#i kept remembering this today and bursting into laughter

[strawberryblue-blog]

could you do birthday sex smut with Pedri

Like old times —Pedri González.

summary: Pedri invites you to meet his friends on his birthday and it ends like you never expected.

warnings: YES. +18. smut, friends to lovers, cute, soft.

words count: +2k.

#SEXYNOTE: Happy birthday to our Pedri (late) We love youuuu 🩷

Laughter spilled through the house as the voices talked about things. You were talking to a friend of Pedri's while he was talking about you, remembering things from the past. Today was your best friend's birthday and all his friends had come to celebrate. Your old childhood friend that even though you still saw each other from time to time, you had agreed to be close friends. But you hadn't been able to see each other lately because of his work and your studies. You were more than happy that he invited you to have dinner with them today for his birthday, with his teammates that you were excited to meet.

They were great, you barely talked to them but you already got along so well. Pedri kept talking about you. About your childhood. Old anecdotes brought back vivid memories of your times, everyone laughed and commented. You could tell that some were a little more over the top than others and the birthday boy was not far behind.

You felt melancholy. You didn't know if it was the alcohol or the fleeting glances you and Pedri gave each other as you reminisced. His eyes looked at you with that same sparkle they had when you were young and you're sure yours sparkled like that too. All night long you had been giving each other complicit, honeyed and challenging glances. As if you owed something to each other. As if you were waiting for something from each other. Still, you tried to make the most of your time with his friends. It wasn't every day you were surrounded by people as nice as they were.

You dined, drank, talked, toasted and ate cake. Everything was perfect. The reunion had been successful and most of them were already starting to say goodbye to go home.

"It was nice to meet the famous Y/n!" said Ferran, hugging you fleetingly. You hugged him nicely too.

They all agreed, smiling.

"It's pleasure is all mine, guys" you thanked towards them.

"We have to do it more often" Gavi said before hugging you goodbye. "If Pedri accepts, I don't think he's that happy about it" he whispered when he reached your ear. His hug lasted a little longer than the others and your heart skipped a beat when you heard it.

Behind you was Pedri, looking at you somewhat seriously while still holding Gavi in a hug. You heard a chuckle from him and hid your laughter. He winked at you when you pulled away and you smiled at him.

"All right, bye" Pedri muttered, running to Gavi quickly and dragging him to the door. Everyone burst out laughing in amusement.

You shook your head ignoring him. You were her best friend, none of that would change by hanging out with the boys.

Pedri escorted them out, while you stayed behind to sort things out. You felt a little guilty about the mess and you weren't going to let Pedri set everything up alone in the morning.

"Y/n, leave it. Tomorrow I'll clean up" he said when he got back to the house.

"Please, let me do it" you asked with a look, Pedri snorted but had no choice when you kept putting things together.

You stayed a while longer, tidying up, washing and chatting. You didn't mind helping him at all, in fact you were enjoying it. He kept catching you up on his life and you took the opportunity to tell him about yours. It had been a long time since you had had a conversation as deep and lively as this one and finally you and Pedri were alone.

"Would you like one more drink?" he asked as you sat down to rest on the couch after you finished.

"I think I need to go home" you say with a grimace.

"Come on!" he squeals in amusement. "It's my birthday" he pouts. "Besides you could stay, there's an extra room if you want..."

His eyes pleaded for you to accept, it was obvious you were both excited to see each other again. You weren't going to deny it, you had been waiting all night for a moment alone with him, just like old times. You wanted to stay but were afraid to admit it.

"Okay, let's open another bottle" you nod smiling.

He goes to kitchen for another champagne from the fridge and two clean glasses. He returns, sits down on the sofa with a chuckle and pours the glasses carefully, still talking. You've never seen him as chatty as he is tonight, he was enjoying his alone time and you wanted to know all about him. Once again, you toast clinking your glasses and you bite your lip nervously. You take a hurried drink, trying to calm your anxieties. Your heart started pounding and you begin to hesitate as you smile thinly.

"Remember when we ran away from home to go to camp with Fer?" you asked with a laugh as you continued to reminisce.

He long a laugh as he remembered. It had been when you were six years old, Fer and his friends had gone camping at the beach and you curious little kids followed them to go too. You had run away from home, as your parents had not let you go, since you were small. But you wanted to see the waves and become teenagers like the others.

"I still remember that I didn't leave home for at least three months because of the punishment" Pedri river denying. "And when we fell out of the tree hammock?" he said and you burst out laughing.

That had been another experience. Your father had told you not to ride in the tree hammock together because he clearly wasn't going to put up with it but you didn't know what that meant and did it anyway. Said and done, the hammock didn't hold and the branch snapped, making you fall in a big crash that you still remember perfectly.

You sighed trying to stop laughing, your belly already hurt and you felt dizzy.

"Remember when we kissed for the first time?" you ask with a shy laugh, grimacing in embarrassment.

Heat rises to your cheeks as you remember their first kiss. Yes. Your first kiss had been with Pedri when you were thirteen. You watched everyone kiss, Fer and his girlfriend at the time, your parents, your friends, the movies, everyone. You wanted to have your kiss too and you were grown up, according to you.

"It was terrible" guffawed Pedri clutching his belly. "We didn't even know how to do it"

Another guffaw comes out of your mouth. Tears were starting to build up from the laughter, your belly ached and you had no desire left. It was definitely the best time.

"We didn't know what to do with our tongues, it was so gross" you remembered and again laughed out loud.

He catches it and laughs too. For some reason, his laughter makes you feel a knot in your stomach. It's so magical. It takes you back to those moments where you were soul mates, inexperienced and curious young people, trying to find yourselves in each other. Your friendship with Pedri was one of the most precious things you had.

The laughter begins to subside and you stare at each other. Her face is slightly flushed, probably from the alcohol, his gaze shining in the dim light of the room. His hair is tousled and looks so soft it makes you want to comb it. You swallow saliva as your gazes never leave each other's eyes. So deep that you feel spellbound. You smile a little shyly, your heart races with every second, your chest tightens and you want to keep talking to him. You love to hear his voice, his laughter. You want to keep remembering your moments with Pedri, because every time you listen to him he makes you feel a special spark inside you.

But you don't really feel like talking. You want to touch him, to pull him closer to you, to kiss him. To have him as close to you as possible.

The silence is overwhelming and uncomfortable. Your gazes are still glued like chewing gum on your shoe Your breaths are agitated and irregular. You want to kiss him so badly. You don't know when he moved but he's so close to you, you doubt if it was you who approached. You don't know, you're lost in his eyes.

"Just like old times" he murmurs taking your hand gently. "You and me"

You smile biting your lip. You nod without even being able to speak, your heart soars and your pulse rises. It's just him and you. It's just the two of you.

His gaze pleads for something you understand perfectly. But neither of you dare make a move. You're so scared you're afraid of misreading the situation. If you kiss him, there's no turning back and you don't know if he wants that.

Minutes pass and you're still there, looking at each other. With feelings afloat as they continue to bloom on your breasts.

You bite your lip, sighing slowly. And without thinking and you jump into his mouth, kissing him with some fear.

It's a soft touch, as if asking for permission. Pedri accepts it and quickly with your hands encircle his cheeks as his hands wrap around your waist, pulling you closer.

He wanted to kiss you, you wanted to kiss him. It was the perfect moment to remember old times. You kiss for eternity, savoring each other, feeling each other, remembering each other. This time the kiss is nothing compared to that first kiss you had more than ten years ago.

It's hard, sure and hot. Although his lips taste exactly like they used to at that moment and your heart felt the same as it used to feel some time ago. Agitated, needy and in love with Pedri.

You want to kiss him. You want to touch him. You want to feel him.

His body traps yours and he lays you down on the couch, still kissing, his hands caressing every corner of your skin while your fingers hold the dark fibers of his hair. His touch burns into your skin, leaving warm traces that will be marked for life in your heart. His lips walk down your neck, it's rough but sweet at the same time, gasps escape from your mouths. You can't stop kissing you, over and over again. From seeing each other, from feeling each other, from remembering each other.

Your hands begin to undress your body, removing your shirt and skirt, your fingers caress every corner of your skin, touching it. Yours help him take off his shirt and then play in his soft hair, his body presses against yours as your legs embrace his bare back. You don't want to stop kissing him, you don't want him to stop. You need him.

"Are you okay?" he whispers as his forehead presses against yours Your confused look makes him hesitate but it's not because you want to stop. "Do you want to go on?"

"Yes, I do" you say holding his red cheeks. But you take the time to watch him. Above you, his lips red and swollen, his cheeks flushed from the heat beginning to rise in your bodies, his eyes shining like mirrors, his chest heaving.

It is beautiful. Through his gaze you can still see the boy only four years old who came to play with you on the playground, the only boy who didn't judge you and came to you, the boy who visited you every day after school, the boy who taught you how to kick and a thousand other things that live forever in your heart.

"Kissing you that day wasn't really gross, Peter" you murmur sincerely.

Yes, maybe it was in a sense. You didn't know how to do it, it was slobbery, short and it felt awful. But on the other hand it was innocent, tender and delicate. It was the beginning of everything. Your feelings were never the same as before after that.

"It was beautiful" you whisper as his fingers stroke your hair, he tucks a loose strand behind your ear and smiles. "It was magical" you admit excitedly.

"You are beautiful" he says looking so deep into your eyes. "It was the best first kiss I could have ever had."

You smile nostalgically as you continue to talk through your eyes.

“Let me show you how much I missed you” he asks in a whisper as his nose plays with yours. “Let me show you when I love you.”

A small tear escapes down your cheek falling. He catches it before it touched your skin. Your head is about to explode, the butterflies in your belly feel like dinosaurs.

“Only if you also let me do the same” you also whisper with a small smile.

His lips kiss yours again, this time firmer, more desperate. His mouth leaves no room on yours and he kisses you fiercely, as if he wants to devour you. And he does. His hands roam over your belly and chest, making small gentle touches to acknowledge your skin. Finally they reach for your bra pin and unclasp it, removing it from your body. His eyes slide over your round breasts, you let him see them, admire them, know them. Your stomach vibrates as he licks his lips and you smile with laughter.

Your fingers take his jeans and unbutton them, seeking to feel his body closer to yours. He lifts up a little to take it off, dragging it down with his underwear and you stare at him for a second. You'd seen other naked bodies but none of them resemble Pedri's. He is perfect.

He turns to you and takes the panties from your sides asking for permission with his eyes, which you quickly accept with a smile. As many say, a picture is worth a thousand words and the way Pedri just looked at you, he just made a testament.

You find yourselves completely naked, looking at each other, as your hearts beat in tandem. Your breaths meet again as you kiss again. Like a magnet their mouths attract each other again and again. As they begin to touch, to know each other, to meet again. Her hands encircle your breasts and squeeze them, making you gasp with pleasure. Yours hold his ass firm, pulling him closer to you. His kisses follow a trail down your neck, down your skin, his lips find your nipples and you kiss them softly. Gently. Moans come out of your mouth, his eyes have never left yours, it's as if they've been bonded for life. Your bodies hot, needy, waiting to join. He positions himself at your entrance and gently moves in, probing your wetness as he makes room between your walls. Your mouth opens and lets out a moan as you feel his cock fit perfectly into your cavity, it's slow and smooth, not even moving. His gaze never leaves yours as your hands hold his face so close to yours that they almost rub together.

You don't need to say anything. Your eyes, your feelings, your hearts have said enough. Skin to skin. Joining together, and I don't mean blissfully sexual. Something beyond a bodily union. But something deeper and more spiritual.

It is a magical moment. So unreal that you doubt if it is a dream but his movements make you believe that he is inside you. Inside your heart. Inside your soul. You hold tight to his neck as he begins to thrust faster, though his movements are delicate, smooth and deep. It feels so good. Him. You. Together tonight. United in soul and body.

Something you had dreamed of your whole life. From that innocent and premature kiss you had out of curiosity until today when you saw him talking about you and the complicit glances you gave each other. Tonight was special for him and it was special for you too.

“Happy birthday, love of my life” you whisper with a proud smile.

His body stops inside you and you feel an emptiness in your chest but his eyes make everything about you vibrate.

“You are the best gift, you are my dream” he murmurs sincerely and your chest burns.

He joins your lips again and you kiss so romantic, soft and polite. Without rushing taking your time because today nothing runs you, it's just him and you.

He admires you, you admire him. Your bodies yearn for each other, you are joined for life. The way he touches you, feels you, looks at you. He makes you feel special by his side, he always has. Pedri is the love of your life. And meeting again made you realize that you are meant for each other.

[i-like-writing-stuff]

never changing [ five hargreeves x reader ]

a/n: hi y’all! it’s been a hot minute since i’ve been on here, but after the absolute shit show that season 4 was, some sparks ignited in me to write up anything to take my mind off it 🙌

its not anything crazy, just fluff and banter since i haven’t written anything in years so it may be as poorly redacted as this season lmao

summary: five and y/n attend their niece birthday party together, yet separate

“Happy birthday, little Gracie!” You smiled widely, trying not to drop the wrapped present box as the six year old girl jumped into your arms, “Oh my gosh, look at you! You’re just getting prettier by day, aren’t you?”

You had just got off work in a hurry to make your appearance at the little girl’s birthday party at a decent time, in spite of the amount of paperwork you managed to bury yourself in lately. You knew how much it would have meant for the celebrated one to show up and you couldn’t bear to let her down, especially on her birthday.

After spending most of your life working for the Commission, and then a decent amount of time exhausting yourself in trying to stop multiple Apocalypses, your last six years have been pretty quiet as a lawyer. You really wanted to get out of the whole assassin thing, but at the same time couldn’t exactly move on from the thrill of the work field. Your career as a lawyer took off really well these past years, but inevitably it came along with the cost of always being stuck at work, so whenever your niece got the chance to see you, she was truly enthusiastic.

“Auntie Y/N!” She wrapped her tiny arms around your neck, engulfing you into a tight hug, “You are here!”

Nonetheless, these six years have been truly and undeniably the most peaceful time of your life for as long as you could remember.

“You literally saw each other the other day,�� Five raised a brow, watching you and the celebrated one act as if you hadn’t seen each other in years.

You and the little girl shared a look, before rolling your eyes and turning to glare at the man next to you. Ever since Grace learned how to talk, you and her would gang up on her uncle for your amusement, especially since he was so keen on entertaining the banter.

These past six year have gone by in the blink of an eye, yet at the same time at a slow and steady pace. You spent most of your time working anyway, but still kept in touch with the seven siblings you’d grown to love.

Some in different ways than others.

“Uncle Five, you’re always more excited than me to see Aunt Y/N,” Gracie waved him off, making you burst out laughing, “Jealousy isn’t a good look on you anyway.”

“What is a good look on him anyway?” You smirked, making the little girl laugh, as Five swept her into his arms;

“Okay, munchkin, it’s your birthday today, but tomorrow I’m going back to bullying you,” He joked, causing you both to laugh, before the two shared a hug before you, “You’re lucky your gift has no return policy.”

The party had already started by the time you made it there. The playground was huddled by other kids around Grace’s age, along with their parents. The music was playing loudly over the laughter of children and you were pretty sure that most of the family had already arrived. It was not the most ideal gathering, but you tried your best to keep in touch with most of the family to your best capabilities.

“Y/N, I’m so glad you could make it!” Luther smiled, appearing from the crowd of guests, immediately giving you a big hug as his niece was still wrapped around Five, “Haven’t seen you since Thanksgiving!”

“Big shot lawyer doesn’t always have the time to stay in touch with family, huh?” Diego teased you, following suit, as you rolled your eyes, dropping off his daughter’s gift in his hands.

“Big shot delivery driver doesn’t know the phone works both ways, huh?” You smirked, putting your hands on your hips.

Diego laughed out loud as he gave you a hug, always in the mood for a back and forth short banter with you. After all, you truly were family, even if you didn’t always have the time to be present in the Hargreeves’ day to day lives. You may have met them in the original timeline in 2019, when you accidentally time traveled with your former partner at the Commission, Five, but after all you’ve been through, you didn’t need to have grown up together or be blood related to be considered that. And you truly were grateful for each and every single one of them, in spite of the many differences over the years.

After everything that’s happened six years ago at Hotel Oblivion, everyone went their separate ways. Allison was back with her daughter while trying to further her acting career and also help Klaus stay on the sober line, Viktor had moved to Canada where he opened a bar, Diego and Lila had three kids, Luther was “professionally dancing”, Ben had some run-ins with the law and Five, ironically enough, was working for the CIA.

“Well, you two are as annoying as always,” Ben told you and his brother, making Diego roll his eyes as he walked towards the gift table to set down your present.

“Please try to stay out of prison at least for the remainder of the year,” You joked with the man, making him roll his eyes as he hugged you loosely, “There’s only so much favors I could owe the DA.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Ben groaned, “I don’t even know why they let you work at the law firm since you still look like a prepubescent with no boobs. Even Five got a growth spurt.”

“I sized up to B recently, thank you very much,” You nudged his shoulder, before placing your hands on your chest in an offended manner.

“Okay, Gracie, not a conversation you’d wanna hear,” Five spoke up, putting his niece down, “Your aunt needs to learn some etiquette on how to act around children.”

“Funny coming from you,” You couldn’t help but wave him off.

You didn’t come in with Five at the party, but as fate had it, you did run into him as you were parking your car. He had just gone out to his brother’s dusty van to bring inside some more cookies for the guests. You kept in touch with him as well, but not as often as you would have liked. It’s not all that serious, but given the fact that you were a lawyer still climbing your way to the top and him being a top notch CIA agent, you didn’t exactly have the time to hang out.

At least, not as much as you’d have liked.

Five was watching you with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, and his hands in his pockets. He had the same look on his face as always when watching you. He had the same smile when he saw you in combat for the first time during your first mission for the Commission together, the same look in his eyes when you appeared for the first time in 2019 alongside him in your teen bodies. The same posture he had when he met you again in 1963 after months of not seeing each other.

He wore the same love on his face while looking at you when you and the siblings split up after the events at Oblivion.

And never once did you notice that.

Not once in these past six years you let your feelings surface.

“You know Grace is my niece too, right?” He couldn’t drop the small smile even if he wanted to.

“Since when are you such a family man?” You raised a brow, trying to keep a confident composure.

“Oh, something changed in me between the first and third time I traded the world for my siblings,” He lightly shrugged his shoulders, making you roll your eyes at the sarcastic remark.

You two never changed.

“Please, I was there for the twins birth,” You waved him off.

You rarely see Five, and even when you do you always try to act normal, as you do around the rest of the Hargreeves. Everyone tried to get you two together at first, since the apocalypse was over and there was no reason for you to not get together, right?

You really wished it was that easy. In hindsight, maybe it was. But you couldn’t take any chances in losing Five forever if something were to go wrong. Maybe some would see it as something stupid, or as if you wasted so many years, but to you- mentally, you were almost seventy, while physically nineteen. You had so much time ahead of you now, all that mattered was to get a stable career first.

Five let a chuckle escape, shaking his head in disbelief, as he looked at the floor for a couple of seconds. When he looked back at you, you tried to keep your composure. You couldn’t help but feel pathetic that after all these years, your heart still skipped a beat whenever he’d look at you.

“You’re doing that thing again where you forget that some other people are still around, guys,” Luther raised his hand, grabbing your attention once again.

“I got bored of watching seventy year old virgins,” Ben shrugged his shoulders, “I’m gonna go get shitfaced.”

“Always a delight seeing you, Benjamin,” Five said, as Luther followed the ex-tentacle boy suit to make re he was not about to actually get drunk;

“This is a six year old’s birthday party!”

You giggled, watching the two brothers speed away while arguing amongst the kids in the crowd. When your eyes laid back on Five, who was intently watching you, you couldn’t help but feel a small blush creep its way in your cheeks.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Spit it out, Hargreeves.”

“I said it’s nothing!”

“Fuck you.”

“Why?”

You watched him dumbfounded for a couple of seconds because of the only answer he could come up with, before walking away, hoping he would follow you.

When he did try to keep up with you, you looked away to hide the proud smile. Even after all these years, things were still the same with him. He was still so eager to spend time with you, he was still smiling at you and entertaining your conversation.

“Aunt Y/N, Uncle Five, come play in the ball pit!” Gracie ushered you from afar, already tucked in the plastic colorful balls.

“You heard the birthday girl!” You smiled, grabbing his hand to drag Five after you.

Even after all these years he would instantly lock his fingers with yours.

[lucysarah-c]

I wrote this little piece a while ago and I decided to do a little continuation.

Masterlist to all the parts.

"Oh, there he is," Erwin said, spotting his friend in the crowd at the military event. He began navigating through the sea of people, keeping his hand close to the small of her back without actually touching it—a subconscious gesture of protectiveness over her petite frame. It was as if he was afraid she might get hurt as he led her through the throng. When they reached their destination, he cleared his throat to get the attention of the two standing before them. Hange smiled warmly, but Levi turned around, frowning deeply. Social events were Levi's least favorite, especially those Erwin coerced him into attending. "Levi, this is Y/N. Y/N, Levi," Erwin introduced them, gesturing between the two. Y/N smiled softly. "Nice to meet you, Captain." She had met Hange a few times in the past, but seeing Levi at such an event was a rare occurrence. "Yeah, same," Levi replied curtly, maintaining his usual stoic and uninterested demeanor. Y/N spent a bit more time with the group of scouts until some of her friends arrived, beckoning her to join them. "I should get going," she said, turning to properly greet her friends. She nearly collided with Levi in the process, causing her to chuckle with a mix of embarrassment and mischief. "Well, since we're here—" she murmured, and before Levi could react, she made a kissing sound and pressed her cheek against his. "Bye, Captain. Take care." She then bid farewell to Hange and Erwin the same way and disappeared into the crowd. Later that night, on her way home, she bumped into Erwin again. "I don't think your friend liked me very much," she commented, tightening her coat against the chill. "He was so quiet and didn't seem very friendly." Erwin chuckled. "Don't worry… he's always like that." -- Meanwhile, Levi and Hange were making their way back to the scout facility. "She's going to be the mother of my children," Levi said, almost in a trance. Hange burst into laughter. "You'll have to actually talk to her for that to happen." "Fuck—"

 "So..." 

Levi cleared his throat and took a sip of his tea; his Adam’s apple rise and fall as the brown liquid slid down. He sat on a chair opposite Erwin’s desk, one arm draped casually over the back, his right leg crossed on top. The chair’s wheels allowed him to rotate slightly, giving Erwin a side view. 

Erwin's hand, which had been meticulously working on a map for the upcoming expedition, paused for a moment. A subtle grimace flashed across his face before he regained his composure and continued. Levi had been acting strangely ever since he stepped into the office to deliver paperwork. Normally, he would have left the pile and walked out. But today was different. Levi had seated himself, poured a cup of tea, and now, he was clearing his throat. Erwin knew Levi wanted something. By his demeanour, it was clear that whatever was on Levi's mind was significant enough to make the usually decisive Captain hesitate. 

"So, mhp—" Levi cleared his throat again and adjusted his position in the chair, trying to appear nonchalant but only raising suspicion. Erwin kept his eyes on his work, though his mind was wandering, waiting for Levi to reveal his purpose. "How did you and..." Levi paused, frowning slightly, as if searching for a name. "Y/N? I think that's her name." 

Erwin couldn't help but chuckle, a sound that echoed in the empty office. He bit the inside of his cheeks to stifle his laughter as Levi shot him a glare. 

"What’s so damn funny?" Levi's tone was sharp, a stark contrast to his earlier hesitation. 

"You," Erwin replied without hesitation, a smirk lingering on his lips. "It took you three years to remember Nile's name and stop calling him 'pathetic mustache.' And now you expect me to believe you casually mention my friend’s name as if you don’t remember it?" 

Levi snorted, offended by the implication that he was being less than straightforward. 

“What about my friend?” Erwin set his pen down carefully to avoid staining his work with ink. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs and intertwining his fingers. 

"You always say I need to be more sociable with other divisions, and now—" 

Levi's feeble excuse was cut off by Erwin. "And you decided to start by getting to know my close friend?" 

The tension was palpable, like a taut wire ready to snap. Erwin had caught Levi, much like a parent waiting for their child to confess a known transgression. 

"Levi, if you’re trying to hit on a friend of mine whom I consider like a little sister, at least have the guts to admit it." 

Levi's eyes remained fixed on the wall, motionless as if hoping the scrutiny would vanish if he stayed still, like a cornered animal. 

"You never introduce me to anyone interesting, and when you do, you gate-keep them." 

"I never introduce you to anyone interesting because you never attend social events," Erwin countered. 

Levi’s expression was impassive, but Erwin could almost see a hint of a pout. "Y/N was in her final year of nursing training in the military when I needed a medical companion for my aging mother. They initially refused because such services were usually reserved for the MPs. But after insisting, they sent their least experienced one. Despite that, Y/N was young but extremely dedicated. My mother adored her, treating her like her own daughter. She cared for my mother until her last day, and that's how I know her." 

Levi nodded slowly, as if absorbing the information. Erwin’s account only heightened her appeal in Levi’s mind. Her charming, outgoing nature and the sparkle in her eyes as she smiled captivated him. It felt offensive that he didn’t know every detail about her. 

"With that said..." Erwin continued, straightening up and returning to his paperwork, "Whatever plans your former thug mind is conjuring, I suggest you rethink them." 

Levi frowned. "I can't even ask? I wasn’t planning on doing anything." 

"Yeah, yeah, and I was born yesterday," Erwin replied with a hint of sarcasm. 

The truth was, Levi wasn’t doing anything. Since they first met, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. It made him feel like one of the awkward teenagers he often supervised, hoping to spot her in a crowded room only to shy away when she appeared. Talking to her casually seemed more daunting than reclaiming Wall Maria. 

Their paths had crossed occasionally, but usually, she approached to greet Erwin, and Levi remained silent. 

"Your hair doesn’t look that shitty," Levi mentioned once, out of the blue. The bustling hallway of the Capital building suddenly felt quiet, amplifying the awkward silence. 

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, then frowned slightly as she processed his comment. "Well... considering I’ve been on emergency on-call for the past 48 hours, I'll take that as a compliment," she chuckled, half-friendly, half-confused. 

‘It was a compliment...’ Levi thought to himself. 

If there were a cure for his infatuation, it would require something he absolutely lacked: sociability. 

"Hope you have a great expedition," she offered her best wishes. 

"Yeah, you too..." Levi responded before he could think. 

She laughed softly. "Thank you, but the only expedition I'm planning is to my bed." 

‘Smooth as sandpaper,’ Levi thought, grateful for his stoic expression to hide how much he wished he could disappear at that moment. 

Each encounter felt worse than the last. He said less each time, feeling increasingly awkward. He clenched his teeth as he watched her joke around with Erwin, effortlessly friendly and outgoing. 

It shouldn’t be this hard. He just needed one chance. She was always surrounded by MPs, and Levi knew he was ten times the man they would ever be. But every opportunity slipped away like water through his fingers, and he found himself watching her leave with a sweet smile and a gentle kiss on the cheek, her hair flowing behind her. 

‘Do you need landing lights on my bed? I want to sleep with you!’ 

It was a paradox. He constantly thought about her, yet Levi realized he hadn’t felt such a strong necessity to pin someone down in his bed in years. Imagining those eyes looking at him half-lidded, hearing her soft whimpers... it was intoxicating. But it also felt wrong, as if even thinking about it insulted her honour. 

One chance. That’s all he needed. 

"Oh!"  

Levi could recognize that voice from a mile away. He turned around in the hallway while they were idly waiting for a meeting with the higher-ups. There she was, walking confidently towards them. To the Captain, it felt like she was coming straight to him. "Aren't you my saviour?" 

'Savior? Yeah, I can be whatever you want,' Levi's brain struggled to form a coherent thought. But as soon as she reached them, and Erwin was the first to receive her greetings, Levi's hopes sank like a stone to the bottom of a river. He clicked his tongue in frustration while the two of them caught up on their respective lives. 

Automatically, he dissociated, feeling like a third wheel. "So... wouldn't you be my saviour?" The question was repeated, and it took Levi a couple of seconds to realize by the sudden silence that she was referring to him. His eyes lifted to find her looking at him with a cheeky smile and subtle, pleading eyes. 

"Huh?"  

"Wouldn't you do me a tiny, teeny favour, Captain?" She asked, holding her fingers close together to show just how small her request was. 

Levi gulped, feeling weak under her doe-eyed look and subtle pout as she feigned innocence. The sensible part of his brain told him to at least ask what the favour entailed. However, his other instincts took over, and he found himself saying, "Sure." 

"Oh! Thank you so much!" Without another word, she grabbed his hand and started dragging him down the hallway. Levi offered no resistance. Her pace was brisk, and as she turned to call back, "Don’t worry, Erwin. I won’t keep him long!" 

"You better not; I went all the way to the Underground to get him," Erwin joked, playing along. 

Levi wasn’t fond of being touched, but her hand felt so soft against his. For her, he’d make an exception. Even as she led him out of the building and down the streets of the Capital, he didn’t mind. When they reached the hospital nearby, Levi started to wonder if he had inadvertently agreed to donate his organs. 

"I have a group of orphans at the hospital who were brought in to get the new vaccine," she explained. "But they've been very fussy about it. I bet if they see the mighty Captain Levi, humanity’s strongest soldier, getting his shot, they’ll be brave enough to get theirs too. Right?" 

'So... I just agreed to get a vaccine because my brain is as fucking sexually frustrated as Kirschtein,' Levi thought, mentally kicking himself.  

The wide-eyed children stared up at Levi with so much admiration that their mouths hung open. He couldn’t help but smile subtly. Usually, the loud admiration from citizens wasn’t something he enjoyed. But seeing the kids' starry-eyed wonder was heartwarming. 

"See, Captain Levi isn’t scared of getting his shots," she told the kids as she prepared a cotton swab with alcohol and loaded the syringe. The children’s tears dried up, and their cries ceased as they watched the soldier intently. 

"Could you take off your sleeve on one arm, Captain?" she asked sweetly, hastily moving around. Levi quickly complied. She turned back to him once everything was ready and chuckled, "You’re more ripped than I thought under that uniform," she murmured, slightly blushing as she wiped his pale skin with the cold cotton. 

Levi's eyes never left her face as she was so close that he didn’t even feel the needle go into his arm. He was intoxicated by her delightful perfume and the way her eyelashes framed her eyes. He was tempted to lean in and close the gap between them. 

"All done. See, it doesn’t hurt!" 

Before he knew it, she had finished. She placed a band-aid on his arm and stepped back. "If you all want to grow up to be as strong as Captain Levi, you’ve got to get your shots and eat your vegetables! Right, Captain?" 

Levi snapped back to reality, which was far less appealing than his fantasies. "Ah, yes, listen to her, kids," he said, rolling his sleeve back down. 

"Now, who wants to go first?" 

Suddenly, all the children raised their hands eagerly, begging to be the first to get their shots. It was his chance—stay around until the kids left the room and offer his services for any future occasions she needed him. Maybe next time, they could have tea together, and then... 

"Here," she interrupted his thoughts, placing an ice pack on his arm and handing a bottle of painkillers to the nun in charge of the kids. 

Levi looked at her, puzzled. "You’ll need this. Your arm will hurt like crazy in a couple of hours." 

"I thought you said it didn’t hurt," he said, incredulous. 

She laughed, her chuckle echoing in the hospital room. "First rule of medicine: you never tell a man or a child how much a shot will hurt. You’ll probably have a fever tonight." 

Levi felt absurdly and grotesquely tricked. "And what about my painkiller?" he asked, feeling like a little kid begging for a lollipop. 

"Oh, Captain, I’m sure you have someone who can take care of you tonight if your temperature rises a bit," she teased, sassiness in her voice. 

'Wait... what?' 

--- 

"So, let me get this straight—you’ve got a 39°C fever, and you didn’t even ask her out on a date?" Hange questioned, checking the thermometer that confirmed Levi's high temperature. 

Levi slumped in his office chair with a cold compress on his forehead and another on his arm, his cheeks flushed, feeling as though a Titan had stomped on him. 

"You truly are an idiot," Hange declared. 

"At least she thinks I'm getting laid!" Levi argued back weakly, his voice hoarse and his eyes glazed. 

"Yeah... she also thinks you’re taken, so she wasn’t hitting on you." 

"Fuck—"

(If I get any new idea on how to persue Levi's journey on trying to win the reader over, I'll haha)

Link to my masterlist and my other works if you feel like checking them out. Tags!: @nube55 @justkon @notgoodforlife @nmlkys @humanitys-strongest-bamf @quillinhand @thoreeo @darkstarlight82 @angelofthorr @aomi04 @levisbrat25 @l3visthighs @hum4n-wr3ckag3 @hannieslovebot @starrylevi @rithty @mariaace @ackrmntea @emilyyyy-08 @levisfavoriteteashop @katestrophes @levistealeaf @an-ever-angry-bi @youre-ackermine @fxnnyackerman @secretmoneybearvoid @trashblackrainbow @flxrartsstuff @katharinasdiaryy @levisecretgfblog @searriously @blackdxggr @ackermanswifee @galactict3a @abiatackerman @braunsbabe @moonchild-12345 @twruui @lemonsupernova @r3becca_o @hyuckwon-my-husbands @heyitsd1yaa @sydneyyuu @love-for-faeries-go-burrrr @mandaax @sugacor3 @leti224-blog Wanna join my tag list? Here!

[punkshort]

i know who you are | 3. the accident

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Chapter Summary: You and Joel spend some time getting to know each other, but during dinner with Tommy and Maria, the truth comes out about your accident.

Chapter Warnings: language, angst, pining, sad!Joel, amnesia, slow burn, mild description of head wound/stitches, flirting, clickers, violence and some descriptions of injuries/blood

WC: 10.4K

Series Masterlist

Two Weeks Later

"This place is a lot bigger than I thought. I feel like I see someone new every day."

"Well, your brain did a factory reset, so you kind of are seeing new people every day," Ellie joked at breakfast one morning. Joel had been scheduled on early morning patrol shifts lately, so it was just the two of you before Ellie's classes started. You felt bad, but you grew to enjoy these mornings with just her. She was easy to get along with and she didn't pester you constantly about your memory loss. It was like she just accepted it for what it was and moved on. Joel, on the other hand, was a different story.

"What are you doing today?" she asked, pushing away her bowl of oatmeal.

"I have to go get these stitches removed," you said, your fingers coming up to brush across your injured scalp. "Couldn't come any sooner. They are so itchy."

She hummed and crossed her arms. "Surprised Joel didn't wanna come with you. He's been hovering over you non-stop."

"Yeah, tell me about it," you muttered. When you caught the playful glean in her eye, you backtracked. "Not that I don't appreciate everything he's done for me, it's just..." you trailed off, trying to find the right words.

"It's just a lot?" she offered, and you nodded, relieved that she understood.

"I didn't exactly tell him, either," you said, dropping your gaze to pick at your cuticle in shame. "Every time I go to the clinic, he scares the shit out of that poor doctor."

She laughed softly and stretched her arms out behind her head. "Joel does that to people. He comes off like a pitbull but in reality? He's just a golden retriever."

A slow smile stretched across your face as you absorbed her words, then burst out laughing.

"That is-" you began, cutting yourself off with another laugh, "the most accurate description I could ever possibly think of."

"I've known him for a long time, what can I say?" she said with a grin while throwing her hands up in the air.

Your laughter died down as you stared at the table, lost in thought. Glancing up at Ellie, you decided to see what else she might shed some light on.

"Do you know of a Ben and Lisa?"

She froze and looked at you quizzically for a moment before dropping her hands back down onto the table.

"Yeah, do you remember them?"

"No, no," you said quickly, waving her off. "I kept a journal. Y'know, from before. And I was reading it the other day and I mentioned them. Are they around?"

Ellie glanced around the somewhat crowded room before meeting your eyes again. "No, not today. They don't really come out much," she said, examining you carefully. "They have a small house on the outskirts of town. They are... homebodies, I guess? I think they've been in here, like, twice, since you guys arrived."

"So, they came here with me?" you confirmed, and she nodded.

"Yeah, the three of you arrived together," she said. Her eyes glanced up and saw a few classmates heading out the front door. "I better go, school's starting soon," she said, pushing her chair back and grabbing her backpack.

"Yeah, okay," you said, sitting back in your chair. "Thanks, Ellie," you called after her, and she shot you a quick wave before running to catch up with her friends.

You wished you had more time to ask her about Ben and Lisa. Were they together? Were they siblings? Friends? How did you meet them? What did they know about your past?

The questions were piling up as you let your mind wander. You didn't even realize Maria, Tommy's wife, had approached your table until she said your name for the second time.

"Sorry," you told her, shaking your head.

She smiled and pulled out a chair, joining you at your now empty table. "Don't worry about it. I wanted to check on you. How have you been feeling?"

"Better," you said honestly. "I haven't needed the Tylenol really, so I'm going to bring the rest back to Nick this morning."

"That's fantastic," she said, leaning forward. She regarded you quietly for a moment before speaking again. "Any luck on your memories?"

You sighed and shook your head. It was inevitable - everyone eventually asked you the same question, either morbid curiosity or genuine concern encouraging them. And you tried not to let it bother you, you really did. But you couldn't help but feel like a failure every time when the answer was no.

And then Maria asked the next question everybody always asked.

"How's Joel handling everything?"

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. Of course this was hard for him. It was hard for you, too, just in a different way.

"Alright, I guess."

"Are you two getting along? I know Tommy mentioned you were nervous-"

"Yeah," you said, cutting her off. "It was a little weird at first but it's not so bad now." You glanced around the dining hall, which was mostly empty. "Can you tell me a little bit about him? About us? I would ask Joel, but any time he tells me about some memory, I can see it hurts him. And I just can't stand to see that look in his eye again."

Maria gave you a sympathetic look and squeezed your hand. "I get it. It must be hard, I'm so sorry," she said, and you could feel the tears beginning to prick the corners of your eyes.

"I just feel like I'm always letting him down," you said, swallowing the lump in your throat.

"You're not. Hey, look at me," she said, forcing you to drag your eyes up to meet hers. "You're not letting him down. He loves you. You have no idea how much. That man has been head over heels since the moment you met. He'd do anything for you-"

"I know, and that's what makes this so much worse!" you exclaimed. "I'm sitting around that house all day - our house - waiting for my brain to fucking work and give him the person he's waiting for and I just can't! I can't-" you slammed your palms flat on the table. "I can't fucking-" you buried your face in your hands as you tried to conceal your tears. Maria rubbed soothing circles on your back, giving you time to collect yourself.

"Sounds to me like you're going a little stir-crazy."

You dragged a shaky breath in and nodded, letting your hands fall to your lap.

"What if we got you assigned some work around town? Something light, nothing too strenuous. Would that help?" she asked softly, and your pulse began to return to normal.

"Yeah, I think that would be nice," you said, flashing her a small smile.

"Your choice, then," she said, pulling her hand back, "what are you good at or interested in? I figure stables are probably not a good idea. Tommy said you were having trouble riding. Is there anything you'd like to do?"

You pursed your lips and thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure... can I get back to you?" you asked, realizing once again that you knew very little about yourself.

"Of course," Maria said before standing up from her chair. "You know where to find me whenever you think of something. Or if you just want to talk... I'm here, okay?"

You gave her a watery smile before whispering your thanks, then watched her make her way towards the doors. You sighed and looked around, realizing you were the only one left after the breakfast rush, so you pushed yourself to your feet and followed Maria's footsteps. You had a few more hours before Joel was supposed to come back from patrol, so you decided to walk over to the infirmary and get your stitches removed.

The streets of Jackson were mercifully quiet. Most people were working and the kids were in school, so you didn't run into too many folks on your way towards the other end of town. You wrapped your arms around yourself a little tighter. The chill in the air still lingered from overnight, making you shiver. As you walked, you looked around at the buildings like you normally did, trying your hardest to shake loose a memory, or at this point, even a flicker of a moment, but nothing came.

You trudged up the steps to the infirmary and stepped inside, grateful to be back indoors where it was warm. A little bell rang above your head, announcing your presence, and a moment later you heard Nick's footsteps coming down the hallway. When he lifted his head and saw you, his eyes immediately scanned the room, searching for Joel.

"All alone today?" he asked, then motioned for you to follow him.

"Yeah, Joel's busy," you said, and you swore you could see his shoulders relax.

"I know the feeling," he said, standing next to an empty exam room and holding his arm out to his side, inviting you to enter first, so you did. "I've been trying to get around to doing inventory for weeks, but I'm swamped. Can't seem to find a quiet day," he continued as he opened and closed some cabinets. He pulled on a pair of gloves and opened a drawer for some scissors before placing it on a clean washcloth next to the bed and putting his glasses on.

"Oh, speaking of inventory," you said, leaning to the side so you could fish the pills out of your jeans pocket. You held them out to him with a smile. "Didn't need them all."

"Excellent. Thank you," he said, plucking the baggie from your fingers and setting them down on the counter next to the scissors. "Glad they helped. And again, I'm sorry I couldn't offer anything stronger-"

"Don't be sorry, I understand," you said, then tucked your chin into your chest so he could get a good look at the back of your head. He began to carefully snip away at the irritating thread, taking his time to pull each and every piece out without tugging too much on your skin. You noticed aside from the two of you, the office sounded quiet.

"All alone today, too?" you asked.

"Yes, unfortunately," he said with a sigh. "My aide, Monica, got poached from me. They needed someone on patrol since-" he cut himself off and cleared his throat, and you frowned before you realized what he was about to say.

"Since they had to replace me," you finished for him.

"Yes."

Your lips pressed into a thin line as Nick continued to work away at your stitches. Another casualty in the hurricane that your accident seemed to cause.

"Hey, what if I helped you?" you blurted out, and his hands paused.

"You want to be my aide?"

"Sure. Well, do I need any medical knowledge? I don't know much, but I can help you with inventory or cleaning instruments or... whatever else you might need."

You could sense his hesitation without even having to see his face and you knew in an instant he was thinking about Joel.

"Maria approached me this morning about a job. She said it would be good for me and I agreed. But if I'm not qualified, I understand-"

"No, no, it's not that," he said, and you rolled your eyes. Of course not.

"Joel isn't the boss of me," you said after a moment. He stepped backwards and you lifted your head up to look at him.

"He's an intimidating man," Nick said by way of explanation. He snapped his gloves off and tossing them in the trash. "Why don't you run it by him first? As a favor to me?" he added with a half smile. You sighed and nodded before sliding off the bed.

"Sure, I'll talk to him when he gets back," you agreed, following Nick towards the front door. You thanked him before heading back down the street, your fingers gingerly tracing your closed wound before you shoved your hands into your pockets.

How the hell could one man manage to scare half the town the way Joel Miller did? You thought you were beginning to see a glimmer of the man underneath the hardened exterior, but what on earth drew you to him in the first place? What did your past self see in him that made you so enamored? And why couldn't you see it now? You were afraid the answer didn't so much lie with Joel, but with you.

You desperately needed to discover more of the person you were before your accident. Maybe then you would get some more insight.

When you got back to Joel's house, you decided to take what little quiet time you had left and read some more of your journal. As the sun rose in the sky, the day began to heat up a bit, taking away that frigid chill in the air, so you cracked a window in his living room and curled up on a worn out, but very comfortable, arm chair.

You flipped through the pages, your eyes landing on the last entry you read: Joel lied to me.

You never asked him about it. Either you were too afraid of the answer or you were too afraid he wouldn't tell the truth. At first, you tried to convince yourself that it was nothing. That maybe you had just gotten into a fight on that particular day and you were mad. But seeing how sporadically you had updated the journal, you got the feeling you wouldn't have written it unless it was important.

And why wouldn't you have elaborated? What could it have been? Something that was so serious, you didn't want to risk putting it down in writing?

You hadn't realized how long you were staring at those four words until you heard Joel's heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs of the porch. You snapped the book shut and looked up just as he opened the door. His dark eyes found you immediately and, as usual, you saw what you always saw - relief in seeing you again, the joy one had when they saw their other half, the attraction a man has for the one he loves.

Damn him and his expressive eyes.

"Hey," you said with a small smile, "how was patrol?"

"Not too bad," he replied, kicking off his boots. "Quiet. No infected. Me 'n Alex made short work of our route," he said, strolling over to collapse into the couch next to your chair. He rubbed his eyes with a deep sigh, his head resting on the back of the couch.

"Tired?"

"Yeah," he said, dropping his hand to his lap and rolling his head in your direction. "Glad I got tomorrow off. Maybe we can do somethin' together."

"Yeah, okay," you agreed. Maybe it would be a good opportunity to learn more about him without directly asking. His eyes drifted down to the journal in your lap and he jutted his chin towards it.

"Read anythin' interesting?"

Looking down at it for a brief moment, you thought about asking him what he lied about, but you ultimately decided against it.

"Yeah, actually," you said, flipping a different page open. "I wrote about a Ben and Lisa. Ellie told me we arrived together and they keep to themselves," you continued, looking up at him. His expression was unreadable. "Maybe I should pay them a visit one of these days. Maybe they can tell me a little about myself before-"

"Yeah, maybe," he said suddenly, then stood up to head towards the kitchen. You frowned, your eyes following him as he filled a glass of water. When he turned back to you, you were still looking at him, waiting for him to say something else.

"Why don't you give it a little time before you go seein' them," he suggested after downing his water in one gulp.

"It's been two weeks," you said quietly, "how much more time should I give it?" He shrugged and strolled back into the living room, leaning against the doorframe.

"What'dya wanna know?" he asked, avoiding your question. "I know you better than anyone. I can answer your questions."

"I didn't know you the whole ten years, though," you reminded him, unfolding your legs from the chair. "It sounds like they knew me longer. I just thought they could tell me how I survived-"

"For what?" he snapped, and his tone took a sudden turn. When you met his gaze again, the warmth was gone, and in its place was a face of stone. "What does that matter?" he asked, his voice rising a little. "You're here, you did what you had to do. We all did. What's the point in rehashin' it?"

"What's the point?" you repeated, bewildered. "The point is so I can learn about myself. So I can figure out the person I became, the person you fell in love with!"

Something flickered across his face for a brief moment before his eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed.

"You're right, I'm sorry," he said, the edge to his voice now gone. "I'll take you to see 'em one of these days. We'll go together. I haven't seen 'em in a while myself. It'd be good to catch up," he added.

"Okay," you said slowly, "thank you." He took a deep breath and angled his head towards the stairs.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower," he mumbled, and you nodded, your eyes following him up the steps until he disappeared around the corner.

Joel Miller was an incredibly difficult man to figure out. Just when you thought you knew who he was, he did something like that and it made you second guess yourself. You had determined that aggressive side came out when he was protecting the ones he loved. So who was he protecting this time?

"What'dya wanna do today?" Joel asked you around a mouthful of eggs from across your kitchen table.

"Um, I don't know," you said, pushing your food around on your plate uncomfortably. You thought spending time alone with him was a good idea, but when you woke up that morning, you felt nervous. "Did you have anything in mind?"

He sat back in his chair and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "If you were feelin' up for it, thought I could take you outside the walls a bit. Maybe teach you how to ride again."

You perked up at his suggestion. For some reason, you didn't consider leaving Jackson as an option.

"Yeah, that sounds great," you said with a grin, and his chest warmed at the sight. He missed seeing you smile. Then he remembered something that might make you smile again. He stood up quickly, his chair sliding back across the hardwood floor, and walked over to his backpack, still hanging by the door from yesterday.

"What are you doing?" you called after him, but he didn't reply until he reentered the room with his hands behind his back.

"Forgot I gotcha somethin' when I was out yesterday," he said, trying to bite back his smile. It didn't even occur to him until the last second that you might not like what he was about to give you, that maybe your tastes were different ten years ago, but it was too late now. Nervously, he held out two worn paperback books. You stood up with a curious look on your face and took them in your hands, your eyes running over the covers quickly before turning them over and reading the backs. He shifted his weight as he anxiously waited for your reaction, and when he was rewarded with another huge smile, he couldn't hold his own back.

"These sound great," you told him, glancing at the books again. "I love mysteries, this is..." you met his eyes briefly before shyly looking back down. "This is so thoughtful of you, Joel. Thank you."

He beamed with pride, thrilled that he was able to do something nice for you. "You're welcome, ba- ahem," he coughed, stopping himself from finishing his sentence. You looked back up at him, heat creeping up both of your necks. He cleared his throat and turned around, picking up your plates. "You're welcome," he said again, "thought you might be gettin' bored 'round here."

He rinsed the plates in the sink before heading towards the front door. You put your two books on the counter and trailed after him, the both of you sliding on your boots and jackets. Joel grabbed his backpack before opening the door for you and he followed you down the porch steps.

"Yeah, I'm definitely getting a little bored," you said, eyeing him up as you walked side by side towards the stables. "But speaking of that, I was talking to Maria yesterday and she suggested I get a job." His head swiveled over to you, lips parted in surprise, but before he could speak, you continued. "She said I can pick whatever I want, nothing too strenuous."

He nodded and looked straight ahead again, your words rolling around in his head. "Yeah, suppose that makes sense."

"Good," you said, pleased he was open to the idea. "So when I was at the infirmary yesterday, Nick mentioned-"

"Why were you at the infirmary? Were you in pain? Did you get hurt?"

"Joel, I was fine," you said with a huff. You pointed to the back of your head. "I had my stitches removed."

He stopped in his tracks, which made you skid to a halt. His arms reached out to lift up your hair but at the last second, he held back.

"Can I?" he asked over your shoulder, and you nodded. He gingerly lifted up your hair to take a look at your injury, which felt much better now that the stitches were gone.

"Made showering so much easier," you told him. He hummed and dropped your hair.

"Looks good," he said, and continued walking. "You shoulda waited, I woulda went with you," he added.

"It took ten minutes," you said, waving him off as the stables came into view. "But while I was there, Nick mentioned his aide got reassigned to patrol to fill my old position, so I offered to take her place."

"You wanna work at the infirmary?" he asked, and you shrugged.

"I don't know much, but he said I didn't need to. He just needs help around the office. Cleaning up, taking inventory, maybe help him with some minor procedures. Hand him tools and all that," you said, and Joel nodded slowly.

"Alright," he said, "if that's what you wanna do, sure."

And although you weren't asking for his permission, it felt like you got it, anyway.

As you got closer to the stables, the high pitched whinny of a horse in a nearby paddock caught both your attention. The horse looked smaller - younger - and was attached to a long rope, and in the center of the field holding the other end was a man around Joel's age. Even from a distance, you could see the clench in his jaw and the way his muscles strained to rein in the animal, but he was losing the fight. The horse was too young and too strong and kept pulling away, getting as far away from the man as possible before the lead went taught and the horse was forced to face the man again. Each time it happened, the horse let out a shrill whinny and stomped its hooves in the dirt, expressing its displeasure.

"That's Caleb," Joel said as you both paused to watch. "Must be breakin' in a yearling."

"Breaking in?" you asked, your eyes still glued to the horse, whose head was twisting around angrily, trying to break free.

"It means he's tryin' to tame her so we can ride her," he explained, and you nodded. You both leaned up against the fence and watched the beautiful animal rear up and then dig its hooves deeper into the dirt, dust kicking up into a cloud around them. Caleb was struggling. Sweat was dripping down his face as he tugged on the lead and shouted commands at the horse, but she was having none of it.

The horse's whinnies were becoming louder and more panicked. The whites of her eyes showed when Caleb attempted to get closer, his skin tight over his knuckles from holding onto the rope. Once Caleb got close enough, the horse swung its massive head around in the air then reared back again with all its might, pulling Caleb off his feet unexpectedly with a shout.

"Shit," Joel muttered. He gripped the top rail of the fence and hauled himself over before you could even process what was happening. You watched, eyes wide, as Joel ran into the middle of the field, his arms raised up high over his head to keep the horse from stomping on Caleb.

"Hey! Hey!" you heard Joel's booming voice shout at the animal, drawing her attention off Caleb. The horse charged at Joel, but swerved away at the last second. Joel turned around and gave Caleb a hand, dragging him to his feet before the horse made its way back to where they stood.

"Hey," Joel said, softer this time, but his arms still stretched out in front of him. The horse skidded to a stop a few feet away, snorting and pawing at the dirt, its long tail flicking back and forth. Caleb stood and dusted himself off before taking a few steps backwards to catch his breath, but Joel remained in the same spot. He stared down the animal, the two of them silently sizing the other up. Joel's voice rang out again, just as soft as before. "Hey, shh, girl," he said, relaxing his stance a bit.

You stood cemented to the ground, entranced, as you watched the stand off between man and beast. Joel didn't look scared. He barely even flinched when the horse let out another high pitched squeal. He stood tall and firm, refusing to back down, and patiently waited for the horse to come to him.

He left his arm outstretched as an olive branch, his eyes never leaving the horse. He murmured low, soothing noises until it took a tentative step forward. Joel nodded encouragingly and continued to speak softly, earning him another step.

You felt a stirring low in your stomach as you continued to watch, with your jaw slack and your breaths shallow. Joel finally reached out and grabbed the lead, then ran the flat of his hand slowly up and down the horse's nose, giving it a little scratch between the eyes, and you clenched your thighs together.

After a few minutes of Joel calmingly murmuring to the horse, he handed the rope back to Caleb, who expressed his deepest gratitude before carefully leading the filly back towards the stables. Joel turned back towards you, dusting his hands off as he walked. Your cheeks felt warm by the time he made it to the other side of the fence and climbed over.

"That was..." you trailed off, not sure what to say. He smirked at you as he leaned down to pick his backpack up. "That was really impressive," you finally squeaked out. Unbeknownst to you, he could see right through you. He'd known you for too long and he especially knew what you looked like when you were aroused. He eyed you up and down before nodding towards the stables.

"It's 'bout respect and patience. You get what you give," he explained as he wiped away some sweat that formed on the back of his neck. Your mouth went dry at the sight.

"H-have you done that before?"

"What, break in wild animals?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at you, and you nodded. If he didn't already clock the way you were reacting, he wouldn't have said what he said next. "No. Only you."

You choked on your laughter and he grinned.

"I hardly think I can compare to a wild horse," you said, your cheeks on fire.

"You're right. Tamin' you was harder."

"I thought I was the one who confronted you about sneaking around? Which is it?" you teased as you followed him into the barn, the scent of hay and leather and the sound of horses gently snorting in their stalls invading your senses.

"Oh, you did. You just didn't like sneakin' 'round. Took a lot longer to make you fall in love and move in with me," he said. He walked up to a list pinned to a clipboard and scribbled his name inside an empty slot.

"Mm, and you really think you can do it again?" you asked, trying to sound doubtful but your smile gave you away. He glanced down at you, leaning against the wall for a moment, his eyes lingering on your lips and cheeks before chuckling.

"Oh, absolutely," he said lowly, and you felt your heart flutter in your chest.

"Alright, Casanova. Let's get a move on," you said, rolling your eyes and turning away, but not before he caught the excited glint in your eye.

Thank god for Joel's backpack.

That was the only thing separating you two as you clung to him from behind as he steered your borrowed horse through the woods. It was peaceful. Serene, even. It was hard to believe so many horrible things happened, and were still happening, in this world when you were surrounded by such beauty. And you might have been able to appreciate it more if you weren't so utterly distracted by your body's reaction to Joel. You couldn't imagine what you would be thinking and feeling if there wasn't a buffer between you. Had you been able to feel each and every strong muscle in his back and shoulders, or the heat rolling off him, or fully commit to memory his very unique and intoxicating scent.

No, luckily you had some distance, and by the time he reached the field he was looking for, you felt like you had regained your senses. You brushed off your earlier reaction to your hormones and nothing more by the time you slid down from the horse and joined Joel on the ground.

"It's so quiet out here," you remarked, looking around and shrugging off your jacket. By now, the sun had risen high enough in the sky to warm everything up around you, the frosty morning air long since melted away. Joel tied the reins of your horse around a tree trunk and took off his own jacket, slinging it over the saddle.

"We used to come out here a lot," was all he said, avoiding your eyes. You looked around again, trying to find something familiar. He could tell what you were doing and he shook his head.

"Don't try to force it, it ain't gonna do any good," he said, and you looked over at him, surprised.

"Sorry. I'm really trying," you said softly, looking down at the dirt. He looked at you sadly, just for a moment when your attention was on your shoes, then forced a smile across his face.

"C'mon, I wanna show you somethin'."

You followed him through the thinning trees towards the open field; the grass waist high as you hiked through it together, cicadas singing all around you as you walked. The sun was growing more powerful, but you weren't uncomfortable.

"This is my favorite time of year," you told him, and he glanced over at you. "It's not too hot, not too cold."

He smiled and looked straight ahead once again. "I know. You like warm days and cold nights."

"That's right," you said, pressing your lips together and wondering if there would ever be anything you could tell him that he didn't already seem to know. "You have a good memory."

"When it comes to you, yeah."

Joel held out an arm to stop you, your face angled towards the ground as you walked so you wouldn't trip. You looked up when you ran into his arm, first at him, and then at the scenery before you.

It was breathtaking. Somehow, without even realizing it, you were on top of a mountain. Or, close to it, anyway. Near the edge, you looked around and saw other hills and valleys surrounding you, green and lush and full of life. A flock of blackbirds swooped by straight ahead, and way down below, between all the jagged rocks, was a little lazy river.

"This is beautiful," you breathed, your eyes glistening. Joel studied your face while you were distracted, his eyes never once looking at the nature surrounding you.

"Yeah, I know," he whispered. You dragged your eyes away from the view and gave him a dazzling smile, one that made his chest ache, before sitting down at the edge of the grass with a sigh.

"Okay. What do you miss most about your life before?" you asked him out of the blue. His stomach lurched, his mind immediately filled with thoughts of a little girl with curly hair and dark brown eyes that once made him finally understand the true meaning of unconditional love.

"Barbeques," he choked out, hoping you didn't pick up on his mood shift.

"Mm, that's a good one," you said dreamily, still staring out over the edge of the cliff. "What was your favorite part?"

He felt himself relax a bit as you forced his mind to shift gears. "The music. The food. Just... lazy weekends, hangin' out with friends or family. Spendin' time with people I cared 'bout."

"What's your favorite barbeque food?" you asked, pulling your knees up to your chest and turning your head towards him.

He thought about it for a moment, his daughter's memory drifting back into the recesses of his mind. "Ribs. Or maybe burgers. Tough call," he said with a chuckle. You slapped the side of your leg and turned your whole body towards him excitedly.

"Oh, my god. Speaking of ribs. My brother - Matty - one time he was in an 'all you can eat' ribs competition," you said, a grin already pulling at the corners of your mouth. "He was like, 22 at the time and he could really pack food away. Like, really eat. It scared the shit outta my mom, she had no idea how he did it and still stayed so trim," you said, and Joel chuckled. "Anyway, he entered this contest and all of the other contestants were these, like, huge guys. I'm talking pushing 300 pounds huge, right?" you said, the excitement evident in your voice now as your eyes shone bright, making Joel smile even more. "So, anyway, one by one these guys are dropping like flies and my brother just kept mowing down all these ribs like it was nothing. It was down to him and one other guy and the other guy looked like he was about to tap out. The prize was like, a thousand bucks, and we were all getting so damn excited. He was gonna win!" you said, your voice getting louder the more excited you became. Seeing you that happy for the first time in weeks made Joel's heart feel like it was going to burst, so he played along and urged you on. "Then, Matty freezes. And I'm staring at him. And he's just staring down at his hands, and we're all like 'what the hell is he doing?' and suddenly - woosh!" you said with a giggle, using your arms for emphasis. "He pukes everywhere! It was so fucking much, Joel! And it was so disgusting, oh my god. People were running from their seats and dry heaving, and me and my parents are fucking dying with laughter," you said, your giggles growing louder the more you remembered. You wiped a stray tear from the corner of your eye as you continued. "Anyway, of course he got disqualified and he never could be in the same room as a rack of ribs ever again," you finished, flashing him a grin. But when you saw his expression, although he was smiling and giving you some obligatory laughs, you could tell it wasn't the first time he had heard that story.

"You knew that already, didn't you?" you asked, narrowing your eyes at him. He smirked and looked down at his hands.

"Yeah," he admitted, and you groaned. "But it's still a real funny story. I love the way you tell it."

"I wonder if there's anything I didn't tell you," you said with a sigh. He inched a little closer when he heard the despair in your voice.

"It doesn't matter. I love hearin' everythin' 'bout you," he said, and you gave him a little smile. "You could tell me a hundred times and I wouldn't care."

He kept saying that word. Love. Over and over, like it was nothing. You looked away, his eye contact too intense all of the sudden, and stared out at the beauty before you. But you could still feel the heat of his gaze on your skin. It sent a shiver down your spine. Your mind raced, trying to think of something else to say when he softly whispered your name. You tilted your head in his direction and the look in his eye caused you to temporarily forget how to breathe. He was staring at you like you were the only other person in the world. Like you were a siren, calling to him on the sea, or Aphrodite, knocking him to his knees in prayer.

No, no, no, you thought as he leaned in a fraction, his eyes flicking down to your lips. Too soon. Not ready.

A blood curdling screech echoed from somewhere behind you. Somewhere far too close for comfort. You froze, eyes wide and scared, but Joel whipped around and reached into his backpack, pulling out his revolver and knife.

Stay here, he mouthed, pressing a finger to his lips, and you couldn't remember if you acknowledged him or not before he crouched and disappeared into the long grass, leaving you all alone on the edge of a very dangerous cliff with some terrifying monster nearby. Slowly, trying very hard not to make a sound, you turned your head, searching for the source of the noise. As you scanned the field, the tall grass hiding Joel somewhere in its depths, you spotted it. It, being the only proper word.

It was hideous. Fucking disgusting. Half its face was overgrown with fungus plates, its mouth wide and wet and dribbling with blood, teeth yellowed and bared. It hunched over as it got closer and closer to you, snapping its jaw like a lion, trying to locate its next meal. You swallowed roughly as it got closer, its torn clothes and bent fingers coming into view. And the smell. The stench of death and rot filled the air, completely ruining the beautiful backdrop you were admiring mere minutes ago. Your heart slammed wildly in your chest, your breathing unsteady and your hands shook violently. You had nothing to defend yourself. You looked to your side, wondering if you could push it over the cliff if necessary. Where was Joel?!

Just as it was about to clear the grass and step into the clearing, Joel leapt up behind the creature and stabbed it in the back of the head with a loud grunt. It collapsed in an instant, blood spilling from its skull as Joel stood over the corpse, shoulders and chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath.

"Oh my god," you whispered, your trembling hands coming up to cover your mouth as you stared at the lifeless body. You hadn't seen an infected alive yet. And they were far more terrifying than you ever imagined. Tears welled up in your eyes that you quickly tried to flick away, but Joel already noticed.

"You okay?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed with worry as he cleaned his knife off in the grass.

"Yeah," you replied shakily, still staring at the dead infected a few feet away. You slowly forced yourself to your feet and walked around it, only stopping when you were safely in the grass. With a grunt, Joel kicked the body closer and closer to the edge until it tumbled over. You winced as you heard its body faintly thudding and cracking against the rocks and branches below. He glanced over at you, your face screwed up with a mix of distaste and fear, and he sighed.

"Wanna just head back?"

"Yeah," you said, looking at the view once more before following him through the tall grass. "It was nice while it lasted, though."

The two of you trudged through the grass quietly, back towards the woods. He could tell you were shaken up and he inwardly cursed the clicker for ruining what could have ended up being a really nice day with you. A day where he thought he was making some progress. He made you smile and laugh and he definitely recognized that heated look in your eye back at the stables, but all of those memories suddenly seemed so distant. It wasn't until the horse came into view that he even remembered why he brought you out in the first place.

"You still wanna learn to ride?"

You looked up at him, your perfect lips parted ever so slightly. It made him want to grab your chin and press his mouth against yours so he could remember what you felt like again.

"Oh, sure," you said, glancing wearily over at the horse as you approached.

"Why don't you take the reins and I'll sit behind you," he offered as he untied the horse from the tree. "That way I can take over if you're feelin' too nervous."

"Okay..." you agreed slowly, realizing that meant he would be pressed up against you for the entire ride home. And this time, there wouldn't be a buffer.

He laced his fingers together and bent forward, offering you a boost. You got a good grip on the saddle and delicately placed your foot in his hands before he launched you upwards. You swung your leg over and shifted in the saddle a bit, looking down at the back of the horse's head. Its long ears flickered back and forth, trying to shoo away the flies.

You gasped when the saddle shifted slightly and Joel climbed up behind you. Your body stiffened and you stared straight ahead as he got himself comfortable. You tried to block it out, but when his arms wrapped around you from behind and took the reins from your grasp, you realized it would be impossible.

"This is how you wanna hold 'em, see?" he murmured softly in your ear, and you immediately felt goosebumps break out up and down your arms. He hadn't been this close before. Not even when he was examining your head wound. His exhale tickled the side of your neck and you realized his lips were dangerously close to your exposed skin. When it occurred to you that he had asked you a question, you blinked and snapped out of it.

"Yeah," you said, and you hoped he would think your hands were shaking because you were nervous to ride and nothing more.

"Now we're ridin' western, so when you steer, you wanna pull the reins across, like this," he said, demonstrating with his hands over yours, and just like that, the horse turned to the left. "And you just do the opposite if you wanna go the other way."

"Okay, makes sense," you replied, surprised you were actually following along.

"You want the horse to move, you gotta squeeze your legs. Gotta do it hard, though. It's a big animal, they can't feel you if you don't squeeze hard."

"Uh huh," you said, so you gave it a try. You squeezed your legs as hard as you could and the horse slowly lumbered forwards, and you squealed with excitement. "I did it!"

Joel chuckled behind you. You could feel the deep rumble through your back and the little puffs of air from his nose on your neck. It made you shudder, and you tried to pass it off like you were cold. The horse began to slowly walk back the way you came, through the trees and past a little stream, and the longer you walked, the more confident you became.

"This isn't so bad," you admitted, and you weren't sure if you were talking about Joel's embrace or riding the horse. You were growing used to his arms around you now, even though you didn't really need his hands to guide yours, you didn't say anything. It was... nice.

"How do I make it go faster?" you asked.

"Well, you can give her a little kick, or you can click your tongue. You remember how to click your tongue?"

You laughed a little and without thinking, you gave it a try. Clicking your tongue experimentally against your teeth sent the horse rushing forward. Just into a trot, but it still took you off guard. You gasped and leaned back into Joel's chest, looking to steady yourself so you wouldn't fall. You could feel him laughing behind you as he tightened his arms around your waist and gave the reins a gentle tug, slowing the horse back down to a walk.

"Not funny!" you exclaimed, but your smile gave you away.

He missed this. He really missed this. He missed holding you and laughing with you and spending time with you. What he wouldn't give to kiss you again. He ached for the way you tasted, the way you moaned underneath him, the feeling of your smooth skin under his rough palms. Every day that passed he felt like he was forgetting little by little, and the urge to remind himself, the urge to pull you into his arms and kiss you deeply and take you to bed with him was becoming more intense by the day.

But he had to be patient. He could be patient. You'd come around, one day. He was sure of it.

By the time you made it back to Jackson, you were feeling much more at ease. Maybe this is what you needed. Some time away with Joel, just the two of you, so you could learn more about him. You had to admit, you were beginning to see a very soft and sweet side to him that you only caught glimpses of in the past.

Before today, you hadn't been able to understand the attraction. He was good looking, you already knew that, but you also knew that couldn't have just been it. That wasn't enough to share a love for one another that he classified as rare and meant to be. Now, it was starting to become clearer. There was something inherently sexy about the way he handled himself. The confidence he had, which, at first, came off as cocky, you now viewed in a different light. After the way he handled the horse in the pasture and the clicker in the field, you were beginning to understand.

Joel Miller was a protector. He cared deeply and passionately for the ones he loved, and he stopped at nothing to defend them. Sometimes that love was misplaced as anger, and that's where he kept losing you.

He had asked if you felt up to joining Tommy and Maria at the dining hall for dinner, and even though you were a little tired from your outing, you agreed.

As you walked down the street together, he had to fight the impulse to hold your hand. He still noticed the way people looked at you, their curiosity over your now famous injury getting the best of them, but once they caught his eye they quickly averted their gaze. It angered him, he couldn't help it. He didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. You didn't deserve to be gawked at.

You followed Joel through the crowded hall once again, and just like before, the crowd naturally parted for him. He seemed to be making his way towards the back, towards the same table as before, only this time Tommy and Maria were already seated and waiting.

Maria greeted you with a hug and you gave Tommy a quick smile across the table before sitting down between her and Joel.

"Beautiful day out today," Maria said off to the side while Joel and Tommy talked amongst themselves.

"Yeah, it really was. I'm gonna miss it when the snow comes," you said, giving her a face. "Who's watching your daughter?" you asked suddenly, glancing around as if you could have possibly missed a small child running around.

"Oh, Dina offered to babysit, so we jumped at the chance to get out of the house," she said with a laugh. "Did you do anything exciting today?"

"Yeah, actually," you said, glancing at Joel, who was still talking quietly to his brother. "Joel taught me how to ride a horse. Well... re-taught me, I guess," you said with a small laugh.

"Thats fantastic. I'm glad you were feeling well enough to go out," Maria said with a warm smile.

"Oh, that reminds me-" you said, stopping yourself when Seth came over to take your orders. You just asked for what Maria was getting and turned your attention back to her. "I thought of a job."

Her eyes widened in surprise and she clapped her hands together. "Let's hear it!"

"I thought I could help out at the infirmary," you said, and she nodded along thoughtfully. "Nick was telling me his aide had to join patrol and he says he just needs someone to help do things around the office."

"That sounds like a great idea," she said, but you could hear the hesitation in her voice. When she glanced over at Joel, you connected the dots and sighed.

"He's fine with it," you grumbled, your gaze dropping to your hands.

"Fine with what?" Joel's voice asked from beside you.

"She wants to help out at the infirmary," Maria said, and Tommy grinned.

"Great idea, sugar," he said, "Nick could use the help. He's smart, but he's disorganized as all hell."

"I think it'll be good for you," Joel said, his knee knocking against yours under the table. "Help you get to know everyone a little better. Besides, if anythin' were to happen, you're in the right place," he added, leaning back in his chair so Seth could put his plate down in front of him.

"What do you mean?" you asked, picking up your fork and then scrunching your nose when you saw cherry tomatoes on your plate. Without even looking up, Joel speared the tomatoes with his fork and put them on his plate, then the three of you watched as he gathered his squash and gave it to you.

"I mean, if your head ever got to hurtin' again, then you'd be in the right place," he explained, looking up and licking the pad of his thumb. He frowned a bit when he noticed the table staring at him, and Tommy and Maria quickly ducked their heads to focus on their food, hiding their smiles.

"What?"

You dropped your gaze shyly to your plate and poked at the squash with your fork. "You know I hate tomatoes."

Heat crept up his neck a bit but he grinned. "The acid upsets your stomach," he said, and you chuckled to yourself, about to say something else when Jesse happened to walk by your table with some friends.

"Hey, Jesse!" Tommy called out, making him stop. He gave you all a quick wave before looking at Tommy expectantly. "Think you can join in on the 10am patrol tomorrow? Joel was just tellin' me he saw a clicker in that zone. Don't want any surprises like last time."

"Yeah, of course," Jesse said, then Joel frowned.

"Speakin' of last time," Joel said, his eyes drifting back and forth between the two men. "You never did explain how she got hurt on your patrol."

"That's right," you said, setting down your fork, "what happened? How did I fall? Was it the horse?"

Tommy and Jesse exchanged a nervous look. It was quick, but Joel still caught it. His jaw ticked to the side as he patiently waited for an answer.

"Uh, it was all so fast, and so much was happenin'," Tommy said, clearly floundering.

"Yeah, it's kinda hard to remember exactly," Jesse said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, try," Joel said, his voice dropping an octave. You turned your head slightly to look at him, not understanding why there was a sudden mood shift.

"We got ambushed by a small hoard," Tommy began, pushing his food around on his plate. "Thought we had it handled til a bunch more came outta nowhere," he continued, looking up to meet your eye now. "You were takin' down a runner, didn't see one comin' up behind you and it pushed you down. Knocked your head on a sharp boulder. Jesse 'n me took down the rest of 'em and that's when we realized you were knocked out cold."

You nodded, the story making sense as you remembered waking up to them yelling your name and their clothes covered in blood. But Joel wasn't satisfied. He knew they were leaving something out.

"That all?" he pressed, eyeing his brother. Tommy looked at Joel, a tense moment passing between the two before Tommy slowly nodded. He was about to open his mouth to speak when Jesse interrupted.

"It was my fault."

The whole table turned to look at him, taken aback. His hands were fidgeting at his sides as he avoided Joel's intense stare, trying to look anywhere but at him.

"I wanted to check out this department store. It was too big, we hadn't cleared the area, b-but we hadn't seen any infected in weeks a-and I thought we were good," he said, glancing up quickly at Joel, who was clenching his jaw and glaring at Jesse.

"What'd you need so bad from this store?" Joel seethed, and you saw Jesse swallow nervously.

"I-it's me and Grace's anniversary soon, wanted to get her something-"

Joel stood up quickly, his chair tumbling backwards, clattering loudly on the ground and silencing the room.

"So you wanted to get your girlfriend a present? That's why she can't remember a goddamn thing?" Joel roared, pointing at you. Tommy stood up and held his hands out.

"Calm down, Joel."

"I ain't calmin' down!" he shouted, and you jumped in your chair, scooting away from him and closer to Maria, who put an arm around you and urged you to stand.

"Let's go to the bar," she murmured, ushering you away as if she knew what was coming.

"I-I'm so sorry, Joel," Jesse stammered, tripping over his feet as he tried to put some distance between them.

"Sorry ain't gonna bring her back," he growled, rounding the table, his shoulders tight and his eyes wild. He reached out and grabbed Jesse by the collar before Tommy could react, and slammed him face first into the table. Food and cutlery went everywhere. People at nearby tables backed away but stayed to watch the fight unfold. Joel lifted Jesse up and smashed his face into the table again with a grunt, and this time you heard Jesse cry out in pain. You covered your mouth in horror as you watched Tommy try to pry Joel's hands off of him. "Wonder how many hits it'll take before you forget Grace. Maybe then we'll be even!" he shouted, pulling him back up by the collar. By now, blood poured from Jesse's mouth and his cheeks, mixing with tears as he tried to pull Joel's hands away. Just as Joel was about to slam his head into the table for a third time, you found your voice.

"Stop!!" you screamed, and by some miracle, he did. He still gripped Jesse's shirt in his hands, but Joel twisted his head around to look at you. Whatever he in your face made his fingers loosen their grip and Jesse stumbled backwards, collapsing into a chair as Tommy kneeled down next to him, trying to wipe away the blood.

Joel turned his whole body toward you, his face red and his chest heaving. His eyes were still crazed with anger but you could see it slowly melting away.

He took a step forward and you took a step back.

His eyes dropped to your feet, regret washing over him in an instant.

"Maria, can you gimme a hand?" Tommy called out, and she rushed over to help Jesse stand. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw them slowly leading Jesse towards the front door, no doubt in search of the doctor to help patch his wounds, but your eyes remained locked on Joel.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, not caring about all the onlookers still frozen in silence. But you did. You opened your mouth, then glanced around and thought better of it.

"Not here," you said under your breath, then stalked towards the exit, pushing your way past people until you felt the cool night air in your lungs.

You hurried down the street, wrapping your arms around yourself as you barreled home. You didn't turn around to see if he was following you. You knew he was. It was almost like you could feel him now. His presence draped around you like a scarf, surrounding you, engulfing you, suffocating you.

Storming up the porch steps, you flung the door open and walked inside, not bothering to close it behind you. You charged into the kitchen and paced around, your anger boiling inside you with nowhere for it to go.

"I'm sorry," he tried again from the doorway, trying to give you space. You stopped in your tracks and looked at him. His eyebrows were pinched together as he quietly waited for you to say something.

"Have you always been like this?"

His breath caught in his throat and he paused for a moment before replying. "Since we met? Yes."

"So you're saying I've caused you to act like a caveman when you hear something you don't like?" you shot back, crossing your arms defiantly.

"No, no, that's not - what I meant was, since you've known me, I've... had a temper," he said, quickly correcting himself.

You let a silent moment pass between you as you thought about what he said.

"It's no wonder it took me so long to fall in love with you," you said, and he winced. He looked away, trying to hide the pain, and you couldn't help but feel a little bad, but you stood your ground.

"It didn't bother you before," he mumbled, looking at the ground.

"Well, it bothers me now," you snapped, and he nodded.

"Okay, then I'll work on it," he conceded, looking up at you. "Happy?"

You snorted and rolled your eyes. "Thrilled."

Brushing past him, you marched up the stairs towards your bedroom and slammed the door shut behind you.

You could hear him moving around downstairs as you washed up and changed into pajamas, still seething at his behavior. How could you possibly fall in love with this man? You could barely figure out who he was - one minute he was soft and sweet, and the next he was bashing people's faces in. Even you could see it wasn't really Jesse's fault. The three of you would have agreed to check out the store together. Joel was just looking for someone to blame. It was immature and brutish and stupid.

Just as you pulled the covers over yourself, you heard a quiet rap on the door. You paused for a moment before rolling your eyes.

"Come in."

The door slowly creaked open and Joel slipped inside your room, glancing around at the bedroom you once shared together before looking at you.

"Can we talk?"

You furrowed your brow for a second before nodding, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He stepped forward and perched on the side of the bed, facing the wall so you could only see his side profile as he sat, deep in thought. You pulled your legs up so your chin rested on your knees and waited.

"I lied to you."

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise and you couldn't help but think of the journal - Joel lied to me - and wondered if this was it. If you were going to get your answer.

"When you asked me what I missed most 'bout... before. I lied."

Okay, so probably not the lie in the journal, but still, your interest was piqued.

"What do you miss most?" you finally asked, and he sucked in a deep breath, his eyes glistening as he stared at the wall.

"My daughter. Sarah."

Your heart clenched in your chest and your gaze dropped to your hands. A daughter?

A long silence passed as you slowly connected the dots. The way he was with Ellie. The anger. The journal entry about Tommy having a daughter. The softness he kept hidden away.

"She died on outbreak day," he began, his throat already constricting. "Died in my arms. She was shot and-" he sniffled and took a deep breath. "And I couldn't save her. I held her and watched the light leave her eyes and I -" he choked back a sob and looked down, still avoiding your gaze. "I've never been the same," he finally managed to get out.

You swallowed back the tears that were forming. How couldn't you see? Of course he was hurting. Of course he lost someone. Just like you lost your family, he lost his. Were you that selfish and blind that you couldn't see it?

"Joel, I'm so sorry," you said shakily, but he shook his head.

"Just wanted to explain why I'm... whatever," he replied, giving up and rubbing his face.

Your chest ached for him. He was in pain and you couldn't stand it. Inching forward, you wrapped your arms around his neck, tentatively resting the side of your head on his shoulder. His hand came up to cup your elbow and he tilted his head so it rested against yours.

"I'm sorry," you repeated softly.

"Me, too."

You stayed like that for a while. Extending small olive branches to each other as you sat with the weight of what the world did to you both, and you finally began to understand what might have brought you together in the first place.

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[wolvietxt]

💭 thinking about…

𝗅𝗈𝗀𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗐𝗅𝖾𝗍𝗍 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗐 𝖺𝗇𝗑𝗂𝖾𝗍𝗒!

pairing : logan howlett x fem!reader warnings : reader doesn’t like too much noise, fluff, hurt / comfort, overstimulation, anxiety attack word count : 1.7k

the market was bustling, a chaotic symphony of sounds and voices blending into a cacophony that seemed to press in from all sides. you had insisted on coming here today, convinced that the fresh air and the lively atmosphere would be a good distraction. logan had grumbled about it, but he didn’t say no. he never did when you asked for something, though he’d never admit it outright.

the two of you weaved through the crowd, your hand firmly in his as you tried to focus on the stalls and the colourful displays of fruits, vegetables, and handmade goods. the noise level was bearable at first, just the usual hum of a busy saturday market. but as more people crowded in, the volume began to rise, the chatter growing louder, the clatter of goods being moved and sold becoming sharper, more jarring.

logan noticed the change in you almost immediately. your steps faltered slightly, your grip on his hand tightening. he glanced down at you, his brow furrowing in concern. “you okay?” he asked, his voice gruff but laced with a softness that he reserved just for you.

you nodded quickly, not wanting to worry him. “yeah, just... ‘s a bit loud, that’s all.”

he huffed, not entirely convinced, but he didn’t push it. instead, he subtly adjusted his pace, guiding you through the crowd in a way that kept you close to his side, his body acting as a buffer against the worst of the noise and the press of people.

you tried to focus on the little things - the way the sun filtered through the trees lining the market square, the vibrant colours of the flowers in the florist’s stall, the comforting weight of logan’s hand in yours. but the noise kept building, growing louder and more overwhelming with each passing minute. someone dropped a crate of vegetables nearby, the crash reverberating through the air, and you flinched, your heart rate spiking as the world seemed to close in around you.

logan felt the jolt in your body and immediately turned to face you, his free hand coming up to cup your cheek. “hey,” he said, his voice cutting through the noise like a lifeline. “let’s get out of here, okay? it’s too much.”

you shook your head, trying to be brave, trying to push through it. “i don’t wanna ruin our day. you were looking forward to that food stall, remember?”

“screw the food stall,” logan said bluntly, his thumb brushing over your cheek in a rare, gentle gesture. “you’re more important. let’s go.”

but as you nodded, agreeing to leave, a loud burst of laughter erupted from a group of people nearby, followed by the sharp bark of a vendor calling out his wares. it was too much. your vision blurred as your breathing became shallow and rapid, the noise crashing over you in waves, each sound a sharp needle piercing your senses. you tried to ground yourself, to hold onto logan, but your hands were trembling too much to keep a grip on his.

logan noticed immediately, his own heart tightening in his chest as he saw the panic taking hold of you. without a second thought, he pulled you close, wrapping his arms around you protectively. “‘m here,” he murmured into your ear, his voice low and steady, a stark contrast to the chaos around you. “i’ve got you. just focus on me.”

you clung to him, your face buried in his chest as you tried to block out the world. logan’s scent - earthy, with a hint of the aftershave he always used - was familiar, grounding. his arms around you were strong and reassuring, a solid presence in the midst of the storm.

“deep breaths,” he coaxed, his voice a soothing rumble against your ear. “in and out, just like we practised. ‘m not going anywhere, okay? ‘m right here.”

you tried to follow his instructions, but the panic was too strong, the noise too overwhelming. it felt like the ground was shifting beneath your feet, the world spinning out of control. tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, and you hated that you couldn’t just push through it, that you couldn’t be stronger.

logan didn’t say anything when he noticed the tears, but his arms tightened around you, holding you closer. “it’s okay,” he whispered, his tone softer than you’d ever heard it. “it’s okay to feel like this. you don’t have to be strong all the time. that’s what ‘m here for.”

his words broke through the fog of your anxiety, and you focused on his voice, on the steady beat of his heart against your ear. slowly, the panic began to ebb, the tightness in your chest loosening as you matched your breathing to his.

logan stayed with you, his presence a constant source of comfort as the noise of the market faded into the background. he didn’t care about the people around you, didn’t care if anyone was watching. all that mattered was you, and making sure you knew you weren’t alone.

after what felt like an eternity, the world began to right itself again. the noise was still there, but it wasn’t as sharp, as overwhelming. you could breathe without feeling like you were drowning.

“better?” logan asked, his voice still soft, though there was a hint of his usual gruffness returning. he wasn’t used to being so openly gentle, but for you, he’d make the effort.

you nodded against his chest, too drained to speak. logan didn’t seem to mind. he just held you for a while longer, letting you take your time to recover. when you finally pulled back, he cupped your face in his hands, his eyes searching yours with a seriousness that made your heart ache.

“we’re going home,” he said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

you opened your mouth to protest, but the look in his eyes stopped you. he wasn’t going to budge on this, and deep down, you knew he was right. you needed the quiet, the safety of your own space.

“okay,” you agreed quietly, your voice still a little shaky.

logan nodded, satisfied with your answer. he kept his arm around you as he guided you out of the market, his presence a protective barrier against the noise and the crowd. you leaned into him, grateful for his strength, for the way he always seemed to know exactly what you needed, even when you didn’t.

the walk back to the apartment was quiet, the streets less crowded as you moved further away from the market. logan didn’t say much, but he didn’t need to. his hand in yours, the way he stayed close, was more than enough.

when you finally reached the apartment, logan helped you inside, his movements careful and deliberate. he steered you toward the couch, gently pushing you to sit down. “stay here,” he ordered gruffly, though the concern in his eyes softened the command. “i’ll get you some water.”

you nodded, sinking into the cushions as the exhaustion from the anxiety attack settled over you. by the time logan returned with the water, your hands had stopped trembling, and your breathing had evened out. you accepted the glass with a small smile of thanks, taking a few sips as logan sat down next to you.

he didn’t say anything at first, just watched you closely, his expression unreadable. then, after a long moment, he reached out and took the glass from your hands, setting it aside. “come here,” he said, his voice softer now.

you didn’t hesitate, curling up against his side as he wrapped an arm around you. you rested your head on his shoulder, your eyes closing as the familiar scent of him surrounded you. logan’s fingers traced idle patterns on your arm, his touch light and soothing.

“you’re okay,” he murmured, more to himself than to you, as if he needed to reassure himself that you were truly alright. “we’re okay.”

you nodded against his shoulder, feeling the tension in your body finally begin to melt away. “thank you,” you whispered, your voice thick with emotion. “for being here. for always being here.”

logan didn’t respond right away, but when he did, his voice was gruff, almost embarrassed. “don’t mention it. it’s what ‘m supposed to do, right?”

you smiled, knowing that for logan, this was as close as he got to expressing his feelings out loud. he wasn’t one for grand declarations or flowery words, but his actions spoke louder than anything he could ever say. and right now, the way he held you, the way he had been there for you through the worst of it, said more than any words ever could.

“i love you,” you said softly, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

logan stiffened slightly, and you immediately worried that you’d said too much, that you’d pushed him too far. but then he relaxed, his grip on you tightening just a fraction. “i know,” he muttered, his voice so low you almost didn’t hear it. “i love you too.”

the admission was quiet, almost reluctant, but it warmed you from the inside out. you smiled against his shoulder, your heart feeling lighter despite the exhaustion. “we’ll stay home the rest of the day?” you asked, already knowing his answer.

logan snorted, his usual gruffness back in full force. “damn straight. we’re not going anywhere. ‘m not letting you out of my sight.”

you laughed softly, the sound easing the last of the tension between you. “i think i’m okay with that.”

“damn right, you are,” logan grumbled, but the smile tugging at the corner of his lips gave him away.

and just like that, the world felt a little bit brighter again, the storm of anxiety fading into the background as you sat together in the quiet safety of your home.

[lowkeyremi]

(Implied female reader!!!!!)

Secret!boyfriend!sero who agreed to keep your relationship on the down low since you two are both heroes in training and it’s better to not let your romantic relationship get in the way of school and hero work.

Secret!boyfriend!sero who sneaks into your dorms in the earlier hours of dawn as to not get into trouble with teachers. He usually visits you for sweet, cuddle sessions or a chill movie night. He’s always so hesitant to leave your side when four am arrives.

Secret!boyfriend!sero’s friends and your friends have no idea the two of you are together. They all just think you guys are hopeless, pining idiots. (Well… a few are onto you guys)

Secret!boyfriend!sero who seriously struggles with keeping your relationship a secret. He wants to shout to the rooftops that you’re his beautiful girlfriend. He wants to give you kisses in public and hold your hand.

Secret!boyfriend!sero always tests the waters, seeing just how much he can get away with before you scold him or before people start to get suspicious. He’ll always sit super close to you, letting his knee brush up against yours. If you guys are all in the common area watching a movie, he’ll rest his arm behind you and even graze your shoulder with his fingers.

Secret!boyfriend!sero who gets super moody when some guy from a random class shows interest in you. Obviously, he can’t tell the guy off, because of the secret, but it’s pretty obvious to you when he’s upset.

“Heyyyyy, [name]! How’s that toe infection you had? Has it healed yet?” Sero asks, placing a hand on your shoulder, whilst you were mid conversation with the random guy.

The guy’s face scrunched up into disgust for a brief second, before changing to something more neutral. “I’ll see ya later [last name], I, uh, just remembered I have a support item I need to go pick up!” The guy runs down the hallway within seconds.

“Really Hanta, toe infection?” You cross your arms and glare at him in faux annoyance. Honestly, you think it’s kind of funny how these random boys go running for the hills, whenever Sero says you have some “infection” “disease” or something of the sorts.

“It’s better than last week when I said you had an STD.” Laughter bubbles up in your throat just thinking about the look on some guy’s face when Sero told him you had an STD. Luckily, the whole situation was dealt with before getting too out of hand. Sero ended up getting in huge trouble for saying that, because the guy went around telling everyone in school.

Secret!boyfriend!sero who cannot get enough of you in private. He gives you millions of kisses that he has wanted to give you throughout the day. He always cuddles you tight and whispers to you how beautiful you are.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you today.” Sero whispers into your ear.

“You never stop thinking about me, idiot.” You giggle quietly, before turning around to face him. He’s laying in your bed with you and he absolutely loves it, everything reminds him of you, the sheets, the way you smell, even your blankets and plushies too.

“Yeah, I know, but I really couldn’t think of anything besides you today. When you were hanging out with Eri, I kept thinking about what our little family will look like one day.” He confesses to you. His cheeks are burning a soft pink and he looks you straight in your eyes.

His confession makes you melt almost immediately. You cup his face and place a gentle kiss onto his lips, which he gladly accepts.

“Good grief Hanta, you’re gonna cause my heart to burst. I love you so so SO much.”

After the war, you and Secret!boyfriend!sero finally decide to tell the group about your relationship. Some of your classmates are genuinely surprised, while others claimed that they knew you two were too close to just be friends.

Secret!boyfriend!sero who brings you up any chance he gets. His friends are sick and tired of hearing him talk about you, but he doesn’t care.

“Never have I ever kissed someone…” Denki blurts when it’s his turn, only to add, “on the lips!” Seconds later.

Bakugo takes a shot of hot sauce as well as a few others.

“Losers! Could never be me because-”

“We get it, Sero! You’re dating [name]!!” The blond basically says what everyone is thinking.

Boyfriend!sero who shows you public displays of affection. That doesn’t mean he stops appreciating you in private, because he still does like the champion boyfriend he is, but now that the two of you are public, he loves to do things such as hold your hand, give you kisses, and when you’re in the kitchen area he’ll rest his head on your shoulder. The only thing that you vetoed was sitting in his lap. In private sure, but in front of all of your friends? Um… you don’t think sooo.

Boyfriend!sero who loves you so damn much and would sacrifice his life for you. He’s sure that he’d never be able to find someone else that he loves, the way he loves you. That’s how important you are to him and he knows you feel the same way.

Thank you mha movie for giving me this burst of motivation.

©𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐊𝐄𝐘𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈 All works are written by me! Please do not copy, translate, or upload onto other sites without my permission, thanks!

[janumun]

Faaaaa my babyyyy, I'm here as promised. 🥺🥺 We already talked about this in dms and you seemed so interested so can you write the lads men reacting to mc's death, please pretty please

When You Are Gone [All LaDS Men - Angst Headcanons]

Rated: SFW - Angst Tags: hurt/no comfort, poorly dealing with the death of a loved one

Summary: The LaDS men dealing with the aftermath of your death, in the heartbreaking messages they leave in your voicemail almost regularly even long after you’re gone, in an effort to cope with your loss.

Author’s Notes : Hey darling, absolutely! Here you go. Hope you enjoy (?). 😭 This headcanon’s a bit differently formatted because I was inspired by the game’s speech to text function. 

Sylus

TW: knowingly putting oneself in danger, mortally wounded Sylus, insomnia, mild spoilers for Razor’s Grip ASMR 

Transcript:

Hey there! You’ve reached my voicemail, which is a rare occurrence. That either means I do not know recognize your caller ID. Orrrr you are a certain infuriating Boss Man, trying to calling me up at all ungodly hours of the night again. Whoever you are, leave a message after the beep and I’ll get back to you ASAP.  

A heavy snort of sour laughter rolls past bruised lips, to hear the familiar automated sound of your voice playing on the other end of the line; one Sylus does not tire of no matter how many times he’s heard it. A thick, punishing burst of pain fractures across his torso when he chokes up on the blood gurgling within his throat.  

Sylus reaches to curb the sound within a bloodied fist, clearing his throat to speak once more. 

I suppose I did deserve all your reprimands, seeing as I am still calling you way past your bedtime, kitten.  

His voice lowers an octave, slow, gentle.   

I hope you’re having a good dream. 

I’m only calling because you told me to let you know anytime I’d be away on a risky mission. A hushed chuckle sounds on the other end of the line.  

You'd practically ordered it of me — do you remember?  

The night when you grabbed me by the lapels and asked me to not make a deal all on my own, ever again. That you worried for me whenever I was gone and you wanted to know the next time I planned on taking a mission, of this caliber. 

You’d willingly walked back to me and since then, I have always made space for you, just like you’ve wanted. 

I’ve kept up my end of our bargain.  

A guttural moan of pain sounds through the otherwise quiet of the night.  

These wounds of mine... functioning without sleep for this long, and a poor decision made on my end, the combination was bound to have consequences.  

His chuckles knell throaty, labored. 

And now, all I wish to do is sleep.  

A lengthy silence follows after, making one believe the user on the other end of the line might’ve cut the call. Or fallen asleep in exhaustion of his wounds, like he said.  

Before that gentle burr of his sounds once more. 

You know I can’t die, sweetie, unfortunate as that is in this moment.  

But I do have a wish for when my body inevitably loses its awareness for the short time it takes to recuperate.  

I hope, Sylus’s voice softens. that when I close my eyes this time, I get to see you in my dreams.  

Zayne

TW: allusions to embalming a body long after death, mentions of a protocore heart that continues to function even after the host’s death, denial of grief 

Transcript:

Hi, you’ve reached my voicemail. I am currently unavailable but drop me a message and I’ll get back to you, stat. 

A quiet insouciant voice — the clearing of a throat — begins on the other end of the line.  

Akso Hospital Log 171, the time right now is 4:17 AM. The host’s heart continues to function, although its less-than-optimal cardiac output remains at 1L per min. A pulse rate of 13 beats per min has been documented today. A slight decrease from its value yesterday, recorded at 17 beats per minute.  

A brief pause. 

Does it bother you to hear me speak of you this way? I’m sorry. A mere force of habit on my part. You are my patient, after all. Documentation must be precise, and to the point, for our research to progress, if we are to have even a sliver of a chance at resuscitating your heart.  

I have hope we will succeed; I will do my utmost as a doctor so that we may save you.  

Another pregnant pause. 

Do you too think I am foolish for my efforts?  

Greyson accosted me in the hallways tonight after my scheduled surgery and he seemed so... incensed. For being unable to give up on you, for crossing a line, to not get overtly attached to any of our patients, he said it was a clear violation of our Oath and called it my professional failing. And afterwards... he implored that I give up now.  

Someone once asked me, long ago: if I would go beyond death to try and bring back the person I loved, were they to pass away. And I answered that I would not, a desecration of the dead is not something I’d wish to do. Or wish upon the deceased. I would rather divert all my efforts to ensuring they would live, that their heart would continue to beat healthy.  

So, in retrospect, it is Greyson who’s strange in expecting my willing defeat, without having even tried to the best of my capabilities. Not when your heart still continues to beat. 

I do, however, miss you... very much, even though hope remains in my heart. 

When the day comes that you wake up, I hope you do not have to suffer like this, ever again. 

Rafayel

TW: gradual loss of vision, self-blame 

Transcript:

Hi, hello! I’m unable to answer your call at the moment but hey, feel free to drop me a voice message and I’ll get back to you soon. Bye-bye! 

A sharp inhale; as if the person on the other end of the line is wracked by sudden, vicious pain.  

Before the sound smoothens out, as if it had never been. An airy voice begins, although the nonchalant inflection to his tone sounds odd, all wrong — a fact the recipient of the voicemail would’ve been able to parse instantly, were they still around. 

Hey cutie! It’s me again, your favorite person in the entire world.  

Sorry about that earlier, I always get a bit startled whenever I hear you say good-bye in that crazy adorable voice.  

Since y’know, the very last time we met, you never told me you were leaving. 

Silence descends.  

It really feels like it’s been another 800 years, I fear the fish will actually start flying and the whales will start walking this time.  

Only, I don’t think you’re coming back this time, are you?  

My bride can be so cruel sometimes. 

A humorless laugh.  

Anyyyyway, I’m dropping a voice note today because my eyesight’s been acting up a bit lately so I can’t really leave you a text like I usually do.  

And before you scold me about it, I know I’m not supposed to be painting this long but I’m close to completing this new painting of you and I can’t rest until it’s done and dusted.  

Don’t hate me for it, pretty? 

A pleased, wistful sound.  

I really wish you were here so I could show it to you right now.  

A strident crash sounds in the background of the caller as paintbrushes overturn along with a color palette; garnet red and deep purple staining his floor a macabre color Rafayel cannot perceive in that moment.  

Whoa, now that’s gonna leave a mess from the sounds of it.  

Whatever, I’ll clean it up later once I get my sight back.  

The point is, cutie, I’ll share a snap of the completed painting with you once it’s done.  

Be prepared to be absolutely blown. So dazzled you fall head over heels in love with me. 

And then perhaps... return, if you like it and me enough.  

His sigh is steeped in mild vexation.  

Waiting hurts.  

Having you not remember our time together, in every lifetime we meet, hurts. It really is all your fault, you know.  

A soft, disgruntled moue you can hear within his words.  

But I hope, in our next life, we don’t cross paths.  

That way, you won’t be forced to sacrifice yourself for my sake, ever again, you silly girl.  

A throttled sound; it almost sounds like a wretched moan of pain.  

I don’t want our bond to shackle you down anymore so I think... I’ll let you go now.  

A human like you far suits the sun, not being saddled down below within turbulent seas. 

So, this will be our final farewell now. 

The words nearly scraped free of his throat on a rasped sound.  

Goodbye, my beloved bride. 

I loved— 

Beep. Your message has been recorded and sent.  

Caleb

Transcript:

TW: very brief traumatic remembrance of your demise 

Hi hi! You’ve reached the ever-diligent Miss Hunter’s voicemail. I’m probably out on a mission right now so I’m unable to respond but I’ll get back to you ASAP if you drop me a message instead!  

A soft chuckle warms the air in fond recollection to hear your voice. The knot of Caleb’s brow furrowing deeper as he tries to imprint that cheery voice into his skull to overwrite the sounds of your pained screams still knelling within his ears.  

Before he clears his throat to begin.  

Hello to you too, pipsqueak.  

It’s your 25th birthday today and I thought I’d record this little memento for us. 

Happy Birthday, my tiny hurricane of disaster. I really miss you, you know, even if you don’t seem to.  

He chuckles in resignation. 

I should’ve let you bother me more often if I knew you were going to be this terrible at keeping in touch with your best friend later.  

We really didn’t have much time together once I returned from my posting abroad. Work kept you so busy.  

I should’ve scolded you more often about taking appropriate breaks in between missions. God.  

A gentle laugh resounds on the other end of the line. 

Reprimanding you like a dad used to be Zayne’s job among us three, not mine.  

The tiniest of fractures slip into his voice. 

Anyway, I’ve kept to my side of the bargain we made while I was away from Linkon; to leave you regular voice messages about my day and I guess the habit’s just... stuck.  

I visited the grocery store earlier to shop for ingredients to whip up your favourite parmesan risotto tonight.  

It was almost like you were with me, you know.  

With each item I passed by; from the strawberries you love to inhale to your favourite cola displayed, front and center, within their fridge. I almost picked one up for you before I— 

He visibly halts himself, his breathing somewhat erratic. Before he resumes once more. 

That nice kid you’re friendly with was manning the counter today and he recognized me almost instantly. All thanks to being towed around the Supermart with you, no doubt. 

He even gave me a nice discount on the items when I told him I was whipping up a birthday dinner for you.  

A short pause. 

The risotto was pretty good, if I do say so myself. I wish you could’ve tasted it too.  

Sorry I didn’t bake a birthday cake for you this year because it’s just me in the house now. 

I don’t have a certain cute girl, with a crazy sweet tooth, to eat it with me and you know I’m not really fond of sweets.  

His voice drops into a hushed sound, wrought with emotion. 

Time flew by so fast. It seems like only yesterday when we were both kids, huddled around a coffee table with you trying your best to blow out the candles on the cake Grandma baked for us on your birthday.

He laughs softly.

You had a difficult time growing up because of your heart but you were always so brave.  

I wish I could’ve spoiled you more often. If only I knew then that our time together would be so short.  

His voice breaks into a slight tremor.  

Your Caleb really misses you... every day of my excruciating life. 

But... I hope that now... wherever you are, you aren’t in pain anymore. 

If there is a life after this one, I hope you let me find you in it, too. 

I love you, little spitfire.  

End of voice message. 

Xavier

TW: space travel, personal logging of a journey, self-imposed isolation and neglect

Transcript:

Hi there, you’ve reached my voicemail as I’m unable to attend your call at the moment. Leave a message after the beep and I’ll be sure to get back to you soon! 

Hi to you too, angel.  

It’s been a while since I’ve left you a message, hasn’t it?  

I’m sorry, I’ve been facing some turbulence anomalies ever since my ship hit the Bode’s galaxy so I’ve been a bit occupied.  

Where were we last time?  

Ah, I told you how Jeremiah’s shop has been thriving on Earth lately, because I remembered you saying you wanted to know how he was doing the last time we spoke.  

You never got the chance to see for yourself after.  

He pauses.  

I didn’t want to tell you at the time because you and Jeremiah really seemed to be growing close as friends and that bothered me.  

Forgive me? 

A shift of gears sounds within the quiet interior of the spaceship as Xavier adjusts a few controls.  

I know these logs will never reach you but I still want to talk to you about our journey.  

I never...  

His voice drops; the sliver of a whisper.  

got to show you this small planet I found while out on my travels, a long time ago. I named it Uluru. It’s a red rock planet, you see.  

I told you about it once and you said you’d really like to go see it someday. “Xavier’s own planet,” you said.  

I think you were teasing me then. But I wanted to tell you, it’s not just Xavier’s planet but “Xavier and MC’s little planet”.  

I didn’t have the chance to show it to you while you were still— 

A violent catch of breath followed by a soft curse, cleaves through the quiet. 

A low exhale before that quiet voice picks up once more. 

Uluru is reaching the end of its life soon after all these lightyears and I wanted to go together with you to see our planet one last time before it died.  

As for what I’ll do after...  

A pause and a thoughtful hum, follows. 

I think I’ll stay there once I’ve witnessed its demise.  

Earth no longer has any springs for me to return to now that you’re gone and Philos — well I can’t return to that place anymore.  

So, I think I’ll stay, among the ruins of the place that was supposed to be our home.  

With you. 

End Notes: Thank you for reading! I know many of us wept about how we wished for God to take all of Zayne’s pain and give it to us instead so here I am, happy to do exactly that. 😇 Happy Zayne story branch release, y’all. 

Likes, comments and reblogs are always appreciated if you are so inclined, lovelies!

Tagging as requested: @samanthagnicole , @catboi-anon , @bitches4lifebro , @beebumbo , @hellinistical

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If you’d like to be tagged in my future stories, you can fill this short form here. If you’d like to be removed, shoot me a DM!

You can also find me on Ao3 and twitter, if you’d like to chat or just squeal with me about hot characters, in general.

[vxnuslogy]

– nuvole bianche.

pairing: scaramouche x gn!reader

premise: scaramouche, or kunikuzushi to you, never dreams. but after that accident on prom night, he's been dreaming more than he liked. he wonders if his past actions were actually enough.

– warnings: angst with slight comfort <3 + slight spoilers for the game "until then"

– author's note: this is what happens after i watch a playthrough of every depressing indie game. art credits to @.inertraccoon on twitter. | ~4.7k words.

“look at you working so hard,” you tease as you sit beside him. “what happened to quitting hm?”

he only rolls his eyes at you and elbows your side. you scoff in offense and shove him back. for a while, the two of you went back and forth elbowing one another until you burst out into a fit of laughter. scaramouche only clicks his tongue, his eyes focusing back on the set of black and white keys in front of him. all the while feeling your lingering stare and the way it made the hairs on his arms stand.

“if you’re going to disturb me then leave. i have no use for distractions.” his voice was stern but you only threw him a smile. your own finger danced on the keys with his in perfect harmony, scaramouche couldn’t help the small smirk that twitched at his lips.

“will you finally tell me the name of your piece?” you ask. 

he paused in his movement and just stared in front of him. you continued to play his piece with ease. scaramouche didn’t want to acknowledge how your fingers had memorized every line and curve of his creativity with such precision; he begins to wonder if you’ve taken all of his talents in playing the piano.

“not a chance!” he replied, tone higher than normal.

you let out a sigh and shook your head. scaramouche stares at you with a blank expression, he takes note of the fading light from your eyes and the way your hands slowly drop to your lap. your head turned here and there, taking your surroundings in for some odd reason he didn’t want to figure out.

“you’re acting strange.” he points out and you smile. 

“i just remembered how we first met, that's all.”

he lets out a groan and drags a hand down his face. “don’t remind me.”

your laugh ringed out the empty music room as you playfully shove at his shoulder. 

“oh come on!” you say, wiping the pretend tears from your eyes. “our first meeting was cute.”

“i was ready to cut off your fingers.”

“like i said, it was cute.”

he looks at you with a bewildered expression. his lips turned into an odd smile and his brow kept twitching in annoyance. “you’re such a pain.”

“don’t lie to me kuni,” you tease. “i know you love me!”

“and for the nth time, don’t call me that!”

you cease your teasing and just sigh. body leaning into him despite his protests. you drum your fingers on your lap as he continues to play the piece he’s so keen to keep a secret despite you helping him create it in the first place. for a moment, you close your eyes and relish in scaramouche’s company. taking deep inhales, catching small whiffs of his perfume and tea he had this morning, then opening your eyes as you exhale. 

“another boy went missing today.” you randomly say which made him pause.

“who is it this time?” he shifts closer to you; knees touching as you feel his hand interlace itself with your own. you bury your face further into the crook of his neck. you don’t mention the way his ears flush a cute pink and how his breathing turned shaky.

“it was kazuha today.” you whisper. “how long do you think before another one goes missing?”

he scoffs. you could practically see the frown that tugs at his lips. “don’t know and don’t care.”

“do you really not care?”

you detach yourself from him and look at his eyes. they were such an electric shade of purple, it almost felt illegal to look at them for free. 

“why should i?”

“kuni come on.”

he glares at you and you screw your mouth shut.

scaramouche lets out a deep sigh and stood up. he grabbed your arm and started tugging you out of the music room.

“come on,” he didn't bother to look back as he spoke. “we’ll be late.”

“what if i’m the next to disappear?”

“then i’ll look for you.”

you stare at the back of his head with your mouth slightly agape. neither of you mention the way your classmates stared at your hands and the burning of your ears and cheeks.

– –

what a disaster, you thought. what was supposed to be a heartfelt reunion for a son and his mother turned into a bitter one-sided screaming fest. you flinch when the harsh slamming of the door echoed into the now silent kitchen. 

“i’ll…” you start, pushing your chair back and giving an empathetic smile to the woman who looked identical to your hot headed friend. “go look for him. please excuse me.”

as you close the sliding doors, you couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. a hand dragging itself down your face as you try to spot the treehouse scaramouche had told you about. you dragged your feet into his old backyard and it wasn’t long before you spotted a tree with a small wooden house, the bark had worn out ladders. taking a deep breath, you climb up.

“kuni, you there?” you call out but no one replied. when your head peeked into the slightly ajar door, you feel your heart sink. there he was, in all his mopey state, knees hugging his chest as his eyes stared blankly at the doll in his limp hand.

“hey..” you quietly approach him. “what was that back there? i thought you two were okay now.”

“i told you this wouldn’t work out.”

you frown at his pessimism. “of course it’s not going to work out if you aren’t even trying to–”

“but i am trying!” he shouts, abruptly standing up from his sitting position. you felt a twinge of concern–fear– when he glared at you with tears pricking his eyes while his hand tightly gripped the doll like a lifeline. “is it my fault she wasn’t there when i needed her the most?! is it my fault that she was slowly spiraling into depression and compromising all her relationships?!”

“kuni come on,” you slowly stand and try to calm him down. “you know i don’t mean it like that.”

“then what did you mean!?” he stomps his way over to one of the desks and slams his hands down. you have no doubt that the adults back in the house heard it with how loud it was. 

“i wanted my mother to be there for me when i lost someone important to me.” he murmurs, head hanging low. one hand grips the stray picture frame on the desk and in one violent action, throws it across the room. you flinch at the loud shattering of glass clamored in the rickety old treehouse.

“kuni!” 

“you said you understand.”

“what?”

your feet subconsciously stepped back when scaramouche turned to glare at you – eyes cold and cruel. he pressed his lips into a thin line, his eyes following your movement like a hawk.

“you said you understood me, was that also a lie?” his voice cut through the air like a cold knife. he no longer looked like the kunikuzushi you grew up with. the words get stuck in your throat, your mind racing to try and say something–anything.

“but i do understan–”

“then why are you taking her side!?”

“but i’m not taking anyone’s side!” you take a deep breath and rub your temples. “kuni, please, just try to calm down.”

he only clicked his tongue, the sound harsh like the oncoming storm outside.

“where are you going?!” you shout, chasing after him.

“don’t follow me.”

“kuni!”

you try to reach for his hand but the sharp slap echoes in the rain-soaked air. you felt your eyes widen and for a while, you saw a flash of regret and hurt in his eyes as you let your hand drop to your side. he could glare at you all he wanted but you’ll always see through him– at least he hoped you could still recognize him. the way your frown deepened, how you cradled your wrist, and the way your hair slowly hid your eyes– scaramouche was sure you would be the next one to leave him.

“i’m trying my best to understand, kunikuzushi.” you whisper.

how long has it been since you called him by his full name?

“but it’s so hard when all you do is detach yourself when someone tries to get close to you. it’s suffocating y’know?”

“then leave,” he replies, colder than before.

“and what if i actually did?”

scaramouche opened and closed his mouth to reply but no words came out. what would he do if you actually left? would he return to his reclusive self? pushing anyone and everyone away if they tried to get too close? but wasn’t he already doing this right now? what is wrong with him.

“you never tell me anything, kuni, not how you feel nor what's going on,” tears prick your eyes as you try to approach him again. “can’t you see how much this is hurting us? when will you finally let it go? when will you finally move on from the things that have hurt you instead of holding grudges? it’s so painful to see you so stuck in the past.”

“i’m not as forgiving as you.”

“you don’t have to forgive her for anything!”

“you don’t understand.”

“then make me understand! for once kuni, just tell me what you’re feeling instead of leaving me to guess.”

this was going nowhere, he thought. so he did what he does best: runaway and never look back. you call out to him, you even try to catch up to him but the sudden downpour of rain made it hard to make out his figure that slowly disappeared. he ground his teeth together and gripped his hair. 

“i’m a fucking mess.”

– –

scaramouche stared at himself in front of the mirror. dressed in formal kimono for tonight’s prom theme. a deep sigh left him as he readjusted his haori. the house was unusually chatty tonight – most probably because his mother was downstairs with nahida and her mother. it filled the normally quiet and serene atmosphere with something warm.

it’s been around a week and a half since you had last talked to him. he hasn’t heard from you since he dropped off the box of dango with a note asking for a dance, he hopes you liked them. he reached for the gel on his desk but he hesitates, not sure if he wanted to gel his hair back or just leave it as is. you’ve always nagged him about being presentable, now it’s become a habit of his to bring a small mirror and a comb wherever he goes.

a knock echoed in his room. 

“may i come in, kunikuzushi?” ei, his mother, asked from the other side.

for a brief moment, he hears your voice. urging him to open the door and let his mother inside, hear her out. with another sigh he reluctantly gets up from his seat and opens the door.

“do you need anything?” he asks bluntly, raising a brow at the older woman her mouth opened and closed, eyes looking everywhere but him. it makes him frown but he doesn’t dwell on it for long.

ei cleared her throat and gestured if she could come in. scaramouche relented. 

“i’m glad the kimono still fits you,” she finally says. “blue suits you better than purple.”

“thank you…” he quietly mutters, ignoring the sudden spike in his temperature.

“before you leave, i wanted you to have this.”

a feathered ornament was placed on his hands and he felt the wind get knocked out of him. he’s suddenly taken back to the old backyard where he and a younger boy played under the big sakura tree that housed their little base.

scaramouche bitterly smiled and twirled the ornament in between his fingers. “i thought you threw it away.”

ei frowns. her hands smoothing out the creases of his white nagagi and his haori. “you treasured that little feather, how could i possibly throw it away.”

he doesn’t say anything more and lets his mother fix up his appearance. she helped him readjust the kakuobi on his waist, brush out his hair, and even assisted him in making the red eyeliner he always wore be even.

“is [name] at the venue already?” he asks as he boarded the car, waving goodbye to nahida at the porch.

“i assume they are,” miko answered as she buckled the seat belt. “be sure to make up with them alright? all of my hard work in getting you that kimono from chiori would be wasted if you don’t.”

scaramouche rolls his eyes and looks out the window. he can’t help but frown at the feeling that’s swimming in his guts. something bad is going to happen–he was sure of it.

– –

the venue was obnoxiously – in his mind– decorated, but it was overall decent. in the distance he could see some of his classmates (re: friends) on the dance floor. when aether’s eyes caught sight of him, the blonde boy immediately waved him over but scaramouche only ducked under his hand when venti wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“get off of me!” he protests and tries to run away but a tanned hand dragged him back to the dance floor.

“come on man,” sethos grins at him. “let loose a bit!”

and that’s how scaramouche got dragged all over the venue with his little band of misfits. xiao and albedo were chatting by their table, the purple haired boy threw his middle finger up when albedo stuck out his tongue at his misery while xiao only rolled his eyes in amusement. the twins were by the dj requesting songs and heizou was on stage performing with childe.

scaramouche sighed for the nth time and let a small smile slip out. he only rolled his eyes when venti tugged at his cheeks and when charlotte took a photo of them. for the entire night, he let himself enjoy everyone’s company, all the while, keeping an eye out for you.

“scara, look over there.” itto nudged him and pointed across the room.

his heart suddenly started racing when he saw your figure slip away behind the gymnasium doors.

“was that [name]?” lumine asked, her brows furrowed. “should we go follow them? it’s raining pretty heavily...”

rain. scaramouche felt his feet run towards the doors, ignoring the shouts of concern from his peers. it was raining tonight. he couldn’t shake the growing dread that gripped his heart as the rain poured down. 

the raindrops felt like small bullets that penetrated his skin. he was in pain and he didn’t know why. his mind kept screaming at him to run, and run, and run, but he didn’t know where he was running to. to catch up to you? no. that’s wrong, he is trying to catch you, so yes. maybe?

“you’re almost there.” a voice that sounded like yours echoed and everything went white.

scaramouche was suddenly inside an all too familiar room–your music room. there was a piano in the middle where you sat on the stool, the giant window in front of you was left open. the white curtains flowed with the wind as he tentatively tried to take a step closer.

“you know,” you start, fingers pressing onto the keys to play a familiar tune he knew by heart. “you never really told me what you titled this piece.”

“how is that relevant now?” he snapped, voice raising in volume. why did he sound so frustrated? why did this feel so familiar but strange at the same time?

“i guess there are some things you’ll never get to know, huh?” your tone was sad, but accepting.

you stop playing at the part he composed for you.

“why did you stop?” his voice turned shaky, the panic settling in his gut.

you look back at him and smile. “you don’t need to be too hard on yourself you know.”

“hey!” he shouts, chasing after your vanishing figure. when he tried you catch your wrist, it suddenly turned to smoke, inevitably slipping through his fingers. he felt his heart drop when he looked to see you standing in front of the giant window.

“you need to go now, kuni.”

“[name]!” he cried, desperation clawing at his chest.

you flash him one last smile. 

“don’t leave me alone!”

and then he was back outside under the harsh downpour of rain. his hands meet the pavement hard, he felt the pain shoot up all the way to his head but he didn’t care. this was too familiar–too painfully fucking familiar. his breathing started to turn shallow, vision blurring with his tears as the rain continued to pound down on him, drenching him straight to the bone.

give up.

he refused.

give up.

he refused.

give u–

“kuni?” 

he looks up from the pavement and he sees you there, across the street. under the bus stop with your hand under the rain. there were tears on the corners of your eyes as you realized that it was him.

you laugh in disbelief and rub at your tears. “you came all this way, for me?”

“you idiot,” he curses at you as he stands up. “i wouldn’t have had to if you hadn’t left. i still want that dance!”

scaramouche felt his smile slip away when a flash appeared in his mind– a warning, a memory, an inkling feeling that something bad is going to happen.

“don’t!” 

but it was too late. he willed his feet to stand up and help you. save you like you did to him. what went wrong? everything was fine–he was talking with his mother again, he can play the piano without having the urges to jump off a cliff, he had friends now, he had you. so why did everything start clicking into place in his mind, as if this was how it’s supposed to end? 

am i too late? he asked himself as he reached a hand for you. everything was too slow, he caught every expression that went across your face that was painfully illuminated by the yellow headlights. 

will the last time you played piano together truly be the last?

“why are you smiling…?” he asks, voice breaking in disbelief.

but if that truly was the last time, then how will you find out that he named the piece after you?

“why are you doing this to me!” he shouted, voice echoing in the empty streets.

he didn’t quite pick up on what you said the last time you two played in the music room. it was something along the lines of “you’re so mean.” or “why won’t you tell me?” but those don’t feel quite right. why couldn’t he remember?

“don’t leave.” he pleaded, just above whisper.

why didn’t he pay enough attention?

you once told him, “the greatest movies are never made.” but he often wanted to counter them with “but here you are in front of me.” will he never get the chance to tell you that?

ah. 

now he remembers.

the words you said that day, it was….

“i love you, kunikuzushi.”

– – 

beep. beep. beep.

so this was it? he asked himself as he stared at his hands. they were bandaged and bloodied. the heart monitor’s rhythmic beeping made his ears ring, feeling each beep drill itself into his skull as the doors opened and a flood of nurses and doctors rushed in.

the mask over his lips continued to fog up with his labored breathing, adding to that suffocating feeling inside his chest. everything was too much– too loud, too bright, too real. he wanted to leave. he needed to see you. but his vision blurred as his body gave out, collapsing back on his bed. was he dying? but didn’t he already die? this didn’t make sense.

a warm hand gripped his arm. when he turned to look at the person he felt the last flickers of hope in his heart die out. it wasn’t you.

there by his side was his mother, eyes blown wide and breath shaky as she tried to calm her breathing. she looked so strange, that frazzled and panicked look in her eyes didn’t belong there. she was supposed to look stern, strong–unyielding, not this fragile, worried mother.

“[name]...” he whispers. still clinging onto that small shimmer of hope.

“i’m so sorry, kunikuzushi.” ei’s voice brokes as she hung her head low, tears dropping to his arm. 

“oh.”

the word slipped from his lips, barely audible. so it was a dream after all. 

– – 

home didn’t feel quite like home without you. even more so as his acquaintances (re: friends) helped him store everything in boxes. the twins were arguing over something, xiao and albedo’s little sisters were playing in one of the spare rooms, childe and itto were competing to see who could carry the most boxes, and his mothers were helping move his piano.

scaramouche ended the call with a breath of relief. he pocketed his phone and stared blankly at the sealed cd in one of the boxes. ei told him it was found on your body on the night of the accident. he frowned at the memory but picked up the cd nonetheless.

nahida told him he had run off in the middle of prom when his mother arrived. you chased after him and the both of you unfortunately got into an accident. the dreams–hallucinations maybe– were created by consciousness to cope with the guilt, his psychiatrist said. zhongli said it would be best to distance himself from anything that reminded him of you, but how could he? not when every turn he took you in this small town you were there.

ripping the plastic and placing the cd in his worn out cd player, he skipped through the songs. a smile creeping up his lips when he realized you finally got it right. you burned the cd with songs he actually liked.

“hello…? is this thing working?”

scaramouche stopped. so did everyone present in the room when they heard your voice. from the corner of his eye, he saw miko try to approach him but ei held her back. for the nth time in the past 8 months since he woke up, he felt grateful for the woman.

“it’s flashing red so i’m just gonna assume it’s recording. if it’s not then this is gonna be very, very, embarrassing.” you laugh and paused. “i’m not really sure why i’m doing this. maybe it’s because i’ve been having this strong sense of deja vu? it kinda keeps me up at night, y’know? the thought that i won’t be able to tell you, so here i am, recording just in case something bad happens.”

he winces at your keen intuition but he makes no effort to stop playing the recording.

“it’s… been hard. seeing you in so much pain, i mean. it just became harder when we grew up and all i could do was just… watch. i didn’t know how to help. i was there, but it never felt like it was actually enough. was i doing enough, kuni?” you chuckle bitterly. “i never got why you wanted to be called scaramouche. names are an important part of someone’s identity, so i kinda get why you wanted to be called something else, but i don’t think i’ll see you as someone who isn’t kunikuzushi. sorry about that. maybe i’m also a bit stuck in the past, like you.”

he feels ei sit beside him, guiding his head to lay on her shoulder as your voice continues to echo throughout the now empty house.

“i hope in the future, you aren’t so hard on yourself and you continue playing the piano. seeing that spark in your eyes again, though almost always momentarily, makes me really happy. i felt a part of me become jealous. i never liked piano that much; i only ever played it because you liked it. i felt a little bit left behind. i don’t know. i-i just thought, you’d be stuck with me in this gray area for a little longer.” your voice started to shake. “i felt really sick and guilty when i started to hope you’d fail the audition. i’m so sorry about that. you were working so hard, and that made me want to work hard too! so i started practicing without you. i asked furina to mentor me, and oh boy, was she strict.” you chuckle. “but it was worth it. seeing that look of bewilderment on your face when i played nuvole bianche for auditions was really cute! i don’t think i’ve seen that expression on your face before.”

“w-whoa, whoa why is the red flashing slowing down?! is the recording gonna end?!”

he laughs at your panicked state. fiddling with the cd case in his hands.

“well okay then, i’ll wrap this message up. kuni, i’m so glad i met you when i climbed over our fenced gates. i’ll never forget that confused look on your face when i jumped over it and landed in your backyard and just, started listening to you play. you know, i was very sure you’d call your mom and have me kicked out.” you chuckle and take a deep breath. “i like you, you know. like very, very much and not in the friends type of like. for the longest time, i’ve had the biggest crush on you. i’m surprised you didn’t notice! hell even xiao figured it out and he’s the densest person i know!”

scaramouche turns to glare at xiao who only shrugged his shoulders.

“but yeah, i like you. i can’t really make a grand confession, i suck at words. if… if you really want to know how much i like you, then come over to my place and i’ll show you this piece i made for you! i don’t know what to title it yet but i’m thinking about “kabukimono’s finale.” oh crap the red flashing is gone now! okay, okay, bye now kuni! and please don’t be too hard on yourself okay? remember,” you pause. “i love you.”

and like that, the recording ended. scaramouche sat there on the floor with his mother for a long time. everyone had finished moving his stuff out and all that was left were his piano and the cd player in front of him. slowly, he closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. 

“thank you,” he says in a quiet whisper. “for being here, i mean.”

ei smiled and patted down his hair, still using her shoulder as his makeshift headrest.

“you’re welcome.” she replied with a kiss to the crown on his head.

he carefully placed the cd back in its case and tucked it into a box labeled “[name].” standing up, he takes one last look around the house.

“thank you,” he whispered once more. scaramouche could have sworn he saw you turn to look at him from the piano stool to flash him a smile and a small wave. the light reflecting in your eyes reminded him of the filtered sunlight that slipped through the cracks of that giant window in your music room. he wonders if this was real or just a final farewell his mind conjured up to seal the gaping hole inside his chest. but maybe it didn’t matter.

he isn’t quite sure if you understood the weight of both your words, but they were enough. the house is quiet again, but not nearly as lonely as it felt after he woke up. there was a feeling of peace in the silence, like a final note that’s still lingering just long enough for the melody to be completed. 

as he walked out of the house, leaving the boxes for the movers to move, scaramouche felt a sense of peace wash over him. the pain and guilt of losing you will never really disappear, but he had to walk down a path without you sooner or later. but for the first time since that accident, he felt like he could finally let go of the past. 

step after step as he crossed the road and further away from his childhood home, he smiled– a small bittersweet smile. this won’t be enough to ease the pain but it was the beginning of something new. and for now, that was enough.

© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.

[drowning-in-paragraphs]

PART THREE

jude bellingham x exgf!reader

PART ONE DRUNK CALL

PART TWO DRUNK CALL

a/n: when I tell you how much I loved writing the final part...!

The room buzzed with an air of elegance and formality, the muted hum of conversation blending with the soft clinking of glasses. Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over the scene, their reflections dancing on the polished floors and the glittering silverware that adorned each table. You moved through it all, dressed in your tailored uniform: a crisp white blouse, sleek black trousers, and a fitted jacket.

Tonight, the night seemed to stretch endlessly, the soft hum of chatter and clinking glasses barely registering in your mind as you moved mechanically through the room. You clung to professionalism like a lifeline, your fingers gripping the tray a little too tightly as you weaved through the guests. Each step felt heavy, like wading through quicksand, your heart pounding so hard you were sure someone would hear it.

Your tray trembled in your hands, betraying the storm inside you. You had done this job a hundred times before, your movements usually smooth and practiced. But tonight, you felt like a rookie—clumsy and unsure, your steps faltering as though the polished floor was uneven beneath your feet.

You kept your gaze low, your focus narrow. The realization that Jude might be somewhere in the room, just a glance away, was a weight pressing against your chest. Still, you moved with purpose, fighting the storm brewing inside you, praying silently that this night would pass without confrontation.

You took a breath, trying to steady yourself. Just another night, you told yourself. Just another high-profile event. But no amount of mental reassurance could quiet the tension coiled inside you, ready to snap. You felt as if chaos were brewing beneath the surface, waiting to burst free at the slightest provocation. You were just working, you didn´t have to encounter him. Not today, not yet.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

You cursed under your breath when you saw him.

He stood across the room, tall and commanding, his laughter cutting through the murmur of voices like a warm melody. He was breathtaking, even more so than you remembered. The tailored tuxedo he wore fit him perfectly, the sharp lines accentuating his broad shoulders and lean frame. His presence drew almost every eye in the room, but he seemed oblivious to it, his attention fixed on the joke one of his mates had just told. His smile was wide and genuine, the deep sound of his laughter making your chest tighten.

He looked… different. Stronger. Fitter. The months apart had refined him in a way that almost felt cruel. You wanted to stop looking. The more you did, the more it hurt. As if the universe had conspired to make him even more unattainable, more dazzling than before. The sight of him was a punch to the gut, stealing the air from your lungs.

He hadn’t noticed you. Not yet.

Your first instinct was to disappear, to avoid his gaze at all costs. Without thinking, you veered to the left, your tray wobbling precariously as you turned sharply to serve another group of renowned guests. But even as you busied yourself, pretending to be absorbed in your task, you couldn’t stop your heart from pounding. The sound of his laughter seemed to follow you, a cruel echo that reminded you of everything you’d tried so hard to forget.

But you knew, you could not avoid him forever. It was a matter of time before he saw you.

You felt it before you saw it—that sharp, tingling awareness of someone’s gaze on you. Hesitantly, you glanced up, and there it was. Jude’s eyes locked onto yours from across the room.

It was as if time had stopped. His expression shifted instantly, the smile vanishing from his face as his dark eyes widened in recognition. Unlike you, he was not expecting to see you. His posture, so relaxed and assured only moments before, stiffened slightly, and his hand, which had been gesturing mid-conversation, dropped to his side. For a moment, he didn’t move—just stood there, staring, as though the sight of you had stolen the very breath from his lungs.

You couldn’t look away. His gaze was so intense, so consuming, that it made your knees weak. There was something in his expression that struck you—a mixture of surprise, longing, and something else you couldn’t quite name. He looked at you as if you were a vision, as if he were afraid you might vanish if he so much as blinked.

And then he took an instintive step toward you.

Panic seized your chest. You stepped back reflexively, your heel catching slightly against the edge of a coworker’s shoe. You stumbled, muttering a quick, mortified apology as the other server steadied you with a startled look. The moment shattered, and without thinking, you turned on your heel and disappeared into another section of the room, your heart racing as if you’d just sprinted a mile.

You didn’t stop until you were on the opposite side of the grand hall, your back pressed against the cool wall as you fought to catch your breath. Your hands shook as you set your tray down on a nearby service table, fingers brushing against the polished metal as you steadied yourself.

He saw you. The thought burned in your mind, hot and undeniable. You had felt the weight of his gaze, the way it lingered as if he couldn’t bear to look away.

You wish your meeting had happened under different circumstances and possibly after a longer period of time.

But you couldn’t think about that now. You had a job to do.

On the other side of the room, Jude was reeling. His heart pounded against his ribcage, the sight of you overwhelming his senses. He had always thought you were beautiful, but seeing you now—after months of longing and settling for glimpses in old photos—left him breathless. He’d discovered you had blocked him shortly after a victorious match. Hoping to catch up on what you’d been up to, he found that your profile—and your number—had vanished from his socials. It was a decision he had checked on obsessively, always hoping you’d changed your mind, wishing for even one more chance to see you. Now, here you were, more radiant than he remembered. Yet there was something in your eyes—a flicker of vulnerability entwined with strength—that made his chest ache.

He wanted to look away, to give you space, but he couldn’t. His gaze remained fixed on you, drinking in every detail. He felt like a fool for standing there, rooted in place, but the fear of losing sight of you outweighed his self-consciousness. It wasn’t until a teammate nudged him with a question that he snapped back to reality.

“Are you okey, dude?” Camavinga asked, holding up a glass.

Jude nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Perfectly,” he said quickly, forcing himself to rejoin the conversation, though his mind was anywhere but there.

For you, the night was unfolding like a slow, agonizing waltz. You tried your best to focus on your duties, weaving through the glittering crowd with a steady smile and practiced movements. Yet, no matter how many times you told yourself to stop, your gaze kept drifting to him.

But every time your eyes lingered too long, he caught you.

And every time he did, his expression shifted. His laughter would falter, the easy confidence melting into something deeper, more intense. His gaze would lock onto yours as if nothing else in the room existed, his dark eyes drinking in every detail. And then, as if tethered by some invisible thread, you’d look away, your cheeks burning with the betrayal of your own emotions.

The subtle makeup you’d applied for the night barely concealed your blush. You could feel the heat rising every time you passed him, every time you felt the weight of his eyes following you through the room. It wasn’t just that he was looking—it was how he looked, like he was seeing you for the first time, or maybe for the last, and trying to memorize everything.

At one point, as you poured champagne for a group of distinguished guests, you felt his presence before you saw him. Turning your head slightly, you found him standing across the room, his hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers, his posture casual but his gaze anything but. He wasn’t even pretending to listen to the man beside him, his focus solely on you.

Your fingers fumbled with the champagne bottle for a split second, and you prayed no one noticed. But he did. His lips quirked into the faintest smile, a flicker of amusement that made your stomach twist in knots. You turned back to your task, gripping the bottle tightly to steady yourself, silently cursing the way your heart raced.

Later, as you collected empty glasses from a side table, you felt a shadow fall over you. Without looking, you knew it was him. Your breath caught in your throat, your pulse quickening as you forced yourself to keep moving, carefully stacking the glasses on your tray.

“Excuse me,” came a deep, familiar voice, low, just behind you.

It wasn’t directly meant for you; he was speaking to a guest nearby. But the sound of it—God, the sound of it—sent a shiver down your spine. You stole a glance over your shoulder, just for a second, and there he was, close enough that you could smell the faint, woodsy scent of his cologne. His profile was perfect, his jawline sharp, his focus momentarily elsewhere.

But then, as though he felt your gaze, he turned.

Your eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the rest of the room blurred. His brows lifted ever so slightly, his lips parting as if he wanted to say something, but you looked away quickly, your heart hammering in your chest. You fled to the kitchen under the pretense of needing a moment to reset the tray, leaning against the counter as you tried to catch your breath.

What was wrong with you? Why couldn’t you keep your emotions in check?

The rest of the evening was no better. And for Jude, it was a different kind of torment. He couldn’t stop looking at you, no matter how hard he tried. You were breathtaking in a way that left him utterly speechless. The polished uniform, the subtle glow of your makeup, the way your hair framed your face—it was all enough to undo him.

He noticed the way your cheeks flushed whenever your eyes met his, the way you bit your lip when you thought no one was looking. Every small, nervous movement made him want to cross the room and pull you aside, to finally say all the things he’d left unsaid. But he didn’t. Not yet. He didn’t know if he had the right.

As the evening wound to a close, the tension reached its peak. You felt it in every fiber of your being—the weight of his presence, the way your heart stuttered each time your eyes locked. You knew you couldn’t keep this up. The night would end soon, and with it, the fragile barrier of professionalism you’d clung to.

The event finally ended, leaving you utterly drained. You clung to the shadows as you helped clear away the remnants of the night, ensuring you avoided any further encounters with Jude. By the time you clocked out, the grand hall had grown quiet, the hum of conversations replaced by the quiet shuffle of the cleanup crew.

Outside, the crisp night air greeted you, cool against your flushed cheeks. You wrapped your coat tighter around yourself and began the walk home, your steps slow and measured, as though trying to gather the broken pieces of your composure.

The night was still, the city alive but muted under a canopy of stars. Each step seemed heavier than the last, your mind replaying the fleeting glances, the unspoken words, the tension that had hung between you and Jude like a storm waiting to break. You wanted to believe it was over—that you could let him go, that this night was the last chapter of a story better left unfinished.

Nevertheless, that was something you didn’t want. That you would never want.

The knock came just as you were slipping out of your shoes by the door. Three quick, firm taps that startled you into freezing in place. You turned, heart already pounding, a part of you knowing who it would be before you even opened the door.

Jude.

He stood there in his tuxedo, the jacket unbuttoned now, his tie loosened and hanging askew around his neck. His hair was slightly disheveled, as though he’d run his hands through it more than once, and his breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling as if he’d just sprinted the whole way to your door. The golden glow of the streetlamp behind him only made him look more devastatingly handsome, more unreal.

“Jude,” you breathed, barely finding your voice. “What are you—”

“You deleted my number,” he interrupted, his voice rough and low, almost accusing. His dark eyes locked onto yours, sparkling with something between frustration and desperation. “You blocked me.”

You opened your mouth, then closed it again, struggling to find the words. The vulnerability in his gaze made your heart ache, made every defense you’d carefully built crumble into dust. Finally, you whispered,

“You didn’t call.”

The words were soft, barely audible, but they hung in the air between you like a challenge. Your voice trembled, not with anger, but with the rawness of the truth, and his expression shifted instantly. The accusation in his eyes melted into something softer, something that made your knees weak.

He didn’t wait.

Before you could say anything more, he closed the distance between you, one hand cupping your face as his lips crashed against yours. The kiss was hungry, desperate, months—almost a year—of regret poured into the press of his mouth on yours. You gasped against him, your fingers curling into the fabric of his tuxedo jacket to steady yourself as the world spun around you.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured against your lips, his voice breaking. “I’m so sorry.”

You barely had a chance to respond before his lips were on yours again, his other hand sliding to the small of your back to pull you closer. Between kisses, you managed to whisper back, “I missed you.” The admission broke something inside you, and tears stung your eyes even as you kissed him with just as much fervor.

“I missed you too,” he breathed, his words muffled against your skin as he trailed kisses along your jaw, your neck. “Every day. I couldn’t—” His voice cracked, and he kissed you again, harder this time, as though trying to convey everything he couldn’t put into words.

You both were desperate, clinging to each other as though afraid to let go, your hands tangling in his hair, his touch burning through the fabric of your coat. Between kisses, between gasps for air, came the apologies—raw and heartfelt, tumbling out in broken whispers.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” he said, his forehead resting against yours for a fleeting moment.

“I’m sorry I blocked you,” you replied, your voice trembling as your fingers brushed against his jaw.

Neither of you could stop, couldn’t seem to get close enough. The kisses grew more fervent, more consuming, and it felt like you were trying to make up for all the lost time, all the nights spent apart when you’d needed each other most.

“I can’t do this without you,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he pulled back just enough to meet your eyes. “I don’t want to. I never did.”

Your heart felt like it might burst, and you nodded, your hands cupping his face as you whispered, “Me neither.”

And then his lips were on yours again, silencing the rest of your words, his kiss telling you everything you needed to know. You didn’t know how long you stayed there, tangled together in the doorway, the world outside fading into nothing. All you knew was him—his warmth, his touch, the way he made you feel like you were home.

Finally, when you broke apart, gasping for air, he pressed his forehead to yours, his hands framing your face as if he couldn’t bear to let go. “I’m not losing you again,” he said, his voice firm despite the raw emotion in his eyes.

“You won’t,” you promised, your voice steady this time. “Not ever.”

And for the first time in what felt like forever, you believed it.

[illogicallyx]

thoughts and distractions

content: gojo satoru x fem!reader + established relationship.

warnings: fluff, reader is perched on gojo's lap , uhhh shit ton of grammatical errors i don't have time to fix ig paired with weird and hasty writing ig yeah. i still love this piece lol it feels like a fever dream reading it back

a giggle echoes out in the room.

"what's gotten into you, baby?" satoru closes his eyes as he feels you rub your cheek against him like cats do.

he had been waiting for you to come home from your work. it was his favourite part of the day, waiting for you to come home and have you sit on his lap and ramble on about your day at work. it was common for you to be clingy towards him, he wasn't any better with you either.

but today you were clingier than usual, it was like you were trying to merge into him — not that he minded.

you hadn't even bothered to take off your shoes which were usually the first to go when you came home, making a beeline for his lap the moment you got through the door and started peppering his face with kisses, making his heart soar along with his eyebrows, prompting him to ask the question with an airy laugh.

"i missed you a lot today" a sigh leaves your lips as you voice out the reason for your needy behaviour, hands fisting the white tee he likes to wear around the house.

this was true, there was something about the day that kept making your brain revert back to his blue eyes that reminded you of the sky, his laugh that makes you feel like your heart is bursting from joy whenever you hear it and his overall presence that makes you gravitate towards him like a sunflower follows wherever the sun goes.

"yeah? what did you miss about me?" he hums at you, mouth pressing a kiss to your temple as you close your eyes and simply breathe, body feeling like you'd explode from the love and touch of the man who's currently holding your hips.

your hands travel to the back of his neck, fingers playing with the short hair from his undercut as you try to remember the exact thoughts you kept having as you worked.

a smile breaks out when you hear satoru let out a purring-like sound from his throat when he feels your fingers in his hair, he'd always been sensitive there.

you pull away from the side of his face and press your forehead to his. "well the first thought was about your eyes" you whisper to him, like you are sharing a secret with him. but it's never been a secret, not to him and not to anybody else.

it had always been obvious when your sudden change in favourite colour had drastically and funnily gone from dark red to blue, there was not a single shade of blue that had gone unloved by you when you started loving satoru. you had behaved like it was a crime to get anything that didnt have a dot of blue.

"well duh, everyone and their mother knows how much you love my eyes" satoru replies with an eyeroll that earns him a smack to the back of his head, your pretty lips forming a pout that matches his own now as one of his hands come up to rub where you hit him.

"now you've ruined the mood, get off me" you wiggle around in his lap, half heartedly untangling yourself from him.

"get off you? you're the one laying on top of me" he retorts as he watches you get up with hasty movements, causing some of your hair to fall in front of your face.

you look at him with faux irritation and card your fingers through your own hair, flipping them back and whip around to finally take the awful heels off when you're suddenly being pulled from behind, definitely by the big oaf you call your boyfriend.

satoru laughs a little in your neck when you still resist his hold on you as he gets you back on his lap. a tender kiss to your neck has you melting right back into his chest.

"where you off to, missy? you still have to list your thoughts to me" he says with a smirk. his smirk turns into a fond smile when he hears and feels your laughter as he tickles your side slightly.

his own heart bursting with joy at the sound of laughter of his love, just like yours does with his.

just like it always will.

[sirenpearldust]

Pearl - Part one

series masterlist ⋆ part two

Pair: Eris x reader; Lucien x reader (platonic)

Word count: 1.191

Warnings: Lucien is only mentioned, unrequited love, fluff, angst, arranged marriage, mentions of pregnancy and virginity

Once you two were the closest of friends and now you were his wife.

The marriage wasn't terrible, he was a good husband, but your heart belonged to Lucien.

You had been terribly in love with him for as long as you could remember, your heart would often feel like it was about to burst out of your chest. The similarities between Eris and Lucien didn't make it any easier.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" you asked softly, struggling to zip your dress.

Eris approached, offering his assistance, his upper body bare and sweaty.

Multiple freckles adorned his exercise-hardened body, stretching across his skin.

He looked too good; you shouldn’t be drawn to him. Your heart belongs to his brother. You cursed yourself for thinking about Lucien while drooling over Eris.

Yet, those shoulders, those full lips, and seeing him sometimes in uniform made you feel delirious.

He appeared composed, unlike you, showing no signs of breathlessness after everything you did.

He smirked as if he knew what you'd been thinking.

"What?" you asked.

Eris smiled warmly, remarking, "Considering you're eyeing me, like my brothers do with Mother's strawberry cake, I think I look good."

You laughed.

"You look horrible," you blurted out. "Your ego shouldn't become bigger."

Eris only chuckled finally securing the zipper.

You turned around, looking up at him. His russet eyes were filled with love and a dazzling smile stretched across his face. He seemed happy you noted.

"Stop smiling," you demanded.

"I'm not responsible for what my face does when you talk," Eris replied with a grin.

His hands sought your waist, drawing you close, chest to chest.

"I think we've had enough for today," you interjected, placing your hands between you two, creating a small distance. He merely laughed, nuzzling his head into your neck, inhaling your scent.

"We are now husband and wife, don't be shy now, there is nothing wrong with me hugging you. Hugging my wife," he said. You playfully hit him.

"I've picked some names. I just hope you like them," he said, his voice slightly muffled.

He kept running his nose along your neck, making you shiver and softly laugh.

Running your hands through his soft hair, you felt him shudder in response, a quiet sigh escaping his lips.

He fought the urge to confess.

I am in love with you. I've been in love with you since forever.

Pulling his face from your neck, he gazed into your eyes. His right hand slowly rose to tenderly caress your cheek before he kissed your forehead.

Guilt consumed you, weighing heavily on your conscience for entertaining thoughts of his brother while fully aware of Eris's feelings for you.

He wasn't subtle in his behavior around you, he looked out for you, even as you were foolishly in love with Lucien, who already had a mate and had been courting her.

Perhaps Eris was meant to be your mate, perhaps the bond would snap while being with him. Either way, you couldn't abandon him, you owed him your loyalty, as he deserved it.

"You're cute," he chuckled, watching your face scrunch up in an adorable manner.

"What?" you asked, puzzled.

"I said you look stupid," he snickered mischievously.

"Eris! How dare you!" you exclaimed, mouth agape at his audacity.

He laughed out loud as you attempted to wriggle out of his hug.

While watching you, doubts slowly began to surface. Although you were now officially his wife, he knew you were still in love with Lucien.

He desired to win you over, a goal he'd set since your first meeting.

He remembered it, clear as day.

He was mean to you and despite being the high lord's son, you had fearlessly insulted him, causing Lucien to burst into laughter and your own parents to scold you.

Now years later, you were attempting to conceive a child because Beron desired it.

He believed that your power would be a valuable addition to the blood line, so the marriage was arranged.

You bid farewell to your friends and family, knowing that you couldn't see them as often as before. You had taken on new responsibilities .

Raised in a wealthy and affluent family, you were perceived as family-oriented, educated, and poised in Beron’s eyes, despite the fact that your siblings might beg to differ.

In his eyes, you were a precious pearl, untainted and pure.

The sight of your bloodied sheets on the wedding night confirmed to him that you were a virgin, worthy of his son and as the princess of his court.

To you it was a dumb tradition that needed to disappear, a rule discriminating against females. It held power over them while men faced no such restrictions.

Despite being over 300 years old, you had never been intimate with anyone. Eris was surprised, he had expected the opposite.

Nevertheless, he was deeply in love with you, unable to imagine life without you - he would have taken you regardless. Still the mere thought of someone else being with you filled him with raging jealousy.

You upheld that tradition yourself, not only due to your families pressure but also out of a lack of interest in giving yourself to someone, only to potentially regret it later; at least with a husband, you reasoned, he would be bound to you.

It didn't mean that you were inexperienced or unaware of what needed to be done and how to do it, you weren't naive.

Marrying Eris and having a child with him would secure your family's high status, even though your father strongly opposed the union. Your father had different plans, and a marriage to the heir of the court wasn't part of them.

You and Eris each reassured your father and mother that you would be protected.

He himself promised you, to save you from the same fate as his mothers.

Your wedding was a grand affair, with a significant amount of money spent and all your loved ones in attendance, except for Lucien.

He couldn't risk his life by attending but sent a heartfelt letter wishing you happiness and asking you to inform him if Eris ever wronged you.

As wedding presents he sent you a beautiful blue dress, reminiscent of the night sky, a solar system from the Dawn Court, along with books from the Day Court.

The sweetness of his gestures moved you to tears, deepening your love for him and making you feel ugly as you were now married to Eris.

Eris, always protective of you, became even more obsessed and vigilant after the wedding. He was somewhat relieved that Lucien couldn't attend, despite missing his brother dearly. Eris feared that your love for Lucien might grow stronger, causing you to lose any affection for him.

But that’s not the only thing he had been worrying about.

Unbeknownst to you, he secretly has been using a forbidden tonic to reduce his fertility.

You having a child would jeopardize his plans, it would put you in harms way if anything were to go wrong.

And he wanted to win your heart over before burdening you with a child.

Main Taglist: @bubybubsters

Pearl - Taglist: @bubybubsters @favsrachz @fxckmiup @st4r-girl-official @starriestarlight @adharanotfound @mybestfriendmademe @se7enteen--black-blog @anainkandpaper @bunnyredgirl @loneliestluvr @justanotherlostreader

[m0nsterqzzz]

★ Happy Endings in the Avengers Compound ★

paring: wanda maximoff x female reader

summary: Wanda is to afraid to make a move with you but what about when you get a date that isn't her?

warnings: literally nothing, it's just pure fluff, jealousy if that needs a warning? really shitty ending cuz i didn't know how to end it lol, a tiny bit ofcussing, terrible writing

a/n: I wrote this while I should've been taking notes in English cuz I was so boreddddd got this idea from a video my friend sent me that was all like, "girl whos obsessed with you does your makeup or something" cuz there's this girl in class who likes to do people's makeup and it was so fucking funny cuz she kept making comments I swear so yeah I just wanted to say that. enjoy :)

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

With a big grin, you harshly push open Wanda's bedroom door and squeal. “I got a date with this really pretty girl at the coffee shop!” Wanda's head snaps up from the book she's ready, and no amount of enthusiasm takes over her face. “A girl? what's her name, last name, date of birth, addresses, place of work, and hometown?” you chuckle, sitting criss cross on her bed and taking her cold hands in your warm ones. “Her name is Vanessa but I call her V, her last name is Tanner, birthday is March 23rd…I don't know what year, I don't know her address, she works at the hospital a few streets away, and I don't know where her hometown is.”

She takes a moment to think before questioning, “So you're going out with a woman you barely know? That doesn't sound safe honey.” You chuckle and nod. “I do know her! We spent like two hours talking in the café!” She looked back to her book and muttered, “Yet you still don't know how old she is.”

You giggle, and a sudden thought appears that makes you smile even brighter. “You should do my makeup! She's taking me out to dinner at a really fancy restaurant at seven.” Wanda frowns. You hate fancy restaurants. The last time Tony tried to take the team out to one, you stared at the menu with a disgusted look on your face the entire time. Wanda ended up taking you to a diner later that night, and the burger you had was much better than the snail food Tony made you try. Why are you going out with this girl if she didn’t even care enough to learn that?

Wanda rolls her eyes a bit. “Why would I do that?” She asks, and you smile. “Because you love me.” you say. and she mumbles something incoherent before looking at your face and sighing in defeat. 

You cheer, launching yourself into her arms and letting your head rest against her chest. The corners of her lips tug up at your happiness, but they go back down when she remembers why. 

“Come on butterfly.” She helps you up off the bed, leading you to her vanity and forcing you to sit on the chair. She grabs a bronzer stick, gently applying it to the middle of your cheeks, kind of on your cheekbone. She grabs a beauty blender and blends that in before grabbing a blush palette. Bucky walks into the room, laying down on Wanda's bed and beginning to talk about some guy he met at the park today. “And he’s such an attention seeker!” He ends with, and it’s silent until Wanda speaks quietly- clearly to you, “Just like that girl you’re seeing.” You scoff, and Bucky bursts out laughing as he looks between the two of you. “What's that supposed to mean? You haven’t even met them yet!” You say, and Wanda shots back, “And I don’t want to.” Bucky holds his stomach in laughter, and both you and Wanda turn to glare at him. The frown on your face is clear as you look at Wanda, and she sighs as she tells you, “I’m sorry okay Butterfly? I just…..I don’t know.” You miss the way Bucky smirks at the witch as he leaves the room quietly. 

“I guess…..I just don’t like that she has you and I don’t.” This brings a small giggle out of you. “Of course you have me Wands! You’re my best friend!” You say, oblivious to the way she grimaces at the word “friend”. She sighs, and doesn’t say anything as you apply some eyeshadow and highlighter to your face. “There you go Butterfly.” You look at yourself in the mirror, grinning at the sight and then at her. You kiss her forehead in thanks. “Thank you Wands!” You say, beginning to run out of her bedroom to go search for an outfit to wear. 

“Anytime darling.” She mumbles, releasing a heavy sigh and holding her head in her hands. Someone gently knocks on the door, and she wipes her tears away and says without turning around, “What’s up Butterfly?” A slightly deep and raspy voice speaks teasingly from her doorway, “I thought that nickname was reserved for your girlfriend?” 

Wanda turns around, facing the redhead woman in the doorway and lets the tears fall. Natasha’s smile falls, and she instantly walks to Wanda and wraps her up in a hug. “She-she’s going out with someone else Nat! I’m too late!” Natasha knows about Wanda’s crush on you, as it was revealed after Wanda finally snapped at her after months of the ex-assassin teasing her about the way she looks at you. Natasha’s always been a very, go for it type person, so that’s the advice she had given Wanda the first time the younger girl asked for help asking you out. The witch practically laughed in her face.

“It’s okay kid……it’s okay.” Natasha tries her best to soothe her, but nothing seems to help as the tears continue to fall so she hesitantly pulls away and asks, “Do you love that girl Wanda?” The answer is obvious. “Yes….more than I love anything.” Wanda says. Natasha gently smiles. “Then you’re going to do what you should have done a long time ago. You’re going to buy her her favorite flowers,” Wanda nods along, sniffling a bit as she tries to build up her courage. “,you’ll put on some nice clothes instead of sweatpants and a hoodie,” she giggles and looks down at her comfortable clothes before nodding. “,and most importantly, you’re gonna do it today. Before she goes out on that date. I’m like 84.62 percent sure she likes you back so it’ll all be all right.” Wanda’s eyes go wide. She was expecting this to be more of a in a few weeks plan, but clearly Natasha had other thoughts. The redhead doesn’t give room for complaint though, as she simply gets up and walks out of the bedroom.

Wanda takes a deep breath, wiping her tears and glancing up at the clock on the wall. It’s currently 4pm, so that means there is 3 hours until your date with that bimbo.

Three hours for her to get a bouquet.

Three hours for her to figure out what she's even going to say.

Three hours for her to get her shit together.

Those three hours are spent with Bucky and Natasha, spending the first hour going to multiple stores in search of the perfect bouquet. It’s stupid really, the need to find the perfect bouquet but the older two just roll their eyes and stay silent. 

The next hour is spent trying to figure out what to say, and both Natasha and Bucky could not stay serious as Wanda rehearsed on a pillow. That pillow was thrown at Natasha's head.

The last hour was an hour of panic, especially when you came in to say your date was 10 minutes away. This was her time. She walks through the hallway, finding you sitting on a couch in the living room. You changed clothes, and you look absolutely stunning. She stops walking for a second to admire you, but a giggle from behind her causes her to abruptly turn around. She sees Tony, Natasha, Bucky, Steve, and Thor all standing there with smiles.

Tony's is more of a smirk, but everyone else's is supportive as they give her silent thumbs up. She rolls her eyes at them being nosy and continues to walk closer to you.

Your focus is on your phone, but you look up with a bright smile when you notice Wanda's platform docs. “Hey Wands! What's up?” She swallows thickly, sweaty hands gripping the bouquet a bit tighter behind her back. “Wands? Why do you look so nervous?” You giggle, and she can't help but smile at the sound. 

The group is still watching from the doorway, and Natasha rolls her eyes when Tony pulls out his phone and presses record.

Wanda reveals what she was hiding, and you immediately gasp at the sight of the beautiful flowers. “Well aren't you just a gentle woman my dear? These are beautiful Wands. Thank you.” She smiles as you bring them a bit closer to your nose and sniff them. “Not as beautiful as you.” She cringes, and you immediately burst out laughing. “That was sweet but it was definitely the cheesiest thing I've ever heard you say.” She nods.

Tony agrees quietly and Bucky hits the back of his head.

“So um….Butterfly.” You nod to acknowledge her. “I was- I was thinking recently and um…” Your phone begins to buzz, and you simply place it in your purse as you give her your full attention. “Well…” She takes a glance at the group who's still in the doorway, and they all send her encouraging smiles. It's then that you notice them, sending them all confused smiles before looking at Wanda again.

She's taking one last deep breath when Jarvis suddenly alerts the house. “There is a woman named Vanessa Tanner at the front gate, saying she's here to pick up her date.” Natasha and Bucky instantly panic, looking at each other before going back to Wanda.

As if those are the magic words, Wanda's eyes widen and she begins to ramble, “I really, really, really like you Butterfly and I know you may not feel the same way but Natasha and Bucky said you did and I figured that if there was a little bit of hope, I should try it.” A shocked look takes over your face. “It's totally fine if you don't feel the same way but I just couldn't let you go out with that bimbo named Vanessa if there was even a small chance you liked me….half as much as I do you.” She doesn't take her gaze off the floor, and she takes your silence as an answer as tears fill her eyes.

“Wanda. Look at me.” You demand, but she shakes her head no and continues to study the carpeted floor. “Wanda. Look…at…me.” She slowly looks at you, and the happiness in your eyes is enough to make her let out a small sigh of relief- not complete relief though. 

“I wish you had told me this before I practically threw myself at a woman I barely know. Because I'd much rather you be the one picking me up for dinner than Vanessa.” You both giggle, and she hesitantly asks, “So...what does that mean for us?” 

Natasha rolls her eyes and Tony shouts, “Ask her out you dumbass!” It's clear he's talking to the witch in front of you and she blushes red as she glares at him before turning back to you. “He's right. So, would you like to go out with me Butterfly?” 

You take a moment to pretend you're thinking about it before asking playfully, “And what would we do on this date Miss Maximoff?” She hadn't really thought about it, so she takes a minute to do that before declaring, “I'd take you out to dinner, not a fancy restaurant with food you hate, but your favorite dinner a few streets away. And then I'd take you dancing to that place we went to for your birthday because you had a lot of fun there, and then I'd bring you back here and make you a homemade dessert. Your favorite.” You smile. “Then yes, I’d love to go out with you Wanda Maximoff.” You lean in a bit to kiss her cheek, and she blushes a bit.

Suddenly, cheering erupts and the sound of a confetti popper going off can be heard. “What the hell Tony?” Wanda asks, but both of you can’t help but chuckle. He grins. “This long lasting nightmare of having to be around you two’s sexual tension is finally over!” Natasha smacks his arms and questions, but it’s more like telling him what to say, “Don’t you mean, “I popped that confetti popper because I’m so happy two of my teammates have finally found happiness”?” He’s silent for a minute before he laughs loudly as says, “No. Not at all. I meant to say, this long lasting nightmare of having to be around you two’s sexual tension is finally over! Let’s party baby!” You giggle, but Wanda narrows her eyes, letting them glow red. Suddenly, the second unused confetti popper in Tony's hand flies up to be level with his face, and he mumbles, “Well shit” right before it goes off. 

While he’s spitting out small pieces of paper from his mouth and trying to blow them out of his nose, the doorbell rings. “It is Vanessa Tanner.” Jarvis notifies, and you start to walk to the door with Wanda hot on your heels. “Where are you going?” She questions with a hint of sadness in her voice as she’s sure you're going to go on that date with Vanessa even after everything just happened. 

“I’m going to go tell her it won’t work out.” You say casually, and the smile is right back on Wanda's face as she uses her powers to freeze you in place and run ahead of you. You simply laugh, calling out, “Wanda! Wanda!” She turns around for a second to look at you. “Be nice please?” She giggles. “It’s nice of you to think I can do that Butterfly.” She runs off to go probably harass Vanessa, and you're left frozen in the hallway with a small chuckle. 

What Wanda doesn’t know is that you’d been waiting for that day even longer than she had. She’d always been it for you, ever since the first day she came to the compound. But over time, you slowly lost hope she felt the same way, and decided to just move on. If Wanda hadn’t done that sudden declaration of love, the future you two eventually have together would have never happened, and that's something you now think about daily.

[svt-kiki]

( 🧺 ) 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ⌅ .

EP 109 : MT SVT REALITY 2024

2024.　pairing.　kiki ( fem!oc ) × svt

cw.　eng is not my first language, rough writing, no proofread, mentions of alcohol ( i mean it’s ttt so )

kiki was attacked hugged by mingyu as soon as she entered the lesson room after jeonghan

“what? ...oh, yes,” she said to herself with a chuckle, remembering mingyu was elected as the gose class president in previous episodes ( and carats didn’t miss that he seized the chance to hold her )

then she greeted with the staffs politely as always, wearing a black clop cardigan and a matching color camisole, dark gray pants in a relaxing silhouette, both were soft materials, matching the mt concepts for the day

also wearing glasses ( important )

she just tittered while hoshi, cheol and jeonghan kept adding mingyu’s tasks as the class president

“you guys living to give him a headache for real, arent you.”

she sat on the place nearby the door, then the next thing carats realized was wonwoo silently sitting next to her ( seized the chance guy #2 )

after most of them gathered, she popped up with a question, “isn’t it been a while? doing ttt?”

kiki: i love this content so much :)

wonwoo silently pulled her sleeve and got her closely so that she could join the same car with him

jun: but seriously, do you guys think it is okay? leave the grocery shopping task to us!?

kiki: *stepped ahead, tried to volunteer that she can do instead*

jeonghan, held her from behind and covered her mouth: DON’T

seungkwan: hey! someone is trying to smother the applicant! ㅋㅋ

dino: no, no, hadn’t we strongly agree not to let noona do those things in ttt before?

that’s true, in almost every ttt episodes, she is always willing to do shopping, cook, wash dishes, and clean places aftermath

so boys decided “no more tasks” rules for her, bcs she always doing these tasks not only in the content but on a daily basis

jeonghan: ah i should let her sit in the passenger seat, joshua ain’t do a thing

kiki: well it’s too late for that *comfortable in the backseat*

she just couldn’t stop laughing at how jeonghan introduced the product for ads

kiki: why are u so bad at this

jeonghan: shut up i’m no actor okay

kiki: wait this actually tastes good???

joshua: ahdfsjak

not wonwoo slowly lying down to her lap

they went to the PA for a casual meal

jeonghan: can i have a drink?

kiki: go ahead i’ll drive

[ pretend like the rule never existed ]

jeonghan: *attacked her cutely*

kiki: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

kiki: i want to eat a popsicle so bad, should i text mingyu?

joshua: if u want i’ll text him instead

kiki: really? like aren't your text piling up?

then every person in the car died

joshua: did u just backstabbed me like that!?

kiki: i'm sorry i didn't intended to ㅋㅋ

she was surprised at how big today’s accommodations were

kiki: staff-nim must struggling to find the places for us every time

[ yes we are ]

jeonghan asked her to play the pool together so she said yes

he laughed about how sometimes he got pissed at how she’s good at everything from the beginning

kiki responded with a serious face, “no, the reason it looks like i’m good at those things is any other pfu boys basically suck at every ball game,” and both burst into laughter

after a while, jun shouted to her from outside, “kiki~! i’ll sing your fav jp song, u wanna join?” so she immediately got outside

[ never miss the opportunity to duet ]

singing i love you by ozaki yutaka with jun, kiki said to him, “we should do the cover of this yk, like officially,” and carats started manifesting in a sec

mingyu: thank god she’s finally here

while naturally helping to prepare the BBQ, kiki looked around and said, “everyone just singing karaoke… i guess we are already at the age now where we need to save our energy for the night…” then died inside

[ blew herself up ]

she’s an honorary member of the low-energy club in the group so

after everyone got at the table and cheered, joshua finally asked her help for his kimchi fried rice which took one eternity

kiki: okay lemme add this- and this- and this spice- yeah now it’s good

[ finally served ]

after playing the games ( she kept losing and got a lil tipsy already ), they cleaned the place for once and shifted to the next game

minghao claimed from the distance that since kiki’s good at playing basketball she should be given a handicap

so she gave a shot from across the pool while everyone watched in silence expecting the miracle but she failed the first attempt

[ miracle is a miracle because it won’t happen easily ]

kiki: what did u expected i'm half drunk

in the ep.3 part, she chilling and half asleep while her roommates mingyu and dokyeom are both hyperactive from early morning

kiki isn’t the type of not good in the morning usually, but this is the day she didn’t need to wake up before 10 am for a long while so she just kept sleeping peacefully, it might be the first time in ttt that she hadn’t get up early than most of them

kiki: wow you actually look like your dad

jeonghan: all of the sudden-?

while seungkwan trying to get on the unicorn float, she was still sleepy but automatily turned on the camera and started recording ( lately posted on weverse ofc )

an.　this is really rough sorry ( almost sucks at this point?¿ ) but it is like a test drive for me before i lost my motivation to write it so here we go. tag list is open, reblog / comments / ask box messages are always appreciated <3

(    📁    )   :   NAVI   :  MASTER LIST     

(    tag list    )   :   @smh-anon @jennwonwoo

[thebellearchives]

𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐑

~ solomon ; obey me

✧˚ · . S Y N O P S I S : when Solomon finds out about your secret he can’t help but treat you a little bit differently

‧₊˚ c o n t e n t s : fem!mc, fluff, Asmo speaks about smelling different types of attraction

‧₊˚ a / n : after writing this i wasn’t sure if it was good enough to post it here, but y’all can decide after reading it i guess ):

Solomon was barely paying attention to his friend rambling and rambling as background noise. His grey eyes focused intently on the small vial filled with blue liquid hanging from his fingertips, shaking it just slightly. Just like the white haired sorcerer was not paying attention to the gossip of his friend, Asmodeus was also oblivious to the fact that he was not being heard. Or to the fact that the sorcerer had told him not to come over to his room because he was busy working. But he just had to get all that gossip out of his system!

“… because he doesn’t smell like strawberry cream sweetness anymore! He smells like painful alcohol-like sweetness! Kind of like what Mc smells like when she’s around you.”

Suddenly the vial Solomon had in his hand crashed on to the floor. The demon let out a small scream and lifted his legs up to his seat.

“What was that?! Is it harmful? Can I breathe?!”

“Calm down” the sorcerer sighed “it’s harmless. What was that about Mc smelling different around me?”

Asmo raised an eyebrow, annoyed, as he watched his friend cleaning the small mess he’d made.

“Yeah, you know, I told you she smells like this strong annoying sweet smell people get when they go from having a nice scented crush to a hopeless romantic crush”

Solomon stared at Asmo with his eyes wide open.

“Why are you acting like you’ve told me Mc has a crush on me before?”

Mc had a crush on him? Like… Mc? THAT MC? His gifted pretty apprentice? The one everyone loved to death and the one he was sure he’d never have a chance with?!

“Because I did! I told you like a month ago! Do you not pay attention to me?!”

“When exactly was this?”

“I was sitting RIGHT here were I am right now, you were RIGHT THERE where you are right now, and you were also playing with this exact same silly chemistry set toy.”

“It’s not a toy, Asmo” he sighed.

“Whatever, I told you. And then I told you about that incubus I met at Red Nook Street. Do you remember that?”

Solomon was dumbfounded. He had just found out about Mc having a crush on him and there were A LOT of feelings mixing up inside him. What should he do? Should he say anything? So many thoughts, so may questions. He kept his composure though.

“… no” he absently replied.

“Sol have you been paying any attention at all to me?!”

“I do remember that I told you that day not to come over because I was busy working” he raised an eyebrow, Asmo stayed still “just like I did today”

“…you did?”

“Yes, I did. Have you been paying any attention at all to me?”

Asmo stared at his friend for like two seconds, before finally bursting out in laughter.

-0-0-•-0-0-

You tapped your nails on the desk and anxiously shook your leg up and down under it. Eyes wandered back to the clock once again. Five minutes to 10 am. It was the second lesson of the day, History of the Devildom, and one of the 4 lessons of the week you shared desk with Solomon. Not like you had much time to hang out with him since the brothers monopolized your time as much as they could (wether they did it on purpose or not), but ever since you became Solomon’s apprentice you had built up some courage to ask him to sit with you in the only classes you shared. So it was… 4 classes and Friday afternoons for sorcery class. You glanced at the clock once more.

“Oi, Mc!”

“Huh?” you shook your head to try and come back down to earth, focusing on the tanned white haired demon next to you “oh, sorry Mammon, what were you saying?”

“I was telling ya ‘bout this new Casino they’re opening tomorrow, wanna come?” he flashed a fanged grin.

“I thought you didn’t have any money?” you raised your eyebrows at him.

“Bah, I always have money for ya!”

You smiled.

“That’s nice Mammon, but you know my fridays are taken.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Come on, be a little less of a nice student for a day.”

“Rude, I’ve skipped classes for you a couple times despite the ruthless scoldings from Lucifer” you frowned, remembering how angry Lucifer was when he found out it was deadly for humans to stay upside down for too long and he had to look for another punishment.

“Then what’s the difference of skipping friday lessons with the shady dude?”

“Mc loves having lessons with me, don’t you Mc?” out of nowhere, the pale pretty sorcerer appeared behind Mammon “that’s my seat Mammon.”

“Sol! You’re here” you beamed, heart beating faster almost immediately “of course I do.”

“Ya sure” Mammon pulled a face and rolled his eyes again before standing and going back to his seat behind yours.

“I’m glad” Solomon smiled.

You opened your mouth in an attempt of starting a conversation with your desk mate, but as soon as you tried the teacher stood up and started the lesson. Solomon had sat down closer than he usually would, and it was nerve wracking. The teacher spoke like he did every day, but this time you were just not able to keep up. Your mind was too busy being over aware of Solomon’s proximity, and your eyes were constantly going back to him. Maybe it was because you were used to looking at him when you thought he wasn’t looking, but you did notice he seemed a little bit nervous. Suddenly his grey eyes darted towards yours.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing” you quickly looked away, but after a second you went searching for him again “are you okay?”

“Hmm? Yeah, I just…” he stretched his arms with a sigh “didn’t get much sleep last night.”

He placed his left arm over the back of your seat and around your shoulders. Blood rushed to tint your cheeks a soft cherry color. You cleared your throat before replying.

“Oh” he seemed to be studying your face in amusement, eyes wide and sporting a cheeky smile “w-were you working on a new project or something?”

He giggled.

“Yeah, something like that.”

Something like that? You stared at the teacher as he kept talking about… stuff. Maybe you could ask Satan for his notes later?

What could’ve Solomon stayed up doing? Working on a new spell? A new memory container glass to replace the broken one? Some random artifact that makes you react in a weird way?

“Maybe pay attention to class instead of trying to guess what kept me up?” he caught a strand of your hair and hid it behind your ear.

Blushing once again, you blinked twice in surprise.

“H-How did you…?”

“I suddenly feel like I’m able to read you better than before” he chuckled, you heard Mammon groaning behind you. With a shy smile and fidgeting with the cuff of your uniform, you pretended to pay attention again. You didn’t know what Solomon was up to, that was usual, but if one thing was for sure it was that you kinda liked it.

[writingsoftarnishedsilver]

Aurors and Irises | Sebastian Sallow x OC #24

Summary: Sebastian becomes jealous of Alaric Thornton, a charming Auror who captivates their Defense Against the Dark Arts class—and Evie in particular. This eventually leads to an exchange with Ominis about unspoken feelings and hidden truths in the Undercroft.

Words: 7,574

Tags: Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, Unspoken Feelings, Soft Moments in the Undercroft, Fluff with a Side of Angst, Love Triangle (Sort Of), Secret Pining, Ominis Gaunt Knows Everything

Read more stories about Sebastian and Evangeline

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The classroom buzzed with anticipation long before Professor Hecat even entered. Rumors about a special guest had circulated for days, and now, as the Defense Against the Dark Arts class waited for their lesson to begin, the energy was electric. Sebastian sat between Ominis and Evangeline, idly spinning his quill between his fingers, but even he couldn’t help stealing glances at the door.

“Do you think it’s true?” Natty leaned over from her desk in front of them, her voice low but eager. “An actual Auror coming to talk to us?”

“It’s probably just someone from the Ministry,” Sebastian said dismissively, though his gaze flicked toward the door again. “Aurors are too busy chasing dark wizards to come chat with a bunch of students.”

“Or maybe they’re here to recruit,” Ominis added dryly, his wand resting lightly on his lap. “You could always join up, Sebastian. You’d look dashing in an Auror’s uniform.”

Sebastian smirked, but before he could respond, the door opened. Professor Hecat strode in, followed closely by a tall figure who immediately drew the attention of every student in the room.

“Class, settle down,” Hecat said briskly, her voice cutting through the chatter. “Today, we have a guest speaker from the Auror Office. Everybody, please welcome Alaric Thornton, a Hogwarts alumni. Alaric has kindly taken time out of his busy schedule to speak with you about magical law enforcement.”

Alaric stepped forward with an easy smile. His dark robes, neatly tailored, bore the polished insignia of the Auror Office, and his posture was effortlessly composed.

Sebastian recognized him almost immediately. Being two years his junior, they hadn't crossed paths much, but Sebastian remembered Alaric sitting at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall in his earlier years—always polished, always self-assured, and always popular. Back then, Alaric had been the type to command a room with just a look, and judging by the way the class seemed captivated, not much had changed.

“Good morning, everyone,” he said, his voice warm and engaging. “It’s great to be back at Hogwarts—brings back memories, though I have to admit, it’s much nicer standing here without the threat of an exam looming over me.”

A ripple of laughter went through the class, even earning a faint smirk from Professor Hecat who then continued.

“Alaric will sit in on our lesson today, observing how we tackle advanced defensive techniques. At the end, he’ll be available to answer your questions about the Auror Office and his work."

Alaric smiled, giving a small, self-deprecating shrug that only seemed to make half the class more enamored with him. He stepped to the side, leaning casually against the wall, his arms folded, exuding the effortless charm of someone completely at ease.

As Professor Hecat directed the students to pair up, the atmosphere in the classroom shifted to a hum of concentration. With a focus defensive techniques, pairs were instructed to alternate between casting and countering a series of rapid, layered spells. The air quickly filled with the crackling sounds of magic, bursts of light flaring as shields collided with hexes.

With Natty quickly claiming Evie as her partner, Sebastian paired with Ominis, though his focus wasn’t where it should have been. He kept glancing toward Evie, who was working at the far end of the room. She was always sharp in these lessons—quick with her counters and precise in her movements. But today, she seemed even lighter than usual, her posture straighter, and there was a faint flush on her cheeks that Sebastian couldn’t ignore.

He knew exactly why. Every now and then, Alaric’s voice would carry across the room, offering advice or praise as he observed the students’ spellwork. And more often than not, it seemed like his comments were directed toward Evie.

“Excellent timing,” Alaric called, stepping closer to her as she deflected Natty’s well-aimed jinx with a smooth flick of her wand. “That shield was perfectly cast. You’ve got a natural instinct for this.”

Sebastian’s wand faltered mid-hex, and Ominis barely managed to counter it in time. Ominis sighed, lowering his wand. “If you’re going to half-hex me, at least have the courtesy to be vaguely apologetic.”

“Sorry,” Sebastian muttered, though his eyes remained locked on Evie. She was smiling faintly now, murmuring something in response to Alaric that Sebastian couldn’t hear over the sounds of spellwork around them.

His irritation only grew as the lesson continued. Alaric’s attention wasn’t exclusive to Evie—he offered advice to other students, too—but it was clear she had caught his interest. Every time he moved across the room, his gaze seemed to linger on her just a little longer than necessary, his comments carrying a tone of genuine admiration. And worst of all, Evie didn’t seem to mind.

Sebastian found his mind wandering back to last term, when he’d tried—unsuccessfully—to understand what Evie looked for in someone. It had started as a joke, the kind of teasing banter that often filled their conversations, but he’d become fixated after she mentioned wanting someone “sturdy.” The word had stuck with him, frustratingly ambiguous, and he’d replayed it over and over, trying to decipher what she meant. Sturdy, as in dependable? Or sturdy, as in physically strong? He’d even gone back to the Witch Weekly quiz she’d filled out, analyzing her results in his mind like they were ancient runes, desperate to figure out what kind of person she wanted.

And now, as he watched her with Alaric Thornton, he felt like he had his answer.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened as he drew comparisons he didn’t want to make. Sure, he had his own strengths, but Alaric seemed to check every box Evie might have on her hypothetical list of “perfect qualities.” Strong, dependable, capable—there it all was, standing at the front of the room. And it wasn’t just his personality, though he was obviously charismatic enough to rival even Sebastian. What really made Sebastian's teeth clench was the way Evie’s gaze had lingered on Alaric’s frame, the faintest flush rising in her cheeks as he praised her spellwork.

He was the picture of a seasoned Auror: tall and broad-shouldered, with a naturally athletic build that made him look like he belonged on the cover of Quidditch Weekly. His robes, though standard issue, fit perfectly, accentuating his toned frame rather than concealing it.

Sebastian glanced down at himself. Sure, he had muscle—years of Quidditch training and dueling had seen to that—but there were times when he wasn’t as sharp as he wanted to be. Maintaining his form took effort and consistency, and if he let his guard down for even a few days, it was obvious, and it didn’t help that he had a notorious weakness for Honeydukes’ confections.

The thought of Alaric probably skipping dessert in favor of push-ups made Sebastian’s teeth clench in frustration.

With a sigh, he forced himself to redirect his attention to Ominis, who was growing impatient. “Are we going to continue this duel, or should I just start hexing you for real?” Ominis asked, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

“Relax,” Sebastian muttered, raising his wand. “I’m focused.”

“Yes but not on me,” Ominis countered, his voice low enough that only Sebastian could hear over the crackling of spells around them. “And it’s not exactly subtle.”

Sebastian opened his mouth to retort, but Alaric’s voice carried over again, cutting through his thoughts like a blade.

“You’ve got excellent form, Evangeline,” Alaric said, stepping closer to where Evie stood. “If you ever consider a career in magical law enforcement, I think you’d find yourself right at home.”

Sebastian’s heart lurched in his chest as Evie’s cheeks turned pink, but she tilted her head slightly, her voice steady. “Thank you. I’ve been focusing on curse-breaking, but... I’ll keep it in mind.”

Curse-breaking. Right. Sebastian clung to the reminder like a lifeline, though it didn’t do much to soothe the irritation bubbling under his skin. She had plans, dreams, and none of them involved chasing dark wizards alongside someone like Alaric Thornton. At least, that’s what he told himself.

As the dueling session drew to a close, Professor Hecat raised her voice to regain the class’s attention. “Enough for today. Wands away,” she instructed, her sharp tone cutting through the lingering sparks of magic. “Alaric will now take questions. I expect you to be respectful and brief.”

A murmur of excitement rippled through the students as Alaric stepped forward with his easy smile. A few students surged toward the front of the room, eager to ask about his experiences as an Auror recruit. Sebastian, however, didn’t bother staying.

Without a word to Ominis or Evie, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stormed out of the classroom. Ominis, still seated, rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, “Subtle as always.”

Sebastian’s hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor as he stormed away from the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, his jaw set. He didn’t care if the entire class had noticed his abrupt exit. He just needed to be away from the nauseating mix of Alaric Thornton’s effortless charm and the way Evie had smiled at him.

“Sebastian!”

Of course she had followed him.

He slowed but didn’t stop, muttering under his breath, “Just let it go, Evie.”

When her footsteps quickened to catch up, he sighed and finally turned around, his expression carefully neutral. “What?” he asked, his voice sharper than he intended.

Evie frowned, her brows knitting together as she stepped closer. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been off all lesson. You weren’t paying attention, your dueling was sloppy, and now you’re running off before the lesson’s even finished.”

“Nothing’s going on,” Sebastian replied quickly, brushing past her concern with a casual shrug. “I just didn’t feel like sticking around.”

“Sebastian,” she said, her tone softening, “this isn’t like you. You love Defence. Did something happen? You can tell me if—”

“I’m fine, Evie,” he interrupted, his voice firm but not harsh. “Really. You don’t have to worry.”

Her frown deepened. "You're not acting fine."

For a moment, her words seemed to chip away at his resolve. He hesitated, his arms dropping slightly, but then he shook his head and gave her a faint, forced smile. “Evie, relax,” he said lightly. “I just needed some air, that's all”

Evie’s concern didn’t waver. She studied him carefully, her gaze searching his for a hint of honesty. “If you’re sure…” she said finally, her voice uncertain. “But if something’s wrong, you can talk to me. You know that, right?”

Sebastian met her eyes briefly, his chest tightening at the sincerity in her voice. He wanted to tell her, to let the words spill out—but he didn’t know how to explain it without sounding ridiculous. What was he supposed to say? That the way she smiled at Alaric Thornton made him feel like he was losing something he hadn’t even claimed?

“I know,” he said instead, his tone softening slightly. “Thanks, Evie. But really, I’m fine.”

Evie hesitated for a moment longer, her frown softening into something more thoughtful. Then, she stepped forward and looped her arm through his. Sebastian tensed at first, caught off guard, but she didn’t let go.

“Well, if you’re going to storm off, we might as well make the best of it,” she said lightly, tilting her head to look up at him. “Let’s head to lunch early before Ominis gets there and steals all the good rolls.”

Sebastian blinked. Her warmth, her easy humor—it always had a way of disarming him, cutting through the tangle of frustration that so often churned beneath the surface. It was maddening and comforting all at once, how effortlessly she could pull him out of his own head.

He allowed himself a faint smile. Her arm resting in his felt natural, easy—too easy, really. But he still let her guide him down the corridor.

“Since when does Ominis steal anything?” he asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

“Oh, he’s subtle about it,” Evie teased, her lips curving into a small smile. “But I’ve seen it. The dinner rolls vanish faster when he’s around. It’s the quiet ones you have to watch, you know.”

As they walked, Evie chatted beside him, her voice light as she filled the air with anecdotes and observations about their classmates. Sebastian nodded along, his responses automatic, but his mind was still a whirlwind of jealousy, frustration, and unspoken feelings.

It was only when Sebastian and Evie slipped into the Great Hall, still side by side, that he came back into focus. The scents of roasted chicken, freshly baked bread, and warm pumpkin juice filled the air, but the pair had one mission in mind: to grab the best offerings and get out before anyone else caught on.

“You know what to do” Sebastian whispered conspiratorially, nodding toward the Gryffindor table. “I’ll handle Slytherin’s end.”

Evie raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk. “You got it, Sallow."

They split up. Sebastian moved quickly, weaving through the Slytherins with practiced ease. He snatched two warm rolls from the edge of a platter, grabbed a small dish of spiced butter, and spotted an untouched treacle tart farther down the table. With a quick glance to ensure no one was paying attention, he reached out and slid it toward him. He could practically hear Ominis’s future complaint: “You’ve become alarmingly adept at theft, Sebastian.”

Meanwhile, Evie darted between the Gryffindors, her movements light and swift. She claimed a dish filled with flaky pastries and an apple pie, keeping her face composed despite the adrenaline of their covert mission. She caught Nellie's curious glance as she walked past, giving her a quick smile and a “don’t ask” shrug before slipping back toward the Great Hall doors.

Sebastian was waiting near the entrance, holding his pile of pilfered goods on a plate. When Evie appeared, balancing her own haul, he gave her an approving nod.

“Not bad,” he said as they ducked out of the hall and into the corridor.

“You should know by now,” she retorted, her tone light, “that I’m good at everything.”

“Modest, too,” he shot back, his grin widening.

They made their way to the courtyard, the late September air still pleasantly warm as they settled onto a low stone bench beneath one of the arches. The courtyard was quiet, most students still inside heading to the Great Hall for lunch, giving them a moment of peace. Sebastian handed her one of the rolls he’d swiped, and she passed him half of her pasty in return.

“See?” she said, biting into her apple pie. “Teamwork.”

He accepted the offering with a nod of thanks. They ate in companionable silence for a while, the tension from the morning slowly melting away. Evie’s legs swung slightly as she sat, the casual rhythm matching the lightness of her tone when she finally spoke again.

“You know,” she said thoughtfully, “for all your faults, you’re actually pretty fun to be around.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, licking some sugar from the corner of his lip. “For all my faults?"

Evie smirked, leaning back against the stone arch. “Don’t worry, it’s not a long list… just a very noticeable one.”

Sebastian scoffed, setting his treacle tart aside. "You mean to tell me you’ve been keeping a list?"

Evie rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. It’s more like... mental notes. Helps me prepare for the next time you inevitably drive me up the wall.”

“Ah, so you’re admitting I’m on your mind,” Sebastian shot back, leaning closer. His grin turned mischievous, and his tone held just enough teasing to mask the weight behind his words.

Evie scoffed. “I said your faults are on my mind. Not you.”

Sebastian chuckled softly, shaking his head. He leaned back against the arch next to her, letting the cool stone steady him. The way the sunlight played across her features—her hair catching hints of amber, her cheeks flushed from the breeze—it made it harder to keep up his facade of teasing indifference.

Evie broke the silence first, her gaze flicking up to meet his. “So, are you going to tell me what was really bothering you in class earlier? Or do I have to guess?”

Sebastian hesitated, his jaw tightening. Then he shrugged, forcing his usual smirk back into place. “I told you, it’s nothing. Just didn’t feel like sticking around to watch Alaric show off.”

Evie tilted her head, studying him. “You don’t like him?”

Sebastian snorted, turning his gaze to the courtyard fountain. "I remember him. He graduated a couple years ago. Wasn't much different then—acting like he could do no wrong." His voice carried an edge, though he tried to mask it with indifference.

Evie raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "And that bothers you because...?"

He shrugged, his smirk resurfacing, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Just stating the facts. He's one of those people who walks into a room and makes everyone else feel like they’re standing in the shadows."

She tilted her head, leaning forward slightly. "Including you?"

Sebastian’s jaw tightened, and he exhaled sharply through his nose. "Hardly. I just don’t like the way he... carries himself, that’s all."

Evangeline didn’t respond right away. She nodded slowly, absently tearing off a piece of the roll in her hand, her gaze drifting toward the courtyard fountain. Sebastian noticed the subtle shift in her expression, the way her brows knit together as if she were weighing her words carefully.

The silence stretched on, and his irritation flared. He had seen that look before—when she was deciding whether to say something she knew he wouldn’t like.

“What?” he pressed, his voice sharper than he intended.

Evie hesitated, her fingers stilling as she glanced at him. For a moment, she looked like she might deflect, brushing it off with one of her usual witty remarks. But instead, she exhaled softly, her shoulders relaxing as she made her decision.

“I mean... I find him interesting,” she admitted, her tone cautious, almost apologetic.

Sebastian’s stomach tightened, a sharp pang of jealousy twisting through him. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral, though his heart clenched painfully in his chest.

“Interesting,” he repeated, his voice flat.

Evie didn’t miss the edge in his tone, but she pressed on. “I just mean he’s... confident,” she said quickly. “He clearly knows what he’s doing."

Sebastian's calm expression faltered as her words sank in, and a strange, unwelcome knot twisted in his chest. Confidence. Knows what he’s doing. Evie had never spoken about a man like this before—not to him, at least.

The only other guy she’d ever spoken to him about romantically was Lysander Clearwater, and even then, she’d barely mentioned him unless Sebastian forced the topic. But this—this was different.

She was talking about Alaric Thornton willingly. Complimenting him right to Sebastian's face even when she had the chance to deflect. The realization hit him like a bludger to the chest: Evie wanted him to know.

And he hated it.

Sebastian forced a casual shrug, trying to ignore the way his stomach churned. “Well, good for him,” he said lightly, though the words tasted bitter. “Confidence isn’t exactly rare around here, though.”

Evie raised an eyebrow, clearly catching the shift in his tone. "Yes, well, you do have enough confidence for three people, Sebastian."

Sebastian huffed a laugh, but it lacked his usual charm. “And yet, here you are, finding him interesting instead of me,” he shot back before he could stop himself.

Evie blinked, startled, and for a moment, the playful banter hanging between them stilled, replaced by a tension neither seemed prepared for.

Her expression shifted to something between confusion and curiosity. "Of course I think you're interesting." She said softly.

Sebastian's heart skipped a beat at her words, and for a fleeting moment, he let himself believe she meant them the way he wanted her to. But her tone was soft, too neutral, like she didn’t even realize the weight of what she’d just said.

“There you two are,” Ominis’s voice rang out, startling them both.

Sebastian sighed. His friend's interruption was both a relief and a frustration, like being saved from drowning only to realize you still wanted to be submerged.

Evie, on the other hand, seemed grateful for the distraction. She straightened, leaning forward to wave him over.

"Ominis! We raided the Great Hall, my friend." She offered him a sly grin, gesturing toward the small pile of stolen goods on the bench beside her. “Help yourself before Sebastian eats it all.”

Ominis tilted his head, his wand tapping lightly against his open palm as he smirked. “Ah, the famous Sterling-Sallow Snatchers strike again. Though, judging by the tension I walked in on, I’d say there’s more than just dinner rolls being fought over.”

Sebastian scowled, brushing crumbs off his hands. “Very funny, Ominis.”

“Isn’t it just?” Ominis replied smoothly, his smirk widening. He lowered himself onto the bench, picking up a roll and taking a thoughtful bite. “Now, do tell—what were you two discussing with such fervor that it required scowls and evasive silences?”

Evie groaned, leaning back against the arch with a dramatic sigh. “Nothing, Ominis. Sebastian’s just in a mood.”

Sebastian shot her a glare. “I’m not in a mood.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Ominis said, his tone deceptively light. He took another bite of the roll, clearly enjoying himself. “Is this about Alaric Thornton? I couldn’t help but notice your spectacular lack of focus in class, Sebastian. And your stormy exit afterward—very subtle, by the way.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t want to talk about Alaric,” he muttered.

Ominis raised an eyebrow, his smirk unwavering as he casually leaned back. “Oh, but I do. Alaric Thornton—former Hufflepuff, current heartthrob of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He certainly made an impression, didn’t he? And," Ominis fixed his unseeing gaze onto Evangeline, "He seemed to take quite a liking to our dear Evie."

Sebastian barely contained his scowl, his jaw tightening as Ominis’s words hung in the air. Meanwhile, Evangeline crossed her arms over her chest, obviously feigning nonchalance. “He was just being nice,” she said, her tone carefully casual. “It’s not a crime to appreciate someone’s talent, is it?”

“Not at all,” Ominis said smoothly, his smirk growing. “Though I think it’s safe to say that Alaric’s appreciation extended beyond just your talent.”

Evangeline rolled her eyes. “He’s a guest speaker, Ominis. He’s supposed to be encouraging students. Doesn’t mean anything.”

Ominis chuckled. “Of course. I’m sure his lingering compliments and the way he conveniently positioned himself near you every chance he got was purely professional.”

Sebastian’s scowl deepened, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. “He’s a professional flirt, that’s what he is,” he snapped, the bitterness in his tone cutting through the air. “Encouraging students, my—”

Evie let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “This is ridiculous. Even if he was flirting with me, what does that have to do with anything?"

"A fabulous question, Evangeline." Ominis drawled, "Sebastian, do you have an answer to that?"

Sebastian opened his mouth to retort, but the words caught in his throat. What could he say? That the idea of Alaric Thornton flirting with Evie made his blood boil? That he couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else seeing her the way he did?

Instead, he clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he forced out a sharp, dismissive laugh. “I don’t have to answer that.”

Ominis raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Ah, the classic Sebastian Sallow deflection. How original.”

Evie groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Honestly, you’re both impossible.”

She pushed herself up from the bench, brushing crumbs off her robes as she turned to leave. “I’m going to the library. If either of you decides to stop acting like children, you know where to find me.”

Sebastian stared after her, his frustration warring with the urge to follow her. But he stayed rooted in place, his pride holding him back even as his chest tightened.

Ominis waited until her footsteps had faded before turning his unseeing gaze toward Sebastian, his smirk gone, replaced with something more thoughtful. “Well that was productive,” he said simply.

Sebastian stood up abruptly, his glare fixed on Ominis. "What the hell was that for?!"

Ominis didn’t flinch at Sebastian’s outburst. Instead, he tilted his head with maddening calmness. "What do you mean?"

Sebastian let out a sharp breath, his glare intensifying. "Don't play coy, Ominis. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You were goading me in front of her."

Ominis leaned back against the bench, the very picture of ease. “If by 'goading,' you mean gently encouraging you to acknowledge your feelings, then yes, guilty as charged.”

Sebastian scoffed, pacing a few steps before turning back to face him. “You call that gentle? You practically spelled it out for her! What part of my feelings for Evie being a secret do you not understand?"

Ominis raised an unimpressed brow, his wand twirling idly between his fingers. “Oh, forgive me, Sebastian,” he said dryly, “I must have missed the part where you actually did something about those feelings instead of sulking."

Sebastian’s jaw tightened, his hands balling into fists. “It’s not that simple, Ominis.”

Ominis let out a humorless laugh, standing and pointing his wand in Sebastian’s direction, not threateningly, but deliberately. “Oh, it’s exactly that simple. You're in love with her, Sebastian. Everyone with functioning eyes—or ears, in my case—knows it. But instead of telling her, you’d rather sit here and stew in jealousy while someone like Alaric Thornton swoops in.”

Sebastian’s chest tightened. “What am I supposed to do, Ominis? Just waltz up to her and say, ‘Hey, Evie, by the way, I’m in love with you. Thought you should know.’”

“Yes."

Sebastian groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I don't even know why you think you're qualified to give advice. It's not like you've ever expressed any interest in anyone, let alone your best friend."

Ominis’s expression shifted, his smirk faltering for just a fraction of a second before it was back, but there was a flicker of something—pain, or perhaps resignation—in his normally composed demeanor. “You’re not the only one who’s been afraid of ruining something important, Sebastian. You’re not the only one who feels like admitting the truth could cost you everything.”

Sebastian stared at Ominis, completely thrown off balance. His mind reeled, trying to piece together the unexpected revelation. “Wait… are you—” He faltered, his voice breaking slightly as disbelief set in. “Ominis, are you saying you’re—?”

“I’m saying,” Ominis interrupted sharply, his tone a mix of irritation and vulnerability, “that your experience isn't exactly unique, Sebastian."

Sebastian’s mouth opened, then closed, words failing him. His shock morphed into confusion, and then, like a slow, dawning realization, his thoughts drifted to something he hadn’t thought about in months.

The Witch Weekly quiz. Ominis's results. The little glance he and Evangeline had exchanged afterwards. Then their walk by the Black Lake alone last week...

For a moment Sebastian thought he might implode.

"Ominis," he said, his voice dangerously low, "Don't tell me you're in love with Evangeline."

Ominis froze for half a second at Sebastian’s accusation, then an unexpected sound escaped him—a short, startled laugh. It was quiet at first, but it quickly grew louder, resonating with a genuine amusement that Sebastian hadn’t heard in years. Ominis tilted his head back slightly, his shoulders shaking as the laughter spilled out of him. For a moment, he looked utterly unguarded, the usual tension in his face completely gone.

Sebastian just stood there, dumbfounded, watching as his friend nearly doubled over with mirth. “What the hell is so funny?” he snapped, his confusion giving way to irritation.

Ominis straightened slightly, wiping at the corner of his eye even though no tears had fallen. “Sebastian,” he said, his voice still rich with amusement, “you are, without a doubt, the most daft person I’ve ever met.”

Sebastian’s frown deepened, his brow furrowing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Ominis said, his tone still light but laced with exasperation, “that for someone who prides himself on being clever, you have an absolutely astonishing lack of awareness.”

Sebastian crossed his arms. “I don’t see how that's relevant when you’re clearly avoiding my question.”

Ominis smirked, shaking his head. “Oh, I’m not avoiding anything. I’m just marveling at the sheer absurdity of what you just said.”

Sebastian’s mind raced, his irritation mounting. “Then explain it to me, because I’m not finding this nearly as amusing as you are.”

Ominis sighed, though the smile hadn’t quite left his lips. He leaned back against the bench, his posture relaxed but his expression sharp. “Sebastian, do you honestly think—after everything I’ve done, everything I’ve said—that I’m in love with Evangeline?”

“Well, I—” Sebastian faltered, his confidence wavering. “It’s not that far-fetched, is it? You’re always looking out for her, always writing to her, always—”

“Because she’s my best friend, you absolute knob,” Ominis interrupted firmly, the laughter fading from his tone. “Merlin knows someone has to look out for the two of you, considering how hopeless you both are.”

Sebastian blinked, his irritation faltering as uncertainty crept in. “Then… who?”

Ominis stiffened, the lingering amusement fading from his expression. His usual composure flickered, and for the first time, he looked genuinely uncomfortable. “That,” he said slowly, his voice measured, “is none of your business.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, his curiosity ignited like a spark catching dry tinder. “Oh no, no, no. You don’t get to pull that card now,” he said, stepping closer, his earlier irritation momentarily forgotten. “You just gave me a lecture about being honest with my feelings, and now you’re hiding yours?"

Ominis’s jaw tightened, and his fingers twitched around his wand. “Sebastian, I’m warning you—”

Sebastian didn’t back down, his curiosity and determination overpowering any sense of self-preservation. “Oh, no, you’re not getting out of this,” he said, his voice sharp with intent. “You’ve just called me an idiot for not confessing my feelings, and now you’re dodging the exact same thing? Come on, Ominis—who is it?”

Ominis’s lips pressed into a thin line, his grip on his wand tightening. “Sebastian, drop it.”

“Oh, I get it—you’ve got some grand secret crush and you’re too scared to admit it. That’s rich, coming from you, the self-proclaimed moral compass of our little trio. So, who is it? Is it someone we know?”

Ominis’s expression didn’t shift, but his silence was answer enough. Sebastian’s eyes widened slightly, a mixture of intrigue and disbelief flashing across his face. “It is someone we know.”

“Sebastian,” Ominis said quietly, his voice carrying a warning edge. “Let. It. Go.”

But Sebastian was far beyond reason now, his mind racing through possibilities. “Not Evangeline,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. “You’ve made that perfectly clear. So, who else? Someone in Slytherin? No—no, wait.” His eyes lit up as a thought struck him. “Is it someone from another house? Natty? Nerida? Merlin, tell me it’s not Samantha—”

“Enough!” Ominis’s voice cut through the air like a whip, startling Sebastian into silence. His unseeing eyes seemed to burn with an intensity that made Sebastian instinctively take a step back.

Ominis took a deep breath, his composure barely held together. “You don’t get to demand answers from me, Sebastian. Not about this.”

Sebastian hesitated, his earlier bravado crumbling under the weight of Ominis’s fury. “I’m just trying to understand,” he said, his voice quieter but no less determined. “Why won’t you tell me?”

Ominis’s lips curved into a bitter smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Because. Unlike you, I’ve learned to think before I act. And I fear this won’t go well.”

“I just…” Sebastian started, his voice trailing off. “I don’t understand why you won’t trust me with this.”

Ominis sighed heavily, his composure wavering as he reached out and grabbed Sebastian’s arm. The grip wasn’t rough, but it carried a firm finality. “Fine,” he muttered, his voice low and filled with frustration. “You want to know so badly? Fine.”

Before Sebastian could protest, Ominis began pulling him toward the castle, his pace brisk and purposeful. Sebastian stumbled slightly, surprised by the sudden shift, but quickly fell in step, curiosity outweighing his irritation.

“Where are we going?” he demanded, his voice a mix of confusion and impatience.

“The Undercroft, obviously,” Ominis said curtly, his grip on Sebastian’s arm unrelenting. “If I’m going to explain this, it’s not going to be in the middle of the bloody courtyard where anyone could overhear.”

Sebastian blinked, taken aback by the intensity in Ominis’s tone. It wasn’t often that Ominis let his emotions slip like this, and it only made Sebastian more curious—and, if he was honest, a little apprehensive.

The walk to the Undercroft was silent, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. Ominis’s expression remained unreadable, his usual calm replaced by something far more guarded. Sebastian’s mind raced with possibilities, but no matter how many scenarios he conjured, none seemed to fit.

When they finally reached the entrance, Ominis tapped his wand against the mechanism, the doorway sliding open with a low rumble. He stepped inside without hesitation, releasing Sebastian’s arm as he crossed the threshold.

Sebastian lingered for a moment, uncertainty prickling at him, before following. The cool air of the Undercroft washed over him, the familiar space offering little comfort in the face of Ominis’s uncharacteristic mood.

Ominis turned to face him, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The dim light cast sharp shadows across his features, highlighting the tension in his jaw. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence stretching uncomfortably.

“Well?” Sebastian prompted, his voice tinged with impatience. “You dragged me all the way here. Are you going to tell me, or are we just going to stand in awkward silence?”

Ominis let out a sharp breath, his fingers tapping against his arm as if he were debating how much to say. “I shouldn’t even be telling you this,” he began, his tone clipped. “But since you’re so insistent—and because you’re too thick-headed to drop it—I’ll explain. But when you don't like what I'm about to say, remind yourself that you asked for this."

Sebastian’s irritation flickered with curiosity as he crossed his arms, leaning against one of the stone pillars. “Fine,” he said, his voice tight. “I’m listening.”

Ominis stared past him, his sightless gaze unfocused, but the tension in his expression was unmistakable. For a moment, it seemed as though he might change his mind, the words caught in his throat. Then he exhaled sharply, his resolve hardening.

“It’s Anne,” he said, his voice quiet but firm.

Sebastian froze, the name hitting him like a hex to the chest. For a moment, he was sure he’d misheard. “What?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You heard me,” Ominis replied, his tone sharper now. “Anne.”

Sebastian stared at him, the weight of the revelation sinking in like lead in his chest. “You’re—” He faltered, shaking his head. “You’re in love with my sister?”

“Yes,” Ominis said simply, the single word carrying a depth of emotion that Sebastian wasn’t prepared for.

For a long moment, Sebastian couldn’t speak. He thought about Ominis’s unwavering presence in Anne’s life, his quiet dedication to helping her heal in whatever way he could. It wasn’t just duty or loyalty—it was love. Pure, selfless, and steadfast. The signs had been there, clear as day, but Sebastian had never put them together.

“Since when?” he asked finally, his voice hoarse.

Ominis let out a soft laugh. “Since forever, it feels like,” he admitted. “But I realized it fully a few years ago. Before—before everything with Solomon. Before things fell apart.”

Sebastian’s chest tightened, guilt mingling with a strange, unfamiliar unease. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because what good would it have done?” Ominis shot back, his tone sharp. “You think Anne needed that from me? That she needed more complication in her life when she was already dealing with so much?”

Sebastian flinched at the truth in Ominis’s words, but the defensive part of him couldn’t help but push back. “You could have said something to me. I’m your best friend.”

“And that’s exactly why I didn’t,” Ominis said evenly. “Because I didn’t want to risk this. Us. And because I knew how much Anne means to you. How much she’s always meant to you.”

Sebastian’s jaw tightened, his emotions warring within him. Part of him wanted to lash out, to be angry at Ominis for hiding something so important. But another part of him—the part that knew Ominis better than anyone—understood why he’d kept it to himself. And it was then that Sebastian felt a strange, unexpected lightness creep into his chest. The shock and confusion began to fade, replaced by a sense of clarity.

He let out a shaky laugh, running his hands over his face. “Merlin’s beard, Ominis. You’re in love with my sister.”

“I am,” Ominis said evenly, without hesitation.

Sebastian laughed softly, shaking his head. “Alright then."

Ominis raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Alright?” he repeated, his tone cautious.

Sebastian took a step forward, resting a hand on Ominis's shoulder. “I’m not saying it’s not bloody weird, mate. But you... You’ve always been there for her. More than I have. And… well, there’s no one I’d trust more.”

Ominis’s lips parted slightly, as if he wasn’t sure how to respond. For a moment, his expression softened, the vulnerability he so often hid finally breaking through. “Sebastian,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with something like gratitude.

Sebastian held up a hand, cutting him off with a wry smile. “Don’t get all sentimental on me now, Gaunt. You’re still an insufferable know-it-all, and I’m going to make sure you never forget it.”

Ominis let out a quiet laugh, the tension between them easing. “I’d expect nothing less.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation giving way to an unspoken understanding.

"So..." Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest, "How long has Evie known?"

"Since last year," Ominis replied.

Sebastian blinked, his arms uncrossing as his mouth fell open slightly. “Since last year?” he repeated, his voice rising an octave. “She’s known this whole time, and I’m only just finding out now?”

Ominis shrugged, his expression impassive but tinged with the faintest smirk. "She's a good listener. Better than you, that's for sure."

Sebastian groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “I can’t believe this. Evie’s been walking around with this… knowledge, and she didn’t say a word to me. What else have you two been keeping from me?”

Ominis smirked, his posture relaxing slightly now that the tension between them had eased. “Plenty,” he said with maddening calmness. “But nothing that’s any of your business.”

Sebastian’s groan turned into a frustrated laugh, his hands falling to his sides as he shook his head. “Unbelievable. You two are a pair of scheming snakes, you know that?”

Ominis tilted his head thoughtfully. "Actually, she's in Gryffindor. That'd make her a lion."

"Oh shut up," Sebastian rolled his eyes, his mind suddenly latching onto a new train of thought. ��Hang on a minute... if you told Evie about your feelings for Anne…” He trailed off, his eyes widening slightly. “That means you two talk about this sort of thing.”

Ominis raised an eyebrow. “Astounding deduction.”

Sebastian didn’t rise to the bait, his focus laser-sharp. “Which means…” He straightened, a grin creeping onto his face. “Maybe she’s talked to you about her feelings.”

Ominis’s expression didn’t shift, but Sebastian swore he saw the faintest flicker of discomfort cross his features.

“Oh, she has, hasn’t she?” Sebastian pressed, his grin widening. “You know something. What did she say?”

Ominis leaned back against one of the stone walls, his arms crossed and his face impassive. “Even if I did know something, I wouldn’t tell you. That’s between me and Evie.”

Sebastian groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. “Come on, Ominis. You were my best friend first!"

Ominis let out a quiet, exasperated laugh, shaking his head. “Yes, because that’s exactly how trust works. Whoever’s known someone the longest automatically gets all the secrets.”

“It should work like that,” Sebastian grumbled, his arms crossing tightly over his chest. "I can't believe she's been telling you all her romantic secrets this entire time, and you've been pretending you're none-the-wiser," he finished, throwing up his hands in frustration. "You probably know her favorite flowers, her dream date, and what she thinks about me, and I’m just sitting here like an idiot!"

Ominis’s lips curved into a small, smug smile. “I do know her favorite flowers, actually. But as for the rest…” He tilted his head thoughtfully, clearly enjoying Sebastian’s exasperation. “Well, that’s privileged information.”

Sebastian groaned, pacing back and forth across the Undercroft like a caged animal. “Unbelievable. You’re sitting on a goldmine of answers, Ominis. Answers that could change everything.”

“Or,” Ominis said, his tone calm but firm, “If you want to know how she feels, you could ask her yourself. Don’t put me in the middle of your inability to communicate.”

Sebastian stopped pacing, his brow furrowing as a new thought struck him. “Alright, fine,” he said, turning to face Ominis with a begrudging look. “If you’re not going to tell me everything, then at least tell me one thing.”

Ominis raised an eyebrow, his smirk barely faltering. “And what, pray tell, would that be?”

Sebastian pointed a finger at him, a glimmer of determination sparking in his eyes. “Her favorite flowers. You said you knew them.”

Ominis tilted his head, considering. “And what exactly would you do with that information?”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I’m planning to raid a greenhouse. I just…” He hesitated, his voice softening. “I want to know.”

Ominis sighed, his smirk fading into something more thoughtful. “Fine. But only because it’s harmless.” He paused for dramatic effect, clearly savoring the moment before continuing. “Her favorite flowers are irises. Her favourite colour is purple so, it makes sense."

Sebastian blinked, the words settling into his mind like a puzzle piece clicking into place. “Irises,” he repeated softly, his voice laced with something that sounded almost like awe.

Ominis crossed his arms, observing him with mild curiosity. “What? Surprised they’re not something more exotic?”

But Sebastian wasn’t listening anymore. His thoughts had already transported him to Feldcroft and the purple and white blossoms he'd picked for the vase in her room. He hadn’t even known what they were called—he’d just liked the way the colors complemented each other.

“You don’t think…” He hesitated, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. “Do you know if irises grow wild in Feldcroft? Behind the cottage, maybe?”

Ominis looked confused but nodded slowly, "Yes, I... believe they do, why?"

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair, his movements quick and restless. “Because last summer, when Evie visited, I picked some flowers from the patch behind the house for her room. Purple and white ones.”

Ominis let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “You’re either the luckiest fool I’ve ever met, or…” He trailed off, his smirk returning faintly. “No, actually, you’re just lucky.”

Sebastian huffed, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the stone wall. “Lucky, my arse,” he muttered, though his tone was more self-satisfied than annoyed. “Maybe I just know her better than you think.”

Ominis raised a skeptical eyebrow, though the faint smirk on his face betrayed his amusement. “Oh, of course. Pure instinct, is it? You’re so in tune with her likes and dislikes that you unknowingly gave her the perfect flowers without even trying. How romantic.”

Sebastian’s cheeks flushed slightly, but he rolled his eyes, brushing off the jab. “Say what you want, but it clearly worked. She loved them.” He paused, a small, proud smile tugging at his lips. “And now I know why.”

Ominis snorted, crossing his arms as he turned toward the exit. “Yes, well, congratulations, Sebastian.”

“Face it, Ominis. I’m a natural,” Sebastian quipped, his smirk widening.

Ominis raised a hand dismissively as he began to walk away. “Keep telling yourself that. Maybe if you say it enough times, it’ll actually be true.”

Sebastian followed a few steps behind, his grin still firmly in place. “Admit it. You’re impressed. That’s got to count for something.”

Ominis stopped at the door, turning his head slightly in Sebastian’s direction with a knowing smirk. “Fine. You know what? I’m feeling charitable. You’ve probably never noticed, but there’s a patch of irises near the greenhouses. Purple and white.”

Sebastian’s smirk faltered for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. “Near the greenhouses? Where exactly?”

Ominis let out a quiet chuckle as he stepped through the door, his voice echoing slightly in the corridor. "Just use your eyes, Sebastian. You're not completely blind."

Sebastian lingered in the Undercroft for a moment after Ominis left, shaking his head as he muttered under his breath, “Smug git.” Yet there was no real bite in his tone—just the faintest flicker of gratitude.

Irises.

Sebastian allowed himself a small, smug grin at the thought.

Sure, Alaric might have her attention now. She might find him attractive, even interesting. But Sebastian knew her. And tomorrow, he’d stop by the greenhouses, find that patch of irises, and pick the perfect ones.

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✩✩𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈: <<𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡, 𝐯𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩

✩𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔：Niki!bff x Reader (female)

☆𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒： Romance / Adventure / Fluff

☆𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡：2,849 ~ part 2

☆𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦：𝐈𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐢𝐠.

🎀 (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ ꒰ᐢ⸝⸝•༝•⸝⸝ᐢ꒱⸒⸒ ~🍦 🍧 🍨 ~ ꒰ᐢ⸝⸝•༝•⸝⸝ᐢ꒱⸒⸒ ✧ (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) 🎀

It was a hot summer day, the only thing that kept you from melting was the shade provided by the gigantic oak trees accompanied by the occasional cool breeze. You and Niki decided to spend the day relaxing in city park.

In an attempt to prepare for the day in the heat you stopped at an ice cream stand to buy character themed popsicles.

"How're y'all lovebirds doin' today?" the friendly elderly man running the stand asked upon seeing the two of you. He a wore blue and white pin-striped shirt with a gold name tag reading "Andy." You couldn't help but to chuckle a bit at his remark before voicing your request.

"I'll have one of the Bratz character popsicles." "Okey dokey. And what'll it be for you young man?" "I'd like a SpongeBob one." Niki replied as he reached into his pocket. "Alrighty. That'll be $5."

Niki pulled out a $5 bill from his wallet and handed it to the man through the window. Andy, the old man in carge of the stand, handed the two of you your sweet frozen treats before flashing a warm smile. "Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy y'alls treats," he waved. You both bowed and headed over to a clearing in the park.

"Thanks for paying." you said as you plopped down on the ground. "Well you paid for the snacks last time so it's only fair," he said tearing open the packaging. "Hey, look! It's your twin," you laughed as Niki pulled out a cross-eyed SpongeBob.

"Haha. Very funny," Niki's tone was drenched in sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. "But I'd rather look like a cross-eyed block of cheese than a blonde blow-up doll."

"Oh my god, whatever," you scoffed before throwing up your middle finger as you continued to enjoy your popsicle. Niki burst out into laughter as he successfully annoyed the hell out of you.

"Have you thought of what we should do yet?" Niki asked after the two of you finished your snack. "What we should do about what?" "Don't you remember how we talked about making a little extra money." “Oh, right.” “Soooo?” “Soooo what? I’m not the only one responsible for thinking y’know.” “Well i sure as hell got nothing.” Niki said before laying on the cool grass.

“You could always start up an OnlyFans or stream on discord or whatever. I’ll play for you since you honestly can’t game for shit. All you have to do is look pretty and pretend. I’ll do all the leg work,” he continued. “Are you fucking kidding me?! I am NOT degrading myself for money. How about you do it.” “I would if I were a girl. Guys are so desperate. That’s easy money.” “What the hell? You’re still a minor.” “Only until December 9th, after that, it’s payday. And if I started a fan base now they’d be so fucking eager for my 18th birthday I’d probably get a cash advance.” “You’re sick,” you said shaking your head. “No. I’m just trying to make money.” “Well we’re not doing that.” “Hmm…fine. At least I had an idea.”

“Wait! I got it!” “Got what?” “I know what we could do to earn extra money,” you beamed. “Okay, soooo…” “We should start a babysitting business.” “Oh hell no! I am NOT degrading myself to be a butt-wiping, story-reading, preschool pimp!”

*Ring, Ring*

About a week after that day in the park, you and Niki created your rookie-business. You had a friend working on a website, but for now you ran it through Instagram. With your experiences caring for your cousins, this was gonna be a piece of cake.

*Ring, Ring*

“Hello. Thank you for calling The Drop Stop. How may we be of service to you today,” you answered the phone smiling as Niki rolled his eyes.

"Hello. Sorry for calling at the last minute, but is it possible for you to watch my kid on Friday?" "No problem, ma'am. I just need your child's name and age along with a picture of the child. And I'll need the same information from you as well as a picture of your drivers license." "Okay, you can call me Valerie. And should I send the rest of my information through a text or an email?" "You can send it either way you like. After that you can send me the drop-off and pick-up times for the day." "How much do you charge by the hour?" "For toddlers 4 and under, $14 per hour. For children 5 to 10, it'll be $13 per hour. And for 11 to 16, it'll be $12 per hour." "Okay, perfect. James, my little angel, is 5 years old. I'll be at the Galleria for a meeting with my job and I'll just need you to keep an eye on him for a few hours." "Okay, don’t forget to text us when we should be there. We’ll also need to see your ID again when we get there. Security purposes.” “I understand. And how should I pay you?” “Preferably cash, but we’ll take an electronic payment as well.” “I’ll have the cash for you. Oh, and my husband may come to pick him up if my meeting is running longer than I planned.” “Okay, well you’ll need to provide his information as well.” “Alright. No problem.” “Is that all?” “Yes, thank you.” “You’re welcome. Bye.” “Bye, and thank you again.”

“Omg! That was our first customer! Niki! This is insane!” “Okay, okay, I get it. Now can you stop yelling?” “Oh, sorry. I’m just really excited.” “Yea this’ll be pretty good depending on how much we get paid.” “Well she said a few hours and based on the rate we charge it should be at least $40 each.” “40 dollars?!” “This is just the beginning. It’s $40 right now, but it��ll eventually be more than that.” “Hmm, I guess.”

The job sounded fairly simple. Keep Valerie’s kid entertained for a few hours at the mall while you wait for her meeting to end. You didn’t have to worry about bedtime stories or getting lost looking for something in an unfamiliar environment. You and Niki come here every week, sometimes more than once. So, you knew the Galleria like the back of your hand.

The next day, Valerie sent you the address and time stamps for babysitting James. “4 hours!! What the hell kind of business meeting is 4 fucking hours long?!” “Relax, Niki. Everything’s gonna be fine,” you said as you gathered together a few items you might need in case of an emergency.

“Easy for you to say, I’ve never worked with kids a day in my life.” “Look, do you wanna get paid or not? Because if not, I can take all the money for myself.” “Whatever. I’ll just throw him in a ball pit anyway. That’s easy money. At that point, he’s watching himself and we’re just waiting for a check,” Niki said flicking his hair out of his eyes.

After what felt like an hour, you and Niki drove to the Galleria to meet Valerie and James.

“Hello. This is my sweet James. Say hi Jay Jay,” instead of speaking, James dug the tip of his light-up Velcro shoes in to the shiny tile floors. “He’s a little shy that’s all.” Valerie proceeded to explain to James something that he most likely already knew, ‘Mommy’s gonna go bye bye and these two strangers are gonna watch you till she’s done.’

After exchanging some information, Valerie went off to attend her business meeting.

“So…uhh…what do you like James?” “Humph,” he puffed stamping his foot. “What the hell is his problem?” Niki said flashing you a confused look. “I don’t like you,” James said, looking Niki directly in the eye.

“Me?! What’d I do? See, I knew this was a bad idea. Let’s just go bring him back to his mom and we’ll find another way to make money.”

“Niki! You have to give him a chance. Remember that his mom said he’s shy.”

“I HATE YOU!!” James shouted, before kicking Niki in the shin and pushing his legs.

“OUCH!! Shy my ass. He’s just a whiny little brat. Why else do you think his mom wanted to throw him on us?”

“Because she has a business meeting…”

“You really believe that? Do you realize how much bigger I am than you?" Niki said turning his direction to James. "I could crush every bone in your body...by accident. You're literally underdeveloped in every way. You see all those teeth in your mouth? Yea, they're all gonna fall out one day and then you'll be looking like a wrinkled turtle that sucks on lemons all day until they grow back."

“Shut up, dumbass…” James pouted.

"Niki, you can't talk to him like that," you said turning to face James. “Hey. You can’t say bad words, it’s not nice.” You said before lifting James onto your hip. “How about we go get some ice cream? Do you want that?”

“Yes! Yes! Ice creammmmm!” James shouted excitedly, throwing his hands in the air.

Niki rolled his eyes before walking with you to the ice cream shop in the mall.

You and James took a seat at the round table in the food court while Niki ordered the ice cream.

“Since we’re gonna be spending the day together, how about you tell me some things about yourself.”

“Like what?”

“Just copy me, okay,” you smiled.

“Oookay~”

“I’m, Y/N.”

“I-I’m…James.”

“See that wasn’t so bad. So James, what’s your favorite show?”

“Umm…I like Thomas.”

“Wow! Guess what?”

“What?”

“I like Thomas too.”

“Really!!” James’s eyes widened in surprise as he jumped in his seat.

“Yes, and Percy is my favorite engine.”

You didn’t really know much about this show, but you wanted to make him feel comfortable, so you played along. Thankfully, he liked a show you were at least somewhat familiar with.

“Oh yeah, he’s Thomas’s best friend!” He giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“There was this video *giggle* with Thomas *giggle* and he kept saying charm *giggle* but then the guy got mad *giggle* and blasted him with lightning.” James struggled to say before exploding with laughter.

“Shh shh,” you chuckled causing James to immediately cover his mouth, muffling his little giggles.

“Hey, kid. I got your ice cream.” Niki smirked, gliding the bowl of ice cream across the table. “Yay! Ice cream! Yummy!” James excitedly shouting before digging in to his sundae.

“Two scoops of chocolate brownie ice cream with Oreo bits, chocolate chips, gummy bears, sprinkles, and whipped cream. Oh, and chocolate syrup.” “Yay! Thank you!” “You’re welcome,” Niki smiled.

“Was that a smile?” You teased. “Nah, I was just stretching my jaw,” Niki said as he began to make strange expressions in which James saw and started to laugh. “Do that again,” he laughed with his mouth covered in chocolate. Niki smiled at his request and made one last face before laughing himself.

“Aww has Niki made a little friend?” You teased again. “I—“ “Niki? That’s your name?” James said cutting him off. “Uhh, yeah…” “I like you Niki, your funny,” James giggled as he picked up one of the gummy bears. “Here. You can have this one,” James said, handing Niki the cherry flavored gummy bear. “Umm, thanks,” Niki said before eating the candy.

“This is too cute.” “Yea, whatever,” Niki shrugged.

“Hey, James. Do you wanna go to the ball pit after this?” “Yea!” James smiled. “Okay. Well hurry up so we can play before you have to go.” “Hmm…okay.” James's once chipper composure faded to a seemily dispondednt one.

Just as Niki said earlier, after James finished his ice cream they headed to the mall's giant ball pit.

As you were walking, a song started to play causing James to dance.

"Oh, you like to dance too huh?" "Yea. I'm the best dancer in my classroom," James said as he continued to bounce around. "Well maybe next time we can go dancing." "Really!" James stopped dancing to look at Niki. "That would be so fun!" he jumped before grabbing Niki's hand.

The two of them continued walking until they reached the ball pit.

"Niki! Niki! Are you gonna come play with me?" Niki gave an unsure look before being persuaded by James's puppy eyes. "Argh. Okay, sure. Let's go, but only for a little while." "Hehe. OKAY!!!!" James giggled before grabbing Niki's hand and running into the ball pit.

The two of them played around laughing and throwing multicolored balls through the air. About 15 minutes in, James ran off to play with another little kid around his age.

"Looks like you're having fun now huh?" "Yea, he's not too bad I guess," he shrugged.

You and Niki sat on a bench near the ball pit while you waited for James to finish playing around.

"Wheeee!" a random kid came over by you and Niki and started to spin around in a circle before plopping down to the ground, and he continued to do this a few more times before *BLECH* the kid threw up all over you and niki. "What. The. Fuck." Niki said almost in disbelief.

A woman who you assumed was the child's mother rushed over to the two of you.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY BABY??!! YOU DAMN HOOLIGANS!!" "What did we do? We didn't do shit, bitch. Next time keep a closer on your nasty ass little twerp," Niki spat before grabbing your hand and walking off.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING? YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!" the psychotic woman shouted before launching he shoe at Niki's head.

"HA! You missed me you cross-eyed hoe!"

"Niki! You're just gonna piss her off more."

"I don't fucking care. She brought her dumbass over there screaming at m--" the woman had launched her other shoe at Niki, hitting him directly in the back of the head this time.

"KEEP WALKING BASTARD!" she screamed.

Niki grabbed the shoe off the ground and launched it in her direction.

"NIKI!!" you shouted at him.

The shoe landed directly beside the woman.

"NOW LOOK WHO'S CROSS EYED YA LITTLE PUNK!"

Niki picked up the other shoe and threw it, this time he hit her between he eyes. "It's still you bitch!" Niki laughed before running behind a corner with you.

"AAAARRRRRGGHGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" the woman screamed before running after the two of you.

Niki, still holding onto your hand tightly, ran around the mall before losing her in the large crowd.

"SHIT!!!" Niki spat. "What?" "James. We forgot about James." "Oh my god!" the two of you ran back to the ball pit, hoping to God that James was still in the ball pit playing around.

"James?" you called, looking around to see if you could spot him anywhere. "JAMES!!" Niki shouted at the top of his lungs before crawling into the massive sea of plastic orbs. "JAMES!!" he yelled again.

You had never seen Niki panic before...ever.

"Do you think he left and tried looking for us?" you asked.

"If it weren't for that stupid fucking woman and her bullshit we wouldn't even be in this situation right now." "I know, but talking about it isn't gonna help. We have to find him."

You and Niki walked around the play area calling out James's name, desperatly hoping that you'd see him laughing and playing with another kid. It was of no use. You couldn't find him anywhere.

The two of you walked back to the food court and spotted a familiar face.

"James!!" Niki shouted in excitement. "Why did you leave the ball pit? Do you know how worried I was? Please don't ever do that again," Niki said pulling James into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Niki. I just didn't want to leave you," James said with teary eyes. *sniff, sniff* Still wrapped in Niki's embrace, James started to cry.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not mad at you. I was just scared something bad happened to you. And don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," Niki said as he gently patted James's head. "Do you wanna go hang out together while we finish waiting for your mom?" "Yea!" he smiled before Niki lifted him onto his back.

The two of them danced around until James finally fell asleep in Niki's arms.

"Sorry, I was running late with my meeting. I hope everything went well for-- Oh." Valerie paused seeing James cradled in Niki's lap. "No worries, ma'am," Niki smiled. "Here you go," Valerie said handing each of you an envelope. "Its $130. I hope I can get you two to help me out again sometime." "We'd love to hang out with James again," you said, smiling at Niki. "Wouldn't we?" "Yea, we definitely would," Niki smiled.

"We make a pretty good team don't we," you nudged Niki as the two of you walked to his car. "Yea, we do," Niki said before interlacing his fingers with yours and kissing your cheek.

"Ah..." "What? Too fast?" "No. I-I uhh" "You're so cute," Niki laughed. "Now get in the car, punk," he continued.

🧃.🌱.🍭.🎀.🪁.🧩.🎨.🥰.🖍️.🥁.🧸.👑.🩹.🖇️.🔆

I know these pics don't really relate to the story, but the way he's cuddling this kitty ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡ I CANT!!!

❀𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝:

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