#i want to go to bed but i have to stay awake
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duck9irbl · 3 days ago
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Everything is numbers. Even nothing has a number. 1 thing can change everything. Perhaps it was a moment or a memory a single action or in action of someone or something. Did or didn't do or said or didn't say. 1 out of multiple what if's.
Just like right now 1 single thought overwhelming the mind. Covered in darkness the only light in the words...
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To who they belong too or who is directed at are for now unknow until we get to peck into the shadows your a monster
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We see 1 man standing what looks to be 1 bed containing 2 people. The people look asleep peaceful unaware. They seem to not know the man but he knows them. I can make this quick and easy
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'The chose should be easy right?' He thinks to himself. But as he looks upset from his slight frown. Yet conflicted onto what to do with the furrow of his brow and scrunched up face. From the 2 bag under his eyes you can at least tell he's tired. Again looking down.
1 sentence yet again appeared in his mind. with all of my heart and every fiber of my very being
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That 1 sentence again surrounded by darkness the only light the words itself. How could numbers change everything?
1 sickness, 1 boy who escaped being the 1 survivor, 1 offer that he took, 2 brothers with 2 different paths he both took. their just kids
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That 1 boy got to grow up despite- because of two brothers. That one boy becoming 1 man staring back at the two brothers. He sits their and watches over the cover of the shadows watching- like he's waiting for something to show up- rather someone. The roles revered 1 man. 2 boys. 1 sword. 1 choice he has to make. That will change everything.
1 lived 1 died. That would stay the same one would live the other would die that much was the same but the question was? Witch brother? YOU
He looks again to what he see's now are not 2 brothers fighting, 2 brothers who picked different paths to different outcomes. But right now- right now he see's 2 brothers sleeping peaceful unaware of the danger that might come. 2 children who don't know any better.
Both kids look at him seemingly awake in shock but maybe thinks is just a bad dream. He doesn't move as to not alert his brother. Their both awake but the other doesn't know that Their just kids who don't know any better
Again that same sentence pops into his mind. Growing more upset, more bitter, more painful stronger and stronger each time. It doesn't stop itself after once no it goes again and again. The same 3 words the 1 sentence repeating again and again. I HATE YOU-! Why?
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Like a mantra, a silent prayer, a plea, a beg- hoping to forget. It gets so loud so overwhelming it consumes your very being. You can't hear anything else, you can't feel anything else you can't see anything else. You can't think of anything else. You just want to get rid of it. For it to get off the face of this reality to go somewhere else- anywhere else. JUST GO AWAY-! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOUI HATE YOU
I HATE YOU-! it'd be so easy just to kill him
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He snaps out of it with a turn of the children heads the cuddle close to each other as if trying to shield each other from this bad dream- this nightmare.
Then a thought came to mind 3 simple words so similar yet so different. Just like the two brothers. Both words each have 3 in them with the same amount of letters in each, both making 1 sentence. How can something so similar be so different?
He stares at the boys hate oozing off of his in a glare yet he can't bring himself to fully do it. His eyebrows furrowing as his eyes look distant. He looks lost. His eye bags looking darker than before as his decision finally puts the full weight on him. With those 3 distant words yet he wants to remember fondly.
I love you.
I hate you. I love you.
Both words holding so much meaning. He loves 1 of the brothers his farther figure the one who not only gave him a chance in life but a chance to love again. The other brother he hates. The monster who almost made him lose sight of how things truly were.
I love you. I hate you.
I hate you.
This supposed to be the right chose... right?
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His face scrunches up as his eyebrows furrow even closer together. As as he allows himself to close his eyes to calm down to rethink onto what he's going to do. What he was gonna do. What he wanted to do. With the words echoing for now one last time.
I love him.
I hate him.
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The words no longer in pure darkness with light surrounding them. Yet what frames the words is darkness.
I love him. I hate him.
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Time travel swapped AU
Law and his incoming mental breakdown 🙃 He hates Doflamingo with burning passion but little Cora-san clearly loves him. What now?
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sevikasbooyahh · 2 days ago
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𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒
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Pairing: Caitlyn Kiramman x Reader
Summary: It’s been a few days since the war ended, Caitlyn is recovering from her injuries. Despite that, she still has the responsibilities of a Kiramman that weigh upon her. Luckily, she has you to ground her.
A/N: Love my wife DOWN—this is a bit long cause I just love writing from her perspective (in a way). This is her late birthday present :3
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She looked through the scope of the sniper with her remaining eye, focused on the target; the bright red spot in the middle of the silhouette head.
Bang!
The golden bullet soared through the air, the Kiramman crest implanted on it shining through the air. A quick swish interrupting the silent atmosphere.
It missed the bullseye, by a few inches.
Dammit.
She growled under her breath, looking down at her sniper. The sound of it slamming onto the ground echoed through the empty room.
She’s been in here for quite a while, hours. She didn’t get a single shot but was determined to stay until she got one. Talk about stubborn.
She’s known for her excellent shooting skills, one of the best in Piltover. And now…she can’t even hit a single bullseye.
What a disappointment.
What would Grayson think, seeing the girl she trained in shooting, not even able to hit the target?
What would her mother think? Her daughter had done so much damage. Went against her morals and now deeply regretted it, the amount of guilt she felt is a consequence itself.
What a disappointment.
She attempted to take deep breaths, a practice she’s been working on with you. But the feelings kept bubbling up, like an active volcano, on the verge of a damaging explosion. So caught up in her thoughts, the sound of your footsteps didn’t register.
“Cait?,” you tilted your head into the room, watching her stiff form slightly relax at the sound of your voice. She didn’t look back, shame settling in from her outburst.
“Baby, you’ve been in here for hours, it’s starting to get late,” you spoke to her gently, being careful not to aggravate her any further.
“I still have work to do,” the words came out in a cold tone. She turned her head in your direction, didn’t look at you.
A sigh is all she received in return. “Don’t stay up all night,” with that, you walked back down the hall; heading to the bedroom.
The room was incredibly spacious, its tall ceilings and wide walls created a relaxing environment. In the middle was her bed, a queen size, large enough for the both of you.
Her wealth was a privilege, she is privileged. She realized at a very young age, not everyone has what she has. And that always plagued her thoughts, especially when she first saw Zaun’s condition.
Do your part, help those who are oppressed under this system.
It was always felt like her responsibility.
—★—
In her office, Caitlyn stared at the letter in front of her, sent by the council. She hasn’t visited a meeting ever since she declared her position as a decorated officer; firmly explaining her objectives to take down the system in Zaun.
Dear Ms. Kiramman,
We call you to a mandatory meeting, tomorrow at noon. There are many issues to be discussed.
- The Piltovian Council
She bit the inside of her cheek, going over the words several times. Ever since her mother’s passing, the chair was passed onto her. Although, Mel, near a sister to her, advised that she took the time to grieve, so much for that.
The mage was going to leave for Noxus, it saddened her, even if she would visit and send letters; it wouldn’t be the same.
She isn’t completely lonely, she has her father, and you of course. It’s like an itch, it won’t go away.
Maybe it’s because the older woman was the sister she always wanted. Similar to how Jayce was the brother she never had. Now he’s gone…left another hole that she can’t fill.
—★—
It was past midnight, the cold air from the open balcony door provided at least a touch of fresh air. You forced yourself to stay awake, waiting until Caitlyn came back to bed. Even while in and out of sleep, she was the first thing on your mind; knowing she was cooped up in her office, trying to rush through paperwork that wasn’t due until weeks from now. She’s been working herself to the bone. You were afraid that if she kept pushing and pushing, her body would drop from exhaustion.
The door creaked as it slowly opened then shut. She stood there for a moment to test if you were awake; she got her answer when you turned around to look at her. The dark lighting of the room preventing you from seeing her features.
The sheets crinkled under you as you got up from the bed; taking her hand and leading her to her bathroom. “I know you haven’t been properly taking care of yourself. I can smell it,” you scrunched up your nose, attempting to lighten up the mood. The slightest smile traced her lips but faded as fast as it came.
You carefully undressed her, revealing her bare body, nothing you haven’t seen before. Your finger traced the stitches of where she had gotten stabbed; trailing it back to her eyepatch.
“You can take it off, you know?” You looked at the patch that matched her hair. You had to admit, it was adorable.
All she did was give a single nod, slowly removing it—the hidden eye finally seeing the light. Doctors had to perform a tarsorrhaphy, as her eye would not be able to close on its own.
It didn’t bother you because it ‘altered’ her appearance but that she would struggle. Her depth perception was poor, she wasn’t able to navigate how far away objects are. It hurts your heart to see that she’s been getting so frustrated with herself and having occasional outbursts.
You zoned back into reality when she turned on the hot water, steam soon filling the room. She didn’t like her showers just hot but boiling. It concerned you at one point of how her skin didn’t get irritated.
She stepped in and her shoulders slightly dropped, bowing her head down. Stepping in behind her, you grabbed her wash cloth and lathered it in soap.
You rubbed the cloth against her body, cleansing her skin. She moaned quietly out of relief, she really needed this.
—★—
A strangled gasp escaped her mouth; gasping for air as she awakened. The nightmare playing on repeat in her mind.
Jinx. Torture. Gun to her head.
She hardly talked to you about her time with Jinx. How deeply it affected her. Her mother’s death was the tip of the iceberg. What that girl did to her haunted her every night afterwards, she couldn’t even bathe by herself. It was you that got into the shower every night and protected her from the hallucinations that lingered.
You knew what happened as soon as you felt her jolt. Reaching to the nightstand and flicking on the lamp, partially lighting the room. You could see her clearly.
Her chest moving up and down with every breath she took. The sweat dripping against her pale skin. How her eye was wide and scanning the room as if cautiously looking for somebody.
She sighed, lying her head back down on the pillow. “I’m sorry..” she whispered, the words cracking like an object under pressure. “I—I know I’ve been distant as of late. I just…everything’s coming back to me. It’s overwhelming, like I’m suffocating.”
Pressing your body against hers, you held a hand to her cheek, gently stroking your thumb near the eyepatch. She leaned into your touch, her eye closing at the soft sensation of your palm—savoring it.
“You’ve been through so much, we both have, and that’s not stopping me from loving you.” You lift her head to where she’d meet your gaze.
Water swelled up in her eye, though she tried to blink it away, a tear still fell. You didn’t wipe it away, instead letting it linger.
“I’m here,” your soft whisper caused her to finally break. Her eyes squinting as she let out a quiet sob, burying her face into your neck. It’s the one place where she felt safe, secure. Your hand rested on the back of her head, stroking the deep blue hair.
“I…” she sniffled, “I don’t deserve you.” You never wanted to hear those words coming out of her mouth. Sure, maybe she didn’t deserve you, her actions needed to come with consequence. But from what you’ve seen, she’s been beating herself up over this.
And after all that she’s been through, you never gave up on her. Even if her grief led her actions, resulting in chaos.
You were determined, and that’s what she loved most about you.
“Nothing will stray me away, okay? We’ll get through this together.” You looked down at her for confirmation. She lifted her head, giving a small nod.
She slowly wiped her tears away, “I think I need a break,” she admitted with a humorless laugh. “I’ve been so focused on trying to fix everything that I set unrealistic expectations. I can’t do everything but…what am I going to do?” She looked into your eyes, searching for an answer.
“What you need to do is take it slow, progress doesn’t come immediately. Patience is the most valuable thing you can have right now.”
The words seemed to get through to her, thankfully. But all she really wanted—needed right now, is you.
You laid back down on the soft but firm mattress, pulling her down with you. “Try and get some actual rest,” her head rested on your chest, cheek pressed again it. Her long legs tangling around your frame, pulling you closer as to mold herself into you.
“I love you..” her muffled words vibrated across your body. “I love you too,” you smiled as your eyes began to close.
She couldn’t ask for anything better.
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A/N: Definitely the longest fic I’ve written in a while, it shows how much I love her!
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dear-aubade · 24 hours ago
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first of all I love your writing style 💔
second: can you make a drabble where Joel comforts reader during her cold or any kind of sickness, maybe even usual stomachache aand then they have soft cute gentle xex, and he whispers praises to her, soothing all of her aches, lyyy
- 🐿️
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Awwe thank you for the kind words anon, I’m glad you like my work! Here you go!
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Pairing: Joel Miller x Reader
Summary: You try to hide your sickness from Joel because you don’t want to stress him out. It doesn’t work.
Notes: Sick fic, praise kink, soft!dom!joel, sub!reader, sick!reader, reader is in her head a lot, unprotected p in v, reader is very much Joel’s baby, READER IS NOT PREGNANT SHE’S JUST NAUSEOUS
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It was normal for you to be reserved. A little quieter than most, a little more soft. Joel knew you better than anybody, and he could tell when you’d slipped into your daydreams, just needing a few moments to drift off within your own head.
But this…this was different.
The day had started off as usual. You and Joel woke up together tangled in blankets, his strong arms holding you close. But the moment you blinked your bleary eyes awake you gave him a swift kiss and mumbled, “M’gonna go shower” before leaving him alone in bed.
Things only got stranger from there. That afternoon Joel was scheduled to leave for a short patrol with Tommy—lately there had been more Clicker sightings, so he and his brother had increased the amount of rotations needed per day. Joel didn’t want to leave you alone when he suspected something was wrong, but it was necessary for him to go if they wanted to keep Jackson a safe haven.
Normally when he was about to leave you’d get all teary-eyed and try to get as many kisses from him as you could before he took off. This time, however, you gave him a short smile and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
That sent Joel’s suspicion through the roof. He had studied your face, searching for any indication there might be something off. Your eyes were a little droopy, but he also knew that the night before you’d been up late with him reading to you…
“Is everything okay, baby?” he had asked softly.
Something flickered in your eyes and a little v appeared between your brow as it creased in confusion. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know, I’m just a little worried about you.”
At that, you gave him an innocent smile. “I’m just tired, Joel. I’m okay.” You stood on your tiptoes to press your lips to his in a soft peck. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
Against his better judgement, he’d left. But that didn’t stop him from worrying about you all throughout patrol.
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You felt absolutely awful.
In the morning you’d woken with quite possibly the worst stomach ache you’d ever experienced. You thought a shower might make you feel better, that your body was just disagreeing with something you’d eaten the day before.
It got worse. It seemed that anything you did made the nausea flare up. All you wanted to do was be Joel’s princess for the day, to whine until he took you in his arms and hushed your cries with sweet words and sweeter kisses.
But he had patrol that day, and you didn’t want him to worry. You weren’t supposed to make him worry, you were supposed to be his good girl. You didn’t want him distracted—you knew he’d been stressed about the increased Clicker sightings and you didn’t want to add more to the burden he was already carrying.
And so you stayed silent about it. You smiled at him and sent him on his way, and finally, finally when you were alone, you snuggled up back in bed.
You were freezing. Even with the thick blankets piled on top of you, you still were shivering, and your stomach ache stayed constant. Even your mind began to fuzz to the point where you didn’t know how long it had been since Joel left. You stopped caring about the need to pretend everything was fine—you just wanted him.
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You weren’t in the living room when Joel got back. Normally you’d be there waiting since it was the closest comfy place to the door, so the moment you heard the door open you could run and embrace him in a flurry of kisses.
But you weren’t there.
“Baby?” he called out, shutting the door behind him.
No response.
He frowned and took his shoes off, then shed his thick snow jacket and gloves. Beneath he was just wearing dark-washed jeans and his signature flannel.
In your room, all Joel saw was a lump beneath the thick gray comforter. “Darlin’?” Joel crossed the room and knelt beside the bed. Were you asleep? Did—
“Joel?” Your voice was strained, small. You rolled over and Joel’s stomach sank. Your eyes were hazy, your cheeks slightly flushed. Had you been crying?
“Sweetheart,” he whispered. “What’s wrong?”
He cupped your cheek and your bottom lip quivered for a moment before you burst into tears.
“Oh, baby.” He promptly stood and got into bed with you, pulling you into his arms. You were so much smaller than him, so easy to pick up and hold against him. “I gotcha. Shh,” he soothed.
You cried quietly into his chest as you clung to him while he smoothed back your hair and pressed gentle kisses to your head. His words were soft murmurs.
“It’s okay darlin’, I’m here now. S’alright….deep breaths sweetheart, can you do that for me? Can you—oh, good girl. That’s it, just keep taking deep breaths for me…”
Eventually your sobs quieted, though a tear still fell down your cheek every now and then. After a few more minutes of holding you, Joel spoke again.
“What’s wrong, honey?” he prompted. “Can you tell me what happened?”
You sniffled. “Just….” Your brow creased. “Jus’ don’t feel good.”
Joel hummed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Didn’t want you to worry.” Your bottom lip trembled. “I didn’t want—“
“Hey, don’t start again,” he cooed softly, wiping away your tears with his thumb. “You don’t ever have to think that ever again, you hear? I like worrying about you. You’re my baby, ‘s my job to take care of you.”
He saw your reaction to that—lips parting, brows relaxing, eyes going a little doe like.
“You like hearin’ me say that?” he murmured, thumb gently caressing your cheekbone, catching another stray tear. “Like that I take care of you?”
You nodded, eyes big and wide.
Joel kissed your forehead. “You need me to distract you a little bit baby? Make all the bad feelings go away for awhile?”
“Mhmm.” Your little voice was breathless.
Joel chuckled. “Alright honey. You just keep laying there n’ lookin’ pretty—don’t gotta do any of the work.”
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Your head had been fuzzy before because of the sickness, but it was nothing compared to now. When Joel talked to you like this, held you like this…it made everything around him grow foggy.
He slid his hand beneath the waistband of your sweatpants and his index finger started to tease your bud over your panties. You squirmed.
“Wigglin’ already baby? I haven’t even done anything yet.” You could hear the smile in Joel’s voice.
His fingers slid past your underwear to dip into your wetness. You whined and tucked your face into the crook of his neck, embarrassed at how slippery you were already.
Joel chuckled and held you tighter. “It’s okay, sweet girl. Nothing wrong with bein’ ready.”
You whimpered as his fingers circled the outside of your entrance. You shook your head at his teasing. “Want your cock,” you whined so sweetly in his ear. “I can take it, promise….just want you to make it all better.”
“Awe baby,” Joel crooned, pressing another kiss to your hair. “Okay. Just give me a sec…”
He shifted to pull down his pants and boxers and toss them to the side. He was already hard against your hip. Laying side-by-side, your chest to his, Joel slid his length past your folds.
Oh….you could have sworn you forgot about your aches and pains right in that moment. He made you feel so full. He was so big, so thick and warm….you could feel him all the way up in your tummy.
Joel let out a sigh that bordered on a groan. “You’re so perfect, sweetheart. So good…”
He started to rock his hips gently and you whimpered, burying your face into his chest.
He chuckled. “So shy, baby. That’s okay, you just sit there…don’t gotta worry about a single thing.”
One of your legs hooked over his hip as his pace sped up and you clung to him the whole way through. You felt so…so…oh, you feel him dragging along your walls so nicely. You were absolute putty in his arms—Joel always made you feel that way, always gave you such big feelings it made you feel too small to hold them all.
“So good, baby,” he cooed. “Such a good girl, taking me so well…just lay there and let me fill you up—oh, you’re so tight around me princess…”
You could feel it then, that big feeling. The one that made you whimper and whine, trying to hide your face more than it already was. “Joel…”
“It’s okay, just let it happen.” His pelvis was rubbing against your bundle of nerves oh so nicely it made you dizzy. “Let me feel you finish on my cock, darlin’, you’re so good for me, so good…”
Every coo and murmur only brought you higher. You let out another high-pitched whine as the feeling started to become too much, too tight too hot too everything, oh you were right there, you…
You cried out as you reached your peak and then fell over the edge. Joel held you the whole way through as you clenched around him and he spilled inside of you, murmuring praises the whole time.
“Good girl, good girl….my pretty baby, you’re doing so well, taking my cock in that pretty pussy of yours….that’s it sweetheart…”
He rocked his hips gently to help bring you down from your high, slowly decreasing his pace until he came to an eventual stop.
He held you in his arms, your body against his. You hummed contentedly and nuzzled at his neck.
Joel smiled. “Feel better, sweet girl?”
“Mmm.”
Joel chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He kissed your forehead. “Why don’t we get in the bath for a bit to clean up, and then I’ll make you some soup? Nothing that will be too harsh on your stomach.”
You blinked drowsily and nodded. “Mhmm. I’d like that.”
Yes, you’d like that very much indeed.
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lehguru · 1 day ago
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RELATIONSHIP + TRAFALGAR LAW
general relationship headcanons for law!!
info: this was a request! thank u for sending it in <3 been a while since i wrote for him, i hope this is still good enough. || comms/ko-fi + b-day raffle!!
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law is a very patient man. while it might not be true towards others, he is definitely like that with you. if you're the chatty type, he wouldn't mind hearing you talk about anything that got you excited that week, giving you encouraging nods and asking a few questions when he felt like it.
while he might not be the most touchy partner, he would always make sure that your needs are met. he would adore to give you tiny gifts and give you words of incentive, his eyes showing you that he truly adores you, even if he doesn't show it physically as much as other partners out there.
whenever you're sick, he goes out of his way to make sure you are the most comfortable you can be. extra pillows, your favorite food warm and ready for you to enjoy, warm and nice baths, anything and everything he can do (without putting his own health in danger) he will do.
he might not be into wearing full matching couple clothes, but he wouldn't mind having a piece of jewelry that matches yours or makes him remember of you. shachi and penguin gave him a heart locket with a picture of you inside and, even if he pretended to be annoyed at them, he wore it around his neck, that necklace now a prized possession.
date nights with him mean you two in bed, under the blanket and watching anything that you want. while he is not opposed to going out with you, he really enjoys staying in and just enjoying your company as long as you two can stay awake.
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2025 © content belongs to lehguru, do not repost, translate or feed it into ai without permission
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dreamauri · 1 day ago
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♪ — 𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨 - two mafia! charles leclerc x fem! reader ( angst ) series summary . . . after preparing your whole life to be married off to a mafia boss, you now have the difficult task of figuring out your new marriage and life, ensuring they don't turn out to be miserable.
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( fic master list | general master list ) ( requests ) ( previous | next )
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II, Good Morning Starshine . . . It’s hard to shake the feeling of stepping into a game where the rules are still unclear. The house is vast, echoing with unspoken histories, and each step feels like a quiet negotiation with the space( 1.4k words ) content warning . . . ( x )
★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The sunlight filters through the curtains, spilling warm streaks of gold across the grand room. You blink against the light, sitting up slowly, only to glance down at the mess beside you. Charles lies sprawled on the bed, soft snores escaping his lips, his hair a wild mess against the pillow. The sight tugs at something soft inside you, and you almost smile before his hand darts out, wrapping lazily around your arm.
“Don’t,” he mutters, voice thick with sleep, pulling you back toward the warmth of his chest.
You pause, torn between staying and slipping away to explore. The pull of the house wins out. You gently try to pry his grip loose, only for him to groan in protest and tug you back again. He huffs, burying his face in your shoulder like it’s the most natural thing in the world. You can feel him take a long, deliberate inhale.
“Are you selling me?” You ask. The Monegasque simply answers with a nod in his sleepy stat, taking another deep wiff..
“Stop sniffing me, Charles,” you murmur, your voice low but amused. “I already smell like you, don’t make it weirder.”
His response is a half-awake grumble and a tightening of his grip. It’s only when his breathing slows again—deep, steady, unmistakably asleep—that you seize the chance to slip away.
The house is silent as you step into the hallway, pulling the robe around you more snugly. Each step echoes faintly in the vast space, the sheer size of it almost overwhelming. But you’re not just wandering aimlessly; no, this is reconnaissance. Every hidden security camera, every discreetly reinforced window, even the strange, too-perfect panel on the wall that might be a trap door—you catalog it all. A mental map starts forming, weak points and retreat routes tucked neatly into the back of your mind.
Your fingers trail lightly along the railing as you approach the grand staircase. A quick mental calculation tells you this would be a good spot to stage a diversion—or a disaster. You glance back down the hallway, your thoughts flickering to Charles. 
There’s a fine line between settling in and claiming territory, but you’ve never been one to play passive.
The sharp chime of the doorbell pulls you from your thoughts. You make your way to the grand double doors, tying the waist string of your robe as you go. When you open the door, you’re greeted by a few maid being ushered in by your younger brother. The women don’t waste anytime going into the kitchen to start on breakfast, leaving to give Kimi an empty look.
“You don’t miss me?” He asks, giving you his weirdly cheerful smiles.
“Not yet,” you sigh.
★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Breakfast is already spread out on the dining table when you join them. Charles sits at the head, his sharp eyes darting between you and Kimi, his confusion obvious but unspoken. You take the seat to Charles’s right, and Kimi settles beside you—not in front of you, which you note amused. Id he want to sit beside you, or keep away from Charles. The maids quietly move around the room, serving freshly baked bread and perfectly folded omelettes, the kind of luxury that still feels a little too much.
Midway through comseing the meal, Arthur makes his entrance. He strides in, his shirt slightly wrinkled, running a hand through his hair as he mumbles an apology. “Sorry for being late,” he says, taking the seat across from you, next to Charles.
The quiet tension in the room is almost amusing. You can feel Kimi glancing at you from the corner of his eye, his usual bluntness barely contained. Charles sips his coffee, looking like he’s waiting for a shoe to drop. 
When breakfast wraps up, Kimi stands to leave, ushering the maids out ahead of him. As he reaches the door, you catch him by the arm, pulling him aside. “We’ll talk soon,” you say softly, just loud enough for him to hear. “Don’t worry so much.”
“Are you sure you’re safe here?” His voice is low, edged with concern, his words aimed at you but not subtle enough to escape Charles’s notice.
You tilt your head, your fingers tapping the edge of your mug thoughtfully. “Kimi,” you start, your voice calm but firm, “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. And you—you need to focus on our family’s future. One of us has to be there.”
He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, his jaw tightens. You know he wants to argue, to remind you of all the reasons he doesn’t trust this arrangement. But he couldn’t do anything.
He looks at you for a moment, his expression unreadable, before nodding.
You watch him from a few steps away, arms crossed loosely over your chest, a small smirk tugging at your lips. He’s so polite, your little brother. Too polite for this world. But as the last of the maids begins to step out, you catch sight of Mary. She’s younger, probably around Kimi’s age, with wide eyes that dart between you and the exit like she’s afraid she’s forgotten something important.
“Mary,” you call, your voice steady but not harsh. She freezes mid-step, turning back to you.
“Yes, Madame?”
“You always wanted to live in Monaco, didn’t you?” You wave her over casually, as though you hadn’t just thrown her entire morning into question.
Her cheeks flush pink, and her lips part in surprise. She nods quickly, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron. “Yes, Madame.”
You tilt your head toward your side. “Stay.”
Mary’s eyes flick to Kimi for a moment, as if asking for permission, but he just shrugs with an easygoing grin. “Looks like you’ve got a new boss, Mary,” he jokes lightly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
Mary nods again, the nervousness on her face shifting into something closer to excitement. She takes a few steps back toward you, standing quietly at your side, as though waiting for her next instruction.
After breakfast, the air in the room shifts—less familial, more businesslike. Charles leads you to the sitting room, where Arthur waits, hands clasped behind his back, his blondish hair catching the sunlight streaming through the tall windows. He looks every inch the younger version of his brother, though there’s a calmness in his demeanor that Charles’s sharper edges lack.
Charles doesn’t bother with small talk. “Arthur will be your right hand in every operation,” he says, his tone leaving no room for debate. “If there’s something you need to know, he’ll provide it. And if there’s a decision to be made, he’ll be by your side.”
Arthur nods once, his gaze settling on you with quiet amusement, though it’s clear he’s sizing you up. You meet his steady stare with one of your own, calm and unflinching. You’ve been through enough to know this moment isn’t about him—it’s about you.
“I look forward to seeing what you bring to the table, Arthur,” you say, your tone measured, yet carrying the weight of someone who’s already decided she belongs here.
Arthur’s lips twitch into the faintest hint of a smile, and he inclines his head slightly. “Likewise,” he replies, his voice as smooth and even as his demeanor.
Charles watches the exchange with a tight smile, pleased with the unspoken agreement between the two of you. His confidence in your ability to step into this role is as unshakable as the foundation of the villa itself, and the weight of it presses down on you just a little. But you don’t let it show.
As Charles moves to take his leave, Arthur shifts slightly, his stance still relaxed but more personal now. “So,” he starts, his voice light yet curious, “any idea what you’ll do today?”
Your gaze sweeps the room, landing on the grand yet cluttered surroundings. A house this big carries more than just history—it carries the weight of someone else’s preferences, someone else’s life. That wouldn’t do. You gesture vaguely around you. “This place needs to be cleaned up. A fresh start.”
Arthur follows your line of sight, nodding in agreement. “Makes sense. I’ll hang around,” he says easily, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Call for me if you need anything.”
There’s no condescension in his tone, no questioning of your authority, just a simple, straightforward offer. It’s almost refreshing.
“Don’t go too far,” you reply, half a warning, half a tease.
Arthur smirks, giving you a small salute before stepping back, leaving you to start shaping the villa—and your role in this world—on your terms.
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nicverse · 2 days ago
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i can't lose you
maybe being a journalist is less dangerous than being a vigilante, but that doesn't stop jason from worrying about you.
jason todd x journalist!reader
warnings: small mentions of violence, bombs and wounds. flush
ノㅤㅤ𓈒ㅤㅤ⊹ㅤㅤㅤㅤׅㅤㅤ✩ㅤㅤ˚ ♡
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ㅤׅ ㅤㅤㅤ𝅄ㅤㅤ꒪ㅤㅤ꒱
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Police lights and sirens decorated the city, as always. The sound of your fingers against the keyboard filled your living room, tired eyes fixed on the screen as your next work started making some sense now. There had been a few bomb attacks in the city, the police weren’t able to notice the pattern yet, but you already did. So, naturally, you spent the last few hours typing on your laptop, trying to connect everything before something worse happened. 
Writing for the Gotham Gazette was your weapon, your power— you didn’t go to fight the criminals on the street every night, but you discovered their secrets instead, publishing them to the people so they would know who were the ones that provoked so much damage and fear to the city. It certainly gave you a sense of satisfaction to know that you were not standing idly by in the face of crime. 
But, god, it did tire you out sometimes. With countless nights of sleep deprivation and caffeine, you haven’t visited your family in a long time—and let’s not talk about vacation. Now, even the crime in Gotham knew your name very well, and it was a matter of time before they started to act against your sense of justice. You wanted to say you were afraid, but you would rather be persecuted for speaking the truth than remain silent all your life. 
Your body needed rest and you ignored it as much as you could yet it was harder to stay awake when your eyelids closed on their own. Fingertips got lazier with each type and without noticing, your head fell on top of your laptop as you dozed off. It wasn’t the first time it happened, so you would wake up in the morning, ready for another round of exhausting investigation.
But that used to happen when you had no one to look after you; until you met Jason Todd. 
His body stepped into your apartment. You wouldn't be able to notice him even if you were awake, he always moved so slowly, like a ghost tracing its path on Earth. The first thing his eyes looked at was your body sprawled on your desk in front of your laptop. Jason walked slowly towards you, taking off his mask, blue eyes shined with adoration as he observed your slightly opened lips, hair fixed in a messy ponytail that you probably did unconsciously. 
He chuckled, you always scolded him for taking so little care about his well-being, yet you did the same with yourself. His fingers fixed your hair behind your ear, taking a deeper look at your face. Jason always thought you were pretty. From the first time he met you, he hadn’t been able to get you out of his mind, and it scared him. He never liked having that kind of vulnerability, the kind of vulnerability that would have him tearing his heart out of his chest if you simply asked him to.
You were a weakness to him, and it was dangerous because he would burn the whole world down to save you. 
He looked at your investigation on the screen, reading what you had been writing. If there was any sign that this thing was dangerous to you, he would deal with it quickly. 
He could be a deadly person in the streets, but he was always so tender with you. His fists were made to punch, to kill, but every single drop of blood that lingered in his mind disappeared when he entered the warmth of your home.  So there he was, taking your soft body in his arms and carefully placing it in your bed as he touched your body so softly like you were a precious broken crystal, covering you with a blanket. His heart warmed with the sight of you. 
You took his wrist, lazily opening your eyes as your lips greeted him with a smile that he returned. Your fingers burned against his skin, not in a way that made him flinch, but in a way that turned him a mess, wanting nothing more than to melt his body into yours. 
Did you know how much you made him feel? 
“Hey” You said, your voice still sleepy and tired “Hey” Jason responded, sitting next to your body. You looked at him, his blue eyes pinned in yours with longing, like a tired puppy who just wanted a bit of affection. Without speaking a word, you tapped the side of the bed and invited him to rest. Jason took off his boots and curled up next to you, your fingers tangling in his hair as his head rested on your chest. He loved these moments when nothing existed but you and him in the silence of your room. 
He felt the need to say something that had been on his mind for some time. Although your job was the reason the two of you met, he didn't like it very much, it was too risky for you. People started to mutter your name in the darker alleys of the streets, angry whispers of the worst in Gotham, and how you started to be a complication thanks to your articles about the crime in the city. He knew what they meant, and every day felt terrified of something happening to you and he wasn’t there to protect you. Yes, he would happily die in your arms, but he couldn't bear the thought of seeing the slightest scratch on your skin. 
“Your job is too dangerous” he murmured and you furrowed your brows at his affirmation. “I’m not the one running every rooftop of this city while shooting criminals at night.”
He leaned in his elbows to look at you, trapping your body between his and the bed. He had the kind of serious look that made you listen with attention “Those guys don’t know my real name. And even if they did come after me, I can fight back. You can’t.” Jason spoke, his tone a little bit more serious than usual. 
You knew he had a point, you were a writer, not a fighter, but that didn’t make you completely helpless. You grew up in Gotham too, you learned how to defend yourself before high school. 
But that wasn’t enough for Jason. As you said, he was the one who fought those criminals every night, so he knew how much of a threat they could be to you. Yes, he could risk his life every now and then, but he would never let you do that. Never. 
You sat in front of him, looking directly into his eyes. You would have been upset by his comment if your heart hadn't been touched by his desire to protect you. Jason was a dangerous man, and you knew that perfectly well, but deep down he was a man you had grown to love too much—more than you would like to admit. Sometimes, you felt like one of the few things keeping him sane. 
And you were right. 
“Jason, I won’t stop doing my job,” you said calmly. Your fingers searched for his warmth, slowly crawling towards each other for comfort, intertwining as a wave of emotion washed over your mind. He was close, so close that it was intoxicating. “I know I can’t stop you from worrying about me but… That’s kind of the way I feel about the things you do too.” With a shaky voice, you continued, turning to face Jason instead of looking at your hands tied together.
And it was true, you thought about him all the time, and you worried all the time too, afraid that one night he wouldn't be able to reach your window, his wounded body would be lying flat in an alley, and you wouldn't be there to heal him, maybe one day he will step out of your door to never be seen again. The thought terrified your mind, creeping into your worst nightmares. 
“I know I can’t convince you to leave it,” Jason looked at your intertwined fingers, and a hint of a smile appeared on his lips. “just… promise to be careful, alright? I can’t be saving your ass every day” he chuckled, and you laughed too, rolling your eyes. 
“One day I’ll be saving your ass too, Jason,” you replied, knowing that if you ever saved him, you would never let him forget it. 
What you didn't know was that you had already saved him so many times with your love, and your words, holding the fallen pieces of his being with your loving arms and keeping them together when he needed it most. 
He took your chin, tilting it upwards so you could see his face, gently holding you. His eyes were pinned in yours, filled with something you couldn’t quite name yet. His hands were rough but hot against your skin, calloused fingers reaching out to touch the forbidden skin of an angel they desired. Jason leaned your head closer to his lips, leaving a soft kiss on your forehead. 
"Let's get some sleep, okay? Can't save the world if you keep like this" his voice murmured against your skin, taking in your scent and the softness or your hair.
You nodded, too flustered to even speak as you took your usual side of the bed. He got up to go to your couch, but you called him, signalling to the empty spot beside you. Jason couldn't have been happier and rushed to rest his body against yours.
Gently you moved closer to his body, smiling warmly as you opened one of your arms for him to come closer. Jason accepted and wrapped himself around your body, blending into each other like a perfect jigsaw puzzle, as if they were made for one another.
Perhaps both of your jobs were dangerous. But that would never stop you from coming home to each other every night.
sorry, but I'm such a fool for x and journalist!reader, especially with jason todd
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𖥔 ࣪ ˖    ꒱
another one from my fic (which i haven't posted yet, but I will, promise) I love them so much
just kiss already
i'm also accepting requests! please send them, I'd love to write them
this was a little bit longer than usual, but I think I like it.
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autumnheartsprice · 3 days ago
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"You're my issue!"
price x gn!reader
<mentions of gun going off, bullet wound, crying, kinda angsty? slow burn if you squint? happy romantic ending, no smut>
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"God damnit, you fucking muppet! The 'ell were you thinking?!" he mutters, carrying you against his chest as he rushes back to the helicopter, a hand pushing against the bullet wound in your abdomen. He looks down for a brief second and sees your half-closed eyes as you whine in pain as he presses your wound more in attempt to stop the bleeding; "You stay awake, you idiot, don't you care close those fucking eyes!"
The whole way back to the base was hell for the poor medics, Price's yelling only a distraction to the point he had to be separated. Gaz sat with him in the back to keep an eye on him, not wanting his Captain to do anything reckless.
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"You put a bullet through me and you'll have one on your back until the moment my team kills you, Graves." Price says, as he holds his hands up in the air, weapons being stripped away from him. You stand next to Price, in the same exact position as him. A knife hidden in your boot is your only resort but his gun pointed at Price would kill you before you even had a chance to reach for it.
The two men bicker at each other, throwing insults and threats in the air as Price stalls, waiting for the rest of the team to get to their location in the building to take him down and rescue you two from the unhelpful situation.
Gunshots go off in the building, appearing closer as the team makes their way through to you, the mistake of arriving quietly ending with a consequence. "Tsk tsk. I told you just a little meeting with just the three of us, seems like you can't follow instructions, Captain."
"Actions have consequences. Thought you'd know this by now." Graves says. Your eyes focus on his finger moving to pull the trigger and you quickly step in front of your Captain before the gun could go off and the bullet hits Price.
You fall to the ground, hand rushing to feel the site as blood doesn't hesitate to gush out. Your ears ring, almost missing the gunshots that go off towards Graves but you're too distracted to look over. Tears gloss over your eyes as you see someone's figure kneeling down in front of you and yelling going on.
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Price sits at your side, refusing to take shifts with everybody else because he wanted to be the only one with you. The medics said it shouldn't take long for you to wake up; the sudden shock and blood loss wasn't a shock to cause you to pass out for a while.
He doesn't change out of his clothes or even take off his vest, not wanting to take his eyes off you or leave you alone for a second. He only washed the blood and grime off his hands once they arrived back to base because he knows how much you hate dirty hands.
It takes about 48 minutes and 32 seconds, to be exact, to wake back up. Price continuously looked back between you and the clock to make sure you weren't out for a concerning amount of time.
Your eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times as the bright florescent lights welcomed you. Your hand moves to cover your eyes and shield them from the assaulting brightness, only causing you to whine in pain as the movement makes the wound stretch out a little.
Price's eyes immediately snap towards you from the clock as he hears you waking up and whining in pain. He quickly moves his chair even closer to your bed to try to help you. "Easy, hon. Don't want to go hurting yourself even more." He mumbles, the tone in his voice was a mixture of emotions. Fear, anger, sadness, guilt.
You groan in annoyance, not a big fan of the growing pain in your abdomen. "Don't wanna fuckin' hear it. Don't act like such a reckless idiot next time and you won't be in this sort of pain." Your eyebrows furrow in confusion, unsure of what happened as your memory was still coming back to you.
After he calls in the nurses to come check on you now that you're awake, he sits in silence and just stares at you and your blurry tear-filled eyes as you start to take in everything and remember, his harsh words not helping in the slightest.
After the nurses leave and it's just the two of you again, he moves to sit on the side of your bed, making sure to sit on your unhurt side to avoid the pain that'll come from the large dip in the bed. You wanted him to ignore the tear that rolled down your cheek, but he didn't fail to miss it. His hand comes up to gently tuck your dirtied hair behind your ear with a deep sigh. "Let it out, sweet girl. It's okay, nobody's mad or disappointed with you. It's no good keeping in all these emotions, hm?" he whispers. He leans closer to let your head rest against his chest as sobs start to escape from you. Harsh and scared sobs rack through your body as tears start to stain his shirt. "There ye go, good girl. Let those emotions out."
He continues to whisper sweet nothings into your ear as he lets your emotions run free. It takes a little bit to get you to calm down again but he doesn't mind; it's not his first rodeo to calm you.
Once your breathing is more stable and just occasional shaky breaths and sniffles, he leans back to look at your face. Red and puffy. He takes your chin into his hand and forces you to look up at him despite you trying to avoid it.
"Don't you dare scare me like that again. Ain't no man on this Earth that's good enough for you to risk your life for." he pauses, trying to think of what to say next. "Do y'know how fuckin' scared I was? Holding your unconscious body, not knowing if you were about to die in my arms or not? Did you even think about how stupid it would be to jump in front of a bullet?!" He finishes, voice slightly raising by the last sentence. Your hand moves towards his to force it away from your chin, forcing it to rest in his lap.
Tears start to brim your eyes, but you refuse to let them fall this time. Your head falls back onto the pillow behind it as you stare at the empty space in front of you. "What? All of a sudden you can't handle the consequence of being so stupid out there? Should 'ave you written up for this." He mutters out.
"Really? Go ahead and write me up then, tell 'em to switch me to a different team once they read it since my efforts can't be appreciated around here." He tries to interrupt you to talk, "No. You had your chance to speak. Not even one "Thank you"? You know damn well that shit happens out there that you didn't expect beforehand, you know soldiers end up getting shot all the time. Thought as Captain, you'd know this by now, but obviously not."
He scoffs after you finish and steps closer, looming over you from the side of the bed. "You're not transferring. You're not leaving me." It was your turn to scoff now, irritated by his words. "Really? That's the only part you heard? What the fuck is your issue? Huh? Old age making you lose your hearing?" He rests a knee onto the side of the bed, and grabs your face. "Really? What's my 'issue'? You're my god damn issue! Can't you see that I can't bear you leaving me and being out of my life?"
He stares at your pupil-blown eyes as you try to register what he just said. "You stupid idiot." he mutters under his breath before leaning closer, his lips ghosting above yours. You seal the kiss; you pull him as close as possible without hurting yourself even more and tangle your fingers into his beard.
The kiss feels like it lasts an eternity, a good kind of eternity. Your tongues slip into each other's mouth, exploring the newfound closeness before he pulls away - almost causing a whine to escape your lips but his face stays close to yours. "You're my issue." he repeats. "A good kind of issue?" you ask, silently enjoying the way each other's breath fans against the other's. "Enough to make me gonna start graying soon, how about that?" he teases; you playfully pretend to inspect his beard before replying, "I think I already see a few gray hairs, Cap." You giggle as he leans in again to press kisses against your face.
"Fuck, I love you, idiot."
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theclowningbusiness · 3 days ago
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A New Kind of Thunder
THIS IS MY FIRST FANFIC, A LITTLE GENTLENESS WOULD BE NICE also it was NOT beta'd
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Hughtober Prompt: Thunderstorm (yes I wrote this in October, sue me)
Pairing: Worst (Best) Logan Howlett x Reader
Tropes: Cuddling in a thunderstorm
Warnings: Wade, he deserves his own warning, reader had a traumatic experience during a storm, so thunderstorms give her flashbacks <3 (had to give it some spice)
Other tags: Logan lowkey being happy and a big softie, making Logan watch a musical
Background: Usually when a thunderstorm hits, you seek out comfort in the form of watching movies or some other activity with your best friend, Wade. You knew that a thunderstorm presented no real danger to you, but it still creeped you out to be alone.
Description: When a thunderstorm hits, you walk across the hall to Wade’s, ready to invite him over so the two of you could have a movie marathon and wait it out until the storm died down and you’d be able to sleep. You didn’t expect Wade not to be home, and you’re shocked when his roommate, Logan, answers the door instead of him.
You sighed, hearing the first crack of thunder. You knew that a storm was coming. But you hoped you’d be asleep by the time it came through. Unfortunately, the knowledge of the coming storm seemed to be enough to keep you from going to sleep. Looks like you’d be spending another night watching movies with Wade on your couch.
    Getting up from your bed, you slipped on some comfy pajama pants and wrapped a blanket around your shoulders like a cape. You also slid on some socks, not wanting your feet to be cold against the floor. You walked through your apartment, walking out and across the hall to Wade’s. 
    You lifted your hand and knocked on Wade’s door before rubbing a hand over your face. You hated needing company during a thunderstorm, but in the wise words of Wade, ‘You can’t help what you’re scared of, sugar bear’.
    Hearing footsteps on the other side of the door, you thanked whatever deity was out there that he seemed to have been awake already. 
    When the door opened, you were met with a man who certainly wasn’t Wade. It was Logan, Wade’s new roommate. The two of you didn’t talk much, and you never hung out one on one. Not that you didn’t want to, you were just nervous that he would grow annoyed by your company. So, you took what you could get and settled for only spending time with him when Wade wanted to.
    You’d certainly never seen him like this. He wore a white tank that was tight across his chest along with a pair of pajama pants that were plaid. It was truly infuriating how good he looked sometimes, especially right now. It’s just pajamas and a tank, and he looks like a goddamn model. You did your best to keep yourself from drooling when you spoke.
    “Hi,” you spoke softly, not wanting to disturb any neighbors. The walls were fairly thin after all. “Did I wake you up? I’m sorry, I was looking for Wade.”
    “I was already awake,” Logan assured, his voice matching yours in volume. “Wade isn’t here, he’s at Vanessa’s,” he explained.
    “Oh,” you sighed softly. “In that case, sorry to bother you,” you gave him an apologetic smile, feeling a little bad for disturbing his night. You started to turn back around and head back to your apartment when Logan spoke again.
    “What did you need?” He asked, leaning against the doorframe. “Is everything alright?”
    You turned back around to face Logan. Part of you was embarrassed to tell him the truth, but if you ever wanted to be real friends with him, opening up was going to be part of that.
    “Well,” you started, “I get freaked out by thunderstorms, it’s a long story,” you answered. “Usually when there’s a storm, Wade comes over and watches movies with me so I forget about the storm.”
    Logan stayed silent for a moment, observing you in the moonlight that came through the window at the end of the hall. You were convinced he’d never hang out with you now, not with the way he looked at you. When he went to speak, however, you would’ve sworn he almost looked nervous.
    “I could come watch movies with you,” he offered. “I’m not as talkative as Wade, but we could turn the tv up, and you wouldn’t be alone.”
    “Really?” You smiled, unable to stop it. “I don’t wanna keep you up or anything,” you hummed, you really wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience.
    “I don’t sleep much anyways,” he shrugged. “At the least, it gives me something to do since I can’t sleep.”
    “Then you’re more than welcome to join me,” you nodded, “You can pick the first movie,” you added as you turned and walked back into your apartment.
    Logan made sure he had his own apartment keys before he shut the door and followed into your place. 
    Once Logan was in your apartment, you shut the door and headed for the living room. You grabbed your remote and plopped down on one end of the couch as you turned it on. The only light was the tv and the moon coming in through the windows. 
    Logan got settled on the other end of the couch, seeming to get comfortable.
    “What do you wanna watch?” You asked, looking over at Logan. You smiled softly at the sight of him getting comfy on your couch. He didn’t seem out of place at all, it seemed natural to have him there.
    Now is not the time to be ogling Logan, but it was hard not to when he was so handsome, and the fact that he was here because he wanted to help you out made him all the more attractive.
    “You can pick,” he shrugged. “I’m not that picky when it comes to movies.”
    “Musical it is,” you snickered, wanting to see if Logan would protest.
    Logan just shrugged again, seeming to really not mind what you wanted to watch.
    You flipped through some movies, finding one of your favorite musical movies. The Greatest Showman. You just loved the story, and you had to admit the main actor was very good looking. Nothing better to distract from a thunderstorm than some singing eye candy. Thinking about it, he kinda looked like Logan.
    You pressed play, putting the remote down and curling up a little as the opening credits began.
    “What’s it about?” Logan questioned, looking over at you.
    “It’s about a ringleader forming a circus,” you hummed. “He brings it up from nothing. It’s set in the 1800s, so you’d fit right in,” you joked.
    “Don’t tell me you’re gonna be worse than Wade tonight,” he shook his head, a barely there smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
    “Guess we’ll find out,” you snickered, giving him a playful shrug.
================
    You were about halfway through the movie, and the two of you were both invested. You were laying down now, your head near the armrest and your legs curled up on the couch next to Logan. He still sat in the seat he’d started in, but he seemed to relax into the couch a little more, one arm over the back of it.
    The storm hadn’t been bothering you too much so far, but it seemed as if that was ending now.
    A loud crack of thunder boomed, and it felt like it shook the windows of your apartment. You sat up, looking out the window. 
    “Hey,” Logan spoke, trying to get your attention away from the rain pouring against your window.
    You turned to look at the man, shifting your attention to him instead of the rain.
    “You alright?” He asked, surprised by your reaction to the thunder. 
    “Yeah, it just caught me off guard,” you answered. Before he could reply, a lightning strike lit up your living room, followed by another, louder, roll of thunder. You jumped again before sighing. You could feel your chest getting tighter.
    Logan scooted a little closer after you jumped this time, placing a hand on your shoulder.
    “It’s okay,” he spoke. He was never the best at comforting, much less so when he used his words instead of actions.
    You nodded, taking a breath. You leaned into the couch, trying to relax again. It was short lived, however, when another lightning flash filled the room, the thunder following.
    Before you could even think about reacting, Logan was pulling you closer, his arms holding your shoulders protectively.
    “It’s only a noise,” he hummed, his voice quiet. “Not gonna hurt you,” he added.
    You laid your head against his shoulder as he held you. Closing your eyes, you tried to focus on the sound of him breathing evenly rather than the rain pounding outside. Slowly, you let your breath sync to his, the slow breaths helping you to relax.
    “There you go,” he said, still keeping his voice low.
    His voice almost reminded you of the thunder rolling outside. You could feel the rumble of his words in his chest when he spoke. But this thunder wasn’t frightening. It was soft and comforting, like being wrapped in a blanket straight from the dryer. 
    Logan pulled away after a moment, and you tried not to seem too disappointed. He picked up on it anyway, and was quick to reassure you.
    “I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, a small smile on his face. “Just thought there were more comfortable ways than me hunching over to hold you and you bending your neck to lay your head down,” he explained. You were sure that was the most words he’d ever said to you     consecutively.
    He laid back on the couch, patting his chest and opening up his arms, inviting you to lay against him. You hesitated for a moment, and he seemed to gather what was worrying you.
    “I’m a mutant with a metal coated skeleton,” he let out an amused breath, “I’ll be fine if you lay on me.”
    You couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the way he put it. You pulled the blanket over you both as you laid across him, your face tucking against his neck.
    “Comfy?” Logan mumbled, wrapping an arm around your middle. 
    “Mhm,” you hummed out. After a moment, you spoke again. “Can you keep talking?” You asked, hoping he wouldn’t find it too odd.
    “Why?” He asked in return, but his voice was more curious than any sort of upset.
    “Your voice distracts me from the thunder,” you replied, closing your eyes.
    “Oh,” he hummed, his chest rumbling as he did. “What do you want me to talk about?”
    “Whatever you want,” you answered. He could be reading the dictionary, and you’d listen to every word. “I’m sure you have plenty of stories to tell.”
    Logan thought for a moment before starting to speak, telling you a story about a time that he’d worked as a lumberjack in the late 70s. He went on, telling you that he’d been living in a cabin in the Canadian Rockies. 
    You listened intently as he spoke, committing every word to memory. It sounded like a rather nice place to live. The life he described was simple and filled with much less trouble than the life of a hero.
    As he spoke, you felt yourself growing sleepier and sleepier. He’d started rubbing your back about halfway through the story, and it was definitely helping you keep your mind off the storm.
    “‘M getting tired,” you mumbled out, your cheek squished into Logan’s chest.
    “Go to sleep,” he replied, “I’ll be here when you wake up,” he added, “Hopefully the storm will be over by then.”
    “Can you keep talking’ til I’m asleep?” You asked softly.
    Without agreeing or denying, he just picked up his story where he left off, making you smile.
    It wasn’t long before you were passed out on top of Logan, breathing evenly as you slept. Logan looked down at you, smiling softly at the sight. Maybe tonight, he’d finally get a good rest too. With that thought on his mind, he closed his eyes and let himself doze off, his arms wrapped around you protectively.
================
    Logan woke up later than he typically did the next morning, but it wasn’t like he had anywhere to be anyway. He let out a sleepy hum as he blinked open his eyes to look down at you in his arms. A small smile made its way to his face as he saw you were still fast asleep on his chest.
    As if the universe wanted to say ‘fuck you’ to Logan, Wade walked over and into Logan’s view. 
    Logan blinked a few times, almost like he was trying to will Wade out of the room.
    “Well good morning, sleeping beauty,” Wade spoke, too chipper for Logan, as usual. He was munching on a muffin that he’d clearly stolen from your kitchen.
    “The fuck are you doing here?” Logan huffed, but kept his voice down, wanting to let you rest after being up the previous night.
    “Stealing food, clearly,” Wade lifted up the muffin to emphasize his point. “My turn. What are you doing here, peanut?” He hummed, sitting down on the small coffee table that was in front of the couch. He placed one elbow on one of his knees and propped his now tilted head on his hand. “You never hang out with each other, and now I come over and catch her napping on your chest like you’re a big pillow. Totally jealous, by the way, I’d pay to lay on those thick tits of yours.”
    Logan rolled his eyes. Somehow Wade never seemed to run out of things to say that would annoy him.
    “I’m here because you weren’t,” Logan replied. “It was storming last night and she came over looking for you. When I answered the door and asked what she wanted, she told me and I offered to watch movies with her.”
    “That’s cute and all,” Wade nodded, “But that doesn’t explain why she’s cuddling up to you like she’s done it a hundred times before.”
    “Do you ever stop asking questions?” Logan complained.
    “Nope, now spill or I’ll wake her up and make her tell me instead,” Wade whined petulantly.
    “Okay, fine,” Logan sighed. “There were a couple big booms of thunder and she got scared, so I was holding her. She seemed to calm down so we just moved to get more comfortable instead of sitting up. We fell asleep like that, then I woke up and my absolute worst nightmare was here,” he jabbed at Wade, deadpanning.
    “Oh you so have it bad for her,” Wade teased with a grin.
    “I do not have it bad,” Logan argued.
    “You don’t?” Wade raised one brow. “Tell me then, would you cuddle me because I was scared?” He questioned.
    Logan stayed silent, unsure how he was supposed to answer that without flat out lying, which he knew would end in Wade insisting he gets cuddles at some point.
    “Uh-huh, that’s what I thought,” Wade snickered softly. “You should just ask her out,” he hummed before taking a bite of his muffin.
    “Not happening,” Logan shook his head. “There are too many reasons why I shouldn’t do that.”
    “Oh come on,” Wade complained with his mouth full before swallowing and speaking again. “Why not?”
    “It would just put her in danger,” he reasoned. “Nothing ends well for anyone I care about,” he added, sighing softly. “That’s the last thing I’d want to happen to her.”
    “You care about me, and I’m fine,” Wade grinned.
    “You also can’t fucking die,” Logan deadpanned. “I’m serious, I don’t want to be the reason she’s in danger.”
    “You say that like we wouldn’t both murder someone who tried anything,” Wade hummed. “Nobody hurts my best friend, and I’m positive that nobody would end up alive after trying something on Wolverine’s girlfriend.”
    Logan stayed quiet, looking down at you on his chest. 
    “Fine, I’ll think about it,” he decided. “But don’t you dare say anything to her about how I may or may not feel.”
    “May or may not my ass,” Wade rolled his eyes, standing up. “I’m going back to my place, if you two fuck, try not to let the whole complex hear you,” he joked as he headed towards the door.
    “Fuck off, Wade,” Logan grumbled out, but he seemed to relax again when he heard the door close behind Wade. 
    As much as he hated it, he had to admit that Wade may be right.
================
    Ever since the night of the storm, you and Logan had gotten closer. You hadn’t been too close, like hugging or cuddling again, but you hung out more. He’d come over and have dinner and then watch whatever movie you decided to put on. Occasionally, you dragged him out to go see a movie you wanted to watch in theaters or get ice cream when you felt a craving for it.
    You’d certainly grown to fall for the man. Before, you knew he was handsome and just all around attractive, but now that you knew him even better, you were well and truly fucked. Even if you did have feelings, you’d never mention it, not wanting to end up back at square one and without him as a friend.
    The most interesting change was the pet names he seemed to add to the end of every other sentence. It came out as if it was second nature when he spoke to you. Honey, babe, sugar, sweetheart. Each time he used one, your stomach fluttered.
================
    It was about four months after the initial storm and Logan was sleeping, unaware of the raging storm outside. It was even more intense than the last.
    He woke up when he heard a loud crash. He sat up straight, worried that some sort of danger was near. He sighed when he realized it was just thunder, laying back down.
    “Stupid fuckin’ storm,” he grumbled to himself, closing his eyes to go back to sleep. It seemed to hit him only when he said the word out loud. It was storming outside and you were probably in your apartment, terrified.
    He got up quickly, going to check first if Wade was still in the apartment. He found Wade fast asleep, curled up with a stuffed unicorn. He felt a little bad about being happy that he’d be the one to go help you.
    Rushing out of the apartment, he made his way across the hall and knocked on your door. When he got no reply, he grew more worried. He hurried to go back to Wade’s and grab the spare key to yours he now knew that Wade kept on the table near the door. Once he grabbed the key, he was back to your door, unlocking it and pushing it open.
    He called out your name softly, not wanting to wake you if you were already asleep. He assumed that you must be until he heard a small sob coming from down the hall. He’d never been so thankful for his advanced hearing.
    Walking quickly, he made it to your bedroom, the door already open. There was a lump on your bed under your blankets and he assumed it was you. He walked in, sitting down on the edge of your bed. 
    “Hey, it’s me,” Logan’s voice was soft, “I’m here.”
    Slowly, you poked your head out from the blanket and looked at Logan. It was like seeing him flipped a switch. You flung the blanket off of yourself and nearly tackled Logan with a hug. If it weren’t for how strong he was, you would’ve both probably tumbled off the bed.
    “Woah, woah,” Logan kept his voice quiet as he wrapped his arms around you and held you close. “You’re alright, it’s alright.” He lifted one hand to run through your hair.
    There it was again. His voice like a sweet version of the thunder that rolled just outside your window.
    You cried softly against his shoulder for a few minutes, slowly calming down now that Logan had arrived. Just like last time, you focused on his even breathing and mirrored it. Eventually, the tears stopped and you just sniffled quietly.
    “You could’ve come over to get me if you were this scared, honey,” Logan said as he rubbed your back in slow circles.
    “I wanted to,” you said softly. “But the thunder was so loud and the rain was pelting the window. I just got so overwhelmed, it felt like I couldn’t move.”
    “Alright,” Logan nodded in understanding. He knew what it felt like to freeze up. “I’m here now,” he added, laying his head against yours. “I won’t go anywhere until you feel better.”
    “Will you stay again?” You asked softly, shyly.
    “Of course,” he nodded, letting go of you so you could get comfortable.
    You slipped under the blanket of your bed, then held up the blanket for Logan to join you.
    He did as you wished, getting under the blanket and laying down next to you. Gently, he wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you to his side. 
    Your arm rested on his shoulder while one leg tangled with his. You were convinced that this was the safest you’d ever feel. 
    “I never asked,” Logan started. “Is there a reason thunderstorms scare you? I asked Wade, and he told me I should ask you instead.”
    You stayed quiet, and for a moment, he was worried that he’d overstepped with his question. He was about to try and backpedal, but you spoke.
    “The worst day of my life,” you started, “It was during a huge storm. Now when it storms, and the thunder cracks, it’s like I’m back there again. I have to relive the hardest day of my entire life.”
    If anyone knew what that was like, it was Logan. Half the time when he slept, he was reliving the day he lost everything. Now it made sense in a way he could understand.
    “I didn’t realize,” Logan sighed. “‘M sorry,” he added, feeling a little bad for making you talk about it.
    “Don’t be,” you shook your head. “I wanted to tell you anyway, I just didn’t know how,” you admitted. “I’m glad you asked me.”
    Logan didn’t say anything else, just wrapping his arm around you a little tighter.
    “You came without me asking,” you said quietly, tilting your head to look up at Logan.
    “I woke up and it was storming,” Logan spoke, looking down at you. “Wade was still home, so I figured you were here alone and wanted to come check on you. I know you don’t like being alone, so I came over. I’m glad I did.”
    “I’m glad you did too,” you agreed with a small smile. You were sure your eyes were still puffy from crying, most likely a little red, too. Part of you was embarrassed that Logan was seeing you like this, even when it was mostly dark, but the other part of you knew that Logan probably didn’t even think twice about it.
    Logan gave you a small smile in return. You were so happy that he’d started showing himself to you a little more, you loved seeing his smile and hearing his laugh.
    “Thank you,” you added, realizing you hadn’t said it until just now. “For coming over because you knew I’d be scared.”
    “Don’t have to thank me,” he shook his head. “It would’ve been shitty if I’d have just gone back to bed when I knew you needed someone.”
    He sounded so sincere that it felt like your heart was being squeezed. Without another thought, you leaned up to place a small kiss on his cheek, a small show of your gratitude. When you pulled away, you laid your head back down against him.
    “What was that for?” Logan chuckled, one side of his mouth turning up.
    “For being here,” you shrugged, “Since you won’t take my thank you, I thought I’d give you that in its place.”
    Logan rolled over onto his side so he was facing you. He then pulled you up so the two of you would be eye to eye. He looked at you as if he was trying to commit every detail of your face to memory. It made your cheeks grow warm.
    “Can I talk to you about something?” He asked, his voice serious, but not so serious that you grew worried about what he had to say.
    “Always,” you nodded. 
    “The first time I came over, when Wade wasn’t home, I didn’t know what I’d be getting into,” he admitted with a small smile. “The next morning, when I woke up, you were still asleep and Wade came waltzing into the living room and he and I talked.”
    “Oh god,” you interrupted. “Tell me he didn’t say anything embarrassing,” you joked.
    “No, nothing embarrassing,” he assured, resting a hand on your hip. “He actually told me to do something, and at first, I told him I never would, because I was scared of hurting someone,” he sighed. “But he convinced me to think about it, and I’ve been dwelling on it every day since.”
    Logan went quiet, and you thought that he almost seemed…. Nervous.
    “What did he tell you to do?” You spoke softly, wanting to give him a nudge and let him know he could open up to you. “Who did you not want to hurt, Lo?”
    “You,” he finally got out. “I didn’t want to hurt you. He told me to just ask you out already, and I said no because the people I care about usually end up getting hurt. But I kept fucking thinking about it, and I know that I’d do everything I can to keep you from getting hurt.”
    You weren’t sure what to say. The very last thing you had expected him to say was that he wanted to ask you out.
    “I’m obviously not good with words,” he huffed out a breath. “I just need to say it. Do you wanna go out with me, sweetheart?”
    You swore you could feel the palpitations as the words finally left his lips.
    “Yes,” you grinned, lifting a hand to hold a side of his face. “I’d love to go out with you, Logan,” you leaned up to press a gentle kiss on the end of his nose, which he scrunched up in response.
    “I promise I’m not going to let you get hurt,” he assured as he leaned in, resting his forehead on yours. “I’ll keep you safe. From thunderstorms, or from anything else.”
    “I know you will,” you replied, “I feel safe, right here in your arms,” you smiled, cuddling into him a little more as if you were trying to prove your point.
    “I’ll hold you whenever you want, honey,” he hummed, pressing a kiss to the bridge of your nose. “Anything to make you feel safe.”
    “Doesn’t just make me feel safe,” you grinned. “Makes me feel happy, too.”
    “Oh yeah?” He asked, his voice just on this side of teasing. “Good thing I’d do anything to make you happy too.”
    “Anything to make me happy?” You questioned, sliding your hand down from his face to his chest, “I think a kiss would really make me happy.”
    “I did say anything,” he chuckled, leaning in until your lips brushed. “Absolutely anything for my girl,” he added before pressing his lips to yours in a sweet kiss that you both sighed into.
    When he pulled away, it was just enough to breathe, close enough that your lips still touched when you spoke. 
    “Your girl?” You spoke, barely above a whisper. “I think I could get used to that. That would make you my guy, huh?”
    “Yeah, I’ll be your guy, babe,” he chuckled quietly. “Any day of the week.”
    “Just in the days?” You joked, acting as if you were offended.
    “Christ, you and Wade are going to kill me,” he huffed playfully. “I’ll be your guy any time you’ll have me.”
    “That’s more like it,” you laughed quietly, pecking his lips.
    The two of you sat in silence for a few minutes, when you realized something.
    “It’s not storming anymore,” you smiled. “Guess you distracted me from the storm.”
    “Told you I’d keep you safe,” he grinned.
    “I think I know why it works so well when you talk,” you said shyly.
    “And why’s that?” He asked.
    “Your voice, it’s low and I can feel it in your chest when you talk,” you began. “Reminds me of the thunder, but it’s gentle and even instead of overwhelming. So when you talk, it’s like a whole new kind of storm that I can focus on.”
    “I’d be glad to distract you anytime,” he teased, pecking your lips.
    “You know, you should come stay the night sometime when I’m not having a panic attack,” you joked.
    “I think I’d like that,” he agreed. “Wade’s never gonna let me leave without interrogating me though.”
    “I’ll come over when you’re about to leave, I can try and get him off topic,” you chuckled. “All I’ve really gotta do is mention Vanessa.”
    “What if I don’t mind people knowing where I’ll be?” He asked.
    “I’d say that it’s very sweet and that I don’t mind either,” you smiled, kissing the corner of his mouth.
    “Kiss me like you mean it, none of the corner of the mouth shit,” he complained, but based on the smile on his face, he was only teasing you. 
    Opting not to reply, you leaned in, pressing your lips on his. You hadn’t expected his lips to be as soft as they were, but you supposed it made sense when his skin healed itself.
    You pulled away slowly, letting out a content breath and scooting down so you could press your face against his neck.
    “You smell good,” you commented casually as you closed your eyes.
    “Glad you like it,” he chuckled, tucking one arm under his head while the other kept you against his chest.
    The two of you continued to steal soft kisses and trade laughs until eventually you were being pulled under into a nice sleep.
================
    Logan took a deep breath as he woke up. In the night, you’d managed to turn over, so he was now the big spoon. He grinned, pulling you closer back against him. 
    Without warning, Wade’s head popped up over your side of the bed, a smile on his face. 
    “Why the fuck are you always here when I wake up?” Logan complained, letting a sigh out of his nose.
    “Because you’re always here when I come to check in after a storm,” Wade answered, standing up and revealing that he was wearing a tie dye onesie. 
    “Well she’s fine, you don’t have to check up on her anymore,” Logan assured. “Now get out so I can go back to sleep,” he huffed.
    Wade completely ignored Logan. Typical.
    “So did you two finally do it last night?” He asked, already heading to the door, praying Logan wouldn’t get up to beat the shit out of him.
    Logan didn’t get up. Instead he leaned over and grabbed the alarm clock on your bedside table and threw it towards Wade.
    Wade dodged it, grinning like an idiot as he ran out and through your apartment so he could exit the front door.
   “What the fuck was that?” You groaned out sleepily.
    “Nothin’,” Logan answered, wrapping his arm back around you. “Just your alarm clock breaking against the wall.”
    “Do I want to ask why you threw it or not?” You questioned, turning around and pressing your face to his chest.
    “Wade,” he answered simply.
    “Got it,” you nodded, “No need to explain.”
    Logan chuckled and leaned down, pressing his lips to your forehead.
    “Wanna go back to sleep?” He hummed out.
    “Now that I’m awake, I was thinking maybe we could go get something for breakfast,” you shrugged, looking up at Logan with a lazy grin.
    “I could go for breakfast,” he nodded. “Let me hold you for a little longer first,” he added, squeezing you even closer to him.
    “I could go for that,” you copied his words, laying your head back down.
    Logan grinned, just looking at you laying your head on his chest. Yeah, he could get used to being a new kind of thunder for you.
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oldsoul007 · 20 hours ago
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loving you, loving me
joel miller x reader
summary: y/n and joel save time for the little moments in their busy schedules
a/n: veryyy domestic, kissing
joel miller masterlist
The sun had barely risen when I stirred awake. The soft light filtered through the bedroom window, casting gentle shadows across the room. I shifted, my body still heavy with sleep, but the warm weight of Joel beside me made it hard to stay asleep. He was still tangled in the covers, a few strands of his messy brown hair sticking to his forehead.
I smiled softly, brushing them away, the quiet intimacy of the moment making my heart flutter. Before I could think, my hand found its way to his arm, fingers tracing the familiar muscle beneath his worn-out shirt. Joel stirred just a little, his breath deepening as if he could sense my touch even in his sleep.
“Morning, handsome,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss the side of his cheek.
“Mmm,” Joel muttered, eyes still closed. “Mornin’.”
His voice was gravelly from sleep, but there was something comforting about it. Something that made the rush of our busy lives seem insignificant in this small pocket of quiet. He cracked an eye open, meeting my gaze with a smile that softened his rough exterior.
“I have to get up soon,” I murmured, already dreading the coming hours. “But I don’t want to leave you yet.”
“I know, I don’t want you to either.” Joel reached for me, pulling me into a brief but tender embrace. “But you have work, and I gotta get to the construction site.”
We both groaned at the reality of our hectic schedules, the same routine we’d shared for years. I leaned in, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips before slipping out of bed. He watched me go, a sense of longing in his chest as he sat up, but he didn’t say anything—just let his gaze linger on me for a few moments before he started his own morning routine.
Later, at the office, I sat hunched over a pile of paperwork, the soft hum of the fluorescent lights above the only sound in the quiet office. I was buried deep in numbers when I felt the briefest sensation—someone’s fingers grazing against mine. Startled, I looked up and found Joel standing in the doorway, grinning like a schoolboy.
“Don’t you have a meeting?” I whispered, though my heart skipped a beat.
“I do,” he said, voice low. “But I needed to steal a kiss from my wife.” He leaned down just enough to plant a soft kiss on my lips, just a touch—so quick, but full of warmth.
I smiled, the weight of the day momentarily lifted. “I needed that.”
“I’ll be back tonight, okay?” He squeezed my hand before turning to go, leaving my heart full and my work still waiting.
The hours between our brief exchanges seemed endless. By the time I got home that evening, the house was quiet, the air a little cooler, and the sun was setting in a soft cascade of oranges and pinks. I kicked off my shoes and headed toward the kitchen, where Joel was busy making dinner, his shirt rolled up at the sleeves.
“Smells good in here,” I said, my voice carrying a bit of weariness from the long day.
Joel turned, a smile immediately spreading across his face as he crossed the room. “I thought we could eat together tonight, no interruptions. Just us.”
I felt a rush of affection and walked straight into his arms. I didn’t say anything—just pressed my face into his chest, feeling the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat. He held me like that for a long moment, his hands moving gently up and down my back.
“I missed you today,” I murmured.
“I missed you too.” He kissed the top of my head, a soft, lingering gesture. “But hey, I think we both know there’s no such thing as too much love, right?”
I chuckled softly. “You say that now, but you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.”
“We’ll manage,” Joel said, his voice warm with certainty. “I’ll find ways to sneak kisses in. I’ll make sure you never forget I’m here.”
And so, it went. The days were busy, the hours long, but whenever we could, we stole moments together. A touch of my hand while making coffee, a kiss on the cheek when no one was looking, an embrace that lasted just a little longer than it should have. Those tiny moments made up for the time we were apart.
At night, after the world had quieted, and the chaos of our separate lives had finally simmered down, we sat side by side, Joel’s hand nestled in mine, his fingers drawing circles against my palm. The silence between us was never uncomfortable—it was the kind of silence that spoke volumes, the kind that only two people who had been through years of life together could understand.
“I love you, y/n,” Joel whispered as we both settled in for the night, the room dark except for the faint light coming through the window.
“i love you too,” I replied, turning my face to him, my lips seeking his for a final, soft kiss of the day.
And as we lay there, with nothing but the sound of each other’s breath and the occasional murmur of affection, we knew our love—quiet, steady, and full of those small, meaningful moments—was more than enough to keep us going through the busiest of days.
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sasheemo · 2 days ago
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When We Collide
Chapter 14
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Chapter Summary: You wake to Agatha's unsettling yet impossibly grounding presence, unspoken questions threatening to unravel a fragile moment. And just like that, walls begin to crack.
Word Count: 2.8k
A/N (very long, sorryyy): I still can’t believe it, but here we are. After exactly one month since the last chapter was published, I’m officially back! I can’t promise the creative block I’ve been struggling with for When We Collide is completely gone, but I’m really trying, and I’m so happy to continue this story.
Before you dive in, I just want to take a moment to make a small dedication:
Over the past week, I’ve received an overwhelming amount of love and support that I never expected. Moots, strangers, and even anonymous readers stepped forward in the comments of my update posts on Tumblr or slid into my DMs to show their appreciation and encouragement. You know who you are. It’s because of all of you that, in just over 24 hours, I managed to write an entire chapter after being stuck for a whole month. You gave me an incredible boost of energy and motivation. So, this chapter is for you. To my moots, followers, and each dedicated reader of When We Collide. To everyone who messaged me privately or left a comment on a post or a fic. To those who, even without reaching out directly, have always supported me with their thoughts and good vibes, waiting patiently for an update and never abandoning this story. What you’ve done, and continue to do, for me is amazing. You’ve filled me with so much love and support, and I truly hope this chapter (and the ones to come—yes, they’re coming, hehe) can serve as a proper thank-you.
It’s true that writing should primarily be for yourself, but when you receive this kind of support and encouragement, it becomes something truly special to write for others too.
Let me know what you think of the chapter, and thank you from the bottom of my heart! 💜
PS: Spoiler—I literally felt my heart break while writing a certain piece of dialogue. Had to pause, pick up the pieces, and keep going. Sorry y’all, I couldn’t resist 💔
Chapter Index
Read on AO3
You stir awake to the faint glow of the early afternoon, the light filtering softly through the edges of the curtains. For a brief, suspended moment, your mind lingers in the haze of sleep, the kind where nothing feels quite real, and you’re not entirely sure where you are. Then the weight registers.
The warm, undeniable weight of someone pressed against you.
Your breath catches, your body locking in place as you become acutely, painfully aware of Agatha’s head resting on your shoulder.
Her dark hair brushes against your neck, faintly ticklish, while her arm lies draped across your waist.
You don’t dare move. Not even a twitch.
Every nerve in your body stands at attention, screaming for you to do something. But you lie there, frozen, your heart hammering so loudly you’re sure it’ll wake her. The thought of turning your head to look at her fills you with a mixture of terror and curiosity, and you’re too paralyzed to face either.
You try—really try—to focus on the practicalities. How did this even happen? You’d climbed into bed hours ago, stiff as a board, determined to keep your distance. You’d stayed on your side, curled up awkwardly, staring at the wall like it held the answers to every question you were too afraid to ask.
But then sleep had come. Or at least something like it—a restless tangle of half-dreams and unconscious movements, shifting and turning under the weight of the night’s tension. 
At some point, the gap between you must have closed. At some point, her arm must have found its way across you.
A thousand excuses rush through your mind, each more fragile than the last, as if rationalizing the moment could make the closeness disappear. But they all crumble, leaving behind one undeniable truth: you don’t want to move. Not really.
You tell yourself it’s fear. Fear of waking her. Fear of the look on her face if she realized the position you’re in. Confusion? Annoyance? Disgust? The thought twists your stomach into painful knots. But beneath the fear, another emotion lingers, quieter and far more dangerous.
It feels… good.
You hate how much you notice it, how your senses seem to betray you with every passing second. The softness of her hair brushing your neck, the heat of her body radiating against your side, the faint pressure of her arm resting on you—it all feels far too natural, far too easy, like some cruel joke the universe decided to play.
You squeeze your eyes shut, willing yourself to move, to shift, to put some distance between you. But your body doesn’t listen. You’re too hyper-aware of every tiny detail, of how close she is, of how safe she feels.
A shaky exhale escapes you, your chest rising just enough to disturb the delicate stillness between you. Agatha stirs slightly in her sleep, a soft sound escaping her lips as her arm tightens instinctively around you.
Your heart practically leaps into your throat.
You swallow hard, trying to convince yourself that this is normal. That there’s nothing strange or inappropriate about lying here like this. That it doesn’t mean anything. That it’s just an accident, a coincidence. That’s all.
It’s fine. Everything is fine. Except it’s not. 
Because no matter how much you want to believe that this is accidental, that she’s completely unaware, a small, traitorous part of you wonders what it would mean if she wasn’t.
You try to focus on the ceiling, on the faint creak of the house settling around you, on anything other than her. But it’s impossible. Because no matter how still you stay, no matter how hard you try to quiet your thoughts, Agatha’s presence fills every corner of the room—and every corner of you.
Your breath hitches as you finally, finally let yourself turn your head. It’s tentative at first, a small, hesitant shift of movement. 
Your chin almost brushes her forehead, and the nearness of her—so close you could count the faint freckles scattered across her skin—leaves you utterly undone. 
For a moment, you can’t think, can’t breathe. The sight of her like this, her face so close to yours, is enough to send your thoughts spiraling.
Your gaze moves carefully, tracing her features as if each one might dissolve into smoke if you looked too quickly.
Sharp and soft. The words loop in your mind like a mantra, and you can’t stop staring. The sharp lines of her jaw and cheekbones, the delicate curve of her lips—they blend danger and allure in a way that leaves you off-balance, like she was never meant to be anything less than both.
Your let your thoughts drift, unbidden, to what you know about her. And, perhaps more troubling, to what you don’t.
You’ve spent all your life in the same coven, shared the same spaces, breathed the same air, yet she’s always been distant. A figure just out of reach, admired and feared in equal measure by most.
You sift through your memories, trying to piece together fragments, to make sense of the person sprawled across you now.
Everyone has been speaking of Agatha’s power in hushed tones since you were children—the raw, unpredictable force of her magic. How it brims with potential but defies control. Even the older witches have always been wary of her, watching her like a storm poised on the horizon.
And then there’s the story. The one no one speaks of outright but that lingers in fragments, carried around by rumors and half-truths.
It was just over a couple of years ago. One of the daughters of your mother’s friends—a girl you barely knew, though her name still echoes through the village homes and halls—was found dead in the woods. Cold, lifeless. Drained.
The whispers said it was Agatha.
They claimed she had taken the girl’s power, siphoned it like a flame devouring a candlewick. That she left her there, alone in the woods, to die. 
But that girl wasn’t just anyone. She was Agatha’s best friend.
The rumors painted it as a calculated act of power, a way to send a message and solidify her place as the rightful heir to the coven’s legacy. They said her magic demanded sacrifice, and she hadn’t hesitated to give one.
But that version of the story never sat right with you.
Even more so now, with Agatha asleep beside you, her head resting on your shoulder, her breathing slow and even in sleep. The idea of this Agatha—the Agatha who clings to you in her slumber—being the monster the rumors describe feels impossible to reconcile.
You’ve always wondered if there was more to the story. If the truth had been buried beneath layers of fear, jealousy, and Evanora’s carefully orchestrated manipulations. 
Because if there’s one thing you know about Evanora Harkness, it’s that she’d burn the truth to ashes to protect her image.
The slow rise and fall of your chest brushes faintly against Agatha’s arm, jolting you back to the present. You exhale shakily, your gaze locking once again on her face.
She looks so… harmless. The thought slips into your mind unbidden, and you can’t stop yourself from clinging to it. Here, now, in your bed, tangled against you, she does look harmless. Innocent, even.
And yet… the stories remain. The danger, the sharpness, the fury—it’s still there, lurking just beneath her momentary serene exterior. 
You should move. You really should. Break the moment, pull away, regain the distance you’re supposed to have. But you don’t. You can’t. Because for all the danger and mystery that surrounds Agatha Harkness, there’s something else, too.
Something that keeps you rooted in place, your gaze drinking her in, feeling her presence in every breath you take.
The stillness is interrupted by a faint shift. Agatha stirs against you, her body shifting slightly as her fingers twitch where her hand rests near your waist. Her breathing changes, no longer the even, steady rhythm of sleep but something shallower, more conscious.
You freeze, your own breath caught in your chest. Her head lifts just a fraction before settling again, her hair brushing against your neck in a way that sends an involuntary shiver down your spine. For one agonizing moment, you wonder if she’ll pull away.
But she doesn’t.
Instead, Agatha lets out a soft exhale, her lashes fluttering as her eyes blink open, slow and heavy with sleep. There’s a beat—a single, suspended second where her gaze adjusts, flitting from the faint light of the room to you.
Her arm remains draped across your waist, though her fingers flex slightly, testing their place. Her lips twitch, just barely, into something resembling a smirk.
“Is this how you treat all your guests, or am I just special?” she murmurs, her voice husky and rough from sleep, the teasing lilt sharp enough to make your stomach flip.
The words pull you from your haze of panic into full-blown mortification, heat rising to your face as you open your mouth, then close it, scrambling for a response. 
“You—you asked me to stay!” you stammer, your voice breaking as you shift just a little, glaring at her. “Don’t twist this into—”
Agatha cuts you off with an expression so faux-innocent you want to scream, her tone light but laced with mockery. 
“Did I?” she muses, her brow quirking as though she’s genuinely pondering it. “Hmm. Doesn’t sound like me.”
Your jaw drops. 
Your heart hasn’t stopped pounding since she stirred, and her smirk only makes it worse. The audacity, the smugness. She’s so calm, like waking up tangled together is just another morning for her.
For you? It’s a waking nightmare—or at least, that’s the excuse you cling to as you try to suppress the heat that is completely taking hold of your whole body. Your fists clench at your sides, and your frustration boils over. 
“You did! You said—” you stop yourself, huffing in exasperation as her smirk turns into a full-blown grin. “Ugh, you’re impossible.”
“And you’re far too fun to annoy.” she counters shifting slightly, her arm sliding away from your waist as she props herself up on one elbow.
You bite back another retort, your face burning as you turn your head to look anywhere but at her. She’s infuriating. Smug and sharp-tongued and—close. Too close.
The silence stretches for a beat, and you take a deep breath, willing yourself to calm down. 
It doesn’t help that she’s still watching you, her gaze a quiet weight against your skin. You can feel it without looking—how her smirk lingers, how her eyes flicker between amusement and something unreadable.
She shifts again, finally breaking the silence. 
“Well,” she says softly, her voice still carrying that teasing lilt, “if this is how you handle all your guests, I can’t imagine they stay very long.”
Your breath hitches, and you glance at her despite yourself, catching the faintest flicker of something beneath her grin. She’s teasing, sure—but there’s an edge to it, a quiet discomfort she’s trying to mask.
You huff again, crossing your arms and refusing to let her get the last word. “Maybe they don’t. But you did ask me to stay, so if you have complaints, take it up with yourself.”
Her grin softens slightly, but she doesn’t respond. Instead, she leans back a little, her hand brushing against the blanket as she rests her weight on her palm. Her gaze flickers briefly to the window, her expression almost thoughtful.
You watch her for a moment, your own irritation ebbing away as curiosity takes its place. She’s still infuriating, still impossible—but there’s something else, too. Something quieter. 
You should let it go. The tension, the moment—it’s already too much and you both literally just woke up. But the question lodges itself in your throat, unspoken words buzzing like a swarm. You don’t even mean to say it. It just… slips out. “What really happened that day?”
Agatha’s head tilts slightly, her eyes cutting back to yours in a sharp, measured motion. 
“What?” she asks, her tone casual, but there’s a sudden wariness in her gaze, the edge of a blade being drawn.
You hesitate, regretting the words almost immediately, but it’s too late now. 
“The girl.” you clarify, your voice quieter than you intended. “The one they say you… killed.”
The room seems to still, the air shifting as the words settle between you. 
Agatha doesn’t move, her expression unreadable, but the flicker of something raw flashes behind her eyes—a shadow that vanishes almost as quickly as it appears.
Her lips curve into a smirk that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. 
“Really?” she drawls, leaning back slightly, the picture of feigned nonchalance. “That’s what you want to talk about? Here? Now?”
Your stomach twists at the sharpness of her tone, but you don’t look away. 
“I just…” You pause, choosing your words carefully. “I just want to know the truth.”
Agatha lets out a soft, bitter laugh, shaking her head as she looks away again. 
“The truth…” she mutters, her voice low, almost mocking. “You’re the first person to actually ask me for it, you know?”
The words hit you like a slap, leaving you momentarily speechless. 
“Wait.” you say, your voice barely above a whisper. “No one’s ever—?”
“No.” Agatha cuts in sharply, her tone laced with dry amusement that barely conceals the bitterness beneath.“Why would they? They already think they know. They don’t need my version.” 
She scoffs, her lips curling into a sardonic smirk.
Your chest tightens painfully at the words, the weight of what she’s said settling over you like a heavy fog. If no one’s ever asked for her version of the story, if no one’s cared enough to hear the truth… then everything you’ve heard—the whispers, the rumors, the stories—might not be true. Or at least, not entirely.
Agatha’s gaze flickers back to you, piercing and unreadable, as if she can sense where your thoughts are heading. 
“I know what they say.” she continues, her voice quieter now, colder. “Some of it’s lies, some of it’s not.”
Your breath catches, her words hanging between you like a challenge, daring you to press further. And you do. 
“But if not all of it’s true…” you ask, your voice trembling slightly, “… then why?”
You hesitate, the question twisting in your chest before it finally escapes. “Why do you let them believe those things about you, hmm?”
That stops her cold.
Her gaze locks on you, her expression sharp and unyielding, but there’s something flickering beneath the surface—something fragile and dangerous and far too human.
For a moment, you swear you see something shatter behind the mask she wears so flawlessly. And when she finally speaks, her whispered answer tears through the silence like thunder.
“Because the truth is too awful.”
The words hang in the air, and for a moment, all you can do is stare at her. The rawness in her voice, the vulnerability she so desperately tries to hide, steals the breath from your lungs.
But you don’t back down. Not now.
“Maybe.” you say quietly, your voice softening but steady. “But I don’t think it’s worse than the lies, than the stories people tell.”
Her head tilts slightly, her eyes narrowing as she studies you. The tension in her shoulders doesn’t ease, but there’s something in her gaze—a flicker of hesitation, of consideration.
“You’re persistent.” she mutters, the edge returning to her voice, though it’s quieter now.
“And you’re exhausting.” you reply, trying to keep your tone casual despite the knot in your chest tightening with every passing second. “But since it looks like we’re stuck together—and you’re literally in my bed—you might as well tell me.”
You know the truth, though: you’re not really stuck together. Agatha could leave anytime she wanted—she’s clever, resourceful, and probably already thought of four different ways to slip out unnoticed, if she needed or wanted to.
But you also suspect that getting Agatha Harkness to open up requires more than simple patience. She needs to feel cornered—not with malice, but with intent. She has to know that someone is paying attention, that someone cares enough to ask, and that walking away won’t make the questions disappear. So you hold her gaze, refusing to let the moment slip away.
Agatha exhales sharply, the sound laced with frustration as she rubs a hand over her face. For a long, agonizing moment, you think she might retreat entirely. But then her hand falls, and she looks at you again.
And just like that, the walls begin to crack.
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dr9com9ge-ix · 3 days ago
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Something that I realized while I was rewatching this.....So Jevin isn't use being effected with love when Tunner gave him some that actually mean that when he was little he never reserve any love from his parents?
And I also notice that Sky doesn't seem to be a cultists like him like he looks like a normal kid with no weird marks/scars on his body like Jevin so does that also mean that Jevin doesn't want Sky to be like him?
1: Yeah- Unfortunately Jev’s parents weren’t really involved with him due to them being the heads of the Spire monastery and being more concerned with appeasing the sun (Or at least what they think is appeasing the sun-). So he was mostly just doing alot of religious work alongside his siblings and the other cultists. (With most, if not everyone in it having the sun symbols + rays carved into their bodies.)
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Jevin in particular did get in trouble a decent amount due to the cult’s belief in staying fully awake during the day and immediately going to bed when the sun went down (He had horrible nightmares that kept him up at night and exhausted during the day when he’s supposed to be doing his chores.) So most of his experiences with his parents have been just- For a lack of better words “business only” (Aka mostly just regarding the Cult and nothing too family bond-y)
He definitely had better relationships with his sisters but their contact with each other was limited due to the tasks they were assigned to do in the cult- With his eldest sister practically raising him and their younger sister.
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2: Sky was adopted by Jevin years after the cult dissolved due to most of the members being dead and scattered. (With Jevin traveling away from the now ruined monastery being the reason he found baby Sky in the first place.) Jevin definitely does not want Sky to end up like him and is trying his best to raise him well despite his own upbringing, The whole situation they’re in before the suburbs (Living in a caravan and being chased out of villages because Jevin looks like a cultist/ gets caught talking to shadows) and just… Black being around in general! (Black being absolutely rancid to Sky is probably one of the few situations Jevin stands up to him- And usually stops talking/listening to him like for a week or until he apologizes to Sky. Black hates that the silent treatment from Jevin works on him.)
Even in the theoretical situation where the cult was still there and Jev somehow managed to adopt Sky he would never let them carve into / hurt him. Probably even running away from them just to protect his adoptive son.
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commandershepardvasfuckit · 5 hours ago
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An Arranged Marriage, part 28
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
1.4k words
A much calmer Zen has a lot to unload.
(I am feral over my own character, ask box is always open for talking about my writing or just monster fucking in general!)
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Zen’s fluffy, shaggy hair tickled your nose as he stirred a bit and woke you. In the nearly two months you had been together you could not recall a single time when he slept in, seeing him still in bed was quite a surprise.
You kissed the top of his head and immediately felt him nuzzle against you, though you were not really sure if he was actually awake or if it was a subconscious reaction. His breathing was deep and even, and he seemed much calmer at least.
“Are you awake?” you whispered.
He nodded, apparently still not feeling quite up to speaking.
“Are you alright?”
Again he just nodded.
“Everything is alright my dear, I promise” you scratched the side of his head where his hair was cropped short, the only spot where you really could get through his dense hair to scratch his scalp.
“I ruined everything” his voice was so quite as he spoke.
“No, no. You didn’t ruin anything Zen.”
“I hurt you the first time yesterday, then I went and did that.”
“And it’s ok, things happen, but you didn’t ruin anything.”
He stayed quiet and did not acknowledge you.
“I’m not mad or upset or anything” you tried to assure him, “I’m just worried about you, I just want you to be alright,”
“I am upset at myself.”
“I know” you kissed the top of his head again, “and we’ll figure it out together, I promise.”
That seemed to at least somewhat satisfy him, he gave another little nuzzle against you and you swore for just a moment that you heard him purr.
“How about I make us some breakfast? You’ve got to be starving by now, you never sleep this late” you offered.
“You are not good at cooking.”
“Then come sit with me and tell me what to do and keep me company.”
He nodded and shimmed off of you so you could get up.
Zen stuck at your side as you sat at the hearth, a blanket still wrapped around himself and his chin resting on your shoulder while he watched you closely. With a little guidance you were able to make a serviceable enough breakfast for the two of you.
It was a bit smothering how Zen chose to sit behind and a bit to your side so he could lean his chin on your shoulder. He decided to eat breakfast like that too, his arms wrapped around you as he reached for things, restricting how much you could move but you did not have the heart to try to get him to just sit next to you instead.
“It should not be like this” you heard him say softly.
“I know, but this is where we are, and we can go back to taking things slowly” you leaned against him and nuzzled him a bit, “and if it makes you feel any better, you felt incredible last night. But I can wait while we figure things out.”
He buried his face against your neck as best he could with his tusks getting in the way. It was faint, but you could hear his soft purring for just a moment.
“I am just so tired of waiting. I waited for so long for this war to end so I could just go home. And now instead I am here, where I barely get to speak my own tongue, my festivals are not celebrated here. I fought so one day I could go home, and I still cannot. And now I do not want to wait more to have you.”
It never occurred to you that Zen might be homesick. You knew he was not from the city, but he usually seemed happy. He knew so many people, always stopping to smile and chat with when the two of you were out, he knew his way around the city well, everything always seemed fine anyways.
“Have you gone back to visit recently?” you asked.
“Not since the end of the war. I went home to see everyone, and then almost immediately got summoned here and offered the position.”
Six months then you figured at least since he had been home. Six months since Zen had started living somewhere where everything was new and different, where he did not have his family, where he could almost never speak his own language. The irony that neither of you were home here was not lost on you.
“Why not go visit?” you asked.
“I do not have the time. There is just to much to do here” he said.
“Even just for a week or so?”
“We are rebuilding after a war. It is a puzzle of constantly changing and moving pieces trying to figure out what is needed and where.”
“And no one on the council ever takes time away?”
“Some do.”
“So why don’t you?”
He stayed quiet, his face still buried against neck.
“We can go visit together, if you want” you said.
“Maybe.”
‘Maybe’ was better than ‘no’ at least you figured. Though it felt odd that for someone who seemed to be homesick to also be so resistant to visiting home.
“I haven’t met any of your family, well except Bira. I think it would be nice if we went and visited.”
“I did not tell my family I got married.”
You pulled away from him just enough to look him in the eye, “What?”
“It was decided pretty fast, and at the time it did not seem like a big deal, so I did not say anything.”
“Zen! We’ve been married for almost two months! What do you mean you never actually told your family? When you found out you were getting married you didn’t send them a letter or anything?!” you could not believe what he was saying.
“I was told I was getting married in a month’s time, but at the time I did not consider it real. It was just another thing I had to do. It did not seem worth making a big deal of and getting my family involved.”
You really were not surprised that it was not something he made a fuss over, he already had told you that arranged marriages were not a thing here, it was just another duty to him on par with anything else really. But it did surprise you that months after he still had not told his family.
“So they really don’t know?” you asked.
“No, just Ba and Bira, and I asked them not say anything.”
“And you’re sure they haven’t said anything?”
“If my mother knew I was married and she was not here for the wedding she would have made the trip here to yell at me in person by now. I would never hear the end of it.”
“So that’s it? You’re just going to somehow never tell your family that you’re married?” you snapped a bit at him.
“No! No” he tried to press his forehead to yours, frantically tugging at you so he could face you and reach you. “I just do not know what to do now.”
“Tell your family” you answered him flatly.
“I know, but now I do not know how to do that now. I do not want to just show up and surprise them, ‘Hi mother, I have not seen you in months. By the way this is my wife, we have been married for two months and I never told you’ because that will go well.”
“Why not send a letter? Just explain the same thing you told me” you suggested. His family would probably still be annoyed, but at least it would help smooth things over.
“It is not easy to send a letter that far” he protested.
“So you would rather just show up and surprise them?”
“No.”
“Then send a letter.”
He sighed and nuzzled his forehead against yours, “I will send a letter.”
“And perhaps we’ll visit for the next festival?”
“Maybe.”
“You can’t avoid your family forever.”
“Not forever, just long enough to not be yelled at too much.”
“Zen” you pushed back.
“We will go for the next festival” he finally conceded.
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whatiswhump · 2 days ago
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Bucky in a High Security Psychiatric Facility after CAWS
Set right after Captain America: Winter Soldier, Bucky has been captured and is being held at a max security institution to care for him
“Your friend? They carved him out, systematically over and over and over for over sixty years. They did everything they could to ensure that the young man you knew was exterminated and only the code they programmed was left. I know you see the kid you grew up with in Brooklyn but he’s probably all gone.”
Steve kept his gaze forward on the window they were in front of rather than meet the focus of the military doctor speaking to him, “The world’s longest serving POW,” he hollowly echoed the news report he had heard that morning.
“Right, all that time you were in the ice, he was being tortured. Sixty years of consecutive captivity. I know this is harsh but I’ve gotta prep you for what you wanna walk into.”
“Thanks doc, I appreciate it. I still gotta talk to him. Nothing going stop me from doing that.” 
The doctor held his hands up appeasingly, “Sure, I won’t stop you, just you heard it from me, don’t be surprised if your friend isn’t there. The strongest man wouldn’t be expected to survive what he did. I may be overstepping but I think it’d be a mercy if the James you knew died a long time ago, at least he wouldn’t have had to live through it.”
Steve nodded, he knew the doctor was right about one thing, it would be merciful if Buck died when he fell down that ravine in Europe. But he was selfish and terrible and he saw that spark. Buck was still there.
They said he’d be sedated. He wondered how they had come up with a sedative strong enough for a super soldier. With a shiver he wondered if they had developed it for him, had it on hand in case Steve ever became a problem. Knowing SHIELD, he didn’t want to think about it much further.
Buck was in a room entirely made of steel. But it had been painted white to disguise the cold metal, at least to the eye. He knew that was so they could shock him if need be. It didn't look good to outfit their patients in shock collars after all, this was a good work around.
Again, he wondered how long they had had all of this technology ready.
Buck was curled in the corner. No bed, no blanket, no mat. They had cut his hair short, buzzed to a quarter inch, He didn’t expect this, even in its odd institutional style it caught his breath. Bucky already looked more and less like himself.
“Buck-” The door closed behind him. Bucky didn’t stir. Maybe he was too sedated.
“Bucky-” He stepped a little closer and to his half surprise he saw the patient’s eyelids flicker open suddenly. But controlled, the rest of his body remained completely still.
“Uh- it’s me Buck, it’s Steve…” Bucky remained where he was a moment before he judged it was safe to move and he clumsily attempted to shift himself upright. He watched Steve with empty eyes all the while.
“I’m sorry they have you here-” For most, there would be no signs of fear to detect from the Winter Soldier. But Steve saw a trapped animal just shy of quivering in fear. Steve backed up again so he was against the wall to give him more space.
The Winter Soldier lowered his eyes then. He was wearing a hospital gown, Steve could see someone had tied the bows in the back. Must have been knocked out then, he thought to himself. No nurse would ever get that close to him while awake.
Was that how it went? Any care he needed administered while he was out only to wake up in different places, in different conditions, with signs of all that he had missed. It made Steve feel sick.
Then it made him feel sicker when he realized that was the reality of the Winter Soldier’s last 60+ years in and out of cryo freeze.
“You don’t always have to stay here- this doesn’t have to be permanent.”
Silence.
“Do you remember me?” His heart leapt out of his chest suddenly and it spilled out. He had meant to be gentler. This was one of the millions of reasons girls hadn’t wanted to date him in 1941 besides his stature, he had no subtlety.
Buck- The Winter Soldier looked back up at him, gazing at him for a moment before flickering his eyes back down and shaking his head.
“You’re lying. You pulled me from the river.”
He shook his head again, smaller this time. He seemed very unhappy.
“You saved me Buck. They told me you’re gone. But you’re my friend. You’re not gone. I know you’re not.”
Buck started shaking his head again now over and over and now he really did begin to tremble.
Someone knocked on the window behind Steve. In an instant the door was opening for him to exit.
“He get’s like this- they think it’s its his programming- he like- he shuts down-”
Men in special uniforms filled the space Steve had just taken. One of them had a syringe.
Steve had to look away.
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minimallycreative · 1 month ago
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i dont want to
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simandy · 3 months ago
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I find it fascinating how every single one of my health issues can be mistaken for laziness
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infiniteorangethethird · 1 year ago
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ik the common agreement in neurodivergent circles seems to be that we all function better at night but here's to the ones who are on the opposite end of the spectrum. To the early birds who wake at 7 and can't stay up past 10pm. To the ones who are left out of almost every social event bc everything seems to be happening after 8 but you're normally in bed by that point. To the ones who are made fun of bc "only little kids go to bed that early". To the ones who, even if they wanted to, can never seem to find their place among others bc of society's expectation that the real fun only begins after midnight. I see you, I feel you, and I wish you a very same
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