanced and now you really had to brace yourself on his thighs as he set a brutal pace. “Oh fuck yeah!” His hand was at the back of your head slamming it down to meet his thrusts. Your throat burned and it was getting harder and harder to breath.

He continued pounding into your throat relentlessly. “That’s it. Take.. it.. all.”

You reached down and started to rub your clit but Dabi didn’t seem to appreciate that. “What did we just say about asking for permission huh? Did you ask if you could play with my pussy.” He shoved himself to the back of your throat and held it there. “Because it is mine. And I don’t think there’s any way you could have asked when you’re practically gagging on my cock.” He pulled out all the way and you gasped for air. “On the couch, on your back. Now.”

You quickly complied and he swatted at your ass as you stood up. “Atta girl.” He pulled your head to hang off the end of the couch. He had a better angle now as he slowly pushed his dick past your lips. “At least this way if you’re going to play with yourself, I can have a better view.” He chuckled as he saw your hand dart between your legs.

You immediately started moaning around his dick making him growl as his fingers dug into the couch. “Baby girl, you better finish quickly because I’m almost at my limit and I can’t promise I’m going to have enough energy to get you off after.” He leaned over pulled your shirt up to expose your breasts. He started tweaking and playing with your nipples. “Come on… I know you’re close… I can see your legs shaking. Just fuckin let go already!”

Your fingers sped up and he gave one of your tits a hard slap. You orgasm came unexpectedly and had you practically screaming around his dick. “Fuuu---”

When he was finally ready to finish he shoved his dick all the way to the back of your throat and held your face to his him. He shot thick ropes of cum down your throat, but still he held you in place.

The lack of oxygen started to make you feel dizzy and you quickly tapped his hip twice. You just needed to breath. You needed to breath before you started to panic.

True to his word he pulled out immediately. “Shit… what’s wrong? You okay, was I too rough?”

You sucked in a huge breath and coughed. “N-no…” You took a second to regain your composure. “It’s just… too similar to… you know.” Your eyes cut to the pool and when he followed your gaze he stiffened.

You saw something like regret pass over his face. “That makes sense.” He looked flushed and absolutely worn out. You were honestly surprised he came so quickly. His injury must have taken more of him than he was letting on.

You crawled into his lap as he tucked his dick back into his pants. This close you could see how sweaty he was and how pale he looked. “Dabi… you don’t look so good. Are you okay?”

His breathing was more like wheezing and he had to clear his throat before speaking. “I’ve been better. After that orgasm though, I’m sure I’ll be better in no time…”

His eyes started to flutter shut and you remembered that nagging feeling from earlier. You put a hand to his sweaty forehead and pushed the hair that had stuck there out of the way. “Are you always this hot?”

He chuckled but his eyes remained closed, “Thanks for noticing, you’re not too shabby yourself.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Are you this warm because of your quirk or do you have a fever?” You felt for his pulse and didn’t like how weak it felt. “Dabi, I did what you asked now it’s your turn. I need you to tell me what happened tonight.”

He moaned, “I got stabbed… and it hurt. What else do you need to know.”

If he wasn’t fading fast you’d slap him. “Dabi I’m not asking anymore. I need to know what happened. I think you were poisoned you idiot.”

“I was looking for somebody and I found him. He did a very bad thing and I personally made sure he paid the consequences.” He coughed a few times. “I just didn’t expect him to have a friend.”

“Dabi who was it? Who did you go after?” He weakly shrugged his shoulders, but you had had enough of his childish behavior. “No shrugging asshole.” You placed a hand on either side of his head and activated your quirk. “Open your eyes Dabi. Let me see your eyes please.” You watched as your words sunk in and his eyes snapped open against his will. You looked deep into them and connected with his mind. “Good boy, you’re doing great. Now show me what happened. I need you to remember what happened earlier tonight when you were stabbed.”

You could feel a light resistance on his end, but in the end he was too weak to put upmuch of a fight for long.

The memory came flooding to you. You saw the back of a man’s head and one of Dabi’s scared arms reaching for his shoulder. When the man turned around your heart froze. You knew that face. He was the last “mark” you had before your agency kidnapped you. It was a set up. He was supposed to be another guy for you to interrogate. Except when the time came you were the actual target that night.

You watched as Dabi sent a flame between the man’s legs and he howled out in pain. “As far as I’m concerned real men don’t behave to way you have. So, you don’t deserve to keep your ‘manhood’.” It was Dabi’s voice, but it didn’t really sound like Dabi. It sounded dark and sinister. It gave you goosebumps and made you grip his face even tighter. “I’ve been looking for you for quite some time, but you see I have both heroes and villains in my pocket. There’s nowhere for you sick fucks to hide. You fucked with the wrong person and I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty.”

He brought a hot hand down to the man’s face and branded a line from his temple to the base of his neck. “There. Now you’re just an ugly son of a bitch with a crispy dick that doesn’t work anymore.”

“WHY?!” The man wailed and screamed. “WHAT DID I DO?”

Dabi punched him in the jaw, “You had the fucking audacity to touch what was mine. Now I’ve branded you for her… and when she’s ready I will fucking help her hunt you down.”

You sucked in a breath at his words. You should be disgusted, you should be appalled, horrified. But you felt a thrill shoot down your spine at the idea. You felt a barely conscious Dabi hum beneath you at the shared feeling.

You went back to watching the memory before you got carried away. Dabi was hurt and you needed to focus.

Dabi heard feet scurrying towards him but he didn’t have enough time to react before a knife sliced him across his ribs. With a hiss he turned around to look a tiny weasel of a man that you knew all too well. His quirk was called venom. His spit was unique. It caused hallucinations, fever, nausea, and in some extreme cases… death.

You had taken the man down when you were playing hero, but you had a lovely reunion when you were captured. He was a regular at first. They liked to use his saliva to try and torture you into submission. You would be sick for days, in pain, and having the worst hallucinations and fever dreams. You honestly never knew the difference because it was so hard to tell when you were awake and when you were asleep.

You pulled away from Dabi and heard him whine at your absence. “Shhh Dabi. I’m here, I didn’t go anywhere. Can you hear me?”

He nodded with a mumbled, “Loud and clear”

“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

His fingers found your shirt and gripped it trying to anchor himself to the here and now. “Rip the band aid off babe.”

You sighed and rubbed circles into his arm. “You did get poisoned. And I’m not going to lie the next few days are going to suck.” He groaned and his grip on your shirt started to weaken. “But the good news is you’re not going to die… Probably.” You could feel him slipping off into a dream. “But I’m here and I’m going to do everything I can to help.”

You activated your quirk and laid on top of him releasing as much happy, content, and relaxed feelings as you could. It was all you could do for him. You knew right about now he was probably having some kind of twisted nightmare. You knew they came in waves. You would just have to wait here until he woke up.

So, you did. Even though all you wanted was to pass out on top of him. You were tired and your head pounded but you continued to try and comfort him. Every time he twitched, every time he cried out you would just hold him tighter. It wasn’t until several hours later that you felt him start to wake up.

You picked your head up to look into his confused but pained eyes. “Y/n? Why does… why does everything hurt?”

He gulped and tried to sit up, but you pushed him back down. “Stay here. I’ll be right back. Please don’t move.” He wanted to argue with you but one look at you had him biting his tongue. You looked absolutely spent. Dark circles under your eyes and your face etched with worry. So instead he just nodded as he watched you struggle to get to your feet and walk into the kitchen.

You wobbled a little as you made your way to the fridge. You pulled out two sports drinks and a whole ass loaf of bread. You filled a bowl with cold water and grabbed a clean rag. You made your way back and took a seat next to Dabi who was now looking like he was going to puke. You sighed and grabbed the small trash bin that had been behind the couch.

“Okay. I need you to get as much of this down as you can before you get pulled back under. You’re going to throw up. It’s going to burn like a mother fucker. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do about that.” You adjusted a pillow under his head to help him sit up so he could try and eat. “I brought you a cold towel to help with the fever.” You placed it on his forehead and his hand grabbed your wrist.

“You need to eat something too. Law number-”

“Seven. I know. Three full meals. I’ll eat, I promise.” Your hands started to fidget uncomfortably. “Speaking of laws… I know Law two is no drugs… But I know you’re in pain. Whatever you want. Whatever you think will make you feel better.”

He gulped and nodded before giving you directions on where to find where he had hidden all the drugs and pills. You found the little orange bottle he had described and brought it back to him. You were happy to see he had eaten some bread and drank almost a whole bottle of Powerade.

You sat next to him and pulled his head in your lap. “I promise when you wake up next, I’ll have better food.” You ran you fingers through his white hair that was soaked with sweat.

“Thank you… I’ve never had someone… care like this. Not since my mom.”

You were glad he couldn’t see your face as a single tear flowed down your cheek. “I’ve been in your shoes. I know how awful it is. I would be a monster to make you go through this alone.”

His hand came up and found yours that was in his hair. “I would understand if you did. It would be what I deserved.” He lurched like he was going to be sick. You rolled him over onto his side and rubbed his back as he threw up into the bin.

“Don’t say that. I know you have a difficult past. But if there’s anything I’ve learned since being here is that you are worth trusting, and you are in your own twisted way a good person.”

He didn’t answer and for a while you both sat in silence. You rubbed his back as his breathing got slower until he fell asleep. You had a few minutes before the nightmares started so you quickly made your way to the kitchen and made some soup. You hoped it tasted good, it had been a while since you made it. It was an old family recipe. Your mom had convinced you that it was magic when you were younger and that it could cure anything. You prayed to your ancestors that just this once that were true. You brought the spoon up to your lips to try it when a loud sound from the living room made you drop it.

You rushed back into the living room to see Dabi shaking and crying. “NO! I can’t do it! Why won’t you believe me?” His words almost broke you. From your limited knowledge of his past you knew it had to be about Endeavor. You spooned him from behind and repeatedly kissed his back between his shoulder blades. “It hurts! STOP! I can’t DO IT!”

You did your best to calm him down, but you knew you were basically helpless. He just needed to ride this out. So, you sat there and listened to his pain and his sorrows and held him as you used your quirk the best you could. “You’re okay. I’ll hold you until you feel better. Nothing to be scared of.”

A routine was set after that. You ate whenever he ate. And you tried your best to take naps in between his nightmares. He was pretty out of it for most of it. There were only a few times he was actually lucid enough to know who you were. But even those moment were hard because all he did was apologize and try an convince you to leave him alone.

You had no idea how long it had been, only that it had been several days. The exhaustion was weighing on you, but you trained your whole life to be a hero, and this is what heroes did. They helped people. You knew it should be over soon. The past few times he had fallen asleep had been relatively peaceful and he had been keeping food down well enough. You felt like it was safe to doze off for a little while.

You curled up into his side and entered a thankfully dreamless sleep. You didn’t come too until you felt a tingling between your legs. You gasped as your eyes snapped open. Your hands reached out and found soft white hair. “D-Dabiiiii.” He sucked your clit into his mouth as two of his fingers pumped in and out of you. “What- FUCK- What are you doing?”

He groaned into you before pulling away, “Trying to enjoy my breakfast. Can I help you?” His fingers continued to pump in and out of you as his devilish blue eyes connected with yours. “I just want to show how appreciative I am.” He gave a quick lick that had your back arching. “I’ve been so patient waiting for you to wake up, but I couldn’t wait any longer. You’ve been asleep for almost two fucking days.” It was then you realized you had been moved. You were in his room, which wasn’t somewhere you were all too familiar with.

He continued to eat you out like he was starving, and you couldn’t do anything other than sit back and enjoy it. He hooked his arms around your thighs to pin you to his bed. You tried to squirm as you felt your orgasm rapidly approaching but you couldn’t budge. You closed your eyes and moaned so loud it echoed off of his high ceiling. Your thighs clamped around him as you came hard. He didn’t slow down as he just continued to lap up your juices as you came.

When you came down from your high, he was snuggling up to you, nose buried in your neck. “I don’t like how little you look. You look like how you did when you got here. You look tired, hungry, and sad…”

You hugged your arms around his neck, “That’s probably because I am tired, hungry, and sad. My whole body hurts. It’s been so long since I’ve used my quirk that consistently.” You flinched, “Speaking of my quirk… I’m sorry… for invading your privacy. I looked in your head without permission.”

His hand cupped your cheek. “Forget about it. Under any other circumstances I’d be fucking pissed, but you needed to know so you could help me…. Just… Don’t do it again.” He grumbled as he sat up. “Now get your ass out of bed, you need to eat something before I lose my fucking mind.”

He stood up and aggressively threw you over his shoulder as he stomped off to the kitchen.

“DABI! Put me down! You need to rest you idiot.”

He slapped your ass. “Shut up, I’m fine. If anyone needs rest, it’s you.” He set you down on the edge of the kitchen counter. “And that’s exactly what I plan on doing. All day. Just laying around doing nothing with you. But first you need to eat real food.” He kissed your forehead and turned to started pulling ingredients out of the fridge.

You watched his naked back flex every so often as he cooked for you. It felt oddly familiar to the dozens of times you had watched Katsuki do this exact thing. You waited for the guilty feeling to overwhelm you but surprisingly it never came. You loved Katsuki in a very different way. Whatever this was with Dabi… it was just different. You don’t know if you’d be able to heal the same way you have been, if you were with Kats.

Katsuki loves you. You know he does. It’s because of that love that you don’t want him to be burdened with you at this stage of your life. There’s a lot of things you need to work through, on your own, before you can give him the kind of love he deserves. He’s a good man. A great man, and he doesn’t need to have someone like you weighing him down. You know he’d try and fix you. He’d do everything in his power to be your own personal hero. But that’s not what you need right now.

As bad as it sounds… you don’t have those concerns with Dabi. He’s somehow equally as fucked up while also capable of being supportive in the way you need. He’d let you be as crazy as you wanted but he’d also make sure you took care of yourself. He definitely had a tendency to dominate you, but if you were being honest you loved it. Neither of you have talked about what it is you are doing, or if it has an expiration date. But for the time being you were okay with it.

You must have been lost in thought because Dabi flicked your forehead, “Earth to idiot. Your breakfast is ready.”

“Hey!” You rubbed the sore spot on your forehead. “Was that necessary?”

“Well considering I called your name several times… yes. You’re lucky I didn’t bend you over my knee.” He held a fork out to you that had a bite of egg on it.

You rolled your eyes and took the bite. “I was just thinking about stuff. It’s not like I was ignoring you or anything.”

He placed a plate of food down next to you and moved to stand between your legs. “Yeah well I don’t like fucking repeating myself. Besides I have something I need to talk to you about and I need your attention.”

The color drained from your face. He rarely sounded this serious and it made you nervous.

“After what happened last night… I think its obvious we have a lot that we need to talk about.” He put his hands up in defense, “And before you start to nag, I’m not talking about the status of” He gestured between the two of you, “Whatever this is. I’m talking about just talking. I literally just experienced my worst nightmares on loop for days while feeling like I was dying. And knowing that’s only a fraction of what you went through.” His fists clenched and you could smell smoke coming off of them. “I just think we need to start talking.” You took your hands in his to help calm him down. “Reliving some of that shit made me realize I’ve never talked about it. I know there has to be things you need to get off of your chest… It might suck. But I feel like it would help.”

You nodded. “I think I understand what you mean. Just know that some of the things I have to say might make you look at me a little differently.”

To this he had the audacity to laugh, “And you think my shit isn’t any worse.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll be lucky if you don’t lock yourself in your room again after learning about me.”

Dabi hid his face in your neck and you wrapped your legs around his waist. “You’ve literally drowned me before. I don’t think you can sink much lower than that.”

He was about to snap back at you when someone cleared their throat making you jump.

He groaned but didn’t make any attempt to move, “Oh yeah… Your friends here.”

You noticed the emphasis he put on the word friend as Katsuki rounded the corner.

You shoved Dabi away and hopped off of the counter. “Kats! What are you doing here?”

Katsuki’s eyes seemed distant as he made his way towards you. “You guys really haven’t been watching the news? It’s all people have been talking about recently…”

Dabi snickered, “We’ve been uh… busy lately.”

Your hand flew out and smacked his chest before looking back to Katsuki who looked murderous. “Don’t listen to him. Dumbass got himself poisoned and I’ve been working around the clock the past few days to keep him alive.”

“And what an excellent job you did.” Dabi’s tone was teasing. You knew it was more to piss off Bakugo then anything else. “She overdid it though. Ended up having to sleep it off. So I wasn’t lying to you last night when you were throwing your little tantrum.”

“Tantrum?” You looked between the two men who seemed to be consumed with some kind of staring contest.

Katsuki was the first one to break to look at you. “I have something important to tell you. I came over last night and he wouldn’t let me see you.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “He was the one acting like a possessive child. Treating you like some kind of toy he doesn’t want to share. He locked you in his room and told me to fuck off. If anyone was throwing a tantrum it was him.”

You could feel heat beginning to radiate off of the both of them. Dabi snorted, “That’s hilarious coming from the guy who demanded I wake you up even though I told him you were exhausted and needed sleep.” Dabi’s voice lowered as he took a step forward, “And just so we’re clear, she may not be a toy… but I still don’t fucking share.”

You put a hand on either of their chests. “She can fucking speak for herself thank you.” You shoved them both towards the living room. “Okay, what did come all this way to tell me?”

Katsuki gave you a sad look and handed you his phone. “Your agency came out with an official statement about where you’ve been.” You looked at the screen and saw an article and at the top was a black and white security cam photo of you straddling a man in a hotel room with a knife to his throat.

Katsuki cleared his throat, “They told everyone that you were secretly working with several villainous organizations. They’ve pretty much blamed you for every missing hero and assassination in the past few years. They’ve labeled you as dangerous and a top priority, person of interest.”

He looked at Dabi with a little annoyance. “It seems some people have been targeted lately, and it looks like it scared them into taking action.”

You continued to scroll through the article in silence. Picture after picture of you doing their dirty work. You didn’t even know they had pictures like this. But it makes sense. Of course they would want an insurance policy. You knew too much.

You shoved the phone back into Katsuki’s phone. “So that’s it then? I’m what? Enemy number one? A villain?” You felt angry tears pool in your eyes. Why was it so easy for these people to ruin your life. “All I wanted was to be a hero. I just wanted to help people… And they… they fucking ruined my life and for what? I’ve been used, kidnapped, raped, tortured, and for WHAT!?”

Katsuki reached a hand out to you but you flinched away. “DON’T TOUCH ME!” You knew it wasn’t his fault, but it was so hard to look at him when he had everything you wanted. He was a hero. He was respected and feared, and he was just a part of the system that was currently ruining your life. No one would ever dare try to do to him what they’ve done to you.

You could feel yourself shaking with rage. The world you knew, the system you believed in was crumbling around you.

“Maybe they’re right… My whole life people have said I have a villainous quirk. And I was so desperate to prove them wrong that I did exactly what they thought I would. Maybe I was doomed from the start…”

You wanted to be alone, you stood up and went back to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and took a seat at the bar with your back to the men behind you.

“Listen she’s just going to need to digest this in her own time. She’s found out what I’ve known for years. The whole heroes vs. villains thing is bullshit.” You heard them shuffling towards the front door. “I may hate you, but I promise… as soon as she’s ready to talk to you I’ll have her call you.”

You knocked back shot after shot until you started to feel numb.

“I have a feeling you aren’t going to be a cute drunk this time huh?” Dabi took a seat next to you with a shot glass.

You silently filled up your shot glass as well as his. “Well I guess that just depends on you.” You raised your glass to him. “Are you going to make me talk about it right now? Or are we just going to get fucked up and deal with it tomorrow?”

He lifted his glass to yours, “I vote we get fucked up. I think you deserve it. We can be responsible tomorrow.”

You smirked as you threw your shot back. “Good because I was going to with our without your blessing.”

“Hmmm seems like whisky makes you feisty… Let’s see how feisty you can get.” He tapped his shot glass on the counter, “Fill it up bitch, I have some catching up to do.”

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

Tags: tags: @falling4fandoms @wifunozomi @here-in-never-land @whore-for-anime@klecksstorys @aurorahoneybuns @theunknownrandom @insane-without-delirium @frenchsfryys @officiallydarkgeek @neofixcs @music-is-all-i-need @katsuki-bakubabe @unadulteratedtastemakerpoetry @dabislittlemouse@aimee1602 @pinkhatlizzy @kunaigirlx44 @nii-sanfucker @bestgirlb

[babymetaldoll]

DIWK - Chapter four: "Hurt"

Words count: 13,7K

The gif is mine ✨

Warnings: Hardcore Spencer trauma. Mention of drug abuse,  torture, Criminal Minds usual case triggers. Spoilers of Season 2 E14/15 Criminal Minds.

Summary: An unsub abducts Spencer, and reader blames JJ for it.

A/N: Have you ever wished you were there to save Spencer from Tobias Hankel? I know I have. I know reader wants to... I'm dying to know what you'll think of this chapter! Sorry if it's a little too graphic, writing Spencer's POV of this episode was really hard.

Series Masterlist

Chapter one | Chapter two | Chapter three | Chapter four | Chapter five | Chapter six | Chapter seven | Chapter eight | Chapter nine | Chapter ten | Chapter eleven | Chapter twelve | Chapter thirteen | Chapter fourteen | Chapter fifteen |

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(Y/N)'s point of view

I remember the day Emily Prentiss arrived. We had a case in Saint Louis. Two serial killers, 'cos it couldn't just be one asshole making everyone miserable. And on top of all, Hotch was confused and upset 'cos he never signed Emily's transfer to the BAU. It was like someone was trying to force her into the team, and we all thought it was weird.

We left the bullpen off to the case and left Prentiss in the office, not knowing if she actually got the job or not. I know Elle and I weren't incredibly close, but it still felt weird to think someone might join the team and try to replace her. It didn't work that way in that job. It didn't feel right at the moment.

There is something I also distinctly remember about that day: Gideon talked to me. And not only that, but he actually trusted my knowledge. We hadn't been on the best terms for a few months, so that approach meant a lot to me.

We were at the police station. Reid and I had been analyzing the letters one of the killers had sent to a journalist to find something that might help us catch him before there were any more victims. That's when JJ and Jason walked in, and he asked about our progress.

- "He only sent this to an individual, which shows he is not confident enough to initiate contact with the masses."- Spencer explained as he projected an image of the letter on the wall.

- "Emotional indicators are analyzed through slants, and you can see the shooter maintains vertical, narrow letter writing, and both are signs of repression"- I said and pointed at the image on the wall- "And the pressure, if you look closely, it's excessively heavy, which shows that he's uptight and can easily overreact."

Gideon looked at me and nodded. It was my cue to keep on talking. For once in a long time, I was feeling approved by him.

- "You got all that from his handwriting?"- JJ asked me, surprised. Reid looked at me from the other side of the room, and I could feel his smile reflecting how proud he was of me.

- "Graphology is an effective and reliable indicator of personality and behavior."

- "But my writing is always different,"- she added, and I nodded. I was waiting for that comment.

- "Yes, because it represents your emotions at the moment, just like your facial expressions parallel the way you are feeling while you are speaking."

- "What else can we know about our unsub from this?"- Gideon asked me.

- "Well, our killer uses simple statements, all first person, like "I won't be ignored," which means he's obviously tired of feeling this way. He may have a job in solitude or one that he feels strips of his identity. His work might require him to wear a uniform, something that shows absolutely no individuality, or he may be overqualified for his menial job and feels that he doesn't get the respect that he necessarily deserves."

I made a pause and waited for his words. I was giving my best, and I swear I was still hoping I could ever get Jason Gideon's blessing.

- "I think we are ready to give a profile,"- he said and nodded.

And damn, that felt good.

When we were back in Quantico, Hotch had a long and clearly awkward conversation with the section chief, Erin Strauss. She was scary. She was clearly trying to get rid of Hotch, questioning his work daily, decisions, and how he managed the team. Why? I have no idea.

It felt she forced him to accept Prentiss into the team. We were one man down after Elle left. Ok, one awesome woman down, so we definitely needed some help. And Emily was a great addition from day one.

We clicked right away. Prentiss was funny, smart, but most of all, she constantly had to prove she deserved to be there. Just like me. Gideon gave her the cold shoulder from day one, and that I could relate. The only difference was that she won him over in a few days, though. I was still trying to win that battle.

Garcia decided we needed a girl's night, and she hosted the first of many "BAU Girl Power get together." Basically, it was us at Penelope's place drinking and talking.

That first night, we updated Prentiss with everything that had happened with Elle. She wanted to know everything about us, what we did, how long we've been on the team, and how we all got along. It was sweet and fresh. After that year in the BAU, I had already learned to enjoy the sweet things in life. Like getting drunk with my work girlfriends.

- "So, does Hotch ever smile?"- Emily asked, and we all laughed at the very same time. Yes, it was getting late, and we weren't as sober as we should have been.

- "He does! he does!"- JJ assured us- "You should see him with his baby."

- "He is a dad?"- Emily was shocked. I was surprised too when I found out Aaron was married and with a baby. The amount of time he spends at work always made me feel he had zero personal life.

- "And has a beautiful wife"- JJ added- "He is always laughing when he is with her and baby Jack."

- "I guess this job can drain the happiness from your day... "- I thought out loud, but before anyone could say anything about my dark and bitter comment, my cell phone rang.

- "Hey honey bunny, everything ok?"- I stood up and walked to the kitchen. I didn't want to interrupt the girl's conversations.

- "Yes, I just wanted to make sure you were drinking enough water between drinks"- I laughed and shook my head. Only Reid could call to say such a thing. He was the sweetest friend on earth.

- "Yes, I am, don't worry. I'm not going to be hungover or drunk tomorrow. I know you are excited about the new exposition."

- "You are gonna love it!"

- "I am sure I will"- and I wasn't kidding. I loved when he dragged me to the Smithsonian or any museum for some nerdy fun.

- "Have fun with the girls."

- "What are you doing, by the way?"

- "Just reading a little, you left your complete Sherlock Holmes collection here, so I'll be solving mysteries while you get drunk."

- "Don't have too much fun without me"- he chuckled and ended the call. I smiled and walked back to the girls looking at me with a funny grin on their faces.

- "Was that your boyfriend?"- Penelope asked me, and I frowned right away.

- "No, it was Reid. He just wanted to confirm we are going to the museum tomorrow."

- "Wait"- Prentiss narrowed her brows and looked at us confused- "Reid ain't your boyfriend?"

JJ and Garcia's laughter was epical, as well as my frown. They nearly gasped for air while Prentiss and I waited until they calmed down.

- "No"- I finally answered- "Reid is not my boyfriend."

- "He is more than that; he is her work husband,"- Penelope clarified, and I turned to her with my mouth wide open, shocked.

- "What the fuck? Reid ain't my work husband. He is my best friend!!"

- "Yes, and you happen to call your best friend "honey bunny," right?"- JJ questioned, just like she had a few months before when we were alone in our room away on a case.

- "Reid is my best friend, and yes, I call all my close friends by weird pet names. You will get one too if you are lucky."

- "But I thought"- Emily continued- "I mean, he looks at you like you are his sun."

- "No, Prentiss, the only coupe in this team is the one between "chocolate thunder" and "baby girl" right here"- I pointed at Garcia, and she just blushed and covered her face.

- "My love for Derek will burn forever with the intensity of a thousand suns. I mean, have you seen that man? he was made by the gods and sent to earth just to give my existence some sense"- we all laughed at those cheesy words, though Pen was serious about them.

- "But, have you ever...?- JJ looked at her and made a pause. We were all looking at every single facial movement or behavior she might show to read her body language."

- "My relationship with my loverman could never be tainted by something as mundane as sex."

- "Like you wouldn't lick honey from that six-pack and ride that thunder."

The words just left my lips, and I blame the buzz. BAU (Y/N) would have never said that. Drunk (Y/N) would, totally.

The girls laughed until tears fell from their eyes, and I just chuckled, honestly happy to make them laugh. I had been more of the real me than I had ever actually been around them in nearly a year.

- "Hello?"- my phone rang again when I was walking out of the bathroom. And this time, it was Paul.

- "Hey babe, what are you doing?"

- "Hey, I'm..."- I looked at the girls in front of me and sighed- "I'm stuck with paperwork"- and they turned to me immediately. I could read the "What the fuck" on their faces.

- "Well, I'm at Rob's in case you feel like dropping by. We are writing a few songs."

- "I'll text you if I finish with this early, but... have fun."

- "Ok, bye"- I hung up and sighed.

- "And that was..."- Prentiss asked, frowning.

- "My boyfriend,"- I explained and grabbed another beer

- "Sure, I could feel the passion,"- Garcia joked, but I just didn't think it was funny.

I knew my relationship with Paul wasn't alright. Actually, things with Paul weren't. Period. We were done, it was apparent, but still, neither of us had said it. That relationship was just a few phone calls every once in a while, only to make small talks. When we were together, we would just watch a movie, eat something, drink a few beers, and that was it. It had been a long time since we had sex or even made out. I don't know why I didn't end it sooner. I guess I was just afraid to do it.

But I let more months pass before I actually did something.

Spencer's point of view

I'm not proud of what happened that year after Prentiss joined the team. I think that year changed me profoundly, and a part of me never fully recovered afterward.

Maybe it had to be that way, and it was something I had to go through to grow up. I guess I'm still trying to make some sense of all the misery I put my friends through. Mostly (Y/N). She was in hell with me.

A few weeks after New Year, we started working on a case. Someone was killing wealthy people in their own homes. At first, we thought there were two unsubs, 'cos one of them called 911 after killing, and you could hear them struggling and arguing. But no, it was just one.

Tobias Hankel was a delusional serial killer. He had split personalities, not two but actually three. His father, the one who tortured me. The archangel Raphael, who was trying to make God's will, killing people. And himself, who wanted to save me, but instead, he nearly destroyed me.

What do I remember about the day he kidnapped me? I remember I was stupid enough to try to catch an unsub alone, just to prove I could take care of myself on the field. Hotch sent me and JJ to talk to Hankel at his house, 'cos apparently, he might have seen the unsub months earlier. But no, he was the unsub, and neither JJ nor me could stop him.

We hid in a barn, and I was so eager to prove I could catch him; I told JJ we had to split up to cover the place. I was counting on Hotch to get there with the team sooner than they did, and before I realized it, I was in the middle of a cornfield, and Hankel was pointing at me with my own gun.

I was sure I was going to die right there. All of Hankel's personalities were struggling inside of him. I couldn't stop thinking about why I thought I could do it on my own? Why had I been a reckless asshole? Was it because I wanted to prove I was an excellent SAA? Because I wanted to impress JJ? Maybe I tried to convince myself I could do the same job my team did. I knew I wasn't the most physical person, but I had a gun. I had been trained to capture killers.

Yes, I was an asshole that day, and I've regretted everything that happened that night many, many times in the following years.

When I woke up, I was tied to a chair, and the archangel Raphael had taken Hankel's mind completely. The room was dark, and it smelled awful. He was burning fish hearts and livers, 'cos he believed it kept the devil away.

I was confused and lost. My head was spinning, and my heart was about to burst into my chest. I knew I could die any second now. Raphael wasn't the one to show mercy. That's what I had learned from all the videos Hankel had uploaded to the web. He had shared with the world every murder they had committed to show the other sinners what was going to happen to them.

- "They believe you can see inside men's minds"- Raphael looked at me with dark eyes, implying he meant Tobias and his father

- "It's not true. I study human behavior."- my voice was shaking. I knew I had never been more scared in my entire life. He took out a gun and showed me one bullet.

- "Do you know what this is? It's God's will."

Things didn't look good for me. He put it in the cylinder of the revolver and spun it. He was going to let my life to luck.

- "You don't have to do this"- I tried to talk him out of it, though I knew it wasn't going to work.

- "No go, sinners, to your God."

And he pressed the trigger.

What went through my mind the seconds that passed between having the gun pointed to my face and realizing I had lived? My mom. All I could think of was how my mom would react to the news of my death. I could never bear to hurt her like that. I couldn't die. I couldn't leave her alone.

I sighed, relieved, and bit my lips not to cry. Raphael looked at me with a blank expression and walked out of the room. I had survived for now.

I struggled with my handcuff, but it was useless. My head was killing me. I could feel the open wound on my head, still dripping blood on my temple and head. I tried to focus on the pain for a few minutes, just to make sure I was awake. It was a nightmare, and keeping myself sane and conscious under those circumstances was nearly impossible.

How was I going to get out of there alive? Did the team know where I was? I had no idea where I had been taken. I had been unconscious the whole way. It was dark, and I couldn't see much around me. I wasn't afraid of that darkness. I was more fearful of the man that left me alone, 'cos he was armed and mentally unstable. Darkness had nothing on him.

I had to focus on the things that kept me sane. The things that made me want to get out of that room alive.

- "My name is Spencer Walter Reid. I'm twenty-five years old, my mother's name is Diana Reid, I was born in Las Vegas, October 28th, 1981."

I closed my eyes and tried to think of all the things that made me happy.

- "I work at the BAU, my best friend's name is (Y/N), and she sits at the desk in front of me. Derek Morgan is the closest I've got to an older brother."

He was. He still is. You have to be close to dead to start seeing things clearly sometimes. Derek was my brother. He treated me like a kid, but a kid brother. He was always teasing me, trying to teach me how to pick up girls, trying to drag me to the gym with him. Derek was a good friend, we were very different, and I knew if we had been classmates in high school, we would probably never have talked. He was a jock, and I was a nerd. But life had brought us together. And now I couldn't think of a better friend than him.

I tried to focus on my happiest memories. My birthday came to mind. The guys had planned a Halloween-themed birthday party at the conference room of the BAU. Of course, Garcia baked a cake and (Y/N) helped her decorate it. It was incredible, 'cos it was covered with tiny gourds and skulls.

- "Frank and Mikey sent you these,"- she announced after everybody had given me their presents. I wide opened my eyes in shock 'cos I had no idea her friends knew it was my birthday or even cared about it.

- "Why?"- I had to ask.

- "'Cos they think you are amazing. They actually wanted to come over to your house and have a few beers tonight."- I opened my mouth to say something, but Derek interrupted me.

- "Pretty boy is gonna get to work hungover again."

- "Shut up"- (Y/N) and I said at the same time, making everybody chuckle. I opened the present her friends had sent me and laughed right away.

- "Lucky Doc"- I read and took out of the bag a Sports Illustrated issue with Lila Archer on the cover. My cheeks turned red immediately.

- "Frank still hasn't overcome that story. I think he will hate you forever"- (Y/N) laughed (along with the rest of the team) and gave me another present.

- "They also sent you this. They said you were going to like the man in black"- it was a Johnny Cash's vinyl- "Frank picked it. He thinks he is some sort of musical psychic that can read people's taste in music."

- "We should get together and have a few beers one of these days. I need to thank them for these."

Gideon looked at me in silence as soon as I said those words. But I didn't care if he disapproved. I was going to be (Y/N)'s friend, whether he liked it or not.

He is the closest I've had to a dad in the latest years. He cares about me, and he tries to make the best of me that he can. Yes, he can be too apprehensive. I think that's a way to put it. But only because he wants me to be the best profiler I can be.

I never thought I would end up working at the BAU. I never thought I would love the job I do as much as I do. Back when I was in college, I thought I would dedicate my life to finding a cure for schizophrenia, but I ended up hunting serial killers across the country.

And though I was about to die, I didn't regret any of the decisions that led me there.

The morning found me shaking, cold, and scared. I was in a small cabin in the woods. Just like the worst and more cliché horror movie ever made. This was my own horror movie.

- "What are you staring at, boy?"- Tobias opened the front door carrying logs for the fire. His voice had changed yet again, so I knew it wasn't the same person I had talked to the night before.

- "You are not Raphael."- I whispered, looking at every movement he did.

- "Do I look like Raphael?"- had I insulted him? I couldn't tell. He turned to the fire, and I took a deep breath, doing my best to stay calm.

- "Thank you for burning those, for keeping us safe."- I said, looking at the fish hearts and livers he was preparing to put on the fire.

- "Don't try to trick me."

- "I would never try to trick you."

- "You are a liar."

- I'm not a liar."- it was hard to stay calm and not start screaming for help or mercy, but I knew that was going to take me nowhere with him.

- "Lying is a sin."

- "I'm not a liar."- he walked closer to me, and sat right in front of me, held my leg up, and grabbed my foot.

- "This will be over quickly if you just confess your sins."

- "I am not a sinner"- I whispered again. He took off my shoe.

- "We are all sinners."- it didn't look good for me, not at all, and I knew I had to talk to him with his words with his beliefs to save my life.

- "The Lord spake unto Moses saying "Speak unto all the congregation of the children of the lord" and say unto them, ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy."

Hankel, this time in the personality of his father, looked at me surprised. I might have done something right, 'cos he stopped moving, and for a second, I thought it was going to be ok.

- "You know Leviticus."

- "I know every word of the bible. I can recite it for you."- but his eyes turned dark again.

- "The devil knows how to read too."

- "I'm not a devil, I'm not a devil2- I repeated, and couldn't stop shaking, 'cos my life on the hands of a sociopath.

- "I'm a man, my name is Spencer Reid, and I have a mother, and I have a father just like you, and they taught me the bible, let me recite the bible."

My voice cracked at the knowledge of what he was going to do. He stood up, still holding my foot. He was going to torture me, he was going to try to break me, and I had to be strong. I didn't know how I would find the strength, but I had to be strong.

- "Time to confess, Spencer Reid"- and without further notice, he slapped a log against my foot, making me scream in pain. It hurt from the tip of my toes until the back of my skull. I hadn't felt that kind of pain, and it was worse knowing he was just getting started. Tears started falling down my cheeks in no time.

- "Confess!"

- "I don't have anything to confess."- I whimpered and closed my eyes, 'cos I knew he was going to continue his torture. And so he did. The pain was excruciating. I was sure I was going to pass out

I tried to go to a happy place in my head, somewhere when I could hide from all that pain. It was too hard, though. It hurt too much. I kept repeating over and over again I wasn't a sinner, begging Hankel for mercy, as he shouted I had to confess.

I made an effort to think about what he might want me to say. What did he want me to confess? Which sins was he talking about? But nothing came to my mind, nothing but the pain and the fear of dying.

(Y/N)'s point of view

The second we reached Hankel's cabin, I started looking for Spencer. I had a horrible feeling about it. Morgan and I headed it to a barn with Prentiss. There was no sign of anyone. It was dark and quiet. Never a good sign.

- "Shit!"- I whispered, staring at three dead dogs and a bath of blood in front of me. There laid the body of another victim that was missing from Hankel's last attack.

- "FBI!!"- JJ shouted suddenly. She was pointing his gun to us, clearly in shock- "Don't move!!"

- "JJ, it's Morgan, (Y/L/N), and Prentiss! Don't shoot"- Derek tried to calm her down, walking towards her- "Are you hurt?"- she lowered the gun and stared at us. You could read the fear and the trauma in her eyes.

- "Tobias Hankel is the unsub,"- she whispered as Prentiss rubbed her arm sweetly, trying to comfort her.

- "Yeah, we know"- I moved towards her too and put my gun back into the holster.

- "And we thought he was just a witness"- we looked around, and JJ pointed at the dead dogs.

- "JJ, where is Reid?"- Derek asked her, but she just continued talking.

- "They completely tore her apart"

- "JJ, look at me,"- I said and held her arm carefully- "Look at me, where's Reid?"- she was shaking, and her voice was cracking. I knew she was making her best effort to pull herself together.

- "We split up. He said he was going to go in the back."

And there it was. That was the reason why I had a bad feeling all along. Derek looked at me and nodded as we read each other's minds. The two of us turned around and ran outside, leaving JJ with Prentiss, waiting for the medical team and ambulance to check on her wounds.

Gideon and Hotch were inside the cabin, looking for Hankel, but there was no one there. And there was no sign of Reid behind the barn either, in the cornfield, or anywhere in the perimeter. Reid was nowhere to be found, and I started losing it little by little. I tried to repeat myself the words Hotch had said many times during my year in the BAU: "when you are out there with the team; your mind has to be one hundred percent on the case." But the case had never included my best friend missing before.

- "Hey, is there any sign of him yet?- I asked the police chief as I reached the ambulance. He was there talking with JJ, making sure she was ok.

- "We got every one of our units on the road. He won't make it far"- I nodded and watched him walk away. I knew he thought I was talking about Hankel, but I actually meant Reid.

I turned to JJ and moved a little closer to her. Her eyes open wide, staring back at me.

- "You can't find Reid?"- I just shook my head and tried to sound as casual as I could, not to freak her out. She was still in shock. I didn't want to make it worse.

- "Not yet"

- "(Y/N)"- Derek held my arm and forced me to walk away from the ambulance.- "Reid followed him into the cornfield. It looks like somebody got dragged."

My heart stopped. Did the psychopath hurt Spencer? Did he kill him? Did he torture him? Was he hurt? Was he alive? Where was he? Derek looked at me, and I nodded. I bit my lips and took a deep breath. Hotch's words were my mantra now: "your mind has to be one hundred percent on the case."

- "Are you sure?"- we turned to the police's chief, overhearing his conversation- "We are on our way now."

- "What's going on?"

- "The sheriff down two towns over, he just gave directions to a man who fit Hankel's descriptions. It's to a motor lodge in fort bend."

- "Let's get Hotch and Gideon"- Derek held my arm and walked with me to the cabin. We had to find Reid, and we had to do it fast.

That was the worst night of my life. The first worst night of my life, to be sincere. I didn't close an eye. I went through every paper, every note, every detail in that cabin, trying to find a clue that could lead us to where Tobias had taken Reid.

I felt someone had ripped my heart from my chest. I had to think straight, and to do it, I had to keep a cold head. But as the hours passed, it became a more demanding and more challenging task to complete. I knew the whole team was suffering, but that didn't ease my pain. And I knew JJ felt guilty, but that didn't stop me from blaming her in my mind. She left him alone. I would have never left Spencer alone on the field.

- "(Y/N), you should try to get some rest."

Derek whispered as he sat on the floor next to me, where I had been sitting for the last half hour, reading Tobias's old diaries. Nothing but fear of his father, mentions of Dilaudid use, and bible transcriptions.

- "I'm ok,"- I answered and didn't even take my eyes from the pages.

- "(Y/N), I mean it"

- "I'm not going to rest if he is out there in the hands of a psychopath, Derek"- I had to bite my lips and shut the fuck up, 'cos if I said one more word, I knew I was going to burst into tears.

Morgan just wrapped an arm around my shoulders and moved me closer to him. That was the first time I let him hug me, and it felt good to know I wasn't alone in my desperation. I knew he loved Reid like a brother, and neither of us was going to stop until we found him.

- "Welcome to our nightmare"- JJ's voice broke the silence we had been into for the last hour when Hotch walked into the cabin with Penelope.

It was morning already. There were still no signs of Reid. Prentiss, Gideon, JJ, and I had been sitting at the table, reading everything we could.

- "His computer is an extension of his brain. I need you to dissect it,"- Gideon whispered to García. You could feel the concern in his voice. She just nodded in shock and turned to Derek, who held her hand and helped her get set up in the computer room.

- "So, nothing new since I left?"- Hotch asked and looked at us. I just shook my head and continued reading.

- "Well, the good thing is the guy documented practically every second of his life"- Prentiss words took me from the pages I was reading. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. The concept of "good" was poorly used in that phrase.

- "The bad news is, we are still un-piling,"- she added and sighed.

- "From the looks of it, he hasn't left this place in years,"- JJ managed to say. She made her best effort to be useful, but she was in worse shape than everybody else. Yet, that didn't make me feel bad for her. I was mad at her and kept making my best to put it aside, 'cos my head had to be in the case.

- "He knew he could pretend to be looking for a motel and throw us off his trail,"- Emily inferred, but I shook my head as soon as I heard her.

- "No, no, no, it's more than that!"- I shook my head and took a deep breath- "Sheriff's office, 911 calls, every time he engages the police and gets away with it... he reassures himself, God's on his side. Not ours."- I added.

Gideon nodded, and we shared a moment of agreement. He was as worried as I was. I could feel it. I'm not saying the rest of the team wasn't, I'm saying Jason was as fucked up as I was, and I could sense he was having the same trouble I had making sure my head and not my sentiments were into the case.

But if anything happened to Reid, I didn't know what I was capable of doing.

At a certain point, I got sick of reading and not doing anything and decided to look around the house again if we had missed anything. Derek went along. One part of me felt he wanted to stay away from JJ too. Maybe he was as mad as I was about her leaving Reid alone. I know I couldn't blame her, but I did it anyway.

- "Guys!! I think I've got something!"- Derek yelled, and I ran over. He opened a door that led to a basement. I walked right behind him, pointing my gun and my flashlight all over. But there was no sign of Reid.

- "Tobias Hankel!!"- Morgan shouted. Someone was sitting in what looked to be a gigantic freezer- "Tobias!"- but we didn't get any response. I took a step closer and examined carefully.

- "Morgan, I think we just found Hankel's father."

Spencer's point of view

On my second night in that cabin, I met Tobias. The third personality of Hankel walked into the room, carrying what seemed to be a dead deer. He looked as frightened as I was.

- "You need to eat."

- "What's your name?"

- "Tobias."

- "Tobias, who was here before?"

- "Probably my father."

He looked at me up and down, and he immediately understood what he had done to me. It was scary how he could dissociate. Someone with multiple personality disorder is usually unaware of the other personality states and memories when an alter is dominant. In this case, Tobias knew the other personalities but considered them different persons. He didn't think they were all in his head.

- "I'm sorry if he hurt you."

He looked at me like he understood everything I had been going through. Maybe he had been through something similar when his father was alive. Perhaps he had been a victim of Hankel as well, and that's what triggered his psychopathic nature.

He walked over and took out his belt.

- "What are you doing?"- he wrapped it around my arm, and I started begging him to stop.

- "It helps"- he took out of his pocket a needle and a small bottle of what seemed to be some kind of drug.

- "Don't tell my father. He doesn't know they are here."

- "Please, I don't want it, I don't want it, please"- I cried and begged.

- "It helps. I know"- it was the last thing Tobias said before the needle found my vein.

And he was right. It helped. Every single amount of pain I was feeling disappeared. My brain shut down. Somehow, everything was ok. I never had in my entire life felt so good before.

My mind kept flashing memories of when I was a kid. I kept seeing images of the day my father left and how he called my mother crazy.

- "You are weak"- mom spit those words after he refused to take me with him. I know she said it not because she didn't want me with her, but because mom knew she was sick and wanted the best for me. And he refused.

- "I'm not weak."- I whispered as I looked at her smiling back at me.

- "I know, honey."

I don't know how long I was drugged, but when I woke up, Tobias wasn't there with me anymore. It was his father.

And the torture continued.

(Y/N)'s point of view

Gideon was trying to convince me to go out with Prentiss and JJ to see a Narcotics anonymous's contact that might give us more information about Tobias. Emily had found some flyers about it in his room, and it could be the only lead we had to find him and Reid.

- "You need to get out of this house for a while"- he whispered and tapped on my back.

I knew he wasn't the one to be loving or physical with people, less with me. But that moved me. I turned to him and my eyes watered up. I was scared, and I couldn't hide it anymore. The more hours passed, the fewer the chances were to find Spencer safe. Alive.

I felt his arms around me suddenly, holding me tight, trying to keep the pieces of me together. We were alone on the porch, and though I didn't want to fall apart, I couldn't hold it anymore.

Jason didn't say a word. He just hugged me and let me cry for a few minutes. I didn't say anything either. I actually couldn't because I was overwhelmed with everything.

- "Are you ready, (Y/N)?"

Prentiss whispered as she walked over with JJ. I turned my back at them for a second to hide the tears that kept falling down my cheeks. I knew it was a shitty thing to do, 'cos it was obvious I had been sobbing, but they gave me the courtesy of not saying anything.

- "You go, I need (Y/N)'s assistance with some diary entries"- the two of them walked away quietly, and thankfully, didn't argue with Gideon.

- "Thank you,"- I whispered and felt his hand on my shoulder one more time.

- "You are doing a fantastic job,"- he said and turned around.

I wish I could tell you that made me feel better, but instead, I just thought I had the duty to bring my friend back home safe.

It had been at least an hour since the girls left. Morgan, Hotch, Gideon, and the police chief were in the living room with me, reading. I sipped my hundredth cup of coffee and re-read the same diary entry for the third time.

- "There's something weird going on here."- I thought out loud and walked towards Gideon

- "You think?"- the police chief turned to me and raised an eyebrow, ironically.

- "No, seriously, check this out. This journal is filled with religious ramblings. He notated hour by hour: "November 15th, 3:17, if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own will", and it goes on and on: 5:04, 7:41, 10:22, 1:42."

I made a short pause and looked at Gideon and Hotch. They didn't get where I was going.

- "But then, it goes blank for days."

- "Maybe he got sick of writing"- I seriously hated that police chief.

- "I think I got it"- Hotch whispered- "Journal entry: "December 6th. Father is sick. He wants me to put him down. I say thou shalt not kill. He said, honor thy father. Must pray for guidance."

- "So he kills his father as an act of mercy?"- Gideon asked, knowing the answer.

- "This is two months ago. Tobias Hankel's father had been dead for four months already."

- "That's exactly it"- I murmured, thinking Tobias Hankel was way more fucked up than we thought.

- "Look at the floor"- Derek pointed at a chair and moved it- "These scuffs marks are fresh. It's like two people were pushing the chairs constantly, trying to fight for control."

- "So?"- I swear to God, that chief was driving me insane.

- "This journal matches Charles Hankel's handwriting, but it was written after he died"- I explained. Still, it felt he wasn't following me.

- "What do you mean?"

- "Upstairs, Tobias' bedroom got junk piled from floor to ceiling, but the other bedroom could pass a military inspection."

- "So, are you telling me one of Tobias' personalities was his father?"

Apparently, I had to draw a picture so the chief would get it. Fortunately, Gideon continued explaining the whole problem before I lost what was left of my patience.

- "Well, Tobias was raised with a strict religious code, black and white, right and wrong. When his father asked Tobias to kill him, something had to give."

- "His brain couldn't handle the moral contradiction, so he split into two personalities to keep his father alive."

Hotch tried to put it most easy and simple words possible.

- "So, who is Raphael?"

- "My guess, he is a mediator between the two"- Gideon nodded at my words and sighed.

- "Angels have no human emotions, live or die. They don't care, as long it's God's will."

- "We need to start profiling Tobias' father. He may be the one who chose where to take Reid."

Finally, I felt we were going somewhere.

When Emily and JJ came back, they gave us the news. Tobias was addicted to Dilaudid, which explained the fracture in his mind, and how he lived with three distinct personalities.

The police chief announced a computer store robbery, giving us some hopes that Tobias would use them to track him down.

- "Guys!! Guys!! get in here!!- I heard Derek shouting and I ran to the computer room. I felt sick in the stomach in less than a second. There he was, Spencer. My Spencer Walter Reid, tied to a chair, bleeding, shoeless. Clearly tortured.

- "He's been beating,"- I whispered, feeling my eyes water up. I would have given anything to be there instead of him.

- "Can you track him?!"- JJ yelled by my side, and I nearly smacked her. That's how sensitive I was feeling.

- "Hankel's only streaming this to his home computer."- Garcia whispered. And my heart dropped with those words.

That wasn't what I was supposed to hear. We were supposed to find him and bring him back safe.

- "This is for us"- Gideon didn't take his eyes from the screen- "He knows we are here."

- "I'm gonna put this guy's head on a stick"- Morgan was so mad I believed him. I wanted to do the same, if worse.

- "I'm gonna kill him myself as soon as we find him,"- I said and felt Aaron's hand on my shoulder as he asked Garcia

- "Why can't you locate him?"

- "He's rerouting to a different IP address every 30 seconds. I can't track him."

It knew it had to be hard if Penelope couldn't find her, but that didn't help. If anything, it made everything worse. I felt powerless. Hankel couldn't be more intelligent than us.

Spencer's point of view

- "Are you ready, boy?"- Hankel pulled my hair and forced me to look at him. I was still as high as fuck, but knew I was about to be tortured again.

- "Ready for what?"

- "My weakling son thinks God gave you to him for a reason"- if the reason was to get me into drugs, then the answer was yes.

Hankel placed a video camera in front of me.

- "Can you really see inside men's minds?"- he asked me and made a pause, pointing to three screens- See these vermin?

It took me a second to realize he was showing me images of real people. He had put cameras in those people's houses. How? When? What kind of sick game did he want me to play with him?

- "Choose one to die. I let you choose one to live."

- "No"- I didn't even think about my answer.

- "I thought you wanted to be some kind of savior."

- "You are a sadist and a psychotic break. You won't stop killing. Your word is not true."

I don't know if it was because of the drugs or because I hadn't eaten or drank any water in too long, but I was somehow resigned and tired of fighting.

- "The other heathens are watching- Hankel announced and pointed at the camera in front of me."

My eyes fixated on the camera right away. My team was watching me. (Y/N) was watching me. I didn't want to make her worry even more. I needed her to know I was ok. I know I wasn't, but I didn't want her to worry about me.

- "Choose a sinner to die, and I'll say the name and address of the person to be saved"- Hankel was sick. It was all a game, and religion was just an excuse to kill.

- "I won't get to choose who gets slaughtered and have you leave their remains behind like a poacher."

Hankel didn't like my answer, 'cos he grabbed me and pulled me up, looking into my eyes, insulted, annoyed, losing his temper.

- "Can you really see into my mind, boy?"

He was honestly scary, and it petrified me to think he could execute me right there, in front of the team, and I could never tell them how much they mean.

- "Can you see I'm not a liar?!"- he insisted. I nearly whimpered but made my best not to break- "Choose one to die and save a life. Otherwise, they are all dead."

He dropped me on the chair and turned around. It was clear he wasn't joking. I took a deep breath and nodded.

- "Alright, I'll choose who lives."

- "They are all the same"

My eyes traveled across all the monitors. It was nearly impossible to pick one person to live, knowing all the other people there would die. Hankel was sick, and I had to set a plan to escape because otherwise, I would end up dead.

- "Far right screen,"- I whispered. He turned around and nodded.

Then, he recited the name and address of the woman on the screen. I prayed for the team to find her before Hankel came after her too.

No. It wasn't Hankel this time.

- "Raphael,"- I whispered, and he nodded. I looked at the screen again. The woman we were watching picked up the phone. She was in her kitchen. He walked around, frowned, and turned to her computer. In a second, she had turned it off. My team had reached her. She was safe, I hoped.

Hankel turned the camera off and looked at me.

- "You've done your part. Now it's my turn."

I knew what that meant. It wasn't good.

He left the cabin, and all I could see were the monitors in front of me. Those people were going to die. They were going to die because I didn't pick them. I killed them. You don't need to pull a trigger to kill someone. I could never forget those words. And this time, they meant more than anytime before. I didn't press a trigger, but I had killed two innocent people. And I actually had to watch them die.

When I saw Rapahel walk into the victims' house, I tried to close my eyes and think of anything else. A part of me kept thinking he wasn't going to kill them. He just wanted to threaten me.

But not. Raphael slaughtered them.

I found myself craving whatever it was that Tobias had given me the night before. The drug in my veins had given me a kind of peace I had never felt. And I never thought I'd have either. The type of peace that can be addictive, 'cos it turns your head off. And God knows, sometimes I needed to turn my head off.

Remembering everything that has ever happened to me, especially all the awful things, wasn't a gift. It was a burden. And whatever it was that Tobias had put in my veins, it had taken that burden from my shoulders, at least for a couple of hours.

Who wouldn't want some more of that peace?

- "Reid!"- Gideon's voice took me from my thoughts. He was sitting right in front of the camera in the victim's house. He was there with Hotch and the police, investigating the crime scene.

- "If you are watching this, you are not responsible for this. You understand me? he is perverting God to justify murder. You are stronger than him. He can not break you."

I know he meant it. But I couldn't believe any of that, not after watching a family get slaughter just because I didn't pick them.

(Y/N)'s point of view

- "I thought you were going to try and get some rest,"- I said as JJ walked to me in silence. I made myself my hundredth cup of coffee, and she just showed up next to me, trying to engage in conversation, I guess.

- "Everybody else is working. I should be too."

- "We can handle it,"- I whispered and refused to look at her. I swear I was trying not to hate her, but it was getting harder and harder with every hour that passed without finding Reid.

- "It's funny, I keep thinking the one thing we need to crack this case is... well... Reid"- she chuckled, nervously and I just looked at her and nodded. I didn't even smile. I didn't move a muscle.

I didn't want to be with her, or anyone, as a matter of fact. And I wasn't going to hide it anymore. So I tried to walk away.

- "You think Reid and I should have stayed together at the barn, don't you?"

I stopped walking and looked at her. You could tell she was having a hard time facing the whole situation, and most of all, you could tell she felt guilty.

That really didn't stop me from being mad at her. I was trying to be the better woman during the investigation, but the uncertainty was getting on my nerves.

- "JJ, go get some rest,"- I tried to answer calmly, but I knew I was looking at her like she was dead to me.

- "I can tell that's what you are thinking, so..."

- "I just wanna get Spencer home safe."

- "But... if I had his back like I was supposed to do, he'd be here now"- and that was enough.

- "JJ, what the fuck do you want from me?"

- "I just...."- she was about to cry, you could tell- "I want someone to tell me the truth."

- "You want the truth? Ok, there you go: I would have never left him alone. None of this would have happened if I had been the one with him out there! 'cos I would never let anyone or anything hurt him!!"

I shouted. All the anger I had been feeling those days was finally getting off my chest. And fuck, it felt good.

- "You fucked it up, JJ, and if something happens to Spencer, I am never going to forgive you, never!"

JJ bit her lips, trying her best not to cry. But I still couldn't feel sorry for her.

- "Is that the truth you were looking for?"

- "(Y/L/N)?"- Hotch stood next to me with the most annoyed look in his eyes.

I knew I was out of line, but this wasn't about work anymore. This was personal. This was Reid we were talking about, and JJ had fucked it up. There was nothing to discuss.

- "What? You sent him with her, now she is here, and he isn't. What else is there to say?"

- "(Y/N)!"- Hotch followed me as I stormed out of the kitchen and out of the cabin- "(Y/N)! stop!"

- "What?!"- and I simply snapped- "Are you gonna suspend me for telling her the truth? Are you going to fire me for losing my shit while working a case!? Fine! I don't care! I don't give a fuck! All I care about right now is that my best friend is missing, and a fucking psychopath has him! That's all I can think of. That's all I've been thinking about for the last two days!"

I was yelling at Hotch. I was yelling at my unit chief. I was fucked. I knew he was going to fire me after that. But I couldn't help it. I was going insane. Tears kept falling from my eyes as I held my cup of coffee tight, holding onto it with my life.

- "(Y/N), we are all worried about Reid."

- "I know you are all worried. I am too, and I'm also afraid and mad and going fucking insane knowing I am standing here not knowing what to do to save him."

- "That doesn't give you the right to treat JJ like this is her fault"- I don't know if he was talking like my unit chief or like a father figure trying to end a fight between two of his kids.

- "Did she stay with Reid?"- I simply replied and looked at Hotch in the eyes- "Did she?"

- "She is not the only one who feels guilty, so do I. And I know I won't forgive myself if anything happens to Reid."

Hotch made a pause and tried to find a way to say what he wanted to say. The door opened, and Gideon walked to us. He knew what was going on, and he didn't say a thing. I was sure he had already heard everything. We weren't actually arguing quietly.

- "We are not getting any closer,"- Aaron finally said.

- "Reid is brilliant. He'll figure out how to survive"- Gideon's words were way more hopeful than my thoughts. In my mind, Reid was too scared to think of a way to escape.

- "You know, I always take advantage of Reid for his brain. But I never actually teach him how to deal with things emotionally."

Hotch whispered, and his words were filled with regret. I was filled with anger and anxiety, and I know the two of them felt the same. But they way better at handling their feelings.

- "Lead by example,"- Jason answered, probably trying to make him feel better.

- "What kind of example is that?"- I simply replied, and both of them stayed in silence.

I don't think my words helped Hotch, but I wasn't trying to do that either. I was just honest. And Hotch's emotional assistance was shit on the field. Even Gideon was better.

- "He'll make it,"- Jason reassured us and nodded- "Now stop arguing and go back to work."

Spencer's point of view

I was glad when Tobias came to me that night with a needle in his hand and put the drug into my vein. I needed some release after watching a family die 'cos I didn't save them.

- "I'm sorry I had to leave"- he excused himself, preparing the drug next to me.

- "You can leave again, and you can take me with you,"- I begged in a soft voice.

- "My father would be angry,"- he replied and didn't even look at me. This time, I didn't even argue when he wrapped the belt around my arm. I was even a little eager he'd do it faster.

- "Not if he can't find us."

- "He always finds me."

- "If you tell me where we are, my friends will come, and they'll save us."

He gave me a look, mixed with horror and resignation. It broke my heart to think for a moment of all the horrors that lead Tobias to be as sick as he was.

- "We can't be saved,"- he simply replied.

- "We can, we can, I promise. If you tell me where we are, I'll save us both."

- "Listen to me. It's not worth fighting."

Somehow, I understood why he said that. I was afraid and shaking but still did my best not to think of all the pain I was in, of the terror that haunted me day and night.

- "Tell me it doesn't make it better- he said and showed me the needle."

I couldn't say no, 'cos he was right. It did. The drugs made his horrible situation bearable. I could understand why someone decided to use something to avoid the pain. I had faced all and each one of the pain and horrors in my life sober. It was time life was a little bit sweeter, in a sick way.

I remembered being twelve. Mom had had one of her episodes the day before, she was in bed, and I woke her up. I walked into her room and opened the curtains. It was already five in the afternoon, and she still refused to get out of bed.

- "The doctor says you need to get out of bed,"- I argued when she repeated she was just resting.

- "I've been reading"

- "He says you need exercise"- she sighed and tried to make a joke.

- "That's because his idea of good literature is Our bodies, ourselves."

- "Well, he is your doctor."

- "He is a neanderthal"- I gave up and started walking out of the room. She just laid in bed and looked at me.

- "Where are you going?"

- "I'm going to see if Jeff wants to play"- Jeff was our next-door neighbor and my only friend growing up.

- "Come here. Let me read to you."

I know Garcia made fun of me when I said my mother used to read me Valentine's sonnets when I was a kid. Most people think I have a weird relationship with mom, but they don't understand what it was like growing up with her. They don't know what it was like for a twelve-year-old boy to finish high school, facing bullies. Handling the pressure of being a kid genius and the fact I had to take care of a schizophrenic mother.

How come I didn't start using drugs earlier?

I remember that afternoon I sat next to my mother, and she made me pick one of the many books she had with her on the bed. I choose Proust. I knew she loved it. I loved it as well.

"For a long time, I used to go to bed early. Sometimes, when I had put out my candle, my eyes would close so quickly that I had not even time to say, "I'm going to sleep."

I can still hear her voice, reading to me. Both of us avoided reality for a while, hiding in the books. I always do it regardless. I hide in the books to forget. I hide in knowledge to avoid acknowledging the real personal issues I have. I hide in my work saving people when no one ever saved me.

I work catching psychopaths when I know I might actually have a mental issue myself. I might end up just like mom, and it frightens me so much; there are many nights I can't even close an eye. If I get sick too, then no one will take care of her. I am the only one in her life. And she is the only one in mine.

She and (Y/N), but there is no way my best friend would ever take care of me if I got sick. Not because she wouldn't want to do it, but because I would never let her. I don't want to be a burden in her life. And she would hate me, I know. And I could never live in a world where (Y/N) hates me. Not then, not now.

(Y/N). She is the best thing that happened to me in the BAU. Yes, I had a family with my team, but she was different. She was my life. She was the reason why I smiled. She was the one person that made me feel I was important to someone. I knew the rest of my friend loved me, but I loved her.

That was it. I loved (Y/N). And I was scared I was never going to see her again.

(Y/N)'s point of view

I was standing next to Penelope. She kept trying to force me to eat. She knew I was living on coffee, but I just couldn't swallow anything. She held my hand as the two of us stared at the screens, hopefully waiting for Hankel to make contact again.

- "Any more signs of Reid?"- JJ walked over to us slowly and looked at me, afraid I might snap on her again. I just shook my head and sighed, doing my best to be nice to her.

- "He just posted the last murder online."

- "It had over 17 thousand hits in the first twenty minutes,"- Penelope added, and her voice was so full of revulsion. It was clear she couldn't handle the horror in the human mind.

- "I want to see it,"- JJ said, and I frowned, confused.

- "No, you don't,"- Garcia answered and looked at me- "Come on, munchkin, just eat one cookie, please."

- "Don't tell me what I want and don't want!"- JJ's tone shocked us both. She was severe and angry. She was rude at Penelope, and for a second, I almost snapped again.

- "If I can't watch this..."- JJ whispered and glued her eyes on the screen- "I have no business being in the field."

She looked at me when she was done talking, and for once during those awful days, I felt some kind of compassion for her. She had to be feeling like shit, no doubt, and no matter how mad I was at her, she was still my friend, and I didn't want her to suffer either.

- "JJ, it's not a competition,"- I tried to say in the softest voice possible.

- "I... I need to see it."

- "If you stop being affected by things, you lose parts of yourself, you know."

It was somehow ironic that I was the one saying those things. Me of all people in that team. Me, the one who was afraid the most of losing herself in work.

- "Show me"- she finally looked at Garcia, ignoring my words, and Penelope pleased her. She pushed play and simply said

- "I won't watch this with you."

García held my hand, walking me out of the room, leaving JJ alone in the room. She sighed and wiped the tears that started falling down her eyes.

- "I don't know how you do it either"- she whispered- "I don't know how you watch those things every day and don't go insane."

- "If it makes you feel better, I don't know how I do either, and it scared me to think my heart might be numbing with each case we solve. With every psychopath we catch."

- "We are gonna find him"- she assured me and held my hands tight- "We are bringing him home safe, I swear."

- "Let's go find Gideon,"- I said, nodding at her words- "He needs to know Tobias posted the last murder."

Jason was mad, beyond furious. He was losing it. Derek and Prentiss kept trying to crack Hankel and discover where he had taken Reid. Meanwhile, Garcia, Gideon, and I made our best to take the video of the murder from the web.

- "I have a list of everyone from the file-sharing chain. I could send out a mass warning that the video is actually a virus,"- Garcia said and started typing as fast as possible. I just stared at the screen, waiting for something, anything to happen.

But I wasn't waiting for what came next.

- "Confess your sins"- Hankel's voice made me jump, and the sight of Reid, still tied to that chair, bleeding, and being tortured, broke my heart again.

- "Confess!!"- that sick psychopath shouted and hit him.

- "I haven't done anything,"- Spencer sobbed, but it was useless. Hankel kept punching him, over and over again, even when my best friend begged for mercy.

I felt Jason hold my hand as I was holding Garcia's. The three of us felt powerless, useless, angry, and scared, all at the same time. I couldn't bear to watch Reid being tortured, but at the same time, I was so glad he was still alive.

That until Hankel beat him so hard, he pushed him back in the chair, and Reid started convulsing.

- "He is killing him,"- Penelope cried, and I closed my eyes, biting my lips. Spencer was choking, and that mother fucker just stood there, watching him die.

- "That's the devil vacating your body"- he spit those words as Reid simply passed out. I didn't know if he was dead. I didn't know if he was going to make it. Shit! I didn't know anything.

I let go of Jason and Penelope and stormed out of the room. I was unprofessional, and I knew it, but I knew I would quit if anything happened to Reid. I wasn't going to stay working at the BAU if Spencer died.

- "Are you ok?"- Derek grabbed my arm. I just broke into tears and held him tight. He wrapped his arms around me and let me cry.

- "He's dying! We can't find him!!"- I sobbed against his chest.

- "(Y/N)! (Y/N)!"- I heard Penelope yelling as we all rushed back to the computer room. Hankel was giving CPR to Reid, trying to bring him back to life.

- "Come on, come on, please,"- I begged as I watched him pushing his chest over and over again until Spencer woke up, gasping for air.

- "Thank God!"- Hotch sighed and rubbed his hands against his face. The whole team let out a breath of relief simultaneously, and I kept watching Reid. His opened eyes gave me hope.

- "Wait,"- Prentiss said suddenly- "When was the video of the last murder posted?"

- "Nine thirty"- Penelope answered

- "And when was the time of death?"

- "The 911 call came in at 9:04, and the murder must have been moments later."- Hotch added and didn't even turn to look at Prentiss. We were all still shocked looking at the screen.

- "That's just a 19 minutes difference,"- I said and turned to García- "How long would it take to post that file?"

- "Two or three minutes."

- "Let's call it two,"- I said, getting excited- "You figure a maximum of 60 miles an hour in a residential area. That means Hankel has to be within a 17-mile radius of the crime scene."

For a second, I felt I was rambling facts just like Reid would. It made me miss him even more.

- "García, can we see it on the map?"- Aaron whispered. He was clearly affected, and it also made me feel selfish, knowing I had made a tantrum with the whole team, forgetting they were suffering as well.

- "Call chief Farraday"- Jason commanded as soon as we saw the map of the area on the screen- "I want that area locked down like it's martial law."

JJ stood up and grabbed her phone but didn't make the call. García warned us something was going on with Reid and all of us stared at the screen in silence.

Spencer was on his back on the floor, still tied to a chair. It was clear he wasn't fully conscious of what was happening.

- "You came back to life,"- mother fucker Hankel said, spitting the words in anger.

- "Raphael,"- Reid whispered, recognizing one of his personalities.

- "There can be only one of two reasons."

- "I was given CPR,"- my friend whispered, but it was clear that wasn't one of the psycho's options.

- "There are no accidents. How many members of our team are watching us right now?"

- "Seven."

- "The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first sounding followed hail, and they were thrown to the earth."

- "He thinks it's the revelations"- Hotch explained- "The seven archangels versus the seven angels of death."

I didn't know much about religion, but it didn't take a genius to figure out he didn't believe we were the good guys.

- "Tell me who you serve."

- "I serve you,"- Reid answered right away. His voice was a whisper. He had to be exhausted.

- "Then choose one to die"

- "What?!"

- "Your team members, choose one to die"- I knew what he was going to answer at that, and I didn't want to hear it.

- "Kill me,"- he replied immediately, and I closed my eyes, unable to watch what would happen next.

- "You said you weren't one of them."

- "I lied."

- "Your team has seven other members. Tell me who dies."

- "No"- Penelope gasped, and Prentiss cursed. I opened my eyes and nearly fainted. Hankel had a gun pointed against Reid's forehead.

The silence amongst the team was unbearable. Neither of us knew what to do. We were all panicking, praying, desperate.

- "Choose and prove you'll do God's will."

- "No."

Neither of us moved. Neither of us breathed until Hakel pulled the trigger, and no bullet came out. I nearly sigh, but it wasn't over.

- "Choose"- he repeated

- "I won't do it"- Hankel didn't even wait. He just pulled the trigger, and we all jumped at the same time. He was safe again.

- "Life is a choice."

- "No,"- Reid repeated once again. And Hankel pulled the trigger for the third time.

- "Choose"- and for the first time, Spencer made a pause. Was going to pick one of us to die?

- "I choose"- the whispered- "Aaron Hotchner."

Derek and I looked at him, and his pale face didn't move a muscle.

- "He's the classic narcissist. He thinks he's better than everyone else on the team. Genesis 23:4 "Let him not deceive himself, and trust in emptiness, vanity falseness, and futility, for these shall be his recompense."

Hotch stormed out of the room as Hankel pulled the trigger one more time and shot the wall.

I felt I was going to puke. If Reid hadn't picked one of us, he would be dead.

- "For God's will,"- the mother fuck said, as he put another bullet in the gun after removing the casing.

I couldn't look anymore. I followed Gideon and Derek to find Aaron going through all Tobias's diaries on the table.

- "I'm not a narcissist,"- he said as soon as he saw us.

- "Come on. Look, you can't think anything from that"- Jason tried to calm him down, in case he was somehow affected by what Reid had just said on camera- "He is not in his right mind, Hotch."

- "No, stop, stop. Alright, everybody, right now: what's my worst quality?"

He had to be kidding. We all stared at him, muted, lost in that conversation. What was his point? Neither of us said a word. We just looked at each other, confused and awkward.

- "Ok, I'll start. I have no sense of humor."

- "You are a bully,"- JJ added.

- "You can be a drill sergeant sometimes,"- I said, and he nodded.

- "Right."

- "You don't trust women as much as men"- you could feel it in Prentiss's voice. That one was personal.

- "Ok, good. I'm all these things, but none of you said that I ever put myself above the team because I don't, ever. Reid and I argued about the definition of classic narcissism, and he knew that I would remember that. He also quoted Genesis chapter 23, verse 4. Read it."

Hotch gave me the book. He wasn't even breathing as she spoke. He was in a hurry. We were all.

- "I'm a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me property, forbear a place among you that I may bury my dead of my sight."

- "He wouldn't get it wrong unless it were on purpose."

- "He is in a cemetery."- I said and looked at him. He nodded, and I swear to God, I saw a slight smile on his lips. That smile was hope. We were getting closer.

Spencer's point of view

I took a sip of water. I hadn't drunk in days, and my throat burned. I was still a little lost, still a little off.

- "Tobias, is that you?"- I saw him nod, sitting next to me. He moved the cup of water closer so that I could drink some more.

- "Thank you,"- I whispered and looked at him- You saved my life- he stared down at the ground and finally whispered

- "I'm sorry."

- "Why?"

- "He'll win in the end."

It was sad to see Tobias Hankel's good person locked inside a sick mind that also held a psychopath like his father.

- "Tobias, I need to know something. It's important. Are we in a cemetery?"- and he nodded. I smiled at him and sighed, relieved. Help was coming. My team was coming.

- "I used to come here to get high."

- "I was right."

- "No one bothers you here. I never told anyone about it."

He wrapped his belt around my arm, and I turned to him, still smiling. I didn't know if I were happy I was right or glad I would get high again. Maybe both. Maybe the second 'cos the minute that needle got to my vein, that sweet, sweet release felt like a bath of joy that washed away any pain, regret, or guilt I could have ever felt.

Guilt. I've had my share of that. I remember the day I had my mom admitted to the hospital. She hadn't eaten in days. She wouldn't take care of herself, and they're just so much I could do. I wasn't able to keep her safe from herself, from her mind.

- "What are these men doing here?"- she asked me as I walked with two nurses into the study. She was writing and reading. It was all she did, preparing lectures for classes she didn't have to give, in imaginary campuses.

I stood in front of her and hesitated for a second. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, telling mom I was taking her away from her own house.

- "They are from the hospital. They are here to help,"- I whispered and looked at my mother's confused expression. She was so thin. She looked so sick. I felt so guilty I couldn't do better for her.

- "I don't need help, and you can't be here without permission, tell them, Spencer."

She looked down at her books again and tried to continue writing. I took a deep breath, I knew I would break her heart, but there was nothing else I could do.

- "I called them"- she looked at me in pain. Deep, honest pain. Like I had just shattered her heart. Which I had done.

- "Spencer"- she simply whispered and stared into my eyes, begging for an explanation. I was trying my best not to cry. I had a whole speech prepared. I was going to tell her how much I loved her. I was going to explain to her how good it was for her to be in a place where someone could continuously take care of her. I had facts and statistics, but all I managed to say was:

- "I'm doing this for you."

And I felt like a liar. 'Cos, there was a part of me that was doing it for myself too.

- "This isn't legal"- she shook her head in shock and kept trying to find a good explanation to what was going on.

- "Your son is eighteen, ma'am. He can act in your welfare,"- one of the make nurses explained to her.

- "You need help,"- I said and prayed she could understand. But she just burst into tears and begged.

- "I wanna stay here!"

- "I'm... sorry, mom."

- "Please, these are my things, this is my life..."

Those men took her. They took her from her house and put her in a hospital. No. I put her there. I put my mom in a hospital so I could live my life, 'cos I am selfish and couldn't take care of her anymore.

- "Spencer, please, don't do this to me."

Those were the words that haunted me day and night. And my mother's crying face, begging me not to take her from her own house.

What kind of a son am I? I did that to her. I put her in a mental place 'cos I couldn't deal with her disease anymore. 'Cos I didn't know how to take care of her.

- "What are you sorry for, boy?"- I heard Hankel ask when I woke up. I was muttering, "Sorry" as I came back from my trip.

- "I sent her away."

- "Who."

- "My mom. I couldn't help her."

- "Is that a confession?"- I nodded and looked around, confused. Lost. High- "You know the bible. Exodus 21:17"

- "And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death,"- I whispered, scared and full of regret.

I heard him walk towards me. He kneeled and uncuffed me. I didn't know what was happening. Honestly, I was still too high to get what was going on around me.

- "Grab a shovel,"- he commanded and walked outside.

I was too weak to dig fast. I don't know how I was actually moving, but I was digging my own grave. I never thought I would ever end up doing such a thing. It's not something you think about, actually. Not unless you work in the BAU. Here, you start analyzing and considering the way you'll die: 'Cos you could, every day.

- "I ought to bury you alive in there, give you some time to think about what you've done,"- Hankel said and looked at me while I worked, playing with a knife.

- "I know what I've done."

- "Don't talk back to me! Dig!"

I pant and kept moving, very slowly, trying to buy myself some time too. I was sure the team was coming to get me any minute now. I was counting on them, though the more I thought about it, the less worthy of salvation I felt. Maybe I deserved to die after all.

I was almost certain I had seen some lights moving in the back. Flashlights. But it could be my mind playing tricks on me. I was too tired. And still too high, too.

- "Dig faster!"- he commanded me as I moved, losing my breath.

- "I'm not strong enough"- I cried, 'cos I felt like that. Like a failure, a child that aimed to be a grown-up and failed miserably. A bad son. The worst agent. A fake that deserved to die.

- "You are all weak!! Get out of there!"

Hankel took off his coat and left it on the ground. I slowly moved so he could dig for me, but the lights in the back took my attention, and he noticed. As soon as he turned around, I quickly grabbed his coat and reached out for the gun.

- "You've only got one bullet, son,"- he said as he looked at me. And I just pulled the trigger.

I shot him. I killed him. Hankel. Raphael. Tobias. I freed Tobias. Or at least, that is what I wanted to think.

- "Reid!!"- I heard (Y/N) yelling as I crawled to Tobia's body. He was still awake. He was himself.

- "You killed him"- he said, and he was relieved- "Do you think I'll get to see my mom again?"

- "I'm sorry,"- I whispered, and he was gone.

- "Reid!!"

(Y/N) yelled and ran over. She kneeled next to me and held me in her arms. I couldn't move, because for a few seconds, I couldn't believe she was real. She was there.

- "Honey, honey, are you ok? Can you hear me?"- she said, and tears started falling from her eyes- "Honey, it's me."

I just looked at her and hugged her. I hugged her as my life depended on it. There she was, next to me, finally.

- "I thought I was never going to see you again,"- I whispered and sobbed.

The urge to kiss her filled my whole body. I needed to taste her. I needed to show her how much I had needed her those days. But I knew I couldn't.

I didn't want to let her go. I didn't for a few minutes. I just hold onto her for my sanity. She kissed my forehead, cupping my face with both hands.

- "I'm so happy to see you. I'm glad you are ok... let's go to the ambulance, ok?"- I nodded but didn't let her go. I felt I could hold her forever. I wanted to keep her close for as long as I lived.

But the rest of the team gathered around us, and I wanted to thank them too. I needed to thank Hotch. So as soon as I let (Y/N) go, I wrapped my arms around him.

- "You alright?"- he asked me.

- "I knew you'd understand,"- I managed to say with tears falling from my eyes and a knot in my throat.

For a moment, I thought I was never going to see the team again. My family.

JJ held me close and apologized. I knew she felt guilty for leaving me alone, but I was the only one culpable for what had happened. I wanted to prove myself, and all I managed to do was prove I was a fool. A useless SSA.

- "It's alright, it wasn't your fault,"- I said and did my best to smile at her. But I know I failed. Gideon grabbed my arm and nodded.

- "Let's get you out of here."

- "Please,"- I whispered before we started walking- "Can I have a second alone?"- he looked at me and nodded, looking at Tobias' body lying by our side. He walked away, and I kneeled next to my capturer.

But instead of paying my respects, instead of cursing. Instead of anything, I took the Dilaudid bottles from his pocket and put them into mine.

And that's how the real hell started.

--

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Next update: May 5th, 2021

[renaerys]

22. for reds 🤡

This is 100% not what you asked for (yet...👀), but I give you part 1 of what we're calling the Weird King AU. I'm turning this into a proper multi-chapter High School fic because I love you and I'd jump on any bandwagon for you.

xxx

Like most young, conventionally attractive Supervillains, Brick had made a bit of a habit of failing upwards. It was pretty easy in a town full of simpering morons content to project their own narrative assumptions onto him, and who was he to crush their dreams when they made his life a little easier?

For example, dating.

“You can tell me, you know.” His cute date, Tracy, sipped her milkshake across from him.

“Tell you what?”

She softened and reached her hand across the table. “Your tragic backstory. I’ll listen without judgment, I promise.”

Brick tried to think of something tragic, but it all seemed pretty underwhelming as far as Supervillain origin stories went. “You mean like how I was born in a toilet?”

She made an oh shape with her lips. “We all have those days where we feel like we were born in a toilet, Brick.”

He’d dated Tracy for three months before she broke up with him out of the blue in tears: sorry she couldn’t fix his baggage, she just wasn’t strong enough to handle all that tortured darkness, but she wished him nothing but health and happiness. Brick deleted her number from his phone and spent twenty whole minutes staring at the toilet in his bathroom, wondering what the lesson here was.

But everything changed when Mojo got out of prison and moved Brick and his brothers back to Townsville, where he enrolled them in the local high school alongside their former arch nemeses, the Powerpuff Girls.

Suddenly, everything Brick did pre-supposed ill intent. These people remembered him as the pest who had graffitied their local monuments and blown up their cars and endangered their children. They held no love for him, and at best they feared him. This was not Citiesville, where he’d been a tall, cold glass of Voss water in a sea of recycled Dasani.

He found himself thinking about his birthing toilet again as he stepped into the cafeteria alone and the conversation quieted down as his new classmates watched him from the safety of their tables. His next moves here were critical. He was no longer at the top of the food chain, but fear and mystery surrounding his origins and character gave him a certain power over his peers.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of social suicide, I will fear no cringe,” he said to himself.

The jocks were out. Capable though he may be, Brick was not much of a team player unless there was a blood contract involved requiring his participation on pain of satanic torture. The drama kids were also a hard pass, not because he thought drama was lame, but because they had barely noticed him walk in, and Brick did not have the energy to deal with people more self-involved than himself. Some of the unaffiliated tables could be safe, but without a good understanding of the nuanced social dynamics in the high school, he could be heading toward irreversible doom, and that was a risk he was not willing to take.

He saw his salvation just ahead. It was the only option, all else being equal. In an environment where he couldn’t be certain of his baseline status and potential for upward mobility, there was greatness to be had only by association and certainty only in the devil he knew.

Brick helped himself to the empty seat directly across from Blossom Utonium to a chorus of gasps and staring.

Blossom did not startle like her table mates had. She watched him critically behind a head full of bangs as she balanced her soup spoon in her hand. “Really.”

Brick unwrapped the burrito he’d purchased in the lunch line and brandished it before him. “Really.”

He took a bite of the burrito. It was not hot enough. The two girls to Blossom’s left whispered to each other about that bad boy and he’s hot, though.

Blossom daintily spooned soup into her mouth without spilling a single drop as she continued to watch Brick for signs of his imminent dark side transformation.

The guy next to Brick was brave enough to ask him what his next class was. Brick had a mouth full of disappointing burrito, so he passed the guy the printout of his class schedule in lieu of answering.

“Wow, all APs, huh? Hey, we’re in U.S. History together next period, nice. I’m Mike Believe, by the way. Brick Jojo, right?”

Brick didn’t answer him immediately on account of the burrito currently occupying his mouth hole, and Mike took it the wrong way.

“Oh, yeah, we all know who you are. Blossom sort of filled us in.” He winced like he’d inadvertently revealed a terrible secret.

Brick swallowed his food and washed it down with a gulp of water. “Saves me some time.”

Mike looked super relieved. “For sure! Hey, I could lend you my notes if you want to catch up. Gershwin’s giving a quiz on the Progressive Era on Friday, and she’s a hard-ass who definitely won’t care that you just transferred…”

Brick chewed on his lunch as Mike continued to talk at him about classes and other vaguely helpful, albeit uninteresting, information. But Mike seemed normal enough, a little chatty but not in an overeager sort of way. Blossom was no longer clocking his every move and seemed to be absorbed in her friend’s latest swim team cheating scandal, until Brick reached for his water bottle and she suddenly laser-focused on his wandering hand.

Her keen attention to him was honestly flattering, if expected. It was in his nature to be noticed, and in this narrow respect she was no different from anyone else whose head he turned. If she chose to feed her interest with the flames of suspicion, then it was no difference to him.

But if she was anything like him—and on a chemical level she was probably the closest to him that a person could get—he suspected it took tremendous effort to hold her full and sustained attention. The world they inhabited was as vapid and mundane as the humans that surrounded them, and even the most gracious of gods grew bored of worship. Which explained all the smiting and fucking and generational curses upon entire households in everything from Greek mythology to the Old Testament.

Brick was pretty deep into a fantasy of Blossom going full Ixion and the Wheel on the swim team when Mike tapped his shoulder. “You ready to go?”

It took him a moment to realize the bell had rung and he had a class to get to—AP U.S. History with Mike, apparently. Brick gathered his tray and his bag and followed Mike. When he looked back at the table, Blossom was already gone.

xxx

That whole first week was painfully boring. No one bullied him, or pranked him, or picked a fight with him, of course. But no one really approached him, either. His brothers were more determined to make an effort. Boomer announced he was trying out for the soccer team because there was no rule saying a Super with extremely well documented ties to active criminals and the forces of Hell couldn’t kick a ball around a field. Butch had gotten himself invited to a midnight screening of Snakes on a Plane in some rich kid’s home movie theater, but only after that same kid had accidentally spilled milk on Butch and burst into tears in front of a cafeteria full of Juniors and Seniors. Brick declined the invitation Butch extended to him. He had that AP U.S. History exam to study for on Friday, anyway.

He shared all of his classes with Blossom. Even in the classes where her assigned seat was behind his and he couldn’t see her, he could feel her lobotomizing stare at the back of his head whenever she glanced up from her notebook. And while Mike’s notes were perfectly adequate and the friendly gesture counted for more than the content (a gesture Brick would not soon forget), there was a far more efficient way to accomplish his goal of murdering the class averages while also taking the edge off his loner doldrums.

“Can I borrow your class notes?”

Blossom rose from her seat and pulled her hair tie out to re-do her extremely long ponytail. She held the elastic between her teeth as she worked. Her teeth were very straight, he noticed. Some pretty nice girl-teeth, generally speaking.

“Which class?”

“All of them.”

He watched her wind the elastic around her hair with quick, adroit fingers. “That’s a lot of notes.”

“You’re the top of every class. No point in asking anyone else.”

She moved toward the hall. He followed her out. “Why would I help you?”

A legitimate question delivered without venom. Unlike her sister Buttercup, who’d “run into” Brick after school on Monday and told him to watch his back, Blossom didn’t have to do anything but maintain a general proximity to make her superiority complex known. Which was the kind of flex he could fuck with.

“Isn’t helping people sort of your mandate?”

They had arrived at her locker, which she opened with enough force to rattle the hinges. “I help the helpless. Are you helpless, Brick?”

Brick smiled at her baiting. Had she ever actually said his name at a normal volume before? It sounded good even in her baseline bitch timbre. “Critically helpless. I’m the new student who transferred in the middle of the semester, and you’re the only person who knows me.”

A couple other students clearly trying to get to the lockers Brick was blocking hovered just out of reach. They whispered to each other, but neither of them actually worked up the courage to ask Brick to move. He ignored them.

Blossom rummaged in her locker for the binder she would need for the next class. “Make friends.”

“Working on it.”

The locker door slammed and she faced him. There was something confrontational in the way she held herself before him that kicked him in the nuts back in time thirteen years to their more uncouth days when all he wanted to do was destroy her so he’d be the only one. Now they were older and wiser and he actually did need her notes to study, so destroying her was not high on his list of priorities.

“You want to be my friend.”

“We have so much in common.”

“So do lions and hyenas.”

“Both are apex predators, so.”

She took a step closer and peered up at him. Brick did not move, although he wondered what was so interesting about his face. She probably just thought he was hot. She was probably as bored as he was. She probably—

“You have lettuce in your teeth.”

Brick pulled back and covered his mouth on instinct. God fucking damnit.

Blossom was already walking away from him by the time he’d picked the food from his teeth. “I’ll expect my notes back in mint condition before first period tomorrow morning.”

Brick pressed a fist against the lockers and quietly fumed. “Dumbass…”

“Um, sorry, but do you mind…?”

The student who’d been waiting for her locker space to clear up had her palms up as if to assuage a feral stray. Brick pushed off the lockers, but his fist left a dent where he’d unleashed some of his impotent self-pity. He looked back at the girl, and she shook her head.

“It’s fine! It, uh, it happens sometimes.” She pointed a couple lockers down to Blossom’s, which was dinged up worse than the others.

Brick stared at Blossom’s locker, and then back at the girl. Her narrow, dark eyes were wide, but not out of fear. She was waiting for something, and like an idiot it took him a moment to catch up. “You’re trying to make me feel better about fucking up your locker.”

She laughed nervously. “I mean, it’s really fine! You just looked so miserable for a second there, and I just thought…”

Great, he was moping so hard he had an audience.

The five minute warning bell rang, and a flood of students rushed past them on their way to fourth period. Brick stepped aside so the girl could get to her locker.

“Hey, you’re the new guy, right?”

The new guy, yeah. How quaint. Except, she was waiting for a response, which wasn’t the absolute worst thing that had happened to him all week.

“Brick,” he said. But of course, she already knew that, and she was just being nice.

“I’m Kim. Kim Chan.”

“Okay.” He didn’t have anything else to say to her, so he decided to get his shit and get to his next class.

“Welcome back to Townsville, Brick.”

Brick shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked off. It didn’t occur to him until later that Kim was the first and only person who had properly welcomed him back home.

[justcourttee]

I love your sibling Jasonette so much!! If you don't mind, could you do Marinette's first meeting with the rest of the Batfam? Also, this is probably a stupid question but are the rest of the sibling Jasonette stories connected?

Not a stupid question at all! I wrote them so that if you read all of them, there are parallels so that they could be connected, but if people didn’t want to read all of them, they could also stand on their own :)

I also NEVER mind writing more sibling Jasonette ;) Hope you enjoy! @moonlitjiminie 

Family Game Night

“What if they don’t like me?”

Jason stopped in his tracks, shaking his head in disappointment.

“Is that even a real question that you’re asking me? I’m honestly offended right now that you would even think they had an option to not like you.”

He dramatically placed his hand over his heart as if her words had fatally wounded him earning a small giggle from the girl. Slinging his arm over her shoulder, she managed to breathe a small sigh of relief as they made their way up the long staircase.

Jason didn’t even bother knocking as he threw open the manor doors, effectively dragging her in with him.

“Master Jason, what a pleasure to see you attend family game night and with a guest in tow, how lovely.”

An older man stood in the foyer, his sly smile warming Marinette to the core instantly. Jason narrowed his eyes playfully at the man, a sly smile of his own tugging at his lips.

“Marinette, let me introduce you to the only sane person in this household. Mr. Alfred Pennyworth. He likes to pretend he’s just a humble butler, but we all know that he secretly runs the whole thing around here.”

Alfred bowed deeply to Marinette to which she could only curtsey in return.

“It’s a pleasure, sir. I am sorry for invading your family time. I was under the impression that my presence was a known factor tonight.” Her narrowed eyes shot to Jason who simply shrugged, his smirk as arrogant as ever.

“Nonsense, a friend of Master Jason is a friend to all. You are by far the most pleasant friend he has brought to this event.”

Marinette almost wanted to ask about the context of his remark, but something in her gut told her she really didn’t want to know.

“Please, follow me to the sitting room. The rest of the family has already arrived.”

They walked in a comfortable silence down the hall, Marinette nerves slightly frayed now knowing that nobody expected her appearance. Alfred pushed open two oak doors, revealing a brightly lit room filled with many laughing faces. When Jason said he had a lot of siblings, Marinette thought two or three. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

“Oh my god, Jason brought home a girl!”

Instantly all sounds in the room paused as many heads turned their attention to where Marinette stood in the doorway. Hesitantly, she raised her hand in greeting, a sheepish smile gracing her face.

“Everyone, this is Marinette, the legendary designer MDC, and my sister. She’s flown all the way from Paris to meet you losers for some reason so be nice.”

Marinette mumbled a quiet hello as a few smiles broke through the room welcoming her. Instantly, a blonde girl jumped up to drag her back to where she was previously sitting, ignoring Jason’s protests.

“You just have to play on my team tonight! Are you any good at Pictionary? I mean I’m not great, but I can say with utmost confidence that I can beat most of the people in this room.”

“That’s not true!” Marinette’s attention was split as one of the men started an argument with her as to who was the better pictionary-ist. She didn’t even notice when Jason had sat beside her, an amused smile tugging at his lips.

“The rude blonde is Stephanie Brown. She’s Timmy boys girlfriend, who would be the dead zombie looking kid over there.”

Marinette’s gaze followed to where Jason pointed, a small giggle escaping at his accurate description. The poor boy looked like he hasn’t gotten a good night's sleep a single day in his life. 

“The rude boy arguing with Stephanie would be Dick. He practically rivals your optimism except his happy go lucky actually disgusts me.”

The man paused from his argument, a horrified expression on his face.

“I like to think my optimism is a blessing.”

That earned a collective groan from the room to which he simply crossed his arms into a pout.

“Anyways, continuing, the redhead is Barbara Gordon-Grayson who unfortunately has trapped herself in the position of Dick’s wife. A tragedy really for such a beautiful woman, I mean she could’ve had me and instead she chose him? The world just isn’t right.”

Another protest came from Dick’s direction as he turned his pout into Barbara’s outstretched arms as her attempt to not laugh failed miserably.

“The one staring you down while trying to pretend he’s not interested at the same time would be your future husband Damian.”

Marinette felt her entire face flush red as she reached back slapping Jason in the stomach as hard as he could.

“Todd, I do not appreciate harassing this young woman. You are beneath her in status and beauty therefore you should not be allowed to get off with this insult to her self so easily.”

Damian stood from his spot, careful not to make eye contact with Marinette as he sped past her toward the room’s only exit. She wanted to call out and ask him to stay, but the pink on his cheeks caused her to pause. He probably was just as embarrassed as her and just needed some time to breathe.

“Jason, that was mean! Look at how flustered you made him!”

Jason simply laughed as he reached over to ruffle her hair.

“Trust me, he never gets ‘flustered’ that was all you.”

For the second time that night, Marinette felt her face flush.

“He’s right you know!” Her eyes turned back to the blonde from earlier who stared her down with a playful expression in her eyes. “Demon spawn definitely has a crush on you.”

The rest of the family took turns picking at her, taking jabs until she was sure there wasn’t one part of her that wasn’t bloodshot red.

“Alright, alright, give the girl some space. We want her to return eventually!”

Marinette smiled gratefully toward the dark-haired man.

“After all, I need to get to know my future daughter-in-law.”

She instantly regretted her friendly gesture as the room exploded once more, smiles and laughter filling the room. Why exactly had she let Jason talk her into this?

“Okay, okay, really though guys. It’s game night! Time to pick team captains.”

Stephanie’s devilish smile sent shivers through Marinette’s spine. It was purely chaotic, reminding her of another blonde that she had left behind.

“I vote Marinette and Jason, the ultimate sibling showdown!” Dick puffed out his chest as his voice mimicked what sounded suspiciously like a wrestling ref that her father loved to watch.

“I’m down, how about you princess?”

Marinette bit her lip as her eyes glanced around the room at their waiting faces. Her eyes caught sight of one brooding face that she couldn’t seem to pass by. He also seemed to be waiting, his eyes nervously glancing from her position to the door as if he might bolt at any moment.

“It’s game on Todd.”

They shook their hands defiantly, both wearing dangerous smirks. Maybe she could salvage her pride tonight; not just hers’ but Damian’s as well. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“Ladies first.”

Marinette and Jason stood on opposite sides of the room, both watching each other with an intense look that came from their competitive natures. She scanned the eager faces of his family thoughtfully. She had no idea what any of them were good at, but she wanted to maintain appearance for the psych of it.

“Damian.”

Everybody broke out into smirks as they shared knowing looks. She didn’t bother to pay them any mind as the pink-cheeked boy rose to stand with her.

“Wrong move princess, demon spawn hates game night more than he likes to win. My first choice? Stephanie.”

The girl pumped her fist in the air as she joined Jason on his side. Marinette leaned toward where Damian stood, hiding half her face behind her hand.

“Time to strategize, who is my best bet?”

Damian stared at her with a bewildered expression.

“C’mon beau garçon, I need your help if we’re gonna kick Jason’s ass.”

He nodded slowly as if that were a perfectly reasonable excuse to kick into gear.

“Grayson is the leading contender if you wish to win tonight.”

Marinette nodded as she motioned for Dick to join them as well. Jason raised an eyebrow at her as he called over Tim, challenging her to pick from the remaining two.

“Okay Damian, Barbara or Bruce.”

He didn't bother responding as he pointed at his father, leaving the redhead to Jason’s team.

It was five hours of intense games, Alfred keeping score as an unaffiliated third party,( after all, they had all agreed that he was the fairest way to keep the games moving.) They all sat in anticipation while he tallied the scores. She couldn’t seem to calm her nerves as she stared at Jason’s cocky smirk.

Marinette felt a warmth brush by her kneecap. Instantly her head snapped to where a hand rested before her gaze reached back up to his face, a light red dusting across her cheeks. Immediately his hand retracted.

“I’m sorry if that was inappropriate, your knee was just bouncing anxiously from the corner of my eye and it was a slight bother.”

Marinette muttered out a small sorry before they both broke their gaze, the blush evident on both of their cheeks.

“And with a final score of 5-4, the winning team is… Miss Marinette!”

Her whole team jumped from the couch in excitement. Without thinking, she threw her arms around Damian’s neck. Realization crossed her face as she quickly retracted her hug, her entire face as red as could be. God, she hadn’t been this much of a blushing mess since she was thirteen.

They all chatted idly for a few minutes before Jason finally intercepted, insisting he had to get her back to her apartment before it got too late. The whole family waved her goodbye, minus one red-faced teen who instead handed her a small piece of paper as discreetly as he could, ignoring the taunts from his family behind his back.

As they drove back to her apartment, Marinette couldn’t hold her excitement anymore.

“I don’t know why you were warning me so much, I think I’m in love with your family Jason.”

His familiar smirk sat on his face as he turned into the apartment’s lot.

“I told you they were going to love you, and what do you know? I didn’t even have to give Damian your number, you two worked it out on your own. I truly believe they are planning out your wedding right now.”

Marinette shook her head as she reached over the console to hug Jason tightly before stepping out of the car. She wanted to deny accusations of what happened tonight, but she knew it would just fuel his picking.

Besides, even she couldn’t deny that she was excited for the next family game night and if she saw a certain Wayne there, well, that really wouldn’t be so bad.

Permanent Tag List:

@damianette-is-life @ash-amg @rebecarojas07 @heaven428 @long-lost-peace @thequeenofpotatoeunicornss @moongoddesskiana @nach0ava

[angelicyoongie]

desolate (7)

— summary: you just wanted a cute little normal cat to keep you company. so, you're not really sure how you ended up with the grumpiest hybrid on earth that seems hellbent on making your life difficult.

— pairing: cat hybrid yoongi x human reader

— genre: angst, fluff, eventual smut

— word count: 4.7k

— tag list: @mrcleanheichou @ladymidnightt @cheese123344 @xanny91 @dinorahrodriguez @best-space-boy @dulcaet @moccahobi @keijaycreates @staytrillswag @xsmilebitesx @serendipityoreuphoria @jiminot7 @beyond-the-swag @nananaum1 @mult1wh0re @ditttiii @faithsummers11 @twomilkmen-gocomedy @theonewholovestoread @karissassirak @veryuniquenamegoeshere @yourlipssoirresistible @ayoo-bangtan @murderyoursoul @btsxdoll @see3milyblog @gukiyi @officialcarly9701 @mtgforall @narcissism-iskey @sp3ak-yours3lf @cesthoney @imluckybitches @hd-junglebook @sugarrimajins @multifandomgirl29 @beach-bitch-bitch-beach @bangtansleftnut @theresa-nam-nam-me @angeltothecore @ghostkat23 @deathkat657 @awixxx @httpmedxsa @veronawrites @bubbletae7 @serious-addiction @chogiyeol-utopia @nomimits7 @lorielulu7 @1am9root6 @sana-b @diamonddia-mond @jiminiessipabo @myhearttteu @rainbowmagicpixecorn @lidda @rosiethefairy​

Part one Part two Part three Part four Part five Part six Part eight Part nine Part ten (M) Part eleven Part twelve Part thirteen Part fourteen (M)

It’s the fifth day in a row you’re waking up to your hand tightly clasped between Yoongi’s. You realized your initial mistake pretty quickly, having given your own rule such a massive loophole. Apparently when you had pointed at Yoongi’s human form and told him he wasn’t allowed in bed when you were there, that didn’t apply to his cat form too. So, you had resigned pretty quickly to the fact that cat Yoongi snuggled up on your bed every night.

You didn’t really mind it too much; you could practically trick yourself into thinking he actually was one. What was harder to ignore however, was the very human man you woke up to every morning. You assume his transformation drops after a certain amount of time if he isn’t awake enough to continue it, and that’s why you find yourself face to face with Yoongi’s pale skin and long lashes every morning.

You’re pretty sure he does wake up during the night to get dressed though, considering the fact that he’s never naked when you wake up – which you’re very thankful for. He could technically transform back when he wakes up, but you also get why he doesn’t. He had been forced to keep up his transformation for such a long time at the shelter, and you don’t want to make him feel any worse. You know he needs a break from it.

The first morning had nearly given you a heart attack, but you found it hard to banish him to the couch when he looked so comfy next to you. And he was technically still on top of the covers, so you’ve let it slide, for now.

You know it before you even open your eyes – the feeling of slender fingers slightly intertwined with yours, the puffs of air hitting the small inches of skin that aren’t covered. Yoongi seems to somehow always manage to bring your intertwined hands close to his face, and you can feel each exhale as he breathes out.

He looks peaceful when he sleeps; cheek pressed into the pillow below him, and pink lips slightly parted. There’s no tension in his face, no frown to pull on his features, and you find that with each morning you wake up to seeing his face like this, the more you wish you could keep it that way.

You sigh softly, slowly trying to worm your hand out of Yoongi’s grasp. His face pinches right away at the moment, annoyed that the warmth in his grasp is moving. He drags your hand even closer, the back of it ending being pressed up against his lips. You feel heat creep into your cheeks as Yoongi lets out an incoherent mumble, his soft lips moving against your skin as he speaks.

He’s inhaling more harshly now that your hand is closer, his fluffy ears twitching slightly with each breath. It would be a lie if you said you hadn’t thought about touching them, the silky fur seeming tantalizingly soft. You haven’t, of course, and there’s no way you’re going to ask Yoongi if you can. You know certain parts are more sensitive for hybrids than they are for humans, and you would never want to put Yoongi into an uncomfortable situation.

You’re so caught up in watching his ears that you hardly even register the wetness on your wrist. Your eyes flicker down to Yoongi’s mouth just as his tongue peeks out from between his lips, giving your wrist another kitten lick.

You suck in a breath, unsure and overwhelmed in the early morning. It becomes obvious to you now that Yoongi is scenting you despite being asleep, and him holding your hand so close every morning makes a little more sense too. He seems to have subconsciously grown attached to your scent, and his instincts probably make him try to get as close to you as possible while still respecting your boundaries.

You bite your lip, wiggling your fingers to test how easy it would be to slip away without waking him up. You don’t know if it’s a good idea to let him know what he’s doing or not. You don’t want to embarrass him now that he’s finally starting to open up, but you don’t know if it’s right to let him go on unknowingly either.

Yoongi suddenly lets up on his grasp around your hand to shift his position, and you use the opportunity to quickly slip out of his hold. He gets an adorable pout on his lips as he loses your touch, but it doesn’t seem to wake him up.

You’re too awake to try to go back to sleep, so you decide that you might as well get up. Sundays are always a little bittersweet. You have the day off, but you also know that you’ll be back at work in less than twenty-four hours.

You shuffle out into the hallway, deciding you might as well do laundry first. Despite your apartment being older, you still consider it a steal since it has its own washing machine in the bathroom. Sure, it makes it pretty cramped, but it beats having to go to a laundromat to get clean clothes.

You rummage through your hamper, pulling out all the dark colours to do the first load. You pause as you pull up your hoodie, a dust bunny still clinging to the fabric. When you first found it under the couch you had just shrugged it off as your cat being weird, but now that he can actually talk? You need an answer to sate your curiosity as to why he would even bring it under there in the first place.

It’s the smell of food that brings Yoongi out into the kitchen, eyes puffy with sleep and black hair sticking up in every direction.

“How do you feel about a haircut?” You ask as you place a plate of eggs, bacon and toast in front of him. He glances up at you suspiciously from his seat at the small table.

“I noticed your hair keeps getting into your eyes, and it can’t be comfortable,” You shrug as you place down your own food, taking your seat on the opposite side.

“How would I get one? I can’t go to a hairdresser,” Yoongi grumbles as he takes a bite of the toast.

“I was thinking that I could do it,” You offer. Yoongi chokes on a mouthful of eggs, sending you a glare as he tries to wash it down with water.

“You?” He scoffs, pale fingers reaching up to tug at his locks.

“Yeah. Why not? If it turns out bad then no one else will see it anyway,” You reason. You have been cutting your own hair for years, and you feel fairly confident you can do a decent job. It’s just hair after all, it shouldn’t be any different whether you did your own, or Yoongi’s.

Yoongi narrows his eyes, gaze sweeping over your hair as if he’s assessing your work. You can’t really figure out what he’s thinking about, his expression so carefully blank that you struggle to read him.

“I guess,” He huffs, blowing a piece of hair out of his eyes before he takes another bite of food.

You dig into your own, pleased that Yoongi trusts you enough to let you try. You don’t think you need to do much, just trim enough that it won’t irritate his eyes. Lost in your thoughts, your gaze briefly slips up from your plate to Yoongi, fork freezing mid-air as you catch the intense glare he’s sending your way.

“Don’t make me regret it.”

“Sit still,” You mumble, tugging the towel tight around Yoongi’s neck. Yoongi watches the scissors with distrust as you study his hair, trying to figure out the best way to go about cutting it. At least your kitchen has good enough lightning so that you can see everything you’re doing.

“Let’s start with your bangs?” You reach out to gently take the first lock between your fingertips. You bite the inside of your cheek in concentration as you start cutting it, nerves at an all time high as Yoongi’s eyes doesn’t leave your face. You slowly work your way around his head; trying your best to just trim the length, and not really change up his hairstyle too much.

The back of his head proves to be more difficult. You huff, running your fingers through the dark strands to figure out the best way to trim it. The texture is wavier in the back, and you’re scared of cutting too much and leaving it looking weird. Yoongi’s head starts tipping back into your hand the more you move your fingers through his locks, a content sigh falling from his lips as your nails accidently scratch against his scalp.

You stifle a laugh as he practically melts in your hands, slowly removing them before he gets so relaxed that he falls asleep. Yoongi lets out an annoyed growl as you tilt his head back to the position you need it to be to cut it. He keeps still as you cut through the rest of his hair, ears twitching every time the scissors slice through another lock of hair.

Once your deem yourself happy with the result, you move back around the chair to see if there’s any spots you missed. You know you haven’t cut the hair that’s directly surrounding his ears, but you’re honestly a little terrified of doing something wrong and hurting him.

“Are you done?” Yoongi looks up at you through narrowed eyes, tail flicking lazily behind him.

“Almost. I think I might have to touch your ears to cut the hair around them. Is .. is that okay?” You hesitate to ask, fingers curling around the scissors nervously.

Yoongi’s mouth draws into a line at your request, his tail stilling behind him.

“Just be quick,” He mutters. You fight off the blush that threatens to colour your cheeks as Yoongi spreads his legs, allowing you to step up between them. You know it’s only to give you easier access, but being so close feels weird. You’re not sure why it makes your stomach flutter.

You gently grasp one of his ears, moving it carefully to the side as you start trimming the hair around it. His ears are even softer than you imagined, the fur gliding under your fingers as Yoongi’s ear moves around. It proves to be more difficult than what you first thought, seeing as the cat ears can’t help but swivel every time the scissors makes a sound.

You instinctively tighten your hold when Yoongi’s ear suddenly moves dangerously close to being cut, the metal just narrowingly missing the muscle. Yoongi’s hands shoot out to grab your legs, fingertips digging into the flesh of your thigh as he lets out a startled hiss.

You freeze, eyes flying down to Yoongi’s face. The cat hybrid is already staring up at you through hooded lids; pupils so blown out that you can hardly see any colour.

“They’re sensitive,” Yoongi growls, the low sound sending a shiver down your spine.

“Oh, I–“ The fingers wrapped around your thighs give you a warning squeeze, making you lose your train of thought.

You’re struck dumb by how handsome Yoongi looks, how flawless his skin seems up close, how warm and big his hands are splayed across your thighs. He tilts his head back slightly, pink lips parting just an inch.

He has a mole on his cheek, you realize. You don’t know why you’ve never noticed it before, but you suddenly find yourself desperate to commit every inch of Yoongi’s face to your memory, not wanting to leave a single detail out.

Yoongi’s tongue peeks out to wet his lips, the action catching your attention. The cat hybrid is watching you watching him, the corner of his lips twitching up into a smirk as he realizes where your focus is.

“Just hurry up and be careful.”

You have to mentally shake yourself out of your stupor as your brain registers Yoongi’s words. The grip on your thigh pulls you even closer, not stopping until your legs knock against his.

You swallow hard, dry throat dry and itchy as you turn your focus back to Yoongi’s hair. You immediately regret tilting his head forward to get better access, when you feel his breath hit your shirt. You practically hold your breath as you work through his hair, the hands on your legs feeling like they might be more dangerous than the scissor near his ears.  

“I’m done,” You step back as quickly as you can after the final snip, Yoongi’s hands lingering on you thighs for a beat too long before he drops them down into his lap.

“You should probably go look and see if it’s okay,” You gesture in direction of the bathroom, busying yourself with sweeping up the hair on the floor with a dustpan to avoid having to meet his gaze. Your heart is hammering so loudly in your chest that there’s not a chance that Yoongi doesn’t hear it.

Yoongi stands up without a word, feet barely even making a sound as he walks out of the room. Once you’re sure he’s out of sight, you smack yourself on the forehead, annoyed by how hot and bothered just standing in front of Yoongi has made you. You don’t understand why you’re suddenly so affected. Yoongi is handsome – but it isn’t like you realized that today. So why is your heart suddenly pounding a mile an hour just from looking at his face?

“It looks fine,” Yoongi’s low voice scares the living daylights out of you. The dustpan clatters to the floor as you whip your head up to look at him. He’s leaning against the doorframe, his dark hair a little wilder than what you left it.

“Shit, you scared me,” You grimace, embarrassed that you were so caught up in thinking about him, that you didn’t even hear the cat hybrid come back into the room.

Yoongi only hums in response, crossing the floor to sweep up the locks that scattered across the ground. A low peep comes from the bathroom as you watch him stand and throw away the hair, alerting you that the second load of clothes is done.

“Hey Yoongi?” You rest your hip against the counter, turning you body slightly to face him as he places the dustbin and the broom back in its place. “Why did my hoodie end up under the couch?” Yoongi freezes, the muscles under his black t-shirt tensing as he faces the wall. “What hoodie?” His voice is nonchalant, barely even interested. But his ears are starting to flatten back against his head, and his tail looks stiff.

“The black one, the one I pulled out in front of you?”

“Oh right, that one,” Yoongi turns then, the light tone in his voice not matching the tightness in his face. He picks at his sweatpants, gaze roaming over the kitchen instead of looking at you.

“It smelled like you. It was comforting. Everything else was so new and you were gone most of the time, so ..” He explains with a shrug. His eyebrows are furrowed, an uneasy expression on his face.

“I’m sorry,” You murmur, stomach dropping at his words.

Yoongi shakes his head, a tight-lipped smile on his face as he finally meets your eyes. He seems uncomfortable to admit it, and the air around you feels awkward. You’re desperate to get rid of it. You catch sight of a bag of kernels on the counter, an idea springing to mind.

“How about we watch a movie?”

The movie helps. The tension in Yoongi’s body slowly slips away as you watch the film play out in front of you, and it’s practically gone when you both laugh at a funny line halfway through it. All the lights in the apartment are off, partly so that you can be more immersed in scenes playing out on your TV, and partly to save some on electricity. Your bills are due to come in soon, and you don’t doubt that everything will be pricier than it was last month. Especially with Yoongi loving to crank the heat up while you’re at work.

You watch the cat hybrid out of the corner of your eye, the blue hue from the screen making his pale skin glow in the darkness. The haircut makes him look more mature, his jawline seeming sharper than before. You’re suddenly struck by the fact that you don’t know just how old he is. You hardly know anything aside from his first name and food preferences.

Somehow, life just carried on as if he was still just your cat. And you never did anything about it.

“Yoongi? How old are you?” His eyes are rapidly following the action scene that’s playing out in front of you, but you see his ear swivel in your direction when you speak.

“Twenty-seven.” He’s older than you, like you thought, but not by much. You’re actually a little surprised he even gave you an answer, considering how reluctant he was to even share the fact that he was human with you, but maybe there’s certain things he’s willing to talk about. His age can’t be very incriminating after all.

A loud sound from the movie snaps your attention back to the screen, and you grab a handful of popcorn from the bowl in between you. You try to time it to when Yoongi isn’t reaching for it, but for some reason you always end up brushing your hand against his as you remove it from the bowl. You tell yourself it has to be a weird coincidence – Yoongi isn’t even looking at you! But the ear closest to you stays turned in your direction despite the noise from the TV. You can almost fool yourself into thinking he’s listening to you move so that he knows when to reach out to make contact with you.

Yoongi suddenly moves the popcorn bowl from the couch to the coffee table in front of you. Holding back an annoyed whine, you’re about to reach for it when a head of black hair plops down into your lap, stopping you in your tracks.

“I’m tired,” Yoongi grumbles, cheek mushed against your thigh. You don’t even have time to become flustered before Yoongi blindly reaches for your hand, pushing your fingers into his hair.

“Pets,” You comply easily, secretly maybe a little ecstatic that you’re allowed to fully run your fingers through his soft hair. It doesn’t take long of you gently scratching along Yoongi’s scalp before you hear a low rumble coming from his chest, the sound ebbing and flowing as he breathes.

He’s purring. You bite down on your lip to stop the coo that desperately wants to escape. Yoongi would probably whoop your ass if he heard it. Despite how cute it is, the sound also makes you a little worried. The purrs sound broken, a little hitching noise that keeps interrupting what should have been a seamless flow. It makes your heart ache, but you don’t ask about it. Instead you only pay more attention to Yoongi’s hair, the movie totally forgotten. You steer clear of his ears, opting to lightly massage the base of his neck.

Something soft brushes against the hand that’s not busy, and looking down, you find that Yoongi’s tail is just ever so slightly curled around your wrist. Yoongi’s breathing is calm and slow, the cat hybrid having fallen asleep in your lap. Your lips tug up in a soft grin, the fluttering feeling in your stomach returning. He might be a bit of a pain in the ass, but it isn’t hard to figure out that Yoongi makes you happy.

“Ah, I swear to god!” Jihyo hisses as she taps furiously against her keyboard. The situation has only been growing worse – new files having been breached every time you get into work. You wince, quickly scanning through your own to see if any files have been accessed recently.

The office is a mess. It’s difficult taking on new cases when it’s such a high risk that it might get hacked into, but the company can’t just stop taking on cases either. It needs funding and clients to function, and the help it offers is invaluable to a lot of hybrid cases.

“Fuck,” Jihyo suddenly whimpers, hiding her face in her hands. You can tell it’s been affecting her too, the dark circles under her eyes still visible under the layer of makeup.

“Breached?” You ask, dreading the answer.

Jihyo nods, taking a deep breath as she spins her chair around. Everyone that has had their files breached needs to report to the boss, and for some reason, the hacker seems to love accessing hers.

“Good luck,” You whisper, Jihyo sending you a pained glance. You watch her until she rounds the corner, a bad feeling festering in your stomach. It obviously isn’t her fault that the system can’t keep outsiders, well, out – but you don’t think it bodes well that Jihyo has been hit so hard. She does take on a lot of higher profile cases, but not enough to be targeted like this.

You can’t find any breaches in yours, but it doesn’t do much to settle the anxiety you feel from just being in such a tense work place. You still have one active case you have to work on, something about an adoption dispute, and you need some files from the archive downstairs to really prove your point. You reach out for a sticky note, but you hand just grasps air. Again. Turning to look, you find that the pad of pink cat-formed sticky notes Jihyo gave you a few weeks ago is gone, no trace of it left behind. It isn’t unusual for other people in the office to take one here and there, but for the whole thing to be gone over the weekend? That doesn’t make sense.

You frown, settling back in your chair as you stare at your desk. This is the second time in only a short while that something has gone missing. You like all of your co-workers, but the fact that they don’t even have the decency to ask before taking something is irking you.

You huff, ripping a piece of paper instead to write down the file numbers. Even just going down one floor to the archives is a breath of fresh air, the atmosphere less tense than upstairs.

You give the IT workers a quick nod as you pass them by, recognizing a few of them after having worked here for so long. You’re not the most tech savvy, and so you’ve had more run-ins with the IT department than you would like to admit.

You make quick work of finding the files, moving through the boxes of files with practiced ease. It’s not that you’re eager to get back upstairs by any means, but you know Jihyo will probably need some emotional support as soon as she’s done in your boss’ office.

Collecting the papers you came for, you leave the archive room, closing the door behind you. Halfway through the room, your step falters slightly as you see a flash of pink out of the corner of your eye as you pass by a desk. You could have sworn it looked like ..

You shake off the thought, annoyed that the paranoia has started seeping into everything else. Of course other people can have pink sticky notes, it’s not like it’s exclusive to you.

You look up to see someone rushing straight at you. You swiftly move out of the way as the other person hurries through the door, not even sparing you a glance. A weird tremor runs down your spine as you notice that it’s the same lanky man you saw lurking outside your boss’ office.

You huff, pushing the reaction to the back of your mind. As you take the stairs up to your floor, you briefly wonder if you should have waited to see what desk he belongs to.

“Stop being ridiculous,” You scoff, rolling your eyes at your overly strung nerves. There’s no reason to suspect him of anything, it’s not like you actually caught him doing anything wrong.

However, even as the morning grows into the afternoon, you can’t seem to shake the feeling that something is just a little off.

“I’m home,” You call out as you lock the door behind you. You’re dead tired. Overthinking all day has left you with a nasty headache, and Jihyo being so upset about her breached cases has just made you feel even worse.

You let your feet carry you over to the couch, not even bothering to stop by your room and change before you collapse against the cushions. Yoongi watches you with curious eyes as you let your head drop back against the wall.

“Rough day at work?” Yoongi’s smooth voice is a welcome sound compared to the loud noises in the open office. You nod – wincing as the motion makes your head throb even more.

You feel the other side of the couch dip as Yoongi stands up, but you’re too tired to look where he’s going. It doesn’t take long before the soft footsteps return, something cold being thrust into your hand.

“Here,” Yoongi closes your hand around a glass of water, placing a painkiller into your other. You offer him a weak smile as thanks before taking the pill, the cool water making you feel a little better.

“Is something wrong?” Yoongi looks you over as he settles back down on the couch, brows pinched with concern.

“Some case files have been breached. It’s a whole mess,” You grimace, turning on your side to face him properly.

“Case files?” Yoongi looks at you with confusion. Ah, you never told him what you do.

“I work with mistreated hybrids. My company provides support and guidance with lawsuits,” Yoongi visibly stiffens, eyes cautiously darting around the room as if he’s expecting someone to pop out. You watch him as he shifts uneasily on the couch, hand gripping the side rest tightly. You don’t understand why he’s suddenly so worried, but you have a feeling it might have to do with why he was hiding out at the shelter in the first place.

“I see,” He finally murmurs; tail flicking back and forth behind his back. You decide that’s a conversation for another day, your brain is currently too incapable of handing any new information or emotions.

Once you realize Yoongi isn’t going to say anything else, you let your eyes glide shut. The darkness eases some of the throbbing in your head, the painkillers not having had enough time to kick in yet. It doesn’t take long before you feel yourself nodding off, your body craving a well-deserved nap.

You don’t pay the hands on your shoulders much mind, nor do you really care that the room seems to be tilting until you hit something solid, yet soft. The pillow underneath your head shifts, and you mutter something under your breath in irritation as you reach up to hold it still.

The fabric you bunch up in your hand is soft, the feeling oddly familiar despite never having it close to your face before. You burrow your face deeper into it, inhaling the comforting scent. It smells like your detergent and your .. cat?

Your eyes snap open, at least long enough to see that what your resting your head on definitely isn’t a pillow, but rather Yoongi’s lap. You’re facing the TV, mirroring how Yoongi laid only the night before.

The room is too bright, forcing your bleary eyes closed again. Maybe the right thing would be to get up from Yoongi’s lap and go to bed, but you’re tired and surprisingly comfortable, and having to stand up and move sounds terrible. So you don’t.

Cautious fingertips run down the length of your hair, stroking your head gently. It feels nice – safe – something you haven’t felt in a while. You focus on the low purr that has started up in Yoongi’s chest, the sound relaxing your body even further. Your headache is all but forgotten, Yoongi’s tentative touches and low, soothing murmurs lulling you off into a peaceful sleep.

- - - -

Hello! Hope you enjoyed the seventh chapter of desolate! Things are going to be heating up from now on, so I hope you’re ready, hehe.

Hope you’re all well and my inbox is always open if you want to chat about the story or just fics or life in general! See you all soon! <3

[angelictaehyun]

Growing Pains

⤷ In kindergarten, he accidentally punched your nose. Thankfully, from that, a loving, caring friendship blossomed. Since then, you both had been attached at the hip, until suddenly... you’re halfway across the globe, a couple thousand miles apart.

PAIRING; yeonjun/reader

WORD COUNT; 3.2k

GENRE; singer!yeonjun, coming of age au, angst, slight fluff

WARNING; mild swearing, heartbreak, abandonment, angst

.

Honestly, five-year-old Yeonjun was nothing short of a nightmare. Though, he was seen this way only by you. 

On a sunny day, sometime in kindergarten, he sat crouched on the playground’s field, searching for a ladybug. As for you, you believed if you found a ladybug, it could grant you a wish, thus you joined the young boy in his quest. You sat next to him, mindlessly searching the grass, and when he looked up to see you... he panicked. Other children, as he was told, are unclean and gross, and that’s exactly the sentiment he told himself as he pushed you onto the grass, causing you to scrape your elbow and bleed. You couldn’t stop sniffling as a big, crocodile tear trickled down your face; he felt terrible. In the palm of his clammy hand, he held a tiny, red ladybug, and seeing you cry, pushed him to give it to you. 

"Please, just take it,” he quivered nervously. He thrust his hand in your face to present the small creature, but he ended up punching your nose. Unsurprisingly, you began full-on bawling. 

He ended up in the principal’s office, and despite his feeble attempt to explain the true incident, his nap and playground time was taken away as punishment. Shortly after, he sulked back to class, passing the nurse’s office. Through the tinted, glass window, he saw you laying on an uncomfortable cot with an ice pack held over your nose and gauze over your injured elbow. 

He was miserable. 

He decided to genuinely apologize. He despised the idea of you being upset with him, even though he didn’t know you. After a stolen pint of ice cream from the school’s cafeteria, a pleading fest, a horrendous papier-mâché, and a heartfelt apology, you decided he wasn’t the worst. As for Yeonjun, he decided he liked you and suddenly, in the blink of an eye, he was glued to your side. 

But you didn’t mind. It was hard to resist his smile. 

· ──────────────────── ·

The day you decided Jung Mina was your absolute, garbage, worst enemy, you were nine. 

On your first day back at school, you had gone to the restroom for a quick minute, and when you returned, you found she had stolen your diary to read in front of the class. Though she was quite the golden child, pissing you off to no end. Fortunately, your school’s field day neared the horizon and you decided to show her up. You wanted everyone, specifically Choi Yeonjun, to see your pure, unadulterated talent. You decided to absolutely destroy her in each event. 

You were quite the vengeful nine-year-old. 

Yeonjun, on the other hand, felt hesitant to follow through with your field-day-domination plan. Mina was just too pretty. Her hair smelled like sage and he had the biggest crush on her, unbeknownst to you. He was scared to mention his deep, dark secret, especially after you vocalized your complicated plan. You received virtually no help from him on field day. Despite that, you had won nearly every event. Unfortunately, somehow, you remained tied for champion with Mina, but the tiebreaker seemed quite simple. All you had to do was win a human-wheelbarrow race with Yeonjun, it was almost too easy. 

And in all honesty, you would’ve won had Yeonjun not dropped you in the middle of the field and trip over your body, easily distracted by an air kiss from Mina, herself. He’d been lovestruck, but he didn’t have much time to dwell, especially not when you were squashed under him. He scrambled to help you back up, hoping he didn’t completely ruin your chance but it was too late, you had long lost the race. He turned to you, meeting your unkempt ponytail, narrowed, piercing gaze, sweat, and pursed lips. He was terrified, rightfully so. You told him off in the middle of the field, him withering in shame as he took in your colorful wording. 

You chose to ignore him for a week, leaving him pouty. He decided to relive the past and create another papier-mâché, steal ice cream, and beg for forgiveness at your front door. He stood in the doorway, glancing at you with big, apologetic doe eyes, as an onset of a tear formed. Your resolve crumbled as you pulled him into a forgiving hug. As you pulled away, you admired his puffy lips which tilted into a small smile, and for the first time in your life, you felt your heart flutter. 

He never did tell you about his crush on Mina. In the end, it didn’t quite matter. 

· ──────────────────── ·

Year thirteen, you experimented with makeup. A lot of it. You tried different brands, colors, and styles. Yeonjun would be lying if he said you didn’t resemble a clown, but he kept his mouth shut and let you figure yourself out. Unfortunately, people were mean. When boys laughed at you behind your back, he made sure to drag them outside and put them in their place. When girls acted catty, he held you when you cried. When your family fell apart, he sat and devoured ice cream until your stomach ached. When you decided to join the dance team, he cheered you on at the audition. 

He was always protecting and supporting you, even when you weren’t aware. 

Lastly, when Homecoming approached, he was by your side as your unofficial date.

You both sat on the gym bleacher, overlooking your classmates who were either awkwardly swaying to the music, stuffing their faces at the snack station, or making out with each other. You regretted attending the dance, considering your boredom. though, when your watchful gaze traveled back to the couple kissing, a brilliant idea came forth.

“Junie, you know, neither of us has had our first kiss,” you observed, leaning slightly to see his reaction. He simply hummed in response, not fully listening. You continued, “... and I want to have my first kiss. I think we should have our first kiss with... each other.”

He stayed still, showing no indication of acknowledging your statement. You didn’t blame him, the music was quite loud anyway, you could barely hear yourself. You pretended you didn’t say anything and for an awfully long moment, you both stayed silent. Though that silence mixed in with a hint of embarrassment got too overwhelming, you had to excuse yourself to the restroom. As you left, he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He definitely heard you, but he didn’t know how to process your ask let alone go through with it. He spent so much time, deep in thought, that he failed to realize your absence. When he snapped out his pensive state, he searched the massive gym for you and found you almost immediately, but you weren’t alone. You were pressed up against a dirty, filthy wall, experiencing your first kiss with someone that most certainly wasn’t Yeonjun.

He stood frozen, feeling a bit creepish, yet he couldn’t move if he wanted to, he couldn’t even breathe. Unfortunately, you didn’t stop until a while later, forcing Yeonjun to watch every second in complete agony. Your hair was messy and you were out of breath— that sight broke Yeonjun’s heart. The other boy dragged you onto the dance floor and when you spotted Yeonjun, standing absolutely dumbfounded, you sent a big smile and cheeky wink his way.

You seemed too cheery, and though he was your best friend that should’ve reveled in your happiness, all he saw was red. He felt pure, unadulterated rage, and jealousy. He was supposed to make your first kiss unforgettable, not the other boy.

It was supposed to be him.

· ──────────────────── ·

At fourteen, you decided you didn’t necessarily like your boyfriend all too much, especially since someone else already held your heart. Sure, you felt the loss of your first relationship, but the realization that you’d loved Yeonjun for longer than you cared to admit, hurt more. Though, what hurt the most, was the conclusion that your love was likely unrequited. That night, you sobbed into the phone, and the second he heard your cracked voice, he hopped on his bike and headed in your direction.

It didn’t matter the time, he needed to make sure you’d be okay.

Naturally, he believed you were heartbroken from your breakup, so he attempted to soothe you with ice cream and cuddling. He pulled you against his chest and softly caressed your hair as you watched Titanic; it was supposed to make you feel better, but it made you feel significantly worse. He belted out the movie’s famous ballad in a feeble attempt to lift your spirit and for the first time that night, you smiled. It was a fake smile, of course, but he wasn’t privy to that. Nonetheless, he thought you looked breathtaking.

You complimented his soothing, silvery, beautiful voice — it made his heart swoon.

He was fourteen when he decided to become a singer. It was also at fourteen, he realized he was hopelessly in love with you.

· ──────────────────── ·

At fifteen, you rode the dinky, old subway with Yeonjun to a company audition — one he eventually passed and became a trainee for.

You were there the day he stepped foot into the building for his first training session. You were there when he felt like a loner amongst the other trainee, and you were there when he decided to become the absolute best, letting nothing get in the way of his dream. He set his sight high, and with that determination running through his bloodstream, he decided to express his undying love for you. So when you kissed him back, on the roof of his house, under the moonlight, after eating a gallon of ice cream, he felt like he had everything in his grasp.

After that night, you never let each other go. You stayed by each other’s side and fell more in love as the days passed by, remaining blissfully unaware of the pain the future had to offer. At least you were happy, even if that happiness was on a ticking clock.

· ──────────────────── ·

You were eighteen when you packed a bag and said goodbye to Yeonjun.

A month before high school graduation, you irrationally decided to study abroad in America. You weren’t stupid, you knew about the promise he made to himself when he was younger, his whole schtick of letting nothing stop him from his dream. You knew you were a hindrance, and it was only a matter of time before he realized that as well. You loved him with your entire heart, that much was obvious, but you didn’t want to be the thing to hold him back. He begged you to stay, he said he could have you and success, something you both knew was a plain lie. He couldn’t have you and be an idol, it was one or the other, but he was too stubborn to admit that to himself.

He drove you to the airport in a painfully silent car ride. He was angry, hurt, devastated by your decision to leave him, but you, on the other hand, felt complete and utter relief. He was so close to reaching his dream and all you truly wanted was his happiness, unfortunately, leaving was the only way you knew how to ensure it.

You cried as you said your farewell to him, but his blank face gave no indicator as to how he truly felt; he had barely spoken a word to you the entire week leading up to your departure. He stood motionless as you kissed his cheek, completely devoid of emotion — it hurt you. When you walked away, you felt heartbroken but much lighter. He watched your figure travel through security, unable to bring himself to leave. When you turned for a final glance, you noticed how broken he seemed, but you knew he’d piece himself back together — it would just be without you.

When you turned the corner, leaving his sight, he let every emotion flood his body. That night, he sobbed into his pillow, crying harder than he ever had before.

He’d lost you.

· ──────────────────── ·

You truly discover yourself at twenty. You graduated university earlier than everyone else, got your first and only tattoo, decided America wasn’t great, and moved back to Seoul. Hell, you even found your signature scent.

As much as the country itself sucked, your time in America served you well. You got your first job, experienced university life, made a friend or two, dated a lot, but most importantly, you got the degree you diligently worked for. Of course, it was hard to be away from him. You spent months holed up in your room, refusing to leave the apartment. It hurt the most when you watched his debut, seeing his face rushed every memory back to you. However, over a long period, you slowly pieced yourself back together and moved on. Eventually, you were able to think of him without feeling a sharp pang in your heart.

When you moved back, you weren’t surprised to see his handsome face plastered along the subway or on large billboards. It brought up old scars, habits, memories, but it reminded you that he was able to achieve everything he sought out to do. You, of course, knew he would, he was too stubborn and hardworking to fail; he was meant to succeed.

You just hoped he was happy.

While you were self-discovering in America, Yeonjun nearly gave up everything. He wasn’t proud to admit it, but countless times he almost bought a one-way ticket to you. However, a newfound brother held him back and kept encouraging him to move on. Not long after, he thanked Soobin for his support, had it not been for him, Yeonjun would’ve given up everything. He understood why you left and it was that knowledge that pushed him to work harder, he just wanted to make you proud, even if you were out of his life. He worked tirelessly to debut and once he did, he realized that despite everything, it was worth it.

If it was meant to be, he’d find you again.

He let his mind stray to you from time to time. He couldn’t help it, you were the love of his life. He truly hoped that wherever you were, you were happy.

· ──────────────────── ·

At age twenty-one, on a warm summer’s night, you left your apartment to head to a convenience store, searching for a pint of ice cream and an iced coffee, and maybe an energy drink if you were feeling desperate. Not a month into moving home, you had decided to pursue a master’s degree, but on a night such as this, where you frantically searched for any source of caffination just so you could complete your dissertation, you sorely regretted it.

You were met with harsh, fluorescent lighting as you entered the store but it was a welcomed relief, especially after staring wide-eyed at a computer screen for the past week. You browsed then snack aisle, too preoccupied to notice the soft jingle of the opening door. a tall, lean figure strut past your aisle, standing in front of the drink section for a bit, clearly having trouble deciding on a beverage. You made your way to the front, feeling content with your pint of ice cream, iced americano, and a bonus bag of pretzels. On your way, you stumbled into the hoodied boy and you cursed yourself because only you would run smack into the only other customer in the shop. You scrambled to pick up your scattered belonging, “Oh my God! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see where I was going, I’m such a klutz. Next time, I’ll pay more attenti—”

“Y/N, it’s you...” the soft, hushed voice cut off.

You stared at the young boy’s feet, slowly lifting your gaze to scan the rest of him, stopping at his broad chest, too afraid to look into his fox-like eyes. You knew it was him, of course, you did. It was the same deep, soothing, honeyed voice you spent your childhood falling in love with. Your breath caught in your throat as you dared steal a glance at his face. When you finally met his piercing gaze, he thought he saw the universe in your eyes. He opened his mouth in silent awe as a stray tear cascaded down his cheek. He moved toward you as if you were a flighty deer, and hovered his face closely. You thought he was going to kiss you, and surprisingly, you were quite eager despite the time apart. He pulled you into a loving embrace, so tight, you believed he’d never let go — not that you wanted him to.

That night, he accompanied you home.

Your heartfelt reunion was more than you could’ve asked for. He spent the night with you, doing nothing but catching up, laughing at past memories, eating ice cream, and slowly falling back in love. When he pressed you against your sink, he kissed you with everything he had. At that moment, you understood that despite the painful heartache, everything worked for the best.

You were truly meant to be, you found your way back to him.

Everything was complicated, unsurprising for an idol, but he saw the way you looked at him; it was a look that said you’d move every mountain and all the bright stars in the sky, just to make him happy. It was the same way he looked at you.

He told himself once, when he was a young five-year-old, that he wanted to stay by your side. He left it once, but he’d be damned if he ever left it again.

[wicked-mind]

Spark: Chapter Three

Summary: Y/N and Damon were apart of a Hydra experiment for over a decade until they escaped. When power outages through towns along with bodies of murdered Hydra agents start popping up across the country, Y/N becomes Bucky’s mission.

Word Count: 2.4k

Warnings: Bits of violence, memories of torture

Series Masterlist

All Writings Masterlist

*gifs not mine

Chapter Three - We all need to talk

Bucky managed to watch the rest of the movie unmoving, not wanting to disturb Y/N who was still sleeping on his shoulder. He watched the credits roll along the TV screen, reading each line as they passed. He didn’t want to move, he didn’t want to ruin the moment he was stuck in. Bucky felt almost normal for the first time in his long life as he sat there on the couch with Y/N asleep on his shoulder and a dog on the other side of him. But he quickly snapped out of his daydream when Sarge perked his big fluffy head up, “What’s up, boy?” Bucky asked the dog in a hushed tone as to not disturb Y/N.

Sarge stood on the couch, looking at the curtain covered window behind Bucky for a moment before jumping off the couch and going to the door. Bucky quickly noted that the hair on Sarge had stood up, making his brow furrow. He scooted himself up and away from his spot on the couch, gently shifting Y/N into a laying position without disturbing her sleep. Bucky walks to the window and moved the curtain to peak out, seeing a black van sitting outside. The owner of the van must’ve seen him peaking out the curtain as well because the van sped away down the road. It was at that moment Bucky decided he would be spending the night at Y/N’s house, concerned about who was in the van and what could’ve happened to Y/N if he wasn’t here. He walked over to Y/N’s DVD collection, finding the second movie of the Alien series and popping it into the DVD player as quietly as he could. He pushed play on the remote before taking Sarge’s spot on the couch, looking over at Y/N as she slept soundly before returning his focus to the TV knowing he wouldn’t be able to get much sleep tonight.

It was early morning hours, about 4:30 AM, when Y/N woke up with a gasp. Even the presence of Bucky couldn’t keep her nightmares away. She sat up, staring wide-eyed at Bucky as if she didn’t recognize him. She fell off the couch in an attempt to get away from him, scooting herself into the corner of the living room and curled up into as much as a ball as she could facing away from him. Sarge, knowing what was happening, kept his distance as to not be shocked but close enough that he could whine gently at Y/N to calm down.

The sudden jolt of Y/N waking up made Bucky jump as well, he wasn’t expecting her to be awake so suddenly. He watched her as she looked at him with terrified eyes, standing quickly when she fell off the couch and scooted away, “Hey, Y/N.” He said gently with his hands up to show he was non threatening, “It’s me… Bucky.” He said as he slowly walked towards her curled up figure.

Y/N looked up at Bucky still wide-eyed, shaking her head quickly, “Please…” She whimpers out, “Don’t take me back… Don’t hurt me…” Tears had started to form in her eyes and started to slowly drip down her red cheeks.

Bucky had never seen someone look so terrified as Y/N was curled up in the corner. It made him angry that something had happened to make her go into a frantic state like this, it was the total opposite of what she was usually like. He kneeled down in front of her, “Nobody is taking you anywhere,” He said, reaching a hand out to touch her, “I promi-“ As soon as he touched her, he felt a jolt of electricity go through his body that made him back away quickly from her. Yup, she was definitely an enhanced human with the ability to create strong currents of electricity. Bucky quickly realized touching her wasn’t going to work to snap her out of it and he would have to try something else, “Okay, no touching.” He muttered, “Hey, Y/N, remember last night? I brought you some soup and we had some drinks together. Then you showed me your favorite movie, Alien. I watched the second one without you, I hope that’s alright.”

Y/N was breathing hard as she looked at Bucky, her finger tips crackling with streaks of blue electricity. She tilted her head slightly at him as he spoke, then looks back to the TV to see the main menu for Aliens on the screen. It slowly started to come back to her where she was and what was going on, but then she snapped her gaze back to Bucky as the electricity from her fingers sizzled away, “Oh my god, Bucky! I’m so so sorry!” She said softly, uncurling herself from the wall and leaned towards him a little, “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Bucky sighs in relief as Y/N seemed back to normal, not knowing what else he could try if that didn’t work, “I’m alright, just a little shocked literally and figuratively.” He told her, holding his hand out to help her up from the floor and guided her back to the couch where Y/N took a seat. Bucky sat down by her, watching her curiously. At least now he could ask her questions about being an enhanced human and maybe more about how she was tangled with Hydra, “You literally electrocuted me, how is that possible?”

Y/N bit her lip, knowing questions were coming. She sat still on the couch, her eyes flickering between Bucky and her hands, “I don’t know.. It started when I was about ten years old…” She began, watching him for his reactions, “My parents got rid of me after they found out, sent me to a psychiatric facility when I was thirteen because they thought I was a witch or possessed. I got discharged and put into foster care and eventually adopted… It all went downhill from there.” She muttered out the last part, not really wanting to get into it unless he asked her. She didn’t know what she would say. How could she tell Bucky, a guy she was currently having a crush on, that she had been given up by her adoptive family to be tortured for an organization that seemed made up? Y/N didn’t want to sound crazy and scare him away. She chewed on her lip persistently, waiting for him to speak.

Bucky nodded, knowing the story already from the briefing he had before he came into Y/N’s life but it was good to hear her version, “You said don’t take me back… you looked traumatized saying don’t hurt me. What happened, Y/N?” He asks, curious to hear what really happened while she was gone after she fell off the grid. He needed to know more about her and especially more about Damon. He needed to understand how Y/N got mixed up with Damon and why he was murdering Hydra agents.

Y/N sighs, that was the question she didn’t want asked and hoped with just the small amount of information would be enough to suffice Bucky’s curiosity but somewhere inside her she knew it wouldn’t, “When the adoption was finalized and social workers didn’t need to come check up on me anymore, these men with accents took me to Washington. They put me in a cell in a bunker with a silver collar around my neck to steal the electricity I could produce… When they needed electricity to power the facility and their experiments, the collar would have sharp prongs that’d dig into my neck and cause me to create electricity….” She gently touched the scars on her neck from the prongs as she talked about them before continuing, “I was there alone for a long time until Damon and Stefan were put in the cells across from mine, they were brothers. The people who brought me there would take Damon and Stefan away sometimes… One day Stefan didn’t come back and we were told he died as part of an experiment. We were there for ten years together, isolated and alone.” She looked down at the floor where Sarge had came to lay below her, “Damon said they injected him with something that enhanced every ability he had including speed and strength and then he told me they were talking about brainwashing him… I panicked and released a large surge of electricity until the power blew in the facility and Damon and I escaped…” She slowly turned her gaze to Bucky, knowing she must sound insane to him, “That’s why Damon is in Washington, he goes to look for Stefan’s body every year. And ever since we escaped, the people who took me have been trying to get Damon and I back.”

Bucky slowly nodded at the story. He finally had answers as to what happened to Y/N and from the sound of it, Damon was a super soldier like him. He couldn’t help but feel anger and sadness for both Y/N and Damon. He had been in a similar situation before when he was taken by Hydra, turned into a brainwashed super soldier experiment and forced to kill but at least Y/N didn’t have the guilt of murder on her hands, “I’m so sorry that happened to you, Y/N. I’ve been through some similar things…” He thought about his next words carefully before deciding he had to say something true about himself, “I was also a Hydra experiment, Y/N. That’s the people who did those awful things to you.”

Y/N narrowed and her brow pulled together at his words, tilting her head, “You… You were an experiment too?” She repeats his words before her eyes widened slightly, “Is-is that why you’ve been hanging out with me? Pretending to enjoy my presence?” She stood suddenly, taking a few steps away from Bucky, “Are you here to take me back to them or for your own use? Because I’m not a battery! And I won’t ever be a prisoner again!” She shouted towards him, her finger tips starting to spark electricity again.

Bucky quickly threw his hands up in a non threatening manner again at her sudden hostility but he understood where it came from. During the most important years of Y/N’s life, she was taken prisoner, kept isolated away from other people and taught not to trust anybody besides Damon, something nobody should have to go through but yet Y/N came out alive and kind which fascinated Bucky even more, “No, Y/N!” He told her in a stern voice, “I honestly like hanging out with you. I definitely do not work with Hydra in any aspect. I was sent here because somebody has been ripping out Hydra agent’s hearts and snapping their necks which I figure is Damon’s doing. I had to come see if there was a problem and why Hydra was snooping around.” Y/N clenched her jaw a little, her teeth gritting together slightly as she listened to him. But something about the way Bucky was looking at her made her trust him. He had pain in his eyes as well and it reflected the own pain that was inside of her, “Damon was just trying to protect me… They don’t stop, they never do. They’re always waiting around every corner and find me anywhere I go.” She told him, the electricity in her fingers disappearing as she calmed down. She moved back to sit on the couch beside Bucky but continued to watch him carefully.

Bucky felt relief again as Y/N seemed to calm down and her hostility towards him seemed to fade. The last thing he wanted to do was become an enemy towards her and someone she couldn’t trust in her life, “I know, I was chased for a long time too and Hydra made me do awful things.” He sighed, feeling like he had to share his story now to show she could trust him, “In the 19040’s, I was taken by Hydra. They had already turned me into a super soldier, like your friend Damon, but they brainwashed me successfully and used me as a weapon for decades until 2014. I’m 106 years old, doll.”

Y/N’s jaw dropped at Bucky’s words, “Oh my god..” She managed to say before giving him an apologetic look, “I’m so sorry, Bucky. That’s awful. I’m sorry.” She said, reaching out a hand to squeeze his arm without realizing what she was doing. It was just instinct for Y/N to try and be there for others, be kind and Bucky Barnes was no different.

Bucky’s lips curved into a small smile, he couldn’t help it. The way Y/N was instinctively kind made him feel some sort of hope inside him for something better for him. If she could live through the trauma she went through, maybe he could too and come out a better person like Y/N had. Just as Bucky was about to speak, the moment was ruined as Damon strolled on in through the door.

Damon’s eyes flickered between the two, narrowing at the sight. He wasn’t expecting this, he had expected to see Y/N alone curled up with her dog. Then he noticed the dry tear trails on Y/N’s face, causing him to frown and in an instant he grabbed Bucky by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against a wall, “What did you do?!” He growled out at Bucky.

Y/N’s eyes widened as Damon slammed Bucky into the wall, “Damon, stop!” She yelled at him but Damon didn’t back off. She quickly stood, watching it unfold. Bucky used his vibranium arm to grab onto Damon’s wrist, twisting it and pushing him away. That didn’t stop Damon from coming at Bucky again which caused Bucky to land a punch to Damon’s cheek causing him to fall backwards onto the floor.

“Bucky!” Y/N yelled this time, watching as Damon got back up and walked towards Bucky with anger all over his complexion. Y/N got between the two dark haired men before they could make contact with each other again, placing her palms on each of their chests to stop them from getting any closer to each other, “Hey, knock it off or I swear to god I’m going to shock both of you to the point you see tweety birds around your heads.” She turned to Damon, “I’m fine, Damon.” Y/N turned to look at Bucky, taking a deep breath, “I think we all need to talk.”

__________________________________________________________

TAGLIST: @wooya1224 @big-galaxy-chaos @buckys2thicc @allidoiswritewritewrite

[kittymsmithwritesstuff]

Legends react to being hit on by another legend? could be interesting! sorry for sending two i just rlly want u to make more 💕

Hey, sorry for being so long to reply! Because it would be a lot to do a reaction for everyone, and I feel the reactions would be extremely different depending on who hits on/flirts with who, I narrowed it down by tackling what I would probably consider my personal major ships, sort of in order by which ones I got into first; miragehound was definitely the first, though the last four kind of all came on in S7 with the invention of my newest coping mechanism, Mary “Horizon” Somers.

This also turned into more of a “Legends react to other legends hitting on/flirting with them/asking them out on a date”, just kind of whatever I guess. Ships listed below, ship names applied to the paragraphs following:

MiragexBloodhound, CryptoxWraith, WattsonxMirage, HorizonxBangalore, HorizonxLoba, RampartxLifeline.

Anyhow, here we go.

Miragehound – Mirage x Bloodhound

Bloodhound: It’s probably happened before in a joking manner, because it’s Mirage, but when they realize he actually means it this time they’re totally caught off guard. If they’re wearing their mask, they are blushing like the dickens underneath it and smiling because he’s sweet and kind of funny about it, and they really don’t get that often. If they are not wearing a mask, they are trying so hard to not let it show, except they’re grinning like a dork so RIP Hound, Mirage won this one (and also probably your heart).

Mirage: Just a bumbling mess. Bloodhound was probably kind of blunt but also weirdly poetic because They’re Just Like That, probably compared him to the sun or something and he stumbled out a “thank you” and then was like, “your goggles, goggles they’re, you know they’re hot-er-cool-er-I like – your face.” If he hasn’t seen their actual face, he’ll try and add that he’d like to see their face to try and flirt back and then wish he could go consult his 14 year old self, because that guy got two girlfriends at one point and he could really use his advice right about now.

Cryptaith – Crypto x Wraith

Wraith: She wouldn’t know she’d been hit on until an hour later, because Crypto’s version of hitting on someone is probably, “your hair looks nice” or “you’re really good with that knife”. Honestly, she probably wouldn’t know for sure until he offered her some of his lunch, since the man is pretty well known to think everyone is going to poison him. Frankly, she’s quietly flattered.

Crypto: Error 404: brain not found. Issue: Pretty girl flirted with me. Initiate shutdown and embarrassment protocols immediately. This will prompt an immediate system override, he will forget how to talk, trip over something, squeak and run away with his head down in his collar like a turtle. Unfortunately (read: very fortunately) for him, Wraith thinks it is adorable and will probably proceed to flirt with him more and forever.

Wattage – Wattson x Mirage

Wattson: Surprisingly easygoing about it, a little flustered but manages to say something right back with a grin. She definitely did not practice flirting in her head. Never. She will later tell her Nessie or Horizon all about it.

Mirage: Not quite as nervous as with BH but he does bumble a little because Wattson got him when he least expected it. Probably teased him about his equipment not being waterproof and he went on the defense, citing all the alterations he’s made and she said something like, “pretty and smart? I like that.” He got shot while trying to think what to say back.

Horizonlore – Horizon x Bangalore

Bangalore: So, this woman is oblivious. I’m talkin’ brick wall oblivious. No goggles underwater blind. Driving in a blizzard with your lights off so you miss every sign along the way. Horizon hits on her blatantly. Several times. Horizon isn’t sure she’s into women, Loba promises she is. By all calculations, saying, “you’re so pretty I could kiss ye right here in the dropship, lass” should instigate something else than, “oh, uh, thank you! I like you’re hair.” It’s the day Horizon finally says, “you look great in those jeans, want to go on a romantic date?” That Bangalore realizes and has to sit down and contemplate how much of a dumbass she is.

Horizon: Significantly less oblivious, it only took her about three days to realize Bangalore had been hitting on her. She now perks up like a puppy every time, especially since most of what Bangalore says is (sometimes revamped) Shakespeare quotes. Yeah, they’re both romantics.

Horizonhound – Horizon x Bloodhound

Hound: Pretty girls make them stupid. She says anything that can be interpreted as flirtation and they’re hardly much better than Mirage, though they’ll say something poetic and kind of pretty back regardless, thanks to a little thing called “random immeasurable luck”. Having the favor of the gods helps, too.

Horizon: So Bloodhound doesn’t so much hit on Horizon as perform a complicated mating ritual that begins with bringing her small gifts and trinkets and then evolves into book exchanges and evolves from there into actual conversations. Then that, finally, evolves into them growing a pair and, while watching her do something mundane, casually state, “you know, I have recently realized I might have a thing for redheads, felagi.” They are not prepared when she states that she has a thing for blondes and, “I’d like to ken if you’re part of the rule or an exception at, say, at 7?” Because she has been waiting for them to say something like that and takes great satisfaction in practically knowing they’re blushing under their mask.

StarStealers – Horizon x Loba

Horizon: The first few times she didn’t think anything of it, since Loba is just like that. But then there’s a time after a game that Loba says, “I’d like to see you around a lot more often, beautiful,” and tucks a piece of paper in Horizon’s hand with her phone number on it. Horizon probably covers her mouth while giggling like a schoolgirl because it’s fucking Loba and she would have never guessed she’d be interested in her but fuck is she not complaining. Smart pretty women are kind of her ideal.

Loba: So, Horizon is such a sweetheart and whatever method she chooses is probably a little dorky, and maybe a bit clumsy being she’s rather out of practice but will probably involve a love note with a really bad science pun on it because she asked Wattson for advice. Whatever it is, Loba is absolutely head over heels. If she’s in the dropship or otherwise visible, she just slowly grins. If she’s alone she bounces in her seat and might even giggle, just a little bit. She keeps a copy of the note taped to the inside of her Apex locker like a lovestruck teenager (this is, provided, they end up in a relationship).

Rampline – Rampart x Lifeline

Lifeline: Rampart tends to go big or go home. After spending approximately 2 weeks debating with herself internally, Rampart just waltzes right up to her, leans on the doorframe or something and says, “do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?” Lifeline would think she was joking and laugh, wave her off. Then Rampart would sort of panic and say, “no, I mean, like, you wanna like, uh, I like you but in a gay way.” Lifeline then smiles brightly and arranges a date on the spot, much to Rampart’s relief.

Rampart: They’ve been hanging out a bit and are chilling when Lifeline just sorta says, “hey, I think yuh really pretty, you know?” And Rampart, with all the grace of a donkey on roller skates, says, “that’s neat” while her voice cracks like a thirteen-year-old boy’s. Somehow Lifeline’s laugh banishes most of the embarrassment, and she even manages to flirt back without stuttering.

[breaniebree]

What is your favorite moment of each ship in ASC ?

Hi, nuninho2000!

What a great question! This will take some thought!

Remadora -- I really love the moment he tells her that he's a werewolf and she's like "Duh" and Remus is completely baffled. One of my favourite lines is where Tonks basically tells him she thinks he's freaking out enough for the both of them:

He shook his head, swallowing slowly. Now that he had finally begun he was determined to get the words out. “The man’s name was Fenrir Greyback and he’s a notoriously well known and dangerous werewolf. I’m not notorious, but I am dangerous and… a werewolf,” he finished, lamely.

He tugged his hands away from her, marching into the kitchen, his hands in his hair again.

Tonks watched him march away from her and she followed him, spinning him around and slipping her hands into his back pockets again and holding him against her. “I know that already. So, what?”

Remus simply stared at her. “So what? That’s all you can bloody well say! I just told you that I’m a fucking werewolf!”

Tonks nipped at his bottom lip. “And, I figured that out already. Did you think I didn’t suspect when you always left me on the moon cycle? Your scars? Your possessive nature? I like a little danger, Remus. I’m an Auror.”

“Nymphadora, I am not a little danger! Do you have any idea what a creature like me can do? I can break through doors and walls with my strength! I can track you for kilometres, I can hear anything almost ten kilometres away. Look at me!” he exploded, pushing her away angrily and slapping his hands on his bare chest. “I did this! Me! I lock myself away and if I don’t take the Wolfsbane Potion without anything to hunt or to kill, I claw at myself; scratching my own skin off, clawing at myself in desperation! That monster lives inside of me! The wolf is inside of me all of the time! I am the wolf all of the time! The mask of the man just hides my true face. Do you understand? Why the fuck are you not freaking out?”

She moved towards him carefully. His eyes were wide and amber now, his hair tousled from his hands. He looked panicked, she thought, and even more like the sexy bewildered professor that she fancied. She placed her hands on his abs, sliding her palms along his rib cage, up his chest and over his shoulders.

“I think that you’re freaking out enough for the both of us to be honest,” she said teasingly, kissing the skin below his ear. “I like your mask, but I think that it’s time for you to take it off now.”

Remus stared at her in confusion. “Nymphadora, you’re not even listening to me!”

Tonks put her hand over his mouth. “No, you’re not listening and I’m pretty sure that’s a serious flaw in your personality. Are you honestly standing there waiting for me to change my mind about you?” His eyes flickered in pain before he masked it and her own eyes narrowed. “I’m a klutz, a complete spaz, if I’m honest with myself. I had hoped that I would grow out of it, but obviously it’s something that is part of me no matter what I do. The wolf is part of you and I think that it’s time that you get off your high horse and stop being so bloody ashamed of it.” -- Chapter 95 of ASC

Zeerius - hmm... I love a lot of moments with them. But I think one of my favourites is when he comes home after a full moon with Remus worried that Harry is still annoyed with him for not letting him go and he finds Harry sleeping on the sofa with Zee in the chair. He wakes up and she's making breakfast and wearing his clothes and he's just completely swamped with love over the normalcy of it.

Sirius rubbed his tired eyes as he unlocked the front door to Black Cottage and let himself inside. He stifled a yawn, smiling when Marauder came over to greet him, rubbing the dog behind the ears. “Good boy,” he whispered, “Did you keep Prongslet company all night, good boy.”

Marauder burrowed closer to him, eager for affection and Sirius pat him gingerly on the head, kicking off his shoes as he called Kreacher to him.

“How was he?”

“Kreacher did not stay. Master Sirius’ lady said she would stay.”

“What?” Sirius asked in surprise as his gaze zeroed in on Zee, stretched out across the armchair, his duvet burrowed around her, her mess of dark caramel curls hanging over the back of the chair. “Go back to Grimmauld Place, Kreacher, thank you.”

The elf vanished and he smiled at the image of ‘his lady’ curled up and walked over to her, bending his head to kiss her forehead and then he realized that Harry was stretched out across the sofa, glasses on the table next to an empty bowl of popcorn kernels with Lady Godiva sleeping in front of the couch as if keeping watch.

Sirius stared at the two of them, his heart quite literally swamped with love. He tenderly brushed Harry’s hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead. He stood up, pulled his jumper over his head and tugged his tee shirt down in its attempts to ride up and then he lifted his son’s legs to plop himself onto the couch, putting Harry’s legs on his lap. He pulled the duvet close to him and punched one of the throw pillows into position next to his head and was asleep in minutes. [...]

Sirius woke up less than three hours later to the smell of bacon. He rubbed a hand over his face, grinning at the sight of boy and dog snuggled on the sofa. He carefully extricated himself from the couch, wrapped Harry up a bit tighter and bent to kiss him. He was so innocent and young looking when he was asleep and his heart ached for the little boy that used to want to sit on his lap and ask for slooches. He kissed him again because Harry was asleep and he could and then he snapped his fingers at Marauder who jumped down, shaking his fur, and followed Sirius into the kitchen. Lady Godiva was still stretched out next to the couch as if keeping watch. He let Marauder outside and then grinned at the image of Zee at the counter frying up bacon and sausage and scrambling eggs in his sweatpants rolled at the ankles and his favourite worn jumper.

He slipped his arms around her waist, kissing her ear and her neck. “How do you look so fucking incredible all of the time?”

She laughed and tilted her head to the side so that he could kiss her neck some more. “With flattery like that, I’ll give you all the extra bacon you want.”

He smirked and blew a raspberry on her neck and she laughed. “When did you get back?”

“Last night. I came straight over.”

“You stayed the whole night with him?”

Zee shrugged, smiling as he held her in his arms, swaying gently too and fro while she continued to fry the meat and scramble the eggs. “Harry and I had a movie marathon and he did some of his homework. I didn’t really feel like being alone and since you had run off all mysterious like, I thought we could keep each other company.”

“Sometimes my wife needs attention, Zee and my kids… I mean, I’m a wanted man.”

She snorted and elbowed him. “I already know Remus is your wife, you prat.”

Sirius grinned and kissed her ear. “Thank you. You didn’t have to stay with him last night, but… thank you. I didn’t really want to leave him alone, but I’m trying this whole ‘he’s not a little boy anymore so I should trust him just a bit’ parenting attitude.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

Sirius blew his hair out of his eyes and grinned, his arms still wrapped tightly around her waist. “Well, I don’t have him wrapped in a bubble yet so bully for me. I mean, this school year has been pretty easy going for him, outside of the Dementors, but with these Horcruxes and trying to figure out what the next step is, I just… sometimes I want to just hold him in my arms and never let go.”

Zee carefully put the scrambled eggs onto three plates along with the bacon and sausage before she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes and kissed him deeply.

“You are a wonderful father, Sirius Black, and Harry is very lucky to have someone as amazing as you loving him. But you do have to let him grow up. Even when it’s scary and terrifying and the thought makes you want to throw up at not being able to protect him all of the time, you still have to do it. But, he’s thirteen, not quite a boy, but not quite a man, and right now, you can still hold him close, but you have to learn to let go as well.”

Sirius kissed her, his hands sliding up her back to play with her messy curls, his lips on hers, his tongue meeting hers. He pushed her back up against the counter, lifting her hips to hold her up as he kissed her, hard and soft, long and deep as she sighed against him happily.

“Can you two at least snog in a room where the bacon isn’t?” Harry said, snatching the plate from behind the snogging couple with a grin. “I’d like to keep my appetite, thanks.”

Sirius smirked and cuffed Harry lightly across the head making his son grin. “Brat.” -- Chapter 123 of ASC

Hinny - Like Zeerius, I have so many moments I love with them. I love when Ginny kisses him when he's five and I love when Harry's in denial of his feelings for her. But one of my favourite scenes I've written is the one where they compare scars. I think it really shows the depth of their friendship, their relationship, and I just think it's totally sweet.

Ginny gently brushed his fringe off his forehead. “I remember everything about you, Harry.”

“I thought your parents would never let me back there. I thought Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus would send me away because I did freak things… that’s what… that’s what the Dursleys had told me.”

Ginny tenderly stroked his cheek and down his jaw with her knuckles. “In that memory I saw… you said that they beat you?”

Harry nodded. “That first night when Uncle Siri tried to give me a bath, I guess my whole back was cut up from the belt, it was about a week old, but they hadn’t been taken care of properly and they’d festered a bit. I have a few tiny scars on my back from it, barely noticeable.”

Ginny lifted his tee shirt and he shifted to show her four tiny white scratches that were vertical just under his shoulder blades. She leaned in, gently brushing her lips over each scar and he shivered before he pulled his tee shirt back down and turned to hold her back in his lap.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Ginny told him.

He shrugged, his fingers playing with the tips of her hair. “I didn’t know any different. I just knew that my parents had died and that they were my only relatives. They didn’t want me and made sure to tell me almost every day. I was a burden, a freak of nature, and they didn’t want my unnaturalness under their roof. I slept in the cupboard under the stairs. They’d lock me in the dark as punishment, and they would starve me. I remember being afraid to tell my dads that I was hungry or too afraid to get up in the middle of the night to use the loo… but Uncle Rem and Uncle Siri, they gave me a home and I never looked back.”

Ginny took his hands in hers and brought them to her lips. “Only look back at the good.”

“You’re amazing, you know that, right?”

She smiled, her hand brushing over the palm of his left hand. “How did you get this scar?”

Harry glanced down at his palm to see the thin white line in the centre. “Broke a glass when I was four and it wasn’t properly treated.”

Ginny nodded and rolled up her right sleeve to show him a small crescent scar on her elbow. “From when I fell off Charlie’s broom when I was eight. I told Mum I fell out of a tree.” At his grin, she pushed her shirt aside to show him the scar on her left shoulder. “And this is where Ron pushed me off the roof of the shed when I was seven and I landed on my arm on the side, tore it open pretty bad. Percy patched me up after I made him promise not to tell Mum, and then he helped me get Ron back by pranking him into thinking there were spiders in his bed. Percy and I snuck into his room in the middle of the night and put itching powder in his sheets so he woke up all red and covered in itchy spots and Percy told him that they looked like spider bites.”

Harry laughed. “That’s pretty evil. I remember that. When I came to stay we had to check every nook and cranny of his room before he’d let me turn out the light to go to sleep.”

She grinned. “Don’t mess with me.”

“I’ll remember that,” he said on a strangled laugh. He stared at her for a moment before he lifted up his tee shirt again to show her the long thin jagged scar in the centre of his back. “Horntail.”

Ginny rolled up the left leg of her pants to show him a tiny scar the size of a sickle just behind her knee. “Gnome bite.”

Harry pointed to the small scar near the elbow of his right arm. “Rogue Bludger.”

Ginny lifted her right arm to show him a tiny half moon scar under her elbow. “Fred clipped me with his toy broomstick and the wood broke and cut my arm.”

Harry bent his head and lifted his fringe to show her a tiny thin barely noticeable red line on the top of his head. “Fell out of the treehouse.”

Ginny pulled her sock off and showed him a small cut on the bottom of her heel. “Stepped on a cactus leaf that KJ snipped off her plant.”

“That’s fresh,” Harry said. “And it’s not going to scar.” He took her foot in his hand and bent his head to press a soft kiss to the cut, making her shiver.

“I ran out of battle wounds.”

He chuckled and kissed her foot again. “We’re we competing?” He touched the lightning bolt on his forehead. “I win — Horcrux.”

Ginny smiled, her fingers slipping under his tee shirt to slide up his chest. “Emotional scars don’t leave physical marks, but I know that you can feel those scars just the same. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Harry, but if you ever do want to talk about it, you know that I’m always here for you, right?”

Harry’s hands rested on her hips. “I know that.”

Ginny’s lips curved slightly before she leaned in and kissed him softly. “We can snog now if you’d like.” -- Chapter 217 of ASC

Romione - I don't write as much Ron and Hermione as I should. But I think one of my favourite scenes with them is when Ron is trying so hard to be the perfect boyfriend and not complain to her like he usually would and Hermione is like who is this? Where is my Ron?

Hermione snuck a glance over at Ron, admiring his tall frame as he walked next to her. She loved how attentive he’d been over the last month and a half. She loved how sweet and caring he’d been and most of all, she loved snogging him senseless. But she found herself missing the less agreeable Ron more than she wanted to admit.

The friend Ron would be complaining by now. They’d been in the bookstore for almost twenty minutes and while she had a stack of four new books that she was interested in, she was browsing without any real purpose, wondering how long she could spend in here before he complained. The fact that he hadn’t complained yet, worried her a bit.

Ever since they’d made their relationship official, he’d been the perfect boyfriend. Attentive and sweet. Affectionate and kind. He still made her laugh and complained about his homework, but he didn’t pick fights with her anymore either. She was making an effort to say things that would normally set him off. His blue eyes would spark in fire before he’d grind his teeth and not respond.

She hated that he didn’t respond.

It wasn’t that she wanted to argue with him. Who wanted to fight all the time? It was exhausting. It was just that fighting with Ron was… well, foreplay. The word surprised her when she admitted it, but she knew that it was true. She liked arguing with him. She liked watching his blue eyes fire up, the way his face would flush and the muscles in his neck would contract. She’d had more fantasies of shutting him up with her lips than she was willing to admit to.

But now that she had the opportunity to snog his brains out when they fought, he never fought back. It was a contradiction she hadn’t expected.

They spent another thirty minutes in the bookstore before she bought the four books in her hand and led him outside.

“It’s so lovely in there, maybe we should browse around a bit more?”

Ron’s mouth twitched. “Or we could go for a walk, maybe hit up Zonko’s?”

“I’d rather go back to the bookstore,” she said, smiling at him. “We can look at the romance novels again.”

Ron looked like he wanted to do just about anything else. “Um, yeah, I guess, if that’s what you want.”

“Ron, stop letting me do what I want!” Hermione exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

Ron only stared at her. “What do you mean?”

“This! The bookstore! I love it there!”

“I know,” he said. “You love books. They’re like your happy place, I get it.”

“But you don’t like books!”

Ron frowned. “I have nothing against books. I just don’t see the appeal of spending hours looking at them. It’s a colossal waste of time.”

“But you just spent fifty minutes letting me do just that! And now, when I mentioned going back inside, you immediately agreed to do so!”

“Because you said you wanted to!”

“Ron, if this relationship is going to work, you can’t just do everything that I want all the time!”

Ron was looking at her as if she had two heads. “So, you don’t want me to go to the bookstore with you?”

“Of course I do! I want you to do things with me that I love!”

“That’s what I’m doing!”

“But I don’t want you to!”

Ron gave her a confused a look. “I’m not a Seer, Hermione. If you have a problem you have to bloody well say it.”

“You’re being too nice to me!”

Ron looked positively dumbfounded. “What do you want from me? I’m trying here, okay! I’m trying to be the man you deserve and doing the things that you want to do to make you happy! And now you’re telling me that I shouldn’t do that? What do you want me to do? Drag you into Zonko’s under protest? Tell you that I have no desire to spend another minute in that sodding bookstore!”

“Yes!”

Ron shoved his cold hands into the pocket of his coat. “I don’t understand you. You’re mental!”

Hermione gave him a light shove. “Don’t call me mental!”

“Don’t act mental, then!” Ron retorted. He grabbed her arm before she could shove him again.

“Why are you like this?”

“Why are you like this?” Ron repeated. “Merlin knows I don’t know how to act when you become a mental shrew!”

“Daft prat!”

“Sassy witch!”

“Absolute tosser!”

“Mental bint!”

“Wanker!”

Ron grabbed her, ignoring the way she hit his arm and pulled her up against him, his voice low. “Absolutely, when I’m thinking about you.”

Hermione’s face flushed. “Ron!”

He tilted his forehead down to hers. “Why are we screaming at each other? Aren’t we supposed to be done fighting now?”

Hermione slid her hands up his chest, linking them behind his neck. “Says who?”

She pulled his face down to hers to kiss him and he made a growling sound in his throat as he lifted her. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he held her and she lost herself in his kisses. A part of her was very aware of the fact that they were only a few metres outside of the bookstore, in the middle of the street where anyone could see them. But another part of her wanted his lips on hers more than she wanted to take another breath, let alone think about the embarrassment of their very public displays of affection. When her mouth moved down to his throat, she felt the hardness against her and she smiled, suddenly feeling more bold.

“Is fighting with me turning you on?”

“No,” he insisted, his hands sliding down to boldly cup her bum. “Absolutely not.”

Hermione slapped his hands off her bum and slid down his body. “Ron, we don’t have to agree on everything. We don’t have to always do the things that I want to do or the things that you want to do. If we’re going to make this work, we have to go back to how we were. My friend Ron would never have let me mosey around a bookstore for almost an hour. He would have cut me off at twenty minutes and made me leave to go to Zonko’s.”

Ron pulled her close again and kissed her. “I guess I’m just wondering if as your boyfriend if I do something like that, you’d stop snogging me.”

Hermione nipped at his lips, a soft smile on her face. “I have no plans of that. Do you plan to stop snogging me?”

“Hell no,” he muttered, his lips moving to her ear. -- Chapter 252 of ASC

Feo - Theo and Finn, they do have a lot of moments together, mostly smutty which we all love (or maybe just me LOL 🤔). But one of my favourite moments I wrote with them is actually one of the smutty ones. I absolutely love the scene where Finn takes him against the window of the study in Norfolk Manor.

But he also didn’t want to leave Finn.

He’d gotten used to waking up wrapped in his boyfriend’s arms. He loved the support Finn gave him; the calming way he had about him. Finn was always assuring him that everything would be okay. He’d gotten used to Finn being there day after day and the thought of going back to school and only seeing him on the weekends was more painful than he could bear.

As if he’d heard him, arms encircled his waist from behind and a warm mouth pressed against the side of his neck.

“How was the session today?”

“Good. Really good,” Theo told him. He turned his head to kiss him. “Did you just get back?”

Finn nodded and began to unbutton Theo’s shirt. “I did.”

Theo chuckled as his dress shirt was spread open and Finn began to work on his black trousers. “Let me take off my Wizengamot robe first.”

Finn’s mouth sucked on his ear so sharply that Theo felt the sensation between his legs as he pushed Theo’s trousers down, followed by his boxers. “No.”

Then his hands were all over and Theo felt a whoosh of magic as suddenly all of his clothes were gone except for the open purple robe. Finn turned him around and knelt in front of him. He started with soft kisses on his thighs, on the back of his knees, and then his mouth was wrapped around him and Theo could do nothing, but hold onto his boyfriend’s hair as he pleasured him.

Finn’s mouth brought him right to the edge before he stood up, kissing Theo’s cheek and turned him around towards the window. Theo groaned when he smelt the oil and then his boyfriend’s hands were doing the most delectable things to his arse.

“Finn...” he begged. “I want to touch you.”

Finn ignored this and Theo groaned when he felt his boyfriend’s finger rock into him. Then Finn was tugging his clothes off and Theo caught a glimpse of his boyfriend’s reflection in the window standing gloriously naked behind him before Finn pushed him up against the glass, and slid into him.

Theo cried out at the intrusion and then there was nothing but pleasure. Finn’s hands slid around to grip him, pumping him in rhythm with every thrust. His thumb stroking under the head, circling and tugging, and it wasn’t long before Theo cried out his name as he came all over the window pane. Finn rode him harder, pinning him against the glass. One hand continued to gently fondle Theo’s spent cock, the other held his hip as he thrust himself forward. Theo was panting, the pleasure building more and more as Finn’s lips brushed the back of his neck and then Finn panted his name as he emptied himself.

Theo sighed in contentment when Finn slid out of him. Finn’s arms turned to pull him into his embrace and they stumbled towards the sofa in the library, wrapped in each other’s arms.

“So, you like my robe then?”

Finn chuckled against Theo’s hair as he snuggled him closer on his chest. “Yes. More than I expected. You look incredibly sexy in it. Proud and confident and it makes me think of all of the great things I know you can accomplish. Then it makes me think of how much I want to be part of your life while you do those things. Then I just want you. All of you. I’m so proud of what you’re doing, Theo.”

“You make me want to aspire to be more,” he said.

Finn gently brushed Theo’s hair away from his face. “I love you.”

Theo smiled and kissed Finn’s chest before he froze, eyes widening as they locked onto his boyfriend’s green ones. “Finn! I think Blaise was in the bloody garden!”

Finn grinned. “He was. He disappeared rather quickly when he caught sight of us in the window.”

Theo blushed scarlet. “And I... I can’t leave that mess on the window for Kiki.”

“Mmm,” Finn said absently, running his hand down Theo’s chest and down to grip him in his hand.

Theo groaned as he felt Finn revitalize him with magic. “I only would have needed a few more minutes, you know.”

Finn shifted him so that he was under him on the sofa. “I know, but I need you in my mouth right now.”

Theo gasped as Finn did exactly that and he again wondered how he was going to survive the whole school year without seeing this perfect man every day. -- Chapter 236 of ASC

Deamus - Dean and Seamus, I did play around with them a lot. They have a lot of moments I like as well. I love how much they are friends first and lovers second which I think says a lot about their relationship. I love writing them playful and teasing the way best mates are, but to still show how passionate they are for each other. I love how they don't just say "I love you" but that it's "I really love you." I don't know, I think that sums them up really well.

“Ditto. I really love you, Seamus. How often can a bloke say that he’s in love with his best mate?”

Seamus reached for the soap to help his boyfriend wash up as he spoke. “I really love you, too.”

Dean smiled as Seamus washed his chest. “I finished Katie and Jason’s engagement portrait last night.”

“You did? Why didn’t you show it to me?”

“Well, probably because you crawled into bed, climbed on top of me, and snogged my brains out.”

“Oh? I did do that, didn’t I? Maybe if you’d tell me how good my new muscles look, I wouldn’t feel so self-conscious.”

Dean ran his hands over Seamus’ flat stomach where the beginning of abs were coming in. His constant workouts with the Gryffindor Quidditch team had really done wonders for his body over the last few months. “You don’t have a single self-conscious bone in your body.”

“Sure, I do! Now, tell me how sexy I am.” -- Chapter 262 of ASC

Bleur - They have a lot of moments too, most are with family. And I know I had a lot of lovely compliments on the last Bleur scene where she basically tells him she doesn't care how he looks because she loves him. But one of my favourites is actually their first kiss. I like the way Fleur is very into him while at the same time being like, I'm more than just a pretty face and you will know that about me and respect me.

“Did you still want to grab some dinner and discuss the new project tonight?”

Fleur smiled warmly at him. “Oui. I caught up on some reading of za history we found in Anguilla ze ozzer day and I might have come up with a new plan to open za cursed box we found in za ship.”

Bill grinned. “Great. I can’t wait to hear your idea. I want to talk to you about the new project the goblins are trusting us with as well. We’ll be heading down into the London Catacombs. Have you ever been?”

She shook her head. “Non, but I was in ze ones in Paris. Zey are very terrible, I theenk.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure going down there isn’t going to be a walk in the park. It’s definitely going to involve some cleanup as well. We’ll talk more over dinner. How does Italian sound?”

Fleur moved closer to him as more people climbed onto the train. “It sounds très bon.”

Bill’s breath hitched slightly as her body pressed into his and her pheromones assaulted him. He saw the man’s eyes change behind her and he immediately wrapped his arms around her in a possessive fashion that surprised him.

“Miss, may I —”

“— No,” Bill growled. “Run along.”

The man’s eyes met his and he seemed to come out of his trance.

Bill looked down at Fleur, who’s blue eyes were staring up at him. “Sorry, I don’t like seeing men throw themselves at you like you’re up for auction.”

“You never do.”

“I never do what?”

“Zrow yourself at me like ze ozzers.”

Bill’s eyebrow rose. “We work together. I respect you too much to allow myself to act like an imbecile.”

Fleur stood on her toes, her lips brushing his cheek. “You theenk I cannot tell ze difference?”

The feel of her lips on his cheek made his whole body tremble in response. He moved his arms away.

“Fleur…”

“I know zat you find me attractive, n’est pas?”

“Of course I find you — you’re beautiful! That’s not the… we work together.”

Fleur smiled seductively. “And zis makes you not want to kiss me?”

Bill stared at her, his fingers twitching at her waist. “No.”

Fleur moved away from him, her eyes flashing in hurt before she masked it. “Je suis désolé, my mistake.”

Bill swore under his breath. Being around her was harder than he wanted to admit. She was incredibly beautiful, that was a given. She smelt like heaven and when she laughed, her eyes danced and her lips parted in the sweetest way. She was smart and creative and her willingness to learn intrigued him. She picked up on things fast and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, was one of the best new recruits he’d ever had.

The fact that being around her made him as hard as rock was another situation all together.

They stepped off the train and Fleur started moving across the platform. He grabbed her arm, roughly pulling her back into his arms. Her lips parted in surprise and her eyes widened as he simply bent his head to hers.

The moment his lips touched hers, he knew that it had been a mistake. Now that he had kissed her, no one else was ever going to make him feel like this; no one else would ever come close. He tugged her closer, his hands moving into her hair, deepening the kiss and when she moaned against him, it was enough to pull him out of his trance.

Her cheeks were flushed and her lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes.

“If you think that I don’t think about doing that a few thousand times a day along with a few naughtier things then you’re stupid.”

Fleur’s eyes flashed in anger. “‘Ow dare you call me stupid!” Her fists hit him angrily on the arm.

“I didn’t mean — fuck!” He dragged his hand over his face. “I think that you’re far from stupid, Fleur. You’re one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. One of the bravest as well and the sexiest. I just meant… of course, I’m attracted to you. You’re bloody gorgeous! I love the way that your eyes dance when you laugh. I like watching your little booty dance when you bypass the puzzle piece when we’re exploring. I like spending time with you and I spend most of my time with you trying to convince myself why I can’t touch you. You have men throwing themselves at you all the time, even some women. I don’t want you to think that what I’m saying is because of your Veela thing — because it’s not.”

Fleur stepped towards him, her eyes softening. “I can tell ze difference, Bill. I want you to touch me.”

Bill’s breath hitched. “You do?”

She nodded. “I want you to kiss me again.”

He did. Long and deeply until someone whistled at them and he broke away, smiling at her. “Will you go out with me, Fleur?”

She smiled. “Oui, but if you call me stupid again, I will make you wish you hadn’t, oui?”

Bill grinned widely. The fact that he just found her threat as incredibly sexy as the rest of her made him question his own sanity. “Oui.”

But he couldn’t wait to find out what came next. -- Chapter 189 of ASC

Georgelina - George and Angelina are fun to write because I love the idea of someone loving George for who he is and not comparing him to Fred. I love how when he takes her to the Yule Ball, she knows he's not Fred, but he's afraid to hope because as much as he loves his twin, this is the first time in his life he wants someone to really see him as separate from Fred. Angelina does that. I love her friendship with Fred as well and how she's not afraid to tease and poke at him. But one of my favourite moments with them is still when Molly shows up at the twins' flat and finds Angelina in the closet.

George woke up slowly, the early morning sunlight reflecting through the small dingy window of his bedroom. He blinked a moment before he turned to smile at the woman sleeping next to him. Her dark hair was swept up in a silk head wrap, but he was greeted by the lovely nakedness of her back. He grinned, shifting so that he could plant kisses down her spine. She stirred under his lips and when she rolled over, he merely moved his lips to her breasts.

“Good morning,” he murmured as his mouth continued to plant kisses over her skin.

“Morning,” Angelina said, her fingers moving into his hair. “What time is it?”

“Still early,” George answered, sucking the dark peak into his mouth.

“Mmm, the sun comes up late in the winter, so that’s not true.”

George chuckled and looked over at the clock. “Almost nine.”

“Nine... and you’re still here?”

“I’m closing the store tonight so Fred agreed to open. There were some early deliveries to the Ministry that needed to be shipped off. You look delectable.”

Angelina chuckled as his stubbled jaw slid down her stomach. “I doubt that. But after I shower, eat your heart out.”

George’s lips curved and her thumb reached down to trace his lips.

“I love that smile. The one that lights up your whole face. Especially when I’m the one who gives it to you.”

“You always make me smile,” George told her. “You’re still coming with me on Sunday?”

Angelina tugged his face up to hers to kiss him. “Even if I didn’t want to, your mum would insist on it.”

George chuckled. “She likes you.”

“Well, she thinks I'm a good influence on you because you wrote your NEWTs.”

“But you’re a bad influence,” George finished. “Downright naughty in fact. Seducing her son all over London without a care in the world. Tut tut tut.”

Angelina grinned. “In my defence, her son wasn’t putting up much of a fight.”

George kissed her, covering her body with his. “None whatsoever.”

Angelina’s hands slid down his back and into his pyjama bottoms. “When did you put on clothes?”

“When I got up to use the loo a few hours ago,” George said. He used her momentary distraction to kiss her breasts again.

“It’s not like you have something he hasn’t seen before,” Angelina pouted, her hand wrapping around him

George smiled. “True. But you know how Fred is, knowing that I’m the better looking twin is one thing, but seeing me in all of my naked glory is something else entirely.”

She laughed. “Prat. You’re ridiculous”

“And you’re beautiful. I love you, Ange. I love you more every day. You make me so happy.”

Angelina kissed him deeply. “Me too. My teammates say that I’m always smiling and that’s because of you. I love you.”

George deepened the kiss as her hands fondled him just as Fred’s voice interrupted them.

“Oi! You two decent? I’m coming in!”

George barely managed to cover Angelina’s tits before the door to his room burst open. “Fred, boundaries!”

Fred shrugged. “I’ve seen it all before. Right, Angelina?”

Angelina scowled at him. “Walking in on me in the bathroom hardly counts as seeing it all.”

“Which was an accident and I am truly sorry for that, but listen!”

“Who’s running the shop?” George interrupted.

“Ron, nitwit. He’s home for the holiday. Now, I received another shipment of mirrors in and I think that after this batch we’ll be able to sell them. I know with all of the supplies we were making for the Ministry, we got a little backlogged, but this is it, Georgie!”

George grinned. “Yeah?”

Fred nodded, leaning against the doorjamb. “I figure we’ll gift one to Charlie and to Mum and Dad, because that will make us Mum’s favourite, and starting in the new year, VainMuch will be a go!”

Angelina sat up, holding the sheet over her breasts. “And it was important for you to tell us this right this very second because...”

Fred wiggled his eyebrows. “That was just to help cool you off because Mum’s on her way up and I don’t know how much longer Ron can distract her.”

Fred had barely turned around before George and Angelina jumped to their feet and attempted to find clothes. Angelina had just pulled one of George’s G jumpers over her head before George urged her into the closet to hide at the sound of Mrs Weasley stepping into the boys’ flat.

“Mum!” George exclaimed loudly in front of the closet door. “What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here?”

“Hi, George,” Molly said, standing on her toes to kiss her son’s cheek. “Ron and Fred were just showing me the new stock. The store is really looking grand!”

“We told you that we knew what we were doing amidst the explosions and general chaos.”

Molly nodded. “I should have had more faith in you boys. I’m very proud of you.”

“Thanks, Mum,” Fred said as George smiled next to him.

Molly pursed her lips. “I’m sure that you’ve both heard by now what happened a few days ago in Hogsmeade. Theo is staying with us for the holiday. I don’t want that poor boy to be alone in his grief. He needs friends and he needs family.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” George said. “Want us to come by and cheer him up then?”

“This isn’t the sort of thing one cheers up, George,” Molly insisted. “We just have to be there for him as much as we can be and show him that the world will go on, no matter how much he thinks it may not!”

George nodded. “We can do that.”

“Good. Now, is Angelina still joining us for Christmas?”

“On Christmas Eve,” George corrected, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pyjama bottoms. “I’m going to have dinner on Christmas Day at her house.”

“Oh, but George that means you’ll miss Charlie.”

“We’ll pop by after dinner. Her family does Yule at tea time.”

“Good,” Molly said, her hands on her hips. “Don’t you think that it’s about time you pick up after yourself in here, George? It looks like a pigsty!”

George shrugged. “Just a place to sleep, Mum.”

“Well, this ‘just a place to sleep’ needs to be cleaned. No, not cleaned — decimated!”

George grinned. “Mum, that’s a bit extreme. It’s not like we have mice living about. It’s just some old clothes on the floor. Fred and I moved out, remember? We can take care of ourselves.”

“Hmm,” Molly murmured as she began to move around the room and pick up her son’s clothes. “At least pick your clothes up off the floor. Dirty socks and piles of unwashed clothes and this?”

George swallowed when she pointed to the black and white striped bra on the floor. “Er. I sometimes like to wear those.”

Molly rolled her eyes before they suddenly narrowed at the closed door behind her son. “George Fabian Weasley, are you making that poor girl hide in your closet?”

She pushed him aside and pulled the door open and Angelina managed a small smile.

“Er, hi, Mrs Weasley.”

Molly looked between the two of them. “Do you two think that I was born yesterday? At your age I was already pregnant with my second child. Come out of there!”

Angelina carefully extricated herself from the closet, pulling George’s jumper down a bit. It almost hung to her knees, but it was all she was wearing.

“Are you angry?” Angelina asked, hesitantly.

Molly’s eyes were kind as they looked at her. “No, of course not, dear. You two are no longer children. And considering some of the ways that Bill and Charlie concealed their overnight guests, the closet is kind of funny.”

“You knew about those?” Fred asked from the doorway.

Molly turned to stare at her son. “A mother always knows. Just like I knew about Melinda Cummings sneaking down the drain pipe under your room two years ago, Frederick.”

Fred swallowed. “Blimey!”

George gave his mother a sheepish smile. “I love her, Mum.”

“I know that, too. Angelina, dear, please don’t let him live like a slob. I’ll see you boys tonight for dinner and you too, dear. You’re always welcome.”

She kissed them all on the cheek and then was gone.

Fred stared after her in wonder. “You don’t think she knew about the time Alicia and I shagged behind Dad’s work shed, do you?”

Angelina slipped her arm around George’s waist. “I wouldn’t bet against her.” -- Chapter 254 of ASC

Nevannah - Neville and Hannah are still very much exploring their relationship, but to choose one moment between them so far... I think I rather like the scene where he helps her bake. I think it's so sweet and shows how enraptured he is with her.

Neville licked his lips and watched her get to work. It wasn’t long before the lemon fairy cakes were baking and she started to make red velvet ones. By the time the fairy cakes were cooling, they were making frosting. He watched in amazement as she waved the spatula over each cake like an artist. His own attempt in comparison looked like a small child had stomped on it.

Hannah giggled. “It’s all about the movement in the wrist, like this.”

He watched her again frost a perfect cake and when he tried, he ended up with a splotch of frosting on the table next to him. When she giggled again, he scooped it up with his finger and put it on her nose.

Hannah’s eyes widened in surprise before her own finger dug into the chocolate and spread it on his cheek. It took no time at all before both of them were spotted in frosting. Hannah was laughing as he chased her around the kitchen, his fingers full of frosting. The house-elves were busy chasing after them, mopping up the frosting that they left in their wake, but neither of them noticed. Neville cornered her against the counter by the cupboard and leaned in to steal a kiss.

“You taste like chocolate,” he whispered.

Hannah’s hands slipped up his chest, spreading frosting as she went, but neither of them noticed as her lips met his. They lost themselves in long, slow kisses that left both of them breathless and it was only when the charm rang to signify that the fairy cakes were done, did Neville pull away, licking frosting off his lips.

“I think I rather like baking.”

Hannah’s cheeks flushed as she fumbled to wipe her hands on her apron. “We have to um… the cakes.”

Neville watched her hurry off to get the red velvet cakes out and he grinned. Yeah, he definitely liked baking. -- Chapter 268 of ASC

Perdrey - As to Percy and Audrey, well, I love writing the two of them being naughty and having fun. I think they are both very good for each other, but my favourite moment with them so far is still when Arthur catches them kissing and Percy is amazed at how easily she charms his father. I think that's the moment where you can see he's falling for her.

Audrey ran her hands through her hair as Percy buried his face on her shoulder. “I’m starved, but this was a much better lunch.”

He kissed her shoulder. “You’re going to be the death of me. This is how we’re both getting fired.”

She grinned. “Worried you’ll get caught in a compromising position?” She fixed his crooked glasses. “I’ll protect you.”

“You can’t just send me your knickers in the middle of the bloody day!”

“I can,” she said. “I did. Are you going to give them back?”

“No,” he growled. “Absolutely not.”

Audrey smiled. “So, you do like it when I send you my knickers.”

“Audrey...”

She grinned. “That’s what I thought, Mr Weasley.”

Percy sighed as she kissed his chin. “Miss Mayfair, you will be appropriately punished later today for this misbehaviour.”

“Absolutely, Mr Weasley,” she murmured against his neck. “I may have borrowed a pair of handcuffs from the office.”

Percy grabbed a fistful of her hair and tugged her mouth back to his for a long, deep kiss that left both of them breathless. They stumbled out of the unused restroom like drunks, giggling and laughing. Audrey had just kissed him once more when he heard a familiar voice clearing their throat behind him. Percy rested his forehead against Audrey’s before he slowly turned his head and grinned sheepishly at his father.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Percy,” Arthur said, his ears reddening. “This must be the lovely Audrey.”

Audrey extended her hand. “Good afternoon, Mr Weasley. Audrey Mayfair, it’s lovely to meet you.”

“And you,” Arthur said, shaking her hand. “I’ve wondered about the woman who has made my son smile constantly over the last few months.”

“I’ve been keeping him to myself, I’m afraid,” she said, smiling up at Percy.

“We’ve noticed that as well,” Arthur said.

“How did you get roped into working on a Saturday?” Percy asked.

Arthur sighed. “I’m woefully behind in my paperwork. I came down here to log in some evidence in the Department of Files and Records. What are you two doing down here?”

“I was working on something for Mr Scrimgeour in courtroom ten. Percy came to steal me for lunch,” Audrey said, smiling up at her boyfriend.

Arthur smiled. “There’s a new deli that opened down the block. I had a corned beef sandwich on rye yesterday. It was almost as good as your mother’s. Speaking of, Ginny and Ron are coming home for the holiday today, Percy. Charlie and Aydin are coming in tonight as well. Why don’t you bring Audrey round for dinner tomorrow? We’d love to have you join us. Molly’s quite the cook.”

“I’d love that,” Audrey admitted, smiling at Percy.

Percy nodded. “Yes, Dad. That sounds… great.”

Arthur chuckled. “Good. We’ll see you then.”

When Arthur turned to head off, Audrey kissed Percy smartly on the lips before she hurried forward and linked her arm through Arthur’s.

“Actually, Mr Weasley, we’re going up to the same floor and I need to grab my bag. Perhaps I could accompany you back to work?”

Arthur’s eyes crinkled. “I’d love that.” He patted her arm gently before Audrey turned to smile back at Percy over her shoulder.

“I’ll meet you in the atrium in a bit and we’ll grab something from that deli, yes?”

Then the two of them marched off ahead.

Audrey smiled warmly at Arthur. “Percy tells me that you run the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. That must be terribly fascinating?”

“It has its moments,” Arthur assured her as the two of them marched off leaving Percy staring after them.

Percy shoved his hands into his pockets, the feel of her knickers there making him smile, and he thought so much for careful planning. Audrey was about to be shoved into the lion’s den.

He was surprised by how much he was suddenly looking forward to it. -- Chapter 266 of ASC

Lavenmae - I think my favourite scene with these two is when they tell Parvati that they are a couple.

“There you two are!” Parvati exclaimed. “Our parents barely said goodbye and you were running off towards the train, Mae. Hi, Lav!”

“Hi, Vati,” Lavender said.

“I just wanted to find a good compartment,” Padma told her sister. She started to get up to move, but Lavender grabbed her arm.

“No, she wanted to come and snog her girlfriend.”

Parvati laughed. “You finally found someone to fall for your charms, Mae? That’s great news! Unless you tell me it’s Li or Bones then we’re going to have words after how those two treated you.”

Lavender slipped her hand back into Padma’s and smiled. “No, it’s… Padma and I are together, Parvati. I’m her girlfriend and she’s… mine.”

Parvati’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked between her best friend and her twin. “You two! When did… Anthony’s party! Of course! I knew something had changed between the two of you.”

“We didn’t mean to keep it from you,” Lavender began. “It’s just that it was new and… it’s still new, but… Parvati, you’re my best friend and I know that this is weird, me dating your identical twin sister, but —”

“— I didn’t say that it was weird,” Parvati interrupted. “Padma, have anything to add?”

Lavender snuck a glance over at Padma and the girl’s dark eyes were smiling at her and then she grinned widely when Padma leaned in and kissed her softly before she answered.

“Kissing her makes me feel like I could be floating without a levitation charm.”

Parvati grinned. “Good. Now budge over and try to keep the enthusiastic snogging to a minimum when I’m around, yeah?”

Lavender blushed, but couldn’t stop smiling. Padma Patil was her girlfriend and suddenly, nothing else really seemed to matter. As she listened to her best friend start talking about her plans for the year, she knew that she still had a big goofy grin on her face and there was nothing that she liked better. -- Chapter 238 of ASC

Gransy - This is a couple I adore writing! I thought it would be so fun to add in two people we don't usually get to see much of, two people who you would never imagine getting together, and I love how many people have grown to love them as much as me. I think my favourite moment with them so far hasn't actually been published yet but it will be in chapter 284. I think it really shows a turning point in their relationship. Otherwise, I love the scene where he finds her the door.

The sound of movement in the doorway made her look up at her husband.

“How was the meeting?”

“Okay,” he said. “Did you remember to eat?”

“Yes. Mitzy brought me a sandwich and a salad.”

Greg nodded, clearing his throat. “Good. Um… I think I found a door for the shop.”

Pansy’s eyes widened. “You did? Where?”

“An antique place in Muggle London.”

Pansy wrinkled her nose. “Why were you in Muggle London?”

“I was doing something for the Dark Lord,” he said. “But I found the door. It’s wood and painted a deep turquoise green with gold inlets carved into it. I thought it looked… sophisticated.”

Pansy’s smile widened. “Can I see it?”

Greg offered his hand to help her up and led her into the entrance hall where he had the set of double doors propped up against the wall.

“Greg! It’s perfect!” she shrieked.

It was sophisticated looking and it would make her shop stand out among the vast assortment of places in Apricity Lane.

“Good. I’ll get it installed in a few days." -- Chapter 270 of ASC

Thanks so much for this ask! It was fun to take a trip down memory lane!

[troublesometrollhunters]

Zouxie (Zoe X Douxie)

Merry Christmas and Happy Secret Santa to a fellow T.O.A fan! For you @dreamsarelikedragonflies!!! You asked for any Wizards content particularly Zouxie or Jlaire so I wrote a little Zouxie Snow fluff thing and made a fun asesthtic for our favourite punk wizards! :D

~~~

 Douxies breathing was heavy as he rushed through the woods cutting through them to get to the park. Leaves brushed past him smacking his face as roots snagged at his shoes tripping him as he ran forward. His breathing came out in deep huffs as he raced to where he was heading.

  Archie who'd been on his shoulder had hoped off after the ravenette hadn't been careful and he'd gotten a faceful of leaves. The familiar was now flying next to his charge, avoiding difficult obstacles the forest provided as he weaved around the trees and low hanging branches. Douxie cursed at his own impulsiveness speeding up. She was gonna lose her cool one of these days and it was going to cost him his relationship. Archie seemed to always be warning him about how if he kept diving headfirst into danger especially on date night it was gonna bite him. Sadly the dragon was right as always.

   After closing down the café something had caught his eye and he had to investigate. Well together, Archie and him had found a growing nest of shadow mephits. They'd blasted the poor creatures apart, sending the whole nest back to the netherworld but it took way longer than expected. And now, now Douxie feared something far scarier. 

 He was late. He was late. He was late. He was late again and Zoe was going to kill him. Bursting out of the woods stumbling through a bush he catches himself. Dirt and leaves covered his hoodie making him hiss. Archie landed on his shoulder licking his hair grooming him and Douxie had no doubt that twigs were stuck in his ponytail. Sighing as Archie tried to clean him up he didn't care about appearances. It's not like Zoe did either, at the moment he was way more concerned with the time than his disheveled looks. Still heaving out air trying to catch his breath he paused to look around the clearing. Unable to speak full sentences yet he snaps his fingers pointing up.

 "Archie..." Douxie begs his friend and the dragon nods launching himself off the wizards shoulder. Looking around frantically for his pink haired girlfriend Archie soars above the trees searching for her as well. Distracted with finding her he didn't hear the footsteps sneaking up behind him. Stiffening as he feels a hard smack and muttering an owww, he turns quickly and sees her. It was Zoe.

  Relief crosses his features as he does his best to catch his breath so he can muster an apology. Opening his mouth she holds out a hand as she frowns at him. Her fingers are warm and looking at Zoe a spark of electricity zapped over his lips making him blush. He smiles but she's not in the mood. 

 "You're late." She states putting a hand on her hip and glaring up at him. Douxie chuckles nervously before swallowing at the intense look. He was happy Zoe hadn't gone home even if she was mad at him. If she'd left before he got to explain she'd be pissed for days. If he could get a word in hopefully she'd rage but then probably forgive him by tomorrow. The second option was more appealing but from the look on her face explaining could make the situation so much worse. Trying to think of what to say Douxie scratches the back of his head fishing out a stick from his ponytail. He tosses it aside and meeting Zoes burning blue eyes he blushes. 

 "I'm here now?" He asks with a playful laugh trying to lighten the mood but Zoe looks unamused. She flicks a leaf out of his hair and raises a brow scanning his messy form. "I can explain." He states defensively as he holds up his hands smiling at her.

 She rolls her eyes uninterested and begins walking away arms crossed.

 "Wait! Wait!" Douxie begs following closely behind as Zoe starts stalking away. 

 "Your burger was getting cold and I got hungry so I ate it." Zoe says pausing to vent her frustration. He notices a crumpled up bag sticking out of the nearby bin and sighs. He had a feeling she had waited way longer than usual if she dug into his food. Or maybe him being late made her spiteful so she tore into the burger trying to calm down. They weren't always the best at talking things out but they were working on it and honestly anything from her was a relief at the moment. As she huffed at him facing away from him arms crossed he signs. 

 "Zoe... Snow?" Douxies about to explain himself. Plead his case that a hoard of shadow mephits had jumped out at him after his shift and distracted him from coming but he noticed white flakes falling from the sky. As they landed the stark white against Zoes pink hair couldn't be ignored. What was snow doing in California? It was chilly sure but it wasn't even cold enough for his breath to show. How was there snow? 

 "What are you blubbering on about?" Zoe demands turning to yell at him some more. Her blue eyes flash pink as she glares at him about to give Douxie an earful but his own green brown eyes are soft as he steps closer. Zoes breath catches in her throat as Douxie stops in front of her. She looks up at him flustered before he reaches out. He brushes something out of Zoe's hair, his brows furrowed. Her flustered expression changes to shock, her eyes widening as she sees white flakes on his fingers before they melt away. 

 "... Snow?" She mumbles. Looking up the wizards noticed the night sky had become much darker as gray clouds rolled in. They'd been so distracted talking to each other they hadn't even noticed. It seemed someone had been messing around with weather spells, this couldn't be a natural snow storm. Not in the climate or this time of year.  

 "Well love we can argue later I think we have more pressing issues to deal with." Douxie states seeing that the flakes were getting thicker as the snowfall became heavier. The storm was fast approaching and there was a dark presence in the air. Hands glowing Douxie nudges Zoe behind him worried as Archie flies down. 

 per the dragon had perched on a nearby tree to give them some privacy but the snow brought him back. 

 "Yeah that's a no brainer fuzzbuckets. Now why the heck is there about to be a freak blizzard in California?" Zoe questions nose crinkling as she turns towards the storm clouds. She never really liked cold weather.

   The snow becomes heavier and soon the wind follows blowing endless white their way. Zoe shivers not dressed for this but Douxies attention shifts from her as Archie hisses lowly. His familiar had never liked snow either but seeing it was magically summoned and probably deadly put the dragon more on edge. 

 "What is it Arch?" Douxie asks softly. Archies claws dig into Douxies jacket as he tenses. He takes a deep sniff of the air before beginning to morph into a much bigger form, clinging tightly to Douxie. His hackles raise as he begins to hiss lowly tail swinging back and forth in aggression as his eyes narrow.

 "Ice giants." He growls.

 "Ice giants? Here?" Zoe questions unsure. Maybe it was just a freak snow spell?

 Suddenly a blue foot comes crashing down from behind a building rattling shop windows and making cars shake before their alarms go off. A creature of ice and snow it stood thirteen feet tall with a tattered kilt to cover it's blue tinted legs and a long icicle club.

 "Here." Archie responds hissing low in his throat. Everyone pauses watching as the ice giants begin to multiple as they walk towards them. At least the creatures were mostly away from people and in an open clearing, if they made a plan together they could take them down without causing too much damage.

 "Okay Zoe we need-" Douxie starts but she's not listening. 

 "Well let's do this!" Charging excited for a fight, electricity explodes from Zoe's hands as she shoots an ice giant in its chest. The pink lightning that explodes from her fingertips gives the park a bright glow before it zaps the giant making it crumble harmlessly into snow. Douxie shakes his head forcing himself to stop watching his girlfriend as another monster attacks and he follows Zoes lead.

 "Be careful love!" He calls worried but Zoe was doing just fine melting and exploding the giants. Snow rained down around her bouncing pink light off her face as she shot her magic. The beasts crumpled before her and Douxie was starstruck by her power and brute determination.  

 As he stares at Zoe enamoured Archie swipes at his face.

 "Pay attention to the battle Hisirdoux!" He scolds and Douxie nods. As Archie spits a fireball Douxie amplifies the spells power, melting several of the giants. Standing back to back with Zoe her hands glow pink as his burn blue. He looks at the frost creatures that were slowly surrounding them. 

 "Who could've sent them?" Archie asks as Douxie blasts one of them back. Zoe shrugs, zapping another giant that got too close. Icy wind blew back her hair and she hissed sniffling at the cold. 

 "Maybe they're lost?" Zoe asks before she gives Douxie a sharp shove and dodges a giant club. Douxie smiles at her happy for the save but Zoe ignores him. She shoots electricity at the ice monster that had tried to squish her and it becomes a flurry of snow as she breathes in. Taking that as a hint to find out what's happening and keep fighting rather than apologizing Douxoe noticed the creatures looked similar to golems which might explain why they collapsed into snow once struck. They didn't seem like snow spirits but rather controlled creatures. 

 "Maybe but it's more likely they were summoned!" Douxie responds. He taps his bracelet searching for another powerful fire rune hoping to burn them all down and be done with it. "Besides Ice giants don't like leaving their territory! Someone must of brought them here!" Well that's what he assumed at least. Last time he fought Ice Giants he was in Sweden a couple hundred years ago looking for some ancient texts. As far as he knew Ice giants never came out this far and they didn't just dissolve away like this.

 "DUCK!" Snapping back to attention Douxie huffs as he sees the crater that was almost him. Looking at Zoe wanting to apologize first for missing their date and now this mess she's already on the other side of the battle field trying to lead the ice creatures into the forest away from all the easily damaged park and innocent street shops. 

 "Zoe I-" He calls but she's only focused in the fight. 

 "Hisirdoux!" Archie calls and Douxie turns eyes wide. Bringing up his arms to defend himself unable to cast a shield in time, the hairs on his arms stand up. 

 "HEY! ONLY I GET TO HURT HIM!" 

A pink blast of 1000 volts of electricity were shot over Douxies head directly at the ice giants heart. The magic made contact and it exploded into a million pieces sending ice and snow everywhere. 

 "Thanks Zoe-" Douxie says smiling but Zoe isn't having it as she cuts him off. 

 "DON'T BE A DUMMY FOCUS ON THE FIGHT!" She orders before turning and facing the Giants that were slowly cornering her. Douxie nods. He turns towards his own foes and the fight goes on. 

~~~

About an hour later and they had won. The last few flakes of snow fluttered around them as the ice giants began to melt away. They didn't know who sent these creatures but they were taking care of themselves and nothing seemed to be amiss. Panting heavily Douxie smiled at Zoe who'd saved his ass during that fight more than once. 

 "I'd just like-" He starts wanting to apologize for all of this but Zoe wasn't having it. He guess he deserved the cold shoulder all things considered.

 "Hey dork?" Turning to face Zoe she grabbed his hoodie before pulling him into a kiss. Melting into it, like the snow was doing around them he leaned in cupping Zoes face. She smiles eyes tinged pink like her cheeks from the overuse of magic. Closing his eyes humming happily as he continues Zoe pulls away breathless. Laughing softly she leans into his chest hugging him tight and Douxie tucks her head under his chin as they take a moment to breathe.

  Pulling away far too quickly for Douxie's taste she smiles walking back towards the town. He blinks as he realizes the kiss was a distraction and she'd snagged his hoodie. "You're buying the burgers this time! I'm starving thanks to that little squable." She states taking out his wallet from his jacket pocket. Douxie shakes his head following after his mischievous girlfriend who'd seemed to forgiven him.

   Archie purrs looking up at Zoe and Zoe smiles scooping the familiar into her arms and cooing. "And your getting a treat for Archie too." She adds nuzzling the cat. Archie makes pleased sounds and curls up in her arms adoringly. Douxie chuckles smiling at Zoe as he follows her.

 "Deal. Oh and Zoe?" Zoe hums in response and Douxie steals a quick kiss on her cheek. "Love ya." He states before running off to where the burger shack was. 

 "WHY YOU LITTLE!" Chuckling as he keeps running he smiles, frostbitten but happy. He loved her more than she'd ever know. 

[hayleysstark]

Switch

Words: 2329 Warnings: Swearing Summary: If Merlin wasn't such a colossal idiot, Arthur wouldn't even believe it. The greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth, the king of the druids and the last dragonlord and the master of life and death and the magnificent, all-powerful warlock Emrys, has messed up with his magic, and gotten himself stuck in Arthur's body. And he's got Arthur stuck in his. But Merlin is a colossal idiot.So Arthur believes it.

Read on AO3. 

Arthur thought he had seen the worst of it when an entire camp of druids dropped down on bended knee, heads bowed and hands clasped, and called Merlin Emrys and my lord and the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth.

He thought he had seen the worst of it when the quiet, pretty girl wrapped in an old, tattered purple dress crawled out from the silver depths of a magical lake, and told him she was Merlin's wife, except Merlin has never even so much as said her name, because he would probably actually die if he ever had to tell the truth about anything, ever, in his entire life.

Arthur thought he had seen the worst of it when Merlin called up a dragon. When Merlin turned out to be the last dragonlord. When he crashed to the ground, all pale and limp and shaky, in a fit of magical exhaustion. When he turned himself into a girl. When he split himself into nine entire Merlins. When he called up a whole other Merlin from an alternate dimension, and this whole other Merlin turned out to be an absolute lunatic. The little bastard tried to murder Arthur no less than thirteen times because he wanted "justice for sorcerers" or some rubbish like that, before the real Merlin finally got him under control and pushed him back into his world.

(Arthur feels desperately sorry for the Other Arthur in Evil Merlin's dimension.)

Well.

Look.

The point is. This is the point. This is the point right here.

The point is, Arthur thought he had already seen the worst of it, because obviously, it simply can't get worse than Girl Merlin, or Nine Merlins, or Evil Merlin.

But.

That's the thing.

It can.

This is worse than Girl Merlin and Nine Merlins and Evil Merlin, it's so much worse than all of that, and Arthur thinks he would take all of that again before he would take this even once.

"Merlin," he says, and he sounds so wrong, so awkward and off-kilter and not him, and it burns the insides of his ears to hear it, "you have ten minutes to figure this out, and put us right, or I'm tossing you in the pigpen!"

Merlin blinks up at him—and God, this is so weird, it is so weird to see the way his eyes open and shut, the way his mouth opens and shuts, the way his hair falls over his brow, the way his fingers curl and uncurl, clench and unclench, the way his throat jerks when he talks—

"Well," Merlin says, simply, "I already spend all day, every day, with the biggest boar of them all."

Arthur scowls. "It's not funny, Merlin!"

"It wasn't a joke," Merlin says flatly.

"I can't look like this!" Arthur jabs a finger in his own chest. (Is it his own chest? Can he call it that? Can he call it his own chest right now?) "I can't be seen like this, Merlin, look at me! For God's sake! Look at me!" He sweeps a hand down to show off his new and entirely awful body. Except it's not even his body. "I'm you!"

If Merlin wasn't such a colossal idiot, Arthur wouldn't even believe it--the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth, the king of the druids and the last dragonlord and the master of life and death and the magnificent, all-powerful warlock Emrys, has messed up with his magic, and gotten himself stuck in Arthur's body.

And he's got Arthur stuck in his.

But.

Merlin is a colossal idiot.

So Arthur believes it.

Merlin scowls. Is that really the way Arthur looks when he's mad? That crease in his brow? That little vein in his neck? "Yes, Sire," Merlin says, acidly, "I can see this is absolutely humiliating for you—"

Arthur shuts him out. He's got bigger things on his mind right now. Like—

"Your ears," he runs his hands down the sides of his head with a little moan. Is this the way Merlin feels? Like he's got dragon wings up there? "I feel like one of Cook's brass pots. With the really big handles. Is that the way you feel? Do you feel like one of Cook's brass pots all the time? Is that why you're so grumpy?"

Merlin glares up from his spellbook. "There's nothing wrong with my ears!"

"There's everything wrong with your ears!" But Arthur takes his hands off his head all the same—it's only going to make him feel worse to think about it, and it's better to not think about it if he's going to be stuck with big ears and an ugly scarf and—

—and—

Oh.

Oh, no.

Arthur rips off Merlin's rough, ratty blue shirt with the ripped-up hem—he can't believe it didn't hit him before, but this is, obviously, the absolute worst thing about being Merlin, and oh, God, it's even more awful than he feared!

"You're so bony!"

"Arthur!" Merlin goes absolutely bright pink. "Put my shirt back on!"

"I—I can see your ribcage! I—I can feel your bones," he presses down on Merlin's narrow, scrawny side, "under your skin! You have no muscle! You look like a girl!"

"Put my shirt back on!" Merlin says again. He's turned all the way red now. "Stop showing me off like that!"

"Showing you off?" Arthur almost laughs. He cannot be serious, can he? "You don't have anything to show off! You're skin and bone!" If only he wasn't stuck with the skin and bone right now. God. He misses his muscles.

"Well, I'm hardly singing from the castle rooftops!" Merlin says, sharply, his cheeks still very red. "I have to look like you!"

Arthur snaps his head up to stare at Merlin. Or does he stare at himself? "What are you on about?" He shakes his head. "You've obviously got the better end of the deal! You get to be me!"

Merlin lets out a very unkind snort. "Get to be you? I feel like a hippopotamus!"

Arthur reels back. A hippopotamus?! "What?!"

"I feel like I'm carrying the Round Table on my arms!" Merlin winces and rolls his—Arthur's?—shoulders. "I'm so heavy!"

Oh. Arthur actually does laugh now. "Yes, that's called strength and muscle, Merlin. Of course, I wouldn't expect you to be familiar with it, but—"

"Look," Merlin says, with a distinct air of utter desperation, "just put my shirt back on, please, and let me focus. I'm never going to find the right spell if you keep whining about this."

"I'm not whining," Arthur huffs, because he's not, kings don't whine, thank you very much, even when kings have absolutely every right in all of Albion to whine. But he does put Merlin's shirt back on—he would be pretty embarrassed of his body, too, if that was all he had to show for himself—and plops down in the nearest chair.

God, it's so strange to look over and see himself in the same way he's seen Merlin a hundred thousand times before—all tucked up on the bottommost stair, spellbook open on his knees, hunched over the dusty old tome with his shoulders up (like a humpbacked old witch, Arthur said, once, and he had bright green hair for a full week before Merlin finally turned him back, honestly, the idiot could be such a girl sometimes—)

"I've got it!" Merlin looks up with a bright grin—even with Arthur's face, he still looks tremendously goofy—and jabs a finger at the page. "Here, it says—oh, it needs a potion, and—um—"

All the color drains from Merlin's face, and he hastily hunches back over the book, almost desperately, and so near his nose nearly touches the thick paper.

"Oh, no."

"What?" Arthur springs from his seat, and rushes over to look at the book for himself, but he already knows he can't read a word of it. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"The—um—" Merlin swallows, hard, and licks his lips, "—the potion needs to steep."

Arthur frowns. Is that all?

"For nine hours."

"What?!"

"The potion itself doesn't look very difficult," Merlin says, thoughtfully, and hunches over the book again. Like a humpbacked old witch.

"Nine hours!" Arthur says numbly. He can't be Merlin for nine hours! He can't! He has so much to do!

"I think we've actually got all the herbs we need in the cupboards," Merlin lifts his head, and looks hopefully 'round Gaius' cluttered, sunlit chambers. "I'm sure I can toss this together before we—"

"Nine hours!"

"Yes, Arthur," Merlin says, and he's got the nerve to sound impatient about it, too. "Nine hours. I thought I already told you that."

"No, no," Arthur shakes his head, so hard Merlin's dark hair tumbles down in his eyes, and he has to reach up and brush it back, "you don't understand, Merlin, I can't be you for nine hours! I don't have nine hours! I have a council meeting in fifteen minutes!"

Merlin finally snaps his stupid mouth shut, but his eyes go wide and round in his—Arthur's—face. "Oh," he says, very feebly. "That's bad."

"And I have three new knights to name in two hours before I have to get down to the grounds for training, and oh, God, Merlin, how am I supposed to spar with my men when I'm skinny as a broomstick?"

"I spar with you all the time," Merlin says. He's gone a bit pink in the cheeks again. "And I'm like that," he waves a hand at Arthur, "all the time."

Arthur snorts. "You do not 'spar' with me, Merlin. You go down with one hit, right off, and you lay in the grass, moaning and whimpering and—"

"You hit too hard!"

"That's the point! I'm supposed to hit too hard, and you're supposed to hit back! You're supposed to pretend I'm an enemy!"

"Yeah, well, it's not so simple for some of us, Arthur, because if I pretended you were an enemy, you would be dead—"

"All right, look," Arthur cuts him off, "we're not going to sort this out if we stand here and quibble about it, so let's get on with it. Go ahead and make the potion, we can leave it to steep in here, no one ever messes with Gaius' things." No one in Camelot has the nerve to mess with Gaius' things. Not even Gwaine. "We can go to the council meeting and explain everything there."

Merlin blinks blankly back at him. "Explain?"

Arthur raises his brows. What's so hard to believe about that? "Yes, Merlin, we're going to explain. We're going to tell the court you mucked up with your magic, again, and it's made me look like you, and it's made you look like me—"

"Um," Merlin says. "No."

Arthur steps back. "No?" His brows lift even higher. "I'm the King, Merlin, you can't tell me—"

"No, Arthur," Merlin says. "Do you want to get yourself tossed in the dungeon? Because that would be the perfect way to get yourself tossed in the dungeon. And burned at the stake at sunrise."

"What?" Honestly, can Merlin even hear himself right now? "They would not throw me in the dungeon! I'm the King!" He stands up a little straighter and throws his shoulders back, but it feels pathetic when he's so scrawny. No wonder Merlin slouches so much.

"Can you prove it?"

"What?" Arthur blinks. "Don't be ridiculous, Merlin, I don't need to prove it, I'm obviously the King, you know I'm the—"

"Yes," Merlin says, firmly, "but can you prove it?"

Arthur reaches, on blind reflex, for his sword, his sigil, his ring, all the things with the Pendragon crest, the Camelot crest, splashed upon them, but—oh—it's all on Merlin now, isn't it, Merlin has his sword and his sigil and his ring and—

—and—

"All they're going to see," Merlin says, "is a servant out to steal the throne."

Arthur tries to scoff. It doesn't come out right. "That's ridiculous," he says, but it's not, and he knows it's not. "No one in the kingdom is more loyal to me than you. No one would ever think you're trying to steal—"

Merlin just looks at him.

Arthur sputters out. He really, really hates it when Merlin's right. It should be illegal for Merlin to be right. He should make that an official law. When he's him again, of course.

(He should also make it an official law that no one is ever allowed to suspect Merlin of treason.)

"All right," he says, finally, "so, what are we supposed to do, then? Just go about our day like everything is normal? Pretend to be each other?" He looks Merlin up and down. "I really don't think you can pull it off. Even when you look like me."

"Shouldn't be hard," Merlin lifts his shoulders in a little shrug. "Walk 'round with my nose in the air, pretend I'm better than everybody, pretend I have literally never seen a woman in my life when Gwen walks into the room—"

"Do you want a day in the stocks? Because you are very close to getting a day in the—"

"You can't put me in the stocks," Merlin waves a hand. "I'm you. If anything, I could put you in the—"

Merlin stops dead. He breaks off, right in the middle, with his hand still up, his blond brow still wrinkled, and he stares, blankly, down at Gaius' overcrowded worktable like he has just glimpsed the very secrets of the universe.

Arthur frowns. He edges a bit nearer. "Merlin?"

"I could put you in the stocks," Merlin whispers, in a voice of absolute and unbridled wonder.

"What?!" No, Arthur does not screech, thank you very much! "No, you can't! Stop talking crazy, Merlin, I'm the King!"

Merlin smiles brilliantly back at him. "Can you prove that?"

[omgrachwrites]

Tell a Tale of You and Me - Chapter Thirteen

Pairing: Sirius Black x Reader

Summary: You knew that making a bet with Sirius Black was like making a deal with the devil but you just couldn’t help yourself. You had never been a heavenly woman.

Warnings: angst, fluff, pining

Words: 2527

Disclaimer: These gifs don’t belong to me!

A/N: How are we on chapter thirteen already?! I think I said this in my last post but I’m going to be writing a Remus fic that will connect to this one, I want to make these fics into a little series. My Remus fic will still be a reader insert but she’ll just have a proper name otherwise it will be so confusing with loads of Y/N’s running around so I hope that’s okay! I hope you guys enjoy this part and please let me know what you think and if you would like to be tagged! I love you all! xxx

Chapter Thirteen

Everyone – absolutely everyone – knew that Sirius and Y/N were at odds with one another, even if Sirius and Y/N didn’t know them personally; random people somehow knew that something was going on. Even the first years who had never spoken a word to either of them knew that something bad was happening because they’d watch Sirius joke and grin with his friends in the castle corridors, only for his grin to drop a moment later.

Whereas, McGonagall knew that something was wrong because Sirius had been unusually quiet in her class and he no longer exchanged wistful looks with Y/N from across the classroom. McGonagall missed his bold personality and even his incessant annoying pranks. She hoped that he’d be back to his usual self soon.

Sirius chewed his lip as he fiddled with the fanged Frisbee he was holding, scowling down at it when he felt it bite him and he slammed it right back onto the shelf in a huff. He didn’t think that he wanted it after all, “what did that poor Frisbee ever do to you Pads?” Peter smirked and Sirius narrowed his stormy eyes at his friend before turning to speak to James.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how much does Lily hate my guts right now?” Sirius didn’t want to cause a rift in his best mate’s relationship. He didn’t want to screw anything else up; he just wanted a quiet year from now on.

James sighed as he turned away from the display of nose biting teacups, “she doesn’t hate you mate, I think that she’s just disappointed,” Sirius winced, on second thought he would rather it if Lily hated our guts, “you have to understand Pads, Lily and Y/N have been best friends since our very first day at Hogwarts. Remember how inseparable they were by Halloween? She’d pick Y/N over anybody. I honestly wouldn’t worry about it too much; the boys and I are all on your side. You don’t have to work things out before you’re ready.”

Sirius looked up at the rest of his friends to see if they were of a same mind as James, Remus chewed his lip and immediately walked up to the counter to buy his items. Though, Remus needn’t bother trying to hide it, Sirius knew that Remus disapproved of the way he’d handled things.

However, Peter piped up which surprised Sirius, “yeah, we are on your side, Y/N could have at least told you about the fact she wanted to date your brother.”

It still caused Sirius a painful pang when he thought about Y/N – his Y/N – with Regulus. He looked outside, out of the rain streaked window, biting his lip when Lily and Y/N walked out of Honeydukes, munching on their sweets. Sirius wondered how sweet Y/N’s lips were with the sugar that was undeniably coating them.

“Be honest,” he started, turning back to his friends, “do you think that Reg and Y/N are properly going out?” he almost didn’t want to know the answer. But, he supposed that he couldn’t feel any worse than he already did.

James and Peter exchanged nervous looks, “well, I think if they were properly and seriously going out then they’d be walking down the corridor holding hands and they’d be snogging in The Great Hall like Lily and I do,” James chuckled before he got serious and he rested his hand on Sirius’ shoulder, “I know that I said that you didn’t have to work things out before you were ready but maybe you just need to shelve your pride and tell her how you really feel before she does get with Regulus for real. The problem is that you two are way too stubborn.”

Sirius rolled his eyes as he groaned internally, he didn’t want to lose his pride but he also knew that James was right. In these sorts of situations he was always right. The boys paid for their Zonkos’ products before they left the warm shop to join Y/N and Lily in the rainy country lane. Sirius made sure to keep a couple of paces behind.

A couple of days later, Sirius walked across the wet muddy lawn after dinner to meet James, he looked up with a groan at the dark sky that was threatening to pour down again and the air stank of wet grass. With the last two Quidditch matches looming James had become more frantic with his Quidditch practises; he wanted to win the Quidditch cup one last time. James had started scheduling them in the evening now as well as keeping his usual morning practises.

Sirius nodded in greeting as he noticed that James was walking up the hill, he was spattered with mud and Y/N was at his side, they both looked miserable. When Y/N looked up and saw Sirius, her eyes turned hard and cold and she brushed past James without saying goodbye to him. Sirius opened his mouth to say something to the pretty girl but she was already long gone. He turned back to James and saw that his usual warm and kind eyes were angry, “what’s the matter?”

James huffed angrily before prodding Sirius in the chest hard, “you need to make things right with Y/N, and soon. Because I need my amazing seeker back,” he grimaced at Sirius before storming ahead, leaving Sirius in the mud, he was utterly speechless.

Thankfully, by the time that Sirius had got himself up to the warm and mercifully dry common room, James seemed to have calmed down, he wondered whether it had something to do with Lily running her fingers through James’ hair. James gave Sirius an apologetic look as Sirius sank into the plush couch next to him, “sorry mate, practise has been so bad lately and I’m just so frustrated, I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“It’s fine, honestly. I think you were right to have a go,” Sirius smiled, he wasn’t going to hold a grudge against his best friend because of one stupid comment said in a moment of anger.

Later on that evening, the marauders were finally getting to work on that dreaded Potions essay that was due in the morning; however, Remus had already completed it somehow. Peter was going on about asking Evelyn out properly, she had gone to The Yule Ball with him in the end, “like what if she rejects me? James, did you ever feel this way before asking Lily out?”

Before James could reply, Sirius interjected loudly, “I wouldn’t if I were you Wormtail, when you show your feelings to someone, you only get stabbed in the back,” he didn’t know what made him say it, maybe his feelings had been bottled up inside him for too long.

A hushing silence fell over the common room as Gryffindor students looked between Y/N and Sirius as they waited for Y/N’s answer. It seemed like the whole room was holding its breath. Y/N glanced up from where she was sitting with Alice and she blinked with a confused expression etched upon her face. In a matter of seconds her face warped from an expression of polite confusion to an expression of rage as she angrily threw her quill down on her parchment, splotching ink everywhere. Sirius half expected to see steam billowing from her ears.

“Oh, would you just stop it? So what, your feelings got hurt, mine have too! But why do you have to make everything so much worse? Would you like to know why I took Regulus to The Yule Ball and why I’ve been spending so much time with him?”

“Enlighten me, Y/L/N,” Sirius smirked as he raised an eyebrow as he leaned back on the couch, crossing his arms behind his head. He couldn’t wait to hear her explanation.

“Y/N, don’t do this, think about who’s watching,” Lily warned but Y/N didn’t abide by her words.

“No Lily! He wants to know so I’ll tell him,” she narrowed her eyes as she walked over to stand before him and Sirius waited with bated breath, “your hag of a mother and my mum – the traitor – have taken it upon themselves to set me and Regulus up. For marriage, and you know what your mum is like when things don’t go her way, she’ll make my family’s life a living hell. The wedding is scheduled for Midsummer which is why I’ve been spending so much time with your brother. I don’t want to hate my future husband Sirius. What else do you expect me to do? I’m doing the best that I can,” her voice broke and those beautiful blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

Sirius felt his stomach lurch unpleasantly as his eyes stung, he felt completely awful; he’d made such a huge mistake. He should have known that something else was going on, he should have just been an adult and asked her. The last thing he wanted was for Y/N to become his sister in law. Not when he was completely crazy about her. He knew that he owed her a massive apology, he’d said some really awful things, they both had.

“Y/N, I,” he sighed, at a loss for words. What could he possible say other than he was sorry? Y/N sniffled and looked away from him.

“Good talk Sirius,” she mumbled before crossing the room and she climbed out of the portrait hole. Sirius couldn’t let her go like this; he quickly stood up, not caring that the majority of Gryffindor were watching this scene unfold. He had to go after her to let her know how sorry he was. He had to let her know that he didn’t mean all those horrible things that he’d said.

However, Lily’s words stopped him before he could reach the portrait hole, “Sirius don’t, I’m sorry but I think that it’s too late.”

————————————–

You grinned happily as Alice positively gushed about her boyfriend Frank, they could compete against James and Lily for Hogwarts’ cutest couple. It was very clear that Alice was very much in love and you knew that they would go the distance. At first, Alice wouldn’t talk about her happy love life because she didn’t want to upset you but you had quickly explained to her that it was absolutely fine. You didn’t want her to censor the conversation purely for your benefit.

Despite everything that had occurred over the last few days you were feeling pretty happy and positive. It was a beautiful day sunny day and you had managed to ignore Sirius – and how beautiful he looked with slightly shorter hair. He knew the truth now and you thought that he knew how you felt; the ball was in his court now so you hadn’t worried about it too much.

You checked the time on your watch and saw that there was about twenty more minutes of lunchtime left, if you were going to help Remus then it needed to be now, “I’ll see you guys later, okay?” you grinned, feeling pretty excited.

“Bye Y/N,” Lily pulled you into a warm hug and Alice blew you a kiss.

“See you later honey.”

You smiled at your friends and wandered over to the Slytherin table, “hey, Reg?” you smiled sweetly as he greeted you with a kiss on your cheek; he was so adorable, “have you seen Morgana?”

He frowned at your question and you ignored how much he looked like Sirus when he did that, “I think she said she was going to the library. Why do you want to know Y/N?” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously and you laughed.

“Don’t look at me like that, I only want to talk to her,” you offered him a small wave and an apologetic smile as you hurried off in the direction of the library.

You navigated the extremely busy library with some difficulty and you smiled, with the amount of people in this one room it was surely pissing Madam Pince off. That thought made you happy. Eventually, you found Morgana at the back of the library with her head stuck in a book, you nervously approached her table. You didn’t know how she was going to react when she saw you, “Morgana?”

At the sound of her name she looked up and quirked a beautifully arched eyebrow, “Y/N. What do you want?” she drawled and rolled her eyes as she closed her book and she gestured for you to sit down in the free seat.

“We need to talk about Remus,” you said as you sat down, at the mention of Remus’ name, her whole demeanour changed. Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink colour as she looked at the table before looking up at you almost shyly. It was a good look for her.

“What about him?”

“I need to know how you feel about him,” you started, your protective instincts kicking in, “he’s my best friend, he’s been there for me and I’ve been there for him. He likes you and I really don’t want to see him get hurt.”

Morgana sighed and chewed her lip as she fiddled with her fingers, “Y/N, I know that you don’t like me and you have every reason to be suspicious of me. I have a hard time truly opening up to people but with Remus, it’s just so easy, he makes it so easy. He’s been so amazing, so patient when I did nothing but push him away. It’s so different being with him, different in a good way. It feels more than sex; I want it to be more than sex. He makes me want to be a better person Y/N, I would never hurt him, please believe me. But there’s something you don’t know, and I’m not sure that I deserve him,” she seemed so sincere and you were glad to see this side of her.

She was incredibly human and you couldn’t help but believe her, Remus usually had a good judgement of people, “if you’re not going to hurt him then I’ll say that you more than deserve him. I believe you Morgana, why don’t you ask him out?” you liked playing cupid, it was fun.

Morgana looked away from you and wrapped her arms around herself, “oh, I couldn’t,” she hesitated before looking at you warily, “you’re going out with Regulus right? Would you be interested in a double date?”

You didn’t bother to properly correct her about Regulus, “yes, if that would make you more comfortable,” you sighed wondering whether you were playing with fire.

“Thanks Y/N,” she smiled.

After your talk with Morgana you made your way to Potions and grinned at Remus but before you could tell him the good news you noticed that Sirius was gazing at you. His stormy grey eyes were wary and vulnerable, and when he spoke to you it was in a civilised tone that you hadn’t heard in so long.

“Y/N, I think that we need to talk.”

You nodded at him, this was either going to be a very good thing or a very bad thing, “yes I suppose that we do.”

————————————– 

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