#i'll be like well it hasn't been that long since i last cut it why is it doing this already. and the last time i cut it was over 6 months

[lighthouseas]

my hair is getting so long this shit is crazy wtf

[munsonsboy]

steve's been knocking on doors trying to find eddie. he would be annoyed that all he's found are couples and groups in states of undress but this is some random house party, so it's what steve expects.

plus he's too relieved that he hasn't walked in on eddie being a part of any of it.

steve knows it's gross to feel this way. he trusts eddie 100%. it's not right to let past relationship problems cloud his judgement when it comes to what he has with eddie - who hasn't given him any reason to doubt.

but eddie is so new. been together for only 2 months now new.

and tommy was so old. childhood friend/fucked up situationship for 10 long years old. just ended for good a year and a half ago old.

so even though he knows, hopes, prays, that it's ridiculous to compare the two together, steve still checks the bathroom and makes sure the man on his knees in front of some blonde cheerleader isn't his boyfriend.

and then promptly ducks down to avoid a brush the blonde cheerleader throws at him.

'sorry!' steve apologizes. he hurries to slam the door closed and makes his way to the very last room at the end of the hallway.

maybe he left? eddie didn't want to serve here anyway, rich druggie clientele be damned. so even though they came together, maybe eddie had an emergency and-

steve cuts that thought off because well. he found eddie.

'baby!!' his boyfriend exclaims, alone, sitting on the floor in the middle of some random strangers room with a jar of peanut butter. he's got a spoon full of it half way up to his mouth and his eyes are red.

at least 4 brownies deep red.

the wave of relief he feels is actually pretty concerning, but steve will think about that some other time since he's too busy trying not to laugh at how ridiculous the long haird idiot looks.

'eddie, what are you doing?'

eddie looks guilty and for a split second steve thinks maybe he did walk in on eddie with someone else. (maybe he's waiting on them? maybe they already left?)

then eddie holds up the jar of peanut butter and says in the saddest voice, 'i needed it stevie, i don't remember how long it's been since i've had peanut butter. but i didn't think you'd find me! stay back! don't you come any closer!'

so this whole time while steve's been worried that eddie was off doing what tommy used to do to make him jealous, eddie just snuck off and hid away to eat peanut butter because steves' allergic.

starting to snicker, steve goes to sit across from him. 'i can be around it babe, im not gonna die.'

eddie rushes to close the jar, spoon shoved inside and all. he gives steve the stink eye. 'i know what peanut allergies can do to some people. i refuse to watch you blow up like a tomato.'

steve rolls his eyes and reaches out, acting like he's gonna touch the jar.

eddie yells. jumping to his feet, he scurries out of the closet like an over grown rat, 'steve harrington this is exactly why I was trying to eat this away from you!'

steves laughing now, giggling like a hyena. he can't believe he ever doubted this man.

later that night - after eddie has showered and brushed his teeth at least three times - when they're tucked away in eddies room under the covers, steve talks to him about his freak out. eddie apologizes for leaving him alone at a strangers party like that. he holds him close, gives steve a ton of kisses and promises to create a DND character that represents tommy.

'i'll turn him into a toad and kill him off in the most gruesome way imaginable. he'll be murdered to death, the kids will be traumatized. it'll be great. just you wait and see, my love.'

[hopleii]

crawling back to you . . . ꔫ

content: inspired by Do I Wanna Know? - Hozier, mammon x fem!reader, hurt comfort, angst to fluff, breakup themes, getting back together themes, breaking no contact, yearning, alcohol mentions, not proofread, lmk if i missed anything!

a/n: do u guys like the cover i edited? >< lowkey got bored of the boring pink lines so I'll probably make more of those covers (just probably.)

it's been a whole year since you left devildom, which meant a whole year has passed since you and mammon talked. it's not like he cared though, right? the avatar of greed had better things to take care of, better things to desire, and better things to want.

but deep down, he wanted nothing more than to turn back time to that day. the day you left devildom, the day you two gave up on each other. there has not been a single day where mammon hasn't thought about you, going to bars and flirting with different women to ease the pain. it never worked, though. it always ended the same - he starts talking and crying about you, turning off the other girls. his brothers knew how much your departure and your breakup affected him, often picking up mammon from bars and dragging him home, being forced to listen to his slurred babbling as well.

today, he woke up, hungover and nauseated. he missed the way your soft hands brushed through his white hair, how your arms pulled him into a warm embrace, how you would care for him whenever he was hungover like this. mammon groaned as he stood up from his bed, the sunlight streaming through the blinds felt like knives in his eyes. he'd much rather be blinded by your beauty.

lucifer and the others had been on his case for months now, but mammon always brushed them off. he was the avatar of greed, he takes what he wants and gets rid of them when he wants, that's how everyone expected him to act, he was the one who broke up with you after all. but he didn't want to get rid of you. he had worn his heart on his sleeve for you, after all, and look where it got him.

"still sulking?" satan's voice cut through the silence in the dining hall since the others didn't want to speak up

mammon groaned, rubbing his forehead and adjusting his uniform. "ain't none of yer business."

"sure it's not" satan's green eyes softened at mammon's pitiful state, his eyes swollen from crying all night. "you know, this isn't helping anyone---not you, not MC." he didn't respond, pouring himself a glass of water and ignoring the way his hand trembled.

after school, mammon couldn't explain why he did what he did. maybe it was the way his brother kept giving him pitiful looks all week, or maybe the sheer exhaustion of pretending he stopped caring. either way, he found himself in the human world, in your city.

he had no plan—he never did—but he wandered aimlessly, not knowing if he wanted to run into you or if he wanted the universe to throw a bone at him.

and then, like fate, he saw you.

you were standing outside a bakery, paper bag in hand as you looked through the pastries and treats you bought with a soft smile, and it was like he couldn't breathe.

mammon froze, panic bubbling in his chest, what would he even say? what would he even do? but before he could second-guess himself, your eyes locked onto his.

your expression from surprise to something familiar, the look in your eyes that day when the two of you broke up, and mammon's heart clenched. he started walking towards you, as if his legs had a mind of it's own. he could've just walked away, ignored you, go back to devildom, but he couldn't. not after how long his heart yearned for you.

"hey," he said, his voice hoarse.

"hey," you replied, clutching your paper bag tighter.

and suddenly breathing was harder, the air was thicker with unsaid words.

mammon rubbed the back of his neck, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. "i, uh...didn't think i'd run into ya."

"i didn't either," you admitted.

"look, i know i'm the last person ya wanna see right now, but..." he pauses, fists clenching at his sides. "i can't stop thinkin' about ya, okay? it's been a year, and I've tried — believe me, I've tried everything, but i can't. I'm a mess without ya."

"mammon--"

"I know i screwed up," he said quickly, cutting you off. "i know I'm a greedy and selfish bastard and total pain in the ass but...I never stopped lovin' ya. not for a second. and, i know i was the one that ended things, but i was just bein' a coward. i should've made it work, whether you were in devildom or not."

you stared at him, a mix of bitterness and longing. "why, mammon? why now?"

"cause i couldn't stay away anymore," he said, stepping closer. "I get it if ya don't wanna see me again, but i had to try. i had to tell you."

you didn't reply. you wanted to walk away, to ignore him, to act like you didn't care, but he just wouldn't stop. everything he said, it was crushing your resolve.

"do ya ever think of me, pretty? i do. always. even when I'm drunk and stupid, never stopped thinkin' about you."

"i missed you," you whispered.

mammon's eyes widened, "ya did?"

you nodded, tears staining your cheeks. "mhm. everyday."

he didn't hesitate, pulling you into his arms and holding you like his life depended on it. "i ain't lettin' you go," he murmured into your hair.

"never again."

and for the first time in a year, you felt whole.

© — hopleii

[thir10th]

The getaway pt.1 - Emily Prentiss x fem!reader

ALL OF THESE CAN BE READ AS STAND-ALONES

summary: you and Emily have been dating for several months now. When you finally get a free weekend, you decide to go on a little secret romantic getaway. tw: nothing yet, just fluff, a tiny bit of suggestive content but it's literally just a conversation, nothing else. secret relationship. a/n: you guys seemed to really like the idea so here it is! this first chapter so it's mostly to set the mood

Your leg shakes under the dinner table, waiting for Emily to finish up cooking dinner, her body swings around the kitchen, moving fluidly and confidently at the rhythm of the music she had chosen to play to set the abience.

You know she loves cooking, but you also know after getting home from a week-long case, this is the last thing she wants to do.

She always insists: "no baby, i'll cook, you can just sit there and look pretty, let me take care of it" and you loved her for that, but it hasn't been 12 hours yet since you had chased an unsub for three blocks.

She deserved a break. You both did. You had already decided that.

The pasta plate she sets in front of you with a big smile takes you out of your head, you smile back, it smells amazing, there's no doubt about it.

"I'm starving" she says, dropping on the seat in front of you, grabbing a fork and rolling up the spaghetti.

You move the pasta around, looking at her eat, trying to decide how to phrase it.

"what?" she asks mouth-fulled, noticing your stare.

"I wanted to ask you something" she leaves the fork, slurps up one last spaghetti hanging from her lips, and wipes her mouth with the napkin. Now you have her full attention.

"ugh, I'm... flattered, but-" she says in a sarcastic tone, but you cut her.

"relax, Em, I'm not asking you to marry me" she chuckles "i was thinking... you know how, if no case comes in tomorrow by five, we are having the whole weekend for ourselves, right?" you start.

"yeah, why?" she asks impatiently.

"well, I was talking to Penelope the other day, about how she had found this amazing hotel with Kevin, how they had had the best time, with activities for couples, good food, a big pool, you know, all that" she listens carefully at your words, without interrupting you, takes a sip of her wine, and nods, considering the idea.

"ok look" you grab your purse, taking a booklet you had printed out specifically for this conversation, hoping the images would convince her, you hand it to her so she can take a look.

She runs her eyes, scanning the photos on the booklet and reading over the information.

"it's been a long week, you deserve a break. We deserve a break" you conclude.

"Ooh- each room has a hot tub, and full time room service! and a steam room too?" she points out, looking at the pictures.

"And a balcony with views of the pool from every room! this could be it, Em, it's perfect for us." you add, after spending the whole trip back on the plane looking at their website, you had pretty much memorized it.

Emily angled her head to meet your eye. “If I have my way, you’ll be too occupied to appreciate the views.” the playfulness of her words making you smirk.

"So is that a yes?" you sigh in relief.

"Of course, sign me up!" a wide smile of excitement crosses her face, you let out a triumphant sound, shooting from your seat, walking up to her to grab her face and kiss her lips.

She grabs you by the waist and pulls you to sit onto her lap, your arms surround her neck, her grip tight on your hips to hold you in place.

"Oh, this is gonna be so nice! Think about it, no kids, all inclusive hotel for couples, no more hiding, nothing to worry about, just swim, and sex, and food" she grins at your words, her thumb traces slow circles on the skin left uncovered your shirt

"I could get used to that" she says kissing you again, this time longer, lovingly.

"honey?" she says, pulling away. "Yes?"

"You have already made the reservation, haven't you?" her profiling skills really never fail to amaze you.

"they had an excellent limited time offer, and i was pretty confident you were gonna say yes once I'd show you the booklet" you admit, and she chuckles, instead of getting upset, she just smiles at you and pecks your lips

"what have i done to deserve you?" she says, the dreamy sound of her words making you blush.

"well, dinner just now, and i believe i heard you say something about that balcony? with the views?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

She frowns at her computer, sitting on her desk, she has been staring at the screen for a considerable amount of time now, you quietly walk behind her.

"exciting, isn't it?" she doesn't hear you coming by, your words startle her making her jump in her seat

"you scared me" she mutters so no one can hear the conversation.

"sorry" you sit on her desk, right in front of her "i just thought if you're gonna spend the last fifteen minutes staring at the clock, we should do it together"

She tries to fight the smile that threatens to spread on her face, she bites her lip and gives you a loving look with her big doe eyes.

"you know, this room is full of profilers, if they saw you here in my desk only a couple of minutes far from five, they might suspect something is going on here"

"something like what? no one has even noticed i'm here, i seat on your desk everyday, nothing new" you say, her eyes leave the computer screen to look at you now.

"oh, i don't know, something like: we have been dating for three months and as soon as we leave this building we are driving two hours to spend our weekend on a hotel resort for couples?" she says sarcastically.

"i just thought it would be fun to watch when the clock strikes 5:00 together, you know, just like in new year's eve, but without the kissing for obvious reasons. Although there will be plenty of that this weekend" she bites her tongue at your words. Teasing Emily has always been so much fun for you, since it's usually the other way around that she teases you.

"the last thing i want you to remind me is how we are actively lying at the people we care most about" she argues, trying to keep her cool

"well, no need to worry about that anymore" you say, and when you both look at the screen, the clock has turned. 5:00 pm, no case has come in, we're free" you state. You stay there, sharing a moment, you stare at each other's eyes.

"god, but how i wish i could kiss you right now" she mutters breaking the silence, her eyes move down to look at your lips, and just for a moment you consider the possibility of sending it all to hell and kissing her senseless right then and there.

"y/n, any plans for the weekend?" Morgan's presence takes you by surprise, he comes behind you carrying is bag, so close, it had been so close, but you'd have to pull up with your coworker's teasing too.

"uhm, yeah, well, not much, no, just, a movie maybe, but who knows really?" you say, Emily tries hiding her grin, but fails.

"did you hear about Prentiss' weekend?" Morgan asks, you shoot a look at her

"ugh, no, big plans?" you say looking at her, lifting an eyebrow in faked confusion

"She, is going away with her girlfriend" he teases, a cocky smile on his lips.

"a girlfriend?! Prentiss! who is the lucky girl?" you say, a little louder than intended. She looks annoyed now that you're joining the teasing from you coworker.

"it's a secret, apparently" Morgan explains, Emily opens her mouth to speak, but only a defeated sound comes out.

"what? really?" you keep up the play, but she shoots you a look of warning, one eyebrow up, her arm on her hip.

"ok, you know what? I'm gonna leave now, you guys can speculate all you want" she takes her bag, and walks to the elevator, you and Derek follow her closely, she does her best to hide her smile.

"hey, I myself feel pretty offended that she won't tell us, after all we've been through, don't you think I deserve a little better?" he says, holding his hand to his chest, while you three wait for the elevator.

"Now, I'm having some ideas of what you deserve right now" the slightly threatening tone of her voice makes your heart throb. You just want to let her push you against that elevator door, let her do whatever she wants to you.

"you know what, I think I'm gonna keep it to myself, just this one time" she concludes, getting out of the elevator, Morgan whines, but she doesn't let it go.

"ok, this way for me" he says, turning right to go find his parking spot

"I'll walk with you" you tell Emily, the corners of your lips curving into a smile. You both say goodbye to Morgan, he leaves with one last "i hope you have a nice one, Prentiss!" and leaves.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Entering the room, you realize how more spacious and comfortable it is that you though, although you should've guessed, considering the fact that i could fit a hot tub on one corner, a full bathroom and the king-sized bed without making it feel narrow.

The hotel bellboy opens the room for you, hands you both of your keys, and leaves. Emily had already taken it upon herself to carry the bags, as they aren't all that heavy. Plus she loved doing those kinds of things for you, carrying your bags, the kind of things you would tease her about for being the chivalrous kid of girlfriend.

After all, you're only staying for a weekend, even if Emily didn't really understand that you don't actually need that many pairs of shoes for only just two nights total.

You look around everywhere, walk to the bathroom, the shower is perfectly big enough to fit you both, and two sinks. You check the hot tub, nd finish your tour by walking to the windows and opening the curtains.

The broad balcony has two chairs, and direct views to the pool, you're high enough to go completely unnoticed by anyone who looked up from it.

You drop to the big bed, star-fished out, meanwhile Emily leaves both your bags right next to the bed.

You sit up, standing to meet her as she looks around the room herself, appreciating the size of it.

"wow, this is almost bigger than my living room" she says, still surprised.

You walk up to her, grab her by the hips and pulling her to you "what do you think?" you ask, she surrounds your neck with her arms, and kisses you sweetly.

"mh, i love it" she purrs, a soft smile on her lips, and kisses you again, this time softer, longer, her lips soft and reassuring, making sure you knew how much she loved it.

"and I love you" she says, her hands running through your back now, "even if you just spent a considerable amount of time mocking me" she adds, and you chuckle.

"it was perfect, he doesn't suspect a thing!" you try to defend yourself, but she's already kissing your neck, finding your pulse point that she knows drives you crazy

"yeah but you didn't think i'd let you just get away with it just like that, mh?" she says, trapping your earlobe between her teeth and biting it softly.

"well, as much as you know i want this, we have to go down for dinner, because someone claimed she didn't need any directions to find the parking lot, and that took about, half an hour" you say teasingly, giving her a soft swat on her ass, unwrapping your arms off her waist to hold her hand.

Emily pouts at the loss of contact, interwining her fingers with yours "well, i found it didn't i? yes, it might have taken me a little longer than expected...."

"half an hour, Emily! We are gonna miss dinner, c'mon, and you can think about how to 'not let me get away with it' when we get back" you grab the room key, and pull her with you, walking out and heading to the elevator door.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

okkk what are we thinking? this was an introduction more than anything, just to set the story.

Feedback here would be greatly appreciated, specially because if you guys have any ideas on how i should continue, or any specific scenarios, i'd be happy to try to add it!!

Like & reblog as always, I'll be publishing the next chapters as i write them so stay tuned for that <33

[accio-victuuri]

010225: LRLG submission 🔴🟢

what a great way to start the year! a very long submission from lrlg! yaaaay!!!!! let me start with the last part of the post which is a message from lrlg.

It's been a long time since we last met. Isn't it a bit too long? All the work in 2024 is completed. We have entered a new year. Let's meet more often. Happy New Year!

i’m crying!!!! it’s been so long!!!!!

i will try and include as much as i can — especially one that have candy potential. the first part is bobo talking to his team and it’s a long convo but the important part is this:

staff: “How come when I went to the store to look at it, there were men’s rings?”

🟢: "I don't know. I can't go to the store."

🟢: "You can choose a pendant. There are many styles of pendants."

staff: "Only the dragon tablet and nothing else”

🟢 “Buy gold and strike it yourself”

staff:"It's too much trouble"

staff:"Just go with the gold bars and styles."

staff:“Buy ready-made”

HAHAHAHAHAHA IM CACKLING AT YIBO. Why are you like this. His staff has it hard. Why do you wanna make them hand made the gold jewelry you want???? and is this for XZ? part of the new year gift?

🟢 "Good, the only purpose is safety first"

🟢 "Absolutely"

🟢 “The express delivery has been waiting for several days.”

🟢 "It was sent by xx. If you don't go back, I'll find someone to pick it up."

🟢 "good"

the next two paragraphs are convos between wyb and his staff again. they are talking about wyb having enough time to go home ( probably spend time with xz ). then another convo about accessories.

🟢: "What did you order?"

🔴: The food I ordered hasn't arrived yet."

🟢 "I'm hungry."

Staff: "It'll probably be ten minutes. Sorry it's late."

🔴 "You're so busy. You're abusing your employees."

🟢 "Ah? Ask her."

Staff "Sorry I watched the game late"

🟢 "It's okay, I was hungry early"

🔴: "Table Tennis"

Staff "You watch it too"

🔴 "Well, mainly you are playing it out loud"

Staff "Ah, hold on to a little bit"

🟢 "Have you ordered any fruit"

🔴 "You have a big heart, dare to watch the live broadcast"

"Hey"

Staff "Then we must be on the same frequency, order fruit slices"

🟢 "I am your boss, right?"

Staff "But he is your boss"

🟢 "Okay, okay"

the next part is them finally getting their orders! HAHAHAHAHA! they ordered too much and WYB was telling his staff that when he finishes filming he will give them some time off.

Staff: "xx is here, why don't you go and take a look first?"

🟢 "Okay, you go first"

🔴 "Take a few bites of this"

🟢 "I'll come back to eat"

🔴 "Hey, there's no onion"

🟢 Chew chew chew "delicious"

🔴 "You're born in the year of the dog"

🟢 😨

🔴 "My gloves have been bitten through"

🔴 "It's so bad"

🟢 "There's water in the cabinet. I'll roll it for you when I get back. You guys eat first."

Staff "I still have two new ones."

OMGGGG they are feeding each other! and yes XZ he is a puppy! Your puppy!!!! 🥹🥹🥹😂😂😂

the next paragraphs is when WYB has already left and XZ is left with the staff. it makes me feel things that XZ is so familiar with WYB’s staff. they are truly a team that he can even joke with them. you can tell the familiarity.

Staff "I'll treat you guys to a good meal tonight"

🔴 "I'll charge you a lot"

Staff "Hey, the boss isn't here?"

Staff "XX is here"

and they are talking about a watch that was sent.

🟢 "Why aren't you eating yet?"

🔴 "It's only five minutes, you should be back in fifteen minutes."

🟢 "I grabbed the cantaloupe, it's sweet."

Staff How come yours is already cut? I just took two pieces."

🟢 "XX has already cut ones, you didn't get them

Staff "They just cut it. Do I dare to take it?"

🔴 "It's cold whether you eat it or not"

🟢 "Wash your hands"

—-

🔴 "Is it so difficult to eat a meal?"

🟢 "Didn't I ask you to eat first?"

🟢 "Oh, then it's no different from eating at home"

🔴 "You're the one who said all the words"

🟢 "Why are you cursing?"

🔴 "Which word did I use to curse?"

🟢 "You cursed in a very civilized way"

🔴 "The sauce is too salty"

🟢 "Good God"

LOL they never change with the bickering! and how they go back to talking as usual after.

——

🟢 Let Brother X take you there this afternoon"

🔴 "No need for XX"

🟢 "What did you buy?"

🔴 "There are dogs all over your pants"

🟢 "Are you a little dog now?"

🔴 "Yes, you are a little pig dog"

🟢 👊🏻

🔴 "Hey, how can you be so disrespectful?"

🔴 "Why do I feel that this sauce is different from what I ate before?"

Staff "Salty and sweet"

🟢 Change the chef"

🔴 "Hiss"

🟢 "I'll pick you up in the afternoon"

🔴 "No need, I don't know what time I'll be back"

🟢 "Call me when you're done"

the last part is labeled as a funny story among WYB and his staff

🟢 "Who ate the spicy noodles?"

Staff “Everyone in the room ate them."

Staff "Too spicy, that spicy strips they bought online"

Staff "xx had a nosebleed after eating it"

🟢 "Let me taste it"

Staff "Don't eat it, I ate a small piece and now my stomach is on fire"

🟢 "Medical insurance can't be used anymore, this is how it is"

😂😂😂😂 anyway, WYB! Don’t eat that spicy thing!!!!

-END.

i am not authorized to translate the entire thing but these are the ones that stood out and included xz and wyb interaction! this is such a simple part of their life but that’s how it is. i’m glad they get to spend time together. the question is, when was this. lol. this post as you may have noticed is more on the translation and a tiny bit of commentary from me. i will do a longer reaction and crying post later. 🫶🏼

in the meantime, enjoy ^^

[psybrepunk]

I am finally detoxing from alcohol once and for all. After some particularly unpleasant behavior on my part, my house will now be alcohol-free. (cont under the cut)

I've been addicted to alcohol since I was 18. I am currently 27. I've had alcohol poisoning many times, been hospitalized for alcohol-related lactic acidosis (this last May), and nearly lost my few important relationships because I put alcohol first. I regret not making the decision myself to abstain, and rather being made to abstain before I drink myself to death, but the result is the same, and it's not like I can afford rehab.

I say all this because I'm attempting to take responsibility for once. And to explain the severity, as I will probably be less active online in general now but I intend to still post and maintain friendships, I'll just probably socialize slower now that I'm not spending half my evenings focused on being drunk and online.

That being said, there's some things I'm looking forward to in my newly alcohol-free life moving forward (apart from the obvious upside of preserving my interpersonal relationships, of course). I've been addicted so long, with no breaks longer than around 4 months at a time, I've definitely never let my brain heal and start managing it's own resources correctly again. Of course I feel the most dopamine when I'm inebriated, because my brain hasn't gotten to properly regulate my dopamine in almost a decade. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I know the emptiness I feel now will be temporary, and whether it takes months or years, my brain will heal eventually and maybe I'll be able to feel some of the natural enthusiasm and interest that I did when I was younger. So I'm looking forward to that.

Anyways, thanks for reading if you made it down this far. I'm not 100% sure why I felt the need to post this. But oh well. Thank you to everyone who's stayed friends with me during the inappropriately drunk era of my life. Y'all are real ones.

[jazzeria]

A lil update on my lil blankie: more signs of wear in the construction, flaws are showing themselves, and the fabrics are breaking in (some nicely, some are wearing).

3 Jan 2025

So by now, Lil Blankie is about 7 weeks old and has been washed about 5 times.

I sleep with the blanket every night. Sometimes I cover my head and eyes as I sleep. Sometimes I wear it like a cape around my shoulders as I go about my business in the home. Every second day or so, I spend several minutes just snuggling it for the sheer joy of it--and also for science, of course.

But increasingly, there's a sense of... Well, it's less lighthearted than it used to be. I can see and feel Lil Blankie ageing and wearing down--recording it makes me even more aware of it. I'm feeling the entropy.

But also, that was kinda the point of this project: to prepare for repairing my (much larger, and much more emotionally significant) childhood blankie by testing various fabrics, practising the skills required, and, perhaps, becoming comfortable with the idea of wear and repair.

...

The flannel pilling is becoming more noticeable. I'm not sure if this is just because I'm more conscious of it, or if it's actually getting appreciably worse. Hard to say at this point.

The Essex cotton-linen continues to break in beautifully, becoming more and more pliable. The texture is still coarse however.

I'm really enjoying this lovely criss-cross crinkle!

The Sprout Woven is softening beautifully, too. I'm starting to see some wear, but I think it's a good thing: little raised fibres like you'd see on flannel. I can see why this is sometimes used for quilting! I think it's gonna be cuddly and squishy and just generally really nice for snuggling!

The Japanese wovens haven't changed much since last time: they still have a "crispness" that hasn't washed out: a bit stiff, and about as coarse as before. I wonder if they will soften before they wear out?

The only exception is, where the Japanese wovens are backed by the thinnest quilting cottons, there is some kind of transferrence of the quilting cotton's pliability, through to this side... I can't tell if this is purely a psychological phenomenon, or an empirically objective quality. It might be the Japanese woven slipping slightly against the smooth quilting cotton.

In any case, they still have a slightly coarse texture, which I'm attributing to the weave (perhaps a slub in the yarns, or just a coarser weave), and they've developed a criss-cross crinkle as well.

A small patch of the pale blue-purple woven had a tear that I noticed during construction, and patched with fusible stabiliser on the wrong side. The stabiliser quickly wore off (second or third wash?) and the tear began fraying. But I don't think it's grown any larger. I'll have to remember to measure it in future posts.

The Japanese print (which I've since learned is a heavier 220 gsm cotton) continues to break in beautifully. While it's not as cuddly as Sprout Woven, or as smooth as quilting cottons, it feels... "sturdy" and "reliable". I really really want some house pants made from this fabric! But I could imagine a long-cherished blanket being made from it, too.

Here's some shots of the tear I noticed last time. I think it's grown a little since the last post.

On the triangle side (which was made using various quilting cottons)...

In general, all these cottons have softened up beautifully. I think they're at peak softness right now: the most pliable, before they start to fuzz and wear out. So I guess I need to record how long before they fuzz and wear out.

The thinnest cottons, I think they're more appropriately described as "lawn": about 95 gsm, thin enough I can see my hand through, very smooth. For the purposes of these posts, I'll consider them a sub-set of "quilting cottons".

Here's my favourite wrinkly triangle (incorrectly sized during cutting, and stretched/squished to make the triangle points fit together nicely):

When I search for the softest quilting cotton, the order is still:

lawns, when backed by flannel

any quilting cotton, when backed by flannel

the rest, except:

the black-and-colours floral print, especially when backed by Essex linen

When I run my hand over the triangle side, it just feels lovely and squishy all over. I can especially tell when I'm touching lawn backed by flannel, because of how smooth the lawn's surface is. But anything backed by flannel also feels quite lovely.

I can also tell when I touch the black-and-colours floral print (not the black-and-white floral print), especially when it's backed by Essex. This quilting cotton is subtly-but-noticeably coarser than any of the others. I have no idea why, but I can just tell that it is. This fabric came in the same pack as the black-and-white print, which I think also feels very slightly coarser than the other prints?...but I don't think it's as coarse as the black-and-colours print. ... This could be entirely subjective, however.

Some shots to show the lovely drape of these cottons:

I love that my imperfect sewing made this side pucker and crinkle; and I'm extra glad I decided to quilt along the triangle seams (the diagonal ones, anyway) for the larger areas of un-sewn surfaces on this side.

I'm so happy I decided to make this lil blankie.

[seaoflove07]

Love Planted a Rose 🌹

~ Dark ~

• Artwork by The Drawables •

Full Art Cover and Story Description, Here.

OCXCanon. 🔪 Azusa & Christine’s Story. 🌹

Fan Fiction Written by Me.

Fandom: Diabolik Lovers.

Masterpost.

AO3 Version.

Christine went to Sakamaki Mansion on Friday. Ruki joined her and this time he didn't leave her side. He told her since they were going away this weekend for their trip he did not want to risk her getting harmed and bitten. He made it clear he truly doesn't care about her well-being but since Karlheinz put her under his care, he did not have any other choice, he also mentioned it would be troublesome to calm Azusa down. Either way, Christine felt grateful and relieved that he didn't left her alone the entire time she was there, and because of that, none of the Sakamaki brothers took advantage of her. However, she did notice Reiji looking at her a lot. His gaze was hunting. She finds Reiji more scarier than Azusa, though she admits to herself, that she's warming up to Azusa and isn’t afraid of him anymore. Today was the night of the Hot Springs. She's looking forward to spending time with him this weekend. Her heart aches at the memory of him cutting himself. She’s never seen a person cut themselves in front of her before. The sight truly scared her but she stayed calm for him. She decided she wanted to be his emotional support for the rest of the summer and to show him that there are other ways to cope with depression and that life can still be beautiful even though we go through hard times on this earth, She wanted to show him things that maybe he hasn't experienced before, like hangouts, reading together, going shopping, cafes, going on walks to the park, she also wants to show him how to bake, in general doing fun things to distract our minds from the sadness in our hearts. Christine is not the happiest person either but thanks to the support of her family back home and doing these things for herself has helped her move on. She hopes it can help Azusa as well. 

The five of them were in the limousine on their way to the Villa Ruki reserved for them. From the pictures that Christine saw online, the place looked really nice with two wonderful different hot springs. There’s also a pretty river close by that she plans to swim in.  

Ruki: “Kou, If you are not happy with the Villa I chose for us then you should have stayed in the manor!”

Kou: “I’m not saying I’m not happy, all I’m saying is, you should have booked a villa where there would be lots of females around so we could’ve had a blood buffet. But no, you just had to get one with just us.”

Ruki: “You idiot! The Villa is close to the village, I’m sure you can find plenty of livestock there. The reason I booked this Villa just for us is because I want privacy and quiet time, I don't like it when my surroundings are too noisy. Stop complaining and be grateful that I’m even spending our savings on this so we can have a little family vacation together!”

Kou: Geez, fine calmed down. No need to get upset. I thought it would have been boring if we didn’t have Neko-chans around. Like, don’t get me wrong, I would have settled for Kujaku-chan, but I know Azusa won’t let me touch her. Though I should try anyway.

He smirks.

Azusa: “You are not touching my Rose, Kou…”

Kou: “Your Rose? Fufufu~”

Azusa: “Yes… mine…”

Kou: “Didn't I tell you that kissing her doesn't count? You know it has to be more than that.”

Christine: !!!

(Does he mean sex? Is that how a human becomes officially a vampire’s prey? I can feel my cheeks flushed! I need to change this subject…)

“D-Do you guys go to the hot springs often?”

Yuma: “Not really. I don't even remember the last time we went to one.”

Azusa: “I don't remember either…”

Kou: “Are we there yet? Why is it taking so long to get there?”

Yuma: “Oi Kou, What are you? A baby? You are becomin’ annoyin’

Christine: (Gosh! I agree! Kou is so fucking annoying…)

Ruki: “Exactly, stop being childish or I'll tell the driver to leave you here in the middle of the road!”

Kou: “Geez fine I'll stop talking.”

He crosses his arms and stares at the window.

Azusa: “Rose-san, I am happy… to see that you are wearing… the rose clip I got for you…”

She smiles.

Christine: “I really love it… Thank you again for this sweet gift.”

He starts playing with her hair.

Azusa: “No need to thank me… you remind me… of a red rose… you always smell lovely…like the rose petals from the garden…”

She blushes.

Kou: “Fufu~ Intersthing. So you are the one that got her that rose that she’s been wearing every day on her hair. Since when our little brother has become charming? Fufufu~”

Yuma: “ I swear if he doesn’t shut up he is goin’ meet my fist.”

Kou: “Eeeh~? The way you instantly lose your temper, you sure are acting like a savage.”

Yuma: “Che, Fuck off.”

Ruki: “You two! That is enough we are here.”

- The limousines stop -

Kou: “Finally~”

*Timeskip*

- At the Inside of the Villa -

Yuma: “Oi, Ruki. This looks better than I thought.”

Kou: “I agree, it’s very high quality.”

Azusa: “You sure have good taste, Ruki...”

Christine: “It’s wonderful, even way better than the pictures I saw online.”

Ruki: “Glad you all find it to your liking. Here is your key to your rooms.”

He hands everyone their keys.

“You can all go settle in. We will meet later for dinner.”

*TimeSkip*

After they ate dinner together they all decided to hang out in the Game Room. Ruki was sitting in a chair reading a book, and Christine challenged Yuma to a Ping Pong Game.

Yuma: “You sure have some guts Blondie, to challenge a man like me. Just know, just because yer a chick doesn't mean I’ll go easy on ya.”

She smirks.

Christine: “I don’t expect you to be.”

She hits the ball, it bounce once and Yuma misses the ball.

Azusa: “Nice job, Rose...”

Yuma: “Shit! Don’t get too excited, Blondie. I’m just warmin’ up. I’ll throw the ball this time.”

He hits the ball with his racket, and Christine hits it perfectly back at him. Yuma misses the ball again.

Kou: “Oh wow! Yuma, you suck at this game. Fufufu~”

Yuma: “Aah!? Shuddap! That's it. Blondie, your ass is mine!”

He hit the ball hard and to his surprise she hit it perfectly again and he missed the ball again and again. They keep playing back and forth until he loses not even making one point.

Yuma: “Fuck!!! Dammit, Blondie! Are you a professional player or somethin’?”

She giggles.

Christine: “No, but my brother and I have been playing this game since we were little kids so over time I guess I kinda got good at it.”

Kou: “My turn!”

He snatched Yuma’s racket.

“Don’t cry when I win this game, Kujaku-chan.”

She rolled her eyes.

Christine: “Are you ready?”

He nods.

- They start playing -

Surprisingly, Kou did way better than Yuma did and even made a few points but in the end, Christine won the game.

Yuma: “You lose, Kou. Blondie wins again.”

Kou: “Well~ at least I did better than you did. Maybe Ruki-kun can beat her.”

Yuma: “Oi, Ruki. Will you come play and beat Blondie’s a—”

Ruki: “Not Interested.”

He continued reading his book.

Kou: “Oi, Ruki-kun is no fun.”

Yuma: “Well, I guess we have to rely on, Azusa.”

Kou: “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

Yuma: “He’s the only one we got. Oi, Azusa. Your turn and give it your all.”

Azusa grabs the racket and he positions himself, facing Christine and he gives her a cute smile.

- She hit the ball and it hits him on the chest -

Christine: “Azusa! You are supposed to hit the ball. Why you staid still?”

Azusa: “I wanted the ball to hit me… it felt good… Rose, can you hit me with the ball again…? This time a little harder… Hehehe…”

Kou: “I guess the game is over.”

Yuma: “Tch, I agree.”

Christine: “I win!”

She said cheerfully.

Yuma: “Oi! Stop thinkin’ too high of yourself. You just got lucky this time.”

Kou: “Exactly, Kujaku-chan. Because I'll be the winner next time. Fufufu~

*TimeSkip*

Christine was now in her room. She was happy that the first night at the villa was so much fun. After the Ping Pong game, they continued to play other games. They also talked and laughed a lot. For the first time since she’s been here in Japan, Christine saw the vampire brothers act more normal than usual. Well at least for now that they were on vacation. Dawn was about to come which meant, it was time to go to bed. Christine had her white nightgown on and started walking towards the bed. She stopped in her tracks as she heard a knock on her door.

*Knock, Knock*

- She opens the Door -

Christine: “Azu? What are you doing here? You should get ready for bed.”

Azusa: “Please, Rose... Let me come in… just for a little bit…”

Christine: “Fine, but only for a little while. I’m feeling sleepy.”

She yawned.

“So… what’s up?”

Azusa: “Fufu… you are so cute, Rose… I just wanted to have a little time alone with you…”

“… We didn’t have any alone time tonight… and seeing the way you were smiling… and laughing with my brothers… made me jealous…”

Christine: “Huh? Talking and laughing doesn’t mean anything. Plus, I also live with them so it’s normal that I socialize with them.”

Azusa: “I‘m just scared… if you get too close to them… that you will prefer one of them… over me…”

Christine: (I can see that he’s starting to get anxious, I need to calm him…)

“Azu, don’t feel that way. We are having a great time so far and we all were spending time together. You were there with me. It wasn't like I was alone with them.”

(He still looks anxious…)

“I'll tell you what. How about after our hot spring bath the two of us can go together to the river? I bought a new bottle of wine that we can enjoy it together, while we drink, I can read you one of my favorite poems.”

Azusa: “You really want to spend time with me…?”

Christine: “Yes, I do. We are also gonna go swimming in the river so make sure you bring your swimsuit.”

He smiles.

Azusa: “It makes me happy… that I will have my Rose-san all to myself…”

- He pulls out a knife -

“Now… let’s inflict pain on each other… before we go to bed…”

He walks closer to her.

Christine: “Azusa, stop! We are not doing this.”

She takes a few steps back.

Azusa: “Eh…? Why…? You love feeling pain, right…? I love it too… That being said...The two of us are...two peas in a pod...In short, it means we’re the same...right…?”

Christine: “I have told you many times that I don't like pain.”

Azusa: “Please, Rose… I beg you…”

Christine: “No! Get out, I'm not doing th—”

He suddenly pulls her by the wrist.

Azusa: “Only one cut, Rose… I promise…”

He cuts her forearm.

Christine: “Ow…!!”

(The sting of the cut hurts so much!…)

Azusa stared with fascination at the wound that was dripping blood. He pulls her arm closer to his mouth and he slowly licks it.

Azusa: “Mmm… I couldn't let your delicious blood go to waste… Fufu… Now your turn… Here, cut me…”

Christine: “No, I will not do this, now please leave!”

Azusa: “I made you feel so good… that now you have tears in your eyes…”

He cups her cheek and licks her tears slowly, enjoying every drop.

- Christine froze -

Azusa: “Mmm… so good…”

He rested his forehead on hers and whispered.

“Now it’s your turn… to make me feel good…”

She exhales in short breaths.

Christine: “Azu… Please… I don't want to do this…”

Azusa: … ...

“Do you hate me…?”

Christine: “Of course not! And I have tried showing you the opposite many times. I just don't want to hurt you.”

(How did things end up like this? We were having such a great time earlier…)

He forces her to hold the knife.

Azusa: “I'll guide your hand… so you won't feel guilty…”

*Stabs*

Christine: (His cut is even longer than mine!…)

Azusa: “Haah… it’s lovely… this new wound inflicted by you on me…”

“Thank you, my Rose… I will take my leave now… sleep well…”

Christine: (I doubt I'll sleep well after this but to be honest I'm not surprised. Azu still thinks that pain is the only way to feel wanted and needed. I just need to keep trying harder to show him the opposite…)

The Next Day

- At the relaxation facility -

The brothers were taking a bath together in the outdoor spa.

Kou: “Haah… this water feels so good. I can feel the tension in my body drifting away. The steam is nice as well.”

Kou starts swimming.

Yuma: “Oi! This is not a swimmin’ pool.”

Ruki: “Kou, Behave!”

Kou: “Geez! You guys are no fun.”

Yuma: “Stop actin’ like a kid!”

Ruki: “Well, enjoy it while it lasts because we won't be taking another vacation for a long time.”

Kou: “Huh? Why?”

Ruki: “Because we need to save money, we cannot be wasting all our savings on lavish vacations.”

Yuma: “Well I'll be enjoyin’ Oi! Azusa, why are you so quiet?”

Kou: “Yeah, cat cut your tongue?”

Azusa: … Sorry, I was just thinking about, Rose… she must feel lonely in her bath…”

Yuma: “Che, you are becomin’ obsessed with that chick.”

Kou: “Becoming? I think he already is. Fufu~”

Ruki: “I agree with Kou. This obsession of yours is not good, Azusa. We still don't know what that man wants with Livestock. But one thing I know for sure is… She is not another bride and there won't be another Adam. Meaning she wasn't sent to us for her to choose a mate!”

Azusa: “You are wrong…! She told me… we are meant to be together…”

Kou: “Not to be rude, Azusa but I find that hard to believe.”

Yuma: “I agree. Blondie doesn't give me those vibes that she will bluntly say that.”

Azusa: “Well… it was the Princess… who told me that…”

Ruki: “Good grief, Azusa. What on earth are you talking about? What Princess?”

Yuma: “When the hell did you meet a princess?”

Kou: “Spill it~”

Azusa: “Okay… Before Christine came into the manor, I'd had dreams about her… but in these dreams… she was a Princess of a forest…especially the waters…”

Ruki: … ...

“I feel there is more to her since the first day she arrived. Her blood scent is similar to Eve’s but I sense a different Aura with her but I can't tell for sure what can she be or what does that man wants with her. She must be special if he is threatening to kill anyone who kills her.”

“Azusa, tell me everything about these dreams, I need to know every detail, everything that she said to you. Who knows? If they can lead us to a clue to his plan.”

Azusa nods.

Azusa told his brothers everything, every dream he had with the princess. He didn't leave anything out since he remembers every detail of it, he always had it vivid in his mind because he never wanted to forget her. He told them all the things that were said and done between the two. He even described the forest and that it was always the same one all the time, that she would always have on a white dress with a blue ribbon around her waist and a flower crown on her head. He also told them that in the last dream he had about her, she said all five of them were part of his plan, and after that, her tears turned into blood.

All three brothers felt goosebumps.

Kou: “All five of us!? What the hell do we have to do with her?”

Yuma: “I thought Blondie, was the only one part of his plan. What the fuck is that man plannin’?”

Ruki: “I have no idea. These are only dreams. But If what she said comes true, this changes everything…“

Kou: “ I-I think she's a… mermaid or a siren.”

Yuma: “Shit! You think those creatures exist?”

Ruki: “If vampires and werewolves exist who knows? If these creatures do too.”

!!!!!

Azusa: “Ruki… what’s wrong?”

Kou: “Yeah Ruki-kun, are you okay? You suddenly got pale.”

Ruki: “I remembered, I had my familiar follow her. She was at the manor swimming pool and my familiar saw another blonde woman with a white dress near Christine in the water, at first I thought that Livestock was a witch and doing black magic, but when I comforted her about it. She told me how scared she was when she saw a woman in front of her who looked exactly like her.”

Flashback

Ruki: "I see. Thinking about it a Witch wouldn't have a similar blood scent to Eve. Did the figure say anything to you?"

Christine: "Yes... She said, "Soon, you will be me."

"I-I don't understand the meaning of this. She did look exactly like me but when she gave me a sinister look it seemed inhuman."

Flashback Ends

Azusa: “I got her out of the pool… I thought she was drowning… but she told me she wasn’t… and she asked me if I saw… someone inside the pool… I truly didn’t see anyone…”

Yuma: “Creepy! But what the fuck would a vampire king want with a mermaid?”

Kou: “Exactly~ those creepy things are from the ocean. I still can’t understand what that has to do with us.”

Azusa: “My Rose is not creepy…! I will not allow… the two of you… to disrespect her…!”

Kou: “Eeeh~?

Yuma: “What the fuck, Azusa?”

Ruki: “Everyone calm down! We are not sure if she really is that. Though, I do believe we got some clues thanks to Azusa. I will keep doing my research, In the mean time we need to keep an eye on her. Azusa, if you get more dreams or notice something from Livestock, let me know immediately.”

*TimeSkip*

Christine was sitting on the outdoor hot spring. The water was crystal clear and hot, and steam filled her vision. The nature surroundings was a nice view while she bath but for some reason, she didn't feel relaxed. She knows she shouldn’t feel this way, especially since this is her first hot spring and she had it all to herself, it was quiet for once. But she feels like something is off, like if someone is watching her. The only one who could maybe be watching her could be Azusa, but she highly doubt that. Azusa may have done many things to her but he is not a pervert. I don't think he will be watching me by far just to see my naked body. But why does she still have this strong feeling that someone is watching her? Her thoughts were becoming a mess so she decide to lean her head back on the water and close her eyes to try to relax.

Suddenly she hears a splash of water as if someone is getting in the bath. Her heart started to race and she sat up looking at her surroundings but she didn't see anyone.

Christine: “Is someone there? Azusa is that you? This is not funny if it is!”

(No answer, maybe is nothing, maybe… I'm just being paranoid. More steam filled my vision and the silence felt creepy. I don’t know why but I’m having a bad feeling. I should get out now…)

She stands up and starts walking to get out of the water. She suddenly froze! The hair from her arms stands up, and her stomach dropped and her heart felt like it was gonna ripped out from her chest. She couldn't speak. The sight that was in front of her made her tremble.

A large grayish hand with long nails, and blood stains surrounding its fingertips stood out of the water, facing her. She didn't see a body underneath it. It was just the large hand above the water. She finally forced herself to move her body and started to run to the other corner of the hot spring to get out of the water. But whatever demonic force was there, grabbed her and pulled into the water. Christine screamed but her screams turned into bubbles and no one could hear her underwater. A hand grips her neck and starts choking her. Christine couldn't breathe and she was starting to get desperate to save her own life. She grabs the hand that was holding her neck tightly and digs in her fingernails with all her strength. Blood gushed out mixing with water. Christine kept digging her nails tighter and tighter until the hand released her but then it scratched her belly, and more blood filled her sight until the hand disappeared. Immediately, once she noticed that it was gone she got out of the water, gasping. She felt pain all over her body and was starting to feel dizzy. But she ignored it and kept going, she needed to get out of there. She managed to get out of the water and grab a towel to cover her body. She wrapped it around herself and started to run towards the villa. She didn't care about leaving her bag with her clothes behind, once she got inside the villa, she managed to get to her room, closing the door behind her. She then walked towards the bed shivering, tears formed in her eyes and her vision started get blurry, feeling dizzier and dizzier until… Her body passed out on top of the bed.

— TO BE CONTINUED —

[mewhenimanangel]

—synopsis. you finally perform the solo you’d been practicing for the last three months. eren is sure to show up for you

—chapter 8 ౨ৎ

𝜗𝜚content!: au-high school, teenage romance, black reader, ballet dancer reader, cheesy romance, idiots in love

previous ౨ৎ next ౨ৎ

"you did what?!" lana whisper-yelled, scolding you as you stretched on the barre. you told her about how you blew off eren's date and told him off monday morning. she asked you how you and eren were doing since she hasn't seen you guys together all week.

you told her about how painfully awkward math class was. for the first time since sitting with each other, you and eren spent the entire lesson focused on mr ryan and writing down the notes. you even moved your self over a bit so to not bump against him.

"is this because of your dad?" lana asked. you rolled your eyes, she knew you too well. during your depressive episodes, lana was the one person you never successfully pushed away. she would show up to your house with snacks and a stuffed animal she thought you would like, your room was growing a collection at this point.

she would then spend the night with you in your bed so you weren't alone.

"maybe it is" you told her as you changed positions according to mrs jaeger's instructions.

"dude. i'm sorry but you can't keep doing this" she scoffed. "what? don't tell me how to cope with my feelings" you got a little defensive.

"you can't be serious." lana deadpanned "girls. focus." mrs jaeger said. "we're not done with this conversation" she whispered.

once mrs jaeger was done with practice, you joined lana at your designated spot in the room.

"listen i know how you get but eren didn't deserve that. he actually really likes you" she chugged her water before continuing "the fact that he even came up to you proves that. don't shut him out."

"fine you're right that he doesn't deserve it but..i think we might as well just leave it there. the show's in a week and i've been slacking off. plus i saw that he followed historia on ig again" you scoffed.

"okay that part is weird. but you can't be upset when you're the one that literally told him to go back to her. that's literally your fault"

"ugh shut up it's not like i meant for him to literally do it." "relax, i don't think they're back together. it's just a follow. connie would've told me if they did get back together"

"ugh i guess you're right" you sighed, grabbing your duffel bag. "practice?" she asked and you nod your head.

"you want me to come back to take you home?" she asked you. "nah it's fine i'll call my mom" you left the room.

you looked down at your phone for a second before you managed to bump into someone. "sorr- oh." annie cut herself off when she saw you.

you rolled your eyes before beginning to walk away. "so how are you?" she put on a phony apologetic voice. "what do you mean?" you furrowed your eyebrows.

"well rumor has it that you and eren are done and he's back with historia. that's gotta hurt doesn't it?" she frowned. "i wonder if mrs jaeger is gonna give me the solo now that you've broken her poor son's heart after slutting yourself out"

"...annie do you fucking hear yourself?  whatever the fuck i have going on has nothing to do with you or this solo. i never got the solo because i was talking to eren, i got it cause i'm actually a good dancer and i know how to do a basic fucking spin." you scoffed.

you put your earbuds in and walked away before she could say anything else. it's like everything in your life was just trying to test you this last week.

you spent the next two hours perfecting your solo and going over your parts in the recital.

unbeknownst to you, eren was out in the hallway watching. he subconsciously stopped outside the room when he was going to ask his mom for the keys to the house again.

eren wondered why you even still bothered with these long practices when every move you did while practicing was perfect. it was kind of silly to him. you spun around and eren quickly ducked past the window he was creeping from.

you furrowed your eyebrows, swearing you'd just seen someone standing there.

by this point you were starving, tired, and developing a headache so you decided it was best to call it a night, calling your mom to tell her you were done. you stumbled out of your pointe shoes and changed into the slides you'd brought with you earlier, putting on a pair of sweats over your shorts.

ʚɞ listen to cherry!

you were practically hyperventilating backstage. today was show day, meaning all the dance recitals including your solo. you were so nervous you felt your heart would drop out of your chest.

"dude relax, it's okay. you're gonna do amazing!" lana threw her arm around you. "yeah for real, we've all seen the way you practiced you're gonna do so fucking good" your friend kailee nod her head.

so far you had danced in your hiphop performance, your class's contemporary piece and your solo was coming up after the next performance, you would be closing the recital.

you were currently dressed in a garnet red backless leotard that had a ruffled skirt like hem, white pantyhose, and a pair of white leg warmers.

your hair was slicked back in the tightest bun with a red peony hairpiece while lana helped you with your makeup after you ended up running a little late this morning. "you actually look perfect" kailee handed you a mirror.

"y/n i hope you're stretched, you're up in two minutes!" mrs jaeger came up to you. your heart dropped all over again hearing those words.

lana and kailee squealed as you got up from the ground and started heading closer to the stage.

you took deep breaths as you waited for the school director to announce your name and you walked out on to stage, waiting for the music to start.

you gracefully danced along to the song, making sure the three months of long and intense practices were evident in the way you move.

you were running on adrenaline, making your body shake before you subconsciously shut the audience out and focused on your movements.

you sharpened every kick, graced every pirouette and every spin, matched your movements with the beat and lyrics of the song.

you pretended there wasn't a crowd of people - which was easy due to the dim lights in the auditorium, you pretended it was just you in the room, you pretended it was just you practicing in front of eren while he sat on the floor of the studio and watched your every move.

you wanted to make every move perfect just for him, even if he wasn't there in the crowd. you couldn't but relate the song to your situation with him as you passionately matched the energy of the song. 'I fall to pieces when I'm with you (why?) Cause I love you so much' you memorized those lyrics throughout your practices, you dragged your right leg back behind you as you bent your body back, lowering your self to the ground to match the dramatics of the music.

you looked into the audience, tripping every so slightly when you saw eren looking back at you. he was in the front row with connie, elbows on the armrests as he held his hands in front of his mouth, studying your every move intently. 

eren had memorized these moves and knew the dance was almost over. his gaze never left you and he noticed how your foot slipped when your eyes met his. but you managed to catch yourself, he loved that about you, you always seemed to find a way to get back up.

once you heard the last beat of the song that you'd become familiar with in the last three months you ended your dance in a pose - laying sideways on the floor with one arm holding you up and the other draped over your head, your eyes didn't leave eren's as you tried to hide your heavy breaths.

you tuned back in once you heard everyone in the audience begin to clap and cheer for you. you got up from the ground, smiled, and curtseyed before leaving the stage as the curtains closed.

once you were back stage, lana and kailee hugged you and began jumping around and squealing.

"i don't know WHY you were nervous that has to be the best performance of the whole show" lana praised you. "yeah seriously everything was perfect" kailee nod her head. the other girls back stage clapped along for you too.

mrs jaeger came over to the three of you clapping her hands before reaching out to hug you. "that was beautiful y/n! i knew i made the right decision making you my soloist. every last move was so graceful, even when you tripped and made it look as though it was part of the routine" she told you.

"thank you mrs jaeger" you smiled. "such a beautiful end to such an amazing recital. you all did wonderful jobs this evening i am truly proud. everyone give yourselves a round of applause"

after taking a group picture, you all went to the dressing rooms to grab your things and meet your families in the auditorium.

you grabbed your duffel bag and put on your sneakers. "we ate every performance up oh my goddd" lana squealed as you walked to join the crowd in the audience. on the way there you bumped into mina and annie who rolled her eyes when she saw you.

"nice performance. you looked somewhat decent" she sighed. "thanks" you scoffed before walking away with lana.

for some reason it hit you hard that this would be your last performance, it was almost bittersweet. "can't believe we're leaving this place after this year" lana sighed as you entered the auditorium.

"it's crazy we're literally graduating.."

you scanned the audience for your mom before she turned around, smiling as she made her way to you. "ohhh my baby. you did so good, it was beautiful! and you had the audacity to be nervous like you weren't gonna blow the crowd away!" she hugged you and bobbed from side to side.

"you liked it?" you smiled. "i loved it!" she cheered as she gave you the bouquet of pink peonies. "yeah you actually looked really good" enya chimed in. "thanks kid" you smiled as you brought her in for a side hug.

"ohhh and lana you looked amazing up there sweetie" she pulled your friend into a hug. "every chasse every spin every move ugh you girls are perfect. you keep me young" your mom pulled you into the group hug.

"thank you so much mrs l/n" lana grinned. "oh hang on i'll see you guys later i see my dad" she told you as you all said goodbye.

mrs jaeger came over to you and your mom to congratulate you and praise your work to your mom. "she's such a wonderful dancer, i'm going to miss her next year" she turned to smile at you. "i'll always visit" you smiled.

the four of you turned around when you heard someone clear their throat behind you. your heart sank when you saw eren standing there. he wore a black polo shirt and baggy black jeans.

your mom and mrs jaeger each other a look "sweetie i'll be outside okay?" your mom told you as they stepped away.

"hey" eren stepped closer to you, reaching for a hug. "hi" you threw your arm around him pulling him into the embrace.

"you looked amazing up there" he pulled away to look at your outfit.

eren didn't tell you he was gonna be at the recital but connie brought him along.

watching you dance was always nice but watching you dance your heart out on stage was just so beautiful and encapsulating. eren couldn't get enough of you. everything about you was so graceful and beautiful all the time.

he knew he had to see you once you were done, but he was nervous considering the two of you hadn't spoken much in the last two weeks. he was shocked you even hugged him.

"thank you, did you like my solo?" you grinned. "it was fucking amazing. i don't know what you were so scared of, those practices definitely paid off." he smiled.

"they definitely did" you nod your head, a friendly gesture. "thanks for coming, i didn't think you would" you told him.

"of course i would, i was with you so much when you practiced i had to come see the final product" he smirked as he bumped your shoulder.

your mom came up behind you and put her hand on your shoulder. "hi, i'm y/n's mom" she smiled as she put her hand out for eren to shake. "hi it's nice to meet you, i'm eren" he told her.

"oh well it's nice to finally put a face to the name, i've heard so much about you" she told him and your face dropped when you realized what she meant. eren looked at you with a cocky grin on his face and you smiled before rolling your eyes.

"well it was really nice meeting you but we're gonna have to head out if we wanna make those dinner reservations" your mom turned to you. "oh right" you looked back at eren.

"seriously thanks for coming" you hugged him again and his hands lingered on your waist for a beat longer than they should've.

"of course, i'll see you later" he waved to you and your mom.

nia’s ౨ৎ notes: lmaooo can y’all tell i couldn’t wait to make them talk again

[butchsunbear]

Full Moon Heat (Butch4Butch sub Werewolfx dom human)

Slight tw: Pretty graphic descriptions of a werewolf transformation

Kinks: Monsterfucking (obviously), Furry stuff (Also obvious), slight petplay? (Idk the werewolf gets talked to like a dog), dumbification, transformation.

Sylvia scrolled aimlessly on her phone, sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's office while she waited for her girlfriend, Hannah, to be done with her checkup. Every month, at least a day before the full Moon, Hannah had to have exams done to check that her lycanthropy is mostly under control. They were cutting it close though, the full moon is tonight. Eventually, Hannah came out of the room. She looked uncomfortable, like way more uncomfortable than normal after one of these appointments. Sylvia stood up from her seat, placing an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders.

"Hey...what's up? You look upset." She asked softly, pushing some of Hannah's long, black hair from her face. Her girlfriend was pale, with pronounced eye bags, and big brown eyes that always looked kind of sad. Hannah looked down at her nails, and her voice went barely above a whisper.

"I'll tell you in the car. It's embarrassing." Hannah gripped her partner's hand, and Sylvia felt her stomach turn. Embarrassing how? Is she gonna be like a xoloitzcuintli dog and lose all her hair? Does she have rabies? No, she had her rabies shot last month...

It's not like Hannah hadn't been transformed in front of her. They'd been living together for three months. Her mind ran a mile a second as the two walked across the parking lot. Once they were in the car, Hannah gripped the steering wheel and looked at her feet for a moment with a giant sigh.

"Alright, so there's this thing that can happen with my transformations and stuff. If you know like how a lot of mammals go into heat? That kinda happens to me..." Hannah laid her head on the steering wheel, and Sylvia could hear the click of her eyebrow piercing as she made contact with the wheel.

Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried it was something huge. Hannah continued,

"It's likely gonna happen tonight. I'll transform, and even though I basically lose all my IQ points, I'll still know you're my partner. The thing with this is that I'll be pretty convinced we're gonna have pups. I might be a lot more clingy, try and make a 'den' for us out of like blankets and stuff, and...well, you can kinda pick up on other stuff." The poor butch was pink in the face and looked like she wanted to be sucked into the ground, "Look, I don't expect you to do anything different. If you wanna go stay with your parents or something for tonight, I get it. Just make sure the door is locked so I don't run out and get ran over by a car or something." She sounded almost sad, she had that quality to her voice but Sylvia could tell she was embarrassed.

Sylvia smiled a little at Hannah, "That's it? I don't mind staying at all. Why didn't you tell me about this, though? We've been together for nearly four years." She tried her best not to upset Hannah, but she did feel a little hurt that she was never told. Hannah had seen her in much worse states, and she didn't even get a cool wolf form!

Hannah sighed, sitting back up and playing with her hoodie strings. "It hasn't happened since we moved in together, and usually I'd be at home and just make a little den in my closet. My mom said I'd get really antsy after we'd gotten together and tried looking for you. It's just really embarrassing."

Sylvia placed a little kiss on her cheek, tipping up Hannah's head so she'd look at her. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about babe, and I'm staying with you tonight." She gave her girlfriend a hug, letting Hannah start the car and drive them home. "Also, that bit about you looking for me is really fucking cute."

Long after they arrived home, the two were hanging out in their bedroom. Sylvia had Hannah laying on her lap but noticed her squirming. She looked up from her fanfiction and found Hannah pulling at the hoodie she was wearing.

"You okay darling?" She asked, running a hand over Hannah's hair, and she looked up at her with an uneasy expression.

"I-I need to get up. Is it getting dark out?" Hannah stood up, pulling off her hoodie. Sylvia looked at the scarred, pale, gangly butch in front of her.

Hannah's ribs easily poked from her skin, the lycanthropy burns off fat fast, and the constant shift in muscle mass didn't help. She had massive scars down her sides, Sylvia remembered the day Hannah got them. She had been trapped in her clothes mid transformation and ended up clawing off her shirt. Hannah's jagged top surgery scars were on display too, a transformation had burst the stitches, causing them to heal strangely. Her legs were covered in bruises, but those could barely be seen past her body hair.

"It is, fuck!" She saw the moon coming into view out of the window. She pulled off her shorts, afraid of her clothes being destroyed or trapped on her. The first patches of black fur coming in up her spine. Sylvia got up, placing a hand on Hannah's back. 

"Baby, baby it's okay. I've got you." She said quietly, her lover's mouth and nose elongating and her teeth growing large and sharp. Hannah's muscles thickened as she keeled over onto the floor, Sylvia getting down to her level. There were groans that escaped her mouth like a wounded animal as her muscles tore and replaced themselves. Hannah's nails grew large, turning thick, black, and sharp. Her height increased to around seven feet, her now pointed ears would brush the ceiling if she stood at her full height, each new inch accompanied by pops from her joints as nearly two feet were added. "That's it, good girl, you're doing so good." Sylvia kept cuddling her love, Hannah groaning and howling as her legs stretched out, knees twisting and popping as her hands and feet grew paw pads as they morphed into paws.

"H-hurts..." She groaned, hiding her face in her girlfriend's shoulder. A tail inched itself out of her back, covering itself in black fur.  Her back hunched and cracked, the rest of her body covered in thick fur. It was done, and Hannah looked like she was on the verge of fainting. She looked up at her girlfriend with big brown eyes, her tongue poking from her mouth. 

"There we go, it's all done. You did so good Hannah." Sylvia cooed at the wolfified Hannah. The wolf butch started pressing her snout to Sylvia's lips, as if trying to kiss her. "Aww, you want kisses pup?"

"K-kiss..kiss!" Hannah's voice was scratchy and groaning, and her words were unnatural sounding. Sylvia kissed her deeply, Hannah's tail wagged like crazy,  her nails scraping down Sylvia's back and tearing her shirt.

"Ahh, careful with those claws baby~" She cooed, gently pushing the werewolf back a little. Hannah looked at her with big puppy eyes, clinging onto Sylvia and licking at her torn shirt and the exposed skin. She then rubbed her big ol head on the shaved parts of Sylvia's head. Sylvia chuckled a little, petting her head and standing up out of her girlfriend's grasp, "Now, I'm gonna grab a new shirt from the laundry room okay, can you be good for me?" She explained in a soft voice, scratching behind Hannah's ears. Hannah nodded, climbing up on the bed and stretching out. "Oooh biig stretch!" Sylvia praised as she stepped out of the room. 

Sylvia sorted through some clean laundry, grabbing and putting on a new thick shirt, then pulling on a leather jacket. "That should stay in one piece!" She thought out loud, though she may be thinking of leather armor from minecraft. Upon returning to the bedroom, one thing was wrong, she couldn't see Hannah. "Shit! Hannah?!" She called out, the blanket was off  the bed, along with a few stuffed animals and a pillow. She turned to the closet, and there was a big ol wolf head poking out. 

"Made...made nest!" Hannah grabbed Sylvia's sleeve with her teeth, pulling her in the closet, "Keep Syl-Sylvia safe!" Sylvia went inside, sitting between her girlfriend's legs. Hannah sat with her back against the wall, her tail thumping against it. 

"Thank you sweetie, you're such a good girl." Sylvia gave Hannah a little kiss on her neck, which caused her to grab Sylvia tightly. "Oh my, someone got a bit excited from that~ Do you need me baby?" She asked teasingly, Hannah grabbed Sylvia's arm and put it between her thighs. "Someone's forward~ Poor baby, can't take care of yourself huh? Big sharp claws~" She cooed, petting her lover's head. Hannah hid her face with one of her big handpaws. 

Hannah whined, trying to rub herself on Sylvia's hand. "Need Sylvia.." Sylvia's heart nearly melted at that, and how could she say no to that sweet little face? She slowly starting running her fingers up Hannah's warm slit. Hannah's maw opened, revealing two rows of impossibly sharp teeth and a long, dripping tongue. A small yip and whines coming out of her as she was rubbed. "Rrrgh~ Need. Need~" 

"Shhh, it's okay. Just let me take care of you darling." Sylvia whispered, her fingers tracing circles around Hannah's clit, feeling her shake and twitch in her arms. "Good girl, such a good girl for me~" She slowly moved her middle finger down, pushing it inside. Hannah gripped her tighter, luckily she wasn't shredded due to the jacket and big shirt. "Oh dear, you really need me bad huh?"

Hannah's tail was wagging up a storm, and she shoved her snout into Sylvia's neck, her nose cold and wet against her skin. "Love...you, love Sylvia!~" She started licking her neck, her sharp teeth rubbing against Sylvia's skin.

Sylvia slowly curled her finger inside, focusing on her girlfriend's special spot. Hannah let out a loud whine when she found the right spot. Using her free hand, Sylvia scratched behind her ears. "Oh, you're such a sweet puppy, taking me so well~ You're so cute~" She couldn't help but praise her.

Hannah whined louder, as though she was trying to speak, but her transformed state and Sylvia's fingers inside her made it hard to say words.

"It's okay baby, no more thoughts~ You're just a cute, dumb puppy♡" Sylvia slowly slipped in a second finger, laying kisses on her girlfriend's snout. "Poor baby, you just want me in you forever, huh? Just full of my fingers like the dumb puppy you are?" She teased, scratching just the right spot behind Hannah's ears to cause her jaw to drop open and any thoughts to drain from her head.

"Haah~" Hannah could only make noises at this point. Her brain turned to mush as she got closer and closer to orgasm. She kept wagging her tail, tongue hanging from her mouth as she was talked at, barely processing a thing said to her.

"You close baby? You gonna make a mess of yourself?" Sylvia teased her. The big, strong werewolf a whining mess in her arms. "You gonna cum for me darling?"

Hannah tensed up, her tail going stiff and straight as she came all over Sylvia's hand, howling and moaning as her claws nearly pierced her girlfriend's jacket. She started drooling a little, letting out a low growl. "Haah~ Feel good~" She groaned, her tail wagging weakly. 

Sylvia laid a little kiss on Hannah's nose, then spread her fingers to show how wet they are. "How about you clean up your mess sweetie?" She cooed, Hannah leaning forward and licking Sylvia's fingers clean. "Good puppy, thank you baby." She cooed, scratching under Hannah's chin.

Hannah pulled Sylvia in, holding her to her chest. Sylvia snuggled into her fur, sighing contently. "You're so soft honey." She could hear Hannah's heartbeat, she nearly fell asleep it was so relaxing. 

Hannah hugged Sylvia tightly, her tail beating off the floor. "Happy..." she cooed, licking her girlfriend's neck and head. 

"I love you baby~" Sylvia said, and Hannah's tail could bore a hole in the wall with the speed it was hitting.

I'm copying this and later another story from my wattpad, if you got monster requests let me know.

[theambivalentagender]

Hello all! So if you follow me, you likely also follow my comic Valley Echoes as well as any of my other art drabbles. You may also know that I've been financially limping along for some time.

For context, my day job is dog grooming. It's a "career" I came into relatively recently and honestly love. However, my location has recently been incredibly dead. I haven't been able to make commission from lack of dogs and my hours have been cut drastically.

I'm currently looking into finding extra work where I can that will still fit with my technically full time schedule. This has been a big part of why the comic updates have slowed considerably in the last few months.

In the meantime, however, I did want to show that I am available for commissions at this time. This is the first time I'd be getting into commissions, so if folks do request I just ask for patience as I figure it all out, but I'd love to be able to draw your requests. I have a vgen account that's still being set up at the moment.

I also want to plug my Patreon again - honestly, the fact you all give this much for what I do now is incredible to me. I recently met the fun "milestone" of Patreon temporarily locking access to my withdrawals because I had made enough money this year to require filling out a tax form before my funds could be released, which I did. Maybe it's silly but it made me a little happy. I also have a Kofi though that's updated less.

This next part ended up being much longer and more personal than I expected so I'll put it under a cut.

Anything at this time would help immensely. Cost of living is insane, I just turned 30 and keep wondering how much longer I'll be able to keep renting, let alone ever saving to afford a home. I'm very, very lucky in that I have support from my dad, who has honestly been one of my strongest lifelines for years. But I obviously don't want to have to keep taking so much of that support from someone who should be enjoying retirement.

There are a lot of expenses I keep having, and things I'm putting off. The ipad I use for art has been cracked for months, but is still functional thank god. I recently finally bought myself clothes that aren't falling off my body after losing over 100 lbs in the last year. I have to buy and maintain my own tools for my grooming job, and I have to maintain my own health, both mentally and physically. My left hand/arm probably has nerve impingements and muscle strains science hasn't even named yet lmao. And of course there's taking care of my two terrible feline children who cause nothing but chaos in my home and who I love dearly.

Even if you don't give monetary support though, I so, so greatly appreciate every one of you who shares, likes, or comments on my work. I just recently got an anon who I mean to reply to soon gushing about they love Valley Echoes. Nothing makes my day more than waking up to see a million notifications that's just one person liking each of my comics as they read through it the first time.

Ever since I was 6 years old I wanted to be a storyteller in some way. I used to draw my own Dilbert and Far Side comics, and I constantly wrote wild fantasy stories. But after going through college, dealing with a huge amount of stress, burnout, and just one random person online telling me that I needed to hear the harsh "truth" that my writing skills were garbage, that spark was just gone. Excluding occasional stuttering starts, I didn't really write for years.

Doing this "silly" comic and getting the feedback I have is starting to rekindle that spark. I have so many stories of my own that I'm starting to make tentative plans on producing in some way. But even if I never become some official published recognized author, I feel like just putting out this comic is fulfilling that dream I had as a kid. So thank you again, as cheesy and long winded as this post has become.

[muddyorbsblr]

reckless girl pt1

See my full list of works here!

Part of the 500 Follower Celebration Requested by: @holdmytesseract

Summary: When you didn't show up for your date with Magnus, the last place he thought he'd find you was inside the Ystad police station…in a holding cell

Pairing: Magnus Martinsson x Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: talks of injuries; cliffhanger at the end

Things to be aware of: established relationship

"Why so glum, Martinsson? Not enough sleep?" Kurt clapped a hand on the curly blond haired detective's soldier, jerking him out of his worry spiral. "Girl trouble?"

Magnus lifted his chin from his joint fists, unable to iron out the furrow between his eyebrows. "Something like that…Y/N, my girlfriend. We were supposed to meet after my shift last night and she never showed. Hasn't called or texted either."

"Maybe she ghosted you, lad," Svedberg jested from his desk. "Had enough of the barflies clinging about you, did 'erself a favor."

"No," he said with conviction. "She wouldn't do that, that's not her." You'd been dating for long enough that he knew you wouldn't just disappear from his life with no contact like that. There was something else going on, there had to be. Another reason why you weren't at the restaurant last night. Another reason you weren't picking up your phone.

"Maybe try her again," Kurt offered. "If you still have nothing, you can always find a reason to patrol around her area and pay your girl a visit."

"Really? You won't be cross if I did?"

"For anyone else I'd suspend them on the spot if they attended to matters of the heart while on duty but I'd rather have the brightest bulb in the station actually functioning in the station, rather than have his mind wandering off to where his lady could be." He gave the younger detective a tight smile, knowing full well that had he been in Martinsson's spot, he'd be doing the same thing. "Try her again."

This time your phone rang twice before someone answered. "This is the Ystad holding area, and the owner of this mobile has been detained until--"

"Officer Jansen?"

"Detective Martinsson? Why are you calling--"

"Where's Y/N? This is her phone I've been trying to reach her since last night and--"

"Well last night a Ms Y/L/N was brought here for holding and we confiscated this phone off her person. Drunk and disorderly behavior," Jansen offered.

Just then another voice, your voice, spoke through the line. "Hey, the other guy was drunk and disorderly, it's not my fault the wanker couldn't fight!"

Magnus took a deep breath, a mix of both frustration and relief. Mostly the latter knowing now where you were exactly and that he would most likely see you in the next few minutes. "Jansen, I don't know what she did but I can guarantee you she probably had a good reason for it. Could you maybe…I dunno, let her off with a warning? I'll talk to her, make sure this doesn't happen again."

There was a deep sigh from the other end of the line before the officer spoke again. "Fine. She doesn't have a record, and the other guy seems to be too embarrassed to press charges seeing as he got his arse beat by a woman, so her name stays clean. But if this happens again--"

"It won't," he answered, a little less conviction in his tone. "Could you please send her here, though? I've been on edge since last night."

"Say no more, I'll have her there with an escort in a few minutes."

It didn't take long until another officer from the holding area stepped into the detectives area, and Magnus finally laid his eyes on you. And he saw red.

The second the officer uncuffed you, he was rushing over, placing his hands on your shoulders trying to assess the damage done. Your neck was red and purple, the skin of your knuckles split and bloodied, cuts and scrapes all over your face. There even seemed to still be specks of dirt in some of the wounds.

"Hello, sweetie," you spoke after a few moments of him taking stock of the injuries you sustained, wincing when you tried to give him a smile and it opened the wound on your lip that had only healed a fraction of the way the night before. "Sorry I couldn't make it to the restaurant--"

"Never mind that, darling," he waved off your apology, taking your hands in his and pressing his lips to the backs of your fingers, being careful not to touch any injured portion of your skin. "All I care about right now is that you're safe." He jerked his head over to his desk. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. And then you can tell me what happened. Starting with who dared lay a hand and bloody up my precious angel's face like this."

"My sister Stella's in town and we went out straight after my shift to grab some drinks--Ach." You flinched at the stinging of the alcohol-soaked cotton round that he pressed to the cut on your cheek.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he sighed, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, ignoring the teasing remarks from the other detectives on the floor as he tended to your wounds. "But we have to get these cleaned out so they don't get infected. We've already lost so much time since these just stayed as they were the entire time you were in that holding cell."

"I know I know," you mumbled, squeezing your eyes shut when he resumed disinfecting the cuts. "It's not my first fight, you know. Still stings like a right bitch every bloody time, though."

He finished dressing the wounds on your face before moving to your cut and bruised knuckles. "Did no one even come to check on you before they booked you last night?" he grumbled, seeing the caked blood and dirt around these wounds as well.

"No. Everyone's attention was mostly on the other guy, making sure he got to the hospital safe and all that."

"Ah, so you're the mystery assailant," Kurt spoke up, walking up to Magnus' desk. "I just got off the phone with the hospital about some professional pick-up artist, whatever the shite that is, and how he refuses to press charges because if anyone knew what happened to him it'll ruin his image." He stuck out a hand toward you. "Kurt Wallander, I'm Magnus' supervising officer."

You gave him a little wave in response. "Not exactly how I pictured meeting Magnus' workmates, but I'll take it. Hi. Y/N Y/L/N, pleased to make your acquaintance. I'd shake your hand but--"

"I'll be quite cross with you if you split open your wounds over pleasantries, sweetheart," the blond detective butted in. He turned to his supervisor. "Hang on the case you were called to this morning? The assault victim? That was--"

"Hold on…if the wanker didn't press charges, does the word 'assailant' still apply to me?"

"Yes," both men said at once.

"But I'm willing to consider this a case deservedly closed since firstly, the pervert wanker chose not to press charges. And second, he's had it coming for a long while. Man's got an entire binder of reports for sleazeball behavior, but we just don't have the laws here yet to book someone for unjust vexation," Kurt told you both before addressing you directly. "Just don't make a habit out of getting detained or else I won't be able to do anything about the station giving your boyfriend grief over dating a 'bad girl'." He put the last bit in air quotes, jerking his head over at the desks of the jeering detectives on the other side of the floor.

"I'll do what I can," you shot back, scrunching your nose in place of a smile. "But in my defense, he was getting handsy with my sister and she's a little too peaceful and zen that the woman wouldn't hurt a fly, I had to."

"Careful, darling. Wallander here has a soft spot for the hero types, he might just issue you a gun," Magnus joked, finishing up on your knuckles and pressing a soft kiss to the bandages.

"Considering that the man you put in the hospital is just one in a large group of men doing much of the same?" the senior detective shot back. "I might just, might even give Linda one just to err on the side of caution and all that." He took a finger at you. "You be careful out there. Willing to bet my badge you ticked off a good few unstable men with egos bigger than their brain power. Some of them might be capable of a bit more than a few cuts and scrapes. And might be on the hunt for who put one of their own in casts and stitches."

"I'll keep safe. Thank you, Detective Wallander." You stood up and gave an awkward wave, making a motion to start walking out of the station. "I should get going. Wouldn't want to take up more of Magnus' time while he's at work."

That got the blond detective shooting out of his seat. "I'll see you out, then." He led you out the station, hand securely at your waist as he made sure you could walk properly. "Go straight home, tell your sister you're safe and you're not going to jail. And then tomorrow, how about we meet for breakfast after you've had some rest?"

"Yes, Sir," you answered playfully before throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him in for a hug. "Thank you, Mags," you whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. "I love you."

His heart caught in his throat at your words. You'd never said it first before. "I love you, too, little spitfire." He tucked his fingers under your chin, pressing a tender kiss to your lips before letting you go. "I'll see you in the morning."

Only when morning came, he sat at the restaurant near the station all alone, letting a whole hour pass before concluding that you weren't coming once again. Going off of what had transpired the day before, he showed up at the Ystad police station's holding area a good hour ahead of his shift, ready to try his luck at talking your way out of whatever situation you'd gotten yourself into.

"Morning, Martinsson," Jansen greeted him once the officer caught sight of the blond curls descending the stairs. "What brings you here so early--"

"Is Y/N here? Again?"

The officer began typing away at the system, giving commentary along the way. "She's a bit of a baddie, isn't she? Getting booked there twice in just as many days--Huh…" Jansen tilted his head in confusion at the information on the screen. "I don't see anything from last night's records. Maybe check the holding cells just in case? Sorry, Martinsson."

Magnus let out a sharp exhale, the frustration radiating off him in waves. "No worries. Thanks, Jansen." He set off toward the three holding cells they had in the station, only one of them being occupied by a drunk driver that was booked last night and was awaiting for his wife to bail him out. The other two were empty and clean as a whistle, no sign of anyone having even been there in the last 24 hours.

He picked up his phone and tapped on your name, his heart thundering in his ears as he waited for you to answer. "Please tell me you just slept in, sweetheart," he mumbled, his body already shaking with every second his call went unanswered.

But then the line got picked up, and his heart lodged itself in his throat.

"Hello?" The voice of a woman. But not yours.

"Who is this?" he nearly barked at the stranger's voice. "Where's Y/N?"

"I'm Stella, her sister, hold on who the hell are you?"

"Magnus, her boyfriend. Where's your sister? Why do you have her phone?" His tone became more impatient.

"She was supposed to meet me last night for dinner. Told me she needed to get some rest after what happened the other day that got her arrested," your sister explained, the answer making the detective even more panicked. "She never showed, figured she slept too long and I'd pick her up for some breakfast, but--" Her breath hitched on the other line, a jagged exhale coming through from her end as she composed herself. "She's not here. And the place is a mess. Hang on--If you're the boyfriend, you're the detective, right?"

"Y-Yes, yes I am." He could barely manage the words; he felt so hollow inside, dreading what words he would hear next.

"I'd like to report a crime, then," Stella spoke, her voice wavering as she tried to put up a brave front. "My sister's missing, there's blood on the floor. Someone's hurt my sister."

A/N: Eeeeeee I'm so excited to give this one to y'all! It's been a while since I started on another request and when I tell you that the words just started flying when I got into the vibe that this story was gonna give. I know I know…there's a cliffhanger…but there will be a part 2 in a few days and we're gonna see just what happened after YN left the station…

everything taglist: @simplyholl @loopsisloops @imalovernotahater @coldnique @loz-3 @huntress-artemiss @salempoe @vickie5446 @athalialaufeyson @lokiprompts @kats72 @kikster606 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @lokixryss @thomase1 @mischief2sarawr @peaches1958 @lovingchoices14 @lunarnights95 @goblingirlsarah @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @creationsbyme @maple-seed @mjsthrillernp @ladyofthestayingpower @mygfloki @sititran @glitterylokislut @ozymdias @fictive-sl0th  @lokidbadguy @mochie85 @silverfire475 @joyful-enchantress @elizabethmidnight2017 @holdmytesseract @smolvenger @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokidokieokie @lunarnights95 @superficialdomina @anukulee @kmc1989 @november-rayne @goddessofwonderland @buttercupcookies-blog

Magnus taglist: @vbecker10

[danicareadssmut]

Burn Eternal

Rafayel is painting when Xavier arrives, his brush strokes aggressive as he works crimson into a violent sunset. He doesn't turn around when the door opens, but his shoulders tense slightly.

"The Lightseeker graces me with his presence," he drawls, adding another angry streak of red. "To what do I owe this displeasure?"

"Caleb's back."

The brush stills. Rafayel sets it down carefully, too carefully, before turning to face Xavier. "Well, well. The prodigal brother returns. And how is our dear Colonel handling his... upgrade?"

"He spent the night with her. And the next day. In her bed."

"Ah." Rafayel's casual demeanor slips for just a moment, revealing something darker underneath. "And here I thought you were supposed to be protecting her."

"I've been trying," Xavier says through gritted teeth. "But you know how she is. How she's always been."

"Mmm, yes. Stubbornly determined to get herself killed." Rafayel moves to his bar cart, pouring two glasses of something that sparkles like starlight. "Though I suppose that's partially my fault. My heart does make her rather... resilient."

He offers one glass to Xavier, who takes it despite their mutual distrust. They both know alcohol won't affect them anyway.

"The chip in his head," Xavier says after a moment. "It's Ever tech. Military grade."

"And you think when it activates..." Rafayel's voice trails off as he swirls his drink. "Well, that would be rather poetic, wouldn't it? The protective brother becoming the thing she needs protection from."

"This isn't a joke, Rafayel."

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" The former god's eyes flash dangerously. "I gave up my kingdom, my people, everything for her. And now you're telling me some human with a computer in his brain might undo all of that?"

Xavier sets his untouched glass down. "We need to work together on this."

"Like I did with Zayne?" Rafayel's laugh is bitter. "That worked out so well last time."

"This is different. Caleb isn't bound by fate or divine punishment. He's a weapon, and weapons can be disabled."

"Or destroyed," Rafayel adds softly, watching Xavier's reaction.

"If necessary." The words clearly pain him to say.

"My, my. The noble Lightseeker, willing to kill an innocent man to protect his queen." Rafayel's smile is sharp. "How far we've fallen."

"Are you going to help or not?"

Rafayel studies him for a long moment, ancient eyes calculating. "You know, I've watched her die a thousand different ways. Drowning, burning, bleeding out in battle. But watching her heart break?" He shakes his head. "That's always been the worst."

"Which is why we need to act before—"

"Before what?" Rafayel cuts him off. "Before she falls in love with him? Too late. Before she gets hurt? That's inevitable. Before the chip activates?" He downs his drink in one smooth motion. "Now that... that might be worth discussing."

Xavier's expression hardens. "What do you know?"

"I know Ever's tech. I know how their control chips work." Rafayel moves back to his painting, adding a streak of black across the violent sky. "And I know there might be a way to... redirect its programming."

"At what cost?"

"Oh, always so suspicious." Rafayel turns back with a dangerous smile. "Let's just say I have as much interest in keeping her alive as you do. More, perhaps, since it's my heart keeping her that way."

"Your terms?"

"Help me deal with a certain ice-wielding problem, and I'll help you with your soldier boy." Rafayel's eyes glitter with malice. "After all, what's one more betrayal between immortal enemies?"

Xavier considers this, clearly weighing the risks. Finally, he nods. "Deal."

"Excellent." Rafayel picks up his brush again. "Now get out. Your self-righteousness is ruining my artistic flow."

As Xavier leaves, Rafayel adds another streak of black to his canvas, this one cutting through the heart of the sunset like a wound. He might have lost his kingdom, but he hasn't forgotten how to play at being king.

And in this game of gods and monsters, sometimes the best move is to let your enemies destroy each other.

***

Everything goes sideways when one of the guards recognizes you.

"That's the resonator!" he shouts, and suddenly there are a dozen guns trained on your position. "The one the Professor wants!"

You dive behind a stack of shipping containers as bullets pepper the air where you'd been standing. Sylus is somewhere to your left, his power thrumming through the warehouse like a living thing.

"Quite popular these days, aren't you?" His voice carries across the space, deceptively casual. But you can hear the edge underneath, the beast stirring.

"Not the time for jokes," you call back, wincing as a bullet ricochets off metal too close to your head.

"On the contrary—" There's a wet sound and a scream cuts off abruptly. "I find humor helps in these situations."

You risk a glance around the corner. Three men are down, their weapons scattered in pieces across the floor. But more are pouring in through the side entrance, and you catch fragments of radio chatter about the bounty on your head.

A bullet grazes your arm, and you bite back a cry of pain. But Sylus hears it anyway.

The temperature in the warehouse seems to drop. The air grows heavy, charged with potential energy as his power builds. You've seen him angry before, seen him kill without hesitation. But this... this is different.

"You know," he says, his voice dropping to that dangerous register that makes your skin prickle, "I was planning to let most of you live."

He steps out from cover, his right eye blazing with otherworldly light. The air around him vibrates with barely contained power, and you feel it in your bones—the beast awakening.

One of the men fires, but the bullet stops mid-air, disintegrating into dust.

"You really shouldn't have done that."

***

Two Days Ago

"You know," Sylus drawls from behind you, "when I imagined you bent over my bike, this isn't quite what I had in mind."

You ignore the heat that creeps up your neck as you continue working on the tracking device you found attached to his motorcycle. "Do you ever stop?"

"Why would I?" You can hear the smirk in his voice. "Your blush is far too entertaining."

"I'm not blushing," you lie, focusing intently on the delicate wiring. "I'm concentrating."

He moves closer, and suddenly his breath is warm against your ear. "You can do both."

You absolutely do not shiver at his proximity. "Don't you have henchmen to terrorize?"

"Luke and Kieran are securing our entry point." His voice drops lower, rougher. "Which leaves me free to... supervise."

"You mean annoy me."

"I prefer to think of it as motivation."

You finally extract the tracker, holding it up triumphantly. "There. Now we can—" You turn and find yourself nose to nose with him, his mismatched eyes glinting with amusement. "Um."

"Yes?" His smile is wicked. "You were saying?"

You clear your throat and step back, ignoring how his power seems to caress your skin as you move. "We can track whoever's been following you."

"Following us," he corrects, taking the device from your hand. His fingers brush yours deliberately. "They're not just after me anymore, kitten."

The playfulness fades from his expression as he studies the tracker. "Ever's bounty on you has tripled since word got out about your resonance ability."

"Worried about me?" you tease, trying to lighten the sudden tension.

His eye flares briefly with that otherworldly light. "Always."

You watch as he turns the tracker over in his hands, his power rippling through the air between you. Even after all this time, you still can't quite get used to how it feels—like standing too close to a tesla coil, electricity dancing across your skin.

"The Spatium Core," he says finally, pocketing the device. "That's what they're after. And they think you can help them find it."

"Why would they think that?"

His lips quirk up. "Because you found me."

Right. Your resonance ability—the thing that lets you connect with Aether Cores, that drew you to his glowing eye that first night in N109. The thing that's made you a target for every organization hunting these mysterious artifacts.

"I didn't find you," you remind him. "You kidnapped me."

"And yet," he steps closer again, backing you against his bike, "here you are. Voluntarily."

Your heart thunders in your chest as he plants his hands on the seat on either side of you, caging you in. This close, you can see the flecks of gold among the red in his normal eye, the way they match the ethereal glow of his Aether Core.

"Maybe I just want answers," you say, proud that your voice remains steady.

"Maybe." His smile is knowing. "Or maybe you miss the danger."

"I get plenty of danger as a Hunter."

"Not like this." He leans in, his breath ghosting across your lips. "Not like us."

Before you can respond, a door slams somewhere in the warehouse. Sylus straightens, though he doesn't step back.

"Boss!" Luke's voice echoes through the space. "We got something!"

Sylus sighs, his forehead dropping to rest against yours for just a moment. "Terrible timing, as usual."

You slip out from between him and the bike, trying to ignore how cold you feel without his power surrounding you. "Work first, flirting later."

"Is that a promise?" He falls into step beside you, his longer stride easily matching yours.

"It's a maybe."

Luke and Kieran are waiting by their surveillance setup, identical grins on their faces as you approach. You've grown fond of Sylus' henchmen over the past few months, even if they do spend most of their time trying to play matchmaker.

"Where are the power-dampening cuffs we got you," Kieran asks with exaggerated disappointment, nodding at your empty wrists.

"Still haven't forgiven you for that," you mutter.

"We were trying to help!" Luke protests.

"You were trying to get me laid," Sylus drawls, examining the screens in front of them. "What did you find?"

The twins exchange glances before Kieran taps a few keys. A grainy security feed appears, showing a familiar figure entering what looks like an abandoned factory.

"That's Marcus Chen," you say, leaning closer. "He's been linked to several Core thefts."

"More importantly," Luke adds, "he's been seen meeting with Ever operatives."

Sylus' power darkens the edges of the room. "When was this taken?"

"Twenty minutes ago. Factory's about ten miles from here."

You study the feed, noting the guards posted at various entrances. "That's a lot of security for an abandoned building."

"They're expecting company," Sylus agrees. His voice has that edge to it, the one that means someone's probably going to die tonight. "Question is, are they expecting us specifically, or just hoping to catch anyone hunting the Core?"

"Does it matter?" You're already checking your weapons, making sure everything's secure. "Either way, we need to get there before they move it."

"Always so eager to rush into danger." There's amusement in his voice, but his eyes are serious when you look up. "We do this smart. No unnecessary risks."

You raise an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about playing it safe?"

"Since someone put a price on your head that would tempt even me." He turns to the twins. "Get the cars ready. We move in thirty."

As Luke and Kieran hurry off, Sylus catches your arm. "I mean it about the risks. These aren't your usual Hunter targets."

"I can handle myself."

"I know you can." His thumb traces circles on your skin, sending shivers down your spine. "But if anything happened to you..."

The raw emotion in his voice makes your breath catch. You've seen glimpses of it before—in the way he watches you when he thinks you're not looking, in how his power always seems to curl around you protectively, in the careful distance he maintains even as he draws you closer.

"I'll be careful," you promise softly.

His eye flares, and for a moment, you think he might kiss you. Instead, he steps back, his usual smirk sliding back into place.

"Good. Because if you die, I'll have to find someone else to bend over my bike, and that would be terribly inconvenient."

You roll your eyes, ignoring the way your pulse jumps at his words. "You're impossible."

"So you keep saying." He heads for the door, pausing to look back at you with that dangerous glint in his eyes. "Coming, kitten?"

And despite every instinct telling you this is going to end badly, you follow him into the night.

***

The factory looms ahead, a hulking shadow against the night sky. You're on Sylus' bike, arms wrapped around his waist as he takes the curves too fast, like always. His power thrums beneath your hands, restless and eager.

"Remember," his voice carries back to you through the comms, "we're just gathering intel tonight."

"Says the man who disassembled three people yesterday because they looked at him wrong."

His chest rumbles with laughter. "They looked at you wrong, kitten. There's a difference."

Before you can respond, Luke's voice crackles through the comms. "Boss, we've got movement. A lot of movement."

Sylus slows the bike, pulling into a shadowed alcove. You peer around his shoulder at the factory, noting the sudden increase in activity. Vehicles are arriving, more than expected, and you recognize the sleek black SUVs.

"Ever," you breathe.

"Seems our friend Marcus called in some backup." Sylus' voice has gone dangerous, his power coiling tighter. "Count?"

"At least thirty," Kieran reports. "Heavy weapons. And... shit. Boss, you need to see this."

You each look through your binos, watching as a figure steps out of one of the SUVs, and even from this distance, you recognize the distinctive uniform of a Farspace Fleet Colonel.

"That complicates things," Sylus murmurs. His hand finds yours where it rests against his stomach, squeezing once. "We need to regroup."

"But the Core—"

"Will still be there." He turns his head slightly, red eyes gleaming in the darkness. "They're setting up a trap, kitten. And while I do enjoy springing traps, I prefer to do it on my terms."

You know he's right, but the frustration burns anyway. "Two days," you say. "Give me two days to get intel from my Hunter contacts about their setup."

His power caresses your skin, a gesture you've come to recognize as affection. "Always so demanding."

"You like it."

"More than I should." He starts the bike again, the engine purring to life. "Two days. But if you do anything reckless in the meantime..."

"You'll what?" you challenge, pressing closer against his back.

His power sparks against your skin. "Test me and find out."

You definitely don't shiver at the promise in his voice. And if you hold him a little tighter as he speeds through the night, well, that's just for safety.

You have two days to plan. Two days before everything changes.

You just don't know it yet.

***

Two Days Later

"That," Sylus says, studying the holographic layout of the factory, "is a lot of security for something they claim isn't there."

You lean against his desk, close enough that his power brushes against you like a caress. "My contact says they've tripled the guard rotation since two nights ago."

"Which means the Core is definitely still there." His red eyes flick to you, dark with amusement. "Unless they're just hoping to catch a certain resonator who's been asking questions."

"Worried?"

"About you walking into an obvious trap?" His power coils around you, possessive and warm. He narrows his eyes at you briefly before chuckling. "Never."

Luke snorts from his position by the monitors. "That's not what you said last night when—"

"Luke." Sylus' voice drops to that dangerous register that usually precedes violence.

"Right, shutting up."

You hide your smile, focusing on the blueprints. "The Core will be in the sublevels. That's where the energy readings are strongest."

"And where the most guards will be." Sylus moves behind you, close enough that his breath stirs your hair. "We'll need a distraction."

"Already handled," Kieran calls out, not looking up from his tablet. "The twins from O-block owed us a favor. They'll hit the north entrance at exactly 2300."

"That leaves the service entrance clear," you say, trying to ignore how Sylus' proximity makes your skin tingle. "We can—"

"We," he interrupts, "aren't doing anything. You will wait for my signal before entering."

You turn to face him, finding yourself trapped between his body and the desk. "That wasn't the plan."

"Plans change." His eyes bore into yours, one glowing like heated garnet. "Especially when my intel says Ever's sending a specialist team specifically to capture you."

"I can handle—"

"Kitten." His hand comes up to cup your face, thumb brushing across your cheek. "Just once, can you not argue with me about your safety?"

The raw emotion in his voice makes your breath catch. You've been dancing around this thing between you for months, neither willing to cross that final line. But moments like this, when he looks at you like you're something precious and dangerous all at once...

"Fine," you concede, definitely not leaning into his touch. "I'll wait for your signal."

His smile is wickedly knowing. "Good girl."

You absolutely do not shiver at those words or the way his power seems to stroke down your spine.

"If you two are done with the foreplay," Luke calls out, "we've got movement at the factory."

Sylus steps back, but his power lingers on your skin. "Time to go hunting."

You check your weapons one last time, trying to shake the feeling that something about tonight is different. Maybe it's the way Sylus keeps watching you, or how his power seems more agitated than usual.

Or maybe it's just that you can't stop thinking about how he looked at you just now, like he's finally done waiting.

The night air is suffocating with tension as you wait in position, watching Sylus' bike disappear around the corner. Your comms crackle to life with Luke's voice.

"Twins are in position. T-minus three minutes."

You check your weapons again, more out of habit than necessity. The weight of your gun is familiar, comforting, even though you know Sylus could disassemble any threat before you got a shot off.

"Remember," Sylus' voice rumbles through the comms, "wait for my signal."

"Yes, sir," you mutter, earning a dark chuckle that makes your pulse stir uncomfortably in your chest.

The first explosion rocks the north side of the factory right on schedule. Shouts and gunfire erupt immediately, and you watch through your scope as guards pour toward the disturbance.

"Show time," Kieran says.

You track Sylus' movement through the chaos, his power a tangible presence even at this distance. He moves like smoke, efficient and deadly. The first guard doesn't even have time to raise his weapon before he crumples. The second manages to fire once before his gun dissolves in his hands.

"Clear," Sylus says after a moment. "Moving to sublevel access."

You shift position, getting a better view of the service entrance. Everything's going according to plan, which immediately sets your Hunter instincts on edge.

"This is too easy," you murmur.

"Don't jinx it," Luke warns.

But he doesn't say anything else because he knows you're right—it is too easy. The guards are too focused on the northern threat, leaving the service entrance practically undefended. Either they're incredibly stupid, or...

"Sylus, wait—"

Too late. The moment he reaches the sublevel door, everything goes to hell.

Hidden panels in the walls slide open, revealing mounted turrets. The air fills with the distinctive whine of power-dampening tech activating.

"Shit," Sylus growls, diving for cover as the turrets open fire. "Luke?"

"Working on it! They've got some kind of scrambling field—"

"Forget the tech," you say, already moving. "I'm coming in."

"Mikki, don't you dare—"

You mute his comm just as you reach the first guard. He goes down with a surprised grunt, and you're moving before his body hits the ground. Your training takes over—dodge, strike, shoot, repeat. You're not as elegant as Sylus, but you're effective.

The service entrance is just ahead when you hear it—the distinctive sound of a power-dampening grenade being armed.

You dive through the door just as it goes off, rolling to your feet beside Sylus. His power is fluctuating, fighting against the dampening field, but his eyes burn when he sees you.

"We're going to have a discussion about following orders," he says, voice deadly quiet.

"Later," you promise, taking out a turret with two precise shots. "After we—"

"Well, well." A new voice cuts through the chaos. "The resonator and her pet. How convenient."

Marcus Chen steps out of the shadows, flanked by heavily armed guards. But it's the device in his hands that makes your blood run cold—an Ever-tech neural disruptor, designed specifically for Evolvers.

"I was only contracted to capture the girl," he says conversationally, "but I'm sure Ever would pay handsomely for you too, Sylus."

Sylus shifts slightly, angling his body between you and Marcus. "Bold of you to assume you'll live long enough to collect."

"With your power dampened?" Marcus smirks. "I like my odds."

You feel it then—Sylus' power changing, growing heavier, more primal. The predator stirring beneath his human skin.

"You really think," he says, his voice dropping to that register that promises violence, "a little dampening field can hold me?"

The air grows thick, charged with potential energy. You've seen Sylus fight before, seen him kill without hesitation. But this... this is different.

"These toys," he continues, gesturing at the turrets, "might work on lesser beings. Might even work on other Evolvers." His eye blazes brighter, like blood-red lightning. "But I'm something else entirely."

Everything happens at once. Marcus raises the neural disruptor. The guards open fire. And Sylus...

Sylus reminds everyone exactly why he's the most dangerous person in the N109.

Marcus' neural disruptor shatters in his hands, along with several bones if his scream is any indication. The guards' weapons follow, dissolving into metallic dust that hangs in the air like deadly red glitter.

"Run," Sylus suggests pleasantly, and for once, your enemies make the smart choice.

You're already moving toward the inner facility when his power wraps around you, pulling you to a stop. "And where do you think you're going?"

"The Core is still here," you say, turning to face him. "We can't let them move it."

His red eyes bore into yours, something wild and possessive swimming in their depths. "You're bleeding."

"It's just a graze."

His power ghosts over the wound, surprisingly gentle given the violence you just witnessed. "I told you to wait for my signal."

"And if I had, you'd be—"

"Safe?" His smile is sharp. "I'm not the one they want, kitten."

Before you can argue, distant shouts echo through the facility. Sylus growls low in his throat, a sound that's more beast than man.

"Fine," he says. "We get the Core. Then we're having that discussion about following orders."

You tell yourself the goosebumps are from the cold, not his words.

The facility is a maze of corridors and storage areas. You move quietly, Sylus' power extended like a sensor web around you both. The Core's energy signature grows stronger as you descend deeper into the building.

Everything goes sideways just as you reach the vault level when one of the guards recognizes you.

"That's the resonator!" he shouts, and suddenly there are a dozen red lights trained on your chest from hidden guns around the room. "The one the Professor wants!"

You dive behind a stack of shipping containers as bullets pepper the air where you'd been standing. Sylus is somewhere to your left, his power thrumming through the warehouse like a living thing.

"Quite popular these days, aren't you?" His voice carries across the space, deceptively casual. But you can hear the edge underneath, the dragon stirring.

"Not the time for jokes," you call back, wincing as a bullet ricochets off metal too close to your head.

"On the contrary—" There's a wet sound and a scream cuts off abruptly. "I find humor helps in these situations."

You risk a glance around the corner. Three men are down, their weapons scattered in pieces across the floor. But more are pouring in through the side entrance, and you catch fragments of radio chatter about the bounty on your head.

A bullet grazes your arm, and you bite back a cry of pain. But Sylus hears it anyway.

The temperature in the warehouse seems to drop. The air grows heavy, charged with potential energy as his power builds. You've seen him angry before, seen him kill without hesitation. But this... this is different.

"You know," he says, his voice dropping to that dangerous register that makes your skin prickle, "I was planning to let most of you live."

He steps out from cover, his right eye blazing with otherworldly light. The air around him vibrates with terrifying power, and you feel it in your bones—the beast awakening.

One of the men fires, but the bullet stops mid-air, disintegrating into dust.

"You really shouldn't have done that."

The aftermath of Sylus' rage is absolute. The air itself seems to crystallize and shatter, taking the remaining guards with it. You've seen him kill before, but never like this—never with such raw, devastating fury.

When the dust settles, he's at your side in an instant, his power cocooning you both as his hands ghost over your wounded arm. The Spatium Core is almost an afterthought, discarded to the side like trash.

"I told you," he says, voice still vibrating with that otherworldly resonance, "no unnecessary risks."

"You were outnumbered."

His laugh is dark. "I'm never outnumbered, kitten." His fingers trace the graze on your arm, feather-light as he wraps a quick bandage around the wound. "But they hurt you."

"I'm fine."

"Are you?" His eyes lock onto yours, one burning like molten garnet. "Because I'm not."

The intensity in his gaze makes your breath catch. His power pulses around you, heavy with something that feels like need, and you realize his careful control is finally, finally cracking.

"Sylus..."

His power wraps around you possessively, but he takes a deliberate step back. "Get to the bike, Mikki."

Your name, not "kitten", in that voice, rough with obvious hunger, sends heat racing through your veins. You know that tone—it's a promise of things to come, away from prying eyes.

The ride back is tense with anticipation. Sylus takes the curves faster than usual, his power a constant caress against your skin where you're pressed against him. You blame your racing heart on the speed, on the adrenaline still coursing through your system.

Not on how his muscles flex under your hands. Not on how his power seems to stroke possessively down your spine with every turn.

The city blurs past, neon lights painting streaks across his black leather jacket. You don't recognize the route he's taking until the private gate of his penthouse comes into view. Not the warehouse. Not the Onychinus compound.

His home.

He hasn't said a word since leaving the factory, but his power speaks volumes—coiling around you, protective and demanding all at once. You feel the beast just beneath his skin, still stirred by the violence, by how close they came to taking you.

The elevator ride is silent save for the soft hum of machinery and your own thundering pulse. Sylus stands behind you, not touching, but his power pins you in place all the same. The heat of him at your back makes it hard to breathe.

When the doors open to his penthouse, he finally speaks.

"Inside."

That one word, rough with need, sends electricity down your spine. You tell yourself you're not affected by how his voice has dropped to that dangerous rough sound, like hot coals rumbling in his throat, but the lie doesn't even convince you.

The moment the door closes, his power surges around you, pressing you against the wall. Sylus stays where he is, watching you with blazing eyes, control hanging by a thread.

"Do you have any idea," he growls, "what you do to me?"

His power caresses your skin like phantom hands, making you gasp. He's still not touching you, but you can feel the heat of him, something ancient and powerful rolling off him in waves.

"Show me," you whisper.

Something snaps in his expression. In two strides, he's there, caging you against the wall. One hand slides into your hair while the other grips your throat, his power wrapping tightly around you both.

"Last chance to walk away, kitten," he warns, voice rough with restraint.

Instead of answering, you reach up and trace your finger over his lower lip. His power shivers against your skin, and you feel him trembling with the effort to hold back.

"I'm not walking away," you say softly.

You don't understand the raw emotion that crosses his face, the centuries of longing in his eyes. You don't know why his power seems to sing against your skin, why being in his arms feels like coming home.

But when his mouth claims yours, desperate and demanding, you feel it—an echo of something profound, something eternal. His power surges, resonating with your own energy in a way that makes you see stars.

"Mine," he growls against your lips, and there's something in his voice, a whisper of something that sounds like 'finally' and 'at last' and 'never letting you go again.'

His hands tremble against your skin, and you wonder how someone so powerful can touch you with such reverence. His power wraps around you like silk, like fire, like something alive and desperately hungry.

"Sylus," you breathe, and he makes a sound that's almost pain.

"Say it again." His lips trace your jaw, your throat. "Say my name."

You do, and his power pulses, heavy with emotion you don't quite understand. There's something in the way he touches you—like he's memorized you, like he's dreamed of this for longer than should be possible.

His right eye blazes brighter, casting ruby shadows across your skin. The power emanating from it feels different tonight, ancient and possessive, recognizing something in you that you don't recognize yourself.

"You don't know," he murmurs against your throat, "how long I've waited. How many lifetimes I've searched..."

The words don't make sense, but your body responds to them anyway. Your energy resonates with his power in ways that shouldn't be possible, like your soul remembers something your mind has forgotten.

His control slips further with every soft sound you make. The temperature in the room rises, his power becoming more primal, more demanding. But even as it threatens to consume you both, he holds back—watching you with those burning eyes, waiting for something.

"Please," you whisper, though you're not sure what you're asking for.

He presses his forehead to yours, breathing ragged. "Everything," he promises roughly. "I'll give you everything. Just—" His voice breaks. "Just stay with me this time."

You don't understand why those words make your heart ache, why they feel like a plea across centuries. But you nod, and when he kisses you again, it feels like sealing a promise you made lifetimes ago.

He kisses you like a man starving, like he's trying to pour centuries of longing into a single moment. His power surrounds you completely now, filled with heat and need and something that feels impossibly like destiny.

When he finally pulls back, his eyes are almost black with desire, just a ring of burning red around blown pupils. "Tell me you feel it," he demands softly. "Tell me some part of you remembers this."

You don't know what he means, but you can't deny the way your body responds to his power, how perfectly you fit against him. Like your soul recognizes something your mind can't grasp.

"I feel..." You gasp as his power strokes down your spine. "I feel like I've been waiting for you my whole life without knowing it."

A sound tears from his throat, desperate and relieved. His hands cup your face, thumbs brushing your cheeks with impossible tenderness even as his power grows wild around you.

"My Mikki," he breathes, and your name sounds like a prayer on his lips as he lifts you and carries you to the bed. "My heart."

The raw emotion in his voice makes you tremble. You've never seen him like this—control fractured, power pulsing with need and protection and something that feels ancient, eternal.

As his enormous body crashes onto yours in the bed, his mouth finds yours again, and this time there's no holding back. His power resonates with your energy in waves that make you cry out, and he swallows the sound possessively.

"Mine," he growls against your lips. "Always mine."

And even though you don't understand why those words feel like coming home, you surrender to them completely.

His hands slide up underneath your shirt, claiming your skin under his burning touch. His lips and tongue do sinful things as your breaths combine.

"I've wanted this for so long," he murmurs. "To have you under me, mine to take, mine to worship."

His words, his power, the heat of his body above you all make your head spin. You don't know how a single man can contain this much power, this much raw emotion.

But you're not thinking about anything else when he strips your clothes off and his lips and hands find every inch of bare skin. "So beautiful," he whispers, his mouth trailing down your chest, your stomach, making you writhe against him. "So perfect."

You can feel the barely-leashed power coiling around his form, his control hanging by a thread. But his touch is gentle, worshipful, as he kisses and caresses and claims every part of you.

When his mouth finds the spot between your thighs, you almost shatter on the spot. "Sylus!"

"That's it," he growls, licking and sucking and sending electricity sparking up your spine. "Let me hear you."

"Fuck," you gasp, your hands fisting in his snow-white hair.

His chuckle is wicked, the vibrations making you cry out. "Soon, kitten." His fingers stroke through your folds. "First, I want to see you come apart for me."

Your back arches off the bed when his tongue returns to your clit, his fingers curling inside you. Everything is heat and pleasure and him, and when he sucks your clit into his mouth and his power coils around your core, you see stars. He draws out your pleasure, bringing you to the edge just before backing off again, over and over until you're a puddle of tears and need in his sheets. "Please," you beg, unable to articulate anything more.

He kisses his way back up your body, and the raw, naked hunger in his eyes is a thing of beauty. "Say it again."

"Please." You don't care how desperate you sound, how wrecked. "Please, Sylus. Please let me come. Please fuck me."

Something snaps in him, and his mouth claims yours with a feral growl. You're pinned beneath him, his body caging you as he looks down at you like your existence holds the answers to the universe. He slowly peels off his shirt and your mouth waters at the sight of him. Even though he's never been shy about showing skin around you, seeing it in this capacity, knowing what his body is about to do to yours, it does unexplainable things to you. He stares into your eyes as he slides his pants and underwear down and you can't resist wrapping your fingers around his thick cock. He grunts, his hips jerking against your hand, but he bats your fingers away. "No touchy. You didn't obey me, so now you need to deal with the consequences."

You shiver in anticipation. You're already so worked up, it wouldn't take much to get you there, but Sylus clearly has other ideas.

He rolls over, pulling you on top of him. Your thighs fall to either side of his hips, your slick heat rubbing against his cock. "Ride me," he commands. "Show me what you can do, kitten."

"Sylus, please, I—"

He grabs your hips and pulls you against him, your breasts crashing against his chest. His voice is a low, dangerous purr against your ear. "Beg all you want. But you're still not getting my cock until I say so."

You whimper, but his grip is unrelenting. You have no choice but to obey, rolling your hips against his. His hands are hot brands on your skin, guiding your movements, showing you what he likes. He lets you take the lead, but his control is obvious, the beast in him riding close to the surface.

"So beautiful," he murmurs, his eyes blazing into yours. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this. How long I've needed you. You look so perfect grinding that pretty little pussy on my cock. Making it wet."

You whimper at his words and drop your head backwards as you start to move faster, needing him inside you. Your walls clench around nothing, trying to pull him into you as his fingers flex almost painfully into your ass.

Your name is a broken whisper on his lips, filled with reverence and longing.

"Sylus," you plead, desperate to find release. "Please."

His control finally shatters. He flips you over, his body caging you once again. He's enormous above you, his power thrumming through the air like electricity, and for the first time, you realize he's letting you see the beast beneath his human facade. His eye blazes with red light as his cock presses against your entrance. "Look at me," he demands, and the command is wrapped in his power.

You do, and the depth of emotion in his eyes steals your breath. Something resonates between you, the echo of something you don't quite understand, but when his power strokes against your soul, it feels like coming home. "You belong with me," he says fiercely, and the conviction in his voice makes you ache. "No matter what happens, no matter how much time passes, I will find you again. In this and every lifetime that follows. I will burn the stars from the heavens to have you by my side. To claim your body and soul in every way possible."

He enters you then, and the feeling is overwhelming—his body pinning you, his power surrounding you, his gaze locked on yours.

"Say it," he growls, his pace merciless ad unending, his cock filling and stretching you with just the right balance of pain and ecstasy.

"I'm yours," you gasp, the words slipping from your tongue without thought. "Always."

His power pulses, heavy with emotion and ancient, undying devotion. It feels like destiny, like the stars themselves are shifting to bring you together.

"My heart," he breathes, his voice rough with a thousand unsaid truths. He moves slowly, allowing you to adjust to him before snapping his hips forward, spearing to the center of you as he lowers his chest to yours, wrapping his arms around your head. Caging you in his embrace and holding you still as his hips pick up speed and force.

"Sylus!" His name is a sob on your lips. "It's too much."

"You can handle it, kitten. Your body was made to take me."

You try to move, to find purchase on something, anything. His hand slides down your hip and around to the back of your thigh, hooking it over his shoulder and deepening his angle.

You've never felt this full, never been taken like this. There's something almost primal in the way his hips roll into yours, his cock filling you perfectly, claiming you completely.

"That's it, kitten." His voice is dark with desire. "Give in to me."

Your fingers dig into his biceps as his pace increases, his thrusts becoming rougher, deeper. His power resonates through you, the air thick with tension and need and the promise of release.

"I can't," you gasp, your eyes squeezing shut as you struggle to hold onto the last shred of your sanity.

He pushes off you, sitting up and wrapping both hands around your waist, picking your hips up into his lap so he can drive into you harder. "You can and you will."

The new position gives him an unobstructed view of where you're joined, his enormous cock splitting you open, and he groans at the sight. He lifts one of his hands and runs his thumb over your lips, his other hand gripping your hip so tightly, you know it will leave bruises. The thought sends a thrill of satisfaction through you, and when he slips the tip of his thumb between your lips, you suck greedily. He curses, his hips slamming into yours. "Fuck, kitten, do you have any idea how gorgeous you look right now?"

You shake your head, unable to respond around the digit in your mouth.

"Filled with my cock," he growls. "So wet and tight for me." He snaps forward hard enough to make you cry out. "I'm going to have fun training this body." You suck harder, swirling your tongue around his thumb, and his control fractures further.

"That's right," he rasps, "take what you need. Use my cock however you want, kitten."

Your hips start to move against his, meeting his thrusts, and his eyes blaze with approval. "Just like that," he encourages. "Fuck, I could watch you ride me all day." His power wraps around you tighter, his pace relentless, and you know he's not far from falling apart.

"Come for me," he demands, his fingers digging into your hips as he slams into you. "I want to feel you clench around my cock."

His power and his words and his relentless pace are too much. Your orgasm rips through you like a hurricane, stealing your breath, your vision, everything except the sensation of him inside you. His thrusts become rough, uneven, his rhythm faltering as his own release builds. "Yes," he hisses, his voice almost painful. "Keep coming for me, kitten. I love how you feel when you come apart on my cock."

"Fuck, Sylus, yes!" You can't form any other words, and you don't have to. His mouth claims yours as he collapses back on top of you, swallowing your cries of pleasure as his own release hits him like a tidal wave. The energy in the room seems to crystallize, suspended for a moment, before it all shatters. Your orgasm stretches into eternity, pleasure crashing through you in endless waves. And when Sylus comes, his roar of release echoes through the room, his power wrapping around you both, claiming you completely.

The air seems to vibrate with energy as you come down from the high, Sylus' lips trailing along your neck. "So perfect," he whispers, his hands stroking down your body, possessive and protective all at once. His voice is rough with emotion. "I will never let anyone hurt you. Not now, not ever."

"I know," you breathe, and the truth of those words resonates through you.

Because the most powerful man in the galaxy is yours.

"Stay with me, Mikki," he says softly, and there's something in his voice, an ancient sadness that makes your heart ache.

"Always."

When his lips find yours again, something ancient stirs in your soul—an echo across centuries, a promise written in stardust, a vow carved into the very foundations of time itself.

I will always find you.

***

In your dreams that night, you soar through endless skies, wrapped in scales of midnight and starlight. You dream of a love so powerful it burns through lifetimes, a devotion that defies death itself, and of a dragon whose heart beats in perfect rhythm with your own.

You don't remember these dreams when you wake. But somewhere deep in your soul, an ancient truth whispers:

Some loves are written in the stars themselves, destined to burn eternal.

[talaofthevalley]

if it hasn't been asked already. revolver for the ask game? your postings are fun to read

smacks my desk MY BOY, THANK YOU FOR GIVING HIM TO ME. also thank you that's so sweet of you to say

Why I like them/why I don’t Where do I even start-

He's one of the most honourable characters in the whole franchise. He's ridiculously composed, that the few times he's rattled you know it's significant. He's carrying the sins of his father like they're his own, even though he was eight when the incident happened. But it's like he understands he's the only one who can carry that burden and deliver closure to the ones affected because he wasn't one of the perpetrators, but was still involved and wrapped up in it all.

But he's also a dork who strikes poses during duels. His deck consists of gun and bullet dragons. He's so extra and camp in the best way and is never not taken as a very serious threat. He's one of the strongest duelists in the show. He doesn't consider himself a victim of anything. He was willing to die at the end of S1. He regularly finds the villain of the arc/his enemies first and almost murks them. He's connected to flower and ocean imagery. He gave one of the most beautiful description about loved ones who has passed away I've ever heard. He cares So Much but isn't the best at showing it, yet can help in just the way others need. He hates himself so damn much. But does not let that get in the way of what he believes needs to be done. But he's not completely close-minded either.

Ryoken's just such an amasing character. I love him so much.

What I like about their appearance Everything Since I did the same for Aoi I'll do both his real world and LV designs.

Ryoken: Gorg. Beautiful beautiful boy. I love the soft tones used for his eyes and the blue in his hair. The feathery side bangs are so pretty. And I'm so weak for white hair. I'm not above to admitting I'm not fond of his outfit, but that's just because it's very far from my taste in clothes. I don't think it's as bad as people claim it is though. Love his pink shirt, and that his colour scheme overall in the real world is very soft-toned and almost pastel in contrast to the bolder colours used in his avatar. And of course the eyes, and the eyelashes. My god he is so pretty.

Revolver S1: I like this design! I do think it's usurped by his second avatar, but they share a majority of the same elements and design points, so I'll cover those in the next part. I think his mask is pretty cool ngl, and it's Very yummy to chew on for analysis. The red hair with lighter shades running up the sides looks great as well.

Revolver S2-3: I do think this is just, an absolutely banging design. The way it's separated into parts through use of colours and lines. Love the long gloves, and the coat is so cool, it really adds to his presence. The second avatar did a good I think by adding these cut-ins at the hips to give it more definition and volume.

The new hair colour is really good too, adds another change besides the mask showing more of his face to show his growth from the last time we saw him. Like a visual sign he's mellowed out after the breakdown he had in the S1 finale. Especially love the grey-violet eye colour they gave him, it's really nice. And that visor.... I know it's a crime they hide half of his beautiful face, but it's also so exciting to catch glimpses of his fringe under it. And it does look cool, I can't lie.

And of course I have to point out the bullet earrings. Top tier design. Just immaculate. It's so distinct and memorable. It even got made into official merch. Just iconic.

Do I prefer their dub names or original names? His name only gets a letter hacked off in the dub, thankfully, but I cannot take Varis seriously. It's a bit silly, but also in my first language it's spelled and sounds very close to a word for something less than pleasant =_=

OTP Datastormshipping my beloved, datastorm my everything. I can say so much about them but it would make this post even longer.

NOTP Datastorm is such an otp to me that I don't romantically ship either Ryoken or Yusaku with any other character. I don't think anything comes close to NOTP status for me with Ryoken though.

OT3 But I can accept Ai into the mix, since I see him and Yusaku as very queerplatonic.

Favourite card they use Am I basic if I say Borreload Dragon. I love that giant gun boy so much. The colour scheme is very nice, especially with the contrasting teal wings.

But also. Mirror Force is so iconic. It is SO FUNNY they had Revolver use Mirror Force and built it up so much. And for Link monsters it technically is! They can't be put in defense position! How effective it is makes it even funnier. You know he was having a blast blindsiding people with all these old trap cards.

Favourite moment they were in I can't pick one oh god-

Okay but, seriously I can't pick just one. He has so many good moments over the course of the show. All the duels against Yusaku. The first irl conversation he has with Yusaku. First time using Storm Access. Crashing the Ignis reunion party and curbstomping Windy into putty. The due against Lightning. The AFTERMATH of the duel against Lightning. Both duels against Takeru. The final scene between Ryoken and Yusaku. Yeah no I can't pick one. And a lot of his best moments are built from past scenes and the development he's had across the show.

Least favourite moment None, my perfect boy has done nothing wrong in his whole life- /j

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for telling my mom I don't want my older brother moving back in?

People involved: Me (F25), my mom (F55), my older half brother ("Joe", M39), Joe's wife ("Nina", F28)

This situation is way too long and messy to give a full account of, so I'm gonna give the super condensed version. My mom has a lot of health problems and medical debt, and I live with her to help her. We both work 2 jobs to make ends meet and the house is falling apart in some places, but we're barely getting by.

Joe has been living with our grandmother for the last few years, but she's selling her house and moving into an assisted living facility. Joe has known about this for 2 months, and called my mom in tears 2 days before they close on the house asking her for help. Him and Nina have nowhere to put their dog (a rottweiler). Him and Nina have nowhere to put their boat (that they never use and I have no idea why he still has). Him and Nina have nowhere to stay (he had 2 months to find somewhere???)

One of my hard rules when I moved in with my mom is that Joe and Nina not be allowed back in the house for many, many reasons. To name just a few:

Nina is the reason Joe lost his 4 children 6 years ago, and the reason he hasn't done anything to get them back. She failed a drug test while she was pregnant with another man's baby (yes, she cheated on Joe). The baby was taken away as soon as it was born, and she was court ordered to not be around Joe's children until she passed a hair follicle test. Joe brought her around his children. Their bio mom found out and took him to court. Joe lost them. Now he can't even begin the process of getting them back until he and Nina can pass a drug test. Our family has offered to pay for said drug tests, but Nina refuses. She says she doesn't do drugs anymore and could pass it, but she just doesn't want to deal with the kids. Joe is apparently fine with this.

Joe and Nina both have stolen from nearly everyone in our family. They were regularly stealing from my grandmother while they lived with her, all of our aunts and uncles and most of our cousins have cut contact with them because they steal from them at holidays and birthdays.

Nina is lazy as fuck and can't do anything for herself. She lays in bed all day while Joe works 2, sometimes 3 jobs to support their drug habit. She won't cook. She won't clean. If she wants something she SCREAMS for Joe to get it for her.

And probably most importantly: Joe and Nina have stayed here dozens of times before, and it has never ended well. They always say they're only gonna be here a week or 2, but it always turns into months. They always trash the house. They always steal from me and my mom. They always drink and do drugs in our house. Several times I've gotten into physical altercations with Nina when I find her snooping through my room. The last time they were here we found out Joe was prostituting Nina for drugs from our house. We found this out because the cops came looking for them, and told us our house was "a known drug house". When they left, they told the family they left because I was a drug addict who was stealing from THEM.

Now I'll admit: all of this happened years ago, pre 2020. Joe SAYS he and Nina are clean, but I've heard that before. Joe SAYS they just need a month or 2 to find a place to stay, but I've heard that before. Joe SAYS he and Nina are sorry for how they treated us in the past, but I've heard that before.

My mom is a bleeding heart softie and is ready to let Joe come back with open arms, but I put my foot down and told her if he moves in I move out, and she KNOWS he won't help like I do. She tearfully told my brother he can't stay here, and has since been moping about how he's still her son, how she can't believe I'd put her in this position, how no one will give Joe a chance to prove he's changed, etc etc. But I just feel like I HAVE given Joe dozens of chances, and it's not my fault he kept throwing them back in my face. AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[osamusriceballs]

The Accident - Part XIII

Atsumu x fem reader

Warnings: None

Words: ~ 1,4 k

About: Still problems in paradise.

Part I II -> Next Part

7 missed calls from Atsumu Miya

3 new messages on your mailbox

25 new text messages from Atsumu Miya

"Looks like someone's really eager to talk to you," the taxi driver comments when your phone won't stop ringing, but you just snort and finally turn off your phone. "Seems like it, yeah." He raises an eyebrow at your resigned tone but tactfully keeps any further comments to himself, a gesture you appreciate at the moment.

Your whole body feels numb.

You're furious with Atsumu, that's certain. Part of you wants to confront him, ask how he could sink so low as to cheat on his girlfriend – heck, how he could marry you without telling her. Another part just feels sad and disappointed, just wanting to go back home and get some sleep, hoping things will seem better with time. Maybe you'll find out that all of this is just a bad joke, just a misunderstanding. Perhaps she's not his girlfriend – maybe she is someone who misunderstood that he's married and just had no idea that it's you. But why did she claim to have him in the palm of her hand?

You fight back tears and take a deep breath through your nose, thankfully almost home at this point. You won't try to reach out to him. Not after tonight. He'll either contact you tomorrow and explain everything, or you'll not see him again.

xxx

"He hasn't tried to contact you?" Yachi looks at you with sad puppy eyes while she applies a soft pink polish on her nails. You shake your head and hold your cup of tea a bit tighter. The TV quietly plays a movie in the background, something you two don't really focus on right now, especially not since you're finally talking about Atsumu.

"He called a few times during the night, but after that, nothing. Complete silence. I can't even see his profile picture anymore. I think he blocked me." You swallow the heavy lump in your throat at this words. He blocked you. Like you're some kind of obsessed fan or just a nuisance to him.

It's been a week now since it happened. You expected him to at least call again or maybe even visit your apartment after not seeing you for so long, but nothing. He hasn't bothered even giving you the slightest sign of life. But your heart clenched when you saw that he had updated his Instagram profile today with pictures of him at Onigiri Miya's – and you found the strawberry tiramisu that you both had shared the other day among the pictures, you just can't understand why he would do that.

Yachi closes the small lid and looks at you with anger coating her face while she carefully reaches for her phone. "I'll call Hinata and ask—"

"No!" You shake your head energetically, and Yachi lowers her hand. "Please don't bring him into it. It's embarrassing enough that I thought we had something going on." You bury your face in your hand and sigh, and Yachi quickly wraps her arms around you in a comforting way while making sure her fingers don't smudge her polish.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N. I never thought he was seeing someone. Hinata also had no idea, I guarantee it. He would have told me instantly if he knew. And Kageyama would have told me as well. They will give him an earful once they know."

You smile bitterly but still feel a bit better at the thought of cute sunshine Hinata yelling at Atsumu. "It's okay; it's not your fault. I'll forget about him. Just another year, and then I'll completely cut him out of my life."

You smile weakly, finally returning the hug with the mug still in your hand. It's time to forget about him. You'll see him in about a year, and that will be the last time. You'll make sure of that.

"Before I forget, Hinata asked if you received the cards for the Olympics match. You don't have to go, but if you want to, he'd be glad for you to come. He really likes you."

"I'll think about it. It's in a few weeks, right? I don't know if I want to see Atsumu so soon again. But maybe for some sort of closure?" You pull back and look at her with furrowed brows, and she nods at your words.

"I get it. But I'm still really disappointed in him. I really thought he's a good guy."

"Me too." You smile sadly, thinking about the pretty woman in the elevator, feeling a pang in your heart.

A part of you is still longing for him. He makes you feel good, he makes you feel desirable and beautiful. He makes you feel like you matter to him, like you're having a part of his heart. Yet, he hasn't told you about that woman, and it makes you feel dirty. The fact that he hasn't reached out after that night is enough to make you want to forget him and erase any foolish hope that this is just a misunderstanding. It's bitter reality.

You just need to make it clear to your heart that Atsumu Miya is no longer part of your life.

xxx

"Samu, she hates me."

"Yeah, and she has every reason to."

Osamu sighs as he watches Atsumu, a big pathetic clump of sadness practically lying on his counter. Atsumu is in no condition to drive home, and Osamu is well aware of that, already planning to drive to his apartment before he can finally go to his own bed. Since that incident a month ago, Atsumu has become unstable, getting drunk every other night, setting up a dangerous routine. Knowing he has an important match coming up doesn't stop him. Volleyball, always his top priority, now takes a back seat to his misery. Not even Bokuto can cheer him up, and Hinata is suspiciously avoiding him. He suspects Yachi finally told him what happened, though Hinata hasn't mentioned it.

"I even posted a pic of me being here tonight. She didn't come."

"You post pictures of being here almost every night. You can't tell me you expected her to come after parting like that? And you know that there's still the chance that she met her on her way downstairs." Atsumu sighs, slowly lifting his head at Osamu's sharp response. His face is red, eyes red-rimmed – a side effect of the alcohol. He looks horrible, and it actually pains Osamu to see him like this.

"Shut it. I'll call her. I got a new number today. I can call her now; I was just waiting for the right moment."

Osamu hesitates but decides it might be good for Atsumu to finally reach out, after being unable to do so during the past few weeks. Doubtful you'll answer, it's late after all, but maybe when you listen to the whole story and if Atsumu does a lot of groveling and explaining- then maybe you two still have a chance. Osamu still has no idea what kind of fate brought the two of you together, but he is certain that you'd make a great couple. If only his twin had a few more brain cells and a bit more luck.

Atsumu has finally managed to find your contact and started a call, which got directed to your mailbox after a few moments. He clears his throat and straightens his posture before he begins to talk, almost looking like his usual self.

"Y/N? It's me, Atsumu. I know it's been a while, but I'm sorry for everything. I couldn't call or text, but I miss you." He sighs and covers his eyes. "I miss you a lot, actually, I've been thinking about you every day ever since that night. I know it's all kind of messed up, but I can explain everything. Please, just let me. Please, y/n. I don't... don't want to lose you." Atsumu takes a deep breath and ends the call, his hands slightly shaky now.

"That was... corny." Osamu cringes, wiping the counter and putting Atsumu's beer aside.

"That's it – my last try of reaching out to her. If she's not answering, I'll just let her go." Atsumu's words are a bit slurred, but Osamu still gets it. He prays you'll listen – or else he'll be in trouble.

xxx

You wake up to a missed call and a message on your voicemail from an unknown number. Probably spam.

Without thinking twice, you delete the message.