#i cannot be touched or brushed or pet because i am too scared

[1o1percentmilk]

i love being low empathy AND low compassion and i definitely do not hate how this affects every single interaction i have with people

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Helping Hand 14

Warnings: non/dubcon, mentions of divorce, manipulation, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

Characters: Jonathan Pine, 40s reader

Part of the Bookstore AU

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

You stare at the wall. Your eyes are too dry to cry. The pain, the memory of the night before, the reality you find yourself trapped in, cannot bring the swell to surface. A blur moves along the edge of your sight and your eyes come into focus.

You watch Jonathan plant the lap desk over your thighs. He pauses to pet your head and kiss your forehead. You grit down and turn your attention back to the plaster.

“Can’t have you fussing over breakfast,” he purrs, “doctor’s orders that you relax.”

You don’t respond. He hums, disappointed, but doesn’t reproach you. You almost prefer your ex and his bluntness. At least he would tell you what you did.

You sit in the fog of painkillers and disbelief. It still doesn’t seem real. Jonathan. The refined businessman, the proper gentleman, entirely above you, and yet he’s entirely twisted. Last night, the way he touched you, the way he ignored your pain and used it against it, it’s not so different than every other man you’ve known.

It’s your own fault for believing there were decent ones left in this world. Or that they ever existed at all.

He returns and lays out a generous meal; orange juice and coffee to be certain you have whatever you like; crepes rolled and sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with syrup, berries glistening, yogurt and granola in a small cup on the side. It’s all perfect. Just like everything else in his life. Can’t he see that you are anything but?

“There you are, darling,” he proclaims as he backs up.

He stands and watches. His blue eyes no longer remind you of the summer sky, rather they are icy and cold. You look down and lift the cutlery.

“Thanks,” you murmur as he clears his throat.

You eat. Not because you’re hungry but to keep yourself from sinking any further into horror. You don’t taste it. If this was anywhere else, you might be in awe of the culinary precision and medley of flavours. You can hardly think through the drug-laced nightmare.

You finish and he takes away the tray and lap table. You lean back into the pillows and grown. There’s a new pang in your hip. It started when he had himself over you, rolling against you, your legs splayed beneath him.

You close your eyes and slump. You don’t hear him return. The world shifts as he moves you to lay on your back, removing a pillow to reposition you.

“Darling, how do you feel?” He brushes his knuckles against your cheek. “The doctor recommended a hot bath? How about it?” You groan and stay hidden under your eye lids. He bends and kisses your forehead before he stands again, “very well.”

You sense him back away but do not look. You've known this helplessness before. During your first marriage when you truly believed you were trapped with Andy forever. You can only hope Jonathan tires of you just the same, but what then? Starting over again with even less time.

You hear the distant splash of water on porcelain and wince. The jolt sends electricity down your spine. You groan and grimace in pain.

His footfalls mark his return. Your eyes open as he approaches and sits on the edge of the bed. He undresses you as you put up no resistance. What’s the use in it? It only hurts more.

He removes the sling gently before he strips away your other layers. When you're naked, you don't even have the strength to be ashamed. Maybe the stretch marks might scare him away.

He gently slips his arms beneath you. As he lifts you, you moan. He coos at you, hushing your pain. You lean into him with no other choice but to let him do what he wants. So very much like your first marriage.

He takes you into the bathroom and lowers you into basin. You can't help but be soothed by the warmth of the water as it laps down. The futility keeps you there.

He shifts, his shadow moving beyond your eyelids. It isn't until he touches you again, that you react. Your lashes flick up and you wince as tension strings up your muscles.

He gently slides his hand under your uninjured shoulder and sits you forward. He's naked, a striking realization that has you even more rigid. He angles in behind you, easily, all too smoothly, moving to sit against the porcelain as he brings you over him. Your eyes dart to the ceiling and stick there as he eases you back. You're horrified at the feeling of his flesh against yours. The heat is even more intense than the water.

He sighs as he embraces you from below, your head on his shoulder, and his hands crawl around your hips. Mortified, you keep him from touching your stomach. He stops but runs his hands in the other direction, tracing along your pelvis and kneading your thighs.

You reach for him again and he brushes you off. You're uncomfortable and not because the pain. He's touching those parts of you that are ugly. The ones marked with age and fat. The ones your husband hated so much. The ones that drove him to another.

“You needn't punish yourself any longer, darling,” he reprimands, “I'm only trying to give you all you deserve.”

You scoff and feel him stiffen. He once more frames your hips and hums, “what?”

“Nothing,” you mutter.

“No, tell me what is so amusing.”

“What I deserve? To be thrown on the floor? To be kept in a bed all day at your beck and call–”

“It was an accident, darling, we both were there–”

“You know it wasn't,” you sneer furiously and try to sit up, “ahhhh!”

You fall back, heavy enough that you feel the air rush out of him. He steadies you with his hands on your sides and you groan and snivel. You hate this. You hate feeling this helpless. You never wanted to be trapped again, yet here you are.

[joonie-beanie]

The Demon Brothers + their reaction to you having a nightmare

[The Undateables Reactions]

Lucifer:

Is surprised to hear a knock at his door a little past one AM. He’s still up going over documents for RAD, and doesn’t bother looking up

“Come in,” he says simply, too tired to be mad at whoever is interrupting him at this late hour

He hears the door open, but no one greets him. After a moment, he finally looks up and finds you standing there--shyly clinging to the door frame

You’re dressed in your pajamas, bottom lip caught between your teeth

Lucifer is immediately concerned, all of his attention shifting to you.

It’s not like you haven’t paid him late night visits before to check on him when he’s working, but this time something is clearly amiss.

“Y/N, come here.” He holds out a hand, beckoning you closer, and you finally enter his room--the door clicking closed behind you.

Once at his side, Lucifer takes your hand and presses to his feet. He hooks his other hand gently beneath your chin--flashing you a tender smile as you meet his eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“I...it’s stupid,” you mumble, but when Lucifer only stares patiently.

You sigh and continue. “I had a nightmare...”

Knowing you, Lucifer bets that you’re feeling childish for seeking him out, but he cannot blame you. As powerful as he is, it’s not like he hasn’t been afflicted by bad dreams.

“Would you care to stay with me, tonight?”

You glance up at him, and he sees the relief in your gaze. Nodding--too shaken up to think about saying no to company--and lean into him, and Lucifer immediately sweeps you off to his bed.

“Sleep,” he speaks against your hair, pressing a kiss to your head, and you nod. With Lucifer nearby, you’re not scared to go back to sleep.

You spend the night safely in his arms--with his warmth on your back--and no more nightmares plague you.

Mammon:

Happens to pass by the library at 5am, because man that was a long ass night at the club, and sees you huddled by the fireplace.

He immediately pauses because uhhhhh...it’s Saturday. Why the fuck are you awake at 5am?

“Oi,” he greets as he walks into the room, catching your attention.

He can tell that you’ve barely slept--dark circles beginning to form under your eyes.

“Why the hell are you up?”

You muster up a small smile, your legs still tucked to your chest. You’ve managed to drape yourself in a soft blanket, and Mammon can only guess that you’ve been here for a while.

“I, um...had a bad dream.”

Mammon frowns, not liking that your brain decided to make you scared for no good reason.

Is it possible to fight a brain?

“How long ya been up for?”

“Since 1,” you admit, laughing softly. You’re exhausted.

Despite being a little hungover, Mammon can’t stand for this. It’s only 5AM--you’ve still got a chance at getting some good sleep! After all, it’s the weekend!

“Come to bed with me,” he mumbles--his cheeks pink as he sheepishly rubs at his neck. “I’ll make sure no more bad dreams come your way...”

Your eyes widen in surprise, but after a moment, you press to your feet and Mammon is quick to take your hand.

He sheepishly leads you to his room, grumbling about how he doesn’t necessarily care about you and your dreams until the moment his head hits the pillow on his bed.

Then he finally shuts up.

By the time you both wake up that day--snuggled together beneath Mammon’s sheets--it’s already afternoon.

Levi:

He’s a light sleeper--so he jumps awake the moment his door clicks open

Startled, he flings himself into a seated position--wide eyes sliding to look at the door

When he sees you standing there, his brain pauses. He figured it would be Mammon trying to break in and steal his stuff.

“I...,” you can see how you’d made him jump, and immediately feel horrible. “Sorry, I can just--”

You start to back out into the hall, and Levi quickly reaches out his hand as if to stop you.

“No! N-No, you can stay. I just...you surprised me.”

Nodding, you step back into his room, and he regards you curiously. You...seem a little...off

“Are you okay?” he finally asks, sitting cross-legged in the tub as he stares at you. You avoid his gaze.

Levi is suddenly reminded of one of his shoujo games, but he pushes that thought to the back of his head.

“I had a nightmare, and...I don’t know, I guess I just ended up...here.”

The demon tries to ignore the way his heart goes doki doki. Luckily, he’s more concerned for you than he is flustered over your comment.

“I-I mean...you can stay here, if you want.” His eyes fall to the mess of pillows and blankets in his tub. “I don’t know if it will be weird, since this is the only bed, but...”

You smile at him, and he can see the remnants of fear etched into your face. “As long as you’re ok with it.”

Levi nods, and within seconds, you’ve climbed into the tub.

Levi decides to sleep with his back to you (because how much space is he supposed to give you?? Will you be bothered with him so close?? He’s not prepared for this kind of situation at 3am!!)

However, by the time morning rolls around, he’s managed to entangle his limbs with your own--his arms around your waist, and his tail slung securely over your hip.

If you notice his clinginess in your sleep, you clearly don’t mind. 

Satan: 

Legitimately opens his door the moment you intend to knock--and you both startle

As you drop your hand to your side and struggle to find your words, Satan regards you with scrutiny

Satan, for one, is confused and concerned at your appearance. It’s nearly 2am. He’d gotten wrapped up in reading, but you have no reason to be up this late.

“Is everything okay?” he ends up asking when you don’t speak. 

When you look up at him, your eyes are like that of a scared puppy dog, and he feels something tug at his heart.

“I...had a nightmare. I saw the light on under your door, and...”

You glance to the side, and Satan suddenly understands why you’re acting all guilty. However, it’s not like you’re imposing.

“Why don’t you come in?” he asks with a smile, hoping to ease some of your worries. “I’m not much company, but I’d be more than happy to be in yours.”

At his words, and tiny smile lights up your face, and he sees a bit of the remnants of fear dissipate from your eyes.

“Thank you, Satan.”

Once inside, he invites you to take the bed--letting you know that if you fall asleep, it’s no big deal.

You’re determined to not fall asleep and hog his bed, but...after about half an hour, Satan looks up from his book and finds you passed out beneath the covers.

Breathing a laugh, he closes his book, and moves to the edge of the bed--regarding you for a moment. Then, he carefully maneuvers himself to join you--one hand moving to wrap around your waist.

He feels your body relax against him and, for once, Satan feels at peace as well.

Asmo:

Is walking to his room one night when he passes your door and hears a little strangled cry from inside

Immediately concerned, he knocks on your door, and enters your room when he doesn’t get a response.

He finds you in bed, thrashing around. Your eyes are squeezed closed--sweat beading on your brow--and he knows you’re having a nightmare.

“Y/N--wake up,” he gently rocks your shoulder back and forth--reaching out to hold you when you shoot awake--chest heaving.

“Wha--Asmo?” 

Once you realize it’s him--the Avatar of Lust hugging you softly and cooing reassurances into your ear--you instantly cling to him

As you ground yourself, Asmo seats himself on your bed and curls you into his lap--his hand petting against your hair as you calm down.

“Asmo, I...” your weak voice breaches the silence after a few minutes, and Asmodeus can hear the unsaid plea in your voice.

“Would it be okay if I stayed with you tonight?” he questions sweetly, asking so that you don’t have to. “I just don’t feel right leaving you alone.”

“Sure,” you respond with a nod and smile, and Asmo dedicates himself to putting you back to bed.

He tucks you in and brushes your hair out of your eyes, and when you grab his shirt--seeking more comfort--he curls up in front of you so your forehead and knees knock together

Between your bodies, he slots his fingers against yours.

“If you have anymore bad dreams, I’ll fight them, okay? Pretty humans having bad dreams is not allowed!”

That gets you giggling, and he presses a sweet kiss between your brows.

“Now~ No more thinking, just sleeping.”

And, as if his words are magic, you’re out within minutes.

Of course, Asmodeus stays with you--snuggled in bed--the entire night.

Beel:

Some days, his stomach wakes him up in search of a 3AM snack, and today is one of those days.

Dressed in his pajamas and still half asleep, he makes his way to the kitchen--pausing in surprise when he sees someone sat on the kitchen counter.

After a moment, he realizes that it’s you--nursing a glass a water, and staring blankly at the wall.

Beel frowns with worry. “Y/N?”

His voice startles you out of your thoughts--quite literally causing you to gasp, and jump. Your head whips towards him, fear in your eyes, and you lift to press a hand against your heart when you realize it’s only him.

“Are you okay?” he immediately asks, making his way to your side. It’s clear that something is wrong.

He gingerly raises his large hand to cup one of your cheeks, his heart cracking a little when you instinctively flinch away. Thankfully, after a second, you sigh into his touch--your hand lifting to cover his.

“I had a bad dream.”

Beel nods in understanding, because he knows how shitty it can be when your brain plagues you with a nightmare. 

“Here,” he walks over to the fridge, and pulls out a tub of ice cream--snatching two spoons from the cupboard on his way back to you. “This will help.”

You giggle, leaning against him and taking a spoon when he hops up on the counter beside you.

Since Beel’s appetite is much bigger, he gets a little lost in devouring the dessert. He’s not sure how much time has passed, but at some point, he pauses and looks over to find that you’re asleep against his shoulder.

Carefully, he leans over and curls you into his strong arms--making his way back towards his bedroom. 

Tonight, you’re saying with him. He’s sure he’ll keep the bad dreams from coming back (and besides, he just really wants to hold you).

Belphie:

Since Belphie’s sleeping schedule is basically ass-backwards, he tends to go to bed just after his brothers and you have left for RAD.

He’s used to having the house to himself--complete peace and quiet--so when he walks past the lounge and finds you tucked into a chair near the fireplace, he pauses.

You’re nursing a mug of coffee between your palms--dark bags hanging beneath your eyes.

“Why are you here?” he asks, walking up beside you. His first question was honestly “why do you look like shit”, but that seems a little mean. Especially considering you...unfortunately look like shit.

“I had a nightmare, and couldn’t get back to sleep,” you sigh, not turning to look at him. “I’ve been up since 2.”

“You should have come and found me,” he blinks. “You know I’m up that late.”

“Yeah, but...,” you fingers curl tighter around the mug. “It just a stupid dream. I didn’t want to be a bother...”

Belphie frowns. He wants you to be able to rely on him--to let him be there for you when you need someone.

You pause as he grabs the mug from your hand and sets it aside.

“C’mon,” he says, grabbing your wrist and tugging you to your feet. He slots his fingers through your own, gripping tightly, and you glance up at him as he starts leading you through the halls.

“Belphie?”

“I’m going to bed anyway, so sleep with me. You need rest.”

“But--I was planning on going to RAD later--”

“Taking care of yourself is more important.” His words leave no room for argument, and you fall silent. Moments later, you find yourself beneath the warm sheets of Belphie’s bed--his arms wrapped tightly around your middle.

“Is this okay?” he mumbles, and you nod--your eyelids already drooping. Within minutes, you’re fast asleep, and Belphie joins you soon after.

He’s right, sleep (especially when it’s in his arms) is way better than school.

[The Undateables Reactions]

[the-brohood-of-hotties]

Forget me not

Fandom: Katekyo Hitman REBORN! Pairing: Hibari x Reader   Wordcount:  2,210

Summary: Hibari is a weird man, famous for his rather aggressive aura. After he moves into your neighborhood, an oasis inside a big neon town, Hibari Kyouya brings with him the weirdest situations into your life, as he makes a startling entrance with an accident with his "co-worker", Yamamoto Takeshi.

This is an entry for #khrevents April Angst 2021/ Day 8/ Yearning, Longing/ Reincarnation AU/ "I don't want to forget you."

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30658199

The glass door from your coffee shop and gardening club swings open, you don’t really care to see who’s there because it’s almost the end of your shift and you’re really entertained with social media, though you did greet the person entering. “ Good evening. Welcome to the Daily Lily.”

“Good evening, I’m afraid we’ll have to check out your storage.”

“Are you the police?”

“...No.”  The voice seemed hesitant, you notice.

“Then I can’t help with that, we have a promotion on cheesecake today though.”  You smile and finally look up, afraid it might be a man trying to mess up with you. Well, it was two men, in fact. You’ve heard the rumors around the neighborhood, that Hibari Kyouya was a man with a weird aura that just moved in alone with some exotic pets, while he seemed delicate and handsome, he just had this introverted, aggressive aura and you’d never expect him to show up in your small business as the companion of another guy. Tall, tan skin, dark hair, buff, a scar on his chin in contrast with a bright gentle smile. He seemed to carry a baseball bat in his back, which made the combination of sports and their suits really off, they both seem to be either Japanese or Korean.

While Hibari, the  grumpy one, seemed to not be so happy about being with the other guy. Like a puppy and an old cat. "We don’t wanna bother you, but-..." The baseball guy was cut off by a loud noise coming from the back of the store. Normally you would be worried that your co-worker got hurt or something, but today? You’ve been alone for the second half of your shift. It’s not supposed to be noisy there, you’re frozen in the spot.

Hibari immediately bursts into the staff-only area of your shop, and before you can protest, the other guy gently grabs your shoulder. “Everything will be fine, we’ll take care of this situation. I just need you to hide in the restroom.’’

“Excuse me?!” No time for excuses, you heard someone grunting and the loud noises start getting too repetitive. Your phone was given in your hands and you basically got pushed into the room by the taller guy. “Sorry, huuh I really need to go there… ” He said as the door slammed on your face. The restroom was cozy enough, you had it decorated as you wanted, and you were firmly holding your phone in case you needed to call someone...But then, who would you be calling? The police would probably make things worse, especially because they seemed to be armed, or worse, maybe these guys are the police in disguise. You fidget your fingers along the cold black surface as a way to calm down a little, it seemed pointless. The noise was too loud to just put on earbuds and ignore them, but you realize: And if this is all a scheme? Rushing to peek at the door, as your eyes meet the pastel walls of the store, you realize it seems like no one’s here at all. Until you hear the cranky storage door opening, and as soon as you see the Baseball guy again, you close the door. Don’t want him thinking you’ve been spying on whatever happened in the storage, with your heart racing, you hear a gentle knock on the wooden door, accompanied by his voice. “Everything is fine! You can come out. I’m sorry I didn’t say my name before, I’m Yamamoto Takeshi and my company here is Hibari Kyouya.”

Decide to close the shop soon as you could for the day,  you come out of the restroom, greeted by the two men.

“I am not your partner, Yamamoto Takeshi.”  He mutters, Hibari looks completely clean, you could still mistake him with a businessman. While Takeshi seems to have bruised his hand a little. You offer him your first-aid kit which he accepts, then you close the curtains so there’s no curiosity about that’s going on inside. “So, what happened in my storage?”  You cross your arms, with a cotton stained with blood between your fingers, slightly annoyed by the whole situation. Making mental notes of what to tell your therapist later, then going back to cleaning the dry blood on Yamamoto's calloused hand.

“Two burglars, they were armed but easy to deal with.” Hibari finally says something directed to you, maybe it’s the first time he bothered to look in your eyes. Not that you’re annoyed by that, perhaps he’s just introverted. But at the same time, now that he looked at your face, it's like something inside him got frozen, awkward. It's such a weird feeling, especially since he doesn't really show it off, you just can tell. “Are you guys police officers?”  You change the subject, brushing it off your mind, Hibari looks away, you can’t tell if he’s offended by being compared to a cop or something else. “Not at all! We just know how to handle them. We’ll send you a check to compensate for the damage and the working time you spent in the restroom as well.” Yamamoto finished his bandage and happily hands you paper and pen. “Just write down your shop’s address and info and the check will arrive in 3 to 5 days.”

You couldn’t really believe in such kindness, or at least knowing how to deal with the consequences of their vigilante work but since they already know the shop you write it down anyway. “ Are you all putting me in some pyramid scheme? You two seem like stage actors.”  They do look like handsome actors, you think.

“We aren’t.” Hibari actually pulls out an unused bullet from his pocket to show  they’re not lying, effective but scary. He just turns away and keeps browsing the plants you got for sale, examining the quality of an English Ivy’s vine. “Don’t scare them, c’mon. Isn’t this shop your neighbor now?”  Yamamoto jokes around, Hibari sends him a deadly look and you decide you won’t touch the neighbor subject ever again.

“If you two excuse me, I have to close the shop and go home. It’s getting late and I don't plan to work more today.” You operate the register and turn off your computer for the day, swinging the keys in your index finger. Anxious to get home to your cat and a nice hot bath to relax. “Thank you again for your kindness, next time you visit the shop anything from the coffee and plants is on me. But don't do crazy stuff again.” You smile as everyone leaves the inside area with you. “By the way, who’s going to take these two burglars out? Did you guys called the police?”

“Kusakabe already took them, before you got out of the restroom.” Hibari says in a beat, interrupting Yamamoto before he could say something else. “Who’s that?”  You raise an eyebrow, the Baseball guy blurts out, dismissing any curiosity you might have. “He’s a friend of ours who’s actually a cop!” That’s weird, you didn’t even see a vehicle, and usually, when cops stopped around they were always noisy and had the blue and red lights on. Off-duty cops, detectives, spies, what are these people doing around? Your curiosity around these two can only grow. It’s not like your hometown has anything important in the first place. Anyway, you say your goodbyes and already invited them to come once more. Perhaps it will be good to have these two around, at least against burglars.

Hibari turns to Yamamoto as soon as you disappeared in a street corner, with earbuds on, bursting your playlist for a nice walk and everything “That’s why we shouldn’t operate with any civilians nearby, we might be compromised now.”.

“It wasn’t that bad, I think they got to sympathize with us, it’ll be just a weird day on their life.”  Takeshi stretches his arms, it’s quite complicated to deal with you and Hibari all at once. “But, still if we didn’t interfere these guys might take them hostage, steal the shop, or whatever their intentions were. We’re lucky you saw they had guns when passing by the street.”

“I am sure Kusakabe will find out their true intentions, but meanwhile we cannot afford to bring attention to us. No more.” Hibari walked down the street, ready to get to his new apartment. “And, Yamamoto.”

“What?”

“If you get back here in the shop, don’t do anything weak and stupid.” A threat, how much that suits him, it must be a serious matter, no wonder the Foundation decided to settle in that small town for a while. Once Hibari got home, greeted by Hibird’s singing, he lets out a long sigh. What happened today? Two Mafia men going out for a civilian’s small business as if it’s a serious matter for them. But especially, the Cloud Guardian feels like he just knows you from somewhere. Your voice and eyes seem oddly familiar, but if he was to put this feeling into words it’ would simply smell like bullshit. Herbivore bullshit. He takes a long shower, and gets to bed to read something before sleeping, but can’t concentrate on his book. It can’t be, he even loses sleep and feels exhausted, only falling asleep when his body couldn’t take it anymore.

He wakes up in a bad mood, feeds Hibird and Roll, and opens his fridge: nothing, just a bottle of water. Well, he has to remind Kusakabe to do his groceries, but for now, he’ll be ok with going to your shop for breakfast. He gets changed from his kimono to casual clothing, it’s 07:00 AM when he walks down the block and notices no one’s inside the shop beside you, as he opened the door a ring is heard, you turn your head to see who’s there, the shop seems clean and decorated with paper and fairy lights hanging on the wall, plus with the plants of all sorts, making the place lively, with soft lo-fi music in the background. “Hey, good morning Sir.” He murmurs a response and orders blueberry pancakes with a black coffee on the balcony. “Thanks for coming after yesterday, I came here earlier to clean but your partner Kusakabe was waiting at the door to help me out.”

“Good.”  As you manage the register, he notices you have cupcakes with colorful glaze and cutesy decor right beside you, and a poster that he can’t read from that distance. You see he’s staring at something and offers him one of the cupcakes. “Today I’m throwing a small event here, the shop will celebrate 2 years of business, come by if you want to.”

“I’m not letting you give me everything in the shop for free.”  He rejects and suits himself a table nearby the window. “I don’t like parties, or crowded places so I’ll stop by tomorrow.” This hurts your ego a little bit, but it would probably be embarrasing to have a stranger around, he’s quiet most of the time. You wonder if Yamamoto is more of a party person, then, your thoughts drift to the question: Is Yamamoto Takeshi single? He doesn’t have a wedding ring, and neither does Hibari. 

 You shake your head before you could turn red in front of him. “Well, I’ll save you a piece of cake my parents made then.”  You say, as you get  prepared to do everything for today’s menu ready.

“You don’t have to.”  Ouch. You decide to not offer him more things, but this behaviour makes you wonder if he has a jealous partner.

Usually you let everything sort-of-ready so you just need to heat them in the oven on the back of the balcony. Cooking is time-consuming, but at least it’s pretty lucrative. “I think I’ll take around 30 minutes since you’re an early bird. You can use a laptop to work or shop for flowers if you like stuff like gardening.”  You turn your head to talk to him, but to your surprise, he’s already looking at some pots and examining some other gardening products you have around, you didn't expect him to be this kind of person, gardening takes nurturing, care, and a lot of attention towards a living being who doesn't even communicate like animals. He does like gardening apparently, you expected him to pull off a MacBook and have an online meeting over his meal or something, maybe doing finances of whatever organization he's probably the leader at, at least that's what his expensive suit tells. When you get to serve his plate, the spare chair has a basket full of gardening materials, seeds for fruits and veggies, some pots, a small rake, and a trowel.

As the clients come in and you get busier, he didn’t want to be a burden, so he just sat there and tried to enjoy his breakfast, even though the place was a little more crowded than he would like to. But still, Hibari can manage that for a bit, and then he realizes how the situation just got weirder to him, how come he’s doing that for you? And why did you felt so familiar? Spending most of his life there, just occasionally traveling he never noticed a person that matched that specific scene in his head. Is this some Herbivore bullshit? Maybe. Hibari is still pondering over this subject but as long as no one from the Foundation or Vongola finds out, he just found out a place with good pancakes, open from Monday to Saturday, how convenient. The whole saved your business and life thing or the fact that you’re attractive is just a small detail.  When he’s done, Hibari gets up from his table and your co-worker comes to clean his spot. He takes his basket to the balcony for payment, but not before adding a purple flower to his shop list. When he gets to pass all the products, which usually the clients would take one or two plants, but he got around seven, letting the purple flower for last.

A small vase blooming with forget-me-nots, as you pass it on the register, you read the silly little tag you put in some pots as decoration, each has a quirky phrase or pun with the names, that one reads:

“Don’t forget about me”.

[alexaplaysgames]

Have Mercy on Me

Pairing: Felix Escellun x GN!MC

Fandom: Fictif (Last Legacy)

Rating: M (swearing, mild sexual content)

Words: ~ 1500

Description: Felix and his barista are a bit less than careful when it comes to concealing their midnight make out sess.

Notes: So Sage suspects that Felix and MC are a thing, but he doesn’t know that they are. Or he didn’t prior to this fic. The last of my Felix writing spree! I’m moving on to some Asra next.

Tags: @margitartist @demon-paradise @themohawkhelmet @cactus-hoodie @aomiyeon @piningmaybeanartist @another-confused-gay

When I imagined travelling with the legendary Starsworn, sitting in the parlour of a run-down inn and getting wasted wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.

Sage grabs a bottle from the table at his feet and takes a hearty swig.

“Even this is failing to entertain me now,” he says, cracking his back as he stands, “I’m going to go pass out.”

“Will you kill me if I call it a cat nap?” I singsong.

Safe glares at me in reply, ears pinned flat against his head. “Do you want to find out?”

I opt to stay quiet as he turns towards the stairs that lead to our rented rooms.

“I think I’m going to turn in for the night as well,” Anisa hums, her green eyes glittering in the firelight. “Goodnight, you two!”

Felix and I sit silently as the sound of creaking wood accompanying footsteps retreats up the stairs.

As soon as the parlour is silent, he turns to me, smirking.

“Ah, to be free of Sage’s incessant pestering.”

I too am rather glad to be alone with him. With all that’s gone on lately, I’ve barely had Felix to myself at all these last few days.

The cracking of the fire is soothing, the silence between us strangely comfortable. It’s rather odd, considering Felix isn’t one for quiet contemplation, and it’s very rare that any situation he’s involved in remains free of awkwardness.

I’m distracted from my thoughts as Felix glances down at our hands, still close together being that we have yet to seperate from our previously crowded position on the sofa.

Once again, I feel myself wishing that he would just ask for things when he wanted them, like he so obviously wants to hold my hand now. Am I doing something wrong? Is this some consequence of his relationship with Rime? I know almost nothing about that, I don’t really want to, but if that deer-man did anything to hurt Felix, I guarantee I’ll snap his antlers like Pixy Stix.

Then again, perhaps some of the hurting was consensual. He did have some choice comments about their sexual relationship that I’ve really been trying to forget. Yikes. I can’t imagine the Felix I know in a relationship anything like that.

He’s too precious... too soft. I feel like getting rough with him would break him, shattering his beauty to shards, like stained glass.

But I wouldn’t mind if he were a bit more forward with me.

“Do you want to hold my hand, Felix?”

He starts, then blushes as he meets my gaze. Felix nods, his expression turning resolute as he slowly reaches for my hand, then intertwines my fingers with his.

I reach to delicately tilt his chin up with the index finger of my free hand.

“I do like you, you know,” I tease, but the words still carry meaning. “You don’t have to be so hesitant.”

“O-okay. I know that, I do. It’s just... difficult,” he scoffs, a frustrated sound deep in his throat. His voice goes soft as he continues, “I haven’t- I haven’t done this since...”

“I know.” He doesn’t need to say Rime’s name for me to know who this is about.

I smile, sultry turning soft, then focus my attention back on the fireplace as Felix lays his head on my shoulder with a soft sigh. Progress. His hair tickles my chin, but I don’t really mind. He smells... nice. Like... well, he actually kind of smells like sage. Sage the plant, not the person. Felix would certainly take offence to the latter. I snicker under my breath just thinking of his reaction if I told him so.

I suddenly shiver as Felix turns his face into my neck, trying to stay still. He’s not a huge fan of casual physical contact, and I don’t want to scare him away. He’s kinda like a pet, a cat, in that any time he gets close I stay shock still in hopes that he won’t run off. He’s like a cat in many ways, actually. Grumpy, recluse, adorable. Another description he would despise, knowing his hatred for Stella. I purse my lips to keep from giggling. Man, if only everyone knew how hilarious I really am.

“You realize,” Felix hums, the vibrations creating goosebumps across my skin. “We are completely alone.”

My amusement fades in an instant, my features stretching into a seductive grin.

“Oh? And what, Felix, oh dignified and talented mage, are you suggesting?”

I can almost feel his face heat from where it’s pressed against the soft skin of my neck.

He sighs, then mumbles, “I beg you not to tease me so. We can’t all be as lascivious as Sage, my dear.”

“Felix,” I tease, despite his request, “are you asking for a kiss?”

He pulls away, face flushed red, biting his lip as he refuses to meet my gaze.

“No.” The answer is obviously yes, and although his pout is adorable, he sounds like a stubborn, petulant child.

I place my hands on both of his cheeks, forcing him to meet my gaze.

“Good. Because you don’t need to ask. If you want to kiss me Felix, go ahead.”

It’s a bold challenge. Never does Felix initiate such things, but I want him to. I want him to want to.

He blinks. Then, slowly, tentatively, he shifts closer to me, the sofa creaks beneath him, and I feel the cushions sink as he leans towards me. His breath fans across my face as he gets impossible closer, his eyelashes fluttering against my cheeks.

It’s in moments like these that it truly hits me: how incredibly intoxicating Felix is. I don’t think I could refuse him if I wanted to; my heart yearns to be swept up in the vortex of his stormy eyes, to drown in a sea as black as his fingernails or as red as his bitten lips.

I can just barely feel the brush of his lips against mine, leaving my breath stuttering in my throat. It’s nice- the closeness, the stillness. Intimate even, with our foreheads pressed together and our mouths just barely touching. I could stay like this with him forever.

Then our lips slide together in a familiar, passionate dance, slow and sensual and utterly delicious. I instinctively move my hands to tangle in his hair, pulling just the way I know he likes, while Felix surprises me by moving one hand to cup my face, the other to skim my thigh, and kissing me back hard, hard enough to make me feel like the breath that fills his lungs, and I struggle to refrain from smiling against the softness of his lips.

I pull away, trying not to notice his bereft, breathy little exhale, just long enough to quirk a brow before I place my hands on his chest and push him back into the sofa, chuckling at the noise of shock that he makes.

And while I love to have him near me, holding me, this is where I like Felix best. Pinned under me as I straddle his waist, wide, silvery eyes reflecting the dying firelight.

I lean over him, tantalizing, teasing, trace a path with my tongue from his collarbone to the shell of his ear, then finish by biting down on his earlobe, rolling the stud he wears in his ear with the tip of my tongue.

Felix gasps, hips involuntarily pressing upwards and against mine, a breathy whine building in his throat. I catch his wrists and pin them above his head, leaning back to admire the mess I’ve made of him.

“So pretty,” I murmur, twirling a strand of his hair with my free hand.

“You are quite,” his voice shakes with his ragged exhale, “resplendent yourself.”

I snort, hum, then lean forward to capture his mouth in a sinful, open-mouth kiss, grinding against him once more in a way that has us both panting into each other’s mouths. I’m not sure how long we stay tangled up like that, rocking together, never parting for longer than it takes to catch a breath.

His skin is surprisingly warm to the touch when my fingers flit under the fabric of his shirt, dipping over the soft give of his stomach, a gentle, exploratory touch I can feel mirrored by Felix’s hands on the bare skin of my arms.

I’m just about to suggest we take this somewhere more private when I’m interrupted by a choking noise. A sound not unlike that of a cat, yakking on a hairball.

Felix and I hastily spring apart, and my gaze is immediately drawn to a tall, white-haired figure standing at the base of the stairs.

“Holy fuck.” Sage whispers, his expression a mix of amusement, awe, and confusion. His eyes dart between the look of sheer mortification that paints my features and Felix’s disheveled appearance and half-open shirt.

Shit.

Felix flops back down, burying his burning red face in a pillow.

“Not now, Sage.”

Sage only smirks. “Interrupted something, did I? By all means, don’t stop on my accord. I’m all for watching, or joining. If you’re into that sorta thing.”

I can only manage to stare, slack-jawed. Is he really suggesting...?

“So,” Sage clears his throat, causing Felix to groan at the realization that he has not yet left. “You two really are-“

I nod.

“No,” he grimaces.

“Yes,” I deadpan.

“No,” he repeats, louder, frantic. “I cannot live in a world in which Felix has game. First Rime, now you? Are you sure you’re the one who got teleported to another dimension?”

“That’s not exactly what-“ Felix finally huffs as he raises his head, glaring.

“Whatever, man. This is some fucked up shit. Majorly fucked up, that’s what I say.” Sage crosses the room, retrieving a dagger from the nearby armchair and twirling it dangerously in his leather-clad grip (I assume this is the reason he came back into the parlour at all).

He makes to move up the stairs, but pauses, throwing me a grin over his shoulder, accompanied by a waggle of his eyebrows.

“But if you ever wanna get a taste of the wild side...”

“Sage!” Felix exclaims, eyes flashing a dangerous green, but the former only snickers.

“Goodnight, horny children. Try to keep the noise level to a minimum, if ya know what I mean.”

I have to slap my hand over Felix’s mouth to stifle his angry retort.

This is going to be a long few days.

[apenapaperandadoofus]

Hiya!!! i saw you that you posted a prompt list.👀 If you still take prompts How about "can I have one?" From your prompt list with Seven With some funny/fluffly content?😬 pretty please with a cherry on top🍒

Feel hugged by a very long cat!! ✨😻

Hi hi! Sending you a hug back :D

Today I think imma post some of the promt request hehe since the songs one do take a bit and rn my headphones are charging and it's 12am so PFT

Can I have one? (Saeyoung x MC)

"Ohhh who's the cutest cat in the world? That's right, it's Elly!" You giggled as you gave the adorable cat in front of you a kiss.

Jumin had recently been asked to fly over seas for a meeting with a very important client, and he couldn't bring Elizabeth. Normally he would give the cat-sitter job to Jaehee, but she had just earned herself a week deserved 2 week vacation and Jumin knew he couldn't make her work on her break, he understood that Jaehee did need her rest after all the work she did.

Out of everyone else, Zen couldn't (Jumin would've LOVED to give Elizabeth to him though -the evil bastard) and Yoosung was definitely out of the question.

So Jumin decided that he second best option, was Saeran. He knew that his twin would probably try and do something with his precious cat, but he trusted that Saeran would hold his brother back. He also added you to the list and assumed you would guard Elizabeth from the mischievous cat abuser.

The two of you were actually doing a pretty good job of keeping Elly safe, and that day Saeran decided to leave for a bit to take his usual walk, so you had been left with Elly alone.

The thing is, you absolutely loved cats, and what neither Jumin nor Saeran would expect, you also loved to squish, stretch, and basically do whatever you wanted with them! If Jumin knew he'd definetly have labeled you as a cat abuser too. However, that day you had finally ran out of energy from squishing the cat, so you resorted to sitting on the couch with her on your tummy while you pet her and gave her a lazy kiss every now and then.

You were happily watching a re-run of Dance Mom's, and watched as Abby angrily ran (or drove??) Away in that chair that had wheels (you forgot it's name, but honestly, you were too focused on Abby and her just leaving the whole group.) Then, you jumped as you heard the sound of the front door open, making Elly lazily stand up and stretch while rubbing against you.

You saw a familiar red head pop out and quickly run over to the couch.

"My dear Elly~ OH how much I've missed you my darling!!!" He yelled as he grabbed the poor cat and spun her around the living room.

You chuckled and crossed your arms, leaning back on the couch. "Hello to you too Saeyoung."

He stopped and sheepishly grinned before going back to pampering the cat, who had a look of 'someone please help this man is currently holding me hostage.'

Saeyoung kept kissing Elly, asking her how her day was and how she'd found the place, and you huffed.

Was he seriously focusing more on the cat that you? Again?

You knew how much Saeyoung loved Elly, but the last few weeks he seemed to be dating her instead of you! In fact, he didn't even seem to notice you anymore, only paying attention to the cat. You loved Elly as much as him, but you'd never ignore your boyfriend over a cat, and honestly this was the last straw.

Saeyoung eventually noticed your cross expression and he stopped, holding the cat in the air.

"MC? Why are you making that face?"

"Hmph, what face?" You said as you crossed your arms.

"Ah that face! Did I do something? Are you mad because I ate your muffin again?"

"What no- wait" YOU ATE MY MUFFIN!?"

Saeyoung winced and tried to look as innocent as possible. "Oh what- pffff no of course not I- what even IS a muffin haha I have no idea what you're talking about- ANYWAY if you're not mad about that then what is it?"

You sighed. "Nothing, nothing forget it, I'm just being childish. If you're going to keep playing with Elly or whatever, the please do it in your room, I'm busy watching TV."

Saeyoung raised and eyebrow, but then, a smirk started slowly appearing on his face.

"I see~" he said, and you looked at him confused.

"what?"

Saeyoung tried to stifle a laugh but failed, and he gently put Elizabeth on the ground.

"MC....are you....are you jealous....of a cat?!"

You felt your eyes widen and your face flush and Saeyoung's smile got wider.

"YOU ARE!"

"N-no I'm not!! I just, I, UGH!" You stood up from the couch and tried to look anywhere that wasn't your boyfriend.

"HA! YOU DEFINETLY HAVE! Oh boy, this is amazing, I seriously can't believe that you, of all people! Being jealous of a cat!" He laughed and you gently pushed him.

"So what!? I-its completely normal....you've been coddling and kissing her all the time she's been here! It's not my fault I want some affection too...."

Saeyoung laughed and took a step closer to you. "Well you could've just asked for a kiss you know?"

You blushed even more and stomped your foot. "But I- it's embarrassing Saeyoung, and I shouldn't even ask for a kiss to my boyfriend, you're supposed to be doing that without asking!"

"Well my dear MC, sadly I am not a mind reader. If you want a kiss just ask for one."

You stood quiet for a moment, and Saeyoung suddenly seemed to get an idea. He smiled mischievously and walked closer and closer to you, his lips barely brushing against yours, but as soon as you tried to make them touch he pulled away and smirked.

"Nuh-uh, I'm not giving you anything until you ask."

"Saeyoung!!!" You pouted, but he just chuckled.

"If you want a kiss, then ask for it." He said, as his lips brushed against your skin, making you flush.

He then pulled away and raised an eyebrow. "Well? I'm waiting~"

You sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"CanIhaveakiss?"

He chuckled. "I'm sorry my dear, I couldn't exactly hear what you said."

"Can I have one?"

"One...what?"

"Ugh Saeyoung! One kiss, please, can you just freaking shut up and kiss me?"

He smiled and wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you close. "Well since you asked so nicely..."

You gasped as Saeyoung's lips touched yours, and both let out a happy sigh. You tangled your fingers in his hair, and tried to deepen the kiss, but then Saeyoung pulled away.

"Hey what was that for?" You almost screamed, but instead aggressively whispered.

Saeyoung booped your nose and laughed. "Well you did ask only for one kiss, you can't be mad at me for actually doing what you said.....MC? Why are you looking at me like- mmph!"

Saeyoung let out a small yelp as you grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards you, kissing him roughly.

Saeyoung then slowly closed his eyes and pulled you closer, the two of you ending up on the couch, with you straddling him.

You kissed his cheek, his neck, and made your way down to his collar bone, making him gasp and let out pleased sighs.

He was about to take his shirt off when suddenly a big white ball jumped in front of you, making you both fall off the couch (you fell from almost being scared to death, and Saeyoung from trying to help you.)

You looked up at Elly who you guessed wanted to be part of the fun? And she purred and rubbed against the two of you, making you take in lots, and lots, and lots of cat hair.

"Well then." You said after a whole minute of coughing and trying to get Elly's hair out of your mouth and nose. "I guess Elizabeth also wanted some kisses."

Saeyoung laughed and pulled you towards him grabbing your waist with one arm, and petting Elly with his other free hand.

"Aw she just doesn't want to feel excluded. We can continue this later, because I've just realized that you're watching Dance Moms without me!!!!"

You laughed and gently pushed him. "Hey let me be, I was bored."

"I cannot believe you're watching Dance Mom's without me! The betrayal!!" He made a dramatic pose and you rolled your eyes, but you couldn't help the smile on your face.

"Saeyoung the show finished ages ago...I think, and besides, Abby is in jail or something you should already know how it ends."

"AND you spoiled the whole thing for me!!! Wait she's in jail? Seriously?"

"I dunno I just remembered her at one point going to jail."

"Probably for giving all those kids PTSD." He joked.

"Oh boy, she gave all of us PTSD. Anywho let's get on the couch my butt hurts."

You got up and then let out a yelp as Saeyoung teasingly smacked your butt and then you sat on the couch, Saeyoung and Elizabeth following after.

The three of you spent the evening with each other, and Saeyoung would give you small kisses every now and again.

Eventually he fell asleep with his head on your lap, and you smiled softly as you ran your fingers through his hair as he sighed happily, looking exactly like Elizabeth when you pet her.

You giggled softly and then leaned back on the couch, closing your eyes. This was your home, and you felt so happy to be able to share moments like this with that dork. You honestly wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

The end.

[emerald-amidst-gold]

for the hugs prompts 💕

12. hugging while lying down together? :3

Two foolishly foolish fools being sickeningly in love, you ask? Oh, my friend, let me OBLIGE! >:D

Putting this under a cut for it is LOOOOONG!

***

It wasn't very often Fane had a moment to sit down, let alone lie down. There were war meetings to attend, letters to answer, research to piece together and sort out, Leliana forwarding scout intel to him on inquiries he had made, Blighted nobles to 'entertain', companions to silently check in on, and troops to observe and on occasion, guide when he felt the Commander's instructions weren't enough. It wasn't that he didn't trust Cullen. It was...just how he was, draconic nature rearing its head to help dormant talents flow and fearful emotions dissipate so a hand would no long tremble upon a haft or grip. Obviously, the human man always shot him a withering glare, which would then result in them snapping at each other like the creatures they embodied; a lion and a dragon. Fane usually opted to walk away from those confrontations, unable to explain and thus, control himself in the event his temper flared into a raging inferno. Solas had been attempting to instill alternative techniques of defusion, ones that didn't involve a fist or a roar, in him.

And one such session of alternatives was happening now, the two of them sitting upon the floor in front of the fire place in their shared quarters. Fane was staring hard into the lapping flames, face blank, vision hazy. Solas was next to him, their shoulders only lightly touching, but it was enough; for both of them.

"...If you feel the heat upon your skin, if you hear the flames within your ears, if you see the crimson line your vision, disconnect, but not wholly disassociate.", Solas said, evenly and quietly, gingerly reaching over to brush their hands together. They had been talking for a while since retiring. At first it had been mainly Fane yelling and the mage patiently waiting for him to calm down, but now...it was as quiet as the crackling log of the fire.

"I barely have enough time to control it, let alone identify it, Solas.", Fane bite back, still coming down from his high. He hadn't meant to snap at the sky, he hadn't meant to cause more tension, but he wasn't been in the mood or the right frame of mind for a therapy session.

Thankfully, Solas gave him a soft look, viewable from his peripheral despite the haze from his earlier outburst of destroying a wall, rage having gripped in him in a choke hold after a discussion with Mother Giselle. Faith made him sick, and the fact that she had had the gall to say he was like Corypheus...it nearly had him shattering again, fists clenching against fur and stone.

"Oh? You have told me numerous times what happens before your mind blackens, have you not?", Solas asked, calm and even, softly, but firmly. The mage's hand set itself over top of his, stroking it soothingly, knowing the edge was close and trying to draw him from it.

"I..", Fane sighed then, realizing he was cornered. "Fine, yes. I can identify it, but it's quick and...", he trailed off, hands balling tighter; the one upon one of them continuing its lulling strokes.

"You are frightened of it.", Solas stated, small smile having taken on a somber tone, blues eyes sorrowful, the grey melding with it like tender clouds. "You worry what will happen if the torches do not dim, and so you..black out, so to speak." The observations confident, the words resolute.

"...Yeah.", Fane agreed; his irritation beginning to fizzle out by this point by a soothing lilt, a tender caress, and because someone was willing to...talk to him, not condemn him. "I mean, it's other things, too; the intensity and the afterglow. The crimson gets so bright, so hot that I can't think, so the smoke chokes my mind, suffocates it. Afterwards, when the smoke clears, when my mind can breathe, the memories are...ashes, soft, but unrecognizable. And that...terrifies me.", he admitted it, he did, even if it made him lock up in defensive.

"You are terrified of forgetting, forgetting yourself from madness and fury.", Solas whispered, sorrow and guilt wiggling through. "Ir abelas, ma'isenatha if the Veil were not present, you--" Fane cut the mage off with a sharp glare and a quiet snarl. Not this again.

"It's not just the Veil that has me inching towards insanity, Solas.", Fane said firmly, turning his gaze from the crimson flames to see that sorrowful blue-grey was fixate on them instead, shadows and light dancing upon ancient features, sharp and soft. Further sight of a locked jaw and a glare lost in the past made him frown. No, not this again. He wouldn't have this guilt weighing down the sky again.

"It is a part of it. That is a fact that cannot be denied, Fane.", Solas said, somewhat biting, somewhat strained. Blue narrowed, fire dancing along a floor of paleness. "If I had been less rash, less overcome with grief, I could have--"

Fane shook his head, finally reciprocating the hand holding from earlier, his slightly larger one cupping one used to magic, not a sword. "Stop, Solas.", he said, scooting over a bit so they were resting against each other; the man beside him tensing up a bit, but relaxing with a quiet sigh. "My rage, my spiral is due to a lot of things. I went years not talking about it, with anyone. Not even Mhairi because I was scared to see judgement in her eyes, to see innocence die as surely as mine had." The confession a whisper, no more than the most delicate winds of the mountains outside frosty windows. "Fear is the culprit to my problems, and the fact that I won't face them until someone else does. And for that, I'm sorry. You don't deserve to--"

Solas turned on him them, free hand shooting up to cup his cheek, holding it fiercely, lovingly, as fierce as pale blue sparked like lightning. A sharp expression was sharper, harder, but held deep understanding in its angles and light crevices of a tiny frown. Fane averted his gaze a bit, emotions running hot, but not rage, not fury, not agitation. The sky was strong, willful, and it made his heart soar, even as it was leashed with fear and procrastination.

"Do not apologize for desiring help, vhenan.", Solas murmured, hand upon his cheek guiding his face back to lay a tender kiss upon his frowning lips. Fane hesitated, but reciprocated soon after with one of his own, Solas smiling a bit as he pulled back, eyes less harsh, but no less piercing. "True fear is overcome when one realizes they cannot face a battle alone, or when they recognize that a battle is being waged. You are aware of your problems, and your deflection is not solely from fear; it is from care."

Fane blinked a bit, raising an eyebrow. "Care?", he asked, eyes gently roaming and assessing the face of his cherished sky.

Solas nodded. "You care about everything, Fane.", he whispered, leaning into kiss him again, lightly, chastely, leaning more and more into his body to the point where Fane lifted his arms to wrap around a slender frame. "That care can be more dangerous to you than fear or rage, but it is also something you cannot afford to lose, for then, you would lose yourself. You would truly forget who you are."

Fane scoffed quietly. "Me breaking a wall in is caring?", he questioned, typical self loathing attempting to sour profound words born of love and understanding. It was hard to let go of everything at once. Solas chuckled softly, reaching up to card fingers slowly through his hair, brushing it back, fluffing it forward, tucking errant locks that were long enough behind a pointed ear.

"It can be.", the mage affirmed, smiling a bit more as Fane let out a calm hum from his petting. "You care about what other's perceive you as and when they perceive you as merely angry and hateful, you lash out, you roar for a shred of understanding, and there is nothing wrong with that." He leaned in more, their chests now flush, and the gentle working of slender fingers had Fane actually taking them back, the two of them landing on the fur blanket, Solas' eyes barely widening, so used to his random, spontaneous decisions.

The fire danced behind his sky, warming its cool edges with gentle orange, sharpening already sharp features with black shadows with crimson undertones. For once, however, Fane didn't fear the sight of it, the gentle flicker as he beckoned with both of his hands to the man gazing down at him with all the love and understanding he could never had asked for, fingers jerking slightly in a 'come here' gesture.

"Come here.", Fane vocalized the request when Solas merely continued to watch him softly, using his words, using his voice. "Let me hold you. Let me make you realize your grief, your decisions, are not who you are completely.", he whispered, eyes never tearing from crimson reflected in blue and grey as they widened a bit, an eloquent mouth finding itself speechless as it gaped slightly. "You were my sky before you were Fen'harel, Solas. There is no Veil between you and I, stunting understanding, blockading acceptance. I love you, and nothing will make that love falter. I remembered myself because of you, and how could I hate you for that?" He smiled, taking hold of slightly trembling arms as he knew emotions were being guided in the proper direction, finding their release. "So, let me remind you of who you are."

"And who am I?", Solas asked, voice dropping, fingers curling into the blackened cotton of his tunic as a mental battle danced in fire lit eyes. "Who am I to you?"

Fane closed his eyes, gently tugging on Solas' forearms, coaxing him to draw down to the earth, to the dragon that bade the sky release its clouds' bounty. After all, the sky had offered him the same, speaking with him, accepting him, but knowing when to guide him with a firm hand.

"You are the sky.", Fane murmured, smiling a bit as he felt Solas finally shift and slide down a bit to descend upon him, arms finding their way to his neck, face burying right along with it as the sky met the earth; his own arms coming up to wrap around it. "You offered me freedom when there was none. You offered me endless options when there was none. You offered me wisdom when there was none." Each confession drew out a shaky gale from his sky, the sensation of rain, warm, warm rain, making itself known upon his parched skin. "If I care, you care more. Your decisions were born of care. You wanted to free your people and mine from the leashes that ensnared them, never once asking for anything in return."

"I..no, I killed...so many..", Solas whispered shakily, arms tightening around his neck to hug him, to ground himself like a piece of cloth the wind was trying to rip away. "And for what? To watch the same thing happen again? To witness the leash tear apart what is left? It was a mistake; a mistake that has hurt you and so many of my people.."

Fane buried his face in Solas' neck, laying a few kisses upon the expanse as he felt more dampness against his own. It hurt to see the man this way, so used to witnessing quiet strength and endurance, but all creatures, no, all people, must be weak lest they shatter.

"It was a mistake, Solas.", Fane agreed, but not to condemn, laying more kisses when a shuddering breath left a tensed up form; his arms squeezing, anchoring the sky amidst its storm. "But you understand that, and it's why you care enough to try and fix it. If you truly wished to see the world fall, if you truly desired for death and destruction, cackling like the Dalish say, then you would not be crying right now.", he said, gingerly moving a hand up to work it between them, finding a wet jaw and unearthing it from its hole of security.

Solas' face was streaked with tears, lips pressed hard as it stifled shuddering, harsh breaths, but pale blue lightened further with orange and red did not turn from him, did not hide. Fane couldn't help but smile at the sight of tears and, most of all, emotion, but his heart did ache, his soul did cry right along with the sky.

"You're beautiful, Solas.", Fane murmured, leaning line to peck at salty cheeks, soaking in everything the sky had to offer without protest. "You're beautiful, and if you see me as more than my rage, than my twisted nature, then I see you as more than your mistakes, your decisions." The words tender, his voice dropping lower than normal, more rain appearing as sobs escaped. "Ar lath ma. Ar lath ma."

That had the clouds parting, the waters freely flowing as Solas melted against him, hands desperately entangling themselves in his hair as harsh sobs and just as harsh shudders that resembled lightning strikes coursed through a usually cool, composed body. Fane only closed his eyes as he pulled Solas close, deigning not to speak, only to listen, to accept the sky's wrath of heavens that had longed wished to breach its own veil.

***

Crying Solas anybody? Therapy sessions for two dorks who are emotionally constipated? YESSIR!

[cecilsstorycorner]

How to Catch a Fish

  The two teenagers stand on the snowy embankment of the river. The boy has an old tattered coat wrapped around him, keeping out the morning chill, turning their breath to clouds. The girl’s coat is brand new, clean and tailor fit to her small form, bought just after moving to this little town. Her gloved hands are stuffed into her pockets, and she watches the river curiously. The sky is bright and clear, the snow stretching out in a sheer white expanse.

“Do you know how to catch a fish with just your hands?”

The girl looks up from observing the winding waters. The boy looks at her expectantly, a brightness in his soft brown eyes. She shakes her head.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the kind of thing I would’ve learned.”

“It’s pretty simple really!” The boy steps down towards the river, skidding slightly on the fresh snow, and drops down to his knees just before the water. The snow falls into his boots, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “You have to be very patient and careful, but it only takes a little practice! Watch-“ He shrugs off his heavy coat, rolling up his sleeve. Before the girl’s observing eyes, he sticks his arm into the rolling water. It must be freezing, and he winces slightly, but the shine in his eyes doesn’t falter. “The trick is waiting to feel a fish brush against your fingers…” He waits, looking upwards at the sky to focus all his attention on his submerged hand. He lights up. “There! There- and now you just… well, pet it!”

“Pet it?”

“Yeah! It settles the fish down. You pet it, and it gets comfortable, slows down, and once it’s settled enough…” He waits, one second, another, then with one quick movement, pulls his arm back from the water, a fish wriggling in his hand, now almost pure white from cold. “Got it!”

The girl laughs. “So you trick it? That seems rather cruel.”

The boy looks down at the fish in his hand. He nods, and throws it back into the water. The two watch it swim away.

“I never keep them,” he says. “You’re right. It seems cruel.”

~

~

They run down the cobblestone street, boots clattering on the wet stones, reflecting the lamp light back up at them. The boy leads, pulling the girl behind him, hand in hers. They’re laughing, and keep checking over their shoulder to look back behind them. In the distance, voices yell, insisting someone catch them, someone follow them. The boy pulls the girl into an alley, putting a finger to his lips and shushing her through his smile. The girl giggles, and they press against the wall, waiting for the people to run right past their hiding spot. The boy claps a hand over his mouth, trying to muffle his heavy breathing, left over from their dash. The girl sees, and does the same. The voices grow louder, until in a storm of footsteps, a handful of people run past the alley, struggling to gain any speed in their clunky fishers clothing. After a few moments, they’ve passed, continuing down the road, looking for culprits they will not find.

“We’re gonna get in so much trouble,” the boy whispers.

“But did you see their faces,” the girl whispers back, holding onto his forearms as she grins up at him. “And if they get mad I’ll just say it was my idea, they can’t do anything to me.”

“We are not doing this again.”

“Oh, you always say that.”

~

~

    The boy sits on his bed. The girl kneels in from of him, holding his arm.

    “That man is a monster,” she hisses through her teeth as she wraps the bandage around the boys wrist.

   “No, it’s my fault…” the boy says, wincing slightly as the fabrics tug at the raw skin, finger marks still clear and red. “I got in the way, and stuff got broken, I shouldn’t of-“

   “That doesn't give him the right.” She holds his hand in hers, looking down at the now bandaged wrist. There’s an anger in her, bubbling just beneath the surface. It scares the boy a little. “No one should react to a mistake so small with such force, especially not against your own brother.”

   “It… it happens. It’s fine.”

   “It shouldn’t.” She puts her hands on each side of his face, cradling it as she looks up into his eyes. “They shouldn’t treat you like this. You know that right?”

   He nods. But he doesn’t speak.

   He’s long learned he can’t change it.  

~

~

   They sit on the girl’s bed. The light filters through the small window, catching the dust in beams that stretch past the two into the floor. The boy shows off his newest creation, a small music box. It plays it's simple song, and he’s so proud of it.

   The girl takes his hand, and he looks up, pulled from his excited chatter. She looks into his eyes, more serious than he expected.

   “Do you feel safe with me?” she asks.

   The boy almost laughs at this. “Of course!” How could she even think otherwise? He’d never been so sure of something in his whole life.

   “Good.” She reaches up, takes his face in her hands, and kisses him.

~

~

   They stand behind a cart, in the dead of night. It’s cold, even with the remains of the fire still burning on the other side of town. She passes him a bag, expecting him to place it in the back with the others. He doesn’t. He just stands there, staring at nothing and more afraid then he’s ever been in his life.

  “What are you waiting for?” she says, panic creeping into her voice. “We don’t have time to stall, they’ll try and stop us.”

   “I didn’t… it shouldn’t have caught fire,” he says. His voice is almost inaudible, and he doesn’t move his eyes from their blank stare. “I checked it- I checked it over and over and over and it-“

   She grabs his arm. “Snap out of it! It’s too late now, it burned, and they will kill you if we don’t leave now.”

   He nods. And he nods again. “Right. Right, right, I’m sorry-“ He places the bag in the cart. His hands shake. The fire still burns.

~

~

   The man stands in the living room of the new house. It’s small, and it’s empty. He’s not used to this. He’s used to large families, old wooden buildings, leaky roofs and creaking floorboards. This house is new. And it’s quiet.

   Hands wrap around his waist, and the woman rests her head on his shoulder. 

   “It’s not much, I know,” she murmurs into his ear. “But it’s ours. It’s home.” She turns her head, to better see his face. “Do you like it?”

   He nods. Even if it wasn’t really true yet, it would be some day. Because he was there, with her, and everything would be okay when that was the case. “I do.”

   She unwound her arms from him, sighing. “The furniture it came with is so drab, don’t you think? We’ll have to find somewhere to get something better. Although I’m not sure what options we have in a town like this.” She hefted a box into the kitchen counter, and began to unload various plates and dishes. The man wasn’t sure where they’d come from. “I think I counted maybe six other residential houses? A corner store, too. Not much else though.”

   “Can we afford to buy more?”

   “You can get a job. Perhaps that corner store is hiring.” She glanced at his face, and softened. “Hey, puppy, it’ll be okay.” She crossed back to him, laying a hand on his arm and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “We’re gonna make it work, all right? Together.”

   “Yeah.”

   “I love you.”

   “I love you too.”

~

~

   They sit on the couch. The wood stove has burned down to it's last embers. The man watches the curls of burned wood crumble, the soft glow on their outer lines fading away. The woman takes a sip of her tea as she turns the page in her book. Then, she closes it with a heavy sigh. The man turns to her, unsure what’s wrong.

   “I hate it when you do this,” she says. The man doesn’t know how to react. He doesn’t even know what she means. But he knows he’s done something wrong. That always feels certain.

   “...I’m sorry,” he says.

   “No- no you keep getting like this. All distant and weird. Sometimes it feels like you’re not even really here.”

   “I… I’m sorry,” he says again. What else is there to say?

   “You must know how hard this is for me, right?” She places her book down on the table. “Dealing with all your… things. I get it, things were rough for you before. But we’re not there anymore. You have no reason to be acting like this.”

    “I-“

   “Don’t apologize if you’re not even going to try to change.”

   “...I’ll try.”

   “Good.” She gets to her feet. “I’m going to bed. Clean the dishes before you join me.” 

   She leaves. The man sits alone. He knows he’s done something wrong.

~

~

   The man is alone in their room. The door is locked, and he presses his back against it, hands gripping his hair as he struggles to breath. He’s back now, he’s not wherever he’d been when the woman had closed the door. That was good, at least. That meant when she returned he’d be allowed to leave.

    He can still smell smoke. It’s not real. He knows that. But it fills his lungs and coats his mouth with the awful ashy taste of three years past. He can’t feel the hands on him anymore, though. That’s an improvement.

   The woman would return, eventually. And he would apologize. After all, he really should have better control of himself by now.

~

~

   The man is backed against the kitchen counter, gripping the ledge with white knuckles. The woman takes a step towards him, and there’s nowhere further for him to go.

   “If you ever embrass me in public like that again-“ she’s saying, voice bladed and hand pointing inches from his face. “-I will not let you leave this house for a month, do you understand me?”

   The man nods frantically. He can’t speak, the tears would come if he tried, and that would only make things so much worse.

   “You cannot just started saying whatever you damn well please!” she says. “Rambling on about weird shit and making us look insane!”

   “I- I’m sorry-“

   Her hand shoots out and grabs his wrist, and he can’t hold back a gasp of terror. She yanks him close to her, their noses almost touching. Her fingernails dig into his skin.

   “You always follow my lead, understand?” Her voice is low and poisonous, her eyes pericing into him. “I am in charge. I am who you belong to. And you can’t ever forget that again.”

   He never does.

~

~

   They lie in their bed. Her arms are wrapped around him and he stares up at the ceiling. The lines of the wood twist and morph as his eyes unfocus. She nestles deeper into his side with a contented sigh. Her head tilts up and she presses her face into the crook of his neck.

   “You know I love you, right puppy?” she murmurs.

   The man says nothing.

   Of course she does.

   What else could this be but love.

~

~

   “We should head back, it’s getting late,” the boy says, wiping his hands dry on his coat.

   “Wait, I wanna try too first.” The girl goes to the spot he had just been, and sticks her arm in the water, waiting. After a minute, she pulls it back, fish gripped in her hand. She grins. “Got it!”

   “Good job!” the boy says. “Now toss the poor thing back, it looks terrified.”

   The girl looks at the fish for a moment. Then she shakes her head.

   “No,” she says. “I think it might make a good dinner.”

[my-brothers-corrupted]

Chapter Four - Part 6

Anti finds out about the missing medication.

Tws for severe abuse/torture, bruising, blood, imprisonment, and hypnosis.

Part 6 - Grantaire

“Ro?” says Blue carefully, stepping slow so as not to disturb a potentially out-of-his-mind older brother. “You want to tell me what the hell you’re doing?”

Red laughs. “You sound like you’re wondering if I’ve lost it.”

“I might be.”

“Well, I might have,” replies Red cryptically, and then turns to grin at him. He puts the shovel into the ground beside him and smacks his gloved hands together to rid them of dirt, standing over the hole he’s made in the front lawn.

One of at least five you can see.

“Diggin’ traps!” says Red. “So if anybody tries to come to the house, they’ll break their dumb-ass ankles.”

Blue breathes out an amused snort, shaking his head at him. “Better than doing nothing, I guess.”

“You doing okay? Come sit with me and I’ll dig if you want.”

Blue wants to tell him he’s okay, but it’s not been true for a few days. “Yeah, I’ll sit with you. Need some sun.”

“You do,” agrees Ro, frowning over at his moon-pale twin with his foggy, tired eyes. “Yeah.”

pine-storm-season asked: Hello Red, and hello Blue! Has today been uneventful so far?

“Yeah, pretty quiet, which I am more than grateful for,” says Ro, brushing sweat off his forehead. There’s exercise equipment in the basement and the motivation to be strong and fit again is one of the small things that keeps him going. “I think Dapper’s the only one who’s not going a little nuts with the confinement, though. None of us have, like, things to do, really. Usually we help Dok with a clinic or Anti sends us out to do shit. But now we’re just stuck. I gotta get out of this houseeeeee.”

He draws the word out, stabbing into the earth with greater ferocity, but he keeps a warm smile on his mouth, because in all honesty things could be a lot worse. Blue looks at him, thinking. He doesn’t really know where his brother’s at in his head these days, really - he just knows that Red tries to pretend he’s not as sad as he is, and that his priority is always their safety, and that he hasn’t laid a cruel hand on anyone since the day Anti stole him away again.

“If you have any other ideas for how to keep people out, please let me know,” says Red. “I’ll do it. At this point I’m up for anything. I think Dapper’s sharpening spikes on the porch, but in all honesty, I didn’t even think to question the little nightmare.”

Anonymous asked: Where's trick now? Is he still with Anti?

You find Dok at the bottom of the stairs.

He doesn’t even look up at you, just nods.

—

“There are reasons I do the things I do, you know,” says Anti.

You only have to look once to see that he has Trick in a deep thrall. Trick is practically in his lap, letting Anti sew up a hole in his shirt, his arms around his brother’s neck.

“You slapped Dapper,” says Trick, unhappy despite the glaze over his eyes and the faint sway of his head. “Please don’t hit him. I think maybe you’re also… I need you to not do that.”

“Tricks, if there isn’t a little force, everybody falls out of line. There’s a lot of control issues in this family, a lot of personalities that clash and problems in their heads. If I didn’t use a little force here and there, everyone would fall apart, pet. Dapper would have to go to a mental hospital and Red would run off with that guy he barely remembers and Dok - well, you’ve saved him from himself enough times to know what Dok does if no one’s there to save him from himself.”

Trick shivers, shaking his head. “I don’t want Dok to get hurt.”

“Okay, so don’t be so scared when I have to shove everybody around a little or when you have to shove somebody around a little, for that matter. Weren’t you obedient for Red when he used a little force?”

“Yeah, always.”

“You’re Red now. So don’t be so chickenshit. You have to protect the others from themselves. You’re right. If Dok would just take off those necklaces, wouldn’t everything be so much easier?”

“So much easier.”

“Don’t let him get all weepy with you just cause you had to put him in his place. He’ll get used to it. Without it, he would run off or hurt himself. All of them would. And then you’d be alone, Trickshot. You’d be all alone in the world again. No one would care about you. Is that what you want?”

“No,” insists Trick, shaking his head harder. “No, no.”

“Okay, then,” purrs Anti, stroking his hair, his pretty green hair, curling at the front. “Then everything’s good, my darling, isn’t it?”

Trick smiles at him, touching his cheek. Anti closes his eyes at the feeling of his little brother’s fingers in his beard, tangled up with him.

“Everything’s good,” agrees Trick. “Everything’s perfect, Anti.”

Anonymous asked: Geez Anti, you really got him in the palm of your hand uh? That much hypnosis can't be good for trick in the long term

“Hmmm,” grumbles Anti, dissatisfied. He hates thinking about that. Right now, he just wants to know that one of them is his without a doubt, without hesitation. And he will keep this one close to his chest - no matter what it takes. “He’s okay.”

“I feel good,” chirrups Trick. “I feel okay.”

“Yeah, sweet boy. You’re okay.”

Anonymous asked: Hey, Dok. You doing alright, bud?

“Everything’s great,” he says.

And it’s probably meant to be sarcastic, but really he just looks tired. Dapper ducks his head into the entryway, finding his brother sitting alone on the stairs, as he has all morning, without moving.

Anonymous asked: Oh dok... I'm so sorry. It seems like Anti keep burrowing his hold deeper into trick. You're probably going to be alone for a bit

Dok buries his face in his hands.

Very tired. Very tired of this fight. Very ready to be gone. Maybe for good. Very ready for something to change. But it never does. It never does. It never -

A hand descends on his shoulder, enveloping it. He looks up, eyes wide.

“You’re not alone,” signs Dapper, sitting down beside him. “You are never alone.”

Anonymous asked: Is blue alright? ":(

“This is my fault. I should have been watching you. I should have known the sun would be too much for you. It’s like thirty degrees out here.”

Red helps Blue towards the house, clutching him to his chest. Blue wants to tell him his constant self-blame is hardly ever deserved, but he’s feeling - hell, he doesn’t know if unwell even begins to cover it anymore. He’s faint and nauseous and that feeling is back - like there’s something beneath his skin. Like there’s something inside the folds of his brain. Like he’s a stiff white puppet on taut, tight strings, choking.

He’s tough. He is. He always has been. He always tries to be.

Right now, he just wants his big brother to make everything stop hurting.

“Red,” he cries, slumping down against his bed. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Red paces around the room, stressed, wetting a washcloth in the bathroom next to the sink.

“I want to stop feeling bad, Red, please touch me, please put your hands on me, this isn’t my skin…”

Red recognizes the mantra with a sharp fear. He had hoped that night where Blue was clinging to him and begging for his hands on him would be the only one of its kind.

The realization that the damage Anti is causing could be lasting terrifies him.

“I’m here,” he says, putting a washcloth on his head and his hands on his sides, stroking him through his shirt. “I’m here and so are you. Blue. Azul. My twin. My brother. You’re the only one here with me.”

Anonymous asked: So when is trick going to be allowed back downstairs? Are you going to keep him with you for much longer, Anti?

“I just want to hang out a little,” says Anti, setting Trick down beside him as he finishes the hole in his shirt. “Play a game with me, Trick. Or play a game and I’ll watch. I like to hear you talking. Sometimes it’s quiet with just Dap and I up here. I like to hear you talking.”

Anonymous asked: hey, blue, love. it's just you. it's just you, buddy. how about you curl up with red and we can talk to you, and try to distract you. would you like that, blue?

“Fuck, I can’t think straight,” whispers Blue.

“But that’s not new,” whispers back Red.

There’s a moment of confusion from Blue - and then the most begrudging smile Red’s ever seen.

“Fuck you,” laughs Blue, touching his hair. “Goddamn. When I throw up all over you, it’s because of that.”

Red snuggles down next to him in bed. “That’s fair.”

“You can talk with us as long as you like,” says Blue.

His voice is weak and tired. Pressed against his ribs, Roser can feel just how thready his heartbeat is.

It’s a new kind of fear for him. In the past, the best way to survive has always been to outlast Anti’s temper tantrums, protecting his siblings as best he can as they happen and taking care of any injuries, trusting that Anti and Dapper would not let one of them die, no matter how cruel their master can be.

But ever since that night Blue wouldn’t let him let go of him, Red has begun to wonder -

Maybe this is a storm we cannot sail through.

Maybe we should go.

He loves Anti.

But not enough to let him do this to his heart.

Anonymous asked: hey, blue! birds or reptiles? (in other words, the cat-or-dog question but with animals you probably hadn't thought about before.) and what about you, red?

“Ah.” Blue laughs weakly. “Um, birds, yeah. For sure.”

“I want a snake,” says Red.

“Fuck’s sake.”

“I do.”

“You’d have to feed it little baby mice.”

“That’s nature! I am ready and willing! Or maybe a skink.”

Anonymous asked: hell yeah, bird gang! snakes are pretty cool though, too. my family has a bunch of really silly chickens, sometimes they'll do stuff like sleep outside in the rain,,, while literally sitting on the door to the henhouse,,,,, or steal all the plums from the plum trees we have. they're good birds though, although they are dumbasses sometimes. does noodle do dumb cat things like that, too?

“I don’t know, I think he does,” says Blue, shaking his head a little. “Um. He falls off the bed sometimes.”

“Let’s let Blue have a lie-down for a while,” sighs Red, sitting up beside him. “You’re looking so pale.”

“Really don’t feel well,” he murmurs. “Really don’t.”

Red looks down at him, his hand across his white face, his eyes closed.

“Okay,” he says, beneath his breath. “We’ll go to the hospital tomorrow, then. And if Dark catches me… then Dark catches me.”

Anonymous asked: Yeah, we're here, Dok. We're with you, bud. We're supporting you however we can.

“Thank you,” sighs Dok. “You, at least, never seem to fall for his tricks. I’m grateful.”

Red steps into the hallway, a slightly dazed look in his eyes.

“Red?” asks Dapper, cocking his head at him. “Everything okay?”

Red blinks and then nods. Dapper doesn’t need to know. It’s safer if he doesn’t. “Yes, buddy, no worries.”

He’ll pack. He needs til tomorrow to try and steal the IDs out of Anti’s room - assuming he’s made new ones since the fire. He’ll get snacks and ready a lie.

He’ll get his twin help. No more waiting around. He is big brother, and he makes his own decisions.

Anonymous asked: do you want to try to sleep a bit, blue? that might help.

Blue does end up sleeping. He sleeps deep and hard, and Red is grateful. He hopes Blue is getting used to being himself at night again. He is still sleeping while Red gets his backpack and begins to shove things inside.

He puts brownies and apples and granola into their own little ziploc bags, and damn, isn’t that a privilege in its own right after all this time? He never thought he’d feel rich holding ziploc bags. A couple changes of clothes for both of them follow their snacks in, as well as what little money he has - Colombian pesos, already near worthless in their own country, now worth even less wherever he is now. He gets a camera and a charger and tucks it away just in case. Their toothbrushes. A comb. Deodorant. A blanket. Bag’s full.

“What else, what else?” he mumbles. “Can you think of anything? I’ll need to get the IDs out of Anti’s room if he’s made more. Most of the time, I’d try to go without them, but my fear is - ”

He gives a deep, mournful sigh, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

“My fear is we might be in America.”

“Dun dun dun,” mumbles a sleepy Blue from his bed, and Red barks out a laugh.

“Go back to bed, dumbass. I got this handled.”

“I just let you do your own thing.” Blue turns back over and goes back to sleep.

Anonymous asked: what's your plan here, red? that might help with figuring out anything you've missed.

“I just - I’ll just get him to the hospital. I know where the road is, I think I remember. I can carry him if he’s tired. I’ll carry him the whole way if I have to, but I’m hoping we can hitchhike. We’ll get to a hospital. Sneak him out if I gotta cause we don’t have insurance. And if Anti comes to get us, at least he’ll have gotten a little help by the time he - ”

There’s a crash from upstairs and a short scream.

Red stiffens and stills, listening.

Anonymous asked: bringing him into the forest? do you think that is a safer option than waiting another few days?

Red sighs, running his fingers through his hair. “I… I don’t know. Maybe I’m being hasty. I - ”

Trick rushes past the door. Red looks up, startled. “Bud? What’s going on?”

“Where’s Dok?”

“Downstairs, I think. Hey, wait! What’s happening?”

“Dude,” says Trick, shaking his head. “Man, I’d hide.”

He tears down the basement stairs.

Red looks up.

Anti’s staring down from the banister upstairs, holding a half-empty bottle of small, white, anti-psychotics.

Anonymous asked: what is it, anti?

“Oh, nothing much, nothing much, nothing much,” says Anti, voice completely unglitching. “Not that much at all.”

Red backs up and returns to his room, standing in front of Blue as he sleeps. Anti stalks down the stairs step at a time, step at a time, step at a time. He puts his lips together and whistles a pretty old song you’ve heard Dap whistling a time or two - daisy, daisy, give me your answer, do…

“Where’s my little boy at?” he says, but the whistling keeps going even as his mouth moves, echoing around the walls of the house. “Where’s my dapper darling? That was silly of you, Monochroma. That was silly. Thinking you could steal from big brother.”

Anonymous asked: dapper did nothing, anti. he did not steal from you.

“Mm-hm, mm-hm, mm-hm,” nods Anti. “Definitely. Definitely. There you are, sugar.”

Dapper looks up from the piece of sourdough bread he’s eating, covered in golden butter. He’s sitting on the kitchen counter in Dok’s shorts and one of Blue’s t-shirts, his hair curling up from his eyes, his black eyelashes shining in the morning light. He sees the look on Anti’s face and sets his bread carefully down beside him, sitting up straight on the kitchen counter.

Anti steps forward and pulls him down by the collar until they’re nose to nose. He grins coldly at his pet, stroking the soft curls on the back of Dapper’s neck.

He leans in and puts his mouth against Dapper’s ear.

“I’m going to ask you this once,” he whispers, voice jovial and easy-going. “And you’re going to tell me. Or you won’t like the consequences very much at all. Where’s your Haldol, little mister? Huh?”

Dapper does not swallow or shake. He stares dead ahead, silent, unmoving. Trying to find a way to answer.

Anonymous asked: ??? Anti are you not HOLDING his haldol right now? What are you talking about?

“Don’t play dumb,” growls Anti, the faux pleasantry wearing off a little. “I know there was more. I have footage.”

Your screens all flash and you can see him the morning before Red stole it, sitting in his bedroom, sulking and rolling the Haldol around in his hands. “There was more of it. You disobeyed me directly. That wasn’t very clever.”

Dapper stares at him, pursing his mouth.

pine-storm-season asked: Is it not with you, anti? If it's not, i don't think Dapper knows where it is.

“No,” signs Dapper, shaking his head. “Okay, I give up. I’m sorry. I stole it.”

“So where is it?”

Dapper is stuck again, letting out a low, trembling breath.

“Unless someone else stole it for you?”

pine-storm-season asked: Red, where's Dapper's medicine? Anti's questioning him.

“Fuck fuck fuck,” whispers Red, pacing for a second before he darts out into the hall and stands in front of the kitchen, trying to get a look. Anti turns and looks right at him. He’s pressing Dapper into the back of the wall behind the counter, his hands gripping too tight at their little brother’s knees. Red feels a wave of revulsion for him and can’t even put a finger on why.

pine-storm-season asked: Anti, can you let Dapper go? I'm sure he gets the point.

“He’ll get the fucking point if he doesn’t start talking,” snarls Anti, slamming Dapper back against the wall.

There is a weak clattering as eleven more Haldol pills fall onto the table. Dapper and Anti turn to look at Red, holding out his hand.

“It was me,” he says. “Dapper didn’t have anything to do with it. Punish me, Anti, not him. He didn’t even know. He didn’t know where I hid them or that I was going to steal them. Leave him alone.”

Anti steps back from Dapper, letting him go. He stands in the middle of the kitchen, staring down at the little white pills. He pauses and turns to the sink, spitting out blood. It tastes like betrayal in his mouth. Like weakness in his mouth. He straightens up again, eyes gleaming, and Red feels a chill up his body.

“First I’m going to torture you,” he says, pointing at Red. “And then I’m going to string your little brother up to show you what happens when you work against me.”

“No! Anti, he wasn’t a part of - ”

Anti slams into Red and grabs him by the head, tearing out strands of his hair.

pine-storm-season asked: Dapper was not involved, Anti. Dapper didn't even know it was happening until it already had.

“He should have goddamn told me,” yells Anti. “He would have known the second that Red gave it to him what had happened! He thinks he can pretend he’s always so fucking innocent! He’s sneaky, I know that, you think I don’t know that? You think I don’t know, you little brat? You get it from me!”

Dapper is on Anti’s shoulder, trying to yank him off his older brother. Anti slams his elbow into his face and throws him back, dragging Red towards the stairs.

“Ro!” croaks Blue from his bedroom door. “Anti, don’t!”

“You want to be involved, you little witch? I’ll use you for goddamn kindling. Come here, Blue, I need a body.”

Blue’s eyes widen in alarm and he rushes towards the basement.

“You can’t get away from me! You all belong to me! You’ll do what I fucking say! Little traitors, little rats! You think you can outsmart me, think you can beat me down to the earth again? I’ll strip you into leather! Think Jack made you all stronger than me? Clever? More sly? I’ll rip you apart!”

bupine asked: trick? where are you? anti's upset, your brothers are in trouble. i suspect you can calm him down.

Trick is in the guest bedroom, him and Dok playing with pieces of string for Noodle to chase. He knows his brother hasn’t heard the commotion upstairs, because he looks happy and calm, laughing when Noodle leaps after his piece of string. Trick gets up and goes to the door. He hears the dull thud of someone striking the floor and steps back, looking at Dok.

“Haha, he gets so frustrated, look at his face!”

Dok is smiling, wide and calm. He hugged him when he came back downstairs and won’t stop holding his hand. He’s here. He’s okay.

His twin is okay. Sometimes the others need a little force.

“Haha,” repeats Trick flimsily. “Ah, yeah. Yeah. He’s cute.”

He shuts the door behind him and goes back to sitting with Dok.

cest-mellow asked: trick you NEED to go upstairs. anti is going to possess blue again and he’s gonna torture red. is that the force you think they deserve? all for getting dapper his medicine he NEEDS? should they be punished for taking care of one another? is this the force you agree with??

“There’s nothing I can do,” whispers Trick, pushing you away.

Anonymous asked: Trick, the scar on your hand, the sting in your cheek, he slapped Dapper right in front of you. He's not "using a little force". He's hurting them because he's angry and violent and he wants to see them in pain and no other reason! He's done the same to you and your twin for years.

Trick rubs anxiously at the burn on his hand, using his other hand to rub at Dok’s shoulder. They’re so used to casually touching each other it doesn’t even make his twin look up.

Yes. Anti has hurt him and his twin for years. But not today. Today, he is the favorite, and he can keep his zwilling safe.

Anonymous asked: Trick I need you to understand that whatever anti told you, this isn't "force" or"punishment" he explicitly used the word "TORTURE"

Trick’s face seems to break. He grits his teeth hard, shaking his head and curling in on himself.

“Hey,” murmurs Dok, looking over. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Trick doesn’t answer. Dok glances over at you, seeing the camera flash, and takes it carefully into his hands. Within moments, he is on his feet, headed to the door.

“No, no,” cries Trick. “Stay down here, Dok.”

“What’s going on?” Dok’s voice is afraid.

pine-storm-season asked: Trick, Anti's mad because Red got Dapper his medicine, and I think he might go after Blue, who did nothing. At least calm him down so he won't hurt Blue too, okay? Blue did nothing to deserve that, even if you believe the others did.

“Shit,” hisses Dok, tearing open the door.

Trick is there, grabbing him, a second later.

Dok stares down at the hand wrapped around his bruised wrist, his heart thudding hard in his chest. Slowly, he turns to his twin. Trick’s eyes are blue flames.

“My love,” says Henrik. “It is time you start making choices about the man you are becoming.”

“Don’t go,” says Trick. “This isn’t about morality. This isn’t about me. He will hurt you again.”

Something inside Henrik’s chest breaks clean open.

“Again?”

Trick turns his eyes away.

“You knew. Or guessed, anyway. You suspected.”

Trick cannot look him in the eyes. Something in Henrik’s chest is oozing hurt. Crimson as the sun when the trees are burning.

Anonymous asked: Trick, I know how much Dok means to you. Trust me, I know how much this kills you. You just want to do what you can to keep your twin safe. But everyone else, they're your brothers, too. Red sat with you at night, y'all talked about serious stuff and silly stuff like the dorks you are. Blue sat with you after YOU attacked Dok. They don't want you to be hurt. They would try to keep Anti away if he ever wanted to "punish" you, or worse. Brothers shouldn't hurt each other, Trick. I think you can believe that if you really try. Brothers shouldn't hurt each other. And you can help.

“I don’t - I don’t want…”

Dok can’t tell if he’s stammering or just trying to find the words. Trick is looking at him. Trick’s hand rises slowly and his fingers touch Dok’s throat, wrapping loosely around, but just like the other night, Dok doesn’t protest or fight. Trick pushes him back just a little and Dok goes, hitting the wall.

“I don’t… want to be something that hurts you. Or any of them. I don’t… think brothers hurt each other?”

Henrik doesn’t know why he sounds confused, but he sees the truth still alive in his brother.

“Let me go, Chase,” he says. “Please.”

cest-mellow asked: trick, loving your brothers doesnt just mean cooked sausage and cakes and holding them in their sleep. it doesn’t just mean getting them water when their hands have been mangled and it doesn’t just mean calming them down. you have to protect them and defend them from what’s hurting them. and what’s hurting them is anti. he told red “i am going to torture you, and then string your little brother up.” protect. your brothers.

“But that - that - that’s what I want it to mean, Deutsch,” Trick says. “That’s what I want it to mean cause then nothing would ever have to change.”

“Was that happiness, Trick?” asks Dok, shaking his head. “Was that all you hoped for?”

“You besides me while I sleep? Your hands against my shoulders while I keep guard over us? You eating sausage and playing with our cat? Yes, that’s all that I hope for. That’s everything I hope for.”

Dok’s face contorts with tears, but still he smiles.

“I want better for you - for all of us - than having to live in fear all the time. I want you to want for more than my companionship. I want you to hope for things, to live for people other than me. I want you to know you’re not so worthless that you have to chase the love of someone who hurts you all the time.”

Trick shakes his head hard, tears running down his face. “He does love me.”

“I want you to find your babies again, if you can.”

“No, don’t talk about them!” cries Trick, letting go of Dok’s neck and falling back. “Stop it, Dok! My head hurts!”

“I think you do want for greater things, desperately so. I think you just pretend because you’re scared of things not staying the same. But Trick, no matter what happens, I’m here and I love you.”

“No, you’re wrong!” shouts Trick. “You’re wrong! There isn’t anything more than this for me! If you leave, if you all go, if Anti lets you escape - I’ll be alone! Don’t go! I just want you to stay. I just want everyone to stay. Stop talking about things beyond this. There’s nothing beyond this.”

“Then here we are,” says Dok, his voice raw. “But one way or another, whether or not things are changing, Blue and Red and Dapper are upstairs, about to get hurt, and it would be wrong of us not to try and help them. I’m going upstairs. Are you coming with me?”

bupine asked: trick, this is really serious. red, blue and dapper are in danger and you're anti's current favourite, so you could maybe try to help. please, trick. i know you're having fun and i'm sorry to have to intrude, but they're going to be really badly hurt. red especially. he took medicine for dapper to prevent him from going into a psychotic episode and anti's very, very angry. is there anything you can do?

“Does Dapper deserve to be without his medication? Can you call that right? Acceptable, appropriate? Do you think Red deserves to be hurt than for no other reason than that he tried to keep his youngest brother healthy?”

Trick turns away from him, shaking his head, rubbing at his temples.

Dok turns his eyes away and steps through the door.

Trick’s hand is on his wrist again, stopping him.

Anonymous asked: Henrik, stay here please. It's safer for Trick to go, yeah? Trick will help them.

“I’ll go,” says Trick. “If you stay.”

Dok’s tongue flicks out to wet his tongue. “You promise me you will try to help?”

“I promise,” says Trick. “On my life.”

He touches his hand to Dok’s chest, above his beating heart.

“On my life.”

Anonymous asked: trick, i'm worried. i know you want dok safe and protected, but you deserve to be protected too. you deserve to not hurt. and i'm worried anti will hurt you, either physically because he doesn't want you to try to help or by hynotizing you again, really badly. he's already the reason it's so hard to keep your thoughts sometimes, and to imagine better things for yourself. if you and dok are together, you can have each other's backs. your safety is not less important than dok's.

“Well, theirs isn’t worth less than mine either,” says Trick, heading up the stairs. “So if I can share the pain with them a little, or at least make it less, I will try. Or we just all get hurt. But sometimes you die with your friends instead of running away, yeah? Let Dok be Marius and I’ll be that loyal drunk-ass Grantaire. Cause you know, Grantaire didn’t ever give a damn about the revolution, not really. He just loved his friends that much. Deutsch loves that book, you know. He loves a lot of books. Nerd. I had to make him stop reading Hamlet so much, once… he would whisper the lines to Horatio when he thought I was sleeping. Had them memorized. Had the whole thing memorized. Horatio, I am killed… ah, let Dok be Horatio for a hot minute, and the rest of us all go down in pointless sword fights. But not pointless, either. Not pointless. Or that’s what Dok said.”

cest-mellow asked: thank you trick. but. please hurry.

Upstairs, Anti is already wearing Blue’s body, and any fatigue he had seems to have fallen away - to be remembered, of course, next morning, with interest added. He has Red in the bathroom upstairs, the rosey one that stinks of lotions and bathbombs, holding him over the tub to let the blood fill it up, the tub stoppered and filling with dark lines of venomously dark crimson, the lot of Dapper’s white pills scattered along the porcelain floor. Red bleeds from a deep cut in his throat, his eyes closed, his face silent. He has always survived like this - sitting as quiet as he can, not protesting, waiting for Anti’s rage to blow over. It’s the closest thing to safety he can have right now. He knows that through long years of experience.

In his head, he’s far away. Dermot Kennedy is playing. Max’s hands are at his waist. There’s still the pain, and the sticky sensations of blood and skin against his own, but they’re more bearable with the image of Max in front of him, smiling at him, swaying. He leans close and whispers something Red can’t hear. Ro tastes Starbursts.

“You think you’re better than me?” shrieks Anti, scratching Blue’s white nails down the cut in Red’s throat. “Cause he made you so perfect? You think you can disobey me? I’m the one in control now, Jackie! I’m the one who won! You’re nothing! Look at you! Pathetic! Lying there as I bleed you. I’ll teach you to try and undermine me, to try and hurt me. You’re never pulling that hero shit again. Fucking traitor. You belong to me, not him! You’re never making me mortal again!”

Dapper is slumped against the bathroom floor, unmoving, his eyes closed, a yellow bruise appearing on the whole left side of his face.

Anonymous asked: Okay. Thank you, Trick. We'll be with you, bud.

Warm arms wrap around Anti’s shoulders, pinning his arms to his chest for a second. He whirls, snarling - and Trick’s eyes, unhappy and scared, look back at him.

Jack’s eyes.

“You gotta stop, man,” says Trick, and that’s all. “You gotta stop, like, yesterday.”

Anonymous asked: Anti stop it. Dapper had nothing to do with it first of all. Second, what good is possibly going to come from torturing your two strongest when you're playing games with Dark? You're just handicapping yourself by injuring Dap or Red. Plus, it'll drive them away, make it easier for Dark to worm their way in because they have a hatred for you already.

Anti grinds his teeth so hard you do, in fact, see one fall apart. He regrows it as a fang, a deep growl thriving in his chest.

“You shut the fuck up,” he hisses. “And you get off me. Right now, Trick.”

Trick shivers, but doesn’t let go. He hides his face between Anti’s shoulder-blades, whimpering.

Anonymous asked: Anti, please leave Red be. I know you want him to suffer, and to punish him for what he did, but this could easily kill him. At least, if you will not stop, do something else to hurt him? This is going to seriously damage him, and I don't know how long it's already been happening.

“I - I wouldn’t kill him,” protests Anti in a snarl.

“You can be a little out of control sometimes,” mumbles Trick against his back. “You could.”

“Well, if I did…” Anti trails off, looking down at Dap, unconscious at his feet. No turning back til he wakes up.

Anonymous asked: please, anti?

“Please,” snarls Anti. “Please, they say. As if that… as if… please, they say. Huh.”

But his voice is getting weak and he knows it, so he shuts himself up. For a moment, there’s just Anti with his eyes closed, and Trick rubbing his hands into the muscles of his back, just like Dok always did for him. Anti leans back slightly, his head faltering onto Trick’s shoulder.

“You did used to just say that, when I was scaring you,” he says. “Like you had nothing else to say.”

Trick doesn’t know what he means. He just stands there, massaging his back. He lets one of his hands intertwine with Anti’s hair, hoping to keep him in place.

Anonymous asked: Blood loss is a dangerous thing, Anti. Red might end up struggling somewhat to survive, and he's one of your strongest. I know you wouldn't purposefully kill him, but you might not catch yourself until too late.

“You have to be careful,” agrees Trick quietly. “I don’t think this is what you meant by force.”

Anti stares down at his hands for a second, riddled in blood. He has cut throats too deeply before in the past. And he wasn’t able to amend for that.

He just wanted to feel that Red was as weak as he sometimes feels. Being weaker than Red is not an option. Not again. Never again.

But at least he has his little brother under his heel. Anti rubs distractedly at Trick’s waist, panting harshly in the cold emptiness of the bathroom.

Anonymous asked: Come on, Anti. Let's let Dok bandage Red up now, and he'll most likely survive, okay? Red has suffered enough for what he did. You beat him, yeah? Let Dok help him now.

“No, no,” growls Anti, shaking out his head, stepping away from Trick a little. “No. You don’t have any control over me. Any. You or you.”

He turns and gives Trick a dark look. His little brother makes his posture small and re-buries himself in Anti’s back, hugging him around his waist. Anti fumes, torn. Now that he’s stopped he’s a little worried that Dapper hasn’t woken up. Did he drop him that hard?

No! He shakes it off again, snarling and biting his teeth at nothing at all, because he sees threats everywhere and always, and any amount of control shared is weakness to him.

“I’ll get chain. Stay here.”

“No, please, Anti, please. Let Dok see them. And let Blue go, please.”

“Trick,” he warns, voice low and dangerous.

Anonymous asked: No one is trying to control you right now, Anti. We're scared, we're the weak ones begging at you to just not kill them. To just not hinder your assets like this. No one is trying to control you, we are literally simpering and grovelling.

Anti stares at you for a second.

Then he laughs, shaking his head, and suddenly he just looks bewildered and tired and maybe a little younger than he did a moment ago.

“I don’t… get it?” he laughs. “I don’t… I… you never stop trying to help? Fuck’s sake, I had thought you would all fall off, one by one, as you realized you couldn’t do anything. But fuck, you’ll do anything for them. What the hell? It was going to be my last little defeat over you. Not just that you lost them, not just that Jack’s story stopped. You walking away from it - giving up on them - moving on? That would have been the sweetest victory. But you never do quite go. I don’t get it…”

He drops his knife on the ground, shaking his head.

Dapper and Red said that maybe, with the timeline broken, only the people who really loved them could still remember who they are.

What does that make you?

Anonymous asked: Anti, we're asking you because you have all the control here. We don't. We're asking to let Red be helped, because we're very worried about him, but we can't do anything if you say no. I just think that Red might die if you don't let him be helped.

“But I can’t just let them go, no way,” says Anti, shaking his head and sighing. “They still gotta learn their lessons - and you pansies never like to let them sit with a little well-deserved pain. I’ll go get chain and I’ll look after them myself. Trick, don’t go anywhere. You can be a little shit too, don’t think I’ve forgotten.”

Anti paces off, running a shaky hand through his wild green hair.

Trick falls to his knees at his big brother’s side, taking Red’s face between his hands and trying to lift him up without hurting him worse. The wound bleeds heavy, but it isn’t as deep as it could be. Trick feels carefully around the cut and knows that it won’t be fatal. Dok taught him how to check. How to look after them.

“Oh, Ro, fuck, it must hurt like crazy. Are you okay? Are you with me?”

Red smiles faintly, eyes still closed. Max is kissing the side of his hair.

“I’m with you,” he whispers.

pine-storm-season asked: Anti, can you at least let Dok or someone bandage the cut on his throat? It'll still hurt just as bad, but it'll stop bleeding.

Trick tears his shirt apart without hesitation, tying the closest approximation to bandages he has without leaving this bathroom.

“Won’t be perfect, but it might slow it down a little,” he soothes.

“Ohh, no, Trick, please, I’d rather have the pain than a tight collar. I hate things rubbing against me that tight.”

Trick winces. “You might not like what Anti’s got planned for you, buddy.”

“Just check on Dap, I can take the rest…”

pine-storm-season asked: Red, hang on, buddy. You'll be okay, yeah? You'll be okay. Can we help you with anything, Red?

“I’m good, I’m good, I’m bleeding, what else do you want from me?”

Anonymous asked: ohh, man, well done trick. scary as shit. i'm glad you're okay. itll mean a lot to them that you're there and watching over them how you can, thank you.

“I don’t know that I did much at all,” says Trick. “But I think things could have been a lot worse.”

Anonymous asked: Have you noticed some of us haven't given up on /you/ either, Anti? We always mediate and try to calm you when you rage because some of us haven't given up on you either. Always searching for good somewhere in that sewage pit heart heh.

“Awww! So stupid of you!” He shape-shifts his pupils into sweet black hearts and then rolls his eyes.

pine-storm-season asked: We just want to help. Is there anything Trick can do to fix the makeshift bandages on your throat, Red?

“He, um. He put them on me! They are there and slowing down the blood loss. But if you have any ideas - ” He coughs as his voice breaks. “I am open to them. Fuck, I think I better sign.”

pine-storm-season asked: When Anti comes back, we can try to convince him to let someone bandage your throat properly. And we can talk to you unless Anti takes the cameras. Does that sound alright, Red?

“Okay, buddy,” he signs, giving you a fragile grin.

Anonymous asked: i guess just take deep breaths for now, red, buddy. keep moving that oxygen around. try not to move a lot, and focus on keeping calm. uhhh as much as you can. because, granted, shit's fucked atm

“In my family, when is shit unfucked?”

“Lie still,” begs Trick. “Come on, man.”

But the reality of what happened is beginning to hit Red. He leans back against the tub, eyes welling, and sighs as he tries to stay calm.

Anonymous asked: Feckin A+ with the heart-eyes-motherfucker move, mr. sewage pit. 10/10.

“Thanks,” answers Anti testily, taking thin chain from the drawer beside his bed.

Anonymous asked: things definitely wouldve gone way worse if you hadn't come, tricksy. you came up here to help, that's so huge. and you helped calm anti down a little, kept his focus away from them for a bit. you did a lot, trick. i'm sorry the burden was put on your shoulders but you handled it as well as you could, and i'm really really happy you didnt get hurt

“Thank you,” he says quietly. “I should have… I should have come sooner, but…”

He turns away from you, shaking his head. Not ready to talk about it.

cest-mellow asked: dapper? are you awake too?

“No, he’s out,” mumbles Trick, touching his little brother’s neck for a pulse. “Oh, tell me he didn’t…”

Turning Dapper onto his side does not make things look better. He kicked him, curled up there against the floor, until Dapper could barely breathe, and then slammed him down against the ground. Dapper is bruised black and blue, his whole body looking small and fragile, and the gash in his wrist has come open and bleeds slowly against the floor. Trick pulls his little brother to his body, hot shame washing over him. He should have come up sooner. He wasn’t going to come at all. He could have killed him. What does Anti know about ribs piercing lungs and head trauma? He reaches down to begin re-wrapping Dapper’s wrist, but then Anti is back, silver in his hands.

Anonymous asked: All this screaming about traitors and sneaks sure does make you seem... weak, honestly. Like you don't even trust that your own strings are still wrapped tight. Like come on Anti, this is the smallest ""betrayal"" that I could possibly imagine and you're having a temper-tantrum. It's okay man, chill down just a bit.

Anti’s face draws back in a snarl - an expression that is fast becoming his norm. His nails dig into his palms as he glares at you, drawing his own blood.

Anonymous asked: Heads up for a bit of maybe-too-soon humor, Red, but last time I gave blood, I got to eat starbursts after to keep my blood sugar good! So, once you all get out of this, I'll owe you some starbursts. You can eat all the pink and red ones but I demand the orange. And Max gets stuck with the yellow ones 'cause he didn't get his throat slit and he can deal with it. Very exclusive club of blood-losers-getting-yummy-candy.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Red whispers before Anti kicks the camera away from him, scowling. You sit across the room, spun around to look back at the tub where Red is lying, coughing.

Anonymous asked: Anti, dude, are you literally so paranoid and overdramatic that Red just getting some pills for him counts as "working against you" in your brain? Calm down, man, you're making yourself look weak.

“I’ll show you goddamn ‘weak,’” hisses Anti, grabbing Red by the hair and dragging him up, to his feet, shoving him down in the tub.

“Anti!” begs Trick, but his brother ignores him. He wraps the chain tight, tight, tight around Red shoulders and legs and shoves the other side against the metal of the tub faucet, using Blue’s fire to melt the two together, chaining Red securely to the tub. Red is crying by now despite a firm, defiant smile on his mouth, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. Anti huffs out a bitter laugh and shoves his head before turning to get Dapper too.

“Don’t chain him in there, come on.”

Anti shoves Dapper’s body against Red and ties him into the chains. For a moment, Dapper, disturbed by the movement, awakens and looks dazedly up at his brother, wondering if this is real - he’s never been tied up with anything more than a little rope for as long as he can remember, and Anti hasn’t done much more than slap him around a little or, once, toss him down the stairs since his snap. Usually he’s too scared to do anything more than that. Dapper feels a thrill of alarm. Anti’s fear of Dapper snapping has finally been out-weighed by his fear of losing control over him.

“What?” bites Anti, slapping him. Dapper jolts and shivers, sinking down against Red’s body, letting himself fade away again inside the belly of the bathtub.

scunneredzombie asked: Anti, please be careful with the chains on Dapper... He could potentially have cracked ribs that could puncture his lungs with any excess pressure and kill him, and with that level of head trauma something could be seriously wrong. All I ask is that you let him see dok soon as you feel... okay with that. He could die from this, and there would be no way to fix it.

“It’s just around his neck,” sneers Anti, as if that makes things any better. He rises to his feet and beckons to Trick.

“You. Come with me.”

“Anti, I…”

“I said. Come with me. NOW, Trick.”

Trick hastens to his feet and, trembling, follows after him, casting one last look on his tired brothers, who have fallen quietly together, Dapper unconscious, Red weeping in silence, in pain.

Anonymous asked: yeah, i know, red. we can distract you, if you'd like. do you want us to do that, or to just leave you with trick?

“I… I think,” says Ro, his voice whimpering. “Um. I think I’m just going to take a nap, if that’s okay. I don’t want to be awake right now.”

aether-mae asked: Red buddy, it’s best you do that with all the brothers (minus anti) for the best results. They all need it

Best you run with all his brothers, you mean.

Not just Blue. Not just a short trip to the hospital.

Take all your brothers and run.

Ro turns his head, his breathing struggling with quiet sobs no matter how quickly he tries to bite them down.

“I was just going to take Blue away for a few days,” he cries. “And then maybe come back, if he was okay. Or find a way to get him out of here and then come back myself, to keep looking after the others. The best way to protect them has always been to weather the storm, to weather as much of it for them as I can. Always. Always.”

He turns his head as best he can, coughing on his weak throat, and if he twists his body, he can see: bruises, black and yellow, bruises and blood from the open wrist of his little brother. Tears pour down his cheeks. He rocks himself carefully in the tub, trying not to cry out aloud. Pain and fear. Pain and fear.

That’s his brother.

That’s his lonely, brave, funny, disabled, beautiful, courageous, kind, deadly, perfect baby brother.

And Anti beat him til his whole body was one big bruise.

Jackie opens his mouth and lets himself cry loud and ferocious, tears making his face hot, sobs ripping from his ripped throat. His whole chest shakes with it. He cries so hard it hurts.

“JJ, I’m going to get you out of here,” swears Jackie, pressing their heads together. “My little brother, I promise. We’re all getting the fuck out of here, and we are never coming back.”

Anonymous asked: If you torture or hurt Trick (or Dok for that matter) for doing quite literally nothing but stopping you from killing your two strongest, then I hereby proclaim you have officially lost your gourds. You've won already tonight, Anti. You've won, and they are all hurting and weak. Let it rest.

“No, no, no,” purrs Anti, drawing Trick carefully into his bedroom and putting a hand on the back of his neck, stroking gently at his hair. “No, you stopped me before I did something stupid. That was probably good, huh?”

Relief washes over Trick. He nods eagerly, touching Anti’s arm. “Yeah, I just didn’t want you to hurt anybody!”

“Innocent enough for now,” says Anti, a little bit of a growl in his voice making Trick grovel politely a little, smiling sweetly up at Anti, like a kid embarrassed but also proud to have been caught doing something both clever and against the rules. “But let’s not pretend that you didn’t let the cameras and Dok talk you into this.”

Trick’s faux innocence - a trait he is learning much as Dapper once learned it - falls swiftly away, leaving him nervous and small. “Sorry, Anti.”

“It’s okay,” sighs Anti, stroking his hair. “It’s okay. But I can’t just let this… rift in you continue. You belong to me. Not to Dok. Not to them. To me.”

Trick nods quickly, pursing his mouth and stroking his fingers along the bend of Anti’s elbow. “Okay, master, yes. I’m sorry.”

“No worries, darling. I just want you to do something for me that’s going to be good for everyone involved, alright?”

“Oh?”

Anti smiles, humming. He leans forward, knocking their foreheads together, and looks Trick dead in the eyes.

“Get those necklaces off your twin in the next three days,” says Anti, sugar-sweet, his eyes drizzling to black. “Or I will murder him in his sleep and leave his corpse in the bed beside you.”

Trick freezes solid, eyes blown wide. He looks into Anti’s eyes and finds no lies.

Not this time.

“Okay, pumpkin?” chirps Anti, pulling back. “How’s that sound?”

Trick opens his mouth to protest - and then the power of Anti’s eyes drowns him, and he hears himself giggle without any reason to laugh, and feels himself lean eagerly forward, hugging Anti earnestly to his heart, his arms wrapping deliriously around him.

“There you go,” sighs Anti, sinking back onto the bed and bringing Trick with him, holding his warm body to his chest. “There’s my Jack.”

Anonymous asked: That's okay, Red, love. You sleep. We'll do our best to keep you safe.

And Red sleeps.

Pressed to his little brother. Chained up, cold, in that bloody bathtub, agonized more by the sensation of the chains than of the cut in his throat. But he dreams of Max and safety and his siblings, and that is all that matters.

Dapper, in his sleep, shifts closer to him.

You will do your best to keep them safe. You promised.

From this point on in the story, it will be possible to permanently lose major characters.

[thelifeofprettycommitteealpha]

How to Act Like Massie Block

 Steps

   We'll start with attitude, by far the most important aspect of being like Massie Block. If you only take one thing from this, remember that you must always show, radiate, and have CONFIDENCE! This means not pointing out your flaws to others, (ex: "My hair is so frizzy today!" or "Is this top cute? 'Cause I'm not sure...") having good posture and always looking straight ahead, (never at the ground) and not ever letting people know when you feel unsure of yourself or your opinions. Never appear to be upset. Don't cry or make comments about how "your life sucks." You must always make it seem as if you have everything together, and that your life is perfect, or else people will never idolize you. Even if you're majorly embarrassed about something, you have to just laugh it off and forget it (don't make it a big deal). You can never show weakness!  

 Another crucial part of your Massie transformation is looking the part. Massie is gorgeous. She has straight, extremely shiny brunette hair, about shoulder length, sparkling amber eyes, and perfect skin. You don't have to look exactly like this, (always choose the look that works best on you) but you must always appear your best.  

 Without a fabulous wardrobe, Massie would be nothing. Be a true fashionista and wear expensive clothes from stores/designers like BCBG, Coach, Juicy Couture, Ralph Lauren, Seven For All Mankind, Guess, Lacoste, C&C California, Marc Jacobs, Joie, True Religion, etc. Always dress to impress! Never leave the house in sweats and a T-shirt (unless they're Juicy!). Even if you can't afford uber-expensive clothes, make sure to always look pulled together and stylish, with coordinated accessories and cute shoes. Don't tell anyone where you got your cheaper clothes unless you have a social death wish! A final note on inexpensive clothes: don't ever wear anything that looks cheap. This means don't go for the Wal-Mart or Target look when you can be buying low-priced (and way cuter) clothing from Forever 21 or Wet Seal. Oh, and no too tight/too big tacky clothing please. Wear stuff that fits you and looks good. Not sure? Get a second opinion. Make sure your underwear/bras are cute, too, from stores like Victoria's Secret or underglam.com. Trust me, people do notice in the locker room when you're changing. Never wear the same outfit more than once every two weeks or more: if you double up, people will think that you are thrifty and don't have very many clothes...and we wouldn't want them to think that, would we? No.  

 Massie is the queen bee. Popular. Worshipped. And how does she do this? By looking fabulous, having the right attitude, and establishing her dominance by using intimidation. Get together a clique of the prettiest and most fashionable girls in the school, 3-4 others. Make sure you are their leader. Your beta (second in command) should be the most loyal. The other girls should also be loyal and reliable; make sure you have at least one nice-ish girl to keep the peace in your clique. If you don't all get along, you will never rule. It's all about unity. This doesn't mean you can't boss them around though--it's what Massie would do! Test the waters by starting off really nice, then gradually getting a bit harsher. If they stick with you, you'll know you have 'em forever. Lighten up a bit if they start to stray. Make sure people are somewhat scared/intimidated by you, so that you know they'll do whatever you want. Be totally snobby to the losers at your school (a.k.a. basically everyone outside your group). Chances are, you'll be so fabulous by then, it will only make them idolize you more.  

 You must be thin to maintain your social status! This means very little or no fatty/sugary foods like chips, soda, candy, fried chicken, pizza, etc. It's a tough sacrifice to make, but well worth it in the long run! Work out regularly on a treadmill, doing crunches, squats, or playing the specified sports below. Chew sugarless gum. Never be too skinny or develop an eating disorder. Not only will many rumors be circulated about you, but you could even die from it!

   Get super shiny hair by using shine shampoo, (such as Citré Shine or Brilliant Brunette Shine-Release) shine serum or spray, (know your limit--don't use too much or your hair will look greasy) and rinsing out your conditioner with cool water (as cold as you can stand it!). Straighten your hair with a good-quality flat iron and consult hair magazines or a hair stylist to find the best cut for your face (but never shorter than shoulder length!).  

 If you desire brown eyes, (and you don't have 'em) experiment with color contacts.  

 Achieve your best skin by washing your face morning and night with a good cleanser (Clean & Clear works great) and exfoliating and moisturizing daily. If you have dry skin, wash your face once per day and use more moisturizer; if you have more oily skin, skip the moisturizer. When you're drying your face, remember to pat, not rub, (rubbing pulls the skin and causes wrinkles). If you have bad acne that cannot be fixed by this skincare regimen, see a dermatologist.  

 Now for make-up...it can do so much for your face, turning you from plain to perfect in a matter of minutes. But be careful not to wear too much--you want to be like Massie, not Nina! Wear an eyeshadow in a natural color like brown, gold, or beige, (or whatever subtle color compliments your eye color) thinly line your eyes with a black or brown eyeliner, add a coat or two of blackish-brown mascara, and conceal all of your blemishes with the right shade and amount of concealer. It's also very important to remember your lip gloss--Massie would never leave home without hers! Buy a variety of different good-smelling flavors and bring them everywhere you go.  

  Make sure your teeth are bright-white and perfect. If your teeth are crooked, use "Invisiline" rather than getting braces (a lot more attractive!). Whiten your teeth with laser procedures or Crest Whitestrips. Brush at least twice a day with whitening toothpaste, and remember to floss!

 Tips

   Get a super cute dog (the smaller the better) such as a Chihuahua or a Pug, in black, light brown, or honey color (they're the cutest). You can also get a kitty; they're ah-dorable, too. Tell your pet everything, (yes, you can talk to her about your insecurities!) and love her as your child. Dress her in the cutest fashions, (this works best if you have a dog) and take her on walks in the evening with your Louis Vuitton leash.  

 Use words like "ah-mazing," "ah-dorable," and "ah-nnoying". Say "ehmagawd!" when you're shocked, surprised, or excited about something. When something is well-known and "ah-bvious" to you, say, "Given!". When you have the same opinion as someone, say, "Ah-greed". When something someone says strikes you as reasonable, say, "Point!" and draw an imaginary "1" with your finger if you desire.  

 Have the best and biggest room. Go with Massie and have everything be white, no exceptions! Make sure you have a queen-size bed, (you are one, right?) an Apple computer, a giant walk-in closet to store all your ah-mazing clothes, and a leather chaise by your bay window to have long phone conversations and brush your pet before going to bed. Vanilla scented candles are a nice touch, too. Have everyone refer to your room as the "iPad".  

 Sports are luh-ame unless they are something classy and don't involve getting dirty like Tennis, Horse-back Riding, or Volleyball. And shopping, of course!

    Purple is the official color of royalty. Therefore it's your favorite color. Wear it, love it, decorate everything from books and pens to your cell phone with it (purple rhinestones, of course!).  

 Speaking of cell phones, you need one! It's the perfect way to stay updated on gossip and keep in contact with your friends. Make sure you have a texting plan so that you your clique can silently dish about stuff in class, detention, wherever! Cover it in Swarovski crystals and bring it everywhere you go.  

 Get together a carpool with your clique. Taking the bus is so ew!  

 Wear a charm bracelet with charms such as a shoe, Eiffel Tower, dog or cat, (whichever you have) star, and most importantly, a crystal-encrusted crown! Make sure the charm bracelet is gold, and never have any of the charms be silver (tacky much?). Buy it from Tiffany if you have the money.

   Always have your fingernails and toenails perfectly manicured! I highly suggest a french tip for fingernails, because it coordinates so well with everything. Have them done at a fancy salon with your clique afterschool or on a weekend for a fun activity.  

 Throw a fabulous party to increase your popularity. Invite everyone.  

 You must always be prepared with a witty comeback for if, on some rare occasion, a wannabe insults you. One of my favorite Massie-style ones is, "Did I invite you to my barbecue?...Then why are you all up in my GRILL?" Consult the Clique books for some other great ones, or make some up yourself. Never let anyone get the best of you or think that they have won. Remember that YOU are in charge. YOU make the rules.  

 It helps to have an AIM account, or MSN, you'll need it to keep in touch with you friends one-on-one!  

 The magazines Teen Vogue, ElleGirl, and Lucky are your bible. Read them religiously(but not in a creepy way...)

 Warnings

   Be prepared to receive some backlash from the people that wish they were you. In other words, the jealous people. They may spread some pretty nasty stuff about you, but respond with something positively catty (your beta will help) to show them who's really the boss.

   There may be occasions where controversy arises in your clique. Like a power-trip, where a girl in your clique suddenly wants the throne. Start by putting her in her place by telling her off in the hallway (preferably with many people around). If she still doesn't get the hint, kick her out the group and recruit someone new. Chances are, she'll come crawling back, begging for forgiveness. Let her back in after a little while, and ditch the temporary.

   Many people will probably think you're a mean person. But they'll still love you, and wish they were just like you (they'll love to hate you). This is inevitable if you want to be on top like Massie. You'll get used to it.

[ottostherapy]

Forbidden love

Pansy Parkinson x Slytherin!Reader

summary: 5.th year Slytherin dormroom conversation between Pansy, Daphne and the Reader lead to a weird role-play in the halls until the fellow Slytherins bring firewhiskey. A truth and a dare later Pansy and the Reader find themselves in an awkward position.

Word count: 3368

a/n: Okay. I have been inactive for a few years now, I know. I thought I had deleted this account to be honest, I reckon I haven’t. I am completely obsessed with the Wizarding World at the moment and I had this funny idea about writing a Pansy Parkinson fanfic/imagine (because I only found a few asking auntie google).

„Okay now. Y/N, your turn.” Pansy Parkinson was stretched on her sheets, prone with her head supported by her hands, legs dangling in the air, her feet furiously paddling forth and back. “Let’s go with Vincent Crabbe, Marcus Flint and …”, she frowned.

“Percy Weasley!” Daphne Greengrass, currently right next to me, tugged comfortably under my blankets, feet intertwined, exclaimed, chuckling.

I rolled my eyes. My best friends shot each other a glance, holding in laughter. They, of course, knew all too well I didn’t approve of their choices.

“I’ll most definitely kill Marcus, have you guys ever looked at him?” I shivered. “I might marry Percy of all of them, after all, he was headboy a few years ago and he seems to be quite … decent.” I puckered my lips.

Pansy in her own bed, like the princess she was, snorted. “You’d have to deal with a dozen of the other red-headed Weasleys then!”

“Still better than Vince to be blunt. Imagine having to follow him following Draco all day long.” I snapped the chocolate frog out of Daphne’s hand and beheaded it. She pouted.

“Oh my, my. Wouldn’t that be perfect, Y/N? Maybe you could start a steamy love affair.” Pansy grinned turning to her side. Her hand now ruffled in her dark hair, with that sly smile plastered to her lips, raised an eyebrow at me. Her black pyjama had given in to gravity, entwining around her waist.

“Isn’t he reserved for you, Pans?” I said, trying to swallow the bitter tone, that had settled on the back of my tongue.

“Would you stop talking about Draco?” Daphne shoved the last piece of chocolate into her mouth. “I perfonnally fink he if no-boyfriend material”, she licked the tips of her fingers, “and both of you know that!” Daphne had never been fond of Draco, even though we technically were friends. To some degree at least.

“I don’t even want to be more then whatever we are right now”, I crossed my arms over my torso, expecting Pansy to repeat after me, however she didn’t.

She just shrugged. “I don’t really mind. He has a cute side to him, don’t you think?”

I silently exchanged disgusted look with Daphne.

“No, Pansy. I tend to not think about him ever too often … Actually I tend to not think at all, I heard it endangers my stupidity, so I’m limiting that, maybe you should try it out as well.” It would definitely do her better than frequently thinking about the blonde boy.

“Well Y/N, I am certainly not surprised, I always knew there was something intriguing about you … I just never came around to figure out what it was.” Pansy shot me a smirk and her eyebrow popped again. This girl, Merlin!

“Oh, and I always thought it was my astonishing looks.” I snickered.

“No.” If I didn’t know better, I’d interpret Pansy’s rose cheeks for a blush maybe, for a flirtatious side-effect even, but I knew better. “I admire your boldness however, Miss Y/L/N. Maybe you have been sorted into the wrong house.” She sat up, hovered her bare feet over the stone floor. “We could be living a forbidden romance, imagine.” To my luck she turned the lights off, tapping off to the bathroom.

I, however, felt my cheeks burning, felt flustered, felt excited. How was Pansy so dreadfully playful with people around her. I knew not to dwell on the feeling she had me at right now, she was princess charming, not only with me. Sometimes I felt as though she needed to push every door open, to have any possibility and I wasn’t sure if it was a compulsive behaviour or if she just had fun doing it.

I snapped out of my thoughts when a warm finger brushed against mine. “Don’t you worry about it.” Daphne whispered. “She’ll realise eventually.” The blonde girl wrapped her arms around me and I sighted.

“How did you know?” I had always been careful to tell secrets, but this one, I hadn’t intended for anyone to find out. Not even Daphne after all.

“Come on, Y/N! I’ve known you for 13 years, don’t you think I can read your emotions by now?” Well, I certainly couldn’t read hers …

As the next morning rose, I was still caught up in the events, that happened last night. My gaze was dancing out of the window – the dim morning sky painted clouds all over the horizon – over to Pansy Parkinson. She was in a deep slumber, her face relaxed, even though her eyelids twitched from time to time.

I remembered her lips touching my forehead ever so slightly in the dark room. “We could be an adventure, darling!” She had whispered before turning to go to sleep herself.

Daphne had snuck her arm around my waist, pulling me close to her body. I knew she just wanted to help, but her embrace had made me feel even worse. I longed for the other girls’ touch, for her body to warm me up, for her to give me comfort. But there was no way Pansy would ever be mine.

I exhaled heavily before getting off to the bathroom. At least this way none of us had to fight for the sink and toilet.

As I was almost done, the door opened and in walked a very sleepy Pansy. She rubbed her Puppy eyes, blinking at me.

“Love”, she whispered. “I didn’t expect you here this early in the morning.” She walked over to me. “How did you get in?”

I gave her a look of confusion. “Are you alright, Pansy?” I handed her her green toothbrush.

“Hush, love.” Her eyes widened. “No one has to know.” She breathed, preparing her toothbrush, stuck it into her mouth. “Don’t shoo remember? Our forbibben love!” She found a loose strand of Y/H/C hair to tuck behind my ear. Her delicate hand brushed against my skin, leaving a tray of tickles. What was happening?

For a moment we stood in front of each other, eying the other girl up and down. Pansy, even with the toothbrush in her mouth, with messy hair, in a wrinkled pyjama made my heart beat faster. Made butterflies whirr around my stomach, made my breath hitch.

She gave me a sleek smile. Could she possibly know?

“Eh, Y/L/N! Cut my ingredients for me?” Pansy pointed to the flobberworm in front of her.

“What is she up to?” I mouthed to Daphne.

She shrugged, but gave me a light push.

“Why should I cut your flobblewobble, Pans?” I felt weirdly intrigued.

“Because I want you to.” She snorted. “You don’t want to get on Snape’s bad side, do you?”

“Pansy, I am not a Gryffindor.” I laughed, even though her determined role-play turned me on. Just a tad bit.

“There’s no denying it, Y/L/N” Pansy crept behind me and pushed her arms to the desk on either side of my body. “Do as you’re told”, she commanded, her voice cold and stern, but she added a muffled “Love” right into my ear.

I felt my knees weaken and decided it would probably be best to obey.

And so I found myself between Pansy’s arms over and over again with her head over my shoulder, watching closely. It went thus far, that Snape gave her a detention for distracting me. She just snickered and I could swear to have heard her say “worth it” as I walked back to Daphne.

The weeks flew by quickly, while the new self-proclaimed head-mistress professor Umbride prohibited almost everything, Pansy still found ways to get me all flustered.

She would place her hand on my thigh when sitting next to each other, pulled me in by my waist to mutter words like “love” or “darling” to me. She made the good-night kisses to my forehead a tradition and sometimes she would come so close to me, I felt her heart race in her chest.

I had realised by now that the feeling was mutual, I wasn’t stupid after all, but I enjoyed being the centre of her undivided attention. If it were up to me, you’d keep up that game she was playing. Granted I liked being her toy, I liked, that she had to know I went mad for everything she did to me, for every feeling, for every little touch.

One day I found myself in the Slytherin common room, accompanied by a large group of my friends. I sat next to Daphne at the large table, attempting to ignore my yelling classmates to write an essay for the transfiguration class. Next to Daphne sat her younger sister Astoria, snickering with two other girls of her year.

Right by the fireside, plopped onto one of the couches, lay Pansy. Her head was nestled in Dracos lap, her knees were bent over the armrest. She had her eyes on me, watching my every move.

I tried to blend it out as best as I could, but my thoughts came back to her piercing brown eyes. My ears were pointed towards their conversation, anticipating Pansy to make a move.

“Honestly, I cannot believe the ministry is that stupid.” Blaise Zabini, a tall boy from my year and a dear friend, sneered.

He was sat opposite to the fire place in an emerald, velvety armchair. All I was able to see from my place was his shaved black hair, but I was certain, he was holding the Daily Prophet, since he was invested in politics.

“They were stupid enough to not lock our parents up in Azkaban.” Draco grimaced. “This has been long overdue.”

Pansy shot up. “Draco, you don’t really think You-know-who will make things better”, she glared at him.

He shrugged. “At least the mudbloods would vanish.”

“Yes, they would, and our backbone as well.” She jumped to her feet. “Just because your parents are his pets, doesn’t mean he treats all his followers with mercy!” Angrily she paced around the small table in the middle of the sofas. “I heard him using the Cruciatus Curse on my mother in the summer, because he perceived my parents disloyal.”

You jumped as she kicked the table. Hesitantly you stood up from your chair.

“I am scared, Draco.” She continued then with a thrilling tone. “And you should be, too!” She allowed herself to fall back to her previous place, however she didn’t consider flopping back to his lap. Instead she waved me over imperiously.

I had my eyes plastered to the ground as I sat down between her and Draco. I felt grateful for my parents not being Death Eaters, I felt grateful I didn’t wake up at nights shivering, I didn’t have to shriek in my slumber, but I felt anxious as well. Unlike many other students, I had no point in denying the dark lord was back, for all your fellow students said.

“I have to admit”, Blaise raised his voice after what felt like an eternity of silence, “I am equally averse.” He pondered, folding the paper in his hand. “I just don’t think we’re standing a chance with these idiots making decisions.”

I felt Pansy’s head resting on my shoulder and a shiver ran down my spine.

Draco on my other side uttered profanities. He knew they were right, but he enjoyed being important. He enjoyed it over the cost it took.

“I hate this.” He groaned, bending forward to hide his face in his hands. Maybe Pansy was right, he could be cute sometimes. When he forgot that he actually was a git.

Nobody dared to object. We just sat for a while, a mutual silence wavering over our heads. Even Astoria and her gang had muted their voices. I wanted to shoot a glance to Daphne, but I didn’t dare breaking the moment.

If the Dark Lord was to recruit my friends, what would I do? Stand my ground? Follow them? Maybe I would just pretend to be too stupid to become one of them. Would he kill me, if he thought I was merely a squib? Or would I have the chance to just stay in the background? I didn’t ever want to find out.

The four of us were jolted out of our thoughts by the lovely “Hello, fuckers!” Millicent Bulstrode threw at us as she entered the common room. She was followed by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who were only ever called by their surnames.

“You will not believe what we managed to sneak in here!” Triumphantly she looked over all of our faces. Crabbe and Goyle grinned stupidly.

Bulstrode shooed Daphne over to where we sat, so our year was almost fully assembled around the small table.

“What is it you have?” Pansy asked, slightly annoyed. She wrapped her hands around my waist, pulling me tighter. She hid her face into the fabric of my grey sweater.

“Firewhiskey!” Bulstrode grinned, taking the brown bottle out of her robe.

“Where’d you get that?” Draco snapped.

“Filch’s office. He had confiscated it from some stupid seventh year Gryffindors, so we confiscated it from him. The pink monster wouldn’t want to find her favourite man drinking, would she?” Bulstrode grunted.

She was a big girl with a big attitude. She stomped over anything in her way and I was lucky enough to have only been once a thorn in her side.

“Well, I am down.” Blaise said. He looked exhausted.

“Yeah, Bullstrode!” Pansy cheered. “That actually is exactly what I need right now.”

“Don’t you think she is going to find out?” Daphne carefully opposed.

Crabbe shook his head. “No one would suspect us, Daphne. We are good students, we behave. She will probably accuse the Weasleys.”

Daphne tilted her head. “Fair point. Let’s play a game then!”

“Truth or Dare!” Pansy decided quickly. Her spirit awakening again. Her head left my shoulder, her hands drawing back to her own body.

I pouted visibly and she gave me a laugh. “Imagine what this game has to offer, love”, she breathed into my ear.

“Okay, I go first!” Goyle exclaimed. He looked challengingly at Bulstrode.

The girl rolled her eyes at him “Dare.” And so she came back 2 minutes later, spilling her entire gathering of sweets to the ground and took a sip, just for the fun. Thus, every one took a sip for fun.

I could feel the alcohol burn its way down my throat. The first few rounds we repeated the procedure, finding out Crabbe had a crush on Hannah Abbott, Blaise had once skinny dipped with Theodore Nott and Daphne certainly did not enjoy giving Draco a lap dance. He didn’t either.

I felt my cheeks burn as my best friend returned to the opposite sofa, crimson-headed. Bulstrode and Goyle laughed malicious laughs at her, handing the bottle over to Pansy.

She took a long sip and handed the bottle over to me. Her cheeks were as red as I imagined mine to be, plus I already felt a tad light-headed, so I passed, handing Draco the bottle. His pale skin had turned a little green, or was that the light? I couldn’t tell.

He as well took a long sip and gulped down the burning liquid. “Dare.” He said, putting the bottle to the middle of the table.

It was Daphne’s turn to set him a task, but she seemed to have lost her voice to her performance, so I quickly chimed in: “I dare you to kiss the cutest person in this room!” Only after I had said my words, I realised he would most likely turn to Pansy for that. Ouch. Why so stupid?

“Out of our round or out of this room?” Blaise enquired. Eyeing to the table where Astoria and her friends were still chatting.

“Room is what I said.” I repeated, hoping Blaise knew something I didn’t.

Draco shook his head. “Can I just drink?” He hissed.

“Nuh-uh.” Pansy had a devilish grin on her face. “You either do the dare or you have to take an article of clothing off … Along with the alcohol, of course.”

Considering the fact, he was only wearing his white shirt, and black school trousers the undressing would be interesting.

Draco glared at Pansy. “I know whom I had to kiss if Y/N had said the most obnoxious person.” He rose from the sofa and walked around the black piece of furniture. He stopped behind Pansy, bowing down to her. His face had changed from green to a light pink.

My fingernails dug into the soft skin of my palms. Of course he was going to kiss Pansy, why didn’t I think beforehand?

Draco’s face came closer to Pansy’s, who had laid her head to her neck. She didn’t even seem to mind.

Right as Draco was to connect their lips, he grimaced. “Ew.” He pulled away.

“You still need to do the dare”, Pansy snickered. Arrogant, as she was, her arm lurked around my shoulder, pulling me into her chest. “You wouldn’t think I’d kiss Draco before you, love, now would you?” I stiffened. Would she? I couldn’t tell. After all this was just a game.

Pansy placed a kiss to my nose, chuckling at me.

While she tried to cuddle me up, Draco walked over to the table. I was sure he had never been so insecure in his whole life. Attentively he tapped her shoulder. We watched as they exchanged a few words.

Suddenly Daphne stood behind him, fuming. “You are not kissing my little sister!” She dragged him back to our table by his wrist. Much to the displeasure of Astoria, who looked after him in her sisters grip dreamily.

Draco and Daphne both seemed relieved as they sat down.

“Pansy. Truth or dare?” Draco immediately shot at the brown-haired girl.

She smirked “Truth.” She fluttered her eyelashes.

“Tell us what you dreamt last night”, Draco demanded.

Pansy turned bright red. I turned my face to look her in the eyes, but she avoided mine. Carefully she opened the buttons to her white blouse.

I gasped. What had she dreamt that she would rather take off her shirt than tell us? Also why did Draco know? Why had she told him about it and not me?

Dracos eyes had a devilish shine. “Well I guess since Pansy couldn’t speak the truth, I can challenge another person.”

No one disagreed, Pansy shivered.

She was wearing a black bra, her skin was patchy, whether it was the alcohol or her embarrassment, she tried to hide it. Her arms crossed in front of her bust.

“Goyle has not been truth or dared yet”, Goyle said, but Draco shook his head.

“I was thinking about Y/N.” I snapped. What was he planning?

“Y/N/N, what do you think?” Draco wrapped his arm around me, pulling me to his side.

What had I, everyone wanted to hug me so badly?

“Dare.” I shoved Dracos arm away.

“That’s what I was hoping for.” He stood up. “I think we are all ready for a snogging session between you and Pansy, five minutes at least and make it entertaining.” He squeezed in between Daphne and Goyle.

“Erm.” I looked over to Pansy. She snorted.

“Really Malfoy?”, she spat. “You do us a favour?”

Draco shrugged. “You’re getting on my nerves. She’s all you’re ever talking about.”

Now was my turn to blush. I was all Pansy ever talked about?

I scooped over, sudden courage flooding my veins.

She took my face into her hands, her soft hands, and smiled shyly at me before I closed the gap between our lips.

I could taste the firewhisky on her lips. I closed my eyes. My heart throbbed against her bare chest and I couldn’t stop my hands from touching her.

She was left with goosebumps under my fingertips. I stroke over her waist to which I earned a whimper from her lips. She arched her back to the direction of my body.

It was funny seeing how she had been so demanding and dominant in the last weeks, but was now melting to my every touch. Oh how she was crazy for me, too.

[justjessame]

The Deal Chapter 64

The aftermath of Jocelyn’s visit to Alexandria changed our world in far more reaching ways than just the loss of my baby and Daryl leaving. We locked down. We became more insular. We stopped visiting other communities. Hilltop and the Kingdom were almost mythical it seemed. The Sanctuary, it went under, quickly. Carol’s leadership couldn’t bandage the lack of land to grow things, the lack of unity that Negan’s power had ensured, and the deaths of his people at the hands of their victims was one final straw.

Former Saviors, the ones that assimilated and weren’t killed for their past indiscretions found homes in the remaining communities. Michonne, calling her ‘Mom’ was as natural to me it seemed as inhaling, became more careful. She wanted RJ, Judith, and the other children to be safe. As safe as she could make Alexandria with the dangers lurking just outside our walls. And so, she pushed aside her one time dream of a unified group. Her urge to create a charter, a treaty between our people dropped. Her maternal instincts coupled with her warrior nature won out.

Judith and I still visited Negan. He was given more light, the window that had been boarded opened. He got a cot. He was allowed books. His prison became more livable, even if it was still captivity. Without Daryl to occupy part of my time, without the need to take care of my sister and my new brother, I spent more time with him.

He and Judith continued to play. First it was ball, then as she grew and became more inquisitive, he and I would take turns telling her stories. I spent the visits that I made to him alone, with my side pressed against the bars of his cell, feeling his heat mirrored against his side. I was on the free side of the cage, yet I was just as imprisoned as he was. We talked, and talked. I made sure he never felt that same darkness that forced him to ask Maggie for death and he made me realize that letting go of my baby girl might be simpler if she had a name.

“Surely you and Daryl had ideas.” He offered, our fingers linked together through the bars. “Give her a name, sweetheart.”

I sighed, and let my fingers trace the length of his. It sounded simple. It could be. But I couldn’t, not alone. “I’ll have to go to him,” it was a breath, but Negan heard me. “She was his baby too.”

He didn’t flinch. Or sigh. Or make any sign that it irritated him that I’d be leaving Alexandria to go to Daryl to have this conversation. It had been weeks since I’d seen him. I knew where he was, everyone who should know did. He was back at the site. Back where Dad had disappeared. Back to his search, which he felt was more important, more conductive to his pain than being with me.

“Then go,” he offered, but his hand didn’t leave mine. “But be safe, be smart, and come the fuck back to me, princess.”

I left a day later. I had to prepare. Daryl hunted, but God knew what he’d consider food at this point. Supplies, a horse, and I had to take Judith aside and explain. I wouldn’t leave her without a goodbye. Without assurances that I would make it back to her. Without telling her I loved her and she needed to be good for Mom. And so, hugging Mom, giving RJ a kiss on his soft and sweet smelling forehead, and one more hug and kiss to Judith, I was off.

My trip was uneventful. Few walkers approached, and those that did were easily dispatched. Knives and arrows, how quickly we learned to adapt. I heard the river before I saw it. I saw his early warning system before I saw him. And then I was at his camp, a dog approaching me with curiosity.

“DOG!” His voice sounded harsh from disuse. And I realized he probably only spoke to the dog, aptly named, and sparingly. The brown haired animal rushed back to Daryl’s side and I looked up at the man I once would have happily died for. Would I still? “Jessi.” He bobbed his head and gestured toward his makeshift seating arrangement around his campfire.

I sat and he joined me, biting his lip. “You look-” dirty, tired, miserable all came to mind. “Good.” It came out as lame as I felt. Why was I here? Right. “I-”

“Still as beautiful as the day I first saw ya.” I blinked back the pain in my chest and swallowed down the lump in my throat. “Missed ya.”

I nodded absently. Then why’d you leave? Why was camping by the damn river better than laying next to me and working through our grief together? I said none of it. Why bother? “I think we should name her.” It came out in a rush. Not my intention, but it did. “I can’t-WE can’t let her go if she doesn’t have a name.” My eyes were on the rushing water and I nearly missed Dog coming closer to me. And then his soft head was on my knee and my fingers slid through his rough fur. Soothing, just like I’d read during my short stint in college. Petting animals helped calm anxiety. “She deserves that much.”

“Jessi-” I shook my head. This wasn’t about us. This was only about HER. “You could have-”

“She was OURS,” I met his eyes finally, feeling all my pain and anger coming up. “I shouldn’t HAVE to do it alone.” I stood up, scaring Dog a bit, forcing him away from me. Walking to the bank of the river I watched the rush of the current, wishing like hell that my dad was here. “You can search for Dad, you can hide in a tent and adopt a dog, but you can’t name our baby.” I gave a snort of false humor. “Hard shit, sign up Daryl Dixon, the more simple it sounds he likes to sit that shit out.”

“You coulda died.” He was closer than I expected and I cursed his ninja-like feet. “You coulda died. We coulda lost Judith. And I couldn’t do shit to stop either fucking thing.”

“Our baby did die,” I was sure he was close enough to hear me over the water. “She’s gone, and we don’t get another chance, and she’s laying under the dirt. She’s alone and she doesn’t even have a fucking name.”

I didn’t fight him when he wrapped his arms around me from behind. I didn’t pull away when his chin propped on top of my head. I let my tears, the ones I’d held back for the most part after RJ was born, fall. Our little girl deserved so much fucking more. Than this. Than us.

“I’m sorry.” It fluttered my hair, his apology. “I have fucked up at every fucking turn with ya, Jessi Grimes.” I shrugged. Cannot unspill milk or unbreak eggs. “I couldn’t stay and see how-”

“Broken I was?” Sighing, I could feel Dog’s body sit next to my legs. “I’m fine. It’s fine.” It wasn’t, not really, but this is me. I reassure. I let go. “Let’s name her, and I’ll go home, and you can keep searching.” For a pipe dream. For a man who is as gone as our little girl.

I was home before dark. Mom seemed shocked. Judith was extremely happy. And Negan was relieved.

“You look tired, princess.” He was seated on his cot, but stood as I walked down the stairs. I pushed the chair closer to his cell and practically collapsed into it.

“Don’t get up,” I waved him off from standing, I was tired enough for the both of us. “I am tired.” I smiled at him. “And I probably smell like wet dog.” He chuckled and stayed seated. “I didn’t expect to go and be back so soon. Not that I’m not grateful.”

“Daryl come back with you?” His worry, no doubt. I shook his head. “Damn fool.” My smile grew.

“You’re biased.” I sat forward and touched the bars in front of me. “We named her.” I heard the springs of the cot squeak with his body shifting. “I had to stop by one of our more artistic people’s places, I want her grave marked properly.”

“What did you pick?” My eyes met his and I could see true interest. “What’s your little girl’s name?”

“Wren Mae Grimes-Dixon.” I smiled, thinking of how tiny she was and how the wren was a delicate bird. I brushed away an errant tear. “The man who I stopped to see, he’s making her a cross engraved with her name and-”

“A wren?” I nodded. “It’s a beautiful name, sweetheart. She would have been-”

“Would have.” I clutched at the bars in front of me. “WOULD HAVE.” I glared. It wasn’t fair. Why did my baby have to pay the ultimate price? Why did I have to KEEP paying? “I can’t decide if I’m pissed that you let me live to feel this. Or if I’m pissed that she didn’t turn inside me and take me with her.”

“Jessi,” I could hear his pain and fear. The pain of my loss and grief coupled with the fear of me slipping away again.

“It comes in waves.” I brushed more burning tears away. “I don’t want to die, but fuck if it doesn’t suck to live.” Closing my eyes against the feelings, the pain and anger. “I got to hold her.” I hadn’t told him. I didn’t want to relive the pain. “She was perfect. So fucking perfect, even when they put the needle through her tiny fucking skull ‘just in case’.” I felt the sob come and didn’t stop it. “She should be here.” It hurt. The steady beat of my own heart like a traitor. “She should have cried. She should have been demanding for my milk. Dirty diapers should be my reality, MY DAUGHTER’S dirty diapers.” Instead, I have my brother’s. Again. “I’m sorry,” fuck why now? I’d felt so much better on the way home. So good when I commissioned her grave marker. And now? Now I felt it all like it was new. “I don’t know-”

“Because you bottle it up, Jessi.” He was in front of me, his fingers touching mine. “You push it away, you move forward. That’s Jessica Grimes.” I looked up at him and saw his smile. “Stop being so fucking brave, princess. Let it out.” The tears were leaving burning paths down my cheeks. “Stay. Stay with me here, go up, ask them to lock you inside with me, but don’t fucking go back to Michonne and Judith tonight. Give yourself this ONE FUCKING NIGHT to be taken care of.” I closed my eyes. “It’s not a request, princess, it’s a command. Go up to whatever moron is lurking upstairs, tell them to open the damn door of this fucking cage and lock you in.” I didn’t move. “Let me hold you tonight, Jessi. Let me hold you while you fucking grieve finally. Please?”

It was easier than I expected, getting locked in the cell with Negan. I left my weapons easily with the guard, and then I was cradled in his arms, laying on top of him on his cot as he whispered comfort to me while I cried.

[that-little-zebunny]

Feisty little fox and the Trickster

A/N: Yey! My first ever try in writing a fan fic. <3 this is inspired by a cute little arctic fox I saw on my feed :3

WORD COUNT: 2,208

WARNING: Smut, fluff and this is my first fic so I’m warning ya’all that this might not be that good T.T I’m soooo nervous my gosh XD

PAIRING: LOKI X READER/Shifter-Fox

SUMMARY: You're a shifter living alone in the northern part of the globe living your life peacefully and in isolation from the people that doesn’t understand what you are when a beautiful black haired man suddenly trespassed your home and your heart with a sudden connection.

*gif not mine ^^

After going to your usual run around the snow covered field you went back to your cabin and saw an intruder. A lovely man with long black hair and an intoxicating smell.

You growl at him when you saw him sitting on your couch feet up your coffee table. You just cleaned that table! You showed him your snarling face, the scariest your white little body can make. That got his attention and he turn toward you on the open door.

"What a beautiful creature you are, Little fox." He said with the most sensual voice you've ever heard, eyes full of awe. If you’re on your human form you might have gasp on how alluring his voice are. “Is this your home? I’m sorry for intruding I just needed a little rest before I go on destroying your pathetic planet.” He said smiling evilly at you.

You became alert by what he said. Is he not from earth? He talk like he’s not and what!?? He’s going to destroy it? Is he serious? Or just insane? The cold sometimes does that to people.

You again snarled when he suddenly stood up and started walking towards you. Getting alert of what he might do you tried to run away but you felt like you’re being held still. An unknown energy is stopping you from moving from where you stand facing away from your cabin’s door and from the man.

“Little fox, where do you think you’re going?” He said sounding closer and that’s when you felt two strong cold hand lifted you up. You tried to struggle but the invisible energy is still there.

What the fuck is going on!? You said on your head. Your heart beating wildly on your chest when he started petting your white fur.

The calming and soothing sensation confused you. You started to purr on every stroke of his large hand making your eyes heavy, you’re starting to get sleepy when you suddenly felt the invisible energy holding you disappear.

As quick as you can you jumped out from his lap and towards the other side of the room. You started snarling and showing him you fang to scare him but it doesn’t seems to work. He just laugh at you.

“Feisty little fox.” He said. “Should I just kill you? What are you even be doing in a house in this isolated place? Do you have an owner? This house doesn’t seems abandoned.” He said walking around your home. Checking things touching them.

“G-go away!” you said firmly after deciding you need to be on your human form to make this trespasser leave you home. You saw his back became stiff from hearing a voice knowing that he’s alone and is only talking to a little feisty fox he found amusing.

He turned to your direction. “Oh, what do we have here? It seems that the little fox is not just a simple cute little fox after all.” He smirked. “Now I know why I am drawn to you.” He said biting his lips.

His sexiness stole the air from you lungs. He’s just so alluring to your eyes and his scent…his scent itself makes you feel dizzy from want.

“L-leave my cabin! How dare you enter other people’s home and act so high and mighty.” You said your voice hard, eyes angry but your heart…it’s already to the point of hurting. Seeing this stranger awakens your longing to be with someone.

“Indeed a feisty little fox.” He said walking towards you. You started backing more towards the corner where you’ve put yourself to be on the safe distance from him.

“W-what are you doing? Don’t go near me!” You shouted, well aware how you are naked behind your long (Y/H/C) hair and arms.

“You intrigue me.” He said still walking towards you. You conjure your fangs and your eyes turning into a blue orb half shifting to be able to have weapon in case he started to attack. You heard him gasp and his eyes lovingly took in your appearance. “I have never seen such beauty.” He said not showing any signs of being scared of how you look.

“I said leave!” You snarled your voice deeper than usual.

“I cannot do that little fox. Now that you have captured my attention you are mine now. Such beautiful creature. Oh the things I’ll do to tame such spirit” He said only few steps away from you. Not liking the effect his word to your body you attacked him. Aiming for his neck for a deadly bite but suddenly he’s not in front of you and you stumbled toward the couch.

Snarling you turned your head side to side to see where he went but he’s nowhere to be found. Confused you tried to stand when a heavy weight pushed you back down two strong hand held your arms steady.

“Now I got you where I want you, little fox” he whispered his voice so near your ears. His intoxicating smell making your head swirl.

“Let go!” you said looking on the side you fangs ready to bite him if given the chance. You tried to struggle from his grip but he’s not bulging it only made you skin tingle from his hands that is holding you down.

“Hmm, continue that little struggling you’re doing pet.” He growled and suddenly he’s raining kisses on your naked back. Your head is getting light and your breathing rugged. All these feeling he’s making you feel are all foreign to you being alone almost the rest of your life. He continue raining hot kisses going up from the middle of your back up to your nape. Goosebumps form on your skin your eyes closing from the intense feelings. “You taste so good.” He said. The only response you’re able to give is a rugged breathe hiding your face on the couch from embarrassment.

You’re liking what he’s doing to you and it’s scaring you to the point that with all the strength you can give and the fact that he lower down his hold on you, you twisted your body and pushed him down the floor making him lay on his back with you straddling him and holding his arms up your claws digging on his wrist drawing blood.

“What are you doing!? What are you making me feel! H-how dare you!” you said your deep voice shaking. You are having mix emotion from all this and the annoying man just smirked at you. “Stop smirking!” You demanded because it’s making you weak.

“You see my little fox, I don’t know what this is but a certain attraction is making me crave you and you being naked in front of me is not helping.” He said. His voice breathless and you also saw uncertainty in his eyes. That made you loosen your grip on his wrist, your claws returning back to normal and so are your fangs and eyes.

“I-I feel it too…what is this?” you said your voice now back to a more feminine and smooth one. You touch you beating heart with your blood covered right hand. “My heart ache from this. Make it go away!” You said, your voice shaking.

“Oh my little fox.” He said pushing himself into a sitting position with you still in his lap. “I don’t know what this is too but somehow I am brought to you and since laying my eyes on your beautiful fox form you have bewitched me.” He snaked his arms on your waist removing even an inch of a distance between your bodies. You gasp because suddenly you can feel cold smooth skin touching yours.

Looking down you saw that the cloths he was wearing are now gone. He’s as naked as you are and it made your cheek heat up.

“Look at me little fox.” He said tilting your head up making you look at his eyes and you being a shy girl made sure that your eyes won’t meet his. “Shy, aren’t we?” he chuckle, it sounded lovely to you and slowly you moved your eyes to meet him.

“I-I don’t know you…” you said shyly. Every second spend in his embrace made you accept him and his touch. “Why am I having this feelings…I don’t even know you…” you said your tone scared and uncertain.

He brushed his hand on your cheek making you lean on it more. It feels wonderful…his touch. You thought.

“My little feisty fox, I am Loki of Asgard.” He said, his tone proud and firm. “I am burdened with glorious purpose…and I want you.” He said and a grip on your nape crashed your lips on his.

You moaned on how lovely he taste.

It was indeed intoxicating and you want more of him. After nipping on his lips you liked it and smiled at him.

“You taste as delicious as your scent.” You said. “I-I have never been like this. I have never been with anyone.”

“Oh darling…I will take care of you. You will not regret this.” And he carried you towards your couch kissing you more as he walked. Oh this is such a wonderful feeling and you want it to never stop. You thought as he lay you on you couch him above you.

His kisses went down from your lips to your neck. He bit on your collar and you whimpered. Your core tightening with need and lower…and lower he go until his face is right in the center of your legs. So near to your wet cunt.

The anticipation made you bit your lips, eyes expecting and the handsome brut is teasing you. He smiled that smile that looks like he is going to do something wicked.

“W-why are y – Oh….” You moaned when he suddenly licked your wetness. The friction send shivers down your toes. Your hand finding his lovely hair and fisting it. He moaned too when you tried to push him more towards you pussy.

Now you are asking yourself how you survived all these years without trying this out but you thought against it. It was only for him. This unknown want you have it’s all for Loki.

His tongue teased your clit and you let out a shaky moan. His hand played with your exposed breast and being new to all of you came.

“Hmm…such sensitive nub you got there Darling.” He said, slowly climbing up your body his nakedness rubbing on your making you feel hot all over again. “Now, you’re mine.” He whispered before claiming your lips in a heated kiss. His tongue entering your mouth and playing with yours making you dizzy with all those heightened feelings. You’ve enjoyed the kiss too much that you didn’t feel him move his hand down to hold his hard cock. He rubbed himself to your wet cunt and it made you moan on his hot lips.

“P-please…” you pleaded stopping the kiss.

“What do you want?” He said. “Tell me what you want. I will give you anything my little pet.” He said raining little kisses on your face, neck and breast.

“I want you…I have no idea why but I want to feel all of you.” You said. Wrapping your arms on his neck pulling him closer to you. He looked at your eyes glimmering with want.

“Tell me your name…” he said rubbing his pointed nose on your cheek. “I want to know the name of the fox that bewitched me so.”

“(Y/N)…” you whispered. “I’m (Y/N) – ah.” and he suddenly entered you smoothly his huge size making you whimpered and hugged him closer.

“So tight my little (Y/N)…ah.” He continued to thrust gently hitting you on all the right spots.

Your orgasm came making your mind blank and not a moment later he too came inside you shouting your name.

He pulled out from you making your limp body lay on the couch that you use as your bed too and stroked your face. “Such lovely pet you are. Maybe it’s not bad if I don’t destroy this place if it means I’ll have you beside me.” He said hugging you close to him. You smiled hiding your red face on his muscled chest.

“I like that. I love this place too even if it’s flawed.” You said your voice almost a whisper.

“I can see that now, Pet. Go and sleep. I’ve tired you it seems.” And you did what he said. Your tired body giving out. You just hope that when you wake up he’s still be there.

__

Thank you in advance for those who’ll read this <3

[avengerscompound]

Phoenix

Phoenix: A Captain America Fanfic

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers x OFC (mentions of Thor x OFC)

Word Count:  3683

Warnings:  Smut (Bi, MMF threesome, oral sex, double vaginal penetration), angst, hurt/comfort

Synopsis: A tale of the burden of Immortality.

Phoenix

Does it count as immortality if you keep dying?  My memories of my lives are hazy.  I have existed for so long now that I can no longer remember when I first began.  As long as there have been men?  Most likely.  Longer than that?  It is possible.

The ancient Greeks called me Phoenix.  In ancient Egypt; Bennu.  In China; fènghuáng.  They only knew one of my forms.   I can also take on the form of a large dog with fiery red fur.  Most commonly I am a human woman.

What the folklore did get right was my constant rebirth and my affinity with fire.  Each time I die my body bursts into flame and out of the ashes a new me rises.  My new form can remember my past lives, but it’s as if they had been spoken to me like a story.  That person may have been me, but they are also not me.  In all my millennia of existence, I have been out of place.  A lone and infinite being among short-lived and fragile mortals.

I can remember when the Norse gods came.  I’d heard word from Greece and flew to the cold islands they inhabited.  I recognized something of myself in them.  The long life.  The power.  They weren’t immortal though.  Not really.  They just persisted for Millennia.  I stayed with them.  Trying to figure out if they knew my kind.  I was tired of being the only one.  For now, they were close enough.

I consorted with one of them.  The large one with the hammer maybe?  His thin brother who was sneaky and believed himself smarter than all of them?  I can’t remember.  Nor can I remember the name I chose for the son that was conceived.  Or what he looked like.  I died in childbirth and they took him home with them, leaving me to restart my life.

The next few centuries passed with only minor incidents.  The humans just continued on their evolution as I watched.  I died once at around 10BC having naturally reached the end of my cycle.  I died again in the late 8th century after I fell asleep in bird form and a large cat took me.

Over my lives, I would fight with the mortals if a war felt like it needed my interference.  During World War I, I chose a side and fought in dog form taking out my chosen enemy.  People told tales about it.  They thought it was some sort of curse.  The hellhound that has coming to drag you down to the pits of Hades.

In World War II I was drawn to the man they called Captain America.  I thought maybe this man might have achieved some form of immortality.  That he might need a companion because forever was a long time to have to watch everyone you love die over and over.

I couldn’t get near him while he fought.  I made an attempt to join the Strategic Scientific Reserve to get closer to him and whatever it was that created him.  He died before I was successful and I moved on, disappointed that I was wrong about my assessment of the man.  I did keep trying to find out what they did to create him in the first place.

In the 1960s I must have done something to draw the attention of some dark forces because a man came for me.  He broke into my house and I was awoken to his metal fingers closing around my throat.

My first thought was not about how I was about to die.  Dying and rebirth are inevitable.  My first thought was for him.  His body was held like an assassin but his eyes spoke otherwise.  They were full of pain.  I then saw that thing inside him that I saw with the soldier.  That little fire that I thought was maybe immortality.

“Who are you?” I gasped, through my restricted airway.

He didn’t respond and as the world went black I whispered.  “I forgive you.”

When my body reformed as an infant I changed form into that of the hound.  A newborn puppy is less noticeable and slightly more independent than an infant human.  The assassin was sitting at the end of the fire ruined bed, bolt upright.  I approached the man and nuzzled at his arm.  He looked down at me blankly and picked me up.  I licked his fingers and he started to cry.  Tears ran down his face in silence and he held me against his chest.

Another man entered my room.  This one dressed in black combat wear and holding a rifle.  “Soldier, what are you doing still here?”  He barked.   He spoke in Russian and I now knew where to turn in my searches.

The Assassin looked at him blankly.  “She said she forgave me.”

“So you set her on fire?  You sick bastard.”  The handler sneered.  “Get up, we have to go back to headquarters.”

The assassin stood still holding me.

“Where did you get the dog from?”  The handler asked.

“It’s her.”

I looked up at the soldier and whimpered.  He recognized me.  No one had done that since Ancient Greece.

The handler just rolled his eyes.  He pulled me from the assassin’s hands and tossed me aside.  I hit the ground with a yelp.  The assassin snapped.  He slammed his handler up against the wall and started choking him.  His handler struggled, gasping for breath.  A shot was fired and the assassin dropped to the ground.

“Fucking dog.”  He grumbled, pulling the assassin to his feet and throwing him over his shoulder.  “I’m going to get shot for this.”

The next decade I just spent growing.  I wandered the streets until I found a person who was willing to take me home.  I was adopted by a young family and I stayed with them until I was three, before switching to bird form.   I remained isolated and watching as the world changed.  

In the 80s I returned to human form and rejoined the population.  I returned to my search.  This time making my target the Assassin that murdered me.  There were rumors and false leads.  I did have one thing they didn’t though.  Time.

Thirty years passed and Captain America returned.  Not dead after all.  Frozen.  I tracked him down to a facility in New York City and when I went to find him the city was attacked from outer space.  I have a moment to appreciate that two of the Norse gods have returned and I was killed again.  A piece of a falling building taking me out.

I repeated the process from before.  Dog who is taken care of by a kind stranger.  Bird alone watching.  As I watched the Earth was invaded.  There was a struggle and I decide to join the fight.  A seven-year-old girl cannot fight but a seven-year-old dog can.

I fought ferociously and the others who fought just accepted me as being there.  Occasionally I would hear ‘Where’d that dog come from?’  But the fact no one knew didn’t seem to bother them.  As long as I was on their side.  I once again earned the name Hellhound.

Towards the end of the war, I met my end once again.  I had a moment where I wondered why my cycles kept getting cut short this century before I burst into flame and reformed.

Before I even had a chance to crawl out of the pile of ash a metal hand scooped me up and I was shoved unceremoniously into a cargo pocket on the assassins pants.  Bucky was his name.  I knew that after fighting by his side in the war.

Victory was finally taken and the survivors limped home.  Bucky pulled me from his pocket while he was on the jet.  He held me up to his face and scratched my ears.

Captain America - Steve looked over to him.  “Where’d the puppy come from?”

“I think it’s the dog that was around,”  Bucky answered.

“Buck?”  Steve asked clearly puzzled.  Despite all he had seen in his life.  All he had experienced the thought of a dog being grown and then not was still too perplexing to him.

“The dog got hit.  It burst into flame and then it was this.”  Bucky explained.  He held me to his chest and I nuzzled into it.

“So like some kind of phoenix but a dog?”  Steve asked.

Bucky smiled at his friend.  “We fought next to a talking raccoon and a tree, is that so far fetched?”

Steve shrugged.  “I guess you’re right.”

Bucky scratched the back of my neck and kissed the top of my head.  “That’s a good name though.  Phoenix.”

“Are we keeping it?”  Steve asked.

Bucky smiled.  “Yeah.  I think so.”

So a dog is how I stayed.  I don’t really know why.  It just felt like something he needed and it was something that didn’t hurt me to provide.  I stayed Bucky’s dog for almost six hundred years.

I stayed by his side constantly.  If he fought, I fought.  When he rested I rested too.  I would lie on the couch with my head in his lap while he absentmindedly petted me.  I slept on his bed.

I witnessed as he dated women and when he brought them back to his room I went and sat with Steve and witnessed his heartbreak.

After a hundred years I started to see their relationship change.  There had always been something between them.  Something they were both too scared to acknowledge.  A whole century it took before they stopped trying to pretend.

It started with touches.  They brushed past each other a lot.  When I was on the couch with Bucky their hands would meet in my fur.  Then one day they were training.  Sparring in the gym and Steve pinned Bucky.  It wasn’t unusual for that to happen.  But this time Steve didn’t let him up.  

Bucky reached his hand up and stroked it over Steve’s jaw.  “Stevie…” He breathed.

Then they kissed.

I didn’t want to intrude on their moment, despite the fact they only saw me as a dog.  I slunk out the door and waited for them.

It was another year before they did anything more than kiss.  I nearly had to witness that too, but thankfully Bucky let me out of the room.

They were really happy for around four hundred years.  The team changed around them.  Their friends died and they made new ones.

Until something snapped in them.  I had feared it would happen.  I think the Norse gods thought it might too.  They had been witnessing the fragility of humankind for a long time.  They offered to take Bucky and Steve to Asgard.  They refused and instead took me and retreated from society.  Much like Superman and his fortress of solitude.  It became just them.

I gave them time.  It just became worse.  They started to not even want to see the people who came to help them.  Worried they’d become attached.

I woke one morning and decided this could not go on.  They were losing who they were.  I jumped up on the bed as they slept and nuzzled them awake.

“Phoenix.  Stop.”  Bucky grumbled, trying to push me away.  “Use the dog door.”

I started barking.  They both stared at me blearily scratching their heads.  I changed before their eyes.  Something I had never done before to another person.  Bucky’s jaw dropped and Steve scrambled back on the bed.

“Ph - Phoenix?”  Bucky stuttered.

I cleared my throat.  I had never gone this long without using my human form, it felt foreign to me.  “Yes.”

“How long have you been able to do that?”  He asked.

“The whole time.  Although, at the start; if I had changed I would have been an infant.”  I explained.

“Why didn’t you change before?”  Steve asked.

I shook my head.  “I am not entirely sure of that myself.  I have lived a long, long time.  Longer than you could ever even hope to imagine.  One day you’ll know.  You still won’t have lived as long as I have, but on the scale of things, the hundreds of millennia I have endured will be insignificant.  At the time I saw a man who needed a dog and that was something I could be.”

Bucky pointed at me.  “You’ve seen me naked!”

“And I am naked right now.”

Bucky stalked towards me.  “You are naked.”  He growled and traced his fingers down over my breast.

“Bucky.  I was your dog a little while ago.  Do you not think that is strange?  Your husband is sitting right there.”  I said.

Bucky sat back and frowned.

“You need to be around people again.  You can’t isolate yourselves like this.”  I said.

“Phoenix…” Steve sighed.

“That’s not my name,”  I replied.

“Then what is?”

I sat and thought.  “I don’t remember.  Is that what you want for you?  To forget your name?  To not know how to relate to people?  To think them lesser than you are?”

“We keep losing them.  Over and over and over.  They’ve started to call us gods.  It’s already gotten to the point we can’t relate to them.”  Steve said.

“I’ve been beside you this whole time, Steve.  I know first hand what it’s like to be worshipped as an idol.  It is hard to relate to mortals.  To continue caring for them when they continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.”  I moved closer to them putting my hands on their legs.  “You isolate yourself and you lose who you were.  What was important to you.  You stop being the people they love.  Who I love.  You lose the part of you that is even able to love.  How will that leave you both?  Stuck together for eternity and not even being able to remember that childhood you shared and each used to cling so tightly too.”

I looked at Steve and touched his face.  He leaned his head into my palm.  “What was your mother’s name?”  

He furrowed his brow, trying to remember.  “I don’t know.”

“That’s how it starts.”

Bucky had started touching me again.  It made sense.  He hadn’t seen another person for around fifty years besides Steve.  And it had been 200 since he’d actually made physical contact with another.  I was used to his hands being on me, so I ignored it.

“What do you propose we do?  Go back?  Let them worship us?  Watch as the ones we form attachments to die?”  Steve asked, sardonically.

“Listen to yourself, Steve.  The ones you form attachments to?  Do you even remember what love is?”  I scoffed.

“I love Bucky.  What about you?  What do you know about love?”  Steve snapped.

“Not a lot.  I had a child once.   I don’t remember them.  Or who their father was.  You follow the path you’re on and you can end up just like me.  Is that what you want?”  I sighed.  Bucky had been moving around me as Steve and I talked, his hands trailing over my skin.

Steve sighed.  “Buck.  What are you doing?”

Bucky looked up at Steve like he’d snapped out of a trance.  “I haven’t seen another person for so long.  I forgot what women looked like.”  He shook his head.  “I think she’s right.  I love you, but it can’t just only be us.  We go days without speaking to each other.  We’re losing who we are.”

“You’re full of criticism but so far you haven’t given us any suggestions.”  Steve groaned and lay back against the wall.  “If we return nothing will change.  It was destroying us to be around them.”

“So go to the Asgardians.  Thor has persisted for almost as long as I have.”  I suggested.

Bucky’s hands were on me again and I reached behind me and ran my hand through his hair.  He looked up at Steve.  “I think she’s right.  They said they’d take us.  We should go.”

Steve looked at Bucky and his eyes were filled with such sadness that it broke my heart.  “Am I not enough for you, Buck?”

Bucky groaned.  “Steve, you know it’s not like that.  I have been with you for centuries.  Do you think I would’ve stayed if I didn’t love you?  But we both need more than just us.”

“You keep touching her, Buck.  What if we go to Asgard and you decide you’re bored with me?”  Steve implored.

Bucky reached out to Steve and when Steve took his hand, Bucky pulled him forward and kissed him.  They kissed over my shoulder.  It was as deep and passionate as they always were.  Not one ounce of love had been lost between them for the past six hundred years.  “I love you, Steve.  As much as I ever have.  Maybe more.  But I’m not an island.  I need people.  I keep touching her because she’s something I’d forgotten I needed.  I used to touch her all the time when she was Phoenix too.  I need that contact with something else.  People more than anything.  Don’t pretend you don’t feel that too.  I know you, Steve.”  He took a deep breath in and released it in a huff.  “Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve brought someone else in.”

I looked at Steve, trying to see the thing that Bucky saw.  It was sitting just under the surface, being held back by his sense of honor and what was right.  Similar to the thing that held him back from admitting his feelings to Bucky in the first place.

I took his hand in mine and stroked my thumb over his palm.  “You can touch me.  I don’t mind.  You used to touch me.”

“I thought you were a dog then,”  Steve said, but his hand came forward anyway.

“I’m not anything your eyes tell you I am.  But I do have warmth.  And I am willing.”  I replied.  “You have no reason to fear me.  I’ve always been here.”

Steve’s hand came forward and slid up my leg and over my belly.  Bucky’s lips touched onto my shoulder and he ghosted them over my skin.

“When Bucky was seeing women, you used to come sit with me,”  Steve said.  It was half question, half statement.

“I didn’t want to watch.  I never watched the two of you either.  But I knew you were hurting.  I thought you would prefer not to be alone.”  I answered.

Steve inhaled deeply watching as his own hand as it moved up towards my breast.  He exhaled and looked at me.  He seemed to stare right into me for a moment.  “What are you?”

I shook my head.  “I wish I knew.  I want not to be alone.  I have wanted that more than anything.”

Steve’s mouth crashed into mine, pushing me back into Bucky.  Bucky began kissing my throat in earnest.  He reached over and put his hand on Steve’s throat.

I let them both explore my body as they desired.  Enjoying their hands and mouths on me.  How they never stopped touching each other either. How they’d pause to kiss before returning their attention to me.  That this was about their beginning of reconnection with others, but without leaving each other behind.

They each seemed to enjoy touching my breasts.  After a half-century, I guess they were like a new toy.  They kissed and sucked on them.  They squeezed them and pinched my nipples.  They nuzzled into them and rested their heads on them like pillows.  Each time their touches caused me to moan they'd repeated them, sometimes increasing the pressure.

I touched them too.  Lazily trailing my fingertips over their skin.  Enjoying the feeling of human senses again.  When my hands reached their cocks, something flipped in each of them.  There was a frantic need to taste me.  I was pushed onto my back and they both sat crouched between my legs taking turns worshipping at my cunt as they did in Ancient Egypt.  They each brought me to climax again and again.  Until I was pleading with them for respite.

They sat up, mouths glistening and looked at me eagerly.

“I can take you both if you want.”  I purred.

Their eyes darkened and Bucky beckoned to me.  I climbed up into his lap and pushed him down, lowering myself onto his cock.  We both sighed and gazed at each other when Steve came up behind me and pushed me forward against Bucky.  I rolled my hips and on the downwards pass Steve’s cock pressed against my entrance.

He held my hips still and slowly pushed into me, stretching out my cunt.  It burned but burning is what I do and I welcomed it.  We moved together and kissed.  Out mouths moving from one to the next.  They kept whispering to each other.  Little words of love to each other.

The room became filled with the sound of our pleasure.  Moaning and grunting. Panting and cursing.  We each came within short succession of each other.  Each man filling me with his seed.

After we lay together talking still constantly touching.  A decision was made.  They would go to Asgard.

Thor greeted them with open arms.  “Friends, welcome!”  He roared, embracing them both as we stepped from the Bifrost.  “Your new home and family awaits you!”

He looked to me and his eyes went wide.  “Isis?  Is that you?”

I looked down at my hands and the warm brown of my skin.  Something about that felt right.  “I don’t know.  Is that who I am?”

He threw his arm around my shoulder.  “You have isolated yourself too long, My Lady.  Do you not remember me?”

I nodded and furrowed my brow.  “I remember … there was a son… Loki’s?”

Thor roared with laughter.  “No, lover.  He is mine.  Mothi.  Would you like to meet him?”

I looked up at the large god and then at the other two immortals.  I nodded and for the first time in my many lives, I felt like I belonged.

[sunshinexlollipops]

ooh do you have time to share some headcanons for an acw modern au where arthur is an art professor and wolf is a new professor and they catch each other’s eye ...

Uh, YES I DO ANON.

OKay so I did start typing this earlier and my phone geeked and crashed tumblr so LETS TRY AND DO THIS AGAIN SHALL WE?

Arthur, as mentioned in the ask, is a popular art professor. Not only is he good at his job, he is known as the heartthrob of the school.

Most online reviews of his course not only compliment his class, but also his ass. And everything else ofc.

One review used the golden ratio about the proportions of his shoulders and hips and since then the staff jokingly calls Arthur “Ponyboy.”

One day, during a staff meeting, Dutch, the dean of the school, informs Arthur and his coworkers that they are getting a new Animal Sciences teacher.

Apart from needing space, the best open location for this new teacher is in the building beside Arthur.

It’s spacious, and Arthur asks why this new professor needs so much space (as he takes up a lot with kilns and other things like drying racks or weaving stations.)

Turns out this new professor has some animals that she is bringing, and so she needs the space for the pets she is bringing into her classroom. Which— oh. Okay.

Arthur doesn’t think anything more of it until the day the animal sciences teacher arrives.

He’s outside, having his class throw paint at canvases to create abstract outlines by using stencils to cover up areas. It’s messy.

Arthur is covered in paint, his denim jeans and shirt splattered all over, and because of the heat, he has some of his shirt’s top buttons undone on his chest, as well as his sleeves rolled up.

(One girl almost faints. Arthur fears heatstroke but in reality it’s Arthur who is too hot.)

Still, he’s in the process of throwing a balloon for a student with an arm cast when Wolf arrives.

Students notice her and they immediately go: wtf are all of our professors gonna be fucking hot or????

He doesn’t see her at first, but he notices that a woman dressed in blouse and fancy dress pants is looking at him.

She’s beautiful. So much so that Arthur drops a balloon without throwing it and gets even more paint all over himself.

The woman chuckles at him and says, “So is this the art course I keep hearing so much about?”

And Arthur be like:

Wolf goes to shake his hand, uncaring for the paint on his palm as she touches him, introducing herself.

She then points to her building and says, “I’m the new Animal Science teacher, the one taking over the neighboring building?”

And Arthur is just like oh yes right right, Dutch mentioned this.

He’s very awkward, flushed and stuttering and rubbing at his neck. But Wolf doesn’t react or judge his nerves.

She smiles at him and tells him “well, I’m getting a look at the place, and I’m moving most of the stuff in tomorrow...” and she pauses, looking Arthur over, “And you know, I think you’d be perfect for helping me, if you could.”

And Arthur’s thirst now be like:

Ofc he agrees to assist Wolf with her move, and she bids him goodbye.

While some are jealous, the students notice Arthur’s reaction and they are IMMEDIATELY invested.

Arthur tries to ignore them, but he can’t get helping Wolf out of his head.

The following day Arthur doesn’t exactly have classes. In fact, it’s supposed to be his day off, but your word is your word and it really isn’t a bad incentive to have someone like Wolf being the one you owe it to.

Still, when he shows up in a worn Johnny Cash shirt and jeans, Wolf is happy to see him.

She’s dressed in sweats and a v-neck and OOF she looks like art in anything.

“Oh thank god you’re here,” she says, “I have a ton of tanks to set up and I need the extra arms.”

“Tanks?” Arthur questions.

“Yes. I have a few animals that I brought here for my class. I have u-haul behind the building— I would be grateful if you helped me unload!”

Arthur, internally: there is another load I could give you but alas I am gentleman first and awkward man second.

Nevertheless, Arthur helps Wolf get her items. He see some vivariums and other enclosures, and he scowls at her supplies, not recognizing any of it for what it is.

“Uh, what’s all this stuff for?” he slides one tank that’s taller than it is wide onto a counter, and he looks inside, taking in the sight of the bromeliads and moss, “You grow plants?”

“That’s my crested gecko’s enclosure!” Wolf chirps, and to Arthur’s surprise, he finds Wolf coming close to him, their shoulders brushing as she unlocked her phone, showing the art professor her lock screen of some lizard, “This is her! This is D’or!”

“D-D’or?” Arthur fucking BUTCHERS the name and almost slaps himself in the face.

Wolf chuckles, “It’s French for golden. She was my first reptile, and she’s the reason I went into animal science as a profession.”

Arthur blinks, “... first reptile?”

“I own others. Another crestie, a leopard gecko, a beardie, a ball python—“

“A python???”

Wolf laughs, “scared of snakes?”

“N-No, just... ain’t big, is it?”

“No. It’s a boy, so he’s smaller. Just a regular too, nothing fancy. Didn’t want to risk getting a morph and end up with something akin to the spider wobble.”

Blinking, Arthur hums, “I’m gonna pretend I just understood what you said...”

“You’re cute,” Wolf tells him, and Arthur??

He be like:

“Come on, there’s a few more things to grab,” Wolf ushers them to the door, and Arthur just follows after her.

While offloading a few more tanks, Wolf makes small talk. She asks about Arthur and his course, and she seems interested.

“I took IB art in high school,” she mentions casually, “Just didn’t pursue anything with it.”

“Really?” Arthur asks, shocked.

“Yeah, animals are more of my thing... but you seem to really love it.”

“Yeah,” he hums, “I do...”

Arthur gets to tell Wolf about what his kids are currently studying— from watercolor techniques to pottery glazes and masking making in Africa.

Wolf seems genuinely interested as they finish emptying her u-haul, and as she closed the tailgate, she smiles at him.

“You know, I need to check your building out. See what you have going on over there. Sounds so cool!”

Arthur blushes, “Y-Yeah... I need to learn more about what you do. Not just for the sake of offerin’ up better conversation, just that... seems cool too.”

Wolf beams at him, “Well, you’re welcome any time... But, I couldn’t have gotten my room set up today without you. You’re a life saver!”

Arthur smirks, ducking his head, “I dunno ‘bout that...”

“Well, I owe you,” Wolf tilts her head at him, smiling ruefully, “What do you say about having dinner together?”

Arthur blinks. Dinner?

We hydratin’ now bitches—

“Oh... I’d... I’d love that.”

“Me too,” Wolf hums, “Do you have any classes later today?”

Shaking his head, Arthur replies, “No. it’s my off day.”

Lightly striking his bicep, Wolf gapes, “Arthur Morgan! Don’t tell me you came on your off day to help me out!”

“Well, when a pretty woman asks you for your help, you don’t say no.”

Wolf smiles with some heat his way, and she crosses her arms over her chest.

“Well, guess I owe you something more than just a dinner.”

Feeling brave, Arthur comes a step closer, “And what would that be, miss? Got another idea of a meal for me?”

“You ass!” Wolf playfully hits his bicep again, but they both laugh.

However... she doesn’t deny it.

“Well, since you’ve been so kind to me today, where would you like to go?”

Smiling, Arthur replies: “With you on my arm, sweetheart? Really don’t matter to me.”

They have dinner and maybe SOME OTHER THINGS and it quickly becomes known that the art and animal science professor have a thing.

Wolf heard about the Ponyboy nickname but Arthur cannot fess up to why it’s a thing. Karen, the business professor, tells her and Wolf can’t stop laughing.

At one point, Arthur uses D’or for a live reference in an art project.

Wolf also catches a wild corn snake that was enjoying the warmth of his kiln in his art room and helped to properly relocate it. (Arthur did not scream, he yelled, okay?)

Arthur may or may not have sketched Wolf a couple of times. (He has. They’re in his sketchbook at home.)

Wolf may or may not have gotten him the new set of paintbrushes he uses during lessons. (She totally did. He didn’t want to spend any of the class’ budget on himself.)

Either way, they’re a package deal, and everyone ships that shit like UPS baby. ;)

[sparklebitch]

Shance angst they had a big argument. Length is all up to you my dude.

A/N: I tried a little something different with this one!

Trigger warnings: homophobia, bullying

~   ~   ~

"Why can't we just tell them we're together?" Lance asked as he watched Shiro tug on his t-shirt, covering the scars that littered his back. Shiro stared at the ground as he tugged on the sleeve. He always left well before morning. He was afraid that someone would wake up and see him walking out of Lance's room in the morning.

"Lance..." Lance sat up in his bed, the blanket pooling around his waist. "Can we not talk about this? Not tonight" Shiro asked pleadingly. Lance balled up his fists as he let out a defeated sigh.

"Are you ashamed of me?" his question hung heavy in the air. Shiro paused.

He waited too long to answer.

"I-" Shiro began. Lance shook his head sharply, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Don't" He snapped. He looked pointedly at the ceiling. He wasn't going to cry in front of him. He wasn't.

"Lance, of course I'm not-" Shiro backtracked frantically. He moved toward the bed but Lance laughed tearfully and shot him an emotion filled look.

"Just go" he said flatly. Shiro deflated. He hadn't meant to pause. Of course he wasn't ashamed of Lance, how could he be? He never knew it was possible to love someone so much until he met Lance. But now here he was, hurting the person he loved most in the world, all because he was too afraid to tell him about his past.

Shiro felt like a coward.

Without another word, he left the room, leaving Lance alone sobbing into his pillow.

~   ~

It had been nearly two week since Lance had really talked to Shiro. Shiro didn't come to his room at night anymore. He stopped looking to Lance when they were training with that secret smile. He stopped subtly brushing his hand against Lance when they passed each other in the hallways alone. Lance was heartbroken.

The others knew something was wrong, but they didn't know what. Shiro was reserved and withdrawn, which he claimed was from tiredness, but no one believed it. Lance was scarily quiet, and it wasn't hard to see the red rim around his eyes each morning. He had obviously been crying, but he wouldn't say why.

Keith cornered Lance immediately after dinner one day. The minute the door to the dining room closed behind him he was there in front of Lance.

"Spill" he said without preamble. Lance blinked in surprise and leaned away from Keith.

"What?" he asked, nervously shifting his weight back and forth. He just wanted to be alone. He had spent the better part of the morning crying. "I'm- I need to go to the bathroom. Can this wait?" Lance asked as he pushed past Keith.

"I know about you and Shiro" Keith said, his voice barely more than a whisper. But Lance heard it. Ice ran through his veins as he came to a sudden halt, nearly toppling himself over.

"Wh- What?" he stuttered, spinning around. Keith had no expression on his face. "I- I don't- We don't- I mean... we're not- We never- What?" Keith rolled his eyes.

"You're not as subtle as you think" he responded. "And besides, I've known Shiro for a long time. I can read him like the back of my hand. I know when he really cares about someone" Lance felt himself flush and the telltale sign of tears was building up behind his eyes. He cleared his throat and kicked his foot against the ground. "Come on. We can talk in my room"

~   ~

"What are you doing?" Pidge asked, pushing her glasses up. Shiro jumped back and put his hand over his pounding heart.

"Jesus! You scared me" Pidge didn't respond to that. Shiro glanced at the broken machine he had been working on and then back at Pidge. "Uh, I was just trying to fix this" he tapped the hunk of metal with the pliers in his hands. "I work on it when I need to- When I need to destress" Pidge hopped onto the table that Shiro was working on and swung her legs.

"What are you 'destressing' from?" Shiro turned and went back to tinkering with the machine in silence. Pidge watched him for a few minutes until Shiro became frustrated and began hammering a cog that wouldn't fit in right with the pliers.

"I cannot even begin to describe how horrified I am right now" Shiro sighed at Pidge's words and tossed the pliers aside, bracing his hands on the table. Pidge lifted the metal box onto her lap and began to work on it while Shiro tried to calm himself. "You can talk" she said absently. "I mean, I can't help you with anything, and I can't promise that I'll listen, but you can talk" Shiro pinched his lips and shook his head before straightening up.

"He thinks I'm ashamed" he said as he leaned up against the table next to Pidge. "He thinks I don't want anyone to know about... about us being together because... because I'm ashamed to be with him. But that's not true! It's not, but I can't even tell him that. Because... because I'm scared. I'm- I'm scared, and I'm coward, and now I'm going to lose him" His voice broke as he said the words. He was terrified of losing Lance.

"So... why don't you tell him?" Pidge asked quietly. Shiro tensed. "You- you don't have to answer that" Pidge pushed the cog into the machine with ease and began fiddling with another piece.

"I-" Shiro crossed his arms tightly over his chest and stared at his feet. "I can't tell him because I want to protect him from all- from everything that I've been through. I can't tell him because... because I love him." Pidge stalled her hands but continued to stare at the device in her hands.

"Who?" she asked softly. Shiro's next word shocked Pidge.

"Lance"

~   ~

"How did you know?" Lance asked as he curled in on himself on Keith's bed. Keith was sitting at the other end with his arms folded in his lap. "About... about us, I mean"

"Like I said, I know Shiro" Keith started gently. "He acts differently when he's in- when he likes someone" Keith shrugged. Lance chewed on his lip and tried not to make a face.

"Yeah, well. I'm not even sure if he likes me" he said bitterly. He felt the telltale signs of tears building up behind his eyes, but he pushed them back. He wasn't going to cry. Not about Shiro, and certainly not in front of Keith.

"He does" Keith said without hesitation. Lance dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands as he hiccuped. Trying to keep the tears at bay was a losing battle.

"But- but-" Lance stammered. Keith sighed.

"Lance, listen. Shiro is a hard person to understand. He's reserved, he doesn't talk about his feelings, he keeps everything bottled up. But once you get to know him you see how he expresses his emotions. And when he's with you? He's the Shiro-equivalent of a goddamn golden retriever. He's so happy when he talks to you, even when we're just at dinner discussing the training we did in the past day. He's so totally enamored by you" Lance raked his nails down his arm. He was feeling so many things at once, it was overwhelming.

"He doesn't show it" Lance said bleakly. "He- He comes into my room late at night and leaves early in the morning so no one sees him. He doesn't touch me unless we're in one of our rooms because he doesn't want to get caught, not even for a high-five after a mission" Keith listened intently as Lance babbled on, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Keith... I don't know what to do" Lance said quietly. "I- I care about him. I care about him so, freaking much and I just- I don't know what to do" An involuntary laugh spilled over his lips. Lance laughed and clutched his chest. It felt like his heart was breaking. "If he cares about me then why is he doing this? Why won't he tell people about us?" A breath caught in Keith's throat. He swiftly moved across the bed and pulled Lance into a hug. Lance dissolved into a puddle of tears at the contact.

"Why, Keith?" Lance wailed. "Tell me why" Keith petted Lance's hair to try and calm him. He'd never seen him this upset before.

"I- It's not my story to tell"

~   ~

"You could've just told us" Pidge said casually. Shiro had spewed out the whole story, despite his reluctance. Keeping it to himself was killing him. He needed someone to understand. "No one was going to judge you"

"I know, I know..." Shiro rested his head against the wall behind him. He had sat down on the floor after talking for a few minutes. Pidge was still perched on the table. "It's just- It's complicated"

"So uncomplicate it" Pidge shrugged.

"It's... not that easy" Shiro sighed. Pidge threw her hands up.

"Why not?" Shiro made a sound of annoyance but didn't reply. "Clearly all he's worried about is the fact that you won't tell people so either give him the reason you won't tell people or... just tell them. Boom. Uncomplicated" Shiro dropped his head into his hands.

"Okay, yeah. It sounds easy when you say it like that but... It's not so simple" Pidge shrugged as she lazily connected the wires to the machine that was still gripped in her hands.

"I dunno. Sounds pretty simple to me"

"It's not so much the telling you guys... I know that it won't bother anyone. You clearly don't care, Hunk will just care that we're happy, Allura and Coran probably already assume we're together, and I'm ninety percent sure that Keith has known since, like, the minute we got together" Shiro said with a huff.

"So what's the problem?" Pidge asked as she leaned over the table to see Shiro's face.

"I- I don't--" Shiro stuttered, shrinking in on himself. "I just- I don't want him to have to go through what I went through back on Earth"

~   ~

Lance went back to his room later that night after he had finished crying on Keith's shoulder. Keith was adamant that he was not going to tell Lance what he knew, just that he should let Shiro tell him in his own time.

The room felt empty without Shiro. It felt colder. Lance tiredly cleaned himself up and changed into his pajamas. He felt like he had been awake for days. His eyelids drooped and his feet dragged as he threw himself onto his bed. His head had barely hit the pillow when there was a knock at his door.

"Lance?" Lance groaned, his face half smushed on the cold fabric of his sheets.

"Go away" Lance grumbled.

The door slid open.

"Can we not talk about this? Not tonight" Lance asked sharply, mimicking what Shiro had said to him that night. Shiro winced.

"Please, Lance. Just let me say something, then I'll- I'll leave you alone" Lance rolled over so he was facing away from Shiro and fell silent. Shiro took that for his signal to say something.

"Lance, I'm not ashamed of you. Not at all. I don't mind if we tell the others, and I'm sorry that I didn't say that before. I was just scared. Not scared of their reactions, I know that they'll all be very supportive and happy for us. Just... I'm scared for what comes after... after this" he gestured to the room, even though Lance couldn't see him.

Lance kept his eyes trained on the wall, trying to keep his face neutral as Shiro spoke. He still didn't understand why he couldn't have said all this to begin with. Why had he gone radio silent for nearly two weeks?

"When I was a student at the garrison I met a boy, Adam" Shiro's voice shook as he spoke. Lance held his breath. "He was my first crush and when I asked him out, he said yes. I was so... I was so excited" he said hollowly. Lance's chest ached at the pain in Shiro's voice. "I was so excited that I ran to tell my roommate, Avery, about it. He- He didn't react well to- to having a 'homo' as his roommate. He pushed me into the wall and then went and asked to change rooms. They let him" His voice cracked. Lance squeezed his eyes shut and pinched his lips.

"I tried not to let his reaction get to me" Shiro continued. "Me and Adam dated for a while. We walked each other to class and ate meals together. One day- one day when we were walking home from dinner a couple of kids from the grade above ours saw us holding hands. They started shouting things, so we started to run. They chased us down and--" Shiro stifled a sob. Lance instantly rolled off the bed and grabbed the back of Shiro's neck, pulling him down to a hug.

"It's okay- It's okay. You don't have to say it" he said softly. Shiro shook his head as he cried into Lance's chest.

"I do" he stated. "I have to tell you. You have to understand why- why I was scared to tell them" Lance nodded and began to run his fingers through Shiro's hair.

"Okay" Shiro took a deep breath and continued.

"They chased us down the street until I tripped. They- knocked Adam down and kicked him. I tried to- to stop them but one of them started punching me. When they finally left I scooped Adam up and ran to the hospital. He had two cracked ribs and I had a concussion. We got suspended for getting back to our rooms after curfew. Those boys didn't even get reprimanded" Lance gently rubbed circles in the nape of Shiro's neck. It had always worked to calm him down before.

"I had no idea" he breathed.

"I- I didn't want anyone to know" he straightened up and sniffed. "Lance, I'm not ashamed of you. I'm not scared of telling the others that we're together. What I'm afraid of is... is what happens when we get back to Earth" he explained. "I don't want what happened to me happen to you. I could never forgive myself for causing you that pain" he said sincerely.

"With all do respect, that's kind of bullshit" Lance said abruptly. Shiro blinked in surprise. "You don't get to decide that for me. And news flash, you didn't make me gay. No one made me gay. That's just... who I am. And I think on some level I've always known that. You can't protect me from the 'horrors of this world' by not being with me. If we didn't get together... I would've realized I was gay sooner or later and it would all still happen to me. The only thing that would be different, is I wouldn't have my knight in shining armor to protect me" Lance said with a charming smile. Shiro laughed softly and looped his arms around Lance, pulling him in close. There were still tears in his eyes, threatening to spill over, but he was relieved that Lance was talking to him.

"I'm sorry, baby" Shiro said, kissing Lance's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. It was wrong for me to--" Lance shook his head lightly.

"We both said stupid things" Lance reassured him. He yawned quietly and smiled when Shiro pressed a kiss to his temple. He had missed this so much. "I know we're still kind of fighting, and I'm definitely not done talking about this yet, but can we do this later for real? I'm exhausted" Shiro chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, we can talk about it later"

~   ~   ~

| Other fics | Ko-fi |