#i'm surprised i was able to get this pulled together enough to post today

[typingatlightspeed]

Some heavy and scout coddling medic please?

TF2 Fanfic - Weary

Medic's utterly bushed after a week of hard pushes and losses, and finally capturing a win at the cost of the last of his energy. He returns to his quarters from cleaning up completely drained, only to find his lovers waiting to dote on him.

It's all fluff, bay-bee! Enjoy! :D

---------

"Ach, my body," Medic groused, slipping through the door to his quarters and shutting it quietly behind him, sagging. He leaned his forehead against the door, unwilling to move just yet, finding it difficult to will himself the last gasp of energy to turn and flop onto his bed.

He was exhausted beyond compare, fatigued past synonym, tired down to the marrow and barely holding himself upright. A long week of difficult pushes had seen loss after loss after loss, unable to breach RED's defenses to deliver the payload. Today, the team had rallied, hammering at the defensive line until they finally prevailed, but it had taxed Medic to his limits, calling pushes and directing his teammates as he built charges and dove out of the line of fire from every angle.

Once the adrenaline had worn off as he showered away the grime and sweat and blood, Medic had found himself growing progressively more boneless as he sluggishly schlepped his way back to the dormitory hall, and his quarters thereby. Whoops and hollers from his teammates as they partook in post-victory celebrations and afternoon rituals faded past his closed door, leaving him in the relative quiet of his own space, able to finally just stop for what felt like the first time in days.

When he finally mustered the herculean amount of energy required to merely turn on his heel to face his room, Medic's eyes snapped open in sleepy surprise. "Was?"

Heavy and Scout reclined on his bed, half-covered by his sheets, shirtless. He was sure neither man was wearing a stitch of clothing, but honestly he couldn't bring himself to get excited about it. His weariness drove away any lurid thoughts.

"'Bout time you got here," Scout teased, stretching languidly to show off his body to his oldest lover. "Bed's awful cold without ya, Doc."

"But we help make it warm for you," Heavy assured him with a warm smile, scooting onto his side and patting the space between them.

"My men," Medic hummed softly, a smile crossing his lips. "I'm too tired for any fun, I fear," he cautioned, tossing his gloves onto his desk and unbuttoning his coat.

"This is fine," Heavy dismissed with a wave. "Want to hold you, give you nice cuddle after big win. You did well, Doktor. Work hard all week. You deserve reward."

"A reward?" Medic asked, smirking a little.

Heavy merely rubbed his furry chest in reply, smiling knowingly.

Medic shed his coat and tie and set to his waistcoat and shirt, chuckling. He couldn't resist Heavy's fluff, to be sure. "You spoil me."

Scout hopped to his feet as he noticed Medic fumbling with his buttons, wobbly with exhaustion. "Here, Doc. Lemme," he offered, making quick work of the man's too-many buttons and helping him strip. Layers fell to the floor to be dealt with later, Medic laughing as Scout lifted his arms to illustrate what he wanted him to do, pulling his undershirt free once the doctor complied. "I feel like a child being undressed for bath time," he chuckled, his arms falling to his sides.

"Well you already got cleaned up, so I guess it's time to wrestle you into some footie pajamas and read you a bedtime story," Scout teased, unbuckling Medic's belt and opening his fly, shimmying his trousers and underwear down together until they bunched around his thighs. He gestured for Medic to sit, and the doctor complied, perching on the side of the bed and watching with a smile as Scout carefully pulled his boots off and set them aside.

"I don't think even Pyro has a set of footie pajamas big enough for me," Medic laughed.

"Yeah, that's true. I guess you gotta sleep naked, then." Scout grinned and tugged Medic's clothes the rest of the way off, his socks ending up in the bundle of trousers and underwear that now sat in a pile on the floor with his shirts and waistcoat.

"Do I still get a bedtime story?"

"You really want me to tell you a big long story right now?" Scout threatened knowingly, ushering Medic to lie down and drawing the covers gently up over him.

"Only if you don't mind if I fall asleep during it."

Scout smirked, climbing into bed after him. "See now that's why I ain't gonna bother. Don't want you to miss any good parts."

Heavy wrapped an arm around Medic and tugged him close, letting him bury his nose into the fluffy hair at the middle of his chest with a contented sigh. One arm limply flopped over the giant, fingers lazily petting at the hair on his back.

Behind Medic, Scout slotted in, tangling his legs with the taller man's as he hugged him close and pressed soft kisses to the nape of his neck. "Just let it all melt away," he murmured, wrapping his arm around Medic and cuddled up close. "We got the day off tomorrow, and you got a nice long night's sleep between us before that. Nothin' to do but relax an' enjoy it."

Medic hummed out a soft sound of comfort, nuzzling Heavy's chest as he felt the tension drain from his body. Heavy's massive hand cupped his hip, surrounding him in the warmth of his lovers and blanket tucked up around his shoulders. Softly, he yawned. "Mm, I love you both," he murmured drowsily, sleep already tugging at him.

"We love you too," Scout soothed, giving him a squeeze.

"Good night, Doktor," Heavy whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of Medic's head, snickering softly as a quiet snore answered him.

"Damn, that was fast," Scout chuckled.

[runawaycatwalker]

Part 18. Who You Know (Veritruce, part C)

<<First | <Previous | Next>

Description below the cut

Ladybug flies up through the sky.

Ladybug (internally): I can't believe he... No.  Focus. Plan first.

Ladybug flies up towards a cloud, headed towards a darker opening within the cloud.

Ladybug (internally): I don't have my yo-yo, but I can still... wait, is that a hole inside this cloud?

From inside the cloud, Ladybug sees a cloud doodle of Rena Furtive above the words “Detransformation Safe Zone”.

Ladybug (internally): I didn't even realize she was out tonight.  Thanks, Rena.

Ladybug (aloud): Spots off!

Cut to Mayura pointing her fan up towards Catwalker threateningly.

Mayura: So now it is only you and me, Catwalker.  You may not know Chat Noir's identity, but you clearly are not unfamiliar with keeping secrets.  Talk.

Catwalker, still stuck in the upper cone, looks down in annoyance.

Catwalker: Just because I told Ladybug about Adrien, that doesn't mean I'll tell you all about Chat Noir. You almost killed him.

Mayura: And I regret that.

Catwalker leans against the cone and points an accusatory finger.

Catwalker: If you truly regretted your actions, you wouldn't be trying to hunt him down.  Or is what you regret that you failed to kill him?

Mayura raises her hands in exasperation.

Mayura: I don't want Chat Noir dead!  I am trying to make up for the harm I've caused him!

Catwalker: If you actually wanted to absolve yourself, you would have revealed Shadowmoth's identity to us.

Close-up of Mayura wringing her fan in her hands.

Mayura: Protecting Shadowmoth and Chat Noir is the decision my conscience can live with.

Catwalker: You have another decision: Walk away.  Whatever Shadowmoth's goal is can't be worth it.

Mayura: Even if he'd wish for something that Chat Noir desperately wants?

Catwalker leans back and raises a contemptuous hand.

Catwalker: You don't know Chat Noir very well if you think he'd be swayed so easily.

Mayura: I know him better than you think.

Catwalker: That still doesn't mean you actually care about him as a person.

Mayura: I literally cannot lie to you about this!

Catwalker hits his fist against the barrier wall.

Catwalker: Sure you can!  You control the amok.  You could have ordered Veritruce to not react to your lies.  And even if you didn't do that, it only detects your belief in what you say. Beliefs can be wrong.  So whatever you claim about caring about Chat Noir, your lie detector can't prove that you're speaking the objective truth.

Mayura: Then perhaps I can provide you external evidence?

Close-up of Mayura in profile.  There is also the image of Marinette blushing as she holds up the charm bracelet she gave Adrien, as well as the scarf she made for him behind her.

Mayura: Ask your kwami to verify this: A girl Chat Noir knows well likes to give him gifts.  A charm bracelet he carries with him at all times.  A birthday present she made for him that was misattributed to another.  Opportunities too, she will advocate on his behalf so that he can enjoy freedoms he might not have otherwise.  She admires him greatly and Chat Noir, in turn, considers her a most precious friend.

Catwalker stares ahead in shock.

Mayura: Will that suffice for now?

Catwalker: How do you know all that?

Mayura: Because I know him.  He's someone I would protect with my dying breath if need be.

Catwalker: And you think you'll protect him by making sure that I'm the one endangering myself to fight Shadowmoth.

Mayura bows her head and looks away.

Mayura: I won't try to kill you.  But we still need the wish.  And if you are our adversary, the inevitable fallout will be better than if Chat Noir were still involved.  Will you agree to keep him out of this?

Catwalker looks down. His earpiece is visible in his ear.

Catwalker: If Chat chooses to involve himself, that's his decision.  But I won't give up my miraculous to anyone besides Ladybug.

Mayura: That should be enough.  Thank you.

The point of the bottom conic barrier hits the top barrier with a clack.  Veritruce looks up in surprise.

Catwalker (internally): Mayura said these barriers were reinforced by truths. With every truth we've said, they've grown thicker, and now they're close enough to touch.

A close-up of Catwalker glancing upwards.  There is also the image of Ladybug falling down through the sky.

Catwalker (internally): And Ladybug is almost back—she'll need my help, so I'd better activate my...

A close-up of Catwalker’s hand as his ring charges with destructive energy.

Catwalker (aloud): Cataclysm!

A close-up of Mayura’s shocked face.

Mayura: What??

Mayura (internally): When did he recharge his miraculous?

Cut to a flashback when Catwalker was the one flying upwards through the sky.  Alya answers her phone while looking out on her balcony. Catwalker places a finger in his ear to activate his earpiece to make a call.

Alya: Hello?

Catwalker: Rena, I need somewhere safe to detransform.

Alya: Catwalker?  Did you steal my phone number from my flute?

Catwalker: Don't make me answer that, there's a lie-detecting sentimonster here.

Alya: Okay, but where's 'here'?

Catwalker: Can you see the speck flying above the Agreste mansion?  That's me.

Alya: I'll get you some cloud cover.  Trixx, let's pounce!

Cut back to the present as Ladybug falls downward from the sky, her yo-yo in hand.

Ladybug (internally): I've got my yo-yo back, but Catwalker's still trapped and powerless, so I can't rely on him.  But that barrier now has holes I can still use to my advantage...  If I aim...

Ladybug, still falling, throws her yo-yo through one of the holes in the lower conical barrier.  In the cone above, Catwalker places his hand against its barrier.

Ladybug (internally): ...just... right...

Both barriers begin to disintegrate.

Catwalker: Cataclysm!

Mayura: What??

Ladybug’s eyes widen.

Ladybug (internally): He destroyed the barriers?  Oh no... He's falling right towards—

Ladybug’s yo-yo catches on Catwalker’s arm right above Mayura’s face, snagging him away before he can catch her.

Catwalker: Ngh!

Ladybug (internally): My yo-yo.

Mayura and Veritruce flee off the rooftop, while in the background Ladybug tries to disentangle Catwalker from her yo-yo.

Ladybug: Let me untangle—

Catwalker: Don't worry about me!  We can't let Mayura get away!

Below is the same image as above, only without text:

[ddejavvu]

pairing: aaron hotchner x reader

summary: your BeReal for the day is, perhaps, a little too real

contents/warnings: smut (18+, minors dni)

There's no mistaking the notification that chimes on your nightstand. It's BeReal, the unique sound lets you know, and you're not in the best position right now to answer it.

You're in the best position, period. You're sprawled out against Aaron's silky bedsheets, the fabric soothing and cool against your flushed skin. You're sweaty, hot, and bothered, your cunt begging for more as Aaron drives his cock repeatedly through your sopping folds.

"Fuck," You hiss, partially at the feeling of Aaron's teeth scraping at your collarbone, and partially because you panic at the sound, "Aaron, my- gimme my phone."

"Don't you think this is a little more important?" He grunts, nearly knocking his skull into your jaw as he lunges for a kiss. He takes you by surprise, and you're nearly pulled away from your urgency to post when his tongue practically slips down your throat.

You nearly gag on it, and your nails take a break from scratching up his back to weave through the short strands of hair at the back of his neck. It's not long enough to tug, but he huffs at the feeling of your nails scraping across his scalp, and rocks his hips into yours slightly faster.

"Oh, fuck, Aaron," You pant when he finally lets you breathe, burying his head in your shoulder to bite at the skin there instead, "Aaron this is so hot, I wanna- please, I wanna post it."

"No face," He instructs, and you're more than happy to choose a different area of his body to focus on, "Don't need Garcia figuring us out."

The moans that escape your mouth, albeit muffled by Aaron's own, are so pornographic that you're paranoid they'll somehow be captured in the photo you snap. When you finally get your hands on your phone you aim it at Aaron's back, as well as the red stripes left by your newly manicured nails, and snap a photo. Then, with the front camera, your jaw that's been sucked sore by Aaron, and in the corner of the shot, his short black hair and strong jawline nestled against your skin. You keep it just as he's instructed, vague enough of a profile so that your coworkers shouldn't be able to figure out that it's him, and his post without a second thought. You feel the buzzings of replies soon after, but you're no longer capable of caring about them while they vibrate against your nightstand, much happier to focus on Aaron's relentless jackhammering into your pulsating cunt.

--

Gathering in the conference room the next day means that you get a lot of shit-eating grins. You'd expected it, what with the soft porn you'd posted, and you're surprised when even Rossi offers you his congratulations.

"Nice going, kiddo," He knocks elbows with you, and you laugh sheepishly.

"You saw?"

"Morgan filled me in," He nods, "Garcia was the first one to know, of course, but it spread very quickly."

You don't have it in you to be embarrassed in front of your team too badly. You're all adults, and they're more proud of you than anything, even if Reid's smile is extra awkward today.

"Just be glad Hotch doesn't have the app," Emily laughs, and for a moment you forget that they don't know you're together. But you play it off with a wry smile towards her as your Unit Chief walks through the door, and you're happy to let your attention drift to him as he speaks.

His tone is authoritative, like always, and you fight to stop something from stirring between your legs. You tune into what he's saying instead, something about a double homicide in Kansas, and that helps dissuade any distracting thoughts you might have had.

"-and those pictures are... not on the monitor." Aaron narrows his eyes at the black screen, and Garcia nearly breaks the remote trying to get it to respond.

"Sir, I'm trying! I'm sorry," She frets, mashing all of the buttons at once in her panic, "It's not working, I- I think the batteries might be dead?"

"I changed them two weeks ago," Hotch shakes his head while taking the remote from her, stepping up towards the monitor to fiddle with the buttons beneath it, "It's alright, Garcia, it's not your fault."

He cranes his head down to peer at remote in his hand, intent on making sure no acid has leaked from the batteries, but when he does so, the back of his neck is no longer covered by his shirt collar, and it's bright red.

There's clear marks from your nails, red streaks that haven't faded in the mere hours they've been left alone and probably won't for another day. It barely takes any time for a room of profilers to connect two and two, and Penelope's position as technical analyst doesn't hinder her realization.

Your hand shoots over your mouth as the rest of your team exchanges incredulous gasps and jeers, all looking rapidly between you and Hotch. He turns to raise an eyebrow at them all and his eyes land on your bashful grin.

"Remind me to rub some aloe on the back of your neck when we get home," You mumble sheepishly, and there's only more scandalized comments made about how you two go home together.

Aaron's jaw clenches and he sighs defeatedly at the realization that you've both been caught, a hand flying up to cup the back of his neck.

Everyone waits with bated breath to hear what he has to say for himself but he can't manage to muster up anything to save the awkward situation.

"We'll look at the details on the jet," He grumbles, setting the faulty remote on the counter and snatching his bag off of the ground beside his chair, "Wheels up in thirty, and we never speak of this again."

[leafzu]

Sweetheart 🍮

contents: Arrange marriage trope | Slow burn | Angst | One sided love? Part 3 to this

His birthday.

Kento never celebrated his birthday. He can't even remember if he ever celebrated it.

A drink and a book and maybe something sweet from the nearest bakery was enough.

It was just another day to him.

Even while being in a relationship, he didn't make a big deal about it. Because to him, it wasn't anything special.

Not to mention you two weren't exactly on...the same page.

You were being as distant as ever and Nanami craved more of you.

So when Nanami returned home to you wearing a cute frilly apron and flour smudged face, he was amused.

“Welcome home,” you smiled. “I ordered food and,” you pulled out a bag from his favorite bakery. “Tada! I got your favorite dessert. Happy birthday Kento.”

The smile on your flour smudged face ignited a warm feeling in Nanami's chest. After days, Nanami has seen you so bright, so happy and most importantly making a conversation with him. You thought of him, you got this all for him.

“You should freshen up, I'll be done here by then,” you sighed. “I hope.” “What are you making?,” he asked walking towards the kitchen counter. “Oh uh, I'm making milk bread.”

His favorite, you remembered.

“I hope I can make it, I'm awful at baking heh.”

It's the thought that counts, he thought to himself. “Let's bake together then.”

“Ehh but I wanted to surprise you,” you pouted. He smiled. “Baking together is more fun is it not?”

It is.

You loved baking but would always mess it up. But somehow with Kento you both were in sync. It was fun. But you being clumsy got flour in your hair as well.

It was like a kid's first time baking. Gentle smiles and giggles were heard in the kitchen.

For the first time it felt like a birthday celebration for Kento.

“I'll knead the bread.” Rolling your sleeves up, you started kneading. Your hair was a mess. Your bangs got in your way.

Kento gently put a strand of it behind your ear.

Your face heat up. “Thank you.” His touch brings warmth to you. If only he did it more often.

ᡣ𐭩

“Mm, it smells so good!” You were so happy with how it turned out. Even Nanami was proud of it.

A little candle was put beside the milk bread.

“I'm sorry I couldn't get you a proper gift this year. I'll do better next time.”

Better? You put so much thought into this. This is the first time in years his birthday feels slightly special.

“I appreciate everything you did today,” he said. “So please, don't be sorry.”

The way he looked at you with those warm gentle eyes and that smile..

“But, there is one gift I would like to claim from you,” he said, now standing up and walking over to you

“And what would that be?”

“This.”

Soft lips made their way to the plush of your cheek. The kiss was soft as if a flower petal touched your skin.

You stood frozen in the moment. Not being able to process what just happened.

“Thank you.”

[I feel like this was really badly written but late birthday post for Nanami. I love you 🍞 ⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚]

Taglist > @brazenliar @erishishigami @ffyona1214 @patpatspatz @eliuriastwo @namikyento @keira80808 @midnightbarnes97

[holybibly]

The way I had a dream years ago almost the exact same as your park twins but with a different idol-

The innocent looking one and the seductive one being the vice versa of each other in bed

I'm foaming at the mouth

(I want to leave an emoji but I'm also a silent reader--)

Oh, sweet baby, I have a sense of my bunnies on a telepathic level, don't I? We just can't seem to get enough of Seonghwa and I'm totally happy with it. As promised, I'll be making a full piece for the Park twins, but while I'm at it, here's a little treat for you.

I was going to post this yesterday, but I'm going to do it today instead. Double the fun for you bunnies 🐰🐰

Our Sugar Weekend begins

It was hard to tear them away from you, even for a second, from the night you found yourself in the Park twins' bed, sandwiched between two hot and insatiable bodies.

You had always assumed that Hwaseong was a sex addict with an eternal and desperate need to fuck. But Seonghwa—that gentle, sweet Seonghwa whose eyes seemed to shine with all the stars of the universe—became a real surprise to you. The boy was demonic. Even the most innocent of kisses was enough to turn him on, and after a few seconds, you found yourself trapped in the bodies, hands, and lips of the Park twins.

A thin veil of sweat shimmered over your heated skin, and your chest rose and fell with breathless moans as you melted away under the endless caresses of the tireless twins.

The film night quickly turned into a session of hot kisses, and as a result, you found yourself where you were—your head resting on the soft headboard of a luxurious plush sofa, as Seonghwa straddled your chest. Your small hands were barely able to grasp your plump, heavy tits and squeeze them together so that he could slide his thick, long cock into the soft, cosy space between them. The twins were obsessed with your tits, constantly touching, biting, kissing, and licking them, and when you jokingly said they could fuck them, the sweet creature didn't think twice before climbing on top of you.

Even now, Seonghwa was angelic in appearance; his hair was soft and slightly curly, gleaming in the dim light of the room. His mouth was parted with sensual moans; his lips were wet and swollen from kissing, sweat glistening on his golden skin. Damn, he was mesmerising.

Hwaseong stood beside you, slowly stroking his magnificent cock, enjoying the sight of Seonghwa using your tits for his pleasure. He looked so fucked, his make-up smeared from all the kisses and heated caresses you had shared, his cat-like eyes clouded with need and desire, his lips glistening from the saliva his tongue had smeared over the soft, plump flesh. Hwaseong might look like a real demon on the outside, but in bed he was a desperate, horny kitten, eager to please you. He was obedient and gentle, unlike Seonghwa, who would bite you until you were bleeding and fuck you until you were unconscious.

From time to time, Hwaseong would brush his swollen, leaking cockhead across your lips. He would stain them with the shimmering viscosity of his pre-cum, leaving them shiny and wet. Every time your little tongue would stick out to taste it and lick his delicious-looking cock, he would pull away and deny you that pleasure, his eyes shining with pleasure at the temporary, fleeting power he now had over you, knowing that his brother had you pinned down and you couldn't gain control over him for the moment.

Seonghwa distracted you from the exquisite torment of his twin by placing his large, dainty hands over your small ones, helping you to press those hot, soft mounds of flesh closer together.

This made your tits massage his thick length even better with every thrust of his hips, causing Seonghwa to moan loudly and throw his head back so that you could enjoy the sight of his long neck covered in hickeys. It was moments like this that made you damn grateful to their parents for having given you not one but two damn attractive boys who, among other things, were mirrored in each other.

You could tell that Seonghwa was about to fall into the frenzy of his orgasm by the increasing speed of his movements and the slight twitching of his hips. And damned, every time he cum, his face was just unbelievable.

Excited by the idea of making him cum faster, you turned your head away from Hwaseong, tilting it down instead so that you could lick Seonghwa's cock every time the head of his cock appeared above the top of your breasts.

"More; I need more of it." Seonghwa moaned over you as your tongue slid over the head of his cock. The feeling of his cock sliding in the wet, warm space between your breasts was enough to send him to heaven. In combination with your tongue, it almost drove him crazy.

Hwaseong ran his fingers through your hair and gently pulled your head down to help you take Seonghwa's cock deep into your throat. With his other hand, he was pumping his own cock furiously. The moaning and the wet, slippery sounds you made together filled the entire room of the penthouse, plunging you even deeper into the intoxicating pleasure.

Hwaseong's hips moved closer and closer to your face, close enough to finally allow you to lick the bittersweet liquid that was pouring out of his beautiful slit and onto the head of his cock. Your tongue caressed both of them, tracing the length of their cocks and licking them with devoted passion as you swallowed every drop of the pre-cum that they offered you.

Just as you had expected, Seonghwa moaned loudly and long, throwing his head back even more and arching his back as his cock exploded in the crushing embrace of your tits. It decorated you with ribbons of milky fluid all the way from your plump and soft chest to your neck.

It didn't take long for Hwaseong to orgasm, either.

He aimed his cock at your pretty face, smearing your features with his cum as he watched the viscous fluid slowly flow down your flushed, glistening skin.

You breathed deeply, trying to catch your breath from the intense pleasure your body was experiencing, and although covered in their cum, you felt beautiful and wanted. Seonghwa got off you and pulled you into his arms before you could enjoy the warmth of their sticky cum.

Hwaseong's arms wrapped around your waist as he lowered his face down to your breasts, obediently licking the fluid from Seonghwa's skin until your tits and throat were glistening with his saliva instead of sticky, milky cum. Simultaneously, Seonghwa gently cupped the back of your head with his hand, turning your face towards him, and licked Hwaseong's cum from your cheeks and lips with equal tenderness, turning the lewd act into something sweet and adoring.

Satisfied that you were clean, the twins pulled you into an insatiable, carnivorous kiss as you clung to each other like kittens in heat, your hands touching each other. All of this was just a prelude to the real action, and you could already feel the hot touch of Seonghwa's fingers as they slid over your pussy and slowly began to stimulate you. Hwaseong's dick was already noticeably hard against your thigh.

Seonghwa and Hwaseong's insatiable sexual appetite might have been hard for some to handle. But you were more than happy to be their pleasure whenever they wanted.

[kafus]

a likodot themed analysis of HZ049

hello it's been a while since my last truly longform post like this but guess who watched HZ049 today and is going absolutely fucking feral bonkers about it. it's me. and i have things to say about it of the likodot variety because if i don't get these thoughts out of my head i'll explode.

forgive me for my shipping bias because i'm not sorry. however i am slightly sorry for how messy this post ended up being my god i had a lot of thoughts but i did my best to make this at least somewhat entertaining to read and comprehensive. but it really is a long winding mess LOL. FULL OF PASSION AND ADORATION I LOVE THIS SHOW AND I LOVE LIKO AND DOT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD

obviously there are heavy spoilers below the cut i'm going to be violently pulling apart all the scenes where these two interact and gnawing at all of it

so. first off. this episode displays massive growth in liko and dot's relationship by method of showing how much liko's behavior around gurumin has changed since these two met and since dot initially confessed to being gurumin. as we all know liko was a massive superfan of gurumin, and then when dot confessed to being gurumin... well liko's reaction was. Uh

well she was having a little bit of a crisis about it LOL. historically liko has gotten very flustered and panicked when reminded that dot is gurumin. and she has been really prone to fangirling still (ie. getting really excited about helping gurumin in HZ019 with the bakery stuff or helping gurumin with the pig town stuff in HZ036), despite knowing the person in the suit. she goes as far as to try to ignore that dot is in the suit entirely and keep them separate in her brain (shown for instance by her freaking out over seeing dot halfway in the gurumin suit in HZ039) because if she were to mentally cross those wires, she wouldn't be able to handle it.

but now in this episode, things have obviously changed a lot over time. the episode opens with a small scene that explains what dot is doing about gurumin while they are traveling on the terastal course (filming them beforehand and scheduling ahead of time lol) but liko and dot have a conversation about (a really CUTE conversation) about gurumin in the process.

do not get it twisted, liko is still very much a fan of gurumin, but this conversation is a lot more comfortable and grounded. she gets a notification about a new gurumin video and she's excited (and surprised because of the timing), but she is not panicking about it. and her first reaction to this information is to directly ask dot (with the softest expression fucking ever??) about it. this directly connects dot and gurumin together in a strong way. liko is no longer running from the fact that dot is the youtuber she looks up to, and in fact she's being pretty upfront about it.

not related to my main point, but i also just want to gush a little here about this scene more - dot reacts similarly to liko showing so much affection for her work in a similar way to how she reacted in HZ008 to liko complimenting her through the door - getting flustered about liko's genuine energy, but this time they know each other and are looking at each other face to face. liko's affectionate energy is enough to make her relent that maybe someday... she could film outside... which shows the sort of effect liko has on her. and also this becomes relevant later in the episode where dot literally does film gurumin videos outside - it's just good writing/foreshadowing lol

anyway, this continues later on when liko is the first to get worried about dot doing the battle livestream with nanjamo as gurumin instead of herself. i think if this situation had happened much earlier on, liko would have been thinking a lot more about the excitement of the idea of seeing gurumin battle in real life, but she doesn't even initially have that thought and have to backtrack, she's immediately worried about dot instead.

ironically, liko recognizing that gurumin isn't dot, as in gurumin is a mask that dot puts on instead of being representational of her true self, drives home liko's recognition of dot as gurumin even more. she understands the connection between dot and gurumin and what gurumin is to dot enough to have this concern in the first place - one roy initially doesn't understand, that is specific to liko. there is zero compartmentalization of dot being a youtuber here! liko is concerned about her friend who is an influencer, where she puts on a mask to be confident and outgoing. dot and gurumin are fully connected.

it's also worth acknowledging that liko holds the gurumin suit and is concerned about it being damaged but nothing more - unlike in HZ021 when she goes to dot's room to give her the suit after it's been washed and cleaned, and she's a little nervous and flustered about it still.

i've always talked about how there's a bit of a difference between shipping liko and dot, and liko and gurumin - not that those two sectors have zero overlap, but that to liko, gurumin and dot were usually kept so separate mentally that fans online could often be sorted into camps of being interested in the running silliness of liko's fascination and flustered behavior with the whole gurumin thing, and liko and dot's connection with each other as normal (girl)friends... liko has progressively adjusted more to dot being gurumin and has had moments where she is able to set aside her fangirl heart to be there for dot (like when she mentions dot being gurumin in her little supportive speech in HZ027), but this episode shows that in a much more drastic and meaningful way, and now those two sectors are FULLY overlapping canonically. i think it is overall a sweet and good thing for them that liko is able to see dot as a whole and directly appreciate her creative skills/work. it is obviously meaningful to dot!

TLDR;

HZ039:

HZ049:

you get the point.

NOW. onto the SECOND thing i want to talk about. the thing i've dubbed LIKODOT TELEPATHY. aka holy shit these girls understand each other without words. liko and dot understand each other on an intrinsic level and often notice when the other is worried, or pushing themselves too hard, or etc. that is EXTREMELY evident in this episode through liko's concern towards dot.

going back to the first scene before the opening theme, liko detects immediately when dot comments on roy's upbeat attitude that dot might be feeling nervous about her upcoming battle, and immediately offers reassurance.

(unfortunately i have to put aside my ramble about liko's continued lack of self esteem and her putting herself down here for another time because otherwise this post will get so off-topic and longer than it has any right to be, but you get the point. also holy shit dot saying "you don't have to fuss so much" but smiling and saying that line like she's happy to have liko fretting about her makes me CRAZY. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. BUT. coughs. ANYWAY)

then, like i mentioned earlier, liko is the first to be worried about dot in this episode. she's the first to notice dot's anxious/shutting down behavior:

the first to recognize that dot might actually walk away unhappy if she were to do her terastal exam as gurumin instead of herself:

and the first to recognize that her filming videos outside is not as genuinely upbeat and happy as it may seem:

(two quick side notes about this, i really like how the writing puts emphasis on liko's concern by contrasting roy's total lack of it multiple times - NOT that he doesn't care of course, but just that liko understands dot particularly well and is in touch with dot's feelings in a special way that roy isn't. additionally, it makes me feel crazy that dot probably got the idea to film outside from liko's affectionate encouragement in the first scene in the episode... like, she's basically trying to use liko's advice to hype herself up and get through this... of course she would!! trusting liko's words has always ended up positively for her!! liko is such a massive support for her!! and liko acknowledges herself that yeah she said that but that isn't what she meant. GOD. i'm so insane about these girls)

this is notable not only because it's very sweet that liko is so concerned about dot, but also because dot doesn't really understand this herself. she is trying so hard to put on the gurumin facade, to run away from her anxiety as far as possible, to avoid the bad. and yet despite her attempts to cover her true feelings up as much as possible, even from herself, liko sees straight through it. dot cannot mask around liko, she understands regardless, sees the parts of her she doesn't want to acknowledge.

the contrast between dot's understanding of herself and liko's understanding of her is immense. directly after dot boldly proclaims that she feels so much stronger as gurumin and happily mentions that she has nanjamo's permission to do their battle as gurumin is when liko finally confronts her. the difference in mood is startling, almost, and easily shows that contrast. i need to break down this confrontation in detail cause it makes me insane

first, liko is still too nervous to say what she wants to say, but as per usual with LIKODOT TELEPATHY (tm) dot immediately notices liko going into her polite i-don't-want-to-inconvenience-you voice and pushes for what the matter is. she can tell immediately that liko has a problem even though liko hasn't said anything yet.

liko doesn't want to rock the boat and is overly gentle with her words (once again i have to push aside my ramble about liko's confidence problems AGH) but finally speaks her piece about the situation.

i want to mention here as well, these two situations are very different, but the similarities of dot noticing liko pushing herself back in HZ027 and then liko recognizing dot pushing herself in kind... SIIIGH

dot's reaction is to stammer with MUCH less confidence than before that she wasn't forcing anything. she's taken offguard by liko's concerns, but it's evident she recognizes what liko is saying within herself and is grappling with trying to maintain her mental wall after liko has cracked it in half with her words. liko was right and saw right through her, and dot isn't sure how to handle it. she avoids eye contact and everything.

this is where i bridge my conversation about likodot telepathy into talking about dot's characterization and growth as a character, so bear with me - quaxly attempts to drive the point liko is making home by separating dot from the gurumin suit, but afterwards is... The Scene. liko tries to bring the conversation back to what they were saying before, but at this point dot is overwhelmed by quaxly's actions and feels socially/emotionally cornered and... she explodes and screams at liko.

i think it's an interesting part of her personality that she is prone to irritable/angry outbursts and yelling when she has her buttons pushed too far and i'm glad that remains consistent for her, especially because...

the last time dot yelled directly at liko like this was in HZ008. the situation is actually quite similar with dot being pushed too far into a situation she doesn't know how to handle by liko reaching out to her more than she is ready for, causing her to lash out. but some MAJOR things have changed since then - obviously, the first time was through the door before they really knew each other, before liko had even seen her face, but this time it's up close and personal and they know each other. but secondly, at the beginning of the show, dot is irritated and overwhelmed by pretty much any attempt at conversation. she has come such a long way that now she's brought to screaming by something much, much more massive, with the whole being streamed live while battling in real life thing, showing how much she has overcome since then... and not only that!! thirdly! the first time, liko was encouraging gurumin, sharing how much of a fan of gurumin she was, and now this second time, it's in reaction to liko essentially telling her "i don't think you actually want to be gurumin in this situation". point is, the amount of growth dot has had is ironically so easy to see in her screaming at liko here because of the sheer level of contrast between the two times it's happened.

by this happening again, it also gives dot the chance to recognize her own shitty behavior and apologize for yelling later even though liko (nor roy) were asking for an apology - in fact they seemed to be surprised that dot wanted to apologize in the first place, like they had forgotten all about it. i think both liko and roy are used to shrugging off some of dot's more irritable behaviors, but this time dot noticed herself that she messed up and takes that moment to say sorry, which is sweet of her and once again a moment of character growth.

considering that dot also follows this up with the statement that she will take her terastal exam as herself, the apology is also connected to it - like she recognized that what liko was saying, the thing that made her yell, ended up being true. it was liko's genuine attempt to help her. and now that she's come to that conclusion on her own, she can see that yelling was even more misguided.

and that's my final conversation topic about this episode - the fact that dot came to that conclusion on her own. yes, liko cracked the wall she was putting up and gave her that starting push, but dot went above and beyond to take that crack and then smash that wall into pieces without liko's help. which despite what it sounds like i think is extremely important for these two's dynamic moving forward.

i'm going to spare you the analysis of dot's fear of cameras, why she hides behind gurumin, as well as a breakdown of the whole part of the episode with varoom bc i'm trying to talk mostly about likodot here, but assuming you've watched the episode you know what i'm talking about. here, i'm focused on the part where liko exclaims that they have to help dot, and dot denies her help and says she wants to handle it on her own, and then from this experience she is able to conclude she wants to do her terastal exam as herself.

this is massive. for so long, liko has practically dragged dot along and held her hand through tackling new experiences... sometimes literally lol, thinking about the scene in HZ027 where liko drags dot to chase after terapagos by the arm. but anyway, on top of that, this is also different from her standing up to her mom in HZ041, which was ALSO massive, but a large part of that episode consisted of liko's interventions, and she was pushed into that situation where she really had no choice in the matter. she had to if she wanted to stay on the brave asagi which was non negotiable. but here? there was nothing stopping dot from just taking the help and running from the cameras. in fact it probably would have been much easier to do that. but she wants to prove herself, and not because she has to to get the thing she wants, but just because... she wants to. she wants to succeed on her own.

and i think that's really important in the context of not just dot herself, but likodot, because while it is very sweet of liko to constantly be pushing dot and leading her to further self understanding and more confidence, and i will always be emotional about liko essentially caring for her to the point of dot braving ending her time as a NEET, the end goal for that should always be that dot is given confidence in herself to exist as a person independently of liko's pushing, for her own sake.

i think it's also incredibly meaningful that liko saw this happen - she experienced running out to help dot like usual, and then actually having her advances denied, but not for bad reasons this time... she gets to see dot be a better version of herself and come to that conclusion liko tried to push earlier, on her own accord, in her own way.

i say all this because i want liko to be able to love dot not as a person to fix but also just... a person. i want what liko has done for her to cause dot to be a better person outside of what liko does, for herself. and i want liko to be able to love the wonderful and more confident person dot becomes as a result. do you understand. am i making sense. GAH. i am so worked up about this. i'm holding them both in my hands and shaking them violentlySJDFJFSD

god. thank you for reading if you've actually come this far. i am going to end off this messy and deranged casual "essay" with a couple of notes i wasn't sure how to fit anywhere else.

one, i think it's very nice that when roy thinks dot's in trouble, liko is sure enough in dot's intelligence and battling skills to say with great confidence that dot MUST have a plan

and TWO, AHHHH I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE AHHHH AHHHHHH WE ARE GOING TO GET EVEN MORE DOT CHARACTERIZATION AND GROWTH AND SHE'S GOING TO FACE HER MENTOR FIGURE HOW AM I GOING TO HANDLE IT AFTER ALREADY WRITING THIS MUCH ABOUT THE FIRST EPISODE IN THIS TWO-PARTER AND ALSO WHAT WAS THIS GAY SHIT IN THE EPISODE PREVIEW AHHHH AHHH

thank you for coming to my ted talk. goodnight tri state area

[lucyw260]

Water Reveals All - Nobunaga

Another birthday of mine is here, so that means my yearly Nobunaga fanfic must be written. I wasn't having a good day today so I knocked this out in record time but then accidentally deleted most of it and had to rewrite it, it was way better before so I'm mad. I haven't posted since the last yearly fic, I hope you all are well

Words = 664

Warnings = establilshed relationship, bruises, water

Excerpt = “I conquered your thigh at this very hot spring. Have you forgotten?. It is mine, not even you are allowed to harm it"

After joint hard work trying to unify the country, Y/n and Nobunaga deserved a relaxing break away from castle life and responsibilities. So here they both were having a short hot spring vacation together.

Nobunaga was already lounging in the hot spring, steam obscuring his body so no prying eyes can take advantage of his visage, well he doesn't mind the prying eyes of his lover.

Y/n was hesitating at the edge of the hot spring, she wasn't even in the warm water and yet her cheeks were as red as the sunset behind her.

“We didn't come so I alone could bask in the water” Nobunaga declared as Y/n paced around the edge and he watched her

“Hang on, I'm trying to sike myself up” she said while trying to shake the nerves off. It was silly to be nervous as it's not like her beloved would see anything he hadn't seen before.

“I guess you don't love me enough to keep me company” Nobunaga had the audacity to pout and show his childish side while saying that.

Y/n laughed slightly, feeling glad that her beloved was free from stress and showing weakness.

“Okay okay, I'm getting in” she chuckled and dipped her toes in before sitting down a ways away from Nobunaga.

“Come closer” Nobunaga demanded in his lordly voice.

“As my lord says” Y/n jokes and makes her way over to Nobunaga but not close enough for Nobunaga’s liking.

He sighs before grabbing her waist and guiding her onto his lap, she wraps her legs around his waist in surprise so she doesn't fall backwards.

“That's better” he stated, staring into her eyes with his own carmine ones. He smirks as she puts her arms around his neck as he adjusts his grip.

The movement of them both had caused Y/n’s thin, almost seethrough bathing robes to ride up her thighs. Blushing furiously, she quickly tries to pull the cloth down before Nobunaga can get any steamy ideas.

Nobunaga can't help but try to sneak a peek of her perfect thighs but something else catches his attention instead. He firmly grabs her hand before she can fully cover her thighs.

Startled, she looks up at Nobunaga only to see him staring down at her thighs with trembling eyes.

“When did you get this?” he questioned in a nonchalant voice but those who knew Nobunaga well would be able to pick up the hint of obvious worry that was apparent.

He reaches down and lightly brushed his long fingers across a brown bruise on the top of her thigh, in no more than a phantom touch.

Y/n looks down to see what Nobunaga is talking about and sees a bruise decorating her high but she can't answer his question because she doesn't recall when she got it but then suddenly remembers something.

“Oh, I remember. I was organising the archive when a book fell off the top shelf and the corner of it hit my leg” she revealed before looking up at Nobunaga.

She could see the telltale signs of worry for her wellbeing in the set of his face so she continued talking.

“I didn't even know it had bruised, it was only a slight pain” she adds to try to soothe her black haired lover.

Nobunaga lifts his eyes off her thigh and looks into her eyes before his next action makes her gasp.

He bends slightly and presses a soft kiss to Y/n’s thigh, like a mother kissing away the pain of their child's wound.

“I conquered your thigh at this very hot spring. Have you forgotten?. It is mine, not even you are allowed to harm it" Nobunaga asserts with admonishment in his eyes.

And just like that, Nobunaga the warlord has come back to the forefront but his strong minded lover will cherish the brief and rare show of concern for her that came from his slow thawing heart.

Please don’t repost, edit or steal. Reblogs are more than welcome though!  

[alexihollis]

The Nomination

*based on a thing @asthedeathoflight posted*

"The- the girl who works at the Wonderwheel?" Cleon blinked.

"Mhm."

"The one that carries around that giant sketchbook? And tried to feed a pigeon tofu?" Cleon's voice became more and more incredulous as she spoke.

"Ye- How do you know about that?" Ajax asked.

Cleon just shrugged.

"We need a tagger," Ajax soldiered on - she had thought this through, had a game plan. "She's little. I bet she'd have no problem getting to rooftops and scaling billboards."

"And if we were running low on scouts, I'd be all ears, but we aren't. How well do you think that girl would hold up in a fight?" Cleon asked.

"Are you really gonna say you thought Swan was going to be a good fighter when you snagged her?" Ajax asked. "She looked like a drowned rat when you brought her home!"

"Fuck you, too, Ajax!" Came from the kitchen. Ajax winced. She hadn't realized Swan was home. Whoops.

"She's gonna kick your ass for that," Cleon said.

"Let her try." Swan and her were pretty 50/50 when it came to fights.

Cleon shook her head, bemused. "Has she even said anything about wanting to be in a gang?"

No. No, she had not, but she had told Ajax other things. Like the dad who keeps stealing whatever little money she squirrels away. The creepy men who lurk around the dark corners in their apartment building. Loneliness, because she'd had to drop out of school at fifteen and hadn't been able to make a true friend since losing all the ones she had once had there.

That, in part, might be because she is incredibly jumpy and cagy, but Ajax didn't want to bring that up. The one time Ajax brought up something she didn't seem to want to talk about (namely the dark, suspiciously hand-shaped twin bruises on her biceps), she avoided Ajax for a solid week and still hasn't worn clothes more revealing than a long sleeved shirt and jeans.

Regardless, Ajax knew she would love the Warriors and the Warriors would love her - if Cleon gave her a chance.

"Ajax just wants her new girlfriend to move into our apartment," Cowgirl said, voice coming suddenly from behind Ajax.

For fuck's sake, was everyone at Cleon and Swan's today?

"Shut up, Cowgirl," Ajax hissed as the other girl plopped herself onto the couch, legs dangling as she pulled out a rolled up magazine from her back pocket.

Cleon's eyebrows shot up, "Oh."

"Cleon-"

"Hey, if you say she's cool, she's cool," Cleon said. "Do you plan to move her in? Cause I'm not sure how cool she's going to be rooming with you and Cowgirl."

"I'm moving in with Cochise, we already talked about it." Cowgirl lazily flipped through her magazine. Ajax could kiss her.

"She needs to move in," Ajax said. And something she had been trying not to reveal must have sunk into her voice, because Cleon's face turned much more serious.

"Why the hell didn't you say that first?" Cleon asked.

"Because Wonderwheel girl would dump her in two seconds if she thought Ajax was pitying her," Cowgirl piped up once again, helpful as ever, not at all concerned about the murder plot building in Ajax's head once again. At Cleon's confused look, "She's been talking to herself psyching herself up to come talk to you. It's been concerning."

"I do not talk to myself!"

"Sometimes you do."

"Oh-!"

"Enough," Cleon cut off the building argument. Then, to Ajax, "All right. Is she at the Wonderwheel right now?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go. We'll swing by together to get her stuff."

-----

"So she really is just- in the gang now?" Ajax asked as she looked at the surprising figure lounging on Cleon and Swan's couch.

Ajax had only been stuck behind bars for a week, but Mercy looked like she had lived there a lifetime.

Rembrandt rolled her eyes, checking her shoulder as they made their way into the small kitchen. "Leave it. I thought you were starting to like her."

"I respected her ability to hold her own in a fight against the Furies," Ajax corrected. "Has she even gone through initiation?"

Rembrandt raised her eyebrows. "That night wasn't initiation enough?"

"It isn't initiation!" Ajax protested, struggling to keep her voice low. "What, she's Swan's new girlfriend so she gets special treatment?"

"I do not believe that is what you said when Swan asked if I was going to go through initiation."

"That's different!"

"No, babe, you're just a bit of a hypocrite."

[kimi240302]

Bad Idea

A/N: As always, a warning. English is not my native language and I use an app to translate my stories into English.

Summary: Y/N hates her uncle Aegon and tries to avoid him. However, he has other plans with his niece and does everything to make her his. Aegon has only forgotten that Y/N is not the innocent little girl everyone believes her to be.

Aegon Targaryen x niece!reader

Words: 3.2k

Main Post / House of Dragon Masterlist

This is the second part to Mind Games

Aegon does not force woman to have sex in this world!!!!!!

18+ I am new to the whole smut writing so please be nice

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" Desire brought them together

love kept them together"

- Me

Before any more questions could be asked, Y/N jumped up. With that, everyone's attention fell back on her. "I forgot that I was going to fly out with my dragon today." Without waiting for anyone's answer, she was gone.

" Is everything okay with you?" Daemon eyed his daughter with a raised eyebrow. Looking up from her breakfast, Y/N blinked several times. " Yes. Why?" Before her mother, who had been watching her daughter the same way, could say anything, the door to the room opened. " Good morning family." Sang Aegon literally. Everyone paused in their actions and looked at Aegon in confusion.

" You know brother, this is breakfast, not dinner?" Aemond watched Aegon sit down next to their mother with a grin and put some food on his plate. " I know dear brother and?" Alicent looked at her son dumbfounded.

" You're usually too drunk to attend." Daemon interfered. Aegon, playfully hurt, put a hand on his chest, " You wound me uncle." The king gave a snort, which Aegon ignored. " In fact, I didn't take any alcohol yesterday, so I thought I would join the family breakfast." " What managed to keep you away from wine uncle?" Jace looked at him with interest. " I discovered something with more flavor." He grinned and glanced unnoticed over his cup at Y/N. She slumped a bit more in her seat, which did not go unnoticed by Aemond.

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It was getting dark, which meant she had been on her little island all day thinking. Aemond also stood up. "What doesn't change Y/N?" "Aemond I will be queen someday and I need someone at my side who can rule seven kingdoms with me. Aegon is not even able to get his own life under control." She took a deep breath." Means no matter what my feelings towards him are, I need to marry someone who can take responsibility soon and it won't be Aegon."

" For someone who didn't want anything from my brother, your teeth sure marked him up pretty good." Rolling her eyes, the young Targaryen continued to stare out over the sea. " I regret showing you my sanctuary." She grabbed a handful of sand and let it slip through her fingers. Aemond sat down beside her.

" What happened? Did Aegon-" Y/N interrupted him. " No. You know better than anyone, he wouldn't be alive." Nodding, he muttered, " If not from your own hand, then from your father's or mine or your mother's. I think the list would be long." Lost in thought, she nodded.

" I don't know why I let it happen Aemond really don't." Y/n was disappointed in herself. Aemond gave a soft thoughtful sound. " Maybe because you like him more than you want to admit?" The younger Targaryen closed her eyes. "Maybe." Aemond looked at her in surprise. " But that doesn't change anything." Y/N stood up and patted the sand off her pants.

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Aemond reached out and grabbed his niece's upper arm as she tried to turn away. He pulled her towards him and exhaled in annoyance. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you won't find anyone who adores you as much as my brother does. Likewise, you won't find anyone who has as much value for you as Aegon." " Not everyone is lucky enough to marry the person they love, like you!" She snapped out of it and literally stomped in the direction of her dragon. " You are right not everyone is that lucky and I know you helped make this possible for me." Confused, Y/N stopped and turned to Aemond. " How do you know that?" Aemond chuckled softly. " I know many things dear niece." He stopped in front of her. "I know that you talked to my father and made it clear to him that Heleana and I really loved each other and so the fate of us had turned. I have the wife I wanted and children with her. You have already given me my future place as your hand, haven't you? With this you allow me to be one of the most powerful men and a good role model for my children." Annoyed, she nodded. Of course Aemond knew that she wanted to make him the queen's hand.

" Then you know I only want the best for you Y/N. Take my advice as your future closest advisor and don't waste the love for my brother. The country needs not only a strengthened regent but also a happy one!" Y/N nodded thoughtfully. " Aemond no matter what I will do. Aegon doesn't want the title of king." " Good thing he is only Consort and not the person who has the say. Otherwise I would never have opened my mouth, but would have looked for you a husband."

Laughing, Y/N boxed Aemond against his shoulder. What this perceived only with a grin.

" Mother will kill me if she catches me now!" It was pitch dark by now. Aemond and Y/N were standing in front of the castle, thinking how to get in without falling into someone's hands.

" Let's take the passage around the back. No one knows that but us and it leads directly to our own respective rooms." Aemond pointed to the back of the castle where the entrance to the tunnel systems was.

In the middle of the many tunnels, Aemond and Y/N had separated because they had to go in different directions. With her hands out to the side, Y/N made her way along the walls. She paused, however, when her right hand accidentally pushed open a door that was slightly open. Y/N's heart quickened. Not knowing exactly whose room she was standing in front of, she was worried that she was about to face her father or mother and get the telling off of her life. But Y/N heard something else.

She felt her whole body tense up. " Why do I have to catch him every time he…." Aegon's voice interrupted her quiet outburst of anger and Y/N's eyes widened at the sight presented to her through the crack of the door.

" Stay down!" Aegon pushed the blonde haired girl's face into his mattress as he thrust into her from behind. The young woman tried to hold on everywhere, but Aegon didn't even really let her breathe or moan out loud.

The Targaryen closed his eyes as the images of his niece came back to him. Sprawled naked before him on her bed, her face twisted in pure pleasure, the feel of her skin under his fingers, and the taste of her. " Y/N!" He moaned freely. After all, the one below him was one of the whores he regularly had come to the castle and he paid her to help his imagination along.

" You can go then." Aegon's voice was cold. It brought the young Targaryen out of her thoughts. Y/N immediately turned around and literally ran into her room.

Startled, Y/N held her breath as she listened to her uncle repeat her name over and over as his movements quickened. The silver-haired girl wanted to turn away, to just leave, but she couldn't tear herself away from the sight of her uncle.

Even if she didn't want to, Y/N couldn't stop her thoughts. She imagined how she would be the woman under Aegon. Which brought back memories of his hands on her naked skin and his tongue exploring her body. With her teeth clenched tightly, her hand went into her pants of its own accord. Slowly her fingers began to circle on her bundle of nerves as Aegon's voice rang out again, moaning her name. This went on for several minutes until Y/N's legs began to shake as Aegon literally screamed her name out loud like a prayer and came inside the woman. Unknowingly, he helped his niece reach her climax at the same time. With a suppressed moan and a guilty conscience, Y/N had to stop herself from falling to the floor of the tunnel.

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Y/N had avoided Aegon like the plague. She had surrounded herself with her studies, resumed her combat training, and locked herself in her study. Where she even slept. Y/N couldn't stand the thought that Aegon was one room over, again screwing someone who wasn't her, but moaning her name in the process.

" You are avoiding me!" Aegon had moved to stand in front of his niece's desk and looked down at her seated form. " Before you complain again, I knocked on the door of your study. You just didn't listen."

At the sound of Aegon's voice, goosebumps formed on Y/N's skin that she neither wanted nor could keep down. She closed her eyes for a moment to get her breathing under control.

Opening her eyes and looking stubbornly at the parchment in front of her again, she tried to ignore his burning gaze. " No, I just don't have time for you." Aegon chuckled quietly. " What are you doing here Aegon?" Her uncle leaned down, propped both palms on the massive desk and tilted his head.

" To see if my favorite niece is still alive. You've been in here for days." The silver-haired Targaryen looked up to reply, but that was her downfall. When her eyes fell on his lips and the hungry expression in his eyes, her body tensed again.

With a quick movement, she stood up, turned away from him, and stood with her back to Aegon, at one of the many windows.

Her uncle followed hers and stood right behind her. Aegon placed one arm against the wall next to the window, the other on her hip. His head buried in her open hair, where he breathed in her smelling of roses. " How long are we going to do this stupid back and forth game?" The hand that was on Y/N's hip slowly moved up her back until it reached the hair at the nape of her neck. There Aegon brushed Y/N's hair out of the way, put his hand back on her hip and let his lips meet the now exposed skin. Y/N moaned out as Aegon applied more pressure to her hip, pressing his body closer to hers. Her hands went to the windowsill in front of her where she tried to dig in. She felt Aegon applying more pressure with his hips with each additional kiss on her skin. Y/N could feel his cock getting harder and harder.

" Aegon!" Y/N turned to him. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away from her a bit. With an annoyed sigh, he let go of her. But before Aegon could say anything his niece interrupted him. " I will not sleep with you Aegon!" " Why not, you want it too?!" " Because I'm not one of your sluts for one night! Even if you like to pretend that they are me." She didn't want to say the last, but Y/N couldn't stop it anymore. Aegon's head cocked to the side. " Where from?" " Does it matter?" " Y/N, first of all I want more from you than just one night and…" " What exactly do you want Aegon?!" Her uncle's hand tightened on the wall next to her. " You as my wife! Even though I keep finding that you drive me crazy!"

Surprised, she looked at him. " What?" " You heard me right. I want to marry you." "With me comes the throne you hate so much." Amused, Aegon expelled air from his lungs. " You sit on the throne as queen and I serve the queen as her devoted husband. My butt will never feel the throne, unless you want to ride me on it. I would have no objection to that then." Annoyed, Y/N looked at him.

Aegon looked deep into his niece's eyes, "Iksan aōhon se nyke va moriot emagon issare, ao sepār emagon naejot finally mazōregon nyke hae bona (I am yours and I always have been, you just have to finally accept me as that.)" There was a brief silence and Aegon feared Y/N would send him out. But she leaned towards him, his gaze fell on her lips and as his niece closed the last few inches between them, he kept his eyes open for a few more seconds to look at her closing eyelids and to be exactly sure. That if he closed his eyes, she would not simply disappear.

Y/N wrapped her arms around her uncle's neck and pulled him even closer. Aegon meanwhile placed both hands on her hips and squeezed gently. He would wait to see how far Y/N would go. What surprised Aegon even more then were the next words Y/N spoke.

"Jaelan ao uncle ( I want you uncle)!" Murmured Y/N without opening her eyes after they broke away from each other for air. She nipped at Aegon's lower lip, then opened her eyes after all to see his reaction, blinking innocently at him through her eyelashes.

Aegon looked down at his niece, searching for doubt and uncertainty in her gaze. But was confronted with his niece's almost burning lilac eyes. Tightening his grip on her hips, he pushed her backward against the wall and let his lips slam down on hers.

"Before we go any further…", Y/N squeezed harder with both hands. Aegon got wide-eyed and wanted to protest, which turned into a moan. " No more sluts. I'm the only woman in your bed or I'll make sure you won't be able to bed anyone anymore. Do you understand?!" Aegon just nodded and tried to move his hips faster as his hands buried themselves in Y/N dress. His head lowered to her chest as his moans grew louder. She took her hand away from his cock and pulled it out of his pants. The hand on his neck squeezed a little tighter. " I asked you a question Aegon!" Swallowing he looked at his niece again. Aegon wondered when he had lost control and Y/N had taken it over. But if he was to be honest with himself, he enjoyed it. " You are the only woman in my bed and in my life… My Queen."

Aegon lifted his niece by her thighs and carried her to her desk. Without thinking twice, he threw everything down and seated her on it. Immediately she spread her legs to let him between them.

" Tell me to stop, I'll do it and we'll wait until the wedding night…" Laughing, Y/N looked at him. One of her hands moved from his shoulders , right into his pants and grabbed his now hard cock. Slowly she started moving her hand up and down. Aegon almost choked on his own spit as he groaned in surprise.

" I thought you were always the innocent one of us all." His voice was no more than a whisper as he began to thrust his hips towards Y/N. Grinning, she shook her head. Her free hand went to Aegon's neck and squeezed a little. Immediately her uncle moaned loudly, which only increased Y/N's grin. For she knew right then that she had her uncle at her mercy.

Y/N's lips touched his again and her hands started to unbutton his top, which ended up with his pants in some corner of the room. Aegon grabbed Y/N by the waist and lifted her off the desk. Surprised, she cried out. " Aegon, what are you doing?" He turned her around and began untying the strings that held her dress in place.

Every inch of newly exposed bare skin, at her back he blessed with a loving kiss. Groaning, Y/N stretched her back and propped herself against her desk. When Aegon had worked his way through the many layers of Y/N's clothing and she stood naked before him, he turned her around by your shoulders. Again he let his gaze slide over her body. Aegon had to grin, because he just realized that this body would be his for the rest of his life. His to touch, his to admire.

Y/N looked closely at her uncle, placed her hand on his neck and pulled him to her again. Aegon bent gently down, placed his hands on his lover's thigh a repeated time and lifted her up. As he did so, they both moaned into the kiss. Aegon turned to face the couch and sat down with Y/N. Looking down at him from above, she grinned. " So you like it when the woman is in control?" Y/N put her hand around his neck again and squeezed. Aegon moaned as his hips moved up and hit Y/N's now wet pussy. Barely noticeable, she flinched and moaned out. " Only you my queen!"

Y/N lowered her lips to his. Ran her fingernails of her free hand over the skin on his chest, all the way down between the two's bodies. Aegon's grip on her hips grew stronger and she was sure in the morning his handprints could be seen. She grabbed her uncle's cock and held it tightly so she could lower herself onto him.

Aegon let go of her lips and moved to her neck to her breasts, where he took one nipple in his mouth and sucked on it while one hand massaged the other breast.

" Aegon!" Y/N had settled completely on top of him. He released her breasts and looked at her with lust in his eyes. " I like the way my name falls from your lips." Y/N rolled her eyes and began to slowly move up and down. Aegon's hands again found hold on her hips where he helped her find the right rhythm. His lips quickly found their place back on Y/N's breasts as he moaned her name over and over.

The silver-haired Targaryen picked up her pace, burying her hands in her uncle's hair as she did so. She pulled on them so that Aegon had to look at her again. Their lips met again.

" Who do you belong to?" Y/N's grip tightened in Aegon's hair and her gaze intensified. Aegon moaned out and noticed that his cock got even harder and started to twitch slightly. Which caused Y/N's walls to tighten around him. " Only to my queen! Only you!" Y/N sped up even more and Aegon tried everything not to come immediately.

The young Targaryen leaned forward to his ear. " My good boy!" Aegon groaned loudly and arched towards her. He knew he should be embarrassed, but he didn't want to hear anything but just that. So he nodded and pulled her to him for another kiss. His fingers placed Aegon against her bundle of nerves and massaged it.

" By the gods… Aegon right there!" He intensified the pressure and quickened his pace. " Aegon I…" He just nodded and noticed how they both climaxed together.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exhausted, Y/N let herself sink against Aegon's body. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her forehead. His cock was still deep inside his niece, but neither of them wanted to move right now.

" What else did I want to tell you dear niece." She whimpered slightly. " What's next?" " It is still not proper to watch others, especially not through a crack in a secret door." Aegon immediately noticed how Y/N tensed. Which elicited another groan from him and her. Y/N rose slightly to look at Aegon. When she saw his self-satisfied grin, she knew she had to do something about it. Again she began to move her hips painfully slowly and came close to her uncle. " It's also not proper to moan another woman's name and try to copy her look!" Aegon was about to say something, but Y/N grabbed his neck with one hand and his hair with the other. " I think I still have to teach you that!"

A/N: what do you think of the story?

I'm about to do a series for AemondxreaderxAegon, if you want to be tagged feel free to write me. Otherwise I wanted to open my request, so if you want a story or just have ideas. I have an open ear

@tvrgvryen @dreamtogether2000

@afro-hispwriter @lili-flower03 @solacestyles

[tumbleweed-writes]

Now That I Have You: Chibs Telford X OC Fic. Chapter One

This was the very first fic I wrote for this fandom like a million years ago. I'm currently giving it a rewrite/edit on A03, but thought I'd post it as I'm editing in case anyone wanted to check it out. Not sure it's my best work but it was my first.

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Molly Garrett let out a sigh pure irritation taking over as she turned the key in her little rundown blue Volkswagen bug. The ignition sputtered a few times as the car struggled to come to life.

Her honey blonde bangs hung in her dark eyes, damp from the heat of California sun and her lack of air conditioner. She struggled to bring her sad old car to life grumbling under her breath.

"Shit." She blurted out as the car sputtered a few more times refusing to start up. She widened her eyes realizing the word that had just slipped out of her mouth.

She glanced in her review mirror looking at the little boy strapped into the backseat clutching a Spiderman action figure.

Cursing wasn't exactly a good habit to have in front of a five year old boy who would more than likely pick up on the impolite language.

"Sorry baby. Don't say ever say that word okay." She apologized not surprised that the boy didn't respond to her.

Mason hadn't spoken in days. This entire situation hadn't been easy on either one of them.

Thinking about how frightened her little guy was made her want to break down. Her son was the most important thing in her life. Mason was her world.

She closed her eyes holding back the tears; she had sobbed enough in the past few years for a lifetime. Her son needed her to stay strong.

Molly let out a laugh feeling a small victory as her poor little bug finally came to life. She took a final glance in the review mirror making sure that Mason had remembered to fasten his seatbelt.

She smiled at the sight of the family dog sitting up beside Mason, a little fat female pug named Rocket. The poor dog was panting just as hot as her masters.

Molly made sure the coast was clear hoping that she could see as well as she thought she could around the small Uhaul trailer. The uhaul was hitched to the back of her bug blocking most of her view. She said a small prayer as she pulled out of the McDonalds' parking lot.

They had to eat cheap for this road trip, so cheap burgers and fries had been on the menu for days now. Luckly there was a McDonalds everywhere and that was often the easiest thing to get a five year old to eat.

She felt a little irresponsible letting Mason eat so much unhealthy food, but she reminded herself that it was just for this trip. As soon as they got settled she could get him back on a more well rounded diet.

Today all she'd managed to get down for lunch was a crappy salad and an iced tea. It had been the cheapest thing on the menu. At least Mason had eaten all of his chicken nuggets though. It seemed to be his favorite food and she'd hoped that it would cheer him up.

It would be okay, she reminded herself. Once they got to California and she was able to start her new job at Saint Thomas then everything would come together.

Charming, California seemed to be the perfect place to start anew. She'd sent in her application to several hospitals all over the country, but Charming had caught her eye and much to her relief the local hospital there had hired her on the spot with just a phone interview.

She'd chosen her new home partially for the name; Charming. It was silly she knew picking a home because of its name, but what better place than to start a new life than in a place called Charming?

At twenty seven years old, Molly Garrett finally felt like she was starting her life on her own terms.

She had faith that it would be a better life; a safer life for her son and her. She hoped and prayed that it would be a life that would hopefully be free of the violence they'd both long endured.

She'd escaped an almost six long years in a marriage from hell with a man who hit first and asked questions later.

Brian Parker had seemed like a sweet guy at first, Molly and he had met in college both in their final year. He had swept her off of her feet and had seemed to be a good match for her.

She'd been impressed by her husband when they first met. She's felt like he was a practical prince thanks to his affluence and his gentlemanly charm. She was just a poor girl on scholarship who had grown up in a trailer right outside of New Orleans with a single working mother and two siblings. She had come from so little and Brian had come from so much in comparison.

Brian came from a nice wealthy family; he had a promising future at a job at a nice well-established real estate firm. The job was at a firm that his family had owned for years. He'd grown up with privilege and he'd been so willing to share that privilege with Molly. He'd showered her with gifts and promises.

He had promised her a comfortable life with a nice safe home and a future full of children and maybe someday grandchildren. She could admit she'd been blinded by both the promises and the presents he'd bestowed upon her. He'd made her feel so special to be worthy of such expensive nice things. He'd given her jewelry and nice shopping sprees. It was more than she'd ever known. She felt like a fool looking back seeing how he'd showered her with such things and love bombed her as a way to lure her in

Two months after dating Brian, Molly had become pregnant. Soon after she'd found out she was carrying his child, they'd gotten married. She had been so excited starting a life with a man who she was sure would protect her from all of life's horrors.

It had turned out though that the only horror she would have to fear would be her husband.

The violence hadn't started until Mason was two. No he hadn't been always kind to her before that but it was the first time he'd put his hands on her at least in a violent act. He'd been belittling to her up until that point and sex had at times felt like something she was pressured into. She'd always blamed herself for his verbal abuse and had been in denial about the lack of consent in some of their sexual acts. She'd told herself she was ungrateful and horrible to deny him and when he'd insulted her she'd believed that it was her fault. She'd been taught to believe that she was so less worthy than him. She'd been conditioned to think that she was just the poor piece of trailer trash that he'd given an opportunity to rise above her station. When he lashed out at her, she told herself that it was her fault. The act of physical violence had stunned her.

Molly had excused the violence the first time it'd happened. She'd made excuses for her husband.

She'd tried to tell herself that Brian was under a lot of stress; his temper had just gotten the better of him. His father was his boss and he was the prodigal son expected to be a model employee and that wasn't easy when he was trying to support a young family.

Brian had apologized to her, promised her it would never happen again, but he'd lied. It seemed that his temper got the better of him over and over again. Soon the physical abuse was as just as regular of an occurrence and the emotional and sexual violence

It was the same cycle over and over again. He would apologize and claim he was a changed man or worst convince her that it had all been her fault really. When she thought about leaving he'd lure her back in. She would come back to him hoping against hope that this time would be different. It was insanity she knew; believing that each time would be different. Wasn't that the definition of insanity though; doing the same action over and over again expecting a different result?

She knew that she should have left the second Brian hit her but she'd been blinded by naïvety and a poor sense of self worth. Honestly she knew she should have been out the door the second he started to mistreat her verbally. She'd been blinded by him though. It felt as though she'd been under a spell.

Brian had killed her self-esteem telling her that no man would ever love her like him. No man would ever want her especially after she'd had a kid. She was his and that was that. He reminded her of how lucky she was; how privileged she was to have the life he provided.

Molly had had believed him for three long years. She'd hidden it all from family and friends and from Mason as well. She had played a happy loving wife pretending that her life was just peachy with her adorable son in her husband's nice old house.

Her breaking point had been when Brian had struck her in front of her baby. He'd had a long day at work and she'd made a mistake in his eyes by not having dinner waiting on the table when he got home.

Her brother had discovered the bruises on her body. Jack Garrett was no fool. Her brother knew about the violence and he'd tried to talk his baby sister into leaving time and time again. He'd even threatened to call the police.

Molly had finally started to see the light after that beating, and had started to listen to her brother. She had enlisted him in helping her leave, helping her find a job far away.

Brian found out about her plans to leave somehow, he had made her pay for ever thinking about leaving him. Bruising her body and cracking one of her ribs.

The abuse that night had been severe more severe than it had ever been. Mason had witnessed the entire thing.

The boy had witnessed his mother on the floor crying begging him to go upstairs and play. He'd watched as she'd cried out telling him that it was all okay when it clearly wasn't.

The boy had been silent since that night. Her body still ached from the violence her soon to be ex-husband had put her through.

It was as though a light switch had gone off in her brain when the violence had ended. She'd looked in the mirror studying her battered body when it hit her; she knew that she couldn't live like this. This wasn't a way to live; it was a way to die. If she stayed she would die and if she died her child would be left without his mother to protect him.

She had to save her baby from this life and from his father. She had no doubt that without her there to protect Mason, that Brian would turn the violence onto his child. He was already neglectful of the boy at best. Without her there to shield her child the anger Brian had inside him would have nowhere to find an outlet other than his son.

The morning after that beating, Molly's sister Candace had helped her pack up her things while Brian was at work. The two women had stuffed what little she had into a Uhaul trailer. She had left setting out west that night leaving her old life behind without a trace.

Candace had wanted her to stay in New Orléans, but Molly knew that she couldn't stay in Louisiana. The only way Mason and she would be safe would be if they disappeared.

That had been a week ago. Molly and Mason had been on the road for a week now and we're finally right outside of Charming heading for the rental home she'd recently signed the lease on.

The little house wouldn't be much; just a tiny two-bedroom house with one bathroom and a kitchenette and joined living area. It was dainty but in a quiet neighborhood.

Jack had found the rental for her; he'd been the one responsible for setting up her new life, arranging her lease and cosigning for her. She just hoped that someday she'd be able to find a way to repay her big brother. The home would not be much but it would be hers and that made it feel like a dream come true.

The little rental property was a big step down from the sprawling old plantation home that Brian and she had lived in for years. It had been in his family for decades a grand home that she had been so entranced by when they'd first married.

The people she knew had all been so jealous of her life; not realizing that it was a lie. Behind the old glorious home and fine lifestyle, it had been years of pain and fear.

She just hoped that the fear was over. The pain had to be over and it could never happen again, she told herself.

This was a new life. She knew that she had to make it work, not just for her but for Mason. Her baby boy deserved a good happy life. They both were worthy of a good life.

———————-

Molly rushed to get Mason ready for his first day of daycare. It was summer time so he wouldn't be able to start school for a few more months at least.

So for now the hospital's daycare would have to do. She had managed to land a job as a phlebotomist.

People were often a little freaked out once they found out that she drew blood for a living. She used to joke that she was the resident hospital vampire at her old job in Louisiana. She was always amazed Brian had even allowed her to maintain a job back home. She guessed he liked the way her job made him look. He'd been able to brag that his wife worked in healthcare and was so giving and kind. Her accomplishments at work made him sound better to those he wanted to impress. He'd been able to present them as a hardworking couple successful in their own careers. It was a career she loved. She knew now that her career was hers alone. She had worked hard for it. She was responsible for her accomplishments. Brian didn't get to take credit for her hard work.

She knelt down in front of Mason straightening his dark hair noticing that it had gotten a little too shaggy, but he wasn't too keen on hair cuts. His dark hair was one feature he'd inherited from his father.

For the most part Mason took after her; they shared the same hazel eyes, the same slightly round face, and the same smaller features such as their noses.

Molly spoke trying to sound cheerful and not stressed. "You're going to have a fun day today. You'll meet a ton of new friends, I bet. You're going to have such a blast. Maybe mommy can meet some new friends too. I bet we're both going to have a good day today."

Mason didn't reply. He only nodded his head as she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

She pulled at her blue hospital scrubs knowing that she looked like hell. She hadn't had the time to straighten her hair, so she'd just pulled it back into a messy bun.

At least she'd managed to put on a little makeup though. So hopefully she didn't look like the walking dead. She knew she was exhausted though. She knew that the exhaustion would be all worth it. This was the first day of the rest of her life.

She hadn't had much time to unpack anything the night before. She'd spent all day before unloading the uhaul on her own. The first thing she'd made sure to do was unpack Mason's bedroom.

Her bed still remained disassembled and most of their belongings remained in boxes around the rental home. She had slept by Mason's side the night before, in his little bed on his Spiderman comforter. They'd eaten cheap pizza the night before surrounded by boxes and watching kid's movies on the portable dvd player she'd packed.

The little house was not what she'd hoped for. It was so hot inside that it felt like an oven. She had spent hours on the phone trying to get a hold of her landlord. She'd hoped that he could come take care of the problem, but so far she had been unsuccessful. He dodged her calls until finally making an excuse that it would take a while to get someone out to look at the problem. She'd been told that she was just one of the many properties her landlord owned, so she would have to be patient.

For now it seemed that Mason and she would just have to sweat it out and make do.

She took Mason's hand in hers as they left the house. She held the one hand that wasn't clutching his action figure.

The Spiderman toy seemed to be a comfort to him. He brought the toy everywhere he went. He even slept with it like it was some kind of teddy bear. She'd worried he might leave it at the daycare, but he seemed unwilling to even consider parting with it this morning. She was willing to allow him the comfort despite her concerns about a misplaced forgotten toy.

Molly turned on the radio to an alternative rock station as soon as they got into the car, hoping that she could entice Mason into his favorite activity. He loved to sing along with the radio though he was too young to get most of the lyrics right.

It always managed to make her smile seeing him sing along like he didn't have a care in the world. She lived to see her child happy. It had been the one thing that kept her going throughout her marriage to Brian. Her child had been a lifeline through the misery.

Her smile failed to come though as Molly glanced in the backseat and spotted her silent son.

She shook her head as she pulled out of her driveway hoping that maybe the daycare would help Mason come out of his shell.

She feared that Mason might never recover from what he'd witnessed. He was afraid, she knew that.

She had done her best to explain things to him in a way that a five year old would understand.

Molly had told him that they were going on an adventure, to a place called Charming. They were going somewhere where he would meet new people and get to live in a whole new house. She'd tried to sound upbeat and make it sound as though they were doing something so grand. She'd tried to keep positive hoping that it would hide her anxieties and fears.

She had been unsure what to say about Brian. Molly knew that the time would come when she would have to explain to Mason why he had seen daddy hurt mommy and why daddy wasn't here with them.

She just hoped that she could find a way to explain it all. It wasn't right, a five year old child having to see something that horrible. She felt so guilty for letting him witness it all. Deep down inside she knew Brian was the only one to blame for his actions. She knew she had been a victim in this.

She hated herself for exposing her beloved child to something so terrible though. She felt pure shame for allowing herself to stay with a monster out of fear.

Molly took a deep breath knowing that she would never allow that to happen again. No one would ever lay a hand on her or her baby ever again.

This was the right choice, she reminded herself. She was doing the right thing.

----------------------------------

Of course Molly's bug chose that morning to get a flat tire. She was just lucky that she made it to a garage before she got herself into a wreck. She had to think it was a miracle that there happened to be an auto mechanics close enough to reach. Perhaps God was looking out for her? She had to hope someone was looking out for her despite the flat tire.

Chibs Telford raised an eyebrow as a pathetic looking Volkswagen Bug pulled into the parking lot of TM Auto.

The car was a sad sight; the paint on the right side was chipped and fading and the transmission sounded just awful.

It was still early; the garage hadn't even opened yet. He had come in early though wanting to bury himself in his work to avoid thinking about his personal troubles. He was thankful for the work even if the garage was still technically not open. He knew that he could manage to get the owner of the car checked in and take care of business despite the closed sign on the door. He was grateful for the distraction of work. It was a relief to his over exhausted brain and aching heart.

Chibs made his way over to the car as it came to a stop and a young woman opened the drivers' side door giving him a smile.

"I've gotten myself into a real mess." Molly stated giving the man who was slowly approaching her a sheepish smile.

She ran reached up tucking her side bangs behind her ear as the man spoke. "I'd say I agree love. How are ya even runnin that thing?"

She raised an eyebrow a little taken back by his Scottish accent, and the word love. She had expected to hear neither from the mechanic. A Scottish accent was an odd thing to encounter in Northern California

Molly felt her cheeks flush as she found herself staring at the thin scars along the Scotsman's cheeks. She looked away fearing that he thought she was rude for staring. She mentally scolded herself for being so rude. She'd been raised with far better manners than to gawk at something someone couldn't help. She felt like a jerk for even staring away making so clear she'd been gawking.

Chibs wasn't surprised that she turned her eyes away from him after staring for a bit.

He had long ago become accustomed to people's reactions to the scars Jimmy O' had given him before he'd taken Chibs' family and banished him from Ireland.

The pain had finally ended now that he'd gotten his revenge. Now that Jimmy O' was dead and gone and he knew that his girls were safe.

He tried not to let his mind focus on his girls for too long. His girls made his heart ache more than ever lately. He knew they were safe but they were so far away. Things had changed between his girls and he so quickly.

Fiona and he had come to an agreement just a few months ago; their marriage was over. There wouldn't be a divorce on Fiona's insistence. In Catholicism marriage was a sacrament that couldn't be broken, so divorce wasn't an option...or that was what Fiona had claimed. Chibs felt bitter over the refusal to even consider the divorce. He felt bitter about it all to be honest. It hurt though he knew in the end it was right...ending the estranged relationship entirely...agreeing to just be coparents to Kerrianne.

It had hurt losing the wife he had so long pined for. No, he'd not been faithful to her during their time apart. He'd allowed himself to fall into the chaos of SAMCRO and the women who serviced the club. His heart had belonged to Fiona though. It felt painful to realize that his heart could no longer be hers. He had no idea where to place that love now.

At least he still got to see his Kerrianne. He made a trip to Belfast as often as he could to see his soon to be fifteen year old daughter, hoping that they could build the type of relationship a father and daughter should have.

Kerrianne had been told so many lies about her father, by Jimmy. It had been hard for Chibs to convince her that her da was a good man despite his status as an outlaw biker. He'd done his best to prove his love and devotion to her. He'd allowed her to remain in Belfast knowing it was her home. He'd sacrificed the chance to take her back to the states with him. He'd given up that dream letting her remain in her home knowing it was what she needed.

As time went by and Kerrianne and he became close. They spoke on the phone weekly and developed a relationship. He sent her gifts often. It felt as though a void that had long existed in his heart had finally been filled. He was getting a chance to be a father. He loved having his little girl back in his life again.

Chibs could admit that he was a little taken back by Molly's accent as well. It was distinctly southern; strange to hear in Northern California.

He was also taken back by the woman's features; he would be lying if he tried to say that she wasn't a beautiful woman.

She wasn't very tall she barely came up right at the center of his chest. Although she was petite she had a nice figure, full hips and breasts. He could spot the figure even in the unattractive scrubs she wore. Her hair was a dark blonde; almost the color of honey and her eyes were a pretty hazel.Her complexion was milky and smooth looking. Her hands seemed petite and her short nails were painted a lovely shade of lilac.

He found himself glancing down at her left hand at her ring finger. He was a little shocked that there was no ring there. Still though that didn't mean that she was single.

A girl like that had to have a man somewhere. He felt foolish for even looking for a ring. He knew that even if she had no man in her life. she would probably never want a man like him. It was a foolish hope thinking of her in that way; checking for signs of her being available. He felt like an old fool for even considering her relationship status.

It was her smile that really caught his attention. It was friendly despite the fact that Chibs often intimidated people given his appearance and his ties to Samcro. Usually people didn't smile at him. She had a pleasant smile though her eyes looked tired. He was not accustomed to people smiling at him so politely. The smile made him feel warm inside. He felt silly for the thought; feeling a soft cozy glow under her gaze.

Chibs snapped out of admiring her looks as he managed to speak. "Looks like ya hit a nail on the back right tire... and yer transmission is shite."

"Yeah...like I said, I've gotten myself into a mess...and now I'm late for my first day of work...great." She replied though the last part of her statement seemed to be more to herself than to him.

He was shocked as she opened the backseat and leaned in helping a little boy out of the car. The boy was tiny; delicate. Chibs was certain the kid was small for his age. The boy seemed healthy at least; his hair was dark, loose shaggy curls that made him look angelic. His eyes were identical to Molly's hazel bright and clear. The boy held on to Molly's hand staying close to his mother.

Chibs felt a sense of embarrassment realizing that he'd just cursed in front of a child. Sure he had done far worse in his life but he was sure that the boy's mother wouldn't appreciate his language. He grimaced sure he was about to get an earful about the foul language in front of a child even if had only been one word.

He did his best to give the boy a smile as he spoke up hoping to smooth over any upset he may have caused the kid's mom. "Sorry I said a bad word little lad."

Mason stared wide-eyed at the strange man not saying a word. He moved behind his mother's form hiding from Chibs' gaze.

Molly cleared her throat quickly speaking up trying to explain her son's silence hoping that the Scot didn't take it as rudeness. "He's shy."

Chibs nodded his head understanding. He'd found that most kids that didn't know him well enough were just as intimidated by him as adults were. Which he could admit was hurtful. He had always loved children. He had loved his nephew back in Belfast when the lad had been growing up. He'd spent so much time with him and had appreciated being involved in his life. Now though he knew that most kids tended to shy away from him. They took one look at his face and felt fear. He had found comfort in the Teller boys at least. He liked being Uncle Chibs to them. It had felt healing to be around the boys. He knew Jimmy O' had not taken being Uncle Chibs from him at least when it came to the Teller boys...his heart ached knowing that Jimmy O' had taken his nephew from him though.

Chibs pulled his mind from thoughts of his late nephew as he spoke nodding back to the poor Volkswagen. "We're a bit backed up ere, but I can get yer car in this afternoon. Don' know how long it'll take though, Love. Like I said, we're a wee bit backed up. Lotta wrecks last week, lots of folks coming through for summer trips getting into wrecks. Plus we gotta a few custom bike jobs ahead of ya. I can't promise fast work, but we'll get ya fixed up anyhow."

Molly gave him a smile thankful that her car would be repaired and not break down on her anymore. She spoke taking a look at the name stitched into his gray works shirt: Chibs, she found herself unsure if she should call him that or not. She was quite certain the man's parents had not given him such a name. "Thank you so much...uhm.."

Chibs raised an eyebrow realizing that she was asking his name. He took himself by surprise saying his real name and not the name everyone but his family called him. "Filip."

"Filip." She repeated causing him to do something else that he found astonishing. He felt a genuine smile develop across his face. He couldn't help but to like the sound of his name on her lips.

She spoke again reaching out to take his hand. "I'm Molly and this is Mason."

Chibs nodded in response as he took her hand in his giving it a firm shake, unable but to enjoy how soft her skin felt against his calloused hands.

He was shocked that he was so reluctant to let go of her hand. He shook his head wondering what had gotten into him.

Maybe it was just that he'd been alone for too long. He found himself unable to really get back into the biker lifestyle once Fiona and he had agreed to end their relationship.

All those years Fiona and he had been estranged he had found himself easily falling into a pattern, booze and croweaters.

He'd sleep with any one of the girls who hung around the clubhouse, a different girl just about every night.

Nights of drunken sex with women whose names he couldn't even remember by the next morning no longer felt fulfilling to him.

After Fiona and he had agreed to end their marriage, Chibs had found that he could not sink back into the life of meaningless sex with crow eaters. He had discovered that he just didn't enjoy it anymore. It felt cheap and it made him feel empty. At first he thought that maybe he was just getting old, but then he'd realized something.

He was lonely. He longed for something more, something real. He watched Jax with Tara and Gemma with Nero and he felt so alone. He laid in bed at night without anyone by his side and fretted over his future. He had come to the realization he would die alone without love. He'd so long hoped Fiona and he would reunite but that dream was dead and he knew it was for the best...but it still hurt. He had finally realized that he was truly alone. It was a realization that made his heart ache and yearn.

He felt so foolish but as he stared at the pretty blonde he found himself wondering what it might be like to lie by her side at night. He shook the thought from his mind knowing he was just an old fool. There was no way a woman like her would ever lie by the side of a man like him.  

Molly spoke up as she stared down at her cheap red plastic watch unaware of Chibs' inner turmoil. "Is there a phone I can use?...I need to get a rental car and I need to call Saint Thomas Hospital and explain why I'm late."

Chibs nodded his head not astonished by her workplace. The scrubs made it obvious, there was only one hospital in Charming. He sighed more sure than ever now that she would never have the time of day for him. She was a responsible adult with an important job who would not be interested in the outlaw biker. Sure, he knew Tara had loved Jax despite her mainstream job, but there was history there. Chibs knew he held no history with Molly. They were from two different worlds. She would not want anything to do with his world. 

"I can have someone give ya a lift to the car rental place. As far as a phone, I'm sure I can sort that out too." Chibs stated as he turned getting the attention of one of the prospects motioning over to the man.

He spoke to Ratboy as the man came up to him. "Can ya take Molly and her boy ere down to Davis Rentals, and let er use yer cell too. She needs to call her work."

Molly widened her eyes a little surprised by the friendly gesture of allowing her to borrow a cell phone.

She spoke hoping that it was clear just how thankful she was for the kind action. "Thank you, Filip. I appreciate it more than you know."

Chibs ignored the look on Ratboy's face as he spoke the smile once again developing along his face. "Yer welcome, Love. Just leave yer number with Ratboy here and We'll get to ya when yer cars ready."

Molly nodded trying not to show how strange she thought that the man who was giving her a ride was called Ratboy. What was it with this place and the employee's nicknames? "Thank you so much."

And with that she let the prospect lead her and her son away to a tow truck.

Chibs watched her walk away cursing the yearning in his heart. He told himself he was an idiot for the feeling. He was trying to bat out of his league and he was too beaten down and worn to even dream that he could charm her. Charming her would be foolish. She was a mother and most likely just saw him as the older dirty mechanic who had been providing good customer service.

Chibs was surprised as Mason turned to face him looking at him through the back window as the tow truck pulled away. Mason did the last thing Chibs' had expected considering the kid's silence. He stared as Mason waved.

Chibs raised his hand waving back without having to even think about the action.

He shook his head as the tow truck faded out of view. He let out a sigh trying to knock Molly and her boy out of his mind.

As lovely as he found Molly, there was no point in daydreaming about her ever giving him the time of day.

A girl like that didn't need a man like him.

[kenny-the-ken]

Born to Die

Hello lovelies!!! I'm so sorry I haven't been active very much lately, a lot has been going on but, I am back!!! And I'm emo!! So, enjoy this super sad story, I'll be posting a smut tomorrow too 🤭

Warnings!!!: drugs, needles, blood, death, suicide

Eyes opening, eyelashes fluttering against pale cheekbones, his azure eyes focusing on his surroundings. White. Everything was white, soft even. The ground wasn't what it was supposed to be, not hard, not soft, translucent even, like a cloud floating through the spring skies, birds singing their sweet symphonies below, and the streets of South Park filled with the usual hustle and bustle. Yet here he stood. Kenny McCormick, the boy who was born to die.

But so were you. And that changed everything.

Seeing Kenny die, watching the light leave his hauntingly beautiful eyes was all it took. He looked peaceful, yet the vomit that pooled under his dirty fair hair would say otherwise. Overdose. It wasn't surprising, you both could care less whether you lived or died, the only things that mattered were each other, and the mother. The mother being the illicit substance that pumped through your veins, intravenously injected to ease the pain.

His belt was still wrapped tightly around his right arm, a puncture wound, where the murderer entered the building. His tattooed skin was littered with track marks, much like your own. A life of poverty, abuse and struggling had led to the ultimate escape. The big H, smack, heroin.

Not that heroin killed Ken, oh no. It was laced, not that you cared what was in it, that didn't matter anymore, not now he was gone. A spoon in your shaking hand, a lighter in the other underneath, as you desperately tried to steady yourself, calm down. This hit will fix it all, as Kenny used to say. Cooking up could be tricky, that is if you've never done it before. Thankfully you both had been at this game for a while now, not that anyone ever cared to notice that two eighteen year olds were barely able to function.

A cotton wool ball was placed into the brown liquid that was sitting inside the bevel of the spoon, soaking up that sweet high that you craved. Needles. May as well share Ken’s since you'd be joining him soon enough. One last final hit, one last hurrah. You grabbed the used needle, pulling the plunger towards you as it drank up the dragon you both so desperately yearned for.

Belt tight, vein popping and needle at the ready, you breathed, glancing at your dead boyfriend who lay in his own mess, how could you have been late today? Today of all days. You were punctual, for a junkie at least, but the one day you were late, Ken had died, and yet here you sat, tears rolling down your tweaking face, the shakes getting worse, both from withdrawal and from the shock, how was he dead? He couldn't be.

Placing a soft kiss against his cold, lifeless forehead, you closed his eyes with your hand, before exhaling once more. “This one’s for you baby, I'll see you soon.” You whispered, to no one else apart from yourself. The needle slid through your soft skin, through your vein, pulling a small amount of blood into the syringe before pushing it back in, the high washing over you immediately.

And that was it. The last thing you remember is falling backwards from where you sat on the dirty ground of the abandoned building you both shot up in. And then, white.

When you die they say you see your entire life flash before your eyes in seven minutes, and you did. But only the important parts, and all of them containing Kenny. The first time you'd both met, your parents and his parents were friends, and it didn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Drugs. The pair of you were practically raised together, how child protective services never got involved really was proof of how fucked and overstretched our country really is.

It all came flooding back, every laugh, kiss, smile, embrace, it all came back. And then it was gone, over as soon as it had begun, a testament from you both, only eighteen and torn from the earth, souls left to roam the abyss of the unknown for all eternity.

The streets awash with people, their lives carry on, even though your own had ceased, a hand so pale, so familiar. It entwined itself within your own. It was him. “Ken?” You spoke, eyes desperately scanning his face, searching for an answer. “I'm here, baby.” An airy tone sounded like a sweet melody to you, so peaceful, so comforting.

Your arms flung around Kenny's neck, his own upon your waist. Mouths locked together, hearts bound to each other. Tears that fell, that were no longer real, eyes bloodshot, and words spilling from your mouth. “Kenny, Kenny, I love you. I couldn't live without you in that life, at least we are eternal in this one. Together.”

Till he faded back to white.

He found you, your body. Much like his own once was, stiff, cold and pale, y/h/c hair laying within a congealed puddle of your own vomit. The needle, still laying beside your hand, belt around your arm. He froze. Knees giving way, plunging his body to the ground, his hands over his pale, lightly freckled face. Head in hands as he sobbed, moving to touch your face, holding your already rigor mortis riddled body in his heavily tattooed arms. He was immortal, and you weren't. His soul mate, snatched by cruel death, the same one he knew far too well.

You could see him, watching from above, your no longer beating heart still stinging in your chest, tears falling as if that could change anything. You were dead, and you weren't coming back.

It has been six months since then, and everyday is different, but somehow the same. You awaken, in the heavenly haze you'd grown accustomed to, watching over Kenny as he went about his daily life. He'd turned nineteen since then, his life the same as it always had been, except he barely lived on earth anymore.

The blond had found a way to kill himself nearly everyday from your death. Something you hated him doing, but loved him all the same. A love so cursed that death itself played its worst trick yet. Being unable to stop your love from walking in front of an oncoming truck, watching him overdose time and time again, anything that he could think of, he would do.

“I don't care, my love.” Kenny whispered, his hand raking gently through your hair, pressing a soft kiss upon your forehead. “If I have to die everyday in order to be with you, I'll do it without a second thought.”

“I was born to die, y/n. Let me die each day so I can forever hold you in my arms.”

And then he'd fade to white once again. The reset. The moon sunk and the sun rose, and with every passing day, having your soul mate torn from your very arms, somehow it never got easier, but you both knew it was coming. Kenny McCormick truly was cursed, born to die each day for all eternity, but he'd do it, if only it meant he could stay in your arms, even for a little while.

[tonguetiedraven]

fanfic of rin oblivious to bon's feelings? I've read so many of your fics. I love them.

I'm not at all sure if this was the kind of vibe you wanted, but it's what happened, lol. It's a bit more angsty with a one sided sort of thing, though I tried to leave it open to a get together :D

I'm glad you enjoy my fics ^^ — — ♡( ‘-’* ) — —

Ryuuji’s cheeks went a bit warm as Rin reached into their shared cracker bag at the same time, and he promptly looked away as he pulled out a small handful of the rice crackers, trying to act like he was entirely caught up in his notes on Magnus’ methods of circle generation and not how warm Rin’s hand always was. 

It wasn’t the first time he’d had to do it, and it wouldn’t be the last.

Ryuuji had, contrary to what some would say, not fallen in love with Rin when Rin jumped wildly in front of a reaper to save him from his ill timed emotional breakdown over the latest moment in a life time of cruel laughter.

No, Ryuuji had properly noticed Rin then, but he hadn’t fallen in love. He hadn’t known enough about Rin to possibly be in love.

When Rin stood between him and the Impure King and proceeded to try and make post rot castle plans and looked at Ryuuji like he hung the moon and stars and sun in the sky simply because he’d confessed the obvious fact that he trusted Rin out loud, he also hadn’t fallen in love, though that was a closer possibility. Had he not been exhausted to the point of near delirium, maybe.

Nope. Ryuuji fell in love in the entirely uncinematic moment of leaning over a railing to look at the view of Kinkaku-ji, and finding Rin staring at the water with his tail slipping out to wag because he had spotted a group of ducks. The dork was in front of what was one of the most impressive things Kyoto had to offer, and the ducks won his attention. 

He would never be able to explain what it was about that moment that did it, but it ended with Rin looking up at him with an enormous grin that sealed the deal, and Ryuuji could almost feel his heart leaving his chest to settle in Rin’s hands, and he would die if anyone ever knew that he thought that way.

It had been strangely easy to fall in love with Rin, far easier than it had been to initially get on the same page as Rin. Probably because Rin was incredible at picking moments to make Ryuuji stop and pay attention and feel like his entire world was shifting a bit to accommodate whatever Rin had made him see in a new way. Rin bolstered him on when he was losing confidence or energy, convinced him to stick to his guns and his morals when he became uncertain, and reminded him that he wasn’t in it all alone. (Strange when it had taken him so long to drive that message home to Rin.)

Today it was a pre Cram School study session and snack.  They weren’t alone — they were almost never alone, but Ryuuji didn’t mind that. He usually enjoyed his friends’ company. At least more often than not. 

Except for the fact that Ryuuji had never once in his life managed to be subtle about anything, and he certainly wasn’t subtle about the fact that Rin had captured his heart.

The blushing alone would be embarrassing, and had been embarrassing on far too many occasions. He seemed to always get noticed by Izumo when he did it, and she’d get this satisfied sort of grin on her face. He could never decide if it was satisfaction that he was embarrassed to be silently called out, or some sort of satisfaction that she was watching a supposed romance unfold.

It wasn’t one. Not the happy sort anyway. Ryuuji had never had the easy or happy sort of thing so that wasn’t surprising.

Being noticed blushing would be embarrassing enough, but he also had the horrible tendency to stare at Rin a bit too much, and it was usually Shima that caught him with that, and he’d wiggle his eyebrows in the most annoying way, and Ryuuji would blush, and Shima and Izumo would grin, and Ryuuji would usually huff and make an escape.

Konekomaru always caught him in the after moments. Usually after a lunch or race or challenge. When Rin would have just left him with a high-five or laugh or an arm around his shoulder, and Ryuuji would feel like his heart wasn’t beating properly in his chest as it tried to shoot away and join Rin.

He could already tell this would be a day when he was caught by all three. Possibly even her. Those were usually the worst days. She could always tell something was wrong, but was never quite intuitive enough to know just what. She wasn't aware enough of the situation, or situations in general, to know that she was just making it worse.

Ryuuji was in love with Rin, and he was painfully obvious about it. He didn't know any other way to be. He had never been particularly gifted at hiding his thoughts and emotions, and he'd had no experience with this to have learned how.

Ryuuji was in love with Rin, and Rin was entirely in love with someone else. What's more, Ryuuji was certain Rin had never noticed that he had Ryuuji's heart. Or, the somehow worse possibility, he might have realized it and simply pretended not to because he didn't want it.

Ryuuji could never decide which would be the worst one.

He had spent a lifetime well acquainted with wanting things he could not have. He was familiar with the ache of it, even if this one was a bit strangely sweet despite the bitterness. 

There were moments when he didn't even notice that he had something missing. Moments spent simply appreciating Rin were enough on their own. He would watch, and he would smile, and he would not notice himself doing either. He would be taken with whatever was happening and whatever Rin was doing or being. 

He had fallen in love with the boy for a reason after all. There was a lot to fall in love with, and Rin was nothing if not a show off when he was good at something.

The soft feelings would rise in Ryuuji’s chest, sometimes a bit overwhelmingly, and he would want, and long in a strange new way that could be exciting, but frightening as well.

Other times, it was far more bitter.

The difficulty of his situation aside, ignoring how negatively being gay was still looked upon by most people, he had simply fallen in love with someone who was in love with someone else. Were he to suddenly wake up with a knowledge of the words he needed to properly express himself to Rin, he would still have to contend with the fact that Rin's heart was someone else's. 

Ryuuji was never a coward, but he wasn’t an idiot. So even if the words did suddenly come to him, he’d swallow them back down. They would be bitter, but he had swallowed far bitterer things.

He had met Rin first, but it was the meeting with her that had left the impact with Rin. Ryuuji had no real idea of whether or not he would have stood a chance had he made a move before she'd come into the picture, but he hadn't and without even intending to, she had won Rin's heart.

He figured that one out fairly slowly too. He was, unfortunately, entirely inept when it came to matters of the heart. He had been slow to learn his own, but certain once he had. He was not nearly so good with anyone else's.

Though he had never been able to tell how she felt about the entire thing, once he knew to look, Rin had been the easiest kind of read. He stared every bit as much as Ryuuji did, he smiled in silly ways, he laughed almost anytime she told a joke, or something that sounded like a joke, he always tried to sit as close as he could get, chose any mission with her he could, and got this sort of wishful tone in his voice anytime she was mentioned.

That was where the bitter came in.

Ryuuji was not nearly vain enough to ever even consider telling Rin that Ryuuji was the better option. He wasn't. She was an incredible option. She was kind and funny and loyal and pretty and courageous, far more than she ever gave herself credit for. Ryuuji was the heir to a failed temple that didn't even have a temple any longer. He was loud, grumpy, glared far too much without meaning too, and not very much at all like Shiemi.

He would never point out that she obviously wasn't interested, but he was if it was Rin.

After all, he had people come up to him regularly to try and go out. He knew what it was to have your attention completely taken by one person, and it not particularly matter if it was returned or not. The feelings would go away eventually, according to everyone he knew, but until then, he couldn't see any harm in them existing. He would never push his friend, because that's what Rin was first and foremost, his friend. The pain of it when Rin would look elsewhere, but never at him, was not enough to make him break away from that. It was his own fault that he was suffering. He could not stop the emotions, and he would not give himself space from his friend.

He had fallen in love with Rin, And he didn't know what to do with the emotions aside from ignoring them. That had done nothing to dissuade them, and the more he ignored them the more he tended to blush and look too much, and ache, so he took to other methods to try and satiate the insistent feelings. He would bring snacks he knew Rin liked best for the chance to see that particular smile. He would spend extra time at the gym to have a chance to spar with his friend, because he knew how much it excited Rin for them to be able to go all out. He would find extra time to help Rin with his studies, because his friend did and seemed like he always would struggle with notes and class work. It didn't help much more than ignoring had, but it did at least leave him with more sweet than bitter moments.

It was studying today, and that meant trying to decipher Rin's ridiculous notes, and sitting too close. That was what had led to the joint hands in the bag.

Rin didn't seem to have noticed it happened. He was, probably fittingly, talking to Shiemi. Ryuuji munched on his crackers, told his face to stop being ridiculous, and looked back at the notes. He managed to decipher another line and reached for his bottle of tea.

"You transposed this," He offered quietly. He tapped the two terms as Rin's attention momentarily turned to him. The most intensely blue eyes he had ever seen glanced down at the word under Ryuuji's pencil, and narrowed as Rin tried to make them out.

"Transposed," he explained, "You switched them."

"I did?"

Ryuuji nodded and tried not to pay attention to the way Rin's tail swished and stood up a bit when he was really listening. There was enough of the bitterness already. He didn't try to purposely hurt himself more than he needed to.

"If you can keep that straight, you'll ace this."

"You think?" The wag of Rin's tail was audible now. It was thunking lightly against the bench.

"Absolutely."

Rin smiled at him, and it was the same sort of smile he'd had when he looked at the ducks. Pure and unfiltered and showing his fangs and hardly any of his eyes because his cheeks were pushing them closed, and Ryuuji's face was growing warm again as he stared much too much. He swallowed and looked back down at the notes. 

And in doing so, entirely missed the fact that Rin was still staring at him.

[clericofshadows]

nothing will shine as bright

Description: Post ME2 Prologue Era--Kaidan brings Zaeed to meet his family, and some of Regis's family is along for the ride.

Title is from The Sun, The Moon, The Star - Æther Realm

Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/Zaeed Massani, past Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard

Sequel to: so let love reign.

The ride over to his family’s orchard was light.  All of them making meaningless conversation, getting to know each other and catching up.

The way Vik and Zaeed chatted implied a deeper friendship, but Vik was always the type to be able to engage with anyone.  Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they knew each other beyond basic Omega business.  Kaidan had made himself comfortable leaning against Zaeed, looking forward to seeing his parents again but also a little worried about how the meeting would go.

A part of him worried about his age–Zaeed was older than his mother but just under his father’s age.  Not that he thought his family would judge him for that, but it was still… a worry.  

His father was a bit of an unknown.  He loved Regis right from the beginning, even after learning what part he played in the action that ended BAaT.  Even considered Regis a son of his before they got together.  It surprised the hell out of Kaidan seeing how well Regis accepted the attention from Eduard Alenko.

Again, Kaidan doubted it would be an issue.  Dad was always the type to trust his judgment and take no bullshit.  Mom seemed to like Zaeed on the vid call, only being caught off guard about how soon it was… Something Kaidan was still a little uncomfortable with if he had to be honest, but Regis more or less blessed their relationship.

Always looking after him, knowing him too damn well.

If all goes well, they’ll make Zaeed an honorary Alenko in no-time.  Zaeed never talked about his family, and Kaidan never wanted to pry just yet. Maybe he’ll like the attention.  Maybe he’ll fight it off.  Time will tell.

Adrian, a good pilot as ever, made the trip smooth and quick, landing the skycar out in the field near the main house.  “We’re here!” he announced, opening the doors with a press of a button.  

They all climbed out of the skycar, getting their bags and heading towards the house, where his mother was waiting with open arms.  “Hope you all had a good trip!” she greeted, walking towards them.  “Good to see you both.” She shook Vik’s hand and gave Adrian a hug.

And then she turned to him, breaking out into a smile.  Kaidan opened his arms, always ready for one of her warm hugs.  “I’m so glad you could make it, sweetie.”

Kaidan smiled.  “Of course.  Always happy to stop by if I can.  Beautiful weather for today!”

“And that’s exactly why your father is grilling out in the back,” she said, pulling away.  She turned to Zaeed.  “Zaeed, was it?  Happy to have you here!” 

“Happy to be here,” he echoed with a nod.  “You have a nice slice of paradise out here.  The kind of gorgeous place I’d like to retire one day.”

“Many generations of our family have been here,” she said, starting to walk back to the house.  “And we always love to host friends and more of the family."

Zaeed looked lost, seemingly not knowing how to reply to that.  His mother could be intense sometimes with her love of hosting, welcoming anyone into her home.  Kaidan reached over and grabbed his hand, following his mother to the house. "She's right, you know.  This may be your first time here, but if you make a good enough impression…" he trailed off grinning. 

"In which I have no doubt you'll be able to do," Vik piped up from behind.  

She laughed. "Tell me if I need to back off and I will.  I'm just happy Kaidan has someone outside of us and the Alliance in this unfortunate mess."

"I'm glad I was able to find the time to be there for him," Zaeed said softly. "It hasn't been easy on me either, hearing the news."

“No, it hasn’t,” she echoed.  She reached over to open the door, but Adrian beat her to it. "You charmer," she chuckled, heading inside. 

"Anyone want anything?  A snack, refreshments… I have all kinds," she said, heading straight for the kitchen. 

The aroma of freshly cooked bread filled the air as he made himself comfortable in the living room, mixed with other dishes being warmed in the oven.  If he had to guess, knowing his mother's preference for comfort food any time she knows he's heading home, there's plenty of baked and fried dishes waiting for him.  

"I think we're alright for now," Adrian said, shutting the door behind him. "Need to save room for that lovely meal!  Already smells amazing in here."

Zaeed sat down on the couch, leaning against he armrest. "Been a minute since I've had a home cooked meal.  Looking forward to it, ma'am."

Kaidan smiled at Zaeed's attempts to make a good impression, already knowing that his mother was bound to rebuke his attempts to be formal if he kept it up. 

"Hope it tastes as good as it smells. Eduard is nearly done, if you want to check up on him," she said, busying herself in the kitchen. "And Zaeed?  No need for that."

"Just trying to be a gentleman," he replied. 

"For me or for Kaidan?" She asked lightly, taking a tray of buns out of the oven.  His father must be grilling burgers if she made those. 

And here comes her way of telling Zaeed to be more casual.  Kaidan remembered when Regis was too formal when he first met his parents, still teenagers healing from BAaT. 

Looking back, it was clear then that Regis wanted something more.  He fell hard for him, but BAaT lingered around him, preventing him from making that first move, always worried that Regis thought worse of him after what he did. 

No, after what they did.  Kaidan may have made the killing blow, but Regis's stasis made it easy for him. 

Something Regis always reminded him of when his thoughts about BAaT kept him awake on sleepless nights. 

He really should tell Zaeed.  

Vik laughed as Kaidan watched Zaeed flounder, trying to figure out a way to respond. "Now, Aurelia, be nice to our guest."

"I am!  Tradition, I swear.  You don't want me calling you 'sir' so there's no need to call me 'ma'am.'" She said, waving a hand towel at him. "But if you insist on being nice, help me out in the kitchen. I could use some extra hands from all of you."

"You don't want me in there," Adrian protested, staying in the armchair.  

"I wasn't talking to you," she laughed as Vik got up, already checking on some of the pots on the stove. "How about you, Zaeed?  Any skills in the kitchen?"

Zaeed walked over, glancing at the filled oven. "I'm good at following a recipe.  But I'm a god–” He coughed.  “I’m good at grilling."

Nice save there, love.  "Mom won't wilt if you say a few curse words.  Remember Regis's mouth?" Kaidan said, joining his mother. “Always tried to exceed the supposed maximum number you can string together.

Kaidan recalled the first time Regis let out a string of curses in front of his parents, damn near burning up on the spot. Eduard burst out laughing and welcomed him to the family. 

She shooed him away. "Go help your father.  I'll order them around.  And he's right.  I'm married to an Alliance soldier, remember?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Zaeed said, giving Kaidan an incredulous expression. 

He shrugged minutely, already heading to the back door to the patio. "Try not to interrogate him too much, Mom."

"That's what the dinner is for!" She called back. She was probably joking. 

Hopefully. 

He was not about to recount the details of how they actually got together.  Especially about Omega. 

Not exactly the smartest place to go, but he and Regis wanted to let loose and well… they definitely did and more. 

His father had the grill going, a platter of burgers already piled up and waiting to be eaten.  Kaidan took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of smoky meat and the clear air outdoors. "Kaidan!  Did Aurelia send you out here?" He greeted, setting down his tongs and opening his arms. 

"She enlisted everyone else to help her finish up," he replied, giving his father a hug. "So that left me here with you."

"Well, I could use a food runner in a bit," he said, gesturing over to the table. "Going to start bringing some plates over."

"Always happy to help," he said, waiting by the grill. 

"How are you doing?" He asked, temporarily shutting the lid. "I know you spoke to your mother yesterday–and introduced your new beau–but I want to hear it from you."

Kaidan sighed, knowing this was bound to pop up. "Doing better day by day.  Zaeed helped me through something I was avoiding, and he's been great.  I think we both needed each other," he admitted. "We had history, you know.  The three of us, I mean."

"Aurelia said," he nodded. "That mysterious shore leave you went on a few years back, hmm?"

"Maybe," Kaidan said, not quite meeting his father's gaze, staring out into the distance, looking at the beautiful fields of his childhood home. "Regis left me a video that we watched together, and he damn near outright stated that he wanted Zaeed and I to get back together.  Basically gave me the blessing to move on."

"He knew you too well.  I guess you stayed close with him after your short leave?  I remember that you weren't off long." His father’s tone betrayed no judgment.  

"Not like you're probably thinking.  Stayed friends.  Met up a handful of times for drinks.  Nothing more until…" Kaidan trailed off, closing his eyes.  "We were Alliance soldiers and he was a merc that mostly roamed the Terminus system.  It couldn't have worked out."

"But it does now?" He asked, a knowing look in his eye. "Or else you wouldn't have brought him here.  Hell, it took you how long to invite Regis over?"

"Longer than it should've," he reluctantly admitted. "Things were a lot different then.  That's not a good comparison to make."

His father winced. "Sorry.  Does he know?" 

There’s only one thing he will be asking about here.  

"No.  Not yet.  I've been thinking of telling him while we're here."

"Don't rush it if you aren't comfortable."

"It's not that," Kaidan said. "He's seen my biotics.  He's not the type to judge, and I know he's not going to judge.  No, it's just…" he shook his head. "I've never told anyone about BAaT without Regis being there with me.  And we both wanted to tell him about it together."

And now we can't. 

"He was with me the whole time.  Yeah, at the time I had eyes on Rahna, and I know that hurt him. But he stepped up alongside me when Vyrnnus went too far and continued to support me in everything after. Everyone else there feared me, feared what we could do.  But Regis?" Kaidan let out a sigh, wondering if he should admit to his father what Regis said to him many times while reminiscing about BAaT. 

"He would've traded places with you," his father finished for him, coming to a realization. "Is that it?"

Kaidan nodded. "Yeah," he said, his voice breaking.  He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure despite knowing his father wouldn't judge, not here, not now, not ever.  "Always pissed me off when he would say that, but I also knew where he was coming from.  After joining the Alliance, I understood the type of man he could be."

"Ruthless bastard with a heart of gold?" he asked, a smile gracing his features. "Dealt with a few of those types."

"Something like that," Kaidan couldn't help but laugh. "And now the Alliance wants another soldier like him."

"Is that what your meetings were about?  What are you going to do?"

"Become an N. Work closely with Admiral Hackett concerning high profile missions. Finish Regis's dream of better regimens and opportunities for biotics within the Alliance,” Kaidan explained.  His father opened up the grill and motioned for him to grab another plate.

“A very ambitious ideal.  Is this something you’re doing for yourself or because the Alliance wants you to?” His father took the ribs off the grill.

Kaidan replied, taking the now filled plate over to the table and grabbing another.  “To answer your question: I made sure to do this on my own terms.  The Alliance still wants Regis, but I’m going to make damn sure that they cut that shit out.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they start using his likeness as a damn recruitment tool,” he muttered, filling up another plate.  

“Neither would I, and honestly I don’t think even Hannah could put a stop to it,” Kaidan said bitterly.  He arranged the plates on the table, covering them with foil to keep them warm. 

“Coming through!” Kaidan turned to see Zaeed holding the door open for Adrian, who was holding a heavy casserole dish of baked mac and cheese. 

“I see she made you the food runner,” Kaidan chuckled, pointing to an open spot on the table.

“You know I can’t cook, so this is the best I can do,” Adrian said, setting the dish down.  

“At this point, all you have to do is watch the food,” His father said, shaking his head. 

Adrian shrugged.  “Do you want good food or not?”

He rolled his eyes, turning to Zaeed who was still hanging out by the door.  “Zaeed, was it?”

He nodded, finally making his way over to join them.  He stood next to Kaidan, keeping a bit of distance between them.  Kaidan pressed himself up against Zaeed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, squeezing him in close before letting go, trying to get him to chill out and relax around his parents.  “Dad, meet Zaeed Massani.”

“Eduard Alenko.  It’s my pleasure,” His father replied, setting down his utensils and wiping his hands down with a towel.  He held out his hand.

Zaeed shook his hand.  “Good to meet you, Eduard.  Beautiful place you have here.”

He smiled.  “That always seems to be the first thing people say.  And it’s true.”

Kaidan laced his fingers with Zaeed’s.  He gave him a smile in response, looking at him with open fondness.  

“So, you’re my son’s new beau.  You see, Kaidan here was a bit cagey on how you met.” Kaidan blushed at his father’s words.  “But he did mention you’re a merc.”

Zaeed glanced over at him before clearing his throat.  “I am, yes.  Mostly out in Terminus, occasionally in Citadel space.  These days I’m keeping an ear close to the ground, after all the shit that has happened.”

Seems he has already taken Kaidan’s words to heart.  

His father nodded.  “All I care about is knowing that my son has someone that’s not family out there with him.  Someone to keep an eye on him out in the black.”  He gave Zaeed a knowing look.

“I’m aware of exactly what Kaidan’s going back out there for, so I can do more than that,” he replied with a nod, not shying away from his father’s piercing gaze.  

“Do you have Alliance connections?”

“Have an old friend in the brass,” Zaeed said, keeping it vague.  Kaidan had a feeling his father would be grilling him about it later.  “Has its benefits, on occasion.”

His father finished plating up the hotdogs, sending Kaidan off to bring them to the table.  He shut the grill down for now.  “I’m sure it does.  I don’t like that my son is getting back out there so soon.”

“Neither do I, Dad, but… I need to do something. After what we saw, after what I saw… something big could be coming.”

“And everyone is blind to it.  Not like we can expect anything different.”

“Amen to that.”

The next few minutes were a flurry of dishes and food, such a large spread for the small group, but Mom would make sure they all head home with some leftovers and well wishes.  To his surprise, she even made a set of asari pies using fruit native to Thessia, an exorbitant cost that didn’t escape Vik’s notice.  

“You are a treasure on this planet,” they said, recognising the recipe as they brought them to the table.  “Did you happen to know this is my favorite?”

“I didn’t!  But I’m glad it is.  I’ve been wanting to try out some recipes and when I heard you were coming down I had to try it out. Hopefully it tastes good.  I promise I won’t be offended if you don’t like it,” his mother replied, sitting down at the table next to Kaidan.  Zaeed took the other seat next to Kaidan, and Adrian, Vik, and his father sat across from them.  

“I doubt that will be the case.  The few times I’ve been here, the food has been excellent.  Some of this is admittedly new to me.  Earth comfort food is what Adrian called it,” Vik replied, starting to grab food as they passed the dishes around.  

“We thought it would be a good menu to have.  Simple, but good,” his father said.  

“And many of these were Regis’s favorites,” Adrian said softly, placing a hand over Vik’s.  They smiled at him in return.  “I thank you for that.  He would have loved this.”

“Yeah, he really would,” Kaidan echoed.  “Didn’t escape my notice either.  Thank you.”

“Remember when we ordered that takeout that claimed to be ‘authentic Earth-American burgers,’” Zaeed started, the attention now on him.  “And Regis took one bite and biotically tossed the whole bag across the room?”

Kaidan laughed, stopping mid-bite.  “Yes!  I thought he was going to march to that restaurant and demand our credits back.”

“What stopped him?” his father asked.  

“Didn’t want to leave the room,” Zaeed chuckled. 

“So, you met on shore leave…” she started, trailing off.  “Willing to share any more details?”

“Yes,” Vik agreed, looking at the two of them.  Kaidan shared a look with Zaeed, who kept his expression carefully blank.  “Remind me when that shore leave was?”

Kaidan wasn’t about to lie to Vik, who was damn good at sniffing them out.  Likely from their many years of working on Omega.  “Going by the Earth calendar?  October of 2180.”

Vik smirked.  “You cheeky little bastards.  And you didn’t visit me?  Ah, I had to hear all about your adventures from the gossip.”

Kaidan shook his head as the table erupted in discussion.  Always stirring up trouble, Vik.  It’s why they and Adrian fit so damn well together.  “You were on Omega?” His father asked.  “Explains how you ran into a terminus merc.”

His mother shook her head, laughing softly.  “So you two were being scandalous, is that what Vikram is saying?”

Zaeed looked like he wanted to disappear, but he recovered quickly.  “They brought me in, hook, line, and sinker,” he leaned in close.  “Wouldn’t have had it any other way.” 

“Dammit, Zee,” Kaidan muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up.  Zaeed mouthed the nickname, tilted his head to the side, and kissed him on the cheek.  His mother cooed at their affection.

All good signs so far.  Doesn’t mean he won’t escape a grilling later.

“So, you’re saying it's a story a mother doesn’t need to hear about her son.  Got it.” She laughed, pulling Kaidan into a hug.  “Must have been a good trip if you stayed friends.”

“It was,” Kaidan finally recovered, leaning into his mother’s hug before breaking apart.  “And Vik?  Sorry for not visiting.”

“I’m just playing, darling.  I suppose I should offer my own apology for revealing your hand.  Just couldn’t resist,” they trailed off with a knowing grin.  “Come on, if you can survive me, you can survive this relationship.”

Adrian lifted up his drink in response.  Vik did the same, clinking their bottles together.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Vik?  Thought we were friends!” Zaeed said, shaking his head.

“Friends until they can fuck with you,” Adrian said with a knowing look. Vik punched him lightly on the shoulder. 

“No comment,” Vik replied.  “This food is excellent by the way.”  Both his mother and father beamed at the compliment.  

The conversation stilled as they dug into the food, making light chatter.  Zaeed managed to integrate himself well, fitting into their dynamic damn near seamlessly.

As they slowed down, the conversation changed.  “So, Zaeed, where are you from?” His mother asked.

Kaidan didn’t even know the answer to that.  

“All around.  I was a traveler.  Tried out a few different paths, even Alliance at one point,” Zaeed began. “I stayed out of the FCW, but I did eventually venture out in the black.  Found myself in Terminus, and here we are.”

“Is that where you got the Suns’ tattoo?” his father asked, touching the bare skin of his neck, the same spot where Zaeed’s tattoo was.  The air became tense.  Adrian and Vik both froze, waiting for Zaeed’s response.  His mother placed her hand on top of his father’s, giving him one of her signature eyebrow raises.  

Zaeed didn’t flinch at the question.  Instead, he leaned forward.  “Nothing escapes your notice, huh?  Waiting for a good moment to ask?”  His father opened his mouth to reply, his expression carefully neutral, but Zaeed beat him to it, waving it off.  “It’s not something I’m ashamed of.  Kaidan and Regis were both aware.  Hell, I was waiting for someone to point it out.”

Kaidan placed his hand on top of his.  Zaeed twisted his hand so that their fingers would be laced together.  “Zaeed was one of the founders,” Kaidan said in lieu of his boyfriend, making it clear that he’s well aware of his past.  “But that is history.”

“Never said it was current,” his father said, not quite backing down.  Not that he blamed him.  Kaidan and Regis both knew about his past, about Vido.  Not all the details but enough.  “I thought Batarians founded the Suns?”

The Suns’ logo isn’t obscure, but he knew it didn’t escape Adrian’s notice for sure.  He shouldn’t judge, and maybe that’s what they talked about after Kaidan and Vik talked about the T’Soni footage.  He may play at being a fancy civilian pilot, but he smuggles as much as he does legit runs.   

He should’ve known his father would recognize it.  Maybe his mother did too, not wanting to cause a stir. 

“It has long since become a goddamn cesspool,” Zaeed spat out.  Talking about the Suns was almost always a sore spot with him.  “Did we create it under the greatest of morals?  No.  I wasn’t a good man then.”  I’m not a good man now, Kaidan heard.  “It’s a part of me, and I won’t deny it.  Judge me if you want, but it’s a reminder that I survived.  Yes, you're right. The official story is that the Batarians founded it, but only after I was betrayed when I didn't want to employ them and get involved in their trades.” He pointed to the scar on his face, never letting go of Kaidan’s grip.  “I love your son.  I loved and still love the one you probably considered one too. And my biggest goddamn regret is not saying any of this shit sooner.”

Fuck.  They hadn’t said it to each other yet, but the feelings were understood, underneath the surface.  

“I love him too.  And my heart will never forget Regis.  Isn’t that what this get-together was supposed to be about?  Celebrating and remembering him?  Zaeed is a part of that.  He is a part of me,” Kaidan said, raising his voice.  “Of us.  And if you judge him, you judge Regis.”

His parents didn’t immediately respond, both seemingly at war with themselves.  Vik looked like they wanted to say something, but Adrian shook his head, stopping them.

Kaidan clenched his jaw.  “I’m going to get some air.  Thanks for the meal.”  He stood up and put his napkin on the table, ignoring his parents' protests.

He found himself halfway over to the barn where he and Regis kept their motorcycles.  He thought back to the damn helmets Zaeed had made for them, not even knowing about their hobby but wanting them to share in his.  Yet another thing that had in common.  Yet another thing that would’ve made their relationship great.  

Footsteps crunched the leaves behind him, and he whirled around to see Zaeed, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.  “Wasn’t about to leave you alone.”

“Leaving me alone probably would’ve made them judge you even more,” he sighed, leaning against the wall of the barn.  “I’m sorry.”

“I wouldn’t make them the damn bad guys yet,” he said softly.  “Just worried about their son who lost the love of his life and is shacking up with a guy damn near twice his age.”

“Well, I’ll give them more to talk about.”  Kaidan unlatched the door of the barn and headed inside.  “Let’s go for a fucking ride.”

“The motorcycles you talked about earlier,” Zaeed realized as he followed him inside.

Kaidan pulled off the tarp that covered the bikes.  Regis’s red and black monster and Kaidan’s blue and silver slim machine looked as new and as clean as they were when they bought them a few years ago.

Same condition as they were when they drove off in the country after they returned home to tell the Alenkos the news of their Normandy notification.

“Fucking beautiful machines,” Zaeed breathed, leaning up against him. “You two were holding out on me. Damn, the helmet gifts were selfish on my part, but now I definitely realize how accurate they were.”

Kaidan kissed him on the cheek. “Thoughtful without even knowing it.  Regis was a stickler with his monster. I may have ridden it maybe twice as the driver.” He closed his eyes and let out a breath. “But he isn't here to bitch to me about it, so we're going to take his Alchemy for a ride.”

“I can hear him now,” Zaeed said, his voice rough. “Yeah, let's piss him off.”

Kaidan grabbed his helmet from the cabinet and passed a spare one to Zaeed.  They weren't in the best gear for riding, but nothing a quick flash forge of tech armor won't fix in a pinch. 

His codes still worked and the motorcycle roared to life in a loud purr.  All he could hear was the shout Regis would let out every time he got on his bike. 

Zaeed whistled. “If I didn't know him I'd say he was compensating for something.” 

“It's so ridiculous,” Kaidan agreed with a laugh, ignoring the wetness that started to gather around his eyes. “He loved it.”

“Yeah, I'm sure he did.”

Kaidan hopped on and Zaeed got on behind him, wrapping his arms around and resting his helmeted head on his shoulder.  A mirror to earlier today. 

With one last deep breath, Kaidan took off and drove towards the dirt road leading to the back of the property heading into the country. 

– –

They drove in silence, only letting the sound of Alchemy’s roar fill the air.  Zaeed never asked where Kaidan was planning on going, but he did have a destination in mind. 

About thirty minutes out is a little clearing next to a small pond, a short walk from the road. A favorite spot of Regis’s, due to the large, lone apple tree that provided a perfect bit of shade. 

A secret haven for the locals.  Many initials have been carved into that tree or at the wooden table and benches that have made their way over to the spot. 

A slice of life he wants to show Zaeed. 

The air was cool and slowly the sun was starting to set, but Kaidan didn't care.  He needed to get away for a moment, to get away from the judging, but loving eyes of his family and take Zaeed for himself.

Soon enough, they arrived and Kaidan parked Regis's motorcycle off to the side, powering it back down with his omnitool, the roar of the motor quieting down.  It felt like he was silencing Regis and his spirit.

“That's one damn good bike,” Zaeed said, unwrapping himself from Kaidan and stepping down from the bike, taking off his helmet. “I can see why he's so protective over it.”

“It amazes me he never went into engineering.  He just… forged his own path,” Kaidan said, running his hand down the side of the warm machine before taking off his own helmet.  He reached out for Zaeed's hand. “Follow me.”

He was a grounding presence as they walked the well-worn trail heading to the peaceful clearing, footsteps crunching the leaves and a soft breeze rustling amongst the trees.  Kaidan took in a deep breath, smelling the outdoors that was his home.

But it didn’t quite feel like home without Regis taking this trip with him.  

Zaeed was making it easier.

The trees parted to reveal the clearing, and Kaidan led him over to one of the picnic tables closest to the apple tree, sitting down with a sign.  Zaeed settled against him, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him in close to his side.   Kaidan rested his head on his shoulder, closing his eyes.  “I shouldn’t have stormed off.”

Zaeed let out a snort.  “Well, it led you to bringing me here, so it can’t have been that terrible of a decision.” “No, I guess not.  They would’ve heard that beast of his and immediately knew where we were going.  Fuck, I miss him.”  He let out a shuddering breath, trying to hold back the sob that threatened to escape.  

“This is where he wanted to propose, wasn’t it?” Zaeed asked.

“Yeah, it sure as shit was.  Look,” he pointed with a shaky hand.  “We even carved our initials on that tree.”

Many couples had done the same. His and Regis’s were near the heart of the tree.

“You sure did,” Zaeed said softly.  “Excuse me.”  Kaidan wanted to argue as Zaeed stood up, but he watched him find a spot just underneath their initials and added his own with a dagger carefully hidden in his boot.  He put his name above Regis so it was sandwiched between them.  

He was the glue that brought them all together in the end.

When Zaeed sat back down and put his arm around him, Kaidan broke, sobbing into his chest, thinking back to that damn video, that damn ring, that damn Regis.

Zaeed held him tightly, and Kaidan chose to ignore the wetness he felt on his head from where Zaeed was resting his chin.  Silent sobs wracked them both in the heart of the Canadian country, as the sun set and the stars that became Regis’s grave started to twinkle and shine.

But nothing will shine as bright as Regis and his biotics, a beacon on both the battlefield and in their hearts.  

Distantly, he heard the roar of a motorcycle, and they slowly broke apart, still holding each other tightly.  His omnitool pinged and he checked it while wiping his eyes.

Dad: May we join you?

Mom: We took your bike.  Sorry if I messed with your settings.  I have some of the Thessian pie, if you two just want some of that and we can go.

“Think we all should talk,” Zaeed said, clearing his throat.

Kaidan nodded, not exactly trusting his voice right now.

Kaidan: Come on over.  If you have tissues or at least napkins… that will be appreciated.

Mom: We sure do.

Kaidan didn’t reply, and tried to steel himself and regain some of his composure before his parents entered the clearing.  He knew this is where his mother proposed to his father, a little jewel of the country.  It’s a damn shame the apples weren’t in season.

Another thing he so desperately wanted to share with Zaeed.  Another thing he wanted to share with Regis once more.

They didn’t break apart for one moment, listening to each other’s heart beat, listening to the other’s breathing.  In and out.  One second at a time.

The tell-tale sound of footsteps traveling on leaves filled the air, and his mother and father approached them.  His mother was holding a picnic basket, while his father carried a small cooler.  

“Oh, sweetheart,” his mother said, rushing over to put the basket on the table and passing him and Zaeed some tissues.  “I’m so sorry.”

“No,” Kaidan said, his voice rough.  “I’m–”

“You don’t have a damn thing to apologize for,” his father interrupted.  “If anything it’s–”

“No one’s apologizing for a fucking thing,” Zaeed said with a finaility, all attention on him.  “So, let’s cry about Regis, eat some damn good pie, and see where it goes.”

Kaidan started to laugh, which initially sounded like a sob, his shoulders shaking until the laugh bubbled out of him, a loud bark utterly unlike him.  Zaeed joined him, squeezing him tight, and soon enough, they were all laughing.  Kaidan ignored the tears that sprung in his eyes, blaming them on the laughter.

Hope you’re happy, wherever you are, my love.  And also cursing my name for taking out your Alchemy.

When everything calmed and quieted down, his parents reintroduced themselves, Zaeed did the same, and was frank about his tattoo.  “I may not be a Suns any longer, but I do run a similar way of life.  That goddamn way of life brought me to Regis and Kaidan, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  And now with all the shit that’s going on in the galaxy…”

“You can’t hang up your gun just yet,” his father guessed, and Zaeed nodded.

“And I also made a promise to keep an eye on him.  Can’t do that if I don’t have my goddamn gun.”  Kaidan leaned in to kiss his cheek, smiling at Zaeed’s words.  They must be a blotchy, wrecked mess, but he didn’t care.

His mother busied herself into passing out the pie and some bottled drinks.  Just water, knowing they had to ride back to the property in the dark.  “Vik and Adrian offered to come, but we didn’t know if you wanted a full party here.”

“Maybe not,” Kaidan said, taking the plate with a nod of thanks.  “You took my bike?”

“Aurelia insisted,” his father shrugged.

She nodded. “Been a while since your girl has been out. Quicksilver needed some love. Lord knows Alchemy did.  Think he's yelling at you right now?”

Kaidan paused mid bite, tilting his head to the side. “I don't know, actually.  Maybe the sight of Zaeed riding it with me could've made him pause.” He sniffed, setting down the pie and reaching for a clean tissue to blow his nose.  Reaching back for the pie, he took a bite, humming at the sour, juicy taste of the fruit.  “He would’ve loved this too.”

“Right, he always liked sour things,” his father said.  “Him and his weird obsession with hard lemonade, for one.”

Even his parents noticed that odd fact about him.  Sure, he would enjoy mixed drinks filled with syrup and fruit, but he’d always ask for hard lemonade if someone was buying or grab a case or two when it was their time to buy drinks.  

“He got that from Hannah,” Kaidan replied.  “Always bugged me that he never shared my taste for alcohol.”

“Make that our taste,” Zaeed said in between bites.  “This is excellent, by the way.  What did Vik think?”

“Asked for the recipe immediately,” his mother laughed.  “Said it was one of the best interpretations of the pie they’ve had in years.  And I got the feeling they meant decades.”

“Likely so,” Zaeed replied.  “Vik’s been around.  And well, I wouldn’t exactly be here without them.  Sort of.”

“Really?” Kaidan asked. “I could tell you both knew each other beyond passing.”

He rubbed at the scar on his face. “You already know that Hackett helped me out after I was betrayed.  Vik was the one that healed me up.”

Kaidan already knew all the other details.  How exactly he was betrayed.  His drive for revenge. This adds even more context. Probably even helped explain why Vik also accepted them so readily. 

“The same Hackett that is overseeing your new orders?” His father asked. “Small galaxy.”

Kaidan nodded, finishing his slice of pie. “Yeah, same person. Threw me for a loop when Zee told me about their past. Just means we have a good group here.”

“That it does,” his mother said, cleaning up the table and putting the dirty plates in the basket. 

“Vik made it clear about their own thoughts on our little… grilling of you, Zaeed. And I know you said no apologies, but I'm sorry for putting you on the spot about your past,” his father turned to Zaeed. 

“Like I said, it's fine. I don't blame you one goddamn bit. Thanks for letting me come.”

“It was no trouble,” she said. “Now, are you boys going to head back with us or enjoy the night air for a little longer?”

Kaidan looked over at Zaeed. “There's one more thing I'd like to talk about before we go. About… how I met Regis.”

To his relief, his parents didn't react other than a nod and wishes for a safe drive once they’re on their way, along with a message so they know when to expect them.  Zaeed looked at him curiously, but he didn’t protest until his parents were well out of their sight.

“Am I missing something?” He asked.  “I thought you two met in biotic training.  Unless you wanted some more alone time…” he trailed off, but his concerned look didn’t leave despite his suggestive comment.

Kaidan scooted closer to him on the bench, resting his head on his shoulder.  “That’s the easy way to put it.”  He took a deep breath, and he launched into the story of BAaT.  Of meeting Regis and Rahna and everyone else.  Kids under the wrath of a turian merc.  Kaidan’s own attitude and where that got him.  The friendship he formed with Regis early on, never noticing Regis’s feelings for him until after BAaT.  

Zaeed stayed a silent, steady presence next to him as he continued on, talking about their treatment.  The conditions they were under, the injuries many of them sustained, the lack of care all for results.  The red sand that was introduced for some.  Kaidan got very little.

Regis got a hell of a lot more.

“Explains why he smoked those damn Astras,” Zaeed interrupted.  “Always wondered how he got into that habit.”

Vik got him into it as a safe way to deal with the cravings.  They didn’t expect him to start using them more recreationally.  Kaidan wished he still had that old lighter that Regis gave him to hold onto so that he had to go through him for cravings. 

Even if he could light the damn things easily with his omnitool, he never did.  He was in control of his habit to an extent.  Kaidan can’t really say anything, though.

When Regis would smoke, Kaidan would share with him.

Kaidan nodded.  “Yeah, they dosed us to see the limits of what we could do.  It stopped after they overdosed one of the students.  Claimed it was a result of the implant, but we all knew what really happened.   Eezo overload and implant failure.”

Zaeed cursed, shaking his head.  “And something tells me there’s worse shit you haven’t told me about.”

Kaidan couldn’t help but laugh, which prompted Zaeed to let out another curse.  “I’m getting there.”

There was no use delaying it.  All the kids who had to use their biotics to build something.  The glass of water offered to Rahna, who reached out with her arm.

Kaidan springing to her defense after Vyrnnus broke her arm.  The talon to his face and then–a stasis.  But too late, as Kaidan already primed his kick and somehow snapped his neck despite Regis’s field.

The aftermath was easier to talk about now, with Regis’s words echoing in the back of his mind.  None of this was your fault.  We all wanted something to happen to him.  One day, they will see it like I do.

I wish it was me in your place instead.

When they took you away, I promised I would look out for you.  That hasn’t changed.

That will never change.

When Kaidan finished telling Zaeed about BAaT, he noticed a meteor streak across the sky, a bright white line that quickly faded into nothing.  He wasn’t sure what it meant, but he’d take any sign that Regis was out there.  “And there he is, still looking out for me.  Maybe he wasn’t pissed off about Alchemy.”

“You said he made you a promise, Regis doesn't break them lightly,” Zaeed said, looking up at the sky, waiting for a sign of his own, perhaps. 

“No,” Kaidan’s voice hitched.  “No, he doesn’t.”

Zaeed was quiet for a moment before pulling him into a hug. “I could tell how fucking hard that was to tell me.  I'm sorry you went through that. You both were goddamn kids.”

“Thanks,” Kaidan said, returning his hug and not letting go just yet. “It was just… a heavy burden to have weighing on us. Regis got off easy in comparison, and he tried to make sure I didn't let anyone get to me afterwards.” He closed his eyes. “That's when I knew he loved me.  Still took him a couple of years to make the first move. I was too scared, still too afraid of what I could be.  I could've worked through it on my own eventually, but he made sure I didn't have to do it alone.” Yet again, he could feel tears gathering. 

“And you aren't alone now. Not as long as you have me, godammit.”

“I love you.  Thank you for being here.”

“I love you, too. Thank you for letting me in.”

– – 

The drive back was quiet, their flash-forged tech armor helping to light the way on the dark roads that led back to his family’s property. 

Vik was waiting for them at the barn, sitting on one of the stools in front of the workbench. “Everything okay?” They asked. 

Kaidan powered down Alchemy after parking it next to his Quicksilver, deconstructing his tech armor. “Been better, but we're good.  Thanks for waiting on us.”

“Don't mention it.  Get some sleep, darling. Remember, you're also here to learn some new tricks before you get back out there.”

“Don't worry, I haven't forgotten,” Kaidan tried to return their grin, but it felt forced.  Vik luckily didn't comment on it. 

“And Zaeed, you are welcome to watch,” they said with a knowing look. 

“Might have to take you up on that.  I love seeing biotics in action.”

“You'll get plenty of that. Just remember whose home you are staying in,” they chuckled, and Kaidan felt his cheeks heat up at Zaeed's gaze. 

“Thanks Vik,” Kaidan rolled his eyes. 

“Anytime. Adrian helped get your old bedroom in order. All you have to do is get some sleep,” they repeated again with a pointed look. “I won't lie and say I was silent after you two left, but I think tensions were high solely because of who we were remembering.”

Kaidan was sure Vik was being tactful, and his parents did say that Vik got a few words in. “Regis wanted me–us–to move on.”

“I know.  My kid clearly cared for the both of you, and I wish he told me about you three,” Vik said, looking at them both. “But he's always been a secretive sort.  You should probably tell Hannah about this.  I think she’d appreciate knowing another aspect of her son.”

Would she?  Hannah approved of them, seemingly happy Regis found someone that managed to get him in the Alliance he was so seemingly against back when they first met and were talking about their lives and dreams.  Sometimes Kaidan wondered if his drive to join the Alliance caused Regis to do the same, knowing he had his own plans with his cybernetics education.

But Regis was happy in the Alliance.  Despite Torfan.  Despite his mother’s reaction.  Despite… the beacon.

Kaidan wasn’t sure how she’d react to him moving on so fast, even if he does give the extra details, send a few pictures, and bring Adrian and Vik in on this to help his case.

It’s a conversation he will have to have soon.

“I’ll talk to her,” Kaidan said, motioning for Zaeed to help him cover the bike.  “I had a meeting with her first about what to do next.”

“How was that?” Vik asked.  “I’ve only talked to her once since… the funeral.”  Still hard for them all to say.

“Fine, if a little… well.  You know,” Kaidan said, making a so-so gesture.  Vik nodded along.  They understood.  “I have her support in many ways, though.” “Personally and professionally.  Good,” Vik said with a nod.  “Well, I shouldn’t keep you.  Need you to be well rested.”

“Should I be worried?”

“No, I imagine you’ll be a good student.  Reaving, bubbles, and fields can take a lot out of you, so we’ll need plenty of calories. Especialy you.”  Vik got up from the stool.  “Which means if Zaeed is a good boyfriend, he’ll be supplying that for you.”

“Well, if the Alenkos will let me take over their grill, I’ll be a good boyfriend,” Zaeed said, grabbing his hand and tugging on it to urge Kaidan along.  

“So does that make Adrian a terrible partner because he doesn’t do that for you?” Kaidan asked.

Vik laughed.  “I love him with all my heart.  Keep him as far away from a kitchen as possible.  He makes up for it in other ways, and well, we don’t burn as many calories in comparison.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that,” he admitted, locking up the barn and making sure everything was powered down.  

“Younger maidens, yes,” they said.  “They need more energy to grow, just like your teenagers and young adults.  But once we mature beyond that, it evens out.  It’s still not the same caloric deficit.  I had to learn a lot of adjustments on the fly after BAaT.”  After they said the name of the program, they stopped and looked at Kaidan.  “Sorry, does he?”

“He does,” Zaeed answered.  “Just learned about it.  Fucking hell.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“Not that it’s any of my goddamn business…” Zaeed trailed off, looking at Kaidan and Vik.  He knew where this was going.

Vik interrupted, “Why didn’t I teach Regis?”

Zaeed nodded, glancing over at Kaidan.  He returned his gaze with a nod, hoping that it told him he was fine with the question.  Kaidan honestly didn’t know, and he never asked Regis about it.  Considering Regis was always a little pissed at the whole situation every time it was brought up, it wasn’t something worth pursuing.  They were here now, and Regis tended to not dwell much on alternatives.  What happened, happened, and he was going to deal with it.

Well, with Regis’s unhealthy tendencies to hold a hell of a grudge.  What he would give to hear Regis rant again…

“Politics,” they damn near spat, the venom evident.  Kaidan wasn’t surprised.  It made sense.  After all, humanity’s biotics were all about the politics.

“It’s good PR to have the son of a high ranking Alliance officer endorse the program, right?  But I know Hannah wanted me to do it, despite me being an old Commando.  And I never really got the chance to teach him the way I wanted after he told me that he was joining the Alliance, but alas… I wouldn’t necessarily say that it would’ve been better for him to have learned from me.  It brought him to you, after all.”  Vik motioned towards him.

That’s what Regis would always say.  He never regretted BAaT because it brought them together.  Didn’t stop Kaidan’s vein’s from turning to ice.  Didn’t stop the feeling of relief that Regis was there anyway.  The selfishness of knowing him despite the torture they went through.

No, Kaidan thought to himself, it wouldn’t have been better for Regis to have learned how to control his biotics from Vik.

One thing he didn’t know, however, was that Hannah wanted Vik to do it.  “Did Regis know that his mother wanted you to teach him?”

Vik’s eyes widened, their markings stretching across their face.  “Wait, she never told him?  This whole time, she let him think that she blocked me from…” they shook their head.  “Can’t believe she let herself be turned into a bad guy.  Explains why Regis never really cornered me about it beyond when he first asked me about it.”

Kaidan knew part of that story.  A young Regis asking Vik to be his teacher, to be like the asari commandos he heard stories about as a kid.  But Vik only said to ask his mother, and that was the end of the conversation.

“In some ways,” Kaidan continued walking back to the house.  “She already was for not letting Regis spend more time on Earth, but that doesn’t explain why she never explained herself.  Unless… she didn’t want to poison the Alliance for him?  I don’t know.” He sighed.  “I’m sorry, there’s really no use speculating about it.”

“And Regis wouldn’t want us to anyway,” Vik said with undisguised frustration.  “I’d say the Alliance was poisoned for him long before BAaT.  Clearly BAaT and its ties didn’t deter him either, but you had a lot to do with that.”  Something… else was lingering in their tone that Kaidan couldn’t place.

He felt bold.  “In what way?”

“I’m not saying you forced him.  Goddess, darling,” They shook their head.  

“What are you saying?” Kaidan tried to keep his voice neutral, but the weariness and emotions of the day were bearing down on him.

“Sometimes I wonder what his life would’ve been like if he didn’t join.  That’s it.  But I’d imagine he would’ve followed me to Omega and used his cybernetics degree for all the right and wrong reasons, and ended up in another dangerous situation,” Vik sighed.  They stopped at the back door of the patio.  “Unlike Regis, I think about every damn thing. You think I wouldn't with how many centuries I've been alive, but I've never been good at acceptance.  He was destined for greatness and far away from the quiet life.  I’m just… I’ve lost a lot of friends and people I loved.  I didn’t expect to lose him so soon.”

Kaidan felt like a dick.  “Vik, I’m—”

“Sorry? Don’t be.  You are looking out for your love the same way I’m looking out for my kid.  What’s the phrase?  Water under the bridge?” They held out their hand.

Kaidan shook it, feeling the soft hiss of Vik’s corona intersect with his own.  A foreign sensation so unlike the field that would form between his and Regis’s.  

“Water under the bridge,” Kaidan repeated.  “You got it right.”

“Adrian’s a good teacher.  He also helped get your bedroom ready to go with your luggage.” Vik stepped aside to open the door.  The lights were off in the house.  His parents must’ve already gone up to bed.  

“Thanks,” Zaeed said with a yawn.  “It’s been a long day.”

“Especially for you both,” Vik said as they all walked quietly up the stairs.  Adrian waved at them from the hallway.  His hair was down from its usual bun, and to Kaidan's amusement, he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with asari writing on it.

“Hope you had some good time alone,” he said, opening his arms for a hug.  Kaidan accepted it, inhaling deeply, smelling the same hint of citrus that Regis loved in his own scents.  He knew they used the same hair products, both enjoying taming and styling their curls best they could.  Another indulgence Regis loved was expensive self-care products, comparing notes with his uncle.

“We did,” Kaidan said quietly, pulling away.  “Thanks for waiting up.”

Adrian waved it off.  “Anytime.  You’re basically my surrogate kid, so I’m going to be your surrogate uncle and tell you to get some rest.  Also because Vik is going to kick your ass tomorrow.”

Kaidan rolled his eyes but was smiling all the same.  “We’ll see about that.”

“I look forward to it.” Vik bowed.  “Good night to the both of you.”

“Good night,” Kaidan said, and Zaeed nodded, following him to his old bedroom at the end of the hall.

It was nearly as he left it the last time he and Regis visited.  The bed was already unmade, piled high with warm blankets and pillows, his old blue comforter a nice sight to see.  His walls were still covered with old pictures and posters, and Zaeed looked around, taking them in, grinning at some but never saying anything.  He stopped at an array of photos on his old dresser.

Photos from when Regis was visiting in between his classes and when he graduated with his cybernetics degree.  Still young and before they enlisted.  Kaidan did a bit of schooling online, but finished his biology background by going into a specialty medic track while in the Alliance.  

Zaeed picked another photo up.  Regis was grinning in his graduation regalia, holding up his degree while Kaidan kissed him on the cheek.  He remembered his mother taking that picture, smiling and laughing at their affection. 

“He was so young,” Zaeed said.  “No tats, no scars… looks completely different.”

“Torfan changed him,” Kaidan said, taking the photo from him and putting it back on the dresser.  “Face was still full of metal though.”

“Sure was,” he laughed.  His gaze turned to another picture, taken not long after BAaT.  It was a selfie of Regis Kaidan had framed, always pulling it back out every time Regis tried to hide it.

It still had Regis with his natural green eyes instead of his gene modded red.

“Didn’t know he used to have green eyes either,” Zaeed said, probably thinking of his own.  “We could’ve matched.”

Kaidan has thought about that too.  “Not long after BAaT is when he got into body mods.  It was like no time at all when he started changing things about himself.  Going for a face full of piercings, full sleeves of tattoos… he didn’t get the neck ones until after Torfan.  His chest wasn’t long after he got the ones on his neck.”

“And the one on his back?”

“Not long after we landed in Omega,” Kaidan said, wishing he could trace the lines of that cybernetic heart.

“I knew the story behind his neck.  Hell, when I got his Black Widow, I saw that skull of his staring back at me,” Zaeed said.  “His arms were because of his father, right?”

“Porcelain flowers because of his late grandmother’s tea sets.  Yggdrasil directly because his father had one on his back.  Treated like a connection to Earth, and I asked Regis if I could get it too.” Kaidan rubbed his leg where the tattoo was.  “Damn near knocked me over with the kiss he gave me.”

“I can imagine that… think it’ll be okay if I get some of his flowers on my hip?” Zaeed asked quietly, almost hesitant.

Kaidan leaned in for a kiss, soft and sweet.  “I think he–and I–would like that.  I was going to get a big piece done on my back as well.  Haven’t decided what yet.  Maybe a bit of eezo ink too.”

“Sounds like something we can try to do together.”

“I’d like that.”  Kaidan let out a yawn.  “Best get to bed.  Sounds like Vik is going to kick my ass tomorrow.”

“Do you know exactly what they’re going to teach you?  Haven’t heard any of that biotic shit before–well, maybe bubbles.” Zaeed asked as he grabbed his luggage, sorting through his bed clothes and grabbing his toiletries.

“A few things.  I sort of know the theory behind them, but it’s not going to be easy.”  Kaidan started to unpack his clothes too, grabbing what he needed and starting to tug off his clothes before pulling on the soft red plaid pajama pants he stole from Regis.  A bit too long on him, but they were something to steal.

He walked into the bathroom and turned on the light.  Zaeed settled behind him, shirtless against his own bare skin, wrapping his arms around his stomach as Kaidan began to brush his teeth.  “Either way, it’ll be a hell of a show.”

Kaidan hummed, going through the motions before spitting out the paste.  “Just wish Regis were here to do it with me.”

“So do I.” He kissed the top of his head and swapped places with him.  “My turn.”

So easy to get lost in the domesticity.  Kaidan wished they had a few more days.

– –

Kaidan stared at his omnitool while sitting on the edge of the bed, thinking back to what Vik said earlier about Hannah.  It was late, but he knew she kept long hours.  And he doubted she, like the rest of them, was getting much sleep lately.  

Zaeed was already under the covers, scrolling on his own omnitool.

It will be just a quick call.  He can also update her on the T’Soni situation from his perspective, hoping that Hackett already had that conversation with her.

“Going to call his mother?” he asked.  

“Thinking about it.”

“Then do it.  Need a minute alone?”

Kaidan shook his head.  “No, but I am going to pull on a shirt.”  He reached for the sweatshirt he brought with him, branded with the Alliance marines symbol, and tugged it on.  “I’m going to tell her about us and what we had with him, but I won’t make you part of the call unless she asks.”

“She’s going to ask.  She’ll know,” he laughed, but it didn’t sound carefree.  A little strained, either from the weight of the day or facing yet another meeting with a parent.

Kaidan snorted and got up to sit at his desk, sending her a quick message.

She replied nearly instantly with a link, no message attached to it.

Kaidan took a deep breath and opened the link, keeping his bed out of the view.  She appeared on the other side, her dark black hair down in waves instead of its usual bun.  She looked tired, older, wearing a purple turtleneck that immediately reminded him of Regis.

“Hackett told me you were with family and to not bother you.  What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing’s wrong, but Vik wanted me to talk to you about something.  First, need me to talk about the whole thing with T’Soni?”

She waved it off.  “Not now.  What more can you say?  I know Regis didn’t want her on board, and more than that, I realize how idiotic the Council was for not putting her up in protective custody when he asked.” She scoffed.  “He made a hell of a choice that day.  Though, it shouldn’t surprise me by now.”

“That he’s willing to sacrifice to get the outcome he wants?” Kaidan challenged, unable to prevent himself from striking out.

“No.” Her face was still.  “That he was willing to make the ballsy choices that would have nearly every admiral in this leadership squealing.  If he didn’t keep back our fleet, he could’ve doomed the goddamn galaxy.  Of course, no one’s going to see it that way,” she sighed.  “But I’m with you and him on that.  He did the right thing.  Always tried.”

Kaidan bit back his comment.  Should’ve told him that more often.  

“I know what you want to say, and trust me, I have plenty of regrets.  So, why was Vik wanting you to talk to me?” 

Hannah was always good at reading people.  But not her son.

How to best start this story… “Remember the man in Regis’s will that he gave his arsenal to?  The ones that weren’t on the Normandy?”

“I do,” she nodded, narrowing his eyes.  “It wasn’t the time to ask or contest when we were handling it.  Who is he?”

Kaidan let out a breath.  “Zaeed Massani was an old temporary third in our relationship a few years ago.”

To her credit, her expression barely changed, save for a slight widening of her eyes.  “And when you say temporary…”

“A few weeks.  An ill-advised shore leave on Omega that showed we were a little in over our heads…”

“And you met him there,” she guessed, not accepting the bait for the story.  He was grateful for that.

Kaidan nodded.  “It’s a bit of a long story but… yes.  We mutually agreed to pursue him and well… we stayed friends after we parted ways.”

“Had to if he willed his goddamn Widow to him.  Skull engraving and all?”

“Skull engraving and all,” Kaidan echoed.  “He’s not just some friend to us.”

“But I didn’t know him,” she said, lacing her fingers together on her desk.

“Vik and Adrian didn’t either in that way,” Kaidan said.  “Vik only knew Zaeed in passing due to their work.  Adrian mostly knew Zaeed because of Vik, not because of us.”

“Runs in the same circles as Vik, huh.  So, what are you going to tell me next?  Don’t tell me he’s part of T’Loak’s circle…”

He was sure Zaeed had to be careful to not make himself known at that comment.  “He’s an independent merc.”

She nodded, leaning back in her chair.  “Okay.  What is this really about, Kaidan?  You call me late at night to tell me of an ex-fling of yours that ended up making such an impact that Regis willed his goddamn armory to him.  Well, that’s now explained because of his work.  But why did Vik want you to tell me this?  Another reminder that my son and I never talked to each other?”

Kaidan let her rant, keeping his face still.  Here goes nothing.  “Regis gave me a separate video for me to watch.  I finally watched it.”

“He recorded me a short one too,” she said, her face softening.  “What did he say?”

“He wanted me to move on with my life.  Find someone else.  And in that video, he mentioned Zaeed by name.”

Her face, again, betrayed nothing. 

So, he continued.  “When I left Arcturus, I met up with Zaeed before even knowing about the video.  He just happened to be on Earth.  So, I finally faced that damn video with him by my side, and Regis dropped that bomb out of nowhere.  Regis hoped that Zaeed would be that person for me to rely on and one day love.” His voice caught on the last word.  “And Hannah, I loved your son.  I love him still, but… Regis gave me his goddamn blessing and I’m not about to waste an opportunity we both wanted after that shore leave.”  He didn’t think he still had tears to cry, but more threatened to fall.

“You don’t need my fucking blessing for anything, kid.  Regis… found himself with you.  And I am so grateful that he had you, and I’m sure your parents felt the same way about him.  Do I think this is too soon?  Maybe.  You need time, but time isn’t something any of us have these days.  Just… introduce him to me at some point.  I’d like to know the man that managed to pull both of you in,” she said, crossing her hands on top of each other on the table.  

Kaidan never expected that response out of her.  Likely due to Regis’s influence, his own thoughts on his mother seeping into whatever opinion Kaidan tried to create on his own.  

But there were too many times that made it difficult for Kaidan to paint her in a good light.

“Thank you,” Kaidan said, wiping at his eyes.  “I don’t want you to think that I’m just throwing away what we had.  We were so damn close to tying the knot.”  

“It took Atlas and I years,” she said.  “I understand.  Find your peace.  I wish I could find mine.”

“Vik wanted me to call you because I’ve already brought Zaeed down to meet Mom and Dad,” Kaidan blurted.  

This time, she did react, not hiding her shock.  “Already?  And how did that… no, it’s not any of my business.”  By the way she sounded, she definitely thought it was her business. “A couple of rough spots but… they want me to be happy,” Kaidan said, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“And I want that for you too, truly.  So, you called me to size up my reaction.  Fair enough.  If he’s okay with that, I want to at least say hello,” she said, quickly recovering.  

Kaidan didn’t have to say anything.  Zaeed got up from the bed, pulled on his tank top, and moved into the frame.

“Wait a second… you’re Hackett’s old–” she cut herself off.  

“He knows,” Zaeed said, moving to put a hand on his shoulder.  “He knows I’m his old friend and old beau.  Nice to meet you, Admiral Shepard.”

“Just call me Shepard, Massani,” she said with a laugh.  “Fucking hell, this galaxy is tiny.  Explains why your name kept gnawing on me, but I couldn’t place it.  Never been good with names…” she trailed off.  “My kid must’ve trusted and loved you a lot to give you his gun.  That’s all the endorsement I need.”

“I carry it with pride,” Zaeed said.  “I know the meaning of what he engraved on it.”

“Good.  Take care of each other.  We’ll talk more later.  You both look tired.”

“Yeah, it’s been a long day,” Kaidan said, stifling a yawn.  

“I bet,” she said, giving them both a small smile.  “Between the bullshit going on with that asari, your impending future, and introducing your partner to the family… get some rest.  Give the Alenkos my love.  I’ll try to make a trip down soon.”

He thought it was funny how she gave meeting the parents the same level of stress as all the other shit going on in his life.

“I will.  They’ll be happy to host you.”

“That I know for a fact.  Take care of each other.  Not just for Regis, but yourselves.  Might need to get some stories out of you.”  Before Kaidan could reply, she closed the link.

Zaeed squeezed his shoulder tighter.

Kaidan felt a little lighter after having that conversation, but now, all he wanted to do was snuggle up with Zaeed for as long as he could. A part of him also wanted to grill her more on the BAaT story he learned from Vik, but this wasn't the time.

And really, there wouldn't be much of a time without Regis there with them.

[austinsgirl]

facetime fun pt 2 (smut) | austin butler one shot

pairing: austin x fem!reader

rating: nsfw

word count: 972

summary: you visit austin in australia while he’s filming elvis to finish what you started on facetime, and of course to visit him

warnings: kissing, oral f receiving, p in v

cross posted on wattpad

———————————————————

After that fun night on FaceTime with Austin, you decided you needed all of that in person with him.

The next morning you booked a flight to Queensland, Australia. You're so excited, Austin has no idea you're coming. Thankfully you have his filming schedule so you can plan accordingly & you have the address to his apartment.

He sends you a text as you're in your Uber on the way to the airport.

"Hey babygirl, what are you doing tomorrow? I have a day off and I was thinking we could do what we did the other night?"

Little does he know we're going to be doing all of that in person tomorrow.

You text him back, "I think I'm free tomorrow so we should be able too. That was fun."

"It was. Just wish I could see you in person & love on you."

"I know honey, me too. We'll be together soon enough. I gotta get to work so I'll talk to you later." You make up the excuse as you're pulling up to the airport.

"Alright, baby. I love you."

"I love you too."

——————

The next day after your long flight to Australia

You finally reached Austin's apartment. Before leaving the airport, you made sure to stop in the bathroom & change your clothes and make sure your hair & makeup looked good. And of course, you sprayed your signature perfume on yourself that Austin absolutely loves.

You knock on his door if his apartment.

"Baz, if that's you, I told you I'm doing absolutely nothing today!" you hear Austin from inside. He finally reaches the door and opens it.

"Surprise!" You shout excitedly.

"B-baby?! What are you doin' here?!" he asks, standing there without a shirt, just in sweat pants, with his black hair falling in his face.

"I came to surprise you! I missed you so much!" You went in for a kiss before giving him a chance to say anything.

"I missed you too, so much! Oh my god, I can't believe you're here." he pulls you into a tight hug.

"Well, believe it, baby!"

"Here, let me grab your suitcase & bring it in for you. How long are you staying?"

"A couple weeks, maybe longer."

"Really?" he raises an eyebrow, getting excited.

"Haha, yeah really! I just missed you so much and I knew I needed to see you for longer than just a few days or a week."

"Please stay longer than a couple weeks, I know I'm not going to survive the rest of the time without you."

"If things are going alright without me at work, then I will."

"Prayin' that they will." he say, letting his little southern accent slip out that he uses for Elvis. You find it so sexy when it happens.

"Only time will tell."

"Are you tired? Are you hungry? Whatever you need, I'll make sure you get it."

"I just need you."

"Oh do you now?" he smirks, bringing his hands to your face.

"Yeah."

Austin crashes his lips to yours. You both let your tongues dance with each other's.

"Where's the bedroom?" You ask breaking the kiss.

"Down the hall." he responds.

"Take me there?"

Without an answer, Austin picks you up bridal style, making you giggle.

Your lips meet again with his as he carries you to the bedroom.

Austin places you on the bed once you've gotten there. He hovers over you, using one hand, running his thumb over your cheek.

"God, I missed you." his blue eyes piercing into yours before placing his lips to yours.

"I missed you so much more."

Austin gets up to remove your jeans. As he does that, you sit up & take off your shirt.

"You wore this for me, didn't you?" he asks, noticing your navy lace lingerie set. You know it's his favorite.

"Of course I did." you smirk at him.

With his teeth, he takes the hem of your panties and drags them off your body.

Seconds later, Austin spreads your legs apart. Kisses up your thighs before he meets with your center.

Shivers run up and down your spine, feeling his hot breath at your entrance.

Austin slowly starts to work his tongue on your clit while taking two fingers inside of you.

He knows exactly how you like it. You're in absolute bliss right now. The way he's doing it & finally having it after so long.

"Oh, fuck. Just like that." You moan, as he sucks on your clit just right.

"Should I keep going?" he asks.

"Please. Don't stop. Keep going until I come."

Austin keeps working his magic, bringing you closer & closer. Sucking harder & harder.

"Aus, I'm gonna come."

"Go for it, babe."

You release yourself & he cleans up your juices.

He gets up and slips his sweats off along with his boxers, making himself completely nude.

"You ready?" he asks before entering himself.

"More than ready."

Austin starts off slow, "Damn, babe. You're so tight."

"We haven't fucked in months, what do you expect?"

"Well, you're not going to be so tight in a second."

He works his up to a faster pace as you get readjusted to his length.

Austin's lips are on your neck, sucking, as he thrusts into you. His hands intertwine with yours, bringing them up over your head.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." You spat. "You're so good, Austin."

"I love it when you say my name. Say it again." he starts to pick up the pace even more.

"Austin."

"Again."

Before you knew it, he had you screaming his name as you both released yourselves.

Your lips meet once again, kissing each other passionately as you come down from your high.

"I missed you so much, y/n." Austin says to you.

"I missed you too. So much more, Aus. I love you."

"I love you too, forever."

———————————————————————

[lunarheslwt]

Hi! I wanted to put together all the fics I've read and loved over November for this month's 28th appreciation, so here they are! Click on the links for full tags and summaries. If you read any of these make sure to show the authors some love by leaving kudos and comments!

🔸I know you rider (gonna miss me when I'm gone) by @cyantific

(9.4k | T | single-rider line au)

The one where Louis hates hippies and roller coasters and Harry tries to fix that with lots of fun facts, terrible puns and perhaps one very life-changing moment in a dark tunnel.

"Nostalgia inducing, simply delightful, summer 90's vibes"

🔸Adélfes psychés by pleasinglouis

(19k | E | Greek mythology au)

Harry has been hopelessly in love with a certain woodland nymph for as long as he can remember and no amount of wooing seems to be working

(summary cut so the post isn't too long!)

"poetic, a little ethereal, incredibly sweet."

🔸Everyone's entitled to one good scare by @levelofcharm

(10k | E | Halloween themed CNC vampire au)

“We can play hide and seek. Go on, try to hide bunny,” he coos as he taps the cool knife to Louis’ heated cheek teasingly, his voice switching with ease to something stern and serious, “but hope I don’t find you.”

Louis has suspected his husband isn't what he says and is determined to be right this Halloween

(read tags please!)

"thrilling, dizzyingly hot, perfect Halloween gift"

🔸Where sirens fear to tread by @aliensingucci

(28k | M | siren forbidden love au)

in the royal line, there are only a select few sirens with the ability to transform into humans once a month. harry is one of those sirens. he mostly sticks to the rules. when he's on land, he reads his books. he buys copious amounts of ice cream. he keeps to himself. that is until he meets a lifeguard named louis working at one of the luxury resorts on St Barts. and unfortunately, harry doesn't know the rules about falling in love at all.

"endearing, gripping, characters you root for"

🔸Compete against the stars by @daggerandrose

(30k | M | arranged marriage a/b/o)

“We should probably keep our distance,” Harry says, now backing up until he’s leaning against the wall opposite of Louis. It already feels too far away. “I don’t know if I can handle not being able to touch you in some small way.”

Louis nods and looks down. “The solstice will be here soon,” he murmurs.

“And with it, our mates,” Harry finishes, his voice cracking at the last word.

An ABO au where Louis finds out he's claimed to another Alpha. Angst ensues.

("ridiculously soft, smidge of tension, fuzzy vibes")

🔸When love is enough by @larrysballetslippers

(5k | E | poly relationship)

“Please, daddy,” Harry begged, he wanted Louis so much. Louis shuffled to his side and kissed his lips. Harry felt like he was in heaven, Louis’ kisses were always soul-healing but also so devilish.

Louis pulled back, eliciting a whine from Harry, and stroked his cheeks “I’m going to make you cry today, edge you so hard you don’t know how-”

Louis stopped talking when they heard the bell ring in the distance. Louis’ eyes grew large when it rang for the second time. “Harry, who are you expecting?”

Or, Harry gets an unpleasant surprise visit in the middle of a scene.

"part of a must read series, heart warming, sweet"

🔸You go undercover (you cross your fingers) by @forthetherapyy

(25k | E | kid fic)

When they reach the top of the steps, Harry puts the buggy down gently.

“Thank you,” Louis says. “My hero.”

Harry laughs.

“You don’t need rescuing,” he says.

or

louis didn’t think that motherhood would be easy, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for just how challenging it would be. he also wasn't prepared for a certain alpha called harry appearing each time he needs help until accepting is no longer a difficult thing to do.

"incredibly sweet, warm, and a comfort read"

🔸Every witch way by @falsegoodnight

(36k | E | a witchy au)

The last thing Harry wants to be doing this summer is running his aunt's occult shop while she's away, but that's where he finds himself, bitter and bored. That is, until a boy and his cat stumble into Harry's life and turn it upside down.

"incredibly gripping, stunning world building, flawless"

🔸A Springtime's Wilt, an Autumn's Bloom by snowcaplou

(20k | E | chauffeur au)

Harry is Louis' personal chauffeur, and although he hides his feelings for his boss behind a wall of rigid professionalism, Louis still manages to squeeze through the cracks.

"perfect for a quick read, sweet, wonderful characters"

🔸Dip you in honey by @eeveelou

(28k | E | omega x omega royalty au)

Princess Harry, the pearl of England, is set to be married to the youngest prince of France in just six months. Anxious about his performance on his wedding night, he enlists the help of his loyal handmaiden Louis to help him practice everything he needs to know

"delicate, pure, and delightfully scandalous all at once"

🔸what a wicked thing to do (to make me dream of you) by @maroonmoonlouis

(44k | E | enemies to lovers dark academia heirs au)

Heirs Louis and Harry have been promised as mates to each other their whole lives. It's expected that they will be the perfect pair to bring honor to their families. Louis cannot let that happen.

"captivating, electrifying, and perfect"

🔸Even on my worst days by @homosociallyyours

(21k | E | sick fic, chronic illness)

When they meet at a party, Louis is instantly drawn to Harry like a moth to a flame. They hit it off, and Louis is eager to get to know Harry better-- maybe even take him out on a date --but Harry is hesitant. Cautious.

Since developing chronic fatigue a few years earlier, a lot of things have changed for Harry, his once active lifestyle reduced to the occasional outing like the one he met Louis at, visits to the doctor, and doing his best to take care of himself on hard days. He can't imagine that anyone-- especially not someone like Louis --would ever really want to be with him.

It takes time to convince him otherwise, but Louis can see he's worth it. He just has to get Harry to see it too.

"beautiful, touching, characters you will adore"

🔸Wanna play you like a game, boy (what's the thrill of the same toy?) by @thebreadvansstuff

(10k | E | humiliation kink)

Louis is Harry's boss, and Harry has a humiliation kink. (for full summary click fic link 😩)

"stupidly hot, hot and hot."

🔸You Can Lay Your Hands On Me by @momrryrights

(37k | E | bdsm au)

a non-famous, established relationship BDSM AU where Harry would really like his very sweet and caring boyfriend to dom him. Said boyfriend is more than happy to do so.

"delightfully detailed, super hot, incredible"

🔸wanna wake up with you and say baby let's do it all over again by @alwaysxlarrie

(16k | M | service kink fic)

“Harry, it’s okay. This is a safe space.”

“No, it’s not. You throw cheese puffs at me any time I walk around naked.”

“Okay.” Niall tilted his head in acknowledgement, then corrected himself. “It’s a safe space for things I deem acceptable.”

“Of course.” Harry rolled his eyes. “So, what’s the thing?”

“Your service,” Niall flailed his hands in the air for a few seconds, “thing.”

“My service,” Harry paused to mimic Niall’s hand movements, “thing?”

“Yes.”

"the dream duo dynamic, equally hot and cute, a gem"

Thank you wonderful writers who keep giving us the most amazing works<3

[selenewriting]

"I don't want us to have secrets."

From the Archive:

Originally a Prompt Response to @panvilleprompts

Posted on: 11 June 2022

Pansy knew right away that something was going on behind her back.

She had a feeling things were off when Neville asked her if they could reschedule their next Potions tutoring date after walking her back to the Slytherin dungeons.

Oddly enough, she thought nothing of it. People reschedule when things come up, that's normal. But when they were partnered for Charms class, Pansy turned towards him (as she's done all year) and found that he had partnered himself with Nott instead.

The feeling of rejection came full force. In the entire time they've worked together, he had never really avoided her so obviously as he was right now. So, Pansy resolved that if he avoided in Herbology, she would confront him, ask him what had changed between them.

During Advanced Herbology - a double lessons block - Neville was so busy assisting Professor Sprout that Pansy never got to flag him down to talk to him, something she had always been able to do.

'How frustrating,' she muttered as she walked over to the lake.

She swore she wouldn't let herself cry, but the tears came hard and fast until the sun set. She thought they were something once they'd kissed. 

The walk back to the castle was bitter. The evening chill set in so quickly, but Pansy couldn't be bothered to cast a warming charm.

The courtyard was empty by the time she arrived, probably since everyone would be in the dining hall.

She was so wrapped in her thoughts that she didn't notice the Neville pop out from the shadows.

"Pansy!"

It was his voice. She wiped her tears away with her robes and turned to face him.

"I've been looking for you everywhere! Where were you?" he asked, short of breath.

Pansy promised she wouldn't cry, so she but her lip and bade words to come. Her throat continued to tighten and she finally uttered, "Here and there, just taking a walk."

Neville placed his hands on her shoulders and asked her to close her eyes, "I've prepared something for you, I've been looking for you since sundown, but this might be better. You won't believe the grief Headmaster McGonagall gave me, but you're here!"

He turned her around, the warmth of his body against her back, his hands placed over her eyes.

With a whispered lumos, a wash of light flooded the space between his fingers and her closed lids.

"Alright now, open your eyes."

It took her a moment before her eyes adjusted to the overwhelming brightness and beauty of the courtyard. Neville had decorated the entire area with floating yellow and purple lights shaped as pansies. Dozens of stephanotis floribunda flowers danced on invisible currents, their delicate scent wafting with the breeze.

And to top it off, a tiny house elf (dressed like an American cowboy) stood beside a small bistro table decorated with more flowers, glasses, and an overflowing tower of petit four.

Speechless, she was rendered speechless. "Nev," she began, not really sure what to say from here.

"Do you like it? I've spent the last two weeks planning for this. I'm sorry I had to reschedule on you, I had to ask McGonagall for permission and the night I rescheduled with you was the only night she was available to meet me. And I'm sorry I haven't been able to work with you in Charms, Nott helped me with the flowers and charms. I wanted to catch you today during Herbology, but you disappeared before you could see Seamus get bitten by the fanged geraniums. A fiasco, really. "

"What's all this for though? I thought-we were breaking up!"

"Wha- What's all this? Silly witch, it's our one year anniversary!"

Oh Merlin, that made so much sense. "I thought you were bored of me and started to avoid me because of it and I thought you were going to break up with me for someone else!"

Pansy started to cry in earnest and Neville pulled her in close to give her a kiss on the head, "No, silly witch, I wanted to surprise you, but I think I made you feel badly. I'm sorry, love. I want you to know I'd rather be obliviated than live a life without your love."

She sniffled once more, "So, no secrets?"

He kissed her again, "None, I don't want us to have secrets."

And they had none between them until he pulled out a ring three years later and she waited to let him know she was with child two years after that.