#i promise some baby william fluff soon

[arachine]

. . . 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 ! ˚₊✩‧₊

— pairing: ellie williams x fem!reader

general tags: college! au, established relationship, fluff, suggestive

content warnings: period cramps, reader is a baby, ellie is patient, kissing, allusions to sex, brief mention of dealer!ellie + not proofread and also not my best work bc i was in pain !

note: this is super self-indulgent bc i am, unfortunately, on my monthly, and so, i am making it everyone’s problem >.<

ellie’s annoyed. actually, she’s concerned—maybe, slightly, kind of more than that too, but right now, she’s annoyed. this wasn’t like you—not answering messages, not answering calls.

she’d understand it if you were busy, especially since finals season was steadily approaching as the days passed, but she knew you didn’t have any plans today. that much was confirmed the last time she’d spoken to you, which was, if she could recall (she could recall it perfectly), last night at 8:00 p.m.

future wife 👰‍♀️: gn baby, see you tomorrow for breakfast! get some sleep ok? <33

ellie: alr goodnight baby. i’ll come get you at 9 ok? don’t oversleep this time, wanna get some french toast before all the athletes take it :/

future wife 👰‍♀️: never gonna let me live it down, huh?

ellie: never!

future wife 👰‍♀️: god alr, i won’t oversleep!!! promise :3 now gn fr this time!!! gts!!!

ellie: ok bossy i’m going to sleep 🫡 love you

that was the last message she’d sent to you that night. this morning, however, she made an effort to send you a slew of follow-up texts before making her way over to your dorm:

ellie: good morning sexy, you up?

ellie: it’s french toast time ☝🏻

ellie: don’t tell me you’re sleeping…

there was five minutes sent in-between each message, and yet, still no response. that’s when she got the bright idea to call.

“alright, this should wake her up,” she raised the phone to her ear, pacing around her apartment while waiting for the line to go through. to her dismay, it rung a few times before going straight to voicemail—to which she almost got excited over because you’ve got one of those annoying ass voicemails that sound like someone picked up the line.

“hey […], this is (name). sorry you can’t reach me right now, but leave a message and i’ll get back to you as soon as i c—”

“fucking hell.” ellie pinches the knot between her brows and sighs, ending the call before voicemail you can finish your sentence. again, she calls, thinking this time you’ll answer, but to no avail. it goes right to voicemail.

“the fuck…” she doesn’t even bother leaving a message. beelines right to her closet and grabs her sneaks, a hoodie, and her wallet, then heads out of her apartment building and begins the trek to your dormitory.

when she gets there, she buzzes in with her student keycard, and pads right up to the security desk. just as she’s about to open her mouth, one of the guards sitting interrupts her.

“can i see your proof of residence, please?” he says blankly, raising a fig bar up to his mouth.

“randy, really? you know me, i’m here almost every other day—just without my girlfriend—who i’m actually here to see,” she raises a finger, forearms leaning forward over the desk. randy feigns indifference, and opts to stuff the last of his bar in his mouth.

“you’re not a resident here, ellie. sorry, but you know the rules.”

“how about you shove the rules up your a—actually, that’s alright. my buddy right here will sign me in as a guest.” she grins devilishly at the dark haired man across the lobby, blinking once, twice, before flashing him a smile.

“jesse! my life saver, my best-friend, my messiah, my—“

“what do you want, ellie?” he rolls his eyes, pulling out his student keycard to flash randy. ellie purses her lips as if she’s been found out, then pulls jesse aside by the cloth of his jacket. she leans in real close so that what she says is out of earshot.

“sign me in as a guest and i’ll give you free weed during your next visit,” she bargains, wiggling her brows like she knows the offer is too good to pass up. jesse doesn’t answer her right away. instead, opts to tease her. puts his index finger on his chin, and opens his stance as if he’s really mulling it over. ellie’s not impressed.

a beat, then, he shrugs, mumbling a quick ‘better keep your word williams’.

ellie grins, something real big and cheshire-like, because she knows him. who’d be stupid enough to pass up free weed? exactly, no one. especially not a stressed college student, that’s for sure.

“thanks man, you’re really doing me a solid, you know,” she pats his back, to which he mutters a knowing ‘yeah, yeah, whatever’. she watches intently as he signs her in under his name, then makes a face at randy when she hands over her student keycard for him to keep.

“see ya later rand’!” the auburn haired girl says with the flick of a hand, turning the corner of the desk to get to the elevators.

“yeah, whatever.”

. . .

once the elevator comes to a halt on your floor, ellie gives jesse a final thank you before departing. as she walks down the winding hallway, she can’t help but to think the worst. what if you were unconscious? what if you’d been axe-murdered? what if you’d been kidnapped? all very unlikely, she knows, but not impossible.

when her mind sifts through a few more frightening scenarios, she realizes she’s already made it to your door. should she knock? she feels like she should knock, but then she figures if all her previous attempts to wake you up were unsuccessful, then who’s to say a few measly knocks would do the trick?

she decides against it. instead, she unhooks her carabiner from her jeans and fiddles around with her set of keys until she finds the spare you’d given her. until now, she’d never used it. the day you’d given it to her, you’d told her it was strictly for ‘emergencies’, and what better time to use it than now? this was surely an emergency, right?

the door unlocks and she immediately goes to twist the knob, pushes the door open and then shuts it closed behind her.

“babe, you here?” she calls out, walking through the kitchen, “you alive?” turns down the hall, “you in one piece?”

a beat. silence—save for the heavy padding of her boots as she makes her way towards your bedroom. the door is cracked open, just by a sliver, but she can see—or at least somewhat make out—the beginnings of a sleeping silhouette.

she pushes the door open and ambles to your bedside. you were fast asleep. curled up into a tight little ball with the duvet pulled up to your chin, and a mean little pout on your lips. it was adorable, and it made ellie’s heart twang with relief. at least now that she was able to verify your safety, she could forget all those terrible thoughts that she was getting herself all worked up over.

“hey, sweet girl,” she cooed, brushing the pad of her thumb over your cheek. your brows cinched in response, but you didn’t move. not even an inch. “baby,” ellie drawled in a sing-song voice.

she let her hand fall from your cheek to your back, and she rubbed it in slow, steady circles in an attempt to rouse you. after a while of this—a combination of her rubbing and cooing—you started to react.

“mmm,” you groaned, curling your knees up higher, “it hurts.”

“what hurts? what’s wrong?” opening your eyes, you were able to pair the voice of concern with a familiar face.

“ellie? what are you doing here?”

she lets a small chuckle escape her lips, then raises a hand to rest atop your head.

“what am i doing here? what are you doing here? had me worried sick about you,” she smooths a hand over your head, “missed our breakfast date.”

sighing, you slap a clammy hand over your head, then reach over ellie to grab your phone from the nightstand.

ten messages. three missed calls.

“god, i’m sorry, bellie. took some midol and melatonin last night so that i could beat these cramps, but i guess they worked a little too good, huh?”

“yeah, you nut.” she takes a glance at your nightstand and picks up the bottle of pills, shakes them around before settling them back down. “how many did you take?”

“just two…maybe three?” ellie’s eyes widen in disbelief.

“three? babe, these are 500 mg. why would you do that? the bottle says take two every six hours, and here you are taking more than the recommended amount, on top of taking melatonin,” she chides, though, it’s more out of genuine concern than it is her actually being upset.

you laugh at your own expense, but it’s short-lived because a second later, you’re clutching for your belly and writhing in pain.

ellie sighs, kicks her boots off and fully climbs up onto the bed and under the covers. once she settles into a comfortable position, she pulls you into her side.

“i know, baby, let me take care of you,” she strokes your back soothingly, “but next time, please don’t take that much. were you planning on sleeping forever?”

“maybe.” you jest, snuggling further into her warmth. admittedly, mixing both of those drugs was kind of stupid—maybe really stupid, but in your defense, you were in pain!—and really desperate. when you have cramps this bad, sometimes death sounds like mercy.

“oh, yeah?” the laugh she lets out is a deep rumble, and you can feel the vibrations of it as you lay on her chest. it’s soothing. a remedy that you should’ve utilized sooner, and you would’ve, had you been in the right headspace.

“mhm…” you purr, looking up at her, at her lips. ellie scans your face for pain, then dips down and pilfers a kiss from your lips. it’s slow, and sweet, and ends far too soon for your liking. before she can pull away, you tug her by the collar of her shirt. look up at her with pleading eyes, and fist it tighter between your knuckles.

“more,” you drawl, pulling her back down to meet your lips. she indulges you, because of course she does, and pushes you onto your back.

“thought,” a kiss, “your,” another, “cramps were bothering you?” she queries, breathless as she holds herself up above your sprawled out body. she thumbs with the hem of your shirt, waits expectantly for you to answer.

“they are,” you say, “so why don’t you make ‘em go away?”

and what kind of girlfriend would she be if did otherwise?

© arachine 2023

[karimwillia]

Chapter 19

Warnings: Filler Fluff, Wifey Vibes, Suggestive

Shuri wakes up and the clock flashes 5am as she attempts to stretch. Riri restricts her movement which is comforting in a way. Mindlessly she runs a hand up and down Riri’s arm and hugs her back. Last night was a time to remember. This step in the relationship was stressful but had to be taken. Shuri is watching Riri sleep, a guilty pleasure they both take part in from time to time. Shuri slowly moves her eyes over every detail of her Girlfriend’s face. Committing all forms, shapes and even pimples to memory. Riri has been awake for about 5 mins now but she didn’t want to move. Being secure in Shuri’s arms is comfort. She has been listening to the heart rhythm of her Girlfriend as they lay. No one ever told Ri that being in love makes you crave every detail of your person. It’s also ironic how they are thinking the same thing in that moment without any words.

“Good Morning Princess.” Shuri's voice is groggy with a rasp. Riri finally opens her eyes wondering how she was found out. “Mmmm Morning Baby. She looks up at Shuri’s face from where she is laying. There it is, she wants every detail. “Your breathing changed, that's how I knew you woke up. Before you ask.” The mind reading she could do without. Shuri shifts to finally stretch and get up. “Noo don’t get up.” Riri whines as the warmth of Shuri’s body is gone. Shuri grabs a T-shirt and basketball shorts from the nearby drawer. Placed there when Rohan checked them in, she is an unpacked suitcase type. “I want to take a quick shower Princess I won’t be long.” With a huff Riri lays back down. “Fine but I want you back here ASAP.”

Shuri is standing under the warm stream of water from the shower when the bathroom door is opened. There is a soft touch on her skin that prompts her to turn around and Riri standing there wearing nothing but a smile. Shuri smiles down at her. “So you could not wait huh?” Riri smirks back. “You were taking too long. So I decided to join.” Shuri is looking over her body and kisses her backing Riri up until she is gently pressed to the back wall. “Hey now don’t get carried away Panther.” Shuri chuckles, allowing herself to be pushed back by Riri.

“But how can I resist?” The tone was playfully whiny as Shuri smirked devilishly. Riri could not help but feel a certain way with Shuri looking at her like that. The tension was building and Shuri closed the gap of space between them kissing Riri with so much passion that it made them both feel it in the pits of their stomachs. Shuri lifts Riri who wraps her legs intensively around Shuri. Breathless Riri places her forehead on Shuri’s. “Mm once but we have things to do today.” Shuri grins before kissing Riri with tongue “I can’t promise just once.”

Shuri and Riri finish their shower and take their time getting dressed. Before they know it it’s past time to get to the annual lock-in. MJ clocks them as soon as they arrive. “Rihanna…Udaku, I mean Williams. You are late…” Shuri is close behind not really wanting to let Riri go. Alison clocks them next, walking over to join in on the jousting. “Yea Panther where have y’all been?” The girl’s respective besties are now staring at them. Shuri has a very pleased smile on her face while Riri is a little blushed. “Oooooh y’all nasty.” Al says breaking the silence. “Right Al they are out here being grown. I’m proud.” MJ wiped a fake tear away before bursting into laughter.

“You all are worse than our parents.” Shuri hands Al a few bags before they all start walking to the area they will stay the night. “No, when Ronnie gets a hold of this information you know she’s going to give you “the talk” Shuri. I’m just proud of you.” MJ never fails to amaze them. Making it to the athletic loft. Shuri and Al drop the bags and they start to make up the sleeping area for Shuri and Riri to sleep in. Riri finally can get some space, she walks to the nearby couches to talk with MJ. “M is it that obvious?” “Girl yes but it’s a natural next step to your relationship.” Riri relaxes and sighs looking over at her love who she can see clearly. “You’re right I just don’t want our dynamic to change too much. I already wanted to be in her skin 24/7 now it’s in hyper drive.”

“That is what happens when you get done right. Plus I don’t think the Panther is complaining.” MJ is facing Riri with her legs tucked under her with a chuckle in her voice. Ri pops MJ on the arm. “STOOP! I mean don’t get me wrong it is…amazing. But seriously M I’m just happy she is comfortable and I hope this does not change us.” MJ just looks on. “Ri you are overthinking she loves you. Your bond only gets stronger from here and I’m sure it will be a good thing.”

Riri looks up as Shuri and Al come over. “Ri take this girl please we were 20 feet away and still missed you.” Everyone laughs at Al’s joke. “Al of course I missed my wife. I was gone too long.” Riri’s eyes grow with surprise. This is the first time Shuri has ever said anything like this. It felt nice to hear her say even in a joking manner. “You know what Panther you just better marry her. I’m not sure if anyone else will put up with you.” “Ahh that hurts Al. Wifey knows what’s up.” Shuri shoots Riri a sly grin and wink.

Riri blushes under Shuri's gaze and holds the look of undressing each other with their eyes as Shuri sits down. MJ looks between them and fake gags. “Woo y’all gone have to go back to y’all’s room. Doing all that.” Riri breaks up the giggles. “Sorry MJ but I told you it’s just because of you know.” Al smirks. “Oh we know but please spare us until you all are solo. We want to have some fun tonight. They have board and card games going on, karaoke, trivia, manicures and things being given out by the cosmetology students. This lock in is poppin.”

“Since you put it like that Al. Let’s go buy in a game of spades and take these folks' cash.” Shuri daps up Al and they head to the area of the school where they are playing cards. MJ and Riri go for manicures and pedicures in the cosmetology studio. Shuri kisses Riri just before they part. As they sit back in the chairs for pedicures MJ commits.

“Girl, don’t you think about being a stay at home wife now. Ronnie will kill you.” Riri blushes and just smiles. “Not stay at home, no but a baller wife I could do that.” “Oooh that was the first time you thought about it huh? Udaku has a good ring to it.” “It is the first time but could you blame me if I do marry her?” They laugh and continue to talk as the night goes along into the wee hours of the morning.

Shuri and Riri finally lay down to rest at about 5am they had done every activity and even made some late night food in the school culinary arts classrooms. Riri laying on Shuri’s chest was mindlessly running her fingers along the lines of Shuri’s muscles. “Baby did you mean what you said today?” Shuri holds Ri tighter. “Mean what?” Sighing Riri turns her head to look at her love. “The thing about us getting married. I mean you have never said anything like that before and I do like the sound of it but we are young. So I know that’s just something people say sometimes but…” Riri begins to ramble only the way she can. “Shhhh amour s'il te plait écoute. I was being very intentional with my words today. I think of our future a lot and I see that for us. But it will happen once we are set in our paths. You have so many goals as do I so we will get married when the time is right.” Riri physically relaxes. “Ok Azari but two things I want a custom ring and…” “You will only be a Udaku if we get married before your PHD.” Shuri completed Riri’s thought almost to the T with a chuckle. It’s kind of scary how the Panther recalls things. During a discussion about life goals Riri was asked if she would change her name if she gets married. She fired the class up saying that she would only change her name if she liked the new one and never if she earns her PHD first. “You think you are funny huh?” Shuri smirks as Riri hits her playfully. “No I’m just glad you like the name enough to consider changing it.” With a kiss they doze off.

@mal-urameshi @somethingcleaverandwhitty @pantherheart @neptoons1998 @shuriris-stuff

[baronessblixen]

can you write something happy? maybe with the three of them? set in some indeterminate future? or an au? i'm drowning in post episode angst. which is great but help need fluff.

Anon, I tried. This is not as fluffy as I wanted it to be. I fear there’s no fluff at all. I really did try. It’s yet another post-ep for “Ghouli”.

Tagging at @today-in-fic

On their way home Scully cradles the surveillance tape inher arms like a baby. Her fingers dig into the plastic afraid to let go foreven one moment. Mulder glances over every once in a while, unable to utter asingle word. His own fingers tingle, his lips twitch. As soon as they‘re homehe is going to make copies. Those few minutes with their son are all they havenow and he is going to make damn sure they‘re not going to lose even a singlesecond of it.

Scully is quiet in the passenger seat as exhaustion tightens its grip onher; Mulder keeps glancing over making sure she is comfortable and once shefalls asleep, he slows the car, makes sure she gets to catch up on some muchneeded sleep. It might be his own own exhaustion that’s slowly seeping into hismind and his eyes, but Mulder has the distinctive feeling of being followed. Hechecks his rear-view mirror every few moments, but whenever there is a car inthe distance it is not the one he wants to see. Wishful thinking, he tellshimself. William, or Jackson, is not going to follow them. Their son is on hisown way, on his own route to somewhere. Mulder glances over at Scully, fastasleep. There is no regret this time, not even an inkling of it. He smiles,thinks of their son. He wonders what kind of music the boy will listen to,where he will decide to stop the car, what he will do. Mulder wishes he couldwitness it, be there. Some things however are not meant to be. 

By the time they get home, it is dark. Scully doesn’t wake as Muldersteers the car over the popping gravel and parks by the porch. He doesn’t wantto wake her. Her face is relaxed, seems happy. What if she’s dreaming aboutWilliam? Watching her sleep is an indulgence. She’d kick his ass if she knewabout it. That thought alone makes him smile. 

“Scully?” He says in a gentle, quiet voice. She stirs, but doesn’t wake.Mulder unbuckles her seat belt and the click is loud in the car. Scully sighsin her sleep, holds the tape in her hand more tightly. 

“We’re home, Scully.” A soft kiss on her cheek and a smile appears onher face. “You just have to wake up.” She grumbles, grunts. “Fine. I can carryyou inside.” Mulder gets out of the car and opens the door to her side. Tiredeyes and a smile blink at him.

“Here,” she hands him the tape, the plastic warm against his fingers,“let’s watch it again.” 

Mulder doesn’t know how often they watch it; they keep falling asleep,wake up and stare in wonderment, before sleep captures them once more. But now,shortly after 2 am, Mulder is awake. He tears his eyes away from the screen, awayfrom his son and Scully. He knows the sequence by heart already and yet itnever fails to amaze him. Mulder walks into the kitchen, yawns and scratcheshis chin. His mouth is dry and he pours himself a glass of water. As he gulpsit down, he sees it: there is something, someone, out there in front of thehouse. Mulder doesn't know where his gun is. But somehowhe feels calm, feels like he doesn't need to protect himself after all. Hesteps through the front door unarmed and hopes it doesn't squeak. He is in lucktonight.

Darkness out here is something he had to get used to back then. Now heknows it, can navigate in it easily. There is a car right next to his hiding inplain sight. Mulder recognizes it; how could he not? He's only seen it ahundred, no, a thousand times flickering over the screen tonight. His heart isso quick, so loud that he fears he will frighten the boy away. But as he comescloser he sees him there in the driver seat fast asleep. Mulder watches for amoment in disbelief. William, or Jackson, whatever he wants to be called –their son – is here. He is here at their house, in his car and sleeping. Justlike your mother, Mulder thinks and smiles.

He's seen this face often now; so often in fact that it feels familiar.He knows this boy, this young man. At least in his heart he does and that'senough. The boy licks his lips in his sleep and then, as if he's never even beenasleep, wakes up and blinks up at Mulder. No matter how often he's seen thevideo, this moment does it no justice. If he thought he knew this boy, and hedid until five seconds ago, he was wrong. The eyes tell him everything. They'redark now (but Mulder knew that), but still Scully's. The color doesn't matter.He opens his mouth and says something. Maybe his son's name. The boy furrowshis brows and throws him a shy, lopsided grin. They stare at each other, twostrangers yet father and son. William's mouth moves, but Mulder can't hear anywords. The boy laughs and Mulder wishes he could hear it. He needs to hear it. Comeinside, he thinks. William stares at him through the window, their eyes meetingthere.

"Come inside." He repeats louder this time. The boy doesn'tmove. If he starts the car and drives away, Scully will never forgive him.They've lost him once, twice, and if he counts the gas station then it makesthree times. He is not going to let go of him a fourth time. He gently knocksagainst the window, smiles. There's a dad joke here, he thinks. Later, maybe.Hopefully. 

"Come inside." Mulder says. He almost screams it into thenight. A moment passes, but Mulder doesn't lose hope. Not when it comes to his son.The car door opens with a soft click and a longer creak. The last time Mulderwas this close to William was a few days after his birth. His small, gentle bodyfit perfectly into the crook of his arm. Now the boy, the young man, standsbefore him, looks him into the eyes, and is only a few inches shorter thanhimself. 

"I went into the other direction first but… this was the only placeI wanted to go." Mulder nods as if understanding. He reaches out his hand,but doesn't quite dare touch the boy.

"You're always welcome here. Always."

"I shouldn't be here. My parents," he looks at Mulder, pausesjust a second, "my other parents are dead because of me. I don't even knowyou. I don't want to put you in danger." His eyes move about quickly, likea scared animal's. Mulder takes a deep breath, bridges the distance and toucheshis son's narrow shoulder. Still a kid. His son, after all he's seen and done,is still just a kid.

"We can protect you. We will." It's enough. For right now, for2 am on a cold day in Virgina, it is enough. They walk side by side, theirsteps matching, inside the house. Mulder wonders what the boy sees, thinks. Hewon't ask. Mulder puts his hand on his back and he doesn't startle. Scully isstill asleep, oblivious. The screen shows her and William at the gas stationand Mulder hears his son gasp. 

"We thought it's all we would ever have." 

"Mulder, what…" His voice wakes Scully. Though from her faceMulder can tell that she thinks she is still dreaming. He stares at their son,then at Mulder briefly, before her eyes fixate on the boy again. "You'rehere. You're really here." She gets up as if in slow motion and then shetakes the young man into her arms, holds him tight, as if he's done it a milliontimes. They're mother and son; they're no strangers.  

"Welcome home, Jackson."

"That's not who I am anymore," he says, stepping away fromher, "That is not the name you gave me. Is it?" 

"No, we called you William." Mulder says and the boy looks athim, mouths the name to try it out.

"We'll call you whatever you want to be called." Scully saysand throws Mulder a look. He can't help but grin.

"Is that like an inside joke I don't get?" William wants toknow; he is William now, Mulder thinks. Their son. Their perfect miracle babyalmost grown up. But only almost. Tonight is an interlude; they will have todeal with the boy's trauma, losing his parents, his seizures. The end of the world.But that's for tomorrow. They will have to get to know each other all overagain. A few days make him no father; the year Scully spent being his motherhas never been enough. They can start tonight. 

"I'll tell you all about it." Scully says with her voice fullof promise. They sit together on the couch, all three of them, without a singletouch of awkwardness between them. It's the way it should have been from thestart. Mulder hears his son's laughter finally, sees Scully's awe on her face. Tonightit's enough.

[nanaminswhore]

little magic spells everywhere

Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader (SFW)

Flufftober Day 1 Prompt: Wearing each other's clothes

Synopsis: A blurb of older Eddie and reader moving in together into their new apartment and getting distracted from the unpacking process by putting on a fashion show, wearing each other's clothes. Or, simply, perhaps, the magic of being in love.

Warnings: Use of term "baby" as a romantic pet name.

Tags: Established relationship, tooth-rotting fluff <3

Word Count: 1.1k

A/N: My first published fic in years! Seriously can't believe I'm posting this. Here's to "firsts in a long while" and to being brave and having fun! Written for Day 1 of the the 30 prompts on @flufftober!

For full effect, read with the song “Rich” by Lily Williams. Enjoy:)

---

In a land far, far away was a pair of wizards, oh so deeply in love, in the midst of the beginnings of their new adventure…

“Oh my god,” you squeal in shock and delight, your glee a melody over the Metallica playing from radio playing the cassette. “How is it possible that you look better in my clothes than I do?”

“You think?” Eddie ends his runway walk and gracefully spins in the middle of your living room apartment, lifting the edges of your skirt high into the sky. He bares his legs and shows off how great he looks in your sheer thigh highs.

He stomps your ill-fitting Doc Marten onto the ground to gain his balance. In true Eddie fashion, he finishes his dramatic entry with equal drama: a hand on his hip, his booty popped, and his other hand in the air.

“How do you I look?” He gives you a playful wink and gazes at you with a silly yet seductive expression. You have no idea how that’s possible, but with Eddie, you’ve learned that the sky's the limit with the wonders you don’t know.

“You are beautiful, baby! Sexy! Stunning,” you say, giggles punctuating each confession of adoration. “An absolute dream! In sheer thigh highs!”

The sun wraps you both in its setting, golden light as you lose yourself in oohs and aahs and laughs and applause as you do a turn about your boyfriend. His eyes twinkle as you admire the outfit made of your own clothes that adorn his body, holding his hand high and pulling him into a twirl. The sounds of contagious glee and echoing music mix feel like magic.

While nothing could possibly have given you more joy than starting a new life together, the hours of loading and unloading your belongings, of traveling and driving, of leaning into the adventure of a new life together, had left both of you a tad exhausted and delirious. Both of your silly fingers itched for some silly antics, or as Eddie would like to call it, casting magic spells.

And so it goes, boxes and belongings have been abandoned for a makeshift show of intrigue and metal music and fashion, with Eddie in yours and you soon to be in his.

“Hey,” he scolds with a smile you can hear in his voice, “no peeking!” as you attempt to sneak a peek into his fashion project.

You playfully coach him from across the separating walls with I don’t wanna wear the chain, it pinches! and Oh my gosh, that t-shirt doesn’t go with that! Do not put them together! He chides you and reminds you that You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit, sweetheart!

The empty halls fill once more with more giggles and music. The clinks of metal buttons and metal belts as Eddie throws this and that and those tinkle like magic, as if casting a spell and making a home.

You can hear him finish with a satisfied, "Perfect." He ushers you into the room, his cool-ringed hands obscuring your vision, eager to make it a surprise. You assure him that, yes your eyes are still closed, and that Yes baby, I am not peaking I promise. He closes the door behind him, leaving you alone to the room.

You giggle as your eyes open and a deep, hearty cackle escapes you. And then a fond sigh as you trace the soft, familiar fabrics.

His old Hellfire shirt, his old denim vest, and his old torn and faded ripped jeans from the days when you were both so young, when love felt so new. The tears feel cool against your hands as you wipe them away. You laugh at the wonder of it all. Of all the love that brought you here.

You quickly don the apparel, tidy the bandana tied around your head, and yell an I’m ready baby! Turn the music up! and swing the door open.

His wide eyes pop with adoration out of his curly-haired head at the sight of you.

“Oh my god, baby,” he laughs, “You are so. Fuckin. Metal!”

“Yeah?!” you yell over the music.

“Fuck yeah!” he lavishes, taking your hand and twirling you. “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in ripped jeans and a headband!”

Eddie hoots and hollers as you catwalk, as you badly play the air guitar, as you double over in laughter. He looks at you with unending love as he swings you around in his arms, holds your face in soft embrace, wipes your happy tears away, his happy tears away, and kisses you.

“Another outfit?” you whisper into him, the room quiet as the cassette finishes. Catching your breath, you tuck yourself into him, your chin resting on his chest. “And maybe some eyeshadow and eyeliner?” His doe eyes crinkle in mirth.

“The way I like?”

You kiss his nose. “Just the way you like.”

He snorts and kisses your nose back. “And show you up in your own clothes again? Wouldn't miss the chance!” He wraps his arms around you as you playfully smack his chest, settling you into him with muffled giggles.

If anyone were to peek into the glowing windows of this empty home, they would find that despite the bare walls and little furniture, it didn’t feel so empty. In it were empty walls, enough furniture to barely cover one wall, and just boxes enough to fit into a single van. A humble inventory it was. But what wizardry was this, that a barren floor felt a so full to the passing stranger's eye? Was it a glimmer of magic they saw? Impossible! Truly, it was only the trick of the eye. Oh, if only they were wiser, and perhaps an adventuring wizard themselves, would they see that magic is very real! It exists as little magic spells everywhere.

It’s in the way you fling yourself free of Eddie's embrace, running into your room to scavenge for the next outfit, your favorite white lace dress in mind.

It's in the way you don't make it to the next outfit change because Eddie insists on putting on makeup. In the way you gently place the rouge on his lips, the color warm in the reflection of the setting sun matching his brown, sunflower eyes. In the way he smothers you in smooches, the red lovingly staining your full cheeks.

They’d taste it in the buttery polaroids of the faces of Dustin, your siblings, and Wayne and all the ones you loved so much, pasted on the fridge. Buttery only because Eddie insisted on sticking them on while eating popcorn because he just couldn’t wait to welcome the gang home. You agreed, but you'd never admit it was your sticky fingers, too, that put them there.

They’d hear it in the steady rhythm of your breathing as the moon cradled you both to rest, your intertwined bodies sleeping on the lone mattress in a room strewn with boxes still taped up, but unpacked enough for another day of casting spells.

They’d know it in your whispers and secret confessions, your Good night, baby's and the I love you's, and the giggles between tender kisses.

Oh, if only they could see how easy it is to believe in magic! And if only they knew they could make magic, too! Then they'd know, then they could see, the secret of the universe is in the way anyone can love. In the way you loved each other, in the little magic spells you both cast everywhere you go. Maybe then, they could become wizards too...

[vinetae]

Serendipity In France (M) - Chapter 2

Synopsis: Who's the man in all black?

Pairing: Idol!Jimin x Reader, coffeeshop!au, bookstore!au writer!au

Genre: Fluff, Smut, Strangers to Lovers

W.c: 2,336

Warnings: Mentions of FSOG, Foul language, Hinting at reader's hotness lol, Fluff, coffee shop smells, Reader simps for how Jimin smell, crazy fans chasing Jimin, Suggestive language?

A/n: Literally gunna stay up all night and finish my WIPs. (Hopefully). As always, Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Park Jimin who..?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bookstore you’d grown to love so much. The pages, hiding secrets only some dare to know. The faint smell of coffee and pastries fill your senses. Glancing around, you decide to make a b-line to your favorite section in the whole small corner bookstore. Your coat, hugging tightly against your frame. Hot breaths of air reach the outside’s cold weather. You’d been falling in love with this place for almost two years now. The first time, you’d told google maps to take you to a shoe store near your apartment. It had autocorrected ‘shoe’ to ‘book’ and you decided to go with the flow. 

That’s how you found yourself in this little corner store. The entrance, almost impossible to find without blueprints of the whole street. It was quiet, and never packed. Only really seeing a few locals you had grown quite close to. One, being the girl who stocks all of the shelves. Though, you hadn’t seen her around lately much because she went on vacation with her husband. She was a petite woman, modeling tiny black square glasses, and she had always dressed so nicely. Not, fancy per se. More on the conservative side. That’s what she said had drawn her husband to her in the first place. 

Their story was quite amusing. She sat down with a cup of her famous black coffee order that had been basically ingrained in the back of your mind. One chilly winter day, you and her had sat down for what felt like hours, talking about why’d you come to France in the first place, and her life shared alongside her husband. She’d been promised her dream bookstore when they first started dating. One with the famous ‘belle-like’ library ladder, pressing a nice deep-golden color along each crevasse. Though the store had been titled in her husband’s name, they dub it ‘Amalie’s’. 

The name suited her theme well Amalie, stemming from the French words ‘curious’

Soon after, they’d brought a little 9 pound 3 ounce bundle of joy into the family’s treasured lively hood. 

Your fingers lightly brush against the novel’s worn and torn edges. Each and every one, had a beautiful tale held. Waiting for another to be pulled into their world. 

Which should you choose?

“Hey, ____!” Amalie greets, while you scan the newly acquired selection. 

“Bonjour Amélie!" You return her smile, walking over to greet Allie as well. She coos, a little baby spit dripping down her small lips. 

“Oh goodness!” Amalie wipes her daughter’s mouth, laughing. “She’s been having issues with drooling. Never knew how much saliva babies ACTUALLY produce: She chuckles, sitting down in her oak rocking chair. Her husband, William, had been working on it ever since they’d found out Amalie was pregnant. His, Amalie’s, and Allie’s names are all engraved in the smooth wood, along with other decals representing their growing family. 

“Where’s William today?” You ask, settling down in one of the two rocking chairs placed according to the fireplace. “Oh, him and that darn workshop of his! I swear, if you EVER decide to marry a carpenter, don’t.” You both laugh, sipping on the specific types of coffees you’d previously had helped Amalie make. 

“It’s like ‘hey, my love, I think we need another nightstand’. No! No we do not, Will! We are already seven!” You giggle, legs crossed, while taking light sips of the hot goodness. 

“Oh, and now I'm stuck with this little mini-will here~” She tickles Allie, sending the small child into a fit of giggles, cooing towards her mother. 

“Aww, you know you love them both~” Amalie sighs, nodding at all she’s built and has. “I really do..” The ring of the front door sounds, you both arise to the sudden motions next to the store windows now. 

“H..Hello?” A man calls, in what had to be broken english. 

“Oh, ____ can you please help him? It’s time for Allie’s nap” You nod, letting Amalie go back up the stairs, leaving you to help the recently introduced man. 

“Hi there! How can I help you?” You smile, taking notice of his unusual all black attire. 

“Uh..I saw online that you..sell..” His sentence trails off, making you sport a questioning look. He soon pulls out his phone, typing away on the little device. 

I read online that you sell some porn?

He quickly jumps, trying to shut the device up, constantly hitting random buttons. Which in turn, only makes the automated robotic voice repeat the question. Multiple times.

You laugh, leaning over the counter to stop his motions. “It’s okay..Here. I can show you where the ‘porn’ aisle is” You tease, leading him to the erotica/romance corner. 

You notice how his hands clam against his black winter coat. Even though half of his face had been covered by a black mask, you could still tell by the tint of his cheeks that he’d been blushing. 

“I..I’m sorry. I mean ‘Love’.” You nod, pointing to the whole bookshelf labeled Romance. 

He leans closer to the little hand-written title, pronouncing it slowly as if trying to comprehend its meaning. 

“L..Lomance?” You laugh, holding your stomach from his sudden child-likeness. 

“Ro…mance” You point, guiding him in understanding the term. 

His face lights up, hinting at the realization. “Ohhh. Thank You, Sir.”

This time, you couldn’t help but start bursting out. He immediately panics, wondering if he’d offended you somehow. You shake your hand, letting him know that you’re okay. 

“n-no. See, I’m a girl.” You straighten up, showing him your (should be obvious) gender. 

“Sir, it is for men.” He tilts his head, finally understanding. “Ohhh. I’m sorry, …uh..?” 

“Ma’am.”

He nods. Your eyes meeting his dark chocolate-like swirly orbs. 

“S..so..” He starts, trailing his hand along the spines of books, looking for a specific title. 

“You’d call me sir?” He questions, stopping on a certain spiel. Squinting, your cheeks redden at the title. 

‘Fifty Shades Of Grey: Darker’

“U..Uhm, Yea..Yeah. I’d call you..” Your words trail from your lips, his gaze too intense for your body to support its own weight. Did the room just get hotter??

~~~~~

“Sir?” A strange lady’s accent wakes him from slumber. Pulling the mask from his eyes, he adjusts his sights just in time to see a cute foreign blonde girl leaning over his curled body. 

“We’ve just landed. The plane is starting to unboard.” Jimin nods, standing to stretch. His back pops in a certain rhythm. Thirteen hours away from everything. New people, new places. 

This was going to be good for him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The busy streets help to distract him for the reason he’s decided to come here in the first place. It had been much less busy and cramped than Seoul. Roads being nothing but little pebble strips, leading to some other things on the sides of buildings. The weather had been perfect. Not too cold, not too hot. Everything felt just so…Normal. 

Walking along the sides of streets, water bottle in hand, headphones on. Masks pulled high, even though covid had been so long ago. Were people still afraid? 

“PARK JIMIN!!!” A high-pitched scream echoes through the whole strip, pulling him from his peaceful stroll. “Shit..” He curses under his breath, picking his pace up to get away from any and everyone he could. Every place was filled to the brim with people who could possibly be a fan.

Obviously, Jimin. Everyone knows who you are. 

You’re Park Jimin of BTS. 

You’ll never be normal. 

He walks even faster, almost in a sprint now. Pausing, he stops to look around for some kind of shelter. Everything was in a language he didn’t know. The yells and screams grow closer to his residing place. 

Think, idiot.

 Different, unique symbols fill his sights. Nothing looks even remotely to anything he’s seen before. 

Except..

‘Amalie’s’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing that he sees is two petite women chatting in the corner near an inviting fireplace. One, baby in hand. The other, he’d never seen someone so..

Beautiful. 

Her rosy cheeks, hidden by a smidge courtesy of her white fluffy turtleneck. A small, gold piece of jewelry dangles from her neck. A midi skirt set at waist length encases her figure, accentuating everything about this alluring woman, perfectly. Black victorian-like shoes wrap her feet so tightly, almost as if they had been velvet. 

Everything about her was just so..

“Hi! How can I help you?” Her sweet voice echoes through the shushed store. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“U..Uhm, Yea..Yeah. I’d call you..” Your words trail from your lips, his gaze too intense for your body to support its own weight. He chuckles, treading his hand lightly to wrap his slender fingers around his chosen title. Eyes, having never left the almost death-like stare he’d been sending you. 

“It’s okay.” He proceeds to walk back over to the counter, turning around, waiting for your stunned figure to move along. 

“Y..yeah. Uhm, sorry about that..” He nods, the coffee shop smell mixing with his own vanilla-lavender combo. You scan the book, wrapping it neatly in some decorated paper for the upcoming holidays. 

“Thirty-nine.” He nods, sliding a black card into your palm. 

You quickly ring him up, handing the card back over once you’re finished. You carefully place the item into a brown paper bag, embroidered with Amalie’s store logo. 

“Thank You” He says, while walking over to the coffee shop area. You’re confused. As if he senses your confusion, he turns around, sitting down in the rocking chair you’d originally occupied while talking with Amalie. 

“I’d like to read my book here, if that’s okay?” He questions, settling into the comfy seat. 

“Yeah, that’s fine..” You walk over to unbox the new releases. 

“Can I get a cappuccino, please?” You nod, pausing your current task to make your way over to the coffee bar, starting on his order. 

“So..” He trails, as the sound of a soft page turn fills the silence. 

“Do you actually work here?” His question halts you. 

“How’d you know?” You hand him the hot porcelain cup. 

“Thank You.” He mutters softly, pulling his mask down to take a sip as you walk back over to continue unpacking. 

“Just because…You don’t wear name..thing.” He chuckles, placing his beverage on the glass side table. 

“I’m friends with the owner. She’s putting her baby down for a nap.” He nods, taking a glance at the roaring fire. 

“So..” He begins once more. 

“What is your job?” You stop, walking over to sit down across from him, bringing the boxes over to continue there. Apparently, he was a chatty one. So, you’ll have to do this a little closer. 

“I’m a writer for articles around town.” He hums, finally removing his mask completely, setting it off to the side. 

“That’s cool..” The silence fills in once more. “What do you write about?”

You glance up, “Just…things happening in Paris. You know…stories.”

“Hmm,” He takes a sip of his cappuccino while flipping to another page.

“Well..What do you do?” He raises an eyebrow, catching your gaze, lowering the cup down to reveal a white cream line on his upper lip. You giggle, trying to hold back your laughter. 

He smiles. “What?”

“Y..you have something..” You wipe his upper lip. “Ah. Thank You, Love” The nickname makes you pause. 

“W..what?..” He looks over, seeing your flustered state. 

“Did I say something?” He leans up, studying your features. 

“That’s…That’s not for people who just met..” 

“Ah. Why not?”

“It’s just not..” He hums, folding his arms against his chest. 

“Well… What should I name you?” The funny wording makes you chuckle at his broken English. He joins soon after. 

“What’s so funny?” 

“I’m sorry..You’re just- Your accent is unique.” that brings a shy smile to his face. 

“Thank you..I watched a lot of movies on the plane.”

“Mmm. makes sense.”

“Mhm.”

There’s that stupid silence again. 

He places his book on the opposite glass table, leaning forward to catch your glances from him to the fireplace. “So what was bad about me calling you love?” 

You choke on your water, setting you into a fit of coughs before holding your composure again. 

“It’s just..that’s for people who are…you know..” He tilts his head at your flustered self.

“Well..I said it because I think you’re lovely.” A small blush is still making its way to your cheeks. 

“And..” he continues, scooting the chair closer to you, knees now touching each other. 

“You’re really pretty..”

STUPID FACE CALM DOWN IT’S JUST A WORD-

“Are you okay?” He moves his hand to feel your forehead, as if checking your temperature. You flinch, quickly scooting back. 

“Yeah I’m fine..Just a little hot is all.” You can see a sly smirk tugs the corner of his lips. 

“Very.” Your eyes meet once again. This time, both sending different vibes to one another. Breaths, magically seeming to align. Heart, feeling as if it’s about to explode. Lips barely visible to the unknowers. 

“Alright ____ Did you want to help with making cooki- Woah!” Amalie’s sudden entrance makes both of you jump back. 

“Ohhh Well don’t mind me you two~” She winks your way, while making a cup of her famous black americano. 

You’re a stuttering mess. The man doesn’t understand anything you’re so desperately trying to convince Amalie with. Mainly because it isn’t his language. 

“It’s alright ____, At least now you could finally lose your virg-”You throw one of Allie’s stuffed animals towards her which she quickly dodges. Sending the man into a fit of laughter. The three of you round up the little session with a bunch of giggles before sending the man (who you now knew of as Jimin) off back into the world. Locking the door, you walk back over to Amalie, a smirk plastering her lips.

“So, Jimin ay?” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively towards you.

“Shut it” you retort, flinging a throw pillow her way.

[letarasstuff]

"I don't wanna leave you, Daddy"

(A/N): This was requested by an Anon and it's based on this concept. I hope you are ready for the feels.

Summary: Hotch's daughter is an introvert. A quiet one. But why does she go even quieter after her mother's death?

Warnings: So much hurt. Angst. Fluff. It's bitter sweet.

Wordcount: 2.3k

✨Masterlist✨ _____________________________

(Y/N) never really was an outgoing person. Even since she was able to walk and talk, she still clung to her parents. She refused to play on the playground when other children were there. Socializing was just not her thing. Her parents were sure that she would never be the person to stand up and perform on stage spontaneously. And it is ok.

This doesn’t really change when Jack comes around. Sure, as he grows older and more capable of things (Y/N) plays with him. But it really seems like he is the only one around her age she is not afraid to befriend.

Aaron and Haley reassure themselves that their daughter will find friends in elementary school. After all this is an institution where many children go to and there also are adults trained for helping them coming along. She definitely will find at least one other kid to hang out with regularly and learn how to be a proper child. Because as of right now (Y/N) is more like a little adult, taking responsibilities, like watching over her little brother, she doesn’t need to do voluntarily. Maybe she will be more messy, rebellious, anything but a perfect child.

But this doesn’t exactly happen. (Y/N)’s teachers are really happy with her. Every parent-teacher conference is about how well and polite she is, always behaving good and following the rules. Sadly, they don’t have any good news regarding her social life. It’s not that she doesn’t get along with her classmates, it’s just that she isn’t able to strike up a conversation or is very good at keeping one long enough that a kid is interested in her.

Knowing that (Y/N) is mostly quiet in her school days, Aaron makes it a habit to bring her more often to the office. She surprisingly warms quickly up to his team and whenever she is around them the girl is an unstoppable tornado running loose around the bullpen.

This is kind of how she grows up until the age of middle school. (Y/N) learns some social skills and makes a few friends over the last few years. Unfortunately these friendships are not as deep as the parents wish, still it’s better than nothing.

Things get difficult when Aaron and Haley start to separate. It never is easy when parents fall out of love and it is not only difficult for Jack to see his father not as often as he used to, considering he still is a toddler needing both parents. Especially (Y/N), who is more of a daddy’s girl than a mommy’s girl, suffers from the situation at home.

Of course it’s hard on her to not see her father for a week or two at a time, but ever since her parents are going on parted ways she sees him at most one weekend every three weeks. This also changes her social life dramastically.

“(Y/N), don’t you wanna do something with your friends? You can invite them over for the weekend”, Haley suggests after watching her daughter not going out with somebody outside of school for several days. For the past two weeks the ten year old just comes home, does her homework and puts her nose in one of the books her Uncle Spencer recommended.

The girl only looks up at her mother to shake her head. “Why not, Sweetie? I haven’t seen William and John in so long. Are you still friends with them?” (Y/N) nods again. “So what is it? Are you guys fighting?” Haley sits down next to her on her bed.

“No, they just-just don’t know about this. I don’t want to tell them. And I want to stay home. It’s ok how it is right now”, she admits. Her mother’s heart breaks at that statement.

In this moment she realizes that anything a parent does has immediate consequences for the children. “I’m sorry, Sweetie. I didn’t know this is so hard for you. Maybe you can talk to them over the next few days about it, I think it’ll help you. Do you want to watch a film with me for now? Jack has a sleepover at a friend’s. We can do a girl’s night. We hadn’t had one in a long time.”

(Y/N)’s eyes light up at that. “With all the candy in the world?” Haley smiles at the newfound excitement. “Of course. Anything you want.”

From only seeing Aaron every now and then it suddenly turns to not knowing when she will see him next. After George Foyet ambushes him and makes his family into the next target, (Y/N), her brother and her mother have to go into witness protection.

The goodbye at the hospital is painful and filled with tears. “But Dad, I don’t want to leave you. I’ll miss you too much. I don’t like not seeing you. And what about you? You will be more lonely and-and I can’t leave you”, she confesses, sobbing into him.

Hotch has to hold his own tears back. He doesn’t want to come over as stoic, but as the strong father figure he always tries to be. “Honey, I know I’ll miss you so much. You have to be strong for your mother. This will not be easy and I know it. I promise to do my best to get all of you back as soon as possible, ok? Please be good for your mother and behave. We all need to work together for you to get back fast and safely.”

(Y/N) continues to cry into his hospital gown. Aaron can’t help it and dissolves in tears himself while trying to calm her down. “Shh, Honey. Everything will be fine. I’m so so sorry for all this. I never wanted something like this to happen. Shh, we will see each other real soon. The team and I will do our best. Just please, don’t cry. Please, it all will be better. I can’t let you go without seeing your beautiful laugh for one last time.”

“I don’t wanna leave you, Daddy. I-I wanna stay with you and Uncle Dave and Auntie JJ and Uncle Spencer and Uncle Der and Auntie Penny and Auntie Em. I’m scared you won’t be fine when we come back.”

It’s needless to say that nobody cracked even a smile that day.

Going into witness protection made Haley worry about Jack especially. He is just four years old and she isn’t sure how much he understands about what’s going on. Surprisingly the boy gets accustomed to the situation pretty fast. Of course he misses his father and his people from school, but he is also quick to meet new ones in the town they moved to.

(Y/N) has bigger problems. New school. New kids. New everything.

“Maybe you can see it as a fresh start. Here is nobody you know. You can be whoever you want to be. I can take you shopping and you can try out a new style”, her mother tries to make the situation sound advantageous to her. But the girl dryly answers: “When somebody doesn’t like me how I am now, how will they like an act?”

Sam Kassmeyer regularly reports back to Aaron about his family’s well being. “Jack is thriving. His teachers describe him as a bundle of joy. (Y/N) slowly gets acclimated to the change. Haley told me she started making friends with a girl in their neighborhood. I already ran a background check and the family is clean.”

Hotch lets out a sigh of relief. He turns towards the image on Penelope’s monitor. “Happy fifth birthday, Buddy.”

A few weeks after that it seems like the events overturn each other.

Foyet coming back. Kassmeyer getting tortured. Foyet finding Haley and the children. Them coming back to their house. The call. Working the case with Jack. The gunshot. The fighting noises. Hotch opening the box and hugging both of his children, relieved to see them alive.

The following weeks are difficult for the now smaller family. They mostly consist of watching videos of happy memories and talking about their feelings. Although it’s more like Jack talking about his feelings, (Y/N) went mostly silent ever since their mother’s death. This worries her father more than anything.

Two months have gone by. “Hey Honey, I’m going into the office today. Do you wanna come with me, stay at home or go to school? Anything is fine by me”, he asks her softly, kneeling beside her chair at the table. The girl is munching on her cereal halfheartedly.

“Can I come to the office?” (Y/N) asks in a hoarse voice. It’s actually the first time in four days that Aaron hears her voice. A small smile forms on his face. “Of course, that’s nice. Aunt Penny is asking me after her favorite Hotchner for days on end now. And Uncle Spencer got a stack of books he has for you to read.”

His daughter nods and quickly gets ready. They are soon on their way to Quantico after dropping Jack off at daycare. “How are your classmates? Do you like the new school?” They decided to send (Y/N) to a different school. She couldn’t bear the thought of only being the girl whose Mom died because of a serial killer.

“It’s fine. There are a few girls who are really nice. I think we can be friends. Mo-” She suddenly cuts herself off. Aaron glances over at her. “Continue, Sweetheart. Just tell me what’s on your mind”, he tries to encourage her.

The girl hesitates before following her father’s advice. “Mom would have liked them,” she mumbles. It’s quiet for a few seconds. Hotch is looking for a suitable answer. After all it’s the first time she talked about her mother since her death. “I’m sure of it, Honey. Maybe you can invite them over and I can get to know them. Think about it, no pressure of course.” (Y/N) nods to indicate that she heard him.

Not long later they enter the bullpen. “There she is! My little Hotchner! How you doing, Baby?” Derek asks her and envelopes her into a hug. But she only shrugs her shoulders. This goes on for the rest of the day. Whenever anyone talks to her, the only answer is given by her body language.

Hotch watches helplessly Spencer trying to engage in a conversation with her. His arms and hands are waving around. (Y/N) though just looks at him without being really there mentally. It seems like she is lost in her own thoughts, like it happened so often over the last few months.

“Have you tried talking to her about it?” Dave asks, sitting down on the chair opposite of him. Aaron looks at him funny. “Of course. But (Y/N) is just not ready to talk about Haley and everybody grieves differently. I can’t force her to speak, Dave.”

The older agent leans back in his seat. “I don’t think she needs to talk about her. This probably is too soon. She needs to talk about you. The changes.” After a short pause, in which the other one still doesn’t get the point, Rossi continues. “That little girl just lost her mother. She is scared to lose her father, the one with the high risk job. I think that is enough to talk about.”

This occupies the agent for the remainder of the day. Aaron was so invested in fulfilling both parent roles, that he forgot that he is just a father. The man his children go to when they have a nightmare. The one, who is more lenient than their mother. He can’t be both ones. He can’t be two people in one.

A kid trusts a mother and a father usually. And he can’t be mother and father at once. Hotch has to accept the fact. The fact that (Y/N) and Jack are going to grow up without a mother. But luckily not without mother figures.

Later that day, after tucking Jack in, Aaron knocks on his daughter’s door. A small “Come in!” echoes back to him. He enters her room and spots (Y/N) already in her bed reading a book Spencer gave her today.

“Hey, do you have time before it’s lights out?” He asks, still wanting to give her the upper hand on this. The girl nods and scoots over for her father to take a place. He lays next to her, pulling his daughter into a hug.

“I know I can’t promise it. Coming back to you every time. You know it as much as I do. But I promise you to try anything and everything in the books. You guys keep me going.” Tears roll over both of their faces.

“I-I just”, (Y/N) moves her head onto his chest to sob into it, “Just don’t wanna lose you, too. I-I don’t think I-I can’t be the girl, who doesn’t have a mother AND a father. C-can you stop that from happening?” Hotch has to wipe his eyes before answering.

“I-I try to keep that from happening, Honey. I promise.”

This is how they fall asleep, squished in a twin bed close to each other. In the morning they both are overheated and got a visitor during the night. Jack wakes them up, asking why they had a sleepover without him.

This morning is the first time Aaron sees (Y/N) smiles since day zero.

Taglist:

All works:

@dindjarinsspouse @big-galaxy-chaos

Criminal Minds:

@averyhotchner @mggsprettygirl @herecomesthewriterwitch @ash19871962

[sunwoo-hoo]

↣ the boyz reaction to girlfriend being on her period 

↳ a/n: hello lovelies! here it is, my first reaction for the boyz! i honestly feel like this is a continuation to my ‘as your boyfriend’ series. so in each scenario the s/o is already in a relationship with each member. thank you for requesting this anon! i hope you enjoy it. also some of these are a mix of headcanons/scenarios. do not interact if you are under the age of 18. 

↳ genre: fluff, light smut?? & humor

↳ requested? yes

↳ send me your requests here!

↳ word count: 1.5k

↳ the boyz x fem reader

「 Lee Sangyeon  ���

you were stressed from work having to work overtime so you didn’t even notice you had your period until sangyeon pointed it out before you had to leave

“darling, i think you’ve started your period” he pointed taking a picture of your jeans to show you 

you groaned having to deal with one more stressful thing this week

sangyeon rubbed your lower back trying to comfort you

“how about you call in sick?” he asked as you nodded 

he’s very sweet giving you anything you need weather its water or adjusting your pillows because of lower back pain 

giving you lots of temple kisses 

「 Jacob Bae  」

he already knows when your period is going to start having downloaded your period tracking app on his phone

always making sure your fully stocked up on pads and tampons before the day it’s suppose to start

even getting you your favorite snacks that aren’t healthy for you 

he just wants to ease the experience as much as possible

when it finally does start he’s rubbing your lower belly kissing your cheek giving you all the praise

“i know it sucks babe, but it’ll be over soon i promise” he murmured

「 Kim Younghoon  」

you period started unexpectedly when you two were watching a movie late at night

you had gotten up to get more popcorn when he noticed the stain on the couch

younghoon called out to you 

“sweetheart, are you okay? you’re bleeding” he declared

you quickly went to the bathroom to check and lo and behold he was right

the worst part was that you were in the dorms and they didn’t have any pads or tampons in sight

younghoon noticed your discomfort and quickly went to the 24/7 convenience store getting everything you needed

when he finally came back you asked why it took him so long 

he then opened the bag where you saw every brand and size imaginable

“i didn’t know which one you used... so i kind of just bought all of them” he said rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly

you giggled thanking him giving him a small peck on the lips

「 Lee Hyunjae 」

when your period started he was a bit annoyed

mostly because you two couldn’t have sex like you always do

but nevertheless he was caring and respectful 

he pretty much gave you everything you needed whether it was medicine for your cramps or something sweet to eat like chocolate

one of your most painful symptoms was your sore breasts

he always offered to rub them but you couldn’t deny the smug look you saw on his face

“don’t worry baby i’ll make you feel better okay?” he said

he starts to rub them in hopes of helping you but eventually he can’t help but suck on your nipple rubbing your other breast with his right hand

your then moaning from pleasure and pain running your fingers through his hair

「 Lee Juyeon 」

juyeon always hated when your period started 

one your symptoms was not wanting to be touched so it made him feel very distant from you 

even though he wants to be close and cuddle with you he’ll try his hardest giving you space

but it breaks your heart to see him upset so you’ll tell him to cuddle with you regardless of your pain

he’ll lay by you but will try his best not to touch you so that he could respect your boundaries

you grab his hand giving the back of it small kisses thanking him 

“i appreciate you being here with me” you whispered

“of course baby, you know i’m always here for you” he promised

「 Kevin Moon 」

you were always a tad bit more emotional when your period started

crying over every little thing

kevin was sympathetic offering anything to tell help you

giving you tissues when you needed it

he tried his best to lift your spirits up playing your favorite songs on his piano 

“how can you cry to pharrell williams song happy?” he lightly teased trying to change the shift in mood

wiping your eyes you replied “i don’t know! this sucks! i just want this to be over with already” you snapped

all he could do was wait it out until it was over

during the week he’ll do anything to keep your emotions in check giving you cuddles and kisses

「 Choi Chanhee 」

he’s honestly a bit disgusted by it all but he knows it’s not your fault since it’s just a part of nature

you always tend to break out during your period making you feel really insecure

so you and chanhee end up doing face masks together to keep them at bay

he’s also treating you like a princess 

getting everything you can possibly need to make your week smoother 

like making sure the heating pad is on so that you can use it whenever you need it 

“here love, sit down for a bit, i don’t want you moving a muscle” he insisted 

「 Ji Changmin/Q 」

having two older sisters he saw the signs before you did telling you not to overwork yourself

when your period finally appeared you were in constant pain barely even moving

curled up on the bed tightly holding onto the sheets changmin was beside you rubbing your head giving it a kiss 

“don’t worry sweetie i’ll get you anything you want okay?”

over the next week he was always keeping tabs on you making sure you had everything you needed 

he always made sure to ask if you had extra pads/tampons before you went out to avoid accidents

you couldn’t have been more thankful for him

「 Juhaknyeon 」

you always knew when your period was about to start because you always had trouble sleeping a few days prior 

one particular night you and juhaknyeon were sleeping together when you kept tossing and turning

you decided to get up to get a snack feeling a slight tingle in your lower abdomen

sitting on the kitchen island you nearly jumped when you felt juhaknyeon’s arms around you

“you okay baby? i was worried when you weren’t in bed” he said

you smiled softly “yeah.. it’s just i think i’m getting my period soon” 

“aw, well you know i’ll be here for whatever you need” he reassured kissing your neck 

moving your neck to the side so that he could have better access 

is when you felt it, that familiar feeling of wetness in your panties 

you then stopped him giving him an apologetic look before he joked

“damn, what a buzzkill” 

「 Kim Sunwoo 」

fuck fuck fuck you thought as you looked at your period calendar

you were late 

for the most part you were pretty careful when it came to sex with sunwoo but he just couldn’t help but cum in you sometimes

you always made sure to get the plan b pill the next day 

but you were thinking a couple of weeks back

did you take it like you were suppose to? 

you decided to tell sunwoo the minute he came home from practice

as he walked in through the front door he gave you the biggest of smiles finally seeing the person he loved most in the world

you gave him a worried look before you told him that you needed to talk

“sunwoo... my period, it’s late i-i don’t know why we’re usually safe..” you rambled practically on the verge of tears

his face turned serious grabbing your hands

“let’s go get a test okay? just to be sure” he whispered 

once you got the pregnancy test you waited anxiously for the results sunwoo’s hand in yours 

“baby i just want you to know that if it’s positive you know i’ll be there for you no matter what, i love you and a positive test won’t change that” he assured you pulling you close giving you a kiss on your forehead

when the test turned out to be negative you couldn’t help but notice sunwoo’s disappointment 

a couple of days later your period finally came

「 Eric Sohn 」

usually your energy matched his but when he noticed  you were feeling down and sleeping more than usual he was confused

it wasn’t until you told that him that you were on your period he finally realized

he’s definitely calling his mom asking how he could help you in any way he can since he’s not familiar with it 

even getting advice from the older members

he’s then giving you everything you need

tea, water, heating pads and a fan since you were sweating

“do you have everything you need babe?” he asked as you nodded padding the bed so that he could lay next to you 

he put his arm over you whispering 

“goodnight [name], i love you i’ll be right here if you need anything okay?” 

you hummed before drifting off to sleep in eric’s arms

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* © sunwoo-hoo 2 0 2 1  ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

[zodiyack]

Promises

Requested by anon: Omg hi again may I request a Sherlock Holmes x reader were they get married and have kids! Thank you <3

Pairing: Sherlock Holmes x Female!Reader

Warnings: One smut-indication?, funny angst, fluffity fluff, no proof-reading

Words: 1,953

Summary: (See Request)

Note: I’m making this a continuation of Reminders if that’s ok with you-

Taglist: @matth1w, @redspaceace-writes, @fandom-puff, @darling-i-read-it, @simonsbluee, @thewarriorprincessxo, @sebastianstanslefteyebrow, @missihart23, @beckster07890, @maan24

Masterlist | Henry Cavill Masterlist

Tears were shed, laughs were scattered, cheers were shouted. Sherlock had made good on his promise and married the lovely beautiful artist. He couldn’t stray his eyes from hers the entire wedding. It was difficult to even form words with how breathtaking the angel in front of him looked. Did they really expect him to say vows with this gift from the heavens standing right before him?!

Although Sherlock found it hard, he managed to spit out the words that caught in his throat. You’d hardly be able to tell he was a nervous wreck; the loving words that should bind them in mere moments came from his lips like poetry.

As soon as they were wed, Sherlock was eager to have his wife to himself. The entire after-party, he sat beside her with his leg bouncing impatiently, and that night he’d made love to her more times than they’d ever done in a week. A new record. He made it known that his promise was good.

What was to come after, though, was surely to be expected.

“Rin, stop moving sweetie.” She begged calmly for what felt like the thousandth time. Her youngest daughter fidgeted in the chair. She looked like a baby-doll propped up in an adults’ chair with how small she was. Painting her children was not uncommon for Y/n. They loved to model for their mother but most of the time her children could just barely stay still.

Their oldest, Eddie, a nickname for Edward, was goofy and had a heart like his aunt’s, both Enola and Eddie more child-like than times would prefer. Second oldest, Will Claud, short for William Claud, was determined, like his father, but had a habit of over doing it. He was the strict and ...well, the nerd brother. Will Claud just wanted to impress his father and mother, but he seemed to listen to his uncle Mycroft too much.

Next born was Alice. She had her mother’s skill in art as well as her father’s skill in mystery. She and Will Claud were born not too long from each other, so it was no surprise that they were constantly wrestling for the spotlight. Alice didn’t try to outwit her brother as much as he did her, but she wasn’t new to winning.

Finally, the twins; Clayton and Catherine. Clayton was mischievous and didn’t hesitate to make it known, but Catherine, sitting in that chair across her mother as her soft skin is replicated by paint onto a canvas of color, was practically an angel.

While the other children would hurdle over each other to get to their father every time he stepped through the front doors, Cathy would wait beside her mother politely before walking to her father slowly. Her siblings would part, forming a walkway in the middle as if she were royalty.

So then the joke was made and the chair painting was currently underway. They had to find the right chair, and they did. It looked so elegant, so royally distinguished. It looked perfect. Fit for a queen.

And that was what the joke was. That Catherine was the “queen”. Not a very funny one without context, Cathy’s siblings later found out, but a good one to tease her with. However, queen Cathy didn’t mind it. In fact, she was quick to drop into character, the smoothest transition known to man-kind. 

While, yes, Catherine’s character was rather humorous, it still held some concerns. Would she become the lordly queen her siblings tried to paint her as? Would she ever realize it was all a joke her siblings made up? Growing up was never something she forced on her children, but she didn’t want to have them growing too used to a title like that. Y/n joked to her husband one night in bed as they held the sleeping majesty, whom had crawled into their bed without reason.

“I’m highly aware she’s ‘the queen’ and all, but I really hope she doesn’t decide she’d like to adopt the complete role. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if my baby became my nightmare. The other four are already so much work.” She chuckled as she brushed some of Catherine’s hair behind her ear.

Sherlock looked at his sleeping daughter. She looked so at peace, just as she always did, and he nodded yet noted his disagreement. “I doubt she’d ever become such a hassle. She’s been so patient and kind, I can’t see her actually devolving a bad side. Clayton, sure, but his sister?” Their eyes flicked up to meet each others. A beat later and they were in hushed snickers.

“Mummy?”

“Yes?”

“When will daddy be returning home?” She had relaxed her facial muscles, if only she’d done so with her limbs- make it easier for her mother, and held a casual tone of voice. Another thing with Catherine; she was harder to read than most.

“I’m not sure, my dear. He should be back before supper...” Y/n lifted her head to peak over the easel and watch her three older kids as they played with Clayton. He was a tough kid, but always overestimated how tough he really was. Y/n felt concern fill her gut when he first begged to play with his older siblings, but she let him anyways, Sherlock being the one to thank for that decision.

“Good. I want to sit next to him tonight. And you. I want to sit next to both of you, mummy.” She gave her mother a small smile, which she returned, before adjusting to her original pose.

Y/n paused after she finished the details involving the chair and Cathy. “Catherine, you do realize that I sit next to your father at dinner, right? And Eddie sits on his other side...that is, if Willy loses their fight tonight...I wonder why they don’t just take turns...” She muttered the last few sentences to herself in heavy contemplation.

“Mhm! You can sit next to him too!” The little girl watched her mother process her question with wide eyes of anticipation. She realized Y/n still didn’t quite understand and was quick to explain. “I can sit on your lap, mummy! Like when I was this big!” Catherine held up her hands to show an overexaggerated space between her small hands that supposedly represented her only one or two years ago.

“Well... Daddy and I can talk about it when he gets home. Is that alright with you?”

“Mhm! But I don’t want to crush the new me, so don’t be afraid to tell me no, mummy, okay?!” Her innocence was adorable, but not more than the grin that sat upon her lips.

Clayton rushed in, causing Y/n to instinctively reach for her easel protectively. He chortled to himself before announcing what was on his mind. “It’s not a new you, Cathy, it’s a new me! I’ll bet you on it, I’m shore I have the funs!”

“Clayton Luther Holmes!” Y/n’s eyes doubled in size. “Who taught you about betting?”

Her son ignored her question and continued, “Besides, what if I want to sit on mother’s lap?!”

“We can’t both sit on mummy- what about the baby?”

“Uhh, it can move, no doy?! It can move just like Will Claud tells me to. It doesn’t need to be shell-fish!” Clayton muttered bitterly. “If Will Claud really wants to call someone his funny names, he should call the baby them.” His time with the older kids was undoubtfully the reasoning behind the failed attempts of words he didn’t fully understand.

“Do you mean ‘selfish?’“

“Yeah, that’s what I said. Don’t you agree, mummy? See, she agrees!” Clayton tried to argue with his twin, but his words had no effect on her. Catherine stared at him blankly, confused like her mother.

“Mummy didn’t say anything, Clayton. She said we can talk about it when daddy gets home, so you can wait here with me.” She scooted over a bit in the chair and pat beside her. Clayton shot her a look of distaste and ran back out into the yard.

“That was...odd.” Y/n blinked. 

“He did remind me though, mummy... The baby can’t move... maybe I could sit with daddy instead?” Catherine sounded reassuring, her feathery voice calming her mother.

Which she really needed. She could hardly focus on her painting now. Her heart was begging for Sherlock to walk through the front doors already, spare her from another interruption that would throw her off-course for the fifth time that evening.

Like magic, her wish was granted and a knock sounded on the study door. Both Catherine and Y/n’s heads snapped toward Sherlock entering the room. “How’s her-majesty doing?” He smirked at Cathy as he set down his case. “I heard from two little competitive detectives that mummy is creating a masterpiece of her masterpiece! Are the rumors true?”

“That they are, detective. Seems you’ve found out the surprise before it could surprise you.” Catherine giggled as her father lifted her from the soft red chair and spun her around before planting a kiss on her forehead.

“So, my little queen, how are you?”

“Good.” She smiled brightly. “How are you? Did mummy ask you yet?”

Sherlock turned to face Y/n, who looked away as fast as she could- wide eyes and all. “Did mummy ask me what, Rin?”

“If I could sit with you or her during supper? I would sit on mummy’s lap, but I don’t want to hurt the baby, and even if I could, Clay wants to sit on her too. I don’t want to make it unfair!” Catherine frowned. “I told him he could wait with me until you were here to talk about it but he didn’t want to.”

“I’ll tell you what. Since mummy has the baby, you can sit with her and I’ll have Clayton sit with me.”

“Yeah! He moves around a lot and we want to be extra careful with mummy and mini-baby, right?” Sherlock nodded, Y/n still trying to figure out what her daughter was saying, and sent Cathy off to play with her siblings until Alice finished supper. It wasn’t intended for Y/n’s pregnancy, but it certainly helped. A system in which the kids could claim nights to help out with meals. Alice loved to make dinners while Edward loved to bake. The smell of a delicious homecooked meal was never lacking in the Holmes house.

“Hear that? Mini-baby gets to sit next to the queen tonight.”

“I’m jealous, quite frankly.” Sherlock’s grin never ceased to bring Y/n’s to her face. Though she was exhausted, her husband made her feel calm and peaceful. “So, our five little reminders never cease to remind you, do they?”

“No...and don’t forget the sixth, Mr. Holmes.”

“Believe me, I haven’t, Mrs. Holmes. I’m simply awaiting their arrival. Perhaps a few more before I needn’t anymore reminders?”

“Mayhaps...however- Let’s talk about it when I’m no longer expecting, please. I’m already resisting the urge to collapse.” Sherlock chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he watched his wife struggle to the doors before helping her. His arms scoop her up and carry her to their room. They passed the paintings that hung upon the walls, portraits of Sherlock, portraits of their children, a portrait by her mother in law of their wedding day. The wall was home to their present and past, providing room for their future as well.

They were in their room for only a few minutes before a loud chatter followed them. Both adults closed their eyes and prepared themselves for their little ones who would burst through their doors at any moment. His promise was good, and they had five, almost six, reminders to show for proof.

[sleepylixie]

3.1k words, Angst, Fluff (Romance), Non-idol AU

Kim Hongjoong X fem! Reader

Inspired by Love you Like Me- William Singe ( Playlist here )

Beware of Profanity, Heavy themes of infidelity, implied sexual activity 

The studio was loud, bustling with murmurs and movement, lighting being fidgeted with and artists putting in the final touches to the simple, neutral toned set. A shiver traced down your back as you watched people walk this way and that, preparing everything to be perfect just in time, just before the cameras begin rolling and the star of the show settles in front of the camera-

The steady buzz of your phone in your hand interrupted your train of thought. Took him long enough, you thought to yourself as you watched the name flash across the screen. Hongjoong. 

Not a couple of months ago, his contact’s name had been ‘loml’ with a red heart- how quickly things change. You knew he would call you before you were to go on-air, a tradition that he had unfailingly kept alive over the last 3 years. This particular call however, was different. Special. 

Because it was going to be the last. 

You would miss his calls, you mused as you accepted the call. His smooth, lilting tenor always greeting you with- 

“Hello, starlet.” 

The amused endearment didn’t make you smile like it used to. You used to shy away from it when you had initially started dating Hongjoong. Over the years, however, you had truly grown into a starlet in your own right so the inside joke was now laced with adoring truth. 

“Hello, my love.” 

Your voice was soft, mellow, the perfect replication of how you would respond to him in better times. Funny how a relationship you’d valued as much as your career had come down to pretence and secrets- 

“Are you ready?”  

The real question is, are you ready? The response was heavy on your tongue but you swallowed it down, letting a sardonic smile curl up the edge of your lips as you hummed into the phone, a show of contemplation.

“I think so.” 

If only he knew what you were talking about. 

“I’m sure you are, you spent so much time in the studios with Chris. Trust yourself, darling. You’re going to do amazing.” 

There had been a time when his reassurance would’ve given you enough motivation to rule the world- now though, it felt like nothing but a sham. Pretty, deceptive falsities that he kept up only for the sake of his promise to you. A game of make-believe he seemed to be amusing himself with. 

He was going to find out soon enough, you convinced yourself. He was going to find out soon enough that you were no game to be trifled with. 

The producer caught your eye, motioning to the set – it was time. 

“It’s almost time, I need to go.”

What a glorious double entendre this conversation was. 

“Good luck, my love. I’ll be watching the live.”

You hummed again before hanging up, coughing into your hands as you made your way to the set. The producer flashed a smile and thumbs up at you as you took your seat on the stool meant for you. 

“We’re going to be live in 3 minutes. Ready?” 

Between your makeup artist doing some final touches on your face and the sound technician checking the wires and mic-set for your in-ears, you returned the producer’s thumbs up with a confident smile- more confident than you were truly feeling, you were sure. 

“Ready.” 

All too soon, the 2 minutes had passed and you were sat alone in front of the camera, nothing but a mic in your hand as the producer did a countdown- Rolling in 3,2,1-

The first strains of the backing track flowed through your in-ears, your grip on the mic tightening as the repetitive, building melody washed over you like the tune of a haunted nursery rhyme. With the melody came the memories, a barrage of feelings tinged angry red and melancholy pink. 

After all these years, it seemed your love really had to end the way it began- mic in hand, lyrics at your lips and leaden heart in your chest. This time though, he wasn’t the healing balm, he was the twisted knife itself. 

Kim fucking Hongjoong.

“He never calls this late at night, no… But I can tell he’s been drinking all night long.” 

The studio was pin-drop silent except for the soft, dragging lilt of your voice. The track Chris had made for you could catch a listener’s attention all too easily- the magic your voice brought with it soon afterwards only served to hook the listeners more. 

You remembered slipping into the studio one rainy 2 a.m, scrawled sheets of paper feeling heavy and hot in your pocket. Chris had been rightfully concerned with your deceptively put together appearance, knowing exactly what had brought about the torrent of words you had thrown onto the table. 

Chris had always been safe, warm comfort for you- from the days of pulling all-nighters before graduation to the sleepless nights spent recording and producing in your shared studio, your friendship had come a long way.

But you’d shaken your head at him, urging him to look at the sheets. The memory of your pen slicing into the sheets was still burnt onto your fingertips, your vision almost blurring with tears as you scrawled every word that came to mind. Fiery, sensual, vengeful words seared onto the paper, a clear reflection of everything that had silently plagued you every night, every sunset, until you broke.

 “He sounds upset, I’m asking baby where you at, I called you earlier but you didn’t call me back…”

You met Hongjoong a little more than 4 years ago in a dive bar- him, the tired university student looking for a break and you, the evening’s entertainment. Your set had been entirely covers of moody love songs, reminiscent of your own sentiments- all you wanted to do was write your own music but it seemed all rookies were destined to be stuck with small gigs and other artists’ music. 

But for some reason, this one man with electric blue hair that contrasted- clashed, even, with his formal outfit had approached you after you finished your set. Only when he sidled closer to you did you noticed the paint splatters on his cuffs and the tiny earring dangling against his neck. The first thing he told you was that he had fallen in love with your voice and would love to get you a drink so he could hear it more. 

Even in the heartbroken haze you were in, you knew there was something about this odd patch-work quilt of a man with a sparkly smile that you couldn’t shake. Conversation had been uncannily easy after that-

Falling in love with Hongjoong however, hadn’t been a cakewalk by any means. 

 “He’s breaking down, I’m about to lose it… I’m screaming who the fuck were you with…”

Falling for Hongjoong was walking through fire and hail and ice; it was always expecting the worst out of each other but somehow ending up with the best too; to see each other as flawed humans before possible targets of affection. It took a good part of a year for the both of you to acknowledge any sentiment beyond friendship for each other, even more time to consider dating. 

He’d been hesitant at first- so had you. But as Hongjoong murmured to you that fateful evening your relationship began, the thought of not knowing how you’d be together was one he could not digest. Sometimes you wish you hadn’t agreed- but to disagree would’ve been a regretful lie. 

Over the years, it had always warmed your heart to have known without a shadow of a doubt that he would walk through all the world’s calamities for your hand in his.

Kim Hongjoong was perfect, after all. 

The perfect son of a perfect family, the visual arts graduate with a perfect score, the perfect fit for a job as an art gallery’s curator- Surely, his love was tinted with the same shade of perfection as the rest of him?

You were wrong. 

 “I grab my keys you better tell me where you at… he said he fucked up but there’s no taking it back...”

Kim Hongjoong was fickle as a wayward breeze where the matters of the heart were concerned. It was easier for him to let people love him, feel the adoration for him rolling off people’s eyes and bodies than be the person to love freely. Love was vulnerability to him, but gods, did he make vulnerability look gorgeous. 

Maybe the very reason he began to love you at first was because you didn’t care for his perfection.

His words still echoed in your ears sometimes, especially in nights that were woefully sober or afternoons that were hopelessly unproductive. There had been a time when the only things you remembered of the honeyed rasp was from your best dreams, promising you forever in every day- 

Not anymore. All you remembered now was the way he had sounded that night, alcohol and regret mixing badly in his veins, voice rough and stilted and broken as he asked you for forgiveness, for space in your heart despite his mistakes.

 “I gave everything to you and this is what you turn around and do…”

You wish you’d never driven to him after his teary confessions, hoping against hope he was pranking you and had only drunk too much to cater to common sense. You wish you hadn’t walked yourself to his best friends’ night club and have to witness the look of pity Seonghwa and San cast upon before handing Hongjoong over to you. 

You wish you hadn’t put yourself through the utterly tragic ordeal of picking up after him. Especially now, that you know how the future would look after that night. 

The memories steeled your voice through the smooth notes, the music rising and falling as the backing track began to build. You’d struggled to record this section of the song- your breath always seemed to catch and hold when you sang the words, your chest feeling too heavy, tongue too leaden to mouth the next lines. But today, the tune was like second nature to your lips, the sentiment almost easy to express. 

Surely he was watching now, wherever he was, the lyrics’ meaning sinking into his skin with every word. Some tiny, savage part of your brain hoped he felt the same cold terror and sense of unfairness you felt all this while- you hoped he would drown in it until it consumed him, soul and all. 

 “Did she have it all, all that you wanted for you to go and break your promise?”

He’d crawled into your bed with you that night, holding you closer than he had ever held you in 3 years. Soothed your tears of pure disappointment and cried way too many of his own, your shoulders shuddering as you pulled each other closer. Murmured apologies a million times, over and over again against your skin as he curled his body around yours, until you fell into a restless sleep. 

You still remember the time-dampened images of the nightmare you had that night, the shadows laughing at you for being an inadequate girlfriend, an unfit person, that he probably cheated because you weren’t doing enough for him. You’d awoken a mere couple of hours after the both of you had nodded off, Hongjoong’s grip on your body still tight despite his state of slumber. 

Was he worried you’d wake up and walk away?

He would find you in your kitchen in his old shirt when he woke up anyway, tired eyes and tired limbs and enough coffee for 2 in the French press. 

 “I wanna know, every secret you’ve been hiding…I wanna know just how long have you've been lying…”

A mistake, he’d called it. One-off error in judgement, a single moment in time he had chosen not to listen to his better sensibilities. It had happened once, entirely because of his lapse in judgement, he said. It would never happen again; he swore to you. Promised to you with your hands in his, earnestness in his gaze that you had never been subjected to until now- then again, he’d never given you reason to mistrust him until now. 

You’d asked for a promise from Hongjoong that day- a no-closed-doors policy on your relationship. It should’ve been a no-brainer as far as you were concerned, but it seemed that people like Hongjoong needed the reminder that not all people lived the way they did. That love wasn’t reckless free fall to everybody, a spark that burns fast and bright and fizzles out just as quick. 

 “I wanna know, does she fuck you like I did…I wanna know, and will she love you like I did…”

You wish you’d been less mature about the whole affair. 

Singing the words aloud only made you wish you’d thrown the words at him the first time it happened, instead of now, behind the safety of two screens and physical distance. You should’ve allowed yourself the sheer meltdown that the situation warranted, allowed the rage to take over your system even if it was for those few unfiltered seconds.

Hongjoong’s actions hadn’t deserved the maturity you afforded them. But you couldn’t blame yourself- in those fleeting moments, the primary emotions you had felt was that of inadequacy. You should’ve trusted yourself more.

 “Boy this ain’t how it’s supposed to be...Dancing between someones else’s sheets…”

After the burning hurt from the fiasco died down, it felt like Hongjoong had taken it upon himself to prove to you how special, how important, how absolutely irreplaceable you were to him. In the haze of it all, you ended up loving it. 

The once almost stoic man was now making an effort to be more to you, less of the disappointment he had caused you. He made an effort to talk to you, open up about his frayed relationship with love – hesitant at first and then naturally. 

I care about you. I love you; he’d murmured to the ceiling one night. You were silent, body resting against his as he arranged the sheets higher around your bodies. I wanted to know what we’d be like together and I haven’t regretted a second of it. I can’t imagine my days without you around.  A soft kiss planted against your hairline that you returned against the crook of his neck as sleep claimed you.

 “I can’t believe this is really happening, your guilty conscience is going to be the death of me..”

The next few months were a daily reminder of how much Kim Hongjoong had come to know you over the years of your relationship. Your favourite flowers turned up like clockwork at your desk every Tuesday, accompanying a note in his quick, scratchy handwriting – a new tradition of mid-week dates at experimental restaurants with oddly planned menus. Voice notes of his raspy morning voice sending you sweet affirmations that rung in your ears late into the afternoon. 

Even the way he touched you felt softer, more… reverent. Like he’d had a taste of what he stood to lose and never wanted to think of it again. As each day passed, you found yourself resting easy, basking in the attention and adoration and soft romance of it all.

Looking back on it, you should’ve known. What was it they say about a cheat?

They expect you to be loyal to them despite their faithlessness.

 “You got so caught up in the moment...But she’ll only love you when she’s lonely…”  

The second time it happened, the only thing your heart felt was a wildfire doused in rage and an almost crippling sense of treachery. A fellow artist in the same recording company as you had slipped into the studio late one night, just as you were packing up to head home. She’d pulled you to the couch on the side, holding your hands in hers as she hesitated before asking her questions- Are you sure your boyfriend is faithful? He keeps leaving the club I perform at with other girls?

Your fingers curled tightly around the mic, trying your hardest not to let your other hand clench the fabric covering your legs. You would give the world neither the privilege nor the misfortune of knowing how much truth this song really held. The world didn’t- no, Hongjoong didn’t deserve it. Not anymore.

 “This ain’t a game you better tell me where you're at, No boy, you fucked up and there’s no taking it back..”

You’d dropped by Hongjoong’s apartment that night, hands shaking in your coat pockets and head spinning from the rush of emotions. You had a spare key, and it was only a matter of dropping him a quick text before letting yourself in. Betrayal? Rage? Frustration? Disappointment? It was the disgusting cocktail in the pit of your stomach that led you to snoop through his phone while he was in the shower-

You wish you hadn’t but oh, you’d be damned if you weren’t glad you had.

He’d brought girls to his apartment at the end of so-called club hopping nights with Seonghwa. Every Friday. Ever since he’d made his ‘promise’ to you.

Every single Friday.

He’d bedded some random chick from the clubs and then turned up at your doorstep every weekend like nothing had ever happened.

Every. Single. Friday.

 “I gave everything to you …and this is what you turn around and do..”

You remember slipping out of Hongjoong’s apartment as quickly as you had turned up, faking an emergency at the studio to dash out the front door. Stubbornly holding your tears at bay as you drove back to your own neighbourhood, out of the car and into your apartment. Collapsing on your couch in a daze just as the breakdown began.

You still don’t know if the tears you shed that night were of anger or sadness- with the urge to destroy everything Hongjoong stood for, the only thing you wanted to do was never see him again.

For a second, you were transported back to that disaster of a night, the studio melting away into the familiar walls of your apartment, closing in on you as the despair and bottomless rage set in. There was an edge to your voice as you sang now, more angry than sad like before. Was he listening? Was he able to hear your farewell in the lyrics?

Was he panicking that you found out? Or worse, did he not care at all?

 “Did she have it all, all that you wanted for you to go and break your promise?”

The next morning, you’d woken up with puffy eyes and a heavy heart, but with one clear motive seared into your mind- revenge.

You’d allowed him into your heart, let him build a home there for years and years. You had loved him every way you knew how to- broken at first, unconditionally later. You’d given him trust, a currency you were known to be stingy with- and he turns around and does this to you.

Maybe that was childish of you; maybe a more mature person would’ve broken it off that day, wallowed in heartbreak and made efforts to move on. But no, not you.

If Hongjoong had found it acceptable to take girls home while being in a relationship with you, he would definitely find it acceptable if you aired some of his dirty laundry yourself.

 “I wanna know every secret you’ve been hiding…I wanna know just how long have you been lying..”

Chris had been concerned when you walked into the studio, looking almost entirely functional and not worse for wear at all.

It made sense, your best friend’s worry. It had only been 3 days since…since the incident and besides an update message, you had burrowed yourself at home and entirely unreachable. But here you were today, sheets of paper filled with your scrawl covering the table in front of you- lyrics.

Read them, you’d muttered, shoving the pages towards him- your hands shook slightly, the first crack in your façade. They’re a bit of a mess, but they mostly make sense.

Only you would remember being drunk off your mind on whiskey and later, wine the whole time. Alternating between feverish writing and heartbroken sobbing. Pretending to be completely fine to Hongjoong, telling him to not ‘interrupt your creative process’. Staring out into the starrless night skies and wishing that one day soon, Hongjoong would feel the hell you were feeling now. One day, you would look a camera in the eye and sing these lyrics out loud, for the world to hear, for him to hear. And you’ll be damned if that day, Kim Hongjoong didn’t get his final taste of who he’d just lost.

 “I wanna know…does she fuck you like I did, I wanna know,  will she love you like I did..”

Getting the right feel to the lyrics while recording the song had been all too easy, waving off Hongjoong’s curiosity about your newest project easier so.

It was a surprise for him, you would smile, dropping fleeting kisses against his cheekbones and jaw just the way he liked. He always smiled and dragged your mouth to his own, letting his smile slide against your own, murmuring that he was going to follow you into the studio to take a peek for curiosity’s sake. 

Talk often fizzled out at that point, because god, it was so difficult to stay away from each other’s bodies and out of each other’s arms after the long days of being your own people, strong and resourceful and adult and independent. It was easier to let your muscle memories take over, touch and sense and feel every single wretched thing that Hongjoong was so capable of making you feel.  

 “She won't do you like me, she won't love you like me, baby…she won't touch you like me, she won't love you like me, baby…”

You would be lying if you said you didn’t get a wild sense of pleasure singing those lines, your eyes not leaving the camera pointed at you. Was it revenge well served? A broken heart being healed?

Over the weeks of preparing for the song, you’d realized how true those words were. The burning sense of betrayal and hurt hadn’t faded in the least- you still woke up every morning feeling lesser than, but never again. Never would you let anybody feel like this again.

Nobody would love Hongjoong like you could. It was about time he realized that. Pity, though, that you wouldn’t be around to witness it. 

“She won't love you like, she won't love you like me.”

The music fizzled out into silence, the producers counting down as you stayed still- 3,2,1 cut! In pursuit of the feeling of reckless freedom, Hongjoong had lost the one person he claimed made him feel like he belonged. How unfortunate for him, you mused, as the studio erupted in claps, the producers grinning widely and everybody smiling at each other. In the middle of the chaos, the door swung open- His eyes were wide, short blonde hair a windswept mess against his forehead, the single stalk of your favourite flower hanging limp in his hands. Surely there were paint marks on his cuffs, and the tiny earring would jingle prettily when he moved, but as his gaze met your dead ones, you could only think one thing-

She won't love you like, she won't love you like me.

Thank you for reading! Do let me know what you think~ xoxo, Elliana.

Network Tag: @kpopscape​

[homoose]

Winning is a Habit

Hi y’all! Okay sooooooooo this is my first time writing fic??????? Like omg please be nice lmao. I don’t have a beta reader, so if you catch any mistakes pls lmk! I saw this challenge and the world is total garbage, so why not write our own realities????? Ok here goes!!!!!!!!!! Written for @veraiconcos fic challenge

Summary: The BAU gets called to investigate two high-profile murders in a college town, only to find that they are part of a much bigger, more complicated picture. No real pairings, although you could make it happen if you want lol ;) This is an idea I’ve seen floating around the fandom for a little while now, and I really wanted to see it fleshed out. Set around season 4 or 5.

Category: some angst, sort of fluff? I wouldn’t say it necessarily qualifies as an AU, but it’s outside of canon.

Warnings/Includes: some brief descriptions of violence/CM type stuff; mentions of rape (no details)

Word count: 6.1k

———

“Stillwater, Oklahoma,” JJ said, navigating the map off screen and pulling up the crime scene photos. “Two college seniors— Tyler Allen and Leon Williams, star football players for Oklahoma State University— both found dead the day before the playoff qualifier.”

“Do we know the cause of death?” Spencer asked, thumbing through the case file.

“The ME report concluded that both boys died of acute alcohol poisoning,” JJ informed them.

Emily looked up from the file. “And the locals don’t think this could just be a case of college kids having a little too much fun?”

“Before a major playoff game? I doubt it.” Derek leaned back in his chair. “Especially considering OSU’s having a record-breaking season. I’d guess the coach had players on a pretty strict lockdown.” He raised his hands and joined them in a steeple over his chest. “Showing up to a game hung-over— particularly one as important as this— would be a major conduct issue.”

“That, and there was a pretty specific message left on both victims,” JJ added, arms crossed and eyebrows lifting into her hairline.

“On them?” Rossi questioned.

JJ motioned with her hand back to the screen. Six sets of eyes moved over the photo; the words “U LOSE” scrawled in ink across the foreheads of the two men.

“Resorting to murder to win a football game?” Emily asked, eyes narrowed.

“And why use the forensic countermeasure of staged alcohol poisoning, only to backtrack and assert it as a murder?” Spencer pondered, pursing his lips.

“Whatever the reason, we’ve got two dead college students and a definite signature. Wheels up in 30,” Hotch told them, closing his case file.

⧭⧭⧭

“No sign of forced entry.” Derek walked through the entry hallway and into the living space. “Doesn’t look like there was any struggle, either.”

Rossi thumbed through the mail on the kitchen counter and peered around the small space. “Everything you’d expect in a boys’ college dorm room: dishes in the sink, generic decor, general mess. Nothing that stands out.”

“Agents, thank you so much for coming.” A tall man in a dark suit stepped across the threshold of the apartment. He stuck out his hand for Rossi to shake. “Steven Barrett, Dean of Students.”

“I’m Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi. This is SSA Derek Morgan.” Derek nodded from his place in the living room.

“I apologize for not meeting you when you arrived. We’re dealing with a grieving campus,” Barrett said, running a hand over his face. “I’m actually on my way to speak to the Board, but I wanted to check in with you before. I’m not sure I can be of much help, but I can try to answer any questions you might have.”

“These boys were seniors, but they still lived on campus. Is that typical?” Rossi asked, gesturing around the apartment.

“Uh, yes, it is for student athletes,” Barrett confirmed with a nod. “OSU teams have demanding, sometimes grueling practice schedules. Being on campus simplifies things, allows students to get to classes and practices, as well as utilize the dining halls.”

“Does this building have security cameras?” Derek raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. All of our buildings do. I’ll let Campus PD know you’ll need access to the footage.” Barrett’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached for it and punched the button to answer the call. “Yes. Yes, I—I’m finishing up with the FBI now. I understand. I’m on my way.” He ended the call and pocketed the phone. “I’m sorry to leave you, gentlemen. Our top priority right now is supporting our students and community through this tragedy. Part of that healing process is finding out who did this to Tyler and Leon. So anything else you need, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know.” He turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall.

Derek shook his head. “I’m glad I don’t have to do that job right about now.”

Rossi gave another glance around the nondescript apartment and sighed. “Call Garcia and ask her if she’s found any other cases that could be related. And let’s hope there’s something useful on that security footage.”

⧭⧭⧭

“Based on lividity and rigor mortis, I was able to put the time of death between 8:00 and 10:00pm on Wednesday evening. The blood alcohol content for both boys was over five times the legal limit. I’ve never seen anything like it,” the medical examiner mused.

Emily looked over the bodies, her arms crossed. “Dr. Saraj, about how much would they have to drink for the level to be that high?”

“When drinking, the level of alcohol in our blood reaches a peak before it drops off after the last drink ingested,” Spencer supplied. “In a typical night of drinking, spread over the course of several hours, the average man can have 8-12 drinks without ever reaching lethal levels. But considering each victim weighed around 230 pounds, they’d have had to ingest approximately 180 ounces of beer or 18.75 ounces of liquor to reach a lethal blood alcohol content.”

Dr. Saraj glanced at Spencer before adding, “Look, this is a college town. Kids drink. But... to have had this much alcohol still detectable in their system post-mortem indicates that these boys drank at least the equivalent of a 30 rack, by themselves, in less than an hour.” She flipped up the first page of the report in her hands, eyes scanning the second. “And the toxicology screen also found trace amounts of ketamine.”

Spencer bent over the examining table and adjusted the wrist of one of the boys with a gloved hand. “Doctor, are these ligature marks?”

“Oh, yes,” Dr. Saraj agreed, nodding. “They’re relatively faint, so I almost missed them. But I found similar marks on both boys on the wrists and ankles.”

“So,” Emily said, gesturing with her hands, “the unsub doses them with ketamine to gain control, ties them up, forces them to drink lethal amounts of alcohol, and then— what?” She looked to Spencer. “Waits for them to pass out before removing the restraints and leaving the message?”

Spencer examined the marker scrawls. “Were you able to determine what the message was written with and if it was left pre- or post-mortem?”

“My guess would be it was written with some type of permanent marker, but I can’t say for sure,” Dr. Saraj said. “We’re analyzing the residue now, and I can send the report your way as soon as I have it. As for when it was written, I couldn't tell you.” She shook her head. “The one simple mercy is that these boys would have been out cold for a while before they died.”

⧭⧭⧭

“I’m so sorry. I know how difficult this is. Anything that you can tell us will be helpful in finding the person who did this,” JJ encouraged softly. “Anyone that Tyler might have had an argument with recently or who he mentioned having problems with?”

“No, no. He was—he was just your typical boy,” Mrs. Allen sniffled. “Playing football and hanging out with his friends,” she said, voice hitching. “Oh my god.” She dropped her head into her hands.

“He didn’t have time to have problems,” Mr. Allen asserted. “He spent all his free time on the field. Coach had them out there for two-a-days until classes started. He’s the quarterback. He was leading that team to the first national title since 1945.” He stood to his feet, hands clenched at his sides. “Some lunatic murdered my boy and you’re sitting around talking to us while they’re out there, walking free.”

“Sir, I promise you that we have some of the best agents in the country working on your son’s case,” JJ assured. “But in order to help them do their job, we need to know as much as we can about who Tyler was.”

Across the bullpen, Hotch sat across from Mr. and Mrs. Williams. “Leon was a good boy. Football was his life. He loved being a part of this team. It was the season of a lifetime,” Mr. Williams said.

“We taught him better than to be drinking and carrying on,” Mrs. Williams added.

“Can you think of anything or anyone he might have mentioned recently that was out of the ordinary? Anything that was bothering him or causing him distress?” Hotch questioned.

“He was feeling pressure about the season, but he’s been handling that kind of thing since he was twelve years old.” Mr. Williams shared an almost indiscernible look with his wife. “He got into—into the same kinds of trouble any college kid gets in. Nothing that could have gotten him murdered.”

⧭⧭⧭

“Yeah, baby girl, what d’ya got for me?” Derek held the phone out so that Rossi could listen in as they waited in the OSU security office.

“Well, my handsome knight, I wish I could tell you more but so far, I’m coming up empty with similar cases,” Penelope sighed. “Nothing that matches our alcohol poisoning M.O. or the signature. I just expanded the search to surrounding states, and I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

“Anything on our two victims?” Rossi asked.

“Now that’s where it gets interesting,” Penelope mused, tapping the fluffy end of her pen into the palm of her hand. “There’s nothing. Zilch, nada.”

Rossi narrowed his eyes. “And that’s interesting because...?”

“Come on, sir,” Penelope scoffed. “Two young, athletic, good-looking college football stars and there’s nothing at all? Nothing scandalous on social media. No run-ins with campus PD. Not even a write up from an RA.”

Derek tilted his head in thought. “Hotch and JJ said their conversations with the parents told a similar story.”

“Okay, but no one is this squeaky clean, particularly not at a Big 12 college. Everyone has some dirt,” Penelope insisted. “I haven’t found it yet, but there’s gotta be something out there. When I have it, you’ll know it!”

“Thanks, Garcia,” Derek drawled.

“Over and out!” Penelope jabbed the button to end the call.

The OSU officer waved them over with his hand. “I’ve got it queued up to 6:24pm. You can see the boys here,” he pointed on the screen at the two victims, “entering the north entrance of the dining hall.”

Derek leaned toward the monitor. “So they leave practice, come through the dining hall for dinner. When do they leave?”

The footage sped up on the screen, then stopped. “Here. 7:01.”

“Rossi, you seeing this?” Derek slid his eyes over.

Rossi nodded. “Is there any way to enhance these frames?”

The officer shrugged his shoulders. “Not on this system. Honestly, the camera quality isn’t great. I’ve been trying to get them to invest in an upgraded OS, but you know—budget woes. Your analyst might be able to do more.”

“It’s not going to matter.” Derek sighed and straightened up. “She’s careful of her angles.”

“I couldn’t find them on any grounds cameras, but they pop back up entering the dorm. Here, at 7:12.”

“All three of them,” Rossi noted. He looked at Derek. “And like you said, she’s discreet.”

“They all go upstairs to the apartment,” the officer continued, “but only the girl leaves. At 8:43.”

⧭⧭⧭

“We have a witness from the cafeteria that confirms that the boys ate with a dark-haired young woman in a red coat,” Hotch said, arms crossed. “But other than those two details, the witness couldn’t recall anything else and said they’d never seen her before.”

“So we’ve got the two victims entering their apartment with an unknown woman. They’re upstairs for an hour and a half before she leaves,” Emily recounted.

Derek stood with his hands on his hips. “And in that time, she manages to dose and gain control of two boys that are more than double her size and funnel a lethal amount of alcohol into them. Now the question is why?”  

As the team converged around the conference room table, a uniformed officer entered into the doorway. “Agent Jareau? There’s a possible witness—says she might have some new information.”

JJ nodded to the team and moved to the doorway. A petite young woman stood in the center of the bullpen, wringing her hands. When her eyes landed on JJ, she let her arms fall to her side. As JJ approached, she motioned with her hand for the girl to sit at the closest desk. “Hi, I’m Jennifer. I heard you wanted to speak to someone about this case. Can I have your name?”

The girl nodded. “Um, I’m Cassie. I saw the announcement you made. About the woman in the red coat. I heard you say that she had brown hair. Is that true?”

JJ cocked her head slightly. “Yeah, the witness and security footage we have shows a woman with dark hair walking with Tyler and Leon. Why do you ask?”

Cassie’s eyes darted around the bullpen, and she drew her arms tightly over her chest. “I just— um—well, I—”

“Would it help if we moved somewhere a little quieter?” JJ suggested. When Cassie nodded and stood, JJ placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and directed her toward an empty interview room. Cassie sat in the chair farthest from the door, and JJ sat opposite her. “Is there something you wanted to tell me about the woman? Or is it something else that’s on your mind?”

Cassie let out a long breath. “When I heard that they were dead, I— I was relieved. That sounds awful, but it’s true.”

JJ tread lightly over her next question. “You felt relieved. Why was that?”

Cassie looked directly at JJ. “I’ve been looking over my shoulder everywhere I go for the last seven months. I won’t have to do that anymore.”

“Can you tell me more about what you mean?”

Cassie took a breath and closed her eyes for a long second, before opening them and continuing. “There was a huge party in the spring. I mean, there were, like, hundreds of people there.” Cassie’s eyes went wide. “I never go to parties like that. But it was the end of the year, and my friend—well, I went with my friend. She got invited.”

“Were Tyler and Leon at this party?” JJ asked.

“Everybody was. I mean, everybody who’s somebody at OSU was there. We saw them right away. The whole team was there, but people treated those two like kings.” Cassie looked down at her hands. “We were drinking... a lot. At some point, Laney and I got separated. I tried calling her phone a bunch of times, but the party was really loud. I—I didn’t want to leave without her, but I was getting really messed up. I had a guy friend from one of my classes walk me home.” She swiped at her eye with the back of her hand. “Laney didn’t get back until the morning. Her clothes were all torn up, her hair had... blood in it, and she—she had a bruise under her eye.” She looked up at JJ, eyes shining with tears. “They raped her. I left her behind, and they raped her,” she whispered.

JJ reached across the table for Cassie’s hand. “Cassie, I’m so sorry. What happened to Laney was not your fault, or hers. Do you understand me?” JJ paused before continuing. Cassie looked down. “Do you know if she reported it?”

Cassie nodded. “I’m the one who went with her to the infirmary. They did a kit and confirmed it. When we went to Campus PD, they did nothing. Said Laney was wasted, and there was no one that could back up her story.”

JJ squeezed her hand. “So there was no official report filed?”

Cassie laughed coldly. “Oh, they wrote a report. I think if we ask them to, they have to. But they wouldn’t name Tyler or Leon in it. Said they didn’t want to ‘give legs to any gossip.’”

JJ’s mouth stretched into a thin line. “Where’s Laney now?”

“I don’t know.” Cassie shook her head. “She didn’t come back to OSU this fall. I haven’t really talked to her since—” She looked at JJ. “I can’t get the image of her out of my head. How she looked when she came through the door that morning. What they did to her… I’m not sorry that they’re dead.” Her eyes were shining with rage. “People knew what happened… and no one did anything. And those two were still the kings of campus.”

⧭⧭⧭

The team absorbed the new information quietly. “So Garcia was right. They did have something to hide.” Derek’s phone buzzed. “Speaking of. Hey mama, you’re on speaker.”

“I hope you’re all sitting down,” Penelope warned. “I expanded the parameters of my original VICAP search to include the surrounding states. No hits on suspicious deaths by alcohol poisoning. However, the U LOSE signature? Seven hits across Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas.”

“So our unsub’s been traveling across the South—” Emily started.

“Oh, I’m not done,” Penelope continued. “Just to double check, I expanded the search area to the continental US. Our unsub has been busy. Over 30 murders with this signature, all across the country, dating back to March 2007. All different M.O.s: gunshot, stabbing, strangulation, you name it. But all with U LOSE scrawled across their forehead in—get this—liquid eyeliner.”

“Anything tying the victims together, Garcia?” Hotch asked.

“All men, mostly white, but all across different ages, occupations, and marital statuses. At first glance, there’s no real connection,” Penelope answered.

“What about on second glance?” Hotch prompted.

“Way ahead of you, sir. I did a little digging.” Penelope shrugged. “Okay, a lot of digging—most of it legal. Every single one of these victims had at least one sexual assault allegation. Some are official police reports, some are HR complaints, some are sealed court records. But in every case, the victim’s cause of death is directly related to the details of the assault records. Women that were held at knifepoint, their attacker was stabbed to death. If they were choked, he was strangled. If they were held at gunpoint, he died of a gunshot wound. Et cetera, et cetera.” Penelope twirled her pen. “The differing M.O.s combined with the fact that the unsub kept crossing state lines kept local PDs and field offices from making the connection.”

“Garcia, can you search OSU PD records for an incident report?” JJ asked.

Garcia tapped rapidly across her keyboard. “Absolutely, sugar, when would it have been filed?”

“It would’ve been this year, sometime at the end of April or beginning of May,” JJ answered. “The victim would be named as Laney Collins.”

After a few moments, Garcia peered through her green cat-eye glasses at the report. “Mmm, I’ve got one incident report, filed on May 7th. And woof, this report is not much to go on. The responding officer wrote a whopping three sentences. According to him, Laney was incapacitated and thus was not a credible witness.” Garcia twirled her pen. “The alleged attackers, who are not named, denied Laney’s account of what happened. Because there were no other witnesses, Officer Thorough deemed that no further action was necessary.” She jabbed her pen in the direction of the screen. “And this, my friends, is why women don’t bother reporting.”

“Good work, Garcia,” said Hotch.

“There’s one more interesting detail from the report,” Garcia continued. “The dean of students signed off on it.”

“So Barrett knew about this the whole time,” Derek fumed.

“And again, people wonder why women don’t report,” Garcia repeated, ending the call.

“So our unsub is seeking justice for women she believes have been failed by the system. We’re looking for a vigilante, carrying out revenge killings,” Rossi concluded.

Derek nodded. “And she’s organized and efficient; she finished with Tyler and Leon in less than two hours.”

“She’s smart and she blends in, doesn’t draw too much attention to herself,” JJ added.

“She’s meticulous and has at least some knowledge of forensic countermeasures, considering there’s no physical evidence tying her to any of the scenes,” Spencer remarked.

“And she knew enough to keep her face off the security footage,” Emily finished.

“Rossi, Emily, and I will stay here and deliver the profile,” Hotch directed. ��JJ, I’d like you to speak to the families again, see if they knew about the rape. Reid, Morgan, talk to Barrett and see what else he might be trying to keep quiet.”

⧭⧭⧭

“Makes you wonder just how many people knew what happened,” Derek considered, closing the car door.

“It’s estimated that twenty percent of student victims of sexual assault report it to their university, but less than one percent of assailants receive any type of disciplinary action,” Spencer cited, making his way toward the sidewalk.

Derek shook his head. “And so the victims don’t see the point in reporting it. Your attacker gets to walk around like nothing even happened. Cassie told JJ that she felt like she had a target on her back once they reported Laney’s assault.”

As they walked up the blacktop driveway to the entrance of Barrett’s home, Spencer slowed his steps as he noticed the front door. “Morgan.” He nodded at the door, slightly ajar.

Derek drew his gun and moved ahead of Spencer. He pushed the door slowly open and called out, “Mr. Barrett?” In the foyer were the remnants of a broken vase and a small trail of blood. “Call Hotch, let him know we’ve got trouble here.”

Derek and Spencer worked to quietly clear the rooms, one by one. Derek stopped at the bottom of the stairs and motioned to Spencer. As they started up the stairs, a woman’s voice called out, “Shut up! You had nothing to say before. So now, you’re just going to listen.”

Derek reached the top of the stairs and started down the hallway. He reached the open door where a woman stood, her back to the door. Behind her, Derek could see Barrett, sitting on the floor, blood dripping from a gash on his head. His hands were raised in front of his chest, palms facing out. Derek stopped, his gun trained on the woman, and murmured, “Laney?”

The woman pivoted her body, her short blonde hair whipping around. Derek saw tears in her eyes and a revolver in her hand. “Don’t,” she warned.

“Laney, my name is Derek. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to talk. I need you to put the gun down.”

“No!” Laney screamed. “You don’t know what he’s done.” She shook the gun in Barrett’s direction, and Barrett closed his eyes.

Derek spoke softly. “I do, Laney. I do know. I know what happened to you. I know that he kept Tyler and Leon’s names off the report. I know that he didn’t help you when you needed it most. I know that he let them get away with--”

“Rape. He let them get away with rape. Because he cares more about reputation and football than what happens to women on his campus. They ruined my life.” Laney turned away from Derek and put both hands on the gun. “They ruined my life, and you did nothing. And then they walked around campus like they were invincible, because you taught them they were.”

Derek moved further into the room, into Laney’s eyesight. Spencer moved into the doorway, covering Derek. “Laney, look at me. I’m putting my gun away.” Derek held his hands up and then moved to holster his gun. “Doing this won’t make the pain go away.”

“How many others? How many other women did he do this to?” Laney let out a painful sob. “If I don’t stop him, it never ends.”

“Listen to me.” Derek took a step closer to her. “Killing him won’t change what happened, Laney. It won’t. Believe me. I know how you feel.”

“People love to say that when they’re trying to shut you up. How could you possibly know how I feel?” Laney spit out.

“Someone hurt me, just like they hurt you. And nobody was there to help me. No one was there to listen.” Laney froze, eyes shifting to meet Derek’s. “I wanted to hurt him, Laney. Wanted to make him feel the same pain I felt. I wanted him to suffer.” He moved another step closer. “I know that those men hurt you, and I know that he let them get away with it. And I am so, so sorry. But you’re stronger than anyone knows, Laney. You are the only person who has the power to help others who didn’t get justice. I have a friend who’s spent her whole life helping survivors, and I know she’d love to talk with you.” He took another step. “You are the only person who can stop it from happening to someone else. You can make sure he’s held accountable for what he’s done. But if you pull that trigger, you can never go back,” Derek warned.

Laney looked at Derek, his hand outstretched, wordlessly asking her to give him the gun. She looked at Barrett, crying and silently begging her to show him the mercy she never got. “I wish I’d been the one to kill them,” she whispered.

The gun dropped out of her hand as Derek stepped forward to catch her. He kicked the gun into the doorway, and Spencer recovered it. “I’ve got you,” Derek said, helping Laney out of the room. “Shh, it’s ok, I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

Spencer moved to lift Barrett off the ground and helped him into a chair by the window. Out of the corner of his eye, Spencer caught a flash of red below the window. He stumbled over Barrett, nose almost pressed to the glass as he stared out. The woman froze, eyes locked on Spencer’s. His mouth opened slightly as he stared at her, bewildered. By the time his brain caught up, she had already disappeared from view.

Spencer turned and raced down the stairs, clinging to the railing as he nearly missed a step. He burst out the front door into the driveway, sprinting around the side of the house. He heard Derek call his name, saw the other SUVs pulling up, but he kept running. He skidded to a stop at the edge of the backyard, and then spun in a full circle, eyes frantically scanning the perimeter.

Hotch approached from the side of the house, gun drawn. “Reid! Are you all right?”

Spencer took a last look, scanned from east to west. “Yeah, yeah. I just—I thought I saw—I thought I saw something.” He shook his head. “Barrett’s inside. He’s got a head laceration, but he’ll be fine.”

Hotch lowered his gun and nodded. “And Laney’s not our unsub. So we’re back to the beginning.”

⧭⧭⧭

“Strauss is asking us to head back to Quantico.” Hotch pocketed his phone and looked at the team. “We’ll move the cases to our watch list and flag the signature for hits in VICAP. From what we know about the unsub’s behavior, we know she’s no longer in the area.” He gestured to the evidence board. “Our best course of action is to keep the profile in our periphery for now. We can do that from the BAU. It’s late. Go to the hotel, get some rest. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

“I’m absolutely starving.” Emily slipped into her jacket and headed for the door. “Anybody want to hit up that 24 hour diner?”

Derek and JJ quickly agreed, following Emily from the conference room. JJ turned back, eyeing Spencer. “You coming, Spence?”

“I’m just really tired.” His voice lilted up, almost a question. “Next time, though.”

JJ gave him a look but didn’t press him. “Have a good night, Spence.”

“Yeah, thanks.” He gathered up the case files, not quite ready to put them away.

⧭⧭⧭

Spencer’s eyelids felt heavy as he walked through the lobby of the hotel. He really was tired. He blamed the exhaustion for what he thought he saw through the window at Barrett’s. His fatigued mind was seeing things that weren’t there. He practically floated into the elevator and up to his room. Sliding the room key through the slot, the door beeped open and Spencer stepped inside. He flicked on the light and dropped his bag on the floor, loosening his tie as he walked toward one of the sling back chairs sat by the window. He paused just before he reached the chair, his gaze lingering over something on the desk. A note hastily scrawled on hotel stationary.

623.

Spencer lifted the note with two careful fingers. “623?” He turned it over, looking for the rest of the message, but the paper was blank other than the number. He lowered the note, and his eyes landed on a small plastic card where the paper had rested on the table. Not just a card. A room key.

⧭⧭⧭

Spencer stared at the door of the room. Room 623. He turned his head and slowly looked up and then down the hallway. He took a breath and raised his hand to the door. He knocked in the familiar rhythm: five knocks, pause, two knocks. He pressed his ear close to the door, listening for any movement inside. When he heard nothing, he knocked again; the same pattern, but a little louder. He listened again. Nothing. Spencer felt a bead of sweat creep down the nape of his neck. He thought about turning around, about walking back down the two flights of stairs to his room and getting into bed.

Instead, he pulled the keycard from his pocket. As he lifted the card with one hand, he used his other to raise the strap on his holster. He held his breath as he swiped the card through the slot and heard the beep of the lock. Drawing his gun from the holster, Spencer slowly turned the handle of the door.

The room was mostly dark. Only the yellow glow of one of the bedside lamps illuminated the space. Spencer stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind him. Again, his mind said to turn around. Yet his feet carried him further into the room. He could see now that the sling backs were facing toward the window. There were two glasses from the mini bar on the table between them.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” a familiar voice mused.

Spencer startled and then swallowed audibly, a cartoon character realizing he’s in serious trouble. He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

“You can put the gun away,” she continued. “Really. Come sit down, Reid.”

Hearing her say his name sucked all the air out of his lungs. He closed the remaining distance between them, staring dumbly at her perched in the armchair. She gave him a small smile, warm despite the nervous energy in the air. “Hey, Reid.”

“Elle.” Spencer sunk into the chair across from her. “I—I thought I was seeing things. Earlier. At Barrett’s.”

She studied him quietly. “This hair is a good look for you.”

“Thanks,” Spencer blushed, smoothing down the hair at the nape of his neck. He quickly dropped his hand. “It was you then.”

“What was me?” Elle asked innocuously.

“You were at Steven Barrett’s house today. In the yard.” Spencer folded his hands to keep from wringing them. “You were wearing a red coat.”

Elle lifted one of the glasses to her lips, taking a sip of the clear liquor, ice cubes rattling. She swallowed and gestured to the other glass. “Have a drink.”

“I, um, I don’t drink anymore.” Elle raised an eyebrow. “A lot has happened since… the last time I saw you.” Spencer smoothed his hands down the tops of his thighs. “You were there today. Elle, did you—are you…” He wasn’t even sure what question to ask.

Elle ran her fingertip around the rim of her glass. She was quiet for a long time. Spencer fidgeted in his seat, but stayed quiet, waiting. Elle set the glass down.

“Do you remember that night in Dayton? In the hotel room?” Spencer looked at her pointedly. Elle let out a laugh. “Sorry, I forgot who I’m talking to; of course you remember.” Their eyes met. Spencer felt she was looking right through him. “You told me that I’d won. That because Garner was dead, and I was alive, I won.”

“Elle—” Spencer started.

“You asked, Reid. This is my answer.” She screwed the cap off the bottle of gin. Pouring the remainder of the bottle into her glass, she continued, “It took time, but I started to feel safe in my own home again. I could close my eyes without seeing his face. I could take a shower without bringing my gun.” She downed the rest of her glass. “When I killed Lee, I gave that same freedom back to the women he’d raped. They could exist in the world knowing that he would never hurt them, ever again.” She smiled ruefully. “And it felt… good. It felt right. And after years of having watched people be destroyed by monsters… I don’t know. It was just something I had to do. To bring that freedom and that safety back to other women who had been hurt and broken and alone. To destroy their monsters.” Elle looked at him then, eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t expect you to understand or approve. But the answer to your question is yes.”

Spencer took a breath and asked, “Why’d you put the key in my room? You could have just… disappeared.”

Elle shook her head. “I chose this. I knew what I was doing and what it would mean. Most of the time, I’m fine, great even. Because being able to give these women justice is the greatest gift. But with this work, you can’t really keep anybody close. No holidays or birthdays. No dates or girls nights.” She shrugged. “I guess I just wanted to see what would happen. What the boy genius would do.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Spencer admitted.

“Well, that’s a first.” Elle smiled, but Spencer could see apprehension in the rigidness of her shoulders, in the slight bouncing of her leg.

“I should probably arrest you,” he considered.

Her leg stopped. “You probably should.”

Spencer looked down at his hands. He ran his fingers up to the crook of his elbow, ghosting over the scars there. His mind raced from memory to memory: Elle on the train car; Tobias Hankle standing over him; Elle in the hospital bed; the needle in his arm; Elle in the hotel in Dayton; the click of an empty chamber.

“Elle, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for telling you that you’d won.” She was motionless, staring at him. He continued, “I didn’t know. I didn’t know what it was like. To be consumed and overcome by a memory.” Now it was Spencer’s eyes that shone with tears. “I didn’t know that the trauma could… fester in your brain like an infection that you can’t get rid of. I don’t know if winning is even possible after something like that.” He rubbed his hand under his eye and cleared his throat. “It was an awful thing to say. And I’m sorry.”

Elle tipped her head back, trying to keep the tears from spilling over. “All’s forgiven.”

Spencer reached out and gently grabbed Elle’s hand. “I’ve been so tired recently. I thought I saw something through the window at Steven Barrett’s house. But when I did a perimeter check, I didn’t find anything.” Elle dropped her head back down and turned to look at him. “We’re headed back to Quantico in the morning. We’ll, um, be keeping tabs on VICAP hits on the signature.” Spencer gave her hand one soft squeeze before standing. He let a small, bittersweet smile move over his face.

He made it to the door before he heard her voice again.

“If I asked you to stay, would you say yes?”

Spencer swiveled back to look at her, the door just barely open. Elle’s arms were crossed over her chest. Her eyes were dark and wide and full of storms. “Just for a little while longer?”

Spencer turned and moved his eyes up the length of the doorway, considering. He heard Elle let out a breath. His own breath stuttered. He closed the door softly. He put his hands in his pockets and turned back to her. “I’ve got a little while.”

[xazz]

Moth Wings 7

Pairing: AltMal, Altair+Desmond Rating: Explicit Tags: vampires, romance, servant AU, music AU, fluff, angst, flangst Status: WIP

Oof it’s been a while. I should really keep on top of this here on Tumblr.  As before Tumblr gets updated before AO3, meanwhile Patreon is like 40k words ahead of everyone. Like Malik and Altair have fucked already lol

----------

Altair was alone in his room carefully restringing his violin. One of the strings had snapped and he took it as an excuse to put all new ones on. He saved the good old ones but putting new ones on gave him something to do before he passed out.

He’d been playing so much and that was why the string had broken. He’d tightened it too much and just all the playing he’d been doing the past few weeks had put a strain on the string and made it snap. It’d also left a cut across the top of his hand when it’d snapped, nothing serious but he’d had to leave Desmond in the care of someone else until the bleeding stopped. You couldn’t have an open wound around a vampire child like that. They didn’t have the control adults did.

He perked up when there was a knock on his door. Who? He got up and opened the door and couldn’t help himself. He looked down at Malik’s chest instead of at his face. “Did you need something, sir?” Altair asked.

“I came to see how your hand was doing,” Malik said.

Altair self consciously reached over and touched his bandage wrapped hand. It stung a little still but the bleeding had stopped. It had only broken the top few layers of skin, barely bleeding at all. “It’s doing fine. Probably won’t even scar.”

“Won’t affect your playing?”

“No, sir,” he said, still not looking at Malik directly.

“Are you able to play now?” Altair just shrugged. He flinched when Malik gently tipped his head up. “I don’t like talking to the top of your head, Altair.”

“Habit,” was all he said. Malik’s hand stayed under his chin, barely touching him.

“Is your hand well enough to play?”

“Tomorrow, probably. I should give it time to heal.”

“Good,” Malik nodded. “I’ve heard you playing for Desmond, you sound better every time, I swear.”

“Yeah, it’s called practice,” Altair said. Malik laughed. He’d never made a vampire laugh before. Well, except Desmond. But that hardly counted. Desmond was a baby.

“How are you sleeping?”

“That’s not your concern,” Altair said and finally pulled his head out of Malik’s reach, taking a step back into his room, hand on the door. “I don’t give you permission to come in here,” he said when he saw Malik try to step over his threshold. While Malik was invited into the castle and that meant every room he was welcome in you could revoke that permission. Altair had learned that when Desmond had first learned to walk and ended up almost going into rooms he shouldn’t have been in because he was curious. Altair was technically a member of the house and he could deny others access to rooms. He didn’t do it often.

Malik was frozen at the doorway. “I’m just trying to help you, Altair.”

“I asked you to leave me alone, sir,” Altair said. “That would help me.”

“How? Huh?”

“What does my condition have to do with you? You’re not of this coven, you’re not of this house. You’re just a guest. You shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of your hosts-

“Because I am not a monster is why,” Malik snapped. “And when I see suffering I want to end it if I can. My country is tearing itself apart and my coven decided to ‘make the best of it’ by coming to the conclusion that because humans were killing each other they could just casually hunt humans again like we were monsters. I couldn’t do anything to end the suffering there but damnit I can try and do something here,” he’d gotten very worked up and Altair was glad they were on opposite sides of the threshold.

“You don’t deserve to be treated like this, Altair. I want to help you.”

“I don’t want your help. So far you’ve done nothing but bring me pain,” Altair told him. “I was in ignorant bliss before. And you thinking you know what is best for me, a man you don’t even know, just made my reality all the more crushing. I told you before, you may help me now but you won’t be here forever, and when you leave this is where I’ll be. I’d rather not know the silken pillow for the stone that comes later.” Malik had nothing to say to that but he looked very annoyed. 

“I need to go to bed now. Goodnight, Malik,” and he closed the door. He heard Malik make an wordless noise of anger and frustration on the other side but he didn’t care. He sat back down on his cot to finish stringing the violin. Only then did he put it away carefully and crawl into bed.

—

Now that Altair had taken Desmond outside the boy wanted to go more often. Altair didn’t mind. It was nice this time of year. Brisk at night, a creeping autumn chill settling in the valley. The leaves were starting to change color and soon they’d be falling. The master would bring some humans up in the day and have the grounds raked. It’d start snowing early and last well into spring. Altair had liked autumn and winter before he’d come to the castle but up here in isolation he hated it. There was no hot cider or warm fruit pies or the harvest festival.

So he was surprised when the master came and found Altair and Desmond in one of the gardens. Desmond was splashing his hands in the fountain, chasing the fish around the circular pond and slapping the water to make them dart away. Every time they swam away he’d laugh. Altair had a lamp beside him and was drawing idly. When the master came up he stopped drawing and kept his eyes down.

“So this is where you’ve been off to,” the master said.

“Yes, sir. The young master likes being outside in this weather,” Altair said, looking at the vampire’s well made shoes.

“Good. The town is throwing a festival in a few days. Bring him down to it.”

Altair looked up in surprise but when he met the master’s black eyes his brows went down and Altair immediately looked down again. “The harvest festival? We’re to go this year?”

“Yes. It’s good for him to see what sorts of things humans do so he isnt stupid.”

“Am I simply to accompany you and the mistress or am I free to wander?”

The master was thoughtful. “We will be the king and queen of the harvest and stationary. But a festival is a big place for exploring. We want our son to experience it.”

“Of course, master,” Altair bowed slightly where he was sitting.

“Ensure you look presentable when you go down there. You reflect on us as well,” he said.

“Yes, master,” Altair nodded. You mean not wear the same shirt he’d worn three days in a row because he hadn’t had a chance to wash them because he couldn’t add his laundry to the coven’s. William left after that, stopping briefly to see what Desmond was doing but he didn’t have much interest in the child.

Altair bit his lower lip and went back to his drawing. He needed to plan for this and make sure he had time to clean his nicer clothes. Or at least his nicest clothes. They were fairly nice too. He didn’t wear them often so he could keep them in good shape.

He heard a rustling of the trees and looked up, shielding the lamp slightly to help with his night vision. At first he saw nothing and then he hunched. A few members of the coven were flying off into the dark, their dragonfly and beetle wings flashing in the silver moonlight. He could hear their voices from here but not what they were saying, chattering to each other. Desmond looked up too. He held onto the fountain and started jumping up and down his little transparent wings buzzing without generating any lift. But he was trying.

They swooped across the nearly full moon, laughing and playing and Altair didn’t like watching them. Seeing human figures with wings like bugs flying in the night sky didn’t fill him with a sense of wonder. Were they just playing? Or were they out to play hunt? He’d heard of that happening, especially this coven. Not in Castlesong but in other towns in the valley they’d play stalk and hunt the people there only to laugh and dart away into the sky, finding the human’s fear of being eaten hilarious.

The vampires darted around the air but eventually flew too far away for Altair to hear or see them anymore. That made him feel better. He turned away from the sky. Desmond whined in annoyance he couldn’t fly with them and kept jumping to try and fly after them. Then he sat angrily on the ground, arms folded, pouting hard. Altair grinned watching him. “You’ll fly one day, Desmond,” Altair called to him. Desmond just whined and reached up towards the moon. “I know. You’ll get there when you’re older, just like the others,” Altair promised him.

“Now,” Desmond whined. Altair laughed. Desmond got up and came over to Altair and collapsed on his thigh. “Now,” he said looking up at Altair.

“Sorry. I can’t fly, neither can you,” he stroked Desmond’s hair gently. “But once your wings are bigger you’ll be able to.” Desmond just whined. “I know. Being a sweet little boy is so hard,” Altair teased him. Desmond whined louder and Altair just laughed some more.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Altair nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice behind him. He twisted around and frowned. It was Malik. He’d left Altair alone for a few days but he couldn’t seem to figure it out that Altair wanted to just be left alone for real. He was dressed in an elegant black and blue outfit that wasn’t a cut Altair had ever seen. At least not on a man. It looked almost like a dress but closer to a long tunic.

“Did you need something, sir?” Altair asked, looking at Desmond instead of Malik.

“I couldn’t help but overhear. Desmond wanted to join the others in a flight?”

“Yes. But he’s still too little.” Desmond pouted at Altair.

“Well that’s true, but he can still fly.” 

Altair looked at him in confusion. “Unless there’s something I’m missing about how wings work, no he can’t,” he said.

He almost swallowed his tongue when Malik came around and without asking picked Desmond up. The child protested for half a second but in that time Malik unfurled his huge wings and picked himself up off the ground. Then Desmond started making happy little squeaks like he did when she was a newborn.

Altair got to his feet nervously, drawings forgotten. “Don’t drop him,” Altair called up to Malik who was only ten or so feet above his head.

“I would never,” Malik said. He flew back and forth around the fountain. 

Altair’s heart was in his throat when Malik flew up over the garden trees and he lost sight of them in the darkness. His heart pounded with anxiety and then a huge pair of eyes appeared in the darkness above. Altair took a moment to realize it was the false eyes on the inside of Malik’s moth-like wings. He let out a shaky breath of relief when Malik landed in front of him.

“He’s fine,” Malik said even as Altair snatched the baby from Malik.

“If he was anything less than fine it’d be my life,” Altair said, holding Desmond tightly.

“Plaw!” Desmond cried happily, squirming in Altair’s arms but Altair kept a firm grip on him.

Altair took a deep breath to calm himself but his heart was still hammering. “Did you enjoy that?” he asked Desmond. Desmond nodded hugely, a huge smile on his face. “What do we say to people who do nice things for us?” he asked and faced Desmond towards Malik.

“Thank you,” Desmond cried cutely.

Malik looked taken aback a moment and then softened. “You’re welcome. What are you doing out here?”

“We’re enjoying the night,” Altair said, trying not to sound incredulous. He was a servant, not a captive. He could leave the castle as he wanted and certainly walk the grounds.

“Plaw plaw,” Desmond demanded.

“Desmond, hush,” Altair said.

“Altear, plaw!”

Altair sighed. “Alright.” He’d left his violin in the castle. He tried to juggle Desmond around to pick up his things but to his surprise Malik just did so instead. “I can take those,” he said, holding a hand out for them.

“I don’t mind,” Malik said.

“I’m sure this doesn’t qualify as leaving me alone,” Altair said.

“I live here. You’ll have to get used to me being around,” Malik said with a smirk. The real annoying part about it was that it just made Malik look more handsome, especially with his slightly wind ruffled hair from flying.

Altair just didn’t bother arguing. “Fine,” he said and took Desmond back into the castle. He let the boy down in his room and Desmond ran around and pulled out some of his toys and set them up like a little audience to listen to Altair play the violin. “I’ll take that now,” he held his hand for his things again to Malik.

“Can I join the audience?” Malik asked sheepishly. That annoyed Altair. Why was he so persistent in trying to bother Altair? Couldn’t he just leave Altair alone? But Altair figured at this point it’d be easier just to go along with it than fight Malik on it. He was good at making himself a nuisance and Altair didn’t have the energy to fight him.

“If you want,” and Altair took the sketchbook and his pencils. Malik glided into the room and sat cross legged behind Desmond’s toys he was still setting up to witness Altair’s playing.

Altair got his violin and got ready. He’d built up the proper calluses now over the weeks and his hand dexterity was way up. That made him happy. “Is everyone ready?” he asked Desmond who was carefully aligning his toys just so.

“Almost,” Desmond said, rearranging the wooden horses he had into some order that made the most sense to him, which Altair had no idea what that was but it made him happy. Then Desmond flopped down next to a large soft stuffed animal. “Plaw,” he said and he gave a little cheer when Altair drew out the first chord across the strings. 

The two vampires watched and listened in silent delight. Altair hardly noticed them. He was playing a song he’d found the last time he’d visited his father. He’d brought some sheet music back up to the castle to have some actual music to play. The song he played was the only one he’d memorized so far. It was normally played with a singing accompaniment but Altair didn’t sing well enough to try. It was about a mountain climber trying to reach the tallest peak surrounding the valley. But he was foolish and went during a blizzard and never came home. People found him frozen to death on the side of the mountain a week later once the weather turned. It was a sad song but the tempo was upbeat and was usually sung as a cheerful but cautionary tale about not being an idiot and staying home during blizzards.

He finished the song and Malik clapped. Desmond looked at Malik and after a second mimicked him, slapping his palms together and not really succeeding in a proper clap. “That was amazing,” Malik said. “Right, Desmond? Altair plays beautiful music.”

“Bu-ful,” Desmond declared, still clapping.

“Did you make that?” Malik asked him.

“No. It’s a well known bard tune here in the valley. It’s about not going out during a blizzard or you’ll freeze to death,” Altair said.

“Excuse my ignorance: what’s a blizzard?” Malik asked. “We don’t have that where I’m from.”

“Well it's a storm but instead of rain it’s snow so thick you can’t see through it and can drop feet and feet of snow. It’s dangerous to go out in because of the cold.”

Malik grimaced. “That sounds terrible. Do you have blizzards often here?”

“A few times during winter, yes.” He laughed when Malik shivered just thinking about it. “You came here.”

“I didn’t think the weather would be that extreme,” Malik admitted.

“Altear, plaw plaw,” Desmond said, quite over the adults having a conversation when he could have more music.

“Okay okay,” Altair said to quiet him. He tried playing a song he was in the process of memorizing. He had the first part down but the second part was coming along slow. But he played it and the vampires didn’t care that he played the first few dozen bars over and over again to try and remember the next part.

Eventually he grew frustrated. He needed the sheet music. “Alright, that’s enough for now,” he declared.

“Awwww,” Desmond complained.

“I’ll play later,” Altair said.

“Yay!”

“Now put your toys away. They all want to go home after the performance,” Altair said. Desmond got up and started picking up his toys.

Malik unfolded from the floor. “That was magnificent,” he said, coming over to Altair as he was putting his instrument away. “It sounds so different from how you started off.”

“Desmond insists I play every day. It’s hard not to improve,” Altair said.

“I’m quite jealous of him. He gets to hear you play all the time. I just do if I happen to walk by at the right moment.” Altair just shrugged. Malik looked at Desmond cleaning up. “I’ve seen other vampire children, they’re never this well behaved, or clean up their own mess,” he said.

“Were they raised by vampires, or humans?”

“Vampires,” Malik said.

“Vampire parents don’t care about their children,” Altair said, punctuating it with clasps on the case snapping closed.

“That’s not true,” Malik protested.

Altair looked at him mildly, looking up but over his shoulder just so Malik wouldn’t touch him. “From what I’ve seen so far they don’t,” was all he said.

Malik grimaced. “Well... William and Kaley aren’t really star parent material I’ll agree,” he said. “But most other vampire parents care about the raising of their children. They’re still rarely this well behaved.”

“You can care about your children but if they’re old and aloof you’ll neglect them anyway,” Altair said. “And they’ll act unruly. I assume that’s why the masters have had humans raise their children for them. They know they don’t care, so force a human to care about them instead.”

Malik was taken aback. “The rest of them?”

“As far as I know,” Altair shrugged. He moved away from Malik and went to help Desmond with the last bit of putting his toys away. “What do you want to do now, Desmond?”

Desmond looked thoughtful. “Dwa,” he said.

“Okay,” Altair said gently and got some paper and pastels and pencils and put them on the floor for Desmond to draw with. Altair didn’t mind if Malik was still there. He could hang around if he wanted but Altair didn’t care about him. His only worry was Desmond. Desmond had an active imagination and loved drawing and it was full of color and intricate lines as he mimicked Altair. Altair also sometimes drew him lined drawings to color in. He’d gotten very good at drawing flowers as of late for Desmond to color in as those were some of Desmond's favorites. It meant there was a stuffed folder full of messily colored well drawn flowers. 

He was shocked when Malik sat down on the floor with them. “May I join you, young master?” he asked Desmond.

“Dwa?”

“Yes. I like to draw too.”

“Okie,” Desmond said happily and went back to merrily scribbling on some paper.

Altair looked at Malik as he started drawing on a half used piece of paper Desmond had already drawn a few wide scribbles on. He was using Desmond seemingly random lines to make something out of them. Altair couldn’t help but keep glancing at what Malik was drawing even as he was casually using the pastels to make block shapes on his own paper. He was surprised that Malik was actually quite good. He had a delicate but purposeful hand, the pencil he was using barely leaving a mark on the paper but he went over it again and again to build up depth and volume in a way Altair had never seen before.

After a little while he’d turned some spiraled scribbles Desmond had put on the paper into strange centaurs of those striped horses that pulled his carriage. Zebras? Altair thought that was what they were called.

“Ooo,” Desmond leaned over to see what Malik was doing. “Horsey,” he pointed.

“Yes. They’re called zebras,” Malik said patiently. 

“Zeeebas,” Desmond said.

“Close,” Malik allowed. “I have some.”

“Have horsies?”

Altair sighed. “Now you’ve done it?”

“What?” Malik asked.

“Horsies. Horsies. Horsies!” Desmond cried. “Altear horsies.”

“I take it he likes horses?” Malik asked with a grin.

“He loves horses. Ever since he saw Jacob and Evie leave that one time on them a few weeks ago to go visit a town in the north part of the valley but they were too lazy to fly,” Altair sighed.

“Altear, horsies! Zeeeebas!”

“I think he just wants to taste one at this point,” Altair leaned on his thigh.

Malik chuckled. “I have zebras,” he told Desmond. Desmond’s black eyes got huge. “Would you like to see them, young master?” Desmond’s mouth popped open and he just made a high pitched screeing sound he did when he was excited.

Altair reached over and closed his mouth. “That’s loud,” he said. Desmond flapped his hands at Altair excitedly, whining loudly. “Use your words and answer master Malik properly,” he said calmly.

Desmond tried to compose himself but he still flapped his arms excitedly. “Go zeebas?”

“Ah— if it’s alright with Altair,” Malik looked at Altair.

“What do we say?” Altair asked Desmond.

“Please!”

“Yes. We see the zebras. But first we have to clean up.” Desmond made an annoyed noise. “The quicker we clean up the sooner we can see the zebras.” Desmond immediately got up and started putting the pastels and pencils into their wooden bin. Altair gathered up the papers. Malik handed over his zebra centaurs over to Altair to add to the pile. Altair took a more than cursory glance over the picture and quickly put it away and got up to hide his blush. The two centaurs had his and Malik’s faces on them. 

How inappropriate.

Altair picked up the bin and put them away, out of reach of Desmond normally and the paper went into one of the nearly overflowing folders full of paper. “All clean?” Altair asked Desmond.

“All cwean!” Desmond said proudly. Altair held out his hand and Desmond bounced over to grab it. “Zeebas now?” he asked, pulling on Altair’s hand.

“Yes. If that’s alright with you, sir.”

“Of course. I offered,” Malik said. He guided them out of the room and through the castle. They passed a few members of the coven who’d just come back from their flight, laughing and shoving each other playfully. They greeted Malik and Desmond but ignored Altair entirely, not even acknowledging that he was holding Desmond’s hand while he excitedly told them they were going to see the horses in the stables. Then they passed the trio by and disappeared into the castle.

“Rude bunch,” Malik said.

“They’re vampires,” was all Altair said and he saw Malik wince.

They left the castle and Altair saw the dull color of a false dawn on the horizon. They couldn’t be out here too long. Malik led them around the drive to the stables. In the large stables were normal horses and in a paddock outside were Malik’s four zebras.

Desmond cried out when he saw the zebras and pulled on Altair’s hand but Altair only walked a little faster.

They got to the fence and Altair picked Desmond to put him on top of the fence to sit, holding onto the boy lightly so he didn’t fall. “Just be ready to grab him,” Malik said.

“Why?”

“Zebras can be... aggressive,” Malik said even as he climbed over the fence. Yes. Just say that and walk off like it didn’t shoot worry all through Altair instantly.

He didn’t know what Malik was doing but he did start leading a zebra over by a halter. The creature seemed lethargic. Not a shock. It was late and it had probably been just woken up. “Here we go, young master, a zebra,” Malik said, presenting the zebra before Desmond. “I believe this one’s name is Qaseem.”

“Horsie,” Desmond said and reached out to pet the front of its nose. The zebra allowed it, its eyes lidded and sleepy. “Pretty,” he said.

“Yes. They are, aren’t they,” Malik said. “They’re from my country, far to the south of here. Only vampires keep them.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re a pain to train, and breed, and maintain,” Malik said and Desmond just stared at him, not understanding. “Because humans don’t like them,” he said instead.

“Ooooh.” That Desmond understood.

Malik let Desmond pet Qaseem for a little bit before Altair said, “The sun will be up soon. We should go back inside.”

“No. Horsie,” Desmond whined.

“We can see the horsie tomorrow night too. But the sun is coming. We don’t like the sun, right?”

Desmond looked torn. “Sun bad,” he finally agreed.

Altair helped Desmond down from the fence once he gave Qaseem one last pet on the head. Malik released the zebra to go back and join the others of the little herd. He climbed over the fence and joined them on the right side. “See zeebas again?”

“Yes, of course,” Malik said.

“Yay! Altear, hungry,” he proclaimed.

“Yes. I’m sure,” Altair said.

---------

Hey you, yeah, if you liked it, consider reblogging. It helps me a lot. Maybe leave something nice in the tags idk.

[justkurotingz]

agent y/l/n (2)

the second part of the series! tbh i planned to write this later but quarantine has got me sooooo bored :’c hope you enjoy <3

angsty, lil fluff <3

A/N: half of this is probably super inaccurate so i guess this would be more of a canon/alternate universe, but bear with me!

word count: 1.6k

“our unsub is TEN?!” morgan did a double take, and garcia sighed. “yup baby boy. ryan carter, 10 years old. he has dark brown hair, freckles and green eyes.” spence spoke up, directing your attention to him. “for an unsub to be this young, some form of immensely early childhood trauma must have severely impacted him. he may be suffering from a psychotic break.”

your heart ached for the poor child that had suffered so much it brought him to kill two people for a peace of mind. “wait a second.” you peered at the pictures of the victims spence had pinned up. “kyla neyers and tori luis look awfully similar. the eyes, the hair, look at the way their noses arch. the boy-” “ryan.” hotch corrected and you bit your lip, “sorry, ryan must be targeting people that look like someone from his childhood.”

“well, from his family history I can tell you his mother died in childbirth so ryan never would have met her.” garcia’s voice floated in and hotch turned to the team. “try relatives on the moms side. aunts, cousins maybe?” garcia sighed, “mom had no siblings, and her parents live in russia. ryan probably would have never seen them face to face.” “alright, dad’s side then.” emily shrugged, and garcia sucked in air through her teeth.

“apparently, his birth certificate never lists a father. single mom maybe, the father dumped them?” spence frowned and you spoke up. “we’ve got to find his father.” “already on it sweet cheeks.” “thanks pen.” you smiled and cut the intercom. 

“so ryan could be living with his father.” emily pondered, and jj nodded. “he couldn’t have survived on the streets as a baby, and no adoption records exists. his father might have abused him causing ryan to act out and run away.” 

“what if his father has been killing women and forced ryan to help? he might have a type, blue eyes, brunette, high arched nose bridges....” you trailed off and spence’s eyes lit up. “right! and after ryan escaped, he went back to doing the only thing he knows, killing women that look like kyla, tori, and possibly other women his father killed.”

“that’s awful.” jj whispered and you nodded. “i know. we need to stop him, he’s probably just a scared kid.” “who killed two women.” hotch interrupted, and grabbed his coat as garcia’s voice crackled through the intercom. “alright, i found a string of murders in the early 2010′s with victims that look like ours. the suspect was a william gale, but he escaped before arrest. sending his last known address now, he’s local and he definitely could be ryan’s father.”

“got it, let’s go.” hotch said, and everyone rushed to the cars. as morgan drove, you glanced out the window. “you ok?” spence’s voice transported you back into reality. “yeah, just...” “i know, it’s sad.” your best friend spoke up. “studies show the child is unable to escape from the abusive, damaging childhood dynamic. it occurs before the child’s sense of self is formed, therefore ryan is reverting back to what he knows, his father.”

“we’re here.” morgan’s voice cut through spencer’s spiel of facts and you nodded. “federal agents!” no answer. morgan breached and we checked the rooms of the house out. “clear!” you sighed until you heard the soft cock of a gun.

“ryan?” you turned around very slowly to come face to face to a young boy, about 10. he was about 4 feet tall, and had a gun pointed at your torso. his freckles contrasted his bright green eyes and your heart sank. “ryan, i’m agent y/l/n. please put down the gun.” your voice was soft, calm in contrast to his shaking arms.

“i-i didn’t mean to kill them. i didn’t mean to hurt anybody. i don’t know who i am anymore. i’m a monster!” he cried and without thinking, you tossed your gun aside. “y/n!” hotch hissed behind you, and you realize everybody was watching.

“don’t look at them, look at me ryan. you can call me y/n. i set down my gun, look.” you pointed to your gun, a foot away from you both. “can you set down yours? i just want to talk to you. put down the gun.” “no! you’ll hurt me!” 

“i promise, nobody is going to hurt you. we just want to help you ryan. i know you didn’t mean to kill anybody.” he faltered, hope spilling into his eyes. “y-you do?” “yes.” you confirmed and moved on, “and if you set down the gun, nothing’s going to happen to you. you have to trust me baby.” you whispered and he shook his head.

“i know you’re scared, look, i’ll take off my vest. i know you’re not going to hurt me.” moving slowly, to the shock of your team, you slipped your vest over your shoulders. “it’s just me. just me i promise you, there’s nobody else here that matters. i know what your father made you do. he made you kill those women and bury them after he did bad things to them didn’t he?” ryan nodded and you closed your eyes, taking a shaky breath.

“put down the gun ryan. we’re gonna get him. i swear, we’re going to catch your father and he’s going to go away for a very long time. but you’re not like that. you’re just a small boy. can you put down the gun baby? please, for me?” he paused, lowering the gun, but didn’t drop it.

“ryan, baby you have to set the gun down. all the way down. i promise, nothings going to happen to you.” “wh-where’s my mom?” he whispered and your heart broke for the third time today. “oh baby, what did he tell you?” “he said mommy didn’t want me, so mommy ran away.” you looked sharply to the left, the tears in your eyes now streaming down your face.

“don’t cry!” he said in concern and you opened your arms. he dropped the gun and rushed into your arms, giving you a big hug. “no sweetie, your mommy wanted you. she wanted you so so much. ryan, i went to college with your mom.” you heard the intake of breath of your entire team behind me, and continued with the story. “she was the sweetest person i ever know. she looked exactly like you. she was funny, smart, and wore the craziest socks ever. she even had four pairs of pizza socks.” that brought a smile to ryan’s face and you smiled.

“she died baby, she died after giving birth to you.” “i-i killed mommy?” his face fell, tears leaking out of his eyes. “oh no baby, no. no, you didn’t kill mommy. it was just mommy’s time to go. she loved you very very much and i know she’s sorry she couldn’t be there for you and help you.” he was quiet, then wrapped his arms tightly around you. “i’m so sorry.” you whispered, kissing his cheek, holding him tightly. “it’s ok auntie y/n. i know im gonna go to jail because that’s where bad guys go. can you come visit me?” “’all the time, i promise.” you smiled and he beamed, slipping out of his arms. “bye bye!” he waved and you gently waved back as he walked out with emily. as soon as he was out of sight, you fell to the floor, sobbing. “hey, hey, hey.” spence gently lifted you from the ground, but you couldn’t even stand, so he had to hold you tightly to him.

“i didn’t know. i didn’t know ryan was her child. but i saw her in him. he’s just 10.” you wrapped your hands around spence and the two of you stayed like that for a long time, until hotch came back in, telling you both it was time to leave.

the trip back was quiet, and only when you were back in the office hotch turned on you. “do you realize how incredibly stupid that was!” he hissed and you nodded, staring at the ground. “it worked.” jj spoke up and emily furrowed her eyebrows. “that was one of the most moving moments i’ve ever witnessed. the boy was 10, and practically related to y/n.” “she did good.” morgan confirmed and spence’s smile said wonders.

“if you ever attempt something like this.... i was so worried about you.” hotch sighed, his hand dropping from it’s menacing position and you smiled at him. “i’m ok, i just really want to go home.” “and that you will. goodnight y/n, i’m glad this didn’t go sideways.” with that, hotch left and the team hugged you. “that was so selfless.” jj whispered in your ear, giving you an extra squeeze, and then it was just spence and you. “let’s go to your place.” spence wrapped an arm around your waist and you two walked back to his apartment in silence, staring at the sky.

“i thought he was going to shoot.” spence admitted a while later when you were sitting on his couch. “spence, he’s 10. he wouldn’t have shot.” “you don’t know that!” he snapped, his irritation and frustration finally showing. “kids with severe childhood trauma can be dangerous and unpredictable! you almost died today!” “spence...” you trailed off, looking at his face. “i thought i lost you.” a tear trickled down his cheek and you hugged him tightly, crying yourself.

“i’m ok, i promise. i’m not that stupid.” your job took determination, compassion, wit, bravery and strength, but today your display of selflessness was the one that hit home that most.

[samgtt700]

Happily Ever After

Part Six

Thanks to everyone for your support, I am considering an alternative ending. I want to thank everyone for your comments/love for my first mini series. I loved Annabelle Parsons character and getting to write this gave me some closure for her character. I hope you all enjoy.

Maria pushed hard. Squeezing Annabelle’s hand in a vice grip. Maria forcing the doctors hand in allowing Annabelle to remain by her side.

“You are doing great.” Annabelle’s encouragement helping. Maria feeling her hand massage her back. Urging her on.

“You must push.” The doctor said. The dowager countess watching on near the corner. Her eyes lingering on Annabelle.

Annabelle shifted to grab the flannel, wiping Maria’s forehead before pulling her to meet her eyes. “We’re almost there.” She smiled. Squeezing Maria’s hand. “You can do this.”

Maria nodded. Taking a few deep breaths when she felt another contraction. “Aghhhh!” She screamed. Pushing with all her might. Stopping when she heard a cry. Annabelle kissing her hand. “You did it. My love.” She whispered.

Maria watched as her child was cleaned up, wrapped in a blanket before turning to Annabelle, her eyes following the baby. “I shall inform the father.” Dominique departed. Her eyes lingering on Annabelle.

Maria sat up with the help of Annabelle. Feeling her fluff the pillow with force. “The poor pillow.”

“Was not good enough for my wife.” Annabelle insisted. Her voice low to avoid others overhearing.

“Lady Maria.” The doctor walked over. Holding the baby. “Congratulations. You have a daughter.” He handed the baby to Maria.

Maria feeling her eyes water. Holding her precious baby girl at last after all this time waiting. “You are the most precious, my daughter.” Maria felt Annabelle rest her forehead against Maria’s temple. “Isn’t she gorgeous?”

“She is. Like her mother.” Annabelle trembled until she gently touched their daughter’s forehead. Her eyes and lips lighting up with joy, Maria seeing tears falling down Annabelle’s face. Wanting to remember this moment forever, the moment they had their little girl, that she was finally here and Annabelle crying with joy, that they finally had their family. “I love you.” Annabelle smiled down at their daughter. “I never imagined it would feel like this.” Annabelle wiped her tears. “I already want so much for you.” Her hand sliding around Maria’s back. Gently massaging.

Maria shifted to hand Annabelle their daughter. “Our little girl.” Annabelle holding her close. Feeling her breaths rise and fall. Her littles hands moving about, reaching out into the world, ready to face it no doubt, she would be fierce, she was a Williams.

Annabelle gazed into her daughters eyes. Feeling an unbreakable bond form the moment she held her for the first time. Her heart exploding, feeling so much for such a precious little girl so quickly. “Elizabeth.”

Maria smiled. “That’s a lovely name.”

“It’s my grandmothers name.” Annabelle reminisced. Her eyes darting over her daughter. “She taught me it was okay to be brave.”

Maria rested her chin on Annabelle’s shoulder. “Elizabeth Mary Williams.” Mary smiled. “My mother would have adored my wife and her grandchild.”

“As would as your father-“ Annabelle stopped when she saw Mr Chambers step in. “Mr Chambers.”

He approached the trio, leaning over. His hand cupping the back of Elizabeth’s head. “A girl.”

“Elizabeth.” Annabelle handed Mr Chambers Elizabeth, seeing a twinkle in his eye as he held her for the first time.

Maria being attended to by the doctors as Annabelle and Mr Chambers talked about Elizabeth.

“Countess Maria requires rest.” The doctor glared at the trio. “She is to stay in bed and rest.”

“She will doctor. We will make sure of it.” Annabelle nodded. “Why don’t you-“

“No.” Mr Chambers handed Annabelle Elizabeth. “You can introduce them to the heir to Edgewater.” His hand squeezing Annabelle’s shoulder. “I will keep an eye on Maria.” He winked. Letting Annabelle have this moment.

Annabelle stepped out with Elizabeth. Making her way down to the parlour, stopping just outside. Feeling her heart thunder in her chest before looking down at her daughter. “I have no reason to fear. Not when I have you. You are a blessing. I once told your mother a thousand stars didn’t compare to her. A million will never compare to the joy I felt in my heart when I held you for the first time.” She touched her cheek gently, a smile spreading across her face. Everything feeling right, in her life, in this moment, with her daughter.

Annabelle stepped into the parlour. Seeing their family. “I have someone special to introduce.”

“Did I miss it?” Briar rushed in, out of breath. “Tell me I did not miss the-“ she stopped when she saw Annabelle holding a baby. “Is that-“

“It’s Maria’s daughter Elizabeth.” Annabelle smiled. Handing her to Briar.

“A beautiful name.” Dominique smiled. Walking over and looking down at the little girl.

“After my grandmother.” Annabelle announced. The people gathered safe to share the news with. “Elizabeth Mary Williams.”

“My mother will be jealous I met Maria’s daughter before her.” Briar softly chuckled. Handing Elizabeth back to Annabelle. Squeezing Annabelle’s shoulder before stepping back, seeing the joy Annabelle had in holding her daughter. “She will be well loved.”

“She will indeed.” Dominique said. Squeezing Annabelle’s shoulder. “Your grandmother would have taken joy in this honour. She was a good woman.”

“Thank you.” Annabelle nodded. Glancing down at Elizabeth.

_______________________________________________

Maria walked the gardens. Holding two red roses to take to her parents graves. A tradition when she visited. Wanting to remind herself how pure their love was and how lucky she was to find it in Annabelle. She heard giggling behind her, seeing Annabelle holding Elizabeth in her arms.

“Uncle Harry told me about the duck!”

“He promised never to tell you that story.” Annabelle pouted. “The worse part was the duck landing on your mother.”

“Was she mad?”

Annabelle thought back to that night. “Not nearly as much as I hoped.” She kissed Elizabeth’s cheek. “Where is Henry?” She stopped. Turning back and seeing a young man jog over, struggling with his jacket.

“I’ve got it.” Maria adjusted his jacket. Pushing his hair back, “you look fine young man.”

“Thanks mama.” Henry smiled. Annabelle and Maria adopting the young man. Their hearts opening the moment they laid eyes on him. He jumped to hug her. Catching Maria off guard but she wrapped him in her arms.

“You are getting taller every day. I have to tell the cook to stop feeding you soon.”

“But he’s a growing young man.” Annabelle softly chuckled.

Maria letting Henry down. “Shall we?”

Annabelle nodded. “Let’s.” She followed Maria, taking Henry’s hand.

Maria approached her parents grave when they arrived. Stopping in front. Going to place the roses when Henry caught her arm. “May I?” He asked.

Maria nodded. Handing Henry a rose before turning to Elizabeth. “Do you want to place this one Elizabeth?”

“Yes mama.” Elizabeth grabbed it. Annabelle taking Maria’s hand as their children placed the roses in front of Mary and Vincent’s graves. “It looks beautiful now.”

“It does.” Maria smiled through her tears. Putting a hand on Henry’s shoulder as Elizabeth stood in front of her. Holding her dress. “They would have adored you two.” She felt Annabelle squeeze her hand. “My mother would have taught you to sing Elizabeth. And I am certain my father would have taught you Henry to be proud of your heritage.”

“I am proud.” Henry smiled. “I have two mother’s who make me feel like the luckiest man in the world. For filling my heart with so much love and joy. And not to be afraid of being an honest and open person.”

“I raised you good.” Annabelle smirked. Maria pinching her. Annabelle sliding her hand around Maria’s waist. “Do not forget we have dancing lessons later. All those compliments will not get you out of it.”

Henry rolled his eyes. “But uncle Harry promised to take me hunting.”

“Is Sir Luke going?” Maria asked.

“Yes.” Henry answered. “It was the first thing I asked.”

“And is Percival?” Annabelle asked as well. Wanting to know if the young man was going.

“Yes. Am looking forward to seeing him. He is showing me his new rifle Mr Sinclaire helped him purchase.”

“Speaking of. I may have asked Mr Sinclaire to purchase you a rifle for hunting.” Maria smiled. “It is ready the next time you want to use it. I had it engraved with your initials. H.W.”

“Thank you mama.” Henry beamed.

“It is all I want. For my little corner of the world to be filled with your joy.” Maria kissed Annabelle’s cheek. “How is the new painting going?”

“Well. Our daughter insists I should not make her sit still for so long. Nor our son. Nor my wife.” Annabelle rolled her eyes but unable to stop herself from smiling. Winking at her wife. Feeling lucky, and so loved by those around her. Having exactly the life she desired. Not caring a bit about decorum when she was with her family. Not wanting them to miss out on being loved, not wanting to force anything on them like her father did to her. Grateful for Maria, giving her everything she was looking for. “But I will persevere.”

Tags: @iam-the-fuckin-queen I hope you enjoyed the series and the ending.

[starfleetimagines]

Upcoming Imagines (Feb. 2/20)

These are all of the requests I have received and have decided to write. I can’t promise when any of these will be written and I don’t have an order that I’ll be writing them in - I just write whatever one I have inspiration for at a given time.

Currently, I’m very busy with my university classes as well as volunteering at my old elementary school one day a week. So, I don’t have much time to write. I have a break week in two weeks so hopefully I’ll have some time then to write some stuff. But yeah, here are the requests that I’ll try to write in the next few months:

Quark – Marital Advice (aw--heck on tumblr) [Any chance I could get a DS9 request where the reader goes to their best friend Quark to talk about marriage troubles with their husband Worf? A bit of comforting banter at the bar type thing?]

Garak – Flirtatious Surprises (anon on tumblr) [I wonder if I could please request a DS9 Garak x reader imagine where the normally quiet plus-size reader flirts with Garak in front of everyone and leaves him flustered but in the end he just kisses her and everyone cheers?]

Data – Panic Attack (Area_C-137 on wattpad) [Maybe you could write one we’re the reader is in a relationship with data and he see the reader having a panic attack and then they cuddle to make the reader feel happy]

Data – First Date Part 2 of First Meetings (ElfWarriorQueen on wattpad) [Maybe them going on their date and there could be some kind of unfortunate accident that draws them closer together; like drinks get spilled over the reader, or maybe there’s a malfunction in the elevator and they’re stuck for a while.]

Trip Tucker – Tension (adela-topaz-caelon on tumblr) [Can I request a vaguley smutty Trip Tucker x Reader, where they're on a mission together in a shuttle, there's some repartee between the two, who aren't yet dating - and comments start leading to others and so on and forth and such, and then there's a time skip to them going back to the station, and whilst they did get the work done, other's can tell by marks on the Reader's neck that something has happened.]

Christopher Pike – Parents (anon on tumblr) [I had a realization thats night if you can do Disco Pike becoming for dad I'll love you forever]

Wesley Crusher – Comfort (anon on tumblr) [could I request something fluffy where Wesley does his best to comfort the reader after her now ex-boyfriend break ups with her b/c of lack of sexual intimacy and the reader avoids Wesley cause she feels she's not smart enough or pretty enough for him]

Leonard “Bones” McCoy – Dance Practice (jesterofsorts on wattpad) [I was wondering if you could do a Star Trek imagine about AOS Bones? Maybe if he teaches the reader to dance because they don't know how and they fall in love with each other?]

Garak – Rescue Party (kate_the_dork on wattpad) [I was wondering if you could do a Garak x reader where the reader is taken by the Dominion and is interrogated for info about ds9 but she won't give it up cuz she's too cool for that lmao. And then, cuz I'm a cliche and fluffy gal, Garak comes to save her?]

Garak – “Sew, you like me?” (Indirect_Detective on wattpad) [Could you do a Garak x reader? Him coming to terms with loving the reader and finally trying to admit is but doctor Bashir keeps cutting in and ruining the moment. Garak finally gets the reader alone and compliments the reader(looks and personality) as he's hemming readers uniform before opening up to the reader?]

Malcolm Reed – “Talk to me, please.” (chevyp15 on wattpad) [Malcolm Reed x reader where reader seems off and when Mal confronts them they break down and confess all their worries about the relationship?]

Deanna x Will - Pregnant (anon on tumblr) [Can I ask you for something fluffy between Deanna Troi x William Riker where set during an official Starfleet ball and they announced that Deanna is expecting a baby again, but Deanna feels uncertain after the death of their son Ian Troi and Riker comforts her, which leads to a bit of passionate kisses please.]

Garak - Presents (anon on tumblr) [Ah I request an imagine for garak. Like he’s at his shop and his so comes in with something from cardassia for him and he has no idea how his so got it for him and she refuses to say. But he’s super happy about it because it’s something he’s missed for so long. And just fluff ensues?]

Pavel Chekov – Set Up (anon on tumblr) [Can I get an imagine with Chekov please? Fem!Reader works in engineering and is like a daughter figure to Scotty. When Chekov starts shadowing Scotty, he meets the reader and a friendship quickly forms because they are both adorable dorks. Scotty notices that their friendship could become something more with a nudge in the right direction. Soon the Scotsman has get both the reader and Chekov together. Just something super silly and fluffy!!] 

Kathryn Janeway – Protection (anon on tumblr) [Hiiiiiiii could I have a Janeway x reader fic where she steps in front of you to protect you and uses her arm to shield you and is super gentle with you and everything? Can be romantic or platonic whatever works best for this!]

Spock x Uhura – Wedding Bells (anon on tumblr) [Can I ask you for something fluffy between Spock and Uhura where they get married on planet Vulcan with all their friends and family around them?]

Being Pavel Chekov’s Betazoid Wife Would Include… (dancingwith-thesunflowers on tumblr) [Could you write some headcanons about Chekov and female betazoid-human hybrid!reader getting married and having children please?]

Dating T’Pol Would Include… (anon on tumblr)

Will Riker – Pregnant (borzanimariana on wattpad) [Write with command riker and reader are married and she's pregnant, please]

Having Worf as a Father Figure Would Include… (anon on tumblr) [Being a security office and having Worf as a father figure (cause y/n is one of the youngest in the crew)]

Being Married To Jean-Luc Picard Would Include… (spaceyslytherin on tumblr) [Request: Being married to Jean-Luc Picard would include.]

Malcolm Reed – Nightmares (wraith-queen-todd on tumblr) [Heyyyyy ep so can I request a Malcolm reed imagine where he comforts his so after thy have a nightmare about him dying-? If that’s ok. I never really request before haha sorry I’m so awkward]

Scotty x Jayla – Graduation (anon on tumblr) [Can you please write an oneshot with Scotty + Jaylah where Scotty is at Jaylah’s graduation from Star Fleet Academy and Jaylah admits to Scotty that she is proud that Scotty is the first person she considers “a friend”?]

Data x Geordi – Domestic Life (anon on tumblr) [Hey! If you could. Would you be able to write an one shot please with some Data + Geordi fluff where in an AU, Lal (Data’s daughter) is a small child and both Data + Geordi married and are looking after her and they’re playing and having fun with Spot the cat, as he causes mischief.]

Trip Tucker – “You’re hot when you’re jealous.” (anon on tumblr) [Hello I’m the smut asked about trip. As for the thing I was wondering if it could be like trip for jealous of someone flirting with his so and she reassured him that she only has eyes for him? If that’s ok?]

B’Elanna x Tom – PDA (anon on tumblr) [If it’s okay. Would you write an oneshot between Br’Elanna & Tom Paris where they are arguing about things, but in the end, they have a romantic moment, which is seen by the rest of the crew, without them realising. Please? Thank you in advance!]

Michael x Ash – Nightmares (anon on tumblr) [Hello, I love your writing!! 🥰 Could I request an oneshot with Michael comforting Ash after having a panic attack during his PTSD please? ✨ Thanks!]

Leonard “Bones” McCoy – Study Date (SloveniaReader95 on wattpad) [I was thinking... maybe with Bones where he is a year or two ahead at the Academy and for the first exam, the reader is already giving up, but Bones is there not letting her do it or something:)]

Malcolm Reed – Destressing (anon on tumblr) [Can you do a Malcolm reed smut if that is alright? Maybe Malcolm comes back to their room after a shift stressed and his so tries to calm him down a bit and it turns into smut?]

Kathryn Janeway Being Your Mother Would Include… (anon on tumblr) [Could you write some headcanons about Janeway being the reader’s mother, please? Thanks so much! I love your beautiful writing!!]

Julian Bashir – “Surprise!” (anon on tumblr) [DS9 request: The reader's belly has popped. So have her buttons. It's time to tell Julian the two of them are going to have a baby.]

Will Riker – “I love you.” (catherinedm on tumblr) [Hi(: I love your blog your writings are amazing. Could you maybe please do something about Will Riker telling you(the reader insert) his fellow enterprise officer he’s been datuing for a while that he loves you for the first time? Thank you so much!! Keep up the great work]

Sylvia Tilly x Michael Burnham – More Than Friends (anon on tumblr) [Can you please write an oneshot where Sylvia Tilly helps Michael, when she finds out that she has never been on a proper human date, she decides to play matchmaker for Michael, not realising that her friendship with her new roommate could lead to more..]

Trip Tucker x T’Pol – Family (anon on tumblr) [Would you be okay to write an oneshot based on Trip and T'Pol, where they have been living on Vulcan with their daughter Elizabeth for a few months, and they're hoping that sooner rather then later that they’ll have another baby? Thank you so much! I love your beautiful writing for the Star Trek fandom!!]

Ezri Dax x Julian Bashir – Moving In (anon on tumblr) [If it is okay with you please?. Can you write an oneshot where Ezri and Julian attempt to build a life together, no matter what odds they may face. Thank you so much!]

Kira Nerys – Socially Awkward (anon on tumblr) [Can I request something for Kira Nerys with a female reader who's very opinionated/clever but socially awkward/a little overly cautious? Maybe a civilian of some kind, but that's not 100% necessary.]

Worf x Jazdia Dax – “Marry me.” (anon on tumblr) [I know requests are closed, but I am sorry and I do apologise for not being more specific about the Worf and Jadzia oneshot request. Would it be okay if it was something like it was last night for the Defiant, maybe set on Gaia ("Children of Time") and Worf surprises Jadzia by asking her to marry him. Hope that makes more sense! I’d be willing to send it again, if it doesn’t. Thank you very much!! I love your writing by the way!]

Will Riker – Home Safe (tngbabe on tumblr) [I'd like a will riker and reader. I'd love to have him take me home from a party because I'm drunk and wants me to get to my quarters safely and then stays.]

Comforting Kathryn Janeway Would Include… (geekyamorel on wattpad) [I was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing a KathrynXReader. Maybe something like Janeway is having a bad day and the reader tries their best to help calm her and maybe ends up making a fool of themselves just to make her smile and laugh]

[hope-for-olicity]

Fabulous Olicity Fanfic Friday - March 29th, 2019

Happy Friday! So this is my attempt to both thank awesome fanfic writers for their amazing work and offer my recommendations to anyone who is interested. Here are the fantastic fanfic stories I read this week! They are posted in the order I read them. This and all previous Fabulous Olicity Fanfic posts can be found on my blog.

Run to the Water multi-chapter Complete by @someonesaidcake - The year is 1912, Oliver was 9 and far too old to be babysitting that nonsensical girl Felicity whose parents owned the cattle ranch where his parents worked and lived, but she won him over with oat and raisin biscuits and soon became his little blonde sidekick...with a completely unrequited crush on him. Years later she returns from boarding school and more than bush fires ignite in the changing times.... https://archiveofourown.org/works/7455738/chapters/16942293

Re-Airrow 2x23 by @lostolicityscenes - Holy Smoaks! Here we are at the finale. This was another fast paced and tightly plotted episode with so many epic Olicity moments. But, one thing I still wonder about is how much Felicity knew going into the mansion. She seems genuinely shocked when Oliver says I love you, yet later in the episode Oliver replies “we both did” when she says “you really sold it.” So I wrote this sort of AU that casts that first scene in a different light. I think he meant to say it, but realized how much he MEANT IT in the moment. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed Season 2 of Re-Airrow. https://lostolicityscenes.tumblr.com/post/183631815031/re-airrow-2x23

Will Fate Allow? multi-chapter WIP by @mindramblingsfics - Seeing her parent's marriage dissolve at a young age made Felicity yearn for a healthy marriage of her own. She thought she'd finally found what she was looking for when Billy Malone showed up offering her what her heart desired. She thought she was happy and had everything she could want, but things began to unravel. Slowly she turned to someone who had become an unparalleled constant in her life...Oliver Queen. Oliver and Felicity are the definition of polar opposites. He is the mob boss that strikes fear in the hearts many, while she is seen as the sweet girl next door, but there is more to both of them underneath the surface. Along the way, they become connected to one another leading to their lives being intertwined forever. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16521596/chapters/38699951

Not My Dog by @sentence-fragments - Oliver lost his dog. https://archiveofourown.org/works/8298470

Hey Baby, I Think I Wanna Marry You by @felicityollies - prompt: impaired judgement - After a night of drinking and laced brownies, Oliver and Felicity find themselves fooling around. What they didn’t expect was for one of them to propose marriage. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11034534/chapters/26572173

It Takes Two by @mogirl97 - When Oliver Queen finds himself short of a partner for his upcoming Crossfit competition, he resigns himself to having to drop out... until he walks in on a blonde stranger in the gym and has a change of heart (in more ways than one) https://archiveofourown.org/works/11788236

Forgotten Treasures by @muslimsmoak - Oliver and William are trying to find their way with each other and it doesn’t help Oliver when he finds will’s green arrow action figure thrown in the garbage. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11806263

Impaired Judgement by @wetsuiton - Felicity takes a bullet for Dinah and gets super cute and loopy on the pain meds https://archiveofourown.org/works/11084547/chapters/26651937

The One Where Drunk Felicity Checks an Item Off Her Bucket List by @wrldtravler - With the help of a little liquid courage, Felicity finally attempts to check off the most unthinkable item on her bucket list with a little help from the Hood. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11819325

The Fan multi-chapter WIP by @leuska - For the past couple of months, Felicity Smoak, previous child star known to the world through her alter ego Lisy the Tech Whiz, who ended her career and her growing popularity at the age of thirteen rather abruptly, has sporadically received disturbing notes and gifts in her mail. Police believe the notes to be just little tokens of appreciation by a former fan. Despite having left the spotlight over a decade ago and living in anonymity since, the fan mail keeps coming, increasing in frequency as well as intensity. The last drop is when Felicity receives another letter with a love note. A scary, ominous note. A note written in human blood.FBI director Amanda Waller tasks her best Agent to the case. Oliver Queen, a criminal profiler, is currently working on a special task force formed between SCPD and FBI to catch a man dubbed the Start City Slasher, who has murdered at least three young women in the past nine months. Agent Queen is not thrilled with the prospect of holding a former princess’ hand through her problem with a simple stalker while a serial killer is still at large. However, once meeting her, Oliver finds there is nothing easy or simple about Felicity Smoak as their worlds start to intertwine. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17726573/chapters/41820368

Do You Remember multi-chapter WIP by @smkkbert - Eight years after Oliver and Felicity became teenage parents, they have everything they could have ever hoped for and more. They have a good life in a nice house. Their marriage is happy, and a second baby is on its way. The calm they have settled in is interrupted abruptly when a stalker starts terrorizing Felicity. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17409059/chapters/40978307

Impaired Judgement by @cruzrogue - John Diggle is out of it by an aphrodisiac truth drug and its awkward field mission. He tells Felicity how he appreciated her and then it leads to how he thinks she is very beautiful and sexy and how he tried to control himself in the beginning before Oliver got a clue and they were just friends. When Oliver shows up Diggle needs his help too. John has no clue what was said. Oliver and Felicity promise to never tell him. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11806272

What's Yours is Mine by @laxit21 - This is some pure, unapologetic fluff. I’m not sorry. https://laxit21.tumblr.com/post/183633727946/whats-yours-is-mine

PrepPy GoThic LoVe multi-chapter WIP by @cruzrogue - New Freshman at MIT, Felicity wants to party and she meets another drunken party guest Oliver and they hit it off. Not really thinking of consequences have a wonderful time together. Oliver been to two different schools and this one he finally wants to do better because of a beacon of hope that rubbed off on him with just one night a passionate gothic girl changes him for the better. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11805543/chapters/26631204

From Somewhere Within multi-chapter WIP by @smoaking-greenarrow - Their connection has always felt natural to them, safe and secure. But others tend to fear what they don’t understand, and as far as their enemies are concerned, the world isn’t ready to accept two people who can know each other the way that Oliver and Felicity do. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16009244/chapters/37356257

To Sacrifice the Sun multi-chapter WIP by @emmilynestill - Oliver and Felicity are ARGUS agents working on a mission in Mexico, the two share some very important history. http://archiveofourown.org/works/7510744/chapters/22505918

One Night multi-chapter WIP by @suttons-brady - Felicity paces back and forth in her bathroom, fingers playing with each other in front of her stomach and her bottom lip pulled between her teeth. How the hell did she get here? She prides herself on being smart -- on being a genius, actually. Hell, she skipped eighth grade! So how in the hell had she ended up here, burning a hole in the floor of her bathroom, waiting for a flimsy plastic stick to tell her if her life is over? http://archiveofourown.org/works/11076792/chapters/24706029

Providence multi-chapter WIP by @so-caffeinated - Will Queen has struggled in silence in the year since he was shot. But when a shadowy crime lord known as Domino targets the only woman Will’s ever truly loved, fate forces him to confront his demons in ways he never could have imagined… Whether he wants to or not. Amelia Prescott has fought to take control of her life since learning two years ago that her personal and professional worlds were manipulated by others. But nothing can prepare her for just how hard she'll have to fight to set her own course, especially when her heart belongs to a damaged man and a crime lord threatens her every professional move... And her life. Destiny brings them together, but as chaos reigns and personal demons haunt Will and Amelia both, it may also threaten to tear them apart. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17919056/chapters/42308753

Love and Little Cupcakes multi-chapter WIP by @christinabeggs - Felicity loved sweets so much that she paid no attention to her lovelife. Until Thea Queen came into her store wanting fabulous cupcakes for her sixteenth birthday. SO ADORABLE! http://archiveofourown.org/works/12400539/chapters/28216053

I Regret Nothing by somewhereelse Season 2 Missing Scene/AU. Drunk! Oliver is sassy. Sober! Felicity is over it. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11823810

Wait, Did I Already Do That? by @laureningall - Thea is a woman on a mission. She wants to take Felicity out for a ‘belated bachelorette party’. Needless to say, a busy day leads to impaired judgment and some unintended consequences for Felicity during her night out on the town with the girls. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837235

seemingly impossible (but not untrue) multi-chapter WIP by @alexiablackbriar13 - Young genius historian Dr Felicity Smoak unknowingly and accidentally calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript within the Oxford Bodleian Libraries - a book that has been lost for centuries. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Felicity wants nothing to do with magic, despite her unruly and powerful abilities. But her discovery of Ashmole 782 sets the world of creatures stirring; with a mystery afoot and new, dangerous magical abilities manifesting for her to navigate, she is approached by the enigmatic vampire biochemist Professor Oliver Queen, who seems to have a deep interest in both the manuscript… and her. Based on A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16224353/chapters/37923743  

2 + 2 Equals a Family multi-chapter Complete by @mogirl97 - When Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak both reach for the last Lego Batman set on the shelf at the same time one December night while holiday present shopping for their kids, they have no idea that their chance encounter is going to change their lives. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11853030/chapters/26760468

With the Speed of an Arrow multi-chapter WIP by @academyofshipping - Oliver Queen’s elite and silver-spoon life has taken some blows in the past few years, but he is still the carefree billionaire everyone knows of and loves. When his role in the family business is in jeopardy and he is introduced to a motley of new people, his status quo is threatened. With a changed perspective, Oliver realizes his feeling for his best friend and anchor-in-life, Felicity Smoak, may be more than just platonic. OR A modern adaption of Jane Austen’s Emma with a gender swap* and no island. *Knowing that gender is not binary https://archiveofourown.org/works/16559846/chapters/38799857

The Proposal multi-chapter WIP by @spaztronautwriter - When Felicity Smoak finds herself in a bind, she enlists the help of her assistant Oliver Dearden to help keep her from being deported and losing her job. The problem is, in order to do so, they kind of have to get married... http://archiveofourown.org/works/13727445/chapters/31538406

Overwatch multi-chapter WIP by @it-was-a-red-heeler - A burglary attempt convinces the Mayor of Starling City to hire Smoak Technologies to strengthen his security. But between the sassy AI watching him 24/7 and the personal trainer with his own reasons to kill him, Oliver may wish he’d stuck with his baseball bat for protection. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17500640/chapters/41221793

// @emmaamelia95 // @mel-loves-all // @oliverfel4 // @green-arrows-of-karamel // @coal000 // @miriam1779 // @memcjo// @captainolicitysbedroom // @tdgal1 // @spaztronautwriter // @lalawo1// @quiveringbunny // @wrongshipper // @thebookjumper // @vaelisamaza // @myhauntedblacksoul // @lovelycssefan // @laurabelle2930 // 

[fulcrumahsokaamidala]

Saturday Spectacular #3

Happy Saturday!!! So this is me thanking awesome fanfic writers for their amazing work and all the time they put into their fics. ♥️ I want to recommend spectacular fanfic stories I read this week! ♥️ They are posted in the order I read them. All posts will be tagged #saturday spectacular fic rec

Drunk Cuddly Oliver by @stephswims | Arrow | WIP

Emerald Archer Martial Arts by @alexiablackbriar13 | Arrow | Complete

Summary: In May 2019, a tired Oliver Queen and four months pregnant Felicity Smoak retire from their vigilante duties and move to the redwood forest town of Bloomfield with their son William, to raise their family in peace.

Along the journey, they build their own successful companies, increase the size of the Smoak-Queen clan by a couple more, train their kids in self-defense, and live out a blissful existence.

This is the story of 7 years of their happiness and family antics, after 7 years of crime-fighting and hardship to save their city.

Semper Fidelis by @oliversmuse | Arrow | WIP

Summary:  Oliver Queen is a member of the Bravo Squad, a team that specializes in search and rescue, covert infantry and translating foreign documents. He is known as one of the best and even though he is one of the youngest recruits he advances quickly. While serving he meets Lance Corporal Felicity Smoak, a young woman with skills in hand to hand combat. Despite the fact they butt heads they fall in love and soon start to talk about a future together. However, when her plane disappears on a mission in China and she is presumed dead, Bravo Squad searches frantically for her, only to find her plane and her bloody dog tags. Five years later Oliver runs into "Megan" at a coffee shop near that gym he has been running with his friends. She has lost her memory from the plane accident but has had dreams of Oliver and the Bravo Squad. With the help of his friends and team mates, can he help her reclaim her past and fall for him once again?

Airplanes, Coffee and Deadlines by @hope-for-olicity | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Felicity begins working at a national newspaper where she has always dreamed of working. On her first day, she meets a very interesting photojournalist. The two will eventually work together but sparks fly immediately.

and we're somehow caught up in a web of lies by inlovewithimpossibility | Arrow | WIP

Summary: After their encounter with the Count and Moira's release from prison, Thanksgiving is upon the residents of Starling City but when an article arises in the gossip magazines that throws both Oliver and Felicity under scrutiny, the two of them somehow find themselves caught up in the most elaborate lie they've told. What was supposed to be a relaxing week at the Queen cabin in New Hampshire for Oliver and a week celebrating Hanukkah and Thanksgiving alone for Felicity turns into a week at the cabin of acting, the Queen women and bubbling not-so-platonic feelings.

You Can't Afford Him by @quiveringbunny | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Oliver and Felicity, still strained after returning from Lian Yu following the takedown of Slade Wilson, take on roles that challenge their buried feelings when they go undercover to investigate a dangerous arms dealer. A Macau casino. A luxury suite. Suspenders. Lucky red panties. What could go wrong?

The Morning After by @stephswims | Arrow | One-shot

Providence by @so-caffeinated | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Will Queen has struggled in silence in the year since he was shot. But when a shadowy crime lord known as Domino targets the only woman Will’s ever truly loved, fate forces him to confront his demons in ways he never could have imagined… Whether he wants to or not.

Amelia Prescott has fought to take control of her life since learning two years ago that her personal and professional worlds were manipulated by others. But nothing can prepare her for just how hard she'll have to fight to set her own course, especially when her heart belongs to a damaged man and a crime lord threatens her every professional move... And her life.

Destiny brings them together, but as chaos reigns and personal demons haunt Will and Amelia both, it may also threaten to tear them apart. 

(i want to) save that light by @callistawolf | Arrow | WIP

Summary: What if one little thing changed in the history of Arrow? What if, instead of going to Laurel's apartment after discovering the extent of Merlyn's plans for the Glades, Oliver stayed at the foundry and talked to Felicity instead? This series of short vignettes explores some of the ripple-effect changes that could take place throughout the next season as a result of this one, fortuitous change.

The What If Harassment Alternative by portlandborn | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | WIP

Summary: What would have happened to Peraltiago And our intrepid detectives, if Amy had reported her mentor captains ugly behaviors?

bliss within madness by @alexiablackbriar13 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: “Hey, Mia. It’s your dad,” he whispered. Pausing, he added, “Mia or Lucas. We don’t know exactly who you are yet. But I promise you, your mom and I are gonna love you to the stars and back no matter who you turn out to be. I’m gonna call you Mia for now, though.” He kissed Felicity’s stomach softly, humming under his breath at the heat coming from her skin.

give all my secrets away by LiteraLital | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Before returning to the Waverider, Sara shares a drink with Oliver and Felicity as they reminisce about old times and some secrets are revealed, old and new... Based off the 7x18 sneak peek.

let me do this by @alexiablackbriar13 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: 7x18 Spec. Mia arrives back injured from a mission and Felicity patches her up.

I'll take care of you by  felicitybettx | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Oliver finds out his pregnant wife braved not one, but two death-defying explosions while working with the canaries. He doesn’t handle it super well.

a once-in-a-lifetime love by  inlovewithimpossibility | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Felicity squeals a little as he lifts her into his lap with the utmost care, nuzzling her neck before planting a few kisses there. “Oliver?”“I ordered your fries and a chocolate shake.” He tells her and Felicity grins, pulling back to grasp his face in her hands.“You’re the best husband ever.” She tells him seriously and the smile that spreads across his face makes her feel like she’s a kid again.[extended scene from the end of 7x18 - takeout, sleepy cuddles and daddy-daughter chats with their unborn miracle]

i need you to be safe by @alexiablackbriar13 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Post-7x18. Oliver does not react very well when finding out about the danger Felicity and their unborn baby were placed in. Felicity always knows exactly how to reassure him.

Can't Help Falling in Love  by @smoaking-greenarrow | Arrow | One-shot Collection

Summary: Collection of fluff fics based on Tumblr prompts! Some are angsty, but most of this is fluffy. Enjoy!

I wear high heels (she wears sneakers) by @mogirl97 | Supergirl | WIP

Summary: “Lena. It’s not just about football.” Kara waved her hands around emphatically, “It’s about school spirit and hanging out with your friends—“ Lena didn’t want to bring up the fact that she didn’t have any friends to hang out with. “—and watching me obliterate a bunch of guys’ egos and going out for celebratory Big Belly Burger afterwards.” ~A Supercorp High School AU~

for you, i will withstand the pain by @alexiablackbriar13 | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Strange feelings of dread and hope associated with his baby's ultrasound photo prompt Oliver to make a crucial trip back in time to stop his past 2017 self from making a decision that threatens everything he's built with his family and by extension, the universe itself.

1st Night of Forever by @theartofbeinganerd | Agents of SHIELD | One-shot

Summary: Three years after the wedding that changed both of their lives forever, Jemma and Fitz are finally getting married, and officially becoming the family that they've built with Evelyn over the past few years - and they (and everyone around them) couldn't be happier about it.*The Fitzsimmons Wedding in my 1 Night 'verse, first started in 1 Night (+9 Months)*

whenever you're ready by @alexiablackbriar13 | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Mia and William from 2040 travel back in time to 2019 to access an uncorrupted version of Archer. Oliver and Felicity investigate a break-in at the bunker only to find their children from the future bickering. Emotional confrontations and conversations ensue.

Artemis by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When the Queen's Gambit sank, two people were stranded on Lian Yu. Five years later, four came back.

Daughter of the Demon by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: What if in 1988 while traveling through Las Vegas Ra's al Ghul bumps into a nice waitress named Donna Smoak and they have one-night stand together? A little bundle of joy named Felicity Smoak is the result. In 2014, the Demon Head becomes aware of his youngest daughter's existence.

The Ravager by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Slade Wilson's plan for revenge against Oliver took time, money and no shortage of lives to pull together. His plan didn't anticipate Felicity Smoak. How will his plan change now that his lost-lost daughter is working with the very man he's trying to destroy?

The Daughter That Was Left by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Before the Gambit, Oliver Queen met QC intern Felicity Smoak. When he boarded the Gambit, he left something behind. Now, five long years later someone is waiting for him.

Felicity of Themiscyra by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Years ago, Donna Smoak left the island of Themiscyra and her sister Queen Hippolyta behind to live in man's world. She never told Felicity the truth about where she came from. As a result of the Undertaking, Felicity discovers some of her Amazonian abilities and makes an interesting new friend: Diana Prince.

I Scream But No Sound Comes out by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When Oliver returns from Lian Yu after five years, he comes back different. What happened there damaged more than just his body. How will his friends and family deal with this new Oliver?

The Perfect Summer Day by cali-chan (girls_are_weird) | Stranger Things | One-shot

Summary: "Why didn't you go into the water with the others?""Because I want to go in with you." Joyce and Hopper take the kids on a day trip to the beach, and El helps Mike conquer one of his biggest fears. PG, fluff/romance, post-S2, Mike/Eleven.

Breathe Me In by cali-chan (girls_are_weird) | Stranger Things | One-shot

Summary: "So breathe me in so deep. Breathe me in, I'm yours to keep..." The two of them dancing through life together, as they had been since the beginning. PG, romance/fluff, post-S2, Mike/Eleven.

Carry Her Weight by cali-chan (girls_are_weird) | Stranger Things | One-shot

Summary: Something Mike had mentioned piqued her curiosity. "What's a piggyback ride?" PG, romance/fluff, post-S2, Mike/Eleven.

PB&J by @realityisoverrated-fic | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: After weeks of getting the silent treatment, Tommy tries to lure Oliver out to breakfast by sending him messages and pictures of how much fun he and Felicity are having. Oliver is still angry with Tommy and is refusing to take the bait.