#hoping to rub it in how she brought all of this upon herself and how he was less of a coward than her for being willing to die as a human

[vhygoxo]

Twilight New Age

After inheriting her grandparents house in the Quileute reservation, La Push, Y/N moves to her home rez. Hoping to start a new life she is soon involved with what she thought were just old legends.

Paul Lahote x Reader

Romance | Fantasy | Drama | Angst

CHAPTER 1

>> CHP 2

Y/N did not expect her life to turn out the way it has. She led a normal life, as normal one can be, at the age of twenty one. Like most her age she was confused on what she wanted in life. What she knew was she wanted to be an artist. That’s something she always knew.

At the start of the year her grandfather Quil Ateara III passed unexpectedly. It was a huge loss for not only her family but the community of La Push. Y/n’s home reservation, where her grandfather had served on council for many years, a well respected elder.

As If any of it wasn’t enough for y/n the family decided to read his will. Discovering he had left her with the estate and property under her name. Yet it was never brought it up to her in their many visits. Shocking the whole family it caused an uproar.

Her own mother was surprised at this news. Everyone figured he’d leave everything to at least one of his children. Her grandmother Molly was the only one not surprised. Instead she ensured that y/n would move in by the end of the season. And that no one could argue since it was her husbands will.

Even if it was passed onto her mother, or her many uncles and aunts, no one wanted to uproot their lives to live in the house. In fact the family was ready and planning to sell the house. Deciding to split the money between everyone and cut their losses on the property. But her grandparents wouldn’t have any of it happen.

And so it was y/n was on her way to her “new” house. Her grandmother Molly had already moved in to her sisters home. As a way of keeping an eye on each other now that they’re both older.

For y/n it was all so fast but an opportunity would never come like this again. For she had been desperate for a place on her own. A studio apartment wasn’t an ideal space for someone who loved, well, space.

It was a three story house with a wrap around porch. Fit with five bedrooms and one bathroom. As she drove y/n thought of how expensive and difficult it could get to maintain such a house. But she figured she’d at least try before trying to get a roommate.

Although it was all new and quite stressful to think of. Y/n was excited to be back in her beloved home of La Push. She had only visited a few times throughout each year. And as of late she hadn’t been around much with life catching up to her.

Driving down the same old roads she couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. How many summers she spent here and what good memories were made. The scenery was always something y/n favoured especially the tall beautiful pine trees.

Despite the constant downpour of rain it made y/n happy. Even just the smell of rain and dirt made her smile. It was a moment y/n wanted to savour for herself, entering the reservation, it felt like she never left.

The road was wet from soft rain throughout the day. The clouds blocking the sun from shining. Looking at the sides of the road the hairs on her neck suddenly spiked. A weird feeling in her gut began to twist and turn.

As she looked on each sides of the road it felt eerie. Although she drove down familiar roads it didn’t feel right. As if there were eyes peering a hole in the back of her neck. Rubbing the spot in comfort she tried shaking off the unsettling feeling.

After all she was stressed and tired after a long drive she convinced herself. Upon seeing the house she was relieved. Her grandma was supposed to be here before her. But her car wasn’t parked in the driveway.

Parked in the car y/n sat awaiting for either the eerie feeling to go away or for her grandmother to arrive. As she sat and decided, she noticed in the window stacks of boxes, she had sent her stuff beforehand. With the help of her cousins they moved everything inside.

Impatient and no longer anxious she got out of the car. The property has a clear and neat tree line. The backyard was a huge open field filled with wild flowers. Although at the moment it was still too early in the spring for such flowers. The field sat in colours of yellows and browns.

Y/n searched around the area in case of anything. Taking a short moment to look. With nothing around she headed inside. Deciding to unpack until her grandma arrived. She grabbed the rest of her belongings from the trunk.

Sure enough It didn’t take long for her grandma to pull up in the driveway. As y/n headed outside to meet her she felt even more relief. Seeing the soft smile on her grandma’s face brought her comfort.

“My girl! You’re finally home” she said into her neck as they hugged tightly. “Yep! Finally home for good” y/n replied holding onto her grandmothers hands. The two headed inside to catch up with one another.

Her grandmother Molly and her were always close no matter the distance. In times of need she always called her for advice. To be living more close to her was a blessing in itself.

“I would’ve been here long time ago but I had a meeting. It ran longer than it was supposed to” Grandma Molly took her grandfathers place on council once he passed. As she felt it was her responsibility to him and the community. The people had also unanimously agreed for her to take the position.

“It’s alright grandma it gave me extra time to unpack” which was mainly just her clothes. Scanning the room over the endless boxes her grandma fussed over y/n.

“There’s plenty of time for you to do that. Now that you’re home” her grandma smiled warmly once more. “You’re right but it’s just I need groceries” y/n replied as she looked around the fridge.

“I left you plenty of dry goods in the cabinets. But I took what was in the fridge and freezer. I figured we’d go now and shop for something more fresh” y/n wasn’t surprised at her grandmas smart and thoughtful thinking.

Agreeing the two stepped out of the house. Only to be met with the arrival of her cousin Quil Ateara V. Pulling up in his black truck he wore a cheeky grin. Immediately he stepped out and rushed in for a hug.

Quil was another one of her cousins she grew up close with. Besides herself Quil was close with their grandparents. Majority of the family relied on Quil and his help. It comforted y/n to know she’d see him more often now.

“Good to see you sis” he said as the two pulled away from each other. “You too! I was gonna text you but I’m glad to see you! I’ve been meaning to thank you for the help. Moving the furniture for me was a huge help for real”

“Easy work. If you need anything just let me know” Quil was always cocky and loved to tease. He could be serious when needed to. It was something y/n somehow missed in their time apart. Although she knew that behaviour was bound to wear on her. For now she was enjoying the moment.

“We were just going into town. What are you up to?” Grandma Molly asked Quil. Shrugging his shoulders he replied “Not much just about to stop in at the house. Wanted to see if this girl was home yet or not” he smiled as he nudged y/n’s shoulder.

Y/n smiled before an idea popped into her head. “How about the three of us eat dinner? On me? I’m famished and I do owe the both of you” she replied as the two agreed. “You don’t owe us anything we’re family” Grandma Molly assured y/n as the two walked to the car. “But I will take you on that offer” she joked making the other two laugh.

“Well I have my truck so I’ll meet you girls where?” Quil asked whilst twirling his keys. The three threw out suggestions. Grandma Molly and Quil ended up squabbling over which place to eat.

“How about Carver’s? Y’know I haven’t been there in ages” y/n suggested trying to end the arguments. It worked as everyone agreed. Y/n and her grandma went together as Quil followed in his truck behind. The drive was short but eventful. As grandma Molly continued to give her an update on everyone in the reserve.

Somewhere behind them Quil had veered off the path. But y/n knew he would eventually come behind. Vouching to get a table without him until he came the two headed inside. As y/n held the door open for her grandmother, before she could enter, a man rushed to hold open the door.

“Here I got it” the man said, he stood tall way over six feet and was obviously Quileute, despite cold weather he wore only a long sleeve shirt. Y/n briefly looked at him before a surprise walked through the door.

“Y/n? Grandma Molly? Oh my god! It is true you’re finally home!” Out rushing was her cousin Kim Conweller. She grew up with her close, the two were always together, but recent years they’ve been in and out of touch. The bond between them has never faded.

Growing up Kim, Quil, and y/n were close as a trio. They were the eldest out of their cousins. It had been awhile since the three of them were under one roof. Y/n felt overjoyed at her so far warm welcomes from everyone she’s seen.

The two hugged tightly albeit y/n was surprised. “Kim! Hi yes I’m home for good now! I’m glad to run into you” she smiled as Kim gushed. “Grandma here told me a few weeks ago you were moving down. I wasn’t sure if you actually were but here you are!” Kim gushed with a bright smile.

Y/n smiled back before looking up at the man who held the door. Who stared down at y/n, with curious eyes, it felt like the two somehow knew each other. Kim took notice and nervously laughed clutching onto his arm.

“Sorry y/n you caught me off guard. This is my boyfriend Jared Cameron and this is my cousin y/n“ Kim introduced the two as Jared reached out for a handshake. When she did he wore a welcoming grin holding a firm grip on her hand. It was almost like it burned to touch him with how warm he was y/n thought.

She had heard of Kim speak of Jared when they talked. Even when he was nothing more than a high school crush to Kim. But y/n never knew anything more than his name and who his family was. She has always been curious as to who he really was.

“Great to meet you y/n I heard a lot about you from Kim” Jared said as he stood beside Kim. Making y/n look at Kim with an eyebrow raised. “Hopefully she didn’t say too much” she joked as the rest of them laughed slightly.

Before Kim answered she gave a quick glance to Jared. Then with a bright smile she replied “Of course not! I’ve just been excited to know you’re back home. It’ll be nice to have a close girlfriend around” Kim said as it was true.

Y/n was the only girl she knew who was into feminine interests. Such as beauty, fashion, and everything in between. When these two meet it was always a blast.

“Yeah me too I’m glad to have seen you Kim. You should stop by the house this week. Once I get more settled in” y/n offered. After all it’d be great to have a visitor or a helper to unpack. It’s been long enough since it was just the two of them.

“Yeah of course just send me a text. Well we better get going it looks like we’re holding up the door here” Kim said as more people pulled up to eat at the diner. As they all started to leave Quil finally arrived. As he got out of the car he rushed up to the group.

“Hey bro” Quil said as he walked up to greet Jared. Who wore a smile bright as Kim’s when they briefly hugged. “Hey~, I’ll see you at the house, alright?” Was all that was exchanged as Quil gave a nod in response. The couple leaving in Jared’s truck.

‘Wait what house?’ Y/n thought as Quil ushered them inside. Sitting down it was a quaint dinner between the three of them. It felt familiar and refreshing for the three of them. The last few months darkened by the death of Quil Atera III.

The three talked about everything going on in each others lives. How their grandma worried about them and their future. Willing to help in anyway she can. Quil’s silly jokes and stories entertained them throughout the evening.

Finishing up their dinner they got it ready to take home. As it was getting dark Quil offered to take their grandmother home. Quil said “You need to catch up on your rest sis. Really it’s no problem” y/n knew she couldn’t argue.

As she looked up ready to leave she seen two people coming through the door. First to walk in was a girl with long soft auburn curls, skin that was beautifully pale and somehow glowing, her features were delicate and pretty.

Her beauty took the breath away from y/n. For she didn’t look like she was real more like a doll. It was hard to believe someone could look so ethereal.

Behind her came a tall man with broad shoulders. He was also tall dark and handsome, another obvious Quileute man, wearing a leather jacket. The two gave off such a powerful impression it was almost unreal as they stood together. His eyes were fierce but dark as he looked over at their table.

Quil took notice from the look y/n had on her face. Turning around his heart dropped into his stomach. The two men looked at one another with disbelief. “Jacob” he said rising from his chair, this earned a smile from the man, who y/n assumed was Jacob.

“Brother” was all Jacob said as the two collided into a tight hug. Holding each other for a moment. As the two broke away Jacob patted Quil’s shoulders. The fierce look in Jacob’s eyes faded away.

“I thought—“ Quil tried to speak before getting cut off. “We’re back home” Jacob said as he looked directly into his eyes holding Quil’s shoulders to keep him in place. They shared a brief moment together before Quil nodded. His lips tightened into a stern expression.

“Hi” the girl said with a voice so sweet and alluring. Taking away her focus it was all drawn in suddenly on the mysterious girl. “I’m Renesmee” She answered earning a smile from Y/n. “Hey my names y/n” Renesmee’s smile was so welcoming.

It felt like y/n was being drawn towards her more and more with each passing second. She was definitely being enchanted by her and her eyes. They were a shade of colour close to her hair, an almost honey brown, y/n and her eyes were locked. As the girl reached towards y/n to shake her hand Quil came quickly to her side.

Jacob suddenly put a gentle hand on Renesmee’s shoulder. Breaking eye contact it was like y/n snapped out of it, as if she wasn’t breathing before, she sucked the air back into her lungs. Leaning on Quil for support briefly. He looked down at her with concern.

“We were just getting a bite to eat me and her. I’ll stop by once I drop this girl off home” he told Quil as he cocked his head in response. “Back home already? Huh… Alright—” Taking a moment to rub y/n’s arm in support. He nodded as he grabbed his jacket and Grandma Molly’s arm.

“We have to get going” Quil said cutting the meeting short. “I have to get my grandmother home” he said as their grandmother tried to argue she wasn’t tired. Y/n was still trying to get a grip on herself. Feeling Renesmee burning a hole into her neck.

“I’ll be by later. I need to talk with Sam and the others” Jacob said with the serious look in his eye back. Quil nodded and as he turned y/n noticed the look on his face. As if he was slightly panicked trying to keep calm.

Grandma Molly silently placed her hand over Quil’s. Giving a firm but soft squeeze to reassure him. Quil’s posture softened, the three of them watching the two leave, y/n noticed how the energy of Quil and grandma Molly changed.

Y/n didnt want to bother the two and ask what was up. She felt it wasn’t appropriate instead deciding to just say goodnight to the both of them. As the two sped off in the opposite direction of grandma Molly’s house.

As she drove home she tried to calm her unsettled nerves. Reneesme was so enchanting and enticing, it was like she wanted to just submit to her, whatever she asked. It made y/n uncomfortable with how willing she truly was.

Trying to avert her focus she turned the music up and chalked it up to sleep deprivation. Maybe even anxiety but in reality y/n couldn’t put a finger on it. Who ever Reneesme was she was unworldly y/n thought before falling asleep.

As the week progressed y/n settled into her house and tried to figure out a routine. Which ended up just becoming eating, sleeping, unpacking, more unpacking, etc. A bit of shopping in between.

Already tired of her routine she wondered what type of social life there is out here. And when would she be able to find new friends. Her and Kim had been texting with each other frequently. Quil as well but both have been too busy to stop by.

It was still an adjustment living alone in such a big house. Didn’t help that every time she went places, like the grocery store, shopping for the house, she’d get that eerie feeling again. It wasn’t anxiety that was a feeling she was accustomed to.

For her it felt like being watched weirdly enough. Y/n had been shaking it off as moving in jitters. But in the back of her mind the thought of it all sat there. She didn’t feel afraid but more unnerved, feeling the back of her neck hairs raise, as if she needed to be alert.

Sometimes before bed, in her bedroom there was a windowsill to sit on, some nights she’d just gaze out into the tree line. Looking up at the moon in all it’s beauty. It was one of the only ways to soothe her nerves as of late.

All of it made her wish for a roommate some days. Living alone out in an open field was unnerving enough. But when she’d leave that’s when the feeling would arise. She wondered if it was spirits but the house was already cleansed thanks to her grandma Molly.

Randomly Kim arrived that weekend, unannounced but most welcome, y/n was wondering when she would come. “Wow you’ve already made the place your own huh” she said impressed with how she decorated. Definitely a change from the usual way it stayed for years.

“Yeah well I’ll be here for who knows how long” Y/n said as the two sat in the living room. The two talking about what each other missed on in their time apart. Which was mostly just Kim gushing on and on about Jared.

Y/n knew Kim was obsessed with this one crush of hers for years. But since they didn’t go to the same school y/n always wondered who the guy was. It was exciting to know he is as obsessed with her as she is.

“Yeah things have been great with him. Hoping soon we can have our own place together. On that note I hope you don’t mind but he told our friends about you. Since we don’t get much new people here they were excited. They all wanna meet you”

This piqued y/n’s interest, she couldn’t stand being in the house alone, the novelty of it all was starting to wear on her. “Really? I mean who are your friends?” She asked with a curious tint in her eyes which amused Kim.

“I mean~ I’m really close with this girl named Emily. She has a man named Sam who Jared is also close with. We usually just hang at her place since everyone else does”

“And who’s everyone else?” Y/n asked making Kim shrug her shoulders. “Most of them are Jared’s brothers, cousins, and friends he took in. In our friend group there’s hardly any girls. Just me, Emily, and Leah”

Kim went on about who these two girls were. Emily was a friend of hers she got close with in recent years. Around two years older than the two but she was carefree and loved by all. Her fiancé Sam was a strong but calm man, was always busy with work, but loves Emily fiercely.

Apparently a few years back she had been attacked by a bear. Luckily before it claimed her life Sam came with a shot gun and blew its head out. As proof of the kill they gifted the community jars full of bear grease. It was also how Emily was able to fix her face since it was torn to shreds.

Leah was described as stoic and honest, maybe too honest for her own good, a very independent person. But like the rest she was fiercely loyal and protective of those she loves. She was more of a boyish girl and hung with her brothers a lot.

“The rest is just guys like Quil, Embry, and Jacob I don’t know if you remember those guys” Kim said making y/n rack her brain about remembering them. “Yeah somewhat… But either way I’d like to meet them also” She said getting Kim excited and giddy as she squealed.

“Well~ I came over to ask if you wanted to come to this bonfire party. It’s this weekend and I told everyone you would come. Emily especially wants to see you” Y/n couldn’t help but feel flattered and excited. This was what she was wanting, to meet new friends, so why wouldn’t she agree?

“Yeah of course it sounds fun” she said making Kim squeal with excitement. “Okay great! Oh it’s gonna be so fun I’ll get dropped off here and come with you in your car if that’s ok?” She asked and of course y/n agreed.

“It’s just that Jared has some other errands to do I don’t wanna waste my time on that” Kim said making y/n giggle. The two girls continued their visit till dark before she left. Thinking of what they wanted to do this weekend.

Jared came in his blue heavy duty truck with loud pipes announcing his arrival. Like the gentleman he was he came to the door for Kim. Before leaving she promised she’d come spend the night this weekend. It gave y/n something to look forward to.

That night y/n followed her now usual routine. Sitting in her windowsill gazing out to the tree line. Tonight was a full moon that stood high above the trees and mountains. She gazed upon it until she felt tired enough to just sleep when she hit the bed.

As she slept she had a dream, of her alone in the woods behind her house, everything all felt real to her. How the cold air bit at her skin and shocked her lungs when breathing in. Looking down she wore only a white dress with no details.

She didn’t have any shoes on either. Feeling the crunchy dirt under her feet. Looking around she wondered what was happening. She could hardly see within six feet in front of her.

The full moon was bright as it shined down through the trees. Although beautiful it didn’t help much. Aware of her surroundings she couldn’t make out where was home. Trying to find the North Star or at least the Big Dipper for guidance.

The air was silent and very still a sign she knew wasn’t good. Her instincts told her she should be quiet. For she wasn’t alone in this vast wilderness. Feeling her heart beat start to race at a steadily rising pace.

In the distance she could hear echos of thumps, four legs on the ground running at top speed, right in her direction. Her heart started to beat faster and louder. Before she knew it she was on her feet.

She ran as fast as she could, it didn’t help she was barefooted, it messed with her speed. Panicked and alone she wasn’t sure where to go. All she knew was there was something coming for *her.* The pain of pine needles and stones beneath her steps.

Somehow she was sweating as she ran full speed. She could hear the noise of something on all fours running behind her. As she briefly looked behind she twisted her foot and rolled on the ground.

Crawling onto her knees in a hurry she was frantic. The fear of not knowing what would happen if she stopped. But it was like her legs were weak and her body frozen in place.

“I can help you” a familiar voice chimed in front of her making her jump back. She felt frozen as her eyes looked forward. A woman stood in front of her face hidden under the shadows.

Y/n’s eyes trailed up from her feet, by the time she got to her chest, she could see auburn hair flowing in the wind. It gave her brief solace seeing her, the girl from earlier, Renesmee. Thinking she’d meet with the soft enchanting eyes as she did before.

Only to be met with eyes that were so black it competed with the shadows. Her skin like diamonds under the moonlight. True fear ran through y/n’s veins as she was once again locked eyes with this girl. Everything in her body told her this was what she was running from.

A howl suddenly pierced through the valley and trees. It was loud and clear so much it rang throughout her ears. It sounded like the howl was right behind her somehow directly in her ear. It struck fear into the woman in front of her.

The howl made her snap out of the dream entirely. Y/n jumped out of bed and clasped her chest. Sitting in a cold sweat her heart beat pumped steadily. Wondering what her dream meant and why did the howl comfort her so much?

Finally finished rewriting this fic! This is a redo of my old fic named “Pale Moonlight” I did 2 years ago. I always liked the concept but I struggled on the timeline. Originally I wanted to set it during the actual events of the saga. But I ended up making this after the events of the twilight saga. As a way of seeing what the Wolfpack get up to with and without vampires. This is focused on them and their story. Not to mention a romance with Paul 💪 I do have the other chapters ready but I need time to edit them. In the meantime feel free to leave feedback 🫶

[of-a-chaotic-mind]

I Can't Say Part 3 (Finale)

Summary: Everyone is waiting for Reader to wake up after surgery. Eddie finds out what has been causing her behavior and as soon as she wakes up he apologizes for doubting her. She knows she'll never lose him again after what he does next.

TW/CW: Eddie Diaz x Reader, Make Up, Injured Reader, Hospital Setting

Requested?: No   

Word Count: 3,194

A/N: Our grand total of words for this trilogy is 11,325… I’m ngl was kinda stuck on how I’d get from break up to make up but then I was rewatching season 2 the other night and well… Earthquake it is. Anyways, hope you enjoy the read! Love to all! Requests are Open!

Part 1

Part 2

--- Third Person POV --- 

Hours later, the team has been given the go ahead to go home but every one of them is heading to the hospital in hopes of seeing (Y/N). Hen cleared it with Bobby first but decided it was best if she stayed with Eddie who has been pacing the waiting room the entire time since they sent (Y/N) back. She had sent messages to everyone she could think of, letting them know which hospital they’re at and keeping them updated. Unfortunately, the phones have only just now been able to start working again. Her phone begins exploding with notifications. Carla is bringing Chris as well as a change of clothes for Eddie. Athena says she and the kids are on the way but stopping for coffee and snacks. Karen confirms she’s getting Denny and Mara in the car now with a change of clothes for Hen. Maddie and Jee are on their way too. Every single person that Hen texted, responds except for the 118 members, Talia, and Tommy who all changed out of their gear as soon as they got to the station and piled into Bobby’s truck and Buck’s Jeep. 

Those who responded all trickle in with Athena, May, and Harry bringing up the rear as they drop several bags of snacks and a couple gallons of cold brew on the coffee table that everyone has gathered around. Carla and Chris have convinced Eddie, who is now nursing a cup of cold brew, to sit down and are posted on either side of him, Carla rubbing his back and Chris holding his hand tightly. Karen and Hen are playing patty cake with Jee while Maddie begs the nursing staff for an update. Harry, Denny, and Mara are quietly discussing some video game while they snack. Athena and May share a look before they make their way over to Maddie and gently tug her back to the group. It seems everyone lets out a breath they had been holding when the group of firefighters step through the glass doors. The waiting room is brought to life as everyone greets each other. Eddie on the other hand is rooted to his seat and staring at the floor. 

Just as Bobby is about to place his hand on Eddie’s shoulder, the doctor enters the waiting room. Everyone waits with bated breath as he approaches them, Talia and Eddie both rushing to meet him. He looks around at the rather large group before chuckling, “You’re all here for (Y/N) (Y/L/N)?” Several in the group nod so he continues, “Good. She’s out of surgery. It was a little touch and go but she’s stable. The anesthesia will wear off soon but, due to the amount of blood she lost, it may take her some time to wake up. Once we get her settled into a room, I’ll let you all know.” Everyone nods in understanding and releases the breath they were holding. A few of them thank the doctor as he walks away. Eddie drops back into a chair, laying his head back against the wall, and grabs hold of Christopher’s hand again. Talia is pulls Tommy away from the group to ask him what’s going on between (Y/N) and Eddie, soon finding herself in tears upon hearing the news. Tommy pulls her into a tight hug, hating that he had to break it to her. The others strike up conversations to pass the time. 

A short while later, the doctor returns to the group, “She’s in a room. Anesthesia should be worn off but as I explained earlier, she’s not awake yet. That being said, you can see her now but you’ll have to take turns. I don’t want more than two or three in there at a time. You can find her in room A204.” As he departs, Eddie kisses the top of Christopher’s head and heads to her room.  

Everyone else has their eyes on Talia who hasn’t moved a muscle. Tommy places his hand on her shoulder, “Go.” She looks up at him and around the group with uncertainty but with a nod from Bobby she’s off toward the room as well. 

When Talia enters the room, Eddie is sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the bed from the door. He is holding (Y/N)’s hand tightly, tears streaming down his face, and mumbling under his breath, “(Y/N) please, you gotta wake up for me.” She takes a seat on the other side of the bed and the room falls silent aside from the steady beep of the heart monitor. 

A few moments pass before he clears his throat, “If it weren’t for you, she- she wouldn’t be alive right now.” 

Fresh tears paint her cheeks as she looks down at her lap, “If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.” 

He looks at her, head titled, “What do you mean?” 

“If it weren’t for me, the love of her life wouldn’t have broken up with her, she wouldn’t have been in that therapy office, and she wouldn’t have been run through with rebar,” she admits, struggling to get the words out through her tears. He is immensely confused at first but she clarifies before he can ask, “A few weeks ago I called her because I needed someone to keep me from hurting myself. She came no questions asked. She’s been stopping by to check on me a lot. She always answers the phone when I need her. Selfishly, I made her promise not to tell anyone because I didn’t want my team finding out.” Eddie’s heart breaks as he realizes but she continues, “If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be in this mess.” 

He reaches his hand across the bed for Talia’s who hesitantly takes it. He looks her dead in the eyes, “You cannot blame yourself for any of this. You did the best thing you could which was ask for help when you needed it. You don’t know where she would’ve been if not in that office with you. It could- it could’ve been much worse.” He pauses for a moment, looking back at (Y/N), “I wish I would’ve just believed and trusted her when she said she had a good reason.” 

Talia wipes her tears away; she still feels terrible about everything but knows (Y/N) would’ve told her the same exact thing that Eddie did. She squeezes his hand gently, “I know I’m not around you and the rest of her new family that much but I’ve heard a lot about everyone.” He looks up at her and she continues, “I’ve heard more about you and Chris than anyone else. She always has a blindingly bright smile on her face when she tells me about you two and I know without a shadow of a doubt that she loves you more than life itself.” Eddie nods as Talia squeezes his hand once more before dropping it and standing up to leave. Before she opens the door, she stops and looks back at him, “She still does. She wouldn’t hesitate for a second to take you back. Hell, I don’t even think she even let you go.”  

Eddie kisses (Y/N) knuckles as Talia leaves, “I don’t deserve it but I hope to god you can forgive me for being so stupid...” 

It’s not long before the door opens again, this time by Buck and Tommy. Eddie does his best to slap on a smile when he sees Chris right behind them. He watches his son take the seat Talia had been in previously and grab hold of (Y/N)’s hand, “Is she gonna be okay?” he asks hopefully looking up at his father.  

Eddie nods reassuringly, “Yeah, she’s just sleeping so her body can recover.” 

Chris nods and looks down at where his hand meets hers, “Where’s her bracelet?” 

“They had to take it off so it wouldn’t get messed up during the surgery and recovery,” Eddie responds. In his peripheral, he sees Buck and Tommy patiently waiting their turn. 

Chris seems deep in thought for a few seconds before stating, “She’s gonna kick their asses when she finds out. I gotta fix it.” With this, he gets up and exits the room on a mission. Buck goes after him, motioning for Eddie to stay put. 

It’s quiet again as Eddie and Tommy listen to the steady beep of her heart. Finally, Tommy takes a seat. Eddie makes eye contact with him, “I’m sorry. Talia told me everything. I know I fucked up and I know she means the world to you.” 

Tommy looks over at (Y/N) face and reaches up to brush her hair out of her eyes as he thinks. Taking a deep breath, he responds, “Just promise me that the next time you think about doing something stupid, we hit the mat first so I can knock some sense into you.” 

Eddie chuckles, nodding, “I will.” It’s quiet again while Eddie debates with himself before finally pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to Tommy, “Does this count as something stupid?” 

Tommy looks down at the ring box in his hand as his smile grows. After opening it, he answers, “Never in a million years.” He closes the box and hands it back to Eddie, “But you should know that Buck was looking forward to helping you pick it out. He’s gonna be heart broken.” 

Eddie puts the box back in his pocket, “Technically, he did help me pick it out. Whether he remembers that or not is a different story.” 

Tommy knits his brows together in confusion, “What?” 

Eddie smiles, “I went with him when he bought you that bracelet a while back. He was looking through the cases while we waited on them to bag it up. I was zoned out thinking about (Y/N) when he slapped me on the shoulder and very excitedly pointed at a specific ring saying, ‘(Y/N) would love this one!’” 

Tommy shakes his head chuckling, “So, you bought it?” 

Eddie shrugs, “Not right then but after a few days of constantly thinking about it, I had to.” Tommy laughs but Eddie’s face drops. At the tilt of Tommy’s head, Eddie adds, “I held onto it, trying to find the right time to ask her but then she started acting weird and...” 

Tommy sighs, “You still have it though. You didn’t let her go.” 

Eddie shakes his head, “I couldn’t. I broke up with her because I was scared of getting hurt but it hurt so much more to do so. I thought maybe if I just distanced myself from her for a while that it would stop but if anything, it got worse.” He takes a deep breath, “I just hope she’ll forgive me because I don’t know how much longer I can take this ring burning a hole in my pocket.” 

Tommy nods, “She will. She’ll do it in a heartbeat but then you gotta nut up and give her that ring.” 

Eddie smiles, “Would it be too much to ask her to forgive me and marry me in the same conversation?” 

Tommy shakes his head violently, “Absolutely not.” 

Eddie laughs, “Good.” 

Over the next few hours, people come and go. Everyone gets their own turn of checking on her and reassuring Eddie that she’ll be okay. Finally, with only Eddie in the room, she stirs. She squints up at the ceiling as she tries to process where she is. The sound of her moving her head to look around alerts Eddie who jerks up from where he lays on her arm, “Hey, you’re okay. You’re in the hospital.” 

She nods, trying to speak but her mouth is dry. Eddie hands her the bottle of water, Carla had brought him earlier, from the side table that and helps her take a few sips. When she pulls away, he sets the bottle back down on the table and brushes her hair from her face, “How are you feeling?” 

She stares at him for a few seconds before whispering, “I’m just glad you’re here.” 

He kisses her knuckles, “Of course I am, baby. I love you so much and I’m so sorry I doubted you.” The confusion on her face prompts him to add, “Talia told me what happened. I can’t believe I ever thought you’d do something like that. I should’ve known you had a good reason.” She smiles softly but he still feels the need to ask, “Will you forgive me?”  

She nods immediately, “Of course.” Out of habit she reaches to fidget with her bracelet but finds it missing, “I’m gonna kick someone’s ass.” 

Eddie laughs heartily, “Chris said you would.”  

She reaches up to cup his cheek, “I love you.” 

He leans into her touch, “I love you too.” 

The moment is interrupted when the door opens again but both are immediately delighted to see Carla opening the door for Chris who is overjoyed to see (Y/N) awake. He takes a seat as Carla waves with a smile before closing the door to give the small family a moment. With one hand, Chris reaches over and takes (Y/N)’s left wrist and wraps her bracelet back where it belongs with the other. She smiles brightly but Eddie is suspicious, “Chris, did you pester the nursing staff for that.” 

He grins proudly, “Yup, I told them my step mom would kick their butts if they didn’t give it to me.” 

Eddie and (Y/N) share an amused look before she ruffles Christopher’s hair, “Thanks, buddy.” He grins and reaches up to take her hand in his. 

Eddie’s eyes flick between the two before he stands and joins Chris on the other side of the bed.  (Y/N) is slightly confused when he places his hands on Christopher’s shoulder and whispers something in his ear. Chris listens intently before nodding incessantly, “Yes! Do it. Do it now.” 

Eddie grins and ruffles his son’s hair, “Alright, alright calm down. I will.” He places himself between Chris and (Y/N). She is utterly bumfuzzled but Chris is dancing in his seat excitedly. Eddie removes something from his pocket and drops to one knee causing her to slap her hand over her mouth. The man smiles up at her, “I know this isn’t at all the ideal time or place to ask you this but,” he looks around the room and then back at her, “I was very recently reminded that we aren’t promised tomorrow, especially in our line of work.” He opens the ring box and holds it up to her, “(Y/N), will you marry me?” 

Chris cheers happily upon hearing her answer, “Yes!” Tears of joy fill both Eddie and (Y/N)’s eyes as he slips the ring on her finger, stands, and kisses her with every ounce of love that he can. 

The couple parts when the door opens again as Buck and Tommy poke their heads in. Tommy grins, immediately noticing the ring on her finger. Slightly confused having missed the small but important detail, Buck stutters, “Sorry, Carla told us she’s awake. Are-are we interrupting something? We can come back later.” 

Tommy pushes past his boyfriend and makes his way to (Y/N)’s right side, making eye contact with Eddie, “I told you she would. Does your leg feel better without that hole burning in your pocket?” 

Eddie nods, laughing as identical looks of confusion settle on (Y/N) and Buck’s faces as Buck paces over to Tommy’s side. Eddie looks down at her, “I showed it to him earlier.”  

Understanding replaces her confusion but Buck is still lost, “What hole? Showed who what? I’m so confused.” (Y/N) holds her hand up to Buck showing off her ring. He gasps for words as excitement floods his entire body and he takes her hand in his to inspect it. None of them notice as the doctor stops in the open doorway, observes what is happening, and then immediately makes his way to the waiting room. After a minute or so, Buck’s face drops to disappointment as he looks up at Eddie and Tommy, letting go of her hand, “I kinda wanted to help pick it out...” Tommy pats his head before wrapping his arm around his waist.  

Eddie shakes his head chuckling, “Do you not recognize it? You were so damn sure she’d like it that you bruised my arm to get my attention.”  

It takes a few seconds but realization finally smacks across his face as he gasps, “This is that ring?”  

Eddie nods as (Y/N) who is admiring the ring confirms, “He wasn’t wrong. I love it.” Everyone smiles as Eddie kisses the top of her head. Before anyone can say anything else, the door opens and their friends and family flood in. Everyone gushes over the ring, offers the couple their congratulations, and states how glad they are that (Y/N) is okay.

Talia takes a seat on the edge of the bed to (Y/N)’s right, “The doctor had to step out of the way of the stampede after he told us you had a ring on that you weren’t admitted with.” (Y/N) laughs, barely able to spot the doctor in the doorway through the crowd of friends and family. She gives him a thumbs up and he nods with a smile as he returns to his rounds.  

She looks to Talia and takes her hand in her own but before she can say it, Talia assures, “I know what you’re gonna say. Eddie already did.” (Y/N) looks to Eddie who is locked in a tight hug from Bobby with a smile on his face that is bigger than she’s ever seen. Talia leans over to whisper in her ear, “You weren’t kidding when you said Tommy is wrapped around Buck’s finger.” As (Y/N) turns back to look at Talia, she spots Tommy who is wrapped around Buck from behind. Both are smiling brightly as Buck and Maddie are already discussing bachelor party plans.  

“They’re next, I’m calling it now,” (Y/N) tells Talia who laughs loudly. Their hands stay locked together as (Y/N) looks back to Eddie who now has an arm around Christopher’s shoulders as they chat excitedly with Carla. Carla notices her looking and nods in her direction as she shoves the two toward her. Eddie takes the hand she offers him and Chris climbs up to sit beside her. An hour or so passes before a nurse squeezes through the crowded hospital room. She smiles at (Y/N) before proceeding to check her vitals and give her fresh bandages. Only when (Y/N) is nodding off and very obviously struggling to stay awake does everyone wish her well, promise they’ll visit again later, and head home. Soon, the only ones left are her boys. She kisses the top of Christopher’s head as she notices he has fallen asleep carefully tucked into her side. She pats the right side of the bed for Eddie to join her. The three of them have to scoot in real close to fit on the hospital bed but after the week she’s had, she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

More 911

Main Masterlist

[igncrxntripley]

their secret weapon pt. 14

synopsis: y/n's reunited with her loves, and they all begin to see just how much of a toll being away from them has taken on her.

author's note: grab your tissues and get the hell ready for this roller coaster

mentions: poly!judgment day, fem!reader, mentions of regular wrestling violence, some illusion to feelings of anxiety and depression, overall SFW

tags: @thesithdiaries @cassiesgreta​ @roseheartsworld @theworldofotps​ @babybatlover @ripleyswhore @auburnwrites @obl1vionblackhart​ @emogoblin-666​ @hereliespumpkin​ @embertargaryen​ @neptune-lover​ @bunnysmyname @i-have-issues-lol​ @ares-athena​ @thatonepansexual2000​ @witcherfromwallachia​ @infamousvampcx​ @christinabae @kagome2909

"oh my god..." rhea had never reacted so fast to a text message. she was in bed, pajamas and all, ready to finally get some sleep after a hectic travel schedule and not having y/n home. but reading her phone for the last time before she planned to shut her eyes for the night had the eradicator jumping out of bed.

the rest of the group was scattered throughout the bedroom area; finn still deep in thought in the shower, dom fast asleep in bed already, and damian trying to make his side of the bed as comfortable as possible before hoping to be just as fast asleep as dominik. rhea getting out of bed and hurrying to slide someone's hoodie over her head was enough to wake dominik from his deep slumber, the young lucha rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "is there a fire?" he mumbled.

damian was just as confused. "rhea? babe, what's wrong?" he asked, watching the aussie hurry out of the bedroom and following closely behind. "rhea!"

"no no no no..." she was mumbling, panicking at the thought of what could have been on the other side of their front door. of course rhea wanted y/n home, they all did. but she also feared this was some sick joke. a nightmare she wasn't able to wake up from and she'd be forced to sit through the whole thing. the rain was drowning out the sound of damian's footprints rushing behind her, and a small crack of thunder sounded as she opened the door.

there stood y/n. soaking wet from the rain, shaking and trembling like a leaf, and the sight of rhea alone caused a sob to leave her lips. "m-mamí..."

"oh honey, shh," rhea tugged y/n into her arms and brought her inside the house. "i've got you, it's okay. you're home."

those words didn't feel real...none of this felt real to y/n. she'd spent the last month being ostracized from the people she loved as a form of payback. she was used as canon fodder against the judgment day, simply because she chose her own path and not what edge wanted for her. enough fear had been instilled in her that she didn't just go back home to her little family, and now that she was finally back in the safe embrace of the eradicator herself? that fear was even more rampant in her veins.

y/n was wriggling in rhea's arms, shivering and her teeth trembling as she tried to get warm. her entire body was drenched from the rain. even the warmth of rhea's body wasn't enough to make the shivering stop, and rhea realized that very quickly. "damian, dom, towels please?" she looked up at the top of the stairs, where dominik's mouth had practically dropped open with shock. "did i stutter? towels, dominik! dry clothes, blankets, anything!"

dominik snapped out of whatever trance he was in and ran into the bathroom for towels. finn was still showering, and upon hearing all of the commotion entering the steam-filled room where he was trying to process all of his emotions, he poked his head out from behind the curtain. "jeez, dom." he groaned. "it's late, what are you doing?"

the panic was written all over dom's face. "y/n..." he said, grabbing a stack of towels from a cabinet. "she's here. she came back in the rain." without another word, he left an astonished finn in the bathroom and rushed back to where rhea was holding a terrified y/n.

"i-i...i couldn't...rhea, it..." y/n could barely formulate words from how hard she was sobbing. it was hard to even distinguish what was tears and what was raindrops on her face.

rhea shook her head gently and wrapped y/n in a towel, then a blanket. "don't talk, y/n." she said softly, immediately pulling her close again to try and calm her down. "just take deep breaths for me, okay? come on, you're safe here. we've all got you."

damian, who's just finished bringing the warmest blankets in the house to where rhea and y/n were sitting together, took one of the towels from dominik and began drying y/n's hair so it would stop dripping down her back. "shh, estas en casa ahora hermosa." he said softly.

meanwhile, finn was left in a daze from dominik's words. y/n was here? she came back? how did she manage to do that? isn't she going to get in trouble? how he didn't slip when getting out of the shower was a mystery, because he got out of there as fast as he could and got dressed before rushing downstairs. the sight in front of him was one that not only broke his heart, but fueled every bit of anger that had already been permeating in his body. seeing y/n, shivering and huddled in rhea's arms as she sobbed and mumbled absolute nonsense was every reason for him to unleash absolute hell on edge.

go to her, my prince. she needs you now more than ever.

"oh, lovey..." the irishman rushed to where his girls were sat, his arms open for y/n who immediately rushed into them with another sob. "baby, what are you doing here? you know what they told you."

"i don't care!" she cried harder, hiding in his neck. "they can't keep me out of my home! t-that i pay for a-and clean and have a key to!" finn wrapped the towels around her a little tighter and she leaned into his loving touch. "no one is in charge of me but me."

all four members of the judgment day, while saddened this feud with edge and beth had gotten to this point, had to admit that there was an aspect to their princess's anger that had them feeling proud of her. the y/n they originally recruited into the judgment day probably would have never stuck her metaphorical middle finger up to her bosses or mentors. but her being in this position had forced her to dig up that buried confidence and finally put it to use.

time had passed, with all five members of this reunited judgment day sitting in the living room trying to warm up and calm down y/n until she was no longer sobbing and shivering. she'd been reduced to silent tears and the slightest trembles in her shoulders, but nothing more. more than anything, y/n was exhausted and she wanted to sleep in her own bed. "can i please go take s shower?" she asked quietly from finn's shoulder.

the prince nodded in response, damian moving the blanket and wet towels from her body as she stood up from her tight ball on the floor. "i'll put your pajamas in the dryer so they're warm for you, love."

the two walked upstairs, one of finn's arms around y/n as they went into the bathroom together. he grabbed a spare towel for the dryer as well, and gave a gentle kiss to y/n's forehead. "what else do you need, angel?" he was expecting something simple as answer from y/n; maybe her water bottle to be filled and by their bedside, or something to eat, maybe even a request for a specific member of their little family to hold her that evening or to sleep in the middle. but her words instead held a much deeper meaning.

"revenge. i want revenge."

****

monday night raw. only three weeks away from wrestlemania, the grandest stage of them all, and the judgment day only had one thing on their minds; ending this feud with edge, once and for all. for everything he did to them. for all of the chaos he put their little family through. every one of them wanted a piece of the fight, but finn ultimately was the one who'd be in that ring with the hall of famer.

edge stood in the ring, facing four members of the group who stood at the top of the ramp. they stood strong, like a solid barrier against the negativity and hurt edge had put them through. "a few weeks ago, you challenged me to a match at wrestlemania, right?" he asked finn. "and since you're not man enough to come in here and face me, you want your match at wrestlemania? fine, you got it!'

finn was hyped; he was nodding, smiling at the other man while the other members were getting just as hyped alongside him. finn had been dying for this match. he issued this challenge weeks ago, and the desire to be in a ring alone with this man was only getting bigger and bigger. the cheers of the crowd around them wasn't helping anything either.

"hey, did you hear that, dom?" the prince asked. "rhea, did you hear that? finn's going to wrestlemania! you think the beating i gave you at extreme rules was bad-" the adrenaline was pumping through his veins, he was trying his best to get through this promo without letting his hype get the better of him.

"shut your mouth!" edge's words silenced him, the crowd reacting in the canadian's favor. "for the last year of my comeback, i've wasted it on all of you." by his choice, for the most part. "the year before that, i wrestled in front of a bunch of tv screens in the thunderdome. i don't have time for this. i'm running out of time."

the irony in his words could be felt by the judgment day on an entirely different level. he had so much to accomplish that he abandoned y/n, left her in the dust in favor of his own career that had lasted twenty-plus years. sure, he was running out of time. but running out of time so fast that he had to practically forget y/n ever needed him in the first place?

the anger was pulsing through finn's body. the others could sense it, and dom put a careful hand on finn's shoulder in hopes that he'd calm down. but he couldn't stop pacing and moving as he glared deep into edge's soul from the top of the ramp.

"so the way i see it, there's only one way that this can end." edge said, holding onto the top rope as the audience also picked up on where he was going. finn was watching him carefully, his top lip twitching in anger just at the sight of him. "at wrestlemania, edge versus finn bálor, inside hell in a cell."

the audience reacted exactly how one would expect; finn stood stoic in his spot, edge was shaking with anger and adrenaline. the cheers from the crowd only fueled the two men and their respective anger.

finn was gripping his mic tight, his knuckles starting to whiten. "edge, i've been to hell before." he stated. "it spit me out because hell couldn't handle my demons. i'll see you at wrestlemania, but until then..." he looked at the other three members of the group, but what edge didn't see was what stood behind him with her own weapon of choice.

there y/n stood, coming up from her hiding spot under the ring with her own adrenaline rush. no one wanted this revenge on her mentor more than she did. no one wanted a front row seat more than her. this would be her first taste of that, as she swing her arms back and the kendo stick in her hands struck the back of the hall of famer. she hated to admit it, but there was a sense of pride as he fell to the mat and her partners began to unleash their own hell on him. y/n hit edge not once, not twice, but three times; and the yelps of pain that emanated from him sent chills down her spine.

even as the rest of the ring burst into chaos, other superstars coming out to edge's defense, she stood in front of him with her breath ragged and her palms sweating. "you're going to wish you never asked to meet the prince in the gates of hell." he'd never heard that growl to her voice or seen that ravenous look in her eyes. this was a new y/n, one that was sticking it to the people who'd caused her more pain than she'd been able to manage in her small body.

"get ready to meet the demon you created, pops."

[hapuchika]

The White Healer Chapter 4

Note: Hi guys, I'm really sorry for not posting sooner. I've had a couple of family problems and haven't exactly been in the best headspace. I'll work on posting more frequently. I hope you like this chapter, it's longer than other's cause there's so much I wanted to put out there.

Warnings: Blood, graphic description of injuries, angst.

Summary: Just a chapter where everyone gets to know reader better.

Series Masterlist

X--X--X--X--X

As it turns out, the team building activity that you were dreading turned out to be Jenga. While unsure how it built team character, it did work on making your more comfortable with the rest of the team. Due to you still being new to the team, you had requested a month to work out by yourself so that you could get back into shape. As horrible as the scientists had been, they did teach you an efficient way to get into peak performance. Working out from 12am till 5am everyday was good enough. Within the third week, you had already noticed the definition of your muscles, you’d put on pure muscle mass, and your stamina plus healing ability enabled you to sprint approximately 20 miles without stopping. It was going well until one day, you were working on the punching bag and were so focused that you lost track of time. It was 7 am when Natasha and Steve returned from their daily run and saw you workout. You hadn’t noticed them due to the music playing out loud. Natasha, however, saw you and immediately ran towards you. You were brought out of your headspace when you saw Natasha grab your arms, unshed tears forming as she stared at your hands. Steve stepped closer and was horrified to find the ground and punching bag covered in blood. Upon closer inspection, he found your hands caked in blood too. You looked at them confused.

“What?” You asked concerned, completely unaware of why they looked white as a sheet.

Natasha and Steve looked at you with wide eyes.

“Why are you covered in blood y/n?” Natasha asked, letting go of your arms now that you’d stopped punching the bag and brought them to her sides.

You looked even more confused.

“I was going to clean it up when I was done?” You said uncertainly.

“Is this… common for you?” Steve asked slowly.

You hesitated for a moment. Natasha seeing your clear discomfort of being caught off guard came up with an idea.

“How about this, y/n cleans up the gym and herself and then the 3 of us can sit together and figure out a.. neater way of you working out?” She suggested.

Before you could say anything, Steve agreed and the two of them walked out. Grumbling you started to clean.

The first thing you noticed was Natasha staring at your hands as you sat down. You leaned towards her and put your hand on her cheek. You didn’t fail to notice the way she almost leaned into your hand.

“I’m completely fine, Nat” You reassured her.

She looked at you with a vulnerability that took your breath away. It was at that moment that Wanda entered the kitchen. She paused as she noticed the two of you, you started to lean back but froze when Nat grabbed your hand and brought it back to her cheek.

“Please” she said, “I need to know you’re okay.. there was so much blood..”

Wanda frowned. Whether she was upset or confused, you weren’t entirely sure. She walked towards the two of you and sat down next to Natasha. Natasha didn’t break eye contact even when Wanda gently rubbed her lower back. You brought your other hand to Natasha’s face and leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. This seemed to reassure her greatly as her shoulders relaxed.

“I promise you, I’m completely okay” You said softly.

Your eyes darted to Wanda for a second, expecting protectiveness or anger but all you were met with was a warm look of concern that melted your heart.

“I’ll explain everything” you thought loudly. 

Wanda nodded her head, indicating she’d heard you. While you’d given her explicit permission to read your thoughts at any given time, she was still hesitant to do so. The three of you stayed like that for a few more minutes until you heard someone’s footsteps nearing. You could physically see Natasha’s walls coming back up, Wanda too. You sat back in your chair but held Natasha’s hand underneath the table. She gently squeezed in gratitude, her face showing nothing. Steve entered the kitchen and faltered when he saw the three of you sitting in silence looking at him with the exact same expression. Clearing his throat, Steve sat down next to you on the opposite side of Natasha. He looked at you expectantly. If he was confused by why Wanda was here, he didn’t show it. 

“I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about what happened in the training room?” Steve asked gently.

You took a deep breath and began.

“Okay so, shortly after I.. um.. got my power.. I went to the hospital in a different country and immediately began to heal patients with chronic and terminal illnesses. Cancer, ALS, Alzheimers, and so on. Unfortunately that gained the wrong kind of attention. The government had kidnapped me and taken me straight to a remote facility. They um.. tested the limits of my self healing. They’d break bones, cut off limbs, electrocute, and do a bunch of other things.”

You were unable to meet anyones eye-line, your body remembering each and every single thing they’d done. It was another side effect of the power you gained. While most people tended to forget the physical pain their body experienced over time, your body learned and remembered every single feeling it went through. Every cut, tear, burn. You could feel it all the moment you tried to remember it. Your body won’t ever lot you forget. Wanda had heard your thoughts and had to use everything in her power not to start bawling the moment those images came to your mind. Her grip on Natasha’s lower back tightened, she relayed what she’d heard to Natasha in her mind and felt Natasha’s body stiffen as she registered what happened.

You looked up as Natasha’s grip on your hand tightened, only to see the two women barely holding it together. Realising what transpired, you let out a weak smile and continued.

“Once they realised there was no limit to my regenerative capabilities, they attempted to train me for combat. They’d get fighters to take turns beating me into submission for hours on end until I learned to defend myself. I um.. I’m not good at combat.. So they tried to train me for um.. you know what, never mind. Basically they taught me to train past my body’s limits by constantly healing myself. They did it for years on end until it was ingrained into me. So yeah.. That’s why you saw what you saw..” You concluded.

“I’m so sorry, detka” Wanda whispered in your head.

“It’s alright, it’s in the past” you replied

“I can help train you in combat.” Steve said. “You could become a vital part of the attack te-“

Natasha scoffed, bringing his attention to her. He leaned back startled as he saw Natasha glaring at him and Wanda’s furious eyes glowing red. Both of them had the urge to throw him through the nearest window. You merely stared at him in shock. Tears made their way down your face. You withdrew your hand from Natasha’s and stood up.

“I’m sorry I need to go” you muttered, and hurried out of the room.

“Y/n” Wanda called out but it was too late, you were out of earshot. Natasha continued to glare at Steve.

“You ever suggest that again that again and I’ll test just how strong your healing factor is.” Natasha spat, standing up abruptly.

“I just meant-“ Steve tried to defend.

“We don’t care.” Wanda stated firmly. “She just told you what she went through and you thought of weaponising her just like those assholes.”

“Langua-“

“Don’t” Natasha warned.

She walked away before Steve could plead his case. Wanda glared at him one last time before following her out.

“FRIDAY” Natasha called out. “Where is y/n right now?”

“I believe Miss Y/n is one the roof.” FRIDAY stated

Holding hands, Natasha and Wanda made their way to the roof. Natasha reflected back to how she felt when she saw y/n work out and their interaction in the kitchen. She felt a little scared. The red room had trained her to always be in control, regardless of whether it was in bed or any interaction with others. Sure, she pretended to be submissive in front of her targets, but she was just toying with them. Even with Wanda, she was in control. But y/n.. that girl was something else.. For the first time in Natasha’s life, she wanted to give up control. She felt so safe and comfortable giving up control in y/n’s presence. It scared her but also excited her. 

Since the sun had already started to set, the cold had set in. Being Russian and Sokovian, the cold didn’t bother them that much. The were, however, concerned about y/n. She wasn’t from a cold country. Natasha was glad to see that Wanda had brought a blanket without any prompt. When you didn’t acknowledge their presence, they slowly sat down on either side of you. Wanda draped the blanket over the three of you. While she didn’t say it out loud, she secretly enjoyed the feeling of the three of you cuddled together. She knew Natasha definitely felt the same, she just hoped you did too. The girls simultaneously rested their head on your shoulder, both surprised to feel muscle instead of bone. The rigorous workout must be effective.

“I have a request” Natasha started.

You hummed in question.

“From now on, could you please train with either me or Wanda? We won’t train combat, We’ll do whatever you’re comfortable with. Just, please don’t push us away.” She said.

Your head turned to her, only to notice the lack of space between your faces. Your eyes flitted down to her gorgeous lips and back. Natasha’s heart stuttered at the action, waiting for your next move. You looked away into the distance and nodded.

“There’s something you should know.” You confessed. “I didn’t tell you the whole truth downstairs.”

When you were met with silence, you continued. 

“After they realised no matter what torture they used, I would refuse to fight and hurt others. They tried to train me to do suicide missions.. I.. they would strap bombs to my chest and blow me up as I walked to targeted spots as training.”

Both of the girls held your hands as tears made their way down your face.

“It hurt so much” you croaked. “The feeling of my body being torn apart and nerves slowly growing.”

Unable to take anymore, you let out a sob. Immediately Wanda enveloped you in a hug, Natasha doing the same until you were sandwiched between them.

“No one is going to test on us” Wanda whispered. “Not anymore.”

You continued to sob into her shoulder as they whispered words of comfort in your ear. Eventually, you found yourself laying down between the two women. The warmth their bodies provided and the exhaustion of your mind caused you to fall into a deep sleep. For some reason it was the best sleep you’d ever had.

The dynamic between the three of you had completely changed after that night. They were definitely your best friends. No matter how much you wished they could be more, but they were together. They didn’t need you in their relationship, you’d just hold them back. You didn’t let that bother you, no matter how guilty you felt at times during movie night when the two insisted you sit besides them. A week later Steve came up to you as you were eating breakfast.

“I’m really sorry y/n. It was incredibly insensitive of me to suggest what I did that night” he said. Natasha was reading on the sofa, but you could see her eyes on Steve, intently listening to what he was saying.

“It was never my intention to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable. You absolutely do not have to train combat if you don’t want to. We all value you as a team member just the same.”

You slowly nodded your thanks. While you appreciated his apology, you were more nervous about your first workout session with Wanda and Natasha. They said they both wanted to be there for your first time as a group workout.

You entered the gym and noticed that the two women had already started working out, Wanda doing squats while Natasha was stretching. Your jaw dropped as you witnessed the two working out in their sports bra and tights. Natasha’s toned abs on display as she did the cobra pose. Your eyes shifted to Wanda and your knees felt weak. You saw sweat make its way down her neck and get lost into her cleavage. Feeling like a pervert for staring you cleared your throat and mentally cursed yourself. Both of them paused what they were doing and started walking towards you. Wanda grinned in excitement while Natasha smiled welcomingly.

“Alright y/n. Why don’t you tell us what your workout looks like and we’ll figure out a safer way to get the same results? Maybe Wanda and I can help spot you too.” Natasha asked.

“Oh cool. Okay, so basically, I run for a little bit. Then I do some strength training, followed by some bag work” you replied, already starting to stretch.

“Perfect, we can join you in running, I was planning on doing legs today, maybe we can workout together?” Wanda suggested. You nodded in agreement and the three of you walked to the treadmills.

“What speed are we running at?” Natasha asked off handedly.

Without thinking “We’ll start with 20 kmph and go from there?” You said, increasing the speed and began running. 

Wanda froze. Refusing to back down, she started the treadmill and began running at full speed. 5 minutes later Wanda was panting, slowing the treadmill down and looking at the other two in amazement. She noticed Natasha wasn’t doing to great either. Around 10 minutes later Natasha slowed down, unable to maintain the pace. Natasha’s face burned as she realised you had unintentionally outlasted both her and Wanda. She spared a glance at Wanda and that little shit had the audacity to smirk. Natasha looked to her right to see you and to her amazement, you were in a full out sprint. Natasha’s jaw dropped to see that you had been running at 35kmph all this while. An hour later, neither of them had the energy to continue running and got off the treadmill. Both of them stunned at the fact that you hadn’t changed your pace for a single second in the past hour. Wanda cleared her throat, brining you out of your focus. You slowed down and stopped, hopping off the treadmill and walking towards them. While you were breathing heavily, you looked nowhere near as exhausted as the other two felt. You smiled at them brightly.

“Time for some strength training?” You asked genuinely.

Wanda glared at you as she sat on a bench, gulping some water. You noticed their exhausted state and knelt towards Wanda.

“Can I help” you asked gently.

Tilting her head in confusion, she nodded. You slowly grabbed both hands and closed your eyed. Wanda gasped as she felt a warmth envelope her. Her soreness exhaustion dissipate and energy enter her entire body. When you let go, Wanda stood up and twisted a couple of times. She felt better than ever before. Not a hint of exhaustion throughout her body. Natasha watched in amazement at the change in her girlfriend, even her slight dark circles had disappeared.

“Is this how you feel all the time?” Wanda asked in awe.

You chuckled. “Not exactly” you replied.

Before Wanda could inquire further, you turned to Natasha and asked for permission. She nodded, blushing slightly when you took her hand. Natasha, too, gasped when she felt warmth take over. Her muscles relaxing. Even the ache she’d been feeling in her knee vanished. She almost whined when you stepped back, the warm feeling throughout her body slowly dissipating. You hadn’t realised what happened but Wanda did. Natasha saw Wanda give her a smug smile. 

You were about to walk to the free weight section when Natasha asked if the group could use the squat rack instead. Shrugging, you made your way to them. Unfortunately, your oversized sweatshirt kept on getting stuck to the squat rack. Sighing, you removed your sweatshirt. Leaving you in a full sleeved compression t-shirt and loose sweatpants. Wanda and Natasha completely froze as they saw you.

“Holy shit” Natasha thought.

“I agree” Wanda replied in her mind.

Your bulging muscles were on display, your muscular arms stretching the compression t-shirt. Natasha totally wasn’t staring at your abs and Wanda was definitely not staring at your arms. You paused, smirking when you noticed why the two were silent. You walked towards Natasha, lifted your finger to close her jaw. Her face flushed at the action.

“You’ll let flies in if you keep doing that” You teased with a smirk.

Wanda shamelessly stared at your sculpted back, looking away only when you started walking back to the squat rack.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you drooling, Wands” you stated, starting to workout.

It was Wanda’s turn to blush and Natasha to smirk. The rest of the workout went surprisingly well, neither of them commented on how heavy you were lifting for all of the exercises. At first, Natasha thought you were showing off for them but quickly quelled the thought as that was definitely not the kind of person you were. It was one of the things she lo- liked about you.

Post workout everyone went to their respective rooms and got ready for dinner. The training session ended up taking 4 hours.

As usual, you were a little late. Everyone was already sitting down, ready to eat. Wanda insisted to wait for you, to which they reluctantly agreed. You entered the room and your heart warmed as you saw Natasha and Wanda had saved a seat for you between the two of them. As you were about to sit down, your eyes fell on the robot sitting at the table. You froze when you saw what was on his forehead. A gasp left your lips, bringing everyone’s eyes to you. Wanda stood quickly, walking to you. Alarm bells ringing in her head as she felt shock, anger, and most of all grief rolling off you in waves. Thor, not picking up on your mood merely introduced you.

“The Vision, this is lady y/n. She’s the newest addition to our team. Lady Y/n, this is the vision. A synthezoid creat-“

“Thor shut up for a second” Nat interrupted. “Detka, what’s wrong?” She asked you.

You raised a trembling finger towards Vision.

“Why do you have that fucking stone” You gritted out.

“I am unaware of what you mean” Vision said, confused.

“That stone.” You seethed. “Killed my sister.”

X--X--X--X--X

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and tell me your thoughts!

Taglist: @marvelwomen-simp @nothanksbye07 @jono723 @luadyjcmd @alexawynters

[morbethgames]

Love In Stasis - Chapter 3

( NOTE: THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER THAT WILL BE PLANNED TO BE POSTED HERE ON TUMBLR! At least for now. If you'd like to continue reading, a chapter a week will be released on Patreon for the $5. I hope you enjoyed the first three chapters, and I hope you'll consider supporting me! Link to Patreon is here.)

Chapter 3

Madeline gave three solid knocks on the door of the third floor dorm room. She had taken Melody out shopping a couple of hours ago, and both of them got new outfits for their girls night out. But it wouldn’t do to have Mel fall asleep on the dance floor, so she let her best friend spend a few hours at her dorm room to get some shut eye in her room. 

Maddie knocked a couple more times on the door, and afterwards, heard Luz’s voice come through. “Yeah! Just a sec!” 

When the door finally opened, Luz was standing on the other side of it. “Hey, I-” Madeline began, but once Luz was in full view, she stopped. All the toned woman had on was a white tank top and a pair of women’s boxers. Maddie’s eyes wandered to Luz’s arm that was propped up against the wall, then back to her face, which she had just slicked her hair back from since it was soaked. 

“Sorry about the wait.” Luz said, “You caught me just as I was getting out of the shower.” She looked behind her, pointing her thumb over her shoulder, then looked back towards Madeline. “Mel isn’t here.”

Maddie took a second to come back to earth, then nodded, “Yeah, I know. I came here to talk to you.” 

Luz broke eye contact, releasing a large breath and stepping to the side while motioning with her arm for Madeline to come inside. “I’m assuming this is about last night?”

Madeline soon accepted the invitation, stepping in. “Yeah- Well, kinda.”

Luz furrowed her brow, confused, and let the door shut behind her friend. “Kinda?” Then leaned back against the wall. 

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about your guys’ living arrangements.” She crossed her arms and hardened her expression. Distracted only a bit by the steam just off in the far end of the hallway. She wasn’t kidding; she did just get out of the shower. “You guys can’t live together anymore.” 

Upon hearing what this was really about, Luz bowed her head and put her hands behind her back. “It’s eating her up inside.” Maddie continued, “and even if you wait until she’s out to invite your hookups over, it doesn’t stop it from keeping some wounds open.”

“I know.” Luz replied with an even tone. 

Madeline looked genuinely surprised at first, uncrossing her arms. “You-” She waited for a beat, the small sense of shock making her interrupt herself. “You know?” Then, that surprise turned into irritation. “Then why haven’t you done anything about it?”

“I have.” 

Maddie stared perturbedly, waiting for the taller woman to clarify her statement. Luz looked back up at her and shrugged in preparation of saying something extremely difficult. Something she didn’t really want to happen, but was going to anyway. “I’m gonna be crashing with Darrel for a couple months, or until Mel is,” She pondered how to put it, “better, I guess? I dunno.” 

Luz brought her hand up, rubbing the top of her head. 

Maddie’s eyes, for a split second, blinked towards the Hispanic woman’s adonis muscles that were partially revealed in the process, then refocused to her face again. “I wouldn’t know how to explain it. But I guess it’s just until she can get over me. She smiled sheepishly and let out a single, guilty chuckle. “I know I don’t exactly make that easy.” 

Madeline could tell, as well. She could tell that Luz was genuinely trying to do the right thing, and that maybe she was usually trying to do the right thing and it just fell flat sometimes. Maybe Melody was right. Perhaps she didn’t always give the woman a fair shake. 

“Oh, well,” Maddie began, not really knowing how to completely clear the air through the pent up awkwardness that had built over the last year from her and her best friend’s breakup. “Thanks, Luz. Really.” Maddie said, not really knowing how to completely clear the air through the pent up awkwardness that had built over the last year from her and her best friend’s breakup. 

Luz nodded subtly. “Yeah, no problem.” Then she looked down again. Silent. As if waiting for Madeline to begin making her exit already. 

Which the animal science major did. She began heading for the door, but in the process, had to actually walk past the half-naked woman to do so. When she did, she stopped and faced her. “Hey Luz.” She paused for a second, “You’re, um,” It felt strange being so real with the flirtatious woman. “You’re a good person.”

Luz lifted her head, her lips barely parted and her eyes looking as if they were searching for meaning, focusing on Madeline’s lips as Maddie continued to speak. “And I know I haven’t been as good of a friend as I could’ve been through yours and Mel’s breakup.” Luz’s eyes moved up to Maddie’s. “And I’m sorry about that.”

There was a beat that went by, and then a genuine, appreciative smile appeared on Luz’s lips. “I get it.” She sighed, stood up straight, then shrugged again. “You went up to bat for your best friend. I respect that, Mads.” Her eyes darted down, then up again. “It’s one of the things I like about you. But I, uh, appreciate it.” She spoke softly, “I do.” 

For a moment, Luz had to look away. She wasn’t all too good with showing real, honest emotions. Not with Madeline, at least. And so, because of that, a more flirtatious demeanor took hold. As a sort of wall she could put up to hide herself. “But y’know, I’m no saint in all this either. So if you ever need me to say sorry, I’ve heard I’m very good with my mouth.”

Madeline scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, thanks, but no thanks.” She thought for a moment, then leaned in a bit. “But if you really wanna say sorry, you can slip me Darrel’s number. Mel and I are going out tonight and he seems like he’d be more my speed, if you know what I mean.”

Luz’s eyes faltered, for only a split second. For a single moment while she huffed out a breath. But it was just not-so-subtle enough to be noticeable. “Yeah, not gonna happen.”

Maddie smiled, leaning forward a little more to look up at Luz. “What was that?”

Luz released a tense snicker, “What was what?”

“That.” Madeline said again, leaning in a bit closer. “Oh my god. Luz Marcellus, are you-” she let out an amused exhale, “Are you jealous?” Her poking and prodding was, of course, meant in a playful manner. 

The toned woman raised her eyebrows. “Me? Jealous?” She scoffed. “No.”

“I think you are.”

“Mads, watch yourself.” Luz playfully warned, taking a step closer. 

“Luz, I’ve never seen that look on you before.” Maddie took a single step back, still smirking. “Oh, don’t worry though, I won’t be part of whatever body count contest you guys are having. I’ll make it abundantly clear to him going into it that things are to stay between the-”

Before Madeline knew what was happening, she was between Luz and the wall, with the butch woman’s forearm placed above her head. The wet strands of hair hung down in front of her face, barely letting her brown eyes show through and burrow their way into Maddie’s own. The shorter woman’s gaze went wide and she tried to look anywhere that wasn’t up or forward. 

But that wasn’t exactly working.

Was that Luz she was smelling? What kind of cologne was that? She wore cologne? It was nice.  That, mixed with the smell of the shampoo, was almost intoxicating in a way. 

Luz flipped her hair to the side, giving that trademark charming smile with that stupid way she dragged her teeth along her bottom lip for half a second. It all made Madeline’s heart speed up a beat or two. But why? She didn’t like women like that. Maybe she didn’t view Luz as a woman?

Gee, that’s a shitty rationalization to jump to. Madeline thought the words, keeping them locked in her head.

“There’s a lot of sides of me you haven’t seen yet, Mads. But we can change that.” Her voice was deeper than usual, Maddie could swear to it. “Y’know, if you ever become interested.” Madeline felt humiliated that this was actually getting to her. She knew logically that this was all just to get back at her for poking fun at Luz in the first place. So, yeah, kinda should’ve seen something like this coming. 

But Madeline thought it was like how Luz and Darrel joke with each other. How Darrel will say something to her that’s provocative, and she’ll tell him to eat a dick, but in a ‘bros being bros’ kinda way. 

She put a hand on the top of Luz’s chest to gently push against her, adding a trilled laugh to her first word. “Yeah, okay. That would require me to find you attractive, cowgirl.” 

But then, Luz’s expression just dropped. Like it would 

In immediate response, so did Maddie’s. 

“Wow, um,” Luz backed away to put space between them, releasing a single, hurt breath. “Okay…” 

Madeline just froze for a good couple of seconds. 

What did she say? It was the truth. She wasn’t attracted to Luz, because she wasn’t attracted to women, and Luz knew that. Those two things were obviously going to line up. Maybe she thought Maddie was calling her unattractive, in a general sense? Anyone with eyes could see that wasn’t true, though. Not only that, Luz has always been super proud of her body. So why was right now such a blow for her and not something she could just laugh off?

Maddie reached her hand out. “Luz, I didn’t-” 

“No it’s- it’s cool.” Luz took another step back and kept looking to the side, clearing her throat and pulling her shirt down to cover her torso just a bit better. “I get it.” She nodded once, “I do.” 

“Okay…” Madeline said, just kind of leaving it at that. She didn’t know what else to say. She didn’t know what was going on. “Did you, um,” She narrowed her gaze a bit, “ Did you wanna-” Then, she pointed her thumb towards the door, “I mean, tonight, with-”

“No, I can’t.” Luz cut her off. “I have work. Patrolling.” 

“Right…” 

Another awkward pause.

Maddie took a couple steps back towards the door, the apologetic sensation never leaving her expression. “Well, I’m gonna head out. Gotta make sure Mel wakes up in time for our girls' night.” 

Luckily, it seemed like Luz had started to compose herself. She took a deep breath and returned to more of a neutral demeanor. “Yeah, well, you guys have fun. Take a shot or two for me.” 

Madeline seemed relieved when her friend at least started acting normal again. She giggled, “Luz, we always take shots for you. You don’t drink.” 

Luz shot her a friendly wink, “I know. Have fun tonight.”

“Thanks, we will!” With those final words, Madeline opened the door behind her and left the dorm room. All the way to the elevator, she couldn’t help but think about how weird that entire interaction ended up being. Had things changed that much with Luz in the past year? What hell even happened back there? 

Maddie tried shaking it off as she got onto the elevator.

One thing was for sure; she would certainly be drinking enough to try and forget whatever the fuck that was.

10pm - Shivers Bar & Club Singles Night

A glass hit the bar underneath, and Madeline let out a high pitched, ‘Woooo!’ as the first shot of alcohol cleared her esophagus. She was wearing a red silken dress with an open back that had strings that tie around the back of her neck. It flowed down to just above her knees. 

Melody laughed and put a hand on her shoulder. “Maddie! Easy, we just got here!” 

She turned to Melody and put an arm around her shoulder. “Hey! ‘Easy’ is for people who get to do this more than once every couple of months!” She took the second shot from the bar and held it out to the crowd as she turned both of them to face it. “We came out here to have a good time, and dammit, that’s exactly what we’re gonna do. So do me a favor and down this shit!” 

Madeline held the shot to Melody’s lips and tilted it back, to which Melody took the hint and opened her mouth, tilting her head back to let the drink flow down her throat. Maddie let out yet another cheer and put the now empty shot glass on the bar next to the other one. 

Mel put the back of her wrist up to her lips, holding in a laugh at her over-ecstatic best friend. “Now, let’s get you and the sweet, sweet ass out on the dance floor, girl!” They both laughed and Maddie grabbed Melody’s wrist, holding it in the air and swaying her hips while she danced out onto the floor to begin their night.

11:30pm - Shivers Bar & Club Singles Night…

Madeline leaned on the bar, downing her third shot of the night, and she was starting to feel it coming on. She let out a breath, and a laugh afterwards, exhausted but having the time of her life. 

“Hey, you here alone?!”

She heard a deep voice yell out over the music, and before even looking at the guy, smiled and retorted. “It’s singles night! What do you think?!” It was more of a playful tone than a snarky one. As she saw the guy for the first time, he looked pretty damn cute. Not the most built, but certainly not scrawny. 

“To actually answer your question,” she continued, “I came here with my friend. She’s, um,” Madeline looked around. Where was Mel? It was difficult to see over and past the crowd, but as a few more people cleared the way at the end of the song, she saw her. And a huge grin came across her face. 

Melody was on the other end of the bar, pressed against it, making out with a woman a few inches taller than her with raven black, shoulder length hair. “She’s busy.” Maddie said, turning back to the guy.

He looked down at her and smiled, leaning on the bar. “You and your friend come to singles nights together often?”

“Oh, it’s not what you think.” The music began to blare again as the next song started. It was difficult to convey the joking tone she wanted while talking over it, but she did her best. “She’s my manager!”

“Oh yeah?!” The guy played along.

Madeline nodded, “For sure! There’s some really raunchy stuff of me online! Girl’s gotta make a living, right?!” 

The guys face formed an over exaggerated expression of understanding. “Oh yeah, for sure, for sure!” Then broke out into a grin again. 

Maddie looked him up and down. Yeah, he passed the vibe check.

But before it could continue, she heard a familiar voice next to her. “Hey, Maddie!” 

She looked over to see Melody standing there, holding hands with the woman she was just making out with. “Hey, Mel!” There was most certainly a teasing lilt to the word that made her best friend roll her eyes and blush, smiling like she was caught with her hand caught where it wasn’t supposed to be, and where it most likely was just a couple minutes ago. 

“I’m gonna head back! I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?!” 

“Yeah, yeah, sure! Go on girl! Have fun!” Once again, a lilting, teasing cadance took over the last word, and Madeline watched as her friend walked out with her new date.

She looked back to the guy she was talking with, “So, where were we?”

12:30am - Shivers Bar & Club Singles Night…

Body’s were rubbing against each other. The music was pounding. More drinks were being ordered. More drinks were being consumed. At this point, it was safe to say that Madeline was drunk. Five shots in for a person that doesn’t regularly go out drinking was more than enough. 

She leaned back against the bar, making out with the guy she was dancing with. Turns out his name was Garrett, which she classily found out a few seconds before she started kissing him. They smiled into the kiss and he reached down, putting his hands on her waist and pulling her closer to him. “You feel fucking amazing, Maddie.”

“Mmm… Same do… you…” Well, it seemed like she was more drunk than she thought. But she’s been drunk before and that felt different than this. 

Her hand reached up to hold her forehead, “Woah-” And when she looked back at Garrett, everything seemed like it was spinning. His head wouldn’t stay in one place. Afterimages filled her vision when things passed her view. She was starting to see double. 

She heard Garrett’s voice, as if it was far off in the distance. Distorted. Like it was slowed down, but going faster somehow. “Maddie? You good?”

“No, I…” She reached into her pocket, her hand shakily pulling out her phone. “T-trouble… Gotta c-call… Some-” Her fingers tried their best to work on the digital keypad.

5… 8… 9…

But it was no use. Before she could do anything else, she dropped her phone and stumbled into the counter. The device clattered to the ground and Garrett reached out to grab her. “Woah, Maddie!” He steadied her on her feet as her head fell motionless backwards. 

Barely conscious, she heard another voice. A familiar voice. 

“Yo, what’s going on? Maddie? Maddie, you good?” Her head was held forward by someone different. It was Darrel. Darrel was here.

He looked at Garrett while keeping her head upright. “What the fuck happened?!”

“I don’t know, man! I think she was drugged or something.” Garrett seemed worried. Both for Maddie’s safety, and because he didn’t want anyone thinking he did it.

“Shit!” 

“We’ve been on the dancefloor for like, the past hour. Only coming back here and there to grab a quick drink- I swear, she’s been fine up until this point!” 

Darrel looked around on the bar for a second. He picked up a glass with his free hand and put it forcefully back down on the counter. “Are you fucking kidding me?! Yo! Bartender! No fucking drink covers on this shit; are you for real right now?! It’s a fuckin’ college town dipshit!” He pointed to the ground, “Hey yo, get her phone. Put it in her purse.” 

“Darrel…” Madeline slurred the name, pouting, and a couple of silent cries came from her throat. 

“I gotchu, babygirl, don’t worry. I gotchu.” He picked Maddie up and turned to Garrett. “Yo, Garrett! Call the cops, tell’em someone’s been drugged at Shivers. Give’em my address and-” He thought about it for a second, looked down at her, then shook his head. “Actually, nah, fuck that. Way too sus. I’m takin’ her to her room! Tell’em she’ll be in the junior and senior dorm!”

“Yeah, for sure man, I’m on it.” Garrett took out his phone and immediately started calling the police.

And that was the last thing Madeline remembered…

3:07am - Grayson Library Parking Lot

Luz sat in her patrol car with it turned on so that the heat was going. When it’s in the forties outside, saving on gas money during your break suddenly becomes a bit less important than staying warm. To help with that, she also had a coffee she picked up at a twenty-four hour diner down the street, too. 

Her phone dinged, and as she took another sip and looked down at it, she smirked and shook her head. The message appeared at the top of her screen, from one of her hookups this past year on campus, asking if she was DTF tonight. She went to move her thumb to click on the message, but she just hovered over it. 

She was conflicted. Ever since that talk with Maddie earlier, she couldn’t even let her mind wander anywhere else. It was like there was a blockade there, and it was something she couldn’t move past for some reason. Both the jealousy, and the stinging remark that Maddie didn’t find her attractive. For some reason, hearing that out loud from her friend, just stung. It was a constant parasite eating away at her brain. 

Luz shook her head and let the message on her phone stay unread. She clicked the device's screen off and looked back up through the windshield. “What’s wrong with me?” 

But she narrowed her gaze, squinting to try and see something in the distance. “The hell?” Out in the middle of the green just outside the library, she could barely see the figure of someone. From this distance, in the dark, it just looked like a shadow. It seemed like they were kneeling on the ground, maybe?

What were they doing out here?

Luz got out of her car and slammed the door shut. The sound echoed through the night air like the clap of thunder. Upon hearing it, the figure quickly got up and immediately began running off across the green, towards the main strip. 

“Hey!” Luz yelled out, trying to make out anything she could about the figure. Though it was harder to tell anything about it, she could, at the very least, see that they were wearing a baseball cap and were about, five-foot-four from the looks of it. Maybe five-foot-seven or five-foot-eight?

She started jogging towards the figure, though it was obvious with their headstart that she wasn’t going to catch them. When the security officer got ten or so yards away from where they were originally kneeling down, she watched them round the corner and leave her line of sight. 

Luz shakes her head, then looks down a bit and sees another figure. Her eyes squint, and she instinctively reaches for her walkie. “This is campus security badge two-five-six out on the green outside of Grayson Library. I got a possible two-forty, requesting local law enforcement.”

The radio immediately came back with a voice. “Heard, two-five-six. Contacting law enforcement and backup will be there shortly.”

She began pulling out her flashlight. “Yo, you alright?” When she clicked it on and the circular light came to life, it was pointed down at the ground at her feet. Instinctively, Luz looked down.

She squinted, trying to make out what the wind had just blown against her pants.

It was hair. Auburn hair.

Her breath sped up and she slowly pointed her flashlight up and along the ground. Her voice was almost caught in her throat, and she began walking fast towards the unmoving figure. “Hey, I said ‘are you alright’!”

As Luz got closer, her worst fears became a reality. 

With chunks of hair cut off, and an excess amount of blood from the multiple stab wounds to her chest…

It was Melody.

“Oh my god-!” Luz rushed over, pulling her walkie up to her mouth, the tears already starting to well up in a panic. “I need EMT’s! EMT’s- SEND EMT’s!” Her voice broke as she shouted into the device, then threw it on the ground. 

She practically slid down next to her as she collapsed to her knees, reaching out and turning Melody’s face towards her to look into her eyes. “Mel! Mel, look at me!” 

She did; but there was nothing there. Her eyes were as cold as her skin. 

Luz put her hands on the wounds, pressing down hard to try and stop the bleeding. “Don’t do this! C’mon, don’t do this!” She pressed down again, looking at the blood seeping through her fingers and overtop her hands, then back to Melody’s face. Tears began to run down her cheeks. “Fuck- Mel, c’mon!” 

As she cried, she leaned down to put her face just inches away from her friend’s as she whispered to her. The vacant stare that gazed back surely burned into her mind forever. “C’mon, what do you want, huh? W-what do you want me to do? Y-you want me to say that I love you? I- I do, okay? I love you. I love you so fucking much, Mel, just please don’t fucking do this to me- Please, God don’t do this…” 

Her words were strained, said in the middle of sobs as her hands came up to caress Melody’s face. The blood smeared on her extremely pale, lifeless skin as Luz’s thumb gently stroked her cheek. 

Luz looked out all around her and screamed as loud as she could. “HELP! SOMEONE HELP!”

She looked back to the body of what was once her friend. “God, no,” Luz began to cry uncontrollably. “No, no, please no…” She reached down and cradled Melody in her arms, bringing her up to hold her close. To embrace her one last time. “Please don’t go…” The blood began to soak into her uniform, but Luz didn’t care. She rocked back and forth, holding the corpse of one of the only people on this earth she could ever truly say she had loved.

The only sounds left in the dead of night were the whining of incoming sirens, and the sobs of a broken woman… 

[mvltisstuff]

Hey! Can you please do a enemies to lovers (both in 118) with eddie diaz? Thanks:)

chasing pavements - e.d

summary: request

eddie diaz x reader

gif from @agentoutofdiaz

a/n: THREE MORE FINALS GUYS I GOT THIS 🤌🤌 also i am absolutely not up to par with the quality of my enemies to lovers, but i hope you still enjoy 😉

y/n asked herself the same question every single day at the beginning of her shift. what had she done to make eddie hate her so much? it seemed like he physically was unable to smile when she was around. he avoided her like the plague when in reality, she just wanted to be professional about this.

it’s a natural human response to dislike someone back. people never want to be hated and often get frustrated with the other person involved. y/n always thought the word was too harsh, always regretting it when she said it, but there was no other word to describe their relationship.

eddie’s life has been nothing but uncertainty. having a life with nothing to expect led him to loneliness, craving any form of relationship he had. after the army, he struggled with trying to get back to reality. y/n brought him back too easily, and it irked him.

it didn’t help that she was eerily similar to him personality wise. he hates to admit it, but y/n reminds him of all the things he wishes he could change in himself and she is the constant reminder of that. he couldn’t pick something specific out that he didn’t like through all the time of being bugged by her.

as a prime example, y/n walked into work that morning and almost instantly, eddie’s laugh faded away. she wasn’t even going to say anything, she couldn’t deal with him with everything else going on. her family has been on her case the past few weeks and it doesn’t seem to be over. she’s completely burnt out, eddie being part of the ash. she still showed up at work at the 118, perfectly on time for everyone else is her escape.

there’s no denying that she is a wonderful addition to the 118. she’s wildly talented in her field and knows exactly where she’s needed. she’s looked up upon by her coworkers.

“hey, y/n!” buck says, excited to see his friend.

“hi, buck,” she replies, lightly smiling trying to shield any thoughts from eddie or what she’s dealing with. she looks around at everyone, picking around at the bowl of fruit someone had cut up. the team had noticed she’d been off, zoning out and not celebrating with them as much. the thought she was avoiding them after work, and she really was.

she figured anything eddie had to say to her would just add to the pile of stress that she had, so she let him go out with the team for drinks and other stuff. everyone loved eddie, and if she caused problems with him, she thought they’d take his side without hearing the story.

of course, the affect of athena has rub off on bobby and his investigation. he wanted to have a little fun, seeing how bad y/n and eddie were together. he knew working together and saving people would be fine, so he decided to put them on ambulance together. of course, both of them thought they’d been denied to get through the gates of heaven when bobby passed out the demand. the first call was simple, driving to the hospital silently other than vital checks and orders. the next was too, neither of them speaking to each other unless they were administering something. the last call was particularly difficult for y/n, being a close reminder of what she had to deal with at home.

it was just a little kid, being the scapegoat of all the families problems. all the fights, he sat and listened to something he couldn’t control. he was so little that he called 911 out of fear, the police and the ambulance showing up. y/n was relieved no one was actually hurt and no one needed to go to the hospital, but something about it really sent her over the edge.

she was driving the ambulance back to the station, eddie in the passengers seat. she said harmless words to him, “poor kid, it sucks having to deal with that.”

“well, there’s nothing we can do. cant intervene.”

“i know, i just wish i could’ve helped-“

“what could you have helped, y/n?” he interrupts abruptly, causing her to glance at him. “clearly, you have no clue what it’s like to go through that because you wouldn’t be so caught up on it. it’s not like you would’ve made a difference anyway.”

his words were like a sword in her chest. there’s no way he really things she’s no help. the impact she’s made in the community is noticeable, and she tries so hard everyday to make the own community of her last name come together. he was hitting way too close to home, and it was her last straw before the light tears formed on her waterline. she blinked them away, trying to clear her sight but the stinging in her eyes kept bringing them up. she was already embarrassed enough, and crying in front of her the person who hated her was even more humiliating.

“jesus, y/n,” eddie mocks. “you’re a damn adult, there’s no valid reason to be crying right now.”

as they get closer to the station, she pulls into the garage, parking carefully before she shakily shoves her door open. thank god her shift ended before his did, so she could get out of this hellhole. “screw you, diaz,” she says as one final press to his button. he leans back in his seat, not expecting her to retort back to him.

she rubs her red eyes, shuffling out of the car and abandoning the ambulance behind her. eddie couldn’t even bring himself to get out. he thought he might be having a heart attack because of the new feeling he has. did he feel bad for her? he didn’t think that was possible, she’d had enough pity come her way. when y/n walked past everyone and into the showers, hen, chim, and buck gave him a look that had, “are you serious?” written all over their faces. y/n scrubbed off every last word she had received from eddie, or she tried, at least. they stuck with her like a spider in a trap, along with the other baggage she’d been carrying.

the alarm had gone off while she was in the showers, telling her that eddie was gone on a call with the rest of the team. she went into the locker rooms to get the rest of her stuff and leave this exhausting day behind her. she was shoving her stuff into her duffel bag when eddie’s phone started going wild in his cabinet. he usually brings it on calls. she didn’t let the curiosity get the best of her, needing no more reminders of him in her mind. so, she climbed into her car and started the drive home, even though nothing would be different there.

she notices someone sitting on the sidewalk against the stairs of a building. she knew who it was instantly. eddie’s son, christopher, had been waiting outside which was very odd. school had ended a while ago. his red crutches were sitting next to him and he looked around desperately for anyone he knew. she knew she couldn’t leave him there, and eddie didn’t have his phone, so she pulled into the parking lot next to the building.

“christopher? what are you doing here?”

“tía was supposed to pick me up but she didn’t show up, so i was gonna walk home.”

“oh, buddy. i’d call your dad but he’s on a call.”

“i just want to go home,” chris says, making a frown form on y/n’s face.

“you have a key, right?” christopher nods. “here, i’ll bring you home and i can make you something to eat.”

she helps him get into the car and he tells her where to go, eventually pulling up the the house of eddie. he’d probably flip his shit if he knew she was here, but he’d want his son safe at home more. it’s not like she could’ve taken him to her apartment, eddie would be livid.

the 118 had arrived back at the station, putting away their gear and setting their stuff back where it should be. eddie had overheard someone say that there were repeated calls to someone in the locker room, so he decided he should probably check his phone. his heart skipped a beat when he saw his tías name flashing across the screen a million times. “tía! ¿que paso?”

“it’s christopher! i completely forgot he was getting out at a different time and i was picking him up,” eddie hears her say and he almost drops his phone to the ground. “i went to the school, and he wasn’t there, edmundo.”

“what?” he says. “ok, i’m leaving now, i’ll go look. maybe another parent dropped him off.”

eddie speeds over to his home, passing all the cars slower than him. he would never recover if something happened to chris. he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. he slams his car door shut, running to the door and frantically turning the doorknob. he rapidly moves inside, shouting christopher’s name, praying for a reply. he walks into the kitchen to see y/n standing over a boiling pot, and his face goes pale as a ghost when he sees her.

“he’s in the living room with headphones on. i found him trying to walk home,” y/n tells him.

“where was he?”

“the offices on north west,” she takes notices of his expression. “i’m sorry, eddie. i can leave in a minute. i would’ve called you, but-“

“no apologizing, don’t worry about it,” he says, calmly. “thank you. so much, y/n, thank you.”

she nods, smiling lightly because this might get her in the door a bit better. “it’s really not a problem. i was happy to do this for him, i just wanted him safe for you.”

she begins to gather her belongings like her phone and wallet, putting it back into her purse and picking up.

“y/n, wait,” eddie says, placing a hand on her arm. “i have to say i’m sorry. i was nothing but a complete dick for no reason and i had no clue you had so much going on. i got yelled at by hen and was told to lay off.”

y/n laughs a bit, “are you only saying this because hen told you to?”

“absolutely not. y/n, you just saved my son. god only knows what could’ve happened, i mean we live in a massive city. it means the world to me that you were there for him when i couldn’t be. i’ve treated you like shit and you’ve never even done a bad thing. you just… scared me.”

“i scared you? i think you can take the prize there, eddie.”

“ok, maybe not scared, but i was intimidated. because i see so much of myself in you and i couldn’t handle that.”

“it’s ok, really. i just need breather for a little. i am that little kid that we got called to today and you completely disregarded it. i would have never done that to you.”

“i never, ever want to make you feel like that again. i want to make this work, you and i. so, stay for dinner tonight. you already went through the hassle of cooking for him, why don’t you eat it?”

“i’m happy to make boxed mac and cheese for him anytime, eddie. and i’m here for you and your kid whenever you need it.” she and eddie sit down at the table, letting whatever was on their chest come out as christopher played video games in the other room.

[atths--twice]

Germs and All

After attending a conference, Scully falls ill. Not wanting to be alone, and missing Mulder, she heads to his apartment.

I've been fighting through a cold the past few days. As a result, I've had extra time on my hands as I've been resting. Because of this, my mind wanders to MSR more than usual. I love stories where they take care of each other and so, I've written this little fic.

Hope you enjoy. 💓

Scully woke up, her mouth dry and nose stuffy. Groaning, she rolled over and glanced at the alarm clock before closing her eyes in the gray light. Opening her eyes again, she looked back at the clock as she drew in a breath. 

11:30. 

It was eleven thirty? 

Sitting up, she looked around the room and then picked up her watch to be sure the time was correct. 

11:30. 

“Oh, God,” she whined softly as she fell back onto the pillows, sniffling deeply. “How is it so late?” 

Rain hit the windows and she sighed as she sat up again and laid her watch back beside her half drunk cup of tea. Pushing herself up, she groaned again, her body aching. 

Stumbling to the bathroom, she used the toilet, washed her hands and brushed her teeth. Staring at her reflection, she sighed and made a face before turning off the light and leaving the room. 

Shivering, she grabbed the comforter off of the bed and wrapped it around herself as she groaned again and opened the bedroom door. 

Pausing just past the doorway, she looked to her right and saw Mulder sitting on his couch, smiling at her. 

“Hello,” he said and she frowned with another groan. “I take it you’re not feeling better.” 

“It’s eleven thirty,” she complained and he nodded, glancing at his watch. 

“Nearly quarter till twelve now,” he said and she whined. 

“Why did you let me sleep so long?” she asked, kicking the comforter back from her feet as she walked over to him. 

“Let you?” he asked with a chuckle, as she sat on the end of the couch with a huff and then laid down, her head resting against his thigh. 

“I’m tired,” she complained, letting out a deep breath. “And my nose is stuffy.”

“I know,” he said, his fingers rubbing her head and running through her hair. “Well, about the stuffy nose anyway.” 

“I slept all night. How am I still tired?” she whined and he chuckled again. 

“You have a cold, Scully.” 

“Mmmm,” she moaned with a frown. “This is all Skinner’s fault. I didn’t want to go to that stupid conference. He made me.” 

“Hmm,” Mulder hummed, his fingers rubbing her neck. 

“That feels good,” she whispered, her eyes closing. 

“Skinner wasn’t sick,” he mused and she sighed heavily. 

“No. But someone there was and I got it from them. You didn’t go, so you’re fine.” 

“I won’t be in a couple of days, seeing as you brought all the germs with you. This place is ground zero now. The bedroom in particular is highly contaminated.” 

“I know. I should’ve gone home,” she admitted with a nod. “I just…” 

“I was just teasing,” he said, his thumb pressing firmer into her neck and causing her to moan. “I’m glad you’re here.” 

“Even though I’ve…” She sniffled deeply and let out a deep breath. “God. Even though I’ve brought the plague upon you?” 

“It’s just a cold,” he said, laughing softly. 

“Feels worse.” 

“You say that every time you’re sick.” 

“Because it does. It always does,” she whined, breathing through her mouth as her nose had become far too stuffy. 

“I’ll get you some medicine,” he said, scratching her scalp lightly and moving gently from the couch. “You want anything to eat?” She moaned and shook her head. “Tea?” She shook her head again and he chuckled softly. “Okay, just the medicine.” 

She nodded as she burrowed into the comforter, finding a more comfortable position. 

A kiss was pressed to her temple and she smiled. 

“Even full of germs, and wrapped like a mummy, you’re adorable,” he whispered, kissing her again before he left the room. 

She smiled and then coughed, groaning as she shook her head. The comforter was pulled even closer and she took a stuffy breath. 

“Hey,” Mulder said and she opened her eyes. “Here’s the medicine and some water. You need to sit up to take it and the cough syrup.” 

“I hate cough syrup,” she grumbled and he hummed as he helped her sit up. 

“I know,” he said, handing her the syringe in his hand. 

“You like using this, don’t you?” she asked, putting the syringe in her mouth and pressing the plunger, swallowing the medicine quickly. Making a face, she took a sip of the water he offered. 

“I do. I’m glad you gave it to me,” he said, smiling as he handed her two large liquid filled pills. “These should help too.” 

She took them and placed them into her mouth, swallowing them with the rest of the water in the glass. Pouting, she handed the glass back to him and then coughed, turning her head to avoid coughing directly on him. 

“I’ll get you some more water,” he said as she coughed again. She laid back down with a moan, cursing that stupid conference. 

It had been monotonous, uninspiring, and lonely without Mulder with her. And then the last night there, she had felt the telltale signs of a cold brewing as her throat was scratchy when she swallowed. 

Waking up to a stuffy nose and achy body, the flight home had been miserable. Hailing a cab, she had given the driver Mulder’s address, closing her eyes as she rested her head against the window. 

When she had made her way to his door, her suitcase feeling exceptionally heavy and clumsy, she swayed as she knocked twice and waited. 

His happy smile had vanished at the sight of her, concern quickly replacing it. 

“I don’t feel so good,” she had said, pitching forward and falling into his arms. 

“Aw, Scully,” he had whispered, pulling her and her bag inside. 

He had brought her into his room, turned on the shower to warm up, and helped her undress. 

While she had been in the shower, he had changed his sheets, found some clothes for her to wear, and made her some tea. 

When she had dressed in one of his long sleeved shirts and a pair of cuffed sweatpants with the drawstring pulled as far as it could go, he had sat her down on his bed and blown her hair dry as she moaned repeatedly, her eyes closed. 

When he had finished, he brushed her hair and kissed her on the forehead. 

“Why don’t you lay down and I’ll go get you some medicine?” he had asked and she had nodded. “Come on, come and lay down.” 

He had helped her up and led her to the other side of the bed, pulling back the covers and then tucking her in once she had laid down, her head pounding. 

“I’ll be back soon. Rest.” He had kissed her head twice, ran a hand down her side, and whispered goodbye as he left. 

He had woken her to take some medicine, sitting with her until she had fallen back to sleep, stroking her hair as he spoke quietly about his last couple of days without her. 

She had woken throughout the night, his arm around her waist or fingers locked with her own, her nose stuffy and head still aching. 

“Hey,” he said softly and she opened her eyes, looking up at him. “Do you want some more water? Luckily, I found a bendy straw so now you don’t have to sit up.” 

“Hmm,” she hummed, nodding slightly. “I’ll have a little bit. Thank you.” He sat on the coffee table and held the glass and straw for her as she took a few sips. 

“Feeling any better at all?” he asked and she sighed as she pulled back from the glass of water. 

“Not at the moment,” she said, closing her eyes and sighing again. 

“Well, hopefully that medicine will help soon. I brought over another box of tissues and a paper bag for the used ones. Do you need anything else?” 

“No, not right now. Thank you,” she said, attempting to breathe through her nose and giving up to take a deep breath through her mouth. “I’m just so tired.” 

“Rest, Scully,” he said, kissing her temple again, the glass of water set on the coffee table. 

And she did, dozing in and out as he sat on the couch beside her, his fingers in her hair or resting on her shoulder. She heard baseball being announced, the crack of a bat, and organ music playing. Then she heard the dialogue of a movie as she turned over and sighed, the comforter tucked around her when she did. 

“Thank you,” she breathed and he hummed as his fingers rubbed her scalp again and she fell back to sleep. 

Her bladder woke her and she moaned as she stirred, extricating herself from her comforter cocoon. 

“I ordered some food,” Mulder said as she stretched and rolled her neck. “Matzo ball and chicken noodle soup. Waiting for you, whenever you’re ready.”

“That sounds good,” she said, her voice hoarse. “Not sure how much I’ll be able to eat.” 

“I know. But you haven’t eaten anything all day. You need something.” 

“Okay. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” 

When she came out of the bedroom, she was wearing one of his hoodies, as she had lost the warmth of the comforter. She had also put on a pair of his thick socks and pulled her hair back into a small ponytail. Yawning, she padded to the dining room and sat down. 

A small bowl of matzo ball soup had been placed at her spot, the spoon resting inside of it. She smiled at the sight of the cut up matzo ball, making it easier to eat. Glancing up, she watched him walk in with his own bowl of soup and a plate of sliced bread. 

“You cut my matzo ball,” she said with a sniffle as she reached for her spoon. 

“Yeah, I did,” he said, setting his stuff down and sitting beside her. “Easier and quicker for you to eat.” 

“Thank you,” she said, filling her spoon with broth and a piece of matzo. 

They sat in silence as they ate, Scully taking her time to eat as much of the soup as she could. 

“I can’t taste any of this,” she said, shaking her head, leaving her spoon down in the bowl. “Not one bit, but I’m sure it’s really good.” 

“It is,” he said and she nodded as she pushed the bowl from in front of her. 

“I’ll take your word for it,” she said, watching him finish his bowl of soup. He smiled at her and she smiled back, suddenly overwhelmed with affection for him. “I love you.” 

He stopped eating and stared at her, his smile growing. 

“I know I’ve told you before, but I just wanted to say it again,” she said, sniffing and letting out a deep breath. 

He set his spoon in his bowl and made to move towards her, his hands reaching out. 

“No,” she said, putting up a hand. “Contagious, remember?” 

“Ground zero, remember?” he asked, his hands now cradling her face as he smiled. “The damage has been done. Therefore, a kiss on the lips won’t cause any harm.” 

“Hmm,” she hummed, closing her eyes as his lips met hers. 

He kissed her gently, his thumbs slowly rubbing against her cheeks as she hummed again. Needing air, she pulled back slightly and drew in a breath, before his lips were on hers again.  

“I love you too,” he whispered, kissing her one more time. Smiling as he pulled back, his thumbs stroking along her cheeks. “Germs and all.” 

“Ha ha,” she said, opening her eyes and looking at him. “Ugh. I think I need to lay down.” 

“Yeah,” he agreed, moving his hands from her face. “Let me clean this up and get you some more medicine. Then bed.” 

She waited at the table for him as he quickly cleaned up. More cough syrup and pills were brought to her along with a glass of ice water. She took it all with only minimal complaints, thanking him with a nod. 

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.” 

He led her through the apartment, turning the lights off behind them. He grabbed the comforter and followed her into his room. 

She went into the bathroom, used the toilet, washed her hands, and brushed her teeth. 

Mulder had put the comforter back on the bed and pulled back the covers on her side once again. Waiting while she laid down, he tucked her in and kissed her head. 

“Be right back,” he said and she hummed as she closed her eyes. 

When he finally laid down, she was nearly asleep, but she opened her eyes to look at him and give him a small smile. 

“Thank you for taking care of me,” she whispered, closing her eyes as she reached for his hand. 

“That’s why you came here, isn’t it?” he asked softly, kissing her knuckles. “Knowing you were ill? Wanting to be cared for?” 

“Yes and no,” she said, moving closer to him. 

“How’s that?” he asked and she opened her eyes again.  

“I missed you. I wanted to see you,” she said, her eyes rolling back as she shut them again. “I didn’t plan on being sick. I just missed you.” 

“I missed you too,” he whispered, pulling her close. “I’m glad you came over.” 

“Germs and all?” she asked, her words slightly slurred. 

“Yes. Germs and all,” he assured her, kissing her forehead and whispering his love for her as she fell asleep, held safely in his arms. 

[clangenrising]

Month 7 - Leaffall

“They’ll love you,” Smokyrose soothed as she wound her tail with Ghost’s, leading him across the grasslands towards the RisingClan camp. 

“I know, I know,” Ghost sighed, leaning his head on top of hers. “I’m just… nervous.” 

“What for?” asked Smokyrose genuinely. 

“About the kits, I guess?” he shrugged. 

“Oh?” she licked his cheek curiously. She had told him just an hour or so ago and he had taken it well, if a bit surprised. She had rubbed herself all over him, vibrating joyfully, and he had laughed and held her close. She couldn’t have been happier. She had eventually convinced him to come meet her Clanmates, even though he seemed reluctant. She couldn’t help but wonder what his reasons were. 

 “I’m sure things will be fine,” she added, “Sagetooth is a skilled Healer, I’ll be in great paws, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She wondered if the city cats had their own healers or if they just had to hope they never got ill. 

“It’s not that,” he shook his head. “I’m… I’ve never been a father before.” Quickly, he amended, “I mean, I’m sure I’ve had kits, but it’s never been… a responsibility for me before. I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.” 

“I have faith,” she purred. “You’ll make a great dad.” 

“If you say so, Miss Smoke.” He chuckled a little and placed a few licks on her forehead, causing her purr to deepen in her chest. 

Soon, the camp was upon them. Smokyrose squeezed herself against his muscled shoulder in encouragement and they descended into the dip where she had always made her home. Ghost’s mouth was open wide to scent the well worn scents of the cats who lived there. Smokyrose looked around and saw that Pantherhaze and Songdust were sunning on the roof of the warriors’ den. 

Raising her tail she gave a tiny meow to get their attention. “Songdust! Pantherhaze! Look who I brought ‘round.” Songdust sat up, squinting in the sun, but immediately brightened at the sight of them. 

“Hey!” she purred, rolling to her paws. “If it isn’t your fancy new beau! Nice to meet you.” She dropped onto the grass to meet them, tail swishing gently. Ghost dipped his head in her direction. 

“You must be the famous Songdust,” he purred and Smokyrose nearly swooned at how suave he was. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Smokyrose lifted her head proudly, almost hoping that Songdust would be jealous now that she’d met him.

“Wow, you were right,” laughed Songdust, brows lifting. “He is quite the gentleman.”

“Isn’t he just?” Smokyrose hummed fondly. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Pantherhaze said, padding up with wide amber eyes. 

“Pantherhaze,” Smokyrose said, “this is Ghost. Ghost, Pantherhaze.” 

Ghost dipped his head again. “The pleasure is mine.” 

“So, Ghost,” Songdust asked, shifting into a more comfortable stance, “are you coming to stay then?” 

Ghost chuckled reticently, “We’ll have to see, won’t we.” 

“Well, hey!” Goldenstar’s voice called from the other side of camp. “Who’s the handsome stranger?” 

Smokyrose looked over to the Stoneperch where the leader was emerging from her den and grinned. “Goldenstar! Come meet the father of my kits.” Turning to Ghost, she said, “This is Goldenstar, she’s the leader of the Clan.” 

As Goldenstar approached, he bowed his head deeply. “A pleasure to meet you, your excellence.”

Goldenstar laughed, eyes sparkling. “Wow, are all city cats as polite as you two?” she looked over her shoulder and frowned. 

“Pardon?” Ghost glanced at Smokyrose, confused. She tilted her head in kind, not having seen anyone behind the tortie even if she could infer who Goldenstar was looking for.

“Sorry,” Goldenstar said, face falling a bit. “I thought that…” She shook her head a bit and pulled her attention back to the cats in front of her and put a smile back on. “Not important. There’s no need for such formalities. We’re all friends here.” 

“I see,” hummed Ghost. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you regardless. My name is Ghost.” 

“Ghost,” she nodded. “Well, welcome to RisingClan, Ghost. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, get to know the place.” 

“I’m trying to convince him to stay but he’s being stubborn about it,” Smokyrose purred, pressing against his side again. She smirked up at him and he smiled as his gaze dipped toward the ground. 

“Regrettably, I have obligations in the city, but I’m happy to stay for a bit.” 

“That’s too bad,” said Goldenstar. 

“Come along,” Smokyrose said, pushing his shoulder, “I want to introduce you to Oddstripe.” 

“Ah,” he chuckled, “excuse me, then.” 

Smokyrose purred and pushed him towards the Healer’s den. As they went, she whispered, “You’ll have to excuse Sagetooth, though. She’s a bit of a curmudgeon.”

“Good to know,” he whispered back and Smokyrose’s stomach fluttered. She felt like an apprentice again, full of energy and mischief and excitement. She even dared to hope that somehow she would be able to change Ghost’s mind and he would stay for good. We’ll have to see, won’t we? she thought to herself.

[makur0]

Omg i miss your wrttings alot and all of them are great! Could i req Dom Arashi trying to pleasure her insecure s/o (fem reader)?? Can be mirror sex and overstimulation pls, sorry this is my first time requesting-

My favorite part~

synopsis — a girl's gotta help out a girl. hopefully you don't mind if she does it in a more intimate way [arashi narukami x fem! reader]

content warnings — nsfw, mdni. soft! dom! arashi, fingering, mirror sex, overstimulation, lot of praise + begging, self-deprecation at beginning so slightttt angst but comfort (there's no mention of arashi's genitals)

author's note — when i said i was going to post more during my break i go slap myself on my bed and proceed to sleep for five days /j. but im crawling out of the hole and hopefully i can go back to my daily-post days (never)

word count — 978

"NARU- IT'S NOT WORTH IT."

The blonde's hopeful smile melted into a frown as her hands filled with the latest cosmetics dropped back down to her sides. Realizing the cloud you brought upon your lover made you quickly raise your hands, shaking them.

"I- I mean why waste it on me?" You laughed shakily. "Save it for yourself."

Arashi pouted, the childish act masking her rising thoughts. "I'm not wasting it on you! And of course it's worth it, you'd look absolutely beautiful!"

You shrugged, genuinely looking doubtful, and Arashi confirmed the brooding thoughts.

You poor thing.

"I-" Faltering, you twisted your hands together. "Actually, nevermind. Go have fun, Naru. Maybe you can call Mika or Sena to try it with you."

Arashi hesitated, but hearing the finality in your voice she nodded feebly and took her bags, silently walking up the stairs to your shared room. And that made you feel worse.

"Dammit..." You cursed softly, dropping your head on the cool marble countertop. "I'm sorry."

Even with makeup, I won't look as beautiful as you without it, my love.

That's just how it is, even if it hurts like hell.

---

"Hey, Naru... sorry for earlier."

After beating yourself up for the past hour, you finally decided to walk up to the bedroom and apologize to her, wanting your weary heart to rest easy. But to your surprise Arashi was sitting at her vanity, carefully applying makeup.

"Mmmm," Humming, she gestured to you to come closer. "Apologize to me by telling me how this blush looks on me."

You nodded, slowly making your way behind her to glance at the mirror, then flushed. Along with the blush, Arashi had new eye shadow and even some eyeliner that made her look at least 10x hotter. 100 time than what you were.

You coughed slightly. "You look amazing, Naru."

Arashi stared at herself a little longer, then sighed. "Of course, I'll never be as pretty as you are. Oh well."

wait. what?

"Huh?" The response came out in a faint squeak, the latter's eyes glimmering in amusement.

She then turned around to you fully, staring at you straight in the eye. "My darling, I said that I'll never be as beautiful as you."

"But-"

"Mm! No buts." Immediately she shot out of her seat and cupped your chin, looking down at you fondly. "You're the prettiest girl I've ever laid my eyes on, baby. That's why I'm so head over heels for you."

Clearing your throat and reddened, looking down at your feet. Arashi glanced to her left, seeing her full-body mirror, and pointed at it. "See? Look how perfect your frame is, I'm so jealous! You have such beautiful curves!"

She walked behind you and faced you towards the mirror, pushing you closer to it and then finally settling you down in her lap as she sat on the carpet. Your face was hidden in your hands, the red skin shining brightly back at Arashi.

Resting her chin on her shoulder, she whispered right into your ear, increasing your blush tenfold.

"I also forgot to say... you're as pretty down there as your face."

"Arashi-?!" Too overcome with shock you stared at her through the mirror, exasperated, missing the hand starting to slip into your waistband. "-ngh!"

Her other hand cupped your mouth as she started rubbing your sex, cooing to you as she had her eyes closed. "You got a perfect face and a perfect little pussy, [name]. It's a shame that you can't see that yourself."

She let out a sigh just as you sang out a whiny, muffled moan, biting back a grin. "Of course, that's why I'm here. Giving praise to your gifts, my love. I already paid attention to your features, so now..." She flicked her arm, swiftly getting rid of your pants and undergarments as she revealed your bright pink cunt to the mirror. "My favorite part."

"Arashi, just-" You shook away your hand from her mouth only to moan loudly as she dug two fingers into your sex, her slender digits bushing against your walls. "P-please-!"

"Come on, my dear," She whispered, giving you puppy dog eyes through the mirror. "Just let me show you how cute you are."

"..." You couldn't keep the stare down for long, because when her thumb flicked over your clit you keeled, mind spinning at the numbing pleasure. Being more sensitive than usual due to a lack of touch from both yourself and Arashi, even a minute in you could feel yourself getting close to your high. Which you did, as she kept finger-fucking you quickly you trembled a little bit as you came undone, panting.

But Arashi didn't seem to stop there, no. Inhaling sharply and digging her face into your shoulder, she quickened her pace on your cunt and relished the high moans you elicited. She had to take advantage of this, she just had to. Catching you at a vunerable state, the thought of ripping orgasm after orgasm out of you was absolute heaven to her. She did feel a bit guilty- you were supposed to be pleased, not her. But surely there could be room.

You couldn't escape your girlfriend's grip- or you didn't even try. Why should you, she's so much stronger than you, no? Besides, having Arashi's fingers dug deep into your cunt, your sopping juices spreading on her and your inner thighs, turned you on more than you liked. A small, sane part of you still questioned why she chose to comfort you in such a lewd way, but your already-brainwashed part took it greedily. Just seeing your already-gone face, your legs twitching along with your bright leaking pussy made you absolutely submissive to your holder.

Besides... none of you had to go anywhere tomorrow. So just let your beloved fuck you dumb and make sure you feel loved.

TAGLIST: @sugarswebarsweb @ibaraluvr @himeru-soulmate

[thestalwartheart]

,…Well now I just gotta request a fic with Q and his cats on the day before he joins MI6 (or becomes Quartermaster)!

You have your answer, Anon! ❤️ Apologies for taking so long to get around to filling this.

You can read it below or on AO3.

Enjoy!

anticipation.

“Well,” sighed Q to his cats. They were curled up together on the other end of his sofa. “Not long now. Twelve hours, give or take.”

He finished the last spoonful of his ice cream—mint choc chip. The coolness soothed his tongue from the scorching it had received during dinner. It had taken him four hours to make a slow-cooked ragu and about four seconds to ruin his tastebuds by being too impatient to eat it.

That’s what his nerves got him, he supposed.

“Quartermaster,” he said frankly to the cats. “I’m twenty-seven, for fuck’s sake.”

His father had always told him he was twenty going on fifty, but it didn’t stop Q from being bewildered by M’s job offer. How well did it bode for the Service, really, that no one more experienced was clever enough for the job? He was in an agency of dinosaurs, and he’d be responsible for dragging them into the modern day. How horrifying.

How thrilling.

“You’ll have trouble with the agents,” M had told him while she was marching somewhere or other, him following at her heels. “Don’t let them under your skin. Remember, you’re cleverer than most of them.”

“Most?”

She smiled secretly. “Yes. Most.”

It was the most that sent him digging. He never could abide a mystery. Agents, he knew, were more brawn than brains. And he’d read M’s files. In fact, he’d hacked them without a trace using the Major’s details — the old man, bless his soul, was terribly clever with weaponry but absolutely rubbish when it came to software — and so he knew M had sent plenty of agents out into the field with the heavy possibility that they’d never make it back.

But after reading the official reports, he was no clearer on who she favoured. There were several agents she’d recruited herself—all orphans, all screaming with boredom in the Special Forces—and of them, Commander James Bond was the longest serving. Q thought he was getting close when he brought Bond’s file up, but his record for insubordination put that thought to rest.

Insubordinate or not, though, he was certainly good-looking. Q was rather looking forward to meeting him.

Q’s eldest cat made a sound, then stretched and flopped over. With the hand that wasn’t cold from holding a mug full of ice cream, he scratched her velvety underbelly. She rolled this way and that, her paws hanging akimbo.

“Right,” said Q, rubbing his index finger under her chin one last time. When he took it away, he noticed his leg was tapping up and down. Anxiety, perhaps. Sugar, much more likely. “One last thing before bed.”

He got up and poured himself a shot of whisky—the one at the top of his kitchen cupboard rather than his drinks trolley. It was hellishly expensive, and he rarely drank from it. It was for special occasions only. Good or bad.

“To the Major, God rest his soul,” he said, raising his glass to two bewildered cats. He smiled at them, and with a sharp pain, remembered the Major visiting once and meeting them as kittens. Upon seeing their little claws stretched out, he’d regaled Q with a story of some Russian woman who had a poisonous dagger in her stiletto heel. “The Russians probably designed it after the claws of these little beasts.”

Q finished his drink in a neat gulp, then poured himself another. He was less precise with the measurement this time. The high from a full stomach and the smooth burn of good whisky was getting to him.

Q cleared his throat.

”To being Q,” he said. His cats had abandoned the couch; they never left him for long. As if telling him to move away from the whisky, they curled around his ankles. “Here’s hoping I do it all half as well as he did.”

He knocked back his drink, then, with a long groan, he walked promptly to the upstairs bathroom and threw it all up. The vomit hit the toilet basin to the off-beat rhythm of competing meows.

It was, Q thought, rather comforting. If his career in espionage went tits up after all this…well.

At least there were the cats.

[toi-monogatari]

Raw version of chapter 1 of my radio apple fic

Radioapple bonding exercises

Summary: Charlie decided that for the best of the hotel, both of her dads should learn to get along with each other, if they want it or not. This shall be done with a series of bonding exercises.

Full work on ao3. Here you get chapter 1 for now.

Chapter 1 Force

It was an early morning at the hazbin hotel. The red sky softly shun a hue upon the streets of the pride ring and sinners got on with their usual lives. Murder, assault and rape happened left and right as per usual. On this usual morning though, the young owner of the hotel had different plans for her newly rebuilt hotel. And she was ready to share them with her guests.

Among her guests were two unusual faces. The radio demon came early as usual, sitting at his table and drinking a cup of a dark roast. In the corner of the room was Travis, shoved upside down into a trashcan. An usual sight. Alastor must have done that due to always receiving tea instead of his morning coffee. Travis never learns.

At the bar Angel Dust was sitting and drinking a virgin Margherita that Husk prepared for him, as they softly talked about their life. Those two surely did get along since Charlie brought them together. Watching them made her feel sure those two will get redeemed. And it sparked an idea.

"Niffty, dear, would you mind fetching my father from his room? It's time for the exercises!" She said in her sweet voice.

Vaggie that followed close behind her looked at her girlfriend and immediately realised what was going to happen. In a worried tone she asked: "Charlie... Are you sure this is a good idea? I doubt they will-"

But Charlie cut her off: "it'll be fine, Vaggie. Don't worry. I know it'll work."

“Yes charchar?”

“Yes dear?”

The two voices sounded simultaneously, followed by a silence so sharp it could cut someone. The Radio Demon and the King of Hell stared at each other in hatred. If not for the sweet voice of the Princess, these two might have murdered each other with their eyes.

“Well, dad, and Al, I have decided that if you both really want to stay and help me, that you have to give a good example to the sinners.”

“Well of course I want to help you. I can give a good example. The best example even! They never have seen an example as well as what I’ll give!” Lucifer immediately took the initiative. To which the Radio Demon laughed.

“Oh really. Well, I’ll pass. I agreed to help you with the hotel, not its programming.”

“Well it wouldn't be the first time you’ve ‘passed’.” the short blonde laughed at his own joke, which quickly was followed by slowly rising darkness and accompanied by the noise of a crashing stereo system.

Vaggie looked at her girlfriend and softly spoke: “Charlie.. they’re at each other's throats all the time. I think it’ll be more safe for all of hell to keep them apart.”

“That is exactly why I need to make them work together now. If I won’t then there is a chance they will keep fighting about how to do the things around the hotel all the time. That would be far worse than just getting them to learn more about each other.” Her voice sounded like she tried to convince herself her plan was true, like she didn’t believe her own spoken words.

Vaggie sighed, rubbed her eyes and nodded, “Okay, if that is what you want, I’ll support it. I just hope you ain’t too overshadowed by trying to make everyone become friends.”

But Charlie didn’t listen anymore, as she was too focused on making her dad and the man who said she is like a daughter he never had, become friends.

“No, no. No scary tentacle things. Now, I just want to let you do some bonding exercises. Nothing too much, really. And it’ll be slow paced, don't worry. So you won't have to see each other all the time.” She chuckled, as if to push off any faint nervousness she had.

“No.” Alastor answered in a single word.

“For once I agree with the animal. I would do anything different than spend time with him.” The Short King answered in return. “What is even the point? It is not like either of us will ever see heaven again.”

“It would just make me very happy…” Charlie said, her head slowly falling. It was true, neither of those two would ever be allowed into heaven, one a crazed serial killer and cannibal, the other a fallen angel. No matter what they would do, heaven would never let them in. Yet still, to her it was important the people she cared about would get along.

And for a split second, a subtle movement could be noticed by those most observant, a small twitch in Charlie's mouth corner. She was holding back a cry.

“Hmmpf… Fine. What is the exercise you want me to do with Bambi here?” the father looked at his daughter, causing the Radio Demon not to want to be any worse.

“Yes, it won’t hurt to do some exercises with this excuse of a golden retriever. But not because I want to, do not get that wrong. I do this simply because if this hotel fails, I’ll have noone to make fun of anymore.” He spout out, his radio voice stopping for a split second, which intrigued the king, making him stare for a moment as his daughter spoke again.

“Great! Today we will talk about others redeeming qualities!”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54103345/chapters/136979956

[2baddiesfanfics]

Stay

Pairing: Navia x Clorinde

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Abandonment, Scissoring, Vaginal Fingering, Angst, Roleplay

Summary:

After Clorinde reveals snippets of her past to Lyney, Furina, and the Traveler, the weight of abandonment weighs heavily on her soul. When Navia comes home, she knows what she must do to pick up the pieces of the broken-hearted duelist.

Read on Ao3

After devoting herself to accurately portraying a marechaussee hunter for hours, Navia was grateful to finally walk through the front door of her apartment. She had taken a detour after test-playing the Tabletop Troupe’s latest game to purchase some snacks for her night in with Clorinde. Believing her girlfriend to be exhausted from giving it her all as the day’s game master, she had sent her on ahead to get cozy.

“Dear, I’m home. What a day, huh? Who would’ve thought Lady Furina would be such a natural? And that Lyney, he sure can...”

The faint sound of sniffling coming from the kitchen stopped her mid-chatter. “Clorinde? Is that you?” She called out as she headed toward the noise.

When she finally caught sight of the raven-haired woman, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The strongest duelist in the land was leaning on the counter, her head in her hands.

“Sweetheart…what’s wrong?” Navia asked startled. She could barely count on one hand how many times she’d seen her cry.

“I um…I didn’t hear you come in.” She quickly wiped her tears away, clearly embarrassed to have been caught in a moment of weakness.

“Clorinde, something is clearly not okay. Talk to me?”

“It’s nothing. It was just a long day, that’s all. I didn’t mind relaying my past to the group. I know I should be open if I hope to continue to gain the trust of our friends, but…” She tried to avoid the piercing blue eyes that gazed at her with concern.

Navia pulled her into a hug just before the dam broke. Her shoulders shook with the force of years of pent-up grief. They had been friends for many years, drifted apart due to circumstances outside of either of their control and come together once more to fight their demons as a team. Her words of anguish wedged their way between her sobs.

“I-I don’t understand. Why have…so many people…abandoned me? Am I that…hard to love? My parents, my master, and even you...”

This was new to Navia. While she was proud of her for being vulnerable in front of their friends, she hadn’t predicted the fallout. The champion duelist was always so strong and stoic. Even as close as they were now, the two women had never really discussed her past at length.

“You said…if Ms. Petronilla had never introduced us to each other…maybe part of the sadness you were feeling…could have been avoided…I’ve caused you so much pain...”

The president of the Spina di Rosula felt a lump form in her throat. Why did I even say such a thing? “Love, that’s not what I meant. We’ve both lost far too many important people in our lives. What matters now is that we are here. Together. My heart ached for you during that time apart,” Navia comforted her as she rubbed soothing circles on her back.

“But at least you knew what it was like to be loved!” Clorinde exclaimed.

Navia rested her forehead against hers. “Dear heart, don’t you see? You are loved. I love you, more than anything and anyone. Have you already forgotten my words during the summons? Although I’m livid she left you without a word, it’s thanks to your master that I met the love of my life. Yes, we had our fair share of challenges, but I never stopped loving you. I always knew we’d find our way back to each other.” The salty taste of tears played gently upon her lips as she pressed them against hers.

The meeting of their mouths calmed Clorinde. For all her worry of rejection, small acts of intimacy brought her back to the reality of her situation. She was no longer a frightened child longing for someone to recognize her fragility; she was someone’s dear friend, lover, and partner. “I used to think I wasn’t anybody’s first choice. Tell me, Navia…am I yours?”

The other woman laughed brightly at the question with such an obvious answer. “I’ll do you one better than telling you,” she said with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows as she grabbed her hand and moved toward the bedroom.

“We’ve already had quite the eventful day, and I don’t think either of us is in the mood for more roleplay tonight,” she said with a smirk. “Instead, why don’t we just get comfortable and take it slow? You’re on vacation this week, right?”

“Indeed.”

“Good. That means I can take my time with you,” she whispered as she leaned in to kiss her again. They moved unhurriedly, Navia tracing the defined lines of Clorinde’s cheeks and chin with her fingertips. She could feel the duelist lean into her touch.

I can never betray her trust. Despite her impassive appearance at court, I need to be someone she can be vulnerable with.

Navia moved her hands to unbutton her girlfriend’s shirt. “Tell me to stop if you’re not ready for this right now, ok?”

“No…no, don’t stop. Please,” she pleaded as she pulled her closer by her hips.

Archons, she’s not making this easy. Slow and steady, Navia.

Their clothing fell to their feet after each had helped the other remove the items, their stress following suit. Longing for the comfort of the bed they shared, they crawled under the covers and Navia faced her.

“While I love you for so much more than your body, it’s certainly a plus,” she murmured as she trailed her fingers down Clorinde’s defined biceps. “All that sword training really comes in handy.”

“I’m glad you think so,” the duelist wryly responded.

Navia replaced her fingers with her lips, kissing the muscle before moving toward her chest. She felt Clorinde take a deep breath in anticipation.

“Relax,” she muttered against her skin. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re safe here. I’ll always be here.”

The woman always knew what to say. She had listened to her worries and reassured rather than rebuked her. The duelist cleared her mind as she shifted her focus to the sensations her girlfriend evoked. Archons, she smelled good. Like vanilla, brown sugar, and bulle fruit.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Navia’s warm palm start to gently massage her breast. A moan escaped her, and the president of the Spina di Rosula giggled.

“See? Isn’t this so much better when you stop thinking and just feel for once?” She continued to work her chest and felt her nipples harden against her fingertips.

“N-navia…I love you…”

“Shhh…I know you do. And I, you. Are you ready for me?”

“Yes…please…I want to feel you…inside-“

She cut her off with another kiss, far more heated than when they first began. Navia brought her free hand down between Clorinde’s legs and rubbed her slit carefully, coaxing the juices out of her to coat her fingers to ensure there was no resistance.

The duelist groaned, their tongues entwining as Navia slipped a digit inside of her. Her thumb began to move in circles against her clit, causing her hips to jerk and draw her finger in deeper.

“Don’t get greedy now. What’s the rush? You’re off tomorrow…”

“Can’t wait…need you…now…”

She added a second finger, filling her as she desired. Her wrist swiveled, moving in the ways she had come to learn she enjoyed.

“Ahhhh, Navia…yesssss”

“That’s right, baby, enjoy it,” she comforted as she increased her pace. Clorinde gripped her waist, a sign that she was nearing the end. “Come for me, love. Let it out. I’ve got you.”

The champion duelist grit her teeth, her hips jerking against Navia’s hand as she hit her orgasm.

“Haaaa…haaa…fuck….Nav-” The blonde cut her off with a kiss, swallowing her exclamation of pleasure. When Clorinde opened her eyes, she was greeted by the stellar smile she had come to associate with what it meant to be home. Her girlfriend ran her fingers through her now messy hair.

“Navia…thank you,” Clorinde sighed.

“I hope that was convincing enough,” she joked.

“Perhaps I’m not the only one that needs to be convinced. Maybe I need to ravish you so thoroughly you’d never dream of leaving me,” she countered as she positioned herself above Navia, sliding her thumb across her lips. Navia gently nipped at the digit, silently daring her to do her worst.

Their mouths clashed again. Clorinde’s hands roamed the woman’s body, etching every curve into her memory. She kissed across her chest as her fingertips teased their way down her toned stomach.

“My love, I’m not going anywhere,” Navia said. “You’re stuck with me…ah…forever.”

“You swear it?” She questioned as she gently guided her legs apart. Positioning herself between them, she felt her wetness against her own. When she felt she had comfortable leverage, Clorinde slowly began to rock her hips back and forth.

“I’ll definitely…swear if you keep…moving against me like that,” Navia encouraged. The duelist increased her pace as she took her girlfriend’s hand in her own. The president of the Spina di Rosula tightened her thighs around Clorinde’s waist, pushing her into her harder.

Navia’s hushed moans turned to enthusiastic screams as she hurtled toward her release. Her legs trapped the duelist in place as she rolled against her. Clorinde slipped her hand between them, dealing the final blow.

“Clorinde…ohhhhh fuck!” The sound of her orgasm sent the other woman over the edge along with her. Basking in the warmth of each other, Navia could tell Clorinde had fully relaxed. Pulling her head to her chest, she stroked her hair, murmuring further encouragements like a lullaby.

“You can sleep. I promise I’ll still be here in the morning.”

Her breathing slowed with the knowledge that she rested in the arms of the one person who would never leave.

[coquettexnightz]

| Smell It A Mile Away |

- 18+ content, Menophilia! -

Every night, Marko met up with his best human friend. His only human friend. David had been telling him it was time to turn her, no matter if she agreed to it or not…but Marko felt the urge to wait for his mate.

One day, Marko could immediately smell her upon entering the boardwalk. He smirked and spared no words to his brothers before walking toward the sweet smell. He knew it was her time of the month, he was more than excited.

What he didn’t expect as he approached her, was for her to shy away and try to excuse herself.

“Sorry, Marko. I really should get going.” Y/n mumbled in embarrassment as she turned to walk away.

Marko quickly grabbed a hold of her arm, yanking her back toward him to where her back was pressed against his chest. “Why’re you blowing me off, little girl?” He snarled into her ear, never having been so rough with her.

Y/n knew that her best friend was a vampire, she knew all about vampires and how much they knew. She had hoped that Marko wouldn’t show up to the boardwalk tonight, but of course, he did. He would never pass up a time to hang around with his favorite girl, and she should have expected that.

For a second, as Marko acted clueless as to why Y/n didn’t went to be around him, she almost believed that he couldn’t tell that she was on her period.

“I’ve been here a while, Marky. You know I’m not allowed out too late, my brothers will come looking.” She pouted.

Marko pulled her into the only alleyway that wasn’t occupied by drugged out surf nazis. He softly pinned her against the stone wall, covered with missing kid posters. Which made her feel more than guilty.

Her stomach was pressed against the wall and Marko didn’t help by pushing his body closer to hers. He brought his hand to her stomach and slid it down to where her uterus should be, “You think I can’t smell it?” He giggled into her ear, biting her neck teasingly. Just hard enough to make her question if he had actually broke skin with his fangs. But he hadn’t. “You’re as fertile as you’ll ever be, baby. My sweet, fertile baby.”

“What’re you doing?” Y/n nervously asked as Marko slid his hand onto her thigh and slowly began to scrunch up her short, pleated skirt.

“You smell so good. It smells so good. So good that I smelt it from almost a mile away, isn’t that something? Hm, my innocent baby?” He teased her, his fingers slowly invading her thin, pink panties.

“We’re best friends, Marko. Please.” Y/n begged, fighting the urge to roll her hips forward into Marko’s rough fingers.

“I bet the boys can smell it right now, I know I do. Fuck— let’s have a taste.” He insisted, swiftly taking his hand out of her panties and quickly turning her around to press her back against the wall.

Marko maintained eye contact as he brought two fingers to his lips and licked the blood off, savoring it. “Oh my god.” Y/n mumbled to herself, almost not believing her eyes. If Edgar and Alan saw their sister like this with this— man…they’d probably stake them both.

“It just isn’t enough, Y/n.” Marko rolled his eyes, stepping closer to his mate and gripping the back of her neck, tangling his fingers into her hair. He used one hand to slide her panties down to her ankles, stepping on them with his boot. “Pick your feet up.” So, she did. Marko kicking her panties away and slotting his right leg in between her legs.

Slowly, he moved his leg back and forth, rubbing it against her bleeding pussy. Y/n moaned and leaned her head back to be closer to Marko’s hand. The feeling of his leather chaps against her bare mound felt way too good to be true.

“Shit. I’ll get you off, but not with my leg. It’s not like I’m a useless virgin.” Marko scoffed, shaking his head with a smirk as he got to his knees and used his strength to pick her up and lay her legs on his shoulders.

Y/n gripped his soft, curly, blonde hair and pulled at it as Marko immediately dived in. Sticking his tongue in between her folds and pushing his face as close as possible to her pussy. Y/n wasn’t embarrassed anymore and Marko was very eager to drink every last bit of her period blood. Any other vampire would get carried away and harm her, but Marko? He knew what to do, even if he was the youngest of the pack.

“Could eat this pussy all night long.” Marko mumbled in between licks. He gripped Y/n’s ass and pulled her so close to the point where all he breathed in was the smell of her and her blood. As Marko began to thrust his tongue into her, causing her to practically scream in ecstasy as she came, many people heard her pleasure filled pleads. But they didn’t stop to check, it was a usual occurrence between couples at the boardwalk. “Don’t you feel good? Knowing you’re the only girl I haven’t murdered and eaten for dinner?”

“Yes.” Y/n sighed, her hands slowly falling from his head. She gazed down at his smirking face, his nose, mouth, and chin covered in her blood. “Oh, Marko…you’re covered.” She whined, her eyes half way shut.

“I know. Isn’t it wonderful?” He asked happily, picking her up off of his shoulders and standing up. Moving to hold her in his arms.

“You’re unbelievable.” Y/n commented, wrapping her arms around his shoulders lazily and pressing her cheek into his chest.

“Didn’t hear you complaining when I was nose deep in your pussy, now, did I? Now, come on, let me bring you to your brothers.” Marko smiled after using his leather sleeve to wipe most of the blood off of his face.

“They’d kill you.” She scoffed, calling his bluff.

“Let’s just see, come on.” Marko giggled, pulling her softly by the hand and leading her through the crowd. His brothers not too far away, all watching with smirks. They knew tonight would be the night.

[outofgloom]

DAYSTARS

Daystars burned orange above the tundra and the mountains of storm, and showed us our position. Five days we had tracked across the snowfield. Five warmthless days and nights on the waste, but the beast was close now. I splayed my many-jointed fingers upon the fresh snow and focused my uppermost eye, and I could smell it.

Aabar stopped beside me, knelt down to my level.

“How far, inspector?” she asked, and I could smell her impatience. Vortixx despise the cold and the stillness it brings. She was ready to end the hunt.

I sank my fingers further into the snowcover, twitched them against the stone beneath. Vaguely the shape of the terrain ahead revealed itself to me, the sloping up into hard rock and the ravine opening there, less than thirty bio ahead. I relayed as much.

“The beast wants to escape through the pass,” the Vortixx hissed.

“The poison jungles of Tren Krom are beyond,” Japra added as she approached, rubbing her arms to warm them. “Does it know that, you think?”

Aabar shrugged: “It’s only a Rahi.”

“A Rahi that is immune to all poisons, toxins, and paralytics, according to our employers. Maybe the jungle is its home, and it’s returning there. Or maybe it’s just smarter than we thought?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Aabar stood to her full height again, stretched her claws. “We’ll catch up by day’s end, and our commission is to kill anyways, not paralyze-and-capture.”

“I know, and it’s a shame. I’ve been itching to use the Makika-venom concentrate.”

“Next time.”

I spoke: “It is unlike the Makuta, to seek death for such a specimen.” 

“Why do you say that?” Japra asked.

“They usually like their targets living, for their strange purposes.”

“We are paid to do, not to ask why,” Aabar said. “If the Makuta want this thing dead, that’s that.”

I nodded. She beckoned to the Olmaran hunters down the slope, made signs for them to break camp. 

“It’s strange, I agree,” Japra said to me quietly. “We’ve hunted for the Makuta before, but this is different. The emissary called it something…the last living Keeta-beast, I think. I’ve never heard of it.”

“The scent is unique, yes, and the tracks…” I wove my fingers together in thought. “Maybe you should’ve learned to power-feed off of confusion, instead of the emotion of fear.”

Japra laughed. “Many times, my friend, they are the same thing.”

======

I stumble, and my traitor body leaves a trail to darken the white snow behind me. It is dark beneath the night and the driving stormwind, and I am slow because my legs are bent wrong now. Fortunately, it is also very cold, so the pain is dull. 

Above and ahead, I can still see the last few daystars burning, though the air is full of ice. I set my course by them, away, away…

My lefthand fingers are crushed to ribbons and useless, but my right…My right can still feel. I spread my many-jointed fingers across the ground before me, to smell out the return path, back down the mountain. The ravine is far away now, back up the snowfield, and the wrecked bodies of my companions are frosting over. 

There was nothing to be done. I had to leave them. It was my mistake. I should have seen it. So confident were we, so sure of ourselves, and then…and then…

I am the last, and I must make it back, tell them that our hunt was successful, in spite of everything. That we brought down our quarry. Someone must know.

I can still smell the beast, somehow, even though I know it is dead. Its scent clings close, like a memory. 

I hope that it will fade soon, and maybe, someday, I too can forget.

======

It was midday by the time we reached the ravine, but the tracks were still clear. Even Aabar could make them out. Large, cut deep in the snow. Further in, it was dark, and there was fog pouring off the mountainside above.

The three Olmaran hunters readied their equipment, affixed spearheads, loaded the Sai-Lutu and the tangle-lines. Japra performed the breath-action to calm her nerves, and readied herself to feed upon the beast’s primitive fear. Aabar tested the charge on her electrified claws, then pulled the party’s Hau from her pack, handing it to me.

“Just a precaution,” she said when I grimaced. “The fog is heavy in there, so you will have to sight the way for us.”

I sighed and placed the mask on my face, felt the surge of its protective energy. I squinted my third eye through the narrow upper vent. It was constricting, but not as bad as other masks.

“When we reach the target,” Aabar continued, “sign the beast’s position, and then fall back.”

“That’s right. Leave the heroics to us,” Japra said winkingly. “Can’t have you claiming a greater share.”

I itched at the mask.

Forward we went at a steady, silent pace. The Olmaran hunters crept along the walls of the ravine, while Japra and Aabar followed just behind me, on either side. I crouched, and my fingers crawled across the stone, drinking the vibrations of earth and air, creeping my perceptions forward through the gloom.

Minutes passed. We moved ahead. The air was dull with fog. My breath steamed through the side-vents of the Hau. Slowly, carefully.

All at once, there it was. I stopped and gave the sign, pointed into the mist. Five bio ahead it crouched behind a fallen boulder. The smell was very strong, and I could almost make out the beast’s shape in my head: A long, lithe body, claws clinking on the stones. Two forelegs…and the rearlegs– 

Japra stepped in front of me, gesturing for me to fall back. Aabar was already advancing, and the Olmaran hunters flitted past on their spider-like legs, spears raised. I retreated a few steps further. The rearlegs…the rearlegs were not legs, I realized.

Ahead, the air buzzed with electricity, and there was a report from one of the Sai-Lutu. A sudden roar, cut short, and I could hear Japra laughing. The smell of the beast…the smell was very strong here. Was it over? I stepped forward through the fog, saw the shape of the downed Rahi dimly. One Olmaran stood over it, and Japra was kneeling by its side.

The rearlegs were not legs, I saw. They were treads…Two treads, with two clawed forelegs. A great mouth on a long extendable neck.

“All safe, Lhanen,” came the voice of Aabar, a few bio away. She was cleaning her claws. “Just a Muaka, it seems. Biggest I’ve ever seen, but no match for us. This might be the easiest job we’ve taken.”

A Muaka. I scratched my chin. It was strange…I had tracked the beast all this way, through snow and sleet. There hadn’t been any tread-marks. I had thought that the beast I was tracking was a biped–

I turned too late. A vast shape loomed through the fog behind me, square shoulders topped by a huge domed head. A single red eye glared with grim intelligence…and rage. 

A shattering blow struck my Hau shield and broke it, and I was flying backward into the cliff–

======

The fog had subsided when I awoke, and a layer of frost had settled on the bodies of my companions, and on me. The ravine was silent except for the low moaning of wind above. 

I examined their broken bodies for signs of life. There was none. I wept over them, though there were no tears in me and every step and movement was pain. I could not bring myself to touch the body of the beast, however. It was too terrible, lying huge and still. I could not see what injury had finally brought it down.

It was not really a beast–not like we had been told. In the moment when it attacked, I remembered how it had looked at me. There was something in its gaze, some strange form of understanding.

That eye was deep with knowledge, not like the eyes of a simple Rahi. There was anger, and the desperation to survive, but there was also judgment…and calculation.

It was an old creature, maybe even wise.

======

My leg twists wrong again, and pain breaks through the numbness, up into my body, but I keep on, through the wind and dark. I won’t give up. Not yet.

I can still smell the beast. It annoys me. I shake my head, wring out my frostbitten fingers, wishing to leave it all behind. The night is complete now, and the wind is howling steadily over me. I must find shelter soon, and in the morning I will make it across the rest of the snowfield and down the slopes beyond. I am tired, but I can make it. I am sure.

One last daystar burns through the driving snow ahead, and I am walking toward it, fixing my course on it. I am sure that it will lead me home.

======

I stood before the great corpse and knew that I should feel anger, or something, at least, but all I felt was loss.

The creature had known that we were tracking it…that I was tracking it. It had known…me, somehow. I saw the bruise-marks on the armor of the Muaka. The creature must have taken down the Rahi-tiger and carried it ahead, set a trap for us. It had been cunning. No wonder the Makuta sought it, even for its death.

“F-forgive me,” I stammered in the cold air. “Forgive us.” 

The great eye did not glow. It stared straight ahead. I could not bear to remain before its gaze any longer.

======

The last daystar is low on the horizon. Very low. It is still there, in fact, though the silver nightstars have now appeared. Closer now. It is getting closer as I walk.

It is not a star.

I stop in my tracks. I can smell it, and my fingers twitch at the sensation of its presence. It is alive after all. I did not touch it in the ravine. I could not bear to.

The eye continues to approach, though I am standing still, and I understand. I am no longer the tracker, nor the hunter.

It is both.

Red light beams through the snow-filled air, and I feel the heat of it on my face.

My voice rasps out against the wind. I don’t know why:

“Hear me,” I say unbidden, though I doubt the creature can understand my speech. “You are no beast. I know this now. The Makuta told us that you were Keeta Ongu, last of your kind.”

One last heavy step, and it stands over me, a black shape beyond the margins of my sight.

“I wish I had understood before, for the sake of my friends, but we hunted you and harried you, and now it is done. You are no beast. You are the last, and so you must survive.”

The eye does not blink, nor waver. I am transfixed.

“Spare me,” I say, “and I will tell the Makuta that you are no more. I swear. On the third eye of Kalmah I swear it. Judge me, as you did before.”

A moment passes, and I spread my arms wide, wincing at the pain. The black shape stands before me, and my sight is filled with the light of the great eye.

“You are no beas--”

My words are battered away as a sudden roar flattens me to the ground. The air shakes with the noise, and all my senses are overwhelmed as I wait for death to come. The smell of the creature is everywhere, all around, and my eyes register nothing but red, red rage, red judgment, red death--

======

I awaken face down in the snow. It is dark, and pain moves through my legs and through my ruined fingers. I feel the pull of sleep once more, and I wish to let go, but something stops me.

I groan and roll over with some effort. I am alone, and the wind has subsided. Snow is falling gently on my face.

My head throbs as I raise it, looking around. I want to lay back down, but I can't yet. I squint my third eye and focus. I can see my footprints and the dark stain of fluid leading back up the slope, still just visible beneath a layer of snowfall. I cannot have been lying here for long.

I raise myself on one arm, and the pain in my legs jolts my weary brain further awake. I crane my neck around, to look where the creature had stood.

But there are no other tracks, no sign of a trail. The snow is unbroken. Not only that, but the smell of the creature is gone. Not even a trace. My mind is fuzzy, and sleep pulls at me again. It is very cold, and though I am used to the cold, even my body has limits. Sleep, rest. Your companions are gone. You are alone. It would be better...

No. I struggle up shakily, stamp my twisted legs, and roar with the pain in them. The pain is real, even if my memories are confused. It angers me, and the anger is good.

I start walking again. This time, I will not stop.

Ahead, the nightstars burn silver above the tundra and the mountains of storm, and I rage at them, for they are so far away, and I have so far to go.

I rage like a beast, a wounded beast, because that is how I will survive. The anger warms me, and I feel my eyes burn red with it, red with loss, and with rage, red with death...

You are no beast. You are the last, and so you must survive.

I have come through confusion, to the other side of fear. I have seen the last of the Keeta Ongu, and looked into its eye with my own.

Judge me, as you did before.

I am no beast.

I am the last.

And so I must survive.

[hisuianhellion]

The Truth of the Matter

There it was, right in front of Rose. Dragonspiral Tower. It stood high, higher than any manmade structure she had seen in the world of Pokemon. A veritable skyscraper of stone, marble and raw power, the hair along the back of her neck rose like hackles as the woman stared upwards. What would she find? How would Reshiram be able to come free from his imprisoned state? Would it happen naturally or... would there need to be a catalyst?

Would she even make it?... hah, probably. This was nothing! Nothing she couldn't handle in the least, a grin beginning to crack along her lips as she nodded, stepping forward.

She began her climb.

Rose sat down, the first large flight of stairs having led her to the fallen pillars of a once majestic square within the tower. Dragonspiral was in disarray in ways that matched some of the more distraught ruins she had seen in the Coronet Highlands. Speaking with Mutt and traveling there herself had given her a healthy dosage of the history that Volo sought to uncover. Stories of the Celestica people who once roamed the Hisuian hinterlands, far beyond Sinjoh. Upon one she sat, Lucien giving a gruff rumble as he looked about quietly with her.

History was within these walls. So much could've been done, could've been said from between these pillars and along these tiled floors. The rush of water just below them all gave her the notion that despite being multiple stories up, she was still rather early on in the climb. How long had it been since this world had seen this place in all of its splendor? How many Pokemon found their way here to seek some form of peace of their own? How many humans, for that matter? Hmm. It wasn't good to dwell. Her knee would get stiff, it was time to get going.

She climbed higher.

Barry peaked over the edge of the heightened landing they were upon. The water below trickled about, but where they were was high above that, the sound barely reaching their ears by this point. Spiral staircases circling about the central column of the tower, and they were a couple hundred feet above the bottom. This high up, the wind whipped through the holes in the stonework a bit more pointedly... and with winter not yet releasing its hold, it was still rather chilly. Rose lightly pet along the Sylveon's head before rubbing along her arms to make sure the jacket of her uniform stayed on firmly.

A gentle peer upwards as her legs took her towards the next floor, stairs coiling about, she was beginning to take note of the narrowing walkways. The crumbling wasn't just along the walls in a place like this, and if the pillars being on the ground was any indication, weathering could've taken many of the floor's foundations with it. Her hand came up to return both of the Pokemon walking about with her, and she picked the pace back up. Despite the pain flaring in her knee, there was progress to make. And she wasn't risking her family in the process of this.

Higher, climb higher, Rose. But pace yourself. There is... a feeling building within me... And I worry you aren't taking things slow enough.

The central pillar stood before her, holding up the peak of the tower. Her eyes peered upwards, and with a gentle tap of Abraham's wing as she brought him out as carefully as possible, she rubbed along it softly to check its state. A wince from the Braviary as he extended it made her shake her head. No. She wouldn't put him through any extra pain to make things easier for herself for a small moment. He was a new addition to her family, but that didn't mean he got less consideration. Back into his Pokeball for safety, she would be able to do this even with her knee screaming at her.

This room... scared her. A look down, and the half of a thousand feet above the ground was apparent. She grimaced, eyeing the rather precariously placed "path" upon her. The stonework was almost set up to be a test, rings of stone connected by blocks that she hoped held the weight of a normal human. But the cold wind billowed. The air had grown just a bit thinner, enough that her breathing was more ragged. Puffs of steam escaped her mouth as she glanced up, and she carefully dug her cane into the ground to keep herself steady as she hopped from ring to ring, back and forth. And as she came across the next set of stairs, her knee was howling. Pulsing with pain. Injuries did not simply leave one be, and her own one was dangerously close to preventing her from continuing. She took a step forward.

Rose. Rose, I can feel myself... brimming. The sensation grows. But you... you must be careful! Stop and rest if it is needed--!

Her knee buckled.

Right at the apex of the climb, it gave out. Her eyes went wide, and the blur of air as she shifted to the left made a curt curse fall into the open air. Along the edge of the stairs themselves. A fall that would ruin everything was coming. Her teeth grit. Her eyes closed. Her hands reached out to grab something. Anything. Anything at all!

A horn caught her side. A Samurott, her very own Nanami. Right there. Right behind her. Ready to make sure nothing happened to his family, just as she did for him.

But another had reached out. A hand, grasping onto her own outstretched cane. A strong grip. A firm tug. And with Nanami's help, the young man's voice grunted out as he got her up and onto the floor she was trying to reach this entire time. She fell onto the ground with Nanami nosing at her worriedly, a wheeze and a cough wracking her entire body as she panted for a few seconds.

She couldn't see straight. Doubt mixed with the adrenaline that the fear had caused, and her body quaked with tremors. She almost made it! She almost goddamn made it on her own! But... she almost just had much worse crop up for her. Had she not let her Pokemon be their own thinkers... and had this stranger not been here...

Her eyes finally turned up. And in the light of the sun, a young man stood. A black and white cap upon his head. Green locks settling down along his shoulders. A rather amused smile as he panted gently in response, leaning up with gray eyes glancing down kindly upon her. Faintly, he adjusted his white jacket and brushed the hair off of his shoulders, sighing. "That was, ah... quite the show. Second one I got to see from you."

Rose furrowed her brow, still panting gently. Before being dragged a bit more firmly onto the more flattened area of the pillar-laden peak she had climbed up to reach. Lucien had burst out around the same time, and only now did Rose look to her side to notice Barry was holding onto her arm, ribbons curled all the way up her forearm with the Sylveon vibrating from the stress. He was smiling outwardly. He was not smiling internally, and neither was Lucien, staring firmly at Rose with a look that bordered on judgmental for her trying to attempt to do this all on her own. As she began to shrink back a bit from the scrutiny her team were giving her, the young man laughed a bit. "Hey now, don't give her too much of an issue... you all know she was risking it for your sakes. Wasn't she?"

Back up went her eyes, and she nodded slowly. "... She was. You..." Her eyes took in what she was finally looking at. "You're N." His own eyes gave a blink at that, but he didn't lose the smile, letting it settle into a kinder state than before as he pulled one foot up onto its toes, pocketing his hands into his pants.

"Well, I was told to expect recognition, but that still catches me a little off-guard. Rose, right? You're supposed to be from some far-flung time and you know of me?"

"Considering you seem to know who I am, I'd be less surpriiiiiisssssaaaah..." Well. There went the adrenaline spike. Her knee. Her goddamn KNEE. Her lips pursed, and Barry tensed up even further, though Nanami was already digging into her bag. A little bit of a tug outwards, and a potion was now in his jaws, being held up to N. Please. Graciously, he accepted it and knelt on down to look her knee over.

"... Aggravated that pretty good, huh? I remember when I took this climb. I had every conviction in the world at my back, and even I found myself awestruck by it. Pokemon should never be made to suffer." A spritz, and Rose inhaled deeply before exhaling. the pain always flared a bit as a potion was applied... "But neither should humans. Or those inbetween."

Rose kept her breathing steady with a few moments of patience before she let her knee stretch out. Then back up. Let the potion work. About thirty seconds of gentle, back-and-forth motions, and the pain was finally beginning to truly subside. It was a dull roar by now.

"Rose, you really ought to be more careful."

That voice. Her ears perked up, and she looked back to the edge of the room. And quietly... he landed. Despite his size, despite his power... there was a grace to his movements that only sent up a few bits of dust and rubble, his claws settling upon the stonework of the peak with a click that even she'd struggle to make as gentle.

Reshiram. Standing proud, his wings gradually fluttering before he settled them down along his front, glancing down at Rose with those same blue eyes. The same ones that held a fire that matched her own convictions. But so much... kinder. So much softer than she knew of the one from her dreams. His gaze wasn't nearly as sharp, not nearly as directly challenging...

This wasn't the Reshiram she knew. And N approaching the massive dragon told her as such, the white, feathered beast leaning his head down to settle beside N's. And... nuzzle at him. Their smiles were practical mirrors of one another's, and as Rose's own family circled her... she had to realize that the Reshiram here was N's own family. The Dragon of Truth, having found someone he could call family... it was honestly...

I... is that... myself?

Rose's ear flicked. N glanced at Rose, as did his Reshiram. All three of them heard him speak. And as she pulled out the Light Stone, the freed Dragon's eyes flickered softly. "... and there I am... I had been waiting for this moment." He grinned softly, a bit more confidently, and that glint in his eyes began to look closer to the Reshiram she knew.

He leaned back. And with a curt roar into the air... the orb began to float upwards. A pulse of fire escaped from the Dragon, and while Rose flinched, N opened his arms to let it hit. And a warmth engulfed them both, far more gentle than she would've ever expected. It curled about, pulsing outwards once more. The pain in her knee began to fade faster than ever, and within a few moments, she began to stand upwards to watch the powerful roar come outwards once more. It should've been ear-piercing. It should've shook the tower.

But no. The serenity of the air was not being disturbed. His motions were so very careful. His power was perfectly controlled. And the Light Stone had been taking in the power pushed onto it inwards. It pulsed. It thrummed. And almost like a Pokeball was being opened...

A far more desperate roar outwards was heard. It shook the foundations with its depth. N kept his arms outstretched as Rose stood her ground, looking up. That was him. That was the Reshiram she knew! That was the power she expected from a deific being of righteous fire! And the pulse he gave out coincided with his wings outstretching. The fire blasted out, and the force of it shot upwards. A crackle of fire to burst the sky clear of any cloud. To extend the truth of the world to any corner it could reach, to speak the words of his Chosen to anyone that needed it! And with a prompt crash downwards, he breathed out, rumbling the tower's form with his landing.

He inhaled. Rose inhaled. She was almost compelled to do so.

His tail flared with power. Rose's eyes pulsed a brighter, cooler blue for a moment.

And with a slow, shared exhale... both turned to look at one another. They locked eyes. Rose lifted a hand. She pointed at Reshiram. And she finally spoke, face to face with him.

"GET DOWN HERE SO I CAN SMACK YOU FOR BURNING ME WHEN WE MET!"

It would've been silent. A pindrop would've been audible after her absurd, pointed accusation and decree.

Had N's Dragon of Truth not began to very coyly try hiding his snickering. Rose's? He was busy staring at her with his gaze a bit lidded and a... not insignificant hesitancy to concede to her demand. He glanced at the other of his kind. And inbetween chuckles, which even N was a bit taken aback by, they motioned gracefully towards Rose, nodding.

... Surely this is not... mmgh. Fine.

He looked down at Rose for a few seconds. He knew it'd hurt. He knew her strength. He knew her convictions. But... he would abide. His Chosen was, in some fashion, correct for wanting justice... his head leaned down. She kept staring. His head got lower. She motioned firmly. He was finally right in front of her.

She wound her hand back... and as he watched her sternly, awaiting her wrath...

Plaff. A light plap of her palm right to his cheek. Followed by another to the other side. And she tugged him down with remarkable strength to hug onto him. "... it's very necessary, you big, harsh, selfless and caring jackass..."

N finally took a moment to compose himself as he saw this. And with Rose's other Pokemon all crowding around her Reshiram's newly freed form, he began looking amongst them with a steadily draining sharpness to his own gaze. It was still harsher than N's own Dragon of Truth... but... it was a start.

She had climbed enough. Now she had time to relish her achievement at the top with those she had brought with her. N and her? They had plenty to talk about besides...

[cryingabtab]

Save Me A Spark - Part 15

Warnings: A little bit of angst, drinking

Pairing: Austin Butler x Cassie Hale (OFC)

Word Count: 1.1k

Author’s Note: I’m so sorry this took so long. I think I’m back. <3

“Thank you for the tragedy. I need it for my art.” ~ Kurt Cobain

A few hours after her phone call with Austin, Cassie emerged out of the guest bedroom. Her hair was a mess, sticking out every which way and knotted. A true rat's nest. Her face was puffy, her eyes rubbed raw from wiping tears away. Dark circles surrounded her eyes and the whites of her eyes were red as could be. She looked exhausted. Defeated. Her friends sat in the living room, music playing from the TV’s speakers as they talked amongst themselves. They all turned to look at her as she walked into the room and sat down with them. She said nothing as she took the soft, chunky knit throw blanket off of the back of the couch and wrapped it around herself.

“Hey, Cass,” Rory greeted softly. Her voice was gentle despite the boiling rage she felt because some incompetent man made her best friend feel this way.

“Hi,” Cassie whispered, leaning back into the couch as she looked at her friends.

“How ya feelin’?”

Cassie responded with a simple shrug, her gaze falling into her lap.

Ash spoke up next. “We were just about to order some pizza. Any specific toppings you want?”

Cassie shrugged again. “Just not pineapple.”

Ash nodded, “Pepperoni?” Cassie gave a quick, single nod of approval.

Cassie pulled her phone from her pocket and opened the notes app before passing it to Rory. “I wrote this if you guys wanna read it. It’s a new song,” she murmured. “Also, can we get drunk? I wanna get drunk.”

“We can,” Hazel said with a hesitant sigh. “I think you’d be better off drinking some water, though.” She knew that Cassie would still drink if she really wanted to, and knew that her suggestion would fall upon deaf ears. The best she could hope for was that Cassie would at least rehydrate a little bit before picking up a bottle.

Cassie groaned as she pushed herself off the couch, slipping out of the comfortable warmth that the chunky throw had provided. “Fine. I’ll have some water,” she grumbled. “But after that, I’m getting hammered.”

“Thank you,” Hazel called as Cassie shuffled into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

Rory was still holding Cassie’s phone. She didn’t want to read the song, not while she was already so wound up from the day’s events. It would only make her angrier. And if she got angrier, she knew that it would be all she would be able to talk about. If that happened, she wouldn’t be able to be there for Cassie like she wanted to be. Rory pressed the side button and watched as the screen turned black, then set it down on the blanket.

Cassie plopped down on the couch a moment later, taking a huge swig out of her water bottle. She looked over at Rory, “Did you read it?”

“I’ll read it later. Promise,” Rory held up her pinky finger. The two linked pinkies and Cassie went back to guzzling down her water.

An hour and several slices of pizza later, Cassie sipped on a wine glass filled to the brim with her favorite red. Well, she wasn’t exactly sipping. The glass was empty in less than five minutes. She grabbed the bottle to pour another, then decided against it. Instead, she brought the bottle to her lips and took a large swig.

“Jesus, Cass,” breathed Ash. “Pace yourself. Remember that time you had to get your stomach pumped?”

Cassie sighed through her nose and set the bottle on the counter. “Yeah, but that was Four Loko. This is wine.”

“I mean, yeah.” She had a point. “But it’s still alcohol and you aren’t in your right mind. Pace yourself.” Ash sighed as she opened a white claw.

Cassie grabbed the bottle again and walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch. She was beginning to feel the warm buzz from the alcohol, and it was a welcome distraction from the overwhelming hurt she’d felt all day. She reached forward where the remote sat on the coffee table and turned off the music that was playing. Groans of protest were heard from her friends, but soon stopped as she turned on Criminal Minds.

She set the remote back down and kicked her feet up, with a small smile on her face as she took another swig from the bottle of red she was holding.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Hazel hummed out from beside her. “But why?”

“Just refreshing myself on what not to do,” Cassie said stoically, not moving her eyes from the screen. “That, and this show has some serious eye candy.”

Rory scooted closer to Cassie and rested her legs on her lap. “You’re telling me. I need Prentiss more than I need air.”

Cassie leaned into Rory, “But Hotch, though? Oh my lord.”

“You two are terrible,” Hazel scoffed jokingly, shaking her head.

“Says the girl who watches Reid edits on TikTok…daily,” Ash chimed in from the kitchen.

“Touché.”

Austin sat exhausted on a flight back to Cincinnati. During his time back in LA, he had finished all the press events and interviews that he had needed to attend. However, he was going back earlier than scheduled. After realizing that the remainder of his time in LA would have been meetings that could easily be accomplished via Zoom, he was packed and ready to go. Of course, his team wasn’t too happy with his decision, but in the end, they worked for him. And he had important things to take care of. After what had happened, some of them wouldn’t even be working for him anymore.

He stared out the plane’s window and watched as the clouds passed by. His puffy eyes squinted against the bright, setting sun. Once he was seeing a concerning amount of sunspots in his vision, he slid the window covering shut and leaned his head against it. His early flight back was completely impulsive. He had a few days before he had to be back on set, which meant he had a few full days to attempt to win Cassie back. And he didn’t even have a plan.

The best he could think of was to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness. But he was almost positive that it wouldn’t work. Rory’s words repeated in his mind like a mantra.

“She is broken. When that passes, she’s gonna be furious. So count your fucking days.”

Then he remembered his last conversation with Cassie, and how she ended the call angrily telling him to stay away from her. He winced at the memory, hunching over to hold his face in his hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose to keep from crying for the nth time that day. She already seemed furious. He just hoped that it wasn’t too late to try. He hoped that he wasn’t too late to help pick up her broken pieces. He hoped that he could do something, anything, to get her to change her mind.