#i saw the spoiler scans and i am NOT READY

[tremendouscreationperson]

Logan x Reader pt.1

Again spoilers for Deadpool and Wolverine

Many of y'all liked my little DP/W idea so here is more, I tried to keep it GN so there isn't smut but it does sorta allude to it

Part 2 >> Masterlist

Wade has just woke up, he yet again sees Logan drinking and asks 'where they are and how they got here'. Logan vaguely points to the door and three people walk through. It's Elektra, Blade and Gambit. There are some not-so-pleasantries and eventually Laura makes herself known.

"We're missing Johnny and Y/N." Gambit drawls.

Wade makes a joke and turns back to Logan who looks like he's shat himself. "Peanut?"

"You said Y/N?" Logan settles his drink onto the first available surface and runs a hand through his hair. "We saw Johnny but not Y/N."

~~

Later on he had slumped down and made a fire. He didn't want to be part of the heroics, he couldn't be. He wasn't worth it. Laura had tried to convince him in her unique way. He could see himself in her, see why he'd fight for her.

Logan took another swig and stared off into the treeline. It was unclear how long he just sat but eventually he noticed movement.

Wolverine stood, ready to protect the others. Why was he ready to protect the others?

Then he saw you.

You were wide eyed. Your suit was practically undamaged except for a little cut on your thigh. Not a hair out of place. There was dirt on your face and body but you were beautiful.

"Y/N." He involuntarily took a step towards you.

You stayed completely still. Wary. Why were you wary of him? “Logan.” Your voice was barely above a whisper but he heard it. Would always hear you. You were the main voice rattling around his adamantium skull.

“Y/N.” He took another step forward and tried to erase his frown, tried to ease his expression into something you wouldn't be wary of. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

Your eyes scanned him and the trees behind before you gave a nod and slowly approached, favouring your right leg.

“It's been a while.” The fire light bounced gloriously off your skin, illuminating your very being as though you were an angel. Well you were. You were perfect. Are perfect.

“For me as well.” He nodded too enthusiastically, too eager to be speaking to you. He didn't deserve this.

You lowered yourself onto a patch of grass, crossing your legs to the best of your ability, pupils glued to the flames. They danced along and lit up your eyes. Surely, you couldn't be more beautiful. Logan hadn't even realised but he had sat himself back down on his perch across from you. “I’m sorry.”

He couldn't help it, his frown was back in full force. What could you possibly have to apologise for? “I don-”

“You're not the first Wolverine to come sniffing me out.” You explained. “There's been others and they've- they've not all been friendly.”

What the fuck had he done? “I swear, I am not here to hurt you.” He placed a hand over his heart. “I promise.”

“I know. I just- it's not often you see your husband's-” Husband? “- face and he doesn't know you or is feral or-” You took a deep breath, finally meeting his gaze. “You at least recognise me.”

“Of course I do.”

“Okay, that's good.” You nod mostly to yourself before asking, “what happened in your world?”

“My world?”

You nod again.

“We're X-Men. I'm shitty. You're perfect. Scott nags me. Storm married a king and moved away, visits every so often. Jean was in the process of taking over from Charles…” If he didn't tell you they all died, maybe they didn't. Maybe they could live in your head. Maybe he wasn't a monster. “Yours?”

“Much the same really.” One shoulder lifted in a half shrug. “‘cept you weren't shitty. You were just you. Sabertooth was the shitty Howlett.”

Logan chuckled at that.

“Did you have a Laura? Or a Gabby?”

He shook his head. “Uh, no. But I've met Laura. She's nice. Fierce.”

“She's your DNA spliced with some poor unfortunate ladies. Essentially your offspring.” You informed. “Gabby is a clone of a clone. She's lovely though. Friends with Wa-Deadpool.”

“He's here.” Logan scratched his chin. “He's the reason I am.”

“Oh, you're friends as well?”

“God, no.” He shook his head. “Kinda just thrust together.”

“He always wanted to hang with you but usually just ended up with Spidey.”

Logan had heard of Spidey -Spiderman- but he hadn't met the guy, yet. If he hung out with Wade he was probably just as mad.

You both fell into a fairly comfortable silence but he didn't like that. You were here. He could actually talk to you. Actually be around you. “What happened to your leg?” He motioned to it as you carefully repositioned yourself.

“Angel.” You whispered darkly.

“Warren?”

“Yeah. Sometimes your friends aren't your friends. He had metal wings and weird tattoos. I called out to him and he just attacked. He was so quick I couldn't put up a forcefield in time.”

“I'm sorry.” It was a lame response but he had nothing else. You merely sat there, watching him, scanning his reactions. “I don't know how to convince you I am your friend. But I am. I won't harm you.”

You gave him a small lopsided smile. And he remembered.

“Wait. I do know how.” Logan rummaged around his very tiny suit pockets. He knew it was somewhere. He made sure it was always on him. Hidden away where no one would find it. Tucked into a sleeve that he kept safe by his ankle, usually people hit his torso, they don't always go for feet so he felt secure in it's position. Well, he did until he fought Wade in that fucking Honda.

Logan found it. It was scrappy and definitely worse for wear but the picture was clear. He stood and slowly walked around the fire to your side. You didn't back away but he caught your involuntary shoulder flinch.

“Here.”

You delicately took the piece of paper from his hands. It felt glossy, like magazine print. It was folded and on the visible side was a photo of you smiling wide, proud, in front of the X mansion. You unfolded it to see Logan standing next to you with a barely-there smirk. He looked almost bored but you knew him. Knew he was smiling, it was in his eyes, the softness in his face.

You were confused because he was smiling yet it was clear that he folded it to hide himself.

“Why have you folded it like that?”

Because I look awful. Because you are perfect and happy and brilliant and I pretended I didn't want the photo. Because it's the only faculty photo of me they ever took. Because they all knew I was sweet on you when you stopped me for a photo and I agreed. Because I had to take this from a yearbook after the school was raided. Because it's the only photo of us that I have and I hate that I'm in it. “Easier to fit the little pocket.”

“I have a similar one.” You confessed, knowing he was lying but that's okay. You all had secrets. “It's with my other bits, in the base.”

He felt his cheeks warm so looked away to the base. “Speaking of, it's late and you're hurt. They were planning on leaving at sun up, but I'm not sure that's still happening.”

“Why are we leaving?”

“We're storming Cassandra Nova’s lair.”

You let out a full body laugh. The noise was heavenly. “Fuck off, you come here and suddenly talk them into a full frontal assault? Brilliant.”

He rolled his eyes at you but extended a hand. “Come on, bub, let's get you updated and checked out.”

It wasn't much really, not to a bystander, but you actually accepting his hand meant the world to him and you. Both for similar and completely different reasons.

He definitely didn't need to but insisted on helping you to the base. It was hardly worth it but being back in his arms was lovely. It felt like home. He was maybe a few inches taller and definitely a little older looking than you recalled but he was your Logan. And a helpful one. He wasn't chasing you like a wild dog because you smelt nice. He was helping you limp back.

“Y/N.” Elektra spoke as soon as you entered the threshold.

“El.” You smiled widely.

She gave you a subtle look - raising her eyebrows a fraction and flickering her eyes at Logan - before taking your hand and leading you out of his arms. “We were worried.”

“You shouldn't have worried.” Rolling your eyes. “You know me.”

“That is why I was worried.”

She gave you a quick hug and assessed your leg. You had known her for five years. She had been here longer than you, travelling with Blade, and quickly intervened when she saw a Ghost Rider trying to lasso you. You three had met Johnny, who had been here a while too, and eventually met Laura. She was the only familiar face to you, it was a breath of fresh air to see her. It was a shame she didn't know you but you explained who you were and where she was and she slowly came around to trusting you. Gambit was the newest addition to your ragtag gang. He, bless him, tried to be as useful as possible and you're sure he was but there were times when you had no idea what went on in his mind. He was his own enigma.

The cut wasn't awful, a fact you had said multiple times, but Elektra still insisted on using alcohol to clean and one of the rags you recycled from an old duvet to wrap it, explaining the idiotic plan that you were all taking part of as she went.

“Oh!” Wade loudly exclaimed as Elektra tightened the makeshift bandage. “The self insert! I can't believe it, the movie’s been out like three days!”

You exchanged a glance with El and gave him an odd look as you greeted the man. “Hiya Wade.”

“Y/N.” He bowed. “I'm a little star struck.”

“Why?” Elektra stood to her full height and quickly made an exit, this wasn't the first Deadpool she had seen but this was one of the high energy ones.

“Well, you're Logan's thing.” The man behind perked up, his shoulders tense. He had been watching you the whole time and clearly wasn't a fan of DP rambling. “You're his reason to keep on. One of the reasons my Logan saved Laura. To keep his promise to you or something like that, I don't know the writing is a bit clunky.”

“Right.” You nodded, not quite understanding. But it was funny to see the mortified expression Logan was wearing. “So I'm Logan's ‘thing’.”

“Well, duh-”

“Will you shut the fuck up?” Logan ordered.

“Gosh, was he always this snappy?” Wade chirped.

“I dunno, Lo always had a soft spot for me so..”

“Awwwww.” He clasped his hands and held them at his heart. “Did you hear that she said ‘Lo’?” Wade had just turned to see the man in question but Wolverine was behind him and quickly dragging the Merc away, not quite whispering another ‘shut your fucking mouth’.

Blade, who was one to skulk hidden in corners before making himself known, had watched the interaction and gave you a fright as he stepped from the shadows. “So that's him, huh?”

“Jesus!” You whisper-yelled. “How many times have I asked you to not do that?”

“Daywalker, can't help it.” He shrugged and sat next to you on the sofa. It was old and ugly but so so comfortable.

You gave a sigh, holding your hammering heart. “Yes. He's Logan. A version of him. That actually doesn't wanna kill me.”

“Maybe you should let it play out.”

“And maybe I shouldn't.” You counter. “We'll all be dead tomorrow anyway.”

“All the more reason to."

He was correct of course. You had missed Logan so much and this one clearly had missed you. It would be folly to not spend the last night you may be alive together. In whatever way you were both comfortable with. But you didnt want to give him the satisfaction of being right, so merely huffed in response.

"Elektra told you the plan?”

“Well, Laura hardly speaks and I can't understand Gambit.”

Blade let out a low laugh. He was one of the coolest people you'd ever met, even his chuckle was cool. You were so envious.

Logan came back with red cheeks and quickly apologised. “I'm sorry, he talks so much and I don't think he actually hears himself.”

You waved him off. “It's fine.”

“No, he embarrassed you.” Logan sighed, his jaw set like he was biting the inside of his cheek.

“Logan, really. Don't worry.” You could see that he wasn't going to 'not worry' so decided to just remove yourself from the situation. Clapping Blade’s leg you stood. “Right, bed time. Big day tomorrow.”

“You aren't coming.” Logan replied immediately.

“Uhm. Pretty sure I am.”

“No, you're injured.” He stated as though that was obvious.

“This is literally the smallest injury I've had out here.”

“But you are hurt.”

“Logan.”

“Y/N.”

Blade watched the back and forth with a smirk, you were both clearly a married couple.

“I think you two should take this to Y/N’s room.” Your eyes widened dramatically. “You can argue all night when the door is shut and no one else can hear you.” The sly bastard.

“Okay.” Logan agreed. “I'll convince you to stay, where's your room?”

You let out a few noises, dying arguments, and then the biggest sigh. “Fuck my life. This way.”

The base was an old temple. You had wondered who it belonged to. The statues of her were beautiful. You had yet to see a variant of whoever this was, maybe that was a good thing. She might not take lightly to you guys using her sacred temple as a hotel. There were a few corridors you had to walk down to get to your room. You'd dragged an old mattress into it and made sure to keep the room dust free. There weren't a lot of luxuries in this world but you had an orb that when touched lit up delicately. There were a few sets of clothes you'd scavenged so you kept yourself clean and had a set of ‘pjs’. Your room was covered in marks where you had flung a knife or practised a forcefield. He assumed there weren't that many guns here, or if there were ammo was rare.

“You can't fight.” Logan started.

Oh. You were actually going to argue. “Logan, I could fight you right now.”

“Go on then.” He called your bluff.

You gave him a playful smirk. “You really wanna fight? It could be our last day alive and you wanna spend it fighting?”

“I know you can't fight with that leg.” He was so sure of himself. You couldn't wait to prove him wrong.

With a twitch of your hand you flung him towards you with a forcefield, side stepping out of his way. It took him by surprise how strong you had gotten and he had to catch himself before he hit the wall.

Logan twisted around to find you at his throat with a small blade in your hand. Your chest pressed into his, causing his back to hit the wall. “That was over pretty quick, Lo.”

Logan was in awe of your swift moves. You were tenfold who he knew. God could you get more attractive? He felt himself get warm and not from embarrassment. You were making him hot, you holding a knife to his throat was making him horny. What did that say about him?

Your eyebrows pinched minutely as you observed him swallow. “You like this, don't you?”

Was there a point in lying? “Maybe.”

“Well... Maybe I do, too.”

God he was ruined.

You were literally amazing.

How could he be so lucky? He really didn't deserve this.

Logan glanced down to your lips and you smirked. "Go on." He didn't need any other invitations. He captured your lips and kissed you with the full force of his years of loneliness.

He loved you, by god, he did.

Logan's left hand found your nape whilst his right landed on your ass. He growled as you pushed into him a fraction more.

Your leg moved by itself, wrapping around his waist as you took advantage of his growl. Kissing the exposed areas of his neck. You'd missed this. You'd missed him.

Logan hoisted you the rest of the way up and gazed into your eyes. You were looking down at him, lips plump and cheeks hot, you panted a little and fuck. He was going to fuck you. He wasn't sure he could actually pull himself away from you. You both should be sleeping, preparing for the fight tomorrow. No, you shouldn't be fighting. You should be safe. Somewhere safe and warm, waiting for him to return.

"Come with me." He begged.

"I'm sure I will." You winked.

"No, tomorrow, after the fight. Come with me, wherever I end up." He didn't want to go back but he would if you followed. If you came with him he could do it. Go anywhere. Be anyone.

"So you agree I'm fighting fit." You pecked his nose, playfully.

He huffed but found your lips again, leading you both to the mattress you called a bed.

He'd buy you a bed, a grand one. One worthy of you. He hated that you only had this. He needed to provide for you. Keep you warm, safe, loved, full. Keep you.

Logan was going to keep you and he didn't care how.

.

.

Part 2

[anundyingfidelity]

I'M A RUIN — Soldier Boy/Ben (Part I)

Summary: After the events of the Seven Tower, you present Grace Mallory a new secret project you're working on already to develop a cure to Compound V. The only problem? You need Soldier Boy for that.

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x female reader.

Word count: 1,536.

Warnings for series: set after S3 (spoilers), some OOC!Ben, some depressed!Ben, angst, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, slow-burn, language, PTSD, reader has Compound V (she's no Vought supe tho), Soldier Boy being an usual asshole, reader is a fucking liar.

Notes: As soon as I saw him my feminism left my body immediately and my inner voice agreed that I'd let him take away my human rights with no question. He's an absolute idiot, would sleep with him 100%.

Heads up as English is not my native language sooo, yeah you know what follows. Lord pls give me inspo to finish this fic, amen.

☕ if you like my writing, support me with a ko-fi !

get yourself in the taglist!

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII

GEN MASTERLIST! — SERIES MASTERLIST!

Part I: For The Common Good

Two months.

Two months ago Grace Mallory decided to put the former greatest supe into sleep. Somehow, you managed to get in her head, explaining your new project to her and finding a new use for Soldier Boy, who had enough rest for 40 years.

You knew what happened at the Seven Tower, how Soldier Boy and Butcher's team ended up there to finally kill Homelander. Grace tried doing some shit against Vought before, but she never managed to win. It wasn't different this time. What was better then, that to develop a cure for supes like you, who didn't ask for it? People who never used their powers in public, nor seeked fame and money.

As a doctor in Chemistry, you were developing a cure for Compound V with a secret team. Suitable for you, you were in the same CIA tower Colonel Mallory decided to encapsulate Soldier Boy to, initially, spend the rest of his days in. You had luck Grace gave green light to the project, even though your team was already working on it without her approval anyway. But it was so much better if she found out properly.

Making your way to the super secured wing where Soldier Boy was held out of his sleep, you gripped the folder in your hands. You were scanned thoroughly before going inside a cold space, where two different crystal windows and metal doors separated the place. The armed guard guided you to the first room to check first through the window. You sighed, seeing a man sitting down, hands cuffed to a harsh steel table, gaze lost. It was him.

"The keys," you requested the guard by your side.

"Doctor-"

"I said, keys. He doesn't need to be cuffed."

He complied to your order, clearly annoyed but with a straight face and you walked to the closed door.

"If something happens, I can take care of myself. Don't let anyone inside understand?" you said.

He gave a nod. With that, he let you inside the room, the doors closing behind your back.

The prisoner observed you carefully as soon as you entered. His gaze was tired, but he seemed ready to attack, and it was completely hard to ignore his rough stare on you as you made your way to your seat in front of him. Soldier Boy observed you, placing the folder on the surface, and you held his gaze, not flinching for a second. Until you decided to talk first.

"I am glad you're awake. My name is Y/N, I am a doctor at the facility. Just wanna know how you're doing today," you spoke in a calm and soft way, so he could see you were not a threat.

He saw you roaming through the pages of the file, which he recognized as a copy of his file, and you took a pen from your lab coat to make some anotations.

"Not a smart move to let a fucking doctor here," he said with a deep voice, lips forming a straight line. "What do you want?"

"I want to help you."

"Cut the bullshit."

"I want to talk. If you let me, I will uncuff you so we can have a chat, like civilized people. Just don't try to escape, you won't go too far."

He raised an eyebrow as you reached his wrists and carefully, you set him free from the metal grip.

"I know what happened with Butcher and his boys," you said, confident that he would not try anything else. "About Homelander and your relationship with him."

"What the fuck do you know?" Soldier Boy tensed visibly hearing the name of the bastard. Still, he remained on his seat. "Want some info? You can lick Grace's pussy for that."

"She is, actually, the one who approved me to be here right now," you answered, brushing off his vocabulary. You used to deal with assholes like him all the time.

He scoffed. "Why?"

"Ben," you called his real name softly. "You've been sleeping for four decades. You deserve a second chance, I am offering you that. In some sort of way."

"I'm not going to be part of that freakshow-"

"This has nothing to do with Vought," you cut his words, his tone rising and you knew perfectly why. "You just need to be here in the facility, awake, in a dignified place we will give you so you can learn everything you missed. We can give you therapy, a comfy room, anything you want that's legal, of course..."

His jaw clenched, feeling you would ask for something more. "In exchange of what?"

"I know it's hard, unfortunately you won't be able to get out, but you don't deserve to sleep forever again," you sighed. "I will pay you visits and follow your improvements because you're human, after all. That's all I ask from you," you gave him a smile for the first time.

For a few moments, he said nothing, as if making up his mind about it. "Alright, anything but coming back to that shit hole. I need reefer though."

"Lucky you, that's legal now. We can certainly make it happen."

He looked around the room as you let him go inside first. Not the fanciest, not the shittiest. It had the basics: a bed, a sofa, a TV, a closet, a bookshelf with different books, magazines and newspapers he wasn't sure would read any time, a separate door for a bathroom, enough privacy, and no windows though. It wasn't really a cell, but he did look and felt somehow like a hostage. Just a little less if he could say.

"This is what we have for now, I am all ears if you request something else to have in here," you began as he paced around and tested the bed, sitting down on the mattress.

Ben still wasn't convinced on why you offered this to him. Sceptic, he gave a good look at you, roaming his eyes at your standing figure in a fucking lab coat. Christ, he hated those. Too pretty for a doctor, but too dumb to be locked with a supe like him. He was so tired that he didn't try and hit on you like he normally would with any walking pussy that appeared in plain sight. He was too exhausted to even give a shit.

"Lemme think about it, doctor."

"Of course, take your time," you replied as he walked toward the bookshelf, scanning through the titles there were. He recognized only half of them.

"So, I will be imprisoned here instead of a fucking eggshell," Ben said, turning around to meet you. "Charming," he smirked, dragging the words out of his mouth. "Doing charity."

He watched your face drop as you shook your head. "It's not like that-"

"Then why keep me awake?" Ben insisted as he gave steps to get close to you. "I can't die, it's much easier to force my sleep in a capsule your boss made specially for me."

He stopped mere inches in front of you, your eyes never turned away from him. He thought you were fucking brave just by keeping his dark gaze.

"Ben, I told you I will be watching your progress. You can grow from all of this with our help-"

"What kind of doctor are you?"

"A psychiatrist. That's why I'm here."

Ben scoffed with a grin showing on his lips. He didn't believe in that kind of shit, but oh, well. What was he gonna do about it? He was tired of sleeping, Mallory captured him, and you were here, giving him a shelter for no cost, but his freedom. In his mind, that was temporary of course. With time, a plan would come. Right now, he just needed to keep up with the fucked up things of the modern world.

"I guess you would come and babysit me then," he said, going back to take a sit on the bed.

"Wouldn't use 'babysit you' but I will come to see you, that's for sure."

He nodded. Silence was his answer, so you continued.

"Just general rules. Our people will bring you three meals a day, if you're missing something that you need then just push the button by the door, there will be guards outside to assist you on that. Also, there are clothes your size on the closet and personal products so you can change and take a shower," he stayed silent again, just taking in your words. "If you don't need anything then I leave you to get comfortable," you said, about to leave.

"Wait. I do need something," he hesitated for a moment, but he continued anyway. "Don't use those lab coats when you come in."

Your eyes widened, he quickly realised you already knew why he was requesting that when you started to take off the coat, revealing your formal attire. You wrapped the coat on your arm and cleaned your throat.

"I totally understand, I will keep that in mind when I come tomorrow. And I will ask for your reefer too."

You flashed a final polite smile and left him to get settled. Ben breathed out. Fuck, he really needed a shower.

[captain-lessship]

His “Sidekick In The Chair” No Longer Pt. 1

a/n: No die hard comic fans come for me but I do know that Toxin (A symbiote) has helped spider man in the comics and I wanted to write something that has the potential to get funny but I will warn you, there is a sad bit in this part.

CW: Possible Spoilers (idk i know not everyone has watch the movie or read the comics)

“Every superhero has a sidekick!” He whined.

Your best friend, Pavitr, had offered to walk you home and had talked non-stop about you helping him. 

“Pav,” you turned around, fully ready to shut him down but you saw the sheer hope and excitement in his eyes, “I- Fine!” You lamented. “But I am not your sidekick, we are equals.”

He smiled widely at you as he slung his arms around you, “I knew you’d agree! Thank you. And sure! You can be a hero too!” 

You rolled your eyes playfully, “Besides how hard could it be?”

“About that… we need suits.”

“What?”

“Oh come on, all superheroes have cool suits and besides you can sew!” He said.

“I really really hope that I get side swiped by a car.” You groaned.

“You’ll never get hurt while I am here.” He said, voice trying to be serious.

You were unimpressed, “Let’s hope you never have to use that line.” You patted him on the back. 

When you got home, you immediately got to work doodling up a suit that would be fit for your rather expressive best friend and now partner in crime fighting. 

You smiled to yourself as you drew and after what felt like hours, you added color. As you stared at the costume, your mind began to wonder, thinking about all the shenanigans and by relation, danger he’d be getting into and you wouldn’t always be there.

You were set on the sidelines: No powers, only your mind to help him. You knew he was smart and wouldn’t purposefully get himself in deep trouble but yet, you still worried. 

And your worrying was for the best.

There was now a-

“Hole in our universe.”

A hole in your universe.

“Pav, sweet sweet, Pav,” you held your phone closer to your ear, “Why is there a god damn hole in our universe?” You yelled into your phone.

“Geez, don’t yell! Calm down, it’s being fixed and… I’m sorry.”

You were shocked. It wasn’t that Pavitr never apologized, it was that he never apologized without adding on why it wasn’t his bad.

“It’s- Pav, it wasn’t your fault. You are not responsible for other people’s actions.”

“I know, I know but I feel partially responsible: it’s my city. And there’s a hole in it.” 

“It’s being fixed, it’ll be okay.” 

A sudden knock on your window made you jumped and you turned in your chair to see him. You walked to your window and opened it. 

He tumbled in and slumped to your bed, still in his Spider-Man suit. You sighed as you walked over and sat beside his face down figure, “So is this a ‘Leave me alone for five minutes and bring me tea’ or a ‘I am just being dramatic’ ?”

“I am not dramatic!” He shouted at you. 

You just stared at him as he jerked his mask off, a very angry and hit look painted across his face. 

“You know what?” He stood up, “Forget it! You don’t know the half of it!”

“Oh what don’t I know?” You said, feeling yourself become annoyed.

“What it is to be an actual superhero!” 

It cut you deeper than it should’ve. There was just something about the way he said it that made you believe that he never thought you were more than his tailor and direction giver. 

Anger filled you, “Oh please!” How quickly could he forget that he would not have been able to do it without you. 

“You just don’t! And I don’t expect you to!” 

“No, I don’t get the easy part. I don’t get the powers and I don’t get the praise but I hope you can do it without me.”

He stared at you, eyes scanning your face, “I don’t have the easy part. I have to except the fact my life is written out for me.”

“Well, should be easy to live then, the reassurance that it will all be okay must be great!” You folded your arms across your chest. 

There was silence for a bit. 

“What do you mean without you?” 

“You said I wasn’t a real superhero,” you felt your anger subside, “And I got mad.”

He looked at you, “I am just… disappointed in what I now know my life will be like, it’s all already drawn out and I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“What will it be?”

“My uncle, and every other Spider-Man’s uncle, were already destined to die. So is a police investigator that I am close to.” 

You could’ve swore you saw tears form in his eyes, something that never clouded the face for your sunny spirited friend, “Every Spider-Man has a Gwen Stacy. Every Gwen Stacy falls in love with Spider Man.”

You picked up on what he meant, you walked to him and wrapped your arms around him and felt his body give slightly, sniffing and snuffling noises leaving him. “Every Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy can’t be together, can they?” 

He nodded yes, acknowledging that his young love was predestined to end. All you could do was hug him.

You thought about that all through the night. Mind drifting to how sad it must be. Suddenly something touched your foot. 

It was cold.

Slightly slimy.

And it was moving. 

With a shaky hand you pulled back the cover, revealing a crimson colored mass.

Before you could scream, it began to rise slightly off the bed and a pair of pearly white eyes with a light blue sheen came to the thing that was in your bed.

Fear filled you as words came from the creature.

“Hello.”

“Hi.” You all but whispered.

“Are you frightened?”

“Uh, yea, no offense but it’s not everyday a random blood looking creature appears in my room.”

“I am Toxin.”

“Is there something you need or what?”

“I can make you a superhero. You would want to help your friend, right?” Toxin remarked. 

“Okay eavesdropper, but how could you do that?”

“I just need your body. Then you will have all my powers.”

“Could I web swing?”

“We could try.”

“What’s the catch?”

Toxin laughed, “Smart, aren’t we? Well there is one. What you eat, I take half the nutrients. I use your body as a sort of home.”

“It won’t kill me, right?”

“No. What parasite intentionally kills their host?”

“You need a marketing class.” You sighed, “But I guess we could take one.”

“We could.” Toxin smiled widely. 

You extended your hand and Toxin climbed onto it, you shuddered slightly at the feeling, “How are you gonna get inside me?”

“Take a deep breathe.” 

You closed your eyes as you breathed in through your nose, feeling him slip in your nostril. It felt like when a doctor swabbed your nose to see if you had the flu. You choked slightly, feeling it drip down into your chest. Then the voice came.

“It’s nice in here.”

“Thanks?” 

“You’re welcome.” Toxin said, “Now, I request a sandwich.”

“PB & J?”

“Grape jelly.”

“Of course.”

Little did you know who was outside your window, having seen the encounter between you and the alien. It was Pavitr. His watch chimed.

“Canon Event Successful. Continue your work.” 

[kermitkrqb]

The Usual || Tyler Galpin x reader

A/N: More of a Xavier girly tbh but I had an idea for Tyler. I literally watched the entirety of Wednesday in one day and now I’m obsessed. Help. Also idk if this idea has been done so don’t come for me 💀

What to expect: Gender neutral reader, reader messing around, flirting, a flustered Tyler, outcast!reader, implied telekinetic abilities, fluff, !!!!NO SPOILERS IN THIS FIC!!!!

Part 2 is up lovelies!

Raging storm clouds rolled over the small town of Jericho, the streets barren as the rain plummeted down. You were never one to be swayed, even in the harshest of weather. You were new in town, and had just finished unpacking your belongings into your dorm room after your enrolment at Nevermore. Principal Weems and Professor Thornhill had already discussed the school rules to you prior to your enrolment, and had emphasised how “a pass to Jericho was a privilege and not a right.” Who were they to stop you from exploring the new environment? After all, it’s not like you were doing anything cynical. You simply craved a hot chocolate and had heard about the cafe in town. Arriving outside the Weathervane, you peered inside through the window and saw the cafe to be completely empty. Although, the sign on the door clearly said the place was open, so you took your chances and walked in. Carefully placing your umbrella near the exit, you scanned the cafe once more to see if any one else occupied the area until your eyes landed on the bell that was placed on the counter.

Pressing lightly the bell rang, and out came a flustered brunette from the back room. His curls bouncing slightly as he sheepishly made his way to the counter, “Sorry, I hope you weren’t waiting long.” You smiled at him, “No worries, I wouldn’t be expecting anyone either in this weather.” The curly headed boy chuckled whilst joking, “Yet here you are. Anyway, what can I get you?” You quickly scanned the menu and a mischievous idea popped into your head. Fighting the grin you asked, “Can I just get a chocolate muffin? Oh and my usual of course.” The brunette started processing your order on the machine, “Yep, a chocolate muffin and…” He paused blinking once, it took every nerve in your body not to laugh at the situation. Tyler scanned your face once more, internally panicking as he tried to remember if he’s ever seen you before. He racked through his mind, surely he wouldn’t forget someone that attractive. But nothing. Nada. His brown eyes looked into yours, an apologetic smile on his face, “I am so sorry my mind has been everywhere these past couple of days, I just can’t seem to place you in my mind and-”

You furrowed your brows in faux sadness, “Am I that forgettable?” The Galpin boy gulped, “Yet again, I am so sor-” Unable to contain yourself any longer you burst out into laughter much to his dismay, “No, I should be the sorry one! I am completely and utterly new to town and the idea just popped into my head and I just couldn’t resist it.” Visible relief flooded his features as he shook his head in disbelief and amusement, “Oh thank god. I thought I was going crazy! I usually remember all of my regulars…” he paused trailing off slightly, “especially the pretty ones.” You became flustered in return and blushed slightly as he smirked at your reaction, “Now what were you really here for?” You snapped out of your daze clearing your throat, “I’ll take a hot chocolate to go, please.” He quirked his brow, “No more chocolate muffin?” A devilish grin spread onto your face, “No thanks, I have my eyes on something much sweeter.” He froze for a moment blushing at your boldness and deciding, “Y’know what? It’s on the house.” You smiled warmly at him leaning on the counter, “Thank you…?” He completed your sentence introducing himself, “Tyler. Tyler Galpin.”

Tyler walked around the back of the counter preparing your hot chocolate with ease, his muscular arms being the focus of your gaze. You almost didn’t realise your order was ready before he interrupted your thoughts, “A hot chocolate just for you, careful it’s hot.” His hand purposely grazed yours as he handed the disposable cup towards you, the warmth greeting your palm. “Nothing I can’t handle.” You winked at the Galpin boy, grabbing your umbrella with your free hand by the exit. You turned your back towards him about to leave when he called out, “Wait! I didn’t catch your name.” You smirked slightly, “Maybe you’ll catch it another day. See you then, Galpin.” With the flick of your head, the door opened on its own with your hands being full. You looked back one more time, smirking at Tyler before opening your umbrella and walking into the pouring rain. The door closed gently on its own, your encounter with him leaving him stunned and eager to see you once more.

[queen-haq]

Fic: Never You (Penelope x Colin) - Part 2

Rating: R

Fandom: Bridgerton (TV show)

Spoilers: S3 scene released yesterday.

Summary: They may have been friends once but his callous words decimated their relationship. Determined not to have anything to do with him, Penelope is ready to move on. But Colin isn’t giving up, not at all. Friends or not, they are connected for life - and he intends to remind her of that.

Excerpt:

“You would hate me for not wanting to court you. You would be that selfish?”

“Of course you would think that.”

“What else is this if not punishment?”

Masterlist (contains links to Part 1 and my other stories)

Chapter 2

Penelope sipped her cup of lemonade, scanning the crowd in front of her. They were at Lady Hathaway’s ball, another social engagement in a series of endless ones, and she was bored. Whereas these events served a purpose in the past, now she was no longer in search of a husband or gossip. The gatherings weren’t all work however, there were many an evening when Eloise and she would die from laughter at others frivolity. And then there were the dances. Penelope loved to dance but she wasn’t very popular and not many gentlemen asked her to partner. Often Colin would be the only one. A part of her knew his invites were more for her benefit than his but she always assumed he enjoyed their moments together as well - but now that she knew how embarrassed he was to be seen with her, she cringed at those memories.

“Good evening, Pen. Enjoying yourself?”

She almost choked on the liquid at Colin’s unexpected appearance beside her. She thought he would avoid her company, hoped for it actually after their last conversation at the park, but there he was. Stubbornly she took another sip, refusing to speak to him.

“You look lovely tonight.”

She rolled her eyes.

“As pleasing as the new wardrobe is, I must admit it’s your hair that is most… intriguing.”

In her peripheral vision she saw his eyes roaming over her, and every nerve in her body tensed. It was difficult to breathe. For as long as she’d known him, she loved him. Being flushed and breathless around Colin was nothing new, but there was something different about the reaction he evoked in her now. There was no longer a soft, sweet warmth that enveloped her. Instead something dark and caustic surged through her, a swirl of tumultuous emotions that left her reeling with confusion when he watched her in the strange, new fashion that he had at the park and now. It probably had something to do with the anger she felt towards him but it wasn’t just that. She didn’t understand it, she didn’t like it, and she needed it to stop. 

“Oh, you’d like to know how I am?” Colin continued, unfazed by her silence. “Quite well, actually. London air has been surprisingly refreshing, although I’m still not fond of the rain.”

“I do not wish to discuss the weather with you, Mr. Bridgerton,” she replied stiffly, straightening her back while her eyes remained fixated on the flood of people circling the dance floor.

“Then what shall we discuss?” he mused. “Would you like to hear about the gifts I brought back for everyone? Or would you rather share more about your time in the country?”

“I would not.”

“Alright, let’s discuss your falling out with Eloise. My sister refuses to speak on it but maybe I can pry the truth from your lips.”

“You’d be foolish to try.”

“How about a dance then? Would you join me for a waltz?”

“No.”

“Fine. Quadrille it is.”

Irritated, she turned to find him smirking at her. Her heart pounded in her chest seeing the wicked glint in his eyes, the mischievous tilt of his lips as he deliberately goaded her. “You’re trying to provoke me.”

“Is it working?” he asked with a cheeky smile.

“I won’t be indulging your whims, Colin.”

He pouted at her. “How unfortunate.” Eyes glued to her face, he drank from his cup. “Shall I take a turn about the room, Pen? Perhaps I’ll run into Lady Portia and ask her if she’ll arrange a dance for the two of us.”

Pen quirked her eyebrow. “I certainly won’t stop you from dancing with Mama if that’s what your heart desires.”

Colin laughed heartily, and instantly Penelope noticed Lord Fife and some of the other gentlemen glancing at them. And they weren’t the only ones. Nearby were Eloise and Cressida Cowper, watching her with disdain. Feeling self-conscious at all the attention they were drawing, Penelope stilled. “I’ve asked you to leave me alone, Mr. Bridgerton.”

His sigh was heavy with resignation. “I see we’re back to unpleasantries.”

“I don’t understand why you’re here. Aren’t you worried about Lord Fife and his gaggle laughing at you?”

“I don’t give a damn about what he says.”

“That’s certainly not true.”

The easy smile on his face dissolved, replaced with an intensity that held her transfixed. Regret loomed over his features. “I am truly sorry, Pen. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I wish I could tell you there was a reason why I behaved so foolishly but I can’t. I was intoxicated, yes, but that doesn’t excuse my behavior.” He took a step closer, his hands tantalizingly close to her own gloved ones. “I will do anything to earn your forgiveness. Please. Just tell me what you need.”

They were in a ballroom crowded with people but all she saw was Colin standing in front of her, his eyes soft and pleading, voice trembling with emotion. Yes he hurt her, wounded her so deeply that she spent weeks in despair trying to understand how he could be so cruel, but seeing him so torn up made her recognize he was sincerely apologetic. If she was honest with herself about that fateful encounter, what devastated her the most wasn’t him putting her down in front of others, but the sinking realization that he never really could love her. And that wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t fair to be angry at him for not reciprocating her feelings because love was not something that could be forced or demanded. And despite their newly fractured relationship, they were close friends once and she didn’t want him to continue suffering because of her. “I forgive you.”

Stunned, he stared at her. “You do?”

“Yes. We’ve both been unkind but it doesn’t serve any purpose to hold on to that pain.” She offered him a smile. “So you needn’t worry, Colin. Everything’s resolved between us.”

The cloud of worry departed from his face, his lips broke into a mischievous smile. “Does this mean I can have the next dance?”

She paused, her stomach twisting into coils. “Our friendship, Colin, it complicates things. It makes everything more difficult and…” Wringing her fingers together, she glanced down at her hands. “You’ll be traveling soon and I’ll be moving away from London once I’m married. We won’t see each other often and it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to exchange letters then. I wouldn’t want my husband or others to misconstrue things.” She looked up at him through her lashes. “It’s best if we end our friendship now.”

Before he could respond, they were interrupted by Eloise and Cressida.

“Colin, Penelope,” Eloise greeted them, her demeanor markedly cold as she turned to Pen. “Brother, I’m quite parched. Would you bring me some lemonade? Cressida will accompany you.”

“I would love to hear more about your travels,” Cressida cooed.

Jaw clenched, Colin kept his eyes centered on Penelope. “Pen and I are in the middle of a conversation.”

“Colin, be a gentleman!” Eloise chastised.

“It’s alright. We’re done speaking.” Penelope felt his keen stare upon her, he refused to budge, but it seemed to finally dawn on him that Eloise was not going anywhere. Reluctantly he walked away, with Cressida alongside him.

“Leave my brother alone.” Eloise’s words were saturated with heated rage. “Colin doesn’t know what you’re capable of, the damage you’ve caused to him and the rest of our family. He doesn’t deserve to be hurt by you.”

“Then you should tell him to keep his distance,” Penelope snapped back, and then regretted her tone instantly. “Eloise, I know you’re angry at me but you must know I would never deliberately cause Colin any harm.”

“You already have.” The pain in Eloise’s eyes was evident, causing a tidal wave of shame and guilt within Penelope. “Do you think he could ever forgive you if he knew the truth about who you are? He would hate you. We both know that.”

“Then maybe you should tell him.”

Eloise shook her head ‘no’. “I would never do that to my brother. He holds you in high esteem, the truth would break his heart. Like you broke mine.”

She stormed away, leaving Penelope staring after.

Her words weighed heavily on Pen’s mind, and she desperately needed air to compose herself. Her stride was quick as she made her way out of the ballroom, walking towards the large garden. There were some guests scattered around the grounds but as she went deep into the maze on the property, she found herself alone in a private corner behind the hedges.

For a long time she pondered Eloise’s words, the accusations echoing in her mind. As much as she’d tried to defend herself, Eloise was not interested in forgiving her. And deep down Penelope knew she didn’t deserve it. Her actions had hurt others, especially the Bridgertons, and even though she had only written about them to protect them, the end result was still the same.

Yet there was a part of her that didn’t regret her actions, because Colin was living the life he wanted and Eloise was no longer under suspicion.

Most of all, Lady Whistledown had given Penelope the kind of freedom she had never imagined. A voice to speak her mind and leave a mark in the small word she inhabited, and enough money to secure a healthy future. It was selfish of her but she didn’t care. She was Lady Whistledown and she was proud of it.

“You’ve been lying to me, Pen.”

She turned around immediately. Colin was only a few feet away, moonlight shining brightly upon him. He’d always towered over her, but standing there to his full height he looked regal and statuesque. While he’d never been a wallflower, there was something intrinsically shy about him from living in the shadows of his formidable father and brothers. He had indicated as much in his letters and in some of their private conversations. But the Colin from their recent encounters, the one staring at her now, appeared to be a different person. More confident, sure of himself. And it was reflected in his poise and gait as he sauntered closer. His thumb was pressed against the palm of his other hand, idly stroking his skin, as if in deep thought.

“You should not be here,” she replied. “If someone were to come upon us-”

“Your betrothed would not approve?”

“There would be a scandal!”

“Yes, of course.” There was wry amusement in his voice, his blue eyes twinkling. “I’ve been making discreet inquiries about your activities, amongst friends and others. I even approached Mrs. Varley and your mama earlier, and they both confirmed my suspicions.” He dipped his head to the side. “Albeit inadvertently.” Eyebrow quirked up, he sent her a teasing smile. “There’s not been any hint of a suitor, Pen. None at all.”

She peered at him, horrified.

“There is no engagement is there, Pen?” He came to a stop in front of her. “You lied to me. And I need to know why.”

Red hot anger coursed through her veins, she was so enraged that every sense of propriety and decorum left her brain. “You arrogant prick!” She charged at him. “How dare you?”

Before she could shove him away he gripped her hands, forcibly holding her tightly in his arms.

“Is it that difficult for you to imagine someone would want me? That there is a man out there who could love me and want to marry me? You find that so inconceivable, Colin?” Her breath grew ragged as she tried to break free from his grip. “Did it never occur to you-”

“You don’t get to end our friendship, Pen.” His eyes were dark and volatile, so deep that every moment she held his stare felt like sinking into the abyss. It was she who had lost her temper but now it was Colin who looked untethered, clinging to her. “You don’t get to walk away from us.”

Her heart beat thunderously in her chest, her stomach in knots as she realized she was trapped against him. There was no escape. He was occupying every inch of space, filling her senses with his scent, overwhelming her with his presence as his close proximity wreaked havoc with her insides.

“You are my friend.” Colin’s voice vibrated with raw, desperate urgency that shook her to the core. “My confidante.” Lips parted, his gaze trailed down to her mouth, down the length of her neck, settling on the highs of her breasts. No one had ever looked at her with such ferocity before, making her feel utterly exposed. “You’re…” His voice trailed off, like he couldn’t finish his thoughts; he was distracted, caught up in his world. Suddenly his hand was on her neck, the other wrapping around the back of her head. Frozen in his arms, she was simply too enthralled to move. His long lean fingers traced along her skin, searing through her heaving breasts, until his index finger hooked along the neckline of her dress.

It was such a simple thing, his finger tucked into the cleavage of her dress, but her body burned at his touch. She couldn’t take it any longer, unravelling in front of him as wetness gushed between her legs.

“Have you always been like this, Pen?”

She swallowed audibly. “Like what?”

His left hand loosened its hold on the back of her head, shifting so that his thumb now traced the contours of her lip. His gaze met hers, her body trembled. The complexity of emotions in his eyes was unsettling, she didn’t understand it at all. Why was he doing this to her? Why was he making her feel so completely vulnerable?

“So disagreeable,” he murmured, his soft breath humming against her skin.

And then just as she decided enough was enough and she needed to make her escape, his mouth closed over hers.

To be continued...

A/N - As always, feedback is loved and cherished, and encourages the muse to write faster :)

If you'd like to be added to the taglist, please drop me a note/comment.

[cozzzynook]

Some Hurt/Comfort Megarod

It was long into the evening when Megatron had finally said his goodbyes to Magnus before heading towards his hab. Letting out a tired sigh he raised one servo towards the main panel only to freeze when he heard quiet sniffling and whimpers coming from inside, not sparing a second to waste he slammed his servo onto the panel making the door open with a sudden 'whoosh'. Rushing inside he saw Rodimus sitting on the floor with his knees tucked tight to his chest while he buried his helm in between his knees.

"Rodimus?!" Megatron suddenly rushed to his Conjunx's side before wrapping his arms around the smaller mech "What's wrong? Did something happen?" He gently rubbed his servo along the red and gold mech's back trying to sooth his partner as he listened to his quiet sobs. Rodimus then raised his helm his optics wide and still leaking tears, he sniffled clearing his intake "Oh Megs, what am I going to do?" He leaned forwards trying to bury his face into the larger mech's chest. "I can't have a bitty, the crew will hate me they will hate them!" Rodimus began wheeping again not noticing the shocked looked on Megatron's face.

"Wait, wait!" With a careful servo Megatron gently grabbed Rodimus's chin allowing him to look his partner in his optics. "My flame, You're sparked?" Rodimus sniffled again before nodding while wrapping his arms around his tanks protectively. Letting out a soft sigh the larger mech leaned forwards placing a gentle kiss on the smaller mech's helm before returning to gaze into those beautiful blue optics. "I'm not upset that you're sparked Rodimus, but if you don't think you're ready to be a Carrier we can ask Ratchet to-" Megatron suddenly has his mouth shut as two gold servos slammed over them quickly hushing him. "No no no!" Rodimus hissed as he narrowed his optics in a deadly glare. "I'm not getting rid of them!...I just wish...I just wish I wasn't a Tank Carrier, then maybe the crew w-wouldn't hate me...or our bitty" He leaned backwards pulling his servos away from Megatron's mouth before allowing his frame to sag a little. With a soft brush agents Roddy's shoulder Megatron carefully grabbed a-hold of the red mech again before pulling him into another comforting hug. "No one will hate you my flame, if someone even dares to try lay a servo on you, you'll be sure me and Drift will tear them apart" That made Rodimus snort a little before gazing up with a small smile. "But are you 100% sure about keeping them? I don't want to make you feel like you have to keep them for my sake" With another nod Rodimus smiled before leaning closer letting out a sigh. "I'm sure Megs, and thank you...for everything...I'm not sure what I would do without you" He then flashed a brighter smile as Megatron leaned down to place another soft kiss on his helm. "You're welcome my flame"

A couple of months passed and Rodimus was bored out of his processor as he placed two of his servos on top his large tanks while he gazed boreally around the pale white walls of the med-bay. Shifting on the med berth he suddenly felt a kick jab him in the sides, he gave a mild hiss before rubbing the spot with his servo. "Yeah Carrier is bored too, let's hope Uncle Ratchet doesn't take too long in his office huh?" He felt another kick however lighter this time making the red mech smile wide before perking up to the sound of a door opening. Ratchet stepped inside with a data pad grumbling to himself before taking a seat next to the med berth. "Well good news, the latest scans are looking good and it seems the little one is due any day now" Rodimus's spoiler flicked happily as he slowly ran one servo along his tanks with a smile. "So soon huh? Primus they'll be walking and transforming into their Alt-Mode in no time at this rate" Ratchet snorted a little putting away his data pad before standing up grab something off the shelves. "About that Rodimus, I think it's best you spend the next few days in the med-bay" The red mech frowned slightly. "It's not anything worrisome, but considering how far your and Megatron's hab is from the med bay it might be better to stay here for a while" A low whine escaped the Captain as he slowly sank into the berth as his frame deflated before putting his face in his servos. "Great, I'm stuck in the most boring place on this ship, no offence Ratchet" The Medic snorted a little followed by a smirk "None taken, I'll let Megatron and Drift know. It seems you could use the company"

It was later that night and Megatron had been busy getting everything ready, there were blankets sitting on a neat pile on one of the spare chairs while a pair of hand-crafted plushies at on a near by shelf. Meanwhile Drift had come to visit and was currently happily joking and laughing with his Amica. "Sooo are you excited? This little one will be here any moment now" The white and red speedster carefully poked the large tank making Rodimus chuckle. "Yeah, but also terrified...I-I can't help but worry about if something will go wrong despite Ratchet's confidence" Drift frowned a little before resting one servo on top of Roddy's with a soft smile. The fellow speedster then leaned forwards giving a light head bonk making the red mech laugh. "Don't worry Roddy, you're tough...one of the strongest mechs I know and I'm sure everything will be fine" He then pulled away with a wide smile before gazing at his Amica. Rodimus then smiled flicking his spoiler in amusement. "Thanks Drifters" With a sharp nod the white speedster flashed a toothy grin. "You're welcome, and kiddo you better be good for your Carrier and Sire" Drift then lightly scolded the bump making Rodimus howl with laughter.

The early morning was rather busy for the med bay and both Ratchet and First Aid rushed both in and out of the room carrying all sorts of tools. Meanwhile quiet cries of pain escaped Rodimus's intake as another wave pain rippled through his tanks making him pant sharply as he gripped Megatron's servo as tight as he could. The grey mech softly cooed praise as well as words of comfort as he tried to sooth his Conjunx's pain, just then another sharp wave making Rodimus cry out again while squeezing Megatron's servo so tight it made him gasp sharply. Everything then fell silent as a small cry began echoing in the room, perking up and forgetting all about his pain Rodimus shuffled awkwardly trying to see the source of the noise. "Congratulations it's a healthy little mechling" Ratchet spoke with a wide smile as he handed over the little fussing and wiggling sparkling to Rodimus who eagerly scouped them up in his arms with tears in his optics. "Hello my bitty" He sniffled as he admired the sparkling who began to settle sensing the familiar bond and scent of his creators "Megs, he's perfect. One perfect little bitty" With a soft smile Megatron placed a kiss on Roddy's cheek before using one digit to carefully pet his sparkling's helm "He is, and you did so well my flame" The larger mech seemed to blink back tears making Rodimus smile softly pulling his sparkling closer so they can listing to the familiar hum of his spark while he began to slowly hum a lullaby. "We will leave you be, call us if you need anything" Ratchet quietly whispered as he and First Aid had finished up cleaning up the room and slowly left the room trying not to disturb anything. Megatron flashed a smile before giving a sharp nod to the medics watching them leave before turning his attention back at his small family.

'u' Hope you enjoyed.

This is soooo cute 🥹🥹🥹😭

I love it!!!!!

[mars-wuz-herez]

Sonic Prime AU

Ok guys here is the intro of my AU. My writing is a little weird (sorry in advance) I hope you guys enjoy it!

!!!SONIC PRIME SEASON 3 SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

___________________________________________________

What if Sonic died?

___________________________________________________

Shadows point of view 

I could see that Black Rose wasn't able to take us back home. Her ship wasn't in any condition to fly. I looked at Sonic. It pained me to see him in so much pain. I knew what I had to do. 

Shadow: Black Rose! You have brought us far enough. I'll take it from here.

Black Rose nodded at me. I walked toward Sonic as Thorn helped him from the ground. Sonic placed his arm on me and I wrapped my right arm around his waist and my left hand on his hand. He leaned on me for support as we walked slowly toward the front of the ship. I was going to ask if he was ready but before I could do that Sonic looked behind him.

Sonic: Goodbye Roses

I knew that was the cue to leave. We jumped off the ship and onto the floating rocks. When we reached the 6th rock Sonic could no longer stand. He winced in pain. I looked at him and at home. We were still far away and needed to go faster. I picked him up and started running fast. 

Sonic: I never knew you were a hugger.

I looked at him. Even when he was dying he was still finding a way to make me feel better. I decided to play along to try and lighten the situation.

Shadow: Do you want me to save you or not?

Sonic winced in pain and lost consciousness. I ran faster. I jumped off the rock I was running on.  I saw another rock with a flat surface and aimed for it. Just as I got on this rock I jumped off it with all my strength, creating waves so I can go faster. I was now in the air heading straight towards Green Hill. We were almost there!

Shadow (yelling): Hang on Sonic!

In my hands though I felt Sonic's body. I couldn't feel him breathing. I couldn't feel his heartbeat. No. We were going to make it. He was going to live. I made my air shoes go as fast as they could. I grabbed onto Sonic tighter seconds before we made it back to Green Hill. 

I woke up. Where am I? I looked at my surroundings. I was surrounded by rocks. In front of me I felt something heavy in my hand. The chaos emerald! I hear an explosion coming from temple mountain. Sonic! I get up and run. I ran past Big and up the mountain. I stop at the entrance. There I see Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Rouge and Eggman. I see Eggman about to get the rock off the ground. I teleport in front of Eggman and punch his robot outfit. He falls to the ground. 

Everyone: Shadow?

I scan the room for Sonic. He's not here. I turn to the group.

Shadow: Where’s Sonic? 

Amy: I-I don't know. One minute he's here and the next…

Tails: He just vanished out of thin air.

What? No. No no no no. It couldn't be. 

Shadow (with fear in his voice): How long ago did it happen?

Eggman (in the background): HELP ME UP YOU IDIOT ROBOTS

Rouge: Just a minute before you got here. Shadow is-

I stopped listening as my surroundings started to go foggy. I put my hands on my head. No no no no no no. It couldn't be. Was I not fast enough? Did I really-? I could hear Rouge's voice talking to me but I wasn't listening. I felt myself hyperventilating. Then I saw everyone except Rouge run behind me. 

Rouge (voice muffled): Shadow what’s wrong?

I failed him. I failed him. I wasn't fast enough. He is gone…because of me. Rouge is trying to calm me down but I can't. I failed. I close my eyes as I hear the muffled voice around me.

Tails (voice muffled): What's wrong with him?

Rouge (voice muffled): I don't know

Amy (voice muffled): We can't let Eggman get the Prism!

The Prism! I open my eyes and look at the Prism It is full of Sonic's energy. Maybe I could use it to find a way to bring him back to life. It just might work! I have the chaos emerald appear in my hand and I teleport on top of the prism. 

Eggman: Shadow? What the heck are you doing?

Shadow: Fixing everything

Before he could respond I put the palm of my hand on the prism and shout

Shadow: CHAOS CONTROL!

and disappear.

To be continued…..

(None of these characters are mine)

People who wanted to be mentioned when this came out:

@mrfrobbert @hawk-has-alot-of-gay-ships @bun-bie

@callme-aprilroseisha04 @rainestorm05

(If you want to be mentioned when the next part comes out just say something in the comments)

[krnzysh]

PRIDE OF A SCRIBE !

SUMMARY You stood there, under the rain, soaking wet, and face to face with the same man whose pride you loathed with every fiber of your being. Yet how come he stood there, eyes so soft for you?

CHARACTER Al-Haitham x gn!reader

WARNINGS major spoilers for pride and prejudice (I used the same dialogue for the confession heaurhisauf)!, OOC alhaitham (I based him off of Mr. darcy’s personality cus why not), arguing, angst no comfort, gender neutral reader, just angst<3, oneshot only. lmk if I missed any!

WORD COUNT 1229 

PICTURE CRED Alhaitham's character demo

[💬] LOVE, AIKA I recently rewatched pride and prejudice heisdh and I wanted to write a little come home offering for Alhaitham so uhm yeah🧍 he just fits Mr. Darcy so well ahuehuehue (I actually have another idea for Mr. Bingley ehehsihd lmk if you want it hehehe)

Your idiocy is something you are not proud of. Now because of your decision, you stood there soaking wet, from head to toe.

It was a sunny morning, with no signs of a dark sky, or the feeling of cold droplets of water on your skin that fell from the heavens.

But here you were, running. Desperately seeking shelter from the harsh wind and the heavy downfall of the rain.

Moments before, you were just sitting in the House of Daena where you were reading on scrolls for your research. You were far too engrossed that you didn’t notice the abundance of scholars who left before the downcast of the rain.

As you think back, you make a mental note on making sure that you are more aware of your surroundings.

Exhaustion enveloped your body as soon as you leaned on the wall for support. ‘I need to get home’. Was the only thought that occupied your head.

But before you could stand once more, a certain figure caught your line of sight. 

As the figure grew larger and larger, and as a presence drew nearer, there the grand scribe of the Akademiya stood in all his glory.

He was the last person you wanted to see. Especially in this state of yours.

You wanted to avoid him as much as possible, “Alhaitham... What are you-”

“Y/n, please.” He cut your inquiry off, his voice bled and beseech you to listen to him, his eyes scanning you, earnestly trying to make you stay and hear him out.

Deciding to hear him out, you stood in silence, breaking eye contact with the scribe. What could he be thinking? 

Noticing your silent response, he took this as a sign to keep talking. Finally, tell you what he was keeping deep in his heart.

He began to speak, in a manner you most certainly never expected him in. His voice was filled with adoration and he spoke as if he cherished and loved you.

“Y/n, I have struggled in vain and I can no longer bear it.” He started, eyes locked on you. You saw how he badly wanted to hold you, yet he refrained from doing so.

You stare at him, awaiting his next words. Your ears perked and were ready to hear every last syllable that came from his mouth.

 “These past months have been a torment, I repeatedly came to the House of Daena to see you…” He admits. Alhaitham stopped for a moment before continuing. 

“I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank and circumstance. All these things I am willing to put aside and ask you to end my agony.” He continued, albeit faster and his demeanor never faltered.

But you? You were confused. Oh so confused.

What was he saying? End his agony? You couldn’t understand. And with confusion in your eyes and in your voice, you questioned him;

“I don’t understand…” You didn’t understand. After he insulted your ranking and your position after he said all those words and after he asked you to end his agony.

‘Just what is this scribe pertaining to?’ You ask yourself

Sensing the confusion, Alhaitham, spoke, with more honesty and love.

“I love you.” He finally confessed, stopping for a second before continuing, “Most ardently. Please do me the honor of accepting my hand.”

The shock was painted all over your face. Eyes blew wide, mouth agape. Your head still hasn’t registered his words.

Alhaitham, the grand scribe of the Akademiya, the prideful man he is, confessed his feelings, to you…?

You had no feelings for the man, atleast that is what your mind wanted to believe.

Minutes felt like hours, the long cruciating silence that took over you both was silent enough that only the pitter-patter of the rain can be heard.

“Sir scribe, I appreciate the struggle you have been through, and I am very sorry to have caused you pain. Believe me, it was unconsciously done.” You finally replied to him after what seemed like ages.

Alhaitham whose face never changed still maintained that poker face, replied to your statement. With a curt “Is that your reply?”

The cold and monotone voice spoke through the never-ending sploshes of water

He maintained eye contact with you as you answer his question.

“Yes, sir scribe.”

“Are you… are you laughing at me?”

“No.”

“Are you rejecting me?”

You so badly wanted to let out a scoff, he still couldn’t let his pride now, even at this moment. Can he?

“I'm sure that the feelings which, as you've told me have hindered your regard, will help you in overcoming it.” You told him, blatantly rejecting him.

“Might I ask why, with so little endeavor at civility, I am thus repulsed?” He further inquired.

The irony. You thought that maybe he could’ve let his pride lower, even just for this moment. But no, he’s just that prideful, isn’t he?

“And I might as well enquire why, with so evident a design of insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your better judgment.”

“So this is your opinion of me. Thank you for explaining so fully. Perhaps these offenses might have been overlooked had not your pride been hurt by my honesty…”

Looking him in the eye, your rage grew, more and more so. 

“My… pride?”

You questioned him, is this how he treats the person he cherishes and adores?

“...in admitting scruples about our relationship. Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your circumstances?”

Oh, he just added fuel to the raging fire that you desperately tried to tame.

You knew of your status, you were well aware you were not born into an influential family nor were you raised with so much money. But for him to insult you and rub it into your face? 

Hurt, you reply to him “And those are the words of THE GRAND SCRIBE.”  emphasizing his title.

“From the first moment, I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.”

No, you know it yourself, you don’t hate him, you don’t loathe him. You adore him. So much so that you just wanted to embrace him and make him yours.

But what he said just hurt you, so much. 

You both stood there, eyes filled with rage, but if you look closer, you can see how hurt you were.

Alhaitham wanted to hold you. He wanted to cherish you, to give you all the love that you deserve. But he had to mess up, maybe Kaveh was right.

You saw how he wanted to reach out to you, but he stopped himself.

You saw how he wanted to wipe your tears away and apologize, he wanted to comfort you.

“I… apologize for taking so much of your time. Please stay safe, Y/n” 

He finally spoke up, breaking eye contact with you. Turning around to leave.

He gave you one last glance before finally, leaving you and your thoughts alone.

Too much thought ran throughout your head, still not fully understanding the situation. Still in confusion.

But you had one question for yourself. Did you really, not love him?

© aiikalvr, 2023 — do not repost, plagiarize, translate, or adapt my works without prior permission and/or confirmation on any platform!

[forggywrites]

Let’s See the Barbie Movie!

Miguel O’Hara x GN reader

Headcanons/scenario

Requests are open!

CW: slight spoilers for the Barbie movie? I’m not sure. Reader annoys Miguel. He gets annoyed, but not angry.

———————————

“Hey Miguel, what do you think about seeing the Barbie movie with me?”

“You want me to see the Barbie movie with you? Why don’t you ask anyone else here to see it with you? Like Peter B, he seems like the type to like that kinda stuff…”

You huff “but I wanna go with my favorite person in the whole world! Besides, I think it’ll be fun!”

Miguel gives you a look, then turns back to his work.

Suddenly Lyla appears

“Miguel, you really should go. The ratings are very high, and it’s got some VERY attractive actors in there.” (All of them are hot)

“Is the movie even out yet?” He responded.

“Yeah! It came out just the other day! A bunch of people are already talking about it!”

“No, I’m too busy.”

“Please?”

“No”

“Pleaaaasssseeeeee?” You ask, stretching the word out.

“No.” he adds more firmly.

“Pretty please?” You give him the exaggerated puppy dog eyes, your lip pouted.

“No.”

You stop, walk closer to the man, and drop to your knees in front of him.

“Please, for me?” You flutter your eyelashes.

You both go quiet

…

…

…

“…fine”

“What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.” You teased.

“I said fine, I will go see Barbie with you. But I am not dressing up.”

“YIPPIEE!!!” You shout as you jump to your feet.

“I’ll buy the tickets, when are you free?”

———————————

“I’m ready to see Barbie!” You call out as you walk into Miguel’s office. He was finishing up his work for the day, having already thrown on a simple outfit consisting of regular blue jeans and a black shirt.

“What the hell are you wearing?” He mutters as he looks at you.

“It’s my Barbie outfit! You like it?”

“I think I’m going to have an aneurysm, there’s so much pink.”

Lyla pops up next to you and immediately compliments your amazing outfit.

“Alright, you can shut up now Lyla. Let’s get this over with.”

The two of you went on your way, arriving at the movie theater you offered to buy Miguel whatever snacks he wanted, as you were kind of forcing him to be there. He settled on a water and small popcorn.

Once you got your tickets scanned and headed to the theater you two got settled in your seats, the theater was fairly crowded due to two big movies having just opened.

———————————

The credits rolled, you sat in your seat with a large smile on your face.

The two of you walked out of the theater pretty quietly, only stopping to use the bathroom, or for you to compliment other’s people outfits (and vice versa).

“Soooooo… how did you like it?” You muse to the tall man next to you.

“Actually, it wasn’t bad.” His face was as cold as ever, but you can’t help but think about the slight smiles or laughs you noticed from him during the movie. Or even how he got quiet during certain parts with the mother and daughter characters. Almost as if he was going to cry.

“I’m glad you liked it!” You had a smile on your face, glad your convincing had worked and that the evening wasn’t a total waste of time for him.

———————————

Bonus:

“Wait, you guys saw the Barbie movie without me!?” The yell shocked you, it wasn’t like Perter B to yell, especially in front of Mayday.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t think you would care that much…” you sweat dropped as the father yelled like a character from a bad drama show.

“I’m jus surprised you got the man to go at all” Hobie chimed, a small smirk on his face.

“Was it good?” Gwen asked.

“Yeah, actually it was. And if it was good enough for Miguel to enjoy it, I think you’ll like it to.”

———————————

Wrote this in like half an hour, it has not been edited. I saw the Barbie movie earlier and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. The movie was a great mix of comedy and amazing commentary on the patriarchy along with how women are treated in society. I totally recommend anyone who can see it, see it.

Also I slayed with my outfit, but the Barbie heels gave me bad blisters and I kept getting misgendered :(

[seasonal-writes]

what if. golden rings AU grian and jimmy or tango and impulse <3 pls I need the boys so badly

wow! another request filled!! this is crazyyy wowoww anyway. have some Golden Rings Tango and Impulse. it's... very self-indulgent, i am so sorry. thanks for the request, theooooo. <3 (for a note: this isn't spoilers! so even if you haven't read golden rings/aren't caught up, you'll be fine! just a fun one-shot, somewhere in time in the golden rings AU!<3)

~ “Well, don’t you look official.”

Swiftly turning around, Impulse removes his hard gaze on the bedroom door, spinning around slowly to the new figure in the room. Backed by warm lantern light, the silhouetted, lithe figure’s shoulders shake with a soft laugh. 

“Didn’t even hear you come in,” Tango says, smirking, “Did I scare you?”

Impulse shakes his head. “You’ll have to try a little harder than that.” 

With a snort, Tango moves over to the vanity in the corner of the room. “You jumped. I saw it.”

Scanning over the prince, he focuses on the attire—clearly prepared for the evening’s events, but.. lacking. He grunts, noting the missing jewelry, lack of crown...

“Aren’t you ready, your majesty?” Impulse asks, voice low, “I’m tasked with escorting you to the ball within the next few minutes.” 

“Your majesty?” Tango asks, clearly taken aback. He turns around on the tiny, tufted stool and his mouth gapes. “We’re usin’ titles now?”

“You didn’t answer my question.” 

The prince dodges the inquiry. “What happened to Tango, huh? Get caught slipping?”

“No, sir. Just getting back into habit. It’s an important night.” 

Impulse moves further into the room. He takes post at a wall like usual, leaning against the perfect spot, that of which allows him to see Tango’s bedroom door in the reflection of the vanity but allows him to keep an eye on the prince too. 

“I guess.”  Tango shrugs, turning back around and facing himself in the mirror. He fiddles with a box, cracking it open and revealing a bright bunch of golden bits and bobs within. Digging his claws in, Tango pulls a couple indistinct pieces of jewelry and sets them down. It’s all very slow, Impulse notices, far too methodical for Tango who is..usually rather decisive regarding these things. 

“Your highness,” he says again, like a warning. 

“I know, I know. Late. ” Tango rolls his eyes, both hands working to fasten an earring, “Late to a bunch of chatter.” 

“It’s important to your father.”

“Yeah, but why do I have to go dance with a bunch of strangers? It’s his party.” 

At that notion, Tango’s eyes suddenly flick up in the mirror, meeting Impulse as he fastens in the other earring. There is a quick smile, and he’s turned around again, to which Impulse wants to groan in irritation. Here we go. 

“Hey, Impy.” 

“Yes?”

“Do you ever dance at parties?” 

With a sigh, Impulse shakes his head. For the moment, he feels his knightly exterior slipping into the casual conversation the two commonly shared. He tries to hold steady. 

“Is this really the time? My liege-”

Tango pats at his thighs eagerly. “Come on! I’m curious.” 

Offering a heavy eye roll, Impulse leans his back against the wall. 

“Not often, no. Now, will you please get ready?” 

“Do any knights know how to dance?” Tango teases, “Aren’t you taught that in your training?” 

He’s standing now. That familiar, memorized shape of his charge’s body slinking towards him. The darkly colored fabric of Tango’s skirt consumes the greater, lower half of him and makes him look a little like a ghost, if not for the bright and lively eyes. If not for the dazzling smile. Had Impulse been a braver man, he would’ve told Tango how lovely he looked—only for the idea to make his mouth go dry. 

“My job isn’t to dance, your highness.” 

“Well, ya can’t go to a ball without knowing how to dance, can you, Sir Impulse? Since we’re using titles now..” 

His title, sitting so playfully on Tango’s tongue, sends Impulse’s heart into a stampede. Impulse tries his best not to gulp, swallowing a mouthful of words. He knows his task, and yet, the prince always did so well at weakening his backbone.

Tango, now very close, stares up at Impulse. Unsure if it’s a trick of the light, or if there is actually something to cause the effect, Impulse can almost see a shimmer across Tango’s face. They often had moments in this dimness, when the lanterns go from simulating a sense of daylight and are turned down to something more representative of the night: lower, quieter, warmer. Something in the spare firelight makes the prince glow, and it makes Impulse feel particularly reverent. 

But his brain gets the better of him, and Impulse just stares right back with a more insistent look. One that says please your father is absolutely going to kill me if we don’t go and come on and Tango, but he feels Tango’s hand brushing at his and his face feels like it’s gotten a hundred degrees hotter. 

“Come on,” Tango says, pulling Impulse from the wall. 

Something inside lets him move. He weakens, unable to say no. 

“No music,” he mumbles awkwardly, one last ditch effort to stop the whole affair. 

“Eh, who needs it?” 

The two find themselves in the middle of the room. Prince Tango’s eyes roam over the knight’s demeanor, leaving what feel like tangible, burning lines that melt through Impulse’s armor. 

"Usually it’s...”

“Sir Impulse, you really don’t want to dance with me, do you?” 

“That’s not what I said,” Impulse says, “it’s just that you’re expected downstairs and..”

Pushing closer, Tango enters Impulse’s space fully now, sending Impulse’s words off into the ether. His defenses shatter. Gently taking Impulse’s hand away from the hilt of his sword, which he’d found himself holding tightly, Tango presses the gloved hand to his waist. Impulse feels jitters crawl up the arm, hand twitching. 

For the first time, Impulse’s composure cracks, breath hitching. He hopes Tango doesn’t notice, the prince now taking his other hand. When he finally looks at Impulse, the knight straightens his back out of habit, and Tango smirks. Impulse feels his breath brush across his face, tickling his skin. There is a heavy feeling settling all over, and it makes him want to either tuck tail and run or just plain melt. He can’t decide which. 

“Perfect,” Tango hums, “You just keep your hand there, alright?” 

“This is.. very against my oaths to your father,” Impulse says, gesturing to their clasped hands, “You realize that, right?” 

“Of course I do.” Tango grins. He takes a step, leading Impulse into the beginnings of a very slow, clunky waltz. “Don’t worry, you won’t be smote. I won’t blab if you won’t.”

“He’s going to ask where we’ve been.”

“And? I’m the prince, I can do what I want.”

“...To an extent.”

“Are you questioning my power?”

“I think you deserve it, your highness,” Impulse says, letting a smile slip. 

Tango makes a face, screwed up in playful frustration. A laugh bubbles up in Impulse’s throat, flowing out in a hefty, rasped chuckle. When Tango smiles, it’s overwhelmingly fond, sending a chill down Impulse’s spine. 

The two slowly move around the empty space, making messy shapes with their path. Impulse finds that he can’t quite get the hand on Tango’s waist to relax. The fingers dangle, his palm hovers, the side of the prince only brushing against the inside of his glove when certain movements allow it. There is something that prevents it, and if not for the fact that Tango laced their fingers together, the other hand would likely be the same way. 

“You know, you can touch me,” Tango suddenly says, noticing the hesitance. 

He removes his hand from Impulse’s shoulder without skipping a step, bringing it down and pressing Impulse’s hand into his waist. His fingers instinctively wrap around, digging into soft muscle and slipping towards his back. 

When the desire to pull Tango in makes itself apparent—when it slips through the broken defenses, he lets it. He listens, using the hand to pull Tango closer. It feels so much like second nature that Impulse swears he has never acted in a way that felt more correct. 

Tango lets out a breath, like he meant to laugh, but it comes out as more of a delicate gasp. Impulse doesn’t know what to say, all the words caught in the back of his throat. The room feels smaller, narrowing to how it feels to have Tango this close, in his grip. The walls blur around him, his focus landing on the prince before him, staring slightly wide-eyed. Instead of shock, it looks more like bewilderment—a pleasant surprise, he hopes, to be held this way.

Impulse feels something well up in his chest, something he can’t quite put a name to. It was warm, and fuzzy, and making itself at home in the very deepest corners of his heart. It’s distracting, it’s overwhelming. 

So much so, that he isn’t quite sure when they stopped moving. 

When Impulse meets his eyes, Tango immediately looks away. He sees the skin of his glowing face grow pinker. They stand still, locked in what now feels like an embrace.

“...You’re not half-bad,” Tango says, his voice barely above a whisper, “And you said you don’t dance.”

“I said I don’t do it often.” 

Regaining his composure—or, attempting to, Impulse clears his throat. When he lets go of Tango, his hands drag. He almost wishes, for a moment, it was his skin: ungloved, unobstructed touch. It’s painfully slow, as if savoring every centimeter, before he steps away. 

“Well,” he says, “Now that you’ve sufficiently distracted me..”

Tango doesn’t respond for a moment, hands lightly wringing in front of him as he looks down at the floor. Impulse’s hand rests back on the hilt of his sword, and he makes for the door, posting up near it. 

He tries his best to ignore how everything inside him burns, offering a glance to Tango once more. 

Impulse can’t help how, when he speaks, his voice feels so full. His throat feels tight, heart pounding. 

“Are you ready, my prince?” 

(And what if I said “my prince”  but actually meant-)

“..Um. Yeah, yes, of course,” Tango says, “We should go. Late enough as is.” 

And when Tango lightly touches Impulse’s arm as he passes him on the way out, muttering something that sounds like a “thank you” under his breath, the grip on his hilt tightens. 

He tries not to fall to pieces. 

[joelsreligion]

Don't Tell (part 2)┊ dbf!Joel x Reader

(a/n) I was working on this last night and it was literally 2am but I was so addicted to writing it I didn't wanna stop. I also suck at writing summaries cause I'm scared of spoilers so expect them to be VAGUE. AND I reread this chapter like 3-4 times to edit and I feel like it's all smut but the words are getting all jumbled together so I just stopped reading it and posted it as is :) Enjoyyyyy

(Summary) (9.8k) You go to Joels house to hangout with Sarah, and Joel drives you back home. You can't sleep and it's like, 1 am so, sleep deprivation.

(Warnings) f solo masturbation and fingering, nipple/boob..play? (idk what to call it), oral f receiving, teasing, sloppy kisses, some dirty talk, MINOR overstim, mention of pills/painkillers.

The next morning you woke up in your bed. You don’t know how you got here but you didn’t question it too much. The sun let in a delicate light through your window that soaked your skin in warmth. You propped yourself on your elbows and picked up your phone to check the time. 

9:25 am

1 missed call from Dad

1 message from Dad

Fuck, I overslept. You went to your bathroom and did what you did every morning, brushed your teeth and washed your face. When you walked out of your bathroom and back into your bedroom, you were greeted by the same golden light you woke up to. You smiled at how cozy your bedroom looked with the light from outside pouring in. You opened your window to let in some fresh air and straightened your bed a little before you jumped back on it. You picked your phone back up and clicked on your dads missed call to return it. It rang for a couple seconds and then he picked up. 

“Heyyy Goo’mornin’. ‘s a little late to be in bed no?” Your dad said mockingly.

“Yeah I know, I didn’t think I’d wake up this late.”

“Did’ya see the picture I sent?”

“Mmm no, hold on gimme a sec” You slid out of the phone call and clicked on the message from your dad. It was a picture of his breakfast. Across from your dads plate, you saw another plate of the same food and the torso of a broad and built man in a navy shirt. Immediately you knew it was Joel. Your eyebrows relaxed and your lips slightly parted as you felt the lump in your throat grow thick. Suddenly, you were very aware of how awakened you were. Your eyes scanned how conveniently his shirt gripped onto his chest and the slight glimpse of his hand gripping a coffee mug made your body tingle. You bit the inside of your cheek to try and suppress a blush just as you heard your dad speak. 

“Jealous?” your dad taunted

What?

“What?” you asked, trying to sound more composed than you felt. 

“The breakfast. Sarah got us some strawberries, juice, n some san’wiches. Woulda invited ya but you were dead asleep.”

“Oh..” you felt your posture relax a bit “.. yeah, extremely jealous. You’re at Joels then?” You laid back into your pillows and looked outside of your window. 

“Yeah. He said you can come over later, we’re just hangin’ out, plannin’ the lake trip. Nothin’ much. ” You heard your dad chew from the other end of the call.

“Oh ok, cool. I’ll just get ready n meet you guys over there later then.” Your hand played with the ruffles of your pillow as you talked to your dad. 

“Sounds good kid, see you later.”

“Alright, bye dad” You hung up the call, turned your phone off, and put it down next to you. You threw your head back and allowed the sun to hit your face and drape your chest. The warmness felt comforting and you wanted to sink even lower down into your bed. Your mind instantly went back to the picture of Joel you saw and you tried painting it from memory. 

His neck looked soft yet stern and you felt like you knew what face he was making by the pull of his skin. Broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his sleeved shirt. The way his bicep flexed from the grip of the coffee cup. You followed the flex of his arm down to his fingers and tried to remember those the clearest. Thick, rough, calloused fingers holding onto the ceramic tan mug. The opposition was ironic.

You felt your pussy start to pulse and you toyed with your hand draped over your stomach. The outside wind brushed over your skin and your eyes remained closed to try and keep the picture in memory. You reached your hand down to your center and lightly rubbed circles over your underwear. You squeezed your mouth closed to keep a moan from escaping as you rubbed a little harder.

Fuck I’m wet

You were soaked over your underwear and you became desperate. You didn’t know how it happened so fast but you didn’t care. Your breath became heavier and your eyes squeezed harder as you kept rubbing. Your mouth formed a larger o as you rubbed harder and a little faster. Your breath was coming out in pants and you tried to grab onto as much air as you were letting out. You felt a squeeze in your pelvis as your orgasm began to build. 

Fuck ohmygod. I wanna cum. 

You thought about him. Joels face, and the way you felt when he locked his eyes on you. The way his dimples made your stomach feel hollow and how you felt when he hugged you for the first time in months. Your desperation became overwhelming and you felt annoyed at how your underwear seemed to be getting in the way. You slipped your hand under them and immediately felt how wet you were. 

“Oh- fuck.” You let out a moan. You forgot about the fact that the window was open till you heard a car pass by. Honestly though, you didn’t really care. Your free hand slipped under your shirt and started to play with your nipples while your other hand made its way lower below your clit. You were so wet and so needy you felt empty. You needed something inside of you. You wanted to know how Joel would feel inside as he stretched you out and you rode him slowly. You wanted to go slowly till he begged for you to go faster. You felt yourself get wetter and you dripped a little on the inside of your thigh. You needed to hear him say things and feel him do things that you would be too embarrassed to even ask for, but you wanted it. So bad. You slipped a finger inside yourself to relieve some of the ache. Your other hand rolled your nipple between your fingers as your back arched and a whine left your throat. 

“Ohmy- god. Oh fuck, please” you moaned. You were begging at nothing but you felt if you said it out loud, Joels voice might appear and tell you it was ok. 

You took your hand out of yourself and rubbed your clit a little harder, bringing you closer to the edge. You slipped your hand back down and inserted two fingers. In and out, in and out, curling your fingers up to hit that spot that made you want to moan so loud you were sure anyone passing by would hear. 

You thought about Joel walking in on you like this. What he might say, what he might do. Your orgasm kept building and you felt a squeeze in your muscles. You wondered if he would get hard at the thought of you rubbing yourself to him or if he might want to make you scream his name. You kept fucking yourself with your fingers, harder, and the sound of your wet, needy self filled the room. You imagined grinding on him above his jeans and feeling him get hard under you. That was. it. You took your fingers out and rubbed your clit till your body overcame with relief. 

“Ohmy- fuck, ohmygod. Ohmygod. Holy shit. ” You were an octave away from your moans to be considered screams. 

Your legs trembled as your hand stayed on your clit and your fingers squeezed your breasts as your breath leveled out. 

Holy shit

You took a minute to recollect yourself and shamefully opened your eyes. You looked outside of the window and peered down onto the street to make sure no one was listening. No one was. You laid your head back down on your pillow and thought about just how you got yourself off to your bestfriends dad and about how you were expected to see him later today. You conferred one thing at least, these feelings for him were real. You didn’t know if they were romantic or purely sexual ones but you knew they were very much real and they just brought you one of the best orgasms you’ve ever had. 

This is so great. Sarcastic comments filled your head. 

You got up off of your bed and laid out some clothes to put on. You spent a couple minutes debating but settled on some jeans and one of your dads old tshirts you sewed to fit you properly. You took a quick shower before you headed downstairs for some breakfast. You didn’t want anything heavy, you were afraid you wouldn’t be able to keep anything heavy down. You opted for a fruit smoothie and made your way over to your Joels home. 

You were nervous. You didn’t know how to confront him after what you did. 

Obviously he doesn’t know what I did. You reasoned. But what if he can tell…somehow? What if he can see it on my face how guilty I look or what if, god, what if he can sense it and he says something or..stop it. He doesn’t know, he won’t know, there’s no way he can know unless you tell him. 

You turned the corner of your neighborhood and saw Joels home six houses down. You always admired the neighborhood. It was nice, quiet, properly taken care of, you always felt safe here. You’d spent a lot of your time as a kid playing in the street with Sarah and you could recall some memories in every place you looked. 

You slowed down as you got closer to his house. 

You were nervous. The guilt overwhelmed you and you didn’t have any more good feelings about the fact that you’d made yourself cum to the thought of him. You couldn’t even say anything about it. You needed to talk it out, repent felt like the right word. You swallowed down your remorse and walked up the driveway. 

Your hands started to sweat and your clothes began to feel too tight. You shifted your feet slightly on the welcome mat and heard a lock click before you could even knock, then the door pulled open. 

Joel opened the front door and smiled. 

“Hey, just in time for dinner”

Dinner? The sun was still up. Did you lose track of time? How long were you-

“I’m kidding. It’s barely past noon. You took a while getting here.”

“Oh..” You felt slightly at ease. You began to breathe normally again and Joel moved back to give you enough room to enter. You wiped your feet on the mat and took a careful step inside. You couldn’t look at him, not without feeling bad about your thoughts. “..yeah sorry. I- um I got busy with something for a bit”

You felt your cheeks flush a light pink and you looked at the floor to try and hide it from him. 

“Ah, don’t worry about it. You finished it?” He asked as he closed the door. 

I know he didn’t mean the word ‘finished’ quite literally but it’s a little ironic he chose that word.

“Uhm, yeah. It wasn’t difficult just, you know, one of those things.” You tried looking up at him for a second. If you avoided eye contact he’d know something’s wrong. Your eyes traveled from his worn out, washed-too-many-times jeans up to the same navy shirt you saw in the picture. The same picture that made you not care whether your neighbors heard your moans or not and wonder what he’d feel like inside of you. You looked into his eyes and forced an innocent smile on your face.

“Alright, good.” He congratulated. Suddenly you were aware of the very little space between you two. His head was tilted down towards you and you were looking at him with admiration. God he’s beautiful. He smiled at you and began to walk back towards the kitchen. You froze a little in your place and then noticed no one was in the living room. You saw your dad sitting outside by the pool and heard noise coming from upstairs. You followed him lightly, trying not to make any noise for some reason. 

“Sarah’s in her room. Hey why don’ you be a good girl n help me bring some of these snacks out. I’ll let ya go after n you can go hangout with Sarah.” He walked into the kitchen. 

You watched the way his muscles were outlined through his shirt and barely noticed what he’d said until you repeated it in your head. Good girl? Your stomach dropped and you felt your center gently start to pulsate at the words. He barely said anything to me. Why am I, I’m- jesus Joel. Say it again. You blinked at him and tried to ignore the warmth below your jeans. You grabbed onto the countertop and glanced at the snacks laid out on it. He opened the fridge, grabbed a couple drinks, and turned to face you. Your eyes left the snacks and locked on him. The smoothness of his lips, the softness of his hair, his delicate skin glowing healthily in the reflection from the sun. 

He smiled.

“You ok?” He asked. His eyebrows raised a little and there was a little pull at his lips. Not a smirk, something smaller. He tried hiding his contempt as best as he could just enough to make you question if you were misinterpreting what he’d said. It wasn't enough though, you noticed it. You blinked back to life and answered him.

“Yeah. Sorry, spaced out. Yeah I’ll take em out for you.” 

Joel smiled. He didn’t move from his spot, he just looked at you. He watched the way your hands fumbled to grab the bags and how hard you tried to act normal. His smile faded and his face was hard to read now. You felt his eyes trace your body and you felt even more nervous. You loved the way his eyes felt on you though, like they were exploring and begging to touch you. You got a hold of the bags and looked up at him. You saw his jaw clench and his throat swallow when you got yourself under control. 

“A’right. C’mon.” He nodded towards the door and you followed behind him.

You didn’t know what it was, but you swore something was different. The way he looked at you was taunting and you felt like he somehow did know what you did earlier. His eyes looked even deeper into yours, if that was possible, and he stared at you differently. I’m not imagining this, you tried to convince yourself. Why was he smiling at me like that? He’s never done that before. He didn’t speak, he just… stared. What if I ask him..I should ask him. He’s never called me that before. I should just-

“Hey Joel?” you called out from behind him.

“Yeah kid?”

Kid. 

“Oh- uhm. Nothing . Nevermind.” He opened the back door and turned around to face you under the door frame. 

“Ya sure?” He stared at you, a smirk creeping under his mustache. 

He’s looking at me like that again. 

“Yeah. Sure.”

He pursed his lips a little and gave you a head nod that said ‘whatever you say.’ Joel turned back around towards the pool and made way towards your dad. You greeted him, dropped off the bags, and excused yourself to go and find Sarah. 

You walked back through the door, into the living room, and down a hallway until you reached the bottom of the stairs. You rushed up them and tried your hardest to get far away from Joel before you got the courage to say something you regretted. You made your way down into Sarahs room and knocked on her door. 

“Yeah?” She yelled from inside 

You creeked the door open and poked your head inside. She was laying on her bed while she threw a soccer ball against the wall and it bounced off with a deep thud. Her head turned at the sound of the door opening and when she saw you, she put the ball down and quickly got up. 

“Heyyy you’re here!” She walked over to you with arms wide open and you opened the door fully to give into her embrace. You’ve probably hugged Sarah more than your dad by this point. 

“Yeah sorry I’m late. Your dad had me help him with some bags downstairs”

“Oh, sorry ‘bout that. His age was starting to show I guess.” You both giggled and walked over to her bed where you both sat on the edge of it. You always liked Sarah’s room. It smelled like lavender and warmth. She had a bunch of pictures of her friends and her soccer team everywhere and her medals and trophies glowed when the sun hit them at a certain hour of the day. There was a new picture on her nightstand that held your attention. You grabbed the picture frame and stared at it. Joel was sitting on the couch next to Sarah with a shy smile on his face. He hated his picture being taken, you knew that about him. His legs were slightly opened and his arms extended across the top of the sofa behind him. Sarah was snuggled next to him with a bowl of chips on her lap. She was smiling and was about to feed herself just as the picture was taken.

“Oh, uncle Tommy took that a couple months ago. It’s corny, I know, but I kind of like it.” She took the picture frame from your hands and held it in hers. She stared at it with a smile on her face and eyes completely fixated on the image. Her thumb rubbed the frame back and forth and she set it back down on the table. 

“No it’s cute. My dad and I don’t really have family pictures around the house. I think it’s nice though, you both look happy.” You tried to sound as normal as possible and hoped that she didn’t notice anything weird in your voice.

“Yeah..he’s been a little more stressed than usual. Works got him messed up, I guess. He takes jobs all the time and he’s barely home..leaves early and gets home late.” There was an awkward silence for a couple seconds but it felt like forever. Please change the topic. You fidgeted with your fingers in your lap and moved even further back into her bed to try and create empty noise to break the quiet. “Oh but I’m so excited for the trip this weekend. I think he’s excited too and he’ll get to take a break from the city for a bit. Sorry.. the conversation got kinda sad.” 

You let out a breath and you both laughed. She turned around to look at you and for some reason that made both of you laugh a little.

The rest of the day went almost exactly like that. You guys talked about everything but also somehow, at the same time, you talked about nothing. She was never someone that judged you and you felt completely comfortable sharing your life with her. Just then when you were enjoying your time together, a quick thought of Joel flashed through your mind. You started to feel uneasy and a green emotion took over your body. It was everywhere. Your gut, your stomach. You felt embarrassed and so, so, so guilty. You didn’t like that you had these thoughts about her dad but you also knew you couldn’t help them. Somehow though, you felt like it was all your fault and that if she ever found out about any of it, she really wouldn’t be a fan. 

You tried brushing the feelings off and distracted yourself with mindless gossip that she willingly put up. The sun had gone down and you didn’t notice until she said something. 

“Do you wanna go down and check in with your dad?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah it’s getting kind of late. What time is- 10:30? Already?”

“Texas time works differently I guess” 

“Yeah... huh? What does..that mean.” You looked at her expecting a reasonable answer but she shrugged her shoulders and gave you a blank stare.

“Oh.” You answered “Yeah maybe I should leave. I think you need to go to bed.”

Sarah snickered to herself and followed you as you walked over to her door. You both walked downstairs into the living room and saw something you’ve only ever seen once before. Your dad was passed out on the couch with his pants unbuttoned, shirt slightly rolled up, and his arms splayed out on either side of him. He looked..so out of it. 

“Hey girls” Joel semi whispered from the kitchen. 

Jesus Christ. You jumped a little, held your breath, and squinted towards the sound of the voice.

He startled you a bit and the dim lights in the house made it easier for him to hide in the kitchen. You’d forgotten about him for a while when you were up with Sarah but hearing his voice made the soreness between your thighs creep back in without warning. He had a cup of water in his hand while he walked over and stopped in front of you. 

“Haven’ seen ’im drink like that before. Think he was excited you were finally home and spending time with us.” He brought the cup to his lips and you watched him chug the water down. The air was hot, tight in your throat. His eyes stayed on you the entire time he drank it. Your eyes alternated their attention between his stare, his lips, and his throat swallowing it all down. Your throat felt dry and your body felt hot. You forced yourself to answer and give him a nonchalant response. 

“Yeah, he never passes out like that. Should I wake him up to-” Joel cut you off.

“No no no, it’s alright. Let ‘im sleep there n I’ll drive 'im back home to you tomorrow mornin’. You need a ride back home orr-”

Sarah intervened. “Dad. Come on. It’s almost 11. She could get eaten out there by coyotes or something. Give her a ride.” You let out a breath and smiled shyly.

“No you don’t need to it’s ok. It isn’t that far, I can walk.”

 Take me home Joel. Please.

“Yeah but if ya do get eaten your dad’s gonna feed me to the coyotes. C’mon, I’ll take you. Sarah I’ll be back in a minute alrigh’?”

“Yeah it’s cool. Bye guys!” 

Sarah waved you both off and closed the door behind Joel as you made your way to his truck. You got into the passenger seat, buckled yourself up, and he got in and started the car. The moments out of his driveway and down the street were quiet but your thoughts were loud. You wanted to ask him about what he said earlier but you started second guessing yourself and lost the courage to say anything. It was excruciatingly annoying how you couldn’t get it out of your head though and for some reason, you felt like he knew you wanted to ask him something. 

What if he really just said it casually and it doesn’t mean anything? Jesus what if he doesn’t even remember what he said? He’s gonna think I’m weird for remembering it when it meant nothing to him. 

“Hey can I ask you something?” The words spilled from your lips before you had any chance to think things through. 

“Yeah ‘course. What’s up?”

Shit, no I didn’t mean to say that. 

“Oh, uhm- nevermind. I just remembered something. Sorry” 

He turned his head to look at you and you looked back at him. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but closed it immediately after and quickly took in your face before averting his attention back to the road. You watched him look out into the street until he said something again.

“A’right.”

That’s it. Cold and clean. No emotion or tell behind the word and yet, you held onto it like it was the answer to the question you were looking for. 

Joel turned onto your street in silence and not long after he decided to speak again. 

“Hey do you have my number?”

“Uhm, what? Why- No. I don’t think so, no.”

“Alrigh’. Here, I’ll give it to you just incase I need to update you about your dad or somethin’.” He pulled up in front of your house and set the car in park. He ripped off a piece of an old napkin he had in his cup holder and grabbed a pen from his dashboard to write it down. You unbuckled your seatbelt and stepped out of the car and waited for him to finish writing. 

“Here ya go.” He handed you the crinkled napkin and you looked down at his penmanship. How does a contractor have shitty writing. They’re numbers. That’s all he writes. “I’ll text you if there’s anything you need to know about your dad. If you need anything let me know ok?”

“How are you gonna text me?” You looked at him dazed and he looked at you like you’d just asked the dumbest question he’s ever heard but he smiled enough for his dimple to appear.

“With..my phone?” His head tilted a little to the left. A smile came on your face when you realized he didn’t understand what you were asking.

“No I mean, you’re giving me your number. How are you gonna text me if you don’t have my number” His face relaxed and he let out a minor laugh.

“I do have your number” Your ears perked up.

“Since when?”

“Your dad gave it to me a couple months ago to wish you a happy birthday. I was so fucked from work I couldn’t even remember what day of the week it was and your birthday just passed me by. Sorry kid.”

“Oh” You stared at him for a couple seconds and looked back down at the napkin. “Ok well, yeah thanks. Let me know if he wakes up or anything.”

You closed the car door and took a couple steps back while he rolled the window down.

“Will do. You let me know if you need anything yeah?”

“Yeah. Thanks Joel.” You gave him a smile and walked to your door. You could feel his eyes on you as you walked up the driveway and the sensation made your knees want to give in. He waited for you to get in the house so he could drive away. 

Inside your home, you quickly made your way up the stairs. You felt relieved and safe to be back here where you knew Joel wasn’t around. Not that you didn’t feel safe in his house, that wasn’t it, it was just a different type of safe. Over there you knew you were protected in the sense that he’d never let anything happen to you. Here, you felt secure in the sense that you couldn’t accidentally say or do anything to him because, well, he wasn’t here. 

You walked into your bedroom and changed out of your dads old shirt into a warm, cotton tank you’d bought solely for the purpose of sleeping in. It was your favorite shirt and it hugged you with the perfect amount of squeeze that made you feel comfortable. It was soft and velvety and you looked good in it. You took off your jeans and stayed in your underwear while you jumped into your bed and nuzzled under the sheets. You eased your body on your mattress and allowed yourself to relax and breathe in some air. 

Your mind was busy with different thoughts and you felt like you couldn’t shut them off. It was a long day, it felt longer than most days. Talking with Sarah helped pass time quicker but the moment you saw Joel or were even within 10 feet of him, you felt like time was moving slower and playing games with you. It was barely past 11 and your mind wouldn’t shut off. 

I need to go to sleep.

You laid on your back for a couple minutes trying to fall asleep but you couldn’t. You rolled over to one side and then the other and forced your eyes shut. 

You were like that for a while; forcing your eyes shut, pleading your brain to take a break, and turning from one side to the other under your covers.

What the hell. Go to bed. 

You couldn’t. The night was passing by but you weren’t getting sleepy and you felt like your body didn’t have any intention of getting tired anytime soon. You grabbed your phone from the nightstand and checked the time.

12:47 am

You put your phone back down on the nightstand and flipped the covers off of you to get out of bed. You stood on your rug and stared at the numbers on your phone.

12:48 am

Ohmygod. At this point you were frustrated. You wanted to sleep. You needed to go to bed. You felt the sleep deprivation kick in and your head started pounding. Your eyes started to hurt and you were starting to lose all sense of logic. You stared at your phone until the light dimmed into a black screen behind the piece of glass. Your eyes scanned the rest of your nightstand and your attention was tunneled on the old napkin with writing that resembled hieroglyphs more than numbers. 

I could. He said I could. 

The lack of sleep gave you an ignorant boost of confidence and you suddenly felt like it was a justified idea. You got back into bed under the covers and grabbed your phone and the napkin from your nightstand. You put his number in your contacts and stared at the call and message options below his name. Your heart sped up a bit and you felt a little nervous. Your sleep deprivation kicked in again though, and the sudden boost of confidence overrode the anxious feelings. Before you thought about which one to do, your finger tapped the call button. The ringing sounds fully woke you up and you realized what you were doing. You had a split second feeling of panic and immediately pressed the ‘end call’ button. 

What am I doing. What was I even gonna say. It’s 1 in the morning I just need to go to bed. My god but I CAN’T. 

You were basically fighting yourself in your head and you were getting annoyed with it. You put your phone down in front of you and you rubbed your eyes. As your eyes tried readjusting to the darkness of your room, your phone started vibrating and it flashed on. Joels name appeared on the screen and you just stared at it for a couple seconds.

Jesus christ. What am I gonna say? Why did I call him? Shit. Fuck. Shit, I need to answer.

You answered the call and put it on speaker.

“Hey are you ok?” His voice was deeper than usual but he didn’t sound tired. You were a little taken back by the gravely smooth tone of it and you hated that now, when you had to say something, your mind went blank and you could only focus on his voice.

“Yeah. Sorry about that I was just.. making sure your number worked”

Ohmygoddddd whatttt. Stupid lie. Awful lie. There’s no way he believes that. 

There was a small silence from the phone before he spoke.

“You thought I gave you a fake number? And you decided to test it at 1 in the mornin’?” It wasn’t a condescending question but your nerves made you feel otherwise. He genuinely sounded a little confused but the embarrassment that you felt was making you blind to that. 

“No just, well, you told me to call if I needed anything and my head was killing me but we don’t have any medicine or..painkillers so. And I can’t sleep.” You tried to sound as normal as you could.

“Oh yeah no problem. I think we got some downstairs, I’ll bring ‘em over t’you righ’ now just give me a couple minutes ok?”

“Yeah no worries, take your time. Uh, hey Joel?” your voice trailed off a bit.

“Yeah?”

“Did I wake you up?” 

“Nah. Was watchin’ some tv n finishin’ up some work.” You could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke. 

“Oh ok. Good. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Yeah, see you in a bit.”

You hung up the phone and turned it off. 

Ohmygod! Ohmygod he’s coming over.. You felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. You were excited before some logic creeped in. Ohmygod. He’s coming over. You panicked a little but you didn’t have the energy to sustain your worry. Ok, whatever, it’s fine. He’s been to the house before, it’s no big deal. The logic left as quickly as it came and you decided to live in ignorance instead. Any unsupportive thought that could’ve convinced you this was a bad idea was long gone. Instead, it seemed like an exciting idea and the possibility in the air was electrifying. Even though the logical side of your brain wasn’t working, you knew these feelings were credited to your sleep deprivation. 

You shifted in place and your underwear rubbed between your center. You were suddenly aware of the tingling warmth between your legs and your excitement started to build up. You stayed in bed and looked out the window waiting to see his truck pull into your driveway. It didn’t take long, maybe 10 minutes at most. As soon as you saw his truck, you kneeled by the window and felt a desperate ache between your legs. Your confidence was intense and you don’t remember the thought process, but you convinced yourself to go downstairs in just your shirt and underwear. You got out of bed and walked downstairs. You heard the low hum of his truck being silenced and made your way down to the kitchen as you heard him knock on your front door. The kitchen was lit only by the little light on the hood above the stove and the distant light from your porch.

You walked to the door and opened it halfway. You knew if any of your neighbors were awake and looking at you right now, they'd probably be able to see every part of you. 

“Hey I brou-what are you-” He pushed you inside the house and tried covering your body with his silhouette as he closed the door behind you. You stumbled back a bit and tried to keep your balance.

“Why are you not wearing any clothes?” His eyes were fighting to stay on yours. You could see the effort in the depth of his eyes and his jaw became rigid.

“I am. It’s what I sleep in and it’s like, 1 in the morning”

Joel stared at you trying to make sense of your argument. He blinked slowly and his lip twitched at your reasoning. He didn’t expect you to put on layers upon layers of clothing, but he also most definitely did not expect you to be borderline naked in front of him. 

“Uh, ok just-” Joel walked around you, trying to keep his distance, and headed for the counter. His back was to you and he stood there with his head down trying to waste time by staring at the pills he brought you. He wasn’t reading the label, he couldn’t even think, he was just wasting time trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. You took in the muscles of his back and the way his shoulders stretched out the light gray sleeves on his sleeping shirt. His back rose a little every time he took a breath and the angle of his head left the back of his neck exposed to your sight. The darkness in the room made him seem more threatening and you wanted to go up behind him and ease him down. 

“Here. Take one and- you should be ok. If your head still hurts in the mornin’ then tell your dad n maybe he can take you to the doctors or somethin’.” He didn’t move. His voice was cold and your stomach did a little summersault at the lack of emotion he was expressing. He didn’t turn to look at you, he didn’t even lift his head off of the bottle. His body went still and so did yours. 

First he looks at me weird and now he can’t look at me at all. Shit maybe, maybe I misread the looks, if there were even any ‘looks.’ Jesus Christ. 

“Joel look at me.” You took a small step forward and his head straightened at the sound of your foot shuffling closer but he still didn’t turn around. You looked at his hands as they gripped the counter a little tighter. “What’s wrong?” You wanted him to say something. 

You really didn’t know what was wrong. I mean, you had a guess, but you desperately wanted to be mistaken. You didn’t even want to think about how hurt you’d feel if you found out you’d misinterpreted his looks. 

“Did I do something? I don’t-”

“Why am I here?” His head tilted a little to the side and he stared at the floor. You took in the side of his face and your heart dropped at the sight of his features. His voice had some more emotion to it this time but it wasn’t the tone that you wanted.   

“What do you me- to..deliver some pills”

“So why are you dressed like that?” His voice was stern.

“Joel turn around and look at me, I’m not gonna talk to your back.” You surprised yourself a little with how rough that came out. 

He didn’t move for a second but then he did what you asked. He turned around, leaned his lower back on the counter, and took the same stance he had yesterday when your dad was grilling. His eyes didn’t look anywhere except for your face and you felt your heart pick up it’s speed when his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Now answer my question.” He demanded. Suddenly you didn’t like the way he was making you feel. You felt incompetent, belittled, you felt like you were getting a lecture from your dad for doing something you weren’t supposed to. So you decided to fight back. 

You took another step forward and watched his eyes plead with yours. You had a feeling he was trying to act tougher than he felt and this gave you a boost of confidence.

“Ok, fine. I’ll answer your question after you answer mine.”

He stared at you. 

“What.” He said. It wasn’t a question, he was telling you to say what you had to say so he could get an answer to what he wanted. You didn’t think he’d agree to answer though. 

Shit. Ok, breathe. Breathe and just say it. You also tried looking tougher than you felt. 

“Why did you call me that at your house earlier?”

“Call you wh-”

You took another step forward. Your movements made him clench his jaw and he took in a seething breath through his teeth.

“You know what.” If you took another step forward you would be able to touch him, but you didn’t move. You stood your ground and continued to speak. “You called me a good girl and then you-” Your eyes trailed up and down his body until they met his eyes again “-you kept looking at me like-”

“Like what.” His words were taunting, like they were daring you to speak your mind but you felt too timid to do it. There was silence for a couple of seconds before you spoke without thinking about your words too much. 

“You kept looking at me like you wanted to fuck me Joel.”

Your words caught him off guard. He didn’t think you’d actually say it. Joel opened his mouth to say something but closed it instead. 

“Jesus christ I can’t do this right now.” He pushed off of the island and walked to the other side of it. He put his elbows down on the cold marble and buried his face in his hands. You didn’t move, but you wanted to. You wanted to hug him and tell him it would be ok and that he didn’t need to stress out because nobody would have to know a thing. 

You pushed any feeling of guilt you might've had out of your mind and walked over to him. You put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it back and forth until he stood up straight and looked down to you. 

“Why’d you look at me like that?” Your voice was a low whisper and your eyes were genuine. “Why’d you look at me like that if you were gonna act like this?”

“I didn’t mean to-”

“To what? To look at me like that or pretend you haven’t thought about fucking me.” 

His eyes changed. There was a flicker of pity in them and you were thinking that this might’ve just been a huge mistake. You were regretting everything you’d said and the decision to even call him in the first place. You were barely aware of it but your eyes were slightly glossy with the formation of tears. You didn’t want to cry so you blinked them back but he saw your struggle. 

“No- hey. C’mere” He tapped the marble and put his hands on your waist to help you get on it. It happened so fat you had no choice but to follow his lead. You sat there studying his face trying to figure out what he was gonna say next, but you couldn’t. His hands didn’t leave your body and instead they made their way down to the outside of your thighs. Even though his hands were rough, his touch was soft. You opened your legs to give him room to be closer to you. His hands were electrifying and you felt immediate warmth take over your body. Your core was tingling and your nipples hardened at the realization that he was touching you. You wanted so badly to have him right there. On the counter where you’ve had breakfast with him and everyone else. The same place where you’ve had birthday pictures taken with the cake your dad bought you and where you cooked for all of them on the occasional special moments. It was filthy how turned on you got when you looked at him. How you wanted to make him fill you up and groan your name. You wanted every place to be tainted with dirty secrets only you and him knew and you wanted to make him feel good. There was no more guilt in you.

Joel looked into your eyes before putting his forehead on yours and moving his thumbs from one side to the other.

“I can’t baby. I can’t, you’re my daughters bestfried. You’re my bestfriend's daughter. And you’re just a-”

“Do not say I’m a kid. Please don’t say it..because I’m not.”

You took your head off of his and looked at him with a fire that demanded respect.

“I’m grown Joel. I have a brain and I can make my own choices.” Your words came out a little harsher than you wanted them to so you took a moment before speaking again. “I want you. I want you and I know you’ve at least thought about me once Joel, just-”

You lowered your hands onto his and moved them to the top of your thighs. Your breath picked up a bit and your nipples poked through your shirt even more. Your pussy was tingling and you could feel how wet you were from having him between your legs. 

“Please. Please just..touch me.”

One of Joels’ hands moved to the back of your neck while the other stayed on your thigh. He brought his lips up to your forehead and kissed it gently, then he moved his hand down to your waist and put his forehead on yours again. 

“I-baby I don’t know if-”

You kissed him. You couldn’t take his excuses anymore and you felt how badly he wanted to do it so you just took the jump. He didn’t fight you. He deepened the kiss and moved his hand from your neck to your jaw and guided you into it. His kiss was hard. Your arms rested on his shoulders and your hands were intertwined with his hair. His hand that was on your thigh moved to your lower back and he pulled you closer into him. Your legs spread a little wider at the sudden pull and you felt more vulnerable now. More desperate. 

The kiss became messy. He slipped his tongue into your mouth and his hand moved back down to your neck with a little added pressure. The arm that was around your back was making its way between your legs and massaging your thigh, each second it got closer to your aching pussy. You moaned into his mouth and played with his hair like you were looking for something. You were. You were looking for relief, pleasure, for his touch that you'd thought about and for him to admit that he’d wanted this too. Though, the fact that he didn’t pull away from you was enough to tell you that he had thought about it. 

“Mmm. Please..Joel. Touch me I ne-” You moaned into his mouth and his thumb lightly brushed over your underwear. He didn’t apply any pressure at all to relieve some of the desperate pain, instead he barely rubbed his thumb over your clit. His mouth took in all your noises and you felt a fire light in your lower stomach.

“Tell me what you need baby, huh? What d’you need.” He pulled his mouth away from yours and looked into your eyes. You took your hands off his shoulders and put them behind you for support. They propped you up and your body was leaning back while you looked at him. He rubbed circles a little harder and slightly faster this time and your head tilted back at the slight feeling of pressure. 

“I need you- I need you to make me, fuck, I want- fuck Joel your fingers feel good��� You could barely get a sentence out. Your chest was moving with your breath, heavy from irritation. He knew what he was doing. He wanted to hear you tell him what you wanted. He wanted you to crumble under his touch and beg him to make you cum. You didn’t want to give in but you didn’t know how long you could wait him out. 

His fingers reached a little lower to your opening and he rubbed harder now. Your hips were slightly thrusting into his hand looking for a harder form of pressure. He looked at you through dark hooded eyes and smiled. 

“You were right y’know.”  You looked at him and bit your lip to try and stop any moans from coming out. “I have thought about it. Ever since I caught you staring at me like that from your living room, I’ve thought about you n makin’ you say my name like this.” 

You let out a breath and moved back on the counter. Your feet came up on it too and you spread your knees wider trying to give him more access. This was your way of silently begging him to do more. 

“Fuck. Baby you..” His hands rested on your knees and he leaned down to kiss your neck. 

“You’re a dirty...” He kissed your collarbone. “..girl”

“You’re wet for me.” He spoke softly, his hot breath colliding with your warm skin giving you goosebumps. He slowly kept moving down your body but you didn’t say anything. You just looked at him. You looked at his hair, his nose, the muscles on his back, you glanced at his hands and studied every part of him. He looked up at you and met your stare. He smiled and looked away from your eyes to give his attention back to your body. He lowered his head even more to the skin exposed between the bottom of your shirt and the top of your underwear. He put a kiss on the left side and your body shivered at the touch. He looked up at you and moved to the right to give you another kiss without breaking the eye contact. His right hand moved from your knee to your waist and he held you with a tough grip that made you suck in a breath. You didn’t say anything though. The touch made up for the lack of attention between your legs so you accepted it and tried to fulfill your need that way. 

“I meant it when I said that, at my house” 

He did remember.

“Watching you get nervous..” His head lowered right above your underwear. “I knew something was different, but you didn’t say anything.”

“Oh you’re so cocky” You couldn’t take it anymore. You spoke. His head hovered in place and he looked at you with an arrogant smirk. 

“Yeah. But only cause now I know how I make you feel.” 

You put all your weight on one of your elbows and reached your hand down into his hair. You brushed his head softly and this was the first time you noticed how soft his hair was to your touch. 

“Show me then.” You looked deeper into him. Pleading, teasing, you provoked him. “Show me how you can make me feel”

Your words fueled him. There was a new sparkle in his eyes and he lowered his head down more without looking away from you. He lightly licked the wet spot on your underwear and you bit your bottom lip. Your body shivered and you were silently, mindlessly, begging him to do it again. 

He moaned lowly and licked you another time “Mmm, you taste good.” You reached your hand away from his hair and hooked your finger to the spot he was licking. You wanted to take your underwear off but you didn’t want to go through the trouble so you pulled them aside.

“Please.” That was all you said. That was all you had to say. He licked you slightly and felt how wet you were on his tongue. 

“Fuck baby. Lay down.” His voice was stern and you didn’t want to argue. You laid your back down on the marble and he put his hands on the underside of your thighs. His hands pushed your legs up and they looked for stability on his shoulders. His arms wrapped around the crease in your thighs as he buried his face in you and started to eat you. You knew what the look in his eye was now. It was hunger. He was starving.  He wanted to have you shivering at his presence and have you praying for his touch. 

He worked deeper into your clit and then licked up and down. His tongue searched for your wetness and he moaned into you when he found it. 

“Oh- fuck Joel. Ohmygod please..” you were panting “..that feels good please keep- don’t stop”

He moaned into you when he heard you beg and your pussy trembled. His stubble was brushing your skin but you didn’t mind it. With the desperation you felt, it was just another means to getting you off. 

“Fuck, princess, you taste so good.” The nickname made your stomach fall and your hips rocked on the counter. His grip on your thighs tightened and he pulled you closer to him, trying to get deeper in you. His nose collided with your clit and one of your hands moved to your breasts while the other stayed on his hair. You massaged your nipples and let out a deep groan from the orgasm that you felt building on your core. 

“Joel I’m- shit, I’m-”

“I know baby, I know, relax ok. Just hold on a little bit more and then you can cum.”

“God Joel you’re- ohmygod” Your pressure was threatening to go over the edge and you knew you were close. You opened your thighs wider and his hands gripped you harder. You thrusted along his face chasing your release and your breath quickened with how close you were. His right hand let go of your thigh and reached up to play with your breasts and bring you closer. He pinched your nipple and rolled it between his fingers; it made you let out a low desperate squeal and you were close. So very close.

"Joel I- I can't. Please" You were frantic.

“God, mmm you're so- baby I want you to cum ok. You’re being such a good girl, you taste so good, I need you to- fuck..” He couldn’t stay away from you. He went back into your pussy and licked you hard until you couldn’t take it anymore. He set his lips around your clit and sucked in a little. That was all you could take. Your legs stiffened and they slightly squeezed closer together. Your hand on your nipple squeezed your breast and your hand on his hair tugged a little too hard you were scared you were hurting him. Your moans filled the kitchen and in this moment you were so happy your dad was passed out drunk at Joels house. 

“Ohhhh- Fuck.. Joel I’m- ” You couldn’t form words. You let out moans and breathes that displayed your buildup and you held his head between your thighs. Your pussy tingled from your orgasm and your hand that was massaging your breast moved to his hand that was on your nipple. 

His tongue had completely stopped moving when you were coming down from your release but just as you started to lower your legs, his tongue began working again. He licked you slowly and it played with your clit very carefully. His teasing made you sit up quickly and put one hand on his chest to try and push him again. You were still panting trying to come down from what just happened when you pushed him. He smiled at you and let out a small breathy laugh.

“What? It’s too much?” He taunted you. You hated that your mess gave him confidence but if you knew you made him feel the way he just made you feel, you’d be cocky too. 

You looked at him a little embarrassed and forced a smile to ease your nervousness.

“Yeah. It’s too much.”

“So I did good then. I showed you how I can make you feel?” He stepped closer to the counter and opened your legs to stand between them. He gave you a peck on your lips and you licked at your wetness he put on your lips. 

“Yeah..” you smiled “..you did”

“Good.” He looked satisfied with himself. “So you found out my number works.” 

You smiled and looked down to his jeans and noticed the fully grown bulge begging to be let out. You suddenly felt empty again and you marveled at how big he looked in the piece of denim. He noticed you staring and tilted your head up with his finger under your chin so his eyes could meet yours. He put another kiss on your lips and stepped back.

“I should get going.”

“What? No I didn’t-”

“You don’t need to princess, it’s ok. That’s not what I came over here for.”

“No but I-”

“Next time yeah? We can solve that issue next time.” He wouldn’t let you speak. He kept cutting you off in that low sweet voice and you stared at him, blankly.

“You- So you want there to be a next time?” He stared at you with a smile and blinked. He looked up and down your figure and took in the mess that he left. 

“I want there to be a lot of next times.” He gave you a soft smile and your stomach jumped at the realization of what he was saying. “But I need to go. ‘m sorry baby but if Sarah wakes up and sees that I’m not home I don’t know what to tell her.”

Your mouth closed and you gave him a little nod, barely noticeable. This was your way of silently agreeing with him, but he didn’t want to leave. His eyes were glued to you and how you looked fucked out even though you weren’t fucked at all. Your hair was tousled and your shirt was unevenly hugging your torso.

“I’ll see you tomorrow alright?” He forced himself to break eye contact and walk towards the door.

“Tomorrow?” Your head followed his walk and you were confused about what’d be taking place tomorrow. You watched his hair, messy and darker now that he was walking through hazy shadows. He’s not even out of the house yet and you already miss his touch.

He reached the door, put a hand on the knob and turned around to look at you.

“Yeah. Oh tha’s right, he couldn’ tell you. Tomorrow we’re goin’ up to the lake house.”

You jumped off the counter, walked over to the side of the island, and leaned back on it like he was doing earlier. Your head tilted slightly down and you gave him a look. His head tilted to the side and he laughed a little. A low, deep, throaty whisper of a laugh that made your heart flutter. 

“Why are you lookin’ at me like that?” His voice was soft and seductive. He knew exactly why you were looking at him like that. 

“Do you think it’s a good idea to be in a house with you for the weekend? Considering….you know..”

He smirked.

“No idea what you’re talkin’ ‘bout princess.” His eyes undressed you from 15 feet away and the only thing you could do to hide your excitement was smile. His hand turned the knob and he made his way to the other side of the door. Before he closed it, he poked his head in and said “Good night beautiful” with the most stunning smile that made your breath hitch in your throat. He closed the door but then opened it a second later to say one last thing. 

“Don’t tell your dad.” He looked at you, totally playfully and he knew you had no intention of telling anyone anything.  

“No idea what you’re talking about Joel.” He smiled and closed the door again. You smiled to yourself and walked over to the counter where remnants of you and him were barely evident. You cleaned up the area you had been in and went upstairs to try and get some sleep before you had to wake up in a few hours. You fell asleep with excitement plastered all over your face and your cheeks cramping from your smile. 

[hiramaris]

Dusk til Dawn

Part 11

Summary: Following Episode 9. And spoilers for Episode 10. 

Author’s note: As Episode 10 is just released I just want to say heads up for those who are not yet finished. Completing the game without spoilers really made a difference, and as much as possible I want everyone to experience that. And for those finished, I’ll gladly welcome you to my domain where MC took a different route.

Disclaimer:  I do not own Duskwood or any of the related characters. Duskwood is created by and owned by Everbyte Studio. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Duskwood story belong to Everbyte Studio.

Warning: Mentions of blood, suicide, violence, pedophiles, drugs, gun, murder, sex offenders, kidnapping

"Well, shit," Jake's voice carried a curse, causing you to come to a sudden halt. Swearing wasn't something Jake typically did, so the profanity took you off guard and sent a chill down your spine.

"What's wrong?" you asked, your concern evident in your tone.

"We should be at a fork right now," Jake said, his frustration palpable. "At least, according to my maps."

You surveyed your surroundings, your flashlight illuminating the rocky walls. "I'm no cave expert, but, Jake," you remarked, "I'm pretty sure we've hit a dead end."

"I know," he admitted with a sigh. "Actually, we weren't supposed to encounter any forks until now. But I've realized early on that we've come across at least three junctions in the past ten minutes."

"Uhm," you said, your voice slow as you processed the situation. "So you're saying that the pathways we've been taking are different from what's on your map?"

"Yeah," Jake ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "But I thought it wouldn't be too much of an issue as long as we stuck to the general path I had planned out."

"Jake, please tell me that we at least stick to that path."

"We'll find out soon enough," Jake replied, his tone uncertain. "Come, let's go back a bit."

"How about we split up?" you suggested, following him as he led the way. Before you continued, you took a marbled stone and used it to smear some chalk marks on the wall, leaving a visible trail behind you. Just in case you get lost.

Jake gave you an incredulous look. "It's not safe, and you know tha—" he began to protest, but then his expression shifted. "Wait. I saw something." He motioned for you to follow him. "There's something here."

You perked up in attention, your senses heightened. You drew your weapon and held your flashlight tightly, ready for any potential threat. Quietly, you moved past Jake as he crouched by the wall, peering into what looked like a room.

"Well, shit." You found yourself echoing Jake's words from earlier as you stopped at a table covered with an overwhelming number of documents and files. "What the heck is all this?"

"There must be hundreds," Jake muttered beside you. "We have to take a look."

You shook your head, concern furrowing your brow. "I don't think we have the time. Let's gather as much as we can and keep moving."

"I'll take a quick look. Some of these seem important," he insisted, his eyes scanning the papers. "Maybe we'll find crucial information about our culprit, in case it wasn't Michael after all."

You sighed, "okay, but hurry up."

You stood guard for a few minutes, your focus divided between Jake and the vibrating phone in your pocket. With a quick glance, you saw Alan's caller ID flashing on the screen.

"Jake, it's Alan," you informed him. He gave you a brief thumbs-up before returning to his search through the files.

"Please excuse my late reply, Y/n," Alan's voice came through the phone, sounding slightly breathless. "I took your video straight to Bob Lindner from our Legal Department. He immediately recognized the Ironsplinter Mine."

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Ironsplinter Mine," you echoed, the pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place.

"Bob is an avid mountaineer and cave enthusiast, and apparently there's not a single wall in this area that he doesn't know like the back of his hand," Alan continued, his voice carrying a sense of excitement. "According to him, there's even an old, secret entrance to the mine in Duskwood, and it takes the form of a hatch."

"Let me guess where that hatch is located," you tried to mask the smugness in your voice. "It's by the Grimrock waterfall, isn't it?"

"I suppose you were right about the waterfall earlier," Alan admitted with a hint of amusement. "You were just on the wrong floor."

"Very funny."

He chuckled softly. "Please excuse my little joke. I'm actually a little excited. You see," he paused, his breath audibly catching as his footsteps quickened in the background, "I am currently back on my way to the Grimrock."

Your eyes bulged. What the fuck?

Your heart skipped a beat. The realization hit you like a truck. The familiar background noise, his breathlessness – it was all too clear now. He's going back to Grimrock as you speak.

Shit! He can't find both of you here.

And Michael's waiting by the Grimrock! He's going to think you're bluffing.

If you asked him to go back, you'll give him even more reason to make you the suspect.

With a strained voice, you managed to choke out a "that's good to know" in response to his excited revelation.

"I knew you'd be interested." Alan's voice held a cheerful tone, but you could sense something more underneath. "And now, please excuse me." The distinct sound of a click reached your ears, unmistakably that of a gun being cocked. "It's time to clear up this case."

Your heart raced, panic rising within you. You had to think fast.

"Jake!" You hissed urgently, your voice barely above a whisper. "Change of plan!"

Jake shifted his attention to you as he heard the urgency in your tone. "What?" He questioned, his voice equally hushed. "What is it?"

"Alan knows about the Ironsplinter mine!" You rushed out the words, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "He knows about the secret hatch, too and he's on his way right now as we speak!"

He froze, his expression shifted to alarm. "That's not good."

"You should go." You said with a serious expression on your face. "He can't find you here no matter what."

Jake's eyes darted between you and the pile of documents before him. "Y/n..."

You closed the distance between you and Jake, your voice stern. "Jake, are you even listen—" You trailed off as your gaze followed his to the papers spread out before him. Your heart seemed to stop for a moment as recognition dawned upon you.

Jessy's face greeted you in the form of printed pictures. There are pictures of Lilly's, too, and Dan's... Cleo's... Thomas'... Richy's... Hannah's... and even Amy's...

—all these documents...

"These are the documents Jessy and Thomas had found in Michael Hanson's house," you whispered, your voice barely audible in the heavy air of the cave.

"We need to take these with us," Jake's voice broke through your concentration, his tone tense.

Your heart pounded as you quickly assessed the situation. Time was of the essence, and the walls of the mine seemed to close in around you. Jake needs to leave as soon as possible, and you have to stop Alan from entering the mine. The last thing you needed was for him to cross paths with Michael.

How the fuck will you deal with that? For the second time around, the fucking police meddled with your case once again. The only difference is this time, this isn't legally a case of yours to handle.

"We'll photograph them with our phones," you decided quickly, your mind racing to figure out a plan. "Let's gather everything up. Then, we'll split up from here. You take the evidence and go. I'll handle Michael and Alan."

Jake seemed to hesitate, his fingers moving quickly as he snapped pictures of the documents. "We can't afford to split," he argued.

"If Michael sees Alan," you explained, ensuring each document was captured in the photos, "he'll know I'm not coming."

As you finished photographing the last of the documents, you exchanged a determined look with Jake. With the evidence secured, you carefully gathered the papers and stashed them away.

"Jake, you need to go," you said, your voice low but filled with urgency. But he won't budge in his place. He stared deep and hard at the piece of paper he holds in front of him.

"Y/n," he muttered, his voice almost shaking. "I found the letter."

Your heart skipped a beat. "Amy's letter?"

He nodded slowly, his gaze troubled. Without hesitation, he handed you the letter, his eyes imploring you to read it.

Hannah,

I'm sorry for saying goodbye to you like this, but I can't go on. Not one step further.

I have succumbed to the pressure, and a long time ago.

Don't judge me too harshly for choosing this way out, but I can't forgive myself.

If I'm being too honest, I never allowed myself to forget. Because that would meant that I had stopped regretting.

I can feel his judging eyes upon me as he stands by the edge of the forest, so dark and silent.

He is nothing more than a shadow. But he does not disappear when I turn on the light.

Could he be nothing more than a manifestation of our guilt? Created and formed by our thoughts? Our eyes plays trick on us in the dark, but can the same be said about a tortured mind?

No matter how far we walk, we always end up with ourselves. My mother once said that. I never understood what she meant by it. But now I do.

I want you to try and find your peace. And I want you to know that you couldn't have changed anything.

And so, I hope that things will be different for you, and that you will find a way to be able to live with the past.

Make peace. With yourself.

So that, in the end, he may disappear.

Amy

You read the letter, the words sinking in as you processed the contents. "She..." Your voice caught in your throat, your grip on the paper almost too tight. "She took her own life... Michael didn't kill her."

"To be honest, I did not consider that she would commit suicide," Jake admitted, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. "Do you... do you understand why Amy did it?"

"The guilt must have been too much for her," you murmured, your heart aching as you pieced together the reasons. "Because of Jennifer's death... She just... She couldn't see any way out."

"Until now, we believed that it was only Hannah who saw the man without a face. But through her letter," Jake pointed at the paper you were holding, "we have now found out that Amy also saw the man by the edge of the forest."

"Wait." You frowned, confusion knitting your brows. "I thought the man without a face was just a figment of Hannah's imagination due to her guilt and depression. Amy was sure that's the case."

"However, he also showed himself to Amy, but much later than he did to Hannah," Jake explained. His voice was thoughtful, analytical. "What do you think? Was it a hallucination as well, or was it Michael?"

You stared at the letter in your hand, the words blurring as your mind raced. "Whichever is the truth, it's not too late for Hannah."

****

It took a lot of convincing to get Jake to agree to continue his planned route straight to Hannah and Richy while you made your way to Michael and Alan's whereabouts. Wherever they are.

You told him it's the safest option available as you're sure Michael is waiting near by the entrance at Grimrock where Alan is supposed to be heading. So essentially, he's not where Hannah and Richy are. Jake can save them while you distract the two. This is the only feasible plan you could think of that would be beneficial for everyone but you. But Jake doesn't have to know that. He's already against with the plan to begin with.

Thankfully, the path seemed straightforward from where you were, and there weren't significant forks that could confuse your way. You moved quickly but cautiously, your senses heightened for any signs of human activity. The echo of your footsteps reverberated through the narrow passageway, and you focused on maintaining steady breaths to mask the sound of your pounding heart.

Your training and instincts guided you, and you pushed forward, your grip on your weapon firm and your flashlight steady in your hand.

Minutes stretched on, and still no news from Jake or Alan. As you continued walking, the mine is starting to look like a labyrinth. Looking at your map, you realized you were getting close to the entrance near the Grimrock waterfall. This raised the likelihood of encountering either Alan or the man without a face.

With your gun drawn, you turned a corner and suddenly, a sharp clang echoed through the tunnel. The sound reverberated off the walls, making it difficult to discern its exact source. Your heart raced in your chest, and your instincts kicked into high gear. You steadied your breath, your every movement careful as you scanned the surroundings for any signs of danger.

In the stifling silence that followed, your senses were on high alert. You strained your ears, trying to detect even the faintest sound. The confined space of the mine played tricks on your perception, and you had to rely on your training to filter out the echoes and focus on what might be reality.

Your grip tightened on your weapon as you moved forward, step by cautious step. The tension in the air was palpable, and your mind raced through the possibilities.

Could it be Michael? Or was it something else entirely?

You couldn't really tell.

You continued walking, steps still deliberate. Your weapon was still held ready, your flashlight illuminating your path and scanning for any signs of movement. You were determined not to be caught off guard.

Another noise echoed in the tunnel.

You cursed softly. It is much more indecipherable than the first one and sounded much closer.

The grip on your weapon grew tighter as each excruciating second passed by, fingers itching close to the trigger. Your mind raced through possible scenarios as you prepared for whatever might come next. The darkness seemed to close in around you, amplifying your heightened state of alertness.

As you moved cautiously forward, your ears picked up on a faint sound to your right – almost indistinguishable footsteps. Your flashlight's beam flicked in that direction, and then your world seemed to halt.

"Hannah?!" The word escaped your lips in a mix of shock and relief.

She was there, standing frozen before you. Wide-eyed and trembling, she seemed just as startled as you were by the unexpected encounter. Your own heartbeat resonated in your ears, and you quickly lowered your weapon, realizing the fear etched on her face.

You took a step toward her, your voice gentle, "Hannah, you're safe now. I'm," you fumbled at your badge, showing your name you knew she'd be familiar with. "I'm Agent L/n."

A look of recognition flashed in her eyes. "Agent L/n..."

You took another step. "Yes. You contacted me a few weeks ago, remember?" She nodded, unconsciously shifting closer to you as she realized you are no threat. "I'm with your friends. I'm sorry I took so long."

You were not sure who closed the distance, but you find yourself with a whole handful of Hannah Donfort who finally broke down against your chest. Her body was trembling as she wrapped her arms around you, her sobs muffled against your shoulder. It was as if she was afraid to cause the slightest noise but for you, it sounded louder than ever. Your heart ached at the weight of her fear and distress, and you held her gently, providing the support she needed. It made your anger for the culprit burn in an unidentified rage.

"You came," she sobbed. "You... y-you have to save Richy!"

"I will," you responded quickly. "but first let's get you somewhere safe, okay? Can you walk?"

She nodded slowly, but her trembling legs betrayed her.

She can't.

"Okay... I'm going to carry you, Hannah. Will that be okay?" She nodded again, and that's all the confirmation you needed before you carefully lifted her into your arms. You didn't want to start touching her without permission after all that she went through. The last thing you want is to scare her more than she already is.

You got to admit, your circumstance right now with a woman in your arms and the culprit on the loose inside a narrow tunnel with passages that can rival a maze doesn't sound so promising right now. Though you managed to maintain your grip on your flashlight and weapon, it's going to be a challenge to fight Michael if he suddenly shows up.

Hopefully, he wouldn't.

****

A few minutes of silence passed as you navigated the tunnels, each step taking you closer to the exit. Hannah remained quiet in your arms, her trembling gradually subsiding.

You felt a familiar vibration against your back pocket and you quickly realized it was an incoming call. Assuming it was Jake or Alan, you pushed a button against your earbuds to answer the call.

"Hello," you greeted, your voice low and controlled.

"Chief," the voice on the other end responded, instantly sending a chill down your spine.

You came to a halt, and your heart seemed to skip a beat as you recognized the voice. Hannah must have felt you stiffen because she looked up at you with a questioning look.

Collecting yourself, you cleared your throat and replied as evenly as possible, "Agent Hartmann."

"Affirmative, Chief L/n. This is Agent Hartmann speaking."

Fuck, you're so screwed. This was a predicament you hadn't anticipated.

"Drop the formalities, Charlotte." You hissed quietly. "How did you get my number?" Because they shouldn't have. No. They can't. You made sure it was secured and untraceable.

"You aren't as slick as you thought you are, Chief," Charlotte responded, a hint of amusement in her tone. You could practically imagine her smirking. Charlotte is your right hand in your squad. Technically, you knew her almost like at the back of your hand. "You've gotten quite rusty, I must say."

You frowned, her words hitting a nerve. "Very funny. A year of suspension can do that to you," you sighed. This situation was spiraling in an unexpected direction. "What's the verdict?" you asked, bracing yourself for her response.

If word of your actions had spread to the entire FBI, your control over the situation was slipping through your fingers.

Charlotte's tone turned serious. "I'm not sure if the Director already knows but I'm certain the whole squad knows about your insubordination because we are the ones who found you. So, the possibility of the director not knowing about this is slim."

You cursed under your breath. This was worse than you thought.

"So, you're going to arrest me?" you challenged, your voice tinged with defiance. You felt Hannah's grip tighten on your shirt, her fear palpable.

"Our squad had promised to follow you, Chief, no matter which path you decided to walk," Charlotte stated firmly. "And we intend to keep that promise."

Your gaze softened considerably. Her loyalty caught you off guard.

"You shouldn't risk your job for me, Charlotte," you swallowed the lump in your throat. "I've got nothing to lose while you guys can lose everything."

"I think you're underestimating us," she chuckled before turning serious once again. "We are here to help."

Your eyebrows rose. "How so?"

"We found your culprit," she said simply. "Do you know any Ted Madruga?"

"Yes. He's the one in prison."

"You really did turn rusty, Chief." She said seriously. "The paper Miss Lilly Donfort had found from Miss Hannah Donfort's mail are all fraud."

"What?" you sound so confused. "What do you mean?"

Charlotte's next words shook the foundations of your investigation.

"We have gathered records from all prisons in the region, and there are no records of a man named Ted Madruga in any of them."

Your eyes widened, realization dawning. "You mean he's—"

A sharp stinging pain at the back of your head sent you to your knees, forcing your grip on Hannah to loosen. The world around you spun for a moment before darkness swallowed your vision, your consciousness slipping away. As the darkness closed in, Hannah's scream echoed in your ears.

"Chief? Chief! Goddamn it!" Charlotte's voice reverberated in your unconscious mind. "We're too late, Viktor. Step on the gas! Hurry!"

A low, eerie chuckle echoed in the tunnel as a figure emerged, slinging a bloodied baseball bat over their shoulder. A twisted smirk curled upon their lips as they fixed their gaze on Hannah, who was frozen in terror.

"No one's leaving the mine alive," their voice dripped with menace. "It's time to let everyone know the truth."

~~~~~~

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A/n: Instant apologies for the cliffhanger. As I have said, I may not follow the game's ending. It's not that I'm not contented with the game's ending but rather I'd like to add some spice of my own.

Important: Also, I don't know if it's a problem on my end or not because I have uploaded the part 10 days ago but it seemed that my works aren't visible to anyone at all which led me to reupload it again just so it would be finally be visible to readers.

So, I would like to ask (if it's not too much to ask 🥺) if some of y'all can leave some comments, likes or even reblogs just to let me know my work is out there? It would mean a lot to me that my works will be able to reach my fellow readers as well. I also really appreciate feedbacks 😉

[alyssaforevermore]

Hounded ↦ Bellamy Blake 10. I Am Become Death

Synopsis: After being locked away for eight months, Athena Kane alongside 99 other criminals is sent to the ground to find out if it's survivable. The ground was the dream, but who knew it would turn out to be a nightmare?

Show: The 100

Pairings: Bellamy Blake x OC

Warnings: major series spoilers (full series will be covered), use of profanity, descriptions of violence, death, blood and gore, and mentions of drugs and alcohol.

Tags: @mellxander1993 @sweetz1919 @jordangdelacruz

Masterlist

An explosion in the middle of the night caught the attention of everyone in camp, including myself. We watched as the shrapnel of the Exodus ship flew through the night sky, the fire of the crash site burning below.

Clarke and I held each other, knowing both of our mothers had been on it. We didn’t cry, both of us trying our best to stay strong, in part for each other and in part for our own sanity.

It was now morning and Clarke had run off to search the crash site. I, however, couldn’t bring myself to go there just yet. Knowing my mother was dead, I couldn’t stop thinking about my father. At this moment I would give anything to talk to him, see his face again, no matter how angry at him I still was.

“Hey,” Bellamy spoke, placing a hand lightly on my shoulder. “I thought you could use some water.”

I gave him a half-smile, taking the canteen from his hands. “Thank you.”

He watched as I took a sip, his face scrunched together. Finally he sat down next to me. “I’m really sorry about your mom.”

I could feel my eyes begin to swell with tears, but I fought them back. “I’m just glad it was fast, you know? With losing contact with The Ark…” I stopped myself, swallowing hard. “I’m just glad she didn’t suffer.”

Bellamy nodded. “A group of us were planning to head out to the crash site; help Clarke look for anything we can use here. If you want to come, you’re welcome to. Or, if you’d rather stay here-“

I stood from my seat, my legs wobbling beneath me. “I’ll go with you.”

Bellamy stared at me for a moment. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“It almost feels unreal, you know? I have to face it. Besides, the more people searching, the more likely we’ll find something useful.”

Bellamy nodded, standing up as well. “Okay, let’s go.”

…

“Clarke shouldn’t be out here.” Finn whispered to Raven as he searched through some of the debris. “Neither should Athena.”

“You suck at whispering, you know that? Besides, I’m fine.” I turned to Finn.

He mouthed ‘sorry’ as Raven let out an exasperated sigh. “Her mom was on the ship. She's looking for answers. You want to help her, find me the black box, hard drives, anything that will explain why this ship crashed.”

My eyes scanned the area, taking in the charred trees and bushes surrounding the crash site. There were few bodies left intact from the crash, but each one I saw made me think of my mother. Had it been a quick death? Was she among the bodies surrounding you right now? That thought was almost too much to bare.

“Stay sharp. Grounder retaliation for what happened on the bridge is coming, just a matter of when.” Bellamy called out.

“Can you blame them?” Finn asked.

“No,” Bellamy responded. “I blame you.”

Late last night, Bellamy had told me all about the secret mission Clarke had pulled him in on. It turns out that Octavia had been seeing the grounder who stabbed Finn, and Finn went to him hoping for a meeting to discuss peace. Unsurprisingly, it hadn’t gone according to plan, with both sides firing at each other. 

“Maybe if you didn't bring guns-“

“If we didn't bring guns, we all would've been killed.” Raven cut Finn off.

Why they're coming doesn't matter anymore. It's our job to be ready when they do.” Bellamy said, before lowering his voice. “We're on our own now.”

Raven’s eyes lit up, her quickly jogging towards Clarke. “Clarke, stop!”

We all followed behind Raven.

“Rocket fuel?” Clarke asked.

“Hydrazine... Highly unstable in its non solid form. If this stuff meets fire, we're all pink mist.”

“Well, that’s great.” I quipped.

Raven picked up a rock, dipping it in a bit of the fuel and tossing it away from everyone. “Fire in the hole!”

The rock landed in some burning debris a few feet away from us and a small explosion went off, causing us all to share worried glances.

“We need to clear the area.” Raven added.

Bellamy nodded, looking around the crash site. "Okay, then. We move in formation, no straggling, weapons hot. We need to get back before dark."

…

When we all got back to camp, word had quickly spread that Murphy had been found outside the walls, battered and bloody. Bellamy wasted no time running off towards the dropship.

"Where is he?” Bellamy snapped, pushing his way through the door. “Everyone but Connor and Derek get out now!"”

"He claims he was with the Grounders." Derek spoke.

"We caught him trying to sneak back into camp." Connor added.

"I wasn't sneaking.” Murphy retorted, his voice lower than usual. “I was running from the Grounders."

Bellamy looked between the two boys. “Did anyone see any Grounders?”

They shook their heads.

“Well, in that case-“ Bellamy stepped forward, aiming his gun at Murphy.

“Wait a second!” I shouted, stepping between them.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Finn asked, standing next to Clarke.

"We were clear what would happen if he came back."

"No.” Finn protested. “If he was with the Grounders, then he knows things that can help us."

"Help us? We hanged him. We banished him, and now we're gonna kill him.” Bellamy attempted to push past me, but Finn quickly came to my side. “Get the hell out of my way."

“No,” Clarke finally spoke up. “Finn is right.”

“Like hell he is.” Bellamy snapped. “Guys, think about Charlotte.”

“I think about her all the time.” I responded. “What happened to her was as much our fault as it was his.”

Clarke made her way over to Murphy, examining him as Bellamy folded his arms across his chest. “He's not lying. His fingernails were torn off. They tortured him."

Finn scoffed, eying Bellamy. “You and the grounders should compare notes.”

Bellamy stepped closer to Murphy, slowly this time. "The Grounders know we're at war. What did you tell them about us?"

We all looked to Murphy, who was silent for a moment. “Everything.” He finally responded.

Clarke pulled Bellamy aside, Finn and I quickly joined them. "Once he's better, we find out what he knows, and then he's out of here, okay?"

"What if he refuses to leave? What do we do with him then?" Bellamy asked.

“Then we kill him.” Clarke responded before walking away.

Bellamy glanced at me, his eyebrow raised.

“What?” I asked.

Bellamy shrugged. “I thought you’d have something to say about it.”

“He can’t stay here,” I conceded. “I just don’t feel great about killing him.”

“Even after what he did?”

I took a deep breath. “Bellamy, nobody gave him a chance to plead his case. Don’t get me wrong, he gave us every reason to believe it was him, but this isn’t the Ark.”

“He made his choice, Athena.” Bellamy responded. “He can make his choice again; leave or die. I know what I’d choose.”

With that, Bellamy walked away, exiting the dropship.

I looked over at Murphy, who was still sat in the fetal position against the wall. He looked up at me for a moment, his eyes frail. 

I turned to Derek and Connor. “Keep an eye on him at all times and keep anyone besides myself, Clarke or Bellamy out of here.” 

They both nodded and I made my way out of the dropship.

…

The morning carried on, all of us around camp working on our daily tasks. I sat by the fire, taking a break from watch duty, my mind wandering to my mother once again. Then, I thought about my father and the possibility that The Ark had finally run out of air. As much as I was angry with him, the idea that I had lost both of my parents in a matter of a day felt heavier than I could’ve ever imagined.

I felt wetness roll down my cheek, a shock as I hadn’t even realized I was starting to cry. I wiped my cheek with my left hand, looking down at my hand to see nothing but red. 

Coughing erupted around the camp and I shot up from the log I was sitting on. A few feet away Clarke and Raven exited a tent, running into Connor who was half slumped over.

I did a mini jog towards them, my legs shaking beneath me. “Clarke-“ I started, stopping as she turned to face me, blood dripping down her cheeks as well.

“Raven, get away from us.” Clarke commanded.

“What?”

Clarke took a deep breath. “They’re the ones who brought Murphy in.”

I followed Clarke as she darted towards the dropship, heading straight for Murphy who was vomiting blood. Connor and Derek followed right behind us.

Clarke knelt down beside him. “Murphy, hey, look at me.” She started. “I need you to tell me exactly how you escaped from the Grounders. What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Murphy spoke, struggling for a breath. “I woke up and they forgot to lock my cage. There was no one there so I took off.”

“They let him go.” I spoke, Clarke looking back at me.

Footsteps raced into the dropship, Bellamy’s face coming into view.

“Bellamy, stay back.” Clarke spoke.

Bellamy looked at me, his eyes wide. “Did he do something to you?”

I shook my head.

“Then what the hell is going on?”

“Biological warfare.” I responded, my body falling back against the wall.

Clarke stood up. “You were waiting for the Grounders to retaliate for the bridge? This is it. Murphy is the weapon.”

Bellamy’s jaw tensed as he stepped slightly closer. “Is this your revenge, helping the Grounders kill us?”

“I didn’t know about this, okay?” Murphy shook his head. “I swear.”

“Stop lying!” Bellamy yelled. “When are they coming?”

Clarke focused on Murphy. “Think, okay? What can you tell us that’s useful? Did you hear anything?”

“They are vicious, cruel.”

“You want to see vicious?” Bellamy huffed.

“Don’t,” I pleaded. “Whatever this is, it spreads through contact.”

Clarke nodded. “She’s right, you can come anywhere near us or him.”

Finn entered the room, his eyes immediately locking on Clarke. “Clarke?”

“Finn, you shouldn’t be here. Nobody should.”

“I heard you were sick.” Finn responded. “What is this?”

“I don’t know,” Clarke shook her head. “some kind of hemorrhagic fever. We just need to contain it before-“

Derek began coughing, choking on the blood. Clarke and I rushed over, rolling him on his side, but it was too late. Derek’s body went still.

Bellamy froze. “Is he-“

Clarke nodded. “He’s dead.”

“What the hell are we supposed to do?” I asked. 

“Quarantine.” Clarke responded, looking to Finn. “Round up everyone who has had contact with Murphy and bring them here.”

Finn nodded, exiting the dropship.

“And everyone they’ve had contact with?” Bellamy asked.

“We have to start somewhere.” Clarke responded. “Connor, who was with you when you found him? Who carried him in?”

“The first one out there was Octavia.”

Bellamy’s face went pale, his eyes landed on me. In a matter of seconds, he was running out the dropship door.

…

I stood across from Bellamy as Clarke finished examining Octavia. I knew he was scared and part of me just wanted to comfort him, but I knew I couldn’t.

“We’re done.” Clarke spoke. “No visible signs of swelling or bleeding.”

“So you’re saying she doesn’t have it?” Bellamy asked.

“I’m saying she doesn’t have symptoms, but that could change. We need to keep her here just in case.” 

“No way.” Bellamy shook his head. “Look at this place. She’ll get sick just being here.”

Looking around the room, I couldn’t help but agree. There was blood covering at least ⅓ of the floor and sick people scattered everywhere.

“Do you want to stop the spread or not?” Clarke asked. “Look, I’ll keep her on the third level with the people who aren’t symptomatic yet. Think of it as a way to stop her from sneaking out again.”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “Screw you, Clarke.”

Clarke sighed, turning her attention back to Bellamy. “I’ll let you know if her condition changes.”

Bellamy nodded as Octavia and Clarke walked away. His eyes then fell on me, an unusual softness to them.

“Hey, if anything changes I’ll take care of her, okay?” I spoke, smiling softly. “I promise.”

Bellamy took a deep breath, nodding. “I know you will. Thank you, Athena.”

My eyes lingered on Bellamy as he left the dropship. When I turned back around, I noticed Octavia hadn’t yet gone up to level three.

I headed over to Clarke. “Why isn’t she up there yet?”

Clarke was hesitant to respond, but finally he did. “Look, the less you know the better. Just trust me, okay?”

“I just promised Bellamy I’d take care of her. What is she still doing down here?” I pushed.

“I’m sending her to find Lincoln-“

“Are you out of your mind?” I snapped. “For all we know, the Grounders are just outside our walls waiting for the right opportunity to strike. We can’t just send her out there, especially when we don’t know if she’s sick yet.”

“Athena, Lincoln might have some sort of cure for this.” Clarke explained. “If she doesn’t at least try to get it, more of us will die before the Grounders even get here.”

I was silent for a moment, fighting the part of me that knew Clarke was right. If it was almost anyone else, I’d be supporting this. I knew Octavia could handle herself, but the thought of losing her too?

“Alright,” I finally spoke.

… 

After helping Clarke take care of the others for a while, she had ordered me to take some time to rest. I must have passed right out, because I awoke to the sound of gunshots.

I pulled myself off of the floor, staggering outside where Clarke was standing in front of the entire camp with a gun in her hand.

“This is exactly what the Grounders want. Don’t you see that?” Clarke asked. “They don’t have to kill us if we kill each other first.”

“They won’t have to kill us if we all catch the virus.” One of the delinquents stepped forward, his gun pointed at Clarke. “Get back in the dropship now!”

Bellamy grabbed the boy’s gun, hitting him in the face with it. He then looked at Clarke. “Not to state the obvious, but your quarantine isn’t exactly working.”

Clarke’s legs gave out as she began to fall to the ground. Finn lunged forward, catching her.

“Finn, don’t touch her!” Raven called out.

Clarke shook her head. “Hey, let me go. I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not.” Finn protested. 

“Octavia will come back with a cure.”

“There is no cure!” Octavia’s voice rang out through the camp. She stepped forward, just a few paces behind Bellamy. “The Grounders don’t use the sickness to kill, though.”

“Really?” Bellamy challenged, pointing to a line of bodies. “Tell that to them.”

“Bellamy, she was trying-“

He ignored me, continuing on. “I warned you about seeing that Grounder again.”

“Yeah? Well, I have a warning for you, too.” Octavia spoke through gritted teeth. “The Grounders are coming and they’re attacking at first light.”

She pushed past her brother and towards Clarke and Finn, placing a hand on Clarke’s forehead.

“Come on,” she spoke. “I’ll help you get her into the dropship.”

The three of them headed inside, everyone finally heading back to work. 

Bellamy turned to Raven. “How many bullets can you make by first light?”

Raven thought for a moment. “Time to find out.” She replied before heading towards her tent.

Bellamy’s eyes landed on me again.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Octavia.”

He sighed and shook his head. “I’m guessing it wasn’t your idea.”

Bellamy didn’t wait for an answer before he headed off towards Raven’s tent.

…

While Clarke was resting, Octavia, Finn, Murphy and I were taking care of the other sick delinquents. As much as I felt uneasy in Murphy’s presence, I knew how badly we needed any help we could get right now. Bellamy and Raven were working on a bomb, while everyone else still unaffected by the sickness was either on watch duty or taking care of other camp responsibilities.

“How are you feeling?” Octavia asked, placing her hand lightly on my shoulder.

I tried to muster a smile. “I’m feeling okay, considering. I’ll feel a lot better when we know that the bomb worked.”

Octavia tensed up. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry,” I frowned. “I know how much you care about Lincoln.”

“He asked me to stay with him.” Octavia confessed, her voice in a whisper.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t just hide away knowing what was coming. I couldn’t do that to you, and even though I’m mad at him, I couldn’t do that to Bellamy.”

I nodded. “Bellamy will come around eventually. He’ll see that Lincoln isn’t a bad guy.”

Octavia shook her head. “I don’t know, Athena. I’ve never seen him so sure of anything before.”

Before I could respond, I saw Bellamy entering the dropship, propped up by two other boys. I barely had time to register his presence when he began coughing up blood.

Octavia spun around. “Bell?” He continued to cough as Octavia and I sprung into action.

“Clear some space and lay him down, now!” I demanded, rushing over to him.

Octavia knelt down, grabbing his hand. “Hey, big brother.”

“I’m scared.” Bellamy confessed through shallow breaths.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

“That’s what I said to you the day you were born.”

“I know,” Octavia smiled. “You’ve told me that like a thousand times.”

I stepped away, letting the two have the first positive moment they’d had in days. A part of me was jealous; I would never feel that kind of love again. My family was gone, and I somehow was the only one left. It felt like some sort of sick joke; I was the expendable one, after all.

It felt wrong to hold onto that now, but there was still a part of me that wished things could be different. I wanted so badly to see my parents again and just let it all go, but that would never happen now.

…

I continued to help out in the dropship, mostly cleaning up blood and vomit in hopes of possibly minimizing the continuing spread of this sickness. I would tend to people here and there, and this time I was checking on Bellamy.

He had finally sat up, leaning over the side of the cott he had been given earlier.

“How are you holding up?”

His eyes met mine, a small smiling falling across his face. “Better. You?”

I sat down beside him, leaning back into the wall of the dropship. “I can’t wait for this day to be over.”

“When the day is over, we might all be dead.”

I let out a groan. “Right, I’d almost completely forgotten about that.”

“Jasper will come through with the shot.” Bellamy assured me.

“If he doesn’t, it’s all over.” I whispered. “Maybe this was how it was supposed to be. We should’ve died on The Ark with everyone else.”

Bellamy looked back at me, confusion written all over his face. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

“I don’t know what I believe anymore.” I confessed. “We’ve fought so hard to still be here-“

“And this isn’t the end.” Bellamy stopped me. “This is not how our stories end, okay? You were sent down here to die, and you didn’t. The ground wasn’t meant to be survivable for another hundred years, but here we are. There has to be a reason for that.”

I nodded, closing my eyes for a moment.

Bellamy leaned back against the wall, taking a deep breath. Without thinking, I laid my head on his shoulder. He let it happen, even adjusting his body so I would be more comfortable.

On day one, I never would’ve expected to find comfort in Bellamy Blake. Now, it felt like he was always there when I needed someone. I felt safe with him, something I hadn’t felt with anybody in a really long time.

After a few moments, the sound of footsteps caught my attention. I opened my eyes, sitting up straight to find Clarke standing in front of us, a puzzled look across her face for just a second.

“We should start bringing everyone inside.” She spoke, looking between the two of us. “There hasn’t been an explosion yet and I think it’s better if we play it safe.”

I nodded, standing up. “Let’s do it.”

The three of us began rounding up the entire camp, each of them filing into the dropship one by one. Suddenly, there was a ground shaking bang and the sky through the trees lit up a bright orange before fading into a cloud of smoke.

“Holy shit.” I muttered.

Bellamy’s face lit up. “They did it.” 

Clarke stood next to us, her face never changing. “I am become death,” she began.

I let out a deep breath before continuing, “Destroyer of worlds.”

--------

AN: We have reached chapter ten, which means we have finally gotten to the point I had previously paused on! I really hope you enjoyed this one and I'm so excited to share chapter eleven and soon finish this first season. Please remember to like/reblog and share your thoughts <3 The tag list is also still open; let me know if you'd like to be added!

[drizzileiscool]

BIG GIANT POST ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE PLAYING TWEWY!!!!!!

CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

NO I HAVE NOT PLAYED NEO YET!!!! I AM POOR!!!!! PLEASE DON'T SPOIL ME ON IT!!!!!! I've played some of the demo though!!!!!

I first decided to get into twewy last month. I saw that there was a switch version available, but I was unable to play that version. I did, however, have a ds emulator, but after talking to some people I realized I probably would've gotten arthritis playing it on emulator.

When I was just about ready to give up, I decided to watch the first episode of the anime. I enjoyed it a bit.

I was then told to not watch the anime.

So you may be wondering.. "How did you play twewy?"

I played the mobile version. Solo mix. Yeah that one. The one not available for current gen phones.

I found a link to a modded version on an old reddit thread that was updated for current gen android phones, and one of my friends helped me get it set up, and I was finally ready to play.

During my first few hours, I didn't actually like neku all that much. Honestly, he was a dick. i remember what you said about plushies, neku. i will not forgive this as a plushie enthusiast.

While playing the game, I was under the assumption that I would get to change partners whenever once I unlocked it. Rhyme seemed cool, so I was hoping to get to partner with her.

And then the game killed her off.

Despite not knowing anything about rhyme, she was still my favorite character. Besides beat of course, but that's later during week 3.

I remember that I was crying when I first saw her death. I was all like "why did they make such a cool character design, just to kill her off?? that doesn't make sense."

earlier today I saw a tweet on twitter that said "cute cosplay idea for couples!" and it was a rhyme cosplay and a shark costume and I nearly lost my shit laughing, so I guess I'm over it.

When week 1 was ending, I remember feeling like "wait, that's it?" of course, I was wrong.

anyways week 2 now uhh uhhhhhh-

when I first met joshua and learned that I could scan him I was all like "huh???". also excellent foreshadowing there, square enix!

also JOSHUA IS A FRUIT YOU CANNOT TELL ME THIS PERSON ISN'T GAY JUST LOOK AT HIM

at this point, I didn't really know what to expect anymore. the game broke one of its already established rules, "players can't scan other players" so I had no idea what was coming next anymore.

SHO MINAMIMOTO IS HOT!!!!

uhhg. don't got anything else to say about this week except I genuinely thought hanekoma was the composer.

I was extremely shocked to learn that joshua killed neku during this week, and was even more shocked to learn that it was a misfire (and then I learned it wasn't a misfire but that's in week 3 and we haven't gotten to that yet!)

WEEK THREE!!! BEAT TIME!!!

alright, before I started week 3, I actually didn't like beat all that much. that changed a LOT during week 3. he is now one of my favorite characters.

later that week, I had finally learned joshua was the composer and was actually extremely shocked lol.

oh uh I also got spoiled on how beat and rhyme got hit by a car from ign so uhhhh oops

SHO SOMEHOW GOT HOTTER!!!!

I beat the game. I loved the credits theme (and will rewatch the credits later) and really liked how neku threw off his headphones to symbolize how he won't shut himself off from the world anymore.

10/10 game, really enjoyed playing it!

also there was a scene early on where neku went up to a reaper and said I know what you are and I didn't get to screenshot it :(

so.. yeah! my experience with twewy! good game! one of my favorites now! getting neo soon!

[serenpedac]

Remembrance

Fandom: Returnal

Words: ~500

Rating: Teen and up

Warnings: Emotionally abusive parent, Ascension spoilers

Summary: Selene finds a flower that brings back memories.

Read on AO3

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

I find the first one in the middle of the floor, a drop of white against the dark grey of the tower. My weapon at the ready, I approach it. None of the hostiles I have encountered so far have tried to misguide me like this, but Atropos is ever-changing as is this tower. Its workings are as much of an enigma as its sudden appearance, but a structure like this implies an intelligent creator. Creators. Whoever made this… Are they still here?

The flower doesn’t move or transform. Is it even real? Am I— Have I started to hallucinate? Holstering my weapon, I take my scanner instead, which begins to whirr within seconds. A holographic duplicate appears above it as it is added to my databank. 

“A white poppy,” I read the information my scanner gives me, as if I didn’t know what it was the moment I saw it.

My arm—or the parasite attached to it, its tentacles pressing my suit against me like it’s a second skin—twitches when I kneel to take the flower. It doesn’t droop, doesn’t show any signs of decay.

“For the vase?” I hear myself say. It has to be. I used to bring poppies like this one to Mother. My fingers tighten around the flower, almost crushing it, but I stop just in time. A single creased petal would be enough to evoke Mother’s disapproval.

Ink-black spills from the centre onto the pristine white petals. I never understood why she liked them so much when all they did was blend in with the white of the hospital, but I kept bringing them. Not that she ever gave me a word of gratitude or even a smile.

Another memory resurfaces when I put the poppy into one of the compartments of my suit.

“Mommy, mommy, look what I made!”

A crude drawing of a rocket against a sky littered with yellow stars is pressed under my nose.

I let out a huff. “Not now.”

“But I made it ‘specially—”

What happened to the drawing? 

“Not. Now.” I push the paper aside. “I don’t have time.”

“... Okay.” The reply made in a small voice barely registers with me, my attention back on the diagrams before me.

I can’t remember. What else can’t I remember? I have to— I have to find out.

“ASTRA,” I say, “I found a flower. My scans show it to be harmless. I will be taking it with me to… investigate.” As I turn off the recorder, I know that my last statement is a lie. ASTRA protocol would demand I place it in a quarantined environment to study, but to truly understand what secrets it is hiding, I have to keep it close, to follow where it’s telling me to go. It is bound to this tower like I am bound by Atropos, and I have no choice but to bring it back to the vase that is waiting at the bottom of the Tower. 

I have no choice but to keep climbing. 

Ever higher, only to fall ever deeper.

Will this ever end?

[shapeshifterrr]

TV.

. CHAPTER 2 / 2

Content: T rating / Shin x Noi / mess and headache / light angst / This fic takes place after chapter167, the final one. Unquestionably, spoiler alert / Enjoy the light reading / too much thinking

Summary: Chapter 1

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Dark chilly night, Noi is still trying to find Shin, she asks anyone she finds in her way working inside the mansion. Where Shin could be? He’s a huge guy, you can’t miss him, it should be easy to spot him. However, no one saw him anywhere, where else could he be at? He said 5 minutes last time she saw him, she’s certain that he got ready in 3 minutes and 25 second.

Doleful, Noi’s pacing has slowed down, outside with her head lowered saying “Senpai- you dumb asshole” Some irking thoughts creeped into her mind, the probability of him going back to Hole without saying a thing “... he wouldn’t” she looks up at the tall mansion from the outside, suddenly she gasps “OUGH!!!”

She can see a little dim light coming from that window, very high up in the huge building. The dim light leaks from the edges of the curtain, from Shin’s apartment “what!?” Noi runs back inside, she climb multiple stairs jumps off millions of obstacles; you name it, a chair, huge bricks, dining table, Chota, pile of wood, a new covered in wrapped sofa. Noi reached to Shin’s apartment door again, huffing and sweating. Her strong fist was ready to tear the door open but she remembered he might be still tired “gentle”

Gently twisting the door handle open, her eyes scan the dimly lit room, anticipating something bad.. Noi had to stay calm for any sudden movement, slow her breath to focus. The silence in the room is worrying; the room is engulfed in a creepy quietness some would think they’ve arrived at the graveyard realm. Will she find an enemy that’s lurking around the corners; something always looms around her and Shin, that’s not out of the ordinar— Shin sleeping like a bear!

Noi can see his head with dark blonde hair peeking out from under the big blanket, sank on the pillow. That’s all she can see standing by the doorframe while her eyes twitching in miff. Walking slowly to the other side of the bed to see his face, Shin is so deep in his sleep serenely breathing. “phh” Noi sigh out so relieved whispering as she sits slowly in the little empty space on bed beside him “I thought you got murdered”

“Why would you think that?” Suddenly Shin asked

“WAA-” “You’re awake!” Noi jumped a little quacking the bed

“Of course I’m awake, you’re too noisy”

“hmph” Noi puff irked “I’ve been searching for you all over the place, you said 5 minutes. I went everywhere in this wrecked mansion, you can’t imagine how exhausted I am” “I even asked En if he had sent you on a mission on your own, I thought you went away”

Shin turns over on his back “Sorry”

“UGH you got me stressed for nothing” pettishly said, Noi exclaimed at him as he awkwardly glazed a smirk on uneasy

Noi turn her head to him and call him “Senpai…”

“hm?” absent minded, flat on his head his lips shut

“What’s wrong?”

“…” Shin got so quiet, chagrined

“I’m your partner, tell me”

rolled his eyes “tsk shut up” trying to dismiss the issue to sway the attention off him

“SHIN!” Noi called in a seething voice looking at him

Her voice echoed seconds in the room, Shin’s eyes widened at her, freaked out he froze in bed much he didn’t dare to breathe. Noi just called his name out like that unusually, no titles, no preparation. Her eyes dart right into his so defenseless eyes, thinking (So scary, fuck I have never seen her angry)

He looks somewhere else, simply explaining “… I- got a headache, needed to sleep”

Placing her hand on the bed near his head, Noi leaned in close “That’s it?”

He pulls the blanket closer to his chin defensively answering in a hum “mhm”

Noi put her hand gently on his forehead to check his temperature, the awkward-silence got Shin’s heart beating a bit faster from cold to hot. She weren’t that close but to him she were, soon her long shiny hair strands started falling close on him, little touches made him quiver.

First time he felt. It was long ago. When he were way younger. He’d been repeating over the years:

Keep it cool, keep it ‘professional’ and void of little mistakes. He knows where he came from and where he could end if he doesn’t follow orders. The odds are always against him as that’s all he knows being who he is. For every moment he grit his teeth in pain ‘I have to survive’ a statement declared and repeated in his head, for everything to make sense. He have to hide it to keep his job, that’s his boss’ relative

All of this could incontestably disappear in the glimpse of an eye, this power, hierarchy, gain, residency; he’ll make the most of it while it lasts. He won’t be caught dead in this game. His life depends on throat cut survival and nothing else, what else someone requires? His job is the only thing going right for him. Unquestionably, he will cut anything that stands in his way, isn’t that right? His heart throbbing, attacking although nothing threatening is in effect.

He lied to himself for so many years, saying he didn’t have anything to hide but he cut his own heart for he stood in his own way. He won’t crack under pressure, but under love?

The feud is over now, sorcerers and humans after all the suffering did reconcile, so what Shin is fighting for now exactly. Why is he still here in this none-ending nightmare in and out his mind? He is so lost.

So lost in the wilderness of his mind, he wishes to stop wandering further. He thinks of his father, were his death in vain? Why the world hasn’t decided to change earlier, before he’d be left with a gruelling instinct to survive every minute? He’s getting hopeless of himself, is there a doctor this time to stich him again, but for this distraught heart. His head got warmer and his chest hurts a little. He wants to sleep for so long until he’s ready to face the world in this unhinged ‘friendly’ state.

Noi’s hand felt so soft and gentle on his head like cotton, her relaxed breaths makes him feel so at peace and ease. She’s been caressing his head without him noticing, her hand fully again and again went through his hair brushing it back on his head. Noi sitting straight, her cute face is a little further from him; her strong large shoulders cover the annoying small lamp blinding his tired eyes. His hazy head just woke up, his lips close and his shoulders under the cover lift outside.

“It’s fine” Shin says, sitting up on the bed and grabbing his glasses on the nightstand to wear them “I need to be alone”

“Are you thinking of going back to Hole?”

“HUH?” “What are you- I told you millions of times, I’m not, I don’t care about it” Noi have asked this question so many times, he really doesn’t care about Hole, where his other half is from, to him it’s just a place he knows.

“aah- I really can’t tell what’s bothering you” Noi says sitting crossed legs on his bed and folding her arms

“I told you my head hurts, like some TV static white noise going forever”

“Senpai, you didn’t have some coffee today, maybe that’s what’s making your head hurt. You know caffeine addiction”

“Ugh whatever”

“Ok” Noi go to the nearest working telephone hanged in the hallway and ordered some coffee, she doesn’t know what coffee types are and doesn’t care but whatever they asked she said yes.

Shin is still sitting on his bed covered under the blanket; Noi comes back turning the TV on. She says while changing channels holding the remote “We should be fine, En’s been talking so much about us being his little security until he finds new ones, but who even is interested in this garbage filled mansion anyway now” – “Don’t worry about him, if he annoys you I’ll punch him”

Shin chuckles spontaneously “I’m not worried, I dealt with the last of the hostile crowd. I don’t think there’re anymore”

Noi is sitting on the bed facing the screen, hugging her knees as she keep on pressing the remote control “Yeah, time have changed, and those sorcerers are going to be left behind if they keep this up”

(Times have changed) Shin thinks to himself, that idea somehow surprisingly gave him……….. Anxiety? Yes, anxiety. Thinking about what they just accomplished with the humans, ending the curse, the killing, the injustices. For sure that doesn’t mean all of that have vanished but only the beginning. Shin is too unprepared to let things go, his past was caught with the way of the world before it decided to change all of the sudden. He still comes back to his room drenched in blood, dread, sadness, and stigma. Maybe his headspace is still stuck behind, is he going to let the world move on without him too? What about everything he has done before just the end of that era? Shin thought he doesn’t care about it all, but if he’s being honest for a second, he resent everything.

Channel after channel, channel after channel, Noi have been shuffling channels for a while, noise of every channel were carving their way into his overwhelmed head. It keeps on distracting him from thinking too deeply about every little thing.

“Noi”

“huh?!”

“What do you think of everything that recently have happened in Hole and all?”

“huh?”

“Just answer”

“ahmmmm… I didn’t think of that yet, I didn’t even get a break to take time off after all that endless quandary, En is all about his business, he’s been working us extra to rebuild his place.”

“…”

“Right, we’re not his little security guards, we’re THE cleaners. Ugh, I knew I should tell him I’m not doing it but when you said you’d continue to work I said ok I’ll do that too”

“…” Shin looks at her from behind, as she’s busy flipping the TV channels still

!— “AGG” Noi jumps a little as she feels something wrapping around her neck from behind.

Out of the woodwork, Shin’s arms hugging her from behind, her lips shut close “???” he stayed like that for a while. Noi sees his hands clutching on his own arms, as he’s not letting go soon

Shin speaks “I’m so glad that…” “… that” “… that you, I” He can’t think of what’s fitting to say.

Noi isn’t so sure what called for that, it’s been a while since they’ve made it out of that hard situation.

“Shin??!!” Noi call him in a shaky voice

“Why you keep saying my name like that, sounds so weird”

“You’re worrying me— what’s going on?” She recalls it, it was so stressful back then but they’ve made it alive. Maybe he’s still recovering.

*knock!* *knock!* someone knocked on the door and opened it without hesitation speaking unabashedly loud ruining the sweet moment “Large coffee with chocolate and milk and medium sugar and extra cream” – Shin released her then fast returning under his safety blanket

“oo- oh the coffee” Noi said, confused still.

Afterwards, Shin went outside with his coffee and Noi followed him silently.

They walked outside in the park for a while. Shin is walking a bit fast as if he’s trying to escape while Noi is behind looking around. The dark midnightsky with it’s shiny stars, the nice breeze making the trees dance slowly, it’s a breathtaking night. The park is so vast, so green, filled with flowers and mushrooms and devilish statues. They’ve been walking for half an hour nonstop. Noi starts to get pass him “!” she walks little faster than him.

Shin stops walking, Noi looks back at him “Shi- sorry, Senpai, I’m glad we still can have time to walk in the park”

“…huh?” Shin is confused

“You started getting your emotions out so I thought I’d say this too”

“Why you put too much sugar in this coffee” Shin complained a little after tasting the coffee.

“I dunno, the barista kept asking too many questions”

“ugh you can’t be left on your own” Shin said looking at his cup

“Who was bedridden the entire day refusing help!? you as well, tsk”

Shin breaks a smile, starts laughing.

“Why are you laughing?” Noi asks curious gets back, closer to him.

“It’s not that bad” he sips his coffee again

Free, together? Shin never thought of the future,

And the past tortures him slowly,

But what about the now?

Is he foolish to dare?

What if he loses something?

Is it too late now? What is later than midnight?

what could happen if he said it?

So what if he died from love

Fuck the world, he never cared about no one but her

If tomorrow comes, he’ll forget that today happened. It’s a perfect and still night, glimmering streetlights in the dark.

(I want to walk with you, forever) Shin thinks to himself as he directly stare, at where the only fire that lend him warm was, her crimson eyes. They’re so close yet— a little far

(Her warm lovely crimson eyes, stare so stupidly at me) He thought (Mine stares so stupidly at her too. The kind of stupid I don’t want to admit and tried to push over many years) –

(I love you, Noi) feeling a lump in his throat, he thought while staring unashamed into her eyes, for the first time loud in his thought.

“Me too” Noi said, staring back. His blood rushing and his cheeks were rosy flushed, trying to figure what she means exactly

“I feel funny heh… a headache?” she said “I get what you meant now with the TV noise”

“oh…” Shin said

Noi said “Your face is so red”

Shin blushing said “Yours too, idiot”

“Are we both that sick?” Noi says “We need a long vacation, huh”

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