#i'm thinking right before she returned to hill house

[intcthatgoodnight]

@hauntfcrged

The woman before her had said something but Nell had only caught pieces, like a faulty radio. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Had Nell only imagined the words Hill House, or had the woman truly said them? She seemed vaguely familiar … had Nell seen her before? “Are you a colleague of Steves?” She wasn’t sure why that thought came to her. Maybe Nell had seen her at one of those book signings where people asked her brother about ghosts and he lied for money. Maybe she had been at the one Nell crashed a few days ago and that’s why she looked familiar. Nell shook her head as if trying to shake away the fog that weighed her down and left her confused.

[poguehearted77]

Wild Child

summary: after being sent away to boarding school for being a wild child you're finally back and celebrating your return in the only way you see fit.

smut: pool party, ragers, drug use (alcohol, vapes n weed), size kink, Rafe is cocky, mentions of old flings, manhandling, hot tubs, they do it on her parents' bed, rough sex, step-mom slander, reader is such a flirt n a tease, curvy reader, dom! rafe, bratty! reader, skinny dipping, mentions of body shots, choking, spanking (like once).

The morning sun was ascending high into the sky when you finally managed to get yourself out of your king-sized bed, fit for someone of your status and your parents' financial standing.

Your socked feet took padded steps towards your window where you overlooked the hills of figure eight. This was the first time you'd looked out your bedroom window in years. With a deep inhale a soft smile etched its way across your lips. You were finally home, and you had the house all to yourself. Or so you thought.

Your ears pick up on muffled indistinct chatter that managed to travel from the kitchen, down the halls up the elaborate staircase and into your room. Quickly, you headed for the source of the voices and were disappointed to see your dad and his wife plaything, Maria, conversing over coffee at the kitchen island.

"I thought you said the Jet leaves at dawn? What are you guys still doing here?" You try not to sound too curious, arms crossing naturally with your inquiry. With a clearing of his throat, your dad speaks up, "You only just came back two nights ago. Maria and I just don't think it's the right time to leave you alone for the weekend."

You scoff, "Why? You still don't trust me after what happened last time? Get over it, I'm twenty-one now, you can trust me." As you walked over to the fridge for a glass of water, you heard a muted exchange of ideas behind you.

"You can't expect us to forget about all the damage you caused. We still haven't found anyone to repair my crystal vases." You take a long sip, trying to swallow your toxic thoughts with the water.

She thinks she can just waltz up and down the house with that huge ring on her finger and think that her opinion carries any value to you.

You took a deep breath and plastered on a fake smile, pitching your voice to become as sweet as honey.

"I can never apologize enough for what I did back then, but how will I ever earn your trust if you don't give me the chance." Your doe eyes land on your father, specifically his weakened composure.

You're about to break him, you can see it.

He exhales, all the air escaping through his nostrils.

Broken.

He glances down at his watch, "Fine, but if you throw another party so help me god Y/n you'll never see grass again." You play it cool, thanking him with a simple hug and completely disregarding Maria before you make your way back upstairs.

It's as though a weight had been lifted off your chest. You needed them out of the house, you'd been planning this party since you got back and made sure all the guests knew to keep it on the down low, just until they were gone.

The hours fly by, and you hardly keep track of time as you and some of your long-time friends set up the house for the party that you shouldn't be hosting, but you're Y/n Sinclair. Parties are your thing.

"Macy, you let the people in, kay? I'm gonna go get changed." The sun was beginning to set and the music was already blasting, vibrating over the marble floors of the house. Every lyric was punctuated with a shaking of the speakers that could be felt even outside.

The neighbours hated to see you coming.

You know your dad's jet was en route to Fiji and he wouldn't be able to reach you until he landed which wasn't for another six hours at minimum but by then the damage will be long done and far too late to stop.

You make your way up the stairs, the bass thumping through the house and vibrating beneath your feet. As you step into your room, your reflection catches your eye, excitement sparking in your gaze.

With a quick flick of your wrist, you reach for the strappy black and red two-piece, slipping it on, the cool fabric hugging every curve just right. Each strap crisscrosses elegantly, bold yet balanced, making you smile at how perfectly it all came together.

Next, you grab the sheer cover-up, wrapping it loosely around your waist so it drapes with a hint of movement, a playful edge that sways with you. You run your fingers through your curls, scrunching them gently to bring out their bounce, each coil framing your face in soft waves. Reaching for your lip gloss, you swipe it carefully over your lips, catching the light with a glossy shine.

One last look, and you’re ready, your heart beating in rhythm with the music below. The speakers are already blaring, the energy practically calling you back down. You step out with a final tousle of your curls, ready to join the night.

The energy crackles through the backyard as you make your way to the top of the outdoor staircase. The sun has slipped beneath the horizon, casting a dusky glow over the massive pool below, illuminated by floating lights that shimmer across the water.

The bar is buzzing with people grabbing drinks, and in the corner, the foam pit is already filling up, laughter and splashes mixing with the heavy beat of the music.

A neon sign hangs across from the bar, glowing boldly against the evening sky: The Queen of Kildare is Back. You grin, amused at the sight of it knowing it was 100% Macy's doing, and take a step down. Conversations hush, replaced by the roaring blast of excitement as heads turn your way. Hundreds of people, from familiar faces to those you only vaguely recognize from your past in Figure Eight, pause and look up, anticipation brimming in their eyes.

As you descend, your cover-up billows behind you, revealing the bold lines of your black and red two-piece. The crowd’s reaction is instant, erupting into cheers, whistles, and applause that echo across the yard.

"Y/n! Y/n! Y/n" They chant and you laugh. Every step closer to the party, you feel the atmosphere thicken, charged with that infectious blend of excitement and admiration. By the time you reach the bottom, someone’s already handing you a drink, while friends rush over to pull you in for hugs and greetings, their voices nearly drowned out by the music and shouts.

"Y/n Sinclair, s'Been a while."

There's a voice all too familiar addressing you from behind, prompting you to pivot to come face to face with a much taller Rafe than your brain could recall.

"Rafe Cameron. Long time no see." He goes in for the hug, your arms reaching over his broadened shoulders while his longer ones wrap around your waist before pulling back. He not so subtly checked you out, his tongue darting out over his lips briefly as he took you in and you did the same.

The buzzed hair sharpens his features, you think. Making his eyes seem darker, more intense, as they focus on you. His open linen shirt falls loosely over his frame, giving glimpses of his toned chest and the subtle gleam of a thin chain resting against his skin.

The shirt flutters with the breeze, barely hanging on his shoulders, hinting at the strong lines of his arms and drawing your eyes down to his relaxed, dark swim trunks.

He’s saying something, leaning slightly toward you, and his voice cuts smoothly through the bass of the party. Your eyes wander back up to his face, catching the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as if he knows he’s caught your attention.

"You look good, too good. How long's it been?" It's hard for you to think with the heat of his gaze on you, but you don't falter, never surrendering to this never-ending game between the two of you.

"About 3 years." He hums, the way he looks at you, casual yet purposeful, makes your pulse quicken, and suddenly, every sound around you fades, leaving only the warmth of his presence and the way he looks right at you, but you remind yourself to focus.

Rafe looks around the scene, eyes lingering over the wet t-shirt contest and then the game of chicken being held in the pool while others lounged on the various floaties or indulged in ungodly amounts of alcohol at the bar. As he does so, the pungent scent of weed drafts across your nostrils.

"Your old man know you're hostin' tonight?" You had to laugh, "Oh please, like he would ever let me have any kind of fun while he's in town. He and the skank are in Fiji."

The slight smirk that etches over his perfect lips taunts you. "So the house is yours?" He leans in, a little closer, closing the gap between you. "Until he comes back and banishes me again," You place a confident hand against his chest, pushing him away, "But for now, I'm here to party, and you should be too."

With that said you walk away from him, letting your hips sway with seduction radiating with each step. Rafe lets his thumb and fingers stroke over his jaw, feeling the weight of the pressure you'd just applied.

God, it was good to have you back.

The party raged on, slowly approaching its peak, body shots were going on at the bar, girls were doing lines in the bathrooms and the guys had insisted on a drunk game of volleyball in the pool.

Rafe took a break from the events of the party and watched from the sidelines on the couch, taking another hit of the vape that someone had passed to him, he's not sure he can remember who, and it wasn't relevant anyway.

The only person he had his sights set on is you. Watching you have the time of your life with your friends on the platform in the middle of the pool. Your little group, clearly intoxicated danced carefree while you'd begun to put your hands on the ground and throw your ass in circles.

Rafe choked, sitting up, some smoke coming through his nostrils at the interrupted airflow. He leaves his shirt behind on the couch with the abandoned vape, just as he heads for the pool topped hands him a beer which Rafe accepts before he gets in.

Maintaining a straight face as his body acclimatizes to the cool water he's almost immediately swarmed and roped into a round of whatever the current pool game was.

His icy gaze looks up to the center of the pool where you once were but are now nowhere to be found. "Looking for someone?" Your voice was mocking and he was grinning before he even turned around.

"I am actually." With little ripples in the water, he steps towards you maintaining a respectful distance that was driving you insane. "I was looking for someone to join me at the bar," He puts on a convincing facade but you roll your eyes, feigning innocence.

"Let me know if you find her," He slowly steps towards you and step back, "Don't play dumb with me, Y/n." Your plush lips form a gut-wrenching pout, "What do you mean?" Another step forward, another one back. The cycle repeats itself until he has you backed up against the edge of the pool.

Rafe’s hands find your waist, and before you can react, he’s lifting you effortlessly, placing you on the edge of the pool. You're reeling at the slutty display of his sheer strength.

Your legs dangle, brushing against his chest, and he steps closer, slotting himself right between them. His hands rest on either side of you, his arms framing you in as he looks up with that sly grin, every bit as teasing as you are.

“Always out here playin' games, aren’t you?” he murmurs, his voice low, a quiet rasp just for you. “Gotta say, I respect it—always sticking it to your old man, doing your own thing.” He leans in, his gaze drifting down to your lips before meeting your eyes again. “Not many people around here have the guts for that.”

You scoff lightly, though your heart skips as his gaze lingers on you, intense and challenging. “Oh, please,” you tease, rolling your eyes. “Since when do you care about any of this?”

A quiet laugh slips from him as his fingers trace slow, deliberate circles along your thigh. “You think I haven’t been paying attention to you all these years?” he murmurs, leaning closer, his breath warm against your neck.

“You might’ve been gone a while, but don't think I forgot all those nights we had our fun.” His words hang heavy between you as he pulls back slightly. Now his hand rests on your waist, his voice dropping lower.

He tilts his head, studying you with that familiar glint of mischief. “Now that you're back, I think we should relive some of our traditions, for old time's sake,” he says, leaning in until his lips brush against your jaw, light and teasing, close enough to make your pulse race. He pauses, his thumb skimming your cheek, his lips hovering just above yours, waiting. “But don’t act like you don’t want this as much as I do.”

Before you can snap back, his mouth claims yours, the kiss charged with all the years of pent-up tension and that all-too-familiar heat. His hands slide up to cradle your face as you wrap your legs around him, pulling him even closer. The kiss deepens, and when he finally pulls back just enough to catch his breath, he watches you with a smug, knowing grin.

“There it is,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble against your lips, his thumb tracing your jaw as if memorizing every inch. “That look you get right before we make a mess of things. I knew it—you missed this just as much as I did.”

If only someone could recount how the two of found yourselves stumbling up the stairs towards your room, your soaked sheer cover-up left forgotten somewhere in the house after Rafe pulled it off of your frame.

"Shit-- Rafe," your teeth dug into the flesh of your bottom lip as you reached to open your bedroom door, horrified to see two other people had monopolized it. They hadn't even noticed the door was opened so you quickly closed it.

"What the fuck, I thought everyone knew my room was off limits." With a quick scan, you noticed items were hanging off almost all the guest rooms in the hall letting others know the room was occupied.

"Shit, there's nowhere else to go in here?" You think quickly on your feet before rushing off to get something before returning with a key in your grip.

Rafe pulls you close with a smirk as you clutch the key to your father’s room, the gleam in your eyes daring him to follow. “Breaking all the rules tonight, aren’t we?” he murmurs, his voice low and thick with approval. His hand slips around your waist as you unlock the door, both of you glancing down the hall to be sure no one’s watching.

You twist the handle and push open the door, and his hand slides down to squeeze your hip, pulling you against him. “I knew there was a reason I liked you,” he whispers against your ear, his lips grazing your skin, sending a thrill down your spine.

Once inside, you barely have a chance to lock the door before he has you pressed up against it. His lips are on yours, urgent and fierce, his hands roaming over your body with possessive ease. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he breathes between kisses, his fingers tracing the bare skin of your waist as he lifts your top, letting it fall to the floor. “Thought I’d forgotten?” you tease.

Rafe just about growls, dipping down to kiss along your collarbone, his hands sliding lower as he backs you towards the bed. His fingers hook under the waistband of your bottoms, tugging them down with a smirk that sends heat rushing through you.

Your heart races as you feel the cool, forbidden sheets beneath you, the thrill of defying every rule and having Rafe look at you like you’re the only thing he’s ever wanted. His hands slide up your thighs, lips trailing down your neck as he leans over you. “You know,” he murmurs, voice heavy with desire as he takes in the sight of you sprawled out before him, “I always knew you were trouble. Guess that’s why I can’t stay away.”

With a smirk, he leans in, his lips brushing over yours as his hands explore, both of you savouring the thrill of being tangled up in each other once again.

"Look at these perfect fuckin' tits." He curses, big hands cupping your breasts, kneading them and rolling your nipples between his index and thumb. Your back arches slightly with a gasp, chest pressing up into him and he laughs.

"Still so sensitive here, angel? Some things never change." He reminisces and you roll your eyes, "Fuck off, Rafe." With the blink of an eye, his much larger frame was caging you in from above, his bulging biceps giving him an erotic juxtaposition in comparison to your head.

Balancing himself on one arm he slinks his palm around the expanse of your throat with a weighted pressure. "Been gone so long you forgot your manners? Mm? That's fine, I'll be sure to fuck some sense back into you."

Your eyes flutter shut at his filthy words as you feel his hand move and begin to work you between your legs. "Your pussy's fuckin' soaked--shit." He hisses, gaze hungry and his body acts on his thoughts faster than you can register.

A particularly loud moan slips from you as you feel his tongue skillfully lap over your folds, splitting you open as the warmth of his tongue protrudes into your core. "Yes, fuck! Please, don't stop Rafe." You moan, one hand reaching down to hold him by the hair and it hits you that he'd shaved it all off.

You let out a frustrated gruff, both hands fisting the sheets while you're forced to feel the vibrations of his sick laugh running through you at your dramatics. Even the tip of his nose had been covered in your slick, your juices running down his chin as he ate you out like a man starved.

He wouldn't be surprised if they could hear you from outside, but he knows everyone is far too high, too drunk or both to hear you. It wasn't long before your legs were beginning to shake and came with his name falling from your lips over and over like a prayer.

Taking deep breaths to recover from debatedly the best orgasm you've ever experienced, Rafe walked over to the far wall, out of sight, doing something you couldn't see before returning.

Without speaking he scoops you up into his arms, bridal style, another shameless display of his strength but it would be a lie to say it didn't drive you crazy. "What-what are you doing?" Your questions are ignored until he approaches the bubbling hot tub.

A wicked smirk curls across his lips as he eases you onto your feet in the warm water, his hands lingering on your waist, keeping you close. He gazes at you with that knowing glint, the steam rising around you both.

“Feels nice, doesn’t it?” he murmurs, his eyes trailing down your figure, unapologetic. His fingers skim over your sides, sending a shiver through you that’s from anything but the water.

“Are you really just gonna stand there?” you call, feeling the thrill of his attention but wanting to turn the tables, your voice laced with playful challenge.

“Oh, don’t worry,” he chuckles, unfastening his swim trunks and letting them fall to the side with a carefree grin. “I plan on joining you,” he says, slipping into the water and closing the distance between you two with smooth, unhurried steps. You take a hard swallow at his size, you don't remember him being this big.

He was going to destroy you.

You raise an eyebrow, matching his smirk. “Pretty bold of you, Rafe,” you say, your voice teasing as he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you flush against him. “Just like old times, hmm?”

“Better than old times,” he murmurs, dipping his head so his lips graze your ear, his voice a low rumble. “Because now, nothing is stopping us.” He punctuates his sentence by pressing his body up against your back, elevating you a bit so your torso leans over the edge of the tub, granting him easy access to you.

"Fuck, can't believe your ass got even more fucking perfect since last time." His hand raises and comes back down with a loud spank that pulls a sinful moan from your throat. "Rafe, stop teasing." You whine, arching your back and pressing back against him.

His composure already weekend, he decided to let you get away with it this time before he lined up the swollen head of his thick cock with your entrance, "Better grab onto something." That's the last thing you hear before you're being impaled on his dick, your upper half immediately falls forward, and he stills, giving you a second.

You're breathless, it feels like his cock was taking up all the room in your lungs. Some water had splashed over the ledge but that was the least of your worries. Your mind was hazy and focused on Rafe's grunts that escaped him with every snap of his hips.

"Wish you could see how hot you look right now. The Sinclair wild child knows how to take big dick like a champ." His words run straight through you like electricity, fanning the flames of the burning heat that was beginning to form in your belly.

"Shit--This pussy was fuckin' made for me, y'know that?" You moan at his possessive statement. You can only nod, your body had gone limp long ago as he drilled into you. "R-rafe! I'm-" As if you weren't close enough, his fingers begin to rub over your clit aggressively and you jolt with a shriek.

"Oh- fuck, don't stop! Fuck! I'm gonna cum! Please, Rafe." You beg, over and over, arms hanging onto the edge of the tub for dear life as more water splashes around you.

"Wait for me, hold it until I say you can come." You're chewing your lip raw, desperately trying to hold yourself back as he wrecks you from the inside out, his moans getting more frequent, a little more airy and breathless as he tumbled toward his edge of pleasure.

"Cum with me, Angel." Your body spasms as you finish together and he leans his weight against your back, his laboured breathing fanning your ear as you come down from your high.

"Not bad, princess." You couldn't respond and Rafe took note of this, carefully holding you up with one final smug remark, "Hope I didn't wear out the queen of Kildare."

[cece693]

Well Mannered Son (Norman Bates x M! Reader)

In my attempt to write beyond my go-to slashers, I thought Norman Bates would be a good change of pace. I love his character and (in my opinion) he's a good blend of nice guy and murderer.

Summary: The rain didn't stop, causing you to pull over and seek shelter at Bates Motel. The attendant was cute but raised a hell of a lot of red flags. But who said you were the most sane to begin with?

tags: reader isn't the most sane, ignores red flags, thinks Norman is cute, in a creepy sort of way, mother approves, good thing you're a man

The rain pounded against the windshield, so heavy that the wipers couldn’t keep up. You were driving aimlessly, like you often did when your mind got too noisy. Thoughts swirled in your head, dark and restless, pushing you further down the winding, empty roads. But tonight, the storm made things dangerous—even for you. Home was still an hour away, and with the weather getting worse, you knew you couldn’t make it.

That’s when you saw it—the flickering neon sign of Bates Motel. Its glow barely pierced the darkness, but it was enough. You didn’t hesitate to pull over, the car skidding slightly as you came to a stop in the small gravel lot. The place looked like it had seen better days—run down, forgotten—but that didn’t matter. It was shelter, and it was exactly what you needed right now.

Drawing your jacket over your head, you stepped out of the car and made a run for the office. The rain hit you hard, soaking through your jacket in seconds, but you ignored it. The small office was dimly lit, musty, and eerily quiet. You kicked the door shut behind you, pulling off your drenched jacket and shaking it out as you looked around.

“Hello?” you called out, glancing toward the empty reception desk. There wasn’t even a bell to signal your arrival. For a moment, you considered just going back to your car and sleeping there for the night. It wouldn’t be the first time. But before you could turn to leave, a man appeared from the back office, his face lighting up when he saw you.

“Hi, sorry about the wait. The rain didn’t let me hear a thing.” he explained quickly, a nervous smile playing on his lips as he walked toward the desk.

You stood still, your gaze fixed on him. He wasn’t conventionally attractive, not in a striking way, but there was something about him. He was awkward, almost too eager, but that awkwardness had its own charm. His hair was a little messy, like he’d spent too much time fussing with it, and his clothes were plain, almost old-fashioned. But it was his eyes that held your attention. They were bright, but shadowed by something deeper, something that told you this man had secrets.

“It’s no problem,” you finally said, offering a faint smile in return. “I was just hoping to get a room for the night. The storm’s too much to drive through.”

He nodded quickly, his hands fumbling to open the guest book. "Yes, but my mother and I like this weather. Peaceful. I’m Norman, by the way.” he added after a pause, giving you a look that seemed to weigh you against something in his mind.

“Nice to meet you, Norman.” you replied, signing your name in the book. "I'm M/N." You feigned to not notice the way Norman stared as your hand moved across the page, almost as if committing every stroke to memory.

“Room one’s available. It’s just next to the office.”

“Thanks.” you said, taking the key from his hand. Before you could leave, Norman hesitated, his eyes flickering briefly to the doorway behind him. “You know, if you’re hungry or anything, we’ve got dinner at the house. It’s just up the hill. My mother’s there.”

Mother. The word sent a curious ripple through you. You didn’t think much about your own mother, but there was something about how Norman said it that made you pause. It wasn’t the word itself, but the way he spoke of her, as if she was more than just his mother. She was everything to him.

Most people would find that unsettling. But not you. You found it adorable, actually. Endearing. That level of devotion, the way he seemed so close to her, like she was his best friend. How sweet was that?

“She’s your best friend, huh?” you asked with genuine interest.

Norman blinked, caught off guard by your lack of discomfort. “Yes… yes, she is. We do everything together. She’s really quite special.” His smile grew, this time more genuine, a little less awkward.

“Sounds nice,” you said simply. “Not many people understand family like that.”

Norman’s eyes widened just slightly. He was used to people reacting differently to him, but you weren’t like them. You didn’t pull away; you didn’t give him that look. Instead, you stepped closer, and for the first time in a long while, someone wasn’t treating him like a freak.

“Would you like to meet her?” he asked suddenly, almost eagerly.

Most people would’ve run right there, maybe politely declined or pretended to be tired. But you? You nodded without a second thought. "Sure. I’d love to. Just let me dry off a bit and leave my jacket in the room."

Norman’s eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and excitement. "Oh! Yes, of course. Take your time. I’ll, um, let Mother know you’ll be joining us."

You gave him a small nod and headed out of the office, back into the rain for the brief jog to your room. The motel seemed even quieter now, the pounding of the rain on the roof the only sound cutting through the night. Inside your room, you hung up your soaking jacket and ran a towel through your hair, looking at yourself in the mirror.

There was a strange feeling in your chest—something like anticipation, maybe curiosity. You weren’t exactly sure what drew you to Norman. Most people would’ve found his oddness unsettling, but you found it comforting.

Maybe because you weren’t so innocent yourself.

The thought crossed your mind as you stared into your own reflection, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of your lips. You had your own darkness, your own secrets, skeletons in your closet that would send most people running. You liked the way Norman wasn’t trying to hide his oddness. Maybe that said more about you than him.

You headed back out into the storm, making your way up the hill to the old house. The path was slick with mud, and the house itself stood like a shadow looming over the motel. It felt timeless, stuck in a place that was half-memory, half-reality. But instead of dread, you felt an odd sense of calm.

Norman was waiting for you at the front door, his shy smile greeting you as he stepped aside to let you in. The house smelled faintly of old wood and something cooking—homey, in a way you hadn’t expected. You stepped inside, shaking off the rain from your hair.

“You’re just in time,” Norman said, leading you through the narrow hallway into the dining room. “I…um, I hope you don’t mind a simple meal. Mother likes to keep things traditional.”

“I don’t mind at all.” you said easily, glancing around. The dining room was dimly lit, the table set for two rather than three. Norman noticed your gaze. “Mother wasn't feeling well enough to come down tonight. But she’s watching from upstairs. She can see everything.”

For a moment, his words hung in the air. Most people might have felt a chill run down their spine, but you just smiled. “That’s okay. I hope she recovers quickly." Sitting at the table, you couldn't help but add “And I hope she enjoys the company. I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.”

Norman’s face brightened at that, his smile almost childlike in its innocence. “You're not. Mother already thinks you're very polite."

Dinner was served, simple but comforting—roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. You ate quietly at first, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. In fact, it felt like Norman was waiting for something, watching you closely for any sign of discomfort. You could feel his eyes on you, and you couldn’t help but test the boundaries a little.

"You’re a good cook," you said, breaking the quiet. “You must’ve learned that from your mother.”

Norman blushed, his gaze quickly flickering down to his plate. “Y-Yes. She taught me everything. She’s very particular about how things are done.”

“I can tell.” You leaned forward slightly, your voice soft but teasing. “It’s good to know you listen to her so well.”

The compliment seemed to catch him off guard. Norman’s face turned an even deeper shade of pink, and his hand fumbled with his fork. “Oh, I—I try. She always says that a man should be respectful, especially around good people like you.”

You raised an eyebrow, feeling a tug of amusement at his awkwardness. He was trying so hard to keep it together, but your presence was clearly making him flustered. You couldn’t resist pushing just a little more. “Well, I think you’re doing just fine.” your voice lowered slightly, “In fact, I think your mother would be proud of having raised such a well-mannered son."

As the night wore on, the conversation flowed easier. Norman grew more comfortable, though he still stammered and blushed when you pushed him with subtle flirtations. You found it charming, the way he tried so hard to maintain control, only to crumble with the slightest pressure.

Eventually, it was time to leave. You stood at the front door, Norman’s eyes lingering on you as he awkwardly fidgeted with his hands.

“I, um…I hope you sleep well tonight.” he said, voice soft.

You couldn’t resist one last push. Leaning in slightly, you smiled. “I’m sure I will, especially knowing you’re close by.”

Norman blinked, his face turning scarlet again, and for a moment, he looked like he might melt into the floor. Before he could stammer out a response, you took a step closer, leaning in and gently pressing a kiss to his lips. It was brief, just a soft brush, but enough to feel the warmth of his skin and the way his breath hitched in his throat.

When you pulled back, Norman looked utterly stunned, his eyes wide and his face a deep crimson. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. “Goodnight, Norman.” you whispered, giving him one last smile before walking down the hill.

As you walked back to your room, you couldn’t help but grin at yourself. You knew you’d see him again tomorrow. And the next day, and the next day, and the next day...

[gabbytvclarke]

The dog and the postwoman PART FOUR: Strawberries and Syrup

Part one here! ♥ Part two here! ♥ Part three here! ♥ Part five here!

• Summary: Arthur invites the reader back to his flat for the night while his flatmates are out... • Pairing: Arthur TV x female!reader (Also friend!George Clarke and friend!Arthur Hill) • Fluff, and slow burn SMUT • Warnings: alcohol, swearing, innuendoes, and (sober!!!) sex • Word count: 6,326 words • Note: Reader is on the pill • Note 2: I'm sorry for the middle pic

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“My… my roommates are out of town too, so it would be just us.” He shyly adds, peering down at her with darkened eyes. Interesting.

She cocks her head, a mischievous smile tugs at her lips. "Arthur, what are you implying?" She jabs.

"Oh, um, it doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to..." Arthur replies sheepishly, sweat forming at the back of his neck.

"I'm kidding Arthur," she giggles, shaking her head at him, "I'm excited for some y/nTV, regardless of what we do."

"Oh." Arthur lets out the breath he was holding, his fingers still intertwined with hers as they continue walking to his.

"You do have a spare toothbrush and a shower in your hobbit hut, right?" She jokes.

———

"Sorry about the mess." Arthur mumbles as he closes the door behind her. She looks around his home and it's completely... spotless. She gently kicks off her shoes and tries to give Arthur his hoodie back, but he shakes his head and holds up his hand to stop her. "You can borrow that, looks good on you." He says with a warm smile. She giggles out a thank you and folds it on top of her shoes.

"You want another glass of water?" Arthur asks, it then dawns on him that he's never hung out with y/n alone before, outside of a discord call and digital cubic houses anyway. Luckily, he's too drunk for his nerves to completely engulf him.

"Yes please," y/n replies as she makes her way to the lounge area. She tests out which seat is the comfiest and figures it's the larger sofa. Arthur enters with two glasses of water. "Let me know if you want to order food too, I think a few places are still open." He offers kindly.

"Maybe later, I'd like a tour of your home first." She states with a smile. Arthur leads her around the flat. It's a nice place, and y/n can tell he lives with two other women, who she kind of knows through social media. His bedroom is her favourite. It's the perfect mixture of geeky, cozy, and neat. Not as many books as his video backdrop would suggest however.

Arthur stands beside his bed, suddenly feeling heated at the idea of messing up his neat sheets with y/n, but he remains stoic. "Oh!" He lets out, reaching into his drawers and grabbing one of his baggy T shirts and passing it to y/n. "You can change into something comfier if you'd like. I can wait in the lounge." He chirps as he also grabs her some spare pyjama bottoms and socks.

"Thank you Arth." She beams at him as he scurries out the room. She giggles to herself at his wholesomeness; inviting a girl back to his place and then letting her get dressed in privacy. That's Arthur.

He scrolls through Youtube on his TV, looking for something to watch. A more sober Arthur would've cleared his watch history so his homepage isn't flooded with recommendations for y/n's videos. When she enters the room, Arthur can't help himself.

"Y/n, you look adorable!" He calls out to her, smiling from ear to ear. His clothes fit her in such a flattering way. She looks so snug. Plopping down right next to him, she takes a couple sips of water and looks at his huge TV screen with wide eyes. He wonders if she'll make a jab about his video recommendations. "Oh god, I'll watch anything but my own videos!" is all she has to say while laughing. He adores her humbleness as it shimmers once again.

They settle on a video about ghost sightings. Arthur excuses himself to grab a blanket, returning in loungewear as he turns the lights down to add to the ambiance. He looks incredible, his hair extra messing from changing, a baggy black tee and some grey joggers. Does he know what he's doing? He sits next to y/n and instinctively puts an arm around her. The video seems a little lame at first, but the jump scares get the pair really spooked. "That really got you didn't it?" Arthur teases, his voice low and his breath fanning her face. He pulls her even closer to him, "C'mere, I've got you."

It feels right, comfortable. They lean against each other, not uttering a word as they continue watching. Arthur's hand rests on y/n's thigh, just above her knee. Her heartbeat was already rapid before, but it races even further. Arthur starts talking her ear off about his view on ghosts, which she listens to contently, the audio from the TV fading from her focus.

"Oh, the video's finished." Arthur realises midway through a sentence. Ironically, the ChrisMD video they both had starred in is queued up on the autoplay list and they let it load.

"Hm, let's see what the most replayed moments are, shall we?" Arthur says with a smirk, scrolling along and pausing at the spikes. Every moment is when they were both on screen, except for one; when Chip fell over. It's as if Arthur already knew, y/n did not. She sits next to him dumbfounded, her mouth open but curved up at the corners. "If you think that's crazy, now let's read some more comments" Arthur giggles.

"No Arthur, I can't..." Y/n groans as she hides her face in her hands. With one hand pointing the remote at the TV, he scrolls down to the comments so they're in big bold letters. With his spare hand, he pulls y/n's hands away from her shy smile. "Look, look: 'Arthur and y/n keep exchanging glances'!" He reads with a smirk.

"Stop it Arthur!" She chortles, her face burning as she covers her eyes.

But he doesn't: "'O-M-G get y/n and Arthur on more stuff together'"

"Arthur!" She leans over and tries to take the remote. Despite her best efforts, he pulls it further away from her reach, holding it behind him. "Oh this one's great: 'Look at at that eye contact, the tension is crazy'!" His giggles continue as his pitch and volume increase.

Tears are nearly forming in her eyes from laughing so much, she starts trying to climb over Arthur as he falls onto his back on the sofa. She crawls halfway over him and grabs hold of the remote, pinning his hand above his head. Their laughter dies down fast when they realise how intimately close they are; Arthur laying on his back with his legs apart, y/n with one knee resting in between his legs and the other to the right of his body; their faces mere inches from each other.

They exchange a look of intrigue and desire. One of them needs to say something, or do something. Arthur's free hand reaches up to hold her waist. Y/n looks to his lips then straight back into his eyes. "They're right about that tension." She jokes quietly, though her face serious as her eyes darken, watching his pupils dilate.

"Yeah." Arthur whispers, barely audible. His near black eyes focus on her lips. Illuminated by the red glow from the TV, they both slowly lean in until they meet halfway. Their kisses start as small pecks but become something more desperate. He lets out a sigh that fans her face and she smells the Southern Comfort on his breath.

She pulls away. "Arthur... wait." He stops immediately, his hand dropping as he looks intensely up at her, anxiety creeping across his face.

"Is everything OK?" He pants.

"Everything is more than OK," she whispers, equally breathless, "I really want this, but we're drunk. You especially."

Arthur nods slowly. She moves back to sitting next to him hesitantly and intrusively worries that he'll want her to leave, or lose interest in her.

"I'm definitely more sober than you and I really don't want to take advantage," she continues, she gazes into his eyes with genuine care, "can we put a pin in this for now?"

She awaits a response from Arthur, he slowly sits up too.

"You are completely right." He chuckles shyly, adjusting his T shirt over his jogging bottoms. "I guess I got a little carried away there, sorry."

"Do not apologise at all Arthur," she puts her hand on his knee shooting him a genuine smile, "are you... annoyed?"

"Not at all." He puts his arm around her. "Now where were we?" He points the remote back at the TV with a smirk.

"No Arthur!" She giggles. He chuckles as he exits out of the video, handing her the remote.

"You can pick [nickname]. What do you want to do, aside from me that is." He asks with a playful sneer, they both burst into laughter. She's amazed at how unbothered he is, how he can make her feel so wanted and yet can turn it off if she needs it to stop. Ironically, it makes her want him even more, but she needs to hold her ground.

They settle on a documentary about space, one that Isaac had recommended to Arthur before, and they sit in blissful silence as they learn more about the universe. They also decided on pizza, seemingly a pattern with their sleepovers. Arthur keeps pausing the TV to tell y/n a side fact he'd read somewhere, or heard from another documentary. Usually, y/n hates interruptions, but she doesn't mind it with him. This, out of everything, is the moment she realises she's head over heels for the guy.

When the film is over, Arthur stretches and asks y/n if she wants anything. "We can call it a night, or play some Minecraft if you're up for it?" He offers sweetly.

"Actually, I am pretty tired. Would you be OK with me brushing my teeth and hitting the hay?" She asks him, a yawn punctuating her sentence.

"Of course I don't mind y/n, I'll get you a spare toothbrush out." He heads to the bathroom. Y/n piles up a couple of cushions and lays the blanket ready on the sofa, before joining Arthur in the bathroom. "I got a spare towel and flannel out for you too in case you wanted a shower tomorrow morning, feel free to use my soap." He smiles, deciding to brush his teeth then and there too.

"You really are something Arthur." Y/n says with a delighted sigh.

"Something good I hope," He mumbles in response, his toothbrush still in his mouth and foamy toothpaste all over his smile. She can't help but grin at him as she nods. Once they’re both minty fresh, y/n starts making her way to the sofa. “Wait, what’re you doing?” He asks.

“Going to sleep Arth,” she replies with a confused chuckle.

“Oh no, you can take my bed. You’re not sleeping on a sofa!” He politely informs her. He rushes to her side, almost to guide her back to his room.

“Arthur, you’ve made me feel more than welcome tonight, you deserve to sleep in your own bed!” Y/n sweetly replies. They reach his room.

“Well, that settles it, we’ll have to share it,” Arthur shrugs, his face then getting more serious, “only if you want to though.”

She feigns thinking hard. "Which side of the bed do you prefer?" She then asks.

"Which ever isn't the side you want." He replies with a soft voice.

She rushes to the lounge area to grab her phone, charger, and water. Randomly picking the left side, she climbs in and sighs out another yawn. "Wow, your bed is really comfy," she exclaims, lightly jiggling herself up and down, "and bouncy!"

Arthur laughs at her cuteness. "It is bouncy..." He trails off, his mind going to darker places. He can just about see through his T shirt on her, noticing the way her breasts jiggle and has to tear his eyes away before she notices. And before he gets too excited again. "You OK Arth?" She asks sweetly, seemingly not noticing.

"Oh, um, I'm fine..." He answers, a little too immediate, yet too hesitant at the same time. "But I... usually only sleep in boxers and a tee. Would that be OK?" He awkwardly scratches the back of his neck, slowly getting more sober by the minute at the thought of actually laying next to the girl of his dreams in his own bed.

"That's totally fine, I was about to ask you if I can do pretty much the same thing. I can't stand the feeling of loose fabric on my legs in bed." She giggles.

"Right? It's so uncomfortable!" Arthur yells, still not sober enough to control his volume apparently. He clears his throat and slowly pulls his joggers down, revealing fitted boxers underneath. Y/n pretends to check a phone notification that doesn't exist, as an excuse not to stare, before removing Arthur's pyjama bottoms from under the quilt, folding them, and dropping them on the floor beside her. He adjusts his LED lights to a dim shade of purple, very cozy and reminiscent of his old Tiktok videos.

He slides in next to her, realising that he's not used to one particular side of his bed, but he'll make an exception for her. He's sure he'll be accustomed to the right side one day. Preferably forever. He lays on his back with one hand under his head, the other on his phone. Adjusting his screen brightness and volume as to not disturb y/n. Meanwhile, she lays on her side, away from Arthur, in an attempt to get comfortable. She then rolls over to face him.

"I've got a question for you." She whispers.

"What's that then?" He asks with a side smile, his voice quiet as he turns his head to lock eyes with her.

"Big spoon or little spoon?" She asks.

He chuckles at her cuteness, he wasn’t sure whether the question was going to be serious or not. “I like both.”

“Good answer. What’s your preference for tonight though?” She replies.

Arthur pauses to think, twice tonight he’s been flustered. He doesn’t really want to feel like that again while up against her. He only thinks for a few seconds, but his mind is out to get him tonight. It travels to how her cheeks would feel when he slams into them, all thanks to Becky pointing out y/n’s ass is at the pub golf. He stiffens at just the thought. “L-little spoon tonight.” Smart reply. He doesn’t want her to feel it. Not yet.

He rolls to his right and the bed shifts as she joins him, her arm reaches round his torso and he silently begs that she doesn’t shift her hand down a couple of inches. Her body flushes against him and she feels so warm, so encompassing. He feels safe, but she’s made him feel that way since they first exchanged words.

Now her mind plays dirty. She thinks about that kiss on the sofa, his desperate sigh. His stubble scratching against her skin just the right amount. The way his hand slid up to her waist. The way his eyes undressed her. She wonders what the morning will bring when:

“What are your plans for tomorrow again?” Arthur mumbles.

“Oh, nothing.” She replies, still a little distracted.

“Wrong. You’re spending the day with me.” He replies, almost smooth until he hiccups at the end. She lets out a sleepy laugh and pulls him closer.

“Sounds good to me Arth.” She whispers.

“I look forward to it.” His velvet voice replies. He locks his phone and yawns, setting on his bedside table. “Good night, my little gem.”

She was asleep before she could reply.

———

A faint hissing sound ushers her awake. She frowns as she remembers she’s not in her own bed. She’s facing the wall, not the direction she remembers falling asleep in. Swallowing the morning dryness out of her throat, she rolls over to find the bed empty. “Arthur?” She asks quietly. No response.

She gets up and gives herself a good stretch. She checks her phone to see nothing from him. Her body still not 100% awake yet, she exits his room to find a glorious sight: Arthur in the kitchen area, with just a towel around his waist and messy bed hair. He catches her out the corner of his eye.

“Good morning sleepy.” He chirps, beaming at her. She dreads to think how she looks.

“G’morning Arthur.” She replies with a smile, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes. “Have you been up long?”

“Nah, about 15 minutes I’d say. Just had a shower and then started breakfast.” He replies, concentrating on the frying pan he’s using. “There’s plenty of hot water left for you by the way.”

“Thank you Arth, what are you making?” She joins him in the kitchen, curious and hungry.

“I’m making us some pancakes. It felt like a pancake morning.” He replies, looking happier than ever. “Although they’re not looking too nice.”

"They smell delicious though." She grins as she stands next to him, watching him struggle to scoop up the half cooked batter to flip it. "Here, let me help." Arthur steps aside and lets her take the utensils. His eyes travel from her concentrating smile, down to his T shirt she's still wearing, the further down to her gorgeous bare legs. He adjusts his towel, just in case.

"I don't think there's enough oil here." She mumbles, pouring a little more in and fixing the pancake. "I can do the rest of these if you need to make yourself more decent". She gestures to his towel and gets a better look at his muscles. Her eyes linger for a moment at his perfect six pack and broad shoulders. She takes what she thinks is a subtle sigh, but Arthur can sense her getting flustered.

"You don't think I look decent?" He teases, cocking his head.

"Oh! That's not what... You look incredible, I mean-" She stammers, her eyes going wide.

Arthur squints his eyes shut as he laughs. "I'm kidding! I'll get changed." Y/n stares ahead in disbelief at herself as Arthur walks away. Before he's out of sight, she can see the back of his neck turning red.

"Sorry for starting breakfast and then leaving it for you." Arthur says sheepishly as he rejoins her in the kitchen. He takes a seat up at the counter as she flops the last pancake onto his plate and slides it to him. His eyes pop at the presentation.

"It's really no problem at all, it's better than you burning the place down." She quips as she sits next to him and they dig in. He laughs but interrupts himself with a hum of appreciation, loving their breakfast collaboration.

Y/n breaks the silence. "I hope you don't mind, but I opened a window. It got a bit smokey in here."

Arthur finishes his mouthful, "Don't you mean steamy?" He jokes, smirking at her and bouncing his thick eyebrows. Y/n laughs, covering her mouth as to not spit out her food. She shakes her head at him.

"Don't try and deny it, you were definitely checking me out earlier." He added, cockily. Her mouth widens but she still dons a smile.

"It's not my fault you were wearing nothing but a slutty little towel." She jabs back playfully. Arthur's jaw then drops, he puts his finger in the syrup and swipes it over her lips. Shovelling the last bit of his pancake in his mouth, he rushes out of his chair to avoid any counter attacks. "Oh you're in big trouble Frederick." She grumbles with a grin.

"Don't threaten me with a good time y/n!" He giggles as he starts backing away from her. She hops out of her chair with the whipped cream can in hand, she runs after him but he's much faster. She presses the lid as hard as she can and cream sprays everywhere, including the back of Arthur's hoodie and joggers. He pauses and turns around, a look of surprise on his face.

"That's what you get when you mess with me, towel boy." She smirks, throwing the can in the air and catching it like a cowboy.

"That's it!" Arthur calls as he sprints after her this time. As they both rush past the table, Arthur grabs a strawberry as his weapon of choice. She runs to the lounge area, shrieking as he clambers over the sofa and catches her. He wraps one arm around her and tries pressing the strawberry to her mouth with the other. "Open wide," he mumbles mischievously, but it sounded a little too sexy to y/n. Two can play at that game.

As she wriggles around trying to get out of his grip, she grinds her ass against his crotch. She hears his breath hitch from behind her as he stops for a brief moment, before continuing his attack. "You naughty girl." He murmurs in a low, definitely seductive tone, a pitch deeper than she's ever heard from him. "Get here now."

He manages to turn her to face him amongst the play fighting, a mix of syrup and strawberry juice on her lips. He holds her flush against him with her arms pinned to her side. "Don't you look delicious." He whispers with a smirk. She can feel his phone digging against her and it's just enough stimulation to cause the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. He leans in and licks a slow deliberate line across the corner of her mouth.

"Mmm," he hums, his eyes getting heavy, "I bet that's not the only place you taste good." She can't believe what she's hearing, her breaths get shallower as she instinctively licks her own lips. The mix does taste nice to be fair. He peers into her eyes and chuckles before his phone rings. From the kitchen counter. Oh, she thinks.

"To be continued," Arthur quips, recognising the set ringtone. "It's my manager." He heads to answer it, a little out of breath himself.

"I'm just gonna go shower and freshen up." She excuses herself, just before he accepts the call.

She washes off the mini breakfast she was wearing on her face as she stares at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her face is bright red, and not from the strawberry. Arthur's muffled voice from the other room envelopes her as her thoughts take her to his deeper voice from earlier. A sudden wave of shyness engulfs her, that that side of him had been dwelling all this time, but she can't say she's surprised. He's always had a certain cheekiness to, of course that would extend to his bedroom antics. She spots the folded up towel placed beside the sink, where Arthur showed her, but now it has a spare pair of joggers and hoodie on top. He's so considerate. Just as well, the shirt she slept in had food all over it anyway.

———

His phone call didn't last long at all. Arthur awaits y/n's return in the lounge, adjusting his excitement in his waistband and taking a deep breath. Without her beautiful presence, nerves begin to wash over him. He just hopes that he didn't freak her out too much with his playfulness. He then gets a funny thought, and reaches for the TV remote with a smirk.

A few minutes later, y/n emerges from the bathroom wearing a new, but equally cute, outfit. Just seeing her again calms him. She approaches him with an ice breaker prepared. "Everything alright with your manager?" She asks sweetly.

"Yeah," Arthur replies, eyeing y/n up and down, amazed at how she pulls off any outfit, "just double checking my upload schedule, nothing serious." She takes a seat next to him and gets herself comfortable.

"That's good, what are we watch-" She stops mid sentence as she looks at the TV, her mouth hanging open. "Are you serious?" The TV is paused on their pub golf video again, and Arthur chuckles as he scrolls back down to the comments.

"I thought we'd continue our light reading." Arthur sniggers, finding another comment about the pair. "'Arthur wants that cookie so bad hashtag y/nTV'"

"Not this again!" Y/n cries out, laughing. Arthur turns the TV off and throws the remote on the floor. He leans over and wraps his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Don't be such a baby!" He whispers teasingly. She can hear his smirk as his breath tickles her neck. Round two of the play fight begins. She pushes at him and reaches for his armpits, surprised to figure out he's also ticklish. He shrieks out little 'no's and pleas as he falls onto his back on the floor, y/n tumbling down with him. Luckily the blanket from the night before was crumpled up there, so they were cushioned.

Y/n near straddles him, her knees resting either side of his hips, as she holds herself up. His hands intertwine with hers in a desperate attempt to defend himself. She shifts her weight forwards, pinning his hands either side of his head. They both catch their breaths as Arthur looks down at their bodies, before locking eyes with y/n. He cocks his head with a grin. "Have we been here before?" He chuckles, his face heating up. Y/n bites her lips between her teeth, feeling her lower belly tense before shyly smiling.

"I think we can remove that pin now." Arthur whispers, before leaning upward and capturing her lips in a kiss. It’s not long before the kisses grow passionate and needy again. He swipes his tongue across her bottom lip, a silent request for entry, which she grants. Without the blaring music from the karaoke bar, y/n can hear everything. Every hum of enjoyment or needy whimper coming from him, like little melodies.

Letting go of his hands, she uses one to keep herself steady as the other cups Arthur's cheek. His now free hands raise to hold her at her waist, sliding his fingers under the fabric of his hoodie and lightly grazing his nails up and down her sides. The sensations begin driving her wild, leading her to accidentally let out a soft moan into his lips as her body lowers even more, flush against his.

He pulls away from her, panting slightly, his lips wet and puffy. That sound, it was music to his ears. He looks up at her with blown out pupils, his eyelids low. She in turn, can't take her eyes off him either. He wraps one arm around her torso and threads his other hand up through her hair, resting it on the back of her head, and pushes her down to continue their kissing. Soon after, he rolls the pair of them over, kneeling between her legs as he lowers himself. A gasps escapes her lips for the brief moment they separate, knowing it can't be his phone in his pocket. But her breath is cut off again by his hungry lips. He begins kissing across her jaw until he lands under her ear, exhaling a low hum and sending shivers down her spine. "I'm gonna spoil you so good." He whispers in her ear before softly biting at her neck, that deeper voice making its return. She can't help but whimper in response, instinctively bucking her hips up against his tented joggers. "Fuck, y/n..." he groans. He's magnetised back to her lips as they kiss some more.

Arthur pulls away, needing to take a breath. "Do we... need a condom?" He asks, checking for consent. She looks up at him with soft, dark eyes.

"I'm on the pill and yes, I really want this." She purrs as combs her fingers through his wavy hair, knowing him all too well. Arthur sighs as his eyes roll back with relief, he leans further back on his knees to remove his T shirt. A small gasps escapes y/n's lips as Arthur leans back over her and lets her run her fingers over his chiselled abs. "Holy shit..." She whispers under her breath, and he hums contently under her gentle touch, his tent twitching as he watches her reaction. His fingers toy with the bottom of the hoodie.

"Let's make this fair shall we?" He teases, tugging on it a little. He leans back again as she sits up, shyly removing the hoodie knowing full well her bra's still in the bedroom with the rest of her clothes. She watches his eyes darken as they lock straight on to her chest, his mouth falls open. He raises a hand ready and then pauses, looking at her face.

"You don't need to hesitate," She whispers, "you can do what you want with me, Arthur." She's fully under his seductive spell and just like that, he manoeuvres further down her body and dives in. His lips wrap round her left nipple, while his hand gently massages the other breast. She throws her head back and moans his name in hushed tones. As he continues nipping and suckling, he presses his head against her chest to gently lay her flat on her back again. He then switches his lips to her right nipple as his hands slide down her sides and rest at the waistband of the jogging bottoms. He exhales a moan against her nipple as he hooks his fingers under the fabric, before pulling away and looking up at her through his heavy eyelids.

She peers down at him as he peppers kisses down her belly whilst edging the joggers down, pulling down her underwear with them. Feeling a little shyer, y/n giggles as she raises her hips to help him further. He moves to her side to allow her to remove the joggers with her feet and kick them away. She naturally bends her legs and keeps them together. Arthur chuckles as he kneels by her feet, his callused hands sliding up her calfs and resting on her knees before spreading them open.

"Oh my goodness..." He whispers in delight, the naked goddess before him being even more gorgeous than his imagination. "You're so fucking beautiful." He wraps his big hands round her thighs and pulls her closer, her body sliding along the soft blanket with ease. He shifts back as he lays himself flat on his stomach, meeting her gaze as he dips his head lower.

"Arthur, you don't have to-" She tries, but is cut off when Arthur presses a wet kiss to her inner thigh. He looks down at her pussy.

"But I'm hungry." His licks a stripe up from her hole to her clit, his eyes dart back up to hers as she arches her back and gasps. He flicks his tongue over it again and again, grunting through his nose as he watches her through furrowed eyebrows, her whimpers cheering him on. He grips her thighs tighter as he buries his head more, his attention now on her entrance as his tongue darts inside. She moans his name as he tongue-fucks her, his nose bumping her clit. She watches him in complete bliss as his eyes are fluttered shut, his hands clasped round her thighs.

Sensing her body's growing tension, he focuses back on her clit, suckling on it in a rhythm that matches her heavy breathing. As she approaches orgasm, she can't even find the words to tell him, she just grips his soft fringe and rocks her hips a little in time with his sucking. He moans through his nose as his dark eyes burn into hers and she releases. Her legs shake and she can't help but call his name as he continues the pace that he can tell works for her. As her breathing steadies, he pulls away and wipes his lips with the back of his hand.

He climbs to his feet and stands by her head, reaching a hand out. "Come on gorgeous." He says with a side smile. Y/n moves to her knees, face to face with his achingly stretched out joggers. She reaches for his waistband.

“No darling.” He coos, reaching a hand to her cheek. “We can do that another time, but right now, I need to be in that pussy.” His fingers intertwine with hers as he leads her to the bedroom, the dopiest smile growing on his face as he turns to look at her en route. She’s still cooling down from her orgasm, but he can see she’s excited for what’s next.

When they reach his room, y/n takes charge a little. Still wanting to return the favour somehow, she pushes him onto his bed. He lets out a little ‘oof’ as he’s taken aback, a grin creeping on his pussy drunk face. She chuckles as she climbs on top of him. Naturally, he reaches up to play with her breasts again. “These are magnificent-" he praises before she cuts him off with another kiss. She tastes herself on his tongue which only turns her on more.

She grinds her hips against him, eliciting soft whimpers from him into her mouth. He reaches down to remove his bottoms, now dampened from her wet pussy, and she shifts to the side to allow him. She watches hungrily as his cock springs free, slapping his lower abs. He’s a little bigger than what she’s experienced in the past, but she’s willing to take the challenge. She straddles him again as his cock lays against his torso. She grinds her pussy up and down his length to tease him as his hands grip at her waist. Already it feels so good and he’s not even inside her yet.

“Please y/n.” He begs between desperate breaths. She holds herself higher on her knees as she positions him at her entrance. She lowers herself just enough to make contact, just enough for him to feel how warm she is. He whines quietly through his nose as his hands slide down to her hips and giving the soft flesh a squeeze. His eyebrows knit together as he looks down as his cock, fighting the urge to slam her down.

She watches his face change as she sinks down on him, taking him in completely. They both let out a loud moan in near perfect harmony. He throws his head back with pleasure as he lightly digs his nails into her hips. After taking a couple of seconds to adjust to his size, she begins rocking her hips back and forth.

“Fuck, y/n,” Arthur pants, “you feel, fuck, incredible.” He watches as she works on him, her boobs jiggling as she switches to bouncing on him to roughen things up. His groans grow louder as his mouth hangs wide, watching her with total bliss. His cock is the perfect size, hitting all the right places and stretching her walls just the right amount. She leans forward to kiss him as she rides him.

He interrupts their kissing to whisper her name through gritted teeth against her lips, while he cups her face. He can feel her walls tightening and her whimpers growing more intense. He wraps his arms around her and pins her chest against his before thrusting up into her at incredible speed. She buries her face into the crook of his neck, unable to keep her composure as her second orgasm takes her by storm. He fucks her hard and fast through it and gradually slows down as she recovers. He stills inside her as she catches her breath, planting thankful kisses down his neck.

He keeps her pinned against him as he rolls them both over, still inside her as he kneels between her legs. “Think you can handle some more?” He asks, his voice almost a growl. She stares up at him, completely drunk in lust as she simply nods her head. “Good.” He murmurs as he begins rocking his hips into her, starting off slower and gentler, before pinning her down by the backs of her thighs and pounding her hard. He bites his lip and frowns as he concentrates on slamming that spot in her, feral grunts leaving him. Watching her enjoyment only keeps him energised as he fucks her savagely, but he wants his lips on hers again.

He shifts his weight onto his elbows, unable to pound her as rough but he rocks his hips at a faster and deeper pace. He presses his forehead to hers as he begins moaning louder, her own noises sounding like heaven. “Fuck. You feel so fucking good y/n.” He grumbles. He captures her lips in another heated kiss as he feels her walls tightening once again. “You wanna cum together baby?” He whispers. She groans out an ‘uh-huh’ in response, unable to speak from the sheer pleasure.

He leans to one elbow, using his free hand to cup her jaw as his own orgasm approaches. Despite them tingling, she raises her legs more to allow him to thrust even deeper. Her nails draw sensual stripes down his back.

“Arthur, I’m gonna-”

“Me too y/n. I, FUCK-”

He roars out a guttural moan as he releases into her, her tight walls milking him as they orgasm together. She wraps her arms and legs around him, pulling him as close to her as possible as they groan each other’s names. He kisses her as the wave dies down in their storm of passion.

Leaning away from her, he peers down at her affectionately as he catches his breath.

“Oh my god Arthur.” She exclaims, her voice raspy. He pecks another kiss to her lips before pulling out of her and rolling to her side.

“Wow.” Is all he can muster on his beaming lips. Still panting, he gets up to grab her a towel and begins running a bath for them both.

“Arthur, that was… incredible.” She whispers with a huge smile on her face.

“‘Was’? I'm not finished with you yet.”

♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥

[PART FIVE (FINALE)]

A/n: my first smut piece. Honestly writing this got me kicking my feet, not gonna lie. The support has been amazing, I appreciate everyone's kind words and making me feel so welcome here. ♥♥♥ I'm not sure if a part 5 is needed, maybe an insta AU hard launch to round it off? ♥ Taglist: @ooostarwarsfandom501st @themdera @rougetv @essieswurld @darleneslane - Gabby xo

[lokisprettygirl]

Come As You Are (Eric Draven! Bill Skarsgard's Version x Female Reader) (18+) (Slight Au)

Read Chapter 14 here //Series Masterlist

Chapter 15 (Last)

Summary : Love so strong that even death couldn't keep you away from him.

Warning: 18+, smut, dirty sexual thoughts,, Description of self harm, dry humping, drug use, Eric is a past drug addict with suicidal tendencies, self harm, use of cuss words, description of claustrophobia, reader is in her early thirties, mention of sexual assault, death and murder, Consumption of alcohol and weed, periods

Note: Finishing a series? Who is she? I'm going to miss writing this series' and this Eric 😭 but I'm so happy to be able to finish this. Also wanted to thank each one of you who appreciated this series and commented, reblogged constantly..that kept me going seriously ❤️ Enjoy. I do have another series in mind with Eric so hopefully I'll be able to write it soon.

“What is this place?” you asked the man in front of you, he seemed much older than you. You looked around the place, it was a house, but you didn't recognise it. You could see the greenery outside from the window in the living room, a house on the top of the hills but you had never been here you knew that. It was beautiful though, you wished you had Eric here with you, that would have made it absolutely perfect.

“Do you like it?” You heard Eric's voice so you turned around, he was dressed in all white, you had never seen him wearing this colour so that surprised you, he looked so good, as you looked into his green big eyes he seemed so happy, they shined so brightly as if there was no pain or sorrow anywhere in him anymore.

'Don't leave me'

You heard a faint voice calling out to you but then it faded, it sounded like Eric but he was right in front of you. Right?

“Eric baby..i thought I had lost you” you mumbled as you wrapped your arms around his neck and got on your tiptoes to embrace him tightly..

“Lose me? That's impossible baby.”

He mumbled softly but then everything came rushing back. Samuel Roeg, the gunshot, dying. It all came back.

Was this heaven? Were you dead?

In the blink of an eye Eric disappeared so you turned to the man, panicking at his absence.

“Where is he? Where's he gone?” you asked him so he smiled “Who are you?’

“You know me. You must have heard of me. And Eric? Well he doesn't belong here…yet..not like this but you can have him anytime you want. All you have to do is think of him” Kronos said to you.

“What do you mean? Where am I?” you asked as you felt so uneasy suddenly.

“It's different for different people, heaven, jannat, swarg. Eternal bliss”

Heaven? You have never believed in the existence of God before you met Eric, so how come you were in heaven?

“But..Eric..i need him” your eyes teared up as you thought of him being all alone down there.

“You can have him anytime you want” he said to you “just wish for him”

You closed your eyes and when you opened them you were outside now, sitting on the greenest softest patch of grass, watching the sun rise with Eric's head resting in your lap.

“Baby-” you murmured as you cupped his cheeks so he sat up to kiss you.

Don't leave me. You heard the voice again and it bothered you, it sounded so much like Eric, he was hurt, he was crying. He needed you.

“Where did you go? Don't leave again “ you mumbled anxiously so he smiled again.

“I won't, I'm in here” he said as he pressed his palm over your chest “I'll be here whenever you want” he mumbled as he kissed you.

His smile never disappeared though and it felt weird. It felt as if it wasn't even him, Eric in front of you felt unreal, not like the man you had grown to love so deeply in the past year.

You closed your eyes again and when you opened it Kronos had returned. Eric was gone again.

“Isn't this perfect, my child? Eternal bliss? No pain, no misery, no grief here, only happiness” Kronos said to you so you shook your head.

“It's nice ..it's ..i..but my Eric. Where is he? Not the one in my head..my Eric where is he?” he chuckled as you questioned him.

“He lived, he's where he's supposed to be..on earth, like all humans are, his soul..your love helped restore it” your eyes teared up as he said that. You felt your heart skipping a beat realising that he was whole again, that you'd not have to leave him alone when you die, that you could grow old with him-, your smile faded as you realised you were already dead and he was all alone down there.

“But he's alone?” you asked him so he smiled.

“That's his destiny i suppose”

“No I can't..I can't be here..i can't leave him alone down there, the world..it's so cruel to him, it's so unfair to him, always had been since he was a baby and he needs me..he needs me” you said to him, you didn't want to be here, not without him.

“Are you sure about it? Like I said you can have him anytime you want. All you have to do is think of him. Life on earth is filled with pain and uncertainty” he said to you, you thought about Eric but as you opened your eyes you saw that happy, ever smiling Eric, the perfect Eric who seemed as if he had never had anything wrong happen to him. That's not the man you loved. You walked past the image of him and approached Kronos again.

“I don't care..I need to be with him..i need my Eric, I need to be with him” you screamed at Kronos as you stepped closer and closer to him.

“Then go back” Kronos pushed you back, making you trip on your feet and when you opened your eyes next found yourself in a hospital, you saw a few terrified faces hovering over you.

“Oh god..Call Dr. Milton, tell him she's up” one of the nurses said as she placed the stethoscope over your chest.

“Eric..eric” you mumbled softly as you began to sit up so she shushed you.

“Hey, don't speak. Preserve your strength”

As the doctor entered he was so pale as if he had seen a ghost, he was shocked but years of training immediately put him in an autopilot mode, you were instantly hooked to different medical equipments, then they took you in for the surgery to remove the bullet from your thigh, you had lost a lot of blood but your heartbeat and pulse seemed steady now.

“Where is Eric?” that was the last thing you had asked before you lost consciousness again as the anesthesia began to lull you to sleep..

*****

A floor down from where you were being treated, hours had passed and Eric woke up with immense grief heavy in his heart. He wished all of this was a nightmare but it wasn't, it was real. You were gone, he had lost you and he did absolutely nothing to save you. He wanted to blame everyone, Melody, Samuel, Roeg, Kronos even for keeping him in the dark about the truth, and most of all he wanted to blame God but he knew the person responsible for your death was only him.

None of this would have happened if he had kept himself away from you like he was supposed to.

As began to cry and his heartbeat sped, a nurse entered the room and tried to calm him down, he got up and removed several drips he was hooked to, he didn't need the surgery, the bullet had barely grazed his shoulder, that's when a bunch of doctors entered and injected him with a sedative that made him calm, he felt so dizzy.

“Y/n-need to see her.. please..” he mumbled as he cried so the doctor nodded his head.

“You can see her when you wake up..she's okay now”

That's what he heard before the darkness consumed him.

Just a few hours before he had witnessed your lifeless body being taken away while he wailed like a widow and begged for you not to leave him. So what did the doctor mean?

When he woke up again a nurse helped him sit down on the wheelchair and took him to the 11th floor of the hospital. Anticipation was killing him, where was she taking him? He didn't think he was strong enough to see your dead body yet. To know that he'd never have those beautiful eyes of yours looking at him? that he'd never get to touch your warm body and kiss you to his heart's content, that he'd never hear you laughing at his stupid jokes, that he'd never get the chance to give you the life you deserved. That killed him.

He didn't want his soul if he had to be here without you.

But maybe he needed to see you like that, dead and lifeless, he needed to see to accept that you were truly gone. Maybe that will finally stop his own heart from beating as well and he'd be able to be with you finally. He hoped for that. He really hoped for that.

As they entered a room his eyes widened as he saw you on the hospital bed, hooked with different machines, the heart machine beeping soundly, he could see your chest heaving as you breathed in softly.

“How?” That's all he was able to say as the nurse dragged his wheelchair closer to your bed.

“Medical miracle they're calling it, but i believe it's something else” the nurse spoke to him “She was dead for eleven minutes but she's completely fine now, no brain damage, nothing, she's recovering well”

Eric was shocked at the turn of the situation, life never really worked in his favour but he wasn't surprised, he had seen those miracles firsthand. He looked up, silently thanking whosoever was responsible for this. He didn't deserve you being taken away from him like that.

He grabbed your hand, the warmth had returned in your skin, you seemed lovely as ever and all he wanted was for you to wake up and look at him with those beautiful eyes of yours.

As the nurse left to give him privacy he spoke your name softly, his fingers scratched your scalp and you opened your eyes slowly. As soon as you saw him you smiled. This was your Eric, the Eric you loved so deeply, not the empty, happy looking shell of him you had seen up there. Broken, battered, damaged from life yes but he was your Eric, he had lived, he had lost and he was the strongest man you had ever known in your life.

He laid down next to you just to feel you and then he cried and cried for hours, you didn't stop him either, you knew how much it must have hurt him to watch you die like that so you just caressed his head and ran your fingers over his scalp as he sobbed into the crook of your neck.

“Everything will be okay now baby” you mumbled softly as his sobs slowly quietened, you were alive, you were okay and he was going to keep it that way now.

“Don't leave me ..never” he muttered between his cries so you nodded.

“Never..wherever we go..we will go together now”

Your parents visited you in the hospital and once the shock wore off and they realised you were doing fine now they began to criticize your life choices again, well your mother did. Your mother berated you for being involved with a criminal druggie like Eric while your father was secretly happy as you finally had someone in your life.

You just listened to her screeching voice with a smile on your face, you had zoned out, thinking about having Eric's cock inside you the moment you'll get out of here.

As days passed and turned into weeks you both recovered, with Melody and Bill being involved in the matter the case had taken a big turn, a lot of media attention was on the case and Eric was taken in custody as well but he was let go as he only acted in defence, they had no evidence for all the killings he was involved in before. Maybe Kronos had a hand in that too but you didn't care as long as he was with you.

Surprisingly Dina or Cheryl didn't come see you at the hospital, Laura did though and she was kind as ever. And so did Bill. Turns out he wasn't a leaf as per Eric's logic.

When you were discharged from the hospital Eric took you back to the apartment, as you entered you noticed how clean it was, leaving the mess of his clothes on his couch as he slept there in your absence, he couldn't sleep in the bed without you, he had also decorated the bedroom with flowers and candles and what not.

“You sit here..I'm going to run a warm bath for you” he said to you as he cupped your cheeks and leaned down to kiss you.

“Only if you'd join me too” you murmured against his mouth so he smiled.

“Whatever you want”

You sat down between his legs as he washed your hair, his fingers gently cleansing your scalp. Your wound had healed but it had left a big scar on your flesh, but for some reason you didn't hate it as much as you thought you would.

You turned around to face him so he gave you a smile before he kissed you, the kiss was gentle at first but it heated up quickly, it's been weeks and he needed you as desperately as you needed him.

After bathing you clear of the soap he laid you down on the bed. You ran your fingers over the scar on his shoulder and his breath hitched in response.

“You know..sex might not be as good as before now that I'm mortal” He said as he leaned down to kiss you, his hard cock rubbed against your thighs.

“You really think it was your immortality making it so good?” you asked him so he smiled as he planted his lips on yours again.

Moments later the room was filled with the sounds of your love making, his moans and groans mixed with yours as he slowly pumped in and out of your warm cunt.

“God i have missed this-” he whispered amidst his heavy breaths, the feeling of your cunt wrapped around him was heavenly as ever. And to think he lost it all? He had nightmares about that day you had died but as long as you were here when he woke up he didn't care about them anymore.

“Mmm me too baby, thought about it every night-” you mumbled as you pulled him closer to you until you were being suffocated by his body on top of you.

When you died, you went to heaven, and it was beautiful, the house on the hills was beautiful but it wasn't perfect because your Eric wasn't there. This was heaven, right here right now, for you this was heaven because he was here with you, in you, all around you.

For you heaven was a place wherever Eric was with you.

Next morning you were still asleep while he was in the kitchen making breakfast for you two. He knew he needed to find a normal job now that he didn't have to do god's bidding any longer, he had a lot of money in his bank account, courtesy of Kronos, but he knew it was bound to run out sooner or later and he didn't want that. He wanted to take care of you in every possible way.

As he heard the doorbell he walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. He was surprised to see your mother out there so he opened it immediately, he should have put on a shirt but he didn't think of it at the moment.

As she looked at his tatted up body from face to neck down she grimaced internally, however her disgust showed clearly on her face.

“Please come in” he said as she stepped to the side, the couch was messy so he walked up it and began picking up his clothes so she could sit down. “Sorry ..ahh she's still asleep. I'll go wake her up” he mumbled politely as he heard her clearing her throat.

“No need. I needed to speak with you anyways” she said to him so he straightened himself up.

She looked at him properly this time, from head to toe, his tall stature, well built body, and pretty face wasn't something she could miss not noticing, he was a good looking man but he was a trouble she could tell. Good men didn't do drugs and got their girlfriends involved in such life threatening situations.

“Do you love my daughter?” She asked him, making his brows furrowing in response

“I love your daughter very much..more than anything in this world” he answered earnestly.

“And you care about her well being I suppose?” She asked him so he nodded again, a small smile on his face “She died because of you..you know that right?” She said as she walked towards him so he looked down, shame filling him up as he was reminded of his failure.

“I know Mrs-”

“How does it not lay heavily on your conscience? Knowing that she died because of you? Because of your mess? And god knows who else is out for your blood..if you actually cared and loved her as much as you claim to..do you think you'd still be here in her life? Living in her apartment so shamelessly?” His eyes teared up as she spoke, her words were harsh but she wasn't wrong. You died because of his enemy, you were used as a pawn and men like Roeg and his brother weren't the only ones out for his blood.

“She's a strong woman, many people have come and gone and she just moves on like this-” she said as she clicked her fingers “You won't be missed for long, not by her, not by anyone” she snickered before she continued “People in my family, this is all they talk about, gossip about her relationship with a man like you and it's appalling, it's an embarrassment for her to be associated with you, don't you see that? You're not good enough for her, you could never be”

She finished finally, making sure he knew how much she despised him.

As she left, he sat down on the couch, her words struck a chord within him, he knew your life would be much better without him. Perhaps you'd even find a decent man that would give you everything without putting you in harm's way.

The breakfast he was making had burned down completely and the burnt smell made you wake up so immediately ran into the kitchen and turned off the stove before you poured water into the burning pan.

“Baby are you trying to burn the house down?” You asked him playfully but as he didn't answer, you approached him.

“Eric?” You called out his name so he got up from the couch.

“Sorry, I got distracted..you freshen up..I'll make something else for you” he said to you, his voice soft but his eyes didn't meet yours.

“Are you ok?’ you asked him so he nodded and gave you a fake smile.

After you showered, you put on one of his shirts and came back out but he wasn't there anymore. You found the breakfast on the table but you couldn't find him anywhere. There was no note either and that worried you. He never left without leaving a note behind.

You quickly grabbed your phone and called him but he didn't pick up either. That's when you felt the fear creeping in again, something had got to him and you had no idea where he was or what had happened to him. He was capable of being hurt now and you feared for his life. You couldn't go through this all alone, you couldn't go on with your life without him.

You wanted to go to the cops but you didn't know what to tell them. You called Bill, asked him to ask Melody if she had heard from him but none of them had heard from him and as two hours passed and there was no sign of him you took the elevator down, perhaps he was at that lake he had told you about.

On the way down you bumped into Mrs. Bonnie who told you that it was lovely to finally see your mother this morning.

Your mom came here? Why didn't she tell you? Did she say something to Eric?

You called your mother immediately as you stepped out of the elevator.

“Mom..are you here in Chicago?” You asked her so she hummed in response.

“Came to see you but your boyfriend didn't let me do that so-’

She said to you but you didn't believe her, she had a tendency to make up lies if it suited her agenda and you knew how much she didn't like the idea of you being with him. Besides Eric would never disrespect her like that, even though he hated the way she treated you at times.

“What did you say to him mom?” You asked her but she stuck to her baseless lies, talking of him as if she knew everything about him.

“You don't even know him, the only reason I'm alive today is because he saved my life. He saved me.. and yes i died for him but it was because I loved him but him? He saved me when he didn't even know me, when he had no obligation to do so..he's my angel and if something happens to him I'll never ever forgive you for this..you remember that” you said as you hung up.

He was fragile, the trauma from that night you had died still played heavily on his heart and you feared she had driven him further into that guilt and made him do something awful.

However as you stepped out of the building you bumped right into him so you looked up. Your eyes immediately teared up at the sight of him, relief and anger all coursing through your veins.

He was okay, he hadn't hurt himself.

“Eric..where have you been?” You asked, jaw clenching with anger.

“Just went out for a run” He said as he walked past you so you followed him and entered the elevator that led back to the apartment, he did seem out of breath but you also knew that he was lying and that bothered you alot.

The moment you entered your apartment you followed him into the kitchen, he took out a bottle of water from the fridge and as he turned around he found you glaring at him intensely.

“Explain..I'm giving you one minute to explain this behaviour -” you said to him as you crossed your arms.

“I just needed some time alone -”

“Okay and you didn't think I'd worry? Didn't think I'd worry about something bad happening to you when you left without telling me?” You asked him, as he noticed the tears rolling down your cheeks, it finally got through him so he cupped your cheeks and kissed your forehead before he hugged you tightly.

“I'm sorry darling”

The truth was he had thought about it, thought about leaving, thought about just disappearing out of your life so you'd never be hurt because of him, so you'd never die again because of him, perhaps your mother was right and you'd move on sooner or later. But the moment he was out of your sight, out of your proximity, the moment he was so far away from you that he wasn't able to feel you, smell you, he turned back around and ran back to you.

If you weren't safe with him, you weren't safe without him either. He had promised to never hurt you, to never leave you, a part of him wanted to be punished for even thinking about being so cruel to you after everything you had done for him. Did he really think he'd survive out there without you? And did he really believe you'd just move on with your life if he was gone? No..you'd have driven yourself crazy, you'd have looked for him forever.

“Where did you go?” You asked him so he shook his head as he cried, he didn't want this to change anything, he didn't want you to doubt his feelings for you, he was just afraid of losing you to death again.

After he told you what your mother had said to him, he broke down in your arms the same way he had done that night in the hospital bed.

“She's wrong..she's so wrong baby, i didn't die because of you, you did everything you could have done to keep me safe, you saved my life”

You mumbled softly as let him cry, you allowed him to let go of the guilt he carried and the guilt your mother's insensitive words had intensified in him.

“Eric..if you ever dare leave me again after everything we have been through, I swear to god I'll lock you up in my bedroom and never let you out of my sight” you threatened him once he finished crying so he finally looked up at you, he stood straight back up as he picked you up and placed you down on the kitchen counter before he leaned down to kiss you passionately.

“I'd like that..do that..next time I'm being an idiot.. tie me up and never let me go” he mumbled as he felt your fingers curling into his hair, pulling and grasping on the edges, he winced as he felt the sting.

You took off his shirt quickly before you unzipped his pants, his fingers already sliding down your underwear, his cock was hard as he positioned himself to your entrance. You knew it was a risk you were taking but perhaps you could think of the consequences later. Plan b existed for a reason. None of you were ready for a child but you really needed to feel him inside you, skin to skin.

He grabbed onto your thighs as he slipped inside you, his fingers ran over the scar on your thigh, the proof of your love for him, not that he needed it, a loud moan escaped your throat as you felt the stretch, his warm cock felt so hard and the way it throbbed made your head spin.

His thrusts were quick, sharp and desperate, he couldn't live without you even if he tried.

“Fuck..eric..I'm so pissed off” You mumbled, teeth gritting as you thought about him leaving you like that.

“I know..I'm sorry. I'm so sorry” he whispered as he grabbed your hands and wrapped it around his throat so you choked him a little before you pulled him in for a dirty sloppy kiss.

“You're mine..you're never leaving me”

“Never..I'm sorry..you shouldn't even let me fuck you like this after what I did..dont you want to punish me baby? Make me hurt? Make me cry?”

He whispered as he placed his palms flat on the counter next to you body, your teeth grazed over the skin of his neck, you wanted to bite him, perhaps you'd have done it too if he healed as quickly as he did before but not anymore, you'd never hurt him like that, unless he'd want that too.

“I do want that..want to make you cry but not from pain baby..want to make you feel so good it would hurt, so good that you never even think of disappearing on me again” you mumbled softly, making his eyes tear up with several different sensations you were evoking in him at the same time.

“I'm sorry..I'm sorry baby..let me earn it..let me earn your forgiveness” he mumbled as he put you down and then turned you around, you held onto the edge of the sink as he thrusted in from behind, hitting that spot that made your eyes roll back and toes curl every time. The moment your walls clamped around him, he held onto your hips tightly, watching your body shake with the intensity of your release, and as his own orgasm followed he pulled out and came all over your ass.

Scooping you up in his arms he took you to the bedroom to clean you up and cuddle with you. Both of you needed that desperately.

“Eric?”

“Mmm?”

“Do you want to run away with me? Go someplace nobody knows you or me?” he propped himself on his elbow next to you and smiled as you asked him that.

“Where do you want to go baby??” He asked softly as you turned to look at him.

“It's going to sound silly.. perhaps impossible” you mumbled as you caressed his cheek so he smiled again.

“I still want to hear it,” he said firmly.

“Okay..mmm..let's just go somewhere far, perhaps a house on the hills where we are the only two people living there for miles, we can both work in the village during the day, you could teach people to fight, defend themselves from bad people, especially women and I uhh? Well I'll just open a little eatery joint..a small thing just so I'm not bored in your absence.. and you could come pick me up in the evening, we will go to the village market, buy groceries or other stuff we'd need for home. And We will definitely need guns, in case some creep tries to mess with us” he chuckled as you said that, he could already imagine living this fantasy with you.

“Sounds great, what else will we do there?” He asked softly, his fingers grazing your scalp.

“I'm thinking we could have our own garden behind the house? Plant some fruits and vegetables, just a little hobby we can share during weekends, that only if we will have some time spared from the constant sex we will be having. That reminds me we'd totally have sex outside during summer, perhaps put a cot out there with mosquito net around it, I'm assuming there will be mosquitos there. But it would be lovely right? Making love under the open sky? Watching the stars though you'd make me see them even with my eyes closed” you giggled so he leaned down to peck your lips.

“I would huh?” he murmured against your mouth so you nodded

“You always do. And nobody will be there to pry on us. I'd like to wake up outside with you, in your arms, watch the sun rise and then we shower in the waterfall that would be like five minutes walk from our house or ten maybe, then we will go to work and when we come back I'll make tea for us so we can watch the sunset together.. and we can live like that forever..in the little heaven of our own”

As you finally finished his eyes were teary, he sniffled once before he leaned down to kiss you deeply this time.

He wanted more than to fulfil this dream of yours, he liked the sound of running away with you to some place where his past wouldn't haunt you both. Where he'd be able to keep you safer. Away from the life of this fast paced city, a place where you'd be loved, taken care of and encouraged to follow your dreams, he wanted to give you the quiet peaceful life you so dearly wished for.

And if you ever got bored of it he'd take you wherever you'd want to go next. He'd fulfil all of your dreams and go on these wild adventures with you until you two will be too old to move. He smiled as he kissed you tenderly before he placed his head up to look into your eyes, just so you'd know that he took this seriously and that he didn't think that it was an impossible dream.

“Let's do this ..let's run away baby”

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Taglist: @m-riaa @erebus-et-eigengrau @peachychyy @enchantresss97 @fandomxo @mariaenchanted @clairesblouse @theantagonistalwaysdies

[selkdoll]

i don't smoke, until i miss you boothill x reader

summary: Boothill was never a greedy man, he didn't ask for much yet he received the whole world. Just you and your child, he really didn't need much else, yet the cosmos seemed to have made a mistake and tried to rectify it by taking everything away.

explored themes. possibly ooc or lore inaccurate. 1k+ words, fluff to angst. written in 2nd pov. play i don't smoke while reading this, trust. can potentially be interpreted as platonic, if you squint rlly hard.

from author: i haven't played hsr in a while, yet researching boothill's lore just struck the rdr2 writer in me. per usual, i can't let myself be happy with anything but angst so grab a tissue. i haven't posted a work like this online before so i'm highkey nervous, but i'd love to hear what you think! there is some bonus info at the end, but i hope you enjoy this! (she said knowing this is what she ends up writing:)

Boothill was never one to smoke a cigarette, the most he would get close to one was standing next to you under a tree after a long day. You'd still offer him one, even though he always said no, as an act of acknowledgment. He couldn't do that now, though, the smoke would damage his robotic body even if he weren't the one inhaling it.

He'd be perched down on a large root of the tree you leaned back on, staring at your boots in his peripheral as you watched the sunset. The river running in the distance, your horses chewing on the grass below y'all when they weren't nipping at each other, the livestock settled down in the barns, and dinner sat on the warm fire for when the two of you returned.

"What's next?" He asks, his eyes following the line of your boot up to your face.

You always shrug, as if you never thought so far ahead. He did, fairly often in all truthfulness, and you only knew that because of how often he asked.

"'Suppose not much next, is there? Keep doin' this, 'till we're old and gray, then someone else takes over. Life goes on," you answer, flicking the ash out the tip of your cigarette.

He watches the ash burn itself in the grass as he thinks about your answer. It was food enough, neither of you learned much besides farm life. No such thing as anything more for the uneducated, which Boothill wouldn't have any other way.

He didn't mind waking and talking to Nick about the farm as he waited for you to come down for breakfast. He didn't mind wounding up the cattle every day while you watch or watching the horses while they round about the fields with you. The crops wouldn't harvest itself and there's no one else he'd rather harvest it with than you.

Life was good and Boothill was fine with it.

Would he have been so fine with it if you hadn't been hired by Nick and Graey when he turned a teen? He was glad he wouldn't have to find out. They hired a farmhand and he got a best friend, even if he was jealous they hired you in the first place.

He thought it meant he wasn't enough for them, not helpful enough, but that couldn't have been farther from the truth and you taught that to him.

And, while Boothill never liked to say he was right all along, there was more for the two of you than the repetitive cycles you'd fallen into. Matter of fact, he couldn't believe he was so content with just that now that you both had a daughter.

Maybe if you hadn't left your cigarette pack up in your room, the both of you wouldn't have returned when you did. Maybe if he wasn't waiting on the porch downstairs for you to return so you could join him at your usual place, he wouldn't have heard crying a little ways off from the house.

"What am I supposed ta' do with her?" He looks up at you when you find him. The cigarette pack falls into your pocket as if the box itself might contaminate the bundle of purity crying in Boothill's arms.

"Dunno. She like ta' join us?" You propose, motioning towards the tree up on a hill that waited patiently for you two. (Now, three.)

Boothill stood, joining you at full height. "Looks like she might."

The red-faced babe looked between the two of you, tears staining her little cheeks. How long has it been since you seen a baby? Quite a while, yet your first instinct still is to smile.

"Looks like it indeed."

From that day forward, you and Boothill were parents. Not even Nick or Graey questioned it when you both returned with a child. Finding one seemed to be common 'round those parts.

And boy, did parenthood change just about everything? She already had her first pony picked out before she could even walk, little boots and a hat, a sass about her, too.

Boothill couldn't recall the last time he was near a cigarette, not after you gave them to him to dispose of so that your little girl would never find them. It was never just the two of you at the tree again, always you three. Two grown horses and a little foal, growing along with her.

Now this he'd have no other way.

He was perched down on the large root of the tree beside you, where you sat as well. He could see the little girl in your lap in his peripheral, which he turned to look at when she called him. 

For her, it wasn't Boothill, something more like "Papa." She had this little giggle in her voice when she said it and even after the most tiring days, Boothill never had been happier.

"What's it, sugar?" He asks, turning to look at her. You look as well when she crawls out of your lap and stands, waddling her way over to him.

Was this how the mares felt when their foal stood and walked over to them for the first time? If it was, he was jealous it took him so long to figure it out for himself. You looked just as surprised as he felt and neither of you knew how to respond. Nick and Graey taught him everything he knew, yet the two of you taught him more every day.

Boothill was never one to smoke a cigarette, but now he was the one flicking ash off the tip and watching as it burned the knee of his pants. Now he couldn't get the stench of smoke off of him.

It was nice, even though his metal body hissed in disagreement. He took another puff, then another. Would you feel betrayed that he never really disposed of the pack of cigarettes? He didn't know. But it was late nights where he thought of how he got them in the first place he was glad he didn't.

It was a brand new pack when you came down from the house, now it was nearly halfway empty.

Was this what it smelt like when the house burned? Did it burn the same way? ─ No, it couldn't have. This burn burnt good, this burn was all he had left of you. This burn reminded him of you and the sacrifices you made for your daughter, this burn reminds him of the two of you and all the sacrifices he'll make for you.

bonus information: | more here.

[ 1 ] "It was a new pack when you came down from the house, now it was nearly halfway empty." That's about how many times Boothill found himself thinking of you, so much so he needed something palpable. Y'know, because everything was burned so all he has is this vague smell of you? I'm sorry. He also has blown through other packs when he just wants to remember the comfort your presence had brought him at one point, he only uses your pack on those nights.

[ 2 ] Wanna know another kicker? Boothill knows for a fact you wouldn't have been happy if you knew he smoked, before his enhancements and after. You used to tell him that they were bad for him, which he already knew, but that was very long ago in the overall timeline of this fic. When he thinks about those times, he smokes another.

[ 3 ] He doesn't have anything to remember your daughter by, he might've if the IPC nuke came a little later so that she could've given him the gift she'd been working on. You might've been able to give him your gift as well, so he had something healthier to cling on to. Those are long since burned and buried, though.

[ 4 ] In the image thing, my brain is blanking on what it's called, the "Everyone you love is dead anyway" is a reference to "You're going to die anyway". Yes, that is the front of a Marlboro pack, lol.

[ 5 ] Alright alright, you've cried enough tears, but if you notice any other little details, I'd love to talk about them/hear your thoughts. I poured my soul into this so many thanks for giving it a shot!

all rights reserved to wishset. do not copy, translate, or repost. can only be found on tumblr as of 06.30.

[mama-qwerty]

oh i had a thought btw and i wanted to share in the chat we're in but i got no access at the time i'm typing this BUT I FIGURED I COULD SAY IT TO YOU

me and my roommate after seeing the movie had a thought about what Shadow would do next after the events of the movie and the scene at the end credits of him surviving.

we imagined like...what if he just tries to wander the earth, slightly aimless but also trying to take stuff in. he had spent so long here and most of his exposure was through Maria and doing things with her. And that was it. 50 years he was locked away, and when he got out he just went straight into mission mode and even after saving the earth, it occurred to him he probably hadn't seen much of it.

and the idea of him somehow being found my sonic and the gang and them offering to house him but him declining, thinking he caused them too much trouble and it'd be best to keep his distance... even though he wouldn't know where to go and where's a safe place for him to not be bothered by gun agents or humans likely after them, him especially. Heck, Sonic even offering to show him around some places, not even Green Hills but just in places he knows off the top of his head. Lil bonding moment, nice moment between the two despite Shadow not knowing what the hell Sonic is talking about with his ramblings.

And then the final piece of Sonic realising that Shadow could maybe stay in his old cave, it served as his safe spot for so long so maybe it can serve as Shadows. Shadow even seeing Sonic's little drawing on the wall and him saying he drew it the first night he came here, just showing he did have someone he loved and lost. And my roommate even said the idea of him choosing the stay and even draw a picture of him and Maria (maybe not the doctor after all that happened but maybe so, who knows how he feels about him now).

and then just him very very possible occasionally maybe hanging out with the boys... or at least the offer is there. and getting slowly introduced and catching up on things he's missed these last 50 years...

ANYWHO I'LL STOP HAHA

I can totally see Shadow roaming for a while. Learning about the world, people watching.

He had never left the facility before, and this was all completely new to him. Maybe Maria told him about things while they were together, movies she'd seen, places she'd like to visit when she was older and could strike out on her own.

And maybe he visited them, thinking about how Maria would have loved this, or hated that, or been so excited by this other thing. It would hurt so much that he was seeing these places alone. That she hadn't had a chance to travel and see or do everything she'd dreamed of.

And maybe when it hurts too much, when he can't take the heartache of not sharing these experiences with the one person he loved, he would return to Green Hills. He wouldn't specifically seek out Sonic and crew. He'd formed an alliance with the blue hedgehog during a time of war, and he wasn't sure if that friendship extended any further than that. But he could sense the chaos energy within Sonic, and Knuckles, and from the Master Emerald. And that was comforting.

But maybe Tails has some antennas posted around town. (Or he hacked into GUN's satellites.) And maybe he gets a blip when a spike of chaos energy appears. Sonic goes to check it out and finds Shadow, sitting alone on a cliff overlooking the town.

They talk. Sonic tries to invite Shadow to the house, but he refuses. He'd injured Tom, he doesn't deserve their kindness. Sonic tries to argue, but Shadow is stubborn and makes to teleport away, when Sonic calls out to wait, he knows the perfect place Shadow can hide away when he needs someplace quiet.

And he leads Shadow to his old cave.

"It ain't the Ritz," Sonic quips, before catching himself. "Wait. Do you know about the Ritz?"

Shadow turns to him with an eyebrow raised. "The crackers?"

Sonic snickers. "Right. Nevermind. Anyway, it can get a little damp when it rains, and a little cold when it snows, and a little dark when it's night . . . but it was my home before I found my family."

Shadow stops before the crayon mural on the wall. He stares at it for a long time.

"It will do."

Sonic smiles. "Wow, high praise from the Ultimate Lifeform. Okay, well, I can bring you some food and comics and stuff to keep you entertained--"

"I don't need your handouts."

The blue hedgehog nods with a sigh. "Right. Mr. I'm So Edgy can take care of himself."

"That's right."

Sonic doesn't say anything for a moment, and when he does, his voice is softer, the joking lilt gone. "Listen, as one formerly lonely hedgehog to another, it's nice to have people care about you. Worry about you. So just . . . don't turn your back on people who want to help, okay?"

Shadow stands quietly for a moment. "Fine."

And Shadow isn't always in the cave (heaven forbid we say he lives in it, amirite SEGA?) but Sonic leaves him things anyway. Cans of food, books he thinks Shadow would like, lots of blankets.

And maybe Sonic tells the family about Shadow taking shelter in his old cave, and the next time Shadow reappears there, it's better weather sealed and more comfortable and homey. The opening is covered with an actual door, one that keeps animals and rain out.

And maybe there's a note left. One that tells Shadow they don't blame him for what he did to Tom. They understand he was stressed and confused and hurting. They forgive him. And their home is always open for him, if he were hurt, or hungry, or just wanted some company.

And maybe, one night, when the family is sitting down for supper, a flash of light appears in the backyard. Ozzy runs to the door, barking at the sudden intruder in his territory, Knuckles close behind.

And there in the middle of the yard, stands Shadow. Looking very uncomfortable. Looking like he's second guessing his presence. Looking like he's just about to teleport away.

The family stands in the doorway, looking out at the black and red hedgehog. Without a word, they turn and head back to the supper table, but leave the kitchen door open.

The choice is his. Join them. Or leave.

He stands there for a long few moments, watching as they sit down, dishing out the food. Maddie moves to the cabinet and brings another plate to the table, placing it between her and Sonic. Silverware joins it. And a glass of water.

Shadow is frozen.

He takes a step forward. And another.

And takes his place at the table.

He doesn't move in with the Wachowskis. He's not there all the time. But they always make sure to have plenty of food to go around if he chose to join them.

There's always a place at their table for a lonely hedgehog.

[ibrithir-was-here]

The Goblin King's Huntsman

Ok so, I have been unable to draw or write for a few weeks now, so here's an old thing for the sake of feeling like I'm sharing something :/

Ages ago, I had a dream where Sarah went back to the Labyrinth with an older Toby, and got chased around by a masked figure sent by the Goblin King to capture her and take her prisoner. But eventually, as one does in dreams, the sense came that this persuer was just as much a prisoner of the Labyrinth, and when I woke up I started trying to craft a story for how he ended up as the Goblin King's Huntsman (I think I actually ended up headcanoning he was also the guy with the Muppet Blind Pew type mask at the Goblin Ball who keeps showing up watching Sarah and Jareth)

Long ago, when the mountains we know were no more than mole hills, and our mole hills were taller than the tallest mountains, a king’s daughter lay abed, wasting away from Melancholy. Her one true love had gone away to war, and had never returned. Now it looked as if she would soon follow him. 

Her father, the king, was distraught with grief and worry. He called all his wizards and wise women to help the princess, but none could discover a spell to cure her. They tried all manner of  weird and worrisome things, slime and snails, puppy dog tails, thunder and lightening. But nothing they tried worked. The princess grew paler and paler and weaker and weaker each day.

Finally, her father could bear it no longer, and in his grief, made a rash bargain. Now, this kingdom bordered that of the Labyrinth, ruled by the fearsome Goblin King, who would grant you  a wish if you said the right words, but never without a price. It was to him that the king turned. If the Goblin King would help his daughter, he promised to give him anything his heart desired. And the Goblin King agreed.

"But you must keep your word”, He warned, or terrible things would befall the king’s house.

 That very night, the Goblin King flew to the castle, entering the chamber of the princess in a beam of moonlight, as she lay motionless upon her bed. Taking her by her cold hand, he asked her what would be the first thing she would do if her heart was light once more. Thinking that she dreamt, the Princess replied that if the cause of her sorrow were taken away, she would dance away the night until the sun filled the sky.

With that, the Goblin King lifted her right out of the bed, declaring that they would do just that. And in the blink of an eye the Princess found herself in a beautiful ballroom, dressed in a gown made of tears and moonlight. There, amid a throng of strange and wondrous people, she danced away the night in the arms of the Goblin King. This went on every night for a month, and each day the Princess’s eyes grew brighter, and her cheeks more rosy, and she began to smile more and more.

The court was delighted, and none more so than the king, who had quite forgotten he still had yet to pay the Goblin King’s Price.  The day soon came, however, that the Goblin King presented the glowing Princess to the court, as fresh and lively as she had been before her One True Love was forced to leave her.

“Your daughter is well once more, neighbor.” said the Goblin King, “And now I would name my price, and I ask for the Princess Seraphine's hand in marriage.”

A cry of shock rang through the court, and none were more stunned by this request than the Princess herself. For though she was grateful to the Goblin King, and now considered him a dear friend, she did not love him,and could not think of anything she had said or done to make him think otherwise.

 “Sir, I will always be your friend, but I cannot marry you. My heart still belongs to Prince Meander, and ever shall until the day I too shall die, and be with him again.”

“ But the Prince is gone, my lady,  never to return. And besides, your father promised when he sought my services to grant whatever request I should ask of him. In my kingdom, you will never die, and as my wife, you  have to ask, and I will turn the universe upside down for your sake.”

Again, the princess repeated her assurance of gratitude and friendship, but stated that no matter what her father had promised, she had made no such bargain, and was not bound to uphold it. She did not love him, and would not marry him. At this second refusal, the Goblin King grew angry, and might have done something in his anger that he would have regretted, but at that moment, the doors to the palace burst open, and a stooped and haggard man stumbled into the hall.

His hair had grown long, and a patch covered one eye. His clothes were tattered and torn, and his armor had long since rusted. But the Princess knew him at once, and rushed to his side before he could fall. It was her One True Love, come back to her against all odds. 

They fell into each other arms, and kissed as only those who have walked beneath the shadow of death and come back into the sunlight can. And their kiss was so pure, and so true, that though they did not know it, the Goblin King’s claim upon the King and the Princess was utterly broken, for this kiss had healed her far more than any of his magics had.  For a long moment after, the Prince and Princess simply held each other, overcome with joy upon being united. Then the Prince’s eye fell upon the Goblin King.

“Ah! You dare show your face here villain?! You whose fell creatures aided the ranks of our enemies, and you whose dark fogs of forgetting spread out across the fields, ensnaring those trying to return home after? Many a dark and dangerous road I’ve traveled to find my love again.  I know not what mischief you do here, but it ends now!” And he drew a rust cankered sword upon the Goblin King.

The Goblin King did not move, or speak, he simply stood, staring at the lovers. The half-blind prince, with one arm around the Princess, who was holding the shivering, shaking man up as best she could. Her eyes had grown wide as she heard the Prince’s tale, and now they were dark and cold as they looked upon the Goblin King. Finally, with a sweep of his cloak, he bowed to the couple, sneering.

“It seems your ladyship need not wait till Death’s embrace to reunite with your lover. As you’ve made your feelings quite clear, I shall respect your wish, and pursue my suit no further. However, remember this--” 

And in a flash quicker than a strike of lightning, he was by the Princess’s side, whispering into her ear, with all the spite and malice he possessed:

 “The Price is still not paid…”

And then, he was gone.

The kingdom did not see nor hear anything of their worrisome neighbor for many a year, and by and by the unease left by the Goblin King’s threat was lifted. The reunited Prince and Princess were soon married, and in time, the Princess, now the Queen, gave birth to a healthy son, who grew into a fine young boy. He loved nothing more than to wander the fields and forests that lined his kingdom, making friends with all he met, noble or peasant, animal or fae. He was a kind and gentle boy, loved by all who knew him, so that he was never without a friendly eye watching over him, which eased his parent’s worries.

And then one day, when he was seven years old, he wandered farther than was his want, as though drawn by some strange and silent music. Past the orchards and fields, past the forests and falls, up the airy mountain, down the  rushing glen, into a strange waste land of bracken and gorse, until suddenly, he came upon a gate, bound to a stone wall that seemed to stretch endlessly out across the horizon. 

There was something odd and foreboding about the place, but the young prince was not afraid, for he had never before had need to fear. All the world was his friend. And so without hesitation, he pushed upon the heavy gate. It swung open easily, and the prince skipped inside as it shut silently behind him.

And from that day, his grieving parents never saw the young prince again.

[cyarikasmoon]

Rest Now

Bad Batch Hunter x reader

Summary: Hunter returns home after saying goodbye to Omega. *Set just after the Season 3 epilogue scene*

Pairing: Bad Batch Hunter x f!reader

Word Count: 1,539

Warnings: Bad Batch Season 3 spoilers, married Hunter, older hunter, fluff, comfort, cuddles, HUNTER DESERVES LOTS OF CUDDLES AND KISSES

Divider by @freesie-writes & @snotbuggle

A/N: I truly adore this show and just wanted to write a little piece for Hunter. He did so well and is such a good father figure for Omega. That epilogue meant everything to me. I wish we saw older Crosshair and Wrecker, but I'm also quite glad it was a final moment between those two. It was always meant to be them. I will love and cherish them forever.

I hope you all like this. It's a little rough and rushed, and it's just raw emotions being processed onto a page after the finale, but I still wanted to post! Enjoy! x

It’s almost sunrise when you wake up. You sleepily reach out, cold underneath the sheets, and you realise the familiar warmth of your husband is gone. Your eyes blink open with a frown as you pat the bed, almost to make sure he is actually gone. Sitting up in the bed, you blink blearily, taking in the room. It’s dark, but your eyes adjust quickly, the faint lighting of a new day approaching helping you see the dimly lit room. You roll over the bed gently, and you see his boots are gone, and his overshirt that he had left hanging over the edge of the bed last night.

The entire house is quiet, which almost makes you confident that Batcher is gone as well. You let out a soft whistle, a quick two-tone note. Nothing like the loud army shrill your husband does to call the lurker hound. When there is no distant sound of barking, no heavy pads of paws on the ground, you sigh softly.

Gently getting out of bed, you move to pull on your trousers and the quickest shirt being one of his thick, long sleeved ones. As you slip it on, you breathe in the smell of him and let your shoulders sag. It wasn’t normal for him to be gone this early. His side of the bed had been cold when you had felt it. He had been gone for hours. At least Batcher would be with him. You hope, anyway.

Pulling on a quick small pair of boots, she moves towards the door but pauses by the window as she hears voices outside. As she peers out, she sees Wrecker and Crosshair standing talking. Crosshair is almost silent with his words, speech always raspy and quiet but sharp. Wrecker, thinking he was being quiet, was still quite loud. But the early morning rays indicated it wasn't long till the residents of Pabu would awaken.

Crosshair strokes his chin gently, fingers brushing over the soft wisps of grey turning white hair. His hair finally growing back in revealed it to now finally be more silver white than the original grey it used to be back in the days of the Republic. Wrecker still stands tall, and the body is still accumulating so much muscle, but he looks softer, rounder. Years of enjoying and actually living life and eating good food. His lips are drawn into a tight line from where you can see, his jaw covered in a soft wiry fuzz of scruff - the start of a beard that is accentuated with fine white hairs now amidst the dark ones.

The flurry of quick hand movements between the two have you frowning before you all hear a distant bark. You glance through the window to the right. Coming up over the hill, the rising sun casts light across the path as the old lurker hound ambles up the street. Batcher picks up speed slightly as she spots Crosshair and Wrecker, forever excited to see them. It’s then you see your husband, not too far behind Batcher. He walks slowly, his head down slightly, but he looks up as he spots his brothers.

He seems to stand up straighter then as he notices them, almost instinctively falling back into the roll of Seagerant after so long. Crosshair gets up slowly from where he had knelt down to stroke Batcher, leaving his prosthetic hand to rest on the back of her neck as he faces Hunter. Wrecker’s eyes are full of apprehension as if he knows what Hunter is to tell them, but he desperately doesn't want it to be the case.

When Hunter reaches them, you watch as he simply nods his head and says a few words. The three brothers stand in silence for a moment. Whatever news he had just shared, it brings a sombre moment, but then Wrecker’s smiling. He makes a comment, followed by a booming laugh. Crosshair's face twists up into an amused smirk, and he replies with his own comment. Your husband says something else, and they fall silent for a moment. It’s then Crosshair takes a step forward and rests his hand on Hunter’s shoulder, and they share a look. Before anything can be said, Wrecker envelopes them into his arms, a signature crushing hug from the big man that has them all smiling and reminiscing.

Wrecker puts them down, and they all share a final smile. It’s then the old girl barks, and Crosshair rolls his eyes fondly, the hound sticks to his side, ready for her breakfast. They all seemed to nod and head off in their own separate ways. A new day is beginning after all. As Hunter turns towards your home, you move and gently open the door and lean in the doorway and smile at him.

He glances at you and pauses for a moment, a fond smile on his face before he continues to walk forward to you. Like second instinct, you hold your arms open and let him hold you close and tight against him.

“Hi.” You whisper to him.

“Hey.” He responds softly. His voice reserved slightly, like when he’s lost in thought.

“Hey, come back to me.” You whisper softly, leaning back to cup his tattooed side of his face, fingers brushing over his dark beard.

His eyes tell you everything. They’re tired from being up so early. They’re full of love and adoration for you. They reflect peace. They show sadness. You smile sadly then, as you realise. This is the look of a father who has just had to let go and say goodbye. No matter how much he doesn’t wish for it to be the case.

“Omega?” You ask softly, stepping back, so you both gravitate back into your home.

He nods then. A small smile plays on his lips, his eyes softening.

“She left first thing in the early hours of the morning. Thought she could sneak away.” He chuckles, a gruff noise in his throat.

“She spoke about the Rebellion so often. It was only a matter of time before she would want to go help.” You stroke his cheek as you watch his melancholic expression.

“I know…” He breaks away so he can sit and take his boots off, and you do the same. You both leave them by the door, and he rises to stand in front of you again.

You hold your hand to him, and he instantly takes it.

“You’re a wonderful father, Hunter. I know it. Your brothers know it, and Omega knows it.” You whisper to him, taking both of his hands.

His thumbs stroke along your knuckles in a soothing motion for himself and for you. His left thumb focuses on running across your ring. He raises his eyes to look into yours.

“You’ve raised her wonderfully. She is such a bright, beautiful young woman now, and the Rebellion is lucky to have her.” You say and then grin. “You practically prepared her for this.”

He huffs and rolls his eyes fondly at you, lips quirked up into a small smile.

“I was once told battle droids were easier to handle compared to raising a kid.” He muses. “They weren't wrong.”

“Hunter, love, she’ll be fine. She knows you’ll come if you need her.”

“I’d be there in a heartbeat.” He promises, and his voice is so strong and earnest. You could never not believe him. The sergeant shines through in that moment.

You lean forward and kiss him softly, and his hands move to hold you close. Your foreheads then meet in a keldabe kiss, and you smile at him.

“C’mon old man, let's go back to bed for a bit.” You tease him with a grin.

“Who are you calling old man? The days are just starting.” He rolls his eyes and tries to hide his smile.

“And you’ve hardly slept.” You argue back, nudging your forehead against his. “C’mon, a little nap won’t hurt anyone.”

You lead him to the bedroom and smile as you help him take his overshirt off and drape it back over the edge of the bed. Laying down, he holds you close in his arms and still keeps his eyes open and watching you.

“You’ve done so good, love.” You whisper and lean forward, pressing gentle kisses across his face. “It’s okay to miss her. It’s normal. We all will miss her. But she’ll be okay. She’ll come back one day. Now you can rest.”

HIs eyes close as he embraces your touch. His breathing relaxes.

“Rest love, I’ve got you.” You whisper as you watch him drift off. “We’ve got you. You can rest now.”

You press a final kiss to his brow, right below his bandana, before you lay your head on the pillow next to him. The sun has risen now. You can hear the residents of Pabu begin their day. Birds in the distance. You swear even without enhanced senses like Hunter, you can hear the ocean. You look at him one final time before your eyes drift close. It’s a new day. They're here and alive. How exciting it is to live. To live and to love. To do whatever they want.

[blue--ingenue]

Ominis Gaunt headcannons {Pt. 4}

Author's Note: when i'm trying to think of what to write i like to walk around spots in the game and think of what the characters would think/do. what would their favorite study spots be? do they have a favorite place to curl up with a book? etc. anyway, this came to me while i was walking around the slytherin common room. hope you enjoy :) and i'm starting a taglist for my Ominis headcannons series, so let me know if you'd like to be added :)

he knows most of the house elves by name. the Gaunts are notorious for their abuse of house elves, so most of the kitchen/cleaning staff steered clear of them for the first few weeks of his first year. then one day, when ominis was still getting used to the charm he used to see, he tripped over a one of the elves’ mop buckets. the young Gaunt’s face flushed bright red and he fumbled for his wand before pointing it directly at her. she froze in place and cowered, waiting for whatever punishment he would dole out, but none came

he stuttered out an incantation and flicked his wand in her direction - and the rag she wore dried instantly. confused, but still terrified, she remained frozen. young ominis apologized profusely, using the few spells he knew to clean up the mess. all the while he explained how he was having a bit of trouble maintaining the charm for extended periods

after the bucket was righted and the water had vanished from the floor, he helped her up and asked for her name. Niffy explained that few witches or wizards ever asked, and that she’d never had a student offer to help her, let alone with magic. he continued on his way, but Niffy made sure to tell every elf in the castle to keep a protective eye on young Ominis

not many students know this, but there are plenty of snakes that have made their home within the castle. while Ominis doesn’t enjoy speaking parseltongue, he likes that the snakes bring him gossip from around the school. when Sebastian asks how he seems to know everyone’s secrets and rumors, he replies that he simply listens more than he talks. (while this is true, the snakes’ rumor mill is mostly responsible). behind the walls and within the pipes, they hear everything about everyone (which means Ominis does, too)

this boy has managed to free nearly every house elf tied to the Gaunt name. when he first came to hogwarts his parents assigned one of the house elves to follow him around. he hated feeling coddled, but he knew his father would take his anger out on the house elf if ominis sent him back

there’s a trip to Hogsmeade for all of the first-years a few days after the sorting ceremony. the prefects break them into groups and give them brief tours of all the shops. at the end they’re given a few hours to roam before everyone returns to the castle for dinner. Anne and Sebastian, ever curious and looking for the greatest source of action, follow him from a distance. they know he’s a Gaunt. they’ve heard of his family’s reputation. nearly everyone in their year avoids him like the plague, but the twins don’t find him to be any different from their classmates (aside from the house elf that never leaves his side)

it turns out Ominis had taken out as large of a deposit as he could and had the galleons sent by post. his poor owl couldn’t carry the sack of gold, so he was told he could retrieve the coins at the post office. the twins watch as he nonchalantly shoves the equivalent of a year of Solomon’s earnings into a sack and enters Gladrags

naturally, they follow him. he purchases the warmest cloak in the shop, but doesn’t leave. puzzled, the twins watch as he asks Mr. Hill something and hands the coat back to him. he sizes up the house elf with a quick once-over before waving his wand over the garment. when he’s finished, the coat is ten times smaller than before. they watch in awe as young Ominis presents the clothing to his house elf, along with the sack of galleons

the house elf begins to weep, but Ominis merely kneels so that he can speak to the elf without tower over him. as the pair exit the shop, they hear him tell the elf to “be careful, and live well” before they embrace and the elf apparates away with a loud pop

the next day they introduce themselves, and the trio become inseparable

(Ominis’ father stops sending house elves to Ominis, but only after the young boy has managed to free half of their household staff)

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Taglist: @caramel-hufflepuff, @fanfiction-she-wrote

[cosmic-crybaby]

Break My Heart Again- Tommy Shelby x Reader

Part 1

Summary: After being childhood friends, you and Thomas made a promise one day to get married, but when he returned from France, he came back a completely different man.

Warnings: Angst, fluff, tommy before the war (Lowkey OOC) 

She's known Tommy almost all her life. They met one day at the cut when he was ten, trading cigarettes with the other kids, and she was eight, tagging along with her older cousin. It was merely a passing glance, maybe an introduction of names, but she hadn't seen him until years later. At the ripe age of twelve and fourteen, when he defended her when the older boys pulled at her hair and pushed her around. She was forever grateful to him after witnessing him take in three in a fight, punching the daylights out of one, shoving another's head into the mud, and threatening the third. 'If you ever come near her again, I'll fuckin' take your eyes!'. That was enough to scare them off. The two were almost inseparable ever since. Years of growing up together the two would often get into mischief together and cause trouble in the smoky streets of Small Heath. As [name] got a little older, the more she started to fall for the future gangster, and the more time passed, the more she started to change.

And of course, Thomas began to notice.

By the time they were seventeen and fifteen, the two delinquent teenagers seemed to be more than friends. The way Thomas would hold her hand as they run up the grassy hills, the way [name] would stare into his eyes as they lay on the grass under the shaded tree.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Tommy Shelby..." She spoke softly, her voice was like heaven to him. "I can't picture myself beside anyone else," She admitted. Thomas just stared into her eyes, his soft hands rising to brush his knuckles against her cheek, tucking away the pieces of hair that came undone from her clip.

"You don't have to...because I'm going to make a promise to you [name]," He suddenly sat up, causing her to sit up as well and gaze at him in confusion.

"What kind of promise?" She asked, curiously. He opens his mouth to speak then quickly closes it before thinking for a moment. Collecting his words carefully. Clearing his throat so his voice wouldn't crack, because he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it from her if that happened.

"That one day, when I have me own money and me own house, we will get married," He finished confidently. She sat there, her lips slightly agape.

"Stop joking around!" She laughed, swatting at his arm, causing him to laugh as well and to catch her hand before she should hit him again. This time both of his hands enveloped hers as he stared at her with a content smile.

"I'm being serious, trust me when I say I want to marry you one day [Name] [Lastname]!" He said, laughter hidden within his words. She thought for a moment then nodded once, reaching for his hand. She kissed the back of his hand, her soft lips were warm upon his skin.

"Okay, promise," She smiled lovingly as he returned the kiss on her hand before bringing her close to kiss her forehead.

"Promise,"

In the years that followed that day, she was by his side, even when he was starting to work at the betting shop with his family. At first, she was just there for moral support, but right when she finished high school Polly saw her potential and how educated she was, and on the spot, she was hired. Checking the maths and records in each book, making sure everything was in its place.

It was a dream being with Tommy at nearly every waking hour. Of course nothing would go beyond holding hands, gently touches, and friendly affection . But even when those were at a minimum, she was falling in love with him.

Her love for him only grew since they first met. It was unconditional love and ever since he made that promise to her, she only fell harder. It almost felt like she was already married to him. With the way he kissed her forehead or cheek, the way he was so kind to her and checked in on her work whenever he needed an escape, and how he would tell her he loved her. Every night after work when he walked her home. He would kiss her knuckles, her cheek, and her lips before saying.

"Goodnight [name], I'll pick you up in the morning, I love you,"

It wasn’t until she began to notice his slow distance from her. At first, she thought nothing of it as he wouldn’t give her as much affection as he normally did. Her hands grew cold as they were empty from his. His touch was slowly detaching from her own. The emotional distance was noticed quickly, but the physical distance made her heart cold. He went from seeing her every day to nearly every other day, now...she was lucky to even catch him at the betting shop.  As much as she wanted to convince herself that it was nothing, she couldn’t help the emptiness she suddenly felt. She had wondered what he was so busy with and deep down she had hoped he hadn’t gotten in any more trouble than he already was getting himself into.

The weeks and months went by, her resentment for Tommy only grew. On the days he went to the shop, she tried to make her presence known, nothing but a simple "Hi [name],"would be his response. Sometimes not even making eye contact with her.

One day, in 1914, he approached her in her office. She was too busy organizing files and writing down and calculating the records to make sure they were accurate. She didn't even notice his presence at first. He stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets as he stared at her, waiting for her to pay him any mind. 

“I’m busy,” She simply mumbled, seeing him in the peripheral vision of her eyes. He scoffs before stepping in further and closing the door behind him. 

“So that’s how you treat me now, eh?” He asked, sitting across from her in a chair. He was met with silence as she kept her eyes glued to the page. “[Name]” He called. 

Again, silence. 

Tommy suddenly slammed the book shut and grabbed the pen that was in her hand.

“Hey! I'm trying to work, you just made me lose my spot!” She shouts, quickly standing up as the chair behind her scrapped against the wood floor loudly.

Tommy just smirks. She stomp towards him to retrieve the pen back, but the older boy just held it above her head as he extended his arm up, barely just out of her reach. 

“Thomas, this isn’t funny!” She pleads. He just laughs. 

“There you are, finally acknowledging me,”  

She sighed in defeat and set herself back on her feet, holding his gaze with a glare.

“What do you want now? Go on with it, Polly needs these by the end of the day and she’ll have my neck if I don’t have em ready,” She crossed her arms over her chest. Tommy let his arm down, setting the pen on the desk. 

“What makes you think I want something?” He asked. Her eyes widened slightly. 

“I don’t see you for months and you barely even talk to me let alone look at me whenever you’re here, so this sudden change in behavior is quite a shocking one,” She explained, her tone still stern. She was met with his eyes, a guilty look on his face. 

“I know...I know and I do apologize-” 

“You were supposed to be my closest friend, Thomas...” She interrupted him. Her voice was calm, almost meek. 

“I am your closest friend, never forget that [name],” He held her slumping shoulders. She takes an exhale through her nose. 

“Listen to me...I’m sorry, I had some prior engagements that needed my attention,” He said quietly as he tried to get her to look into his eyes. 

“I know but I just wished you had just talked to me...I felt so alone,” 

Thomas held his breath and clenched his jaw. He couldn’t tell her now...Not yet at least. 

“When you’re with me, you’ll never really be alone,” He told her, holding her close. She knew there was some truth to his words but pushed herself away from him. 

“I have to get back to work,” She said. He rolls his eyes at her sudden coldness.

“I’m not leaving until I get a smile out of you...and maybe an ‘I love you’,” He smirked, still holding her, his hands on her shoulder blades. She scoffs, giving him a small, ingenuine smile. 

“Happy?” She asked. He shook his head. His hands slowly crept to her sides, going unnoticed by her. 

“Tommy...” He gave her that look. That look of mischief. “Don’t you dare-” But her warning came too late. His fingers began digging into her sides, it didn’t take long before she began giggling profusely. 

“Tommy stop! I can’t- I can’t breath!” She squealed in between fits of laughter as she tried to push his hands away. He was too strong. 

“Tell me you love me [name]!” He laughed. 

“N-No! Never!” She laughed, the tears in her eyes started to seep down her cheeks. 

“Say it [name] and I’ll stop!,” 

“Fine! I love you Thomas Shelby!” She gave in. The tickling had stopped, yet she barely caught her breath when Tommy pulled her close and picked her up from the ground and kissed her cheeks. 

“I love you too, [name] [lastname],” He said quietly. Looking into his eyes made her even forget why she was upset with him. He looked at her with perfect love in his eyes and a small smile on his lips as he quickly kissed her hand before leaving her to continue your work. 

 A week later, Tommy had told her the secret he had been keeping from her. Finally letting it out. 

“No...Tell me it’s a lie...” She was in denial. Shaking her head as the tears welled up her eyes. 

“[Name]-”

“No...”

“[Name] please...listen to me,” He approached. 

“Please don’t do this you don’t have to do this!” She cried. 

“We have to go, [name]...it’s the only choice,” He calmly stated. 

“To put your lives on the line? To leave your family behind to leave me behind?” 

The silence was daunting. She sniffled and turned away from him. 

“I understand the sacrifice you’re making, but I can’t bare the thought of my life without you...Arthur, John, you...You three have been in me life every day since I was a child, if you were to never come back I don’t know what I would do without you,” She shook her head as she choked up once again. 

“Don’t think of it that way, love...We will come back once it’s over...and when it’s over I will come back to you,” 

“Tommy...” She felt his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her.

“You will be the one I am living for...who I am looking forward to come home to...” He steps in front of her, grabbing her cheeks in the palm of his hands as they locks eyes.

“I don’t want to lose you,” She whispered. He pressed his forehead to hers. Closing her eyes tightly to stop the tears.

“You won’t...I promise,” 

She has always known for Tommy to keep his promises. But deep own she wasn't sure if this was within his control. And it scared her. Shattered her heart and soul to know he was leaving in just a few weeks. Every day after that he spent every moment with her as if it were his last, even though it felt like it to her. 

The day the three Shelby brothers left, Polly, Ada, and Martha were in shambles. [Name] tried to stay strong but the second she approached the train station she began to tear up. 

She had said your goodbyes to John and Arthur first as she held off her departure from Tommy. She stood in front of him, he seemed to put on a brave face for his family and for her but she could read right through him. He was just as scared as she was. She embraced him tightly. 

“I will write to you every day...and pray for you three while you’re gone,” [name] told him. He nods quietly, he reaches into his pocket to pull out a small, simple, ring to held it to her.  

“Remember that promise we made when we were kids?” He asked. 

“That we’d get married one day?” She nods.  

“I am giving this to you, so that when I do return we will get married...That way I will come home with a purpose...to marry you,” He said. She gasped a bit as he slipped the golden band on her ring finger. 

“Just promise me you’ll never take it off, for as long as I live and love you,” 

“I promise,” She smiled at him. He gave [name] a quick kiss. The train whistle blows. 

“Come home to us soon...please,” She begs. He nods again before Arthur and John pulled him away to board the train. 

Watching the men wave off their families as the train took off was heartbreaking. The four women of Small Heath held onto each other, comforting each other when they watched the three men in their lives leave on a train. [Name] rested her head on Polly’s shoulder as she rubbed the young girls back, quietly sobbing beside her.

[Name] went home that day, sitting alone as she twirled the ring on her finger, counting the days until his first letter came. 

[fountainpenguin]

Riddle watches New Wish - Post #5

They're so cute...

OH, she set them up!! Here we go!

Wanda making squeaky toy noises when Cosmo hugs her is all I've ever wanted.

"We're real, all right! ... Real fairies. Not real humans."

BUDAWHAAAAAAAA-? Thank you Cosmo for just confirming elastic skin, which has been one of the most important headcanons in my worldbuilding. I did not expect you to do that for me, but... thanks?

Pfft, Wanda changing her legs.

ERG??? Is that you?

Okay, there's that "We've been retired for 10k years" implied time travel bit; I think I remember that from the story bible + early convos with my friends, so at least I came prepared to expect that.

This is either time travel - which plays perfectly into my established "Cosmo ate a time key during dinosaur times and has been running around through time unsupervised for ages" headcanon anyway, LOL - or they're flat-out lying to Hazel, seeing as the audience already knows Timmy is confirmed as a recent godkid, so... Hm.

SLDKFJSD I love how the guy who accidentally sent his baby stroller down a steep hill is wearing a #1 Dad hat. "My expensive stroller! ... I mean, my baby!" - Yeah, we're still in FOP. All the parents are terrible here.

Setting her up as loving french fries and then turning her into a fly who found french fries was clever.

Cosmo once again being so close and yet so far to his mark. Good to see him back!

Me when I return my would-be murderer's daughter, who is a bug.

I AM SO GLAD that even in 10,000 years, Wanda's small talk skills have not improved far beyond "I'm Human McRealPerson" and "My husband is a grilled cheese sandwich" from back in the day, sdlkfj. That's my girl!

oh no, the Venus flytrap gift they brought over is about to go so wrong.

Yep, she's still goin'. Talking about the carwash.

GIRL check your fingers.

OH MY GOSSSSSSH, he's dressed for a classy party in Fairy culture. Cosmorella? We thought you were dead!!

... That's an ant? I would've guessed tick.

It's a guy ant? Buddy, are you sure you're supposed to be foraging?

Let's go!!

SDLKFJSDKLFJSLKJF noooo... No, no, no, no, no... Not the thing I use to symbolize memorials for the dead, c'mon!

It IS an accurate item for a Fairy house- these were all over the place in Fairy World during the old show, AND in that color, though you usually see more than one "wand" per pot.

I'm super impressed the artists studied the old interior design customs. Huh.

Cosmo lives here. Also, BABY!!

OOH, I'm excited that Cosmo and Wanda's window overlooks Fairy World because it's kind of a portal. I did something super similar with a rat cage in an upcoming Frayed Knots scene, where Anti-Cosmo and Wanda are godparenting together during school. Nifty!

He even confirmed it's a spell on the front door! Wow. Somehow, Past Me nailed that.

"We can choose which world we go out into!" -> /Me with my 'fic where Kevin Crocker is confused that Shirley's Pizza Parlor has an exit on the other side that goes to Retroville.

Cosmo: We lived in Timmy's fishbowl for 20 years. Wanda: It was 7.

You are both wrong- it was like 68 <3 But honestly, I forgive you for not wanting to tell Hazel time was frozen for 50 years. I don't think she'd like that. Actually, I don't think she was born yet, because my vision is time freezing at the end of Season 4, and Dale was rescued in Season 2, so... Yeah, she wasn't born. Still, you don't wanna just drop that on someone.

That's actually very funny that Cosmo and Wanda are struggling because they're out of practice during their retirement.

THERE'S THE SIGN!! Way to go.

Oh, and the credits are done in a similar style to the old ones? Even the colors? That's so cute! That's also nice that Hazel's VA was a story editor too- That probably helps with the passion and vision.

That was cute. I liked it. Huge relief to see something well-researched and made with love after "Fairly Odder" was a struggle for me.

I've got a little more time tonight, I might be able to get one more episode done before bedtime.

[beanzwrites]

Not Your Fault

Parings: Dean x Sister! reader x Sam

Description: The Winchester's sister tries to save Lucas before he falls off the dock but ends up almost drowning herself.

~Inspired by episode 3~

⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *⋆·˚ ༘ *

        (Y/n) sits in the back of the Impala, a frown sketched across her face as the car stops at an intersection. A sign stands at the triangular median with a white arrow pointing towards Milwaukee. Dean's finger taps against the stirring wheel in a steady rhythm while everyone tries to keep their minds of the subtle threat the sheriff made earlier.

        "Green," Sam interrupts the silence after a minute past of waiting at the light.

        "What?" Dean asks from his thoughts.

        "Light's green," (Y/n) mutters.

        Baby begins to roll forward. (Y/n)'s face furrows in confusion as Dean turns to the right. She straightens herself to the edge of the seat to look at her brother. "Ah, the interstate's the other way."

        "I know," Dean says.

        "Dean, this job, I think it's over," Sam states.

        "I'm not so sure," Dean confesses.

        "If Bill murdered Peter Sweeney and Peter's spirit got its revenge, case closed. The spirit should be at rest," Sam says.

        "What are you thinking?" (Y/n) asks Dean quietly.

        Dean glances at his siblings. "What if we take off and this thing isn't done? What if we missed something? What if more people get hurt?"

        "That's a lot of what if's."

        "But why would you think that?" Sam questions.

        "Because Lucas was scared," Dean replies.

        "That's what this is about?"

        "I just don't want to leave town til I know the kid's okay."

        "Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?"

        "Shut up."

        "For what it's worth, I agree with Dean on this one," (Y/n) adds in with her finger in the air.

        "Shut up," Sam jokingly repeats.

---

           "Are you sure about this? It's pretty late, man." Sam says as the three of them walk to the front of the house. Dean rolls his eyes, pressing the door bell, until Lucas opens the door in a panic. Immediately, Dean kneels down to calm the boy, but Lucas rushes off with a heavy breath.

        The siblings rush up the stairs after him. Water floods the floor, pouring down the steps like a waterfall. (Y/n) and Sam holds back the scared boy as their older brother pounds his weight against the locked bathroom door. It is forced open at last and Sam rushes in to pull Lucas's mother out of the overflowing bathtub. (Y/n)'s eyes water, her heart thumping against her chest, as she holds Lucas firmly to her form. A hiccupped sigh releases from her lips as Sam finally pulls Andrea out with all his might.

---

        (Y/n) listens to the soft murmurs of the conversation Sam and Andrea has as she watches over Lucas. Dean was somewhere in the house, investigating for any answers on why Peter Sweeney went after Andrea. The youngest Winchester heaves out a long exhale, twirling a (F/C) crayon between he fingers.

        Lucas gets up from his place on the floor and walks into the main area of the house. (Y/n) follows, asking where he was going, but he gave no answer. He walks up to a window and (Y/n) makes eye contact with Dean, who was hovering over the table with a book in his hand. he gives a curious glance towards Lucas, only to get a shrug from his sister in return.

        "Lucas? Lucas, what is it?" Dean asks.

        The boy doesn't say a thing and saunters out the front door with a rigid frown. (Y/n) goes after him, her brothers and Andrea quick behind her. Lucas stops at the top of a mossy hill and stares at it before looking up at Dean.

        "You and Lucas get back to the house and stay there, okay?" Dean instructs. Andrea grabs her son and heads down to the house as ordered. "(Y/n), go with them."

        "But-" (Y/n) interjects.

        "I need you to make sure nothing bad happens. I can trust you, right?"

        "Yeah, okay- call me if things go south though."

---

        (Y/n) and Andrea watch through the window as Jake points a gun at Sam and Dean. (Y/n) was about to run to the door, but Andrea stops her by grabbing her arm. She shakes her head with a fearful look in her eyes and kneels down in front of the young duo.

        "Go to your room, sweetie. You, will you stay with him, please?Lock the door and don't come out," Andrea requires, before heading outside to stop her dad. (Y/n) was about to lead Lucas to his room, until he bolts to another entrance of the house. He waits for her at the end of the deck stairs as the confrontation with the sheriff heats up a few meters away. A voice rings in the girl's ears as she makes her way out onto the patio.

        Come play with me

        "Did you hear that?" She asks Lucas. He tilts his head before climbing up a mound on the side of the house. (Y/n) imitates his actions, like an apprentice learning from their mentor, and notices rather quickly that he was heading for the water. He reaches down to grab something and (Y/n) looks over him to see a green army man floating in the water tauntingly as Lucas struggles to grab it. She crouches down at the water, extending her arm to pluck the toy from the water too.

      "I can't reach it," (Y/n) huffs out as she leans her body across the watery depths. It ripples softly near their hands as a dark figure approaches. She narrows her eyes, lifting her hand out of the water, when a mop of hair drifts to the surface.

        "Lucas!"

        "(Y/n)!"

        "Stay where you are!"

        Suddenly, a discolored hand bolts out and grabs Lucas's wrist. (Y/n) wraps her arms around the boy's torso to keep him on the dock, but the powerful pull the vengeful spirit possessed causes the Winchester's muscles to strain. (Y/n) and Lucas fly into the water, their bodies consumed by the waves.

        (Y/n)'s arms slip away from the boy as her whole form becomes heavy. She gulps and chokes on the water filling her lungs and she struggles to reach the surface. The murky liquid makes her eyes sting and she can see nothing but her blurry physique sinking further down to the bottom.

        She abruptly wakes from unconsciousness as someone reaches around her waist and pulls up to the surface. Immediately, she coughs out her lungs as her discombobulated mind becomes alert of her surroundings once more. The person's large hand pushes her head against their neck as they both gasp for air.

        "You're okay, I got you," Sam whispers as he presses a kiss to her temple.  

---

        Dean blankets (Y/n)'s shoulders with his jacket as they walk to the Impala parked at the edge of the road. She gratefully pulls the material closer to her shivering body. Sam opens the back door for her and she climbs in, looking at Andrea's house as the sun's shadow casts over the roof.

        "That was a close one, huh sis?" Dean jokes, shifting into reverse and pulling out on to the road. The engine pants softly as its speed accelerates on the black pavement. (Y/n) gives a weak smile and nods to her brother in response before turning to the scenery passing by her window.

        "(Y/n)?" Sam says softly, giving her a gentle gander from the passenger's seat.

        "What?" She mumbles.

        "What's wrong with you?" Dean comments, looking through the rear view mirror. "By now you would be making up a stupid joke about trees or something."

        "I'm fine," (Y/n) sighs, "Just tired."

        "We're not going to stop bothering you until you tell us what's got you down," Sam prompts.

        "I couldn't save him..."

        "Huh?" Dean questions loudly.

        "I couldn't save Lucas. I wasn't strong enough to keep him on the dock. He almost drowned because of me."

        "That's what this is about? Lucas is alive, isn't he?"

        "Yeah-"

        "(Y/n), we were dealing with a revengeful spirit. Your a kid- of course your not going to win a wrestling match against a ghost. You shouldn't beat yourself about it," Sam explains.

        "Sam's right. It wasn't you fault. You are strong, but you can't expect everything to go smoothly with a job like ours. We're a team, and you can sure as hell forget us getting off your back anytime soon," Dean states.

        "Thanks guys," (Y/n) says.

        "Yeah, no problem, bud." Sam remarks sweetly.

        "Hey Dean?"

        "Yeah kid?"

        "Why did the pine tree get in trouble?"

        "I don't know, why?"

        "Because it was being knotty."

        "Oh my god, that was bad." Sam snorts as Dean beats his hand on Sam's arm with a cackle.

        "It was being naughty, brutha." Dean laughs while wiggling his eyebrows.

        "Shut up."

[d1xonss]

Desert Rose

Chapter 15 ~ Close Calls

✧ Pairing : Daryl Dixon x Rose

✧ Era : Season 2

✧ Word Count : 4.6k

In this chapter ~ All hell seems to break loose upon Daryl's striking return back to the farm, injured and limping, mistaken for a walker in the distance. In a fit of impatience when Andrea fires a shot towards the figure, they all quickly realized who it really was. And Rose wasn't planning to let her off the hook so easily.

I couldn't recall how this all happened, it all played out like some kind of movie. One minute I was on the horse, up high in the hills to keep an eye out for anything that might lead me closer to Sophia. And the next I was laying in some kind of ravine, snapping in and out of consciousness and soaked in freezing water, one of my bolts lodged in my side which only caused the water to run red. 

My head throbbed and my eyelids grew heavy, the wound just short of piercing my kidney was throbbing as if it matched with the racing of my heart. The pain mixed with adrenaline and the heat all made for this to almost be unbearable, fighting to stay awake as I slowly began to bleed out. I tried to sit back up with a loud groan leaving my lips, but the world immediately started to spin, causing me to ease myself down on my back again in attempt to steady my breathing. I tried not to panic, but I needed to get up, and soon. Otherwise, I would surely pass out again and who knows if anyone would find me all the way out here.

Snap

I sat up instinctively when I heard the sudden noise, forcing my eyes open as I immediately assumed the worst. With everything that happened came with a lot of noise, so I knew it was only a matter of time before a few walkers would migrate toward the sound. But with my head spinning and my vision blurring, I couldn't see nor hear anything close by. Sighing heavily to myself, I rested my head back again, preparing myself to try and stand.

But then it came again, a snap and a rustle from the greenery a few feet to my right, only proving that I truly wasn't alone. I steadied my arms to try and push myself upward, but my entire body felt heavy with exhaustion and my muscles shook greatly, looking at the danger I would be face to face with as I couldn't find the strength to move.

A shadow emerged from the tall bushes to loom over me, blocking the blinding sun from my vision, causing me to squint my eyes to try and get a better look. My breathing grew ragged while fighting not to panic, but once it finally registered what was standing before me, I could've sworn it was all a dream.

Rose's familiar face came into view, her hand raising to wave in front of my face to try and get me to look at her. Her expression laced with nothing but concern.

"Daryl?" she called gently.

Her voice echoed around my head as I stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell she was doing here. But then I noticed she looked a little different. The bandages around her had completely vanished and the remaining cuts on her face from Ed were now healed and gone. She was almost glowing. Almost ethereal.

"Daryl, hey, stay awake." she spoke again, her tone just as soft as before while her gaze shifted down to the obvious puncture in my side.

I grunted lowly, trying to push up on my elbows and steady my breathing, "M' okay..."

She scoffed, "You have an entire bolt sticking out of your back, you're not okay."

"I'll be alright," I brushed off, still slightly in a daze, "What the hell are ya doin out here? How- how'd ya manage...?" 

"I'm here to keep an eye on you." she answered simply.

"Nah...ya shouldn't be worrying bout me. Ya should be restin back at the house, bein out here's no good for ya." I protested.

Her head then tilted a little, huffing out a small laugh, "You think I'm real?"

I squinted my eyes as I looked at her again, trying to figure out what was happening to me. She seemed like she was really here, but I had also lost a lot of blood and had been out in the baking sun for hours. Her appearance looked perfect, almost too perfect, but then again I've always thought she looked perfect.

"Yer not really here?" I breathed, not even trying to hide my disappointment.

She didn't answer, at least not right away, instead getting down to my level and lifting her hand to place it delicately against my cheek. I flinched at first, almost questioning what she was doing as her touch felt so unreal to me. But slowly, I found myself closing my eyes at the soft gesture, leaning more into her palm. How could I not? She was always so warm and welcoming it was hard to resist. Like she had me under some type of spell.

"No honey, I'm not." she answered, "Now, come on, you have to wake up. You have to come back." she gently coaxed.

My heart fluttered greatly at the unexpected nickname falling from her lips, my mouth parting to respond. But before I could even get the chance, there came more movement from the trees, her head turning as well like she had heard it too. I couldn't seem to force the words out of my mouth before she was suddenly standing back up again, stepping away to leave me completely.

"Wait, don't go." I muttered softly.

She turned at the sound of my plea, a reassuring smile crossing her face, "I'm not going anywhere...I'm waiting right where you want me." she promised.

As soon as she breathed those last words, my attention was snapped away from her at the sound of a walker that came from just behind my head. Reality crashing down upon me along with the chill of the water.

A strangled cry left me as I mustered all the strength I had to pull myself up fast, trying desperately to find my crossbow that I had lost amongst the unexpected events. But I didn't have much time, the monster crawling toward me with a disgusting snarl, its fingertips barely reaching to touch me. Then I remembered- the knife that she gave me. I still had it.

My hand immediately reached down for the handle, pulling it out quickly to take down the walker clumsily, falling down right along with it as my body felt weaker than before. My back hit the ground with a loud slam as I breathed in and out deeply, trying to find gather myself enough to make it back to the farm. Knowing no one was coming to help.

I felt myself grow tired once more, a wave of exhaustion hitting me and keeping me firmly planted in the mud that now caked my skin. My eyes remained shut as my head continued to throb, now finally processing the fact that I hallucinated Rose to be standing right before me. I had imagined her in a dream-like unconsciousness, for whatever reason that was unknown to me. Although I knew I couldn't linger on it for long as I needed to get back to the farm to the others...to her. I missed the feeling of her presence, even if it was truly all in my head.

Good Lord, what was this woman doing to me?

I then slowly pushed myself up again with a pained grunt, starting to get up to gather my belongings that were discarded in the water, including Sophia's doll I had somehow found along the way, fighting with myself to stay awake. But that's when I heard yet another familiar voice that made me stop dead in my tracks.

"Why don't you just pull the arrow out dummy?"

I glanced up again in disbelief to see Merle standing above me with a cocky smile and a hand on his hip. Great.

A few hours had passed before I finally found a good stopping point on the painting, putting away the watercolors as I planned to let the paper dry for a while. I found myself wandering back towards the RV, wanting to find a safe place for the artwork and hopefully to find something quick to eat. I knew that Dale had some food stashed away in the cupboards, and right now I felt I would eat just about anything I could find.

Eventually I settled outside the vehicle in one of the foldout chairs, sitting with the man himself as he worked on loading a few of the guns. I heard around that Hershel didn't like the idea of having free use of weapons when we were staying on his land, so most of them apparently went to Dale for him to watch over. I guess that just went to show how much we all trusted him. But of course for those on watch, it was allowed for that purpose, and that purpose only.

Andrea was currently the one occupying the job, pacing on top of the RV just above where Dale and I sat and occasionally jumping in on the small talk we conjured up. Though the hot topic was mostly about the search that continued for the lost girl, and all the men that were pushing themselves to the limit, it just made my need to help grow further. I felt that at least by tomorrow I could leave to contribute in some way, even if it was just something small. It was still something.

"You know, you are still quite the mystery to me, Rose." Dale suddenly said.

I tilted my head a bit at the change in conversation, "Why do you say that?"

The man shrugged, "I'm not sure. Maybe because you haven't really said much about your past. Just things about who you are now."

I visibly paused, not exactly knowing how to respond, and he caught on quicker than I imagined he would. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, no it's alright," I assured, "I guess...there just isn't a whole lot to say. I grew up in a really small town in Ohio and lived there for most of my life. Went to an academy to become an undercover cop, graduated...and then worked my ass off from there. I didn't really have a whole lot of friends or family, which just gave me more of an excuse to focus on my job. To be honest, I don't really miss anything about it...the life I had before."

His face drastically dropped as he seemed to instantly regret bringing it up in the first place, "I'm so sorry." he spoke sincerely.

I waved him off, "No, please don't be. It only took the end of the world for it to happen, but I think I've finally found my people." I winked.

He smiled at that but before he could say anything else, Andrea's frantic scream interrupted him.

"Walker!" she suddenly yelled.

My head lifted to follow her line of sight, narrowing to see in the distance only to find there was one lone walker coming at us, miles away it seemed like as it was across the large fields. I had to really squint to make out the shape of it, but I still managed to see it slowly limping closer towards us. Upon hearing Andrea's warning, a few of the men rushed over to see for themselves just how close it was.

"Just the one?" Rick asked.

She nodded before suddenly propping up the riffle she held, "I bet I can nail it from here."

"No, don't shoot, we can handle this." he said to her with an extended hand.

The woman rolled her eyes at him, silently watching as the guys took off in a sprint towards the thing. Though they only made it about halfway across the field before I heard a gun being loaded from right above my head. My gaze snapped up to see Andrea getting down on her stomach on top of the RV, holding the gun close to her face as she aimed.

"Andrea, don't." Dale said from beside me.

"Shut up, Dale." she hissed.

I rolled my eyes, "Look how far away that thing is, if anything you're going to hit one of the guys. Back off." 

She ignored me completely though I didn't miss the scoff she let out under her breath, continuing to stall for a few more seconds as she lined up her target. Clearly determined to kill it as if to prove some kind of point.

"Andrea-" I tried to warn, before the fire of a gun cut off my voice, Dale and I turning just in time to see the walker hit the ground like a rock.

The three of us watched in anticipation. I could practically feel the smugness radiating off of her. Before suddenly, my blood ran cold.

Rick's head whipped back towards us as he yelled "NO!" at the top of his lungs, so loud we could hear it from miles and miles away.

Something was wrong, and without another thought I found myself sprinting towards them to see what happened, ignoring the subtle pain I felt around my middle. It seemed like I couldn't get there fast enough, the twisted feeling in my stomach of anxiety and worry were beginning to overpower me the closer I got. But I still desperately needed to know.

As I finally got close enough to the scene, I saw Rick and Shane holding the corpse up, both having an arm around its body as they pulled it through the grass. It wasn't until I got closer when I realized...it was Daryl. Except he looked terrible, covered in mud and his own blood with what looked to be a wound on his left side. And now a fucking shot to the head.

I stood frozen in my spot thinking he was dead, before I heard his familiar voice mutter, "I was kiddin."

Just hearing him speak sent a wave of relief through me, but we still needed to get him back to the house fast. His injuries that covered his skin looked to be bad and would only get worse with time. It was ironic to me that I told him to be careful just before he left this morning, and he comes back looking like he'd been through hell. The rushed and heavy footsteps of Dale and Andrea sounded from just behind me as they caught up and I felt my fists clench at my sides. Feeling like it took everything in me not to completely lash out at her for her stupidity.

"Oh my God, oh my God, is he dead?" Andrea asked frantically as she didn't stop for anything.

"No, he passed out, you just grazed him." Rick responded angrily as he glared daggers at her, seeming to be just as pissed as I was that she didn't listen in the first place.

I didn't utter a word, nothing coherent would even cross my mind as we all followed behind them while they continued to drag him carefully back to the house. My arms were cross firmly at my chest, watching his now limp, unconscious body being held high by the two men with their pace only increasing. I couldn't even begin to describe the utter idiocy Andrea seemed to possess, but she really seemed to outdo herself every time.

"Wait guys, isn't this Sophia's?" T-Dog suddenly asked while holding up a doll that Daryl had apparently brought back. He did good.

"Yeah." Rick nodded simply before continuing the journey back.

It felt like it had taken forever yet all of five seconds to make it back onto the safety of the farm. Maybe because my mind was elsewhere the whole time, conjuring up the things I wanted to say once I had the chance. And once I saw Daryl made it inside safely, I seemed to lose all the self-control I had left.

I stormed up to Andrea, grabbed her by the back of the neck, kicking her legs out from under her so she fell onto the ground with a loud thud. I never let go of her neck as my hands now maneuvered to the front of her throat as I quickly put my right knee on her chest to keep her from moving.

"Why did you shoot?!" I yelled at her, "Why can't you just fucking listen for once?"

She started to struggle from beneath me, clawing at my arms to get me to let go, but I grabbed her shoulders and slammed her back into the ground, knocking the wind out of her so she would stop squirming.

"You are so self-absorbed, and don't give a shit about anyone else but yourself. Why did you do it?! To prove to all of us that you're a valuable member of this group? That you actually do something around here?! You're lucky you're a terrible shot because if you weren't, Daryl would be dead, and believe me when I say you would be next." I finished.

She stared at me in utter shock, her mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish as she struggled to control her breathless gasps. My side was screaming at me as I physically shook in anger, shoving her one final time before I stood up and slowly backed away from her. Though I felt a hand quickly grasp my wrist, my head whipping around to see Glenn tugging me backward.

But I pushed him off of me, not wanting to be touched or pulled away as if I couldn't handle myself. I watched as Dale moved to Andrea's side to help her stand, running a hand stressfully through my hair at the small number of people that witnessed my outburst.

"Rose, you're bleeding." Glenn said with a soft sigh, attempting to move toward me again.

I glanced down upon hearing his concern to see blood staining my shirt and I let out a frustrated sigh, before slowly brushing past him to head into the house to find Hershel. My steps were slow and filled with unease as I walked up the stairs, peering up to see the room to my right was being occupied by Daryl who laid unconscious on the bed. Hershel was right as his side, cleaning and stitching him up as Rick and Shane stood present in the room, asking question after question as they watched in anticipation.

I felt a twist in my stomach, quickly pushing it back down as I quietly knocked on the door that was open a crack to get their attention. They all turned towards me the second I walked in, eyeing me almost worriedly as I lingered in the threshold.

"Hey...when you're finished with him, could you stitch me back up?" I hesitantly asked.

The old man gave me a disapproving look before slowly nodding his head, not saying a word as he turned back to work.

"What happened?" Rick asked, looking down at my shirt with concern.

I shrugged, "Just a little argument with Andrea...I figured someone had to put her in her place." I mumbled before turning back around to leave, not wanting to linger on it.

The door creaked open to the room I was given as I stepped inside, sinking down onto the bed and staring off into space for a while as I processed the wild hare that went up my ass. The truth was, I didn't mean to be so harsh, but she needed to know how easily she could've killed someone today. It didn't seem to register with her, like she couldn't fathom the severity. She had a bad habit of doing whatever the fuck she wanted, and I was about done with that along with everyone else.

I looked up toward the door when I heard it open again after who knows how long, seeing Hershel coming over to fix the mess I made. Neither of us said a word as he slowly worked his magic, and the silence was becoming unbearable for me as well as the pain of the needle. He was clearly a little ticked off at me for blatantly ignoring his advice, and I understood that, but the silent treatment was a little much in my opinion. Really, I just tried to focus on anything else other than the thread pulling through my flesh.

A soft breath of ease left me as I felt him finish up, wrapping me up in bandages once more, finally finding the words to speak.

"I told you not to do anything to physical." 

"I know." I muttered, not meeting his eyes. I felt like I was being scolded like a child, but hey, maybe I deserved it. Clearly, I didn't know what was right and wrong anymore as I defended a friend, yet hurt someone else in the process.

"Rose I'm not mad, I just need you to be more careful." he spoke in a much gentler tone. "You can't just do something so exaggerated and expect to heal properly. Your organs could be permanently damaged if you keep this up. Please...give yourself a break."

My eyes shifted up to meet his, noticing the genuine concern he held, "I will..." 

He nodded once and left the room after that, leaving me alone once more. Which I couldn't tell if it was a good or bad thing. I found myself waiting, listening to the sound of hushed voices in the hall before they eventually cleared out, steeling myself to stand before heading toward Daryl's room. I wanted to check on him, to actually get a good look, but not when there were about twelve other people occupying the space too. I didn't really feel like facing the rest of them right now, knowing Dale was probably blabbing around to everyone about the things I did.

His door was now shut, and I didn't even know if he was awake, but a part of me didn't care. I just needed to see him. To see that he was actually still breathing as if Hershel forgot to check. I opened the door slowly, the old wood creaking as I did, peering inside to see he was lying on his good side and facing away from the door.

But once he heard the subtle noise from behind his head, he looked over his shoulder quickly to see who it was. But when he registered it was just me, it looked like he relaxed, and I too seemed to let out a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding in.

"Hey," I greeted quietly as I walked over, pulling up a chair to sit beside him.

He gave me a soft, tired smile as his eyes almost struggled to stay open, "Hey."

My eyes scanned over the varies of injuries in concern, almost not knowing what to say for a moment. I guess I was still in a bit of shock at how fast this all seemed to happen. "Now it's my turn to ask how you're feeling." I huffed sarcastically.

He chuckled a little, "Yeah, guess so. But m' fine, it's nothin."

"It's not nothing. My God...I could kill Andrea." I muttered, running my hand over my forehead to feel the headache that was starting to form.

"Yeah," he scoffed, "I think I could too once I get outta here." he joked, but I didn't laugh.

I couldn't help but stare at him, processing how fast we all could've lost him today if Andrea had just aimed a little more to the left. How fast it could've been over in just a split second. How easily you could lose just about anyone in a matter of seconds, all of it hitting me suddenly as I got lost in my mind. His face dropped a little, noticing how serious I became which ultimately cause him to sit up a bit straighter.

"Hey, m' fine, alright? Yer thinkin too much."

This time I cracked a small smile, "I'm not thinking too much, I'm actually doing the right amount of thinking. You could've died today...I don't-" I began, but cut myself off suddenly with a sigh.

His eyebrows raised a little in intrest, "Ya don't what?" 

My bottom lip got pulled between my teeth, debating if I should actually say what I wanted to say. "I don't know what I would've done if you died...and left me here alone with the rest of these assholes." I settled with saying.

He scoffed with a shake of his head, "Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to ya." 

"Good." I said simply, before suddenly remembering something, "Oh, hang on one second." I said before leaving the room to find the piece of artwork I had been working on, walking back in a few moments later with my sketchbook in hand. "I started painting when you were gone." I showed the progress I had made, turning it around for him to see.

His eyes grew a little as he studied it, taking in every single detail that I worked hard at. "This is really good. Didn't know how good ya were." he muttered quietly.

I felt my cheeks warm a little at the compliment, "Thank you..."

A moment of silence passed between us I found I was soaking it up as much as I could, and clearly, he was doing the same. I could tell he felt a hint of flattery that I had taken his suggestion so seriously, leaving me feeling just the same if not more seeing how he liked it so much. At least it took our minds off the accident, even if it was just for a second.

"Rose?"

I perked up a little, recognizing the sound of Carl's voice calling out in search for me just outside the room, "Uh...yeah? In here, kid."

A moment later the door burst open, causing Daryl to shift uncomfortably as he hiked up the blanket a bit higher right as Carl stepped inside. "Can we head out soon for the lesson? The sun's going to set soon." he expressed in excitement.

I paused, internally groaning to myself as I momentarily forgot the promise I had made to him earlier today. Apparently the kid wanted to learn how to shoot, and with Rick's permission, he wanted to begin as soon as possible. It flattered me that he asked in the first place, and I was more than happy to do it. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but now seeing the incident that happened, I found it harder to get up and leave.

"Yeah," I agreed slowly, "Just give me a minute here and we'll head out soon."

He smiled brightly, "Okay! I'll wait for you outside." he said before practically bounding back out of the room.

I sighed quietly before slowly standing back to my feet, looking toward Daryl apologetically, "Sorry...duty calls. I'll let you rest a bit before I eventually bug you again."

He then reached out to gently grasp my wrist, keeping me there for a few moments longer. The action alone surprised me, but the feeling of his thumb subconsciously smoothing over my skin is what shocked me even more. 

"Do ya have to?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

I smiled and slowly nodded, "Yeah. I'm sorry, I promised Carl I would take him out to practice shooting sometime today. Now, if I would've known you were going to get shot, I could've planned my day a little bit better."

He smiled at my joke, grunting quietly, "Sorry I messed those plans up."

"Eh, it's okay, I'll live." I said with a shrug.

He then looked at me seriously, "So will I." 

I couldn't help but just stare at him for a beat after he said that, not knowing how to respond. I know we were joking around about it seconds ago, but I was really worried, and he knew that. He saw it. This somehow was his way to promise me that he wasn't going anywhere, and he had no idea how much I appreciated that promise.

I then smiled after a few seconds, "Good." I said again, "I'll be back to check on you later if you want?"

"You better." he replied, finally letting go of my arm to I could walk away.

I felt my cheeks flush slightly, though I just smiled and nodded before quickly leaving the room and shutting the door behind me. Though no matter how hard I tried to shake the feeling, I couldn't help but replay his last words a few times in my head just to hear his voice again.

But I rolled my eyes at myself as I scoffed. Good Lord, what was this man doing to me?

~ Thanks for reading!

[paul-the-delivery-guy]

Paul's Penultimate Prediction: The Hamster & Gretel Season 2 Finale Prediction

I use the word "penultimate" in the title, both because I will most likely modify my projection shortly before the finale, and because I absolutely adore artful alliteration. Anyways, I promised you guys a season 2 finale prediction. Here I am to deliver. I'm actually rather sad knowing that this may well be my last theory for the show. I spent a very long time putting all this together. I'd like to see your thoughts below.

So, has anybody noticed a little trend here? Each of the mid-season finales and the season 1 finale has something in common: Gretel loses her powers. In “U. F. Uh Oh,” Gretel has her powers drained by being next to that purple rock. In “Exclamation Strikes Back,” both Gretel and Hamster have their powers stolen by Exclamation via the same mysterious rock. In “The New Adventures of Super Kevin,” Gretel's powers are transferred over to Kevin via a pendant (that just happened to be in Exclamation's house). If we continue the trend, It may stand to reason that we'll see a powerless Gretel once more in “Who's Afraid of Mordros the Annihilator.” I've been considering this possibility for some time now, but I didn't think this was enough basis for my theory. However, the title and synopsis for the next episode was recently revealed.

“No Powers Day” “Kevin's plan to teach Gretel not to rely on her powers is interrupted when he's taken captive by hill people.”

At first, I was a bit disappointed by the title. Not only was I expecting something more interesting, but as I just pointed out, we've already had episodes where Gretel has had to go with no superpowers. Gretel’s already proven adept without her powers, so what is the point of this… unless the episode is foreshadowing and she, for some reason, will not have her powers in the final battle.

Let me also talk about something in the episode “Hamster Ex Machina.” In this episode, Mordros the Annihilator has created robotic replicas of Hamster, Gretel and Kevin. Mordros, at first glance, struck me as a very smart and analytical villain. He's done his homework and has learned exactly how his enemy fights. HOWEVER, while he seems to have studied Kevin enough to make a replica of him, Mordros disregards him almost entirely. “We could not determine the random teenage boy's function, so we assumed that he was a trash receptacle.” -Robot Gretel.

Hold on… Wasn’t disregarding and underestimating Kevin Professor Exclamation's big mistake in the pilot episode?

Circling back to the mysterious rock from season 1, what was its purpose? Why did the aliens have a rock that could nullify Gretel’s powers? My friends, it's the same purpose the aliens had for creating all the villains. They were testing Gretel. They were testing to see how she performed without superpowers. But why was this necessary?

I'd also like to discuss the little pendant from the Super Kevin episode, the one that transfers powers to another person. The pendant clearly came from the power-granting aliens. Why did Professor Exclamation, who seemingly had no connection to the aliens, have this in his possession. I think that Exclamation found and swiped the pendant from the wreckage of the UFO when he secured the power draining rock. It may have been a backup plan for him to take Gretel’s powers. Now, if the aliens meant for the rock to be found and exploited, they probably meant for the pendant to be found as well. I believe that we will be seeing the return of Super Guy.

I think that Mordros can actually steal superpowers and take them for himself. This is how he became so powerful. Some time in the past, the power-granting aliens granted people on another world superpowers for whatever reason, and Mordros came and stole them.

In fact, I think the aliens meant for Super Kevin to happen, but he needed to be out of the limelight, out of Mordros's crosshairs, only ready to emerge when the time was right. He's somebody that Mordros won't see coming and will be unprepared to face.

Okay, maybe that's a bit convoluted. It's entirely possible that Kevin truly never was meant to have powers at all and the whole power-switch was never their intention. Maybe I'm totally off about Mordros being able to steal powers. Bottom-line of this prediction is that I truly believe that Super Guy is making his big comeback.

Here's how I think the final battle will go down: Hamster and Gretel try to fight Mordros (I'd like to see them team up with Lauren and Lyle). Mordros is able to steal most of the characters’ powers. Just before Mordros can steal Gretel’s powers, she is able to give them to Kevin. Super Guy makes his big comeback. Mordros, having never considered Kevin a threat and having never bothered to study him, is unprepared to fight Super Guy. Kevin ultimately saves the day. Who knows, when all is said and done, the aliens may finally grant Kevin his own powers.

Obviously, there are a lot of gaps to fill in, such as how and why Gretel ends up giving Kevin her powers again. I'm not sure of all the details. I feel like we'll get a bit more information in the next few episodes. If so, I may adjust my theory.

Now, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a few miscellaneous things I'd really like to see before the show ends:

1. Lauren learns of H&G's identity and becomes a member of the group. Even if she doesn't become a full-time superhero, it'll be great seeing her fighting alongside H&G.

2. Lauren and Lyle reconcile (that little scene in “Awkwardly Ever After” was hardly a reconciliation).

3. Kevin and Hiromi become a couple. I say this as someone who shipped Kevin and Lauren. This will require Hiromi learning about Hamster and Gretel, something I believe will happen either in "Art of Deception," or in the season 2 finale.

4. The aliens offer to give Kevin powers permanently. This is something I only want to see if this really is the end of the series. Otherwise, I'd prefer to keep a non-powered Kevin. Kevin’s main role is the man in the chair.

[teabeexo]

𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝙲𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜

A writing snippet featuring some of my characters in the Our Life: Now and Forever universe.

This takes place roughly two years before the events of Step 1. Thus, Mina (the protagonist of this piece) is eight. And her cousins, Sonia and Vérène are the other important characters in this. Sonia and Mina are the same age, while Vérène is a year older -- making her nine. This takes place while they still live in France.

OCs featured: Mina Linwood, Sonia Linwood, and Vérène Alcott

Enjoy!

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Mina lays flat on her back, tucked up to her chin in soft baby blankets and heirloom duvets. The room is quiet. The ceiling is plain. There is no wind tonight.

For once, none of the young girls have any words. Not even Sonia, the most talkative among them.

The burden of foreboding weighs heavily on their once-carefree hearts. Even in their glad moments together, there's an unspoken tension. Palpable and true, but repulsive all the same.

It's disquieting, especially for the youngest of the Linwood cousins.

There's a shuffle of sheets, and Sonia sits up on her bed.

Both Mina and Vérène lift their eyes from their homemade beds on the floor, blinking at their cousin. Sonia's form is illuminated by a halo of silver moonlight, which climbs the windowsill and dribbles over the floorboards. Her floral covers are bright and vibrant in the inky dark.

"Have your parents talked about it?" Sonia asks, gazing upon a mysterious rip in her pants rather than looking at the present company.

There's a beat of quiet. The silence ebbs into a suffocating muffle.

"No. Mom doesn't want to, either. I think that she thinks I'm upset." Replies Vérène, who lays sprawled on her stomach with her chin propped up on a pillow.

"Are you?" Asks Sonia, tearing the hole in her pants wider.

"Maybe a little bit. But getting away sounds nice."

"I'm kinda upset."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

Mina continues to stare at the ceiling. Flourishing leaves cast grand shadows, still and unmoving. The plants are eavesdropping.

"You know, before I found out we were moving, I heard my mom saying something odd. She was upset. Dad was trying to comfort her." Continues Sonia, unbidden.

"She probably feels bad." Vérène surmises, rubbing her puffy eyes with firm knuckles.

"I wish she wouldn't. It's not her fault."

"All the adults feel pretty guilty right now."

"They shouldn't."

"I know."

There's another beat of silence. Mina presses her nose into the soft layers of her makeshift bed. Her fingers curl into the malleable fabric.

"I wanted to cry when I found out." Sonia says now, quieter.

"Did you?" Inquires Vérène.

"I wanted to. But I didn't."

This time, Mina speaks: "Why didn't you?"

Sonia frowns from her spot on the bed. The hole in her pants is beyond repair at this point.

"Because I need to be strong. Everyone else is being strong. My brothers, my parents. I have to try too." Sonia says.

That induces a long pause between the three. Their chests are more burdened than ever, encumbered by the visceral discomfort that comes with the idea of moving. But there is hope. And there is time for the weight to be lifted.

"You know, even the moon cries sometimes." Hums Vérène.

"How do you know?" Mina blinks, turning over on her blanket to stare at Vérène's side profile.

"Because that's what the stars are. The moon's tears."

"Who said that?"

"Nobody. I think it just makes sense."

Mina hates that answer. She scrunches up her nose.

Sonia loves that answer. She feels her chest flutter.

"Stars are pretty." Comments Sonia.

"I bet our future houses will be pretty, too." Nods Vérène, her eyes closing.

"Yeah. I bet so too." The muscles in Mina's face relax. She'll let them have this one.

The shadows of the leaves have long-since abandoned the window. The moon has shrunken back over the hill, bathing the room in hollow darkness.

The girls all return to their beds, knowing that there will be no new stars in the sky tomorrow when they wake up. Because the move is not something to cry over anymore.

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Author's Notes

Thanks for reading! I was very unsure about posting this because I'm pretty subconscious about the quality of my writing and storytelling abilities, but I wanted to give it a shot anyways.

Shout out to Ice for proofreading and boosting my confidence enough to post it <33

Feel free to let me know what you think! As always, questions in relation to MCs/OCs are always welcome!